Evolution of continental crust in southern Africa

Nd isotopic data from the Zimbabwe and Kaapvaal cratons and the Limpopo, Kalahari, Namaqualand and Damara mobile belts imply that over 50% of present-day continental crust in this region had separated from the mantle by the end of the Archaean and that< 10% of continental crust of southern Africa has formed in the last 1.0 Ga. Such a growth rate implies that average erosion rates through geological time were high and that evolution of continental crust has been dominated by crustal growth prior to 1.4 Ga, and crustal reworking since that time. The evolution of average crust is not represented directly by clastic sediment samples but may be determined from sediment analyses if both the time of orogeneses and the average erosion rate are known. Both trace element data from southern Africa granitoids and the high erosion rates implied by the isotopic study suggest that growth of continental crust in the Archaean was by underplating rather than lateral accretion, but arc accretion was the dominant mechanism after 2.0 Ga.     

Characteristics of crustal structures in the Yamato Basin,sea of Japan,deduced from seismic explorations

Crustal structures around the Yamato Basin in the southeastern Sea of Japan, inferred from recent ocean bottom seismography (OBS) and active-source seismological studies, are reviewed to elucidate various stages of crustal modification involved from rifting in the crust of the surrounding continental arc to the production of oceanic crust in the Yamato Basin of the back-arc basin. The northern, central, and southern areas of the Yamato Basin have crustal thicknesses of approximately 12–16 km, and lowermost crusts with P-wave velocities greater than 7.2 km/s. Very few units have P-wave velocities in the range 5.4–6.0 km/s, which corresponds to the continental upper crust. These findings, combined with previous geochemical analysis of basalt samples, are interpreted to indicate that a thick oceanic crust has been formed in these areas of the basin, and that this oceanic crust has been underplated by mantle-derived magma. In the central Yamato Basin, the original continental crust has been fully breached and oceanic crust has been formed. Conversely, the presence of a unit corresponding to the continental upper crust and the absence of a high-velocity part in the lower crust implies that the southwestern edge of the Yamato Basin has a rifted crust without significant intrusion. The Oki Trough has a crust that is 17–19 km thick with a high-velocity lower crust and a unit corresponding to the continental upper crust. The formation of the Oki Trough resulted from rifting with magmatic intrusion and/or underplating. We interpret these variations in the crustal characteristics of the Yamato Basin area as reflecting various instances of crustal modification by thinning and magmatic intrusion due to back-arc extension, resulting in the production of a thick oceanic crust in the basin.     

Andesites in island arcs and continental margins: Relationship to crustal evolution

Andesites of both island arc and continental margin environments contain petrologic evidence of mixing of mantle and crustal melts. Andesitic volcanism appears to involve addition of mantle-derived basaltic magma to the crust and fractionation of preexisting crustal material. Changes in andesitic volcanism with increasingly continental character of the crust reflect changes in a rhyolitic component derived from increasingly aged and fractionated crust. The initial stage in development of continental crust is partial melting of oceanic crust.     

Implications of melting for stabilisation of the lithosphere and heat loss in the Archaean

The increased depth and volume of melting induced in a higher temperature Archaean mantle controls the stability of the lithosphere, heat loss rates and the thickness of the oceanic crust. The relationship between density distributions in oceanic lithosphere and the depth of melting at spreading centres is investigated by calculating the mineral proportions and densities of residual mantle depleted by extraction of melt fractions. The density changes related to compositional gradients are comparable to those produced by thermal effects for lithosphere formed from a mantle which is 200°C or more hotter than modern upper mantle. If Archaean continental crust formed initially above oceanic lithosphere, the compositional density gradients may be sufficient to preserve a thick Archaean continental lithosphere within which the Archaean age diamonds are preserved. The amount of heat advected by melts at mid-ocean ridges today is small but heat advected by melting becomes proportionally more important as higher mantle temperatures lead to a greater volume of melt and as the rate of production of oceanic plates increases. Archaean tectonics could have been dominated by spreading rates 2–3 times greater than now and with mantle temperatures between ca. 1600°C and 1800°C at the depth of the solidus. Mid-ocean ridge melting would produce a relatively thick but light refractory lithosphere on which continents could form, protected from copious volcanism and high mantle temperatures.     

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.     

Cretaceous episodic growth of the Japanese Islands

Abstract The Japanese Islands formed rapidly in situ along the eastern Asian continental margin in the Cretaceous due to both tectonic and magmatic processes. In the Early Cretaceous, huge oceanic plateaus created by the mid-Panthalassa super plume accreted with the continental margin. This tectonic interaction of oceanic plateau with continental crust is one of the significant tectonic processes responsible for continental growth in subduction zones. In the Japanese Islands, Late Cretaceous-Early Paleogene continental growth is much more episodic and drastic. At this time the continental margin uplifted regionally, and intra-continent collision tectonics took place in the northern part of the Asian continent. The uplifting event appears to have been caused by the subduction of very young oceanic crust (i.e. the Izanagi-Kula Plate) along the continental margin. Magmatism was also very active, and melting of the young oceanic slab appears to have resulted in ubiquitous plutons in the continental margin. Regional uplift of the continental margin and intra-continent collision tectonics promoted erosion of the uplifted area, and a large amount of terrigenous sediment was abruptly supplied to the trench. As a result of the rapid supply of terrigenous detritus, the accretionary complexes (the Hidaka Belt in Hokkaido and the Shimanto Belt in Southwest Japan) grew rapidly in the subduction zone. The rapid growth of the accretionary complexes and the subduction of very young, buoyant oceanic crust caused the extrusion of a high-P/T metamorphic wedge from the deep levels of the subduction zone. Episodic growth of the Late Cretaceous Japanese Islands suggests that subduction of very young oceanic crust and/or ridge subduction are very significant for the formation of new continental crust in subduction zones.     

Dalrymple Trough: An active oblique-slip ocean–continent boundary in the northwest Indian Ocean

The Dalrymple Trough marks part of the transform plate boundary between India and Arabia in the northern Arabian Sea. Oblique extension is presently active across this portion of the boundary at a rate of a few millimetres per year, and seismic reflection profiles across the trough confirm that it is an extensional structure. We present new swath bathymetric and wide-angle seismic data from the trough. The bathymetric data show that the trough is bounded by a single, steep, 3-km-high scarp to the southeast and a series of smaller, en-echelon scarps to the northwest. Wide-angle seismic data show that a typical oceanic crustal velocity structure is present to the northwest, with a crustal thickness of ~ 6 km. There is an abrupt change in crustal thickness and velocity structure at the northwestern edge of the trough, and the trough itself is underlain by 12-km-thick crust interpreted as thinned continental crust. Therefore we infer that Dalrymple Trough is an unusual obliquely extending plate boundary at which continental crust and oceanic crust are juxtaposed. The extensional deformation is focused on a single major fault in the continental lithosphere, but distributed over a region ~ 60 km wide in the oceanic lithosphere.     

Volcano spacings and lithospheric/crustal thickness in the Archaean

There is a linear relationship between the spacing of Pliocene-Pleistocene volcanoes and the thickness of the lithosphere and attenuated crust in the East African rift valley. Assuming that the physical-chemical properties of the Archaean and Cenozoic lithosphere and crust were broadly similar, we use the spacing of volcanic centres in the Abitibi greenstone belt of southern Canada to determine lithospheric and crustal thickness in the Archaean. The abitibi volcanoes have been deformed and so have elliptical cross-sections. In order to arrive at their original form we have removed the effects of tectonic strain by two alternative mechanisms of pure and simple shear which give comparable results. A mean original volcano spacing of 84–88 km suggests that the lithsophere was 80–90 km thick and that the crust was probably 35–45 km thick in this greenstone belt about 2700 m.y. ago. The crustal values are comparable with those determined by geochemical parameters and are consistent with the suggestion that greenstone belts formed in extensional marginal basins between crustal-thickened continental masses, deep sections of which are now seen in Archaean high-grade regions.     

喜马拉雅山南部的构造复杂性

根据对恒河盆地西部的多振型宽频带面波频散资料的分析推断,该区的地壳结构不具有大陆地盾的特征,相反,却非常象某些海洋高地。这一异常的海洋型地壳与恒河盆地东部地盾地壳的分界线可能在阿拉瓦利山脉（Aravalli Ridge）。该处地壳的地质特征具有异常高的电导率,其走向垂直于喜马拉雅山脉。目前广为接受的假定认为是构造均匀的印度大陆岩石圈向喜马拉雅山下俯冲。本文的研究结果对此观点提出了置疑:在北部印度大陆内的地壳运动可能存在着差异。我们追溯印度-欧亚大陆的碰撞历史,这个因素恐怕是不容忽视的。     

喜马拉雅山南部的构造复杂性

根据对恒河盆地西部的多振型宽频带面波频散资料的分析推断,该区的地壳结构不具有大陆地盾的特征,相反,却非常象某些海洋高地。这一异常的海洋型地壳与恒河盆地东部地盾地壳的分界线可能在阿拉瓦利山脉（Aravalli Ridge）。该处地壳的地质特征具有异常高的电导率,其走向垂直于喜马拉雅山脉。目前广为接受的假定认为是构造均匀的印度大陆岩石圈向喜马拉雅山下俯冲。本文的研究结果对此观点提出了置疑:在北部印度大陆内的地壳运动可能存在着差异。我们追溯印度-欧亚大陆的碰撞历史,这个因素恐怕是不容忽视的。     

Nagssugtoqidian mobile belt of West Greenland: a cryptic 1850 Ma suture between two Archaean continents—chemical and isotopic evidence

New chemical and isotopic data permit the recognition of a cryptic suture zone between two Archaean continental masses within the Nagssugtoqidian mobile belt of West Greenland. This discovery has important implications for Precambrian crustal evolution: suture zones may not always be identifiable from geological field observations, with the consequence that mobile belts in which undetected sutures exist may be mis-identified as ensialic, and thought to require special non-plate tectonic models to account for their development.The Nagssugtoqidian belt consists mainly of Archaean gneisses reworked during the Proterozoic, with metamorphic grade and degree of isotopic disturbance increasing towards the centre of the belt. At the centre of the belt the Nagssugtoqidian includes metasediments and calc-alkaline volcanic and plutonic rocks of Proterozoic age, almost always strongly deformed and metamorphosed. From isotopic evidence (Sr_i ca. 0.703; model μ₁ values ca. 8.0; initial ε_Nd ca. 0) it is clear that the Proterozoic igneous rocks do not include any significant contributions derived from the Archaean crust, and the chemistry of the rocks, together with the isotope data, suggests that they were formed at a destructive plate margin. The Proterozoic rocks are found in a narrow zone (up to 30 km wide) between the Archaean gneisses to the north and south of Nordre Strømfjord, and are interpreted as reflecting the existence of a suture between two Archaean continental blocks. Zircon UPb data and other isotope evidence show that subduction started before ca. 1920 Ma ago, and lasted until ca. 1850 Ma when collision occurred, with consequent crustal thickening, high-grade metamorphism and local anatexis. Given the time-span for the operation of subduction, the existence of a wide Nagssugtoqidian ocean can be inferred, even for slow rates of plate motion.The Proterozoic and Archaean gneisses in the Nagssugtoqidian belt are very similar lithologically and chemically, and it has only been possible to distinguish between them using isotopic criteria. Suture zones of this kind are very difficult to detect, and may be present elsewhere within the reworked Archaean terrains of northern Greenland and Canada.     

Phase velocities of Rayleigh waves in southeastern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Summary Measurements of phase velocities along several paths in southeastern Europe and along one path in the Eastern Mediterranean have been made in the period range 15 to 60 sec for the fundamental mode of Rayleigh waves. The data are fitted by layered models of the crust and upper mantle. The crust in the Balkan peninsula is thicker than the normal continental crust by about 10 km while the crust in the northern Aegean Sea has the normal continental thickness. The existence of a low shear velocity layer of thickness equal to 140 km with its top in a depth of 90 km interpretes the data well for the longer periods. The data for the eastern Mediterranean show that this region has an oceanic character. The mean crustal thickness in this area is of the order of 20 km.     

根据深反射地震资料识别南海北部洋陆过渡带

洋陆过渡带是被动大陆边缘的重要特征,对于理解大陆岩石圈破裂,随后的海底扩张及被动大陆边缘的形成与演化至关重要.前人通过重磁、地震等地球物理资料对南海北部洋陆过渡带进行过一些研究,但不同学者利用不同资料所确定的洋陆过渡带位置存在较大差异.本文基于高品质深反射地震剖面对南海北部洋陆过渡带进行重新解释,根据莫霍面快速抬升、地壳急剧减薄特征确定洋陆过渡带的分布范围.结果表明,南海北部洋陆过渡带位于大陆边缘减薄陆壳与正常洋壳之间,是受岩浆活动改造了的厚度急剧减薄的地壳,洋陆过渡带地壳深部发生岩浆侵入.减薄陆壳莫霍面平均埋深为21.9 km,地壳平均厚度约20.2 km;正常洋壳莫霍面平均埋深为12.0 km,地壳平均厚度为8.1 km,洋陆过渡带莫霍面埋深和地壳厚度急剧变化,其宽度大致介于46~99 km之间.南海北部磁异常条带和自由空间重力异常分布,验证了本文确定的洋陆过渡带范围的合理性.综合分析认为,南海北部洋陆过渡带的特征介于典型火山型与非火山型之间.

     

A review on the numerical geodynamic modeling of continental subduction, collision and exhumation

Continental subduction and collision normally follows oceanic subduction,with the remarkable event of formation and exhumation of high-to ultra-high-pressure(HP-UHP)metamorphic rocks.Based on the summary of numerical geodynamic models,six modes of continental convergence have been identified:pure shear thickening,folding and buckling,one-sided steep subduction,flat subduction,two-sided subduction,and subducting slab break-off.In addition,the exhumation of HP-UHP rocks can be formulated into eight modes:thrust fault exhumation,buckling exhumation,material circulation,overpressure model,exhumation of a coherent crustal slice,episodic ductile extrusion,slab break-off induced eduction,and exhumation through fractured overriding lithosphere.During the transition from subduction to exhumation,the weakening and detachment of subducted continental crust are prerequisites.However,the dominant weakening mechanisms and their roles in the subduction channel are poorly constrained.To a first degree approximation,the mechanism of continental subduction and exhumation can be treated as a subduction channel flow model,which incorporates the competing effects of downward Couette(subduction)flow and upward Poiseuille(exhumation)flow in the subduction channel.However,the(de-)hydration effect plays significant roles in the deformation of subduction channel and overriding lithosphere,which thereby result in very different modes from the simple subduction channel flow.Three-dimensionality is another important issue with highlighting the along-strike differential modes of continental subduction,collision and exhumation in the same continental convergence belt.     

南海北部陆缘东部的地壳结构

本文利用中、美联合调查南海海洋地质项目所采集的双船地震扩展排列剖面资料,研究了南海北部陆缘的地壳结构．其特征为：从陆架到深海平原,地壳呈阶梯状减薄,地壳厚度分别为２６-２８ｋｍ,２３-２４ｋｍ,１３-１５ｋｍ,以及南海洋盆中５-７ｋｍ厚的洋壳,反映了地壳在新生代早期是幕式拉张的．地壳底部存在高速地壳层,地震波速度为７．１-７．４ｋｍ／ｓ．它是在地壳被拉张后,上地幔熔融物质上涌到地壳底部冷却而形成的．     

南海北部陆缘东部的地壳结构

本文利用中、美联合调查南海海洋地质项目所采集的双船地震扩展排列剖面资料,研究了南海北部陆缘的地壳结构．其特征为：从陆架到深海平原,地壳呈阶梯状减薄,地壳厚度分别为２６—２８ｋｍ,２３—２４ｋｍ,１３—１５ｋｍ,以及南海洋盆中５—７ｋｍ厚的洋壳,反映了地壳在新生代早期是幕式拉张的．地壳底部存在高速地壳层,地震波速度为７．１—７．４ｋｍ／ｓ．它是在地壳被拉张后,上地幔熔融物质上涌到地壳底部冷却而形成的．     

大洋岩石层拖曳窄条陆壳俯冲的极限尺度分析——以新西兰南岛和大别山超高压变质带为例

超高压变质研究涉及的一个基本力学问题是为什么低密度的大陆地壳岩石能克服浮力俯冲到高密度地幔100多公里的深度.本文的三维有限单元法计算表明:俯冲海洋板块可以拖曳侧面相邻宽度不超过150km的一窄条大陆板块,俯冲到超高压变质深度,形成少见的大规模超高压变质带.十几公里乃至几十公里尺度的陆壳块体,可能被俯冲地幔裹挟至超高压变质深度,在造山带内形成零星出露的超高压变质岩.成熟的陆-陆碰撞带则不可能使陆壳俯冲到超高压变质深度.     

大洋岩石层拖曳窄条陆壳俯冲的极限尺度分析--以新西兰南岛和大别山超高压变质带为例

超高压变质研究涉及的一个基本力学问题是为什么低密度的大陆地壳岩石能克服浮力俯冲到高密度地幔100多公里的深度.本文的三维有限单元法计算表明:俯冲海洋板块可以拖曳侧面相邻宽度不超过150km的一窄条大陆板块,俯冲到超高压变质深度,形成少见的大规模超高压变质带.十几公里乃至几十公里尺度的陆壳块体,可能被俯冲地幔裹挟至超高压变质深度,在造山带内形成零星出露的超高压变质岩.成熟的陆-陆碰撞带则不可能使陆壳俯冲到超高压变质深度.     

南海中部和北部地壳性质的探讨

本文主要根据1980年中、美联合调查南海时所获得的声纳浮标测量结果,探讨中国南海中部和北部各个地貌单元上的地壳结构、性质以及新生代的发展简史。     

南海中部和北部地壳性质的探讨

本文主要根据1980年中、美联合调查南海时所获得的声纳浮标测量结果,探讨中国南海中部和北部各个地貌单元上的地壳结构、性质以及新生代的发展简史。