Propagating rift tectonics of a Caledonian marginal basin: Multi-stage seafloor spreading history of the Solund-Stavfjord ophiolite in western Norway

The Late Ordovician Solund-Stavfjord ophiolite in western Norway represents a remnant of the Iapetus oceanic lithosphere that developed in a Caledonian marginal basin. The ophiolite contains three structural domains that display distinctively different crustal architecture that reflects the mode and nature of magmatic and tectonic processes operated during the multi-stage seafloor spreading evolution of this marginal basin. Domain I includes, from top to bottom, an extensive extrusive sequence, a transition zone consisting of dike swarms with screens of pillow breccias, a sheeted dike complex, and plutonic rocks composed mainly of isotropic gabbro and microgabbro. Extrusive rocks include pillow lavas, pillow breccias, and massive sheet flows and are locally sheared and mineralized, containing epidosites, sulfide-sulfate deposits, Fe-oxides, and anhydrite veins, reminiscent of hydrothermal alteration zones on the seafloor along modern mid-ocean ridges. A fossil lava lake in the northern part of the ophiolite consists of a >65-m-thick volcanic sequence composed of a number of separate massive lava units interlayered with pillow lavas and pillow breccia horizons. The NE-trending sheeted dike complex contains multiple intrusions of metabasaltic dikes with one- and two-sided chilled margins and displays a network of both dike-parallel normal and dike-perpendicular oblique-slip faults of oceanic origin. The dike-gabbro boundary is mutually intrusive and represents the root zone of the sheeted dike complex. The internal architecture and rock types of Domain I are analogous to those of intermediate-spreading oceanic crust at modern mid-ocean ridge environments. The ophiolitic units in Domain II include mainly sheeted dikes and plutonic rocks with a general NW structural grain and are commonly faulted against each other, although primary intrusive relations between the sheeted dikes and the gabbros are locally well preserved. The exposures of this domain occur only in the northern and southern parts of the ophiolite complex and are separated by the ENE-trending Domain III, in which isotropic to pegmatitic gabbros and dike swarms are plastically deformed along ENE-striking sinistral shear zones. These shear zones, which locally include fault slivers of serpentinite intrusions, are crosscut by N20°E-striking undeformed basaltic dike swarms that contain xenoliths of gabbroic material. The NW-trending sheeted dike complex in the northern part of Domain II curves into an ENE orientation approaching Domain III in the south. The anomalous nature of deformed crust in Domain III is interpreted to have developed within an oceanic fracture zone or transform fault boundary.REE chemistry of representative extrusive and dike rocks from all three domains indicates N- to E-MORB affinities of their magmas with high Th/Ta ratios that are characteristic of subduction zone environments. The magmatic evolution of Domain I encompasses closed-system fractional crystallization of high-Mg basaltic magmas in small ephemeral chambers, which gradually interconnected to form large chambers in which mixing of primary magmas with more evolved and fractionated magma caused resetting of magma compositions through time. The compositional range from high-Mg basalts to ferrobasalts within Domain I is reminiscent of modern propagating rift basalts. We interpret the NE-trending Domain I as a remnant of an intermediate-spread rift system that propagated northeastwards (in present coordinate system) into a pre-existing oceanic crust, which was developed along the NW-trending doomed rift (Domain II) in the marginal basin. The N20°E dikes laterally intruding into the anomalous oceanic crust in Domain III represent the tip of the rift propagator. The inferred propagating rift tectonics of the Solund-Stavfjord ophiolite is similar to the evolutionary history of the modern Lau back-arc basin in the SW Pacific and suggests a complex magmatic evolution of the Caledonian marginal basin via multi-stage seafloor spreading tectonics.     

蛇绿岩与大陆缝合线

从六十年代以来,被誉为“地球科学革命”的板块构造学说,引起广泛的地质工作者的重视。因为它能圆满地解释地球的主要面貌之间的动力学关系。板块构造的概念是近二十年来从各海洋区搜集的大量地球物理资料而发展起来的,因而在阐明洋壳(约200兆年)的构造比陆壳获得较大的成功。由于板块构造提供了一个全球动力学体系的框架,使人们对中生代以来的大陆演化的许多作用有所了解。对板块学说有兴趣的地质工作者,想根据均变论的原则,去解释古大陆的形成、演化的历史。     

南海北部洋-陆过渡带深部结构与岩石圈破裂过程

洋-陆过渡带是理解大陆岩石圈破裂和海底初始扩张的关键位置,但是在南海北部地区仍然存在关于相关地质过程的诸多疑问.通过近年开展的国际大洋发现计划航次以及深部地质地球物理探测,取得以下4个方面的认识.（1）南海北部的洋-陆边界一般与自由空间重力异常的正-负值过渡位置对应,而更加准确地限定需要结合反射、折射地震资料.稳定大洋岩石圈生成与大陆岩石圈最终破裂之间的洋-陆过渡边界的位置比以往认为的还应往深海盆方向移动.（2）洋-陆过渡带代表了远端带构造作用减弱和岩浆作用逐渐增强的区域.陆坡地壳发育扩张后岩浆底侵、洋-陆过渡带发育同破裂期岩浆喷出结构和侵入反射体.（3）在中生代的古俯冲带弧前区域,新生代的断裂沿着早期的构造开始活动,岩石圈多处发生强烈的共轭韧性剪切作用.随着大陆岩石圈的进一步拉伸减薄,部分靠陆一侧的裂谷中心停止张裂,成为夭折裂谷,以台西南盆地南部凹陷、白云凹陷、西沙海槽为代表,而南海陆缘异常伸展和最终破裂的地方集中在南侧裂谷中心.夭折裂谷下亦发现地幔蛇纹石化,进一步反映了较弱的同破裂岩浆活动.（4）南海初始洋壳的增生沿着大陆边缘走向具有显著的变化,南海东北部洋-陆过渡带下伏地幔明显抬升和部分蛇纹石化,地震纵、横波速度以及折射波衰减特征都支持此观点,反映南海东北部是一个贫岩浆型大陆边缘.未来,南海北部洋-陆过渡带有望成为南海“莫霍钻”的理想备选钻探区.      

Diffuse magnetic anomalies in marginal basins: Their possible tectonic and petrologic significance

Marginal basins, areas of oceanic lithosphere peripheral to large ocean basins, may be formed by several processes, but the young active marginal basins have the geophysical and geochemical characteristics of young normal oceanic lithosphere. We recognize two distinct tectonic settings in which new oceanic lithosphere may be formed in areas which would be termed marginal basins:

1. (1) Upwelling of fractional melts of mantle material from the region above subducted lithospheric slabs leads to the generation of new oceanic lithosphere behind island arcs. The general case for this tectonic setting involves random location of magma leaks and does not produce correlatable magnetic anomalies. In special cases, an orthogonal ridge—transform system may duplicate the magnetic patterns found on ocean-basin crust.

2. (2) The second tectonic setting develops on very long “leaky” transform faults separating spreading ridges. In areas where the transform has dislocated a block of continental crust, or an island arc, the map view of the resulting marginal basin may resemble the setting of a basin behind an active island arc. However, the “leaky” transform setting is unrelated to active plate convergence or to Benioff zones.

At “normal” ridge-crests, and possibly in some marginal basins, basalt is erupted on long linear magma leaks and rapid cooling forms thick lithosphere with correlatable linear magnetic anomalies. Some marginal basins have high thermal flux, spread slowly and may have thick sediment cover. Slow cooling, numerous point-source magma leaks and extensive hydrothermal alteration diminish magnetic intensities and cause diffuse magnetic patterns. The correlation problems caused by diffuse magnetic anomalies make interpretations of spreading rates and directions in young marginal basins a difficult, if not futile, task.It is likely that fragments of marginal-basin lithosphere form some of the ophiolite complexes; their recognition is critical to paleo-tectonic interpretations. The geochemical characteristics of marginal-basin basalts do not appear to be useful criteria for distinguishing them from ocean-ridge basalts. However, the abundance of short ridges and seamounts in many young marginal basins suggests that an abundance of seamount material, as well as differentiated volcanic and plutonic rocks, in ophiolites may be an indication of derivation from marginal-basin lithosphere.     

甘肃红石山蛇绿岩地球化学特征及构造环境

红石山蛇绿岩产出于塔里木板块北缘红石山深大断裂带中,主要由变质橄榄岩、辉长岩和玄武岩组成。玄武岩的主要地球化学特征与MORB相似,微量元素特征表明它属N-MORB。结合区域地质特征,认为红石山蛇绿岩早期为初始洋盆环境,晚期有洋脊扩张中心环境的玄武岩形成。早石炭世早期是洋盆发育的全盛期,早石炭世晚期洋壳发生消减,于二叠纪晚期构造侵位,伴有绿片岩相变质作用。     

西藏西南部达巴-休古嘎布蛇绿岩带的形成与演化

:该蛇绿岩带的岩体由地幔橄榄岩组成,主要岩石类型是方辉橄榄岩和纯橄榄岩,缺少典型蛇绿岩剖面中的洋壳单元.微量元素和稀土元素特征显示蛇绿岩形成于类似洋中脊的构造环境.笔者提出该区蛇绿岩来源于印度大陆北缘洋盆的洋壳碎片,这个陆缘洋盆与新特提斯洋主体的形成和演化准同步.洋盆的演化模式是:早三叠世,随着印度(冈瓦纳)大陆向南漂移,其北部边缘因引张裂解产生裂谷,于晚三叠世向东开口与新特提斯洋主体连通,洋盆初具洋壳性质,北侧形成阿依拉-仲巴微陆块.侏罗-白垩纪为洋盆洋壳演化期,处于类似洋中脊的构造环境.晚白垩世末洋盆开始闭合.在新特提斯洋板块向北俯冲消减过程中,阿依拉-仲巴微陆块、陆缘洋盆和印度大陆一起随着向北漂移,在印度大陆向北挤压作用下洋盆逐渐收缩以致最终闭合.     

西秦岭月照-琵琶寺地区火山岩地球化学特征及地质意义

月照-琵琶寺地区的变质火山岩出露于甘肃武都县境内,夹在泥盆系和前震旦碧口群地层之间.按地球化学分类,火山岩可划分为双峰式和碱性两个系列.双峰式火山岩系由低K富Na拉斑玄武岩和酸性英安岩、流纹岩组成.该玄武岩具有类似MORB的微量元素特征,平坦的稀土配分模式,但富Th贫Nb显示其受到陆壳混染的影响.该套火山岩总体特征指示其为大陆裂谷向成熟洋盆转化阶段的产物,从而推测本区火山岩可能为勉略古洋盆西延的分支产物.     

Early Stage in the Evolution of the Paleoasian Ccean at the Western Margin of the Siberian Craton: Geochemical and Geochronological Evidence

The discovery of glaucophane relicts in the high-pressure tectonites of the Yenisei suture zone of the Yenisei Ridge suggests the manifestation of the “Chilean-type” convergent margin on the western Siberian Craton, which was controlled by subduction of oceanic crust beneath the continental margin. These rocks are restricted to the tectonic suture between the craton and the Isakovka ocean-island terrane and experienced two metamorphic stages. Petrogeochemical characteristics of the mafic tectonites indicate that their protoliths are N-MORB and E-MORB basalts. More primitive N-MORB basalts were formed at the initial spreading stages through melting of the upper depleted mantle. Higher Ti basalts were formed by melting of enriched mantle protolith at the later spreading stages. U–Pb zircon age of 701.6 ± 8.4 Ma of the metamorphosed analogues of normal basalts marks the initiation of oceanic crust in the region. Revealed sequence of spreading, subduction (640–620 Ma), and shear deformations (~600 Ma) records the early stages in the evolution of the Paleoasian ocean in its junction zone with the western margin of the Siberian craton: from formation of fragments of oceanic crust to the completion of accretionary–subduction events.     

Geochemistry and Tectonic Setting of Mafic Igneous Units in the Neoproterozoic Katangan Basin, Central Africa: Implications for Rodinia Break-up

Geochemical compositions of mafic igneous rocks in the Katangan basin in Central Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo, hereafter Congo, and Zambia) provide the basis for the geodynamic interpretation of the evolution of this Neoproterozoic basin located between the Congo and Kalahari cratons. The Katangan basin is subdivided into five major tectonic units: the Katangan Aulacogen, the External Fold and Thrust Belt, the Domes Region, the Synclinorial Belt and the Katangan High. The metamorphosed mafic igneous rocks investigated occur in the Katangan Aulacogen, the External Fold and Thrust Belt and the Domes Region. The earliest magmatic activity produced continental tholeiites emplaced on Paleoproterozoic crust during the early stages of intraplate break-up. This continental tholeiite magmatism was followed by an association of alkaline and tholeiitic basalts emplaced in the Katangan continental rift and then by tholeiitic basalts with E-MORB affinity marking a young oceanic crust. These volcanic associations mark different stages of evolution from pre-rift continental break-up up to a continental rift similar to the East African rift system and then to a Red Sea type incipient oceanic rift. A similar evolution occurs in the Damaran basin in southwestern Africa, although no pre-rift continental tholeiites have been recorded in this segment of the Pan-African belt system.     

西秦岭月照 琵琶寺地区火山岩地球化学特征及地质意义

月照琵琶寺地区的变质火山岩出露于甘肃武都县境内,夹在泥盆系和前震旦碧口群地层之间。按地球化学分类,火山岩可划分为双峰式和碱性两个系列。双峰式火山岩系由低K富Na拉斑玄武岩和酸性英安岩、流纹岩组成。该玄武岩具有类似MORB的微量元素特征,平坦的稀土配分模式,但富Th贫Nb显示其受到陆壳混染的影响。该套火山岩总体特征指示其为大陆裂谷向成熟洋盆转化阶段的产物,从而推测本区火山岩可能为勉略古洋盆西延的分支产物。     

Petrologic Evolution of Large Failed Rifts in the Eastern Pacific: Petrology of Volcanic and Plutonic Rocks from the Mathematician Ridge Area and the Guadalupe Trough

The Mathematician failed rift was a fast spreading oceanic ridgeprior to abandonment about 6.5 Ma. but presently has the morphologyof a slow spreading ridge crest. Dredges of its inner rift valleywalls indicate that it also has the petrologic characteristicsof a slow-spreading ridge: the dredges recovered serpentinizedperidotite, cumulate and isotropic gabbro, diabase and mid-oceanridge basalt (MORB) lava. The gabbros include fresh troctolites,cpx gabbros and two pyroxene gabbros, all of which have relativelyiron-rich mafic minerals and sodic plagioclase. Other gabbrosamples are sheared and metamorphosed and presently have lowergreenschist to lower amphibolite mineral assemblages. Peak metamorphictemperatures calculated from coexisting amphibole and plagioclaseare about 600 ?C at 1-2 kb pressure but many of the assemblagesreflect much lower temperatures. The MORB lavas from the riftvalley walls are relatively fresh and very primitive (100 ?Mg/(Mg?Fe^2?) = 72–74). This suggests that they were eruptedin the last stages of rift abandonment after the disappearanceof the shallow crustal magma chamber that may have been presentwhen the rift was a fast-spreading one. One dredge of the Guadalupefailed rift also recovered MORB lava, but it is more evolvedthan that at the Mathematicians. Dredges of failed transformfaults in the Mathematicians recovered fresh alkali basalt.This post-abandonment alkali basalt may be analogous to alkaliclavas erupted off-ridge near active spreading ridges like theEast Pacific Rise. Dredges of an E-W bathymetric linear featurenear the Mathematician ridge south of the Clarion fracture zonealso recovered very fresh alkalic lavas. These are distinctfrom the post-abandonment alkalic rocks in the Mathematiciansand include hawaiites and trachytes, some of which were ‘popping’when first brought to the surface. We conclude that in somecases of fast-spreading rift abandonment, the rift first slowsdown and ceases to have a steady state magma chamber in thecrust. This is followed by the eruption of alkali basalts atfailed transforms as the lithosphere thickens in place.     

北祁连山元古宙末－寒武纪主动大陆裂谷火山作用

北祁连山元古宙末－寒武纪大陆裂谷火山岩系为双峰式火山岩套，主要由基性与酸性火山岩组成。基性火山岩有磁性玄武岩与拉斑玄武岩两个岩浆系列，且富集ＬＲＥＥ与ＬＩＬ，其岩浆源区为与洋岛玄武岩源相似的富集地幔柱源。软流圈地幔柱上涌导致岩石圈地慢部分熔融，其熔体与地幔柱衍生熔浆混合，形成本区具有中等钕，锶同位素比值特点的基性岩浆。基性岩浆上侵至陆壳，引起下部陆壳深熔，产生长英质岩浆。地幔柱上隆促使大陆扩张，及至形成北祁连山元古宙末－寒武纪大陆裂谷。     

南海西南次海盆深部结构研究进展与展望

西南次海盆位于南海渐进式扩张的西南端,共轭陆缘结构和残留扩张脊保留完整,是研究南海深部结构和动力学机制的关键区域。前期研究发现,西南次海盆洋陆过渡带较窄、同扩张断层发育、地震反射莫霍面不清晰、具有慢速扩张等特征。然而,由于不同探测方法获取的地壳结构具有多解性,使得西南次海盆洋陆转换过程、慢速扩张洋壳结构与增生模式以及龙门海山岩石性质与地幔成因机制等基础科学问题尚存争议。为此我们建议在西南次海盆开展地质取样获取海山岩石样品,确定其年龄与性质,分析扩张后海山形成的深部动力过程;并对关键构造部署高精度的地震反射/折射联合探测,结合岩石物理分析,对西南次海盆进行构造成像和物质组成参数正反演,以实现壳幔尺度的地震学透视,为探索西南次海盆洋陆转换过程和洋壳增生模式提供重要的地球物理证据,以丰富和完善南海的动力学演化模式。     

Chemical and Isotopic Characteristics of the Kuroko‐Forming Volcanism

The Miocene northeast Honshu magmatic arc, Japan, formed at a terrestrial continental margin via a stage of spreading in a back‐arc basin (23–17 Ma) followed by multiple stages of submarine rifting (19–13 Ma). The Kuroko deposits formed during this period, with most forming during the youngest rifting stage. The mode of magma eruption changed from submarine basalt lava flows during back‐arc basin spreading to submarine bimodal basalt lava flows and abundant rhyolitic effusive rocks during the rifting stage. The basalts produced during the stage of back‐arc basin spreading are geochemically similar to mid‐ocean ridge basalt, with a depleted Sr–Nd mantle source, whereas those produced during the rifting stage possess arc signatures with an enriched mantle source. The Nb/Zr ratios of the volcanic rocks show an increase over time, indicating a temporal increase in the fertility of the source. The Nb/Zr ratios are similar in basalts and rhyolites from a given rift zone, whereas the Nd isotopic compositions of the rhyolites are less radiogenic than those of the basalts. These data suggest that the rhyolites were derived from a basaltic magma via crystal fractionation and crustal assimilation. The rhyolites associated with the Kuroko deposits are aphyric and have higher concentrations of incompatible elements than do post‐Kuroko quartz‐phyric rhyolites. These observations suggest that the aphyric rhyolite magma was derived from a relatively deep magma chamber with strong fractional crystallization. Almost all of the Kuroko deposits formed in close temporal relation to the aphyric rhyolite indicating a genetic link between the Kuroko deposits and highly differentiated rhyolitic magma.     

Crustal Structure across the Northwestern Margin of South China Sea: Evidence for Magma‐poor Rifting from a Wide‐angle Seismic Profile

We present results from a 484 km wide-angle seismic profile acquired in the northwest part of the South China Sea (SCS) during OBS2006 cruise. The line that runs along a previously acquired multi-channel seismic line (SO49-18) crosses the continental slope of the northern margin, the Northwest Subbasin (NWSB) of the South China Sea, the Zhongsha Massif and partly the oceanic basin of the South China Sea. Seismic sections recorded on 13 ocean-bottom seismometers were used to identify refracted phases from the crustal layer and also reflected phases from the crust-mantle boundary (Moho). Inversion of the traveltimes using a simple start model reveals crustal images in the study area. The velocity model shows that crustal thickness below the continental slope is between 14 and 23 km. The continental part of the line is characterized by gentle landward mantle uplift and an abrupt oceanward one. The velocities in the lower crust do not exceed 6.9 km/s. With the new data we can exclude a high-velocity lower crustal body (velocities above 7.0 km/s) at the location of the line. We conclude that this part of the South China Sea margin developed by a magma-poor rifting. Both, the NWSB and the Southwest Sub-basin (SWSB) reveal velocities typical for oceanic crust with crustal thickness between 5 and 7 km. The Zhongsha Massif in between is extremely stretched with only 6–10 km continental crust left. Crustal velocity is below 6.5 km/s; possibly indicating the absence of the lower crust. Multi-channel seismic profile shows that the Yitongansha Uplift in the slope area and the Zhongsha Massif are only mildly deformed. We considered them as rigid continent blocks which acted as rift shoulders of the main rift subsequently resulting in the formation of the Northwest Sub-basin. The extension was mainly accommodated by a ductile lower crustal flows, which might have been extremely attenuated and flow into the oceanic basin during the spreading stage. We compared the crustal structures along the northern margin and found an east-west thicken trend of the crust below the continent slope. This might be contributed by the east-west sea-floor spreading along the continental margin.     

The systematics of lithium abundances in young volcanic rocks

Lithium is a moderately incompatible trace element in magmatic systems. High precision analyses for lithium conducted on well characterized suites of MORB and ocean island basalts suggest a bulk distribution coefficient of 0.25−0.35 and behavior which is similar to Yb during low pressure fractionation and V during melting, as long as garnet is not an important residual phase. Data for peridotites and basalts suggest a mantle lithium content of about 1.9 ppm and show that significant concentrations of lithium reside in olivine and orthopyroxene, resulting in unusual inter-mineral partitioning of Li and complex relationships between lithium and other incompatible trace elements.The lithium abundances of arc basalts are similar to those of MORB, but their Li/Yb ratios are considerably higher. The high Li/Yb suggests the addition of a Li-rich component to arc sources; relatively low Yb abundances are consistent with the derivation of some arc magmas by larger extents of melting or from a more depleted source than MORB. Although Li is enriched at arcs, K is enriched more, leading to elevated K/Li ratios in arc volcanics. The high K/Li and relatively low La/Yb of primitive arc basalts requires either incorporation of altered ocean crust into arc magma sources, or selective removal of K and Li from subducted sediments. Bulk incorporation of sediments alone does not explain the Li systematics.Data from primitive MORB indicate a relatively low (3–4 ppm) Li content for new oceanic crust. Thus, the Li flux from the ocean crust is probably <1 × 10¹¹ g/yr, and the oceanic crust may not be an important net source in the oceanic budget of lithium.     

Tectonics and magmatism of ultraslow spreading ridges

The tectonics, structure-forming processes, and magmatism in rift zones of ultraslow spreading ridges are exemplified in the Reykjanes, Kolbeinsey, Mohns, Knipovich, Gakkel, and Southwest Indian ridges. The thermal state of the mantle, the thickness of the brittle lithospheric layer, and spreading obliquety are the most important factors that control the structural pattern of rift zones. For the Reykjanes and Kolbeinsey ridges, the following are crucial factors: variations in the crust thickness; relationships between the thicknesses of its brittle and ductile layers; width of the rift zone; increase in intensity of magma supply approaching the Iceland thermal anomaly; and spreading obliquety. For the Knipovich Ridge, these are its localization in the transitional zone between the Gakkel and Mohns ridges under conditions of shear and tensile stresses and multiple rearrangements of spreading; nonorthogonal spreading; and structural and compositional barrier of thick continental lithosphere at the Barents Sea shelf and Spitsbergen. The Mohns Ridge is characterized by oblique spreading under conditions of a thick cold lithosphere and narrow stable rift zone. The Gakkel and the Southwest Indian ridges are distinguished by the lowest spreading rate under the settings of the along-strike variations in heating of the mantle and of a variable spreading geometry. The intensity of endogenic structure-forming varies along the strike of the ridges. In addition to the prevalence of tectonic factors in the formation of the topography, magmatism and metamorphism locally play an important role.     

云南香格里拉县洛吉地区基性杂岩的地球化学特征

云南香格里拉县洛吉地区出露由洛吉组玄武岩和基性岩墙群组成的基性杂岩,其母岩浆起源于亚碱性-碱性系列的拉斑玄武系列,地球化学特征表明该基性杂岩体形成于构造变动的复杂环境,并与不同源区岩浆混合及一定程度的壳幔混染有关,其中的碱性玄武岩与基性岩墙属具有相似性OIB玄武岩,是深部地幔石榴石橄榄岩与尖晶石橄榄石小部分熔融的产物,形成于大陆内或陆缘裂谷转变为盆缘造山带的过渡环境,亚碱性玄武岩属于E-MORB并有向OIB过渡趋势,由源区相对浅的尖晶石橄榄石熔融形成,为洋中脊向大陆过渡环境的蛇绿岩质分子,属甘孜-理塘结合带残余产物。     

Relationship between Formation of Zhongyebei Basin and Spreading of Southwest Subbasin, South China Sea

The Zhongyebei (中业北) basin (ZYBB) is an NE-striking,narrow and small sedimentary basin superimposing the southern 1/2 segment of the proposed spreading axes of the SW subbasin of the South China Sea (SCS).More than 4 500 m strata were identified in the Zhongyebei basin,including the Paleogene lower structure layer and the Neogene upper structure layer.The SW subbasin of the South China Sea has been regarded as an oceanic basin opened by seafloor spreading,as evidenced by the fiat and deep (＞ 4 000 m mostly) seafloor with linear magnetic anomalies,and by the shallow Moho depth of ＜ 12 km as estimated from gravity modeling.The classic model of seafloor spreading predicts that sediments on the oceanic crust are younger and thinner towards the spreading axes.But in the southwestern segment of the SW subbasin,contradictions appear.Firstly,the thick sedimentation in the ZYBB is along the proposed spreading axes.Secondly,the sediments are thinner (500-1 500 m) and younger away from the proposed spreading axes.Thirdly,geological elements of the two sides of spreading axes develop asymmetrically in the southwestern SW subbasin.Two models,the early opening model and the limited modeling model,are suggested for resolving this paradox.The former suggests that the opening of the SW subbasin was in Late Eocene and earlier than the oldest sediment in the ZYBB.The latter proposes that the opening of the SW subbasin was limited to its northeastern portion,and did not extend to the southwest portion.The ZYBB is a rift basin survived from the spreading but subjected to severe syn-spreading magmatic disturbance.The SW subbasin and the ZYBB of the SCS provide a unique opportunity for studying the structural evolution and dynamic mechanism at the tip of a propagating seafloor spreading.Both models have unresolved questions,and further studies are needed.     

Basalts of the North Fiji Basin: the generation of back arc basin magmas by mixing of depleted and enriched mantle sources

Active spreading ridges in the North Fiji Basin range from well-developed stable ridges where largescale mantle upwelling is in progress to proto-ridges where spreading is incipient. South of 17°S, where the central ridge of the North Fiji Basin has a bathymetric profile normally expected of a fast-spreading, steadystate mid-ocean ridge, basalts are evolved N-type MORBs. North of 17°S, where the central ridge is propagating northward into old North Fiji Basin crust and spreading is in the initial stages, two types of basalt have been recovered: N-type MORBs from this northern arm of the central ridge are believed to be samples of older North Fiji Basin crust; basalts with transitional alkalic chemistry (up to 0.5% Ne in the Norm) and characterized by strong relative enrichments in Rb, Ba, K, Nb, La, Ce, Sr, P, Zr, and Ti are believed to be associated with incipient rifting. Among the latter group are compositions that are intermediate between transitional alkalic types and MORBs and these are geochemically similar to the back-arc basin (BABB) magma type defined by Sinton and Fryer (1987) from a study of Mariana back arc basin basalts. Dredges along the South Pandora Ridge, a transform zone characterized by short spreading segments, are dominated by basalts that are enriched in large-ion lithophile and high field strength minor and trace elements and compositions range from types resembling ocean island tholeiites to transitional alkalic varieties. Basalts from Rotuma are regarded as alkalic end-members of the South Pandora Ridge magmatic spectrum. In areas of the North Fiji Basin where relatively fast spreading must be accompanied by largescale asthenospheric upwelling, depleted (N-type) MORBs dominate, whereas in areas of slow mantle upwelling, or where some other tectonic effect (e.g. a transform fault) causes a transient thermal disturbance within the lithosphere or upper asthenosphere, enriched (alkalic) magmas either dominate or make a significant and noticeable contribution to the overall chemical characteristics of basalts being erupted. The MORBs have a depleted asthenospheric source, and the alkalic component is believed to derive from an enriched lithospheric or shallow asthenospheric source. The BABB magma type may simply be part of the spectrum of mixed magmas that can occur in the transitional tectonic settings represented by the early development of most back-arc basins.