Shengchang Ding

and 5 more

The Cuo E (CE) core contains the entire Quaternary stratigraphy of the Cuo E Lake (31°24′ - 31°.32′ N, 91°28′ - 91°33′E, Tibetan Plateau, China). Here, we study the magnetic properties of 1748 samples from the CE core, combined with scanning electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer analysis on selected samples. The main magnetic minerals appear to be magnetite and greigite. To further quantify the presence of greigite in CE core, 84 samples were rock magnetically analyzed in more detail including: susceptibility (χ) vs. temperature, coercivity component analysis of acquisition curves of the isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM), and Principal component analysis (PCA) of the first-order reversal curve (FORC) diagrams. The greigite content and saturation IRM over susceptibility (SIRM/χ) appear to be exponentially related. SIRM/χ can be used as greigite concentration indicator. We also propose a rapid way to identify greigite in the CE core: When the SIRM/χ value increases and anhysteretic remanent susceptibility (χARM) increases only slowly, the sample contains greigite. Samples with SIRM/χ < 15kAm-1 also obey this relation. This method has a lower limit of detection than the traditionally used SIRM/χ parameter for greigite detection. It is also faster than FORC analysis and thus particularly suitable for analysis of large sample collections. Twenty greigite-bearing layers were identified in the CE core using this method. The location of the Jaramillo subchron in the CE core is controversial in the currently available magnetostratigraphy, possibly related to the presence of greigite in this core interval.

Zhu Zuofei

and 4 more

Cretaceous - Miocene sedimentary rocks of northern Borneo preserve records of subduction of the Paleo-Pacific and Proto-South China Sea, providing important evidence for reconstructing the tectonic evolution of Southeast Asia since the Mesozoic. However, the genesis and tectonic setting of these sediments remain controversial. In this study, new Sr isotope, combined with Nd isotope data were used to determine the provenance contribution of the Cretaceous – Late Eocene Lubok Antu mélange and the Rajang Group. Detrital zircon ages and sedimentary geochemistry data of the Cretaceous - Miocene strata are also used to better understand the tectonic evolution of Borneo. Results show that more than 60% of the sediments came from a magmatic belt during the Late Cretaceous to Early Paleocene, and more than 50% from the Malay Peninsula during the Paleocene to the Late Eocene. The proportion of different detrital zircon ages and sedimentary geochemical characteristics in Borneo changed from west to east during the Cretaceous to the Miocene, which may be related to drainage changes caused by the gradual closure of an ocean basin. Subduction ceased in central Borneo during the Early Paleocene, slightly later than Late Cretaceous cessation in western Borneo. The collapse of magmatic belt lead river drainages from the Malay Peninsula to flow into Borneo. Whereas subduction continued in Eastern Borneo until the Miocene. Opening of the South China Sea cut off the drainage from the Malay Peninsula, and the inner rocks in Borneo once again became the main source of sediments.