Interpretation of radon anomalies in seismotectonic and tectonic-gravitational settings: the south-eastern Crati graben (Northern Calabria, Italy)

The study area is located in the south-eastern part of the Crati valley (Northern Calabria, Italy), which is a graben bordered by N–S trending normal faults and crossed by NW–SE normal left-lateral faults. Numerous severe crustal earthquakes have affected the area in historical time. Present-day seismic activity is mainly related to the N–S faults located along the eastern border of the graben. In this area, much seismically induced deep-seated deformation has also been recognised.In the present paper, radon concentrations in soil gas have been measured and compared with (a) lithology, (b) Quaternary faults, (c) historical and instrumental seismicity, and (d) deep-seated deformation.The results highlight the following:

(a) There is no evidence of a strong correlation between lithology and the radon anomalies.

(b) A clear correlation between the N–S geometry of radon anomalies and the orientation of main fault systems has been recognised, except in the southernmost part of the area, where the radon concentrations are strongly affected by the superposition of the N–S and the NW–SE fault systems.

(c) Epicentral zones of instrumental and historical earthquakes correspond to the highest values of radon concentrations, probably indicating recent activated fault segments. In particular, high radon values occur in the zones struck by earthquakes in 1835, 1854, and 1870.

(d) Deep-seated gravitational deformation generally coincides with zones characterised by low radon concentrations.

In the studied area, the anisotropic distribution of radon concentrations is congruent with the presence of neotectonic features and deep-seated gravitational phenomena. The method used in this study could profitably contribute towards either seismic risk or deep-seated gravitational deformation analyses.     

Structure of Palaeogene sediments in east Ellesmere Island: Constraints on Eurekan tectonic evolution and implications for the Nares Strait problem

The “Nares Strait problem” represents a debate about the existence and magnitude of left-lateral movements along the proposed Wegener Fault within this seaway. Study of Palaeogene Eurekan tectonics at its shorelines could shed light on the kinematics of this fault. Palaeogene (Late Paleocene to Early Eocene) sediments are exposed at the northeastern coast of Ellesmere Island in the Judge Daly Promontory. They are preserved as elongate SW–NE striking fault-bounded basins cutting folded Early Paleozoic strata. The structures of the Palaeogene exposures are characterized by broad open synclines cut and displaced by steeply dipping strike-slip faults. Their fold axes strike NE–SW at an acute angle to the border faults indicating left-lateral transpression. Weak deformation in the interior of the outliers contrasts with intense shearing and fracturing adjacent to border faults. The degree of deformation of the Palaeogene strata varies markedly between the northwestern and southeastern border faults with the first being more intense. Structural geometry, orientation of subordinate folds and faults, the kinematics of faults, and fault-slip data suggest a multiple stage structural evolution during the Palaeogene Eurekan deformation: (1) The fault pattern on Judge Daly Promontory is result of left-lateral strike-slip faulting starting in Mid to Late Paleocene times. The Palaeogene Judge Daly basin formed in transtensional segments by pull-apart mechanism. Transpression during progressive strike-slip shearing gave rise to open folding of the Palaeogene deposits. (2) The faults were reactivated during SE-directed thrust tectonics in Mid Eocene times (chron 21). A strike-slip component during thrusting on the reactivated faults depends on the steepness of the fault segments and on their obliquity to the regional stress axes.Strike-slip displacement was partitioned to a number of sub-parallel faults on-shore and off-shore. Hence, large-scale lateral movements in the sum of 80–100 km or more could have been accommodated by a set of faults, each with displacements in the order of 10–30 km. The Wegener Fault as discrete plate boundary in Nares Strait is replaced by a bundle of faults located mainly onshore on the Judge Daly Promontory.     

玄武岩浆起源和演化的一些基本概念以及对中国东部中-新生代基性火山岩成因的新思路

以全球大地构造为背景讨论了玄武岩浆起源和演化的一些基本概念.这些概念的正确理解有助于合理解释各种环境中火成岩的形成机制,也有助于依据野外岩石组合来判别古构造环境.在此基础上结合已有资料和观察,对中国东部中生代岩石圈减薄及中-新生代基性火山岩成因提出了一些新解释.这些解释与地质观察相吻合,且符合基本的物理学原理.虽然中国东部基性火山活动可称为"板内"火山活动,但它实际上是板块构造的特殊产物.中国东部中生代岩石圈减薄是其下部被改造为软流层的缘故.这种改造是加水"软化"所致.水则源于中国东部地幔过渡带(410～660 km)内古太平洋(或其前身)俯冲板块脱水作用.其将岩石圈底部改造为软流层的过程,实际上就是岩石圈减薄的过程.因为软流层是地幔对流的重要部分,而大陆岩石圈则不直接参与地幔对流.中生代玄武岩具有εNd＜0的特征,说明其源于新近改造而成的软流层,亦即原古老岩石圈之底部.中国大陆北北东-南南西向的海拔梯度突变界线与东-西部重力异常,陆壳厚度变化,以及地幔地震波速变化梯度吻合.因此可将北北东-南南西向梯度线称为"东-西梯度界".该界东-西海拔高差(西部高原与东部丘陵平原),陆壳厚度差异(西部厚而东部薄)和100～150 km的深度范围地幔地震波速差异(西部快而东部慢),均受控于上地幔重力均衡原理.这表明西部高原岩石圈厚度＞150～200 km,而东部丘陵平原岩石圈厚度＜80km."遥远"的西太平洋俯冲带具有自然的地幔楔吸引作用.此吸引作用可引起中国东部"新生"软流层东流.软流层东流必将引起西部高原底部软流层的东向补给(流动).这一过程必然导致东移软流层的减压,即从西部的深源(岩石圈深度＞150～200 km处)到东部的浅源(岩石圈深度～80km处).东移软流层的减压分熔可合理解释具有软流圈地球化学特征(εNd＞0)的新生代中国东部基性火山活动及玄武岩的成因.这些对中国东部中-新生代地质过程的解释,将为更加细致的,以岩石学和地球化学为主的讨论所验证.     

广丰新生代基性岩多世代辉石矿物学特征及意义

穿插在江西广丰早白垩纪红盆中的碱性基性岩，K—Ar年龄为40．6Ma,基性岩中辉石有基质、斑晶二种类型三个世代，早世代辉石斑晶为巨晶、堆晶，是“Ⅱ型包体”；晚世代辉石斑晶为小斑晶、堆晶；伴生有适量橄榄石斑晶；最晚晶出的是基质中的辉石。多世代辉石的出现为反演该区深部地质特征提供了依据。     

青藏高原北部温泉活动沉积盆地的沉积特征及其地质意义

晚新生代温泉沉积盆地,是青藏高原腹地在南北向挤压、东西向伸展的构造背景下,沿南北向边界走滑断层,经边界正断层和内部张剪断层的进一步发展而形成的近南北向单断单剪楔形半地堑活动沉积盆地。它可能代表了晚新生代青藏高原第三期强烈挤压隆升事件,是侧向向东剪切挤出的结果。笔者以盆地充填序列和TL、ESR测年资料为主要依据,推测唐古拉山在30 0～2 5 0ka前后全面进入冰冻圈;而以温泉活动沉积盆地为代表的中更新世晚期(2 2 4 .0～1 5 0 .2ka)的冰碛 冰水堆积则对应于青藏高原第三期隆升的断陷盆地发育阶段;中更新世晚期—晚更新世中期(1 4 4 .0～5 6ka)为湖相沉积;晚更新世中期至今(35～0ka)对应于高原缓慢隆升与夷平发育阶段。长江溯源在35ka切割通天河盆地,形成通天河;而在1 6ka侵蚀切穿雁石坪 温泉兵站峡谷,形成布曲河。     

Foraminifera in Cenozoic Paleoenvironments

INTRODUCTION Microfossilsaregenerallythemostversatileand “useful”offossilsforbothcorrelationandagedeter minationandpaleoenvironmentalanalysis.Among microfossilstheforaminiferaarepre eminent(Fig. 1).Wefindinthesamesample—beitoutcropor subsurface,onshor…     

Geodynamic evolution of the Salinas de Añana diapir in the Basque-Cantabrian Basin,Western Pyrenees

The Salinas de Añana diapir is located in the Basque-Cantabrian basin part of the great evaporite basin, along with the Gulf of Mexico and the Central European basin, when the fragmentation of Pangea started. The evolution of these basins can only be achieved by understanding the control of salt in the sedimentary and tectonic evolution of these basins.Sedimentation began with clastic Buntsandstein sediments and minor Muschelkalk limestones. Subsequent Keuper evaporites are the bottom of sedimentary cover constituted by Jurassic limestones and marls, a clastic Lower Cretaceous and an alternant limestone and marl Upper Cretaceous, whose deposition has been conditioned by salt tectonics. The emplacement of salt extends from the Aptian until now, favored by the duplication of the salt thickness associated with the thrust of Sierra Cantabria, so it is an excellent example to study changes in the regime of intrusion along the time. The geodynamic evolution of the Salinas de Añana diapir was determined through the interpretation of 45 reprocessed seismic lines, along with information from three wells. Migration of the salt in this diapir, conditioned by N120E and N30E pre-Alpine basement lineations, was determined using time isopach maps of the various rock layers. Vertical evolution of the diapir was determined through the reconstruction of a north-south section at various geologic times by flattening the respective seismic horizons. A minimum of salt flow into the diapir coincides with a minimum rate of sedimentation during the Turonian. Similarly, maximum flows of salt into the diapir occurred during the Coniacian and Lower Santonian and again from the end of the Lower Miocene to the present, coinciding with maximum rates of sedimentation during these times. In the Tertiary, probably during the Oligocene, the diapir was displaced to the south by the Sierra Cantabria thrust, maintaining the contact between the evaporites of diapir and the same evaporites of the lower block. Since the Oligocene, the salts of the lower block migrated towards and into the diapir, deforming the trace of the overthrust.     

The Early Cretaceous Jacuí Group,a newly discovered volcaniclastic–epiclastic accumulation at the top of the Paraná Basin,southern Brazil

The presence of volcaniclastic rocks related to the silicic magmatism within the Serra Geral Formation has been a matter of long-standing debate. In this paper, we present extensive documentation that supports the presence and abundance of these rocks in the Jacuí Group, a newly discovered volcaniclastic and epiclastic accumulation in southern Brazil. The Jacuí Group is composed of two interfingered stratigraphic units, the Volta Alegre and Tupanciretã formations, and it represents the uppermost stratigraphic unit of the Paraná Basin. The Volta Alegre Formation is primarily composed of resedimented volcaniclastic tuffites, the pyroclasts which were sourced from the Santa Maria subgroup of the Palmas-type of the Serra Geral Formation. The Tupanciretã Formation is composed of fluvial and aeolian deposits transported towards the north–northwest. Deposition of the Jacuí Group began in the Early Cretaceous (∼132 Ma) and was coeval with the acidic volcanism of the Santa Maria subgroup. This group was deposited in a probable interior sag basin that represents either the beginning of the extension in the inner part of the continent that subsequently migrated to the east or the far-field impact of extensional processes that preceded the break-up of Gondwana and the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean.