GPS-derived deformation rates in northwestern Himalaya and Ladakh

Deformation rates derived from GPS measurements made at two continuously operating stations at Leh (34.1°N, 77.6°E) and Hanle (32.7°N, 78.9°E), and eight campaign sites in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh spanning 11 years (1997–2008), provide a clear picture of the kinematics of this region as well as the convergence rate across northwestern Himalaya. All the Ladakh sites move 32–34 mm/year NE in the ITRF2005 reference frame, and their relative velocities are 13–16 mm/year SW in the Indian reference frame and ~19 mm/year W with reference to the Lhasa IGS station in southeastern Tibet. The results indicate that there is no statistically significant deformation in the 200-km stretch between the continuous sites Leh and Hanle as well as between Leh and Nubra valley sites along the Karakoram fault, whereas the sites in and around the splayed Karakoram fault region indicate surface deformation of 2.5 mm/year. Campaign sites along the Karakoram fault zone indicate a fault parallel surface motion of 1.4–2.5 mm/year in the Tangste and western Panamik segment of the Karakoram fault, which quantifies the best possible GPS-derived dextral slip rate of 3 mm/year along this fault during this 11-year period. Baselines of Ladakh sites show convergence rates of 15–18 mm/year with respect to south India and 12–15 mm/year with respect to Delhi in north India and Almora in the Himalaya ~400 km north-northeast of Delhi. These constitute an arc normal convergence of 12–15 mm/year across the western Himalaya, which is consistent with arc normal convergence all along the Himalayan arc from west to east. Baseline extension rates of 14–16 mm/year between Lhasa and Ladakh sites are consistent with the east–west extension rate of Tibetan Plateau.     

Lacustrine sedimentation and tectonics: an example from the Weichselian at Lønstrup Klint, Denmark

Sedimentological analysis of the Weichselian deposits exposed in the coastal cliff section at Lønstrup Klint, northern Jutland, Denmark, demonstrates the presence of four sedimentary units comprising fine-grained lacustrine and fluvial deposits of the latest Middle Wcichselian. The Lønstrup Klint section also shows an interplay between glaciotectonics and sedimentation. The two lower sedimentary units are separated by an erosional unconformity of pretectonic origin, whereas the upper two units are syntectonic. The glaciotectonic processes reflect the Late Weichselian expansion of the Scandinavian ice cap into northern Jutland. The sedimentary structures indicate high rates of deposition. The area underwent dramatic palaeogeographic changes from deep lake to proglacial fluvial plain in a time-span of a few thousand years.     

滇西北羊拉乡贝吾玄武岩形成的大地构造环境探讨

贝吾玄武岩为滇西北金沙江蛇绿混杂岩带中的一个岩块。通过详细的野外调查和岩石地球化学研究认为,贝吾玄武岩为低钾拉斑玄武岩,分异程度较低,大离子亲石元素相对于高场强元素富集,稀土总量低,轻稀土略富集,整体特征介于正常洋脊玄武岩与岛弧玄武岩之间,为似洋中脊玄武岩。其类似于岛弧玄武岩的富集特征表明了成岩过程中俯冲作用的存在,综合岩性组合、构造特征和地质背景分析,认为其属前弧玄武岩,形成于初始俯冲的洋内弧环境。     

The blueschists along the Indus Suture Zone in Ladakh, NW Himalaya

ABSTRACT Blueschists occur along the Indus Suture Zone in Ladakh as tectonic thrust slices, as isolated blocks within mélange units and as pebbles within continental detrital series. In the Shergol-Baltikar section high-pressure rocks within the Mélange unit lie between the Dras-Naktul-Nindam nappes in the north and the Lamayuru units in the south. The blueschists are imbricated with mélange formation of probably upper Cretaceous age. They are overlain discordantly by the Shergol conglomerate of post Eocene (Oligo-Miocene ?) age. Blueschist lithologies are dominated by volcanoclastic rock sequences of basic material with subordinate interbedding of cherts and minor carbonates. Mineral assemblages in metabasic rocks are characterized by lawsonite-glaucophane/crossite-Na-pyroxene-chlorite-phengite-titanite ± albite ± stilpnomelane. In the quartz bearing assemblages garnet is present but omphacite absent. P-T estimates indicate temperatures of 350 to 420°c and pressures around 9–11 kbar. Geochemical investigations show the primary alkaline character of the blueschist, which suggests an oceanic island or a transitional MORB type primary geotectonic setting. K/Ar isotopic investigations yield middle Cretaceous ages for both whole rocks and minerals. Subduction related HP-metamorphism affecting the Mesozoic Tethyan oceanic crust developed contemporaneously with magmatism in the Dras volcanic are and the Ladakh batholith. Subsequent collision of India with Asia obducted relics of subduction zone material which later became involved in nappe emplacement during the Himalayan mountain building.     

Siwalik sedimentation in a part of the Kumaun Himalaya,India

The Siwalik Group in a part of the Kumaun Himalaya has been studied with respect to its sedimentologic properties. Size-based environmental data indicate a fluviatile environment for the Middle and Upper Siwalik sediments. The Lower Siwalik samples indicate a border-line environment, possibly a fluvial-deltaic complex. Petrologically, the Siwalik samples are essentially sublitharenites and litharenites. Variation in petrological character in successive Siwalik units is not very marked, although the heavy-mineral assemblages serve the purpose of stratigraphic identification.Sedimentary structures, though not profuse, show a well-developed cyclic development corresponding to the idealised fining-upward sequence of alluvial sediments. They indicate deposition by laterally shifting braided streams. A major portion of the Siwalik detritus may be considered to have its provenance in the Himalayan metamorphic areas.     

Nagthat Formation: An example of a progradational,tide-dominated Proterozoic succession in Kumaun Lesser Himalaya,India

The Proterozoic Nagthat Formation of the Krol-belt succession, in the Nainital area, is composed mainly of fine- to coarse-grained quartzarenite with a subordinate amount of purple to grey sandstone, siltstone-shale and conglomerate horizons. The association with spilitic lava flows, variable palaeocurrent trends and the restricted lateral extent of the Nagthat Formation within the Krol-belt succession imply an active role for tectonism in the basin of deposition. In the upward coarsening succession of the Nagthat Formation, six major lithofacies have been identified: medium- to coarse-grained gravelly quartzarenite (Lithofacies A), planar cross-bedded, medium-grained quartzarenite (Lithofacies B), horizontally laminated, fine-grained quartzarenite (Lithofacies D), interbedded sandstone-shale (Lithofacies E) and matrix-supported conglomerate (Lithofacies F). The constituent lithofacies are repetitive in nature, forming upward fining unit cycles and interpreted to reflect deposition as upper shore-face, shoals and bars, barrier-beachface, tidal channels (inlets), intertidal–sandflat–mixedflat environments and, occasionally, in the form of gravity flows in subtidal channels. The general upward coarsening succession of the Nagthat Formation represents deposition in a progradational (regressive) barrier island system. The palaeocurrent pattern in the Nagthat Formation is distinctly polymodal and indicates sediment distribution across the roughly NW–SE trending shoreline, in response to a dominating flood tidal current system. The palaeocurrent pattern shows higher variability in the upper shore-face deposits than in the tidalflat domain. A recycled metasedimentary terrain served as the source for the Nagthat Formation, probably supplying the sediments from E, NE and S directions.     

Lacustrine sedimentation in a proglacial environment, Caribou River Valley, Yukon, Canada

Proglacial Quaternary lacustrine sediments deposited along the Caribou River Valley, Yukon, Canada, formed in a lake impounded by glacial ice that was retreating downslope. Sedimentation in the lake was dominated by turbid sediment underflows generated from the upslope, previously deglaciated region. The base of the sedimentary succession indicates a gradual transition from sporadic low-density distal flows to higher density proximal flows. Continued sediment accumulation resulted in the construction of a subaqueous clay and silt bank. Sedimentation was dominated by deposition of suspension load clay carried by subseasonal bottom countercurrents induced by katabatic winds. This sedimentation pattern prevailed until the subaqueous bank was disturbed by mass movement. Removal of the sediment bank increased the depth of the nearshore area sufficiently to allow turbid underflows to dominate sedimentation once more. The changing sedimentation patterns reflect events in the areas away from the ice front, rather than changes in the activity of the impounding glacier. Similar successions could be developed in other glacial lakes impounded by glaciers which moved up topographical slopes, either pre-existing or generated by glacioisostatic depression.     

The Indus-Tsangpo suture zone in Ladakh, northwest Himalaya: Further palaeomagnetic data and implications

A total of 81 samples (244 specimens) from Upper Cretaceous Indus Molasse and Middle to Upper Cretaceous Dras Flyschoids of the Indus-Tsangpo suture zone in Ladakh (northwest Himalaya) has been studied by thermal demagnetization methods.Both formations showed a characteristic magnetization component indicative for equatorial to low northern palaeolatitudes of acquisition. Similar palaeolatitudes have been obtained before from secondary magnetization components of Early Tertiary age in the Ladakh Intrusives and in the Tibetan Sedimentary Series of central Nepal. The present characteristic components are interpreted likewise as secondary magnetizations which stabilized between 50 and 60 m.y. ago, during Greater India's collision with Asia's southern margin.The Dras Flyschoids show another magnetic component which, in case of primary origin, indicates acquisition at a low southern palaeolatitude. If correct, this interpretation supports recent suggestions for Late Cretaceous obduction of an island arc on Greater India's northern margin.     

盆-山耦合关系与成烃作用——以准噶尔西北地区为例

通过大量地质、地球物理和地球化学资料论证,笔者认为准噶尔盆地西北前陆坳陷与西准噶尔造山带之间在成因上具有耦合关系,即准噶尔盆地西北前陆拗陷的形成、演化与西准噶尔造山带的上隆、推覆之间存在内在成因联系。准噶尔西北地区的基底为早中古生代洋壳物质,准噶尔盆地西北地区的中泥盆世为残余洋盆,晚泥盆世-晚石炭世为弧前残余洋盆,二叠纪为前陆盆地。根据准噶尔盆地西北地区的前陆坳陷与西准噶尔造山带在盆-山转换过程中地质流体的地球化学特征,认为现克拉玛依油区油气的形成演化与盆-山转换过程中各种地质作用,特别是地质流体的作用具有成因相关性。     

Colonization delay of Rhizocarpon geographicum: Study from the Gangotri glacier,northwestern Himalaya

Lichenometric application used mainly for the dating of moraines, involves the calibration of growth rate curve with the inclusion of colonization delay of a specific type of lichen. In the present study, the colonization delay of Rhizocarpon geographicum species of lichen found on the boulders of granite and gneisses in the Gangotri glacier environment has been interpreted. It has been concluded that the colonization delay for the said species is different for both the rock-types. It is about 78 years for granite and between 50 and 78 years for the gneisses. The study will help to establish the absolute ages of the various terminal moraines of the Gangotri glacier, which in turn will help to ascertain the recession history of the glacier.     

Linkage of paraglacial processes from last glacial to recent inferred from Spituk sequence,Leh valley,Ladakh Himalaya

The paraglacial sequence in the Leh valley, Ladakh Himalaya preserves imprints of various processes active during deglaciation in the late phase of Last Glacial. In present work, a high resolution sedimentological record generated for Spituk is presented identifying aeolian episodes, mudflow events from Ladakh Range and debris flows extending from Zanskar Range across present Indus River. Two temporal phases of water ponding within Spituk Sequence are also identified. The seismites recorded at various stratigraphic depths and their association with the sediment facies signifies gravity induced process besides possible seismic activity as an added phenomena. Linkage between paraglacial processes since Last Glacial to Recent is tracked and evaluated.     

Tsunami risk in northwestern Europe: a Holocene example

A thin, regionally extensive, laterally persistent sand layer is present within the Holocene coastal sequences of eastern Scotland, dated to 7000 yr BP. It is proposed that this deposit was caused by a tsunami wave generated by a catastrophic submarine landslide (the Second Storegga Slide) on the Norwegian continental slope. The distribution of this tsunami deposit indicates that the wave penetrated at least 2 km beyond the contemporary coastline and a minimum of 4 m above the contemporary high-water mark. Although the frequency of tsunamis may be low in this region their effects should be considered for very long-term or very sensitive strategic developments at coastal sites.     

Tidal-shelf sedimentation: an example from the Scottish Dalradian

The Jura Quartzite, a formation of probably late Precambrian metasediments over 5 km thick from the Caledonian belt in Southwest Scotland, has been divided into a coarse and three fine facies. The former comprises cross-bedded sands with some laminated sands and silt horizons, interpreted as the deposits of shallow marine tidal dunes and other bedforms together with some beach units. Deposition from suspension of silt and sand formed climbing dunes while largescale erosion produced flat or channelled surfaces. The fine facies comprise laterally persistent, parallel and cross-laminated sand units from millimetres to decimetres thick, interbedded with muds. The coarse and fine facies can be finely interbedded, the former sometimes filling decimetre deep, straight channels, cut in the latter. The fine facies exhibit structures indicative of deposition from decelerating currents and are interpreted as shallow marine storm deposits. The facies are compared with a model developed from published observations on modern shelf areas. Zones of erosion, large and small dunes, flat bedded sand and mud are considered to be the end product of a wide spectrum of tidal and storm conditions. During severe storms the fair weather tidal dunes may be modified or washed out, new dunes may be initiated downcurrent of the normal dune field while storm-sand layers are deposited in the distal zones. Hence, the nature of the preserved sediment blanket reflects the rare severe storm event rather than normal tidal conditions. The Jura Quartzite was deposited in a tidal gulf intimately connected with an ocean basin. The north-northeast directed palaeocurrent modes are probably roughly parallel to the coastline.     

喜马拉雅带片麻岩穹窿成矿作用——以扎西康矿集区错那洞穹窿为例

特提斯喜马拉雅发育与造山带平行的片麻岩穹窿构造带,其与喜马拉雅金锑、铅锌多金属、锡钨铍多金属矿具有密切的时空关系.西藏扎西康铅锌多金属矿集区是喜马拉雅造山带最具特色的矿集区,集中产出20余处不同规模的金锑、铅锌、锡钨铍多金属矿床.矿集区内矿床围绕错那洞穹窿呈规律性分布,体现为从穹窿核部向外依次分布铍钨锡稀有金属矿→铅锌多金属矿→金锑矿.这些矿床分布特征与区域1:5万区域水系沉积物分析结果一致,从错那洞片麻岩穹窿核部—淡色花岗岩内部及其接触带到外围表现为W、Sn、Bi、Rb等高温元素→Pb、Zn、Ag、Sb等中温元素→Au、Sb、Ag、Hg、As等中低温元素异常组合.错那洞穹窿形成于中新世,该时期伴有大量的淡色花岗岩(23～14 Ma)侵位,此时也迎来了扎西康矿集区"成矿大爆发"(21～12 Ma).矿集区内典型矿床的H-O同位素组成表明,各矿床均显示有岩浆热液不同程度的贡献.矿石矿物的Pb同位素特征表明,锡钨铍来自于淡色花岗岩,铅锌具有多源性,既可以来自于淡色花岗岩,亦可以来自于古老基底物质,而金锑主要来自于与幔源作用有关的基性岩及玄武岩.结合矿集区内矿床的时空分布特征、流体及物质来源特点,文章认为扎西康矿集区内多金属矿床形成是喜马拉雅带成穹作用引发的构造-岩浆-成矿事件,构成了受穹窿控制的金锑-铅锌-锡钨铍稀有多金属成矿系统.自中新世以来,喜马拉雅造山带处于伸展活动时期,发育多期次的淡色花岗岩深熔作用,并在错那洞侵位形成片麻岩穹窿.深熔淡色花岗岩具有较高的演化程度,演化后期出溶富集Be-W-Sn-Rb的岩浆流体.在岩浆侵位过程引发的高异常地热梯度作用下,岩浆流体向外扩散,在岩浆顶部形成伟晶岩型铍铷稀有金属矿,在岩体边部与大理岩交代形成矽卡岩型铍稀有多金属矿,在错那洞穹窿拆离断裂及近南北向张性断裂中形成锡石-硫化物脉型锡多金属矿.岩浆流体在向外渗流过程中,萃取各类地质体中的成矿元素,并与大气降水、地热循环水不同程度的混合,在外围的张扭性断裂中形成铅锌,在温度更低的压扭性断裂中形成金(锑)矿.     

湘西北锰矿床成矿模式研究——以湖南花垣民乐锰矿床为例

本文以湖南花垣民乐锰矿床为例,研究了矿床中火山碎屑物质的分布及特征,用硫同位素氧、碳同位素等成因地球化学特征阐明该区裂陷盆槽盆或地堑盆地中海底火山喷发对锰矿形成的重要意义,并提出了成矿模式,认为湘西北锰矿床属离火山喷发中心较远的海底火山喷发2沉积锰矿床。     

Eclogitic metasediments from the Tso Morari area (Ladakh, Himalaya): evidence for continental subduction during India-Asia convergence

Metasediments in the Tso Morari area (Ladakh, Himalaya) provide new insights into the Higher Himalayan metamorphism in the northwestern part of the Himalayan belt. Whole-rock analyses and petrologic observations show that the metasediments correspond to Fe-rich metapelites, Mg-rich metapelites, intermediate metapelites and metagreywackes of the Indian continental margin. Jadeite + chloritoid + paragonite + garnet in the Fe-rich metapelites indicate pressures of 20 ±2 kbar at temperatures of 550 ±50 °C according to major element partitioning thermobarometry, stability fields of minerals and Thermocalc P-T estimates. These results are consistent with P-T estimates on other metasediments and with the occurrence of eclogites. Subsequent retrogression at the eclogite-blueschist facies transition (from 18 to 13 kbar and 540 ±50 °C) was followed by an increase in temperature to 630 ±30 °C at amphibolite facies conditions. The metamorphic evolution is related to subduction of the Indian continental margin beneath the southern Asian margin at the onset of the Indian-Eurasian collision. Received: 17 April 1996 / Accepted: 19 February 1997     

Formation of atoll garnets in the UHP eclogites of the Tso Morari Complex,Ladakh, Himalaya

The eclogites of the Tso Morari Complex, Ladakh, NW Himalayas preserve both garnets with spectacular atoll textures, as well as whole porphyroblastic garnets. Whole garnets are euhedral, idiomorphic and enclose inclusions of amphibole, phengite and zoisite within the cores, and omphacite and quartz/coesite towards the rims. Detailed electron microprobe analyses and back-scattered electron images show well-preserved prograde zoning in the whole garnets with an increase in Mg and decrease in Ca and Mn contents from the core to the rim. The atoll garnets commonly consist of euhedral ring over island/peninsular core containing inclusions of phengite, omphacite and rarely amphibole between the core and ring. Compositional profiles across the studied atoll grains show elemental variations with higher concentrations of Ca and Mn with low Mg at the peninsula/island cores; contrary to this low Ca, Mn and high Mg is observed at the outer rings. Temperature estimates yield higher values at the Mg-rich atoll garnet outer rings compared to the atoll cores. Atoll garnet formation was favoured by infiltration of fluid formed due to breakdown of hydrous phases, and/or the release of structurally bounded OH from nominally anhydrous minerals at the onset of exhumation. Infiltration of fluids along pre-existing fracture pathways and along mineral inclusion boundaries triggered breakdown of the original garnet cores and released elements which were subsequently incorporated into the newly-grown garnet rings. This breakdown of garnet cores and inward re-growth at the outer ring produced the atoll structure. Calibrated geo-thermobarometers and mineral equilibria reflect that the Tso Morari eclogites attain peak pressures prior to peak temperatures representing a clockwise path of evolution.     

Mafic to hybrid microgranular enclaves in the Ladakh batholith,northwest Himalaya: Implications on calc-alkaline magma chamber processes

Felsic magmatisms in the north of Indus-Tsangpo Suture Zone (ITSZ) in Ladakh range of northwest Indian Himalaya, referred herein Ladakh granitoids (LG), and associated magmatic rocks constitute the bulk of the Ladakh batholith. They have been characterized as Andean-type, calc-alkaline, largely metaluminous (I-type) to a few peraluminous (S-type) granitoids derived from partial melting of subducting materials. The LG can be broadly classified into coarsegrained facies with abundant mafics (hbl-bt), medium-grained facies with low content of mafics, and fine-grained leucocratic facies with very low amount of mafics. Mesocratic to melanocratic, rounded to elliptical, fine to medium grained, mafic to hybrid microgranular enclaves (ME) are ubiquitous in medium to coarse-grained LG. ME are absent or rare in the leucocratic variety of LG. In this paper different types of ME, and their field relation and microstructures with respect to felsic host LG are documented from northwestern, central, southeastern parts of the Ladakh batholith. Rounded to elongate ME of variable sizes (a few cm to metres across, mostly d<30 cm) commonly having sharp, crenulate, and occasionally diffuse contacts of ME with felsic host LG suggest that several pulses of crystal-charged mafic and felsic magmas coexisted, hybridized, and co-mingled into subvolcanic settings. Occurrence of composite ME (several small mafic ME enclosed into large porphyritic ME) strongly point to multiple mafic to hybrid magma intrusions into partly crystalline LG magma chambers. Synplutonic mafic dykes disrupted to form subrounded to angular (brecciated) mafic ME swarms commonly disposed in strike-length suggest mafic magma injections at waning stage of felsic magma evolution with large rheological contrasts. Pillowing of mafic melt against leucocratic (aplitic) residual melt strongly suggests mafic magma intrusion in nearly-crystallized condition of pluton. Although common mineral asemblages (hblbt-pl-kfs-qtz-ap-zrn-mt±ilm) of ME (diorite, quartzdiorite) and host LG (granodiorite, monzogranite) may relate to their cogenetic relation, fine to medium grained porphyritic (hybrid) nature and lack of cumulate texture of ME strongly oppose cognate origin for ME. Presence of plagioclase xenocrysts, quartz ocelli and accicular apatite in porphyritic ME strongly indicate mingling and undercooling of hybridized ME globules into relatively crystal-charged cooler host LG magma. Grain size differences of some ME, except to those of porphyritic ones, appear related to varying degrees of undercooling of ME most likely controlled by their variable sizes. Several smaller ME, however, lack fine-grained chilled margin probably because of their likely disaggregation from a large size ME during the course of progressive hybridization (mingling to mixing) leaving behind trails of mafic schlieren. Field and microstructural evidences at least suggest that Ladakh granitoids and their microgranular enclaves are products of multistage magma mingling and mixing processes concomitant fractional differentiation of several batches of mafic and felsic magmas formed in open magma chamber(s) of subduction setting.