Early Cretaceous Metasomatized Lithospheric Mantle beneath the Central Jiangnan Orogen in South China:Geochemical and Sr-Nd Isotope Evidence from the Tuanshanbei Dolerite

It is well established that Cretaceous magmatism in the South China Block(SCB)is related to the Paleo-Pacific subduction.However,the starting time and the associated deep crust-mantle processes are still debatable.Mafic dike swarms carry important information on the deep earth(including mantle)geodynamics and geochemical evolution.In the Jiangnan Orogen(South China).there is no information on whether the Mesozoic magmatic activities in this region are also directly related to the Pacific subduction or not.In this study,we present detailed zircon U-Pb geochronological,wholerock element and Sr-Nd isotope data for Early Cretaceous Tuanshanbei dolerite dikes,and provide new constraints on the condition of the lithospheric mantle and mantle dynamics of the SCB during that time.LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating suggests that this dolerite erupted in the Early Cretaceous(~145 Ma).All samples have alkaline geochemical affinities with K_(2)O+Na_(2)O=3.11-4.04 wt%,K_(2)O/Na_(2)O=0.50-0.72,and Mg^(#)=62.24-65.13.They are enriched in LILE but depleted in HFSE with higher initial^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratio(0.706896-0.714743)and lower ε_(Nd)(t)(-2.61 to-1.67).They have high Nb/U,Nb/La,La/Sm and Rb/Sr,and low La/Nb,La/Ta,Ce/Pb,Ba/Rb,Tb/Yb and Gd/Yb ratios.Such geochemical signatures suggest that the fractional crystallization is obvious but crustal contamination play a negligible role during magmatic evolution.Tuanshanbei dolerite were most likely derived from low-degree(2%-5%)partial melting of a phlogopite-bearing mantle material consisted of~85% spinel peridotite and~15% garnet peridotite previously metasomatized by asthenospherederived fluids/melts with minor subduction-derived fluids/melts.Slab-rollback generally lead to the upwelling of the hot asthenosphere.The upwelling of asthenosphere consuming the lithospheric mantle by thermo-mechanical-chemical erosion.The lithospheric mantle may have partially melted due to the heating by the upwelling asthenosphere and lithospheric extension.It is inferred that the Tuanshanbei dolerite might be associated with the initial slab rollback and corresponding lithospheric extension occurred potentially at ca.145 Ma.

Fine relocation, mechanism, and tectonic indications of middle-small earthquakes in the Central Tibetan Plateau

The medium-small earthquakes that occurred in the middle part of Tibetan Plateau(32°N–36°N, 90°E–93°E) from August 2016 to June 2017 were relocated using the absolute earthquake location method Hypo2000. Compared to the reports of Chinese Seismological Networks, our relocation results are more clustered on the whole, the horizontal location differences exceed 10 km, and the focal depths are concentrated in 0–8 km, which indicates that the upper crust inside the Tibetan Plateau is tectonically active. In June2017 altogether eight earthquakes above magnitude 3.0 took place; their relocated epicenters are concentrated around Gêladaindong.The relocation results of M<3.0 small earthquakes also showed obvious differences. Therefore, we used the CAP method to invert for the focal mechanisms of the M ≥3.0 earthquakes; results generally tally with the surface geological structures, indicating that the Tibetan Plateau is still under the strong compressional force from the India Plate. Among them the eight earthquakes that occurred near Gêladaindong in June 2017 are all of normal fault type or with some strike-slip at the same time; based on previous research results we conjecture that these events are intense shallow crust responses to deep crust-mantle activities.

Co- and post-seismic slip analysis of the 2017 M_(W)7.3 Sarpol Zahab earthquake using Sentinel-1 data

The M_(w)7.3 Sarpol Zahab earthquake that occurred in the Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt(ZFTB) of Iran on November 12,2017 is the largest earthquake instrumentally recorded in the region.This earthquake provides an opportunity to investigate the slip behaviour and frictional properties of the fault,which is significant for assessing future seismic potential.In this study,we use Sentinel-1 images to map the coand post-seismic deformation to invert for the fault slip.The result indicates that most of the coseismic slip is buried in the depth range of 11-17 km,and the maximum slip is about 3.8 m at a depth of 15 km.The coseismic slip induces an increase of Coulomb stress in the unruptured area of the seismogenic fault plane,driving the afterslip.Based on the stress-driven afterslip,we obtain a frictional parameter of(ab)=(0.001-0.002) for the updip afterslip zone and(a-b)=0.0002 for the downdip afterslip zone in the framework of rate-and-state friction.The constitutive parameter(a-b) of the fault is very small,suggesting that the fault segments are close to velocity-neutral and may experience coseismic rupture.

The effect of altimetry data in estimating the elastic thickness of the lithosphere in the western Pacific Ocean

The elastic thickness of the lithosphere(Te)is a key parameter used to describe the strength of the lithosphere.It is usually estimated by a spectral analysis between gravity and topography.In previous research on the estimation of Te,altimetry data were used on both the gravity data and topography data,which could lead to deviations.The study described in this paper analyzed the effects of using gravity anomalies derived from different data sources on the estimation of Te,Taking the western Pacific region as an example,this study analyzed the impact of the repeated presence of altimetry satellite data on the calculation of the effective elastic thickness and found that if gravity anomalies and topography model both contain altimetry satellite data,they systematically overestimate effective elasticity.For a uniform area,the difference in Te can reach up to 30%.For a Te distribution,the difference can reach up to about16%.After eliminating this effect,the effective elastic thickness of the western Pacific region was found to be 10 km,and the statistical results of the effective elastic thickness distribution showed that the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere in most areas of the western Pacific is about 12 km.The paper shows the importance of choosing the appropriate gravity model in evaluating the elastic thickness of lithosphere in the oceans.A figure of Te at seamounts with loading ages demonstrates that Te in the western Pacific is generally distributed within the 100-300℃isotherm depth and does not increase with loading age.

Late Quaternary Slip Behavior of the Jinqianghe Fault in the Middle Qilian-Haiyuan Fault Zone,Northeastern Tibetan Plateau

The Qilian-Haiyuan fault zone in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau has been the source of strong earthquakes in the region.In its middle segment,the Jinqianghe fault is an important active fault within the Tianzhu seismic gap;however,little is known about its slip behavior.To present a new horizontal displacement distribution along this fault,we used WorldView-2 stereo pairs and unmanned aerial vehicle-based photogrammetry to construct digital elevation models to obtain a detailed tectono-geomorphic interpretation and geomorphic offsets.The offset marker measurements yielded 135 geomorphic displacements and 8 offset clusters.Radiocarbon dating was used to establish the regional age sequence of the geomorphic units in offset fluvial terraces at four study sites.The displacements and ages linked the offset clusters with the geomorphic unit sequence;the Holocene strike-slip rate of the Jinqianghe fault was estimated to 4.8-5.6 mm/a at~4-12 ka and 2.9-4.7 mm/a from~4 ka.Three recent earthquakes(with a recurrence interval of~1000 years)represent an active seismic period,revealing the potential seismic hazard along this fault because it has not ruptured in the last 1500 years.

Features of the Formation of Mineral Deposits at the Initial Stages of Formation of the Earth’s Mantle and Crust

The Purpose of the Work: The modern mantle and crust have a complex structure and, in addition, contain both thermal and material heterogeneities, as evidenced by the results of seismic and electromagnetic studies. Changes are also reflected by the change in the mineralogical and chemical composition of the matter. This structure was formed for the long geological history of the planet’s development and the process continues at the present time. The system remains unsteady. To understand the evolution of such dynamic structures, information is needed about the initial state of the system, in our case, about the state of the Earth at the final stage of its formation. It can be obtained only by the results of numerical modeling based on the results of the investigation of the evolution of isotope systems. Therefore, the purpose of the work is to identify the features of the formation of mineral deposits in the early crust and mantle. For this, it is necessary to obtain variants of the numerical solution of the problem of the formation of the planet. Solution Methods: An algorithm for solving a non-linear system of differential equations for solving a 3D boundary dynamic problem in the sphere of an increasing radius is developed. The numerical method of “through account” is used in the work. Results: Based on methods for solving boundary value problems for a system of differential equations with the use of new results of mineralogical and isotope studies of the oldest material samples, quantitative variants of the thermal evolution of the Earth, directly determining the formation of early metallogeny, are constructed. It is shown that the random distribution of particles and bodies of a protoplanetary cloud during the accumulation of the planet causes the formation of a random material and temperature composition of the growing crust and mantle, which ensured a special metallogeny of the cratons and their framing, which no longer repeated in the geological history of the planet. A special role in it was played by changes in the gravitational field during the growth of the planet and the angular velocity of the Earth’s rotation. Further Research: It is proposed to extend the results obtained to the conditions for taking into account the dynamics of the double Earth-Moon system.

Geothermal-type Lithium Resources in Southern Xizang,China

High-temperature geothermal water has abundant lithium(Li)resources,and research on the development and utilization of geothermal-type lithium resources around the world are increasing.The Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau contains huge geothermal resources;especially,Li-rich geothermal resources in southern Xizang,southwestern China,are widely developed.The Li-rich geothermal spots in Xizang are mainly distributed on both sides and to the south of the Yarlung Zangbo suture zone.Such resources are often found in the intensely active high-temperature Li-rich geothermal fields and,compared with other Li-rich geothermal fields around the world,the Li-rich geothermal fluid in the Xizang Plateau,southern Xizang is characterized by good quality:the highest reported Li concentration is up to 239 mg/L;the Mg/Li ratio is extremely low and ranges from 0.03 to 1.48 for most of the Li-rich geothermal fluid;the Li/TDS value is relatively high and ranges from 0.25–1.14%compared to Zhabuye Li-rich salt lake(0.19%)and Salar de Uyuni(Bolivia)(0.08–0.31%).Continuous discharge has been stable for at least several decades,and some of them reach industrial grades of salt lake brine(32.74 mg/L).In addition,elements such as boron(B),caesium(Cs),and rubidium(Rb)are rich and can be comprehensively utilized.Based on still-incomplete statistics,there are at least 16 large-scale Li-rich hot springs with lithium concentration of 20 mg/L or more.The total discharge of lithium metal is about 4300 tons per year,equivalent to 25,686 tons of lithium carbonate.Drilling data has shown that the depth is promising and there is a lack of volcanism(non-volcanic geothermal system).With a background of the partial-melting lower crust caused by the collision of the Indo-Asia continent and based on a comprehensive analysis of the tectonic background of southern Xizang and previous geological,geophysical,and geothermal research,deep molten magma seems to provide a stable heat source for the high-temperature Li-rich geothermal field.The Li-rich parent geothermal fluid rushes to the surface to form hot springs along the extensively developed tectonic fault zones in southern Xizang;some of the Li-rich fluid flows in to form Li-rich salt lakes.However,most of the Li-rich geothermal fluid is remitted to seasonal rivers and has not been effectively exploited,resulting in great waste.With the continuous advance of lithium extraction technologies in Li-rich geothermal fluid,the lithium resource in geothermal water is promising as a new geothermal type of mineral deposit,which can be effectively exploited.This is the first study to undertake a longitudinal analysis on the characteristics,distribution and scale,origin and utilization prospects of Li-rich geothermal resources in southern Xizang,research that will contribute to a deeper understanding of Li-rich geothermal resources in the area and attract attention to these resources in China.

Remnants of the amalgamation of the east and west Cathaysia blocks revealed by a short-period dense nodal array

The Cathaysia block located at the southeast South China block(SCB)is considered formed by the amalgamation of the east and west Cathaysia blocks along the Gaoyao-Huilai and Zhenghe-Dapu deep faults(here referred as GHF and ZDF,respectively).Although the extension of the ZDF to the northeast,which represents the amalgamation of the two sub-blocks has been confirmed,the development of the GHF to the southwest remains to be verified.To better constrain the detailed deep structure beneath the southwest Cathaysia,which hold great significance for revealing the evolution of the SCB,a linear seismic array with 331 nodal geophones was deployed across the Sanshui basin(SSB).Combining with the regional 10 permanent stations(PA),we obtained two profiles with teleseismic P-wave receiver function stacking.The most obvious feature in our results is the ascending Moho towards the coastal area,which is consistent with the passive margin continental and extensional tectonic setting.The stacking profile from the dense nodal array(DNA)shows that the Moho is offset beneath the transition zone of the Nanling orogeny and SSB.We deduce that this offset may be casued by the deep extension of the GHF,which represents the remnants of the amalgamation of the Cathaysia block.From the other evidences,we infer that the widespread and early erupted felsic magmas in the SSB may have resulted from lithospheric materials that were squeezed out to the surface.The relative higher Bouguer gravity and heat flow support the consolidation of magmas and the residual warm state in the shallow crustal scale beneath the SSB.The sporadic basaltic magmas in the middle SSB may have a close relation to deep extension of the GHF,which serves as a channel for upwelling hot materials.

The first 10 m resolution thermokarst lake and pond dataset for the Lena Basin in the 2020 thawing season

Climate warming rates in the Arctic are far greater than the global average,exerting stronger impacts on permafrost degradation and thermokarst landform development.Thermokarst lakes and ponds(TLPs),which are widely distributed in the Lena Basin in the Russian Arctic,play a vital role in altering local ecosystem.However,the detailed distribution of TLPs in the Lena Basin still remains poorly known.In this study,we built the first 10 m resolution TLP dataset for the Lena Basin in the 2020 thawing season by utilizing 4902 Sentinel-2 images.A robust mapping workflow was developed and implemented in the Google Earth Engine(GEE)platform.The accu-racy assessment demonstrates a satisfactory accuracy(93.63%),and our results exhibit a better consistency with real TLPs than global water body products.A total of 380,477 TLPs(~0.53%of the total surface area of the Lena Basin)were identified,showing an uneven distribution in the five sub-basins.The TLPs were found to be mainly located within plain areas,with an active layer thickness in the range of 80-100 cm.The higher ground ice content and mean annual ground temperature were favorable for TLP development.This dataset will be valuable for investigating the complex interac-tion between TLPs and permafrost.It will also serve as a baseline product for better incorporating thermokarst processes into perma-frostclimate models.

Low-latitude hydroclimate changes related to paleomagnetic variations during the Holocene in coastal southern China

The variations in precipitation have displayed a complex pattern in different regions since the mid-to-late-Holocene.Cloud formation processes may have a significant impact on precipitation,especially during the tropical marine processes and summer monsoon which convey abundant water vapor to coastal southern China and inland areas.Here,we use two 7500 year sedimentary records from the Pearl River Delta and the closed Maar Lake,respectively,in coastal southern China to reconstruct the mid-to-late-Holocene humidity variability and explore its possible relationship with cloud cover modulated by the Earth’s magnetic fields(EMF).Our proxy records document an apparent increase in wetness in coastal southern China between 3.0 and 1.8 kyr BP.This apparent increase in humidity appears to be consistent with the lower virtual axial dipole moments and,in turn,with a lower EMF.This correlation suggests that the EMF might have been superimposed on the weakened monsoon to regulate the mid-to-late-Holocene hydroclimate in coastal southern China through the medium of galactic cosmic rays,aerosols,and cloud cover.However,further investigations are needed to verify this interaction.

Complex multiple-segment ruptures of the 28 September 2018, Sulawesi,Indonesia, earthquake

On 28 September 201 & an A4W7.5 earthquake struck Palu, Indonesia, and caused a large number of deaths and economic losses. Seismic moment tensor solutions determined by different institutes consistently suggest that this earthquake is overall a strike-slip event. However, it caused an unexpected large-scale tsunami around the Palu bay area. Commonly, the displacements of hanging wall and foot wall of a strike-slip event are mainly in horizontal directions, and are considerably weak in vertical components. Since vertical deformations are critical for tsunami generations, it is necessary to identify whether the tsunami is related to the source process or not. For this purpose, investigations of the source process are needed [1].

Tsunami hazard assessment in the South China Sea:A review of recent progress and research gaps

The South China Sea region is potentially threatened by tsunami hazards originated from multiple sources:the Manila subduction zone in the east,the Littoral Fault Zone(LFZ)in the north,numerous submarine landslides on the continental slopes and the volcanic islands in the Luzon Strait.Infrequent but potentially devastating tsunami hazard poses a great threat to the populous coastal region,fishery,oil and gas exploitation in the deep sea,etc.Here we review the recent progress in tsunami hazard assessment in the South China Sea region,focusing on two primary sources:submarine earthquakes and landslides.We sort and review the literature by the two commonly used approaches:deterministic and probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment for both source types.By simulating tsunamis generated by typical earthquakes originated from the Manila Trench,the LFZ and landslides in the continental slopes,we investigate their tsunamigenic mechanism and key tsunami characteristics in the South China Sea region.We point out the research gaps and highlight the key issues to be addressed in the future.

Cenozoic tectonic evolution of regional fault systems in the SE Tibetan Plateau

The SE Tibetan Plateau,tectonically situated in the eastern India-Eurasia oblique convergence zone,has experienced multiple stages of deformation since the Cenozoic.Three major tectonic boundaries—the Ailaoshan-Red River,ChongshanLincang-Inthanon,and Gaoligong-Mogok shear zones—delineate the first-order tectonic framework in this region.The most striking structural features in the block interiors are a series of NW-and NE-trending fault systems,such as the Dayingjiang,Longlin-Ruili,Nantinghe,Red River,Weixi-Qiaohou,and Lancang-Genma faults,which have conjugate geometric relationships.In this study,we review these structures’geometric and kinematic characteristics and deformation histories.A synthesis of existing geological observations,geomorphological analyses,and chronological data reveals three major Cenozoic tectonothermal events,including crustal shortening,strike-slip shearing,and kinematic reversal.The boundary structures controlled the tectonic extrusion of plateau material during the early Oligocene-early Miocene.In the mid-late Miocene,NW-and NE-trending fault systems mostly experienced diachronous slip-sense inversions.The onset and spatial trend of regional kinematic reversal are constrained by existing chronologic data.Together with geophysical and geodetic observations,the activity and geodynamic drivers of the major fault systems and regional deformation styles are explored,revealing that the SE Tibetan Plateau underwent a transition from discrete(lateral block extrusion)to diffuse deformation in the mid-late Miocene.The intracontinental crustal deformation and its coupling with dynamic processes at depth during the plateau growth are discussed in the context of the IndiaEurasia convergence.

Hydroclimate changes related to thermal state of the tropical Pacific in the northern coast of the South China Sea since~8000 cal yr B.P.

Under the complex influences including the monsoonal climates and tropical hydrological cycle,the features and forcing mechanisms of precipitation changes in the tropical monsoon regions remain controversial.The northern coast of the South China Sea(NCSCS),connecting the South China Sea(SCS)and the Pearl River Estuary(PRE),is a critical area providing reliable tropical precipitation records and probing the possible forcing mechanism of tropical precipitation,benefitted from its high deposition rate and hydroclimatic sensitivity.Here,δ^(18)O variations of planktonic(δ^(18)O_(G).ruber)and benthic foraminifera(δ^(18)O_(C).lobatulus)were investigated respectively to reconstruct a high-resolution low-latitude precipitation record from the core 17NH-NC3 in the NCSCS.The results show a distinctδ^(18)O difference betweenδ^(18)O_(G).ruber andδ^(18)O_(C).lobatulus,not only with respect to values,but also with respect to trends in some time intervals.The clear difference between the planktonic and benthic foraminifera(Δδ^(18)O_(b-p))illustrates the significant vertical salinity stratification.And the temporal trend ofΔδ^(18)O_(b-p) indicates the degree of salinity stratification variated since the mid-Holocene.We assume that the degree of stratification in the NCSCS was mainly controlled by tropical precipitation changes.Thus,the trend ofΔδ^(18)O_(b-p) values could indicate the temporal change of the tropical precipitation.The precipitation record of our research area is closely related to the tropical atmosphere–ocean dynamics stimulated by sea surface temperature(SST)changes of the tropical Pacific zone,analogous to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation(ENSO)events.During the mid-Holocene(from 8260 to 5180 cal yr B.P.),the sustainable higherΔδ^(18)O_(b-p) values(>1.23‰)suggested a large amount of precipitation,pointing to a sustained state of La Niña-like,which is associated with lasted higher difference between Western SST and Eastern SST(W-E SST gradient)in the equatorial Pacific.Since 5180 cal yr B.P.,the decreasingΔδ^(18)O_(b-p) indicates less low-latitude precipitation,which can be ascribed to an El Niño-like mean state arising from decreased W-E SST gradient.Our study provides a new continuous high-resolution archive of low-latitude precipitation in the tropical monsoon region since 8260 cal yr B.P.And this record highlights that the thermal state of the tropical Pacific most likely adjusted the low-latitude precipitation since the mid-Holocene.

Spatio-temporal variation in rock exhumation linked to large-scale shear zones in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau

Crustal-scale shear zones are believed to have played an important role in the tectonic and landscape evolution of orogens. However, the variation of long-term rock exhumation between the interior of shear zones and adjacent regions has not been documented in detail. In this study, we obtained new zircon U-Pb, biotite ^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar, zircon and apatite(U-Th)/He data, and conducted inverse thermal history modeling from two age-elevation profiles(the Pianma and Tu'er profiles) in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Our goal is to constrain the exhumation history of the Gaoligong and Chongshan shear zones and adjacent regions, so as to explore the effect of the shear zones on exhumation and their thermal effect on cooling that should not be ignored. Our results suggest that during the interval of 18–11 Ma the exhumation rates of rocks within the Gaoligong shear zone are anomalously high compared with those outside of. The rapid cooling during 18–11 Ma appears to be restricted to the shear zone, likely due to localized thermal effects of shearing and exhumation. After 11 Ma, both the areas within and outside of the shear zones experienced a similar two-stage exhumation history: slower cooling until the early Pliocene, and then a rapid increase in cooling rate since the early Pliocene. Our results indicate a synchronized exhumation but with spatially varied exhumation rates. Our study also highlights the important role of large-scale shear zones in exposing rocks, and thus the importance of the structural context when interpreting thermochronological data in the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau.