Crustal growth history of the Korean Peninsula: Constraints from detrital zircon ages in modern river sediments

U-Pb analyses were carried out on detrital zircon grains from major river-mouth sediments draining South Korea to infer provenance characteristics and the crustal growth history of the southern Korean Peninsula, using a laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer（LA-ICP-MS）. The Korean Peninsula is located in the East Asian continental margin and mainly comprises three Precambrian massifs and two metamorphic belts in between them. We obtained 515 concordant to slightly discordant zircon ages ranging from ca. 3566 to ca. 48 Ma. Regardless of river-mouth location, predominance of Mesozoic（249e79 Ma） and Paleoproterozoic（2491e1691 Ma） ages with subordinate Archean ages indicates that the zircon ages reflect present exposures of plutonic/metamorphic rocks in the drainage basins of the South Korean rivers and the crustal growth of the southern Korean Peninsula was focused in these two periods. Comparison of detrital zircon-age data between the North and South Korean river sediments reveals that the Paleoproterozoic zircon age distributions of both regions are nearly identical,while the Neoproterozoice Paleozoic ages exist and the Mesozoic ages are dominant in southern Korean Peninsula. This result suggests that Precambrian terrains in Korea record the similar pre-Mesozoic magmatic history and that the influence of Mesozoic magmatism was mainly focused in South Korea.

Metamorphic stages in mountain belts during a Wilson cycle:A case study in the central Sanandaj-Sirjan zone(Zagros Mountains,Iran)

Polymetamorphic units are important constituents of continent-continent collisional orogens,and rift metamorphic assemblages are often overprinted by subsequent metamorphism during subduction and collision.This study reports the metamorphic conditions and evolution of the Dorud-Azna metamorphic units in the central part of the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone(SSZ),Iran.Here,new geothermobarometry results are integrated with ^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar mineral and Th-U-Pb monazite and thorite ages to provide new insight of polyphase metamorphism in the two different basement units of the SSZ,the lower Galeh-Doz orthogneiss and higher Amphibolite-Metagabbro units.In the Amphibolite-Metagabbro unit,staurolite micaschist underwent a prograde P-T evolution from 640±20℃/6.2±0.8 kbar in garnet cores(M1)to 680±20℃/7.2±1.0 kbar in garnet rims(M2).Three Th-U-Pb monazite ages of 306±5 Ma,322±28 Ma and 336±39 Ma from the garnet-micaschists testify the Carboniferous age of M1 metamorphism.In the same unit,the metagabbro records P-T conditions of 4.0±0.8 kbar and 580±50℃ in the(magmatic)amphibole core(Late Carboniferous intrusion)to 7.5±0.7 kbar and 700±20℃ in the amphibole rim indicating a prograde P-T path during subsequent burial(M1).New ^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar dating of white mica from the staurolite micaschist yielded a staircase pattern ranging from 36±12 Ma to 170±2 Ma.This implies polymetamorphism with a minimum Late Jurassic cooling age through the Ar retention temperature of ca.425±25℃ after M2 metamorphism and a Paleogene low-grade metamorphic overprint(M3),while ^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar white mica dating of garnet micaschist yielded a plateau age of 137.84±0.65 Ma.We therefore interpret the amphibolite-grade metamorphism M2 to have predated 170 Ma and is likely between 180 and 200 Ma.Furthermore,it is overprinted at about 36 Ma under retrogressive low-grade M3 metamorphism(at temperatures of~350-240℃)during final shortening and exhumation.In the underlying Galeh-Doz unit,the Panafrican granitic orthogneiss intruded at P-T conditions of 3.2±4 kbar and 700±20℃,then it was metamorphosed and deformed at 600±50℃ and 2.0±0.8 kbar(metamorphic stage M1)prior to Late Carboniferous intrusion of mafic dikes.^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar dating of amphibole from the Galeh-Doz orthogneiss gave plateau-like steps between 260 and 270 Ma,representing the age of cooling through ca.500℃ after the M1 metamorphic event.Interestingly,the results of this study demonstrate polyphase metamorphic histories in both the Galeh-Doz orthogneiss and Amphibolite-Metagabbro units at different P-T conditions and final thickskinned Paleogene emplacement of these units over the underlying low-grade metamorphic June Complex.Our findings suggest that both units are affected by high-T/low-P Late Carboniferous orogenic metamorphism along with the bimodal magmatism,as result of rifting.We propose that the Early Jurassic amphibolite-grade M2 metamorphism of the SSZ is correlated with the initial subduction of the Neotethyan Ocean.Eventually,the investigated units reflect various stages of a Wilson cycle,from rifting to initiation of the subduction in final plate collision.

New ￣(40)Ar/￣(39)Ar age evidence for the Cretaceous volcanic rocks of the Mount Bowles Formation in Livingst

The age of the volcanic rocks of the Mount Bowles Formation (MBF) on the eastern part of Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is redetermined by using 40Ar/39Ar and laser microarea isochron age dating method with a continuous laser system and mass spectrometer. The isochron ages of an andesite sample and a basaltic andesite sample are (105.62±2.11) Ma and (111.48±2.23) Ma with the 40Ar/36Ar initial ratios of 295.3 and 294.6 respectively, being almost the same as the atmospheric value, which proves that there exists no excess argon in these rocks. The 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of an aplite sample is (96.7±1.6) Ma and the calculated isochron age is 96.6 Ma, which indicates that the aplite occurred after lava eruption. These data suggest that the MBF volcanic rocks were formed during Cretaceous.

Geochronology and Genetic Model for Early Cretaceous Volcanic Rocks from the Southern Qiangtang Terrane,Northern Tibet,China: Constraints from U-Pb Zircon Dating, Whole-Rock Geochemical and Sr-Nd Isotopic Data

Post-collisional volcanic rocks of Mesozoic age occur in the regions adjacent to Gerze, part of the southern Qiangtang Terrane of northern Tibet, China. Geochronological, geochemical, and wholerock Sr-Nd isotopic analyses were performed on the volcanic rocks to better characterize their emplacement age and models for their origin. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry(LA-ICP-MS) U-Pb zircon analyses yielded consistent ages ranging from 123.1±0.94 Ma to 124.5±0.89 Ma for six volcanic rocks from the study area. The intermediate volcanic rocks belong to the alkaline and sub-alkaline magma series in terms of K2 O+Na2 O contents(5.9%–9.0%), and to the shoshonitic and calc-alkaline series on the basis of their high K2 O contents(1.4%–3.3%). The Gerze volcanic rocks are characterized by the enrichment of light rare earth elements [(La/Yb)N=34.9–49.5] and large–ion lithophile elements(e.g., Rb, Ba, Th, U, K, Pb, and Sr), slightly negative Eu anomalies(Eu/Eu*=0.19–0.24), and negative anomalies in high field strength elements(e.g., Nb, Ta, Hf and Ti), relative to primitive mantle. The samples show slightly elevated(87 Sr/86 Sr)i values that range from 0.7049 to 0.7057, and low εNd(t) values from-0.89 to-2.89. These results suggest that the volcanic rocks studied derived from a compositionally heterogeneous mantle source and that their parent magmas were basaltic. The more mafic, parental magmas to the Gerze volcanic rocks likely underwent fractional crystallization of clinopyroxene, hornblende, biotite, and potassium feldspar, during ascent, with little to no crustal contamination, prior to their eruption/emplacement. While these volcanic rocks exhibit geochemical signatures typical of magmas formed in a destructive plate-margin setting, it is plausible that their mantle source might also have acquired such characteristics in an earlier episode of subduction.

SHRIMP Zircon U-Pb Dating of the Tongshi Magmatic Complex in Western Shandong and Its Geological Implications

The SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating result of the Tongshi magmatic complex in western Shandong is presented in this paper. The Tongshi magmatic complex comprises fine-grained porphyritic diorite and syenitic porphyry. Eighteen analyses for fine-grained porphyritic diorite gave two concordia ages, in which ten analyses constitute the young age group, giving ^206Pb/^238U ages ranging from 167.9 Ma to 183 Ma with a weighted mean age of 175.7±3.8 Ma, and the other eight yielded ^207Pb/^206Pb ages of 2502 Ma to 2554 Ma with a weighted mean 2518±11 Ma. Two analyses for syenitic porphyry gave ages of 2485 Ma and 2512 Ma, respectively. The age of 175.7±3.8 Ma indicates that the crystallization of the Tongshi magmatic complex occurred in the Middle Jurassic, whereas that of 2518±11 Ma is interpreted as the age of inherited magmatic zircons in the Neoarchean Wutai period.

Mineralogy and geochemistry of Nb-,Ta-,Sn-,U-,Th-,and Zr-bearing granitic rocks from Abu Rusheid shear zones,South Eastern Desert,Egypt

Granite-hosted,Nb-,Ta-,Sn-,U-,Th-,and Zr(Hf)-bearing mineralization from the Abu Rusheid shear zones occurs about 97 km southwest of the town of Marsa Alam,South Eastern Desert,Egypt.The SSE-trending brittle-ductile Abu Rusheid shear zones crosscut the peralkalic granitic gneisses and cataclastic to mylonitic rocks(mylonite,protomlyonite,and ultramylonite).The northern shear zone varies in width from 1 to 3 m with a strike length of >500 m,and the southern shear zone is 0.5 to 8 m wide and >1 km long.These shear zones locally host less altered lamprophyre and locally sheared granitic aplite-pegmatite dykes.The rare-metal minerals,identified from the peralkalic granitic gneisses and cataclastic to mylonitic rocks are associated with muscovite,chlorite,quartz,fluorite,pyrite,magnetite,and rare biotite that are restricted to the Abu Rusheid shear zones;these are columbite-tantalite and pyrochlore(var.betafite) in the northern shear zone and ferrocolumbite in the southern shear zone.Cassiterite occurs as inclusions in the columbite-tantalite minerals.U-and Th-minerals(uraninite,thorite,uranothorite,ishikawaite,and cheralite) and Hf-rich zircon coexist.Magmatic(?) zircon contains numerous inclusions of rutile,fluorite,U-Th and REE minerals,such as uranothorite,cheralite,monazite,and xenotime.Compositional variations in Ta/(Ta+Nb) and Mn/(Mn+Fe) in columbite range from 0.07-0.42 and 0.04-0.33,respectively,and Hf contents in zircon from 1.92-6.46 of the two mineralized shear zones reflect the extreme degree of magmatic fractionation.Four samples of peralkalic granitic gneisses and cataclastic to mylonitic rocks from the southern shear zone have very low TiO2(0.02 wt%-0.04 wt%),Sr [(15-20)×10-6],and Ba [(47-78)×10-6],with high Fe2O3T(0.94 wt%-1.99 wt%),CaO(0.14 wt%-1.16 wt%),alkalis(9.2 wt%-10.1 wt%),Rb [(369-805)×10-6],Zr [(1033-2261)×10-6],Nb [(371-913)×10-6],U [(51-108)×10-6],Th [(36-110)×10-6],Ta [(38-108)×10-6],Pb [(39-364)×10-6],Zn [(21-424)×10-6],Y [(8-304)×10-6],Hf [(29-157)×10-6],and ∑REE [(64-304)×10-6],especially HREE [(46-167)×10-6].Three samples from the northern shear zone also have very low TiO2(0.03 wt%),Sr [(11-16)×10-6],and Ba [(38-47)×10-6],with high Fe2O3T(1.97 wt%-2.91 wt%),CaO(0.49 wt%-1.01 wt%),alkalis(7.2 wt%-8.3 wt%),Rb [(932-978)×10-6],Zr [(1707-1953)×10-6],Nb [(853-981)×10-6],Ta [(100-112)×10-6],U [(120-752)×10-6],Th [(121-164)×10-6],Pb [(260-2198)×10-6],Zn [(483-1140)×10-6],Y [(8-304)×10-6],Hf [(67-106)×10-6],and ∑REE [(110-231)×10-6],especially HREE [(91-177)×10-6].The very high Rb/Sr(57.5-88.9),and low Zr/Hf(16.9-25.6),Nb/Ta(7.7-9.8),and Th/U(0.21-1.01) are consistent with very frac-tionated fluorine-bearing granitic rocks that were altered and sheared.The field evidence,textural relations,and compositions of the ore minerals suggest that the main mineralizing event was magmatic(629+/-5 Ma,CHIME monazite),with later hydrothermal alteration and local remobilization of the high-field-strength elements.

High-frequency and low-amplitude relative sea-level changes in the Turonian Ferron Notom Delta, Henry Mountains region Utah, USA: implications for sequence stratigraphy and hydrocarbon exploration

The Turonian Notom Delta is one of the Ferron fluvial-deltaic wedges deposited in the foreland basins of the Cretaceous Seaway of North America.The wedge is exposed three dimensionally in the Henry Mountains region Utah,USA.High-resolution sequence stratigraphic analysis along a 35 km dip-oriented outcrop belt shows that the wedge consists of six depositional sequences.Ammonite and Inoceramid biostratigraphy and 40Ar/39Ar age dating of various bentonites show that the wedge was deposited from 91.25 Ma to 90.63 Ma,an interval of merely 0.62 Ma.Assuming each sequence is formed over a similar time span,each sequence,thus,represents about 105 yr,suggesting high-frequency depositional sequences.Amplitude of relative sea-level changes,built on shoreline trajectory,is 2-61 m,with an average of only 20 m.Fluvial incision during high-frequency and low-amplitude relative sealevel fall is mainly around the highstand prism.Incision diminishes rapidly up dip and down dip,and the resultant incised valleys are narrow and shallow.Such sea-level fluctuations also result in small,stratigraphically complex shoreline sandstones that need special attention during hydrocarbon exploration.

A Forensic Approach for Assessing Modes of Subsurface Petroleum Releases

Chronic petroleum discharges resulting from underground storage tank (UST) system failures may continue for months or years, whereas catastrophic releases result from structural failures or overfills that occur over shorter time periods. A forensic analytical framework is useful for distinguishing between chronic and catastrophic releases and identifying responsible parties. However, the forensic program must account for the petroleum type because identifying release modes relies on understanding the chemical evolution of petroleum through time within the context of site conditions. Here we discuss key petroleum components that aid in reconstructing the release and identifying potential responsible parties when subsurface conditions are known.

Preliminary study on ESR method for dating age of Hexian Man

The fossil skull of Homo erectus hexianens was excaved in Longtan Cave, Taodian Vil-lage. Hexian County. Anhui Province in 1980. It is an important event since the fossilskulls of Peking Man. Bejing and Lantian Man. Shaanxi Province were found. The skullof Homo erectus was first discovered in South China. The age of Hexian Man has

AN AMS RADIOCARBON DATE FROM GRAVE BSII OF THE COPPER AGE CEMETERY OF REMEDELLO SOTTO (Brescia, Northern Italy)

A small sample of human bone from Tomb BSII of the Chalcolithic cemetery of RemedelloSotto (Brescia, Northern Italy) was processed with the AMS technique. It gave a date of 4070 ± 70BP (Beta-35224; ETH-6196) corresponding to 2711 (2609) 2512 cal BC yrs (1 sigma). Una datazione radiometrica per la Tomba BSII del cimitero Calcolitico di RemedelloSotto (Brescia). Viene presentata la datazione radiometrica eseguita con il metodo dell’acceleratore sudi un frammento di osso di calcagno del piede destro dello scheletro di inumato della Tomba BSII delsepolcreto di Remedello Sotto. L’analisi ha fornito il risultato di 4070 ± 70 BP (Beta-35224; ETH-6196)corrispondente a 2711 (2609) 2512 cal BC (1 sigma).

Geochronology, Geochemistry and Its Tectonic Significance of Chahe Granites in Hainan Island

There are very few studies on the granites formed in Late Permian in Hainan （海南） Island. Petrology, geochronology and geochemistry research on Late Permian granites in Chahe （叉河） area, Hainan Island will be reported in this article. The results show that, Chahe granites formed in 251 Ma, are riched in SiO2, alkali, Fe203 while depleted in MgO and CaO, with low Sr and high Yb, and have all the features consistent with A-type granite. The forming of Chahe granites may suggest that Hainan Island was already in post-orogenic setting in Late Permian.