Cenozoic detachment folding in the southern Tianshan foreland,NW China: Shortening distances and rates

Intracontinental foreland basins with fold-and-thrust belts on the southern periphery of the Tianshan orogenic belt in China resulted from still-active contractional deformation ultimately cased by the India–Asia collision. To quantify the amounts of shortening distance and the rates of deformation, and to decipher the architectural framework, we mapped the stratigraphy and structure of four anticlines in the Kuqa and Baicheng foreland thrust belts in the central southern Tianshan. In the Baicheng foreland thrust belts, Lower Cretaceous Baxigai and Bashijiqike Formations located in the core of the Kumugeliemu anticline are overlain by the Paleocene to Eocene Kumugeliemu Formation, above which are conformable Oligocene through Pleistocene sediments. A disharmonic transition from parallel to unconformable bedding at the boundary of the Miocene Kangcun and Pliocene Kuqa Formations suggests a change from pre-detachment folded strata to beds deposited on top of a growing anticline. Most of the anticlines have steep limbs (70–90°) and are box to isoclinal folds, suggestive of detachment folding or faulted detachment folding (faults that transect a fold core or limb). Shortening estimates calculated from the cross-sections by the Excess area method indicate that the total shortening for the Kelasu, Kuchetawu, Kezile and Yaken sections are 6.3 km, 6.4 km, 5.8 km and 0.6 km, respectively, and the respective depths of the detachment zones are (2.3 km and 6.9 km), 2.3 km, 2.5 km and 3.4 km. Time estimates derived from a paleomagnetic study indicate that the transition to syn-folding strata occurred at ∼6.5 Ma at the Kuchetawu section along the Kuqa river. In addition, according to our field observations and previous sedimentary rate studies, the initial time of folding of the Yaken anticline was at 0.15–0.21 Ma. Therefore, the average shortening rate that began at ∼6 Ma was ∼2 mm/a for the Kelasu, Kuchetawu and Kezile sections. At 0.15–0.21 Ma, the average shortening rate increased to 3–4 mm/a in the Yaken section. Combined with the recent GPS data, the shortening rate in the central southern Tianshan area increased to 4.7 ± 1.5 mm/a at present. We suggest that there was a linear increase in shortening rate in the southern Tianshan foreland basin, which also indicates that the far field stress increased considerably from the late Miocene to Present in response to the India–Asia collision.     

晚新生代以来天山南、北麓冲断作用的定量分析

利用地表地质、二维地震和钻、测井资料建立了两条横穿天山南、北麓库车河地区和金钩河—安集海河地区的构造剖面,从几何学和运动学的角度探讨新生代以来不同序次台阶状逆断层及其相关褶皱的叠加过程、以及叠加过程中断层形态、褶皱形态与位移量之间的定量关系。生长地层和生长不整合分析表明,上新世早期(4.2～5Ma)可能是天山南、北麓新生代冲断褶皱的主要形成期,发育自天山内部的台阶状逆断层在向两侧沉积盆地扩展过程中形成多个滑脱面和断坡,断层位移在断坡位置引发褶皱变形,从而形成南北方向背斜带成排分布的构造格局。在天山南麓库车河剖面中,控制库车地区构造变形的三条台阶状逆断层位移量分别为5.7km、6.3km和18km,它们的活动时代由老到新,而位移量却逐渐增大,反映新生代以来天山南麓的冲断作用可能存在一个加速的过程。按上述数值计算,渐新世(23Ma)以来的缩短速率为1.3mm/a,上新世(5.2±0.2Ma)以来的缩短速率为3.6mm/a。在天山北麓金钩河—安集海河剖面中,山前深部楔形体内的断层位移量为16.9km,但只有6km的位移量沿中上侏罗统西山窑组煤层内的滑脱面向北传递至第二排背斜带,而至第三排背斜带,位移量已递减为0.22～0.29km。以上新世早期(4.2～5Ma)作为构造活动时间,计算出该剖面上、下构造层上新世以来的缩短速率为2.6～3.1mm/a和3.8～4.5mm/a,其中下构造层内的山前深部楔形体、霍尔果斯深层背斜和安集海背斜的缩短速率分别为3.9～4.6mm/a、1.2～1.4mm/a和0.04～0.38mm/a,这说明由于断层位移量在向北传递过程中不断被褶皱作用吸收或沿反冲断层向南消减,各排背斜带的变形强度由南向北依次减弱。     

Structural geometry and deformation mechanism of the Longquan anticline in the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt,eastern Tibet

The 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake is a consequence of ongoing India-Tibet collision and reflects the growth of the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt. In this paper, we present new constraints on the deformation mechanism of the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt, by comparing the physical models to the example of the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt. The result indicates that the deformation mechanism of the belt is mainly dominated by the pre-Sinian layer, whereas locally is controlled by the Lower Triassic layer, such as the Longquan anticline. In addition, we discuss the deformation style of the Longquan anticline various along strike, based on the seismic reflection data, interpretations of structural cross-sections and field observations, as well as physical modeling. The sandbox modeling suggests that the deformation of the central segment of Longquan anticline is likely controlled by higher displacement rate, higher erosion and lower sedimentation, which is in contrast with the southern and northern segment. Moreover, the structural geometry of the central segment of Longquan anticline is more complex than the end-member models of fault-related folds, which is mainly controlled by pure-shear wedge fault-bend fold and bounded by west-verging thrust fault.Combining the studies of the structural geometry, deformation mechanism, and previous studies, we infer that the Longquan anticline is active and potentially seismogenic. Therefore, a quantitative re-evaluation of seismic hazard in Longquan anticline and adjacent area directly beneath the densely populated Sichuan basin is urgently needed.     

南天山乌什前陆逆冲褶皱构造带的晚新生代构造地貌特征与地震活动

乌什逆冲断褶带位于南天山库车前陆逆冲褶皱构造带的西段,对该地区晚新生代构造活动的研究有利于加深对南天山前陆逆冲构造带的认识。本文通过对卫星遥感影像和DEM数据的解译分析,并结合研究区野外考察及典型地震反射剖面的分析,表明乌什逆冲断褶带东部地貌演化受褶皱生长影响较为深刻,发育一系列由新到老的冲积扇和风口。台兰河中游河流阶地和冰碛物均被秋里塔格断层错断,阶地断距为3.1～6.7 m,台兰期冰碛物(M_2)断距约80 m。秋里塔格断裂第四纪以来水平缩短速率约为1.23～1.59 mm/a。西部地区发育一系列逆冲断层,并发育典型的活动断层陡坎。乌什凹陷地震活动也具有明显的西强东弱的特点,地震活动具有沿断层呈带状分布的特点。乌什逆冲断褶带位于南天山造山带东西构造的转换地带,地震活动西部明显强于东部,且具有呈带状沿南天山及其山前逆冲断裂带分布的特点。历史地震分析表明上个世纪以来该区域未有7级以上地震发生,但其西部地区6级以上地震频发,随着阿克苏地区区域经济的快速发展和人口的快速增长,乌什逆冲断褶带的地震活动性应该引起地质学家更加深入的关注和研究。     

塔里木盆地西部喀什地区新生代褶皱冲断带构造解析

基于纵贯喀什地区4条地震剖面的精细构造解析,建立了喀什地区新生代褶皱冲断带的构造地质模型,认为该区新生代晚期不仅受南天山造山带南冲挤压的控制,也受到来自西昆仑的北冲推覆作用的影响,从而将喀什地区的冲断构造划分为北部的"南天山前陆冲断系统"(西段可称"阿图什前陆褶皱冲断带")和南部的"西昆仑前陆冲断系统"两部分。通过平衡恢复技术,定量计算了这两部分的最小水平构造缩短量分别为43.7 km和4 km,剖面总的缩短率为50%。综合构造演化序列和保存条件分析,认为北部深层成藏条件较好,优质储层是否发育是钻探成功的关键因素。     

Surface deformation related to the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake,and mountain building of the Longmen Shan,eastern Tibetan Plateau

The 12 May 2008 M_s 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, China, was one of largest continental thrusting events worldwide. Based on interpretations of post-earthquake high-resolution remote sensing images and field surveys, we investigated the geometry, geomorphology, and kinematics of co-seismic surface ruptures, as well as seismic and geologic hazards along the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt. Our results indicate that the Wenchuan earthquake occurred along the NE–SW-trending Yingxiu–Beichuan and Guanxian–Anxian faults in the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt. The main surface rupture zones along the Yingxiu–Beichuan and Guanxian–Anxian fault zones are approximately 235 and 72 km in length, respectively. These sub-parallel ruptures may merge at depth. The Yingxiu–Donghekou surface rupture zone can be divided into four segments separated by discontinuities that appear as step-overs or bends in map view. Surface deformation is characterized by oblique reverse faulting with a maximum vertical displacement of approximately 10 m in areas around Beichuan County. Earthquake-related disasters (e.g., landslides) are linearly distributed along the surface rupture zones and associated river valleys.The Wenchuan earthquake provides new insights into the nature of mountain building within the Longmen Shan, eastern Tibetan Plateau. The total crustal shortening accommodated by this great earthquake was as much as 8.5 m, with a maximum vertical uplift of approximately 10 m. The present results suggest that ongoing mountain building of the Longmen Shan is driven mainly by crustal shortening and uplift related to repeated large seismic events such as the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Furthermore, rapid erosion within the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt occurs along deep valleys and rupture zones following the occurrence of large-scale landslides triggered by earthquakes. Consequently, we suggest that crustal shortening related to repeated great seismic events, together with isostatic rebound induced by rapid erosion-related unloading, is a key component of the geodynamics that drive ongoing mountain building on the eastern Tibetan Plateau.     

库车褶皱冲断带秋里塔格构造带东、西分段构造特征与油气聚集

近东西向的库车褶皱冲断带内发育近南北向的喀拉玉尔衮、康村和吐格尔明走滑断层,它们将库车褶皱冲断带尤其是作为前缘带的秋里塔格构造带分割成东秋里塔格、西秋里塔格和却勒塔格构造等段落;侧断坡在东、西构造分段上也起着重要作用.不同分段的构造特征存在较大的差异,其中东秋里塔格构造深部发育双重褶皱构造,浅部构造发育断展褶皱;西秋里塔格构造受近东西向走滑断层控制,发育南、北两排构造,剖面上表现为断展褶皱和滑脱褶皱特点;却勒塔格构造是典型的滑脱褶皱.就油气成藏而言,走滑断层是破坏油气聚集的主要因素之一;侧断坡相关背斜是库车坳陷油气勘探的新领域.     

Morphologic expression of Quaternary deformation in the northwestern foothills of the Ysyk-Köl basin,Tien Shan

The Tien Shan is one of the most active intracontinental mountain belts exhibiting numerous examples of Quaternary fault-related folding. To provide insight into the deformation of the Quaternary intermontane basins, the territory of the northwestern Ysyk-Köl region, where the growing Ak-Teke Anticline divided the piedmont apron of alluvial fans, is studied. It is shown that the Ak-Teke Hills are a sharply asymmetric anticline, which formed as a result of tectonic uplift and erosion related to motions along the South Ak-Teke Thrust Fault. The tectonic uplift gave rise to the local deviation of the drainage network in front of the northern limb of the fold. Optical (luminescent) dating suggests that the tectonic uplifting of the young anticline and the antecedent downcutting started 157 ka ago. The last upthrow of the high floodplain of the Toru-Aygyr River took place 1300 years ago. The structure of the South Ak-Teke Fault is examined by means of seismologic trenching and shallow seismic profiling across the fault. A laser tachymeter is applied to determine the vertical deformation of alluvial terraces in the Toru-Aygyr River valley at its intersection with the South Ak-Teke Fault. The rates of vertical deformation and an inferred number of strong earthquakes, which resulted in the upthrow of Quaternary river terraces of different ages, are calculated. The study territory is an example of changes in fluvial systems on growing folds in piedmont regions. As a result of shortening of the Earth’s crust in the mountainous belt owing to thrusting, new territories of previous sedimentation are involved in emergence. The tectonic activity migrates with time from the framing ridges toward the axial parts of intramontane basins.     

Crustal shortening in convergent orogens: Insights from global positioning system (GPS) measurements in northeast India

Deformation in active mountain belts like the Himalaya is manifested over several spatial and temporal scales and collation of information across these scales is crucial to an integrated understanding of the overall deformation process in mountain belts. Computation and integration of geological shortening rates from retrodeformable balanced cross-sections and present-day convergent rates from deforming mountain belts is one way of integrating information across time-scales. The results from GPS measurements carried out in NE India indicate that about 15–20 mm/yr of convergence is being accommodated there. Balanced-cross sections from the NE Himalaya indicate about 350–500 km of shortening south of the South Tibet Detachment (STD). Geothermobarometry suggest that the rocks south of the STD deformed under peak metamorphic conditions at ∼ 22 Ma. This indicates a geological convergence rate of ∼ 16–22 mm/yr which appears to be fairly consistent with the GPS derived convergence rates. Approximately 1.5 to 3.5 mm/yr (∼ 10–20 %) of the total N-S of the present-day convergence in the NE Himalaya is accommodated in the Shillong Plateau. In addition, ∼ 8–9 mm/yr of E-W convergence is observed in the eastern and central parts of the Shillong Plateau relative to the Indo-Burman fold-thrust belt. Balanced cross-sections in the Indo-Burman wedge together with higher resolution GPS measurements are required in the future to build on the first-order results presented here.     

Tectonic evolution of Early Paleozoic island-arc systems and continental crust formation in the Caledonides of Kazakhstan and the North Tien Shan

The extended Saryarka and Shyngyz-North Tien Shan volcanic belts that underwent secondary deformation are traced in the Caledonides of Kazakhstan and the North Tien Shan. These belts are composed of igneous rocks pertaining to Early Paleozoic island-arc systems of various types and the conjugated basins with oceanic crust. The Saryarka volcanic belt has a complex fold-nappe structure formed in the middle Arenigian-middle Llanvirnian as a result of the tectonic juxtaposition of Early-Middle Cambrian and Late Cambrian-Early Ordovician complexes of ensimatic island arcs and basins with oceanic crust. The Shyngyz-North Tien Shan volcanic belt is characterized by a rather simple fold structure and consists of Middle-Late Ordovician volcanic and plutonic associations of ensialic island arcs developing on heterogeneous basement, which is composed of complexes belonging to the Saryarka belt and Precambrian sialic massifs. The structure and isotopic composition of the Paleozoic igneous complexes provide evidence for the heterogeneous structure of the continental crust in various segments of the Kazakh Caledonides. The upper crust of the Shyngyz segment consists of Early Paleozoic island-arc complexes and basins with oceanic crust related to the Saryarka and Shyngyz-North Tien Shan volcanic belts in combination with Middle and Late Paleozoic continental igneous rocks. The deep crustal units of this segment are dominated by mafic rocks of Early Paleozoic suprasubduction complexes. The upper continental crust of the Stepnyak segment is composed of Middle-Late Ordovician island-arc complexes of the Shyngyz-North Tien Shan volcanic belt and Early Ordovician rift-related volcanics. The middle crustal units are composed of Riphean, Paleoproterozoic, and probably Archean sialic rocks, whereas the lower crustal units are composed of Neoproterozoic mafic rocks.     

3-D geomechanical restoration and paleomagnetic analysis of fault-related folds: An example from the Yanjinggou anticline,southern Sichuan Basin

We examine the development of the Yanjinggou anticline, a fault-propagation-fold in the southern Longmen Shan, through an integrated study of structural geometry, strain, and paleomagnetism. The 3-D structural and strain restoration models generated in our analysis reveal that the NE-trending Yanjinggou fold has a curved map trace that is convex to the southeast. The fold has three distinct regions characterized by different strain patterns: contraction in the core of the fold, extension in the outer arc, and a forelimb with distributed shear. To further understand the kinematics of the Yanjinggou anticline, we performed paleomagnetic analysis on 184 oriented samples collected across the structure. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) measurements and stepwise thermal demagnetization were conducted. A strike test was applied to the high temperature component (HTC) in order to identify rotation around the arc. The result indicates that the Yanjinggou anticline is a progressive arc, with a minor initial curvature and a dominant secondary curvature related to vertical-axis rotation synchronous with thrusting. The primary curvature and initial development of the structure correlates with the growth of the southern Longmen Shan in Late Miocene. The secondary curvature correlates with displacement extending since Late Pleistocene toward the southeast into the central basin along the detachments that underlie the structure. Lateral gradients in displacement along this underlying detachment provide a mechanism for producing the vertical rotation of the anticline. AMS results and historical earthquake analysis imply that the fault-propagation fold, along with other NE trending structures in the southern Sichuan basin, are tectonically active and accommodate east-west crustal shortening in the basin. By integrating 3-D structural and strain restoration modeling with systematic AMS and paleomagnetic methods using statistical analysis, we closely constrain how the Yanjinggou anticline developed, and provide insights into the formation of fault-related folds with curved shapes in map view, which are common in other fold-and-thrust belts around the world.     

祁连山北缘玉门砾岩的磁性地层年代与褶皱过程*

在我国西部致使玉门砾岩强烈褶皱变形的构造运动是喜马拉雅运动中重要的一幕。祁连山北缘老君庙逆断裂-褶皱带前翼发育的生长地层为认识玉门砾岩褶皱的过程提供了重要证据。通过对这套生长地层及其内部渐进不整合几何形态和结构的详细填图以及磁性地层年代学研究,认为玉门砾岩的底界具有穿时性,其年龄可能由东南向西北变小,其底界年龄在牛胳套剖面约4Ma,在青草湾西剖面约3.55Ma。玉门砾岩的褶皱变形在牛胳套剖面起始于约3Ma,沉积速率由约260m/Ma变为170m/Ma,在青草湾西剖面起始于约1.2Ma。结合构造变形的样式、强度及侵蚀程度推断老君庙逆断裂-褶皱带是以约7.8km/Ma的速率由东南向西北侧向扩展生长的。发育在背斜前翼的多个退覆-超覆生长楔表明玉门砾岩的褶皱变形由3~4个活跃期和平静期组成,这反映了祁连山及其北部前陆盆地内褶皱逆冲席体向前陆方向的不断扩展生长过程, 但并不能简单地以此作为整个祁连山或青藏高原多次垂直隆升的证据。     

Cenozoic tectonic and geodynamic evolution of the Kyrgyz Tien Shan Mountains: A review of geological,thermochronological and geophysical data

The complex crustal structure of the Tien Shan has a strong impact on the distribution of strain induced by the India–Eurasia collision, with intracontinental deformation in Eurasia’s interior as a distant effect. The northward propagation of the India–Eurasia deformation front is suggested by the rejuvenation of mountain ranges and intermittent intramontane basins. The Tien Shan basement is formed by the rigid, heterogeneous Precambrian blocks (microcontinents) of Tarim, Issyk-Kul (or Central Tien Shan) and Aktyuz-Boordin, surrounded by a ‘soft’ matrix of Paleozoic accretion–collision belts. The Kyrgyz Tien Shan Mountains are situated between the active structures of the Tarim Plate and the Pamir indenter (south), and the stable Kazakhstan Shield (north). Underplating by the Tarim Plate and thrusting by the Pamirs are responsible for the building of the Cenozoic Tien Shan, the reactivation of its inherited structural fabric and the tectonic layering of the upper lithosphere underlying the area. Large earthquakes (M > 6) delineate the northern and southern margins of the Issyk-Kul microcontinent, indicating that crustal heterogeneity influenced the location of active structures in the northern Kyrgyz Tien Shan.     

天山北麓晚新生代独山子-安集海褶皱冲断带构造分析及其对河流改道的影响

新生代以来，受印度极块与欧亚大陆的碰撞和持续汇聚作用的影响，天山强烈变形隆升，并在南北两侧形成了一系列冲断推覆构造．大山北缘由南向北发育了3排褶皱-冲断带，第三排独山子-安集海构造形成于第四纪以来．根据野外地表考察结果并利用二维反射地震剖面资料，定量分析了独山子背斜和安集海背斜的构造几何学和运动学特征，确定了他们的变形时间和变形量．独山子背斜和安集海背斜的最小缩短量分别为4340m和l240m，缩短率分别为15．74％和7．2％，由于构造降升幅度的差异，造成了发育于北天山山前的一系列河流发生横向迁移，奎屯河和安集海河偏流向东发生河流改道．     

库车冲断带秋里塔格构造带东段构造样式与构造演化

秋里塔格构造带位于库车褶皱冲断前缘,其东段包括东秋里塔格背斜和库车塔吾背斜。野外调查和地震剖面解释表明:秋里塔格构造带东段盐下发育断层转折褶皱; 盐上东秋里塔格背斜为滑脱箱状背斜,库车塔吾背斜核部为南倾逆冲断层所破坏。演化剖面显示秋里塔格构造带东段在侏罗纪断陷期发育了正断裂,其后为平静期,直到库车晚期后逆冲断层和褶皱快速发育,背斜最终形成。膏盐岩及古构造对构造变形具有重要影响,一方面作为滑脱层,分割了盐下层与盐上层,导致二者形成不同的构造样式; 另一方面塑性流动充填于背斜核部。由于膏盐岩的厚度差异,东秋里塔格背斜盐上发育褶皱,而库车塔吾背斜核部被逆冲断层破坏,膏盐层厚度还影响了膏盐层上下构造高点的相对位置。盐下构造的发育受侏罗纪古构造控制,进而影响了盐上构造的发育。     

同构造沉积速率对先存被动盐底辟挤压变形的影响:库车坳陷西秋里塔格构造带盐构造分析及物理模拟

文中构建了两组构造物理实验,对存在先存被动盐底辟构造的含盐盆地的厚皮挤压构造演化特征进行模拟,研究揭 示了库车坳陷西段秋里塔格构造带新生代盐相关构造演化过程。实验结果表明,同构造沉积速率对库车坳陷西段秋里塔格 构造带博孜-却勒区域（西段） 和秋里塔格-克拉苏区域（东段） 盐相关构造横向分段差异变形具有重要的控制影响作 用。在挤压过程中,博孜-却勒区域慢速同构造沉积使得先存被动盐底辟北翼（拜城凹陷南翼） 向南逆冲到底辟南翼之 上,并促使却勒盐推覆体和米斯坎塔克盐背斜形成;而秋里塔格-克拉苏区域快速同构造沉积使得先存被动盐底辟北翼快 速下沉,而其南翼在挤压应力作用下向北逆冲到底辟北翼（拜城凹陷南翼） 之上,形成南秋里塔格盐背斜。     

塔里木盆地西部喀什地区的新生代冲断构造

利用新近获得的地球物理资料并结合前人的研究成果研究了塔里木盆地西部喀什地区的冲断构造特征.天山南缘冲断带西段(巴什布拉克构造带)以倾伏的短轴背斜为特征,东段(乌恰-阿图什-喀什构造带)以3排枢纽近平行的线性背斜为特征.西昆仑北缘冲断带中褶皱相对不太发育,西北段(肖尔布拉克构造带)的前锋不是原来普遍认为的乌帕尔断层,而是其北部隐没在克孜勒苏河之下的一条无名逆冲断层.在乌恰以西,由于南天山与西昆仑相距较近,肖尔布拉克构造带的前锋与巴什布拉克构造带的前锋相互交切改造,不显示明显的早晚关系;在乌恰以东,南、北两条冲断带基本被喀什深洼陷阻隔.两个冲断带都在上新世中-晚期成型,第四纪以来仍受到强烈改造.西昆仑北缘冲断带主要以无序的方式扩展,天山南缘冲断带则主要以后展的方式扩展.冲断带的前锋断层主要是盲冲断层,这使得冲断带内,特别是南天山南缘冲断带内的背斜圈闭得以比较好地保存下来,对油气勘探具有重要意义.     

新疆库车新生代前陆褶皱冲断带的变形特征、时代和机制

库车前陆褶皱冲断带自北向南可分为基底冲断带、箱状背斜带、梳状背斜带和挠曲褶皱带,东西方向上可分为西段、中段和东段。本文分段叙述了各变形带的变形特征,指出东段箱状背斜带不发育,秋里塔格山脉(构造带)东延未进入东段,因而总体看自西向东变形强度减弱,地形上趋于夷平。该冲断带的形成经历了两次重大的冲断活动,分别发生在中新世和早(-中)更新世;相应地,该带可分为南、北两个"盆""山"亚系统,两者在地层记录、变形期次和变形机制上尚有若干差异。库车前陆褶皱冲断带的发育,除了受南天山的冲断和向南扩展引起的近南北向挤压应力场控制外,还受到基底断裂在新生代的活化和膏盐层底辟的制约,前者以近北西向的构造变换带及其共轭发育的近北东向断层最为重要,后者既控制了秋里塔格山脉的形成(主要受垂直的挤压应力场作用),也在库车前陆褶皱冲断带东西方向的变形分段中起了重要作用。文章还讨论了变形与地貌发育的关系和在油气勘探中的指导意义。     

Tectonics of the Longmen Shan and Adjacent Regions,Central China

The Longmen Shan region includes, from west to east, the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, the Sichuan Basin, and the eastern part of the eastern Sichuan fold-and-thrust belt. In the northeast, it merges with the Micang Shan, a part of the Qinling Mountains. The Longmen Shan region can be divided into two major tectonic elements: (1) an autochthon/parautochthon, which underlies the easternmost part of the Tibetan Plateau, the Sichuan Basin, and the eastern Sichuan fold-and-thrust belt; and (2) a complex allochthon, which underlies the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau. The allochthon was emplaced toward the southeast during Late Triassic time, and it and the western part of the autochthon/parautochthon were modified by Cenozoic deformation.

The autochthon/parautochthon was formed from the western part of the Yangtze platform and consists of a Proterozoic basement covered by a thin, incomplete succession of Late Proterozoic to Middle Triassic shallow-marine and nonmarine sedimentary rocks interrupted by Permian extension and basic magmatism in the southwest. The platform is bounded by continental margins that formed in Silurian time to the west and in Late Proterozoic time to the north. Within the southwestern part of the platform is the narrow N-trending Kungdian high, a paleogeographic unit that was positive during part of Paleozoic time and whose crest is characterized by nonmarine Upper Triassic rocks unconformably overlying Proterozoic basement.

In the western part of the Longmen Shan region, the allochthon is composed mainly of a very thick succession of strongly folded Middle and Upper Triassic Songpan Ganzi flysch. Along the eastern side and at the base of the allochthon, pre-Upper Triassic rocks crop out, forming the only exposures of the western margin of the Yangtze platform. Here, Upper Proterozoic to Ordovician, mainly shallow-marine rocks unconformably overlie Yangtze-type Proterozic basement rocks, but in Silurian time a thick section of fine-grained clastic and carbonate rocks were deposited, marking the initial subsidence of the western Yangtze platform and formation of a continental margin. Similar deep-water rocks were deposited throughout Devonian to Middle Triassic time, when Songpan Ganzi flysch deposition began. Permian conglomerate and basic volcanic rocks in the southeastern part of the allochthon indicate a second period of extension along the continental margin. Evidence suggests that the deep-water region along and west of the Yangtze continental margin was underlain mostly by thin continental crust, but its westernmost part may have contained areas underlain by oceanic crust. In the northern part of the Longmen Shan allochthon, thick Devonian to Upper Triassic shallow-water deposits of the Xue Shan platform are flanked by deep-marine rocks and the platform is interpreted to be a fragment of the Qinling continental margin transported westward during early Mesozoic transpressive tectonism.

In the Longmen Shan region, the allochthon, carrying the western part of the Yangtze continental margin and Songpan Ganzi flysch, was emplaced to the southeast above rocks of the Yangtze platform autochthon. The eastern margin of the allochthon in the northern Longmen Shan is unconformably overlapped by both Lower and Middle Jurassic strata that are continuous with rocks of the autochthon. Folded rocks of the allochthon are unconformably overlapped by Lower and Middle Jurassic rocks in rare outcrops in the northern part of the region. They also are extensively intruded by a poorly dated, generally undeformed belt, of plutons whose ages (mostly K/Ar ages) range from Late Triassic to early Cenozoic, but most of the reliable ages are early Mesozoic. All evidence indicates that the major deformation within the allochthon is Late Triassic/Early Jurassic in age (Indosinian). The eastern front of the allochthon trends southwest across the present mountain front, so it lies along the mountain front in the northeast, but is located well to the west of the present mountain front on the south.

The Late Triassic deformation is characterized by upright to overturned folded and refolded Triassic flysch, with generally NW-trending axial traces in the western part of the region. Folds and thrust faults curve to the north when traced to the east, so that along the eastern front of the allochthon structures trend northeast, involve pre-Triassic rocks, and parallel the eastern boundary of the allochthon. The curvature of structural trends is interpreted as forming part of a left-lateral transpressive boundary developed during emplacement of the allochthon. Regionally, the Longmen Shan lies along a NE-trending transpressive margin of the Yangtze platform within a broad zone of generally N-S shortening. North of the Longmen Shan region, northward subduction led to collision of the South and North China continental fragments along the Qinling Mountains, but northwest of the Longmen Shan region, subduction led to shortening within the Songpan Ganzi flysch basin, forming a detached fold-and-thrust belt. South of the Longmen Shan region, the flysch basin is bounded by the Shaluli Shan/Chola Shan arc—an originally Sfacing arc that reversed polarity in Late Triassic time, leading to shortening along the southern margin of the Songpan Ganzi flysch belt. Shortening within the flysch belt was oblique to the Yangtze continental margin such that the allochthon in the Longmen Shan region was emplaced within a left-lateral transpressive environment. Possible clockwise rotation of the Yangtze platform (part of the South China continental fragment) also may have contributed to left-lateral transpression with SE-directed shortening. During left-lateral transpression, the Xue Shan platform was displaced southwestward from the Qinling orogen and incorporated into the Longmen Shan allochthon. Westward movement of the platform caused complex refolding in the northern part of the Longmen Shan region.

Emplacement of the allochthon flexurally loaded the western part of the Yangtze platform autochthon, forming a Late Triassic foredeep. Foredeep deposition, often involving thick conglomerate units derived from the west, continued from Middle Jurassic into Cretaceous time, although evidence for deformation of this age in the allochthon is generally lacking.

Folding in the eastern Sichuan fold-and-thrust belt along the eastern side of the Sichuan Basin can be dated as Late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous in age, but only in areas 100 km east of the westernmost folds. Folding and thrusting was related to convergent activity far to the east along the eastern margin of South China. The westernmost folds trend southwest and merge to the south with folds and locally form refolded folds that involve Upper Cretaceous and lower Cenozoic rocks. The boundary between Cenozoic and late Mesozoic folding on the eastern and southern margins of the Sichuan Basin remains poorly determined.

The present mountainous eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau in the Longmen Shan region is a consequence of Cenozoic deformation. It rises within 100 km from 500–600 m in the Sichuan Basin to peaks in the west reaching 5500 m and 7500 m in the north and south, respectively. West of these high peaks is the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, an area of low relief at an elevations of about 4000 m.

Cenozoic deformation can be demonstrated in the autochthon of the southern Longmen Shan, where the stratigraphic sequence is without an angular unconformity from Paleozoic to Eocene or Oligocene time. During Cenozoic deformation, the western part of the Yangtze platform (part of the autochthon for Late Triassic deformation) was deformed into a N- to NE-trending foldandthrust belt. In its eastern part the fold-thrust belt is detached near the base of the platform succession and affects rocks within and along the western and southern margin of the Sichuan Basin, but to the west and south the detachment is within Proterozoic basement rocks. The westernmost structures of the fold-thrust belt form a belt of exposed basement massifs. During the middle and later part of the Cenozoic deformation, strike-slip faulting became important; the fold-thrust belt became partly right-lateral transpressive in the central and northeastern Longmen Shan. The southern part of the fold-thrust belt has a more complex evolution. Early Nto NE-trending folds and thrust faults are deformed by NW-trending basementinvolved folds and thrust faults that intersect with the NE-trending right-lateral strike-slip faults. Youngest structures in this southern area are dominated by left-lateral transpression related to movement on the Xianshuihe fault system.

The extent of Cenozoic deformation within the area underlain by the early Mesozoic allochthon remains unknown, because of the absence of rocks of the appropriate age to date Cenozoic deformation. Klippen of the allochthon were emplaced above the Cenozoic fold-andthrust belt in the central part of the eastern Longmen Shan, indicating that the allochthon was at least partly reactivated during Cenozoic time. Only in the Min Shan in the northern part of the allochthon is Cenozoic deformation demonstrated along two active zones of E-W shortening and associated left-slip. These structures trend obliquely across early Mesozoic structures and are probably related to shortening transferred from a major zone of active left-slip faulting that trends through the western Qinling Mountains. Active deformation is along the left-slip transpressive NW-trending Xianshuihe fault zone in the south, right-slip transpression along several major NE-trending faults in the central and northeastern Longmen Shan, and E-W shortening with minor left-slip movement along the Min Jiang and Huya fault zones in the north.

Our estimates of Cenozoic shortening along the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau appear to be inadequate to account for the thick crust and high elevation of the plateau. We suggest here that the thick crust and high elevation is caused by lateral flow of the middle and lower crust eastward from the central part of the plateau and only minor crustal shortening in the upper crust. Upper crustal structure is largely controlled in the Longmen Shan region by older crustal anisotropics; thus shortening and eastward movement of upper crustal material is characterized by irregular deformation localized along older structural boundaries.     

Palaeozoic collisional tectonics and magmatism of the Chinese Tien Shan, central Asia

The Chinese Tien Shan range is a Palaeozoic orogenic belt which contains two collision zones. The older, southern collision accreted a north-facing passive continental margin on the north side of the Tarim Block to an active continental margin on the south side of an elongate continental tract, the Central Tien Shan. Collision occurred along the Qinbulak-Qawabulak Fault (Southern Tien Shan suture). The time of the collision is poorly constrained, but was probably in in the Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous. We propose this age because of a major disconformity at this time along the north side of the Tarim Block, and because the Youshugou ophiolite is imbricated with Middle Devonian sediments. A younger, probably Late Carboniferous-Early Permian collision along the North Tien Shan Fault (Northern Tien Shan suture) accreted the northern side of the Central Tien Shan to an island arc which lay to its north, the North Tien Shan arc. This collision is bracketed by the Middle Carboniferous termination of arc magmatism and the appearance of Late Carboniferous or Early Permian elastics in a foreland basin developed over the extinct arc. Thrust sheets generated by the collision are proposed as the tectonic load responsible for the subsidence of this basin. Post-collisional, but Palaeozoic, dextral shear occurred along the northern suture zone, this was accompanied by the intrusion of basic and acidic magmas in the Central Tien Shan. Late Palaeozoic basic igneous rocks from all three lithospheric blocks represented in the Tien Shan possess chemical characteristics associated with generation in supra-subduction zone environments, even though many post-date one or both collisions. Rocks from each block also possess distinctive trace element chemistries, which supports the three-fold structural division of the orogenic belt. It is unclear whether the chemical differences represent different source characteristics, or are due to different episodes of magmatism being juxtaposed by later dextral strike-slip fault motions. Because the southern collision zone in the Tien Shan is the older of the two, the Tarim Block sensu stricto collided not with the Eurasian landmass, but with a continental block which was itself separated from Eurasia by at least one ocean. The destruction of this ocean in Late Carboniferous-Early Permian times represented the final elimination of all oceanic basins from this part of central Asia.