Late Cretaceous chronostratigraphy （Turonian-Maastrichtian）： SK1 core Songliao Basin, China

Non-marine ostracodes,charophytes and palynomorphs are abundant in most Cretaceous lacustrine basins of East Asia.However,their ranges are not directly integrated with marine biota that defines the Cre...     

The Cretaceous Songliao Basin: Volcanogenic Succession, Sedimentary Sequence and Tectonic Evolution, NE China

The Songliao basin (SB) is a superposed basin with two different kinds of basin fills. The lower one is characterized by a fault-bounded volcanogenic succession comprising of intercalated volcanic, pyroclastic and epiclastic rocks. The volcanic rocks, dating from 110 Ma to 130 Ma, are of geochemically active continental margin type. Fast northward migration of the SB block occurred during the major episodes of the volcanism inferred from their paleomagnetic information. The upper one of the basin fill is dominated by non-marine sag-style sedimentary sequence of siliciclastics and minor carbonates. The basin center shifted westwards from the early to late Cretaceous revealed by the GGT seismic velocity structure suggesting dynamic change in the basin evolution. Thus, a superposed basin model is proposed. Evolution of the SB involves three periods including (1) Alptian and pre-Aptian: a retroarc basin and range system of Andes type related to Mongolia-Okhotsk collisional belt (MOCB); (2) Albian to Companian: a sag-like strike-slip basin under transtension related to oblique subduction of the Pacific plate along the eastern margin of the Eurasian plate; (3) since Maastrichtian: a tectonic inverse basin under compression related to normal subduction of the Pacific plate under the Eurasian plate, characterized by overthrust, westward migration of the depocenter and eastward uplifting of the basin margin.     

Early Cretaceous rift-related volcanism in the Songliao Basin,NE China – A geochemical study

Following the amalgamation of the Siberian and North China Cratons, NE China, as part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), underwent Late Mesozoic lithospheric extension that was associated with volcanic activity. The Songliao Basin is the most important rift structure formed during these processes and contains voluminous volcanic rocks interlayered with sedimentary infill. Mafic-to-intermediate lavas are associated with felsic ones. This study focusses on the geochemical compositions of the less-widespread Early Cretaceous mafic-to-intermediate lavas in the Songliao Basin and compares them with the more abundant felsic rocks. Two mafic-to-intermediate magma series, one with alkaline and the other with sub-alkaline affinity, were identified. High MgO and Cr contents, low Th/Nb and La/Nb ratios, and variable but depleted Nd isotope compositions indicate that both magma suites were most likely formed by the melting of enriched upper mantle sources. Sub-alkaline mafic-to-intermediate rocks and I-type rhyolites define a co-genetic magma series. This rock suite was produced by the melting of subduction-modified lithospheric mantle and subsequent magma evolution as well as crustal melting during lithospheric extension. Alkaline mafic-to-intermediate rocks and A-type rhyolites form another co-genetic magma suite that was produced under within-plate conditions from an OIB-type mantle source, supposed to be the heterogeneous shallow asthenosphere and/or the lower lithosphere. Decompression partial melting of this mantle source requires a relatively thin lithosphere. The development of alkaline mafic rocks and A-type rhyolites as typical bimodal volcanic assemblage reflects that lithospheric thinning below the Songliao Basin reached its maximum, whereas basin rifting terminated afterwards.     

Late Cretaceous (Campanian/Maastrichtian) freshwater to restricted marine mollusc fauna from the Loncoche Formation,Neuquén Basin,west-central Argentina

This study is the first detailed account of freshwater to restricted marine molluscs from the Upper Cretaceous sedimentary rocks in the northern sector of the Neuquén Basin. The fossils are from the Campanian–Maastrichtian Loncoche Formation in southern Mendoza, west-central Argentina, which records the initial connection of the Neuquén Basin to the Atlantic Ocean. Six species of bivalves (Diplodon bodenbenderi, Pleiodon? sp., Isognomon? mechanquilensis, Mactridae? indet., Panopea? sp., and Laternula sp.) and three of gastropods (Paleoanculosa macrochilinoides, Paleoanculosa ameghiniana, and a possible cerithioidean) are described. Specimens were collected from fine to coarse sandstones, which may be massive or with planar stratification, planar-cross stratification or trough-cross stratification, and a few from bioclastic limestones and mudstones. Although the sections are from 50 to 300 m thick, the specimens are found only in the lower 120 m. Molluscs represent autochthonous/parautochthonous assemblages composed of mostly non-broken gastropods and articulated bivalve specimens, some of which show signs of postmortem transport; however, they were not removed far from their original habitat. Review of the habitats of living genera supports the inference of dominantly freshwater palaeoenvironments in the lower and middle part of the Loncoche Formation, with restricted marine influence in the southernmost localities studied where there are a few samples that contain specimens belonging to predominantly marine groups (e.g., Laternula, Panopea).     

A Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous metamorphic core complex,Strandja Massif,NW Turkey

In the eastern part of the Strandja Massif constituting the east end of the Rhodope Massif, the amphibolite facies basement rocks intruded by Permian metagranites are juxtaposed against the greenschist facies cover metasediments of Triassic-Middle Jurassic protolith age. The distinct metamorphic break between the basement and cover rocks requires a missing metamorphic section. The boundary between the two groups of rocks is a ductile to brittle extensional shear zone with kinematic indicators exhibiting a top to the E/NE shear sense. Footwall rocks are cut by weakly metamorphosed and foliated granite bodies which are clearly distinguished from the Permian metagranites by their degree of deformation, cross-cutting relations and syn-tectonic/kinematic character. Also, hangingwall rocks were intruded by unmetamorphosed and weakly foliated leucogranites. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data indicate that the ductile deformation from 156.5 to 143.2 Ma (Middle Oxfordian-Earliest Berriasian) developed during the syn-tectonic plutonism in the footwall. Deformation, and gradual/slower cooling-exhumation survived until to 123 Ma (Barremian). The mylonitic and brittle deformation in the detachment zone developed during Oxfordian-Earliest Berriasian time (155.7–142.6 Ma) and Early Valanginian-Aptian time (136–118.7 Ma), respectively. Our new field mapping and first ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages demonstrate the existence of an extensional core complex of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous age not previously described in the Rhodope/Strandja massifs.     

Mesozoic Volcanism Surrounding Songliao Basin,China: Implication for the Relationship with Evolution of Basin

ＭｅｓｏｚｏｉｃＶｏｌｃａｎｉｓｍＳｕｒｏｕｎｄｉｎｇＳｏｎｇｌｉａｏＢａｓｉｎ，Ｃｈｉｎａ：ＩｍｐｌｉｃａｔｉｏｎｆｏｒｔｈｅＲｅｌａｔｉｏｎｓｈｉｐｗｉｔｈＥｖｏｌｕｔｉｏｎｏｆＢａｓｉｎ＊ＬｕＦｅｎｇｘｉａｎｇＺｈｕＱｉｎｗｅｎＬｉＳｉｔｉａｎ...     

A New Protoceratopsid (Dinosauria: Neoceratopsia) from the Late Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia, China

An almost complete skull, which was collected from the Upper Cretaceous of the Bayan Mandahu area in Inner Mongolia, China by the Sino-Canadian Dinosaur Project, is described and assigned to a new genus of protoceratopsid dinosaur, Magnirostris dodsoni gen. et sp. nov. This new taxon is distinguished from other protoceratopsids by the robust rostral bone and the existence of incipient orbital horn cores. The existence of an additional antorbital fenestra indicates a close relationship between Magnirostris and Bagaceratops.     

Mid–Late Cretaceous igneous activity in South China: the Qianjia example,Hainan Island

ABSTRACT

Both Pacific and Neo-Tethys plates had major influences on the Cretaceous magmatisms in southeastern China. The subduction of the Neo-Tethys plate is, however, not well studied. This paper reports zircon U–Pb ages, Lu–Hf isotopes, whole-rock geochemistry, and Sr–Nd isotopes for the Qianjia intrusive rocks in Hainan Island, southeast China. LA-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry zircon U–Pb dating of granites and dark enclave monzonite in the area yield magmatic crystallization ages of ca. 100 Ma, which are consistent with other Late Cretaceous granites, e.g. Baocheng, Tunchang, and Yaliang. Both rocks show high-K calc-alkaline compositions and metaluminous to weakly peraluminous signatures belonging to I-type rocks. They are enriched in the alkalis, Rb, Th, U, K, and light rare earth elements, depleted in Nb, Ta, Ti, and P, and characterized by high Al₂O₃ contents (14–15 wt%) and high Mg^# values (50–53). Among them, some of granodiorites have geochemical affinities of adakitic rocks. Zircon ε_Hf(t) values range from ?5.97 to ?1.18, with fairly constant whole-rock Sr–Nd isotopes (I_Sr = 0.7084–0.7086; ε_Nd(t) = ?4.97 to ?4.29) similar with those of the Cretaceous mafic dikes (136–81 Ma) in Hainan Island, which are the result of partial melting of subduction-related sub-continental lithospheric mantle. Combined with Sr–Nd isotopes and negative Hf isotope, Qianjia intrusive rocks were likely derived from hybrid melts of underplated continental crust-derived with mantle-derived, then experienced varied degrees of fractional crystallization. According to the latest geophysical, sedimentological, and geochemical data, previous authors identified a Cretaceous E–W-trend subduction zone in the northern margin of the South China Sea. Combined with the southern margin magmatisms (110–80 Ma) and magmatisms of ~120 Ma distributed east–west ward from the Philippines to the Vietnam, We preferred that the subduction of the E–W-trend Neo-Tethys plate was the main geodynamic mechanism which induced the Cretaceous large-scale magmatisms in the southern margin of South China Block.     

Mass-transport Deposits of the Upper Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation, Songliao Terrestrial Basin, Northeast China: Depositional Characteristics, Recognition Criteria and External Geometry

Extensive mass transport deposits（MTDs）, which form a significant component of the stratigraphic record in ancient and modern deep water systems, mostly distributed in the continental margin of ocean basins worldwide. To date, no large-scale MTDs have been found in Chinese terrestrial basins. Based on integrated analysis of the seismic, drilling, core and logging data, this article report MTDs have been found in Songliao terrestrial basin（SLTB）, Northeast China. During the depositional period of the Upper Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation, slope break of lacustrine basins was an ideal discharge place for gravity depositions. Regional sedimentary study of MTDs reveals that Cretaceous-age MTDs in SLTB were deposited in slope-break environments by slide, slump and debris flow, and MTDs were mixed with little turbidite simultaneously. Besides the massive aspect, key features of MTDs are the common presence of deformational structures or softsedimentary deformation, floating shale clasts, boudins, microfaults, distortion beddings, rotated sand debris. Detailed mapping of two three-dimensional（3-D） seismic surveys acquired in Yingtai（YT） and Haituozi（HTZ） areas reveals that MTDs are characterized by chaotic, mounded, and transparent seismic reflection. Growth fault, slope gully and geomorphology of the slope break greatly influenced the sedimentary process and external geometry of MTDs, and as a consequence, MTDs in SLTB exhibit classic fan-like geometry and some special（non-fan-like） external geometry. Furthermore, fanlike MTDs can be divided into three subcategories, including isolated fan, mother-son fan and stacked fan. Non-fan-like MTDs can be divided into two subcategories, strip-like MTDs and faulted-pit MTDs. A new sedimentary model has been built for MTDs in SLTB. MTDs have become a new exploration and development target in the SLTB.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987115001334

The Hongyanjing inter-arc basin,is located at the central part of Beishan Orogenic College(BOC),Gansu Province,northwest China.Thick sequences of Permian sediments were strongly folded,forming extremely spectacular superposed folds.To better understand the thermal history of Hongyanjing interarc basin and to potentially constrain the timing of deformation,apatite fission track thermochronology method was applied on two superposed folds in the Hongyanjing Basin.Samples from the basin,yield central AFT ages ranging from-206 to 118 Ma.AFT peak ages were largely consistent between samples and can divided into three groups:245,204-170 and 112-131 Ma.Subsequent thermal history modeling of the samples from the Hongyanjing Basin can be summarized as follows:(1) thermal reheating by sedimentary burial at ~ 260 to-220 Ma;(2) major cooling from-220 to- 180 Ma;(3) an episode of very slow subsequent cooling from ~180 to 65 Ma(-80 ℃) to present-day outcrop temperatures.Sediments in the Hongyanjing Basin were folded forming F_1 fold during the early to late Triassic(-240-~220 Ma),by regional stress,and at the time that the adjacent Xingxingxia shear zone started to become active.It is further suggested that the F_2 folding occurred at ~225-219 Ma.The deformation age of F_2 should be extended to 180 Ma based on our thermal history modeling for the Hongyanjing Basin,which show a rapid exhumation and cooling at the late Triassic to early Jurassic(-220-~180 Ma).In our interpretations,the F_1 folding is therefore thought to be related to the final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean,while the F_2 folding occurred at ~225-180 Ma associated with a major pulse of orogenesis in the BOC.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987112000035

The well SK-I in the Songliao Basin is the first scientific borehole targeting the continental Cretaceous strata in China.Oval concretions,thin laminae and beds of dolostone are found intercalated within mudstone and organic-rich black shale in the Nenjiang Formation of Campanian age.Low ordered ferruginous dolomite is composed of euhedral-subhedral rhombs with cloudy nucleus and light rims formed during the diagenesis.which are typical features of replacement.The heavy carbon isotopes (δ¹³C_PDB-1.16-16.0) are results of both the fermentation of organic matter by microbes and degassing of carbon dioxide during the period of diagenesis,and the presence of light oxygen isotopes(δ¹⁸O_Pdb- 18.53～-5.1) is a characteristic feature of fresh water influence which means the carbonate may have been altered by ground water or rainwater in the late diagenesis.Marine water incursions into the normally lacustrine basin have been proved by both the salinity of Z value and the occurrence of foraminifera in the same strata where dolomite occurs.Pyrite framboids observed by SEM are usually enclosed in the dolomite crystals or in the mudstones,supporting the sulfate reducing bacteria（SRB）.The formation of both dolomite and pyrite are associated with marine water incursions,which not only supply magnesium ion for dolomite,but also result in limited carbonate precipitation in the basin.The presence of pyrite tramboids indicates the development of an anoxic environment associated with salinity stratification in the lake.The dolomite in the Nenjiang Formation is the results of marine water incursions,diagenetic replacement of calcareous carbonate and sulfate reducing bacteria（SRB）.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987111001307

South China Sea(SCS) is the largest Western Pacific marginal sea.However,microbial studies have never been performed in the cold seep sediments in the SCS.In 2004."SONNE" 177 cruise found two cold seep areas with different water depth in the northern SCS.Haiyang 4 area,where the water depth is around 3000 m.has already been confirmed for active seeping on the seafloor.such as microbial mats,authigenic carbonate crusts and bivalves.We investigated microbial abundance and diversity in a 5.55-111 sediment core collected from this cold seep area.An integrated approach was employed including geochemistry and 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analyses.Here,we show that microbial abundance and diversity along with geochemistry profiles of the sediment core revealed a coupled reaction between sulphate reduction and methane oxidation.Acridine orange direct count results showed that microbial abundance ranges from 10~5 to 10~6 cells/g sediment(wet weight).The depth-related variation of the abundance showed the same trend as the methane concentration profile.Phylogenetic analysis indicated the presence of sulphate-reducing bacteria and anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea.The diversity was much higher at the surface,but decreased sharply with depth in response to changes in the geochemical conditions of the sediments,such as methane,sulphate concentration and total organic carbon.Marine Benthic Group B.Chloroflexi and JSl were predominant phylotypes of the archaeal and bacterial libraries,respectively.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987114001571

The paper discusses generation of volatile-bearing plumes in the mantle transition zone(MTZ) in terms of mineral-fluid petrology and their related formation of numerous localities of intra-plate bimodal volcanic series in Central and East Asia.The plume generation in the MTZ can be triggered by the tectonic erosion of continental crust at Pacific-type convergent margins and by the presence of water and carbon dioxide in the mantle.Most probable sources of volatiles are the hyclrated/carbonated sediments and basalts and serpentinite of oceanic slabs,which can be subducted down to the deep mantle.Tectonic erosion of continental crust supplies crustal material enriched in uranium and thorium into the mantle,which can serve source of heat in the MTZ.The heating in the MTZ induces melting of subducted slabs and continental crust and mantle upwelling,to produce OIB-type mafic and felsic melts,respectively.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987113000820

The combined use of Hf,Nd and Sr isotopes is more useful in understanding the supercontinent cycle than the use of only Hf isotopic data from detrital zircons.Sr and Nd seawater isotopes,although not as precise as εNd and εHf distributions,also record input from ocean ridge systems.Unlike detrital zircons where sources cannot be precisely located because of crustal recycling,both the location and tectonic setting often can be constrained for whole-rock Nd isotopic data.Furthermore,primary zircon sources may not reside on the same continent as derivative detrital zircons due to supercontinent breakup and assembly.Common to all of the isotopic studies are geographic sampling biases reflecting outcrop distributions,river system sampling,or geologists,and these may be responsible for most of the decorrelation observed between isotopic systems.Distributions between 3.5 and 2 Ga based on εHf median values of four detrital zircon databases as well as our compiled εNd database are noisy but uniformly distributed in time,whereas data between 2 and 1 Ga data are more tightly clustered with smaller variations.Grouped age peaks suggest that both isotopic systems are sampling similar types of orogens.Only after 1 Ga and before 3.5 Ga do we see wide variations and significant disagreement between databases,which may partially reflect variations in both the number of sample locations and the number of samples per location.External and internal orogens show similar patterns in εNd and εHfwith age suggesting that both juvenile and reworked crustal components are produced in both types of orogens with similar proportions.However,both types of orogens clearly produce more juvenile isotopic signatures in retreating mode than in advancing mode.Many secular changes in εHf and εNd distributions correlate with the supercontinent cycle.Although supercontinent breakup is correlated with short-lived decreasing εHf and εNd （≤ 100 Myr） for most supercontinents,there is no isotopic evidence for the breakup of the Paleoproterozoic supercontinent Nuna.Assembly of supercontinents by extroversion is recorded by decreasing εNd in granitoids and metasediments and decreasing εHf in zircons,attesting to the role of crustal reworking in external orogens in advancing mode.As expected,seawater Sr isotopes increase and seawater Nd isotopes decrease during supercontinent assembly by extroversion.Pangea is the only supercontinent that has a clear isotopic record of introversion assembly,during which median εNd and εHf rise rapidly for ≤ 100 Myr.Although expected to increase,radiogenic seawater Sr decreases （and seawater Nd increases） during assembly of Pangea,a feature that may be caused by juvenile input into the oceans from new ocean ridges and external orogens in retreating mode.The fact that a probable onset of plate tectonics around 3 Ga is not recorded in isotopic distributions may be due the existence of widespread felsic crust formed prior to the onset of plate tectonics in a stagnant lid tectonic regime,as supported by Nd and Hf model ages.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987114000279

Post-disaster very high resolution(VHR) satellite data are potential sources to provide detailed information on damage and geological changes for a large area in a short time.In this paper,we studied landslides triggered by the M_w 6.9 earthquake in Sikkim,India which occurred on 18 September 2011 using VHR data from Cartosat-1,GeoEye-1,QuickBird-2 and WorldView-2 satellites.Since the earthquake-affected area is located in mostly inaccessible Himalayan terrain,VHR data from these satellites provided a unique opportunity for quick and synoptic assessment of the damage.Using visual change analysis technique through comparison of pre- and post-earthquake images,we assessed the damage caused by the event.A total of 123 images acquired from eight satellites,covering an area of4105 km2 were analysed and 1196 new landslides triggered by the earthquake were mapped.Road blockages and severely affected villages were also identified.Geological assessment of the terrain highlighted linear disposition of landslides along existing fault scarps,suggesting a reactivation of fault.The landslide inventory map prepared from VHR images also showed a good correlation with the earthquake shake map.Results showed that several parts of north Sikkim,particularly Mangan and Chungthang,which are close to the epicentre,were severely affected by the earthquake,and that the event-based landslide inventory map can be used in future earthquake-triggered landslide susceptibility assessment studies.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987113000315

The Panzhihua gabbroic intrusion,part of the plumbing system of the Emeishan large igneous province, intruded late-Proterozoic dolomites and marls about～263 Ma ago.The dolomites in the contact aureole were converted to brucite marbles and a diverse suite of forsterite,diopside and garnet skarns.The variation in mineralogy is explained in part by differences in the composition of the protolith,particularly the proportion of silica minerals and clay,and in part by transfer of elements from intruding magmas.The trace element compositions of most marbles and skarns are very similar to those of unmetamorphosed dolomites and marls,but some contain high Si,Ti,and Fe contents that are interpreted to have come from a magmatic source.Three brucite marbles sampled～10 m from the contact of the intrusion and named "enriched brucite marble" have trace element compositions very different from their dolomitic protolith:their rare earth elements are strongly enriched whereas levels of Nb-Ta,Zr-Hf and Ti are very low.These characteristics resemble those of carbonate liquid in equilibrium with silicate liquid or more probably with silicate minerals in the case of Panzhihua,a similarity we take to indicate that the sample underwent partial melting.Samples taken up to 300 m from the contact contain brucite indicating that high temperatures persisted well into the country rocks.However,other samples collected only tens of metres from the contact are only slightly recrystallized indicating that conditions in the aureole were highly variable.We suggest that temperatures within the aureole were controlled by conduction of heat from the main intrusion and by supply of additional heat from abundant small dykes within the aureole.Circulation of fluids derived from deeper levels in the aureole flushed the carbon dioxide from the dolomite,lowering temperature needed to partially melt carbonate to the temperatures attained near the intrusion.Irregular but extensive heating destabilized the carbonates of the aureole and decarbonation reactions associated with carbonate breakdown and melting emitted a large volume of CO₂,with potential impact on global climate.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987113001151

Magma mixing process is unusual in the petrogenesis of felsic rocks associated with alkaline complex worldwide. Here we present a rare example of magma mixing in syenite from the Yelagiri Alkaline Comp...