Geodynamics of the divergent double subduction along the Bangong-Nujiang tethyan suture zone: Insights from late mesozoic intermediate-mafic rocks in central Tibet

Bangong-Nujiang Suture Zone (BNSZ) in central Tibet plays an important role in evaluating the formation and uplift mechanism of Tibetan Plateau. However, its Mesozoic tectonic evolution is ambiguous and intensely debated. In this study, Early Cretacesous adakites and sodium-rich arc rocks are identified in Western Qiangtang (WQ) and Northern Lhasa (NL) sub-terranes. Forty-four adakite samples from both WQ and NL have akin geochemical features, and are derived from partial melting of subducted oceanic crust with amphibole residual. Nineteen sodium-rich samples originated from a mixed source region between crustal sediment and enriched lithospheric mantle. These two parallel arc belts separated by the Bangong-Nujiang Suture Zone (BNSZ) represent the divergent double subduction of the Bangong-Nujiang Tethyan Ocean (BNTO). Combined with the previous studies, our new data suggest three significant magmatic flare-ups at ∼240–140 Ma, 135–105 Ma and 92–60 Ma in the WQ and BNSZ, and two at 135–105 Ma and 92–60 Ma in the NL. These asymmetrical magmatic activities indicate that the southern subduction may have commenced at about 135 Ma and experienced slab breakoff at the latest Early Cretaceous, and the northern subduction could trace back to L-Triassic (228 Ma) and experienced episodic low-angle subduction, slab rollback (190-140 Ma) and oceanic ridge subduction (135-100 Ma). The 100–92 Ma magmatic gap, 92–60 Ma magmatic flare-up and L-Cretaceous angular unconformities indicate that the double-sided subduction of the BNTO resulted in soft collision with oceanic lithosphere detachment.     

Protoconodont fossils for refining the Cambrian bottom and the contribution to shale gas formation along the southwest margin of Yangtze Block

It has been an intense debate on the exact boundary between Ediacaran and Cambrian in the southwest Yangtze Block. The calibration of this critical boundary has a remarkable influence on the further investigation of the break-up of the Rodinia Supercontinent, the early life evolution, and the mechanism of the phosphorite deposit. Ediacaran and Cambrian strata and fossils are widely distributed in Anning, Yunnan Province in China. In recent years, the Xiaowaitoushan Member from the Lower Yuhucun Formation has been studied. Through this interval with continuous collections, the first appearance datums (FADs) of the protoconodont (Fomitchella cf. inchoate Yang et He, Protohertzina cf. anabarica Missarzhevsky) and globular embryos fossil (Olivooides sp.) earlier than these in the Lower Cambrian strata of the Meishucun Formation were discovered. This discovery indicates that the Xiaowaitoushan Member has included more FADs than the previously discovered single FAD of Anabarites primitivus Qian et Jiang, and the Ediacaran–Cambrian boundary in southwest China should be replaced below the Point “A” of the Meishucun Formation in Yunnan Province. The Point “B” of the Meishucun Formation is younger than the suggested age 541 Ma of the Ediacaran–Cambrian boundary and can no longer reference the Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) correlation in southwest China. It can be suggested based on the previous stratigraphy and palaeontology studies from northern Sichuan and southern Shaanxi and the FAD of the globular embryos fossils that the Ediacaran−Cambrian boundary in the southwest Yangtze Block should be placed at the base of the Xiaowaitoushan Member; other phosphorite strata refer to Xiaowaitoushan Member. The discovery of the FADs of the shelly fossils in the Xiaowaitoushan Member provides new evidence for the global correlation of the Ediacaran –Cambrian boundary in the southwest Yangtze Block. The conodont discoloration index (CAI) of the specimens in Anning is between 2 and 3, which indicates that the organic matter in Xiaowaitoushan Member is matured and has high potential to form a shale gas reservoir.     

基于合成速率法的青藏块体东北缘断裂活动分析

基于合成速率法、趋势累积率法与跨断层资料等的结合,从时空的不同角度分析了青藏块体东北缘主要断裂应变积累的运动特征。结果显示:(1)2010～2016年,祁连山断裂带呈微弱拉张的运动态势,海原断裂带由张转压,六盘山断裂带在门源地震前显示张性运动,震后发生转折;(2)长期来看,基于趋势累积率D_c的计算结果显示了祁连山断裂带中、西段累积应变略高于东段,从量值上看整个青藏块体东北缘D_c高值区位于六盘山断裂带附近。     

Paleoproterozoic Potassic Granitoids in the Sushui Complex from the Zhongtiao Mountains, Northern China： Geochronology, Geochemistry and Petrogenesis

1 Introduction The early Precambrian basement of the North China Craton (NCC) consists mainly of the Eastern Continental Block, the Western Continental Block and the Trans-North China Orogen (TNCO, or “the Central Tectonic Zone”), which formed by continental collision between the Eastern and Western Blocks (Zhao et al., 1998). This evolutionary model has now been widely accepted (Wu and Zhong, 1998; Guan et al., 2002; Guo et al., 2002; Liu et al., 2002a, b; Liu et al., 2004a, b;…     

Static and dynamic analyses of three-dimensional hollow concrete block revetments using polyhedral finite element method

In this study, we exploit the flexibility and advantages of polyhedral finite elements in modeling 3D hollow concrete block revetments. In the present method, a new concept is proposed, in which the polyhedral elements are subdivided into sub-tetrahedrons through virtual nodes located at the centroids of the faces and element. Piecewise linear shape functions of polyhedral elements are constructed for the sub-tetrahedrons. Then, the shape functions are used to formulate the stiffness and mass matrices. By this way, the present approach yields lower computational cost than that of the standard polyhedral finite element method based on rational basis functions. The presented method suits well general polyhedral meshes including concave elements, which are used to model 3D complicated structures in design of coastal defenses system protection such as interlocking revetments. Reliability and effectiveness of the present approach are validated by the well-known commercial ANSYS software through static and dynamic analysis.     

Age and provenance of basement metasediments from the Kubor and Bena Bena Blocks,central Highlands,Papua New Guinea: Constraints on the tectonic evolution of the northern Australian cratonic margin

Detrital zircon from two basement blocks (Kubor and Bena Bena) in the central Highlands of Papua New Guinea has an age signature that strongly suggests a northern Australian provenance. Samples of the Omung Metamorphics, southeastern Kubor Block, together yield principal zircon populations with ages of ca 1.8 Ga (～10% of the total), ca 1.55 Ga (～10%), 470–440 Ma (～15%), ca 340 Ma (～10%) and 290–260 Ma (～40%).Two tonalite stocks of the Kubor Intrusive Complex, which intrude the Omung Metamorphics, yield indistinguishable ages of 244.8 ± 4.9 Ma and 239.1 ± 4.2 Ma.Therefore, the deposition and subsequent deformation of the Omung Metamorphics is Late Permian to Early Triassic. A sample of Goroka Formation (Bena Bena Block) contains detrital zircon of similar ages to the Omung Metamorphics, ca 1.8 Ga (5%), ca 1.55 Ga (～45%), ca 430 Ma (～5%) and ca 310 Ma (～40%), suggesting that the Goroka Formation has a similar provenance and might be correlative. In contrast, a metapsammite from the Bena Bena Formation yielded only ages of 290–280 Ma (85%) and ca 240 Ma (15%). A tuff interbedded in the Bena Bena Formation yielded only igneous zircon with a Late Triassic age of 221 ± 3 Ma. Contrary to previous interpretations, the Bena Bena Formation is probably younger than the Goroka Formation. Ages of New Guinea detrital zircon closely match those of igneous and detrital zircon from the Coen Inlier, northeastern Queensland, but contrast with the ages of zircon from terranes further south, east and west. The Kubor and Bena Bena Blocks are not suspect terranes, but rather form part of the Australian craton. The craton margin, modified by rifting during the Mesozoic, was re‐inverted during Cenozoic compression. The Australian craton, in the eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, extends at least as far north as the Markham Valley, the northern edge of the Bena Bena terrane.     

SHRIMP U–Pb monazite dating of 1600–1580 Ma amphibolite facies metamorphism in the southeastern Mt Isa Block,Australia

SHRIMP U–Pb monazite dates of ca 1600–1580 Ma are reported from three samples taken from the southeastern margin of the Proterozoic Mt Isa Block. The samples include an upper amphibolite facies paragneiss and a pegmatite from the host sequence of the Cannington Ag–Pb–Zn deposit and a middle amphibolite facies metasediment from the Soldiers Cap Group near Maronan station. These dates are interpreted to represent the timing of amphibolite facies metamorphism at the southeastern margin of the Mt Isa Block. They are in accordance with the results of earlier SHRIMP U–Pb zircon and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating, which suggested that metamorphism in the southeastern Mt Isa Block occurred approximately 50 million years earlier than metamorphism in the western Mt Isa Block. This challenges the common perception of orogeny in the Mt Isa Block in which ‘peak metamorphism’, and the deformation events associated with it, can be correlated across the entire terrane.     

阿拉善地块东北缘狼山地区大红山组沉积时代、物质来源及区域构造意义

阿拉善地块位于中亚造山带南缘,是研究中亚造山带南缘二叠纪构造背景及演化的关键地区。本研究在阿拉善地块东北缘狼山地区野外调查的基础上,对狼山地区大红山组地层进行古流向、碎屑锆石LA- ICP- MS U- Pb定年和砂岩碎屑组分分析。研究表明砾石最大扁平面倾向为SWW—NWW,指示大红山组地层沉积时的古水流的流向总体呈现自西向东,推测大红山组砾石主要来自狼山西部地区。砂岩中碎屑锆石最小年龄峰值为275 Ma和278 Ma,表明大红山组沉积时代不早于中二叠世早期。砂岩的碎屑组分分析和碎屑锆石年龄谱指示大红山组可能来自于晚古生代诺尔公—狼山弧,砾石的古流向分析和碎屑锆石年龄谱推测大红山组砾石极有可能来自于阿拉善地块前寒武纪变质基底。结合诺尔公—狼山构造带晚古生代大陆岩浆弧的存在,认为二叠系大红山组地层沉积于弧背前陆盆地的构造背景。     

西藏谢通门县切琼地区典中组流纹岩锆石U-Pb年龄、Hf同位素及地球化学特征

西藏中拉萨地块切琼地区广泛发育的林子宗群火山岩被认为是印度大陆与亚洲大陆碰撞火山作用的响应,对于揭示大陆碰撞的时限和过程具有重要的意义。本文对区内流纹岩进行了LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄、Hf同位素及全岩元素地球化学研究,结果显示:研究区流纹岩年龄为67.1±0.1 Ma,符合林子宗群典中组火山岩年龄范围。该流纹岩具有富Si、高K、低Ti、过铝质特征;富集轻稀土元素,亏损重稀土元素,(Gd/Yb)_N=0.57~1.16,普遍出现负Eu异常(δEu=0.05~0.08),相对富集大离子亲石元素(Pb、Rb、Th、U),亏损高场强元素(P、Ti),并且明显亏损Ba和Sr,属于高钾钙碱性过铝质系列,具有陆源弧火山岩的特点;锆石¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf值在0.282673~0.282804之间,_εHf(t)在?2.1~+2.3之间,平均为?0.6,t_2DM变化于875~1117 Ma之间。综合分析表明,切琼地区林子宗群典中组流纹岩形成于俯冲构造环境,源于古老地壳物质再循环,且混染了少量幔源物质。对比区域上相关矿床,结合切琼地区已发现矿点,表明切琼地区典中组火山岩具有一定寻找浅成低温热液型、矽卡岩型矿床的潜力。     

The Paleoarchean Northern Mundo Novo Greenstone Belt,São Francisco Craton: Geochemistry,U–Pb–Hf–O in zircon and pyrite δ34S-Δ33S-Δ36S signatures

Greenstone belts contain several clues about the evolutionary history of primitive Earth. Here, we describe the volcano-sedimentary rock association exposed along the eastern margin of the Gavião Block, named the Northern Mundo Novo Greenstone Belt (N-MNGB), and present data collected with different techniques, including U–Pb–Hf–O isotopes of zircon and multiple sulfur isotopes (³²S, ³³S, ³⁴S, and ³⁶S) of pyrite from this supracrustal sequence. A pillowed metabasalt situated in the upper section of the N-MNGB is 3337 ± 25 Ma old and has zircon with ε_Hf(t) =  ?2.47 to ?1.40, Hf model ages between 3.75 Ga and 3.82 Ga, and δ¹⁸O = +3.6‰ to +7.3‰. These isotopic data, together with compiled whole-rock trace element data, suggest that the mafic metavolcanic rocks formed in a subduction-related setting, likely a back-arc basin juxtaposed to a continental arc. In this context, the magma interacted with older Eoarchean crustal components from the Gavião Block. Detrital zircons from the overlying quartzites of the Jacobina Group are sourced from Paleoarchean rocks, in accordance with previous studies, yielding a maximum depositional age of 3353 ± 22 Ma. These detrital zircons have ε_Hf(t) =  ?5.40 to ?0.84, Hf model ages between 3.66 Ga and 4.30 Ga, and δ¹⁸O = +4.8‰ to +6.4‰. The pyrite multiple sulfur isotope investigation of the 3.3 Ga supracrustal rocks from the N-MNGB enabled a further understanding of Paleoarchean sulfur cycling. The samples have diverse isotopic compositions that indicate sulfur sourced from distinct reservoirs. Significantly, they preserve the signal of the anoxic Archean atmosphere, expressed by MIF-S signatures (Δ³³S between ?1.3‰ to +1.4‰) and a Δ³⁶S/Δ³³S slope of ?0.81 that is indistinguishable from the so-called Archean array. A BIF sample has a magmatic origin of sulfur, as indicated by the limited δ³⁴S range (0 to +2‰), Δ³³S ~ 0‰, and Δ³⁶S ~ 0‰. A carbonaceous schist shows positive δ³⁴S (2.1‰–3.5‰) and elevated Δ³³S (1.2‰–1.4‰) values, with corresponding negative Δ³⁶S between ?1.2‰ to ?0.2‰, which resemble the isotopic composition of Archean black shales and suggest a source from the photolytic reduction of elemental sulfur. The pillowed metabasalt displays heterogeneous δ³⁴S, Δ³³S, and Δ³⁶S signatures that reflect assimilation of both magmatic sulfur and photolytic sulfate during hydrothermal seafloor alteration. Lastly, pyrite in a massive sulfide lens is isotopically similar to barite of several Paleoarchean deposits worldwide, which might indicate mass dependent sulfur processing from a global and well-mixed sulfate reservoir at this time.