Tectonic setting of the Helong Block: Implications for the northern boundary of the eastern North China Craton

The Helong block, located in southeastern Jilin Province, was thought to be an Archean geological unit in the most northeast part of the North China Craton (NCC)[1,2]. Previous geological survey sug-gested that this block is mainly composed of two parts: Jinchengdong Archean metamorphic supracrustal rocks intruded by Archean TTG complex[3―5], and the Bailiping granite[6,7] distributed in the Shiliping-Bai- liping-Guangping area. Both of them were thought as the Jinchengdong (or Helong…     

Platinum-group element geochemistry of Cenozoic basalts from the North China Craton: Implications for mantle heterogeneity

Forty-two Cenozoic(mostly Miocene) basalt samples from Jining, Chifeng, Fansi, Xiyang, and Zuoquan areas of the North China Craton(the NCC basalts hereafter) were analyzed for platinum-group elements(PGE, including Os, Ir, Ru, Rh, Pt, and Pd). Most of them are alkaline basalts and tholeiites and all of them display little crustal contamination. The total PGE contents of the NCC basalts vary from 0.1 to 0.9 ppb, much lower than those of the primitive mantle values of 23.5 ppb. Primitive mantle-normalized PGE patterns of these basalts define positive slopes and Pd/Ir ratios vary from 1.2 to 25. In terms of both PGE contents and Pd/Ir ratios, they are quite similar to the mid-ocean ridge basalts. There are no obvious negative correlations between PGE vs. Mg O, Ni, and Cu in the NCC basalts, indicating that fractional crystallization of olivine, pyroxene, and/or sulfides during magmatic process cannot be the controlling factor for the observed PGE variation. The observed Pd/Ir variations of the NCC basalts require involvement of non-chondritic heterogeneous mantle sources. Based on Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic systematics and incompatible-element signatures, a mixing of partial melts from both asthenospheric peridotites and enclosed mantle eclogites at the top of asthenosphere was proposed for the origin of these NCC basalts. The lenses of eclogites are derived from upwelling of recycled continental crust during the westward subduction of the Pacific plate from the ~600 km discontinuity zone. The PGE geochemistry of these basalts provides independent evidence to support this conclusion and the observed Pd/Ir variations may reflect variations in proportions of tapped peridotitic and eclogitic melts.     

Petrogenesis and tectonic implications of the Early Cretaceous Dagushan adakitic porphyries in the Anshan area,North China Craton

The eastern part of the North China Craton suffered significant lithospheric thinning since the Mesozoic,and petrogenesis of the Dagushan adakitic diorite porphyries provides an excellent opportunity to investigate the lithospheric thinning mechanism and geodynamic setting.The zircon LA-ICP-MS U–Pb geochronology reveals that the representative Dagushan adakitic porphyry was formed at 120.5 ± 0.5 Ma.The Dagushan diorite porphyries are characterized by the relatively high contents of SiO2(64.25–65...     

Discovery of the Early Mesozoic granulite xenoliths in North China Craton

The discovery of the Early Mesozoic basic granulite xenoliths in the Harqin area of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (for short Inner Mongolia) is reported for the first time in this paper. According to the mineral assemblage the xenoliths include two-pyroxene granulite, clinopyroxene granulite, and hypersthene granulite. Their protolytes are mainly gabbroite rocks. The zircon U?Pb age of the granulite xenoliths is 251 Ma, and K?Ar age of the hypersthene is 229 Ma. They represent the times of metamorphism and cooling of the granulite facies respectively. The host rock of the xenoliths is Early Mesozoic biotite-quartz diorites, whose whole-rock K?Ar age is 219 Ma. This discovery confirms existence of an Early Mesozoic underplating in the North China Craton, which is of much importance in research on the Early Mesozoic mantle-crust interaction in the concerned area.     

Late Mesozoic magmatism and tectonic evolution in the Southern margin of the North China Craton

Late Mesozoic granitic magmatism(158–112 Ma) are widespread in the southern margin of the North China Craton(NCC), contemporary with many world-class Mo-Au-Ag-Pb-Zn polymetallic deposits. There are abrupt changes in the elements and isotopic compositions of these granites at about 127 Ma. The early stage(158–128 Ma) granites show slightly or no negative Eu anomalies, large ion lithophile elements enriched and heavy REE depleted(such as Y and Yb), belonging to typical I-type granite. The late stage(126–112 Ma) granites are characterized by A-type and/or highly fractionated I-type granite, with higher contents of SiO2, K2 O, Y, Yb and Rb/Sr ratio and lower contents of Sr, δEu value and Sr/Y ratio than that of the early-stage granites.Moreover, the whole rock Nd and Hf isotopic compositions of the granites younger than 127 Ma show more depleted than those of the older one. The two stages of Late Mesozoic granites were derived from a source region of the ancient basement of the southern margin of the NCC incorporated the mantle material. The late stage(126–112 Ma) granites contain more fractions of mantle material with depleted isotopic composition than the early ones. The granites record evidence for a strong crust-mantle interaction. They formed in an intracontinental extensional setting which was related to lithospheric thinning and asthenospheric upwelling in this region, which was possibly caused by westward subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate. 127 Ma is an critical period of the transformation of the tectonic regime.     

Crustal deformation and dynamics of Early Cretaceous in the North China Craton

The Early Cretaceous represents a peak period of the North China Craton(NCC) destruction. A comprehensive analysis of crustal deformation during this period can reveal processes and dynamics of the destruction. The peak destruction of the NCC was associated with intense extension whose representative deformation products are metamorphic core complexes(MCCs), extensional domes and rifted basins. These MCCs occurred along both northern and southern margins of the NCC, and resulted from synchronous extension and magmatism, showing difference from the typical orogen-type MCCs in many aspects.The MCCs of the Early Cretaceous were replaced by extensional domes under relatively weak extension and uplift. In contrast to a major depression-type basin of the Early Cretaceous in the western NCC, rifted basins of the same age in the eastern NCC appeared as medium-to small-scale ones extensively. In the eastern NCC, the rifted basins north of the Bohai Bay are characterized by a feature similar to an active rift whereas those south of the Bohai present similarity to a passive rift. Various sorts of extensional structures developed during the peak destruction indicate a stable stress state of NE-SE extension over the entire central to eastern NCC, consistent with the plate margin-driven stress field. Spatial distribution of the extensional structures presents an 1800 km wide back-arc extension region in the central to eastern NCC, consistent with the Paleo-Pacific slab rollback model following flat subduction. Temporal-spatial variation of initial extension and volcanic activity during the peak period also supports the rollback model right after the flat oceanic slab. The crustal deformation evolution demonstrates that the peak destruction of the NCC took place after the B-episode compression of the Yanshan Movement of the earliest Early Cretaceous and terminated with onset of the C-episode compression of the earliest Late Cretaceous.     

Genetic causes of oil-rich and oil-poor reservoirs: Implications from two Cenozoic basins in the eastern North China Craton

The Bohai Bay and Hehuai (southern North China) rift basins in the eastern part of the North China Craton are south-north-adjacent. They have shown synchronous evolutionary processes, and possess generally identical superficial and shallow structural characteristics as well as similar basin areas. However, there is a large difference in the richness of oil resources between the two basins. The Bohai Bay Basin has extremely abundant oil reserves, while commercial oil reserves have not been found in the Hehuai Basin. The deep tectonic structures, magmatic activities, and modern and paleogeothermal fields of the two basins are significantly different. Compared with the Hehuai Basin, the Bohai Bay Basin has a thinner crust and more complex structure with multiple low-velocity layers. It is also characterized by intense magmatic activity, high modern and paleogeothermal fields, frequent seismic activity, and active deep interactions, small effective elastic thickness of the isotropic lithosphere, and shorter balanced transformation wavelength of the lithosphere with a high likelihood of local compensation. The Hehuai Basin has a simple deep structure and homogeneous crustal composition, with a high likelihood of regional compensation. The characteristics of the deep structures mentioned above are generally similar to those of the southern part of the stable Ordos Basin, except for the smaller crust thickness. This indicates the presence of differences in Mesozoic destruction between the southern and northern zones in the eastern part of the North China Craton. The northern zone was subjected to significant destruction, while the southern zone was subjected to modifications, primarily in the form of local changes in the structures and/ or properties of the crust or lithospheric mantle, with the overall structure and stability of the craton kept intact. The formation of high-quality source rock is primarily influenced by the abnormal flourishment of organisms in water bodies during the syndepositional period, and is also strongly associated with the high geothermal setting of basins and nutrients from hydrothermal solutions and volcanoes. In other words, it is mainly controlled by deep processes and deep-major fault activity. The differences in the deep structures and modern and paleo geothermal fields of the two basins correspond to the difference in richness of oil resources, suggesting that there is an important internal or causal relationship between the two aspects. This viewpoint coincides with the conditions and environments required for the development of high-quality source rock in hydrocarbon-rich basins (sags) in China and other countries, and is evidenced by the modern lake basin of the East African Rift. A new hydrocarbon generation model is proposed in this work: petroleum is a comprehensive product of the integration of bioenergy, thermal energy, and other related energies (such as chemical and kinetic energy) and their interactions; the degree of richness of petroleum is generally controlled by the regional tectonic structure, thermal environment, and deep processes; nonmarine basins or depressions with abundant resources are closely related to active deep processes, intense exchange of material between the deep and shallow layers, participation of external hydrocarbons, and energy integration and conversion.     

Geochronology,petrology,and geochemistry of the Yaojiazhuang ultramafic-syenitic complex from the North China Craton

The Yaojiazhuang ultramafic-syenitic complex is one of the representative Triassic alkaline plutons on the northern margin of the North China Craton(NCC).Based on detailed study of the zircon U-Pb age,petrological,mineralogical,and geochemical data of the complex,the characteristics of the magmas system,the petrogenesis of different rock types,and the nature of the mantle source were discussed to provide new constraints on the origin and tectonic setting of the Triassic alkaline belt.Cumulus ultramafic rocks,clinopyroxene-syenites and syenites are the main rock types of the complex.The zircons from the syenites yielded a U-Pb age of 209 Ma.Diopside-augite,biotite,and sanidine-orthoclase are the major minerals,with subordinate apatite and magnetite.Rocks from the complex are enriched in large ion lithophile elements(LILE)and light rare earth elements(LREE),depleted in high field strength elements(HFSE)and heavy rare earth elements(HREE),and the initial 87Sr/86Sr ranges from 0.7057 to 0.7061 and ε Nd(t)from-9.4 to-11.4.Mineralogy and geochemical data demonstrate that the parent magma of the complex is SiO2-undersaturated ultrapotassic alkaline-peralkaline,and is characterized by high CaO content and fluid compositions(P2O5,CO2,H2O),and by high oxygen fugacity and high temperature.The complex was originated from a phlogopite-clinopyroxenite-rich lithospheric mantle source in the garnet-stable area(> 80 km)that had previously been metasomatized by melts/fluids from altered oceanic crust.The parent magma has been contaminated by little ancient TTG gneisses during magma emplacement.The development of the Yaojiazhuang complex indicates that the northern margin of the NCC has entered into an extensively extensional regime in the Late Triassic.     

胶东地区晚中生代伸展构造与金成矿:短周期密集台阵背景噪声成像的启示

晚中生代以来,华北克拉通东部经历了以岩石圈减薄作用为主要特征的大规模岩石圈破坏.在此背景下,位于华北克拉通东部的胶东地区形成了大规模的伸展构造、广泛发育的花岗岩类侵入体和巨量的金矿化.为揭示胶东地区控矿构造在上地壳层次的发育特征及其与金成矿之间的联系,本文基于跨胶东半岛的NWW-SEE向短周期密集地震台阵剖面,开展了背景噪声成像研究,获得了胶东地区8 km以浅的上地壳S波速度结构,其主要特征为：（1）胶东地区沉积层较薄,基底平均深度为1~2 km左右;（2）垂向速度梯度显示胶西北基底/浅层高速间断面错断特征显著,与主要拆离断层对应关系良好,且相对速度扰动显示沿主要拆离断层发育SE倾向的条带状低速异常;（3）牟乳成矿带下方S波速度具有横向分块特征,与五莲—烟台等控矿断裂的陡倾特征吻合,且东部苏鲁造山带上地壳平均速度较胶西北地区明显偏高.综合本文成像结果及已有地质、地球物理资料,我们认为胶西北成矿带的控矿构造深部以大规模拆离断层为主要特征,而东部牟乳成矿带则以高角度的脆性（走滑）断裂为主,故控矿断裂构造的差异可能是胶东成矿区域性差异的主要控制因素.

     

Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous tectonic switching in Liaodong Peninsula of the North China Craton and the implications for gold mineralisation

Constraining the processes of deformation during tectonic switching from compression to extension is difficult because of the scarcity or absence of associated sedimentary and magmatic rocks and weak metamorphism. The east margin of the eastern North China Craton experienced Early to Middle Jurassic compression and Early Cretaceous extension. However, the period of tectonic quiescence lasting ～13 million years(between 153 and 140 Ma) during which this transition occurred is poorly understood. This paper reports the identification of small-scale N-S-trending thrust and sinistral strike-slip faults(TSS) and NWtrending thrust and dextral strike-slip faults(TDS) in the Tongyuanpu-Aiyang region, which is part of the northern Liaodong Peninsula. Calculation of the tectonic stress field using striations, fault planes and kinematics reveals a NW-SE-oriented maximum principal axis(σ_1), and sub-horizontal σ_2 and σ_3. Assemblages of N-S-trending TSS and NW-trending TDS were arranged with right stepping and resulted in local uplift and erosion at the junctions between fault terminations, which partitioned the Early and Middle Jurassic basins into residual smaller volcanic-sedimentary basins. These basins were unconformably overlain by small Early Cretaceous volcanic-sedimentary basins, such as those at Tongyuanpu and Fangjiaweizi. Magmatic ages and the timing of basin formation constrain the initiation of tectonic switching to 156–153 Ma, and its termination to 140–139 Ma. We suggest that R-R' Riedel shears controlled the formation of the N-S-trending TSS and NW-trending TDS. The R-R'shears were produced by continued sinistral strike-slip and northward growth along the Bohai Bay segment of the Tan-Lu fault zone during the Late Jurassic to early Early Cretaceous, simultaneous with a gradual weakening in the tectonic stress field during a switch in the direction of subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific plate from NW-ward to NNW-ward. This tectonic switching might have promoted the dissolution of gold and migration of gold-bearing fluids.     

Interaction of adakitic melt-peridotite: Implications for the high-Mg# signature of Mesozoic adakitic rocks in the eastern North China Craton

Abundant dunite and harzbugite xenoliths are preserved in Early Cretaceous high-Mg# [63–67, where Mg# = molar 100 × Mg/(Mg + Fe_tot)] diorite intrusions from western Shandong in the North China Craton (NCC). Dunite and some harzburgite xenoliths typically preserve areas of orthopyroxenite (sometimes accompanied by phlogopite) either as veins or as zones surrounding chromite grains. Harzburgite is chiefly composed of olivine, orthopyroxene, minor clinopyroxene and chromian-spinel. High Mg#'s (averaging 91.4) and depletions in Al₂O₃ and CaO (averaging 0.52 wt.% and 0.29 wt.%, respectively) in harzburgite and dunite xenoliths suggest that they are residues formed by large degrees of polybaric melting. However, olivines and orthopyroxenes from dunite xenoliths spatially associated with orthopyroxenite display lower Mg#'s (i.e., 82–87 and 83–89, respectively), suggesting that an adakitic melt–peridotite reaction has taken place. This is consistent with the production of veined orthopyroxene or orthopyroxene + phlogopite in dunite and some harzburgite xenoliths in response to the introduction of adakitic melt into the previously depleted lithospheric mantle (i.e., harzburgite and dunite xenoliths). The presence of orthopyroxene in veins or as a zones surrounding chromite in peridotite xenoliths is thought to be representative of adakitic melt metasomatism. The dunite and harzbugite xenoliths are relatively rich in light rare earth elements (LREEs) and large ion lithophile elements (LILEs), poor in heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) and high field strength elements (HFSEs), and lack Eu anomalies on chondrite normalized trace element diagrams. The initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios and εNd(t) values for the xenoliths range from 0.7058 to 0.7212 and + 0.18 to ? 19.59, respectively. Taken together, these features, combined with the strong depletion in HFSE and the existence of Archean inherited zircons in the host rocks, suggest that the adakitic melt was derived from the partial melting of early Mesozoic delaminated lower continental crust. The interaction of the adakitic melt with peridotite is responsible for the high-Mg# character of the early Cretaceous diorites in western Shandong.     

The vP Velocity Structures of Sub-blocks in the North China Craton from Active Source Waveform Modeling and Tectonic Implications

We present the 1-D crustal velocity structure of the major tectonic blocks of the North China Craton(NCC) along 36°N based on synthetic seismogram modeling of long-range wide-angle reflection/refraction data. This profile extends from southwest Yan'an of central Shaanxi Province of China(109.47°E), across the southern Trans-North China Orogen(TNCO), the southwestern part of the North China Plain(NCP), the Luxi Uplift(LU) and the Sulu Orogen(SLO), ending at Qingdao City of Shandong Province, the eastern margin of China(120.12°E) along 36°N. We utilized reflectivity synthetic seismogram modeling of the active source data to develop 1-D velocity structures of the sub-blocks of the NCC. Our final model shows that the NCC crust varies remarkably among the tectonic units with different velocity structure features. Higher lower crustal velocity and Moho depth ～42 km is a major feature of the crust beneath southern Ordos Blockt. The TNCO which is composed of Lyuliangshan Mountains(LM), Shanxi Graben(SXG) and Taihangshan Mountains(TM) shows dominant trans-orogenic features. The NCP shows a dominant thickening of sediments, sharp crust thinning with Moho depth ～32 km and significant lower average velocity. The SLO and the LU shows a stratified crust, higher average velocity and crust thinning with Moho depth of ～35 km. Our model shows the coincidence between the deep structure and the surface geology among all the tectonic sub-blocks of the NCC.     

Insight into craton evolution: Constraints from shear wave splitting in the North China Craton

The multi-episodic tectonic activities from the Precambrian to Cenozoic, including nucleus formation, cratonic amalgamation, and rejuvenation, make the North China Craton (NCC) an ideal natural laboratory for studying craton evolution. Spatial change in the upper deformation records is an important aspect for understanding cratonic formation and rejuvenation. In this study, we performed seismic shear wave splitting analysis using SKS phases from 50 portable stations. Two different methodologies, shear wave splitting measurement and amplitude analysis of transverse/radial components, produced mutually consistent splitting results. These results showed that the seismic anisotropy beneath the Ordos Block can be divided into three subgroups reflecting the tectonic control. Combining these results with those from previous splitting studies in the eastern NCC, we suggest that the Proterozoic amalgamation generated the seismic anisotropy in the boundary zone between the Ordos Block and the Trans-North China Orogen, while the anisotropy in the eastern Trans-North China Orogen and eastern NCC were possibly associated with the lithospheric rejuvenation during the Late Mesozoic to Cenozoic.     

Three-dimensional thermo-rheological structure of the lithosphere in the North China Craton determined by integrating multiple observations: Implications for the formation of rifts

The lithosphere of the North China Craton(NCC) has experienced significant destruction and deformation since the Mesozoic, a notable feature of which is the widespread extensional structure and lithospheric thinning in the eastern NCC. Since the thermo-rheological structure of the lithosphere is one of the main factors controlling these dynamic processes, a threedimensional thermo-rheological model of the present lithosphere in the NCC was developed based on a geophysical-petrological method using a variety of data, and its relationship with the extensional structures and the formation of rifts was further analyzed.Our results show that the western NCC is characterized by thick lithosphere, low Moho temperature(T_(Moho)600°C), as well as high lithospheric strength and mantle-crust strength ratio(S_m/S_c1). The deformation of the western narrow rift is consistent with the localized deformation dominated by the strength of lithospheric mantle. On the other hand, the lithosphere in the eastern NCC is characterized by extensive thinning(with lithospheric thickness of about 80–110 km). However, the decrease of lithospheric strength is not uniform, with high strength(10×10~(12) Pa m) observed in some areas(such as the Bohai Bay Basin and Hehuai Basin). Most of the eastern lithosphere is characterized by high TMoho(600–750°C) and low S_m/S_c(1), which is inconsistent with the widespread extensional structure in the eastern NCC. Incorporating results from palaeo-geothermal and petrological studies,we developed a thermo-rheological structure model of the lithosphere at different evolutionary stages of the NCC, and suggested that the eastern NCC had a significantly thinned and weakened lithosphere in the early stages of the formation of the rift, leading to a regional distributed extension deformation dominated by crustal strength, which eventually evolved into a series of wide rifts. However, the cooling and accretion of the lithosphere in the subsequent stages significantly increased the strength of the lithospheric mantle, resulting in the inconsistency between the present thermo-rheological structure of the lithosphere and the extensional structure formed in the past.     

Regional differences in crustal structure of the North China Craton from receiver functions

Moho depth and crustal average Poisson's ratio for 823 stations are obtained by H-? stacking of receiver functions. These, together with topography and receiver function amplitude information, were used to study the crustal structure beneath the North China Craton(NCC). The results suggest that modified and preserved crust coexist beneath the craton with generally Airy-type isostatic equilibrium. The equilibrium is relatively low in the eastern NCC and some local areas in the central and western NCC, which correlates well with regional geology and tectonic features. Major differences in the crust were observed beneath the eastern, central, and western NCC, with average Moho depths of 33, 37, and 42 km and average Poisson's ratios of 0.268, 0.267 and 0.264, respectively. Abnormal Moho depths and Poisson's ratios are mainly present in the rift zones, the northern and southern edges of the central NCC, and tectonic boundaries. The crust beneath Ordos retains the characteristics of typical craton. Poisson's ratio increases roughly linearly as Moho depth decreases in all three parts of the NCC with different slopes. Receiver function amplitudes are relatively large in the northern edge of the eastern and central NCC, and small in and near the rifts. The Yanshan Mountains and southern part of the Shanxi rift show small-scale variations in the receiver-function amplitudes. These observations suggest that overall modification and thinning in the crust occurred in the eastern NCC, and local crustal modification occurred in the central and western NCC. Different crustal structures in the eastern, central, and western NCC suggest different modification processes and mechanisms. The overall destruction of the crustal structure in the eastern NCC is probably due to the westward subduction of the Pacific Plate during the Meso-Cenozoic time; the local modifications of the crust in the central and western NCC may be due to repeated reactivations at zones with a heterogeneous structure by successive thermal-tectonic events during the long-term evolution of the NCC.     

High oxygen fugacity magma:implication for the destruction of the North China Craton

The mechanism of lithospheric removal and destruction of the North China Craton(NCC)has been hotly debated for decades.It is now generally accepted that the subduction of the(Paleo)-Pacific plate played an important role in this process.However,how the plate subduction contributed to the craton destruction remains unclear.Here we report high oxygen fugacity(fO2)characteristics of the Yunmengshan granite,e.g.,hematitemagnetite intergrowth supported by zircon Ce^4+/Ce^3+ratios and apatite Mn oxygen fugacity indicator.High fO2 magmas are widely discovered in Late Mesozoic(160-130 Ma)adakitic rocks in central NCC.The origin of high fO2 magma is likely related to the input of the"oxidized mantle components",which shows a dose connection between plate subduction and destruction of the craton.The research area is^1500 km away from the current Pacific subduction zone.Considering the back-arc extension of Japan Sea since the Cretaceous,this distance may be shortened to^800 km,which is still too far for normal plate subduction.Ridge subduction is the best candidate that was responsible for the large scale magmatism and the destruction of the NCC.Massive slab-derived fluids and/or melts were liberated into an overlying mantle wedge and modified the lithospheric mantle.Rollback of the subducting plate induced the large-scale upwelling of asthenospheric mantle and triggered the formation of extensive high fO2 intraplate magmas.     

Indication from finite-frequency tomography beneath the North China Craton: The heterogeneity of craton destruction

We picked new traveltime residual datasets in three frequency bands(0.02–0.1, 0.1–0.8, and 0.8–2.0 Hz) for P-waves from 793 teleseismic events and two frequency bands(0.02–0.1 and 0.1–0.8 Hz) for S-waves from 310 teleseismic events,recorded by 389 permanent stations of the China National Seismic Network and 832 broadband stations of 10 temporary arrays deployed in the North China Craton(NCC) region. The final datasets are composed of 65628 P-arrivals and 47050 S-arrivals.Based on previous research and our team's 2012 tomographic work, we constructed new three-dimensional P-velocity and Svelocity models of the NCC through some improvements, such as augmenting a much denser station coverage in the western NCC, considering the incident angle effect in crustal correction and using a multi-frequency joint inversion tomographic technique. The new velocity models provide several salient features, from which we draw possible inferences on regional dynamic processes. We observed high-velocity anomalies in the mantle transition zone(MTZ). Obvious morphological heterogeneities suggest buckling and/or fragmentation of the subducted Pacific slab, and some of the slab materials are visible below 660-km discontinuities. The velocity structure of the eastern NCC is dominated by small-scale lateral heterogeneities. At shallow depths, high-velocity anomalies beneath the southern part of the eastern NCC and the Yanshan region likely represent a remnant of cratonic lithosphere, which may suggest that the NCC destruction is spatially non-uniform. We also detected a highvelocity anomaly in the Sulu Orogen extending downward to ~300 km, which is seemingly controlled by the Tan-Lu Fault. The northern boundary of this anomaly spatially coincides with the Yantai-Qingdao-Wulian Fault, and is likely a remnant of the Yangtze cratonic lithosphere subducting northwestward. Significant low-velocity anomalies imaged beneath the central NCC show a spatial discordance between their northern and southern parts. The northern low-velocity anomaly extends downward to the top of MTZ with a lateral NW-SE strike, whereas the southern one tapers off at ~200–300 km. Low-velocity anomalies are present beneath the Phanerozoic orogenic belts surrounding the NCC, the Paleoproterozoic Trans-North China Orogen, and the Tan-Lu Fault. This feature not only shows excellent spatial correlation with the orogens at the surface, it also exhibits a consistent vertical continuity in a depth range of 60–250 km. This intriguing feature suggests that the collisional orogenic belts and Tan-Lu Fault are inherited weak zones, which may play a key role in craton destruction. By combining multidisciplinary results in this area, we suggest that the spatial heterogeneities associated with the NCC destruction most likely result from the combined effects of a spatially non-uniform distribution of wet upwellings triggered by the subducted Pacific slab and pre-existing weak zones in the cratonic lithosphere.     

Paleomagnetic results from Late Carboniferous to Early Permian rocks in the northern Qiangtang terrane,Tibet, China,and their tectonic implications

Results of a systematic paleomagnetic study are reported based on Late Carboniferous to Early Permian sedimentary rocks on the north slope of the Tanggula Mountains,in the northern Qiangtang terrane(NQT),Tibet,China.Data revealed that magnetic minerals in limestone samples from the Zarigen Formation(CP^z)are primarily composed of magnetite,while those in sandstone samples from the Nuoribagaribao Formation(Pnr)are dominated by hematite alone,or hematite and magnetite in combination.Progressive thermal,or alternating field,demagnetization allowed us to isolate a stable high temperature component(HTC)in 127 specimens from 16 sites which successfully passed the conglomerate test,consistent with primary remnance.The tilt-corrected mean direction for Late Carboniferous to Early Permian rocks in the northern Qiangtang terrane is D_s=30.2°,I_s=-40.9°,k_s=269.0,a_(95)=2.3°,N=16,which yields a corresponding paleomagnetic pole at 25.7°N,241.5°E(dp/dm=2.8°/1.7°),and a paleolatitude of 23.4°S.Our results,together with previously reported paleomagnetic data,indicate that:(1)the NQT in Tibet,China,was located at a low latitude in the southern hemisphere,and may have belonged to the northern margin of Gondwana during the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian;(2)the Paleo-Tethys Ocean was large during the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian,and(3)the NQT subsequently moved rapidly northwards,perhaps related to the fact that the Paleo-Tethys Ocean was rapidly contracting from the Late Permian to Late Triassic while the Bangong Lake-Nujiang Ocean,the northern branch of the Neo-Tethys Ocean,expanded rapidly during this time.     

Extensional tectonics and North China Craton destruction:Insights from the magnetic susceptibility anisotropy (AMS) of granite and metamorphic core complex

The craton is a long-lived stable geologic unit on the Earth's surface. However, since the Mesozoic, the North China Craton(NCC) experienced large-scale lithospheric removal, the fundamental change of physical and chemical characteristics of the lithospheric mantle, widely distributed crustal deformation, and extensive magmatism. This complex evolution contrary to other cratons is called the NCC destruction. Widespread magmatism in the eastern NCC is an important response to the lithospheric removal at depth and crustal deformation on the surface. The plutons emplace under a tectonic context and therefore record the information of the tectonics; especially, the anisotropy magnetic susceptibility(AMS) pattern of the pluton was acquired with the influence of regional stress. In the past fifteen years, about 22 plutons intruding during the different periods from the Late Triassic to the late stage of the Early Cretaceous have been studied with AMS. The emplacement mechanisms of plutons and the contemporary tectonic setting were discussed to constrain their relationship with the NCC destruction in different stages of magmatism. As a result, the Late Triassic, Early Jurassic, and Late Jurassic plutons exhibit consistent N(E)-S(W)trending magnetic lineations. The early stage of Early Cretaceous plutons display NW-SE trending magnetic lineations, while the late stage of Early Cretaceous plutons show magnetic lineations with various orientations. Combined with previous studies, it is concluded that the emplacements of the plutons intruding in these three stages were controlled by weak N(E)-S(W) trending extension, regional NW-SE trending extension, and weak extension in the shallow crustal level, respectively. The transformation of regional extension from the N(E)-S(W) to the NW-SE direction was accompanied by a strain-increasing tendency. The extensional tectonics in the eastern NCC was interpreted to represent the interaction between Mongol-Okhotsk belt, PaleoPacific plate, and eastern Eurasian continent.     

Heterogeneous destruction of the North China Craton: Coupled constraints from seismology and geodynamic numerical modeling

The prevailing academic view regards mantle flow and the metasomatism triggered by the subduction of the Pacific plate as the cause and mechanism for the destruction of the North China Craton (NCC). However, the geodynamic destruction process remains ambiguous, necessitating detailed information at this stage. Combining the structural images obtained by the exploration of dense seismic arrays and the geodynamic simulations inspired by numerical modeling, this paper arrives at the following conclusions: the spatial variation of the P- and S-wave velocities, as well as their velocity ratio in the mantle transition zone, are key evidences of the nonuniform dehydration of the Pacific plate, the subducted plate induces hot upwellings in the mantle transition zone (MTZ), resulting in the heterogeneous distribution of the melt/fluid beneath the craton, characterized by small scale anomalies in the seismic velocity field, and as revealed by dense seismic array observation, the heterogeneities in the upper mantle structure and deformation are the synthetic results of lithospheric strain localization and the heterogeneous distribution of the melt/fluid. It is known that the nonuniform dehydration of the Pacific slab and the heterogeneous distribution of the melt/fluid have occured in the Cenozoic. If these scenarios could have already occurred in the Early Cretaceous, their interaction with the NCC lithosphere would be the dynamic mechanism for the heterogeneous lithospheric destruction of the NCC. The inference in this study is significant for further reconciling the multidisciplinary evidences in the NCC.