Geochemical compositions of soluble salts in aeolian sands from the Taklamakan and Badanjilin deserts in northern China, and their influencing factors and environmental implications

Two large sandy seas in northern China, the Taklamakan and Badanjilin deserts, were investigated for geochemical variations of soluble salts in aeolian sands. The aim was to explore factors influencing the composition and distribution of soluble salts in aeolian sands and their environmental implications. The total concentrations of soluble salt in the aeolian sands range between 0.14 and 1.32‰, with pH ranging between 8.4 and 9.6, indicating a primary degree of salt accumulation and alkaline soil conditions in these regions. Sodium chloride and bicarbonate are the major salts. High inter-regional homogenization and small local differences in the chemical compositions and distributional patterns of salt occur in the two deserts. The spatial variations in salt content correlate with regional climatic parameters, such as precipitation and temperature. This suggests that the regional air temperature and moisture conditions of climate have a significant influence on the soluble salts in aeolian sands. The domination of sedimentation of soluble salts in aeolian sands deposited via atmospheric processes, which is heavily associated with dry deposition, is discussed. Case studies from the two deserts suggest that variations in salt content in sedimentary sequences, interlaid by aeolian and lacustrine sediments, should be interpreted with care if the aim is to reveal palaeo-environmental changes. To a certain extent, the two deserts, as inferred from the carbon-bearing salts and the alkalinity of the sandy soils, appear to have potential to provide a significant contribution to the global carbon cycle.     

新疆艾比湖地区盐尘的沉积通量及其物质组成

以新疆准噶尔盆地西部的艾比湖地区为研究区,通过野外降尘监测、采样分析等方法,研究了艾比湖地区含盐粉尘的沉积通量和物质组成特征.结果表明:艾比湖干涸湖底是盐尘的输出源,盐尘的化学组成主要是无水芒硝、白钠镁矾、氯化钠等盐碱粉尘及Cr、Pb、Mn、Cu、Ni等潜在毒性元素.艾比湖地区盐尘的沉积通量约为79~381 g·m-2·a-1,盐的沉积通量约为4~61 g·m-2·a-1.盐尘的粒径分布以2~63μm的粉砂粒级为主,大于63μm的砂粒级所占比例很小.特殊的地形条件、大风天气、稀疏的植被覆盖、疏松的大面积尘源是艾比湖湖底风蚀和盐尘输送的有利条件.     

Quaternary palaeohydrological evolution of a playa lake: Salada Mediana, central Ebro Basin, Spain

Sedimentary features, mineralogy, bulk geochemical composition, stable isotope analyses and pollen data from sediment cores were used to reconstruct the Late Quaternary depositional evolution of the Salada Mediana playa lake (central Ebro Basin, northeastern Spain). The 150-cm-long sediment core sequence is composed of gypsum- and dolomite-rich muds (Lower and Middle sections) and black, laminated, calcite-bearing sediments (Upper section). The Salada Mediana formed as a karstic depression in the Miocene gypsum substratum during the Late Pleistocene. The Lower section was deposited in a sulphate–carbonate saline lake that ended with a period of desiccation and basin floor deflation. Subsequent deposition (Middle section) took place in a playa-lake system. Two cycles of lower water table and expanded saline mud flats occurred. The Holocene sequence is missing, probably as a result of aeolian erosion. Sedimentation resumed only a few centuries ago, and saline pan environments dominated until modern times. The Salada Mediana facies succession was mainly governed by fluctuations in the hydrological balance, brine composition, and salinity; however, aeolian processes (detrital input and deflation) and recycling of previously precipitated salts also played a significant role.     

青藏高原典型地区沉积物地球化学特征与矿物组成的粒度效应

地表松散沉积物中不同粒级的颗粒蕴含着不同的信息,这种差异与其物质来源、搬运和沉积过程中的分选作用以及沉积后的风化作用等有关。因此,可根据沉积物中不同粒级颗粒地球化学特征与矿物组成的差异,进行沉积物物源追踪或沉积环境重建。选择青藏高原在气候和地貌方面具有典型意义的柴达木盆地、错那湖、雅鲁藏布江流域作为研究区,分别采集了这几个地区的沙丘沙、黄土、湖积物、冲积物、洪积物、残坡积物等地表松散沉积物样品,用干筛法将沉积物样品分为两个部分,粗颗粒部分粒径范围为≥75~500 μm,细颗粒部分粒径<75 μm。对上述粗、细颗粒分别进行稀土与微量元素、Sr-Nd同位素、轻矿物组成的实验室分析测试,并对沉积物中粗、细颗粒的测试结果采用古典多维尺度方法进行相似性分析。结果表明：青藏高原松散沉积物中粗、细颗粒在轻矿物组成、微量和稀土元素含量、稀土特征、元素参数等方面存在差异;细颗粒部分蕴含了更多的环境信息,富含容易受化学风化影响的黏土矿物以及硬度较小、容易被磨蚀的方解石等矿物。在物源示踪中不同气候区的沉积物细颗粒不宜进行直接比较,应根据样品的粒度分布情况优先选择合适的粗颗粒组分进行物源示踪。     

Braided rivers within an arid alluvial plain (example from the Lower Triassic,western German Basin): recognition criteria and expression of stratigraphic cycles

Based on a detailed sedimentological analysis of Lower Triassic continental deposits in the western Germanic sag Basin (i.e. the eastern part of the present‐day Paris Basin: the ‘Conglomérat basal’, ‘Grès vosgien’ and ‘Conglomérat principal’ Formations), three main depositional environments were identified: (i) braided rivers in an arid alluvial plain with some preserved aeolian dunes and very few floodplain deposits; (ii) marginal erg (i.e. braided rivers, aeolian dunes and aeolian sand‐sheets); and (iii) playa lake (an ephemeral lake environment with fluvial and aeolian sediments). Most of the time, aeolian deposits in arid environments that are dominated by fluvial systems are poorly preserved and particular attention should be paid to any sedimentological marker of aridity, such as wind‐worn pebbles (ventifacts), sand‐drift surfaces and aeolian sand‐sheets. In such arid continental environments, stratigraphic surfaces of allocyclic origin correspond to bounding surfaces of regional extension. Elementary stratigraphic cycles, i.e. the genetic units, have been identified for the three main continental environments: the fluvial type, fluvial–aeolian type and fluvial/playa lake type. At the time scale of tens to hundreds of thousands of years, these high‐frequency cycles of climatic origin are controlled either by the groundwater level in the basin or by the fluvial siliciclastic sediment input supplied from the highland. Lower Triassic deposits from the Germanic Basin are preserved mostly in endoreic basins. The central part of the basin is arid but the rivers are supplied with water by precipitation falling on the remnants of the Hercynian (Variscan)–Appalachian Mountains. Consequently, a detailed study of alluvial plain facies provides indications of local climatic conditions in the place of deposition, whereas fluvial systems only reflect climatic conditions of the upstream erosional catchments.     

Salts in the clay playas of China’s arid regions: gone with the wind

In China’s arid regions, aeolian salts are transported along with dust aerosols, but their contents and the emission rates are poorly understood. Using samples with undisturbed surfaces and artificially disrupted surfaces (to simulate human disturbances such as reclamation, planting, trampling by animals, and other activities), the transport rates for windblown material and the salt contents of clay playa surfaces were investigated in a wind tunnel. The results showed that under wind velocities ranging from 8 to 22 m/s, wind erosion rates ranged between 0.009 and 0.066 g/m²/s for the undisturbed surfaces and between 0.011 and 0.048 g/m²/s for the artificially disrupted playa surfaces. Although the amount of wind-transported material that was captured was too small to allow an analysis of individual salt contents using the available equipment, electrical conductivity measurements and correlation analysis revealed mean total salt contents of 9.59 g/kg in the transported materials collected above the sealed playa surfaces versus 3.38 g/kg in materials from the same surfaces that were artificially cracked after testing the sealed surfaces. Given the large areas containing clay playas in China’s arid regions, these results will improve our understanding of aeolian salt transport in arid China and will facilitate interpretation of the sources of aeolian salts.     

Geochemical characteristics of fine and coarse fractions of sediments in the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin (southern Tibet,China)

Tracing sources of aeolian sediment is key to reconstructing earth surface processes in arid areas and interpreting the paleoenvironmental significance of aeolian sequences. However, the difference of geochemical characteristics between different fractions of sediments in the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin (YZRB) is still unclear, so we want to identify which fraction of sediments is more suitable for tracing sediment sources. Considering the long distance between different wide valleys in the YZRB, we wonder whether there is any difference between these wide valleys in terms of geochemical characteristics of sediments. Forty-three surface sediment samples in the YZRB are collected, and the grain-size distributions and the major-element composition for 37 samples and the trace and rare earth element composition for the coarse (75–500 μm) and fine (<?75 μm) fractions of all samples are determined. The results reveal the following: (1) the fine fractions of the deposits contain more environmental information, suggesting that the fine fractions cannot be directly compared between different climate zones for provenance identification and that appropriate coarse fractions, based on the grain-size distribution of the targeted sediments, are more ideal for tracing sediment sources; and (2) geochemical characteristics of various sediment types show spatial heterogeneity. The coarse and fine fractions of the loose sediment samples can be divided into two regional groups based on geochemical characteristics: the Maquanhe zone in the upper reach, the Xigaze, Shannan and Mainling zone in the middle reach, which is consistent with the geological background of the YZRB; (3) aeolian deposits in the YZRB are a local origin and predominantly derived from the adjacent loose sediments, and fluvial sediments in the upper reach contribute little to the aeolian sands in the middle reach.     

冰缘风沙地貌与沉积研究进展

冰缘风沙地貌与沉积是在冰缘寒冷干旱气候环境中,伴有冰川或冻融作用影响,主要由风沙作用形成的荒漠地貌.现代冰缘荒漠主要分布于南、北半球的高纬度地区及中低纬度的高海拔地区,部分温带沙漠也有古冰缘荒漠沉积分布.冰缘沙丘的规模一般较小,沙丘沉积富含腐殖质及冰粒,并兼具冻融和积雪层理构造等,砂的化学及物理成熟度较低.冰缘风沙沉积往往与邻近的其它沉积相伴生,如黄土、冰川、湖泊、海洋甚至火山碎屑,因而可参与区域气候、环境,尤其是古环流的恢复与重建,也可为研究温带荒漠在冰期时的演化提供参考.目前在冰缘沙漠研究中已经取得了一些可喜的成绩,但在确定冰缘荒漠的原因过程方面还没有形成系统的理论,更多工作有待进行.青藏高原腹地的普若岗日冰缘沙丘与戈壁,是我国典型的冰缘荒漠地貌与沉积,研究其地貌与环境过程,对丰富我国沙漠学研究内容和了解晚第四纪高原腹地气候、环境变化具有重要意义.     

Geolimnology of Freefight Lake: an unusual hypersaline lake in the northern Great Plains of western Canada*

Freefight Lake, Canada's deepest salt lake, is a meromictic, hypersaline lake located in the most arid part of the northern Great Plains. The lake has a distinctive basin morphology, with a large expanse of seasonally flooded mud flats and sand flats adjacent to a deep, flat bottomed perennial waterbody. The mixolimnion, dominated by magnesium, sodium and sulphate ions, has an average salinity of 110 ppt and overlies a monimolimnion of 180 ppt total dissolved salts. The entire water column is strongly supersaturated with respect to a variety of calcium and magnesium carbonate minerals; the lower water mass is also saturated or supersaturated with respect to a number of very soluble sodium, magnesium and sodium + magnesium salts. The modern sedimentary processes operating in Freefight Lake give rise to six main sedimentary facies: (i) colluvium, (ii) mud flats and sand flats, (iii) algal flats, (iv) delta, (v) slope and debris apron, and (vi) deep basin. The colluvium, mud flats and sand flats, and delta facies are dominated by physical processes and consist mainly of detrital siliciclastic sediment. The algal flats, slope and debris apron, and deep basin facies are dominated by endogenic and authigenic sediments derived mainly by physicochemical and biologically mediated carbonate and evaporite mineral precipitation. As one of very few deep water lakes in the world in which soluble evaporite minerals are forming and being preserved, Freefight Lake occupies an important position within the realm of lacustrine sedimentology. Although many of the sedimentological and geochemical processes taking place in the basin today are unusual, the delineation and evaluation of these processes is essential in order to decipher properly the stratigraphic records of Quaternary lake sediments in this large area of North America, as well as lacustrine sequences from other arid and semi-arid regions of the world.     

Sedimentology of a saline playa in the northern Great Plains, Canada

Ceylon Lake, a small salt playa located in southern Saskatchewan, is typical of many shallow ephemeral lacustrine basins found in the northern Great Plains of western Canada. The present-day brine, dominated by magnesium, sodium, and sulphate ions, shows wide variation in composition and concentration on both a temporal and a spatial basis. The modern sediments overall exhibit relatively simple facies relationships. An outer ring of coarse grained shoreline and colluvial clastics surrounds mixed fine grained clastics and salts and, in the centre of the basin, salt pan evaporites composed mainly of mirabilite, thenardite, and bloedite. Coring of the late Pleistocene and Holocene sedimentary fill shows that the lake has evolved from a relatively dilute, deep water, clastic dominated basin through a shallower, brackish water, carbonate-clastic phase, and finally into the present salt dominated playa. The thick sequence of evaporites preserved in the basin suggests evolution of the brine from a Na-rich solution to a mixed Mg-Na system. The most important post-depositional processes affecting Ceylon Lake sediments are mud diapirism and salt karsting.     

Wind erosion of saline playa sediments and its ecological effects in Ebinur Lake,Xinjiang, China

In many arid and semiarid areas, dry lake beds (saline playa) represent a tremendous source of unconsolidated salt-rich sediments that are available for aeolian transport. Severe salt-dust storms caused by the erosion of such landforms have become very harmful natural phenomena. In this study, sample analysis and field erosion monitoring of Ebinur Lake was conducted to investigate the salt content, chemical composition, and wind erosion intensity of surface salt-rich sediments. The effects of salt-dust rising from the playa on the growth and physiological health of plants were also evaluated in this study through a leaf dustfall test. The results indicate that water-soluble salts assemble densely on the dry lake bed surface. At a depth of 0–2 cm, the highest salt contents can exceed 40%, with sulfate and chloride being the main anions present and Na⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ being the primary cations. The annual wind erosion rate ranged from 0.48 to 5.6 cm in the northwest portion of the lake and from 0.24 to 0.96 cm in the southeast portion. Salt-dust storms caused by wind erosion of saline playa sediments seriously influenced the normal absorption of minerals by plant leaves. Under the influence of salt-dust storms, plant leaves absorb more Na⁺, but far less K⁺.     

Rifts,rivers and climate recovery: A new model for the Triassic of England

Triassic basins of England developed under a regime of largely W–E extension and progressed from non-marine fluvial and aeolian sedimentation (Sherwood Sandstone Group), through marine-influenced playa lacustrine deposits (Mercia Mudstone Group) to marine environments (Penarth Group). A new tectono-stratigraphic model for the Sherwood Sandstone Group is proposed in which two major long-distance river systems developed under conditions of relative fault inactivity in the Early Triassic (Budleigh Salterton Pebble Beds and equivalent) and Middle Triassic (Otter Sandstone and equivalent). These are separated by a late Early Triassic syn-rift succession of fluvio–aeolian sandstones (Wildmoor Sandstone and Wilmslow Sandstone formations) and playa lacustrine muds (Nettlecombe Formation) which show major thickness variation and localisation with hanging wall basins. The partitioning of syn-rift deposits into mudstones within upstream basins (close to the source of water and sediment) and clean aeolian or fluvio–aeolian sandstones in downstream basins is similar to the pattern observed in the underlying late Permian. Under conditions of rapid tectonic subsidence chains of extensional basins may become disconnected with upstream basins (Wessex Basin) acting as traps for fines and water permitting more aeolian activity in temporarily unlinked downstream basins (Worcester and Cheshire basins). In addition to tectonic controls, fluctuating climate, relief related to limestone resilience in arid settings, the smoothing effect of fill and spill sedimentation and Tethyan sea-level change all contributed toward the observed Triassic stratigraphy in England.     

Fluvial-aeolian interactions: Part I, modern systems

Two modern fluvial-aeolian depositional systems (Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colorado and the Mojave River Wash, California) are remarkably similar in spite of different climates, sizes, fluvial sediment textures, and relative directions of aeolian and fluvial transport. Dune growth and migration, and deflation of blowouts create 8–10 m of local relief in unflooded aeolian landscapes. There are six prominent fluvial-aeolian interactions. (1) Fluvial flow extends into the aeolian system until it is dammed by aeolian landforms; (2) interdune areas (overbank-interdunes) upstream of aeolian dams, and alongside channels are flooded; (3) water erodes dunes alongside channels and interdunes; (4) flood waters deposit sediment in interdune areas; (5) fluvially derived groundwater floods interdunes (interdune-playas); (6) wind erodes fluvial sediment and redeposits it in the aeolian system. Unique and characteristic sediments are deposited in overbank-interdunes and in interdune-playas, reflecting alternate fluvial and aeolian processes and rapidly changing flow and salinity conditions. These fluvial-aeolian interdune deposits are characterized by irregular, concave-up bases and flat upper surfaces containing mudcracks or evaporite cement. Characteristic low-relief surfaces form in aeolian systems as an effect of flooding. Fluvial deposits are resistant to aeolian deflation. Aeolian sand is preserved when flood sediments are deposited around the bases of the dunes. Thus repetitive fluvial and aeolian aggradation tends to be ‘stepwise’ as interdune floors are suddenly raised during floods. The effects of flooding should be easy to recognize in ancient aeolianites, even beyond the area covered with overbank muds.     

Surface and subsurface sedimentary structures produced by salt crusts

The growth and subsequent dissolution of salts on or within sediment may alter sedimentary structures and textures to such an extent that it is difficult to identify the depositional origin of that sediment and, as a result, the sediment may be misinterpreted. To help to overcome such problems with investigating ancient successions, results are presented from a comprehensive study of the morphology and fabrics of three large areas of modern salt flats in SE Arabia: the Sabkhat Matti inland region and the At Taf coastal region, both in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the Umm as Samim region in Oman. These salt flats are affected by tidal‐marine, alluvial and aeolian depositional processes and include both clastic‐ and carbonate‐dominated surficial sediments. The efflorescent and precipitated salt crusts in these areas can be grouped into two main types: thick crusts, with high relief (>10 cm) and a polygonal or blocky morphology; or thin crusts, with low relief (<10 cm) and a polygonal or blister‐like appearance. The thin crusts may assume the surface morphology of underlying features, such as ripples or biogenic mats. A variety of small‐scale textures were observed: pustular growths, hair‐like spikes and irregular wrinkles. Evolution of these crusts over time results in a variety of distinctive sedimentary fabrics produced by salt‐growth sediment deformation, salt‐solution sediment collapse, sediment aggradation and compound mixtures of these processes. Salt‐crust processes produce features that may be confused with aeolian adhesion structures. An example from the Lower Triassic Ormskirk Sandstone Formation of the Irish Sea Basin demonstrates how this knowledge of modern environments improves the interpretation of the rock record. A distinctive wavy‐laminated facies in this formation had previously been interpreted as the product of fluvial sheetfloods modified by soft‐sediment deformation and bioturbation. Close inspection of laminations seen in core reveals many of the same sedimentary fabrics seen in SE Arabia associated with salt crusts. This facies is the product of salt growth on aeolian sediment and is not of fluvial origin.     

A Holocene dust record in arid central Asia inferred from Lake Barkol,northwest China

Grain-size distributions and detrital minerals were investigated for modern dust and for lacustrine sediment in Lake Barkol region, northwest China. Characteristics of the modern dust and lacustrine sediments, principle component analysis, and changes of quartz contents all suggest grain size 45–138 μm in the core sediment is the dust sensitive component. It indicates that high dust flux climate occurred at mid-Holocene (5.5–4.5 cal ka BP), corresponding to the high dust flux record in northwest Pacific and the drought interval of deserts in northwest China during the mid-Holocene. The strong dust activity is in contradiction with the climatic optimum recorded by the lacustrine evidence in Xinjiang. Different responses of the dust source region and watershed to the regional climate may have led to the inconsistency between dust and climate records during the mid-Holocene in arid central Asia.     

从地球系统科学角度浅析中国地貌若干问题研究的新进展

以地球系统中各圈层的相互作用为主线,分析总结了我国沙漠地貌过程、流水地貌过程、冰川地貌过程及风沙地貌过程等领域研究的部分进展。由于我国沙漠地理位置的特殊性,其形成和演变与岩石圈构造变动即青藏高原隆升有着紧密的联系,所以,对我国沙漠形成、演变的研究能为探讨青藏高原隆升历史提供重要佐证。近30年来,有关我国沙漠形成时代的认识更新较快。新的沉积记录显示,我国西北地区的沙漠在中新世时就已经出现了,但沙漠沙丘大规模扩展可能是在中更新世才开始的。既使在晚更新世以来,我国沙漠地区的气候也有过明显波动、沙漠地貌的特征也发生过显著变化。沙漠通过为沙尘暴提供物源,对全球变化产生驱动作用。从地表过程来看,风沙地貌的形成演变不仅受风力作用,而且受流水、湖泊等多种地貌动力过程的影响,地貌类型是各种动力过程共同作用的缩影。古冰川地貌曾是最早发现的第四纪气候变化的证据。随着新的测年技术的出现,学术界对我国第四纪古冰川地貌演化过程有了较系统、全面的认识。流水地貌过程应该是地球上作用区域最广的一种地貌动力过程,对流水地貌过程的认识目前正在向微观和宏观深入。     

Dryland continental mudstones: Deciphering environmental changes in problematic mudstones from the Upper Triassic (Carnian to Norian) Mercia Mudstone Group,south‐west Britain

The sedimentology, petrography and mineralogy of the seemingly monotonous Late Triassic Mercia Mudstone Group across the Severn Basin and Bristol Channel region reveals a bipartite division of mudrock facies above and below the Arden Sandstone Formation. Frequently cryptic sedimentary and pedogenic features reveal diverse alluvial, aeolian, playa‐lacustrine and pedogenic processes operating at different times, locations and scales probably in response to climate change. The current study found no evidence of significant marine influence in either of the two mudrock facies associations that are described here. Blocky claystones dominate the lower Mercia Mudstone Group (Sidmouth Mudstone Formation), with pedogenic features such as slickensides, mottling, tubules and carbonate/sulphate nodules common and widespread. The claystones are of alluvial/lacustrine origin with subordinate sheet sandstones, themselves overprinted by pedogenic features, reflecting occasional high intensity rainfall events. These facies reflect a seasonal (wet/dry) semi‐arid climate favouring development of transformed/neoformed (smectite‐rich) clay minerals of intrabasinal origin. Massive to weakly stratified silty mudstones dominate the upper Mercia Mudstone Group (Branscombe Mudstone Formation). Commonly conchoidally weathered, locally gypsiferous, but with distinct sedimentary structures scarce, they alternate with subordinate blue‐grey laminated silty mudstones. Together they reflect fluctuating hydrological conditions within extensive saline mudflats and ephemeral playa lakes, with laminated facies deposited under subaqueous conditions during more humid phases whereas massive mudstones reflect modification through interstitial growth/dissolution of sulphates and deflation of surface sediments during drier episodes. These facies reflect increased aridity during deposition of the upper Mercia Mudstone Group compared with the lower Mercia Mudstone Group, favouring development of detrital/transformed (illite–chlorite) clay minerals of extrabasinal origin. The described facies associations and the sedimentary fabrics and structures that characterize them, occur widely in the Mercia Mudstone Group across the United Kingdom and comparable facies associations may be anticipated in other fine‐grained red bed successions. Recognition of these facies may aid palaeoenvironmental interpretation of such sequences on Earth and, potentially, on Mars also.     

REE geochemistry of the recent playa sediments from the Thar Desert, India: An implication to playa sediment provenance

The playas (saline lakes) situated in the Thar Desert, north-west India, provide prominent examples of alkaline brine and varying assemblages of detrital and evaporite mineralogy. The eastern margin of the desert is relatively semi-arid, whereas the central to western region is arid to hyper-arid in nature. Rare earth elements (REEs) systematics in the sediments of nine different playas of the Thar Desert were studied to understand the provenance of the sediments and the intensity of chemical weathering in the region. Based on the REE patterns, fractionation of light REE (LREE) (La/Sm)_N and heavy REE (HREE) (Gd/Yb)_N, and Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu*), the upper continental crust normalised playa sediments are divided into two different groups. The eastern margin playa sediments show homogeneous REE contents, relatively positive Eu anomaly and depleted HREE values, whereas the western arid core playa sediments have highly variable REE contents, relatively negative Eu anomaly and similarly fractioned LREE and HREE patterns. The dissimilarity in the degree of HREE fractionations both in the eastern and western playa sediments is attributed to the differential distribution of minerals, depending upon their resistance to chemical weathering. It is believed that the relatively higher abundance of REE bearing heavy minerals and the presence of higher amounts of evaporites influence the large variation of REE distribution and enriched HREE in the western playa sediments. Apart from the relatively higher abundance of heavy minerals, the presence of rock fragments of variable petrographic character and roundness mirror the lower rock–water interaction in the arid western region. The presence of well-rounded metamorphic rock fragments and minerals, sourced from the eastern margin Aravalli mountains, indicates that the playas of the entire desert get the detrital and dissolved material mainly from the Aravalli mountains. Additionally, the western playas receive sediments from their surrounding Proterozoic and Mesozoic formations. This interpretation is supported by the presence of angular rock fragments of basalt, rhyolite and limestone in the western playas.     

Geochemical, mineralogical and sedimentological studies on the Taklimakan Desert sands

Major-element composition, mineral composition and grain-size distribution have been studied for Quaternary aeolian sediments from the Taklimakan Desert, north-western China, together with the variation of chemical and mineralogical compositions of different grain-size fractions. Aeolian sediments from the Taklimakan Desert have higher ratios of feldspar/quartz and calcite/quartz, finer grain size, poorer roundness of quartz and feldspar grains and lower abundances of frosted quartz, than found in aeolian sediments from other deserts such as the Saudi Arabian Desert. In spite of these immature mineralogical and sedimentological features, the aeolian sediments from the Taklimakan Desert show low regional variations in major-element and mineral compositions and are homogenized. These observations confirm that two processes, glacial activity within surrounding mountains and aeolian activity at the Tarim Basin, are important in the homogenization of the Taklimakan Desert sands. Taklimakan Desert sediments are constantly and effectively supplied from basement rocks in the surrounding mountains by glacial erosion. The supplied sediments are further homogenized by aeolian activity in the desert and are partly blown away, serving as the source of Chinese aeolian loess. Compositional differences are observed between loess (mainly 10–40 μm particles) and the <45 μm fraction of the Taklimakan Desert sediments, as well as between loess and whole rock of the Taklimakan Desert sediments. These observations provide constraints for precise modelling of loess formation, and for assessment of the chemical composition of the upper continental crust based on the chemical composition of aeolian loess.