The Ninth Visual Object Tracking VOT2021 Challenge Results

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Melting processes, cooling rates, and tectonic settings of the Neo-Tethyan mantle: the in-situ mineral chemical record

International audiencePeridotites in the Yarlung Zangbo ophiolite (YZO) have the potential to elaborate the mantle dynamics that operated below the Neo-Tethyan oceanic crust. Here, we measured major and trace element concentrations of minerals (e.g., clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, olivine, and spinel) in YZO harzburgites and lherzolites to trace the origin and evolution of the YZO. The rare earth element (REE) patterns of clinopyroxenes in lherzolites and harzburgites plot within the field of abyssal and forearc peridotites, respectively, indicating that the latter experienced a higher degree of partial melting. Based on the relative extents of light (LREE) and heavy (HREE) REE depletions in clinopyroxene, we classified the lherzolites into two groups (I and II). The group I clinopyroxenes are depleted in HREEs and enriched in LREEs and MREEs compared to those of group II. Meanwhile, the REE patterns of harzburgite clinopyroxenes are identical to that of group II, although they display lower REE concentrations. Models based on REE abundances in clinopyroxene suggest that group I lherzolites experienced ~8–11% partial melting in the spinel domain, whereas group II lherzolites formed after 5% melting in the garnet domain followed by 6–9% and 9–16% partial melting in the spinel domain, respectively. These high degrees of melting may suggest that the harzburgites formed in a supra-subduction zone (SSZ) setting. Surprisingly, the REE-in-two-pyroxenes thermometer (TREE) shows that the YZO peridotites record high-temperature cooling at 991–1218 °C which is lower than the conditions below mid-oceanic ridges (MORs), but compatible with recent reports of high closure temperatures in forearc environments. Furthermore, our TREE results constrain the cooling rate of the YZO peridotites to ~0.01–0.5 °C/yr, overlapping with rates reported for SSZ, MOR, and abyssal peridotites. By integrating the petrological, geochemical, and thermal features, we tentatively interpret the group I lherzolites accreted in an Early Cretaceous forearc during subduction initiation, whereas the group II lherzolites and the harzburgites formed by further melting of the earlier lherzolites in a SSZ setting

Sedimentology, provenance and geochronology of the Miocene Qiuwu Formation: Implication for the uplift history of Southern Tibet

Located on the south of the Gangdese, the Qiuwu Formation has traditionally been considered as Eocene coal-bearing clastic sediments consisting of sandstone, mudstone and conglomerate, unconformably on top of Gangdese batholith. However, its precise age and depositional environment remain ambiguous. Here, we present a newly measured stratigraphic section near the Ngamring County, western Xigaze. Detrital zircon U–Pb ages were also applied to trace the provenance of sediments and to constrain the maximum depositional age of the Qiuwu Formation. Sedimentary facies analyses indicate subaqueous fan and alluvial fan depositional environments. Clast composition of the conglomerate is dominated by magmatic rocks at the lower part, while chert and mafic detritus occur in the upper part, suggesting a southern source. Sandstone modal analyses indicate that the compositions of quartz, feldspar and lithic grains changed from transitional arc to dissected arc, implying the unroofing of the Gangdese arc. Detrital zircon U–Pb ages of the Qiuwu Formation are compared with those from Gangdese magmatic rocks and Yarlung-Zangbo ophiolites, suggesting that the Gangdese arc is a main source of the Qiuwu detritus and that the southern source played a role during the later stage. The major peak of detrital zircon ages is at 45–55 Ma, which corresponds to Linzizong volcanic rocks in southern Gangdese arc. The weighted mean age of the five youngest zircons from the lower part of the section is 21.0 ± 2.2 Ma, suggesting that the Qiuwu Formation was deposited in early Miocene, coeval with other conglomerates exposed along the southern margin of Gangdese. Combining new observations with previously published data, we propose that the provenance of the Qiuwu Formation had shifted from a single northern source to double sources from both the north and the south. Activities of Great Counter Thrust were primarily responsible for the shift by making the south area a high elevation to provide sediments for the Qiuwu Formation

Exhumation history of the gangdese batholith, southern tibetan plateau: Evidence from apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He Thermochronology

To test previously suggested exhumation histories of the Gangdese Batholith in the central part of the Transhimalayan plutonic belt, we conducted paired apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronological investigations of the Yarlung Zangbo gorge in the central part of the batholith. Age-elevation relationships and multisystem thermochronometers showed three periods of accelerated exhumation (~46-48, ~22-18, and ~11-8 Ma). Combining these data with previously published thermochronological ages and synthesizing these ages with regional geological events provides an entire exhumation history. The Cretaceous-Early Paleogene exhumation of the Gangdese Batholith was probably caused by both the northward subduction of the Neo-Tethys and the collision between the Lhasa and Qiangtang blocks. The Early Miocene rapid exhumation might be a response to shortening caused by the Gangdese Thrust or erosion driven by dynamic uplift following lithospheric delamination. In contrast, the Late Miocene exhumation is coincident with both the proposed capture of the Yarlung Zangbo gorge by a foreland draining catchment and the intensification of the Asian monsoon, as well as normal faulting. Hence, the latest stage of exhumation might be attributed to the incision of the Yarlung Zangbo gorge, the activity of a north-south fault, or both. © 2013 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved

Petrology and geochemistry of the Xiugugabu ophiolitic massif, western Yarlung Zangbo suture zone, Tibet

The Yarlung Zangbo Suture Zone (YZSZ), southern Tibet, is a discontinuous belt that is more than 2000 km long, composed of the remnants of Neo-Tethyan Mesozoic ocean. One of these relicts is the Xiugugabu ophiolitic massif which is a mantle thrust sheet of more than 260 km2 overlying the Cretaceous tectonic mélange south of the YZSZ in SW Tibet. The massif is composed of harzburgites and clinopyroxene–harzburgites with porphyroclastic and porphyromylonitic textures. In the southern part of the massif, peridotites were intruded by amphibole-bearing microgabbro and microgabbronorite sills. A diabase unit which is overlaid by a sedimentary sequence crops out on the NE flank of the massif. Mineral chemistry in harzburgites and clinopyroxene–harzburgites indicates compositions similar to abyssal and forearc peridotites. Peridotites are slightly LREE depleted to enriched with [La/Yb]CN 0.06–2.8 and [La/Sm]CN 0.34–2.64. These ultramafic rocks are inferred to be the residues of 5–25% of partial melting of a depleted mantle that has been enriched by percolating metasomatic melts in a suprasubduction environment. Amphibole–microgabbro and amphibole–microgabbronorite sills are mostly composed of brown to green amphibole, calcic plagioclase, clinopyroxene, ilmenite and orthopyroxene in gabbronorite. Textures and compositions of the brown amphiboles indicate a near-solidus high temperature hydrothermal origin (> 800 °C). These intrusive rocks are tholeiitic and show N-MORB type REE patterns ([La/Yb]NC 0.35–0.90), a LILE (mainly Th) enrichment and noticeable Nb, Ta and Ti negative anomalies. They have a suprasubduction affinity and were formed in a back-arc basin setting. The diabase unit outcropping to the NE of the massif is not directly related to the ultramafic and mafic ophiolitic rocks. The diabase shows LREE enriched patterns ([La/Yb]NC 8–8.9) and slight Nb, Ta and Ti negative anomalies. The diabase has an intraplate affinity and could have been derived from a mantle source enriched by subduction-related fluids. The absence of continental crustal assimilation indicates that these rocks were probably emplaced in the Jurassic, in an oceanic environment after the Triassic disaggregation of the Indian plate. The data are consistent with the recent geodynamic model proposed for the central part of the suture for the closure of the Neo-Tethys and suggest that the geodynamic evolution of the western part of the basin was comparable to the central part. Research Highlights ► Xiugugabu massif represents the mantle section of an ophiolite. ► Xiugugabu massif comprises harzburgite and cpx-harzburgite intruded by mafic sills. ► Peridotites were metasomatised by suprasubduction melts in an arc–forearc setting. ► Peridotites were brought up to the Moho depth in a back-arc extensional setting. ► Peridotites were intruded by mafic sills of back-arc affinities

Insights into the early Tibetan Plateau from (U–Th)/He thermochronology

<p>The central Songpan–Ganzi belt, located on the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, has a similar high elevation and low relief to parts of central Tibet. Thermochronological studies from the central Tibetan Plateau reveal a history of slow exhumation (rates <0.05kmMa⁻¹) since 45Ma; however, the exhumation history of the central Songpan–Ganzi belt is unknown. To address this, we conducted an apatite and zircon (U–Th)/He thermochronology study of bedrock samples collected across the central Songpan–Ganzi belt and into central parts of the Tibetan Plateau. Zircon (U–Th)/He ages range from 54.2±7.5 to 146.5±10.0Ma and the majority of apatite (U–Th)/He ages fall between 74.7±19.0 and 35.7±9.4Ma. Thermal history models of these data show rapid cooling in the late Mesozoic and much slower cooling diagnostic of low rates of erosion throughout most of the Cenozoic. The late Mesozoic rapid cooling is consistent with the existence of significant topography and relief at least in some parts of the Songpan–Ganzi belt at that time. We find no evidence for a regional Miocene acceleration in erosion, although three samples from the headwaters of the Salween and Mekong rivers gave younger AHe ages between 15 and 16Ma that reflect an acceleration in river incision. </p

Borehole stability in naturally fractured rocks with drilling mud intrusion and associated fracture strength weakening: A coupled DFN-DEM approach

Borehole instability in naturally fractured rocks poses significant challenges to drilling. Drilling mud invades the surrounding formations through natural fractures under the difference between the wellbore pressure (Pw) and pore pressure (Pp) during drilling, which may cause wellbore instability. However, the weakening of fracture strength due to mud intrusion is not considered in most existing borehole stability analyses, which may yield significant errors and misleading predictions. In addition, only limited factors were analyzed, and the fracture distribution was oversimplified. In this paper, the impacts of mud intrusion and associated fracture strength weakening on borehole stability in fractured rocks under both isotropic and anisotropic stress states are investigated using a coupled DEM (distinct element method) and DFN (discrete fracture network) method. It provides estimates of the effect of fracture strength weakening, wellbore pressure, in situ stresses, and sealing efficiency on borehole stability. The results show that mud intrusion and weakening of fracture strength can damage the borehole. This is demonstrated by the large displacement around the borehole, shear displacement on natural fractures, and the generation of fracture at shear limit. Mud intrusion reduces the shear strength of the fracture surface and leads to shear failure, which explains that the increase in mud weight may worsen borehole stability during overbalanced drilling in fractured formations. A higher in situ stress anisotropy exerts a significant influence on the mechanism of shear failure distribution around the wellbore. Moreover, the effect of sealing natural fractures on maintaining borehole stability is verified in this study, and the increase in sealing efficiency reduces the radial invasion distance of drilling mud. This study provides a directly quantitative prediction method of borehole instability in naturally fractured formations, which can consider the discrete fracture network, mud intrusion, and associated weakening of fracture strength. The information provided by the numerical approach (e.g. displacement around the borehole, shear displacement on fracture, and fracture at shear limit) is helpful for managing wellbore stability and designing wellbore-strengthening operations