Late Cenozoic volcanic activity in the Chugoku area, southwest Japan arc during back-arc basin opening and reinitiation of subduction

Abstract Temporal–spatial variations in Late Cenozoic volcanic activity in the Chugoku area, southwest Japan, have been examined based on 108 newly obtained K–Ar ages. Lava samples were collected from eight Quaternary volcanic provinces (Daisen, Hiruzen, Yokota, Daikonjima, Sambe, Ooe–Takayama, Abu and Oki) and a Tertiary volcanic cluster (Kibi Province) to cover almost all geological units in the province. Including published age data, a total of 442 Cenozoic radiometric ages are now available. Across‐arc volcanic activity in an area approximately 500 km long and 150 km wide can be examined over 26 million years. The period corresponds to syn‐ and post‐back‐arc basin opening stages of the island arc. Volcanic activity began in the central part of the rear‐arc ca 26 Ma. This was followed by arc‐wide expansion at 20 Ma by eruption at two rear‐arc centers located at the eastern and western ends. Expansion to the fore‐arc occurred between 20 and 12 Ma. This Tertiary volcanic arc was maintained until 4 Ma with predominant alkali basalt centers. The foremost‐arc zone activity ceased at 4 Ma, followed by quiescence over the whole arc between 4 and 3 Ma. Volcanic activity resumed at 3 Ma, covering the entire rear‐arc area, and continued until the present to form a Quaternary volcanic arc. Adakitic dacite first occurred at 1.7 Ma in the middle of the arc, and spread out in the center part of the Quaternary volcanic arc. Alkali basalt activities ceased in the area where adakite volcanism occurred. Fore‐arc expansion of the volcanic arc could be related to the upwelling and expansion of the asthenosphere, which caused opening of the Japan Sea. Narrowing of the volcanic zone could have been caused by progressive Philippine Sea Plate subduction. Deeper penetration could have caused melting of the slab and resulted in adakites. Volcanic history in the Late Cenozoic was probably controlled by the history of evolution of the upper mantle structure, coinciding with back‐arc basin opening and subsequent reinitiation of subduction.     

Petrological variation of large-volume felsic magmas from Hakkoda-Towada caldera cluster: Implications for the origin of high-K felsic magmas in the Northeast Japan Arc

Abstract The Hakkoda‐Towada caldera cluster (HTCC) is a typical Late Cenozoic caldera cluster located in the northern part of the Northeast Japan Arc. The HTCC consists of five caldera volcanoes, active between 3.5 Ma and present time. The felsic magmas can be classified into high‐K (HK‐) type and medium‐ to low‐K (MLK‐) type based on their whole‐rock chemistry. The HK‐type magmas are characterized by higher K₂O and Rb contents and higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios than MLK‐type magmas. Both magmas cannot be derived from fractional crystallization of any basaltic magma in the HTCC. Assimilation‐fractional crystallization model calculations show that crustal assimilation is necessary for producing the felsic magmas, and HK‐type magmas are produced by higher degree of crustal assimilation with fractional crystallization than MLK‐type magmas. Although MLK‐type magmas were erupted throughout HTCC activity, HK‐type magmas were erupted only during the initial stage. The temporal variations of magma types suggest the large contribution of crustal components in the initial stage. A major volcanic hiatus of 3 my before the HTCC activity suggests a relatively cold crust in the initial stage. The cold crust probably promoted crustal assimilation and fractional crystallization, and caused the initial generation of HK‐type magmas. Subsequently, the repeated supply of mantle‐derived magmas raised temperature in the crust and formed relatively stable magma pathways. Such a later system produced MLK‐type magmas with lesser crustal components. The MLK‐type magmas are common and HK‐type magmas are exceptional during the Pliocene–Quaternary volcanism in the Northeast Japan Arc. This fact suggests that exceptional conditions are necessary for the production of HK‐type magmas. A relatively cold crust caused by a long volcanic hiatus (several million years) is considered as one of the probable conditions. Intensive crustal assimilation and fractional crystallization promoted by the cold crust may be necessary for the generation of highly evolved HK‐type felsic magmas.     

K–Ar ages of the Akan-Shiretoko volcanic chain lying oblique to the Kurile trench: Implications for tectonic control of volcanism

The Akan‐Shiretoko volcanic chain, situated in the Southwestern Kurile arc, consists mainly of nine subaerial andesitic stratovolcanoes and three calderas. The chain extends in a SW–NE direction for 200 km, situated oblique to the Kurile trench at an angle of 25 degrees. Thirty‐seven new K–Ar ages, plus previous data, suggest that volcanic activity along the Akan‐Shiretoko volcanic chain began at ca 4 Ma at Akan, at the southwestern end of the chain, and systematically progressed northeastward, resulting in the southwest‐northeast‐trending volcanic chain. This spatial and temporal distribution of volcanoes can be explained by anticline development advancing northeastward from the Akan area, accompanied by magma rising through northeast‐trending fractures that developed along the anticlinal axis. The northeastward development of the anticline caused uplifting of the Akan‐Shiretoko area and changed the area from submarine to subaerial conditions. Anticline formation was likely due to deformation of the southwestern Kurile arc, with southwestward migration of the Kurile forearc sliver caused by oblique subduction of the Pacific plate. The echelon topographic arrangement of the Shiretoko, Kunashiri, Etorofu and Urup was formed at ca 1 Ma.     

K–Ar ages of the basaltic rocks from Far East Russia: Constraints on the tectono-magmatism associated with the Japan Sea opening

K–Ar ages of the Cenozoic basaltic rocks from the Far East region of Russia (comprising Sikhote-Alin and Sakhalin) are determined to obtain constraints on the tectono-magmatic evolution of the Eurasian margin by comparison with the Japanese Islands, Northeast China, and the formation of the back-arc basin. In the early Tertiary stage (54–26 Ma), the northwestward subduction of the Pacific Plate produced the active continental margin volcanism of Sikhote-Alin and Sakhalin, whereas the rift-type volcanism of Northeast China, inland part of the continent began to develop under a northeast–southwest-trending deep fault system. In the early Neogene (24–17 Ma), a large number of subduction-related volcanic rocks were erupted in connection with the Japan Sea opening. After an inactive interval of the volcanism ∼ 20–13 Ma ago, the late Neogene (12–5 Ma) volcanism of Sikhote-Alin and Sakhalin became distinct from those of the preceding stages and indicated within-plate geochemical features similar to those of Northeast China, in contrast to the Japan Arc which produces island arc volcanism. During the Japan Sea opening, the northeastern Eurasian margin detached and became a continental island arc system, and an integral part of continental eastern Asia comprising Sikhote-Alin, Sakhalin and Northeast China, and the Japan Arc with a back-arc basin. The convergence between the Eurasian Plate, the Pacific Plate and the Indian Plate may have contributed to the Cenozoic tectono-magmatism of the northeastern Eurasian continent.     

K–Ar and 40Ar/39Ar phengite ages of Sanbagawa schist clasts from the Kuma Group, central Shikoku, southwest Japan

Conglomerates of the Kuma Group, central Shikoku, southwest Japan contain Sanbagawa schist clasts with a variety of metamorphic grades and lithologies. K–Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of phengite show all the pelitic schist clasts from low- to high-grade zones have similar phengite ages (82–84 Ma) that are significantly older than those from the in situ Sanbagawa sequence of central Shikoku. This is because the Kuma–Sanbagawa sequence was exhumed earlier than the in situ Asemi sequence with an exhumation process intermediate between those for the Kanto Mountains and the in situ Asemi sequences. ⁴⁰A/³⁹Ar plateau ages (103 and 117 Ma) of phengite in amphibolites indicate the timing of the early stage of the exhumation of the metamorphic pile, probably close to the peak metamorphic age.     

Rb–Sr isochron ages of the Cretaceous granitoids in the Ryoke belt, Kinki district, Southwest Japan

Abstract Granitoids are widely distributed in the Ryoke belt and have been divided into four main igneous stages based on their field setting. In this paper, we present Rb–Sr isochron ages for the younger Ryoke granitoids (second stage to fourth stage) in the Kinki district. The Yagyu granite (second stage) gave a Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron age of 74.6 ± 10.9 Ma with an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70938 ± 0.00016, and a Rb–Sr mineral isochron age of 71.8 ± 0.1 Ma. The Narukawa granite (second stage) yielded a Rb–Sr mineral isochron age of 79.5 ± 0.4 Ma. A Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron age of 78.3 ± 3.0 Ma with an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70764 ± 0.00014 was obtained for the Takijiri adamellite (third stage). The Katsuragi quartzdiorite (fourth stage) gave a Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron age of 85.1 ± 18.3 Ma (initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70728 ± 0.00006), and mineral isochron ages of 76.9 ± 0.5 Ma and 74.8 ± 0.5 Ma. The Minamikawachi granite (fourth stage) gave a Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron age of 72.8 ± 2.0 Ma with an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70891 ± 0.00021. These age data indicate that the igneous activity in younger Ryoke granitoids of Kinki district occurred between 80 and 70 Ma, except for the Katsuragi quartz diorite. The isotopic data on the various igneous stages in Kinki district correspond with the relative timing from field observations. Based on the initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios, the granitoids of the Ryoke belt in Kinki district are spatially divided into two groups. One is granitoids with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.707–0.708, distributed in the southern part of the Ryoke belt. The other is granitoids with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.708–0.710 distributed in the northern part of the Ryoke belt. The initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of granitoids increase with decreasing (becoming younger) Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron ages.     

Timescale of material circulation in subduction zone: U–Pb zircon and K–Ar phengite double‐dating of the Sanbagawa metamorphic complex in the Ikeda district,central Shikoku,southwest Japan

We have estimated the timescale of material circulation in the Sanbagawa subduction zone based on U–Pb zircon and K–Ar phengite dating in the Ikeda district, central Shikoku. The Minawa and Koboke units are major constituents of the high‐P Sanbagawa metamorphic complex in Shikoku, southwest Japan. For the Minawa unit, ages of 92–81 Ma for the trench‐fill sediments, are indicated, whereas the age of ductile deformation and metamorphism of garnet and chlorite zones are 74–72 Ma and 65 Ma, respectively. Our results and occurrence of c. 150 Ma Besshi‐type deposits formed at mid‐ocean ridge suggest that the 60‐Myr‐old Izanagi Plate was subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate at c. 90 Ma, and this observation is consistent with recent plate reconstructions. For the Koboke unit, the depositional ages of the trench‐fill sediments and the dates for the termination of ductile deformation and metamorphism are estimated at c. 76–74 and 64–62 Ma, respectively. In the Ikeda district, the depositional ages generally become younger towards lower structural levels in the Sanbagawa metamorphic complex. Our results of U–Pb and K–Ar dating show that the circulation of material from the deposition of the Minawa and Koboke units at the trench through an active high‐P metamorphic domain to the final exhumation from the domain occurred continuously throughout c. 30 Myr (from c. 90 to 60 Ma).     

Cooling and inferred exhumation history of the Ryoke metamorphic belt in the Yanai district, south-west Japan: Constraints from Rb–Sr and fission-track ages of gneissose granitoid and numerical modeling

Abstract The Ryoke metamorphic belt in south-west Japan consists mainly of I-type granitoids and associated low-pressure/high-temperature metamorphic rocks. In the Yanai district, it has been divided into three structural units: northern, central and southern units. In this study, we measured the Rb–Sr whole-rock–mineral isochron ages and fission-track ages of the gneissose granodiorite in the central structural unit. Four Rb–Sr ages fall in a range of ca 89–87 Ma. The fission-track ages of zircon and apatite are 68.9 ± 2.6 Ma and 57.4 ± 2.5 Ma (1σ error), respectively. Combining the newly obtained ages with previously reported (Th–)U–Pb ages from the same unit, thermochronologic study revealed two distinctive cooling stages; 1) a rapid cooling (> 40°C/Myr) for a period (~7 Myr) soon after the peak metamorphism (~ 95 Ma) and 2) the subsequent slow cooling stage (~ 5°C/Myr) after ca 88 Ma. The first rapid cooling stage corresponds to thermal relaxation of the intruded granodiorite magma and its associated metamorphic rocks, and to the uplift by a displacement along low-angle faults which initiated soon after the intrusion of the magma. Uplift by the later stage deformation having formed large-scale upright folds resulted in progress of the exhumation during the first stage. The average exhumation velocity of the stage is ≥ 2 mm/yr. During the second stage, the rocks were not accompanied by ductile deformation and were exhumed with the rate of 0.1–0.2 mm/yr. The difference in the exhumation velocity between the first and second cooling stages resulted from the difference in the thickness of the crust and in the activity of ductile deformation between the early and later stages of the orogenesis.     

Geochemistry of caldera-forming and resurgent magmas in the Pliocene Hiwada caldera,northeast Japan: An example of a monotonous intermediate system

The 2.9-Ma Hotokezawa Ignimbrite, which was ejected from the Aizu caldera cluster in the northeast Japan arc, is a typical monotonous intermediate ignimbrite, with 40–50 vol% crystals and an eruptive volume of >140 km³ dense-rock equivalent. This ignimbrite filled Hiwada caldera and was deformed by post-caldera plutonic intrusions that formed a resurgent dome. The Hotokezawa Ignimbrite is a calc-alkaline, medium-K dacite to rhyolite with SiO₂ contents of 67.9–71.3 wt%, and has homogeneous trace-element abundances and Sr–Nd isotopic ratios. These geochemical features suggest that the Hotokezawa magma was formed by partial melting of amphibolitic crustal rocks. This crystal-rich magma did not appear during the post-caldera stage. Therefore, it is plausible that the chamber of eruptible magma was emptied by the caldera-forming eruption. In contrast, post-caldera plutonic rocks exhibit a variety of compositions and have a clear SiO₂ gap corresponding to the caldera-forming magma: the early pluton (tonalite) and later ones (quartz porphyry, granite porphyries, and granite) contain 62.0–66.6 and 71.2–76.5 wt% SiO₂, respectively. The tonalite and the Hotokezawa Ignimbrite form a continuous trend in their major-element variations. The Sr–Nd isotopic ratios of the ignimbrite and tonalite overlap, but those of the porphyries and granite are more enriched. The early tonalite represents the more basic part of the Hiwada caldera system that was held in small pockets separate from the main magma chamber, because its trace-element abundances are varied and distinct from those of the Hotokezawa Ignimbrite. The distinct compositional change from the Hotokezawa Ignimbrite to the late porphyries and granite indicates that the partial melting crust generating felsic magma was renewed by the subsequent intrusion of the mantle melts. The new felsic magma ascended through subsidence-related faults into the shallow caldera system and emplaced as laccoliths forming the resurgent dome.     

Long-term changes in distribution and chemistry of middle Miocene to Quaternary volcanism in the Chokai-Kurikoma area across the Northeast Japan Arc

Abstract To understand the characteristics of long‐term spatial and temporal variation in volcanism within a volcanic arc undergoing constant subduction since the cessation of back‐arc opening, a detailed investigation of middle Miocene to Quaternary volcanism was carried out within the Chokai‐Kurikoma area of the Northeast Japan Arc. This study involved a survey of available literature, with new K–Ar and fission track dating, and chemical analyses. Since 14 Ma, volcanism has occurred within the Chokai‐Kurikoma area in specific areas with a ‘branch‐like’ pattern, showing an east–west trend. This is in marked contrast to the widespread distribution of volcanism with a north–south trend in the 20–14 Ma period. The east–west‐ trending ‘branches’ are characterized by regular intervals (50–100 km) of magmatism along the arc. These branches since 14 Ma are remarkably discrepant to the general northwest–southeast or north‐northeast–south‐southwest direction of the crustal structures that have controlled Neogene to Quaternary tectonic movements in northeast Japan. In addition, evidence indicating clustering and focusing of volcanism into smaller regions since 14 Ma was verified. Comparison of the distribution and chemistry of volcanic rocks for three principal volcanic stages (11–8, 6–3 and 2–0 Ma) revealed that widely but sparsely distributed volcanic rocks had almost the same level of alkali and incompatible element concentrations throughout the area (with the exception of Zr) in the 11–8 Ma stage. However, through the 6–3 Ma stage to the 2–0 Ma stage, the concentration level in the back‐arc cluster increased, while that in the volcanic front cluster remained almost constant. Therefore, the degree of partial melting has decreased, most likely with a simultaneous increase in the depth of magma segregation within the back‐arc zone, whereas within the volcanic front zone, the conditions of magma generation have changed little over the three stages. In conclusion, the evolution of the thermal structure within the mantle wedge across the arc since 14 Ma has reduced the extent of ascending mantle diapirs into smaller fields. This has resulted in the tendency for the distribution of volcanism to become localized and concentrated into more specific areas in the form of clusters from the late Miocene to Quaternary.     

Late Cretaceous uplift history of the Cretaceous volcanic arc in Southwest Japan: Provenance analysis of the Yuasa–Aridagawa basin based on U–Pb zircon ages

The Ryoke Metamorphic complex has undergone low‐P/T metamorphism and was intruded by granitic magmas around 100 Ma. Subsequently, the belt was uplifted and exposed by the time deposition of the Izumi Group began. The tectonic history of uplift, such as the timing and processes, are poorly known despite being important for understanding the spatiotemporal evolution of the Ryoke Metamorphic Belt. U–Pb zircon ages from sedimentary rocks in the forearc and backarc basins are useful for constraining uplift and magmatism in the provenance. U–Pb dating of detrital zircons from 12 samples (four sandstones and eight granitic clasts) in the Yuasa–Aridagawa basin, a Cretaceous forearc basin in the Chichibu Belt of Southwest Japan, gave mostly ages of 60–110 Ma. Granitic clasts contained in conglomerate suggest that granitic intrusions predate the formation of Coniacian and Maastrichtian conglomerate. Emplacement ages of granitic bodies originated from granitic clasts in Coniacian conglomerate are (110.2 ±1.3) Ma, (106.1 ±1.8) Ma, (101.8+5.8–3.8) Ma, and (95.3 ±1.4) Ma; for granitic clasts in Maastrichtian conglomerate, (89.6 ±1.8) Ma, (87.3+2.4–1.8) Ma, (85.7 ±1.2) Ma, and (82.7 ±1.2) Ma. The results suggest that detrital zircons in the sandstones were mainly derived from volcanic eruptions contemporaneous with depositional age, and plutonic rocks of the Ryoke Metamorphic Belt. Zircon ages of the granitic clast samples also indicate that uplift in the provenance began after Albian and occurred at least during the Coniacian to Maastrichtian. Our results, together with the difference of provenance between backarc and forearc basins suggest that the southern marginal zone of the Ryoke Metamorphic Belt was uplifted and supplied a large amount of clastic materials to the forearc basins during the Late Cretaceous.     

Cretaceous granitoids and their zircon U–Pb ages across the south‐central part of the Abukuma Highland,Japan

Zircons separated from Cretaceous granitoids are dated from a south‐central transect of the Abukuma metamorphic and granitic terrane. The zircon ages do not follow ‘older’ and ‘younger’ granitoid ages that are used conventionally. In the western part of the study area (Zones I, II and III) where the Takanuki and Gosaisho metamorphic rocks are exposed, the Iritono quartz dioritic stock intruding the greenschist facies rocks in Zone III exhibits the oldest age of 121 Ma in the studied region. Quartz diorite located northward shows 112 Ma, but the other four granitoids intruding into the Takanuki and Gosaisho metamorphic rocks are younger and 103–99 Ma. Two‐mica and biotite granites belong to the youngest age group of 99 Ma. The granitic activities of both the Abukuma and Ryoke belts were initiated by intrusion of quartz dioritic magmas and were ended by two‐mica granite activity. The ages of the eastern two batholiths vary from 110 to 106 Ma (four samples), and show no age common to the Kitakami granitoids farther to the north. Throughout the Japanese Islands arc, Cretaceous granitic activities became younger toward the marginal sea side from the Kitakami Mountains, to the Abukuma Highland, and the Ryoke Belt, then to the Sanin belt of the Inner Zone of Southwest Japan.     

Blueschist-facies metamorphism during Paleozoic orogeny in southwestern Japan: Phengite K–Ar ages of blueschist-facies tectonic blocks in a serpentinite melange beneath early Paleozoic Oeyama ophiolite

Blueschist-bearing Osayama serpentinite melange develops beneath a peridotite body of the Oeyama ophiolite which occupies the highest position structurally in the central Chugoku Mountains. The blueschist-facies tectonic blocks within the serpentinite melange are divided into the lawsonite–pumpellyite grade, lower epidote grade and higher epidote grade by the mineral assemblages of basic schists. The higher epidote-grade block is a garnet–glaucophane schist including eclogite-facies relic minerals and retrogressive lawsonite–pumpellyite-grade minerals. Gabbroic blocks derived from the Oeyama ophiolite are also enclosed as tectonic blocks in the serpentinite matrix and have experienced a blueschist metamorphism together with the other blueschist blocks. The mineralogic and paragenetic features of the Osayama blueschists are compatible with a hypothesis that they were derived from a coherent blueschist-facies metamorphic sequence, formed in a subduction zone with a low geothermal gradient (~ 10°C/km). Phengite K–Ar ages of 16 pelitic and one basic schists yield 289–327 Ma and concentrate around 320 Ma regardless of protolith and metamorphic grade, suggesting quick exhumation of the schists at ca 320 Ma. These petrologic and geochronologic features suggest that the Osayama blueschists comprise a low-grade portion of the Carboniferous Renge metamorphic belt. The Osayama blueschists indicate that the 'cold' subduction type (Franciscan type) metamorphism to reach eclogite-facies and subsequent quick exhumation took place in the northwestern Pacific margin in Carboniferous time, like some other circum-Pacific orogenic belts (western USA and eastern Australia), where such subduction metamorphism already started as early as the Ordovician.     

Arc volcanism initiated on the eastern margin of Eurasia during the Early Cretaceous: Geochemistry of the Takanokura volcanic rocks in the Abukuma Mountains,Northeast Japan

The Early Cretaceous Takanokura Formation in the eastern part of the Abukuma Mountains consists of a lower felsic ignimbrite and upper intermediate lavas and volcaniclastic rocks, representing the initial arc-type in northeast Japan. In this study, I analyzed the major and trace element contents and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic ratios of these eruptive products; then, I discussed their magma genesis based on their geochemical properties. Although igneous rocks of the same period in other localities of northeast Japan are characterized by the occurrence of adakites, these volcanism are composed of non-adakitic high- to medium-K andesite to rhyolite that are rich in large-ion lithophile elements and poor in high-field-strength elements and have low Sr/Y values and flat heavy rare earth element patterns. Furthermore, these rocks have high radiogenic Pb isotopic ratios. The rhyolite and dacite have been thought to derive from crustal melting, whereas the andesite formed by the mixing of crustal felsic melts and mafic magmas generated by melting of the lithospheric mantle. Although previous studies attributed the formation of the Early Cretaceous adakites to the hot subduction of a mid-ocean ridge, recent global plate motion reconstructions reject this model. To generate magma from a cold slab and lithospheric mantle that does not spontaneously melt, the mantle wedge under northeast Japan must have experienced heating. During this period, the volcanic province along the eastern margin of Eurasia expanded rapidly toward the trench, forming grabens. Therefore, I concluded that the advance of the hot asthenosphere into the forearc region that led to this expansion, which caused the retreat of the subduction boundary of the paleo-Pacific plate to retreat and ultimately converted northeast Japan from an accretionary complex into a volcanically active region.     

Geochronological and petrological investigations of Miocene felsic igneous rocks in the Amakusa Islands,southwest Japan: Possible extension of the Setouchi Volcanic Belt

The opening of the Japan Sea led to the separation of southwest Japan from the Eurasian continent. Subsequent to this event, a diverse range of igneous activities occurred in southwest Japan. On the back-arc side of the region, igneous activity commenced at approximately 22 Ma and persisted for an extended period. In the trench-proximal region of southwest Japan, magmatism initiated around 15.6 Ma, immediately following the cessation of the Japan Sea opening, in correlation with the subduction of the Philippine Sea plate beneath southwest Japan. The Amakusa Islands in western Kyushu host felsic to intermediate igneous rocks with Miocene radiometric ages. There has been a debate regarding the attribution of the igneous rocks in Amakusa Island among the Miocene igneous rocks in southwest Japan. To address this issue, we conducted zircon U–Pb dating and analyzed the major- and trace-element compositions of felsic igneous rocks in the Amakusa Islands to elucidate their characteristics. The obtained U–Pb ages range from 14.5 to 14.8 Ma, suggesting contemporaneity between magmatism in the Amakusa Islands and the Setouchi Volcanic Rocks in the trench-proximal region of southwest Japan. The major and trace element compositions of the felsic igneous rocks exhibit similarities to the dacites of the Setouchi Volcanic Rocks. These findings support previous suggestions that the magmatism in the Amakusa Islands can be correlated with the Setouchi Volcanic Rocks, based on the discovery of a high-Mg andesite dike and paleo-stress analysis utilizing the direction of dikes and sills. Therefore, the Setouchi Volcanic Belt is proposed to extend further west than the previously identified Ohno volcanic rocks in eastern Kyushu. The subduction of the Shikoku Basin of the Philippine Sea plate toward western Kyushu supports the hypothesis that the Kyushu-Palau Ridge was positioned west of Kyushu at ~15 Ma.     

Geochronological characterization and petrogenesis of granitoids in the Ryoke belt, Southwest Japan Arc: constraints from K–Ar, Rb–Sr and Sm-Nd systematics

Abstract Rb–Sr and K–Ar chronological studies were carried out on granitic and metamorphic rocks in the Ina, Awaji Island and eastern Sanuki districts, Southwest Japan to investigate the timing of intrusion of the granitoids in the Ryoke belt. Intrusions of 'younger' Ryoke granitic magmas took place in the Ina district between 120 Ma and 70 Ma, and cooling began immediately after the emplacement of the youngest granitic bodies. Igneous activity in Awaji Island was initiated at 100 Ma and continued to 75 Ma. Along-arc variations of Rb–Sr whole-rock isochron ages suggest that magmatism began everywhere in the Ryoke and San-yo belts at almost the same time ( ca 120 Ma). The last magmatism took place in the eastern part of both belts. Rb–Sr and K–Ar mineral ages for the granitoids young eastwards. The age data suggest that the Ryoke belt was uplifted just after the termination of igneous activity. Initial Sr and Nd isotopic ratios for the Ryoke granitoids indicate that most were derived from magmas produced in the lower crust and/or upper mantle with uniform Sr and Nd isotopic compositions. Several granitoids, however, exhibit evidence of assimilation of Ryoke metamorphic rocks or older Precambrian crustal rocks beneath the Ryoke belt.     

Detrital zircon geochronology of the Cretaceous Sindong Group,Southeast Korea: Implications for depositional age and Early Cretaceous igneous activity

The Sindong Group forms the lowermost basin‐fill of the Gyeongsang Basin, the largest Cretaceous nonmarine basin located in southeastern Korea, and comprises the Nakdong, Hasandong, and Jinju Formations with decreasing age. The depositional age of the Sindong Group has not yet been determined well and the reported age ranges from the Valanginian to Albian. Detrital zircons from the Sindong Group have been subjected to U–Pb dating using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The Sindong Group contains noticeable amounts of detrital magmatic zircons of Cretaceous age (138–106 Ma), indicative of continuous magmatic activity prior to and during deposition of the Sindong Group. The youngest detrital zircon age of three formations becomes progressively younger stratigraphically: 118 Ma for the Nakdong Formation, 109 Ma for the Hasandong Formation, and 106 Ma for the Jinju Formation. Accordingly, the depositional age of the Sindong Group ranges from the late Aptian to late Albian, which is much younger than previously thought. Lower Cretaceous magmatic activity, which supplied detrital zircons to the Sindong Group, changed its location spatially through time; it occurred in the middle and northern source areas during the early stage, and then switched to the middle to southern source areas during the middle to late stages. This study reports first the Lower Cretaceous magmatic activity from the East Asian continental margin, which results in a narrower magmatic gap (ca 20 m.y.) than previously known.     

Metamorphism and metamorphic K–Ar ages of the Mesozoic accretionary complex in Northland, New Zealand

Abstract A southwest dipping Mesozoic accretionary complex, which consists of tectonically imbricated turbiditic mudstone and sandstone, hemipelagic siliceous mudstone, and bedded cherts and basaltic rocks of pelagic origin, is exposed in northern North Island, New Zealand. Interpillow limestone is sometimes contained in the basaltic rocks. The grade of subduction‐related metamorphism increases from northeast to southwest, indicating an inverted metamorphic gradient dip. Three metamorphic facies are recognized largely on the basis of mineral parageneses in sedimentary and basaltic rocks: zeolite, prehnite‐pumpellyite and pumpellyite‐actinolite. From the apparent interplanar spacing d₀₀₂ data for carbonaceous material, which range from 3.642 to 3.564 Å, the highest grade of metamorphism is considered to have attained only the lowermost grade of the pumpellyite‐actinolite facies for which the highest temperature may be approximately 300°C. Metamorphic white mica K–Ar ages are reported for magnetic separates and <2 µm hydraulic elutriation separates from 27 pelitic and semipelitic samples. The age data obtained from elutriation separates are approximately 8 m.y. younger, on average, than those from magnetic separates. The age difference is attributed to the possible admixture of nonequilibrated detrital white mica in the magnetic separates, and the age of the elutriation separates is considered to be the age of metamorphism. If the concept, based on fossil evidence, of the subdivision of the Northland accretionary complex into north and south units is accepted, then the peak age of metamorphism in the north unit is likely to be 180–130 Ma; that is, earliest Middle Jurassic to early Early Cretaceous, whereas that in the south unit is 150–130 Ma; that is, late Late Jurassic to early Early Cretaceous. The age cluster for the north unit correlates with that of the Chrystalls Beach–Taieri Mouth section (uncertain terrane), while the age cluster for the south unit is older than that of the Younger Torlesse Subterrane in the Wellington area, and may be comparable with that of the Nelson and Marlborough areas (Caples and Waipapa terranes).     

Isotopic equilibration ages for the Miyanohara tonalite from the Higo metamorphic belt in central Kyushu, Southwest Japan: Implications for the tectonic setting during the Triassic

Abstract Miyanohara tonalite occurs in the middle part of the Higo metamorphic belt in the central Kyushu, Southwest Japan. This tonalite intrudes into early Permian Ryuhozan metamorphic rocks in the south and is intruded by Cretaceous Shiraishino granodiorite in the north. The Miyanohara tonalite yielded three mineral ages: (i) 110–100 Ma for Sm–Nd and Rb–Sr internal isochrons and for K–Ar hornblende; (ii) 183 Ma for Sm–Nd internal isochron; and (iii) 211 Ma for Sm–Nd internal isochron. The ages of 110–100 Ma may indicate cooling age due to the thermal effect of the Shiraishino granodiorite intrusion. The ages of 183 Ma and 211 Ma are consistent with timing of intrusion of the Miyanohara tonalite based on geologic constraints. The hornblende in the sample which gave 183 Ma shows discontinuous zoning under microscope, whereas the one which gave 211 Ma does not show zonal structure. These mineralogical features suggest that the 183 Ma sample has suffered severely from later tectonothermal effect compared with the 211 Ma sample. Therefore, the age of 211 Ma is regarded as near crystallization age for the Miyanohara tonalite. The magmatic process, geochronology and initial Sr and Nd isotope ratios for the Miyanohara tonalite are similar to those of early Jurassic granites from the Outer Plutonic Zone of the Hida belt that constitutes a marginal part of east Asia before the opening of the Japan Sea. Intrusion of the Miyanohara tonalite is considered to have taken place in the active continental margin during the late Triassic.     

Generation of block and ash flows during the 1990–1995 eruption of Unzen Volcano, Japan

Processes generating block and ash flows by gravitational dome collapse (Merapi-type pyroclastic flow) were observed in detail during the 1990–1995 eruption of Unzen volcano, Japan. Two different types were identified by analysis of video records and observations during helicopter flights. Most of the block and ash flows erupted during the 1991–1993 exogenous dome growth stage initially involved crack propagation due to cooling and flowage of the dome lava lobes. The mass around the crack became unstable, locally decreasing in tensile strength. Finally, a slab separated from the lobe front, fragmented progressively from the base to the top within a few seconds, and became a block and ash flow. Rock falls immediately followed, in response to local instability of the lobe front. Clasts in these rock falls fragmented and merged with the preceding flow. In contrast, block and ash flows during the endogenous dome growth stage in 1994 were generated due to local bulge of the dome. Unstable lava blocks collapsed and subsequently fragmented to produce block and ash flows.