Noble gas and cosmic-ray exposure age of Juancheng chondrite

The analytical results of noble gase in recently fallen Juancheng chondrite indicate that cosmic-ray ages of cosmogenic nuclei of³He,²¹Ne and³⁸Ar are 5.1, 5.0 and 5.8 Ma, respectively, averaging 5.3 Ma. The gas retention ages radiogenic nuclei of⁴He and⁴⁰Ar are 3 200 and 4 200 Ma, respectively. The average cosmic-ray age shows that it has occurred at breakup of the meteoroid from its parent body by impact before 5.3 Ma.     

40Ar-39Ar thermochronology of two ductile shear zones from Yiwulüshan, West Liaoning Region: Age constraints on the Mesozoic tectonic events

Two ductile shear zones trending EW and NNE respectively not only controlled the tectonic framework of the northern North China, but also constrained the geodynamic background for gold mineralization in this region. Field observations and microstructural analyses reveal that the EW trending ductile shear zones are mainly contributed to dextral compressional deformation resulting from top-to-the-southeast oblique thrust shearing, whereas the NNE trending ones are genetically related to sinistral strike-slip and extensional faulting. One sample from the former yielded an ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar plateau age of (219± 4) Ma (Bi) and two samples from the latter gave ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar plateau ages of (116± 2) Ma (Bi) and (127±3) Ma (Bi). These ages provide constraints on the top-to-the-southeast oblique thrusting event occurring in Late Triassic and the sinistral extensional and strike-slip faulting event which occurred in Early Cretaceous.     

早泥盆世古亚洲洋构造作用:来自可可托海和额济纳旗花岗岩年代学研究

古亚洲构造域内发育有大量的古生代酸性侵入岩。对阿尔泰造山带可可托海近3号脉的酸性侵入岩体进行LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年分析,以确定其岩浆作用时代及其岩浆活动的构造意义。研究区内的花岗岩包含的锆石大部分为自形-半自形晶,显示为典型的岩浆成因;测年结果发现,该岩体形成于404.4±3.2 Ma,为早泥盆世岩浆活动的产物。通过对额济纳辉森乌拉西糜棱岩化二长花岗岩中白云母⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar同位素年代学分析,获得白云母的坪年龄和等时线年龄分别为407.69±3.09 Ma和407.65±3.99 Ma,这暗示了拐子湖-呼和音乌苏弧形挤压带在早泥盆世活动的冷却年龄。以上事件与早泥盆世古亚洲洋的俯冲、碰撞的构造环境关系密切。     

^40Ar／^39Ar geochronological constraints on syn-orogenic strike-slip movement of Tan-Lu fault zone

Two phases of sinistral strike-slip ductile shear belts occur on the eastern margin of the Dabie orogenic belt. A muscovite ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar plateau age of 128 Ma was obtained from mylonite in the later ductile shear zone. Three muscovite samples separated from mylonites of 3 localities in the earlier ductile shear belts yield ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar plateau ages of 192.5±0.7 Ma, 189.7±0.6 Ma and 188.7±0.7 Ma, respectively. They are interpreted as cooling ages of the earlier sinistral strike-slip deformation. It is suggested that left-lateral displacement of the Tan-Lu fault zone started in a late stage of the collision orogeny in the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt between the North and South China plates. Therefore, the earlier Tan-Lu fault zone was syn-orogenic strike-slip tectonics. The fault zone was used again for sinistral displacement during tectonic activities of peri-Pacific regime in Early Cretaceous. It is proposed that the fault zone occurred as a transform fault during the orogenic process.     

Lasing on pyroclastic rocks: A case study of <Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar/<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar dating on Moshishan Group,eastern Zhejiang Province

It is difficult to date pyroclastic rocks, for almost all the dating methods, due to the multiple sources during their formation. ^40Ar/^39gAr incremental heating results on groundmass selected from the samples show that the age spectra are meaningless geologically. However, singe crystal total fusions of CO2 lasing on the sanidine separates could yield rational 4^40Ar/^39Ar results and distinguish their sources in this study. Timing on three formations of the Moshishan Group, after avoiding the exotic and altered grains by lasing on the single sanidine separate, was reported in this paper. The lowermost portion of the Chawan Formation gives an age of 113.7±0.3 Ma; the lower part of the Xishantou Formation was formed 116.4±0.4 Ma ago and the bottom of the Gaowu Formation took its shape at 118.4±0.4 Ma. These new ages are much younger than the previous ones, suggesting that these thick volcanic formations had been formed in very short durations.     

Ar-Ar and U-Pb geochronology of Late Paleozoic basalts in western Guangxi and its constraints on the eruption age of Emeishan basalt magmatism

~~Ar-Ar and U-Pb geochronol-ogy of Late Paleozoic basalts in western Guangxi and its constraints on the eruption age of Emeishan basalt magmatism1. GXBGMR (Guangxi Bureau Geological Mineral Resource), Regional Geology of Guangxi, Beijing: Geol. Pub. House, 1985, 1-853. 2. GZBGMR (Guizhou Bureau Geological Mineral Resource), Regional Geology of Guizhou Province, Beijing: Geol. Pub. House, 1987, 1-698. 3. YNBGMR (Yunnan Bureau Geological Mineral Resource), Regional …     

Northernmost paleo-tethyan oceanic basin in Tibet: Geochronological evidence from40Ar/39Ar age dating of Dur’ngoi ophiolite

Whole rock⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age dating has been conducted on a basalt sample from Dur’ngoi ophiolite, Qinghai Province, which was reported to be the northernmost paleo-tethyan oceanic basin in Tibet. A high temperature plateau age (345.3±7.9 Ma) with an isochorn age (336.6±7.1 Ma) has been obtained, representing the eruption time of oceanic crust. Considering related geological settings, the new age provides constraints on the northernmost paleo-tethyan suture zone in Tibet and the tectonic evolution of Paleo-tethys in Northeast Tibet and adjacent areas.     

Noble gases in corundum megacrysts from the basalts in Changle, Shandong Province, eastern China

This study presents noble gaseous data of the corundum megacrysts from the Cenozoic basalts in Changle, Shandong Province, eastern China. It is known that no noble gaseous data of corundum megacryst have been documented before. The 3He/4He ratios (1.13-7.37 Ra) of the corundums from Changle vary from atmosphere to MORB values; the 20Ne/22Ne (9.67-10.75) and 21Ne/22Ne (0.0280-0.0372) data define two linear trends on Ne three-isotope diagram, respectively, along the MFL and the correlation line between atmosphere and MORB; the 38Ar/36Ar (0.177-0.194) ratios, the 40Ar/36Ar (280.9 -404.2) ratios and the 128-136Xe/132Xe ration with obvious 129Xe excess are generally higher than at-mospheric component, but the 40Ar/36Ar ratios are much closer to atomospheric ratio. The isotopic compositions of noble gases (particularly for He and Ar) of the corundums are similar to those of py-roxene, anorthoclase megacrysts, and mantle-derived xenoliths from this area, and those of man-tle-derived xenoliths from several areas in eastern China. Therefore, the noble gases trapped in the corundums probably are from mantle source, representing a ‘mixed fluid' produced by the interaction between the lithospheric mantle and fluids releasing from the convective plate. Both the noble gas isotopic compositions and the oxygen isotopic compositions of the solid corundums are not the characteristics of crustal source. These suggest that the corundums crystallized from mantle-derived magmas with minimal crustal contamination.     

Further support for a Cretaceous age for the feathered-dinosaur beds of Liaoning,China:New 40Ar÷39Ar dating of the Yixian and Tuchengzi Formations

We report new ⁴⁰Ar÷³⁹Ar dating results obtained from total fusion and incremental-heating analyses of sanidine and biotite from three tuffs found interbedded within the fossil-bearing deposits of Liaoning, northeast China. The first is a new sample of the Bed 6 Sihetun tuff from the Yixian Formation, previously dated by our team as middle Early Cretaceous, and recently considered by Lo et al., partially reset due to metamorphism from a nearby basaltic sill. The second is the Yixian Bed 9 tuff from Hengdaozi considered by Lo et al. to be unaffected by metamorphism and whose age, based on total fusion ⁴⁰Ar÷³⁹Ar dating of biotite, argues for a Jurassic age for the Yixian Formation. The third tuff is a previously undated tuff from the upper part of the underlying Tuchengzi Formation. Single crystal total fusion ⁴⁰Ar÷³⁹Ar analyses of the Sihetun sanidine showed homogeneous radiogenic Ar, Ca÷K ratios, excellent reproducibility and gave a mean age of 125.0±0.18 (1SD)±0.04 (SE) Ma. Single sanidine crystal total fusion ⁴⁰Ar÷³⁹Ar analyses of the Hengdaozi tuff gave a mean age of 125.0±0.19 (1SD)±0.04 (SE) Ma, which is indistinguishable from the Sihetun tuff. The Tuchengzi Formation tuff gave a mean age of 139.4±0.19 (1SD)±0.05 (SE) Ma. Detailed laser incremental-heating analyses of biotite from Sihetun, Hengdaozi, and Tuchengzi tuffs show disturbed Ar release patterns and evidence of trapped argon components. We conclude from these analyses that the total fusion dates on biotite by Lo et al. are erroneously old and isotopic dating of both biotite and sanidine from tuffs of the Yixian Formation point to a middle Early Cretaceous age. The upper part of the Tuchengzi Formation can be referred to the Early Cretaceous.     

The latest Yanshanian magmatic and metallogenic events in the middle-lower Yangtze River belt: Evidence from the Ningzhen region

The Ningzhen region in Jiangsu Province represents the easternmost magmatic region in the middle-lower Yangtze River belt.The formation of the polymetallic deposits has close genetic relationships with Early Cretaceous intermediate-acid intrusions.In this study,LA-ICP-MS zircon geochronology of two Mesozoic intermediate-acid intrusive rocks(including the Shima porphyritic granodiorite and Gaozi quartz diorite porphyry)in the Ningzhen region were systematically investigated.These new geochronological data demonstrate that the intermediate-acid magmatism in the Ningzhen region dates to approximately between 109 and101 Ma.We present new40Ar-39Ar phlogopite ages for the Cishantou skarn iron deposits that constrain the timing of the mineralisation in the Ningzhen region.The phlogopite in the Cishantou skarn deposits yielded a40Ar-39Ar plateau age of 104±1 Ma.This result coincides with the ages of the Anjishan and Tongshan Cu(Mo)deposits in the Ningzhen region.Our high-precision geochronological data together with recent high-precision geochronological studies(such as zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb,zircon SHRIMP U-Pb,molybdenite Re-Os and single-mineral40Ar-39Ar dates)reveal that there were four periods(152-135 Ma,135-127 Ma,127-121 Ma,109-101 Ma)of magmatism and ore formation in the middle-lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt.The Mesozoic intermediate-acid magmatism and mineralisation in the Ningzhen region belong to the latest episode in the middle-lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt.     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages for the UHP metamorphosed granitoid gneiss in Altyn Tagh and their geological significance

Different types of UHP metamorphic rocks havebeen recently discovered in the Altyn Tagh[1—4], the north-ern margin of Qadam Basin[5—7], the southwestern Tian-shan Mountains[8,9] and the northern Qinling Moun-tains[10,11] in Central and Western China. And these areashave attracted focus attention of geologists at home andabroad to the studying of UHP metamorphism and conti-nental deep subduction. However, as newly discoveredUHP metamorphic terranes, some questions have beenarisen abou…     

Precise timing of the Early Paleozoic metamorphism and thrust deformation in the Eastern Kunlun Orogen

In Dulan County, Qinghai Province NW China, the arc volcanic sequences in the northern side of the Central Fault of the East Kunlun were metamorphosed progressively from upper greenschist facies in the south to epidote-amphibolite facies in the north. High-angle thrust deformation was developed synchronously with the peak metamor-phim and superimposed with later low-angle striking-slip deformation. Zircon U-Pb dating yields a concordant age of(448 ± 4) Ma for the metavolcanics. Syn-kinematic horn-blende and muscovite separated from the high-angle thrusting belt give ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar plateau age of (427 ± 4) Ma and 408 Ma, respectively. These results precisely constrain the timing of the closure of early Paleozoic volcanic basin (Proto-Tethys) over the eastern portion of the East Kunlun Orogen, and the thrust tectonic slice had a cool rate of ca. 9℃/Ma. Keywords: East Kunlun Mountains, metamorphic and deformation event, geochronology.     

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…     

Diagenetic-metallogenic ages of pyritic cherts and their implications in Mojiang nickel-gold deposit in Yunnan Province, China

Diagenetic-metallogenic ages of pyritic cherts formed by the syn-sedimentation of hydrothermal vent and ages of the Jinchang Rock Formation in the Mojiang large nickel-gold deposit in the Ailaoshan gold metallogenic belt have been discussed on the basis of chronology of isotopic geochemistry. Nickel-gold-bearing pyritic cherts in the mining were formed by syn-sedimentation of hydrothermal vent in the Late Devonian, i.e. age by Sm-Nd isochronal method (t) = (358±8.6) (2σ) Ma and age by Rb-Sr isochronal method (t) = (354.7±0.72) (2σ) Ma. On the other hand, deep-water cherts from the Jinchang Rock Formation of the Upper Devonian in the area were initiated at the same time; that is, age by Sm-Nd isochronal method (t) = (359±21) (2σ) Ma and age by Rb-Sr isochronal method (t) = (358.02±0.30) (2σ) Ma.     

Late Paleozoic magmatism in South China:Oceanic subduction or intracontinental orogeny?

A gneissic granite with an U-Pb age of 313±4 Ma was found in northeastern Fujian Province,South China.It is an S-type granite characterized by high K2O,Al2O3 and low SiO2,Na2O contents with high A/CNK ratio of 1.22 for the whole rock.Zircons with stubby morphology from the gneissic granite yield 206 Pb/238 U ages ranging from 326 to 301 Ma with a weighted average age of 313±4 Ma,and negative εHf(t) values from -8.35 to -1.74 with Hf model ages (TCDM) of 1.43 to 1.84 Ga.This S-type granite probably originated from late Paleoproterozoic crust in intracontinental orogeny.Integrated with previous results on paleogeographic reconstruction of South China,the nature of Paleozoic basins,Early Permian volcanism and U-Pb-Hf isotope of detrital zircons from the late Paleozoic to early Mesozoic sedimentary rocks,we suggest the occurrence of a late Paleozoic orogeny in the eastern Cathaysia Block,South China.This orogenic cycle includes Late Carboniferous (340-310 Ma) orogeny (compression) episode and Early Permian (287-270 Ma) post-orogenic or intraplate extension episode.Therefore,the late Paleozoic magmatism in the southeastern South China probably occurred during the intraplate orogeny rather than the arc-related process.     

In situ U-Pb dating of xenotime by laser ablation （LA）-ICP-MS

Xenotime is an ideal mineral for U-Th-Pb isotopic dating because of its relatively high U and Th contents, but typically low concentration of common Pb. These characteristics, and the fact that it is widespread throughout various types of rocks, suggest that the U-Th-Pb dating of xenotime has broad applications. Studies of U-Pb dating on xenotime by ion microprobe (such as SHRIMP) have increased in recent years, whereas studies by laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS are still rare. In this study, we developed a technique for U-Pb dating of xenotime using the 193 nm ArF laser-ablation system and Agilent 7500a Q-ICP-MS. To evaluate the reliability of our method, a xenotime standard, BS-1, was analyzed and calibrated against another xenotime standard, MG-1. The weighted mean 206 Pb/ 238 U ages of 510.1 ± 5.2 Ma (2 n = 21), 509.8 ± 4.3 Ma (2 n = 21) and 510.0 ± 4.6 Ma (2 n = 21) were obtained using beam diameters of 16, 24 and 32 m, respectively. These ages are identical to those determined by ID-TIMS method (weighted mean 206 Pb/ 238 U age of 508.8 ± 1.4 Ma), which supports the reliability of our LA-ICP-MS method. We also analyzed xenotimes in leucogranites from South Tibet and granites from Xihuashan in southern China, and obtained accurate and precise ages. Nevertheless, we observed systematic differences in Pb/U fractionation among xenotime, monazite and zircon. The matrix-effect resulted in either under-correction or over-correction of fractionation, and thus led to inaccurate ages. Thus, a matrix-matched material is required for U-Pb dating of xenotime by LA-ICP-MS.     

Origin of middle Miocene leucogranites and rhyolites on the Tibetan Plateau: Constraints on the timing of crustal thickening and uplift of its northern boundary

Leucogranites play a significant role in understanding crustal thickening, melting within continental collisional belts, and plateau uplift. Field investigations show that Miocene igneous rocks from the Hoh Xil Lake area mainly consist of two-mica leucogranites and rhyolites. We studied the Bukadaban two-mica leucogranites and the Kekao Lake, Malanshan and Hudongliang rhyolites by zircon U-Pb, muscovite and sanidine 40Ar/39Ar geochronology, and whole-rock geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic analysis. Results yielded crystallization and cooling ages for the Bukadaban leucogranites of 9.7±0.2 and 6.88±0.19 Ma, respectively. Extrusive ages of the Kekao Lake and Malanshan rhyolites are 14.5±0.8 and 9.37±0.30 Ma, respectively. All rocks are enriched in SiO2 (70.99%-73.59%), Al2O3 (14.39%-15.25%) and K2O (3.78%-5.50%) but depleted in Fe2O3 (0.58%-1.56%), MgO (0.11%- 0.44%) and CaO (0.59%-1.19%). The rocks are strongly peraluminous (A/CNK=1.11?1.21) S-type granites characterized by negative Eu anomalies (δ Eu=0.18-0.39). In also considering their Sr-Nd isotopic compositions (87Sr/86Sri=0.7124 to 0.7143; δ Nd (9 Ma) =-5.5 to -7.1), we propose that these igneous rocks were generated through dehydration melting of muscovite in the thickened middle or lower crust of northern Tibet. Melting was probably triggered by localized E-W stretching decompression in the horse tails of Kunlun sinistral strike-slip faults. Reactivation of the Kunlun strike-slip faults, accompanied by emplacement of leucogranite and eruption of rhyolite in the Hoh Xil Lake area, indicates that large-scale crustal shortening and thickening in northern Tibet mainly occurred before 15 Ma. In addition, these findings suggest that the northern Tibetan Plateau attained its present elevation (~5000 m) at least 15 Ma ago.     

ISEA reversed event in the Cretaceous Normal Super-chron （CNS）： ^40Ar／^39Ar dating and paleomagnetic results

ThegeomagneticfieldwasfoundtobeofnormalpolarityforalongtimeduringtheCretaceousbyHelsleyandSteiner[1]andthiswaslaternamedasCretaceousNormalSuperchron(CNS)[2].TheCNSlastedalmost37Ma(120—83Ma).Severalabnormalgeologicalevents,suchasanoceanicanoxicevent,alargenumberofvol-canismandglobalclimaticwarmingduringtheCNShavebeenreported[3—11].Thishasledtomanyquestionsbeingraised.IsittruethattheEarthsmagneticfielddidnotreverseatallintheCNS?Ifitdidreverse,howmanytimesandwhendidthishappen?Istherea…     

40Ar-39Ar ages of the Louzidian-Dachengzi ductile shear zone near Chifeng, Inner Mongolia and their tectonic significance

The Louzidian normal fault occurs as the eastern detachment fault of the Kalaqin metamorphic core complex. Field observations and microstructural analyses reveal that the Louzidian-Dachengzi ductile shear zone developed in its lower-plate was genetically related to sinistral strike-slips and extensional faulting. Two samples from this ductile shear zone yield ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar plateau ages of 133 Ma (Bi) and 126 Ma (Kp), which are concordant with their isochron ages. The plateau age of 133 Ma (Bi) records the formation age of the ductile shear zone. The inconsistent relationship between the earlier strike-slip ductile shear zone and the later normal fault makes the Kalaqin Quasi-metamorphic core complex distinctive from Cordilleran metamorphic core complex. These ages provide important geochronological data for putting constraints on the formation age and genesis of such ductile shear zones.     

Whole-rock Ar-Ar dating for low-grade metavolcanics within the Dabie orogen and its geological significance

Greenschist-facies metasedimentary and metaigne- ous rocks are frequently found to occur continuously along convergent plate margins where high pressure (HP) or ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks also crop out[1-7]. Geological investigations of co…