Structure and metamorphism of the Calliope Volcanic Assemblage: Implications for middle to Late Devonian orogeny in the northern New England Fold Belt

The Late Silurian to Middle Devonian Calliope Volcanic Assemblage in the Rockhampton region is deformed into a set of northwest‐trending gently plunging folds with steep axial plane cleavage. Folds become tighter and cleavage intensifies towards the bounding Yarrol Fault to the east. These folds and associated cleavage also deformed Carboniferous and Permian rocks, and the age of this deformation is Middle to Late Permian (Hunter‐Bowen Orogeny). In the Stanage Bay area, both the Calliope Volcanic Assemblage and younger strata generally have one cleavage, although here it strikes north to northeast. This cleavage is also considered to be of Hunter‐Bowen age. Metamorphic grade in the Calliope Volcanic Assemblage ranges from prehnite‐pumpellyite to greenschist facies, with higher grades in the more strongly cleaved rocks. In the Rockhampton region the Calliope Volcanic Assemblage is part of a west‐vergent fold and thrust belt, the Yarrol Fault representing a major thrust within this system.

A Late Devonian unconformity followed minor folding of the Calliope Volcanic Assemblage, but no cleavage was formed. The unconformity does not represent a collision between an exotic island arc and continental Australia as previously suggested.     

Arc magmatism in the Delhi Fold Belt: SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages of granitoids and implications for Neoproterozoic convergent margin tectonics in NW India

The northwestern region of Peninsular India preserves important records of Precambrian plate tectonics and the role of Indian continent within Proterozoic supercontinents. In this study, we report precise SHRIMP zircon U–Pb ages from granitoids from the Sirohi terrane located along the western fringe of the Delhi Fold Belt in Rajasthan, NW India. The data reveal a range of Neoproterozoic ages from plagiogranite of Peshua, foliated granite of Devala, and porphyritic granite of Sai with zircon crystallization from magmas at 1015 ± 4.4 Ma, 966.5 ± 3.5 and 808 ± 3.1 respectively. The plagiogranite shows high SiO₂, Na₂O and extremely low K₂O, Rb, Ba, comparable with typical oceanic plagiogranites. These rocks possess low LREE and HREE concentrations and a relatively flat LREE–HREE slope, a well-developed negative Eu-anomaly and conspicuous Nb and Ti anomalies. Compared to the plagiogranite, the foliated Devala granite shows higher SiO₂ and moderate Na₂O, together with high K₂O and comparatively higher Rb, Ba, Sr and REE, with steep REE profiles and a weak positive Eu anomaly. In contrast to the plagiogranite and foliated granite, the porphrytic Sai granite has comparatively lower SiO₂ moderately higher Na₂O, extremely high Y, Zr, Nb and elevated REE. The geochemical features of the granitoids [HFSE depletion and LILE enrichment, Nb- and Ta-negative anomalies], and their plots in the fields of Volcanic Arc Granites and those from active continental margins in tectonic discrimination diagrams suggest widespread Neoproterozoic arc magmatism with changing magma chemistry in a protracted subduction realm. Our results offer important insights into a long-lived active continental margin in NW India during early and mid Neoproterozoic, consistent with recent similar observations on Cryogenian magmatic arcs widely distributed along the margins of the East African Orogen, and challenge some of the alternate models which link the magmatism to extensional tectonics associated with Rodinia supercontinent breakup.     

Role of southeastern Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone in the tectonic evolution of Zagros Orogenic Belt,Iran

Geological studies indicate that the southeastern Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone, located in the southeastern Zagros Orogenic Belt, is subdivided transversally into the Esfahan–Sirjan Block with typical Central Iranian stratigraphic features and the Shahrekord–Dehsard Terrane consisting of Paleozoic and Lower Mesozoic metamorphic rocks. The Main Deep Fault (Abadeh Fault) is a major lithospheric fault separating the two parts. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the role of the southeastern Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone in the tectonic evolution of the southeastern Zagros Orogenic Belt on the basis of geological evidence. The new model implies that Neo‐Tethys 1 came into being when the Central Iran Microcontinent split from the northeastern margin of Gondwana during the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian. During the Late Triassic a new spreading ridge, Neo‐Tethys 2, was created to separate the Shahrekord–Dehsard Terrane from Afro–Arabian Plate. The Zagros sedimentary basin was formed on a continental passive margin, southwest of Neo‐Tethys 2. The two ophiolitic belts of Naien–Shahrebabak–Baft and Neyriz were developed to the northeast of Neo‐Tethys 1 and southwest of Neo‐Tethys 2 respectively, related to the sinking of the lithosphere of the Neo‐Tethys 1 in the Late Cretaceous. It can be concluded that deposition of the Paleocene conglomerate on the Central Iran Microcontinent and Pliocene conglomerate in the Zagros Sedimentary Basin is directly linked to the uplift generated by collision.     

Metamorphism and metamorphic K–Ar ages of the Mesozoic accretionary complex in Northland, New Zealand

Abstract A southwest dipping Mesozoic accretionary complex, which consists of tectonically imbricated turbiditic mudstone and sandstone, hemipelagic siliceous mudstone, and bedded cherts and basaltic rocks of pelagic origin, is exposed in northern North Island, New Zealand. Interpillow limestone is sometimes contained in the basaltic rocks. The grade of subduction‐related metamorphism increases from northeast to southwest, indicating an inverted metamorphic gradient dip. Three metamorphic facies are recognized largely on the basis of mineral parageneses in sedimentary and basaltic rocks: zeolite, prehnite‐pumpellyite and pumpellyite‐actinolite. From the apparent interplanar spacing d₀₀₂ data for carbonaceous material, which range from 3.642 to 3.564 Å, the highest grade of metamorphism is considered to have attained only the lowermost grade of the pumpellyite‐actinolite facies for which the highest temperature may be approximately 300°C. Metamorphic white mica K–Ar ages are reported for magnetic separates and <2 µm hydraulic elutriation separates from 27 pelitic and semipelitic samples. The age data obtained from elutriation separates are approximately 8 m.y. younger, on average, than those from magnetic separates. The age difference is attributed to the possible admixture of nonequilibrated detrital white mica in the magnetic separates, and the age of the elutriation separates is considered to be the age of metamorphism. If the concept, based on fossil evidence, of the subdivision of the Northland accretionary complex into north and south units is accepted, then the peak age of metamorphism in the north unit is likely to be 180–130 Ma; that is, earliest Middle Jurassic to early Early Cretaceous, whereas that in the south unit is 150–130 Ma; that is, late Late Jurassic to early Early Cretaceous. The age cluster for the north unit correlates with that of the Chrystalls Beach–Taieri Mouth section (uncertain terrane), while the age cluster for the south unit is older than that of the Younger Torlesse Subterrane in the Wellington area, and may be comparable with that of the Nelson and Marlborough areas (Caples and Waipapa terranes).     

金平龙脖河地区元古界龙脖河岩群的建立

将金平县龙脖河口一带原划二叠纪的玄武岩组，三叠纪的个旧组、火把冲组，更正为元古代，并命名为龙脖河岩群。为研究该区的地层展布、大地构造环境、古地理、构造活动等提供了新资料。     

南京湖山地区下二叠统孤峰组放射虫动物群

南京湖山地区下二叠统孤峰组含有极丰富的放射虫化石,主要由阿尔拜虫类albaillellids.球形多囊虫类sphericalpolycystine和十字多囊虫类stauraxonpolvcystine组成。文章对部分化石进行了描述,并建立1新属新种。根据放射虫在地层中的分布,提出两个组合带,即Pseudoalbaillella fusiformis-P. longtanensis带和Ruzhencevispongus uralicus带,并将这两个组合带与国内外时代大致相当的放射虫组合进行了比较,还讨论了这两个组合的时代。     

青藏高原岩石圈三维电性结构

本文报道通过综合大地电磁调查数据研究青藏高原岩石圈三维电阻率模型的初步成果.大地电磁法调查区域已经覆盖了高原大部分面积,为全区三维电阻率成像研究打下了可靠的基础.对多个测区大地电磁数据进行精细的同化处理和反演成像,取得了青藏高原可靠的岩石圈三维电阻率结构图像.成像的区域为28°N—35°N,80°E—104°E.三维反演计算时采用的网格尺寸为20 km×20 km,垂直方向不等间距剖分为26层.结果表明,青藏高原现今岩石圈电阻率扰动主要反映印度克拉通对亚欧大陆板块俯冲引起的热流体运动和大陆碰撞和拆离产生的构造.在岩石圈地幔,察隅地块、喜马拉雅地块和拉萨地块东部联成统一的高电阻率地块,它们反映了向北东俯冲的印度克拉通.雅鲁藏布江、班公—怒江和金沙江缝合带都有明显的低电阻率异常,表明岩石圈深处有热流体活动.雅鲁藏布江、班公—怒江和金沙江缝合带都有明显的低电阻率异常,也表明它们的岩石圈还有流体活动.青藏高原东部的低阻区沿100°E向地幔下方扩大,反映了金沙江断裂带有切穿岩石圈的趋势.地幔电阻率平面扰动的模式显示,青藏高原东西部的地体碰撞拼合形式和方向是不同的.在青藏高原西部,羌塘、拉萨和喜马拉雅等地体从北到南碰撞拼合.在青藏高原东部,羌塘—拉萨、察隅、印支、雅安和扬子等地体多方向拆离拼合,在地壳造成不正交的拆离带和压扭构造系.从高阻-低阻区的分布看,东部的地体拼合有地幔的根源,今后还会进一步发展.察隅地块岩石圈对青藏高原东部的楔入,使其北部和东部地块的岩石圈发生拆离撕裂,也造成热流体上涌的低电阻率异常.

     

Timing and development of sedimentation of the Cleaverville Formation and a post‐accretion pull‐apart system in the Cleaverville area,coastal Pilbara Terrane,Pilbara, Western Australia

In the Cleaverville area of Western Australia, the Regal, Dixon Island, and Cleaverville Formations preserve a Mesoarchean lower‐greenschist‐facies volcano‐sedimentary succession in the coastal Pilbara Terrane. These formations are distributed in a rhomboidal‐shaped area and are unconformably overlain by two narrowly distributed shallow‐marine sedimentary sequences: the Sixty‐Six Hill and Forty‐Four Hill Members of the Lizard Hills Formation. The former member is preserved within the core of the Cleaverville Syncline and the latter formed along the northeast‐trending Eighty‐Seven Fault. Based on the metamorphic grade and structures, two deformation events are recognized: D₁ resulted in folding caused by a collisional event, and D₂ resulted in regional sinistral strike‐slip deformation. A previous study reported that the Cleaverville Formation was deposited at 3020 Ma, after the Prinsep Orogeny (3070–3050 Ma). Our SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages show that: (i) graded volcaniclastic–felsic tuff within the black shale sequence below the banded iron formation in the Cleaverville Formation yields an age of (3 114 ±14) Ma; (ii) the youngest zircons in sandstones of the Sixty‐Six Hill Member, which unconformably overlies pillow basalt of the Regal Formation, yield ages of 3090–3060 Ma; and (iii) zircons in sandstones of the Forty‐Four Hill Member show two age peaks at 3270 Ma and 3020 Ma. In this way, the Cleaverville Formation was deposited at 3114–3060 Ma and was deformed at 3070–3050 Ma (D₁). Depositional age of the Cleaverville Formation is at least 40–90 Myr older than that proposed in previous studies and pre‐dates the Prinsep Orogeny (3070–3050 Ma). After 3020 Ma, D₂ resulted in the formation of a regional strike‐slip pull‐apart basin in the Cleaverville area. The lower‐greenschist‐facies volcano‐sedimentary rocks are distributed only within this basin structure. This strike‐slip deformation was synchronous with crustal‐scale sinistral shear deformation (3000–2930 Ma) in the Pilbara region.     

Long-term landscape evolution in Australia

The main features of the Australian physical landscape are of the order of 10⁷-10⁸ years old. This contradicts the widely held view that little of the Earth's topography predates the Quaternary and that erosion cycles are carried to planation within tens of millions of years. Much of the Australian landscape must have developed over similar timescales to that of the tectonic evolution of the continent itself. The study of the geomorphology of such ancient terrains may therefore be seriously deficient unless it is considered within the context of continental-scale tectonic development. Application of this approach shows that there are strong links between the geomorphology of Australia and plate movements, ocean spreading, plate convergence, tectonostratigraphic terranes, orogenesis and epeirogenesis. The most important factor contributing to the survival of ancient landscapes in Australia is the low rate of denudation which the continent has experienced during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. This is largely a consequence of orogenic stability, although the absence of significant Quaternary glaciation may also be of importance. However, in order for landforms to have survived over such timespans, denudation must not only have been low, but must also have been highly localized over space and time. This has been the case both on a regional scale, with long-term denudation rates of 0-2 m Ma^?1 in central Australia contrasting with higher rates along the continental margins, and on a local scale, with denudation confined to valleys, leaving divides and interfluves almost unscathed.     

冲绳海槽北段表层沉积物中底栖有孔虫分布的研究

对1992年5月取自冲绳海槽北段（水深113-1156m，东经126°58.71'-129°9.06’，北纬28°41.75'-31°40.56'）92个表层沉积物中的底栖有孔虫数据进行R型因子分析。分析表明，黑潮流系有4个不同垂直水团的底栖有孔虫群落组合。其中Pseudorotaliaindopacifica,Bolovinarobusta,Cibicidesmargaritiferus,Textulariasaggitula,Cibicideslobatulus和Quinqueloculinaspp.代表黑潮流系的表层水;Hyalineabalthica，Caribeanelladepressa,Cibicidespraecinctus，Planulinawuellerstorfi和Melonisaffinis代表黑潮流系的次表层水;Globobuliminapacifica,Globocassidulinasubglobosa和Trifarinaspp.代表黑潮流系的中层水;Oridorsalistener,Martionottiellaokinawaensis,Pulleniaquinqueloba和Uvigerinadirupta代表黑潮流系的深层水。