Textured organic surfaces associated with the Ediacara biota in South Australia

The Ediacaran Period takes its name from the fossils of the Ediacara biota, which represent the first appearance of large and diverse assemblages of organisms in the fossil record. Although the global record of these distinctive body fossils is now well known, a previously unrecognized megascopic organic record of textured organic surfaces (TOS) occurs in the Ediacara biota. However, TOS is also a feature over a wider range of paleoenvironmental settings, where body fossils are unknown, in Ediacaran siliciclastic successions that have been studied in Australia, Namibia and western North America.Paleoecological analysis of successive bedding planes of strata from the late Ediacaran Rawnsley Quartzite in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia, reveals that TOS represent the most common organic features in bedding-surface assemblages of the Ediacara biota. The TOS consist of preserved, patterned assemblages of textured organic mats, fibers and simple tubular body fossils. Complex Ediacara body fossils while striking for their distinctive body plans, and dominating some of the beds, are relatively minor components of combined overall surface area. Many elements of TOS have previously been miss-diagnosed as trace fossils, which are in practice limited to two or at most three morphotypes that indicate the presence of Bilateria. Although TOS represent a simpler grade of organismic construction than discrete and more complex Ediacara body fossils, they were preserved in a similar manner. Marked variability in all components of the biota between successive surfaces suggests that Ediacara ecologies fluctuated at short intervals despite an apparently consistent sedimentary regime.     

华北克拉通东部新元古代宏体化石生物地层序列

华北克拉通东部是中国晚前寒武纪地层出露最为完整、连续的地区,特别是华北克拉通东缘连续出露了新元古代自老至新的全部地层,是对比和衔接中国南、北方晚前寒武纪地层的关键地区。在该地区所发现和建立的宏体化石群——“龙凤山生物群”、“辽南生物群”和“淮南生物群”可能是新元古代“南华大冰期”前后较为独特的生物群落,其中相当部分可能归属于多细胞后生动物和多细胞藻类,是地球早期生命景观的重要代表。因此,对这些新元古代早期生物群的研究将可能揭示比陡山沱期更早的多细胞后生动植物的演化面貌,在演化生物学上意义重大。近年来,在地调项目的资助下,开展了华北克拉通东部地区的新元古代年代地层及生物地层的研究。本文综合现有资料,详细记述了华北克拉通东部（燕山地区和辽南、徐淮地区）含宏体化石的新元古代地层及其宏体化石特征、组合面貌和生物地层序列。同时,依据宏体化石记录,探讨了中国新元古代地层的对比问题。     

新元古时期中国古大陆与罗迪尼亚超大陆的关系

在概略介绍罗迪尼亚和冈瓦纳超大陆最新研究成果的基础上 ,重点介绍了中国华北、塔里木和扬子等三个克拉通前新元古代大陆地壳演化的主要特征 ,以及塔里木和扬子克拉通新元古代重大热构造事件序列和年代格架。提出塔里木和扬子克拉通新元古代地质历史具有较大的相似性 ,而与华北克拉通有明显差异。华北克拉通未出现与罗迪尼亚超大陆汇聚和裂解作用有关的、强烈的新元古代热构造事件群。根据现有的古地磁和地质资料 ,探讨了中国大陆块体与罗迪尼亚超大陆的关系和空间位置     

江南造山带东段陈蔡地区新元古代高硅埃达克质花岗闪长岩的发现及其构造启示

华南由扬子板块与华夏板块在新元古代拼合而成,其拼合时间与演化模式一直广受争议。江南造山带是其重要的拼合带,带内保留一系列新元古代沉积作用-岩浆活动记录,是研究扬子板块与华夏板块拼贴碰撞时间与演化机制的理想场所。本文针对江南造山带东段陈蔡地区花岗闪长岩,开展了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年代学、全岩主微量元素及Sr-Nd同位素地球化学研究。代表性样品的~(206)Pb/~(238)U加权平均年龄为838±5Ma和836±4Ma,为花岗闪长岩的原岩结晶年龄。样品K_2O含量为1.30%～2.57%,铝饱和指数(A/CNK)为1.01～1.54,为钙碱性过铝质花岗闪长岩。样品高Si O_2(63.38%～68.97%)、Al_2O_3(15.30%～16.70%)、Na_2O(3.89%～6.24%)、Sr(306×10~(-6)～628×10~(-6))、Sr/Y(26～80)和低Mg O含量(0.64%～1.99%)、K_2O/Na_2O(0.17～0.64)、低Y含量(3.38×10~(-6)～16.10×10~(-6))和Yb含量(0.42×10~(-6)～1.67×10~(-6)),δEu异常不明显,相对富集轻稀土和大离子亲石元素、强烈亏损重稀土和高场强元素、低~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr初始值(0.7015～0.7022)和高ε_(Nd)(t)值(+4.10～+6.13),具有与高硅埃达克岩相似的特征。结合区域构造演化背景,认为陈蔡花岗闪长岩是扬子板块与华夏板块之间的古洋壳向双溪坞陆弧地体俯冲的过程中,俯冲板片熔体被少量地幔楔橄榄岩同化和交代的产物,暗示838～836Ma时江南造山带东段仍处于俯冲消减阶段,扬子与华夏尚未完成最终拼合。综合现有证据,认为扬子与华夏在江南造山带各区段于ca.825～820Ma完成拼合。     

浙西北建德地区休宁组沉积时限的厘定:来自凝灰岩锆石U- Pb年代学的制约

浙西北建德地区休宁组(原称志棠组)是华南新元古代的重要地层单元之一,但其沉积时限和区域对比关系长期存在争论。本文对采自休宁组下部和上部的凝灰岩进行了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年,获得两件凝灰岩样品的形成年龄分别为785.0±2.8Ma(MSWD=0.85,n=37)和727.5±7.3Ma(MSWD=0.64,n=7)。结合前人研究成果认为,休宁组沉积时限为～800Ma至～728Ma;野外沉积学研究表明,休宁组沉积构造发育,主体属于正常气候条件下的冲积扇和滨浅海(湖)沉积,非南华冰期地层;区域上,休宁组与板溪群及其相当地层的中上部、莲沱组、苏雄组/开建桥组、澄江组沉积时限基本相当,与下冰期(Sturtian冰期)长安组不存在对比关系,应明确为华南"四堡造山运动"不整合面之上、南华冰期之下的一套裂谷充填序列。     

江南造山带九岭南缘宜丰岩组火山岩锆石SHRIMP年代学及Hf同位素特征

赣西北九岭南缘宜丰岩组是江南造山带的一个重要地层单元,但其沉积时限和区域地层对比关系尚不确定。本次1∶5万区调工作中,在万载—宜丰一带宜丰岩组地层中发现有呈夹层产出的变英安岩、变凝灰岩。SHRIMP锆石定年表明,变英安岩、变凝灰岩分别形成于835.0±7.8Ma和830.3±9.5Ma。结合宜丰岩组底部凝灰质砂岩最年轻的一组碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄852.9±2.6Ma,认为宜丰岩组沉积时限为～853 Ma至～830Ma,表明宜丰岩组主体形成于新元古代早期。锆石Hf同位素显示,ε_Hf(t)变化范围较大,为-16.02～+12.04,总体以正值为主。最为接近亏损地幔成分的5个锆石颗粒的ε_Hf(t)变化范围为+9.65～+12.04,具有最年轻的Hf二阶段模式年龄0.95～1.09Ga,与成岩年龄差距不大,表明源区中可能有新生地壳物质的加入。野外沉积学研究表明,宜丰岩组浊流沉积构造发育,主体属于半深海大陆斜坡沉积。区域上,宜丰岩组与溪口岩群、双桥山群、冷家溪群、西村岩组、南桥岩组、苍溪岩组沉积时限基本相当,沉积环境相似,应明确为华南"晋宁运动"不整合面之下的一套弧后盆地环境产物。     

中天山、伊犁及塔里木地块开始参与Rodinia超大陆聚合过程早于新元古代?

长久以来,中国主要陆块被普遍认为比世界其他陆块开始参与罗迪尼亚超大陆聚合的时间较晚,为新元古代早期。为了探讨此问题,我们选择中国中天山、伊犁及塔里木地块作为主要研究对象,系统分析了新元古代早期(1.0～0.8Ga)的构造变形及岩浆特征。新元古代早期构造变形主要表现为拉伸线理近平行于造山带方向,反映了后造山陆内走滑剪切过程。1.0～0.8Ga的岩浆岩皆为较小规模花岗岩,未见基性包体,矿物组合中基本无角闪石,具有高钾钙碱性和过铝质特征,并含有大量捕获老锆石,说明古老基底或重熔地壳的显著参与。岩石源区主要为重熔基性下地壳,在构造背景判别图上基本落在后造山环境。锆石Ti及全岩Zr温度计算结果显示这些岩体的结晶温度普遍偏高,约800℃。结合已有区域地质资料,我们认为:①在新元古代原塔里木陆块(包括早期中天山、伊犁及塔里木地块)已经位于罗迪尼亚超大陆内部,1.0～0.8Ga变形及岩浆记录皆反映了原塔里木陆块与其它陆块碰撞后的构造事件;②由于超大陆聚合后的热毯效应使得新元古代早期花岗岩结晶温度偏高;③中天山、伊犁及现今塔里木地块最初参与罗迪尼亚超大陆汇聚的时间应早于新元古代(1.0Ga)。     

滇中北部昆阳群凝灰岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄及其地层学意义

滇中昆阳群一直是华南前寒武纪地质研究的热点之一,其地层序列、时代与区域对比长期存在争议。通过对滇中易门县小街乡普家村-岔河水库剖面禄表组2个凝灰岩样品进行SHRIMP锆石U-Pb定年,获得禄表组凝灰岩的锆石206Pb/238U年龄为878.5±4.7Ma和878.0±4.0Ma,首次证实禄表组的形成时代为新元古代中期。禄表组凝灰岩SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄的获得,有利于正确认识昆阳群的划属关系,并为西南地区青白口纪地层格架的建立和对比提供可靠的年代学依据。     

新元古代—寒武纪硫同位素异常事件(Yudomski事件)的起源与结束

新元古代晚期—寒武纪早期是地球历史演化的关键时期,整个生物圈、大气圈和水圈在此期间都发生了巨大的变化,海水成分在其间也发生了明显的变化。而石盐流体包裹体恰恰记录了该时段海水主要离子成分的转变:海水成分从新元古代晚期的“文石海”,快速转化为寒武纪的“方解石海”；同时海水中的碳、锶、硫同位素都发生了剧烈的改变,其中海水硫酸根的硫同位素从新元古代冰期前的20‰左右,迅速升高到新元古代冰期后的35‰左右,甚至可以到45‰,海相蒸发岩沉积中的硫酸盐沉积(主要是石膏、硬石膏)则直接记录了当时海水中硫酸根的硫同位素变化。现有研究表明,新元古代晚期——寒武纪时期的海相蒸发岩沉积记录了当时海洋中存在着地质历史时期最大的硫同位素异常,即“Yudomski事件”。塔里木盆地的寒武纪早期、中期蒸发岩记录了“Yudomski事件”的硫同位素异常高值(35‰左右,甚至更高),表明这一起源于新元古代晚期的同位素异常事件持续到了寒武纪的早期和中期；塔里木盆地奥陶纪早期的蒸发岩、鄂尔多斯盆地奥陶纪中期蒸发岩和美国Williston盆地奥陶纪晚期地层的蒸发岩的硫同位素数据相似,都在+25‰左右则记录了较低的海洋硫同位素值,表明起源于新元古代冰期之后的“Yudomski事件”的硫同位素异常,持续到了寒武纪的中期,而结束于寒武纪的晚期。     

Coupling between metallogenesis of the Cryogenian Datangpo-type manganese deposit in South China and major geological events

The exploration of the Cryogenian manganese deposits in the Datangpo Formation of South China has achieved great progress in recent years. It is concern in the long term there are many studies on this manganese deposits due to its particularity in the temporal and spatial distribution and the mineralization background. In this paper,we systematically summarize the previous achievements on the Datangpo-type manganese deposits. Besides,we also review current findings of Neoproterozoic global geotectonics,palaeoclimate evolution,ancient marine chemistry,and microbial evolution etc. The possible linkage between the massive metallogenesis of the Cryogenian Datangpo manganese deposits in the South China and Neoproterozoic major geological events is established. The break-up of Rodinia supercontinent led to the widespread rift basin systems in the world since the Middle Neoproterozoic. The Nanhua Basin in South China,which is a manganese-forming sedimentary basin,developed from the rift basin. The rift basin provided space for manganese deposits and controlled the distribution of manganese deposit. The hydrothermal activities at the bottom of the basin provided favorable manganese source. During the Neoproterozoic ice period(“Snowball Earth”event),global ice-sheets cut off or hindered exchanges of mass and energy between different spheres of Earth,which may lead to the widespread anoxic condition in the ice age ocean. The palaeoclimate changes during the glacial-interglacial period led to the disappearance of ice-sheets and the triggering of mass and energy exchanges between different sub-systems of Earth,followed by the variation of redox condition of the ancient sea. For the Nanhua Basin,the oxidation of surface water and the oxygen-bearing base flow provided the oxidation environment for the precipitation of manganese. Besides,new evidence indicated that manganese microbiological mineralization was the potential mechanism for manganese deposit under the microbial resuscitation condition during the interglacial period. All these major geological events have complicated connections and they provided essential metallogenic conditions for the sedimentary mineralization of “Datangpo”manganese deposit. It is believed that there is a coupling between the sedimentary metallogenesis of the Cryogenian Datangpo-type manganese deposit in South China and Neoproterozoic major geological events.