scholarly journals Pulsed Mesozoic Deformation in the Cordilleran Hinterland and Evolution of the Nevadaplano: Insights from the Pequop Mountains, NE Nevada

Lithosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Andrew V. Zuza ◽  
Charles H. Thorman ◽  
Christopher D. Henry ◽  
Drew A. Levy ◽  
Seth Dee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Passive Margin ◽  
Peak Temperature ◽  
Crustal Thickening ◽  
The North ◽  
High Magnitude ◽  
Ruby Mountains ◽  
Snake Range ◽  
Thrust Sheets ◽  
Orogenic Plateau

Abstract Mesozoic crustal shortening in the North American Cordillera’s hinterland was related to the construction of the Nevadaplano orogenic plateau. Petrologic and geochemical proxies in Cordilleran core complexes suggest substantial Late Cretaceous crustal thickening during plateau construction. In eastern Nevada, geobarometry from the Snake Range and Ruby Mountains-East Humboldt Range-Wood Hills-Pequop Mountains (REWP) core complexes suggests that the ~10–12 km thick Neoproterozoic-Triassic passive-margin sequence was buried to great depths (>30 km) during Mesozoic shortening and was later exhumed to the surface via high-magnitude Cenozoic extension. Deep regional burial is commonly reconciled with structural models involving cryptic thrust sheets, such as the hypothesized Windermere thrust in the REWP. We test the viability of deep thrust burial by examining the least-deformed part of the REWP in the Pequop Mountains. Observations include a compilation of new and published peak temperature estimates (n=60) spanning the Neoproterozoic-Triassic strata, documentation of critical field relationships that constrain deformation style and timing, and new 40Ar/39Ar ages. This evidence refutes models of deep regional thrust burial, including (1) recognition that most contractional structures in the Pequop Mountains formed in the Jurassic, not Cretaceous, and (2) peak temperature constraints and field relationships are inconsistent with deep burial. Jurassic deformation recorded here correlates with coeval structures spanning western Nevada to central Utah, which highlights that Middle-Late Jurassic shortening was significant in the Cordilleran hinterland. These observations challenge commonly held views for the Mesozoic-early Cenozoic evolution of the REWP and Cordilleran hinterland, including the timing of contractional strain, temporal evolution of plateau growth, and initial conditions for high-magnitude Cenozoic extension. The long-standing differences between peak-pressure estimates and field relationships in Nevadan core complexes may reflect tectonic overpressure.

scholarly journals Spreading of warm ocean waters around Greenland as a possible cause for glacier acceleration

2012 ◽  
Vol 53 (60) ◽  
pp. 257-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Rignot ◽  
I. Fenty ◽  
D. Menemenlis ◽  
Y. Xu
Keyword(s):  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Independent Study ◽  
Ocean Temperature ◽  
The North ◽  
Subsurface Ocean ◽  
Subsurface Waters ◽  
Glacier Flow ◽  
Horizontal Grid ◽  
Possible Cause

AbstractWe examine the pattern of spreading of warm subtropical-origin waters around Greenland for the years 1992–2009 using a high-resolution (4km horizontal grid) coupled ocean and sea-ice simulation. The simulation, provided by the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean, Phase II (ECCO2) project, qualitatively reproduces the observed warming of subsurface waters in the subpolar gyre associated with changes of the North Atlantic atmospheric state that occurred in the mid-1990s. The modeled subsurface ocean temperature warmed by 1.5˚C in southeast and southwest Greenland during 1994–2005 and subsequently cooled by 0.5˚C; modeled subsurface ocean temperature increased by 2–2.5˚C in central and then northwest Greenland during 1997–2005 and stabilized thereafter, while it increased after 2005 by <0.5˚C in north Greenland. Comparisons with in situ measurements off the continental shelf in the Labrador and Irminger Seas indicate that the model initial conditions were 0.4˚C too warm in the south but the simulated warming is correctly reproduced; while measurements from eastern Baffin Bay reveal that the model initial conditions were 1.0˚C too cold in the northwest but the simulated ocean warming brought modeled temperature closer to observations, i.e. the simulated warming is 1.0˚C too large. At several key locations, the modeled oceanic changes off the shelf and below the seasonal mixed layer were rapidly transmitted to the shelf within troughs towards (model-unresolved) fjords. Unless blocked in the fjords by shallow sills, these warm subsurface waters had potential to propagate down the fjords and melt the glacier fronts. Based on model sensitivity simulations from an independent study (Xu and others, 2012), we show that the oceanic changes have very likely increased the subaqueous melt rates of the glacier fronts, and in turn impacted the rates of glacier flow.

Definition of tectono-sedimentary elements for rifted continental margins of the Norwegian and Greenland seas

2021 ◽  
pp. M57-2021-31
Author(s):  
Harald Brekke ◽  
Halvor S. S. Bunkholt ◽  
Jan I. Faleide ◽  
Michael B. W. Fyhn
Keyword(s):  
Lower Jurassic ◽  
Passive Margin ◽  
Continental Margins ◽  
Axial Line ◽  
Continental Breakup ◽  
The North ◽  
Tectonic Development ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Conjugate Margins ◽  
Greenland Margin

AbstractThe geology of the conjugate continental margins of the Norwegian and Greenland Seas reflects 400 Ma of post-Caledonian continental rifting, continental breakup between early Eocene and Miocene times, and subsequent passive margin conditions accompanying seafloor spreading. During Devonian-Carboniferous time, rifting and continental deposition prevailed, but from the mid-Carboniferous, rifting decreased and marine deposition commenced in the north culminating in a Late Permian open seaway as rifting resumed. The seaway became partly filled by Triassic and Lower Jurassic sediments causing mixed marine/non-marine deposition. A permanent, open seaway established by the end of the Early Jurassic and was followed by the development of an axial line of deep marine Cretaceous basins. The final, strong rift pulse of continental breakup occurred along a line oblique to the axis of these basins. The Jan Mayen Micro-Continent formed by resumed rifting in a part of the East Greenland margin in Eocene to Miocene times. This complex tectonic development is reflected in the sedimentary record in the two conjugate margins, which clearly shows their common pre-breakup geological development. The strong correlation between the two present margins is the basis for defining seven tectono-sedimentary elements (TSE) and establishing eight composite tectono-sedimentary elements (CTSE) in the region.

scholarly journals Crustal thickness of the Grenville orogen: A Mesoproterozoic Tibet?

Geology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Brudner ◽  
Hehe Jiang ◽  
Xu Chu ◽  
Ming Tang
Keyword(s):  
Crustal Thickness ◽  
Detrital Zircons ◽  
Crustal Thickening ◽  
Geochemical Data ◽  
Geochronological Data ◽  
Grenville Province ◽  
Crustal Thinning ◽  
Paleoenvironmental Evolution ◽  
Orogenic Plateau ◽  
St Lawrence River

The Grenville Province on the eastern margin of Laurentia is a remnant of a Mesoproterozoic orogenic plateau that comprised the core of the ancient supercontinent Rodinia. As a protracted Himalayan-style orogen, its orogenic history is vital to understanding Mesoproterozoic tectonics and paleoenvironmental evolution. In this study, we compared two geochemical proxies for crustal thickness: whole-rock [La/Yb]N ratios of intermediate-to-felsic rocks and europium anomalies (Eu/Eu*) in detrital zircons. We compiled whole-rock geochemical data from 124 plutons in the Laurentian Grenville Province and collected trace-element and geochronological data from detrital zircons from the Ottawa and St. Lawrence River (Canada) watersheds. Both proxies showed several episodes of crustal thickening and thinning during Grenvillian orogenesis. The thickest crust developed in the Ottawan phase (~60 km at ca. 1080 Ma and ca. 1045 Ma), when the collision culminated, but it was still up to 20 km thinner than modern Tibet. We speculate that a hot crust and several episodes of crustal thinning prevented the Grenville hinterland from forming a high Tibet-like plateau, possibly due to enhanced asthenosphere-lithosphere interactions in response to a warm mantle beneath a long-lived supercontinent, Nuna-Rodinia.

scholarly journals South Anyui suture: tectono-stratigraphy, deformations, and principal tectonic events

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 201-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. Sokolov ◽  
G. Ye. Bondarenko ◽  
P. W. Layer ◽  
I. R. Kravchenko-Berezhnoy
Keyword(s):  
Active Continental Margin ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Passive Margin ◽  
The South ◽  
Asian Continent ◽  
Oblique Collision ◽  
North Asian Craton ◽  
The North ◽  
Continental Block ◽  
South Anyui Suture

Abstract. Geochronologic and structural data from the terranes of the South Anyui suture zone record a protracted deformational history before, during and after an Early Cretaceous collision of the passive margin of the Chukotka-Arctic Alaska continental block with the active continental margin of the North Asian continent. Preceding this collision, the island arc complexes of the Yarakvaam terrane on the northern margin of the North Asian craton record Early Carboniferous to Neocomian ages in ophiolite, sedimentary, and volcanic rocks. Triassic to Jurassic amphibolites constrain the timing of subduction and intraoceanic deformation along this margin. The protracted (Neocomian to Aptian) collision of the Chukotka passive margin with the North Asian continent is preserved in a range of structural styles including first north verging folding, then south verging folding, and finally late collisional dextral strike slip motions which likely record a change from orthogonal collision to oblique collision. Due to this collision, the southern passive margin of Chukotka was overthrust by tectonic nappes composed of tectono-stratigraphic complexes of the South Anyui terrane. Greenschists with ages of 115–119 Ma are related to the last stages of this collision. The postcollisional orogenic stage (Albian to Cenomanian) is characterized by sinistral strike slip faults and an extensional environment.

scholarly journals Tectonic reconstruction of Uda-Murgal arc and the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous convergent margin of Northeast Asia–Northwest Pacific

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 273-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. Sokolov ◽  
G. Ye. Bondarenko ◽  
A. K. Khudoley ◽  
O. L. Morozov ◽  
M. V. Luchitskaya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northeast Asia ◽  
Upper Jurassic ◽  
Island Arc ◽  
Passive Margin ◽  
Northwest Pacific ◽  
Island Arcs ◽  
The South ◽  
Convergent Margin ◽  
Tectonic Zone ◽  
The North

Abstract. A long tectonic zone composed of Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous volcanic and sedimentary rocks is recognized along the Asian continent margin from the Mongol-Okhotsk fold and thrust belt on the south to the Chukotka Peninsula on the north. This belt represents the Uda-Murgal arc, which was developed along the convergent margin between Northeast Asia and Northwest Meso-Pacific. Several segments are identified in this arc based upon the volcanic and sedimentary rock assemblages, their respective compositions and basement structures. The southern and central parts of the Uda-Murgal arc were a continental margin belt with heterogeneous basement represented by metamorphic rocks of the Siberian craton, the Verkhoyansk terrigenous complex of Siberian passive margin and the Koni-Taigonos Late Paleozoic to Early Mesozoic island arc with accreted oceanic terranes. At the present day latitude of the Pekulney and Chukotka segments there was an ensimatic island arc with relicts of the South Anyui oceanic basin in a backarc basin. Accretionary prisms of the Uda-Murgal arc and accreted terranes contain fragments of Permian, Triassic to Jurassic and Jurassic to Cretaceous (Tithonian–Valanginian) oceanic crust and Jurassic ensimatic island arcs. Paleomagnetic and faunal data show significant displacement of these oceanic complexes and the terranes of the Taigonos Peninsula were originally parts of the Izanagi oceanic plate.

Crustal thickening and continental formation in the Neoarchean: Geochemical records by granitoids from the Taihua Complex in the North China Craton

2021 ◽  
Vol 367 ◽  
pp. 106446
Author(s):  
Zhen-Xin Li ◽  
Shao-Bing Zhang ◽  
Yong-Fei Zheng ◽  
John M. Hanchar ◽  
Peng Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North China Craton ◽  
North China ◽  
Crustal Thickening ◽  
The North

Velocity Models for the Crust Hosting the Main Aftershock Cluster of the 2011 Mineral, Virginia, Earthquake

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Ariful Islam ◽  
Christine A. Powell ◽  
Martin C. Chapman
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Passive Margin ◽  
Depth Range ◽  
Good Resolution ◽  
S Wave ◽  
Velocity Models ◽  
Taconic Orogeny ◽  
Thrust Sheets ◽  
Local Earthquake ◽  
Virginia Earthquake

Abstract Three-dimensional P- and S-wave velocity (VP and VS) models are determined for the crust containing the main aftershock cluster of the 2011 Mineral, Virginia, earthquake using local earthquake tomography. The inversion uses a total of 5125 arrivals (2465 P- and 2660 S-wave arrivals) for 324 aftershocks recorded by 12 stations. The inversion volume (22 × 20 × 16 km) is completely contained within the Piedmont Chopawamsic metavolcanic terrane. The models are well resolved in the central portion of the inversion volume in the depth range 1–5 km; good resolution does not extend to the hypocenter depth of the mainshock. Most aftershocks are located within a northeast-trending, southeast-dipping region containing negative VP anomalies, positive VS anomalies, and VP/VS ratios as low as 1.53. These velocity results strongly argue for the presence of quartz-rich rocks, which we attribute to either the presence of a giant quartz vein system or metamorphosed orthoquarzite sandstones originally deposited on the Laurentian passive margin and subsequently incorporated into the Chopawamsic thrust sheets during island arc collision in the Taconic orogeny.

Chapter 37: Giant Placers of the Upper Kolyma Gold Fields, Yana-Kolyma Province, Russian Northeast

2020 ◽  
pp. 797-821
Author(s):  
N. A. Goryachev ◽  
A. S. Yakubchuk ◽  
I. S. Litvinenko ◽  
A. V. Lozhkin ◽  
Yu.V. Pruss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Late Jurassic ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Gold Deposits ◽  
Passive Margin ◽  
Northeastern Russia ◽  
Quartz Veins ◽  
Orogenic Gold Deposits ◽  
The North ◽  
Lithospheric Plates ◽  
Rock Source

Abstract The Upper Kolyma gold placers of northeastern Russia produced 2,700 metric tons (t) Au. Approximately 40% of this gold was extracted from just five placers, Chai-Yuria, Berelekh, Maldyak, Malyi At-Yuryakh, and Omchak, and their immediate tributaries. The placers were derived from Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous lode deposits, formed during sinistral translation subsequent to the Kolyma-Omolon superterrane accretion to the Verkhoyansk passive margin of the Siberian craton. The metallogenic events produced either abundant and widespread small quartz veins or more localized large to superlarge quartz stockworks and disseminated gold deposits. These orogenic gold deposits acted as a principal hard-rock source during formation of the gold placers, beginning in the Late Cretaceous but most importantly during the Cenozoic. Tectonic, geomorphologic, and climatic factors at a triple junction of the North American, Eurasian, and Okhotsk lithospheric plates provided the ultimate controls on placer formation.

scholarly journals Pairwise sample comparisons and multidimensional scaling of detrital zircon ages with examples from the North American platform, basin, and passive margin settings

Lithosphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 478-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory K. Wissink ◽  
Bruce H. Wilkinson ◽  
Gregory D. Hoke
Keyword(s):  
Multidimensional Scaling ◽  
North American ◽  
Detrital Zircon ◽  
Passive Margin ◽  
The North ◽  
Detrital Zircon Ages
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