Fluid evolution and thermal structure in the rapidly exhuming gneiss complex of Namche Barwa–Gyala Peri, eastern Himalayan syntaxis

High-grade gneisses (amphibolite–granulite facies) of the Namche Barwa and Gyala Peri massifs, in the eastern Himalayan syntaxis, have been unroofed from metamorphic depths in the late Tertiary–Recent. Rapid exhumation (2–5 mm year) has resulted in a pronounced shallow conductive thermal anomaly beneath the massifs and the intervening Tsangpo gorge. The position of the 300 !C isotherm has been estimated from fluid inclusions using CO2–H2O immiscibility phase equilibria to be between 2.5 and 6.2 km depth below surface. Hence, the near-surface average thermal gradient exceeds 50 !C km beneath valleys, although the thermal gradient is relatively lower beneath the high mountains. The original metamorphic fluid in the gneisses was >90% CO2. This fluid was displaced by incursion of brines from overlying marine sedimentary rocks that have since been largely removed by erosion. Brines can exceed 60 wt% dissolved salts, and include Ca, Na, K and Fe chlorides. These brines were remobilized during the earliest stages of uplift at >500 !C. During exhumation, incursion of abundant topography-driven surface waters resulted in widespread fracture-controlled hydrothermal activity and brine dilution down to the brittle–ductile transition. Boiling water was particularly common at shallow levels (<2.5 km) beneath the Yarlung Tsangpo valley, and numerous hot springs occur at the surface in this valley. Dry steam is not a major feature of the hydrothermal system in the eastern syntaxis (in contrast to the western syntaxis at Nanga Parbat), but some dry steam fluids may have developed