A late Neoproterozoic paleomagnetic pole for the Congo craton: Tectonic setting, paleomagnetism and geochronology of the Nola dike swarm (Central African Republic)

New structural, geochronological and paleomagnetic data were obtained on dolerite dikes of the Nola region (Central African Republic) at the northern border of the Congo craton. In this region, metavolcanic successions were thrust southward onto the craton during the Panafrican orogenic events. Our structural data reveal at least two structural klippes south of the present-day limits of the Panafrican nappe suggesting that it has once covered the whole Nola region, promoting the pervasive hydrothermal greenschist metamorphism observed in the underlying cratonic basement and also in the intrusive dolerite dikes. Paleomagnetic measurements revealed a stable dual-polarity low-inclination magnetization component in nine dikes (47 samples), carried by pyrrhotite and magnetite. This component corresponds to a paleopole at 304.8°E and 61.8°S (dp = 5.4, dm = 10.7) graded at Q = 6. Both metamorphism and magnetic resetting were dated by the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar method on amphibole grains separated from the dikes at 571 ± 6 Ma. The Nola pole is the first well-dated paleomagnetic pole for the Congo craton between 580 and 550 Ma. It marks a sudden change in direction of the Congo craton apparent polar wander path at the waning stages of the Panafrican orogenic events.     

Geological setting and chemistry of kimberlite clan rocks in the Dharwar Craton, India

Diamond exploration in India over the past decade has led to the discovery of over 80 kimberlite-inferred and lamproite-related intrusions in three of the four major Archean cratons that dominate the subcontinent. These intrusions are Proterozoic (1.1 Ga), and are structurally controlled: locally (at the intersections of faults); regionally (in a 200 km wide, 1000 km long diamond corridor); and globally (in the reconstructed supercontinent of Rodinia). The geochemistry of 57 samples from 13 intrusions in the southern Dharwar Craton of Andhra Pradesh has been determined by XRF spectrometry. The bodies are iron-rich with mg#=50–70 and are neither archetypal kimberlites nor ideal lamproites; this may be the underlying reason that conventional exploration techniques have thus far failed to locate the primary sources of India's historically famous diamonds. The two major fields of kimberlite-clan rocks (KCR) in the Dharwar Craton, Wajrakur and Narayanpet, are separated by a NW–SE trending, transcontinental (Mumbai-Chennai) gravity lineament. About 80% of intrusions in Wajrakur are diamondiferous, but diamonds have not yet been reported in Narayanpet. The gravity anomaly may mark the boundary of an architectural modification in the keel of the sub-continental lithosphere, a suggestion that is supported by differences in kimberlite mineralogy, chemistry, mantle xenoliths, structural setting and crustal host rocks.     

华北北缘东段开原地区三叠纪侵入岩年代学及岩石地球化学研究

本文报道了位于华北北缘东段开原地区尖山子岩体、宝兴岩体和树德屯岩体的岩相学、岩石地球化学及年代学特征,探讨了上述岩体的形成时代、岩石成因及其构造环境。锆石U-Pb定年结果表明,尖山子岩体形成于251±1.3Ma,宝兴岩体形成于235±1.3Ma,树德屯岩体形成于224±1.9Ma,说明开原地区三叠纪存在早三叠世、中三叠世和晚三叠世三个时期的岩浆活动。尖山子岩体以二长花岗岩为主,具高硅低镁特征,属钙碱性系列;富集大离子亲石元素Rb、K、Ba、Th,相对亏损Ta、Nb、P、Hf、Zr等高强场元素;δEu=0.55~1.87,(La/Yb)N=6.23~47.9,轻重稀土分馏明显,富集轻稀土,亏损重稀土。宝兴岩体以花岗闪长岩为主,Si O2含量变化较大(52.36%~74.06%),Al2O3含量(14.5%~17.34%),Mg O含量(0.61%~3.66%),属钙碱性系列;富集大离子亲石元素Rb、K、Ba、Th,相对亏损Ta、Nb、P、Ti等高强场元素;无明显的Eu异常,(La/Yb)N=6.81~25.6,轻重稀土分馏较明显,富集轻稀土,亏损重稀土。树德屯岩体以闪长岩为主,岩石具有低硅高镁特征,K2O/Na2O比值为0.33~0.76,显示富K贫Na特征,属钙碱性系列;富集大离子亲石元素Rb、K、Ba、Th,相对亏损Ta、Nb、P、Ti、Hf、Zr等高强场元素;无明显的Eu异常,(La/Yb)N=3.87~10.2,轻重稀土分馏不明显。上述岩石地球化学特征表明,尖山子岩体和宝兴岩体的原始岩浆起源于下地壳基性物质的部分熔融,树德屯岩体的原始岩浆起源于亏损的地幔楔。研究区三叠纪岩浆岩形成于造山阶段挤压环境下。华北北缘东段的挤压碰撞作用一直持续到晚三叠世(224Ma),而造山阶段向造山后阶段的构造转换(挤压地壳加厚向伸展垮塌的环境转换)发生于晚三叠世-早侏罗世(224~180Ma)期间。华北北缘东段中生代岩石圈减薄或破坏始于晚三叠世-早侏罗世(224~180Ma)期间。     

Seismic Hazards Assessment for Radioactive Waste Disposal Sites in Regions of Low Seismic Activity

A comparative tectonic quiescence and lack of earthquakes make the stable centres of continents attractive for siting long-term radioactive waste storage facilities. The low rates of deformation in such regions, however, make it difficult to characterize their long-term seismotectonic behaviour, leading to uncertain estimates for the very low probability hazard estimates required by society. In an attempt to overcome the deficiency of both contemporary seismicity and paleoseismic data in central Canada, we have used earthquake histories from regions with similar seismotectonic characteristics from around the world. Substituting space for time, we estimate a long-term rate per 10⁶ km² of 0.004 magnitude ≥6 earthquakes per annum, of which 33–100% might rupture to the surface.     

Episodic Mesozoic thickening and reworking of the North China Archean lower crust correlated to the fast-spreading Pacific plate

A central target in Earth sciences is to understand the processes controlling the stabilization and destruction of Archean continents. The North China craton (NCC) has in part lost its dense crustal root after the Mesozoic, and thus it is a key region to test models of crust–mantle differentiation and subsequent evolution of the continental crust. However, the timing and mechanisms responsible for its crustal thickening and reworking have been long debated. Here we report the Early Cretaceous Yinan (eastern NCC) adakitic granites, for which major/trace elemental models demonstrate that they are complementary to the analogy of the documented eclogitic relicts within the NCC. Based on their Late Archean inherited zircons, depleted mantle Nd model ages of ∼2.8 Ga, large negative ε_Nd(t) values (−36.7 to −25.3) and strongly radiogenic initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7178–0.7264), we suggest that the Yinan adakitic granites were potentially formed by the dehydration melting of a thickened Archean mica-bearing mafic lower crust during the Early Cretaceous (ca. 124 Ma), corresponding to a major period (117–132 Ma) of the NCC Mesozoic intrusive magmatism. Combined previous results, it is shown that the thickening and reworking of the North China Archean lower crust occurred largely as two short-lived episodes at 155–180 Ma and 117–132 Ma, rather than a gradual, secular event. These correlated temporally with the superfast-spreading Pacific plate during the Mesozoic. The synchroneity of these events suggests rapid plate motion of the Pacific plate driving the episodic NCC crustal thickening and reworking, resulting in dense eclogitic residues that became gravitationally unstable. The onset of lithospheric delamination occurred when upwelling asthenosphere heated the base of lower crust to form coeval felsic magmas with or without involvement of juvenile mantle material. Collectively, the circum-Pacific massive crustal production could be attributed to the unusually rapid motion of Pacific at 155–180 Ma and 117–132 Ma.     

Estimates of heat flow and heat production and a thermal model of the São Francisco craton

An updated analysis of geothermal data from the highland area of eastern Brazil has been carried out and the characteristics of regional variations in geothermal gradients and heat flow examined. The database employed includes results of geothermal measurements at 45 localities. The results indicate that the Salvador craton and the adjacent metamorphic fold belts northeastern parts of the study area are characterized by geothermal gradients in the range of 6–17°C/km. The estimated heat flow values fall in the range of 28–53 mW/m², with low values in the cratonic area relative to the fold belts. On the other hand, the São Francisco craton and the intracratonic São Francisco sedimentary basin in the southwestern parts are characterized by relatively higher gradient values, in the range of 14–42°C/km, with the corresponding heat flow values falling in the range of 36–89 mW/m². Maps of regional variations indicate that high heat flow anomaly in the São Francisco craton is limited to areas of sedimentary cover, to the west of the Espinhaço mountain belt. Crustal thermal models have been developed to examine the implications of the observed intracratonic variations in heat flow. The thermal models take into consideration variation of thermal conductivity with temperature as well as change of radiogenic heat generation with depth. Vertical distributions of seismic velocities were used in obtaining estimates of radiogenic heat production in crustal layers. Crustal temperatures are calculated based on a procedure that makes simultaneous use of the Kirchoff and Generalized Integral Transforms, providing thereby analytical solutions in 2D and 3D geometry. The results point to temperature variations of up to 300°C at the Moho depth, between the northern Salvador and southern São Francisco cratons. There are indications that differences in rheological properties, related to thermal field, are responsible for the contrasting styles of deformation patterns in the adjacent metamorphic fold belts.     

华北地台东部寒武系层序地层年代格架

北地台寒武系属稳定的克拉通盆地陆表海沉积。其沉积层序表现为复合层序，主要受全球海平面变化和沉积物补给因素的控制。自下而上可划分为１７个正层序，归并为６个正层序组和２个中层序。大部分正层序的边界与生物地层单位一致，与岩石地层单位略有出入。每个正层序的平均时间延续约为３Ｍａ，含两个三叶虫化石带。根据层序地层的研究，可以建立华北寒武系层序地层年代格架，并提出各统和阶的界线参考年龄。     

塔里木盆地克拉通区天然气碳同位素与成熟度关系探讨

气藏中天然气碳同位素的轻重不仅反映了母质继续效应和成熟效应,同时也取决于累积、散失、混合效应。塔里木盆地３个古隆起（中、 塔北和巴楚）区的天然气均主要来自寒武系一下奥陶统烃财。塔中地区保存条件好,天然气聚集时期长,为连续聚气区,其累积效应强,碳同位素普遍偏轻;塔北和 扎塔格地区保存状况相对较差,天然气聚集期短,累积效应弱,碳同位素值重了区。塔中北皮一些奥陶第 藏由于有中上奥陶统生成的低熟气－生物气     

高压下华北北缘二辉麻粒岩电导率的研究

借助于YJ-3000t紧装式六面顶固体高压设备,在1.0~2.0 GPa、523~1173 K条件下,利用Agilent 34401A数字电表和Solartron IS-1260阻抗-增益/相位分析仪,同时使用三种方法:交流阻抗谱法(频率范围0.05~106 Hz)、单频交流法(0.1 Hz)和直流法测量了华北北缘二辉麻粒岩的电导率.结果表明:在实验的温度和压力范围内,二辉麻粒岩电导率的变化在2.66×10-5~0.056 S·m-1之间,电导率对压力没有很强的依赖性;随着温度的升高,电导率增大,遵循Arrenhius关系式,其指前因子为8.95~17.9 S·m-1,活化能为0.569~0.605 eV.对比三种方法获得的电导率数据,发现阻抗谱法测量结果大于单频法测量结果,直流法测得的结果最低,但是,三种方法获得的电导率差值除两个低温点外,绝大多数都很小(Δlgσ<0.20 lg(S/m)).结合现今华北克拉通地热学参数及地壳分层结构,依据实验获得的电导率温度关系建立了电导率-深度剖面.并将其与大地电磁测深获得的地壳电性结构进行了对比,结果表明二辉麻粒岩的电导率与华北北缘的中地壳底部和下地壳底部电导率值的区域相交,再结合高温高压下二辉麻粒岩的弹性波速度剖面与地震折射剖面的对比,认为二辉麻粒岩有可能是组成华北北缘下地壳的岩石之一.     

基性麻粒岩造岩矿物微量元素再分配特征及其对变质历史的指示作用:以胶北地体高压麻粒岩为例

高级变质岩的变质历史是反演地壳构造-热事件的重要依据,然而高温扩散和重结晶作用能够改造造岩矿物中的主量元素分布,这对峰期变质温压条件的反演产生很不利的影响。相对于主量元素,微量元素,尤其是离子半径较大的REE,由于其在晶格中的扩散速率远小于主量元素,在高级叠加变质过程有可能记录前期变质作用。本文以胶北地体的高压基性麻粒岩为研究对象,通过详细的岩相学和矿物化学分析,初步解析了变质重结晶过程中的矿物微量元素再分配特征及其对变质作用的指示意义。岩相学上的证据表明这些样品经历了麻粒岩相变质和后期重结晶作用。单矿物的原位化学成分分析,峰期矿物石榴石、单斜辉石的主量元素Mg、Fe、Ca等二价阳离子分布均一,但部分稀土元素及微量元素则表现出钟形剖面环带分布,暗示主量元素遭受到成份扩散及重结晶所致的元素再分配,微量元素可记录峰期历史。结合主、微量元素温压计,我们分别估算了胶东基性高压麻粒岩的峰期(828℃、1.27GPa)和中压麻粒岩相退变质温压条件(810~840℃、0.6~1.0GPa),并推测其后期经历过角闪岩相退变质叠加。结合前人的年代学工作,我们认为该基性麻粒岩经历了近等温快速减压的变质历史。