Tectonic setting of Western Pacific marginal basins

Global kinematics as well as magnetic anomalies of marginal basins, with continental geology and paleomagnetic data as additional constraints, are used to present a set of reconstructions of the Western Pacific marginal basins between 56 Ma and the Present at key periods (56, 43, 32, 20, 12 and 3 Ma). Our model accounts for the rapid motion of “exotic terranes” along the whole of the Western Pacific convergent zone.

Marginal basins appear to open in a great variety of tectonic settings, the two extreme examples being the Mariana trough where trench suction may be the predominant driving force and the South China Sea where intracontinental deformation appears to be the major mechanism. The study of marginal basins is a 3-D problem which must take into account the whole tectonic context (subduction related tectonics in cross-section and upper plate deformation in map view) and not only a 2-D problem (the classical trench-arc-back-arc problem).     

Oil and gas potential of continental margins of the Pacific Ocean

Oil and gas basins (OGB) of active and transform margins of the Pacific Ocean are discussed. Their western and eastern parts differ substantially in the evolution, tectonic pattern, and scope of resources. In the west, marginal seas incorporated into the Cenozoic geodynamic system of deep-water basins (marginal seas) and conjugate island arcs exhibit a greater oil and gas potential (hereafter, petroleum potential) as compared to the eastern margin bounded by a deep-water trench and transformed into the framing with OGBs only in separate sectors. The abundance of siliceous rocks influenced the formation and accumulation of oil and gas in the Pacific region. The most part of hydrocarbon accumulations is related to organogenic edifices and channels of shelf fans. Oil and gas fields confined to fans on slopes of deep-water troughs of active and transform margins are also known. Proceeding from the global practice, significant petroleum potential in Russia is associated with back-arc seas of the Pacific. The poorly studied deep-water basins on slopes are worthy of special attention.     

Diagenesis of sandstones in the back-arc basins of the western Pacific Ocean

ABSTRACT Sandstones occur in back-arc basins of the western Pacific at DSDP sites 299 (Sea of Japan), 297 (northern Shikoku Basin), 445 and 446 (Daito-Ridge-and-Basin Province), 453 (Mariana Trough), 286 (New Hebrides Basin) and 285 (South Fiji Basin). These sandstones are dominantly volcaniclastic arenites derived from andesitic island arcs. The degree of sandstone diagenesis is dependent on original composition, burial rate, heat flow history of the basin, and timing of sandstone deposition with respect to rifting processes and associated high heat flow.
Sandstones containing a larger proportion of volcaniclastic components showed more diagenetic effects than sandstones containing a significant volume of other rock fragments and mineral components. Sandstones deposited during early stages of rifting (sites 445, 446) with a slow burial rate and high crustal heat flow showed the greatest degree of downhole diagenetic change. These diagenetic changes include early pore-space reduction and rim cementation by clay minerals followed later by calcite, and subsequent pore-fill cementation by clinoptilolite, heulandite, analcite and later calcite. Replacement of recognizable volcanic rock fragments by chert, calcite and zeolites was observed in the deepest part of the hole. Sandstones deposited after rifting under conditions of associated lower heat flow showed considerably less diagenetic changes, particularly if burial was rapid.
The high heat flow associated with earliest rifting, associated fluid circulation driven by thermal convection, and slow burial rate controlled the diagenetic history of these sandstones. Thus, timing of sandstone deposition with rifting stage and associated burial rates were key factors in controlling sandstone diagenesis in back-arc basins.     

Model of the formation of marginal seas in the western Pacific Ocean

A geodynamic model for the formation and movement of marginal seas in the Pacific Ocean during lateral interaction between the Eurasian and Pacific lithospheric plates is proposed. In a transition strike-slip megazone, the continental and oceanic plates disintegrate into blocks, which are involved in rotation, thus causing formation of mantle plumes and tectonospheric funnels (ascending and descending lithospheric vortexes). The implications of the model are formulated. Three scenarios of the evolution of the marginal sea basins depending on the direction of motion of the Pacific plate are discussed.     

西太平洋深层西边界流研究进展

中国科学院西太平洋科学观测网实现了对西太平洋深层西边界流的长期连续和组网观测。基于观测网获取的数据并结合模式数据,逐步摸清了深层西边界流在雅浦—马里亚纳海沟连接区季节性入侵西太平洋的路径、流量和动力机制,揭示了地形罗斯贝波引起的深层季节内振荡特征和能量来源,发现了深海与上层海洋和气候变化联系的“高速公路”,改变了以往“深海是死水、杂乱无章和非常缓慢变化”的传统认知,就该方面的创新进展进行了总结,并讨论了下一步太平洋深层环流的观测和研究设想。     

Salt tectonics in pull-apart basins with application to the Dead Sea Basin

The Dead Sea Basin displays a broad range of salt-related structures that developed in a sinistral strike-slip tectonic environment: en échelon salt ridges, large salt diapirs, transverse oblique normal faults, salt walls and rollovers. Laboratory experiments are used to investigate the mechanics of salt tectonics in pull-apart systems. The results show that in an elongated pull-apart basin the basin fill, although decoupled from the underlying basement by a salt layer, remains frictionally coupled to the boundary. The basin fill, therefore, undergoes a strike-slip shear couple that simultaneously generates en échelon fold trains and oblique normal faults, trending mutually perpendicular. According to the orientation of basin boundaries, sedimentary cover deformation can be dominantly contractional or extensional, at the extremities of pull-apart basins forming either folds and thrusts or normal faults, respectively. These guidelines, applied to the analysis of the Dead Sea Basin, show that the various salt-related structures form a coherent set in the frame of a sinistral strike-slip shearing deformation of the sedimentary basin fill.     

西太平洋中段沉积盆地新生代构造-沉积演化特征*

西太平洋中段位于欧亚板块、太平洋板块和印度洋板块的交汇处,是全球沟弧盆体系最为发育的地区,主要发育弧后盆地、弧前盆地和陆架边缘盆地。文中通过综合研究西太平洋中段17个盆地的大地构造背景、盆地的形成与演化和沉积特征后认为:(1)各类盆地的构造-沉积演化均经历4个期次。弧前盆地和弧后盆地的构造-沉积演化可分为俯冲期(K₂-E)、盆地发育期((Ｎ_１^１ -Ｎ_１³)、沉降期(Ｎ_１⁴-Ｎ_１⁵)和挤压期(N₂-Q):俯冲期发育火山岩和变质岩基底,局部为海相碎屑岩;盆地发育期以海相沉积为主,伴有火山活动,局部发育陆相沉积;沉降期以海相和三角洲相沉积为主;挤压期以三角洲相和海相沉积为主,局部发育河湖相沉积。陆架边缘盆地的构造-沉积演化也分为4期,分别为前裂陷期(K₂-E₁)、裂陷期(E₂-(E₃^１)、拗陷期(E₃²-Ｎ_１³)和沉降期(Ｎ_１⁴-Q):前裂陷期和裂陷期主要发育冲积扇—河流—湖泊沉积体系,火山活动强烈;拗陷期沉积环境由陆相向海陆过渡相演化;沉降期以海相和海陆过渡相沉积为主。(2)不同类型盆地的构造-沉积演化特征各不相同:弧前盆地构造以挤压和板块俯冲为主,平均沉积厚度为3.6,km,总体由海陆过渡相向陆相演化;弧后盆地构造受板块俯冲后撤和弧后洋壳扩张作用控制,平均沉积厚度为4.8,km,总体由海相向海陆过渡相演化;陆架边缘盆地构造呈下断上拗双层结构,平均沉积厚度超过10,km,总体由陆相演化为海相。     

南海大陆边缘盆地构造演化差异性及其与南海扩张耦合关系

南海大陆边缘盆地由于边界条件的差异,不仅形成了不同类型的陆缘盆地,如离散型、走滑伸展型和伸展挠曲复合型,而且这些盆地构造演化存在明显的非同步性。这些陆缘破裂过程与南海扩张作用过程呈现明显不一致性。研究表明,南海扩张时期南海南、北大陆边缘均形成了一系列裂陷盆地,然而,南海南部、北部大陆边缘盆地裂陷作用结束时间不同,北部大陆边缘盆地裂陷作用结束于23 Ma或21 Ma,而南部大陆边缘盆地裂陷作用结束于15.5 Ma,显然北部大陆边缘盆地裂陷结束时间明显早于南部大陆边缘盆地。南海扩张停止后,南海南、北部陆缘仍表现出明显差异,北部陆缘仍以伸展作用为主,晚中新世以来出现快速沉降幕,而南海南部陆缘则以挤压作用为主,且其挤压时间及强度呈现南早北晚的特点,即南部曾母盆地明显早于南薇西盆地和北康盆地。南海南、北大陆边缘盆地形成演化的差异性,特别是构造转型差异变化,为新生代南海扩张的迁移性提供了有力的佐证,可以推断南海不同期次海盆扩张可能存在向南的突然跃迁。因此,本次研究梳理出的南海不同陆缘盆地张裂伸展的非同步性可为南海洋盆扩张演化过程解释提供新的证据。     

转换型被动陆缘盆地地质特征与深水油气聚集规律:以赤道大西洋西非边缘盆地群为例

基于前人成果及油气勘探新发现资料,系统分析了赤道西非受转换断层强烈控制的转换型被动陆缘盆地群地质与深水油气聚集特征。构造解析与地层剖析表明,该地区盆地形态、基底断裂、变形序列和区域应力均受转换断层控制;经历了前转换陆内沉积期、陆内剪切裂谷期、陆洋转换压扭期及被动陆缘热沉降期4个演化阶段;形成4套区域性不整合,从东往西具有迁移性;充填了陆内剪切期河湖相碎屑岩、陆洋转换期陆相及滨浅海相碎屑岩为主和被动陆缘期海相碎屑岩为主的3套地层巨层序。地质结构显示,盆缘窄陆架、陡陆坡,断裂呈高角度张剪性,易发育转换脊或台地。深水沉积特点为小物源短距离近岸快速堆积,形成富砂的纵向叠置横向裙边状小型扇或扇复合体。深水油气勘探以陆洋转换-被动陆缘早期阶段岩性-地层和背斜构造圈闭为重点。     

Early cenozoic magmatism in the continental margin of Kamchatka

The paper presents isotopic-geochemical features of magmatic rocks that were produced at the continental margin of Kamchatka during its various evolutionary stages. Continental-margin magmatism in Kamchatka is demonstrated to have evolved from the Paleocene until the present time. The Paleocene and Middle-Late Eocene magmatic complexes show features of suprasubduction magmatism. The magmatic melts were derived from isotopically heterogeneous (depleted and variably enriched, perhaps, as a consequence of mixing with within-plate melts) mantle sources and were likely contaminated with quartz-feldspathic sialic sediments. The Miocene preaccretion stage differs from the Paleogene-Eocene one in having a different geochemical and isotopic composition of the mantle magma sources: the magmatic sources of the Miocene suprasubduction magmas contained no compositions depleted in radiogenic Nd isotopes, whereas the sources of the within-plate magmas were enriched in HFSE. The Late Pliocene-Quaternary postaccretion magmas of the Eastern Kamchatka Belt are noted for the absence of a within-plate OIB-like component.     

Flexure of the lithosphere and continental margin basins

The accumulation of sediments at an Atlantic-type continental margin constitutes a load on the lithosphere which simply sags due to its weight. Studies of the geometry of deformation suggests the lithosphere will respond to these loads either by local loading of an Airy-type crust or flexural loading of a strong rigid crust. Sediment loading models of either type cannot, however, explain the substantial thicknesses of shallow-water sediments observed in commercial boreholes from Atlantic-type margins. Other factors such as thermal contraction, gravitational outflow of crustal material or deep crustal metamorphism may contribute to the subsidence. We have used biostratigraphic data from commercial boreholes from the Gulf of Lion and the East Coast U.S.A. to quantitatively determine the contribution of sediment loading to the subsidence. From these data we determined sea-floor and basement depths for sequential time intervals during margin development. Using the sediment loading models the sediment layers at each margin were progressively “backstripped” and the depth basement would have been without the sediment load calculated. The computed basement depths indicate there is a recognizable component of the subsidence of these margins which is caused by processes other than adjustments to the weight of the sediment. The nature of this subsidence is discussed and comparisons are made with that which would be expected from thermal-contraction models.     

Volcanic evolution of the marginal and interarc basins

Volcanic evolution of the interarc and marginal basins is analysed using the available data on volcanics from the presently existent and ancient back-arc basins of the western Pacific and Mediterranean. It is shown that in early (pre-spreading) stages of back-arc rifting, the character of volcanism is determined by “maturity” of the adjacent island arc. It is predominantly alkaline or mildly alkaline for back-arc basins related to the island-arcs with high-potash calc-alkaline and shoshonitic volcanism. The back-arc alkaline and mildly alkaline basalts strongly differ from the continental and oceanic rift volcanoes by constantly lower Ti, Nb and Zr contents. Because of these features these basalts are akin to the basaltic members of the island-arc volcanic series. As the latter, they are generally strongly enriched in K₂O and LIL elements, whereas Na₂O reveals comparatively small variability. With initiation of spreading a sharp depression of K₂O, LIL and light REE occurs in the axial basalts of back-arc basins, that progressively approach the MORB composition. But even tholeiites from the most evolved basins that underwent a considerable spreading reveal slight but detectable geochemical peculiarities, indicating their island-arc affinities. Origin of the low-Ti alkaline basaltic magmas of the active continental margins is discussed.     

被动陆缘洋陆转换带和岩石圈伸展破裂过程分析及其对南海陆缘深水盆地研究的启示

作为伸展陆壳和正常洋壳之间重要的过渡和衔接,洋陆转换带(ocean-continent transition,简写为OCT)蕴含有丰富的地壳岩石圈伸展破裂过程的信息。文中通过系统的资料调研,在总结OCT研究历史、现状和发展趋势的基础上,阐明了OCT的现代概念、类型及其识别标志;详细介绍了以OCT为基础而建立的被动陆缘地壳岩石圈结构构造单元划分方案、表层沉积盆地构造地层格架及重要的构造变革界面特征;分析了大型拆离断层在地壳岩石圈薄化、地幔剥露过程中的控制作用;揭示了陆缘变形集中、迁移和叠合的规律,建立了被动陆缘岩石圈伸展、薄化、剥露和裂解模式。最后,论文对比了国际非岩浆型被动大陆边缘与我国南海OCT的研究,介绍了南海OCT和陆缘深水超深水盆地研究的新发现,提出深入研究南海OCT将为南海陆缘构造演化、洋盆扩张过程和深水超深水盆地的成因机制研究提供新的启示。     

西太平洋深海沉积物古菌多样性垂直分布

以提取并纯化的西太平洋深海沉积物DNA为模板,利用古菌PCR特异性引物扩增出样品中古菌的16S rDNA片段,构建其克隆文库,建立阳性克隆子RFLP(Restriction Fragment Length Polymor-phism)酶切图谱。据酶切图谱对所获得的120个克隆进行测序,并与数据库中的序列进行比对,从而进行古菌的多样性和系统发育分析。结果表明,沉积物中扩增的16S rDNA古菌序列分别来自泉古生菌(Crenarchaeota)和广古生菌(Euryarchaeota),以Marine Benthic Group B(11.8%)、Marine Benthic Group D(13.6%)、Marine Crenarchaeotic Group(68.69%)为主。少量序列为South African Gold Mine Euryarchaeotic Group(1.07%)、Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Euryarchaeotic Group(1.61%)、UIIB(1.25%)、VALIII(1.79%)、Marine Benthic Group E(0.18%)。以上结果表明西太平洋深海沉积物中有丰富多样的古菌群落。     

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。     

Cenozoic continental arc magmatism and associated mineralization in Ecuador

Most of the economic ore deposits of Ecuador are porphyry-Cu and epithermal style gold deposits associated with Tertiary continental arc magmatism. This study presents major and trace element geochemistry, as well as radiogenic isotope (Pb, Sr) signatures, of continental arc magmatic rocks of Ecuador of Eocene to Late Miocene (~50–9 Ma, ELM) and Late Miocene to Recent (~8–0 Ma, LMR) ages. The most primitive ELM and LMR rocks analyzed consistently display similar trace element and isotopic signatures suggesting a common origin, most likely an enriched MORB-type mantle. In contrast, major and trace element geochemistry, as well as radiogenic isotope systematics of the whole sets of ELM and LMR samples, indicate strikingly different evolutions between ELM and LMR rocks. The ELM rocks have consistently low Sr/Y, increasing Rb/Sr, and decreasing Eu/Gd with SiO₂, suggesting an evolution through plagioclase-dominated fractional crystallization at shallow crustal levels (<20 km). The LMR rocks display features of adakite-type magmas (high Sr/Y, low Yb, low Rb/Sr) and increasing Eu/Gd and Gd/Lu ratios with SiO₂. We explain the adakite-type geochemistry of LMR rocks, rather than by slab melting, by a model in which mantle-derived melts partially melt and assimilate residual garnet-bearing mafic lithologies at deeper levels than those of plagioclase stability (i.e., >20 km), and most likely at sub-crustal levels (>40–50 km). The change in geochemical signatures of Tertiary magmatic rocks of Ecuador from the ELM- to the LMR-type coincides chronologically with the transition from a transpressional to a compressional regime that occurred at ~9 Ma and has been attributed by other investigations to the onset of subduction of the aseismic Carnegie ridge.The major districts of porphyry-Cu and epithermal deposits of Ecuador (which have a small size, <<200 Mt, when compared to their Central Andean counterparts) are spatially and temporally associated with ELM magmatic rocks. No significant porphyry-Cu and epithermal deposits (except the epithermal high-sulfidation mineralization of Quimsacocha) appear to be associated with Late Miocene-Recent (LMR, ~8–0 Ma) magmatic rocks. The apparent infertility of LMR magmas seems to be at odds with the association of major porphyry-Cu/epithermal deposits of the Central Andes with magmatic rocks having adakite-type geochemical signatures similar to LMR rocks. The paucity of porphyry-Cu/epithermal deposits associated with LMR rocks might be only apparent and bound to exposure level, or real and bound (among other possibilities) to the lack of development of shallow crustal magmatic chambers since ~9 Ma as a result of a prolonged compressional regime in the Ecuadorian crust. More work is needed to understand the actual metallogenic potential of LMR rocks in Ecuador.Editorial handling: J. Richards     

Pre-Tertiary felsic magmatism of the Nepal Himalaya: recycling of continental crust

At least seven different groups of felsic magmatic rocks have been observed in the Lesser and Higher Himalayan units of Nepal. Six of them are pre-Himalayan. The Ulleri Lower Proterozoic augen gneiss extends along most of the length of the Lesser Himalaya of Nepal and represents a Precambrian felsic volcanism or plutono-volcanism, mainly recycling continental crustal material; this volcanism has contributed sediment to the lower group of formations of the Lesser Himalaya. The Ampipal alkaline gneiss is a small elongated body appearing as a window at the base of the Lesser Himalayan formations of central Nepal; it originated as a Precambrian nepheline syenite pluton, contaminated by lower continental crust. The “Lesser Himalayan” granitic belt is well represented in Nepal by nine large granitic plutons; these Cambro-Ordovician peraluminous, generally porphyritic, granites, only occur in the crystaline nappes; they were probably produced by large-scale melting of the continental crust at the northern tip of the Indian craton, during a general episode of thinning of Gondwana continent with heating and mantle injection of the crust. The Formation III augen gneisses of the Higher Himalaya, such as the augen gneiss of the Higher Himalayan crystalline nappes (Gosainkund) are coeval to the “Lesser Himalayan” granites, and their more metamorphic (lower amphibolite grade) equivalents. Limited outcrops of Cretaceous trachytic volcanism lie along the southern limb of the Lesser Himalaya and are coeval with spilitic volcanism in the Higher Himalayan sedimentary series. This volcanism foreshadows the general uplift of the Indian margin before the Himalayan collision. The predominance of felsic over basic magmatism in the 2.5 Ga-long evolution of the Himalayan domain constitutes an unique example of recycling of continental material with very limited addition of juvenile mantle products.     

西太平洋维嘉平顶山沉积特征及富钴结壳资源意义

基于中国大洋36和41航次浅地层剖面数据,结合DSDP钻井及国内外相关研究,对西太平洋维嘉平顶山顶部沉积物的浅地层剖面特征、沉积环境、沉积时代、沉积物厚度分布特征等进行了研究,发现3种主要的地层反射特征,分别代表3个沉积单元;山顶沉积物的厚度分布呈现出3个沉积中心区和4个基岩裸露/沉积物稀薄区的特点;平顶山东部的沉积异常可能与始新世的第二次火山活动有关。根据富钴结壳的生长和发育特点,结合维嘉平顶山的沉积物分布特征,圈定了结壳资源潜力分布区。维嘉平顶山作为中国重要的富钴结壳合同区块,本次研究对其富钴结壳资源进一步的勘探工作具有指导意义。     

Initiation and development of pull-apart basins with Riedel shear mechanism: insights from scaled clay experiments

Typical pull-apart structures were created in scaled clay experiments with a pure strike-slip geometry (Riedel type experiments). A clay slab represents the sedimentary cover above a strike-slip fault in the rigid basement. At an early stage of the development of the deformation zone, synthetic shear fractures (Riedel shears) within the clay slab display dilatational behaviour. With increasing basal displacement the Riedel shears rotate and open further, developing into long, narrow and deep troughs. The shear displacement and the low angle with the prescribed principal basal fault set them apart from tension gashes. At a more evolved stage, synthetic segments (Y-shears) parallel to the basal principal fault develop and accommodate progressive strike-slip deformation. The Y-shears connect the tips of adjacent troughs developed from the earlier Riedel shears, resulting in the typical rhomb-shaped structures characteristic for pull-apart basins. The Strait of Sicily rift zone, with major strike-slip systems being active from the Miocene to the Present, comprises pull-apart basins at different length scales, for which the structural record suggests development by a mechanism similar to that observed in our experiments.