Cenozoic Exhumation and Thrusting in the Northern Qilian Shan, Northeastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau: Constraints from Sedimentological and Apatite Fission-Track Data

Abstract: The Qilian Shan lies along the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. To constrain its deformation history, we conducted integrated research on Mesozoic–Cenozoic stratigraphic sections in the Jiuxi Basin immediately north of the mountain range. Paleocurrent measurements, sandstone compositional data, and facies analysis of Cenozoic stratigraphic sections suggest that the Jiuxi Basin received sediments from the Altyn Tagh Range in the northwest, initially in the Oligocene (~33 Ma), depositing the Huoshaogou Formation in the northern part of the basin. Later, the source area of the Jiuxi Basin changed to the Qilian Shan in the south during Late Oligocene (~27 Ma), which led to the deposition of the Baiyanghe Formation. We suggest that uplift of the northern Qilian Shan induced by thrusting began no later than the Late Oligocene. Fission-track analysis of apatite from the Qilian Shan yields further information about the deformation history of the northern Qilain Shan and the Jiuxi Basin. It shows that a period of rapid cooling, interpreted as exhumation, initiated in the Oligocene. We suggest that this exhumation marked the initial uplift of the Qilian Shan resulting from the India–Asia collision.     

库车坳陷克拉苏河新生代沉积岩磁组构特征与古流向分析

塔里木盆地库车坳陷克拉苏河沿岸发育良好的新生界地层.我们对克拉苏河沿岸新生界剖面分A、B两段进行系统采样,获得定向岩芯样品1700余块. 岩石磁学研究表明,新生代沉积岩中磁性矿物以赤铁矿为主,含有少量磁铁矿;磁组构测试结果显示,两段剖面磁面理均较磁线理发育,最小磁化率主轴近于直立,显示原生沉积组构. A剖面磁化率主轴к₁的偏角指示古流向. 库姆格列木群沉积时的古水流方向为NEE-SWW向,至苏维依组沉积时,流向变为NNE-SSW向. 河流古流向在苏维依组形成时发生急剧变化,说明南天山此时可能发生了明显的隆升,且以北西部隆升为主;B剖面为吉迪克组、康村组和库车组粗粒碎屑岩,磁组构显示к₁-к₂构成的磁面理与层理面小角度相交,к₃呈叠瓦状分布,可以用来指示古水流方向.从吉迪克组至库车组下段,古流向均为NNW-SSE,但逐渐偏东,暗示天山在此期间处于缓慢的隆升期或东西部处于同步隆升,且西部隆升速度快于东部.     

腾冲火山岩年龄问题评述

腾冲火山及火山岩是国内新近纪火山及其喷发物九大分布区之一,研究程度较广较深,喷发序列岩石定岩及年龄值资料丰富,综合评述并指出今后研究方向。     

Sedimentological and ichnological signatures of changes in wave,river and tidal influence along a Neogene tropical deltaic shoreline

Analysis of Neogene cores from the Eastern Venezuela Basin along 65 km of a west–east trending shoreline allows characterization of the sedimentological and ichnological signatures of wave, river and tidal processes. The area displays deltas prograding northward from the Guyana Shield. Twenty‐three facies are defined and grouped into four categories (wave‐influenced, river‐influenced, tide‐influenced and basinal). Wave‐dominated deltaic deposits occur mostly in the Tácata Field. The delta plain was characterized by tide‐influenced distributary channels separated by interdistributary bays. Fluvial discharge in the delta front and prodelta was repeatedly interrupted by storm‐wave reworking and suspended sediment fallout. Delta‐front and prodelta deposits contain some ichnotaxa that typically do not occur in brackish water (for example, Chondrites and Phycosiphon). Amalgamated storm deposits are unburrowed or contain vertical Ophiomorpha. Lateral (especially on the updrift side) to the river mouths, waves caused nearly continuous accretion of the associated strandplains. These deposits are the most intensely bioturbated, and are dominated by the estenohaline echinoid‐generated ichnogenus Scolicia. River‐dominated deltaic deposits are present in the Santa Bárbara, Mulata, Carito and El Furrial Fields. Low‐sinuosity rivers characterized the alluvial plain, whereas the subaerial delta plain was occupied by higher‐sinuosity rivers. The subaqueous delta plain includes distributary channels and tide‐influenced interdistributary bays. Further seaward, successions are characterized by terminal distributary‐channel and distributary mouth‐bar deposits, as well as by delta‐front and prodelta deposits showing evidence of sediment gravity‐flow and fluid‐mud emplacement. Delta‐front and prodelta deposits are unbioturbated to sparsely bioturbated, suggesting extreme stress, mostly as a result of high fluvial discharge and generation of sediment gravity flows. Tidal influence is restricted to interdistributary bays, lagoons and some distributary channels. From an ichnological perspective, and in order of decreasing stress levels, four main depositional settings are identified: river‐dominated deltas, tide‐influenced delta plains, wave‐dominated deltas and wave‐dominated strandplain–offshore complexes.     

Multiple mantle metasomatism beneath the Leizhou Peninsula,South China: evidence from elemental and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotope geochemistry of the late Cenozoic volcanic rocks

ABSTRACT

We analysed whole-rock major and trace elements and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopes of the late Cenozoic volcanic rocks in the Leizhou Peninsula, South China to investigate their mantle source characteristics. These volcanic rocks, collected from Jiujiang, Tianyang and Huoju areas of the Leizhou Peninsula, are characterized by incompatible element enrichment but variable isotopic depletion. The volcanic rocks from Jiujiang and Tianyang show prominent primitive-mantle-normalized positive Nb, Ta and Sr anomalies and depleted Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotope compositions, whereas those from Huoju show slight positive to negative Nb and Ta anomalies, a prominent positive Pb anomaly, and more enriched Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotope compositions. Two types of mantle metasomatism are required to explain the geochemical characteristics of these rocks. The Jiujiang and Tianyang samples were largely derived from a mantle source metasomatized recently by a low-F melt. Such low-F melt is generated within the asthenospheric mantle, which is enriched in volatiles and incompatible elements with positive Sr anomaly and depleted Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotope compositions. The Huoju samples were largely derived from a mantle source metasomatized by recycled upper continental crust material. These two types of mantle metasomatism beneath the Leizhou Peninsula are consistent with trace element characteristics of mantle mineralogy (e.g. clinopyroxene vs. amphibole), which reflects source evolution in space and time (e.g. tectonic setting change).     

Complex geometry of the Cenozoic magma plumbing system in the central Sahara,NW Africa

Topographic uplifts in the central Sahara occur in the Hoggar-Aïr and Tibesti-Gharyan swells that consist of Precambrian rocks overlain by Cenozoic volcanic rocks. The swells and associated Cenozoic volcanism have been related either to mantle plumes or to asthenospheric upwelling and to partial melting due to rift-related delamination along pre-existing Pan-African mega-shears during the collision between Africa and Europe. The Cenozoic volcanic rocks in the Hoggar generally range from Oligocene tholeiitic/transitional plateau basalts, which occur in the centre of the dome, to Neogene alkali basalts characterized by a decrease in their degree of silica undersaturation and an increase in their La/Yb ratios. The alkali basaltic rocks occur mainly along the margins of the dome and typically have less radiogenic Nd and Sr isotopic ratios than the tholeiitic/transitional basalts. The geochemistry of the most primitive basaltic rocks resembles oceanic island basalt (OIB) tholeiitic – in particular high-U/Pb mantle (HIMU)-type – and is also similar to those of the Circum-Mediterranean Anorogenic Cenozoic Igneous (CiMACI) province. These characteristics are consistent with, but do not require, a mantle plume origin. Geophysical data suggest a combination of the two mechanisms resulting in a complex plumbing system consisting of (a) at depths of 250–200 km, an upper mantle plume (presently under the Aïr massif); (b) between 200 and 150 km, approximately 700 km northeastward deflection of plume-derived magma by drag at the base of the African Plate and by mantle convection; (c) at approximately 150 km, the magma continues upwards to the surface in the Tibesti swell; (d) at approximately 100 km depth, part of the magma is diverted into a low S-wave velocity corridor under the Sahara Basin; and (e) at approximately 80 km depth, the corridor is tapped by Cenozoic volcanism in the Hoggar and Aïr massifs that flowed southwards along reactivated Precambrian faults.     

东秦岭—大别造山带南、北缘晚白垩世以来构造演化的石英ESR年代学研究

运用α石英热活化ESR定年法对东秦岭—大别造山带南、北缘58件样品进行了研究。结果显示,东秦岭—大别造山带南、北缘ESR年龄范围主要集中在晚白垩世以来(99.2～3.4 Ma)。结合区域地质事实分析,晚白垩世以来,东秦岭—大别造山带南缘的构造演化可划分为73.1～52.3 Ma伸展断陷期、39.1～27.2 Ma伸展-挤压的转换期和22.8～3.4 Ma挤压期;东秦岭—大别造山带北缘的构造演化可划分为89～70.1 Ma挤压隆升期、61.6～43.2 Ma伸展断陷期、37.2～22.6 Ma伸展-挤压的转换期和15.6～3.9 Ma挤压期。东秦岭—大别造山带南缘和北缘新生代构造演化特征基本相同,但是受多种因素控制,东秦岭—大别造山带南、北缘晚白垩世的构造演化存在较大差异。ESR测年结果与东秦岭—大别造山带南、北缘已有的地质事实相吻合,验证了ESR测年的可靠性。     

Magma Origin and Evolution of Tengchong Cenozoic Volcanic Rocks from West Yunnan,China: Evidence from Whole Rock Geochemistry and Nd‐Sr‐Pb Isotopes

Tengchong Cenozoic volcanics that have record key information on the tectonic evolution and mantle features of the southeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau are of great importance because of its unique eruption history spanning the entire Quaternary period. Magma origin and evolution of Tengchong Cenozoic volcanic rocks were studied on the basis of Nd-Sr-Pb isotope and major and trace element data from different eruptions in the Ma’anshan area. Different samples within one eruption show relative identical lithologies, chemical and isotopic compositions. However, the geochemical features for the five eruptions are distinct from each other. These volcanic rocks show low Mg# values (<45), moderate to high fractionation of LREEs and HREEs, and enrichment of Pb and Ba and depletion of Nb. Tengchong Cenozoic volcanic rocks were derived from an enriched mantle based on Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic studies. And lines of evidence show that crustal contamination should be involved before the eruption of different periods of Tengchong Cenozoic volcanic rocks. Older subducted components may be responsible for adakite recycling at various stages of evolution, which results in the origin of the enriched mantle source magma accounting for the isotopic features of Tengchong Cenozoic volcanic rocks. Segregated primitive magma pulsating injected into magma chamber, fractional crystallized and contaminated with crust component. Finally, magmas with distinct chemical and isotopic compositions for each eruption formed. The extension of the northeast segment of the Yingjiang tectonic belt triggered the pulsating eruption of the Cenozoic volcanics in the Tengchong area.     

Orderliness of Hydrocarbon Accumulation Distribution in Rift Basins of Eastern China

The Cenozoic rift basins in eastern China show a clear temporal and spatial zonation and episodic tectonic evolution, which control their episodic hydrocarbon generation and zonal accumulation. In this paper, based on the study of depositional architecture, hydrocarbon migration system and dynamic evolution in the rift basins, combinations of hydrocarbon accumulation elements were analyzed using sequence stratigraphy. Hydrocarbon distribution in system tracts with different sequence orders was further studied. And we summarized stacking patterns and horizontal combination relationships for different types of reservoirs, such as lithological, tectonic-lithological, tectonic and stratigraphical reservoirs which can be observed from depression center to basin margin. The result reveals that various scales of pools exhibit significant distribution and evolution orderliness in different pool-forming units, i.e., depositional systems, plays and depressions. The regular distribution of various scales of pools is closely related to tectonic evolution and depositional filling in the rift basins. The result can be applied to the fine petroleum exploration in rift basins in eastern China. It will promote the scientific prediction and evaluation of reservoir types and their spatial distribution, lead to the active shifts of exploration targets in different zones, and thus support the stable progress of fine exploration in mature exploration areas.     

滇西梁河—潞西地区新生代英安岩的源区及成因——来自地球化学的证据

报道了滇西梁河—潞西地区新生代英安岩的主量、微量、稀土元素和Nd同位素地球化学研究成果。英安岩富集轻稀土元素、大离子亲石元素(Rb、Th、U、K),相对亏损重稀土元素和Nb、Ta、Sr、P、Ti,具有Eu负异常和Pb正异常。火山岩的εNd(0)为-10.3~-8.72,Nd同位素模式年龄(tDM)为1.2~1.4Ga。这些地球化学特征表明,研究区英安岩源于区域基底岩系的部分熔融,并与该地区同期幔源玄武质岩浆发生了不同程度的混合。