大陆碰撞成矿作用：深部动力学机制与成矿

大陆碰撞成矿研究是当今地球科学的重大前沿,但是碰撞带深部动力学机制与成矿之间的联系还不够紧密。目前主要的几种碰撞动力学机制包括大陆俯冲及俯冲相关的陆壳撕裂与回撤、大洋板片断离、上覆岩石圈去根,如对流减薄、拆沉等;而碰撞成矿系统还可以进一步概括总结为岩浆热液成矿系统、变质流体成矿系统和盆地流体成矿系统三类。在此基础上,通过地幔上涌、地壳缩短和地表隆升等各种壳幔响应,将深部动力学与成矿作用进行了成因关联。研究揭示,成矿是地球圈层相互作用导致金属元素循环富集的过程。研究指出,从地球系统科学的角度来研究大陆碰撞成矿作用,有望将矿床学研究提高到新层次,还有望实现“碰撞加工厂”的找矿理想。     

东营凹陷沉积-沉降中心迁移特征与机制研究

通过区域地质、地层厚度、沉积特征以及断裂活动强度等分析,探讨东营凹陷新生代不同时期构造活动特征与沉积-沉降中心迁移规律,从构造动力学角度对沉降中心迁移机制提出合理解释。研究表明,东营凹陷新生代可划分为控凹断裂主控期、控凹控洼断裂共控期和拗陷期3个沉降阶段,在利津、牛庄和博兴一带存在3个呈"逆时针"旋转的沉降中心。沉降中心主要受活动速率较大的断裂控制,其迁移与盆地伸展背景下的走滑作用密切相关。但沉积中心的迁移除了受控于沉降中心外,还与沉积环境有关。在地壳表层,东营凹陷沉积-沉降中心的动态迁移受断裂走滑与伸展断陷的共同控制。在中国东部"三个板块、两种俯冲"构造动力学背景下,板块俯冲是地幔对流平衡破坏的触发因素,板块俯冲速度与角度的差异导致岩石圈不同部位的底侵,从而引发地表不同位置不同强度的断陷与走滑,在盆地内部表现为沉降中心的动态迁移。     

地球科学发展趋势的思考——以地球动力学和超大型矿床形成机制为例

 从地球动力学和超大型矿床这两个地球科学前沿问题着手, 初步探讨了地球科学的发展趋势。地球动力学盲在解决地球形成和演化的关键性问题, 它涵盖了岩石圈板块动力学、地幔动力学、地核动力学及核-幔动力学, 地球动力来源是地球动力学研究的焦点, 它涉及了地球整体性和各圈层相互作用研究范畴。超大型矿床, 尤其是非常规超大型矿床, 是特定因素在特定条件下的耦合, 超大型矿床形成机制同样涉及了地球圈层相互作用。通过地球动力来源和超大型矿床形成机制初步探讨, 认为地球科学总的发展趋势是向着整体性和系统性方向发展, 地球单一圈层的研究已很难适应地球科学的发展, 需要从系统科学的角度去研究。     

论地幔柱构造与板块构造的矛盾性和相容性

为了揭示地幔柱构造与板块构造的内在关系,针对地幔柱独特的地球物理和地球化学特征,通过与板块构造的对比：阐明了两者虽然在许多方面存在着矛盾,但在诠释岩石圈的解体和俯冲带的演化过程中都发挥着重要的作用;拆沉的冷板片聚集产生了超级冷地幔柱,由此导致了超级热地幔柱,冷热两个超级地幔柱的活动又控制了板块的运动和发展,由此可见,地幔柱构造理论对板块构造理论起着重要的补充和拓展作用。     

东秦岭岩石圈热流变学结构初探

目的研究秦岭造山带的岩石圈流变学结构以探索其地球动力学意义。方法通过岩石圈温度结构约束，计算了岩石圈流变学结构。结果秦岭北半部的后陆冲断褶带和厚皮叠瓦逆冲带的莫霍界面温度为305℃，以冷地温、厚岩石圈和流变分层不明显的C模型为特征；南秦岭莫霍界面平均温度642℃，最高达826℃，具有显著的热地温、薄岩石圈和中下地壳及其上地幔顶部强烈流变的H模型特点。结论在后造山阶段，北秦岭是华北和扬子二地块相向向秦岭造山带陆内俯冲的前锋会聚区域，现今处于以岩石圈加厚为主、拆沉作用初始发动的共存状态；南秦岭可能在地幔柱作用下发生新的拆沉作用和部分底侵作用，其轴部区域的地壳内现今存在部分熔融，壳-幔之间正在进行物质、能量（热传导和热对流方式）等的再循环。     

镁铁质侵入岩地质地球化学特征及形成环境

镁铁质侵入岩在地表分布较少,最初皆是源于地幔,是研究地幔物质组成最直接的对象,在反演源区物质性质、分析构造环境以及岩石圈的深部动力学等方面具有十分重要意义。后造山（post-orogenic）阶段为板内阶段的开始,是造山期结束后拉张减薄的构造环境。后造山环境中的镁铁质岩以拉斑玄武岩系列为代表,与富碱侵入岩带,以及一些酸性岩浆岩等一起构成典型的后造山岩浆岩组合（Turner,1992;Bonin,2004）。     

地幔柱的发生机制研究——以Ferrar为例

利用三维数值模拟方法,根据地幔对流控制方程,以180 Ma喷发的Ferrar大火成岩省(LIP)为例,在模型中引入Pangea超大陆、大型横波低速带(LLSVPs)和Pangea超大陆边缘的俯冲带,模拟地幔对流过程,研究其对应地幔热柱从地球内部热边界层(例如核幔边界)的生成过程,并讨论导致该地幔柱产生的相关因素.结果表...     

秦岭造山带岩石圈动力学模型--来自大地电磁测深的证据

目的 建立秦岭造山带的岩石圈动力学模型是探索大陆动力学的前沿问题。方法 以地质和综合地球物理资料为约束，在对秦岭造山带东、西两段电性结构对比分析基础上建立了相应的动力学模型。结果 自中新生代以来，尤其是晚白垩世之后华北和扬子两地块向秦岭造山带持续陆内深俯冲作用，导致南秦岭岩石圈强烈向北挤入，秦岭造山带的后陆冲断褶带和北秦岭厚皮叠瓦逆冲带，现今处于以岩石圈叠置加厚的构造作用为主与拆沉作用初始发动并存状态；南秦岭正在经历拆沉-底侵的物质再循环作用，佛坪和南阳-邓县之间可能发育新的地幔柱；在造山带北、南深部边界与内部不同岩石圈块体之间还伴随不同性质的强烈走滑作用，导致物质的侧向传输。结论 秦岭造山带现今深部动力学状态直接制约着今后大地构造、气候和地表过程的动态相互作用，潜在地影响着人类社会、经济的可持续发展。     

“2008年全国岩石学与地球动力学研讨会”即将在贵阳举行

2008年10月18-24日,由中国科学院地球化学研究所、中国矿物岩石地球化学学会等单位主办的"2008年全国岩石学与地球动力学研讨会"将在贵阳举行。会议将研讨以下专题:大陆深部过程与地壳响应、地幔柱活动及其动力学、大洋岩石圈与蛇绿岩、盆地演化与油气资源、     

碳汇估算方法研究进展

从森林碳汇估算方法、林下-土壤碳汇估算方法、土壤碳汇估算方法、岩石-流域碳汇估算方法和海洋碳汇估算方法5个方面综述近年来国内外学者对于碳汇估算方法的研究现状.认为目前碳汇估算方法研究中还存在基础理论仍落后于实践、碳汇估算结果存在较大的差异、碳汇模型不够精确、基础数据的采集工作欠缺和岩石圈碳汇研究有待深入等不足,建议从建...     

Evidence of lower-mantle slab penetration phases in plate motions

It is well accepted that subduction of the cold lithosphere is a crucial component of the Earth's plate tectonic style of mantle convection. But whether and how subducting plates penetrate into the lower mantle is the subject of continuing debate, which has substantial implications for the chemical and thermal evolution of the mantle. Here we identify lower-mantle slab penetration events by comparing Cenozoic plate motions at the Earth's main subduction zones with motions predicted by fully dynamic models of the upper-mantle phase of subduction, driven solely by downgoing plate density. Whereas subduction of older, intrinsically denser, lithosphere occurs at rates consistent with the model, younger lithosphere (of ages less than about 60 Myr) often subducts up to two times faster, while trench motions are very low. We conclude that the most likely explanation is that older lithosphere, subducting under significant trench retreat, tends to lie down flat above the transition to the high-viscosity lower mantle, whereas younger lithosphere, which is less able to drive trench retreat and deforms more readily, buckles and thickens. Slab thickening enhances buoyancy (volume times density) and thereby Stokes sinking velocity, thus facilitating fast lower-mantle penetration. Such an interpretation is consistent with seismic images of the distribution of subducted material in upper and lower mantle. Thus we identify a direct expression of time-dependent flow between the upper and lower mantle.     

Small-scale convection beneath oceans and continents

Small-scale convection supplies heat flow of ～17 mW m-2 to the base of stable continents where xenolith studies resolve the geotherm.However,effects of small-scale convection are difficult to resolve in ocean basins.On first pass,most seafloor appears to subside to an asymptote compatible with ～40 mW m-2 convective heat flow.These common regions are tracked by hotspots so uplift associated with ponded mantle material is an attractive alternative.Unaffected seafloor in the North and South Atlantic continues to subside with the square root of age as expected from pure conduction.The theory of stagnant-lid convection provides good scaling relationships for heat flow.For linear viscosity,heat flow is proportional to the underlying "half-space" viscosity to the 1/3 power and the temperature to change viscosity by a factor of e to the 4/3 power.The formalism is easily modified to represent convection beneath a lid of highly viscous and buoyant cratonal lithosphere and to represent transient convection beneath thickening oceanic lithosphere.Asthenospheric mantle with linear,strongly temperature-dependent,and weakly depth-dependent viscosity is compatible with both oceanic and continental data.More complicated rheology may allow vigorous small-scale convection under most but not all old ocean basins.Still viable hypotheses require poorly understood global features,including lateral variations of asthenospheric temperature.Seismological studies have the potential to resolve the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary,including local variations of its depth associated with small-scale convection.     

Growth and reworking of cratonic lithosphere

To study the thinning of cratonic lithosphere in North China has been the hot subject of basic research in the fields of solid earth science in China. This paper presents an overview on the formation and evolution of continental crust, and outlines the mechanisms of forming the lithospheric mantle. It is suggested that the thinning of cratonic lithosphere principally proceeds in two ways, one by subduction erosion （e.g., North China）, and the other by a combination of subduction erosion and underplating degistion （e.g., Yangtze）.     

Evidence for recycled Archaean oceanic mantle lithosphere in the Azores plume

The compositional differences between mid-ocean-ridge and ocean-island basalts place important constraints on the form of mantle convection. Also, it is thought that the scale and nature of heterogeneities within plumes and the degree to which heterogeneous material endures within the mantle might be reflected in spatial variations of basalt composition observed at the Earth's surface. Here we report osmium isotope data on lavas from a transect across the Azores archipelago which vary in a symmetrical pattern across what is thought to be a mantle plume. Many of the lavas from the centre of the plume have lower 187Os/188Os ratios than most ocean-island basalts and some extend to subchondritic 187Os/188Os ratios-lower than any yet reported from ocean-island basalts. These low ratios require derivation from a depleted, harzburgitic mantle, consistent with the low-iron signature of the Azores plume. Rhenium-depletion model ages extend to 2.5 Gyr, and we infer that the osmium isotope signature is unlikely to be derived from Iberian subcontinental lithospheric mantle. Instead, we interpret the osmium isotope signature as having a deep origin and infer that it may be recycled, Archaean oceanic mantle lithosphere that has delaminated from its overlying oceanic crust. If correct, our data provide evidence for deep mantle subduction and storage of oceanic mantle lithosphere during the Archaean era.     

Depth-dependent extension, two-stage breakup and cratonic underplating at rifted margins

Uniform lithospheric extension predicts basic properties of non-volcanic rifted margins but fails to explain other important characteristics. Significant discrepancies are observed at 'type I' margins (such as the Iberia-Newfoundland conjugates), where large tracts of continental mantle lithosphere are exposed at the sea floor, and 'type II' margins (such as some ultrawide central South Atlantic margins), where thin continental crust spans wide regions below which continental lower crust and mantle lithosphere have apparently been removed. Neither corresponds to uniform extension. Instead, either crust or mantle lithosphere has been preferentially removed. Using dynamical models, we demonstrate that these margins are opposite end members: in type I, depth-dependent extension results in crustal-necking breakup before mantle-lithosphere breakup and in type II, the converse is true. These two-layer, two-stage breakup behaviours explain the discrepancies and have implications for the styles of the associated sedimentary basins. Laterally flowing lower-mantle cratonic lithosphere may underplate some type II margins, thereby contributing to their anomalous characteristics.     

Ancient, highly heterogeneous mantle beneath Gakkel ridge, Arctic Ocean

The Earth's mantle beneath ocean ridges is widely thought to be depleted by previous melt extraction, but well homogenized by convective stirring. This inference of homogeneity has been complicated by the occurrence of portions enriched in incompatible elements. Here we show that some refractory abyssal peridotites from the ultraslow-spreading Gakkel ridge (Arctic Ocean) have very depleted 187Os/188Os ratios with model ages up to 2 billion years, implying the long-term preservation of refractory domains in the asthenospheric mantle rather than their erasure by mantle convection. The refractory domains would not be sampled by mid-ocean-ridge basalts because they contribute little to the genesis of magmas. We thus suggest that the upwelling mantle beneath mid-ocean ridges is highly heterogeneous, which makes it difficult to constrain its composition by mid-ocean-ridge basalts alone. Furthermore, the existence of ancient domains in oceanic mantle suggests that using osmium model ages to constrain the evolution of continental lithosphere should be approached with caution.     

安宁河裂谷的“活化”

安宁河裂谷位于"攀西裂谷"的中轴部位,近期研究发现,裂谷区有显著的地壳引张作用,存在地幔隆起与热对流。通过野外实地调查,结合地球物理、断裂、沉积、地震、地应力和地形变等资料,认为安宁河裂谷区现在正处于明显的构造活化状态。这种活化受上地壳塑性流动产生的水平挤压和地幔隆起产生的应力张量的共同作用。据此提出一个新的裂谷活化地壳力源模型,认为在研究区特定的地球动力环境下,以安宁河裂谷为中心,再现岩浆活动和地壳裂陷并非不可能。     

Seismic evidence of negligible water carried below 400-km depth in subducting lithosphere

Strong evidence exists that water is carried from the surface into the upper mantle by hydrous minerals in the uppermost 10-12?km of subducting lithosphere, and more water may be added as the lithosphere bends and goes downwards. Significant amounts of that water are released as the lithosphere heats up, triggering earthquakes and fluxing arc volcanism. In addition, there is experimental evidence for high solubility of water in olivine, the most abundant mineral in the upper mantle, for even higher solubility in olivine's high-pressure polymorphs, wadsleyite and ringwoodite, and for the existence of dense hydrous magnesium silicates that potentially could carry water well into the lower mantle (deeper than 1,000?km). Here we compare experimental and seismic evidence to test whether patterns of seismicity and the stabilities of these potentially relevant hydrous phases are consistent with a wet lithosphere. We show that there is nearly a one-to-one correlation between dehydration of minerals and seismicity at depths less than about 250?km, and conclude that the dehydration of minerals is the trigger of instability that leads to seismicity. At greater depths, however, we find no correlation between occurrences of earthquakes and depths where breakdown of hydrous phases is expected. Lastly, we note that there is compelling evidence for the existence of metastable olivine (which, if present, can explain the distribution of deep-focus earthquakes) west of and within the subducting Tonga slab and also in three other subduction zones, despite metastable olivine being incompatible with even extremely small amounts of water (of the order of 100?p.p.m. by weight). We conclude that subducting slabs are essentially dry at depths below 400?km and thus do not provide a pathway for significant amounts of water to enter the mantle transition zone or the lower mantle.     

Uppermost mantle structure of the North China Craton: Constraints from interstation Pn travel time difference tomography

The uppermost mantle is the key area for exchange of heat flux and material convection between the crust and lithospheric mantle. Spatial variations of lithospheric thinning and dynamic processes in the North China Craton could inevitably induce the velocity heterogeneity in the uppermost mantle. In this study, we used Pn arrivals from permanent seismic stations in North China and surrounding regions to construct a tomographic image of the North China Craton. The tomographic method with Pn travel time difference data were used to study the velocity variations in the uppermost mantle. Pn velocities in the uppermost mantle varied significantly in the Eastern, Central and Western blocks of the North China Craton. This suggests that the lithosphere beneath different blocks of the North China Craton have experienced distinct tectonic evolutions and dynamic processes since the Paleozoic. The current uppermost mantle has been imprinted by these tectonic and dynamic processes. Fast Pn velocities are prominent beneath the Bohai Bay Basin in the Eastern Block of the North China Craton, suggesting residuals of the Archean lithospheric mantle. Beneath the Tanlu Fault Zone and Bohai Sea, slow Pn velocities are present in the uppermost mantle, which can be attributed to significant lithospheric thinning and asthenospheric upwelling. The newly formed lithospheric mantle beneath Yanshan Mountain may be the dominant reason for the existence of slow Pn velocities in this region. Conversely, the ancient lower crust and lithospheric mantle already have been delaminated. In the Central Block, significant slow Pn velocities are present in Taihangshan Mountain, which also extends northward to the Yinchuan-Hetao Rift on the northern margin of the Ordos Block and Yinshan Orogen. This characteristic probably is a result of hot asthenospheric upwelling along the active tectonic boundary on the margin of the Western Block. The protracted thermal erosion and underplating of hot asthenospheric upwelling may induce lithospheric thinning and significant slow velocities in the uppermost mantle. Fast velocities beneath the Western Block suggest that the thick, cold and refractory Archean lithospheric keel of craton still is retained without apparent destruction.