Ordovician volcanism of the Peloritan Mountains (Sicily): Implications for evolution of Palaeozoic basins in the Calabrian-Peloritan Arc

The palaeontologically dated Ordovician associations of the Peloritan Mountains consist of metasilts, metapelites, calc-schists and metavolcanic rocks. These rocks form a portion of a terrigenous-volcanic-carbonate sequence of Cambro-Ordovician to Carboniferous age. This Palaeozoic sequence occupies the lower tectonic position in a Variscan orogen, affected by later Alpine deformation. The upper portion of this orogen is formed by low to high grade metamorphic rocks and some rare magmatic rocks. The Ordovician section of the sequence is divisible into a lower part (probably Arenigian), characterized by frequent and extensive within-plate alkaline metabasalts, and an upper part characterized by metadacites and metarhyolites intercalated with metasediments, commonly carbonates. The chemical characteristics of the metavolcanic rocks and the composition and structure of the metasediments indicate the persistence of tensional conditions during the Lower Ordovician. In contrast, the Upper Ordovician was marked by reducing tension, stagnation of basaltic magmas at different crustal levels, and consequent formation of dacitic and rhyolitic melts by partial melting of the surrounding crust. A comparison of the Ordovician sequences of the Peloritan Mountains with those of the Calabrian Palaeozoic basins shows several geodynamic similarities. Among other circum-Mediterranean basins, only that of north-western Bulgaria shows good analogies.     

Palaeoclimatic inferences from upper Palaeozoic siltstone of the Earp Formation and equivalents, Arizona-New Mexico (USA)

The Late Palaeozoic configuration of Pangaea contributed to a palaeoclimatic extreme that was characterized by both icehouse and monsoonal conditions. This study uses sedimentological, geochemical, and provenance data from silty facies of the Earp and equivalent Supai Formations (Arizona, New Mexico) to shed light on atmospheric circulation and glacial–interglacial climate change in westernmost equatorial Pangaea. Five silt‐rich facies comprise both loessite and marine and fluvially reworked loessite. An initial aeolian origin for the silt is indicated by the remarkably invariant grain size and the laterally continuous, sheet‐like geometry of beds. The silt‐rich facies occur in repetitive facies associations (1–20 m scale) that form mixed continental‐marine (loess, marine‐reworked loess), shallow‐marine, and continental (loess, palaeosol) ‘sequences’. Facies repetitions of both mixed continental‐marine and shallow‐marine sequences reflect a linked glacioeustatic–glacioclimatic control, whereas the continental (loess–palaeosol) couplets reflect a primary glacial–interglacial climatic cyclicity linked to glacioeustasy. Stratigraphic interpretations suggest that aeolian silt flux maximized during glacial to incipient interglacial stages (lowstand to early transgression), and decreased significantly or ceased during interglacials (highstand to early falling stage). Detrital‐zircon geochronological data indicate a transition from dominantly north‐easterly winds during the Middle Pennsylvanian to north‐westerly and south‐easterly winds by the Early Permian, which trend is inferred to reflect the onset of monsoonal circulation in western Pangaea. Relative grain‐size data support the detrital‐zircon data, and exhibit a significant decrease from the Sedona arch/Central Arizona shelf (north) to the Pedregosa basin (south) sections. Whole‐rock geochemical data suggest a relatively unweathered source for the silt in the north, and detrital‐zircon data indicate significant silt was derived from the local basement. These large piles of silt(stone) preserve valuable information for reconstructing both long‐term evolution in atmospheric circulation and short‐term fluctuations in glacial–interglacial climate. Many such indicators for long have been applied to ‘recent’ (Plio‐Pleistocene) loess, but are equally applicable to ‘deep‐time’ strata.     

A cold Early Palaeozoic subduction zone in the North Qilian Mountains, NW China: petrological and U-Pb geochronological constraints

The north Qilian high‐pressure (HP)/low‐temperature (LT) metamorphic belt is composed mainly of blueschists, eclogites and greenschist facies rocks. It formed within an Early Palaeozoic accretionary wedge associated with the subduction of the oceanic crust and is considered to be one of the best preserved HP/LT metamorphic belts in China. Here we report new lawsonite‐bearing eclogites and eclogitic rocks enclosed within epidote blueschists in the North Qilian Mountains. Five samples contain unaltered lawsonite coexisting with omphacite and phengite as inclusions in garnet, indicating eclogite facies garnet growth and lawsonite pseudomorphs were observed in garnet from an additional 11 eclogites and eclogitic rocks. Peak pressure conditions estimated from lawsonite omphacite‐phengite‐garnet assemblages were 2.1–2.4 GPa at temperatures of 420–510 °C, in or near the stability field of lawsonite eclogite, and implying formation under an apparent geothermal gradient of 6–8 °C km^?1, consistent with metamorphism in a cold subduction zone. SHRIMP U‐Pb dating of zircon from two lawsonite‐bearing eclogitic metabasites yields ages of 489 ± 7 Ma and 477 ± 16 Ma, respectively. CL images and mineral inclusions in zircon grains indicate that these ages reflect an eclogite facies metamorphism. An age of 502 ± 16 Ma is recorded in igneous cores of zircon grains from one lawsonite pseudomorph‐bearing eclogite, which is in agreement with the formation age of Early Ordovician for some ophiolite sequences in the North Qilian Mountains, and may be associated with a period of oceanic crust formation. The petrological and chronological data demonstrate the existence of a cold Early Palaeozoic subduction zone in the North Qilian Mountains.     

新疆温都哈拉地区古生界化学地层初探

利用岩层中的地球化学差异对地层进行划分是地层学的研究方法之一。本文利用在区调工作中获得的较为系统的岩石光谱半定量分析数据,采用有序样品最优分割法和对分移动窗口法,对新疆温都哈拉一带的古生界地层进行了化学地层划分,并与野外根据宏观岩性特征划分的岩石地层单位进行了比较。     

西藏当雄纳龙晚古生代裂谷盆地的识别及其意义

西藏冈底斯构造带是冈瓦纳大陆北部边缘的重要组成部分，经历了特提斯演化的全过程，并在中生代发育的典型的多岛弧－盆地系统。笔者根据冈底斯构造带中部纳龙地区晚古生代发育的沉积相类型、火山岩组合以及古生物等方面的资料，首次提出当雄纳龙盆地在中二叠世栖霞期具有裂谷盆地性质，揭示出冈底斯地区在二叠纪已转化为活动大陆边缘，为研究西藏冈底斯地区弧－盆系统的形成过程及晚古生代的区域构造特征古地理格局提供了重要的资料。     

江苏晚古生代孢粉组合序列

结合新得的孢粉材料 ,总结了江苏泥盆纪—二叠纪孢粉组合序列 ,共计 7个组合 (带 ) :1)五通组下部观山段AL组合 (Fa2 b- c) ;　 2 )擂鼓台段中下部 L H组合 (Fa2 d) ;　 3)擂鼓台段中上部 L C组合 (Tn1 a— Tn1 b早期 ) ;　 4a)擂鼓台段顶部 MD组合 (Tn1 b晚期— Tn2 ) ;　 4b)“老坎组”MC组合 (Tn1 b晚期— Tn2 ) ;　 5 )高骊山组 DP组合(Tn3— V1 - 2 ) ;　 6 )龙潭组 GM组合 (P21 — P1 2 ) ;　 7)大隆组 CS组合 (暂名 ) (P22 )。简要介绍了每个组合的内容和特征并对某些地层的时代作了进一步讨论。     

Palaeomagnetic results from the Early Permian Copacabana Group, southern Peru: Implication for Pangaea palaeogeography

Samples collected from folded carbonate rocks of the Early Permian Copacabana Group exposed in the Peruvian Subandean Zone have been subjected to detailed palaeomagnetic analysis. Thermal demagnetisation of most samples yield stable high unblocking temperature directions dominantly carried by titanomagnetite minerals. This remanence, identified in 32 samples (43 specimens), is exclusively of reverse polarity consistent with the Permian–Carboniferous Reversal Superchron (PCRS). The overall directions pass the fold test at the 99% confidence level and are considered as being a pre-folding remanence acquired in Early Permian times. The Copacabana Group yields an overall mean direction of D = 166°, I = +49° (α₉₅ = 4.5°, k = 131.5, N = 9 sites) in stratigraphic coordinates and a corresponding palaeosouth pole position situated at λ = 68°S,  = 321°E (A₉₅ = 5.2°, K = 100). Combining this pole with the coeval high quality data from South America, Africa and Australia results in a mean pole for Gondwana situated at λ = 34.4°S,  = 065.6°E (A₉₅ = 4.9°, K = 73.6, N = 13 studies) in African coordinates. This pole position supports a Pangaea B palaeogeography in Early Permian times. In contrast, the combined pole for Gondwana diverges from the coeval Laurasian mean pole when assuming the Pangaea A-type configuration. Poor quality of the Gondwana dataset and inclination shallowing in sediments seem to play no role in the misfit between the Permian–Triassic poles from Gondwana and Laurasia in Pangaea A reconstruction.     

First Palaeozoic arachnid from Portugal and implications for Carboniferous palaeobiogeography

The first occurrence of arachnids (Aphantomartus pustulatus) in the Carboniferous strata of Portugal is documented and its palaeobiogeographic significance is assessed. The Aphantomartidae species are thought to be native to Central Europe where its oldest example is recorded in Middle–Upper Mississippian strata. Known occurrences are preserved along the flanks of mountains such as the Appalachian Mountains, the Cantabrian Mountains and the Valongo Anticline (Portugal, Iberian Massif) and provide clear evidence that the Aphantomartidae species probably lived in upland or mountainous environments. The Iberian Massif may have served as a ‘link’ between the migration routes of several terrestrial animals from North America and Eurasia, and this linkage constrains the palaeogeographic and palaeoenvironmental conditions in equatorial Pangaea during the Carboniferous and Early Permian. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

晚古生代右江盆地古岩溶作用研究

钻井、露头和区域构造资料的分析结果表明,晚古生代的右江盆地存在多期次的岩溶作用,通常具有1~3个岩溶旋回。这些古岩溶作用主要存在于上二叠统顶部、中二叠统茅口组顶部和石炭系顶部,其次是泥盆系的顶部。古岩溶作用的发生与黔桂运动、紫云运动、东吴运动等所形成的层序界面和低位体系域密切。研究区存在包括风化、区域性大气淡水溶蚀、区域性白云岩化、区域性古岩溶、区域性去白云岩化和区域性淡水胶结充填等6种岩溶作用的层序成因类型。     

晚古生代右江盆地古岩溶作用研究

钻井、露头和区域构造资料的分析结果表明,晚古生代的右江盆地存在多期次的岩溶作用,通常具有1～3个岩溶旋回。这些古岩溶作用主要存在于上二叠统顶部、中二叠统茅口组顶部和石炭系顶部,其次是泥盆系的顶部。古岩溶作用的发生与黔桂运动、紫云运动、东吴运动等所形成的层序界面和低位体系域密切。研究区存在包括风化、区域性大气淡水溶蚀、区域性白云岩化、区域性古岩溶、区域性去白云岩化和区域性淡水胶结充填等6种岩溶作用的层序成因类型。     

二叠纪—三叠纪古气候研究进展——泛大陆巨型季风气候:形成、发展与衰退

巨型季风是指二叠纪—三叠纪期间泛大陆上存在的强烈季节风,它的形成与泛大陆的形状、海陆分布及大陆的纬向分布密切相关。从晚石炭世泛大陆的聚合至晚侏罗世—早白垩世泛大陆裂解,巨型季风经历了形成、发展到衰退的过程。在三叠纪,泛大陆很大且几乎关于赤道对称,巨型季风达到最大强度。它对古气候、古环境、古生物及沉积等都产生了深刻的影响,使泛大陆低纬度地区呈现出干旱和潮湿交替的气候特征,蒸发岩和红层广泛分布;高纬度地区温暖潮湿,煤层大量分布;科罗拉多高原(美国西部)、西特提斯(欧洲)和东特提斯(中国)等地的二叠纪—三叠纪沉积地层也显示了受巨型季风影响的特征。     

华南地区早古生代沉积演化与油气地质条件

从构造角度上,现今的华南地区可以分为扬子地块和华夏地块,从成冰纪(南华纪)开始,由于受基底性质和构造活动等因素的影响,华南地区的沉积演化出现了分异,在扬子地块和华夏地块具有不同的沉积环境和沉积充填序列。总体上讲,扬子地块主体属于克拉通盆地,其多数时期为陆表海和局限浅海环境,构建了稳定的碳酸盐台地沉积和广泛分布的黑页岩沉积;而华夏地块处于构造活动环境,早期火山活动强烈,属于裂陷盆地,未形成统一的碳酸盐台地沉积,以陆源碎屑沉积充填为主体。两者不同的沉积环境和沉积序列决定了两个地区油气基本地质条件的差异:扬子地块具有丰富的烃源岩、良好的储集层以及封盖层的先天条件,而华夏地块没有较好的生油层和储集层。因此,在针对以早古生代地层为目的层的油气勘探工作部署时,应优先集中在扬子地块区。     

中国南方晚古生代构造演化与盆地原型

晚古生代-中三叠世,中国南方在陆块间离散-聚合的不同构造运动体制下,分别在扬子陆块内部和边缘形成了不同的盆地原型及其演化序列。在扬子陆块的西南缘,主要形成裂谷-被动大陆边缘坳陷-弧后盆地的原型演化序列;扬子陆块南缘发育裂谷到台内坳陷再到裂谷原型演化序列;扬子陆块内部主要形成台内拗陷-裂谷的原型演化序列。古特提斯洋演化对晚古生代构造和盆地原型的演化起决定性作用。     

上扬子区下古生界层序地层格架的初步研究

上扬子区下古生界在贵州及其邻区发育较为完整。在震旦纪与寒武纪之交的台地淹没事件之后,寒武系形成一个从深水盆地相黑色页岩系到大套台地碳酸盐的沉积序列,其中下寒武统包含5个三级层序而可以进一步归为一个二级层序,中上寒武统构成一个二级层序而且可以进一步划分为7个三级层序。奥陶纪艾家山世末期的都匀运动、奥陶纪末期的与冈瓦纳大陆冰期相响应的全球海平面下降事件以及志留纪末期广西运动的共同作用,造成扬子地台大幅度的古地理变迁以及残留不全的奥陶系和志留系。详尽追踪和对比的结果可以将奥陶系划分为8个三级层序且可以进一步归为一个二级层序,在残留不全的的志留系中可以划分出7个三级层序并可以进一步归为一个二级层序。层序地层格架的建立,可以大致解读许多有趣的地质现象,如寒武纪碳酸盐台地的生长过程,奥陶纪与志留纪之交的“浅海静水”型黑色页岩系的发育特点,志留纪由北而南的海侵所造成的复杂的志留系展布特征等等;同时也意味着许多有待于进一步研究的问题,早寒武世数次快速海侵事件与生物事件的关系,奥陶系顶部特殊的“观音桥灰岩”的成因,奥陶系红花园组海绵生物礁的基本沉积模式等等。     

华北地区上古生界二次生烃及成藏条件特征

华北地区是我国东部的主要含油气区,其上古生界烃源岩主要以煤系和暗色泥岩为主。由于石炭—二叠系烃源岩埋藏深,热演化程度高,且古生代以来构造条件复杂,为上古生界烃源岩的二次生烃提供了条件。一次生烃多数发生在印支期,而二次生烃发生在燕山期和喜马拉雅期。烃源岩主要分布于本溪组、太原组和山西组中,且南北厚、中间薄,据参数分析属于中等—好烃源岩。其储层分布于下古生界的白云岩和上古生界的碎屑岩中,原生孔隙不发育,储集空间以次生孔隙为主。物性差,为低孔低渗储层。峰峰组碳酸盐岩、本溪组铝土岩及铝土质泥岩及上覆煤系地层、石千峰组及下三叠统紫红色泥岩及粉砂质泥岩是华北地区的有效盖层,与储集层匹配形成多套储盖组合。圈闭以断背斜、断鼻和断块为主,大部分圈闭形成于主要生烃期之前,是有效圈闭。通过成藏条件分析认为,华北地区的成藏主控因素是生排烃史和构造发育史的匹配以及成藏后的保存条件,因此将来应主要寻找那些二次生烃区的古构造或喜马拉雅期形成的新构造。      

Investigation of the fate of nitrogen in Palaeozoic shales of the Central European Basin

Nitrogen geochemistry of Upper Carboniferous shales from the Central European Basin (CEB) was investigated by elemental analysis, stable isotope mass spectrometry and non-isothermal pyrolysis. Total N-contents of Namurian shales from four deep wells (4400–7000 m) in NE Germany ranged between 520 and 2680 ppm. Up to 90% of this nitrogen occurs as ammonium in minerals with δ¹⁵N values between + 1‰ and + 3.5‰. Low nitrogen contents (down to 460 ppm) and high δ¹⁵N values (up to + 5.6‰) in one well in the basin centre suggest a large-scale release of nitrogen associated with isotopic fractionation. Pyrolytic liberation of N₂ from pelagic Namurian A shales of NW and NE Germany occurred at significantly lower temperatures than from paralic Namurian B shales and terrestrial Westphalian samples. On-line isotope analysis of N₂ liberated between 400 and 1200 °C indicates the presence of precursor pools with different thermal stability and nitrogen isotopic composition.     

On Palaeozoic Tectonics in the Alxa Region, Inner Mongolia, China

Two ophiolitic melange belts in the Late Carboniferous formations have been discovered recently in the Alxa region. One is in the Engger Us fault and possesses properties of oceanic crust. The other is in the Badain Jaran fault and shows properties of a back-arc basin. These two faults, together with the Yagan fault, constitute the important boundaries of tectonic units in the Alax region. The four tectonic units delimited by these faults are different in rock assemblages, metamorphism and geochemistry. They reflect the nature of tectonic environments in which they are found. The tectonic units may be traced and correlated to the eastern and western neighbouring areas. The formation and evolution process of the units and their interaction in the Alxa region may be described in terms of the evolution of the Palaeo-Mongolian Ocean and its continental margins.     

内蒙古大青山地区早古生代生物化石的发现及意义

大青山地区发育一套以白云岩、灰质白云岩和少量石英砂岩为主的地层。以往由于缺少生物化石依据，对其划分对比及时代归属一直存在不同意见。通过工作，在该套地层中采到了三叶虫、笔石、头足、腹足和腕足类等多门类生物化石，经鉴定有相当部门属种是华北地区寒武－奥陶系常见的标准化石主要组成分子，为解决磁地层的划分对比及时代归属提供了可靠依据。     

南秦岭早古生代地层含硒量及硒的分布规律

本文对南秦岭大巴山区主要分布的早古生代地层各种岩石的含硒量的研究结果表明,含硒量与岩石的岩性和形成时代密切相关,与岩石的含碳量和含硫量成正线性关系。碳质板岩和石煤相对于其他类岩石的含硒量高,碳质板岩一般为6×10~(-6)～35×10~(-6),石煤的含硒量为8×10~(-6)～45×10~(-6);中、下寒武统和志留系大贵坪组的碳质板岩和石煤含硒量较高,可达30×10~(-6)。同时,下寒武统的含硒量远远大于早古生代其他层位同类岩石的平均含硒量,是同类岩石平均含量的5～10倍。如碳酸盐岩的含硒量为2×10~(-6)～4×10~(-6);细粒岩石的含硒量较粗粒岩石的含硒量高,下志留统陡山沟组的厚层状到中厚层状砂岩、粉砂岩和上寒武统的砾屑灰岩的含硒量相近,约0.05×10~(-6)～0.08×10~(-6),是本区最低的。因此,并非本区所有岩石都富硒。     

Dating of detrital zircon grains and fossils from Late Palaeozoic sediments of the Baruo area,Tibet: constraints on the Late Palaeozoic evolution of the Lhasa terrane

ABSTRACT

To determine the Late Palaeozoic evolution of the Lhasa terrane, we report the results of field mapping, petrological and fossil investigations, and U–Pb dating of detrital zircon grains (n = 474) from lower-greenschist-facies clastic rocks of the Lagar Formation in the Baruo area, Tibet. Our results indicate that the Lagar Formation was deposited during the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian in a shallow-marine environment on the northern margin of Gondwana. Glacial marine diamictites are common within the Lagar Formation and record glaciation of Gondwana during the Late Palaeozoic. Moreover, the detrital materials of the Lagar formation originated mostly from the collision orogenic belt. The ages of detrital zircon grains from the Lagar Formation make up five main groups with ages of 410–540 Ma, 550–650 Ma, 800–1100 Ma, 1600–1800 Ma, and 2300–2500 Ma, which display three characteristic age peaks at ~1150, 2390 and 2648 Ma. We tentatively suggest that the Lhasa terrane was a shallow-marine basin under the influence of the Gondwanan glaciation during the Late Carboniferous–Early Permian.