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Mantle-dynamics and current crustal processes in the boundary of convergent plates |
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Navigating in the space, penetrating into the Earth and scouting in the ocean are three great adventures of mankind in their challenges to Nature. Continental scientific drilling, a telescope penetrating into the deep Earth, is high-tech systematic engineering with epoch-making significance in geosciences. It becomes one of the important measures to solve some serious problems encountered by mankind, such as natural resources, disasters and environment.The Chinese continental scientific drill project £¨CCSDP£© belongs to the National Key Scientific Engineering Program, symbolizing the starting of the so-called ¡°penetrating in the Earth¡± program. The CCSDP employs advanced drilling technology to drill a 5000m-deep hole in the Dabie-Sulu ultrahigh-pressure belt on the plate boundary of worldwide significance; obtains continuous and fresh cores and fluid samples, as well as in-situ measured experimental data. This project includes regional geological mapping and geophysical investigations in order to solve some critical problems of geosciences, such as the mantle geodynamics of the continental convergent plate boundaries and the formation/exhumation of the ultrahigh pressure metamorphic belts, by multi-discipline and multi-direction researches. In addition,, using the deep hole enables the studies of deep-rock fluids, deep microbe and deep-hole seismic observation and monitoring.
The study of continental plate-convergent boundaries is a new and important frontier in the global plate tectonics. The key to solve the convergent-boundary problems of continental plates concentrates at study of behaviors and dynamics of continental lithospheric slabs. The study will provide a ¡°window¡± to push geosciences forward and update.
The ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks were originally supercrustal rocks exposed on the surface, they sunk into the mantle deeper than 100km, then exhumed back onto the surface. These rocks may record some mantle behaviors at continental plate boundaries and evolution history of subduction of the lithospheric slabs. This project aims to approach the mantle geodynamics at the continental convergent plate boundaries and the formation/exhumation of the ultrahigh pressure metamorphic belts, containing five research aspects as follows.
1. Reconstruction of composition, distribution, structures and geophysical models at the continental convergent plate boundaries.
2. Studying fluid process, crust-mantle interactions, mass cycling and rhology occurred in the continental convergent plate boundaries.
3. Searching characteristic minerals formed at very deep mantle and defining formation mechanism of mineralization in ultrahigh-pressure metamorphism.
4. Calibration of deep-earth geophysical anomalies and building interpretation rules of seismic reflectors within the crystallized rocks.
5. Using the special hole-space of 5000m to study the underground hydrosphere and biosphere, as well as current crustal deformation.
This project is characterized by conjunction with the National Key Scientific Engineering Program and combinations between several important research frontiers, showing the conjunction between geosciences and other sciences, such as physics, chemistry and biosciences, also integrating the requirements from national economy, society and scientific development. On one hand, studying the mantle geodynamics at the continental convergent plate boundaries, that is a research frontier in the world, will conquer a scientific peak of continental dynamics for Chinese motherland, and make some important discoveries on deep mantle materials, fluids and underground microbes. On the other hand, studying mineralization associated with the ultrahigh pressure metamorphic processes, calibration of geophysical anomalies in deep crystallized crust, creating deep observation and experimental platform, and monitoring earthquakes will serve the national economy and society development.
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