Xiaoxia Wang, Tao Wang, C. Ke, Yang Yang, Yongfei Tian
The Qinling orogen, one of the most important orogens in Asia, belongs to the northeastern part of the Tethyan orogen. The architecture and processes of the Qinling orogen remain controversial. In this study, we present 15 new zircon U–Pb ages, 20 whole-rock geochemical and 46 Sm-Nd isotopic analyses, and 30 zircon Lu–Hf isotopic data for early Mesozoic granitoids in this orogen, combining with data from literature, to delineate the crustal architecture and processes of the orogen. A total of 181 zircon U–Pb ages show three phase (252–230, 230–198, and 190–185 Ma) of granitoids. The first-phase granitoids occur mainly in the westernmost segment of the orogen and formed in a subduction setting during the closure of the Mianlue Ocean (a northern branch of the Paleo-Tethyan Ocean). The second- and third-phase granitoids, distributed in the middle to eastern parts of the Qinling orogen, were generated in late syn-collisional and post-collisional tectonic settings, respectively. Whole-rock Nd and zircon Hf isotopic mapping of these granitoids yield six and seven isotopic provinces, respectively. These provinces display that the southern margin of the North China Block and the northern margin of the South China Block are dominated by ancient deep crust, that is, early Paleoproterozoic (2.3–1.8 Ga) and late Paleoproterozoic (∼1.7 Ga) components, respectively. By way of camparison, the North Qinling contains younger Mesoproterozoic [εNd(t) = −10.7 to −0.2; TDM = 1.4–1.0 Ga] basement, evidencing that it is an independent terrane different from the North China Block. The isotopic mapping also reveals a deep-seated NNE–SSW-trending zoned architecture that is approximately perpendicular to the WNW–ENE-trending of the orogen. This provides new evidence for the “Spaghetti Junction model” for the Qinling orogen. The old Nd (2.2–1.0 Ga, mostly 2.0–1.2 Ga) and Hf (2.3–0.8 Ga, mostly 2.0–1.2 Ga) model ages indicate that the continental growth in this orogen occurred mainly during the Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic, with only minor amounts of juvenile [εNd(t) = ∼0, TDM = ∼0.1 Ga] continental growth along the Shangdan and Mianlue sutures. These characteristics suggest that the Qinling orogen is dominantly formed by the collision of ancient continental blocks, distinct from some typical accretionary orogens, such as the Central Asian Orogenic Belt with voluminous juvenile crust.
{"title":"Timing and Nd-Hf isotopic mapping of early Mesozoic granitoids in the Qinling Orogen, central China: Implication for architecture, nature and processes of the orogen","authors":"Xiaoxia Wang, Tao Wang, C. Ke, Yang Yang, Yongfei Tian","doi":"10.2475/01.2021.03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2475/01.2021.03","url":null,"abstract":"The Qinling orogen, one of the most important orogens in Asia, belongs to the northeastern part of the Tethyan orogen. The architecture and processes of the Qinling orogen remain controversial. In this study, we present 15 new zircon U–Pb ages, 20 whole-rock geochemical and 46 Sm-Nd isotopic analyses, and 30 zircon Lu–Hf isotopic data for early Mesozoic granitoids in this orogen, combining with data from literature, to delineate the crustal architecture and processes of the orogen. A total of 181 zircon U–Pb ages show three phase (252–230, 230–198, and 190–185 Ma) of granitoids. The first-phase granitoids occur mainly in the westernmost segment of the orogen and formed in a subduction setting during the closure of the Mianlue Ocean (a northern branch of the Paleo-Tethyan Ocean). The second- and third-phase granitoids, distributed in the middle to eastern parts of the Qinling orogen, were generated in late syn-collisional and post-collisional tectonic settings, respectively. Whole-rock Nd and zircon Hf isotopic mapping of these granitoids yield six and seven isotopic provinces, respectively. These provinces display that the southern margin of the North China Block and the northern margin of the South China Block are dominated by ancient deep crust, that is, early Paleoproterozoic (2.3–1.8 Ga) and late Paleoproterozoic (∼1.7 Ga) components, respectively. By way of camparison, the North Qinling contains younger Mesoproterozoic [εNd(t) = −10.7 to −0.2; TDM = 1.4–1.0 Ga] basement, evidencing that it is an independent terrane different from the North China Block. The isotopic mapping also reveals a deep-seated NNE–SSW-trending zoned architecture that is approximately perpendicular to the WNW–ENE-trending of the orogen. This provides new evidence for the “Spaghetti Junction model” for the Qinling orogen. The old Nd (2.2–1.0 Ga, mostly 2.0–1.2 Ga) and Hf (2.3–0.8 Ga, mostly 2.0–1.2 Ga) model ages indicate that the continental growth in this orogen occurred mainly during the Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic, with only minor amounts of juvenile [εNd(t) = ∼0, TDM = ∼0.1 Ga] continental growth along the Shangdan and Mianlue sutures. These characteristics suggest that the Qinling orogen is dominantly formed by the collision of ancient continental blocks, distinct from some typical accretionary orogens, such as the Central Asian Orogenic Belt with voluminous juvenile crust.","PeriodicalId":7660,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69322090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Wilde, Shoujie Liu, Y. Rojas‐Agramonte, Guochun Zhao
{"title":"This Issue Is Dedicated To The Memory Of Distinguished Scientist Alfred Kroner Who Sadly Passed Away On 22 May 2019","authors":"S. Wilde, Shoujie Liu, Y. Rojas‐Agramonte, Guochun Zhao","doi":"10.2475/01.2021.08","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2475/01.2021.08","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7660,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69322232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Epupa Complex of northern Namibia constitutes the south-western margin of the Archean Congo Craton of central Africa. We present new petrological and geochronological data for metasedimentary migmatites that decode the poorly-known Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic evolution of this remote part of the craton. Detrital magmatic zircons with concordant 207Pb/206Pb ages between 1898 and 1774 Ma are interpreted to demonstrate the formation of the metasedimentary protoliths through reworking of Paleoproterozoic granitoids of a magmatic arc in a back-arc basin. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon analyses of metamorphic rims around the detrital grains linked with constraints from pseudosection modelling revealed three distinct high-grade metamorphic events in the migmatites. Late Paleoproterozoic regional HT-LP metamorphism between 1740 and 1720 Ma constitutes the oldest event and only affected the rocks of the northernmost part of the Epupa Complex (Eyao Unit). Heating to mid-amphibolite facies peak P-T conditions of 720 °C and 4 kbar caused the partial replacement of early biotite-sillimanite by garnet-cordierite assemblages during melt-producing reactions in metapelites. The near-isobaric heating-cooling P-T paths and the high geothermal gradient (60 °C/km) are consistent with HP-LP metamorphism in a back-arc basin setting with up-rising basic melt as heat source. Early Mesoproterozoic (1530 Ma) HT-LP metamorphism is recorded by rare Mg-rich Opx-Crd rocks that are restricted to the westernmost part of the Eyao Unit. Near-isobaric P-T paths culminate at granulite facies peak-conditions of 830 °C and 2 kbar. This local HP-LP event is interpreted to record contact metamorphism related to the coeval emplacement of early-Mesoproterozoic granitoids or the emplacement of intimately associated gabbros. Metapelitic Grt-Bt-Sil migmatites record the third high-grade metamorphic event that was active at ca. 1330 Ma and is restricted to the southern part of the Epupa Complex (Orue Unit). Sillimanite pseudomorphs after kyanite and late cordierite coronas around garnet indicate a clockwise P-T path during regional upper-amphibolite facies metamorphism that peaks at lower crustal conditions of 770 °C and 7.5 kbar. The clockwise P-T path is interpreted to reflect crustal thickening through magmatic accretion of basic melts that produced the coeval Kunene Intrusive Complex, the largest massif-type anorthosite in the world. The metamorphic events detected in the migmatites record a change of the geotectonic position of the Epupa Complex from a convergent continental margin during the late Paleoproterozoic to an intracratonic position in the Mesoproterozoic. The migmatites of the Eyao Unit were affected by an intense hydrothermal alteration during the Pan-African orogeny (ca. 520 Ma) that also caused the partial re-setting of the U-Pb zircon isotope system.
{"title":"Unravelling the P-T-t history of three high-grade metamorphic events in the Epupa Complex, NW Namibia: Implications for the Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic evolution of the Congo Craton","authors":"S. Brandt, R. Klemd, H. Xie, Patrick Bobek","doi":"10.2475/01.2021.07","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2475/01.2021.07","url":null,"abstract":"The Epupa Complex of northern Namibia constitutes the south-western margin of the Archean Congo Craton of central Africa. We present new petrological and geochronological data for metasedimentary migmatites that decode the poorly-known Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic evolution of this remote part of the craton. Detrital magmatic zircons with concordant 207Pb/206Pb ages between 1898 and 1774 Ma are interpreted to demonstrate the formation of the metasedimentary protoliths through reworking of Paleoproterozoic granitoids of a magmatic arc in a back-arc basin. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon analyses of metamorphic rims around the detrital grains linked with constraints from pseudosection modelling revealed three distinct high-grade metamorphic events in the migmatites. Late Paleoproterozoic regional HT-LP metamorphism between 1740 and 1720 Ma constitutes the oldest event and only affected the rocks of the northernmost part of the Epupa Complex (Eyao Unit). Heating to mid-amphibolite facies peak P-T conditions of 720 °C and 4 kbar caused the partial replacement of early biotite-sillimanite by garnet-cordierite assemblages during melt-producing reactions in metapelites. The near-isobaric heating-cooling P-T paths and the high geothermal gradient (60 °C/km) are consistent with HP-LP metamorphism in a back-arc basin setting with up-rising basic melt as heat source. Early Mesoproterozoic (1530 Ma) HT-LP metamorphism is recorded by rare Mg-rich Opx-Crd rocks that are restricted to the westernmost part of the Eyao Unit. Near-isobaric P-T paths culminate at granulite facies peak-conditions of 830 °C and 2 kbar. This local HP-LP event is interpreted to record contact metamorphism related to the coeval emplacement of early-Mesoproterozoic granitoids or the emplacement of intimately associated gabbros. Metapelitic Grt-Bt-Sil migmatites record the third high-grade metamorphic event that was active at ca. 1330 Ma and is restricted to the southern part of the Epupa Complex (Orue Unit). Sillimanite pseudomorphs after kyanite and late cordierite coronas around garnet indicate a clockwise P-T path during regional upper-amphibolite facies metamorphism that peaks at lower crustal conditions of 770 °C and 7.5 kbar. The clockwise P-T path is interpreted to reflect crustal thickening through magmatic accretion of basic melts that produced the coeval Kunene Intrusive Complex, the largest massif-type anorthosite in the world. The metamorphic events detected in the migmatites record a change of the geotectonic position of the Epupa Complex from a convergent continental margin during the late Paleoproterozoic to an intracratonic position in the Mesoproterozoic. The migmatites of the Eyao Unit were affected by an intense hydrothermal alteration during the Pan-African orogeny (ca. 520 Ma) that also caused the partial re-setting of the U-Pb zircon isotope system.","PeriodicalId":7660,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69322225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Xar Moron River fault zone, located in the eastern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), represents the intensely debated final collision zone of the Siberian Craton (SC) and North China Craton (NCC). To determine the tectonic evolution of the eastern segment of the CAOB, we undertook petrography and zircon U-Pb dating of the Huanggangliang and Linxi formations in the Wufendi and Xingfuzhilu areas along the Xar Moron River. Petrographic analysis of Permian sandstones revealed a close relationship between the sedimentary and orogenic sources suggesting short transport distances. A sample from the Huanggangliang Formation yielded detrital zircon U-Pb ages ranging from 2653 Ma to 265 Ma, with three age populations: at 2653 to 2443 Ma, 1935 to 1764 Ma, and 482 to 265 Ma, whereas samples from the Linxi Formation yielded detrital zircon U-Pb ages ranging from 3363 Ma to 257 Ma, with four age populations: at 2705 to 2403 Ma, 2011 to 1203 Ma, 571 to 375 Ma, and 356 to 257 Ma. The age spectrum differences of sandstones on both banks indicate that the Xar Moron River fault zone is the final collision zone of the eastern segment of the CAOB. The sandstone of Huanggangliang Formation yielded a weighted mean age of 265.7 ± 1.5 Ma, suggesting that the main deposition of the Huanggangliang Formation was during the Middle Permian. In addition, a comparison of the youngest age in the sedimentary rocks with U-Pb ages obtained for pyroclastic rock implies that the Linxi Formation formed in the late Permian. The results of our study support the view that the final closure of the eastern segment of Paleo-Asian Ocean (PAO) occurred during late Permian to earliest Triassic times.
{"title":"SHRIMP U-Pb dating of detrital zircons from the Permian sandstones along the southern and northern margins of Xar Moron River, central inner Mogolia: Implications for provenance and the tectonic evolution of the eastern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt","authors":"Xiancang Wu, Yuruo Shi, J. Anderson","doi":"10.2475/01.2021.04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2475/01.2021.04","url":null,"abstract":"The Xar Moron River fault zone, located in the eastern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), represents the intensely debated final collision zone of the Siberian Craton (SC) and North China Craton (NCC). To determine the tectonic evolution of the eastern segment of the CAOB, we undertook petrography and zircon U-Pb dating of the Huanggangliang and Linxi formations in the Wufendi and Xingfuzhilu areas along the Xar Moron River. Petrographic analysis of Permian sandstones revealed a close relationship between the sedimentary and orogenic sources suggesting short transport distances. A sample from the Huanggangliang Formation yielded detrital zircon U-Pb ages ranging from 2653 Ma to 265 Ma, with three age populations: at 2653 to 2443 Ma, 1935 to 1764 Ma, and 482 to 265 Ma, whereas samples from the Linxi Formation yielded detrital zircon U-Pb ages ranging from 3363 Ma to 257 Ma, with four age populations: at 2705 to 2403 Ma, 2011 to 1203 Ma, 571 to 375 Ma, and 356 to 257 Ma. The age spectrum differences of sandstones on both banks indicate that the Xar Moron River fault zone is the final collision zone of the eastern segment of the CAOB. The sandstone of Huanggangliang Formation yielded a weighted mean age of 265.7 ± 1.5 Ma, suggesting that the main deposition of the Huanggangliang Formation was during the Middle Permian. In addition, a comparison of the youngest age in the sedimentary rocks with U-Pb ages obtained for pyroclastic rock implies that the Linxi Formation formed in the late Permian. The results of our study support the view that the final closure of the eastern segment of Paleo-Asian Ocean (PAO) occurred during late Permian to earliest Triassic times.","PeriodicalId":7660,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69322139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pengfei Li, M. Sun, C. Yuan, F. Jourdan, Wan-Long Hu, Yingde Jiang
The evolution of the largest accretionary orogen in the world, the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), involved a prolonged accretion history since the Neoproterozoic, followed by a collisional phase in response to the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean in the latest Paleozoic. The exact process for the tectonic transition from subduction to collision is still poorly constrained. Here we address this issue by investigating the late Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Chinese Altai and Tianshan orogens in the western CAOB. We provide new geochronological data from two areas of the Chinese Altai and Tianshan orogens, which allow us to link polyphase deformation with orogenic processes. In the Fuyun area of the Chinese Altai Orogen, we conducted monazite U-Pb dating on four samples that show pervasive foliations with the originally sub-horizontal orientation (DS2/DQ2). The monazite U-Pb ages cluster at ∼284 to 281 Ma, which interpreted to represent the time of sub-horizontal foliations (DS2/DQ2) that may result from orogen-parallel extension related to the collision of the Chinese Altai Orogen with the East Junggar Terrane. Farther south, in the Gangou area of the Chinese Tianshan Orogen, we obtained a muscovite 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 256.6 ± 0.6 Ma for a mica schist from the dextral South Central Tianshan Shear Zone. This age confirms the Permian activity of dextral strike-slip deformation (DCT4) in the Chinese Tianshan Orogen. In contrast, three mylonitic schist/granitoid samples from the dextral Main Tianshan Shear Zone are characterized by 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of 353.9 ± 1.9 Ma (biotite), 353.9 ± 1.5 Ma (biotite) and 352.1 ± 0.7 Ma (muscovite). We interpret these early Carboniferous ages to either represent a pre-Permian dextral shearing event, or to record an early Carboniferous tectono-thermal event with recrystallized micas not reset during the Permian strike-slip deformation (DCT4). An additional 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 280.9 ± 0.5 Ma (hornblende) from a mafic dike (dolerite) that crosscuts macroscopic folds (DST2) in the southern Chinese Tianshan Orogen, provides a minimum time constraint for these folds. This age supports the simultaneous folding deformation (DST2) with dextral shearing (DCT4) in the Chinese Tianshan Orogen. Combined with a comprehensive synthesis of available geological and geochronological data, we argue that orogen-parallel extension and transpressional tectonics might have played a significant role in the late Paleozoic arc/continental amalgamation of the western CAOB.
{"title":"Late Paleozoic tectonic transition from subduction to collision in the Chinese Altai and Tianshan (Central Asia): New geochronological constraints","authors":"Pengfei Li, M. Sun, C. Yuan, F. Jourdan, Wan-Long Hu, Yingde Jiang","doi":"10.2475/01.2021.05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2475/01.2021.05","url":null,"abstract":"The evolution of the largest accretionary orogen in the world, the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), involved a prolonged accretion history since the Neoproterozoic, followed by a collisional phase in response to the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean in the latest Paleozoic. The exact process for the tectonic transition from subduction to collision is still poorly constrained. Here we address this issue by investigating the late Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Chinese Altai and Tianshan orogens in the western CAOB. We provide new geochronological data from two areas of the Chinese Altai and Tianshan orogens, which allow us to link polyphase deformation with orogenic processes. In the Fuyun area of the Chinese Altai Orogen, we conducted monazite U-Pb dating on four samples that show pervasive foliations with the originally sub-horizontal orientation (DS2/DQ2). The monazite U-Pb ages cluster at ∼284 to 281 Ma, which interpreted to represent the time of sub-horizontal foliations (DS2/DQ2) that may result from orogen-parallel extension related to the collision of the Chinese Altai Orogen with the East Junggar Terrane. Farther south, in the Gangou area of the Chinese Tianshan Orogen, we obtained a muscovite 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 256.6 ± 0.6 Ma for a mica schist from the dextral South Central Tianshan Shear Zone. This age confirms the Permian activity of dextral strike-slip deformation (DCT4) in the Chinese Tianshan Orogen. In contrast, three mylonitic schist/granitoid samples from the dextral Main Tianshan Shear Zone are characterized by 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of 353.9 ± 1.9 Ma (biotite), 353.9 ± 1.5 Ma (biotite) and 352.1 ± 0.7 Ma (muscovite). We interpret these early Carboniferous ages to either represent a pre-Permian dextral shearing event, or to record an early Carboniferous tectono-thermal event with recrystallized micas not reset during the Permian strike-slip deformation (DCT4). An additional 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 280.9 ± 0.5 Ma (hornblende) from a mafic dike (dolerite) that crosscuts macroscopic folds (DST2) in the southern Chinese Tianshan Orogen, provides a minimum time constraint for these folds. This age supports the simultaneous folding deformation (DST2) with dextral shearing (DCT4) in the Chinese Tianshan Orogen. Combined with a comprehensive synthesis of available geological and geochronological data, we argue that orogen-parallel extension and transpressional tectonics might have played a significant role in the late Paleozoic arc/continental amalgamation of the western CAOB.","PeriodicalId":7660,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69322155","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Zhai, Lei Zhao, Xiyan Zhu, Yanyan Zhou, P. Peng, Jing-hui Guo, Qiu-li Li, T. Zhao, Junsheng Lu, Xianhua Li
The ca. 2.5 Ga as the time boundary between the Archean and the Proterozoic eons is a landmark, indicating the most important continental crust evolving stage of the Earth, that is, the global cratonization or the formation of supercraton(s) that was unseen before and is unrepeated in the following history of the Earth's formation and evolution. The North China Craton (NCC) is one of the best recorders of the ca. 2.5 Ga event, and therefore studies in the thorough understanding of early Precambrian continental evolution are continuous. The period from 2.8 to 2.6 Ga is the major crustal growth period of the NCC and formed seven micro-blocks. All the micro-blocks in the NCC were surrounded by 2.6 to 2.54 Ga greenstone belts. The clear geological presentations are as follows: (1) Archaic basement rocks in North China (various micro-blocks) experienced strong partial melting and migmatization. The granitoid rocks derived from crustal partial melting include potassium, TTG and monzonitic granitoids, which come, respectively, from continental crust (sedimentary rocks with TTG gneisses), juvenile crust (mafic rocks with TTG gneisses) or mixed crust; (2) the BIF-bearing supracrustal rocks are mainly distribute in greenstone belts. The lithologic associations in the greenstone belts within the NCC are broadly similar, belonging to volcano-sedimentary sequences, with common bimodal volcanic rocks (basalt and dacite) interlayered with minor amounts of komatiites in the lower part, and calc-alkalic volcanic rocks (basalt, andesite and felsic rocks) in the upper part; (3) nearly all old rocks of >2.5 Ga underwent ∼2.52 to 2.5 Ga metamorphism of amphibolite–granulite facies. Most metamorphosed rocks show high-temperature-ultra-high-temperature (HT–UHT) characteristics and record anticlockwise P–T paths, albeit a small number of granulites seemingly underwent high-pressure granulite facies metamorphism and record clockwise P–T paths; (4) ∼2.5 Ga mafic dikes (amphibolites), granitic dikes (veins) and syenitic–ultramafic dikes developed across these archaic basements and were strongly deformed or un-deformed; (5) the extensive 2.52 to 2.48 Ga low-grade metamorphic supracrustal covers has been recognized in eastern, northern and central parts of the NCC, which are commonly composed of bi-modal volcanic rocks and sedimentary rocks. The above mentioned ∼2.5 Ga geological rocks and their characters imply that the seven micro-blocks have been united through amalgamation to form the NCC. The metamorphosed late Neoarchean greenstone belts, as syn-formed mobile belts, welded the micro-blocks at the end of the Neoarchean. However, the metamorphic thermal grades of the greenstone belts are lower than those of the high-grade terranes within the micro-blocks, suggesting that the latter might have developed under a higher geothermal gradient than the former. Besides, the greenstone belts surround the various micro-blocks in the late Neoarchean when both the old continental cr
{"title":"Late Neoarchean magmatic – metamorphic event and crustal stabilization in the North China Craton","authors":"M. Zhai, Lei Zhao, Xiyan Zhu, Yanyan Zhou, P. Peng, Jing-hui Guo, Qiu-li Li, T. Zhao, Junsheng Lu, Xianhua Li","doi":"10.2475/01.2021.06","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2475/01.2021.06","url":null,"abstract":"The ca. 2.5 Ga as the time boundary between the Archean and the Proterozoic eons is a landmark, indicating the most important continental crust evolving stage of the Earth, that is, the global cratonization or the formation of supercraton(s) that was unseen before and is unrepeated in the following history of the Earth's formation and evolution. The North China Craton (NCC) is one of the best recorders of the ca. 2.5 Ga event, and therefore studies in the thorough understanding of early Precambrian continental evolution are continuous. The period from 2.8 to 2.6 Ga is the major crustal growth period of the NCC and formed seven micro-blocks. All the micro-blocks in the NCC were surrounded by 2.6 to 2.54 Ga greenstone belts. The clear geological presentations are as follows: (1) Archaic basement rocks in North China (various micro-blocks) experienced strong partial melting and migmatization. The granitoid rocks derived from crustal partial melting include potassium, TTG and monzonitic granitoids, which come, respectively, from continental crust (sedimentary rocks with TTG gneisses), juvenile crust (mafic rocks with TTG gneisses) or mixed crust; (2) the BIF-bearing supracrustal rocks are mainly distribute in greenstone belts. The lithologic associations in the greenstone belts within the NCC are broadly similar, belonging to volcano-sedimentary sequences, with common bimodal volcanic rocks (basalt and dacite) interlayered with minor amounts of komatiites in the lower part, and calc-alkalic volcanic rocks (basalt, andesite and felsic rocks) in the upper part; (3) nearly all old rocks of >2.5 Ga underwent ∼2.52 to 2.5 Ga metamorphism of amphibolite–granulite facies. Most metamorphosed rocks show high-temperature-ultra-high-temperature (HT–UHT) characteristics and record anticlockwise P–T paths, albeit a small number of granulites seemingly underwent high-pressure granulite facies metamorphism and record clockwise P–T paths; (4) ∼2.5 Ga mafic dikes (amphibolites), granitic dikes (veins) and syenitic–ultramafic dikes developed across these archaic basements and were strongly deformed or un-deformed; (5) the extensive 2.52 to 2.48 Ga low-grade metamorphic supracrustal covers has been recognized in eastern, northern and central parts of the NCC, which are commonly composed of bi-modal volcanic rocks and sedimentary rocks. The above mentioned ∼2.5 Ga geological rocks and their characters imply that the seven micro-blocks have been united through amalgamation to form the NCC. The metamorphosed late Neoarchean greenstone belts, as syn-formed mobile belts, welded the micro-blocks at the end of the Neoarchean. However, the metamorphic thermal grades of the greenstone belts are lower than those of the high-grade terranes within the micro-blocks, suggesting that the latter might have developed under a higher geothermal gradient than the former. Besides, the greenstone belts surround the various micro-blocks in the late Neoarchean when both the old continental cr","PeriodicalId":7660,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69322170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Evolution of the Indian Block can be traced through Earth's Phanerozoic and Precambrian supercontinent cycles. The Paleoproterozoic tectonostratigraphic record of the North Indian Block and the Aravalli Delhi Fold Belt in the Nuna supercontinent assembly shows a close link with the events in the Cathaysia Block of South China. Accretion of the two terranes is documented by 1.97 to 1.92 Ga continental arc igneous rocks and 1.91 to 1.81 Ga syn- and post-collisional magmatism in the Lesser Himalaya, along with 1.88 to 1.86 Ga granulite metamorphism in both continental blocks. The connection between the North Indian Block and the Cathaysia Block continued through Nuna dispersal and was followed by the accretion of a series of terranes/microcontinents along the western margin of this united North India-Cathaysia Block during Rodinia assembly (ca. 1.0 Ga). This is recorded by accretion of the Marwar Block to the North Indian Block and Yangtze Block to the Cathaysia Block. Long-lived active continental margins continued along Marwar (NW India), Yangtze, Madagascar and the Seychelles until ca. 720 Ma that jointly occupied a peripheral or even independent paleoposition in the Rodinia reconstructions. The eastern margin of India sutured with the Western Australia-Mawson blocks along the Kunnga Orogen during the final assembly of Gondwana in the early Paleozoic, whereas microcontinental blocks including south Qiangtang and north Lhasa, were accreted to the northern margin of Gondwana in the vicinity of India. The collision of this ensemble of blocks with Africa (western Gondwana) is marked by the East African Orogen/Mozambique Belt, extending through central east Africa, Madagascar, South India and Antarctica. However, further north, India was separated from the Arabian-Nubian Shield by an embayment of the proto-Tethys that remained integral until the breakup of Gondwana. The accretion of Laurussia to Gondwana in the mid-Paleozoic during the assembly of Pangea corresponds with lithospheric extension along the northern margin of India (Gondwana) and separation of several continental blocks including South China, south Qiangtang, and north Lhasa, which then drifted northward across the Paleo-Tethys to collide with the Asian segment of Pangea in the Permo-Triassic.
{"title":"India in the Nuna to Gondwana supercontinent cycles: Clues from the north Indian and Marwar Blocks","authors":"W. Wang, Peter A. Cawood, M. Pandit","doi":"10.2475/01.2021.02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2475/01.2021.02","url":null,"abstract":"Evolution of the Indian Block can be traced through Earth's Phanerozoic and Precambrian supercontinent cycles. The Paleoproterozoic tectonostratigraphic record of the North Indian Block and the Aravalli Delhi Fold Belt in the Nuna supercontinent assembly shows a close link with the events in the Cathaysia Block of South China. Accretion of the two terranes is documented by 1.97 to 1.92 Ga continental arc igneous rocks and 1.91 to 1.81 Ga syn- and post-collisional magmatism in the Lesser Himalaya, along with 1.88 to 1.86 Ga granulite metamorphism in both continental blocks. The connection between the North Indian Block and the Cathaysia Block continued through Nuna dispersal and was followed by the accretion of a series of terranes/microcontinents along the western margin of this united North India-Cathaysia Block during Rodinia assembly (ca. 1.0 Ga). This is recorded by accretion of the Marwar Block to the North Indian Block and Yangtze Block to the Cathaysia Block. Long-lived active continental margins continued along Marwar (NW India), Yangtze, Madagascar and the Seychelles until ca. 720 Ma that jointly occupied a peripheral or even independent paleoposition in the Rodinia reconstructions. The eastern margin of India sutured with the Western Australia-Mawson blocks along the Kunnga Orogen during the final assembly of Gondwana in the early Paleozoic, whereas microcontinental blocks including south Qiangtang and north Lhasa, were accreted to the northern margin of Gondwana in the vicinity of India. The collision of this ensemble of blocks with Africa (western Gondwana) is marked by the East African Orogen/Mozambique Belt, extending through central east Africa, Madagascar, South India and Antarctica. However, further north, India was separated from the Arabian-Nubian Shield by an embayment of the proto-Tethys that remained integral until the breakup of Gondwana. The accretion of Laurussia to Gondwana in the mid-Paleozoic during the assembly of Pangea corresponds with lithospheric extension along the northern margin of India (Gondwana) and separation of several continental blocks including South China, south Qiangtang, and north Lhasa, which then drifted northward across the Paleo-Tethys to collide with the Asian segment of Pangea in the Permo-Triassic.","PeriodicalId":7660,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69322081","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The ancient auriferous gravels that helped spawn the California Gold Rush have figured prominently in investigations of the Cenozoic history of the Sierra Nevada. These fluvial sediments, scattered throughout the northern half of the range, are the remnants of much larger deposits that accumulated throughout the Eocene and Early Oligocene. In this study, we present a reconstruction of the original extent of the gravels developed according to a few simple rules. The ancient auriferous gravels that helped spawn the California Gold Rush have figured prominently in investigations of the Cenozoic history of the Sierra Nevada. These fluvial sediments, scattered throughout the northern half of the range, are the remnants of much larger deposits that accumulated throughout the Eocene and Early Oligocene. In this study, we present a reconstruction of the original extent of the gravels developed according to a few simple rules. This reconstruction suggests that large swaths of the northern Sierra Nevada were once buried under broad alluvial plains, a result consistent with previous work. The reconstruction also supports the hypothesis that the gravels accumulated behind high ridges along the Sierra Nevada foothills, with the Yuba River providing an important outlet. Moreover, gravel deposits on two high peaks indicate that the gravels may have buried the Feather River watershed up to the modern crest of the range. Finally, on the basis of our reconstruction, we estimate that the total volume of the gravels was, at a minimum, ∼200 km3.
{"title":"Reconstruction of the original extent of the Tertiary pre-volcanic gravels in the northern Sierra Nevada (CA): Implications for the range's Paleotopography","authors":"C. Tipp, E. Gabet","doi":"10.2475/12.2020.01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2475/12.2020.01","url":null,"abstract":"The ancient auriferous gravels that helped spawn the California Gold Rush have figured prominently in investigations of the Cenozoic history of the Sierra Nevada. These fluvial sediments, scattered throughout the northern half of the range, are the remnants of much larger deposits that accumulated throughout the Eocene and Early Oligocene. In this study, we present a reconstruction of the original extent of the gravels developed according to a few simple rules. The ancient auriferous gravels that helped spawn the California Gold Rush have figured prominently in investigations of the Cenozoic history of the Sierra Nevada. These fluvial sediments, scattered throughout the northern half of the range, are the remnants of much larger deposits that accumulated throughout the Eocene and Early Oligocene. In this study, we present a reconstruction of the original extent of the gravels developed according to a few simple rules. This reconstruction suggests that large swaths of the northern Sierra Nevada were once buried under broad alluvial plains, a result consistent with previous work. The reconstruction also supports the hypothesis that the gravels accumulated behind high ridges along the Sierra Nevada foothills, with the Yuba River providing an important outlet. Moreover, gravel deposits on two high peaks indicate that the gravels may have buried the Feather River watershed up to the modern crest of the range. Finally, on the basis of our reconstruction, we estimate that the total volume of the gravels was, at a minimum, ∼200 km3.","PeriodicalId":7660,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2020-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42864099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A cm-thick calcite dripstone on the floor of the abandoned Jersey Zinc Mine in southeastern British Columbia, western Canada, consists of a mixture of shrub and radial fibrous elongated columnar crystal fabrics that resulted from Zn2+ and Pb2+ doping of the calcite crystallographic lattice structure. These heavy metal elements were sourced from sulfide mineralized veins in the overlying limestone beds. Zn2+ and Pb2+ substitution for Ca2+ reduced the size of the calcite crystal structure, impacting configuration of the calcite crystal fabrics. Lower concentration levels of dopants resulted in a radial fibrous elongated columnar crystal fabric with high inter-crystalline porosity. Increased levels of Zn2+ and Pb2+ dopants resulted in a crystal splitting process forming the shrub fabric. Growth of normally flat rhombohedral face on the external surface of the dripstone encrustation was disrupted by mixtures of isotropic and anisotropic growth rates. Inhibited growth rates resulted in early stage crystal splitting processes, forming parallel arrays of precursor crystallites aligned as step-down micro-terraces separated by dam-like micro-barrage partitions with normal growth rates. Shrub fabrics developed below the encrustation surface as ion-laden dripwater films infiltrated the 20% to 25% inter-crystalline porosity. This early stage of crystal splitting transitioned into a shrub fabric substrate, each consisting of fan-shaped crystal arrays distributed along a main stem, all in optical continuity. Extreme levels of Zn2+ dopant resulted in split crystal formation of micro-spherulites on the external surface of the dripstone. Spherulite neomorphism occurred, resulting in replacement of the crystallites by an individual calcite spar during envelopment by the columnar crystal domain fabric. The spheroid forms were preserved within the columnar fabric as spheroid zones of Zn-calcite and outlined by microcrystalline ferroan calcite. The shrub fabrics have morphological similarity to dendritic branching shrubs commonly associated with biotic and abiotic travertine and some biotic tufa deposits, which form under very different depositional conditions. Abiotic Zn2+-Pb2+ dopants absorbed into the calcite crystal structure of this mine floor encrustation precluded the necessity for carbonate precipitation from supersaturated carbonate water or precursor microbial induced nucleation sites, unlike similar travertine and tufa shrub fabrics elsewhere.
{"title":"Zn2+-Pb2+-doped calcite shrub fabrics: Abiotic morphogenesis of travertine-like dripstone encrustation at the Jersey Zinc Mine, southeastern British Columbia","authors":"P. Broughton","doi":"10.2475/12.2020.02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2475/12.2020.02","url":null,"abstract":"A cm-thick calcite dripstone on the floor of the abandoned Jersey Zinc Mine in southeastern British Columbia, western Canada, consists of a mixture of shrub and radial fibrous elongated columnar crystal fabrics that resulted from Zn2+ and Pb2+ doping of the calcite crystallographic lattice structure. These heavy metal elements were sourced from sulfide mineralized veins in the overlying limestone beds. Zn2+ and Pb2+ substitution for Ca2+ reduced the size of the calcite crystal structure, impacting configuration of the calcite crystal fabrics. Lower concentration levels of dopants resulted in a radial fibrous elongated columnar crystal fabric with high inter-crystalline porosity. Increased levels of Zn2+ and Pb2+ dopants resulted in a crystal splitting process forming the shrub fabric. Growth of normally flat rhombohedral face on the external surface of the dripstone encrustation was disrupted by mixtures of isotropic and anisotropic growth rates. Inhibited growth rates resulted in early stage crystal splitting processes, forming parallel arrays of precursor crystallites aligned as step-down micro-terraces separated by dam-like micro-barrage partitions with normal growth rates. Shrub fabrics developed below the encrustation surface as ion-laden dripwater films infiltrated the 20% to 25% inter-crystalline porosity. This early stage of crystal splitting transitioned into a shrub fabric substrate, each consisting of fan-shaped crystal arrays distributed along a main stem, all in optical continuity. Extreme levels of Zn2+ dopant resulted in split crystal formation of micro-spherulites on the external surface of the dripstone. Spherulite neomorphism occurred, resulting in replacement of the crystallites by an individual calcite spar during envelopment by the columnar crystal domain fabric. The spheroid forms were preserved within the columnar fabric as spheroid zones of Zn-calcite and outlined by microcrystalline ferroan calcite. The shrub fabrics have morphological similarity to dendritic branching shrubs commonly associated with biotic and abiotic travertine and some biotic tufa deposits, which form under very different depositional conditions. Abiotic Zn2+-Pb2+ dopants absorbed into the calcite crystal structure of this mine floor encrustation precluded the necessity for carbonate precipitation from supersaturated carbonate water or precursor microbial induced nucleation sites, unlike similar travertine and tufa shrub fabrics elsewhere.","PeriodicalId":7660,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2020-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44150446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ABSTRACT Studies of Earth's surface temperature before 3.0 Ga have focused heavily on the oxygen isotopic composition of silica-rich sedimentary rocks called cherts. Interpretation of the results have suggested early surface temperatures ranging from as high as 70 ± 15 °C down to those that differ little from modern values. A major controversy centers on whether differences in the oxygen isotopic compositions of cherts over time reflect changing surface temperatures, changing ocean isotopic composition, or post-depositional diagenetic and metamorphic effects. We here present results of triple oxygen measurements of 3.472 Ga to 3.239 Ga cherts from the Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa. The best preserved samples based on geological evidence have Δ'17O and δ'18O values that plot generally on or near the equilibrium fractionation line for silica precipitated out of modern, ice-free sea water. Geologic considerations allow many potentially useful samples to be eliminated for paleotemperature analysis because of proximity to younger mafic intrusions or interactions with meteoric waters during deposition, both of which tend to lower preserved isotopic values. Our results of triple-O isotopic analyses of a suite of samples representing deposition under open marine, shallow shelf conditions suggest that Archean surface temperatures were well above those of the present day, perhaps as high as 66 to 76 °C. They demonstrate that geologic context, including depositional setting and post-depositional history, requires careful assessment before the significance of oxygen isotopic results can be evaluated.
{"title":"Constraints on surface temperature 3.4 billion years ago based on triple oxygen isotopes of cherts from the Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa, and the problem of sample selection","authors":"D. Lowe, D. Ibarra, N. Drabon, C. Chamberlain","doi":"10.2475/11.2020.02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2475/11.2020.02","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Studies of Earth's surface temperature before 3.0 Ga have focused heavily on the oxygen isotopic composition of silica-rich sedimentary rocks called cherts. Interpretation of the results have suggested early surface temperatures ranging from as high as 70 ± 15 °C down to those that differ little from modern values. A major controversy centers on whether differences in the oxygen isotopic compositions of cherts over time reflect changing surface temperatures, changing ocean isotopic composition, or post-depositional diagenetic and metamorphic effects. We here present results of triple oxygen measurements of 3.472 Ga to 3.239 Ga cherts from the Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa. The best preserved samples based on geological evidence have Δ'17O and δ'18O values that plot generally on or near the equilibrium fractionation line for silica precipitated out of modern, ice-free sea water. Geologic considerations allow many potentially useful samples to be eliminated for paleotemperature analysis because of proximity to younger mafic intrusions or interactions with meteoric waters during deposition, both of which tend to lower preserved isotopic values. Our results of triple-O isotopic analyses of a suite of samples representing deposition under open marine, shallow shelf conditions suggest that Archean surface temperatures were well above those of the present day, perhaps as high as 66 to 76 °C. They demonstrate that geologic context, including depositional setting and post-depositional history, requires careful assessment before the significance of oxygen isotopic results can be evaluated.","PeriodicalId":7660,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2020-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45647645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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