On the geologic structure of the Explora Escarpment (Weddell Sea,Antarctica) revealed by satellite and Shipboard data evaluation

Bathymetric, gravity, and magnetic data from Antarctic expeditions with RV POLARSTERN and satellite altimeter data from the Geosat Geodetic Mission are analysed using methods from geostatistics and geophysical inverse theory.The Explora Escarpment represents the edge between the Antarctic Continental Shelf and the Weddell Abyssal Plain. It is an important link in the reconstruction of Gondwana breakup, but a feature as large as the 2000 m deep Wegener Canyon was only discovered in 1984, when extensive bathymetric, gravimetric, and magnetic surveys with RV POLARSTERN began.Geostatistics, the theory of regionalized variables, is applied to integrate dense surveys of Wegener Canyon and sparse observations in adjacent areas into maps with full coverage of the 230 km by 330 km area at 10°–20° W/70°–72° S. The resultant highresolution bathymetric and gravity maps reveal detailed structures of the Explora Escarpment. Using geophysical inversion, the gravity terrain effect is calculated. Satellite data are used for their better coverage, but have much lower resolution. Nevertheless, the structures of Wegener Canyon and other more prominent features appear with surprisingly good correlation also in the Geosat altimeter data. While it was initially supposed that Wegener Canyon is purely an erosional structure, the magnetic map now provides evidence of the canyon's tectonic origin.     

Hydrologic and geomorphic processes in the Colville River delta, Alaska

The Colville basin drains the North Slope of Alaska and is one of several large Arctic river systems located within permafrost. The timing and style of fluvial processes in the earth's permafrost regions differ from those occurring in midlatitude settings. Moreover, in comparison to temperate-zone systems, rivers located entirely within permafrost perform most of their work during relatively short periods of time. This paper examines river ice hydrology and the resulting geomorphic processes that occur within the Colville delta, Alaska. Fluvial processes and landform development within the Colville delta occur after the flood-pulse is initiated by the breakup of river ice. During this 4-month period, the geomorphic processes are largely influenced by the movement of ice. The flood-pulse and accompanying river ice influences erosional and depositional processes and results in unique styles of sediment transport, deposition, and riverbank erosion.     

华北地台和秦岭—大别—苏鲁造山带的中生代花岗岩与深部地球动力学过程

近年来的研究证实 ,华北地台和大别—苏鲁造山带的中生代花岗岩与同时代的镁铁质超镁铁质岩有类似的Sr、Nd同位素特点 ,许多花岗岩和火山岩还具有类似埃达克岩的地球化学性质。在此基础上 ,根据现已积累的大量Sr、Nd同位素资料 ,从整个华北地台岩石圈的角度论证了中生代岩石圈地幔富集的性质、富集地幔发生的时代及其形成机制 ,进而探讨了岩浆活动的动力学机制 ,指出本区岩石圈富集地幔的形成是在Pangea超大陆裂解时岩石圈大规模拆沉减薄 ,被拆沉的太古宙古老地壳重循环进入地幔改变了地幔成分所致 ,说明超大陆裂解、岩石圈大规模拆沉减薄和富集地幔形成之间有密切的成因联系 ,超大陆裂解伴随着大陆地壳生长和消亡 (重循环 )的大体平衡。结合全球地震层析资料 ,进一步探讨了由俯冲大洋残片转化的下地壳同古老克拉通地壳物质在花岗岩源区中的重要意义。     

西昆仑北缘新元古代片麻状花岗岩锆石SHRIMP年龄及其意义

在西昆仑北缘早前寒武纪变质地层中,笔者等识别出大量不同时代的片麻状花岗岩,其中包括新元古代片麻状花岗岩。获得最新的新元古代片麻状花岗岩的单颗粒锆石SHRIMP年龄为815±57Ma,片麻状花岗岩的岩石学特征反映它们形成于裂解构造背景,结合对区域上新元古代地层及中元古代末期构造事件的研究,笔者认为新元古代片麻状花岗岩反映了古塔里木板块作为Rodinia超大陆一员发生裂解的时间,这对研究古塔里木板块在Rodinia超大陆中的位置及中国Rodinia超大陆裂解的研究提供了重要的地质依据。     

联合古陆演化周期中超大型含煤及含油气盆地的形成

联合古陆———Ｐａｎｇｅａ的拼合与裂解反映了地球系统内部的巨大变革，这一过程根本上改变了浅部圈层的构造和环境。地史上超大型含煤盆地及含油气盆地与Ｐａｎｇｅａ的演化周期密切相关。在石炭纪及二叠纪拼合过程中形成了一系列超大型聚煤盆地；晚侏罗世Ｐａｎｇｅａ开始裂解，出现全球性裂陷作用期，大西洋张开，许多与裂陷有关的大型叠合盆地形成。在这些盆地中已发现十余个与晚侏罗世烃源岩有关的巨型含油气系统。上述情况表明Ｐａｎｇｅａ演化过程中出现了对能源资源聚集极为有利的古构造、古环境和古气候条件。     

Is Darwin's ‘Abominable Mystery’ still a mystery today?

Darwin described the Cretaceous diversification and subsequent rapid rise of flowering plants (angiosperms) as an “abominable mystery”: how could they have achieved worldwide ecological dominance by early Paleogene times when the oldest angiosperm fossils are only Cretaceous in age? However, recent phylogenetic and palaeobiogeographical analyses have suggested a much earlier, perhaps Triassic origin for the stem angiosperms. We suggest that the fossil record is accurately reflecting the rapid diversification of the crown angiosperms that molecular data suggests occurred in Cretaceous–early Palaeogene times, and which coincides with similar explosive diversifications that occurred in other parts of the terrestrial biota including insects, birds and mammals. Early, stem angiosperms are poorly represented in the fossil record for a combination of taphonomic and ecological reasons. We conclude that the reported evidence shows that the Darwin's “mystery” is in fact no mystery and confirms that it merely requires an appropriate reading of the fossil record.     

全球早古生代造山带(Ⅳ):板块重建与Carolina超大陆

古元古代与显生宙的板块构造特征和旋回演化过程具有明显区别,反映出地质记录为两种不同的板块构造体制。早古生代为这两个时期的过渡阶段,其构造过程研究与板块重建是地球板块构造旋回机制和周期分析的关键。本文采用综合集成的方法,在总结对比罗迪尼亚超大陆裂解以来全球早古生代主要碰撞造山带的地质事件基础上,分析早古生代碰撞造山带的演化特征,总结出与冈瓦纳大陆拼合、劳俄大陆拼合、古中华陆块群增生相关的7期碰撞-增生造山事件群:Brasiliano、东非、Kuunga、东亚与原特提斯洋和古亚洲洋演化相关的的加里东期造山事件、经典加里东造山、中欧加里东造山、Appalachian造山。再在这7期造山事件群基础上,结合古地磁、古生物、古地理等资料,重建了新元古代-早古生代末全球板块的拼合过程:罗迪尼亚超大陆从新元古代的~950 Ma开始经历了3个阶段裂解,此时存在泛大洋、莫桑比克洋和古太平洋3个大洋,随后615~560 Ma Iapetus洋打开,~560 Ma波罗的陆块与西冈瓦纳裂离导致狭窄的Ran洋打开;~540 Ma南半球Brasiliano、东非和Kuunga造山运动导致冈瓦纳大陆分阶段最终完成拼贴;~500 Ma冈瓦纳大陆北缘西段的微陆块群局部向北裂离,导致Rheic洋和Tornquist洋打开,并于~420 Ma随经典加里东造山带和中欧缝合带形成导致Iapetus洋闭合,此时斯瓦尔巴特和英国可能位于格陵兰地盾东南缘,同时冈瓦纳大陆北缘东段华北为代表的微陆块基本拼合在冈瓦纳大陆北缘;此外,虽然425 Ma西伯利亚板块有远离聚合了的劳俄大陆的趋势,但晚奥陶世-早泥盆世南美和北美板块靠近,北美板块与环冈瓦纳北缘西段的地体拼合碰撞。在大约400 Ma时,南、北美洲的混合生物群和古地理重建显示两者非常接近,因此,推测此时存在一个初始的逐步稳定的超大陆的可能,本文称为Carolina超大陆,因为Carolina造山带是这个超大陆最终拼合的地带。并据此判断超大陆旋回为7亿年。     

The dominant driving force for supercontinent breakup: Plume push or subduction retreat?

Understanding the dominant force responsible for supercontinent breakup is crucial for establishing Earth's geodynamic evolution that includes supercontinent cycles and plate tectonics. Conventionally,two forces have been considered: the push by mantle plumes from the sub-continental mantle which is called the active force for breakup, and the dragging force from oceanic subduction retreat which is called the passive force for breakup. However, the relative importance of these two forces is unclear. Here we model the supercontinent breakup coupled with global mantle convection in order to address this question. Our global model features a spherical harmonic degree-2 structure, which includes a major subduction girdle and two large upwelling(superplume) systems. Based on this global mantle structure,we examine the distribution of extensional stress applied to the supercontinent by both subsupercontinent mantle upwellings and subduction retreat at the supercontinent peripheral. Our results show that:(1) at the center half of the supercontinent, plume push stress is ～3 times larger than the stress induced by subduction retreat;(2) an average hot anomaly of no higher than 50 K beneath the supercontinent can produce a push force strong enough to cause the initialization of supercontinent breakup;(3) the extensional stress induced by subduction retreat concentrates on a ～600 km wide zone on the boundary of the supercontinent, but has far less impact to the interior of the supercontinent. We therefore conclude that although circum-supercontinent subduction retreat assists supercontinent breakup, sub-supercontinent mantle upwelling is the essential force.     

Mesoproterozoic Earthquake Events and Breakup of the Sino-Korean Plate

In the Mesoproterozoic time, the northern part of the Sino-Korean Plate experienced a period of intensive tectonic extension and breakup. 1. An abundance of sedimentary earthquake records is preserved in the Chuanlinggou, Tuanshanzi and Gaoyuzhuang formations in the Mesoproterozoic Changcheng System （1800-1400 Ma） and in the Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Formation of the Jixian System （1400-1000 Ma）. These earthquake records are characterized by various liquefied sand-veins, carbonate microspar and coarser spar veins, limestone dikes, liquefied breccia and various forms of liquefied contorted bedding. This deformation is always associated with synsedimentary faults and igneous activity. 2. Three liquefaction models for soft carbonate sediments are recognized, including liquefaction in laminated carbonate rocks, liquefaction in thin-bedded carbonates and large-scale liquefaction along huge carbonate dikes. 3. Based on the record of earthquake and volcanic activities, the Sino-Korean Plate experienced at least twice intraplate breakups. One occurred between 1800-1400 Ma, and the other occurred at about 1200 Ma. The last breakup resulted in formation of the Yan-Liao aulacogen, a tectonic zone characterized by deeper material vibrancy, active faults, major igneous activity and frequent earthquakes.     

南海大洋钻探及海洋地质与地球物理前沿研究新突破

南海是西太平洋地区规模最大且具有代表性的边缘海盆地之一。经过近几十年的研究积累,尤其是通过实施5个国际大洋钻探航次(1999–2018年)与国家自然科学基金委“南海深海过程演变”重大研究计划(2011–2019年),我国科学家获得了大量宝贵的第一手资料,取得了一系列创新进展与重大突破,标志着南海海洋地质与地球物理研究正走向国际前沿。重要研究成果包括:(1)新提出南海是“板缘张裂”盆地,与经典的大西洋型陆缘模式不同;(2)大洋钻探首次获取了基底玄武岩样品,结合中国在南海首次深拖地磁测量实验,精确测定了南海海盆玄武岩年龄,揭示南海海盆从东向西分段扩张;(3)大洋钻探结果发现南海陆缘岩石圈减薄之初岩浆迅速出现,未发现缓慢破裂造成的蛇纹岩出露;(4)发现南海扩张结束后仍存在大量岩浆活动,可能受控于多种构造与地幔因素;(5)地球化学证据与地球动力学模拟都显示南海岩浆的形成受到周边俯冲带的影响。目前我国的海洋地球科学正在进入崭新的发展阶段,有望以南海为基点,开始拓展到周边大洋,通过主导大型研究计划以及建设我国大洋钻探平台,以提升我国在南海、西太平洋与印度洋海洋地质科学研究的实质性影响力与引领地位。