A geochemical perspective on the genesis of Cenozoic basic volcanism in northeastern Turkey:an overview of metasomatism and heterogeneity of the sub-continental lithospheric mantle in a post-collisional setting

The post-collisional Cenozoic basic volcanic rocks in NE Turkey show temporal variations in whole-rock lithophile element and highly siderophile element(HSE)systematics that are mainly associated with the nature of sub-continental lithospheric mantle(SCLM)sources and parental melt generation.So far,the traditional whole-rock lithophile geochemical data of these basic volcanic rocks have provided important constraints on the nature of SCLM sources.Integrated lithophile element and HSE geochemical data of these basic volcanic rocks also reveal the heterogeneity of the SCLM source,which is principally related to variable metasomatism resulting from previous subduction(s)and post-collisional mantle-crust interactions in an extensional setting.Lithophile element geochemical features suggest that the parental magmas have derived from metasomatized spinel-to garnet-bearing SCLM sources for Eocene and Miocene basic volcanic rocks with subduction signatures whereas originated from spinel-to garnet-bearing SCLM sources for Mio-Pliocene and Plio-Quaternary basaltic volcanic rocks without the subduction signature.Lithophile element and HSE geo-chemistry also reveal that Eocene and Miocene basic vol-canic rocks were affected by more pronounced crustal contamination than the basaltic volcanic rocks of Mio-Pliocene and Quaternary.Furthermore,the integrated lithophile element and HSE compositions of these basic volcanic rocks,together with the regional asymmetric lithospheric delamination model,reveal that the compositional variation(especially due to metasomatism)was significant temporally in the heterogeneity of the SCLM sources from which parental magmas formed during the Cenozoic era.

Sequence of the Cenozoic Mammalian Faunas of the Linxia Basin in Gansu, China

In the Linxia Basin on the northeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau, the Cenozoic strata are very thick and well exposed. Abundant mammalian fossils are discovered in the deposits from the Late Oligocene to the Early Pleistocene. The Dzungariotherium fauna comes from the sandstones of the Jiaozigou Formation, including many representative Late Oligocene taxa. The Platybelodon fauna comes from the sandstones of the Dongxiang Formation and the conglomerates of the Laogou Formation, and its fossils are typical Middle Miocene forms, such as Hemicyon, Amphicyon, Platybelodon, Choerolophodon, Anchitherium, and Hispanotherium. The Hipparion fauna comes from the red clay of the Liushu and Hewangjia Formations, and its fossils can be distinctly divided into four levels, including three Late Miocene levels and one Early Pliocene level. In the Linxia Basin, the Hipparion fauna has the richest mammalian fossils. The Equus fauna comes from the Wucheng Loess, and it is slightly older than that of the classical Early Pleistocene Nihewan Fauna. The mammalian faunas from the Linxia Basin provide the reliable evidence to divide the Cenozoic strata of this basin and correlate them with European mammalian sequence.

Polyphase Tectonic Events and Cenozoic Basin-Range Coupling in the Tianshan Belt,Northwestern China

Studies show that the Tianshan orogenic belt was built in the late stage of the Paleozoic, as evidenced by the Permian red molasses and foreland basins, which are distributed in parallel with the Tianshan belt, indicating that an intense folding and uplifting event took place. During the Triassic, this orogenic belt was strongly eroded, and basins were further developed. Starting from the Jurassic, a within-plate regional extension occurred, forming a series of Jurassic-Paleogene extensional basins in the peneplaned Tianshan region. Since the Neogene, a collision event between the Indian and the Eurasian plates that took place on the southern side of the Tianshan belt has caused a strong intra-continental orogeny, which is characterized by thrusting and folding. Extremely thick coarse conglomerate and sandy conglomerate of the Xiyu Formation of Neogene System were accumulated unconformably on the Tianshan piedmont. Studies have revealed that the strong compression caused by the Indian-Eurasian collision had a profound influence over the orogenic belt in the hinterland, and MesozoiC-Cenozoic brittle deformed structures superposed on the ductile deformed Paleozoic rocks. The Mesozoic extensional basins were converted into Cenozoic compressional basins. The deformation in the basins is featured by step thrusts and fault-related folds. Statistics of joints show that the principal compressive stress since the Neogene is in a N-S direction. Meanwhile, owing to the underthrusting of the basin toward the orogenic belt, the Paleozoic strata were thrust on the Meso-Cenozoic rocks as tectonic slices, revealing distinct kinematic features in different geologic units. The basin-range coupling zones are characterized by intensive compression, folding and thrusting, accompanied by local sub-E-W-trending strike-slip faults. In the Tianshan region, Cenozoic thrusting is the most common basin-range coupling mode. The folding and faulting of Mesozoic sedimentary rocks, spontaneous combustion of Jurassic coal layers and formation of sintered rocks, the Cenozoic earthquakes and active faulting, and the unique mosaic pattern of basin-range framework of Xinjiang are all products of tectonism since the Neogene.

Mesozoic-Cenozoic Multi-Stage Intraplate Deformation Events in the Langshan Region and their Tectonic Implications

In the Langshan region, northwestern China, marked multi-stage intraplate deformation events have occurred since the Mesozoic, including（1） northeast-striking ductile left-lateral strike slip during the Middle-Late Triassic, which is closely related to the collision between the North China and the Yangtze plates;（2） top-to-the-southeast thrust with northwest-southeast trending maximum compression during the Late Jurassic;（3） nearly eastward detachment during the Early Cretaceous;（4） top-to-the-northwest thrust with northwest-southeast trending maximum compression during the Late Cretaceous and Early Cenozoic;（5） northeast-striking brittle left-lateral strike slip with nearly north-south trending maximum compression; and（6） northwest-southeast extension during the Middle-Late Cenozoic. All these deformation events belong to the intraplate deformation across the entire Central Asian region and respond to the tectonic events along the plate boundaries or deep tectonics. The structures developed in early events in the crust were the most important factors controlling the later deformation styles, and few new structures have later developed. Based on previous research and our results, the paleostress inversion in the Langshan region shows that the Mesozoic intraplate deformations in the study region mainly resulted from the tectonic events from the Paleo-Pacific region and have no or a weak relation to the Tethys region. During the Late Jurassic, the maximum compression from the Mongolia-Okhotsk region cannot be excluded. The Langshan region is the bridge between southern Mongolia and the western Ordos tectonic belt and is thus important to understand the nature and relationship between both regions.

Cenozoic Exhumation and Thrusting in the Northern Qilian Shan,Northeastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau:Constraints from Sedimentological and Apatite Fission-Track Data

The Qilian Shan lies along the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. To constrain its deformation history, we conducted integrated research on Mesozoic-Cenozoic stratigraphic sections in the Jiuxi Basin immediately north of the mountain range. Paleocurrent measurements, sandstone compositional data, and facies analysis of Cenozoic stratigraphic sections suggest that the Jiuxi Basin received sediments from the Altyn Tagh Range in the northwest, initially in the Oligocene （-33 Ma）, depositing the Huoshaogou Formation in the northern part of the basin. Later, the source area of the Jiuxi Basin changed to the Qilian Shan in the south during Late Oligocene （-27 Ma）, which led to the deposition of the Baiyanghe Formation. We suggest that uplift of the northern Qilian Shan induced by thrusting began no later than the Late Oligocene. Fission-track analysis of apatite from the Qilian Shan yields further information about the deformation history of the northern Qilain Shan and the Jiuxi Basin. It shows that a period of rapid cooling, interpreted as exhumation, initiated in the Oligocene. We suggest that this exhumation marked the initial uplift of the Qilian Shan resulting from the India-Asia collision.

The Research of Cenozoic Migrant Worker Satisfaction

The phenomenon of Cenozoic migrant worker shortage is a realism problem of China's enterprise, and Cenozoic migrant worker has become an important force occupied the social structure. So the study of Cenozoic migrant worker's status and the demand is imperative. Understand employees' both psychological and physiological satisfaction of enterprises' environmental factors, and make some corresponding changes is of great help to reduce the employee turnover rate. This paper commenced to research from the Cenozoic migrant worker 's characteristics, analyzed conditions and puts forward the corresponding countermeasures.

Late Mesozoic-Cenozoic Exhumation of the Northern Hexi Corridor：Constrained by Apatite Fission Track Ages of the Longshoushan

The apatite fission track（AFT） ages and thermal modeling of the Longshoushan and deformation along the northern Hexi Corridor on the northern side of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau show that the Longshoushan along the northern corridor had experienced important multi-stage exhumations during the Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The AFT ages of 7 samples range from 31.9 Ma to 111.8 Ma.Thermal modeling of the AFT ages of the samples shows that the Longshoushan experienced significant exhumation during the Late Cretaceous to the Early Cenozoic（-130-25 Ma）. The Late Cretaceous exhumation of the Longshoushan may have resulted from the continuous compression between the Lhasa and Qiangtang blocks and the flat slab subduction of the Neo-Tethys oceanic plate, which affected wide regions across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. During the Early Cenozoic, the Longshoushan still experienced exhumation, but this process was caused by the Indian-Eurasian collision. Since this time,the Longshoushan was in a stable stage for approximately 20 Ma and experienced erosion. Since -5 Ma,obvious tectonic deformation occurred along the entire northern Hexi Corridor, which has also been reported from the peripheral regions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, especially in the Qilianshan and northeastern margin of the plateau. The AFT ages and the Late Cenozoic deformation of the northern Hexi Corridor all indicate that the present northern boundary of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is situated along the northern Hexi Corridor.

Early Cenozoic Mega Thrusting in the Qiangtang Block of the Northern Tibetan Plateau

Recent mapping and seismic survey reveal that intensive compression during the Early Cenozoic in the Qiangtang block of the central Tibetan Plateau formed an extensive complex of thrust sheets that moved relatively southward along several generally north-dipping great thrust systems. Those at the borders of the ~450 km wide block show it overrides the Lhasa block to the south and is overridden by the Hohxil-Bayanhar block to the north. The systems are mostly thin-skinned imbricate thrusts with associated folding. The thrust sheets are chiefly floored by Jurassic limestone that apparently slid over Triassic sandstone and shale, which is locally included, and ramped upward and over Paleocene-Eocene red-beds. Some central thrusts scooped deeper and carried up Paleozoic metamorphic rock, Permian carbonate and granite to form a central uplift that divides the Qiangtang block into two parts. These systems and their associated structures are unconformably overlain by little deformed Late Eocene-Oligocene volcanic rock or capped by Miocene lake beds. A thrust system in the northern part of the block, as well as one in the northern part of the adjacent Lhasa block, dip to the south and appear to be due to secondary adjustments within the thrust sheets. The relative southward displacement across this Early Cenozoic mega thrust system is in excess of 150 km in the Qiangtang block, and the average southward slip-rate of the southern Qiangtang thrusts ranged from 5.6 mm to 7.4 mm/a during the Late Eocene-Oligocene. This Early Cenozoic thrusting ended before the Early Miocene and was followed by Late Cenozoic crustal extension and strike-slip faulting within the Qiangtang block. The revelation and understanding of these thrust systems are very important for the evaluation of the petroleum resources of the region.

Potassium-argon/argon-40-argon-39 geochronology of Cenozoic alkali basalts from the South China Sea

Based on the isotopic chronologic results of Cenozoic alkali basalts from the South China Sea, the characteristics of volcanic activi- ty of the South China Sea after spreading were studied. The potassium - argon ages of eight alkali basalt samples from the South China Sea, and the argon - argon ages of two samples among them are reported. Apparent ages of the whole rock are 3.80 to 7. 91 Ma with an average value of 5.43 Ma （potassium- argon, whole rock）, and there is little difference among samples at the same location, e. g. , 4. 76 - 5.78 Ma for location S（M-12. The argon - argon ages for the two samples are 6.06 and 4. 71 Ma, which lie within the age scope of potassium - argon method. The dating results indicate that rock-forming age is from late Miocene to Pliocene, which is consistent with erupting event for alkali basalts from adjacent regions of the South China Sea. Volcanic activities occur after the cessation of spreading of the South China Sea, which are controlled by lithospheric fault and the spreading center formed during the spreading period of the South China Sea. These dating results, combined with geochemical characteristics of these basalts, the published chronological data for the South China Sea and its adjacent regions, and the updated geophysical data near Hainan Island, suggest that after the cessation of spreading of the South China Sea, there occur widely distributing magmatic activities which primarily is alkali basalt, and the volcanic activity continues to Quaternary. The activity may be relative to Hainan mantle plume originated from core/mantle boundary.

The Cenozoic activities of Yangjiang-Yitongdong Fault: insights from analysis of the tectonic characteristics and evolution processes in western Zhujiang(Pearl) River Mouth Basin

The Yangjiang-Yitongdong Fault (YJF) is an important NW-trending regional fault, which divides the Zhujiang (Pearl) River Mouth Basin (ZRMB) into western and eastern segments. In Cenozoic, the northern continental margin of the South China Sea (SCS) underwent continental rifting, breakup, seafloor spreading and thermal subsidence processes, and the Cenozoic activities of YJF is one part of this series of complex processes. Two long NW-trending multichannel seismic profiles located on both sides of the YJF extending from the continental shelf to Continent-Ocean Boundary (COB) were used to study the tectonic and sedimentary characteristics of western ZRMB. Using the 2D-Move software and back-stripping method, we constructed the balance cross-section model and calculated the fault activity rate. Through the comprehensive consideration of tectonic position, tectonic evolution history, featured structure, and stress analysis, we deduced the activity history of the YJF in Cenozoic. The results showed that the YJF can be divided into two segments by the central uplift belt. From 65 Ma to 32 Ma, the YJF was in sinistral motion as a whole, inherited the preexisting sinistral motion of Mesozoic YJF, in which, the southern part of YJF was mainly in extension activity, controlling the formation and evolution of Yunkai Low Uplift, coupled with slight sinistral motion. From 32 Ma to 23.8 Ma, the sinistral motion in northern part of YJF continued, while the sinistral motion in southern part began to stop or shifted to a slightly dextral motion. After 23.8 Ma, the dextral motion in southern part of YJF continued, while the sinistral motion in northern part of YJF gradually stopped, or shifted to the slightly dextral motion. The shift of the YJF strike-slip direction may be related to the magmatic underplating in continent-ocean transition, southeastern ZRMB. According to the analysis of tectonic activity intensity and rift sedimentary structure, the activities of YJF in Cenozoic played a regulating role in the rift extension process of ZRMB.

Cenozoic Adakite-type Volcanic Rocks in Qiangtang,Tibet and Its Significance

Volcanic rocks in the study area, including dacite, trachyandesite and mugearite, belong to the intermediate-acid, high-K calc-alkaline series, and possess the characteristics of adakite. The geochemistry of the rocks shows that the rocks are characterized by SiO2>59%, enrichment in A12O3(15.09-15.64%) and Na2O (>3.6%), high Sr (649-885 μg/g) and Sc, low Y contents (<17 μg/g), depletion in HREE (Yb<1.22 μg/g), (La/Yb)N>25, Sr/Y>40, MgO<3% (Mg<0.35), weak Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu=0.84-0.94), and lack of the high field strength elements (HFSE) (Nb, Ta, Ti, etc.). The Nd and Sr isotope data (87Sr/86Sr=0.7062-0.7079, 143Nd/144Nd=0.51166-0.51253, εNd= -18.61-0.02), show that the magma resulted from partial melting (10%-40%) of newly underplated basaltic lower crust under high pressure (1-4 GPa), and the petrogenesis is obviously affected by the crust's assimilation and fractional crystallization (AFC). This research will give an insight into the uplift mechanism of the Tibetan plateau.

Magma Origin and Evolution of Tengchong Cenozoic Volcanic Rocks from West Yunnan,China:Evidence from Whole Rock Geochemistry and Nd-Sr-Pb Isotopes

Tengchong Cenozoic volcanics that have record key information on the tectonic evolution and mantle features of the southeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau are of great importance because of its unique eruption history spanning the entire Quaternary period. Magma origin and evolution of Tengchong Cenozoic volcanic rocks were studied on the basis of Nd-Sr-Pb isotope and major and trace element data from different eruptions in the Ma＇anshan area. Different samples within one eruption show relative identical lithologies, chemical and isotopic compositions. However, the geochemical features for the five eruptions are distinct from each other. These volcanic rocks show low Mg# values （〈45）, moderate to high fractionation of LREEs and HREEs, and enrichment of Pb and Ba and depletion of Nb. Tengchong Cenozoic volcanic rocks were derived from an enriched mantle based on Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic studies. And lines of evidence show that crustal contamination should be involved before the eruption of different periods of Tengchong Cenozoic volcanic rocks. Older subducted components may be responsible for adakite recycling at various stages of evolution, which results in the origin of the enriched mantle source magma accounting for the isotopic features of Tengchong Cenozoic volcanic rocks. Segregated primitive magma pulsating injected into magma chamber, fractional crystallized and contaminated with crust component. Finally, magmas with distinct chemical and isotopic compositions for each eruption formed. The extension of the northeast segment of the Yingjiang tectonic belt triggered the pulsating eruption of the Cenozoic volcanics in the Tengchong area.

Sedimentary Evolution of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in Cenozoic and its Response to the Uplift of the Plateau

We have studied the evolution of the tectonic lithofacies paleogeography of Paleocene- Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau by compiling data regarding the type, tectonic setting, and iithostratigraphic sequence of 98 remnant basins in the plateau area. Our results can be summarized as follows. （1） The Paleocene to Eocene is characterized by uplift and erosion in the Songpan-Garze and Gangdise belts, depression （lakes and pluvial plains） in eastern Tarim, Qaidam, Qiangtang, and Hoh Xil, and the Neo-Tethys Sea in the western and southern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. （2） The Oligocene is characterized by uplift in the Gangdise--Himalaya and Karakorum regions （marked by the absence of sedimentation）, fluvial transport （originating eastward and flowing westward） in the Brahmaputra region （marked by the deposition of Dazhuka conglomerate）, uplift and erosion in western Kunlun and Songpan-Garze, and depression （lakes） in the Tarim, Qaidam, Qiangtang, and Hoh Xil. The Oligocene is further characterized by depressional littoral and neritic basins in southwestern Tarim, with marine facies deposition ceasing at the end of the Oligocene. （3） For the Miocene, a widespread regional unconformity （ca. 23 Ma） in and adjacent to the plateau indicates comprehensive uplift of the plateau. This period is characterized by depressions （lakes） in the Tarim, Qaidam, Xining-Nanzhou, Qiangtang, and Hoh Xil. Lacustrine facies deposition expanded to peak in and adjacent to the plateau ca. 18-13 Ma, and north-south fault basins formed in southern Tibet ca. 13-10 Ma. All of these features indicate that the plateau uplifted to its peak and began to collapse. （4） Uplift and erosion occurred during the Pliocene in most parts of the plateau, except in the Hoh Xil-Qiangtang, Tarim, and Qaidam. The continuous uplift and intensive taphrogeny in the plateau divided the original large basin into small basins, deposition of lacustrine facies decreased considerably, and boulderstone accumulated, indicating a response to the overall uplift of the plateau. Here, we discuss the evolution of tectonic lithofacies paleogeography in Cenozoic and its response to the tectonic uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in relation to the above characteristics. We have recognized five major uplift events, which occurred during 58-53 Ma, 45-30 Ma, 25-20 Ma, 13-7 Ma, and since 5 Ma. The results presented here indicate that the paleogeomorphic configurations of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau turned over during the late Miocene, with high elevations in the east during the pre-Miocene switching to high contours in the west at the end of Miocene.

Tectonic Setting and Nature of the Provenance of Sedimentary Rocks in Lanping Mesozoic-Cenozoic Basin: Evidence from Geochemistry of Sandstones

The geochemical composition of sandstones in the sedimentary basin is controlled mainly by the tectonic setting of the provenance, and it is therefore possible to reveal the tectonic setting of the provenance and the nature of source rocks in terms of the geochemical composition of sandstones. The major elements, rare\|earth elements and trace elements of the Mesozoic\|Cenozoic sandstones in the Lanping Basin are studied in this paper, revealing that the tectonic settings of the provenance for Mesozoic\|Cenozoic sedimentary rocks in the Lanping Basin belong to a passive continental margin and a continental island arc. Combined with the data on sedimentary facies and palaeogeography, it is referred that the eastern part of the basin is located mainly at the tectonic setting of the passive continental margin before Mesozoic, whereas the western part may be represented by a continental island arc. This is compatible with the regional geology data. The protoliths of sedimentary rocks should be derived from the upper continental crust, and are composed mainly of felsic rocks, mixed with some andesitic rocks and old sediment components. Therefore, the Lanping Mesozoic\|Cenozoic Basin is a typical continental\|type basin. This provides strong geochemical evidence for the evolution of the paleo\|Tethys and the basin\|range transition.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE DEEP-SEATED XENOLITHS IN CENOZOIC BASALT IN KANGXIWA, WEST KUNLUN,CHINA

Our understanding of solid earth is from the surface, but the depth we can reach is very limited. So, most of the interpretations of geological processes and mechanisms extrapolated from all kinds of the surface phenomena is greatly uncertain. Recently many researchers concentrate their efforts to the geological and geophysical studying of the deep processes of the solid earth. The International Lithosphere Project (ILP) started in 1981 now is also a frontier field. One of the concentrations of this project is the 3\|D structure, tectonic evolution and the dynamic models of lithosphere\|asthenosphere system (Li Xiaobo etc., 1997). The studying of the igneous rocks and bearing deep\|seated xenoliths, as one of the effective methods probing the structure and evolution of the lithosphere, plays a very important role in these aspects (Deng Jinfu et al., 1996; Lu Fengxiang, 1997).Commonly, magmas come to the surface in great speed and the covering lithosphere should be relatively thinner. For example, the thickness of the lithosphere in East China is about 60～80km in the era when the volcanoes erupted (Deng Jinfu et al. 1994). Recently, many deep\|seated xenoliths were found in several localities of southwest Tianshan (Han Baofu et al., 1998). But in Qinghai—Xizang plateau, “So far no any xenoliths of mantle rocks as peridotites, lherzolites and harzburgites and high pressure granulites were found (Deng Wanming et al., 1997)”.. But in the fieldwork of 1998 we find some deep\|seated xenoliths in Cenozoic basaltic rocks in Kangxiwa region, West Kunlun, China. This work is a part of the project “XinJiang DuShanZi—QuanShuiGou transect” managed by academician Xiao Xuchang.

Cenozoic Environmental Changes in the Northern Qaidam Basin Inferred from n-alkane Records

Cenozoic climatic and environmental changes in the arid Asian interior, and their possible relations with global climatic changes and the Tibetan Plateau uplift, have been intensively investigated and debated over past decades. Here we present 40-Myr （million years）-long n-alkane records from a continuous Cenozoic sediment sequence in the Dahonggou Section, Qaidam Basin, northern Tibetan Plateau, to infer environmental changes in the northern basin. A set of n-alkane indexes, including ACL, CPI and Paq, vary substantially and consistently throughout the records, which are interpreted to reflect relative contributions from terrestrial vascular plants vs. aquatic macrophytes, and thus indicate depositional environments. ACL values vary between 21 and 30; CP1 values range from 1.0 to 8.0; and Paq values change from 〈0.1 to 0.8 over the past 40-Myr. We have roughly identified two periods, at 25.8-21.0 Ma （million years ago） and 13.0-17.5 Ma, with higher ACL and CPI and lower Paq values indicating predominant lacustrine environments. Lower ACL and CPI values, together with higher Paq values, occurred at 〉25.8 Ma, 17.5-21.0 Ma, and 〈13.0 Ma, corresponding to alluvial fan/river deltaic deposits and shallow lacustrine settings, consistent with the observed features in sedimentological facies. The inferred Cenozoic environmental changes in the northern Qaidam Basin appear to correspond to global climatic changes.

On tectonic movement in the South China Sea during the Cenozoic

The tectonic movement taking place at the end of Cretaceous and the beginning of Cenozoic had opened the Cenozoic phase of polycyclic tectonic movements,then the whole crust of the South China Sea had been mainly subjected to the regional stress field of tectonic tension,which was characterized by rifting depression.Seven times of regional tectonic movement and sedimentation had been assembled into a geological development history of polycyclic oscillation.Especially,the tectonic movements were strongly intensified at the end of Cretacious and the beginning of Paleagene,between Late Eocene and Mid-Oligocene,during Mid-and Late Miocene.These three times of tectonic movement had built the most important regional tectonic interfaces in the South China Sea.Crust movements of the South China Sea were the result and epitome of interaction of the Eurasia,Pacific and Indo-Australia plates,that is,they were introduced by polycyclic changes of directions,rates and strengths of lithospheric movements and asthenospheric flows across the Pacific and Indo-Australia plates.

Cenozoic tectono-sedimentary characteristics and extension model of the Northwest Sub-basin,South China Sea

Based on the interpretations of three seismic profiles and one wide-angle seismic profile across the Northwest Sub-basin,South China Sea.stratigraphic sequences,deformation characteristics and an extension model for this sub-basin have been worked out.Three tectonic-stratigraphic units are determined.Detailed analyses of extension show that the event occurred mainly during the Paleogene and resulted in the formation of half-grabens or grabens distributed symmetrically around the spreading center.Sediments are characterized by chaotic and discontinuous reflectors,indicating clastic sediments. Farther to the southwest,the sub-basin features mainly continental rifting instead of sea-floor spreading. The rifting would have been controlled by the shape of the massif and developed just along the northern edge of the Zhongsha-Xisha Block,rather than joined the Xisha Trough.After 25 Ma.a southward ridge jump triggered the opening of the Southwest Sub-basin.The NW-directed stress caused by the sea-floor spreading of the Northwest Sub-basin may have prevented the continuous opening of the sub-basin.After that the Northwest Sub-basin experienced thermal cooling and exhibited broad subsidence.The deep crustal structure shown by the velocity model from a wide-angle seismic profile is also symmetrical around the spreading center,which indicates that the Northwest Sub-basin might have opened in a pure shear model.

Accelerated Exhumation During the Cenozoic in the Dabie Mountains: Evidence from Fission-Track Ages

Abstract: Zircon and apatite fission-track dating indicates that the exhumation of the Dabie Mountains tended to be accelerated in the Cenozoic and that the exhumation of the eastern Dabie Mountains was more and more intense from south to north, which is in accordance with the more and more intense dissection from south to north, as is reflected by the modern geomorphologic features of the Dabie Mountains. The accelerated exhumation during the Cenozoic was related to the high elevation of the Dabie Mountains resulting from Late Cretaceous-Palaeogene detachment faulting and subsequent fault-block uplift and subsidence. The average elevation at that time was at least about 660 m higher than that at the present. The intense exhumation lagged behind intense uplift.

Late Cenozoic Stratigraphy and Paleomagnetic Chronology of the Zanda Basin,Tibet, and Records of the Uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The characteristics of Late Cenozoic tectonic uplift of the southern margin of the Qinghai- Tibet Plateau may be inferred from fluvio-lacustrine strata in the Zanda basin, Ngari, Tibet. Magnetostratigraphic study shows that the very thick fluvio-lacustrine strata in the basin are 5.89- 0.78 Ma old and that their deposition persisted for 5.11 Ma, i.e. starting at the end of the Miocene and ending at the end of the early Pleistocene, with the Quaternary glacial stage starting in the area no later than 1.58 Ma. Analysis of the sedimentary environment indicates that the Zanda basin on the southern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau began uplift at -5.89 Ma, later than the northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Presence of gravel beds in the Guge and Qangze Formations reflects that strong uplift took place at -5.15 and -2.71 Ma, with the uplift peaking at -2.71 Ma.