Recent Advances in the Small Mammal Biostratigraphy and Magnetostratigraphy of Lanzhou Basin

The consensus view among geologists is that the Lanzhou Basin sequence of sediments contains the Oligocene/Miocene boundary, but where this occurs is unknown. Indeed, this is the crux of the issues concerning mid-Tertiary paleontology in Asia: what fauna corresponds with this time? What turnover events or distinctive taxa signal the beginning of the Miocene epoch? Once known, this will be of broad usefulness because vertebrate-bearing deposits are widespread in Asia and can be used to date basin sediments. Lanzhou and other basins permit a means of correlating to the time scale by using fauna and paleomagnetic data locally, and ultimately radiometric data from distant localities, to develop a precise biochronology. Herein, we summarize faunal constraints, primarily those of small mammal taxa, on correlation of the Lanzhou magnetozone sequence to the magnetic time scale. We conclude that the lower part of the Xianshuihe Formation contains the Oligocene/Miocene boundary, and that the top of the formation, both in the south and north parts of the basin, is middle Miocene in age. Rodents from lower white sand units of the Xianshuihe Formation, correlate to the Xiejia assemblage of the Xining Basin, Qinghai Province, and are early, but not earliest, Miocene age. The implication for rodent faunas of the epoch boundary is that they retained a mainly "Oligocene" composition, and that other presumed late Oligocene assemblages may be, in fact, early Miocene in age. The Lanzhou appearance of Proboscidea is 19-18 Ma, as expected.     

Thermal evolution of inverted basins: Constraints from apatite fission track thermochronology in the Cuyo Basin, Argentine Precordillera

Apatite fission track thermochronology (AFTT) was applied to derive the thermal history of formation and inversion of the oil-bearing Triassic–Cretaceous Cuyo Basin, Argentine Precordillera. The obtained central fission track ages range from 13 to 163 Ma, and the mean track lengths from 8.2 to . Based on the integration of AFTT, stratigraphic and structural data, five evolutionary phases are here proposed for the studied area: I—Late Permian cooling related to the extrusion of basement volcanics, and initial extensional regime responsible for the Cuyo Basin formation, II—Triassic–Jurassic heating linked with the filling, and consequent burial, of the Cuyo Basin, III—Jurassic–Paleogene tectonic stabilization, IV—Early Miocene heating related to the load of foreland sedimentation, V—Late Miocene rapid cooling related to the Cuyo Basin inversion. During the Late Miocene, rock units formed in different crustal levels were juxtaposed through thrust, reverse and normal faulting, resulting in contrasting old and very young central fission track ages in closely spaced samples.     

中新世礁相碳酸盐岩沉积构成及成礁模式——以西沙海域为例

 结合最新钻井、地震资料,剖析了中新世生物礁体沉积构成以及成礁演化模式。揭示了研究区造礁生物主要为钙藻,其次为六射珊瑚,附礁生物以有孔虫和介形虫为主。根据是否发育造礁生物将岩石分为礁格架-骨架岩和非礁格架-骨架岩2类,前者包括珊瑚藻格架和珊瑚骨架焦白云岩及红藻-仙掌藻白云岩2种,非礁骨架岩分为生物碎屑灰岩、粒泥灰岩和泥粒灰岩3种。沉积相包括礁格架相、礁坪相、礁后滩相、泻湖相和生物碎屑滩相5种。中新世生物礁是在相对海平面不断上升的背景下沉积演化的,属于加积-退积型生物礁沉积旋回,礁体发育期可分为奠基、初始繁盛、顶峰、暴露衰退4个阶段,暴露衰退末期发生强烈的白云化作用,淡水淋滤溶蚀作用形成较好的储集层。     

内蒙古大青山晚中生代以来的隆升-剥露过程

对大青山东段4件基岩样品进行磷灰石裂变径迹研究,获得该区晚中生代以来的隆升?剥露历史,并探讨大青山现代地貌的形成。样品的磷灰石裂变径迹年龄为57.7±3.8~50.4±3.3 Ma,封闭径迹长度分布在10.7±0.4~9.9±0.1μm之间。热历史模拟结果表明,大青山地区存在晚白垩世(约100~90 Ma)和中?晚中新世(13.5~7 Ma)以来两个快速抬升冷却阶段,13.5~7 Ma以来是本区剥露最快的时期,这一阶段的隆升造就现今大青山的地貌格局。     

青藏高原通天河盆地五道梁组介形虫壳体Mg/Ca和Sr/Ca地球化学特征及古环境意义

中新世早期青藏高原腹地曾经发育了面积巨大的古大湖,此时恰逢青藏高原的快速隆升关键时期.为研究高原腹地在此期间环境的演化,对五道梁组中介形虫壳体的Mg/Ca 和Sr/Ca的值进行了测试.通天河盆地五道梁组地层中的介形虫壳体的Mg/Ca 和Sr/Ca数值的特征,结合剖面岩性特征,反映了23.8～21.8 Ma前该湖泊区域气候由湿润-干旱-暖湿的演化趋势.其气候的变化可能是此时期青藏高原从快速隆升到剥蚀夷平后高原北部构造隆升活动的结果.该研究为进一步了解青藏高原腹地的古环境探索了一条新的途径.     

西藏措勤地区的中新世布嘎寺组

分布于西藏措勤县城北西江若拉一带的富钾火山岩曾被划属达多群,地层时代属古新世至始新世.作者测制了这套火山岩地层的剖面,获得的同位素年龄为15.8 Ma和15.9 Ma,属中新世.这一发现填补了冈底斯山北部中新世富钾质岩浆活动的空白,为进一步研究青藏高原形成和演化提供了重要资料.根据岩性组合、地层时代及区域地层对比,将这一套中新世的富钾火山岩地层命名为布嘎寺组.