A densely feathered ornithomimid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation,Alberta, Canada

A recently discovered articulated partial skeleton of Ornithomimus from the Upper Cretaceous Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada is remarkable in the extent and quality of preservation of integumentary structures including feathers. It is the first ornithomimid to preserve a tail bearing extensive plumaceous feathers that are slightly more elongate in comparison to those present on the remainder of the body. However, the underside of the tail and the hind limb distal to the middle of the femur appear devoid of plumage. Overall, the plumage pattern in Ornithomimus is similar to that of Struthio camelus (ostrich) and other large palaeognaths, indicating a probable function in thermoregulation. The specimen also preserves the body outline around the legs, including a skin contour anterior to the femur, analogous to skin webs in extant birds. Whereas the knee web of birds bridges the knee to the abdomen, in Ornithomimus it spans from the mid-femoral shaft to the abdomen, and is herein referred to as an anterior femoral web. This is the first report of such soft tissue structures in non-avian theropods. It may indicate that the resting position of the femur was positioned more anteroventrally in ornithomimids than in most theropods, and in that sense may have been transitional to the situation in modern birds.     

Significance of gabbronorite occurrence in the crustal section of the Semail ophiolite

The eastern end of the Haylayn massif exposes a complex paleoridge structure interpreted as the tip of a northwestward propagating segment (Nicolas et al., this issue). The area, revisited from a petrostructural and geochemical viewpoint, offers the most documented exposures of the association of olivine gabbros and gabbronorites in Oman (Juteau et al., 1988). Gabbronorites were injected while the main gabbro unit was deforming in the magmatic state. Both units do not differ chemically, except for the SiO₂ enrichment of the orthopyroxene-rich gabbros relative to olivine-gabbro. In addition, they display the same trace element signature, which implies the same parent magma for both units. The extension of the stability field of orthopyroxene is assigned to increase of oxygen fugacity due to hydration. The source of hydration is the ridge axis hydrothermal circulation, suggesting hydrothermal/magma interaction at temperatures above the gabbro solidus. The distribution of gabbronorites at the scale of the entire ophiolite suggests a relation with ridge tectonics where high-T conditions of hydrothermal-magmatic interaction are met. Such conditions are met when propagating segments rotate the structures of the dying magma chamber.     

Barry Granodiorite and Sunset Hills Granite: Wyangala‐style intrusion at the margin of a regional ductile shear zone,northern Lachlan Fold Belt,New South Wales

The Barry Granodiorite is a weakly deformed I‐type, and the Sunset Hills Granite is a moderately deformed S‐type, granite. Both granites were passively intruded into an already foliated greywacke and volcanic sequence. Emplacement may have been facilitated by faults related to the oblique opening of the late Early Silurian Hill End Trough. The granites display a dominant foliation which formed during the late Middle Devonian and subsequently was reoriented during the Early Carboniferous. The Barry Granodiorite and Sunset Hills Granite are on the margin of north‐south ductile shear zones related to the Wyangala Batholith. These granites and the adjacent Carcoar Granodiorite have undergone reorientation during movement on ductile shear zones either due to megakinking during late‐stage north‐south shortening, or southeastward movement of the southern margin of the west‐northwest‐trending Lachlan Transverse Zone.     

Compressional origin of the Aegean Orogeny,Greece

The Aegean Sea area is thought to be an actively extending back-arc region, north of the present day Hellenic volcanic arc and north-dipping subduction zone in the Eastern Mediterranean. The area shows extensive normal faulting, ductile ‘extensional’ shear zones and extensional S-C fabrics throughout the islands that have previously been related to regional Aegean extension associated with slab rollback on the Hellenic Subduction Zone. In this paper, we question this interpretation, and suggest the Cenozoic geodynamic evolution of the Aegean region is associated with a Late Cretaceous–Eocene NE-dipping subduction zone that was responsible for continent-continent collision between Eurasia and Adria-Apulia/Cyclades. Exhumation of eclogite and blueschist facies rocks in the Cyclades and kyanite-sillimanite grade gneisses in the Naxos core complex have pressures that are far greater than could be accounted for purely by lithospheric extension and isostatic uplift. We identify four stages of crustal shortening that affected the region prior to regional lithospheric extension, herein called the Aegean Orogeny. This orogeny followed a classic Wilson cycle from early ophiolite obduction (ca. 74 Ma) onto a previously passive continental margin, to attempted crustal subduction with HP eclogite and blueschist facies metamorphism (ca. 54–45 ?Ma), through crustal thickening and regional kyanite – sillimanite grade Barrovian-type metamorphism (ca. 22–14 ?Ma), to orogenic collapse (<14 ?Ma). At least three periods of ‘extensional’ fabrics relate to: (1) Exhumation of blueschists and eclogite facies rocks showing tight-isoclinal folds and top-NE, base-SW fabrics, recording return flow along a subduction channel in a compressional tectonic setting (ca. 50–35 ?Ma). (2) Extensional fabrics within the core complexes formed by exhumation of kyanite- and sillimanite gneisses showing thrust-related fabrics at the base and ‘extensional’ fabrics along the top (ca. 18.5–14 ?Ma). (3) Regional ductile-brittle ‘extensional’ fabrics and low-angle normal faulting related to the North Cycladic Detachment (NCD) and the South(West) Cycladic Detachment (WCD) during regional extension along the flanks of a major NW–SE anticlinal fold along the middle of the Cyclades. Major low-angle normal faults and ductile shear zones show symmetry about the area, with the NE chain of islands (Andros, Tinos, Mykonos, Ikaria) exposing the NE-dipping NCD with consistent top-NE ductile fabrics along 200 ?km of strike. In contrast, from the Greek mainland (Attica) along the SE chain of islands (Kea, Kythnos, Serifos) a SW-dipping low-angle normal fault and ductile shear zone, the WCD is inferred for at least 100 ?km along strike. Islands in the middle of the Cyclades show deeper structural levels including kyanite- and sillimanite-grade metamorphic core complexes (Naxos, Paros) as well as Variscan basement rocks (Naxos, Ios). The overall structure is an ~100 ?km wavelength NW–SE trending dome with low-angle extensional faults along each flank, dipping away from the anticline axis to the NE and SW. Many individual islands show post-extensional large-scale folding of the low-angle normal faults around the domes (Naxos, Paros, Ios, Sifnos) indicating a post-Miocene late phase of E–W shortening.     

Proterozoic volcanism in the Jack Hills Belt,Western Australia: Some implications and consequences for the World's oldest zircon population

Rare felsic volcanic rocks of dacitic to rhyolitic composition occur in the central part of the Jack Hills metasedimentary belt in the Narryer Terrane of Western Australia, interleaved with clastic sedimentary rocks and amphibolite. Representative samples of the four identified felsic volcanic units reveal a similar complex pattern of zircon age distribution, with all samples containing zircon populations at ∼3.3–3.4, ∼3.0–3.1, ∼2.6 and ∼1.8–1.9 Ga. The ∼3.3–3.4 Ga zircons show well-developed oscillatory zoning in cathodoluminescence (CL) images and are interpreted as inherited igneous zircon derived from granitic precursors, similar to the ∼3.3 Ga trondhjemitic granitoids currently exposed along the northern and southern margins of the belt. The ∼3.0–3.1 Ga zircons also reveal well-developed oscillatory zoning in CL and are most likely derived from granitoid and/or volcanic rocks of this age, as recorded in the Murchison domain to the south and possibly also present in the Narryer Terrane. The ∼2.6 Ga population matches the age of nearby late Archean granitoids intruding the Jack Hills belt and their oscillatory zoning and U–Th chemistry is consistent with their origin from such a source. The youngest discrete group of zircon grains, with ages ranging from ∼1970 to ∼1775 Ma, show strong oscillatory zoning and average Th/U ratios of 0.76, features consistent with an igneous origin. These younger zircons are therefore interpreted as defining the age of crystallisation of the volcanic rocks. These results establish that the Jack Hills metasedimentary belt contains significant post-Archean components. Taken together with similar results obtained from zircon occurring as detrital grains in clastic sedimentary rocks at Jack Hills, these results overturn the generally-accepted view that the belt is entirely Archean in age and that sedimentation was completed around 3.0 Ga ago. Instead, there is a distinct possibility that much of the material currently exposed in the Jack Hills belt formed in the Proterozoic. A further implication of this study is that the metamorphism affecting these rocks also occurred in the Proterozoic and consequently the rocks should not be considered as forming an Archean greenstone or metasedimentary belt. The paucity of zircons >4 Ga in the known Proterozoic sedimentary rocks and their total absence in the felsic volcanic rocks suggests that such ancient source rocks were no longer present in the area.     

新疆萨尔托海铬铁矿中的Fe-Ni-As-S矿物研究

新疆萨尔托海铬铁矿是一个典型的与蛇绿岩有关的高铝型豆荚状铬铁矿,其中矿石铬尖晶石发生了明显的热液蚀变,发育了富Cr的蚀变环边,形成高铁铬铁矿,Cr#在蚀变后升高,发生了Cr元素的次生富集。在矿石颗粒间隙中的Fe-Ni-As-S矿物组合主要为镍黄铁矿-赫硫镍矿-针镍矿-砷镍矿。围岩纯橄岩普遍发育强烈的蛇纹石化,其中的Fe-Ni-As-S矿物组合为赫硫镍矿-镍黄铁矿-砷镍矿,还有少量的针镍矿和铜矿物。通过对硫化物的成分对比分析,认为矿石中的镍黄铁矿和赫硫镍矿都属于岩浆演化的产物(600℃),与赫硫镍矿和针镍矿一样,均从贫S的母岩浆中通过岩浆熔离过程形成。围岩和矿石中的含砷矿物以及围岩中的镍黄铁矿都是晚期热液活动的结果,其中砷镍矿具有特殊的蠕虫状-乳滴状结构,与围岩中的赫硫镍矿和镍黄铁矿共生。围岩和矿石中Fe-Ni-As-S矿物组合的形态和成分差异,说明金属矿物的整体演化从岩浆期到热液期经历了从贫S到富As的环境变化,最终形成了现在所观察到的复杂Fe-Ni-As-S矿物组合。     

宁镇山脉小壳化石层时代的新认识

最新研究表明，句容仑山的小壳化石层和南京幕府山的一样，其层位都相当于下寒武统沧浪铺阶Ｐａｏｋａｎｎｉａ带，为我国下寒武统层位最高的一个小壳化石组合带。句容仑山当时位于台地边缘，缺失了早寒武世早期至沧浪铺期中期的沉积。     

北京西山寒武纪海相红层的分布与时代

本文参照北京西山及国内外寒武系相关地层资料，在古生物学和地层学研究的基础上，对北京西山寒武纪海相红层进行了初步研究。在西山寒武纪地层中，共识别出14层(套)海相红层，分别为：早寒武世下苇甸组1层B∈RB1(沧浪铺期)；早—中寒武世早期3层B∈RB2、B∈RB3及B∈RB4(馒头期—毛庄期)；中寒武世中期3层B∈RB5、B∈RB6及B∈RB7(徐庄期)；中寒武世晚期1层B∈RB8(张夏期)；晚寒武世早期2层B∈RB9、B∈RB10(崮山期)；晚寒武世中期3层B∈RB11、B∈RB12、B∈RB13(长山期)：晚寒武世晚期1层B∈RB14(凤山期)。所有14层海相红层形成于陆表海浅水环境，它们均属陆棚红层。红层分布模式说明，它们的形成与其附近的古陆有关。依据海相红层及其上下层位中所含的三叶虫化石，本文初步论述了各海相红层的大致时代，并与其他地区的同期海相红层进行了对比。此外，本文还讨论了山西东部寒武纪海相红层的层序和全球早寒武世沧浪铺期海相红层的广布事件。     

北京西山杨庄组的划分及地层学意义

本文利用近年来区调新资料，论述了西山地区杨庄组岩石特征、沉积环境和地层对比，指出了西山杨庄组的发现对该区地层层序划分的重要意义，探讨了杨庄期燕山地区的古地理状况。     

Multiple ophiolite generation preserved in the northern Philippines and the growth of an island arc complex

Although all oceanic arcs grow through the addition of subduction-generated magmas, the geology of the northern Philippines demonstrates that a major contribution to arc crustal growth can come from repeated, episodic, intra-arc, back-arc, and/or fore-arc oceanic crust generation with subsequent preservation of the basic–ultrabasic units in the arc complex. At least five episodes of oceanic crust generation are represented in the northern Philippines by preserved ophiolitic sequences and recent intra-arc seafloor spreading. Each episode is distinct in age as confirmed by modern dating techniques, with the ages ranging from pre(?)-Jurassic to Quaternary. Although the Philippines is widely regarded as an amalgamation of allochthonous terranes, a review of the available data shows that there is currently no compelling evidence that these ophiolites are of exotic origin and that they have been tectonically accreted to the Philippine arc complex. Rather, the evidence suggests that most—and possibly all—of the ophiolites were generated as back-arc, fore-arc, or intra-arc crust within the Philippine arc complex. Hence, there is a close spatial association of several ophiolitic terranes of diverse ages spanning 150 Myr that formed as part of the arc complex. Such an association may have arisen from episodic generation of oceanic crust during periods of local extension in a suprasubduction zone setting, which has experienced changing and possibly overlapping subduction from the east and west sides (in the current reference frame). Disruption of the ophiolitic basement terranes has been, and continues to be, effected primarily by wrench faulting. This style of arc growth has implications for the paleotectonic interpretation of ancient ophiolite-arc terranes in continents and the petrologic evolution of island arcs.