Bolin Cong

The possible subduction of continental material to depths greater than 200 km.

Determining the depth to which continental lithosphere can be subducted into the mantle at convergent plate boundaries is of importance for understanding the long-term growth of supercontinents as well as the dynamic processes that shape such margins. Recent discoveries of coesite and diamond in regional ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks has demonstrated that continental material can be subducted to depths of at least 120 km (ref. 1), and subduction to depths of 150–300 km has been inferred from garnet peridotites in orogenic UHP belts based on several indirect observations. But continental subduction to such depths is difficult to trace directly in natural UHP metamorphic crustal rocks by conventional mineralogical and petrological methods because of extensive late-stage recrystallization and the lack of a suitable pressure indicator. It has been predicted from experimental work, however, that solid-state dissolution of pyroxene should occur in garnet at depths greater than 150 km (refs 6,7,8). Here we report the observation of high concentrations of clinopyroxene, rutile and apatite exsolutions in garnet within eclogites from Yangkou in the Sulu UHP metamorphic belt, China. We interpret these data as resulting from the high-pressure formation of pyroxene solid solutions in subducted continental material. Appropriate conditions for the Na2O concentrations and octahedral silicon observed in these samples are met at depths greater than 200 km.

Large areal extent of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism in the Sulu ultrahigh-pressure terrane of East China : New implications from coesite and omphacite inclusions in zircon of granitic gneiss

Abstract Coesite and omphacite inclusions have been identified for the first time as minute inclusions in zircon from amphibolite-facies granitic orthogneiss in the Sulu ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrane of eastern China by Raman spectroscopy and microprobe analyses. The occurrences of these minerals in the voluminous granitic gneiss of Sulu support a regional and pervasive UHP metamorphic event that predated regional amphibolitic retrogression. Taking into account the widespread discoveries of coesite in other lithologies, we thus conclude that a substantial crustal component in the Sulu UHP metamorphic terrane appears to have shared a common history of Triassic subduction to mantle depths and later exhumation.

Mineral Inclusions in Zircon from Gneisses in the Ultrahigh‐Pressure Zone of the Dabie Mountains, China

Mineral inclusions in zircon from gneisses in the ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) zone of the Dabie Mountains, China, are studied by using laser Raman spectrophotometry. We identified numerous mineral inclusions including coesite, quartz, clinopyroxene, phengite, barite, anhydrite, and feldspar. Coesite is found to occur as zircon‐hosted inclusions in all types of gneisses, indicating that these gneisses had shared the ultrahigh‐pressure metamorphic history with the UHP eclogite blocks that reside in them. The occurrence of barite and anhydrite probably implies the existence of \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pifont} \usepackage{stmaryrd} \usepackage{textcomp} \usepackage{portland,xspace} \usepackage{amsmath,amsxtra} \usepackage[OT2,OT1]{fontenc} \newcommand\cyr{ \renewcommand\rmdefault{wncyr} \renewcommand\sfdefault{wncyss} \renewcommand\encodingdefault{OT2} \normalfont \selectfont} \DeclareTextFontCommand{\textcyr}{\cyr} \pagestyle{empty} \DeclareMathSizes{10}{9}{7}{6} \begin{document} \landscape

A transitional eclogite- to high pressure granulite-facies overprint on coesite–eclogite at Taohang in the Sulu ultrahigh-pressure terrane, Eastern China

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THE DABIE-SULU UHP ROCKS BELT : REVIEW AND PROSPECT

\end{document} ‐bearing fluids during the UHP metamorphic stage. We also found no simple ways to correlate growth zones of zircon as shown by cathodoluminescence images with metamorphic conditions determined from inclusion in any specific zircon grains. Of particular interest is the discovery of coesite included in zircons from gneiss of the “cold” eclogite zone that was previously considered to have not experienced UHP conditions.

Overpressures induced by coesite-quartz transition in zircon

Abstract Abundant garnet-bearing granulite lenses are widely distributed in the northern part of the Sulu region and adjacent areas. They are possibly re-metamorphosed high-pressure metamorphic rocks. On the basis of detailed petrographic study, samples WD01, WD04 and ML06 from Laixi and Wendeng were identified as high-pressure granulites, and WH1 from Weihai as an original coesite-bearing eclogite. Three high-pressure granulite samples give mineral-WR isochron ages of 1846±76, 1743±79 and 1752±30 Ma. TDM ages are 3.3, 3.0 and 2.8 Ga. The Sm–Nd mineral-WR isochron ages are interpreted to date as the metamorphic resetting within the medium-pressure granulite facies, representing an isotopic re-homogeneity during uplifting of the high-pressure granulites from deep continent crust. It is important that Sm–Nd chronological characteristics are the same as Archaean high-pressure granulites in the North China craton. However, sample WH1 from Weihai demonstrates abnormal Sm–Nd characteristics. Its whole rock eNd (0) value is +129. TDM age is 1.3 Ga, and constrains the minimum age of re-metamorphosed eclogite protolith formation to the mid-Proterozoic. This result is identical to those reported by Jahn (1994) , showing complicated processes of metamorphism and metasomatism. The data in this paper provide further evidence to define the boundary between the North China craton and UHPM belt in eastern Shandong and to understand the geotectonic nature of the boundary.

Ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) low-Al titanites from carbonate-bearing rocks in Dabieshan-Sulu UHP terrane, eastern China

Abstract A transitional eclogite- to high-pressure granulite-facies paragenesis (Omp+Pl+Qtz±Grt) after peak coesite–eclogite facies metamorphism and predating the later amphibolite-facies overprint is identified in coesite–eclogite from the Taohang area of the Sulu ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) terrane in eastern China. These minerals were equilibrated at 17 kbar and 820°C. This reveals that fluid infiltration might activate retrograde recrystallisation even at a deep level during the exhumation process of the UHP rocks. The tectono-metamorphic significance of the unusually high pressure overprint is also discussed.

A possible relict mantle wedge: Geochemical evidence from Paleogene volcanics in North China

Seismic tomography is used to determine three-dimensional velocity structure of the Dabie-Sulu orogen in eastern China. The high resolution image of the P-waves velocity structure is obtained for the uppermost mantle to a depth of at least 150 km, along the latitudes of 30°–38°N and longitudes of 114°–122°E. Results of this inversion reveal a slab-like high velocity anomaly under this orogen in the depth from Moho discontinuity to at least 110 km. It may represent a remnant of the subducted Yangtze block during the period of Triassic continent-continent collision.