The Mesozoic Basin-Mountain Coupling Process of the Southern East China Sea Shelf Basin and its Adjacent Land Area

Basin-mountain coupling is a key issue for basin formation and evolution. The analysis of basin-mountain coupling process, as well as quantitative or semiquantitative restoration of prototype basin and the evolution of continental margin, can be used to interpret the geological process of basin-range conversion and reconstruct early prototype basins, which is a difficult and leadin~ scientific oroblem of basin research.

Coal-Bed Methane Resource of Mesozoic Basins in Jiamusi Landmass

As a new-replacement of energy resource, coal bed methane is the important gas resource with great strategic significance. There are several number of Mesozoic coal-bearing basins in Jiamusi landmass, eastern Heilongjiang Province. Theresult of the resource assessment revealed that the total resource less than 1 500 m,s depth in the area is about 2 100×108m3. It shows that Jiamusi landmass has great potential of coal-bed gas and is one of the most prospecting districts for developing coal-bed gas in CBM-province Northeast China.

New tectonic map of Northern-Central-Eastern Asia： Position and evolution of Mesozoic sedimentary basins

The beginning of the XXI century was marked a new rising of the international tectonic cartography as a result of analysis and synthesis of a huge volume of geological information obtained for the territory of Asia es-pecially during the last 30 years. The previous tectonic maps for Asia were created in the 1960s-1970s of the last century. Since that time, the national geological surveys have compiled tectonic maps exclusively in the limits of their own state boundaries. The international cooperation of five countries since 2002 （ Russia, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Republic of Korea） gave a unique possibility to join the data into a united cartog-raphic form as Atlas of Geological Maps （since 2002-Atlas of Geological Maps of Central Asia and since 2007- Atlas of Geological Maps of Northem-Central-Eastem Asia）. Both atlases include four maps： geological, tecton-ic ,metallogenic, and energy resources. Tectonic Map of Northem-Central-Eastem Asia and Adjacent Areas at scale 1 ： 2 500 000 was the key map for further compilation of the metallogenic and energy resources （ coal, oil and gas） maps. By this reason, special attention was given to showing the structure and composition of the Mes-ozoic sedimentary basins in Northern-Central- Eastern Asia as the most perspective structures for oil-and-gas and coal prospect.

Lithospheric Stretching,Subsidence and Thermal History Modeling: Application to Yinggehai,Qiongdongnan and Songliao Basins in East China

he lithosphere stretching, subsidence and basement thermal history of the Songliao, Yinggehai and Qiongdongnan basins in East China have been investigated by using backstripping technique and stretching models. The subsidence curve of the Songliao basin characterizes a rift basin history evolving from synrift rapid subsidence to postrift thermal subsidence. The calculated stretching factor of the basin is about 1.8 to 2.0 and the horizontal extension is about 55-60 km. The reconstructed subsidence curves of the Qiongdongnan and Yinggehai basins show that the basins underwent several rapid subsidence episodes, which has been interpreted as the result of a multiple stretching of the lithosphere. The total mean stretching factors of the Qiongdongnan and Yinggehai basins, calculated by using a multiple instantaneous stretching model, are about 1.7-1.9 and 2.5-3.0 respectively. The stretching factors of these basins, estimated from subsidence, are consistent with those determined from crustal thinning. The reconstructed thermal histories of these basins are in agreement with the geological observation.

Migmatite-like textures in anthracite:Further evidence for low-grade metamorphic melting and resolidification in high-rank coals

Previous studies demonstrated that melting,initiated by supercritical fluids in the 375-400℃range,occurred as part of anthracite metamorphism in the Appalachian Basin.Based on the known behavior of vitrinite at high temperatures and,to a lesser extent,at high pressures,it was determined that the duration of the heating,melting,and resolidification event was about 1 h.In the current study,featureless vitrinite within banded maceral assemblages demonstratesthe intimate association of melted and resolidified vitrinite with anthracite-rank macerals.By analogy with metamorphosed inorganic rocks,such associations represent diadysites and embrechites,i.e.,cross-cutting and layered migmatites,respectively.Even though the temperature of formation of the anthracite structures is several hundred℃lower than that seen in metamorphosed inorganic rocks,anthracites are metamorphic rocks and the nomenclature for metamorphic rocks may be appropriate for coal.

Early Mesozoic structural deformation in the Chuandian N-S Tectonic Belt,China

The Helan-Chuandian N-S Tectonic Belt is a mantle transitional belt in China. The southem part, forming the Chuandian N-S Tectonic Belt, comprises several tectonic systems, each displaying different characteristics. The Chuandian N-S Tectonic Belt along the western margin of yangtze Block is a strike-slip tectonic belt with a series of echelon left-lateral slip faults. The strike-slip fault systems experienced two stages of structural deformation： early NW-SE striking thrust faults formed under a NE-SW compression stress field, and later sinistral strike-slip structures formed along thrust faults under a NW-SE compression stress field. Mesozoic basins developed between the left-lateral slip faults. Sedimentary facies and paleocurrent directions indicate that basin development was controlled by the strike-slip faults. The oldest strata in the Chuandian N-S Tectonic Belt constrain its formation to early Mesozoic. In fact, The slip tectonic belt formed by clockwise rotation and north-directed subduction-collision of the Yangtze Block in Late Triassic-Jurassic. The strike-slip faults that developed within the belt also formed at this time.

Petrography of Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous sandstones in the Kutch Basin,western India:Implications on provenance and basin evolution

This paper investigates the provenance of Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous sediments in the Kutch Basin, western India, on the basis of mineralogical investigations of sandstones composition （Quartz-Feldspar-Lithic （QFL） fragment）, Zircon-Tourmaline-Rutile （ZTR） index, and mineral chemistry of heavy detrital minerals of the framework. The study also examines the compositional variation of the sandstone in relation to the evolution of the Kutch Basin, which originated as a rift basin during the Late Triassic and evolved into a passive margin basin by the end Cretaceous. This study analyzes sandstone samples of Jhumara, Jhuran and Bhuj Formations of Middle Jurassic, Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous, respectively, in the Kutch Mainland. Sandstones record a compositional evolution from arkosic to subarkosic as the feldspar content decreases from 68% in the Jhumara Formation to 27% in the Bhuj Formation with intermediate values in the Jhuran Formation. The QFL modal composition indicates basement uplifted and transitional continental settings at source. Heavy mineral content of these sandstones reveals the occurrence of zircon, tourmaline, rutile, garnet, apatite, monazite and opaque minerals. Sub-rounded to well-rounded zircon grains indicate a polycyclic origin. ZTR indices for samples in Jhumara, Jhuran and Bhuj Formations are 25%, 30% and 50% respectively. Chemistry of opaque minerals reveals the occurrence of detrital varieties such as ilmenite, rutile, hematite/magnetite and pyrite, in a decreasing order of abundances. Chemistry of ilmenites in the Jhumara Formation reveals its derivation from dual felsic igneous and metabasic source, while those in Jhuran and Bhuj Formations indicate a metabasic derivation. Chemistry of garnet reveals predominantly Fe-rich （almandine） variety of metabasic origin. X-ray microscopic study provides the percentage of heavy minerals ranging from 3% to 5.260. QFL detrital modes reflect the evolution of the basin from an active rift to a passive margin basin during the Mesozoic. Integration of results from QFL modal composition of the sandstones, heavy mineral analysis and mineral chemistry, suggests sediment supply from both northern and eastern highlands during the Middle Jurassic. The uplift along the Kutch Mainland Fault in the Early Cretaceous results in curtailment of sediment input from north.