The past in dust: current trends and future directions in Pleistocene geoarcheology of European loess

Loess is a main archive of Pleistocene landscapes and environments and therefore has an important connection to the preservation and interpretation of Paleolithic sites. In Europe, anthropogenic sites have been found in loess because of past local occupation. At one extreme, sites are well preserved with minimal disturbance often accompanied by embedded proxies to estimate ecological parameters. On the other hand, loess deposits have undergone post-depositional alterations such as weathering, pedogenesis or bioturbation due to changing environmental conditions or other disturbances that obscure anthropogenic sites. We outline the current state of research and connections between Paleolithic archeology and loess research while introducing a series of subsequent regional case studies as part of a special issue. We also make recommendations for future work to incorporate a wider variety of methods to create more robust inferences on hominin and environmental evolution and their connections.     

U-Pb Zircon and Re-Os Molybdenite Geochronology of theW-Mo Mineralized Region of South Qinling,China, andtheir Tectonic Implications

A W-Mo mineralized region is located along the northern margin of the South Qinling tectonic belt of China. WMo mineralization occurs mainly in Cambrian–Ordovician clastic and carbonate rocks, and the ore bodies are structurally controlled by NW–SE-and NNE–SSW-striking faults. Evidence for magmatism in the area is widespread and is dominated by intermediate–felsic intrusives or apophyses, such as the Dongjiangkou, Yanzhiba, Lanbandeng, and Sihaiping granitic bodies. Quartz-vein-type mineralization and fault-controlled skarn-type mineralization dominate the ore systems, with additional enrichment in residual deposits. At present, there are few or insufficient studies on(1) the age of mineralization,(2) the relationship between intermediate–felsic granite and W-Mo mineralization,(3) the source of ore-forming materials,and(4) the metallogenic and tectonic setting of the mineralized area. In this paper, we present geochronology results for numerous intrusive granitic bodies in the South Qinling tectonic belt. U-Pb zircon geochronology of the Lanbandeng monzogranite and Wangjiaping biotite monzogranite yields ages of 222.7 ± 2.3 and 201.9 ± 1.8 Ma, respectively. In contrast to the Late Triassic age of the Lanbandeng monzogranite, the age of the newly discovered Wangjiaping biotite monzogranite places it at the Triassic–Jurassic boundary. Re-Os molybdenite geochronology on the Qipangou W-Mo deposit yielded a model age of 199.7 ± 3.9 Ma, indicating the deposit formed in the early Yanshanian period of the Early Jurassic. Granitoid intrusions in the mineralized area are characterized by composite granite bodies that crystallized at ca.240–190 Ma. While there were multiple stages of intrusion, most occurred at 210–220 Ma, with waning magmatic activity at 200–190 Ma. The Re-Os age of molybdenite in the region is ca. 200–190 Ma, which may represent a newly discovered period of W-Mo metallogenesis that occurred during the final stages of magmatism. The heat associated with this magmatism drove ore formation and might have provided additional ore-forming components for metallogenesis(represented by the Wangjiaping biotite monzogranite). Ore materials in the mineralized area were derived from mixed crustal and mantle sources. Enrichment of the region occurred during intracontinental orogenesis in the late Indosinian–Yanshanian, subsequent to the main Indosinian collision. At this time, the tectonic environment was dominated by extension and strike-slip motion.     

Geochemistry and Tectonic History of Seamount Remnants in the Xingshuwa Subduction Accretionary Complex of the Xar Moron Area,Eastern Margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

This study focuses on the geology, geochemistry, zircon U-Pb geochronology and tectonic settings of the three types of seamount basalts from the Xingshuwa subduction accretionary complex in the Xar Moron area, eastern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB). The seamount remnants are composed of carbonate 'cap' sediments, large volumes of pillow and massive basalts, carbonate breccia slope facies and radiolarian cherts. Group 1 basalts are characterized by high contents of P2 O5 and TiO2 with alkaline affinity and LREE enrichment, indicating that they are derived from intraplate magma. Group 2 basalts display N-MORB LREE depletion patterns, indicating that they were formed at a mid-ocean ridge. Group 3 basalts have shown distinct Nb depletion and high Th/Yb ratios, indicating that they were generated in an island arc tectonic setting. The zircon U-Pb age of Group 1 basalt sample XWT18-131 is 576.4 ± 9.4 Ma, suggesting that the oceanic island seamount was the product of intraplate magmatism related to a mantle plume or 'hot spot' in the late Neoproterozoic. The zircon U-Pb age of Group 2 basalt sample XWT18-132 is 483 ± 22 Ma, indicating that the Paleo-Asian Ocean(PAO) was continuously expanding in the Early Ordovician. The zircon U-Pb age of Group 3 basalt sample XWT18-101 is 240.5 ± 8.2 Ma, suggesting that this area underwent the evolutionary path of ocean-continent transition, developing towards continentalization during the Middle Triassic. Thus, we believe that there was both mantle plume-related intraplate magmatism and intraoceanic subduction during the evolution of the PAO, the CAOB possibly being an evolutionary model of an intraoceanic subduction and mantle plume magmatism complex.     

Rapid U‐Pb Geochronology by Laser Ablation Multi‐Collector ICP‐MS

Detrital zircon (DZ) U‐Pb laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) has revolutionised the way geologists approach many Earth science questions. Although recent research has focused on rapid sample throughput, acquisition rates are limited to 100–300 analyses h^?1. We present a method to acquire zircon U‐Pb dates at rates of 120, 300, 600 and 1200 analyses h^?1 (30, 12, 6 and 3 s per analysis) by multi‐collector LA‐ICP‐MS. We demonstrate the efficacy of this method by analysing twelve zircon reference materials with dates from ~ 3465 to ~ 28 Ma. Mean offset from high‐precision dates increases with faster rates from 0.9% to 1.1%; mean random 1s uncertainty increases from 0.6% to 1.3%. We tested this new method on a sandstone sample previously characterised by large‐n DZ geochronology. Quantitative comparison shows increased correspondence among age distributions comprising > 300 dates. This new method holds promise for DZ geochronology because (a) it requires no major changes to hardware, but rather modifications to software; (b) it yields robust age distributions well‐suited for quantitative analysis and maximum depositional age calculations; (c) there is only a minor sacrifice of accuracy and measurement uncertainty; and (d) there is less burden to researchers in terms of time investment and analytical cost.     

四川盆地开江地区WT1井震旦系陡山沱组物源分析及构造背景判断*

为厘清四川盆地开江地区WT1井震旦系陡山沱组地层发育的构造背景,重塑其原型沉积盆地,为重建古地理及油气进一步勘探部署工作提供科学依据,利用岩石学、岩石地球化学及碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学手段对该井陡山沱组物源进行了分析。岩石地化结果表明WT1井陡山沱组沉积物源岩为中基性火山岩类且经历了中等程度化学风化作用;碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄主要记录了915~850Ma、794~714.5Ma以及622~700Ma 3个阶段的构造岩浆活动,与扬子克拉通北缘及邻区Rodinia超大陆的裂解演化过程有关,该构造活动背景下的中基性火山岩是WT1井陡山沱组沉积的主要物质来源。结果表明四川盆地开江地区的陡山沱组发育于拉张伸展构造背景,属克拉通内裂陷盆地沉积,有利于烃源岩层的发育;同时为Rodinia超大陆的裂解演化过程提供了重要的年代学演化证据。该成果对深入认识四川盆地的地质结构、沉积-构造演化以及油气勘探的战略部署等具有极为重要的科学意义。     

黔西北普宜地区下三叠统嘉陵江组沉凝灰岩锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年龄、微量元素特征及其地质意义

早三叠世时期频繁的火山事件是导致全球性气候和海洋环境异常的主要原因,前人对早三叠世重要界线时期的火山事件地层开展了大量研究,但对典型界线时期以外的其他火山事件地层却鲜有报道.本文以上扬子西南普宜地区嘉陵江组两件沉凝灰岩为研究对象开展了岩石学、岩相学、锆石年代学及微量元素组合特征等方面的研究.沉凝灰岩样品具有典型岩浆锆石...     

新元古代冰期及其年代

新元古代在全球范围内出现了几期冰期事件,称之为“雪球地球”事件。这种剧烈的环境变化带来此后地球上生命演化的一次飞跃。“雪球地球”事件的核心是全球冰期的同时性,需要同位素地质年代学的证据。新元古代末期两次主要的冰期事件是Marinoan冰期和Sturtian冰期,其中Marinoan冰期结束于635Ma;Sturtian冰期可能发生在710～720Ma,已发表的年龄数据限定它在670Ma之前结束。Marinoan冰期后的Gaskiers冰期发生在580～590Ma。对华南的古城、铁丝坳、长安组、江口组等进行进一步精确定年,将对限定Sturtian冰期持续时间和Cryogenian、南华系的下限年龄具有重要意义。     

Sediment routing in the Zagros foreland basin: Drainage reorganization and a shift from axial to transverse sediment dispersal in the Kurdistan region of Iraq

In the northwestern sector of the Zagros foreland basin, axial fluvial systems initially delivered fine-grained sediments from northwestern source regions into a contiguous basin, and later transverse fluvial systems delivered coarse-grained sediments from northeastern sources into a structurally partitioned basin by fold-thrust deformation. Here we integrate sedimentologic, stratigraphic, palaeomagnetic and geochronologic data from the northwestern Zagros foreland basin to define the Neogene history of deposition and sediment routing in response to progressive advance of the Zagros fold-thrust belt. This study constrains the depositional environments, timing of deposition and provenance of nonmarine clastic deposits of the Injana (Upper Fars), Mukdadiya (Lower Bakhtiari) and Bai-Hasan (Upper Bakhtiari) Formations in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Sediments of the Injana Formation (~12.4–7.75 Ma) were transported axially (orogen-parallel) from northwest to southeast by meandering and low-sinuosity channel belt system. In contrast, during deposition of the Mukdadiya Formation (~7.75–5 Ma), sediments were delivered transversely (orogen-perpendicular) from northeast to southwest by braided and low-sinuosity channel belt system in distributive fluvial megafans. By ~5 Ma, the northwestern Zagros foreland basin became partitioned by growth of the Mountain Front Flexure and considerable gravel was introduced in localized alluvial fans derived from growing topographic highs. Foredeep accumulation rates during deposition of the Injana, Mukdadiya and Bai-Hasan Formations averaged 350, 400 and 600 m/Myr respectively, suggesting accelerated accommodation generation in a rapidly subsiding basin governed by flexural subsidence. Detrital zircon U-Pb age spectra show that in addition to sources of Mesozoic-Cenozoic cover strata, the Injana Formation was derived chiefly from Palaeozoic-Precambrian (including Carboniferous and latest Neoproterozoic) strata in an axial position to the northwest, likely from the Bitlis-Puturge Massif and broader Eastern Anatolia. In contrast, the Mukdadiya and Bai-Hasan Formations yield distinctive Palaeogene U-Pb age peaks, particularly in the southeastern sector of the study region, consistent with transverse delivery from the arc-related terranes of the Walash and Naopurdan volcano-sedimentary groups (Gaveh-Rud domain?) and Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic arc to the northeast. These temporal and spatial variations in stratigraphic framework, depositional environments, sediment routing and compositional provenance reveal a major drainage reorganization during Neogene shortening in the Zagros fold-thrust belt. Whereas axial fluvial systems initially dominated the foreland basin during early orogenesis in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, transverse fluvial systems were subsequently established and delivered major sediment volumes to the foreland as a consequence of the abrupt deformation advance and associated topographic growth in the Zagros.     

黄海、渤海铅-210沉积速率的分布特征及其影响因素

对黄海、渤海17个箱式柱样进行了210Pb放射性活度测定,计算了近百年来210Pb沉积速率,并结合前人资料对黄海、渤海区210Pb沉积速率的空间分布特征及其影响因素进行探讨,结果表明,黄河口附近站位沉积速率最高(＞2 cm/a),而在渤海中部、渤海湾以及山东半岛沿岸的站位沉积速率较小(≈0.5 cm/a),部分站位沉积...     

鞍山地区陈台沟变质表壳岩的年龄

鞍山市东部陈台沟村附近，有一套以斜长角闪岩类、石英岩类和长英质片麻岩类等组成的变质表壳岩（陈台沟表壳岩），它虽被划归为鞍山群但同该地区公认的鞍山群明显不同。它同白家坟花岗岩（３．８Ｇａ）和陈台沟花岗岩（３．３Ｇａ－３．１Ｇａ）为断层接触。采用Ｋｏｂｅｒ提出的单颗粒锆石逐层蒸发－沉积方法，测定了侵入陈台沟表壳岩的两条花岗岩脉（Ａ９２１２－３，Ｃｈ１０）中锆石的年龄，Ａ９２１２－３测定了８粒锆石，年龄为３３５７±４Ｍａ－３３１５±４Ｍａ（误差均为２ｄ，Ｃｈ１０测定了３粒锆石，结果为３３３７±１２Ｍａ，３２２８±３７Ｍａ和１８１３±７Ｍａ。３３５７Ｍａ和３３３７Ｍａ是这两条花岗岩脉侵位时间。１８１３Ｍａ是后期地质作用的时间。陈台沟表壳岩的年龄大于３．３５Ｇａ，建议将陈台沟表壳岩从鞍山群分离出来单独建群。