The migration of plate boundaries in SE Sicily: Influence on the large-scale kinematic model of the African promontory in southern Italy

A detailed field mapping, coupled with structural analyses and morphological investigation, has been carried out along the northern and western borders of the Hyblean Plateau (SE Sicily), in order to define the nature and the kinematics of a major Quaternary fault belt. This, here designed as the Scicli Line Fault Belt, is composed of two N50 oriented extensional basins that, linked by a regional N10 trending transfer zone, originated during the Early Pleistocene and experienced, since the Late Quaternary, a positive tectonic inversion. In both the two stages of deformation, the Scicli Line Fault Belt has been characterised by displacement-rate comparable with the relative velocities measured between the distinct plates composing the central Mediterranean region. In the period going from 1.5–1.2 to 0.85 Ma, the fault belt accommodated the entire divergence between Adria and Nubia. At present, the Scicli Line Fault Belt absorbs most of the Nubia–Eurasia convergence, while the western divergent margin of the Adria microplate has jumped to the eastern and the southern margins of the Hyblean Plateau, along the Late Quaternary Siculo–Calabrian Rift Zone. The off-shore prolongation of the two tectonic boundaries of the Hyblean Plateau has been recognised in the Sicily Channel, where they are both interrupted by a WNW-ESE oriented dextral fault. According to our reconstruction, the Hyblean Plateau represents an isolated lithospheric block, whose evolution can be related to the propagation of the western divergent margin of the Adria microplate, accompanied with the southward migration of the triple junction between Eurasia, Nubia and Adria. In this new large-scale kinematic picture, the GPS velocity measured in the Hyblean region, at the permanent site of NOTO, is actually representative of the local kinematics, rather than of the entire African promontory of southern Italy. This implies a correction of previous regional kinematic models based on combination of GPS vectors. In particular, our data constrain a new interpretation both for the kinematics along the E–W oriented Nubia–Eurasia margin, dominated by prevalent dextral deformation rather than reverse motions, and for the intraplate deformation in the Sicily Channel, within the Africa promontory, which would be dominated by a roughly N110° oriented extension. This conclusion has implication also on the mechanism and the origin of the Pantelleria–Linosa–Malta Rift that is here interpreted as a transtensive feature developed along a major transform fault, rather than the result of passive rifting induced by the Nubia–Eurasia collision, as it is currently interpreted.     

Jahreslagen in Sedimenten der mittleren Adria

Zusammenfassung In einer abgeschnürten Meeresbucht von Mljet herrschen euxinische Verhältnisse, weshalb das Sediment in deren tiefstem Teil feinstgeschichtet ist. An der Hell-Dunkel-Wechsellagerung eines Kerns wird gezeigt, daß die durchschnittlich 0,25 mm mächtigen Doppellagen Jahres schichten sind. Zum Beweis werden sich im Sediment abbildende historische Ereignisse wie auch jahreszeitliche Veränderungen herangezogen. Danach werden im Sommer die hellen, kalzitführenden Schichten, im Herbst-Winter-Frühling die dunklen, organische Substanz, Eisensulfid und Quarz enthaltenden Lagen abgesetzt.     

Tertiary geodynamic evolution of the Southern Adria microplate

The southern Adria microplate is the common foreland for the Hellenide and Southern Apennine thrust belts. The Apulian Platform dominates the microplate; outcrop, well and seismic data allow us to trace the carbonate platform edge, whilst structural analysis, geophysical and palaeomagnetic data provide important clues to the geodynamic evolution of the region. The present structural fabric of Apulia is dominated by several E-W lineaments that divide the region into different blocks (Rospo Plateau, Gargano Promontory, Murge Ridge, Salento Peninsula, Apulian Plateau). One such lineament (the Pescara Dubrovnik ‘Line’, a prominent feature traversing the Adriatic Sea between central Italy and southern Croatia) has been active since the early Mesozoic, when it acted as a major transform fault controlling sedimentation along the northern margin of Southern Adria. During the Cenozoic the Pescara-Dubrovnik underwent predominantly vertical and oblique movement due to a differential flexural response of the platform and the adjacent pelagic sequences to the thrust belt loading. In Tertiary time the Southern Adria microplate was partly involved in HeIlenide collision. The Apulian platform can be considered as an area of thicker crust more resistant to underthrusting than the surrounding basins. During the orogenic events it acted as a passive rigid indentor, causing local distortion of the most external Hellenide structures. The dextral transpressive activity recorded along the south-east margin of this indentor (Kephallinia line) can be interpreted as the result of the oblique collision between the margin of the thick Apulian Platform (in this zone NNE-SSW striking) and the NW-SE striking Hellenic thrust belt. Horizontal stress generated during the collision was partly transmitted to the rigid foreland re-activating palaeo E-W faults within the south Adria microplate in a dextral strike-slip sense. The clockwise rotation recorded in the Salento Peninsula can be explained by the rotation of several NW-SE striking faulted blocks. The rotation was accompanied by the opening of small transtensional basins between blocks. This block rotation was caused by the dextral shear that is expressed along the North and the South Salento Fault Zones.     

古陆、古隆与古地理

地质历史中有两种性质不同的陆源区:一是格林威尔期或更早期的构造事件,导致陆块拼合、固结、基底克拉通化,在边缘形成古老剥蚀区,称之为古陆;二是震旦纪至显生宙期间,由于洋陆转换、盆山转换构造事件,原沉积盆地反转成隆起,形成新的物源区,称之为隆起,可分为克拉通边缘隆起和克拉通内隆起。克拉通内隆起具穿时性,制约下伏盆地沉积物进积和上覆晚古生代海侵上超边界。穿时的界面在三维空间上即是沉积和层控矿床的储集空间,也是油气成藏的关键因素之一。而克拉通边缘隆起则具有构造障壁的作用。     

中国北方地区二叠纪岩相古地理

主要以实地踏勘和测量建立的87个标准剖面及529个辅助剖面为基础，通过对二叠系分布格局、岩石学特征、沉积构造特征、古气候、古生态、古环境等分析，来恢复中国北方地区二叠纪的古地理面貌。早二叠世：主要存在额尔古纳和佳木斯古陆，塔里木-敦煌-祁连-内蒙古古陆；海域主要分布在松辽海相区，华北残留海湾相区，柴西残留海湾相区和南准噶尔-吐哈-北山残留海湾相区；此外还有塔里木西部碳酸盐台地相区和准噶尔腹部河湖相区。中二叠世：早二叠世的古陆依然存在，但华北北部古陆范围明显缩小，而准噶尔南缘-吐哈地区已上升成为陆地；海域只局限在东北和南祁连地区，华北地区-北祁连地区大面积为河湖相发育区；塔里木盆地主要为陆相碎屑岩沉积；准噶尔地区发育河湖相沉积，北山残留海盆火山碎屑岩发育。晚二叠世：仅在南祁连地区有海相沉积，其他地区均为陆相沉积，东北地区陆相和湖泊相沉积占主导地位；华北地区-北祁连地区主体为河湖相沉积；塔里木盆地整体为河湖相沉积；准噶尔-吐哈盆地主体为河湖相沉积。     

Lithofacies palaeogeography of the Cambrian in Tarim area

The Tarim area in this paper refers to the present Tarim Basin and its surrounding mountains, bounded on the north by the Middle Tianshan Mountains, on the south by the Kunlun Mountains, on the west by the national boundary of China, and on the east by the Altun Mountains. It covers an area of more than 1 000 000 km². Based on the quantitative and qualitative data from the stratigraphy and petrology of outcrop and well sections, and according to the single factor analysis and multifactor comprehensive mapping method, the single factor maps of the Lower, Middle and Upper Cambrian, and the lithofacies palaeogeography maps of the Early, Middle and Late Cambrian of the Tarim area, are compiled. The most important character of these lithofacies palaeogeography maps is quantification, i.e. the determination of each palaeogeography unit based on accurate quantitative data and the quantitative single factor maps. The study marks the first time that this quantitative method has been applied in the Tarim area. In the Early Cambrian, the present Tarim Basin was mainly a carbonate platform, in which there were penebank, dolostone flats, and gypsum-halite lake. The South Tianshan Basin and East Tarim Basin were siliceous rock-limestone-mudstone basins. The Kunlun Platform was situated in the south, where there were two small lands. The Altun Land was situated in the southeast. In the Middle and Late Cambrian, the framework of lithofacies palaeogeography was similar to that in the Early Cambrian; the land area was gradually reduced; the basin area was enlarged; while the Tarim Carbonate Platform changed little. The transgression continued from the Early Cambrian to the Late Cambrian. Translated from Journal of Palaeogeography, 2006, 8(4): 427–439 [译自: 古地理学报]     

塔里木地区奥陶纪岩相古地理

本文是《塔里木地区寒武纪岩相古地理》一文的延续。塔里木地区是以当今的塔里木盆地为主体并包括其周边山地的广大地区,北至中天山,南至西昆仑山,西至我国国界,东至阿尔金山,面积逾100万km2 。在98个露头剖面和钻井剖面的各种单因素定量及定性资料的基础上,采用单因素分析多因素综合作图法,编制出了塔里木地区奥陶系下奥陶统两河口阶和红花园阶、中奥陶统大湾阶和牯牛潭阶、上奥陶统庙坡阶、上奥陶统宝塔阶、上奥陶统临湘阶和五峰阶5个作图单位的各种单因素图,并在此基础上编制出了相应的5个地质时期的岩相古地理图。这些岩相古地理图的最主要特征是定量,即每个古地理单元的划分和确定都有确切的定量资料及定量单因素图为依据。这种定量的岩相古地理图在塔里木地区还是首次出现。在早奥陶世两河口期和红花园期,塔里木地区主要是碳酸盐台地,其中散布着各种滩。其北部为南天山盆地,东部为塔东盆地,南部为西昆仑台地,其东侧为东昆仑台地和柴达木台地。无陆地和云坪,盆地面积相当大。这与该地区寒武纪的岩相古地理格局大不相同。这表明早奥陶世的海进比寒武纪的更甚了。中奥陶世大湾期和牯牛潭期的岩相古地理面貌与两河口期和红花园期的相似,但南天山盆地西部扩大了,从而形成了柯坪盆地。这是一个重要变化。庙坡期的古地理面貌与大湾期和牯牛潭期的相似,但滩少了,这标志着海进又发展了且可能到达了盛期。至宝塔期,在塔里木台地的东南部,碎屑岩发育,这是塔里木碳酸盐台地向碎屑岩台地变化的预兆,是海退的标志。到晚奥陶世的临湘期和五峰期,塔里木台地基本上变成了1个碎屑岩台地。这是一个重大变化。这标志着塔里木地区寒武纪和奥陶纪海进海退旋回的终结。     

Isotopic geochronology of mesozoic acid volcanic rocks in Zhejiang Province,China

Volcano-sedimentary series of the Upper Jurassic to the Lower Cretaceous are extensively developed in Zhejiang Province. But ages and stratigraphic correlation concerning these rocks have long been a controversial problem. Systematic sampling was made of volcanic rocks of the Laocun, Huangjian, Shouchang and Moshishan Formations in western Zhejiang considered thus far as the Late Jurassic. Isotopic age determinations show that U-Th-Pb zircon ages are approximately concordant with Rb-Sr isochron ages, whereas K-Ar biotite ages and K-Ar isochron ages are all slightly lower. It can therefore be established that the ages of volcanic rocks mentioned above range from 134±6 to 122±2 m.y., corresponding to the “transitional period” from Jurassic to Cretaceous. It can also be concluded that the rocks have not undergone apparent epigenetic metamorphism. The initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio is about 0.7089–0.7121, on the basis of which it may be postulated that the volcanic magma seems to have originated from the upper mantle with contamination by sialic materials subsequent to differentiation. For age determinations of such acid volcanic rocks Rb-Sr isochron method is considered more suitable in view of its following advantages: the high reliability of results; wide applicability to different samples; smaller sample requirement and the possibility for further studies involving petrogenesis by use of initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio.     

中国北方地区石炭纪岩相古地理

中国北方地区包括西北地区、华北地区和东北地区。该地区石炭系划分为上、下统,在西北地区、东北地区石炭系发育完整,华北地区普遍缺失下石炭统。87个标准剖面和529个辅助剖面的岩相古地理研究表明：早石炭世中国北方地区主要存在佳木斯古陆、额尔古纳古陆、中朝古陆、东塔里木─敦煌─中祁连─阿拉善古陆、陇西古陆、准噶尔─吐哈古陆、阿勒泰古陆等;从东至西主要发育松辽海盆、辽东海湾、北山海盆、祁连海、柴达木台地、宗务隆山海槽、塔里木台地、西昆仑海盆、南天山海盆、北天山─准噶尔海盆等海相沉积。晚石炭世海侵范围扩大,佳木斯古陆、额尔古纳古陆仍然存在,中朝古陆已明显缩小至其北部地区,东塔里木-敦煌-阿拉善古陆范围缩小,陇西古陆向西延伸扩大,北准噶尔─阿勒泰连为一体形成古陆;发育松辽海盆、华北海、祁连海、柴达木台地、宗务隆山海槽、塔里木海盆、南准噶尔-博格达山海盆等海相沉积。     

塔里木地区寒武纪岩相古地理

塔里木地区是以当今的塔里木盆地为主体并包括其周边山地的广大地区,北至中天山,南至西昆仑山,西至我国国界,东至阿尔金山,面积逾100万km2。在39个露头剖面和钻井剖面的各种单因素定量及定性资料的基础上,采用单因素分析多因素综合作图法,编制出了塔里木地区寒武系下、中、上统的各种单因素图及相应的寒武纪早、中、晚世的岩相古地理图。这些岩相古地理图最主要的特征是定量,即每个古地理单位的划分和确定都有确切的定量资料与定量的单因素图。这种定量的岩相古地理图在塔里木地区还是首次出现。在早寒武世,塔里木地区是一个碳酸盐岩台地,其中散布着准滩、云坪和膏盐湖。其北侧和东北侧是南天山和塔东硅岩石灰岩泥岩盆地。其南侧是昆仑台地,其中有2个小陆地。其东南侧有阿尔金陆。中寒武世和晚寒武世的岩相古地理格局与早寒武世相似,但陆地面积逐渐缩小,盆地面积逐渐扩大,塔里木碳酸盐岩台地变化不大。从早寒武世到晚寒武世是一个逐渐的海进过程。     

塔里木盆地古近纪岩相古地理

古近纪是塔里木盆地由海向陆转化的时期。当时该区的海侵来自研究区西侧的古地中海分支,物源则主要是盆地北部的南天山以及南部的昆仑山,沉积中心在库车坳陷西部以及塔西南坳陷带的西部。古新世-始新世早期（库姆格列木群沉积期）在盆地北部库车坳陷发育砾岩、砂岩、碳酸盐岩及膏盐岩,沉积环境有滨岸、漏湖、潮坪及扇三角洲等,塔西南坳陷以碳酸盐岩和膏岩为特征,从东到西发育开阔台地、近岸局限台地、蒸发盐台地、辫状河三角洲环境等,二者之间即在塔北隆起及北部坳陷带位置为宽阔的古隆起区。始新世晚期-渐新世（苏维依组沉积期）整个盆地以滨浅湖为主,发育粉砂岩与泥岩互层沉积,塔西南坳陷虽然仍发育多个海相层,但海水的影响明显比始新世早期弱,当时主要古地理单元有海湾渴湖、滨浅湖、扇三角洲和辫状河三角洲。总体上,塔里木盆地在古近纪经历了早期以扇三角洲为主的浅水环境到晚期的滨浅湖及海湾溻湖环境,古近纪研究区的古气候以热带-亚热带的干旱气候为主。     

Ionic characters of lake water of Bharti promontory,Larsemann Hills,East Antarctica

The Larsemann Hills area represents a unique environmental setting between marine and glacial ecosystems. One of the promontories of this region, named Bharti, depicting similar set up was selected for the study of chemical parameters with special reference to its ionic characters. Water samples from 6 selected lakes of Bharti promontory, Larsemann Hills area were collected during the austral summer of 2004–05 and analysed for major ionic concentration and Total Dissolved Solid (TDS). This study is aimed at understanding the water chemistry of lakes of this island with emphasis on correlation between different ionic concentrations, TDS and its possible causes. The study will provide baseline data that will be useful for planning further studies. Analytical result shows that the water chemistry of these lakes is mainly governed by the lithology, precipitation, drainage and marine environment. Minor contribution of evaporation, has also been observed on the chemistry of one of the lake water. The main source of water for these lakes comes mainly from snow precipitation and its melting. The drainage line mostly goes towards eastern direction for these lakes.     

Geodynamic Background of the Mesozoic Intracontinental Magmatism in Southeast China

The authors have proposed a dynamic model in this paper based on the ages,rock series and associations,Sr-Nd isotopic signatures of the Mesozoic intracontinental magmatism overlying the Cathaysian and Yangtze blocks.The model describes the relation of intracontinental collision and subduction in the Tethyan tectonic regie with Paleo-Pacific oceanic plate sudbuction-strike slip-extension in the Pacific tectonic regime.During 220-150Ma,the horizontal collision between the North China block and the Yangtze block,as well as the intracontinental subduction of some divergent microcontinental terranes in the southwestern part of South China are ascribed to the influence of the Tethyan tectonic regime,giving rise to a volume of high-Isr and low-εNd(t) S-type granites only in the Cathaysian Block.During 145-90Ma,under the geodynamic backgound of subduction-strike slip-extension of the Paleo-Pacific oceanic plate on the basis of the deep tectonic process in the Tethyan tectonic regime,high-K,alkalirich calc-alkaline and shoshonitic volcano-plutonic complexes were generated in the Yangtze block,and high-K calc-alkalic and bimodal volcano-plutonic complexes were generated in the Cathaysian block.The occurrence of A-type peralkaline granites in the coastal areas of South east China indicates the end of Mesozoic intracontinental magmatism.     

塔里木盆地东河砂岩沉积和储层特征及综合分析

东河砂岩是一套海侵初期的沉积产物，东河砂岩不是一个等时沉积体，相当于晚泥盆世晚期至早石炭世早期沉积，具体沉积时间各地有差异。由于东河砂岩是覆盖广泛的海侵初期沉积，因此具有海侵初期填平补齐的特征，其沉积相决定于海侵的速度、沉积物的供给和海侵前的古地貌。塔北地区受塔北古隆起的阻挡，海水在古隆起周围滞留时间较长，又有较粗粒的物源供给，其沉积产物主要是滨岸海滩沉积；塔中地区由于地形复杂，沉积类型也比较复杂，底部砾岩段有河流相沉积，而块状砂岩段和砂砾岩段有河口湾和滨岸海滩沉积，不同段在成分、分选性和粒级上有较大的差异；而其它低平地区主要是海侵期快速的滨岸和陆架沉积。受沉积因素影响，东河砂岩有效储层的分布具有地域性；除沉积因素外，低的地温梯度和短期的深埋藏是优质储层发育的重要控制因素。     

冀中坳陷奥陶纪岩相古地理*

碳酸盐岩是冀中坳陷下古生界重要的古潜山油气储集层。研究表明,冀中坳陷奥陶系属于陆表海型台地,进一步划分为潮上带、潮间带、局限潮下和开阔潮下4个沉积亚相,以及泥云坪、膏云坪、云坪和云质潟湖等11种沉积微相,并构成了4个三级层序(SQ1~SQ4),其中SQ4仅发育海侵域。奥陶纪首次海侵期沉积的冶里期(SQ1-TST)在区内由北向南发育了开阔潮下—潮间—潮上亚相沉积。亮甲山期(SQ1-HST)主要发育潮间亚相沉积,局部为潮上亚相。下马家沟期(SQ2-TST)和上马家沟组沉积晚期(SQ3-TST)分别为第2次和第3次海侵,区内均以局限潮下和开阔潮下亚相为主,局部发育生屑滩和砾屑滩;上马家沟组沉积早期(SQ2-HST)和峰峰组沉积早期(SQ3-HST)以发育潮间和潮上亚相为主,是白云岩的稳定沉积期。峰峰组沉积晚期(SQ4-TST)记录了第4次海侵,以发育开阔潮下亚相为主,北部地区零星发育潮间云灰坪微相。受加里东构造运动影响,华北地台整体抬升,冀中坳陷奥陶系顶部受到剥蚀,直至石炭纪再次接受沉积。     

中国晚奥陶世岩相古地理

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