The Cretaceous Turn of Geological Evolution: Key Evidence from East Asia

Abstract

this work focuses on one of the critical points of Earth's history when the Solar System passed through the most distant point of its galactic orbit. During this event, Earth may have suffered from maximum extension, associated with its relative proximity to the Sun at that time, followed by long‐term contraction related to its later distancing. This paper is based on generalized data on the Cretaceous evolution of the Earth as a whole and of East Asia in particular. The evidence suggests that major geological processes at this time may be interpreted as transitional changes in the state of Earth. A liquid nature of its core may have reacted to the gravitational and electromagnetic transformations. When the cosmic changes took place at 135–120 Ma, more turbulent flows in the outer core would have favoured the rise of voluminous magmatic plumes and associated fluid flows. These would substantially transform the mantle, crust, hydrosphere, biosphere and atmosphere. In particular, plume‐related melting of overlying subducting slabs and lower continental crust could have initiated numerous adakitic melts that formed the East Asian Adakitic Province. These and associated juvenile events produced numerous metallic ore, coal, gas and oil deposits. The Cretaceous is one of the most significant resource‐producing periods.

A major change in magma sources in late Mesozoic active margin of the circum‐Sea of Japan domain: Geochemical constraints from late Paleozoic to Paleogene mafic dykes in the Sergeevka belt, southern Primorye, Russia

“…The present geochemical and geochronological analyses revealed that In summary, the present study positively suggests a plume-related change of the mantle composition during the Jurassic-early Cretaceous (Nechaev et al, 2018); that is, from a primitive mantle to EM2, with respect to a change in subduction regime, from deep-angle during the Permian-Triassic to shallow-angle during the Triassic to Early Cretaceous, then back to deep-angle again in the mid-Cretaceous to Paleogene. The above conclusions with relevant tectono-magmatic interpretations in southern Primorye appear consistent with the data from the circum-Sea of Japan region, for example, NW China, Korean peninsula, and southwest/northeast Japan (Figure 17); on the contrary, they are significantly inconsistent with the widely accepted tectonic views of large-scale strike-slip tectonics in the early to mid-Cretaceous East Asia (e. g., Khanchuk et al, 1996, Khanchuk et al, 1997, Khanchuk et al, 2019Maruyama et al, 1997;Yamakita & Otoh, 2000;Golozoubov, 2006;Liu et al, 2017;Li et al, 2020).…”

“…By reporting the analytical results, this article discusses possible origin of dyke-generating magmas, and their secular change from the Permo-Triassic to Cretaceous-Paleogene time. We also compare the present results with those on similar dykes in other parts of southern Far East Russia, China, Korea, and Japan (e.g., Davis, 2003;Guo et al, 2007;Liu et al, 2012;Nechaev et al, 2018;Pouclet et al, 1995;Tsuchiya et al, 2005;Wu et al, 2017) for finding further geotectonic implications to the circum-Sea of Japan region. Previous studies assumed the subduction-related origin of these dykes and related volcanic and plutonic complexes; nonetheless, some emphasized possible links to large-scale strike-slip tectonics, including asthenospheric diapirism over 1000 km during the Cretaceous period (Grebennikov et al, 2016;Khanchuk et al, 2019;Martynov et al, 2016;Simanenko et al, 2002), and/or to a complicated plume influence onto the subduction system (Nechaev et al, 2018).…”

“…We also compare the present results with those on similar dykes in other parts of southern Far East Russia, China, Korea, and Japan (e.g., Davis, 2003;Guo et al, 2007;Liu et al, 2012;Nechaev et al, 2018;Pouclet et al, 1995;Tsuchiya et al, 2005;Wu et al, 2017) for finding further geotectonic implications to the circum-Sea of Japan region. Previous studies assumed the subduction-related origin of these dykes and related volcanic and plutonic complexes; nonetheless, some emphasized possible links to large-scale strike-slip tectonics, including asthenospheric diapirism over 1000 km during the Cretaceous period (Grebennikov et al, 2016;Khanchuk et al, 2019;Martynov et al, 2016;Simanenko et al, 2002), and/or to a complicated plume influence onto the subduction system (Nechaev et al, 2018). We explore a more advanced tectono-magmatic model for the circum-Sea of Japan region during the late Paleozoic to Paleogene, particularly from the viewpoint of the newly proposed Greater South China continental block since the Paleozoic (Isozaki, 2019;Isozaki et al, 2017).…”

“…This reconstruction was based on several lines of evidence; that is, the common age spectra of detrital zircons in Paleozoic sandstones reflecting the same provenance (Isozaki et al, 2014(Isozaki et al, , 2015(Isozaki et al, , 2017, common marine fauna for Yang and Wu (2009) for the eastern North China; Kim and Turek (1996) and Yi et al (2016) for Korea; Ishiwatari (1985) and Ichiyama and Ishiwatari (2004) for Japan; Golozubov et al (2017) and Wang et al (2015) for Khanka Massif and this study for Sergeevka belt. Note that the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous igneous activity including small mafic intrusions and lavas was more widespread, covering a large part of intracontinental East Asia (Figure 17a; Wu et al, 2005;Nechaev et al, 2018) paleolatitude/environments in southern Primorye, northeastsouthwest Japan, and South China proper (Isozaki, 2019;Zakharov al., 1996).…”

Metalliferous Coals of Cretaceous Age: A Review

“…Critical elements in coal and coal-bearing sequences, such as Li, Sc, V, Ga, Ge, Se, and Y and rare earth elements (REY, or REE+Y) Zr, Nb, Au, and Ag, and platinum group elements, Re, and U, have attracted great attention in recent years [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8], as these elements in some coals and coal-bearing sequences may have relatively high concentrations, comparable to those of conventional ore deposits [9,10]. Nowadays, world economies largely depend on high technologies in which critical elements play a vital role because they are driving some of the biggest advancements in technology and energy efficiency in the world [3,11].…”