Age of Saurashtra miliolites by U-Th decay series methods: possible implications to their origin

The miliolite deposits of Saurashtra have been dated by²³⁴U,²³⁰Th,²³¹Pa and¹⁴C methods. Concordant ages of 10⁵ years using the U decay series isotopes are obtained which agree with the ages of the coral reefs of Okha-Dwaraka coast suggesting a contemporaneous origin for both. The lower¹⁴C ages (≤40,000 years) may be due to a recent influx of seawater or ground water. Quartz and clay minerals together constitute only ≤10% by weight, as such the aeolian characteristics of quartz grains may not be relevant to the origin of the miliolites.     

Nitrogen isotopic discrimination by water column nitrification in a shallow coastal environment

Temporal changes in nitrogen isotopic composition (δ¹⁵N) of the NO₃ ⁻ pool in the water column below the pycnocline in Ise Bay, Japan were investigated to evaluate the effect of nitrification on the change in the δ¹⁵N in the water column. The δ¹⁵N of NO₃ ⁻ in the lower layers varied from −8.5‰ in May to +8.4‰ in July in response to the development of seasonal hypoxia and conversion from NH₄ ⁺ to NO₃ ⁻. The significantly ¹⁵N-depleted NO₃ ⁻ in May most likely arose from nitrification in the water column. The calculated apparent isotopic discrimination for water column nitrification (ɛ_nit = δ¹⁵N_substrate − δ¹⁵N_product) was 24.5‰, which lies within the range of previous laboratory-based estimates. Though prominent deficits of NO₃ ⁻ from hypoxic bottom waters due to denitrification were revealed in July, the isotopic discrimination of denitrification in the sediments was low (ɛ_denit = ∼1‰). δ¹⁵N_NO3 in the hypoxic lower layer mainly reflects the isotopic effect of water column nitrification, given that water column nitrification is not directly linked with sedimentary denitrification and the effect of sedimentary denitrification on the change in δ¹⁵N_NO3 is relatively small.     

Moraine chronosequence of the Donnelly Dome region, Alaska

We present ¹⁰Be exposure ages from moraines in the Delta River Valley, a reference locality for Pleistocene glaciation in the northern Alaska Range. The ages are from material deposited during the Delta and Donnelly glaciations, which have been correlated with MIS 6 and 2, respectively. ¹⁰Be chronology indicates that at least part of the Delta moraine stabilized during MIS 4/3, and that the Donnelly moraine stabilized ∼ 17 ka. These ages correlate with other dates from the Alaska Range and other regions in Alaska, suggesting synchronicity across Beringia during pulses of late Pleistocene glaciation. Several sample types were collected: boulders, single clasts, and gravel samples (amalgamated small clasts) from around boulders as well as from surfaces devoid of boulders. Comparing ¹⁰Be ages of these sample types reveals the influence of pre/post-depositional processes, including boulder erosion, boulder exhumation, and moraine surface lowering. These processes occur continuously but seem to accelerate during and immediately after successive glacial episodes. The result is a multi-peak age distribution indicating that once a moraine persists through subsequent glaciations the chronological significance of cosmogenic ages derived from samples collected on that moraine diminishes significantly. The absence of Holocene ages implies relatively minor exhumation and/or weathering since 12 ka.     

青藏高原西北缘郭扎错断裂~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar年代学研究——阿尔金断裂西延的新证据

采自阿尔金断裂西南端、沿郭扎错—龙木错—空喀山口一线展布的郭扎错断裂内的糜棱岩样品中同构造黑云母~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar同位素测年的坪年龄分别为105.9Ma±0.5Ma、121.5Ma±0.6Ma、150.4Ma±0.9Ma,表明其早期韧性变形事件发生在晚侏罗世和早白垩世晚期,与阿尔金断裂带主期活动的时期基本一致,为阿尔金断裂带西延提供了新的证据。研究表明,郭扎错断裂与阿尔金断裂带具有一致的变形年代学特征、构造特征等属性,前者是后者的西延部分,二者为同一构造带,均是拉萨地块整体向北运动的动力环境下所产生的脉冲式构造活动的产物。     

内蒙古苏尼特左旗地区阿木乌岩体LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄及其地球化学特征

对苏尼特左旗地区阿木乌岩体进行LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年、主量元素、稀土元素和微量元素测试分析。结果表明,岩体成岩年龄为235.1±3.2 Ma,属中三叠世。岩体具有高SiO2、富K2O、低CaO、低TiO2的特征。强烈亏损Sr、Ba、Ti、P等元素,富集K、Rb、Th等亲石元素,具有右倾"海鸥型"球粒陨石标准化稀土配分型式及强烈的负铕异常等特点。A/CNK=0.77～1.19,A/NK=1.26～1.64,表明阿木乌岩体具有偏铝质A型花岗岩的特征。具有较高的Y/Nb值(2.31～3.001.2),显示出A2型花岗岩的特征,说明岩体形成于造山后的伸展环境。     

胶东夏甸金矿成矿期闪长玢岩脉锆石U-Pb年代学研究

山东夏甸金矿区内深源中—基性脉岩发育,其中以闪长玢岩与矿体间时空关系最为密切,被认为是幔源流体成矿最重要的判别标志。笔者通过对夏甸金矿两个不同中段内成矿期闪长玢岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年代学研究,获得了4组较为一致的年龄,它们较为完整地保留了这一期中—基性岩浆活动留下的地质记录。这4组年龄分别为:①五台期:华北地区微陆块拼合,发生大规模岩浆作用,形成华北克拉通基底雏形;②印支期:华南与华北两大板块碰撞拼合,苏鲁—大别造山带出现,区内发生大规模变质作用;③燕山早期:受太平洋板块俯冲影响,太古宙绿岩体发生强烈改造,形成大面积重熔型花岗岩;④燕山晚期:成岩成矿期。     

The Deccan Trap – Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary connection; new 40Ar/39Ar ages and critical assessment of existing argon data pertinent to this hypothesis

The Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary (KPgB) was dated by the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar method herein from the western interior of North America at 65.48 ± 0.12 Ma (1σ), in good agreement with other recent published estimates. For the Deccan Traps, India, new argon ages as well as others available in the literature, are assessed for reliability based on (a) statistical reliability of plateau/isochron sections and (b) freshness of material dated utilizing the alteration index method. From tholeiitic lavas from the Composite Western Ghats Section (CWGS), only six ages are found to be reliable estimates of the time of crystallization. These ages along with the magnetic polarity of the lavas agree with the geomagnetic polarity time scale (GPTS) at ∼67–64 Ma. Alkaline rocks from the Anjar area of Kutch, provide three reliable ages that suggest a hiatus in lava extrusion around KPgB. For the Rajahmundry basalts, the upper flow’s age defines its formation during chron 29n; a single age from the lower reversed polarity flow appears somewhat dichotomous when plotted against the GPTS. The reliable lava ages indicate the most voluminous (reversed polarity) sections of the CWGS were extruded at a time statistically indistinguishable from that of the KPgB. The Deccan Trap – KPgB faunal extinction hypothesis remains plausible, but must compete with the latest report, favoring a very close temporal connection (∼0.03 m.y.) between the Chixculub (Impact) Crater and the KPgB.     

Geochemistry and Ar–Ar muscovite ages of the Daraban Leucogranite,Mawat Ophiolite,northeastern Iraq: Implications for Arabia–Eurasia continental collision

Daraban Leucogranite dykes intruded discordantly into the basal serpentinized harzburgite of the Mawat Ophiolite, Kurdistan region, NE Iraq. These coarse grained muscovite-tourmaline leucogranites are the first leucogranite dykes identified within the Mawat Ophiolite. They are mainly composed of quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, tourmaline, muscovite, and secondary phologopite, while zircon, xenotime, corundum, mangano-ilemnite and cassiterite occur as accessories.The A/CNK value of the granite dyke samples varies from 1.10 to 1.22 indicating a strongly peraluminous composition. CaO/Na₂O ranges from 0.11 to 0.15 and Al₂O₃/TiO₂ from 264 to 463, similar to the strongly peraluminous (SP) granites exposed in ‘high-pressure’ collision zones such as the Himalayas.Ar–Ar muscovite step-heating dating yields 37.57 ± 0.25 and 38.02 ± 0.53 Ma plateau ages for two samples which are thought to reflect either their magmatic emplacement or resetting during collision-related metamorphism. Mineral chemistry shows evidence of both primary and secondary types of muscovite, with cores favouring the magmatic interpretation and slight effects of a late syn-serpentinization fluid seen at the rims.Geochemical features of Daraban Leucogranite dykes favour a syn-collisional tectonic setting. They probably formed in response to the continental collision between Eurasia and Arabia during the initial stage of the opening of the Gulf of Aden at 37 Ma. The muscovite ages and geochemical features of Daraban Leucogranite are strong evidence for the timing of the continental collision between northeastern Arabia and Eurasia in Kurdistan region of Iraq.     

Intraplate geodynamics and magmatism in the evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) was produced as a consequence of the successive closure of the Paleoasian Ocean and the accretion of structures formed within it (island arcs, oceanic islands, and backarc basins) to the Siberian continent. The belt started developing in the latest Late Neoproterozoic, and this process terminated in the latest Permian in response to the collision of the Siberian and North China continents that resulted in closure of the Paleoasian ocean (Metcalfe, 2006; Li et al., 2014; Liu et al., 2009; Xiao et al., 2010; Didenko et al., 2010). Throughout the whole evolutionary history of this Orogenic Belt, a leading role in its evolution was played by convergent processes. Along with these processes, an important contribution to the evolution of the composition and structure of the crust in the belt was made by deep geodynamic processes related to the activity of mantle plumes.Indicator complexes of the activity of mantle plumes are identified, and their major distribution patterns in CAOB structures are determined. A number of epochs and areas of intraplate magmatism are distinguished, including the Neoproterozoic one (Rodinia breakup and the origin of alkaline rock belt in the marginal part of the Siberian craton); Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian (origin of oceanic islands in the Paleoasian Ocean); Late Cambrian–Early Ordovician (origin of LIP within the region of Early Caledonian structures in CAOB); Middle Paleozoic (origin of LIP in the Altai–Sayan rift system); Late Paleozoic–Early Mesozoic (origin of the Tarim flood-basalt province, Central Asian rift system, and a number of related zonal magmatic areas); Late Mesozoic–Cenozoic (origin of continental volcanic areas in Central Asia).Geochemical and isotopic characteristics are determined for magmatic complexes that are indicator complexes for areas of intraplate magmatism of various age, and their major evolutionary trends are discussed. Available data indicate that mantle plumes practically did not cease to affect crustal growth and transformations in CAOB in relation to the migration of the Siberian continent throughout the whole time span when the belt was formed above a cluster of hotspots, which is compared with the African superplume.     

黔东地区梵净山群与下江群凝灰岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄

根据黔东地区梵净山群回香坪组第6段凝灰岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄(840Ma±5Ma),结合下江群芙蓉坝组碎屑锆石年龄谱系及下江群新寨组(板溪群马底驿组)凝灰岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄(813.5Ma±9.6Ma),将其与广西四堡群和丹州群凝灰岩年龄进行对比。梵净山群回香坪组年龄与四堡群鱼西组凝灰岩年龄一致,2个地区均发育早期基性岩和枕状熔岩、晚期浅色花岗岩。该事件的精确定年对江南造山带西南端构造演化将有重要的地质意义。依据江南古陆新元古代低变质绿片岩的最新锆石U-Pb年龄,梵净山群(贵州)、四堡群(广西)、冷家溪群(湖南)、双桥山群(江西)与仓溪岩群(湖南)、宜丰岩群(江西)、张村群(江西),甚至与双溪坞群(浙西)在沉积年代上有一定的时间差,而上覆贵州下江群甲路组(814Ma)、广西丹州群合桐组(802Ma)、湖南板溪群张家湾组(802Ma)、江西登山群邓家组(766Ma)和浙江河上镇群骆家门组(791Ma)沉积起点的时间也不一致,但是两者之间均为角度不整合接触,反映出明显的造山事件。研究认为,不断地获得精确的地层年代数据将影响整个江南古陆变质基底的地层对比,并制约江南造山带的地质背景和成矿条件。