Paleomagnetic modeling of seamounts near the Hawaiian–Emperor bend

The Hawaiian–Emperor Seamount chain records the motion of the Pacific Plate relative to the Hawaiian mantle hotspot for 80 m.y. A notable feature of the chain is the pronounced bend at its middle. This bend had been widely credited to a change in plate motion, but recent research suggests a change in hotspot motion as an alternative. Existing paleomagnetic data from the Emperor Chain suggest that the hotspot moved south during the Late Cretaceous and Early Tertiary, but reached its current latitude by the age of the bend. Thus, data from area of the bend are important for understanding changes in plume latitude. In this study, we analyze the magnetic anomalies of five seamounts (Annei, Daikakuji-W, Daikakuji- E, Abbott, and Colahan) in the region of the bend. These particular seamounts were chosen because they have been recently surveyed to collect multibeam bathymetry and magnetic data positioned with GPS navigation. Inversions of the magnetic and bathymetric data were performed to determine the mean magnetization of each seamount and from these results, paleomagnetic poles and paleolatitudes were calculated. Three of the five seamounts have reversed magnetic polarities (two are normal) and four contain a small volume of magnetic polarity opposite to the main body, consistent with formation during the Early Cenozoic, a time of geomagnetic field reversals. Although magnetization inhomogene ties can degrade the accuracy of paleomagnetic poles calculated from such models, the seamounts give results consistent with one another and with other Pacific paleomagnetic data of approximately the same age. Seamount paleolatitudes range from 13.7 to 23.7, with an average of 19.4 ± 7.4 (2σ). These values are indistinguishable from the present-day paleolatitude of the Hawaiian hotspot. Together with other paleomagnetic and geologic evidence, these data imply that the Hawaiian hotspot has moved little in latitude during the past 45 m.y.     

Movement of lithospheric plates relative to subduction zones: Formation of marginal seas and active continental margins

Subduction zones with deep seismicity are believed to be associated with the descending branches of convective flows in the mantle and are subordinated to them. Therefore, the position of subduction zones can be considered as relatively fixed with respect to the steady-state system of convective flows. The lithospheric plate overhanging a subduction zone (as a rule of continental type) may:

1. (1) either move away from the subduction zone; or

2. (2) move onto it. In the first case extensional conditions originate behind the subduction zone and the new oceanic crust of back-arc basins forms. In the second case active Andean-type continental margins with thickening of the crust and lithosphere are observed.

Behind the majority of volcanic island-arcs, along the boundary with marginal-sea basins, independent shallow seismicity belts can be traced. They are parallel to the main seismicity belts coinciding with the Benioff zones. The seismicity belts frame island-arc microplates. Island-arc microplates are assumed to be a frame of reference to calculate relative movements of the consuming and overhanging plates. Using slip vector azimuths for shallow seismicity belts in the frontal parts of the Kurile, Japan, Izu-Bonin, Mariana and Tonga—Kermadec arcs, the position of the pole of rotation of the Pacific plate with respect to the western Pacific island-arc microplates was computed. Its coordinates are 66.1°N, 119.2°W. From the global closure of plate movements it has been determined that for the past 10 m.y. the Eurasian and Indian plates have been moving away from the Western Pacific island-arc system, both rotating clockwise, around poles at 31.1°N, 164.2°W and 1.3°S, 157.5°W, respectively. This provides for the opening of the back-arc basins. At the same time South America is moving onto the subduction zone at the rate of 4 cm/yr. Some “hot spots”, such as Hawaiian, Tibesti, and those of the South Atlantic, are moving relative to the island-arc system at a very low rate, viz. 0.5–0.7 cm/yr. Presumably, the western Pacific subduction zone and “hot spots” form a single frame of reference which can generally be used for the analysis of absolute motions.     

Geochemistry of Lavas from the Emperor Seamounts, and the Geochemical Evolution of Hawaiian Magmatism from 85 to 42 Ma

The Hawaiian–Emperor Seamount Chain (ESC), in the northernPacific Ocean, was produced during the passage of the PacificPlate over the Hawaiian hotspot. Major and trace element concentrationsand Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic compositions of shield andpost-shield lavas from nine of the Emperor Seamounts providea 43 Myr record of the chemistry of the oldest preserved Hawaiianmagmatism during the Late Mesozoic and Early Cenozoic (from85 to 42 Ma). These data demonstrate that there were large variationsin the composition of Hawaiian magmatism over this period. Tholeiiticbasalts from Meiji Seamount (85 Ma), at the northernmost endof the ESC, have low concentrations of incompatible trace elements,and unradiogenic Sr isotopic compositions, compared with youngerlavas from the volcanoes of the Hawaiian Chain (<43 Ma).Lavas from Detroit Seamount (81 Ma) have highly depleted incompatibletrace element and Sr–Nd isotopic compositions, which aresimilar to those of Pacific mid-ocean ridge basalts. Lavas fromthe younger Emperor Seamounts (62–42 Ma) have trace elementcompositions similar to those of lavas from the Hawaiian Islands,but initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios extend to lower values. From 81to 42 Ma there was a systematic increase in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of boththoleiitic and alkalic lavas. The age of the oceanic lithosphereat the time of seamount formation decreases northwards alongthe Emperor Seamount Chain, and the oldest Emperor Seamountswere built upon young, thin lithosphere close to a former spreadingcentre. However, the inferred distance of the Hawaiian plumefrom a former spreading centre, and the isotopic compositionsof the oldest Emperor lavas appear to rule out plume–ridgeinteraction as an explanation for their depleted compositions.We suggest that the observed temporal chemical and isotopicvariations may instead be due to variations in the degree ofmelting of a heterogeneous mantle, resulting from differencesin the thickness of the oceanic lithosphere upon which the EmperorSeamounts were constructed. During the Cretaceous, when theHawaiian plume was situated beneath young, thin lithosphere,the degree of melting within the plume was greater, and incompatibletrace element depleted, refractory mantle components contributedmore to melting. KEY WORDS: Emperor Seamounts; Hawaiian plume; lava geochemistry; lithosphere thickness; mantle heterogeneity     

Precambrian palaeomagnetism in Australia II: Basic dykes from the Gawler Block

A palaeomagnetic study of fourty Precambrian dykes which intrude the Gawler Block in South Australia, reveals two principal groups of directions after magnetic cleaning. Pole positions computed from dyke-mean V.G.P.s lie at 50.8°E, 61.4°S (A⁹⁵ = 8.6°) for group GA and 86.4°E, 22.8°S (A⁹⁵ = 11.3°) for group GB. Rb-Sr geochronological studies on samples from the two groups indicate that the dykes constituting group GB were intruded at 1700 ± 100 m.y. and the dykes which yield group GA at 1500 ± 200 m.y. Both palaeomagnetic poles coincide with pole positions previously obtained from a study of the South Australian Precambrian haematite ore bodies, thereby providing age constraints on their date of formation.     

Asymmetric geophysical signatures in the Greenland-Norwegian and Southern Labrador Seas and the Eurasia Basin

A thorough examination of geophysical data from the Greenland-Norwegian Sea, Eurasia Basin and southern Labrador Sea shows significant asymmetry of several parameters (basement topography adjusted for sediment loading, free-air gravity anomaly, spreading half-rate and seismicity) with respect to crustal age:

1. (1) Average zero-age depth (0–57 m.y. B.P.), depth of highest rift mountain summits, and depth to magnetic basement (10–30 km from axis of Mohns and Knipovich ridges) is less on the North American plate flanks. The zero-age depth asymmetry is 400–500 m for the Eurasia Basin (0–57 m.y. B.P.) and for Mohns Ridge (57-22 m.y. B.P.), and 150–200 m for younger Mohns Ridge crust (22-0 m.y. B.P.) and for the extinct Aegir Ridge (57-27 m.y. B.P.). There is little or no asymmetry in the Labrador Sea except near the extinct rift valley, where the east flank is 150–300 m shallower. Magnetic depth-to-source computations provide an independent confirmation of basement asymmetry: The belts 10–30 km from the axis of Mohns and Knipovich ridges are 100–150 m shallower on the west flank of these ridges. The shallower ridge flank is topographically rougher, so that average rift mountain summits are 300 m shallower on the west flanks of the Mohns-Knipovich ridges, a larger asymmetry than for average zero-age depth. The amount of topographic asymmetry is greatest near the Mohns-Knipovich bend. Asymmetry appears to be greatest for ridges oriented normal to the spreading direction, and less for oblique spreading.

2. (2) Free-air gravity anomaly asymmetries of +5 to +20 mGal ( + sign indicates west flank is more positive) are associated with topographic asymmetry at least within 10–15 m.y. of the axis of Mohns and Knipovich ridges. Gravity is reduced on the older flanks west of the extinct Mid-Labrador Ridge and east of Mohns Ridge; asymmetric crustal layer thicknesses or densities provide one possible explanation, although deep-seated sources (e.g., mantle convection), unrelated to the crust, cannot be excluded.

3. (3) Spreading half-rate was about 5–15% lower on the North American plate flanks of Mohns Ridge (57-35 m.y.) and in the Eurasia Basin (0–57 m.y.); thus the fast-spreading flank tends to produce deeper, smoother crust. However, topographic asymmetry cannot relate only to spreading-rate asymmetry, since for the young Mohns Ridge crust (<9 m.y. B.P.) faster spreading and higher topography are both associated with the west flank.

4. (4) Mid-plate seismicity is higher on the Eurasia (eastern) flank of Mohns and Knipovich ridge, but this effect may be unrelated to the other three.

The fluid-dynamical model of Stein et al. correctly explains the sense of spreading-rate asymmetry (the North American plate, moving faster over mantle, is growing more slowly). However, the other asymmetries and their causal relationships remain theoretically unexplained.     

Comparison of recent crustal movements with quaternary movements in japan and its plate-tectonic implication

Recent crustal movements may be classified into two categories: one being associated with major earthquakes and the other being creep deformations without a direct association with any major earthquake. The spatial distribution of the rate of creep deformation during the last 70 years as detected by the precise re-leveling, shows a similar configuration on a map to the distribution of amount of Quaternary vertical movements, throughout the Japanese Islands with the exception of Hokkaido.Comparison of the rate of recent movement with the total amount of Quaternary movement suggests the following two interpretations, which have the advantage of simplicity compared with other possibilities:

1. (1) The rate of the recent movements is four times larger than the average rate for the Quaternary.

2. (2) If the rate of crustal movements is almost uniform as most of creep deformations can be shown to be, then the Quaternary movements must have started about 0.5 million years ago.

Nevertheless, the author suggested in 1967, that the active period of Quaternary tectonic movements might have begun about one million years ago. This suggestion was based upon the measurement of the total amount of movement compared with the rate of movement as detected from the deformation of late Quaternary terraces. These tectonic movements, naturally include the crustal movements associated with major earthquakes.

It is highly probable that the movements associated with major earthquakes and the creep deformations not directly associated with major earthquakes became active at the same time. If so, a third interpretation could be advanced:

3. (3) The rate of the recent creep deformations is about twice the average, and the crustal movements in the Japanese Islands commenced their active period about one million years ago.

On the basis of a bend in the hot-spot trace along the Hawaiian volcanic chain, the Pacific plate seems to have changed the position of its rotation axis and its angular velocity about one million years ago. The agreement of both of these dates with the increasing rates of activity suggests that the Quaternary tectonic movement in Japan was activated by the change in the pole of rotation of the Pacific plate which took place at about one million years ago and in doing so caused the bend in the eastern end of the Hawaiian island chain.     

Precambrian palaeomagnetism in Australia I: Basic dykes and volcanics from the Yilgarn Block

The palaeomagnetism of 54 dykes sampled from the many swarms that intrude the Yilgarn Block of Western Australia shows that their directions of magnetization fall into five distinct groups.Preliminary Rb-Sr age determinations made on samples used in the study however, indicate that for one, and possibly two of those groups, the dykes belong to two widely different ages suggesting that the palaeomagnetic field has been sampled at two widely separated points in time but when its direction was essentially the same. The seven groups of directions thus obtained imply that the dykes belong to at least six, possibly seven periods of intrusion. Relative-age information relating to four of those periods, determined from cross-cutting and baked contact studies, agrees with that obtained radiometrically.The poles and ages of the groups are as follows: Group YA dykes (c. 2500 or c. 1700 m.y.) 21.7S 133.7E (A₉₅ = 17.9°) Group YB dykes (750—700 m.y.) 19.9S 282.0E (A₉₅ = 28.1°) Group YC dykes (1500 m.y., Group YB) 79.7N 2.7E (A₉₅ = 13.0°) Group YD dykes (1700 m.y.) 23.5S 46.1E (A₉₅ = 9.9°) Group YE dykes (c. 2500 m.y.) 28.3S 0.4E (A₉₅ = 31.0°) Group YF dykes (c. 1700 m.y.) 24.7N 101.8E (A₉₅ = 14.0°) Ravensthorpe dykes (2500 ± 100 m.y.) 38.3S 136.2E (A₉₅ = 25.5°)Results from eight samples of the 1390 ± 140 m.y. Morawa Lavas of the Billeranga Hills yield a pole at 42.8N 22.4E (A₉₅ = 14.7°).     

Late Cenozoic rotations of the Juan de Fuca Ridge and the Gorda Rise: A case study

In response to at least one change in the direction of sea-floor spreading, the Juan de Fuca Ridge and Gorda Rise have rotated approximately 20° clockwise with respect to geographic North during the last 10 million years. The rotation histories of these ridge segments have been determined from the ages and azimuths of linear magnetic anomalies within the corresponding “zed” patterns. In each case the rotations were systematic and occurred between about 9 and 3 Ma B.P. Significantly, the rotations occurred in a number of discrete stages during each of which the rates of rotation were approximately constant; rotation rates range from 1.3 to 8.6°/Ma.Though the rotation histories of these spreading centers are generally similar, some changes in the rotation rates are not synchronous, and until 3 Ma B.P., the Juan de Fuca Ridge had a 5–10° more easterly trend than the Gorda Rise. For the last 3 million years both ridge segments have had stable trends near 19°E of North.On a time scale of millions of years, ridge reorientation may be regarded as a continuous process wherein the rotation of the spreading center results from asymmetric spreading. Discontinuous changes in the degree of asymmetric spreading are required to account for observed changes in rotation rate. If the orthogonal arrangement of spreading centers and transform faults represents a least-work condition in which the resistance to plate motions is minimized by minimizing the lengths of ridge segments, as suggested previously, and if the rate at which the system seeks to reduce the total resistance after a change in spreading direction is maximum, it follows that the degree of asymmetric spreading, and hence the rate of rotation, are inversely proportional to the resistance to motion on transform faults. Thus, the various stages of rotation of the Juan de Fuca Ridge and Gorda Rise probably reflect different stress conditions on the Blanco Fracture Zone.It is difficult to account for the different trends of the Juan de Fuca Ridge and Gorda Rise largely because the Gorda Block is not behaving as a rigid plate and because the Mendocino Fracture Zone is not a transform fault. However, the fact that the Gorda Rise has had a stable trend for 3 million years, in spite of the deformation of an adjacent plate, suggests that the motion of the Gorda Block is not controlled by the motions of the vast Pacific and North American Plates, and that the Driving mechanism is “felt” directly at the ridge.     

Tectonic plate motion and deformation inferred from very long baseline interferometry

We inverted 76 rates of change of baseline lengths measured with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) during the period 1979–1989 to estimate the parameters of motions of the North American (noam) and Eurasian (eura) plates relative to the Pacific (pcfc) plate. We considered two types of plate motion models, namely, rigid and non-rigid models. In the non-rigid models, we simultaneously determined the non-rigid motions of several stations near plate boundaries due to intraplate deformation. Intraplate deformation in the regions far away from plate boundaries is assumed to be negligible.Among several models considered, a non-rigid model called M2 is found to fit most closely to the observed data. In this model, six stations are assumed to be capable of the non-rigid motion; those are goldvenu, hatcreek, mojave12, ovro 130 and vndnberg, in the southwestern United States and kashima, in Japan. M2 gives parameter sets of 0.827 ± 0.035°/m.y., about 50.5 ± 1.2°N, 78.5 ± 5.3°W and 0.889 ± 0.049°/m.y., about 59.7 ± 1.9°N, 85.1 ± 7.4 °W, representing the noam-pcfc and eura-pcfc relative motions. The plate motion parameters of M2 are nearly identical to those of the newest global-scale plate motion model nuvel-1. The noam-pcfc and eura-pcfc rotation rates of M2 respectively deviate only 0.044°/m.y. and 0.010°/m.y. from those of nuvel-1 (these deviations are only about 6% and 1%, respectively, of the rotation rates themselves). The noam-pcfc and eura-pcfc poles of M2 both lie only 2° from those of nuvel-1 (within a 2σ error ellipse of each pole). nuvel-1 is determined from spreading rates at mid-ocean ridges, azimuths of transform faults and earthquake slip vectors. Since the spreading rates are estimated from marine magnetic anomalies integrated over a geological timescale, nuvel-1 gives the plate motions averaged over this timescale. Thus, we may conclude that there is no appreciable difference between the plate motions averaged over a geological timescale (millions of years) and those in a recent short period ( ~ 10 yr).M2 also gives the horizontal non-rigid motions of VLBI stations in the southwestern United States at rates of 6–9 mm/yr and roughly in opposite direction to the rigid motion of each station associated with plate motion. hatcreek, located near the northern part of the Basin and Range Province (B&R), also shows additional westward motion of about 9 mm/yr, suggesting crustal stretching in the northern B&R. The US VLBI stations show subsidence at rates of about 5–7 mm/yr, except for goldvenu and ovro 130, whose subsidence is negligible. The Japanese VLBI station, kashima, has a horizontal non-rigid motion of about 20 mm/yr in the west-northwest direction, roughly opposite to the direction of the rigid motion. kashima also shows subsidence at a rate of about 12 mm/yr, which is larger than that deduced from geodetic data but consistent with the result from GPS.     

Constraints on the Source Components of Lavas Forming the Hawaiian North Arch and Honolulu Volcanics

Hawaiian volcanoes, dominantly shields of tholeiitic basalt,form as the Pacific Plate migrates over a hotspot in the mantle.As these shields migrate away from the hotspot, highly alkaliclavas, forming the rejuvenated stage of volcanism, may eruptafter an interval of erosion lasting for 0·25–2·5Myr. Alkalic lavas with geochemical characteristics similarto rejuvenated- stage lavas erupted on the sea floor north ofOahu along the Hawaiian Arch. The variable Tb/Yb, Sr/Ce, K/Ce,Rb/La, Ba/La, Ti/Eu and Zr/Sm ratios in lavas forming the NorthArch and the rejuvenated-stage Honolulu Volcanics were controlledduring partial melting by residual garnet, clinopyroxene, Fe–Tioxides and phlogopite. However, the distinctively high Ba/Thand Sr/Nd ratios of lava forming the North Arch and HonoluluVolcanics reflect source characteristics. These characteristicsare also associated with shield tholeiitic basalt; hence theyarise from the Hawaiian hotspot, which is interpreted to bea mantle plume. Inversion of the batch melting equation usingabundances of highly incompatible elements, such as Th and La,requires enriched sources with 10–55% clinopyroxene and5–25% garnet for North Arch lavas. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Ndratios in lavas forming the North Arch and Honolulu Volcanicsare consistent with mixing between the Hawaiian plume and adepleted component related to mid-ocean ridge basalts. Specifically,the enrichment of incompatible elements coupled with low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Srand high ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd relative to bulk Earth ratios is best explainedby derivation from depleted lithosphere recently metasomatizedby incipient melt (<2% melting) from the Hawaiian plume.In this metasomatized source, the incompatible element abundances,as well as Sr and Nd isotopic ratios, are controlled by incipientmelts. In contrast, the large range of published ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Osdata (0·134–0·176) reflects heterogeneitycaused by various proportions of pyroxenite veins residing ina depleted peridotite matrix. KEY WORDS: Hawaiian plume; Honolulu Volcanics; North Arch; plume–lithosphere interaction; rejuvenated stage; trace element geochemistry; alkalic lavas     

Conical folds and apparent rotations in paleomagnetism (a case study in the Southern Pyrenees)

The so-called apparent rotation was defined as the angular deviation between a local paleomagnetic direction (after the standard bedding correction) and their corresponding paleomagnetic reference [J. Geophys. Res. 85 (1980) 3659]. In this paper, we make a theoretical exploration on this concept and we conclude that (depending on the number, sequence, orientation and magnitude of the deformation axes that have affected to the rock volume) the apparent rotation may be the addition of a vertical-axis rotation plus a spurious rotation. The later is an error whose origin is the inappropriate application of the bedding correction during the restoration (which does not fit the reverse sequence of deformations). Then, Apparent rot. (s.l.) (δ)=Spurious rot. (θ)+Vertical-axis rot. (β).Conical folds are complex geometries that cannot be restored by using the bedding correction. However, appearance of apparent and spurious rotations has not been studied even though the presence of this kind of folds is very common in fold and thrust belts. In this paper, we show a way to restore these structures and its associated paleomagnetic data by means of forward modelling on a stereographic projection. The modelling has to be based on a good characterization of the geometry (fold axis orientation) and understanding of the kinematics of the fold. General modelling has also allowed us to predict the apparent rotation in conical synclines. Its magnitude depends on the semiapical angle and on the degree of development of the fold; the sense of the rotation (clockwise or counter-clockwise) will depend on the sense of rotation the fold axis.The western External Sierras provide an excellent case study of apparent rotations due to the presence of a conical fold in the footwall (Ebro foreland basin) of the South Pyrenean sole thrust. In addition, a vertical-axis clockwise rotation up to 47° (32° in average) has been detected in the hagingwall. An apparent rotation up to 28° (20° in average) is observed in the footwall of the structure when a simple bedding correction is used. This deviation does not fit with the expected Ebro basin direction (reference) and is caused by the effect of the Riglos conical syncline, developed by the flexure of the foot wall ramp of the South Pyrenean sole thrust. The forward modelling carried out considering the geometry and kinematics (non significant rotations in the autochthonous foot wall) of this structure predicts very well the paleomagnetic observations in the field (geographic coordinates) with angular departures of only 5° (in average). The only application of the bedding correction would introduce errors (spurious rotations up to 21°, 12 in average) related to the conical geometry that would not allow the differentiation of these distinct structural units.     

Paleomagnetic study of Cenozoic sediments from the Zaisan basin (SE Kazakhstan) and the Chuya depression (Siberian Altai): tectonic implications for central Asia

This paper presents new paleomagnetic results on Cenozoic rocks from northern central Asia. Eighteen sites were sampled in Pliocene to Miocene clays and sandy clays of the Zaisan basin (southeastern Kazakhstan) and 12 sites in the upper Oligocene to Pleistocene clays and sandstones of the Chuya depression (Siberian Altai).Thermal demagnetization of isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) showed that hematite and magnetite are the main ferromagnetic minerals in the deposits of the Zaisan basin. Stepwise thermal demagnetization up to 640–660 °C isolated a characteristic (ChRM) component of either normal or reverse polarity at nine sites. At two other sites, the great circles convergence method yielded a definite direction. Measurements of the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility showed that the hematite-bearing sediments preserved their depositional fabric. These results suggest a primary origin of the ChRM and were substantiated by positive fold and reversal tests. The mean paleomagnetic direction for the Zaisan basin (D=9°, I=59°, k=19, α₉₅=11°) is close to the expected direction derived from the APW path of Eurasia [J. Geophys. Res. 96 (1991) 4029] and shows that the basin did not rotated relative to stable Asia during the Tertiary.In the upper Pliocene–Pleistocene sandstones of the Chuya depression, a very stable ChRM carried by hematite was found. Its mean direction (D=9°, I=46°, k=25, α₉₅=7°) is characterized by declination close to the one excepted for early Quaternary, whereas inclination is lower. In the middle Miocene to lower Pliocene clays and sandstones, a stable ChRM of both normal and reverse polarities carried by magnetite was isolated. Its mean direction (D=332°, I=63°, k=31, α₉₅=4°) is deviated with respect to the reference direction and implies a Neogene, 39±8° counterclockwise rotation of the Chuya depression relative to stable Asia. These results and those from the literature suggest that the different amount of rotation found in the two basins is related to a sharp variation in their tectonic style, predominantly compressive in the Zaisan basin and transpressive in the Siberian Altai. At a larger scale, the pattern of vertical axis rotations deduced from paleomagnetic data in northern central Asia is consistent with the hypothesis of a large left-lateral shear zone running from the Pamirs to the Baikal. Heterogeneous rotations, however, indicate changes in style of faulting along the shear zone and local effect for the domains with the largest rotations.     

Palaeomagnetic study of Vendian and Early Cambrian rocks of South Siberia and Central Mongolia: was the Siberian platform assembled at this time?

A palaeomagnetic study of Vendian and Early Cambrian sediments from the Angara block of the Siberian platform: Shaman (52.08°N, 108.83°E) and Minya (58.0°N, 110.0°E) Formations, and the Tuva-Mongolian block: Tsagan-Olom and Bayan-Gol Formations (46.76°N, 96.37°E) isolated three different components of magnetization through thermal demagnetization. The stable high-temperature characteristic remanence directions show both normal and reverse polarities. The mean palaeopoles computed after these high-temperature components are: 32.0°S/71.1°E (dp/dm=6.9°/13.8°) for the Vendian Shaman Formation (10 sites, 80 samples), 33.7°S/37.2°E (dp/dm=8.6°/14.7°) for the Vendian Minya Formation (12 samples), 22.8°S/28.4°E (dp/dm=10.8°/21.6°) for the Vendian Tsagan-Olom Formation (4 sites, 25 samples) and 21.4°S/167.1°E (dp/dm=9.6°/19.1°) for the Early Cambrian Bayan-Gol Formation (6 sites, 49 samples). From a compilation of Vendian and Early Cambrian palaeopoles from the Anabar, Angara and Aldan blocks of the Siberian platform and Tuva-Mongolia block, we propose a model where these blocks were situated in an equatorial to low south palaeolatitude position, with their present-day southern boundaries facing the north pole. From the analysis of the scatter of these poles, we conclude that the Siberian platform might not have fully amalgamated by this time, and that significant rotations occurred after the Early Cambrian. Our new palaeopoles for the Tuva-Mongolia block, together with previously published ones, show that this block was already adjacent to Siberia by the Vendian and Early Cambrian. We propose that the large counterclockwise rotation of the Tuva-Mongolia block with respect to Angara block could mark the end of the closure of the part of the Palaeo-Asian ocean separating these two blocks, and could account for the occurrence of Vendian-Early Cambrian ophiolites in the region.     

Paleozoic northward drift of the North Tien Shan (Central Asia) as revealed by Ordovician and Carboniferous paleomagnetism

Three new Middle–Late Ordovician and two new Early Carboniferous paleomagnetic poles have been obtained from the North Tien Shan Zone (NTZ) of the Ural–Mongol belt in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Paleolatitudes for the Carboniferous are unambiguously northerly and average 15.5°N, whereas the Ordovician paleolatitudes (6°, 9°, and 9°) are inferred to be southerly, given that a very large (180°) rotation of the NTZ would be necessary during the middle Paleozoic if the other polarity option was chosen. Thus, the NTZ drifted northward during much of the Paleozoic; east–west drift cannot be determined, as is well known, from paleomagnetic data. In addition, detailed thermal demagnetization analysis reveals two overprints, one of recent age and the other of Permian age, which is a time of strong deformation in the NTZ. The paleolatitude of the combined Permian overprint is 30.5+2°N. The paleolatitudes collectively track those predicted for the area by extrapolation from Baltica very well, but are different from those of Siberia for Ordovician times. This finding is compatible with Sengör and Natal'in's [Sengör, A.M.C., Natal'in, B.A., 1996. Paleotectonics of Asia: fragments of a synthesis. In: Yin A., Harrison, M. (Eds.), The Tectonic Evolution of Asia. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, pp. 486–640] model of tectonic evolution of the Ural–Mongol belt and disagrees with the models of other researchers. Declinations of the Ordovician and Early Carboniferous results range from northwesterly to northeasterly, and are clearly affected by local relative rotations, which seem characteristic for the entire NTZ, because the Permian overprint declinations also show such a spread. Apparently, the important latest Paleozoic–Triassic deformation involved shear zone-related rotations as well as folding and significant granitic intrusions.     

Palaeomagnetic data from the precambrian Gwalior traps, Central India

From alternating-field and thermal demagnetization studies on two dolerite “Traps” in the Gwalior Series (Central India), dated at 1830 ±200 m.y., three different palaeomagnetic directions could be distinguished. The characteristic magnetization component, which is considered as the primary magnetization, has a mean direction: D=78°, I=+34.5°, α₉₅=5°, k=369, N=4 (Pole): 155.5°E19°N, dp=3°, dm=5.5°.A comparison of the presented data with other Precambrian and Phanerozoic data from the Indian subcontinent might suggest that the Indian subcontinent underwent a continuous anticlockwise rotational movement during the last 1800 m.y.     

Palaeomagnetic correlations of Precambrian formations of east-central Africa and their tectonic implications

Palaeomagnetic poles derived from Precambrian formations can be valuable for determining relative, and sometimes absolute, ages of the formations. In this paper palaeomagnetic results are presented from a variety of these formations in Tanzania and Zambia. The Ikorongo Group sediments of Tanzania give a pole at 80° E, 25° S commensurate with an age of 900–1000 m.y. The lower Buanji Series of southern Tanzania yields a pole at 263°E,87°N indicating an age of either Late Precambrian (c. 650 m.y.) or Early Cambrian. The Plateau Series outcrop at the southern end of Lake Tanganyika gives several poles falling on the Late Precambrian to Ordovician apparent polar wander loop recognized by McElhinny et al. (1974), and a small amount of evidence from the Abercorn Sandstone and southern part of the Plateau Series outcrop suggests an age of c. 900 m.y. for these rocks. Dating of formations at the southern end of the Lake Tanganyika depression gives an estimate of 1500 m for the minimum amount of downthrow at this end of the rift system. Five sites from the Mbozi gabbro—syenite complex of southern Tanzania give a pole at 68° E, 72° N and two sites from Mbala dolerites of Zambia yield a pole close to one from the Bukoban dolerites of Tanzania and a similar age (c. 806 m.y.) is suggested.Some palaeomagnetic information is now available from all the Proterozoic platform sediments margining the Tanganyika craton and a correlation scheme is given which incorporates this information together with geochronological data. These formations postdate geosynclinal sequences involved in the Kibaran (c. 1300 m.y.) and Irumide (c. 1100 m.y.) mobile belts, and geological environment and situation demonstrate that the Tanganyika craton was subject to intermittent uplift between about 1000 m.y. and Cambrian times.     

Absolute velocity of North America during the Mesozoic from paleomagnetic data

We use paleomagnetic data to map Mesozoic absolute motion of North America, using paleomagnetic Euler poles (PEP). First, we address two important questions: (1) How much clockwise rotation has been experienced by crustal blocks within and adjacent to the Colorado Plateau? (2) Why is there disagreement between the apparent polar wander (APW) path constructed using poles from southwestern North America and the alternative path based on poles from eastern North America? Regarding (1), a 10.5° clockwise rotation of the Colorado Plateau about a pole located near 35°N, 102°W seems to fit the evidence best. Regarding (2), it appears that some rock units from the Appalachian region retain a hard overprint acquired during the mid-Cretaceous, when the geomagnetic field had constant normal polarity and APW was negligible.We found three well-defined small-circle APW tracks: 245–200 Ma (PEP at 39.2°N, 245.2°E, R=81.1°, root mean square error (RMS)=1.82°), 200–160 Ma (38.5°N, 270.1°E, R=80.4°, RMS=1.06°), 160 to 125 Ma (45.1°N, 48.5°E, R=60.7°, RMS=1.84°). Intersections of these tracks (the “cusps” of Gordon et al. [Tectonics 3 (1984) 499]) are located at 59.6°N, 69.5°E (the 200 Ma or “J1” cusp) and 48.9°N, 144.0°E (the 160 Ma or “J2” cusp). At these times, the absolute velocity of North America appears to have changed abruptly.North America absolute motion also changed abruptly at the beginning and end of the Cretaceous APW stillstand, currently dated at about 125 and 88 Ma (J. Geophys. Res. 97 (1992b) 19651). During this interval, the APW path degenerates into a single point, implying rotation about an Euler pole coincident with the spin axis.Using our PEP and cusp locations, we calculate the absolute motion of seven points on the North American continent. Our intention is to provide a chronological framework for the analysis of Mesozoic tectonics. Clearly, if APW is caused by plate motion, abrupt changes in absolute motion should correlate with major tectonic events. This follows because large accelerations reflect important changes in the balance of forces acting on the plate, the most important of which are edge effects (subduction, terrane accretion, etc.). Some tectonic interpretations: (1) The J1 cusp may be associated with the inception of rifting of North America away from land masses to the east; the J2 cusp seems to mark the beginning of rapid spreading in the North Atlantic. (2) The J2 cusp signals the beginning of a period of rapid northwestward absolute motion of western North America; motion of tectonostratigraphic terranes in the westernmost Cordillera seems likely to have been directed toward the south during this interval. (3) The interval 88 to 80 Ma saw a rapid decrease in the paleolatitude of North America; unless this represents a period of true polar wander, terrane motion during this time should have been relatively northward.     

Sea-level estimates during the last deglaciation based on δO and accelerator mass spectrometry C ages measured in Globigerina bulloides

Coupled measurements of δ¹⁸O and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) ¹⁴C in a particular species of planktonic foraminifera may be used to calculate sea-level estimates for the last deglaciation. Of critical importance for this type of study is a knowledge of the seasonality of foraminiferal growth, which can be provided by δ¹⁸O measurements of modern shells (core tops, plankton tows). Isotopic (δ¹⁸O, AMS-¹⁴C dating) and faunal records (transfer function sea surface temperature) were obtained from two cores in the North Atlantic at about 37°N. The locations were chosen to obtain high sedimentation rate records removed from the major ice-melt discharge areas of the last deglaciation. Based upon Globigerina bulloides data, four δ¹⁸O-based sea-level estimates were calculated: −67 ± 7 m at 12,200 yr B.P. and −24 ± 8 m at about 8200 yr B.P. for core SU 81-18; −83 ± 10 m at 12,200 yr B.P. and −13 ± 11 m at about 8500 yr B.P. for core SU 81-14. Using a second working hypothesis concerning the seasonability of G. bulloides growth, it is suggested that the sea-level rose by about 40 m during the millennium which followed 14,500 yr B.P.     

True polar wander

A re-evaluation of the existence of true polar wander (TPW) since the Late Cretaceous and a comparison among the various approaches are made using updated paleomagnetic, hotspot and relative motion datasets. Previous attempts to determine the existence of TPW had resulted in different conclusions: comparison of hotspot locations and paleomagnetic poles required significant pole motion, although lithospheric plate displacement analysis yielded insignificant motion. However, these earlier determinations cannot be directly compared to find the reason for the discrepancies, because each used different datasets. For this study the different approaches are applied to a single updated model with three alternative relative motions of East and West Antarctica. Although the results are model-dependent, in general there was not significant motion of the pole relative to the lithosphere (1–5°) since the early Tertiary, but a large motion (10–12°) relative to the hotspot framework. It is unlikely that errors in the determinations could account for this disagreement: the A₉₅ of the plate reconstruction is about 3°, the uncertainty in Antarctica motion is estimated to no larger than 3°, and cumulative errors in the relative plate motions may also amount to 3°. Only if all these errors are present in the maximum estimated amount, and in the same direction, could they account for the 10–12° gap between the two approaches. This conclusion of pole motion relative to the hotspots, but not the lithosphere, may indicate an independent shift of the mesosphere relative to the lithosphere (or “mantle roll” of Hargraves and Duncan).     

Iron-Titanium Oxide Geothermometry and Petrogenesis of Lava Flows and Dykes from Mandla Lobe of the Eastern Deccan Volcanic Province, India

Compositional studies on different forms of magnetite, ulvospinel, ilmenite and hematite mineral phases occurring in 37 lava flows and 6 dykes of the Mandla lobe are presented in this paper. Ilmenite (0001) in equilibrium with titanomanetite show high values of temperature of equilibration, ranging from 1172–974°C, for high alumina quartz normative tholeiitic lava flows of Chemical Type - A; 1129–1229°C for low alumina quartz normative tholeiitic lava flows of Chemical Type - B; 1283–1124°C for tholeiitic lava flows of Chemical Type - F and 1243°C and 99O°C for two diopside olivine normative tholeiite flows of Chemical Type D. High olivine normative flows of Chemical Type - G and H show 1095°C and 1092°C respectively. Whereas, high hypersthene normative tholeiite flow of Chemical me C shows temperature of 1187°C. Data plots disposition over iron-titanium oxide equilibration temperature vs – logfo₂, diagram for Mandla lava flows and other parts of the Deccan (Igatpuri, Mahabaleshwer, Nagpur and Sagar areas) revealed that tholeiitic (evolved) basalt of the eastern Deccan volcanic province formed at high temperatures whereas, picritic (primitive) lavas of Igatpuri and tholeiitic basalt of Mahabaleshwar areas were formed at low temperatures. Mahabaleshwer basalts follow FMQ (fayalite-magnetite-quartz) buffer curve but, plots of the Mandla basalts lie above this curve indicating higher temperatures of crystallisation of ilmenite-titanomagnetite than that of the lava flows from other parts of Deccan 'Raps. The eastern Deccan Traps are most evolved types of lava as characterised by its low Mg-number and Ni content whereas, Igatpuri lava flows are picritic (primitive), having high Mg-number and Ni contents. Temperature vs FeO + Fe₂O₃ / FeO + Fe₂O₃ + MgO ratio data plots for Mandla and other Deccan lava flows and liquidus data for Hawaiian tholeiites, indicated that Igatpuri basalts lie parallel to the liquidus line of Hawaiian tholeiite but at lower temperatures. Large data plots of Mandla lava flows lie along the liquidus line of the Hawaiian lava. The highly vesicular nature of compound lava flows having large amount of volatile is responsible for low temperature values whereas, lava flows represented by high temperatures show high modal values of glass and opaque minerals.