Preliminary study of mollusk fossils in the Qinan Miocene loess-soil sequence in western Chinese Loess Plateau

The Qinan Miocene loess-soil sequence (~22―6.2 Ma)[1] discovered from the Gansu Group[2] several years ago extends the well-known Quaternary loess-soil sequence and the late Tertiary Red Clay se-quence of the Loess Plateau to early Miocene epoch. Most recently, the Dongwan late Miocene–Pliocene loess-soil sequence (~7.1―3.5 Ma)[3] further extends the upper limit of the reported Qinan Miocene loess-soil sequence into the Pliocene. These extensions have great potentials for the study o…     

Cenozoic tectonic and geomorphic evolution of the Longxi region in northeastern Tibetan Plateau interpreted from detrital zircon

The Longxi region contains different kinds of Cenozoic sediments, including eolian deposits, reworked loess, fluvial and lacustrine deposits. The provenance evolution of these sediments is of great significance in exploring the uplift, tectonic deformation and associated with geomorphic evolution of the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau. In this paper, we used the single-grain zircon provenance analysis to constrain the provenances for the Paleogene alluvial conglomerates and for the Neogene fluvial-lacustrine sediments, and compared them with results from the loess deposits since the Miocene. The results show that: (1) the Paleogene alluvial conglomerates contain a large number of detrital zircons ranging from 560 to 1100 Ma that were derived from the Yangzi Block. However, the sediments of early Miocene have much fewer zircons of this age span, which are characterized by an abundance of zircon ages in the ranges of 200–360 Ma. This indicates that the Paleogene alluvial conglomerates mainly come from the middle and/or southern West Qinling, and the early Miocene sediments are primarily from the northern West Qinling; (2) Late Neogene fluvial sediments (11.5 Ma onward) in Tianshui-Qinan region are dominated by zircon ages of 380–450 Ma. This zircon population is similar to that of the exposed intrusive rocks of southern part of the Liupan Mountains, implying that the southern part of Liupan Mountains probably had already uplifted by 11.5 Ma; (3) Late Miocene lacustrine sediments in Tianshui region have a zircon age spectra that is remarkably different from coeval fluvial deposits, but is similar to the zircon age distributions of the Miocene loess in Qinan region, late Miocene-Pliocene Hipparion red clay and Quaternary loess. This indicates that fine particles within these Miocene lacustrine sediments in Tianshui region may be dominated by aeolian materials. This study reveals that provenance changes of Cenozoic sediments in Tianshui-Qinan region and its geomorphic evolution are closely related to the multi-stage uplift of the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau. In particular, the major uplift of the Northern Tibetan Plateau during late Oligocene-early Miocene may have not only provided the source areas and wind dynamic conditions for the deposits of the Miocene loess, but also provided the geomorphic conditions for its accumulation.     

The provenance of Gansu Group in Longxi region and implications for tectonics and paleoclimate

The Neogene sediments of Gansu Group from northwestern China contain eolian and fluvial deposits.The origins of these sediments are very important for exploring the onset of Asian inland aridification,the pattern of paleo-atmospheric circulation,and the regional tectonics and geomorphic evolution during the Miocene.Here we present detrital-zircon age spectra of typical eolian and fluvial deposits from highlands and subsidence basin,and compare them with those of surrounding eroded mountain(such as the West Qinling Mountains and Liupan Mountains)materials and Quaternary loess derived from the Asian inlands.The results reveal that(1)the detrital-zircon age spectrum of the Miocene eolian sample is remarkably different from the eroded materials of the West Qinling Mountains and the Miocene fluvial deposits from Tianshui region,but very similar to the Quaternary loess deposits.This indicates that the provenance of Miocene eolian sediments is similar with the Quaternary loess,and thus further confirms the previous conclusions that the distribution of Asian arid lands and the pattern of atmospheric circulation during the Miocene are broadly similar with the Quaternary.(2)The detrital-zircon age spectrum of the fluvial deposits(with age about 11.5 Ma)from Tianshui region is different from the eroded materials of West Qinling Mountains,but similar with that of the Liupan Mountains to the east,which may suggest that the Liupan Mountains have already been exhumed by11.5 Ma.     

Grain-size records at ODP Site 1146 from the northern South China Sea: Implications on the East Asian monsoon evolution since 20 Ma

273 samples from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1146 in the northern South China Sea (SCS) were analyzed for grain-size distributions using grain-size class vs. standard deviation method and end-member modeling algorithm (EMMA) in order to investigate the evolution of the East Asian monsoon since about 20 Ma. 10–19 μm/1.3–2.4 μm, the ratio of two grain-size populations with the highest variability through time was used to indicate East Asian winter monsoon intensity relative to summer monsoon. The mass accumulation rate of the coarsest end member EM1 (eolian), resulting from EMMA, can be used as a proxy of winter monsoon strength and Asian inland aridity, and the ratio of EM1/(EM2 EM3) as a proxy of winter monsoon intensity relative to summer monsoon. The combined proxies show that a profound enhancement of East Asian winter monsoon strength and winter monsoon intensity relative to summer monsoon occurred at about 8 Ma, and it is possible that the summer monsoon simultaneously intensified with winter monsoon at 3 Ma. Our results are well consistent with the previous studies in loess, eolian deposion in the Pacifc, radiolarians and planktonic foraminifera in the SCS. The phased uplift of the Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau may have played a significant role in strengthening the Asian monsoon at 8 Ma and 3 Ma.     

Origin of the Red Earth sequence on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and its implications for regional aridity since the middle Miocene

Desiccation in the interior of Asia is an important aspect of paleoclimate change during the Cenozoic era[1,2]. Research[3,4] shows that the widely distributed loess deposits in China were mainly transported by northwesterly and northerly winds from deserts and the Gobi region; in addition, an indispensable re- quirement for the generation of aeolian sediment is the presence of dry lands in central Asia[5,6]. The aeolian deposits in China provide an especially useful record of desiccation pr…     

Oxygen isotope compositions of quartz grains (4–16 μm) from Chinese eolian deposits and their implications for provenance

Oxygen isotope compositions were measured in quartz grains extracted from a 7.0 Ma red clay-loess sequence at Lingtai and six late Pleistocene loess sediments (Malan loess). Results show that the changes in oxygen isotope compositions of Malan loess are basically controlled by the geochemical characteristics of the source materials, while the effect of weathering process after dust deposition could be minor. The oxygen isotope distribution of quartz grains from red clay at Lingtai is similar to that of the overlying loess-paleosol sequence, thus indicating that the red clay at Lingtai has the same eolian origin as the loess-paleosol deposits. Furthermore, the oscillations of the isotope compositions in 4–16 μm-sized quartz grains may reflect the changes, to some extent, of the climatic systems of the source region.     

Geochemical indicator of original eolian grain size and implications on winter monsoon evolution

Grain size of eolian deposits from the Loess Plateau in China has been widely used to reconstruct the history of the East Asian winter monsoon. However, the grain size of bulk samples is only partially indicative to the strength of the winter monsoon because post-depositional weathering processes have significantly changed the grain size of original eolian particles. Here, non-weathered loess samples were separated into eight different particle fractions, and major chemical elements were determined in order to establish a geochemical indicator of original eolian grain size. The results show that SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ contents and the SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratio in different fractions vary regularly with grain size, and that a good linear relation exists between the SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratio and grain size for the fractions <50 μm. Because Al and Si are among the most stable elements and pedogenic processes in the Loess Plateau cannot affect the SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratio, this index can be used to reflect the grain size of original eolian particles. Application of this index in the Weinan and Luochuan loess sections of the last climatic cycle shows that SiO₂/Al₂O₃ is in good agreement with median grain size (Md) in the loess units. On the contrary, SiO₂/Al₂O₃ has documented a series of fluctuations in the soil units that are not clearly indicated by the grain-size changes of bulk samples.

     

临夏盆地新近纪郭泥沟剖面磁组构特征及其环境意义

临夏盆地在东亚新生代地层、古气候、古生物研究方面占有举足轻重的地位.本文对盆地东部的郭泥沟剖面进行了详细的岩石磁学和磁组构研究,以揭示从早中新世到早上新世临夏盆地的沉积演化过程.郭泥沟剖面沉积物中的磁性矿物有磁铁矿、磁赤铁矿、赤铁矿和针铁矿,但剩磁载体以磁铁矿和赤铁矿为主.从上庄组和东乡组的褐红色粉砂质粘土到柳树组和何王家组的褐黄色粘土,赤铁矿含量呈现降低的趋势,与沉积物颜色变化一致.郭泥沟剖面沉积物磁组构类型为正常沉积磁组构.结合岩石磁学结果和磁组构参数特征可揭示临夏盆地早中新世-早上新世沉积的演化过程：早中新世上庄组为稳定湖相沉积,古水流方向为NNW,与南北向的大夏河方向一致;中中新世气候发生较明显的干湿波动,形成了东乡组的褐红色湖相粉砂质粘土夹粉砂、砂和青灰色泥灰质粘土条带,古水流方向主要为NNW,沉积过程主要受大夏河控制;中中新世晚期,受青藏高原构造运动影响,沉积相由湖相细粒沉积物转变为虎家梁组河流相砂砾层;同时,盆地的水动力条件也发生改变,晚中新世柳树组湖相沉积过程同时受南北向大夏河和东西向洮河控制,两个方向近垂直的河流共同作用导致柳树组内沉积各向异性度较低,面理和线理均不发育,磁化率最大轴偏角分布比较分散,磁组构确定的古流向为东西向和南北向;早上新世期间,由于受青藏高原隆升影响,沉积了何王家组下部的河流相砂砾层;受构造抬升影响,大夏河重新主导何王家组上部洪泛平原相沉积过程,水动力条件较为单一稳定,古流向主要为N向,与大夏河流向一致.     

Influence of Quaternary paleoclimate change on the permeability of the loess–paleosol sequence in the Loess Plateau,northern China

Permeability differences in multi-cycle loess–paleosol aeolian sediments, which are still poorly understood, have the potential to significantly improve our understanding of climatic change during the glacial–interglacial periods of the Quaternary. In this study, the permeability of a well-preserved and continuous loess–paleosol sequence in the South Jingyang Plateau was investigated. Weathering intensity was inferred using a series of climate proxies including grain-size distribution, magnetic susceptibility and mineralogy. The results of laboratory tests showed that the average saturated hydraulic conductivity of loess layers is higher than that of paleosol layers. Also, clear differences between loess and paleosol were found in terms of depth variations of the vertical and horizontal saturated hydraulic conductivities. Differences in loess–paleosol were also found for other proxies for pedogenic weathering [i.e. clay content, sand content, Kd value (ratio of coarse silt to clay), magnetic susceptibility, dolomite content and the ratios of hornblende/illite and hornblende/chlorite]. Our results showed a high permeability of loess layers associated with weak pedogenic weathering during cold/dry paleoclimatic conditions in glacial stages. On the contrary, paleosol layers developed in a warm/humid climate during the interglacial stages experienced strong pedogenic weathering that resulted in lower permeability. Based on these results, we construct a connection between Quaternary climate change theory and the modern hydrological system. This provides a scientific basis for investigating the distribution and pollution of groundwater resources in the local region. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Onset of Xiashu loess deposition in southern China by 0.9 Ma and its implications for regional aridification

The Xiashu loess is a typical Quaternary eolian deposit in southern China and represents an important terrestrial paleoclimate archive in this low-latitude monsoon region. However, the chronological framework of Xiashu loess deposition has yet to be established. Determining the timing of the onset of Xiashu loess deposition will allow researchers to better understand late Quaternary aridification across the Asian continent, the evolution of the East Asian monsoon and regional environmental changes in subtropical regions. Therefore, in this study, a systematic chronological study of the Xiashu loess is conducted to answer this question. For the first time, magnetostratigraphic classification reveals that the Matuyama/Brunhes (M/B) reversal is present in the Xiashu loess at two sites in Jiangsu Province, the Qingshan profile at Yizheng and the Dagang core in Zhenjiang. Based on the results of magnetostratigraphy and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, the age of the lower boundary of the Xiashu loess is estimated to be approximately 0.9 Ma. Consequently, this Xiashu loess deposit is the oldest reported to date and is comparable in age to the red soil deposit in Xuancheng, Anhui Province. The onset of Xiashu loess deposition by 0.9 Ma represents the further expansion of arid range in Asia in the late Quaternary in response to significant aridification and winter monsoon strengthening in this subtropical region. We suggest that these climate changes were primarily driven by global cooling and an increase in high-latitude ice volume in the Northern Hemisphere and that the initiation of Xiashu loess accumulation was a regional response of southern China to the 0.9 Ma global cooling event.     

Tectonic-climatic events in eastern Qilian Mountains over the past 0.83 Ma

The eastern part of Qilian Mountains experienced strong tectonic uplift during the late Quaternary, and climate record there was influenced by Tibetan Plateau to some extent. Based on studies on the fluvial terrace series and eolian loess deposition, we find that the tectonic uplifts of the Tibetan Plateau had coupled with climatic changes in our studied region and others since the mid-Pleistocene. The uplift that occurred at 0.83 Ma corresponded to significant desert expansion in L6 and periodic variation since MIS16, while the 0.14Ma one to the further drying in northwest China. Those coupled events may indicate that tectonic uplift drove climatic changes, and the Tibetan Plateau has important impacts on East Asian Monsoon system.     

Paleoenvironments indicated by the fossil mammalian assemblages from red clay-loess sequence in the Chinese Loess Plateau since 8.0 Ma B.P.

1 Introduction and methods Many geoscientists have agreed[1-29] that the wind blown dusty sediments appeared in China since about 8.0 Ma B.P. The eolian earthy deposits are the red clays of the middle-late of the Late Miocene and those of Pliocene as well as the loess-paleosol sequence of the Pleistocene and Holocene. These eolian earthydeposits are distributed chiefly in northwestern China, mostly corresponding in area to the modern Loess Plateau. The Neogene red clay was deposited unco…     

Upper Pleistocene‐Holocene geomorphic changes dictating sedimentation rates and historical land use in the valley system of the Chifeng region,Inner Mongolia,northern China

This study focuses on the late Quaternary landscape evolution in the Chifeng region of Inner Mongolia, China, its relations to the history of the Pleistocene‐Holocene loess accumulation, erosion and redeposition, and their impact on human occupation. Based on 57 optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages of loess sediments, fluvial sand and floodplain deposits accumulated on the hill slopes and floodplains, we conclude that during most of the Pleistocene period the region was blanketed by a thick layer of aeolian loess, as well as by alluvial and fluvial deposits. The loess section is divided into two main units that are separated by unconformity. The OSL ages at the top of the lower reddish loess unit yielded an approximate age of 193 ka, roughly corresponding to the transition from MIS 7 to 6, though they could be older. The upper gray loess unit accumulated during the upper Pleistocene glacial phase (MIS 4–3) at a mean accumulation rate of 0·22 m/ka. Parallel to the loess accumulation on top of the hilly topography, active fans were operating during MIS 4–2 at the outlet of large gullies surrounding the major valley at a mean accumulation rate of 0·24 m/ka. This co‐accumulation indicates that gullies have been a long‐term geomorphic feature at the margins of the Gobi Desert since at least the middle Pleistocene. During the Holocene, the erosion of the Pleistocene loess on the hills led to the burial of the valley floors by the redeposited sediments at a rate that decreases from 3·2 m/ka near the hills to 1–0·4 m/ka¹ in the central part of the Chifeng Valley. This rapid accumulation and the frequent shifts of the courses of the river prevented the construction of permanent settlements in the valley floors, a situation which changed only with improved man‐made control of the local rivers from the tenth century AD. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Magnetic properties of the Tertiary red clay from Gansu

The study on magnetic properties of the red clay indicates that the red clay and loesspaleosol sequence have a common magnetic mineralogy, with magnetite, maghemite, hematite (and possibly goethite) contributing to the magnetic behavior. The red clay magnetic susceptibility is also found to have a positive relation with extrafine superparamagnetic grains. This suggests that, like the Quaternary loess-paleosols, an ultrafine ferrimagnetic component produced during pedogenesis in the red clay under humid conditions also plays an important role in susceptibility enhancement in the soil units. This is supported by the correlation between Rb/Sr ratio and magnetic susceptibility. This signifies that, like the above loess-paleosol sequence, the magnetic susceptibility of the red clay can be used as a general proxy paleoclimatic indicator, although whether its susceptibility in the red clay is comparable to pedogenesis intensity and requires further investigation. Magnetic susceptibility variation in the red clay thus also provides an eolian/pedogenic record of paleoclimatic evolution. Study of the background susceptibility indicates that, on average, the absolute scale of the paleoclimatic shift from red clay development to Quaternary loess deposition is similar to the climatic shift from stage 5 (S1) to stage 2–4 (L1). This may suggest that during the Quaternary there is an evident strengthening of the absolute wind intensity to bring more (about double) coarser and less weathered (non-SP fraction) eolian magnetic input from the source regions to the Loess Plateau than during the Pliocene. The presence of eolian red clay since 7.5 Ma BP in central-northern China implies an important environmental change from the underlying Cretaceous red sandstone. The red clay development was closely related to global drying and climate cooling since the Cretaceous and closely associated with the abrupt uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau at about that time. This uplift of the plateau intensified the East Asia monsoon system and started red clay deposition.     

A high-resolution magnetic susceptibility study of a loess/palaeosol couplet at Baoji,China

Summary Magnetic susceptibility, and its frequency dependence, are reported for 288 individual samples spanning the 8.3 m — thick S3 palaeosol/L4 loess couplet at an important site in the Chinese Loess Plateau. The resulting profile demonstrates that there is a very close link between magnetic properties and soil development: soil and loess sub-divisions recognised visually in the field are clearly reflected in both the bulk susceptibility data and in its frequency dependence. As found at all Chinese sites, the distribution of susceptibilities is bi-modal, one peak representing loess (median=0.74×10⁻⁶m³/kg), the other representing palaeosol (median=2.99×10⁻⁶m³/kg). This is the basis of the climatic proxy information. The Baoji section is the site of one of the most detailed grain-size analyses available anywhere (Ding et al., 1994), and we find a strong correlation between the resulting profile and the susceptibility data reported here. Frequency-dependence of susceptibility exhibits slight differences between the loess and palaeosol populations which we interpret as reflecting reduced transport distances during glacial intervals when the Siberian High causes stronger winds and expands southwards.     

Quartz OSL dating of last glacial sand dunes near Lanzhou on the western Chinese Loess Plateau: A comparison between different granulometric fractions

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating technique is a reliable method to determine the ages of sand dune sediments. While it seems logical to assume that for these windblown materials (such as sand dune sediments) grains from different sized fractions are suitable for optical dating and would yield identical ages, this was not previously explicitly demonstrated yet. In this study, six samples were selected from the sand dunes intercalated in loess strata near Lanzhou, western Chinese Loess Plateau, and different grain-size quartz fractions (e.g. 38–63 μm, 90–150 μm, 150–200 μm, 200–250 μm and 250–300 μm) were extracted to compare the OSL ages of different grain-size quartz. The results show that: (1) quartz OSL ages derived from different grain-size fractions produce identical ages within errors, confirming that the ages resulting from both coarse silt-sized (or middle grain of 38–63 μm) and sand-sized (90–300 μm) quartz can represent the periods of sand dune accumulation; (2) the OSL ages of the selected sand dune samples fall into ca. 28–18 ka, suggesting that the sand dune accumulation occurred during the marine isotope stage 2 (MIS 2) in current study area, which might imply regional increased aridity on the western Chinese Loess Plateau.     

Luminescence chronology of fluvial and aeolian deposits in the Russian Altai (Southern Siberia)

Geomorphological investigations in the Russian Altai Mountains provide evidence for the extent and timing of Late Quaternary glaciations and aeolian sediments. Infrared optically stimulated luminescence (IR-OSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) dating of aeolian sediments from the central part of the Russian Altai were carried out on silty and sandy sediments that cover fluvial and glacio-fluvial terraces. Most samples from loess, loess-like sediments and sandy loess taken from different terrace sequences within the Altai Mountains provide IRSL ages suggesting a main aeolian deposition period between 25 and 15 ka. These data are consistent with those from the adjacent Mongolian Altai. Sand and silt layers within moraines yielded IRSL age estimates between 22 and 19 ka and correlate to the ice margins of the Last Glacial Maximum. Aeolian dune sands overlying or neighbouring the loess-like sediments and the fluvial terraces at some places provide evidence for Late Glacial (around 15 ka) and Early Holocene (around 9 ka) aeolian activity. The youngest sand sheets gave deposition ages of about 1.5 ka. These sediments covered graves and are related to overgrazing. They provide evidence for the significant human impact on the environment. Fluvial sediments, including silt and sandy gravel intermingled with charcoal, yielded contradicting radiocarbon and luminescence ages. IRSL age estimates obtained for the silty layers range from 19 to 18 ka and are significantly older than the radiocarbon ages, which gave sub-recent ages between 1170 and 910 BP. These data indicate fluvial sedimentation of debris and mudflows in a period of deforestation and strong soil erosion related to mining activities during the 9th and 10th century.     

Quartz OSL and K-feldspar pIRIR dating of a loess/paleosol sequence from arid central Asia,Tianshan Mountains,NW China

Loess deposits surrounding the high mountainous regions of arid central Asia (ACA) play an important role in understanding environmental changes in Eurasia on orbital and sub-orbital time scales. However, problems with dating loess in ACA have limited the interpretation of climatic and environmental data, especially Holocene data. We selected a typical loess/paleosol sequence (LJW10) on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains in ACA consisting of 280 cm of loess with multiple paleosols formed in the upper 170 cm of the section. We applied quartz OSL dating to coarse-grained (63–90 μm) fractions, and newly developed K-feldspar pIRIR dating protocols to both coarse-grained and medium-grained (38–63 μm) fractions of the samples from LJW10 section. Internal checks of the quartz OSL dating indicate that the single-aliquot regenerative-dose protocol on large aliquots (5 mm) is appropriate for equivalent dose (D_e) determinations and that the quartz ages of the loess samples are likely to be reliable. Luminescence characteristics and internal checks of the pIRIR dating indicate the pIRIR signal at a 170 °C stimulation temperature with a 200 °C preheat can be used for both coarse-grained and medium-grained D_e determinations. Anomalous fading tests for the pIRIR 170 °C signal indicate the pIRIR signals are stable and the anomalous fading of the pIRIR 170 °C signal can be ignored. Sunlight bleaching tests of the loess indicate the residual dose for the pIRIR 170 °C signal can also be ignored as it corresponds to only ∼9 years for the medium-grained K-feldspar and ∼85 years for the coarse-grained K-feldspar. The pIRIR ages of five medium-grained and coarse-grained K-feldspar samples are consistent with coarse-grained quartz OSL ages, and both the medium-grained and coarse-grained ages increase uniformly with depth, indicating these pIRIR ages are reliable. Based on the coarse-grained quartz OSL ages, and on coarse-grained and medium-grained K-feldspar pIRIR ages, an age-depth model for the paleosol-loess sequence was established by using a Bacon age-depth model. This model suggests eolian loess deposition began by at least ∼16 ka ago and that paleosol development on these eolian loess deposits began ∼5.5 ka, continuing to the present, with periods of high effective moisture at 5.5–4.9, 4.6–4.1, and 3.4–3.1 ka. This sequence suggests overall relative aridity during the early Holocene and an increase in effective moisture beginning ∼5.5 ka during the mid-late Holocene in ACA.     

Late Miocene volcanic sequences in northern Victoria Land,Antarctica: products of glaciovolcanic eruptions under different thermal regimes

Late Miocene (c. 13–5 Ma) volcanic sequences of the Hallett Volcanic Province (HVP) crop out along >250 km of western Ross Sea coast in northern Victoria Land. Eight primary volcanic and six sedimentary lithofacies have been identified, and they are organised into at least five different sequence architectures as a consequence of different combinations of eruptive and/or depositional conditions. The volcanoes were erupted in association with a Miocene glacial cover and the sequences are overwhelmingly glaciovolcanic. The commonest and most representative are products of mafic aa lava-fed deltas, a type of glaciovolcanic sequence that has not been described before. It is distinguished by (1) a subaerially emplaced relatively thin caprock of aa lavas lying on and passing down-dip into (2) a thicker association of chaotic to crudely bedded hyaloclastite breccias, water-chilled lava sheets and irregular lava masses, collectively called lobe-hyaloclastite. A second distinctive sequence type present is characterised by water-cooled lavas and associated sedimentary lithofacies (diamictite (probably glacigenic) and fluvial sands and gravels) similar to some mafic glaciovolcanic sheet-like sequences (see Smellie, Earth-Science Reviews, 74, 241–268, 2008), but including (for the first time) examples of likely sheet-like sequences with felsic compositions. Other sequence types in the HVP are minor and include tuff cones, cinder cones and a single ice-marginal lacustrine sequence. The glacial thermal regime varied from polar, characterised by sequences lacking glacial erosion, glacigenic sediments or evidence for free water, to temperate or sub-polar for sequences in which all of these features are conspicuously developed.     

REE and <Emphasis Type="Italic">ε</Emphasis><Subscript>Nd</Subscript> of clay fractions in sediments from the eastern Pacific Ocean: Evidence for clay sources

Clay fractions in the non-calcareous surface sediments from the eastern Pacific were analyzed for clay minerals, REE and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd. Montmorillonite/illite ratio (M/I ratio), total REE contents (ΣREE), LREE/HREE ratio and cerium anomaly (δCe) may effectively indicate the genesis of clay minerals. Clay fractions with M/I ratio <1, δCe >0.85, ΣREE <400 μg/g, LREE/HREE ratio ≈4, and REE patterns similar to those of pelagic sediments are terrigenous and autogenetic mixed clay fractions and contain more autogenetic montmorillonite. Clay fractions with M/I ratio >1, δCe=0.86 to 1.5, ΣREE=200 to 350 μg/g, LREE/HREE ratio ≈6 and REE distribution patterns similar to that of China loess are identified as terrigenous clay fraction. The ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios or _ɛNd values of clay fractions inherit the features of terrigenous sources of clay minerals. Clay fractions are divided into 4 types according to _ɛNd values. Terrigenous clay minerals of type I with the _ɛNd values of ™8 to ™6 originate mainly from North American fluvial deposits. Those of type II with the ε Nd values of ™9 to ™7 are mainly from the East Asia and North American fluvial deposits. Those of type III with ε Nd values of ™6 to ™3 could come from the central and eastern Pacific volcanic islands. Those of type IV with ε Nd values of ™13 to ™12 may be from East Asia eolian. The terrigenous and autogenetic mixed clay fractions show patchy distributions, indicating that there are volcanic or hot-spot activities in the eastern Pacific plate, while the terrigenous clay fractions cover a large part of the study area, proving that the terrigenous clay minerals are dominant in the eastern Pacific.