Paleocene and Early Eocene volcanic ash layers in the Schlieren Flysch, Switzerland: U–Pb dating and Hf-isotopes of zircons, pumice geochemistry and origin

• Mm to cm thin bentonite layers in the Schlieren Flysch represent volcanic ash layers.
• The geochemical composition of the layers suggests basic to acidic volcanism and a with-in plate derivation.
• The ash layers predate known Alpine magmatic and volcanic activities.
• The ash layers show well coherence with ash layers found in the Austrian Alps and in the Danish Basin.
• The ashes originate most probably from the British Tertiary Volcanic Province related to the opening of the North Atlantic.

Thin mm to cm thick bentonite layers of Paleocene to Early Eocene age in the Tonsteinschichten of the Schlieren Flysch represent volcanic ash layers. Heavy mineral analysis of the layers indicates basic to acidic volcanic sources. U/Pb dating of single zircon crystals of a Paleocene layer (WW1948) by LA-ICP-MS points to an eruption at 59.87 ± 0.41 Ma, whereas ID-TIMS shows an eruption age of 60.96 ± 0.07 Ma. Taking into account the external precision of LA-ICP-MS analyses of 1–2% both ages are overlapping and indicate an apparent minimal durations of zircon crystallization of 350 ka. Hf-isotope analysis of the same zircon crystals reveals the hybrid character of the source magma. The geochemical composition of the pumice grains of all bentonite layers is strongly affected by alteration. Nevertheless, the original character of the volcanic source can be evaluated. The Paleocene ashes (Lower Tonsteinschichten, LT) show a more fractionated multi-element pattern than the ashes of Early Eocene (Upper Tonsteinschichten, UT). The LT ash series are of rhyodacite to dacite character whereas the UT ashes fall in the field of alkali basalts. Both ash series seem to originate from a within-plate volcanic setting according to their trace element concentrations. Geochemical and temporary counterparts can be found in ash layers from Anthering (Austria) and the Danish Basin. As proposed for those ashes, volcanism connected to the opening of the North Atlantic might be the source as well for the ashes in the Schlieren Flysch. By comparison of the composition of rocks from the British Paleogene Igneous Province BPIP and the Schlieren Flysch ashes many correlations can be drawn which supports the suggestion of a North Atlantic origin of the Alpine ashes.