The Late Neoproterozoic-Early Palaeozoic suture zones within the Central Orogenic Belt of China can be considered a system-the Kunlun-Qilian-Qinling suture system (KQQ suture system). It is basically divided into the western, central and eastern sectors. The western sector consists of the KUda-Subashi suture zone, the Mazar-Kangxiwar suture and the central West Kunlun microblock. The cenbal sector covers the following five suture zones: the Altun, North Qilian, Qaidam northern marginal, Qimantag-Wutuo and East Kunlun southern marginal sutures, in addition to some microblocks such as the mid-south Qilian. Qaidam. Ayakkum and Maqen microblocks. The eastern sector is composed of the Shangdan suture zone, Mianlile suture zone and central Qinling-Dabie microblock. The KQQ suture system experienced (1) extending-rifting of the Rodinia supercontinent in the early-middle Sinian (-78(Moo Ma); (2) the formation and evolution of the KQQ archipelagic ocean during the Late Sinian-ordovician (-600-440 Ma), and (3) closing of the KQQ Ocean and forming of the KQQ suture system during the Late Ordovician-early Silurian (-440400 Ma). As a system comprising many suture zones and microblocks. the KQQ suture system constitutes the foundation of the Central Orogenic Belt of China.
The global heat flow is the primary energy flow responsible for heat transportation and dynamic process occurred within the Earth's interior. In this study we investigated, in a three dimensional spherical geometry frame, the generation and distribution characterization of global heat flow on basis of exploring thermal effects of density anomaly and plate driven‐mantle flows, respectively. Results show that thermal effect hence the contribution to the observed heat flow by plate motion‐driven mantle flow is greater than that by internal density anomaly (tomography based). Higher values of observed heat flow in mid‐ocean ridge system could be accounted for, to a great extent, by the thermal effect resulted from the plate‐driven mantle flow. Furthermore, the predicted average temperature as function of depth reveals feature of an isothermal core and two thermal boundary layers at the surface and the core‐mantle boundary. An approximation thickness of 150 km for lithosphere within which the temperature rapidly varies can be obtained. Comparing with other viscosity models used in the study, the model in which viscosity in the lower mantle is 30 times than that in the upper mantle appears to fit data better.
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