Formation and evolution of the South China Sea since the Late Mesozoic: A review

The existing genetic models of the South China Sea (SCS) include an extrusion model of the Indochina Peninsula, a back-arc extension model, and a subduction and dragging model of the Proto-South China Sea (PSCS). However, none of these models has been universally accepted because they do not fully match a large number of geological phenomena and facts. By examining the regional tectonics and integrating them with measured data for the SCS, in this study, a back-arc spreading-sinistral shear model is proposed. It is suggested that the SCS is a back-arc basin formed by northward subduction of the PSCS and its formation was triggered by left-lateral strike-slip motion due to the northward drift of the Philippine Sea Plate. The left-lateral strike-slip fault on the western margin caused by the Indo-Eurasian collision changed the direction of the Southwest Sub-basin’s spreading axis from nearly E–W to NE–SW, and subduction retreat caused the spreading ridge to jump southward. This study summarizes the evolution of the SCS and adjacent regions since the Late Mesozoic.©2023 China Geology Editorial Office.     

南海成因及其演化模式探讨

尽管南海已进行深入的调查与研究,提出多种成因模型,包括挤出模型、弧后扩张模型、古南海俯冲拖曳模型等,但因其所处构造位置特殊,周边构造环境经历了复杂的改造,所有成因模式均未能得到广泛的认可。本文从三大板块相互作用入手,结合南海实测数据,提出南海形成的弧后扩张—左旋剪切模型。认为南海是古南海往北俯冲的弧后盆地,菲律宾海板块往北漂移形成的大规模左旋走滑是南海扩张的触发因素。印度—欧亚碰撞产生中南半岛挤出主要影响西南海盆扩张方向,使得扩张轴从近东西向转为北东向。南海及邻区晚中生代以来的演化可以分为以下阶段：1）早白垩世开始澳大利亚板块往北漂移,新特提斯洋往北俯冲消亡,导致弧后扩张,形成古南海;2）晚白垩世末—始新世,古南海往北俯冲,导致弧后拉张形成陆缘裂谷;3）早渐新世,受菲律宾海板块西缘大型左旋走滑影响,在原有裂谷的基础上从东往西海底扩张,形成南海;4）渐新世末,受俯冲后撤的影响,扩张中心往南跃迁,同时受西缘断裂左旋活动的影响,扩张轴从近东西西逐步转为北东向;5）早中新世晚期,南沙地块—北巴拉望地块与卡加延脊碰撞,南海扩张停止。     

Plate tectonic evolution of the southern margin of Eurasia in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic

Thirteen time interval maps were constructed, which depict the Triassic to Neogene plate tectonic configuration, paleogeography and general lithofacies of the southern margin of Eurasia. The aim of this paper is to provide an outline of the geodynamic evolution and position of the major tectonic elements of the area within a global framework. The Hercynian Orogeny was completed by the collision of Gondwana and Laurussia, whereas the Tethys Ocean formed the embayment between the Eurasian and Gondwanian branches of Pangea. During Late Triassic–Early Jurassic times, several microplates were sutured to the Eurasian margin, closing the Paleotethys Ocean. A Jurassic–Cretaceous north-dipping subduction boundary was developed along this new continental margin south of the Pontides, Transcaucasus and Iranian plates. The subduction zone trench-pulling effect caused rifting, creating the back-arc basin of the Greater Caucasus–proto South Caspian Sea, which achieved its maximum width during the Late Cretaceous. In the western Tethys, separation of Eurasia from Gondwana resulted in the formation of the Ligurian–Penninic–Pieniny–Magura Ocean (Alpine Tethys) as an extension of Middle Atlantic system and a part of the Pangean breakup tectonic system. During Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous times, the Outer Carpathian rift developed. The opening of the western Black Sea occurred by rifting and drifting of the western–central Pontides away from the Moesian and Scythian platforms of Eurasia during the Early Cretaceous–Cenomanian. The latest Cretaceous–Paleogene was the time of the closure of the Ligurian–Pieniny Ocean. Adria–Alcapa terranes continued their northward movement during Eocene–Early Miocene times. Their oblique collision with the North European plate led to the development of the accretionary wedge of the Outer Carpathians and its foreland basin. The formation of the West Carpathian thrusts was completed by the Miocene. The thrust front was still propagating eastwards in the eastern Carpathians.During the Late Cretaceous, the Lesser Caucasus, Sanandaj–Sirjan and Makran plates were sutured to the Iranian–Afghanistan plates in the Caucasus–Caspian Sea area. A north-dipping subduction zone jumped during Paleogene to the Scythian–Turan Platform. The Shatski terrane moved northward, closing the Greater Caucasus Basin and opening the eastern Black Sea. The South Caspian underwent reorganization during Oligocene–Neogene times. The southwestern part of the South Caspian Basin was reopened, while the northwestern part was gradually reduced in size. The collision of India and the Lut plate with Eurasia caused the deformation of Central Asia and created a system of NW–SE wrench faults. The remnants of Jurassic–Cretaceous back-arc systems, oceanic and attenuated crust, as well as Tertiary oceanic and attenuated crust were locked between adjacent continental plates and orogenic systems.     

班公湖-怒江结合带西段多岛弧盆系时空结构初步分析

笔者依据班公湖地区1：25万喀纳幅、日土县幅、羌多幅地质填图和专题研究工作取得的阶段性成果,将班公湖带的多岛弧盆系时空结构厘定为3条蛇绿混杂岩亚带。该3条亚带为盆地所隔,从北而南依次为班公湖带北亚带、班摩掌侏罗纪弧间盆地、班公湖带中亚带、日土-巴尔穷侏罗纪—早白垩世复合弧后盆地和班公湖带南亚带等。初步认为班公湖-怒江特提斯洋经历了晚三叠—早侏罗世往北俯冲、中晚侏罗世早期向北、往南双向俯冲、早白垩世往南俯冲等3次俯冲消亡阶段;同时,讨论了在班公湖带研究中存在的问题及其在反演班公湖-怒江结合带西段构造演化和在找矿方面的意义,以及进一步研究方向。     

Overview of the Late Tertiary–Recent tectonic and palaeo-environmental development of the Mediterranean region

The Late Tertiary history of the Mediterranean region exemplifies processes of ocean basin closure and continental collision, as determined from integrated land and marine evidence. During the Mesozoic–Early Tertiary, tectonic settings were dominated by evolution of Neotethys. This ocean generally widened eastwards, with a number of oceanic strands in the Eastern Mediterranean area. Great diversity of tectonic settings and palaeo-environments developed during the Tertiary closure history of these oceanic basins. In the Eastern Mediterranean region, more northerly Neotethyan strands were closed by the Mid Tertiary, while oceanic crust remained in the south in the present Eastern Mediterranean Sea area. Northwards subduction of the remaining southerly Neotethyan strand was probably active by the Early Miocene. Different areas exhibit different stages of convergence and ocean basin closure. In the east, the amalgamated Eurasian plate had collided with the Arabian margin (Africa) by the Late Miocene, while oceanic crust still persisted further west. Steady-state subduction during the Late Tertiary gave rise to the Mediterranean ridge, as a substantial mud-dominated accretionary wedge. In the Aegean area, sufficient northward subduction took place to activate arc volcanism and pervasive back arc extension, short of marginal basin opening. In the easternmost Mediterranean, only limited subduction took place, associated with supra-subduction zone extension (e.g. in Cyprus). Today, steady state-subduction continues only locally, where vestiges of Neotethys remain (e.g. Herodotus abyssal plain). In the Western Mediterranean area, suturing of the African and Eurasian plates initially took place in the Betic region (Early–Mid Tertiary), where the Neotethys had existed only as a narrow connection with the Central North Atlantic. In the Central Mediterranean region, where the Western Neotethys was wider, northward subduction was active, apparently as early as the Late Cretaceous. In a widely accepted interpretation, an Andean-type magmatic arc developed along the southern margin of Europe and was then rifted off in the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene, to form the Corsica-Sardinia Block, opening the North Balearic marginal basin in its wake. The migrating subduction zone and microcontinent then collided diachronously with North Africa-related continental units (North Africa and Apulia) from Late Oligocene-Early Miocene, giving rise to collisional thrust belts in the Northern and Southern Apennines and along the North African continental margin (i.e. the Maghrebian chain) to the Betic-Rif area. From the Early Miocene onwards, a separate subduction system became active, related to removal of Neotethyan oceanic crust to the southeast (Ionian Sea), fueling suprasubduction zone extension and opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea. ‘Orogenic collapse’ is an alternative mechanism of such extension, and is widely believed to have caused divergent thrusting in the Betic and Rif regions of the westernmost Mediterranean, at the same time as crustal extension and subsidence of the Alboran Sea.     

大南海地区新生代板块构造活动

在新生代澳大利亚板块和欧亚板块之间的大洋中，存在一些地块(微板块)；同时，澳大利亚板块北部边缘的一些地块先后和澳大利亚板块分离，向北运动，与一些和欧亚板块分离出来的地块先后发生碰撞缝合。在此期间，由于地块分离而发生海底扩张，产生许多小洋盆，如南海、苏录海、苏拉威西海、安达曼海等，最后形成了东南亚地区今日的构造景观。笔者从大南海地区新生代的构造演化史之框架来研究南海地区新生代的构造演化历史，认为南海地区新生代的构造活动既与印度板块和欧亚板块的碰撞有关，也与太平洋板块向欧亚板块的俯冲活动有联系；同时，还受到澳大利亚板块向北运动之影响。南海地区在新生代发生过两次海底扩张，第一次海底扩张发生在42～35Ma前．是受印度板块和欧亚板块碰撞而引起欧亚大陆之下向东南方向之地幔流的影响而发生的，其海底扩张方向为NWSE，产生了南海西南海盆；第二次海底扩张发生于32～17Ma前。由于太平洋板块向欧亚板块俯冲，俯冲的大洋岩石圈已达700km深处，阻挡了欧亚大陆的上地幔向东南方向之流动，从而转向南流动。引起南海地区南北向海底扩张，即新生代第二次海底扩张，产生了南海中央海盆。南海新生代洋盆诞生之后，由于大南海地区继续有地块碰撞和边缘海海底扩张，对南海南部地区产生挤压，从而使这里的沉积发生变形，这就引起万安运动(南海南部)。     

Tectonic evolution of the southern margin of Laurasia in the Black Sea region

The Black Sea region comprises Gondwana-derived continental blocks and oceanic subduction complexes accreted to Laurasia. The core of Laurasia is made up of an Archaean–Palaeoproterozoic shield, whereas the Gondwana-derived blocks are characterized by a Neoproterozoic basement. In the early Palaeozoic, a Pontide terrane collided and amalgamated to the core of Laurasia, as part of the Avalonia–Laurasia collision. From the Silurian to Carboniferous, the southern margin of Laurasia was a passive margin. In the late Carboniferous, a magmatic arc, represented by part of the Pontides and the Caucasus, collided with this passive margin with the Carboniferous eclogites marking the zone of collision. This Variscan orogeny was followed by uplift and erosion during the Permian and subsequently by Early Triassic rifting. Northward subduction under Laurussia during the Late Triassic resulted in the accretion of an oceanic plateau, whose remnants are preserved in the Pontides and include Upper Triassic eclogites. The Cimmeride orogeny ended in the Early Jurassic, and in the Middle Jurassic the subduction jumped south of the accreted complexes, and a magmatic arc was established along the southern margin of Laurasia. There is little evidence for subduction during the latest Jurassic–Early Cretaceous in the eastern part of the Black Sea region, which was an area of carbonate sedimentation. In contrast, in the Balkans there was continental collision during this period. Subduction erosion in the Early Cretaceous removed a large crustal slice south of the Jurassic magmatic arc. Subduction in the second half of the Early Cretaceous is evidenced by eclogites and blueschists in the Central Pontides and by a now buried magmatic arc. A continuous extensional arc was established only in the Late Cretaceous, coeval with the opening of the Black Sea as a back-arc basin.     

Melanesian back-arc basin and arc development: Constraints from the eastern Coral Sea

The eastern Coral Sea is a poorly explored area at the north-eastern corner of the Australian Tectonic Plate, where interaction between the Pacific and Australian plate boundaries, and accretion of the world's largest submarine plateau – the Ontong Java Plateau – has resulted in a complex assemblage of back-arc basins, island arcs, continental plateaus and volcanic products. This study combines new and existing magnetic anomaly profiles, seafloor fabric from swath bathymetry data, Ar–Ar dating of E-MORB basalts, palaeontological dating of carbonate sediments, and plate modelling from the eastern Coral Sea. Our results constrain commencement of the opening of the Santa Cruz Basin and South Rennell Trough to c. 48 Ma and termination at 25–28 Ma. Simultaneous opening of the Melanesian Basin/Solomon Sea further north suggests that a single > 2000 km long back-arc basin, with at least one triple junction existed landward of the Melanesian subduction zone from Eocene–Oligocene times. The cessation of spreading corresponds with a reorganisation of the plate boundaries in the area and the proposed initial soft collision of the Ontong Java Plateau. The correlation between back-arc basin cessation and a widespread plate reorganisation event suggests that back-arc basins may be used as markers for both local and global plate boundary changes.     

The evolution of the southern margin of the East European Craton based on seismic and potential field data

This paper presents an integrated geophysical study of the southern margin of the East European Craton (EEC) in the Karpinksy Swell-North Caucasus area. It presents new interpretations of deep refraction and wide-angle reflection “deep seismic sounding” (DSS) data as well as conventional seismic and CDP profiling and new analyses of potential field data, including three-dimensional gravity and magnetic modelling. An integrated model of the physical properties and structure of the Earth's crust and, partially, upper mantle displays distinct features that are related to tectonic history of the study area. The Voronezh Massif (VM), the Ukrainian Shield and Rostov Dome (RD) of the EEC as well as the Donbas Foldbelt (DF), Karpinsky Swell (KS), Scythian Plate (SP) and Precaspian Basin (PCB) constitute the geodynamic ensemble that developed on the southern margin of the continent Baltica. There proposed evolutionary model comprises a stage of rifting during the middle to late Devonian, post-rift extension and subsidence during Carboniferous–early Permian times (synchronous with and related to the southward displacement of the Rostov Dome and extension in a palaeo-Scythian back-arc basin), and subsequent Mesozoic and younger evolution. A pre-Ordovician, possibly Riphean (?), mafic magmatic complex is inferred on a near vertical reflection seismic cross-section through the western portion of the Astrakhan Dome in the southwest part of the Precaspian Basin. This complex combined with evidence of a subducting slab in the upper mantle imply the presence of pre-Ordovician (Riphean?) island arc, with synchronous extension in a Precaspian back-arc basin is suggested. A middle Palaeozoic back-arc basin ensemble in what is now the western Karpinsky Swell was more than 100 km to the south from its present location. The Stavropol High migrated northwards, dislocating and moving fragments of this back-arc basin sometime thereafter. Linear positive magnetic anomalies reflect the position of associated faults, which define the location of the eastern segment of the Karpinsky Swell. These faults, which dip northward, are recognised on crustal DSS profiles crossing the Donbas Foldbelt and Scythian Plate. They are interpreted in terms of compressional tectonics younger than the Hercynian stage of evolution (i.e., post-Palaeozoic).     

Glacial-interglacial changes in the surface water characteristics of the Andaman Sea: Evidence from stable isotopic ratios of planktonic foraminifera

Stable carbon and oxygen isotopic analyses of the planktonic foraminifera (Globigerinoides ruber) from a deep sea sediment core (GC-1) in the Andaman Sea show high glacial-to-Holocene δ¹⁸O amplitude of 2.1%o which is consistent with previously published records from this marginal basin and suggest increased salinity and/or decreased temperature in the glacial surface waters of this region. A pulse of¹⁸O enrichment during the last deglaciation can be attributed to a Younger Dryas cooling event and/or to a sudden decrease of fresh water influx from the Irrawady and Salween rivers into the Andaman Sea. High δ¹³C values observed during the isotopic stages 2 and 4 are probably due to the enhanced productivity during glacial times in the Andaman Sea.     

Magnetometer array studies in India and the lithosphere

Two magnetometer array experiments were conducted in India during 1978–1980, under an Indo-Australian collaboration project, using 21 Australian three-component magnetometers of the Gough-Reitzel type. The first array study was made in the northwestern region covering the Aravallis, the Punjab, and the lesser Himalaya, while the second experiment was carried out in the southern peninsular shield area. Both these sets of geomagnetic deep sounding (GDS) observations yielded valuable results on the crustal and upper mantle structure in the two geologically and geophysically important regions of India.Geomagnetic induction patterns observed in northwest India have revealed a variety of electrical conductivity structures. The primary conductivity structure providing paths for induced currents is found to be striking at right-angles to the Himalayan Mountains. The conductivity structure is indicated to be a northward continuation of the Aravalli belt and, thus, suggesting the continuation of the Indian shield at depth into the base of the Himalayan foothills under the Ganga basin.The induction effects observed in the southern tip of peninsular India are by far the most complex geophysical phenomenon due to the simultaneous occurrence of the sea coast, the crustal and upper mantle conductivity anomalies between India and Sri Lanka under the sea, and the day-time equatorial electrojet as part of the external heterogeneous inducing field. It is further complicated by the existence of a conductive step, structure along the coastline at the Moho boundary and a “graben” structure in the Palk Strait, as revealed by the array observations.     

Seismicity, gravity anomalies and lithospheric structure of the Andaman arc, NE Indian Ocean

The Andaman arc in the northeastern Indian Ocean defines nearly 1100 km long active plate margin between the India and Burma plates where an oblique Benioff zone develops down to 200 km depth. Several east-trending seismologic sections taken across the Andaman Benioff Zone (ABZ) are presented here to detail the subduction zone geometry in a 3-D perspective. The slab gravity anomaly, computed from the 3-D ABZ configuration, is a smooth, long-wavelength and symmetric gravity high of 85 mGal amplitude centering to the immediate east of the Nicobar Island, where, a prominent gravity “high” follows the Nicobar Deep. The Slab-Residual Gravity Anomaly (SRGA) and Mantle Bouguer Anomaly (MBA) maps prepared for the Andaman plate margin bring out a double-peaked SRGA “low” in the range of − 150 to − 240 mGal and a wider-cum-larger MBA “low” having the amplitude of − 280 to − 315 mGal demarcating the Andaman arc–trench system. The gravity models provide evidences for structural control in propagating the rupture within the lithosphere. The plate margin configuration below the Andaman arc is sliced by the West Andaman Fault (WAF) as well as by a set of sympathetic faults of various proportions, often cutting across the fore-arc sediment package. Some of these fore-arc thrust faults clearly give rise to considerably high post-seismic activity, but the seismic incidence along the WAF further east is comparatively much less particularly in the north, although, the lack of depth resolution for many of the events prohibits tracing the downward continuity of these faults. Tectonic correlation of the gravity-derived models presented here tends to favour the presence of oceanic crust below the Andaman–Nicobar Outer Arc Ridge.     

Geology, Geochemistry and Chromite Mineralization Potential of the Amnay Ophiolitic Complex, Mindoro, Philippines

The Amnay Ophiolitic Complex in Mindoro, the Philippines, is considered an emplaced Cenozoic South China Sea oceanic lithosphere as a result of the collision between the Palawan microcontinental block and the Philippine mobile belt. Middle Oligocene sedimentary rocks intercalated with dominantly MORB-like pillow lavas and volcanic flows suggest the generation of this ophiolite complex in an intermediate spreading ridge within a back-arc basin setting. The volcanic rock suite geochemistry also manifests a slab component suggesting that it is a supra-subduction zone ophiolite. Petrography of the gabbros shows a plagioclase-clinopyroxene crystallization order consistent with a back-arc basin setting. Spinel and pyroxene geochemistry shows that the lherzolites and aluminous-spinel harzburgites are products of low degrees of partial melting. The chromitites hosted by the harzburgites could have not been associated with the MORB-like volcanic suites, gabbros, lherzolites and aluminous-spinel harzburgites. The chromitites are products of mantle sources that have undergone higher degrees of partial melting that would have involved the presence of water. The study of this ophiolitic complex gives us a glimpse of the characteristics of the South China Sea.     

川西藏东板块构造体系及特提斯地质演化

川西藏东可划分为巴颜喀拉、羌塘和拉萨3个板块构造体系。每个体系由结合带、岛弧褶皱带、弧后盆地褶皱带和盆后隆起组成。它们是在晚二叠世冈瓦纳古陆和劳亚古陆沿巴塘拼合带碰撞拼合的基础上，自ＮＥ而ＳＷ经历了三叠纪巴颜喀拉板块构造体系的形成、株罗纪羌塘板块构造体系的形成和白垩纪拉萨板块构造体系的形成以及新生代以来陆－陆碰撞造山和高原隆升而逐渐形成的。     

The Bataan orogene: Eastward subduction, tectonic rotations, and volcanism in the western Pacific (Philippines)

The Philippine mobile belt represents a crustal fragment, wedged between two subduction systems exhibiting opposite polarity. The eastern (Philippine—Quezon) system probably originated in the Eocene during northwest—southeast spreading of the west Philippine basin. Westward subduction is continued, probably as a result of northward motion of the Philippine basin crust. The western (Manila—Bataan) system originated in the Oligocene by spreading and formation of the South China Sea basin. Eastward subduction dominates the tectonics in the northern part of the archipelago and resulted in the formation of the Bataan orogene, a sequence of three parallel volcanic arcs emplaced in obducted oceanic crust. Geochemical and radiometric data indicate that the arcs migrated eastward with time (Miocene to Present) while changing composition from tholeiitic via calc-alkaline to shoshonitic. Centers of the latter two types are presently active. Depocenters behind the arcs also migrated eastward with time, suggesting correction of the isostatic disequilibrium caused by geanticlinal uplift of the orogene. Paleomagnetic evidence suggests that central Luzon is rotating counterclockwise probably due to differential spreading in the South China Sea basin. The west Philippine basin rotates clockwise. This results in significant “Einengung” in the southern part of the archipelago.     

塔里木盆地与天山山脉晚新生代盆山耦合机制

根据塔里木盆地北缘地质构造几何学和运动学资料、油气勘探地震剖面、人工地震测深、地震层析成像以及地热资料,提出了塔里木盆地、准噶尔盆地岩石圈地幔在天山岩石圈之下碰撞并发生拆沉的盆山耦合机制的概念模型。由于印藏碰撞,青藏高原的北部前缘岩石圈地幔与塔里木盆地岩石圈地幔形成V字形碰撞结构,推动塔里木地块的高强度岩石圈向北运动并俯冲到天山岩石圈之下,以水平俯冲作用在中天山北缘岩石圈之下与准噶尔盆地向南俯冲的岩石圈地幔碰撞,并发生后剥拆离。塔里木岩石圈俯冲的过程中,形成库车再生前陆盆地和再生前陆冲断带以及再生天山山脉。冲断量约为塔里木俯冲量的20％。这一盆山耦合模型可以解释盆地构造、盆地沉降、山脉隆升、岩石圈深部构造和热特征。     

Mesoproterozoic–Neoproterozoic transition: Geochemistry, provenance and tectonic setting of clastic sedimentary rocks on the SE margin of the Yangtze Block, South China

The SE margin of the Yangtze Block, South China is composed of the Mesoproterozoic Lengjiaxi Group and the Neoproterozoic Banxi Group, with Sinian- and post-Sinian-cover. A geochemical study was undertaken on the Mesoproterozoic–Neoproterozoic clastic sediments in order to delineate the characteristics of the sediment source and to constrain the tectonic development and crustal evolution of South China.Our results show that the Mesoproterozoic clastic sediments have a dominant component derived from a metavolcanic-plutonic terrane, with a large of mafic component. There is a minor contribution of mafic rocks and older upper crustal rocks to the provenance. Strong chemical weathering in the source area occurred before transport and deposition. The provenance for the Neoproterozoic clastic sediments was most likely old upper continental crust composed of tonalite–granodiorite-dominated, tonalite–granodiorite–granite source rocks, which had undergone strong weathering and/or recycling. A minor component of older K-rich granitic plutonic rocks and younger volcanogenic bimodal rocks is also indicated.Based on the regional geology, the geochemical data and the inferred provenance, the Mesoproterozoic Group is interpreted as a successive sedimentary sequence, deposited in an extensional/rifting back-arc basin, adjacent to a >1.80 Ga continental margin arc-terrane. The progressive extension/rifting of the back-arc basin was followed by increasing subsidence and regional uplift during continental marginal arc-continent (the Cathaysian Block) collision at 1.0 Ga caused the deposition of the Neoproterozoic Group into back-arc to retro-arc foreland basin. Therefore, the depositional setting of the Proterozoic clastic sediments and associated volcanic rocks within the back-arc basin reflected basin development from an active continental margin (back-arc basin), with extension or rifting of the back-arc basin, to a passive continental margin.     

Ridge collision tectonics in terrane development

Some allochthonous terranes form along active continental margins when slivers of forearc crust (or more extensive crust) are displaced along arc-parallel strike-slip faults. Such faults can be generated or reactivated in response to either oblique subduction or ridge collision (collision between an oceanic spreading ridge and the leading edge of the forearc). The mechanical and thermal effects of ridge collision are important factors in the origin crustal development of some forearc sliver terranes. Some of the effects of ridge collision are well illustrated in the South American forearc near the Chile triple junction (46° S) where the Chile Rise is colliding today. Impingement of the Chile Rise, in conjuction with oblique subduction, has caused an elongate forearc sliver terrane to move northward away from an extensional zone at the collision site. The terrane is bounded on the east by the arc-parallel Liquiñe-Ofqui fault system (LOF) which coincides roughly with the forearc-arc boundary, and on the south by the Golfo de Penas extensional basin. Fault fabrics, recent seismicity, and paleomagnetic results indicate a component of right-lateral strike-slip movement on the LOF. Neotectonic geomorphology and pre- and post-seismic vertical strain data from the 1960 Concepcíon earthquake indicate a west-down dip-slip component of movement. Three-dimensional finite element models of ridge collision in this region substantiate these shear strains and development of an arc-parallel fault at about 150–200 km from the trench.Development of the forearc crust during Miocene and younger collision also involved intrusion of silicic magmas and emplacement of the Pliocene(?) Taitao ophiolite within about 15 km of the trench. The ophiolite and the silicic magmas constitute anomalous additions to the forearc crust, and record tectonic events leading to the origin of the allochthonous terrane carrying them. Similar ophiolite/silicic plutonic associations may help unravel the origin of other allochthonous terranes.     

The Jinshajiang–Ailaoshan Suture Zone, China: tectonostratigraphy, age and evolution

The Jinshajiang Suture Zone is important for enhancing our understanding of the evolution of the Paleo-Tethys and its age, tectonic setting and relationship to the Ailaoshan Suture Zone have long been controversial. Based on integrated tectonic, biostratigraphic, chemostratigraphic and isotope geochronological studies, four tectono-stratigraphic units can be recognized in the Jinshajiang Suture Zone: the Eaqing Complex, the Jinshajiang Ophiolitic Melange, the Gajinxueshan “Group” and the Zhongxinrong “Group”. Isotope geochronology indicates that the redefined Eaqing Complex, composed of high-grade-metamorphic rocks, might represent the metamorphic basement of the Jinshajiang area or a remnant micro-continental fragment. Eaqing Complex protolith rocks are pre-Devonian and probably of Early–Middle Proterozoic age and are correlated with those of the Ailaoshan Complex. Two zircon U–Pb ages of 340±3 and 294±3 Ma, separately dated from the Shusong and Xuitui plagiogranites within the ophiolitic assemblage, indicate that the Jinshajiang oceanic lithosphere formed in latest Devonian to earliest Carboniferous times. The oceanic lithosphere was formed in association with the opening and spreading of the Jinshajiang oceanic basin, and was contiguous and equivalent to the Ailaoshan oceanic lithosphere preserved in the Shuanggou Ophiolitic Melange in the Ailaoshan Suture Zone; the latter yielded a U–Pb age of 362±41 Ma from plagiogranite. The re-defined Gajinxueshan and Zhongxinrong “groups” are dated as Carboniferous to Permian, and latest Permian to Middle Triassic respectively, on the basis of fossils and U–Pb dating of basic volcanic interbeds. The Gajinxueshan “Group” formed in bathyal slope to neritic shelf environments, and the Zhongxinrong “Group” as bathyal to abyssal turbidites in the Jinshajiang–Ailaoshan back-arc basin. Latest Permian–earliest Middle Triassic synorogenic granitoids, with ages of 238±18 and 227±5–255±8 Ma, respectively, and an Upper Triassic overlap molasse sequence, indicate a Middle Triassic age for the Jinshajiang–Ailaoshan Suture, formed by collision of the Changdu-Simao Block with South China.     

东海陆架盆地类型及其形成的动力学环境

东海陆架盆地位于欧亚板块东南缘,处于华南陆块(包括西部的扬子地块和东部的华夏地块)之上.其基底是华夏地块在东海陆架的延伸,也是西太平洋大陆边缘构造域的重要组成部分.从全球板块构造格局分析,东海陆架盆地处于西太平洋三角带区域,是印度-澳大利亚板块和太平洋板块与欧亚板块巨型汇聚的地带,也是全球汇聚中心,其东西两侧分别与特提斯和西太平洋构造域演化息息相关.总体来说,东海陆架盆地是“欧亚板块与太平洋板块之间的碰撞、俯冲、弧后扩张,印度-澳大利亚板块与欧亚板块之间的汇聚、碰撞、楔入的远程效应,以及地球深部动力学作用”共同叠加、复合作用形成的弧后盆地.其形成机制符合被动扩张模式,向东的地幔流和软流圈下降流是导致弧后扩张的主要地球深部动力来源.