华北东南部中生代岩石圈地幔性质、组成、富集过程及其形成机理

本文通过对我国华北东南部中生代幔源岩浆活动的时空分布规律及其地球化学特征的系统总结来进一步厘定该地区中生代岩石圈地幔的性质和组成,并通过与华北内部如鲁中地区中生代岩石圈地幔的对比研究探讨华北东部岩石圈的时空演化规律、富集过程及其形成机理。幔源岩石的 Sr-Nd-Ph 同位素特征表明华北东部中生代岩石圈地幔存在明显的时空不均匀性,其中心部位如鲁中地区以弱富集地幔为主体;而东南部如鲁西南和胶东地区则为类似 EM2型地幔(~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr_i 可高达0.7114)。华北东南部中生代岩石圈地幔随时间的演化特征也很明显。这些幔源岩石的地球化学特征和玄武岩中地幔岩捕虏体(橄榄岩和辉石岩)和捕虏晶(橄榄石和辉石)的组成和结构特征皆证明华北东南部中生代岩石圈地幔曾受到过富硅熔体的强烈改造。橄榄岩-熔体的相互反应是该区岩石圈改造和组成转变的重要方式,从而造成古生代高镁橄榄岩转变为晚中生代低镁橄榄岩和辉石岩。进入岩石圈地幔的熔体具下/中地壳物质重熔的特征,从而导致该区晚中生代岩石圈地幔的快速富集。有关华北东部中生代岩石圈减薄和改造的时限、过程和机制等问题也进行较详细的讨论。     

胶辽半岛金伯利岩中地幔捕虏体岩石学特征：古生代岩石圈地幔及其不均一性

华北东部古生代岩石圈地幔经历过复杂的多旋回多阶段熔融岩浆、重结晶、变质和剪切变形历史,因而岩石组成、结构复杂.地幔橄榄岩的主元素、地幔矿物特别是金刚石中的包裹体的Mg#值及Cr#值等显示古生代岩石圈地幔高度难熔亏损玄武质的成分特征,而地幔橄榄岩的不相容元素、同位素显示高度富集的特点.这种高难熔和强富集两重性是克拉通岩石圈地幔的特征.Pb同位素反映华北东部古生代岩石圈地幔具冈瓦纳大陆地幔的特点.复县和蒙阴古生代岩石圈地幔尽管都表现为太古代克拉通地幔的特征,但存在着不均一性,前者受克拉通化后的深部作用影响强于后者.与新生代地幔Sr、Nd同位素对比表明富集的古生代岩石圈地幔向亏损新生代的地幔转变和减薄伴有新生地幔物质对古老岩石圈的置换和混合作用.     

华北东部中、新生代岩石圈地幔的不均一性：来自橄榄石的组成填图结果

华北中、新生代玄武质火山岩和基性脉岩携带的地幔橄榄岩捕虏体中橄榄石和/或橄榄石捕虏晶系统的组成填图显示华北东部中、新生代岩石圈地幔存在明显的时空分布规律和不均一性。这与通过岩石圈地幔源基性岩石的地球化学反演获得的华北中生代岩石圈地幔的时空不均一性及其块体特征完全一致。太行山和鲁皖地区新生代岩石圈地幔的差异演化主要反映古老地幔橄榄岩与熔体相互作用时熔体性质和来源的不同。同时,橄榄石 Fo 填图还揭示了郯庐断裂对华北东部中、新生代基性岩浆活动及其岩石圈地幔演化的重要制约作用。而且,华北东部中生代岩石圈减薄后尚存古老岩石圈地幔残留。因此,华北东部岩石圈减薄的整体拆沉模式很难成立。     

华北克拉通晚中生代壳-幔拆离作用: 岩石流变学约束

大陆岩石圈的流变学结构对于岩石圈深部过程(壳/幔过程)有着深刻的影响,直接表现在岩石圈壳-幔结构与浅部构造上.本文注意到华北克拉通晚中生代岩石圈减薄期间地壳的伸展、拆离与减薄在不同地区的宏观、微观构造及地壳岩石流变学等方面的差异表现与区域变化,以及现今和晚中生代时期岩石圈厚度的不均匀性.讨论了以水为主体的地质流体的存在对于岩石圈流变性的影响.综合克拉通东部与西部地壳/地幔厚度变化特点以及下地壳和上地幔含水性特点,阐述了晚中生代时期华北克拉通岩石圈内部壳幔耦合与解耦的规律,提出了华北岩石圈壳-幔拆离作用模型以解释华北克拉通晚中生代岩石圈减薄的基本现象与深部过程.提出区域性伸展作用是岩石圈减薄的主要动力学因素,东部地区在晚中生代伸展作用过程中壳-幔具有典型的解耦性,上部地壳、下部地壳和岩石圈地幔的变形具有显著差异性.而西部区壳幔总体具有耦合性,下地壳与岩石圈地幔共同构成流变学强度很高且难以变形的岩石圈根.     

再论岩石圈地幔蘑菇云构造及其深部成因

根据地球物理资料的分析得到,除了东北吉辽地区太平洋板块向大陆俯冲外,当今中国东部其他地区大陆下都没有俯冲太平洋板块的证据。中生代以来中国东部发生的岩石圈巨变不是太平洋板块向中国大陆的俯冲所造成,而是由于软流圈物质上涌形成蘑菇云构造对岩石圈地幔的改造而引发的重大地质事件。软流圈物质的上涌使岩石圈地幔成为新生地幔与残剩地幔并存的结构,岩石圈被激活,稳定的克拉通地壳褶皱变形,地壳减薄,地震频发,岩浆活动活跃,地面沉降,并形成广袤的西太平洋边缘海。但是岩石圈厚度并未减薄,只是由于岩石圈地幔形成了蘑菇云结构使它的速度降低,与周遍地区的岩石圈结构产生明显差别。蘑菇云地幔发育的地区覆盖整个东南亚西太平洋地区。包括中国东北的中东部、华北的东部、华南的东南缘、马来半岛、印尼、菲律宾、日本海、黄海、东海、南海,加罗林盆地和菲律宾海盆。与这个东南亚西太平洋低速岩石圈地幔相对应,还存在一个巨大的大地椭球面正异常,它应是核幔边界的质量过剩所引起。它与印度洋—西藏地区核幔边界质量亏损引起的负大地椭球面异常孪生,并形成一个控制中国大陆构造的深层动力系统,这个动力系统产生的时代可能为中生代或晚古生代。它们之间的地幔环流造成了东南亚西太平洋岩石圈巨变,并驱动印度板块的北移和青藏高原的隆升。     

渤海湾盆地晚中生代以来伸展模式及动力学机制

通过分析盆地区大陆伸展模型参数、火成岩地球化学特征时空演化、岩石圈分层伸展几何学和运动学、应力场-变形场的匹配和演化,文章对渤海湾盆地晚中生代以来伸展断陷的动力学过程进行了系统讨论。晚中生代,盆地北、西部以变质核杂岩模式伸展,南、东部以宽裂陷模式伸展;在岩石圈伸展过程中,地壳变形方式为简单剪切,岩石圈地幔变形方式为纯剪切;盆地处于洋壳俯冲背景下弧后伸展区,盆地及西、北部隆起区岩石圈地幔为EM1型,而南、东部隆起区受扬子板块俯冲改造成类似EM2型;盆地变形的力源为板块相对运动产生的引张力,以及郯庐断裂的走滑作用。新生代,渤海湾盆地以窄裂陷模式伸展,地壳和岩石圈地幔变形方式均为纯剪,但岩石圈地幔伸展强度大于地壳;盆地处于大陆内裂谷环境,软流圈地幔上涌并改造岩石圈地幔,且盆地裂陷的力源以软流圈地幔上涌产生的引张力为主。     

金刚石包裹体矿物化学特征与华北东部克拉通岩石圈地幔属性

华北地台金刚石的包裹体中含有丰富的地幔信息.对山东蒙阴、辽宁复县两地金刚石中包裹体矿物包括橄榄石、石榴石、单斜辉石和铬铁矿的化学成分进行了深入分析,金刚石包裹体矿物的主量元素显示华北地台至少在古生代金伯利岩侵位时具高度亏损玄武质的难熔克拉通岩石圈地幔特征.应用适用于石榴石橄榄岩相的单斜辉石温压计对金刚石包裹体中透辉石进行了计算,得出华北地台金刚石形成于1 083～1 194℃、5.3-6.1 GPa的地质环境下.蒙阴和复县两地金刚石包裹体所反映的古老岩石圈地幔虽然都表现为克拉通岩石圈地幔特征,但也存在一定的不均一性.同时,通过对华北东部古生代与新生代地幔矿物的主量元素及地幔热状态的对比,结合现有的地幔岩石学和地幔地球化学的研究成果,认为软流圈物质对古老岩石圈地幔的侵蚀作用能较好地解释华北岩石圈减薄.     

华北太古代上地幔钕同位素组成、演化及对该区岩石圈地幔不均一性的制约

近年所获得的华北各地区太古代变质火山岩系9个较准确的Sm-Nd同位素年龄及初始Nd同位素比值表明,华北太古代(3500—2500Ma)上地幔都是亏损的,但在1000Ma范围內其ε_(Nd)值一直恒定在+3左右,与全球太古代亏损地幔Nd同位素演化规律一致。这表明华北太古代的构造体制有可能使大量地壳物质重新进入地幔从而保持ε_(Nd)值的恒定。如果华北大陆岩石圈地幔的主体是在太古代时从对流上地幔中分离出来的,利用该区太古代上地幔Nd同位素组成及其可能的sm/Nd值进行计算,可获得该区岩石圈非交代地幔应是与N型大洋中脊玄武岩(以下简称MORB)源类似或更亏损的高亏损地幔,其现代ε-(Nd)值最大变化范围在+7—+23之间。至今在华北我们尚未发现由这种高亏损非交代大陆岩石圈地幔产生的大陆玄武岩。如果某些大陆玄武岩可能产生于大陆岩石圈地幔,则其源区必定是经过地幔交代作用再富集了的地幔。     

青藏高原东部及其邻区力学耦合的岩石圈变形模式

根据青藏高原东部及其邻区布设的143个宽频带固定和流动地震台站的远震记录的SKS波分裂分析获得了各台站的快波偏振方向和快慢波之间的时间延迟。SKS分裂分析结果总体上反映了高原东部的上地幔物质流动方向,即高原内部表现为环绕喜马拉雅东构造结的顺时针旋转。在造山运动过程中有关岩石圈地壳和地幔力学耦合的造山变形方式,用从GPS和第四纪断裂滑动速率数据确定的地面变形场和由地震波各向异性数据推断的地幔变形场联合分析来定量求得。在青藏高原东部和云南、四川等地区新近快速增加的GPS和SKS波分裂观测数据,提供了对青藏高原岩石圈地幔实际变形方式的检验。这些新的数据不仅加强了高原内部力学耦合岩石圈的证据,而且也解释了高原外部相同的耦合特征。文中引入简单剪切变形和纯剪切变形的概念,用于解释高原内外不同的耦合变形特征。青藏高原和周围区域力学耦合岩石圈的垂直连贯变形有两个方面的大陆动力学含义:第一,岩石圈垂直强度剖面被一个重要的条件所约束,即要求与重力势能变化相关的应力能够从地壳传递到地幔;第二,青藏高原各向异性的空间变化反映了一个岩石圈变形的大尺度模式,以及从高原内部的简单剪切变形向高原外部的纯剪切变形的过渡带。文中提出的力学耦合岩石圈变形模型与当前已有的多种造山运动变形模型具有不同的变形含义,因此,地幔变形在青藏高原隆升过程中起主要作用。     

东北和华北地区上地幔成分和热状态对比及对中国东部岩石圈减薄的启示

地幔成分与其上覆地壳年龄存在相关关系,年龄越老,地幔越亏损玄武质组分。本文对产于东北和华北地区的尖晶石相橄榄岩包体的成分进行了统计分析,结果显示东北地区橄榄岩包体比华北地区包体更亏损玄武质组分。这说明东北岩石圈地幔比华北上地幔更难熔,但其上覆地壳年龄却远小于华北地区地壳的年龄。这种地壳年龄和地幔组分之间的解耦暗示东北和华北地区的岩石圈地幔形成之后发生了大规模的改造。华北地区的壳幔解耦与中生代岩石圈减薄和增生有关,而东北地区的壳幔解耦则是该区地壳的多期改造和中生代岩石圈减薄和增生等过程综合作用的结果。两地区地幔成分的差异显然与部分熔融程度的不同有关,但影响部分熔融程度的因素很多,目前尚不能确定。包体的平衡温度统计和地温线对比显示东北岩石圈的地温梯度低于华北的地温梯度,可能是东北地区岩石圈减薄的时间要早于华北地区,或者华北岩石圈减薄程度可能大于东北地区的结果,因此中国东部岩石圈减薄存在时空不均一性。     

太行山构造带及其以东地区上地幔地震层析成像

基于首都圈地区及河北邯郸台网共115个台站记录的地方震、近震和远震P波和S波走时,利用地震层析成像技术得到了太行山构造带及其以东地区下方300km深度范围内的P、S波速度结构。结果发现沿太行山构造带速度结构在上地幔中存在明显的横向不均匀性,其南、中、北段显示了各自不同的构造特征。太行山以东盆地区岩石圈厚度较薄,在约80km深度进入地幔软流层,但在160km深度下,P波和S波速度结构呈现较大差异,其中P波在华北东部地区逐渐以高速为主,而S波速度剖面上虽然低速体被切割,但仍然保持了大部分地区的相对低速。深部结构揭示,太行山中段受华北地区岩石圈减薄过程作用最为强烈,其速度结构与盆地区更为相似。而南段构造作用与浅部断裂关系明显,深部可能更多地保留了构造造山带岩石圈厚度大,高速介质多的特征。太行山北段处于多构造交界地区,速度结构比较复杂,部分S波低速区可能与深部地幔物质上涌作用有关。     

Lithospheric structure beneath the East China Sea revealed by Rayleigh-wave phase velocities

We explore the variations of Rayleigh-wave phase-velocity beneath the East China Sea in a broad period range (5–200 s). Rayleigh-wave dispersion curves are measured by the two-station technique for a total of 373 interstation paths using vertical-component broad-band waveforms at 32 seismic stations around the East China Sea from 6891 global earthquakes.The resulting maps of Rayleigh-wave phase velocity and azimuthal anisotropy provide a high resolution model of the lithospheric mantle beneath the East China Sea. The model exhibits four regions with different isotropic and anisotropic patterns: the Bohai Sea, belonging to the North China Craton, displays a continental signature with fast velocities at short periods; the Yellow Sea, very stable unit associated with low deformation, exhibits fast velocities and limited anisotropy; the southern part of the East China Sea, with high deformation and many fractures and faults, is related to slow velocities and high anisotropic signature; and the Ryukyu Trench shows high-velocity perturbations and slab parallel anisotropy.     

中国边缘海域及其邻区的岩石层结构与构造分析

利用中国边缘海域近年的地震层析成像结果,根据速度异常和各向异性分析东海、黄海和南海北部的岩石层结构和构造,讨论中朝块体和扬子块体在黄海内部的拼合边界(黄海东部断裂带)、东海陆架盆地上地幔异常与岩石层形成演化、南海北部地壳底部高速层的成因及地幔活动等问题。分析表明,黄海东部与朝鲜半岛之间存在一个深部构造界限(大致对应于黄海东部断裂带),分界两侧Pn波速度各向异性存在明显差异,反映不同构造应力和断裂剪切运动作用下的岩石层地幔变形特征。东海陆架下方的低速异常揭示了张裂盆地形成时期的地幔活动痕迹,表明中、新生代期间发生过地幔上涌并造成岩石层减薄,菲律宾海板块向西俯冲引发的地幔活动对东海陆架岩石层的形成、演化产生明显的影响。南海北部岩石层厚度较大并且温度相对偏低,地幔异常仅限于局部地区,估计南海北部大陆边缘的地壳底部高速层形成于张裂发生之前,或者是地壳形成时期壳幔分异时的产物。南海中央海盆的扩张不仅导致地壳拉张,软流层物质上涌,而且也造成岩石层地幔减薄甚至缺失。     

华北克拉通破坏的物理、化学过程:地幔橄榄岩证据

本文对比了华北东部不同时代、不同位置捕虏体/地质体橄榄岩的地幔属性,讨论了华北克拉通破坏的物理、化学过程。结果表明,拆沉作用不能很好地解释古老难熔、过渡型和新生饱满地幔并存的事实;单纯的熔体-橄榄岩相互作用也不易解释中、新生代岩石圈巨大减薄和新生饱满地幔Cpx中LREE亏损现象,即具复杂演化历史的克拉通地幔向演化历史简单的"大洋型"岩石圈的转换。华北东部克拉通破坏作用包括地幔伸展、熔-岩作用、侵蚀置换等复杂的物理、化学过程。岩石圈先大幅减薄、后小幅增厚实现了最终的地幔置换和岩石圈整体减薄过程。喷发时代为100 Ma的阜新玄武岩所捕获的橄榄岩主体是饱满的,说明华北东部部分地区在此之前有过地幔置换作用。     

Structure of the crust and uppermost mantle of the Yanshan Belt and adjacent regions at the northeastern boundary of the North China Craton from Rayleigh Wave Dispersion Analysis

We have used Rayleigh wave dispersion analysis and inversion to produce a high resolution S-wave velocity imaging profile of the crust and uppermost mantle structure beneath the northeastern boundary regions of the North China Craton (NCC). Using waveform data from 45 broadband NCISP stations, Rayleigh wave phase velocities were measured at periods from 10 to 48 s and utilized in subsequent inversions to solve for the S-wave velocity structure from 15 km down to 120 km depth. The inverted lower crust and uppermost mantle velocities, about 3.75 km/s and 4.3 km/s on average, are low compared with the global average. The Moho was constrained in the depth range of 30–40 km, indicating a typical crustal thickness along the profile. However, a thin lithosphere of no more than 100 km was imaged under a large part of the profile, decreasing to only ~ 60 km under the Inner Mongolian Axis (IMA) where an abnormally slow anomaly was observed below 60 km depth. The overall structural features of the study region resemble those of typical continental rift zones and are probably associated with the lithospheric reactivation and tectonic extension widespread in the eastern NCC during Mesozoic–Cenozoic time. Distinctly high velocities, up to ~ 4.6 km/s, were found immediately to the south of the IMA beneath the northern Yanshan Belt (YSB), extending down to > 100-km depth. The anomalous velocities are interpreted as the cratonic lithospheric lid of the region, which may have not been affected by the Mesozoic–Cenozoic deformation process as strongly as other regions in the eastern NCC. Based on our S-wave velocity structural image and other geophysical observations, we propose a possible lithosphere–asthenosphere interaction scenario at the northeastern boundary of the NCC. We speculate that significant undulations of the base of the lithosphere, which might have resulted from the uneven Mesozoic–Cenozoic lithospheric thinning, may induce mantle flows concentrating beneath the weak IMA zone. The relatively thick lithospheric lid in the northern YSB may serve as a tectonic barrier separating the on-craton and off-craton regions into different upper mantle convection systems at the present time.     

Seismic anisotropy of the lithosphere/asthenosphere system beneath the Rwenzori region of the Albertine Rift

Shear-wave splitting measurements from local and teleseismic earthquakes are used to investigate the seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle beneath the Rwenzori region of the East African Rift system. At most stations, shear-wave splitting parameters obtained from individual earthquakes exhibit only minor variations with backazimuth. We therefore employ a joint inversion of SKS waveforms to derive hypothetical one-layer parameters. The corresponding fast polarizations are generally rift parallel and the average delay time is about 1 s. Shear phases from local events within the crust are characterized by an average delay time of 0.04 s. Delay times from local mantle earthquakes are in the range of 0.2 s. This observation suggests that the dominant source region for seismic anisotropy beneath the rift is located within the mantle. We use finite-frequency waveform modeling to test different models of anisotropy within the lithosphere/asthenosphere system of the rift. The results show that the rift-parallel fast polarizations are consistent with horizontal transverse isotropy (HTI anisotropy) caused by rift-parallel magmatic intrusions or lenses located within the lithospheric mantle—as it would be expected during the early stages of continental rifting. Furthermore, the short-scale spatial variations in the fast polarizations observed in the southern part of the study area can be explained by effects due to sedimentary basins of low isotropic velocity in combination with a shift in the orientation of anisotropic fabrics in the upper mantle. A uniform anisotropic layer in relation to large-scale asthenospheric mantle flow is less consistent with the observed splitting parameters.     

华北东部大陆地幔橄榄岩组成、年龄与岩石圈减薄

对比分析了华北东部地块陆下岩石圈地幔橄榄石Mg#值和单斜辉石的REE配分形式。报道了汉诺坝和鹤壁橄榄岩中不同产状硫化物的激光MC-ICPMS原位Re-Os年龄和信阳橄榄岩中锆石的U-Pb年龄和信阳橄榄岩锆石的U-Pb年龄。在这些资料基础上,进一步讨论了华北东部岩石圈中、新生代时的减薄机制。原位分析在揭示岩石圈深部过程的细节上,有比全岩分析更大的优越性,并揭示出了在华北深部有中元古代(14亿年)和新元古代(7～8亿年)热活动的记录。岩石圈拆沉作用不能很好地解释古老难熔地幔、过渡型地幔和新生饱满地幔并存的事实;同时,单纯的熔体-橄榄岩相互作用也难以解释中、新生代岩石圈的减薄过程和新生地幔单斜辉石中出现强烈LREE亏损现象,即历史复杂的克拉通岩石圈向历史明显简单的“大洋型”地幔的转换。因此,华北东部岩石圈减薄包括地幔伸展、熔-岩作用、侵蚀置换等复杂过程。这些过程可能包括:(1)早中生代时,扬子地块向北俯冲碰撞所引起华北岩石圈的熔/流体交代富集作用、地幔伸展和受扰动软流圈物质上涌并侵蚀被改造了的岩石圈;(2)晚中生代—古近纪,因太平洋俯冲的热扰动致使软流圈物质进一步的强烈侵蚀作用引起岩石圈的巨大减薄;(3)晚第三纪以来的软流圈热沉降作用所带来的小幅度岩石圈增厚过程。岩石圈先大幅减薄、后小幅增厚实现了最终的地幔置换和岩石圈整体的减薄过程。喷发时代为100Ma的阜新玄武岩所捕获的橄榄岩主体是饱满的,说明华北东部部分地区在此之前曾有过地幔置换作用。     

Probing the history of the Mathematician paleoplate using surface waves

This paper investigates the shear velocity structure under the northern East Pacific Rise at the latitude range of 9–18°N, using intermediate-period Rayleigh and Love waves. The selected ocean-bottom seismic records provide source–receiver paths that ideally constrain the lithospheric mantle structure beneath the southern Rivera plate and the Mathematician paleoplate. The Rayleigh wave data infer a relatively thin ( 30 km) lithosphere under the eastern side of the present-day East Pacific Rise. The associated shear velocities are consistent with existing models of oceanic mantle beneath this region, and the estimated plate age of 2–3 million years agrees with results from magnetic dating. The west of the rise axis is characterized by a thicker and faster lithosphere than the eastern flank, and such structural differences suggest the presence of a relatively old Mathematician paleoplate. The discontinuous change in mantle structure across the East Pacific Rise spreading center are observed in both isotropic and anisotropic velocities. The young oceanic lithosphere east of the rise axis shows strong polarization anisotropy, where the dominant orientation of crystallographic axes roughly parallels the spreading direction. However, the western flank of the rise axis is approximately isotropic, and the lack of anisotropy suggests complex deformation mechanisms associated with earlier episodes of ridge segmentation, propagation and dual-spreading on and around the Mathematician paleoplate.     

Seismic structure and rheology of the crust under mainland China

The crust and upper mantle in mainland China were relatively densely probed with wide-angle seismic profiling since 1958, and the data have provided constraints on the amalgamation and lithosphere deformation of the continent. Based on the collection and digitization of crustal P-wave velocity models along related wide-angle seismic profiles, we construct several crustal transects across major tectonic units in mainland China. In our study, we analyzed the seismic activity, and seismic energy releases during 1970 and 2010 along them. We present seismogenic layer distribution and calculate the yield stress envelopes of the lithosphere along the transects, yielding a better understanding of the lithosphere rheology strength beneath mainland China. Our results demonstrate that the crustal thicknesses of different tectonic provinces are distinctively different in mainland China. The average crustal thickness is greater than 65 km beneath the Tibetan Plateau, about 35 km beneath South China, and about 36–38 km beneath North China and Northeastern China. For the basins, the thickness is ~ 55 km beneath Qaidam, ~ 50 km beneath Tarim, ~ 40 km beneath Sichuan and ~ 35 km beneath Songliao. Our study also shows that the average seismic P-wave velocity is usually slower than the global average, equivalent with a more felsic composition of crust beneath the four tectonic blocks of mainland China resulting from the complex process of lithospheric evolution during Triassic and Cenozoic continent–continent and Mesozoic ocean–continent collisions. We identify characteristically different patterns of seismic activity distribution in different tectonic blocks, with bi-, or even tri-peak distribution of seismic concentration in South Tibet, which may suggest that crustal architecture and composition exert important control role in lithosphere deformation. The calculated yield stress envelopes of lithosphere in mainland China can be divided into three groups. The results indicate that the lithosphere rheology structure can be described by jelly sandwich model in eastern China, and crème brulee models with weak and strong lower crust corresponding to lithosphere beneath the western China and Kunlun orogenic belts, respectively. The spatial distribution of lithospheric rheology structure may provide important constraints on understanding of intra- or inter-plate deformation mechanism, and more studies are needed to further understand the tectonic process(es) accompanying different lithosphere rheology structures.