Early Cambrian high pressure/low temperature metamorphism in the southeastern Tarim craton in response to circum-Gondwana cold subduction

The circum-Gondwana subduction initiated by the early Cambrian has been suggested to reflect the establishment of the modern plate tectonics. The metamorphic rocks with low thermobaric (T/P) ratios indicative of cold subduction in the present tectonic regime have not been well investigated. To better understand the circum-Gondwana subduction and to test its possible link with the emergence of the modern plate tectonics, this study focused on blueschist-facies metamorphic rocks in the Altyn Tagh of the southeastern Tarim craton. Mineral assemblage and chemistry, phase equilibrium modelling, and quartz-in-garnet Raman elastic geobarometry reveal that the zoisite blueschist and glaucophane (Gln)-bearing quartz schist in northern Altyn Tagh were metamorphosed to lawsonite to epidote blueschist-facies at 520–545 °C and 16–19 kbar. It reflects high-pressure (HP)/low temperature (LT) metamorphism with low T/P ratios of <300 °C/GPa and thermal gradients of <10 °C/km. These blueschist-facies metamorphic rocks underwent rapid decompression starting at P-T conditions of <495 °C and <9.6 kbar during exhumation. Ar-Ar geochronology records paragonite Ar-Ar plateau ages of 520–506 Ma for the zoisite blueschist samples and phengite Ar-Ar plateau ages of 522–516 Ma for the Gln-bearing quartz schist samples, suggesting that the peak HP/LT metamorphism occurred prior to ca. 522 Ma. Based on new results and available data from the major Gondwana blocks, cold subduction was suggested to profoundly operate along circum-Gondwana in the early Cambrian after the amalgamation of Gondwana. The extensive circum-Gondwana subduction represents the earliest global cold subduction in Earth’s history associated with the establishment of the modern plate tectonics, as directly recorded by the studied early Cambrian blueschist-facies metamorphic rocks and a dramatic drop in the mean T/P of metamorphism since the early Paleozoic.     

Abiotic Methane Reservoirs in the Western Tianshan HP–UHP Metamorphic Belt,China

Natural gas, consisting primarily of methane(CH₄), has become a major source of clean energy in modern society in many parts of the globe. Recent experimental observations and discoveries of deep-sourced abiotic CH₄ in cold subduction zones indicate the important ability of cold subducted slabs to generate natural gas reservoirs. However, most CH₄ flux and reservoirs remain unknown and their potential is overlooked in global carbon flux estimations. Massive abiot...     

Tectono-magmatic evolution from accretion to collision in the southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic BeltSCIEI北大核心CSCD

造山带演化及增生到碰撞的转变是板块构造与大陆动力学研究中的前沿科学问题。中亚造山带被认为是古亚洲洋长期俯冲-增生演化形成的显生宙最大的增生造山带,以发育巨量的面状展布的俯冲-增生相关的弧岩浆岩为特征。并且,由于中亚增生型造山带在潘吉亚最后聚合过程中发生弧弧(陆)碰撞,因此缺乏大规模且跨构造单元的碰撞相关的构造和变质等物质标志。显然,能否识别出大洋闭合期间碰撞作用的岩浆标志成为确定增生造山带增生过程终止的关键之一。本文系统研究确定:中亚造山带东南缘二叠纪到三叠纪钙碱性-碱钙性岩浆在空间分布上显示出由北西向南东迁移演化的特征;在岩浆性质上具有从二叠纪新生地壳来源的弧岩浆向早-中三叠世碰撞挤压背景下古老陆壳组分逐渐增多的高Sr/Y岩浆以及晚三叠世后造山伸展相关的A型花岗岩演化的特征。这些特征提供了俯冲-增生向碰撞造山演变的关键岩浆岩证据。结合区域资料,厘定出增生造山带最后碰撞相关的标志性岩浆为沿缝合带呈零星线性展布的增厚下地壳源区的高Sr/Y花岗岩类,构建了中亚造山带南缘从双向俯冲-增生到增生楔-增生楔碰撞及后造山伸展的三阶段构造-岩浆演化模型。系统对比研究,揭示出增生-碰撞相关的岩浆记录沿横向展布在中亚造山带南缘甘肃北山到吉林中部一带,表明碰撞挤压相关的岩浆作用在中亚造山带南缘具有一定的普适性。中亚造山带南缘从增生到碰撞的岩浆演化记录的厘定,证实显生宙最大的巨型增生造山带演化末期经历了碰撞造山作用,对进一步深入探索增生造山演化末期碰撞相关的标志性岩浆具有重要意义。     

大兴安岭地区古生代构造格架重建:来自俯冲增生杂岩研究进展

大兴安岭地区古生代处于古亚洲洋闭合阶段,其间发育众多的弧盆系和蛇绿岩带,笔者等在大兴安岭地区1: 1 000 000地质编图和野外地质调研基础上,应用“洋板块地质”学术思想在大兴安岭地区元古宙、古生代地质体中划分出一系列“俯冲增生杂岩”、地块基底残块、岛弧、弧前盆地、弧后盆地等构造单元,结合陆(地)块和岩浆弧、弧前盆地、弧后盆地和“俯冲增生杂岩”的时空展布,划分出9条俯冲增生杂岩带,其中新识别出3条俯冲增生杂岩带。俯冲增生杂岩带主要分布于兴蒙造山带内部各地块之间和地块与大型岛弧带之间,相当于地块间及地块与岛弧带间的缝合带。依据俯冲增生杂岩带两侧对应的陆(地)块、岛弧带等构造级别,归并出5条结合带。俯冲增生杂岩带的展布方向以北东向为主,时代自北向南依次变新,从早奥陶世演化到中—晚二叠世,暗示古亚洲洋洋盆向大兴安岭地区陆(地)块俯冲作用最早发生在北部额尔古纳一带,逐渐向南后撤,不断形成新的洋壳和产生俯冲增生作用,相应的活动陆缘从北部额尔古纳地块向南逐渐增生,配套弧盆系时代也逐渐向南变新。早—中三叠世至西拉木伦一带发生陆-陆拼贴,完成华北板块与西伯利亚板块的对接。通过对大兴安岭地区古生代“俯冲增生杂岩”的研究,重建了大兴安岭地区古生代构造格架,提高了古亚洲洋东段洋-陆转换的研究程度。     

内蒙古中部西乌旗晚石炭世辉长岩-花岗岩系列:岩石成因与地球动力学意义SCIEI北大核心CSCD

辉长岩和花岗岩组成的双峰式火成岩系列通常产出于威尔逊板块构造旋回的诸多伸展周期。基于其岩石地球化学特征示踪伸展地球动力学过程与相关壳幔相互作用的独特视角,本文报道了中亚造山带东段内蒙古中部西乌旗地区新近识别的晚石炭世猴头庙辉长岩-花岗岩系列。SIMS锆石U-Pb定年揭示辉长岩和花岗岩的侵位年龄分别为~307Ma和~305Ma。辉长岩主要由斜长石、辉石和角闪石组成;SiO 2含量介于50.4%~53.4%之间,呈现镁质、准铝质和钙碱性特征;富集大离子亲石元素,亏损高场强元素;并具有OIB型全岩Sr-Nd(I Sr(t)=0.704249~0.704330,εNd(t)=+1.73~+3.81)和锆石Hf(εHf(t)=+4.58~+15.16)同位素组成,其锆石δ18 O介于5.75‰~6.61‰之间。这些特征指示辉长岩可能源于俯冲板片流体交代的亏损地幔楔部分熔融。同期花岗岩主要由斜长石、钾长石、石英和黑云母组成;其SiO 2含量变化于76.3%~77.6%,高硅碱、贫铁镁、弱过铝、富钍铀、亏锶钡、Eu负异常,契合典型高分异I型花岗岩的元素地球化学特征;花岗岩具有中等放射性成因的全岩I Sr(t)(0.704923~0.704981)、εNd(t)值(-0.15~+0.57)和锆石εHf(t)值(-2.63~+7.40),以及高的锆石δ18 O(6.44‰~8.06‰)。鉴于元素和同位素特征指示的高分异特征和高演化源区,猴头庙高硅花岗岩可能衍生自中元古代和古生代多期增生物质所组成的复合中基性地壳的部分熔融及其后的结晶分异作用。综合区域石炭纪-早二叠世蛇绿混杂岩和岛弧岩浆岩时空展布格局,晚石炭世猴头庙辉长岩-花岗岩系列记录了内蒙古中部其时因洋脊俯冲引发的弥散性区域伸展事件。一方面,该事件既有别于建造西乌旗早-中石炭世弧-盆体系的板片回退阶段,又迥异于早二叠世大规模后碰撞伸展过程;另一方面,这些周期性伸展事件共同见证了中亚造山带东段晚古生代威尔逊造山旋回的完整历程。     

再论台湾造山带构造格架与演化过程SCIEI北大核心CSCD

台湾造山带是中新世晚期以来相邻菲律宾海板块往北西方向移动,导致北吕宋岛弧系统及弧前增生楔与欧亚大陆边缘斜碰撞形成的。目前该造山带仍在活动,虽然规模很小,但形成了多数大型碰撞造山带中的所有构造单元,是研究年轻造山系统的理想野外实验室,为理解西太平洋弧-陆碰撞过程和边缘海演化提供了一个独特的窗口。本文总结了二十一世纪以来对台湾造山带的诸多研究进展,讨论了其构造单元划分及演化过程。我们将台湾造山带重新划分为6个构造单元,由西至东分依次为:(1)西部前陆盆地;(2)中央山脉褶皱逆冲带;(3)太鲁阁带;(4)玉里-利吉蛇绿混杂岩带;(5)纵谷磨拉石盆地;(6)海岸山脉岛弧系统。其中,西部前陆盆地为6.5Ma以来伴随台湾造山带的隆升剥蚀形成沉积盆地。中央山脉褶皱逆冲带为新生代(57~5.3Ma)欧亚大陆东缘伸展盆地沉积物由于弧-陆碰撞受褶皱、逆冲及变质作用改造形成的。太鲁阁带是造山带中的古老陆块,主要记录中生代古太平洋俯冲在欧亚大陆活动边缘形成的岩浆、沉积和变质岩作用。玉里-利吉蛇绿混杂岩带和海岸山脉岛弧系统分别为中新世中期(~18Ma)以来南中国海板块向菲律宾海板块之下俯冲形成的岛弧和弧前增生楔,其中玉里混杂岩中有典型低温高压变质作用记录,变质年龄为11~9Ma;岛弧火山作用的主要时限为9.2~4.2Ma。纵谷磨拉石盆地记录1.1Ma以来的山间盆地沉积。台湾造山带的构造演化可划分为4个阶段:(a)古太平洋板块俯冲与欧亚大陆边缘增生阶段(200~60Ma);(b)欧亚大陆东缘伸展和南中国海扩张阶段(60~18Ma);(c)南中国海俯冲阶段(18~4Ma);(d)弧-陆碰撞阶段(<6Ma)。台湾弧-陆碰撞造山带是一个特殊案例,其弧-陆碰撞并不伴随着弧-陆之间的洋盆消亡,而是由于北吕宋岛弧及弧前增生楔伴随菲律宾海板块运动向西北方走滑,仰冲到欧亚大陆边缘,形成现今的台湾造山带。     

藏南努日铜-钨-钼矿床晚白垩世石英闪长岩U-Pb定年及其地球化学特征

藏南努日矿床位于冈底斯成矿带南缘,前人获得的辉钼矿Re-Os同位素年龄为23 Ma,与明则和程巴矿床成矿时代一致,但矿区内至今未发现与矿化有关的成矿斑岩体。本文报道了努日矿区新发现的与矿化关系密切的石英闪长岩的地球化学特征,获得石英闪长岩的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄为93.42±0.76 Ma,与同一成矿带内桑布加拉和克鲁铜金矿成矿时代一致(90~93 Ma),表明矿区可能存在两期成矿事件。石英闪长玢岩的主量微量元素SiO_2含量为57.19%~58.23%,A1_2O_3含量为15.78%~16.03%,MgO含量为4.74%~5.32%,Mg~#指数为65.2~67.3;富集大离子亲石元素(Rb、Sr、Ba、U等)及轻稀土元素,亏损高场强元素,显示出埃达克岩特征。研究表明石英闪长玢岩形成于洋壳俯冲阶段的弧岩浆岩,洋壳熔融形成的母岩浆侵入近地表形成早期铜多金属矽卡岩矿化。晚白垩世成矿事件的发现进一步佐证了研究区存在两期矿化叠加事件,拓展了研究区找矿方向。     

俯冲带地震诱发机制:研究进展综述

俯冲带作为地球循环体系的关键部位,具有构造活跃、地震多发以及地质条件复杂等特征。基于震源位置,俯冲带地震既可划分为板间和板内地震,也可分为浅源、中源和深源地震。俯冲带内的浅源地震包括板间地震和浅源板内地震,而中源和深源地震皆属于板内地震。在地球浅部,温度与压力低,浅源地震是由岩石发生脆性破裂或沿着先存断层发生不稳定摩擦滑移造成的。随着深度增加,温度和压力的增加使得流行于浅部的脆性和摩擦行为在无水条件下被强烈抑制,岩石从而表现为可抑制地震的韧性行为,使得中-深源地震的诱发机制有别于常规的脆性行为。随着研究的逐渐深入,人们了解到中源地震的诱发机制主要是脱水或与流体相关的致脆以及塑性剪切失稳,而深源地震的成因主要是相变致裂。然而,中-深源地震很可能是两种或两种以上机制共同作用的结果。例如,在中源深度既可能是流体相关的致脆导致脱水源区的脆性围岩产生地震,亦可能是脱水的蛇纹岩本身可能在流体孔隙压的作用下作粘滑滑移,而前者比后者更为重要。孕震带宽度大于"反裂隙模型"预测的亚稳态橄榄石冷核宽度的深源地震可能是由第一阶段的相变致裂和第二阶段的塑性剪切失稳诱发,而孕震带的实际宽度与预测宽度相当的深源地震则可能仅由相变致裂引起。只要过渡带内名义无水矿物中的结构水能释放出来,脱水致脆同样可能触发一些深源地震;而塑性剪切失稳不仅能在中-深源地震触发后的扩展阶段起着主导作用,而且还能单独触发一些中-深源地震,因此能够解释大多数反复发生的中-深源地震活动。     

早古生代古亚洲洋俯冲作用:来自新疆哈尔里克侵入岩的锆石U-Pb年代学、岩石地球化学和Sr-Nd同位素证据

新疆哈尔里克造山带的形成时间(早古生代/晚古生代)及其构造属性(岛弧/弧后盆地)一直是有争议的问题。本文选择位于哈尔里克带内的奥尔达乌台克侵入体,对其成因及所揭示的地质意义进行了探讨。奥尔达乌台克岩体由一套成份连续的岩石组合构成,包括辉长岩、辉长闪长岩、闪长岩和花岗闪长岩。对闪长岩及其内部暗色包体进行的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年结果显示两者同时形成于~450Ma,为晚奥陶世岩浆活动的产物。岩石学和地球化学证据反映奥尔达乌台克岩体普遍具有富H2O、高fO2的湿岩浆性质,富集LREE、Sr、Ba等大离子亲石元素(LILE)而亏损Nb、Ta、Ti等高场强元素(HFSE),与典型的岛弧岩浆岩类似。高放射成因Nd(εNd(t)=+4.4~+5.9)和低初始Sr(0.7032~0.7044)同位素组成表明偏基性的岩浆很可能起源于年轻的俯冲带岩石圈地幔,生成的镁铁质岩浆一部分与壳源长英质熔体发生混合形成各类岩浆,另一部分则是经历演化后(分离结晶)直接添加到地壳中。因此,壳幔岩浆混合作用和幔源物质的直接加入是古亚洲洋俯冲阶段陆壳增生的两种主要方式。Sr-Nd同位素模拟排除了区内存在古老前寒武纪陆壳的可能,陆壳主体应该是年轻的古生代大洋岛弧和洋壳。哈尔里克早古生代岛弧的确立改变了该带是泥盆纪岛弧或弧后盆地的原有认识,将古亚洲洋俯冲作用的时间追溯至奥陶纪。     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S167498711300162X

Seismic observations have shown structural variation near the base of the mantle transition zone(MTZ)where subducted cold slabs,as visualized with high seismic speed anomalies(HSSAs),flatten to form stagnant slabs or sink further into the lower mantle.The different slab behaviors were also accompanied by variation of the "660 km" discontinuity depths and low viscosity layers(LVLs) beneath the MTZ that are suggested by geoid inversion studies.We address that deep water transport by subducted slabs and dehydration from hydrous slabs could affect the physical properties of mantle minerals and govern slab dynamics.A systematic series of three-dimensional numerical simulation has been conducted to examine the effects of viscosity reduction or contrast between slab materials on slab behaviors near the base of the MTZ.We found that the viscosity reduction of subducted crustal material leads to a separation of crustal material from the slab main body and its transient stagnation in the MTZ.The once trapped crustal materials in the MTZ eventually sink into the lower mantle within 20-30 My from the start of the plate subduction.The results suggest crustal material recycle in the whole mantle that is consistent with evidence from mantle geochemistry as opposed to a two-layer mantle convection model.Because of the smaller capacity of water content in lower mantle minerals than in MTZ minerals,dehydration should occur at the phase transformation depth,~660 km.The variation of the discontinuity depths and highly localized low seismic speed anomaly(LSSA) zones observed from seismic P waveforms in a relatively high frequency band(~1 Hz) support the hypothesis of dehydration from hydrous slabs at the phase boundary.The LSSAs which correspond to dehydration induced fluids are likely to be very local,given very small hydrogen(H~+) diffusivity associated with subducted slabs.The image of such local LSSA zones embedded in HSSAs may not be necessarily captured in tomography studies.The high electrical conductivity in the MTZ beneath the northwestern Pacific subduction zone does not necessarily require a broad range of high water content homogeneously.