Early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt in Central China: Insights on continental deep subduction and multiphase exhumation

Liu, Liang; Liao, Xiaoying; Wang, Yawei; Wang, Chao; Santosh, M.; Yang, Min; Zhang, Chengli; Chen, Danling

doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.05.005

Cited by 174 publications

(99 citation statements)

References 95 publications

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“…The resulted UHT granulites were then subjected to a prolonged period of HT metamorphism during the transition from granulite‐ to amphibolite facies conditions, with continuous exhumation to the middle crust till c. 405 Ma (Figure c). A similar tectonic evolution with an early HP to UHP metamorphism and a later HT to UHT granulite facies metamorphism has also been reported in other collisional orogens, such as the North Dabie zone and the North Qinling zone (Gao, Zhang, Zheng, & Chen, ; Liu et al, ). In these orogens, metamorphic rocks produced at low thermal gradients were overprinted by later metamorphism at high thermal gradients, with survival of some inherited structures and compositions from the pre‐existing orogens of collisional origin (Zheng, Dai, et al, ; Zheng, Zhao, et al, ).…”

Section: Implications For the Tectonic Evolution Of The Tongbai Orogensupporting

confidence: 73%

“…The UHP eclogite facies metamorphism in the Qinling orogen was caused by the northward subduction of the North Qinling microcontinent beneath the North China Craton to subarc depths of 80–160 km in the Late Cambrian (Wu & Zheng, ). It was not induced either by the southward subduction of the Erlangping backarc basin beneath the North Qinling zone (Dong et al, ) or by the northward subduction of the South Qinling zone beneath the Qinling arc terrane (Liu et al, ). Nevertheless, the Tongbai orogen displays the HP granulite facies rather than the UHP eclogite facies metamorphism, indicating the North Qinling microcontinent was subducted beneath the Erlangping arc terrane only to forearc depths of <60–80 km during the Late Cambrian in the Tongbai orogen.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is consistent with the northward subduction of the North Qinling microcontinent beneath the Erlangping arc terrane in the Cambrian. The synchronous UHP eclogite facies metamorphism in the Qinling orogen provides robust evidence for continental deep subduction to the subarc depths (Liao et al, ; Liu et al, ; Liu, Yang, et al, ; Wang, Wu, Gao, Liu, et al, ; Wang, Wu, Gao, Zhang, et al, ; Yu et al, ). It is known that continental subduction for collisional orogeny leads to crustal thickening, which is evident in the Rocky Mountains, the Central Andes, and the Himalaya (e.g.…”

Section: Implications For the Tectonic Evolution Of The Tongbai Orogenmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Granulites record the tectonic evolution from collisional thickening to extensional thinning of the Tongbai orogen in central China

Zhang

Gao

Chen

et al. 2020

Journal Metamorphic Geology

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A combined study of petrology and geochemistry was carried out for granulites from the Tongbai orogen in central China. The results reveal the tectonic evolution from collisional thickening to extensional thinning of the lithosphere at the convergent plate boundary. Petrographic observations, zircon U–Pb dating, and pseudosection calculations indicate that the granulites underwent four metamorphic stages, which are categorized into two cycles. The first cycle occurred at 490–450 Ma and involves high‐P (HP) metamorphism (M1) at 785–815°C and 10–14 kbar followed by decompressional heating to 840–880°C and 8–9 kbar for medium‐pressure granulite facies metamorphism (M2), defining a clockwise P–T path. The high pressure is indicated by the occurrence of inclusions of rutile+kyanite+K‐feldspar in the garnet mantle. The second cycle occurred at c. 440 Ma and shows an anticlockwise P–T path with continuous heating to ultrahigh‐temperature (UHT) metamorphism (M3) at 890–980°C and 9–11 kbar, followed by decompressional cooling to 740–880°C and 7–9 kbar (M4) till 405 Ma. The HP metamorphism is synchronous with the ultrahigh‐pressure eclogite facies metamorphism in the Qinling orogen, indicating its relevance to the continental collision in the Cambrian. The UHT metamorphism took place at reduced pressures, indicating thinning of the collision‐thickened orogenic lithosphere. Therefore, the Tongbai orogen was initially thickened by the collisional orogeny and then thinned, possibly as a result of foundering of the orogenic root. Such tectonic evolution may be common in collisional orogens where compression during continental collision switched to extension during continental rifting.

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Section: Implications For the Tectonic Evolution Of The Tongbai Orogensupporting

confidence: 73%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Implications For the Tectonic Evolution Of The Tongbai Orogenmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Granulites record the tectonic evolution from collisional thickening to extensional thinning of the Tongbai orogen in central China

Zhang

Gao

Chen

et al. 2020

Journal Metamorphic Geology

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“…This belt records evidence of multiple periods of tectonism, from the initial period of oceanic/arc subduction/accretion to the final continent–continent collision, and therefore, this belt is believed to represent a composite orogen (Dong et al, ; Dong, Zhang, Hauzenberger, et al, ; Dong, Zhang, Neubauer, et al, ; Liu et al, ; Zhang, Zhang, Yuan, & Xiao, ; Wu & Zheng, ). Traditionally, the QOB has been subdivided into southern and northern belts by the Shangdan Suture Zone (Figure b,c); these two belts exhibit a series of differences in terms of their lithostratigraphy, metamorphism, basement deformation, and late Palaeozoic cover sequences (Dong et al, ; Dong, Zhang, Hauzenberger, et al, ; Dong, Zhang, Neubauer, et al, ; Liu et al, ; Zhang et al, ; Wu & Zheng, ). There is broad consensus that the southern QOB, which consists of pre‐Sinian basement overlain by Neoproterozoic to Triassic sedimentary rock, shows a tectonic affinity to the South China Craton.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the tectonic affinity of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt (NQOB) remains controversial. The available studies have indicated that the NQOB underwent multistage metamorphic events, as high‐pressure (HP) and ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) rocks have been widely recognized in the NQOB (Liu, Cao, et al, ; Liu, Liao, et al, ; Liu et al, ; Wang & Wu, ). These rocks are critical for deciphering the region's geodynamic processes from subduction to the exhumation of crustal materials.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tectonic evolution of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt, Central China: Insights from metamafic rocks of the Songshugou Complex

Diwu

Long

2018

Geological Journal

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High‐pressure (HP) and ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) rocks have been widely recognized in the North Qinling Orogenic Belt (NQOB). The nature and age of their protoliths can provide insights into the formation and evolution of the NQOB. The Songshugou Complex, which crops out along the Shangdan Suture Zone, mainly consists of high‐grade metamorphosed mafic and ultramafic rocks, and thus, this area is an important study site for understanding the tectonic evolution of the NQOB. The metamafic rocks that enclose the ultramafic rocks are overwhelmingly composed of amphibolites that primarily exhibit amphibolite‐facies metamorphism, and minor garnet amphibolites (retrograde eclogite) and HP mafic granulites occur as discontinuous lenses or blocks within these amphibolites. Laser inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICPMS) U–Pb dating on zircons yielded ages of 499 ± 6, 507 ± 5, and 504 ± 10 Ma for the HP mafic granulite, garnet amphibolite (retrograde eclogite), and amphibolite, respectively. Those ages were interpreted to represent timing of the HP granulite or amphibolite metamorphism that occurred during later exhumation. Relict omphacites discovered in both garnet and zircon as well as in the matrix of the garnet amphibolite indicate that the rock underwent eclogite‐facies metamorphism and subsequent rapid exhumation. However, the timing of the different metamorphic stages cannot be distinguished from the zircon ages obtained using the LA‐ICPMS technique. The protolith age of the complex is constrained to be the early Neoproterozoic. Geochemical data indicate that the protoliths of the Songshugou metamafic rocks are of continental origin. These Neoproterozoic continental mafic rocks most likely formed during the breakup of the supercontinent Rodinia and were mainly derived from low‐degree partial melting of the asthenosphere with some lithospheric mantle contribution, within an extensional regime. All the available data reveal that the NQOB was one of the components of the Rodinia supercontinent and that it was likely involved in the Grenville orogenic belt and subsequently separated from the supercontinent at approximately 830–740 Ma.

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Quantitative reconstruction of competing sources reveals spatial heterogeneity and complex aeolian–fluvial interactions in the Horqin Sandy Land, NE China

Xie

Kang

et al. 2023

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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The provenance and aeolian–fluvial interaction are essential for understanding the formation and evolution of sandy land. However, the dune sediment source in the Horqin Sandy Land (HQSL), the largest semi‐stable sandy land in China, has been debated. Here, we collected 900 coarse (i.e., >63 μm) and 750 fine (i.e., <63 μm) detrital zircon (DZ) grains from surface sand in different spatial locations for U–Pb age analysis. The visual comparison largely shows remarkably similar zircon age characteristics throughout the HQSL, and the quantitative results of the inverse Monte Carlo modelling show the primary detrital contribution of the Central Asian orogenic belt (~50.5%–61.3%) to the HQSL. In contrast, the southeast of the HQSL is characterized by the absolute dominance of the North China Craton (~75.8%). The DZ age spectra in the western and northern HQSL are extremely similar but significantly different from the south, indicating the spatial heterogeneity of the HQSL. The DZ ages are largely unaffected by particle size sorting, except in the southeastern HQSL (e.g., the dramatically different detrital contribution of the North China Craton to the fine [52.4%] and coarse fractions [75.8%]). We argue that the aeolian–fluvial interaction and the resulting sedimentary sorting and recycling are responsible for the DZ age characteristics of the HQSL. We confirm that the DZ ages of the HQSL are a faithful record of the tectonic‐magmatic events, for example, the North China Craton massif collision and collusion, the Paleo‐Asian Ocean subduction and closure, the Mongolian‐Okhotsk Ocean plate subduction and the paleo‐Pacific Ocean subduction and retreat. Finally, this study suggests that caution must be exercised in interpreting the paleoclimatic record and the aeolian deposit source investigations due to the spatial heterogeneity and the complex wind‐fluvial interactions in the HQSL.

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Early Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt in Central China: Insights on continental deep subduction and multiphase exhumation

Cited by 174 publications

References 95 publications

Granulites record the tectonic evolution from collisional thickening to extensional thinning of the Tongbai orogen in central China

Granulites record the tectonic evolution from collisional thickening to extensional thinning of the Tongbai orogen in central China

Tectonic evolution of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt, Central China: Insights from metamafic rocks of the Songshugou Complex

Quantitative reconstruction of competing sources reveals spatial heterogeneity and complex aeolian–fluvial interactions in the Horqin Sandy Land, NE China

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