Provenance diversification within an arc-trench system induced by batholith development: the Cretaceous Japan case

By comparing detrital zircon U-Pb age spectra of coeval fore-arc and back-/intra-arc basin sandstones, we identified the overall distributary pattern of terrigenous clastic material within the Cretaceous arc system of SW Japan. Abundant Proterozoic (c. 1500-2500Ma) detrital grains from the interior of East Asia are present in the Cretaceous intra-arc basin. However, after a barrier mountain range formed during batholith emplacement, Proterozoic clastics were rarely transported into the fore-arc domain. Episodic batholith formation in Pacific-type orogens likely played a major role in controlling terrigenous supply routes between coeval back-arc and fore-arc domains. The Cretaceous orogen in Japan thus provides a good template for analysing the tectono-sedimentary development of other arc-related basins.