南海西南次海盆深部结构研究进展与展望

西南次海盆位于南海渐进式扩张的西南端,共轭陆缘结构和残留扩张脊保留完整,是研究南海深部结构和动力学机制的关键区域。前期研究发现,西南次海盆洋陆过渡带较窄、同扩张断层发育、地震反射莫霍面不清晰、具有慢速扩张等特征。然而,由于不同探测方法获取的地壳结构具有多解性,使得西南次海盆洋陆转换过程、慢速扩张洋壳结构与增生模式以及龙门海山岩石性质与地幔成因机制等基础科学问题尚存争议。为此我们建议在西南次海盆开展地质取样获取海山岩石样品,确定其年龄与性质,分析扩张后海山形成的深部动力过程;并对关键构造部署高精度的地震反射/折射联合探测,结合岩石物理分析,对西南次海盆进行构造成像和物质组成参数正反演,以实现壳幔尺度的地震学透视,为探索西南次海盆洋陆转换过程和洋壳增生模式提供重要的地球物理证据,以丰富和完善南海的动力学演化模式。     

粤西大金山花岗岩体地球化学特征及岩石成因探讨

大金山花岗岩体是一个与广东省大金山钨锡多金属矿床有关的隐伏岩体,岩性主要由中细粒黑云母花岗岩和似斑状黑云母花岗岩组成。大金山花岗岩体具有高硅、富碱、贫镁钙、准铝质的特点,属于高钾钙碱性系列;微量元素以富集Rb、Th、U而亏损Nb、Eu、Ti为特征;稀土元素含量较高,中细粒黑云母花岗岩和似斑状黑云母花岗岩稀土元素含量分别为203.36×10-6-248.42×10-6、243.76×10-6-255.08×10-6,似斑状黑云母花岗岩稀土元素含量略高,中细粒黑云母花岗岩略富集重稀土而似斑状黑云母花岗岩则富集轻稀土;两者均具有强烈的Eu负异常,δEu值分别为0.004-0.009、0.059-0.13。中细粒黑云母花岗岩和似斑状黑云母花岗岩的εHf(t)值分别为-2.05--8.64、-0.92--6.57;两阶段Hf模式年龄(tDM2)分别为1 277-1 692 Ma和1 204-1 556 Ma。综合区域地质背景和大金山花岗岩体的地球化学特征,认为大金山花岗岩体形成于地壳拉张-伸展的构造背景下,是中元古代地壳部分熔融的产物。     

闽西南虎岗地区晚中生代花岗岩LA-MC-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄、地球化学特征及地质意义

选取福建虎岗地区灌洋和增坑二个岩体进行LA-MC-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年.增坑细粒二长花岗岩岩体单颗粒锆石U-Pb年龄为145.4±18.2～151.4±7.9 Ma,加权平均值为147.98±0.86 Ma(可信度95%,MSWD=0.62).灌洋中细粒黑云母二长花岗岩岩体单颗粒锆石年龄为141.2±4.1 ～ 145.5±1.9Ma,加权平均值为143.0±1.1Ma(可信度95%,MSWD=0.41).二岩体形成于挤压碰撞的构造环境,微量元素含量表明,岩浆分异作用较强,酸性程度较高,n(A12O3) ＞n(CaO) +n(Na2O) +n(K2O),且有较高的Rb/Sr和Rb/Nb比值,低含量的Ni、Cr含量和右倾型的稀土元素模式,表明岩体岩浆起源于大陆地壳中沉积的源岩,属于铝过饱和S型花岗岩.增坑和灌洋岩体形成年代都为晚侏罗世(燕山中晚期),且为铁铜多金属矿成矿提供了物质基础.     

南海南部地壳结构的重力模拟及伸展模式探讨

对南海南部地壳结构研究有助于揭示南海完整的演化历史。本研究对南海南部获取的两条多道地震剖面进行了地震 解释,并对重力数据进行了壳幔密度反演。其中 NH973-1 测线始于南海西南次海盆,覆盖了南沙中部的北段;NH973-2 测 线始于南海东部次海盆,穿越礼乐滩东侧。反演结果显示,莫霍面埋深在海盆区 10~11 km,陆缘区 15~21 km 左右,洋壳向 陆壳莫霍面深度迅速增加。海盆区厚度在 6~7 km,为典型的洋壳;陆缘区地壳厚度在 15~19 km,为减薄型地壳。进一步研 究表明(1)在西南次海盆残余扩张脊之下,莫霍面比两侧略深;(2)在礼乐滩外侧海盆区有高值重力异常体,推测为洋壳与深 部岩浆混合的块体;(3)南沙区域上地壳存在高密度带,且横向上岩性可能变化。南海南部陆缘未发现有下地壳高速层,有 比较一致的构造属性和拉张样式,为非火山型陆缘。我们对两条测线陆缘的伸展因子进行了计算,发现上地壳脆性拉伸因 子与全地壳拉伸因子存在差异,其陆缘的拉张模式在纵向上是不均匀一的。     

福建紫金山矿田黑云母花岗岩锆石U-Pb年代学和Hf同位素组成

紫金山矿田位于华南褶皱系东部,闽西南凹陷西南部,是我国大型-超大型浅成低温热液铜金矿床,区内发现多个与岩浆活动密切相关的金、银、铜等金属矿床.对紫金山矿田东南矿段与成矿密切相关的细粒黑云母花岗岩开展了详细野外地质调查、岩相学和锆石稀土元素、U-Pb年代学和Hf同位素研究.LA-ICP-MS法获得细粒黑云母花岗岩中岩浆结晶锆石206Pb/238U-207Pb/235U谐和年龄为109.5±1.9 Ma（MSWD=0.74,N=16）,206Pb/238U加权平均年龄为107.44±0.94 Ma（MSWD=1.06,N=16）,二者在误差范围内结果一致,结合锆石稀土元素和岩浆振荡环带特征及Th/U比值,上述年龄结果可代表岩石的结晶年龄,表明细粒黑云母花岗岩侵位于燕山期早白垩世.细粒黑云母花岗岩锆石Hf同位素初始比值ε_Hf（t）均为负,介于-4.99~-1.06（平均值为-2.99）;两阶段Hf模式年龄（t_DM2）介于1 233.7~1 485.4 Ma（平均值为1 362.4 Ma）.样品的ε_Hf（t）、Hf同位素地壳模式年龄分布范围变化较小,暗示岩体的岩浆来源具有较为均一的锆石Hf同位素组成.紫金山矿田东南矿段早白垩世花岗岩体的锆石U-Pb年龄和Hf同位素特征,反映了闽西南早白垩世的岩浆成矿活动时间和源区特征,其成因与中国东南部岩石圈伸展减薄和壳源物质参与岩浆形成演化密切相关.      

念青唐古拉花岗岩的同位素年龄测定及其地质意义

念青唐古拉花岗岩体位于西藏当雄县境内,是拉萨地块中部出露的巨型侵入岩岩基,其面积超过1500km2,以大面积出露的黑云母二长花岗岩为主体。本文分别应用单矿物K-Ar法、全岩-单矿物Rb-Sr等时线法和高灵敏度高分辨率离子探针法(SHRIMP-)对念青唐古拉岩体不同位置上的代表性岩石样品进行同位素测年,得到中细粒黑云母二长花岗岩的K-Ar年龄为8.49±0.14Ma,Rb-Sr等时线年龄为8.07±0.35Ma和8.70±1.40Ma,SHRIMPU-Pb年龄为18.3±0.4Ma;中粗粒黑云母二长花岗岩的K-Ar年龄为9.80±0.35Ma,Rb-Sr等时线年龄为9.33±0.41Ma,SHRIMPU-Pb年龄为11.01±0.24Ma。不同方法测年结果均表明念青唐古拉花岗岩形成于中新世,属拉萨地块内部最年轻的巨型花岗岩岩基,其侵位结晶时代处于青藏高原地壳由南北向挤压增厚向东西向伸展的转变时期,岩浆来源于地壳局部熔融,属后碰撞构造-岩浆活动的产物。     

冈底斯带门巴区晚白垩世花岗岩年代学、地球化学及构造背景

门巴区晚白垩世花岗岩主要分布于冈底斯中段的扎雪、金达和桑巴附近,由黑云母钾长花岗岩、钾长花岗岩和二云母钾长花岗岩及花岗闪长岩等组成。其中花岗闪长岩SHRIMP 锆石U--Pb 年龄为68. 8 ± 1. 6 Ma; 钾长花岗岩黑云母K--Ar 年龄为78. 2 ± 1. 2 Ma 和81. 5 ± 1. 4 Ma; 黑云母钾长花岗岩和二云母钾长花岗岩的黑云母K--Ar 分别为90. 8 ± 1. 81 Ma 和91. 2 ± 1. 8 Ma。岩石学和地球化学分析结果表明,S 型和低Sr 低Yb 特征的黑云母钾长花岗岩和二云母钾长花岗岩形成于拉萨地块与羌塘地块碰撞造山过程中的地壳加厚背景; S 型和总体低Sr、高Yb 特征的钾长花岗岩形成于造山带晚期阶段的伸展背景; I 型花岗闪长岩应是新特提斯洋俯冲作用的结果,形成于岛弧构造环境。     

滇西腾冲麻栗坝钼-铜-铅-锌矿床锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb 和辉钼矿Re-Os年龄及其地质意义

麻栗坝钼铜铅锌矿床位于三江特提斯成矿带的西南端,赋矿岩体为黑云母二长花岗岩,属于腾冲花岗岩带古永复式岩体小龙河序列.黑云母二长花岗岩锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄为78.6±1.2 Ma,属于燕山晚期,相当于晚白垩世;矿体中辉钼矿的Re-Os等时线年龄为78.5±3.7 Ma,略晚于成岩时间,为本区首次获得的精确成矿年龄.其中,辉钼矿的Re、Os同位素特征表明成矿物质主要来源于地壳.麻栗坝钼铜铅锌矿床成矿年龄、成矿岩体年龄接近,约为78 Ma,与小龙河岩体年龄(79～65 Ma)在误差范围内一致,表明矿床的热液演化活动时间较短,矿化和成岩均发生在岩浆活动的早期阶段.它们同为燕山晚期,是在新特提斯洋渐次东向俯冲过程中地壳加厚重熔引发的岩浆活动与热液作用的产物.     

河南省伏牛山混合型花岗岩地球化学特征

伏牛山混合型花岗岩以斑状二长花岗岩为主体,年龄97—180 Ma。与之伴生的细粒黑云母花岗岩、角闪花岗岩、混合花岗岩和残留岩块都具有明显的同源地球化学特征,属于受古陆壳硅铝质混染的壳源花岗岩类。它由板块碰撞效应引起的递进花岗岩化作用形成,不同程度地继承了源岩的某些特性,说明了地质背景对该类岩石的控制作用。     

新疆西南天山木扎尔特河一带低压泥质麻粒岩岩石学特征、独居石U-Th-Pb定年及其地质意义

古南天山洋闭合过程中,由于洋壳俯冲产生的岛弧岩浆作用加热大陆地壳,在新疆西南天山木扎尔特一带形成了一套低压高温泥质麻粒岩相变质岩石.本文用Theriak-Domino热力学软件对该套岩石中的堇青石榴夕线石黑云母片麻岩和含夕线石堇青石榴黑云母片麻岩进行了岩石学相平衡计算研究,得到它们峰期变质的温压条件分别是：T=630～674℃,P=5.2～5.5kbar和T=645～684℃,P=5.4～5.7kbar.并采用独居石Th-U-Pb电子探针定年方法,对样品WQ006中的3颗独居石进行了原位年龄测定(38个分析点),得到2组等时线年龄,分别是376±8Ma和280σ8Ma(2σ).结合独居石的岩相学特征,提出了新疆西南天山低压高温麻粒岩相峰期变质作用的时代为280±8Ma,而376±8Ma(2σ)可能为原沉积岩的原岩/成岩年龄.表明西南天山洋壳开始俯冲发生在晚古生代,进一步证明了西南天山造山带俯冲碰撞发生在晚二叠纪之后的观点.     

南海北部陆缘地壳结构特征及其构造过程

根据“北部湾大陆缘地壳结构ＰＳ转换波测深”等地球物理测量结果,本文研究了南海北部陆缘的地壳结构特征,讨论了其白垩纪以来的构造过程。地球物理测量表明,由陆向海,南海北部陆缘地壳由陆壳、过渡壳变为洋壳,厚度由３４ｋｍ减薄至８ｋｍ左右。垂向上地壳为３层结构模式。陆壳、过渡壳和洋壳的下地壳Ｐ波速度普遍较高。地壳伸展系数的计算表明南海北部陆缘伸展主要发育于陆坡地区。结合区域地质研究,本文认为：南海北部陆缘及     

Middle miocene deduction and late miocene beginning of collision registered in the hengchun peninsula: Geodynamic implications for the evolution of Taiwan

Taiwan is located in the axis of the Manila Trench. It results from an oblique collision between the northernmost part of the Luzon arc and the Chinese passive margin. This active collision follows the subduction of the Oligocene-Miocene oceanic crust of the South China Sea along the Manila Trench. The tectonized Chinese margin emerged in the Hengchun peninsula (South Taiwan). Gentle folds which are delineated by the Quaternary reefal limestones demonstrate Recent deformations. These folds deformed a thick detrital sequence of Miocene age (Ssuchung Chi series) which was previously strongly folded and thrust westward (axis NS-N20) upon the Renting mélange of Latest Miocene age. These main deformations, sealed by the Middle Pliocene, are the evidence for the onset of collision in this part of Taiwan at the end of the Miocene. Because of its obliquity, the collision started already in the northern part of Taiwan during the Late Miocene (6-7-8 Ma ?).The Ssuchung Chi series, a sequence of proximal turbidites, has contained, since the Middle Miocene (NN 6~13 Ma), fragments of an Oligocene to Lower Miocene oceanic crust. This ophiolitic material is very similar to the East Taiwan Ophiolite of the Coastal Range. It originated most probably from a slice of South China Sea crust obducted in Middle Miocene times (13–14 Ma) upon the Chinese margin (North of the Hengchun peninsula). This obduction occurred 7 to 8 Ma before the beginning of collision. These results make it possible to propose an evolutionary model for Taiwan from the Oligocene to the Recent, with the different phases of a collision between a volcanic arc and a passive margin.     

南海中央海盆条带状磁异常特征与海底扩张

在我国南海中央海盆中分布着大范围的规律性很强的条带状磁异常(近50万km²)。对它们进行分析、对比与解释,认为这是我国疆界内存在的由中央扩张脊型海底扩张产生的磁条带地层的反映,是洋壳增生的一个实例。它发生在新生代第三纪中晚期,距今32.3Ma～1.7Ma,具有太平洋西部边缘海底扩张型特点。对国内外地学界有争议的南中国海的形成与演化有了进一步的认识,对南海深部地质构造、地壳结构的研究和矿产资源开发等都具有重要意义。     

陕西秦岭梁岩体LA ICP MS锆石U Pb年龄及其地质意义

三叠纪花岗岩在秦岭造山带广泛发育,直接记录了秦岭造山带演化过程中的重要信息。秦岭梁岩体位于秦岭造山带商丹缝合带北侧,岩性主要为石英二长斑岩,斑晶为钾长石,部分斑晶具有白色斜长石环边;基质主要由石英(25%)、斜长石(45%)、钾长石(10%)、黑云母(15%)、角闪石(5%)组成。秦岭梁岩体中的锆石自形程度好,具环带结构,显示岩浆锆石的特征,两个样品的LA ICP MS锆石U Pb同位素年龄分别为(2165±21) Ma和(2194±26) Ma,二者在误差范围内一致,表明该岩体的岩浆结晶年龄为晚三叠纪。秦岭梁岩体的岩浆结晶年龄与勉略洋壳向北俯冲的时间(248~200 Ma)一致,表明岩体的形成与勉略洋壳向北俯冲有密切联系;同时秦岭梁石英二长斑岩的地球化学特征显示其是洋壳俯冲时弧岩浆活动的产物。因此北秦岭地区勉略洋闭合时间和陆陆碰撞拼合时间应不早于216~219 Ma。     

南沙微地块花岗质岩石LA ICP MS锆石U Pb定年及其地质意义

南沙微地块一直被作为华南大陆的一部分,但缺乏基底岩石学证据的支持。本文首次报道了南沙微地块花岗质岩石岩浆锆石年龄。测年方法为激光剥蚀等离子体质谱（LAICPMS）测年技术。在站位S0818获得2个斜长花岗岩样品年龄: 分别为159.1±1.6 Ma和157.8±1.0 Ma,在站位S0832获得两个二长花岗岩样品年龄: 分别为153.6±0.3 Ma和127.2±0.2 Ma, 表明它们为燕山期晚侏罗世—早白垩世岩浆事件的产物。其中153～159 Ma年龄值可与南岭燕山期花岗岩年龄比较,而127 Ma年龄值可与浙闽沿海燕山期花岗岩年龄对比。一个样品中存在一个年龄为656.7 Ma的残余锆石核,结合中西沙发现的前寒武纪基底岩石资料,表明南海内散落的微地块可能广泛存在前寒武纪结晶基底,本区中生代花岗岩为古老陆壳重熔形成的。这一新的资料,对研究燕山期岩浆作用在中国南部的影响范围、南海微陆块前寒武纪地质及微陆块的裂离动力学都具有重要意义。     

俯冲陆壳部分熔融形成埃达克质岩浆

在岛弧背景,埃达克质岩浆形成于俯冲洋壳板片的部分熔融已得到共识,但在大陆碰撞背景,埃达克质岩浆是否形成于俯冲陆壳的部分熔融尚未有研究报导。对祁连山东南部关山花岗岩（229 Ma）的地球化学和岩石成因研究提供了俯冲陆壳部分熔融形成埃达克质岩浆的一个实例。关山花岗岩以高K（K2O=4.12%~5.16%,K2O/Na2O=0.97~1.64）、高Sr/Y比值（13.6~84.1）、低Y （6.8×10-6 ~15.7×10-6 ）和低HREE（eg. Yb=0.62×10-6~1.31×10-6）为特征,并具有强分异的稀土元素组成模式[（La/Yb）N=17.5~41.6]和演化的Sr-Nd同位素组成[初始87Sr/86Sr=0.70587~0.70714, εNd（t）=-10.9~-5.16, tDM=1.10~1.49 Ga]。这些地球化学特征表明关山花岗岩属于大陆型（C型）埃达克质岩石,而明显不同于俯冲洋壳板片或底侵玄武质下地壳部分熔融形成的埃达克岩。关山花岗岩Pb-Sr-Nd同位素组成与商丹断裂北侧的祁连山前寒武纪基底岩石、早古生代火山岩和花岗岩类存在显著差异,但类似于商丹断裂南侧秦岭早中生代花岗岩类的Pb-Sr-Nd同位素组成,由此认为具有埃达克质的关山花岗岩的岩浆来自于南部俯冲陆壳物质的部分熔融,并提出了大陆碰撞背景中埃达克质岩浆产生的一个新的地质模型。     

华南腹地白垩纪A型花岗岩类或碱性侵入岩年代学及其对华南晚中生代构造演化的制约

华南腹地存在多个白垩纪的A型花岗岩类或碱性侵入岩,如安徽花山霓辉石钠闪石花岗岩、福建大沅村霓辉石钠铁闪石花岗岩、广东恶鸡脑霞石方钠石正长岩以及浙江大和山辉石石英正长斑岩、苏村晶洞钾长花岗岩。锆石SHRIMP和矿物的40Ar-39Ar年代学研究表明,这些岩石主要形成于137-86Ma。以本文的年代学研究为基础,并结合前人大量研究成果, 将华南晚中生代的A型花岗岩类或碱性侵入岩大致分成三期:(1)侏罗纪(184-152Ma)A型花岗岩类或碱性侵入岩,主要沿“十-杭裂谷带”南段分布,在赣南也有分布,可能与古太平洋板块低速斜向俯冲或平移所导致的走滑伸展或与不受古太平洋板块运动影响的岩石圈伸展有关;(2)早白垩世(139-123Ma)A型花岗岩类或碱性侵入岩,分布于政和-大埔断裂带以西,可能与古太平洋板块快速斜向俯冲所导致的弧后伸展或岩石圈减薄有关;(3)晚白垩世(101-86Ma)A型花岗岩类或碱性侵入岩,主要沿闽浙沿海地区分布,同时在华南腹地也有零星分布,可能与大陆边缘弧的塌陷(collapse)或俯冲洋壳反转(roll- back)后的岩石圈伸展有关。     

粤西大金山钨锡多金属矿床地质特征及成岩成矿年代学研究

粤西大金山钨锡多金属矿是一个近年新发现的与花岗岩有关的石英脉型钨锡多金属矿,目前估算的资源量已达中型,并具有大型矿床的找矿潜力。矿体形态简单,主要以石英脉的形式产出,由石英脉、云英岩脉和多金属硫化物石英脉等组成。钨锡多金属矿化的主要类型为细脉状和网脉状,围岩蚀变主要有硅化、云英岩化和绿泥石化等。本文在详细介绍矿床地质特征的基础上,对矿床进行了成岩成矿年代学研究。采用LA-MC-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年技术,得到了花岗岩的成岩年龄:中细粒黑云母花岗岩形成于82.89±0.35Ma~85.6±0.52Ma,似斑状黑云母花岗岩形成于75.01±0.16Ma~84.17±0.34Ma。通过对与中细粒黑云母花岗岩有关的5件石英脉型辉钼矿进行Re-Os同位素分析,获得其模式年龄为80.07±1.19Ma~84.93±1.42Ma。以上年代学测试结果说明大金山钨锡多金属矿成岩成矿时代为晚白垩世,成岩成矿作用基本同时。本文认为大金山钨锡多金属矿成岩成矿作用发生在华南晚中生代岩石圈拉张-伸展的构造背景下,是华南晚中生代大规模成岩成矿作用的产物。     

Two Periods of Skarn Mineralization in the Baizhangyan W–Mo Deposit,Southern Anhui Province,Southeast China: Evidence from Zircon U–Pb and Molybdenite Re–Os and Sulfur Isotope Data

The recently discovered Baizhangyan skarn‐porphyry type W–Mo deposit in southern Anhui Province in SE China occurs near the Middle–Lower Yangtze Valley polymetallic metallogenic belt. The deposit is closely temporally‐spatially associated with the Mesozoic Qingyang granitic complex composed of g ranodiorite, monzonitic g ranite, and alkaline g ranite. Orebodies of the deposit occur as horizons, veins, and lenses within the limestones of Sinian Lantian Formation contacting with buried fine‐grained granite, and diorite dykes. There are two types of W mineralization: major skarn W–Mo mineralization and minor granite‐hosted disseminated Mo mineralization. Among skarn mineralization, mineral assemblages and cross‐cutting relationships within both skarn ores and intrusions reveal two distinct periods of mineralization, i.e. the first W–Au period related to the intrusion of diorite dykes, and the subsequent W–Mo period related to the intrusion of the fine‐grained granite. In this paper, we report new zircon U–Pb and molybdenite Re–Os ages with the aim of constraining the relationships among the monzonitic granite, fine‐grained granite, diorite dykes, and W mineralization. Zircons of the monzonitic granite, the fine‐grained granite, and diorite dykes yield weighted mean U–Pb ages of 129.0 ± 1.2 Ma, 135.34 ± 0.92 Ma and 145.3 ± 1.7 Ma, respectively. Ten molybdenite Re–Os age determinations yield an isochron age of 136.9 ± 4.5 Ma and a weighted mean age of 135.0 ± 1.2 Ma. The molybdenites have δ³⁴S values of 3.6‰–6.6‰ and their Re contents ranging from 7.23 ppm to 15.23 ppm. A second group of two molybdenite samples yield ages of 143.8 ± 2.1 and 146.3 ± 2.0 Ma, containing Re concentrations of 50.5–50.9 ppm, and with δ³⁴S values of 1.6‰–4.8‰. The molybdenites from these two distinct groups of samples contain moderate concentrations of Re (7.23–50.48 ppm), suggesting that metals within the deposit have a mixed crust–mantle provenance. Field observation and new age and isotope data obtained in this study indicate that the first diorite dyke‐related skarn W–Au mineralization took place in the Early Cretaceous peaking at 143.0–146.3 Ma, and was associated with a mixed crust–mantle system. The second fine‐grained granite‐related skarn W–Mo mineralization took place a little later at 135.0–136.9 Ma, and was crust‐dominated. The fine‐grained granite was not formed by fractionation of the Qingyang monzonitic granite. This finding suggests that the first period of skarn W–Au mineralization in the Baizhangyan deposit resulted from interaction between basaltic magmas derived from the upper lithospheric mantle and crustal material at 143.0–146.3 and the subsequent period of W–Mo mineralization derived from the crust at 135.0–136.9 Ma.     

Denudation History of South China Block and Sediment Supply to Northern Margin of the South China Sea

On the basis of apatite fission track (AFT) analyses,this article aims to provide a quantitative overview of Cenozoic morphotectonic evolution and sediment supply to the northern margin of the South China Sea (SCS).Seventeen granite samples were collected from the coast to the inland of the South China block.Plots of AFT age against sample location with respect to the coastline show a general trend of youngling age away from the coast,which implies more prolonged erosion and sediment contribution at the inland of the South China Sea during post break-up evolution.Two-stage fast erosion process,Early Tertiary and Middle Miocene,is deduced from simulated cooling histories.The first fast cooling and denudation during Early Tertiary are recorded by the samples along the coast (between 70 and 60 Ma) and the inland (between 50 and 30 Mu),respectively.This suggests initial local erosion and deposition in the northern margin of the SCS during Early Tertiary.Fast erosion along the coast ceased since ca.50 Ma,while it had lasted until ca.30 Ma inland,indicating that the erosion was transferred from the local coastal zone initially toward the continental interior with unified subsidence of the northern margin,which resulted in the formation of a south-dipping topography of the continental margin.The thermal stosis in the South China block since ca.30 Mu must det'me the time at which the northern margin became dynamically disconnected from the active rifting and stretching that was taking place to the south.The lower erosion rate is inconsistent with higher sedimentary rate in the Pearl River Mouth basin during Late Oligocene (ca.25 Ma).This indicates that the increased sedimentation in the basin is not due to the erosion of the granite belt of the South China block,but perhaps points to the westward propagation of the paleo-Pearl River drainage related to the uplift of the eastern margin of Tibet plateau and southward jumping of spreading axis of the South China Sea.The socond erosion acceleration rate of the Middle Miocene (ca.14 Ma) cooling could have been linked to the long-distance effect of uplift of the Tibet plateau or due to the enhanced East Asian monsoon.