Collaborative Research: A Multidisciplinary Study of an Exhumed Active Continental Margin: The Wrangell Transect, SE Alaska

PI建议对阿拉斯加东南部Wrangell - Petersburg - Prince of Wales岛地区的东西样带白垩纪和第三纪岩石进行多学科研究。前人的研究表明，将古地磁研究与地质年代学、热年代学、气压学和构造地质观测相结合，可以对BC省西部和阿拉斯加东南部岛状超地体和海岸山脉造山带的构造演化提供重要的认识。PI最近在鲁珀特王子附近取得的结果表明，古地磁是研究挖掘出的浅层和中地壳剖面的多学科努力的关键组成部分。当与精心协调的多学科研究项目的地质观测相结合时，侵入火成岩的古地磁数据提供了变形屈服区的构造发展的关键信息，而这些信息是无法通过其他方式获得的。例如，PI已经记录了在始新世伸展期间，包含海岸剪切带以东的古新世quotoon火成岩复合体的地壳板块经历了40度的东向上倾斜。此外，它们的年代学、古磁、气压和构造地质资料表明，中白垩世埃斯特尔岩体在西向逆冲期间发生了褶皱。这些发现对了解科迪勒拉北部大陆边缘的地壳结构和构造发育具有重要意义。由于火成岩在白垩纪、整个古近纪和中新世期间被放置在岩浆弧的这一部分，因此Wrangell样带提供了在空间和时间上跟踪演化趋同到走滑板块边缘的变形的机会。方法将包括锆石和球体的U/Pb年代学、Al-in-homblende气压测定、40 Ar/39 Ar年代学、锆石的(U- th)/He定年、变质岩石学、构造地质调查以及古地磁分析。对样带东部的初步调查表明，自20 Ma以来，该地区经历了沿22′方位轴的- 17′esside -up倾斜。整个样带的观测结果表明，白垩纪岩体的古地磁方向是多变的，既有一致的倾向，也有不一致的倾向。Wrangell样带白垩纪和第三纪火成岩的古地磁研究，结合年代学、年代学和气压学分析，可以确定：(1)新生代脱热作用发生的时间和地点；(2)区域一致的倾斜/褶皱和/或大规模的搬运是否可以解释白垩纪岩体古地磁方向的不一致。结合鲁珀特王子地区的研究成果，本研究的成功完成可以为近1000年来海岸山脉和岛岛超地体的构造和古地理演化提供一个全面的模型。

The PI's propose a multidisciplinary study of Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks along an east-west transect in the Wrangell - Petersburg - Prince of Wales Island area of SE Alaska (= Wrangell transect). Previous research demonstrates that integration of paleomagnetic studies with geochronologic, therinochronologic, barometric, and structural geologic observations can produce important insights into the tectonic evolution of the Insular superterrane and Coast Mountains orogen in western BC and SE Alaska. The PI's recent results from near Prince Rupert show that paleomagnetism is a key component of multidisciplinary efforts investigating exhumed shallow and mid-crustal sections. When accompanied by geologic observations resulting from a carefully coordinated multidisciplinary research program, paleomagnetic data on intrusive igneous rocks 'eld critical information on the tectonic development of deformed yiregions that cannot otherwise be obtained. For example, the PI's have documented that panels of crust containing the Paleocene Quottoon igneous complex east of the Coast shear zone have experienced east-side-up tilts ranging to 40' during Eocene extension. In addition, their geochronologic, palcomagnetic, barometric, and structural geologic data suggest that the midCretaceous Ecstall pluton was folded during west-directed thrusting. These discoveries are fundamental to understanding the crustal architecture and tectonic development of the continental margin in the northern Cordillera.Because igneous rocks were emplaced into this part of the magmatic arc during the Cretaceous, throughout the Paleogene, and into the Miocene, the Wrangell transect provides the opportunity to track deformation of an evolving convergent to strike-slip plate margin in space and time. Methods will include U/Pb geochronology of zircon and spheric, Al-in-homblende barometry, 40 Ar/39 Ar thennochronology, (U-Th)/He dating of zircon, metamorphic petrology, and structural geologic investigations in addition to paleomagnetic analysis. Preliminary investigations on the eastern portion of the transect indicate that this area experienced - 1 7' ESEside-up tilt about an axis with azimuth 22' since 20 Ma. Observations from across the transect indicate that paleomagnetic directions from Cretaceous plutons are variable, with both concordant and discordant inclinations. Paleomagnetic study of the Cretaceous and Tertiary igneous rocks of the Wrangell transect, coupled with the geochronologic, thennochronologic, and barometric analyses, can determine: (1) when and where Cenozoic defontiation occurred; and (2) whether regionally consistent tilting/folding and/or large-scale transport can account for discordant paleomagnetic directions from Cretaceous plutons. Combined with results from the Prince Rupert area, successful completion of the proposed research can provide a comprehensive model for the tectonic and paleogeographic evolution of the Coast Mountains and Insular superterrane for the past I 00 m.y.