Structural style and deformation mechanism of the southern Dabashan foreland fold-and-thrust belt, central China

The Daba Mountains define the southern margin of the East Qinling orogenic belt, and form the boundary of the Sichuan basin in the north and northeast. The Daba Mountains can be divided into two structural belts by the NW-striking Chengkou fault, namely the northern Dabashan thrust-nappe belt and the southern Dabashan foreland fold-and-thrust belt. The southern Dabashan fold-and-thrust belt is a southwestward extruding thin-skinned thrust wedge, showing obvious belted change in deformation style and deformation intensity along the dip direction, and can be divided further into three sub-belts, i.e. the imbricate thrust sub-belt characterized by imbricate stepped-thrust sheets, the thrust-fold sub-belt characterized by the combination of the equally-developed thrusts and related folds, and the detachment-fold sub-belt characterized by box folds and closed overturned-isoclinal folds on the outcrops. Several kinds of structures have been recognized or inferred, including imbricate thrust system, passive-roof duplex (triangle zone), fault-related folds, back-thrust system and pop-up structure. The NE-SW compressive stress from the Qinling orogenic belt and detachment layers in the covering strata are the two most important determinants of deformation style. After the collision between the North China block and Yangtze block at the end of the Middle Triassic, the northward intracontinental subduction along the southern edge of the Qinling orogenic belt was initiated, which led to the corresponding southward thrusting in the upper crust. The thrusting propagated towards the foreland through the Jurassic and extended to the southernmost part of the southern Daba Mountains around the end of the Early Cretaceous, with thrusting deformation to be preferentially developed along major detachment layers and progressing upwards from the Lower Sinian through the Lower Cambrian and Silurian to Middle-Lower Triassic. Translated from Geotectonica et Metallogenia, 2006, 30(3): 294–304 [译自: 大地构造与成矿学]     

Exhumation history and faulting activity of the southern segment of the Longmen Shan,eastern Tibet

The Longmen Shan (LMS), which constitutes the eastern border of the Tibetan Plateau, is about 400 km in length and characterized by a steep topographic transition from the Sichuan Basin to the plateau. The 2008 M_w7.9 Wenchuan earthquake and 2013 M_w6.6 Lushan earthquake were associated with the central to northern segments and southern segment of the LMS fault belt, respectively. In this paper, zircon and apatite fission track (ZFT and AFT, respectively) dating in combination with previously published low temperature thermochronology studies are used to constrain both the exhumation history and fault activity along the LMS, with a special focus on the southern segment. In the southern segment of the LMS, the ZFT ages in the hanging wall of the Wulong-Yanjing fault 10–14 Ma, increasing to ca. 30 Ma to the northwest of the faults and to 100–200 Ma in the plateau region. The AFT ages are 3–5 Ma at the mountain front and increase to 8–26 Ma in the plateau. We show that these age distributions are controlled by fault geometry. Two stages of rapid exhumation were identified using apatite fission track length modeling and the age distributions in the southern segment of the LMS. The first stage is from ca. 30 Ma and the second stage is from 3–5 Ma to present. In contrast with the middle segment of the LMS, the Cenozoic exhumation rate is higher in the southern segment of the LMS, which may be due to the influence of the collision between the India and Eurasia plates and/or different faulting mechanisms in the different segments.     

Surface deformation related to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake,and mountain building of the Longmen Shan,eastern Tibetan Plateau

The 12 May 2008 M_s 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, China, was one of largest continental thrusting events worldwide. Based on interpretations of post-earthquake high-resolution remote sensing images and field surveys, we investigated the geometry, geomorphology, and kinematics of co-seismic surface ruptures, as well as seismic and geologic hazards along the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt. Our results indicate that the Wenchuan earthquake occurred along the NE–SW-trending Yingxiu–Beichuan and Guanxian–Anxian faults in the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt. The main surface rupture zones along the Yingxiu–Beichuan and Guanxian–Anxian fault zones are approximately 235 and 72 km in length, respectively. These sub-parallel ruptures may merge at depth. The Yingxiu–Donghekou surface rupture zone can be divided into four segments separated by discontinuities that appear as step-overs or bends in map view. Surface deformation is characterized by oblique reverse faulting with a maximum vertical displacement of approximately 10 m in areas around Beichuan County. Earthquake-related disasters (e.g., landslides) are linearly distributed along the surface rupture zones and associated river valleys.The Wenchuan earthquake provides new insights into the nature of mountain building within the Longmen Shan, eastern Tibetan Plateau. The total crustal shortening accommodated by this great earthquake was as much as 8.5 m, with a maximum vertical uplift of approximately 10 m. The present results suggest that ongoing mountain building of the Longmen Shan is driven mainly by crustal shortening and uplift related to repeated large seismic events such as the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Furthermore, rapid erosion within the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt occurs along deep valleys and rupture zones following the occurrence of large-scale landslides triggered by earthquakes. Consequently, we suggest that crustal shortening related to repeated great seismic events, together with isostatic rebound induced by rapid erosion-related unloading, is a key component of the geodynamics that drive ongoing mountain building on the eastern Tibetan Plateau.     

龙门山中段清平飞来峰的构造变形特征及形成机制

在野外考察、室内分析的基础上对清平飞来峰的构造特征、形成机制进行了研究。其结果表明清平飞来峰具有明显的叠覆式特征,共分5层。各层峰体特征、成因各具特色,下部两层为推覆体,上部三层为滑覆体。推覆体与滑覆体共同构成同一飞来峰,为龙门山飞来峰中所少见。从而证实了龙门山飞来峰先发育推覆体,后发育滑覆体的地质景观确实存在。     

黄陵背斜的构造几何形态及其成因探讨

黄陵背斜位于扬子克拉通的东缘,其核部出露的崆岭群被认为是扬予克拉通的基底岩石,并成为华南地质学研究的热点地区。从区域上看,黄陵背斜紧邻江汉盆地,东西两侧分别是荆当盆地与秭归盆地,黄陵背斜和周缘盆地构成明显的隆起—坳陷相互对应的构造。详细的野外观察和构造几何学的剖析表明,黄陵背斜的两翼西陡东缓,构成不对称背形的穹隆构造。在穹隆形成过程中,相应的岩石变形以顺层滑脱及相关的褶皱和小规模的逆冲断层为主,在早三叠世薄层灰岩、志留纪龙马溪组页岩、奥陶纪灰岩、寒武纪炭质灰岩以及震旦纪陡山沱组薄层灰岩广泛发育,并具有垂向缩短的重力滑脱特点,构造叠加关系指示了其形成于晚侏罗—早白垩纪之间。在构造变形分析的基础上,并深入探讨了黄陵背斜成因的3种可能的动力学背景。     

黄陵背斜的构造几何形态及其成因探讨

黄陵背斜位于扬子克拉通的东缘,其核部出露的崆岭群被认为是扬子克拉通的基底岩石,并成为华南地质学研究的热点地区。从区域上看,黄陵背斜紧邻江汉盆地,东西两侧分别是荆当盆地与秭归盆地,黄陵背斜和周缘盆地构成明显的隆起—坳陷相互对应的构造。详细的野外观察和构造几何学的剖析表明,黄陵背斜的两翼西陡东缓,构成不对称背形的穹隆构造。在穹隆形成过程中,相应的岩石变形以顺层滑脱及相关的褶皱和小规模的逆冲断层为主,在早三叠世薄层灰岩、志留纪龙马溪组页岩、奥陶纪灰岩、寒武纪炭质灰岩以及震旦纪陡山沱组薄层灰岩广泛发育,并具有垂向缩短的重力滑脱特点,构造叠加关系指示了其形成于晚侏罗—早白垩纪之间。在构造变形分析的基础上,并深入探讨了黄陵背斜成因的3种可能的动力学背景。     

新疆库车新生代前陆褶皱冲断带的变形特征、时代和机制

库车前陆褶皱冲断带自北向南可分为基底冲断带、箱状背斜带、梳状背斜带和挠曲褶皱带,东西方向上可分为西段、中段和东段。本文分段叙述了各变形带的变形特征,指出东段箱状背斜带不发育,秋里塔格山脉(构造带)东延未进入东段,因而总体看自西向东变形强度减弱,地形上趋于夷平。该冲断带的形成经历了两次重大的冲断活动,分别发生在中新世和早(-中)更新世;相应地,该带可分为南、北两个"盆""山"亚系统,两者在地层记录、变形期次和变形机制上尚有若干差异。库车前陆褶皱冲断带的发育,除了受南天山的冲断和向南扩展引起的近南北向挤压应力场控制外,还受到基底断裂在新生代的活化和膏盐层底辟的制约,前者以近北西向的构造变换带及其共轭发育的近北东向断层最为重要,后者既控制了秋里塔格山脉的形成(主要受垂直的挤压应力场作用),也在库车前陆褶皱冲断带东西方向的变形分段中起了重要作用。文章还讨论了变形与地貌发育的关系和在油气勘探中的指导意义。     

川东明月峡双重楔形构造叠加模式

川东隔挡式褶皱由一系列北东走向的线性褶皱带组成,为典型的高陡背斜构造带。该区油气勘探目的层主要集中在中浅层石炭系,而且钻井主要位于构造核部,钻井深度相对较浅,由于地震资料对构造陡翼地层的反射资料显示品质较差,从而对该构造认识出现了多种解释结果。笔者应用断层相关褶皱理论,依据钻井资料标定,对川东褶皱带典型构造明月峡背斜构造的二维地震剖面测网及两条宽线二维地震剖面重新进行详细构造分析及解释。解释结果表明,如果假定地层厚度不变,明月峡构造样式可以认为是两个楔形构造垂向上叠合而成,发育两期构造。据此本文提出了明月峡背斜双楔形构造发育几何学模式图,分析了两期楔形构造垂向上叠加模式。根据已有的研究成果,地表变形是深部逆冲作用的结果,推测早期中浅层构造变形时间为中白垩世,晚期深层构造为晚新生代时期,而且晚期构造改造了早期构造。构造解释结果给出,剖面几何形态为浅层发育向东的反冲断层扩展褶皱,中深层分别以三叠系膏岩和志留系泥页岩为顶、底滑脱面的楔形构造,深层构造分别以志留系泥页岩和震旦系泥页岩为顶、底滑脱面的楔形构造。构造几何分析指出,深层楔形构造形成时间晚于中深层楔形构造,并改造了早期中深层楔形构造,从而出现了构造高点的向西偏移的现象。在平面分布上,明月峡背斜浅层高陡构造背斜东翼宽度从北向南逐渐变窄,深层楔形体楔形角度逐渐变大,构造缩短量相应增加。     

川东明月峡双重楔形构造叠加模式

川东隔挡式褶皱由一系列北东走向的线性褶皱带组成,为典型的高陡背斜构造带。该区油气勘探目的层主要集中在中浅层石炭系,而且钻井主要位于构造核部,钻井深度相对较浅,由于地震资料对构造陡翼地层的反射资料显示品质较差,从而对该构造认识出现了多种解释结果。笔者应用断层相关褶皱理论,依据钻井资料标定,对川东褶皱带典型构造明月峡背斜构造的二维地震剖面测网及两条宽线二维地震剖面重新进行详细构造分析及解释。解释结果表明,如果假定地层厚度不变,明月峡构造样式可以认为是两个楔形构造垂向上叠合而成,发育两期构造。据此本文提出了明月峡背斜双楔形构造发育几何学模式图,分析了两期楔形构造垂向上叠加模式。根据已有的研究成果,地表变形是深部逆冲作用的结果,推测早期中浅层构造变形时间为中白垩世,晚期深层构造为晚新生代时期,而且晚期构造改造了早期构造。构造解释结果给出,剖面几何形态为浅层发育向东的反冲断层扩展褶皱,中深层分别以三叠系膏岩和志留系泥页岩为顶、底滑脱面的楔形构造,深层构造分别以志留系泥页岩和震旦系泥页岩为顶、底滑脱面的楔形构造。构造几何分析指出,深层楔形构造形成时间晚于中深层楔形构造,并改造了早期中深层楔形构造,从而出现了构造高点的向西偏移的现象。在平面分布上,明月峡背斜浅层高陡构造背斜东翼宽度从北向南逐渐变窄,深层楔形体楔形角度逐渐变大,构造缩短量相应增加。     

Irregular western margin of the Yangtze block as a cause of variation in tectonic activity along the Longmen Shan fault zone,eastern Tibet

On 12 May 2008 and 20 April 2013, respectively, the devastating magnitude 7.9 (Wenchuan) and magnitude 7.0 (Ya’an) earthquakes struck the southwestern Longmen Shan fault zone (LMSFZ), the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. These events were notable because they occurred in a heavily populated area and resulted in severe damage and loss of life. Here we present an integrated analysis of potential field anomalies and a crustal-scale seismic reflection image to investigate the crustal structure and some tectonic relationships associated with these devastating events. Our results show that the western margin of the Yangtze crustal block possesses an irregular margin that extends westward beyond the LMSFZ to the northeast and merges gradually with the LMSFZ to the southwest. We interpret this variation in deep structure to create a lateral heterogeneity in the local stress regime that explains the observed variations in fault geometry and slip distribution, as well as seismicity, of the LMSFZ. This structural complexity results in a differential build-up of stress as the Tibetan Plateau is being extruded eastward. Thus, the results of this research can help identify potential natural hazard zones and focus efforts on hazard mitigation.     

Deposition and diagenesis of carbonate conglomerates in the Kremenara anticline, Albania: a paragenetic time marker in the Albanian foreland fold-and-thrust belt

This paper addresses the diagenesis of carbonate conglomerates in that it assesses the potential of conglomerates in refining the paragenetic history in complex structural areas, such as the Albanian foreland fold‐and‐thrust belt. Of major interest are stylolites (burial and tectonic) which are restricted to conglomerate fragments or which crosscut the conglomerate matrix. Based on the inferred age of stylolite development in relation to burial, uplift and tectonic history, and the Lower to Middle Miocene age of the conglomerates, the succession of diagenetic events was subdivided into several stages. The Poçem polymict transgressive carbonate conglomerate (Kremenara anticline, central Albania) was deposited in a shallow marine environment. These conglomerates are covered by intertidal rhodolithic packstones–grainstones. The stable‐isotope signature of these packstones–grainstones (δ¹⁸O_V‐PDB = −1·0 to +0·7‰; δ¹³C = +1·0 to +1·4‰) plots is within the range of marine Early and Middle Miocene values. Shortly after deposition of the conglomerates, micritization, geopetal infill and acicular calcite cementation took place. A first calcite vein generation is interpreted as having formed from a Messinian brine during shallow burial. Burial stylolites developed during further burial in the Pliocene. These stylolites serve as an important diagenetic time marker. The post‐burial stylolite meteoric calcite vein cement probably precipitated during the following telogenetic stage. Karstification and calcite concretion precipitiation pre‐date overturning of the western limb of the anticline. Reopening of subvertical fractures and tectonic stylolites in the western limb of the Kremenara anticline, followed by oil migration, represents one of the latest diagenetic events. These fractures and stylolites provide major pathways for hydrocarbon production.     

龙门山造山带的早期活动及其对造山作用的启示

2008年汶川地震后,在映秀-北川同震地表破裂带南段虹口乡八角庙地区发现有假玄武玻璃出露于~240m宽的断裂带内,代表了断裂带以往地震和断裂活动的直接产物。这套假玄武玻璃的高温熔融成因得到了元素地球化学和熔融结构的证实。玻璃基质、蚀变矿物和碎屑斑晶的化学分析显示假玄武玻璃继承了碎裂岩/超碎裂岩围岩的主要化学成分,除石英外,主要由长石和云母两种端员组分选择性熔融形成,并呈现出了化学组分分布的不均一性。假玄武玻璃的锆石U-Pb和玻璃基质~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar定年结果证实映秀-北川断裂的古地震发生于229~216Ma的中-晚三叠世,并具有11~14km的震源深度,表明映秀-北川断裂的早期活动始于印支期的造山运动。伴随着印支造山运动的发生,龙门山断裂带形成了其初始构造框架,并对之后的构造演化产生了深远的影响。     

库车坳陷东部吐格尔明背斜构造特征及其控藏作用

库车坳陷东部吐格尔明背斜经历多期构造变形与断裂活动,地震资料品质差,油气水分布复杂。构造解析合理性直接影响对研究区构造运动学过程、动力学机制以及油气成藏规律的认识。本文以野外观测数据、钻井和地震数据为基础,对库车坳陷东部吐格尔明背斜进行构造解释,运用平衡剖面恢复原理,对研究区构造演化进行了恢复,在此基础上对构造控藏作用进行了探讨并指出了有利勘探区。结果表明,研究区主要发育吐孜洛克断层和吐格尔明断层,其中吐孜洛克断层主要从上新统库车组沉积期开始活动,活动强度大、控制了翼前巨厚的生长地层和现今吐格尔明大背斜的形成;吐格尔明断层从侏罗纪末开始陆续活动至今,控制古隆起的形成;研究区在平面上由南向北可依次划分为深部凹陷区、南翼斜坡区、中部背斜区以及北翼斜坡区四个区带。构造演化对不同区带的埋藏演化过程、储层物性特征和盖层保存条件具有明显的控制作用,其侏罗系有利勘探方向主要有：背斜斜坡背景上的局部构造高,背斜南翼和北翼斜坡带低部位的构造—岩性圈闭以及断层下盘的深部构造—岩性圈闭。     

Role of the Kazerun fault system in active deformation of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt (Iran)

Field structural and SPOT image analyses document the kinematic framework enhancing transfer of strike-slip partitioned motion from along the backstop to the interior of the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt in a context of plate convergence slight obliquity. Transfer occurs by slip on the north-trending right-lateral Kazerun Fault System (KFS) that connects to the Main Recent Fault, a major northwest-trending dextral fault partitioning oblique convergence at the rear of the belt. The KFS formed by three fault zones ended by bent orogen-parallel thrusts allows slip from along the Main Recent Fault to become distributed by transfer to longitudinal thrusts and folds. To cite this article: C. Authemayou et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).     

晚上新世龙门山南段斜向逆冲作用和区域应力场转换

2008年汶川地震(Mw 7.9)同震滑移结果表明,今地壳缩短为近EW向,与龙门山褶皱冲断带斜交。这一斜向逆冲作用的准确起始时间一直未得到很好的约束。基于龙门山南段山前大邑背斜区三维地震解释和构造建模,结合野外地质调查和年代学数据,确定了晚新生代存在NE向和近NS向2期构造变形。120km长的NS向构造切割了NE向构造,表明近NS向构造形成时间较晚。山前大邑和邛西背斜区近NS向断层和褶皱的活动,均反映了龙门山南段局部或区域上水平最大主应力方向的转换过程,渐新世—早上新世的NW—SE向转变为晚上新世—全新世的近EW向。龙门山南段山前发育的NS向构造和汶川地震同震变形均反映出青藏高原东缘最新的EW向地壳缩短过程,为理解青藏高原东缘的隆升机制提供了新的视角。     

Uplift of the Longmen Shan area in the eastern Tibetan Plateau: an integrated geophysical and geodynamic analysis

Abstract

The mechanism for uplift of the eastern Tibetan Plateau is still a matter of debate. There are two main models: extrusion and crustal flow. These models have been tested by surface observations, but questions about the uplift remain. In addition, the devastating 2008 M_w 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake along the Longmen Shan fault zone (LMSFZ) reminds us that the tectonic activity within eastern Tibet is complex and poses a major natural hazard. This activity is accompanied by dramatic uplift along the LMSFZ, but only minor convergence (<4 mm year^–1) against the Sichuan basin is observed. In order to investigate the mechanism for uplift of Longmen Shan (LMS) area, we explored the lithospheric structure across the Songpan–Ganzi terrane (SGT), LMS, and western Sichuan basin by undertaking an integrated analysis of a variety of data including new, logistically challenging controlled-source seismic profiling (reflection and refraction) results, receiver function estimates of crustal thickness, gravity and magnetic data, GPS data, and geologic constraints. Our analysis of crustal structure indicates that the crust is not thick enough to support its current elevation and that the crust is essentially composed of three layers of similar thickness. Thus, based on our crustal structure model, 2D numerical modelling was conducted to investigate uplift mechanisms. The modelling results indicate that the middle crust beneath the SGT is the most ductile layer, which is the key factor responsible for the crustal-scale faulting, earthquake behaviour, and periods of uplift. In addition, the modelling results indicate that the strong Sichuan block acts as a backstop for the thrusting along the LMS and crustal thickening to the west.     

西藏高原东部江达构造带成矿体系

通过深入研究江达构造带的构造演化及构造-成矿耦合关系，对江达构造带的成矿规律进行了初步研究，提出其经历了洋陆作用下的陆缘弧体制（C₃-T2）→陆内伸展作用下的陆内-陆间裂谷体制（T₃-E₁）→以印度-欧亚板块陆-陆碰撞为主要动因、印度-欧亚-太平洋板块联合作用下的陆内造山体制（E₂-Q）等3种构造体制的转换；不同构造体制下的成矿作用分别构成了3个相对独立的成矿体系：岛弧成矿体系的成矿作用主要表现为接触交代型Cu矿化，并可能存在火山热液型Cu、Pb-Zn矿化；陆内裂谷成矿体系的成矿作用主要表现为接触交代型和热水喷流或火山热液型，最主要的成矿作用是因燕山期中酸性岩浆侵入而发生的接触交代型Fe、Cu、Pb、Zn、Ag、Au、Ga成矿作用；陆内造山成矿体系的成矿作用主要表现为构造-岩浆-热液形成一系列Au、Ag多金属矿床和对先成矿床的叠加改造。     

Tectonics of the Longmen Shan and Adjacent Regions,Central China

The Longmen Shan region includes, from west to east, the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, the Sichuan Basin, and the eastern part of the eastern Sichuan fold-and-thrust belt. In the northeast, it merges with the Micang Shan, a part of the Qinling Mountains. The Longmen Shan region can be divided into two major tectonic elements: (1) an autochthon/parautochthon, which underlies the easternmost part of the Tibetan Plateau, the Sichuan Basin, and the eastern Sichuan fold-and-thrust belt; and (2) a complex allochthon, which underlies the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau. The allochthon was emplaced toward the southeast during Late Triassic time, and it and the western part of the autochthon/parautochthon were modified by Cenozoic deformation.

The autochthon/parautochthon was formed from the western part of the Yangtze platform and consists of a Proterozoic basement covered by a thin, incomplete succession of Late Proterozoic to Middle Triassic shallow-marine and nonmarine sedimentary rocks interrupted by Permian extension and basic magmatism in the southwest. The platform is bounded by continental margins that formed in Silurian time to the west and in Late Proterozoic time to the north. Within the southwestern part of the platform is the narrow N-trending Kungdian high, a paleogeographic unit that was positive during part of Paleozoic time and whose crest is characterized by nonmarine Upper Triassic rocks unconformably overlying Proterozoic basement.

In the western part of the Longmen Shan region, the allochthon is composed mainly of a very thick succession of strongly folded Middle and Upper Triassic Songpan Ganzi flysch. Along the eastern side and at the base of the allochthon, pre-Upper Triassic rocks crop out, forming the only exposures of the western margin of the Yangtze platform. Here, Upper Proterozoic to Ordovician, mainly shallow-marine rocks unconformably overlie Yangtze-type Proterozic basement rocks, but in Silurian time a thick section of fine-grained clastic and carbonate rocks were deposited, marking the initial subsidence of the western Yangtze platform and formation of a continental margin. Similar deep-water rocks were deposited throughout Devonian to Middle Triassic time, when Songpan Ganzi flysch deposition began. Permian conglomerate and basic volcanic rocks in the southeastern part of the allochthon indicate a second period of extension along the continental margin. Evidence suggests that the deep-water region along and west of the Yangtze continental margin was underlain mostly by thin continental crust, but its westernmost part may have contained areas underlain by oceanic crust. In the northern part of the Longmen Shan allochthon, thick Devonian to Upper Triassic shallow-water deposits of the Xue Shan platform are flanked by deep-marine rocks and the platform is interpreted to be a fragment of the Qinling continental margin transported westward during early Mesozoic transpressive tectonism.

In the Longmen Shan region, the allochthon, carrying the western part of the Yangtze continental margin and Songpan Ganzi flysch, was emplaced to the southeast above rocks of the Yangtze platform autochthon. The eastern margin of the allochthon in the northern Longmen Shan is unconformably overlapped by both Lower and Middle Jurassic strata that are continuous with rocks of the autochthon. Folded rocks of the allochthon are unconformably overlapped by Lower and Middle Jurassic rocks in rare outcrops in the northern part of the region. They also are extensively intruded by a poorly dated, generally undeformed belt, of plutons whose ages (mostly K/Ar ages) range from Late Triassic to early Cenozoic, but most of the reliable ages are early Mesozoic. All evidence indicates that the major deformation within the allochthon is Late Triassic/Early Jurassic in age (Indosinian). The eastern front of the allochthon trends southwest across the present mountain front, so it lies along the mountain front in the northeast, but is located well to the west of the present mountain front on the south.

The Late Triassic deformation is characterized by upright to overturned folded and refolded Triassic flysch, with generally NW-trending axial traces in the western part of the region. Folds and thrust faults curve to the north when traced to the east, so that along the eastern front of the allochthon structures trend northeast, involve pre-Triassic rocks, and parallel the eastern boundary of the allochthon. The curvature of structural trends is interpreted as forming part of a left-lateral transpressive boundary developed during emplacement of the allochthon. Regionally, the Longmen Shan lies along a NE-trending transpressive margin of the Yangtze platform within a broad zone of generally N-S shortening. North of the Longmen Shan region, northward subduction led to collision of the South and North China continental fragments along the Qinling Mountains, but northwest of the Longmen Shan region, subduction led to shortening within the Songpan Ganzi flysch basin, forming a detached fold-and-thrust belt. South of the Longmen Shan region, the flysch basin is bounded by the Shaluli Shan/Chola Shan arc—an originally Sfacing arc that reversed polarity in Late Triassic time, leading to shortening along the southern margin of the Songpan Ganzi flysch belt. Shortening within the flysch belt was oblique to the Yangtze continental margin such that the allochthon in the Longmen Shan region was emplaced within a left-lateral transpressive environment. Possible clockwise rotation of the Yangtze platform (part of the South China continental fragment) also may have contributed to left-lateral transpression with SE-directed shortening. During left-lateral transpression, the Xue Shan platform was displaced southwestward from the Qinling orogen and incorporated into the Longmen Shan allochthon. Westward movement of the platform caused complex refolding in the northern part of the Longmen Shan region.

Emplacement of the allochthon flexurally loaded the western part of the Yangtze platform autochthon, forming a Late Triassic foredeep. Foredeep deposition, often involving thick conglomerate units derived from the west, continued from Middle Jurassic into Cretaceous time, although evidence for deformation of this age in the allochthon is generally lacking.

Folding in the eastern Sichuan fold-and-thrust belt along the eastern side of the Sichuan Basin can be dated as Late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous in age, but only in areas 100 km east of the westernmost folds. Folding and thrusting was related to convergent activity far to the east along the eastern margin of South China. The westernmost folds trend southwest and merge to the south with folds and locally form refolded folds that involve Upper Cretaceous and lower Cenozoic rocks. The boundary between Cenozoic and late Mesozoic folding on the eastern and southern margins of the Sichuan Basin remains poorly determined.

The present mountainous eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau in the Longmen Shan region is a consequence of Cenozoic deformation. It rises within 100 km from 500–600 m in the Sichuan Basin to peaks in the west reaching 5500 m and 7500 m in the north and south, respectively. West of these high peaks is the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, an area of low relief at an elevations of about 4000 m.

Cenozoic deformation can be demonstrated in the autochthon of the southern Longmen Shan, where the stratigraphic sequence is without an angular unconformity from Paleozoic to Eocene or Oligocene time. During Cenozoic deformation, the western part of the Yangtze platform (part of the autochthon for Late Triassic deformation) was deformed into a N- to NE-trending foldandthrust belt. In its eastern part the fold-thrust belt is detached near the base of the platform succession and affects rocks within and along the western and southern margin of the Sichuan Basin, but to the west and south the detachment is within Proterozoic basement rocks. The westernmost structures of the fold-thrust belt form a belt of exposed basement massifs. During the middle and later part of the Cenozoic deformation, strike-slip faulting became important; the fold-thrust belt became partly right-lateral transpressive in the central and northeastern Longmen Shan. The southern part of the fold-thrust belt has a more complex evolution. Early Nto NE-trending folds and thrust faults are deformed by NW-trending basementinvolved folds and thrust faults that intersect with the NE-trending right-lateral strike-slip faults. Youngest structures in this southern area are dominated by left-lateral transpression related to movement on the Xianshuihe fault system.

The extent of Cenozoic deformation within the area underlain by the early Mesozoic allochthon remains unknown, because of the absence of rocks of the appropriate age to date Cenozoic deformation. Klippen of the allochthon were emplaced above the Cenozoic fold-andthrust belt in the central part of the eastern Longmen Shan, indicating that the allochthon was at least partly reactivated during Cenozoic time. Only in the Min Shan in the northern part of the allochthon is Cenozoic deformation demonstrated along two active zones of E-W shortening and associated left-slip. These structures trend obliquely across early Mesozoic structures and are probably related to shortening transferred from a major zone of active left-slip faulting that trends through the western Qinling Mountains. Active deformation is along the left-slip transpressive NW-trending Xianshuihe fault zone in the south, right-slip transpression along several major NE-trending faults in the central and northeastern Longmen Shan, and E-W shortening with minor left-slip movement along the Min Jiang and Huya fault zones in the north.

Our estimates of Cenozoic shortening along the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau appear to be inadequate to account for the thick crust and high elevation of the plateau. We suggest here that the thick crust and high elevation is caused by lateral flow of the middle and lower crust eastward from the central part of the plateau and only minor crustal shortening in the upper crust. Upper crustal structure is largely controlled in the Longmen Shan region by older crustal anisotropics; thus shortening and eastward movement of upper crustal material is characterized by irregular deformation localized along older structural boundaries.     

Diagenesis and incipient metamorphism in the western fold-and-thrust belt,SW Urals,Russia

In the western fold-and-thrust belt of the southern Urals, the Kübler and Árkai indices determined on shales, slates and phyllites record an increase from lower late diagenetic to epizonal grade from west to east. The metamorphic grade varies strongly within the different tectonic segments, which are separated by major thrusts. The increase of diagenetic and incipient metamorphic grade from the footwall to the hanging wall of all major Upper Palaeozoic thrusts indicates a pre-Permo/Triassic origin. West of the Avzyan thrust zone, the diagenetic to incipient metamorphic grade is related to the Palaeozoic basin development and reached the final grades in Late Carboniferous to Early Permian times. East of the first Avzyan thrust in the Yamantau anticlinorium, the diagenetic to lower greenschist metamorphic grade is possibly of Neoproterozoic origin and might be related to the development of the Neoproterozoic basin at the eastern margin of the East European Craton. The eastern part of the Yamantau anticlinorium was exhumed below 200 °C in the Late Carboniferous or Early Permian. The diagenetic grade of the autochthonous Palaeozoic sedimentary units increases toward the stack of Palaeozoic nappes and might partly be caused by the deformational process due to the emplacement of the Palaeozoic nappes. Within the Timirovo thrust sheet, the decrease of metamorphic grade with stratigraphic age developed prior to the emplacement of the nappes. The upper anchizonal metamorphic grade of the Upper Devonian slates of the Zilair nappe results from the deformation process related to the Lower Carboniferous nappe emplacement.     

龙门山中、新生界软沉积物变形及构造演化

龙门山是由三条主要断裂组成的山体。汶川—茂县断裂,也称后山断裂,构成龙门山的西部边界;映秀—北川断裂为龙门山的中央断裂;灌县—安县断裂为龙门山的东部边界,也称前山断裂。龙门山断裂带以东为始自晚三叠世末的不同时期的前陆盆地。前陆盆地中从晚三叠世至2008年5月12日汶川地震(MS8.0),在不同年代地层中均有丰富的软沉积物变形构造(SSDS)记录,包括液化变形、重力作用变形、水塑性变形及其他相关的变形。这些变形层的地点紧邻龙门山的三条断裂,这些断裂在不同时期的活动诱发不同时期的强地震,导致当时尚未固结的沉积物变形(震积岩)。上三叠统小塘子组的软沉积的变形构造有液化角砾岩、液化滴状体、液化底辟、触变底辟、卷曲变形、拉伸布丁、负载、球-枕构造、枕状层及粒序断层等。侏罗系、白垩系主要为粗粒沉积物,除少数层位发现有液化变形外,主要的软沉积变形类型为各种形态、大尺度的砾岩负载构造。古近系为湖相沉积,沉积物粒度较细,软沉积物变形又出现大量液化变形构造,如液化混插、液化角砾岩等。2008年5月12日汶川地震(MS8.0)诱发大规模地表以下沙层液化,形成一系列液化变形构造与微地貌:液化沙堆、液化席状沙、沙火山、液化丘、坑状地形与混杂堆积。应用龙门山反射地震成果、古地震记录,结合区域构造可以给出龙门山断裂带发生的时间顺序与地震造山时期:(1)松潘—甘孜造山带与扬子板块的碰撞发生于晚三叠世早期,二者的边界即现在的汶川—茂县断裂;汶川—茂县断裂于晚三叠世末逆冲推覆造山,三叠纪末龙门山地区的山地可称松潘-甘孜山,在其东侧形成前陆盆地;晚三叠世印支造山旋回的大陆动力作用是龙门山诞生与孕育的阶段。(2)映秀—北川断裂与灌县—安县断裂的逆冲活动时间为侏罗纪—早白垩世,形成高山与前陆盆地。(3)早白垩世的龙门山已是一个由三条逆冲断裂组成的断裂带山体,可称古龙门山,山高约3 500m。(4)三条断裂在古近纪的活动诱发古近系软沉积物变形,但断裂未发生逆冲推覆造山,沉积物为湖相细粒沉积,古近纪是一个地震活动期,但不是造山的阶段。(5)中生代龙门山经历了多次瞬时地震造山与平静期山脉剥蚀降低的过程,现在的龙门山是晚新生代期间多次地震瞬时造山的产物。与众多的龙门山地学研究者不同,本文系采用另一种思维——软沉积物变形构造,即通过古地震途径讨论龙门山地区的构造演化。