The late paleoproterozoic extension event: aulacogens and dyke swarms in the North China craton

The extension structures and tectonic implication in the North China Craton (NCC) are discussed in this paper based on the mafic dyke swarms and geochronology, combining with the geochronology of aulacogens. The late Paleoproterozoic time is the important turning point in the Precambrian evolution of the NCC. The extension system (e.g. aulacogens and dyke swarms) is widespread in the NCC, which marks the carbonization of the NCC with the rigid characteristic similar to the modern plate. The paleostress field modeling suggests that the dyke swarms and aulacogens are arogenic extension marking the start of the supercontinent, not synorogenic and postorogenic extension. The mafic dyke swarms in the NCC mainly ranged from 1.83 to 1.77 Ga. The extension of the NCC is very limited brittle extension, the average extension ratio is only 0.35% given by mafic dyke swarms extension calculation, so most of extension in the NCC is contributed by the aulacogens. The mafic dyke swarms are related with the aulacogens in the origin.