We present zircon ages and geochemical data for the Hongshishan Carboniferous Alaskan-type mafic–ultramafic complex exposed in the Beishan area along the Sino–Mongolian boundary, southern margin of the Central Asian...We present zircon ages and geochemical data for the Hongshishan Carboniferous Alaskan-type mafic–ultramafic complex exposed in the Beishan area along the Sino–Mongolian boundary, southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. This complex mainly consists of dunite,harzburgite, lherzolite, wehrlite, and gabbro, which intrudes Early Carboniferous volcanic rocks and reveals a zoned structure. Zircons of a gabbro sample yielded a 206Pb/238 U age of 357 ± 4 Ma, reflecting the time of Early Carboniferous magmatism. Zircon ages were also obtained for an andesite(322 ± 3 Ma) and a basaltic andesite(304 ± 2 Ma).High initial Nd isotope whole-rock values suggest that the Hongshishan gabbro [e_(Nd(t))= +9.6-+10.2] and basalt[eNd(t)= +10.0-+10.8] were derived from a depleted mantle source. Slightly lower eNd(t)values for the ultramafic rocks [eNd(t)= +8.5-+8.7] suggest some interaction of the parental magma with the continental crust. In contrast, the Late Carboniferous Quershan samples in this area represent subduction-related arc volcanic rocks with Adakite-like compositions. The early Carboniferous Hongshishan Alaskan-type complex was interpreted to represent the remnants of a magma chamber that crystallized at the base of a mature island arc, whereas the Quershan island arc volcanic rockssuggest the resurrection of the subduction process after arccontinent collision and uplift of the roots of the arc.展开更多
Alaska geology and plate tectonics have not been well understood due to an active Yakutat plate, believed to be part of the remains of an ancient Kula plate, not being acknowledged to exist in Alaska. It is positioned...Alaska geology and plate tectonics have not been well understood due to an active Yakutat plate, believed to be part of the remains of an ancient Kula plate, not being acknowledged to exist in Alaska. It is positioned throughout most of southcentral Alaska beneath the North American plate and above the NNW subducting Pacific plate. The Kula？ plate and its eastern spreading ridge were partially ＂captured＂ by the North American plate in the Paleocene. Between 63 Ma and 32 Ma, large volumes of volcanics erupted from its subducted N-S striking spreading ridge through a slab window. The eruptions stopped at 32 Ma, likely due to the Pacific plate fiat-slab subducting from the south beneath this spreading ridge. At 28 Ma, magmatism started again to the east; indicating a major shift to the east of this ＂refusing to die＂ spreading ridge. The captured Yakutat plate has also been subducting since 63 Ma to the WSW. It started to change to WSW fiat-slab subduction at 32 Ma, which stopped all subduction magmatism in W and SW Alaska by 22 Ma. The Yakutat plate subduction has again increased with the impact/joining of the coastal Yakutat terrane from the ESE about 5 Ma, resulting in the Cook Inlet Quaternary volcanism of southcentral Alaska. During the 1964 Alaska earthquake, sudden movements along the southcentral Alaska thrust faults between the Yakutat plate and the Pacific plate occurred. Specifically, the movements consisted of the Pacific plate moving NNW under the buried Yakutat plate and of the coastal Yakutat terrane, which is considered part of the Yakutat plate, thrusting WSW onto the Pacific plate. These were the two main sources of energy release for the E part of this earthquake. Only limited movement between the Yakutat plate and the North American plate occurred during this 1964 earthquake event. Buried paleopeat age dates indicate the thrust boundary between the Yakutat plate and North American plate will move in about 230 years, resulting in a more ＂continental＂ type megathrust earthquake for southcentral Alaska. There are, therefore, at least two different types ofmegathrust earthquakes occurring in southcentral Alaska： the more oceanic 1964 type and the more continental type. In addition, large ＂active＂ WSW oriented strike-slip faults are recognized in the Yakutat plate, called slice faults, which represent another earthquake hazard for the region. These slice faults also indicate important oil/gas and mineral resource locations.展开更多
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.40703012,41030314)Geological Survey of China (Grant Nos.1212011120332,DD20160123-05)Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (Grant 2012FY120100)
文摘We present zircon ages and geochemical data for the Hongshishan Carboniferous Alaskan-type mafic–ultramafic complex exposed in the Beishan area along the Sino–Mongolian boundary, southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. This complex mainly consists of dunite,harzburgite, lherzolite, wehrlite, and gabbro, which intrudes Early Carboniferous volcanic rocks and reveals a zoned structure. Zircons of a gabbro sample yielded a 206Pb/238 U age of 357 ± 4 Ma, reflecting the time of Early Carboniferous magmatism. Zircon ages were also obtained for an andesite(322 ± 3 Ma) and a basaltic andesite(304 ± 2 Ma).High initial Nd isotope whole-rock values suggest that the Hongshishan gabbro [e_(Nd(t))= +9.6-+10.2] and basalt[eNd(t)= +10.0-+10.8] were derived from a depleted mantle source. Slightly lower eNd(t)values for the ultramafic rocks [eNd(t)= +8.5-+8.7] suggest some interaction of the parental magma with the continental crust. In contrast, the Late Carboniferous Quershan samples in this area represent subduction-related arc volcanic rocks with Adakite-like compositions. The early Carboniferous Hongshishan Alaskan-type complex was interpreted to represent the remnants of a magma chamber that crystallized at the base of a mature island arc, whereas the Quershan island arc volcanic rockssuggest the resurrection of the subduction process after arccontinent collision and uplift of the roots of the arc.
文摘Alaska geology and plate tectonics have not been well understood due to an active Yakutat plate, believed to be part of the remains of an ancient Kula plate, not being acknowledged to exist in Alaska. It is positioned throughout most of southcentral Alaska beneath the North American plate and above the NNW subducting Pacific plate. The Kula？ plate and its eastern spreading ridge were partially ＂captured＂ by the North American plate in the Paleocene. Between 63 Ma and 32 Ma, large volumes of volcanics erupted from its subducted N-S striking spreading ridge through a slab window. The eruptions stopped at 32 Ma, likely due to the Pacific plate fiat-slab subducting from the south beneath this spreading ridge. At 28 Ma, magmatism started again to the east; indicating a major shift to the east of this ＂refusing to die＂ spreading ridge. The captured Yakutat plate has also been subducting since 63 Ma to the WSW. It started to change to WSW fiat-slab subduction at 32 Ma, which stopped all subduction magmatism in W and SW Alaska by 22 Ma. The Yakutat plate subduction has again increased with the impact/joining of the coastal Yakutat terrane from the ESE about 5 Ma, resulting in the Cook Inlet Quaternary volcanism of southcentral Alaska. During the 1964 Alaska earthquake, sudden movements along the southcentral Alaska thrust faults between the Yakutat plate and the Pacific plate occurred. Specifically, the movements consisted of the Pacific plate moving NNW under the buried Yakutat plate and of the coastal Yakutat terrane, which is considered part of the Yakutat plate, thrusting WSW onto the Pacific plate. These were the two main sources of energy release for the E part of this earthquake. Only limited movement between the Yakutat plate and the North American plate occurred during this 1964 earthquake event. Buried paleopeat age dates indicate the thrust boundary between the Yakutat plate and North American plate will move in about 230 years, resulting in a more ＂continental＂ type megathrust earthquake for southcentral Alaska. There are, therefore, at least two different types ofmegathrust earthquakes occurring in southcentral Alaska： the more oceanic 1964 type and the more continental type. In addition, large ＂active＂ WSW oriented strike-slip faults are recognized in the Yakutat plate, called slice faults, which represent another earthquake hazard for the region. These slice faults also indicate important oil/gas and mineral resource locations.
