摘要
The problem of the eastward extension of Qinling sea of Late Hercynian -Early Indosinian has always been in suspension. The present paper makes an assumption that the Qinling rock-group should be a tectonic complex consisting of complicated structural slices of different ages according to the new discovery of radiolarias and other faunas in the Yanlinggou rock-formation in the area around eastern Qinling-Toughai Mountains. The discovery of the Early Triassic radiolarias in Tongbai Mountain and the analysis of the paleogeography of the Yangtze and North China plate margins indicate the existence of eastern Qinling-Tongbai-Dabie sea of Late Hercynian-Early Indosinian, which is considered to be the eastward extension of the western Qinling rift trough. The rift trough was closed by the convergent collision between the Yangtze and North China plates in Middle to Late Triassic.
The problem of the eastward extension of Qinling sea of Late Hercynian -Early Indosinian has always been in suspension. The present paper makes an assumption that the Qinling rock-group should be a tectonic complex consisting of complicated structural slices of different ages according to the new discovery of radiolarias and other faunas in the Yanlinggou rock-formation in the area around eastern Qinling-Toughai Mountains. The discovery of the Early Triassic radiolarias in Tongbai Mountain and the analysis of the paleogeography of the Yangtze and North China plate margins indicate the existence of eastern Qinling-Tongbai-Dabie sea of Late Hercynian-Early Indosinian, which is considered to be the eastward extension of the western Qinling rift trough. The rift trough was closed by the convergent collision between the Yangtze and North China plates in Middle to Late Triassic.