posted on 2020-07-22, 23:31authored byDrew A. Levy, Margo Odlum, Joel DesOrmeau
<p>Apatite grains from the Saint Barthelemy Massif
(Northern Pyrenees) are investigated to understand U-Pb and trace element
systematics during crystal plastic deformation. Electron backscatter
diffraction of individual grains was employed to measure crystal plastic
deformation. Grains from the footwall mylonite zone record evidence of crystal
plastic deformation expressed as intragrain misorientation across low-angle
boundaries. Crystallographic orientation data indicate slip along the [100]
plane in the <001> direction, which is consistent with previously
investigated slip systems in apatite. These results suggest dislocation creep
is the primary deformation mechanism. Similar deformation patterns observed in
zircon are shown to facilitate Pb diffusion out of the crystal lattice. This
may be the case in deformed apatite, however further study is required to confirm
this phenomenon.</p>