Abstract This paper summarises current knowledge on metamorphism within the entire New England Orogen (NEO) of eastern Australia. Rocks recording metamorphic assemblages characteristic of each of the three metamorphic facies series (high, medium and low P/T) have been identified within the orogen. These include high P/T blueschists and eclogites, mid P/T orogenic metamorphism and low P/T contact aureoles and sub-regional high-temperature–low-pressure (HTLP) metamorphism (regional aureoles). Metamorphism is described as it relates to six tectonic phases of development of the NEO that together comprise two major cycles of compression–extension. Medium–high-grade contact metamorphism spans all six tectonic phases while low-grade burial and/or orogenic metamorphism has been identified for four of the six phases. In contrast, exposure of high P/T eclogites and blueschists, and generation of sub-regional low P/T metamorphism is restricted to extensional phases of the orogen. Hallmarks of the orogen are two newly identified zones of HTLP metamorphism, the older of which extends for almost the entire length of the orogen. KEY POINTS The orogen is dominated by low-temperature rocks while high-temperature amphibolite to granulite facies rocks are restricted to small exposures in HTLP complexes and contact aureoles. Blueschist metamorphism falls into two categories; that associated with subduction during the Currabubula-Connors continental arc phase occurring at depths of ∼13–30 km; and the other of Cambrian–Ordovician age, exposed within a serpentinite melange and associated with blocks of eclogite. The eclogite, initially from depths of ∼75–90 km, appears to have been entrained in the deep crust for an extended period of geological time. A comprehensive review of contact metamorphism in the orogen is lacking and as studies on low-grade metamorphism are more extensive in the southern part of the orogen than the north, this highlights a second research gap.

中文翻译：

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澳大利亚东部新英格兰造山带的变质作用：综述

摘要 本文总结了澳大利亚东部整个新英格兰造山带 (NEO) 内变质作用的最新知识。已经在造山带内确定了记录三个变质相系列（高、中和低 P/T）中每一个的变质组合特征的岩石。这些包括高 P/T 蓝片岩和榴辉岩、中 P/T 造山变质作用和低 P/T 接触光环和亚区域高温低压 (HTLP) 变质作用（区域光环）。变质作用被描述为与近地天体发育的六个构造阶段有关，这些阶段共同构成了两个主要的压缩-伸展周期。中-高级接触变质作用跨越所有六个构造阶段，而在六个阶段中的四个阶段已确定低级埋藏和/或造山变质作用。相比之下，高 P/T 榴辉岩和蓝片岩的暴露以及次区域低 P/T 变质作用的产生仅限于造山带的伸展阶段。造山带的标志是两个新发现的 HTLP 变质带，其中较旧的带几乎延伸到造山带的整个长度。要点 造山带以低温岩石为主，而高温角闪岩至麻粒岩相岩石仅限于 HTLP 复合体和接触光环中的小暴露。蓝片岩变质分为两类；与 Currabubula-Connors 大陆弧相期间发生在约 13-30 公里深处的俯冲有关；另一个是寒武纪-奥陶纪，暴露在蛇纹岩混杂岩中，并与榴辉岩块有关。榴辉岩最初来自约 75-90 公里的深度，似乎在很长一段时间内都被夹带在地壳深处。缺乏对造山带接触变质作用的全面回顾，而且由于造山带南部低级变质作用的研究比北部更广泛，这突出了第二个研究空白。