This analysis reveals the dynamics of flat-slab subduction in the Kumishi area, highlighting geochemical and isotopic evidence from Devonian granitoids and dioritic porphyrites.
Subduction of the South Tianshan Ocean caused widespread Devonian magmatism, lithospheric deformation, and thinning along the south margin of the Central Tianshan Belt. However, the details of this subduction process remain elusive. This study presents comprehensive data on Devonian granitoids from the Kumishi area, including whole-rock geochemical data, Sr-Nb-Pb isotopic compositions, zircon U-Pb ages, and zircon Hf isotopic data. Dioritic porphyrites, medium–fine-grained monzogranites, and coarse–medium-grained monzogranites were emplaced at 397 ± 2 Ma, 397 ± 3 Ma, and 395 ± 3 Ma, respectively. The dioritic porphyrites have relatively high Sr contents, low heavy rare earth element (HREE) and Y contents, and high Sr/Y ratios, which are characteristics of adakites. High Al and Na2O contents suggest that the rocks formed through partial melting of subducted oceanic crust. The monzogranites display I-type and subduction-related arc affinities, sourced from a mixed magma of crustal materials and mantle wedge components. The granodiorites were emplaced at 373 ± 3 Ma, and also exhibit pronounced I-type and subduction-related arc affinities. Combined with previous data, our results demonstrate that the studied area of Devonian magmatism records the entire spatiotemporal evolution of subduction of the South Tianshan Ocean slab, from initial shallowing of the subduction angle to flat-slab subduction, followed by final slab rollback.
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Kang et al. (2025) studied this question.
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