Hanlin Chen

Paleozoic multiple subduction-accretion processes of the southern Altaids

The formation and development of the southern Altaids is controversial with regard to its accretionary orogenesis and continental growth. The Altay-East Junggar orogenic collage of North Xinjiang, China, offers a special natural laboratory to resolve this puzzle. Three tectonic units were juxtaposed, roughly from North to South, in the study area. The northern part (Chinese Altay), composed of variably deformed and metamorphosed Paleozoic sedimentary, volcanic, and granitic rocks, is interpreted as a Japan-type island arc of Paleozoic to Carboniferous-Permian age. The central part (Erqis), which consists of ophiolitic mélanges and coherent assemblages, is a Paleozoic accretionary complex. The southern part (East Junggar), characterized by imbricated ophiolitic mélanges, Nb-enriched basalts, adakitic rocks and volcanic rocks, is regarded as a Devonian-Carboniferous intra-oceanic island arc with some Paleozoic ophiolites, superimposed by Permian arc volcanism. A plagiogranite from an imbricated ophiolitic mélange (Armantai) in the East Junggar yields a new SHRIMP zircon age of 503 ± 7 Ma. Using published age constraints, we propose the presence of multiple subduction systems in this part of the Paloasian Ocean in the Paleozoic. The intraoceanic arcs became accreted to the southern active margin of the Siberian craton in the middle Carboniferous-Permian. During the long accretionary processes, in addition to large-scale southward-directed thrusting, large-scale, orogen-parallel, strike-slip movements (for example, Erqis fault) in the Permian translated fragments of these intraoceanic arcs and associated accretionary wedges. This new tectonic model has broad implications for the architecture and crustal growth of Central Asia and for other ancient orogens.

The Uplift History of the Haiyuan-Liupan Shan Region Northeast of the Present Tibetan Plateau: Integrated Constraint from Stratigraphy and Thermochronology

The Haiyuan-Liupan Shan delimits the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. We present the integrated results of new stratigraphic investigations, apatite fission track analyses, and related thermal history modeling tied to the structural fabric of this region. These constraints provide insight into the timing of northward propagation of the plateau with (1) local relief creation and enhanced erosion in the latest Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous, representing the local element of a complex, regional, far-field deformation response to the Lhasa-Qiangtang collision with the south Asian margin; (2) evidence for likely Late Cretaceous exhumation, but this is uncertain given the regional sedimentary gap that exists across this interval; (3) Eocene relief generation as a first likely response to far-field effects of the India-Asia collision and related to wider regional events recognized in this part of northwestern China; and (4) the latest deformation episode propagating strongly into the Haiyuan-Liupan Shan in the early Miocene, increasing in intensity in the later Miocene and possibly again in the Quaternary. The diachronous nature of the apparent responses to distant plate-boundary events demonstrates that structural preconditioning on its own is inadequate to account for this far-field deformation, suggesting that subcrustal tectonic architecture may play a role in the transfer of stress north of the Tibetan Plateau.

Early Permian Tarim Large Igneous Province in northwest China

Tarim Large Igneous Province (TLIP) is the second Late Paleozoic LIPs in China after the recognition of Emeishan LIP, and is a hot research topic in geosciences. On the basis of the analysis of research history about TLIP, this paper summarizes the research result during last twenty years and suggests the key research area in the future. The residual distribution range of TLIP is up to 250000 km2, and the largest residual thickness is 780 m. The eruption of basalt happened during 290–288 Ma and belongs to LIPs magmatic event with fast eruption of magma. The lithological units of the TLIP include basalt, diabase, layered intrusive rock, breccia pipe mica-olivine pyroxenite, olivine pyroxenite, gabbro, ultramafic dyke, quartz syenite, quartz syenite porphyry and bimodal dyke. The basalt and diabase of TLIP exhibit OIB-like trace element patterns and enrichment of LILE and HFSE, and mainly belong to high TiO2 series. There is an obvious difference in isotope among the basalt from Keping and the basalt and dibase from the northern Tarim Basin. The basalt from Keping with negative ɛNd and high REE value derives from enriched mantle, and the diabase and basalt from the northern Tarim Basin with positive ɛNd and low REE value are related to depleted mantle. The crust uplifting in the Early Permian and the development of picrite and large scale dyke and formation of large scale V-Ti-Magnetite deposit in Wajilitag area support the view that the TLIP is related to mantle plume. The TLIP has a temporal-spatial relationship with Permian basic to ultra-basic igneous rock, which is distributed widely in Central Asia, and they represent a tectono-magmatic event with very important geodynamic setting. This paper also suggests that the deep geological process, the relation with mantle plume, mineralization, the relation with environmental change and biological evolution, and the geodynamics of the TLIP will be the key research topics in the future.

Provenance of Cretaceous trench slope sediments from the Mesozoic Wandashan Orogen, NE China: Implications for determining ancient drainage systems and tectonics of the Paleo-Pacific

The Wandashan Orogen of NE China is a typical accretionary orogen related to Paleo-Pacific subduction. The Raohe Complex, as a major part of the orogen, consists of mid-Triassic to mid-Jurassic radiolarian chert and intraoceanic igneous rocks in an accretionary prism overlain by weakly sheared terrestrial-sourced clastic trench slope sediments. Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe U-Pb dating and LA-MC-ICPMS Hf isotopic analysis of detrital zircons from the terrestrial-sourced Yongfuqiao Formation sandstone show that most zircons are Phanerozoic (90%): 140–150 Ma (10%), 180–220 Ma (25%), 240–270 Ma (15%), 300–360 Ma (15%), 391–395 Ma (3%), and 450–540 Ma (20%), whereas 10% are Precambrian in age. About 90% of the zircons have eHf(t) values ranging from +11.1 to −12.8. This suggests that the major provenance of the trench slope sediments was from the adjacent eastern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and the Jiamusi Block. The age of the Yongfuqiao Formation is constrained to the earliest Cretaceous, which represents the accretion time of the mid-Triassic to mid-Jurassic oceanic complexes. When compared with the Mino Complex in Japan and the Tananao Complex in Taiwan, three different provenances are identified suggesting three ancient drainage systems which transported sediments from NE China, North China, and South China to the Paleo-Pacific subduction-accretion system.

Tectonic evolution of Tethyan tectonic field, formation of Northern Margin basin and explorative perspective of natural gas in Tarim Basin

Analyzing the characteristics of the Tethyan tectonic field, the authors think that the Tethyan tectonic field underwent three evolutional stages: closing of Paleo-Tethys and rifting of Neo-Tethys from early Permian to late Triassic, subduction of Neo-Tethys and collision between the Indian plate and the Eurasia plate from Jurassic to early of low Tertiary, and collision between the Arab plate and the Eurasia plate and the A-type subduction of Indian plate from late of low Tertiary to the present. Combining the evolution of the Tethyan orogenic belt with the characteristics of the Northern Margin basin, it is suggested that the sedimentary and tectonic characteristics and types of the Northern Margin basin are controlled by the formation and evolution of the Tethyan orogenic belt and the ingression of Tethys. The evolution of Northern Margin basin can be divided into three development stages: back-arc foreland basin from late Permian to Triassic, the back-arc fault subsidence and depression from Jurassic to the early of low Tertiary, and the reactive foreland basin from the late of low Tertiary to the present. The Northern Margin basin in the Tethyan tectonic field is an important region for natural gas accumulation, and the Tarim Basin is a part of this region.

Conceptual models for fracturing in fault related folds

Fault related folds and fractures, which always improve reservoirs and trap capacity, especially in the oil and gas fields in western China, are of extreme importance for oil and gas exploration. Based on four assumptions and fault related fold theory, we propose four conceptual models for fracturing in fault related folds, i.e., a simple-step parallel fault bend anticline, a simple-step parallel fault propagation anticline, a multiple-bend fault-bend fold and a break-forward imbricate. Fracture conditions depend on structural evolution and specific site conditions. A case study of the Kulongshan Anticline in the Jiuquan Basin shows that our conceptual models match reality data very well.

Deformation geometry and timing of the Wupoer thrust belt in the NE Pamir and its tectonic implications

The Pamir region, located to the northwest of the Tibetan Plateau, provides important information that can aid the understanding of the plateau’s tectonic evolution. Here we present new findings on the deformation geometry and timing of the Wupoer thrust belt at the northeastern margin of Pamir. Field investigations and interpretations of seismic profiles indicate that the eastern portion of the Wupoer thrust belt is dominated by an underlying foreland basin and an overlying piggy-back basin. A regional unconformity occurs between the Pliocene (N2) and the underlying Miocene (N1) or Paleogene (Pg) strata associated with two other local unconformities between Lower Pleistocene (Q1) and N2 and between Middle Pleistocene (Q2-4) and Q1 strata. Results of structural restorations suggest that compressional deformation was initiated during the latest Miocene to earliest Pliocene, contributing a total shortening magnitude of 48.6 km with a total shortening rate of 48.12%, most of which occurred in the period from the latest Miocene to earliest Pliocene. These results, combined with previous studies on the Kongur and Tarshkorgan extensional system, suggest an interesting picture of strong piedmont compressional thrusting activity concurrent with interorogen extensional rifting. Combining these results with previously published work on the lithospheric architecture of the Pamir, we propose that gravitational collapse drove the formation of simultaneous extensional and compressional structures with a weak, ductile middle crustal layer acting as a décollement along which both the extensional and compressional faults merged.

Discovery of Permian islandarc basalts in the Cenxi area and the tectonic significance

Cenxi Permian basalts are the late Palaeozoic island-arc type basalts first found in South China. REE and trace element characteristics and distribution patterns show that this volcanic formation, which has been isotopically dated at 261 MaB. P. by the39Ar/40Ar method, is of an active continental marginal island arc type, and that the tectonic environment at that time was an island-arc marginal sea or minor ocean basin related with the paleo-Tethyan tectonic belt in western Guangdongeastern Guangxi.

Geometry and Kinematic Evolution of the Hotan-Tiklik Segment of the Western Kunlun Thrust Belt: Constrained by Structural Analyses and Apatite Fission Track Thermochronology

The western Kunlun thrust belt defines the boundary between the stable Tarim Basin in the north and the intensely deformed Cenozoic Tibetan Plateau in the south. Because of its important tectonic position, understanding its tectonic evolution should have important implications for propagation of deformation from Tibet to its neighboring cratonal regions during India-Eurasia convergence. We here present new structural analyses based on field investigations and seismic reflection profiles across the Hotan-Tiklik segment of the western Kunlun thrust belt. The results indicate that the structural section crosses two major thrust zones: the Tiklik zone in the hinterland to the south and the Hotan zone in the foreland to the north. Within these, the Hotan thrust zone is thin skinned, with its deformation characterized by fault-bend folding and fault slipping along detachment layers, whereas the Tiklik thrust zone involves basement, with its deformation driven by the currently steeply dipping Tiklik fault. Results from apatite fission track thermochronology in combination with growth strata and balanced cross section indicate that the Hotan-Tiklik segment underwent two-stage deformation: (1) development of the Tiklik thrust during the late Oligocene–early Miocene and again since the mid- to late Miocene and (2) activity of the Hotan thrust since the mid- to late Miocene as a result of basinward propagation of thrusting. The balanced cross section, combined with the apatite fission track results, suggests that the Hotan-Tiklik segment contributes a total shortening magnitude of more than ca. 34 ± 6 km. Within this, ca. 4 ± 2 and ca. 23 ± 1 km of the shortenings were absorbed by the Hotan anticline and the Hotan detachment fault, respectively, both of which were related to detachment layers. This suggests that detachment layers played an efficient role in propagating deformation from the western Tibetan Plateau into the Tarim Basin.

On the timing and forcing mechanism of a mid-Miocene arid climate transition at the NE margins of the Tibetan Plateau: stratigraphic and sedimentologic evidence from the Sikouzi Section

Abstract The Sikouzi Section is located towards the northern limits of the East Asian summer monsoon, providing the opportunity of placing the stratigraphic record into the context of the East Asian summer monsoon history. We present here the results of the details of the sedimentology of the Neogene succession of the section and use these to provide insights into the evolving history of the East Asian summer monsoon. The record is marked by a strongly expressed early Miocene lacustrine phase. A well-defined evaporate bed defines the top of the lacustrine succession, marking the onset of more arid conditions during the middle Miocene. The overlying succession is dominated by a series of alluvial packages, extending into the late Pleistocene with varying stratigraphic architectures and including a subordinate lacustrine component. Given the regional setting, the onset of drier conditions during the middle Miocene must relate to a downturn of summer monsoon activity. We focus on the question: what ‘forced’ this palaeoclimate event? Earlier biostratigraphic work places the explanation of this change into the context of the global-scale middle Miocene climate reorganisation. Here we explore this question in the context of regional-scale climate dynamics and propose that the onset of drier conditions over the study area was a response to atmospheric subsidence driven by circulation changes related to the growth of the Tibetan Plateau.