Eclogites from the Northern Dabie Mountains,eastern China: Geochemical characteristics,Sr−Nd isotopic compositions and tectonic implications

The petrologic geochemical and Sr?Nd isotopic compositions of the eclogites from the mafic-ultramafic rock belt (MUMRB) in the Northern Dabie Mountains indicate that: (1) the protoliths of most of eclogites are tholeitic basalt and a few may be gabbro, and most of them produced from the Yangtze subducted continental crust (lower crust and formed during the deep subduction) and a part may be from paleo-oceanic relics between the Yangtze and North China continental plates; (2) their positive Nb anomalies and related trace element characteristics show that they did not form in the island-arc setting; (3) the metamorphosed MUMRB with eclogite and meta-peridotite blocks along the southern part of the Mozitan-Xiaotian fault zone may represent the suture zone produced during the collision between the Yangtze and North China continental plates, which included the Yangtze subducted continental crust and paleo-oceanic relics.     

Eclogites from the Northern Dabie Mountains,eastern China: Geochemical characteristics,Sr−Nd isotopic compositions and tectonic implications

The petrologic geochemical and Sr−Nd isotopic compositions of the eclogites from the mafic-ultramafic rock belt (MUMRB) in the Northern Dabie Mountains indicate that: (1) the protoliths of most of eclogites are tholeitic basalt and a few may be gabbro, and most of them produced from the Yangtze subducted continental crust (lower crust and formed during the deep subduction) and a part may be from paleo-oceanic relics between the Yangtze and North China continental plates; (2) their positive Nb anomalies and related trace element characteristics show that they did not form in the island-arc setting; (3) the metamorphosed MUMRB with eclogite and meta-peridotite blocks along the southern part of the Mozitan-Xiaotian fault zone may represent the suture zone produced during the collision between the Yangtze and North China continental plates, which included the Yangtze subducted continental crust and paleo-oceanic relics.

     

Metallogenesis within continental collision zones: Comparisons of modern collisional orogens

Modern collisional orogens represent the natural laboratory for the study of metallogeny in continental collision zones. The Pyrenees, Alps, Zagros and Himalaya are all associated with Neo-Tethyan subduction and represent the youngest collisional orogens on Earth. Here, we compare these four orogens in terms of their composition, architecture, tectonic evolution, and metallogenic systems. The four orogens can be divided into simple and composite types. Simple orogens are represented by the Pyrenees and the Alps, and are characterized by narrow linear shapes in plain view and symmetric structures in cross-section, are free of arc magmatism, and are associated with the Mississippi Valley Valley-type Pb-Zn and orogenic gold deposits. The mineral deposits that form in these simple collisional orogens are generally related to processes that occur in the middle and upper crust. In contrast, composite orogens, as exemplified by the Zagros-Iranian and Himalayan-Tibetan Plateaus, are associated with broad orogenic plateaus in plain view and asymmetrical structures in cross-section, record extensive arc magmatism in continental margins, and are associated with a variety of deposit types including carbonatite-related rare earth element (REE), porphyry Cu-Mo, orogenic Au, Mississippi Valley type Pb-Zn, and detachment-fault-related polymetallic deposits. Although the subduction of Neo-Tethys oceanic crust occurred before the creation of simple collisional orogens in the Pyrenees and the Alps, these areas do not show the record of continental arc magmatism. In contrast, the composite collisional orogens are associated with the development of huge continental margin arcs prior to continental subduction, and the subduction was followed by reactivation of the subduction-modified arc lithospheric material, generating the ore-forming systems in these regions.     

Initiation of subduction by post-collision foreland thrusting and back-thrusting

While postulated causes of initial subduction and trench formation include underthrusting, controls on its location and age have not been determined. Consideration of the age of subduction zones bordering five collisional orogens suggests that subduction may have been initiated by foreland thrusts and back-thrusts. Foreland thrusts develop within a continental foreland on the subducting plate mostly within 50 my of collision with an arc system; where the foreland is narrow the thrusts may intersect the continent-ocean crust boundary. Back-thrusts develop in the fore-arc or back-arc area on the overriding plate within 10 to 20 my of collision, and can result in tectonic burial of the magmatic arc; where the arc system is oceanic the back-thrusts may intersect the arc-ocean crust boundary. Possible examples of subduction initiated by foreland thrusts are the start of subduction in the late Jurassic beneath the northern Sunda Arc, and at the end-Miocene in the Negros Trench. Examples of back-thrusts which have initiated or may initiate subduction are the late Cenozoic eastward translation of Taiwan over the Philippine Sea plate, the incipient southward subduction of the Banda Sea beneath Timor, and the W-dipping back-thrust comprising the Highland Boundary Fault zone and postulated early Ordovician thrusts to the SE in Scotland. The suggested relationship of subduction to collision helps to explain the persistence of Wilson cycles in the still-active late Mesozoic to Cenozoic orogenic belts and implies that orogeny will cease only with collision between major continents.     

Tectono-magmatic evolution of the 1.9-Ga great bear magmatic zone, Wopmay orogen, northwestern Canada

The 1875-1840-Ma Great Bear magmatic zone is a 100-km wide by at least 900-km-long belt of predominantly subgreenschist facies volcanic and plutonic rocks that unconformably overlie and intrude an older sialic basement complex. The basement complex comprises older arc and back-arc rocks metamorphosed and deformed during the Calderian orogeny, 5–15 Ma before the onset of Great Bear magmatism. The Great Bear magmatic zone contains the products of two magmatic episodes, separated temporally by an oblique folding event caused by dextral transpression of the zone: (1) a 1875-1860-Ma pre-folding suite of mainly calc-alkaline rocks ranging continuously in composition from basalt to rhyolite, cut by allied biotite-hornblende-bearing epizonal plutons; and (2) a 1.85-1.84-Ga post-folding suite of discordant, epizonal, biotite syenogranitic plutons, associated dikes, and hornblende-diorites, quartz diorites, and monzodiorites. The pre-folding suite of volcanic and plutonic rocks is interpreted as a continental magmatic arc generated by eastward subduction of oceanic lithosphere. Cessation of arc magmatism and subsequent dextral transpression may have resulted from ridge subduction and resultant change in relative plate motion. Increased heat flux due to ridge subduction coupled with crustal thickening during transpression may have caused crustal melting as evidenced by the late syenogranite suite. Final closure of the western ocean by collision with a substantial continental fragment, now forming the neoautochthonous basement of the northern Canadian Cordillera, is manifested by a major swarm of transcurrent faults found throughout the Great Bear zone and the Wopmay orogen.Although there is probably no single evolutionary template for magmatism at convergent plate margins, the main Andean phase of magmatism, exemplified by the pre-folding Great Bear magmatic suite, evolves as larger quantities of subduction-related mafic magma rise into and heat the crust. This results in magmas that are more homogeneous, siliceous, and explosive with time, ultimately leading to overturn and fractionation of the continental crust.     

Material transportation and fluid-melt activity in the subduction channel: Numerical modeling

The subduction channel is defined as a planar to wedge-like area of variable size,internal structure and composition,which forms between the upper and lower plates during slab subduction into the mantle.The materials in the channel may experience complex pressure,temperature,stress and strain evolution,as well as strong fluid and melt activity.A certain amount of these materials may subduct to and later exhume from100 km depth,forming high to ultra-high pressure rocks on the surface as widely discovered in nature.Rock deformation in the channel is strongly assisted by metamorphic fluids activities,which change composition and mechanical properties of rocks and thus affect their subduction and exhumation histories.In this study,we investigate the detailed structure and dynamics of both oceanic and continental subduction channels,by conducting highresolution petrological-thermomechanical numerical simulations taking into account fluid and melt activities.The numerical results demonstrate that subduction channels are composed of a tectonic rock melange formed by crustal rocks detached from the subducting slab and the hydrated mantle rocks scratched from the overriding plate.These rocks may either extrude sub-vertically upward through the mantle wedge to the crust of the upper plate,or exhume along the subduction channel to the surface near the suture zone.Based on our numerical results,we first analyze similarities and differences between oceanic and continental subduction channels.We further compare numerical models with and without fluid and melt activity and demonstrate that this activity results in strong weakening and deformation of overriding lithosphere.Finally,we show that fast convergence of orogens subjected to fluid and melt activity leads to strong deformation of the overriding lithosphere and the topography builds up mainly on the overriding plate.In contrast,slow convergence of such orogens leads to very limited deformation of the overriding lithosphere and the mountain building mainly occurs on the subducting plate.     

Timing and geochemical characters of the Sanchazi magmatic arc in Mianlüe tectonic zone, South Qinling

The Sanchazi mafic-ultramafic complex in Mianlue tectonic zone, South Qinling can be subdivided into two blocks, i.e. Sanchazi paleo-magmatic arc and Zhuangkegou paleo-oceanic crust fragment (ophiolite). The Sanchazi paleo-magmatic arc is mainly composed of andesite, basaltic and basalt-andesitic gabbro (or diorite), andesitic dyke, plagiogranite and minor ultramafic rocks, which have typical geochemical features of island arc volcanic rocks, such as high field strength element (e.g. Nb, Ti) depletions and lower Cr, Ni contents. The Light rare earth element (LREE) and K enrichments of these rocks and zircon xenocrystals of 900 Ma from plagiogranite suggest that this magmatic arc was developed on the South active continental margin of the South Qinling micro-continent. The U-Pb age of (300 ± 61)Ma for zircons from plagiogranite indicates that the Mianlue paleo-oceanic crust was probably subducted underneath the South Qinling micro-continent in Carboniferous. This is consistent with the formation time (309Ma) of the Huwan eclogite originating from oceanic subduction in Dabie Mountains, suggesting that the Mianlue paleo-ocean probably extended eastward to the Dabie Mountains in Carboniferous. The high-Mg adakitic rocks in Sanchazi paleo-magmatic arc suggest that the subducted oceanic crust was relatively young (＜25Ma) and hot.     

Crustal accretion and reworking processes of micro-continental massifs within orogenic belt: A case study of the Erguna Massif,NE China

This paper summarizes the geochronological, geochemical and zircon Hf isotopic data for Mesozoic granitoids within the Erguna Massif, NE China, and discusses the spatial-temporal variation of zircon Hf isotopic compositions, with the aim of constraining the accretion and reworking processes of continental crust within the Erguna Massif, and shedding light on the crustal evolution of the eastern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Based on the zircon U-Pb dating results, the Mesozoic granitic magmatisms within the Erguna Massif can be subdivided into five stages: Early-Middle Triassic(249–237 Ma), Late Triassic(229–201 Ma), Early-Middle Jurassic(199–171 Ma), Late Jurassic(155–149 Ma), and Early Cretaceous(145–125 Ma).The Triassic to Early-Middle Jurassic granitoids are mainly I-type granites and minor adakitic rocks, whereas the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous granitoids are mainly A-type granites. This change in magmatism is consistent with the southward subduction of the Mongol-Okhotsk oceanic plate and subsequent collision and crustal thickening, followed by post-collision extension. Zircon Hf isotopic data indicate that crustal accretion of the Erguna Massif occurred in the Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic. ZirconεHf(t) values increase gradually over time, whereas two-stage model(TDM2) ages decrease throughout the Mesozoic. The latter result indicates a change in the source of granitic magmas from the melting of ancient crust to more juvenile crust. Zircon εHf(t)values also exhibit spatial variations, with values decreasing northwards, whereas TDM2 ages increase. This pattern suggests that,moving from south to north, there is an increasing component of ancient crustal material within the lower continental crust of the Erguna Massif. Even if at the same latitude, the zircon Hf isotopic compositions are also inconsistent. These results reveal lateral and vertical heterogeneities in the lower continental crust of the Erguna Massif during the Mesozoic, which we use as the basis of a structural and tectonic model for this region.     

The influence of crustal structure on compositions of subduction-related magmas

A survey of Sr isotopic ratios and other compositional features of subduction-related magma suites reveals significant correlations between these averaged parameters and characteristics of the underlying crust (i.e., thickness, composition, and age). These observations lead to the conclusion that crust and(or) mantle rocks in the hanging walls of subduction zones are involved in modification of primary mafic magmas (typically basalt or basaltic andesite). It is proposed that mafic magmas will stagnate within the crust or uppermost mantle where they may differentiate and react with wall rocks. The extent to which such processes manifest themselves will depend upon details of the local crustal structure. In particular, the composition and age of the crust will strongly influence such parameters as Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic compositions. Such data strongly indicate the involvement of crustal rocks in locales underlain by old sialic crust (e.g., central Andes). Depending upon the level of magma stagnation and evolution within the crust, different trends in isotopic composition may result. These isotopic trends may be enhanced by partial melting of the wall rocks to produce relatively silicic anatectic magmas, and locally they may reflect subduction of continental sediments. Interpretation of the isotopic data may be more ambiguous in locales underlain by younger and more mafic continental crust (Cascades, E Eleutians) and those underlain by oceanic crust owing to the similarity in isotopic composition of primary magmas and the latter crustal materials. Yet some degree of crustal involvement in magmatic evolution seems highly probable even in these more primitive terranes. Consequently, most island arc magmas, and especially those more evolved than basalt, are probably not primary in the sense that they do not represent direct melts of the upper mantle. Studies of arc volcanic rocks may yield misleading conclusions concerning processes of magma generation related to subduction unless evolutionary processes are defined and their effects considered. It appears that modern volcanic arcs provide a poor analog for models of early crustal development because the modern mantle-derived magmatic components are more mafic in composition than average continental crust.     

青藏高原冈底斯带及邻区重磁三维反演及岩浆岩特征研究

岩浆岩在青藏高原的大陆动力学研究中有着重要的作用,它既是构造演化的记录,又是重要构造-岩浆-成矿带的指示.本文主要基于冈底斯带及邻区的地面重力和航磁数据,首先进行地质-地球物理先验信息约束下的重磁2.5维交互式反演,再将2.5维反演结果作为参考模型加入到三维反演计算中,得到地下三维密度和磁化率结构.结合岩浆岩密度、磁化率统计资料和岩浆岩地球化学成果,推断研究区基性岩、I型花岗岩和S型花岗岩的三维分布图,得到如下结论:S型花岗岩主要分布在冈底斯东带和冈底斯弧背断隆带以北;北冈底斯的西部无明显的岩浆活动,而在其南侧和北侧,发现大量的隐伏基性岩和零散分布的I型花岗岩;中生代I型花岗岩在南冈底斯和冈底斯弧背断隆带广泛分布,且到新生代才出现大量的S型花岗岩.上述结果为中生代班公湖—怒江洋壳和新特提斯洋壳的双向剪刀式俯冲模式的观点提供了重要佐证,并认为班公湖—怒江洋壳在北冈底斯西部约84°E—88°E的范围内先后存在向北和向南俯冲的可能,北向羌塘地体下俯冲,南向冈底斯地体下俯冲.     

Fluid/melt in continental deep subduction zones: Compositions and related geochemical fractionations

Plate subduction is the most magnificent process in the Earth. Subduction zones are important sites for proceeding matter- and energy- transports between the Earth's surface and the interior, continental crust growth, and crust-mantle interactions. Besides, a number of geological processes in subduction zones are closely related to human beings' daily life, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, formation of mineral deposits. Subduction process thus has long been the centric topic of Earth sciences. The finding in 1980 s that continental crust could be subducted to mantle depths is a revolutionary progress in plate tectonic theory. Compared to oceanic crust, continental crust is colder, drier, lighter, and much more geochemically/isotopically heterogeneous. Hence, continental subduction process would affect the structure, compositions and evolutions of the overlying mantle wedge even more. During continental subduction and subsequent exhumation, fluids and melts can be generated in the(de)hydration process and partial melting process, respectively. These melts/fluids play important roles in crust-mantle interactions, elemental migrations, isotopic fractionations, and mantle metasomatism. By summarizing recent research works on subduction zones in this paper, we present a review on the types, physicochemical conditions and compositions of fluids/melts, as well as the migration behaviors of fluid-related characteristic elements(Nb-Ta-V) and the fractionation behaviors of non-traditional stable isotopes(Li-Mg) in subduction zones. The aim of this paper is to provide the readers an update comprehensive overview of the melt/fluid activities in subduction zones and of Li-Mg isotope systematics in subduction-related rocks and minerals.     

Cretaceous episodic growth of the Japanese Islands

Abstract The Japanese Islands formed rapidly in situ along the eastern Asian continental margin in the Cretaceous due to both tectonic and magmatic processes. In the Early Cretaceous, huge oceanic plateaus created by the mid-Panthalassa super plume accreted with the continental margin. This tectonic interaction of oceanic plateau with continental crust is one of the significant tectonic processes responsible for continental growth in subduction zones. In the Japanese Islands, Late Cretaceous-Early Paleogene continental growth is much more episodic and drastic. At this time the continental margin uplifted regionally, and intra-continent collision tectonics took place in the northern part of the Asian continent. The uplifting event appears to have been caused by the subduction of very young oceanic crust (i.e. the Izanagi-Kula Plate) along the continental margin. Magmatism was also very active, and melting of the young oceanic slab appears to have resulted in ubiquitous plutons in the continental margin. Regional uplift of the continental margin and intra-continent collision tectonics promoted erosion of the uplifted area, and a large amount of terrigenous sediment was abruptly supplied to the trench. As a result of the rapid supply of terrigenous detritus, the accretionary complexes (the Hidaka Belt in Hokkaido and the Shimanto Belt in Southwest Japan) grew rapidly in the subduction zone. The rapid growth of the accretionary complexes and the subduction of very young, buoyant oceanic crust caused the extrusion of a high-P/T metamorphic wedge from the deep levels of the subduction zone. Episodic growth of the Late Cretaceous Japanese Islands suggests that subduction of very young oceanic crust and/or ridge subduction are very significant for the formation of new continental crust in subduction zones.     

U-Pb isotopic geochemistry of the post-collisional mafic-ultramafic rocks from the Dabie Mountains——Crust-mantle interaction and LOMU component

Geochronological studies of mafic-ultramafic intrusions occurrence in the northern Dabie zone (NDZ) suggest that these pyroxenite-gabbro intrusions formed 120—130 Ma ago should be post-collisional magmatic rocks[1—4]. These mafic-ultramafic rocks provid…     

A review on the numerical geodynamic modeling of continental subduction, collision and exhumation

Continental subduction and collision normally follows oceanic subduction,with the remarkable event of formation and exhumation of high-to ultra-high-pressure(HP-UHP)metamorphic rocks.Based on the summary of numerical geodynamic models,six modes of continental convergence have been identified:pure shear thickening,folding and buckling,one-sided steep subduction,flat subduction,two-sided subduction,and subducting slab break-off.In addition,the exhumation of HP-UHP rocks can be formulated into eight modes:thrust fault exhumation,buckling exhumation,material circulation,overpressure model,exhumation of a coherent crustal slice,episodic ductile extrusion,slab break-off induced eduction,and exhumation through fractured overriding lithosphere.During the transition from subduction to exhumation,the weakening and detachment of subducted continental crust are prerequisites.However,the dominant weakening mechanisms and their roles in the subduction channel are poorly constrained.To a first degree approximation,the mechanism of continental subduction and exhumation can be treated as a subduction channel flow model,which incorporates the competing effects of downward Couette(subduction)flow and upward Poiseuille(exhumation)flow in the subduction channel.However,the(de-)hydration effect plays significant roles in the deformation of subduction channel and overriding lithosphere,which thereby result in very different modes from the simple subduction channel flow.Three-dimensionality is another important issue with highlighting the along-strike differential modes of continental subduction,collision and exhumation in the same continental convergence belt.     

U-Pb isotopic compositions of the ultrahigh pressure metamorphic (UHPM) rocks from Shuanghe and gneisses from Northern Dabie zone in the Dabie Mountains,central China: Constraint on the exhumation mechanism of UHPM rocks

The occurrence of ultrahigh pressure (UHP) minerals, such as coesite and diamond in crustal rocks in orogenic belts suggests that a huge amount of continental crust can be subducted to man-tle depth during the continental-continental collision[1—6]. This…     

Continental subduction and exhumation of high-pressure rocks: insights from thermo-mechanical laboratory modelling

Thermo-mechanical physical modelling of continental subduction is performed to investigate the exhumation of deeply subducted continental crust. The model consists of two lithospheric plates made of new temperature sensitive analogue materials. The lithosphere is underlain by liquid asthenosphere. The continental lithosphere contains three layers: the weak sedimentary layer, the crust made of a stronger material, and of a still stronger lithospheric mantle. The whole model is subjected to a constant vertical thermal gradient, causing the strength reduction with depth in each lithospheric layer. Subduction is driven by both push force and pull force. During subduction, the subducting lithosphere is heating and the strength of its layers reduces. The weakening continental crust reaches maximal depth of about 120 km and cannot subduct deeper because its frontal part starts to flow up. The subducted crust undergoes complex deformation, including indicated upward ductile flow of the most deeply subducted portions and localised failure of the subducted upper crust at about 50-km depth. This failure results in the formation of the first crustal slice which rises up between the plates under the buoyancy force. This process is accompanied by the delamination of the crustal and mantle layers of the subducting lithosphere. The delamination front propagates upwards into the interplate zone resulting in the formation of two other crustal slices that also rise up between the plates. Average equivalent exhumation rate of the crustal material during delamination is about 1 cm/year. The crust-asthenosphere boundary near the interplate zone is uplifted. The subducted mantle layer then breaks off, removing the pull force and thereby stopping the delamination and increasing horizontal compression of the lithosphere. The latter produces shortening of the formed orogen and the growth of relief. The modelling reveals an interesting burial/exhumation evolution of the sedimentary cover. During initial stages of continental subduction the sediments of the continental margin are dragged to the overriding plate base and are partially accreted at the deep part of the interplate zone (at 60-70 km-depth). These sediments remain there until the beginning of delamination during which the pressure between the subducted crust and the overriding plate increases. This results in squeezing the underplated sediments out. Part of them is extruded upwards along the interplate zone to about 30-km depth at an equivalent rate of 5-10 cm/year.     

Intrusion of ultramafic magmatic bodies into the continental crust: Numerical simulation

Intrusions of ultramafic bodies into the lower density continental crust are documented for a large variety of tectonic settings spanning continental shields, rift systems, collision orogens and magmatic arcs. The intriguing point is that these intrusive bodies have a density higher by 300-500 kg m⁻³ than host rocks. Resolving this paradox requires an understanding of the emplacement mechanism. We have employed finite differences and marker-in-cell techniques to carry out a 2D modeling study of intrusion of partly crystallized ultramafic magma from sublithospheric depth to the crust through a pre-existing magmatic channel. By systematically varying the model parameters we document variations in intrusion dynamics and geometry that range from funnel- and finger-shaped bodies (pipes, dikes) to deep seated balloon-shaped intrusions and flattened shallow magmatic sills. Emplacement of ultramafic bodies in the crust lasts from a few kyr to several hundreds kyr depending mainly on the viscosity of the intruding, partly crystallized magma. The positive buoyancy of the sublithospheric magma compared to the overriding, colder mantle lithosphere drives intrusion while the crustal rheology controls the final location and the shape of the ultramafic body. Relatively cold elasto-plastic crust (T_Moho = 400 °C) promotes a strong upward propagation of magma due to the significant decrease of plastic strength of the crust with decreasing confining pressure. Emplacement in this case is controlled by crustal faulting and subsequent block displacements. Warmer crust (T_Moho = 600 °C) triggers lateral spreading of magma above the Moho, with emplacement being accommodated by coeval viscous deformation of the lower crust and fault tectonics in the upper crust. Strong effects of magma emplacement on surface topography are also documented. Emplacement of high-density, ultramafic magma into low-density rocks is a stable mechanism for a wide range of model parameters that match geological settings in which partially molten mafic-ultramafic rocks are generated below the lithosphere. We expect this process to be particularly active beneath subduction-related magmatic arcs where huge volumes of partially molten rocks produced from hydrous cold plume activity accumulate below the overriding lithosphere.     

A subduction channel model for exhumation of oceanic-type high-pressure to ultrahigh-pressure eclogite-facies metamorphic rocks in SW Tianshan,China

High-pressure (HP) and ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) eclogites exposed in collisional orogens are widely regarded to record the history of crustal rocks that were subducted to mantle depths and exhumed back to the surface. Insight into subduction and exhumation processes plays an important role in understanding the nature and evolution of subduction zones, geodynamics and plate tectonics. In contrast to continental-type HP to UHP metamorphic rocks that are dominated by felsic lithology, oceanic-type HP to UHP metamorphic rocks are dominated by mafic eclogites and thus have greater density, and their exhumation needs to overcome large barriers and may involve complicated tectonic processes. The exhumation of HP to UHP rocks is mainly influenced by the internal buoyancy, however, the external tectonic forces (such as channel flow) also act as effective exhumation drivers; in addition, effects of tectonic settings (such as slab rollback and breakoff) should take into account. The HP-UHP metamorphic terrane in Southwestern Tianshan, which mainly comprises of metasediments with interlayered metamafic lenses and blocks, represents a typical accretionary mélange associated with deep subduction of oceanic crust. However, the exhumation mechanisms of these once deeply buried HP-UHP rocks are still under discussion. Based on the field occurrences, petrographic features, peak metamorphic P-T conditions and ages of the eclogites/blueschists and their metasedimentary country rocks, a “sediment-type subduction channel” model is advocated in this study to appraise/decipher the formation and evolution of Southwestern Tianshan HP-UHP metamorphic belt. Poly-cyclic metamorphic eclogites record the multistage burial-exhumation cycling manipulated by convective flow in a channel-like interface between the plates, giving robust evidence for the presence of a subduction channel. In addition, this study summarizes some remaining geotectonic problems and research perspectives concerning the Southwestern Tianshan HP-UHP metamorphic belt.     

Exposed cross-sections through the continental crust: implications for crustal structure,petrology, and evolution

The continental crust is exposed in cross-section at numerous sites on the earth's surface. These exposures, which appear to have formed by obduction along great faults during continental collision, may be recognized by exposures of deep crustal rocks exhibiting asymmetric patterns of metamorphic grade and age across the faults and by distinctive Bouguer anomaly patterns reflecting dipping basement structure and an anomalously deep mantle. From an examination of five complexes which meet these criteria, it is concluded that the most prominent layering in the crust is not compositional but metamorphic. The lower crust consists of granulite facies rocks of mafic to intermediate composition while the intermediate and shallow levels consist predominantly of amphibolite facies gneisses and greenschist facies supracrustal rocks, respectively. Post-metamorphic granitic intrusions are common at intermediate to shallow levels. Position of discontinuities in refraction velocity, where present, commonly correspond to changes in composition or metamorphic grade with depth. The continental crust is characterized by lateral and vertical heterogeneities of varying scale which are the apparent cause of the complex seismic reflections recorded by COCORP. Field observations, coupled with geochemical data, indicate a complex evolution of the lower crust which can include anatexis, multiple deformation, polymetamorphism and reworking of older crustal material. The complexity of the crust is thus the result of continuous evolution by recycling and metamorphism through time in a variety of tectonic environments.     

U-Pb isotopic geochemistry of the post-collisional mafic-ultramafic rocks from the Dabie Mountains

The U-Pb isotope geochemical study of the pyroxenite-gabbro intrusion in the Dabie Mountains shows that the post-collisional mafic-ultramafic rocks of the Dabie Mountains are characterized by relative high Pb contents, low U contents and low U/Pb ratios. These characters may be results of interaction between lithosphere or depleted asthenospheric mantle (DMM) and lower crust, but have nothing to do with mantle plume and subducted continental crust. It was first observed that some samples with lower ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and higher ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios show typical characters of the LOMU component. The Pb, Sr, and Nd isotopic tracing shows that three components are needed in the source of the Zhujiapu pyroxenite-gabbro intrusion. They could be old enriched sub-continental lithospheric mantle (LOMU component), lower crust and depleted asthenospheric mantle. The crust-mantle interaction process producing primitive magma of post-collisional mafic-ultramafic rocks in the Dabie Mountains could be described by a lithospheric delamination and magma underplating model. After continent-continent collision, delamination of the thickened lithosphere induced the upwelling of depleted asthenospheric mantle, which caused partial melting of asthenospheric mantle and residual sub-continental lithospheric mantle. The basaltic magma produced in this process underplated in the boundary between the crust and mantle and interacted with lower crust resulting in the geochemical characters of both enriched lithospheric mantle and lower crust.