Zircon U–Pb age, trace element and Hf isotope composition of Kongling terrane in the Yangtze Craton: refining the timing of Palaeoproterozoic high-grade metamorphism

U–Pb age, trace element and Hf isotope compositions of zircon were analysed for a metasedimentary rock and two amphibolites from the Kongling terrane in the northern part of the Yangtze Craton. The zircon shows distinct morphological and chemical characteristics. Most zircon in an amphibolite shows oscillatory zoning, high Th/U and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios, high formation temperature, high trace element contents, clear negative Eu anomaly, as well as HREE-enriched patterns, suggesting that it is igneous. The zircon yields a weighted mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 2857 ± 8 Ma, representing the age of the magmatic protolith. The zircon in the other two samples is metamorphic. It has low Th/U ratios, low trace element concentrations, variable HREE contents (33.8 ≥ Lu_N≥2213; 14.7 ≤ Lu_N/Sm_N ≤ 354) and ¹⁷⁶Lu/¹⁷⁷Hf ratios (0.000030–0.001168). The data indicate that the zircon formed in the presence of garnet and under upper amphibolite facies conditions. The metamorphic zircon yields a weighted mean ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of 2010 ± 13 Ma. These results combined with previously obtained Palaeoproterozoic metamorphic ages suggest a c. 2.0 Ga Palaeoproterozoic collisional event in the Yangtze Craton, which may result from the assembly of the supercontinent Columbia. The zircon in two samples yields weighted mean two-stage Hf model ( T _DM2) ages of 3217 ± 110 and 2943 ± 50 Ma, respectively, indicating that their protoliths were mainly derived from Archean crust.     

北秦岭晋宁期中酸性侵入岩带地球化学特征与构造环境

北秦岭侵入岩带中的中酸性侵入岩主要形成于晋宁旋回的中晚期阶段。主要岩石类型包括辉石闪长岩、闪长岩、石英闪长岩、英云闪长岩、花岗闪长岩、斜长花岗岩、花岗岩和钾长花岗岩。岩石化学、稀土元素和微量元素地球化学研究证明,这些岩石主要形成于B型俯冲和碰撞造山的构造环境中,而钾长花岗岩形成于后造山的伸展阶段。据此,该侵入岩带揭示了北秦岭褶皱带在晋宁旋回中晚期阶段的演化过程。     

断层相关褶皱理论在准噶尔盆地南缘山前带构造研究的应用

利用断层相关褶皱的构造几何分析方法，对准噶尔盆地南缘山前复杂构造带内基于地震剖面进行了构造解析，搭建了中、东段的构造轮廓和构造组合样式，认为东段阜康断裂带主要表现为至地表的推覆逆掩。由于位移量大部分转移至地表，阜康断裂带的前陆部分无喜山期构造带；西段造山带内的挤压往前陆方向传递过程中以前列式不断释放其位移量，造成在纵向上呈现三排主要的断层相关褶皱带。根据正演平衡地质剖面制作技术对山前复杂构造区地震剖面反射波的构造识别进行了模拟与探讨。     

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO AIR MASS CLASSIFICATION IN THE NORTH CENTRAL UNITED STATES

Both subjective and objective schemes for air mass classification offer advantages to climatological studies. An integrated approach is developed and applied to 850 mb level data in the north central United States. Each air mass type was initially delimited by a subjective analysis. Final limits were then determined with an objective technique that separates temperature curves into normal components based on interpretation from the subjective method. Continental air was most frequent in all seasons except summer. The methodology also allows estimation of classification error.     

Luminescence dating of sand–loess sequences and response of Mu Us and Otindag sand fields (north China) to climatic changes

The sand–loess transition zone in north China is sensitive to climate change, and is an ideal place to investigate past environmental changes. However, past climate change at millennial–centennial timescales in this region has not been well reconstructed because of limited numerical dating. Alternations of sandy loam soils with aeolian sand layers in the Mu Us and Otindag sand fields, which lie along the sand–loess transition zone, indicate multiple intervals of dune activity and stability. This change is probably a response to variations of the East Asian monsoon climate during the late Quaternary. The single aliquot regeneration (SAR) optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating protocol, which has been successfully applied to aeolian deposits worldwide, is applied to these two sand fields in this study. The OSL ages provide reliable constraints for reconstruction of past climate changes at suborbital timescale. Sections in both sand fields contain aeolian sand beds recording millennial‐scale episodes of dry climate and widespread dune activation, including episodes at about the same time as Heinrich Event 5 and the Younger Dryas in the North Atlantic region. These results demonstrate the potential of aeolian sediments in semi‐arid north China to record millennial‐scale climatic events, and also suggest that dry–wet climate variation at the desert margin in China may be linked to climatic change elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere, through atmospheric circulation. This article was published online on 27 November 2008. An error was subsequently identified. This notice is included in the online and print versions to indicate that both have been corrected (16 December 2008). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rapid Lateglacial tree population dynamics and ecosystem changes in the eastern Baltic region

A growing body of evidence implies that the concept of 'treeless tundra' in eastern and northern Europe fails to explain the rapidity of Lateglacial and postglacial tree population dynamics of the region, yet the knowledge of the geographic locations and shifting of tree populations is fragmentary. Pollen, stomata and plant macrofossil stratigraphies from Lake Kurjanovas in the poorly studied eastern Baltic region provide improved knowledge of ranges of north‐eastern European trees during the Lateglacial and subsequent plant population responses to the abrupt climatic changes of the Lateglacial/Holocene transition. The results prove the Lateglacial presence of tree populations (Betula, Pinus and Picea) in the eastern Baltic region. Particularly relevant is the stomatal and plant macrofossil evidence showing the local presence of reproductive Picea populations during the Younger Dryas stadial at 12 900–11 700 cal. a BP, occurring along with Dryas octopetala and arctic herbs, indicating semi‐open vegetation. The spread of Pinus–Betula forest at ca. 14 400 cal. a BP, the rise of Picea at ca. 12 800 cal. a BP and the re‐establishment of Pinus–Betula forest at ca. 11 700 cal. a BP within a span of centuries further suggest strikingly rapid, climate‐driven ecosystem changes rather than gradual plant succession on a newly deglaciated land. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

海相碳酸盐岩层系不整合量化研究及其意义——以四川盆地北部二叠系为例

本文以四川盆地北部二叠系为例,将层序地层分析和沉积盆地波动过程分析相结合,提出了运用沉积波动过程分析研究沉积记录不完整性的量化方法,该方法可以相对准确地定量描述盆地形成演化过程中的升降运动,恢复无地层"记录"中的沉积-剥蚀过程,进而定量分析盆地的沉积-剥蚀过程、计算沉积间断(不整合)内的地层剥蚀量、认识其时空分布规律.同时,通过实际钻井及"人工井"的波动过程分析,结合地震剖面解释成果,可以作出主要不整合的空间分布图、各层位的剥蚀厚度图和原始厚度图、各期构造的剥蚀量分布图等重要基础图件,为盆地进一步系统分析及盆地模拟打好基础,结合沉积相研究及构造样式分析还可分析盆地沉积中心、生油层、盖层、储层等在时空中的变化规律.由于沉积盆地的升降波动过程直接影响着盆地的埋藏史、热史和生、排烃史,因此通过沉积波动过程的系统分析不仅能正确建立盆地演化的地质模型,还可以正确认识油气形成与分布规律,有效指导油气勘探.     

History of crustal growth and recycling at the Pacific convergent margin of South America at latitudes 29°–36° S revealed by a U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotope study of detrital zircon from late Paleozoic accretionary systems

Detrital zircon provides a powerful archive of continental growth and recycling processes. We have tested this by a combined laser ablation ICP-MS U–Pb and Lu–Hf analysis of homogeneous growth domains in detrital zircon from late Paleozoic coastal accretionary systems in central Chile and the collisional Guarguaráz Complex in W Argentina. Because detritus from a large part of W Gondwana is present here, the data delineate the crustal evolution of southern South America at its Paleopacific margin, consistent with known data in the source regions.Zircon in the Guarguaráz Complex mainly displays an U–Pb age cluster at 0.93–1.46 Ga, similar to zircon in sediments of the adjacent allochthonous Cuyania Terrane. By contrast, zircon from the coastal accretionary systems shows a mixed provenance: Age clusters at 363–722 Ma are typical for zircon grown during the Braziliano, Pampean, Famatinian and post-Famatinian orogenic episodes east of Cuyania. An age spectrum at 1.00–1.39 Ga is interpreted as a mixture of zircon from Cuyania and several sources further east. Minor age clusters between 1.46 and 3.20 Ga suggest recycling of material from cratons within W Gondwana.The youngest age cluster (294–346 Ma) in the coastal accretionary prisms reflects a so far unknown local magmatic event, also represented by rhyolite and leucogranite pebbles. It sets time marks for the accretion history: Maximum depositional ages of most accreted metasediments are Middle to Upper Carboniferous. A change of the accretion mode occurred before 308 Ma, when also a concomitant retrowedge basin formed.Initial Hf-isotope compositions reveal at least three juvenile crust-forming periods in southern South America characterised by three major periods of juvenile magma production at 2.7–3.4 Ga, 1.9–2.3 Ga and 0.8–1.5 Ga. The ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf of Mesoproterozoic zircon from the coastal accretionary systems is consistent with extensive crustal recycling and addition of some juvenile, mantle-derived magma, while that of zircon from the Guarguaráz Complex has a largely juvenile crustal signature. Zircon with Pampean, Famatinian and Braziliano ages (< 660 Ma) originated from recycled crust of variable age, which is, however, mainly Mesoproterozoic. By contrast, the Carboniferous magmatic event shows less variable and more radiogenic ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf, pointing to a mean early Neoproterozoic crustal residence. This zircon is unlikely to have crystallized from melts of metasediments of the accretionary systems, but probably derived from a more juvenile crust in their backstop system.     

Heat capacity and phase equilibria of wadeite-type K2Si4O9

The low-temperature heat capacity (C _p) of Si-wadeite (K₂Si₄O₉) synthesized with a piston cylinder device was measured over the range of 5–303 K using the heat capacity option of a physical properties measurement system. The entropy of Si-wadeite at standard temperature and pressure calculated from the measured heat capacity data is 253.8 ± 0.6 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, which is considerably larger than some of the previous estimated values. The calculated phase transition boundaries in the system K₂O–Al₂O₃–SiO₂ are generally consistent with previous experimental results. Together with our calculated phase boundaries, seven multi-anvil experiments at 1,400 K and 6.0–7.7 GPa suggest that no equilibrium stability field of kalsilite + coesite intervenes between the stability field of sanidine and that of coesite + kyanite + Si-wadeite, in contrast to previous predictions. First-order approximations were undertaken to calculate the phase diagram in the system K₂Si₄O₉ at lower pressure and temperature. Large discrepancies were shown between the calculated diagram compared with previously published versions, suggesting that further experimental or/and calorimetric work is needed to better constrain the low-pressure phase relations of the K₂Si₄O₉ polymorphs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.