The age of the plant fossil assemblage in the Liuqu Conglomerate of southern Tibet and its tectonic significance

The Liuqu Conglomerate, situated to the south of Yarlung Tsangbo Suture Zone (YTSZ), is a suit of molasse formed in a foreland basin of the Himalayan orogenic belt after the collision between the two plates of the Indian and Eurasion. It is of great significance in constraining the younger limit time of the collision of the two plates and providing stratigraphic evidence to reveal the post?collisional tectonic evolution and uplifting history of the Tibet plateau. However, the age of this molasse suit and its correlation to other synchronous strata distributed in southern Tibet have been in great disputes for a long time. Especially in recent years, argues on its ages are growing violently with the recognition of the great sedimentary tectonic significances of this molasse. During the field work carried out recently on this molasse suit, a lot of plant fossils were found preserved in fairly good conditions in the upper part of this strata, which is of great help in determining its age. By identification, the assemblage of the plant fossils belongs to a tropic to subtropic flora developed in the southern margin of the Northern Hemisphere supercontinent during the Middle to Later Eocene, which can provide good constraint on its formation age. This paper is to give a brief introduction of the plant assemblage and its age, and to discuss their tectonic significances.     

Progress in researching into the transition of the Mesozoic tectonic systems in southeast China

This paper presents the latest progress made on the research of Mesozoic tectonic system transition from the E-W paleo-Tethyan tectonic domain into NE-NNE western Pacific domain in southeast China. Tectonism of the west Pacific domain began at middle Jurassic (J₂) and formed a set of NE-trending structures, non-coaxially overprinting on E-trending tectonic belts which may be early and coevally produced by the paleo-Tethyan domain. Thus began the tectonic domain transition from the E-trending paleo-Tethyan to the NE-trending Pacific and fully finished at the early Cretaceous. The eastern Nanling area was a junction zone of the transition at middle Jurassic (J₂), and ever since the junction zone might obliquely migrate to the coastal region, where is the east part of this study area. To the north of the Nanling area, the Ganjiang Fault Zone was the boundary between two tectonic domains. Corresponding to the transition of tectonic system, the geodynamics of SE China changed from a compressional system to an extensional system, which continued until the end of Mesozoic-Tertiary.     

Ages and tectonic significance of the collision-related granite porphyries in the Lhunzhub Basin, Tibet, China

The Paleocene collision-related granite porphyries are identified for the first time along the western margin of the Lhunzhub Basin, Tibet. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon analysis indicates that the granite porphyries were emplaced at 58.7±1.1 Ma (MSWD = 0.79) during the Indo-Asian continental collision. The granite porphyries are peraluminous and high in K, belonging to the calc-alkaline to high-K calc-alkaline series. They are relatively enriched in LILE, Th and LREE and depletion in Ba, Nb, P and Ti, characterized by LREE-enriched patterns with slightly to moderately negative Eu anomalies. These Paleocene granite porphyries are interpreted as the products generated by partial melting of the pre-existing arc crustal rocks caused by the increase of pressures and temperatures during the crustal shortening at the early stages of the Indo-Asian continental collision since 65 Ma. Despite inherited geochemical features and tectonic settings of the arc protoliths, they are significantly different from the volcanic rocks of the Dianzhong Formation within the Linzizong Group and the Miocene granite por- phyries in the Gangdise belt.     

Sedimentary environment of the Dajin conglomerate in Tibet, age of foraminiferan assemblages and their tectonic significance

The Dajin conglomerate, which is one of the most important sedimentary successions of the Xigaze forearc basin in Tibet, China, consists of deep-shallow marine tuffaceous turbidites and clastic rocks bearing Nummulites, Assilina, Alveolina and Lockhartia. These fossils are very similar to the foraminiferan in the Jialazi and Maila conglomerates, and those in Gangba and Dingri areas. They developed in the Eocene. By analyzing the spatial variation of Eocene sedimentary environments of Tibet Plateau and the foraminiferan in the Dajin conglomerate, we found that Eocene sedimentation should take place on both sides of the Yarlung Tsangpo suture, and the late Eocene tectonic uplifting should make the forearc basin expose out of the sea level and begin to receive nonmarine deposits.     

On the genetic classification and tectonic implications of the Early Yanshanian granitoids in the Nanling Range, South China

Early Yanshanian (Jurassic) granitoids are widespread in the Nanling Range of South China, and are associated with numerous non-ferrous and rare metal mineral deposits. These granitoids consist mainly of slightly peraluminous biotite monzogranites and K-feldspar granites that are closely associated in time and space with subordinate amphibole-bearing granites and muscoviteand garnet-bearing granites. In most previous studies, the biotite-bearing granites were classified as crustal transformation-type (corresponding to the S-type) granites which were interpreted to be derived from the regional Paleoproterozoic meta-sedimentary rocks. In this paper, we re-analyze the geochemical characteristics of a number of representative Early Yanshanian Nanling granitoids. There exists a clear negative correlation between SiO2 and P2O5 for the studied granitoids. The Early Yanshanian Nanling granitoid suites (including amphibole-bearing granodiorites→biotite monzogranites→K-feldspar granites→two-mica (muscovite) granites) are metaluminous to slightly peraluminous I-type or fractionated I-type granites. They were derived predominantly from Proterozoic igneous protoliths. The juvenile crust and/or newly mantle-derived materials might also have been involved in some of these granites. In addition, the Iand fractionated I-type granites are closely associated in time and space with minor amount of A-type felsic and mafic volcanic and intrusive rocks as well as alkaline rocks. All these rocks constitute a typical assemblage of anorogenic, intraplate magmatism, suggesting a dominant lithospheric extensional regime for the Nanling Range and neighboring region during the Early Yanshanian period.     

Emplacement age of the Tahe granite and its constraints on the tectonic nature of the Ergun block in the northern part of the Da Hinggan Range

Large-scale granitic plutons are exposed in the Ergun block in the northern part of the Da Hinggan Range, but their emplacement age and petrogenesis remain unknown. Of these plutons, the Tahe pluton is composed mainly of porphyritic syenogranite and monzogranite, with minor hornblende alkali feldspar granite and gabbro, which have affinities to post-orogenic granitoids. Laser-ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass-spectroscope （LA-ICP-MS） analysis shows that the major rock types of the Tahe pluton formed at 494- 480 Ma ago, indicating its emplacement in the Early Paleozoic. It is concluded, therefore, that the collision between the Ergun and the Xing＇an blocks ended in Early Paleozoic. Considering the geochronological data of the plutons in the adjacent areas, the Early Paleozoic evolutionary history of the Ergun block is similar to the central Mongolia and the Tuvino blocks in Mongolia, and the Ergun block should be a part of the accretionary continental margin in the southern Siberian Craton.     

Timing and setting of Guanjiagou conglomerate in South Qinling and their tectonic implications

TheGuanjiagouFormationisafault-boundterranelocatedintheSouthQinlingMountains,centralChina.Theageandtectonicsettingoftheconglomerateinthisformation(Guanjiagouconglomerate,GC)havebeencontroversialsincethe1940s,withnumerousconflictinginterpretationsandcorrelationsproposedbydifferentworkers.Forexample,itwasinitiallydescribedbyYeetal.(1944)[1],whointerpretedtheGCasSinian(LatestNeo-proterozoic)tillites.However,Huang[2]regardedtheGC,plustheBikouSystem(composedoftheBikouvolcanicandtheHengdant…     

Left-lateral shear deformation found in southern part of the Gaoligong range in west Yunnan and its tectonic implications

It is generally understood that the Tertiary structural deformation in the Gaoligong range in west Yunnan was under the control of right-lateral shear, resulting from the northward movement of Indian relative to Eurasian. In the southern part of Gaoligong range, however, we have recently found many pieces of evidence of left-lateral shear deformation, featuring a 10 km wide shear zone cutting through all tectonic elements of the range in N-S direction, which possibly occurred in late Tertiary time, and postdated the right-lateral shear. This is a significant discovery for revealing characteristics of the Tertiary intracontinental deformation of the Gaoligong range and the interaction between the Indian and the Eurasian continents.     

Discovery of Late Carboniferous strata and their tectonic significance in the southern margin of the North China Block （Huoqiu and Gushi areas）

Late Carboniferous fossils （such as Boultonia？ sp., Tabulata, and spiriferoid specimens with smooth she/Is）, bioclastic material （such as crinoid stems and sponge fragments）, and Late Ordovician microfossils of the conodont Belodina have been discovered in the lower part of the strata typically referred to as the Neoproterozoic on the boundary of the provinces of Anhui and Henan in the southern margin of the North China Block. These findings prove that the strata contain macrofossils belonging to the Late Carboniferous, which belonged to a carbonate debris flow deposit that was formed under a carbonate slope environment. The conodont fossils might belong to a detrital deposit. Thus, it is possible to reset the stratigraphic sequences and tectonic attributes belonging to the North Huaiyang tectonic belt and limit the Shouxian fault to the boundary between the Dabie Orogen and North China Block.     

Left-lateral shear deformation found in southern part of the Gaoligong range in west Yunnan and its tectonic implications

LocatedinthesouthwestborderareaofChina ,theGaoligongrangeisauniquegeologicandgeomor phologicfeature ,withitssnow cappedsummitele vatedupto 35 88mabovesealevel.ItgoesupnorthalongtheNuRivertoeasternTibet ,joiningupwiththeBoshulalingrange ,anddownsouthtotheareaofLongling ,whereitdescendsrapidlyandsplitsupintoseverallowandlinearridges .RespectivelytothewestandeastoftherangearetheTengchongandBaoshanblocks ,themainpartofwhich ,anarrowbeltofin tensivelydeformedmetamorphicrocksnamedGaoligongGroup …     

SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology of the detrital zircons from the Longshoushan Group and its tectonic significance

Sixty-two geologically meaningful U-Pb dates were obtained by using SHRIMP technique for the detrital zircons in three metasedimentary rocks from stratigraphically uppermost parts of the Longshoushan Group in the present study. Eighty percents of these dates range from 1.7 Ga to 2.2 Ga with a peak at 1.8-2.0 Ga and twenty percents from 2.3 Ga to 2.7 Ga. The youngest detrital zircon is dated at 1724±19 Ma which is interpreted as the maximum depositional age of the metasedimentary rocks. Therefore, the age for the diagenesis and lithification of the original sedimentary rocks of the Longshoushan Group before the metamorphism must be younger than 1724±19 Ma. Comparison of the age histograms of these detrital zircons with the ages of the igneous rocks on the surrounding older massifs suggests that the sediments of the Longshoushan Group were most likely derived from the Alaxa Block and Tarim Craton. This implies that the affinity between Alaxa Block and Tarim Craton was strong and that they might have been a unified craton during middle-early Proterozoic time.     

LA-ICP-MS U–Pb geochronology of detrital zircons from the Zhaochigou Formation-complex in the Helan Mountain and its tectonic significance

This paper carries out studies about LA-ICPMS U–Pb dating and Hf isotopic compositional analysis for detrital zircons in two metasedimentary samples that were taken from the Zhaochigou Formation-complex in the Helan Mountain.The results show that the Zhaochigou Formation-complex formed*1.96 Ga,and it is a part of the Khondalite Series that is widespread in the North China Craton(NCC).The age spectrum of the detrital zircons indicates that the Zhaochigou Formation-complex shared the same provenance with the eastern edge of the Khondalite Series.Products of ancient magmatic activities within the Khondalite Belt may be the major source for the sedimentary materials that formed the Khondalite Series.Our age-dating results suggest that the Khondalite Series in the NCC may have experienced two stages of metamorphism,as the early stage occurred during 1.96–1.95 Ga,and the later stage occurred at about 1.87 Ga.The Hfisotopic data indicate that the Western Block of the NCC endured a stage of crustal growth at 2.5–2.3 Ga.     

Research advances in the Mesozoic tectonic regimes during the formation of Jiaodong ore cluster area

Based on research advances of the tectonic regime in Jiaodong ore cluster area and the related tectonic regime transformation in Mesozoic era in the eastern region of North China, in this paper, we first summarize some key problems required to be studied further on. Then we suggest an approach to dealing with these problems. It is known that the gold deposits in Jiaodong ore cluster area, which are of different mineralization styles, spatial distributions and geological settings, might be as a result from one or more geologic events in Mesozoic. Till now, this kind of research on the temporal evolution and spatial migration sequence, especially on the geodynamic mechanism of the above events, is far from sufficient. Moreover, quantitatively describing the action mode and the temporal?spatial framework of tectonic dynamic regimes and formulating the relative contribution of every tectonic dynamic regime for the metallogensis are still challenges to the geologists studying on the formation of Jiaodong ore cluster area. According to the interpretation of the regional tectonic analysis, the structural dynamics, the observation and the exploration of the mineralization network, we propose a geological?physical?chemical model with some constraints originated from the comprehensive analysis. We then use this model to simulate the coupled processes of the structural deformation, thermal transport, fluid flow and the chemical reaction. The obtained results indicate that the model is efficient in further analyzing the temporal?spatial evolutional trail of the tectonic regime in Jiaodong ore cluster area and in further understanding the nature of the mass metallogensis.     

Geochemical characteristics and tectonic implications of HP-UHP eclogites and blueschists in southwestern Tianshan, China

Four rock assemblages in correspondence with two different tectonic settings have been recognized in the NEE-SWW extending HP-UHP metamorphic belt in southwestern Tianshan, northwest China. Eclogite assemblage EC1 is geochemically akin to alkaline within-plate oceanic island basalt (OIB). EC2 shows affinity to enriched mid-oceanic ridge basalt (EMORB). Rare earth element (REE) and other immobile trace element characteristics of blueschist assemblage BS1 resemble those of normal mid-oceanic ridge basalt (NMORB). These three assemblages are likely formed on a seamount setting, and the prevalent presence of carbonate minerals and omphacite quartzite stripes/gobbets suggests ancient pelagic sediments including marls are probably developed upon the basaltic seamount. Whereas the geochemical characteristics of BS2 assemblage are of volcanic arc basalt-type. The seamount with the pelagic sediments on it is brought into the subduction zone, and volcanic arc basalts formed on the active continental margin and trench sediments are eroded and enwrapped in the subducting mass, they are altogether subjected to high to ultrahigh pressure metamorphism and subsequent exhumation towards surface. The HP-UHP metamorphic belt is thus interpreted as a subduction-accretionary complex formed by tectonic juxtaposition and imbrication of seamount, seafloor, trench and volcanic arc sequences during oceanic crust subduction.     

Early tectonic uplift of the northern Tibetan Plateau

The Hexi Corridor is the northmost foreland basin of the Tibetan Plateau and its formation is controlled by the northern marginal fault of Tibet, Altyn Tagh Fault （ATF）-North Qilian Shan marginal Fault （NQF）, and the southern Kuantan Shan-Longshou Shan Fault （KLF）. So its study is important to understanding the mechanism of Tibet formation and its influence on global climate change. The oldest Cenozoic sediments in the Corridor is the Huoshaogou Formation which consists of terrigenous fine conglomerate, sandstone, sandy mudstone and mudstone, depositing in al- luvial to lacustrine and fan delta sedimentary environments. Detailed paleomagnetic measurements of this sequence at Yumen clearly reveal eleven pairs of normal and reversed polarities. Fossil mammals found around the section support that most of the observed polarities can be well correlated with chrons between 13n and 18r of the standard geomagnetic polarity time scale, yielding ages of 40.2-33.35 Ma. The mean declinations of this sequence and its immediately above stratigraphy indicate an 18.3° rapid clockwise rotation of the Hexi Corridor. Since this sequence has been strongly folded and is capped by an angular unconformity, we think that the presence of the thick alluvial fan conglomeration at the bottom of the foreland basin may indicate the initial deformation and uplift of the northern Qilian Shan. This process could occur at latest at 40.2 Ma, driven by the faults NQF and KLF that thrust onto the Hexi corridor respectively from its southern and northern margins. These faults are in an early response to the collision of India with Asia, while the unconformable termination and rotation of the Huoshaogou Formation at -33.35 Ma indicate other early episode of rapid tectonic deformation and uplift of the northern Tibet.     

Early Paleozoic granite in Nujiang River of northwest Yunnan in southwestern China and its tectonic implications

The Nujiang region along the China-Burma border in the western Yunnan has received a great deal of attention and has been considered to be the important channel of southeastward escape of the Tibetan Plateau[1-4]. This channel is bordered by the Red River-Ailao Mountain left-literal strick-slip fault in the east and Gaoligong- Sagaing right-literal strick-slip fault in the west[5-7]. Within this channel, it is still not clear to which tectonic     

Discovery of the boninite series volcanic rocks in the Bangong Lake ophiolite mélange, western Tibet, and its tectonic implications

The Bangong Lake ophiolite section, the western-most part of the Bangong Lake-Nujiang River ophiolitezone, is located to the south of the Bangong Lake andabout 10 km north of Rutog Town (Fig. 1). Being over2000 km long in Tibet, it extends westward to Kashmirand southeastward beyond Tibet along the Nujiang River.Although the section of the ophiolite is well exposed, nodetailed research work has yet been done. This ophiolitezone, which is one of the ophiolite zones in Tibet, servesas the…     

Parallelism in Ordinary Language and in the Language of Poetry

Parallelisminitsbroadsenseispreciselytheoppositeofthekindofforegounding.Theimportanceofparallelismasafeatureofpoeticlanguagealmostrivalsthatofdeviation.AsRomanJakobsonhassaid'anyformofparallelismisanapportionmentofinvariantsandvariables'.Inotherwords,inanyparallelisticpatterntheremustbeaneIementofidentityandanelementofcontrast.Parallelismistypicalofmanyotheraspectsofhumancultureapartformliterature.Proverbs,slogans,nurseryrhymes,andmanyother'sub-liberary'usesoflanguagealsoaboundinparallelism.…     

Velocity structure of the crust and uppermost mantle in the boundary area of the Tianshan Mountains and the Tarim Basin

A portable 3-component broadband digital seismic array was deployed across the Tianshan orogenic belt (TOB) to investigate the lithospheric structure. Based on receiver function analysis of the teleseismic P-wave data, a 2-D S-wave velocity profile of the boundary area of the TOB and the Tarim Basin was obtained at the depths of 0--80 km.Our results reveal a vertical and lateral inhomogeneity in the crust and uppermost mantle. Four velocity interfaces divide the crystalline crust into the upper, middle and lower crust. A low velocity zone is widely observed in the upper-middle crust. The depth of Moho varies between 42 and 52 km. At the north end of the profile the Moho dips northward with a vertical offset of 4--6 km, which implies a subduction front of the Tarim Basin into the TOB. The Moho generally appears as a velocity transitional zone except beneath two stations in the northern Tarim Basin, where the Moho is characterized by a typical velocity discontinuity. The fine velocity structure and the deep contact deformation of the crust and upper most mantle delineate the north-south lithospheric shortening and thickening in the boundary area of the TOB and the Tarim Basin, which would be helpful to constructing the geodynamical model of the intracontinental mountain-basin-coupling system.