Two contrasted P–T–time paths of coronitic metanorites of the French Massif Central: are reaction textures reliable guides to metamorphic histories?

Metanorites from two eclogitized metagabbros of the Hercynian French Massif Central preserve coronitic textures of hornblende, garnet, quartz and/or kyanite produced at the expense of the primary magmatic assemblage orthopyroxene and plagioclase. Using a petrogenetic grid in the CFMASH system, two possible P–T evolutions for the origin of the coronas are evaluated. The sequence of reactions involving the formation of Hbl (–Ky) ± Grt and Qtz coronitic assemblages is consistent with an isobaric cooling at high pressure (c. 1–2 GPa) under hydrated conditions. However, this P–T path, inferred by using only petrographical observations, is inconsistent with the geochronological constraints: emplacement of the gabbro at 490 Ma and high‐pressure metamorphism at 410 Ma. In order to reconcile petrographical observations with geochronological constraints, we propose a discontinuous two‐stage evolution involving a change in water activity with time. (1) Emplacement and cooling of the norite at low pressure under anhydrous conditions, at 490 Ma. (2) During the Hercynian orogeny, the norite experienced an increase in pressure and temperature under fluid‐present conditions. Adding water to the system implies a dramatic change in the petrogenetic grid topology, restricting the orthopyroxene–plagioclase assemblage only to high temperatures. Therefore, the breakdown of the unstable magmatic assemblage, through apparent retrograde reactions, occurred along the prograde P–T path which never crossed the equilibrium boundaries of these reactions.     

From the geological to the numerical model in the analysis of gravity-induced slope deformations: An example from the Central Apennines (Italy)

This paper presents the findings from a study on gravity-induced slope deformations along the northern slope of Mt. Nuria (Rieti-Italy). The slope extends from the village of Pendenza to the San Vittorino plain and hosts the Peschiera River springs, i.e. the most important springs of the Central Apennines (average discharge: about 18 m³/s).

Detailed geological-geomorphological and geomechanical surveys, supported by a site stress-strain monitoring system and laboratory tests, led us to define the main evolutionary features of the studied phenomena. Based on the collected data, a “geological-evolutionary model” was developed with a view to identifying a spatio-temporal correlation between relief forms, jointing of the rock mass and its stress conditions. The geological-evolutionary model was expected to improve numerical simulations and to test our assumptions.

The numerical model also allowed us to simulate changes in the stress-strain conditions of the rock mass and correlate them with jointing, seepage, as well as with site-detected and site-monitored forms and deformations. In particular, significant relations between seepage, tensile stresses within the rock mass, karst solution and collapse of cavities were identified.     

Sedimentary aspects and paleoenvironmental evolution of a rift basin: Salta Group (Cretaceous–Paleogene), northwestern Argentina

The rift history of the Salta basin is related to the evolution of the Central Andes and to the activity of the Pacific margin, owing to its geographic location. Sedimentation occurred from the Neocomian to the Paleogene, with deposits reaching up to 5,000 m in thickness. Paleoenvironmental analysis reveals an evolutionary history controlled by tectonic and climatic changes. Isolated grabens characterized the early synrift stage; differential subsidence provoked distinct environments in the southern and northern subbasins. In the southern subbasins, alluvial-fan, fluvial-fan and lacustrine deposits prevail, whilst in the northern subbasins eolian and fluvial environments dominate. During the Maastrichtian, two major factors controlled the basin fill: the decrease in tectonic subsidence and a relative sea-level rise as recorded in South America. An extensive and shallow Atlantic marine ingression installed a carbonate system coincident with mainly humid conditions until the Danian. Until the Middle Eocene, the fluvial and lacustrine environmental evolution of the sag basin was controlled especially by the alternation of temperate with dry and humid periods. Paleontological records reflect these climatic changes and show their relationship to the sedimentation regime.     

西藏中拉萨地块晚侏罗世许如错花岗岩地球化学与岩石成因

西藏中部拉萨地块晚侏罗世花岗岩的岩石成因与源区性质目前尚未得到很好约束。本文报道了中部拉萨地块西段许如错岩体的寄主花岗岩和闪长质包体的锆石U-Pb年龄、元素地球化学和锆石Hf同位素成分。许如错岩体寄主花岗岩年龄为155.1±0.7Ma,闪长质包体与寄主花岗岩同期(155.7±0.7Ma)形成。寄主花岗岩属I型偏铝质-弱过铝质高钾钙碱性系列岩石,富集Rb、K等大离子亲石元素和轻稀土元素,亏损Nb、Ta、P、Ti等高场强元素,锆石εHf(t)值(-16.6~-6.6)指示其可能来源于拉萨地块古老下地壳物质的重熔作用。闪长质包体为准铝质钙碱性系列,锆石εHf(t)值(-8.9~-3.8)具有总体为负但明显高于寄主花岗岩εHf(t)值的特征,表明这些闪长质包体代表了幔源物质组成的加入。许如错晚侏罗世花岗岩可能形成于班公湖-怒江特提斯洋洋壳在中晚侏罗世向南俯冲于拉萨地块之下,引起幔源物质与中部拉萨地块古老基底重熔所产生的酸性岩浆发生岩浆混合作用形成的。     

黑龙江省中西部地球排气与地震活动的探讨

本文根据近两年来在黑龙江省中西部沿断裂带逸出的H2、CO、H2S等还原性气体组合,结合C、H、S、He、Ar同位素研究,讨论了还原性气体组合的深源特征。在此基础上以安达地震为例,作者阐明了以氢气为首的还原性气体逸出与深部构造背景及其与地震的关系。深源还原性气体的逸出孕育着地壳不稳定的因素,有诱发地震和其他自然灾害的可能。地球排气作用与地震作用关系的研究在类似黑龙江省中西部大面积被第四系覆盖的地区是地震预报较为有效的手段。     

Surface water and aerosol spatiotemporal dynamics and influence mechanisms over drylands

Under the background of global warming and excessive human activities, much surface water in drylands is experiencing rapid degradation or shrinkage in recent years. The shrinkage of surface water, especially the degradation of lakes and their adjacent wetlands in drylands, may lead to the emergence of new salt dust storm hotspots, which causes greater danger. In this paper, based on high spatial resolution global surface water (GSW) and multiangle implementation of atmospheric correction (MAIAC) AOD data, we systematically analyze the dynamic characteristics of surface water and aerosols in typical drylands (Central Asia, CA) between 2000 and 2018. Simultaneously, combined with auxiliary environment variables, we explore the driving mechanisms of surface water on the regional salt/sand aerosols on different spatial scales. The results show that the seasonal surface water features an increasing trend, especially a more dramatic increase after 2015, and the permanent surface water indicates an overall decrease, with nearly 54.367 % at risk of receding and drying up. In typical lakes (Aral Sea and Ebinur Lake), the interannual change feature of the surface water area (WA) is that a continuous decrease during the study period occurs in Aral Sea area, yet a significant improvement has occurred in Ebinur Lake after 2015, and the degradation of Ebinur Lake takes place later and its recovery earlier than Aral Sea. The aerosol optical depth (AOD) in CA shows obvious seasonal variation, with the largest in spring (0.192 ± 0173), next in summer (0.169 ± 0.106), and the smallest in autumn (0.123 ± 0.065). The interannual variation of AOD exhibits an increase from 2000 to 2018 in CA, with high AOD areas mainly concentrated in the Taklamakan Desert and some lake beds resulting from lake degradation, including Aral Sea and Ebinur Lake. The AOD holds a similar trend between Aral Sea and Ebinur Lake on an interannual scale. And the AOD over Ebinur Lake is lower than that over Aral Sea in magnitude and lags behind in reaching the peak compared with Aral Sea. The WA change can significantly affect aerosol variation directly or indirectly on the aerosol load or mode size, but there are obvious differences in the driving mechanisms, acting paths, and influence magnitude of WA on aerosols on different spatial scales. In addition, the increase of WA can significantly directly suppress the increase of Ångström exponent (AE), and the effects of WA on AOD are realized majorly by an indirect approach. From the typical lake perspective, the effects of WA on aerosol in Aral Sea are achieved via an indirect path; and the decrease of WA can indirectly promote the AOD rise, and directly stimulate the AE growth in Ebinur Lake.     

The Cerro Morado Andesites: Volcanic history and eruptive styles of a mafic volcanic field from northern Puna, Argentina

The Upper Miocene Cerro Morado Andesites constitutes a mafic volcanic field (100 km²) composed of andesite to basaltic andesite rocks that crop out 75 km to the east from the current arc, in the northern Puna of Argentina. The volcanic field comprises lavas and scoria cones resulting from three different eruptive phases developed without long interruptions between each other. Lavas and pyroclastic rocks are thought to be sourced from the same vents, located where orogen-parallel north-south faults crosscut transverse structures.The first eruptive phase involved the effusion of extensive andesitic flows, and minor Hawaiian-style fountaining which formed subordinate clastogenic lavas. The second phase represents the eruption of slightly less evolved andesite lavas and pyroclastic deposits, only distributed to the north and central sectors of the volcanic field. The third phase represents the discharge of basaltic andesite magmas which occurred as both pyroclastic eruptions and lava effusion from scattered vents distributed throughout the entire volcanic field. The interpreted facies model for scoria cones fits well with products of typical Strombolian-type activity, with minor fountaining episodes to the final stages of eruptions.Petrographic and chemical features suggest that the andesitic units (SiO₂ > 57%) evolved by crystal fractionation. In contrast, characteristics of basaltic andesite rocks are inconsistent with residence in upper-crustal chambers, suggesting that batches of magmas with different origins or evolutive histories arrived at the surface and erupted coevally.Based on the eruptive styles and lack of volcanic quiescence gaps between eruptions, the Cerro Morado Andesites can be classified as a mafic volcanic field constructed from the concurrent activity of several small, probably short-lived, monogenetic centers.     

内蒙古中部构造混杂带晚古生代-早中生代变质基性岩的地球化学特征及其大地构造意义

内蒙古中部构造混杂带中的变质基性岩可分为南、北两带:南带位于乌兰沟-图林凯地区,被划分至温都尔庙群下部的桑达来因组,主要为一套变质玄武岩和辉长岩、辉绿岩,局部含有超基性岩和碳酸岩透镜体,其中变质基性火山岩以绿片岩相变质为主,局部保留枕状构造或发育蓝片岩,已有的锆石U-Pb年代学数据表明南带变质基性火山岩形成于晚古生代到早中生代;北带位于芒和特-二道井-红格尔一线,主要呈岩块状保存在由绢云绿泥石英片岩、硅质岩、含铁石英岩和少量的大理岩组成的基质中,岩石类型包括蓝片岩、冻蓝闪石片岩、阳起片岩、绿帘角闪片岩等。地球化学研究显示南、北两带的变质基性岩相对低Al(Al2O3=10.66%~14.97%)、低Ti(TiO2=1.27%~1.96%)、高Na(Na2O=1.02%~4.20%)、贫K(K2O=0.02%~0.71%),具有拉斑玄武岩到碱性玄武岩系列的过渡特征,高的Na2O/K2O比值(6.89~454)暗示这些基性岩在变质作用前发生了细碧角斑岩化。不活动元素Zr与其他高场强元素(HSFE;Th、Nb、Hf、Ti)和稀土元素(REE)显示良好的线性关系,表明在变质过程中,高场强元素和稀土元素基本保持稳定,可以反映原岩的性质。根据稀土、微量元素配分型式和相关比值可以将内蒙中部构造混杂带中的变质基性岩分为两类:一类稀土含量相对较低(∑REE=46.00×10-6~78.08×10-6)、轻重稀土分异不明显((La/Yb)N=0.50~1.04),无明显Eu负异常,Hf/Ta=6.82~15.18,具有正常的大洋中脊玄武岩(NMORB)特征;另一类稀土含量相对较高(∑REE=58.66×10-6~151.3×10-6)、轻重稀土分异明显((La/Yb)N=2.28~4.68),无明显Eu负异常,Hf/Ta=2.06~4.70,与富集型洋中脊玄武岩(E-MORB)相似。部分变质基性岩样品轻微富集大离子亲石元素Rb和Ba,可能暗示原岩在就位过程中遭受了微弱的陆壳混染。以上地球化学特征表明这些变质基性岩的原岩可能形成于一个扩张规模有限的陆内洋盆环境。已有的古生物地理学研究表明古亚洲洋闭合后,到晚古生代早期,内蒙古中部地区成为佳-蒙地块的一部分。石炭纪期间整个内蒙古中部发育稳定的浅海相沉积,局部为造山后隆起环境,发育加里东I型花岗岩和花岗闪长岩。从晚石炭世-早二叠世起,内蒙中部开始处于伸展环境:二连浩特到东乌珠穆沁旗一带发育大量的碱性岩;华北克拉通北缘发育很多高钾钙碱性-碱性的花岗岩;内蒙中部地区广泛发育二叠纪大石寨组双峰式火山岩。到中二叠世开始裂解形成若干近东西向分布的海盆,发育哲斯组、林西组浅海相、泻湖相沉积。持续的伸展形成了有限洋盆,发育以温都尔庙群为代表的含铁硅质岩以及晚古生代-早中生代基性岩。由于早中三叠世华北板块与扬子板块全面碰撞和陆内造山过程的影响,有限洋盆最终在早中生代之后发生被动闭合,形成南、北构造混杂带,并导致该基性岩乃至整个内蒙中部的晚古生代沉积发生广泛绿片岩相变质作用,而局部蓝片岩的形成可能与有限洋盆的俯冲作用有关。     

中天山、伊犁及塔里木地块开始参与Rodinia超大陆聚合过程早于新元古代?

长久以来,中国主要陆块被普遍认为比世界其他陆块开始参与罗迪尼亚超大陆聚合的时间较晚,为新元古代早期。为了探讨此问题,我们选择中国中天山、伊犁及塔里木地块作为主要研究对象,系统分析了新元古代早期(1.0～0.8Ga)的构造变形及岩浆特征。新元古代早期构造变形主要表现为拉伸线理近平行于造山带方向,反映了后造山陆内走滑剪切过程。1.0～0.8Ga的岩浆岩皆为较小规模花岗岩,未见基性包体,矿物组合中基本无角闪石,具有高钾钙碱性和过铝质特征,并含有大量捕获老锆石,说明古老基底或重熔地壳的显著参与。岩石源区主要为重熔基性下地壳,在构造背景判别图上基本落在后造山环境。锆石Ti及全岩Zr温度计算结果显示这些岩体的结晶温度普遍偏高,约800℃。结合已有区域地质资料,我们认为:①在新元古代原塔里木陆块(包括早期中天山、伊犁及塔里木地块)已经位于罗迪尼亚超大陆内部,1.0～0.8Ga变形及岩浆记录皆反映了原塔里木陆块与其它陆块碰撞后的构造事件;②由于超大陆聚合后的热毯效应使得新元古代早期花岗岩结晶温度偏高;③中天山、伊犁及现今塔里木地块最初参与罗迪尼亚超大陆汇聚的时间应早于新元古代(1.0Ga)。     

阿尔泰造山带花岗岩时空演变、构造环境及地壳生长意义——以中国阿尔泰为例

阿尔泰造山带横跨中、俄、哈、蒙四国边界,是中亚造山带主要组成部分,发育大量的花岗岩等侵入体。本文研究总结这些岩体的时空演变、成因类型和构造环境,并探讨其增生造山和地壳生长意义。依据锆石年龄,这些岩体可大致分为早中古生代的470～440Ma(中晚奥陶世)和425～360Ma(晚志留世—晚泥盆世)、晚古生代的355～318Ma(早石炭世)和290～270Ma(早二叠世)以及早中生代245～190Ma(中晚三叠世—早侏罗世)3个阶段5个期次,其中425～360Ma花岗岩可进一步细分为425～390Ma和380～360Ma两个峰期。早中古生代(470～360Ma)花岗岩体分布广泛,主要为钙碱性I型,多具不同程度变形,其中470～440Ma岩体变形极强(片麻岩体)。它们为同造山俯冲增生产物,形成于活动陆缘俯冲(470～440Ma)、继续俯冲弧后盆地伸展(420～390Ma)到聚合碰撞(380～360Ma)的过程中。早石炭世岩体发育于造山带南部,为不变形圆形状或不规则状,具典型碱性花岗岩特征,为晚(后)造山产物。早二叠世岩体主要发育于阿尔泰造山带南部,少量分布于造山带内部,多为圆形,不变形,少量变形岩体集中在额尔齐斯构造带内,成因类型以I、A型为特点,伴生有大量基性岩脉(体),显示为后造山底侵伸展环境。早中生代岩体为不变形圆形或不规则状,具有高分异I型和S型花岗岩特征,伴有稀有金属矿产,具有板内环境特点。花岗岩体同位素填图显示,阿尔泰中部块体岩体具有较低的εNd(t)值和老的Nd同位素模式年龄(1～1.3Ga),暗示存在古老地壳基底;由北向南εNd(t)值增高,模式年龄变年轻,显示陆壳向南生长,其中水平和垂向生长率分别为18%～28%和7%～8%。中生代时期阿尔泰造山带保留水平增生结构,没有发生大规模构造块体垂向叠覆。阿尔泰造山带经历了古陆缘构造演化,奥陶纪—志留纪陆缘俯冲,泥盆纪陆弧及陆缘边缘裂解、弧后盆地形成,晚泥盆世最终洋盆闭合及早石炭世各块体拼合的演化过程。该研究表明增生造山带中同样存在构造演化的阶段性;中亚增生造山作用不仅具有弧前增生,而且还存在陆缘裂解再拼合作用。