Johannes Wiest

The concept “Metamorphic Core Complex” and its application in SW Norway

First proposed in the late 1970s, the field-based concept of metamorphic core complexes (MCCs) has evolved into a fundamental mode of lithosphere extension. The worldwide identification of MCCs in different geodynamic settings strongly influenced the understanding of extensional tectonics, but the concept remains highly controversial and far from fully understood. In this presentation, I will summarize the evolution of the MCC concept and its implications for lithosphere rheology. Based on recent review articles, I present important conceptual models as well as latest advances concerning core-complex dynamics. In the light of new results from fieldwork in the Øygarden Complex, I will discuss how the concept MCC might enhance our understanding of post-Caledonian extensional tectonics in SW Norway.