Hou Quanlin

Time range of Mesozoic tectonic regime inversion in eastern North China Block

An important tectonic inversion took place in eastern North China Block(NCB) during Mesozoic, which caused a great lithosphere thinning, reconstruction of basin-range series, powerful interaction between mantle and crust, a vast granitic intrusion and volcanism, and large-scale metallogenic explosion. The time range of the Mesozoic tectonic regime inversion in the eastern North China Block is one of the key issues to understand mechanism of tectonic regime inversion. Our updated results for recognizing the time range are mainly obtained from the following aspects: structural analyses along northern and southern margins of the NCB and within the NCB for revealing tectonic inversion from compression to extension and structural striking from ~EW to NNE; geothermic analyses of the eastern sedimental basins for a great change of thermal history and regime; basin analysis for basin inversion from compression to extension and basin migration from ~EW to NNE; petrological and geochemical studies of volcanic rocks and lowermost crust xenoliths for recognizing peak period of mantle upwelling and intense interaction between mantle and crust, and main metallogenic epoch. All the studies of the above give the same time range from~150-140 Ma to~110-100Ma, peaking at ~120 Ma.

13 C NMR spectra of tectonic coals and the effects of stress on structural components

High-resolution 13 C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectra of different kinds of tectonic coals were obtained using the NMR (CP/MAS+TOSS) method. On the basis of this, after simulation synthesis and division of spectra, the relative contents of carbon functional groups were calculated. Combined with results of Ro, max, XRD testing and element analysis, stress effects on the composition of macromolecular structures in tectonic coals were studied further. The results showed that Ro, max was not only the important index for describing coal rank, but was also effective for estimating the stress effect of tectonic coals. Under tectonic stress acion, Ro, max was the most direct indicator of the coal structure and chemical components. Changes in the stacking Lc of the coal basic structure unit (BSU) and La/Lc parameters could distinguish the temperature and stress effects on metamorphic-deformed environments, and relected the degree of structural deformation. Therefore, on the whole, Lc and La/Lc can be used to index of the degree of structural deformation of tectonic coals. In different metamorphic and deformed environments, different kinds of tectonic coals are formed under structural stress. The changes in characteristics of the macromolecular structure and chemical composition are such that as the increase in structural deformation becomes stronger, from the brittle deformation coal to ductile deformation coal, the ratio of width at the half height of the aromatic carbon and aliphatic carbon peaks (Hfa/Hfal) was increased. As carbon aromaticity was raised further, carbon aliphaticity reduced obviously and different compositions of macromolecular structure appeared as a jump and wave pattern except for in wrinkle structure coal, which might result chiefly from stress effects on the macromolecular structure of different kinds of tectonic coals. The macro-moecular changes of wrinkle structure coal are reflected mainly on physical structure. In the metamorphic and deformed environments of the middle and high rank coals, different kinds of tectonic coals, when compared with the metamorphic and deformed environments of low rank coal, have a greater change in Hfa/Hfal, carbon aromaticity, carbon aliphaticity and a different composition of macromolecular structure. So these parameters can be used to estimate in-creases of coal rank, and to a certain degree, the stress effects on structural components of tectonic coals.

Study of thrust and nappe tectonics in the eastern Jiaodong Peninsula, China

Thrust and nappe tectonics have affected the eastern Jiaodong Peninsula, the easternmost terminal of the Sulu Ultra-high Pressure Metamorphic Belt. Four nappes have been mapped, named respectively the Shidao, Rongcheng, Mishan and Mouping nappes. The methods used included multi-scale structural analysis and structural chronology analysis. These nappes define four deep level slip-thrust shear zones that were mainly active in the Mesozoic. The amount of ductile deformation decreases from the Shidao to Rongcheng to Mouping to Mishan shear zones, and shows an inverse relationship with temperature. 40Ar/39Ar chronological analysis and the chronological results of former workers reveal four movement steps defined by the development of thrusts and nappes in the late Triassic (210–180 Ma), extensional movement from the Jurassic to early Cretaceous (180–130 Ma), slip-thrust movement in the Early Cretaceous (130–120 Ma), and extensional movement since the Late Cretaceous (120 Ma). The order of boundary shear zone motion in the period of slip-thrust movement during the Early Cretaceous (130–120 Ma) was along the Shidao, Rongcheng, Mouping and finally the Mishan shear zone. This resulted in clockwise rotation of the nappes relative to block west to the Tan-Lu Faults. Because of the similar evolutionary history of the Tan-Lu Faults and the thrust and nappe structure in the eastern Jiaodong Peninsula, slip dislocation along the Tan-Lu Faults might have been absorbed by thrust and nappe tectonics in the Jiaodong area in the Mesozoic era, resulting in much less dislocation on the Tan-Lu faults in North Eastern China than that in south along the Jiaodong Peninsula.

Tectono-chronologic constraints on a Mesozoic slip and thrust belt in the eastern Jiaodong Peninsula

A major slip and thrust belt within the eastern Jiaodong Peninsula is located at the eastern terminal of the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt between the Sino-Korea Block and Yangtze Block. Although a lot of isotope chronologic data have been obtained regionally, little structural chronological research has been conducted in this region and this paper corrects that. Syn-deformational minerals were systematically selected from samples of the NE-ENE trending transpressional shear zones and transpressional nappes and carefully analysed using 40Ar/39Ar methods. Two tectonic events were defined with the first event resulting from early movement of transpressional nappes around 190 Ma ago. This accords with the period of syn-orogenic sinistral slip of the Tan-Lu faults and clockwise shear in the Eastern Qinling-Tongbaishan part of the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt. The second event involved strikeslip thrust movement of deep shear zones between 130Ma and 120Ma. This resulted from the onset of Mesozoic tectonic conversion in the eastern Jiaodong Peninsula. The sinistral strikeslip-thrusting in Jiaodong Peninsula and the extensional tectonism (toward ESE) in Liaodong Peninsula probably resulted in the clockwise rotation of Korea Peninsula in late Mesozoic.

Geochemical Characters of Water Coproduced with Coalbed Gas and Shallow Groundwater in Liulin Coalfield of China

To reveal the geochemical characters of water coproduced with coalbed gas and shallow groundwater, water samples were collected from 12 wells of coalbed methane and 7 wells of shallow groundwater. The pH, CODMn, fCO(2), total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness, and concentrations of metasilicic acid, sodium and kalium, calcium ion, magnesium ion, ammonium iron, bicarbonate ion, carbonate, chloride, sulfate ion, nitrate ion, fluoride, lithium, zinc, nickel, manganese, iron, boron, barium, etc. of the samples were measured. Research results showed the following: (1) Concentrations of TDS, chloride, fluoride, sodium and kalium, ammonium, iron, and barium in the water coproduced with coalbed gas exceeded the national standards of China; however, physical, chemical, and biological properties of shallow groundwater could meet the national standard. (2) The water produced from coalbed contained mainly Na-Cl center dot HCO3, with average TDS of 4588.5 ppm, whereas shallow groundwater contained a mixture of chemicals including Na center dot Mg center dot Ca-HCO3 center dot SO4 and Na center dot Mg-HCO3 center dot SO4, with average TDS of 663.8 ppm. (3) In general, it was observed that bicarbonate and sodium accumulated in a reducing environment and deeper system, while depletion of hydrogen ions and dissolution of sulfate, calcium, and magnesium occurred in a redox environment and shallow system. (4) Sodium and kalium, ammonium, chloride, and bicarbonate ions were the main ions found in the study area.

Response of Macromolecular Structure to Deformation in Tectonically Deformed Coal

The structural evolution of tectonically deformed coals (TDC) with different deformational mechanisms and different deformational intensities are investigated in depth through X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis on 31 samples of different metamorphic grades (Ro, max: 0.7%–3.1%) collected from the Huaibei coalfield. The results indicated that there are different evolution characteristics between the ductile and brittle deformational coals with increasing of metamorphism and deformation. On the one hand, with the increase of metamorphism, the atomic plane spacing (d002) is decreasing at step velocity, the stacking of the BSU layer (Lc) is increasing at first and then decreasing, but the extension of the BSU layer (La) and the ratio of La/Lc are decreasing initially and then increasing. On the other hand, for the brittle deformational coal, d002 is increasing initially and then decreasing, which causes an inversion of the variation of Lc and La under the lower-middle or higher-middle metamorphism grade when the deformational intensity was increasing. In contrast, in the ductile deformational coals, d002 decreased initially and then increased, and the value of Lc decreased with the increase of deformational intensity. But the value of La increased under the lower-middle metamorphism grade and increased at first and then decreased under the higher-middle metamorphism grade. We conclude that the degradation and polycondensation of TDC macromolecular structure can be obviously impacted during the ductile deformational process, because the increase and accumulation of unit dislocation perhaps transforms the stress into strain energy. Meanwhile, the brittle deformation can transform the stress into fractional heat energy, and promote the metamorphism and degradation as well. It can be concluded that deformation is more important than metamorphism to the differential evolution of the ductile and brittle deformational coals.

Renewed profile of the Mesozoic magmatism in Korean Peninsula: Regional correlation and broader implication for cratonic destruction in the North China Craton

Widespread Mesozoic magmatism occurs in the Korean Peninsula (KP). The status quo is poles apart between the northern and southern parts in characterizing its distribution and nature, with the nearly absence of any related information in North Korea. We have the opportunity to have conducted geological investigations in North Korea and South Korea during the past ten years through international cooperation programs. This led to the revelation of a number of granitoids and related volcanic rocks and thus facilitates the comparison with those in East China and Japan. Mesozoic granitoids in the KP can be divisible into three age groups: the Triassic group with a peak age of ~220 Ma, the Jurassic one of ~190–170 Ma and the late Early Cretaceous one of ~110 Ma. The Triassic intrusions include syenite, calc-alkaline to alkaline granite and minor kimberlite in the Pyeongnam Basin of North Korea. They have been considered to form in post-orogenic settings related to the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) or the Dabie-Sulu Orogenic Belt (DSOB). The Jurassic granitoids constitute extensive occurrence in the KP and are termed as the Daebo-period magmatism. They correlate well with coeval counterparts in NE China encompassing the northeastern part of the North China Craton (NCC) and the eastern segment of the CAOB. They commonly consist of biotite or two-mica granites and granodiorites, with some containing small dark diorite enclaves. On one hand, Early Jurassic to early Middle Jurassic magmatic rocks are rare in most areas of the NCC, whilst Middle-Late Jurassic ones are not developed in the KP. On the other hand, both NCC and KP host abundant Cretaceous granites. However, the present data revealed contrasting age peaks, with ~130–125 Ma in the NCC and ~110–105 Ma in the KP. Cretaceous granites in the KP comprise the dominant biotite granites and a few amphibole granites. The former exhibit mildly fractionated REE patterns and zircon εHf(t) values from -15 to -25, whereas the latter feature strongly fractionated REE patterns and zircon εHf(t) values from -10 to -1. Both granites contain inherited zircons of ~1.8–1.9 or ~2.5 Ga. These geochemical characters testify to their derivation from re-melting distinct protoliths in ancient basement. Another Cretaceous magmatic sub-event has been entitled as the Gyeongsang volcanism, which is composed of bimodal calc-alkaline volcanic rocks of 94–55 Ma and granitic-hypabyssal granitic bodies of 72–70 Ma. Synthesizing the Mesozoic magmatic rocks across the KP, NCC and Japan can lead to the following highlights: (1) All Triassic granites in the NCC, KP and Japan have similar characteristics in petrology, chronology and geochemistry. Therefore, the NCC, KP and Japan tend to share the same tectonic setting during the Triassic, seemingly within the context of Indosinian orogensis. (2) Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous magmatic rocks in the NCC seem to define two episodes: episode A from 175 to 157 Ma and episode B from 157 to 135 Ma. Jurassic magmatic rocks in the KP span in age mainly from 190 to 170 Ma, whereas 160–135 Ma ones are rare. With the exception of ~197 Ma Funatsu granite, Jurassic magmatic rocks are absent in Japan. (3) Cretaceous granites in the KP have a peak age of ~110, ~20 Ma younger than those in the NCC, while Japan is exempt from ~130–100 Ma granites. (4) The spatial-temporal distribution and migratory characteristics of the Jurassic-Cretaceous magmatic rocks in Japan, KP, and NE China-North China indicate that the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate might not be operative before Late Cretaceous (~130–120 Ma). (5) Late Cretaceous magmatic rocks (~90–60 Ma) occur in the southwestern corner of the KP and also in Japan, coinciding with the metamorphic age of ~90–70 Ma in the Sanbagawa metamorphic belt of Japan. The magmatic-metamorphic rock associations and their spatial distribution demonstrate the affinities of sequentially subduction zone, island arc and back-arc basin from Japan to Korea, arguing for the Pacific plate subduction during Late Cretaceous. (6) This study raises another possibility that the Mesozoic cratonic destruction in the NCC, which mainly occurred during ~150–120 Ma, might not only be due to the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate, but also owe much to the intraplate geodynamic forces triggered by other adjacent continental plates like the Eurasian and Indian plates.

Mantle/crust evolution and eco-environmental effects as exemplified by Zhangjiakou-West Beijing region

The living circumstances of human beings are closely related to the geological environment. As exemplified by the Zhangjiakou-West Beijing region, this paper describes the intensive mantle-crust uplift, which led to anomalous element background values for regional rocks (ores) and soils. As a result, some agricultural crops, and forests and fruits are of “superquality and high yield” or of “poor quality and low yield”. The anomalous elements can find their way into grains, fruits, vegetables and drinking water and then will be taken by human beings, constituting a food chain, which would directly impact human health and lead to the spread of some endemic diseases. Studies have shown that the geomorphological features in the Zhangjiakou-West Beijing region are the outcome of geotectonic evolution since the Mesozoic. Mantle-crust movement is the key factor leading to the evolution and change of the regionally geological environment.

Geochemical evidence for the characteristic of the 1908 Tunguska explosion body in Siberia, Russia

Twenty-two peat samples collected at different depths of a core including the layer affected by the 1908 explosion in Tunguska area of Central Siberia, Russia, and three basalt samples collected near the site, are analyzed by ICP-MS. The concentrations of Pd, Ni, Co, ΣREE, Ti and Sr in the event layers are 4–35 times higher than the background values in the normal layers. The variation of Pd is closely related to Ni, Co and ΣREE in the event layers, but not to these elements in the normal layers. It indicates that these excess elements came from the same source, i.e. the Tunguska explosion body. In addition, the patterns of Cl-chondrite-normalized REE in the event layers ((La/Yb)N ≈2–3) are much flatter than those in the normal layers ((La/Yb)N ≈7–143), and differ from those in the three basalt samples. The concentrations of REE in the three basalt samples are tens times higher than those in the event layers. It may be inferred that these excess elements could not be produced by the contamination of the terrestrial material, but probably by the Tunguska explosion body. Additionally, the ratios of Ti/Ni and Sr/Co in the event layers are close to those in comet. It implies that the solid part of the explosion body was compositionally similar to carbonaceous chondrites (Cl) and more probably a small comet. In terms of the Pd excess fluxes in the explosion area, it can be estimated that the celestial body that exploded over Tunguska in 1908 weighed more than 107 tons, corresponding to a radius of > 126 m.

Deformation Localization-A Review on the Maximum-Effective-Moment （MEM） Criterion

The essential difference in the formation of conjugate shear zones in brittle and ductile deformation is that the intersection angle between brittle conjugate faults in the contractional quadrants is acute (usually ∼60°) whereas the angle between conjugate ductile shear zones is obtuse (usually 110°). The Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion, an experimentally validated empirical relationship, is commonly applied for interpreting the stress directions based on the orientation of the brittle shear fractures. However, the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion fails to explain the formation of the low-angle normal fault, high-angle reverse fault, and the conjugate strike-slip fault with an obtuse angle in the σ1 direction. Although it is ten years since the Maximum-Effective-Moment (MEM) criterion was first proposed, and increasingly solid evidence in support of it has been obtained from both observed examples in nature and laboratory experiments, it is not yet a commonly accepted model to use to interpret these anti-Mohr-Coulomb features that are widely observed in the natural world. The deformational behavior of rock depends on its intrinsic mechanical properties and external factors such as applied stresses, strain rates, and temperature conditions related to crustal depths. The occurrence of conjugate shear features with obtuse angles of ∼110° in the contractional direction on different scales and at different crustal levels are consistent with the prediction of the MEM criterion, therefore ∼110° is a reliable indicator for deformation localization that occurred at medium-low strain rates at any crustal levels. Since the strain-rate is variable through time in nature, brittle, ductile, and plastic features may appear within the same rock.