Westernmost Zone Research Articles

Rapid Exhumation Processes of the Gaoligong Mountain Range in the Southeastern Margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Since the Late Cenozoic

Three continent-scale ductile shear zones trending N-S are distributed in the southeast margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Their tectonic deformation and exhumation histories are of great significance to understanding the orogenic processes within the continent and the growth as well as expansion mechanism of the plateau. The Gaoligong shear zone (GLGSZ) is the westernmost zone near the boundary of the Indian subduction plate and is less well studied than the Ailaoshan–Red River shear zone (ASRRSZ) in the east. In this study, low-temperature thermochronological methods including apatite (U-Th)/He (AHe), zircon (U-Th)/He (ZHe), and apatite fission track (AFT) were used to date the vertical profile samples from the Gaoligong Mountain to understand the exhumation processes that occurred in the late Cenozoic. Our results show that the GLGSZ has experienced two stages of rapid exhumation events since the late Cenozoic: in the middle Miocene (∼14.5 Ma) and early Pleistocene (∼2.9 Ma). Based on our data, we divided the late Cenozoic tectonic deformation and exhumation processes in the Gaoligong Mountain area into two stages: 1) From the middle to the late Miocene, large-scale regional dextral strike-slip movements and lateral compressions controlled the ductile shear zone and continuously denuded the mountain surface; 2) in the Pleistocene, rapid river erosion and undercutting caused by fluctuations of the monsoon system, together with the continuous activity of brittle faults, drove the latest rapid exhumations. A comparison of the thermochronological data of the different areas along the Gaoligong Mountain shows that the exhumation rate in its northern transect is significantly higher and the time of the onset of exhumation is earlier than that in the southern transect. These results indicate that the deformation processes began in the north and continued southwards and controlled the geomorphological characteristics of the Gaoligong Mountain, whose elevation is higher in the northern part than in the southern part.

Burial and thermal history of the Lower Palaeozoic petroleum source rocks at the SW margin of the East European Craton (Poland)

Thermal maturity modelling was carried out in over sixty wells along the SW margin of the East European Craton (EEC). The burial and thermal history modelling of the EEC, using thermochronological data, allowed the construction of burial history maps showing its geological development in the Phanerozoic. These results have proved that the Ordovician and Silurian source rocks occurring at the SW margin of the EEC reached a maximum palaeotemperature in the Palaeozoic, mainly during Devonian–Carboniferous time and at the latest during the Silurian in the most westerly part of this margin, along the Teisseyre-Tornquist Zone. In Mesozoic and Cainozoic time, the Ordovician and Silurian strata generally were subjected to cooling or to very minor heating, certainly below the Variscan level. The maximum burial and maximum temperature of the Ediacaran–Lower Palaeozoic strata were reached during the Early Carboniferous in the Baltic Basin and during the Late Carboniferous in the Lublin area, and even in the Early Permian in the SE corner of the Lublin Basin. Thus, the main period of maturation of organic matter and hydrocarbon generation in the Ordovician and Silurian source rocks was in the Late Palaeozoic (mainly Devonian–Carboniferous) and in the westernmost zone along the Teisseyre-Tornquist line at the end of the Silurian.

Coexistence of contractional and extensional tectonics during the northern Apennines orogeny: the late Miocene out‐of‐sequence thrust in the Elba Island nappe stack

AbstractIn the northern Tyrrhenian Sea, the Elba Island is one of the westernmost portions of the northern Apennine inner belt. One of its noteworthy features is the anomalous tectonic repetition of continental‐derived (Tuscan Unit) and oceanic‐derived (Ligurian units) thrust sheets, lately intruded by late Miocene granitoids. Moreover, in detail, a slice of strongly deformed Ligurian peridotites results tectonically sandwiched between two thrust sheets of Tuscan units. This tectonic setting results from a middle Miocene folding and thrusting of the Apenninic nappe stack with development of large‐scale antiform and out‐of‐sequence thrust. In central‐eastern Elba Island, the folding of an imbricate stack is bracketed between Langhian (middle Miocene) and Messinian (late Miocene). Consequently, the anomalous repetition of Tuscan and Ligurian units thrust sheets gives evidence of middle‐late Miocene shortening deformation post‐dating nappe stack and pre‐dating late Miocene–Pliocene granite emplacement. We suggest that the architecture of the Elba Island nappe stack documents the coexistence of early‐middle Miocene contractional and extensional tectonics in an overall convergent tectonic setting in the westernmost zone of northern Apennines. Extensional tectonics in the upper portion of the wedge, balancing transient gravitational instabilities due to over‐thickened conditions, were followed by a renewal of contractional deformation leading to development of large‐scale out‐of‐sequence thrust responsible for inversion of the stack order. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Land-Use and Land-Cover Change in Three Corn Belt Ecoregions: Similarities and Differences

Land use categorical changes, though not as numerous as one might suspect, vary by type within the three designated ecozones of the Corn Belt with the westernmost zone showing the most temporary change vis-a-vis the more permanent changes taking place in the eastern and central zones.

The Palermo (Sicily) seismic cluster of September 2002, in the seismotectonic framework of the Tyrrhenian Sea-Sicily border area

The northern coast of Sicily and its offshore area represent a hinge zone between a sector of the Tyrrhenian Basin, characterized by the strongest crustal thinning, and the sector of the Sicilian belt which has emerged. This hinge zone is part of a wider W-E trending right-lateral shear zone, which has been affecting the Maghrebian Chain units since the Pliocene. Seismological and structural data have been used to evaluate the seismotectonic behavior of the area investigated here. Seismological analysis was performed on a data set of about 2100 seismic events which occurred between January 1988 and October 2002 in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. This paper focuses in particular on a set of data relating to the period from 6th September 2002, including both the main shock and about 540 aftershocks of the Palermo seismic sequence. The distribution of the hypocenters revealed the presence of two main seismogenic zones. The events of the easternmost zone may be related to the Ionian lithospheric slab diving beneath the Calabrian Arc. The seismicity associated with the westernmost zone is closely clustered around a sub-horizontal regression plane contained within the thinned Southern Tyrrhenian crust, hence suggesting that this seismogenic zone is strictly connected to the deformation field active within the hinge zone. On the basis of both structural and seismological data, the brittle deformation pattern is characterized by high-angle faults, mainly represented by transcurrent synthetic right-lateral and antithetic left-lateral systems, producing both restraining/uplifting and releasing/subsiding zones which accommodate strains developing in response to the current stress field (characterized by a maximum axis trending NW-SE) which has been active in the area since the Pliocene. The cluster of the seismic sequence which started with the 6th September 2002's main shock is located within the hinge zone. The distribution of the hypocenters relative to this sequence emphasizes the presence of a high-angle NE-SW-oriented deformation belt within which several shear surfaces are considered to be found sub-parallel to that established for the main shock. The kinematics of all these structures is consistent with a compressive right-lateral focal mechanism.

Overview of the mineralogy of the Biwabik Iron Formation, Mesabi Iron Range, northern Minnesota

The mineralogy of the Biwabik Iron Formation changes dramatically from west to east as the formation nears the basal contact of the Duluth Complex. This reflects a contact metamorphism that took place with the emplacement of the igneous Duluth Complex at temperatures as high as 1200 °C. However, the mineralogy of the Biwabik Iron Formation also varies vertically through the stratigraphy of the unit. This variability in both the vertical and horizontal dimensions makes it difficult to predict exact horizons where specific minerals will occur. The iron-formation has been subdivided into four broad stratigraphic units (lower cherty, lower slaty, upper cherty, and upper slaty) and into four lateral mineralogical zones (1–4). Zone 1, the westernmost zone, is characterized by quartz, magnetite, hematite, carbonates, talc, chamosite, greenalite, minnesotaite, and stilpnomelane. The silicate mineralogy in Zone 2 of the Biwabik Iron Formation changes very little. However, the minerals begin to change dramatically in Zone 3. Most significantly, Zone 3 is characterized by the appearance of grunerite in both a tabular form and a fibrous form. In Zone 4, the original silicate minerals have completely reacted, and a new suite of minerals occupies the iron-formation. These include grunerite, hornblende, hedenbergite, ferrohypersthene (ferrosilite), and fayalite.

Medieval Dobrun

Medieval Dobrun

Variations in heat flow across the ocean—continent transition in the Iberia abyssal plain

New heat flow observations have been made in the Iberia abyssal plain off the Galicia margin along the transect of Ocean Drilling Program Leg 149 drill sites, in order to investigate the nature of this unusually wide and deep continent-ocean transition region. Our results indicate the presence of three separate zones. Average values of 47.5 ± 3 mW m −2 in the westernmost zone III agree with predictions of standard oceanic lithospheric models for its estimated age of 126 Ma. In contrast, the heat flow within zone II is 5–15 mW m −2 higher than predicted, assuming that the mantle heat flow remains constant across the basin. This region of high values is coincident with the location of a major intra-crustal “S”-type reflector east of ODP Site 900, and the anomaly is consistent with the presence of 2–3 km of primarily upper continental crust above the reflector, with concentrations of radiogenic components similar to those from granodiorite samples dredged off Galicia Bank. It is not, however, consistent with the low values of heat production measured on gabbroic samples from its western end at ODP Site 900. In zone I, detailed measurements across the tilted fault block south of ODP Site 901 show consistent variations which closely match predictions due to the effects of basement structure and sediment deposition. There is no evidence for variations due to vertical convective transport along the dipping basement fault block. Once corrected for these variations, measurements in zone 1 yield average values that agree quite well with previous measurements across Galicia Bank, indicating no systematic landward increase in heat flow with decreasing amounts of continental extension.

Neotectonics of the offshore Cape Egmont Fault Zone, Taranaki Basin, New Zealand

Abstract The Cape Egmont Fault Zone (CEFZ) is a major structural boundary within the predominantly offshore Taranaki Basin. The northeast‐southwest‐striking principal fault within this zone, the Cape Egmont Fault (CEF), represents the westernmost zone of active deformation associated with the Hikurangi subduction system, and is characterised by normal separation and pronounced surface expression across the Taranaki continental shelf. It has a 53 km long, 1–5 m high seafloor scarp, located 6 km to the east of the Maui‐A production platform, and comprises four segments, each characterised by differences in fault geometry and behaviour. Average slip rates on the CEF for the last 225 000 years range from 0 to 0.8 mm/yr, suggesting concomitant extension rates of 0.1–1.8 mm/yr that are comparable with the deformation rates calculated for onshore active faults in the Taranaki‐Wanganui region. The presence of a seafloor scarp and historic seismicity associated with the CEFZ are considered to be indicative of the ...

Provenance of Triassic Feldspathic Sandstones in the Iberian Range (Spain): Significance of Quartz Types

ABSTRACT The base of the Triassic in the Iberian Range is represented by detrital sediments (Buntsandstein facies) deposited initially in a continental environment, finally evolving into a marine environment that is represented at the top of the sequence. The lithology of this facies is dominated by arkosic sandstones. The aim of this study is to reconstruct the nature and position of the source areas of these sandstones. Provenance research was carried out by quartz-grain typology. Eleven stratigraphic sections were sampled. The amount of interstitital matrix has been considered in selecting samples because mechanical compaction suffered by sandstones with little matrix may give rise to a significant increase in the undulosity of monocrystalline quartz. The Ollo de Sapo gneissic formation, located in the Hesperian Massif, has been mentioned as source rocks of feldspathic sandstones in previous works. In order to verify the provenance of feldspathic sandstones, in artificial sands derived by grinding gneisses, and sand samples collected at stream heads that drain the gneiss outcrops, we followed the methodology of Basu et al. (1975). Analytical results indicate that two different areas within the Triassic basin were notably influenced by different source areas: a) a western zone, the nearest to the gneissic source rocks, where monocrystalline, nonundulatory quartz grains predominate (Qm 5°) increase. Sediment evolution during transport processes is markedly reflected by the increase in Qm 5°) ratios in the westernmost zone, away from the source area. Low values in the above-mentioned ratios in the eastern zone are interpreted as results of local influence by low-ranking metamorphic source areas. Finally, this ethod also allows for the monitoring of the evolution of sediment maturity throughout the basin.

The Calabrian Arc and the Ionian Sea in the dynamic evolution of the Central Mediterranean

In the Central Mediterranean area it is possible to recognize three main realms: the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Pelagian block and the Ionian block. These domains are limited by important fracture zones that are easily recognizable on land and offshore. These fracture zones can be grouped into four main trends: (1) the NW-SE trend which is characterized by dextral horizontal movements; (2) the NE-SW trend which is generally characterized by sinistral lateral horizontal movements; (3) the E-W trend which also shows dextral shear movements; and (4) the N-S trend which is characterized by normal faults only. The Tyrrhenian Sea realm is characterized by a thinned crust of oceanic type and is connected to the Apenninic chain by means of listric faults. From a geophysical point of view, the area shows a high heat flow which follows the main structural trends, and positive gravimetric anomalies which are compatible with seismic refraction data and can be explained by the proposed model. The Pelagian block shows a continental crust, about 20 km thick, which progressively increases beneath the Sicilian chain. Here an abrupt interruption with the Tyrrhenian block takes place. In the Pelagian realm, rifting processes developed according to the NW-SE and N-S trend. The N-S trend characterizes the westernmost zone of the realm where volcanic processes and a relatively high heat flow can also be observed. The Ionian block is characterized by the following: a thinned crust (17–20 km) which increases (40 km) towards the Southern Calabrian chain; a thick sedimentary sequence; high positive Bouguer anomalies (+300 mGal); and very low heat flow (50 mW m −2). Geophysical and structural analyses allowed us to evaluate the post-Tortonian evolution of the whole area under consideration. This evolution resulted in continental crust formation according to a rigid—plastic deformation model. According to our model, the Ionian block can be considered as a domain, characterized by a thinned continental crust and affected by intrusive material derived from the upper mantle. Furthermore, this domain, of probably Jurassic age, can be considered as a pelagic basin bordered by the Pelagian block to the west and by the Apulian block to the east-northeast. This basin, according to its position with respect to the Apenninic and Sicilian chains, has not been affected by tectogenesis and still represents a site of continuous sedimentation. From a kinematic point of view, the Ionian realm can be linked with the Pelagian block shifting towards the east-northeast, whereas it is limited towards the north by an E-W fracture zone which regulates the opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea and the counterclockwise rotation of the Apenninic chain. According to the proposed model, the opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea can be considered as a megaextension-fracture which developed parallel to the maximum principal stress direction and evolved as a triangular-shaped structural feature. In preparing the model the authors have taken into account a large set of data collected both on land and offshore.

北上山地白亜紀深成岩類のＫ，Ｒｂ，Ｓｒ，Ｔｈ，Ｕ

The Cretaceous plutonic rocks in the Kitakami Mountains, 110 to 125 Ma in K-Ar ages on biotite, etc., can be petrographically and petrochemically classified into seven groups: Zones I, II, III, IV, V, VIa and VIb. Some of them are arranged in the east to west direction. The plutons of Zones II and V are mainly felsic. They are of comparatively big dimension reaching 600 square kilometers. The plutons of other zones are composed of felsic and mafic rocks. They occur on a small scale. The plutonic rocks have been chemically analysed for CaO, K2O, Rb, Sr, Th, and U. In the mafic rocks of CaO>8.2 percent, the contents of CaO and Na2O are nearly equal in each zone throughout the Kitakami Mountains. K2O, Rb, Th, and U contents, however, generally increase westward. Sr also does. In the westernmost zone, Zone IV, the mafic rocks resemble shoshonite concerning their major elements. Some of the plutons, especially in Zones II and V, are zonally divided into marginal and central facies. The two facies are different in their K2O, Rb, etc. contents, and K/Rb and other ratios. In the marginal facies K2O and Rb are richer and K/Rb is smaller than those in the central facies. This fact suggests the different processes of magmatic differentiation in the two facies. Intrusion of the marginal facies have successively followed by that of the central facies.

Structural and Petrologic Studies in Dutchess County, New York: Part I. Geologic structure of sedimentary rocks

INTRODUCTION GENERAL SETTING Determination of the age of the metamorphosed sedimentary rocks in the southeastern portion of the Appalachian Mountains is difficult. Most of the fossiliferous Paleozoic strata of the northwestern, folded, Appalachians are separated from the zone of metamorphosed sediments either by fault blocks of Triassic sediments or by a barrier of pre-Cambrian gneisses. However, the individual lithologic units within the metamorphic zone maintain astonishing petrographic uniformity throughout long distances, so that correlations, possible at any one point, may have a bearing on the age of, even distant, large areas of metamorphic rocks. In eastern Dutchess County, New York, about 70 miles north of New York city (Fig. 1), neither Triassic fault blocks nor pre-Cambrian gneisses present obstacles, and Cambro-Ordovician formations can be traced eastward, well beyond the westernmost zone of pre-Cambrian gneisses. This is looked upon as a key area, and, in surveying it, Balk has examined into . . .