中天山科克苏河地区隆升剥蚀历史——来自(U-Th)/He年龄的制约

天山是中亚造山带重要组成部分,其中-新生代构造热演化及隆升剥露史研究是认识中亚造山带构造变形过程与机制的关键.本文应用磷灰石(U-Th)/He技术重建中天山南缘科克苏河地区中-新生代构造热演化及隆升剥蚀过程.磷灰石(U-Th)/He数据综合解释及热演化史模拟表明该地区至少存在晚白垩世、早中新世、晚中新世3期快速隆升剥蚀事件,起始时间分别为~90Ma、~13Ma及~5Ma,且这3期隆升剥蚀事件在整个天山地区具有广泛的可对比性.相对于磷灰石裂变径迹,磷灰石(U-Th)/He年龄记录了中天山南缘地质演化史中更新和更近的热信息,即中天山在晚中新世(~5 Ma)快速隆升剥蚀,其剥蚀速率为~0.47mm·a~(-1),剥蚀厚度为~2300m.总体上,中天山科克苏地区隆升剥蚀起始时间从天山造山带向昭苏盆地(由南向北)逐渐变老,表明了中天山南缘隆升剥蚀存在不均一性,并发生了多期揭顶剥蚀事件.     

Rapid exhumation of the Tianshan Mountains since the early Miocene: Evidence from combined apatite fission track and (U-Th)/He thermochronology

Combined apatite fission track(AFT)and(U-Th)/He(AHe)thermochronometries can be of great value for investigating the history of exhumation of orogenic belts.We evaluate the results of such a combined approach through the study on rock samples collected from the Baluntai section in the Tianshan Mountains,northwestern China.Our results show that AFT ages range from~60 to 40 Ma and AHe ages span~40–10 Ma.Based on the strict thermochronological constraints imposed by AHe ages,forward modeling of data derived from AFT analyses provides a well-constrained Cenozoic thermal history.The modeled results reveal a history of relatively slow exhumation during the early Cenozoic times followed by a significantly accelerated exhumation process since the early Miocene with the rate increasing from<30 m/Myr to>100 m/Myr,which is consistent with the inference from the exhumation rates calculated based on both AFT and AHe age data by age-closure temperature and mineral pair methods.Further accelerated exhumation since the late Miocene is recorded by an AHe age(~11 Ma)from the bottom of the Baluntai section.Together with the previous low-temperature thermochronological data from the other parts of the Tianshan Mountains,the rapid exhumation since the early Miocene is regarded as an important exhumation process likely prevailing within the whole range.     

江南隆起带幕阜山岩体新生代剥蚀冷却的低温热年代学证据

江南隆起位于扬子与华夏地块的碰撞汇聚带,是研究华南大地构造演化的关键地质单元.本文采用磷灰石裂变径迹及(U-Th-Sm)/He年龄分布特征定性分析与径迹长度分布数据定量模拟相结合,主要研究了幕阜山岩体新生代的隆升与剥蚀过程,并在此基础上结合区域构造背景, 对其构造-热演化之间的关系进行了探讨.自晚白垩世持续隆升以来,幕阜山岩体经历的平均剥蚀厚度约4800 m.在不同岩体间,隆升过程及幅度存在差异,空间上具有非均匀性.热史结果显示幕阜山岩体经历了3期剥蚀, 其中两期快速剥蚀分别发生在晚白垩世-古近纪(80~50 Ma)和10 Ma以来,而这之间为一期缓慢剥蚀过程.研究区古近纪的快速剥蚀反映了中-下扬子喜山期大规模伸展断陷作用造成的肩部块体快速剥蚀事件; 约10 Ma以来的快速剥蚀是对太平洋板块向西运动的响应.幕阜山岩体自燕山晚期以来的隆升剥蚀作用具有良好的盆地沉积响应, 三期隆升剥蚀事件与研究区构造演化的动力学背景相吻合.     

Spatial distribution of the apatite fission‐track ages in the Toki granite,central Japan: Exhumation rate of a Cretaceous pluton emplaced in the East Asian continental margin

The Cretaceous Toki granitic pluton of the Tono district, central Japan was emplaced in the East Asian continental margin at about 70 Ma. The Toki granite has apatite fission‐track (AFT) ages ranging from 52.1 ±2.8 Ma to 37.1 ±3.6 Ma (number of measurements, n = 33); this indicates the three‐dimensional thermal evolution during the pluton's low‐temperature history (temperature in the AFT partial annealing zone: 60–120 °C). The majority of the Toki granite has a spatial distribution of older ages in the shallower parts and younger ages in the deeper parts, representing that the shallower regions arrived (were exhumed) at the AFT closure depth earlier than the deeper regions. Such a cooling pattern was predominantly constrained by the exhumation of the Toki granitic pluton and was related to the regional denudation of the Tono district. The age–elevation relationships (AERs) of the Toki granite indicate a fast exhumation rate of about 0.16 ±0.04 mm/year between 50 Ma and 40 Ma. The AFT inverse calculation using HeFTy program gives time‐temperature paths (t–T paths), suggesting that the pluton experienced continuous slow cooling without massive reheating since about 40 Ma until the present day. A combination of the AERs and AFT inverse calculations represents the following exhumation history of the Toki granite: (i) the fast exhumation at a rate of 0.16 ±0.04 mm/year between 50 Ma and 40 Ma; (ii) slow exhumation at less than 0.16 ±0.04 mm/year after 40 Ma; and (iii) exposure at the surface prior to 30–20 Ma. The Tono district, which contains the Toki granite, underwent slow denudation at a rate of less than 0.16 ±0.04 mm/year within the East Asian continental margin before the Japan Sea opening at 25–15 Ma and then within the Southwest Japan Arc after the Japan Sea opening, which is in good agreement with representative denudation rates obtained in low‐relief hill and plain fields.     

Late Miocene to present-day exhumation and uplift of the Internal Zone of the Rif chain: Insights from low temperature thermochronometry and basin analysis

Located on the margin of the west Alboran basin, the Gibraltar Arc (Betic-Rif mountain belt) displays post-Pliocene vertical movements evidenced by uplifted marine sedimentary basins and marine terraces. Quantification of vertical movements is an important clue to understand the origin of present-day relief generation in the Betic-Rif mountain chain together with the causes of the Messinian Salinity Crisis. In this paper, we present the results of a pluridisciplinary study combining an analysis of low temperature thermochronology and Pliocene basins evolution to constrain the exhumation history and surface uplift of internals units of the Rif belt (Northern Morocco). The mean (U-Th)/He apatite ages obtained from 11 samples are comprised between 14.1 and 17.8 Ma and display a wide dispersion, which could be explained by a great variability of apatite chemistries in the analyzed samples. No correlations between altitude and age have been found along altitudinal profile suggesting a rapid exhumation during this period. Thermal modeling using our (U-Th)/He apatite ages and geochronological data previously obtained in the same area (⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and K/Ar data on biotite, zircon and apatite fission track) allow us to propose a cooling history. The rocks suffered a rapid cooling at 60–100 °C/Ma between 22.5 and 19 Ma, then cooled to temperatures around 40 °C between 19 and 18 Ma. They were re-heated at around 110 °C between 18 and 15 Ma then rapidly cooled and exhumed to reach the surface temperature at around 13 Ma. The re-heating could be related to a renewal in thrusting and burying of the inner zones. Between 15 and 13 Ma the cooling resumed at a rate of 50 °C/Ma indicating an exhumation rate of 0.8 mm/y considering an average 40 °C/km geothermal gradient. This exhumation may be linked to the extension in the Alboran Sea. Otherwise biostratigraphic and sedimentological analysis of Pliocene basins of the internal Rif provided informations on the more recent events and vertical movements. Pliocene deposits of the Rifian coast represent the passive infilling of palaeo-rias between 5.33 and 3.8 Ma. The whole coastal area was uplifted at slow average rates (0.01–0.03 mm/y) in relation with a northeastward tilting of 0.2–0.3° since the Lower-Pliocene. A late Pliocene to present extensional tectonics associated to uplift has been identified all along the coastal ranges of the Internal Zone of the Rif chain. This extension was coeval with the major late Pliocene to Pleistocene extensional episode of the Alboran Sea and appears to be still active nowadays. No significant late Messinian uplift was evidenced, thus calling into question the geodynamic models relating the closure of the marine gateways and the MSC to slab roll back.     

Rapid cooling and geospeedometry of granitic rocks exhumation within a volcanic arc: A case study from the Central Slovakian Neovolcanic Field (Western Carpathians)

U–Pb Sensitive High‐Resolution Ion MicroProbe (SHRIMP) dating of zircon in combination with (U–Th)/He dating of zircon and apatite is applied to constrain the emplacement and exhumation history of the youngest granitic rocks in the Western Carpathians collected in the Central Slovakian Neovolcanic Field. Two samples of diorite from the locality Banky, and granodiorite from Banská Hodru?a yield the U–Pb zircon concordia ages of 15.21 ±0.19 Ma and 12.92 ±0.27 Ma, respectively, recording the time of zircon crystallization and the intrusions’ emplacement. Zircon (U–Th)/He ages of 14.70 ±0.94 (Banky) and 12.65 ±0.61 Ma (Banská Hodru?a), and apatite (U–Th)/He ages of 14.45 ±0.70 Ma (diorite) and 12.26 ±0.77 Ma (granodiorite) are less than 1 Myr younger than the corresponding zircon U–Pb ages. For both diorite and granodiorite rocks their chronological data thus document a simple cooling process from magmatic crystallization/solidification temperatures to near‐surface temperatures in the Middle Miocene, without subsequent reheating. Geospeedometry data suggest for rapid cooling at an average rate of 678 ±158 °C/Myr, and the exhumation rate of 5 mm/year corresponding to active tectonic‐forced exhumation. The quick cooling is interpreted to record the exhumation of the studied granitic rocks complex that closely followed its emplacement, and was likely accompanied by a drop in the paleo‐geothermal gradient due to cessation of volcanic activity in the area.     

塔里木柯坪塔格地区构造抬升的新证据——来自(U-Th)/He年龄的约束

柯坪塔格地区位于西南天山与塔里木盆地之间, 是塔里木地台的一部分, 其构造隆升与天山和塔里木盆地的演化密切相关. 本文首次将(U-Th)/He热定年技术应用于该地区构造抬升的研究, 对该区震旦系露头样品的磷灰石和锆石的(U-Th)/He进行了年龄测定和热史模拟, 结果表明柯坪塔格地区主要经历了4期构造抬升事件, 导致震旦系抬升至地表, 其中磷灰石(U-Th)/He年龄揭示了晚白垩世和中新世两期的构造抬升事件. 在早石炭世, 震旦系温度达到最大, 介于133~150°C之间, 结合沉积埋藏史得到当时的最大埋深是3400~3900 m. 在渐新世-中新世, 受印度-欧亚板块碰撞远程效应的影响, 柯坪塔格地区沿柯坪塔格-沙井子断裂向巴楚隆起上逆冲, 地层快速抬升遭受剥蚀. 在15~10 Ma时, 柯坪塔格地区震旦系已抬升至地表. 自早石炭世至今, 柯坪塔格地区总剥蚀量达6170 m. 柯坪塔格地区自中生代以来的构造-热演化史与塔里木盆地北缘是一致的, 但与天山及处于塔里木盆地内部的巴楚隆起的构造抬升过程存在差异. 中新世以后, 受喜山运动远程效应影响, 柯坪塔格和天山才同处于抬升状态; 而巴楚隆起在古近纪早期仍处于抬升剥蚀状态, 与柯坪塔格地区接受沉积相反. 本文利用(U-Th)/He热定年技术成功地揭示了柯坪塔格地区自震旦纪以来的构造-热演化史, 这些结果有利于人们对这一地区构造抬升的正确认识. 同时, 本研究对塔里木盆地的油气勘探及天山地区的构造研究具有指导意义.     

四川盆地南部地区新生代隆升剥露研究——低温热年代学证据

本文通过背斜褶皱变形与低温热年代学年龄(磷灰石和锆石(U-Th)/He、磷灰石裂变径迹)端元模型研究,约束低起伏度、低斜率地貌特征的四川盆地南部地区新生代隆升剥露过程.四川盆地南部沐川和桑木场背斜地区新生代渐新世-中新世发生了相似的快速隆升剥露过程(速率为~0.1 mm/a、现今地表剥蚀厚度1.0~2.0 km),反映出盆地克拉通基底对区域均一性快速抬升冷却过程的控制作用.川南沐川地区磷灰石(U-Th)/He年龄值为~10-28.6 Ma, 样品年龄与古深度具有明显的线性关系,揭示新生代~10-30 Ma以速率为0.12±0.02 mm/a的稳态隆升剥露过程.桑木场背斜地区磷灰石裂变径迹年龄为~36-52 Ma,古深度空间上样品AFT年龄变化不明显(~50 Ma)、且具有相似的径迹长度(~12.0 μm).磷灰石裂变径迹热演化史模拟表明桑木场地区经历三个阶段热演化过程:埋深增温阶段(~80 Ma以前)、缓慢抬升冷却阶段(80-20 Ma)和快速隆升剥露阶段(~20 Ma-现今),新生代隆升剥露速率大致分别为~0.025 mm/a和~0.1 mm/a.新生代青藏高原大规模地壳物质东向运动与四川盆地克拉通基底挤压,受板缘边界主断裂带差异性构造特征控制造就了青藏高原东缘不同的边界地貌特征.     

Measurement of terrace deformation and crustal shortening of some renascent fold zones within Kalpin nappe structure

The Kalpin nappe structure is a strongest thrust and fold deformation belt in front of the Tianshan Mountains since the Cenozoic time. The tectonic deformation occurred in 5―6 striking Meso-zoic-Cenozoic fold zones, and some renascent folds formed on the recent alluvial-proluvial fans in front of the folded mountains. We used the total station to measure gully terraces along the longitudinal to-pographic profile in the renascent fold zones and collected samples from terrace deposits for age de-termination. Using the obtained formation time and shortening amount of the deformed terraces, we calculated the shortening rate of 4 renascent folds to be 0.1±0.03 mm/a, 0.12±0.04 mm/a, 0.59±0.18 mm/a, and 0.26±0.08 mm/a, respectively. The formation time of the renascent folds is some later than the major tectonic uplift event of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau 0.14 Ma ago. It may be the long-distance effect of this tectonic event on the Tianshan piedmont fold belt.     

青藏高原东南缘大凉山新生代隆升建造过程——多封闭系统低温热年代学与热模型限制

长波长、低起伏度大凉山构造带新生代隆升剥露与建造过程是解译青藏高原东向扩展过程的关键核心地区之一.本文基于大凉山构造带喜德剖面和沐川剖面9件样品的多封闭系统低温热年代学年龄(即磷灰石(U-Th)/He(AHe)、磷灰石裂变径迹(AFT)和锆石(U-Th)/He(ZHe))定年,揭示出多封闭系统热年代学年龄与古岩性柱深度具有明显的正相关性,即伴随古岩性柱深度增大,多封闭系统热年代学年龄明显减小.喜徳剖面多封闭系统低温热年代学AHe、AFT和ZHe年龄值分别为7—9Ma、14—22Ma和25—38Ma;沐川剖面多封闭系统低温热年代学AHe和AFT年龄值分别为10—26Ma、23—85Ma,ZHe年龄值为未完全退火年龄.多封闭系统热年代学和QTQt热史模拟揭示,大凉山构造带喜徳和沐川剖面岩性柱所有样品都经历大致相似的三阶段热演化过程,尤其是晚新生代快速隆升剥露阶段(30—20 Ma以来),其平均剥露速率分别为~0.15mm·a-1和~0.20mm·a-1,抬升剥露量分别为~3.0km和~1.5km.结合区域低温热年代学特征的大凉山构造带地表隆升动力学模型,揭示出重力均衡作用下地壳缩短与剥露作用(即构造隆升剥露机制)控制形成了现今大凉山造山带长波长、低起伏和高海拔地貌建造过程.     

Two episodes of subduction and collision events at the northern foot of Dabie Mountains: Evidence from petrology and structural geology of granitoid rocks

The intrusive bodies studied include Mafan diorites ((462.7±1.5) Ma,⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar amphibole plateau age), Duhudian granites ((293±12) Ma, U-Ph zircon age) and Suxianshi granites ((146.2±0.9) Ma) in Beihuaiyang area at the northern foot of Dabie Mountains, central China. Petrological studies indicate that all of them belong to I-type granitoid rocks. Among them, the Mafan and Duhudian stocks were formed by arc magmatism, while the Suxianshi pluton is a post-collisional granitic body. Three intrusive bodies have distinctive characteristics of structural deformation. The Mafan stock has a rather complicated structure pattern resulting from polyphase deformation during the Caledonian and Mesozoic, the Duhudian stock has been pronouncedly deformed during the Hercynian-Yanshanian events, while regional foliation is not pronounced within the Yanshanian Suxianshi stock. Combination of regional stratigraphic, regional structural and geochronological data shows that the Yangtze plate has experienced two episodes of subduction northward beneath the North China plate during the Paleozoic and following collisional events. The first phase of collision at about 400 Ma resulted in the formation of the Beihuaiyang crystalline basement and the Caledonian high-pressure metamorphism in Dabie orogenic zone, and a late phase of continent-continent collision (~230 Ma) is responsible for the Triassic ultrahigh- and high-pressure metamorphism in Dabie Mountains and for orogenic uplift of the Dabie Mountains. It is suggested that the Beihuaiyang tectonic belt at the northern foot of the Dabie Mountains is a multicyclic suture.     

Constraining exhumation pathway in an accretionary wedge by (U-Th)/He thermochronology—Case study on Meliatic nappes in the Western Carpathians

This study reconstructs the late stages in the exhumation history of a nappe derived from the Meliatic accretionary wedge in the Western Carpathians by means of zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He dating. The Meliatic accretionary wedge formed due to the closure of the Neotethyan Triassic–Jurassic Meliata–Hallstatt Ocean in the Late Jurassic. The studied fragments of the blueschist-bearing Meliatic Bôrka Nappe were metamorphosed at low-temperature and high- to medium-pressure conditions at ca. 160–150 Ma and included into the accretionary wedge. The time of the accretionary wedge formation constrains the beginning of the Bôrka Nappe northward thrusting over the Gemeric Unit of the evolving Central Western Carpathians (CWC) orogenic wedge. The zircon (U-Th)/He data on four samples recorded three evolutionary stages: (i) cooling through the ∼180 °C isotherm at 130–120 Ma related to starting collapse of the accretionary wedge, following exhumation of the high-pressure slices in the Meliatic accretionary wedge; (ii) postponed exhumation and cooling of some fragments through the ∼180 °C isotherm from 115 to 95 Ma due to ongoing collapse of this wedge; and (iii) cooling from 80 to 65 Ma, postdating the thrusting (∼100–80 Ma) of the Bôrka Nappe slices during the Late Cretaceous compression related to formation of the CWC orogenic wedge. The third stage already documents cooling of the Meliatic Bôrka Nappe slices in the CWC orogenic wedge. The apatite (U-Th)/He data may indicate cooling of a Bôrka Nappe slice to near-surface temperatures at ∼65 Ma. The younger AHe age clusters indicate that at least one, or possibly two, reheating events could have occurred in the longer interval from ∼40 to ∼10 Ma during the Oligocene–Miocene. These were related to sedimentary burial and/or the magmatism as documented in other parts of the CWC.     

米仓山-汉南隆起白垩纪以来的剥露作用：磷灰石(U-Th)/He年龄记录

对米仓山南江-南郑剖面上的13个花岗岩类样品进行了磷灰石(U-Th)/He测年和剥露速率计算,分析过程综合考虑了样品冷却速率、晶体大小等因素对磷灰石(U-Th)/He封闭温度的影响和地形起伏、岩体热传导、热对流及放射性元素生热等因素对地温场的影响.研究表明,米仓山南部沉积变形区自~50 Ma以来发生快速剥露 (剥露速率为~70 m/Ma),新生代以来的剥蚀量超过了3 km;中部光雾山杂岩体记录了~90 Ma时一次快速剥露事件(剥露速率>75 m/Ma);北部汉南隆起区~100 Ma以前以快速剥露为特点,平均剥露速率>40 m/Ma,此后转为缓慢剥露.整个米仓山-汉南隆起区在90~50 Ma基本处于缓慢剥露状态,平均剥露速率仅有10~25 m/Ma.     

南海北缘东沙隆起中生代以来的埋藏史和热史重建——来自LF35-1-1井(U-Th)/He和Ro的证据

沉积盆地埋藏史和热历史重建是了解盆地成因和油气形成条件的重要依据,而目前利用古温标手段研究珠江口盆地内东沙隆起热史和埋藏史的成果寥寥无几.本研究中,我们基于磷灰石与锆石(U-Th)/He年龄的反演结果给出了更多合理的约束条件,在此基础上对同一套镜质体反射率Ro数据进行了古热流法模拟计算,获得了钻井自中生代以来的地层温度史.反演结果显示LF35-1-1井区在早始新世-早渐新世发生了一期强烈的抬升剥蚀,地层剥蚀量为2000 m左右.拟合获得的埋藏史和热流史显示该井区在早始新世(~55Ma)经历了最高井底古热流(100 mW·m~(-2)),之后热流减小,持续至现今64.3 mW·m~(-2).最高古地温与隆升剥蚀在时间上的耦合体现了抬升事件对地温冷却的影响,但不足以排除基底热流下降因素.本次研究首次将(U-Th)/He技术用于南海北缘深水区盆地的热史研究,获得的热史结果更加符合现有的构造沉积大地构造方面的认识,展示了利用多种古温标手段进行盆地精细热史研究的良好效用.     

Two-dimensional finite element modeling on the crustal shortening and the surface erosion-sedimentation process across northern piedmont of the Tianshan Mountains

The Tianshan Mountains,located in the northwestern China,are bounded by the Tarim Basin to south and the Junggar Basin to north.In the north piedmont of this mountain range,ongoing thrusting and folding forms a set of roughly parallel anticlines.Geological observations predicted that averaged over last~1 Ma time scale,the shortening rates of these anticlines are about2.1–5.5 mm/a;However by averaged over about 10±2 kyr,their shortening rates reduce to merely about 1.25±0.5 mm/a.The slow shortening of the anticlines in the last~10±2 kyr is coarsely concurrent in time with the last global deglaciation.Here,we use a two-dimensional finite element model to explore crustal deformation across north piedmont of the Tianshan Mountains under various erosion-sedimentation conditions that are assumed to represent the climate-controlled surface process.Numerical experiments show that with a relatively weak erosion-sedimentation strength,the crustal shortening is accommodated mainly by north piedmont of the Tianshan Mountains,similar to the high shortening rate of anticlines averaged over the last~1Ma.By increasing erosion-sedimentation strength,the resultant crustal shortening is transformed gradually toward the Tianshan Mountains,resulting in the shortening rate in its north piedmont being decelerated to what is observed as averaged over the last~10±2 kyr.This result suggests that erosion and sedimentation could play an important role mechanically on strain localization across an intra-continent active tectonic belt.Hence,if the climate change around the last global deglaciation could be simply representative to the enhancement of surface erosion and sedimentation across the pre-existed Tianshan Mountains and its foreland,our models indicate that the observed shortening-rate variations averaged over~1 Ma and~10±2kyr time scales around north piedmont of the Tianshan Mountains should be resulted from climate changes.     

西南天山隆起时代的河床砂岩屑磷灰石裂变径迹证据

现代的天山山脉是在古生代造山基础上,于新生代强烈抬升而形成.其新生代造山和隆升过程,造就了现今的天山地貌格局.本文选取西南天山作为研究区域,采用河床砂岩屑裂变径迹测年分析,从统计角度限定西南天山的隆升-剥露过程.样品采集于特克斯河支流阿克雅孜河、夏特河、木扎河以及特克斯河干流的沉积河床.磷灰石裂变径迹测试和统计分析表明,存在代表源区热史演化不同阶段的年龄峰值.尽管不同样品的年龄众数分布有少许差别,颗粒年龄众数的去褶积分析获得了西南天山山体新生代冷却的三个基本一致的阶段：6~8 Ma,12~19 Ma以及32~40 Ma.结合山脉隆起的地质地貌模型,无论是整体抬升或掀斜抬升,以及压扭性背景的花状挤出抬升,根据磷灰石裂变径迹封闭温度推断的抬升量与现今天山高度基本相当的事实,都可以确认西南天山山体是6~8 Ma以来形成的.天山这三期快速抬升冷却事件与青藏高原及其周边的主要隆升时期有较好的对应,证明了天山隆升和印度-欧亚板块碰撞远程效应的关系.另外,6~8 Ma的冷却事件与沉积地层学研究揭示的6 Ma左右的气候显著变化相互印证,显示了研究区域山脉隆升和气候变化之间存在的密切关系.     

Detrital zircon U-Pb-He double dating: A method of quantifying long- and short-term exhumation rates in collisional orogens

A U-Pb-He double-dating method is applied to detrital zircons with core-rim structure from the Ganges River in order to determine average short- and long-term exhumation rates for the Himalayas. Long-term rates are calculated from the U/Pb ages of metamorphic rims of the grains that formed during the Himalayan orogeny and their crystallization temperatures, which are calculated from the Ti-in-zircon thermometer. Short-term rates are calculated from(U-Th)/He ages of the grains with appropriate closure temperatures. The results show that short-term rates for the Himalayas, which range from 0.70 ± 0.09 to 2.67 ± 0.40 km/Myr and average 1.75 ± 0.59(1±) km/Myr, are higher and more varied than the long-term rates, which range from 0.84 ± 0.16 to 1.85 ± 0.35 km/Myr and average 1.26 ± 0.25(1±) km/Myr. The differences between the long-term and short-term rates can be attributed to continuous exhumation of the host rocks in different mechanisms in continental collision orogen. The U/Pb ages of 44.0 ± 3.7 to 18.3 ± 0.5 Ma for the zircon rims indicate a protracted episode of ~25 Myr for regional metamorphism of the host rocks at deeper crust, whereas the(U-Th)/He ages of 42.2 ± 1.8 to 1.3 ± 0.2 Ma for the zircon grains represent a protracted period of ~40 Myr for exposure of the host rocks to shallower crustal level. In particular, the oldest(U-Th)/He ages of the zircon grains are close to the oldest U/Pb ages for the rims, indicating that some parcels of the rocks that contain zircons were rapidly exhumed from deep to shallow levels in the stage of collisional orogeny. On the other hand, some parcels of the rocks may have been carried upwards by thrust faults in the post-collisional stage. The parcels could be carried upwards by the thrust faults that steepen as they near the surface, or by transient movement faults so that areas of rapid exhumation became areas of slow exhumation and visa versa on a time scale of a few Myr in order to maintain the continuous exhumation. In this regard, the Ganges River must be preferentially sampling areas that are currently undergoing above average rates of uplift.     

Late Cretaceous-Cenozoic exhumation of the Yanji area, northeast China: Constraints from fission-track thermochronology

The Yanji area, located at the border of China, Russia, and Korea, where the Phanerozoic granitoids have been widely exposed, was considered part of the orogenic collage between the North China Block in the south and the Jiamusi–Khanka Massifs in the northeast. In this study, the cooling and inferred uplift and denudation history since the late Mesozoic are intensively studied by carrying out apatite and zircon fission-track analyses, together with electron microprobe analyses (EMPA) of chemical compositions of apatite from the granitoid samples in the Yanji area. The results show that: (i) zircon and apatite fission-track ages range 91.7–99.6 Ma and 76.5–85.4 Ma, respectively; (ii) all apatite fission-track length distributions are unimodal and yield mean lengths of 12–13.2 µm, and the apatites are attributed to chlorine-bearing fluorapatite as revealed by EMPA results; and (iii) the thermal history modeling results based on apatite fission-track grain ages and length distributions indicate that the time–temperature paths display similar patterns and the cooling has been accelerated for each sample since ca 15 Ma. Thus, we conclude that sequential cooling, involving two rapid (95–80 Ma and ca 15–0 Ma) and one slow (80–15 Ma) cooling, has taken place through the exhumation of the Yanji area since the late Cretaceous. The maximum exhumation is more than 5 km under a steady-state geothermal gradient of 35°C/km. Combined with the tectonic setting, this exhumation is possibly related to the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate since the late Cretaceous.     

Zircon U–Pb dating of gabbro and diorite from the Bato pluton,northeast Japan

To constrain the timing of the tectonothermal events and formation process of a plutonic suite, U–Pb dating was carried out by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry combined with cathodoluminescence imaging on zircon grains extracted from the Bato pluton, northern Yamizo Mountains, Japan. The Bato pluton consists of gabbro and diorite. Zircon grains separated from a gabbro sample had a unimodal ²³⁸U–²⁰⁶Pb age (105.7 ±1.0 Ma). It was interpreted as the solidification age of the gabbro. Cathodoluminescence observation showed that the zircon grains from a diorite sample were characterized by anhedral cores, oscillatory zoned mantles, and dark rims. The ²³⁸U–²⁰⁶Pb age of the anhedral cores ranged from 2 165 Ma to 161 Ma, indicating the assimilation of surrounding sedimentary rocks. The ²³⁸U–²⁰⁶Pb ages of the oscillatory zoned mantles and dark rims are 109.0 ±1.3 Ma and 107.7 ±1.3 Ma, respectively. Observation under polarizing microscopy suggests that the anhedral cores occurred before plagioclase and hornblende, and the oscillatory zones around the anhedral cores had crystallized at the same time as the crystallization of biotite. Moreover, the dark rims formed at the same time as the crystallization of quartz and K‐feldspar. The formation process of the gabbro‐diorite complex in the Bato pluton was inferred as follows. (i) A mafic initial magma intruded into Mesozoic sedimentary rocks, and the assimilation of these sedimentary rocks led to geochemical variation yielding a dioritic composition. Subsequently, plagioclase and hornblende of the diorite were crystallized before 109.0 ±1.3 Ma. (ii) Biotite crystallized in the middle stage around 109.0 ±1.3 Ma. (iii) Quartz and K‐feldspar of the diorite were crystallized at 107.7 ±1.3 Ma. The gabbroic magma solidified (105.7 ±1.0 Ma) after solidification of the diorite.     

SHRIMP U–Pb zircon dating of the Kinshozan Quartz Diorite from the Kanto Mountains,Japan: Implications for late Paleozoic granitic activity in Japanese Islands

The new result of SHRIMP U–Pb zircon dating of the Kinshozan Quartz Diorite from the Kanto Mountains, Japan, provides 281.5 ± 1.8 Ma. The age is 30 m.y. older than the available age of the Kinshozan Quartz Diorite obtained by hornblende K–Ar method. The new U–Pb zircon age represents the time of crystallization of the Kinshozan Quartz Diorite. The hornblende K–Ar age indicates the time that the Kinshozan Quartz Diorite cooled down to 500 °C which is the closure temperature of the systematics. Permian granites are found in small exposures in Japan, and frequently referred to as 250 Ma granites. The Kinshozan Quartz Diorite is considered as a type of the 250 Ma granites, and the age was influential in establishing a model of Paleozoic tectonic evolution for the Japanese Islands. The new age of the Kinshozan Quartz Diorite provides the opportunity to re‐examine the model. The Kinshozan Quartz Diorite and other Permian granites in the south of the Median Tectonic Line of Japan were constituents of the Paleo‐Ryoke Belt. The geochemical characteristics of the granitic rocks in the Paleo‐Ryoke Belt indicated that the granitic rocks were formed in a primitive island arc environment, and the new trace element data also support this interpretation. Examination of the available data and results of the present study suggests the late Paleozoic granitic activity in Japan as follows. At about 310–290 Ma, arc magmatism generated adakitic granites and other granites in the South Kitakami Belt. Quartz diorite and tonalites of primitive characteristic, such as the Kinshozan Quartz Diorite and granites in the Maizuru Belt appear to have been formed at the immature island arc, and accreted to the Japanese Islands at the end of Paleozoic or early Mesozoic era. During 260–240 Ma, granitic activity took place in the Hida and Maizuru Belts as a part of the Asian continent.