Deformations and Manifestations of Degassing in the Sedimentary Cover of the Equatorial Segment of the West Atlantic: Implications for Lithospheric Geodynamics

Manifestations of fluids and deformations in the sedimentary cover, which are both factors of brightening (blanking anomalies) in seismoacoustic records, in the equatorial segment of the Atlantic coincide with the sublatitudinal zones of the activated passive parts of transform faults and with zones of lower gravity anomalies and higher values of remnant magnetization, which form as a result of serpentinization. The cause-and-effect sequence of intraplate phenomena includes: the contrasting geodynamic state → horizontal movements that form macrofractures → water supply to the upper mantle → serpentinization of rocks in the upper mantle → deformations associated with vertical uplift of basement and sedimentary cover blocks, coupled with fluid generation → and fluid accumulation in the sedimentary cover, accompanied by the formation of anomalies in seismoacoustic records. Based on the seismic data, we have identified imbricate-thrust deformations, diapir structures, stamp folds, and positive and negative flower structures, indicating the presence of strike-slip faults in the passive parts of transform faults. The general spatial distribution of deformation structures shows their concentration in cold mantle zones. Correlative comparison of the structural characteristics of deformations shows the direct relationship between the heights of structures and the development of serpentinization processes. As per the age of the basement, deformations range from 27–38 to 43–53 Ma; a quite thick sedimentary cover makes it possible to reveal them based on the characteristic types of seismoacoustic records. The formation of the Antilles arc ca. 10 Ma ago affected the equatorial segment of the Atlantic; it formed kink bands where lithospheric blocks underwent displacements with counterclockwise rotations, deformations related to compression and vertical uplift of crustal fragments, and local extension that favored degassing of endogenous fluids. Sublatitudinally oriented imbricate-thrust deformations with different vergences indicate irregularity and alternating strike-slip directions as blocks between fractures were laterally influenced.     

Zircon U–Pb–Hf isotopes and geochemistry analyses of the Huyu igneous rocks in northwestern Beijing,China: possible new evidence for the initial destruction of the North China Craton

The timing and extent of cratonic destruction are crucial to understanding the crustal evolution of the North China Craton (NCC). Zircon U–Pb–Hf isotope data and the whole-rock major and trace element characteristics of the Huyu igneous rocks in northwestern Beijing, China, provide possible new evidence for the initial destruction of the NCC. The igneous rocks occur as several sills and dikes, including lamprophyre, monzonite porphyry, and aplite. The lamprophyres have high Mg^# and K₂O contents. The monzonite porphyries have high Mg^#, high K₂O contents, and negative ε_Hf(t) values with zircon U–Pb ages of 225.5–227.7 Ma. These two types of rocks are both enriched in large ion lithosphere elements (LILEs) and light rare earth elements (LREEs) but are depleted in high field strength elements (HFSEs) and high rare earth elements (HREEs) and have almost no Eu anomalies and relatively high total rare earth element (ΣREE) contents. In contrast, the aplites exhibit high silica and K₂O contents, low MgO contents, and more negative ε_Hf(t) values with a zircon U–Pb age of 206.2 Ma. The aplites are also enriched in LILEs and LREEs but are depleted in HFSEs and HREEs, with strongly negative Eu, Ti, P, La, Ce, and Sr anomalies and relatively low ΣREE contents. These results indicate that the lamprophyres and monzonite porphyries represent a continuous cogenetic magma evolution series after melt derived from an enriched metasomatized lithospheric mantle experienced crust assimilation and fractional crystallization. The aplites were produced by the fractional crystallization of low-Mg parental magma derived from melting of the ancient Archaean crust. The occurrence of the Huyu intrusive rocks with many other plutons of similar ages on the northern margin of the NCC suggests that the northern NCC entered an intraplate extensional tectonic environment in the Late Triassic.     

Jurassic and Cretaceous (Yanshannian) tectonics,magmatism and metallogenesis in South China: preface

ABSTRACT

South China is famous for its poly-metal deposits, with more than 50% of global W and Sb reserves, 20% of global Sn reserves, as well as abundant Cu-Mo-Pb-Zn-Au-Ag, Ta, Nb, REE and U deposits. This special issue consists of 21 papers, reporting recent progress on Yanshannian tectonic evolution, magmatism and ore deposits in South China, aiming at better understandings on the Mesozoic large-scale magmatism and mineralization events.     

The Structure and Formation Conditions of the Callovian–Oxfordian Deposits of Sudak Bay (Crimea)

The composition and origin of the Callovian–Oxfordian deposits of the Sudak Bay were characterized on the basis of the generalization and analysis of our own results, as well as published and unpublished data. The botanical future was first implemented for the geological mapping of the Oxfordian deposits.     

Patterns of Spatial Methane Distribution in the Upper Layers of the Permafrost in Central Yakutia

This article presents the results of long-term field studies on methane in the upper part of the permafrost for different geomorphological levels of Central Yakutia. Patterns of the spatial distribution of the methane content across different landscapes were found. The difference in the methane content in sediments of the Late Pleistocene ice complex on the left and right banks of the Lena River was found for the inter-alas areas. This was caused by different conditions of formation: the formation of a thin cover of deposits occurred under sub-aqua conditions favorable for methanogenesis on the left bank and in more dry aerobic conditions on the right bank. The highest concentrations of methane were found in alas deposits, where the major role belongs to the duration of freezing after draining the thermokarst lake in subaerial conditions. The methane content is highly variable both laterally and with depth in the studied deposits, but there is no redistribution after freezing; this allows one to use methane as a paleo indicator of the conditions of accumulation and freezing of sediments.     

The Effect of Aggregation of Impurity Nitrogen on Diamond X-Ray Luminescence

Two samplings of 65 diamond crystals divided by the intensity of a slow X-ray luminescence component are studied from the Arkhangel’skaya and Karpinskogo-1 pipes. IR and EPR spectroscopies revealed a relationship between the nitrogen A and P2 centers of the diamonds and the presence of a slow X-ray luminescence component. Its absence in most diamonds with high content of P1 (C) centers is explained by the low number of A and P2 centers.     

Integrated Geophysical Works on the Kozlovka Anomaly (Kaluga Region)

This work presents integrated geophysical studies that were carried out to identify the nature of the intense magnetic anomaly detected by the results of land surveying on the right bank of the Slushka River in the territory of the Yukhnovskii district of Kaluga Region. The comprehensive interpretation of the geophysical data and the laboratory measurements of the core made it possible to determine the nature and parameters of the anomaly-forming object that is located in the upper part of the section; it consists of loams that contain such magnetic minerals as greigite, pyrrhotite, and magnetite.     

The Structure of the Sedimentary Cover of the Kandalaksha Gulf,White Sea,from Seismoacoustic Data

The geological structure of water areas adjacent to the White Sea biological research station of Moscow State University (Rugozero Bay and Great Salma Strait; both are parts of the Kandalaksha Gulf, White Sea) was studied for the first time based on the seismoacoustic data. The morphology of the top of the Achaean basement, the structure of the Quaternary sedimentary cover, and the bottom topography were investigated. The sequence of glacial deposits dated back to the last glaciation and the compound sequence consisting of glaciolacustrine, glacial-marine, and marine sediments are distinguished. The spatial locations and changes of their thicknesses are considered. It is shown that the recent bottom topography is controlled by predominantly NW- and NE-striking faults that run through the entire sedimentary sequence, including the Holocene sediments.     

A Thermodynamic Model of the Water–Rock Interaction under Hydrothermal Exposure of the Bazhenov Formation

Thermodynamic modeling of the hydrothermal exposure of the rocks of the Bazhenov Formation resulted in revealing the equilibrium mineral associations at 50–350°C and the pressure of saturated water vapor. The calculation results show that mineral parageneses varied slightly with the increase of temperature. Thus, zeolites were characterized by the stilbite–laumontite–wairakite series; kaolinite, pyrite, dolomite, and brannerite were replaced by montmorillonite and/or albite, pyrrhotite, calcite, and uraninite, respectively. The modeling results were confirmed in experiments.