西盟地区奥陶纪花岗片麻岩的锆石U-Pb年代学、Hf同位素组成特征及其大地构造意义

对云南西部侵入于原西盟群帕可组的花岗片麻岩开展主量元素、锆石U-Pb年龄及原位Hf同位素组成分析。岩石地球化学特征显示其为高钾钙碱性强过铝质S型花岗岩,两件代表性样品分别给出了461.4±2.5 Ma和461.5±3.3 Ma的206Pb/238U加权平均年龄,相应的锆石εHf(t)值分别介于-6.45~-1.90和-5.60~-1.44之间,二阶段模式年龄(tDM2)分别为1.57~1.86 Ga和1.54~1.90 Ga。这些数据表明西盟地区侵入于原西盟群帕可组内的花岗片麻岩并非前人所认为的中元古代岩石,而是中奥陶世产物,其源岩可能是元古宙变质杂砂岩。结合前人研究成果,作者推测西盟地区早古生代花岗片麻岩是环冈瓦纳大陆边缘安第斯型造山作用的产物。     

The nautiloid Family Eothinoceratidae from the Floian of the Central Andean Basin (NW Argentina and South Bolivia)

A single confidently dated species of cephalopod is so far known in the Tremadocian of the southern Central Andean Basin (NW Argentina and southern Bolivia). This species belongs to the Eothinoceratidae and has a strong affinity mainly with Avalonia. During the Floian, a notable increase in diversity took place, with the appearance of a variety of families represented by several genera, in particular, within the Family Eothinoceratidae. In addition to the previously described species from southern Bolivia, we evaluate the other records of that family from the Central Andean Basin, and propose the following new taxa: Saloceras sikus sp. nov., Saloceras quena sp. nov., Mutveiceras gen. nov., and Mutveiceras cienagaensis sp. nov. We also describe Margaritoceras diploide, Margaritoceras sp., and Mutveiceras sp. From a palaeogeographic perspective, the cephalopod fauna shows affinities mainly with those of England, Wales, and the Montagne Noire (cold water Gondwana and peri‐Gondwana). As with other cephalopod faunas of mid to high palaeolatitudes, eothinoceratids occur along with other cephalopods forming assemblages of low morphological diversity. We interpret the forms described here as demersal with a subvertical poise, but capable of making rapid buoyancy changes, living in a wide spectrum of shallow offshore to shoreface settings. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

‘I hate sand … it gets everywhere’—Phanerozoic sedimentary recycling from NW Africa

Over 10,000 published detrital zircon ages have been reprocessed (applying a +10% normal and reverse concordance range) and analysed to understand the evolution of the detrital zircon record of north-west Africa during the Phanerozoic. Using dissimilarity and clustering analysis, shifts in detrital zircon populations allow interpretation of the evolution of source regions and source to sink systems throughout the Phanerozoic within the West Gondwana superfan. Previous thermochronology and field studies conducted across north-west Africa indicate significant and sustained shifts in source regions in Meso-Cenozoic times which are not recorded in the detrital zircon geochronology record. This discrepancy is most notable for Mesozoic to modern source to sink studies focused on the evolution of the Atlasic rift and opening of the Atlantic and Tethyan Oceans to the west and north respectively. Our results indicate a high degree of similarity between samples from Cambrian times onwards due to successive phases of sediment recycling. This highlights the need to integrate detrital zircon analysis with other techniques to provide confident reconstruction of sediment routing systems across Morocco. This systematic review also reveals the ubiquitous occurrence of Mesoproterozoic zircons within Moroccan sediment. No basement of this age is known from north-west Africa—often described as the ‘Mesoproterozoic Gap’, which was thought to be a diagnostic feature of sediment derived from the West African Craton. However, zircons of this age form 7% of all analysed zircons and are present in sediments from at least 700 Ma. The presence of this population is interpreted as strongly diagnostic of provenance from either the Amazonian Craton or the Eastern Gondwana Orogen within Central Africa. Their presence in the Moroccan detrital record from the Neoproterozoic onwards raises questions about the position of the West African Craton in the Proterozoic, and for the spatial extent of Mesoproterozoic orogeny within north Africa.     

Chemometric analysis of functional groups in fossil remains of the Dicroidium flora (Cacheuta, Mendoza, Argentina): Implications for kerogen formation

Studied samples include eight Gondwanan species of the Dicroidium flora: seed ferns (3), conifer (1), cycad-related (1), unknown affinity gymnosperms (2), and one undetermined axis from two Middle to Upper Triassic localities (Cacheuta, Mendoza, central western Argentina). Based on differing preservation states and sample treatments, four sample forms are established: (1) compressions, (2) cuticles, (3) cuticle-free coalified layers, and (4) associated coal samples. The purpose of the study is firstly to analyze the sample forms using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, contributing to filling an existing gap of chemical information for Gondwanan pant fossil remains. Secondly, semi-quantitative chemical parameters, calculated by area integration of infrared spectra, are treated using principal component analysis to infer statistical groupings as a function of chemical structures (functional groups). From the initial two-component solution, based on the 8 × 41 data matrix, a subset matrix (4 × 29) could be isolated which also yielded a two-component solution (in each case, cumulative explained variance is at least 89%). Results include the distinction between the coaly forms (1) compressions and (3) cuticle-free coalified layers mainly based on the carbonyl contents and branching and length of the hydrocarbon side chains. The highly aliphatic nature of cuticles, which is indicative of biomacromolecules (cutin), is noted. Similarities in functional groups are recorded with types of kerogen and coal macerals. The result enables us to postulate that the functional groups characterizing the different modes of preservation of our fossil remains are likely related to the propensity to generate oil and gas/condensate from the kerogen. Our data have the potential for future studies with implications for chemotaxonomy, molecular taphonomy, and paleoclimatology.     

New chelid turtles of the lower section of the Cerro Barcino formation (Aptian-Albian?), Patagonia, Argentina

A new chelid species (Prochelidella cerrobarcinae nov. sp.) are described from the Aptian-Albian? Puesto La Paloma Member, Cerro Barcino Formation, northern of Chubut Province, Argentina. The basal section of this member, which bears the turtle remains, is composed of tuffaceous mudstones with plane parallel lamination, asymmetrical ripples and a chert intercalation suggesting sub-aqueous deposition in a relatively shallow lacustrine environment. Pr. cerrobarcinae nov. sp. is represented by post-cranial remains of several specimens that not only represents the oldest pleurodiran chelid record in the world but, together with the chelid remains of Albian Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia, indicates that chelid diversification began well before the final fragmentation of southern Gondwana.     

The Rio de la Plata craton and the adjoining Pan-African/brasiliano terranes: Their origins and incorporation into south-west Gondwana

The Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian amalgamation of SW Gondwana through the Brasiliano/Pan-African orogeny is reviewed with emphasis on the role of the Río de la Plata craton of South America in the light of new evidence from a borehole at the eastern end of the Tandilia belt (38°S). U–Pb, Hf and O isotope data on zircon indicate that this un-reworked Palaeoproterozoic craton abuts against a distinct continental terrane to the east (Mar del Plata terrane). The craton is bounded everywhere by transcurrent faults and there is no evidence to relate it to the Neoproterozoic mobile belts now seen on either side. The Punta Mogotes Formation at the bottom of the borehole contains 740–840 Ma detrital zircons that are assigned to a widespread Neoproterozoic rifting event. The data suggest that the Mar del Plata terrane rifted away from the southwestern corner of the Angola block at c. 780 Ma. Negative εHf_t values and δ¹⁸O > 6.5‰ suggest derivation by melting of old crust during a protracted extensional episode. Other continental terranes may have formed in a similar way in Uruguay (Nico Pérez) and southeastern Brazil, where the Schist Belt of the Dom Feliciano orogenic belt is probably a correlative of the Punta Mogotes sequence, implying that the Dom Feliciano belt must extend at least as far as 38°S. A new geodynamic scenario for West Gondwana assembly includes at least two major oblique collisional orogenies: Kaoko–Dom Feliciano (580–680 Ma) and Gariep–Saldania (480–580 Ma), the latter resulting from oblique impingement of the Rio de la Plata craton against the Kalahari craton. Assembly of this part of South-West Gondwana was accomplished before the Ordovician (to Silurian?) siliciclastic platform sediments of the Balcarce Formation in the Tandilia Belt covered the southern sector of Río de la Plata craton.     

Thermal and baric evolution of garnet granulites from Sri Lanka

Abstract Garnet granulites from Sri Lanka preserve textural and chemical evidence for prograde equilibration at temperatures of at least 700–750°C and pressures in the vicinity of 6–8 kbar. Associated strain patterns suggest prograde metamorphism occurred during and immediately following an episode of crustal thickening, with the prograde P–T conditions probably reflecting a combination of the conductive and advective transport of heat at the mid-levels of tectonically thickened crust. The occurrence of prograde wollastonite provides evidence for internally buffered fluid compositions, or fluid absent conditions, during peak metamorphism and precludes pervasive advection of a CO₂-rich fluid. The advective heat component is therefore likely to have been provided by the transport of silicate melt. Intricate symplectitic textures record partial re-equilibration of the garnet granulites to lower pressures (˜ 4–6 kbar) at high temperatures (600–750°C), and testify either to the erosional denudation of the overthick crust prior to significant cooling (i.e. quasi-isothermal decompression) or to a subsequent static heating possibly of early Palaeozoic age (Pan-African). The metamorphic history of the Sri Lankan granulites is compared with high grade terrains in the neighbouring fragments of Gondwana, with the emphasis on similarities with Proterozoic granulites of the East Antarctic craton.     

南极洲大地构造区划和冈瓦纳运动

本文在近年来研究的基础上,总结了关于冈瓦纳运动和南极大地构造演化的问题,并且对我国今后深入开展南极地质研究所应注意的问题和研究方向提出了有益的建议。     

东南极古陆核的研究现状、问题与设想

东南极地盾(克拉通)中的太古宙陆核主要分布在面向印度洋扇区的内皮尔山、南查尔斯王子山、赖于尔群岛和西福尔丘陵,在面向澳大利亚、非洲和太平洋扇区只零星出露。这些古陆核被早元古代—早古生代(泛非期)造山带所分割,它们具有不同的早期演化历史和后期改造过程,并且产于不同扇区的陆核与相邻冈瓦纳陆块具有密切的亲缘关系。对东南极古陆核开展系统的冰上和冰下地质调查以及岩石地球化学综合研究,查明太古宙岩石(物质)的时空分布、岩石成因、源区性质、构造属性及其变质改造历史,进而构建东南极古大陆从初始成核到最终聚陆的历史框架,这将弥补地球早期演化研究领域的南极短板,同时也必将促进地球早期演化研究领域的发展。