Study on strength properties and soil behaviour type classification of Huanghe River Delta silts based on variable rate piezocone penetration test

Fine-grained silt is widely distributed in the Huanghe River Delta(HRD)in China,and the sedimentary structure is complex,meaning that the clay content in the silt is variable.The piezocone penetration test(CPTu)is the most widely approved in situ test method.It can be used to invert soil properties and interpret soil behavior.To analyse the strength properties of surface sediments in the HRD,this paper evaluated the friction angle and its inversion formula through the CPTu penetration test and monotonic simple shear test and other soil unit experiments.The evaluation showed that the empirical formula proposed by Kulhawy and Mayne had better prediction and inversion effect.The HRD silts with clay contents of 9.2%,21.4%and 30.3%were selected as samples for the CPTu variable rate penetration test.The results show as follows.(1)The effects of the clay content on the tip resistance and the pore pressure of silt under different penetration rates were summarized.The tip resistance Q_t is strongly dependent on the clay content of the silt,the B_(q)value of the silt tends to 0 and is not significantly affected by the change of the CPTu penetration rate.(2)Five soil behavior type classification charts and three soil behavior type indexes based on CPTu data were evaluated.The results show that the soil behavior type classification chart based on soil behavior type index ISBT,the Robertson 2010 behavior type classification chart are more suitable for the silty soil in the HRD.

Origin of submarine canyon-channel systems along the middle segment of West Mariana Ridge,Philippine Sea

Submarine canyon-channel systems have been documented in the Parece Vela Basin,West Mariana Ridge;however,the mechanism of the formation and controlling factors remain poorly understood.Based on high-resolution multibeam bathymetric data and two-dimensional(2D)seismic profiles,we identified and mapped the submarine canyon-channel system along the middle segment of West Mariana Ridge in the Philippine Sea.These submarine canyon-channels show a main W-E orientation at depth of 2000–4500 m.They are approximately 72–128 km in length and 1.3–15 km in width,and their canyon heads are adjacent to the seamounts with several branches.The upper reaches of submarine canyon-channels are characterized by deeply incised,narrow,V-shaped thalwegs,suggesting the powerful erosion of gravity flows.The distinguished sediment waves are suggested to be resulted from the interaction of turbidity currents and seafloor.Our observations demonstrate that gravity flows originated from the collapses of seamount flanks plays a vital role in developing the submarine canyonchannel system along the West Mariana Ridge.This work provides better understanding of erosion,transport,and deposition of sediments from subducting ridges to deep-water basins,and also new insights into the origin and evolution of submarine canyon-channel systems along subducting ridges.

Plate tectonic control on the formation and tectonic migration of Cenozoic basins in northern margin of the South China Sea

The tectonic evolution history of the South China Sea(SCS) is important for understanding the interaction between the Pacific Tectonic Domain and the Tethyan Tectonic Domain,as well as the regional tectonics and geodynamics during the multi-plate convergence in the Cenozoic.Several Cenozoic basins formed in the northern margin of the SCS,which preserve the sedimentary tectonic records of the opening of the SCS.Due to the spatial non-uniformity among different basins,a systematic study on the various basins in the northern margin of the SCS constituting the Northern Cenozoic Basin Group(NCBG) is essential.Here we present results from a detailed evaluation of the spatial-temporal migration of the boundary faults and primary unconformities to unravel the mechanism of formation of the NCBG.The NCBG is composed of the Beibu Gulf Basin(BBGB),Qiongdongnan Basin(QDNB),Pearl River Mouth Basin(PRMB) and Taixinan Basin(TXNB).Based on seismic profiles and gravity-magnetic anomalies,we confirm that the NE-striking onshore boundary faults propagated into the northern margin of the SCS.Combining the fault slip rate,fault combination and a comparison of the unconformities in different basins,we identify NE-striking rift composed of two-stage rifting events in the NCBG:an early-stage rifting(from the Paleocene to the Early Oligocene) and a late-stage rifting(from the Late Eocene to the beginning of the Miocene).Spatially only the late-stage faults occurs in the western part of the NCBG(the BBGB,the QDNB and the western PRMB),but the early-stage rifting is distributed in the whole NCBG.Temporally,the early-stage rifting can be subdivided into three phases which show an eastward migration,resulting in the same trend of the primary unconformities and peak faulting within the NCBG.The late-stage rifting is subdivided into two phases,which took place simultaneously in different basins.The first and second phase of the early-stage rifting is related to back-arc extension of the Pacific subduction retreat system.The third phase of the earlystage rifting resulted from the joint effect of slab-pull force due to southward subduction of the proto-SCS and the back-arc extension of the Pacific subduction retreat system.In addition,the first phase of the late-stage faulting corresponds with the combined effect of the post-collision extension along the Red River Fault and slab-pull force of the proto-SCS subduction.The second phase of the late-stage faulting fits well with the sinistral faulting of the Red River Fault in response to the Indochina Block escape tectonics and the slab-pull force of the proto-SCS.

Paleozoic post-collisional magmatism and high-temperature granulite-facies metamorphism coupling with lithospheric delamination of the East Kunlun Orogenic Belt,NW China

Lithosphere extension and upwelling of asthenosphere at post-collisional stage of an orogenic cycle generally induce diverse magmatism and/or associated high-temperature metamorphism. Nevertheless, the intimate coexistence of post-collisional magmatic activity and high-temperature metamorphism is rare.In this contribution, a lithological assemblage composing of diverse magmatic rocks deriving from distinct magma sources and coeval high-temperature metamorphism was identified in eastern Kunlun.Petrography, ages, mineral chemistry and whole-rock geochemistry demonstrated that those intimately coexistent diverse rocks were genetically related to post-collisional extension. The garnet-bearing mafic granulites in Jinshuikou area interior of the East Kunlun Orogenic Belt are mainly composed of garnet,orthopyroxene, and plagioclase, with peak metamorphic P–T conditions of ~ 701–756 ℃and 5.6–7.0 kbar,representing a granulite-facies metamorphism at 409.7 ± 1.7 Ma. The diverse contemporaneous magmatic rocks including hornblendites, gabbros and granites yield zircon U–Pb ages of 408.6 ± 2.5 Ma,413.4 ± 4.6 Ma, and 387–407 Ma, respectively. The hornblendites show N-MORB-like REE patterns with(La/Sm)Nvalues of 0.85–0.94. They have positive zircon εHf(t) values of 0.1–4.9 and whole-rock εNd(t) values of 3.9–4.7 but relatively high(^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)_(i)values of 0.7081 to 0.7088. These features demonstrate that the hornblendites derived from a depleted asthenospheric mantle source with minor continental crustal materials in source. As for the gabbros, they exhibit arc-like elemental signatures, low zircon εHf(t) values(-4.3 to 2.5) and variable whole-rock εNd(t) values(-4.9 to 1.2) as well as high(^(87)Sr/86 Sr)ivalues(0.7068 to 0.7126), arguing for that they were originated from partial melting of heterogeneous lithospheric mantle anteriorly metasomatized by subducted-sediment released melts. Geochemistry of the granites defines their strongly peraluminous S-type signatures. Zircons from the granites yield a large range of εHf(t) values ranging from -30.8 to -5.1, while the whole-rock samples yield consistent(^(87)Sr/86 Sr)ivalues(0.7301 to 0.7342) and negative εNd(t) values(-10.1 to -12.4). These features indicate that the S-type granites could be generated by reworking of an ancient crust. Taken together, the penecontemporaneous magmatism and metamorphic event, demonstrated the early-middle Devonian transition from crustal thickening to extensional collapse. The post-collisional mantle-derived magmas serve as an essential driving force for the high-temperature granulite-facies metamorphism and anataxis of the crust associated with formation of S-type granite. This study not only constructs a more detail Proto-Tethys evolution process of the eastern Kunlun, but also sheds new light on better understanding the intimate relationship between magmatism and metamorphism during post-collisional extensional collapse.

Geochemistry and detrital zircon records of the Ruyang-Luoyu groups,southern North China Craton:Provenance,crustal evolution and Paleo-Mesoproterozoic tectonic implications

Paleo-to Mesoproterozoic sedimentary rocks in the southern margin of the North China Craton(NCC)are represented by the Ruyang and Luoyu groups.We studied the sedimentary rocks from the Yunmengshan and Beidajian formations of the Ruyang Group and the Cuizhuang and Sanjiaotang formations of the Luoyu Group.Detrital zircon grains from these formations have U–Pb age populations of 3.64–3.31 Ga,2.96–2.86 Ga,2.72–2.59 Ga,2.56–2.47 Ga,2.45–2.0 Ga,1.99–1.85 Ga and 1.84–1.65 Ga.The geochemical features of the sedimentary rocks suggest that some of the sediments were sourced from intermediate to felsic magmatic rocks.The age groups of the detrital zircon are roughly consistent with the tectono-thermal events in the southern margin of the NCC.The Hf isotopic compositions of detrital zircon from the sedimentary rocks in Ruyang and Luoyu groups suggest that significant crustal growth and reworking of the NCC took place during the Neoarchean and early-to mid-Paleoproterozoic,while crustal reworking at the Paleoarchean and late-Paleoproterozoic,and crustal growth at the Mesoarchean.We suggest the depositional times of the Ruyang Group and Luoyu Group are constrained to no older than 1.75–1.7 Ga and 1.7–1.65 Ga,respectively.Formation of late-Paleoproterozoic basins related to the strike slip and extrusion tectonics that cross-cut the NCC during the late Paleoproterozoic(<1.75 Ga),and the late Paleoproterozoic sedimentation once isochronous developed in the southern margin of the NCC through the Taihang region of the interior NCC and linked the Yanshan–Liaoxi regions of the northern NCC.

Convergence History of the Songliao and Jiamusi Blocks in the Eastern End of Central Asian Orogenic Belt: Evidence from Detrital Zircons of Late Paleozoic Sedimentary Rocks

Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB) is one of the largest accretionary orogenic belts in the world. The eastern segment of CAOB is dominated by Paleozoic Paleo Asian Ocean tectonic regime, Mesozoic Paleo-Pacific tectonic regime and Mongolian-Okhotsk tectonic regime. The Songliao and Jiamusi blocks are located in the easternmost part of the CAOB and are the key region to solve the problem about overprinting processes of multiple tectonic regimes. It is generally believed that the Mudanjiang Ocean between the two blocks was finally closed in the Mesozoic, but the Paleozoic magmatism also developed along the Mudanjiang suture zone, while on both sides of the suture zone, there were comparable Paleozoic strata, indicating that the two blocks had converged during the Paleozoic, and the evolution history of the two blocks in the Late Paleozoic remains controversial. The Carboniferous-Permian terrestrial strata mainly developed in Binxian, Wuchang and Tieli on Songliao Block, Baoqing and Mishan on Jiamusi Block. Samples from the Songliao and Jiamusi blocks in the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian and Late Permian are collected for comparative analysis. The LAICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating results show that the maximum depositional age of Middle Permian Tumenling Formation and Late Permian Hongshan Formation in Songliao Block is ~260 Ma, while that of Tatouhe Formation and Carboniferous strata in Jiamusi Block are ~290 Ma and ~300 Ma, respectively, which supports the previous stratigraphic division scheme. The age peaks of ~290-300 Ma, ~400 Ma, ~500 Ma appeared in the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian strata of Jiamusi Block and the Middle Permian strata of Songliao Block. The age peak of ~500 Ma in the Middle Permian strata of Songliao Block may come from the Cambrian basement, Mashan Complex, of Jiamusi Block, while the age peaks of ~420-440 Ma in the Carboniferous strata of Jiamusi Block may come from the Silurian magmatic arc in Zhangguangcai Range in the eastern margin of Songliao Block, reflects the history that they had been potential sources of each other, indicating that they may have combined in the Paleozoic. The Hongshan Formation of Songliao Block in the Late Permian lacks the age peak of ~500 Ma, which indicate that Jiamusi Block was not the provenance of Songliao Block in the Late Permian, that is, there was a palaeogeographic isolation between the two blocks. Combined with the ~210 Ma bimodal volcanic rocks developed along the Mudanjiang suture zone reported previously, we believe that the oceanic basin between the Songliao and Jiamusi blocks should have been connected in Late Permian and reopened during Late Permian to Late Triassic.

A missing link of the Proto-Tethys Ocean between the Qinling and Qilian orogens,China:Insights from geochronology and structural geology

The Qinling-Qilian connection zone(QQCZ)is a key area to reveal the relationship and to make a link of the North Qinling and the North Qilian orogens,China.Here we present U-Pb dating data of detrital zircons from four sedimentary/metasedimentary rocks in the QQCZ and the southwestern North China Block(NCB)and detailed regional structural data.Three episodes of fold deformation(D1,D2 and D3)are distinguished in the QQCZ,with the former two occurred during the early Paleozoic.The D1 deformation is mainly characterized by regionally penetrative schistosity and some residual rootless intrafolial folds due to the intensive superpositions by the subsequent D2 and D3 deformations.The D2 deformation characterized by tight folds,associated axial plane foliations and crenulation lineations indicates a stress field characterized by NNE-SSW-directed compression,which may be induced by the collision between the NCB and the southern blocks.The D3 deformation which might occur during the Mesozoic is marked by upright open folds and kink bands.The similarity of the detrital zircon age spectra of the Huluhe Group in the North Qilian Orogen and the Erlangping Group in the North Qinling Orogen suggests that the two groups have similar provenance,which may indicate that the North Qilian Orogen corresponded to the North Qinling Orogen in a regional tectonic framework.In addition,the remarkable age peak at^435 Ma of the detrital zircon age spectrum of the Duanjiaxia Formation in the southwestern NCB indicates that this formation obtained the provenance of the North Qilian and North Qinling orogens,which may be generated by the collage of the southwestern NCB and the QQCZ during the Late Ordovician-Early Silurian.Based on structural,detrital zircon and metamorphic data,we suggest that the North Qilian and North Qinling orogens underwent similar evolution during the early Paleozoic due to the closure of the North Qilian and the Kuanping oceans which located at the northern boundary of the Proto-Tethys Ocean.

Development of a new high resolution waveform migration location method and its applications to induced seismicity

Locating seismic events is a central task for earthquake monitoring.Compared to arrival-based location methods,waveformbased location methods do not require picking phase arrivals and are more suitable for locating seismic events with noisy waveforms.Among waveform-based location methods,one approach is to stack different attributes of P and S waveforms around arrival times corresponding to potential event locations and origin times,and the maximum stacking values are assumed to indicate the correct event location and origin time.In this study,to obtain a high-resolution location image,we improve the waveform-based location method by applying a hybrid multiplicative imaging condition to characteristic functions of seismic waveforms.In our new stacking method,stations are divided into groups;characteristic functions of seismic waveforms recorded at stations in the same group are summed,and then multiplied among groups.We find that this approach can largely eliminate the cumulative effects of noise in the summation process and thus improve the resolution of location images.We test the new method and compare it to three other stacking methods,using both synthetic and real datasets that are related to induced seismicity occurring in petroleum/gas production.The test results confirm that the new stacking method can provide higher-resolution location images than those derived from currently used methods.

Tectonic Uplift of the Yili Basin during the Last Stage of the Late Pleistocene: Evidence from ESR and OSL Dating of Sediments in the Huocheng Area, Xinjiang

The Quaternary sediments in the Yili Basin can serve as archives for studying the Cenozoic basin-mountain relationship. In this study, based on typical natural sections and boreholes, the surficial sediments of the Huocheng area were studied, and their sedimentary ages were obtained using the optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) and electron spin resonance(ESR) dating methods. These dates, combined with changes in the sedimentary facies, provided details of the neotectonic movement in the Yili Basin and adjacent areas. By dating sediments from five sections and three boreholes, we determined that the surficial sediments of the Huocheng area were mainly formed in the Late Pleistocene, with scattered instances of Holocene sediments. The surficial sediments mainly consisted of alluvial fan facies, fluvial facies, lacustrine facies, and desert facies. Based on the activity on the Hongshanzui fault and the northern margin fault of the Wusun Mountains, the Huocheng area was uplifted synchronously with the Tianshan Mountains during the last stage of the Late Pleistocene, causing the desert facies sediments to be superimposed on the former paleo-lake sediments.

A Special Issue Devoted to the Accretionary and Collisional Tectonics of the Altaids and its Metallogeny

Altaids:The conception The Altaids is tectonically sandwiched between the Baltica and Siberia cratons to the north and the Tarim and North China cratons to the south(Sengor et al.,1993).This huge orogen has been also called the Altaid collage(Yakubchuk,2004),Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB)(Jahn et al.,2000a),or Central Asian Orogenic System(Briggs et al.,2007).Long before these terms,the Altaids even had been called the Asian Foldbelt,Ural-Mongolian Foldbelt,or Ural-Amurian Foldbelt,mostly by the former Soviet Union scientists(Yakubchuk,2004).

Magma Chamber Process of Post-collisional Magmatism: Insight from Textural and Elemental Characteristics of Plagioclase from the Tatun Volcanic Group, Northern Taiwan Volcanic Zone

The Taiwan mountain belt, one of the youngest orogenies in the world, is caused by the collision of the Luzon arc with the Eurasian margin, which leads to post-collisional extension and magmatism in the Northern Taiwan Volcanic Zone(NTVZ). The magma chamber process in this region has not previously been elucidated in detail. In this paper, the textural and compositional features of plagioclase phenocrysts in basalt from the Tatun Volcanic Group(TTVG) were studied to restrict the dynamics of magma system. Results show that the magma melts in TTVG are mainly sourced from the underlying MORB-like mantle wedge but influenced by incorporation of subduction components, causing the elevated Sr/Y and Ba/Y ratios in magma melts. The subduction components are mainly transported in the form of sediment melt. The plagioclase phenocrysts in the TTVG volcanic rocks are generally coarsely core-sieved with a clear rim. The An contents in the rims of plagioclase are much lower than those of cores, and elevated FeO concentrations are detected in the plagioclase rims. We propose there exists a double-layer magma chamber in this region. The core of the plagioclase was crystalized in the deeper quiescent magma chamber(~21 km), which was subsequently partially dissolved during the ascent of magma melt under H_(2)O-undersaturated condition, forming the typical coarsely sieved texture and synneusis. When this crystal-rich melt migrates into the shallower chamber, water saturation is reached and more sodic plagioclase formed as the rim of phenocryst. Due to the considerably higher fO_(2) in the shallow chamber than in the deeper one, and the distribution of Fe between plagioclase and melt positively correlates with fO_(2), the FeO content in the plagioclase rim elevates in conjunction with increasing fO_(2).

Distinct BSRs and their implications for natural gas hydrate formation and distribution at the submarine Makran accretionary zone

To investigate the nature of gas hydrates in the Makran area,new high-resolution geophysical data were acquired between 2018-2019.The data collected comprise multibeam and two-dimensional multi-channel seismic reflection data.The multibeam bathymetry data show East-North-East(ENE)ridges,piggy-back basins,canyon and channel systems,and the morphology of the abyssal plain.Continuous and discontinuous bottom simulating reflectors(BSRs)occur in the piggy-back basins on most of the seismic profiles available.The BSRs cut the dipping layers with strong amplitude and reversed polarity.Discontinuous BSRs indicate a transition along a dipping high-permeable sand layers from gas-rich segment to the gas hydrate-bearing segment and sugge st alternating sediments of fine and relatively coarse grain size.Double BSRs are highly dynamic and attributed to slumps occurring in the study area.The BSRs induced by slumps are located both at deep and shallow depths,responding to the temperature or pressure variation.For the first time,BSRs are observed in the abyssal plain of the Makran area,being associated with anticline structures,which do not show large spatial continuity and are strongly conditioned by structural conditions such as anticlines and fluid migration pathways,including deep fault,gas chimney,and high-permeable sedimentary layer.Our results may help to assess the gas hydrate potential within the piggy-back basins and to determine the most promising target areas.Moreover,results about the abyssal plain BSR may help to locate hydrocarbon reservoirs in the deep ocean.

Extensional Setting of Hainan Island in Mesoproterozoic:Evidence from Granitic Intrusions in the Baoban Group

The Mesoproterozoic Baoban Group is the oldest basement in Hainan Island and has played an important role in Columbia(Nuna)supercontinent reconstructions.The Mesoproterozoic granitic intrusions in the Baoban Group are the most widely-exposed Precambrian magmatic rocks and are the key to understanding the tectonic settings of Hainan Island and its relationship with the South China Block and the Columbia supercontinent.New LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating on three mylonitic granite samples from the Tuwaishan and Baoban areas yield ages ranging from 1447 Ma to 1437 Ma,representing the absolute timing of the emplacement of the granitic intrusions.Combined with previously published geochronological data for rocks from the Baoban Group and regional mafic intrusions,it is concluded that the Baoban Group formed at 1460-1430 Ma,coeval with the emplacement of the granitic and mafic intrusions.New in-situ zircon LuHf isotope analyses for the three mylonitic granite samples yielded positiveε(t)values,ranging from+0.49 to+8.27,with model ages(T~C)ranging from 2181 Ma to 1687 Ma,suggesting that the granitic intrusions originated from a mixed source of Paleoproterozoic crust with juvenile crust.New zircon trace element data show characteristics of high Th/U values of 0.24-1.50,steep slopes from LREE to HREE and negative Pr,Eu anomalies with positive Ce,Sm anomalies,representing typical magmatic zircons formed in continental crust.Compared with available magmatic and detrital zircon ages from Precambrian rocks in the Cathaysia Block,Yangtze Block and western Laurentia,it is inferred that Hainan Island was separated from both the Cathaysia Block and the Yangtze Block,instead being connected with western Laurentia in the Columbia supercontinent.Considering the decreasing tendency of basin deposition time along the western margin of Laurentia,it is proposed that Hainan Island was located to the north or northwest of the Belt-Purcell Supergroup,along the western margin of Laurentia,during the breakup of the Columbia supercontinent.

Physical characteristics of high concentrated gas hydrate reservoir in the Shenhu production test area,South China Sea

High concentrated and heterogeneous distribution of gas hydrates have been identified in the gas hydrate production test region in the Shenhu area,South China Sea.The gas hydrate-bearing sediments with high saturation locate at two ridges of submarine canyon with different thickness and saturations just above the bottom simulating reflection.The crossplots of gamma ray,acoustic impedance(P-impedance)and porosity at four sites show that the sediments can be divided into the upper and lower layers at different depths,indicating different geotechnical reservoir properties.Therefore,the depositional environments and physical properties at two ridges are analyzed and compared to show the different characteristics of hydrate reservoir.High porosity,high P-wave velocity,and coarse grain size indicate better reservoir quality and higher energy depositional environment for gas hydrate at Sites W18 and W19 than those at Sites W11 and W17.Our interpretation is that the base of canyon deposits at Sites W18 and W19 characterized by upward-coarsening units may be turbidity sand layers,thus significantly improving the reservoir quality with increasing gas hydrate saturation.The shelf and slope sliding deposits compose of the fine-grained sediments at Sites W11 and W17.The gas hydrate production test sites were conducted at the ridge of W11 and W17,mainly because of the thicker and larger area of gas hydrate-bearing reservoirs than those at Sites W18 and W19.All the results provide useful insights for assessing reservoir quality in the Shenhu area.

Meso-Cenozoic Evolution of Earth Surface System under the East Asian Tectonic Superconvergence

The East Asian geological setting has a long duration related to the superconvergence of the Paleo-Asian, Tethyan and Paleo-Pacific tectonic domains. The Triassic Indosinian Movement contributed to an unified passive continental margin in East Asia. The later ophiolites and I-type granites associated with subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate in the Late Triassic, suggest a transition from passive to active continental margins. With the presence of the ongoing westward migration of the Paleo-Pacific Subduction Zone, the sinistral transpressional stress field could play an important role in the intraplate deformation in East Asia during the Late Triassic to Middle Jurassic, being characterized by the transition from the E-W-trending structural system controlled by the Tethys and Paleo-Asian oceans to the NE-trending structural system caused by the Paleo-Pacific Ocean subduction. The continuously westward migration of the subduction zones resulted in the transpressional stress field in East Asia marked by the emergence of the Eastern North China Plateau and the formation of the Andean-type active continental margin from late Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous （160-135 Ma）, accompanied by the development of a small amount of adakites. In the Late Cretaceous （135-90 Ma）, due to the eastward retreat of the Paleo-Pacific Subduction Zone, the regional stress field was replaced from sinistral transpression to transtension. Since a large amount of late-stage adakites and metamorphic core complexes developed, the Andean-type active continental margin was destroyed and the Eastern North China Plateau started to collapse. In the Late Cretaceous, the extension in East Asia gradually decreased the eastward retreat of the Paleo-Pacific subduction zones. Futhermore, a significant topographic inversion had taken place during the Cenozoic that resulted from a rapid uplift of the Tibet Plateau resulting from the India-Eurasian collision and the formation of the Bohai Bay Basin and other basins in the East Asian continental margin. The inversion caused a remarkable eastward migration of deformation, basin formation and magmatism. Meanwhile, the basins that mainly developed in the Paleogene resulted in a three-step topography which typically appears to drop eastward in altitude. In the Neogene, the basins underwent a rapid subsidence in some depressions after basin-controlled faulting, as well as the intracontinental extensional events in East Asia, and are likely to be a contribution to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau.

The Sensitive Properties of Hydrate Reservoirs Based on Seismic Stereoscopic Detection Technology

Higher-precision determinations of hydrate reservoirs, hydrate saturation levels and storage estimations are important for guaranteeing the ability to continuously research, develop and utilize natural gas hydrate resources in China. With seismic stereoscopic detection technology, which fully combines the advantages of different seismic detection models, hydrate formation layers can be observed with multiangle, wide-azimuth, wide-band data with a high precision. This technique provides more reliable data for analyzing the distribution characteristics of gas hydrate reservoirs, establishing velocity models, and studying the hydrate-sensitive properties of petrophysical parameters;these data are of great significance for the exploration and development of natural gas hydrate resources. Based on a velocity model obtained from the analysis of horizontal streamer velocity data in the hydrate-bearing area of the Shenhu Sea, this paper uses three VCs(longitudinal spacing of 25 m) and four OBSs(transverse spacing of 200 m) to jointly detect seismic datasets consisting of wave points based on an inversion of traveltime imaging sections. Accordingly, by comparing the differences between the seismic phases in the original data and the forward-modeled seismic phases, multiangle coverage constraint corrections are applied to the initial velocity model, and the initial model is further optimized, thereby improving the imaging quality of the streamer data. Petrophysical elastic parameters are the physical parameters that are most directly and closely related to rock formations and reservoir physical properties. Based on the optimized velocity model, the rock elastic hydrate-sensitive parameters of the hydrate reservoirs in the study area are inverted, and the sensitivities of the petrophysical parameters to natural gas hydrates are investigated. According to an analysis of the inversion results obtained from these sensitive parameters, λρ, Vp and λμ are simultaneously controlled by the bulk modulus and shear modulus, while Vs and μρ are controlled only by the shear modulus, and the latter two parameters are less sensitive to hydrate-bearing layers. The bulk modulus is speculated to be more sensitive than the shear modulus to hydrates. In other words, estimating the specific gravity of the shear modulus among the combined parameters can affect the results from the combined elastic parameters regarding hydrate reservoirs.

West Pacific and North Indian Ocean Seafloor and Their Ocean-Continent Connection Zones: Evolution and Debates

The Indian Ocean and the West Pacific Ocean and their ocean-continent connection zones are the core area of ＂the Belt and Road＂. Scientific and in-depth recognition to the natural environment, disaster distribution, resources, energy potential of ＂the Belt and Road＂ development, is the cut-in point of the current Earth science community to serve urgent national needs. This paper mainly discusses the following key tectonic problems in the West Pacific and North Indian oceans and their ocean-continent connection zones （OCCZs）： 1. modern marine geodynamic problems related to the two oceans. Based on the research and development needs to the two oceans and the ocean-continent transition zones, this item includes the following questions. （1） Plate origin, growth, death and evolution in the two oceans, for example, 1） The initial origin and process of the triangle Pacific Plate including causes and difference of the Galapagos and West Shatsky microplates; 2） spatial and temporal process, present status and trends of the plates within the Paleo- or Present-day Pacific Ocean to the evolution of the East Asian Continental Domain; 3） origin and evolution of the Indian Ocean and assembly and dispersal of supercontinents. （2） Latest research progress and problems of mid-oceanic ridges： 1） the ridge-hot spot interaction and ridge accretion, how to think about the relationship between vertical accretion behavior of thousands years or tens of thousands years and lateral spreading of millions years at 0 Ma mid- oceanic ridges; 2） the difference of formation mechanisms between the back-arc basin extension and the normal mid-oceanic ridge spreading; 3） the differentials between ultra-slow Indian Ocean and the rapid Pacific spreading, whether there are active and passive spreading, and a push force in the mid-oceanic ridge; 4） mid-oceanic ridge jumping and termination： causes of the intra-oceanic plate reorganization, termination, and spatial jumps; 5） interaction of mantle plume and mid-oceanic ridge. （3） On the intra- oceanic subduetion and tectonics： 1） the origin ofintra-oceanic arc and subduction, ridge subduction and slab window on continental margins, transform faults and transform-type continental margin; 2） causes of the large igneous provinces, oceanic plateaus and seamount chains. （4） The oceanic core complex and rheology of oceanic crust in the Indian Ocean. （5） Advances on the driving force within oceanic plates, including mantle convection, negative buoyancy, trench suction and mid-oceanic ridge push, is reviewed and discussed. 2. The ocean-continent connection zones near the two oceans, including： （1） Property of continental margin basement： the crusts of the Okinawa Trough, the Okhotsk Sea, and east of New Zealand are the continental crusts or oceanic crusts, and origin of micro-continent within the oceans; （2） the ocean-continent transition and coupling process, revealing from the comparison of the major events between the West Pacific Ocean seamount chains and the continental margins, mantle exhumation and the ocean-continent transition zones, causes of transform fault within back-arc basin, formation and subduction of transform-type continental margin; （3） strike-slip faulting between the West Pacific Ocean and the East Asian Continent and its temporal and spatial range and scale; （4） connection between deep and surface processes within the two ocean and their connection zones, namely the assembly among the Eurasian, Pacific and India-Australia plates and the related effect from the deep mantle, lithosphere, to crust and surface Earth system, and some related issues within the connection zones of the two oceans under the super-convergent background. 3. On the relationship, especially their present relations and evolutionary trends, between the Paleo- or Present-day Pacific plates and the Tethyan Belt, the Eurasian Plate or the plates within the Indian Ocean. At last, this paper makes a perspective of the related marine geology, ocean-continent connection zone and in-depth geology for the two oceans and one zone.

Plume interaction and mantle heterogeneity:A geochemical perspective

Mantle plumes originating from the Core-Mantle Boundary(CMB)or the Mantle Transition Zone(MTZ)play an important role in material transfer through Earth’s interior.The hotspot-related plumes originate through different mechanisms and have diverse processes of material transfer.Both the Morganian plumes and large low shear wave velocity provinces(LLSVPs)are derived from the D"layer in the CMB,whereas the Andersonian plumes originate from the upper mantle.All plumes have a plume head at the Moho,although the LLSVPs have an additional plume head at the MTZ.We compare the geochemical characteristics of various plumes in an attempt to evaluate the material exchange between the plumes and mantle layers.The D"layer,the LLSVPs and the Morganian plumes are consisted of subducted slab and post-perovskite from the lower mantle.Bridgmanite would crystallize during the upwelling process of the LLSVPs and the Morganian plumes in the lower mantle,and the residual is a basalt-trachyte suite.Unlike the Morganian plumes,the crystallization in the LLSVPs is insufficient that material accumulates beneath the MTZ to form a plume head.Typically,the secondary plumes above the plume head occur at the edge of the LLSVPs because it is easier for bridgmanite crystal separating from the plume head at the edge,and the residual material with low density upwells to form the secondary plumes.Meanwhile,Na and K are enriched during the long-term crystallization process,and then the basalt-phonolite suite appears in the LLSVPs.The geochemical characteristics of Andersonian plumes suggest that the basalt-rhyolite suite is the major component in the upper mantle.Meanwhile the basalt-rhyolite suite also appears in the LLSVPs and the Morganian plumes because of the assimilation and contamination in the plume head beneath the Mono.

Anatexis,Deformation and Exhumation Mechanism for UHP Metamorphic Rocks:A Case Study in the North Qaidam and South Altyn UHP Terrane,Western China

Objective In recent years,hydrous silicate melts by dehydrationdriven in situ partial melting constrained from experiments and natural rocks have been increasingly recognized in UHP rocks,indicating partial melting of UHP slab.Partial melting of UHP metamorphic rocks can dramatically affect the rheology of deeply subducted crust and thus play a crucial role in accelerating the exhumation of UHP slabs.

Early Permian A-type Granites in the Zhangdaqi Area, Inner Mongolia, China and Their Tectonic Implications

There is a controversy regarding the amalgamation of Xing’an and Songnen Blocks along the Hegenshan-Heihe Suture(HHS)in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB).To solve this problem,we performed detailed study on the granites from the Zhangdaqi area,adjacent to the north of the HHS in the northern part of the Great Xing’an Range,NE China.Geochemically,the granites in the study area are metaluminous-weak peraluminous and high-K calc-alkaline series.Trace elements of the granites show that LREEs are relatively enriched,while HREEs are relatively deficient and obvious REE fractionation.The granites are characterized by obvious negative Eu anomalies,meanwhile,they are relatively enriched in Rb,K,Th and depleted in Ba,Nb,Sr,P,Ti.All the geochemical features suggest that the granites in the Zhangdaqi area are aluminum A-type granites.The zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ages of these granites are 294-298 Ma,indicating that they formed in the Early Permian.These granites also have positiveεHf(t)values(8.4-14.2)and a relatively young two-stage model age between 449 Ma and 977 Ma,implying that the magma was derived from the re-melting of the Early Paleozoic-Neoproterozoic juvenile crust.Combined with geochemical characteristics(Nb/Ta ratios of 9.0-22.2,and Zr/Hf ratios of 52.3-152.0),we believe that the magmatic source area is a mixture of partial melting of the lower crust and depleted mantle.A-type granites and bimodal volcanic rocks along the Hegenshan-Heihe Suture formed during the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian,indicating that the HHS between Xing’an and Songnen Blocks closed in the late EarlyCarboniferous.Subsequently,the Zhangdaqi area was in a post-orogenic extensional environment from Late Carboniferous to Early Permian and resulted in the formation of the A-type granites.