Structure and evolution of an obliquely sheared continental margin: Rio Muni, West Africa

Oblique-shear margins are divergent continental terrains whose breakup and early drift evolution are characterized by significant obliquity in the plate divergence vector relative to the strike of the margin. We focus on the Rio Muni margin, equatorial West Africa, where the ca. 70-km-wide Ascension Fracture Zone (AFZ) exhibits oblique–slip faulting and synrift half-graben formation that accommodated oblique extension during the period leading up to and immediately following whole lithosphere failure and continental breakup (ca. 117 Ma). Oblique extension is recorded also by strike–slip and oblique–slip fault geometry within the AFZ, and buckling of Aptian synrift rocks in response to block rotation and local transpression. Rio Muni shares basic characteristics of both rifted and transform margins, the end members of a spectrum of continental margin kinematics. At transform margins, continental breakup and the onset of oceanic spreading (drifting) are separate episodes recorded by discrete breakup and drift unconformities. Oceanic opening will proceed immediately following breakup on a rifted margin, whereas transform and oblique-shear margins may experience several tens of millennia between breakup and drift. Noncoeval breakup and drift have important consequences for the fit of the equatorial South American and African margins because, in reconstructing the configuration of conjugate continental margins at the time of their breakup, it cannot be assumed that highly segmented margins like the South Atlantic will match each other at their ocean–continent boundaries (OCBs). Well known ‘misfits’ in reconstructions of South Atlantic continental margins may be accounted for by differential timing of breakup and drifting between oblique-shear margins and their adjacent rifted segments.     

环印度洋地区被动陆缘盆地构造沉积演化及其对成藏要素的控制作用

环印度洋周缘被动陆缘盆地油气资源潜力巨大,是当前世界油气勘探的热点地区之一。本文基于IHS商业数据库和前人研究成果等资料,厘定了环印度洋地区被动陆缘盆地构造演化史,分析了构造演化对盆地充填结构和成藏要素的影响,并利用蒙特卡洛模拟法评估了盆地油气资源潜力,优选了有利勘探区带。研究结果表明,环印度洋地区被动陆缘盆地经历了3期构造演化阶段,依次为裂前期、同裂谷期和被动陆缘期。根据盆地演化的主导阶段,研究区内被动陆缘盆地可分为拉张边缘裂前发育型、拉张边缘断坳叠置型、拉张边缘坳陷发育型和转换边缘断坳叠置型。盆地内烃源岩主要发育于裂前期—被动陆缘早期,不同地区的主力烃源岩层系不同;储集岩主要发育于裂前期—被动陆缘晚期;区域盖层则主要发育于被动陆缘期。资源评价结果显示,研究区内重点被动陆缘盆地待发现石油、天然气和凝析油可采资源量（均值）分别为4.49×108 t,15.86×1012 m3和5.23×108 t,折合成油当量137.69×108 t。澳大利亚西北陆架北卡那封盆地裂前中—上三叠统区带、东非地区鲁伍马盆地北部和坦桑尼亚盆地南部中白垩统—新近系三角洲-深水扇区带是最有潜力的勘探区带。     

New insights from low-temperature thermochronology into the tectonic and geomorphologic evolution of the south-eastern Brazilian highlands and passive margin

The South Atlantic passive margin along the south-eastern Brazilian highlands exhibits a complex landscape,including a northern inselberg area and a southern elevated plateau,separated by the Doce River valley.This landscape is set on the Proterozoic to early Paleozoic rocks of the region that once was the hot core of the Aracuai orogen,in Ediacaran to Ordovician times.Due to the break-up of Gondwana and consequently the opening of the South Atlantic during the Early Cretaceous,those rocks of the Araquai orogen became the basement of a portion of the South Atlantic passive margin and related southeastern Brazilian highlands.Our goal is to provide a new set of constraints on the thermo-tectonic history of this portion of the south-eastern Brazilian margin and related surface processes,and to provide a hypothesis on the geodynamic context since break-up.To this end,we combine the apatite fission track(AFT)and apatite(U-Th)/He(AHe)methods as input for inverse thermal history modelling.All our AFT and AHe central ages are Late Cretaceous to early Paleogene.The AFT ages vary between 62 Ma and90 Ma,with mean track lengths between 12.2μm and 13.6μm.AHe ages are found to be equivalent to AFT ages within uncertainty,albeit with the former exhibiting a lesser degree of confidence.We relate this Late Cretaceous-Paleocene basement cooling to uplift with accelerated denudation at this time.Spatial variation of the denudation time can be linked to differential reactivation of the Precambrian structural network and differential erosion due to a complex interplay with the drainage system.We argue that posterior large-scale sedimentation in the offshore basins may be a result of flexural isostasy combined with an expansion of the drainage network.We put forward the combined compression of the Mid-Atlantic ridge and the Peruvian phase of the Andean orogeny,potentially augmented through the thermal weakening of the lower crust by the Trindade thermal anomaly,as a probable cause for the uplift.     

青藏高原东北缘寺口子盆地新生代沉积演化及其构造意义

宁夏固原寺口子盆地发育巨厚的新生代地层,这些地层记录了青藏高原东北部的沉积演化特征和构造演变历史。根据剖面沉积物粒度特征、沉积结构和构造、沉积层序,识别出20种岩相、5种沉积相类型。结合前人对寺口子剖面的古地磁测年,分析研究盆地的沉积演化特征以及对构造的响应表明:20.1 Ma盆地以缓慢的坳陷沉降开始演化,直至1.2 Ma遭受破坏。在此期间青藏高原东北部经历了6.4 Ma、4.6 Ma和1.2 Ma这3次明显的构造挤压隆升运动,其中约6.4 Ma的构造运动是青藏高原向东北部扩展首次影响到海原—六盘山断裂以东地区。从盆地的形成和沉积演化过程来看,马东山山前断裂的逆冲推覆,导致了寺口子盆地的强烈变形和构造降升,并且最终成为青藏高原的最新组成部分。     

从陆缘伸展探讨新生代南海构造演化

南海的形成和演化是地学界长期争论的问题,前人给出了多种成因模式,目前较流行的模式是海底扩张,但它难以合理解释南海海底扩张中的洋中脊跳跃现象及南海大洋中的大陆残片。基于欧亚东缘的陆缘伸展,从地幔上涌和陆壳沿莫霍面的重力滑移的新大陆漂移模型出发,通过横跨南海的几条地震勘探剖面的地质新解释,研究了南海的形成和演化过程。结果说明,南海的形成是一种“构造被动挤出+微陆块主动漂移”模式。构造被动挤出是指印度-欧亚碰撞造成的欧亚大陆东南缘的微陆块被大规模挤出,而由陆缘伸展形成的微陆块在被挤出后发生了主动裂解漂移,南海的海底扩张现象是诸多微陆块主动漂移的结果。这个新的模式能够合理地解释南海形成过程中的洋中脊跳跃现象及南海中大陆残片的成因机制。进一步恢复了南海演化过程中周边陆块的运动演化历史,说明欧亚东缘在中生代晚期发生的大规模伸展构造运动是南海形成的基础,新生代印度-欧亚碰撞是南海形成的直接动力,微陆块的裂解漂移是南海形成的主要参与者。     

Late Mesozoic tectonic structure and evolution along the present-day northeastern South China Sea continental margin

The northeastern South China Sea continental margin holds the key to understanding Late Mesozoic tectonics and evaluating hydrocarbon potentials in Mesozoic tectonic and stratigraphic structures offshore southeast China. With newly obtained and processed seismic data, and new drilling and logging data, we correlate regional Mesozoic stratigraphy and analyze major Mesozoic tectonic events and structures. In particular, we focus our study on the three major tectonic units in the area, the Chaoshan Depression, the Tainan Basin, and the Dongsha–Penghu Uplift, which are separated by basement high, thrust fold, and (or) faults. Stratigraphic correlations suggest a major phase of southeastward regression, spanning in time from the late Early Jurassic (180 Ma) to the Early Cretaceous (120 Ma). Seismic data reveal two major tectonic events, with the first one in the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous, contemporary with the regression, and the second one in the Late Cretaceous. Regional magnetic anomaly map after the reduction to the pole clearly reveals the boundary between the Dongsha–Penghu Uplift and the Chaoshan–Tainan depositional system. The seismic and magnetic data also suggest that, while the Dongsha–Penghu Uplift has highly magnetized sources buried mostly in the upper crust at depths from about 2 km to about 20 km, the Chaoshan–Tainan depositional system has thick Mesozoic sediments of low magnetization.     

华南东部陆缘新生代隆升历史及其动力学机制

华南陆缘在新生代期间经历了千米量级的上覆盖层剥蚀和山脉隆升;同时,其东侧的东海陆架盆地经历多次构造应力场的反转并发育多期反转构造。东海陆架盆地内的构造反转与华南陆缘隆升的发生时间和触发机制是否一致有待研究。为此,本文对浙江地区的岩石样品进行磷灰石裂变径迹测试和热演化史反演分析其隆升历史,并通过地震剖面分析东海陆架盆地的反转时间及其反转所导致的地层剥蚀量;最后,将二者进行对比分析并研究其动力学机制。结果发现,华南东部陆缘地区至少存在晚始新世（34.5~33.5Ma）、中中新世（16~11.5Ma）、上新世以来（5~0Ma）三期明显的快速隆升事件,三期隆升导致的地层剥蚀量分别为227m、593m和865m;东海陆架盆地经历了古新世末-始新世初（~56Ma）、始新世末-渐新世初（~32Ma）和晚中新世（~10Ma）三期构造反转,三期反转导致的局部地层最大剥蚀量分别可达1200m、1300m和2000m。在时间上,东海陆架盆地的始新世末-渐新世初（~32Ma）和晚中新世（~10Ma）的构造反转分别滞后于浙江的晚始新世（34.5~33.5Ma）和中中新世（16~11.5Ma）的隆升时间,说明这两期挤压-剥蚀事件分别具有自西向东的迁移性,即印度-欧亚板块碰撞的远程效应可能是导致该迁移特征的原因;在强度上,东海陆架盆地的反转剥蚀量大于浙江境内的地层隆升量、挤压强度东强西弱,中新世晚期菲律宾海板块向西俯冲导致冲绳海槽弧后伸展产生向西的挤压力、这种挤压应力向陆内传递且强度变弱可能是导致该特征的原因。

     

Teredolites Leymerie in the Lower Greensand Group (Cretaceous) of the Isle of Wight and the problematic ichnology of reworked clasts

Nineteenth-century references to clavate borings in woody substrates in the Lower Greensand of the Isle of Wight used a variety of names, but Teredo (a wood-boring bivalve, not a boring), Teredolithes (a junior synonym of Teredolites) and Gastrochaena (a bivalve borer of rock and shelly substrates, not a boring in wood) are all nomenclatorially incorrect. Borings in a beach clast derived from the Lower Greensand Group and recently collected from Sandown Bay, Isle of Wight, are referred to Teredolites isp. cf. T. longissimus Kelly and Bromley. This specimen confirms the presence of Teredolites in the Lower Greensand Group and demonstrates a common ichnological problem of beach clasts; borings, either fossil or modern, are incompletely preserved, making confident classification below the level of ichnogenus problematic.     

准噶尔盆地西北缘乌尔禾鼻隆中下三叠统沉积相特征

通过岩芯观察、薄片鉴定、测井和录井资料分析,认为准噶尔盆地西北缘乌尔禾鼻隆地区三叠系百口泉组和克拉玛依组主要发育砂砾岩、砾岩、砂质砾岩及少量砂岩、泥岩;该区的储层以低孔低渗为主,在克拉玛依组可见到少量中孔中渗储层;通过单井沉积相、剖面沉积相研究,结合研究区的构造背景和沉积环境,认为研究区物源以其西部黄羊泉以西地区为主,北部哈拉阿拉特山为辅;百口泉组发育冲积扇沉积,克拉玛依组发育扇三角洲沉积,沉积环境控制了研究区优质储层的分布。     

华北板块西南缘义马盆地中侏罗世沉积相及古地理

义马盆地位于华北板块西南缘,是河南省境内唯一可采的中生代煤田,位置特殊。为了揭示其中侏罗世阿林期-巴柔期的沉积相及其古地理演化特征,运用矿物岩石学、地球化学、沉积学及岩相古地理等方法,以义马盆地中侏罗世含煤岩系为例,进行地层划分及沉积相和古地理研究。研究结果表明,研究区中侏罗世含煤岩系属阿林期-巴柔期,该时期主要发育冲积扇、辫状河、三角洲、湖泊等4种沉积相。利用单因素分析多因素综合作图法,以成煤期为节点,定量恢复了阿林期-巴柔期的古地理特征,从成煤期前到成煤期后,各优势古地理单元变化明显,具有冲积扇-三角洲-湖泊的变化规律,整体上是一个退积过程。     

Platyceratid gastropod infestations of Neoplatycrinus Wanner (Crinoidea) from the Permian of West Timor: speculations on thecal modifications

Distinctive trace fossils, indicating the infestation of the monobathrid camerate crinoid Neoplatycrinus Wanner by coprophagous platyceratid gastropods, are recognised for the first time from the Permian of West Timor. Platyceratid shells from West Timor have previously been reported preserved on or about the crinoid tegmen, that is, apically; in contrast, the trace fossils described herein occur in the CD interray (=posteriorly), mainly on the radials. There are two patterns of infestation in the CD interray. Circular grooves in this position, situated below the periproct, are referred to Lacrimichnus isp. Thecal modifications include the CD interray sloping towards the base, and incomplete curved ridges developed outside the circular groove and confined to the radials. A different morphology is shown by other specimens that have a broad, flattened CD interray, curving down to and extending onto the basals; this interray also slopes towards the base. These unusual CD interray modifications are interpreted as a product of snail/crinoid associations. We speculate that the major modifications to the theca may have permitted the platyceratid shell to mimic an uninfested CD interray and thus maintain the hydrodynamic integrity of the crown. This would have been to the advantage of both gastropod and crinoid. The camerates did not survive the P/Tr extinction; their demise ended an association that had persisted over 200 million years, although the platyceratids persisted into the Mesozoic.     

扬子陆块北缘构造演化新认识：来自原花山群年代学和地球化学的制约

原花山群分布于紧邻南秦岭的扬子陆块北缘大洪山地区,出露于重要的构造部位,是研究其形成时期扬子陆块构造演化及其与南秦岭关系的重要载体,其物质组成、形成时代和构造属性长期存在争论。本文将原花山群解体为花山构造混杂岩和正常的火山—沉积地层（本文所指花山群）两部分来讨论。笔者重新厘定了花山群的沉积时限,有针对性地对有构造背景争议的花山群进行玄武岩地球化学研究,对有时代争议的混杂岩进行锆石U-Pb年代学研究。年代学、地球化学和沉积学综合研究表明,花山群的沉积时限为ca. 830 Ma至ca. 800 Ma,形成于与Rodinia超大陆裂解有关的陆内裂谷盆地。花山构造混杂岩带可能不只是晋宁期的缝合带,而是具有多期物质组成、经历了多期构造叠加的复合型缝合带。结合他人成果,我们提出了扬子陆块与南秦岭从新元古代到早古生代的构造演化新模式。

     

Denudation history and landscape evolution of the northern East-Brazilian continental margin from apatite fission-track thermochronology

We reconstruct the history of denudation and landscape evolution of the northern East- Brazilian continental margin using apatite fission-track thermochronology and thermal history modeling. This part of the Brazilian Atlantic margin is morphologically characterized by inland and coastal plateaus surrounding a wide low-lying inland region, the Sertaneja Depression. The apatite fission track ages and mean track lengths vary from 39 ± 4 to 350 ± 57 Ma and from 10.0 ± 0.3 to 14.2 ± 0.2 μm, respectively, implying a protracted history of spatially variable denudation since the Permian at relatively low rates (<50 m My⁻¹). The Sertaneja Depression and inland plateaus record Permian-Early Jurassic (300–180 Ma) denudation that precedes rifting of the margin by > 60 Myrs. In contrast, the coastal regions record up to 2.5 km of Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous (150–120 Ma) denudation, coeval with rifting of the margin. The samples from elevated coastal regions, the Borborema Plateau and the Mantiqueira Range, record cooling from temperatures above 120 °C since the Late Cretaceous extending to the Cenozoic. We interpret this denudation as related to post-rift uplift of these parts of the margin, possibly resulting from compressional stresses transmitted from the Andes and/or magmatism at that time. Several samples from these areas also record accelerated Neogene (<30 Ma) cooling, which may record landscape response to a change from a tropical to a more erosive semi-arid climate during this time. The inferred denudation history is consistent with the offshore sedimentary record, but not with evolutionary scenarios inferred from the recognition of “planation surfaces” on the margin. The denudation history of the northeastern Brazilian margin implies a control of pre-, syn- and post-rift tectonic and climatic events on landscape evolution.     

南海东北陆坡断裂特征及其对盆地演化的控制作用

南海东北陆坡断裂发育,主要有北东、北西、近南北和近东西向的4组断裂,按性质分则有张性、压性和走滑等。主干基底断裂有F1、F2、F3、F4、F5、F6、F7、F8、F9、F10等,这些断裂规模较大并决定了珠江口盆地白云凹陷、尖峰北盆地、笔架盆地和台西南盆地发育和演化。受主干断裂的控制,尖峰北盆地经历了断陷、坳陷、区域沉降3期演化,发育两套构造层;而笔架盆地则经历了渐新世断陷、渐新世末—中中新世坳陷和晚中新世—全新世构造反转3期演化,发育两套构造层。     

The variation of crustal stretching and different modes of rifting along the Australian southern continental margin

The southern margin of Australia is a passive continental margin, formed during a Late Jurassic–Cretaceous rifting phase. The development of this passive margin is mainly associated with extensional processes that caused crustal thinning. In this work, we have measured the amount of extension and the stretching factor (β factor) across seven transect profiles approximately evenly distributed across the margin. The obtained results show that the amount of extension and the β factor along the margin vary from west to east. The lowest amount of extension, low–intermediate β factors and a very narrow margin are observed in the western part with 80 km of extension and is underlain mostly by the Archean Yilgarn Craton and the Albany–Fraser Orogen. The Gawler Craton in the centre of the south Australian margin is another region of low extension and low–intermediate β factor. The largest amount of extension (384 km) and the largest β factor (β = 1.88) are found in the eastern part of the passive margin in an area underlain by Phanerozoic Tasman Orogen units. Our results imply that there is a strong control of the age and thickness of the continental lithosphere on the style of rifting along the Australian passive margin. Rifting of old and cold lithosphere results in a narrow passive margin, with the formation of relatively few faults with relatively wide spacing, while rifting of younger, warmer lithosphere leads to wide rifting that is accommodated by a large number of faults with small spacing.     

青藏高原东北缘大陆岩石圈现今变形和位移

川青地块在地貌上为川西高原,亦是青藏高原东北边缘最重要的构造单元。新的GPS监测资料表明,在欧亚框架内,川青地块及其邻近的龙门山带和华南地块西缘的地壳运动水平速度,具有自西向东由25．66mm／a递变下降到6．99mm／a的总趋势。速度矢量表现出顺时针涡旋转动。川青地块内具有局部应变积累的非均一的区域剪切。横切鲜水河断裂带中段新的GPS量结果揭示,两侧地块间的平均左旋滑动速率约8mm／a;由于局部应变积累,断裂系南西侧的主断裂的移动速率为9．3mm／a,其间为拉分盆地和小的横向伸展断裂。鲜水河断裂系的左旋断裂滑动作用,调节了川青地块与／11滇地块之间的相对运动。     

The effect of Holocene temperature fluctuations on the evolution and ecology of Neotoma (woodrats) in Idaho and northwestern Utah

Animals respond to climatic change by adapting or by altering distributional patterns. How an animal responds is influenced by where it is positioned within its geographic range; the probability of extirpation is increased near range boundaries. Here, we examine the impact of Holocene climatic fluctuations on a small mammalian herbivore, the bushy-tailed woodrat (Neotoma cinerea), at five locations within south central Idaho and northwestern Utah. Previous work demonstrated that woodrats adapt to temperature shifts by altering body size. We focus here on the relationship between body mass, temperature, and location within the geographic range. Body mass is estimated by measuring fossil fecal pellets, a technique validated in earlier work. Overall, we find the predicted phenotypic response to climate change: animals were larger during cold periods, and smaller during warmer episodes. However, we also identify several time periods when changes in environmental temperature exceeded the adaptive flexibility of N. cinerea. A smaller-bodied species, the desert woodrat (N. lepida) apparently invaded lower elevation sites during the mid-Holocene, despite being behaviorally and physically subordinate to N. cinerea. Analysis of contemporary patterns of body size and thermal tolerances for both woodrat species suggests this was because of the greater heat tolerance of N. lepida. The robust spatial relationship between contemporary body size and ambient temperature is used as a proxy to reconstruct local climate during the Holocene.     

青藏高原东北缘大陆岩石圈现今变形和位移

川青地块在地貌上为川西高原,亦是青藏高原东北边缘最重要的构造单元。新的GPS监测资料表明,在欧亚框架内,川青地块及其邻近的龙门山带和华南地块西缘的地壳运动水平速度,具有自西向东由25.66mm/a递变下降到6.99mm/a的总趋势。速度矢量表现出顺时针涡旋转动。川青地块内具有局部应变积累的非均一的区域剪切。横切鲜水河断裂带中段新的GPS测量结果揭示,两侧地块间的平均左旋滑动速率约8mm/a;由于局部应变积累,断裂系南西侧的主断裂的移动速率为9.3mm/a,其间为拉分盆地和小的横向伸展断裂。鲜水河断裂系的左旋断裂滑动作用,调节了川青地块与川滇地块之间的相对运动。     

准噶尔盆地南缘侏罗纪沉积相演化与盆地格局

通过对准噶尔盆地南缘侏罗系5条剖面的沉积特征对比,结合钻井资料和地震资料,确定了准噶尔盆地南缘侏罗纪盆地边界、沉积相演化及盆地格局。头屯河剖面和后峡剖面的沉积相对比及古流向测量表明二者在早、中侏罗世形成于同一沉积体系。在早、中侏罗世,沉积相逐渐从以辫状河-三角洲-湖泊相为主过渡到以河流相-湖泊相为主,沉积水体逐渐变浅;其中三工河组沉积时期盆地沉积范围达到最大,西山窑组沼泽相发育,车排子-莫索湾凸起自西山窑组沉积时期开始形成;早、中侏罗世的盆地边界至少位于后峡以南附近,此时不存在地理分割明显的天山山脉。晚侏罗世－早白垩世早期,沉积相从辫状河-滨浅湖相为主迅速演变为以辫状河-冲积扇相为主。在此期间盆地边界明显向北迁移,天山山脉明显隆升并造就天山南北沉积环境的巨大差异,博格达山构成盆地南缘的又一重要物源体系。     

扬子北缘复合构造带的结构、演化和动力学

扬子北缘复合构造带位于秦岭—大别造山带南缘与扬子板块北缘之间,由桐柏—大别造山带、武汉—怀宁断褶带、九岭—江南隆起带、瑞昌—铜陵断褶带和大冶—宿松对接带等构造单元组成,是中生代不同时期构造体制叠加,不同方向构造复合、联合的结果。该复合构造带北侧的桐柏—大别山南缘构造带和武汉—怀宁前陆断褶带由北向南逆冲,主要形成于晚印支期,是特提斯构造体制作用的产物; 而南侧的九岭—江南隆起带和瑞昌—铜陵断褶带,则由南向北逆冲,主要形成于早燕山期,是太平洋构造体制作用的产物,同时北侧的大别山南缘构造带和前陆断褶带受到影响,再次活动; 位于该复合构造带中部的大冶—宿松对接带是上述不同构造体制下,不同方向应力叠加,多期构造形迹复合最终形成的复杂构造带。所以,扬子北缘复合构造带是特提斯构造体制与太平洋构造体制转换的产物,是中下扬子两大构造体系转换的经典记录。