The late Paleoproterozoic extension event:aulacogens and dyke Swarms in the North China craton

The extension structures and tectonic implication in the North China Craton ( NCC) are discussed in this paper based on the mafic dyke swarms and geochronology, combining with the geochronology of aulacogens. The late Paleoproterozoic time is the important turning point in the Precambrian evolution of the NCC. The extension system (e.g. aulacogens and dyke swarms) is widespread in the NCC, which marks the carbonization of the NCC with the rigid characteristic similar to the modern plate. The paleostress field modeling suggests that the dyke swarms and aulacogens are arogenic extension marking the start of the supercontinent, not synorogenic and post-orogenic extension. The mafic dyke swarms in the NCC mainly ranged from 1.83 to 1.77 Ga. The extension of the NCC is very limited brittle extension, the average extension ratio is only 0.35% given by mafic dyke swarms extension calculation, so most of extension in the NCC is contributed by the aulacogens. The mafic dyke swarms are related with the aulacogens in the origin.     

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.     

Mantle olivine xenocrysts entrained in Mesozoic basalts from the North China craton：Implication for replacement process of lithospheric mantle

Mesozoic (125 Ma) Fangcheng basalts fromShandong Province contain clearly zoned olivines that arerare in terrestrial samples and provide first evidence for thereplacement of lithospheric mantle from high-Mg peridotitesto Iow-Mg peridotites through peridotite-melt reaction.Zoned olivines have compositions in the core (Mg# = 87.2--90.7) similar to those olivines from the mantle peridotiticxenoliths entrained in Cenozoic basalts from the NorthChina craton and in the rim (Mg# = 76.8--83.9) close to oli-vine phenocrysts of the host basalts (75.7--79.0). Thesecompositional features as well as rounded crystal shapes andsmaller grain sizes (300—800 μm) demonstrate that thesezoned olivines are mantle xenocrysts, i.e. disaggregates ofmantle peridotites. Their core compositions can representthose of olivines of mantle peridotites. The zoned texture ofolivines was formed through rapid reaction between the oli-vine xenocryst and the host basalt. This olivine-basaltic meltreaction could have been ubiquitous in the Mesozoic litho-spheric mantle beneath the North China craton, i.e. an im-portant type of the replacement of lithospheric mantle. Thereaction resulted in the transformation of the Paleozoic re-fractory (high-Mg) peridotites to the late Mesozoic fertile(Iow-Mg) and radiogenic isotope-enriched peridotites, lead-ing to the loss of old lithospheric mantle.     

Thoughts on studies of China continental geology and tectonics

As an important part of the global continents, China continent has long been situated in the peculiar tectonic position and experienced extremely complicated activities, which resulted in the regional unique characteristics for China continent on the global common geological background. These characteristics contain abundant information regarding scientific key issues of modern geological frontier. Thus, China continent can be a natural laboratory and excellent arena for the modern geosciences. The modern earth sciences have started entering the era featured with earth systematic science and beyond plate tectonics. How to take the regional advantage and exploit the treasure resource to participate the new theoretical and methodological creation is a historic opportunity and great challenge we are facing. This paper generalizes research priorities in four fields on China continental geology and tectonics for discussion. They are: China continental tectonics and dynamics; Mesozoic-Cenozoic crustal deformation and deep-seated processes in China continent and the adjacent regions; deep-seated dynamic background and evolutionary trend of crustal tectonic activities on the time scale of human existence; deep-seated background and processes of conjunction and transformation of different tectonic systems.     

U-Pb ages and Hf isotopes for detrital zircons from quartzite in the Paleoproterozoic Songshan Group on the southwestern margin of the North China Craton

In situ U-Pb dating and Lu-Hf isotopic analysis were carried out for detrital zircons from quartzite in the Paleoproterozoic Songshan Group on the southern margin of the North China Craton （NCC）. The results provide further constraints on the crustal formation and evolution history of NCC. Four ^207Pb/^206Pb age populations were obtained from 99 analyses, with clusters at -3.40 Ga, 2.77-2.80 Ga, -2.50 Ga and 2.34 Ga, respectively. The 3.40 Ga old zircons have similar Hf isotopic compositions to those from Archean rocks in the Jidong and Anshan areas of NCC. However, crustal remnants older than 3.6 Ga have been identified in the southern margin of NCC, the South China Craton, the northwestern part of the Qinling Orogen and its adjacent area. Thus, it is not easy to trace the source rock from which the 3.40 Ge detrital zircons were derived. It can be inferred that the crustal remnants older than 3.40 Ga might have been widely distributed in the North China Craton. The 2.77-2.80 Ga zircons make up a relatively small proportion and have the highest εHf（t） values （up to 6.1±1.6）, consistent with the Hf isotopic composition of the depleted mantle at 2.83 Ga. Their single-stage Hf model age of 2.83 Ga is close to their crystallized age, suggesting that their source rocks were extracted from the contemporaneous depleted mantle. The -2.50 Ga zircon grains constitute about 85% of the total grain population and their Hf isotopic compositions indicate major growth of juvenile crust at -2.50 Ga but minor reworking of ancient crust. The youngest zircon dated in this study gave an U-Pb age of 2337±2.3 Ma, which can be considered the maximum depositional age of the formation of the Songshan Group.     

Peridotite-melt interaction: A key point for the destruction of cratonic lithospheric mantle

This paper presents an overview of recent studies dealing with different ages of mantle peridotitic xenoliths and xenocrysts from the North China Craton, with aim to provide new ideas for further study on the destruction of the North China Craton. Re-Os isotopic studies suggest that the lithospheric mantle of the North China Craton is of Archean age prior to its thinning. The key reason why such a low density and highly refractory Archean lithospheric mantle would be thinned is changes in composition, thermal regime, and physical properties of the lithospheric mantle due to interaction of peridotites with melts of different origins. Inward subduction of circum craton plates and collision with the North China Craton provided not only the driving force for the destruction of the craton, but also continuous melts derived from partial melting of subducted continental or oceanic crustal materials that resulted in the compositional change of the lithospheric mantle. Regional thermal anomaly at ca. 120 Ma led to the melting of highly modified lithospheric mantle. At the same time or subsequently lithospheric extension and asthenospheric upwelling further reinforced the melting and thinning of the lithospheric mantle. Therefore, the destruction and thinning of the North China Craton is a combined result of per- idotite-melt interaction （addition of volatile）, enhanced regional thermal anomaly （temperature increase） and lithospheric extension （decompression）. Such a complex geological process finally produced a ＂mixed＂ lithospheric mantle of highly chemical heterogeneity during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. It also resulted in significant difference in the composition of mantle peridotitic xenoliths between different regions and times.     

Delamination and destruction of the North China Craton

This article presents an overview on recent developments in studies of chemical and physical processes of lithospheric delamination with respect to destruction of the North China Craton. It is emphasized that the pyroxenite source resulting from interaction between eclogite-derived melt and peridotite is a direct consequence of delamination. The pyroxenite source thus formed has unique mineralogical and geochemical features, which characterize Mesozoic basalts of the North China Craton. Melt-peridotite interaction played an important role in refertilization of cratonic lithospheric mantle, leading to density increase, weakening and final destabilization of the North China Craton. The nature of the melt is the key to distinguish mechanisms of destructing this craton.     

Repeated modification of lithospheric mantle in the eastern North China Craton: Constraints from SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating of dunite xenoliths in western Shandong

Four dunite xenoliths from the Tietonggou intrusion of western Shandong,China,were subjected to SHRIMP zircon U-Pb dating to constrain timing of the North China Craton(NCC) destruction,a topic of much controversy.Cathodoluminescence images revealed that 15 of the 18 zircon grains from the xenoliths display striped absorption.The rest showed oscillatory growth zoniation.All the zircons had variable contents of Th(49-3569 ppm;average,885 ppm) and U(184-5398 ppm;average,1277 ppm),and variable Th/U ratios(0.15-2.04).These zircon characteristics indicate a magmatic origin.The zircon age data can be divided into five groups:131-145,151-164,261-280,434-452,and 500-516 Ma.Group I(131-145 Ma) is consistent with timing of formation of the Tietonggou high-Mg diorites.Group II(151-164 Ma) is similar in age to Middle-Late Jurassic magmatism in the eastern NCC,which included both mantle-derived and intensive crust-derived magmatism.Group III(261-280 Ma) is similar in age to the Emeishan large igneous province,and Group IV(434-452 Ma) is similar in age to Paleozoic high-silica magmatism in the eastern NCC.Group V(500-516 Ma) may correspond to the global Pan-African event.Results indicate repeated modification of lithospheric mantle in the eastern NCC,and suggest that the most intensive modification occurred in the late Mesozoic(131-164 Ma).     

On the timing and duration of the destruction of the North China Craton

The timing and duration of the destruction of the North China Craton, which is pivotal to understanding the destruction mechanism and its geodynamic controlling factors, still remain controversial. On the basis of the principles of magma genesis and evolution, first we outline magmatic expressions that can be related to cratonic destruction, then use magmatic and basin evolution trends to constrain the timescale of the lithospheric thinning in North China. The main conclusions include： （1） the thinning of the lithosphere beneath the North China Craton might have started, at least locally, since late Carboniferous-late Triassic, attained its climax during the late Jurassic-early Cretaceous, and continued till the end of late Cretaceous-early Cenozoic. The destruction of the North China Craton was a relatively slow, rather than a dramatic process. （2） The weakened lithospheric zones along the margins and interiors of the craton played an important role in cratonic destruction, partly accounting for the heterogeneous pattern of cratonic destruction. （3） The tectonic factors that controlled the destruction of the North China Craton may be multiple. The late Carboniferous southward subduction of the Paleo-Asian plate and the late Triassic collision between North China and South China may have re-activated the craton by influencing the thermal and integral structure of the craton. The Pacific subduction underneath the eastern Asian continent played a determinant role in the cratonic destruction, governing the distribution patterns of post-Mesozoic basins and major tectonic configuration, temporal change of magmatism and formation of the North-South gravity lineament.     

Hf isotopes of the 3.8 Ga zircons in eastern Hebei Province, China： Implications for early crustal evolution of the North China Craton

Zircon U-Pb dating indicates that the fuchsite quartzite in eastern Hebei Province was derived from weathering and erosion of the 3.6-3.8 Ga granitic rocks. In-situ zircon Hf analyses show that the Lu-Hf isotopic system remained closed during later thermal disturbances. Zircons with concordant ages have Hf isotopic model ages of about 3.8 Ga, suggesting a recycling of this ancient crust. The -3.8 Ga zircons have similar Hf isotopic compositions to those of chondrite, indicating that their source rocks （granitic rocks） were derived from partial melting of the juvenile crust which originated from a mantle without significant crust-mantle differentiation. Therefore, it is proposed that there was no large-scale crustal growth before -3.8 Ga in eastern Hebei Province. Considering zircon Hf isotopic data from other areas, it is concluded that the most ancient crust in the North China Craton probably formed at about 4.0 Ga, and the possibility to find crust older than 4.0 Ga is very limited.     

Sm-Nd age dating of high-pressure granulites and amphibolite from Sanggan area, North China craton

The high pressure (HP) metamorphic age has been dated to HP rocks from the Sanggan area, North China craton. We have got garnet+whole rock isochron ages of (1 842±38) Ma for HP granulite, and (1 856 ± 26) Ma for HP amphibolite. The Sm-Nd whole rock isochron of HP granulites give out an age of (1 870±150) Ma with Nd depleted mantle model age of (2 402—2 482) Ma. Considering the Nd isotope homogenization during the peak metamorphism of the HP granulite, Sm-Nd closure temperature and the retention of Nd isotopic memory in garnets partially broken down during decompression, all these isochron ages are thought to be HP metamorphic age. Furthermore, we proposed that the HP metamorphism took place at the end of Paleoproterozoic during the large-scale collision and assembly of the North China craton.     

华北陆台早前寒武纪地质演化与地幔对流模式

提出了华北陆台早前寒武纪地质演化及地幔地流模式，太古宙地幔呈南北方向向陆台俯冲，由于放射性热元素在壳下的不断积累，温度逐渐升高，对流速度减慢，从而使地幔对流方向在晚太古代至早元古代发生了转换，由近南北向的挤压俯冲转米为近东西向的壳下地幔下涌，陆台下发生了广泛的ＴＴＧ质重熔，并发生了大幅度的抬升，这种对流状态持续到古生代末。     

华北板块南部高变质煤条带成因机制

 为确定华北板块南缘高变质煤条带形成机制与形成时代,通过研究华北板块南缘中二叠统山西组二1煤层煤级分布和岩浆岩空间展布特征,结合华北板块与扬子板块碰撞历史,利用地质学"重力均衡"原理和日本岩石学家都城秋穗提出的"双变质带"理论,建立碰撞热流模型并合理解释导致高变质煤条带形成的热流来源,得出:1)扬子板块向华北板块的俯冲作用,在华北板块南缘前陆盆地形成高温低压带,促进了煤化作用,形成高变质煤条带;2)结合地质资料和区域构造特征分析,发现高变质煤带走向与印支期构造走向(东-西)一致,该高变质煤条带形成于印支期。燕山期岩浆控制了华北板块南缘大部分煤变质作用,但是在晋城-济源一带其煤变质是由于印支期板块碰撞形成的异常热作用的结果。     

Comparison of mantle-derived matierals from different spatiotemporal settings: Implications for destructive and accretional processes of the North China Craton

Cratonic destruction or lithospheric thinning beneath North China makes it as one of the most ideal areas for the studying on the formation and evolution of continent. However, the mechanism, time, range and dynamic setting of the destruction, even the lithospheric status before the destruction, are contentious. The comparison among mantle xenoliths in the volcanic rocks from different captured times （e.g. Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic） and locations （e.g. intra-plate or its rim, the translithospheric Tanlu fault or the North-South Gravity Line）, and peridotitic massifs within the Sulu-Dabie ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism belt along the southern margin of the North China Craton, indicates that （1） the cratonic lithosphere is heterogeneous in structure and composition, and contains mantle weak zones; and （2） the Mesozoic-Cenozoic lithospheric thinning process is complex, including lateral spreading of lithosphere, interaction between melt and peridotite, non-even asthenospheric erosion （huge lithospheric thinning）, and the limited lithospheric accretion and thus thickening, which resulted in the final replacement of the refractory cratonic lithosphere by juvenile fertile mantle. In early Mesozoic, the integrity of the North China Craton was interrupted, even destroyed by subduction and collision of the Yangtze block. The mantle wedge of the North China Craton was also metasomatized and modified by melt/fluids revealed from the subducted Yangtze continent. Lithospheric mantle extension and tectonic intrusion of the North China Craton also occurred, accompanied by the asthenospheric upwelling that due to the detachement of the subducted Yangtze continent （orogenic root）. During early Cretaceous-early Tertiary, the huge thinning of lithosphere was triggered by the upwelling asthenosphere due to the subduction of the Pacific plate. Since late Tertiary, the cooling of the upwelling asthenosphere resulted in the replacement of the mantle in existence by the newly accreted lithosphere, accompanied with a little thickness in lithosphere and thus finally achieved the lithospheric thinning as a whole. The translithospheric faults, such as the Tanlu fault, play excellent channels for asthenospheric upwelling. Meanwhile, the channels in lithosphere are usually irregular, which resulted in different eruption times of magma. Peridotite xenolith in the basalts erupted at 100 Ma is mainly fertile, indicating such a fact, that is, the mantle replacement occurred before the eruption （e.g. 125--100 Ma） beneath the eastern part of the North China Craton.     

Geochemical characteristics and petrogenesis of Mesozoic basalts from the North China Craton： A case study in Fuxin, Liaoning Province

Occurrence of Cretaceous basalts in Fuxin County, Liaoning Province provides us an opportunity to understand Mesozoic mantle processes beneath the northern margin of the North China Craton (NNCC). Fuxin Jianguo basalts occur as volcanic channel phases with well-developed columnar jointings and contain few spinel lherzolite and pyroxenite xenoliths. They are poor in silica and rich in alkalis, Ti and Al, belonging to alkaline basalts. In trace element compositions, Jianguo basalts are moderately enriched in LREE and LILE, but not depleted in HFSE. They have low Sr and high Nd and Pb isotopic ratios. These geochemical characteristics suggest that Jianguo basalts originated from the depleted asthenosphere, representing an undifferentiated and uncontaminated primitive magma. Presence of these basalts indicates that the lithosphere beneath the region had thickness less than 65 km at the time of basalt eruption and was mainly composed of fertile pargasite-bearing spinel Iherzolite and plagioclase pyroxenite. The voluminous basaltic-andesitic magmatism during the early Jurassic-late Cretaceous time indicates that the commencement and accomplishment of lithosphere thinning in the NNCC was much earlier than that in the southern margin, since the mafic-intermediate volcanism only occurred at the Cretaceous time in the southern margin and the basalts with an asthenosphere isotopic signature at the Tertiary. This shows that highly spatial and temporal heterogeneity existed in the Mesozoic lithosphere evolution.     

LA-(MC)-ICPMS U-Pb zircon geochronology and Lu-Hf isotope compositions of the Taihua complex on the southern margin of the North China Craton

Widely distributed on the southern margin of the North China Craton, the Taihua complex extends roughly in an east-west direction and the relatively complete successions are found in Lushan County, Henan Province. Like many other Archean terranes, the Taihua Complex can be divided into two major lithological units along the Dangze River, namely gneisses series and supracrustal rocks. The former is located on the north side of the river and chiefly composed of TTG gneisses and amphibolites; the latter on the south side of the river is mainly supracrustal rock. Coupled with the previous studies, the results obtained by this study show that the Taihua complex was formed in a large time span from Neoarchean to Palaeoproterozoic. The TTG gneisses and amphibolites are dated at Neoarchean (2794–2752 Ma). The 2.9 Ga and 3.1 Ga zircons in amphibolites could be xenocrysts. In the North China Craton, the 2.8–2.7 Ga old rocks crop out in several areas e.g. western Shandong Province, Jiaodong Peninsula and Lushan area of Henan Province. In addition, 2.8–2.7 Ga detrital zircons or xenocryst zircons have been recognized in Huai’an, Fuping, Wutai areas of North China Craton and also reported in the Early Paleozoic diamondiferous kimberlites in Mengyin and Fuxian. All these age results indicate that the 2.8–2.7 Ga rocks may have been developed much broader region than today’s outcrops. Zircon Hf and whole rock Nd isotopes show that the 2.8–2.7 Ga tectono-thermal event represents an important period of crustal growth with minor ancient crust reworked in the North China Craton. However the formation of supracrustal rocks is limited to 2.2–2.0 Ga in the Palaeoproterozoic time, not the Archaean, as previously believed. Combined with the chronological data of aluminium-rich metamorphic rocks (Khondalite series) on the southern margin of the North China Craton and adjacent areas, it is suggested that the above areas have widely developed Paleoproterozoic passive continental margin environment.     

华北克拉通北缘典型高锶花岗岩区域锶型矿泉水分布特征及成因

华北克拉通北缘存在大量高锶花岗岩体,但其周边区域锶型矿泉水的赋存情况鲜有研究.首次以都山岩体作为典型高锶花岗岩,通过水文地质调查、水样采集、化验分析等方法,对其周边区域锶型矿泉水的分布和形成机理进行了分析.同时对寿王坟岩体、碾子峪岩体、小寺沟岩体、杨杖子岩体等四处高锶花岗岩体周边区域水体进行调查取样分析,以验证锶型矿泉...     

板块构造对我国东南沿海地区植物区系与东亚—北美间断分布的关系

我国福建、浙江、台湾、广东沿海及海南和南海等东南沿海,在地质上属华夏地块和台湾,从各地植物区系的相似性以及古植物区系地理的研究表明;我国东南沿海地区植物区系是一个统一的整体。东亚-北美间断分布是板块构造运动的结果,我国东南沿海地区有着丰富而古老的东亚-北美间断分布的属种,并有一些主要的原始的科属和种类,可能是东亚-北美间断分布的发源地之一。     

Parallel Simulation of Groundwater Flow in the North China Plain

Numerical modeling is of crucial importance in understanding the behavior of regional groundwater system. However, the demand on modeling capability is intensive when performing high-resolution simulat...