HP-UHP Metamorphism and Tectonic Evolution of Orogenic Belts

Book excerpt: High pressure (HP) and ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks play a key role in understanding the tectonic evolution of orogenic belts. They have typically experienced complex changes during subduction and exhumation processes arising from recrystallization, deformation, fluid-rock interactions and even partial melting, and may therefore carry valuable records of evolving geodynamic systems in an orogenic belt. This special publication addresses the current work on HP-UHP metamorphism and its relation to the tectonic evolution of orogenic belts. This special publication contains fifteen papers covering the important orogenic belts of the Himalaya, Dabie-Sulu, Tian Shan, North Qaidam and others that have been grouped into three parts: (I) new developments in the determination of metamorphic pressure-temperature (PT) conditions and their timing, (II) overview papers of well-known HP-UHP metamorphic belts and (III) research papers for some newly discovered HP-UHP belts.