Earth Science Frontiers ›› 2023, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (6): 391-405.DOI: 10.13745/j.esf.sf.2023.5.81

Previous Articles     Next Articles

New method to trace the three-dimensional compositional structure of cratonic lithosphere

YANG Liqiang1,2(), HE Wenyan1, GAO Xue1, WANG Sirui1, LI Nan1, QIU Kunfeng1, ZHANG Liang1, MA Qiang3, SU Yuping3, LI Dapeng2, ZHANG Zhiyu4, YU Hong1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
    2. Ministry of Natural Resources Key Laboratory of Gold Mineralization Processes and Resources Utilization/Key Laboratory of Metallogenic-Geologic Processes and Comprehensive Utilization of Minerals Resources in Shandong Province/Shandong Institute of Geological Sciences, Jinan 250013, China
    3. State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan 430074, China
    4.Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China
  • Received:2022-04-30 Revised:2023-05-07 Online:2023-11-25 Published:2023-11-25

Abstract:

Tracing the three-dimensional compositional structure of cratonic lithosphere is a frontier research topic in earth sciences, and it faces a series of challenges. This paper systematically examines previous results and proposes a new way of tracer study, i.e., changing from point to surface tracing, from local to whole-area tracing, and from single- to multi-method tracing. Taking the North China Craton as an example, urgent research areas and future directions are also proposed. The use of a single constrain and a comprehensive structural interpretation, obtained by multidisciplinary synthesis using various geophysical methods, not only opens up a new way of studying the three-dimensional compositional structure of the lithosphere, but also is conducive to obtaining more reliable results. A more realistic compositional structural model must agree with observations, including rock probe, lithospheric architecture, petrophysical property and mineral composition data, and be consistent with the theoretical geochemical thermodynamic and geodynamic frameworks. To overcome single data/method limitations and to obtain a joint constrain, a multidisciplinary tracer study process adhering to “systematic, gradual progress” and “feedback correction and continuous approximation” is proposed, which aims to recover the compositional structures of cratonic lithosphere in different evolutionary stages and trace its evolutionary process.

Key words: compositional structure of the lithosphere, petrological probe, isotopic mapping, geophysical inversion, multidisciplinary integration, North China Craton

CLC Number: