Variable Phanerozoic thermal history in the Southern Canadian Shield: Evidence from an apatite fission track profile at the Underground Research Laboratory (URL), Manitoba

Analysis of a 1.15 km deep apatite fission track (AFT) thermochronology profile at the Underground Research Laboratory (URL), in the southwestern Canadian Shield suggests two Phanerozoic heating and cooling episodes indicating significant, previously unsuspected, Phanerozoic heat flow variations. Phanerozoic temperature and heat flow variations are temporally associated with burial and erosion of the Precambrian crystalline shield and its overlying Phanerozoic successions, which are now eroded completely. Maximum Phanerozoic temperatures occurred in the late Paleozoic when the geothermal gradient is estimated to have been ~ 40-50 °C/km (compared to a present day gradient of ~ 14 ± 2 °C/km) and the sedimentary cover was ~ 800-1100 m thick. Our thermal history models, confirm regional stratigraphic relationships that suggest that the Paleozoic succession was completely eroded prior to beginning of Mesozoic sedimentation. A second heating phase occurred during Late Cretaceous-Paleogene burial when the geothermal gradient is estimated to have been ~ 20-25 °C/km and the Mesozoic and Cenozoic succession was ~ 1200 to 1400 m thick. The Phanerozoic thermal history at the URL site shows a pattern similar to that inferred previously for the epicratonic Williston Basin, the centre of which lies several 100 km to the west. This implies a common regional thermal history for cratonic rocks underlying both the basin and the currently exposed shield. It is suggested that the morphotectonic differences between the Williston Basin and the exposed shield at the URL are due to a dissimilar thermomechanical response to a common, but more complicated than previously inferred, Phanerozoic geodynamic history. The two Phanerozoic periods of variations in geothermal gradient (heat flow) were coeval with epeirogenic movements related to the deposition and erosion of sediments. These paleogeodynamic variations are tentatively attributed to far-field effects of orogenic processes occurring at the plate margin (i.e. the Antler and the Cordilleran orogenies) and the associated accumulation of cratonic seaway sedimentary sequences (Kaskaskia and Zuni sequences).     

Low temperature Phanerozoic history of the Northern Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia

The Phanerozoic cooling history of the Western Australian Shield has been investigated using apatite fission track (AFT) thermochronology. AFT ages from the northern part of the Archaean Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia, primarily range between 200 and 280 Ma, with mean confined horizontal track lengths varying between 11.5 and 14.3 μm. Time–temperature modelling of the AFT data together with geological information suggest the onset of a regional cooling episode in the Late Carboniferous/Early Permian, which continued into Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous time. Present-day heat flow measurements on the Western Australian Shield fall in the range of 40–50 mW m⁻². If the present day geothermal gradient of  18 ± 2 °C km⁻¹ is representative of average Phanerozoic gradients, then this implies a minimum of  50 °C of Late Palaeozoic to Mesozoic cooling. Assuming that cooling resulted from denudation, the data suggest the removal of at least 3 km of rock section from the northern Yilgarn Craton over this interval. The Perth Basin, located west of the Yilgarn Craton, contains up to 15 km of mostly Permian to Lower Cretaceous clastic sediment. However, published U–Pb data of detrital zircons from Permian and Lower Triassic basin strata show relatively few or no grains of Archaean age. This suggests that the recorded cooling can probably be attributed to the removal of a sedimentary cover rather than by denudation of material from the underlying craton itself. The onset of cooling is linked to tectonism related to either the waning stages of the Alice Springs Orogeny or to the early stages of Gondwana breakup.     

Cenozoic thermotectonic history of the Sunda–Asri basin, southeast Sumatra: new insights from apatite fission track thermochronology

The tectonic and thermal history of Cenozoic rocks from four wells (Asri-1, NE Ria-1, Hariet-1 and Yani-2) in the Sunda–Asri basin has been reconstructed using apatite fission track (AFT) analysis combined with modelling of previously determined vitrinite reflectance (VR) measurements. The wells all penetrate Recent to middle Eocene successions, in which only the Eocene to Oligocene successions have been subjected to temperatures suitable for partial annealing, due to rapid late Miocene to Recent burial. With respect to organic thermal maturities, the zone of minimum annealing coincides with undermature heating and records provenance AFT ages, whilst the zone of partial annealing agrees well with mature heating suitable for generation of hydrocarbons. The integrated AFT and VR data suggest that the Sunda–Asri basin continues subsiding, probably due to extension initiated in the late Eocene, and the successions near the base of the wells were recently exposed to the high present-day temperatures. The recent heating of rocks is consistent with up to 800 m of Plio–Pleistocene burial. Both the AFT and VR results indicate that geothermal gradients remained relatively constant through the Cenozoic.     

The Persian Gulf Basin: Geological history, sedimentary formations, and petroleum potential

The Persian Gulf Basin is the richest region of the World in terms of hydrocarbon resources. According to different estimates, the basin contains 55–68% of recoverable oil reserves and more than 40% of gas reserves. The basin is located at the junction of the Arabian Shield and Iranian continental block that belong to two different (Arabian and Eurasian) lithospheric plates. Collision of these plates at the Mesozoic/Cenozoic boundary produced the Zagros Fold Belt and the large Mesopotamian Foredeep, which is a member of the Persian Gulf Basin. During the most part of the Phanerozoic, this basin belonged to an ancient passive margin of Gondwana, which was opened toward the Paleotethys Ocean in the Paleozoic and toward the Neotethys in the Mesozoic. Stable subsidence and the unique landscape-climatic conditions favored the accumulation of a very thick sedimentary lens of carbonate rocks and evaporites (up to 12–13 km and more). Carbonate rocks with excellent reservoir properties are widespread, while the evaporites play the role of regional fluid seals. Organicrich rocks, which can generate liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons (HC), are present at different levels in the rock sequence.     

Tectono-thermal Evolution in the Bachu Uplift,Tarim Basin,China

<正>The thermal evolution of source rocks in the Paleozoic has long been a problem to petroleum exploration in the Bachu uplift,Tarim basin,since the thermal history in the Paleozoic could not be rebuilt objectively due to lack of effective thermal indicators in the Lower Paleozoic successions.The apatite and zircon(U-Th)/He thermochronometry can be used as a new kind of technique to study the thermal history and tectonic uplift of sedimentary basins.Based on the measured apatite and zircon(U-Th)/He ages,apatite fission track data and equivalence vitrinite reflectance(%EVR_o),the tectonothermal histories in 5 wells of the Bachu uplift were modeled.The modeling results show that there was relatively high gradient at the Early Paleozoic in the Bachu uplift and it decreased gradually during the entire Paleozoic:33-35℃/km in the Cambrian-Ordovician, 32-33℃/km in the Silurian-Devonian,30-32℃/km at the end of Carboniferous and 27.5- 31℃/km at the end of Permian.Therefore,the thermal history can be modeled by combining multiple thermal indicators of AFT,(U-Th)/He ages and EVR_o data.Especially,this provides a new method to rebuild the thermal history for the Low Paleozoic carbonate successions in the Tarim Basin.     

巴西陆上盆地类型及油气地质特征

基于巴西陆上沉积盆地基础地质条件,以石油地质理论为指导,运用分析、类比的方法划分盆地类型,并对各类盆地生储盖组合及油气成藏特征进行了研究。分析认为,南美地台经历复杂的构造演化,在巴西境内形成元古宙叠合、显生宙克拉通和中生代萎缩裂谷3大类盆地。元古宙盆地以地层年代久远、构造演化复杂、烃源岩热演化漫长为特征。显生宙克拉通盆地呈现“先断后坳”的演化特征,主体地层序列形成于古生代,有一套普遍发育且受侵入岩影响的烃源岩。中生代萎缩裂谷盆地基础及油气地质两方面均呈现断陷湖盆的特征。通过对巴西陆上盆地区域演化、类型划分、地层及构造特征、生储盖层和成藏特征等方面的探讨,可为中国海外油气区域优选提供一定参考。     

川东南丁山构造震旦系—下古生界油气成藏条件及成藏过程

川东南的构造演化可分成5个阶段:①晚震旦世抬升剥蚀阶段;②早古生代沉降阶段;③晚志留世—泥盆、石炭纪抬升剥蚀阶段;④二叠纪—晚白垩世沉降阶段;⑤晚白垩世—现今快速隆升阶段。震旦系灯影组—下古生界储层沥青与下寒武统和下志留统黑色泥岩之间地球化学特征的对比表明二者有着重要的联系,灯影组烃源来自下寒武统牛蹄塘组。丁山构造一直处于高部位,有利于油气聚集,丁山构造在晚白垩世前圈闭、封盖、储层及保存条件均较好,形成了古油藏。随着埋深的增大,古油藏裂解成古气藏。晚白垩世至今受喜马拉雅运动的影响,通天断层发育,保存条件变差,导致天然气的逸散。丁山构造的油气成藏过程可分为古油藏→古油藏裂解形成古气藏→古气藏破坏三大过程。     

Structural and kinematic assemblies in sedimentary rocks of the Phanerozoic cover of the Mid-Russian Dislocation Zone

The Mid-Russian Dislocation Zone is a large within-plate structural element of the East European Platform, which extends for more than 1100 km from the Timan Foredeep to the Orsha Basin. This deep, long-lived zone was formed against a background of changeable geodynamic settings, including (1) Late Paleoproterozoic collision events, (2) Late Riphean-Early Vendian epicontinental rifting, (3) Late Vendian-Early Triassic intraplatform tectogenesis with formation of horst-like uplifts within the zone against the background of general subsidence, and (4) Mesozoic-Cenozoic within-plate reactivation. At the final Kimmerian-Alpine stage of its evolution, the Mid-Russian Zone developed as a left-lateral transpressional structure with penetrative dissipative shear deformation resulting in the general horizontal transfer of Phanerozoic sedimentary rocks. The dislocations were manifested as two dynamically conjugate structural forms: a zone of scattered shearing and a bedding-plane tectonic flow. The dynamic manifestation of the Mid-Russian and the conjugate Belomorian-Dvina zones, which make up a common arcuate structure (in plan view), allowed us to outline the Dvina-Sukhona plate-flow with horizontal mass transfer in the southeastern direction. The tectonics of the Mid-Russian Dislocation Zone is considered in this paper with particular emphasis on the structural and kinematic assemblies in sedimentary rocks of the Phanerozoic cover.     

苏浙皖地区：中—古生界海相烃源岩及含油气性

从晚震旦世开始至中三叠世,苏泊皖地区沉积了三套巨厚的烃源岩系：上震旦统－上奥陶统,石炭系－二叠系、下三叠统。三套烃源岩热演化特点不同,特别是下古生界油源岩经历了加里东、印支－燕山期构造阶段的热演化,已达过成熟干气阶段;上古生界基本处于生油阶段晚期;三叠系大部处于成熟生油阶段,少数处于未成熟阶段。区内下古生界烃源岩经历了两次成油过程,第一次在加里东运动前的盆地沉降阶段,第二次在中里东运动后晚古生代陆     

辽河盆地东部凹陷热历史及构造—热演化特征

根据辽河盆地东部凹陷大地热流测量和镜质体反射率数据,恢复了该区的热历史,结果表明:东部凹陷热流呈现古热流高现今热流低的变化特征,沙河街组三段沉积期到东营组沉积期(距今43～25Ma)盆地热流为66～82mWm²,现今热流值为47～70mWm²。构造沉降史分析显示,盆地经历了早期的裂谷阶段(距今43～25Ma)和后期的热沉降阶段,裂谷阶段包含了两个裂谷亚旋回。盆地现今较低的大地热流和较高的古热流及典型的裂谷型构造沉降样式为东部凹陷的构造—热演化提供了重要认识。     

New insights from low-temperature thermochronology into the tectonic and geomorphologic evolution of the south-eastern Brazilian highlands and passive margin

The South Atlantic passive margin along the south-eastern Brazilian highlands exhibits a complex landscape,including a northern inselberg area and a southern elevated plateau,separated by the Doce River valley.This landscape is set on the Proterozoic to early Paleozoic rocks of the region that once was the hot core of the Aracuai orogen,in Ediacaran to Ordovician times.Due to the break-up of Gondwana and consequently the opening of the South Atlantic during the Early Cretaceous,those rocks of the Araquai orogen became the basement of a portion of the South Atlantic passive margin and related southeastern Brazilian highlands.Our goal is to provide a new set of constraints on the thermo-tectonic history of this portion of the south-eastern Brazilian margin and related surface processes,and to provide a hypothesis on the geodynamic context since break-up.To this end,we combine the apatite fission track(AFT)and apatite(U-Th)/He(AHe)methods as input for inverse thermal history modelling.All our AFT and AHe central ages are Late Cretaceous to early Paleogene.The AFT ages vary between 62 Ma and90 Ma,with mean track lengths between 12.2μm and 13.6μm.AHe ages are found to be equivalent to AFT ages within uncertainty,albeit with the former exhibiting a lesser degree of confidence.We relate this Late Cretaceous-Paleocene basement cooling to uplift with accelerated denudation at this time.Spatial variation of the denudation time can be linked to differential reactivation of the Precambrian structural network and differential erosion due to a complex interplay with the drainage system.We argue that posterior large-scale sedimentation in the offshore basins may be a result of flexural isostasy combined with an expansion of the drainage network.We put forward the combined compression of the Mid-Atlantic ridge and the Peruvian phase of the Andean orogeny,potentially augmented through the thermal weakening of the lower crust by the Trindade thermal anomaly,as a probable cause for the uplift.     

Thermal history of the Murzuq Basin,Libya, and generation of hydrocarbons in its source rocks

The history of burial, temperature variations, and organic maturation in the sedimentary rocks of the Murzuq Basin in southwestern Libya was numerically reconstructed for eight wells and one pseudowell along northeast-southwest and northwest-southeast profiles across the basin. The reconstruction was performed using the GALO system for basin modeling taking into account that the basin lithosphere underwent repeated tectonic and thermal activation. The modeling allowed us to refine the reconstructions of the thermal history of the basin and assessment of its hydrocarbon potential obtained by previous models, which assumed a constant temperature gradient during the whole period of basin development. The Murzuq Basin is characterized by moderate basement subsidence (2200–2800 m), which would have corresponded in an ordinary basin to immature or early mature organic matter. However, the history of the basin included several periods of extensive uplift and subsidence, which were accompanied by the erosion of the sedimentary cover and thermal activation of the lithosphere. This resulted in variations in organic matter maturity reached in different segments of the basin and a peculiar distribution of the degree of maturation, which is higher at the flanks of the Murzuq Basin compared with the same rocks from deeper buried zones. Our modeling indicated that the rocks of the Tanezzuft Formation could generate significant volumes of liquid hydrocarbons at some areas of the basin, but the situation is strongly dependent on the depth of rock burial and amplitude of erosion of the sedimentary cover at various areas of the basin.     

Reconstructing seafloor age distributions in lost ocean basins

Reconstructions of past seafloor age make it possible to quantify how plate tectonic forces,surface heat flow,ocean basin volume and global sea level have varied through geological time.However,past ocean basins that have now been subducted cannot be uniquely reconstructed,and a significant challenge is how to explore a wide range of possible reconstructions.Here,we investigate possible distributions of seafloor ages from the late Paleozoic to present using published full-plate reconstructions and a new,efficient seafloor age reconstruction workflow,all developed using the open-source software GPlates.We test alternative reconstruction models and examine the influence of assumed spreading rates within the Panthalassa Ocean on the reconstructed history of mean seafloor age,oceanic heat flow,and the contribution of ocean basin volume to global sea level.The reconstructions suggest variations in mean seafloor age of~15 Myr during the late Paleozoic,similar to the amplitude of variations previously proposed for the Cretaceous to present.Our reconstructed oceanic age-area distributions are broadly compatible with a scenario in which the long-period fluctuations in global sea level since the late Paleozoic are largely driven by changes in mean seafloor age.Previous suggestions of a constant rate of seafloor production through time can be modelled using our workflow,but require that oceanic plates in the Paleozoic move slower than continents based on current reconstructions of continental motion,which is difficult to reconcile with geodynamic studies.     

柴达木盆地石炭系油气调查最新进展

柴达木盆地石炭系是海相油气勘探的新领域,通过对柴达木盆地石炭系油气地质条件进行调查,评价其资源潜力,为该区寻找油气战略接替区提供科学依据。以柴达木盆地石炭系为主要目标,通过调查和研究,首次获得柴达木盆地石炭系油气流,在柴达木盆地古生界海相新层系油气方面取得重要发现;综合区域调查、平衡剖面反演及镜质体反射率等分析,获取柴达木盆地主要构造运动期次;结合盆地模拟技术,重建了石炭系埋藏史,分析了柴达木盆地德令哈坳陷石炭系烃源岩油气地化指标,研究了烃源岩生烃演化史。研究表明:柴达木盆地德令哈坳陷石炭系烃源岩广泛发育,有机质丰度较高,埋深较大,但未发生变质,处于成熟-高成熟阶段;德令哈坳陷石炭系埋藏史主要表现为快速埋藏期、稳定期与强烈抬升剥蚀期,新生代以来沉降史与抬升剥蚀史存在着差异;石炭系烃源岩热演化史主要表现为“存在二次生烃,晚期生烃为主”的特点,主要受该区构造运动控制;柴达木盆地热演化总体表现为缓慢降低的趋势,主要受控于柴达木盆地岩浆热事件与构造活动。调查分析表明,新层系石炭系油气条件良好,资源前景广阔,是柴达木盆地下一步勘探的接替层系。     

Meso—Cenozoic lithospheric thermal structure in the Bohai Bay Basin,eastern North China Craton

The Bohai Bay Basin is a region where part of the North China Craton has been thinned and destroyed. It has experienced two periods of crustal thinning that occurred during the Cretaceous and Paleogene, but investigations of its Mesozoic and Cenozoic lithospheric thermal structure are limited. Therefore, in this study,the distributions of mantle heat flow, crustal heat flow, and Moho temperatures during the Meso-Cenozoic are calculated based on analyses of the thermal history of the Bohai Bay Basin. The results indicate that the ratio of mantle heat flow to surface heat flow peaked during the late stages of the early Cretaceous and during the middle to late Paleogene. The corresponding mantle heat flow was more than 65% of the surface heat flow. Moho temperatures reached three peaks: 900-1100℃ in the late stages of the early Cretaceous;820-900℃ in the middle to late Paleogene; and(in the Linqing Depression, Cangxian Uplift, and Jizhong Depression) 770-810℃ during the early Neogene. These results reveal that the Bohai Bay Basin experienced significant geological change during the Cretaceous, including the transformation of lithospheric thermal structure from "cold mantle and hot crust" before the Cretaceous to "hot mantle and cold crust" after the Cretaceous. The results also indicate that the basin experienced two large-scale rifting events.Therefore, this work may provide the thermal parameters for further investigations of the geodynamic evolution of eastern China.     

柴达木盆地石炭系油气调查最新进展

柴达木盆地石炭系是海相油气勘探的新领域,通过对柴达木盆地石炭系油气地质条件进行调查,评价其资源潜力,为该区寻找油气战略接替区提供科学依据。以柴达木盆地石炭系为主要目标,通过调查和研究,首次获得柴达木盆地石炭系油气流,在柴达木盆地古生界海相新层系油气方面取得重要发现; 综合区域调查、平衡剖面反演及镜质体反射率等分析,获取柴达木盆地主要构造运动期次; 结合盆地模拟技术,重建了石炭系埋藏史,分析了柴达木盆地德令哈坳陷石炭系烃源岩油气地化指标,研究了烃源岩生烃演化史。研究表明: 柴达木盆地德令哈坳陷石炭系烃源岩广泛发育,有机质丰度较高,埋深较大,但未发生变质,处于成熟—高成熟阶段; 德令哈坳陷石炭系埋藏史主要表现为快速埋藏期、稳定期与强烈抬升剥蚀期,新生代以来沉降史与抬升剥蚀史存在着差异; 石炭系烃源岩热演化史主要表现为“存在二次生烃,晚期生烃为主”的特点,主要受该区构造运动控制; 柴达木盆地热演化总体表现为缓慢降低的趋势,主要受控于柴达木盆地岩浆热事件与构造活动。调查分析表明,新层系石炭系油气条件良好,资源前景广阔,是柴达木盆地下一步勘探的接替层系。     

Hydrocarbon maturation modeling of Paleocene to Lower Miocene source rocks in the Niger Delta Basin: implications for hydrocarbon generation

This study evaluates the hydrocarbon generation potentials and time of generation for Paleocene to Lower Miocene source rock horizons from A-1, B-1, B-2, and C-1 wells in the Niger Delta Basin using 1D Petromod modeling software. Wells A-1, B-1 and B-2, and C-1 are located within the Central Swamp, the Coastal Swamp, and the Shallow Offshore depobelts, respectively. The thermal history was derived from the rifting–subsidence heat flow model. Maturity modeling were carried out by using Easy%Ro kinetic model and a heat flow history predicting present-day heat flow which were calibrated with measured temperature data. Results of the study suggest that these potential source rocks have attained maturity status to generate hydrocarbons, with vast differences existing in the timing of the onset of oil generation. Basin modeling suggests that Paleocene source rocks entered the oil generative window from the Oligocene to Miocene times with thermal maturity window that varies from gas generation to early-mature phase. The Eocene source rocks have also attained maturity from Miocene to Pliocene times, and their thermal maturity ranges from gas generation to early maturity stage. The Oligocene source rocks also began to generate oil during the Miocene and are currently within the early-mature to mid-mature stage. The thermal maturity window for the Lower Miocene source rocks ranges from immature to early-mature stage. The present modeling results reveals that higher levels of thermal maturity are attained in areas with high geothermal gradients and heat flow values while the cooler areas exhibits lower levels of maturation. The onset of the oil window lies at 2859 m at A-1 (Central Swamp), 3240 m at B-2 (Coastal Swamp), 4732 m at B-1 (Coastal Swamp), and 4344 m at C-1 (Shallow Offshore). The depth to the onset of oil window is found deeper in the Shallow Offshore and western parts of the study area than in the eastern and northwestern parts. The result of this study suggest that the Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, and Lower Miocene source rocks are the principal source rocks for oil and gas generation in the Niger Delta Basin.     

Modelling of the thermal history of metamorphic zoning in the Connemara region (western Ireland)

The Connemara region of the Irish Caledonides is a classic example of regional-scale metamorphism of low pressure and high temperature. This terrane is considered as part of a fold belt comprising metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks that are correlated with the Neoproterozoic–Lower Paleozoic Dalradian Supergroup of Scotland. In mid-Ordovician time, the extensive and high-temperature metamorphism was superimposed on the Dalradian rocks resulting in the Connemara zoning. The key feature of the zoning is elevated horizontal thermal gradient of ca. 14 °C/km. Geological data and geochronological evidence point to a causative link between metamorphism and associated magmatic intrusions, and a brief period of development for the metamorphic zoning. Magmatic intrusion into the middle part of continental crust is treated as a most plausible source of heat for metamorphism, and other conjectures as to the origin of the zoning (flow of hot fluid through the permeable rocks, fracture conduit flushed by flowing magma) are believed to be improbable. To examine in sufficient detail the problem of the nature of heat source, a series of appropriate calculations have been performed to reach the best agreement between the observed and simulated spatial distribution of maximum temperatures at different times. The mathematical modelling shows that the temperature–spatial structure of the Connemara zoning is best explained by the model version based on mid-crustal heating above the upper contact of magmatic intrusive body gently curved and tilted at an angle between 20° and 40°, with an initial temperature of the magma appropriate to a basaltic melt. The model estimate of total lifetime of the temperature anomaly in the crust is of the order of 5–6 Ma. In general, this is in rather good agreement with the currently available evidence of geochronological duration of metamorphism and magmatism in Connemara.     

Burial and thermal history of the West Bashkirian sedimentary basins

The GALO system is applied to the numerical reconstruction of burial and thermal histories of the West Bashkirian lithosphere from the Riphean to the present. An analysis of the variation in tectonic subsidence of the basin during its development is utilized to estimate approximately the mantle heat flow variations. Our variant of basin evolution suggests that after cooling in the Early Riphean, the rather weak thermal reactivations have not led to considerable heating of the lithosphere in the study region. Surface heat flow decreased from relatively high values in the Early Riphean (60–70 mW/m² in the eastern area and 40–50 mW/m² in the western part) to present-day values of 32–40 mW/m². In spite of the relatively low temperature regime of the basin as a whole, a syn-rifting deposition of more than 10 km of limestone, shale and sandstone in the Riphean resulted in rather high temperatures (180–190 °C) at the base of present-day sedimentary blanket in the eastern area. In agreement with the observed data, computed present-day heat flow through the sediment surface increases slightly from 32 to 34 mW/m² near the west boundary of the region to 42 mW/m² near the boundary of the Ural Foldbelt, whereas the heat flow through the basement surface decreases slightly from 28–32 to 24–26 mW/m² in the same direction. The mantle heat flow is only 11.3–12.7 mW/m², which is considerable lower than mean heat flow of the Russian Platform (16–18 mW/m²) and comparable with the low heat flow of Precambrian shields.     

Late Paleozoic orogeny in Alaska's Farewell terrane

Evidence is presented for a previously unrecognized late Paleozoic orogeny in two parts of Alaska's Farewell terrane, an event that has not entered into published scenarios for the assembly of Alaska. The Farewell terrane was long regarded as a piece of the early Paleozoic passive margin of western Canada, but is now thought, instead, to have lain between the Siberian and Laurentian (North American) cratons during the early Paleozoic. Evidence for a late Paleozoic orogeny comes from two belts located 100–200 km apart. In the northern belt, metamorphic rocks dated at 284–285 Ma (three ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar white-mica plateau ages) provide the main evidence for orogeny. The metamorphic rocks are interpreted as part of the hinterland of a late Paleozoic mountain belt, which we name the Browns Fork orogen. In the southern belt, thick accumulations of Pennsylvanian-Permian conglomerate and sandstone provide the main evidence for orogeny. These strata are interpreted as the eroded and deformed remnants of a late Paleozoic foreland basin, which we name the Dall Basin. We suggest that the Browns Fork orogen and Dall Basin comprise a matched pair formed during collision between the Farewell terrane and rocks to the west. The colliding object is largely buried beneath Late Cretaceous flysch to the west of the Farewell terrane, but may have included parts of the so-called Innoko terrane. The late Paleozoic convergent plate boundary represented by the Browns Fork orogen likely connected with other zones of plate convergence now located in Russia, elsewhere in Alaska, and in western Canada.