The Ordovician Sierras Pampeanas–Puna basin connection: Basement thinning and basin formation in the Proto-Andean back-arc

The Ordovician Sierras Pampeanas, located in a continental back-arc position at the Proto-Andean margin of southwest Gondwana, experienced substantial mantle heat transfer during the Ordovician Famatina orogeny, converting Neoproterozoic and Early Cambrian metasediments to migmatites and granites. The high-grade metamorphic basement underwent intense extensional shearing during the Early and Middle Ordovician. Contemporaneously, up to 7000 m marine sediments were deposited in extensional back-arc basins covering the pre-Ordovician basement. Extensional Ordovician tectonics were more effective in mid- and lower crustal migmatites than in higher levels of the crust. At a depth of about 13 km the separating boundary between low-strain solid upper and high-strain lower migmatitic crust evolved to an intra-crustal detachment. The detachment zone varies in thickness but does not exceed about 500 m. The formation of anatectic melt at the metamorphic peak, and the resulting drop in shear strength, initiated extensional tectonics which continued along localized ductile shear zones until the migmatitic crust cooled to amphibolite facies P–T conditions. P–T–d–t data in combination with field evidence suggest significant (ca. 52%) crustal thinning below the detachment corresponding to a thinning factor of 2.1. Ductile thinning of the upper crust is estimated to be less than that of the lower crust and might range between 25% and 44%, constituting total crustal thinning factors of 1.7–2.0. While the migmatites experienced retrograde decompression during the Ordovician, rocks along and above the detachment show isobaric cooling. This suggests that the magnitude of upper crustal extension controls the amount of space created for sediments deposited at the surface. Upper crustal extension and thinning is compensated by newly deposited sediments, maintaining constant pressure at detachment level. Thinning of the migmatitic lower crust is compensated by elevation of the crust–mantle boundary. The degree of mechanical coupling between migmatitic lower and solid upper crust across the detachment zone is the main factor controlling upper crustal extension, basin formation, and sediment thickness in the back-arc basin. The initiation of crustal extension in the back-arc, however, crucially depends on the presence of anatectic melt in the middle and lower crust. Consumption of melt and cooling of the lower crust correlate with decreasing deposition rates in the sedimentary basins and decreasing rates of crustal extension.     

A Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous metamorphic core complex,Strandja Massif,NW Turkey

In the eastern part of the Strandja Massif constituting the east end of the Rhodope Massif, the amphibolite facies basement rocks intruded by Permian metagranites are juxtaposed against the greenschist facies cover metasediments of Triassic-Middle Jurassic protolith age. The distinct metamorphic break between the basement and cover rocks requires a missing metamorphic section. The boundary between the two groups of rocks is a ductile to brittle extensional shear zone with kinematic indicators exhibiting a top to the E/NE shear sense. Footwall rocks are cut by weakly metamorphosed and foliated granite bodies which are clearly distinguished from the Permian metagranites by their degree of deformation, cross-cutting relations and syn-tectonic/kinematic character. Also, hangingwall rocks were intruded by unmetamorphosed and weakly foliated leucogranites. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data indicate that the ductile deformation from 156.5 to 143.2 Ma (Middle Oxfordian-Earliest Berriasian) developed during the syn-tectonic plutonism in the footwall. Deformation, and gradual/slower cooling-exhumation survived until to 123 Ma (Barremian). The mylonitic and brittle deformation in the detachment zone developed during Oxfordian-Earliest Berriasian time (155.7–142.6 Ma) and Early Valanginian-Aptian time (136–118.7 Ma), respectively. Our new field mapping and first ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages demonstrate the existence of an extensional core complex of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous age not previously described in the Rhodope/Strandja massifs.     

Geology of the Bozdag area, central Menderes massif, SW Turkey: Pan-African basement and Alpine deformation

The Menderes massif consists of a Precambrian Core Series that preserves evidence for a polymetamorphic history and a Paleozoic/Mesozoic Cover Series that experienced only the Alpine tectonometamorphic evolution. Structural, petrographic, and geochronologic investigations in the central Menderes massif demonstrate that (a) part of the metamorphic and structural evolution of the Precambrian basement is older than the undeformed 551±1.4-Ma-old Birgi metagranite, and (b) inferred Alpine fabrics overprinting the Cover Series largely have the same attitudes as the old structures in the much older Core Series. The inferred Alpine fabrics include both contractional and extensional structures. Contraction under greenschist to amphibolite facies conditions resulted in the imbrication of the Core and Cover Series and generated an inverted metamorphic sequence by north-directed thrusting. During Alpine extension, most of the south-dipping thrust faults were reactivated as extensional shear zones under decreasing greenschist facies conditions.     

The farnacht formation along the south side of the clew bay fault zone,Western Ireland: Its chemistry and age of metamorphism

The tectonically isolated Farnacht Formation consists of calc-alkaline dacitic-andesitic lavas of volcanic arc affinity. It is situated immediately to the south of the Clew Bay Fault Zone (western continuation of the Highland Boundary Fault Zone of Scotland) in the northeast corner of the Lower Palaeozoic South Mayo Trough in northwest Ireland. It has been metamorphosed to biotite grade greenschist facies following the development of a pervasive, c-s composite muscovite, quartz, and feldspar schistosity. The Farnacht Formation may comprise a terrane that is directly unrelated to nearby Ordovician and Silurian rocks; its present position was fixed largely by Wenlock times. The age of the Farnacht Formation and the deformational event(s) that produced the schistosity are not known. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹ Ar step heating from four specimens have dated the crystallization of biotite at from 422 ± 2 to 405 ± 14 Ma with a mean age of 413 Ma. These ages date either the post-D2, pre-D3 metamorphic peak, or a hornfelsing of the same structural age related to an unseen thermal source, and provide a minimum age for the end Silurian - early Devonian Caledonian tectonothermal activity in the northeast part of the South Mayo Trough.     

塔里木盆地早古生代构造古地理演化与烃源岩

塔里木陆块为一具前寒武系基底的克拉通盆地,早震旦世—寒武纪陆块内和边缘发生裂解,至中奥陶世转为被动大陆边缘,组建塔北和塔中两个遥相对应的碳酸盐台地和边缘斜坡,其间的阿瓦提—满加尔地区为克拉通内浅海—深水盆。满参1井以东至满加尔为欠补偿的深海槽盆,早期沉积了富生物营养链的烃源岩,晚奥陶世克拉通转为前陆碎屑岩沉积,满加尔坳陷反转为浊流盆地。碎屑岩由东向西、由南东向北西迁移,造成向塔北和塔中海侵上超,结束碳酸盐台地演化的同时,沉积了局限台地型和台缘斜坡灰泥丘相的烃源岩。奥陶纪时塔里木盆地演化和沉积相的配置,是加里东期盆山转换的重要反响,形成多个沉积-构造转换面。早加里东运动,造成下早奥陶统与寒武系的假整合;中加里东运动即晚奥陶世始,塔里木转为前陆盆地,塔北和塔中分别为前陆隆起,阿瓦提—满加尔为复合隆间盆地;晚加里东运动(始于早志留世)发生了大规模的海退。     

华北地台东缘早元古代隆—滑构造模式

研究华北地台东部边缘早元古代拉伸构造及与变质核杂岩的比较，提出了隆－滑构造模式。它一般发生大规模收缩造山作用之前，由于区域拉伸作用，导致下地幔上隆，形成了岩浆隆起或基底隆起，使上覆盖层发生重力滑脱。该模式由核部隆起，上部盖层和其间的拆离韧性发带组成。     

胶南地区的伸展作用——以胶南—诸城一带为例

胶南地区的胶南—诸城一带存在两期不同方向的伸展构造。早期以形成近ＥＮ向的拉伸线理为特征，并在不同构造层次上显示出不同的变形。出露于研究区中部桃林尚庄隆起的含榴辉岩片麻岩中，主要以ＬＳ的组构为特征，显示出早期伸展作用下地壳岩石的垂直轴缩短、ＥＷ向拉伸的共轴应变；而在把下地壳含榴辉岩片麻岩与以变沉积岩为主的中上地壳岩石分开的韧性滑脱带上，此期伸展作用则表现为从东向西剪切的非共轴简单剪切变形，具有近水平的拉伸线理及近水平的ＥＷ向剪切褶皱和鞘褶皱枢纽。晚期伸展作用表现为近ＳＮ的伸展垮塌作用，形成向北和向南倾斜的两条韧性正剪切带，且遭受低角闪岩高绿片岩相条件下的透入性均匀简单剪切变形，剪切方向分别向北和向南。     

P–T and structural evolution during exhumation of high-T, medium-P basement rocks in the Barberton Mountain Land, South Africa

The P–T evolution of amphibolite facies gneisses and associated supracrustal rocks exposed along the northern margin of the Paleo to MesoArchean Barberton greenstone belt, South Africa, has been reconstructed via detailed structural analysis combined with calculated K(Mn)FMASH pseudosections of aluminous felsic schists. The granitoid‐greenstone contact is characterized by a contact‐parallel high‐strain zone that separates the generally low‐grade, greenschist facies greenstone belt from mid‐crustal basement gneisses. The supracrustal rocks in the hangingwall of this contact are metamorphosed to upper greenschist facies conditions. Supracrustal rocks and granitoid gneisses in the footwall of this contact are metamorphosed to sillimanite grade conditions (600–700 °C and 5 ± 1 kbar), corresponding to elevated geothermal gradients of ～30–40 °C km^?1. The most likely setting for these conditions was a mid‐ or lower crust that was invaded and advectively heated by syntectonic granitoids at c. 3230 Ma. Combined structural and petrological data indicate the burial of the rocks to mid‐crustal levels, followed by crustal exhumation related to the late‐ to post‐collisional extension of the granitoid‐greenstone terrane during one progressive deformation event. Exhumation and decompression commenced under amphibolite facies conditions, as indicated by the synkinematic growth of peak metamorphic minerals during extensional shearing. Derived P–T paths indicate near‐isothermal decompression to conditions of ～500–650 °C and 1–3 kbar, followed by near‐isobaric cooling to temperatures below ～500 °C. In metabasic rock types, this retrograde P–T evolution resulted in the formation of coronitic Ep‐Qtz and Act‐Qtz symplectites that are interpreted to have replaced peak metamorphic plagioclase and clinopyroxene. The last stages of exhumation are characterized by solid‐state doming of the footwall gneisses and strain localization in contact‐parallel greenschist‐facies mylonites that overprint the decompressed basement rocks.     

PETROLOGY AND AGE OF THE KINNAR KAILAS GRANITE:EVIDENCES FOR AN ORDOVICIAN POST-OROGENIC EXTENSION IN THE HIGHER HIMALAYAN CRYSTALLINE, SUTLEJ, INDIA.

PETROLOGY AND AGE OF THE KINNAR KAILAS GRANITE:EVIDENCES FOR AN ORDOVICIAN POST-OROGENIC EXTENSION IN THE HIGHER HIMALAYAN CRYSTALLINE, SUTLEJ, INDIA     

辽北法库变质杂岩的组成、变形与变质特点及构造属性

辽北法库变质杂岩的形成时代、大地构造属性及其与长春-延吉缝合带的形成过程一直以来都是众多地质学者关注的重要科学问题。本文试图通过U-Pb年代学以及物质组成分析、变形变质作用特点分析和区域对比的方法来建立法库变质杂岩的时空格架,大地构造归属及区域构造演化。通过详细的野外工作和镜下分析得到法库变质杂岩存在至少两期变形作用特点及角闪岩相-高绿片岩相至低绿片岩相的变质作用特点。通过对杂岩体中不同类型变质岩的锆石SHRIMP U-Pb年代学研究得到中志留世糜棱岩化黑云母花岗闪长岩原岩年龄为433±3Ma;晚志留世绢云长英质糜棱岩原岩年龄为423±5Ma;早二叠世绢云绿泥方解斜长糜棱岩原岩年龄为292±2Ma;早三叠世长英质糜棱岩原岩年龄为250±3Ma。通过区域对比,笔者认为法库变质杂岩为索伦-西拉木伦缝合带东延的一部分是长春-延吉缝合带的重要组成,其形成演化具有复合型造山的特点,具有复杂的构造演化史。     

Response of detrital zircon and monazite,and their U–Pb isotopic systems,to regional metamorphism and host‐rock partial melting,Cooma Complex,southeastern Australia

Progressive Early Silurian low‐pressure greenschist to granulite facies regional metamorphism of Ordovician flysch at Cooma, southeastern Australia, had different effects on detrital zircon and monazite and their U–Pb isotopic systems. Monazite began to dissolve at lower amphibolite facies, virtually disappearing by upper amphibolite facies, above which it began to regrow, becoming most coarsely grained in migmatite leucosome and the anatectic Cooma Granodiorite. Detrital monazite U–Pb ages survived through mid‐amphibolite facies, but not to higher grade. Monazite in the migmatite and granodiorite records only metamorphism and granite genesis at 432.8 ± 3.5 Ma. Detrital zircon was unaffected by metamorphism until the inception of partial melting, when platelets of new zircon precipitated in preferred orientations on the surface of the grains. These amalgamated to wholly enclose the grains in new growth, characterised by the development of {211} crystal faces, in the migmatite and granodiorite. New growth, although maximum in the leucosome, was best dated in the granodiorite at 435.2 ± 6.3 Ma. The combined best estimate for the age of metamorphism and granite genesis is 433.4 ± 3.1 Ma. Detrital zircon U–Pb ages were preserved unmodified throughout metamorphism and magma genesis and indicate derivation of the Cooma Granodiorite from Lower Palaeozoic source rocks with the same protolith as the Ordovician sediments, not Precambrian basement. Cooling of the metamorphic complex was relatively slow (average ～12°C/10⁶y from ～730 to ～170°C), more consistent with the unroofing of a regional thermal high than cooling of an igneous intrusion. The ages of detrital zircon and monazite from the Ordovician flysch (dominantly composite populations 600–500 Ma and 1.2–0.9 Ga old) indicate its derivation from a source remote from the Australian craton.     

山东鲁西地块断裂构造分布型式与中生代沉积-岩浆-构造演化序列

鲁西地块的断裂构造有两类不同分布型式:一类呈放射状分布, 由陡倾、基底右行韧性剪切带和盖层内复杂力学性质的断裂组成; 另一类呈环绕地块基底核部同心环状分布, 由3个主要盖层伸展拆离带组成, 主滑脱面分别位于古生界盖层与基底间的不整合面、石炭系与奥陶系之间的平行不整合面和中新生代断陷-沉积岩系与新生代火山-沉积物之间的断层。中生代构造变形样式可以分为3个层次:印支期褶皱-逆冲推覆构造、燕山中期NNE轴向的隔槽式箱状褶皱和燕山晚期NW、NNE向共轭正断-走滑断裂。相应地鲁西地块经历了3个成盆期, 即早-中侏罗世、早白垩世和晚白垩世, 这些中生代盆地在空间上的叠置导致了地块内部复杂的盆-山耦合关系。鲁西地块中生代有两个岩浆活动集中时期, 即早侏罗世(约190Ma)和早白垩世(132~110Ma)。综合沉积记录、岩浆活动和构造变形过程, 将鲁西地块中生代构造演化历史划分为6个阶段:晚三叠世挤压变形, 早、中侏罗世弱伸展作用, 中、晚侏罗世挤压变形与地壳增厚作用, 早白垩世大陆裂谷与地壳伸展作用, 早白垩世末期挤压变形与盆地反转事件和晚白垩世区域隆升。这些构造演化阶段和构造事件对研究和理解中生代构造体制和深部岩石圈动力学转换过程具有重要意义。      

Metamorphic evolution of the central Southern Cross Province,Yilgarn Craton,Western Australia

Two contrasting styles of metamorphism are preserved in the central Southern Cross Province. An early, low‐grade and low‐strain event prevailed in the central parts of the Marda greenstone belt and was broadly synchronous with the first major folding event (D₁) in the region. Mineral assemblages similar to those encountered in sea‐floor alteration are indicative of mostly prehnite‐pumpellyite facies conditions, but locally actinolite‐bearing assemblages suggest conditions up to mid‐greenschist facies. Geothermobarometry indicates that peak metamorphic conditions were of the order of 250–300°C at pressures below 180 MPa in the prehnite‐pumpellyite facies, but may have been as high as 400°C at 220 MPa in the greenschist facies. A later, higher grade, high‐strain metamorphic event was largely confined to the margins of the greenstone belts. Mineral assemblages and geothermobarometry suggest conditions from upper greenschist facies at P–T conditions of about 500°C and 220 MPa to upper amphibolite facies at 670°C and 400 MPa. Critical mineral reactions in metapelitic rocks suggest clockwise P–T paths. Metamorphism was diachronous across the metamorphic domains. Peak metamorphic conditions were reached relatively early in the low‐grade terrains, but outlasted most of the deformation in the higher grade terrains. Early metamorphism is interpreted to be a low‐strain, ocean‐floor‐style alteration event in a basin with high heat flow. In contrast, differential uplift of the granitoids and greenstones, with conductive heat input from the granitoids into the greenstones, is the preferred explanation for the distribution and timing of the high‐strain metamorphism in this region.     

Contrasting thermomechanical evolutions in the Southalpine metamorphic basement of the Orobic Alps (Central Alps, Italy)

In the Southern Alps a progressive metamorphic zonation, with an increase in the geothermal gradient from NE to SW, has been widely proposed. However, recent investigations have shown that the greenschist metamorphic imprint of the low-grade zone corresponds to a metamorphic retrogression following amphibolite facies conditions. On the other hand, in the medium-grade zone, a later low-pressure, high-temperature (LPHT) metamorphic event has also been proposed. In an attempt to resolve these different interpretations, new petrological and partly new structural data have been obtained for two sectors of the Orobic Alps, traditionally attributed to different metamorphic zones. Thermobarometric determinations, supported by microstructural analysis, indicate the following different pressure-retrograde paths in each sector: (1) in the Val Vedello basement (VVB) rocks, a first metamorphic imprint characterized by P = 7–9 kbar and T = 570–610°C was followed by a greenschist retrogression ( P ≤ 4 kbar and T ≤ 500° C); (2) in the Lario basement (LB) rocks, the first detectable metamorphic stage, characterized by mineral assemblages indicating P = 7–9 kbar and T = 550–630° C, was followed by a LPHT event, synkinematic with F2 extensional deformation. A greenschist retrogression marks the final uplift of these rocks.
Reinterpretation of the available geochronological data indicates a diachronism for the two thermomechanical evolutions. In the light of these data, we interpret the retrograde P–T–t path of the VVB rocks as a pre-Permian post-thickening uplift and the retrograde P–T–t evolution of the LB rocks as a Permo-Mesozoic uplift related to the extensional tectonic regime of the Tethyan rifting.     

Structures along the Orobic thrust, Central Orobic Alps, Italy

A series of regional deformation phases is described for the metamorphic basement and the Permian cover in an area in the central Orobic Alps, northern Italy. In the basement deformation under low-grade amphibolite metamorphic conditions is followed by a second phase during retrograde greenschist conditions. These two phases predate the deposition of the Permian cover and are of probable Variscan age. An extensional basin formed on the eroded basement during the Late Carboniferous, filled with fan conglomerates and sandstones, and rhyolitic volcanic rocks. Well-preserved brittle extensional faults bound these basins. Further extension deformed basement and cover before the onset of Alpine compressional tectonics. Cover and basement were deformed together during two phases of compressional deformation of post-Triassic age, the first giving rise to tectonic inversion of the older extensional faults, the second to new thrust faults, both associated with south-directed nappe emplacement and regional folding. Foliations develop in the cover only during the first phase of deformation as part of the activity on “shortening faults”. Main activity on the Orobic thrust actually postdates the first phase of thrusting and foliation development in the cover.     

Structural history of the Greenvale Province,north Queensland: Early Palaeozoic extension and convergence on the Pacific margin of Gondwana*

The southeastern Georgetown Inlier (Greenvale Province) consists of Early Palaeozoic metamorphic rocks in fault contact along the Lynd Mylonite Zone with the Palaeoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic craton of northeastern Australia. It has a central assemblage of metamorphosed silicic volcanic and sedimentary rocks considered equivalent to the Late Cambrian to Early Ordovician Seventy Mile Range Group that developed in an extensional backarc in the Charters Towers Province to the southeast. In the western part of the Greenvale Province, the Oasis Metamorphics have a U – Pb zircon SHRIMP metamorphic age of 476 ± 5 Ma and are intruded by the granodioritic Lynwater Complex with U – Pb zircon ages of 486 ± 5 Ma and 477 ± 6 Ma. These ages are consistent with these rocks forming basement and intrusive equivalents to the extensional volcanic basin. Existing geochronological constraints on the Halls Reward domain, located at the eastern margin of the province, are consistent with it being basement to the extensional basin. Several domains are recognised in the Greenvale Province with either dominantly steep or low to moderate dips of the main foliation, and each experienced multiple deformation with locally up to four overprinting structural phases. Steepening of foliation in several of the domains is attributed to contractional deformation in the Early Silurian that is inferred to have overprinted low-angle foliation developed during extensional tectonics in the backarc setting. Contractional deformation related to the Early Silurian Benambran Orogeny is considered responsible for multiple deformation in the Greenvale Province and reactivation of domain-bounding faults.     

Timing of metamorphism in the Tauern Window, Eastern Alps: Rb-Sr ages and fabric formation

The Peripheral Schieferhülle of the Tauern Window of the Eastern Alps represents post-Hercynian Penninic cover sequences and preserves a record of metamorphism in the Alpine orogeny, without the inherited remnants of Hercynian events that are retained in basement rocks. The temperature-time-deformation history of rocks at the lower levels of these cover sequences have been investigated by geochronological and petrographic study of units whose P-T evolution and structural setting are already well understood. The Eclogite Zone of the central Tauern formed from protoliths with Penninic cover affinities, and suffered early Alpine eclogite facies metamorphism before tectonic interposition between basement and cover. It then shared a common metamorphic history with these units, experiencing blueschist facies and subsequent greenschist facies conditions in the Alpine orogeny. The greenschist facies phase, associated with penetrative deformation in the cover and the influx of aqueous fluids, reset Sr isotopes in metasediments throughout the eclogite zone and cover schists, recording deformation and peak metamorphism at 28-30 Ma. The Peripheral Schieferhülle of the south-east Tauern Window yields Rb-Sr white mica ages which can be tied to the structural evolution of the metamorphic pile. Early prograde fabrics pre-date 31 Ma, and were reworked by the formation of the large north-east vergent Sonnblick fold structure at 28 Ma. Peak metamorphism post-dated this deformation, but by contrast to the equivalent levels in the central Tauern, peak metamorphic conditions did not lead to widespread homogenization of the Sr isotopes. Localized deformation continued into the cooling path until at least 23 Ma, partially or wholly resetting Sr white mica ages in some samples. These isotopic ages may be integrated with structural data in regional tectonic models, and may constrain changes in the style of crustal deformation and plate interaction. However, such interpretations must accommodate the demonstrable variation in thermal histories over small distances.     

Tertiary coal geology and stratigraphy of the Port Phillip Basin,Victoria

Results from coal‐exploration drilling in the onshore part of the Port Phillip Basin, Victoria, have established stratigraphic and age correlations of the Lower Miocene Werribee Formation brown coal deposits at Bacchus Marsh to similar brown coals at Altona. The coal deposits occur in a northwest‐southeast structural depression (the Parwan Trough) that appears to be a southeast continuation of the Ballan Graben. Recent drilling for potential coal‐bed methane in the trough has provided new data on the deeper stratigraphy not penetrated by earlier drilling, including recognition of an Upper Cretaceous to Eocene Yaloak Formation coal‐bearing interval, similar to the Anglesea area, Ballan Graben and Lal Lal Basin. Up to 200 m of coal‐bearing sediment and minor volcanics underlie the Miocene coal measures. A marine facies transition takes place between the Miocene coal swamps of the Parwan Trough, through barrier sands west of Werribee, to carbonate facies near Geelong. To the south beneath Port Phillip Bay, a similar transition probably occurs between coal swamps of the Parwan Trough and fully marine carbonate environments of the contiguous Sorrento Graben. The palaeogeographical reconstructions suggest a similar coal‐to‐carbonate facies transition as in the adjacent onshore Gippsland Basin.     

下扬子地区早古生代晚期前陆盆地沉积特征与盆山过程

下扬子地区从晚奥陶世开始沉积特征发生了明显转变,从浅海相转变为三角洲相沉积.这一沉积特征转变与早古生代晚期经历的强烈造山事件密切相关.通过下扬子地区晚奥陶世到志留纪沉积序列的沉积学和碎屑锆石年代学研究,揭示沉积盆地的性质及其时空演化过程,探讨沉积盆地发育与造山带隆升剥蚀之间的关系.下扬子地区早古生代晚期沉积学特征从东南向西北岩性由岩屑砂岩变为石英砂岩,粒度由粗粒变为细粒;沉积厚度等值线具有明显的不对称性,靠近东南等值线密,且沉积厚度大;往西北等值线稀疏,且沉积厚度小;沉积中心呈狭长带状分布,并从东南向西北方向迁移;具有前陆盆地的沉积特征.上奥陶统到中志留统的碎屑锆石以900～720Ma的年龄为主,指示物源以下伏新元古代晚期裂谷层序为主;从早志留世高家边组开始,450～420Ma碎屑锆石年龄出现并逐渐增多,表明同造山岩浆岩被剥露地表并开始提供物源;碎屑锆石中没有出现明显的代表华夏地块基底1.9～1.7Ga的特征年龄峰值,表明华夏地块不是下扬子地区早古生代晚期前陆盆地的主要物源区.下扬子地区前陆盆地从晚奥陶世开始沉降,晚奥陶世的构造沉降速率超过了沉积物的供给速率,前渊沉积了巨厚的浅海相泥岩夹粉砂岩和砂岩;晚奥陶世末造山带持续隆升并向西北方向扩展,沉积速率加快,沉积物粒度明显变粗,沉积相也由浅海相转变成三角洲前缘相;早志留世开始埋深较大的同造山岩浆岩开始遭受剥蚀,导致前陆盆地中450～420 Ma的碎屑锆石含量明显增加.     

U?Pb and 40Ar?39Ar geochronology of Palaeozoic units in the northern Apennines: determining protolith age and alpine evolution using the Calamita Schist and Ortano Porphyroid

In the northern Apennines, the Palaeozoic basement involved in the Late Oligocene–Middle Miocene nappe stack contains metamorphic units for which hypothetical ages have been assigned on the basis of lithological correlations with the Palaeozoic formations of the Variscan chain in Sardinia. This uncertainty concerning the age poses limitations to reconstructing the Palaeozoic stratigraphy, defining the Alpine and pre‐Alpine histories and correlations with other domains of the Variscan chain. We present the U Pb age of detrital zircon and the ⁴⁰Ar ³⁹Ar age of metamorphic muscovite for the Calamita Schist and Ortano Porphyroid, two metamorphic units of undetermined Palaeozoic age cropping out in the eastern Elba Island. The radioisotopic data allows us to: (i) define the Early Carboniferous and Middle Ordovician ages for the Calamita Schist and Ortano Porphyroid, respectively, as well as their derivation (flysch deposit and magmatic rocks); (ii) pose some constraints concerning their alpine tectonic and metamorphic histories. These new data generate a more precise reconstruction of the Palaeozoic sequence in the northern Apennines, and they document that the Palaeozoic basement involved in the alpine deformation underwent internal stacking with an inversion of the original sequence. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.