From continental rifting to seafloor spreading: Insight from 3D thermo-mechanical modeling

Continental rifting to seafloor spreading is a continuous process, and rifting history influences the following spreading process. However, the complete process is scarcely simulated. Using 3D thermo-mechanical coupled visco-plastic numerical models, we investigate the complete extension process and the inheritance of continental rifting in oceanic spreading. Our modeling results show that the initial continental lithosphere rheological coupling/decoupling at the Moho affects oceanic spreading in two manners: (1) coupled model (a strong lower crust mechanically couples upper crust and upper mantle lithosphere) generates large lithospheric shear zones and fast rifting, which promotes symmetric oceanic accretion (i.e. oceanic crust growth) and leads to a relatively straight oceanic ridge, while (2) decoupled model (a weak ductile lower crust mechanically decouples upper crust and upper mantle lithosphere) generates separate crustal and mantle shear zones and favors asymmetric oceanic accretion involving development of active detachment faults with 3D features. Complex ridge geometries (e.g. overlapping ridge segments and curved ridges) are generated in the decoupled models. Two types of detachment faults termed continental and oceanic detachment faults are established in the coupled and decoupled models, respectively. Continental detachment faults are generated through rotation of high angle normal faults during rifting, and terminated by magmatism during continental breakup. Oceanic detachment faults form in oceanic crust in the late rifting–early spreading stage, and dominates asymmetric oceanic accretion. The life cycle of oceanic detachment faults has been revealed in this study.     

Diffuse magnetic anomalies in marginal basins: Their possible tectonic and petrologic significance

Marginal basins, areas of oceanic lithosphere peripheral to large ocean basins, may be formed by several processes, but the young active marginal basins have the geophysical and geochemical characteristics of young normal oceanic lithosphere. We recognize two distinct tectonic settings in which new oceanic lithosphere may be formed in areas which would be termed marginal basins:

1. (1) Upwelling of fractional melts of mantle material from the region above subducted lithospheric slabs leads to the generation of new oceanic lithosphere behind island arcs. The general case for this tectonic setting involves random location of magma leaks and does not produce correlatable magnetic anomalies. In special cases, an orthogonal ridge—transform system may duplicate the magnetic patterns found on ocean-basin crust.

2. (2) The second tectonic setting develops on very long “leaky” transform faults separating spreading ridges. In areas where the transform has dislocated a block of continental crust, or an island arc, the map view of the resulting marginal basin may resemble the setting of a basin behind an active island arc. However, the “leaky” transform setting is unrelated to active plate convergence or to Benioff zones.

At “normal” ridge-crests, and possibly in some marginal basins, basalt is erupted on long linear magma leaks and rapid cooling forms thick lithosphere with correlatable linear magnetic anomalies. Some marginal basins have high thermal flux, spread slowly and may have thick sediment cover. Slow cooling, numerous point-source magma leaks and extensive hydrothermal alteration diminish magnetic intensities and cause diffuse magnetic patterns. The correlation problems caused by diffuse magnetic anomalies make interpretations of spreading rates and directions in young marginal basins a difficult, if not futile, task.It is likely that fragments of marginal-basin lithosphere form some of the ophiolite complexes; their recognition is critical to paleo-tectonic interpretations. The geochemical characteristics of marginal-basin basalts do not appear to be useful criteria for distinguishing them from ocean-ridge basalts. However, the abundance of short ridges and seamounts in many young marginal basins suggests that an abundance of seamount material, as well as differentiated volcanic and plutonic rocks, in ophiolites may be an indication of derivation from marginal-basin lithosphere.     

Tectonic Evolution and Key Geological Issues of the Proto‐South China Sea

There are numerous controversies surrounding the tectonic properties and evolution of the Proto-South China Sea(PSCS).By combining data from previously published works with our geological and paleontological observations of the South China Sea(SCS),we propose that the PSCS should be analyzed within two separate contexts:its paleogeographic location and the history of its oceanic crust.With respect to its paleogeographic location,the tectonic properties of the PSCS vary widely from the Triassic to the mid-Late Cretaceous.In the Triassic,the Paleo-Tethys and the Paleo-Pacific Oceans were the major causes of tectonic changes in the SCS,while the PCSC may have been a remnant sea residing upon Tethys or Paleo-Pacific oceanic crust.In the Jurassic,the Meso-Tethys and the Paleo-Pacific oceans joined,creating a PSCS back-arc basin consisting of Meso-Tethys and/or Paleo-Pacific oceanic crust.From the Early Cretaceous to the midLate Cretaceous,the Paleo-Pacific Ocean was the main tectonic body affecting the SCS;the PSCS may have been a marginal sea or a back-arc basin with Paleo-Pacific oceanic crust.With respect to its oceanic crust,due to the subduction and retreat of the Paleo-Pacific plate in Southeast Asia at the end of the Late Cretaceous,the SCS probably produced new oceanic crust,which allowed the PSCS to formally emerge.At this time,the PSCS was most likely a combination of a new marginal sea and a remnant sea;its oceanic crust,which eventually subducted and became extinct,consisted of both new oceanic crust and remnant oceanic crust from the Paleo-Pacific Ocean.In the present day,the remnant PSCS oceanic crust is located in the southwestern Nansha Trough.     

Obduction triggered by regional heating during plate reorganization

The reason for obduction, or tectonic transport of oceanic lithosphere onto continents, is investigated by two‐dimensional thermo‐mechanical numerical modelling based on the geology of the Anatolia–Lesser Caucasus ophiolites. Heating of the oceanic domain and extension induced by far‐field plate kinematics appear to be essential for the obduction of ~80‐Ma‐old oceanic crust over distances exceeding 200 km. Heating of the oceanic lithosphere by mantle upwelling is evidenced by a thick alkaline volcanic series emplaced on top of the oceanic crust 10–20 Ma before obduction, at the onset of Africa–Eurasia convergence. Regional heating reduced the negative buoyancy and strength of the magmatically old lithosphere. Extension facilitated the propagation of obduction by reducing the mantle lithosphere thickness, which led to the exhumation of eclogite‐free continental crust previously underthrusted beneath the ophiolites. This extensional event is ascribed to far‐field plate kinematics resulting from renewed Neotethys oceanic subduction beneath Eurasia.     

被动陆缘洋陆转换带和岩石圈伸展破裂过程分析及其对南海陆缘深水盆地研究的启示

作为伸展陆壳和正常洋壳之间重要的过渡和衔接,洋陆转换带(ocean-continent transition,简写为OCT)蕴含有丰富的地壳岩石圈伸展破裂过程的信息。文中通过系统的资料调研,在总结OCT研究历史、现状和发展趋势的基础上,阐明了OCT的现代概念、类型及其识别标志;详细介绍了以OCT为基础而建立的被动陆缘地壳岩石圈结构构造单元划分方案、表层沉积盆地构造地层格架及重要的构造变革界面特征;分析了大型拆离断层在地壳岩石圈薄化、地幔剥露过程中的控制作用;揭示了陆缘变形集中、迁移和叠合的规律,建立了被动陆缘岩石圈伸展、薄化、剥露和裂解模式。最后,论文对比了国际非岩浆型被动大陆边缘与我国南海OCT的研究,介绍了南海OCT和陆缘深水超深水盆地研究的新发现,提出深入研究南海OCT将为南海陆缘构造演化、洋盆扩张过程和深水超深水盆地的成因机制研究提供新的启示。     

岩石圈伸展的壳/幔拆离模型(Parallel Extension Tectonics):华北克拉通东部早白垩世岩石圈减薄与破坏机理

华北克拉通岩石圈减薄和破坏机理长期以来存在争议,基于岩石学、岩石地球的化学分析研究突出强调深部过程的重要性。前人提出了两种重要模式:包括以拆沉作用为代表的top-down tectonics模型和以热-机械侵蚀与化学侵蚀,或地幔置换、交代作用的bottom-up tectonics模型。然而,对于这两种模式而言尚存在许多无法合理解释的问题,比如在此深部过程中,区域性岩石圈伸展有多大的贡献?地壳伸展构造是作为深部过程的响应,还是同为岩石圈伸展的产物?本文基于早白垩世东亚地区(尤其是华北克拉通东部地区)伸展构造与岩浆活动的综合分析,揭示出华北克拉通东部不同地区伸展构造变形与岩浆活动之间的时、空和成因关系有一定的差异。但整体上看,岩石圈伸展起着主导作用,控制着岩浆上侵和就位,在拆离断层下盘侵入形成各种规模的花岗质为主的侵入体,或于上盘喷发形成火山-沉积岩盆地。在伸展构造发育的不同阶段,可以有伸展早期、伸展期及伸展期后的岩浆活动。岩浆活动的强度及岩浆源区特点有显著的时空变化。一方面,在同一地区不同演化阶段其源区有很大的差异。表现为主体上是早期以古老下地壳源为主,随着壳/幔伸展作用演化,逐渐向混合源或独立幔源的演化。同时,不同地区岩浆源区的变化规律也显著不同。以胶辽地区为例,胶东整体上是壳幔混合源区对于岩浆演化有重要贡献;而辽东地区具有显著的源区演化特点:从剪切早期古老下地壳源区为主,并伴有幔源物质加入,剪切期古老下地壳为主,到剪切晚期和剪切期后以新生下地壳为主。本文认为岩石圈伸展的壳/幔拆离模型(Parallel Extension Tectonics),可以合理地解释华北克拉通及邻区早白垩世构造-岩浆活动性。在该模型中,遭受伸展的华北克拉通岩石圈发生壳-幔拆离作用。在岩石圈伸展作用期间,地壳层次的拆离作用与岩石圈地幔层次上的拆离作用可以是耦合的或者是解耦的,从而导致华北克拉通岩石圈减薄过程中在地壳尺度上的拆离作用与变质核杂岩的剥露有三种不同的类型:同岩浆活动型伸展(C型:Co-magmatism mode extension)、无岩浆活动型伸展(A型:Amagmatism mode extension)和多阶段混合型(M型:Multi-mode extension)。     

Progress in the Study of Deep Profiles of Tibet and the Himalayas (INDEPTH)

This paper introduces 8 major discoveries and new understandings with regard to the deep structure and tectonics of the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau obtained in Project INDEPTH, They are mainly as follows. (1) The upper crust, lower crust and mantle lithosphere beneath the blocks of the plateau form a "sandwich" structure with a relatively rigid-brittle upper crust, a visco-plastic lower crust and a relatively rigid-ductile mantle lithosphere. This structure is completely different from that of monotonous, cold and more rigid oceanic plates. (2) In the process of north-directed collision-compression of the Indian subcontinent, the upper crust was attached to the foreland in the form of a gigantic foreland accretionary wedge. The interior of the accretionary wedge thickened in such tectonic manners as large-scale thrusting, backthrusting and folding, and magmatic masses and partially molten masses participated in the crustal thickening. Between the upper crust and lower crust lies a large detachment (e.g     

湖北郧县王家庄绿色纤维状石英-云母脉特征及成因--对板块构造几个问题的思考

湖北郧县王家庄有两期脉体 ,早期为纤维状石英脉 ,总体呈北北东向分布 ,平行脉壁有一中间面使其对称分布 ,显示张性裂隙持续发育过程 ;与之垂直的横向压性裂隙将它“错开”。形貌上酷似板块构造的大洋中脊和转换断层。晚期云母脉叠置在上述两组裂隙之上 ,并使原来裂隙性质发生变化。这些特征与区域应力场分布 ,特别是与两郧断裂的演化息息相关。根据分形理论 ,将王家庄石英云母脉与板块构造进行对比 ,一方面从微观的角度证实了板块构造一些基本观点的合理性。同时从微观信息得到深入研究板块构造的一些新启示 :对板块形成机制不要局限于软流圈对流 ,而应从更深层次研究地幔物质运动规律 ;要将大陆和大洋作为一个整体研究全球应力场分布规律与构造演化历史 ,其中转换断层是联系大陆和大洋的纽带 ;加强RRR型三联点研究 ,它是研究深部 (地幔 )物质运动和上部 (地壳、岩石圈 )构造应力场相互关系的重要窗口     

Interwedging and inversion structures around the trans-European suture zone in the Baltic Sea, a manifestation of compressive tectonic phases

During the evolution of continents, compressive tectonic phases can leave certain tectonic patterns in the lithosphere to be observed by reflection seismology. Also, in the area of the trans-European suture zone (TESZ) in the Baltic Sea, several relatively short, but occasionally strong, compressive phases have left their marks in the lithosphere in form of characteristic fault and thrust zones in the rigid parts of crust and mantle, especially clear and well investigated in some sediment troughs. At depth, interwedging processes seem to be generated by colliding tectonic units with different rheology, creating bi-vergent fault structures, possibly—but not necessarily—initiated by a previous subduction of intervening oceanic lithosphere. Near the surface, reactivation and inversion of previous faults are very selective. Transpressional processes and the reduced friction inside the faults are suggested to play a major role. It is assumed that the transfer of plate boundary stressed over long distances is performed mainly through the thick and rigid mantle lid, not through the thin, rigid, and heterogeneous upper crust. This assumption involves mechanisms of a vertical transfer of stresses from the mantle into the inversion area, and some signs of such a process are seen around the Tornquist Zone (TZ). Several examples of compressive transfer of stresses are shown.     

The physico-chemical behaviour of the descending lithosphere

The lithosphere is the cold conductive boundary layer formed by cooling of the oceanic crust and upper mantle as it is convected away from oceanic ridges. Although its rheological properties vary continuously with depth, the lithosphere is conveniently divided into an upper elastic layer and a lower plastic layer, the latter overlying a zone of viscous flow. Chemically the lithosphere is vertically zoned with its uppermost part formed by variously hydrated oceanic crust; at M this overlies highly depleted dunite or harzburgite passing downwards over 50 km or so into garnet lherzolite. The vertical variation in density, and thus the gravitational stability of the lithosphere, is controlled by interplay of compositional variation and temperature distribution.As it enters an oceanic trench the lithosphere flexures elastically and plunges downwards at an average inclination close to 45°. During its descent it undergoes dissipative heating at its upper surface. Initially this heating drives a series of prograde metamorphic reactions in the oceanic crust ; because these are largely endothermic, the descending lithosphere heats less rapidly than previously expected, an effect which may be enhanced by percolation of the water of dehydration.Although it is commonly assumed that dehydration water is released upwards, it is not clear that this is true in the presence of the strong negative temperature gradients at the top of the slab, and water may initially be driven downwards into the slab to be released later at much greater depth. The magmatic activity which is associated with the partial melting of the uppermost part of the slab and with partial fusion of diapiric masses in the mantle above it, is critically dependent on the behaviour of the water carried down by the subduction process.The slab itself undergoes a series of phase changes during its descent some of which make a major contribution to the body force during subduction. By the time it reaches 700 km the slab has undergone significant thermal erosion, but the major compositional inhomogeneities within it are retained by the mantle into which it merges.     

Ophiolite obduction

If ophiolite complexes originate as oceanic crust and mantle generated by sea-floor spreading at oceanic ridges or in marginal basins, the tectonic emplacement (obduction) of ophiolite sheets and slices must involve some form of decoupling of oceanic lithosphere prior to emplacement and the expulsion of relatively dense oceanic rocks onto lighter continental rocks. The major problems are the mechanism by which this decoupling takes place, the extent to which the decoupling fractures penetrate the entire lithosphere, and the mechanism and geometry of the tectonic emplacement process, that is — the extent to which compressional versus gravity-sliding mechanisms predominate. Several writers (Coleman, 1971; Stevens, 1970; Church and Stevens, 1971; Temple and Zimmerman, 1969; Dewey and Bird, 1970, 1971; Williams, 1971) have discussed these obduction problems and offered various kinds of solution. These solutions, among others, are discussed in this paper. It is concluded that several convergent plate-margin mechanisms may be responsible for ophiolite obduction, none of which involve gravity sliding.     

盆地形成与演化的动力学类型及其地球动力学机制

借鉴国内外已有的盆地研究成果,在盆地分析的基础上,从岩石圈板块作用、岩石圈深部作用和岩石圈表生作用3个方面,兼顾系统性、科学性和应用性,确立了盆地新的分类原则,由此深入研究了盆地形成与演化的动力学类型,并进一步阐述了盆地形成与演化的地球动力学机制。研究结果表明:在盆地分类中,首先主要根据盆地形成的地球动力学环境如岩石圈板块作用环境、深部作用环境以及表生作用环境来划分大类;再根据盆地形成与演化的各种地质作用及其动力学过程如构造作用(伸展、挤压或剪切过程)、热力作用及重力作用进行主要类型划分;再根据盆地的基底性质和地壳类型(如陆壳、洋壳或过渡壳)以及盆地的沉积充填史和构造古地理等(如海相盆地、陆相盆地或过渡相盆地)细分亚类。盆地形成与演化的动力学类型主要包括:单一构造或热体制下盆地演化时的原型盆地类型、单一重力体制下盆地演化的原型盆地类型、多种构造-热体制下盆地演化的叠合盆地类型以及多种构造-热体制下盆地演化的残留盆地类型。在单一构造或热体制下,从板块作用或壳幔作用角度原型盆地动力学类型主要划分为:伸展盆地(陆内伸展盆地、陆间伸展盆地、大洋伸展盆地和弧后伸展盆地),挠曲盆地(弧后挠曲盆地、周缘挠曲盆地、陆内挠曲盆地),走滑盆地(走滑伸展盆地、走滑挠曲盆地)以及克拉通盆地(克拉通退缩盆地、克拉通扩展盆地和克拉通迁移盆地);单一重力体制下原型盆地动力学类型有负载盆地和撞击盆地;多种构造-热体制下的叠合盆地动力学类型有叠加盆地和复合盆地;多种构造-热体制下盆地演化的残留盆地动力学类型有伸展隆起下局部沉降引起的残留盆地、推覆褶皱隆起引起的残留盆地、俯冲至局部碰撞引起的残留盆地及周边抬升隆起引起的残留盆地。关于盆地形成与演化的地球动力学机制包括:岩石圈的板块作用机制,岩石圈的深部作用机制以及岩石圈的表生作用机制。岩石圈的板块作用机制包括板块伸展、挤压和剪切作用;岩石圈的深部作用机制包括软流圈与超级地幔柱对岩石圈的作用,尤其是壳幔作用;岩石圈的表生作用机制也很重要,包括盆地的重力作用、大气作用、海洋作用和生物作用。通过本文的研究,可以为研究整个岩石圈演化、壳幔作用、地球动力学过程以及成藏成矿机制奠定重要理论基础;同时,对于沉积盆地矿产资源、能源资源、水资源勘探和开发,以及灾害防治和环境保护也具有重要应用价值。     

大洋岩石圈和大陆岩石圈的元素丰度

根据大洋地壳、大陆地壳、上地幔和球岩石圈的元素丰度资料,本文初次分别求出大洋岩石圈和大陆岩石圈的元素丰度.可用作研究化学元素在洋圈或陆圈内各地区分布特征的地球化学背景值.     

全球海山玄武岩数据挖掘研究

海山是一个地貌术语,通常分为出露于海平面以上和淹没于以下的两类。海山具有复杂的成因,可产于各种不同的构造环境,其出露的岩性主要有：洋岛玄武岩（OIB）、大洋中脊玄武岩（MORB）、弧后盆地玄武岩（BABB）、岛弧玄武岩（IAB）和大陆边缘玄武岩（CMB）等。本文的研究表明,CMB 和OIB 的地球化学性质大体相似,但是,二者的成因可能既有相似性,也存在某些差异性。OIB 产于板块内部,属于板内岩浆活动的产物,通常认为与“热点”或“地幔柱”有关;而CMB 则可能是古大陆岩石圈与年轻洋壳发生浅部再循环的结果。所以,除“热点”理论外,古大陆岩石圈和年轻洋壳的浅部再循环在海山和洋岛火山形成过程中也扮演了重要的角色。来自IAB 的样品明显亏损Nb、Ta和富集K、Pb、Cs、Rb等大离子亲石元素,表明IAB 的形成与俯冲作用有关。研究表明,全球可能存在3 种类型的热点：第一类是原生的热点,来自深部地幔;第二类是次生的热点,可能形成在地幔柱的浅部,来自超级地幔柱的上部;第三类来自上地幔,可能是大洋岩石圈伸展的产物。因此,海山的成因不可能用地幔柱一种模式予以解释,还应当考虑板块活动中其他各种因素（洋壳再循环、古老陆壳再循环、消减带物质以及水的加入,部分熔融程度、岩浆混合作用、不同地幔端元混合等）的影响。     

长江中下游成矿带岩石圈结构与成矿动力学模型——深部探测(SinoProbe)综述

岩石圈结构和深部过程对理解成矿带和大型矿集区的形成十分重要。岩石圈尺度的地球动力学过程将在地壳中留下各种结构的或物质的"痕迹",这些"痕迹"可以通过地球物理的手段去探测。为深入理解长江中下游成矿带形成的深部动力学过程,作者在国家深部探测专项(SinoProbe)和国家自然科学基金重点项目支持下,在长江中下游成矿带开展了综合地球物理探测。方法包括宽频地震、深地震反射、广角反射/折射和大地电磁测深。数据处理和反演结果取得一系列新发现:(1)成矿带上地幔顶部存在低速体,在中心深度300km处有一向SW倾斜的高速体;(2)S波接收函数证实成矿带岩石圈较薄,只有50~70km;横波分裂结果显示,成矿带上地幔各向异性方向和强度与邻区有较大区别,显示平行成矿带(NE-SW向)的上地幔变形和流动;(3)深反射地震揭示成矿带上地壳曾发生强烈挤压变形,以紧闭褶皱、逆冲和推覆为特征;在宁芜火山岩盆地、长江断裂带和郯庐断裂之下出现"鳄鱼嘴"构造,指示上下地壳在挤压变形过程中解耦;深反射地震证实发生过陆内俯冲和叠瓦,并认为是岩石圈增厚和拆沉的主导机制;(4)广角反射和大地电磁反演给出了跨成矿带地壳剖面的速度和电性结构,速度和电阻率分布总体上与构造单元相吻合。本文分析和解释了这些发现的地质意义,并结合近年在长江中下游地区的地球化学研究进展,提出了成矿带地球动力学模型。该模型认为:中、晚侏罗世陆内俯冲、岩石圈拆沉、幔源岩浆底侵和MASH过程造就了长江中下游世界级成矿带的形成。     

中国大地构造单元新格局——从岩石圈角度的思考

以中国大陆的岩石圈岩石学结构模型和根据岩石圈动力学性质划分的克拉通型、造山带型、裂谷型、边缘海洋壳型和岛弧型5大岩石圈类型为基础,结合现今中国大陆西部挤压、东部拉张伸展的特点,提出以四川盆地、鄂尔多斯盆地和银川盆地西边界的岩石圈不连续为界,把中国大陆分为东部和西部2个一级构造单元;不同类型岩石圈为其二级构造单元,一些造山带型岩石圈的亚类为三级构造单元,并结合地质历史,简要讨论了其形成过程及其意义。     

Boundaries of mantle–lithosphere domains in the Bohemian Massif as extinct exhumation channels for high-pressure rocks

Five domains (microplates) have been recognized by seismic anisotropy in the mantle lithosphere of the Bohemian Massif. The mantle domains correspond to major crustal units and each of the domains bears a consistent fossil olivine fabric formed before their Variscan assembly. The present-day mantle fabric indicates that this process consisted of at least three oceanic subductions, each followed by an underthrusting of the continental lithosphere. The seismic anisotropy does not detect remnants of the oceanic subductions, but it can trace boundaries of the preserved continental domains subsequently underthrust along the paths of previous oceanic subductions. The most robust continent–continent collision was followed by westward underthrusting of the Brunovistulian mantle lithosphere, still detectable by seismic anisotropy more than 100 km beneath the Moldanubian mantle lithosphere. Major occurrences of the high-pressure/ultra high-pressure (HP–UHP) rocks follow the ENE and NNE oriented sutures and boundaries of the mantle–lithosphere domains mapped from three-dimensional modeling of body-wave anisotropy. The HP–UHP rocks are products of oceanic subductions and the following underthrusting of the continental crust and mantle lithosphere exhumed along the mantle boundaries. The close relation of the mantle sutures and occurrences of the HP–UHP rocks near the paleosubductions testifies for models interpreting the granulite–garnet peridotite association by oceanic/continental subduction/underthrusting followed by the exhumation of deep-seated rocks. Our findings support the bivergent subduction model of tectonic development of the central part of the Bohemian Massif. The inferences from seismic anisotropy image the Bohemian Massif as a mosaic of microplates with a rigid mantle lithosphere preserving a fossil olivine fabric. The collisional mantle boundaries, blurred by tectonometamorphic processes in easily deformed overlying crust, served as major exhumation channels of the HP–UHP rocks.     

Spatial gaps in arc volcanism: The effect of collision or subduction of oceanic plateaus

One of the major processes in the formation and deformation of continental lithosphere is the process of arc volcanism. The plate-tectonic theory predicts that a continuous chain of arc volcanoes lies parallel to any continuous subduction zone. However, the map pattern of active volcanoes shows at least 24 areas where there are major spatial gaps in the volcanic chains (> 200 km). A significant proportion (~ 30%) of oceanic crust is subducted at these gaps. All but three of these gaps coincide with the collision or subduction of a large aseismic plateau or ridge.The idea that the collision of such features may have a major tectonic impact on the arc lithosphere, including cessation of volcanism, is not new. However, it is not clear how the collision or subduction of an oceanic plateau perturbs the system to the extent of inhibiting arc volcanism. Three main factors necessary for arc volcanism are (1) source materials for the volcanics—either volatiles or melt from the subducting slab and/or melt from the overlying asthenospheric wedge, (2) a heat source, either for the dehydration or the melting of the slab, or the melting within the asthenosphere and (3) a favorable state of stress in the overlying lithosphere. The absence of any one of these features may cause a volcanic gap to form.There are several ways in which the collision or subduction of an oceanic plateau may affect arc volcanism. The clearest and most common cases considered are those where the feature completely resists subduction, causing local plate boundaries to reorganize. This includes the formation of new plate-bounding transform faults or a flip in subduction polarity. In these cases, subduction has slowed down or stopped and the lack of source material has created a volcanic gap.There are a few cases, most notably in Peru, Chile, and the Nankai trough, where the dip of subduction is so shallow that effectively no asthenospheric wedge exists to produce source material for volcanism. The shallow dip of the slab may be a buoyant effect of the plateau imbedded in the oceanic lithosphere.The cases which are the most enigmatic are those where subduction is continuous, the oceanic plateau is subducted along with the slab, and the dip of the slab is clearly steep enough to allow arc volcanism; yet a volcanic gap exists. In these areas, the subducted plateau may have a fundamental effect on the physical process of arc volcanism itself. The presence of a large topographic feature on the subducting plate may affect the stress state in the are by increasing the amount of decoupling between the two plates. Alternatively, the subduction of the plateau may change the chemical processes at depth if either the water-rich top of the plateau with accompanying sediments are scraped off during subduction or if the ridge is compositionally different.     

蛇绿混杂岩就位机制及其大地构造意义新解:基于残余洋盆型蛇绿混杂岩构造解析的启示

蛇绿岩代表了古洋壳的残余,通常被作为识别古汇聚板块边界的重要标志之一.但是,通过对西准噶尔造山带和松潘-甘孜造山带内出露的蛇绿混杂岩的大比例尺填图和构造解析,揭示出并非所有的蛇绿混杂岩带都具有缝合带的大地构造意义.综合前人研究结果,将蛇绿混杂岩划分为缝合带型和非缝合带型2种类型.非缝合带型蛇绿混杂岩带的分布与残余洋盆在闭合过程中的构造过程密切相关.在残余洋盆被巨厚层的碎屑岩填充之后,作为残余盆地基底的大洋岩石圈物质在区域挤压应力作用下,可通过多种形式构造就位于上覆碎屑沉积地层之中,形成具有弥散性分布特点的残余洋盆型蛇绿混杂岩系统.而缝合带型蛇绿混杂岩的就位过程可划分为3种方式,分别是俯冲就位、仰冲就位和碰撞就位.这些不同类型的蛇绿混杂岩带在板块汇聚后的再造山过程中,早期的构造变形会被叠加改造甚至导致蛇绿混杂岩的重新就位,使其分布形式复杂化.因此,正确识别和厘定不同构造过程形成的蛇绿混杂岩带及其对应的大地构造背景,对研究洋陆转换过程和造山带的演化至关重要.     

A dynamic model of the Hellenic Arc deduced from geophysical data

Combined gravity and seismic data from Greece and the adjacent areas have been used to explain the high seismicity and tectonic activity of this area. Computed 2-D gravity models revealed that below the Aegean region a large “plume” of hot upper-mantle material is rising, causing strong attenuation of the crust. The hot “plume” extends to the base of the lithosphere and has very probably been mobilized through compressional processes that forced the lithosphere to sink into the asthenosphere. The above model is supported by: high heat flow in the Aegean region; low velocity of the compressional waves of 7.7 km/sec for the upper mantle; lower density than normal extending to the base of the lithosphere; teleseismic P-wave travel-time residuals of the order of +2 sec for seismic events recorded at the Greek seismic stations; volcanics in the Aegean area with a chemical composition which can be explained by assuming an assimilation of oceanic crust by the upper mantle; deep seismicity (200 km) which has been interpreted by various authors as a Benioff zone.