印度—亚洲俯冲带结构——岩浆作用证据

在印度与亚洲大陆碰撞之后 ,两个大陆之间是否存在大陆俯冲是关系到高原地壳加厚、隆升等构造演化模式的重要问题。近 2 0年来以各种地球物理方法为主的深部探测结果揭示了青藏高原的岩石圈结构 ,表明印度向亚洲下部的俯冲是存在的 ,但是其俯冲的规模仍存在争议。不同观点认为印度岩石圈前缘已经到达班公—怒江缝合带的下部约 2 0 0km深度、俯冲在整个西藏岩石圈深部、或者仅仅越过雅鲁藏布江断裂。地热泉He同位素、碰撞后岩浆作用的年代学、岩石学与地球化学研究结果表明冈底斯带与高原北部地区具有相同的岩石圈地幔源区 ,并且存在印度板块在 13～ 2 5Ma之前就俯冲在冈底斯带西部的岩石学和地球化学证据 ,考虑到印度板块的持续向北运动 ,则岩浆作用支持印度岩石圈现今已经达到或者越过班公—怒江缝合带的俯冲模式。     

基底仰冲—俯冲碰撞对盖层构造的影响物理模拟实验

根据相似性原理，选择橡皮泥和松散的细沙为实验材料分别模拟盆地的基底和盖层，在挤压应力条件下，模拟基底的仰冲—俯冲碰撞对盖层构造的影响。实验表明：①盆地基底在碰撞接触初期因接触面积较小而拼接不稳固，可以导致仰冲—俯冲碰撞，盆地基底碰撞部位的产状可能是决定该侧基底是俯冲抑或仰冲的重要因素。②盆地基底的微弱变形即可引起盖层较大形变；③基底的仰冲—俯冲使盖层的主要构造倾向仰冲基底一侧。     

DEEP TECTONOTHERMAL MECHANISM FOR THE TECTONIC EXTENSION OF THE EASTERN ASIAN CONTINENTAL MARGIN

The continental marginal extension concept developed by Chinese geologists recently may be applied to the explanation about the Cenozoic extension and divergent movement of the Eastern Asian continental margin. From the viewpoint of continental marginal extension, this paper discusses the deep tectonothermal mechanism of the tectonic extension of the Eastern Asian continental margin. The Eastern Asian continental margin is an extensional belt with intensive magmatism and structural deformation, geophysically characterized by continual earthquakes and obvious geothermal anomaly. Seismic tomographical results about the Eastern Asian continental margin imply that the Pacific Plate is subducted toward the Eurasian Plate at a low angle and the diving Pacific Plate lies on the surface of the 670-km phase transitional zone. We interpret this feature to be resulted from retrogressive subduction followed by continental marginal extension. Our thermal modeling and geodynamical computation results suggest that the retrogressive subduction occurred at about 76Ma and the withdrawal of the trench served to supply the volume for the continental growth, which led to the formation of the growing front of the Eastern Asian continental margin. The growth width of the Eastern Asian continental margin is about 700 km.     

Reconstructing the ancestral Yellowstone plume from accreted seamounts and its relationship to flat-slab subduction

Recent geodynamic analyses have emphasized the relationship between modern flat-slab subduction zones and the overriding of buoyant oceanic crust. Although most models for the evolution of the Late Mesozoic–Cenozoic Laramide orogeny in the southwestern United States involve flat-slab subduction, the mechanisms proposed are controversial. An examination of the geological evolution of the 60–50-Ma Crescent terrane of the Coast Ranges indicates that it was formed in a shallowing-upward Loihi-type oceanic setting culminating in the eruption of subaerial lavas. Plate reconstructions indicate that the Crescent terrane was emplaced into ca. 20-Ma crust, and the presence of subaerial lavas implies an uplift due to the plume of ca. 4.2 km, which we use to calculate a minimum buoyancy flux of 1.1 Mg s⁻¹, similar to that of the modern Yellowstone plume.Published paleomagnetic data indicate that the Crescent terrane was formed at a paleolatitude similar to that of the Yellowstone plume. The Crescent seamount was accreted within 5 My of the cessation of plume magmatism. Plate reconstructions indicate that it would have originated about 750 km to the west of the North American plate margin if it developed above a fixed Yellowstone plume, and are therefore consistent with the recorded very short interval between its formation and tectonic emplacement.We interpret the Crescent terrane as due to the ancestral Yellowstone plume. Such a plume would have generated an elongate swell and related plateau that would have been overridden by the North American margin. Taken together, the relationship between flat-slab and overriding of oceanic plateau in Laramide times would have been analogous to the relationship between modern Andean flat-slab subduction zones and the Juan Fernandez and Nazca oceanic plateaus.     

大别-苏鲁造山带大理岩碳氧同位素地球化学研究

大别-苏鲁造山带的大理岩分布非常广泛,在三叠纪的陆-陆碰撞中,经受了不同程度的变质作用。本文对分布在大别地区北淮阳、苏家河、桐柏、宿松和苏鲁地区张八岭、五莲和坪上等地区的浅变质大理岩进行了碳氧同位素分析。结果发现,除了张八岭大理岩δ~(13)C值出现明显正异常(1‰～8‰)外,其他地区大理岩的δ~(13)C值均处于0±2‰(PDB)范围之内。所有地区大理岩的δ~(18)O值都有不同程度的降低,最低的δ~(18)O值达到4.5‰(SMOW)。与前人对大别-苏鲁超高压大理岩碳氧同位素研究结果相对比,我们发现大理岩δ~(13)C值分布与岩石是否经过超高压没有联系,而主要反映了其原岩沉积的时代和环境,并且其特征可以与发生在新元古代的冰川事件相关联。区域性的δ~(18)O值降低则说明,大部分岩石都经过了流体交换,并且流体的主要成分是水,含碳很少或者不舍碳,因此流体的来源是大气降水,可能与新元古代冰川溶融有关。     

大陆板块俯冲和折返的同位素地球动力学

大别 -苏鲁造山带是扬子大陆板块与华北大陆板块之间在三叠纪时期俯冲 -碰撞所形成的超高压变质带。对该带超高压变质岩的稳定同位素研究发现 ,不仅含柯石英榴辉岩出现局部氧同位素负异常 (δ18O =- 10‰ ) ,而且区域上存在氧同位素分布的不均一性 (δ18O =- 10‰～+10‰ )。前者要求榴辉岩原岩在变质前经历过大气降水热液蚀变 ,说明俯冲板块具有大陆地壳特点 ;后者反映扬子板块具有快速俯冲变质的特征 ,否则将达到同位素均一化。榴辉岩氧同位素负异常的保存显示 ,这些超高压变质岩与地幔之间没有发生显著的化学相互作用。因此 ,载有榴辉岩原岩的板块俯冲到 2 0 0多公里深的地幔内部时 ,超高压岩石形成后在地幔中的滞留时间很短(<10Ma) ,致使它们与地幔之间的氧同位素交换没有达到再平衡。榴辉岩中不同矿物对氧同位素测温不仅给出了相互一致的结果 (6 5 0～ 75 0℃ ) ,而且这些温度与阳离子交换温度计的结果 (6 0 0～80 0℃ )相一致。因此 ,在榴辉岩相变质温度下共生矿物之间的氧同位素平衡已被“冻结” ,岩石冷却过程中的氧同位素交换再平衡没有发生 ,从而证明超高压榴辉岩在变质作用后经历了快速降压/冷却过程 ,对应于板块的快速抬升。这些结果首次从地球化学角度证明了大陆板块俯冲—超高压变质—折     

Structure of the Mérida Andes, Venezuela: relations with the South America–Caribbean geodynamic interaction

For over 50 years, several models based on diverse geologic concepts and variable quality of data have been proposed to explain the major structure and history of the Mérida Andes (MA), in western Venezuela. Lately, this chain growth and associated flexural basins deepening have been related to incipient type-A subductions of either polarity, accounting for the across-chain asymmetry. However, these recent models have not well integrated the present tectonically active setting driven by neighboring major plate interactions. At present, this chain exhibits ongoing strain partitioning where cumulative right-lateral slip along chain axis is as much as half of, or about the same, as the transverse shortening since late Miocene, thus implying that the NNE-directed Maracaibo block extrusion with respect to the South America (SA) plate is not a secondary feature. Consequently, this paper discusses some limitations exhibited by the SE-directed continental subduction models—Maracaibo crust underthrusting the Mérida Andes—in the light of available geological and geophysical data. Besides, it is herein proposed that the Mérida Andes structuration is related to a NW-directed, gently dipping, incipient type-A subduction, where chain growth and evolution are similar to those of a sedimentary accretionary wedge (i.e., Barbados), but at crustal scale and with ongoing strain partitioning. This continental subduction is the SE portion of a major orogenic float that also comprises the Perijá range and the Santa Marta block.     

The elastic properties of the lithosphere beneath Scotian basin

To assess the possibility that the North Atlantic Ocean may subduct at Scotian basin east of Canada, we investigate the present compensation state of this deep basin. A Fourier domain analysis of the bathymetry, depth to basement and observed gravity anomalies over the oceanic area east of Nova Scotia indicates that the basin is not isostatically compensated. Moreover, the analysis emphasizes that in addition to the sediments, density perturbations exist beneath the basin. The load produced by the sediments and these density perturbations must have been supported by the lithosphere. We simulate the flexure of the lithosphere under this load by that of a thin elastic plate overlying an inviscid interior. It is shown that a plate with a uniform rigidity does not adequately represent the lithosphere beneath the basin as well as the oceanic lithosphere far from the basin, rather the rigidity of the lithosphere directly beneath the basin is about one to two orders of magnitude smaller than elsewhere. We relate this weakening to the thermal blanketing effects of the thick sediments and the fact that the lithosphere has a temperature-dependent rheology. We suggest that this weak zone would have a controlling effect on the reactivation of normal faults at the hinge zone of the basin, that were formed during the break-up of Africa and North America and were locked in the early stages after the break-up. The weak zone would facilitate reactivation of the faults if tensional stresses were produced by possible reorientation of the spreading direction of the North Atlantic Ocean in the future. The reactivation of the faults would create a free boundary condition at the hinge zone, allowing further bending of the lithosphere beneath the basin and juxtaposition of this lithosphere to the mantle beneath the continent. This may provide a favorable situation for initiation of slow subduction due to subsequent compressional forces.     

Détermination du tenseur des contraintes par inversion de mécanismes au foyer de séismes sans choix de plans nodauxStress tensor determination through inversion of double couple focal mechanisms of earthquakes without choice between nodal planes

The seismotectonic state of stress is determined using double couple focal mechanisms of earthquakes, without any need to choose among the nodal planes. As the inversion criterion, a function that does not depend on this choice is adopted: the slip shear stress component, or SSSC. A new method is built, based on this criterion. Because the inversion is carried out by analytic means, the runtime is negligible and does not depend on the number of data. To cite this article: J. Angelier, C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 73–80     

Slow earthquakes and great earthquakes along the Nankai trough

We have reexamined reports indicating that slow deformation occurred before the great Japan earthquakes of 1944 (Tonankai) and 1946 (Nankaido) and find that the observations are well founded. Although no quantitative models have previously been proposed to explain all of the relevant data we show that they are satisfied by a simple model for both earthquakes. The model, based on known properties of subduction zones, has slow slip on the subduction interface in an area deeper than the seismic rupture. If this model is correct and a similar physical situation holds for an anticipated Tokai earthquake, existing instruments will be able to reveal the pre-slip in real time. While differences among the deformation time series at different sites will provide strong constraints on the slow rupture propagation, these differences could result in delaying the recognition of a coherent event.