Global and Regional Tectonics: Insights from Sedimentary Records and Geochemistry, 2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Sedimentary rocks cover about three-quarters of the continents on the Earth’s crust and hold the singular advantage that they contain a vertically stacked and relatively undeformed record of erosion, sedimentation, and tectonic environments. Therefore, the characterization of sedimentary rocks and minerals as well as their chemistry and isotopes constitutes a key approach to studies of tectonic processes and tectonic environmental reconstructions. Studies over the past decades have strongly propelled applications of chemistry and isotopes of sedimentary rocks and minerals toward the solution of fundamental tectonic issues. For example, geochemical analyses of fine-grained siliciclastic rocks, cherts, and even limestones have led to proxies being established for the discrimination of depositional plate tectonic settings; the detrital modes and heavy-mineral spectra of sandstones can provide key information in provenance determination and the type of tectonic setting in which they were deposited; U–Pb–Lu–Hf isotope systematics of detrital zircons from siliciclastic rocks are used to illustrate the nature of major regional or global crustal growth events; isotopic chronology along with Sr, Nd, Pb, and other more isotope compositions of specific detrital minerals, such as mica and feldspar, in sedimentary rocks can give indications of sources. Therefore, a collection of papers about this topic is vital, which will provide a platform and opportunities for the international community to exchange new ideas in addition to promoting further advances and progress in this field.

In this Special Issue, we would like to focus on recent advances in the applications towards global and regional tectonic reconstructions that are based on the use of composition, chemistry, and isotopes of sedimentary rocks and minerals. In addition, this issue would like to collect new ideas regarding methodologies and provide reviews of recent developments. Moreover, case studies of tectonics in specific regions using sedimentary data are also of interest. We suggest that potential contributors address the following themes, and the submission of original research and review articles is preferred over other article types.

1. Applications of chemistry and isotopes of sedimentary minerals and rocks in reconstructing global and regional tectonic environments and evolution for critical periods in geological history.
2. Applications of chemistry and isotopes of sedimentary minerals and rocks in unraveling the tectonic framework and evolution of important regimes, such as the Tethyan Realm, Central Asian Orogenic Belt, etc., are particularly welcome.
3. Reviews of or new ideas on methodology using proxies of chemistry and isotopes of specific sedimentary rock or mineral for discrimination of tectonic environments.
4. Reviews of, or new ideas on, sedimentary geology, geochemistry, and isotopes in a specific tectonic environment.

Prof. Dr. Kai-Jun Zhang
Prof. Dr. Xianchun Tang
Guest Editors

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• tectonics
• sedimentary rocks and minerals
• sedimentary geochemistry and isotopes
• paleogeography

• Global and Regional Tectonics: Insights from Sedimentary Records and Geochemistry in Minerals (4 articles)