Continental crustal growth and the supercontinental cycle: evidence from the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

Studies of supercontinental cycle are mainly concentrated on the assembly, breakup and dispersal of supercontinents, and studies of continental crustal growth largely on the growth and loss (recycling) of the crust. These two problems have long been studied separately from each other. The Paleozoic–Mesozoic granites in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt have commonly positive Nd values, implying large-scale continental crustal growth in the Phanerozoic. They coincided temporally and spatially with the Phanerozoic Pangea supercontinental cycle, and overlapped in space with the P-wave high-V anomalies and calculated positions of subducted slabs for the last 180 Ma, all this suggests that the Phanerozoic Laurasia supercontinental assembly was accompanied by large-scale continental crustal growth in central Asia. Based on these observations, this paper proposes that there may be close and original correlations between a supercontinental cycle, continental crustal growth and catastrophic slab avalanches in the mantle. In this model we suggest that rapid continental crustal growth occurred during supercontinent assembly, whereas during supercontinental breakup and dispersal new additions of the crust were balanced by losses, resulting in a steady state system. Supercontinental cycle and continental crustal growth are both governed by changing patterns of mantle convection.     

Middle Campanian–lowermost Maastrichtian nannofossil and foraminiferal biostratigraphy of the northwestern Australian margin

The middle–late Campanian was marked by an increase in the bioprovinciality of calcareous microfossil assemblages into distinct Tethyan, Transitional, and Austral Provinces that persisted to the end of the Maastrichtian. The northwestern Australian margin belonged to the Transitional Province and the absence of key Tethyan marker species such as Radotruncana calcarata and Gansserina gansseri has led petroleum companies operating in the area to use the locally developed KCCM integrated calcareous microfossil zonation scheme. The KCCM zonation is a composite scheme comprising calcareous nannofossil (KCN), planktonic foraminiferal (KPF) and benthonic foraminiferal (KBF) zones. This paper presents the definitions and revisions of Zones KCCM8–19, from the highest occurrence (HO) of Aspidolithus parcus constrictus to the lowest occurrence (LO) of Ceratolithoides aculeus, and builds on our previous early–late Maastrichtian study. The presence of a middle–upper Campanian disconformity is confirmed by microfossil evidence from the Vulcan Sub-basin, Exmouth and Wombat plateaus, and the Southern Carnarvon Platform. In the Vulcan Sub-basin and on the Exmouth Plateau (ODP Hole 762C) the hiatus extends from slightly above the LO of common Rugoglobigerina rugosa to above the LO of Quadrum gothicum. On the Wombat Plateau (ODP Hole 761B) it spans from above the LO of Heterohelix semicostata to above the LO of Quadrum gothicum; and in the Southern Carnarvon Platform the disconformity has its longest duration from above the HO of Heterohelix semicostata to above the LO of Quadrum sissinghii. A significant revision of the events which define Zones KCCM18 and 19 was necessary owing to the observation that the LO of Ceratolithoides aculeus occurs below the HOs of Archaeoglobigerina cretacea and Stensioeina granulata incondita and the LO of common Rugoglobigerina rugosa. In the original zonation these events were considered to be coincident.     

Crustal and mantle strengths in continental lithosphere: is the jelly sandwich model obsolete?

The relative importance of the contribution of the lower crust and of the lithospheric mantle to the total strength of the continental lithosphere is assessed systematically for realistic ranges of layer thickness, composition, and temperature. Results are presented as relative strength maps, giving the ratio of the lower crust to upper mantle contribution in terms of crustal thickness and surface heat flow. The lithosphere shows a “jelly sandwich” rheological layering for low surface heat flow, thin to average crustal thickness, and felsic or wet mafic lower crustal compositions. On the other hand, most of the total strength resides in the seismogenic crust in regions of high surface heat flow, crust of any thickness, and dry mafic lower crustal composition.     

Near-vertical seismic reflection image using a novel acquisition technique across the Vrancea Zone and Foscani Basin, south-eastern Carpathians (Romania)

The DACIA PLAN (Danube and Carpathian Integrated Action on Process in the Lithosphere and Neotectonics) deep seismic sounding survey was performed in August–September 2001 in south-eastern Romania, at the same time as the regional deep refraction seismic survey VRANCEA 2001. The main goal of the experiment was to obtain new information on the deep structure of the external Carpathians nappes and the architecture of Tertiary/Quaternary basins developed within and adjacent to the seismically-active Vrancea zone, including the Focsani Basin. The seismic reflection line had a WNW–ESE orientation, running from internal East Carpathians units, across the mountainous south-eastern Carpathians, and the foreland Focsani Basin towards the Danube Delta. There were 131 shot points along the profile, with about 1 km spacing, and data were recorded with stand-alone RefTek-125s (also known as “Texans”), supplied by the University Texas at El Paso and the PASSCAL Institute. The entire line was recorded in three deployments, using about 340 receivers in the first deployment and 640 receivers in each of the other two deployments. The resulting deep seismic reflection stacks, processed to 20 s along the entire profile and to 10 s in the eastern Focsani Basin, are presented here. The regional architecture of the latter, interpreted in the context of abundant independent constraint from exploration seismic and subsurface data, is well imaged. Image quality within and beneath the thrust belt is of much poorer quality. Nevertheless, there is good evidence to suggest that a thick (10 km) sedimentary basin having the structure of a graben and of indeterminate age underlies the westernmost part of the Focsani Basin, in the depth range 10–25 km. Most of the crustal depth seismicity observed in the Vrancea zone (as opposed to the more intense upper mantle seismicity) appears to be associated with this sedimentary basin. The sedimentary successions within this basin and other horizons visible further to the west, beneath the Carpathian nappes, suggest that the geometry of the Neogene and recent uplift observed in the Vrancea zone, likely coupled with contemporaneous rapid subsidence in the foreland, is detached from deeper levels of the crust at about 10 km depth. The Moho lies at a depth of about 40 km along the profile, its poor expression in the reflection stack being strengthened by independent estimates from the refraction data. Given the apparent thickness of the (meta)sedimentary supracrustal units, the crystalline crust beneath this area is quite thin (< 20 km) supporting the hypothesis that there may have been delamination of (lower) continental crust in this area involved in the evolution of the seismic Vrancea zone.     

基于Markov chain理论的科技成果转化的市场预测

科技成果成功转化的主要标志是其产品的市场畅销度。产品的畅销度由于受各种内外部不确定因素影响，具有随机不确定性。基于这种随机不确定性，运用Markov chain对其产品进行市场预测，并通过实证分析说明其有效性，为科技成果的转化提供具体可行的定量依据。     

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.     

苏鲁超高压变质带超镁铁岩深部碳酸盐交代作用的证据

中国大陆科学钻探工程第三先导孔(PP3钻孔),位于秦岭-大别-苏鲁超高压造山带的东部,赣榆岗上超镁铁岩体中。钻孔中超镁铁岩的岩性包括纯橄岩和石榴超镁铁岩等,该超镁铁岩的SiO_2含量均值在43.68%,变化范围为41.9%~47.11%;MgO均值在44.71%,变化范围为47.12%~48.62%;Cr_2O_3均值在0.39%,变化范围为0.30%~0.47%;CaO均值0.12%(变化范围为0.006%~0.34%);Na2O均值在0.05%(变化范围为0.005%~0.32%)。超镁铁质岩的Mg#(Mg/(Mg+Fe)×100)稳定在91.9~93.0之间,Cr#(Cr/(Cr+Fe)×100)均值在38,较高;变化在30~45之间,变化小。其中闪石化金云母超镁铁岩具有最低的值(Cr#=19)。Ni含量在2100×10~(-6)~2500×10~(-6),CaO含量均值为0.13%,Al_2O_3含量均值为0.41%。岩体成分均一,表现为高镁,低钙和低铝的特征。超镁铁岩的不相容元素和稀土元素总量很低,稀土元素总量均值在0.60×10~(-6)。(La/Yb)N比值在6.9~51.2,均值在16.1,重稀土元素严重亏损,是中国东部最亏损的地幔岩之一。超镁铁岩中橄榄石成分(Fo在88.7~93.1之间,Fa在6.8~11.1之间),从早期到晚期,岩石Fo值从93→91~92.4→88.7~89.1。铬尖晶石Cr#值从51到89变化,TiO_2和MnO_2值分别低于0.26%和0.46%,晚期铬尖晶石Cr#值增大,Ti含量减小。单斜辉石由透辉石(Wo_(45.9)8En_(47.89)Fs_(2.73)Ac_(3.39))和顽透辉石(Wo_(27.61)En_(68.78)Fs_(2.27)Ac_(1.34))两种,透辉石(Cpx_Ⅰ)在顽透辉石(Cpx_Ⅱ)中呈被交代的残余粒状。角闪石和金云母呈明显的条带状和脉状,局部发育。岩石具有弱的Na和K交代作用,较高的Sr和Ba等元素,亏损高场强元素(HSFE),以及特征的稀土元素和微量元素配分曲线;岩石中主要组成矿物橄榄石从早期到晚期,矿物Mg#指数下降(Mg#从93→88);单斜辉石中可看到透辉石被顽透辉石交代现象;次生角闪石和金云母的形成等特征都显示超镁铁岩经历了碳酸盐交代作用。在超镁铁岩矿物橄榄石中发现细小白云石和菱镁矿等碳酸盐矿物更有力证明了苏鲁超高压变质带超镁铁岩经历了深部碳酸盐交代作用。PP3钻孔超镁铁岩属于强烈亏损地幔岩区域,单斜辉石和角闪石等含水矿物在超镁铁岩中含量低,交代作用的范围和规模有限,且交代作用在动力学上是快速的和不平衡的过程。     

纪念中国大陆科学钻探实施15周年、国际大陆科学钻探委员会成立20周年

大陆科学钻探是“入地”的重要手段,是“深入地球内部的望远镜”。中国大陆科学钻探事业开展15周年以来,取得重要进展,获得全球地学界的高度关注,特别是2001年实施的中国第一口大陆科学深钻 （5158m）,成果辉煌,影响巨大。继后,又开展了青海湖环境科学钻探、松辽盆地白垩纪科学钻探、柴达木盐湖环境资源科学钻探,汶川地震断裂带科学钻探以及中国大陆科钻资源集成计划,总共钻进约 35km,显示了中国科学钻探方兴未艾的景象。为纪念国际大陆科学钻探20周年（1996~2016）和中国大陆科学钻探实施15周年（2001~2016）,本文回顾中国大陆科学钻探实施15年来的艰辛和奋斗的历程,展望中国大陆科学钻探的未来。     

Geochemistry of Paraná-Etendeka basalts from Misiones,Argentina: Some new insights into the petrogenesis of high-Ti continental flood basalts

The Early Cretaceous (∼135–131 Ma) Paraná-Etendeka continental flood basalts, preserved in bulk in the Paraná basin of southern Brazil and vicinity, have been divided into low-Ti and high-Ti types that govern the southern and northern halves of the basin, respectively. We have examined a new sample set from the southern margin of the northern high-Ti segment of Paraná basalts in Misiones, northeastern Argentina. These basalts are strongly to moderately enriched in TiO₂ (2–4 wt.%), have relatively high Ti/Y (300–500), low MgO (3.5–6.5 wt.%), and high Fe (FeO(tot) 12–14 wt.%) and belong to the Pitanga and Paranapanema magma types of Peate et al. (1992). Nd and Sr isotope compositions are quite unvarying with ε_Nd (at 133 Ma) values of −4.6 to −3.6 and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.7054–0.7059 and show no variation with fractionation. Compared to high-Ti lavas in the central and northern parts of the Paraná high-Ti basalt segment, the lavas from Misiones are similar to those in the northeastern magin of the basin but less radiogenic in initial Nd isotope composition than those in the central part. This variation probably reflects mixed EM1-EM2 source components in the sublithospheric mantle. A polybaric melt model of a sublithospheric mantle source at the garnet lherzolite-spinel lherzolite transition is compatible with the observed Ti budget of the Pitanga and Paranapanema lavas, regardless of the Nd isotope composition of their purported source.