Seismic tomography showing subduction and slab breakoff of the Yangtze block beneath the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt

Seismic tomography reveals that a subducted ancient block has been preserved beneath the Moho of the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt. Taking into account of geological and geochronological data, we inferred from the tomographic images that the Yangtze block was subducted northward beneath the Sino-Korean block and broken off at the depth <200 km during 200—190 Ma. The slab breakoff of the Yangtze block is the most important dynamic mechanism to control the exhumation of UHP rocks.