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Ar-Ar geochronology of Late Mesozoic volcanic rocks from the Yanji area, NE China and tectonic implications

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Abstract

Ar-Ar dating results of late Mesozoic-Cenozoic volcanic rocks from the Yanji area, NE China provide a new volcano-sedimentary stratigraphic framework. The previously defined “Triassic-Jurassic” volcanic rocks (including those from Sanxianling, Tuntianying, Tianqiaoling and Jingouling Fms.) were erupted during 118–106 Ma, corresponding to Early Cretaceous. The new eruption age span is slightly younger than the main stage (130–120 Ma) of the extensive magmatism in the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt and its adjacent regions. Subduction-related adakites occurring in the previously defined Quanshuicun Fm. were extruded at ca. 55 Ma. Based on these new Ar-Ar ages, the late Mesozoic to Palaeocene volcano-sedimentary sequences is rebuilt as: Tuopangou Fm., Sanxianling/Tuntianying Fm. (118–115 Ma), Malugou/Tianqiaoling Fm. (K1), Huoshanyan/Jingouling Fm. (108–106 Ma), Changcai Fm. (K2), Quanshuicun Fm. (∼55 Ma) and Dalazi Fm. Our results suggest that subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific Ocean beneath the East Asian continental margin occurred during 106 to 55 Ma, consistent with the paleomagnetic observations and magmatic records which indicated that the Izanagi-Farallon ridge subduction beneath the southwestern Japan took place during 95–65 Ma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, Guangzhou institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    Li ChaoWen, Guo Feng, Fan WeiMing & Gao XiaoFeng

  2. Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China

    Li ChaoWen & Gao XiaoFeng

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  1. Li ChaoWen
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  4. Gao XiaoFeng
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Correspondence to Guo Feng.

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Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40373018 and 40334043) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos. KZCX2-104 and GIGCX-04-04)

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Li, C., Guo, F., Fan, W. et al. Ar-Ar geochronology of Late Mesozoic volcanic rocks from the Yanji area, NE China and tectonic implications. SCI CHINA SER D 50, 505–518 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-007-2046-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-007-2046-9

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