Studies on40Ar/39Ar thermochronology of strike-slip time of the Tan-Lu fault zone and their tectonic implications

Samples of mylonite, ultramylonite and phyllonite were collected from 5 localities in the Anhui part of the Tan-Lu fault zone for⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar chronological studies. Among them 4 samples from 3 localities on the eastern margin of the Dabie orogenic belt yielded⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages of 128 —132 Ma; and 2 samples from the western margin of the Zhangbalin uplift and eastern margin of the Bengbu uplift gave the same⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages of 120 Ma. Isochron analyses and other lines of evidence suggest that the data are reliable. The data are interpreted as cooling ages of sinistral strike-slip deformation of the Tan-Lu fault zone. The younger ages from the north might be related to slower strike-slip rising. These results indicate that the large-scale left-lateral displacement in the Tan-Lu fault zone took place in the Early Cretaceous, rather than in Late Triassic (Indosinian) as proposed by some geologists. Therefore, this fault zone is an intracontinental wrench fault rather than a transform fault or suture line developed during formation of the Dabie orogenic belt.     

SHRIMP zircon U-Pb ages for the Paleoproterozoic metamorphic-magmatic events in the southeast margin of the North China Craton

A garnet-pyroxene bearing amphibolite as a xenolith hosted by the Mesozoic igneous rocks from Xuzhou-Suzhou area was dated by zircon SHRIMP U-Pb method, which yields a metamorphic age of 1918 ± 56 Ma. In addition, the zircons from a garnet amphibolite as a lens interbedded with marble in the Archean metamorphic complex named Wuhe group in the Bengbu uplift give a metamorphic U-Pb age of 1857 ± 19 Ma, and the zircons from Shimenshan deformed granite in the eastern margin of the Bengbu uplift give a magma crystallization U-Pb age of 2054 ± 22 Ma. Both the Xuzhou-Suzhou area and Bengbu uplift are located in the southeastern margin of the North China Craton. Therefore, these ages indicate that there is a Paleoproterozoic tectonic zone in the southeastern margin of the North China Craton, and its metamorphic and magmatic ages are consistent with those of the other three Paleoproterozoic tectonic zones in the North China Craton. In view of the large scale sinistral strike-slip movement occurred at the Mesozoic along the Tan-Lu fault zone, the position of the eastern Shandong area, which is a south section of the Paleoproterozoic Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt, was correlated to Xuzhou-Suzhou-Bengbu area prior to movement of the Tan-Lu fault zone. This suggests that the Xuzhou-Suzhou-Bengbu Paleoproterozoic tectonic zone might be a southwest extension of the Paleoproterozoic Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40634023)     

Features and origin time of Mesozoic strike-slip structures in the Yilan-Yitong Fault Zone

The NE-striking Yilan-Yitong Fault Zone(YYFZ) with a length of ca. 900 km is an important major fault zone in northeastern China. Its origin has been a controversial issue for a long time. Detailed field investigation and comprehensive analyses show that strike-slip faults or ductile shear belts exist as the origination structures on the both shoulders of the Cretaceous-Paleogene grabens. These strike-slip structures are dominated by brittle transcurrent faults, and appear as ductile shear belts only in the Weiyuanpu-Yehe and Shulan parts in the south and middle of the fault zone, respectively. The shear belts strike NE-SW and show steep mylonitic foliation and gentle mineral elongation lineation. Outcrop structures, microstructures and quartz c-axis fabrics demonstrate a sinistral shear sense with minor reverse component for the ductile shear belts. The microstructures suggest deformation temperatures of 400–450°C for the Weiyuanpu-Yehe shear belts and 350–400°C for the Shulan shear belt. A series of zircon U-Pb dating results for deformed and undeformed plutons or dikes in the shear belts constrain the strike-slip motion to the time between 160 and 126 Ma. It is further inferred from ages of main geological events in this region that the fault zone originated in the earliest Early Cretaceous. It is suggested therefore that the southern and middle parts of the Tan-Lu Fault Zone, which originated in Middle Triassic, propagated into northeastern China along the sinistral YYFZ under the earliest Early Cretaceous regional compression that is referred to as the Yanshan B event. The earliest Early Cretaceous initiation of the YYFZ results from both the high-speed oblique subduction of the Izanagi Plate and the final closure of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean, but the Izanagi Plate subduction played a major dynamic role in the fault zone origin.     

加入多次波的长时窗接收函数主成分分析及其在张八岭构造带地壳分析中的应用

接收函数主成分分析方法可以有效地提取单台接收函数中蕴含的台站下方地壳结构和速度各向异性信息, 本文在原有理论基础上将该方法应用于加入了多次波的长时窗接收函数.通过位于郯庐断裂带张八岭构造带的滁州台和嘉山台的数据进行分析验证, 并估计了该地区地下结构和速度各向异性信息.测试结果表明: 相较于仅对Ps转换波的接收函数主成分分析研究, 扩大时窗范围、加入多次波后, 利用第二主成分重构的径向接收函数中信息更加丰富, 且更有利于对构造特征和速度各向异性进行约束.研究同时发现, 重构的接收函数在多次波的时窗内的稳定性更强.实际数据结果显示: 张八岭构造带东缘滁州台下方地壳底部具有倾向指北、向下倾斜不超过20°的构造特征, 壳内具有快轴方向近似平行于郯庐断裂带走向且不大于7%的速度各向异性.而嘉山台下的地壳横向结构变化幅度不大, 具有较弱的速度各向异性特征, 但沉积层底界面表现为近北东走向, 向东南下倾的构造特征.这种差异的地壳结构特征也指示出该构造带在演化过程中具有较高的非均一性.

     

The structural characteristics,age of origin,and tectonic attribute of the Erguna Fault,NE China

The Erguna Fault runs along the east bank of the Erguna River in NE China and is a large-scale ductile shear zone comprising granitic mylonites. This paper reports on the geometry, kinematic indicators, and 40Ar/39 Ar biotite ages of the granitic mylonites, to constrain the structural characteristics, forming age, and tectonic attribute of the Erguna ductile shear zone. The zone strikes NE and records a top-to-the-NW sense of shear. A mylonitic foliation and stretching lineation are well developed in the mylonites, which are classified as S-L tectonites. Logarithmic flinn parameters(1.18–2.35) indicate elongate strain which approximates to plane strain. Kinematic vorticity numbers are 0.42–0.92 and 0.48–0.94, based on the polar Mohr diagram and the oblique foliation in quartz ribbons, respectively, suggesting that the ductile shear zone formed under general shear, or a combination of simple and pure shear. According to finite strain and kinematic vorticity analyses, the Erguna Fault is a lengthening-thinning ductile shear zone that formed by extension. The deformation behavior of minerals in the mylonites indicates that the fault was the site of three stages of deformation: an initial stage of middle- to deep-level, high-temperature shear, a post-stress recovery phase of high-temperature static recrystallization, and a final phase of low-temperature uplift and cooling. The 40Ar/39 Ar plateau ages of biotite from the granitic mylonites are 106.16 ± 0.79 and 111.55 ± 0.67 Ma, which constrain the timing of low-temperature uplift and cooling but are younger than the ages of metamorphic core complexes(MCCs) in the Transbaikalia-northeast Mongolia region. Using measured geological sections, microtectonics, estimates of finite strain and kinematic vorticity, and regional correlations and geochronology, we conclude that the Erguna Fault is an Early Cretaceous, NNE-trending, large-scale, sub-horizontal, and extensional ductile shear zone. It shares a similar tectonic background with the MCCs, volcanic fault basins, and large and super-large volcanic-hydrothermal deposits in Transbaikalia-northeast Mongolia and the western Great Khingan Mountains, all of which are the result of overthickened crust that gravitationally collapsed and extended in the Early Cretaceous after plate collision along the present-day Sino-Russia-Mongolia border tract.     

郯庐断裂带江苏段东地堑边界断层第四纪活动性

郯庐断裂带东地堑边界断层在断裂带演化过程和现今构造格局中都是重要断层,对该边界断层的第四纪活动性研究有助于了解郯庐断裂带的演化历史和地震活动性,而有关该边界断层第四纪活动性研究较少且至今尚无定论。本文通过浅层地震勘探和钻孔联合剖面相结合的方法,针对郯庐断裂带江苏段东地堑两边界断层开展系统的断层第四纪活动性研究,结果显示,昌邑-大店断裂(F_1)第四纪以来未见构造运动证据,白芬子-浮来山断裂(F_2)在第四纪早期曾发生有关活动,晚更新世以来未见活动迹象。     

The Pengguan tectonic dome of Longmen Mountains, Sichuan Province: Mesozoic denudation of a Neoproterozoic magmatic arc-basin system

Neoproterozoic igneous and metamorphic complexes occur as tectonic domes in the Longmen Mountains of the western margin of the Yangtze Block, and are important in reconstructing the Rodinian supercontinent and constraining the timing and mechanism of tectonic denudational processes. The Pengguan dome consists of granitic intrusions and metamorphic rocks of the Huangshuihe Group and is tectonically overlain by ductilly deformed Sinian to Paleozoic strata. The plutonic intrusions consist of granites with abundant amphibolite enclaves. New LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating yielded an emplacement age of 809±3 Ma and a protolith age of 844±6 Ma for the granite. The granitic rocks have geochemical signatures typical of A-type granites, indicating their formation under an extensional environment, by melting of newly formed tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) rocks. A detachment fault, characterized by variable ductile shear deformation of S-C fabric and ESE-ward kinematics, separates the Pengguan dome from the Sinian-Paleozoic cover. 40Ar/39Ar dating of muscovite from the mylonite in the detachment fault of the dome demonstrates that ductile deformation occurred at ~160 Ma. This study indicates the existence of a Neoproterozoic magmatic arc-basin system, which was denudated by a Jurassic middle crustal ductile channel flow along the Longmenshan thrust belt.     

Cooling and inferred exhumation history of the Ryoke metamorphic belt in the Yanai district, south-west Japan: Constraints from Rb–Sr and fission-track ages of gneissose granitoid and numerical modeling

Abstract The Ryoke metamorphic belt in south-west Japan consists mainly of I-type granitoids and associated low-pressure/high-temperature metamorphic rocks. In the Yanai district, it has been divided into three structural units: northern, central and southern units. In this study, we measured the Rb–Sr whole-rock–mineral isochron ages and fission-track ages of the gneissose granodiorite in the central structural unit. Four Rb–Sr ages fall in a range of ca 89–87 Ma. The fission-track ages of zircon and apatite are 68.9 ± 2.6 Ma and 57.4 ± 2.5 Ma (1σ error), respectively. Combining the newly obtained ages with previously reported (Th–)U–Pb ages from the same unit, thermochronologic study revealed two distinctive cooling stages; 1) a rapid cooling (> 40°C/Myr) for a period (~7 Myr) soon after the peak metamorphism (~ 95 Ma) and 2) the subsequent slow cooling stage (~ 5°C/Myr) after ca 88 Ma. The first rapid cooling stage corresponds to thermal relaxation of the intruded granodiorite magma and its associated metamorphic rocks, and to the uplift by a displacement along low-angle faults which initiated soon after the intrusion of the magma. Uplift by the later stage deformation having formed large-scale upright folds resulted in progress of the exhumation during the first stage. The average exhumation velocity of the stage is ≥ 2 mm/yr. During the second stage, the rocks were not accompanied by ductile deformation and were exhumed with the rate of 0.1–0.2 mm/yr. The difference in the exhumation velocity between the first and second cooling stages resulted from the difference in the thickness of the crust and in the activity of ductile deformation between the early and later stages of the orogenesis.     

Alteration and mass transfer inferred from the Hirabayashi GSJ drill penetrating the Nojima Fault, Japan

Abstract Mineralogical and geochemical studies on the fault rocks from the Nojima–Hirabayashi borehole, south-west Japan, are performed to clarify the alteration and mass transfer in the Nojima Fault Zone at shallow depths. A complete sequence from the hornblende–biotite granodiorite protolith to the fault core can be observed without serious disorganization by surface weathering. The parts deeper than 426.2 m are in the fault zone where rocks have suffered fault-related deformation and alteration. Characteristic alteration minerals in the fault zone are smectite, zeolites (laumontite, stilbite), and carbonate minerals (calcite and siderite). It is inferred that laumontite veins formed at temperatures higher than approximately 100°C during the fault activity. A reverse component in the movement of the Nojima Fault influences the distribution of zeolites. Zeolite is the main sealing mineral in relatively deep parts, whereas carbonate is the main sealing mineral at shallower depths. Several shear zones are recognized in the fault zone. Intense alteration is localized in the gouge zones. Rock chemistry changes in a different manner between different shear zones in the fault zone. The main shear zone (MSZ), which corresponds to the core of the Nojima Fault, shows increased concentration of most elements except Si, Al, Na, and K. However, a lower shear zone (LSZ-2), which is characterized by intense alteration rather than cataclastic deformation, shows a decreased concentration of most elements including Ti and Zr. A simple volume change analysis based on Ti and Zr immobility, commonly used to examine the changes in fault rock chemistry, cannot account fully for the different behaviors of Ti and Zr among the two gouge zones.     

40Ar/39Ar geochronology and exhumation of mylonitized metamorphic complex in Changle-Nanao ductile shear zone

New⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages from rocks of Changle-Nanao ductile shear zone are 107.9 Ma(Mus), 108.2 Ma(Bi), 107.1 Ma(Bi), 109.2 Ma(Hb) and 117.9 Ma(Bi) respectively, which are concordant with their isochron ages and record the formation age of the ductile shear zone. The similarity and apparent overlap of the cooling ages with respective closure temperatures of 5 minerals document initial rapid uplift during 107–118 Ma following the collision between the Min-Tai microcontinent and the Min-Zhe Mesozoic volcanic arc. The⁴⁰Ar/³⁹ Ar plateau ages, K-Ar date of K-feldspar and other geochronologic information suggest that the exhumation rate of the ductile shear zone is about 0.18–1.12 mm/a in the range of 107–70 Ma, which is mainly influenced by tectonic extension.     

2021年11月17日江苏大丰海域MS5.0地震震源深度对比分析

选取江苏测震台网震中距2°以内18个地震台站记录清晰的波形资料,使用单纯形、LocSAT、HypoSAT地震定位方法,分别采用华南速度模型、郯庐断裂带中南段速度模型以及IASP91全球速度模型,重新测定江苏大丰海域M_S5.0地震震源深度,对获取的深度值进行对比分析。结果表明:3种地震定位方法测定的震源深度结果接近,约为11 ± 2 km;HypoSAT定位方法计算结果较为稳定,IASP91、郯庐断裂带中南段模型均适用于该区域震源深度计算。      

郯庐断裂带合肥—宿迁段及邻区大地电磁三维成像

本文利用覆盖郯庐断裂带合肥—宿迁段及邻区的大地电磁阵列数据, 应用大地电磁三维反演技术和印模重构方法, 获得了测区可靠的三维电阻率模型.该电性模型中, 郯庐断裂带东西两侧在浅部均有高阻分布, 在深部电性结构显著不同, 具有西低东高的特征, 而郯庐断裂带则是两侧高低阻明显分界带; 在南北方向, 电性结构也存在较大不均匀性, 嘉山地区呈现低阻特征, 是断裂带上的电性分界点, 郯庐断裂带在此处由北部的四条主断裂变成南部的两条.结合研究区地质、大地测量和地震学等资料, 综合分析结果表明: 郯庐断裂带作为苏鲁造山带和张八岭隆起高阻体陡立的西边界, 切割深度超过莫霍面.嘉山地区相对低阻分割了张八岭高阻条带与苏鲁高阻体, 阻碍了断层上应力的传递, 造成了嘉山北、南两侧断裂带构造变形强、弱的变化, 从电性结构上证实了郯庐断裂带具有分段性的特征; 苏鲁高阻体南端向西偏转穿过郯庐断裂带, 阻碍断层滑动, 致使泗洪—嘉山段存在应力积累和断层闭锁的地震孕育环境, 其地震危险性值得关注.

     

郯庐断裂带莱州湾段的构造特征

本文利用海上浅层地震勘探剖面分析了郯庐断裂带莱州湾段的上更新统、全新统和活动构造的某些特征。晚更新世末期发生的构造运动使上更新统产生断裂与褶皱,沿郯庐断裂带东主干断裂发育了狭长的背斜构造,在西主干断裂两侧次级横向(东西向)断裂十分发育,这些横向断裂是一些高角度的张性正断层。     

Strike–slip origin of Cretaceous Mazhan Basin, Tan-Lu Fault Zone, Shandong, east China

The Mazhan Basin, Shandong Province, China, is located between the main faults, F₃ and F₄, of the Tan-Lu Fault Zone. It is an elongated basin more than 60 km in length and 8 km in width and contains a series of typical continental sediments (the Upper Cretaceous Wangshi Group). This series was divided into three sedimentary facies associations: conglomerate facies association; sandstone facies association of alluvial fan to lake margin environment; and siltstone facies association of lacustrine origins. Their zonal distribution pattern may represent a contemporaneous heterotopic facies due to a lateral facies change from margins to axis of the basin. Their stratigraphic sequence becomes younger northward along the boundary faults. This suggests that the depocenter of the fan–lake system tends to migrate northward along F₃. From the asymmetric features (i.e. basin shape, lithofacies distribution, facies change) the Mazhan Basin can be explained by progressive subsidence at the Tangwu releasing bend of F₃ with sinistral strike–slip movement. Judging from the fission track (FT) ages from the Wangshi Group, it was concluded that a sinistral strike–slip movement along the main fault, F₃ of the Tan-Lu Fault in Shandong, has lasted until the Late Cretaceous. Its displacement is estimated to be larger than the migrated distance, 60 km, of the depocenter of the Mazhan Basin.     

Denudation history of the Kiso Range,central Japan,and its tectonic implications: Constraints from low‐temperature thermochronology

Fission‐track (FT) and (U–Th–Sm)/He (He) analyses are used to constrain the denudation pattern and history of the Kiso Range, a Japanese fault‐block mountain range which has been uplifted since ca 0.8 Ma. We obtained nine zircon FT ages ranging 59.3–42.1 Ma, 18 apatite FT ages ranging 81.9–2.3 Ma, and 13 apatite He ages ranging 36.7–2.2 Ma. The apatite FT and He ages are divided into an older group comparable to the zircon FT age range and a younger group of <18 Ma. The younger ages are interpreted as a reflection of uplift of the Kiso Range because they were obtained only to the east of the Seinaiji‐touge Fault, and the event age estimated from apatite FT data is consistent with the timing of the onset of the Kiso Range uplift. On the basis of the distribution of the younger ages, we propose westward tilting uplift of the Kiso Range between the boundary fault of the Inadani Fault Zone and Seinaiji‐touge Fault, which implies a model of bedrock uplift that is intermediate between two existing models: a pop‐up model in which the Kiso Range is squeezed upward between the two faults and a tilted uplift model which assumes that the Kiso Range is uplifted and tilted to the west by the Inadani Fault Zone. The original land surface before the onset of uplift/denudation of the Kiso Range is estimated to have been uplifted to an elevation of 2700–4900 m. We estimated denudation rates at 1.3–4.0 mm/y and maximum bedrock uplift rates at 3.4–6.1 mm/y since ca 0.8 Ma. The Seinaiji‐touge fault is interpreted as a back thrust of the west‐dipping Inadani Fault Zone. The older group of apatite FT and He ages is interpreted to reflect long‐term peneplanation with a probable denudation rate of <0.1 mm/y.     

Seismicity and strain accumulation around Karliova Triple Junction (Turkey)

GPS studies in Turkey date back to the early 1990s, but were mostly focused on the seismically active North Anatolian Fault System (NAFS), or on the more populated Western Anatolia. Relatively few studies were made of the seismically less-active East Anatolian Fault System (EAFS), although it has the potential to produce large earthquakes. In this study, we present the results of a combination of geodetic and seismological data around the Karliova Triple Junction (KTJ), which lies at the intersection of the North- and East Anatolian Fault Systems. In particular, the geodetic slip rates obtained through block modeling of GPS velocities were compared with b-values to assess seismicity in the region. Yedisu segment, one of the best-known seismic gaps in Turkey, was specifically analyzed. The relatively low b-values across Yedisu segment verify the accumulation of seismic energy in this segment, and the GPS-derived geodetic slip rates suggest that it has the potential to produce an earthquake of Mw 7.5 across an 80-km rupture zone.Additionally, analysis of earthquake data reveals that the study area has a ductile or rigid–ductile behavior with respect to its surroundings, characterized by varying b-values. Although, seismic events of moderate- to high magnitudes are confined along the major fault zones, there are also low-seismicity zones along the eastern part of the Bitlis Suture Zone and around Yedisu. Since the high seismicity areas within the region may not accumulate sufficient stress for a large earthquake to occur, it is considered that the deformation in such areas occurs in a ductile manner. On the other hand, the areas characterized by low b-values may have the capacity of stress accumulation, which could lead to brittle deformation.     

Oceanic plate subduction history in the western Pacific Ocean: Constraint from late Mesozoic evolution of the Tan-Lu Fault Zone

The NE- to NNE-striking Tan-Lu Fault Zone (TLFZ) is the largest fault zone in East China, and a typical representative for the circum-Pacific tectonics. Its late Mesozoic evolution resulted from subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate, and can be used for indication to the subduction history. The TLFZ reactivated at the end of Middle Jurassic since its origination in Middle Triassic. This phase of sinistral motion can only be recognized along the eastern edge of the Dabie-Sulu orogenis, and indicates initiation of the Paleo-Pacific (Izanagi) Plate subduction beneath the East China continent. After the Late Jurassic standstill, the fault zone experienced intense sinistral faulting again at the beginning of Early Cretaceous under N-S compression that resulted from the NNW-ward, low-angle, high-speed subduction of the Izanagi Plate. It turned into normal faulting in the rest of Early Cretaceous, which was simultaneous with the peak destruction of the North China Craton caused by backarc extension that resulted from rollback of the subducting Izanagi Plate. The TLFZ was subjected to sinistral, transpressive displacement again at the end of Early Cretaceous. This shortening event led to termination of the North China Craton destruction. The fault zone suffered local normal faulting in Late Cretaceous due to the far-field, weak backarc extension. The late Mesozoic evolution of the TLFZ show repeated alternation between the transpressive strike-slip motion and normal faulting. Each of the sinistral faulting event took place in a relatively short period whereas every normal faulting event lasted in a longer period, which are related to the subduction way and history of the Paleo-Pacific Plates.     

Extensive normal faulting during exhumation revealed by the spatial variation of phengite K–Ar ages in the Sambagawa metamorphic rocks,central Shikoku,SW Japan

Metamorphic rocks experience change in the mode of deformation from ductile flow to brittle failure during their exhumation. We investigated the spatial variation of phengite K–Ar ages of pelitic schist of the Sambagawa metamorphic rocks (sensu lato) from the Saruta River area, central Shikoku, to evaluate if those ages are disturbed by faults or not. As a result, we found that these ages change by ca 5 my across the two boundaries between the lower‐garnet and albite–biotite, and the albite–biotite and upper‐garnet zones. These spatial changes in phengite K–Ar ages were perhaps caused by truncation of the metamorphic layers by large‐scale normal faulting at D₂ phase under the brittle‐ductile transition conditions (ca 300°C) during exhumation, because an actinolite rock was formed along a fault near the former boundary. Assuming that the horizontal metamorphic layers and a previously estimated exhumation rate of 1 km/my before the D₂ phase, the change of 5 my in phengite K–Ar ages is converted to a displacement of about 10 km along the north‐dipping, low‐angle normal fault documented in the previous study. Phengite ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar ages (ca 85 to 78 Ma) in the actinolite rock could be reasonably comparable to the phengite K–Ar ages of the surrounding non‐faulted pelitic schist, because the K–Ar ages of pelitic schist could have been also reset at temperatures close to the brittle–ductile transition conditions far below the closure temperature for thermal retention of argon in phengite (about 500–600°C).     

Kinematics and dynamics of the Mesozoic orogeny and late-orogenic extensional collapse in the Sino-Mongolian border areas

Extensional tectonic models with the major features of metamorphic core complexes were established in the Cordilleran region of western North America dur- ing the late 1970s to early 1980s of last century[1—4].Since there were previous thrust events, some re- searchers attributed the extension to crust-thickening of Mesozoic orogen[5—8], i.e. the crust thickening dur- ing orogeny led to the fact that the materials at depthswere heated and partially melted, and the heated and low-density mat…     

Genesis of the Hongzhen metamorphic core complex and its tectonic implications

The Hongzhen metamorphic core complex is situated in the Yangtze plate to the east of the Dabie oro- genic belt. Its ductile detachment zone in the foot wall overprints on the metamorphic complex of the Proterozoic Dongling Group. The present profile of the ductile shear zone with consistent SW-dipping mineral elongation lineation shows antiform and reversed S-shape from northeast to southwest respectively. Exposure structures, microstructures and quartz C-axis fabric all indicate top-to-SW movement for the ductile shear zone. Recrystallisation types of quartz and feldspar in the mylonites demonstrate that the shear zone was developed under the amphibolite facies condition and at mid-crust levels. The metamorphic core complex formed in the Early Cretaceous with a muscovite plateau age of 124.8±1.2 Ma. Regional NE-SW extension along a SW-dipping, gentle detachment zone was responsible for formation of the core complex. Intrusion of the Hongzhen granite with a biotite plateau age of 124.8±1.2 Ma rendered the ductile shear zone curved, uplifted and final localization of the core complex. The Hongzhen metamorphic core complex suggests that the Early Cretaceous magma- tism in this region took place under the condition of regional extension and the eastern Yangtze plate also experienced lithospheric thinning.