Apatite fission track and zircon (U-Th)/He dataset in the eastern Basque-Cantabrian Zone - western Pyrenees

Apatite fission track and zircon (U-Th)/HeLow-temperature thermochronology studies have increased our knowledge of the orogenic processes along the Pyrenean-Cantabrian mountain belt by placing time constraints on the exhumation history of its rocks. However, a significant gap of data existed between the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian Mountains, hampering a comprehensive view of the tectonothermal evolution along the belt. Thus, we present a new apatite fission-track (AFT) and zircon (U-Th)/He (ZHe) dataset for the eastern Basque-Cantabrian zone and western Pyrenees. AFT central ages cluster in the Eocene-Oligocene. According to their ZHe age-eU correlations, samples can be separated into two groups: group 1 depicts clustered ZHe ages-eU concentrations (Cinco Villas Massif) and group 2 depicts dispersed ZHe ages-eU concentration (Alduides Massif and a Paleozoic rock pinned along the Leiza thrust sheet). A sample from the Oroz-Betelu Massif shows an intermediate behavior. Our results agree with previous data in the Pyrenean-Cantabrian mountain belt, supporting a Cenozoic cooling of the hinterlands of this part of the belt.Funding sources: University of Oviedo-Banco Santander (grant number UNOV-10-BECDOC-S, Programa de Promoción de la Investigación Universidad de Oviedo-Banco Santander); Gobierno del Principado de Asturias Fundación para el Fomento en Asturias de la Investigación Científica Aplicada y la Tecnología (FICYT), grant number BP11-004, Beca predoctoral Severo Ochoa; Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (AP2010-3637, Programa de Formación del Profesorado Universitario, FPU); Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (grant number CSD2006-00041, Consolider-Ingenio); European Science Foundation; Consejería de Cultura y Deporte Gobierno del Principado de Asturias; French National Centre of Scientific Research; The Research Council of Norway; Statoil-Hydro; Netherlands Research Center for Integrated Solid Earth Science (grant number SV-PA-10-03-IP2-PYRTEC, PYRTEC: Spatial and temporal coupling between tectonics and surface processes during lithosphere inversion of the Pyrenean-Cantabrian mountain belt); Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (grant number CGL2013-48601-C2-2-R, Programa Estatal de I+D Programa de Investigación, desarrollo e innovación orientada a los retos de la sociedad).Peer reviewe