Late Cretaceous mafic dykes in the Dharwar craton

Palaeomagnetic, geochemical and geochronological studies have been conducted on a set of dolerite dykes intruding the Peninsular gneisses near Huliyurdurga town, Karnataka, as a reconnaissance survey indicated a Cretaceous age for them. The dykes are mainly tholeiitic in composition with their 87Sr/86Sr ratios tightly clustered around 0·7045. Their palaeomagnetic data (D _m =329°,I _m =−55°) and the corresponding palaeopole coordinates (λ _p = 34°S,L _p =108°E) are strikingly close to those of the Deccan Traps to the north. Whole rock K-Ar ages of these dykes ranging between 69 and 84 Ma are also similar to the range of K-Ar ages of the Deccan basalts. The chemical, palaeomagnetic and temporal coherence between the dykes and the Deccan basalts indicate that they may indeed be tectonically related events.     

Taxonomy and stratigraphy of Early Cretaceous species of Debrunia Masse and Fenerci-Masse (Hippuritida,Monopleuridae) of the Mediterranean region

The genus Debrunia is characterized by its myophoral organisation: the left valve posterior myophore is an erect plate, the anterior is a bulge or a crest, myophores of right valve are on shell wall, the ligament groove is inconspicuous and the cardinal apparatus tends to be shifted posteriorly. Shell habit varies from low conical to elongated cylindrical, and the shape of the left valve ranges from capuloid to flat. The taxonomic revision of Debrunia species of the Mediterranean regions reveals the presence of thirteen species, among which seven are described as new. Multiple Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis document the existence of five groups of species in correspondence with the height of the left valve and the commissural diameter. The longevity of Debrunia is high, 32 Myr, whereas its species have shorter durations which account for a significant biostratigraphic potential within the Valanginian–Albian time span. Debrunia has its FO (First occurrence) in the lower Valanginian and its LO (Last occurrence) in the Albian. Its developmental phase starts in the Hauterivian, marked by an increasing species diversity and a biogeographic expansion; and peaks in the late Barremian, followed by a collapse in diversity and a specific turnover, coeval with the “Agriopleura extinction event”. The mid-Aptian crisis is expressed by a drastic decline in species diversity, controlled by the overall restriction or demise of carbonate platforms in European regions. As elevators, Debrunia species tend to build dense monospecific aggregations and some of them possess a remarkable bioconstructional potential. The contribution of Debrunia to rudist communities is significant throughout the history of the genus.     

贵州赤水地区晚白垩世古流向特征及构造意义

贵州赤水地区位于四川盆地西南缘,晚白垩世时期该地区沉积了一套厚达1300m的陆相地层。本文通过地表露头的古流向野外观测和室内分析,详细研究赤水地区晚白垩世沉积充填过程及构造意义。赤水地区晚白垩世早期辫状河的古流向为自北东向南西,表明碎屑物源主要来自盆地北侧和东侧。根据物源、地层分布及区域地质背景推断,赤水地区晚白垩世的陆相沉积盆地属于陆内前陆盆地,陆内造山带位于盆地东侧。晚白垩世陆内前陆盆地的形成,可能受控于此阶段华南的构造挤压事件形成的陆内造山作用。     

老挝万象地区白垩系

作者对老挝万象地区进行了1:10万区域地质调查。该地区白垩系为一套红色陆源碎屑沉积,形成于河流-湖泊环境,由新到老可划分为班塔拉组、班纳德组及普帕纳帕陶山组。地层中上部的双壳类属Trigonioides(Trigonioides)sinensis Gu et Ma-Plicatounio(Plicatounio)naktongensis Kobayashi et Suzuki动物群,下部的双壳类属Koreanaia-Eonippononaia-Plicatounio-Peregrinoconcha动物群,介形类属Monosulcocypris-Cypridea组合,轮藻为早白垩世的标准化石。这3个组的岩石地层、生物地层及年代地层特征可与我国滇西地区的景星组、南新组及虎头寺组相对比。     

Late Cretaceous ophiolite obduction and Paleocene India-Asia collision in the westernmost Himalaya

Abstract

Collision of the Kohistan island arc with Asia at ~100 Ma resulted in N-S compression within the Neo-Tethys at a spreading center north of the Indo-Pakistani craton. Subsequent India-Asia convergence converted the Neo-Tethyan spreading center into a short-lived subduction zone. The hanging wall of the subduction zone became the Waziristan, Khost and Jalalabad igneous complexes. During the Santonian- Campanian (late Cretaceous), thrusting of the NW IndoPakistani craton beneath Albian oceanic crust and a Cenomanian volcano-sedimentary complex, generated an ophiolite-radiolarite belt. Ophiolite obduction resulted in tectonic loading and flexural subsidence of the NW Indian margin and sub-CCD deposition of shelf-derived olistostromes and turbidites in the foredeep. Campanian-Maastriehtian calci- clastic and siliciclastic sediment gravity flows derived from both margins filled the foredeep as a huge allochthon of Triassic-Jurassic rise and slope strata was thrust ahead of the ophiolites onto the Indo-Pakistani craton. Shallow to intermediate marine strata covered the foredeep during the late Maastrichtian. As ophiolite obduction neared completion during the Maastrichtian, the majority of India-Asia convergence was accommodated along the southern margin of Asia. During the Paleocene, India was thrust beneath a second allochthon that included open marine middle Maastrichtian colored mélange which represents the Asian Makran-Indus-Tsangpo accretionary prism. Latérites that formed on the eroded ophiolites and structurally higher colored mélange during the Paleocene wei’e unconformably overlapped by upper Paleocene and Middle Eocene shallow marine limestone and shale that delineate distinct episodes of Paleocene collisional and Early Eocene post-collisional deformation.     

西藏冈底斯东部门巴地区晚白垩世埃达克质岩的岩石成因

本文首次报道了西藏冈底斯东部门巴地区晚白垩世花岗闪长岩的岩石学、锆石U-Pb定年和Hf同位素、全岩元素与Sr-Nd同位素地球化学数据。门巴花岗闪长岩锆石U-Pb定年结果为88.3Ma。花岗闪长岩的SiO2含量为66.4%～68.5%,K2O含量为3.1%～4.1%,A/CNK为0.90～0.99,属于高钾钙碱性准铝质岩石。岩石强烈富集轻稀土元素,(La/Yb)N为25.3～46.6,具弱的负Eu异常(δEu=0.83～0.91),高Sr(725×10-6～766×10-6)、高Sr/Y比值(Sr/Y=52.2～65.2),具有埃达克岩的特征,本文称之为门巴埃达克质岩石。门巴埃达克质岩石εNd(t)值为-4.1～-4.3,(87Sr/86Sr)t值为0.70671～0.70672。εHf(t)范围为-3.4～-1.2,Hf同位素地壳模式年龄为tCDM=1.2～1.4Ga。结合门巴埃达克质岩的主、微量元素、同位素以及含有闪长质包体等特征,判断门巴埃达克质岩石主要来源于古老下地壳物质的部分熔融,可能是来源于下地壳物质的熔体与幔源岩浆(如底侵的玄武岩浆)发生混合作用的结果。通过与在南冈底斯发现的埃达克岩的成因及地球动力学背景的对比,本文认为新特提斯洋洋脊俯冲作用不仅为镁铁质下地壳的熔融提供了能量,而且在岩浆形成演化过程中也起到了重要作用。     

库车坳陷东部晚白垩世古隆起及构造应力场恢复

库车坳陷东部具有丰富的油气资源,其构造变形机制与南天山造山带密切相关。综合采用露头共轭节理及白垩系残余厚度分布,分析了库车坳陷东部晚白垩世古隆起特征及构造应力场属性。吐格尔明、克孜勒努尔沟、库车河、卡普沙良河、吉迪克以及库车河西6条剖面的共轭节理分析表明,库车坳陷东部新生代构造挤压应力为NNW-SSE向,而中生代的构造挤压应力为NE-SW向。原型盆地恢复显示,库车坳陷白垩纪的沉积中心大致位于大北1井―吐北2井―克拉2井一线,且发育秋里塔格―新和―牙哈―提尔根古隆起带,白垩系原始沉积厚度总体上北厚南薄。在晚白垩世区域抬升剥蚀的构造背景下,坳陷东部受压隆升遭受剥蚀,白垩系残余厚度减薄,呈西厚东薄的趋势。位于坳陷东部的吐格尔明背斜在石炭纪―三叠纪为一个长期存在的继承性沉积古隆起,晚白垩世进一步隆升形成构造古隆起,背斜周缘的白垩系残余厚度进一步减薄。吐格尔明背斜和背斜周缘白垩系残余厚度等值线以及库北1井和库车河剖面周缘白垩系残余厚度等值线的长轴方向均为NW-SE向,进一步证实了库车坳陷东部晚白垩世的构造应力为NE-SW向。库车坳陷东部晚白垩世古隆起与构造应力场属性主要与特提斯造山带中地体增生和...     

Terrestrial stable isotope records of Late Quaternary paleoclimates in the eastern Mediterranean region

Terrestrial stable isotope records (¹³C/¹²C, ¹⁸O/¹⁶O, and D/H ratios) of late Quaternary paleoclimates in the eastern Mediterranean region are reviewed. Significant paleoclimatic reconstructions come from a variety of isotopic studies. Paleogroundwaters, although they cannot be accurately dated, show oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions highly depleted in heavier isotopes compared to modern meteoric waters in arid regions of southern Israel, Sinai and northeastern Africa and attest to a major difference in climatic regime some time in the Pleistocene. Th-U dating of land snails showing a similar ¹⁸O depletion indicates ages of 100,000 yr and ≥300,000 yr for this climatic regime in the Negev Desert of southern Israel. Carbon isotope records of organic matter have not been studied extensively in the region, except for the record of Holocene land snails in the Negev. These document a southward shift in pure C₃ plant communities in the middle and early Holocene relative to their present distribution and indicate wetter conditions at those times. An oxygen isotope curve for the Holocene, reflecting changes in the isotopic composition of precipitation, has been established from analysis of carbonate materials—land snail shells and speleothems. The curve indicates a depletion of ca. 2‰ in ¹⁸O centered around 7000 cal yr bp, with modern levels being reached by 5000 cal yr bp. Carbon isotope analysis of soil carbonates in paleosols developed in loess in the Negev show the existence of dramatic north–south climatic gradients at the times of formation of the soils (ca. 13,000, 28,000, and ≥37,000 ¹⁴C yr bp), as occur also today due to the waning influence of Mediterranean to the south. Some isotopic methods, widely used in other regions, have received little or no attention in the eastern Mediterranean region. These include oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in wood, phosphate oxygen and organic carbon in bones and teeth, and carbon in soil organic matter.     

冈底斯岩浆弧东段沉积岩的晚白垩世变质作用及其构造意义

位于青藏高原南部的冈底斯岩浆弧形成于中生代新特提斯洋俯冲过程中,并在印度与欧亚大陆碰撞过程中叠加了新生代岩浆作用和变质作用。冈底斯岩浆弧东段出露的中、新生代变质岩是研究其深部组成与形成演化的理想窗口。本文对冈底斯东段米林田兴村地区的变沉积岩,即石榴夕线黑云片岩、含石榴钙硅酸盐岩、黑云斜长片麻岩和大理岩进行了岩石学和锆石U-Pb年代学研究。研究结果表明,石榴夕线黑云片岩由夕线石、黑云母、石榴石、斜长石、钾长石、石英和钛铁矿组成,经历了中压麻粒岩相变质作用,变质条件为810~820℃和6.4~7.8kbar。锆石年代学研究表明,石榴夕线黑云片岩、含石榴钙硅酸盐岩和大理岩经历了87~83Ma的变质作用。本文和现有研究表明,冈底斯弧东段林芝和米林地区的高压麻粒岩相变质岩分布区代表该岩浆弧的下地壳,而包括本文研究点在内的中压麻粒岩相到角闪岩相变质岩分布区为其中地壳组成部分。本文认为晚白垩世大体积幔源岩浆的注入和随后的新特提斯大洋岩石圈平俯冲,导致了冈底斯岩浆弧地壳的生长、加厚和底冲,使上地壳的沉积岩和岩浆岩运移到中-下地壳,并经历了高温变质与部分熔融,形成了分布在上地壳的花岗岩。这表明岩浆弧的新生地壳在晚白垩世新特提斯洋俯冲过程中发生了再造。以长英质岩石为主的表壳岩进入深地壳很可能是岩浆弧中-下地壳由基性转变成中性成分的重要方式。     

冈底斯岩浆弧东段晚白垩世花岗岩的变质作用：新生地壳生长与再造

青藏高原南部的冈底斯岩浆弧形成于中生代新特提斯大洋岩石圈俯冲过程中。在冈底斯岩浆弧东段出露的中—高级变质岩代表岩浆弧的中- 下地壳组成，是探索大陆地壳形成与演化的窗口。作为这些中—高级变质岩原岩主要组成部分的里龙岩基由晚白垩世辉长岩、闪长岩和花岗岩组成。本文对由里龙岩基上部花岗岩变质形成的片麻岩进行了岩石学与年代学研究，探讨其原岩时代、成因、变质作用条件、时间及构造意义。所研究的片麻岩由斜长石、钾长石、石英、黑云母、绿帘石和白云母组成，含或不含角闪石，SiO2含量为61. 94%~74. 39%，铝饱和指数(A/CNK)为0. 89~1. 03，属于高钾钙碱性、准铝质到弱过铝质岩石。这些岩石具有轻稀土元素富集和重稀土元素亏损的配分模式，并表现为富集大离子亲石元素和相对亏损高场强元素的特征。片麻岩中的锆石由继承的岩浆核和变质边组成，岩浆核获得了92~86 Ma的结晶年龄，变质边获得了81~72 Ma的变质年龄，锆石岩浆核具正的εHf(t)值(+10. 2~+12. 1)。这些片麻岩的变质条件为740~750 ℃和0. 5~0. 6 GPa。本文和现有研究表明，里龙岩基是形成在晚白垩世新特提斯洋俯冲过程中具有亏损地幔地球化学特征的弧岩浆岩，经历了强烈的结晶分异作用，所研究的花岗岩是残余岩浆结晶产物。笔者认为，晚白垩世早期新特提斯洋中脊俯冲过程中巨量幔源岩浆的增生导致了冈底斯弧发生了显著的新生地壳生长；在晚白垩世晚期残余新特提斯洋岩石圈平缓俯冲过程中的弧地壳强烈缩短加厚使里龙岩基被运移到中下地壳，并发生了中—高级变质和部分熔融。冈底斯岩浆弧新生地壳在大洋岩石圈俯冲晚期经历了明显再造。     

The Late Cretaceous Pterophyllum (Bennettitales) in the North-East of Russia

The Late Cretaceous Pterophyllum species survived as relict elements in areas influenced by volcanism in the North-East of Russia. Two new species are described: P. philippoviae Gnilovskaya from the Turonian-Coniacian deposits of the Vetvinskaya Unit (Penzhina and Oklan Rivers interfluve, Magadan Region) and P. terechoviae from the Maastrichtian deposits of the Kakanaut Formation (Kakanaut River Basin, Koryak Upland). The upper boundary of Pterophyllum stratigraphic range is extended from the Turonian-Coniacian up to the K/Pg boundary. Pterophyllum terechoviae is the youngest member of the genus and probably the latest occurrence of Bennettitales in the Northern Hemisphere.     

内蒙古东部阿荣旗地区晚白垩世孤山镇组的建立

通过1∶25万阿荣旗幅地质调查,在阿荣旗孤山镇—东亚东镇一带发现一套酸—中酸碱性火山岩石组合,时代为晚白垩世,将其新建岩石地层单位——孤山镇组。孤山镇组主要分布于大杨树盆地南部,由流纹岩、流纹质火山碎屑岩、粗面岩和英安岩组成,上覆地层为嫩江组,下伏地层为甘河组。岩石高碱(Na2O+K2O=7.83%～10.28%),属酸碱性系列。轻稀元素土富集,δEu=0.39～1.07;Nb、Ta基本无亏损,P、Ti强烈亏损,可能形成于陆内断陷盆地活动结束时期。     

中国东部晚白垩世恐龙化石集群埋藏特征及国内外对比

运用埋藏学与沉积地质学的研究方法与手段,对中国东部晚白垩世具有恐龙化石集群埋藏盆地中恐龙骨骼化石的埋藏地层层序与年代、埋藏骨骼化石特征、骨骼化石埋藏类型及其埋藏成因等进行了分析与总结,并将其产出时代、埋藏相、埋藏特征与国外进行了对比研究。研究认为:中国东部与国外相比,虽然化石产出的具体时期有所差异,但从恐龙种群、埋藏相及沉积地层学等方面均具有相似性,反映了晚白垩世全球古环境、古生态及古气候的相似性。(1)中国晚白垩世恐龙骨骼化石埋藏事件可分为早期与晚期2个阶段:早期的Cenomanian期与晚期的Santonian-Maastrichtian期。而国外晚白垩世恐龙骨骼化石埋藏事件只发生在晚期,在美洲及蒙古国发生在Campanian晚期,在欧洲则为Campanian-Maastrichtian期的过渡时期及Maastrichtian期。(2)中国埋藏骨骼化石种属以鸟脚类鸭嘴龙科与兽脚类恐龙为主,它们埋藏于紫红色地层中,埋藏环境主要为冲积扇与河流环境;美洲以鸭嘴龙科为主,欧洲与蒙古国的种群各地不相同,都埋藏于紫红色岩石地层中,埋藏环境主要为河流—泛滥平原。骨骼在不同沉积相组合地层中埋藏学特征各异,与古地理、古生态及古环境密切相关。(3)结合盆地中的化石埋藏学特征与盆地演化特征,总结了恐龙化石埋藏类型主要有原地埋藏与异地埋藏,盆地古地理格局变动、火山活动、古温度升高及古地震等事件的综合作用是可能的埋藏成因,并提出了恐龙化石的埋藏模式。此研究为揭示中国东部乃至全球晚白垩世的古地理、古气候及古生态环境及恐龙灭绝原因的探讨提供了新的材料与证据。     

班公湖-怒江缝合带东段晚白垩世红层古地磁研究及其构造意义

班公湖-怒江缝合带古地磁研究对约束印度与亚洲大陆碰撞所导致亚洲大陆内部构造缩短量具有重要意义。本文对班公湖-怒江缝合带东段晚白垩世红层开展了详细的古地磁学研究。本研究共获得了30个采点共约298块/个定向古地磁样品。通过系统热退磁分析,共获得25个采点的有效特征剩磁方向。这些特征剩磁结果同时通过了褶皱检验和倒转检验,表明岩石可能记录了原生剩磁方向。25个采点的特征剩磁方向平均值为Ds=355.7°、Is=28.5°、κs=41.6、α₉₅=4.5°,相应的古地磁极位置为72.8°N、288.0°E、dp/dm=2.7°/4.9°。等温剩磁磁化率各向异性分析显示所获得的古地磁方向不存在明显的磁倾角浅化现象。本次研究结果限定了班公湖-怒江缝合带东段晚白垩世的古纬度为15.2±3.7°N（参考点：31.9°N/93.8°E）。通过对比拉萨、羌塘地块古地磁数据和亚洲大陆古地磁参考极表明：（1）晚白垩世以来班公湖-怒江缝合带与拉萨地块南缘之间并不存在明显的构造缩短;（2）晚白垩世以来班公湖-怒江缝合带（94°E经度方向上）与亚洲大陆刚性块体之间发生了约1150±330km的南北向构造缩短。

     

North Atlantic control on precipitation pattern in the eastern Mediterranean/Black Sea region during the last glacial

Based on proxy records from western Black Sea cores, we provide a comprehensive study of climate change during the last glacial maximum and late-glacial period in the Black Sea region. For the first time we present a record of relative changes in precipitation for NW Anatolia based on variations in the terrigenous supply expressed as detrital carbonate concentration. The good correspondence between reconstructed rainfall intensity in NW Anatolia and past western Mediterranean sea surface temperatures (SSTs) implies that during the glacial period the precipitation variability was controlled, like today, by Mediterranean cyclonic disturbances. Periods of reduced precipitation correlate well with low SSTs in the Mediterranean related to Heinrich events H1 and H2. Stable oxygen isotopes and lithological and mineralogical data point to a significant modification in the dominant freshwater/sediment source concomitant to the meltwater inflow after 16.4 cal ka BP. This change implies intensification of the northern sediment source and, with other records from the Mediterranean region, consistently suggests a reorganization of the atmospheric circulation pattern affecting the hydrology of the European continent. The early deglacial northward retreat of both atmospheric and oceanic polar fronts was responsible for the warming in the Mediterranean region, leading simultaneously to more humid conditions in central and northern Europe.     

Distributional patterns of enchodontoid fishes in the Late Cretaceous

Enchodontoidei are extinct marine teleost fishes with a long temporal range and a wide geographic distribution. We propose here to apply Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity (PAE), Track Analysis and Brooks Parsimony Analysis (BPA) to analyze the distributional patterns of these fishes during the Late Cretaceous. Matrices were built according to their respective geological age in the Late Cretaceous. The occurrence data of enchodontoids produced consistent results for the Cenomanian, Turonian, and Santonian. The generalized track found for the Cenomanian (GT 1) can be associated to oceanic currents, whereas for the Turonian the generalized tracks (GT 2, GT 3 and GT 4) were associated with eutrophication/sedimentation effects. During the Santonian, the third Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE 3) promoted vicariant events that could explain the generalized track found therein (GT 5). The BPA recovered the area formed by Middle East and Europe, which is congruent with GT 1 and GT 5.     

藏南冈底斯岩基东段晚白垩世早期朗县杂岩的岩石成因和深部地球动力学过程

藏南冈底斯岩基晚白垩世早期岩浆岩保存了有关新特提斯洋的俯冲演化过程和大陆地壳生长的重要信息。本文对朗县杂岩中出露的晚白垩世早期中酸性岩（岩脉）开展了全岩元素地球化学、锆石U-Pb地质年代学、同位素（Sr、Nd和Hf）组成的研究。闪长岩和花岗闪长岩年龄为92.4~86.9Ma,花岗岩（脉）年龄为91.9~88.6Ma,均为晚白垩世早期岩浆作用的产物。闪长岩和花岗闪长岩具有高钾钙碱性偏铝质特征,具有较高的锆石Hf（ε_Hf（t）=+8.3~+13.2,平均值+10.9）和全岩Nd（ε_Nd（t）=+3.2~+2.7）同位素组成,为受俯冲板片流体和大洋沉积物熔体共同交代的地幔楔部分熔融形成,闪长岩岩浆源区形成深度较浅且受板片流体的交代程度较高,花岗闪长岩岩浆源区更深,受沉积物熔体交代程度较高。花岗岩（脉）在主量元素、稀土元素和微量元素组成上显示明显差异,可划分为两类,第一类花岗岩属于低钾钙碱性系列,Na₂O/K₂O>3.0,稀土总量较高,具有明显的Eu负异常,Sr/Y低（< 7.2）。在主量元素组成上,该类花岗岩与闪长岩和花岗闪长岩形成较好的线性演化关系,表明它们可能是上述中酸性岩浆演化的产物。第二类花岗岩属于高钾钙碱性系列,Na₂O/K₂O较低（均 < 1.0）,铝饱和指数较高（A/CNK=1.01~1.02）,发育角闪石,稀土总量较低,具有微弱负或无Eu异常（Eu/Eu^*=0.88~1.12）,Sr/Y比值（33.8~55.4）较高,锆石Hf（ε_Hf（t）=+4.1~+10.8）和全岩Nd（ε_Nd（t）=+0.8）同位素组成都较低,为新生下地壳部分熔融形成。结合冈底斯岩基晚白垩世早期（100~87Ma）岩浆岩已有的研究结果,认为新特提斯洋板片自早白垩世以高角度俯冲,在晚白垩世早期俯冲板片发生回撤,导致软流圈物质上涌增强,诱发熔流体交代过的地幔楔较高程度的部分熔融形成镁铁质岩浆。这些镁铁质岩浆上升侵位到下地壳,发生不同程度的分离结晶作用并诱发新生下地壳部分熔融,形成晚白垩世岩石地球化学性质各异的岩浆岩。

     

Paleomagnetism of the middle Cretaceous Iritono granite in the Abukuma region, northeast Japan

We have studied the paleomagnetism of the middle Cretaceous Iritono granite of the Abukuma massif in northeast Japan together with ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar dating. Paleomagnetic samples were collected from ten sites of the Iritono granite (102 Ma ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar age) and two sites of its associated gabbroic dikes. The samples were carefully subjected to alternating field and thermal demagnetizations and to rock magnetic analyses. Most of natural remanent magnetizations show mixtures of two components: (1) H component, high coercivity (B_c > 50–90 mT) or high blocking temperature (T_b > 350–560 °C) component and (2) L component, relatively low B_c or low T_b component. H component was obtained from all the 12 sites to give a mean direction of shallow inclination and northwesterly declination (I = 29.9°, D = 311.0°, α₉₅ = 2.7°, N = 12). This direction is different from the geocentric axial dipole field at the present latitude (I = 56.5°) and the typical direction of the Cenozoic remagnetization in northeast Japan. Since rock magnetic properties indicate that the H component of the Iritono granite is carried mainly by magnetite inclusions in plagioclase, this component probably retains a primary one. Thus the shallow inclination indicates that the Abukuma massif was located at a low latitude (16.1 ± 1.6°N) about 100 Ma and then drifted northward by about 20° in latitude. The northwesterly deflection is attributed mostly to the counterclockwise rotation of northeast Japan due to Miocene opening of the Japan Sea. According to this model, the low-pressure and high-temperature (low-P/high-T) metamorphism of the Abukuma massif, which has been well known as a typical location, would have not occurred in the present location. On the other hand, the L component is carried mainly by pyrrhotite and its mean direction shows a moderate inclination and a northwesterly declination (I = 42.8°, D = 311.5°, α₉₅ = 3.3°, N = 9). Since this direction is intermediate between the H component and early Cenozoic remagnetization in northeast Japan, some thermal event would have occurred at lower temperature than pyrrhotite Curie point ( 320 °C) during the middle Cretaceous to early Cenozoic time to have resulted in partial remagnetization.     

Cretaceous tectonic evolution of the Neo-Tethys in Central Iran:Evidence from petrology and age of the Nain-Ashin ophiolitic basalts

The Nain and Ashin ophiolites consist of Mesozoic melange units that were emplaced in the Late Cretaceous onto the continental basement of the Central-East Iran microcontinent(CEIM).They largely consist of serpentinized peridotites slices;nonetheless,minor tectonic slices of sheeted dykes and pillow lavas-locally stratigraphically associated with radiolarian cherts-can be found in these ophiolitic melanges.Based on their whole rock geochemistry and mineral chemistry,these rocks can be divided into two geochemical groups.The sheeted dykes and most of the pillow lavas show island arc tholeiitic(IAT)affinity,whereas a few pillow lavas from the Nain ophiolites show calc-alkaline(CA)affinity.Petrogenetic modeling based on trace elements composition indicates that both IAT and CA rocks derived from partial melting of depleted mantle sources that underwent enrichment in subduction-derived components prior to melting.Petrogenetic modeling shows that these components were represented by pure aqueous fluids,or sediment melts,or a combination of both,suggesting that the studied rocks were formed in an arc-forearc tectonic setting.Our new biostratigraphic data indicate this arc-forearc setting was active in the Early Cretaceous.Previous tectonic interpretations suggested that the Nain ophiolites formed,in a Late Cretaceous backarc basin located in the south of the CEIM(the so-called Nain-Baft basin).However,recent studies showed that the CEIM underwent a counter-clockwise rotation in the Cenozoic,which displaced the Nain and Ashin ophiolites in their present day position from an original northeastward location.This evidence combined with our new data and a comparison of the chemical features of volcanic rocks from different ophiolites around the CEIM allow us to suggest that the Nain-Ashin volcanic rocks and dykes were formed in a volcanic arc that developed on the northern margin of the CEIM during the Early Cretaceous in association with the subduction,below the CEIM,of a Neo-Tethys oceanic branch that was existing between the CEIM and the southern margin of Eurasia.As a major conclusion of this paper,a new geodynamic model for the Cretaceous evolution of the CEIM and surrounding Neo-Tethyan oceanic basins is proposed.     

The Misis–Andırın Complex: a Mid-Tertiary melange related to late-stage subduction of the Southern Neotethys in S Turkey

The Mid-Tertiary (Mid-Eocene to earliest Miocene) Misis–Andırın Complex documents tectonic-sedimentary processes affecting the northerly, active margin of the South Tethys (Neotethys) in the easternmost Mediterranean region. Each of three orogenic segments, Misis (in the SW), Andırın (central) and Engizek (in the NE) represent parts of an originally continuous active continental margin. A structurally lower Volcanic-Sedimentary Unit includes Late Cretaceous arc-related extrusives and their Lower Tertiary pelagic cover. This unit is interpreted as an Early Tertiary remnant of the Mesozoic South Tethys. The overlying melange unit is dominated by tectonically brecciated blocks (>100 m across) of Mesozoic neritic limestone that were derived from the Tauride carbonate platform to the north, together with accreted ophiolitic material. The melange matrix comprises polymict debris flows, high- to low-density turbidites and minor hemipelagic sediments.The Misis–Andırın Complex is interpreted as an accretionary prism related to the latest stages of northward subduction of the South Tethys and diachronous continental collision of the Tauride (Eurasian) and Arabian (African) plates during Mid-Eocene to earliest Miocene time. Slivers of Upper Cretaceous oceanic crust and its Early Tertiary pelagic cover were accreted, while blocks of Mesozoic platform carbonates slid from the overriding plate. Tectonic mixing and sedimentary recycling took place within a trench. Subduction culminated in large-scale collapse of the overriding (northern) margin and foundering of vast blocks of neritic carbonate into the trench. A possible cause was rapid roll back of dense downgoing Mesozoic oceanic crust, such that the accretionary wedge taper was extended leading to gravity collapse. Melange formation was terminated by underthrusting of the Arabian plate from the south during earliest Miocene time.Collision was diachronous. In the east (Engizek Range and SE Anatolia) collision generated a Lower Miocene flexural basin infilled with turbidites and a flexural bulge to the south. Miocene turbiditic sediments also covered the former accretionary prism. Further west (Misis Range) the easternmost Mediterranean remained in a pre-collisional setting with northward underthrusting (incipient subduction) along the Cyprus arc. The Lower Miocene basins to the north (Misis and Adana) indicate an extensional (to transtensional) setting. The NE–SW linking segment (Andırın) probably originated as a Mesozoic palaeogeographic offset of the Tauride margin. This was reactivated by strike-slip (and transtension) during Later Tertiary diachronous collision. Related to on-going plate convergence the former accretionary wedge (upper plate) was thrust over the Lower Miocene turbiditic basins in Mid–Late Miocene time. The Plio-Quaternary was dominated by left-lateral strike-slip along the East Anatolian transform fault and also along fault strands cutting the Misis–Andırın Complex.