Geochronology,geochemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopes of the Early Paleogene gabbro and granite from Central Lhasa,southern Tibet: petrogenesis and tectonic implications

ABSTRACT

The Tibetan Plateau is a composite orogenic belt that has experienced prolonged subduction, obduction, and collisional processes, during the opening and closure of successive Tethyan oceans. We present new zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotopes, and whole-rock geochemical and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic data from the Early Paleogene Longge’er gabbro and Qingduxiang granite of Central Lhasa, southern Tibet. Together these allow us to refine existing models for widespread magmatic activity associated with the subduction of the Neo-Tethyan Ocean. The Longge’er gabbro (53.5 ± 1.6 Ma) belongs to the low-K tholeiitic to medium-K and metaluminous series, while the Qingduxiang granite (54.5 ± 0.9 Ma) is characterized as high-K, calc-alkaline, metaluminous, and of I-type affinity. Both intrusions are enriched in the LREE and depleted in the HREE with negative Eu, Ba, Nb, Ta, Sr, and Ti anomalies. Trace elements characteristics and enriched whole-rock Sr-Nd-Pb and zircon Hf isotopic compositions demonstrate that the gabbro was derived from partial melting of enriched lithosphere mantle metasomatized by Central-Lhasa ancient crustal materials, while the I-type granite was generated by partial melting of Central-Lhasa ancient lower crust combined with magmas derived from Southern-Lhasa juvenile crust. Geochemical compositions of the gabbro and granite reveal the Early Paleogene magmatism was emplaced in a shallow extensional setting related to slab break off following the closure of the Neo-Tethyan Ocean. Combined with previous studies, we can infer slab rollback occurred from Late Cretaceous (~69 Ma) to Early Eocene (55 Ma), while slab break off was shortly lived at ca. 55–49 Ma. Consequently, the India-Asia collision must not have started later than ca. 55 Ma.     

Mesophotic coral buildups in a prodelta setting (Late Eocene,southern Pyrenees,Spain): a mixed carbonate–siliciclastic system

Lower Priabonian coral bioherms and biostromes, encased in prodelta marls/clays, occur in the Aínsa‐Jaca piggyback basin, in the South Central Pyrenean zone. Detailed mapping of lithofacies and bounding surfaces onto photomosaics reveals the architecture of coral buildups. Coral lithosomes occur either isolated or amalgamated in larger buildups. Isolated lithosomes are 1 to 8 m thick and a few hundred metres wide; clay content within coral colonies is significant. Stacked bioherms form low‐relief buildups, commonly 20 to 30 m thick, locally up to 50 m. These bioherms are progressively younger to the west, following progradation of the deltaic complex. The lowermost skeletal‐rich beds consist of bryozoan floatstone with wackestone to packstone matrix, in which planktonic foraminifera are abundant and light‐related organisms absent. Basal coral biostromes, and the base of many bioherms, consist of platy‐coral colonies ‘floating’ in a fine‐grained matrix rich in branches of red algae. Corals with domal or massive shape, locally mixed with branching corals and phaceloid coral colonies, dominate buildup cores. These corals are surrounded by matrix and lack organic framework. The matrix consists of wackestone to packstone, locally floatstone, with conspicuous red algal and coral fragments, along with bryozoans, planktonic and benthonic foraminifera and locally sponges. Coral rudstone and skeletal packstone, with wackestone to packstone matrix, also occur as wedges abutting the buildup margins. Integrative analysis of rock textures, skeletal components, buildup anatomy and facies architecture clearly reveal that these coral buildups developed in a prodelta setting where shifting of delta lobes or rainfall cycles episodically resulted in water transparency that allowed zooxanthellate coral growth. The bathymetric position of the buildups has been constrained from the light‐dependent communities and lithofacies distribution within the buildups. The process‐product analysis used here reinforces the hypothesis that zooxanthellate corals thrived in mesophotic conditions at least during the Late Eocene and until the Late Miocene. Comparative analysis with some selected Upper Eocene coral buildups of the north Mediterranean area show similarities in facies, components and textures, and suggest that they also grew in relatively low light (mesophotic) and low hydrodynamic conditions.     

Evolution of an organic‐rich lake basin – stratigraphy,climate and tectonics: Piceance Creek basin,Eocene Green River Formation

The Piceance Creek basin formed as a continental foreland basin ca 53 to 48 Ma in the early to middle Eocene. On a global basis, the basin contains one of the richest oil shale resources known, where the profundal oil shale deposits, kerogen‐rich mudstones (clay and carbonate), exist over most of the basin. Despite its economic importance, the evolution of the Piceance Creek basin is still somewhat unclear. Based on facies association analysis, depositional trends, and gamma ray and Fischer assay data, six evolutionary lake stages are recognized: (i) fresh lake; (ii) transitional lake; (iii) highly fluctuating lake; (iv) rising lake; (v) high lake; and (vi) closing lake. Lake stages are composed of depositional units and characterize large‐scale changes in sedimentological patterns, depositional trends and fluctuations in the oil shale richness related to changes in climate and tectonics. Lake stage evolution is also consistent with the global Eocene climate trend. Stage 1 formed prior to the Eocene climate optimum. At the beginning of the Eocene climate optimum, a saline‐restricted lake formed (Stage 2) and evolved into the highly fluctuating lake (Stage 3) indicating rapid climate changes during the peak of the Eocene climate optimum. This stage was followed by the rising and high lakes (Stages 4 and 5) after the climate optimum and during a change to a more humid climate. The closing of the lake (Stage 6) was caused by increased sand input from the north, indicating the influence of both tectonics and climate. Based on depositional trends and climate evolution, it is suggested that, during the arid climate, laterally heterogeneous highly cyclic depositional units dominate, whereas, during the humid climate, depositional units form laterally continuous sediments that can be traced over long distances.     

Sedimentology,palaeoenvironments and biostratigraphy of the Pliocene–Pleistocene carbonate platform of Grande‐Terre (Guadeloupe,Lesser Antilles forearc)

Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits from Grande‐Terre (Guadeloupe archipelago, French Lesser Antilles) provide a remarkable example of an isolated carbonate system built in an active margin setting, with sedimentation controlled by both rapid sea‐level changes and tectonic movements. Based on new field, sedimentological and palaeontological analyses, these deposits have been organized into four sedimentary sequences (S1 to S4) separated by three subaerial erosion surfaces (SB0, SB1 and SB2). Sequences S1 and S2 (‘Calcaires inférieurs à rhodolithes’) deposited during the Late Zanclean to Early Gelasian (planktonic foraminiferal Zones PL2 to PL5) in low subsidence conditions, on a distally steepened ramp dipping eastward. Red algal‐rich deposits, which dominate the western part of Grande‐Terre, change to planktonic foraminifer‐rich deposits eastward. Vertical movements of tens of metres were responsible for the formation of SB0 and SB1. Sequence S3 (‘Formation volcano‐sédimentaire’, ‘Calcaires supérieurs à rhodolithes’ and ‘Calcaires à Agaricia’) was deposited during the Late Piacenzian to Early Calabrian (Zones PL5 to PT1a) on a distally steepened, red algal‐dominated ramp that changes upward into a homoclinal, coral‐dominated ramp. Deposition of Sequence S3 occurred during a eustatic cycle in quiet tectonic conditions. Its uppermost boundary, the major erosion surface SB2, is related to the Cala1 eustatic sea‐level fall. Finally, Sequence S4 (‘Calcaires à Acropora’) probably formed during the Calabrian, developing as a coral‐dominated platform during a eustatic cycle in quiet tectonic conditions. The final emergence of the island could then have occurred in Late Calabrian times.     

A New Enantiornithine Bird from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in Jinzhou Area,Western Liaoning Province,China

A new Early Cretaceous enantiornithine bird from Liaoning Province of northeastern China, Shengjingornis yangi, gen. et sp. nov., is reported. This new bird possesses the following unique combination of features: a long rostrum, with some teeth in the front; short nasal; slender jugal; Y-shaped furcula, with expanded distal end of the hypocleidum; cake-like sternum, with a low and caudally distributed keel; strut-like and caudally concave coracoid. The derived features of the scapula and the wings suggest a powerful flapping flight capability.     

新疆古伦沟地区古仍格萨拉东岩体的地球化学及锆石U-Pb年龄

古伦沟地区古仍格萨拉东花岗闪长斑岩体位于中天山构造带北缘。地球化学和锆石U-P年龄测定结果显示: 岩石高碱富Na、贫Fe和Mg、弱过铝质(ACNK=0.98~1.11), 稀土总量较低(∑REE=61.28×10-6~99.50×10-6)且分异明显(LaN/YbN=7.82~22.80)、铕弱负异常(δEu=0.72~0.97), 相对富集Rb、Ba、Th、U、K等, 亏损Nb、Ta、P、Ti等, 具火山弧花岗岩的特征。岩体具有较均一的Sr、Nd同位素组成: (87Sr/86Sr)i=0.70677~0.70685, εSr(t)=40.10~41.21, (143Nd/144Nd)i=0.51190~0.51191, εNd(t)= –2.62 ~ –2.30, tDM＝1.31~1.38 Ga。其锆石U-Pb年龄为(488.9±1.7)~(470.5±3.1) Ma。表明古仍格萨拉东岩体形成于早奥陶世陆缘弧环境, 可能是先存的中元古代幔源基性下地壳部分熔融的产物, 其形成与古准噶尔洋向伊犁—中天山板块下的俯冲作用有关, 标志着中天山北缘于早奥陶世时期已进入与俯冲消减有关的活动陆缘演化阶段。此次岩浆活动导致区内发生斑岩型铜矿化。     

The origin of bornhardts

Some bornhardts are of lithological origin, others are tectonic (horsts), but most are not susceptible of explanation in either of these terms. They are developed in granite or gneiss that apparently is mineralogically similar to that underlying the adjacent plains, and they are not obviously defined by fault dislocations. For these bornhardts two major hypotheses have been advanced. According to many workers bornhardts are the last residuals surviving after long distance scarp retreat. For others they are structural forms developed on massive compartments that stand in marked contrast with the well‐jointed rocks that have been weathered and worn down to form the plains.

Both of these hypotheses are theoretically feasible, but the field evidence (in particular the observed contrasts in fracture density between the granite of hill and plain; the evidence of subsurface initiation of both major and minor forms; the occurrence of bornhardts in narrow valleys within upland complexes and at all levels within the landscape, not just on divides; the fracture‐delineated outlines of the residuals; the association of bornhardts and multicyclic landscapes; the evidence of phased exposure; and the antiquity of the forms) are all consistent with the two‐stage concept. On the other hand, there is no evidence of long‐distance scarp retreat, and much of the field evidence is difficult to explain in such terms.     

Xinghaiornis lini (Aves: Ornithothoraces) from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning: An Example of Evolutionary Mosaic in Early Birds

We describe a new species of Early Cretaceous bird from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province. Xinghaiornis lini gen. et sp. nov. is relatively large and characterized by a long, toothless rostrum and an elevated pedal digit I. The design of the skull and feet suggests that this bird was likely a mud-prober. This discovery provides strong support indicating that this avian trophic specialization originated at least 125 million years ago.     

New Schizolepis Fossils from the Early Cretaceous in Inner Mongolia, China and its Phylogenetic Position

Three Schizolepis species collected from the Lower Cretaceous layer of the Huolinhe Basin,Inner Mongolia,China are described.These fossils are Schizolepis longipetiolus Xu XH et Sun BN sp.nov.,which is a new species,Schizolepis cf.heilongjiangensis Zheng et Zhang,and Schizolepis neimengensis Deng.The new species is a well-preserved female cone,slender and cylindrical in shape.The seed–scale complexes have long petioles and are arranged on the cone axis loosely and helically.The seed scales are divided into two lobes from the base.Each lobe is semicircular or elongate ligulate in shape,widest at the middle or the lower middle part,with an obtuse or bluntly pointed apex.The inner margin is almost straight and the outer margin is strongly arched.On the surface of the lobe,there are longitudinal and somewhat radial striations from the base to the margin.The seed is borne on the adaxial surface at the base or middle of each lobe.Schizolepis was established in 1847,and,although more than twenty species have been discovered and reported,its phylogenetic position is controversial because of the imperfection of fossils.Most authors have considered there to be a close evolutionary relationship between Schizolepis and extant Pinaceae.Here,we analyze characteristics and compare Schizolepis with Picea crassifolia Kom,which is morphologically most similar to Schizolepis.The results indicate that the genus probably has a distant evolutionary relationship with extant Pinaceae.A detailed statistical analysis of the global paleogeographic distribution of Schizolepis showed that all the fossils of this genus appeared in strata ranging from the Upper Triassic to the Lower Cretaceous in the North Hemisphere,being rare in the Upper Triassic and Lower Jurassic,but being very common from the Middle Jurassic to the Lower Cretaceous,and particularly abundant in the Lower Cretaceous.According to the statistical results,we speculate that the genus originated in Europe in the Late Triassic then spread from Europe to Asia between the Late Triassic and the Late Jurassic.In the Early Cretaceous most species existed in China’s three northeastern Provinces and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and adjacent areas.Combining the paleogeographic distribution of the genus with ancient climatic factors,we deduced that Schizolepis began to decline and became extinct in the Early Cretaceous,and the reason for its extinction is closely related to the icehouse climate during the Early Cretaceous.