Contribution of subducted Pacific slab to Late Cretaceous mafic magmatism in Qingdao region, China: A petrological record

Abstract The occurrence of the Pishikou mafic dike in the Qingdao region, China provides important constraints on the origin of Late Cretaceous (86–78 Ma) mafic magmatism on the eastern North China craton. The Pishikou mafic dike is distributed in the Cretaceous Laoshan granitoid body, Qingdao region and contains peridotitic and granulitic xenoliths, xenocrysts, and megacrysts. Rocks from the Pishikou mafic dike are basanites and have low SiO₂ (< 42 wt%) and Al₂O₃ (12.5 wt%) contents, and high MgO (> 8 wt%), total alkalis (Na₂O + K₂O > 4.8 wt%, Na₂O/K₂O > 1), TiO₂ (> 2.5 wt%), CaO (> 9 wt%) and P₂O₅ (> 1 wt%). In trace element abundances, they are highly enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and light rare‐earth elements (LREEs) (ΣREE = 339–403 ppm, (La/Yb)_N = 39–42) without high field strength element (HFSE) depletion. These rocks have radiogenic Sr and Pb, and less radiogenic Nd isotopic compositions [(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i > 0.7059, εNd ≈ 2.7–3.8 (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb)_i ≈ 18.0 ± 0.1]. The diagnostic elemental ratios, such as Nb/La, Nb/U, and Nb/Th, are compatible with those of mid‐oceanic ridge basalts (MORBs) and oceanic island basalts (OIBs). Therefore, the Pishikou mafic dike has a geochemical feature completely different from those of the Early Cretaceous mafic dikes from the Qingdao region, but similar to those of back‐arc basalts from the Japan Sea. This geochemical feature suggests that the Pishikou mafic dike was derived from an asthenosphere source, but contaminated by materials from the subducted Pacific slab. The discovery of this mafic dike thus provides a petrological evidence for the contribution of subducted Pacific slab to the Late Cretaceous magmatism in the Qingdao region of the eastern North China craton.     

Geochemical modelling of early Eocene adakitic magmatism in the Eastern Pontides,NE Anatolia: continental crust or subducted oceanic slab origin?

Early Eocene adakitic volcanic and granitoid rocks are widespread in the Eastern Pontides of NE Turkey, providing significant constraints for the early Cenozoic tectonomagmatic evolution of the region. These adakitic rock units exhibit relatively high Sr/Y and La/Yb ratios, but low Y and Yb values, similar to modern adakites generated by partial fusion of a subducted oceanic slab. They also have high K₂O and low MgO contents, and show moderately enriched I_Sr and low ?_Nd(t) isotopic signatures. Our trace element modelling suggests that these adakitic magmas were generated from partial melting at low pressures of a garnet-bearing amphibolitic source in the continental lower crust. This lower crustal melting resulted from slab break off-induced asthenospheric upwelling and related magmatic underplating beneath the Eastern Pontides. We interpret this melting event and the adakitic magmatic activity as a syn- to post-collisional process involving early Cenozoic collision of the Pontide and Anatolide–Tauride continental blocks. The geochemical and tectonic constraints presented here indicate that early Eocene adakitic magmatism in the Eastern Pontides did not result from partial fusion of a subducted oceanic slab, but instead represent continental-type adakite formation.     

Franciscan mélanges: coherent blocks in a low-density,ductile matrix

ABSTRACT

The Franciscan Complex comprises the largely sedimentary basement of the California Coast Ranges. This classic trench deposit has undergone a series of superimposed tectonic events since the end of Jurassic time, involving accretion, high-pressure (HP) recrystallization, buoyancy and wedge-driven exhumation, and transcurrent slip. Processes reflect plate convergence, transpressive-orthogonal subduction, and transpressive–transtensive offset. Besides stratigraphically intact strata, the Franciscan displays widespread mélanges of four main types: diapiric serpentinite intrusions, sedimentary olistostromes, broken formations, and tectonic block-in-matrix units. In the northern Coast Ranges, mélanges are especially prevalent in the Central Belt, but also occur in the Eastern and Coastal belts. Diapirs show upward, buoyant flow relative to wall rocks, but some also appear to have involved wedge-driven thrusting. Many serpentinite diapirs and tectonic mélanges contain exotic metamafic inclusions rimmed by actinolite–chlorite reaction rinds. Olistostromes include gravity slump blocks and conglomeratic lenses; petrologically similar to larger slide blocks, pebble layers document a surficial, sedimentary origin, as does the presence of volcanic arc clasts. Broken formations grade by degrees from intact stratal continuity to disrupted units; they only contain cognate boudins of rocks present in the ductile matrix. Some tectonic mélanges are simply intensely disaggregated broken formations, and include rock types of the stratigraphic host. Other tectonic mélanges carry exotic HP blocks of diverse lithologies, generally reflecting higher pressures than attended recrystallization of the low-density matrix. The four mélange types formed through diverse convergent plate-tectonic processes. Many were subjected to a multi-stage overprint; most are strongly deformed, obscuring original textures and structures. Broken formations are the most common disrupted units, accompanied by lesser amounts of tectonic mélanges, olistostromes, and ductile-matrix diapirs. In aggregate, these units reflect the operation of contrasting processes that attest to plate-tectonic evolution of the Franciscan Complex. Strong deformation accompanied oceanic plate underflow, but also took place during coeval HP metamorphism and surfaceward return of accretionary packets, then transitioned to long-sustained, chiefly dextral slip.     

Role of the shale tectonics on the evolution of the Eastern Venezuelan Cenozoic thrust and fold belt

This paper presents a structural and stratigraphic analysis of the foreland-fold-belt of the Eastern Venezuelan Basin and the main conclusions about shale tectonic mechanisms in the area. The deformation of the foreland-fold-belt has been investigated analyzing the growth strata architecture preserved on the structure fold limbs. Three contractional episodes are proposed for the Eastern Venezuelan Basin: 1) Oligocene to middle Miocene, 2) late Miocene to Pliocene and 3) Pleistocene. The first episode produced contractional listric faults inside the shale and long displacement blind thrusts in the underlying Cretaceous units. The second episode produced the deformation of the Cenozoic strata into overlapping east-west-trending, convex northward anticlines that covers more than 200 kilometers in length and 40 kilometers wide, break-through normal faults product of a high sedimentary load that overcomes contraction and the formation of short-displacement blind thrusts in the underlying Cretaceous units. The last episode is related to an oblique compression and the formation of high angle extensional faults with dextral movement and NW-SE strike. The role of the shale tectonics in the evolution implies that shale deforms in two stages: 1) folding and 2) normal faulting of the crest of the anticline (Break through normal faulting). Folding controlled the sediment distribution during most of the Neogene strata, while the normal faulting of the anticlines represent basin potential for hydrocarbon. The best potential hydrocarbon plays in the basin are related to oblique-collision restricted basins and controlled by break-through normal faults and the presence of NW-SE strike faults that connect the HC source with the reservoirs. Results from this research imply that the role of sedimentation is fundamental for the overburden sand distribution and tectonic constrain of the folds.     

Formation of the Jurassic Changboshan‐Xieniqishan highly fractionated I‐type granites,northeastern China: implication for the partial melting of juvenile crust induced by asthenospheric mantle upwelling

Zircon U–Pb ages, major and trace elements, and Sr, Nd and Hf isotope compositions of the Changboshan‐Xieniqishan (CX) intrusion from the Great Xing'an Range (GXAR), northeastern China, were studied to investigate its derivation, evolution and geodynamic significance. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) zircon U–Pb dating yields an emplacement age of 161 ± 2 Ma for the CX intrusion. Bulk‐rock analyses show that this intrusion is characterized by high SiO₂, Na₂O and K₂O, but low MgO, CaO and P₂O₅. They are enriched in large‐ion lithophile elements and light rare earth elements, with marked Eu anomalies (mostly from 0.36 to 0.65), and depleted in heavy rare earth elements and high field strength elements. Most samples have relatively low (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i values (0.70423–0.70457), with ε_Nd(t) fluctuating between −0.4 and 2.3. The ε_Hf(t) for zircons varies from 5.4 to 8.7. Sr–Nd isotope modelling results, in combination with young Nd and Hf model ages (760–986 and 549–728 Ma, respectively) and the presence of relict zircons, indicate that the CX intrusion may originate from the partial melting of juvenile crust, with minor contamination of recycled crustal components, and then underwent extensive fractional crystallization of K‐feldspar, plagioclase, biotite, sphene, apatite, zircon and allanite. Considering the widespread presence of granitoids with coeval volcanic rocks, we contend that the CX intrusion formed in an extensional environment related to the upwelling of asthenospheric mantle induced by the subduction of the Palaeo‐Pacific plate, rather than a lithospheric delamination model. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Neotectonic Crustal Uplift on the Continents and its Possible Mechanisms. The Case of Southern Africa

According to a large volume of data an intensive crustal uplift began in the Oligocene over most of the continental areas after a long period of relative tectonic stability. This Neotectonic uplift formed most of the present positive topographic features on the continents, and its strong acceleration took place during the last several million years. In many regions the uplift was associated with magmatism. The main methods of studying the Neotectonic uplift are considered together with the data on the uplift of Southern Africa. In this area the uplift took place in the Early Miocene (up to 300 m) and in the Late Pliocene and Pleistocene (up to 900 m). It occurred without stretching or shortening of the crust. Rapid erosion of the lower part of mantle lithosphere by a plume material is proposed as a mechanism of the uplift. This material ascended from below and rapidly spread along the base of the lithosphere. Its spreading for 1000 km during a few million years is possible only under a low viscosity of normal asthenosphere (1019 Pa s) and a much lower viscosity of a plume material (2 × 1016 Pa s). As in Southern Africa, in most of the regions the Neotectonic uplift was associated with insignificant shortening or stretching of the crust. This indicates that in some regions a plume material ascended from below and rapidly spread along the base of the lithosphere and eroded the mantle lithosphere in vast areas beneath the continents. In regions with a hot asthenosphere a strong weakening of the mantle lithosphere which allows its erosion can be associated with a high temperature of the plume material. In regions where the asthenosphere is at moderate temperature weakening of the mantle lithosphere can result from infiltration of volatiles from the plume material.     

南海北部边缘盆地泥底辟及泥火山特征及其与油气运聚关系

泥底辟与泥火山成因机制相同,发育演化特征相似,但最终地质形态及存在形式有所差异.通过深入分析南海西北部莺歌海盆地泥底辟与东北部台西南盆地泥火山发育展布特点及伴生天然气地球化学特征,指出莺歌海盆地泥底辟主要分布于盆地中部的莺歌海深大凹陷,且沿盆地NW方向呈五行雁行式排列,泥底辟发育演化具有明显的低密、低速和异常高温超压的特点;而台西南盆地泥火山主要展布于南部凹陷陆坡深水区和台湾陆上台南-高雄地区,陆上泥火山多沿深大断裂带分布,地面形态特征类似火山形态,多具有喷口,海域泥火山的海底形态亦与其相似,但研究程度较低.泥底辟及泥火山伴生烃类天然气成因类型较多,但以成熟-高熟煤型烃类气为主;伴生的非烃气CO₂和N₂丰富,但以无机壳源型CO₂为主.泥底辟及泥火山的泥源层均为中新世及上新世海相坳陷沉积的巨厚泥页岩,本身即具生烃潜力,其成熟生烃及其与泥底辟/泥火山运聚通道和底辟伴生构造的良好配置,则构成了其独特的泥底辟/泥火山油气运聚成藏系统,进而控制了这种“泥底辟/泥火山型油气藏”的分布.      

地震层析地质解释原理及其在滇西深部构造研究中的应用

本文首先简要地介绍了地震层析方法的原理,着重探讨了三维速度异常地质解释的几个基本问题,包括划分构造层的物理基础、确定分辨尺度的依据以及估计地质时限依据的岩石热力学过程。然后介绍了应用地震层析及地质解释方法研究滇西造山带的地壳、下岩石圈及软流圈构造所得到的主要结果,并与人工地震测深及大地电磁测深结果进行了比较。这一工作说明地震层析可以作为岩石圈与软流圈构造研究的一种有效手段,在造山带深部构造的研究中将发挥独特的作用。     

江西崇义铁木里钨铁矿区内辉绿玢岩的年代学、地球化学特征及地质意义

华南地区中生代基性岩浆岩以拉斑玄武岩系列为主,碱性系列少见.江西崇义铁木里地区发育由碱性辉绿玢岩和A型花岗岩组成的双峰式侵入岩组合,对其中的辉绿玢岩开展了矿物学、年代学和地球化学研究.辉绿玢岩的斑晶矿物以次透辉石为主,少量为透辉石和普通辉石;基质中的斜长石为中长石(Ab=39.11%～43.30%),角闪石为钛闪石.LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年结果表明辉绿玢岩的形成不早于136.6 Ma.岩石具有低SiO₂(41.73%～46.68%)、TiO₂(1.72%～1.94%),富TFeO(7.64%～9.24%)、Al₂O₃(15.70%～17.22%),全碱含量高(5.28%～6.60%)的特征,Mg^#值为0.51～0.54,属于碱性玄武岩系列.轻重稀土元素之间、轻稀土元素内部分馏强((La/Yb)_N=17.58～22.28,(La/Sm)_N=4.72～5.18),Eu异常不明显(δEu=0.84～0.99),显著富集大离子亲石元...