吐鲁番--哈密盆地陆源碎屑沉积环境及物源分析

吐鲁番—哈密盆地从晚二叠世到晚第三纪经历了复杂的,多旋回的沉积构造演化历史,造成主要地层间均以不整合为界。盆地内沉积相类型丰富,沉积环境随时间的推移而发生改变。在晚石炭世,盆地北部为浅海环境;到晚二叠世,沉积环境由海相转变为陆相,并在上二叠统下部形成大量冲积相或河流相粗碎屑沉积;在三叠纪,沉积物主要形成于冲积相或河流—湖泊环境中,古气候则由干旱转为温暖湿润。早、中侏罗世,沉积环境以湖泊—沼泽相为主;到晚侏罗世,则以辫状河流相为主及干旱气候为特征。在白垩纪,盆地的沉积范围大为缩小,以湖泊环境为主;第三纪,沉积范围则扩大到整个盆地,沉积相以辫状河流及冲积相为特征,沉积气候干旱,局部地区接受了盐类沉积。古流向分析显示,吐—哈盆地具有复杂的沉积搬运体系。在盆地南侧,沉积物搬运方向总是由南向北,表明觉罗塔格山是盆地的主要物源区;而在盆地北侧,博格达山自晚侏罗世开始隆起,构成盆地的另一新的物源区,沉积物搬运方向由北向南。在白垩及第三纪,博格达山成为盆地的主要物源区。     

吐鲁番-哈密盆地陆源碎屑沉积环境及物源分析

吐鲁番-哈密盆地从晚二叠世到晚第三纪经历了复杂的,多旋回的沉积构造演化历史,造成主要地层间均以不整合为界。盆地内沉积相类型丰富,沉积环境随时间的推移而发生改变。在晚石炭世,盆地北部为浅海环境;到晚二叠世,沉积环境由海相转变为陆相,并在上二叠统下部形成大量冲积相或河流相粗碎屑沉积;在三叠纪,沉积物主要形成于冲积相或河流-湖泊环境中,古气候则由干旱转为温暖湿润。早、中侏罗世,沉积环境以湖泊-沼泽相为主;到晚侏罗世,则以辫状河流相为主及干旱气候为特征。在白垩纪,盆地的沉积范围大为缩小,以湖泊环境为主;第三纪,沉积范围则扩大到整个盆地,沉积相以辫状河流及冲积相为特征,沉积气候干旱,局部地区接受了盐类沉积。古流向分析显示,吐-哈盆地具有复杂的沉积搬运体系。在盆地南侧,沉积物搬运方向总是由南向北,表明觉罗塔格山是盆地的主要物源区;而在盆地北侧,博格达山自晚侏罗世开始隆起,构成盆地的另一新的物源区,沉积物搬运方向由北向南。在白垩及第三纪,博格达山成为盆地的主要物源区。     

长江武汉段天兴洲低滩沉积物粒度端元对河流—风成沙丘沉积环境的指示意义

河床沙波向风成沙丘演变的过程具有特殊的沉积动力机制。笔者等以68份长江武汉段天兴洲洲头低滩沉积物的粒度分布数据为例,利用端元分析方法从每个粒度分布中分离提取4个粒度端元组分(EM1、EM2、EM3和EM4),探讨了河流—风成沙丘不同沉积环境中粒度端元的异同。研究结果表明：EM1和EM3组分在粒度分布中占比与沉积物粒度中值分别呈较好的线性正相关和负相关;河流沉积物主要由EM1、EM2和EM3组成的跳跃方式搬运,对应滚动次总体的EM4组分占比5%~10%,少悬浮搬运;风成沙纹沉积物主要包括两段跳跃次总体,以EM2组分为主、EM1和EM3组分为辅,少EM4组分;沙丘背风面沉积物主要靠颗粒流顺坡滑塌,以EM2组分为主、EM1和EM3组分为辅,含占比约为5%的EM4组分;未被风成沙纹覆盖的沙丘波谷沉积物记录了河流和小型滞水洼地的沉积特征,代表滚动次总体的EM4组分占比7%~15%,悬浮次总体占比可达20%。本文提取的沉积物粒度端元为弱风环境中河道内局部小型河流—风成沙丘的沉积环境和演化过程研究提供了参考。     

长江武汉段天兴洲低滩沉积物粒度端元对河流—风成沙丘沉积环境的指示意义

河床沙波向风成沙丘演变的过程具有特殊的沉积动力机制。笔者等以68份长江武汉段天兴洲洲头低滩沉积物的粒度分布数据为例,利用端元分析方法从每个粒度分布中分离提取4个粒度端元组分(EM1、EM2、EM3和EM4),探讨了河流—风成沙丘不同沉积环境中粒度端元的异同。研究结果表明：EM1和EM3组分在粒度分布中占比与沉积物粒度中值分别呈较好的线性正相关和负相关;河流沉积物主要由EM1、EM2和EM3组成的跳跃方式搬运,对应滚动次总体的EM4组分占比5%～10%,少悬浮搬运;风成沙纹沉积物主要包括两段跳跃次总体,以EM2组分为主、EM1和EM3组分为辅,少EM4组分;沙丘背风面沉积物主要靠颗粒流顺坡滑塌,以EM2组分为主、EM1和EM3组分为辅,含占比约为5%的EM4组分;未被风成沙纹覆盖的沙丘波谷沉积物记录了河流和小型滞水洼地的沉积特征,代表滚动次总体的EM4组分占比7%～15%,悬浮次总体占比可达20%。本文提取的沉积物粒度端元为弱风环境中河道内局部小型河流—风成沙丘的沉积环境和演化过程研究提供了参考。     

长江口区晚新生代沉积物粒度特征和沉积地貌环境演变

对长江河口区的三个晚新生代钻孔作了地层对比和粒度分析,据此探讨晚新生代长江河口的沉积地貌环境演变过程。结果表明,SG6和J18A孔上新世厚层含砾砂质沉积物粒度特征,反映了洪积扇和冲积扇相沉积环境,沉积物搬运距离短;而SG13孔缺失上新世沉积,反映古地势较高,以剥蚀为主。因此上新世长江三角洲地区古地势高差较大,侵蚀区和沉积区共存。早更新世,本区继承了上新世的冲、洪积扇沉积环境,但SG6孔泥质沉积明显变厚,J18A孔此时则以厚层含砾砂沉积为主,SG13孔也开始接受泥质沉积,反映在构造沉降作用下,冲、洪积扇体向西、南部迁移,沉积盆地范围扩大。中更新世,沉积物普遍变细且以悬浮沉积为主,显示了曲流河或曲流河冲积平原的沉积环境。晚更新世初,本区又发育含砾砂层,特别是SG13孔出现厚层含砾砂,但是粒径显著小于上新世和早更新世沉积物,反映本区再次发生显著构造沉积,河流地貌广泛发育。晚更新世中晚期和全新世沉积物以粘土和粉砂质粘土为主,悬浮沉积占优,说明本区已演变为滨、浅海沉积环境。因此在构造沉降、剥蚀和沉积的共同作用下,本区的地貌演变经历了自上新世至中更新世和自晚更新世至全新世的两次准平原化过程。     

图们江河口沼泽沉积物的粒度特征及碎屑源分析

经对图们江河口沼泽沉积物的粒度分析,其粒度特征:①分选差,粒径φ值为5.66~8.74(0.020 mm~0.002 mm),平均φ值为7.57(0.005 mm);②粒级构成为:粉砂74.21%,黏土25.79%;③频率曲线以双峰态为主,主要为负偏态。热释光测年结果表明该套样品沉积时间为晚更新世末期至今。根据沉积物粒度分布特征推断该区沼泽沉积物主要为图们江碎屑物由上游搬运到河口地区,堆积在河床和河漫滩上,在旱季由风搬运到沼泽中并堆积下来。雨季的面流也将少量细粒碎屑搬运到沼泽中并沉积下来。     

鄂尔多斯盆地延长组长10期沉积环境与沉积体系

三叠系延长组为鄂尔多斯盆地主要含油层位,其中长10油层组是盆地油气勘探新层系。依据大量野外露头、岩芯观察、粒度分析及古地貌恢复等资料,对盆地延长组下组合长10油层组沉积相特征、沉积环境与沉积体系进行了系统研究。研究结果表明：①长10油层组主要发育冲积扇相和河流相,其中河流相是盆地主要沉积相类型;②长10期,河流沉积体系...     

岩溶洞穴古河漫滩沉积物特征及其沉积环境演变——以山王洞中段为例

为揭示岩溶洞穴沉积物对沉积环境与沉积过程的指示作用,文章在分析双河洞洞系形成过程及山王洞区域地质调查资料的基础上,选取贵州山王洞中段古河漫滩沉积物为研究对象,采用粒度分析法与萨胡公式对洞穴沉积物粒度特征与沉积环境的相关性进行分析,推断不同沉积韵律期的沉积环境演变过程,研究结果表明:（1）古河漫滩表层沉积物以极细砂、粉砂和黏土为主,平均含量达94.42%,且中上部含有一层粗砂砾夹层;（2）沉积模式主要为跳跃和悬浮沉积,水动力条件整体稳定,搬运颗粒粒径平均值为637 μm,其最大沉积物颗粒粒径为864.2 μm;（3）以沉积物粒度特征为依据,将古河漫滩沉积过程划分为三级沉积韵律,一级沉积韵律厚度为404～275 cm ,二级沉积韵律厚度为285～165 cm,三级沉积韵律厚度为165～0 cm。上述研究为确定区域侵蚀基准面和地层升降运动过程提供有力证明,也为山王洞古气候环境研究提供了重要依据。      

碎屑颗粒粒度分析在东营凹陷辛176块沙四上亚段砂体成因研究中的应用

利用粒度资料进行沉积物的粒度结构分析, 能有效地判定沉积物搬运方式、判别水动力条件、区分沉积环境类型, 研究沉积物的成因机制。本文通过大量粒度频率曲线、概率累计曲线和粒级-标准偏差曲线等图件的分析, 详细研究了沉积物所包含的粒度组分及各自特征, 并提取出对沉积环境变化敏感的粒度组分, 确定了各自组分所对应的沉积水动力类型, 结合沉积相和构造背景研究, 探讨了东营凹陷辛176块沙四上亚段纯上5砂组砂体的成因, 认为辛176块王斜583、辛176斜1井砂体是广饶凸起的碎屑物质在南斜坡形成三角洲后被入湖河流继续搬运、沉积并被波浪改造形成的滩坝砂体; 牛114斜1、王587井砂体为青坨子凸起的碎屑物质以重力流方式搬运并与广饶凸起的物质混合、沉积, 后又被波浪改造而形成; 王58井砂体为来自青坨子凸起的重力流入湖后发生卸载形成的沟道砂体。     

鄂尔多斯盆地风成含铀岩系的识别——以XX井为例

本文以XX井为例,通过详细的岩心观察和描述,结合岩石薄片鉴定、扫描电镜观察及粒度分析等方法,对鄂尔多斯盆地西南部工业含铀岩系下白垩统洛河组开展了系统的沉积学研究。在洛河组中共识别出风成沙漠(下段)和洪泛河流(上段)2种沉积相,风成沙漠沉积相又分为沙丘、沙丘间、沙席、旱谷4种亚相,洪泛河流沉积相又分为河床和堤岸2种亚相。洛河组下段砂岩段主要由红色、黄色、灰绿色粗-细砂岩组成,矿物成分以石英为主,佐以少量岩屑(沉积岩屑)和长石(微斜长石、条纹长石),砂粒干净、明亮,含较少胶结物与杂基,成分成熟度较高;以中-细砂为主,粒径范围在2.2～3Φ之间,次棱角-次圆状;粒度概率累积曲线显示以跳跃搬运组分为主体,伴随有少量悬浮搬运组分,粒度分选性好,结构成熟度高。沉积构造广泛发育大型高角度交错层理、平行层理和波状层理等;层内可见呈舌形向上或向下尖灭的垮塌层,具有逆粒序的风成沙波层以及形似暗色条纹的条纹层等特殊风成沉积构造。砂岩颗粒表面具有一系列碟型和新月型撞击坑、麻坑、化学溶蚀与沉淀以及沙漠漆等现象。将洛河组下段砂岩与典型河流相砂岩、风成砂岩进行对比,表明鄂尔多斯盆地西南部洛河组下段含铀砂岩符合典型风成砂岩的特征。该风成含铀岩系的发现为国际上砂岩型铀矿增添了新的类型,为中国北方铀矿勘探拓展了找矿空间和找矿潜力,为砂岩型铀矿的进一步勘探提供了新思路。     

A comparative evaluation of minerals and trace elements in the ashes from lignite, coal refuse, and biomass fired power plants

Coal being a limited source of energy, extraction of energy from other sources like lignite, coal-refuse, and biomass is being attempted worldwide. The minerals and inorganic elements present in fuel feeds pose different technological and environmental concerns. Lignite ash, refuse ash, and biomass ash collected from Indian power plants burning lignite, coal-refuse, and mustard stalk, respectively, were analyzed for physico-chemical characteristics and trace elements. The lignite ash has high SiO₂, CaO, MgO, Al₂O_3, and SO₃; the refuse ash has high SiO₂ and Fe₂O₃, but low SO₃; the biomass ash has high SiO₂ (but low Al₂O₃), and high CaO, MgO, K₂O, Na₂O, SO₃, and P₂O₅. A substantial presence of chloride (2.1%) was observed in the biomass ash. Quartz is the most abundant mineral species. Other minerals are mullite, hematite, gehlenite, anhydrite, and calcite in the lignite ash; orthoclase in the refuse ash; albite, sanidine, gehlenite, anhydrite, and calcite in the biomass ash. Ashes with high concentrations (> 100 mg/kg) of trace elements are: lignite ash (V < La < Mn < Cr < Ni < Nd < Ba < Ce, Zn < Sr); refuse ash (Cr < Ce < V < Rb < Mn < Sr, Zn < Ba); biomass ash (Cu < Zn < Ba, Sr). Based on Earth crust normalization, Co, Ni, As, Se, Mo, Zn, Pb, U, and REEs (except Pr and Er) are enriched in the lignite ash; molybdenum, Zn, Cs, Pb, Th, U, La, Ce, and Lu in the refuse ash; and Mo, Zn, Sr, Cs, Pb, and Lu in the biomass ash. Elements As, Zn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rb, Cr, V, Ba, Sr, and REEs are correlated with Al, indicating the possibilities of their association with aluminum silicates minerals. Similarly, barium, Cs, Th, and U are correlated with iron oxides; molybdenum and Sr may also be associated with sulfates and chlorides. Due to the alkaline nature of these ashes, the high concentrations of As and Se in the lignite ash; molybdenum in the biomass ash; and Se in the refuse ash may pose environmental concerns.     

Calculated Phase Relations in the System NCKFMASH (Na2O-CaO-K2O-FeO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O) for High-Pressure Metapelites

Petrogenetic grids in the system NCKFMASH (Na₂O–CaO–K₂O–FeO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O)and the subsystems NCKMASH and NCKFASH calculated with the softwareTHERMOCALC 3.1 are presented for the P–T range 7–30kbar and 450–680°C, for assemblages involving garnet,chloritoid, biotite, carpholite, talc, chlorite, kyanite, staurolite,paragonite, glaucophane, jadeite, omphacite, diopsidic pyroxene,plagioclase, zoisite and lawsonite, with phengite, quartz/coesiteand H₂O in excess. These grids, together with calculated compatibilitydiagrams and P–T and T–X_Ca and P–X_Ca pseudosectionsfor different bulk-rock compositions, show that incorporationof Ca into the NKFMASH system leads to many of the NKFMASH invariantequilibria moving to lower pressure and/or lower temperature,which results, in most cases, in the stability of jadeite andgarnet being enlarged, but in the reduction of stability ofglaucophane, plagioclase and AFM phases. The effect of Ca onthe stability of paragonite is dependent on mineral assemblageat different P–T conditions. The calculated NCKFMASH diagramsare powerful in delineating the phase equilibria and P–Tconditions of natural pelitic assemblages. Moreover, contoursof the calculated phengite Si isopleths in P–T and P–X_Capseudosections confirm that phengite barometry in NCKFMASH isstrongly dependent on mineral assemblage. KEY WORDS: phase relations; metapelites; NCKFMASH; THERMOCALC; phengite geobarometry     

Mineralogy and geochemistry of the Texeo Cu–Co mine site (NW Spain): screening tools for environmental assessment

The Cu–Co–Ni Texeo mine has been the most important source of Cu in NW Spain since Roman times and now, approximately 40,000 m³ of wastes from mine and metallurgical operations, containing average concentrations of 9,263 mg kg⁻¹ Cu, 1,100 mg kg⁻¹ As, 549 mg kg⁻¹ Co, and 840 mg kg⁻¹ Ni, remain on-site. Since the cessation of the activity, the abandoned works, facilities and waste piles have been posing a threat to the environment, derived from the release of toxic elements. In order to assess the potential environmental pollution caused by the mining operations, a sequential sampling strategy was undertaken in wastes, soil, surface and groundwater, and sediments. First, screening field tools were used to identify hotspots, before defining formal sampling strategies; so, in the areas where anomalies were detected in a first sampling stage, a second detailed sampling campaign was undertaken. Metal concentrations in the soils are highly above the local background, reaching up to 9,921 mg kg⁻¹ Cu, 1,373 mg kg⁻¹ As, 685 mg kg⁻¹ Co, and 1,040 mg kg⁻¹ Ni, among others. Copper concentrations downstream of the mine works reach values up to 1,869 μg l⁻¹ and 240 mg kg⁻¹ in surface water and stream sediments, respectively. Computer-based risk assessment for the site gives a carcinogenic risk associated with the presence of As in surface waters and soils, and a health risk for long exposures; so, trigger levels of these elements are high enough to warrant further investigation.     

Cretaceous stratigraphy and palaeoenvironments of the Southern Petén Basin, Guatemala

The Cretaceous deposits of the Southern Petén Basin, an oil-producing province, are located to the south of the Yucatan Platform and to the east of the Chiapas Carbonate Platform of Mexico. The succession in the southern part of this basin has been studied both in wells and at outcrop by microfacies analysis. It is composed of 5000 m of shallow marine carbonates and evaporites with a few thin layers of pelagic limestones rich in organic carbon and planktic foraminifera deposited during peak transgressions or maximum flooding. The sedimentation of this thick succession was not continuous, and the section is punctuated by subaerial erosional bounding surfaces and a single hardground which marks the final drowning of the carbonate platform during the late Maastrichtian. New age determinations have been obtained on the basis of planktic and benthic foraminifera from the Aptian to Santonian Cobán Formation, D, C, B and A Members. Cobán C (Albian) and B (Cenomanian) Members are the present oil reservoirs. The rudist and alveolinid limestones of late Campanian and Maastrichtian age referred to the Campur Formation in the Southern Petén Basin are here reassigned to the Angostura Formation, as recognized in the Chiapas area. The Actela Formation is defined here to encompass the limestone breccia deposits that occur at the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary and extend into the Parvularugoglobigerina eugubina Zone of early Danian age. The D, C, B and A Members of the Cobán Formation and the Angostura Formation represent second order transgressive and regressive trends in a passive margin area where the deposits indicate a succession of various environments, including fluviatile, salinas, shallow marine carbonate platform, outer shelf and intrashelf basin. High subsidence rates, sea-level changes and tectonic uplift controlled the sedimentation.

Abstract

Les formations crétacées du sud-est du Bassin du Petén, région pétrolière du nord du Guatemala, sont situées au Sud du Yucatan et à l'Est du Chiapas au Mexique. Ces sédiments ont été étudiés à la fois dans deux puits et à l'affleurement par l'analyse des microfaciès. Cet ensemble sédimentaire est composé de 5000 m de carbonates de plate-forme de faible profondeur et d'évaporites, dans lesquels s'intercalent de minces couches de calcaires pélagiques riches en matière organique et en foraminifères planctoniques. Ces calcaires pélagiques se sont déposés lors des maximums de transgressions. La sédimentation de cette épaisse série n'est pas continue et est ponctuée par quelques surfaces d'érosion sub-aérienne et une surface durcie qui souligne l'ennoyage définitif de la plate-forme carbonatée au Maastrichtien terminal. De nouvelles datations ont été obtenues sur la formation Cobán et ses membres D, C, B et A qui s'étagent de l'Aptien au Santonien. Les membres C (albien) et B (cénomanien) constituent les réservoirs productifs. Les calcaires à rudistes et à alveolinidés du Campanien supérieur–Maastrichtien ont été appelés à tort au Petén formation Campur. Ils doivent, selon nous, être attribués à la formation Angostura comme au Chiapas voisin, où affleurent des faciès comparables et de même âge. Une nouvelle formation est créée (formation Actela) pour les brèches calcaires de la limite Crétacé–Tertiaire et de la Zone à Eugubina du Danien inférieur. Les membres D, C, B, A de la formation Cobán et la formation Angostura représentent des cycles transgressifs–régressifs de deuxième ordre. Sur cette marge passive du Petén, les dépôts correspondent à des environnements variés comme des terres émergées soumises à une altération karstique et à des dépôts fluviatiles, des salinas, des plates-formes carbonatées marines, des shelf externes et des bassins intra plate-forme. La sédimentation a été, ici, contrôlée par une forte vitesse de subsidence, les variations du niveau marin et des soulèvements tectoniques.     

Geochemistry constraints of Mesozoic–Cenozoic calc-alkaline magmatism in the South Shetland arc, Antarctica

Geochemical data from basalts, basaltic andesites, and andesites of the Mesozoic–Cenozoic (143–44 Ma) from Livingston, Greenwich, Robert, King George, and Ardley Islands of the South Shetland archipelago, Antarctica, are presented. The rocks have variable SiO₂ of approximately 46–61 wt%, Al₂O₃ of 15–26 wt%, and total alkali (K₂O+Na₂O) of 2–6 wt%. Most samples have low Mg#, Cr, and Ni, which indicates that they have undergone significant fractional crystallization from mantle-derived melts. The presence of olivine cumulatic in the samples from Livingston and Robert Islands explains some high MgO, Ni, and Cr values, whereas low Rb, Zr, and Nb values could be related to undifferentiated magmas. N-MORB-normalized trace element patterns show that South Shetland Islands volcanic rocks have a geochemical pattern similar to that found for other island arcs, with enrichment in LILE relative to HFSE and in LREE relative to HREE. The geochemistry pattern and presence of calcic plagioclase, orthopyroxene, Mg-olivine, and titanomagnetite phenocrysts suggest a source related to the subduction process. The geochemical data also suggest magma evolution from the tholeiitic to the calc-alkaline series; some samples show a transitional pattern. Samples from the South Shetland archipelago show moderate LREE/HREE ratios relative to N-MORB and OIB, depletion in Nb relative to Yb, and high Th/Yb ratios. These patterns probably reflect magma derived from a lithospheric mantle source previously modified by fluids and sediments from a subduction zone.

Resumo

Dados geoquímicos de basaltos, andesitos basálticos e andesitos mesozóicos–cenozóicos (143–44 Ma) das ilhas Livingston, Greenwich, Robert, King George e Ardley do Arquipélago Shetland do Sul, Antártica são discutidas neste artigo. As rochas tem conteúdos de SiO₂ variando de 46 a 61%, Al₂O₃ de 15 a 26% e álcalis (K₂O+Na₂O) de 2 a 6%. A maior parte das amostras tem conteúdos baixos de Mg#, Cr e Ni, indicando que sofreram significante cristalização fracionada de fusões derivadas do manto. A presença de fases cumuláticas nas amostras das ilhas Livingston e Robert explicaria os elevados valores de MgO, Ni, Cr, enquanto que baixos valores de Rb, Zr e Nb observados nas amostras destas ilhas poderiam estar relacionados a magmas não diferenciados. Os padrões de elementos-traço normalizados pelo N-MORB mostram que as rochas vulcânicas das Ilhas Shetland do Sul têm padrão geoquímico similar àqueles encontrados em outros arcos de ilhas com enriquecimento em LILE em relação aos HFSE e em ETRL em relação aos ETRP. O padrão geoquímico e a ocorrência de fenocristais de plagioclásio cálcico, ortopiroxênio, olivina magnesiana e titanomagnetita sugerem origem relacionada a processos de subducção. Dados geoquímicos obtidos para as amostras do arquipélago Shetland do Sul sugerem um magma evoluindo de toleítico para cálcico-alcalino, observando-se em algumas amostras um padrão transicional. As amostras do arquipélago Shetland do Sul mostram em relação ao N-MORB e OIB, moderadas razões ETRL/ETRP, empobrecimento em Nb relativo a Yb e elevada razão Th/Yb Estes padrões refletem, provavelmente, magma derivado de uma fonte mantélica litosférica, que foi modificada por fluídos e sedimentos da zona de subducção.     

Permo-Carboniferous Radiolarians from the Wupata＇erkan Group, Western South Tianshan, Xinjiang, China

The Wupata‘erkan Group, also called Wupata‘erkan Formation, distributed in the South Tianshan, Xinjiang,China, mainly consists of gray and dark gray fine-grained clastic rocks, interlayered with volcanic rocks, carbonates and cherts. Some ultra-basic rocks (blocks) punctuate the formation. The formation was variously assigned to Silurian-Middle Devonian, Silurian-Lower Devonian, and pre-Devonian, mainly based on Atrypa bodini Mansuy, Hypothyridina parallelepipedia (Brour.) and Prismatophyllum hexagonum Yoh collected from the limestone interlayers, respectively.However, radiolarian fossils obtained from 24 chert specimens of the Wupata‘erkan Group, mainly include Albaillella sp.cf. A. undulata Deflandre, Albaillella sp. cf. A. paradoxa Deflandre, Albaillella cf. A. deflandrei Gourmelon, Albaillella sp. cf. A. indensis Won, Albaillella sp. cf. A. excelsa Ishiga, Kito and Imoto, Albaillella sp. and Latentifistulidae gen. et. sp.indet., are earliest Carboniferous and Late Permian. The earliest Carboniferous assemblage is characterized by Albaillella sp. cf. A. undulata Deflandre, Albaillella sp. cf. A. paradoxa Deflandre, Albaillella cf. A. deflandrei Gourmelon and Albaillella sp. cf. A. indensis Won, and the Late Permian assemblage by Albaillella sp. cf. A. excelsa Ishiga, Kito and Imoto. This new stratigraphic evidence indicates that the Wupata‘erkan Group is possibly composed of rocks with different ages from Silurian to Permian, and therefore, it is probably an ophiolite mrlange. The discovery of Late Permian Albaillella sp. cf. A. excelsa provides more reliable evidence supporting the existence of a Permian relic ancient oceanic basin in the western part of Xinjiang South Tianshan.     

La prévision du climat : de l'échelle saisonnière à l'échelle décennale

The atmosphere and the ocean are subject to many dynamical instabilities, which limit the time during which their behaviour can be deterministically forecasted. At longer timescales, the atmosphere can be predicted at best using statistical methods, as a response to external forcing linked to sea- and land-surface anomalies. Climate being defined as the mean of atmospheric states, it appears that it can be predicted up to a few months in advance, which is the characteristic time of the so-called slow components of the climate system. Forecasting can sometimes be extended to longer time ranges, especially when the coupled ocean–atmosphere system exhibits internal variability modes, with characteristic times of a few years. Seasonal climate forecasting is most often based upon Monte-Carlo simulations, where the various realisations correspond to slightly different initial conditions. The present sate-of-the-art in Europe (ECMWF) and/or in the USA (IRI) allows to forecast such major phenomena, as El Niño, up to six months in advance. Finally, some parameters may exhibit predictability at still longer time-ranges (inter-annual to decadal), but only for certain regions. The example of electricity production is used to underline the potentially large economical benefit of seasonal climate forecasting. To cite this article: J.-C. André et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 1115–1127.

Résumé

L'atmosphère et l'océan sont le siège d'instabilités dynamiques, qui limitent la durée pendant laquelle il est possible d'en prévoir l'évolution de façon déterministe. Au-delà, l'atmosphère n'est plus prévisible, au mieux, que de façon statistique, en fonction du forçage externe qu'exerce(nt) sur elle l'océan et/ou la surface des continents. Le climat (au sens d'une moyenne des états atmosphériques) se révèle ainsi prévisible jusqu'à des échéances temporelles de quelques mois, échelle de temps caractéristique des composantes dites « lentes » du système climatique. La prévision peut s'étendre à des échéances parfois plus longues, dans le cas où le système couplé océan–atmosphère posséderait des modes de variabilité temporelle de périodes caractéristiques de quelques années. La prévision climatique saisonnière est très souvent construite à partir de simulations de type Monte-Carlo, avec des ensembles de réalisations utilisant des conditions initiales légèrement différentes. Dans l'état actuel de ces prévisions, qu'elles soient réalisées en Europe (CEPMMT) ou aux États-Unis (IRI), il est possible de prévoir environ six mois à l'avance un certain nombre de phénomènes climatiques, en particulier ceux liés aux épisodes dits « El Niño », pour lesquels l'amplitude des variations est suffisamment importante. Il existe, par ailleurs, une prévisibilité à encore plus longue échéance (inter-annuelle à décennale), mais seulement pour certains paramètres et certaines régions. L'exemple de la production d'électricité montre l'importance économique potentielle très grande de la prévision climatique saisonnière. Pour citer cet article : J.-C. André et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 1115–1127.     

Laurasian ancestors and “Gondwanan” descendants of Rotoitidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea): What a review of Late Cretaceous Baeomorpha revealed

Baeomorphinae Yoshimoto, 1975, based on Baeomorpha Brues, 1937, is transferred from Tetracampidae Förster, 1856 and recognized as a junior synonym of Rotoitidae Bouček and Noyes, 1987 (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) syn. nov. following ICZN (1999) article 35.5. Inclusions in Taimyr amber (84–100 Ma) assigned to Baeomorpha are reviewed and the following eleven new species, all of Gumovsky, are described: B. avamica sp. nov., B. baikurenis sp. nov., B. bianellus sp. nov., B. caeleps sp. nov., B. gracilis sp. nov., B. ingens sp. nov., B. quattorduo sp. nov., B. quattoruno sp. nov., B. popovi sp. nov., B. yantardakh sp. nov., and B. zherikhini sp. nov. The recognized species are differentiated in separate keys to females and males and illustrated through microphotography. Two of four previously described Baeomorpha species from Campanian Canadian amber are synonymized: B. distincta Yoshimoto and B. elongata Yoshimoto under B. ovatata Yoshimoto (syn. nov.). One enigmatic rotoitid inclusion, which differs from Baeomorpha species in the possession of very short stigmal vein, is described as Taimyromorpha pusilla Gumovsky gen. et sp. nov. Inclusions containing specimens identified as Baeomorpha and Taimyromorpha are found in amber from Taimyr and Canada that originated from Laurasia, not Gondwana. Two Realms are newly proposed to recognize different Cretaceous faunal elements, a more northern Baeomorpha Realm that is characterized by a temperate or warm temperate climate and very abundant aphid fossils, and the Isoptera Realm, an opposing southward territory with a warmer climate and common termite but rare aphid fossils. The newly described fossils indicate the southern hemisphere distribution of extant Rotoitidae is relictual with the pattern observed being formed at least in part by extinction events, though distributions of the only two extant rotoitid genera, Rotoita Bouček and Noyes, 1987 (New Zealand) and Chiloe Gibson and Huber, 2000 (small area in the southern Chile) may have been more extensive in the past. Both of known regions of extant Rotoitidae have highly suppressed ant faunas, which may suggest that their survival there depended on low biocenotic pressure by ants, perhaps as low as is hypothesized for the Late Cretaceous. The Canadian amber genera Distylopus Yoshimoto, 1975 (Distylopinae) and Bouceklytus Yoshimoto, 1975 (Bouceklytinae) are excluded from Tetracampidae and regarded as Chalcidoidea incertae sedis.     

Pyrite–anhydrite–magnetite–pyroxene-type deposits and coexisting hydrothermal fluids in Mesozoic volcanic basins, Yangtze River Valley, China

Anhydrite–pyrite–magnetite–pyroxene–type deposits occur in the Mesozoic volcanic areas of the Middle–Lower Yangtze Valley in China. These deposits are hosted in alkaline basaltic rocks, and are generally accompanied by melanocratic and leucocratic alteration zones, both of which are characterized by a distinct vertical zonation pattern. Investigation of these zones indicates that the chemical compositions of solid solutions and polymorphs of various minerals vary spatially in the alteration profile, upwards from the lowest level, and outwards from the center.Here we report a case study on the Luohe deposit. In the melanocratic-alteration zone, the composition of magnetite (including trace elements Ti, V, Mg, Mn), pyroxene (Mg, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Al₂O₃), plagioclase (An_xAb_{1 − x}), pyrite (Co, Ni) and apatite (F, CeO₂ + Y₂O₃ + La₂O₃) changes with depth. The isotherms of hydrothermal fluids determined from fluid inclusion data, including homogenization temperature and salinity, also vary with depth.Activity diagrams were constructed from mineral and isotherm analysis to estimate the chemical constraints on the alteration-mineral assemblages and the coexisting hydrothermal solutions for the Na₂O–K₂O–CaO–MgO–FeO–Fe₂O₃–A1₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂SO₄–H₂S–HCI–H₂O system at 350 to 600 °C and 500 bars (50 MPa), assuming that the major alteration mineral assemblages along the profile reflect the nature of the coexisting hydrothermal solutions. The activity diagrams adopted the major minerals as buffers to fix the activities of the aqueous species in the system, simulating the physicochemical conditions of the magnetite–anhydrite–pyroxene equilibrium and of solid solutions of diopside–hedenbergite, grossular–andradite and anorthite–albite found in the profile.This study provides an approach to modeling the chemical constraints of coexisting fluids in ore-alteration zones based on field observations.     

Application of soft computing techniques for shallow foundation reliability in geotechnical engineering

This research focuses on the application of three soft computing techniques including Minimax Probability Machine Regression(MPMR),Particle Swarm Optimization based Artificial Neural Network(ANN-PSO)and Particle Swarm Optimization based Adaptive Network Fuzzy Inference System(ANFIS-PSO)to study the shallow foundation reliability based on settlement criteria.Soil is a heterogeneous medium and the involvement of its attributes for geotechnical behaviour in soil-foundation system makes the prediction of settlement of shallow a complex engineering problem.This study explores the feasibility of soft computing techniques against the deterministic approach.The settlement of shallow foundation depends on the parametersγ(unit weight),e0(void ratio)and CC(compression index).These soil parameters are taken as input variables while the settlement of shallow foundation as output.To assess the performance of models,different performance indices i.e.RMSE,VAF,R^2,Bias Factor,MAPE,LMI,U(95),RSR,NS,RPD,etc.were used.From the analysis of results,it was found that MPMR model outperformed PSO-ANFIS and PSO-ANN.Therefore,MPMR can be used as a reliable soft computing technique for non-linear problems for settlement of shallow foundations on soils.