Late Mesozoic basin evolution in NE China and its surrounding areas, mechanisms of the continental-scale extensional regime in East Asia during the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous

Investigating the tectonostratigraphic evolution of Late Mesozoic basins in NE China and its surrounding areas offers great opportunities to restore the Late Mesozoic evolution of intraplate tectonic stress regime in East Asia and to uncover the relationships between intraplate deformation and plate margin tectonic processes. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the stratigraphic and structural evolution of the basins in NE China and its surrounding areas during the Late Mesozoic. It is shown that these basins underwent significant extension and syn-rift subsidence during the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous. However, the long-lived extension was intermittent rather than continuous, and at least three pulses of short-lived episodic compressive deformation, that occurred at the latest Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous, middle Aptian (ca. 120 Ma), and late Aptian (ca. 115 Ma), could be recognized. The Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous extension was terminated by a strong contractional event at the earliest Late Cretaceous. The frequent switches in regional tectonic stress regime between extension and contraction require a new tectonic interpretation, as proposed here. We suggest that during the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous, the continental collision and subsequent northeastward indentation of the Karakoram-Lhasa Block with the southern Asian margin probably activated a significant strike-slip fault system, propagating approximately from the collision zone to the eastern Asian margin, and drove East Asia into a lateral extrusion/escape tectonic setting. The activated strike-slip faulting probably triggered the postorogenic gravitational collapse of the thickened upper crust and the delamination of the lower crust and mantle lithosphere, resulting in regional extension and intense magmatism in East Asia during the Late Mesozoic. The intercurrent multiphase short-lived contractional events were likely associated with a series of continental collision events along Asian margins. The latest Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous contractional deformation probably resulted from the combined effects of the closure of the eastern Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean, the Kolyma-Omolon/Siberia collision, and the Karakoram-Lhasa/Southern Asia collision. The middle Aptian contractional deformation probably resulted from the Proto-Kurosegawa/Eastern Asia collision. The late Aptian contractional deformation probably resulted from the Chukotka/Kolyma-Omolon collision. The earliest Late Cretaceous contractional deformation probably resulted from the Okhotomorsk/Eastern Asia collision.

Automated summary

Investigating the tectonostratigraphic evolution of Late Mesozoic basins in NE China and its surrounding areas provides insights into the intraplate tectonic stress regime in East Asia and its relationship with plate margin tectonic processes. This study analyzes the stratigraphic and structural evolution of these basins during the Late Mesozoic and identifies intermittent extension and short-lived compressive deformation events. The switches between extension and contraction suggest a new tectonic interpretation. Continental collision and indentation likely played a role in driving the tectonic setting and magmatism in East Asia during the Late Mesozoic.