Cooling paths of the NE China crust during the Mesozoic extensional tectonics: Example from the south-Liaodong peninsula metamorphic core complex

The south-Liaodong peninsula massif is the easternmost Mesozoic metamorphic core complex, recognized in Eastern China. It provides a good example of the combination of ductile shearing, syn-kinematic plutonism and polyphase exhumation. The Jurassic granodioritic plutons, located at the footwall of the detachment normal fault, and dated here at ca 160 Ma, recorded two different phases of cooling. A slow cooling regime of about 3–10 °C/my prevailing before 122 Ma, was followed by a significant increase in cooling rate of about 40–55 °C/my after that time. By contrast, a single fast cooling path was recorded by the Cretaceous monzogranite situated in the footwall of the detachment normal fault. This result indicates that the Jurassic and Cretaceous plutons recorded different exhumation processes: a Jurassic slow or negligible exhumation and a Cretaceous fast one assisted by normal faulting. These two cooling stages correspond to distinct geodynamic processes during the Jurassic and Cretaceous. Extensional tectonics seems not significant before Early Cretaceous. The second stage, dominated by an extensional regime which develops after ca 120 Ma, is tentatively correlated to the lithosphere removal of the North China Craton.

Research highlights
► The south-Liaodong peninsula massif – a Mesozoic metamorphic core complex.
► The Jurassic granodiorite, located at the footwall recorded two different phases of cooling.
► A single fast cooling path was recorded by the Cretaceous monzogranite situated in the footwall.
► A Jurassic slow or negligible exhumation and a Cretaceous fast one assisted by normal faulting.
► A polyphase exhumation during the North China Craton destruction.