Back-arc Sedimentation Research Articles

New constraints on the Neoproterozoic geological evolution of the SE corner of the Arabian Plate (NE Oman)

The Saih Hatat Dome is a tectonic window in northeastern Oman with a NW–SE extent of c. 95 km and an east–west extent of c. 50 km, rimmed by the allochthonous Samail Ophiolite and the tectonically underlying nappes composed of sedimentary rocks from the Neo-Tethyan Hawasina Basin. Rocks within the window were affected by high pressure/low-temperature metamorphism during the latest Cretaceous. Stratigraphically, the Saih Hatat Dome contains a basal, several kilometre thick sequence, made up of low-grade metamorphic volcanosedimentary rocks (Hatat Formation). U–Pb zircon laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) data from a quartzdiorite dyke, intruding the basal part of the Hatat Formation yielded a crystallization age of 845 +2/−4 Ma, whereas zircons from a quartz keratorphyre have ages of 870 ± 5 Ma. Thus, the basal schists of the Hatat Formation are Tonian in age, similar to Tonian felsic volcanic rocks and a granodioritic intrusion in the Huqf area, 300 km to the south. Detrital zircons from the Hatat Formation show an age peak of 837 Ma with some Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic grains, which have no potential source in the Arabian–Nubian Shield. Based on the new results, we propose that the Hatat Formation signifies a Tonian back-arc basin, contemporaneous with calc-alkaline igneous intrusions in the Jabal Ja'alan region. Similar calc-alkaline intrusions of comparable ages have been identified in the Mirbat area of Dhofar and the Huqf region in central eastern Oman. We interpret these outcrops as components of a cohesive island arc, characterized by calc-alkaline volcanic rocks and volcanosedimentary back-arc sedimentation. Our model situates these regions off the coast of NW India during the Tonian.

Multiple sediment incorporation events in a continental magmatic arc: Insight from the metasedimentary rocks of the northern North Cascades, Washington (USA)

Abstract The rheology and composition of arc crust and the overall evolution of continental magmatic arcs can be affected by sediment incorporation events. The exhumed Cretaceous–Eocene North Cascades arc exposes abundant metasedimentary rocks that were incorporated into the arc during multiple events. This study uses field relationships, detrital zircon geochronology, bulk rock geochemistry, geothermometry, and quartz-in-garnet geobarometry to distinguish approximate contacts and emplacement depths for different metasedimentary units to better understand their protolith incorporation history and impact on the arc. The Skagit Gneiss Complex is one of the main deep crustal units of the North Cascades arc. It includes metasedimentary rocks with distinct detrital zircon signatures: Proterozoic–Cretaceous (Group 1) or Triassic–Cretaceous (Group 2) zircon populations. Both metasedimentary groups achieved near-peak metamorphic conditions of 640–800 °C and 5.5–7.9 kbar; several Group 2 samples reveal the higher pressures. A third group of metasedimentary rocks, which was previously interpreted as metamorphosed equivalents of backarc sediments (Group 3), exhibited unimodal Triassic or bimodal Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous detrital zircon signatures and achieved near-peak conditions of 570–700 °C and 8.7–10.5 kbar. The combined field and analytical data indicate that protoliths of Group 1 and Group 2 metasedimentary rocks were successively deposited in a forearc basin and underthrusted into the arc as a relatively coherent body. Group 3 backarc sediments were incorporated into the arc along a transpressional step-over zone. The incorporation of both forearc and backarc sediments was likely facilitated by arc magmatism that weakened arc crust in combination with regional transpression.

Pure sediment-derived granites in a subduction zone

Abstract The Earth is unique in the Solar System due to significant volumes of granite in the lithosphere. However, the origins of granites are still highly debated, especially sediment-derived granites, which are often treated as a geochemical end-member of the continental crust. In the Yunnan region of South China, we identify the occurrence of pure sediment-derived granite in a subduction system. The suite of strongly peraluminous granite reported herein is interpreted to represent pure metasedimentary melts based on their whole-rock elemental and Sr-Nd-B and zircon Hf-O isotopic compositions. These Late Permian–Early Triassic (ca. 254–248 Ma) granites are characterized by radiogenically enriched Sr, Nd, and Hf isotopic signatures. They show δ11B and δ18O signatures akin to those of continental shales. Geochemical modeling indicates no contributions from the mantle that can be detected. Considering the regional tectonic evolution, these granites are suggested to be formed in a subduction zone by decompression melting of rapidly exhumed back-arc sediments. We posit that decompression melting was triggered by widespread extension and thinning of the crust prompted by rollback of the subducting oceanic crust. These granites thus provide evidence that granite formation in subduction zones does not necessarily contribute to crustal growth. These subduction-related pure sediment-derived granites have different elemental ratios and contents (e.g., Al2O3/TiO2 and Yb) from the Himalayan leucogranites. Considering their source compositions (e.g., pelitic rocks), which are similar to those of the Himalayan leucogranites, these differences are likely due to their higher formation temperature and lower pressure despite a great similarity in isotopic compositions. Identification of pure sediment-derived, strongly peraluminous granites (SPGs) in subduction systems provides an important geodynamic mechanism for crustal anatexis, which can both geochemically and tectonically complement their collisional counterparts identified in the Himalayas.

ORÓGENO ARAÇUAÍ: SÍNTESE DO CONHECIMENTO 30 ANOS APÓS ALMEIDA 1977

The Araçuaí Fold Belt was defined as the southeastern limit of the São Francisco Craton in the classicalpaper published by Fernando Flávio Marques de Almeida in 1977. This keystone of the Brazilian geologicliterature catalyzed important discoveries, such as of Neoproterozoic ophiolites and a calc-alkaline magmaticarc, related to the Araçuaí Belt and paleotectonic correlations with its counterpart located in Africa (the WestCongo Belt), that provided solid basis to define the Araçuaí-West-Congo Orogen by the end of the 1990thdecade. After the opening of the Atlantic Ocean in Cretaceous times, two thirds of the Araçuaí-West-CongoOrogen remained in the Brazil side, including records of the continental rift and passive margin phases ofthe precursor basin, all ophiolite slivers and the whole orogenic magmatism formed from the pre-collisionalto post-collisional stages. Thus, the name Araçuaí Orogen has been applied to the Neoproterozoic-Cambrianorogenic region that extends from the southeastern edge of the São Francisco Craton to the Atlantic coastlineand is roughly limited between the 15º and 21º S parallels. After 30 years of systematic geological mappingtogether with geochemical and geochronological studies published by many authors, all evolutionary stagesof the Araçuaí Orogen can be reasonably interpreted. Despite the regional metamorfism and deformation, thefollowing descriptions generally refer to protoliths. All mentioned ages were obtained by U-Pb method onzircon. The Macaúbas Group records rift, passive margin and oceanic environments of the precursor basinof the Araçuaí Orogen. From the base to the top and from proximal to distal units, this group comprises thepre-glacial Duas Barras and Rio Peixe Bravo formations, and the glaciogenic Serra do Catuni, Nova Auroraand Lower Chapada Acauã formations, related to continental rift and transitional stages, and the diamictitefreeUpper Chapada Acauã and Ribeirão da Folha formations, representing passive margin and oceanicenvironments. Dates of detrital zircon grains from Duas Barras sandstones and Serra do Catuni diamictitessuggest a maximum sedimentation age around 900 Ma for the lower Macaúbas Group, in agreement withages yielded by the Pedro Lessa mafic dikes (906 ± 2 Ma) and anorogenic granites of Salto da Divisa (875 ±9 Ma). The thick diamictite-bearing marine successions with sand-rich turbidites, diamictitic iron formation,mafic volcanic rocks and pelites (Nova Aurora and Lower Chapada Acauã formations) were depositedfrom the rift to transitional stages. The Upper Chapada Acauã Formation consists of a sand-pelite shelfsuccession, deposited after ca. 864 Ma ago in the proximal passive margin. The Ribeirão da Folha Formationmainly consists of sand-pelite turbidites, pelagic pelites, sulfide-bearing cherts and banded iron formations,representing distal passive margin to oceanic sedimentation. Gabbro and dolerite with plagiogranite veinsdated at ca. 660 Ma, and ultramafic rocks form tectonic slices of oceanic lithosphere thrust onto packagesof the Ribeirão da Folha Formation. The pre-collisional, calc-alkaline, continental magmatic arc (G1 Suite,630-585 Ma) consists of tonalites and granodiorites, with minor diorite and gabbro. A volcano-sedimentarysuccession of this magmatic arc includes pyroclastic and volcaniclastic rocks of dacitic composition datedat ca. 585 Ma, ascribed to the Palmital do Sul and Tumiritinga formations (Rio Doce Group), depositedfrom intra-arc to fore-arc settings. Detrital zircon geochronology suggests that the São Tomé wackes (RioDoce Group) represent intra-arc to back-arc sedimentation after ca. 594 Ma ago. The Salinas Formation, aconglomerate-wacke-pelite association located to northwest of the magmatic arc, represents synorogenicsedimentation younger than ca. 588 Ma. A huge zone of syn-collisional S-type granites (G2 Suite, 582-560Ma) occurs to the east and north of the pre-collisional magmatic arc, northward of latitude 20º S. Partialmelting of G2 granites originated peraluminous leucogranites (G3 Suite) from the late- to post-collisionalstages. A set of late structures, and the post-collisional intrusions of the S-type G4 Suite (535-500 Ma) andI-type G5 Suite (520-490 Ma) are related to the gravitational collapse of the orogen. The location of themagmatic arc, roughly parallel to the zone with ophiolite slivers, from the 17º30’ S latitude southwardssuggests that oceanic crust only developed along the southern segment of the precursor basin of the Araçuaí-West-Congo Orogen. This basin was carved, like a large gulf partially floored by oceanic crust, into the SãoFrancisco-Congo Paleocontinent, but paleogeographic reconstructions show that the Bahia-Gabon cratonicbridge (located to the north of the Araçuaí Orogen) subsisted since at least 1 Ga until the Atlantic opening.This uncommon geotectonic scenario inspired the concept of confined orogen, quoted as a new type ofcollisional orogen in the international literature, and the appealing nutcracker tectonic model to explain theAraçuaí-West-Congo Orogen evolution.

Basin evolution within the Kitakami Massif, northeast Japan: relationship between sedimentation, tectonics and volcanism in an incipient Neogene continental back-arc basin

Abstract The Ichinohe basin in the western margin of the Kitakami Massif, northeast Japan, consists of the Early to Middle Miocene Yotsuyaku and Keiseitoge formations and represents the incipient stage of Neogene back-arc sedimentation that extends toward the north and northwest. Megaclast breccias derived from Mesozoic basement rocks of the Kitakami Massif were transported from southern areas as debris flows. The debris-flow deposits of the Yotsuyaku Formation grade northwards along the basin axis into clast-supported, braided-stream deposits, where floodplains developed. In the center of the basin voluminous volcanic eruptives of the Keiseitoge Formation were derived from eastern and southeastern volcanic ranges and formed transversal distributaries. The deposition of both clastic and pyroclastic sediments suggests that volcanism and tectonic uplift took place simultaneously during basin evolution. Parallel-laminated, fine-grained sediments intercalated with lignite beds suggest lacustrine deposition, and large cross-beds of volcanic breccias indicate Gilbert-type progradation into the lakes. A number of small lakes in the center of the basin was probably formed as the result of damming tributary mouths by the main drainage from eastern and southeastern volcanoes or the reciprocal blocking by lahars and non-volcanic debris flows derived from the southern uplift. Damming episodes produced by thick lava flows were not recognized in this study. The evolution of the N–S trending, longitudinal Ichinohe Basin indicates that E–W extensional tectonism related to the opening of the Sea of Japan affected not only the Green Tuff Region, to the west of the studied basin, but also even the Mesozoic basement during the Miocene. Although the mingling of volcanic and basement-derived deposits indicates the complexities of sedimentary facies and provenances, our view of the stratigraphic architecture has relevance to the interpretation of the evolution of other extensional basin systems.

The Fossils in Shangxi Group and Its Implication for Tectonics, Southern Anhui, China

The Shangxi Group is the local name in southern Anhui Province and it is believed to be the equivalence of the well-known Banxi Group in Hunan Province, southern China. So the area occupied by the Shangxi Group was regarded as a part of the "Jiangnan old land" of Presinian till it was challenged by the present authors years ago. After we postulated that there may be some strata of Palaeozoic Era in Shangxi Group, some microfossils and then macrofossils of Palaeozoic were found in some part of it. The macrof os-sils, Lingula sp. , Conulariid and the microfossils indicate that most units of the Shangxi Group are Palaeozoic strata. Based on the discovery of these fossils and the recognition of the tectonic-setting of the different tectono-petrologic units in the Shangxi Group, three different stratigraphic sequences (island-arc volcanics, back-arc sediments and the cover of passive margin of Yangtze Continental Plate) are established and the tectonic evolution of them is postulated in the present paper. All the evidences obtained recently from the Shangxi Group indicate that there is no "Old Land" over the discussed area, but a subduction followed by a collision zone between the island-arc and Yangtze Continental Plate; all these metamorphosed strata were originally island-arc, back-arc basin sediments during the Sinian-late Paleozoic, except the Presinian sandstone distributed in a narrow belt on the northmost margin of the metamorphic terrane.

Clay mineralogy and chemistry as indicators of hemipelagic sediment dispersal south of the Aleutian arc

Near-surface hemipelagic sediments from across the Aleutian arc-trench system were analyzed for clay mineral composition by X-ray diffraction. In addition, oriented aggregates of clay-sized fractions were analyzed for their chemical compositions by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) in conjunction with scanning electron microscopy. The main clay minerals are illite, chlorite and expandable clay minerals (principally smectite). Smectite is diagnostic of sediment derived from the Aleutian volcanic arc; in contrast, continental sources on the Alaskan mainland produce mainly illite and chlorite. Backarc samples adjacent to the central arc segment contain an average of 71% smectite. In the central forearc, however, smectite values are generally less than 30% and decrease progressively eastward. Only on Meiji Sediment Tongue in the far western Aleutian segment do smectite contents begin to dominate. The EDS data correlate well with clay mineral abundances. Al 2O 3, MgO, and FeO all increase in abundance with increasing chlorite content, and Al 2O 3 and K 2O increase in illite-rich mud. Silica is the only oxide which increases in abundance with increasing smectite content. The compositional and chemical disparity between forearc and backarc sediments is due to dilution of arc-derived mud by suspended sediment derived from mainland Alaska. The westward transport of mud for thousands of kilometers occurs both through isobath-parallel bottom currents and by westward flowing turbidity currents. These results show that interpretations of tectonic provenance cannot be based on elemental concentrations or mineralogy without also taking into account the possibility of long-distance transport.

Petrology and geotectonic development of the Western Ecuadorian Andes: the Basic Igneous Complex

The Basic Igneous Complex (BIC) consists of several volcanic formations which form the Ecuadorian Western Cordillera and Coastal Cordillera. The rocks differ significantly from other Cordillerian successions and form an isolated tectnic block. The Upper Cretaceous to Lower Tertiary volcanic series of the Ecuadorian Basic Igneous Complex are of island-arc type according to their petrography and geochemistry. An outer tholeiitic island-arc series (parts of the Piñón Formation) can be distinguished from a central calc-alkalic series, depleted in potassium (Macuchi, Celica, and Silante Formations). The Chontal, Yunguilla, and Zapotillo Formations as well as the upper Cayo Formation (“Guayaquil cherts”) are interpreted to represent back-arc sediments and sediments of small intra-arc basins within a largely submarine island arc. The Cayo Formation consists almost entirely of volcaniclastic and epiclastic rocks deposited on the oceanward side of the island arc, which was situated close to the South American continent. Volcanic activity continued into early Eocene times as revealed by K/Ar-dating of the Cayo and Silante Formations (52 Ma). A small back-arc basin was filled with the sediments of the Yunguilla Formation. Similar to present-day volcanically active island arcs (e.g., Aleutians and Kuriles-Kamchatka) the BIC island arc was mostly underlain by oceanic crust, although parts of it built on continental crust (Celica Formation, southern Ecuador). In the Early Tertiary the island arc was accreted to the South American continent. Cessation of volcanic activity and accretion to the continent may be explained by increased drift velocities of the lithospheric plates accompanied by a change in the geometry and stress in the subduction zone.

Provenance and petrology of deep sea drilling project sands and sandstones from the Japan and Mariana forearc and backarc regions

One hundred and twenty point counts of Oligocene to Recent sands and sandstones from DSDP sites in the Japan and Mariana intraoceanic forearc and backarc basins demonstrate that there is a clear compositional difference between the continentally influenced Japan forearc and backarc sediments, and the totally oceanic Mariana forearc and backarc sediments. Japan forearc sediments average 10 QFL%Q, 0.82 P/F, 2 Framework%Mica, 74 LmLvLst%Lv, and 19 LmLvLst%Lst. In contrast, the Mariana forearc and backarc sediments average 0 QFL%Q, 1.00 P/F, 0 Framework%Mica, 98 LmLvLst%Lv, and 1 LmLvLst%Lst. Sediment compositions in the Japan region are variable. The Honshu forearc sediments average 5 QFL%Q, 0.94 P/F, 1 Framework%Mica, 82 LmLvLst%Lv, and 15 LmLvLst%Lst. The Yamato Basin sediments (DSDP Site 299) average 13 QFL%Q, 0.70 P/F, 3 Framework%Mica, 78 LmLvLst%Lv, and 14 LmLvLst%Lst. The Japan Basin sediments (DSDP Site 301) average 24 QFL%Q, 0.54 P/F, 9 Framework%Mica, 58 LmLvLst%Lv, and 21 LmLvLst%Lst. P/F and Framework%Mica are higher in the Yamato Basin sediments than in the forearc sediments due to an increase in modal potassium content of volcanic rocks from east to west, on the island of Honshu. Site 301 possesses a higher QFL%Q and LmLvLst%Lst, and lower LmLvLst%Lv than Site 299 because it receives sediment from the Asian mainland as well as the island of Honshu. DSDP Site 293 sediments, in the Mariana region, average 0.97 P/F, 1 Framework%Mica, 13 LmLvLst%Lm and 83 LmLvLst%Lv, due to their proximity to the island of Luzon. The remaining Mariana forearc and backarc sediments show a uniform composition.

Quaternary sedimentation in the Japan arc-trench system

Research Article| June 01, 1984 Quaternary sedimentation in the Japan arc-trench system SAM BOGGS, JR. SAM BOGGS, JR. 1Department of Geology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information SAM BOGGS, JR. 1Department of Geology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1984) 95 (6): 669–685. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1984)95<669:QSITJA>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation SAM BOGGS; Quaternary sedimentation in the Japan arc-trench system. GSA Bulletin 1984;; 95 (6): 669–685. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1984)95<669:QSITJA>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Quaternary sedimentation around the Japanese Islands took place in a dynamic morphotectonic setting that included seismically active trenches, a large back-arc basin, and a tectonically complex slope environment characterized by en echelon folds and fault-bounded ridges with small intervening basins. These structural ridges created barriers to sediment transport by bottom currents and acted as dams on the slope behind which Quaternary sediments ponded. Sea levels higher than at present throughout most of the Pleistocene impeded escape of coarse sediments from the shelf, except through a few major submarine canyons that extended completely across the shelf and slope; thus, deeper-water sediments in both the Japan fore-arc and back-arc are dominantly hemipelagic muds and subordinate mud turbidites. A drop in sea level to about 130 m below the present level at approximately 18,000 yr B.P. resulted in deposition of widespread fluviomarine sands and gravels on the continental shelf and an increase in sand-silt turbidites in the latest Pleistocene record in both the fore-arc and the back-arc. Sandy turbidites interbedded with hemipelagic mud or mud turbidites occur particularly in the trench fill of Nankai Trough (Southwest Japan Trench), in some fore-arc basins on the South-west Japan slope, and in the western part of the Japan Sea back-arc basin. They are sparsely represented in the Japan Trench and the Northeast Japan slope, apparently owing to the poor development of throughgoing submarine canyons on the Northeast slope. Diatomaceous and calcareous muds and oozes occur in some parts of both the fore-arc and the back-arc, and volcanic ash and pumice are virtually ubiquitous throughout the Quaternary sediment record in nearly all parts of the Japan arc-trench system.Quaternary sedimentation rates are less than about 30 m/m.y. in the open Pacific deep-sea basins seaward of the trenches, but they increase toward the fore-arc and reach values as high as 230 m/m.y. in the Japan Trench inner slope and 300–900 m/m.y. in the trench fill of Nankai Trough. Back-arc sedimentation rates for the total Quaternary range from 20–140 m/m.y., and latest Pleistocene-Holocene rates range from 65–230 mm/1,000 yr. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.