Early cretaceous topographic evolution associated with the collapse of the Mongol-Okhotsk orogen in Western Transbaikalia: an integrated analysis

ABSTRACT

The Early Cretaceous topographic evolution of Transbaikalia was largely governed by the tectonic evolution of the Mongol-Okhotsk orogen. The collapse of the Mongol-Okhotsk orogen triggered the formation of metamorphic core complexes and associated extensional basins, widespread throughout Transbaikalia, North Mongolia, and North China. Numerous lithofacies and biostratigraphic studies have been carried out from the sedimentary deposits of the Transbaikalia basins. However, the absence of absolute ages for the sedimentary series, as well as sediment source-to-sink analysis do not allow to accurately characterize the regional topographic evolution. We focused our study on the Gusinoozersk Basin of Western Transbaikalia, where extensive sedimentary sections of Lower Cretaceous deposits have been preserved. We provide new U/Pb (LA-ICP-MS) data on detrital zircons from sedimentary series and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data on intruding rocks. We review the paleontological data to clarify the age of the paleogeographic events associated with the collapse of the Mongol-Okhotsk orogen, as well as to correct the age of faunal complexes in Western Transbaikalia. Our geochronological results show that the formation of the Cretaceous basins of Transbaikalia began around 136–130 Ma, accompanying the main episode of extension associated with the exhumation of the metamorphic core complexes. The lowest coarse-clastic formation characterizes the rapid subsidence and the predominance of proximal sediment sources. Distal provinces also made a contribution to sedimentation indicating the rise of a positive topography characterizing the exhumation of the metamorphic core complexes. Overlying fine-grained formations indicate a significant smoothing of the topography, suggesting that from middle Aptian, Western Transbaikalia developed in a relatively calm tectonic regime. We also show that the basins of Transbaikalia were formed both in conjunction with the exhumation of metamorphic cores complexes and reactivated structural sutures. Revised data on dinosaur fauna and palynology, together with the dating of host deposits, provide insights on the Early Cretaceous paleoenvironmental evolution.

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KEYWORDS:

• U–Pb detrital zircons dating
• sediment source-to-sink analysis
• topographic evolution
• western transbaikalia

Research highlights

• Formation of the Cretaceous basins of Transbaikalia began around 130–136 Ma

• Gusinoozersk basin was formed in conjunction with a reactivated structural suture

• U–Pb (LA-ICP-MS) detrital zircon ages and sediment source-to-sink analysis provided

• Cretaceous topographic evolution of Transbaikalia was caused by orogenic collapse

Acknowledgments

The study was conducted in the frame of the grant of the Ministry of Science and High Education of the Russian Federation No. 075-15-2022-1100. Detrital zircons were extracted from the bulk sample and prepared for U–Pb analysis at the Centre for Geodynamics and Geochronology of the Institute of the Earth’s Crust SB RAS (Irkutsk, Russia). U–Pb isotope analysis of zircons was made at the “Analytical center of mineralogical, geochemical and isotope studies” at the Geological Institute, SB RAS (Ulan-Ude, Russia). After reduction of data in Glitter (Griffin, 2008), all calculations were conducted using Dezirteer program, specially designed for the analysis of U-Pb detrital zircon data (Powerman et al. 2021). The latter can be downloaded for free at http://dezirteer.com/ or used online at https://dezirteer.crust.irk.ru/. We thank three anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments, which greatly improved the original manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00206814.2022.2139296

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Федеральная целевая программа [075-15-2022-1100].