Deep geodynamics of far field intercontinental back-arc extension: Formation of Cenozoic volcanoes in northeastern China

There are three cases of variation of trench location possible to occur during subduction: trench fixed, trench advancing, and trench retreating. Retreat of trench may lead to back-arc extension. The Pacific plate subducts at low angle beneath the Eurasia plate, tomographic results indicate that the subducted Pacific slab does not penetrate the 670 km discontinuity, instead, it is lying flat above the interface. The flattening occurred about 28 Ma ago. Geodynamic computation suggests: when the frontier of the subducted slab reaches the phase boundary of lower and upper mantle, it may be hindered and turn flat lying above the boundary, facilitates the retreat of trench and back-arc extension. Volcanism in northeastern China is likely a product of such retreat of subduction, far field back-arc extension, and melting due to reduce of pressure while mantle upwelling. Foundation item: National Natural Science Foundation of China (40234042 and 40174027).     

Late Cenozoic volcanic activity in the Chugoku area, southwest Japan arc during back-arc basin opening and reinitiation of subduction

Abstract Temporal–spatial variations in Late Cenozoic volcanic activity in the Chugoku area, southwest Japan, have been examined based on 108 newly obtained K–Ar ages. Lava samples were collected from eight Quaternary volcanic provinces (Daisen, Hiruzen, Yokota, Daikonjima, Sambe, Ooe–Takayama, Abu and Oki) and a Tertiary volcanic cluster (Kibi Province) to cover almost all geological units in the province. Including published age data, a total of 442 Cenozoic radiometric ages are now available. Across‐arc volcanic activity in an area approximately 500 km long and 150 km wide can be examined over 26 million years. The period corresponds to syn‐ and post‐back‐arc basin opening stages of the island arc. Volcanic activity began in the central part of the rear‐arc ca 26 Ma. This was followed by arc‐wide expansion at 20 Ma by eruption at two rear‐arc centers located at the eastern and western ends. Expansion to the fore‐arc occurred between 20 and 12 Ma. This Tertiary volcanic arc was maintained until 4 Ma with predominant alkali basalt centers. The foremost‐arc zone activity ceased at 4 Ma, followed by quiescence over the whole arc between 4 and 3 Ma. Volcanic activity resumed at 3 Ma, covering the entire rear‐arc area, and continued until the present to form a Quaternary volcanic arc. Adakitic dacite first occurred at 1.7 Ma in the middle of the arc, and spread out in the center part of the Quaternary volcanic arc. Alkali basalt activities ceased in the area where adakite volcanism occurred. Fore‐arc expansion of the volcanic arc could be related to the upwelling and expansion of the asthenosphere, which caused opening of the Japan Sea. Narrowing of the volcanic zone could have been caused by progressive Philippine Sea Plate subduction. Deeper penetration could have caused melting of the slab and resulted in adakites. Volcanic history in the Late Cenozoic was probably controlled by the history of evolution of the upper mantle structure, coinciding with back‐arc basin opening and subsequent reinitiation of subduction.     

The composition of back-arc basin lower crust and upper mantle in the Mariana Trough: A first report

Abstract The Mariana Trough is an active back-arc basin, with the rift propagating northward ahead of spreading. The northern part of the Trough is now rifting, with extension accommodated by combined stretching and igneous intrusion. Deep structural graben are found in a region of low heat flow, and we interpret these to manifest a low-angle normal fault system that defines the extension axis between 19°45' and 21°10'N. A single dredge haul from the deepest (∼5.5 km deep) of these graben recovered a heterogeneous suite of volcanic and plutonic crustal rocks and upper mantle peridotites, providing the first report of the deeper levels of back-arc basin lithosphere. Several lines of evidence indicate that these rocks are similar to typical back-arc basin lithosphere and are not fragments of rifted older arc lithosphere. Hornblende yielded an ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 1.8 ± 0.6 Ma, which is interpreted to approximate the time of crust formation. Harzburgite spinels have moderate Cr# (<40) and coexisting compositions of clinopyroxene (CPX) and plagioclase (PLAB) fall in the field of mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) gabbros. Crustal rocks include felsic rocks (70-80% SiO₂) and plutonic rocks that are rich in amphibole. Chemical compositions of crustal rocks show little evidence for a 'subduction component', and radiogenic isotopic compositions correspond to that expected for back-arc basin crust of the Mariana Trough. These data indicate that mechanical extension in this part of the Mariana Trough involves lithosphere that originally formed magmatically. These unique exposures of back-arc basin lithosphere call for careful study using ROVs and manned submersibles, and consideration as an ocean drilling program (ODP) drilling site.     

南海新生代海底扩张的构造演化模式: 来自高分辨率地球物理数据的新认识

根据高分辨率重、磁测网数据的分析,结合多波束海底地貌的构造解释,南海海盆新生代经历了两期不同动力特征的海底扩张,25 Ma的沉积-构造事件是其重要分界.早期扩张从约33.5 Ma开始至25 Ma停止,在东部海盆南、北两侧和西北海盆形成了具有近E-W向或NEE向磁条带的老洋壳,是近NNW-SSE向扩张的产物;晚期扩张从25 Ma开始至16.5 Ma结束,在东部海盆中央区和西南海盆形成了具有NE向磁条带的新洋壳,是NW-SE向扩张的产物.南海海盆分区特点明显,南北分区,东西分段.从南到北可进一步分为3个亚区,南、北亚区由早期扩张产生,而晚期扩张的中央亚区从东到西又可进一步分为6个洋段,中间均由NNW或NW向断裂分割,是扩张中脊分段性的表现.南海晚期扩张具有渐进式扩张的特点,虽然它们均于磁条带异常C5c停止扩张,但开始扩张的时间从东部的C6c(23.5 Ma),到中部的C6b(22.8 Ma),一直变新到西部的C5e(18.5 Ma).东部海盆与西南海盆之间的NNW向断裂是分割两海盆的边界断裂,不仅切割了磁条带异常,控制了两海盆不同的地球物理场特征,而且还使扩张中脊左行平移约95km,造成扩张中心和磁条带不连续.南海海盆扩张期间,其东部没有菲律宾群岛封闭,当时是一个面向大洋的港湾,与亚丁湾洋盆可以对比,是洋中脊向大陆边缘入侵的产物.     

Cenozoic volcanism, stress gradient and back-arc opening in the North Island, New Zealand: Origin of Taupo-Rotorua Depression

Abstract Extensive subduction-related and intraplate volcanism characterize Cenozoic magmatism in the North Is., New Zealand. Volcanics in the central North Is., predominantly intermediate to felsic, form above the dipping seismic zone and show tectonic/geochemical features common to magmatism in most subduction zones. Basaltic volcanism in Northland, the northern part of the North Is., has chemical characteristics typical of intraplate magmatism and may be caused by the upwelling of asthenospheric materials from deeper parts of the mantle. The rifting just behind the present volcanic front (the Taupo-Rotorua Depression), which follows the trench ward migration of the volcanic front and the gradual steepening of the subducted slab, is also a feature of the North Is. A possible mechanism for the back-arc rifting in the area is injection of asthenospheric materials into the mantle wedge; this asthenospheric flow results from the mantle upwelling beneath Northland and pushes both the rigid fore-arc mantle wedge and the subducted slab trenchwards. This mechanism is also consistent with the stress fields in the North Is.: dilatation in Northland, northwest-southeast tension in the Taupo-Rotorua Depression, and the northeast-southwest compression in the fore-arc region.     

三维电性结构揭示的中国东北地区新生代火山深部起源

利用上地幔尺度的三维电性结构探讨了中国东北地区新生代火山的深部起源及彼此间联系.文章在该地区采集并获得了高质量的长周期大地电磁全阻抗张量数据,并采用高斯-牛顿法进行三维反演,得到了电阻率模型.该电阻率模型显示,中国东北地区高阻岩石圈内,存在多个局部低阻异常,它们在空间上和该区新生代火山对应;在上地幔深部,环松辽盆地分布三个低阻异常;软流圈中存在着脉状低阻异常,联系着岩石圈内和上地幔深部的低阻异常.岩石物理分析表明,这些低阻异常由流体熔融物质引起.俯冲到中国东北地区地幔转换带中的西太平洋板块发生持续脱水作用,模型则进一步揭示,这些水向上迁移到松辽盆地下方的转换带顶部并引起上地幔底部的部分熔融,在浮力作用下形成热物质上升流,融透软流圈后底辟于干枯岩石圈底部,最后刺穿较为薄弱或者活化的缝合带等构造边界,排出地表形成包括长白山火山、哈拉哈火山等整个中国东北地区新生代大规模火山事件.因此认为,中国东北地区的新生代火山"本是同根生",它们均起源于上地幔深部的环状低阻异常.     

Deep origin of Cenozoic volcanoes in Northeast China revealed by 3-D electrical structure

The three-dimensional(3-D)electrical structure of the upper-mantle was used to examine the deep origins of and relationship among the Cenozoic volcanoes located in Northeast China(NEC).High-quality,long-period magnetotelluric(LMT)full-impedance tensor data were collected in NEC and subjected to 3-D Gauss-Newton inversion in order to construct a resistivity model.The resulting model reveals the presence of multiple localized low-resistivity anomalies(LRAs)within the high resistivity lithosphere beneath NEC.These LRAs partially coincide with Cenozoic volcanoes on the surface.Three LRAs that form a larger,annular LRA were observed in the deep upper mantle beneath the Songliao Basin,whereas vein-like LRAs were found in the asthenosphere that connect the lithosphere and deep upper mantle.Petrophysical analyses suggest that the LRAs may have been caused by fluid-induced melting.Based on our electrical model,we propose that,following dehydration of the subducted Western Pacific slab into the mantle transition zone(MTZ)beneath NEC,the released water migrated upward and caused partial melting at the top of the MTZ beneath the Songliao Basin.Under the effect of buoyancy,the melted mantle formed a thermal upwelling that caused melting of asthenosphere before diapiring at the base of the dry lithosphere.The magma then penetrated structural boundaries(such as thinner,weaker,or activated suture zones)and finally reached the Earth's surface.This melting and upwelling of hot mantle materials may have resulted in large-scale volcanism in the region throughout the Cenozoic,including the eruption of Changbai Mountain and Halaha Volcanoes.Our results suggest that the Cenozoic NEC volcanoes may all share a similar mode of genesis,and probably originated from the annular LRA in the deep upper mantle.     

A new model of back-arc spreading in the Parece Vela Basin, northwest Pacific margin

Abstract Swath bathymetric data, single-channel seismic reflection profiles, magnetic and gravity anomalies in the northern part of the Parece Vela (West Mariana) Basin were obtained by comprehensive surveys conducted by the Hydrographic Department of Japan. The central zone of the Parece Vela Basin is characterized by the north-south trending chain of depressions in a right-stepping en echelon alignment. The morphology of these depressions is diamond shaped and bordered by steep escarpments of 1000-1500 m relative height. These fault escarpments extend northeastward and southwestward from the depressions into the surrounding basin floor and then gradually fade out. These escarpments have an S-shaped trend, and their geometry seems to be symmetric about the depressions. Minor ridges and troughs trending orthogonal to these escarpments are recognized. It is concluded that these depressions and escarpments are the topographic expression of extinct spreading axes and S-shaped transform faults, respectively. The age of the central depressions seems to be young, although details of tectonic processes forming them remains unsolved. The western province of the basin floor and basement is extremely rugged and characterized by minor ridges and troughs trending in a north-south direction. Although magnetic anomalies of the basin are very weak, magnetic lineations trending parallel to the topographic trend are recognizable in the central and western parts of the basin. Based on updated geomorpholog-ical features and magnetic anomalies revealed by the present survey, together with the previously published data including drilling results, it is proposed that the evolution of Parece Vela Basin took place in four stages of opening and tectonic activity: rifting, east-west spreading, northeast-southwest spreading with counter-clockwise rotation of spreading axes, and post-spreading deformation and volcanism. This proposed spreading model of the Parece Vela Basin is similar to that of the adjacent Shikoku Basin. The spreading axes of both basins were segmented and gradually rotated counter-clockwise in a later phase of the basin evolution, after the cessation of relatively uniform spreading nearly in an east-west direction.     

Metallogenic systems related to Mesozoic and Cenozoic granitoids in South China

CenteredbytheNanlingRange,SouthChinaisanimportantareaofmineralresourcesproduction,especiallyfornonferrous,precious,andraremetals.Manydepositsoflargeandsuper-largesizesarelocatedinthisarea,includingtheworldlargestantimonydeposit(Xikuangshan),severalworld-c…     

大数据时代的地球动力学数值计算方法回顾与展望

随着大数据时代的到来,计算地球动力学数值计算方法体系更加完善.本文系统地回顾了传统数值模拟方法在计算地球动力学领域的应用进展,包括:有限差分法、有限单元法、谱方法和谱元法;并对近年来一些新发展的算法和应用前景进行了综述,如:不连续Galerkin法、小波方法和格子玻尔兹曼方法等.本综述有助于读者以整体视角了解地球动力学数值计算方法的发展脉络,并对大数据时代下研究适应日益丰富的数据和新算法提供有益参考.     

Cenozoic deformation history of the Tancheng–Lujiang Fault Zone, north China, and dynamic implications

Abstract Based on a field analysis of slip vectors from Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks and coupled with rift basin analysis in north China, the Cenozoic deformation history of the Tancheng–Lujiang (Tan–Lu) Fault Zone can be divided into three main phases: early Tertiary normal faulting and northwest–southeast extension; Miocene normal faulting and northeast–southwest to north‐northeast–south‐southwest extension; and Quaternary dextral strike–slip faulting and east‐northeast transpression. The early Tertiary extension, which was responsible for rift basin formation in north China, originated from back‐roll mantle convection induced by westward subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Asia continent. The Miocene extension occurred possibly in association with the process of the Japan Sea opening. The Quaternary dextral slip was mainly localized along the middle part of the Tan–Lu Fault Zone and resulted from the far‐field effect of the late‐stage India–Eurasia convergence.     

麻坑、泥火山在南海北部与西部陆缘的分布特征和地质意义

本文利用新的高分辨率海底多波束地形数据与以往研究资料对南海台西南盆地及以西和中建南盆地北部及以北陆缘区域内的麻坑与泥火山分布区进行了统计、分析与总结.本文提出根据麻坑的个体平面形态、规模量级和组合形式建立麻坑的三类分类体系并进行总结阐述.麻坑的直径与坑深总体具有线性变化关系但又有区域性分布特征,可能反映了不同海区底质性质、浅地层构造活动、海底倾斜程度和海底底流等因素的不同影响;同一区域泥火山的直径与高度具有线性关系而不同区域拟合斜率差异较大,可能说明同区域泥火山形态、流体成分和来源具有高度一致性,但其分布具有区域差异性特征.研究表明,麻坑、泥火山的产生与近5Ma新构造运动期内台湾南部和南海西缘区域性走滑断裂活动相一致,主要分布在构造活动较为活跃,沉积较为薄弱的近坡折带和大陆坡区域,在具有走滑性质的台西南、莺歌海和中建南盆地分布较广、规模较大,而在其他主要张裂性质盆地中分布较少,规模较小.其分布特征一方面能够说明某些区域流体的大量渗漏与逸散,另一方面也能够说明某些区域持续的构造活动有利于该区域深部流体的重新聚集与成藏,从而成为指导油气资源勘探的重要参考指标.     

Transition from platemargin to intraplate environment: Geochemistry of basalts in Paleogene Liaohe basin,northeastern China

Mesozoic and Cenozoic volcanic rocks are widely distributed in the circum-Pacific area of eastern China. These rocks have long been genetically linked to westward subduction of the paleo-Pacific oceanic plate to the eastern Asia continent[1,2]. Research in re-cent years[3―6] has attained conclusions that a simple paleo-Pacific subduction model does not work well in interpreting all the volcanic rocks in eastern China, although some of them could be attributed to circum-Pacific interaction …     

Mantle process beneath Philippine Sea back-arc spreading ridges: A synthesis of peridotite petrology and tectonics

Abstract In order to obtain a general view of the mantle process beneath a back‐arc basin spreading ridge, the diversity of peridotite petrology and tectonic occurrences in two back‐arc basin spreading ridges from the Philippine Sea were examined: the Parece Vela Rift and the Mariana Trough. The Parece Vela Basin spreading ridge (Parece Vela Rift) was a physically fast/intermediate‐spreading ridge, although many tectono‐magmatic features resemble those of slow‐ to ultraslow‐spreading ridges. Two unusual features of the Parece Vela Rift further demonstrate the uniqueness of the ridge: full‐axial development of oceanic core complexes and exposure of mantle peridotite at segment midpoints. The Parece Vela Rift yields a lithological assemblage of residual but still fertile lherzolite/harzburgite, plagioclase‐bearing harzburgite and dunite; similar assemblages are reported from the equatorial Mid‐Atlantic Ridge at the Romanche Fracture Zone and the ultraslow‐spreading ridges from the Indian and Arctic Oceans. The tectono‐magmatic characteristics of the Parece Vela Rift suggest that diffuse porous melt flow and pervasive melt–mantle interaction were the important mantle processes there. Globally, this ‘porous melt flow‐type’ mantle process is likely to occur beneath a segment midpoint of the ridge having a thick lithosphere, typically an ultraslow‐spreading ridge. In contrast, the Mariana Trough is a typical slow‐spreading ridge, exposing mantle peridotite at segment ends. The Mariana Trough yields a lithological assemblage of residual harzburgite and veined harzburgite, a common assemblage among the global abyssal peridotite suite. The tectono‐magmatic characteristics of the Mariana Trough suggest that channeled melt/fluid flow and limited melt–mantle interaction are the important mantle processes there, because of the colder wall‐rock peridotite in the segment end. This ‘channeled melt flow‐type’ mantle process is likely to occur in the shallow lithospheric mantle at the segment ends of any spreading ridges.     

基于重磁震资料的南海新生代盆地分布综合研究

作为西太平洋最大的边缘海,南海分布有30多个新生代沉积盆地,其蕴含着丰富的油气资源.但由于资料的限制,南海存在不同区域盆地研究程度不同,不同区域盆地面积差别较大,部分盆地只是坳陷而没有达到盆地的级别以及盆地外围可能存在凹陷等问题.南海新生代盆地分布问题制约了其油气分布规律、储量等基础地质问题的研究.本文以地震剖面数据为约束,以重力资料为主、辅以磁力资料,研究了南海新生代盆地分布及构造区划.通过提取新生代盆地及其构造单元引起的重力异常,结合地震剖面等资料反演了新生界底界面深度及新生界厚度.在充分调研已有盆地和构造单元划分方案的基础上,根据南海的地质及地球物理特征,确定了盆地及构造单元划分标准.以新生界厚度为基础并结合重、磁、震、地质等资料,进行地质-重磁震联合解释,将南海原有的36个盆地重新划分为24个盆地,盆地总面积扩大了约15万km2.研究表明,南海新生代盆地沉积层厚度在1.5~16 km之间,有6个北东东/北东向沉积坳陷带、2个近南北向沉积坳陷带以及1个三角沉积坳陷区;盆地展布方向主要为北东和北东东向,其次为北西和近南北向,呈现"南三北三"的分布特征.     

Thermal-rheological structure of lithosphere beneath the northern flank of Tarim Basin, western China: Implications for geodynamics

Based on the data of geo-temperature and thermophysical parameters of rocks in the Kuqa Depression and the Tabei Uplift, northern flank of the Tarim Basin, in terms of the analytical solution of 1-D heat transfer equation, the thermal structure of the lithosphere under this region is determined. Our results show that the average surface heat flow of the northern flank of the Tarim Basin is 45 mW/m2, and the mantle heat flow is between 20 and 23 mW/m2; the temperature at crust-mantle boundary (Moho) ranges from 514℃ to 603℃ and the thermal lithosphere where the heat conduction dominates is 138-182 km thick. Furthermore, in combination with the P wave velocity structure resulting from the deep seismic sounding profile across this region and rheological modeling, we have studied the local composition of the lithosphere and its rheological profile, as well as the strength distribution. We find that the rheological stratification of the lithosphere in this region is apparent. The lowermost of the lower crust is ductile; however,the uppermost of the mantle and the upper and middle parts of the crust are both brittle layers,which is typically the so-called sandwich-like structure. Lithospheric strength is also characterized by the lateral variation, and the uplift region is stronger than the depression region. The lithospheric strength of the northem flank of the Tarim Basin decreases gradually from south to north; the Kuqa Depression has the lowest strength and the south of the Tabei Uplift is strongest.The total lithospheric strength of this region is 4.77× 1012-5.03 × 1013 N/m under extension, and 6.5 × 1012-9.4× 1013 N/m under compression. The lithospheric brittle-ductile transition depth is between 20 km and 33 km. In conclusion, the lithosphere of the northern flank of the Tarim Basin is relatively cold with higher strength, so it behaves rigidly and deforms as a whole, which is also supported by the seismic activity in this region. This rigidity of the Tarim lithosphere makes it little deform interior, but only into flexure under the sedimentation and tectonic loading associated with the rapid uplift of the Tianshan at its northern margin during the Indian-Eurasian continental collision following the Late Eocene. Finally, the influences of factors, such as heat flow, temperature,crustal thickness, and especially basin sediment thickness, on the lithospheric strength are discussed here.     

Texture and tectonic attribute of Cenozoic basin basement in the northern South China Sea

Based on the drilling data,the geological characteristics of the coast in South China,and the interpretation of the long seismic profiles covering the Pearl River Mouth Basin and southeastern Hainan Basin,the basin basement in the northern South China Sea is divided into four structural layers,namely,Pre-Sinian crystalline basement,Sinian-lower Paleozoic,upper Paleozoic,and Mesozoic structural layers.This paper discusses the distribution range and law and reveals the tectonic attribute of each structural layer.The Pre-Sinian crystalline basement is distributed in the northern South China Sea,which is linked to the Pre-Sinian crystalline basement of the Cathaysian Block and together they constitute a larger-scale continental block—the Cathaysian-northern South China Sea continental block.The Sinian-lower Paleozoic structural layer is distributed in the northern South China Sea,which is the natural extension of the Caledonian fold belt in South China to the sea area.The sediments are derived from southern East China Sea-Taiwan,Zhongsha-Xisha islands and Yunkai ancient uplifts,and some small basement uplifts.The Caledonian fold belt in the northern South China Sea is linked with that in South China and they constitute the wider fold belt.The upper Paleozoic structural layer is unevenly distributed in the northern South China.In the basement of Beibu Gulf Basin and southwestern Taiwan Basin,the structural layer is composed of the stable epicontinental sea deposit.The distribution areas in the Pearl River Mouth Basin and the southeastern Hainan Basin belong to ancient uplifts in the late Paleozoic,lacking the upper Paleozoic structural layers.The stratigraphic distribution and sedimentary environment in Middle-Late Jurassic to Cretaceous are characteristic of differentiation in the east and the west.The marine,paralic deposit is well developed in the basin basement of southwestern Taiwan but the volcanic activity is not obvious.The marine and paralic facies deposit is distributed in the eastern Pearl River Mouth Basin basement and the volcanic activity is stronger.The continental facies volcano-sediment in the Early Cretaceous is distributed in the basement of the western Pearl River Mouth Basin and Southeastern Hainan Basin.The Upper Cretaceous red continental facies clastic rocks are distributed in the Beibu Gulf Basin and Yinggehai Basin.The NE direction granitic volcanic-intrusive complex,volcano-sedimentary basin,fold and fault in Mesozoic basement have the similar temporal and spatial distribution,geological feature,and tectonic attribute with the coastal land in South China,and they belong to the same magma-deposition-tectonic system,which demonstrates that the late Mesozoic structural layer was formed in the background of active continental margin.Based on the analysis of basement structure and the study on tectonic attribute,the paleogeographic map of the basin basement in different periods in the northern South China Sea is compiled.     

Hydrothermal alteration of green tuff belt, Japan: Implications for the influence of seawater/volcanic rock interaction on the seawater chemistry at a back-arc basin

Abstract Chemical data on hydrothermally altered volcanic rocks from a green tuff belt in Japan indicate that the average rate of Mg removal from seawater due to seawater cycling through back-arc basins in the circum-Pacific region during the early to middle Miocene (25–15 Ma) is estimated to be 2.6±1 × 10¹³ g/year. This is similar to that through present-day mid-ocean ridges (2.4 × 10¹³ g/year). Hydrothermal fluxes of K, Ca and Si are calculated to be 4.2±1.6 × 10¹³ g/year, 4.3±1.7×10¹³ g/year and 1.0±0.4 × 10¹⁴ g/year, respectively. These calculated results indicate that the seawater/volcanic rocks interaction at subduction-related tectonic settings have to be taken into account in considering the geochemical mass balance of seawater over geologic time.     

Pb, Nd, and Sr isotopic constraints on the origin of Miocene basaltic rocks from northeast Hokkaido, Japan: Implications for opening of the Kurile back-arc basin

Late Miocene (7–9 Ma) basaltic rocks from the Monbetsu‐Kamishihoro graben in northeast Hokkaido have chemical affinities to certain back‐arc basin basalts (referred to herein as Hokkaido BABB). Pb‐, Nd‐ and Sr‐isotopic compositions of the Hokkaido BABB and arc‐type volcanic rocks (11–13 Ma and 4–4.5 Ma) from the nearby region indicate mixing between the depleted mantle and an EM II‐like enriched component (e.g. subducted pelagic sediment) in the magma generation. At a given ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, Hokkaido BABB have slightly lower ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd and slightly less radiogenic ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb compared with associated arc‐type lavas, but both these suites are difficult to distinguish solely on the basis of isotopic compositions. These isotopic data indicate that while generation of the Hokkaido BABB involves smaller amounts of the EM II‐like enriched component than do associated arc lavas, Hokkaido BABB are isotopically distinct from basalts produced at normal back‐arc basin spreading centers. Instead, northeast Hokkaido BABB are more similar to basalts erupted during the initial rifting stage of back‐arc basins. The Monbetsu‐Kamishihoro graben may have developed in association with extension that formed the Kurile Basin, suggesting that opening of the basin continued until late Miocene (7–9 Ma).     

Mechanisms of Cenozoic deformation in the Bohai Basin, Northeast China: Physical modelling and discussions

The Bohai Basin is a petroliferous Cenozoic basin in northeast China (Fig. 1(a)) and has apparent geo- metrical and kinematic similarities with the other Meso-Cenozoic extensional basins located along the eastern margin of the Eurasian Plate[1,2]. Its architec- ture and Cenozoic stratigraphy have been well under- stood from several decades of petroleum exploration. Previous studies have suggested that the Bohai Basinis a typical extensional basin and has two tectonic evolution phases, rift…