Late Cenozoic deformation subsequence in northeastern margin of Tibet --Detrital AFT records from Linxia Basin

Two events of Tibet uplifting are revealed by detrital apatite fission track (AFT) age data from Linxia Basin. They occurred at about 14 and 5.4-8.0 MaBP respectively. We interpret the first one to be related to the uplifting of the northern Tibet, which might have resulted from convectively removing the thickened lower lithosphere. The second one is a result of Laji Mountain uplifting. Numerous studies of the Tibetan Plateau suggest that the onset time of the deformation in the northeastern margin of Tibetan Plateau and the time of Tibet attaining to its present elevation is about 8 MaBP. They are approximately coincident with the uplift of Lajishan Mountain. It suggests that the northeastern margin of Tibet propagated northeastwardly to its present site in about 8 MaBP for accommodating the sustained convergence between India-Eurasia plate and for keeping its high elevation. The active block pattern dominating the strong earthquake distribution of Chinese continent probably formed at about 8.0-5.4 MaBP.     

Caledonian Low-Temperature Granulite-Facies Metamorphism in the West Kunlun Orogenic Belt—SHRIMP Chronological Evidence from Zircon

The West Kunlun orogenic belt is located at the conjunction of the paleo-Asian tectonic system and the Tethys tectonic system. Petrological and mineralogical studies of the Early Cambrian metamorphic surface crust in this region have shown that in case the metamorphism reached low-temperature granulate facies, the typical mineral assemblage is biotite-garnet-silimanite-K feldspar-plagioclase-quartz. The peak metamorphic temperatures are within the range of 720–740°C and the pressure is 0.6 GPa ±. Three types of metamorphic zircon have been detected in the metamorphic rocks: the complex inclusion-bearing type ; the early relic zircon inclusion-bearing type; and the inclusion-free type. SHRIMP age determination of these three types of metamorphic zircon have revealed that these zircons were formed principally during 400–460 Ma, indicating that pre-Cambrian metamorphic surface crust rocks underwent low-temperature granulite facies metamorphism during the Caledonian. In combination with the geological characteristics of this region, it is considered that when the oceanic basin was closed, there occurred intense intracontinental subduction (type A), bringing part of the Early Cambrian metamorphic basement in this region downwards to the lower crust. Meanwhile, there were accompanied with tectonic deformation at deep levels and medium- to high-grade metamorphism. This study provided important chronological and mineralogical evidence for the exploration of the evolutionary mechanism and process of the West Kunlun Early Paleozoic. Part of the results from the research project “ Research on the West Kunlun pre-Cambrian tectonic events” under the program “ Research on the important geological problems of China’ s pre-Cambrian” (No. 200113900070) sponsored by the China National Geological Surveying Bureau.     

Origin and tectonic significance of a Mesozoic multi-layer over-thrust system within the Yangtze Block (South China)

In the Yangtze Block (South China), a well-developed Mesozoic thrust system extends through the Xuefeng and Wuling mountains in the southeast to the Sichuan basin in the northwest. The system comprises both thin- and thick-skinned thrust units separated by a boundary detachment fault, the Dayin fault. To the northwest, the thin-skinned belt is characterized by either chevron anticlines and box synclines to the northwest or chevron synclines to the southeast. The former structural style displays narrow exposures for the cores of anticlines and wider exposures for the cores of synclines. Thrust detachments occur along Silurian (Fs) and Lower Cambrian (Fc) strata and are dominantly associated with the anticlines. To the southeast, this style of deformation passes gradually into one characterized by chevron synclines with associated principal detachment faults along Silurian (Fs), Cambrian (Fc) and Lower Sinian (Fz) strata. There are, however, numerous secondary back thrusts. Therefore, the thin-skinned belt is like the Valley and Ridge Province of the North American Applachian Mountains. The thick-skinned belt structurally overlies the thin-skinned belt and is characterized by a number of klippen including the Xuefeng and Wuling nappes. It is thus comparable to the Blue Ridge Province of Appalachia.The structural pattern of this thrust system in South China can be explained by a model involving detachment faulting along various stratigraphic layers at different stages of its evolution. The system was developed through a northwest stepwise progression of deformation with the earliest delamination along Lower Sinian strata (Fz). Analyses of balanced geological cross-sections yield about 18.1–21% (total 88 km) shortening for the thin-skinned unit and at least this amount of shortening for the thick-skinned unit. The compressional deformation from southeast to northwest during Late Jurassic to Cretaceous time occurred after the westward progressive collision of the Yangtze Block with the North China Block and suggests that the orogenic event was intracontinental in nature.     

深海二叠——三叠系界线研究现状

综述了深海二叠（Ｐ）－－三叠系（Ｔ）界线研究现状，介绍了深海Ｐ－Ｔ界线附近岩石地层，生物地层、缺氧事件及生物绝灭和复苏的研究进展，指出了深海Ｐ－Ｔ界线，缺氧事件和生物绝灭研究的分歧、不足及其症结。     

从综合地层学观点论华南浅海相泥盆系—石炭系的分界

生物地层学、事件地层学和层地层学综合研究表明，华南浅海相区与Ｓｉｐｈｏｎｏｄｅｌｌａｐｒａｅｓｕｌｃａｔａ带和Ｓ．ｓｕｌｃａｔａ带之间的界线相当的泥盆系－石炭系的界线不仅高于Ｃｙｓｔｏｐｈｒｅｎｔｉｓ带楔界，而且还应高于引起Ｃｙｓｔｏｐｈｒｅｎｔｉｓ绝灭的海退事件层的顶界。     

冀西北麻粒岩区早前寒武纪主要地质事件的年代格架

本文通过年代学资料和其它地质依据建立了冀西北及邻区麻粒岩地体早前寒武纪主要地质事件的年代格架。早期的基性火山喷发事件发生在2868—2932Ma期间,形成本区的早期地壳。在2761Ma左右发生了大规模的TTG岩浆侵位事件,在2650Ma时发生了基性岩浆侵位,使地壳加厚。在2561—2503Ma期间,花岗闪长质岩浆在本区广泛侵入,使地壳进一步加厚。2477—2461Ma期间,紫苏花岗岩以岩株形式侵入,同时发生区域麻粒岩相变质,早期地壳受到改造。大约在2300Ma时发生第二阶段的麻粒岩相变质。此后,在2144—2087Ma期间红色花岗岩侵位,形成花岗岩带。     

小秦岭东闯金矿区花岗岩浆活动的性质

东闯金矿区中生开岩交活动的特征是小秦岭地区这一时期岩浆活动的缩影。从钾长花岗岩墙－文峪第一次侵入体－文峪第二次侵入体，岩石向相对基性度增高方向变化，可能暗示区域岩石圈的热－物质调整从印支期至燕山早期持续增强。     

GEOLOGICAL MARKS OF A POSSIBLE EXTRATERRESTRIAL IMPACT EVENT ON THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN SINIAN/CAMBRIAN IN TIANMENSHAN IN WESTERN HUNAN

Geologic marks related to extraterrestrial impact events, such as impact split gravels, impact brecciate layers, impact dikes, microirghizites, microtektites, especially meteoritic residues, were discovered on the boundary between Sinian/Cambrian at Tianmenshan of Western Hunan, which may possibly demonstrate that an extraterrestrial impact event has ever occurred there on the S/C boundary.     

Matuyama-Brunhes reversal and Kamikatsura event on Maui: paleomagnetic directions, Ar/Ar ages and implications

Eighty-nine basaltic lava flows from the northwest wall of Haleakala caldera preserve a concatenated paleomagnetic record of portions of the Matuyama-Brunhes (M-B) reversal and the preceding Kamikatsura event as well as secular variation of the full-polarity reversed and normal geomagnetic field. They provide the most detailed volcanic record to date of the M-B transition. The 24 flows in the transition zone show for the first time transitional virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) that move from reverse to normal along the Americas, concluding with an oscillation in the Pacific Ocean to a cluster of VGPs east of New Zealand and back finally to stable polarity in the north polar region. All but one of the 16 Kamikatsura VGPs cluster in central South America. The full-polarity flows, with ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages spanning a total of 680 kyr, pass a reversal test and give an average VGP insignificantly different from the rotation axis, with standard deviation consistent with that for other 0-5 Ma lava flows of similar latitude. Precise ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating consisting of 31 incremental heating experiments on 12 transitional flows yields weighted mean ages of 775.6±1.9 and 900.3±4.7 ka for the M-B and Kamikatsura transitional flows, respectively. This Matuyama-Brunhes age is ∼16 kyr younger than ages for M-B flows from the Canary Islands, Tahiti and Chile that were dated using exactly the same techniques and standards, suggesting that this polarity transition may have taken considerably longer to complete and been more complex than is generally believed for reversals.     

ENSO事件与鲁西北夏季降水的关系

应用近百年ENSO事件的研究成果和ENSO事件影响年的资料，统计分析近50年来ENSO事件与鲁西北夏季降水关系，为短期气候预测和汛期气象服务提供参考依据。