Comparison of marine gas hydrates in sediments of an active and passive continental margin

Two sites of the Deep Sea Drilling Project in contrasting geologic settings provide a basis for comparison of the geochemical conditions associated with marine gas hydrates in continental margin sediments. Site 533 is located at 3191 m water depth on a spit-like extension of the continental rise on a passive margin in the Atlantic Ocean. Site 568, at 2031 m water depth, is in upper slope sediment of an active accretionary margin in the Pacific Ocean. Both sites are characterized by high rates of sedimentation, and the organic carbon contents of these sediments generally exceed 0.5%. Anomalous seismic reflections that transgress sedimentary structures and parallel the seafloor, suggested the presence of gas hydrates at both sites, and, during coring, small samples of gas hydrate were recovered at subbottom depths of 238m (Site 533) and 404 m (Site 568). The principal gaseous components of the gas hydrates wer methane, ethane, and CO₂. Residual methane in sediments at both sites usually exceeded 10 mll^?1 of wet sediment. Carbon isotopic compositions of methane, CO₂, and ΣCO₂ followed parallel trends with depth, suggesting that methane formed mainly as a result of biological reduction of oxidized carbon. Salinity of pore waters decreased with depth, a likely result of gas hydrate formation. These geochemical characteristics define some of the conditions associated with the occurrence of gas hydrates formed by in situ processes in continental margin sediments.     

Slumping and shallow faulting related to the presence of salt on the Continental Slope and Rise off North Carolina

Seismic reflection profiles and long- and medium-range sidescan sonar were used to investigate a salt diapir complex and area of slope instability near the base of the Continental Slope off North Carolina. Within the area of investigation three diapirs are bounded on their upslope side by a scarp 60 m high and 50 km long. The slope above the scarp is characterized by a series of shallow rotational normal faults. The bottom below the scarp is furrowed by slide tracks, which were probably carved by large blocks that broke off the scarp face and slid downslope leaving rubble and scree lobes.Extensive slumping in this area appears to be a result of uplift and faulting associated with salt intrusion, which has fractured and oversteepened the slope leading to instability and failure. Sharply defined slide tracks suggest that slope failure above the breached diapir complex is a continuing process, in contrast to much of the surrounding slope area where few instability features were observed.     

台湾以东海区磁异常及磁条带研究

资料显示,在整个台湾以东海区内磁异常几乎全为负磁异常,磁异常分块现象明显。通过对本海区的磁力资料进行分析和研究,表明本海区的地磁异常表现为明显的条带状异常特征。由于受板块差异性运动的影响,以加瓜海脊为界,东西两侧具有不同的磁条带方向,在加瓜海脊以东,磁条带为NW-SE向(120°),而在加瓜海脊以西则为近东西向(80°)。加瓜脊以西地区的扩张时间为45～38Ma,相当于19～16号磁条带;而加瓜脊以东地区的扩张时间为40～35Ma,相当于17～13号磁条带。加瓜脊以西的磁条带相对于以东的磁条带要老,由此推断出加瓜脊以西相对于东侧发生了北向位移。     

Magnetic anomalies in the canary basin and the Mesozoic evolution of the central North Atlantic

The data from a recent magnetic compilation by Verhoefet al. (1991) off west Africa were used in combination with data in the western Atlantic to review the Mesozoic plate kinematic evolution of the central North Atlantic. The magnetic profile data were analyzed to identify the M-series sea floor spreading anomalies on the African plate. Oceanic fracture zones were identified from magnetic anomalies and seismic and gravity measurements. The identified sea floor spreading anomalies on the African plate were combined with those on the North American plate to calculate reconstruction poles for this part of the central Atlantic. The total separation poles derived in this paper describe a smooth curve, suggesting that the motion of the pole through time was continuous. Although the new sea floor spreading history differs only slightly from the one presented by Klitgord and Schouten (1986), it predicts smoother flowlines. On the other hand, the sea floor spreading history as depicted by the flowlines for the eastern central Atlantic deviates substantially from that of Sundvik and Larson (1988). A revised spreading history is also presented for the Cretaceous Magnetic Quiet Zone, where large changes in spreading direction occurred, that can not be resolved when fitting magnetic isochrons only, but which are evident from fracture zone traces and directions of sea floor spreading topography.Deceased 11 November 1991     

Geodynamic significance of granitoid magmatism in the southeast Anatolian orogen: geochemical and geochronogical evidence from Göksun–Afşin (Kahramanmaraş, Turkey) region

In southeast Anatolia, there are number of tectonomagmatic units in the Kahramanmaraş–Malatya–Elazığ region that are important in understanding the geological evolution of the southeast Anatolian orogenic belt during the Late Cretaceous. These are (a) metamorphic massifs, (b) ophiolites, (c) ophiolite-related metamorphics and (d) granitoids. The granitoids (i.e. Göksun–Afşin in Kahramanmaraş, Doğanşehir in Malatya and Baskil in Elazığ) intrude all the former units in a NE–SW trending direction. The granitoid in Göksun–Afşin (Kahramanmaraş) region is mainly composed of granodioritic and granitic in composition. The granodiorite contains a number of amphibole-bearing mafic microgranular enclaves of different sizes, whereas the granite is intruded by numerous aplitic dikes. The granitoid rocks have typical calcalkaline geochemical features. The REE- and Ocean ridge granite-normalized multi-element patterns and tectonomagmatic discrimination diagrams, as well as biotite geochemistry suggest that the granitoids were formed in a volcanic arc setting. The K–Ar geochronology of the granitoid rocks yielded ages ranging from 85.76±3.17 to 77.49±1.91 Ma. The field, geochemical and geochronological data suggest the following Late Cretaceous tectonomagmatic scenario for southeast Anatolia. The ophiolites were formed in a suprasubduction zone tectonic setting whereas the ophiolite-related metamorphic rocks formed either during the initiation of intraoceanic subduction or late-thrusting (∼90 Ma). These units were then overthrust by the Malatya–Keban platform during the progressive elimination of the southern Neotethys. Thrusting of the Malatya–Keban platform over the ophiolites and related metamorphic rocks was followed by the intrusion of the granitoids (88–85 Ma) along the Tauride active continental margin in the southern Neotethys.     

Mantle flow patterns at the Neyriz Paleo-spreading center, Iran

The mantle peridotites of Neyriz record two successive episodes of plastic deformations; the first one related to the igneous accretion of the lithosphere and the second one developed during the first stage of the emplacement of the peridotites. These two events have been distinguished on the basis of microstructural criteria. The diapiric pattern, particularly relevant to the mantle process beneath spreading ridges, features vertical flow lines and elliptic flow plane trajectories in a pipe and extends along the ridge axis about 5 km. These structures rotate to horizontal and diverge in every direction in a narrow transition zone, a few hundred meters thick, below the Moho discontinuity. Such a diapiric pattern has been recognized in a few places along the Neyriz paleo-ridge. A large amount of magma passed through these mantle diapirs that were probably the main zones feeding the overlying magma chamber. The most common pattern features very regular structures over several kilometers along the strike of the paleo-ridge: the flow plane dips away from the ridge axis, and the flow line is parallel to the spreading direction. This flow pattern is frozen during the gradual accretion of the lithospheric mantle away from the ridge in a steady-state spreading regime. A shear-sense inversion at just below the Moho is commonly observed, pointing to forced asthenospheric flow. The reconstructed orientation of the Neyriz paleo-spreading center is 105°, compatible with the geometry and orientation of harzburgite foliations and lineations and sheeted dikes.     

华北地台北缘西段铜多金属矿床的热水沉积成因

早元古代后狼山成矿区和于陆缘拉张拗陷阶段，一直延续至晚元古代末期。狼山群食矿岩系中存在的限层变基性火山岩，热水沉积岩和条纹条带状构造，胶状构造均显示狼山成矿区在１８００－９５０Ｍａ期间处于高地热异常的被动大陆边缘。     

混合岩中斜长石的交代净边结构和倒转双晶研究——以大别罗田黄土岭长英片麻岩为例

湖北罗田黄土岭长英片麻岩是与紫苏石榴黑云片麻岩共生的浅色片麻岩，成分上近于Ａ型花岗岩．受到浅混合岩化，钾交代现象显著．在斜长石与钾长石新成体接触处有清楚的交代净边结构，背散射电子探针分析表明，净边成分为钠长石（Ａｂ８９～９７）．在净边结构上，发现叠加倒转双晶．净边结构产生于长英片麻岩部分熔融的高温条件下，与整个大别地体隆升过程和Ａ型花岗岩的生成有成因联系     

构造层次与大陆壳动力学机制转变关系

针对构造层次研究现状和存在的问题，把大陆壳划分为深部，中部，浅部和浅－表部四个构造层次。依据各自所处特定的构造位置、组成构造岩类型、形成的制约因素和地质时代等方面的区别，各构造层次分别是壳－幔间滑动，大陆张裂、隆－滑构造和变质核杂岩构造等多种大陆壳动力学机制转变过程中的产物。构造层次与大陆壳动力学机制转变关系的确定，更有利于古老板构造连续性、整体性的研究以及多期、多层次、多旋回大陆地壳演化模式的建     

柴达木盆地北缘"沙柳河岩群"的重新启用

柴北缘变质基底岩系中的表壳岩包含了岩石组合、沉积建造、变质程度和地质时代不同的两套岩石组合。其中，分布在柴达木地块的沙柳河、鱼卡河等地的以大理岩、石英岩和含石榴石英片岩为主含榴辉岩透镜体的表壳岩系，时代限定在1．0～1．3Ga，与分布在欧龙布鲁克微陆块的全吉山、德令哈等地形成时代大约2.3～2.4Ga的达肯大坂岩群有着明显的不同，后者以斜长角闪岩、石榴石英片岩和黑云变粒岩为主，并具有较强的钾质混合岩化。由于前者岩石组合清楚，沉积建造特征明显，构造意义独特，且有一定的区域分布性和可比性，所以具备建立新的岩群的条件。根据定名优先的原则，决定重新启用沙柳河岩群。