Cretaceous opposite rotations of North China Block and southern Sikhote Alin, northeast China/Russia: Relation to rifting in the petroliferous Songliao Basin

Abstract

Paleomagnetic data from northeast Asia confirm that the Korea/North China and southern Sikhote Alin blocks rotated in opposite directions from the Berriasian to the Campanian (145–72 Ma). The Songliao Basin evolved between these rotated blocks with synrift sequences dating from the Tithonian or the Berriasian/Hauterivian. Geologic maps and tomographic images demonstrate a curvilinear subduction zone with associated accretionary wedge/magmatic arc stretched from Sikhote Alin, to Japan and southeast Korea near the Cretaceous Tertiary boundary. Arc-related volcanism migrated over 1000 km southeastwards across northeast Asia to the Japan Sea and Sikhote Alin coast from ∼ 140 – 70 Ma. This suggests that opposite microplate rotations resulted from Pacificward retreat of a curved subduction zone from Early to Late Cretaceous. Toroidal or radial flows in the mantle wedge exerting basal drag on the over-riding microplates is a likely driving mechanism. Anisotropic tomography suggesting fossil curved mantle flows which match the forces required to produce opposite rotations and the distribution of crustal thickness and Vp/vs ratios under the Songliao Basin support this mechanism. A major petroliferous basin in China may therefore be the result of double saloon door tectonics occurring during the Cretaceous behind a contemporaneous continental arc.