The constraints of strain partitioning and geochronology in Luonan-Luanchuan tectonic belts on Qinling orogenic belt

Abstract

The Luonan-Luanchuan tectonic belt lies between the North China Block and Qinling Mountains, including the Luonan-Luanchuan fault zone and the strong deformation zone to the north of the fault. The ductile shear zone, imbricate brittle fault and duplex structure in the fault zone now are the expression of the same tectonic event in different depth. Such lineation structure exists in the tectonic belts as mineral lineation, elongation lineation, crenulation lineation, sheath folds and so on, indicating NE-directed plate motion. Fold axes and thrusts in the strong deformation zone are inclined to the Luonan-Luanchuan fault zone at small angles. The structures with different natures show a regular pattern, produced during oblique convergence of plates. The convergence factors are as follows: The direction of plate convergence is 22°, 31° and the angle between the plate convergence direction and plate boundary is 73°, 82° respectively in the west and east segment. The Luonan-Luanchuan tectonic belt was deformed strongly in 372 Ma, resulted from Erlangping back-arc ocean basin subduction sinistrally and obliquely to North China Block during the collision of North China Block and South China Block.