Deep geodynamics of far field interconti- nental back-arc extension: Formation of Cenozoic volcanoes in northeastern China

Introduction Northeastem China has the most strong Cenozoic volcanism in China (Liu, 1999), where dis-tributes more than 500 Cenozoic volcanoes, including sleeping volcanoes of Tianchi Lake (Celes-tial Pond) of Changbai Mountain, and Wudalianchi (Five linked Lakes) (LIU, 1999). Vo lcano ofTianchi Lake of Changbai Mountain consists of basaltic rocks of shield-forming stage andtrachytes and pantellerites in cone-forming stage. It is suggested by study of REE, incompatibleelements a…     

皖南浅变质岩区的构造演化及矿产分布规律

皖南浅变质岩地区由四个不同构造单元拼合而成。中元古早期皖南为一古岛弧;约1000Ma前,华南板块沿江山-绍兴一带俯冲,是岛弧向扬子板块增生;约900Ma前左右,皖南沿祁门-三阳坑一带产生弧后扩张盆地;而850Ma前,华夏古陆沿江山-绍兴一带与扬子板块对接拼合,弧后盆地被动俯冲结束,标志增生的完成,同时深部发生重熔,形成初生陆壳改造型(S型)花岗岩类侵入体,如休宁、许村、歙县等岩体;约780Ma,华南洋壳的俯冲使洋盆逐渐缩小,华南板块和扬子板块发生碰撞,以至祁门-三阳海盆关闭,形成祁门-三阳坑陆壳碰撞地缝合线。这时期的碰撞挤压,使初生陆壳重熔形成板内改造型灵山、莲花山和白际山侵入岩体,最终形成白际岭火山岩推覆席,标志皖南构造格局形成。这些构造演化既奠定了本区的构造格局,又控制着该区的矿产分布。本区主要矿种的成矿期为晋宁期和燕山期,中生代的成矿作用是在晋宁期变质基底上局部演化的结果,即中生代的矿产分布仍反映了基底格局对区域成矿的控制。     

广西钦州地区那丽花岗岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年及其地质意义

位于广西南部钦州地区的那丽岩体是华南地区(除海南岛外)报道的、具精确同位素年龄的海西期花岗岩岩体,LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年结果显示其形成时代为262Ma。二叠纪时期,羌塘-中缅Sibumasu地块与印支地块碰撞拼合,导致华南陆块俯冲于印支陆块之下,那丽花岗岩可能形成于这种俯冲作用的较晚阶段——弧后伸展环境。     

海南岛西北部火山海岸的研究

海南岛西北岸有晚更新世以来二期火山活动,共5次喷发,沿海岸密集的火山喷发孔、岩流堆积,构成了独特的海蚀型火山港湾岸。火山活动改变了沿岸地形、河流流向与沉积环境,使海岸沉积相数次变化。据岩石学研究,该区系洋岛型橄榄玄武岩及大洋中脊型拉斑玄武岩,反映了海南岛—北部湾海底有扩张的迹象。     

Segmentation of the southern Mariana back-arc spreading center

SeaBeam multibeam bathymetry obtained during cruise SO-69 of research vessel (R/V) Sonne defines the segmentation and structure of ∼ 300 km of the Mariana back-arc spreading center south of the Pagan fracture zone at 17°33'N. Eight ridge segments, ranging from 14 to 64 km in length, are displaced as much as 2.7–14.5 km by both right- (predominantly) and left-lateral offsets and transform faults. An axial ridge commonly occupies the middle portion of the rift valley and rises from 200 to 700 m above the adjacent sea floor, in places shoaling to a water depth of 3200 m. An exception is the 60-km-long segment between 16°58' and 17°33'N where single peaks only a few tens of meters high punctuate the rift axis. Photographic evidence and rock samples reveal the presence of mostly pillow lavas outcropping on the axial ridges or peaks whereas the deeper parts of the rift valley floor (max. depth 4900 m) are heavily to totally sedimented. Abundant talus ramps along fault scarps testify to ongoing disruption of the crust. Lozenge-shaped collapse structures are covered by layers of sediment up to tens of centimeters thick on the rift valley floor. The presence of discrete volcanic ridges in the southern Mariana back-arc spreading region suggests that emplacement of oceanic crust at this slow spreading center occurs by `multi-site' injection of magma. Along-axis variations in length, crestal depth, and size of the axial ridges can be best explained by different stages in the cyclicity of magma supply along-axis.     

The role of the Pernicana Fault System in the spreading of Mt. Etna (Italy) during the 2002–2003 eruption

Flank instability and collapse are observed at many volcanoes. Among these, Mt. Etna is characterized by the spreading of its eastern and southern flanks. The eastern spreading area is bordered to the north by the E–W-trending Pernicana Fault System (PFS). During the 2002–2003 Etna eruption, ground fracturing along the PFS migrated eastward from the NE Rift, to as far as the 18 km distant coastline. The deformation consisted of dextral en-echelon segments, with sinistral and normal kinematics. Both of these components of displacement were one order of magnitude larger (~1 m) in the western, previously known, portion of the PFS with respect to the newly surveyed (~9 km long) eastern section (~0.1 m). This eastern section is located along a pre-existing, but previously unknown, fault, where displaced man-made structures give overall slip rates (1–1.9 cm/year), only slightly lower than those calculated for the western portion (1.4–2.3 cm/year). After an initial rapid motion during the first days of the 2002–2003 eruption, movement of the western portion of the PFS decreased dramatically, while parts of the eastern portion continued to move. These data suggest a model of spreading of the eastern flank of Etna along the PFS, characterized by eruptions along the NE Rift, instantaneous, short-lived, meter-scale displacements along the western PFS and more long-lived centimeter-scale displacements along the eastern PFS. The surface deformation then migrated southwards, reactivating, one after the other, the NNW–SSE-trending Timpe and Trecastagni faults, with displacements of ~0.1 and ~0.04 m, respectively. These structures, along with the PFS, mark the boundaries of two adjacent blocks, moving at different times and rates. The new extent of the PFS and previous activity over its full length indicate that the sliding eastern flank extends well below the Ionian Sea. The clustering of seismic activity above 4 km b.s.l. during the eruption suggests a deep décollement for the moving mass. The collected data thus suggests a significant movement (volume >1,100 km³) of the eastern flank of Etna, both on-shore and off-shore.Editorial responsibility: R. Cioni     

An Interpretation of the Seafloor Spreading History of the West Enderby Basin between Initial Breakup of Gondwana and Anomaly C34

The seafloor spreading evolution in the Southern Indian Ocean is key to understanding the initial breakup of Gondwana. We summarize the structural lineaments deduced from the GEOSAT 10 Hz sampled raw altimetry data as well as satellite derived gravity anomaly map and the magnetic anomaly lineation trends from vector magnetic anomalies in the West Enderby Basin, the Southern Indian Ocean. The gravity anomaly maps by both Sandwell and Smith 1997, J. Geophys. Res. 102, 10039–10054 and 10 Hz raw altimeter data show almost the same general trends. However, curved structural trends, which turn from NNW–SSE in the south to NNE–SSW in the north, are detected only from gravity anomaly maps by 10 Hz raw altimeter data just to the east of Gunnerus Ridge. NNE–SSW structural trends and magnetic anomaly lineation trends that are perpendicular to them are observed between the Gunnerus Ridge and the Conrad Rise. To the west of Gunnerus Ridge, structural elements trend NNE–SSW and magnetic polarity changes are normal to them. In contrast, almost NNW–SSE structural trends and ENE–WSW magnetic polarity reversal strikes are dominant to the east of Gunnerus Ridge. Curved structural trends, which turn from WNW–ESE direction in the south to NNE–SSW direction in the west, and magnetic polarity reversal strikes that are almost perpendicular to them are observed just south of Conrad Rise. The magnetic polarity reversals may be parts of the Mesozoic magnetic anomaly sequence that formed along side of the structural lineaments before the long Cretaceous normal polarity superchron. Curved structural trends, detected only from gravity anomaly maps by 10 Hz raw altimeter data, most likely indicate slight changes in spreading direction from an initial NNW–SSE direction to NNE–SSW. Our results also suggest that these curved structural trends are fracture zones that formed during initial breakup of Gondwana.     

Extensional faulting and segmentation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge north of the Kane Fracture Zone (24° 00′ N to 24° 40′ N)

The combination of multi-beam echo-sounder swath bathymetry and high-resolution deep-towed sidescan sonar provides a powerful database from which to examine mid-ocean ridge processes. We have used such a database, gathered from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge north of the Kane Fracture Zone (the MARNOK area), to examine the relationship between tectonic, volcanic, and bathymetric segmentation. We have identified structural domains, with different fault distributions, and neovolcanic segments that are distinct from the 2nd or 3rd order bathymetric segmentation.From their mutual relationships, a model is proposed for the magmatic accretion of oceanic crust at slow spreading ridges that relates the local melt supply to the tectonic style. We suggest that these are mutually interactive, and determine whether volcanic extrusion along the ridge is continuous and slow, or episodic and rapid.