HFSE-rich picritic rocks from the Mino accretionary complex,southwestern Japan

Sills, pillow lavas and hyaloclastites of the HFSE-rich picrite and related rocks (ankaramite and basanite) occur in the Middle Permian cherts in the Mino Jurassic accretionary complex, southwestern Japan. These rocks show systematic trace element patterns enriched in incompatible elements, which indicate that the associated ankaramite and basanite are formed by the crystal fractionation from the picrite. The presence of the hyaloclastite in the chert sequence covering a large tholeiitic greenstone body indicates that the picrite was produced in an intraoceanic setting in the Middle Permian time subsequent to the extrusion of the voluminous oceanic island tholeiite. The Mino picrites resemble the Siberian meimechite and Polynesian picrites in its HFSE-rich chemical composition. The HFSE enrichment in these picrites cannot be explained by low degree of partial melting of primitive peridotite mantle only, and needs a source material involving recycled oceanic crust (eclogite). The differences in MgO content and in TiO₂/Al₂O₃ and Zr/Y ratios among the HFSE-rich picrites indicate that the melting pressure increases from the Polynesian picrite through Mino picrite to Siberian picrite. This may reflect the increasing thickness of the overlying lithosphere at the time and place of magmatism. The HFSE-rich picrites may be a product of a superplume event. The presence of HFSE-rich picrite in Mino and Siberia indicate that the superplume activities occur in both continental and oceanic settings in the Permian time.     

Early Tertiary fluid flow and pressure–temperature conditions in the Shimanto accretionary complex of south-west Japan: constraints from fluid inclusions

The pressure and temperature history of the Tertiary Shimanto belt of south-west Japan has been elucidated by analysing fluids trapped in quartz crystals which grew syn-kinematically along late-stage brittle faults. The samples come from three areas that span the Paleogene exposures on the Muroto Peninsula of Shikoku Island. Applying microthermometric and laser Raman microsampling techniques to coeval water-rich and carbonic fluid inclusions, we have constrained the pressure and temperature conditions that accompanied a widespread and kinematically distinct phase of deformation. The results suggest elevated geothermal gradients during late-stage deformation, conditions that are in disaccord with previous plate reconstructions that have depicted old, thermally mature Pacific crust subducting beneath Eurasia during the early to middle Tertiary. These conditions can most easily be accounted for by including an additional plate boundary in the western Pacific during Paleogene time. Plate reconstructions that include the Kula plate in this region are therefore consistent with our findings. In addition, our results provide clues to the conditions that likely accompany seismogenic deformation at active convergent plate boundaries.     

Successive development of plane noncylindrical folds in progressive deformation

In the history of superposed deformations of the iron formations at the western border of the Kolar Gold Field in S India, an important event was the successive growth of broadly coaxial plane noncylindrical folds in course of a progressive deformation concomitant with development of ductile mesoscopic shear zones. The noncylindrical folds were initiated as active folds by the creation of a buckling instability at successive stages on newly developed foliation surfaces. The nucleation of noncylindrical folds and the subsequent axial-plane folding of the tightened mature folds are explained by the mechanical inhomogeneity of the rocks and the heterogeneous character of strain. The correlation between increasing tightness and increasing noncylindricity of the folds indicates that the initial curvatures of hinge lines were accentuated by an extension parallel to the subhorizontal stretching lineation. From the patterns of deformed lineations over folds of varying tightnesses, it is concluded that the passive accentuation of hinge-line curvatures was mostly achieved when the folds had already become isoclinal or very tight.     

Volcanic rocks of the Khabarovsk accretionary complex,southern Far East Russia

The results of study of the volcanic rocks of the Khabarovsk accretionary complex, a fragment of the Jurassic accretionary prism of the Sikhote Alin orogenic belt (the southern part of the Russian Far East), are presented. The volcanic rocks are associated with the Lower Permian limestones in the mélange blocks and Triassic layered cherts. The petrography, petrochemistry, and geochemistry of the rocks are characterized and their geodynamic formation conditions are deduced. The volcanic rocks include oceanic plume basalts of two types: (i) OIB-like intraplate basalts formed on the oceanic islands and guyots in the Permian and Triassic and (ii) T(transitional)-MORBs (the least enriched basalts of the E-MORB type) formed on the midoceanic ridge in the Permian. In addition to basalts, the mélange hosts suprasubduction dacitic tuff lavas.     

Use of fracture filling mineral assemblages for characterizing water-rock interactions during exhumation of an accretionary complex: An example from the Shimanto Belt,southern Kyushu Japan

Various fracture filling minerals and secondary minerals in fracture walls were formed by fluid-rock interaction during the exhumation of the Palaeogene Shimanto Belt of Kyushu, Japan, which is located in an accretionary complex. Each mineral formed under favourable geological conditions and can be used to estimate the conditions of accretion and formation of the related rock sequences. Petrographic observations, mineralogical and geochemical analyses were made on fracture filling minerals and secondary minerals from boreholes of ca. 140 m depth, drilled in the Shimanto Belt. Results reveal that the secondary minerals were formed in three major stages distinguished by the sequential textural relationships of the minerals and the interpreted environment of mineral formation. Filling mineral assemblages show that the studied rock formation has been subducted to a depth of several km and the temperature reached was ca. 200–300 °C. After the subduction, the rock formation was uplifted and surface acidic water penetrated up to 80 m beneath the present ground surface. The acid water dissolved calcite fracture filling minerals to form the present groundwater flow-paths, which allowed recent wall rock alteration to occur. The results shown here imply that filling mineral assemblages can be an effective tool to evaluate the environmental changes during exhumation of an accretionary complex.     

Fault rocks as indicators of progressive shear deformation in the Guingamp region, Brittany

The North Armorican Shear Zone is a major structural feature running from the island of Moiene in the west to Moncontour in the east of the Armorican Massif. In the region of Guingamp it cuts through a Precambrian migmatite complex and granitoid rocks of both Precambrian and Hercynian age. A variety of fault rocks are present in this part of the shear zone, and are thought to represent a time sequence in which deep level, ductile deformation gave way to higher level brittle displacements. Mylonite and cataclasite series rocks, and pseudotachylites are described and their conditions of formation considered. The Hercynian Quintin granite post-dates the main movement of the shear zone but is itself dextrally displaced during the late stages of shear movement.     

Carbon isotope composition of sedimentary rocks in the southern Siberian Platform and surrounding fold systems

Organic carbon isotope composition was studied in the sedimentary cover of the southern Siberian Platform and its surrounding fold systems. The rocks experienced catagenesis, metamorphism, and metasomatism. The chloroform bitumoid (CB) has a stable carbon isotope composition within a wide range of postsedimentation transformations. The average values of δ¹³C in CB of the sedimentary cover are ?29.5‰. Metamorphism and, especially, ore metasomatism, at the Sukhoi Log deposit caused a 2‰ increase in the heavy carbon isotope concentration of CB as compared to that of the platform deposits. The narrow variations in carbon isotope composition of the bitumoid are defined by their derivation from lipids, whose components are almost insusceptible to changes in the PT conditions. Kerogen from platform deposits is more strongly depleted than CB in the heavy carbon isotope (δ¹³C_av ? 32.2‰). The insoluble carbonaceous matter (ICM) of the metamorphic shales is significantly enriched in the heavy carbon isotope (δ¹³C_av ? 21.9‰). The highest changes in carbon isotope composition were found in concentrates of ICM from metasomatically altered rocks of the Sukhoi Log deposit (δ¹³C_av ? 17.5‰). The heavier carbon isotope composition caused by metamorphism and metasomatism is evidently defined by isotopic exchange between the carbonate carbon and CO₂ of metasomatic solutions, on one hand, and ICM of shales, on the other.     

Geochemical modeling of sedimentary rocks in the central Hokkaido,Japan: Episodic deformation and subsequent confined basin-formation along the eastern Eurasian margin since the Cretaceous

Late Cretaceous to Paleogene tectonic episodes around the eastern Eurasian margin are described utilizing one-dimensional (1D) basin modeling technique on the basis of organic maturation; vitrinite reflectance and T_max parameter values of the Rock-Eval pyrolysis. Fine-grained marine sediment of the Yezo Supergroup in central Hokkaido is one of the most extensive Cretaceous constituents along the plate margin. To evaluate organic maturation within the Yezo Supergroup, a surface section (Hakkin-zawa) and a deep borehole (MITI Yubari) were selected, from which quite different maturation trends were obtained. Notably low and constant maturation was suggested throughout the thick Hakkin-zawa section, and it was confirmed on the basis of various biomarker analyses. It requires anomalously rapid burial, probably related to thrust-stacking or large-scale slumping, followed by prompt tilting/exhumation event. In sharp contrast, Late Cretaceous strata in the MITI Yubari do not indicate coeval tectonic disturbances in a short period. A wider view of the ancient convergent margin suggests that deformation of the forearc propagated westward during the Cretaceous. High maturation levels in the uppermost thrust sheet around the MITI Yubari are optimized in 1D geochemical modeling on the assumption that a thick missing Paleogene unit has been eroded out as a result of thrust-forming contraction scheme emerged during the Neogene. A similar Cenozoic burial pattern is adopted for the once tilted and exhumed Hakkin-zawa section in order to match the present maturation levels. Although such an active subsidence of a ‘forearc’ is generally interpreted as an effect of the subduction erosion, heavy mineral composition of the shallow marine to fluvial Paleogene implies uplift and exhumation of ultramafic rocks to the east (trench-side). Thus the confined basin-formation in central Hokkaido is to be understood in a different tectonic framework that may reflect transcurrent motions on the plate margin.     

柴北缘赛坝沟增生杂岩组成与变形特征

柴北缘构造带由高压-超高压变质岩、蛇绿岩、增生杂岩、火山-岩浆弧及前寒武纪中-高级变质岩共同构成。该构造带内的"滩间山群"岩石组合与构造属性复杂,其岩性包括中基性火山岩、碎屑沉积岩以及超基性岩和中酸性侵入岩,普遍遭受低绿片岩相变质作用和强烈构造变形。结合区域资料和地质填图结果,综合分析认为该构造带东段赛坝沟地区的"滩间山群"由火山-岩浆弧、增生杂岩、蛇绿岩三个不同构造单元岩石组成。其中增生杂岩主要是一套深海-半深海沉积组合,夹玄武岩、灰岩、硅质岩等块体,自南而北总体呈现出来自洋壳、海山和海沟环境的大洋板块地层的岩石组合特征,同时呈现与日本西南部增生杂岩极为相似的岩石组合类型。该套组合构造变形强烈,主要表现为2期构造变形。其中第一期构造变形(D1)主要表现为双冲构造和同斜紧闭褶皱,断层和褶皱轴面主体倾向为NE,形成于大洋俯冲阶段;第二期构造变形(D2)主要表现为不对称褶皱和S-C组构,可能是晚期柴达木与祁连地块发生陆-陆碰撞过程中形成的,形成时间为440～400Ma。空间上,该增生杂岩与出露于其北侧的蛇绿岩、火山-岩浆弧共同构成了相对完整的沟-弧系统,指示了寒武-奥陶纪时期,柴北缘地区曾发生古洋盆向北俯冲造山作用。     

Tectonic analysis of progressive secondary deformation in the hinge of a major Caledonian fold nappe,north-western Ireland

Polyphase deformation chronologies established within the mid-crustal portions of orogenic belts have classically been attributed to regional-scale ‘events’ which generate distinct structural sequences that can be directly correlated across large tracts of the orogenic belt. However, concepts of progressive deformation in which minor structures may be continually generated, amplified and redeformed within a unifying kinematic framework suggest that regional correlation of minor structures is both misguided and misleading. Detailed structural analysis of lower amphibolite facies Dalradian metasediments in north-west Ireland does, however, demonstrate that a coherent and meaningful deformation chronology can be established within the framework of individual fold nappes. Protracted deformation has resulted in the generation of a series of overprinting, secondary structures (D₄–D₉), which are kinematically linked to the continued structural evolution and south-east directed translation of the crustal-scale (D₃) Ballybofey (fold) Nappe. Secondary (D₄) crenulation axes initiated at an oblique angle to the direction of nappe transport both rotate and amplify into larger scale folds, which are subparallel to transport and demonstrate successive stages of diachronous folding. Continued nappe-related deformation induces southwards verging contractional (D₅) folds, which are particularly well developed and focused into reactivated ductile (D₃) thrust zones generated during the initial stages of nappe translation. Subsequent to thickening-induced ductile extension and collapse of the nappe, a return to contractional tectonics is marked by major episodes of broad, open buckle folding developed orthogonal to both the overturned limb (D₇) and upper limb (D₈) of the nappe. Detailed structural analysis and investigation of secondary folds and overprinting fabrics provides a valuable insight into the protracted kinematic evolution of major fold nappes.     

Late Paleozoic gabbroic rocks of the Bridge River accretionary complex,southwestern British Columbia: geology and geochemistry

Gabbroic bodies in the Bralorne-Gold Bridge area of southwestern British Columbia are associated with the oceanic Bridge River complex of the western Canadian Cordillera, one of the suspect terranes accreted to North America in the Jurassic. The gabbros are locally cut by tonalites and are structurally interleaved with ultramafic rocks, phyllites, graphitic cherts, and carbonate lenses that comprise the lower part of the Bridge River complex. Their late Carboniferous crystallization age overlaps the depositional age of affiliated supracrustal rocks (Mississippian-Jurassic), some of which have been metamorphosed to blueschist facies. Compositionally, the gabbros resemble mafic plutonic rocks of ophiolitic complexes and gabbroic rocks of the nearby Shulaps Range. They display some affinity to oceanic island arc tholeiitic suites. The Bralorne and Shulaps gabbros include cumulates and appear to have been derived from a single, light REE-depleted, peridotitic source by melting and subsequent fractional crystallization/accumulation of various combinations of plagioclase, pyroxenes, and olivine. The tonalites are compositionally distinct from typical ophiolitic plagiogranites, but might be related to the associated gabbros. The gabbroic bodies occur within tectonic slivers derived from the oceanic crust that floored a deep ocean basin that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic. The Bridge River complex comprises fragments of oceanic crust that were tectonically incorporated into an east-verging accretionary prism during a middle/late Triassic to Jurassic collisional event.     

Kinematics and age constraints of deformation in a Late Carboniferous accretionary complex in Western Junggar,NW China

The Karamay area, situated in the eastern part of Western Junggar, Southern Altaids, contains an ophiolitic mélange with ultramafic rocks, gabbro, basalt, chert and limestone, which show typical block-in-matrix structures, and coherent turbidites and tuffs. These lithological associations are interpreted as incoherent and coherent series formed in an accretionary complex. On the basis of detailed field mapping and analyses of the asymmetry of imbricate thrusts, duplexes, tilted structures, shear band cleavages, and the NW-verging inclined to overturned folds, we conclude that the overall movement in the accretionary complex was top-to-the-NW. The youngest tuff involved in the deformation contains detrital zircons that have a U–Pb age (LA-MC ICP-MS) of 308 ± 7 Ma. ³⁹Ar–⁴⁰Ar resistance furnace step-heating of amphibole separates from a diorite dike, which cuts the folded and imbricated rocks in the accretionary prism, yielded a plateau age of 307 ± 2 Ma. Consequently, the age of the deformation in the prism is tightly constrained at 307–308 Ma, implying that the deformation occurred in an extremely short time-span during SE-ward subduction. Combined contemporaneous occurrence of Baogutu adakite, high-Mg, Sr-enriched and Y-poor dioritic dikes, Miaoergou charnockite, and Maliya mafic rocks, we further suggest the accretionary complex was cut by near-trench volcanic rocks and plutons possibly due to interaction with a spreading ridge.     

Carbon-14 study of groundwater in the sedimentary rocks at the Tono study site,central Japan

Isotopic investigations using ¹⁴C of groundwater were carried out to understand the hydraulic conditions in the sedimentary rocks at the Tono study site, central Japan. ¹⁴C activities of groundwater observed range from 2 to 32 % Modern Carbon (pMC). Measured ¹⁴C activities of groundwater are corrected by the isotopic mass balance model based on ¹⁴C activities, δ¹³C values, concentrations of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and δ¹³C values of non-active carbon dissolved into the groundwater from carbonate minerals and organics. Assuming that the groundwater reservoir is comparable to the piston flow situation, the relative ¹⁴C ages of groundwaters were calculated from the corrected ¹⁴C activity. The relative ¹⁴C age suggests that the groundwater infiltration from the upper part of the sedimentary rocks to the lower part takes several thousands of years, or that the groundwater in the lower part of sedimentary rocks is derived from long distance flow from the surface through the unconformity between the sedimentary rocks and basement granite. The flow rate calculated by relative ¹⁴C ages shows similar values to those estimated by computer simulation using hydraulic pressure and conductivity data. Hydraulic conditions at the Tono study site inferred from ¹⁴C activity agree with those suggested from hydrogeological analyses. Isotopic approaches using ¹⁴C activity can be applied as geochemical evaluation for interpretations from the hydraulic study.     

Deep-seated rockslide-avalanches preceded by mass rock creep of sedimentary rocks in the Akaishi Mountains, central Japan

Seven large rockslide-avalanches of sedimentary rocks are known in Japan. Almost all of these major landslides were preceded by gravitational deformation of rocks (mass rock creep, MRC), as inferred from geologic and geomorphic investigations of five rockslide-avalanches in the Akaishi Mountains. The MRC that preceded the rockslide-avalanches in the Akaishi Mountains was characterized by a slow but steady downslope bowing of steeply dipping foliations, which accompanied intensive deformation and fragmentation of the rock mass by shearing along foliations. This deformation and fragmentation of the rock mass provides a basic cause for the occurrence of rockslide-avalanches, which occur when a creeping rock mass has lost its support from the lower part of a slope by stream erosion. This type of MRC continues for a long time after a part of the creeping area has slid and results in longterm generation of debris by the landslide sear of the rockslide-avalanche.     

Late Paleozoic-Mesozoic subduction and accretion of the Paleo-Pacific Plate:Insights from ophiolitic rocks in the Wandashan accretionary complex,NE China

The Wandashan accretionary complex(AC),consisting of the Raohe and Yuejinshan complexes,is located on the continental margin of Northeast Asia and represents an excellent source of information about Paleo-Pacific subduction and accretion.However,the protolith nature and tectonic evolution of the Wandashan AC are under debate.This contribution reports new geochronological,geochemical,and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic data for ophiolitic rocks from the Wandashan AC.The 169-166 Ma plagioclasites and homogeneous gabbros from the Raohe complex are OIBs while 228-214 Ma homogeneous gabbros are continental VABs.Cumulate gabbros from the Yuejinshan complex formed at 280-278 Ma and～220 Ma and have similar characteristics with E-MORB and N-MORB,respectively.They are BABBs and their primary magma was derived from a source region between EMI and EMII that was affected by con-tinental crustal contamination as well as subduction-zone metasomatism.Combined with previous stud-ies,we suggest that the onset of subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate was in the Early Permian.Subsequently,a back-arc basin,whose present suture is on the eastern margin of the Jiamusi Massif,formed and widened during 280-232 Ma,after which the basin closed and BABBs were emplaced to form the Yuejinshan complex during 210-180 Ma.The formation of VABs of the Raohe complex is coincident with the closure of the back-arc basin,and together with the 169-166 Ma OIBs,they constitute a major part of the Raohe complex.The accretionary process was completed during 133-131 Ma.Taken together,the ophiolitic rocks indicating multistage magmatism in the Paleo-Wandashan region recorded the formation-closure process of back-arc basin and the accretionary process of the Wandashan AC,during the westward subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate.The back-arc basin identified in our study sheds new lights on geodynamic evolution model of subduction and accretion of the Paleo-Pacific Plate on the continental margin of NE Asia.     

沧东凹陷始新统孔店组二段深水细粒沉积岩中的软沉积物变形构造*

湖相深水细粒沉积岩中的软沉积物变形构造主要发育在泥岩和泥晶碳酸盐岩为主的地层中,大部分因为发育规模小(镜下尺度),在岩心观察中很容易被忽略掉。本文以沧东凹陷G108-8井孔店组二段(孔二段)细粒沉积岩为研究对象,通过密集的镜下观察和精细岩心描述,识别出同沉积微断裂、液化岩脉、微褶皱变形、微重荷变形和杂乱变形等多种类型的软沉积物变形构造。研究区深水细粒沉积岩中的软沉积物变形构造总体表现为规模小、垂向无明显重力流砂体伴生、原地成因、沉积纹层发育等特点。从应力调节方式的角度考虑,可以将软沉积物变形构造的形成机制划分为上覆应力卸载、侧向应力挤压和层内应力释放等3种类型,不同的形成机制分别是对不同沉积环境变化的响应。通过湖相深水细粒沉积岩软沉积物变形构造的研究,可以恢复古沉积环境变化、预测重力流方位,对深水细粒沉积岩的油气勘探也具有一定的指导意义。     

Internal deformation and compaction of the Makran accretionary wedge

The Makran accretionary wedge is one of the largest on Earth. A 7-km-thick column of sands and quartzolithic turbidites are incorporated into this wedge in a series of deformed thrust sheets. We present the results of prestack depth migration and focusing-error analysis (migration velocity analysis) performed on a profile across the Makran wedge. The depth section shows the deformation style of the accreted sediments, and the migration velocities allow us to estimate porosity variations in the sediments. The thrust sheets show evidence of fault-propagation folding, with a long wavelength of deformation (≈ 12 km) and secondary thrusting in the kink bands of the folds, such that the central part of each thrust sheet is elevated to form an additional ridge. This deformation style and the 15° steep surface slope of the first ridge suggest a high degree of consolidation. Porosities were calculated from the seismic migration velocities and the ratio of fluid pressure to lithostatic pressure λ was estimated for 5 locations along the profile. Rather than being undercompacted and overpressured as in most accretionary wedges, the sedimentary input is normally compacted (exponential porosity decay) throughout almost the whole wedge. However, a slight increase in porosity and λ at depth, with respect to the normal compaction curve indicates, that the turbiditic sequence might be overpressured landward of the deformation front.     

Palaeomagnetic investigations of the tertiary and quaternary igneous rocks: IV The tertiary volcanic rocks of the Tokaji mountains,Hungary

Measurements are reported from samples collected at twenty three sites in the Tokaj mountains of north-eastern Hungary. The simplest interpretation of the results is in terms of geomagnetic field reversals, for there is no petrological or magnetic evidence of self reversal or of correlation of oxidation state and magnetic sign. Four magnetic zones satisfy the minimum stratigraphic requirements, speculative use of these zones against theHeirtzler et al. magnetic time scale as a control suggests locating the Miocene-Pliocene boundary at 11.75 my. However it seems probable that much of the lower Sarmatian is not represented in the Tokaj samples, although the scatter of individual readings suggest secular variation is averaged out. The virtual pole position at 70.4 W, 82.8 N is not significantly different from the theoretical dipole field.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird über paläomagnetische Messungen an ungarischen Gesteinen berichtet, die von 23 Punkten in den Tokajer Bergen stammen.Die Ergebnisse werden als magnetische Feldumkehrungen gedeutet, da sich weder für Selbstumkehrungen noch für Beziehungen zwischen den jeweiligen Oxidationszuständen der Ilmenite und Titanomagnetite und den magnetischen Daten Anhaltspunkte ergeben haben.Vier magnetische Zonen entsprechen dieser stratigraphischen Abfolge; ein möglicher Vergleich dieser Zonen mit der magnetischen Zeitskala vonHeirtzler u. a. als Kontrolle legt die Vermutung nahe, die Miozän-Pliozän-Grenze mit 11,75 Millionen Jahren anzugeben.Einerseits ist es wahrscheinlich, daß das Untere Sarmat durch die Tokajer Vulkanite nicht vollständig erfaßt wird, andererseits kann eine Säkular-Variation als Deutungsmöglichkeit wahrscheinlich ausgeschlossen werden.Die virtuelle Pol-Position mit 70.4 W, 82.8 N weicht nicht bedeutend vom theoretischen Dipol-Feld ab.

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Résumé Des mesures paléomagnetiques ont été effectuées sur des roches hongroises qui proviennent de 23 endroits des montagnes TokaÏ.Les résultats sont interprétés comme des inversions du champ magnétique car il n'y a pas de raisons d'admettre ni d'auto-inversion ni de rapports entre les états d'oxidation des ilménites et des titanomagnétites et les données magnétiques.Quatre zones magnétiques correspondent à cette suite stratigraphique; une comparaison possible de ces zones avec l'échelle du temps deHeirtzler et al. comme contrÔle laisse supposer que la limite Miocène-Pliocène se situe à 11.75 millions années.Il est probable d'une part qu'une grande partie du Sarmatien inférieur n'est pas représentée par ces roches volcaniques de TokaÏ, d'autre part qu'une variation séculaire comme un interprétation possible peut Être exclue avec grande probabilité.La position virtuelle du pÔle avec 70.4 ouest, 82.8 nord n'est pas très différente du champ théorique du dipole.

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, 23 , . , . . , , . , . Heirtzler'a, , , - 11,75 . — , , , . 70,4 W, 82,8 N .

     

Timing the tectonic mingling of ultramafic rocks and metasediments in the southern section of the coastal accretionary complex of central Chile

Uranium-lead ages are reported for zircons from ultramafic bodies and metamorphic host rocks of the Western Series that outcrop at La Cabaña, in the southern section of the coastal accretionary complex of central Chile. Metasedimentary mica schists hosting the ultramafic bodies contain a main detrital zircon population of Devonian age (365–380 Ma) clustering around ~368 Ma, differing significantly from neighbouring areas where Devonian zircons are scarce. Zircons from the metasomatic reaction zones (albitites and chloritites), formed during the emplacement and alteration of the ultramafic bodies, are mainly Ordovician (~478 Ma) and lack Devonian zircons, resembling a typical detrital zircon pattern from other locations in the Western Series. Zircons from the chloritite reaction zone of the Lavanderos serpentinite, the easternmost ultramafic body in La Cabaña, are in textural equilibrium with metamorphic ilmenite. Some of these zircons yield an average age of 283.4 ± 7 Ma (n = 6) which is identical, within error, to a previously reported K-Ar fuchsite cooling age of 282 ± 6 Ma from the reaction zone. Most zircons extracted from chromitite boulders have euhedral oscillatory-zoned growth patterns with a similar range of ages than those reported for the Western Series (324–1090 Ma; n = 12), except for two zircons with cloudy appearance and high U/Th ratios which yielded an average age of 285.5 ± 7 Ma. The presence of Early Permian zircons (~280–290 Ma) in all studied rocks suggests remobilization of Zr, possibly triggered by metasomatic fluids released during the disequilibrium reaction associated with the tectonic emplacement of the ultramafic rocks into the metasedimentary rock. Simultaneously with the formation of metasomatic zircons, Palaeozoic and Mesoproterozoic zircons from the metasedimentary rocks were mechanically incorporated into the ultramafic rocks, thus providing a record of the timing of crustal emplacement of the ultramafic rocks into the accretionary complex.     

Fluid overpressure along an Oligocene out-of-sequence thrust in the Shimanto Belt,SW Japan

Out-of-sequence thrusts (OSTs) exposed in ancient accretionary prisms are considered as fossil analogs of present-day megasplay faults in subduction margins and can provide direct information about the conditions of deformation during thrust activity. In modern as well as in ancient accretionary prisms, first-order megasplay faults or OSTs truncate or merge with faults of lesser importance called second-order OSTs. Structural analysis of the Makinokuchi fault, a branch of an Oligocene to lower Miocene second-order OST in the Tertiary Shimanto Belt of central Kyushu, SW Japan, brings information about the conditions of deformation at the time of thrusting. The studied exposure shows that the fault footwall and, to a much lesser extent, the fault hanging-wall, consist of quartz-cemented syntectonic dilatant hydraulic breccias testifying to pore fluid pressures larger than the least principal stress component. The footwall sandstones are crossed by several centimeters thick quartz veins that merge with the footwall breccias. The continuity between the veins and the breccias suggest that the veins acted as conduits which likely collected fluids from the footwall side sandstones upward and toward the fault. Fluid inclusions indicate that the quartz cementing the breccias and that filling the feeder veins crystallized from similar fluids and under similar pressure and temperature conditions (245–285 °C and 5–8 km depth). These similarities suggest that the fluids responsible for syn-tectonic hydraulic brecciation were collected from the footwall through the conduits. The fluid inclusion trapping temperatures are close to the temperatures expected to be reached along the seismogenic zone. Our analysis shows that fluid overpressures can play a key role in the growth and activity of second-order OSTs in accretionary prisms and suggests that fluids collected along second-order OSTs or splay faults may flow upward along first-order OSTs or megasplay faults.