Structural analysis of high-pressure shear zones (Bacariza Formation, Cabo Ortegal, NW Spain)

High-pressure granulites of the Bacariza Formation (Cabo Ortegal Complex, NW Spain) exhibit spectacular examples of ductile shear zones developed at different scales in rocks containing pre-existing foliations. A detailed structural analysis was carried out on these shear zones in order to unravel and compare the role of various parameters controlling the deformation process (i.e. heterogeneous simple shear, components of homogeneous deformation, heterogeneous volume change and degree of non-coaxiality). Although heterogeneous simple shear largely dominated, negligible deviations from the ideal simple shear model were detected involving shortening along the structural directions perpendicular to the stretching axis (within the foliation plane) of the finite strain ellipsoid. The relationship between displacement parallel to a half-shear zone and the normal distance from its boundary provided the basis for the estimation of the stress exponent in the power-law constitutive flow equation associated with each shear zone, which is interpreted as a rheological indicator. These geometric and rheological results, and the thermobaric conditions of high-pressure shear zone deformation, indicate that these shear zones accommodated dominant plastic rock flow coeval with high-pressure and high-temperature deformations under moderate stress levels concomitant with elevated strain rates.