Mesozoic evolution of West Antarctica and the Weddell Sea Basin: new paleomagnetic constraints

Paleomagnetic data from the Antarctic Peninsula and our recent results from the Ellsworth-Whitmore Mountains block suggest that since the Middle Jurassic these two West Antarctic blocks have undergone little relative movement and together have rotated relative to the East Antarctic craton. New data from Lower Cretaceous rocks from the Thurston Island region of West Antarctica suggest that on the basis of paleomagnetic constraints, the Antarctic Peninsula, Ellsworth-Whitmore Mountains and Thurston Island blocks define a single entity which we call Weddellia; some motion between these blocks is possible within the limits of the paleomagnetic data.Between the Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous, Weddellia remained attached to West Gondwanaland while East Antarctica moved southward (dextrally) relative to Weddellia. From the Early Cretaceous to mid-Cretaceous, Weddellia rotated clockwise 30° and moved sinistrally approximately 2500 km relative to East Antarctica, to its present-day position. We suggest the Early to mid-Cretaceous to be the time of the main if not initial opening of the Weddell Sea.     

Late Mesozoic time constraints on tectonic changes of the Luanchuan Mo belt,East Qinling orogen,Central China

Two late Mesozoic granitoids in the Luanchuan area of the East Qinling orogen are considered; ore-bearing rocks are granite porphyries and granodiorite, with K₂O > Na₂O, appearing in the form of stocks. The Laojunshan rocks contains dominantly monzonitic granite, with K₂O ≈ Na₂O, in the form of a batholith. Both the ore-bearing rocks and the Laojunshan rocks are highly siliceous and shoshonitic, high-K calc-alkaline, similar to some I-type granites. Light rare earth elements (LREEs) are enriched in both rock suites, although the Luanchuan ore-bearing granitoids have higher concentrations, with (La/Yb)_N ratios twice that of the barren Laojunshan granite suite. Ore-bearing rocks have, therefore, undergone greater fractionation of heavy rare earth elements. All Laojunshan rocks have negative Eu anomalies, indicating plagioclase fractionation. δEu values are different in both rock suites, the values in the ore-bearing granites, ranging from 0.52 to 1.04, which are much higher than that of Laojunshan batholith, ranging from 0.4 to 0.65. (La/Sm)_N values of ore-bearing granites are 5.32–8.28, while that of Laojunshan batholith are 3.75–5.77, confirming the observation that the ore-bearing granites have undergone a higher degree of strong differentiation than that of Lanjunshan batholith.Major and trace element data, and REE data, combined with isotope data from previous work and the close relationships between the tectonic settings of the barren and ore-bearing rocks indicate that both groups of rocks were derived from the lower crust. At ∼157 Ma, with the tectonic regime in transition from a syn-collisional to a post-collisional setting, highly fractionated granites ascended from their storage area via faults; at ∼145 Ma, ore-bearing plutons, which are triggered by slab melts, formed at the junctions of fault planes trending WNW-ESE and NE-SW. At ∼115 Ma, the tectonic regime changed from compression to extension; in this environment, the barren Laojunshan batholith was emplaced, representing the end of the collisional event.     

Mesozoic and Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the Longmenshan fault belt

The giant earthquake (M _s=8.0) in Wenchuan on May 12, 2008 was triggered by oblique convergence between the Tibetan Plateau and the South China along the Longmenshan fault belt. The Longmenshan fault belt marks an important component of the tectonic and geomorphological boundary between the eastern and western part of China and has a protracted tectonic history. It was first formed as an intracontinental transfer fault, patitioning the differential deformation between the Pacific and Tethys tectonic domains, initiated in late Paleozoic-early Mesozoic time, then served as the eastern boundary of the Tibetan Plateau to accommodate the growth of the plateau in Cenozoic. Its current geological and geomorphological frameworks are the result of superimposition of these two tectonic events. In Late Triassic, the Longmenshan underwent left-slip oblique NW-SE shortening due to the clockwise rotation of the Yangtze Block, which led to the flexural subsidence of the Sichuan foreland basin, but after that, the subsidence of the Sichuan Basin seems no longer controlled by the tectonic activity of the Longmenshan fault belt. The Meosozoic tectonic evolution of the Songpan-Ganzi fold belt differs significantly compared with that of the Yangtze Platform, featured by intensive northeast and southwest shortening and resulted in the close of the Paleo-Tethys. Aerial photos taken immediately after main shock of the giant May 12, 2008 earthquake have documented extensive rock fall and landslides that represent one of the most destructive aspects of the earthquake. Both rock avalanches and landslides delivered a huge volume of debris into the middle part of the Minjiang River, and formed many dammed lakes. Breaching of these natural dams can be catastrophic, as occurred in the Diexi area along the upstream of the Minjiang River in the year of 1933 that led to devastating floodings. The resultant flood following the breaching of these dams flowed through and out of the Longmenshan belt into the Chengdu Plain, bringing a huge volume of sediments. The oldest alluvial deposits within the Chengdu Plain are estimated to be Late Miocene (8–13 Ma). We suggest that the flooding that transported the course-grained sediments into the Chengdu Plain occurred in late Cenozoic, resulted from both the climate and the historical earthquakes similar to the May 12 earthquake. Estimated age of the sediments related to earthquakes and coeval shortening across the Chengdu Plain indicate that the eastern margin of the plateau became seismically and tectonically active in Late Miocene. Supported by Knowledge Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-12), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40672151, 40721003, 40472121 and 40830314) and PetroChina Company Limited     

Chronology and petrogenesis of the Hejiazhuang granitoid pluton and its constraints on the Early Triassic tectonic evolution of the South Qinling Belt

The Hejiazhuang pluton is located in the South Qinling Tectonic Belt(SQTB)in the north side of the Mianxian-Lueyang Suture Zone,and consists dominantly of granodiorites.LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating and Lu-Hf isotopic analyses reveal that these granodiorites of the Hejiazhaung pluton emplaced at~248 Ma,and show a large variation in zirconεHf(t)values from4.8 to 8.8.These granodiorite samples are attributed to high-K to mid-K calc-alkaline series,and characterized by high SiO2(66.6%–70.0%),Al2O3(15.04%–16.10%)and Na2O(3.74%–4.33%)concentrations,with high Mg#(54.2–61.7).All samples have high Sr(627–751 ppm),Cr(55–373 ppm)and Ni(17.2–182 ppm),but low Y(5.42–8.41 ppm)and Yb(0.59–0.74 ppm)concentrations with high Sr/Y ratios(84.90–120.66).They also display highly fractionated REE patterns with(La/Yb)N ratios of 18.9–34.0 and positive Eu anomalies(δEu=1.10–2.22)in the chondrite-normalized REE patterns.In the primitive mantle normalized spidergrams,these samples exhibit enrichment in LILEs but depletion in Nb,Ta,P and Ti.These geochemical features indicate that the granodioritic magma of the Hejiazhuang pluton was derived from the partial melting of hybrid sources comprising the subducted oceanic slab and sediments,and the melts were polluted by the mantle wedge materials during their ascent.The emplacement ages and petrogenesis of the Hejiazhuang pluton prove that the initial subduction of the Mianlue oceanic crust occurred at~248 Ma ago,and the SQTB was still under subduction tectonic setting in the Early Triassic.     

西秦岭东段对青藏高原东向扩展过程构造响应的古地磁制约

为探究青藏高原东向扩展隆升过程中"十字构造"枢纽处西秦岭各部分的变形特征,在舟曲、武都、成县和凤县等地区下白垩统和新近系中开展了详细的古地磁研究.获得了舟曲和成县地区的早白垩世古地磁极(舟曲85.7°N,279.8°E,A95=9.1°;成县72.3°N,226.3°E,A95=6.8°),以及武都地区的新近纪古地磁极(65.8°N,206.1°E,A95=12.8°).将其分别与同时代的华北地区古磁极进行对比后表明：(1)早白垩世之后,舟曲地区相对于华北发生了14.7±5.8°的逆时针局部构造旋转;(2)成县地区早白垩世古地磁极与华北参考极一致;(3)新近纪之后,武都地区相对于华北参考极发生了25.1±5.6°的顺时针局部构造旋转.结合前人成果,我们认为：青藏高原向东扩展演化过程在西秦岭地区的构造响应,各构造部位展示出不同的活动特征.北西侧区域表现为左行走滑断裂,控制断裂两侧地块呈现原地顺时针旋转,与青藏高原东北部地区的动力机制一致;南西侧区域主体受控于松潘甘孜北东向挤压逆冲,并在北东向次生走滑断裂作用下平移错动,伴随断裂附近的拖曳变形,导致局部逆时针转动;东部区域早期走滑断裂形成拉分盆地,晚期受挤压应力改造,边界断裂发生构造翻转,盆地内弱变形.     

Mesozoic basin evolution and tectonic mechanism in Yanshan, China

The Mesozoic basins in Yanshan, China underwent several important tectonic transformations, including changes from a pre-Late Triassic marginal cratonic basin to a Late Triassic-Late Jurassic flexural basin and then to a late Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous rift basin. In response to two violent intraplate deformation at Late Triassic and Late Jurassic, coarse fluvial depositional systems in Xingshikou and Tuchengzi Formations were deposited in front of thrust belts. Controlled by transform and extension faulting, fan deltas and lacustrine systems were deposited in Early Cretaceous basins. The composition of clastic debris in Late Triassic and Late Jurassic flexural basins respectively represents unroofing processes from Proterozoic to Archean and from early deposited, overlying pyroclastic rocks to basement rocks in provenance areas. Restored protobasins were gradually migrated toward nearly NEE to EW-trending from Early Jurassic to early Late Jurassic. The Early Cretaceous basins with a NNE-trending crossed over early-formed basins. The Early-Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous basins were respectively controlled by different tectonic mechanisms.     

New constraints on the tectonic evolution of the eastern Indian Ocean

From marine magnetic anomaly studies, a fossil spreading ridge is identified beneath the Nicobar Fan in the northwestern Wharton Basin. Several north-south-trending transform faults offset this ridge left-laterally east of the 86°E transform fault. Our findings show that this ridge, which was part of the plate boundary between the Indian and Australian plates, ceased its spreading shortly after formation of magnetic anomaly 20 (～ 45.6m.y. B.P.). Since the breakup of Australia and Antarctica probably occurred sometime between 110 and 90 m.y. B.P., we suggest that the Indian, Australian, and Antarctic plates were moving relative to one another from about 90 to 45 m.y. B.P. A triple junction would have existed in the southeastern Indian Ocean during that period of time. At anomaly 19 time (～ 45m.y. B.P.), the junction became inactive, and Australia and India became a single plate. The northwest-southeast-trending Southeast Indian Ridge was formed by connecting the India-Antarctica spreading center with the Australia-Antarctica spreading center. Its activity has continued to the present time.     

The constraints of strain partitioning and geochronology in Luonan-Luanchuan tectonic belts on Qinling orogenic belt

The Luonan-Luanchuan tectonic belt lies between the North China Block and Qinling Mountains, including the Luonan-Luanchuan fault zone and the strong deformation zone to the north of the fault. The ductile shear zone, imbricate brittle fault and duplex structure in the fault zone now are the expression of the same tectonic event in different depth. Such lineation structure exists in the tectonic belts as mineral lineation, elongation lineation, crenulation lineation, sheath folds and so on, indicating NE-directed plate motion. Fold axes and thrusts in the strong deformation zone are inclined to the Luonan-Luanchuan fault zone at small angles. The structures with different natures show a regular pattern, produced during oblique convergence of plates. The convergence factors are as follows: The direction of plate convergence is 22°, 31° and the angle between the plate convergence direction and plate boundary is 73°, 82° respectively in the west and east segment. The Luonan-Luanchuan tectonic belt was deformed strongly in 372 Ma, resulted from Erlangping back-arc ocean basin subduction sinistrally and obliquely to North China Block during the collision of North China Block and South China Block. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40372097 and 40772131)     

Early Cretaceous I‐type granites in the southwest Fujian Province: new constraints on the late Mesozoic tectonic evolution of southeast China

Zircons from two samples of the Sukeng pluton in the southwest Fujian Province, China, were analyzed by LA–ICP–MS with the aim of determining the timing of formation. The zircons from the two samples yield similar U–Pb ages of 100.47 ± 0.42 and 102.46 ± 0.69 Ma, indicating that the Sufeng pluton is contemporaneous with the Sifang and Luoboling plutons, all of which are also related to Cu–Au–Pb–Zn–Mo mineralization within the study area. All three plutons have geochemical features of I‐type granites, are high‐ to mid‐K calc‐alkaline metaluminous rocks, and have average molar Al₂O₃/ (CaO+Na₂O+K₂O) values of 0.95, initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of 0.70465–0.70841, εNd(t) values at 101 Ma from –1.72 to –7.26, and two‐stage Nd model ages (T_2DM) from 1.16 to 1.60 Ga. Zircons within these plutons have εHf(t) values at 101 Ma from –3.5 to 6.25 and T_2DM ages from 0.74 to 1.46 Ga, suggesting these I‐type granites formed from magmas generated by partial melting of Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic continental crust that mixed with mantle‐derived magmas. The magmatism was associated with thickening of the lower crust caused by collisions between microcontinents in the Cathaysian Block, which were driven by Early Cretaceous subduction of the Pacific Plate.     

Mesozoic to Tertiary tectonic history of the Mirdita ophiolites, northern Albania

Abstract In this paper, a summary of the tectonic history of the Mirdita ophiolitic nappe, northern Albania, is proposed by geological and structural data. The Mirdita ophiolitic nappe includes a subophiolite mélange, the Rubik complex, overlain by two ophiolite units, referred to as the Western and Eastern units. Its history started in the Early Triassic with a rifting stage followed by a Middle to Late Triassic oceanic opening between the Adria and Eurasia continental margins. Subsequently, in Early Jurassic time, the oceanic basin was affected by convergence with the development of a subduction zone. The existence of this subduction zone is provided by the occurrence of the supra‐subduction‐zone‐related magmatic sequences found in both the Western and Eastern units of the Mirdita ophiolitic nappe. During the Middle Jurassic, continuous convergence resulted in the obduction of the oceanic lithosphere, in two different stages – the intraoceanic and marginal stages. The intraoceanic stage is characterized by the westward thrusting of a young and still hot section of oceanic lithosphere leading to the development of a metamorphic sole. In the Late Jurassic, the marginal stage developed by the emplacement of the ophiolitic nappe onto the continental margin. During this second stage, the emplacement of the ophiolites resulted in the development of the Rubik complex. In the Early Cretaceous, the final emplacement of the ophiolites was followed by the unconformable sedimentation of the Barremian–Senonian platform carbonate. From the Late Cretaceous to the Middle Miocene, the Mirdita ophiolitic nappe was translated westward during the progressive migration of the deformation front toward the Adria Plate. In the Middle to Late Miocene, a thinning of the whole nappe pile was achieved by extensional tectonics, while the compression was still active in the westernmost areas of the Adria Plate. On the whole, the Miocene deformations resulted in the uplift and exposition of the Mirdita ophiolites as observed today.     

Late Mesozoic magmatism and tectonic evolution in the Southern margin of the North China Craton

Late Mesozoic granitic magmatism(158–112 Ma) are widespread in the southern margin of the North China Craton(NCC), contemporary with many world-class Mo-Au-Ag-Pb-Zn polymetallic deposits. There are abrupt changes in the elements and isotopic compositions of these granites at about 127 Ma. The early stage(158–128 Ma) granites show slightly or no negative Eu anomalies, large ion lithophile elements enriched and heavy REE depleted(such as Y and Yb), belonging to typical I-type granite. The late stage(126–112 Ma) granites are characterized by A-type and/or highly fractionated I-type granite, with higher contents of SiO2, K2 O, Y, Yb and Rb/Sr ratio and lower contents of Sr, δEu value and Sr/Y ratio than that of the early-stage granites.Moreover, the whole rock Nd and Hf isotopic compositions of the granites younger than 127 Ma show more depleted than those of the older one. The two stages of Late Mesozoic granites were derived from a source region of the ancient basement of the southern margin of the NCC incorporated the mantle material. The late stage(126–112 Ma) granites contain more fractions of mantle material with depleted isotopic composition than the early ones. The granites record evidence for a strong crust-mantle interaction. They formed in an intracontinental extensional setting which was related to lithospheric thinning and asthenospheric upwelling in this region, which was possibly caused by westward subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate. 127 Ma is an critical period of the transformation of the tectonic regime.     

Paleomagnetic constraints on the tectonic history of the major blocks of China duing the Phanerozoic

Paleomagnetic study of China and its constraints on Asia tectonics has been a hot spot. Some new paleomagnetic data from three major blocks of China. North China Block (NCB), Yangtze Block (YZB) and Tarim Block (TRM) are first reported, and then available published Phanerozoic paleomagnetic poles from these blocks with the goal of placing constraints on the drift history and paleocontinental reconstruction are critically reviewed. It was found that all three major blocks were located at the mid-low latitude in the Southern Hemisphere during the Early Paleozoic. The NCB was probably independent in terms of dynamics. its drift history was dominant by latitudinal placement accompanying rotation in the Early Paleozoic. The YZB was close to Gondwanaland in Cambrian, and separated from Gondwanaland during the Late-Middle Ordovician. The TRM was part of Gondwanaland, and might be close to the YZB and Australia in the Early Paleozoic. Paleomagnetic data show that the TRM was separated from Gondwanaland during the Late-Middle Ordovician, and then drifted northward. The TRM was sutured to Siberia and Kazakstan blocks during the Permian, however, the composite Mongolia-NCB block did not collide with Siberia till Late Jurassic. During Late Permian to Late Triassic, the NCB and YZB were characterized by northern latitudinal placement and rotation on the pivot in the Dabie area. The NCB and YZB collided first in the eastern part where they were located at northern latitude of about 6°—8°, and a triangular oceanic basin remained in the Late Permian. The suturing zone was located at northern latitude of 25° where the two blocks collided at the western part in the Late Triassic. The collision between the two blocks propagated westward after the YZB rotated about 70° relative to the NCB during the Late Permian to Middle Jurassic. Then two blocks were northward drifting (about 5°) together with relative rotating and crust shortening. It was such scissors-like collision procedure that produced intensive compression in the eastern part of suturing zone between the NCB and YZB, in which continental crust subducted into the upper mantle in the Late Permian, and then the ultrahigh-pressure rocks extruded in the Late Triassic. Paleomagnetic data also indicate that three major blocks have been together clockwise rotating about 20° relative to present-day rotation axis since the Late Jurassic. It was proposed that Lahsa Block and India subcontinent successively northward subducted and collided with Eurasia or collision between Pacific/Philippines plates and Eurasia might be responsible for this clockwise rotating of Chinese continent.     

查干凹陷中、新生代构造-热演化史

查干凹陷是中国内蒙古银根-额济纳旗盆地中最具有勘探潜力的凹陷.为了揭示其构造-热演化历史,本文利用35个磷灰石裂变径迹和119个镜质体反射率数据,采用耦合反演的方法恢复了查干凹陷白垩纪以来的热历史.结果显示查干凹陷白垩系具有高的古地温梯度,并且查干凹陷经历了地温梯度快速增加阶段(K1b-K1s),地温梯度高峰阶段(K1y),高地温延续阶段(K2w)和热沉降阶段(Cz)四个构造-热演化阶段.此外,基于热史恢复结果,正演获得查干凹陷高的古地温梯度有利于烃源岩成熟生烃,早白垩世的高古地温梯度控制着该地区的烃源岩有机质的热演化.本文的研究成果可以为下一步油气资源评价和勘探决策提供基础依据.     

New paleomagnetic constraints on the late Cretaceous and early Cenozoic tectonic history of the Eastern Pontides

The Pontides are characterized by a series of Mesozoic-Cenozoic fold belts comprising a N-vergent foreland fold and thrust belt in the Western Pontides and a concave, upward-shaped fold belt in the Eastern Pontides. The curvature of the fold belt follows the Caucasus which may imply a phase of oroclinal bending. In order to test whether the fold curvature represents a phase of oroclinal bending, a paleomagnetic study has been carried out in the Eastern Pontides on late Cretaceous and middle Eocene volcanic and sedimentary rocks from 29 sites. Rock magnetic studies reveal medium-temperature components with an unblocking temperature of 400–580 °C, indicating pseudo-single domain titanomagnetite as the most abundant carrier of magnetic remanence in the middle Eocene rocks studied here. In the upper Cretaceous rocks, a high-temperature component with an unblocking range of 580–650 °C was isolated. Stepwise thermal and alternating field demagnetization isolated two components of remanent magnetization in middle Eocene rocks comprising a low unblocking temperature/coercivity component near the present field direction and a characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) component of D_s = 332.3°, I_s = 49.9° (k = 33.3, α₉₅ = 9.2°, N = 15 sites). A positive fold test at a 95% confidence level and a reversal test indicate a primary magnetization. Component analysis of the upper Cretaceous rocks identifies a stable ChRM D_s = 160.3°, I_s = −45.0°, (k =  85.6, α₉₅ = 6.0°, N =  8 sites) following removal of secondary remanence. Their ChRM direction passes fold and reversal tests at a 95% confidence level. Both the upper Cretaceous and middle Eocene paleomagnetic data from the Eastern Pontides and the Lesser Caucasus clearly demonstrate evidence of oroclinal bending that occurred contemporaneouslywith the convergence between Arabia and Eurasia in the Paleocene.     

Study on dynamics of tectonic evolution in the Fushun Basin, Northeast China

The updated study shows that the taphrogenesis of basement of the Fushun Basin is not a kind of instantaneous process. It intensified gradually and went to extreme in the sedimentary stage of the Guchengzi formation, and then, it weakened rapidly and stopped soon afterwards; the depression did not take place after the taphrogenesis. On the contrary, it almost happened simultaneously with the taphrogenesis. The depression went at a high speed from the beginning of the sedimentary period of the Xilutian formation, and then weakened gradually in the sedimentary period of the Gengjiajie formation. The evolution course of the synsedimentary structure of the Fushun Basin can be summarized as the following six stages: slow taphrogenesis and high speed depression to accelerated taphrogenesis and high speed depression to high speed taphrogenesis and high speed depression to retarded taphrogenesis and high speed depression to gradual halt of taphrogenesis and reduced depression to slow depression and gradual halt of depression. The tectonic evolution resulted in the formation of the "lower taphrogenesis and upper depression" structure. The formation of the binary structure might be due to the suspension of taphrogenesis and the change of the regional structure stress field, but the depression kept going. The result of calculation combining the analysis of the synsedimentary structural frame, the back-stripping method of the subsidence history of the basin basement and the simulation of thermo-settlement history indicates that the great sedimentary space required by the "upper depression part" consists of two parts, namely, 40% from compaction of sediments and 60% from slow depression of the basin basement during a long period of time. Gradual halt of the depression in the Fushun Basin may be attributed to the reversal of the lithosphere hot-recession and gravity isostasy adjustment which may be the result of new hot-events in the depths and accompanied invasion of extremely thick diabase sill, thus revealing a new forming mechanism of "fault subsidence at the base and depression on the top" structure.     

南黄海北部盆地中、新生代构造热演化史模拟研究

盆地深部地球动力学过程控制和影响着浅部的构造热演化过程,针对南黄海北部中、新生界断陷盆地,将地球动力学模拟技术与传统古温标法相结合,对研究区中、新生代伸展断陷期演化以来的构造热演化史进行了研究.对基于改进McKenzie模型的数值模拟的原理、方法和过程进行了探讨,包括理论与计算构造沉降趋势拟合、伸展系数计算与误差校正、模拟参数定义及一维模拟结果的三维初步应用等方面.研究表明,南黄海北部盆地中生代以来伴随裂陷拉张过程其古热流整体呈现升高趋势,至晚白垩世末到古新世期间最高可达80 mW·m^-2,古地温梯度最高可达49 ℃/km,部分单井构造沉降史模拟结果显示多期拉张特征,裂后期热流持续降低,至渐新世末到中新世热流约为65 mW·m^-2,与现今热流值相当.利用一维数值模拟获取的相应参数及热史恢复结果,对盆地的古地温场进行了三维模拟恢复,取得了较好的应用效果,研究方法和成果对于盆地构造演化、油气资源评价及成藏模拟等均有重要意义.

     

Control of differential tectonic evolution on petroleum occurrence in Bohai Bay Basin

The Bohai Bay Basin(BBB)is the most petroliferous Cenozoic basin in the east of China.It consists of seven depressions.Each depression has been subjected to different stress states and then has experienced varying faulting processes since the Neogene,especially during the Neotectonism(from the Pliocene to the present).On the basis of the investigation of fault patterns,fault densities and fault activity rates(FARs)for each depression,this paper demonstrates the discrepancy of faulting development and evolution across the BBB.The dynamic mechanism for the differences in faulting is also discussed by the analysis of the regional stress state.The Bozhong Depression is just situated in the transtensional zone induced by the two active strike-slip faults,namely Yingkou-Weifang and Beijing-Penglai.In this depression,the major faults which cut through the Paleogene or the Cenozoic have had higher than 10 m/Ma FARs since the Neogene,and the highest FARs have reached or exceeded 25 m/Ma during the Neotectonism.As a result,most of the petroleum has migrated along these major faults and accumulated within the Neogene.In contrast,in the other depressions of the BBB away from the Bozhong Depression,the FARs of the major faults were decreased to lower than 10 m/Ma since the Neogene,and tended to be zero during the Neotectonism.Therefore,the major faults could not serve as vertical conduits for petroleum migration,and the petroleum was entrapped in the Paleogene.Consequently,the faulting since the Neogene,especially during the Neotectonism,controlled the petroleum richness in vertical strata.     

Cenozoic tectonic and sedimentary evolution of southern Qaidam Basin,NE Tibetan Plateau and its implication for the rejuvenation of Eastern Kunlun Mountains

The Eastern Kunlun Mountains play an important role in the growth and eastward extrusion of the Tibetan Plateau. Tectonic and sedimentary study of the Cenozoic Qaidam Basin, especially the southern part, provides key evidence for understanding their evolution. Here we present evidence including isopach maps, seismic sections and sedimentary analysis of single well to illustrate the sedimentary development of the basin and the structural features of its southern margin. The Qaidam Basin extended across Qiman Tagh-Eastern Kunlun Mountains in the early Cenozoic and withdrew northward at ca. 35.5 Ma, and then buckled as an EW striking elliptical depression since ca. 14.9 Ma, with the main depocenter migrating eastward. Our results support the view that the Kumukol and Hoh Xil basins joined the Qaidam Basin in the early Cenozoic time and we propose the Eastern Kunlun Mountains uplifted in the mid-Miocene.     

库车坳陷西部中新生代地层岩石物理和力学性质

通过采集车坳陷西部中、新生代地层岩石样品并测定样品的岩石力学参数，表明盐岩、石膏的密度小于砾岩、砂岩和泥岩，石盐和石膏的单轴抗压强度远小于砂岩甚至泥岩，石盐和石膏的弹性模量明显小于砂岩和泥岩，石盐的泊松比远地砂岩和泥岩，这些物征表明，盐（膏）岩的力学行为属于软弱层，在应力作用（压或重力作用）极易发生塑性变形。     

Postcrystallization thermal evolution history of Gangdese batholithic zone and its tectonic implication

Using cooling curves of K-feldspars obtained by using specific⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar stepe heating procedure and multiple diffusion domain modeling (MDD model), together with results of dating hornblends, biotite, and apatite, further work has been done to examine the characteristics of the postcrystallization thermal evolution history of Gangdese batholithic zone, to compare the starting times of rapid cooling events with the variation regularities of apatite fission track (FT) ages in the eastern and western parts of Gangdese batholithic zone, and to provide the evidence for mass transport and energy transfers in the lithosphere after the collision between Indian and Eurasian plates. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 49473171).