Petrological and geochronological constraints on the origin of the Palimé–Amlamé granitoids (South Togo, West Africa): A segment of the West African Craton Paleoproterozoic margin reactivated during the Pan-African collision

The Palimé–Amlamé Pluton (PAP) in southern Togo, consists of silica-rich to intermediate granitoids including enclaves of mafic igneous rocks and of gneisses. They are commonly called the “anatectic complex of Palimé–Amlamé” and without any convincing data, they were interpreted either as synkinematic Pan-African granitoids or as reworked pre Pan-African plutons. New field and petrological observations, mineral and whole-rock chemical analyses together with U–Pb zircon dating, have been performed to evaluate the geodynamic significance of the PAP within the Pan-African orogenic belt. With regard to these new data, the granitoids and related enclaves probably result from mixing and mingling processes between mafic and silicic magmas from respectively mantle and lower crust sources. They display Mg–calc-alkaline chemical features and present some similarities with Late Archaean granites such as transitional (K-rich) TTGs and sanukitoids.

The 2127 ± 2 Ma age obtained from a precise U/Pb concordia on zircon, points out a Paleoproterozoic age for the magma crystallization and a lower intercept at 625 ± 29 Ma interpreted as rejuvenation during Pan-African tectonics and metamorphism. Based on these results, a Pan-African syn to late orogenic setting for the PAP, i.e. the so-called “anatectic complex of Palimé–Amlamé”, can be definitively ruled out. Moreover according to its location within the nappe pile and its relationships with the suture zone, the PAP probably represents a fragment of the West African Craton reactivated during the Pan-African collision.     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age,geochemistry and Nd-Hf isotope of Neoproterozoic mafic dyke swarms in western Sichuan:Petrogenesis and tectonic significance

Neoproterozoic magmatic rocks are widespread in the western margin of the Yangtze block, and their origin and genesis have significant implications for understanding the evolution of the Rodinia super- continent. However, there are currently two opposing interpretations for their petrogenesis and tectonic setting: mantle plume-related and island arc origin. To further verify these two competing models, SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age determinations and geochemical and Nd-Hf isotopic analyses are conducted on the mafic dykes in the Kangdian Rift, western Sichuan. U-Pb dating suggests that these mafic dykes were emplaced at 780―760 Ma, spatially and temporally coeval with the Kangding granitoid complex. The parental magmas of these dykes were derived from a depleted asthenosphere mantle source likely triggered by an anomalously-hot mantle plume. Despite some arc-geochemical features caused by variable degrees of contamination of young island arc crust during magma ascending and emplace- ment, they show general geochemical and Nd-Hf isotopic features similar to those of the intraplate basalts. Our results support the reconstruction model of Rodinia in which the South China block was located between Australia and Laurentia.     

红河断裂带两侧地块地震震源参数研究

利用云南区域数字地震遥测台网资料,采用Brune圆位错模型对1998年12月至2006年8月云南境内M≥3地震和越南北部M>2地震测算震源参数。结果表明,红河断裂两侧活动块体的地震活动和震源参数存在较为明显的差异。就地震矩与震级的标度关系而言,滇西南块体与美国加州圣安德列斯断层和滇西实验场及其周边地区的结果一致,但与华南块体和越南北部地区有差异;从应力降的测算结果看,华南块体西缘的云南及越南北部地区的年均值为7.29MPa,滇西南块体为4.48MPa,两块体北部地震的应力降大于南部地区,应力降由北向南逐渐减小;就地震位错年均值而言,华南块体为12.3mm/a,滇西南块体为6.6mm/a。     

Analysis and modeling of the seasonal South China Sea temperature cycle using remote sensing

The present paper describes the analysis and modeling of the South China Sea (SCS) temperature cycle on a seasonal scale. It investigates the possibility to model this cycle in a consistent way while not taking into account tidal forcing and associated tidal mixing and exchange. This is motivated by the possibility to significantly increase the model’s computational efficiency when neglecting tides. The goal is to develop a flexible and efficient tool for seasonal scenario analysis and to generate transport boundary forcing for local models. Given the significant spatial extent of the SCS basin and the focus on seasonal time scales, synoptic remote sensing is an ideal tool in this analysis. Remote sensing is used to assess the seasonal temperature cycle to identify the relevant driving forces and is a valuable source of input data for modeling. Model simulations are performed using a three-dimensional baroclinic-reduced depth model, driven by monthly mean sea surface anomaly boundary forcing, monthly mean lateral temperature, and salinity forcing obtained from the World Ocean Atlas 2001 climatology, six hourly meteorological forcing from the European Center for Medium range Weather Forecasting ERA-40 dataset, and remotely sensed sea surface temperature (SST) data. A sensitivity analysis of model forcing and coefficients is performed. The model results are quantitatively assessed against climatological temperature profiles using a goodness-of-fit norm. In the deep regions, the model results are in good agreement with this validation data. In the shallow regions, discrepancies are found. To improve the agreement there, we apply a SST nudging method at the free water surface. This considerably improves the model’s vertical temperature representation in the shallow regions. Based on the model validation against climatological in situ and SST data, we conclude that the seasonal temperature cycle for the deep SCS basin can be represented to a good degree. For shallow regions, the absence of tidal mixing and exchange has a clear impact on the model’s temperature representation. This effect on the large-scale temperature cycle can be compensated to a good degree by SST nudging for diagnostic applications.     

青海同仁县隆务峡地区首次发现镁铁质——超镁铁质岩带

在青海省同仁县隆务峡南段的二叠纪地层中首次发现了北西—南东向分布的镁铁质—超镁铁质岩带,命名为隆务峡镁铁质—超镁铁质岩带。该岩带的岩石组合包括纯橄岩、辉石橄榄岩、辉长岩、辉绿岩、枕状玄武岩等。从超镁铁岩—下部堆晶岩—辉绿岩—上部堆晶岩,其稀土元素总量逐渐增加,稀土元素配分型式总体一致,从超镁铁岩的Eu正异常到上部辉长岩的Eu负异常,显示了各岩石间的同源性。根据对其两侧沉积岩中化石的研究,推测该镁铁质—超镁铁质岩带的形成时代为二叠纪。该岩带位于西秦岭造山带与祁连造山带的接舍部,对于揭示秦岭和祁连接合部的大地构造演化有重要意义。     

Organic geochemistry and petrology of barren and Mo–Ni–PGE mineralized marine black shales of the Lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation (South China)

Marine black shales of the Lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation in southern China host Mo–Ni–platinum group elements (PGE) mineralization confined to a phosphate- and pyrite-rich stratiform body (max. 20-cm thick). The H/C atomic ratio, carbon isotopic composition, FTIR spectra of bulk organic matter, and spectra of extractable part of organic matter indicate similar sources and thermal evolution of organic matter in barren and mineralized black shales.The morphology and relative abundance of organic particles in barren and mineralized shales are different. In barren black shales, organic particles comprise only elongated bodies and laminae 2–10 μm across or elongated larger bodies (> 10 μm) with R_max = 2.96–5.21% (Type I particles). Mineralized black shales contain Type I particles in rock matrix (90–95 vol%), small veinlets or irregular organic accumulations (Type II particles, 1–5 vol%) that display weak to well developed mosaic texture and a variable reflectance (R_max = 3.55–8.65%), and small (< 1 to 5 μm) rounded or irregular Type III organic particles (1–4 vol%) distributed within phosphate nodules and sulphide rip-up clasts. Type III particles show similar reflectance as particles of Type I in rock matrix. Type I particles are interpreted as remnants of in situ bacterially reworked organic matter of cyanobacteria/algal type, Type II as solidified products or oil-derived material (migrabitumen), and Type III particles as remnants of original organic matter in phosphatized or sulphidized algal/microbial oncolite-like bodies. Equivalent vitrinite reflectances of Type I and III particles in barren and mineralized rocks are similar and correspond to semi-anthracite and anthracite. Micro-Raman spectra of organic particles in rocks display a wide belt in the area of 1600 cm^− 1 (G belt) and approximately the same belt in the area of 1350 cm^− 1 (D belt). The ratio of integrated areas of the two belts correlate with R_max values.The Mo–Ni–PGE mineralized body is interpreted as to represent a remnant of phosphate- and sulphide-rich subaquatic hardground supplied with organic material derived from plankton and benthic communities as well as with algal/microbial oncolite-like bodies that originated in wave-agitated, shallow-water, nearshore environment.     

南海夏季风爆发早晚对广西气候的影响

应用广西1960年以来地面88个观测站日平均气温、降水量、相对温度、均风速、总云量等气象资料,以及1970-2001年ECMW F再分析资料850hPa比湿和垂直速度资料,分析南海夏季风异常早晚的广西气象要素特征。结果表明：南海夏季风偏早,广西地面气温偏低,季风爆发当候广西气候特征往多雨方向发生变化,而爆发之后气候趋于较正常状态;南海夏季风偏晚年,爆发前6候,地面气温高,在季风爆发后5候内降水量较多;南海夏季风偏早、偏晚与广西多数固定月、季时间尺度的气温、降水量的关系无明显增加线性相关。     

亚澳季风各子系统气候学特征的异同研究 II. 夏季风水汽输送

利用1979~2002年的ERA-40和NCEP/NCAR逐日再分析资料以及CMAP降水资料探讨了亚澳季风各夏季风子系统(南亚夏季风、东亚夏季风、北澳夏季风)水汽输送的气候学特征及其与夏季降水的关系。分析表明:各夏季风子系统水汽输送通量主要取决于低层季风气流,南亚夏季风和北澳夏季风以纬向水汽输送为主,而东亚夏季风有很强的经向水汽输送。分析也证实,亚澳季风区的夏季风降水主;要源于水汽输送的辐合,而且ERA-40资料对夏季风水汽输送辐合的描述能力强于NCEP/NCAR资料。此外,受低层季风气流结构的影响,三夏季风子系统水汽输送辐合的动力机理存在明显差异,南亚夏季风和北澳夏季风的水汽输送辐合主要由低层西风气流的风场辐合所造成,而东亚夏季风的水汽输送辐合则由低层南风气流的风场辐合和季风湿平流共同作用造成。因此,东亚夏季风降水有别于南亚夏季风降水和北澳夏季风降水。     

Late Cambrian to Early Silurian Granitic Rocks of the Gemuri Area, Central Qiangtang, North Tibet: New Constraints on the Tectonic Evolution of the Northern Margin of Gondwana

The Paleozoic tectonic framework and paleo–plate configuration of the northern margin of Gondwana remain controversial. The South Qiangtang terrane is located along the northern margin of Gondwana and records key processes in the formation and evolution of this supercontinent. Here, we present new field, petrological, zircon U-Pb geochronological, and Lu-Hf isotopic data for granitic rocks of the Gemuri pluton, all of which provide new insights into the evolution of the northern margin of Gondwana. Zircon U-Pb dating of the Gemuri pluton yielded three concordant ages of 488.5 ± 2.1, 479.9 ± 8.9, and 438.5 ± 3.5 Ma. Combining these ages with the results of previous research indicates that the South Qiangtang terrane records two magmatic episodes at 502–471 and 453–439 Ma. These two episodes are associated with enriched zircon Hf isotopic compositions(εHf(t) =-10.1 to-3.9 and-16.6 to-6.5, respectively), suggesting the granites were formed by the partial melting of Paleoproterozoic–Mesoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks(Two–stage Hf model ages(TCDM) = 2094–1704 and 2466–1827 Ma, respectively). Combining these data with the presence of linearly distributed, contemporaneous Paleozoic igneous rocks along the northern margin of Gondwana, we suggest that all of these rocks were formed in an active continental margin setting. This manifests that the two magmatic episodes within the Gemuri area were associated with southward subduction in the Proto-(Paleo-) Tethys Ocean.     

The Byers Basin: Jurassic-Cretaceous tectonic and depositional evolution of the forearc deposits of the South Shetland Islands and its implications for the northern Antarctic Peninsula

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses the Jurassic–Cretaceous stratigraphic evolution of fore-arc deposits exposed along the west coast of the northern Antarctic Peninsula. In the South Shetland Islands, Upper Jurassic deep-marine sediments are uncomformably overlain by a Lower Cretaceous volcaniclastic sequence that crops out on Livingston, Snow and Low islands. U-Pb zircon ages are presented for the upper Anchorage Formation (153.1 ± 1.7 Ma) and the Cape Wallace granodiorite of Low Island (137.1 ± 1.7 Ma) as well as ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of 136–139 Ma for Low Island andesites. Data are also presented for a U-Pb age of 109.0 ± 1.4 Ma for the upper volcanic succession of Snow Island. In combination with published stratigraphy, these data provide a refined chrono- and litho-stratigraphic framework for the deposits herein referred to as the Byers Basin. Tentative correlation is explored with previously described deposits on Adelaide and Alexander islands, which could suggest further continuation of the Byers Basin towards the south. We also discuss possible correlation of the Byers Basin with the Larsen Basin, a sequence that shows the evolution of foreland to back-arc deposits more or less contemporaneously with the fore-arc to intra-arc evolution of the Byers Basin.