Constraints on the age of the Tuchengzi Formation by LA-ICP-MS dating in northern Hebei-western Liaoning, China

Accurately determining the age of the Tuchengzi Formation has direct influence on confirming the boundary between the Jurassic and the Cretaceous systems in northern Hebei-western Liaoning, and on related geological problems in China. However, the Tuchengzi Formation mainly consists of sedi-mentary rocks, with a poor fossil record and especially lack of index fossils. The Tuchengzi Formation is also lack of the type of volcanic rocks that can provide an isotopic age. Therefore, the age of the Tuchengzi Formation has been uncertain. Based on our systematic dating of the tuff interbedded in the Tuchengzi Formation of Chengde and Jinlingsi-Yangshan basins in northern Hebei-western Liaoning, combined with the dating results of previous researchers, here we suggest that the age range of the Tuchengzi Formation in northern Hebei-western Liaoning is from 147 Ma to 136 Ma. It implied that the Tuchengzi Formation was mainly formed in the Early Cretaceous.

燕辽地区下马岭组内基性岩床侵位过程中CO2释放量估算及对表生环境影响的探讨

大火成岩省对全球性环境巨变及大规模生物灭绝的影响是国际地学界关注的主要前缘科学问题之一。一般认为大火成岩省中熔岩流喷发所释放的温室及有毒气体、火山灰及其它流体是导致环境巨变及生物灭绝的最主要原因之一。但近年来研究表明,作为大火成岩省重要组成部分之一的大规模基性岩床(辉绿岩为主),其侵位到黑色页岩、煤层、蒸发岩及碳酸盐岩中释放出了巨量的温室及有毒气体,并对表生环境及生物灭绝有重要的驱动作用。在华北克拉通北缘近年来发现的约1.32Ga燕辽大火成岩省由大规模辉绿岩床群组成,这些辉绿岩床主要侵位于下马岭组黑色页岩(TOC含量0.6~20%,平均值约6.0%)中,部分侵位到雾迷山组及高于庄组白云岩或白云质灰岩中。野外调查结果表明,受岩床侵位的影响,辉绿岩床与下马岭组接触带附近黑色页岩有强烈的角岩化及脱碳现象。在接触带厚度及辉绿岩岩床与黑色页岩分布范围调查的基础上,根据受不同程度影响黑色页岩内总有机碳(TOC)含量分析结果,初步估算出岩床侵位到下马岭组黑色页岩过程中CO2的释放量可达1.10×10^12t。如果考虑到华北克拉通燕辽地区侵入到高于庄组和雾迷山组碳酸盐岩中的岩床,以及北澳大利亚克拉通麦克阿瑟盆地Velkerri组中1.32Ga的大规模代里姆辉绿岩床群,这一时期辉绿岩岩床侵位所释放的CO2等温室气体量可能会更大。华北克拉通燕辽及北澳大利亚克拉通代里姆1.32Ga大规模辉绿岩床侵位热接触变质中CO2等气体的释放可能对大气—海洋环境有显著的影响,但由于华北及北澳大利亚克拉通缺少这一时期的沉积,其地质记录(如碳同位素负漂移,元素或其它同位素异常、生物量指标的差异等)可能存在于全球其它克拉通(如西伯利亚、波罗地等)约1.32Ga沉积地层中,需要开展更为深入的研究工作。