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Tectonics of South China continent and its implications

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Abstract

This paper aims at exploring the tectonic characteristics of the South China Continent (SCC) and extracting the universal tectonic rules from these characteristics, to help enrich the plate tectonic theory and better understand the continental dynamic system. For this purpose, here we conduct a multi-disciplinary investigation and combine it with the previous studies to reassess the tectonics and evolution of SCC and propose that the tectonic framework of the continent comprises two blocks, three types of tectonic units, four deformation systems, and four evolutionary stages with distinctive mechanism and tectonic characteristics since the Neoproterozoic. The four evolutionary stages are: (1) The amalgamation and break-up of the Neoproterozoic plates, typically the intracontinental rifting. (2) The early Paleozoic and Mesozoic intracontinental orogeny confined by plate tectonics, forming two composite tectonic domains. (3) The parallel operation of the Yangtze cratonization and intracontinental orogeny, and multi-phase reactivation of the Yangtze craton. (4) The association and differentiation evolution of plate tectonics and intracontinental tectonics, and the dynamic characteristics under the Meso-Cenozoic modern global plate tectonic regime.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics/Department of Geology, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, China

    GuoWei Zhang, AnLin Guo, YunPeng Dong, ShunYou Cheng, RuKui Lu & AnPing Yao

  2. Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    YueJun Wang

  3. Key Lab of Submarine Geosciences and Exploration Techniques, Ministry of Education, College of Marine Geoscience, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266110, China

    SanZhong Li

  4. State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China

    ShaoFeng Liu & DengFa He

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  1. GuoWei Zhang
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  2. AnLin Guo
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  3. YueJun Wang
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  4. SanZhong Li
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  7. DengFa He
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  9. RuKui Lu
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Correspondence to GuoWei Zhang.

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Zhang, G., Guo, A., Wang, Y. et al. Tectonics of South China continent and its implications. Sci. China Earth Sci. 56, 1804–1828 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-013-4679-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-013-4679-1

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