Thermal history of Michigan Basin and Southern Canadian Shield from apatite fission track analysis

Abstract

Apatite fission track ages and confined‐length distributions were collected from 38 basement outcrop and 5 basement drillcore samples in order to reconstruct the Phanerozoic thermal history of the Michigan Basin and southern Canadian Shield. The apatite data indicate two periods of thermal activity in the region: Triassic heating/cooling that affected the basin and adjacent shield and Cretaceous or post‐Cretaceous heating/cooling that primarily affected the basin. The magnitude, timing, and cause of Cretaceous thermal activity cannot be identified with the present data. Model calculations suggest that some of the shield samples and probably all of the basin samples were heated to temperatures of at least 90°C just prior to relatively rapid cooling in the Triassic. Available stratigraphic and geochemical constraints suggest that these elevated temperatures were the result of burial by an additional 2–5 km of late Paleozoic (probably Pennsylvanian and Permian) sediments. It is likely that the basin was buried during the Alleghenian Orogeny as observed for the adjacent Appalachian Basin.

Accelerated denudation and tectonic/geomorphic reactivation of the cratons of northeastern Brazil during the Late Cretaceous

“…For example, apatite fission track (AFT) data from the southern Canadian craton [Crowley, 1991] and the Kaapvaal craton, southern Africa [Brown, 1992] indicate Amazon is the Guyana block, and to the south is the Guapor6 block [Trompette, 1994]. It is located within Brazil except for the southwest extension into Bolivia and Paraguay [Trompette, 1994] …”

Modeling of the thermo-hydro-mechanical–chemical response of sedimentary rocks to past glaciations

“…During Paleozoic era (approximately 250-550 Ma), the temperature and geothermal gradient in the Michigan passed through a significant heating period [33]. As a result, during the Paleozoic era, the temperature near the center of the Michigan Basin could have reached approximately 200 1C [34].…”

“…As a result, during the Paleozoic era, the temperature near the center of the Michigan Basin could have reached approximately 200 1C [34]. Heating followed by a cooling period started at the Mesozoic era (250 Ma) ends with the present day temperature and geothermal gradient [33]. In this work, the geothermal gradient is assumed to be constant during the past 1 Ma (no significant change as compare to 250 Ma cooling period).…”

Apatite fission-track study on the thermo-tectonic history of the Huainan Coalfield in Anhui Province, China: Tectonic implications for the potential coalbed methane resource

“…Furthermore, delightful results have been achieved in the exploration of paleo-temperature and the reconstruction of the thermal history of oils and gases in the sedimentary basins by using the AFT method since the1980's (Kang Tiesheng and Wang Shicheng, 1991;Crowley, 1991;Zhou Zhongyi and Pan Changchun, 1992;Wagner and Van den haunte, 1992;Gallagher et al, 1998;Calmus et al, 1999;House et al, 2002;Chen Gang et al, 2005). This study, taking the Huainan Coalfield, Anhui Province, China, for example, aims at exploring the thermo-tectonic history and discussing the potential CBM resource by using the AFT method.…”