～4.1 Ga xenocrystal zircon from Ordovician volcanic rocks in western part of North Qinlin80rosenic Belt

High-precision U-Pb dating by in situ LA-ICP-MS yields an age of 4079±5 Ma for a xenocrystal zircon from Ordovician volcanics of the Caotangou Group in western part of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt. As a result, the North Qinling Orogenic Belt becomes one of a few localities in the world that contain Hadean age records （4276±6 Ma and 4404±8 Ma detrital zircons from Jack Hill of the Yilgarn craton, 4016 Ma Acasta gneisses of the Wopmay Orogeny and Burang quartzite with detrital zircon of 4103 Ma in Tibet）. It is also the first report of the Hadean age in Phanerozoic volcanics. The finding of the 4.1 Ga xenocrystal zircon provides not only the geochronological record of the oldest crustal materials in China, but also the condition for further search for rocks forming in the region during the early time of the Earth＇s evolution. Thirty-six zircon U-Pb dates from the Ordovician volcanic rocks are subgrouped into seven generations that represent different tectono-magmatic events in the North Qinling Orogenic Belt. Among them, two periods of 0.9--1.5 Ga and 0.4--0.5 Ga are consistent with Mesoproterozoic and Early Paleozoic orogenies, respectively.     

～4.1 Ga xenocrystal zircon from Ordovician volcanic rocks in western part of North Qinling Orogenic Belt

High-precision U-Pb dating by in situ LA-ICP-MS yields an age of 4079±5 Ma for a xenocrystal zircon from Ordovician volcanics of the Caotangou Group in western part of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt. As a result, the North Qinling Orogenic Belt becomes one of a few localities in the world that contain Hadean age records (4276±6 Ma and 4404±8 Ma detrital zircons from Jack Hill of the Yilgarn craton, 4016 Ma Acasta gneisses of the Wopmay Orogeny and Burang quartzite with detrital zircon of 4103 Ma in Tibet). It is also the first report of the Hadean age in Phanerozoic volcanics. The finding of the 4.1 Ga xenocrystal zircon provides not only the geochronological record of the oldest crustal materials in China, but also the condition for further search for rocks forming in the region during the early time of the Earth’s evolution. Thirty-six zircon U-Pb dates from the Ordovician volcanic rocks are subgrouped into seven generations that represent different tectono-magmatic events in the North Qinling Orogenic Belt. Among them, two periods of 0.9-1.5 Ga and 0.4-0.5 Ga are consistent with Mesoproterozoic and Early Paleozoic orogenies, respectively.     

Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb dating of meta-diorite from the basement of the Songliao Basin and its geological significance

Located in the east portion of the North Orogenic Belt, the Songliao Basin is bounded by the Da Hinggan Mountains in the west, the Xiao Hinggan Mountains in the north, the Zhangguangcai Range in the east, and the North China Craton (NCC) in the south (Fig…     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of the Jinchuan ultramafic intrusion and its geological significance

The Jinchuan ultramafic intrusion is located in the Longshoushan Uplift on the southwestern margin of the Alxa Block, to the north of the Northern Qilian Orogenic Belt (Fig.1). It is broadly dyke-like, and was intruded into a Paleoproterozoic sequence of migmatites, gneisses and marbles (Baijiazhuizi Formation). The intrusion is northwest-elongated, -6500 m long and 20-527 m wide, and     

New Early Triassic paleomagnetic data from Huangben section, Guangdong and its tectonic implications

Continent China is composed of several blocks of variable sizes during different geological times, inwhich South China Block is composed of three tectonic units: Yangtze Block, Jiangnan Fold Belt and Southeast China Coastal Fold Belt (Fig. 1(a)), the last…     

Paleozoic sedimentary record of the Xing-Meng Orogenic Belt,Inner Mongolia: Implications for the provenances and tectonic evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

The Xing-Meng Orogenic Belt is the eastern extension of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, which marks the boundary between the North China and Siberian blocks. Key information on the collision between these two blocks and the evolution of this orogenic belt at the end of the Paleozoic are preserved in the widely distributed Paleozoic sedimentary sequences. Petrographic studies of the clastic sedimentary rocks from the Ordovician to the Permian in this region have shown that the rocks are mainly greywackes and arkosic sandstones characterized by low maturity, poor sorting and a large number of lithic fragments. Provenances of Paleozoic sandstones are mainly newly accreted crustal materials. Nd model ages range from the Neoproterozoic to the Late Mesoproterozoic. These ages are very different from those of the North China Block, but the change of εNd(t) (from the initial εNd value) is similar to that of igneous rocks in the Xing-Meng Orogen. This result indicates that provenances of these Paleozoic sedimentary rocks mainly arise from the Xing-Meng Orogen itself. These clastic sedimentary rocks mainly consist of inputs of juvenile accreted crustal materials and limited recycled old crusts. Their provenance is controlled by the following three end members: a felsic basement, a partially melted mafic, and a mafic end member. From the point view of lithology, these three end members must have mixed in a ratio of 53:41:5 to form the average composition of the clastic sedimentary rocks. The depositional environment began to change from an arc to an orogen during the Permian, and therefore the collision was complete before the Triassic. This interpretation is consistent with the argument that the final collision time was at the end of the Permian or beginning of the Triassic.     

LA-ICP-MS U–Pb geochronology of detrital zircons from the Zhaochigou Formation-complex in the Helan Mountain and its tectonic significance

This paper carries out studies about LA-ICPMS U–Pb dating and Hf isotopic compositional analysis for detrital zircons in two metasedimentary samples that were taken from the Zhaochigou Formation-complex in the Helan Mountain.The results show that the Zhaochigou Formation-complex formed*1.96 Ga,and it is a part of the Khondalite Series that is widespread in the North China Craton(NCC).The age spectrum of the detrital zircons indicates that the Zhaochigou Formation-complex shared the same provenance with the eastern edge of the Khondalite Series.Products of ancient magmatic activities within the Khondalite Belt may be the major source for the sedimentary materials that formed the Khondalite Series.Our age-dating results suggest that the Khondalite Series in the NCC may have experienced two stages of metamorphism,as the early stage occurred during 1.96–1.95 Ga,and the later stage occurred at about 1.87 Ga.The Hfisotopic data indicate that the Western Block of the NCC endured a stage of crustal growth at 2.5–2.3 Ga.     

Palaeoproterozoic Khondalite Belt in the western North China Craton： New evidence from SHRIMP datin8 and Hf isotope composition of zircons from metamorphic rocks in the Bayan Ui-Helan Mountains area

Zircom U-Pb age and Hf isotope analyses were made on gneissic granite and garnet-mica two-feldspar gneiss from the Helanshan Group in the Bayan Ul-Helan Mountains area, the western block of the North China Craton (NCC). Zircons from the gneissic granite commonly show core-mantle-rim structures, with magmatic core, metamorphic mantle and rim having ages of 2323±20 Ma, 1923±28 Ma and 1856±12 Ma, respectively. The core, mantle and rim show similar Hf isotope compositions, with single-stage depleted mantle model ages (TDM1) of 2455 to 2655 Ma (19 analyses). Most of the detrital zircons from the garnet-mica two-feldspar paragneiss have a concentrated U-Pb age distribution, with a weighted mean 207Pb/206Pb age of 1978±17 Ma. A few detrital zircons are older (2871 to 2469 Ma). The age for metamorphic overgrown rim was not determined because of strong Pb loss due to their high U content. The zircons show large variation in Hf isotope composition, with TDM1 ages of 1999 to 3047 Ma. In com- bination with previous studies, the main conclusions are as follows: (1) protolith of the khondalite se- ries in the Helanshan Group formed during Palaeoproterozoic rather than the Archaean as previously considered; (2) The results lend support to the contention that there is a huge Palaeoproterozoic Khondalite (metasedimentary) Belt between the Yinshan Mountains Block and the Ordos Block in the Western Block of NCC; (3) The widely-distributed bodies of early Palaeoproterozoic orthogneisses in the Khondalite Belt might be one of the important sources for detritus material in the khondalite series; (4) Collision between the Yinshan Block, the Ordos Block and the Eastern Block occurred in the same tectonothermal event of late Palaeoproterozoic, resulting in the final assembly of the NCC.     

Discovery of Caledonian island-arc granodiorite-tonalite in Buqingshan, Qinghai Province

The granodiorite-tonalite rock occurred in ophiolitic melange was discovered in Buqingshan area, Qinghai Province. Its Rb-Sr isochron age is 578.15 ± 54.4 Ma which belongs to Early Paleozoic. The rock, belonging to calcic-alkaline series, has the features of island-arc granite, which hints that oceanic crust subduction and island-arc magmatism occurred in this area in Early Paleozoic. This discovery is of great significance to recognize the tectonic framework and evolution of this area even as far as the Central Orogenic Belt.     

Magnetostratigraphy of the Zanda basin in southwest Tibet Plateau and its tectonic implications

The Zanda basin is one of the very important basins at the north slope of the Himalaya Range. Thus the study of the basin strata will provide critical information about the tectonic evolution of the Himalayan Orogenic Belt. 268 oriented block samples were collected in the 750-m-thick sections of the Zanda basin. The characteristic remanent magnetization （ChRM） was isolated that decays linearly to the origin between 500℃ and 690℃for most studied samples. An age range of 9.5-2.6 Ma was estimated from the correlation between our observed polarity column and the Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale （GPTS）. The age of the Zanda basin does not support the models that the South Tibetan Detach system （STDS） is one of the basin controlling faults. Given the sedimentological features in the basin and the tectonic features at the north edge of the basin, the Zanda basin was a half graben that was possibly controlled by the Karakorum fault on the northeast.     

SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology of the zircons from the Precambrian basement of the Qilian Block and its geological significances

Origin and tectonic evolution of the Qilian Precambrian basement on NW China were investigated using zircon U-Pb ages with collaborating stratigraphic and paleontological evidence. Zircon grains were separated from two schists, two granitic gneisses and one mylonized gneiss and dated with SHRIMP. Seventy percent of sixty-one detrital zircon ages from two schists ranges from 0.88 Ga to 3.09 Ga, mostly within 1.0 Ga to 1.8 Ga with a peak at 1.6 Ga to 1.8 Ga, and twenty percent varies from 2.0 Ga to 2.5 Ga. A few falls in the Archean and Neoproterozoic periods. The two granitic gneisses were dated 930±8 Ma and 918±14 Ma, whereas the mylonized granitic gneiss was dated 790±12 Ma. These ages represent two periods of magmatisms, which can be correlated with the early and late stages of magmatisms associated with the Jinningian movement on the Yangtze Blocks. The results from this and previous studies indicate that the ages of the Precambrian detrital zircons from the Qilian Block are widely distributed in the Proterozoic era, distinct from the North China Block which was stable in the Neo-Mesoproterozoic era. By contrast, the age histograms of the detrital zircons from the Qilian Block is similar to those from Precambrian basement of the Yangtze Craton. Therefore, it is suggested that the Qilian Block had a strong affinity toward the Yangtze Craton and might belong to the supercontinent Gondwana in the Neoproterozoic time. This inference is supported by Nd model age (TDM), stratigraphic, and paleontological evidence. It is further considered that the Qilian Block was rifted from the supercontinent Gondwana during late Sinian to form an isolated continent in the Proto-Tethyan Ocean, moving towards the Alaxa Block in the North China Craton. The part of Proto-Tethyan Ocean between the Qilian and Alaxa Blocks should correspond to the so-called Paleo-Qilian Ocean. Following the closure of the Paleo-Qilian Ocean in the early Paleozoic, the Qilian Block collided with the Alaxa Block to form the North Qilian Orogenic Belt. Based on this tectonic explanation, the North Qilian ophiolites should represent parts of lithosphere from the Proto-Tethyan Ocean. Lithological and geochronological evidence also indicates that the Qilian Block underwent continental reactivation possibly induced by the deep northward subduction of the North Qaidam Block in early Paleozoic time.     

Precipitation of rutile needles in garnet from sillimanite-bearing pelitic granulite from the Khondalite Belt,North China Craton

Pelitic granulite from the Khondalite Belt, North China Craton, is composed of garnet, sillimanite, perthite, biotite and quartz. Oriented rutile needles in gar- net are reported for the first time from the granulite. The rutile needles have been identified by optical microscopy and confirmed by in situ Raman spectroscopy, where they show the characteristic bands at 446-448 and 610 cm-1. Because of their very strong shape preferred orientation in 3-4 easily observable directions, these futile needles are interpreted to have formed by precipitation during exhu- mation and cooling following peak metamorphism. The ternary feldspar geothermometer gives a peak metamorphic temperature of ,- 980 ℃ at 10 kbar. The presence of oriented rutile needles in garnet is suggested to be a valuable indicator of ultrahigh-temperature （UHT） metamorphism in the Khondalite Belt and therefore likely in other UHT terrains.     

Zircon U–Pb and Hf isotopic study of Neoproterozoic granitic gneisses from the Alatage area,Xinjiang:constraints on the Precambrian crustal evolution in the Central Tianshan Block

The architecture and growth history of Precambrian crustal basements in the Central Tianshan Block play a key role in understanding the tectonic evolution of the Chinese Tianshan Orogenic Belt.In this study,we present precise LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb dating and LAMC-ICPMS zircon Hf isotopic data for two granitic gneisses from Alatage area in the Central Tianshan Block.The magmatic zircons from both samples yield similar protolith ages of 945±6 and 942±6 Ma,indicating that the early Neoproterozoic magmatism is prevailed in the Alatage area.These zircons have crustal Hf model ages of1.82–2.22 and 1.70–2.03 Ga,respectively,which are significantly older than their crystallization ages.It indicates that their parental magmas were derived from the reworking of ancient crust.However,we suggest that these Paleoproterozoic Hf model ages might result from mixing of continental materials with different ages in the Neoproterozoic crust.The inherited(detrital)zircon cores not only yield a wide age range of ca.989–1617 Ma,but also exhibit large Hf-isotope variations with Hf model ages of1.54–2.30 Ga.In particular,some 1.4–1.6 Ga zircons show high initial176Hf/177Hf ratios,consistent with those of depleted mantle,which indicates that the Mesoproterozoic event involved both reworking of older crust and generation of juvenile crust.The Central Tianshan Block has different Precambrian crustal growth history from the Tarim Craton.Therefore,it would not be a fragment of the Precambrian basement of the Tarim Craton.     

Deep-water Oligocene pollen record from South China Sea

Leg 184 of ODP recovered a record of deepwater sediments spanning the past 32.8 Ma from the South China Sea (SCS). The sediments of the Ofigocene (32.8-23.8 Ma) at Site 1148 contain relatively abundant fossil pollen. The pollen analysis at Site 1148 has established the first pollen assemblage sequence of deep-water Oligocene in the China Sea. The pollen assemblages of the Ofigocene are dominated by montane conifer tree pollen. The abundances of broad-leaved tree pollen are lower in the assemblages.Both of the montane conifer and broad-leaved tree pollen groups include mainly tropical-subtropical components. The pollen of cold and drought-enduring plants is present in lower content. The distinct change in pollen assemblage sequence of deep-water Oligocene of the SCS occurred at 32.0 Ma, indicative of an important shift of the Oligocene climate in the SCS region. The characteristics of the pollen flora of the deep-water Oligocene indicate the tropical montane ralnforest and lowland ralnforest developed on the areas around the SCS before 32.0 Ma, reflecting the warm and wet climatic condition. In the pollen flora of the Oligocene after 32.0 Ma, the temperate montane conifer and cool and drought-en- during deciduous tree taxa remarkably increased, indicating that the climate in the SCS region became comparatively cool and dry.     

Some evidence of drying trend over northern China from 1951 to 2004

The surface wetness index, Palmer drought sererity index and the retrieval of soil moisture over China were calculated using monthly precipitation and monthly mean surface air temperature. Based on the contrast analysis of the variation of the above three indices and precipitation, the dry/wet spatio-temporal pattern of northern China in the last 54 years was revealed, and the evidence of drying trend over northern China was analyzed, especially. The results show the following four facts: (1) The drying trend is the main characteristic of the eastern part of Northwest China and the central part of North China since the 1980s and it was enhanced in the last 15 years mainly due to the precipitation decrease and the temperature increase; (2) During the last 54 years, there was only one dry/wet shift at the interdecadal scale occurring in the eastern part of Northwest China and the central part of North China in the late 1970s, which was related to 1977/1978 global abrupt change, whereas there were three shifts in Northeast China, one was in the mid 1990s and the other two were in 1965 and 1983, respectively; (3) Unlike the variation trend of other subregions of northern China, the western part of Northwest China is currently located in a relatively wetting period, which is weak-ened due to the temperature increase; (4) The extreme drought frequency is obviously increasing in the eastern part of Northwest China, the central part of North China and Northeast China since the 1980s, which is closely related to the precipitation decrease and temperature increase in these subregions.     

The newly-developed Cambrian biostratigraphic succession and chronostratigraphic scheme for South China

Biostratigraphy and chronostratigraphy are common means of subdividing rock strata. The biostratigraphic succession and chronostratigraphic scheme are regarded as the basis for the subdivision and correlation of regional and global stratigraphic units. This paper reviews research on the biostratigraphy and chronostratigraphy carried out in the Jiangnan Slope Belt, South China since 1978, and, in particular, the biostratigraphic succession and chronostratigraphic scheme developed in the last decade. The updated biostratigraphic succession of South China includes 36 biozones, the base of each of which is defined by the first appearance of a single taxon （index fossil）, and a poorly fossiliferous interzone. The updated chronostratigraphic scheme of South China comprises 4 series and 10 stages, embracing 3 global chronostratigraphic units, the Guzhangian Stage, Furongian Series, and Paibian Stage, and 2 GSSPs, all of which are erected in northwestern Hunan and 2 International Tie Points recognized in sections also in northwestern Hunan and each was accepted by the International Subcommission on Cambrian Stratigraphy for defining the base of the global stage. The biostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic systems are recognized as Chinese standards both domestically and worldwide. Future research is suggested for improving the two sets of stratigraphic standards.     

Zircon SHRIMP geochronology and geochemistry of TTG rocks in Sushui Complex from Zhongtiao Mountains with its geological implications

The tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) rocks in Sushui Complex of Zhongtiao Block can be divided into two series according to their zircon U-Pb ages and geochemical characteristics: one is subduction-related (SR) and the other collision-related (CR). The SR TTG rocks, together with other Late Archean island arc magmatism, were developed as a result of oceanic subduction between the Eastern and Western blocks in Late Archean; while the CR TTG rocks formed in a thickened crustal environment, which was responding to the collision between the Eastern and Western blocks in Paleoproterozoic. All these features support a model that the Zhongtiao Block is a part of the Trans-North China Orogen in the middle of North China Craton.     

Discovery of Cathaysiodendron Lee from the Early Carboniferous of Jingyuan, Gansu, western China

As one of the representative members of the Late Palaeozoic Cathaysian flora, Cathaysiodendron has been previously recorded from the Early Permian Taiyuan and Shanxi Formations in north China. The species of Cathaysiodendron presented here are from the lower member of Chouniugou Formation of Ciyao, Jingyuan, Gansu. The overlying marine beds yield fusulinids that are of Visean age in western Europe and conodonts of the Datang Stage in south China, so that the age of the bed containing Cathaysiodendron as Visean, Early Carboniferous, is well constrained. Such a record of Cathaysiodendron is significant in terms of Carboniferous phytogeography and the evolution of the Cathaysian Lepidophytes. A new species, Cathaysiodendron jingyuanense Wang & Wu sp. nov. is described and a second one mentioned.     

China＇s sizeable and uncertain carbon sink： a perspective from GOSAT

Despite the agreement that China’s terrestrial ecosystems can provide a carbon sink and offset carbon dioxide(CO2)emissions from fossil fuels,the magnitude and spatial distribution of the sink remain uncertain.Accurate quantification of the carbon sequestration capacity of China’s terrestrial ecosystems has profound scientific and policy implications.Here,we report on the magnitude and patterns of China’s terrestrial carbon sink using the global monthly CO2flux data product from the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite(GOSAT),the world’s first satellite dedicated to global greenhouse gas observation.We use the first year’s data from GOSAT(June 2009–May2010)that are currently available to assess China’s biospheric carbon fluxes.Our results show that China’s terrestrial ecosystems provide a carbon sink of-0.21 Pg C a-1.The consumption of fossil fuels in China leads to carbon dioxide emissions of 1.90 Pg C a-1into the atmosphere,approximately 11.1%of which is offset by China’s terrestrial ecosystems.China’s terrestrial ecosystems play a significant role in offsetting fossil fuel emissions and slowing down the buildup of CO2in the atmosphere.Our analysis based on GOSAT data offers a new perspective on the magnitude and distribution of China’s carbon sink.Our results show that China’s terrestrial ecosystems provide a sizeable and uncertain carbon sink,and further research is needed to reduce the uncertainty in its magnitude and distribution.     

Eocrinoid echinoderms from the Lower Cambrian Guanshan Fauna in Wuding, Yunnan, China

This is a brief report of a new occurrence of eocrinoids from the Early Cambrian Wulongqing Formation in Yunnan, China. The eocrinoids from the Guanshan fauna are among the earliest known eocrinoids. Different from many other Early and Middle Cambrian eocrinoids, the Guanshan eocrinoids are char-acterized by the absence of sutural pores and epispires, the long and spiral brachioles, the extremely long stalk, and the ratio of the length of the stalk versus that of the calyx. The discovery of the eocri-noids from the Guanshan fauna not only provides new information to the investigation of the early evolution of this animal group, but also shed new light on the occurrence and migration of early eocrinoids.