Variation in noble gas isotopic composition of gas samples from the Aegean arc, Greece

In contrast to most other arcs with oceanic plate subduction, the Aegean arc is characterized by continent–continent subduction. Noble gas abundances and isotopic compositions of 45 gas samples have been determined from 6 volcanoes along the arc, 2 islands in the back-arc region and 7 sites in the surrounding areas. The ³He/⁴He ratios of the samples ranged from 0.027R_A to 6.2R_A (R_A denotes the atmospheric ³He/⁴He ratio of 1.4×10⁻⁶), demonstrating that even the maximum ³He/⁴He ratio in the region is significantly lower than the maximum ratios of most oceanic subduction systems, which are equal to the MORB value of 8±1 R_A. Regional variations in the ³He/⁴He ratio were observed both along and across the arc. The maximum ³He/⁴He ratio was obtained from Nisyros volcano located in the eastern end of the arc, and the ratio decreased westward possibly reflecting the difference in potential degree of crustal assimilation or the present magmatic activity in each volcano. Across the volcanic arc, the ³He/⁴He ratio decreased with an increasing distance from the arc front, reaching a low ratio of 0.063R_A in Macedonia, which suggested a major contribution of radiogenic helium derived from the continental crust. At Nisyros, a temporal increase in ³He/⁴He ratio due to ascending subsurface magma was observed after the seismic crisis of 1995–1998 and mantle neon was possibly detected. The maximum ³He/⁴He ratio (6.2R_A) in the Aegean region, which is significantly lower than the MORB value, is not probably due to crustal assimilation at shallow depth or addition of slab-derived helium to MORB-like mantle wedge, but inherent characteristics of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) beneath the Aegean arc.     

大别-苏鲁区超高压变质岩的多期构造变质演化

对大别-苏鲁地区超高压(UHP)变质岩的详细构造和岩石学研究揭示了其复杂的构造变质演化历史。除前超高压事件外,至少可识别出5个相继发育的构造变质事件或阶段(D_1-D_5)。D_1和 D_2同超高压事件与三叠纪(250～230Ma)中朝克拉通和扬子克拉通间的大陆深俯冲及碰撞有关,而超高压后的 D_3和 D_4韧性变形及其伴生的减压部分熔融作用和退变质作用事件,则是超高压岩石向中上地壳折返过程中(230～140Ma)发生的。碰撞后形成的 D_4构造,主导了大别-苏鲁超高压和高压变质带区域尺度的构造格架。第5阶段的构造以摩擦或摩擦-粘性过渡性变形机制为主,并伴随有大规模的未变形的花岗质岩体就位,该期构造热事控制了现今大别-苏鲁地区的地貌学特征。新的构造和岩石学资料并结合可利用的地质年代学和地球化学等资料,提出一个涉及中朝与扬子克拉通间三叠纪大陆深俯冲、碰撞及相继超高压变质岩石向地表的多期折返构造变质演化模式。     

大陆深俯冲的动力学机制：观测和模拟结果

兴都库什-帕米尔-中国西部1975～2003年期间的地震活动记录、地表地质构造和地壳速度结构数据证明,沿特提斯陆-陆碰撞带正在进行大陆深俯冲作用。帕米尔地区大陆地壳的下部物质与上地幔一起俯冲到200km 以下,而中、上地壳在不同深度上被反冲断层所剥离。帕米尔地区向南的大陆深俯冲作用限于西部恰曼左行走滑断裂和东部喀喇昆仑右行走滑断裂之间。沿深俯冲带存在上、中、下3个地震群。上地震群出现在30～50km 附近,对应于中、上地壳的反冲剥离构造作用,地震成因与长英质地壳的脆-韧转换和“二相变形”机制有关。中地震群大体出现在90～120km 深度上,与帕米尔深俯冲岩板向下由缓倾变陡的深度大体相当。下地震群的主体出现在180～220km,代表深俯冲岩板的最前端。帕米尔大陆深俯冲岩板为上宽下窄、上缓(20～30°)下陡(60～70°),转变深度在80～120km 的楔形体,深度超过200km 的走向宽度只有500～600km。在探讨大陆深俯冲的动力学过程中采用了2种模拟方法。利用考虑温度场和负浮力的二维数值模拟表明:(1)地幔对流拖曳力对俯冲深度和俯冲速度有重要控制作用,从100MPa 到20MPa 的变化将导致俯冲深度由231km 减到151km,速率由10.79mm/a 减到5.46mm/a。(2)俯冲角30°与45°相比,前者的俯冲深度要深约25～50km。(3)俯冲板块厚度越大,则俯冲深度越浅。(4)在俯冲板块的负浮力、洋脊推力为10～30MPa 及地幔对流拖曳力为100MPa 的综合作用下,陆壳俯冲实际垂向位移可达120km,最终俯冲深度达到150km,而洋壳实际垂向位移约170km,最终俯冲深度达到230km。在考虑岩石圈和软流圈相互耦合的俯冲模拟中,块体间的接触判断采用了 LDDA 方法的接触判断准则和区域分解方法求解。其特点是边界条件比较简单,并能自动实现俯冲过程中岩石圈和软流圈之间的相互作用,但需要确定研究区域不同深度和不同板块的力学参数,且计算量很大。     

Jurassic accretion tectonics of Japan

Abstract The Jurassic accretionary complex and coeval granites in Japan represent remnants of the Jurassic arc-trench system developed between the Asian continent and Pacific Ocean. The Jurassic accretionary complex occurs as a large-scale nappe that is tectonically sandwiched between the overlying pre-Jurassic nappes and underlying post-Jurassic nappes. By virtue of new research styles (microfossil mapping and chronometric mapping) the following new views of the Jurassic accretionary complex in Japan, that suggest those for on-land exposed ancient accretionary complexes in general, have been obtained: (i) the accretion age of the Jurassic accretionary complex ranges over ～ 80 million years from the latest Triassic to earliest Cretaceous according to a reconstructed stratigraphy of component rocks (oceanic plate stratigraphy); (ii) the accretionary complex is subdivided into several nappe units, each characterized by unique oceanic plate stratigraphy; (iii) a tectonically downward-younging polarity is observed in the piled nappes; (iv) the Jurassic accretionary complex is composed of coherent-type and chaotic-type units, the former retaining the primary accretionary structures while the latter are characterized by collapsed and secondarily mixed materialslfabrics derived from the former; (v) the chaotic-type units predominate in volume over the coherent-type units; (vi) the accretionary complex suffered from a regional low-grade metamorphism (up to the lower greenschist facies) within ～10–20 million years after the accretion timing; and (vii) the lateral extent of the Jurassic accretionary complex in East Asia is intermittently traced from the Koryak mountains in Russia to North Palawan in the west Philippines for ～6000 km. Discussion focuses on (i) the low preservation ratio of the coherent-type units to the chaotic-type units with respect to frequent subduction erosion by seamount subduction; (ii) absence of the Franciscan-type melange, suggesting sedimentary mixing origin for the chaotic-type unit; (iii) a growth rate of the Jurassic accretionary complex compatible to modern analogues; and (iv) the total volume of the Jurassic accretionary complex in Japan with respect to the most likely terrigeiious elastics source along the 250 Ma continent-continent collision suture in central China (between the Sino-Korean and Yangtze blocks).     

Generation of the teleseismic P-wave coda from Aleutian earthquakes

We investigate large-amplitude phases arriving in the P -wave coda of broad-band seismograms from teleseisms recorded by the Gräfenberg array, the German Regional Seismic Network and the Global Seismic Network. The data set consists of all events m _b≤ 5.6 from the Aleutian arc between 1977 and 1992. Earthquakes with large-amplitude coda waves correlate with the presence of oceanic crust in the source region. The amplitudes sometimes approach those of the P wave, much larger than predicted by theory. Modelling indicates that phases in the P -wave coda cannot be P -wave multiples beneath the source and receiver, or underside reflections, which precede PP , from upper-mantle discontinuities. Among the events, seismograms are very similar, where the arrival times of the unusual phases agree approximately with the predicted times of S -to- P conversions from the upper-mantle discontinuities under the source. Because the large-amplitude phases in the P -wave coda have little, if any, dependence on event depth and have predominantly an SV -wave radiation pattern towards the receiver, we suggest that they originate as SV and/or Rayleigh waves and are enhanced by lateral heterogeneity and multipathing from the subducting Aleutian slab.     

Slab low-velocity layer in the eastern Aleutian subduction zone

Local earthquakes in the vicinity of the Alaskan Peninsula's Shumagin Islands often produce arrivals between the main P and S arrivals not predicted by standard traveltime tables. Based on traveltime and polarization, these anomalous arrivals appear to be from P -to- S conversions at the surface of the subducted Pacific Plate beneath the recording stations. The P -to- S conversion occurs at the top of a low-velocity layer which extends to at least 150 km depth and is 8 ˜ 2 per cent slower than the overlying mantle. The slab is ˜ 7 per cent faster than the mantle. The low-velocity layer contains the foci of the earthquakes in the upper plane of the double seismic zone and confines PS ray paths to lie within it. These observations indicate that layered structures persist to positions well past the surface location of the volcanic front. Reactions forming high-pressure minerals do not yield slab-like velocities until beyond the point that subduction zone magma genesis occurs. If the subducted oceanic crust forms the layer, it is subducted essentially intact.     

俯冲带的流体地质作用

俯冲带是地球上流体活动最活跃的地区之一，也是流体由表层进入深部岩石圈的主要通道。流体活动对岩石成分、成岩作用、构造变形、变质作用、部分熔融和岩浆－火山作用，以及海洋生物－化学环境都有重要的控制和影响。本文回顾和总结了俯冲带流体地质作用研究的现状和进展，对古俯冲带流体地质作用的若干问题进行了探讨。     

Coupling of tectonic loading and earthquake fault slips at subduction zones

Because of the viscoelastic behaviour of the earth, accumulation of elastic strain energy by tectonic loading and release of such energy by earthquake fault slips at subduction zones may take place on different spatial scales. If the lithospheric plate is acted upon by distant tectonic forces, strain accumulation must occur in a broad region. However, an earthquake releases strain only in a region comparable to the size of the rupture area. A two-dimensional finite-element model of a subduction zone with viscoelastic rheology has been used to investigate the coupling of tectonic loading and earthquake fault slips. A fault lock-and-unlock technique is employed so that the amount of fault slip in an earthquake is not prescribed, but determined by the accumulated stress. The amount of earthquake fault slip as a fraction of the total relative plate motion depends on the relative sizes of the earthquake rupture area and the region of tectonic strain accumulation, as well as the rheology of the rock material. The larger the region of strain accumulation is compared to the earthquake rupture, the smaller is the earthquake fault slip. The reason for the limited earthquake fault slip is that the elastic shear stress in the asthenosphere induced by the earthquake resists the elastic rebound of the overlying plate. Since rapid permanent plate shortening is not observed at subduction zones, there must be either strain release over a large region or strain accumulation over a small region over earthquake cycles. The former can be achieved only by significant aseismic fault slip between large subduction earthquakes. The most likely mechanism for the latter is the accumulation of elastic strain around isolated locked asperities of the fault, which requires significant aseismic fault slip between asperities.