Deformation of the Chukchi Microcontinent: Structural, Lithologic, and Geochronological Evidence

摘要

This paper presents the results of structural, lithologic, and geochronological (K-Ar, Rb-Sr) studies of the Carnian terrigenous rocks in the sedimentary cover of the Chukchi microcontinent and U-Pb dating of detrital zircons. From the lithological features, three types of sections are recognized. Terrigenous sequences of the first type were deposited on the outer shelf in the distal zone of the prograding delta, sequences of the second type accumulated at the rise of continental slope, and sediments of the third type are characteristic of the pelagic zone. In mineralogy and geochemistry, sandstones are rather uniform and inherit the sialic composition of provenance. The detrital zircons comprise several populations with predominance of the varieties derived from igneous rocks. The U-Pb age of the youngest population is 236-255 Ma. The conditions of postsedimentation alteration reached those of greenschist metamorphic facies and anchimctamorphism. Several cleavage systems have been established. Sericite related to the oldest system is distinguished by elevated Ti, Mn, and Fe components. The first stage of deformation of the Carnian sedimentary rocks about 200 Ma ago resulted in the rearrangement of K-Ar and Rb-Sr isotopic systems in whole-rock samples and minerals and is clearly recorded in isotopic data. It is suggested that the deformation related to the normal faulting in Triassic rocks and the emergence of the Lesser Anyui Block were plausible causes of the first structural rearrangement.