A National Science Foundation of China(NSFC) major research project,Destruction of the North China Craton(NCC),has been carried out in the past few years by Chinese scientists through an in-depth and systematic observations,experiments and theoretical analyses,with an emphasis on the spatio-temporal distribution of the NCC destruction,the structure of deep earth and shallow geological records of the craton evolution,the mechanism and dynamics of the craton destruction.From this work the following conclusions can be drawn:(1) Significant spatial heterogeneity exists in the NCC lithospheric thickness and crustal structure,which constrains the scope of the NCC destruction.(2) The nature of the Paleozoic,Mesozoic and Cenozoic sub-continental lithospheric mantle(CLM) underneath the NCC is characterized in detail.In terms of water content,the late Mesozoic CLM was rich in water,but Cenozoic CLM was highly water deficient.(3) The correlation between magmatism and surface geological response confirms that the geological and tectonic evolution is governed by cratonic destruction processes.(4) Pacific subduction is the main dynamic factor that triggered the destruction of the NCC,which highlights the role of cratonic destruction in plate tectonics.
The lithospheric mantle is one of the key layers controlling the stability of continents.Even a small amount of water can influence many chemical and physical properties of rocks and minerals.Consequently,it is a pivotal task to study the distribution of water in the continental lithosphere.This paper presents a brief overview of the current state of knowledge about(1)the occurrence of water in the continental lithospheric mantle,(2)the spatial and temporal variations of the water content in the continental lithospheric mantle,and(3)the relationship between water content and continent stability.Additionally,suggestions for future research directions are briefly discussed.
