Paleogeographic changes in central Honshu, Japan, during the late Cenozoic in relation to the collision of the Izu‐Ogasawara Arc with the Honshu Arc

Abstract The northern tip of the Izu‐Ogasawara Arc on the Philippine Sea plate collided with the central part of the Honshu Arc in the early Quaternary. The collision history is recorded in late Cenozoic strata that are distributed widely in central Japan. To reconstruct paleotopography during the collision process, paleogeographic maps of central Japan were drawn at six time slices during the late Cenozoic. These maps were made from paleodepth data that were inferred from benthic foraminiferal fossil assemblages. Sedimentological information was also added to the maps. The paleogeographic maps show several distinctive geological features. The paleodepth of the area between the Izu‐Ogasawara Arc and the Honshu Arc changed quickly from deep‐sea to shallow marine during the Quaternary by means of rapid deposition of large amounts of coarse‐grained detritus. The conglomerate was first deposited in a trough as deep‐sea fan deposits, and filled the trough until an alluvial fan was formed. Forearc basins of the Honshu Arc facing the collision area subsided from 3 to 1 Ma. Vertical movement of the basin was inferred from a strata thickness/paleodepth correlation graph. It is thought that the tectonic inversion seen in sedimentary basins in the Kanto and Tokai regions might be closely related to the change of motion of the Philippine Sea plate. However, a basin of the Ashigara area sunk continuously without interruption until 0.7 Ma. The collision event affected strongly distribution of deep‐sea benthic foraminifera. Paleogeographic maps show that a deep trough appeared in the Ashigara area between 3 and 1.5 Ma. This trough may have served as a passage for the migration of deep‐sea benthic foraminifera between the Pacific and the Philippine Sea. Cold water benthic foraminiferal species occur west of the Izu‐Ogasawara ridge deposited in strata during the existence of the passage.

[1]  K. Amano,et al.  Geology and nannofossil biostratigraphy of Fujikawa Group in southeastern part of Fujikawa valley, south Fossa Magna, central Japan. , 1995 .

[2]  H. Kitazato.  Foraminiferal microhabitats in four marine environments around Japan , 1994 .

[3]  S. Takano.  Stratigraphy of the Lower Pleistocene Kazusa Group in the Tama Hills, central Japan. , 1994 .

[4]  K. Akimoto.  Paleoenvironmental Studies of the Nishiyatsushiro and Shizukawa Groups, South Fossa-Magna Region , 1991 .

[5]  Hiroki Tanaka,et al.  Calcareous nannoplankton age and correlation of the Neogene Miura Group between the Miura and Boso Peninsulas, southern-central Japan. , 1991 .

[6]  K. Amano.  Multiple collision tectonics of the South Fossa Magna in central Japan , 1991 .

[7]  M. Ibaraki.  Neogene planktonic foraminifera and events in Japan , 1990 .

[8]  Y. Inoue.  Northwest Pacific foraminifera as paleoenvironmental indicators , 1989 .

[9]  N. Kotake.  Upper Cenozoic marine sediments in southern part of the Boso Peninsula, central Japan , 1988 .

[10]  Takehisa Ishigaki.  Fossil foraminifera from the Kawaino Conglomerate of the Fujikawa Group, central Japan , 1988 .

[11]  Makoto Ito,et al.  Evolution of clastic piles in an arc-arc collision zone: late cenozoic depositional history around the Tanzawa Mountains, central Honshu, Japan , 1986 .

[12]  W. Soh.  Reconstruction of Fujikawa Trough in Mio-Pliocene Age and its Geotectonic Implication , 1986 .

[13]  Makoto Ito.  NEOGENE DEPOSITIONAL HISTORY IN OISO HILL : DEVELOPMENT OF OKINOYAMA BANK CHAIN ON LANDWARD SLOPE OF SAGAMI TROUGH,CENTRAL HONSHU,JAPAN , 1986 .

[14]  慎英 伊藤.  関東山地南東縁の鮮新-更新統中津層群:沿岸帯から上部斜面に至る海進堆積相 , 1985 .

[15]  良夫 松本,et al.  伊豆半島南部下田周辺の地質の再検討 : 堆積盆の変遷,火成活動と熱水変質作用 , 1985 .

[16]  N. Niitsuma.  Collision in the South Fossa Magna area, central Japan , 1985 .

[17]  W. Soh.  Sedimentary facies and processes of paleo-submarine channels in the Mio-Pliocene Minobu Formation, Fujikawa Group, central Japan , 1985 .

[18]  T. Muto.  Fossil submarine channels found from the Pleistocene strata in the Kakegawa district, Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan. , 1985 .

[19]  Y. Kondo.  Stratigraphy of the Upper Pleistocene in the Udo Hills, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , 1985 .

[20]  伊藤 慎.  The Nakatsu Group: A Plio-Pleistocene transgressive nearshore to slope sequence embracing multiple slump scars in southeastern margin of the Kanto Mountains, central Honshu, Japan. , 1985 .

[21]  P. Huchon,et al.  Collision of the izu block with central Japan during the quaternary and geological evolution of the Ashigara area , 1984 .

[22]  S. Kaizuka.  Landforms in and around the South Fossa Magna and Their Tectonic Processes of Growth , 1984 .

[23]  K. Shimazaki,et al.  Subduction, bending and education; present and Quaternary tectonics of the northern border of the Philippine Sea Plate , 1984 .

[24]  Y. Takayanagi,et al.  Paleobathymetric History of Late Neogene Foraminiferal Assemblages of the Kakegawa Area, Central Japan , 1982 .

[25]  Isao Konda.  Benthonic Foraminiferal Biostratigraphy of the Standard Areas of Middle Miocene in the Pacific Side Province, Central Japan , 1980 .

[26]  S. Ishida,et al.  Middle Pleistocene of Kakegawa District, Central Japan , 1980 .

[27]  H. Kitazato.  Marine Paleobathymetry and Paleotopography of the Hokuroku District during the Time of the Kuroko Deposition, Based on Foraminiferal Assemblages , 1979 .

[28]  M. Oda.  Planktonic Foraminiferal Biostratigraphy of the Late Cenozoic Sedimentary Sequence, Central Honshu, Japan , 1978 .

[29]  T. Matsuda,et al.  COLLISION OF THE IZU-BONIN ARC WITH CENTRAL HONSHU: CENOZOIC TECTONICS OF THE FOSSA MAGNA, JAPAN , 1978 .

[30]  H. Kitazato.  Vertical and Lateral Distributions of Benthic Foraminiferal Fauna and the Fluctuation of Warm and Cold Waters in the Middle Pleistocene of the Boso Peninsula, Central Japan , 1977 .

[31]  S. Graham,et al.  Himalayan-Bengal Model for Flysch Dispersal in the Appalachian-Ouachita System , 1975 .

[32]  F. Masuda.  Geology of the Tama Hills , 1971 .

[33]  Naoaki Aoki.  538. BENTHONIC FORAMINIFERAL ZONATION OF THE KAZUSA GROUP, BOSO PENINSULA , 1968 .

[34]  Y. Matoba.  Younger Cenozoic Foraminiferal Assemblages from the Choshi District, Chiba Prefecture , 1967 .

[35]  Naoaki Aoki.  Pliocene and Pleistocene Planktonic Foraminifera Assemblages, Boso Peninsula , 1964 .

[36]  T. Matsuda.  The Miocene Stratigraphy of the Fuji River Valley, Central Japan , 1961 .

[37]  Y. Higuchi.  Fossil Foraminifera from the North-Miura Peninsula, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan , 1956 .

[38]  Y. Higuchi.  Fossil Foraminifera from the Miyata Formation, Miura Peninsula, Kanagawa Prefecture , 1954 .

[39]  Y. Kuwano.  New Species of Foraminifera from the Pliocene Formations of Tama Hills in the Vicinity of Tokyo , 1950 .

[40]  K. Nakaseko,et al.  Foraminiferal Fauna of the Nakatsu Formation (Microbiostratigraphic study of the Cainozoic strata of Japan, series I) , 1950 .