Carbon-isotope records of the Early Jurassic (Toarcian) oceanic anoxic event from the Valdorbia (Umbria–Marche Apennines) and Monte Mangart (Julian Alps) sections: palaeoceanographic and stratigraphic implications

The Toarcian oceanic anoxic event ( ca 183 Ma) coincides with a global perturbation marked by enhanced organic carbon burial and a general decrease in calcium carbonate production, probably triggered by changes in the composition of marine plankton and elevated carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. This study is based on high-resolution sampling of two stratigraphic successions, located in Valdorbia (Umbria–Marche Apennines) and Monte Mangart (Julian Alps), Italy, which represent expressions of the Toarcian oceanic anoxic event in deep-water pelagic sediments. These successions are characterized by the occurrence of black shales showing relatively low total organic carbon concentrations (compared with coeval strata in Northern Europe), generally < 2%, and low hydrogen indices. On this basis, they are similar to other Toarcian black shales described from the Tethyan region. The positive and negative carbon-isotope records from the two localities permit a high-resolution correlation such that ammonite biostratigraphy information from Valdorbia can be transferred to those parts of the Monte Mangart section that lack these fossils. Spectral analyses of δ¹³C_org values and of CaCO₃ percentages from the sedimentary records of both the Valdorbia and Monte Mangart sections reveal a strong cyclic pattern, best interpreted as an eccentricity signal which hence implies a duration of ca 500 kyr for the negative carbon-isotope excursion. Based on the carbon-isotope curves obtained, the high-resolution correlation between the Italian successions and a section in Yorkshire (Northern Europe) confirms the supposition that the apparent mismatch between the dating of the Toarcian oceanic anoxic event in the Boreal and Tethyan realms is an artefact of biostratigraphy.     

New Early Cretaceous paleomagnetic results from Qilian orogenic belt and its tectonic implications

Lower Cretaceous red sedimentary rocks from the depositional basin of East Qilian fold belt have been collected for a paleomagnetic study. Stepwise thermal demagnetization reveals two or three components of magnetization from dark red sandstones. Low-temperature magnetic component is consistent with the present Earth Field direction in geographic coordinates. High-temperature magnetic components are mainly carried by hematite. The mean pole of 19 sites for high-temperature magnetic components after tilt-correction is λ=62.2°N, φ=193.4°E, A95=3.2°, and it passes fold tests at 99% confidence level and reversal tests at 95% confidence level. The paleopole is insignificantly different from that of Halim et al. (1998) from the same sampling area at the 95% confidence level. Compared with paleomagnetic results for North China, South China, and Eurasia, our results suggest that no significant relative latitudinal displacement has taken place between Lanzhou region and these blocks since Cretaceous time. Remarkably, the pole of Lanzhou shows a 20° clockwise rotation with respect to those of North China, South China, and Eurasia. Geological information indicates that the crustal shortening in the western part of Qilian is greater than that in eastern part. In this case, the clockwise rotation of sampling area was related to India/Eurasia collision, and this collision resulted in a left-lateral strike-slip motion of the Altun fault in north Tibetan Plateau after the Cretaceous.     

河南熊耳山地区金矿成矿时代的古地磁研究

通过对河南熊耳山地区寒武纪地层及该地区北岭的蚀变岩型金矿，鸡冠山的石英脉型金矿和店房的角砾岩型金矿的古地磁研究，结合地质上的研究成果，认为北岭蚀变岩型金矿和店房的角砾岩型金矿作用始于元古，有后期成矿作用的叠加，鸡冠山石英脉型金矿则是燕山期成矿。     

Tectonothermal history of the basement rocks in the western zone of the North China Craton and its tectonic implications

The basement of the North China Craton can be divided into the eastern, central and western zones, based on lithological, structural, metamorphic and geochronological data. The western zone comprises two different petrotectonic units: Archaean tonalitic–trondhjemitic–granodioritic (TTG) grey gneisses and metamorphic mafic rocks, and Palaeoproterozoic khondalite series. The former is characterized by isobaric cooling (IBC)-type anticlockwise P–T paths in the north-northwestern part of the zone and near-isothermal decompression (ITD)-type clockwise P–T paths in the eastern part, adjacent to the central zone. On the other hand, the tectonothermal evolution of Palaeoproterozoic khondalite series rocks is characterized exclusively by nearly isothermal decompression following the peak of metamorphism and then cooling, defining clockwise P–T paths. The Archaean TTG gneisses and associated mafic rocks with anticlockwise metamorphic P–T paths reflects an origin related to underplating and intrusion of mantle-derived magmas which may be derived from mantle plumes. They represent a late Archaean continental block in the western part of the North China Craton. The Palaeoproterozoic khondalite series rocks represent passive continental margin deposits. They were metamorphosed and deformed in the late Palaeoproterozoic during the amalgamation of the western continental block with another continental block in the east part of the North China Craton. The ITD-type clockwise P–T–t paths of the Palaeoproterozoic khondalite series rocks record the tectonothermal histories of the collision of the western and eastern continental blocks which resulted in the final assembly of the North China Craton at c. 1800 Ma.     

北祁连山东部早石炭世早期腕足动物群落的古地理意义

北祁连山东部早石炭世早期经历了一次完整的海水进退旋回。此期该区腕足动物的演化明显受控于相对海平面变化。生存环境的稳定性似乎是群落演替过程能否持久进行的基础。在影响生物群落演替的诸多因素中,底质性质及其稳定性最为重要,其次是食物供应、海水盐度和水动力强度等。各群落在时间上相互取代的主要控制因素是海水深度,与海平面的变化直接相关。而造成这一时期腕足动物群落横向变化的主要因素除了海水深度外,陆源碎屑供应量、海水循环性以及含盐度都具有十分重要的影响。本区早石炭世早期腕足动物群落的生态位介于BA1和BA2之间,缺乏BA3－BA5较深水群落（BA－Benthic Assemblage,底栖组合）,说明此期该区早石炭世早期海水深度一般不超过10米。受沉积古地理环境的制约,本区早石炭世早期BA2生态域的主要分布范围局限于东部的景泰一带,向西水体明显变浅。     

元谋人时代研究评述——兼论我国早更新世古人类时代问题

我国早更新世古人类遗址时代的确定对于认识早期人类起源、扩散与演化具有重要意义。对元谋人化石的各种年龄测定结果和认识分歧进行了综合评述。综合分析认为，在翔实的岩石地层学和古生物地层学基础上，开展高分辨率磁性地层学研究是解决包括元谋人在内的这一时期哺乳动物时代科学问题的最有效的研究途径。     

柴达木盆地北缘都兰地区榴辉岩中透长石＋石英包裹体：超高压变质作用的证据

近年来在祁连地体与紫达木地块之间大柴旦－－都兰北一线确定出一条榴辉岩带。在此带东端北部地区野马滩一带榴辉岩中，我们发现产在石榴子石内部由透长石和多晶石英（柯石英假像）构成的包裹体。包裹体在内部结构特征及周围的状裂纹反映早期超高压变质相特征，据此，推测柴达木盆地北缘榴辉岩带可能是一形成深度超过80km的超高压变质带。     

新资深大断裂变质带特征、成因及活动演化

在前人研究成果和野外调查基础上,对新资深大断裂变质带特征进行系统总结,从宏观构造、显微构造与组构、岩石矿物学、年代学和地球化学等多学科角度综合研究,分析了新资断裂带各类岩石组构成因,并建立了其活动演化期次。新资深大断裂变质带构造岩主要包括定向组构系列岩石和块状系列岩石,主要是由早期的韧性变形变质作用阶段和晚期的脆性破碎作用阶段先后作用形成。越城岭岩体西侧规模巨大的花岗片麻岩带应属新资深大断裂变质带的一部分,属早期活动的产物,其原岩为越城岭岩体,为断裂变质和动力热流变质作用形成。韧性剪切系列岩石按变形变质强度可分为高温高压韧性剪切带和中温高压韧性剪切带,表明韧性剪切作用具有多期性。新资断裂带活动演化主要经历了四个阶段,始于加里东期,至喜山期均有活动,现在的新资断裂带是经过多个阶段不同类型变质作用由东向西不断迁移和相互叠加的结果。     

Exhumation of high-pressure rocks of the Kokchetav massif: facts and models

The exhumation of ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic units from depths more than 100-120 km is one of the most intriguing questions in modern petrology and geodynamics. We use the diamondiferous Kumdy-Kol domain in the Kokchetav Massif to show that exhumation models should take into consideration initially high uplift velocities (from 20 down to 6 cm/year) and the absence of the deformation of UHP assemblages. The high rate of exhumation are indicated by ion microprobe (SHRIMP) dating of zircons from diamondiferous rocks and supported by the low degree of nitrogen aggregation in metamorphic diamonds.Diamondiferous rocks in the Kumdy-Kol domain occur as steeply dipping (60°-80°) thin slices (few hundred metres) within granite-gneiss. Using geological, petrological and isotopic-geochemical data, we show that partial melting of diamondiferous metamorphic rocks occurred; a very important factor which has not been taken into account in previous models.Deformation of diamondiferous rocks at Kumdy-Kol is insignificant; diamond inclusions in garnet are often intergrown with mica crystals carrying no traces of deformation. All these facts could be explained by partial melting of metapelites and granitic rocks in the Kumdy-Kol domain. The presence of melt is responsible for an essential reduction of viscosity and a density difference (Δρ) between crustal rocks and mantle material and reduced friction between the upwelling crustal block, the subducting and overriding plates. Besides Δρ, the exhumation rate seems to depend on internal pressure in the subducting continental crustal block which can be regarded as a viscous layer between subducting continental lithosphere and surrounding mantle.We construct different models for the three stages of exhumation: a model similar to “corner flow” for the first superfast exhumation stage, an intermediate stage of extension (most important from structural point of view) and a very low rate of exhumation in final diapir+erosional uplift.     

南天山南缘下二叠统小提坎立克组英安岩的地球化学同位素地质年代学及其构造意义

南天山南缘发育一条东西向延伸近300km的下二叠统小提坎立克组基性、中性和酸性火山岩带。拜城县铁热克温泉西侧下二叠统小提坎立克组的英安岩具有钙碱性(里特曼指数δ=1.37～1.69)和准铝—过铝质特征(A/CNK=0.89～1.36)。轻稀土富集(La/Yb=10.45～12.77),具有中等铕负异常(δEu=0.57～0.62);微量元素富集Th、Hf、Zr、Tb、Gd、Rb、U,亏损P、Ti、Nb、Ta、Sr、Ba。εNd(288Ma)=-6.35,εSr(288Ma)=117.78,模式年龄(TDM)为1.47Ga。LA-ICPMS锆石U-Pb定年获得了206Pb/238U加权平均年龄288.4±3.0Ma(MSWD=2.7)。结合区域地质资料表明,该英安岩很可能源自天山造山带中—下地壳的部分熔融,形成于早二叠世南天山造山带碰撞后伸展背景。