Geomorphic evolution of the Southern Alps,New Zealand

The Southern Alps are the topographic expression of late Cenozoic (<8 Ma ago) uplift of the crust of the leading edge of the Pacific plate in South Island, New Zealand. New fission track data on the basement exposed in the Southern Alps quantify the age, amount, and rate of rock uplift, and in combination with geomorphic parameters permit the construction of a new model of the geomorphic evolution of the Southern Alps. The model emphasizes the development over time and space of rock uplift, mean surface elevation, exhumation of crustal section, and relief. The earliest indications of mean surface uplift are between 4 and 5 Ma ago at the Alpine Fault. Mean surface uplift, which lagged the start of rock uplift, propagated southeastward from the Alpine Fault at a rate of 30 km/Ma. By about 4 Ma ago, exhumation had exposed greywacke basement adjacent to and east of the entire 300 km long central section of the Alpine Fault. At 3 Ma ago, greenschist was exposed in the southern parts of the Southern Alps near Lake Wanaka, and since then has become exhumed along a narrow strip east of the Alpine Fault. The model infers that amphibolite grade schist has been exhumed adjacent to the Alpine Fault only in the last 0·3 Ma. The age of the start of rock uplift and the amount and rate of rock uplift, all of which vary spatially, are considered to be the dominant influences on the development of the landscape in the Southern Alps. The Southern Alps have been studied in terms of domains of different rock uplift rate. At present the rate of rock uplift varies from up to 8–10 mm/a adjacent to the Alpine Fault to 0·8–1·0 mm/a along the southeastern margin of the Southern Alps. This spectrum can be divided into two domains, one northwest of the Main Divide where the present rock uplift rates are very high (up to 8–10 mm/a) and exceed the long-term value of 0·8–1·0 mm/a, and another to the southeast of the Main Divide where the long-term rate is 0·8–1·0 mm/a. A domain of no uplift lies immediately to the east of the Southern Alps, and is separated from them by a 1·0–1·5 km step in the basement topography. We argue that this spatial sequence of uplift rate domains represents a temporal one. The existing models of the geomorphic development of the Southern Alps—the dynamic cuesta model of J. Adams and the numerical model of P. Koons—are compared with the new data and evolutionary model. Particular constraints unrealized by these two earlier models include the following: the earlier timing of the start of rock uplift of the Southern Alps (8 Ma ago); the spatial variation in the timing of the start of rock uplift (8 Ma ago to 3 Ma ago); the lower long-term rock uplift rate (0·8–1·0 mm/a) of the Southern Alps for most of the late Cenozoic; the lag between the start of rock uplift and the start of mean surface uplift; and the patterns of the amounts of late Cenozoic rock uplift and erosion across the Southern Alps.     

One-Dimensional Thermal Modeling of the Eastern Pontides Orogenic Belt (NE Turkey)

The eastern Pontides orogenic belt is one of the most complex geodynamic settings in the Alpine–Himalayan belt due to the lack of systematical geological and geophysical data. In this study, 1D crustal structure and P-wave velocity distribution obtained from gravity modeling and seismological data in the area has been used for the development of the thermal model of the eastern Pontides orogenic belt. The computed temperature-depth profiles suggest a temperature of 590?±?60°C at a Moho depth of 35?km indicates the presence of a brittle-ductile transition zone. This temperature value might be related to water in the subducted crust of the Tethys oceanic lithosphere. The Curie temperature depth value of 29?km, which may correspond to the crustal magma chambers, is found 5–7?km below the Moho depth. Surface heat flow density values vary from 66.5 and 104.7?mW?m^?2. High mantle heat flow density value of 48?mW?m^?2 is obtained for the area should be related to melting of the lithospheric mantle caused by upwelling of asthenosphere.     

Heat flow in Eastern Egypt: The thermal signature of a continental breakup

The Red Sea is a modern example of continental fragmentation and incipient ocean formation. Heat flow data have been collected from eastern Egypt to provide information relating to the mode and mechanism of Red Sea opening. Preliminary heat flow data, including new data reported here, are now available from twenty-five sites in eastern Egypt and one site in western Sinai. A pattern of low to normal heat flow (35–55 mW m⁻²) inland with high heat flow (75–100 mW m⁻²) in a zone within 30 to 40 km of the coast is indicated.Moderately high heat flow (around 70 mW m⁻²) is indicated for the Gulf of Suez. The coastal zone thermal anomaly appears continuous with high heat flow previously reported for the Red Sea shelf. Heat production data indicate that the coastal thermal anomaly is not primarily related to crustal radiogenic heat production. The effects of rapid erosion may contribute to the anomaly, but are not thought to be the primary cause of the anomaly. If the anomaly is caused by lateral conduction from hot, extended, offshore lithosphere, the extension must have been active for the last 30 Ma or so, and a minimum of 100% extension is indicated. Alternatively, the anomaly is primarily caused by high mantle heat flow causing lithospheric thinning, centred beneath the Red Sea. The Red Sea is probably underlain by dominantly basic crust, formed either by intrusion into attenuated continental crust or sea-floor spreading, and for most purposes the crust formed in these two modes of extension may be essentially indistinguishable. Fission-track ages from eastern Egypt indicate that uplift started prior to, or at latest at the time of initial Red Sea opening, and this result, together with thermo-mechanical considerations, suggests an active asthenospheric upwelling beneath the Red Sea and high temperature in the lithosphere prior to extension.     

Mantle heat flow and thermal structure of the northern block of Southern Granulite Terrain, India

Continental shield regions are normally characterized by low-to-moderate mantle heat flow. Archaean Dharwar craton of the Indian continental shield also follows the similar global pattern. However, some recent studies have inferred significantly higher mantle heat flow for the Proterozoic northern block of Southern Granulite Terrain (SGT) in the immediate vicinity of the Dharwar craton by assuming that the radiogenic elements depleted exposed granulites constitute the 45-km-thick crust. In this study, we use four-layered model of the crustal structure revealed by integrated geophysical studies along a geo-transect in this region to estimate the mantle heat flow. The results indicate that: (i) the mantle heat flow of the northern block of SGT is 17 ± 2 mW/m², supporting the global pattern, and (ii) the lateral variability of 10–12 mW/m² in the surface heat flow within the block is of crustal origin. In terms of temperature, the Moho beneath the eastern Salem–Namakkal region appears to be at 80–100 °C higher temperature than that beneath the western Avinashi region.     

Thermal-rheological structure of the lithosphere beneath Jiyang Depression: Its implications for geodynamics

Thermal regime of the lithosphere is the scenario of the lithospheric thermal evolution, and the thermo-mechanical state of lithosphere definitively controls its deformation style and mechanism. Better understanding of the lithospheric deep thermal-rheo- logical structure of sedimentary basin will shed light on the formation and evolution dynamic process of the basin. Surface tectonics is the response of the deep structure, and is controlled by the lithospheric ther-mal-rheological properties.…     

Seismic signature of the Alpine indentation,evidence from the Eastern Alps

The type of collision between the European and the Adriatic plates in the easternmost Alps is one of the most interesting questions regarding the Alpine evolution. Tectonic processes such as compression, escape and uplift are interconnected and shape this area. We can understand these ongoing processes better, if we look for signs of the deformation within the Earth's deep crust of the region. By collecting records from permanent and temporary seismic networks, we assemble a receiver function dataset, and analyze it with the aim of giving new insights on the structure of the lower crust and of the shallow portion of the upper mantle, which are inaccessible to direct observation. Imaging is accomplished by performing common conversion depth stacks along three profiles that crosscut the Eastern Alpine orogen, and allow isolating features consistently persistent in the area. The study shows a moderately flat Moho underlying a seismically anisotropic middle-lower crust from the Southern Alps to the Austroalpine nappes. The spatial progression of anisotropic axes reflects the orientation of the relative motion and of the stress field detected at the surface. These observations suggest that distributed deformation is due to the effect of the Alpine indentation. In the shallow upper mantle right below the Moho interface, a further anisotropic layer is recognized, extended from the Bohemian Massif to the Northern Calcareous Alps.     

Synchronous uplift of the lower crust of the Ivrea Zone and of Southern Calabria and its possible consequences for the Hercynian orogeny in Southern Europe

Along the border of the Adriatic microplate, pre-Alpine granulite-facies rocks from the deepest crust are outcropping at only two places: in the Ivrea Zone of the Southern Alps and in Southern Calabria. In these two areas the main features of the present crustal structures, i.e. overlapping of large continental crustal and upper mantle segments, are interpreted as resulting from their Hercynian geodynamic evolutions.The tilted, nearly complete crustal sections in both areas display very similar lithological sequences and experienced a common geological evolution, as deduced from petrological and radiometric dates. At the end of Hercynian time (～295 m.y.), the Ivrea body and the lower crustal rocks of Southern Calabria were contemporaneously sheared off from the upper mantle and uplifted into intermediate crustal levels, where they slowly cooled during Mesozoic time. The tectonic uplift was accompanied by granitoid plutonism and andesitic to rhyolitic volcanism, which continued after the Hercynian uplift.Considering the presently similar crustal structures and the Upper Carboniferous and Permian geological evolutions along the whole Adriatic plate boundary, the Ivrea Zone and Southern Calabria are used to resolve the pre-Alpine history of the boundary zone between the Adriatic and the Central European block: the uplift of the lower crustal/upper mantle flakes of the Adriatic block was due to flat overthrusting of these flakes on the continental crust of “Central Europe”. The material of the Central European crust underthrust (subducted) thereby melted during the re-equilibration of the geotherms which had been disturbed by the subduction process; this led to an extensive calc-alkaline plutonism and volcanism of crustal origin along the Adria boundary. In this boundary region, the overlying uppermost crustal levels (“Schiefergebirgsstockwerk”) were synchronously folded (“Asturian phase”) in response to the overlapping of the deeper crustal levels. Subsequently to the orogeny, the mountain chain was eroded and molasse basins developed on the overthrust Adriatic crustal segment during the Lower Permian.In this model, the granulite-facies flakes of the Ivrea Zone and of Southern Calabria are interpreted as pre-Hercynian lower crustal segments which were thrust into the middle crust during the Hercynian orogeny, thus giving rise to wave velocity inversions in the crust. Further, it is proposed that similar geodynamic processes have played a role in the genesis of the Conrad discontinuity which is present in many parts of the Hercynian fold belt. But only in the Ivrea Zone and in Southern Calabria the crustal discontinuities formed in Hercynian time were uplifted to the surface as a result of Alpine reactivation of the Adriatic boundary zone and due to their special positions in the bends of the Alpine-Apennine-Maghrebide mountain system.According to the present knowledge of the Carboniferous paleogeography and of the orogenic evolution on both sides of the Adria sufure zone, this fault zone was located within the European continent. Its role during the Hercynian orogeny is discussed envisaging two possibilities: an A-subduction zone or a subfluence zone (in the sense of Behr and Weber).     

准噶尔盆地大地热流特征与岩石圈热结构

沉积盆地现今大地热流和岩石圈热结构特征是岩石圈构造-热演化过程的综合反映和盆地热史恢复的约束条件,对盆地动力学研究和油气资源评价具有重要意义.作者系统分析了准噶尔盆地2000年以来新增的102口钻孔的系统测井温度和400余口钻孔的试油温度资料,采用光学扫描法测试了15口钻孔共187块代表性岩石热导率,首次建立了准噶尔盆地岩石热导率柱,新增了11个高质量的(A类)大地热流数据,分析了准噶尔盆地大地热流分布特征,并揭示了其岩石圈热结构.研究表明,准噶尔盆地现今地温梯度介于 11.6~27.6℃/km,平均21.3±3.7℃/km,大地热流介于23.4~56.1 mW/m²,平均42.5±7.4 mW/m²,表现为低地温梯度、低大地热流的"冷"盆特征.准噶尔盆地大地热流与地温梯度分布规律基本一致,主要受控于基底的构造形态,东部隆起最高,陆梁隆起次之,乌伦古坳陷、中央坳陷和西部隆起较低,北天山山前坳陷最低.准噶尔盆地地壳热流介于18.8~26.0 mW/m²,地幔热流介于16.5~23.7 mW/m²,壳幔热流比值介于0.79~1.58,属于典型的"冷壳冷幔"型热结构.准噶尔盆地地幔热流值与莫霍面起伏一致,隆起区地幔热流高,坳陷区地幔热流低.     

Insights into the Crustal Structure and Geodynamic Evolution of the Southern Granulite Terrain,India, from Isostatic Considerations

The Southern Granulite Terrain of India, formed through an ancient continental collision and uplift of the earth’s surface, was accompanied by thickening of the crust. Once the active tectonism ceased, the buoyancy of these deep crustal roots must have supported the Nilgiri and Palani-Cardamom hills. Here, the gravity field has been utilized to provide new constraints on how the force of buoyancy maintains the state of isostasy in the Southern Granulite Terrain. Isostatic calculations show that the seismically derived crustal thickness of 43–44 km in the Southern Granulite Terrain is on average 7–8 km more than that required to isostatically balance the present-day topography. This difference cannot be solely explained applying a constant shift in the mean sea level crustal thickness of 32 km. The isostatic analysis thus indicates that the current topography of the Southern Granulite Terrain is overcompensated, and about 1.0 km of the topographic load must have been eroded from this region without any isostatic readjustment. The observed gravity anomaly, an order of magnitude lower than that expected (−125 mGal), however, shows that there is no such overcompensation. Thermal perturbations up to Pan-African, present-day high mantle heat flow and low Te together negate the possible resistance of the lithosphere to rebound in response to erosional unloading. To isostatically compensate the crustal root, compatible to seismic Moho, a band of high density (2,930 kg m⁻³) in the lower crust and low density (3,210 kg m⁻³) in the lithospheric mantle below the Southern Granulite Terrain is needed. A relatively denser crust due to two distinct episodes of metamorphic phase transitions at 2.5 Ga and 550 Ma and highly mobilized upper mantle during Pan-African thermal perturbation reduced significantly the root buoyancy that kept the crust pulled downward in response to the eroded topography.     

裂谷盆地构造-热演化模拟中几个问题的讨论

裂谷盆地的构造-热演化模拟是在岩石圈尺度计算裂谷盆地形成演化过程中的热历史和沉降史.拉张模型实现了构造和热的完美结合,在描述裂谷盆地沉降和热流演化方面取得了很大的成功.本文使用二维运动学模型,通过有限元方法,在拉格朗日坐标系下进行拉张背景下的构造热演化模拟,探讨了拉张模型中初始地壳、岩石圈厚度、软流圈对流、模型上边界对构造热演化的影响,以及载水和载沉积物两种情况下盆地侧翼抬升的差异.     

Some thermal and mechanical consequences of rapid uplift: an example from the Southern Alps, New Zealand

The thermal evolution of continental crust during active collision is modeled through numerical solutions of the two-dimensional heat conduction equation for a rapidly moving medium. The boundary conditions used in the modeling are derived from geological and geophysical observations from the active collision zone in the South Island of New Zealand. The problem domain over which the solutions are obtained consists of a 40 km horizontal by 25 km vertical spatial plane with a vertical discontinuity at 10 km from the western boundary. To the east of this discontinuity, vertical uplift rates of up to 10 mm/a occur over a timespan of up to 4 Ma. Temperature distributions are calculated at 10 ka intervals over the 4 Ma duration. A two-dimensional high-temperature region is established upon initiation of uplift of the eastern block due to the advective component carrying heat upwards more rapidly than it can be dissipated laterally from the problem domain. Temperatures within the upper 5 km are greater than 400°C after 2.25 Ma with geothermal gradients of up to 200°C/km attained within the upper 3 km. At times greater than 2.5 Ma, the vertical temperature distribution changes little while the anomalously high temperatures spread laterally into the stationary crust.Using rheological equations to describe the brittle behaviour of a water-saturated upper crust and the ductile behaviour of a quartz-dominated lower crust, together with the thermal distribution of the conduction models, the mechanical evolution of a collision zone is investigated. In addition to high crustal temperatures and associated high heat flow, rapid uplift produces a weakening of the crust by raising of the depth of transition from brittle to ductile behaviour. Within the zone of most rapid uplift, the brittle-ductile transition rises from 13 km to less than 5 km after 1.5 Ma of uplift. Further uplift reduces the brittle layer to 3 km thickness and causes lateral spreading of the low-strength zone. The reductions in crustal strength caused by the thermal weakening produce a high-strain zone within the region of maximum uplift which is incapable of sustaining large differential stresses. This causes horizontal and vertical stress transfer and results in shallow seismicity increases in the adjacent crust as well as in intermediate depth seismicity within the high-strength upper mantle.Because the thermal and mechanical anomalies discussed are a function of rapid uplift, all regions of active continental collision may be expected to exhibit similar behaviour. Some mechanical and thermal characteristics of the Himalayan collision zone are briefly examined in light of the numerical modeling.     

Thermal-rheological structure of lithosphere beneath the northern flank of Tarim Basin, western China: Implications for geodynamics

Based on the data of geo-temperature and thermophysical parameters of rocks in the Kuqa Depression and the Tabei Uplift, northern flank of the Tarim Basin, in terms of the analytical solution of 1-D heat transfer equation, the thermal structure of the lithosphere under this region is determined. Our results show that the average surface heat flow of the northern flank of the Tarim Basin is 45 mW/m2, and the mantle heat flow is between 20 and 23 mW/m2; the temperature at crust-mantle boundary (Moho) ranges from 514℃ to 603℃ and the thermal lithosphere where the heat conduction dominates is 138-182 km thick. Furthermore, in combination with the P wave velocity structure resulting from the deep seismic sounding profile across this region and rheological modeling, we have studied the local composition of the lithosphere and its rheological profile, as well as the strength distribution. We find that the rheological stratification of the lithosphere in this region is apparent. The lowermost of the lower crust is ductile; however,the uppermost of the mantle and the upper and middle parts of the crust are both brittle layers,which is typically the so-called sandwich-like structure. Lithospheric strength is also characterized by the lateral variation, and the uplift region is stronger than the depression region. The lithospheric strength of the northem flank of the Tarim Basin decreases gradually from south to north; the Kuqa Depression has the lowest strength and the south of the Tabei Uplift is strongest.The total lithospheric strength of this region is 4.77× 1012-5.03 × 1013 N/m under extension, and 6.5 × 1012-9.4× 1013 N/m under compression. The lithospheric brittle-ductile transition depth is between 20 km and 33 km. In conclusion, the lithosphere of the northern flank of the Tarim Basin is relatively cold with higher strength, so it behaves rigidly and deforms as a whole, which is also supported by the seismic activity in this region. This rigidity of the Tarim lithosphere makes it little deform interior, but only into flexure under the sedimentation and tectonic loading associated with the rapid uplift of the Tianshan at its northern margin during the Indian-Eurasian continental collision following the Late Eocene. Finally, the influences of factors, such as heat flow, temperature,crustal thickness, and especially basin sediment thickness, on the lithospheric strength are discussed here.     

Crustal P-wave velocity structure in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and insights into crustal deformation

The transitional area between the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Ordos Block and Alxa Block,also being the northern segment of the North-South Seismic Belt, is characterized by considerably high seismicity level and high risk of strong earthquakes. In view of the special tectonic environment and deep tectonic setting in this area, this study used two seismic wide-angle reflection/refraction cross profiles for double constraining, so as to more reliably obtain the fine-scale velocity structure characteristics in both the shallow and deep crust of individual blocks and their boundaries in the study area,and further discuss the seismogenic environment in seismic zones with strong historical earthquakes. In this paper, the P-wave data from the two profiles are processed and interpreted, and two-dimensional crustal velocity structure models along the two profiles are constructed by travel time forward modeling. The results show that there are great differences in velocity structure,shape of intra-crustal interfaces and crustal thickness among different blocks sampled by the two seismic profiles. The crustal thickness along the Lanzhou-Huianbu-Yulin seismic sounding profile(L1) increases from ~43 km in the western margin of Ordos Block to ~56 km in the Qilian Block to the west. In the Ordos Block, the velocity contours vary gently, and the average velocity of the crust is about 6.30 km s-1; On the other hand, the velocity structures in the crust of the Qilian Block and the arclike tectonic zone vary dramatically, and the average crustal velocities in these areas are about 0.10 km s-1 lower than that of the Ordos Block. In addition, discontinuous low-velocity bodies(LVZ1 and LVZ2) are identified in the crust of the Qilian Block and the arc-like tectonic zone, the velocity of which is 0.10–0.20 km s-1 lower than that of the surroundings. The average crustal thickness of the Ordos Block is consistently estimated to be around 43 km along both Profile L2(Tongchuan-Huianbu-Alashan left banner seismic sounding profile) and Profile L1. In contrast to the gently varying intra-crustal interfaces and velocity contours in the Ordos Block along Profile L1, which is a typical structure characteristic of stable cratons, the crustal structure in the Ordos Block along Profile L2 exhibits rather complex variations. This indicates the presence of significant structural differences in the crust within the Ordos Block. The crustal structure of the Helan Mountain Qilian Block and the Yinchuan Basin is featured by "uplift and depression" undulations, showing the characteristics of localized compressional deformation.Moreover, there are low-velocity zones with alternative high and low velocities in the middle and lower crust beneath the Helan Mountain, where the velocity is about 0.15–0.25 km s-1 lower than that of the surrounding areas. The crustal thickness of the Alxa Block is about 49 km, and the velocity contours in the upper and middle-lower crust of the block vary significantly. The complex crustal velocity structure images along the two seismic sounding profiles L1 and L2 reveal considerable structural differences among different tectonic blocks, their coupling relationships and velocity structural features in the seismic zones where strong historical earthquakes occurred. The imaging result of this study provides fine-scale crustal structure information for further understanding the seismogenic environment and mechanism in the study area.     

根据接收函数反演得到的首都圈地壳上地幔三维S波速度结构

利用2002~2003年中国地震局地质研究所台阵实验室以唐山大震区为中心布设的40个流动宽频带地震台站和首都圈数字台网的33个宽频带台站的远震数据,采用接收函数非线性反演方法得到其中72个宽频带台站下方60 km深度范围内的S波速度结构.根据得到的各台站下方地壳上地幔的S波速度结构,并综合刘启元等（1997）用接收函数非线性反演方法得到的延怀盆地15个宽频带流动台站下方的地壳上地幔S波速度结构模型,给出了39°N～41°N,114°E~119.5°E区域内沿不同走向、不同深度S波速度分布.由于综合了利用首都圈数字地震台网的宽频带台站以及流动地震台阵的观测数据,本文给出了较前人同类研究空间分辨率更好的结果.结果表明: (1)研究区的速度结构,特别是怀来以东的速度结构十分复杂.在10~20 km深度范围内,研究区地壳具有高速和低速异常块体的交错结构.研究区中上地壳速度结构主要被与张渤地震带大体重合的NW向高速条带和穿越唐山大震区的NE向高速条带所控制,而其中下地壳的速度结构主要为延怀—三河—唐山地区上地幔隆起所控制.(2)研究区内存在若干壳内S波低速体,它们主要分布在唐山,三河及延怀盆地等地区.在这些地区,壳内低速体伴随着壳幔界面的隆起和上地幔顶部速度结构的横向变化.(3)地表断层分布与地壳速度结构分区有较好的相关性,表明断层对不同块体有明显的控制作用.其中,宝坻断裂,香河断裂和唐山断裂均为超壳断裂.(4)首都圈内大地震的分布与壳内低速体及上地幔顶部的速度结构有密切关系.对于唐山大地震的成因,仅考虑板块作用引起的水平应力场是不够的,有必要充分重视由于上地幔变形引起的地壳垂直变形和上地幔物质侵入造成的热效应.     

Curie point depth from spectral analysis of aeromagnetic data from Cerro Prieto geothermal area,Baja California,México

Using aeromagnetic data acquired in the area from the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, we estimated the depth to the Curie point isotherm, interpreted as the base of the magnetic sources, following statistical spectral-based techniques. According to our results the Curie point isotherm is located at a depths ranging from 14 to 17 km. Our result is somewhat deeper than that obtained previously based only in 2-D and 3-D forward modeling of previous low-quality data. However, our results are supported by independent information comprising geothermal gradients, seismicity distribution in the crust, and gravity determined crustal thickness. Our results imply a high thermal gradient (ranging between 33 and 38 °C/km) and high heat flow (of about 100 mW/m²) for the study area. The thermal regime for the area is inferred to be similar to that from the Salton trough.     

Diversion of heat by Archean cratons: a model for southern Africa

The surface heat flow in the interior of Archean cratons is typically about 40 mW m⁻² while that in Proterozoic and younger terrains surrounding them is generally considerably higher. The eighty-four heat flow observations from southern Africa provide an excellent example of this contrast in surface heat flow, showing a difference of some 25 mW m⁻² between the Archean craton and younger peripheral units. We investigate two possible contributions to this contrast: (1) a shallow mechanism, essentially geochemical, comprising a difference in crustal heat production between the two terrains, and (2) a deeper mechanism, essentially geodynamical, arising from the existence of a lithospheric root beneath the Archean craton which diverts heat away from the craton into the thinner surrounding lithosphere. A finite element numerical model which explores the interplay between these two mechanisms suggests that a range of combinations of differences in crustal heat production and lithospheric thickness can lead to the contrast in surface heat flow observed in southern Africa. Additional constraints derived from seismological observations of cratonic roots, the correlation of surface heat flow and surface heat production, petrological estimates of the mean heat production in continental crust and constraints on upper mantle temperatures help narrow the range of acceptable models. Successful models suggest that a cratonic root beneath southern Africa extends to depths of 200–400 km. A root in this thickness range can divert enough heat to account for 50–100% of the observed contrast in surface heat flow, the remainder being due to a difference in crustal heat production between the craton and the surrounding mobile belts in the range of zero to 0.35 μW m⁻³.     

Thermal models for the magmatic accretion and subsequent metamorphism of continental crust

I present one-dimensional conductive relaxation models for the thermal evolution of continental crust which has undergone magmatic thickening in a predominantly recumbent tectonic regime. The sustained addition of magma, and associated heat, profoundly influences the conductive relaxation of the affected sialic crust. The mechanism of accretion, successively beneath (under-accretion), or successively above (over-accretion), previously added material, strongly affects the type of P-T-time history sustained by the rocks in the middle and deep crust. The pressure and temperature conditions which might be recorded by mineral assemblages equilibrating in such tectonothermal regimes may bear very little relation to conductive heat supplies from the upper mantle. P-T values obtained by geobarometry and geothermometry in such complexes must be used with caution to constrain steady state heat flows and geothermal gradients. In a contemporary plate tectonic context I consider the tectonothermal models developed here to apply particularly to island arcs and sites of continental collision associated with extensive plutonic igneous activity. Precambrian orthogneiss complexes, such as the Archaean of southern West Greenland, probably represent exhumed deep crustal elements involved in the intense magmatic thickening processes considered here.     

Fission track tectonics: The tectonic interpretation of fission track apatite ages

Absolute uplift rates, regional uplift patterns, and time limits for uplift and fault movements can be studied with fission tracks in apatite. This is demonstrated for about 50 apatites from the Swiss and Italian Alps. Due to the relatively low thermal stability of tracks in apatite, the fission track ages of apatites from this area define the time when these rocks cooled down to temperatures to 125 ± 20°C.     

Heterogeneous stretching, simple shear and basin development

The models of basin development which involve either homogeneous stretching of the whole lithosphere or displacement on a lithospheric-scale shear zone, are but two end members of a range of possible extensional models. The homogeneous extension model thins the lower lithosphere beneath the thinned upper crust and superimposes a thermal subsidence basin on the earlier fault bounded basin. The shear zone model offsets the zone of lower lithospheric stretching and thermal subsidence. It is more likely that the zones of upper and lower lithospheric stretching will be heterogeneous and patchy, but will often overlap in plan view. This will produce localised uplift and subsequent thermal subsidence within the faulted basin and may explain many of the anomalies between the various stretching estimates made using different structural, stratigraphic and geophysical techniques. The model which combines heterogeneous lithospheric stretching and associated simple shear may explain: (1) variations in dip of the major detachment zones in the large basins, (2) variations in types of strain on or beneath the detachment zones, (3) regional uplift of part of a basin, to erode the earlier fault blocks, and (4) the development of volcanism in basins with only low values of upper crustal extension. The zone of stretched lower crust and lithospheric mantle may lie beneath the centre of the zone of upper crustal stretching, or to one side. It may be linked to the upper crustal zone by faults which dip consistently in one direction, or by extensional systems which change their dominant dip direction with depth, pulling out the mid-crust as one or more wedges. Possible examples are discussed from the Basin and Range province and northwest European continental shelf.     

南海北缘琼东南盆地热结构与莫霍面温度

相对于大陆地区,洋壳或海陆过渡区目前较缺乏岩石圈热结构方面的研究.本文依据琼东南盆地现有热流数据和相关岩石热物性参数,沿分布于盆地内不同位置的4条地震测线计算了不同圈层的热流分配关系(即热结构)及莫霍面温度.计算时根据最新的P-波速度变化分析将该区地壳分为四层,分别为沉积盖层、上地壳、下地壳及下地壳高速层.结果表明:琼...