Structural and metamorphic evolution of the southern Sanandaj-Sirjan zone, southern Iran

The southern Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone (SSZ) forms the core of the Zagros orogen and consists of a stack of four major tectonic units, all of which were thrust southwestward over the Neyriz ophiolites. Precambrian and early Paleozoic rocks were affected by high-grade metamorphism, whilst the late Paleozoic (Carboniferous and Permian) and Mesozoic rocks are of low grade to unmetamorphosed. Geothermobarometric results indicate that the investigated area experienced peak temperature–pressure conditions of ~ 650 °C and 8–9 kbar, before being partly overprinted by greenschist facies conditions. We identified two main deformational phases (D2, D3) and some relics of an older one (D1) in the southern SSZ. D1 is inferred based on local evidence of tight D2 folds that fold a pre-existing schistosity (S1), associated with prograde- and peak metamorphism. D2 shows large-scale, tight-to isoclinal F2 folds and a penetrative S2 foliation, forming the dominant foliation in our study area. The P–T path is clockwise and associated with a geothermal gradient of ~ 20 °C/km, suggesting a collision-related geodynamic setting, preceding D2, and possibly linked to an early stage of D1. D3 is characterized by open folds (F3) and thrusts developed after greenschist facies metamorphism. Based on the metamorphic grade and stratigraphic age of folded units, D2 is inferred to be Eo-Cimmerian, and D3 post-Cretaceous, coeval to the Zagros orogeny. Concerning the oldest phase (D1), for which only circumstantial structural evidence exists, we discuss whether its age is pre-Cimmerian, possibly Variscan, or Eo-Cimmerian as suggested in previous literature. This study uses metamorphic assemblages and structures of the southern SSZ, to retrace its geodynamic evolution, which started with burial associated with high-temperature metamorphism, followed by Eo-Cimmerian shortening, and finally terminated with additional shortening related to the Zagros collisional event.