The Upper Ordovician of northeastern Gorny Altai: Stratigraphy and deposition environments

Comprehensive lithofacies and biofacies analysis provided constraints on the origin of Upper Ordovician clastic and carbonate deposits in northeastern Gorny Altai, which form large low-elevated flat carbonate banks located relatively close to the shore. The sediments were deposited during the Sandbian and early-middle Katian stages, according to new conodont data. Upper Ordovician sections in northeastern Gorny Altai store record of two global regressions: the early Sandbian (Vollen Lowstand) and early Katian (Frognerkilen Lowstand) events.     

Stratotypes of Quaternary deposits of the Yaloman-Katun’ zone (Gorny Altai)

We revised geological data substantiating the unified 1983 Regional Stratigraphic Chart of Gorny Altai Quaternary deposits. Based on our own and literature data, we showed that Lower and Middle Quaternary glacial horizons are erroneously distinguished in the Yaloman-Katun’ zone of southeastern Altai. A new correlation is proposed, according to which the glacial complex of the maximum glaciation (MIS-6) corresponds to the Inya catafluvial series and the glacial complex of the first postmaximum glaciation (MIS-4 unit), to the Sal’dzhar catafluvial series. The lectostratotypes of both series are described. The event history of the second half of the Late Neopleistocene in Gorny Altai (MIS-3 and MIS-2) was less catastrophic for ancient biota and Paleolithic man than it was believed earlier.     

Features of magmatim-related metallogeny of Gorny Altai and Rudny Altai (Russia)

The Rudny Altai and Gorny Altai regions had different geologic histories and differ in metallogenic patterns. The Vendian-Early Cambrian to Permian-Triassic multistage evolution of Gorny Altai included subduction, accretion-collision, and rifting events accompanied by magmatism and related mineralization. Metallogeny evolved in discrete pulses, with especially abundant Late Paleozoic-earliest Mesozoic mineralization. The Devonian-Carboniferous pulse produced diverse mineral deposits (iron, mercury, gold, silver, molybdenum, tungsten, cobalt, polymetallic ores, and rare earths), some of considerable economic value. The territory of Gorny Altai includes several large ore districts that belong to different zones. They are the Beloretsk-Kholzun iron district in the west, the Kayancha-Sinyukha fluorine-gold district in the northeast, the Kurai gold-mercury and Yustyd rare-metal-silver districts in the southeast, and the Kalguty rare-metal-tungsten and Ulandryk U-REE-Cu districts in the south. The largest mineral deposits are Kholzun (Fe, P₂O₅), Karakul (Co, Bi), Sinyukha (Au), Aktash and Chagan-Uzun (Hg), Ozernoe and Pogranichnoe (Ag), Kalguty (Mo, W), Alakha (Li, Ta), Rudnyi Log (Y,Fe-specularite), and Urzarsai (W-scheelite). Mineralization in Rudny Altai is mainly pyritic: copper-pyrite, pyrite-polymelallic ore, and barite-polymelallic ore. It resides in suprasubduction basalts and rhyolites and in Emsian to Frasnian island-arc volcanics at different stratigraphic levels of Devonian volcanosedimentary sequences in six ore districts. The Kurchum high-grade metamorphic block hosts copper-pyrite and gold-quartz mineralization related to Hercynian volcanism.     

Petrology of metabasites from the Terekta Complex as a constituent of ancient accretionary prism of Gorny Altai

The blueschist/greenshist Terekta Complex is the only blueschist locality known in the Russian Altai. The Terekta metabasites contain Na and Na–Ca amphibole, actinolite, phengite, epidote, albite, quartz, calcite, magnetite (or hematite). Depending on the amphibole composition, these rocks were subdivided into blueschist, transitional blueschist/greenschist and greenschist. Both blueschists and transitional blueschist/greenschists (glaucophane-bearing and winchite–actinolite schists) have compositions similar to alkaline basalts of oceanic islands, whereas the greenschists correspond to ocean-floor tholeiitic basalts, or MORB. Available geothermobarometry yielded the following estimates of metamorphic conditions: T=350–400 °C and P=6–8 kbar. The different mineral assemblages of the metabasites are believed to be a result of their different lithologies. The presence of matabasalts with ocean island basalt and MORB affinity, as well as the occurrence of layered metachert, marble, metagraywacke, and plates of serpentinized dunites, pyroxenites indicate that the complex was very likely a subduction-accretionary complex. The complex contains rocks of accretionary wedge, and fragments of oceanic crust which are regarded to be a remnant of an Early Paleozoic subduction zone in the Russian Altai.     

Paleoearthquakes in the Uimon basin (Gorny Altai)

Paleoseismological studies confirm that the Uimon basin is thrust by its northern mountain border along the active South Terekta fault. The latest motion along the fault in the 7-8th centuries AD induced an earthquake with a magnitude of M_w= 7.4-7.7 and a shaking intensity of I = 9-11 on the MSK-64 scale. The same fault generated another event (M > 7, I = 9-10), possibly, about 16 kyr ago, which triggered gravity sliding. The rockslide dammed the Uimon valley and produced a lake, where lacustrine deposition began about 14 ± 1 kyr ago, and a later M > 7 (I = 9-10) earthquake at ~ 6 ka caused the dam collapse and the lake drainage. Traces of much older earthquakes that occurred within the Uimon basin are detectable from secondary deformation structures (seismites) in soft sediments deposited during the drainage of a Late Pleistocene ice-dammed lake between 100 and 90 ka and in ~ 77 ka alluvium. The magnitude and intensity of these paleoearthquakes were at least M > 5.0-5.5 and I > 6-7.     

A Vendian-Cambrian Island Arc System of the Siberian Continent in Gorny Altai (Russia, Central Asia)

An extended Vendian-Cambrian island-arc system similar to the Izu-Bonin-Mariana type is described in the Gorny Altai terrane at the margin of the Siberian continent.

Three different tectonic stages in the terrane are recognized. (1) A set of ensimatic active margins including subducted oceanic crust of the Paleo-Asian ocean, the Uimen-Lebed primitive island arc, oceanic islands and seamounts: the set of rocks is assumed to be formed in the Vendian. (2) A more evolved island arc comprising calc-alkaline volcanics and granites: a fore-arc trough in Middle-late Cambrian time was filled with disrupted products of pre-Middle Cambrian accretionary wedges and island arcs. (3) Collision of the more evolved island arc with the Siberian continent: folding, metamorphism and intrusion of granites occurred in late Cambrian-early Ordovician time.

In the late Paleozoic, the above-mentioned Caledonian accretion-collision structure of the Siberian continent was broken by large-scale strike-slip faults into several segments. This resulted in the formation of a typical mosaic-block structure.     

Unknown large ancient earthquakes along the Kurai fault zone (Gorny Altai): new results of palaeoseismological and archaeoseismological studies

Palaeoseismological and archaeoseismological studies in the Kurai fault zone, along which the Kurai Range is thrust onto Cenozoic deposits of the Chuya intramontane basin, led to the identification of a long reverse fault scarp 8.0 m high. The scarp segments are primary seismic deformations of large ancient earthquakes. The scarp’s morphology, results of trenching investigations, and deformations of Neogene deposits indicate a thrusting of the piedmont plain onto the Kurai Range, which is unique for the Gorny Altai. Similarly for Northern Tien Shan, we explain this by the formation of both a thrust transporting the mountain range onto the depression and a branching thrust dislocation that forms the detected fault scarp. In a trench made in one of the scarp segments, we identified the parameters of the seismogenic fault – a thrust with a 30° dipping plane. The reconstructed displacement along the fault plane is 4.8 m and the vertical displacement is 2.4 m, which indicates a 7.2–7.6 magnitude of the ancient earthquake. The ¹⁴C age of the humus-rich loamy sand from the lower part of the colluvial wedge constrains the age of the earthquake at 3403–3059 years BP. Younger than 2500 years seismogenic displacements along the fault scarp are indicated by deformations of cairn structures of the Turalu–Dzhyurt-III burial mound, which was previously dated as iron age between the second half of I BC and I AD.     

Geometry of the fault zone of the 2003 Ms = 7.5 Chuya earthquake and associated stress fields, Gorny Altai

The co-seismic deformations produced during the September 27, 2003 Chuya earthquake (Ms = 7.5) that affected the Gorny Altai, Russia, are described and discussed along a 30 km long segment. The co-seismic deformations have manifested themselves both in unconsolidated sediments as R- and R′-shears, extension fractures and contraction structures, and in bedrock as the reactivation of preexisting schistosity zones and individual fractures, as well as development of new ruptures and coarse crushing zones. It has been established that the pattern of earthquake ruptures represents a typical fault zone trending NW–SE with a width reaching 4–5 km and a dextral strike–slip kinematics. The initial stress field that produced the whole structural pattern of co-seismic deformations during the Chuya earthquake, is associated with a transcurrent regime with a NNW–SSE, almost N–S, trending of compressional stress axis (σ₁), and a ENE–WSW, almost E–W, trending of tensional stress axis (σ₃). The state of stress in the newly-formed fault zone is relatively uniform. The local stress variations are expressed in insignificant deviation of σ₁ from N–S to NW–SE or NE–SW, in short-term fluctuations of relative stress values in keeping their spatial orientations, or in a local increase of the plunge angle of the σ₁. The geometry of the fault zone associated with the Chuya earthquake has been compared with the mechanical model of fracturing in large continental fault zones with dextral strike–slip kinematics. It is apparent that the observed fracture pattern corresponds to the late disjunctive stage of faulting when the master fault is not fully developed but its segments are already clearly defined. It has been shown that fracturing in widely different rocks follows the common laws of the deformation of solid bodies, even close to the Earth surface, and with high rates of movements.     

Zircon and whole-rock Nd-Pb isotopic provenance of Middle and Upper Ordovician siliciclastic rocks, Argentine Precordillera

Graptolite‐bearing Middle and Upper Ordovician siliciclastic facies of the Argentine Precordillera fold‐thrust belt record the disintegration of a long‐lived Cambro‐Mid Ordovician carbonate platform into a series of tectonically partitioned basins. A combination of stratigraphic, petrographic, U‐Pb detrital zircon, and Nd‐Pb whole‐rock isotopic data provide evidence for a variety of clastic sediment sources. Four Upper Ordovician quartzo‐lithic sandstones collected in the eastern and central Precordillera yield complex U‐Pb zircon age spectra dominated by 1·05–1·10 Ga zircons, secondary populations of 1·22, 1·30, and 1·46 Ga, rare 2·2 and 1·8 Ga zircons, and a minor population (<2%) of concordant zircons in the 600–700 Ma range. Archaean‐age grains comprise <1% of all zircons analysed from these rocks. In contrast, a feldspathic arenite from the Middle Ordovician Estancia San Isidro Formation of the central Precordillera has two well‐defined peaks at 1·41 and 1·43 Ga, with no grains in the 600–1200 Ma range and none older than 1·70 Ga. The zircon age spectrum in this unit is similar to that of a Middle Cambrian quartz arenite from the La Laja Formation, suggesting that local basement rocks were a regional source of ca 1·4 Ga detrital zircons in the Precordillera Terrane from the Cambrian onwards. The lack of grains younger than 600 Ma in Upper Ordovician units reinforces petrographic data indicating that Ordovician volcanic arc sources did not supply significant material directly to these sedimentary basins. Nd isotopic data (n = 32) for Middle and Upper Ordovician graptolitic shales from six localities define a poorly mixed signal [ɛ_Nd(450 Ma) = −9·6 to −4·5] that becomes more regionally homogenized in Upper Ordovician rocks (−6·2 ± 1·0; T_DM = 1·51 ± 0·15 Ga; n = 17), a trend reinforced by the U‐Pb detrital zircon data. It is concluded that proximal, recycled orogenic sources dominated the siliciclastic sediment supply for these basins, consistent with rapid unroofing of the Precordillera Terrane platform succession and basement starting in Mid Ordovician time. Common Pb data for Middle and Upper Ordovician shales from the western and eastern Precordillera (n = 15) provide evidence for a minor (<30%) component that was likely derived from a high‐μ (U/Pb) terrane.     

华北板块奥陶纪牙形石生物地层研究回顾及在西北缘区新进展

牙形石在以碳酸盐岩为主的华北奥陶系划分对比中占有举足轻重的地位。针对华北奥陶纪牙形石的研究已持续近半个世纪,总体上可以分为两个阶段:第一阶段自20世纪70年代到21世纪初,第二阶段为最近10年(2010—2020)。第一阶段以建立牙形石生物地层序列为目标,主要为解决石油勘探过程中地层时代的确定和地层对比的需求;第二阶段的研究以修订化石带为主,目的是与国际地层研究接轨。近年来在华北板块西北缘的工作显示,该区奥陶纪牙形石在纵向上具有显著的生态变化,可分为达瑞威尔期中期、达瑞威尔期晚期—桑比期中期、桑比期晚期—凯迪期中期3个时段。第一时段以介于北美中大陆区和北大西洋区之间的热带台地边缘型牙形石为特征;第二时段以北大西洋型为主混有少量亚澳型牙形石为特征;第三时段以亚澳型和北美中大陆型牙形石混生为特征。在华北西北缘尽可能使用广布性标准牙形石属种进行化石带厘定,共识别牙形石带12个,自下而上分别是达瑞威尔期Histiodella cf. holodentata间隔带、Histiodella kristinae谱系带、Histiodella bellburnensis延限带、Dzikodus tablepointensis间隔带、Eoplacognathus suecicus间隔带、Pygodus serra间隔带和Pygodus anserinus(早期型)间隔亚带,桑比期Pygodus anserinus(晚期型)间隔亚带和Belodina compressa间隔带,凯迪期Belodina confluens间隔带、Yaoxianognathus neimengguensis间隔带和Yaoxianognathus yaoxianensis间隔带。由于部分化石带与国际同名带的对比还存在一些矛盾,尚需今后进一步解决。     

Middle Paleozoic Rhyolite of the Gorny and Rudny Altai: Geochronology and Composition

Doklady Earth Sciences - The paper reports the results of geological, geochemical, and isotope–geochronological studies of subvolcanic rhyolites of NW Gorny Altai and Rudny Altai, which...     

中扬子台地下奥陶统含礁层系层序地层研究

运用露头层序地层学原理与方法，将中扬子台地早奥陶世含礁地层划分为4个Ⅱ型层序，并阐述了各层序的体系域特征和形成的沉积动力学机制以及海平面变化对沉积、生物迁移、生物礁及环境的控制作用。认为在含礁层序形成过程中，存在着4个海平面变化旋回，第一旋回为两河口期早至中期，第二旋回为两河口期晚期至道保湾期早期，第三旋回为道保湾期早至晚期，第四旋回为大湾期早至中期，其中两河口期存在着3个次一级的旋回，第一旋回发生于分乡组二段(鲡粒段)；第二旋回发生于分乡组三段(互层段)；第三旋回发生于分乡组四段(夹层段)；识别出3个平衡型碳酸盐体系和一个滞后型碳酸盐岩沉积体系。研究结果表明，分乡组与红花园组生物礁均形成于高海平面时期。由于海平面变化过程中存在多个次一级的旋回，致使本区生物礁具有厚度和规模小、数量多和分布广等特点。     

奥陶纪和志留纪钾质斑脱岩研究评述

与欧洲与北美相比,国内对钾质斑脱岩的研究较少。为了更好的认识这类岩石,本文从其定义、判别、研究进展等方面,对已发表的钾质斑脱岩资料特别是奥陶纪和志留纪钾质斑脱岩资料进行了研究评述,并在此基础上对华南奥陶纪钾质斑脱岩研究进行了介绍,并提出了华南钾质斑脱岩研究中三个可能的突破方向,即钾质斑脱岩所代表的火山喷发活动与晚奥陶世生物大绝灭的关系、斑脱岩内斑晶矿物熔体包裹体与世界其他地区对比研究、奥陶纪不同层位斑脱岩高精度同位素年代学研究是华南奥陶纪钾质斑脱岩三个有前途的研究方向。钾质斑脱岩作为一类特殊的事件标志层,在年代地层、事件地层、古大陆再造、地层对比研究中具有重要的价值,并将在古环境、古构造和古地理研究等方面发挥不可替代的作用。     

小尺度的碳酸盐岩层序地层学分析——塔里木盆地桑塔木断垒带奥陶系层序地层学研究

层序地层学理论现已日臻完善，位人们往往被局限在大范围、大尺度的研究领域中，包括整个盆地或整个陆架的粗线条描述。那么，小尺度（小范围和次级层序）内的层序格式和沉积样式又是如何的呢？本文将作一阐述。在地层学、沉积学的研究基础上，在区域层序地层学的框架下，将桑塔木断垒带这样一个盆地内的三级局部构造的奥陶系进行层序地层学解剖。由于地震资料分辨率的限制，采用大量的钻井录井资料（岩心、电测等），通过岩性、古生物等特征标志建立相对水深变化曲线，以此来对比划分层序。得出，奥陶系内存在一个Ⅰ类层序界面，并将其划分为两个四级层序及相应的五级层序。其中，高水位体系域为最佳储层带。其研究方法和结论在对其他局部构造的研究中可起到类比作用     

The Ordovician biostratigraphy of Portugal—A review with new data and re-appraisal

The history of research on the Ordovician rocks of Portugal is briefly outlined and the biostratigraphy of different regions is reviewed. Ten stratigraphic columns are presented for selected areas and the lithological and faunal characteristics are described. The trilobites belong to the Selenopeltis province and evidence is given for the recognition of two faunal subprovinces (termed associations by Henry 1980) in north and central Portugal during the Arenig to Llandeilo. The current state of knowledge of Ordovician palaeogeography in Portugal is discussed and maps are presented for the Arenig and Llandeilo Series.     

阿尔泰喀纳斯早泥盆纪钾质富镁英安岩:俯冲沉积物熔体交代

阿尔泰造山带喀纳斯地区出露一套钾质富镁英安岩,锆石U-Pb定年显示其形成于早泥盆世(411±4 Ma)。该套英安岩富SiO_2(64.71～67.77 wt%),MgO(3.28～3.53 wt%)和K_2O(2.12～2.75 wt%),贫Na_2O(1.70～1.85wt%),K_2O/Na_2O比值介于(1.20～1.53),具较高的Al_2O_3(14.12～15.33 wt%)和较低的CaO(1.12～1.28 wt%),ASI指数1.8,显示过铝质钙碱性岩浆系列特征,明显不同于初始的高镁安山质岩浆。样品具有中等的Cr(134×10~(-6)～153×10~(-6))、Co(17.47×10~(-6)～18.65×10~(-6))、Ni(71.64×10~(-6)～80.76×10~(-6))含量,富集大离子亲石元素Rb、K和高场强元素U、Th、Pb及LREE,发育Sr、Ba及TNT(Ta、Nb、Ti)负异常,显示俯冲带岩浆岩地球化学特征。其高的Mg~#(51.71～52.47)和低的ε_(Nd)(t)值(-4.6～-4.2)说明该套火山岩可能来自遭受强烈交代作用的地幔楔部分熔融。样品具有较高的Ba/La、Pb/La比值和较低的Th/Yb、Nb/Y比值,显示地幔交代作用以俯冲沉积物熔体的交代作用为主。以上地球化学特征说明,喀纳斯钾质富镁英安岩可能主要是受俯冲沉积物熔体交代的上覆地幔橄榄岩部分熔融的产物,阿尔泰泥盆纪处于俯冲作用相关的活动大陆边缘构造环境。此外,该套火山岩的形成时代制约了其下覆的哈巴河群沉积上限,显示哈巴河群沉积于早泥盆世之前。     

空间数据库技术实现定量古地理研究——以鄂尔多斯盆地中奥陶统一个三级层序的形成时间为例

以沉积层序为时间单位进行岩相古地理研究需要对野外剖面、测井、录井、地震、岩心等海量数据进行定量分析对比,而传统的人工方法往往难以有效地管理并利用这些资料。文中使用空间数据库技术将基础地质数据以自然层为单位,按统一标准定量化处理;并以层序为单位计算、统计、分析,提取厚度、白云岩含量、灰泥含量、陆源碎屑含量等反映沉积环境特征的多种单因素,定量绘制各单因素等值线图。在区域地质背景分析的基础上,将各单因素等值线图叠加分析,并探索定量古地理研究方法——通过单因素复合公式计算值划分古地理单元的边界,最终绘制出古地理图。以鄂尔多斯奥陶系马五组上部一个层序时段(464～466Ma)为例,运用上述方法自动识别出古陆、山丘高地、潮上带、潮间带、潮下带等古地理单元。研究表明,空间数据库技术是实现定量古地理的有效手段。     

A revision of the Ordovician stratigraphy for the western Ireland Caledonides and implications for tectonic models

The western Ireland Ordovician stratigraphy has been previously used to constrain the timing of docking of an island arc and its fore‐arc basin with the margin of Laurentia for the British and Irish Caledonides. New field relationships and age data indicate that one of the key formations, the Rosroe Formation (459.2 ± 0.8 and 465.1 ± 2.1 Ma), and its supposed lateral equivalent, the Maumtrasna Formation are younger than previously interpreted. New age data for a tuff band in the Maumtrasna Formation (468.9 ± 1.3 Ma) also support previous studies showing it can be correlated to the adjacent Mweelrea Formation. The new field evidence, age data and geochemistry contradict some previous studies and show that the Maumtrasna, Rosroe and Derrylea formations can no longer be considered lateral equivalents. Based on the new stratigraphy a revised tectonic model is required with sedimentation in this part of the Caledonides taking place in a fore‐arc basin outboard of a continental arc and the oceanic arc was an along‐strike equivalent of this arc situated in an embayment of the Laurentian margin. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ordovician sequence stratigraphy and correlation in the Middle-Upper Yangtze region,South China

The precise correlation of the Ordovician successions in different facies is difficult due to the complex changes of the tecto-paleogeography in South China. Based on previous studies, the authors recognized 10 3^rd grade sequences, i. e., Osq1 to Osq10 in ascending order, by the integrated study of chronostratigraphy, biostratigraphy as well as the analysis on the sedimentary facies. The authors are confident to correlate the Ordovician successions precisely in different facies in an isochronous stratigraphic framework with the application of the method of sequence stratigraphy and correlation.