Structural features of the typical continental paleorift in Panxiarea are revealed by seismic tomography. (1) In the profile along the minor axis of Panxi paleorift, we found alternating high and low-velocity strips existing at different depths in the crust, presenting itself as a "sandwich" structure. The existence of these high and low-velocity anomaly strips is related to the basal lithology in the rift area. (2) An addition layer with velocity values of 7.1-7.5 km/s and 7.8 km/s exists from the base of lower crust to uppermost mantle and its thickness is about 20 km. Some study results indicate that the addition layer results from the invasion of mantle material. (3) A lens-shaped high-velocity body surrounded by relatively low-velocity material is observed at depths of 110-160 km between Huaping and Huidong in the axis of the paleorift. This is the first time to discover it in the upper mantle of the paleorift. Based on the results of geology, petrology and geochemistry, we infer that the formation of the addition layer and the lens-shaped high-velocity body in the upper mantle are related to the deep geodynamic process of generation, development and termination of the rift. On the one hand, the upwelling of asthenosphere mantle caused partial melting, and then the basaltic magma from the partial melted material further resulted in underplating and formed the crustal addition layer. On the other hand, the high-density content of mineral facies was increased in the residual melted mass of intensely depleted upper mantle, formed by basalt withdrawing. The solid-melt medium in the depleted upper mantle was mainly an accumulation of garnet and peridotite because the heating effect of lithosphere was relatively weakened in the later riftogenesis, so that a lens-shaped high-density and high-velocity zone was produced in the upper mantle. The results indicate that the energy and material exchange between asthenosphere and lithosphere and remarkable underplating would have an important effect on the material state a
Research on the elasticity and plasticity dynamics of the Earth multi-body system, including the Earth multi-body system stratum-block's equivalent inertia force system and generalized inertia force, the Earth multi-body system stratum-block's equivalent inertia force system expressed with partial velocity and partial palstance, and Earth multi-body system generalized inertia force expressed with partial velocity and partial palstance. This research provides a theoretical foundation for further investigation of Earth multi-body dynamics.
ZHANG Qingxian, BI Siwen & GONG Huili Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Three-Dimensional Information Extraction and Application, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100037, China
Structural analyses show that the Ailaoshan-Red River shear zone (ASRRSZ) in Ailao Mountain is composed of three different deformational domains. These domains may represent three episodes of left-lateral slip experienced by the ASRRSZ. The first episode of such deformation occurred throughout the eastern high-grade belt of the ASRRSZ under a transtensional regime and produced L- type tectonites of amphibolite grade. The second episode of left-lateral slip formed high strain zones overprinting the high-grade belt. Its deformational mechanism is similar to simple shear and the deformed rocks are L-S mylonites of greenschist grade. The third episode of left-lateral slip took place chiefly in a western low-grade belt of the ASRRSZ. This deformation occurred in a transpressional regime, formed an overall structure pattern of a sinistral thrust system and produced phyllonites of low-greenschist grade. Geochronological data indicated that the three episodes of left-lateral slip happened before ~58-56 Ma, at least from ~27 Ma to 22 Ma and at ~13-12 Ma respectively. The first episode of slip in the ASRRSZ appeared to correspond to the initial collision of India and Asia at ~60 Ma. The second episode took place almost at the same time as the most intensive compression and uplift in Tibet. The latest event might represent a further eastward material flow in Tibet after ~16-13 Ma. Thus, the ASRRSZ of southeastern Asia probably experienced three main episodes of Tertiary left- lateral slip in the course of intracontinental convergence since the India-Asia collision.