Provenance and hinterland exhumation from LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb and fission-track double dating of Cretaceous sediments in the Jianghan Basin, Yangtze block, central China

Sedimentary Geology 281 (2012) 194–207

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Provenance and hinterland exhumation from LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb and fission-track double dating of Cretaceous sediments in the Jianghan Basin, Yangtze block, central China Chuan-Bo Shen a,⁎, Raymond A. Donelick b, Paul B. O'Sullivan b, Raymond Jonckheere c, Zhao Yang c, Zhen-Bing She e, Xiang-Liang Miu d, Xiang Ge d a

Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources, China University of Geosciences, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430074, China Apatite to Zircon, Inc., 1075 Matson Road, Viola, ID 83872‐9709, USA c Institut für Geowissenschaften, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, D-09596 Freiberg, Germany d Faculty of Earth Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China e State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China b

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history: Received 16 January 2012 Received in revised form 15 August 2012 Accepted 6 September 2012 Available online 17 September 2012 Editor: G.J. Weltje Keywords: Zircon fission track Double dating Provenance Exhumation Cretaceous

a b s t r a c t Crystallization and cooling ages obtained from fission-track and U–Pb double dating of single zircons using LA-ICP-MS from five samples of Cretaceous Jianghan Basin strata, Yangtze block, central China, refine sediment sources and source-area exhumation. The Huangling basement massif of the northwestern Yangtze Craton and the Qinling-Dabie Orogen along the northern margin of the Yangtze block provided the U–Pb zircon-age populations. Two rapid cooling events at ca. 840–800 and ~206–151 to 43 Ma existed in the Huangling massif and the major exhumation period of the Qinling-Dabie Orogen at 221–195 Ma. The important tectonothermal event at 221–195 Ma of the Qinling-Dabie Orogen was characterized by the collision between the south China and the north China block and overprinted the whole Qinling-Dabie Orogen and the north Yangtze block. Together with the published geochronology, our data constrain the paleogeography of eastern China: (i) The Upper Triassic–Lower Jurassic strata have their sources in the Qinling-Dabie Orogen and the Cathaysia and Yangtze basement of the South China Block. (ii) In the Middle Jurassic, the Sichuan, Jianghan, Hengyang, and Mayang basins formed a large composite basin with identical provenance from the Qinling-Dabie Orogen and the Cathaysia. (iii) Since the Late Cretaceous, the Jiangnan Orogen and a mountain belt along the Pacific coast constituted important topographic boundaries in southern China. Within the Jianghan Basin, the maximum depositional ages of the Shimen, Wulong, Luojingtan, and Honghuatao Formations are approximately 145.53± 11.23, 113.09± 11.37, 96.00 ±9.29, and 89.43± 9.29 Ma, respectively. This study demonstrates the feasibility of LA-ICP-MS zircon fission track and U–Pb double dating to refine the identification of sediment sources and determine the exhumation of source areas. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction The Jianghan Basin of the central Yangtze block, eastern China (Fig. 1), is regarded as the southern syn-orogenic foreland basin of the Triassic–Jurassic Qinling-Dabie Orogen (e.g., Grimmer et al., 2003; Liu et al., 2003, 2005; Wang et al., 2009). Utilizing its Triassic–Jurassic strata, provenance studies so far aimed to date the onset of exhumation of the Qinling-Dabie high- to ultrahigh-pressure (HP-UHP) rocks (e.g., Liu et al., 2003, 2005; Wang et al., 2009; She et al., 2012). However, the timing of initial exhumation is still controversial: Triassic (ca. ⁎ Corresponding author at: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources, Faculty of Earth Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China. Tel.: +86 27 87481219; fax: +86 27 67883051. E-mail address: [email protected] (C.-B. Shen). 0037-0738/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2012.09.009

240 Ma, e.g., Grimmer, et al., 2003, Hacker et al., 2006) or early Jurassic (ca. 190 Ma, e.g., Wang et al., 2009) or middle Jurassic (ca. 175 Ma, e.g., Liu et al., 2005)? Furthermore, there has been less research into the sediment source for the Cretaceous strata in the Jianghan Basin. The Cretaceous strata have the potential to record important changes in tectonics, mineralization, petroleum accumulation, and climate that are all documented in eastern China during the Cretaceous period (e.g., Chen, 2000; Yu et al., 2006; Cao and Wang, 2009; Chen et al., 2009; Shen et al. 2012a). In tectonics, the transition from the Paleo-Tethyan tectonic system, with the formation of the Qinling-Dabie Orogen, to the circumPacific tectonic system, with the establishment of a NE-trending magmatic arc (e.g., Xie et al., 2006; Li and Li, 2007; X.H. Li et al., 2010) and a back-arc extensional province occurred through the Cretaceous (e.g., Davis et al., 2002; Ratschbacher et al., 2003; Pirajno et al., 2009; Shen et al. 2012a). In petroleum exploration, the Cretaceous sandstones of

C.-B. Shen et al. / Sedimentary Geology 281 (2012) 194–207

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Fig. 1. Sketch map showing the location of the study area and highlighting possible source areas, modified from She (2007). HL, Huangling terrane. U–Pb samples from the Jianghan (She, 2007; Wang et al., 2009; She et al., 2012), Sichuan (She, 2007; R.B. Li et al., 2010); Mayang (She, 2007; Yan, et al., 2011), Hengyang basin (She, 2007; Yan, et al., 2011) and Pingle basin (She, 2007).

the Jianghan Basin are good reservoirs and have potential exploration prospects (e.g., Chen et al., 2009). Therefore, it is of great scientific significance to study the chronology and provenance of the Cretaceous strata in the Jianghan Basin. In this study, five sandstone samples from Cretaceous sediments of the Jianghan Basin were analyzed for single-grain zircon fission track (ZFT) and U–Pb double dating using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) method. We thus follow recent studies that applied multiple thermochronologic methods on single detrital crystals, such as (U–Th–Sm)/He or FT and U–Pb double dating or (U–Th–Sm)/He, FT, and U–Pb triple dating on individual zircon or apatite grains (e.g., Carter and Moss, 1999; Carter and Bristow, 2000; Rahl et al., 2003; Bernet et al., 2009; Montano and Graver, 2009; Dias et al., 2011). Such studies have the power to constrain depositional ages, provenance, and changes in source areas over time, thus permitting paleogeographic reconstructions (e.g., Weltjea and Eynatten, 2004; Carrapa et al., 2009; Perry et al., 2009). In addition, they may illustrate the exhumation history of the source areas, thus allowing assessment of hinterland tectonics and landscape evolution (e.g., Bernet and Spiegel 2004; Najman, 2006; Thomas, 2011; Shen et al., 2012b); the key advantage of the multi-dating approach is the ability to provide both crystallization

and cooling ages. (e.g., Carter and Moss, 1999; Carter and Bristow, 2000; Campbell et al., 2005; Reiners et al., 2005). Our scope for the Cretaceous sediments of the Jianghan Basin was to (a) assess the value and sensitivity of the fission-track and U–Pb zircon double-dating technique on single grains using LA-ICP-MS, (b) characterize the source areas and dispersal patterns of the Cretaceous strata in the Jianghan Basin and thus detect possible changes in sediment source with time, (c) determine the exhumation of the source areas and thus provide new evidence for the tectonic–thermal history of its hinterlands, and (d) reconstruct the paleogeographic features of South China integrating with previously published geochronologic data. 2. Geological setting The 28,000 km2 Jianghan Basin is a large Mesozoic–Cenozoic petroliferous basin. It is bound by the Qinling-Dabie Orogen in the northeast, the Jiangnan Orogen in the south, and the Huangling basement massif along the Yangtze gorges in the northwest; these areas constitute the likely source areas for the Cretaceous sediments (Fig. 1). The basin was a syn-orogenic foreland basin associated with the Dabie Orogen in the Triassic–Jurassic (e.g. Grimmer et al., 2003;

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1999; Hacker et al., 2000; Meng and Zhang, 2000; Ratschbacher et al., 2003). The onset of UHP metamorphism is now well-dated by U–Pb zircon, Lu–Hf garnet, and Ar–Ar phengite geochronology at about 245–235 Ma (e.g., Ratschbacher et al. 2003; Hacker et al., 2006; Liu et al., 2006). The timing has not been traced well in the sedimentary record during subsequent exhumation stages. The exhumation of the Dabie HP–UHP rocks provided the most predominant source for the Jurassic sediments in the Jianghan Basin (Wang et al., 2009) and the lower Yangtze foreland basin (Grimmer et al., 2003). The Qinling-Dabie Orogen was reactivated during the Cretaceous by Pacific back-arc extension, resulting in regional exhumation (Hu et al., 2006; Shen et al., 2009a, 2009b). The Jiangnan Orogen comprises the Mesoproterozoic Lengjiaxi and Neoproterozoic Banxi sedimentary groups (Charvet et al., 1996; Wang et al., 2007; Wang et al., 2009). Jingningian, Caledonian and Yanshanian granites intruded these sequences (e.g., Wang et al., 2009). Detrital zircon U–Pb ages revealed three age clusters: 2.5–2.4 Ga, 1.8–1.6 Ga and 1.0–0.86 Ga, most likely derived from the Yangtze and/or Cathaysia Blocks (Wang et al., 2007). The Huangling basement massif forms an ENE-striking anticline. It exposes the high-grade metamorphic Archean–Paleoproterozoic Kongling Group and the Huangling granitoids in its core; marine Sinian to Triassic strata surround this crystalline core (Fig. 2). The Kongling Group formed at 2.90 to 2.95 Ga, and detrital zircon U–Pb

Wang et al., 2009) and transferred subsequently to a Cretaceous–Tertiary rift basin outlined by NNE-trending normal faults (e.g. Dai et al. 2000; Shen et al., 2012a). The Cretaceous basin fill is regionally similar, comprising alluvial fan and/or deltaic deposits that grade up-section into lacustrine mudstones (Dai et al., 2000; Liu et al., 2010). The Cretaceous rocks mostly outcrop in the Yichang area of the Jianghan Basin (Figs. 1, 2A). They comprise, from base (Lower Cretaceous) to top (Upper Cretaceous), the Shimen (K1s), Wulong (K1w), Luojingtang (K2l), Honghuatao (K2h), and Paomagang (K2p) Formations. The Shimen Fm. is 10 to 190 m thick and comprises gray, yellow, and red conglomerates with interbedded siltstones that transgressed on Paleozoic limestone above a sharp unconformity, which can be observed at the entrance of the Xiling gorge at Nanjingguan (Mao and Wang, 1999). The Wulong Fm. is 710 to 1700 m thick and consists of gray–yellow and gray–red siltstones and medium-grained sandstones with interbedded sandy conglomerate and conglomerate in the lower unit (Fig. 2B). The 270 to 810 m thick Luojingtan Fm. consists of red-white massive conglomerate with thin-bedded sandstone and siltstone. The Honghuatao and Paomagang Formations are 270 to 1420 m and 265 to 800 m thick, respectively; both comprise massive red fine-grained sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone (Fig. 2B). The Qinling‐Dabie Orogen stretches for about 2000 km in eastcentral China and was formed by the Triassic subduction of the South China block beneath the North China Craton (e.g., Webb et al.,

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Fig. 2. (A) Simplified geological map for the Yichang area in the Three Gorges and sample locations, modified from Liu et al. (2008). (B) Stratigraphy of Cretaceous sequence of the Yichang Area in the Jianghan Basin with showing position of detrital zircon sample sites. (C) Paleocurrent analysis of the gravel flat surface and cross-bedding, showing a SE orientation, suggesting the sediments may be derived from the northwest.

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ages from the Archean metapelites are 2.87 to 3.28 Ga (Gao et al., 1999, 2011; Qiu et al., 2000; Zhang et al., 2006a, 2006b; Liu et al., 2008). Emplacement of the Huangling granitoids occurred between 850 and 740 Ma (Feng et al., 1991; Li et al., 2002, 2007; Xu et al., 2010); they are commonly thought to be associated with the break-up of the Rodinian supercontinent (X.H. Li et al., 2003; Z.X. Li et al., 2003; Zhang et al., 2006a). The ca. 750 Ma Liantuo Fm. unconformably overlies the Huangling granitoids (Ma et al., 1984). The available geochronologic data indicate age clusters in the Yangtze basement are at 2.9–3.2, 2.4–2.7, 1.9–2.1, 1.8, 0.9–1.3 Ga and 700–850 Ma (e.g., Grimmer, et al., 2003; Ratschbacher et al., 2003; Enkelmann et al., 2007; Wang et al., 2009).

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U-Pb spot 3. Samples and analytical methods Samples 11131 (E111°15.512′, N30°41.975′, 54 m), 9831 (E111°16.689′, N30°40.596′, 59 m), 11231 (E111°27.480′, N30°40.057′, 123 m), 4637 (E111°22.315′, N30°30.325′, 128 m) and 11532 (E111°41.333′, N30°44.057′, 208 m) cover Lower to Upper Cretaceous sandstones (Fig. 2). Rock processing followed standard techniques: rocks were crushed in a steel jaw crusher; heavy mineral were concentrated by shaking bed and heavy liquid separation; zircon were separated by hand picking under a binocular microscope. LA-ICP-MS zircon FT and U–Pb double dating were performed at Apatite to Zircon, Inc. (A2Z). FT and U–Pb grain-mount preparation followed Donelick et al. (2005). Spontaneous zircon fission tracks were revealed for optical analysis by immersing the grain mounts in a eutectic melt of NaOH + KOH (at ca. 220 °C) for 12–72 h. The polished and etched zircon grains were then cleaned in reagent-grade 48% HF for 15 min at 23 °C. The U–Pb data analysis methods described here that implement Chang et al. (2006) and Gehrels et al. (2008) were developed by A2Z. Table 1 summarizes LA-ICP-MS settings and data acquisition parameters and Fig. 3 illustrates a zircon used for both U–Pb and ZFT analyses. U–Pb ages are considered concordant, if the 207Pb/235U (where 235U is calculated on the basis of measured 238U), 206Pb/238U, and 207Pb/ 206Pb ages overlap each other at the 2σ level. ZFT age calculation followed Donelick et al. (2005). The analytical data are summarized in Tables S1–S6. Concordia and relative probability versus

Table 1 ICP-MS and laser ablations system operating conditions and data acquisition parameters. ICP-MS: operating conditions Instrument Forward power Reflected power Plasma gas Coolant flow Carrier flow Auxiliary flow ICP-MS: data acquisition parameters Dwell time Points per peak Mass window Scans Data acquisition time Data acquisition mode Isotopes measured

Finnigan Element II Magnetic Sector ICP-MS 1.25 kW b5 W Ar 15 l/min 1.0 l/min (Ar) 0.8 l/min (He) 1.0 l/min

24 ms per peak point 3 5% 255 38.5 s E scanning 202 Hg,204Pb,206Pb,207Pb,208Pb,232Th,235U,238U (scans ~60–250) 28Si,91Zr (scans 251–255)

Laser ablation system: operating conditions Laser type New Wave Neodymium: YAG Wavelength 213 nm Laser mode Q switched Laser output power 10 J/cm2 Laser warm up time 6s Shot repetition rate 5 Hz Sampling scheme Spot (20 μm)

Fig. 3. Transmitted and reflected light image of spot at 625× magnification. The plane of focus is on the polished and etched zircon surface.

age diagrams (Figs. 4, 5) were constructed using ISOPLOT ver3.25 (Ludwig, 2003). 4. Results 4.1. U/Pb detrital zircon geochronology To identify the different age clusters, 50–100 grains per sample should be dated (Dodson et al., 1988; Bernet and Spiegel 2004). In this study, 72–99 grains per sample were fully and randomly analyzed, which can provide a 95% probability of finding populations (Andersen, 2005). A total of 425 zircon grains U–Pb ages have been obtained from Cretaceous sediments. Almost all spots are plotted on the Concordia curve, giving high concordant ages (Fig. 4). The ages of all samples can be grouped into up to seven clusters, in which the ages of each sample appear in variable proportions (Figs. 4, 5). The first cluster is at 118–199 Ma and appears in all samples; 7.1– 19.5% of all zircons belong to this cluster. The second cluster covers 201–299 Ma and is a major component (18.8–22.2%) of all samples. The third cluster comprises 303–579 Ma with an age peak at ca. 400 Ma; 6.0–19.5% of all zircons belong to this cluster in the samples. The fourth cluster straddles 610–967 Ma, with a peak at ca. 800 Ma and proportions of 11.5–30.5%. The fifth cluster (1033–1320 Ma) is weakly defined; it constitutes 2.8% of sample 11532, 2.4% of sample 11231, 4.0% of sample 9831, and 1.1% of sample 11131 (Fig. 5). The sixth cluster spans 1.6–2.1 Ga with a peak at ca. 1.8 Ga (12.2%– 31.7%). The seventh cluster covers 2.2–2.6 Ga and constitutes 2.8– 11.1% of four samples; it is absent in sample 4637. One to two even older grains occur in samples 4637 and 9831. The oldest zircon age is 3446 Ma. The Th/U ratios of all samples are at or larger than 0.3, indicating that the bulk of zircons were derived from igneous source rocks (Tables S2–S6). 4.2. Detrital zircon fission track ages Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the ZFT age distributions and the relationship between ZFT and U/Pb ages of the same grains. A total of 400

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data- point error ellipses are 2σ Sample 11131 K1s Total ages: 0~2687.36Ma N=87

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Fig. 4. Concordia plots of LA-ICP-MS zircon U–Pb analytical results for Cretaceous samples in the Jianghan basin.

C.-B. Shen et al. / Sedimentary Geology 281 (2012) 194–207

(A)

9831 K 1w N=99

365 ( 6.0% ) 248 (22.2%)

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spots using LA-ICP-MS for U determination on the same grains as for U– Pb dating were accepted for ZFT-age calculation; 25 zircons yielded poor data (Tables S2–S6). This demonstrates the utility of LA-ICP-MS method for ZFT and U–Pb double dating is feasible. Five samples yielded pooled ZFT ages ranging from 231.50 (+15.18/−14.26) to 285.80 (+16.09/−15.25) Ma (Table S1). All samples failed the χ2 test, indicating considerable age dispersion (Bernet and Garver, 2005; Perry et al., 2009). The ZFT frequency versus age histograms shows asymptotic curves with different peaks (Fig. 6), suggesting three or more age populations (Dias et al., 2011). To approximate distinct age populations, we used the Gaussian deconvolution method implemented in ISOPLOT (Ludwig, 2003) to get multicomponent data which are presented in Fig. 6. Four or five age components can be recognized. All samples have the dominant P2 population, with a peak at 245–256 Ma; >44% of all zircons belong to this cluster in the samples (Fig. 6). The other likely significant age populations are P1 (125–161 Ma), P3 (ca. 400 Ma), P4 (595–649 Ma), and P5 (960–1170 Ma). Sample 11131 recorded the oldest ages with a peak at 1910 Ma (2% of its population; Fig. 6). The ZFT and U–Pb grain ages comparison shows distinct clusters; as expected, most ZFT single grain cooling ages are younger than their associated U–Pb ages (Fig. 7). Some ZFT groups have within error identical cooling and crystallization ages, especially for the

b400 Ma crystallization-age grains (Fig. 7). They might indicate rapid cooling from crystallization to exhumation in the hinterland source; however, more developed zoning of younger zircons, causing U-content heterogeneity and thus large errors in the ZFT ages, may influence this overlap. Only a few cooling ages are older than their crystallization ages; this hints to experimental errors or, again, U-content heterogeneity; this needs further investigation. 5. Interpretations and discussions 5.1. Provenance of detrital zircons The terranes and orogens around the Jianghan Basin are all likely to be source areas for Cretaceous strata (Fig. 1). A key finding is that the ZFT and U–Pb age populations of all samples are almost identical (Figs. 5, 7), indicating similar provenance and source-area exhumation. Combining all five samples, 425 detrital zircon U–Pb ages from the Cretaceous sediments give major seven age clusters: ca. 2.5 Ga, 1.8 Ga, 1.1 Ga, 800 Ma, 400 Ma, 240 Ma and 150 Ma, which are represented by 6.8%, 21.4%, 1.7% (44 grains), 23.3%, 11.3%, 20.2% and 14.9% of the total analyzed grains respectively (Fig. 5F). There are one 2.9 Ga and one 3.4 Ga zircon grains (Fig. 5F). These different

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20

Number and Relative probability

P1P2 P3

11532 K 2P

P5

P4

16

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5

12

Age 142.5 245 395 649 150

(A)

±2σ fraction ±2σ 15 0. 25 0. 15 35 0. 44 0. 22 110 0. 22 0. 19 190 0. 06 0. 09 350 0. 03 ---

32

P1 P2 P3

9831 K 1w

P4

28

P1 P2 P3 P4

24

(D)

Age ±2σ fraction ±2σ 161.3 18 0.25 0.17 247 39 0.47 0.19 396 85 0.23 0.19 923 140 0.05 ---

20 16

8 12 8

4

4 0 -400

Number and Relative probability

20

0

400

P1P2

P3

800

1200

1600

2000

2400

4637 K 2h

P4 P1 P2 P3 P4

16

Age 125.2 255.3 595 1032

±2σ 14 18 69 180

2800

(B) fraction 0.19 0.56 0.18 0.06

0 -200

48

200

600

P1P2P3

P4

1000

1400

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5

40 36 32

12

28

2200

2600

11131 K 1S

P5

44

±2σ 0.11 0.18 0.10 ---

1800

Age ±2σ fraction 126 24 0.01 256.1 16 0.58 376 46 0.31 960 230 0.01 1910 410 0.02

(E) ±2σ 0.07 0.20 0.17 0.03 ---

24 20

8

16 12 4

8 4

0 -200 28

200

P1P2P3

600

1000

P4

1400

P5

1800

2200

2600

3000

(C)

11231 K 2l

0 -500 -100 300 700 1100 1500 1900 2300 2700 3100 3500 3900 4300 4700 200

P1P2 P3 P4

Total grains

P5

(F)

Number and Relative probability

180 24

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5

20 16

Age 150 246 373 600 1170

±2σ 24 39 120 190 290

fraction 0.11 0.47 0.28 0.11 0.02

±2σ 0.11 0.29 0.24 0.14 ---

160 140 120

P1 P2 P3 P4 P5

Age ±2σ 132 15 220 25 335 44 586 79 1148 140

fraction 0.12 0.43 0.31 0.11 0.03

±2σ 0.07 0.11 0.12 0.05 ---

100 12

80 60

8

40 4 20 0 -200

200

600

1000

1400

1800

2200

2600

3000

Age (Ma)

0 -500 -100 300 700 1100 1500 1900 2300 2700 3100 3500 3900 4300 4700

Age (Ma)

Fig. 6. Zircon fission track ages distribution and multicomponent data used the Gaussian deconvolution method in ISOPLOT program (Ludwig, 2003).

age groups might indicate different sources. Paleocurrents, measured from gravel flat surface and cross bedding in the Shimen (K1s), Wulong (K1w), and Luojingtan (K2l) Formations, indicate SE-directed flow, thus a sediment source in the northwest, likely different rocks of the Huangling terrane and Qinling-Dabie Orogen (Fig. 2C). Published data show that the oldest rocks of the Yangtze Block are Archean with ~ 2.9–3.3 Ga zircon ages; these are exposed in the Kongling metamorphic complex of the Huangling massif (Gao et al., 1999, 2011; Yuan et al., 2004; Yuan and Hu, 2006; Zhang et al.,

2006a, 2006b; Liu et al., 2008); paragneisses have detrital zircons of 3.3–2.9 Ga (Qiu et al., 2000) and 3.5–3.3, 3.0–2.9, 2.55–2.40 and 2.05–1.80 Ga detrital zircons in the Nanhua system (Zhang et al., 2006a; Liu et al., 2008); the oldest 3.8 Ga detrital zircon in the Liantuo Formations (Zhang et al., 2006a). The Kongling complex is intruded by the ca. 1.85 Ga Quanyishang K-feldspar granite (Yuan et al., 1991) and the 850 to 740 Ma Huangling granitoids (Ma et al., 1984; X.H. Li et al., 2003; Z.X. Li et al., 2003; Zheng et al., 2004; Zhang et al., 2006b). The U–Pb zircon ages for the Qinling-Dabie Orogen can

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1800

(A)

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FT (Ma)

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1400

1400

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600

600

400

400

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200

0 1800 1600

(B)

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(C)

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11532 K 2P

1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0

0

400

800

1200 1600 2000 2400 2800 3200 3600

U-Pb Age (Ma)

0 2600 2400 2200 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 2600 2400 2200 2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0

0

201

(D)

9831 K 1w

(E)

11131 K 1s

(F)

Total grains

400

800

1200 1600 2000 2400 2800 3200 3600

U-Pb Age (Ma)

Fig. 7. Scatterplot of U/Pb-determined (Ma) verse ZFT-determined (Ma) ages for single grains from the Cretaceous samples in the Jianghan basin.

be grouped into 1.4–1.0 Ga, 1.0–0.6 Ga, 490–470 Ma, ~ 440–380 Ma, 260–200 Ma and 140–110 Ma (Hacker et al., 1995, 2000; Ratschbacher et al., 2000, 2003; Grimmer, et al., 2003; Enkelmann et al., 2007; Dong et al., 2008, 2011). Matching our detrital zircon ages with the above ages of potential source rocks, we can suggest that two detrital zircons with age 2.9 and 3.4 Ga most likely to come from the recycled sediments of Nanhua system or directly from the Kongling complex in the Huangling massif. Although the 3.8 Ga and 3.3–3.0 Ga detrital zircons also occur in the North China Craton (Enkelmann et al., 2007), it cannot be derived from the North China Craton because Qinling-Dabie Orogen was the barrier between the Jianghan Basin and the North China Craton, and these ages are absent in the Qinling-Dabie Orogen. Furthermore, poorly rounded conglomerates are widespread in the Shimen, Wulong and Luojingtan Formations, indicating rapid accumulation of sediments derived from a proximal source that could be related to rapid exhumation of the Huangling massif during the Cretaceous. This further demonstrates the existence of Paleoarchean and Mesoarchean crust in the Yangtze Block (Zhang et al., 2006a; Liu et al., 2008). The Huangling massif also is the most likely major sources for the detrital zircons with age clusters of ca. 2.5 Ga and 1.8 Ga. There is some ambiguity about origin of the ca. 1.8 Ga cluster and the key issue is whether these zircons are from the North China Craton or the Yangtze Block. However, more and more studies document a 1.8–2.1 Ga tectonothermal event in the northern Yangtze block (Grimmer, et al., 2003; Liu et al., 2008; Wu et al., 2008; Wang et al., 2009), which may also be traced by the ca. 1.8–2.0 Ga tectonothermal event recorded by our ZFT cooling ages (Figs. 6E, 7E,F). Similar detrital zircon age populations of 2.5–2.4 Ga and 1.8–1.6 Ga also occur in the basement sedimentary sequences of the Jiangnan Orogen and

have been suggested to come from the recycled sedimentary materials of the Yangtze Block (Wang et al., 2007). Therefore, we consider the 2.5 and 1.8 Ga zircons are from the recycled sedimentary sources of the Huangling terrane. The Quanyishang K-feldspar granite of ca. 1.85 Ga and the Nanhua system clastic sediments probably provided the source of these zircons. Detrital zircons of the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks of the Jianghan Basin with a U–Pb age peak at ca. 800 Ma are likely corresponding to the ages of the Huangling granitoids and contemporary volcanics (Ma et al., 1984; X.H. Li et al., 2003; Z.X. Li et al., 2003; Zheng et al., 2004; Zhang et al., 2006b; Shen et al., 2012b). Ages clusters at ca. 1.1 Ga, 400 Ma and 240 Ma correspond to the orogenic events and magmatism in the Qinling-Dabie Orogen. In particular, the Kuanping unit, with ages of 1.2–0.94 Ga (Zhang et al., 2001; Dong et al., 2008, 2011; Diwu et al., 2010), may have provided the source of age cluster at ca. 1.1 Ga. The huge 400–500 Ma continental margin arc (Ratschbacher et al., 2003) is the most likely source of the 400 Ma zircon grains. The detrital zircons with an age peak at ca. 240 Ma form an important and abundant group, accounting for 20.2% of the analyzed grains in this study. This time period is commonly thought to cover the formation and exhumation of the Dabie HP–UHP rocks (Hacker et al., 2000, 2006; Grimmer et al., 2003; Ratschbacher et al., 2003; Enkelmann et al., 2007; Wang et al., 2009). The last zircon grain U–Pb age population with peak at 150 Ma is most likely to derive from the magmatites of the Cathaysia Block, although this contradicts the paleocurrent signal. However, Jurassic magmatism in eastern China occurred preferentially in the Cathaysia Block. The Jurassic igneous rocks formed at 195–150 Ma, with the strongest pulse at ca. 160 Ma. The Cretaceous magmatites cover 140–90 Ma, with two pulses at ca. 130 Ma and ca. 100 Ma (X.H. Li et al., 2010; Yan et al., 2011; Shen et al., 2012a).

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Comparing the ages populations with peak at ca. 1.1 Ga, 400 Ma and 240 Ma which from the Qinling-Dabie Orogen with their associated ZFT cooling ages, the ZFT cooling ages record the main exhumation of ca. 472–144, ca. 445–116 and ca. 280–150 Ma respectively (Fig. 9A,B,C). Some zircons have within error identical cooling and crystallization ages, indicating a rapid cooling from crystallization to exhumation. The most important tectonothermal event of Qinling-Dabie Orogen is late Triassic which is recorded by the similar cooling age of these three age populations: 221 ± 31, 213 ±27 and 195± 47 Ma (Fig. 9A,B, C). These ages are also consistent with the dominant cooling age component population P2 with peak age at 220± 25 Ma of the total grains (Fig. 6F). This important tectonothermal event was characterized by the collision between the south China Block and the north China Craton along the Mianlue suture zone (e.g., Hacker et al., 1995, 2000, 2006; Ratschbacher et al., 2000, 2003; Zhang et al., 2001; Dong et al., 2011). Syn-collision granitoids with an age of 228–215 Ma prevail in the western Qinling, as well as the granulite facies metamorphism at ca. 206 Ma in Mianxian and at ca. 218 Ma in Foping (Dong et al., 2011). It is interesting to note that all zircon U–Pb crystallization age groups registered this tectonothermal event (Figs. 6F, 9A, B, C), suggesting (1) the whole Qinling-Dabie Orogen and the north Yangtze Block (e.g. the Huangling massif) were overprinted by this collision, and (2) the Yangtze basement rocks might have undergone HP–UHP metamorphism in late Triassic times (Wang et al., 2009). Therefore, the rapid exhumation of the HP–UHP rocks first occurred at 221–195 Ma, which supported the previous hypotheses (Hacker et al., 1995, 2000, 2006) and provided the new sedimentary record evidence. A minor late Mesoproterozoic to early Neoproterozoic cooling age components with peaks at 1.17–0.92 Ga and a major cooling age

5.2. Implication for the exhumation of Huangling massif and Qinling-Dabie Orogen The Shimen, Wulong, and Luojingtan Formations are typical molasse deposits, indicating rapid accumulation from proximal sources in relation to rapid exhumation of Huangling terrane and Qinling-Dabie Orogen during the Cretaceous. The crystallization peak age at ca. 800 Ma is the unique age characteristics of Huangling granitoids. If we isolate the U–Pb crystallization age group with peak age at ca. 800 Ma and compare the equivalent ZFT cooling ages, we see that the Huangling granitoids have a wide range cooling ages of 801–91.43 Ma (Fig. 8A), revealing a rapid cooling from crystallization to exhumation and a continuous cooling process, which is consistent with the cooling history reconstructed by the multiple geochronometers (Fig. 8C). Traditional ZFT analyses give the cooling ages of the Huangling granitoids varying from 195 ± 14 Ma to 158 ±50 Ma (Shen et al., 2009b); Hu et al. (2006) reported the zircon (U–Th)/He ages for the Huangling granitoids ranging from 206.0 ± 8.0 Ma to 151.0 ± 5.7 Ma. These ages are almost identical because of the approximate closure temperature of the ZFT and zircon (U–Th)/He. These ages are all included in the LA-ICP-MS ZFT data and consistent with the weighted average cooling age (Fig. 8A,B) within the error of most grains in this study. Traditional apatite fission track and (U–Th)/He analyses give the other cooling ages of 129–91 and 65–43 Ma (Shen et al., 2009b; Richardson et al., 2010). Therefore, we can describe the scenarios of the exhumation and cooling histories of the Huangling massif: the first rapid postmagmatic cooling from ca. 840 Ma to ca. 800 Ma, followed by the slow cooling from ca. 800 Ma to ~206–151 Ma and then the second relative rapid cooling from ~206–151 to 43 Ma (Fig. 8).

data-point error ellipses are 2 sigmal

800

(A)

1400

(B)

FT (Ma)

1200 600 1000 400

800

200

600 Cooling ages: 207 ± 19 Ma

0 600

700

800

900

Mean Age = 222 ± 23 Ma MSWD = 1.8 Probability = 0.0 Total grains

400 1000

U-Pb Age (Ma)

200 0

1000 900

(C)

First rapid cooling Zircon U- Pb

Terutarepme (°C)

800 700 Whole rock Rb- Sr

600 500

Hornblende Ar- Ar

400 Biotite Ar- Ar

300

Second cooling ZFT ZHe AFT AHe

200 100 0 1000

800

600

400

200

0

Age (Ma) Fig. 8. (A) The U–Pb crystallization age group with peak age at ca. 800 Ma and comparing the equivalent ZFT cooling ages, cooling ages clustered at 207 ± 19 Ma. (B) The weighted average age of ZFT cooling ages of total grains. (C) The exhumation and cooling histories of the Huangling granitoids, the first rapid post-magmatic cooling from ca. 840 Ma to ca. 800 Ma, followed by the slow cooling from ca. 800 Ma to ~206–151 Ma and then the second relative rapid cooling from ~206–151 to 43 Ma. U–Pb, Ar/Ar, Rb–Sr data from Ma et al. (1984), Feng et al. (1991) and Li et al. (2002, 2007). ZFT, ZHe, AFT, AHe data from Shen et al. (2009b), Hu et al. (2006) and Richardson et al. (2010).

800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 900

(A) I

I: ca. 450 Ma II: 195 ± 47 Ma

FT (Ma)

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C.-B. Shen et al. / Sedimentary Geology 281 (2012) 194–207

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1500

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700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 200

203

(B)

cooling age: 213 ± 27 Ma

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400

U-Pb (Ma) 600

(C)

400 300 200

600

700

240 200

(D) cooling age: 155 ± 13 Ma

160 120 80

100 0 150

280

cooling age: 221 ± 31 Ma FT (Ma)

FT (Ma)

500

500

U-Pb (Ma)

200

250

300

350

U-Pb (Ma)

40 60

100

140

180

220

U-Pb (Ma)

Fig. 9. Scatterplot of U/Pb age populations with peak at ca. 1.1 Ga, 400, 240 Ma and 190–85 Ma verse their associated ZFT cooling ages for single grains. (A) The U–Pb crystallization age is at ca. 1.1 Ga and the equivalent ZFT cooling ages, cluster at 195 ± 47 Ma. (B) The U–Pb crystallization age is at ca. 400 Ma and the equivalent ZFT cooling ages, cluster at 213 ± 27 Ma. (C) The U–Pb crystallization age is at ca. 240 Ma and the equivalent ZFT cooling ages, grouped at 221 ± 31 Ma. (D) The U–Pb crystallization age is 190–85 Ma and the equivalent ZFT cooling ages, cluster at 155 ± 13 Ma.

cluster at 400 Ma also can be distinguished (Fig. 6, 7), implying the existences of a Grenville and a Devonian tectonothermal event. The Grenville tectonothermal event has been documented by the Songshugou and Kuangping ophioite (e.g., Zhang et al., 2001; Chen et al., 2002; Dong et al., 2008; Diwu et al., 2010), widely spreading on the southern margin of north Qinling belt (Dong et al., 2011). The cooling age of 500–330 Ma with a peak age of ~400 Ma (Fig. 6, 7) could record an Andean-type continental margin magmatic–metamorphic event which has been recognized by the magmatic belt which straddled the Erlangping, Kuanping, Qinling and the Xiong'er units (e.g., Ratschbacher et al., 2003). We herein provide the new evidences for the tectonothermal evolution of Qinling-Dabie Orogen. 1.17–0.92 Ga, ca. 400 Ma and 221–195 Ma cooling events were registered in the Qinling-Dabie Orogen based on the provenances analyses in this study. In addition, it seems clear that the comparison of U–Pb and ZFT ages from the Cathaysia Block shows that the Cathaysia Block was exhumed from 190 to 85 Ma with cooling age group at ca. 155 Ma (Fig. 9D), corresponding to ZFT age component population P1 (Fig. 6), which indicates the Jurassic cooling event in the Cathaysia. 5.3. Implication for paleogeographic reconstruction Compiling the previously published late Triassic–Cretaceous detrital zircon U–Pb data from Sichuan, Jianghan, Pingle, Hengyang and Mayang Basins (She, 2007; Wang et al., 2009; R.B. Li et al., 2010; Yan et al., 2011; She et al., 2012), the paleogeographic features of eastern China could be reconstructed. The age distribution of late Triassic–early Jurassic samples from Sichuan, Jianghan and Pingle Basins (sample ZS27, 2114, Es02, Pq19, 03HS, 20JH and Ay14) exhibits a very prominent peak distribution with age of 1895–1821 Ma, which accounted for 37%, 48%, 54%, 47%, 54% and 57% respectively (Fig. 10), indicating the similar regional sources. However, it is different in Hengyang and Mayang Basins (sample Hh16, My1 and H4); the age with peak at 855–798 Ma represents the major age population and suborder age clusters at 1907–1919 Ma (Fig. 10). There are still some controversies about the source-areas of late Triassic–early Jurassic sediments: (1) from the Cathaysia (She, 2007), (2) from the QinlingDabie Orogen and the north China Craton (Weislogel et al., 2006; Enkelmann et al., 2007; Yan et al., 2011), and (3) the late Triassic sediments from the Jiangnan terrane while the early Jurassic sediments from Dabie Orogen (Wang et al., 2009). We prefer three hinterlands

as an ideal candidate existing in eastern China: Qinling-Dabie, Cathaysia and the southern Yangtze basement (Fig. 11A). It could be supported by the following observations: (1) the paleocurrent data showing multi-directional with SW, W, SE and N (She, 2007; Wang et al., 2009; Yan et al., 2011; She et al., 2012), suggesting different source-areas, (2) the difference age populations with peak of 1.9 Ga and 800 Ma in Hengyang and Mayang Basins indicating the differential source-area, corresponding to ages in the Yangtze basement (Grimmer, et al., 2003; Ratschbacher et al., 2003), (3) the above results revealing the rapid exhumation of the Dabie Orogen occurred at 221–195 Ma, and (4) sedimentary filling characteristics and multi-depocenter showing the combination of multiple provenance (Liu et al., 2003, 2010; Meng et al., 2005; Shen et al., 2007). The Qinling-Dabie Orogen provided dominant detrital sediments for the upper Triassic–lower Jurassic in the Sichuan and Jianghan basin; the Cathaysia supplied the main detritus into the Pingle Basin; while detritus of Hengyang and Mayang Basins are mainly from the southern Yangtze basement terrane (Fig. 11A). The Qinling-Dabie Orogen also might have supplied the upper Triassic sediments into the Songpan-Gangzi Basin (Weislogel et al., 2006; Enkelmann et al., 2007). Therefore, it could be inferred that there is a Eastern Plateau and a westward big drainage system (She et al., 2012), transported the clastic sediment from the Cathaysia and the Qinling-Dabie Orogen to Jianghan, Sichuan and Songpan-Gangzi Basins, similar to the big river hypothesis (Rainbird et al., 1997; She et al., 2012). The cause for this paleogeography may be due to the Yangtze Block obliquely subducted and collided towards the north China Craton northwestward (Liu et al., 2003, 2010; She, 2007), corresponding to the close process of Mianlue paleoocean from east to west. Another interesting finding is that detrital zircon U–Pb age distributions of middle Jurassic samples (sample 2126, 03HS+ 20JH, H6 and MY3) from the four basins are almost identical with a very prominent peak age at 1.8 Ga (>40%, Fig. 10) and also similar to the age distributions of late Triassic–early Jurassic samples from Sichuan, Jianghan and Pingle Basins, suggesting their similarly regional source-area and larger basin range. That is, in middle Jurassic times, the Sichuan, Jianghan, Hengyang and Mayang Basins could be seen as a unified large basin with the same sediment provenance (Fig. 11B); the Yangtze basement did not supply the detrital sediments and could be buried by the middle Jurassic strata. This unified basin features may record the final collision and link of south China Block and north China Craton which has been confirmed by the paleomagmetic data (Liu et al.,

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Zs27 T3 N=79

Relative probability

1895 (37%)

Pq19 T3pq N=121

1886 (47%)

03HS T3pq N=58

456 (9%) 877 (29%)

2490 (25%)

262 (11%) 2492 (29%) 766 (17%) 374 (17%)

2847 (5%) 1748 (15%)

2472 (14%)

776 (6%)

3051 (2%) 3510 (2%)

1202 (4%) 1840 (48%)

Relative probability

1217 (15%)

367 (13%) 225 (5%)

1879 (57%)

2114 T3x N=80

1821 (54%)

342 (8%)

Ay14 T3 N=127

03HS+20JH J1 N=98

244 (10%) 238 (11%) 348 (10%)

2482 (15%) 779 (9%)

2447 (25%) 272 (2%) 543 (2%) 831 (13%) 1123 (9%)

784 (6%)

Relative probability

1868 (54%)

3250 (2%) 1198 (2%) 2344 (15%) 3033 (1%)

417 (20%)

Es02 J1 N=101

855 (41%)

Hh16 T3 N=87

My1 T3- J1 N=94

811 (34%)

1102 (16%)

236 (17%) 1183(12%)

2425 (17%)

775 (11%)

Relative probability

562 (5%)

2040 (8%) 3166 (1%) 2516 (6%)

390 (8%)

H4 T3 N=49

257(9%)

1919 (15%)

440 (4%) 256 (7%)

231 (10%)

174(9%) 230(15%)

2126 J2 N=69

03HS+20JH J2 N=126

232 (11%) 401 (7%) 180 (3%)

1846(42%)

2415 (11%)

348(12%) 798(40%)

1832 (44%)

791 (18%) 2439 (14%) 1907(27%) 2448(28%)

2389(6%) 1326(4%)

2771(2%)

1826 (42%)

Relative probability

404(1%) 712(1%) 1229(1%)

1165 (3%)

3036(3%) 219 (25%)

H6 J2 N=126

1868 (50%)

MY3 J2 N=95

H5 K1 N=85

404 (13%)

183 (5%) 260 (10%) 424 (10%) 809 (6%)

2400 (20%)

229 (29%)

Relative probability

My14 K2 N=91

400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 2800 3200 3600

Age (Ma)

H8 K2 N=135

246 (8%) 434 (14%) 800 (28%) 2445 (6%) 1108 (9%) 1749 (13%) 2815 (2%)

413 (11%) 1182 (9%)1895 (11%) 2460 (11%)

0

426 (11%) 1907 (27%) 812 (17%) 1102 (12%) 2511 (2%) 1398 (5%)

223 (31%)

100 (8%) 156 (11%)

851 (29%)

0

2493 (13%) 2174 (7%) 3028 (1%)

400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 2800 3200 3600 0

Age (Ma)

My14 K1 N=69

140(1%)

827 (18%)

132(2%)

277 (7%)

843 (33%) 1076 (9%) 2409 (7%) 1788 (9%)

417 (10%)

400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 2800 3200 3600

Age (Ma)

Fig. 10. Combined probability density diagram for the zircon U–Pb ages comparing analyzed detrital zircons of late Triassic sandstone to late Cretaceous from the Jianghan (She, 2007; Wang et al., 2009; She et al., 2012), Sichuan (She, 2007; R.B. Li et al., 2010; She et al., 2012), Mayang (She, 2007; Yan, et al., 2011), Hengyang basin (She, 2007; Yan, et al., 2011) and Pingle basin (She, 2007).

C.-B. Shen et al. / Sedimentary Geology 281 (2012) 194–207

(A)

205

(B) N

Qinling

Qinling

North China Craton

North China Craton

N

Dabie

Dabie Sichuan Basin Jianghan Basin South China Block

Unified Large Basin

in

as e B

gl Pin Mayang Basin

Cathaysia Block Hengyang Basin

Cathaysia Block

0

Yangtze Basement

0

100km

(C)

100km

(D) Qinling

Nanxiang Basin

N

North China Craton

Nanxiang Basin

Qinling

N

North China Craton

Tongbai Tongbai

Dabie

Huangling Sichuan Basin

Dabie

Huangling

Sichuan Basin

Jianghan Basin

Jianghan Basin

Yangtze Block Yangtze Block le

g Pin

Mayang Basin

in Bas Mayang Basin

Cathaysia Block

0 Sinian-Paleozoic

en

Drainage-system

Basement terrane

in Bas

og Or

Cathaysia Block Hengyang Basin

0

100km Precambrian

n

na

ng

Jia

Hengyang Basin

Meso-Cenozoic

gle

Pin

Provenance direction

100km Fault

Fig. 11. Models for schematic paleogeographic reconstruction of northeastern South China during the Late Triassic and Cretaceous. (A) Late Triassic to early Jurassic, showing three potential sources (the Qinling-Dabie, Cathaysia and Yangtze basement) and an inferred westward‐flowing truck river system from the Cathaysia to Jianghan to Scihuan basin with short south flowing tributaries to Pingle basin, modified from She (2007) and Yan et al. (2011). (B) In middle Jurassic times, the Sichuan, Jianghan, Hengyang and Mayang basin could be seen as a unified large basin with the similar sediment provenance. (C) Early Cretaceous, showing the potential source-areas for the lower Cretaceous strata. (D) Late Cretaceous, the Jiangnan Orogen and a coastal mountain as important topographic boundaries have existed in the south China, modified from She (2007) and Yan et al. (2011).

2010). Comparing the U–Pb ages of early Cretaceous samples, the similar age distributions of the Mayang and Hengyang Basins indicate the similar source-area, mainly from the south Yangtze Block, but the provenance of the Cretaceous sediments of the Jianghan Basin are mainly from the Huangling and Qinling-Dabie Orogen (Fig. 11C). Since the late Cretaceous, Jiangnan Orogen as an important topographic boundary has existed and resulted in the discrepant U–Pb age populations of the late Cretaceous samples in the Mayang and Hengyang Basins (Yan et al., 2011). The dominant appearance of younger zircons (80– 100 Ma) in the Hengyang Basin but an absence of these zircons in the Mayang Basin suggests a coastal mountain has also existed in the south China Block at the Cretaceous times (Yan et al., 2011; Fig. 11D). 5.4. Constraints on depositional ages of Cretaceous One of the common purposes in a detrital zircon U–Pb dating study is to constrain on the maximum depositional age of stratigraphic successions (Fedo et al., 2003). It has been succeeding in constraining on the depositional age of the Archean strata, such as the Archean Witwatersrand Supergroup (Robb et al., 1990), the Archean Slave Province in Canada (Sircombe et al., 2001) and the Zimbabwe Archean craton (Fedo and Eriksson, 1996). The youngest ages of our 5 samples are 145.53 ± 11.23, 113.09 ±11.37, 96.00± 9.29, 89.43± 9.29 and

118.11 ± 12.81 Ma respectively, from Lower Cretaceous (K1s) to Upper Cretaceous (K2p). Comparing to the 2012 international geological time scale (ICS, 2012), except the sample 11532 (K2p), the youngest ages of the other 4 samples are approximately equal to the bottom depositional age of stratums. The Shimen formation with the youngest age 145.53 ± 11.23 is approximately equal to the Berriasian stage. The Wulong stage with the youngest age 113.09 ± 11.37 is similar to the Albian stage. The Luojingtan and Honghuatao formations with the youngest age 96.00 ±9.29 and 89.43 ±9.29 Ma are approximately equal to the Cenomanian and Coniacian stages respectively. Although there are some limitations to the technique (Nelson, 2001), our results indicate that the precise zircon U–Pb dating can reveal the maximum age of deposition for not only the older strata such as the Archean formation but also the Younger strata such as Cretaceous. 6. Conclusions This study provides critical constraints on the provenance and depositional ages of Cretaceous strata in the Jianghan Basin, reveals the exhumation of Huangling massif and Qinling-Dabie Orogen, and also implies the paleogeographic transition of the eastern China during Mesozoic. The sediment sources mostly came from the different rocks of the Huangling massif and Qinling-Dabie Orogen. Two rapid

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cooling events at ca. 840–800 and ~ 206–151 to 43 Ma existed in the Huangling massif. U–Pb and ZFT ages record the different tectonothermal events of the Qinling-Dabie Orogen. The rapid exhumation of the Dabie HP–UHP rocks firstly occurred at 221–195 Ma. In combination with published geochronological data, the QinlingDabie Orogen provided dominant detrital sediments for the upper Triassic–lower Jurassic in the Sichuan and Jianghan Basins; the Cathaysia supplied the main detritus for the Pingle Basin; detrital sediments of Hengyang and Mayang Basins are mainly from the southern Yangtze basement. In middle Jurassic times, the Sichuan, Jianghan, Hengyang and Mayang Basins came into being a unified large basin with the same sediment provenance. The U–Pb age distributions of Cretaceous samples documented the Jiangnan Orogen and a coastal mountain as important topographic boundaries have existed in the south China since the late Cretaceous times. The study also demonstrates the feasibility of LA-ICP-MS zircon fission track and U–Pb double dating to refine the identification of sediment sources and determine the exhumation of source areas. Supplementary data to this article can be found online at http:// dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2012.09.009.

Acknowledgments This work was financially supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (no. 40902038), the PetroChina Innovation Foundation (no. 2009D-5006-01-08) and the Fundamental Research Funds for National University, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan, no.CUGL100411). Professor Lothar Ratschbacher, Yuejun Wang, Shaofeng Liu and Sanzhong Li are appreciated for their kind help in discussions. The authors are grateful to Professor Lothar Ratschbacher for their professional proofreading, Dr. Adam Szulc and Dr. Tom Wittenschlaeger for improving the language of this paper.

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