Laboratory models of the thermal evolution of the mantle during rollback subduction

The subduction of oceanic lithosphere plays a key role in plate tectonics, the thermal evolution of the mantle and recycling processes between Earth's interior and surface. Information on mantle flow, thermal conditions and chemical transport in subduction zones come from the geochemistry of arc volcanoes, seismic images and geodynamic models. The majority of this work considers subduction as a two-dimensional process, assuming limited variability in the direction parallel to the trench. In contrast, observationally based models increasingly appeal to three-dimensional flow associated with trench migration and the sinking of oceanic plates with a translational component of motion (rollback). Here we report results from laboratory experiments that reveal fundamental differences in three-dimensional mantle circulation and temperature structure in response to subduction with and without a rollback component. Without rollback motion, flow in the mantle wedge is sluggish, there is no mass flux around the plate and plate edges heat up faster than plate centres. In contrast, during rollback subduction flow is driven around and beneath the sinking plate, velocities increase within the mantle wedge and are focused towards the centre of the plate, and the surface of the plate heats more along the centreline.     

Zircon U-Pb ages for Wulian granites in northwest Sulu and their tectonic implications

The Sulu orogen is the eastern termination of the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt that results from the Triassic collision between the North China and the Yang-tze plates[1—4]. It contains ultrahigh pressure (UHP) meta-morphic rocks such as eclogite, granitic gneiss and marble. The Wulian complex zone, north to the Wulian fault in the Jiaonan area, is about 10—14 km wide and consists of metaigneous and metasedimentary rocks that only ex-perienced greenschist-facies metamorphism (Fig. …     

松辽盆地中、新生代构造特征及其演化

松辽盆地发育在大陆内部古生宙－元古宙基底之上，出现在中生代火山岩带的后缘，经历了晚侏罗世地幔上隆、陆壳坳陷，早白垩世大规模岩浆上涌、引张裂陷、晚白垩世盆地挤压、构造反转和新生代较小幅度伸展断陷多阶段的构造演化。研究表明，发生在松辽盆地的从岩石圈伸展减薄到挤压增厚再到拉伸的复杂动力学演化过程是中生代伊泽奈崎大洋岩石圈朝东亚陆缘俯冲－碰撞作用的结果，松辽盆地的形成演化与洋壳运动方向、俯冲角度、俯冲速率的变化、俯冲带位置的迁移、大陆内部对洋壳消减了作用的响应方式等因素密切相关。     

Continental subduction channel processes: Plate interface interaction during continental collision

The study of subduction-zone processes is a key to development of the plate tectonic theory. Plate interface interaction is a basic mechanism for the mass and energy exchange between Earth＇s surface and interior. By developing the subduction channel model into continental collision orogens, insights are provided into tectonic processes during continental subduction and its products. The continental crust, composed of felsic to mafic rocks, is detached at different depths from subducting continental lithosphere and then migrates into continental subduction channel. Part of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle wedge, composed of perido- tile, is offscrapped from its bottom. The crustal and mantle fragments of different sizes are transported downwards and upwards inside subduction channels by the corner flow, resulting in varying extents of metamorphism, with heterogeneous deformation and local anatexis. All these metamorphic rocks can be viewed as tectonic melanges due to mechanical mixing of crust- and man- lie-derived rocks in the subduction channels, resulting in different types of metamorphic rocks now exposed in the same orogens. The crust-mantle interaction in the continental subduction channel is realized by reaction of the overlying ancient subcontinental lithospheric mantle wedge peridotite with aqueous fluid and hydrous melt derived from partial melting of subducted continental basement granite and cover sediment. The nature of premetamorphic protoliths dictates the type of collisional orogens, the size of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic terranes and the duration of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism.     

四川汶川大地震与C型俯冲的关系和防震减灾的建议

四川汶川大地震发生在龙门山冲断带,属构造地震.龙门山冲断带与川西前陆盆地是中国西部典型大陆构造,属C型俯冲(陆内俯冲)模式.C型俯冲不仅控制油气资源分布,还孕育着发震机制.作者从龙门山冲断带地史演化、变形特征、深部地球物理信忠,建立起龙门山C型俯冲构造运动模式.汶川大地震发震与此模式的地质构造背景关系密切,是现今发生的陆内俯冲引起的地震.当时可能发生了两次强烈地震,这才可能是北川县城遭到毁灭性破坏的原因.汶川大地震可能发生在上地壳底至中地壳深12～24 km的高导层上,属中国陆内俯冲型地震,很可能是太平洋板块推挤中国大陆的远端效应触发作用所引起,与印度板块推挤作用关系不大.     

长江形成的大地构造背景与沿江带的环境效应

长江上游金沙江段的展布形态为一向NE凸出的弧形,宜宾-宜昌段主要为向NW凸出的弧形;中游近似于"S”形;而下游则是向N凸出的弧形.这一特殊的自然地理面貌严格受青藏地块、秦祁昆地块和扬子板块的构造格局控制,是特提斯构造系统和太平洋构造系统及其二者复合作用的结果.沿长江地带的地震活动是上述两大构造系统下,新构造运动所致,在二者的接合部位地震活动最强烈.长江沿岸的地质灾害严格受岸坡的岩石类型、结构面规模以及产状等因素的影响.因此,长江的形成和沿江带的环境效应与大地构造背景密切相关.     

粤北大宝山矿区中生代叠加褶皱特征及其地质意义

大宝山矿区位于南岭地区南部,中生代印支期-燕山期至少发生了两期褶皱作用,清楚地记录了自身的构造变形历史;为了解大宝山矿区构造演化提供了非常有利的条件。通过矿区内褶皱、石英脉、劈理、膝褶等变形构造的分析,首次识别了矿区内两个世代不同方向的褶皱构造的横跨叠加型式。发现早期褶皱(轴面走向NW-NNW向)形态较为紧闭,为斜卧褶皱;晚期褶皱(轴面走向为NE-NEE向)形态较为宽缓,为直立倾伏褶皱。结合大区域褶皱构造线的分析,提出华南地区横跨型叠加褶皱的早期褶皱应为近南北向,晚期褶皱为近东西向。基于矿区内多期变形构造的交切关系、石英脉辉钼矿年龄数据以及区域相关地质事件分析,这两组褶皱构造反映了大宝山矿区乃至华南地区中生代陆内两次变形事件:NW-NNW向褶皱是印支早期华南板块内部强烈构造-岩浆活动的结果;NE-NEE向褶皱是燕山早期华南板块陆内部变形作用的结果。大宝山矿区叠加褶皱变形研究不仅为研究华南大陆叠加褶皱变形特征提供了具体例证,而且对大宝山矿区多金属矿的勘探起重要指导作用。     

Cenozoic climate change as a possible cause for the rise of the Andes

Causal links between the rise of a large mountain range and climate have often been considered to work in one direction, with significant uplift provoking climate change. Here we propose a mechanism by which Cenozoic climate change could have caused the rise of the Andes. Based on considerations of the force balance in the South American lithosphere, we suggest that the height of, and tectonics in, the Andes are strongly controlled both by shear stresses along the plate interface in the subduction zone and by buoyancy stress contrasts between the trench and highlands, and shear stresses in the subduction zone depend on the amount of subducted sediments. We propose that the dynamics of subduction and mountain-building in this region are controlled by the processes of erosion and sediment deposition, and ultimately climate. In central South America, climate-controlled sediment starvation would then cause high shear stress, focusing the plate boundary stresses that support the high Andes.     

The large-scale ductile shear zone in Kuda, western Kunlun

A set of metamorphic suites, previously known as the Precambrian metamorphic basement in Kuda, western Kunlun has been determined as a large nappe ductile shear zone which develops penetrative foliation, oriented stretching lineation, various but consistent kinematic indicators of thrusting from north to south. The microstructure and the supermicrostructure also display the ductile deformation characteristics, and the paleotectonic differential stress is obtained. The metamorphic age is 426–451 Ma dated by⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar method. According to tectonic background, it is a product of early Paleozoic accretionary wedge orogenesis in western Kunlun.     

中国地体构造研究进展综述

地体构造理论被应用于中国地质的具体实践已经１５年并取得了丰硕的成果,主要表现在：１．中国境内地体构造的划分,２．地体构造理论上的创新,包括地体定义的完善;板块、微板块、地体、板惩、覆体五者之间的理论甄别,地体的古板块单元重建和古地体古大洋研究;地体拼贴增生和裂解离散的形式和过程,地体运动形成的沉积盆地和能源矿产;３．方法学上的进展,主要有古地磁喾综合地球物理学、微古生物及其对含放射虫硅质岩的新认识     

吐哈盆地北部红旗坎地区侏罗系构造特征研究

红旗坎地区整体为由北向南的双重逆冲推覆叠瓦构造特征,区内断裂发育。受NW—SE 向挤压应力作用,侏罗系主要发育SW—NE 向主控断裂和与之垂直或斜交的NW—SE 向或近南北向次级断裂。主控断裂由北向南逐次逆冲叠置,形成特有的前展式叠瓦状断裂组合样式和平面彼此平行呈“川”字型展布的断裂分布特征。红旗坎构造带从西向东呈现出叠瓦逆冲—叠瓦堆垛—叠瓦逆冲三段有所差异的双重叠瓦逆冲构造特征,其叠瓦逆冲构造发育期主要为侏罗纪末期,白垩纪末期逆冲推覆构造运动对红旗坎双重逆冲叠瓦构造的发育具有重要的作用,后经喜马拉雅期大角度逆冲推覆运动改造而定型。     

The potential for giant tsunamigenic earthquakes in the northern Bay of Bengal

The great Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 came as a surprise to most of the earth science community. Although it is now widely recognized that the risk of another giant earthquake is high off central Sumatra, just east of the 2004 earthquake, there seems to be relatively little concern about the subduction zone to the north, in the northern Bay of Bengal along the coast of Myanmar. Here I show that similar indicators suggest a high potential for giant earthquakes along the coast of Myanmar. These indicators include the tectonic environment, which is similar to other subduction zones that experience giant megathrust earthquakes, stress and crustal strain observations, which indicate that the seismogenic zone is locked, and historical earthquake activity, which indicates that giant tsunamigenic earthquakes have occurred there in the past. These are all consistent with active subduction in the Myanmar subduction zone and I suggest that the seismogenic zone extends beneath the Bengal Fan. I conclude therefore that giant earthquakes probably occur off the coast of Myanmar, and that a large and vulnerable population is thereby exposed to a significant earthquake and tsunami hazard.     

The propagation of seafloor spreading in the southwestern subbasin, South China Sea

On the basis of the summary of basic characteristics of propagation, the dynamic model of the tectonic evolution in the South-western Subbasin (SWSB), South China Sea (SCS), has been established through high resolution multi-beam swatch bathymetry and multi-channel seismic profiles, combined with magnetic anomaly analysis. Spreading propagates from NE to SW and shows a transition from steady seafloor spreading, to initial seafloor spreading, and to continental rifting in the southwest end. The spreading in SWSB (SCS) is tectonic dominated, with a series of phenomena of inhomogeneous tectonics and sedimentation.     

茅山顶宫地区构造流体包裹体迹面研究

茅山顶宫地区的流体包裹体迹面分析结果表明,该地区中生代以来的构造经历过多期构造演化,主应力方位表现出由北西→北北西→近北→北西→北东→西北西方向的变化,并以北西方向为主;主应力性质由压扭→张性→压扭→张性呈多期改变.这些事件依次对应于茅山中生代以来第一次北西向推覆构造、K2茅东张裂盆地,以及新生代挤压、拉张交替演化过程.茅山断裂构造期温度显示出由高到低的变化特点,相应地压力也由大到小变化.     

Record of mid-Archaean subduction from metamorphism in the Barberton terrain, South Africa

Although plate tectonics is the central geological process of the modern Earth, its form and existence during the Archaean era (4.0-2.5 Gyr ago) are disputed. The existence of subduction during this time is particularly controversial because characteristic subduction-related mineral assemblages, typically documenting apparent geothermal gradients of 15 degrees C km(-1) or less, have not yet been recorded from in situ Archaean rocks (the lowest recorded apparent geothermal gradients are greater than 25 degrees C km(-1)). Despite this absence from the rock record, low Archaean geothermal gradients are suggested by eclogitic nodules in kimberlites and circumstantial evidence for subduction processes, including possible accretion-related structures, has been reported in Archaean terrains. The lack of spatially and temporally well-constrained high-pressure, low-temperature metamorphism continues, however, to cast doubt on the relevance of subduction-driven tectonics during the first 1.5 Gyr of the Earth's history. Here we report garnet-albite-bearing mineral assemblages that record pressures of 1.2-1.5 GPa at temperatures of 600-650 degrees C from supracrustal amphibolites from the mid-Archaean Barberton granitoid-greenstone terrain. These conditions point to apparent geothermal gradients of 12-15 degrees C-similar to those found in recent subduction zones-that coincided with the main phase of terrane accretion in the structurally overlying Barberton greenstone belt. These high-pressure, low-temperature conditions represent metamorphic evidence for cold and strong lithosphere, as well as subduction-driven tectonic processes, during the evolution of the early Earth.     

安徽下扬子区北缘薄皮构造研究

安徽下扬子区北缘薄皮构造之表层构造丰富、典型;受基底与盖层间的切性滑脱面及下志留统高家边页岩韧——脆性滑脱面的联合控制,薄皮构造呈往南东变浅的楔形。薄皮构造以单剪方式往南东运动,缩短量达94km,缩短率约63.4％;起因于印支运动晚期至燕山运动早期扬子板块对华北板块的左行客斗向陆——陆碰撞所产生的拆离,先存生长正断层及板块边界的陆缘性质决定了其内部层块格局。薄皮构造的突发隆起带及韧性滑脱面分别是寻找油气和金的有利地带。     

Cenozoic stratigraphy of Taiwan: Window into rifting, stratigraphy and paleoceanography of South China Sea

Shallow marine sequences of the northern South China Sea (SCS) are uplifted and exposed by plate convergence in the Taiwan mountain belt. These deposits provide detailed geological information about the rifting event, stratigraphy, sedimentology, paleoclimate and paleoceanography of the shallow SCS to compare with what are recorded in the ODP 1148 deep-sea core. Seismic surveys and marine micropalentological studies show that Eocene sequences in the offshore Taiwan Strait and onland Taiwan mountain belt are all deposited in rifting basins and are covered unconformably by the Late Oligocene-Neogene post-rifting strata. Between syn-rifting and post-rifting sequences, there is a regional break-up unconformity throughout the island. Early Oligocene and Late Eocene strata are missing along the break-up unconformity equivalent to the T7 unconformity in the Pearl River Mouth Basin off south China. This may suggest that the SCS oceanic crust could have initiated between 33 and 39 Ma. Neither obvious stratigraphic gap nor slumping features are found in the Oligocene-Miocene transition interval of Taiwan. This observation highly contrasts with what has been documented from the ODP 1148 deep-sea core. This suggests that the stratigraphic gap and slumping features could only be recorded in the SCS deep sea region, but not in the shallow shelf near Taiwan. Compared to the Middle Miocene paleoceanographic re-organization events in the SCS deep sea, the geological history of the Taiwan shallow sequence shows changes of in sedimentation and faunal composition. Due to the Antarctic glacial expansion at~14 Ma, Middle to late Miocene strata of the Western Foothills show progressive regression sedimentations associated with a decrease of benthic foraminif-eral abundance and a sharp faunal turnover event. Many Early-Middle Miocene endemic benthic foraminifers were extinct in 14-13 Ma and new benthic foraminifers of the Kuroshio Current fauna appeared from 10.2 Ma, comparable with new occurrence of Modern benthic foraminifers at 9 Ma in the Java Sea area. This reveals that the Western Boundary Kuroshio Current in the North Pacific could initiate from 10-9 Ma due to closures of the Indo-Pacific seaways by convergent tectonics between the Australian Continent and the Indonesian Arc in 12-8 Ma. Subduction of the SCS oceanic lithosphere since the Middle Miocene resulted in formation of the Hengchun Ridge accretionary prism and the North Luzon Arc. Occurrence of these two bathymetric highs ( 2400 m) since the Middle Miocene and closures of the inter-arc passages in the North Luzon arc in the last 3.5 Ma would control the water exchanges between the West Pacific and the deep SCS. Accordingly, the tectonic evolution in the Central Range-Hengchun Peninsula accretionary prism and the arc-forearc Coastal Range not only control directly the route for water exchanges between the West Pacific and the SCS, but also indirectly shows a great influence on the geochemistry of deep SCS waters. The latter is best shown by much negative carbon isotope values of benthic foraminifers in the ODP 1148 deep-sea core than the West Pacific records in the last 14 Ma.     

斜交墩截面刚度与弯曲正应力

斜交墩与正交墩受力的不同主要体现在截面刚度与弯曲正应力,通过理论分析得出斜交墩顺桥向截面刚度相对于正交墩增大,并推导了采用主惯性矩、斜交角和主轴坐标系坐标表示的斜交墩弯曲正应力公式,得到了在顺桥向弯矩作用下斜交墩截面中性轴的位置与斜交角的关系。通过对某实桥的斜交墩进行截面惯性矩计算,建立有限元模型计算弯曲正应力,对研究结论进行了验证。研究结果表明：主轴坐标系任意坐标点的弯曲正应力随着斜交角度变化而变化,且存在极值,该点应力极值对应的斜交角度仅与该点的主轴坐标系纵横坐标比值有关;矩形斜交墩（包括空心墩）顶点处最大弯曲正应力存在最不利的斜交角,并分别得到了矩形实心墩与空心墩角度的解析表达式。     

甘蒙北山地区板块构造演化与铜多金属矿成矿系列研究

结合板块构造理论和成系列概念,提出了成矿系列新的研究方法。甘蒙北山地区位于哈萨克斯坦板块和塔里木-中朝板块交汇部位,其板块构造演化分为前震旦纪古板块活动时期、震旦一泥盆纪现代体制板块活动时期和石炭-二叠纪裂谷活动时期,不同构造单元演化阶段控制了不同的含矿建造、成矿作用时空分布及演化序列和矿床共生组合。按照板块构造演化及其与铜多金属矿成矿作用时空分布和成矿作用演化序列的关系,划分出北山地区铜多金属矿古大陆区（缘）成矿系列,洋缘火山带成矿系列、岛弧-弧后盆地成矿系列和裂谷带成矿系列。     

When and how did plate tectonics begin？ Theoretical and empirical considerations

Plate tectonics is the horizontal motion of Earth’s thermal boundary layer (lithosphere) over the convecting mantle (asthenosphere) and is mostly driven by lithosphere sinking in subduction zones. Plate tectonics is an outstanding example of a self organizing, far from equilibrium complex system (SOFFECS), driven by the negative buoyancy of the thermal boundary layer and controlled by dissipation in the bending lithosphere and viscous mantle. Plate tectonics is an unusual way for a silicate planet to lose heat, as it exists on only one of the large five silicate bodies in the inner solar system. It is not known when this mode of tectonic activity and heat loss began on Earth. All silicate planets probably experienced a short-lived magma ocean stage. After this solidified, stagnant lid behavior is the common mode of planetary heat loss, with interior heat being lost by delamination and “hot spot” volcanism and shallow intrusions. Decompression melting in the hotter early Earth generated a different lithosphere than today, with thicker oceanic crust and thinner mantle lithosphere; such lithosphere would take much longer than at present to become negatively buoyant, suggesting that plate tectonics on the early Earth occurred sporadically if at all. Plate tectonics became sustainable (the modern style) when Earth cooled sufficiently that decompression melting beneath spreading ridges made thin oceanic crust, allowing oceanic lithosphere to become negatively buoyant after a few tens of millions of years. Ultimately the question of when plate tectonics began must be answered by informa- tion retrieved from the geologic record. Criteria for the operation of plate tectonics includes ophiolites, blueschist and ultra-high pressure metamorphic belts, eclogites, passive margins, transform faults, paleomagnetic demonstration of different motions of different cratons, and the presence of diagnostic geochemical and isotopic indicators in igneous rocks. This record must be interpreted individually; I interpret the record to indicate a progression of tectonic styles from active Archean tectonics and magmatism to something similar to plate tectonics at ~1.9 Ga to sustained, modern style plate tectonics with deep subduction——and powerful slab pull——beginning in Neoproterozoic time.