Stress Transfer and the Impact of the India-Eurasia Collision and the Western Pacific Subduction on the Geodynamics of the Asian Continent

The interaction between the India-Eurasia collision and the Western Pacific subduction and their contribution to recent geodynamics of the Asian continent are discussed. We perform a comparative analysis of the data available from world literature and new data on the slow strain and earthquake migration from the India-Eurasia collision and the Western Pacific subduction zones. Based on the concepts of wave dynamics of the deformation processes, a localization scheme is constructed illustrating the migration of slow strain fronts in central and eastern Asia, and the wave geodynamic impact of collision and subduction on the Asian continent is shown.

Pre-collision Granites and Post-collision Intrusive Assemblage of the Kelameili-Harlik Orogenic Belt

The main types of intrusive rocks in the Kelameili-Harlik Hercynian orogenic belt include calc-alkaline granites, diabase dykes, kaligranites and alkaline granites. Investigation in field geology, petrology, mineralogy and geochemistry shows that the calc-alkaline granites belong to the syntexis-type (or I-type) and were formed in a pre-collisional magmatic arc environment. In consideration of the fact that kaligranites have many features of alkaline granites with higher consolidation temperatures than the calc-alkaline granites and show a discontinuity of minor element and REE evolution in respect to the calc-alkaline granites, they could not have been derived by differentiation of magmas for the calc-alkaline granites, but are likely to have been generated in an environment analogous to that for alkaline granites. The triplet of basic dyke swarms, kaligranites and alkaline granites could be regarded as a prominent indication of the initial stage of post-collisional delamination and extension. These rocks might have originated from underplating and intraplating of mantle-derived magmas at varying levels with varying degrees of partial melting, mixing, and interchange of crustal and mantle materials

SEISMOLOGICAL EVIDENCES FOR THE MULTIPLE INCOMPLETE CRUSTAL SUBDUCTIONS IN HIMALAYA AND SOUTHERN TIBET

Geological evidences have indicated large\|scale crustal shortening by thrust faultings in Himalaya , such as MCT and MBT. The thrust faulting near Yarlungzampbo suture was also observed. However, it is still unknown to what depth those thrust faultings have been going down into the crust or upper mantle . Seismological evidences indicate that the thrust faultings in Himalaya and southern Tibet have extended to a depth of 80 to 100km , and stopped there. The thrust faultings underneath MCT MBT and Yarlungzampbo suture are closely related to the multiple crustal subductions in Himalaya and southern Tibet. It provides important constraints for the collision process between India and Eurasia. The incomplete crustal subductions in this region suggest that the impinging Indian crust is too light to prevent it going further down, and retreat of crustal subduction is required for the continuing northward movement of the Indian plate. The multiple crustal subductions are compatible to the multiple episodes of the geological activities in Himalaya and southern Tibet. At first, the crustal subduction was produced at Yarlungzampbo suture , and stopped at a depth of 80～100km. Then, it migrated to the south, other new crustal subductions would start successively at MCT and MBT respectively. They stopped at a depth of 80 to 100km also. Beside the north\|dipping seismic zones in Himalaya and Yarlungzamp bo suture, another gentle south\|dipping seismic zone,extending from Tangula Shan at the surface to the Moho at Yarlungzampbo suture was also observed. It can be interpreted to be an obduction at Tangula Shan. The multiple incomplete crustal subductions in Himalaya and Yarlungzampbo suture highly imply that the impinging Indian crust has been splitted apart from its upper\|most mantle, which may b e subducted deeper into the Eurasian mantle.

Secular change in lifetime of granitic crust and the continental growth: A new view from detrital zircon ages of sandstones

U-Pb ages of detrital zircons were newly dated for 4 Archean sandstones from the Pilbara craton in Australia, Wyoming craton in North America, and Kaapvaal craton in Africa. By using the present results with previously published data, we compiled the age spectra of detrital zircons for 2.9, 2.6, 2.3,1.0, and0.6 Ga sandstones and modern river sands in order to document the secular change in age structure of continental crusts through time. The results demonstrated the following episodes in the history of continental crust：（1） low growth rate of the continents due to the short cycle in production/destruction of granitic crust during the Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic（2.9-23 Ga）,（2） net increase in volume of the continents during Paleo-to Mesoproterozoic（2.3-1.0 Ga）, and（3） net decrease in volume of the continents during the Neoproterozoic and Phanerozoic（after 1.0 Ga）. In the Archean and Paleoproterozoic, the embryonic continents were smaller than the modern continents, probably owing to the relatively rapid production and destruction of continental crust. This is indeed reflected in the heterogeneous crustal age structure of modern continents that usually have relatively small amount of Archean crusts with respect to the post-Archean ones. During the Mesoproterozoic, plural continents amalgamated into larger ones comparable to modern continental blocks in size. Relatively older crusts were preserved in continental interiors, whereas younger crusts were accreted along continental peripheries.In addition to continental arc magmatism, the direct accretion of intra-oceanic island arc around continental peripheries also became important for net continental growth. Since 1.0 Ga, total volume of continents has decreased, and this appears consistent with on-going phenomena along modern active arc-trench system with dominant tectonic erosion and/or arc subduction. Subduction of a huge amount of granitic crusts into the mantle through time is suggested, and this requires re-consideration of the mantle composition and heterogeneity.

Partial melting of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks at convergent continental margins: Evidences, melt compositions and physical effects

Ultrahigh-pressure（UHP） metamorphic rocks are distinctive products of crustal deep subduction,and are mainly exposed in continental subduction-collision terranes. UHP slices of continental crust are usually involved in multistage exhumation and partial melting, which has obvious influence on the rheological features of the rocks, and thus significantly affect the dynamic behavior of subducted slices. Moreover,partial melting of UHP rocks have significant influence on element mobility and related isotope behavior within continental subduction zones, which is in turn crucial to chemical differentiation of the continental crust and to crust-mantle interaction.Partial melting can occur before, during or after the peak metamorphism of UHP rocks. Post-peak decompression melting has been better constrained by remelting experiments; however, because of multiple stages of decompression, retrogression and deformation, evidence of former melts in UHP rocks is often erased. Field evidence is among the most reliable criteria to infer partial melting. Glass and nanogranitoid inclusions are generally considered conclusive petrographic evidence. The residual assemblages after melt extraction are also significant to indicate partial melting in some cases. Besides field and petrographic evidence, bulk-rock and zircon trace-element geochemical features are also effective tools for recognizing partial melting of UHP rocks. Phase equilibrium modeling is an important petrological tool that is becoming more and more popular in P-T estimation of the evolution of metamorphic rocks; by taking into account the activity model of silicate melt, it can predict when partial melting occurred if the P-T path of a given rock is provided.UHP silicate melt is commonly leucogranitic and peraluminous in composition with high SiO_2,low MgO, FeO, MnO, TiO_2 and CaO, and variable K_2 O and Na_2 O contents. Mineralogy of nanogranites found in UHP rocks mainly consists of plagioclase ＋ K-feldspar ＋ quartz, plagioclase being commonly albite-rich.Trace element pattern of the melt is characterized by significant enrichment of large ion lithophile elements（LILE）, depletion of heavy rare earth elements（HREE） and high field strength elements（HFSE）,indicating garnet and rutile stability in the residual assemblage. In eclogites, significant Mg-isotope fractionation occurs between garnet and phengite; therefore, Mg isotopes may become an effective indicator for partial melting of eclogites.

Thermal structure of continental subduction zone: high temperature caused by the removal of the preceding oceanic slab

The thermal structure of the continental subduction zone can be deduced from high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure rock samples or numerical simulation.However,petrological data indicate that the temperature of subducted continental plates is generally higher than that derived from numerical simulation.In this paper,a two-dimensional kinematic model is used to study the thermal structure of continental subduction zones,with or without a preceding oceanic slab.The results show that the removal of the preceding oceanic slab can effectively increase the slab surface temperature of the continental subduction zone in the early stage of subduction.This can sufficiently explain the difference between the cold thermal structure obtained from previous modeling results and the hot thermal structure obtained from rock sample data.

Upper Limit for Rheological Strength of Crust in Continental Subduction Zone:Constraints Imposed by Laboratory Experiments

The transitional pressure of quartz coesite under the differential stress and highly strained conditions is far from the pressure of the stable field under the static pressure. Therefore, the effect of the differential stress should be considered when the depth of petrogenesis is estimated about ultrahigh pressure metamorphic (UHPM) rocks. The rheological strength of typical ultrahigh pressure rocks in continental subduction zone was derived from the results of the laboratory experiments. The results indicate the following three points. (1) The rheological strength of gabbro, similar to that of eclogite, is smaller than that of clinopyroxenite on the same condition. (2) The calculated strength of rocks (gabbro, eclogite and clinopyroxenite) related to UHPM decreases by nearly one order of magnitude with the temperature rising by 100 ℃ in the range between 600 and 900 ℃. The calculated strength is far greater than the faulting strength of rocks at 600 ℃, and is in several hundred to more than one thousand mega pascals at 700-800 ℃, which suggests that those rocks are located in the brittle deformation region at 600 ℃, but are in the semi brittle to plastic deformation region at 700-800 ℃. Obviously, the 700 ℃ is a brittle plastic transition boundary. (3) The calculated rheological strength in the localized deformation zone on a higher strain rate condition (1.6×10 -12 s -l ) is 2-5 times more than that in the distributed deformation zone on a lower strain rate condition (1.6×10 -14 s -1 ). The average rheological stress (1 600 MPa) at the strain rate of 10 -12 s -1 stands for the ultimate differential stress of UHPM rocks in the semi brittle flow field, and the average rheological stress (550-950 MPa) at the strain rate of l0 -14 - 10 -13 s -l stands for the ultimate differential stress of UHPM rocks in the plastic flow field, suggesting that the depth for the formation of UHPM rocks is more than 20-60 km below the depth estimated under static pressure condition due to the effect of the differential stress.

Eastern Dharwar Craton,India:Continental lithosphere growth by accretion of diverse plume and arc terranes

Abstract Greenstone belts of the eastern Dharwar Craton, India are reinterpreted as composite tecto- nostratigraphic terranes of accreted plume-derived and convergent margin-derived magmatic sequences based on new high-precision elemental data. The former are dominated by a komatiite plus Mg-tholeiitic basalt volcanic association, with deep water siliciclastic and banded iron formation （BIF） sedimentary rocks. Plumes melted at 〈90 km under thin rifted continental lithosphere to preserve intrao- ceanic and continental margin aspects. Associated alkaline basalts record subduction-recycling of Me- soarchean oceanic crust, incubated in the asthenosphere, and erupted coevally with Mg basalts from a heterogeneous mantle plume. Together, komatiites-Mg basalts-alkaline basalts plot along the Phanero- zoic mantle array in Th/Yb versus Nb/Yb coordinate space, representing zoned plumes, establishing that these reservoirs were present in the Neoarchean mantle. Convergent margin magmatic associations are dominated by tholeiitic to calc-alkaline basalts compo- sitionally similar to recent intraoceanic arcs. As well, boninitic flows sourced in extremely depleted mantle are present, and the association of arc basalts with Mg-andesites-Nb enriched basalts-adakites documented from Cenozoic arcs characterized by subduction of young （〈20 Ma）, hot, oceanic litho- sphere. Consequently, Cenozoic style ＂hot＂ subduction was operating in the Neoarchean. These diverse volcanic associations were assembled to give composite terranes in a subduction-accretion orogen at -2.7 Ga, coevally with a global accretionary orogen at -2.7 Ga, and associated orogenic gold mineralization.

Continental- Margin Structure of Northeast China and Its Adjacent Areas

The continental margin of Northeast China and its adjacent areas is composed of two tectonic belts. The inner belt is a collage made up of fragments resulting from breakup of an old land with the north part related to the evolution of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean and the south part to the evolution of the Palaeo - Pacific Ocean. The outer belt is a Mesozoic terrane, which is a melange made up of fragments of the Late Palaeozoic to Early Mesozoic oceanic crust and the Late M esozoic trench accumulations.There existed another ocean-the Palaeo - Pacific Ocean during the period from the closing of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean to the opening of the modern Pacific Ocean or from the Devonian to Jurassic, and the ocean-floor spreading of the Palaeo - Pacific Ocean led to the formation of the above-mentioned tectonic belts. The development of the strike-slip fault system after the Late Jurassic and the formation of an epicontinental volcano -plutonic rock belt in the Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary are attributed to the interaction between the modern Pacific plate and the Eurasian plate.

In situ characterization of forearc serpentinized peridotite from the Sulu ultrahigh-pressure terrane: Behavior of fluid-mobile elements in continental subduction zone

Serpentinized peridotites in the Yangkou(YK),Suoluoshu(SLS) and Hujialin(HJL) areas in the Sulu ultrahighpressure terrane represent the relic of ancient subcontinental lithospheric mantle below the North China Craton.Their protoliths,harzburgite and dunite,were variably hydrated by aqueous fluids released from subducting Yangtze continent.The rocks are enriched in fluid-mobile elements(FME) including Sb(42–333 times the depleted mantle value) and Pb(30–476 times).The degrees of the FME enrichment are comparable to that of the Himalayan forearc serpentinites,and greater than forearc mantle serpentinites from Marianas,suggesting that the degrees of FME enrichment in the forearc serpentinites are greater in continental subduction zones than those in the oceanic subduction zones.Lizardite after olivine in the SLS serpentinite shows higher degrees of enrichment in Sb and As than those for antigorite after both olivine and orthopyroxene in the YK area.The antigorite has highly enriched in Pb,U,Cs,and LREE,but not for the lizardite.The abundance of FME in two different species of serpentine reflects the different temperature of hydration.At temperature lower than 300 ℃,formed lizardite at shallow depths of the mantle wedge incorporates elements that are fluid mobile at low temperatures,such as Sb and As.When the temperature greater than 300 ℃,formed antigorite at a relatively deep mantle wedge incorporate more FME from the subducting continental slab(or fragments),including Pb,U,Cs,LREE as well as Sb and As.The eventual breakdown of antigorite(600–700 ℃) in prograde metamorphism would discharge water as well as FME into the subducting channel and/or the overlying mantle.

Coupling between the Cenozoic west Pacific subduction initiation and decreases of atmospheric carbon dioxides

At the beginning of the Cenozoic,the atmospheric CO_(2)concentration increased rapidly from~2000 ppmv at 60 Ma to~4600 ppmv at 51 Ma,which is 5–10 times higher than the present value,and then continuous declined from~51 to 34 Ma.The cause of this phenomenon is still not well understood.In this study,we demonstrate that the initiation of Cenozoic west Pacific plate subduction,triggered by the hard collision in the Tibetan Plateau,occurred at approximately 51 Ma,coinciding with the tipping point.The water depths of the Pacific subduction zones are mostly below the carbonate compensation depths,while those of the Neo-Tethys were much shallower before the collision and caused far more carbonate subducting.Additionally,more volcanic ashes erupted from the west Pacific subduction zones,which consume CO_(2).The average annual west Pacific volvano eruption is 1.11 km~3,which is higher than previous estimations.The amount of annual CO_(2)absorbed by chemical weathering of additional west Pacific volcanic ashes could be comparable to the silicate weathering by the global river.We propose that the initiation of the western Pacific subduction controlled the long-term reduction of atmospheric CO_(2)concentration.

Adakitic Rocks Resulting from Partial Melting of Metabasite at High-Pressure Granulite-Facies Condition during Continental Collision

Objective Previous studies on adakitic rocks with high Sr/Y and La/Yb ratios have established that such rocks may form in a variety of tectonic settings through different petrogenetic processes including： （1） partial melting of subducted young （〈25 Ma）, hot and hydrated oceanic slab; （2） partial melting of thickened lower crust; （3） assimilation and fractional crystallization processes involving basaltic magma; （4） partial melting of delaminated lower crust; and （5） partial melting of hydrous garnet peridotite. The various origins for adakites provide important constraints on crustal growth and evolution throughout the Earth＇s history.

Tectonic Nature of the Northern Segment of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Belt:A Rift or Continental Collision Belt?

Objective The tectonic characteristics and evolution of the Paleoproterozoic Jiao-Liao-Ji belt have been extensively studied in recent decades （Fig. 1 a）. Two main models have been proposed for the formation of this belt： a continental-or arc-continent collisional belt, and the opening and closure of an intra-continental rift. The main reasons for these ongoing debates are own to the complex composition, including metamorphosed volcano-sedimentary rocks, multiple pulses of granitic magmatism, meta-mafic intrusions, and tectono- metamorphic history. In addition, earlier work focused on the geochronology and metamorphic evolution, whereas the source properties, petrogenesis, and tectonic setting of the metamorphosed volcano-sedimentary sequence and meta- mafic intrusions are poorly understood.

STUDY ON UNIFIED INTER-SPHERICAL ACTING OF CONTINENTAL COLLISION OF TIBET PLATEAU

At first, the paper reviews, analyses and discusses uplifting mechanism and history, current situation of Tibet plateau. Coal\|bearing strata and coal seam were discovered by surveying and many rocks samples and structural samples were collected, which established the foundation for further studying. From all above, the paper has studied strata system, time\|spatial evolution, magma activity and its regularity of continental collision of Tibet plateau and rock’s mechanical features under high temperature and pressure. The paper has also summerized tectonic features, studied geological process by time coordinate and proposed multidisciplinary geological model. The paper has proposed evolutinal model of modern structural stress field in early quaternary, modern structural stress field and crustal deformation and explored geophysical field features and deep structures from man\|mad earthquake, regional gravity field and electrical structures, thus established geophysical field model. In addition, the paper proposed overall dynamic model according to stress field, displacement orientation and velocity restriction condition, indoplate collision to Eurasia.Thoroughly, the paper has studied and stated mechanical system, non\|stability, multibody collision mechanics and mantle plume mechanical model and established mechanical model. Finally, the paper has studied numeral simulation about spheric inter\|acting during continental collision of Tibet plateau, from this, analysed and inferred its evolution history.

ANALYSIS ON GOLD AND COPPER ORE-FORMING SYSTEM WITH COLLISION OROGENY OF EASTERN TIANSHAN

According to tectono stratigraphical division principle, different units in Kangguertage Huangshan collision zone, Eastern Tianshan, are divided into order and disorder two types of stratum rock associations, which belong to two kinds of different tectono volcanic activity belts. The collision ororeny and ductile shear zone have a strong space time coupling. Based on the island arc bearing volcanic rock on both sides of the collision zone, time of ore forming and rock forming, characteristics of collision granit, geochemical province, special multistage collision orogeny and intracontinental orogeny basin forming developed features have been found. Gold and copper deposits, with the relation to the collision orogeny, are divided into seven genetic types. The ten metallogenic zones are classified into two kinds of ore forming system of paleo continental margin. Metallogenesis of gold deposits can be classified into five stages. Gold and copper deposits are distributed in belts with the relation to the development of the collision orogeny. The distribution of main large scale copper deposits in the north part of the collision zone and most large middle scale gold deposits in the south part of the collision zone can direct the prospecting for gold and copper deposits. The actual targets are put forward.

Niobium-tantalum Fractionation During Slab Subduction:Implications for the Formation of Continental Crust

Compared with the oceanic crust, knowledge about the formation of the continental crust (CC) is relatively poor. Although melting of subducted slabs in the early history of the Earth has been considered as the major way that shaped the chemical characteristics of the CC by most geologists, as the CC shares many characteristics with modern adakites, some geologists argued that Archean TTG was formed in the same way as modern arcs rather than slab melting, whereas others proposed that melting at the bottom of the thickened oceanic crust was more important. Recently,the debate is mainly focused on the unique subchondritic Nb/Ta value of the CC, and particularly, how Nb and Ta fractionated from each other and consequently how, in detail, the CC was built.……

Introduction to “Metallogenesis of Continental Collision”

There is a general consensus that Plate Tectonics can explain metallogenesis based on the collisions between oceanic and continental crust. For instance, the large-sized porphyry copper deposits that occur along the Cordillera of the Andes around the east coast of the Pacific, and in the Phillipines, Malaysia and Indonesia along the western coast of the Pacific that sit upon the massive Pacific plates. They are considered to be typical of deposits resulting from collision between the oceanic and continental crust. Many experts, however, have long held a negative view about whether the collision between continental crusts can lead to metallogenesis. In recent years, Chinese geologists have proposed a new concept for ＂Continent-Continent Collision Metallogenesis＂ after many years of studying in the Qinghai--Tibet Plateau. Here we give a brief introduction to this idea.

南非林波波带中央带Sand River地区高压麻粒岩变质作用

南非林波波带中央带Sand River地区存在高压基性麻粒岩,其峰期矿物组合为石榴石＋单斜辉石＋石英＋钛铁矿＋磁铁矿。岩石学研究表明,该高压麻粒岩经历了两期退变质作用,早期退变质阶段以斜方辉石和斜长石的出现为特征,晚期退变质阶段以角闪石的出现为特征。传统温压计计算表明：高压麻粒岩峰期变质温度为820℃~900℃,压力为13.5~15.4kbar;早期退变质的形成温压为800℃~890℃和8.8~11.2kbar;晚期退变质条件为540℃~650℃和2.7~4.4kbar。其退变质作用P-T轨迹为顺时针型近等温降压到降温降压的过程。高压麻粒岩经历的这种顺时针P-T轨迹通常发育在大陆碰撞环境,指示其形成可能与津巴布韦克拉通、卡普瓦尔克拉通在碰撞后地壳快速剥露事件有关,这对探讨林波波带中央带的构造演化具有重要意义。

A review on the numerical geodynamic modeling of continental subduction,collision and exhumation

Continental subduction and collision normally follows oceanic subduction,with the remarkable event of formation and exhumation of high-to ultra-high-pressure(HP-UHP)metamorphic rocks.Based on the summary of numerical geodynamic models,six modes of continental convergence have been identified:pure shear thickening,folding and buckling,one-sided steep subduction,flat subduction,two-sided subduction,and subducting slab break-off.In addition,the exhumation of HP-UHP rocks can be formulated into eight modes:thrust fault exhumation,buckling exhumation,material circulation,overpressure model,exhumation of a coherent crustal slice,episodic ductile extrusion,slab break-off induced eduction,and exhumation through fractured overriding lithosphere.During the transition from subduction to exhumation,the weakening and detachment of subducted continental crust are prerequisites.However,the dominant weakening mechanisms and their roles in the subduction channel are poorly constrained.To a first degree approximation,the mechanism of continental subduction and exhumation can be treated as a subduction channel flow model,which incorporates the competing effects of downward Couette(subduction)flow and upward Poiseuille(exhumation)flow in the subduction channel.However,the(de-)hydration effect plays significant roles in the deformation of subduction channel and overriding lithosphere,which thereby result in very different modes from the simple subduction channel flow.Three-dimensionality is another important issue with highlighting the along-strike differential modes of continental subduction,collision and exhumation in the same continental convergence belt.

Magmatism during continental collision, subduction, exhumation and mountain collapse in collisional orogenic belts and continental net growth: A perspective

Continental orogens on Earth can be classified into accretionary orogen and collisional orogen.Magmatism in orogens occurs in every periods of an orogenic cycle,from oceanic subduction,continental collision to orogenic collapse.Continental collision requires the existence of prior oceanic subduction zone.It is generally assumed that the prerequisite of continental deep subduction is oceanic subduction and its drag force to the connecting passive-margin continental lithosphere during continental collision.Continental subduction and collision lead to the thickening and uplift of crust,but the formation time of the related magmatism in orogens depends on the heating mechanism of lithosphere.The accretionary orogens,on the other hand,have no strong continental collision,deep subduction,no large scale of crustal thrusting,thickening and uplift,and no UHP eclogite-facies metamorphic rocks related to continental deep subduction.Even though arc crust could be significantly thickened during oceanic subduction,it is still doubtful that syn-or post-collisional magmatism would be generated.In collisional orogens,due to continental deep subduction and significant crustal thickening,the UHP metamorphosed oceanic and continental crusts will experience decompression melting during exhumation,generating syn-collisional magmatism.During the orogen unrooting and collapse,post-collisional magmatism develops in response to lithosphere extension and upwelling of asthenospheric mantle,marking the end of an orogenic cycle.Therefore,magmatism in orogens can occur during the continental deep subduction,exhumation and uplift after detachment of subducted oceanic crust from continental crust,and extensional collapse.The time span from continental collision to collapse and erosion of orogens(the end of orogenic cycle)is 50–85 Myr.Collisional orogens are the key sites for understanding continental deep subduction,exhumation,uplift and orogenic collapse.Magmatism in collisional orogens plays important roles in continental reworking and net growth.