Accretion of the Anuy Zone, Tectonic Zonation, and Evolution of the Samarka Accretionary Complex: Details of Evolutionary Scenario of the Sikhote-Alin Segment of the East Asian Continental Margin

Abstract

The Sikhote-Alin Orogen in the southeast of Russia is a collage of geological terranes of various age and tectonic origin, which formed along the East Asian continental margin as a result of the Jurassic–Early Cretaceous subduction of the Pacific oceanic plates. The Jurassic Samarka accretionary complex (AC) and the Early Cretaceous Zhuravlevka turbidite basin in the southern part of the orogen are considered indicators of subduction continental margin and transform plate boundary regimes, respectively. The regime conversion was assumed at the end of the Jurassic, when subduction stopped. Our biostratigraphic study of radiolarians from siliceous and fine-clastic sedimentary rocks has revealed the latest oceanic deposits and the youngest, Early Cretaceous fragment of the Samarka AC in its less studied northeastern part, which is ascribed to the Anuy tectono-stratigraphic element. The well-preserved radiolarians allow accurate dating of cherts, siliceous mudstone, and mudstone. This and other available biostratigraphic data allow the reinterpretation of the stratigraphy of the accreted oceanic sedimentary rocks. The refined stratigraphy is interpreted as a subsequent change in depositional settings on an oceanic plate, which moves to the convergent plate margin. Cherts accumulated in an oceanic pelagic zone from the Middle Triassic to the Late Jurassic (Early Oxfordian). Siliceous mudstone were deposited in a hemipelagic zone in the early Oxfordian–middle Tithonian. Mudstone and siltstones deposited on an external slope of a deep trench in the late Tithonian–Berriasian. The sandy deposits were deposited in an axial part of the trench in the early Valangian, which best corresponds to the timing of accretion. Thus recognized early Valanginian accretion episode shows that subduction underneath the continental margin lasted longer than previously suggested. The onset of the transform continental boundary regime occurred later, probably, in the late Valanginian. This further details the Mesozoic evolutionary scenario, which was previously proposed for the Sikhote-Alin segment of the East Asian continental margin. We also refine the tectonic zonation and evolution of the Samarka AC.