Accretionary prisms of the Sikhote-Alin Orogenic Belt: Composition, structure and significance for reconstruction of the geodynamic evolution of the eastern Asian margin

We present overview for geological studies of the terranes of the Sikhote-Alin orogenic belt in the Russian Far East. The belt is formed by accretionary prisms with alternating tectonic packets of thrust-like slices which consist of complexly deformed marine (pelagic and hemipelagic deposits, as well as oceanic plateau and paleo-guyot fragments), marginal oceanic turbidites and chaotic (subduction mélange) formations. We reconstruct a stepwise history of accretion of paleo-oceanic crustal fragments of different ages, based on detailed lithological-biostratigraphic and structural analysis. We propose geodynamic model for evolution of the eastern margin of the paleo-Asian continent during the Mesozoic time by combining geological observations for the region with geological data for others terranes of the Sikhote-Alin Orogenic Belt. We recognize several principal Mesozoic geological processes that have led to formation of the continental crust at the eastern margin of Asia: (i) accretion of paleo-oceanic fragments to the continent margin during the subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate along the convergent margins, (ii) subsequent intense deformation of rocks of the accretionary prisms of the transform margin including folding and multiple thrusting which led to a multifold increase in thickness of sediments, (iii) formation of granitic-metamorphic complexes due to intrusion of the orogenic granites into the accretionary prisms.