New Early Triassic paleomagnetic data from Huangben section, Guangdong and its tectonic implications

Continent China is composed of several blocks of variable sizes during different geological times, inwhich South China Block is composed of three tectonic units: Yangtze Block, Jiangnan Fold Belt and Southeast China Coastal Fold Belt (Fig. 1(a)), the last…     

Cretaceous synfolding remagnetization components revealing tectonic rotation of the middle Yangtze fold belt

To reveal the deformation process of the middle Yangtze fold belt, we conducted a paleomagnetic study on Middle Triassic limestones and Middle to Late Jurassic sandstones from Wanzhou, Chongqing. Stepwise thermal and alternating field demagnetization were used to isolate the multi-component re-manent magnetizations. The Jurassic samples were overprinted by recent geomagnetic field, while three magnetization components were isolated from the Middle Triassic samples. A low temperature component (LTC) was isolated at temperatures below 200℃, an intermediate temperature component (ITC) at 200―360℃ and a high temperature component (HTC) at 400―460℃. The LTC is distributed around the present-day Earth magnetic field, probably a viscous component. Stepwise unfolding indi-cates that the maximum precision parameters of ITC and HTC components are achieved at 33±8% and 50±27% (with 95% confidence) unfolding, respectively. The best-clustered ITC mean direction, Dec = 11.2°, Inc = 45.2° (α₉₅ = 4.5°, N = 34), corresponding to a paleopole at 79.3°N, 219.5°E (d_p = 3.6°, d_m = 5.7°), is consistent with the Cretaceous reference direction of the South China Block (SCB). The best-clustered HTC mean direction (taking 70% unfolding), Dec = 24.2°, Inc =49.0° (α₉₅ = 3.6°, N = 23), corresponding to a paleopole at 69.2°N, 195.5°E (d_p =3.1°, d_m = 4.8°), suggests a clockwise rotation of 12.8°±3.5°. These synfolding remagnetization components clearly reveal that a clockwise rotation happened at the middle stage of folding, thus supporting that at least part of the variation in fold axis strikes is due to orocline rotation. Combined with published data, our analysis indicates that the Wan-zhou-Xiangxi segment of the middle Yangtze fold belt experienced oroclinal bending. Furthermore, a published post-folding component isolated from the Middle Triassic Puqi Formation suggests a 27.5°±5.8° clockwise rotation, confirming that at least 50% of the observed clockwise rotations in the eastern middle Yangtze fold belt can be attributed to oroclinal bending. The remagnetization data and geological evidence observed in the middle Yangtze fold belt suggest that collision between SCB and North China Block (NCB) probably lasted till the early period of Early Cretaceous.     

Paleomagnetism of early Triassic Daye Formation and its tectonic implications

The new paleomagnetic data of the early Triassic Daye Formation from Hubei Province are reported. The ChRM passes consistency test and reversal test. Two magnetic components were isolated with principal component analysis (PCA). Component B is a ChRM and component A was acquired by remagnetization during Indosinian cycle. Rock magnetic study shows that the carrier is dominantly detrital magnetite. According to the data, in conjunction with recently published Triassic paleomagnetic results, mean paleopole of the Triassic Yangtze Block is calculated as 30.3°N癗, 198.4°E, α95 = 9.2° Distribution of all Triassic declinations indicates obviously local rotation in the mid-Yangtze areas, which results in consistence of the declinations with fold axes. By comparison with Triassic paleomagnetic data in the South China Block and some of geological evidence, it is inferred that the timing of the suture between the Yangtze Block and the South China Block is earlier in western part than in eastern part in the Indosinian period.     

Microwave sintering of Ca<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>La<Subscript>0.2667</Subscript>TiO<Subscript>3</Subscript> microwave dielectric ceramics

Ca_0.6La_0.2667TiO₃ ceramics were prepared by conventional and microwave sintering techniques and their sinterability, microstructure, and microwave dielectric properties were investigated in detail for comparison. Densified Ca_0.6La_0.2667TiO₃ ceramics were obtained by microwave sintering at 1350°C for 30 min and by conventional sintering at 1450°C for 4 h. An unusual phenomenon was found that some larger grains (grain size range: 8–10 μm) inclined to assemble in one area but some smaller ones (grain size range: 2–4 μm) inclined to gather in another area in the microwave sintered ceramics. The microwave dielectric properties of Ca_0.6La_0.2667TiO₃ ceramics prepared by microwave sintering at 1350°C were as follows: dielectric constant (ɛ _r) = 119.6, quality factor (Qf) = 17858.5 GHz, and temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τ _f) = 155.5 ppm/°C. In contrast, the microwave dielectric properties of the ceramics prepared by conventional sintering at 1450°C were ɛ _r = 117.4, Qf = 13375 GHz, and τ _f = 217.2 ppm/°C.     

Crystal structure and magnetism of the binuclear Gd(III) complex Gd2(C12H8N2)2(C6H5COO)6

In the medium of H₂O, C₂H₅OH and HAC, the reaction of Gd(NO₃)₃·6H₂O with C₆H₅COONa and C₁₂H₈N₂ produced a novel binuclear Gd(III) complex in formula [Gd₂(C₁₂H₈N₂)₂ (C₆H₅COO)₆]. Crystallographic data: crystal system, triclinic; space group, P1; unit cell dimensions, a=1.191 9(2) nm,b =1.244 2(2) nm,c = 1.080 4(2) nm, α = 93.57(3)°, β= 113.33(3)°, γ= 105.06(3)°, Z=l. The finalR =0.037 6. The magnetic measurement of the crystal powder in the temperature region of 1.5–300 K shows that this complex possesses antiferromagnetic property with fitting magnetic parametersJ = −0.471 andg =1.975.     

华北地块沁水盆地下三叠统刘家沟组古地磁倾角浅化研究

对华北地块沁水盆地下三叠统刘家沟组红层样品进行系统的岩石磁学、磁组构和古地磁学研究, 并用E/I (elongation/inclination)方法对其进行磁倾角浅化的识别与校正, 获得刘家沟组红层磁倾角浅化因子f = 0.6。岩石磁学结果显示, 刘家沟组红层的主要载磁矿物是赤铁矿及磁铁矿, 其磁组构具有典型的静水沉积特征。经地层校正后, 15个采样点特征剩磁分量的平均方向为D_s=318.8°, I_s=30.9°(α₉₅= 6.9°), 对应的古地磁极为49.3°N, 5.5°E (A₉₅=6.7°), 磁倾角浅化校正后的古地磁极为53.5°N, 18.0°E。对包括本文数据在内的高质量的华北早三叠世古地磁极数据(Q≥4)进行平均, 得到校正前的古地磁极为55.3°N, 357.1°E (A₉₅=5.5°), 校正后的古地磁极为60.8°N, 13.4°E (A₉₅=5.8°)。经过古地磁倾角浅化校正, 华北地块早三叠世的古纬度有约10°的明显提高, 指示其东部早三叠世时与华南地块之间可能存在一定的纬度差, 但是该纬度差很可能并不代表华北地块东部早三叠世时与华南地块尚未对接, 而是指示华南地块下三叠统灰岩同样存在显著的磁倾角浅化现象。     

SHRIMP U-Pb dating and Hf isotopic analyses of zircons from the mafic dyke swarms in central Qiangtang area, Northern Tibet

In the ＂Central Uplift＂ of Qiangtang, Northern Tibet, a large scale of mafic dyke swarms extended in E-W direction. Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb dating on two representative samples of diabase dyke yield weighted mean ages of 284 ± 3 Ma and 302 ± 4 Ma, respectively, suggesting they emplaced in the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian. Zircon ^176Hf/^177Hf ratios range from 0.282852 to 0.283041, with ,εHf（t） values of ＋12.1 to ＋12.2 and Hf modal （TDM） ages of ～440-460 Ma. These data indicate that these mafic dykes were mainly derived from the depleted mantle. In addition, geochemical data suggest that these mafic dyke swarms are of intra-plate origin. Therefore, the mafic dyke swarms represent products during the extensional process associated with the opening of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean in the area.     

Vp of muscovite-biotite gneiss up to 950℃ at 400 MPa: Constraints on the origin of abnormal seismic layers in continental crust

Here we present experimental results of compressional wave velocity (Vp) of muscovite-biotite gneiss from Higher Himalayan Crystallines (HHC) at the temperature up to 950℃ and the pressure of 0.1―400 MPa. At 400 MPa, when the temperature is lower than 600℃, Vp decreases linearly with increasing temperature at the rate of (Vp/T)p -4.43×10-4 km/s ℃. In the temperature range of 600―800℃, Vp drops significantly and the signal is degraded gradually due to the dehydration of muscovite and α-quartz softening. When the temperature rises from 800℃ to 875℃, Vp increases and the signals become clear again as a result of the temperature going through the β-quartz range. The experiments indicate that the duration has great influence on the experimental results when temperature is above the dehydration point of biotite. During the first 30 h at 950℃, the Vp decreases substantially from 5.9 to 5.4 km/s and the signal amplitude is attenuated by more than 80%. After the 30-h transition, the Vp and the amplitude of ultrasonic wave signals become steady. The decrease of Vp and attenuation of the signals at 950℃ are associated with the breakdown reactions of biotite. The experiments suggest that the breakdown of muscovite and/or quartz softening can contribute to the low seismic wave velocity in thickened quartz-rich felsic-crust such as what is beneath southern Tibet. Additionally, α-β quartz transition generates a measurable high seismic velocity zone, which provides a possibility of precisely constraining the temperature in the upper-middle continental crust. Our study also demonstrates that duration is a key factor to obtain credible experimental results.     

The evidence of Sm-Nd isochron age for the early Paleozoic ophiolite in Mangya area, Altun Mountains

The REE patterns of the basic volcanic rocks in Mangya area, Altun, are slight rich in LREE with (La/Ya)-N=1.69-3.20, (La/Sm)-N=1.37-1.87, other trace element ratios of the rocks are Th/Ta≈1 (for a few samples greater than 1.5), Nb/Y=0.34-0.62, Ti/Y=310-443 (on the average: 381), Ti/V=37-62, Zr/Nb=9.4-12.4, Sr/Rb=12-80 (on the average: 37), and Nb/Th=7.7-16.8. These features are similar to that of E-MORE or OIB. The ε Nd(t) value, being 3.95- 4.12, shows that the source of the volcanic rocks is derived from depleted asthenosphere mantle mixed with materials from enriched mantle. These, together with the information of geological setting and rock assemblages, indicate that the basic volcanic rocks are of ophiolite. The Sm-Nd isotope ages for the eight basic volcanic rock samples construct a straight line with good correlation, and the calculated isochron age is (481.3±53) Ma. Besides, the eight calculated ε Nd(t) and model ages are close to each other, which suggests that they are homologous, so the isochron is not a mixed line. In the meantime, the isochron age ((481.3±53) Ma) is lower than the model ages (T DM=1 004-1 534 Ma) of the samples, suggeting that the isochron age represents the formation age of the basic volcanic rocks and the ophiolite belt in Mangya area, Altun is formed in the early Paleozoic (Cambrian-Ordovician). In spite of the greater uncertainty of the age, it is still reliable because it is consistent with the age constrained by the regional strata.     

On emplacement ages of lamproites in Zhenyuan County, Guizhou Province, China

Emplacement ages of lamproites that comprise lamproite and olivine lamproite in Zhenyuan County, Guizhou Province, China, have been constrained by the whole-rock Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isochron methods and the whole rock K-Ar method. Intrusive activities of lamproites in the Sinantang area of Zhenyuan County, Guizhou Province, took place during the Late Cambrian, as indicated by the Sm-Nd isochron ages ( t ) = (503 ± 17) (2σ) Ma and by the Rb-Sr isochron ages ( t ) = (501.2 ± 4.6) (2σ) Ma. Intrusive activities of olivine lamproites at the Maping with Ⅱ-type diamond and Xitou in Zhenyuan County, Guizhou Province, took place from the Late Cambrian to the Early Ordovician, as evidenced by the Sm-Nd isochron ages ( t ) = (502 ± 27) (2σ) Ma and by the Rb-Sr isochron age ( t ) = (502 ± 27) (2σ) Ma. This suggests that the upwelling hot materials derived from the deep mantle were emplaced from the Late Cambrian to the Early Ordovician (503-497 Ma), while the time terminal of cooling of the geothermal event of magmatism-tectonism probably was at 442.64-435.54 Ma, as dated by the whole rock K-Ar method.     

Zircon U-Pb and Hf isotopes of volcanic rocks from the Batamayineishan Formation in the eastern Junggar Basin

An internal structural study was conducted to investigate U-Pb age, trace elements and Hf isotopes of basaltic zircons from the Batamayineishan Formation. The basalt was obtained from drill well San-Can 1 on the eastern Luliang uplift within the Junggar Basin. Trace element data of zircons show that all samples are magmatic, with similar REE patterns, including positive Ce (δCe=5.06–134), but negative Eu (δEu=0.06⦒0.55) anomalies and enrichment in heavy rare earth elements. Among 25 grains, the concordant ages were subdivided into three groups; ages of 300.4±1.3 Ma (n=11), 339.2±2.7 Ma (n=3) and 392.0±1.7 Ma (n=8). Three remaining grains were nearly concordant, with ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of 510±7, 488±6 and 453±6 Ma, respectively. The youngest concordant age (i.e., 300.4±1.3 Ma) could be interpreted as the formation age of the studied basaltic rock; this is consistent with the sampling position at the upper part of the Batamayineishan Formation. On the other hand, ages such as Ordovician and early Devonian are consistent with the ages of island-arc volcanic rocks (enrichment in Pb) or ophiolites around the basin. Moreover, the positive ɛ _Hf(t) values of the early and middle Paleozoic zircons (+3.6–+10.5) may suggest that the basement traversed by the studied volcanic rocks may be Paleozoic in age, formed from the residual oceanic crust and island-arc complex. The ɛ _Hf(t) values (+4.2–+17.1) of the late Paleozoic (∼300.4 Ma) zircons suggest that the basaltic magmas were derived from partial melting of the asthenospheric mantle or depleted lithospheric mantle. These magmas were slightly contaminated by the existence of early-middle Paleozoic materials. The late Carboniferous basalts represent direct eruption of mantle-derived magmas at the upper crustal level during a post-collisional tectonic setting. We therefore consider that extensive vertical growth of the continental crust to have occurred before the late Carboniferous.     

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…     

Rutile U-Pb age for the ultrahigh pressure eclogite from the Dabie Mountains,central China: Evidence for rapid cooling

The U-Pb isotope compositions of rutile, omphacite and garnet in the eclogite from the Jinheqiao area in the Southern Dabie ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic zone were analyzed. The consistent high precision U-Pb age (218 ± 1.2) Ma of rutile in eclogite from the Dabie Mountains was obtained by two ways of isochron and common Pb correction based on the composition of omphacite. This proves that the omphacite in eclogite has a U/Pb ratio (m = 2.8) low enough to be used for common Pb correction in the analyses of rutile. Under the rapid cooling condition (40℃/Ma) the closure temperature for U-Pb diffusion in rutile is about 470℃. Thus, this U-Pb age of rutile proves that 218 Ma should be the cooling age of eclogite at 470℃ instead of the peak metamorphic age.     

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.     

Synthesis,Structure and Antitumor Activities of [Ni（dien）2][Ni（CN）4] Complex

Ni(II)-dien complex was prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction. The crystal belongs to triclinic system, space group P-1, with crystallographic parametersa=0.888 13(18) nm,b=0.890 10(18) nm,c=1. 591 8(3) nm, α=77.71(3)°, β=89.12(3)°, γ=61.24(3)°,Z=2. The two dien molecules coordinate to the central Ni atom, the six nitrogen atoms form a distorted octahedron. Preliminary pharmacological tests showed this complex had antitumor activity against HepG₂ and HL-60 cell linesin vitro. Foundation item, Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (29972034) Biography: Li Tao (1976-), male, Ph. D candidate, research direction: ophthalmology and chemicalbiology.     

Geochronology and geochemistry of the Fangcheng Neoproterozoic alkali-syenites in East Qinling orogen and its geodynamic implications

Finding of Neoproterozoic syenites at Fangcheng in the northern Qinling region of the East Qinling orogen provides an important constraint on timing of tectonic transformation to extensional regime. The alkaline pluton consists mainly of nepheline syenite, aegirine syenite, and alkali-feldspar syenite. The syenites are of intermediate （SiO2 = 54%-62%）, rich in alkali （K2O＋Na2O = 12%-15%）, aluminum （Al2O3= 16.81%-23.26%） and large ion lithophile elements （LILE）, without any obvious Nb, Ta, Zr, and Hf anomalies. The Fangcheng syenites are geochemically characterized by relative enrichment of LREE, minor differentiation of HREE, significant negative Eu anomalies （Eu = 0.13-0.23）, less negative εNd（t） values of -1.37 to-3.90, young Nd model ages of 1364 to 1569 Ma, and high zircon saturation temperatures of 915 to 1044℃. The syenitic magmas probably originated from small proportion melting of upper mantle in an extensional regime of intraplate-anorogenic tectonic setting, and have been slightly contaminated by crustal materials during ascending and/or emplacement. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating yields ages of 844.3±1.6 Ma （MSWD=0.86）, suggesting that the Fangcheng alkaline syenites formed in the early Neoproterozoic. They are the oldest Neoproterozoic alkaline rocks ever recognized in the Qinling orogen as well as in South China. This implies that the tectonic regime of the Qinling region would have transformed from post-collisional stretch to intraplate-anorogenic extension no later than 844 Ma.     

Latitudinal shift and tilt of the ring current during magnetic storms

The equatorial ring current (ERC) theory suggested that the distribution of global disturbed horizontal geomagnetic field only depends on the cosine of station’s latitude. However, we always observe a larger ΔH at higher latitude stations than lower ones, implying that the ERC could tilt or/and shift with respect to the equatorial plane during intense storms. In this paper, we analyze 11 intense magnetic storms from 2000 to 2004, and introduce two configurational factors to characterize the topology of storm time ring current. The results show that ERC has occasionally deviated off equatorial plane with both tilt angle δ_t≈13°―25° and latitude shift δ_s≈0°―21.8°. The ground disturbed field distribution should be improved as ΔH_k = ΔH_maxcos(φ_k-δ ), which agree well with the geomagnetic observations.     

Age of the Miyun dyke swarm: Constraints on the maximum depositional age of the Changcheng System

A group of NE-trending(～30°)mafic dykes,termed Miyun swarm herein,are distributed around the Miyun Reservoir,northe China,and have individual widths of over 40 m,and lengths of up to 8000 m.Baddeleyite grains were extracted from a～40 wide dyke.Using an isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry method,these grains yield an average 207Pb/206Pb a of 1731±4 Ma(n=4;or 1731±1 Ma,n=3).Because this dyke is overlain unconformably by conglomerates of the Changzhoug Formation,the lowermost formation of the Changcheng Group,the maximum depositional age of this group is constrained to no earlier than 1731 Ma.This result also suggests that the Changcheng System,with the Changcheng Group as its standard stra graphic section,is younger than 1731 Ma.The Miyun dykes possibly have distinct petrogenesis from the subsequent anorth site-rapakivi intrusions(1730-1680 Ma),which are thought to be responsible for the opening of the Yan-Liao rift,where Changcheng Group was deposited.Thus it is reasonable to set the initial boundary of the Changchengian Period at 1730 Ma slightly younger.