Geology of the Grove Mountains in East Antarctica——New evidence for the final suture of Gondwana Land

As the core block of the East Gondwana Land, the East Antarctic Shield was traditionally thought, before 1992, as an amalgamation of a number of Archaean-Paleoproterozoic nuclei, be-ing welded by Grenville aged mobile belts during 1400—900 Ma, while the …     

An Mw based earthquake Catalogue for central, northern and northwestern Europe using a hierarchy of magnitude conversions

Data from 25 local catalogues and 30special studies of earthquakes in central,northern and northwestern Europe have beenincorporated into a Databank. The dataprocessing includes discriminating eventtypes, eliminating fake events and dupletsand converting different magnitudes andintensities to M_w if this is not givenby the original source. The magnitudeconversion is a key task of the study andimplies establishment of regressionequations where no local relations exist.The Catalogue contains tectonic events fromthe Databank within the area44°N–72°N,25°W–32°E and the time period1300–1993. The lower magnitude level forthe Catalogue entries is setat M_w == 3.50. The area covered by thedifferent catalogues are associated withpolygons. Within each polygon only datafrom one or a small number of the localcatalogues, supplemented by data fromspecial studies, enter the Catalogue. Ifthere are two or more such catalogues orstudies providing a solution for an event,a priority algorithm selects one entry forthe Catalogue. Then M_w is calculatedfrom one of the magnitude types, or frommacroseismic data, given by the selectedentry according to another priority scheme.The origin time, location, M_w magnitude and reference are specified for eachentry of the Catalogue. So is theepicentral intensity, I₀, if providedby the original source. Following thesecriteria, a total of about 5,000earthquakes constitute the Catalogue.Although originally derived for the purposeof seismic hazard calculation within GSHAP,the Catalogue provides a data base for manytypes of seismicity and seismic hazardstudies.     

山东惠民凹陷中央隆起带古近系沙河街组层序地层特征及控制因素研究

结合山东惠民凹陷中央隆起带古近系层序地层学研究,依据层序中湖平面变化特点和相应的沉积物特征,提出了构造运动和气候是本区层序地层发育的主要控制因素。中央隆起带古近系沙河街组二、三、四亚段可划分为 3种层序类型,即断陷初期型、强断陷期型和断陷后期型层序。由于构造运动导致湖岸线向盆地方向退缩,产生下降体系域,本次研究采用了体系域的四分法,即一个完整层序由低位、湖侵、高位和下降四个体系域组成,并且层序界面位于湖平面最大下降的位置,介于下降域和低位域之间。断陷初期红色地层层序,受气候因素控制明显,既不同于冲积地层层序,也不同于正常湖相地层层序,在层序演化上有其独特的特点。受构造作用和沉积物补给条件的影响,研究区发育三种沉积密集段,不同类型的沉积密集段在层序中所处位置不同,控制着不同的烃源岩厚度和油气资源储量。     

答“对秦岭奥长环斑花岗岩质疑”

环斑花岗岩是一种特殊结构的花岗岩类，并且多数产在元古宙克拉通中。笔者曾报道了在秦岭造山带中发育有印支期具有环斑结构的花岗质岩石。“对秦岭奥长环斑花岗岩质疑”一文认为它们不是环斑花岗岩，并引用Ramo的图表来说明自己的观点。本文将从以下几方面进行讨论：秦岭环斑花岗岩的研究历史；环斑花岗岩的定义；世界上环斑花岗岩的成因类型；秦岭环斑花岗岩的副矿物及铁镁含量和环斑钾长石特征；秦岭环斑花岗岩与基性岩共存等。本文还论证了秦岭环斑花岗岩不同于元古宙非造山环斑花岗岩，而是一种造山型的环斑花岗岩，其形成于后造山环境，是挤压（造山）向拉张（稳定）转折时期的产物。最后对研究秦岭环斑花岗岩的几个理论问题进行了探讨。     

苏皖地块构造演化、苏鲁造山带形成及其耦合的盆地发育

郯庐断裂带一度是古特提斯洋域中的转换断层,其东的苏皖地块和胶辽克拉通分别是曾经独立于扬子克拉通和华北克拉通之外的构造单元。苏皖地块原属中朝构造域,因中元古代时苏鲁洋的张开而向南漂移,震旦纪起归入华南构造域。受北东东-近东西向的江南断裂和江绍断裂右行走滑活动控制,苏皖地块及怀玉地块在石炭纪末-三叠纪时脱离华南构造域,成为古特提斯洋域中的中间地块。中国东部地区东亚燕山期山系的形成受两个地球动力学系统制约:一是苏鲁洋的消减及闭合后苏皖地块与胶辽克拉通的碰撞,二是江南断裂和江绍断裂的先剪后压,苏皖地块与拼合了的扬子-华北克拉通间发生斜向会聚和剪切造山,怀玉地块仰冲超叠在苏皖地块上。分5个阶段(印支期消减,早-中侏罗世斜向会聚,晚侏罗-早白垩世消减,早白垩世碰撞和燕山造山带坍塌)叙述了中生代造山作用的表现和特点,探讨了与各阶段造山作用耦合的盆地类型和时空分布。因燕山造山带的坍塌而燕山运动构建的“盆”“山”关系解脱,中国东部第三纪的伸展盆地直接叠加在燕山造山带的坍塌裂谷上。     

Neotectonic Control on the Geomorphic Evolution of the Gangotri Glacier Valley, Garhwal Himalaya

The paper records evidences of neotectonic activities in the Gangotri glacier valley that are found to be responsible for the present-day geomorphic set-up of the area since the last phase of major glaciation. Geomorphological features indicate the presence of a large glacier in the valley in the geological past. Prominent planar structures present in the rocks were later on modified into sets of normal faults in the present-day Himalayan tectonic set-up giving rise to graben structures. The block nearest the snout is traversed by the NW-SE trending Gaumukh fault. A number of terraces mark the entrenchment of Bhagirathi River in this part. The contrasting drainage morphometric parameters of two sides of the valley and asymmetric recessional patterns of the tributary glaciers further document movement along the fault. The distribution and orientation of debris fans also seem to be controlled by neotectonic activity. The neotectonic activity that followed the process of deglaciation has brought the glacially carved, wide U- shaped valley in contact with the present-day fluvially incised narrow and relatively deep valley. The wider segments have become sites of active deposition of glacially eroded debris. The low gradient and excessive filling has resulted in the river attaining a braided nature in these segments.     

Lower crustal melting and the role of open-system processes in the genesis of syn-orogenic quartz diorite–granite–leucogranite associations: constraints from Sr–Nd–O isotopes from the Bandombaai Complex, Namibia

The Bandombaai Complex (southern Kaoko Belt, Namibia) consists of three main intrusive rock types including metaluminous hornblende- and sphene-bearing quartz diorites, allanite-bearing granodiorites and granites, and peraluminous garnet- and muscovite-bearing leucogranites. Intrusion of the quartz diorites is constrained by a U–Pb zircon age of 540±3 Ma.

Quartz diorites, granodiorites and granites display heterogeneous initial Nd- and O isotope compositions (_{Nd (540 Ma)}=−6.3 to −19.8; δ¹⁸O=9.0–11.6‰) but rather low and uniform initial Sr isotope compositions (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_initial=0.70794–0.70982). Two leucogranites and one aplite have higher initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.70828–0.71559), but similar initial _Nd (−11.9 to −15.8) and oxygen isotope values (10.5–12.9‰). The geochemical and isotopic characteristics of the Bandombaai Complex are distinct from other granitoids of the Kaoko Belt and the Central Zone of the Damara orogen. Our study suggests that the quartz diorites of the Bandombaai Complex are generated by melting of heterogeneous mafic lower crust. Based on a comparison with results from amphibolite-dehydration melting experiments, a lower crustal garnet- and amphibole-bearing metabasalt, probably enriched in K₂O, is a likely source rock for the quartz diorites. The granodiorites/granites show low Rb/Sr (<0.6) ratios and are probably generated by partial melting of meta-igneous (intermediate) lower crustal sources by amphibole-dehydration melting. Most of the leucogranites display higher Rb/Sr ratios (>1) and are most likely generated by biotite-dehydration melting of heterogeneous felsic lower crust. All segments of the lower crust underwent partial melting during the Pan-African orogeny at a time (540 Ma) when the middle crust of the central Damara orogen also underwent high T, medium P regional metamorphism and melting. Geochemical and isotope data from the Bandombaai Complex suggest that the Pan-African orogeny in this part of the orogen was not a major crust-forming episode. Instead, even the most primitive rock types of the region, the quartz diorites, represent recycled lower crustal material.     

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in the Nepal Himalaya: A Manageable Hazard?

Within the past fifteen years, glacial lake outburst floods have become an activetopic of discussion within the development community focused on Nepal. Suchfloods endanger thousands of people, hundreds of villages, and basic infrastructuresuch as trails and bridges. The flood risk is also a major impediment to hydroelectricdevelopment in several river basins. Unlike most other mountain hazards in Nepal,reducing the possibility of outburst floods is technically feasible. The first attemptwithin Nepal to reduce the hazard of one lake by artificially lowering its water levelwas partially completed in June 2000. Completing this task and beginning work onother hazardous lakes will require difficult decisions about risk by downstream residentsand substantial investment from the international aid community.     

POSITIVE INVERSION STRUCTURE OF THE CENTRAL STRUCTURE BELT IN TURPAN-HAMI BASIN

The central structure belt in Turpan-Hami basin is composed of the Huoyanshan structure and Qiketai structure formed in late Triassic-early Jurassic, and is characterized by extensional tectonics. The thickness of strata in the hanging wall of the growth fault is obviously larger than that in the footwall, and a deposition center was evolved in the Taibei sag where the hanging wall of the fault is located. In late Jurassic the collision between Lhasa block and Eurasia continent resulted in the transformation of the Turpan-Hami basin from an extensional structure into a compressional structure, and consequently in the tectonic inversion of the central structure belt of the Turpan-Hami basin from the extensional normal fault in the earlier stage to the compressive thrust fault in the later stage. The Tertiary collision between the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate occurred around 55Ma, and this Himalayan orogenic event has played a profound role in shaping the Tianshan area, only the effect of the collision to this area was delayed since it culminated here approximately in late Oligocene-early Miocene. The central structure belt was strongly deformed and thrusted above the ground as a result of this tectonic event.     

Multicomponent magnetization in western Dolpo (Tethyan Himalaya, Nepal): tectonic implications

A palaeomagnetic study has been carried out in the Tethyan Himalaya (TH; the northern margin of Greater India). Twenty-six palaeomagnetic sites have been sampled in Triassic low-grade metasediments of western Dolpo. Two remanent components have been identified. A pyrrhotite component, characterized by unblocking temperatures of 270–335 °C, yields an in situ mean direction of D=191.7°, I=−30.9° (k=29.5, α₉₅=5.7°, N=23 sites). The component fails the fold test at the 99% confidence level (k_{in situ}/k_bed=6.9) and is therefore of postfolding origin. For reason of the low metamorphic grade, this pyrrhotite magnetization is believed to be of thermo-chemical origin. Geochronological data and inclination matching indicate an acquisition age around 35 Ma. The second remanence component has higher unblocking temperatures (>400 °C and up to 500–580 °C range) and resides in magnetite. A positive fold test and comparison with expected Triassic palaeomagnetic directions suggest a primary origin.The postfolding character of the pyrrhotite component, and its interpreted age of remanence acquisition, implies that the main Himalayan folding is older than 35 Ma in the western Dolpo area. This study also suggests that the second metamorphic event (Neo-Himalayan) was more significant in the Dolpo area than the first (Eo-Himalayan) one.A clockwise rotation of 10–15° is inferred from the pyrrhotite component, which is compatible with oroclinal bending and/or rotational underthrusting models. This rotation is also supported by the magnetite component, indicating that no rotation of the Tethyan Himalaya relative to India took place before 35 Ma.