Wenjiao Xiao

Wenjiao Xiao
Chinese Academy of Sciences | CAS · Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography

PhD

About

887
Publications
331,602
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46,337
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Introduction
My primary research interests focus on tectonics and structural geology, geochronology, sedimentology, and dynamics of orogenic belts and metallogeny in association with accretionary orogenesis. My recent researches include the Altaid collages and Tethyan orogens, and comparative studies across the Phanerozoic orogenic belts. I have published 500 papers in international journals and books. I am co-leader of IGCP 592 and 662. I am Science Editor of GSAB and AE or Topic Editor of several journals.
Additional affiliations
April 2011 - April 2013
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Position
  • Professor of Structural Geology and Tectonics

Publications

Publications (887)
Article
The subduction of major oceans may involve ridge-trench interactions at various convergence angles, but their consequences have not been well constrained. We defined orogenic components and their evolution in southern West-East Junggar of the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt by integrating structural analysis of geological relationships, and ge...
Preprint
Full-text available
The interactions between plate tectonic processes and ecosystems are well-documented, but the precise influence of tectonic evolution on ecosystems remains elusive. This study investigates Jurassic–Cretaceous Northeastern Asia, where the Yanliao and Jehol Biotas flourished amid a prominent tectonic transition from crustal shortening to extension. T...
Article
Full-text available
The subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate during the Jurassic period set in motion a complex interplay of geological processes, collectively recognized as the Yanshan Movement. While previous studies have focused primarily on magmatism and deformation, the role of metamorphic events and their influence on gold miner-alization has been largely overl...
Article
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Understanding the tectonic evolution of ancient orogens relies on reconstructing the primary architecture of suture zones that may be modified by post‐subduction events. Modifications in East Junggar, southern Altaids, have led to controversial interpretations about the Paleozoic tectonic evolution. To clarify these relationships, we report the Mes...
Article
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The Indo-Burma Range (IBR), as one of the youngest accreted units in the Eastern Neotethys, plays a crucial role in understanding the interactive relationships between the Gondwana supercontinent and its rifted microcontinents in SE Asia. However, its basement nature and tectonic evolution remain debated. Here, we conducted a comprehensive structur...
Article
The tectonics of the Proto-Tethys Ocean during the Early Devonian are still heavily debated in the North Qilian orogen. In order to further constrain this issue, we explore geology, chronology, geochemistry, and isotopes of three newly discovered Early Devonian adakitic granitoids of the Jiayuguan complex in the North Qilian orogen, NW China. The g...
Article
Fragments of Proto‐Tethyan oceanic lithosphere are well‐preserved along the southern belt of the North Qilian suture, and the origin and emplacement of these ophiolites have become subjects of intense debate. In this study, we integrate field observations, mineralogical and geochemical analyses, zircon U‐Pb dating, and isotopic data to investigate...
Article
Full-text available
The significant metallogenic belt in the Chinese Eastern Tianshan hosts a series of magmatic Cu-Ni ores, with Baixintan being one of the key deposits located in the western region, offering an excellent opportunity to explore the evolution of Cu-Ni mineralization systems. However, detailed studies on the processes responsible for the post-mineraliz...
Article
The Alxa is a key region for understanding the architecture and accretionary history of the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) during the late Paleozoic–Triassic assembly of Pangea. However, its origin and tectonic evolution have been debated for decades. Here we use integrated geological, geochronological and isotopic data to uncover the...
Article
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Unlike the gold deposits typically hosted in metamorphosed volcanic-sedimentary sequences, the recently discovered Axile gold deposit (over 13 t Au at 5.35 g/t) is a unique example in the Chinese Altai for evaluating the genesis of intrusion-hosted lode gold deposits in metamorphic terranes. The orebodies in this deposit occur as quartz veins and a...
Article
The Mesoproterozoic Era has long been considered a relatively stable, silent, and even "boring" period in Earth's history, during which the lithosphere was tectonically inactive. However, an increasing amount of evidence suggests that metamorphism and magmatism were much more widespread and intense than previously thought, implying that this period...
Article
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The Erqis tectonic belt, situated at the junction of the Chinese Altai‐East Junggar, originated through the subduction of the Ob‐Zaisan Ocean, playing a pivotal role in unraveling the tectonic evolution of the southern Altaids. Tectonic and provenance analyses discern three distinct arcs: the Chinese Altai in the north exhibits a protracted history...
Article
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Radiogenic isotopes serve as a crucial tool for investigating crustal evolution, playing a pivotal role in revealing magma sources and petrogenesis. However, they can be ineffective in distinguishing distinct magmatic sources with similar radiogenic isotopic compositions, a common occurrence in nature. This paper addresses this challenge in the Ord...
Article
Geochronological and geochemical investigation of the magmatic and sedimentary rocks from the south-eastern tip of the Bayankhongor Zone (central Mongolia) constrains the Neoproterozoic evolution of the northern margin of the Baidrag Block. There, ultramafic to felsic igneous rocks of the Khan-Uul Massif intruded the volcano-sedimentary sequence of...
Article
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Cenozoic uplift in the Tianshan played an important role in driving Proto‐Paratethys Sea retreat and Asian aridification. However, most paleoclimate studies have focused on the Pamir‐Tianshan corridor, and frequently overlook the role of the entire Tianshan range in modifying the Central Asian climate during Cenozoic uplift. When and how Cenozoic d...
Article
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Subduction infancy corresponds to the first few million years of the start of subduction following heat transfer from the incipient mantle wedge towards the slab‐top, as witnessed by metamorphic soles which represent slivers of oceanic crust metamorphosed up to granulite facies conditions welded beneath obducted ophiolites. In this study, integrate...
Article
The Central Asian Orogenic Belt involves amalgamation of numerous magmatic arcs, accretionary complexes, and continental fragments during long-lived subduction and accretion. However, the nature of key microcontinental terranes, as well as their continuity, remains unclear. This study conducted outcrop observation, heavy mineral assemblage, whole-r...
Article
The Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone of western Iran is characterized by significant Mesozoic magmatic activity (from the early Jurassic to the late Cretaceous), with Cenozoic rocks being less common. Granitoids are prevalent in this zone, displaying A-, I-, and S-type geochemical characteristics. Despite several studies on these granitoids, there are still so...
Article
In current geological studies, intensified investigations have been directed towards oceanic back-arc basins, examining deeply their mechanisms of genesis, magmatic evolution from inception to maturation, and the temporal dynamics governing the transition from basin opening to back-arc spreading. Surprisingly, scarce attention has been devoted to t...
Article
In current geological studies, intensified investigations have been directed towards oceanic back-arc basins, examining deeply their mechanisms of genesis, magmatic evolution from inception to maturation, and the temporal dynamics governing the transition from basin opening to back-arc spreading. Surprisingly, scarce attention has been devoted to t...
Article
The East Junggar is a key to understanding the accretionary history of the southern Altaids. However, the tectonic setting and amalgamation history of the East Junggar during Carboniferous–Permian remain controversial. Here we report new field, geochronological, and geochemical data for the Carboniferous–Permian volcanic and sedimentary rocks from...
Article
Full-text available
The Devonian tectonic setting is still controversial in the Proto‒Tethyan North Qilian belt. The Hexi Corridor of the North Qilian belt occupies a key position in constraining the tectonic evolution of the Proto‒Tethyan Ocean and the growth of the Asian continent. Turbidites, as an important component of the Jiayuguan mélange in the Hexi Corridor,...
Article
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The Bayan Obo ore deposit is the largest rare earth element (REE) deposit in the world and has been assumed to be hosted in dolomite that was folded in a syncline. This has been challenged by results from drill holes and low-resistivity, controlled-source audio-frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT) survey. In this paper, we present structural analysis...
Conference Paper
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The Trans-Altai Zone (TAZ) represents a narrow linear segment of the Silurian–Devonian oceanic realm in southern Mongolia (Helo et al., 2006; Rippington et al., 2013). It records the mid to late Paleozoic geodynamic evolution of the Paleo-Pacific Ocean. In general, the TAZ is composed of several terranes interpreted as island arcs, back-arc basins/...
Article
The Pamir orogen originated through the amalgamation of various arc terranes. Despite undergoing numerous studies, the subduction polarity and time regarding the accretion processes remain inadequately constrained. To address these issues, we carried out a detailed study of zircon and apatite U-Pb ages, zircon Hf isotopes, and whole-rock geochemist...
Article
The Palaeozoic tectonic evolution of the Western Kunlun Orogen plays an important role in deciphering the Tethyan tectonic evolution. This study provides new geochronology, geochemistry and Lu–Hf isotopic data of igneous rocks from the Omixia Complex in the eastern section of the northern Western Kunlun, as well as detrital zircon ages from turbidi...
Article
The widely distributed Devonian granitoids comprise a significant part of the crust in the Chinese Altai, although their petrogenetic implications remain debated. The Habahe Intrusion, comprising biotite granite batholith, gabbroic diorite dikes, and biotite granite hosted-enclaves, is a key magmatic unit to understand the extensively developed mag...
Article
The widespread Late Paleozoic-Early Mesozoic magmatism in the Eastern Tianshan provides critical insights into geodynamic evolution of the southern Altaids. In this study, we conduct an integrated study of field geology, petrology, U-Pb zircon geochronology and major-trace elemental and Sr–Nd–Hf isotopic geochemistry on the Late Carboniferous monzo...
Data
Supplementary Material: Analytical methods and data, sample location map, field photographs and thin section photomicrographs, cathodoluminescence and backscatter images, and Concordia and kernel density estimation (KDE) plots.
Article
Full-text available
Identifying source orogens for syn-orogenic sediments in dispersed fragments of a su-percontinent provides key information on the tectonic evolution of the orogens involved in supercontinent assembly and on paleogeographic reconstruction. An approach using U-Pb geochronology and trace elements of multiple detrital minerals including zircon, rutile,...
Article
Granite genesis is crucial to understanding the evolution of continental crust, yet many concerns about granite genesis remain not well answered, such as whether I-type granite contains metasedimentary components, what controls granite compositional diversity, and how granitic plutons are constructed. To explore these issues, we conducted a detaile...
Article
Full-text available
The possibility that the Proto‐Tethys Ocean may have undergone intra‐oceanic subduction during ocean closure remains poorly constrained due to a lack of geological evidence for a mature intra‐oceanic arc. Here we present new geochemical and geochronological data for potential arc‐related volcanic rocks adjacent to the accretionary complex and forea...
Article
The petrogenesis of continental arc magmas provides critical insights into thermal evolution and geodynamics of the continental lithosphere, crust-mantle interaction, and deep dynamic processes. In this study, we report new zircon U-Pb ages along with isotopic and elemental whole-rock geochemistry, mineral chemistry, and Hf-O isotope data for the K...
Article
Full-text available
The petrogenesis of continental arc mag-mas provides critical insights into thermal evolution and geodynamics of the continental lithosphere, crust-mantle interaction, and deep dynamic processes. In this study, we report new zircon U-Pb ages along with isotopic and elemental whole-rock geochemistry, mineral chemistry, and Hf-O isotope data for the...
Article
Full-text available
A dominantly NW-SE directed extensional tectonics in the Early Cretaceous significantly reworked the Late Permian-Triassic orogenic framework of the Dabie orogenic belt. The North Dabie complex (NDC) is the principal domain recording this tectonic event. However, the precise structure-kinematic architectures, particularly those observed in the duct...
Article
Full-text available
Compressive stress generated at collision fronts can propagate over long distances, inducing deformation within the continent's interior. Nevertheless, the factors governing the partitioning of intracontinental deformation remain enigmatic. The Altai Mountains serve as a type‐example of ongoing intracontinental deformation. Here, we investigate the...
Article
Full-text available
Subduction polarity reversal usually involves the break off or tearing of the downgoing plate (DP) along the continent-ocean transition zone, in order to initiate subduction of the overriding plate (OP) with opposite polarity. We propose that subduction polarity reversal can also be caused by DP-OP coupling and can account for the early Paleozoic g...
Article
Subduction processes of the Eastern Tianshan are crucial to understand the mechanism of the orogenic evolution of the southern Altaids. To identify whether the tectonic setting of the Late Carboniferous or later was continuous subduction, we present a systematic study on Late Carboniferous volcanic and intrusive rocks exposed continuously in time a...
Article
The Bengal Basin is a well-known foreland basin that archives the tectonic evolution of the Himalayan and Indo-Burman Ranges (IBR). The Dupi Tila Formation is the youngest among the stratigraphic successions of the Bengal Basin, which witnessed the last phase of the Himalayan uplift. However, there is still controversy regarding sediment provenance...
Article
Continental‐scale shear zones in Indochina record Cenozoic tectonic processes in SE Asia. Previous extrusion models link these shear zones to northward indentation of the Indian continent and conflict with distributed Oligocene conjugate strike‐slip pairs, formed by E‐W‐directed compression (present coordinates). This paper presents evidence of Oli...
Article
Full-text available
Much debate exists concerning mechanisms of crustal material transfer from subducting slab to overlying mantle. Formation of mélange rocks by physical mixing of slab components within subduction plate interface is predicted to transfer their compositional signal to source of arc magmas by ascending as diapirs from slab-top. Despite being supported...
Article
Full-text available
Mantle heterogeneity has revealed systematic differences in Pb isotopic compositions between the Indian Ocean-South Atlantic mantle in the Southern Hemisphere and the Pacific Ocean-North Atlantic mantle in the Northern Hemisphere. This large-scale difference in mantle isotopes in the Southern Hemisphere is known as the DUPAL anomaly, but its origin...
Article
Identification and anatomy of oceanic arcs within ancient orogenic belt are significant for better understanding the tectonic framework and closure process of paleo‐ocean basin. This article summarizes the geological, geochemical, and geochronological characteristics of upper crust of Proto‐Tethyan Lajishan intra‐oceanic arc and provides new data t...
Article
中亚造山带在显生宙期间经历了强烈的陆壳增生与改造作用,其地壳增生过程和成矿作用复杂多样。晚古生代的天山以大规模走滑剪切变形、同构造岩浆和多金属成矿作用为显著特征,是中亚造山带增生汇聚作用的典型地区。前人的研究主要关注于剪切带起源与演化时限、变形特征或独立矿床的典例剖析,缺乏针对剪切带演化与成矿时空联系的综合研究。本文选取天山康古尔-黄山剪切带出露的代表性矿床—康古尔金矿和红山南金矿,开展金矿石中绢云母40Ar/39Ar定年研究,并结合前人报道的年代学数据来探讨金成矿与大规模剪切活动的时空联系,从而揭示区域差异性隆升与成矿作用的耦合关系。定年结果显示,康古尔金矿的成矿时代为 264.8 ± 1.7 Ma,而红山南金矿的成矿时代为 261.5 ± 1.5 Ma,与康古尔-黄山剪切带右行走滑运动时...
Presentation
Full-text available
这个报告 (约35分钟+讨论) 介绍了我们对华南东部大地构造演化的初步认识 (2023版)。 报告的高清视频可以在蔻享网站上直接观看 https://www.koushare.com/live/details/22783 (点击右边第五个"回放视频":华南东部大地构造演化)
Article
The Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) was subjected to continental crust accretion and transformation during the Phanerozoic, leading to complex deformation and mineralization events. Late Paleozoic large-scale strike–slip shear deformation features, syn-kinematic magmatic rocks, and polymetallic mineral deposits are prominent characteristics of t...
Article
中亚造山带在显生宙期间经历了强烈的陆壳增生与改造作用,其地壳增生过程和成矿作用复杂多样。晚古生代的天山以大规模走滑剪切变形、同构造岩浆和多金属成矿作用为显著特征,是中亚造山带增生汇聚作用的典型地区。前人的研究主要关注于剪切带起源与演化时限、变形特征或独立矿床的典例剖析,缺乏针对剪切带演化与成矿时空联系的综合研究。本文选取天山康古尔-黄山剪切带出露的代表性矿床—康古尔金矿和红山南金矿,开展金矿石中绢云母40Ar/39Ar定年研究,并结合前人报道的年代学数据来探讨金成矿与大规模剪切活动的时空联系,从而揭示区域差异性隆升与成矿作用的耦合关系。定年结果显示,康古尔金矿的成矿时代为 264.8 ± 1.7 Ma,而红山南金矿的成矿时代为 261.5 ± 1.5 Ma,与康古尔-黄山剪切带右行走滑运动时...
Article
Full-text available
中亚造山带在显生宙期间经历了强烈的陆壳增生与改造作用,其地壳增生过程和成矿作用复杂多样。晚古生代的天山以大规模走滑剪切变形、同构造岩浆和多金属成矿作用为显著特征,是中亚造山带增生汇聚作用的典型地区。前人的研究主要关注于剪切带起源与演化时限、变形特征或独立矿床的典例剖析,缺乏针对剪切带演化与成矿时空联系的综合研究。本文选取天山康古尔-黄山剪切带出露的代表性矿床—康古尔金矿和红山南金矿,开展金矿石中绢云母40Ar/39Ar定年研究,并结合前人报道的年代学数据来探讨金成矿与大规模剪切活动的时空联系,从而揭示区域差异性隆升与成矿作用的耦合关系。定年结果显示,康古尔金矿的成矿时代为 264.8 ± 1.7 Ma,而红山南金矿的成矿时代为 261.5 ± 1.5 Ma,与康古尔-黄山剪切带右行走滑运动时...
Article
In the Kokchetav area, a late Neoproterozoic to early Palaeozoic metamorphic, ophiolitic, and volcanic–sedimentary complex provides important insights into crustal accretion in the northwestern Altaids. We carried out a systematic study of the Northern Complex in the mélange within the Chaglinka, Zhanatalap, and Chelkar regions. The mélange include...
Article
Full-text available
The impact of tectonics, volcanism and climate in controlling temporal and spatial variations in rift‐basin sedimentation is still poorly understood. Here, we tackle this issue by the analysis of mid‐Cretaceous sediments deposited in the Songliao Basin, northeastern China. We present new zircon U–Pb, apatite fission‐track and trace‐element data fro...
Article
Full-text available
The present-day topography of Tianshan is the product of repeated phases of Meso-Cenozoic intracontinental deformation and reactivation, whereas the long-term Mesozoic topographic evolution and the timing of the onset of Cenozoic deformation remain debated. New insights into the Meso-Cenozoic geodynamic evolution and related basin-range interaction...
Article
Full-text available
The interplay between continental motions during the assembly of Pangaea and late Palaeozoic climate change, including severe glaciation and global aridification, remains enigmatic. Here we identify the provenance of Permian–Early Triassic sediments that recorded climate change of North China and estimate palaeoelevation to constrain tectonic-clima...
Article
Full-text available
The late Mesozoic tectonic evolution of the eastern North China craton was intimately related with the subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate. This study sheds light on Late Jurassic−Early Cretaceous basin-mountain coupling during paleo-Pacific subduction based on low-temperature thermochronology and geochemical analyses from the easternmost Yanshan...
Article
Full-text available
Collisional orogeny is characterized by deep subduction of continental crust and major crustal thickening, leading to high-pressure/high-temperature metamorphism and anataxis of the subducted continental crust. Since conductive heating of large slabs of cold, subducted continental crust is a slow process, heating up to a temperature that is high en...
Article
The Early Paleozoic orogeny in eastern South China has been highly controversial. It has been alternatively interpreted to have formed in an intra-plate setting driven by far-field tectonic forces or at plate boundaries involving subduction-collision. The West Cathaysia terrane in the core of the orogen is characterized by extensive magmatism, inte...
Article
Full-text available
The Meso-Cenozoic tectonic activities of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) played an important role in controlling the present-day topography of Central Asia. The Altai orogenic belt is a key component in the southern CAOB; so far, there is still a lack of sufficient constraints on the time and mechanism of its tectonic reactivation since the...
Article
Full-text available
Ophiolitic mélanges, units that contain components of an ophiolite suite, provide crucial information on earth history and orogenic evolution. In this paper, four ophiolitic mélanges are characterized, including the Baijiantan-Yeyagou, Hebukesair, Zhaheba and Hongguleleng mélanges in the Junggar region (NW China), southern Altaids. Detailed geologi...