Arne P. Willner, Cees R. van Staal, A. Zagorevski, Johannes Glodny, Rolf L. Romer, Masafumi Sudo

• The Red Indian Line (RIL) in central Newfoundland is the suture, where the main tract of the Iapetus Ocean was closed at similar to 452 Ma during accretion of the peri-Gondwanan Victoria arc with the composite active Laurentian margin. The protracted deformation history of this soft collision started at similar to 471 Ma with accretion of oceanic terranes to the active composite Laurentian margin. After Iapetus closure both colliding active margins were progressively deformed and metamorphosed during Silurian and Devonian (Salinic, Acadian and Neoacadian orogenic cycles). Peak conditions of the very low- to medium-grade, heterogeneously distributed metamorphism were determined by pseudosection techniques within the range of 2-7 kbar, 230-450 degrees C during increase of the metamorphic field gradient from similar to 12 degrees C/km to similar to 32 degrees C/km over time. Multiple metamorphic crystallisation stages were dated by white mica Ar-40/Ar-39 spot and plateau ages, additional Rb-Sr mineral isochrons involving white mica andThe Red Indian Line (RIL) in central Newfoundland is the suture, where the main tract of the Iapetus Ocean was closed at similar to 452 Ma during accretion of the peri-Gondwanan Victoria arc with the composite active Laurentian margin. The protracted deformation history of this soft collision started at similar to 471 Ma with accretion of oceanic terranes to the active composite Laurentian margin. After Iapetus closure both colliding active margins were progressively deformed and metamorphosed during Silurian and Devonian (Salinic, Acadian and Neoacadian orogenic cycles). Peak conditions of the very low- to medium-grade, heterogeneously distributed metamorphism were determined by pseudosection techniques within the range of 2-7 kbar, 230-450 degrees C during increase of the metamorphic field gradient from similar to 12 degrees C/km to similar to 32 degrees C/km over time. Multiple metamorphic crystallisation stages were dated by white mica Ar-40/Ar-39 spot and plateau ages, additional Rb-Sr mineral isochrons involving white mica and one U/Pb age of titanite. All resulting ages between 439 +/- 4 Ma and 356 +/- 16 Ma postdate the closure of Iapetus. Results differ along two transects: The oldest ages of 443-421 Ma (Salinic orogenic cycle) were observed along the northern transect through the RIL zone with minimal younger overprint. Hence low temperature, intermediate to high pressure conditions (4.0-7.0 kbar, 230-340 degrees C) achieved during Taconic-Salinic underthrusting are well preserved. During Acadian dextral transpression the Taconic-Salinic structural wedge was tilted subvertically. In contrast, rocks along the southern transect through the RIL zone mainly show Acadian ages of 408-390 Ma with local preservation of older ages. Acadian deformation occurred under low temperature/low pressure conditions (similar to 250-450 degrees C, 2.5-4.6 kbar). Also Silurian terrestrial cover rocks were buried under these conditions. Acadian-Neoacadian deformation (393-340 Ma) becomes younger towards the northwest and progressively localized in transcurrent fault zones. This final foreland deformation at shallow crustal level established the Acadian/Neoacadian orogenic front in central Newfoundland slightly northwest of the RIL.…