New paleomagnetic results from the Aegean extensional province

Various Oligocene formations from NE Greece (ignimbrites from the Medousa area, rhyolites from Zagradenia, granodiorites from Elatia) show discordant paleomagnetic signatures, in each case indicating small cw (clockwise) rotation and also inclination flattening. Marls from Pithion were partly remagnetized in a present-day field. Samples that contain ancient magnetization components also indicate small cw rotation and inclination flattening. However, the magnetization of andesites from Peplos reflects a considerably larger rotation, likely owing to local tectonics. In the context of previous work in the area, these results are used to propose a subdivision of NE Greece into four structural zones of distinctive rotational behaviour (from east to west): sites in zone 1, east of the Kavala-Xanthi-Komotini fault (KXK), show various cw and ccw (counterclockwise) rotation angles owing to complex kinematics resulting from the interaction of the KXK and the north-Anatolian fault zone. However, zone 2, between the KXK and the Strymon valley, is structurally homogeneous ( 10° cw rotation). The paleomagnetic signature of the Vertiskos massif (zone 3) implies a larger (> 30°) cw rotation, whereas sites in the Vardar basin (zone 4) contain a paleomagnetic signature similar to that of zone 2. This suggests a motion of the Vertiscos massif, a meta-ophiolitic nappe, relative to underlying strata. Indeed, zones 2 and 4 may be parts of the same structural unit which underlies this nappe.     

The mesozoic evolution of the mino terrane, central Japan: A geologic and paleomagnetic synthesis

The Mino tectono-stratigraphic terrane, central Japan, underlain by Permian to Jurassic sedimentary and volcanic rocks of various origins, was formed through accretion processes associated with the Mesozoic sea-floor spreading. This conclusion has been reached mainly from the following reasoning:

1. (1) the entire boundary of this terrane is defined by tectonic belts with high-pressure metamorphic rocks and serpentinized ultramafic rocks,

2. (2) the chemistry and petrology of the Permian greenstones demonstrate their affinity with abyssal tholeiitic and alkalic basalts,

3. (3) the widespread, but chaotic, occurrence of Permian greenstones, Triassic cherts, and Jurassic siliceous shales in the younger Jurassic clastic rocks of this terrane suggests extensive post-depositional mixing of strata,

4. (4) the sedimentology of the Jurassic sandstones strongly suggests that they are turbidity-current deposits supplied from cratonic lands,

5. (5) the South-Pacific type fossil assemblage in the Mino terrane shows strong contrast with the North-Pacific type fossil assemblage of the adjacent terranes,

6. (6) the paleomagnetism of the Permian and Jurassic greenstones, the Triassic cherts, and the Jurassic siliceous shales implies long-distance northward drift in Cretaceous time of these rocks from their original low latitudinal regions.

Along with this northward migration, the Mino terrane was accreted with extensive internal deformation to northeast Asia including the present Hida terrane. Recent accumulation of paleomagnetic and paleontologic data in the Pacific peripheral regions appears to support the existence of many allochthonous terranes which migrated from the equatorial regions. The Mino terane may be regarded as one example of these Circum-Pacific allochthons.     

青藏高原北部柴达木块体晚二叠世古地磁结果及其构造意义

通过对柴达木地块天峻县组合玛地区晚二叠世13个采点的系统古地磁测定,揭示了一组高温特征剩磁分量.实验结果表明,采样剖面获得的晚二叠世古地磁结果具有正、反极性,其特征剩磁方向为:Dg=333.7°,Ig=37.3°,Kg=35.4,N=9,α95 =8.8;Ds=333.9°,Is=41.7°,Ks=69.9,α95 =6.2°,相对应的古地磁极位置为:64.0°N,342.4°E,A95=5.9°,古纬度为24.0°N.这一高温分量通过了倒转检验,我们认为这一高温特征剩磁分量很可能代表了研究区晚二叠世时期的原生特征剩磁.通过对比塔里木地块晚石炭-晚二叠世古地磁结果,发现两块体在晚石炭世存在明显的古纬度差(16.6±9.3°),而在晚二叠世其古纬度差(3.5±5.4°)在古地磁误差范围内并没有明显差别,从构造意义上说,说明柴达木地块在晚二叠世已是塔里木地块的一部分,结合地质资料,认为柴达木地块在晚二叠世时古地理位置处于塔里木地块的南缘或西南缘,这表明柴达木/塔里木地块间的古阿尔金断裂的形成时代不可能早于晚石炭世时,很可能形成于晚二叠世以后.     

Preliminary mesozoic palaeomagnetic results from Israel and inferences for a microplate structure in the Lebanon

Preliminary results from a few Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks indicate that Israel has behaved as part of the African plate during this period. Earlier palaeomagnetic results from the Lebanon, previously explained in terms of a separate Levantine plate, can be better explained in terms of differential motion between fault blocks in response to motions along the Dead Sea Fault. The available evidence allows determination of the net motions of specific fault blocks and is consistent with independent palaeogeographic indicators of the pretectonic relationship between these blocks.     

New paleomagnetic results from the northern margin of the Kohistan Island Arc

Different phases of remanent magnetizations have been identified in the Cretaceous–Tertiary rocks collected from the northern margin of the Kohistan Island Arc, northern Pakistan. Among them, a magnetite-related component is recognized as the most useful one because of its relatively stable behaviour and widespread presence in the volcanics and red beds. Calculation of mean direction for this component reveal two visible groupings in terms of paleomagnetic directions (Yasin + Baris Group: D?=?341.6º, I?=?10.6º, α ₉₅?=?23.3 º, k?=?11.7, N?=?5; Sandhi Group: D?=?28.4º, I?=??27.4º, α ₉₅?=?32.5 º, k?=?8.96, N?=?4). The fold tests applied to both these groups are inconclusive, indicating a syn-folding to post-folding origin for this component. A set of inclinations from this study provide new insight into post-collision northward displacement of the Kohistan Arc with respect to its surrounding terranes. Reliability of the paleomagnetic declinations from this study is not fully guaranteed, but when compared with previously reported paleomagnetic directions, a systematic increase in counter-clockwise deflections towards west has been detected along this paleo-island arc. This trend of declinations is well matched with the extrusion model of Asia, where counter-clockwise rotation has been suggested for the tectonic terranes around Western Himalaya. Another important observation is a divergence in paleomagnetic declinations across the rivers, which may indicate the presence of faulted zones under the cover of flowing water. This aspect can be compared to recent geological interpretations that Kohistan may not have acted as a rigid block following its collision with India but may have been deformed through localized shears and faults.     

Paleozoic and early mesozoic magmatism manifestations in the early Precambrian structure of the South Yenisei Ridge

This study characterizes some issues of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic tectonomagmatic evolution of Precambrian structures from the southwestern margin of the Siberian craton. The relationship between the Devonian and Triassic magmatic events is demonstrated from the example of the Severnaya rift-related structure, South Yenisei Ridge. U-Pb SHRIMP dating yielded ages of 387 ± 5 Ma for leucogranites and 240 ± 3 Ma for the overlying alkaline trachytes. These ages show good agreement with Ar-Ar geochronological data (392–387 Ma) obtained for micas from paragneisses and leucogranite dykes of the Yenisei suture zone, the extension of which is superimposed by the studied rift-related structure. The previous geological evidence and the Devonian age estimate first obtained for magmatic rocks of the Yenisei Ridge allow us to interpret the studied leucogranites as products of Devonian continental rifting, similar to volcanic and intrusive rocks of the North Minusa depression and Agul graben. Like other localities within the western margin of Siberian craton, the formation of Triassic alkaline rocks may be related to the Siberian superplume activity.     

印支地块思茅地区早白垩世古地磁结果及其构造意义

对印支地块思茅地区的早白垩世红层开展详细的岩石磁学和古地磁学研究,获得镇沅剖面特征剩磁方向Ds=52.4°,Is=45.5°,κ=77.9,α95=6.3°;普洱剖面特征剩磁方向Ds=46.2°,Is=46.6°,κ=50.9,α95=5.6°;江城剖面特征剩磁方向Ds=8.6°,Is=42.2°,κ=117.1,α95=4.0°。对普洱和江城剖面进行E-I磁倾角偏低检验,结果显示江城剖面不存在磁倾角偏低,普洱剖面由于偏角较分散,导致其伸展方向出现假象,推测的磁倾角偏大,出现实测磁倾角偏低的假象。思茅地区各采样剖面之间的磁偏角差异表明,块体内部发生过差异性旋转变形,其变形的过程不仅受控于边界深大断裂,也与内部小断裂的活动有密切关系。若进一步考虑华南地块白垩纪可能存在的磁倾角偏低现象,则该结果说明印度支那地块思茅地区白垩纪以来相对于华南地块向南滑移量为570±310km,接近构造地质研究推测的红河大断裂左行滑移量。     

The motion of Adria during the Late Jurassic and Cretaceous: New paleomagnetic results from stable Istria

The motion of Adria, the largest lithospheric fragment in the Central Mediterranean region, has played an important role in the tectonic development of the surrounding mountain chains and even of distant areas, like the Eastern Alps or the Pannonian basin. The available paleomagnetic data were insufficient to constrain this motion, except in a general way. In this paper, new paleomagnetic results are presented from one of the stable parts of Adria which emerge from the Adriatic Sea. The results were obtained on weakly magnetic platform carbonates of the mud-supported type, collected from 21 geographically distributed localities.The results, combined with mean paleomagnetic directions from selected localities from a pioneer study in Istria that were chosen using statistical criteria, were divided into three age groups (Tithonian–Aptian, Albian–Cenomanian, Turonian–Coniacian). The paleomagnetic poles calculated for each of them (Tithonian–Aptian): λ(N) = 47°, (E) = 275°, k = 67, α₉₅ = 9.4°, N = 5; Albian-Cenomanian: λ(N) = 58°, (E) = 253°, k = 145, α₉₅ = 4.3°, N = 9; Turonian–Coniacian: λ(N) = 63°, (E) = 261°, k = 50, α₉₅ = 7.3°, N = 9) reveal a moderate shift during the Cretataceous, which is comparable with that calculated from the African reference poles. However, the Istrian apparent polar wander path is slightly displaced from the African curve, as a consequence of about 10° counterclockwise rotation of Istria, with respect to Africa. This rotation angle is more that 10° smaller than the difference measured for the Mid-Late Eocene between the paleomagnetic direction of platform carbonates from Istria and the African reference direction. This difference may be the consequence of a small clockwise rotation of Istria, with respect to Africa, most probably at the end of Cretaceous.     

New paleomagnetic results from Upper Cretaceous arc-type rocks from the northern and southern branches of the Neotethys ocean in Anatolia

International Journal of Earth Sciences - A paleomagnetic study of Cretaceous arc type rocks in the Central-Eastern Pontides and in the Southeastern Taurides investigates the tectonic and...     

In the wake of a counterclockwise rotating Adriatic microplate: Neogene paleomagnetic results from northern Croatia

In northern Croatia, the Neogene sediments cover complicated basement rocks which consist of Alpine and Dinaridic elements in the Zagorje area, and Variscan - Alpine formations of the Tisia (Tisza) megatectonic unit in the Slavonian Mountains (Mts.). The Neogene sediments were deposited in two separate basins before the Karpatian, but sedimentation became uniform from the Karpatian onwards (~17.5 Ma). Of the 24 localities that we have studied so far paleomagnetically from northern Croatia, 16 localities are of Karpatian or younger age, while the rest are pre-Karpatian. As a result of laboratory analysis, 16 localities yielded tectonically interpretable results. Our data suggests that northern Croatia shifted northwards, while rotating moderately counterclockwise, probably before the Karpatian. A second counterclockwise rotation occurred at the present latitude in post-Pontian times. There is no significant difference between localities situated above different basements, though Tisia is pictured as rotating clockwise in the Neogene. The paleomagnetic pattern of northern Croatia resembles that of areas situated north of the Periadriatic-Balaton line. Therefore, we conclude that northern Croatia is part of a larger block, dissected by several important tectonic lines, driven by the counterclockwise rotated Adriatic microplate.     

Tectonic interpretation of paleomagnetic results from the Upper Devonian griotte of the Montagne Noire, southern France

The Devonian (Famennian) griotte acquired its magnetization during and subsequent to emplacement during the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian. The absence of normal secondary components suggests that tectonic emplacement postdates the period of frequent Carboniferous reversals, that is post-Westphalian A and presumably after the onset of the Kiamian quiet period. A remanence attributed to the Permian, as found in the south of France, has been isolated in a few samples; the remainder of the samples show a stable magnetization with a great circle distribution which passes through the zone of Permian directions.     

中国中部全新世古地磁长期变和相对古强度研究

高分辨率的古地磁场长期变（Paleomagnetic Secular Variation,简称PSV）和相对古强度（Relative Paleomagnetic Intensity,简称RPI）研究是解决全新世湖泊研究定年难题的有效途径之一,也能为认识区域古地磁场的变化提供不可或缺的基础数据。然而,目前我国中部地区仍缺少年代序列可靠、时间分辨率在百年尺度的全新世PSV和RPI记录。先前的研究显示山西宁武公海全新世岩芯具有稳定的粉砂质粘土湖泊沉积,并通过25个（本文在全新世时段用到18个）陆生植物残体AMS ¹⁴C测年建立了可靠的高分辨率年代序列,为重建高质量的全新世PSV和RPI记录提供了良好条件。本文通过特征剩磁磁倾角的变化建立了PSV序列,利用磁化率（χ）、非磁滞剩磁（ARM）、饱和等温剩磁（SIRM）等环境磁学参数对特征剩磁强度（NRM_25mT）进行归一化,估算了RPI变化序列。结果表明,公海全新世湖泊沉积物的PSV和RPI记录与北半球其他湖泊和海洋记录具有较好的一致性,同时存在着显著的区域差异,可以作为我国中部地区湖泊沉积的对比曲线。

     

The paleomagnetic record from deep-sea sediment cores

The paleomagnetic record of deep-sea sediment cores is compared with that which would be expected from our knowledge of the Earth's magnetic field. It is found that some of the scatter in directions of magnetization obtained from deep-sea cores is removed in cores with very low sedimentation rate, the cause being that the secular variation of the Earth's magnetic field is more completely averaged out over the finite size of each sample, when these samples comprise a longer time span of sedimentation. Corrections have been applied to the results from a series of cores in order to obtain the inclination of the average direction of magnetization from the average inclination and the scatter of inclination. These corrected inclination values confirm the hypothesis that the average Earth's field over the past few million years has been similar to an axial dipole displaced towards the North Pole. The amount of displacement obtained was 168 km. The record of short-period polarity intervals within the Brunhes, the Matuyama and the Gauss epochs was studied. It was shown that these intervals are very scattered in position. It is thought that some hitherto undiscovered short-period polarity intervals may be responsible for part of the scatter, but it is also highly likely that many samples give spurious reversals (i.e., ones not caused by the Earth's magnetic field).The possible correlation between climatic changes and the Earth's magnetic field is examined. It is concluded that the cores which show correlations between direction and/or intensity of magnetization and climatic indicators, thus suggesting the possible correlation between climate and the Earth's magnetic field, are not accurately recording the relevant parameters of the Earth's magnetic field. The correlation must be caused by climatic effects which have a direct influence on the magnetization of the sediments.Very little is known about the mechanisms of magnetization in deep-sea sediment cores, and there are several unexplained phenomena, such as the fact that many cores have maximum susceptibilities which are vertical, and the fact that cores differ widely in their ability to record accurately the Earth's magnetic field.     

Tertiary paleomagnetic results and structural analysis from the Transdanubian Range (Hungary): rotational disintegration of the Alcapa unit

We carried out an integrated paleomagnetic and structural study in the Transdanubian Range, western and central Hungary. As a result, the Tertiary tectonic history of this area can be characterized by three events of counterclockwise (CCW) rotation and four or five phases of brittle deformation. The change of the orientation of stress axes between phases is mainly apparent and reflects the rotation of the faults predating a particular rotation event. The first two rotation events (R1 and R2) were probably governed by the rollback mechanism of the subducting European plate. We suggest that these rotations were taking place from 18–17 and 16–14.5 Ma, respectively, i.e. simultaneously with the rotations of the North Hungarian Paleogene Basin and the main part of the Western Carpathians. However, the angle of both rotations was less in the Transdanubian Range due to increasing distance from the subduction front. The differential rotation was accommodated by extensional faulting by formation of a graben system. On the other hand, the youngest rotation event R3 seems to be connected to the renewed rotation of the Adriatic plate around 5 Ma. Our combined data set strongly supports earlier conclusions, namely, that the different subunits of the Eastern Alpine–Western Carpathian–Northern Pannonian unit (Alcapa) did not form a rigid unit, although they moved in similar manner.     

HYC (McArthur River) SEDEX deposit, Australia: First paleomagnetic results

Analysis of pyrrhotite-borne paleomagnetic data from four sites on each limb of a syncline through the supergiant HYC (McArthur River) SEDEX Zn–Pb deposit in Australia indicates that the mineralization is entirely postfolding, formed within 15 Myr after deposition at 1640 Ma of the host Barney Creek Formation, and thus is either late syndiagenetic or epigenetic in origin.     

拉萨地块北缘尼玛地区晚白垩世古地磁结果及其构造意义

通过对青藏高原拉萨地块北缘尼玛县城附近晚白垩世红层8个采点的系统古地磁测定,获得了研究区晚白垩世可靠的古地磁数据。通过系统热退磁获得了采样剖面高温特征剩磁方向平均值为:Dg=9.9°,Ig=5.5°,κg=30.3,α95=10.2°,N=8(地理坐标下);D_s=8.2°,I_s=27.4°,κs=37.6,α_(95)=9.2°,N=8(层面坐标下);对应古地磁极为:71.2°N,241.9°E,dp/dm=5.5°/10.0°。该高温剩磁分量在地理坐标下与现代地磁场方向有显著差别,具有正、反极性,并通过了倒转检验,由此认为其很可能代表岩石形成时的原生剩磁。本次研究结果表明拉萨地块北缘在晚白垩世位于~14.5°N的古纬度位置(参考点:31.8°N,87.2°E)。对比稳定亚洲大陆参考极显示晚白垩世以来拉萨地块北缘与稳定亚洲大陆之间发生了1200±630km(10.9°±5.7°)的南北向构造缩短,但并未发生明显的相对旋转作用(0.8°±5.9°)。综合地质证据提出印度与亚洲大陆碰撞所造成的亚洲大陆内部南北向构造缩短主要集中在拉萨地块以北的区域。     

Erratum to: New paleomagnetic results from Upper Cretaceous arc-type rocks from the northern and southern branches of the Neotethys ocean in Anatolia

International Journal of Earth Sciences -     

华北中元古界古地磁测试新结果与Columbia超级大陆研究

华北地块中元古代杨庄组的古地磁研究提供了一个同时通过褶皱检验和倒转检验的古地磁极,极位置为经度190.4°、纬度2.4°。通过与Laurentia、Baltica和Siberia可靠的古地磁数据对比,支持了古—中元古代可能存在Columbia超级大陆的假说。华北地块与Laurentia、Baltica和Siberia视极移曲线的对比表明华北地块与Baltica在古—中元古代可能长期相连。