New Paleomagnetic Study on Early Triasic Liujiagou Formation of NorthChina Block

This paper introduces the result of studying on paleomagnetism of 91 specimens from 13 sites from Liujiagou Formation in Dashu Village, Wu ’an city, Hebei Province. The result reveals that North China block (NCB) was not united with Yangtze block (YB) in the Early Triassic. From the Early Triassic to now, NCB has rotated 30.0° counterclockwise, but YB has rotated 45.1° clockwise.

Paleomagnetic Evidence for Tectonic Setting of Paleoproterozoic Dyke Swarms in the North China Craton, China

In order to investigate the tectonic setting of 1.77-1.78Ga dyke swarms emplaced into the central North China Craton(NCC),we carried out a paleomagnetic and magnetic fabric study on the well geochronologically

Paleomagnetic Excursions Recorded in the Yanchi Playa in Middle Hexi Corridor, NW China Since the Last Interglacial

Paleomagnetic determinations on lithological profiles of two paralleled[( )-275(long )]drilling cores covering the past 130 kyr B.P., GT40 and GT60, from the Yanchi Playa in the arid Northwestern China, indicate that a series of pronounced paleomagnetic excursions have been documented. By correlating our results with published regional and worldwide reports, 4 excursion events out of 10 apparent reversal signals (labeled from GT-1 to GT-10) were identified as excursion events coeval with the Mono Lake Event ([(28.4)( )]kyr~[(25.8)( )]kyr), Laschamp Event ([(43.3)( )]kyr^40.5 kyr), Gaotai Event (82.8 kyr~[(72.4)25( )]kyr) and the Blake Event (127.4 kyr^113.3 kyr), respectively. GT-9 correlates with the above-mentioned Gaotai Event, GT-7 and GT-6 correspond to two stages of the Laschamp Event and GT-5 to the Mono Lake Event. It is noteworthy that the so-called Gaotai Event has not been reported as a pronounced paleomagnetic excursion in the Northwestern China. Every magnetic excursion event corresponds to paleointensity minima, anteceding those established abrupt paleoclimatic change events, such as the Younger Drays and the Heinrich Events (H1-H6)[(. )-250( )]Here,[( )-250( )]we tentatively[( )-250( )]propose that these geomagnetic excursions/reversals can be viewed as precursors to climate abruptness. During the transitional stages when the earths magnetic field shifted between a temporal normal and a negative period, the earths magnetic paleointensity fell correspondingly to a pair of minima. Although more precise chronology and more convincing rock magnetic parameter determinations are essentially required for further interpretation of their intricate coupling mechanism, these results may have revealed, to some extent, that the earths incessantly changing magnetic field exerts an strong influence on the onset of saw-tooth shaped abrupt climate oscillations through certain feedback chains in arid Central Asia or even North Hemispheric high latitude regions.

The Tunggurian Stage of the Continental Miocene in China

The Tunggurian Age was nominated in 1984, and the Second National Commission on Stratigraphy of China formally suggested establishing the corresponding chronostratigraphic unit, the Tunggurian Stage, based on the Tunggurian Age in 1999. The name of this stage comes from a lithostratigraphic unit, the Tunggur Formation, and the stratotype section is located at the Tunggur tableland, 15 km southeast of Saihan Gobi Township, Sonid Left Banner, Inner Mongolia. The Tunggurian Age is correlated to the Astaracian of the European land mammal ages, and they share the same definition of the lower boundary at the base of the paleomagnetic Chron C5Bn.1r with an age of 15.0 Ma. In the Tairum Nor section on the southeastern edge of the Tunggur tableland, this boundary is situated within the successive deposits of reddish-brown massive mudstone of the lower part of the Tunggur Formation, with a distance of 7.6 m from the base of the grayish-white sandstones in the middle part of the section. The Tunggurian is approximately correlated to the upper part of the marine Langhian and the marine Serravallian in the International Stratigraphical Chart. The Tunggurian Stage includes two Neogene mammal faunal units, i.e. NMU 6 （MN 6） and NMU 7 （MN 7/8）. The Tairnm Nor fauna from the Talrnm Nor section corresponds to NMU 6, and the Tunggur fauna （senso stricto） from the localities on the northwestern edge of the Tunggur tableland, such as Platybelodon Quarry, Wolf Camp and Moergen, corresponds to NMU 7. Among the Middle Miocene mammalian faunas in China, the Laogou fauna from the Linxia Basin, Gansu, the Quantougou fauna from the Lanzhou Basin, Gansu, the Halamagai fauna from the northern Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, and the Dingjiaergou fauna from Tongxin, Ningxia correspond to NMU 6.

New paleomagnetic results from the Neoproterozoic successions in southern North China Block and paleogeographic implications

A total of 312 oriented core samples collected from the Neoproterozoic to lower Cambrian strata in the Lushan region of western Henan Province, southern North China Block, were subjected to stepwise demagnetization. After removing recent and possibly Mesozoic overprint components, inferred primary magnetic remanence was isolated from the Precambrian Dongjia, Sanjiaotang and Cuizhuang Formations. Our new results, together with selected previous results, suggest that the North China Block was in low latitudinal positions for most of the studied time interval. Through comparison with paleogeographic positions of other continents, we suggest that the NCB could have been closed to Siberia during the ca. 800-600 Ma interval.

Paleomagnetism and paleoclimate change in the South China Sea since the late Pleistocene

Signal processing techniques of cross-correlation, power spectral analysis and cross-power spectral analysis are used to determine the relationships between paleomagnetic properties and the oxygen isotope record of the South China Sea during the late Pleistocene. On the basis of correlation tests between the δ18O time series of cores V3 and A15 with the paleomagnetic properties of core SCS01, five events of susceptibility and intensity of natural remanent magnetization are identified as glacial events corresponding to δ18O positive events. The magnetic properties of the sediments which are independent of the geomagnetic field are sensitive climatic indicators which have frequencies corresponding to the Milankovitch orbital parameters.

Paleomagnetism of Cretaceous Red beds from Eastern Part of South China Block

We performed on paleomagnetic investigation of the Upper Cretaceous red sandstones collected from Fujiau and Guangdong provinces. Significant characteristic directions were isolated by principal comPonent analysis from 22 of 25 and 9 of 14 sampling sites iu Fujian and Guangdong,respectively. Maximum concentration of global mean directions every province is achieved at 70 %and complete (100 % ) untilting for Fujian and Guangdong, respectively. We regarded these mean directions as the Late Cretaceous paleomagnetic directions and calculated virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs); Fujian, Lat. /Lon. = 79. 4°N/210. 3°E (α95= 5. 1°) and Guangdong, Lat. /Lon. = 80. 1°N/193. 4°E (α95=8. 0°). These two VGPs are nearly equal to each other and to a mean VGP from Sichuan Province reported previously. This observation suggests no relative movement among three regions, Fujian, Guangdong and Sichuan, since the Late Cretaceous. Two VGPs from this study are significantly different from previously reported VGPs from the same regions. Further systematic paleomagnetic works are needed to clarify this difference of VGP Positions.

New paleomagnetic results from the Yangzhuang Formation of the Jixian System,North China,and tectonic implications

A paleomagnetic study was carried out on the Yangzhuang Formation (~1350 Ma) of the Jixian System in the North China Block (NCB). Detailed stepwise thermal demagnetization isolated two components. The soft compo- nent (component A) was interpreted as a remagnetization in the recent geomagnetic field. The hard component (compo- nent B) with higher unblocking-temperatures was carried by hematite. Its site-mean direction is D/I = 77.6°/-24.3° (κ = 5.4, α95 = 18.3°, N = 15 sites) before, and D/I = 72.2°/11.5° (κ = 24.6, α95 = 7.9°) after tilt correction. It passes a fold test (Mesozoic folding) at 99% confidence level and reversal test at 95% confidence level. The corresponding pole locates at 17.3°N, 214.5°E (dp = 4.1°, dm = 8.0°). A best fit of paleo- magnetic poles from the NCB, Baltica, Siberia and the ap- parent polar wander path for Laurentia suggests a long-lived connection between these paleo-continents between ~1800 and 1350 Ma.

Causes of Cretaceous subduction termination below South China and Borneo:Was the Proto-South China Sea underlain by an oceanic plateau?

The South China,Indochina,and Borneo margins surrounding the South China Sea contain long-lived arcs that became inactive at approximately 85 Ma,even though an embayment of oceanic crust(the‘Proto-South China Sea’)remained in the intervening region.This oceanic crust eventually subducted in the Cenozoic below Borneo and the Cagayan arc,while the modern South China Sea opened in its wake.To investigate the enigmatic cessation of Mesozoic subduction below South China and Borneo,we studied a fragment of oceanic crust and overlying trench-fill sediments that accreted to NW Borneo during the final stages of Paleo-Pacific subduction.Based on radiolarian biostratigraphy of cherts overlying the pillow basalts and detrital zircon geochronology of the trench-fill,we constrained the minimum age of the oceanic crust during accretion to 40 Ma.This shows that subduction cessation was not related to ridge subduction.Geochemical analysis of pillow basalts revealed an enriched mid-ocean ridge basalt signature comparable to oceanic plateaus.Using paleomagnetism,we show that this fragment of oceanic crust was not part of the Izanagi Plate but was part of a plate(the‘Pontus’Plate)separated from the Izanagi Plate by a subduction zone.Based on the minimum 40 Ma age of the oceanic crust and its geochemistry,we suggest that Mesozoic subduction below South China and Borneo stopped when an oceanic plateau entered the trench,while the eastern plate margin with the Izanagi Plate remained active.We show how our findings offer opportunities to restore plate configurations of the Panthalassa-Tethys junction region.

Paleomagnetic constraints on the tectonic history of the major blocks of China duing the Phanerozoic

Paleomagnetic study of China and its constraints on Asia tectonics has been a hot spot. Some new paleomagnetic data from three major blocks of China, North China Block （NCB）, Yangtze Block （YZB） and Tarim Block （TRM） are first reported, and then available published Phanerozoic paleomagnetic poles from these blocks with the goal of placing constraints on the drift history and paleocontinental reconstruction are critically reviewed. It was found that all three major blocks were located at the mid low latitude in the Southern Hemisphere during the Early Paleozoic. The NCB was probably independent in terms of dynamics, its drift history was dominant by latitudinal placement accompanying rotation in the Early Paleozoic. The YZB was close to Gondwanaland in Cambrian, and separated from Gondwanaland during the Late Middle Ordovician. The TRM was part of Gondwanaland, and might be close to the YZB and Australia in the Early Paleozoic. Paleomagnetic data show that the TRM was separated from Gondwanaland during the Late Middle Ordovician, and then drifted northward. The TRM was sutured to Siberia and Kazakstan blocks during the Permian, however, the composite Mongolia NCB block did not collide with Siberia till Late Jurassic. During Late Permian to Late Triassic, the NCB and YZB were characterized by northern latitudinal placement and rotation on the pivot in the Dabie area. The NCB and YZB collided first in the eastern part where they were located at northern latitude of about 6°\8°, and a triangular oceanic basin remained in the Late Permian. The suturing zone was located at northern latitude of 25° where the two blocks collided at the western part in the Late Triassic. The collision between the two blocks propagated westward after the YZB rotated about 70° relative to the NCB during the Late Permian to Middle Jurassic. Then two blocks were northward drifting （about 5°） together with relative rotating and crust shortening. It was such scissors like collision procedure that produced intensive compression in the eastern part of suturing zone between the NCB and YZB, in which continental crust subducted into the upper mantle in the Late Permian, and then the ultrahigh pressure rocks extruded in the Late Triassic. Paleomagnetic data also indicate that three major blocks have been together clockwise rotating about 20° relative to present day rotation axis since the Late Jurassic. It was proposed that Lahsa Block and India subcontinent successively northward subducted and collided with Eurasia or collision between Pacific/Philippines plates and Eurasia might be responsible for this clockwise rotating of Chinese continent.

Paleomagnetic Results of Later Paleozolic Rocks From Alashan Area of Western North China Block

In order to contribute to the Apparent Polar Wander Path (APWP) of the North China Block (NCB) , we collected paleomagnetic samples of Late Paleozoic rocks from the northern and southern margins of the Alashan (Alxa) terrane (the western part of Inner Mongolia and northern parts of Gansu and Ningxia Provinces) and adjacent regions. Laboratory work revealed different types of demagnetization behavior and isolated a higher temperature characteristic component in most of the samples. Results of IRM experiments show high thermal stability and high coercivities for the magnetic carriers in these rocks. The characteristic component passed the fold and/or reversal tests, suggesting that the characteristic components were probably primary. On the basis of comparing the paleomagnetic results with the geologic evidence, we discuss the tectonic implications. In the Late Paleozoic, the Alashan region had been part of the NCB and was not connected with the northern and southern blocks. During the Carboniferous Alashan wandered around the equator, and then moved northerly during the Permian. During the Jurassic the Alashan region rotated anticlockwise about 25° relative to the NCB when the Helanshan geosyncline closed.

PALEOMAGNETIC RESULTS OF THE MIDDLE AND UPPER PROTEROZOIC JIXIAN SECTION, NORTH CHINA

The Middle and Upper Proterozoic strata are widespread in Jixian County of North China, where a complete, almost continuous section of about 10,000 m in thickness has been found. The Jixian section is divided into 11 formations of

Apparent polar wander path and tectonic movement of the North China Block in Phanerozoic

The results on the Early Paleozoic from the North China Block (NCB) are reported, and a series of reliable poles are selected from the available Phanerozoic data, based on the conventional reliability criteria, e.g. the number of samples, the uncertainty limit, any suspected incomplete demagnetization or overprint and field test (including fold, reversal, conglomerate tests). Especially, paleopole data is excluded if the sampling area suffered from the tectonic (e.g. rotation) and thermal effects. A new Phanerozoic apparent polar wander (APW) path for the NCB is compiled, and its tectonic evolution is discussed.

Late Cenozoic Sedimentary Evolution of Pagri-Duoqing Co graben, Southern End of Yadong-Gulu Rift, Southern Tibet

The north trending rifts in southern Tibet represent the E-W extension of the plateau and confirming the initial rifting age is key to the study of mechanics of these rifts. Pagri-Duoqing Co graben is located at southern end of Yadong-Gulu rift, where the late Cenozoic sediments is predominately composed of fluvio-lacustrine and moraine. Based on the sedimentary composition and structures, the fluviolacustrine could be divided into three facies, namely, lacustrine, lacustrine fan delta and alluvial fan. The presence of paleo-currents and conglomerate components and the provenance of the strata around the graben indicate that it was Tethys Himalaya and High Himalaya. Electron spin resonance(ESR) dating and paleo-magnetic dating suggest that the age of the strata ranges from ca. 1.2 Ma to ca. 8 Ma. Optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) dating showed that moraine in the graben mainly developed from around181-109 ka(late Middle Pleistocene). Combining previous data about the Late Cenozoic strata in other basins, it is suggested that 8-15 Ma may be the initial rifting time. Together with sediment distribution and drainage system, the sedimentary evolution of Pagri could be divided into four stages. The graben rifted at around 15-8 Ma due to the eastern graben-boundary fault resulting in the appearance of a paleolake.Following by a geologically quiet period about 8-2.5 Ma, the paleolake expanded from east to west at around 8-6 Ma reaching its maximum at ca. 6 Ma. Then, the graben was broken at about 2.5 Ma. At last,the development of the glacier separated the graben into two parts that were Pagri and Duoqing Co since the later stages of the Middle Pleistocene. The evolution process suggested that the former three stages were related to the tectonic movement, which determined the basement of the graben, while the last stage may have been influenced by glacial activity caused by climate change.

华北及其邻区块体转动模式和动力来源

块体的转动是地壳中重要的构造运动形式。根据地质、地球物理和地震活动性等资料,可将华北及其邻区划分为3个亚板块。华北亚板块可进一步细分为多个次级块体。这些不同级别的块体或多或少都显示出一定的刚体特性。根据地质构造、地震和古地磁测量等资料,详细地论述了不同级别块体的转动问题,即华北及其邻区的黑龙江、华北和华南等3个近东西向亚板块自老第三纪以来相对于新疆地区顺时针转动了1.6°～35°;华北亚板块内部北北东向的次级块体自新第三纪以来逆时针转动了1.3°～ 37°.最后探讨了这种转动的动力来源。

内蒙古中部索伦林西缝合带封闭时代的古地磁分析

索伦-林西缝合带被认为是华北和西伯利亚地块间中亚洋（或古亚洲洋）最后闭合的界线。利用华北和西伯利亚地块的古地磁数据对比分析，结合相关地质资料，对两地块的碰撞拼合历史，以及位于两地块间相应的中亚洋盆最终闭合时代进行了分析。结果表明：（1）分隔华北和西伯利亚地块的中亚洋在晓泥盆世至晚石炭世期间进一步张开，纬度宽度扩大，大约在早二叠世初期，中亚洋达到最大纬度宽度，约39°；（2）早二叠世以后西伯利亚地块开始快速向南漂移，二叠纪末期（～250Ma）和华北地块发生碰撞，导致索伦-林西缝合带的形成。

华北地块晚古生代至三叠纪古地磁研究新结果及其构造意义

本文对采自华北地块南缘陕西铜川和韩城两条剖面上的晚石炭世至晚三叠世地层的650余块标本(35个采点)进行了系统的古地磁研究.经逐步热退磁处理和剩磁稳定性检验,在482块标本中获得稳定的特征剩磁分量,对其形成时代作了地质学分析后,以特征剩磁分量为基础,计算了华北地块在晚古生代到三叠纪的地磁极位置和纬度值,简单讨论该期内的运动形式.

华北与西伯利亚地块碰撞时代的古地磁分析——兼论苏鲁—大别超高压变质作用的构造起因

对华北和西伯利亚地块进行了古纬度和纬度运移量的对比分析,结合古生物地理、同位素年代学等地质数据,确定了两地块的运动特征,相应地,确定了位于两地块间中亚洋盆最终闭合时代,并与苏鲁-大别山地区的超高压变质岩的峰期变质时代进行了对比.结果表明：①西伯利亚地块于晚泥盆世开始快速向北漂移,分隔华北和西伯利亚地块的中亚洋在晚泥盆世至晚石炭世期间已经存在;②早二叠世西伯利亚地块开始快速向南漂移,并于二叠纪末期（～250 Ma）和华北地块发生碰撞;③早二叠世,中亚洋纬度宽度约39°;④苏鲁-大别山地区的超高压变质岩的形成与西伯利亚和华北地块碰撞后的强烈挤压作用密切相关.

中国东北及邻区白垩纪古地磁分析与块体旋转运动动力学背景

为了更好地理解中国东北及邻区白垩纪各块体的旋转运动模式及其运动量,本文根据最新的地层学进展分早白垩世中期、早白垩世晚期与晚白垩世三个阶段对该区古地磁数据进行了精细分析。通过与华北—华南地块(不包括朝鲜半岛、辽东及胶东半岛)相应时期的古地磁极对比,说明朝鲜半岛及辽东早白垩世中、晚期相对于华北—华南地块分别顺时针旋转约11°,晚白垩世以来没有明显的旋转运动。辽西地区则出现了小幅度的逆时针旋转运动。以上旋转运动与太平洋板块俯冲引起的中国东北及邻区强烈岩石圈减薄和伸展作用具有密切联系。

Chinese Continental Blocks in Global Paleocontinental Reconstruction during Paleozoic and Mesozoic

The Cambrian to Cretaceous paleomagnetic data from Chinese continental and adjacent blocks were collected using principles to obtain reliable and high-precision paleomagnetic data and to pay attention to the similarity of paleobiogeography and the coordination of tectonic evolution.The Chinese continental blocks were laid up on the reconstruction of proposed global paleocontinents with almost the same scale.Thus,it can be clearly recognized that the global continents,including Chinese continental blocks,range along latitudes on the southern side of the equator during the Early Paleozoic. In the Paleozoic,Chinese continental blocks were still located among the Laurentia,Siberia and Gondwana plates,following the fast moving of the Siberia Plate northwards,the amalgamation in a north-south direction at the western parts of the Laurentia and Gondwana plates,and the Iapetus and Rheic Oceans were subducted,eventually to form a uniform Pangea in the Late Paleozoic.The Australian and Indian plates of Eastern Gondwana moved and dispersed gradually southwards, continued to extend the Paleo-Tethys Ocean.The Chinese continental and adjacent blocks were still located in the Paleo-Tethys Ocean,preserved the status of dispersion,gradually moving northwards, showing characteristics of ranging along a north-south orientation until the Permian.In addition,a series of local collisions happened during the Triassic,and consequently most of the Chinese continental blocks were amalgamated into the Pangea,except for the Gangdise and Himalayan blocks. There was a counter-clockwise rotation of the Eastern Asian continent in the Jurassic and northwards migration of the Chinese continent in varying degrees during the Cretaceous,but the Himalayan and Indian plates did not collide into the Chinese continent during this period.