Geology in the Falkland Islands

In the next few years we are likely to hear and learn much about the offshore geology of the Falkland Islands as exploratory drilling for hydrocarbons begins. The offshore geology may become better known than the onshore, of which there has been little detailed investigation in the 200+ years since settlements were established. Here we outline the history of geological investigations and present information gathered during recent fieldwork.     

Geology and tectonics of the northeast Russian Arctic region,based on seismic data

The structure of the sedimentary cover and acoustic basement in the northeastern Russian Arctic region is analyzed. Beneath the western continuation of the North Chukchi trough and Vil’kitskii trough, a Late Caledonian (Ellesmere) folded and metamorphozed basement is discovered. It is supposed that Caledonides continue further into the Podvodnikov Basin until the Geofizikov branch. A large magnetic anomaly in the Central Arctic zone has been verified by seismostratigraphic data: the acoustic basement beneath the Mendeleev (and partially Alpha) Ridge is overlain by trapps. Wave field analysis showed that the acoustic basement of the Lomonosov Ridge has folded structure, whereas beneath the Mendeleev Ridge, the sporadic presence of a weakly folded stratum of Paleozoic platform deposits is interpreted. It is supposed that the Caledonian and Late Cimmerian fold belts in the periphery of the Arctida paleocontinent appeared as a result of collision between arctic continental masses and southern ones. After Miocene extension and block displacements identified from appearance of horsts, grabens, and transverse rises both on the shelf and in the ocean, a general subsidence took place and the present-day shelf, slope, and the deepwater part of the Arctic Ocean formed.     

Recent macroids on the Kikai‐jima shelf,Central Ryukyu Islands,Japan

Sandy and gravelly carbonate sediments found off Kikai‐jima, southern Japan, a coral reef‐related island shelf, represent the northernmost sub‐tropical, carbonate deposits in the Central Ryukyu Islands (Ryukyus). On the Kikai‐jima shelf, at water depths of 61 to 105 m, these sediments are characterized by macroid pavements. Since the abundance of very small and of exceptionally large macroids may indicate specific hydrodynamic controls regarding constraints on growth and taphonomy, the detailed analysis of recent and fossil macroid pavements is meaningful ecologically and environmentally. Macroids, ranging in size from ca 25 to 130 mm in diameter, are spheroidal and sub‐spheroidal in shape and consist mainly of the encrusting foraminifer Acervulina inhaerens and subordinate thin encrusting and lumpy coralline algae. Accessory components include bryozoans, serpulids and, to a lesser extent, encrusting arborescent foraminifera (Homotrema and Miniacina). Low sedimentation rates and occasional movement due to current action are indicated by sizes, shapes and growth‐forms of the studied macroids, the Entobia–Gastrochaenolites–Trypanites–Maeandropolydora ichnocoenosis and the ‘Bioerosion Index’ for coated grains (introduced herein). The deep‐water tidally induced current energy was sufficient to maintain multi‐directional growth (spheroidal shapes) of the larger macroids and to initiate macroid growth using the diverse biogenic remnants as nuclei. The asymmetrical inner arrangement suggests possible periods of stability for the macroids. The residence time of the coated grain in its original environment determines the size and morphology of the macroid and the selection of coating organisms. The composition of the coating community is mainly a consequence of component growth rates in relation to turnover time and residence time. Long‐term studies are needed to assess the spatial and temporal resolution of present‐day encrusting communities across biogeographic provinces and shelf to slope regions.     

Early Paleozoic tectonics for the New Siberian Islands terrane (Eastern Arctic)

The New Siberian Islands archipelago is one of the few research objects accessible for direct study on the eastern Arctic shelf. There are several models that have different interpretations of the Paleozoic tectonic history and the structural affinity of the New Siberian Islands terrane. Some infer a direct relationship with the passive continental margin of the Siberian paleocontinent. Others connect it with the marginal basins of Baltica and Laurentia, or the Chukotka-Alaska microplate. Our paleomagnetic investigation led us to create an apparent polar wander path for the early Paleozoic interval of geological history. Based on it we can conclude that the New Siberian Islands terrane could not have been a part of these continental plates. This study considers the possible tectonic scenarios of the Paleozoic history of the Earth, presents and discusses the corresponding global reconstructions describing the paleogeography and probable mutual kinematics of the terranes of the Eastern Arctic.     

Geology of the Talaud Islands, molucca sea collision zone, northeast Indonesia

The Talaud Islands lie at the northern margin of the collision zone between the Sangihe and Halmahera island arc systems. Rock units on Talaud are Neogene marine strata, basalt and andesite, tectonic mélange, and ophiolite. The units are exposed in N–S trending belts that are commonly separated by faults. The marine strata consist of tuffaceous siltstone, sandstone, shale and marl. They are strongly deformed by west-verging folds with wavelengths of 20–500 m. Volcanic rocks of island arc affinity are exposed on the east coast of Karakelang Island and appear to be interbedded with the lowermost marine strata. Tectonic mélanges contain blocks of serpentinite, gabbro, basalt, red middle Eocene chert and limestone, and greywacke turbidites. The blocks range in length from a few millimetres to hundreds of metres, and are enclosed in a scaly clay matrix. Several mappable slabs of ophiolite are separated by Tertiary strata or mélange. The dismembered ophiolites consist of serpentized peridotite, gabbro, spilites and cherts. Locally, the mélanges and ophiolites are thrust over the younger sedimentary rocks along east-dipping faults. The dominant eastward dips of mélange foliation, the westward vergence of structures in the Neogene strata, the Eocene ages of the cherts, and the Miocene age of the strata overlying the ophiolite slabs suggest that the ophiolites are pieces of Eocene or older oceanic crust (derived from a mid-ocean ridge or back-arc basin) and upper mantle that were emplaced as thrust slices into the lower slope of a west-facing arc during the Miocene and have been uplifted during arc—arc collision.     

Geology and tectonics of the basin of Mexico and their relationship with the damage caused by the earthquakes of September 1985

Summary The earthquakes of 19 September 1985 (18.2° N, 102.7° W and a magnitude of 8.1 Richter scale) and of 20 (17.6° N, 101.8° W and a magnitude of 7.5 Richter scale) September 1985, caused the total or partial destruction of more than 2000 structures in Mexico City. The most affected areas are located along the fringes of and bordering old roadways, earthworks (dikes), aquaducts and pre-hispanic population centres. Ancient construction artificially modified the sedimentation in the basin of the Mexico Valley Lakes making the sub-soil of Mexico City more rigid near to the surface, and producing deviations of the surface seismic waves (Rayleigh waves and Love waves). Also, when earthquakes occur on the Pacific coast, seismic waves travel quickly through plutonic, metamorphics and continental and marine rocks of different ages, having high seismic velocities. When the seismic waves enter the poorly consolidated lake sediments having low seismic velocities in the Mexico City Basin, they produce an energy buildup that causes the phenomenon called magnification.There exists a direct relation between the amplification mentioned above and the presence of rigid bodies that are buried in the sub-soil. The length of these bodies is of the order of tens of kilometres horizontally with thicknesses less than 50 metres. These Rigid Barriers produce reflections and refractions of the surface waves along their borders with destructive consequences for the buildings. A correlation between the buildings and the houses damaged and destroyed and the location of the prehispanic construction on the sub-soil has been made which shows that the most damage happened in the borders of old roadways (i.e. Tlalpan road), perimeter walls (i.e. San Lazaro), aqueducts (i.e. Chapultepec Avenue), pyramids (i.e. Templo Mayor) and population centres (i.e. Tlaltelolco).     

Palaeogeographic reconstruction of the 1.55 Ma synchronous isolation of the Ryukyu Islands,Japan, and Taiwan and inflow of the Kuroshio warm current

In the Quaternary, the Ryukyu Islands evolved from a continental margin arc to an island arc by backarc spreading of the Okinawa Trough, accompanied by subsidence and isolation of the islands, a process that has continued to the present. Trough-parallel half grabens were filled with marine siltstone. Similar sediments filling orthogonal fault-controlled and west-draining non-tectonic valleys record island separation. New Quaternary nannofossil biostratigraphic data date the deposition of the marine siltstone at 1.552 ± 0.154 Ma. At that time, the entire 1000 km-long island chain comprising the Ryukyu Islands separated from the Asian continent by rifting extending from the Okinawa Trough to the Tsushima Strait. The Tokara, Kerama, and Yonaguni gaps, branched or transverse rifts of the Okinawa Trough, separate the island chain into subgroups of the Osumi, Amami, Okinawa, and Yaeyama islands, and Taiwan. The shallow Taiwan Strait separated Taiwan from the Chinese mainland. The Kuroshio warm current that previously ran offshore of the continental margin arc began to enter the opening backarc basin through the Yonaguni gap and to exit through the Tokara gap, flowing along the axis of the Okinawa Trough. Under influence of the warm current and because of entrapment of continentally sourced detrital sediments by the Okinawa Trough, coral reefs formed around each island. These reefs make up a unit called the Ryukyu limestone. Subsidence continued through the deposition of this limestone, resulting in further isolation of each island. Some islands did not separate from the mainland but emerged above sea level later as a result of volcanic edifice construction or forearc uplift. Following initial isolation, the Japanese islands and Taiwan may have been connected to the mainland by land bridges during some sea level low stands related to glacial periods, whereas the other islands remained isolated. Based on ages of isolation of each island, a Quaternary palaeogeographic map and ‘phylogenetic tree’ of the islands can be drawn showing the separation time of each island from the mainland and from each other. This information should be useful for phylogenetic molecular biologists studying evolution of Ryukyu endemic species and vicariant speciation and could facilitate analysis of the DNA substitution rate.     

Differential timing of vertical-axis block rotations in the northern Ryukyu Arc: Paleomagnetic evidence from the Koshikijima Islands,Japan

Over 300 samples for paleomagnetic analysis and K–Ar dating were collected from 27 sites at NW–SE and NE–SW trending dike swarms (herein, NW dikes and NE dikes, respectively) in the Koshikijima Islands, northern Ryukyu Arc. The NW dikes are Middle Miocene in age and have directions (D = ? 37.7^°, I = 51.8^°, α₉₅ = 9.6^°, and κ = 40.8) that are deflected westward relative to the stable eastern Asian continent. Conversely, the NE dikes, of Late Miocene age, have directions (D = 16.1^°, I = 57.7^°, α₉₅ = 7.1^°, and κ = 41.9) that show no such deflection. These differences are interpreted as indicating that the Koshikijima Islands underwent approximately 40^° of counter-clockwise rotation during the Middle to Late Miocene. A synthesis of the paleomagnetic and structural data suggests a three-stage history of extensional deformation: (1) displacement upon normal faults (F₁ faults) without vertical-axis block rotation, (2) strike-slip reactivation of F₁ faults and oblique-normal displacement on NE–SW-trending faults (F₂ faults) with vertical-axis block rotation, and (3) oblique-normal displacement on F₂ faults without vertical-axis block rotation. Regional differences in the timing and amount of counter-clockwise vertical-axis block rotations indicate that the northern Ryukyu Arc rotated as several distinct rigid blocks.     

Geology and paleoecology of a mid-Wisconsin peat from the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, Canada

A peat bed on east-central Graham Island of the Queen Charlotte Islands occurs within a nonglacial fluvial succession that is both overlain and underlain by glacial deposits. Radiocarbon dates of 27,500 ± 400 and 45,700 ± 970 yr B.P. at the top and base of the peat, respectively, indicate that it was deposited during the mid-Wisconsin nonglacial interval. The peat is the first documented mid-Wisconsin organic deposit in northern coastal areas of British Columbia. Three local pollen zones are represented. The lowest zone (PM-1) is restricted to sandy silt directly underlying the dated peat. Very high Cyperaceae and moderate Poaceae pollen percentages characterize zone PM-1, and a variety of other herbs are common, suggesting an open landscape rather than a forested one. The middle zone (PM-2) is characterized by abundant pollen of Picea, Tsuga mertensiana, and Cyperaceae, and also contains pollen of Abies, a genus now absent from the Queen Charlotte Islands. Graham Island probably had extensive forests at this time, but abundant pollen and macrofossils of Cyperaceae and emergent aquatics such as Hippuris vulgaris, Veronica scutellata, Potentilla palustris, and Menyanthes trifoliata indicate that there also were open wetland areas. Zone PM-3 also contains abundant arboreal pollen. Large amounts of Sphagnum spores and Selaginella selaginoides megaspores indicate succession of the wetland area at the sample site to a peat bog. Paleoecological analysis of the data suggests that subalpine vegetation elements were depressed by at least 400 m, probably due to a cooler climate. Probable modern analogs in southeastern Alaska and the presence of Abies (probably A. amabilis) indicate that precipitation was higher on eastern Graham Island during the mid-Wisconsin than at present.     

大陆构造、大洋构造和地球构造研究构想

大陆动力学和大洋动力学是当前固体地球科学的前沿领域 ,反映处于中期阶段的板块理论正向更加深入、全面、完善的方向发展 ,并走向统一的地球构造学的趋势。中、新生代造山带构造 ,全球高原构造的比较 ,周边洋底构造对欧亚大陆的动力作用 ,应是大陆动力学中优先研究的问题。对全球洋底构造的继续探测 ,用地震各向异性研究地幔的流动或变形 ,布设海底宽频带地震台阵探测地幔细结构 ,将会提供更多的地球内部过程信息。“地球大系统科学”概念的提出 ,将能推进固、液、气三态地球多球层相互作用的研究 ,例如固体地球微动态、固液气三态球层运动的可比较性、不同球层分区性的比较等 ,都是需要深入探讨的问题 ,代表了从整体地球系统开展学科交叉研究的方向     

西南天山二叠纪中酸性侵入岩的地质学和地球化学：岩石成因和构造背景

选择3个典型岩体,即位于西南天山东段的拜城县英买来岩体和位于西段阔克萨岭区的川乌鲁岩体、巴雷公岩体（为了对比,也选择了位于塔里木盆地西北缘的麻扎山岩体）,进行了岩石学和地球化学研究。结果表明,这些岩体具有不同的特点。英买来岩体为黑云母花岗岩和二云母花岗岩,具有高的SiO2含量,弱过铝,高的Sr同位素初始值（约0.710）和负的εNd(t)值（-4～-6）,属于S—A型之间的过渡类型。麻扎山岩体由正长岩组成,属于碱性岩,微量元素标准化图解和其他岩体明显不同的是没有明显的Nb和Ta的负异常。川乌鲁岩体是一个由3个不同期次岩石组成的杂岩体,主体为正长岩-二长岩,地球化学特征显示是由基性岩浆和酸性岩浆不同程度混合形成的。位于同一构造区的巴雷公岩体则与川乌鲁岩体中的花岗斑岩的地球化学特征相似。综合岩石学和地球化学特征推测,南天山东段的英买来岩体是地壳熔融的结果,没有任何地幔物质加入的地球化学信息,西段的阔克萨岭地区酸性岩浆的形成则可能是来自于幔源底侵的基性岩浆导致薄的地壳发生熔融的结果。麻扎山岩体则完全是不同构造背景的产物,有可能与发生在塔里木盆地的二叠纪大规模的岩浆活动有关。因此,二叠纪岩浆活动的性质主要受地壳成分和结构的控制。     

Geology and tectonics of the Boa Vista Basin (Paraíba, northeastern Brazil) and geochemistry of associated Cenozoic tholeiitic magmatism

The Boa Vista Basin (BVB) is located approximately 60 km southwest of Campina Grande, Paraíba, northeastern Brazil. It has a half-graben geometry controlled by dip-slip normal faults striking NE–SW. From the base to the top, the BVB is composed of (1) a lower volcanic unit of altered basalts and basaltic andesites overlying Precambrian basement rocks, (2) an intermediate unit of bentonitic shales that pass upward to medium- to coarse-grained sandstones and conglomerates and downward to sandstones and siltstones, and (3) an upper volcanic unit of massive to vesiculated basaltic flows grading to pillowed or autobrecciated basalts. These basalts show porphyritic (olivine and augite microphenocrysts), glomeroporphyritic, intersetal, pilotaxitic, and variolitic textures. They are medium-K, Fe-rich tholeiites with SiO₂ of 50.2–53.3 wt%, magnesium number of 50.54–60.21 wt%, total alkali of 2.15–3.92 wt%, and TiO₂ of 1.8–1.9 wt% and are related by low-pressure fractionation of olivine, plagioclase, magnetite, ilmenite, and apatite. They are LREE-enriched (La_N/Yb_N=8.54–44.14) with no significant europium anomaly. Trace element modeling suggests a garnet-bearing metasomatised lherzolite as their source. The geological context and geochemistry of the basalts suggest a close connection between reactivated deep-rooted Precambrian shear zones, which channeled mantle-derived Tertiary tholeiitic magmas, and continental rifting in northeastern Brazil.     

断块构造|活动断块构造与地震活动

张文佑院士是我国最杰出的构造地质学家和大地构造学家,他提出和倡导的地质构造力学分析和历史分析相结合及断块构造理论符合当代构造地质和构造运动研究的新方向。断块构造是地球构造运动最基本的型式,板块构造是全球范围内的岩石圈构造,是最高一级的岩石圈断块构造。活动断块是现今构造运动最基本的型式,它既控制主要活动构造带和地震活动带的分布,也控制不同地区地震活动特征的差异。断块边界构造带是在构造变形和运动场中的不连续变形带,应力在此释放,应变在此局部化,位移在此发生,其差异活动最为强烈,因此,断块边界构造带是强震发生带,其活动性质会控制震源断层的特性。大地震孕育和发生在边界活动构造带的某些特殊部位,对其成核的构造和物理过程尚需深入进行研究。要特别注意断块整体性活动对地震活动的控制作用,断块的这种整体性活动与一定时期内地震活动主体地区分布有密切关系,所以,在活动构造研究中,要把断块的整体性活动与活动构造带的个体活动结合起来。     

花岗岩与大地构造

花岗岩(广义)是地球有别于其它星球及地球上大陆地壳有别于大洋地壳的物质标志,是大陆上分布最广的岩石之一。在已有研究基础上,本文系统阐述了花岗岩大地构造的内涵、研究思路、研究内容和发展方向。花岗岩大地构造将花岗岩视为一种构造标志体、地质体,是从花岗岩角度,探索解决大地构造问题,其研究内容可概括为物理特性(构造)、物质组成(岩石地化)和年代学三大方面,具体研究内容包括:(1)巨量花岗岩浆侵位的物理特性变化及其构造意义,包括岩浆上升迁移、汇聚定位及岩体(带)形成/构建过程;(2)花岗岩体变形改造及其构造意义;(3)花岗岩物源与大陆生长及深部结构,以新老物质组成,划分造山带类型;(4)巨型花岗岩带发育过程与大陆聚散,探索超大陆和中小板块聚散的岩浆响应。花岗岩大地构造丰富了大地构造研究内容,也有助深化花岗岩体(带)形成、发育过程和构造背景的认识。它的提出是当今地球科学学科交叉、融合发展的必要。     

Active tectonics of the Himalaya

The Himalayan mountains are a product of the collision between India and Eurasia which began in the Eocene. In the early stage of continental collision the development of a suture zone between two colliding plates took place. The continued convergence is accommodated along the suture zone and in the back-arc region. Further convergence results in intracrustal megathrust within the leading edge of the advancing Indian plate. In the Himalaya this stage is characterized by the intense uplift of the High Himalaya, the development of the Tibetan Plateau and the breaking-up of the central and eastern Asian continent. Although numerous models for the evolution of the Himalaya have been proposed, the available geological and geophysical data are consistent with an underthrusting model in which the Indian continental lithosphere underthrusts beneath the Himalaya and southern Tibet. Reflection profiles across the entire Himalaya and Tibet are needed to prove the existence of such underthrusting. Geodetic surveys across the High Himalaya are needed to determine the present state of the MCT as well as the rate of uplift and shortening within the Himalaya. Paleoseismicity studies are necessary to resolve the temporal and spatial patterns of major earthquake faulting along the segmented Himalayan mountains.     

Plate tectonics and geosynclines

Kay's (1951) classification of geosynclines, involving bulk sedimentary, volcanic and tectonic assemblages, is accommodated within the megaframework of oceanic expansion and contraction by lithospheric accretion and consumption. Apparently, entirely continental eugeosynclines do not exist; geosynclines occur in oceans with marginal continental shelves, continental rise, deep ocean basins, small ocean basins and island arcs. An orogen, resulting from crustal loss in trenches at Benioff zones, grows progressively away from the trench, either on the continental margin or as an island arc. The term, kinegeosyncline, is proposed for the contracting trough, trapped between continental margins and growing orogens. The arrival of a continental mass, with its continental margin sediments, at a trench results in collision and an orogen, which may suture continents together.