Preface to special issue on relationship between continental tectonics and the seismic activities of China, research techniques and methods

As an essential element in studying Earth Sciences,plate tectonics provides the scientific basis for understanding movement and tectonic interactions among different plates and related tectonic consequences,i.e.,natural hazards.The theory of plate tectonics was introduced to China in the early 1970s,about 10 years after this,scientific theory was firstly developed in the western world.

Continental velocity through Precambrian times:The link to magmatism,crustal accretion and episodes of global cooling

Quasi-integrity of continental crust between Mid-Archaean and Ediacaran times is demonstrated by conformity of palaeomagnetic poles to near-static positions between -2.7-2.2 Ga, -1.5-1.2 Ga and -0.75-0.6 Ga. Intervening data accord to coherent APW loops turning at ＂hairpins＂ focused near a continental-centric location. Although peripheral adjustments occurred during Early Proterozoic （-2.2 Ga） and Grenville （- 1.1 Ga） times, the crust retained a low order symmetrical crescent-shaped form constrained to a single global hemisphere until break-up in Ediacaran times. Conformity of palaeomagnetic data to specific Eulerian parameters enables definition of a master Precambrian APW path used to estimate the root mean square velocity （VRMS） of continental crust between 2.8 and 0.6 Ga. A long interval of little polar movement between -2.7 and 2.2 Ga correlates with global magmatic shutdown between -2.45 and 2.2 Ga, whilst this interval and later slowdown at -0.75-0.6 Ga to velocities of 〈2 cm/year correlate with episodes of widespread glaciation implying that these prolonged climatic anomalies had an internal origin; the reduced input of volcanically-derived atmospheric greenhouse gases is inferred to have permitted freeze-over conditions with active ice sheets extending into equatorial latitudes as established by low magnetic inclinations in glaciogenic deposits. VRMS vari- ations through Precambrian times correspond to the distribution of U-Pb ages in orogenic granitoids and detrital zircons and demonstrate that mobility of continental crust has been closely related to crustal tectonism and incrementation. Both periods of near-stillstand were followed by rapid VRMS recording massive heat release from beneath the continental lid at -2.2 and 0.6 Ga. The first coincided with the Lomagundi-Jatuli isotopic event and led to prolonged orogenesis accompanied by continental flooding and reconfiguration of the crust on the Earth＇s surface; the second led to continental break-up and instigated the comprehensive Plate Tectonics that has characterised Phanerozoic times. The Meso- proterozoic interval characterised by anorogenic magmatism correlates with low VRMS between - 1.5 and 1.1 Ga. Insulation of the sub-continental mantle evidently permitted high temperature melting and weakening of the crustal lid to enable buoyant emplacement of large plutons at high crustal levels during this magmatic event unique to Mesoproterozoic and early Neoproterozoic times.

Gravity variation in the Tibet area before the Nepal Ms8.1 earthquake

This research utilized two periods of gravity monitoring results from 2010 to 2013 from the Continental Tectonics Environmental Monitoring Network of China, analyzed the corre- lation between gravity variation in the Tibet area and the Nepal Ms8.1 earthquake, and investigated the gravity variation mechanism in combination with the crust vertical movement and horizontal strain field observed by Global Positioning System （GPS）. The research results indicated that （1） the gravity variation exhibited apparent characteristics of a positive anomaly and high gradient zone in the Himalayan frontier. This observation is consistent with the existing recognition of the gravity anomaly and occurrence regularity of a strong earthquake; （2） the gravity variation exhibited apparent consistence with the spacious distribution of the vertical movement and the horizontal deformation field in that area. The crustal vertical movement was not the direct cause leading to the gravity vari- ation. It is assumed that the crust stress-strain accumulation in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and its adjacent areas is the important factor that resulted in the variation of gravity.

Gravity variation before the Akto Ms6.7 earthquake, Xinjiang

The relationship between gravity variation and the Akto Ms6.7 earthquake on November 11, 2016, was studied by use of mobile gravity observation data from the China continental structural environmental monitoring network. The result revealed that before the Akto earthquake, a high positive gravity variation was observed in the Pamir tectonic knots region （within a maximum magnitude of approximately ＋80 microgal）, which was consistent with the existing knowledge of gravity abnormality and the locations of strong earthquakes. In view of the recent strong seismic activities in the Pamir tectonic knots region, as well as the strong upward crust movement and compressive strain, it is believed that gravity change in the Pamir tectonic knots region reflects the recent strong seismic activities and crust movement.

Tectonic Related Lithium Deposits Another Major Region Found North East Tanzania—A New Area with Close Association to the Dominant Areas: The Fourth of Four

The current “mega” interest in Lithium resources was spurred by the development of Lithium-Ion batteries to aid in restructuring the world’s reliance on carbon spewing power petroleum reserves. Current resources of lithium recovery have fallen into two main categories—Pegmatite, found worldwide associated with felsic intrusions and Brine Related, and now with development in the Southwest United States of America (SWUS), a third category— Tertiary Volcanic clays, are specifically associated with Tertiary volcanics and major Tectonic Plate interactions. “Active” Plate tectonics is important as both the SWUS, the Lithium Triangle of South America (LTSA) and the Tibetan Plateau of China (TPC) producing tertiary (Miocene) volcanism that is important to the development of Lithium resources. The Tanzanian part of the East Africa Rift System (EARS) has features of both the SWUS, tertiary volcanic related “playas” and Continental rifting, the LTSA, tertiary volcanic related “Brines” and a major Tectonic plate event (subduction of an Oceanic Plate beneath the Continental South American Plate) and the TPC, tertiary volcanics (?) and major tectonic plate event (subduction of the Indian Continental Plate under the Eurasian Continental Plate). As well as the association of peralkaline and metaluminous felsic volcanics with Lithium playas of the SWUS and the EARS (Tanzania) “playas”. These similarities led to an analysis of a volcanic rock in Northeast Tanzania. When it returned 1.76% Lithium, a one-kilometer spaced soil sampling program returned, in consecutive samples over 0.20% Lithium (several samples over 1.0% lithium and a high of 2.24% lithium). It is proposed that these four regions with very similar past and present geologic characteristics, occur nowhere else in the world. That three of them have produced Lithium operations and two of them have identified resources of Lithium clay and “highly” anomalous Lithium clays should be regarded as more than “coincidental”.

Developing plate tectonics theory from oceanic subduction zones to collisional orogens

Crustal subduction and continental collision is the core of plate tectonics theory. Understanding the formation and evolution of continental collision orogens is a key to develop the theory of plate tectonics. Different types of subduction zones have been categorized based on the nature of subducted crust. Two types of collisional orogens, i.e. arc-continent and continent-continent collisional orogens, have been recognized based on the nature of collisional blocks and the composition of derivative rocks. Arc-continent collisional orogens contain both ancient and juvenile crustal rocks, and reworking of those rocks at the post-collisional stage generates magmatic rocks with different geochemical compositions. If an orogen is built by collision between two relatively old continental blocks, post-collisional magmatic rocks are only derived from reworking of the old crustal rocks. Collisional orogens undergo reactivation and reworking at action of lithosphere extension, with inheritance not only in the tectonic regime but also in the geochemical compositions of reworked products(i.e., magmatic rocks). In order to unravel basic principles for the evolution of continental tectonics at the post-collisional stages, it is necessary to investigate the reworking of orogenic belts in the post-collisional regime, to recognize physicochemical differences in deep continental collision zones, and to understand petrogenetic links between the nature of subducted crust and post-collisional magmatic rocks. Afterwards we are in a position to build the systematics of continental tectonics and thus to develop the plate tectonics theory.

Tectonics of South China Continent and its implications

This paper aims at exploring the tectonic characteristics of the South China Continent （SCC） and extracting the universal tec- tonic rules from these characteristics,to help enrich the plate tectonic theory and better understand the continental dynamic system. For this purpose, here we conduct a multi-disciplinary investigation and combine it with the previous studies to reas- sess the tectonics and evolution of SCC and propose that the tectonic framework of the continent comprises two blocks, three types of tectonic units, four deformation systems, and four evolutionary stages with distinctive mechanism and tectonic characteris- tics since the Neoproterozoic. The four evolutionary stages are： （1） The amalgamation and break-up of the Neoproterozoic plates, typically the intracontinental rifting. （2） The early Paleozoic and Mesozoic intracontinental orogeny confined by plate tectonics, forming two composite tectonic domains. （3） The parallel operation of the Yangtze cratonization and intracontinental orogeny, and multi-phase reactivation of the Yangtze craton. （4） The association and differentiation evolution of plate tectonics and intraconti- nental tectonics, and the dynamic characteristics under the Meso-Cenozoic modem global plate tectonic regime.