Sequence stratigraphy, structural style, and age of deformation of the Malaita accretionary prism (Solomon arc–Ontong Java Plateau convergent zone)

Possibilities for the fate of oceanic plateaus at subduction zones range from complete subduction of the plateau beneath the arc to complete plateau–arc accretion and resulting collisional orogenesis. Deep penetration, multi-channel seismic reflection (MCS) data from the northern flank of the Solomon Islands reveal the sequence stratigraphy, structural style, and age of deformation of an accretionary prism formed during late Neogene (5–0 Ma) convergence between the 33-km-thick crust of the Ontong Java oceanic plateau and the 15-km-thick Solomon island arc. Correlation of MCS data with the satellite-derived, free-air gravity field defines the tectonic boundaries and internal structure of the 800-km-long, 140-km-wide accretionary prism. We name this prism the “Malaita accretionary prism” or “MAP” after Malaita, the largest and best-studied island exposure of the accretionary prism in the Solomon Islands. MCS data, gravity data, and stratigraphic correlations to islands and ODP sites on the Ontong Java Plateau (OJP) reveal that the offshore MAP is composed of folded and thrust faulted sedimentary rocks and upper crystalline crust offscraped from the Solomon the subducting Ontong Java Plateau (Pacific plate) and transferred to the Solomon arc. With the exception of an upper, sequence of Quaternary? island-derived terrigenous sediments, the deformed stratigraphy of the MAP is identical to that of the incoming Ontong Java Plateau in the North Solomon trench.We divide the MAP into four distinct, folded and thrust fault-bounded structural domains interpreted to have formed by diachronous, southeast-to-northwest, and highly oblique entry of the Ontong Java Plateau into a former trench now marked by the Kia–Kaipito–Korigole (KKK) left-lateral strike-slip fault zone along the suture between the Solomon arc and the MAP. The structural style within each of the four structural domains consists of a parallel series of three to four fault propagation folds formed by the seaward propagation of thrust faults roughly parallel to sub-horizontal layering in the upper crystalline part of the OJP. Thrust fault offsets, spacing between thrusts, and the amplitude of related fault propagation folds progressively decrease to the west in the youngest zone of active MAP accretion (Choiseul structural domain). Surficial faulting and folding in the most recently deformed, northwestern domain show active accretion of greater than 1 km of sedimentary rock and 6 km, or about 20%, of the upper crystalline part of the OJP. The eastern MAP (Malaita and Ulawa domains) underwent an earlier, similar style of partial plateau accretion. A pre-late Pliocene age of accretion (3.4 Ma) is constrained by an onshore and offshore major angular unconformity separating Pliocene reefal limestone and conglomerate from folded and faulted pelagic limestone of Cretaceous to Miocene age. The lower 80% of the Ontong Java Plateau crust beneath the MAP thrust decollement appears unfaulted and unfolded and is continuous with a southwestward-dipping subducted slab of presumably denser plateau material beneath most of the MAP, and is traceable to depths >200 km in the mantle beneath the Solomon Islands.     

The Liuchiu Hsu island offshore SW Taiwan: tectonic versus diapiric anticline development and comparisons with onshore structures

A structural and microtectonic analysis performed in the Liuchiu Hsu island demonstrates that its Plio-Pleistocene tectonic evolution was dominated by alternating NW–SE shortening and local radial extension caused by mud diapirism. Previous models based on seismic data considering both the formation of the Liuchiu Hsu island and the fold development in SW Taiwan as mainly driven by mud diapirism, fail to account for both the asymmetry of the west vergent thrust-related anticlines onshore and the elongated character of the ridges formed by diapir alignments offshore, which rather argue in favour of a tectonic origin. To cite this article: O. Lacombe et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

Chert–clastic sequence in the Cretaceous Shimanto Accretionary Complex on the central Kii Peninsula,SW Japan

Ocean plate stratigraphy (OPS) within an ancient accretionary complex provides important information for understanding the history of an oceanic plate from its origin at a mid‐ocean ridge to its subduction at a trench. Here, we report a recently discovered chert–clastic sequence (CCS) that comprises a continuous succession from pelagic sediments to terrigenous clastics and which constitutes part of the OPS in the Akataki Complex within the Cretaceous Shimanto Accretionary Complex on the central Kii Peninsula, SW Japan. As well as describing this sequence, we present U–Pb ages of detrital zircons from terrigenous clastic rocks in the CCS, results for which show that the youngest single grain and youngest cluster ages belong to the Santonian–Campanian and are younger than the radiolarian age from the underlying pelagic sedimentary rock (late Albian–Cenomanian). Thus, the CCS records the movement history of the oceanic plate from pelagic sedimentation (until the late Albian–Cenomanian) to a terrigenous sediment supply (Santonian–Campanian).     

History and modes of Mesozoic accretion in Southeastern Russia

Abstract The history of Mesozoic accretion and growth of the Asia eastern margin, occupied by Southeastern Russia, includes five main events; two main tectonic regimes were responsible for the growth of the continent. In the Triassic-Jurassic, Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous-Paleogene, the subduction of the oceanic lithosphere resulted in the formation of wide accretionary wedges of the Mongol-Okhotsk, Khingan-Okhotsk and Eastern Sikhote-Alin active continental margins, respectively. These stages of the comparatively slow growth of the continent were broken by stages of rapid growth and drastic changes in the shape of the continent, since at these stages large terranes of various tectonic nature collided with active continental margins. At the end of the Early-Middle Jurassic, the Bureya terranes collided with the Mongol-Okhotsk active margin, and at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous there was collision of the Central and Southern Sikhote-Alin terranes with the Khingan-Okhotsk active margin.
Collision-related structural styles in all cases are indicative of oblique collision and great strike-slip motions along the main sutures. The peculiarities of the terrane's geological structure show that prior to collision with the Mongol-Okhotsk and Khingan-Okhotsk active margins, they had already accreted to Asia and then migrated along its margins along the strike-slip faults. The Bureya terranes were squeezed out of the compression zone between Siberia and North China. This compression zone originated after the Paleozoic oceans which divided these cratons had closed. The Khanka terranes and Mesozoic accretionary wedge terranes of the Sikhote-Alin shifted along the strike-slip faults subparallel to the Asia Pacific margin. Strike-slip motions resulted in duplication of the primary tectonic zonation.     

Layer-parallel faults, duplexes, imbricate thrusts and vein structures of the Miura Group: Keys to understanding the Izu fore-arc sediment accretion to the Honshu fore arc

Abstract The Miura Group (Miocene-Pliocene) of south-central Japan shows a number of unique lithological and structural features. The group is composed of volcanic arc-derived marine sediments, and those in the south of the Mineoka Tectonic Belt particularly show various kinds of complex structures such as layer-parallel faults, thrust duplexes, imbricate thrusts and vein structures, yet the degree of compaction of the sediments is still remarkably low. These structures involve deformations at a very early stage and at shallow depths. They arose shortly after sedimentation within the Izu fore arc, and continued during accretion to the Honshu fore arc. The deformational stages are classified here into three stages, the first comprises bedding-parallel faulting associated with gravitational sliding and sediment injection. The first vein structures formed during this stage in the Izu fore arc area. These structures are cut by features developed during the second and third stages: especially thrusting, including duplex and imbricate thrusts. This horizontal shortening occurred during the accretionary prism formation on the subduction plate boundary. The second vein structures formed during this stage in the accretionary prism formation. The origin of the vein structures was discussed both by field observation and laboratory experiments. The latter suggests earthquake origin and the formative process is explained in relation to the field evidence.     

班公湖-怒江结合带东段早石炭世洋壳残片及其古特提斯意义

班公湖-怒江结合带东段是破译班公湖-怒江特提斯洋早期演化的重要窗口。在对八宿县怒江大桥-邦达地区嘉玉桥岩群详细野外观察基础上,对赋存其中的玄武岩岩块及其围岩进行了锆石U-Pb定年,并对玄武岩进行了全岩地球化学研究。嘉玉桥岩群具有构造混杂岩的特征,基质主要为板岩、千枚状板岩、薄层状结晶灰岩,岩块主要为玄武岩、结晶灰岩、大理岩。玄武岩岩块锆石的外部形态、内部结构及均一的年龄结果显示其为基性岩浆结晶锆石。基性锆石²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U年龄的加权平均值为338±2Ma,代表玄武岩形成时代。玄武岩的围岩中碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄范围为3157~500Ma,最年轻一组年龄为513~500Ma,限定其原始沉积时代不早于该年龄范围。玄武岩轻稀土元素亏损,高场强元素Nb、Ta、Zr、Hf无异常,ε_Nd（t）值为+7.4~+8.5,这些地球化学特征与N-MORB型玄武岩一致。受海水蚀变影响,Rb、Ba、U、Sr元素和⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr （i）同位素有不同程度的富集。玄武岩岩块是由亏损地幔中尖晶石相二辉橄榄岩部分熔融形成,代表洋壳残片。八宿县怒江大桥-邦达地区嘉玉桥岩群是一套俯冲增生杂岩,其基质岩石和岩块主要形成于早石炭世,构造就位时间有待进一步限定。班公湖-怒江结合带存在较多前侏罗纪的化石和同位素年龄信息,本研究揭示班公湖-怒江洋在338±2Ma已经具有成熟的洋壳,指示班公湖-怒江特提斯洋打开时间应早于早石炭世（338±2Ma）。     

The Keepit arc: provenance of sedimentary rocks in the central Tablelands Complex,southern New England Orogen,Australia, as recorded by detrital zircon

Detrital zircon from the Carboniferous Girrakool Beds in the central Tablelands Complex of the southern New England Orogen, Australia, is dominated by ca 350–320 Ma grains with a peak at ca 330 Ma; there are very few Proterozoic or Archean grains. A maximum deposition age for the Girrakool Beds of ca 309 Ma is identified. These data overlap the age of the Carboniferous Keepit arc, a continental volcanic arc along the western margin of the Tamworth Belt. Zircon trace-element and isotopic compositions support petrographic evidence of a volcanic arc provenance for sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks of the central Tablelands Complex. Zircon Hf isotope data for ca 350–320 Ma detrital grains become less radiogenic over the 30 million-year record. This pattern is observed with maturation of continental volcanic arcs but is opposite to the longer-term pattern documented in extensional accretionary orogens, such as the New England Orogen. Volcanic activity in the Keepit arc is inferred to decrease rapidly at ca 320 Ma, based on a major change in the detrital zircon age distribution. Although subduction continues, this decrease is inferred to coincide with the onset of trench retreat, slab rollback and the eastward migration of the magmatic arc that led to the Late Carboniferous to early Permian period of extension, S-type granite production and intrusion into the forearc basin, high-temperature–low-pressure metamorphism, and development of rift basins such as the Sydney–Gunnedah–Bowen system.     

Palaeozoic evolution of the North Tianshan based on palaeomagnetic data – transition from Gondwana towards Pangaea

We present new palaeomagnetic data for Cambrian and Ordovician volcanic and sedimentary rocks from the Kyrgyz North Tianshan (NTS) and review available data from the southwestern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) to elucidate the tectonic history and evolution of this region during the early Palaeozoic. We observed a coherent evolution of the NTS and the Kazakhstan continent (or Kazakhstania) with a constant northwards movement between the Cambrian and Devonian at ～5 cm/a. After the northwards movement ceased in the Devonian, the accreted terrane assemblage of Kazakhstania occupied a stable latitudinal position at ～30°N until the final amalgamation of Eurasia occurred in the late Carboniferous to early Permian. Amalgamation of the Tarim and Turan blocks caused a counterclockwise bending within the southwestern segment of the CAOB, which occurred in an inconsistent way by a brittle-like response of the upper crust with a large variety of rotational movement. We suggest an evolution of the Kyrgyz CAOB terranes by steady migration away from Gondwana and subsequent capture in a zone of global downwelling at ~30°N, where accretion and subsequent amalgamation of Eurasia occurred with the CAOB terranes in its centre.     

Co-ignimbrite ash-fall deposits of the 1991 eruptions of Fugen-dake, Unzen Volcano, Japan

Fugen-dake, the main peak of Unzen Volcano, began a new eruption sequence on November 17, 1990. On May 20, 1991, a new lava dome appeared near the eastern edge of the Fugen-dake summit. Small-scale, 10⁴–10⁶ m³ in volume, Merapi-type block and ash flows were frequently generated from the growing lava dome during May–June, 1991. These pyroclastic flows were accompanied by co-ignimbrite ash plumes that deposited ash-fall deposits downwind of the volcano. Three examples of co-ignimbrite ash-fall deposits from Unzen pyroclastic flows are described. The volume of fall deposits was estimated to be about 30% by volume of the collapsed portions of the dome that formed pyroclastic flows. This proportion is smaller than that described for other larger co-ignimbrite ash-fall deposits from other volcanoes. Grain size distributions of the Unzen co-ignimbrite ash-fall deposits are bi-modal or tri-modal. Most ashes are finer than 4 phi and two modes were observed at around 4–7 phi and 9 phi. They are composed mainly of groundmass fragments. Fractions of another mode at around 2 phi are rich in crystals derived from dome lava. Some of the fine ash component fell as accretionary lapilli from the co-ignimbrite ash cloud indicating either moisture or electrostatic aggregation. We believe that the co-ignimbrite ash of Unzen block and ash flows were formed by the mechanical fracturing of the cooling lava blocks as they collapsed and moved down the slope. These ashes were entrained into the convective plumes generated off the tops of the moving flows.     

台湾南部恒春海脊地质地球物理特征及其大地构造属性

恒春海脊的地质、地球物理特征与其相邻的南海海盆、吕宋火山弧和北吕宋海槽等地质构造单元所反映的特征明显不同 ,主要表现为低密度、弱磁性。推测其地壳性质为陆壳 ,是恒春半岛的南延部分。海脊西侧缓坡为陆缘增生楔 ,可见刺穿现象 ,这些刺穿构造是由逆冲挤压引起的泥底辟。海脊东部受弧陆碰撞的影响而急剧抬升。东部的弧陆碰撞是海脊抬升和增生楔形成的主要原因