The pressure character of the Alpine metamorphism in the Central and Inner Western Carpathians (Czecho-Slovakia).

The pressure character of the Alpine metamorphism in the some areas of the Gemericum, Veporicum and Meliaticum tectonic units was estimated by means of the b values of muscovites from greenschist facies metapelites. 124 selected samples of phyllites from three lithostratigraphic sequences were considered. The analytical results (tab. 1: Figs. 2, 3, 4) demonstrate that the Alpine metamorphism in the central and inner Western Carpathians corresponds to the higher pressure range of the barrovian-type metamorphism. A metamorphic thermal gradient of approximately 10°C/Km was consequently deduced (Fig. 5). A large data base concerning the b cell dimension of muscovite from Variscan phyllites of the Western Carpathians has been published recently for geobarometric purposes. Taking into consideration this data base, the new data shown in the present paper indicate that contrasting pressure characters are recorded in the Variscan vs. Alpine phyllites within the central and inner Western Carpathians.