RMG's field trip in NE China

During 18^th to 28^th August,2016, the Rocking Mantle Group in ESE, Nanjing University took a field trip to northeastern China. In order to acquire a full scientific recognition of this area, the group members were subdivided into two teams with Prof. Li-Hui Chen leading Team No. 1 and Ph.D. candidate Jian-Qiang Liu leading Team No. 2, based on previous work distributions .

TEAM No. 1

Team No. 1 of Rocking Mantle Group, which comprises Prof. Li-Hui Chen, Germany post-doctorate Saskia, graduate student Jin-Hua Shi and Ye He took a field trip to Hulunbeier and Arxan in inner Mongolia.

The main task of this trip consisted of the investigation and sampling work of Huihe alkaline basalts in SW Hunlunbeier, effusive andesites in Xinbaerhuyouqi and the Feijipu basaltic profile in Wuchagou. To sum up, the trip is fulling and interesting with traveling 2,500 kilometers in 10 days and ~30 samples of basalts and andesites.

Fig. 1 Basaltic mountain slope from the northside of Huihe river

Fig. 2 Vesicular andesite around Hulun lake

Fig.3 Bedding structure of andesite

Fig. 4 Volcanic agglomerate around Hulun lake

Fig. 5 Full screen of river terraces of high-Mgandesite in Wuchagou

Fig. 6 Evidences for fluviraption of andesiteprofile in Wuchagou

Fig.7 Group photo of Team No. 1 near Hulun lake

(Fromleft to right, Jin-Hua Shi, Li-Hui Chen, Saskia and Ye He)

TEAM No. 2

Team No. 2 of Rocking Mantle Group, which comprises PhD candidates Jian-Qiang Liu, Xiao-JunWang, Yuan Zhong and new graduate student Xiao-Qiu Xue, took a field trip in northeastern China and collected some samples of Cenozoic potassic basalts in Heilongjiang Province.

There is huge number of Cenozoic basalts distributed in NE China, including five regions with potassic volcanism (Xiaogulihe, Nuomin, Keluo and Erke),which are the main sampling areas during this field trip. Besides, we also collected some samples in the geochemical blank area-Menluhe volcanic region.

This trip starts in the morning flight from Nanjing to Harbin on 15^thAugust, 2016.

From 16^th to 17^th August, we did some sampling work at geological park near the Xiaogulihe river, the most north destination. It is interesting to note that the Xiaogulihe mount, a saddle-shaped volcano, is the only ultra-potassic volcano in the Xiaogulihe river basin.

In the next two days, we drove to Nuomin volcanic region and collected vast mantle xenolith samples, whose diameters are 10~20cm. The mantle xenolith is basically lherzolite.

During 20^th to 21^st August, we went to the geochemical blank region-Menluhe volcanic area. Although the vegetation cover is quite thick, we still acquired lots of samples.

In the last week of our field trip, we turned to focus on the southern area. The Keluo volcanic cluster and the Erke volcanoes are both young volcanoes erupted in Quaternary with typical crater structures. Volcanic bombs and agglomerates are widely scattered around the craters.

Fig. 8 The distribution of Cenozoic basalts in NE China

Fig. 9 Xiaogulihe geological park in the Great Khingan Mountains area

Fig. 10 Mantle xenolith in Nuomin

Fig. 11 Volcanic bombs around the Keluo volcanic cluster

Fig. 12 The table mountain in Keluo volcanic cluster

Fig. 13 Group photo of Team No. 2 in Erke park

(Fromleft to right, Yuan Zhong, Xiao-Qiu Xue, Jian-Qiang Liu and Xiao-JunWang)