Relic UHP Structures in Dabie-Sulu Region, China: Structural Expression and Geodynamic Significance

The present day observed tectonic framework of ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphic belt in the Dabie Sulu region was dominantly formed by an extensional process at 200-170 Ma, under amphibolite facies conditions, following the Triassic collision between the Sino Korean and Yangtze cratons. UHP relic structures, including massive eclogites with a weak foliation, UHP shear zones and A type folds, that are preserved in less retrograde metamorphism and deformation overprinted eclogite lenses can be recognized using the tectonic analysis. Examples are drawn from the Chengmagang area and Hejiawan area, Hubei; Bixiling area, Anhui, and Donghai area, northern Jiangsu. A speculative kinematic model is proposed for the collision between the cratons based on the UHP relic structures studied, in combination with the data of petrography, geochronology and P T path of UHP metamorphic rocks in the studied region which were reported in literature. It is stressed that only the early UHP relic structures, particularly, regionally consistent foliation and stretching lineations, record and reflect the formation of the UHP metamorphic rocks, and the relative dynamic and kinematic process related to the Triassic NNE directed oblique collision between the Sino Korean and Yangtze cratons.

ON THE ORIGIN AGE OF THE SOUTHWEST BASIN IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

This paper propounds that the origin and evolution of the Southwet Basin (SWB) in the South China Sea (SCSh) are closely related with those of the SCS, reviews various viewpoints on its origin age with a large gap between the oldest age and the youngest age. offers some suggestions on the SWB’s origin age and gives some proposals to ascertain satisfactorily the origin and evolution, and multi-phasal and multiaxial spreading of the SCS and SWB.

SYN-AND POST-THICKENING EXTENSIONS IN THE YULONG—HABA MOUNTAIN RANGE IN SOUTHWEST CHINA

The Yulong and Haba snowcapped ranges in the southeast side of the Qinghai—Xizang (Tibet) Plateau are situated structurally in a corner between the Dianxi Block to the west, the Yangzi Landmass to the southeast and Songpan—Ganzi folded belts to the north. Deformations in this area are strongly effected by the Tethys—Himalaya movement and defined by the Jinshajiang\|Honghe fault in the west and the Xiaojinhe fault in the southeast. A Jinshajiang river cut through in the middle with about 200 meters drop height that gives an exposed cross section.The Yulong—Haba range is an N—S trending anticline (F 3/D 3) comprising a metamorphic core of unknown ages and a sedimentary cover from mid\| Devonian onwards. Contact between the metamorphic core and the cover sequence is structurally. Although there is no evidence being found for the unconformity interface, deformation in the core, dominated by mica\|quartz schists, phyllites and quartzite, and the cover rocks, dominated by marbles, are different. The core rocks underwent a metamorphism with well developed foliations (S 1/D 1) in a greenschist facies condition. Occasionally an intrafolial fold (F 1, folded S 0) present in the S 1 layering. The S1 foliation was re\|folded by recumbent folds (F 2/D 2). Orientations of the axes of F 2 recumbent folds, the crenulation and mineral lineations now are shallowly plunged to S or N with angles less than 20° since the intensity of the D 3 deformation, during which both the core and cover rocks are involved to form the regional upright F 3 fold. All of the L\|S fabrics formed during D 2 in the core rocks are cut off by a set of near E—W or SWW—NEE trending normal faults that showing a top to the SSE extensional movement occurred during the D 3 event as a result of syn\|thickening extension (D 3′). Deformations D 4 are characterized by (1) numbers of near S—N trending high\|angle normal faults, and (2) interlayer gliding in the cover rocks, and lower angle detachment zones in the contact. Movement indicators in the D 4 structures showing a NEE in the east side of the F 3 fold, and a SWW in the west side, normal sense of shear that demonstrated a post\|thickening extension in the area.

Glacial bedforms in the Northwind Abyssal Plain,Chukchi Borderland

A series of sub-parallel linear glacial scours are identified on the crest of the Baoshi Seamount in the Northwind Abyssal Plain by compiling new multibeam data acquired during the 9 th Chinese Arctic Research Expedition(CHINARE-Arc9)in 2018 and previously published data.The new data reveal scours that developed at water depths of 850–1030 m with an orientation of about 75°/255°.The maximum water depth occurs in the southernmost scour and is deeper than that from previous investigations,which showed a maximum scouring depth of about 900 m on the seamount.The topographic and geomorphological characteristics suggest that these scours resulted from erosion by the ice shelf extending from the Chukchi margin and/or Laurentide Ice Sheet that grounded on the crest of the seamount and moved in a NE–SW direction.Other possibilities of their genesis include armadas of large icebergs/multi-keel icebergs calved from the Chukchi Shelf or the Laurentide Ice Sheet.The new data provide new constraints for assessing the extent and volume of the ice sheet in the Chukchi area during glacial maxima.

Magnetic Fabric of Cuizhao Pluton and ItsEmplacement Significance

The new micro-structural and magnetic fabric data on Cuizhao plutou and their emplacement implications are demonstrated in this peper. The magnetic foliations develop better and the degree of magnetic susceptibility anlsotropy is larger in the margin of the pluton than that in the center,which reveals mainly horizontal compression or magma during emplacement- The mapnetic lineations are not very well developed. The magnetic fabrics in the Cuizhao pluton reveal horizontal compression like the bollooning model during emplacement near the Earth surrace. This feature was fixed in later tectonic events.

Transpressive Deformation across Tongbo-Dabie Orogenic Belt

Deformation characteristics of the dextral Dashankou ductile shear zone , parallel to the Tongbo-Dabie Orogenic Belt and regional stretching lineation patterns within the blueschist belt in Northern Hubei , China , are examined at various scales , respectively . The new data , combined with those obtained in the Wudangshan area , indicate a transpressive deformation involving a WNW directed nearly horizontal shearing accompanied by shortening across the orogenic belt . A kinematic model is proposed for development of the deformation within the Tongboshan segment . Based on these findings it can be seen that the convergence and collision between the North China Craton and the Yangtze Craton may locally be oblique during the Proterozoic Jinningian Orogeny . This oblique collision is probably related to a certain extent to the shapes of the older craton margins .

Morpho-tectonic study on late-stage spreading of the Eastern Subbasin of South China Sea

Three NE-trending linear structural zones with different strikes are present in the Eastern Subbasin of the South China Sea. They are distributed in the 350-km-wide central region of both sides of the Scarborough seamount chain, representing a morphological indication of the basement faulting. These three zones correspond respectively to three spreading episodes: the magnetic anomalies 6c -6a (24-21 Ma), 6a - 5e (21 - 19 Ma) and 5e - 5d (5c) (19 - 16 Ma). Instability, subsection and asymmetry characterize the seafloor spreading of the subbasin. The spreading directions change in a continuous way in each of the zones, but abrupt changes by 3°-5° occur when crossing the boundary between the zones, reflecting that the spreading direction has evolutionary characteristics of both gradual and sudden changes. NW-trending transform faults of the spreading become progressively densely distributed from the east to the west, cutting the NE-trending zones into several segments, between which the strikes of the NE-trending zones have marked changes. Such features indicate that the spreading axis is associated with subsection along the strike. Around 21 Ma (magnetic anomaly 6a), there was an important event of spreading acceleration, with the full rate rapidly increasing from 30.54 km/Ma to 42.88 km/Ma. This rate increment event corresponds to the sudden changes in the spreading characteristics of basement faulting, sedimentation, volcano activities, etc. The asymmetry of spreading over the eastern part of the Eastern Subbasin is generally larger than that over the western part, and the spreading rate is markedly larger on the southern side than on the northern side. As a result, the oceanic basin is wide in the east and narrow in the west, forming a significantly asymmetric pattern.