Advanced mosasaurs from the Upper Cretaceous Nakaminato Group in Japan

Plotosaurus is a highly aquatically adapted mosasaur, which is supposed to inhabit the deep ocean basin. The geographic occurrence of this genus has been limited only to the west coast of North America. In this study, two Plotosaurus-type mosasaur caudal vertebrae derived from the Upper Cretaceous Nakaminato Group in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, are described with discussion on the paleobiogeographic significance of the Late Cretaceous mosasaur fauna in the Northwestern Pacific region. The two specimens are an intermediate caudal vertebra found in a beach cobble, which presumably originated from the Hiraiso Formation (upper Campanian), and a terminal caudal vertebra found in situ in the lower Isoai Formation (lower Maastrichtian). Because their relative centrum lengths (ratio of centrum length/centrum height, ~0.7) are very close to that of Plotosaurus, the specimens are referred to cf. Plotosaurus sp. The two specimens provide the first evidence that highly specialized Plotosaurus-type mosasaurs inhabited the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, suggesting that such forms had a wider distribution than previously recognized and might have existed since the late Campanian in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean.     

Geological age of the Yokawa Formation of the Kobe Group (Japan) on the basis of terrestrial mammalian fossils

Abstract   The age of the Yokawa Formation of the Cenozoic Kobe Group distributed in Hyogo Prefecture of western Japan based on mammalian fossils is discussed. Two fossil dental specimens of terrestrial mammals discovered from the lowest part of the Yokawa Formation in the Sanda area are described. These two fossils described here are: (i) a right mandibular fragment with p2–m3 of Bothriodon sandaensis sp. nov. (selenodont anthracotheriid artiodactyl), which appears to be the most primitive among the species of the genus; and (ii) right m1–m3 of cf. Hyrachyus sp. (primitive rhinocerotoid perissodactyl). In the lower part of the Yokawa Formation, Zaisanamynodon (amynodontid perissodactyl) was previously reported. The morphology ('evolutionary stage') of B. sandaensis is indicative of the latest Middle to Late Eocene, that of cf. Hyrachyus sp. is indicative of the Early to Middle Eocene, and Zaisanamynodon is indicative of the Late Middle to Late Eocene. Therefore, the fossil mammals of the Yokawa Formation indicate an latest Middle Eocene ( ca . 38 Ma) correlation for the lower part of the formation, as a working hypothesis. Although the resolution of the geological age based on these mammalian fossils is relatively low compared to that based on marine index fossils, this result is concordant with the recent radiometric correlation of the lower part of the Yokawa Formation in the Sanda area.     

Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous) carbon isotope stratigraphy of terrestrial organic matter for the Yezo Group, Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract Carbon isotope fluctuations of sedimentary organic matter along the two geological traverses in the Yezo Group, Hokkaido, northern Japan, elucidate a detailed chemostratigraphy for the Cenomanian Stage on the northwestern Pacific margin. Visual characterization of the kerogen from mudstone samples shows that the major constituents of sedimentary organic matter originated as terrestrial higher plants. The atomic hydrogen/carbon ratios of the kerogen suggest that the original δ¹³C values of terrestrial organic matter (TOM) have not been affected significantly by thermal diagenesis. The patterns in two δ¹³C_TOM curves are similar and independent of changes in lithology and total organic carbon contents, which suggests that TOM was mixed sufficiently before the deposition in the Yezo forearc basin for the δ¹³C composition having been homogenized. In addition, this implies that the Hokkaido δ¹³C_TOM profiles represent the averaged temporal δ¹³C variations of terrestrial higher‐plant vegetation in the hinterlands of northeast Asia during Cenomanian time. Three shorter‐term (ca. 0.1 my duration) positive‐and‐negative δ¹³C_TOM fluctuations of ∼1‰ are present in the Lower to Middle Cenomanian interval in the Yezo Group. On the basis of the age‐diagnostic taxa (ammonoids, inoceramids and planktic foraminifers), these discrete δ¹³C_TOM events are interpreted to be correlated with those in the δ¹³C curves of pelagic carbonates from European basins. The correlation of δ¹³C events between the European and Yezo Group sections suggests that the shorter‐term δ¹³C fluctuations in Cenomanian ocean‐atmosphere carbon reservoirs are useful for global chemostratigraphic correlation of marine strata. In particular, the correlation of δ¹³C fluctuations of the so‐called ‘Mid‐Cenomanian event’ (MCE) implies: (i) the δ¹³C variations of global carbon reservoir during the MCE are precisely recorded in the δ¹³C_TOM records; and (ii) the MCE δ¹³C_TOM event is an efficient chronostratigraphic index for the Lower/Middle Cenomanian boundary of the Mid‐Cretaceous sequences.     

Tectonic implications of paleomagnetic data from upper Cretaceous sediments in the Oyubari area, central Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract   Paleomagnetic studies provide constraints on the geometric configuration of the eastern Eurasian margin on geological time scales. Characteristic remanent magnetization components were isolated from eight sites by progressive demagnetization executed on samples from 25 sites in the Oyubari area, central Hokkaido where the Late Cretaceous Yezo Group is distributed. After tilt-correction, all sites show normal polarity site-mean directions, and well-clustered directions pass a positive fold test and a correlation test. Planktonic foraminifera indicate an age range of Cenomanian to Turonian, and the studied section is correlated to the geomagnetic polarity chron C34n. Reliable formation-mean directions that have been corrected for post-depositional shallowing (D = 7.5°, I = 65.9°, α₉₅ = 6.6°) are characterized by inclination data indicative of no significant latitudinal translation since the Late Cretaceous. Central Hokkaido has, therefore, been situated adjacent to easternmost Mongolia including Sikhote Alin around the present latitude since the Late Cretaceous. Declination data require significant differential rotation between Hokkaido and the eastern Asian margin, which may be indicative of rearrangement of crustal blocks along the continental margin.     

Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphic study of forearc basin sediments: Lower to Upper Cretaceous Budden Canyon Formation (Great Valley Group), northern California,USA

The results of a calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphic investigation of the North Fork Cottonwood Creek section of the Budden Canyon Formation (BCF; Hauterivian–Turonian) in northern California are summarized using the Boreal – cosmopolitan Boreal Nannofossil Biostratigraphy (BC) – Upper Cretaceous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy (UC) nannofossil zonal schemes of Bown et al. and Burnett et al. Sixteen intervals, ranging from the BC15 to UC8 zones, were established in the section. Combined biostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic studies suggest a Hauterivian to mid‐Turonian age for the studied sequence. The Hauterivian–Barremian, Barremian–Aptian, Aptian–Albian, Albian–Cenomanian, and Cenomanian–Turonian stage boundaries were delineated near the top of the Ogo Member, below the Huling Sandstone Member, within the upper Chickabally Member, in the upper portion of the Bald Hills Member and within the Gas Point Member, respectively. Unconformities probably exist at the base of the Huling Sandstone Member and the upper part of the upper Chickabally Member. The nannofossil assemblage in the North Fork Cottonwood Creek suggests that the study area was under the influence of cold‐water conditions during the Barremian to Lower Aptian interval, shifting to tropical/warm‐water conditions during the Albian to Turonian interval as a result of the mid‐Cretaceous global warming. Although oceanic anoxic events have not yet been reported in the BCF, preliminary total organic carbon, along with nannofossil data, suggest the presence of the global Cenomanian–Turonian boundary oceanic anoxic event 2.     

Late Cretaceous palynology and paleoclimate change:Evidence from the SK1(South) core,Songliao Basin,NE China

Cretaceous climate was warmer than today.The Songliao Basin contains one of the most important Late Cretaceous non-marine deposits in China for the research of the paleoenvironment and paleoclimate.This research is based on core samples from the SK1(S)borehole.The strata sampled are the upper part of the Quantou Formation to member 2 of the Nenjiang Formation,where spores,pollen,dinoflagellates,and other microfossils are abundantly preserved.Based on analysis of the spores and pollen fossils from the core samples,the following six fossil assemblage zones have been recognized in ascending order:The Cicatricosisporites-Cyathidites-Pinuspollenites,Schizaeoisporites-Cyathidites-Classopollis,Cyathidites-Schizaeoisporites,Schizaeoisporites-Cyathidites-Proteacidites,Proteacidites-Cyathidites-Dictyotriletes,and the Lythraites-Callistipollenites-Schizaeoisporites zones.The six fossil zones range from the late Cenomanian to early Campanian.The Late Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts in the Songliao Basin are of high abundance and low diversity.Specific phytoplankton types reflect salinity changes of the Songliao Lake.Paleoecology of the dinoflagellates suggests that sediments of members 2 and 3 of the Yaojia Formation(K2y2+3)were deposited in a freshwater environment,whereas members 2 and 3 of the Qingshankou Formation(K2q2+3)and members 1 and 2 of the Nenjiang Formation(K2n1+2)were deposited in freshwater to brackish water environments.Combined with the paleoecology of dinoflagellates and the palynomorph biozones,valuable information of the paleoclimate was provided.The quantitative analyses of spores and pollen fossils,such as vegetation type,climate type,and humidity type,diversity and dominance,indicate a relatively sub-humid,mid-subtropical paleoclimate,with slight climatic fluctuation and/or temporal change.     

Paleomagnetism of the Late Cretaceous ignimbrite from the Okhotsk-Chukotka Volcanic Belt,Kolyma-Omolon Composite Terrane: Tectonic implications

New Late Cretaceous paleomagnetic results from the Okhotsk-Chukotka Volcanic Belt in the Kolyma-Omolon Composite Terrane yield stable and consistent remanent directions. The Late Cretaceous (86–81 Ma) ignimbrites from the Kholchan and Ola suites were sampled at 19 sites in the Magadan area (60.4° N, 151.0° E). We isolated the characteristic paleomagnetic directions from 16 sampled sites using an alternating field demagnetization procedure. The primary nature of these directions is ascertained by dual polarities and positive fold tests. A tilt-corrected mean direction (D = 42.8°, I = 84.7°, k = 46.0, α₉₅ = 10.0°) yields a paleomagnetic pole of 66.7° N, 168.5° E (A₉₅ = 18.8°) which appears almost identical to the 90–67 Ma pole reported from the Lake El’gygytgyn area of the Okhotsk-Chukotka Volcanic Belt (Chukotka Terrane). This consistency suggests that the Kolyma-Omolon Composite Terrane and Chukotka Terrane has acted as a single tectonic unit since 80 Ma without any significant internal deformation. Accordingly, we calculate a combined 80 Ma characteristic paleomagnetic pole (Long. = 164.7° E, Lat. = 68.0°, A₉₅ = 10.9°, N = 12) for the Kolyma-Omolon-Chukotka Block which falls 16.5–17.5° south of the same age poles from Europe and East Asia. We ascribe this discrepancy in pole positions to tectonic activity in the area and infer a southward displacement of 1640 ± 1380 km for the Kolyma-Omolon-Chukotka Block with respect to the North American and Eurasian blocks since 80 Ma; more than 260 km of it is attributed to tectonic displacement in the Arctic Ocean due to the opening of the Canadian Basin.     

Indicator of paleosalinity: Sedimentary sulfur and organic carbon in the Jurassic–Cretaceous Tetori Group,central Japan

A simple geochemical technique using the ratio of total sulfur (TS) to total organic carbon (TOC) was successfully used to reconstruct paleoenvironments in the Jurassic–Cretaceous Tetori Group, central Japan. The TS to TOC ratio is often employed as an effective parameter to separate modern marine or brackish sediments from freshwater deposits. To test the TS/TOC method for paleoenvironmental interpretation of the Tetori Group, we first analyzed TS/TOC for samples for which depositional conditions (i.e. marine, brackish or freshwater) had been recognized paleontologically. The results indicate that the method can effectively separate sedimentary rocks deposited under freshwater from marine and brackish settings. Once we had established the effectiveness of this method, we applied it to three sections of the Tetori Group, central Japan. Stratigraphic fluctuations in TS/TOC values revealed episodic incursions of marine or brackish conditions in the dominantly freshwater depositional sequence in the middle of the Jobu Formation of the Itoshiro Subgroup at the Izumi section, Fukui Prefecture. The same paleoenvironment is also suggested to occur at the top of the Tetori Group in the Tateyama section, Toyama Prefecture. This research provides important information to paleogeographers who currently lack evidence from facies fossils to indicate if the uppermost part of the Tetori Group represents marine or brackish settings. A chemostratigraphy of TS/TOC parameters potentially could provide a correlation among Jurassic–Cretaceous sequences along continental margins over East Asia.     

Late Cretaceous paleoenvironment and lake level fluctuation in the Songliao Basin,northeastern China

Study of Late Cretaceous lacustrine sedimentary strata in the eastern Songliao Basin, China revealed that the paleoclimate was relatively arid and hot during sedimentation of the upper Santonian of the Yaojia Formation, but became relatively humid and warm during deposition of the lower Campanian Nenjiang Formation. The upper Yaojia Formation was deposited in a freshwater lake environment, while the lower Nenjiang Formation was deposited in a slightly brackish to brackish environment. The average total organic carbon content in the upper Yaojia Formation is 0.15%, while the hydrogen index is 36 mg_HC/g_TOC, implying poor source rock for oil generation and the organic matter comprised of a mixture of woody and herbaceous organic matter. In contrast, the hydrogen index of oil shale and black shale of the lower Nenjiang Formation is 619 mg_HC/g_TOC, and total organic carbon content on average is 3.37%, indicating a mixed algae and herbaceous source of kerogen and an increase in aquatic bioproductivity. The black shale and oil shale have low Pristane/Phytane and C₂₉ 5α,14α,17α(H) ? stigmastane 20R/(20R + 20S) ratios, with maximum concentration of n‐alkanes at n‐C₂₃, implying an anoxic depositional environment with algae, bacteria and higher plants providing most of the organic matter. Relatively abundant gammacerane and a higher Sr/Ba ratio in the oil shales suggest the presence of brackish water and development of salinity stratification in the lake. During sedimentation of the upper Yaojia through the lower Nenjiang Formations, the level of Songliao lake increased and a deep‐lake environment was formed with bottom waters being oxygen depleted. Concomitantly, as the lake deepened bottom conditions were changing from oxic to anoxic, and the input of organic matter changed from predominantly higher plants to a mixture of bacteria, algae and higher plants providing favorable conditions for oil source rock accumulation.     

拉萨地块中部晚白垩世火山岩Ar-Ar年代学和古地磁研究结果及其构造意义

为进一步确定拉萨地块白垩纪-古近纪的古地理位置,我们对青藏高原拉萨地块措勤地区林子宗火山岩18个采点进行了古地磁研究.结果表明高温(高场)特征剩磁分量主要为亚铁磁性的磁铁矿所携带,特征剩磁分量在95%置信水平下通过了褶皱检验. 倾斜校正后采点平均的特征剩磁方向为D/I=16.2°/17.7°, α95=5.6°,对应古地磁极位置为63.1°N,224.6°E,A95=5.1°. 另一方面,Ar-Ar年代学结果表明采样剖面的林子宗火山岩形成年龄为~99-93 Ma, 与拉萨地块林周盆地的林子宗群火山岩的形成年龄存在较大差异.由此我们得到晚白垩世拉萨地块中部措勤地区的古纬度为8.5°±6.9°N,与林周盆地古近纪林子宗群典中组和年波组所揭示出的古纬度相当,进一步表明亚洲大陆最南缘的拉萨地块在晚白垩世-古近世期间位于北半球~10°N的低纬度地区.结合最新的特提斯海相地层古地磁结果,晚白垩世-古近世拉萨地块的古地理位置限定了印度与欧亚大陆的初始碰撞时间不晚于60.5 Ma;~93 Ma以来,拉萨地块和单一刚性欧亚大陆之间存在~1900 km的构造缩短.     

Late Triassic ammonoid Sirenites from the Sabudani Formation in Tokushima,Southwest Japan,and its biostratigraphic and paleobiogeographic implications

Discovery of Sirenites senticosus (Dittmar) in the upper part of the Sabudani Formation of the Kurosegawa Belt, Kito area, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, establishes a late Early Carnian age for this part of the stratigraphic unit. Because S. senticosus was mainly distributed in the Tethyan region, its occurrence provides evidence that Late Triassic ammonoids of Japan had strong affinities with those of the Tethyan faunas. This finding clearly differs from the biogeographic distribution of contemporary bivalves in the region, which are referred to as the Kochigatani bivalve faunas, and show strong affinities to faunas of the Boreal region.     

New fossil eccoptarthrids (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning, China

One new genus and three new species of the weevil family Eccoptarthridae (Curculionoidea), Leptocar polychaetus gen. et sp. nov., Abrocar macilentus sp. nov., Cretonanophyes punctatus sp. nov., are described and illustrated. They pertain to the Upper Jurassic or Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of western Liaoning Province, China. The host plants to the living eccoptarthrids and the floras in Yixian Formation indicate that those archaic eccoptarthrids possibly lived on conifers with a phylogenetic closeness to Cupressaceae. Besides, the early diversification of eccoptarthrids is discussed: origi- nated in Central or East Asia in the Late Jurassic, spread into Western Europe and South America during the Early Cretaceous, underwent a dramatic decline after the Early Cretaceous which likely was caused by competitive pressure and the displacement of their host plants.     

Paleostress orientation from 3-D orientation distribution of microcracks in quartz from the Cretaceous granodiorite core samples drilled through the Nojima Fault, south-west Japan

Abstract The orientations of both healed extension microcracks and microcracks in quartz grains sealed mostly by carbonate minerals were measured from Cretaceous granodiorite core samples drilled along the Nojima Fault, southwest Japan. The preferred orientations of both healed and sealed microcracks consist of approximately three orthogonal sets, (components) A, B and C, in which A strikes NS–NW-SE and dips vertically, B strikes EW–NE-SW and dips vertically, and C is subhorizontal. Both the healed and sealed microcracks were possibly formed by hydraulic fracturing, and the successive release of tensile stress due to pore fluid overpressure in the principal stress directions could have caused this microcracking in mutually orthogonal directions. The quartz grains are also very moderately plastically deformed, which is indicated by the occurrence of kink bands and undulose extinction. The association of healed microcracks and kink bands in the quartz suggests that these microstructures formed under subgreenschist facies conditions (≈300°C) during hydrothermal activity that could have occurred immediately after the emplacement of granodiorite during the Late Cretaceous period. Based on both the preferred orientation of microcracks, and c-axis fabrics of kinked and unkinked grains (so called kink method), it is inferred that the σ₁-and σ₃-axis were oriented horizontally in NS–NW-SE and EW–NE-SW directions, respectively. The inferred paleostress field does not conform to the east–west-trending compression during the Quaternary period, but to the activation of EW–NE-SW-trending, left–lateral strike–slip faults during the Late Cretaceous period in southwest Japan.     

Contribution of subducted Pacific slab to Late Cretaceous mafic magmatism in Qingdao region, China: A petrological record

Abstract The occurrence of the Pishikou mafic dike in the Qingdao region, China provides important constraints on the origin of Late Cretaceous (86–78 Ma) mafic magmatism on the eastern North China craton. The Pishikou mafic dike is distributed in the Cretaceous Laoshan granitoid body, Qingdao region and contains peridotitic and granulitic xenoliths, xenocrysts, and megacrysts. Rocks from the Pishikou mafic dike are basanites and have low SiO₂ (< 42 wt%) and Al₂O₃ (12.5 wt%) contents, and high MgO (> 8 wt%), total alkalis (Na₂O + K₂O > 4.8 wt%, Na₂O/K₂O > 1), TiO₂ (> 2.5 wt%), CaO (> 9 wt%) and P₂O₅ (> 1 wt%). In trace element abundances, they are highly enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and light rare‐earth elements (LREEs) (ΣREE = 339–403 ppm, (La/Yb)_N = 39–42) without high field strength element (HFSE) depletion. These rocks have radiogenic Sr and Pb, and less radiogenic Nd isotopic compositions [(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i > 0.7059, εNd ≈ 2.7–3.8 (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb)_i ≈ 18.0 ± 0.1]. The diagnostic elemental ratios, such as Nb/La, Nb/U, and Nb/Th, are compatible with those of mid‐oceanic ridge basalts (MORBs) and oceanic island basalts (OIBs). Therefore, the Pishikou mafic dike has a geochemical feature completely different from those of the Early Cretaceous mafic dikes from the Qingdao region, but similar to those of back‐arc basalts from the Japan Sea. This geochemical feature suggests that the Pishikou mafic dike was derived from an asthenosphere source, but contaminated by materials from the subducted Pacific slab. The discovery of this mafic dike thus provides a petrological evidence for the contribution of subducted Pacific slab to the Late Cretaceous magmatism in the Qingdao region of the eastern North China craton.     

Ichthyofauna (Chondrichthyes,Osteichthyes) from the Upper Cretaceous intertrappean beds of Piplanarayanwar,Chhindwara District,Madhya Pradesh,India

A new fossiliferous intertrappean section is found 92 km southwest of the extensively studied intertrappean beds of Mohgaonkalan and Jhilmili in Chhindwara District, Central India. Application of the bulk screen‐washing method led to the recovery of a rich microvertebrate fauna represented by fish, amphibians, crocodiles, snakes and dinosaurs. In this paper, the ichthyofauna recovered from the new intertrappean section consisting of Igdabatis indicus Prasad and Cappetta, 1993, Lepisosteus indicus Woodward, 1908, Osteoglossidae gen. et sp. indet., Pycnodontidae gen. et sp. indet. and Siluriformes indet. is described. The ichthyofauna dominantly represented by the teeth of Igdabatis indicus is suggestive of a nearshore, deltaic or estuarine palaeoenvironment and Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) age for the intertrappean beds. The remarkable similarity of the new intertrappean fauna to that of Asifabad and the infratrappean beds of Marepalli also is suggestive of coastal‐plain conditions all along the Godavari lineament in the Late Cretaceous. Although the presence of planktonic foraminifera in the intertrappean beds of Jhilmili in the Mandla Lobe of Deccan volcanic province has been inferred in terms of a short term marine incursion from the west coast along the Narmada lineament in the Early Palaeocene, currently there is no definitive evidence for the prevalence of marine or coastal‐plain conditions along the Narmada lineament at least in the latest Cretaceous.     

Timing of dextral oblique subduction along the eastern margin of the Asian continent in the Late Cretaceous: Evidence from the accretionary complex of the Shimanto Belt in the Kii Peninsula, Southwest Japan

Paleomagnetic studies and hotspot track analyses show that the Kula Plate was subducted dextrally with respect to the Eurasian Plate from the Coniacian to Campanian. However, geological evidence for dextral subduction of the Kula Plate has not been reported from Southwest Japan. Studies of the Coniacian to lower Campanian Miyama Formation of the Shimanto Belt reveal that the mélange fabrics show a dextral sense of shear both at outcrop and microscopic scales. In addition, thrust systems at map-scale also show dextral shearing. Restored shear directions in the mélange indicate dextral oblique subduction of an oceanic plate. This indicates that the Kula Plate subducted dextrally along the eastern margin of Asia during the Coniacian to early Campanian. Combinations with other published kinematic and age constraints suggest that Southwest Japan experienced a change from sinistral to dextral and back to sinistral shear between 89–76 Ma. This history is compatible with global-scale plate reconstructions and places good constraints on the timing of plate boundary interaction with the Cretaceous East Asian margin.     

Lithofacies and eruption ages of Late Cretaceous caldera volcanoes in the Himeji–Yamasaki district, southwest Japan: Implications for ancient large-scale felsic arc volcanism

Abstract The Himeji–Yamasaki region in the Inner Zone of southwest Japan is underlain mainly by Late Cretaceous volcanic rocks called the Ikuno Group or the Hiromine and Aioi Groups. A new stratigraphic and geochronological study shows that the volcanic rocks in this area consist of 15 eroded caldera volcanoes between 82 and 65 Ma; they are, in order of decreasing age, the Hiromine, Hoden, Ibo, Okawachi, Seppikosan, Hayashida, Shinokubi, Fukusaki, Kurooyama, Ise, Fukadanigawa, Nagusayama, Matobayama, Yumesaki and Mineyama Formations. These calderas vary in diameter from 1 to 20 km and are bounded by steep unconformities; they coalesce and overlap each other. The individual caldera fills are composed mainly of single voluminous pyroclastic flow deposits, which are often interleaved with debris avalanche deposits and occasionally underlie lacustrine deposits. The intracaldera pyroclastic flow deposits are made up of massive, welded or non‐welded tuff breccia to lapilli tuff, and are characterized by their great thickness. The debris avalanche deposits are ill‐sorted breccia, generated by the collapse of the caldera wall toward the caldera floor during the pyroclastic‐flow eruption. The large calderas that are more than 10 km in diameter contain original values of approximately 100 km³ of intracaldera pyroclastic flow deposits. These large calderas are similar to the well‐known Valles‐type calderas in their dimensions, although it is uncertain whether their caldera floors are coherent plates or incoherent pieces. Conversely, the small calderas have diatreme‐like subsurface structures. The variety of the caldera volcanoes in this area is caused by the difference in the volume of caldera‐forming pyroclastic eruptions, as the large and small calderas coexisted. The caldera‐forming eruption rates in Late Cretaceous southwest Japan, including the studied area, were similar to those in late Cenozoic central Andes and northeast Honshu arc, Japan, but obviously smaller than those of late Cenozoic intracratonic caldera clusters in western North America and the Quaternary extensional volcanic arcs in Taupo, New Zealand. The widespread Late Cretaceous felsic igneous rocks in southwest Japan were generated by a long‐term accumulation of low‐rate granitic magmatism at the eastern margin of the Eurasian Plate.     

2021年2月13日日本福岛县地震中脉冲型地震动对结构动态响应的影响

2021年2月13日,日本福岛县近海发生M7.3级强地震及多次余震。根据台站地震动数据,从地震地面运动特征,框架结构震害特征以及有无速度脉冲地震动下框架结构的动力响应等方面对此次地震震害进行了初步探究。结果表明:此次福岛近海地震有比较明显的速度脉冲特征,地震动的加速度反应谱卓越周期较低,速度频谱却以低频成分为主。在速度脉冲型地震作用下,结构层间位移角和楼层剪力远大于非速度脉冲地震动,是此次地震中非结构构件发生破坏的主要原因。     

Age of the Taishu Group,southwestern Japan,and implications for the origin and evolution of the Japan Sea

The Taishu Group, a marine formation with a thickness of >5400 m, crops out on Tsushima Island, located in the southwestern Japan Sea. The group, which is generally regarded as early Eocene to early Miocene in age, provides important information about the tectonic setting of the Japan Sea. In this study, we present new SHRIMP U–Pb dates for igneous zircons from the Kunehama Tuff, which is in the basal part of the Taishu Group, and the Oobaura Tuff, which is in the uppermost part of the group. Results show that the Taishu Group was deposited rapidly, during the short interval of 17.9–15.9 Ma (early–middle Miocene), and is equivalent to other early–middle Miocene strata found in the Japan Sea region. Our results provide new constraints on the geological history of the Japan Sea and its islands.