Structural and metamorphic controls on the distribution of zircon in an evolving quartzofeldspathic migmatite: an example from the Reynolds Range, central Australia

Three types of zircon occur in a complexly deformed and variably migmatized quartzofeldspathic gneiss from the Reynolds Range, central Australia. The oldest type is inherited from the granitic precursor of the gneiss, and is overgrown by a second group of zircon grains that formed during prograde, granulite facies metamorphism. Partial melting of the gneiss resulted in solution of both the inherited and metamorphic zircon. No new zircon growth accompanied crystallization of the partial melt, suggesting loss of zirconium–rich residual fluids. Hydrous, amphibolite facies retrogression of the gneiss and its migmatized variants during late shearing produced new, idiomorphic zircon in both the shear zone and its wall rocks.
Important implications of this study are that (i) zircon has a tendency to dissolve if it comes into direct contact with a melt produced from anhydrous biotite breakdown in a quartzofeldspathic granulite, (ii) melt crystallization is not necessarily accompanied by zircon growth, and (iii) euhedral zircon can grow from a hydrous fluid phase under subsolidus, amphibolite facies conditions, e.g. within shear zones.     

胶南-威海造山带与罗迪尼亚(Rodinia)超大陆相关问题的初步探讨

胶南-威海造山带中的榴辉岩为晋宁早期板块俯冲作用的产物;沿造山带广泛分布的花岗质片麻岩,则为晋宁晚期板块由俯冲转为碰撞过程中同造山岩浆事件的产物.它们与全球性的格林威尔造山运动属同一事件范畴,但具有明显的穿时性.侵入于同造山花岗质片麻岩的片麻状花岗岩及震旦纪朋河石组,为后造山伸展机制下发生的岩浆及沉积事件的产物,与700～650Ma期间Rodinia超大陆的裂解作用密切相关.     

Linking moisture and near-surface wind with winter temperature to reveal the Holocene climate evolution in arid Xinjiang region of China

An increasing number of palaeo-climatic records have been reported to identify the Holocene climate history in the arid Xinjiang region of northwest China. However, few studies have fully considered the internal linkages within the regional climate system, which may limit our understanding of the forcing mechanisms of Holocene climate change in this region. Here, we systematically consider three major issues of the moisture/precipitation, temperature and near-surface wind relevant to the Holocene climate history of Xinjiang. First, despite there still has debated for the Holocene moisture evolution in this region, more climatic reconstructions from lake sediments, loess, sand-dunes and peats support a long-term regional wetting trend. Second, temperature records from ice cores, peats and stalagmites demonstrate a long-term winter warming trend during the Holocene in middle- to high-latitudes of Asia. Third, recent studies of aeolian sedimentary sequences reveal that the near-surface winds in winter gradually weakened during the Holocene, whereas the winter mid-latitude Westerlies strengthened in the Tienshan Mountains. Based on this evidence, in the arid Xinjiang region we propose an early to middle Holocene relatively cold and dry interval, with strong near-surface winds; and a warmer, wetter interval with weaker near-surface winds in the middle to late Holocene during winter. Additionally, we develop a conceptual model to explain the pattern of Holocene climate changes in this region. From the early to the late Holocene, the increasing atmospheric CO₂ content and winter insolation, and the shrinking of high-latitude continental ice-sheets, resulted in increasing winter temperatures in middle to high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. Subsequently, the increased winter temperature strengthened the winter mid-latitude Westerlies and weakened the Siberian high-pressure system, which caused an increase in winter precipitation and a decrease in near-surface wind strength. This scenario is strongly supported by evidence from geological records, climate simulation results, and modern reanalysis data. Our hypothesis highlights the important contribution of winter temperature in driving the Holocene climatic evolution of the arid Xinjiang region, and it implies that the socio-economic development and water resources security of this region will face serious challenges presented by the increasing winter temperature in the future.     

内蒙古大青山地区古元古代早期榴云片麻岩(大青山表壳岩)深熔作用:地质、锆石年代学和地球化学研究

大青山位于华北克拉通西部孔兹岩带中段,古元古代晚期孔兹岩系(上乌拉山岩群)十分发育。近年来,在上乌拉山岩群中分辨出一套古元古代早期变质碎屑沉积岩(大青山表壳岩,榴云片麻岩),它们遭受强烈变质变形和深熔作用改造,形成古元古代早期石榴石花岗岩。包头哈德门沟是古元古代早期榴云片麻岩典型出露区,并有古元古代早期石榴石花岗岩(哈德门沟石榴石花岗岩)形成。由榴云片麻岩经深熔榴云片麻岩再到石榴石花岗岩,浅色体增多,石榴石增多且颗粒增大,黑云母减少,石榴石包裹黑云母、石英、斜长石等矿物。石榴石岩的锆石呈浑圆状,普遍具核-幔-边或核-边结构,碎屑锆石年龄为~2.5Ga,变质锆石年龄为~2.45Ga和~1.90Ga。锆石形态、内部结构和年龄与榴云片麻岩、深熔榴云片麻岩和石榴石花岗岩中的锆石类似,但记录了古元古代晚期变质事件年龄。石榴石花岗岩与榴云片麻岩和深熔榴云片麻岩的地球化学组成特征总体上类似,高Al2O3含量和FeO T/MgO比值,CaO含量和K2O/Na2O比值存在较大变化,富集轻稀土和大离子亲石元素,亏损Nb、Ta、P和Ti。研究表明:1)浅色体和石榴石花岗岩中的石榴石是黑云母转熔的产物,并非岩浆结晶形成的;2)石榴石岩是在石榴石花岗岩岩浆形成之后进一步演化过程中石榴石不断地发生运移、分异和聚集的结果;3)尽管哈德门沟石榴石花岗岩具有一定或较大的规模,但具有深熔岩浆的性质;4)石榴石花岗岩地球化学组成变化与熔融母岩组成变化和深熔及岩浆演化过程中残余矿物相石榴石、锆石局部变化有关。     

影响海相烃源岩热解生烃过程的地质条件

热解生烃实验是研究油气生成机理与定量评价烃源岩生烃潜力的重要方法.烃源岩热解生烃模拟结果不仅与温度、压力和时间等因素有关,而且与地层孔隙水及压实成岩作用等地质因素密切相关.采用高压流体和高压釜(低压水蒸气)两种生烃热模拟方法对低成熟海相二叠统大隆组(P₂d)黑色泥岩进行了热解生烃实验模拟.对比分析两组实验结果表明地层孔隙热解实验有利于液态油的生成,不利于液态油向气态烃的转化,并极大地提高了干酪根的生油气潜力,显示了高压液态水、流体压力和孔隙空间等地质因素对烃源岩中有机质热成熟生烃反应的重要影响.这种影响可能与高压液态水的近临界特性有关,近临界特性地层水的参与改变了干酪根热力生烃反应的物理化学行为.推断在实际地质温压(100~200 ℃,30~120 MPa)条件下,烃源岩孔隙中的地层水是一种相对低温高压液态水,具有水的近临界物理化学特性,因此高压流体生烃热模拟实验与实际地层情况更为接近,能更有效地评价烃源岩生烃潜力.      

粉细砂地层防渗帷幕综合施工方法

四川省武都水库右岸EL574 m灌浆平洞揭露出厚度2.3～9.8 m的粉细砂层,普通水泥高压灌浆无法形成可靠的防渗帷幕。采用高压旋喷、湿磨细水泥、化学灌浆的组合处理方式,取得了较好的施工效果。通过钻孔压水、大功率声波CT、单孔声波、钻孔全景数字成像等方法检测,表明达到了设计防渗要求。     

Anatomy of a subduction complex: architecture of the Franciscan Complex,California, at multiple length and time scales

The Franciscan Complex of California records over 150 million years of continuous E-dipping subduction that terminated with conversion to a dextral transform plate boundary. The Franciscan comprises mélange and coherent units forming a stack of thrust nappes, with significant along-strike variability, and downward-decreasing metamorphic grade and accretion ages. The Franciscan records progressive subduction, accretion, metamorphism, and exhumation, spanning the extended period of subduction, rather than events superimposed on pre-existing stratigraphy. High-pressure (HP) metamorphic rocks lack a thermal overprint, indicating continuity of subduction from subduction initiation at ca. 165 Ma to termination at ca. 25 Ma. Accretionary periods may have alternated with episodes of subduction erosion that removed some previously accreted material, but the complex collectively reflects a net addition of material to the upper plate. Mélanges (serpentinite and siliciclastic matrix) with exotic blocks have sedimentary origins as submarine mass transport deposits, whereas mélanges formed by tectonism comprise disrupted ocean plate stratigraphy and lack exotic blocks. The former are interbedded with and grade into coherent siliciclastic units. Palaeomegathrust horizons, separating nappes accreted at different times, appear restricted to narrow zones of <100 m thickness. Exhumation of Franciscan units, both coherent and mélange, was accommodated by significant extension of the hanging wall and cross-sectional extrusion. The amount of total exhumation, as well as exhumation since subduction termination, needs to be considered when comparing Franciscan architecture to modern and ancient subduction complexes. Equal dextral separation of folded Franciscan nappes and late Cenozoic (post-subduction) units across strands of the (post-subduction) San Andreas fault system shows that the folding of nappes took place prior to subduction termination. Dextral separation of similar clastic sedimentary suites in the Franciscan and the coeval Great Valley Group forearc basin is approximately that of the San Andreas fault system, precluding major syn-subduction strike-slip displacement within the Franciscan.     

Phase petrology and P-T conditions of mafic blueschists from the Meliata unit, West Carpathians, Slovakia

Abstract Blueschists occurring as layers in calcite marbles of the Meliata unit occur along the so-called Roznava tectonic line situated in the southern part of the Gemericum, Slovakia. Mineral assemblages and compositions from seven blueschists localities and one occurrence of amphibolite facies rocks overprinted by blueschist metamorphism were investigated. The most common minerals in the blueschists are blue amphibole, epidote and albite. Some Fe²⁺- and Al-rich rocks also contain garnet and chloritoid, respectively. Na-pyroxene with a maximum 50% jadeite component was also found. The blue amphiboles correspond mostly to crossite and also to glaucophane and ferroglaucophane in some samples. Almandine- and spessartine-rich garnet has very low MgO content (<3 wt%). The Si content in phengite ranges between 3.3 and 3.5 pfu calculated on the basis of 11 oxygens. The zoning patterns of blue amphibole, garnet and chloritoid suggest their formation during a prograde stage of metamorphism. The P-T conditions of metamorphism are estimated to be about 380–460° C and 10–13 kbar. Pressures of 7.5–8.5 kbar and temperatures of 350–370° C were obtained for some actinolite- and aegirine-rich rocks. Apart from chlorite, other mafic minerals formed during retrograde metamorphism are biotite and occasionally also actinolite.     

Domal structures and high-grade metamorphism in the Higher Himalayan Crystalline, Zanskar Region, north-west Himalaya, India

ABSTRACT In the main Himalayan range in the Ladakh-Zanskar area, domal structures have been observed at structurally deeper levels in the tectonic unit of the Higher Himalayan Crystalline. Their formation occurred during a second, temperature-dominated phase (M₂) of high-grade regional metamorphism, characterized by the semipelitic paragenesis of sillimanite-K-feldspar and incipient anatexis. The doming event reveals a local system of synmetamorphic uplift superimposed on a regional system of northeast-southwest trending compression. In the main Himalayan range the development of the dominant S₂ foliation is related to deformation during the doming phase, which started early in the M₂ event. The deformation propagated continuously north-east and south-west with time. In the north-east, on the northern slopes of the main Himalayan range, this deformation is expressed by extensional shear movements of the upper tectonic levels finally leading to the late- to postmetamorphic normal fault system of the Zanskar shear zone. Towards the south-west, deformation is expressed by compressional movements, e.g. at the Main Central Thrust (MCT) in the Kishtwar window area. The observed compression and extension is inferred to relate to an increased uplift of the domal bulges of the tectonic Kishtwar window and of the whole main Himalayan range.     

Late Proterozoic High-pressure granulite facies meta-morphism in the north-east Ox inlier, north-west Ireland

Abstract High-pressure granulite-facies gneisses in the NE Ox inlier in NW Ireland have undergone extensive Caledonian retrogression. In the local area of Slishwood, however, reworking was negligible and the gneisses (psammites, semipelites, pelites, metabasites and ultramafites) preserve evidence of P–T changes at high grade which mainly post-date pre-Caledonian polyphase deformation. Temperatures reached 850–900°C (based on garnet-clinopyroxene geothermometry and the presence of mesoperthite) during and after decompression from earlier eclogite-facies conditions (inferred from textural evidence of plagioclase release in sieve-textured augite). Subsequent cooling at high pressure is inferred from the unequivocal replacement of sillimanite by kyanite.
A Sm–Nd mineral isochron (gt–cpx–plag–WR) of 605 ± 37 Ma is taken to date a point on the cooling path, and confirms the hitherto suspected pre-Caledonian age of the high-grade metamorphism. Geochemical and Sm–Nd isotopic data indicate that the protoliths were probably late Proterozoic arkosic sediments and tholeiites. Following metamorphism they apparently came to reside near the base of the crust where they slowly cooled. The eventual exhumation of these gneisses is attributed to Caledonian crustal imbrication, followed by rapid isostatic recovery.