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International audience; This work first presents field structural analysis, anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) measurements, and kinematic and microstructural studies on the Neoproterozoic Pengguan complex located in the middle segment of the Longmenshan thrust belt (LMTB), NE Tibet. These investigations indicate that the Pengguan complex is a heterogeneous unit with a ductilely deformed NW domain and an undeformed SE domain, rather than a single homogeneous body as previously thought. The NW part of the Pengguan complex is constrained by top-to-the-NW shearing along its NW boundary and top-to-theSE shearing along its SE boundary, where it imbricates and overrides the SE domain. Two orogen-perpendicular gravity models not only support the imbricated shape of the Pengguan complex but also reveal an imbrication of high-density material hidden below the Paleozoic rocks on the west of the LMTB. Regionally, this suggests a basement-slice-imbricated structure that developed along the margin of the Yangtze Block, as shown by the regional gravity anomaly map, together with the published nearby seismic profile and the distribution of orogen-parallel Neoproterozoic complexes. Integrating the previously published ages of the NW normal faulting and of the SE directed thrusting, the locally fast exhumation rate, and the lithological characteristics of the sediments in the LMTB front, we interpret the basement-slice-imbricated structure as the result of southeastward thrusting of the basement slices during the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous. This architecture makes a significant contribution to the crustal thickening of the LMTB during the Mesozoic, and therefore, the Cenozoic thickening of the Longmenshan belt might be less important than often suggested.

International audience

International audience; Detrital zircons from Cretaceous micaschist, Late Eocene-Earliest Oligocene sandstone and Early Oligocene siltstone of the Western Alps fall into three main separable age clusters at 610-540 Ma, 490-430 Ma, and 340-280 Ma that correspond to the Cadomian (Neoproterozoic), Ordovician and Variscan (Carboniferous) events widespread in Western and Central Europe. Hf isotopic results indicate that these three magmatic and tectonic episodes did not give rise to significant production of juvenile crust. A distinguishable group of Triassic zircons, around 250-200 Ma which is considered to derive from the Southern Alps, has been detected in the Early Oligocene "Schistes à Blocs" formation and the Brianconnais “Flysch Noir”. In contrast, this age group is absent in Late Eocene-Earliest Oligocene sandstones. In agreement with sedimentological studies, our results show that the main source areas of the Eocene sandstone were probably located in the European continent. The arrival of detritus from the Internal Zone occurred in Early Oligocene, coeval with the tectonic rotation from northwestward to westward in the propagation of allochthonous units. Based on previous studies and our new data, we argue that the the Brianconnais Zone was likely a paleorelief since the Middle Eocene that accounts for the lack of detritus from the Adriatic units. Contemporary sediments were accumulated in the foredeep of the Adriatic Plate. From Oligocene time onwards, the blockage was cut through after a regional uplifting, and thus the Internal Zone started to provide detritus into the western flexural basins.

International audience; Fold-and-thrust belts are hot topics in the research of orogens. However, the single geological or geophysical discipline often provides multisolutions on the geometry of a fold-and-thrust belt. We introduce here a multidisciplinary method combining geological and geophysical methods, take the Hutubi River section as a case to study the geometry of the fold-and-thrust belt in the northern piedmont of Tianshan. Firstly, we have carefully taken geological survey and got structural data on the surface. Secondly, petroleum seismic profile was re-interpreted based on the surface data and drilled wells. However, the seismic profile is absent in the contact zone between the mountain and the Junggar basin. We therefore carried out gravity measurements and forward modeling along this profile with the densities of the basement and sediments. The result shows that the northern flank fault of Tianshan doesn't exist along the Hutubi River profile, and the basin sediments could be continually followed from the basin to the mountain interior. This indicates that the tectonic structures in the contact zones between the mountain and the basin are variable, as the western section in the Jingou River section shows that the Tianshan basement thrusts northward on the basin sediments. Based on the balance-section technology, the restored section shows 4. 8 km of shortening. Comparing with previous results, this indicates the heterogeneous deformation along the northern piedmont of Tianshan. It also implies that this multidisciplinary method could be widely used in the fold-and-thrust belt.

International audience; With a cratonic nucleus, the North China Craton (NCC) experienced a complex tectonic evolution with multiphase compressional and extensional events during Mesozoic times. Along the northern part of the NCC, the Yinshan-Yanshan fold and thrust belt was a typical intraplate orogen. Jurassic and Cretaceous continental sedimentation, magmatism, widespread intraplate characterize the Yinshan-Yanshan orogenic belt. The geodynamic significance of these tectonic events is still in dispute. In the western part of the Liaoning province, the Yiwulüshan massif crops out at the eastern end of the Yinshan-Yanshan orogenic belt. The Yiwulüshan massif presents an elliptical domal shape with a NE-SW striking long axis. The structural evolution of this massif brings new insights for the understanding of the Mesozoic plutonic-tectonic history of the NCC. A multidisciplinary study involving structural geology, geochronology, Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) and gravity modeling have been carried out. The presentation of the new results splits into two parts. Part I (this paper) deals with field and laboratory structural observations, and presents the main geochronological results. The AMS, gravity modeling data will be provided in a companion paper (Part II). The early compressional deformation (D1) corresponds to a Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous southward thrusting. The subsequent deformation is related to the Early Cretaceous exhumation of the Yiwulüshan massif. A detailed structural analysis allows us to distinguish several deformation events (D2, D3, and D4). The Cretaceous extensional structures, such as syntectonic plutons bounded by ductile normal faults, metamorphic core complexes, and half-graben basins are recognized in many places in East Asia. These new data from the Yiwulüshan massif constitute a link between Transbaikalia, Mongolia, North China and South China, indicating that NW-SE extensional Mesozoic tectonics occurred throughout the entire region.

International audience; Granitoids play an important role in deciphering both crustal growth and tectonic evolution of Earth. In the eastern end of the Yinshan-Yanshan belt of North China Craton, the Yiwulüshan massif is a typical region that presents the tectonic evolution features of this belt. Our field work on the host rocks has demonstrated two phases of opposite tectonics: compressional and extensional, however, the deformation is almost invisible in the intrusive rocks. To improve the understanding of the tectonic evolution of the Yiwulüshan massif and the Late Mesozoic tectonics of East Asia, a multidisciplinary study has been carried out. In this study, anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) and gravity modeling have been applied on these Jurassic plutons (Lüshan, Jishilazi and Guanyindong), which intrude into the Yiwulüshan massif. According to laboratory measurements and microscopic observations on thin sections, the AMS of the Yiwulüshan massif is characterized by secondary fabrics, indicating that the intensive post solidus deformation has reset the (primary) magmatic magnetic fabrics. A relatively gentle NW dipping magnetic foliation has been identified with two distinct groups of magnetic lineations of N34°E and N335°E orientations, namely LM1 and LM2, relatively. Gravity modeling reveals a southward thinning of the massif with a possible feeding zone rooted in the northern part of the massif. Integrating all results from structural observation, geochronological investigation, AMS measurement and gravity modeling, two tectonic phases have been identified in the Yiwulüshan massif, posterior to the Jurassic (180-160 Ma) magmatism in the Yinshan-Yanshan area. The early one concerns a Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous (~ 141 Ma) compressional event with a top-to-the-south to southwest sense of shear. The second one shows an Early Cretaceous (~ 126 Ma) NW-SE ductile extensional shearing. At that time, sedimentary basins widened and Jurassic plutons started to be deformed under post solidus conditions. In fact, the NW-SE trend of the maximum stretching direction is a general feature of East Asian continent during Late Mesozoic.

International audience; The Xuefengshan Belt, characterized by large-scale fold and thrust structures and widespread granites, is a key area to decipher the tectonic evolution of the South China block. In this belt, two magmatic episodes are recorded by Early Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic granites. In this paper, we carried out precise SIMS zircon Usingle bondPb dating and in situ Lusingle bondHf isotopes measurements on these granitic plutons. Our study indicates that the Early Paleozoic and the Early Mesozoic granites are late-orogenic products of the Early Paleozoic orogen and the Middle Triassic Xuefengshan orogen, respectively. In the Xuefengshan Belt, the Early Paleozoic event is poorly registered, since this area corresponds to the outer zone of the early Paleozoic orogen. The Silurian-Early Devonian granites are late-orogenic plutons emplaced after the main tectonic and metamorphic stage in the Wuyi-Baiyun-Yunkai belt, coeval with a widespread, subsequent extensional event in eastern and southern South China. On the other hand, Triassic granites are formed in an intracontinental environment with weakly to strongly peraluminous signatures. Zircon Usingle bondPb ages presented here, associated with a summary of newly acquired data in the same region, suggest that the emplacement of anatectic granites occurred around 225-215 Ma, not in a rather wide range of ca. 245-200 Ma. In situ zircon εHf(t) values indicate a crust-derived source without a mantle-derived input for the two generations of granites. Combining our data with recent studies, we infer that the central area of the South China block has experienced two tectonothermal events: the Early Paleozoic magmatism developed as a result of the collapse of the Early Paleozoic orogen, while these Early Mesozoic granites can be the late-orogenic products of the intracontinental Xuefengshan orogen, most likely manifesting the far field effect by the

International audience; The Tian Shan range offers a natural laboratory to study orogenic processes. Most of the previous studies focused on either the Palaeozoic evolution of the range or its Cenozoic intracontinental evolution linked with the India-Asia collision. In this study, it is shown that detailed field investigations on the relationship between sedimentary cover and basement constrain the Mesozoic evolution of the northern Tian Shan. Sedimentological observations argue for a limited transport distance for Lower and Uppermost Jurassic deposits. Geological sections presented in this paper show that, in preserved locations, Triassic to Jurassic sedimentary series present a continuous onlap type sedimentary unconformity on the top of the basement. At different scales, observations clearly evidence the existence of major palaeorelief during the Mesozoic. According to the present study, the topography of the current Tian Shan range and the associated movements along its northern front structures cannot be considered as the consequence of Cenozoic reactivation alone.

International audience; The present-day topography of the Tian Shan range is considered to result from crustal shortening related to the ongoing India-Asia collision that started in the early Tertiary. In this study we report evidence for several episodes of localized tectonic activity which occurred prior to that major orogenic event. Apatite fission track analysis and (U-Th)/He dating on apatite and zircon indicate that inherited Paleozoic structures were reactivated in the late Paleozoic-early Mesozoic during a Cimmerian orogenic episode and also in the Late Cretaceous-Paleogene (around 65-60 Ma). These reactivations could have resulted from the accretion of the Kohistan-Dras arc or lithospheric extension in the Siberia-Mongolia zone. Activity resumed in the late Mesozoic prior to the major Tertiary orogenic phase. Finally, the ongoing deformation, which again reactivates inherited tectonic structures, tends to propagate inside the endoreic basins that were preserved in the range, leading to their progressive closure. This study demonstrates the importance of inherited structures in localizing the first increments of the deformation before it propagates into yet undeformed areas.

International audience; The modern Tianshan (central Asia), which extends east-west on about 2500 km long with an average of more than 2000 m in altitude, is considered as a direct consequence of the reactivation of a Paleozoic belt due to the India - Asia collision. At first order, the finite structure of this range obviously displays a significant uprising of Paleozoic "basement" rocks - as a crustal-scale 'pop-up' - surrounded by two Cenozoic foreland basins. In order to characterize the coupling history of this Cenozoic orogeny with its northern foreland basin (Junggar basin), a detailed structural field work has been carried out on the northern piedmont of Tianshan. From Wusu to Urumqi, on about 250 km long, the thrusting of the Paleozoic basement on the Mesozoic or Cenozoic sedimentary series of the basin is remarkably exposed along several river valleys. In contrast, in other sections, the Triassic to Jurassic sedimentary series can be followed from the basin to the range where they unconformably overlie on the Carboniferous basement. These series are only gently folded along the "range front". These features imply that, at regional-scale, the Cenozoic reactivation of the Tianshan has not produced important deformation along its contact with the juxtaposed Junggar basin. The shortening ascribed to the Cenozoic intra-continental collision would either be localized in the range, mostly accommodated by reactivated Paleozoic structures or faults in the basement units, or in the distal parts of the Junggar basin, by folds and faults within the Cenozoic sedimentary series. Alternative hypothesis would be that the Tianshan uplift and the movements associated with along its northern front structures, which are traditionally assigned to its Cenozoic reactivation, might be reduced. Such characteristic significantly differs from other well-known orogenic ranges, such as the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the Appalachians, the Pyrenees which display highly folded foreland basins and thrust belts with rather well developed range front structures. This suggests that the Tianshan intra-continental range is rather "young" and still at a primary stage of its orogenic evolution. In other words, its front may be considered as an immature thrust belt. If considering the available tomographic data across the Tianshan, its actual uplift may probably be produced by an asymmetric intracontinental deformation mechanism, i.e. a deeper subduction of the Tarim plate below the Tianshan (to the south), with respect to the one of Junggar plate to the north of the range. Consequently, the Tianshan range offers an excellent natural laboratory to study the processes of the on-going orogeny-foreland basin coupling, ancient structures reactivation as well as initiation and development of range front structures.

International audience; The modern Tianshan mountain belt, located in Central Asia, offers a natural laboratory to study orogenic processes linked with convergent geodynamical settings. Most of the previous studies either focused on the Paleozoic evolution of the range - subductions, arc accretions and continental collision - or on its Cenozoic intra-continental evolution linked with the India-Asia collision. At first order, the finite structure of this range obviously displays a remarkable uprising of Paleozoic "basement" rocks - as a crustal-scale 'pop-up' - surrounded by two Cenozoic foreland basins. The present-day topography of the Tianshan is traditionally related to the latest intra-continental reactivation of the range. In contrast, the present field study of the northern Tianshan brings new and clear evidences for the existence of a significant relief, in this area, during Mesozoic times. The investigation zone is about 250 km long, from Wusu to Urumqi, along the northern flank of the Tianshan where the rivers deeply incised the topography. In such valleys, lithologies and structural relationships between Paleozoic basement rocks, Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary series are particularly well exposed along several sections. Jurassic series are mostly characterized by coal-bearing, coarse-grained continental deposits. Within intra-mountain basins, sedimentary breccias, with clasts of Carboniferous basement rocks, have been locally found at the base of the series. This argues for the presence of a rather proximal palaeo-relief of basement rocks along the range front and the occurrence of proximal intra-mountain basins, during the Jurassic. Moreover, while a major thrust is mostly evoked between Jurassic deposits and the Paleozoic units, some of the studied sections show that the Triassic to Jurassic sedimentary series can be followed from the basin to the range. In these cases, the unconformity of the Mesozoic series on top of the Carboniferous basement has been locally clearly identified quite high in the mountain range or even, surprisingly, directly along the northern Tianshan "front" itself. Combining available information from geological maps, field investigations and numerous drilling wells, regional-scale cross-sections have been built. Some of them show "onlap" type deposit of the Triassic to Jurassic clastic sediments on top of the Paleozoic basement that was thus significantly sloping down to the North at that time. Our study clearly evidences, at different scales, the existence of a major palaeo-relief along the northern Tianshan range during Mesozoic, and particularly during Jurassic times. Such results are compatible with previous fission tracks and sedimentology studies. From this, the Tianshan's uplift and the movements associated with along its northern front structures, which are traditionally assigned to its Cenozoic reactivation, must be reduced. These new results question on the mode and timing of reactivation of structures and on the link between topography and intra-continental collisional settings.

International audience; The Tian Shan Mountains constitute central Asia's longest and highest mountain range. Understanding their Cenozoic uplift history thus bears on mountain building processes in general, and on how deformation has occurred under the influence of the India-Asia collision in particular. In order to help decipher the uplift history of the Tian Shan, we collected 970 samples for magnetostratigraphic analysis along a 4571-m-thick section at the Jingou River (Xinjiang Province, China). Stepwise alternating field and thermal demagnetization isolate a linear magnetization component that is interpreted as primary. From this component, a magnetostratigraphic column composed of 67 polarity chrons are correlated with the reference geomagnetic polarity timescale between ~1 Ma and ~23.6 Ma, with some uncertainty below ~21 Ma. This correlation places precise temporal control on the Neogene stratigraphy of the southern Junggar Basin and provides evidence for two significant stepwise increases in sediment accumulation rate at ~16–15 Ma and ~11–10 Ma. Rock magnetic parameters also undergo important changes at ~16–15 Ma and ~11–10 Ma that correlate with changes in sedimentary depositional environments. Together with previous work, we conclude that growth history of the modern Tian Shan Mountains includes two pulses of uplift and erosion at ~16–15 Ma and ~11–10 Ma. Middle to upper Tertiary rocks around the Tian Shan record very young (

In eastern China, the Feidong-Zhangbaling Massif is located between the Dabieshan and Sulu areas along the Tan-Lu fault. Five tectonic-metamorphic events are distinguished there. The earliest deformation (D1), corresponding to a southward compression occurred during the subduction of the South China Block below the North China Block. Top-to-the-south shearing is coeval with the Late Permian-Early Triassic blueschist facies metamorphism, and possibly with the development of south-verging recumbent folds in the Neoproterozoic-Paleozoic sedimentary cover of the South China foreland. The main ductile deformation (D2) is an extensional one, characterized by top-to-the-north shearing, coeval with the early stage of exhumation of the high-pressure rocks. A top-to-the-NW ductile shearing, and microfolds overturned to the northwest belong to a second deformation phase of exhumation (D3) which is distinct from the main event (D2). Previous 40Ar-39Ar mica dates ranging between 245 Ma and 212 Ma suggest Late Permian-Early Triassic ages for the D1 to D3 events. The D4 event produced NE-SW trending folds in the sedimentary cover interpreted as gravity collapse structures. A Late Cretaceous brittle extensional event (D5) controls the opening and infill of continental half-grabens. In the study area, the Tan-Lu fault is a Cretaceous brittle normal fault. The lack of ductile deformation along the Tan-Lu fault cannot account for the exhumation of high-pressure metamorphic rocks.