SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age,geochemistry and Nd-Hf isotope of Neoproterozoic mafic dyke swarms in western Sichuan:Petrogenesis and tectonic significance

Neoproterozoic magmatic rocks are widespread in the western margin of the Yangtze block, and their origin and genesis have significant implications for understanding the evolution of the Rodinia super- continent. However, there are currently two opposing interpretations for their petrogenesis and tectonic setting: mantle plume-related and island arc origin. To further verify these two competing models, SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age determinations and geochemical and Nd-Hf isotopic analyses are conducted on the mafic dykes in the Kangdian Rift, western Sichuan. U-Pb dating suggests that these mafic dykes were emplaced at 780―760 Ma, spatially and temporally coeval with the Kangding granitoid complex. The parental magmas of these dykes were derived from a depleted asthenosphere mantle source likely triggered by an anomalously-hot mantle plume. Despite some arc-geochemical features caused by variable degrees of contamination of young island arc crust during magma ascending and emplace- ment, they show general geochemical and Nd-Hf isotopic features similar to those of the intraplate basalts. Our results support the reconstruction model of Rodinia in which the South China block was located between Australia and Laurentia.     

Superplume, supercontinent, and post-perovskite: Mantle dynamics and anti-plate tectonics on the Core–Mantle Boundary

The Western Pacific Triangular Zone (WPTZ) is the frontier of a future supercontinent to be formed at 250 Ma after present. The WPTZ is characterized by double-sided subduction zones to the east and south, and is a region dominated by extensive refrigeration and water supply into the mantle wedge since at least 200 Ma. Long stagnant slabs extending over 1200 km are present in the mid-Mantle Boundary Layer (MBL, 410–660 km) under the WPTZ, whereas on the Core–Mantle Boundary (CMB, 2700–2900 km depth), there is a thick high-V anomaly, presumably representing a slab graveyard. To explain the D″ layer cold anomaly, catastrophic collapse of once stagnant slabs in MBL is necessary, which could have occurred at 30–20 Ma, acting as a trigger to open a series of back-arc basins, hot regions, small ocean basins, and presumably formation of a series of microplates in both ocean and continent. These events were the result of replacement of upper mantle by hotter and more fertile materials from the lower mantle.The thermal structure of the solid Earth was estimated by the phase diagrams of Mid Oceanic Ridge Basalt (MORB) and pyrolite combined with seismic discontinuity planes at 410–660 km, thickness of the D″ layers, and distribution of the ultra-low velocity zone (ULVZ). The result clearly shows the presence of two major superplumes and one downwelling. Thermal structure of the Earth seems to be controlled by the subduction history back to 180 Ma, except in the D″ layer. The thermal structure of the D″ layer seems to be controlled by older slab-graveyards, as expected by paleogeographic reconstructions for Laurasia, Gondwana and Rodinia back to 700 Ma.Comparison of mantle tomography between the Pacific superplume and underneath the WPTZ suggests the transformation of a cold slab graveyard to a large-scale mantle upwelling with time. The Pacific superplume was born from the coldest CMB underneath the 1.0–0.75 Ga supercontinent Rodinia where huge amounts of cold slabs had accumulated through collision-amalgamation of more than 12 continents. A high velocity P-wave anomaly on a whole-mantle scale shows stagnant slabs restricted to the MBL of circum-Pacific and Tethyan regions. The high velocity zones can be clearly identified within the Pacific domain, suggesting the presence of slab graveyards formed at geological periods much older than the breakup of Rodinia. We speculate that the predominant subduction occurred through the formation period of Gondwana, presumably very active during 600 to 540 Ma period, and again from 400 to 300 Ma during the formation of the northern half of Pangea (Laurasia). We correlate the three dominant slab graveyards with three major orogenies in earth history, with the emerging picture suggesting that the present-day Pacific superplume is located at the center of the Rodinian slab graveyard.We speculate the mechanism of superplume formation through a comparison of the thermal structure of the mantle combined with seismic tomography under the Western Pacific Triangular Zone (WPTZ), Laurasia (Asia), Gondwana (Africa), and Rodinia (Pacific). The coldest mantle formed by extensive subduction to generate a supercontinent, changes with time of the order of several hundreds of million years to the hottest mantle underneath the supercontinent. The Pacific superplume is tightly defined by a steep velocity gradient on the margin, particularly well documented by S-wave velocity. The outermost region of the superplume is characterized by the Rodinia slab graveyard forming a donut-shape. We develop a petrologic model for the Pacific superplume and show how larger plumes are generated at shallower depths in the mantle. We link the mechanism of formation of the superplume to the presence of the mineral post-perovskite, the phase transformation of which to perovskite is exothermic, and thus aids in transporting core heat to mantle, and finally to planetary space by plumes.We summarize the characteristics of tectonic processes operating at the CMB to propose the existence of an “anti-crust” generated through “anti-plate tectonics” at the bottom of the mantle. The chemistry of the anti-crust markedly contrasts with that of the continental crust overlying the mantle. Both the crust and the anti-crust must have increased in volume through geologic time, in close relation with the geochemical reservoirs of the Earth. The process of formation of a new superplume closely accompanies the process of development of anti-crust at the bottom of mantle, through the production of dense melt from the partial melting of recycled MORB, observed now as the ULVZ. When CMB temperature is recovered to near 4000 K through phase transformation, the recycled MORB is partially melted imparting chemical buoyancy of the andesitic residual solid which rises up from CMB, leaving behind the dense melt to sink to CMB and thus increase the mass of anti-crust. These small-scale plumes develop to a large-scale superplume through collision and amalgamation with time. When all recycled MORBs are consumed, it is the time of demise of superplume. Immediately above the CMB, anti-plate tectonics operates to develop anti-crust through the horizontal movement of accumulated slab and their partial melting. Thus, we speculate that another continent, or even a supercontinent, has developed through geologic time at the bottom of the mantle.We also evaluate the heating vs. cooling models in relation to mantle dynamics. Rising plumes control not only the rifting of supercontinents and continents, but also the Atlantic stage as seen by anchored ridge by hotspots in the last 200 Ma in the Atlantic. Therefore, we propose that the major driving force for the mantle dynamics is the heat supplied from the high-T core, and not the slab pull force by cooling. The best analogy for this is the atmospheric circulation driven by the energy from Sun.     

鄂东北麻城两路口地区新元古代变质岩锆石U-Pb年龄及其地质意义

鄂东北麻城两路口地区位于北大别杂岩带南部,对该区变质岩的研究有重要的古构造和古气候环境意义。本文对该地区6个变质岩样品进行了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年。结果显示,3个花岗质片麻岩和1个变质浅色花岗岩样品得到742±38~805±7 Ma的年龄,而2个斜长角闪岩样品则得到793±11~843±72Ma的年龄。其中1个斜长角闪岩样品的年龄值(793 11 Ma)与花岗质片麻岩和变质花岗岩样品的年龄值(792~805 Ma)在误差范围内一致,表明该区存在新元古代双峰式岩浆活动。秦岭(北秦岭、武当地区)–桐柏、大别和苏鲁造山带几近同时的新元古代岩浆作用表明它们在新元古代时可能是统一整体,且属于扬子陆块的组成部分;大别-苏鲁造山带新元古代岩浆岩的形成可能与Rodinia超大陆裂解、雪球地球事件和裂谷作用相关。     

Geological characteristics and tectonic signifcance of unconformities in Mesoproterozoic successions in the northern margin of the North China Block

Several stratigraphic breaks and unconformities exist in the Mesoproterozoic successions in the northern margin of the North China Block.Geologic characters and spatial distributions of fve of these unconformities,which have resulted from different geological processes,have been studied.The unconformity beneath the Dahongyu Formation is interpreted as a breakup unconformity,representing the time of transition from continental rift to passive continental margin.The unconformities beneath the Gaoyuzhuang and the Yangzhuang formations are considered to be the consequence of regional eustatic fuctuations,leading to the exposure of highlands in passive margins during low sea-level stands and transgressive deposition on coastal regions during high sea-level stands.The unconformity atop the Tieling Formation might be caused by uplift due to contractional deformation in a back-arc setting,whereas the uplift after the deposition of the Xiamaling Formation might be attributed to a continental collision event.It is assumed that the occurrences of these unconformities in the Mesoproterozoic successions in the northern margin of the North China Block had a close bearing on the assemblage and breakup of the Columbia and Rodinia supercontinents.     

喜马拉雅造山带东构造结拉布拉多期和格林威尔期造山作用的记录

位于喜马拉雅东构造结西北部的南迦巴瓦复合体,是构造应力最强、隆升和剥蚀最快、新生代变质和深熔作用最强的地区。为厘定该地区早期的变质岩浆作用,本文对南迦巴瓦复合体北部的花岗片麻岩和混合岩进行了岩石学和年代学研究。花岗片麻岩原岩为富钾的偏铝质花岗岩,具有岩浆弧花岗岩的成分特征。花岗片麻岩中的锆石具有岩浆锆石的环带结构,记录了487.9±1.6Ma的一期构造岩浆事件;混合岩的锆石具有明显的核-边结构,核部和边部的不协和线交点年龄分别为1559±13Ma、1154±12Ma。对比印度大陆东部的西隆高原、东高止造山带,发现三者都经历了拉布拉多期、格林威尔期以及泛非期的造山作用。因此,我们认为喜马拉雅东构造结与这两个地区密切相关,可能是他们向北的延伸,这三者可能组成统一的印度大陆东部造山带,一起经历了哥伦比亚超大陆、Rodinia和冈瓦纳超大陆的聚合与裂解过程。     

滇东北下田坝花岗岩年代学、地球化学及其构造意义

滇东北下田坝花岗岩的SiO2质量分数在71.1%～78.15%之间,Al2O3值在11.55%～14.90%之间,A/CNK=0.94～1.25,属于弱过铝质花岗岩。稀土元素总量(∑REE)为259.71×10-6～804.60×10-6,∑LREE/∑HREE为4.12～10.28,说明轻稀土较重稀土富集。岩石具有明显的负Eu异常(δEu=0.04～0.07),大离子亲石元素Rb、Ba、Pb、U等相对富集,高场强元素Nb、Ta、Zr、Ti等明显亏损,这些特征说明下田坝花岗岩是由壳源物质部分熔融形成的,具有A型花岗岩的特征。对下田坝花岗岩进行的激光探针等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)锆石U-Pb同位素年代学研究获得了206Pb/238 U加权年龄年龄769±4.4Ma(MSWD=0.45),可代表花岗岩的形成年龄,下田坝花岗岩并非原来认为的早古生代花岗岩。结合对区域地质资料的分析认为,下田坝花岗岩的形成年龄与扬子地块西部Rodinia超大陆裂解事件在时间上一致,该花岗岩是在Rodinia超大陆裂解过程中由地幔柱活动引起的大陆裂谷环境中形成的,这也证实了扬子地块西南缘新元古代的裂谷环境已影响到滇东北的东川地区。     

胶南-威海造山带与罗迪尼亚(Rodinia)超大陆相关问题的初步探讨

胶南-威海造山带中的榴辉岩为晋宁早期板块俯冲作用的产物;沿造山带广泛分布的花岗质片麻岩,则为晋宁晚期板块由俯冲转为碰撞过程中同造山岩浆事件的产物.它们与全球性的格林威尔造山运动属同一事件范畴,但具有明显的穿时性.侵入于同造山花岗质片麻岩的片麻状花岗岩及震旦纪朋河石组,为后造山伸展机制下发生的岩浆及沉积事件的产物,与700～650Ma期间Rodinia超大陆的裂解作用密切相关.     

The drift history of the Dharwar Craton and India from 2.37 Ga to 1.01 Ga with refinements for an initial Rodinia configuration

Coupled paleomagnetic and geochronologic data derived from mafic dykes provide valuable records of continental movement. To reconstruct the Proterozoic paleogeographic history of Peninsular India, we report paleomagnetic directions and U-Pb zircon ages from twenty-nine mafic dykes in the Eastern Dharwar Craton near Hyderabad. Paleomagnetic analysis yielded clusters of directional data that correspond to dyke swarms at 2.37 Ga, 2.22 Ga, 2.08 Ga, 1.89–1.86 Ga, 1.79 Ga, and a previously undated dual polarity magnetization. We report new positive baked contact tests for the 2.08 Ga swarm and the 1.89–1.86 Ga swarm(s), and a new inverse baked contact test for the 2.08 Ga swarm. Our results promote the 2.08 Ga Dharwar Craton paleomagnetic pole (43.1° N, 184.5° E; A95 = 4.3°) to a reliability score of R = 7 and suggest a position for the Dharwar Craton at 1.79 Ga based on a virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) at 33.0° N, 347.5° E (a95 = 16.9°, k = 221, N = 2). The new VGP for the Dharwar Craton provides support for the union of the Dharwar, Singhbhum, and Bastar Cratons in the Southern India Block by at least 1.79 Ga. Combined new and published northeast-southwest moderate-steep dual polarity directions from Dharwar Craton dykes define a new paleomagnetic pole at 20.6° N, 233.1° E (A95 = 9.2°, N = 18; R = 5). Two dykes from this group yielded 1.05–1.01 Ga ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb zircon ages and this range is taken as the age of the new paleomagnetic pole. A comparison of the previously published poles with our new 1.05–1.01 Ga pole shows India shifting from equatorial to higher (southerly) latitudes from 1.08 Ga to 1.01 Ga as a component of Rodinia.     

Nature of the Precambrian metamorphic blocks in the eastern segment of Central Tianshan: Constraint from geochronology and Nd isotopic geochemistry

The Central Tianshan Tectonic Zone (CTTZ) is anarrow domain between an early Paleozoic southernTianshan passive continental margin and a late Paleo-zoic northern Tianshan arc zone, which is character-ized by the presence of numerous Precambrian meta-morphic basement blocks. Proterozoic granitoidgneisses and metamorphic sedimentary rocks,namely Xingxingxia and Kawabulag and Tianhugroups, are the most important lithological assem-blages in these metamorphic basement blocks, and alittle of …     

塔中地区志留系碎屑锆石测年及其地质意义

志留系是塔里木盆地第一套砂岩储层广泛分布的沉积盖层,其沉积来源与成因对志留纪构造演化及周边造山带的研究具有重要意义。塔中地区3个志留系样品的碎屑锆石LA?ICP?MS U?Pb定年研究表明,志留系具有比较集中的二期物源年龄：南华纪中期、古元古代中期。碎屑锆石测定的年龄表明塔中志留系物源均来自前寒武纪,塔中东部源区方向的塔南隆起基底在奥陶纪已隆升成为蚀源区。大量的新元古代中期锆石年龄表明塔里木板块在新元古代时期可能与Rodinia超大陆具有相似的聚合与裂解演化史。