Inversion of magnetization vector and magnetic structure studies of the Yangtze Block and its periphery

CaiJin SHAO, YuanYuan LI, YuShan YANG, Xiang ZHANG

Prog Geophy ›› 2026, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (3) : 1029-1047.

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Prog Geophy ›› 2026, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (3) : 1029-1047. DOI: 10.6038/pg2026II0439

Inversion of magnetization vector and magnetic structure studies of the Yangtze Block and its periphery

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Abstract

Located in the three tectonic domains of the Pacific plate, the Paleo-Asian Ocean and the Tethys, i.e., the northern part is blocked by the southward thrust of the Qinling orogenic belt and the North China block, the western part is pushed by the eastward flow of the uplift material of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, and the eastern part is blocked by the Cathaysian block. The eastern and western parts of the Yangtze block have different evolution characteristics. The western part still preserves a relatively stable quasi-craton block centered on the Sichuan continental core, while the eastern Yangtze has been involved in intracontinental orogeny since the early Paleozoic, and different degrees and styles of tectonic deformation have occurred. In this paper, we try to use the aeromagnetic anomaly to directly invert the magnetization vector, and realize the quantitative estimation of the magnetization intensity and magnetization direction in the Yangtze region. On this basis, the magnetic structure and difference of the Precambrian crystalline basement of the Yangtze Block are studied, and the deep structure and state of the orogenic belt within and around the Yangtze Block are analyzed. It is helpful to reconstruct its Precambrian composition and basic tectonic framework, and provides important support for the dynamic problems such as the tectonic relationship between the Yangtze and Cathaysian blocks and the North China plate and the influence of the eastward movement of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau on it.Traditional magnetization inversion methods usually ignore the remanence and self-demagnetization effects. However, the actual geological conditions are often very complicated. Especially when there is strong remanence, the magnetization direction of the field source usually deviates greatly from the direction of the geomagnetic field. In this paper, the aeromagnetic data of the Yangtze region are collected, and the Direct Analytical Signal (DAS) is calculated by Hilbert transform. The direct analytical signal mode is used as input to invert the magnetization intensity of the region, and the magnetization intensity obtained by DAS mode inversion is used as a constraint. The penalty function is added to the objective function, and the joint objective function under the equivalent constraint condition is established. The inversion of the three components (Mx, My, Mz) of the magnetization intensity vector is realized, and the magnetization intensity vector structure of the Yangtze region is inverted. The magnetic structure of the Sichuan Basin, the Longmenshan tectonic belt and the surrounding area is analyzed.The following progress and understanding have been made: (1)The magnetization intensity of Longmenshan fault zone is different from that of Songpan-Ganzi block and similar to that of Yangtze block, so it is classified as Yangtze block. The northern Sichuan Basin and Hannan-Micang area have high magnetization, and the deep structure is a stable rhombic crystalline basement rock. There are large-scale NE-trending magnetic bodies in the deep underground of the central Sichuan Basin, which may be related to the Archean to Paleoproterozoic basement and the ancient continental nucleus below. The inversion results and the distribution characteristics of magnetic anomalies show that the main body of the Cambrian basement extends from the northern Sichuan Basin to the Micangshan Hannan coverage area.(2)In the negative magnetic anomaly area on the northern margin of the Sichuan Basin, the magnetization direction is opposite to the geomagnetic field, which may be related to the subduction and tectonic deformation of the Qinling orogenic belt. After the collision between the Yangtze plate and the North China plate in the late Late Triassic, the Qinling Mountains experienced a strong intracontinental orogeny, and the deformation expanded from the Qinling Mountains to the northeast of the Sichuan Basin, which may cause the change of magnetization direction.(3)There is a magnetic inversion phenomenon in the Longmenshan tectonic belt, which may be related to the remanence of the Neoproterozoic intrusive rocks. These intrusive rocks were formed in 830-740 Ma, mainly by the underplating of mantle-derived mafic magma. The magnetic minerals in the rock were reversely magnetized during the geomagnetic polarity reversal, and retained this state during the cooling and hardening process, forming an intrusive rock with remanence. In addition, the special tectonic position on both sides of the Longmenshan fault zone, that is, the strong interaction zone between the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the Yangtze block, as well as the push of the eastward flow of the uplift material of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the resistance of the underground rigid block of the Sichuan Basin, led to strong tectonic deformation and magnetization direction changes.

Key words

Yangtze block / Magnetization vector inversion / Modulus of direct analytic signal / Magnetic structure

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CaiJin SHAO , YuanYuan LI , YuShan YANG , et al. Inversion of magnetization vector and magnetic structure studies of the Yangtze Block and its periphery[J]. Progress in Geophysics. 2026, 41(3): 1029-1047 https://doi.org/10.6038/pg2026II0439

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