Deformed stromatolites in marbles of the Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Formation as evidence for synsedimentary seismic activity
A. J. (Tom) van Loon1,*, Su Dechen2,3
1. Geological Institute, Adam Mickiewicz University, Maków Polnych 16, 61-606 Poznan, Poland
2. Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China
3. State Key Laboratory of Continental Tectonics and Dynamics, Beijing 100037, China
The Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Formation consists mainly of dolomites that represent diagenetically transformed limestones deposited in a shallow peritidal environment. Although the environment was tectonically stable, the study area in the Changping District (north of the Beijing area) was affected by synsedimentary earthquakes. Later, the dolomites in the study area were intruded by a granite. This resulted in contact metamorphism of the dolomites, changing them in a halo around the intrusion into marble. This marble, which is exposed near Taoyukou Village, shows some levels with well-developed stromatolites. The stromatolites contain structures that point at deformation when the stromatolites had not yet been lithified, and thus represent soft-sediment deformation structures. The stromatolites apparently built up during a time-span when repeated deformational processes affected the still unlithified sediment, from the sedimentary surface down to maximally a few decimeters. The deformed stromatolites thus represent seismites, which feature is exceptionally rarely recognizable in marble.
A. J. (Tom) van Loon,Su Dechen. Deformed stromatolites in marbles of the Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Formation as evidence for synsedimentary seismic activity[J]. Journal of Palaeogeography, 2013, 2(4): 390-401.
A. J. (Tom) van Loon,Su Dechen. Deformed stromatolites in marbles of the Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Formation as evidence for synsedimentary seismic activity[J]. Journal of Palaeogeography, 2013, 2(4): 390-401.
Bekker, A., Eriksson, K. A., 2003. Paleoproterozoic drowned carbonate platform on the southeastern margin of the Wyoming Craton: A record of the Kenorland breakup. Precambrian Research, 120(3-4): 327-364.
Bekker, A., Karhu, J. A., Eriksson, K. A., Kaufman, A. J., 2003. Chemostratigraphy of Paleoproterozoic carbonate successions of the Wyoming Craton: Tectonic forcing of biogeochemical change? Precambrian Research, 120(3-4): 279-325.
Clarke, J. D. A., Stoker, C. R., 2013. Searching for stromatolites: The 3.4 Ga Strelley Pool Formation (Pilbara region, Western Australia) as a Mars analogue. Icarus, 224(2): 413-423.
Craig, J., Biffi, U., Galimberti, R. F., Ghori, K. A. R., Gorter, J. D., Hakhoo, N., Le Heron, D. P., Thurow, J., Vecoli, M., 2013. The palaeobiology and geochemistry of Precambrian hydrocarbon source rocks. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 40: 1-47.
Ettensohn, F. R., Zhang, C. H., Gao, L. Z., Lierman, R. T., 2011. Softsediment deformation in epicontinental carbonates as evidence of paleoseismicity with evidence for a possible new seismogenic indicator: accordion folds. Sedimentary Geology, 235: 222-233.
Gao, L. Z., Zhang, C. H., Shi, X. Y., Zhou, H. R., Wang, Z. Q., Song, B., 2007. A new SHRIMP age of the Xiamaling Formation in the North China plate and its geological significance. Acta Geologica Sinica, 81: 1103-1109.
He Zhengjun, Song Tianrui, Ding Xiaozhong, Zhang Qiaoda, Meng Xianghua, Ge Ming, 2000. Early synsedimentary faulting of the Meso-Proterozoic Yanshan rift and its influence on event sedimentation. Journal of Palaeogeography, 2: 83-91 (in Chinese with English abstract).
Hips, K., Haas, J., 2006. Calcimicrobial stromatolites at the Permian- Triassic boundary in a western Tethyan section, B��kk Mountains, Hungary. Sedimentary Geology, 185(3-4): 239-253.
Horodyski, R. J., 1975. Stromatolites of the lower Missoula Group (Middle Proterozoic), Belt Supergroup, Glacier National Park, Montana. Precambrian Research, 2(3): 215-254.
Kao, C. S., Hsiug, Y. H., Kao, P., 1934. Preliminary notes on Sinian stratigraphy of North China. Bulletin of Geological Society of China, 13: 243-288.
Lepot, K., Benzerara, K., Rividi, N., Cotte, M., Brown Jr., G. E., Philippot, P., 2009. Organic matter heterogeneities in 2.72 Ga stromatolites: Alteration versus preservation by sulfur incorporation. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 73(21): 6579-6599.
Lepot, K., Williford, K. H., Ushikubo, T., Sugitani, K., Mimura, K., Spicuzza, M. J., Valley, J. W., 2013. Texture-specific isotopic compositions in 3.4 Gyr old organic matter support selective preservation in cell-like structures. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 112: 66-86.
Li, H. K., Zhu, S. X., Xiang, Z. Q., Su, W. B., Lu, S. N., Zhou, H. Y., Geng, J. Z., Li, S., Yang, F. J., 2010. Zircon U-Pb dating on tuff bed from Gaoyuzhuang Formation in Yanqing, Beijing: Further constraints on the new subdivision of the Mesoproterozoic stratigraphy in the North China Craton. Acta Petrologica Sinica, 26: 2131-2140.
Liang, D. Y., Song, Z. M., Zhao, C. H., Nie, Z. T., 2002. Discovery of Mesoproterozoic seismites at Baishi Mountain, Hebei Province and its geological significance. Geological Bulletin of China, 21: 625-630.
Noffke, N., 2010. Microbial maps in sandy deposits from the Archean era to today. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 194.
Noffke, N., Chafetz, H., 2012. Microbial mats in siliciclastic depositional systems through time. SEPM Special Publication, 101: 198.
Qiao Xiufu, Gao Linzhi, 2007. Mesoproterozoic palaeoearthquake and palaeogeography in Yan-Liao Aulacogen. Journal of Palaeogeography, 9: 337-352 (in Chinese with English abstract).
Qiao, X. F., Gao, L. Z., Peng, Y., 2007. Mesoproterozoic earthquake events and breakup of the Sino-Korean Plate. Acta Geologica Sinica, 81: 385-397.
Rogers, J. J. W., Santosh, M., 2002. Configuration of Columbia, a Mesoproterozoic supercontinent. Gondwana Research, 5: 5-22.
Song, T. R., 1988. A probable earthquake-tsunami sequence in Precambrian carbonate strata of Ming Tombs District, Beijing. Chinese Science Bulletin, 33: 1121-1124.
Su, D., Qiao, X., Sun, A., Li, H., Somerville, I. D., 2013. Large earthquake-triggered liquefaction mounds and a carbonate sand volcano in the Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Formation, Beijing, North China. Geological Journal, doi:10.1002/gj.2501, 21 pp.
Su Dechen, Sun Aiping, 2011. Soft-sediment deformation and occurrence frequency of palaeoearthquake in the Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Formation, Yongding River Valley, Beijing. Journal of Palaeogeography, 13: 591-614 (in Chinese with English abstract).
Su Dechen, Sun Aiping, 2012. Typical earthquake-induced soft-sediment deformation structures in the Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Fm., Yongding River valley (China) and interpreted earthquake frequency. Journal of Palaeogeography, 1: 71-89.
Su, W. B., Zhang, S. H., Huff, W. D., Li, H. K., Ettensohn, F. R., Chen, X. Y., Yang, H. M., Han, Y. G., Song, B., Santosh, M., 2008. SHRIMP U-Pb ages of K-bentonite beds in the Xiamaling Formation: Implications for revised subdivision of the Meso- to Neoproterozoic history of the North China Craton. Gondwana Research, 14: 543-553.
Su, W. B., Li, H. K., Huff, W. D., Ettensohn, F. R., Zhang, S. H., Zhou, H. Y., Wan, Y. S., 2010. SHRIMP U-Pb dating for a Kbentonite bed in the Tieling Formation, North China. Chinese Science Bulletin, 55: 3312-3323.
Van Loon, A. J., 2009. Soft-sediment deformational structures in siliciclastic sediments: An overview. Geologos, 15: 3-55.
Van Loon, A. J., Mazumder, R., 2013. First find of biogenic activity in the Paleoproterozoic of the Singhbhum craton (E India). Geologos, 19: 185-192.
Von Blanckenburg, F., Mamberti, M., Schoenberg, R., Kamber, B. S., Webb, G. E., 2008. The iron isotope composition of microbial carbonate. Chemical Geology, 249(1-2): 113-128.