Anatomy and genesis of a subduction-related orogen: A new view of geotectonic subdivision and evolution of the Japanese Islands

Abstract The Japanese Islands represent a segment of a 450 million year old subduction-related orogen developed along the western Pacific convergent margin. The geotectonic subdivision of the Japanese Islands is newly revised on the basis of recent progress in the 1980s utilizing microfossil and chronometric mapping methods for ancient accretionary complexes and their high-P/T metamorphic equivalents. This new subdivision is based on accretion tectonics, and it contrasts strikingly with previous schemes based on‘geosyncline’tectonics, continent-continent collision-related tectonics, or terrane tectonics. Most of the geotectonic units in Japan are composed of Late Paleozoic to Cenozoic accretionary complexes and their high-PIT metamorphic equivalents, except for two units representing fragments of Precambrian cratons, which were detached from mainland Asia in the Tertiary. These ancient accretionary complexes are identified using the method of oceanic plate stratigraphy. The Japanese Islands are comprised of 12 geotectonic units, all noted in southwest Japan, five of which have along-arc equivalents in the Ryukyus. Northeast Japan has nine of these 12 geotectonic units, and East Hokkaido has three of these units. Recent field observations have shown that most of the primary geotectonic boundaries are demarcated by low-angle faults, and sometimes modified by secondary vertical normal and/or strike-slip faults. On the basis of these new observations, the tectonic evolution of the Japanese Islands is summarized in the following stages: (i) birth at a rifted Yangtze continental margin at ca 750–700 Ma; (ii) tectonic inversion from passive margin to active margin around 500 Ma; (iii) successive oceanic subduction beginning at 450 Ma and continuing to the present time; and (iv) isolation from mainland Asia by back-arc spreading at ca 20 Ma. In addition, a continent-continent collision occurred between the Yangtze and Sino-Korean cratons at 250 Ma during stage three. Five characteristic features of the 450 Ma subduction-related orogen are newly recognized here: (i) step-wise (not steady-state) growth of ancient accretionary complexes; (ii) subhorizontal piled nappe structure; (iii) tectonically downward-younging polarity; (iv) intermittent exhumation of high-P/T metamorphosed accretionary complex; and (v) microplate-induced modification. These features suggest that the subduction-related orogenic growth in Japan resulted from highly episodic processes. The episodic exhumation of high-P/T units and the formation of associated granitic batholith (i.e. formation of paired metamorphic belts) occurred approximately every 100 million years, and the timing of such orogenic culmination apparently coincides with episodic ridge subduction beneath Asia.     

从鲇鱼预报地震谈起

文章概述了日本学者多年来对鲇鱼预报地震的研究成果，同时介绍了日本开展地下电磁波垂分量法的观测和对地震前发生超低频电磁波的理论研究。     

华北地区与日本海沟地震的相关性分析

据板块运动及构造动力的因果关系研究了我国华北地区６级以上与日本海沟地区７级以上地震活动的关系，结果表明，两个地区群体地震活动在时间轴上的不均匀分布及起伏具有一定的同步性，且华北地区的群体地震活动的开始时间晚于日本海沟地区。     

日本列岛及中国东南沿海地震对中国大陆地震活动的影响估计

１９９４－１９９５年初日本列岛及中国东南沿海发生一组大地震，其中包括引起重大破坏的阪神大地震。从地震横向迁移角度对这些大地震集中发生对大陆地震的影响进行了分析。大震引起的应变波动传播速度馒、周期长、能量大、影响距离和深度大，其波峰可能触发地震。据Ｂｏｔｔ和Ｄｅａｎ的非弹性介质应变波运动方程解释了从海沟到内陆的大震迁移，指出１９１８年以来迁移序列目前对山西地震带及贺兰山地震带有影响；１９９４－１９９５年的地震序列在２０２０年左右将对渤海──郯庐断裂产生影响，２０３０年左右对华北平原产生影响；目前可能激发广东、福建沿海发生中等地震。     

1995年1月17日日本兵库县南部地震现场调查概况

１９９５年１月１７日日本兵库县南部淡路岛发生７．２级地震后，正在工作的本文作者亲临地震灾区，进行了现场调查，作者以日记的形式叙述了现场调查情况，此外，他还给出了自己对灾害的分析。     

日本阪神大震灾的启示

本文通过１９９５年日本阪神大地震的震灾分析，提出了我国防震减灾工作应汲取的一些经验教训。作者建议加强地震前兆观测和群测群防工作，重视地震区的地质调查和工程抗震工作，研究开拓新方法，进行综合分析预报，是大限度地减轻地震灾害。     

Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous radiolarian zonation in Japan and in the western Pacific

Abstract A radiolarian zonal scheme for the entire Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous using biostratigraphic data from both Japanese Island sections and the western Pacific seafloor is documented. The zonation is applicable to low and middle paleolatitude portions of the Paleo-Pacific ocean. Radiolarian bio-events such as the evolutionary first appearance biohorizon, first occurrence biohorizon, and last occurrence biohorizon were used to define zones. The 11 zones proposed are, in ascending order, Parahsuum simplum, Trillus elkhornensis, Laxtorum(?) jurassicum, Tricolocapsa plicarum, Tricolocapsa conexa, Stylocapsa(?) spiralis, Hsuum maxwelli, Pseudodictyomitra primitiva, Pseudodictyomitra carpatica, Cecrops sep-temporatus, and Acanthocircus carinatus zones. Preliminary age assignments for these zones are presented.     

Field survey of the 1993 Hokkaido Nansei-Oki earthquake tsunami

Runup data in Hokkaido and in three prefectures in the Tohoku District are described with a few witnessed arrival times and with comments of tide records. The highest runup of 31.7 m was found at the bottom of a narrow valley on the west coast of Okushiri Island. In order to explain high runups of 20 m at Hamatsumae in the sheltered area, roles of edge waves, refraction of the Okushiri Spur and tsunami generation by causes other than the major fault motion should be understood. An early arrival of the tsunami on the west coast of Hokkaido suggests another tsunami generation mechanism in addition to the major fault motion.     

Reply to comments by H. Mashima on ‘Evolution of the eastern margin of Korea: constraints on the opening of the East Sea (Japan Sea)’ by Kim et al. [Tectonophysics 436 (2007) 37–55]

We thank H. Mashima for his interest in our recent article in Tectonophysics [Kim, H.J., Lee, G.H., Jou, H.T., Cho, H.M., Yoo, H.S., Park, G.T., Kim, J.S., 2007, Evolution of the eastern margin of Korea: Constraints on the opening of the East Sea (Japan Sea). Tectonophysics 436, 37–55.] and welcome the opportunity to respond to his comments. In our article we suggested that the southern part of the East Sea (Japan Sea) opened principally in the southeast direction in response to the northwestward subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Japan Arc. In contrast, Mashima claims that the opening of the East Sea was achieved in the south–southeast direction. However, there are many crucial things in his comments that we find scientifically unconvincing and misleading. In this reply, we give a detailed response to his comments.     

赣东北蛇纹岩中铬尖晶石特征及其形成环境

赣东北蛇纹岩主要分布于该区的蛇绿混杂岩带内,经ICP-MS分析发现该区蛇纹岩Cr的丰度达6187×10-6,电子探针分析发现主要以铬尖晶石类矿物形式存在.铬尖晶石矿物的Cr#[=100*Cr/(Cr+A1)]为60～69,指示其形成环境可能与SSZ型蛇绿岩(supra-subduction zotle ophiolite)有关.