The Tornquist Sea and Baltica–Avalonia docking

Early Ordovician (Late Arenig) limestones from the SW margin of Baltica (Scania–Bornholm) have multicomponent magnetic signatures, but high unblocking components predating folding, and the corresponding palaeomagnetic pole (latitude=19°N, LONGITUDE=051°E) compares well with Arenig reference poles from Baltica. Collectively, the Arenig poles demonstrate a midsoutherly latitudinal position for Baltica, then separated from Avalonia by the Tornquist Sea.Tornquist Sea closure and the Baltica–Avalonia convergence history are evidenced from faunal mixing and increased resemblance in palaeomagnetically determined palaeolatitudes for Avalonia and Baltica during the Mid-Late Ordovician. By the Caradoc, Avalonia had drifted to palaeolatitudes compatible with those of SW Baltica, and subduction beneath Eastern Avalonia was taking place. We propose that explosive vents associated with this subduction and related to Andean-type magmatism in Avalonia were the source for the gigantic Mid-Caradoc (c. 455 Ma) ash fall in Baltica (i.e. the Kinnekulle bentonite). Avalonia was located south of the subtropical high during most of the Ordovician, and this would have provided an optimum palaeoposition to supply Baltica with large ash falls governed by westerly winds.In Scania, we observe a persistent palaeomagnetic overprint of Late Ordovician (Ashgill) age (pole: LATITUDE=4°S, LONGITUDE=012°E). The remagnetisation was probably spurred by tectonic-derived fluids since burial alone is inadequate to explain this remagnetisation event. This is the first record of a Late Ordovician event in Scania, but it is comparable with the Shelveian event in Avalonia, low-grade metamorphism in the North Sea basement of NE Germany (440–450 Ma), and sheds new light on the Baltica–Avalonia docking.     

Northern Gondwanan affinity of the East Moesian Terrane based on chitinozoans

Identification of palaeocontinental affinities is important to place Moesia in the global context of palaeogeographical reconstructions. In the absence of palaeomagnetic data and relevant macrofauna, palynological data and especially chitinozoans represent an important tool, recently used to unravel palaeogeographical affinities. Chitinozoans from three main boreholes (Călăraşi 2881, Zăvoaia 2581 and Ţăndărei 1052) located in East Moesia have been studied. They indicate a predominant palaeogeographical affinity with northern Gondwana.     

“北京人”化石产地洞穴堆积物的古地磁学研究

我国是世界上古人类化石和遗迹最丰富的国家之一,北京人化石产地周口店又是至今世界上人类化石发掘最为完整的一个地点。搞清北京人的堆积物的地质时代,对进一步了解人类发展的历史和第四纪地质年代学具有重要意义。1976年1月-4月期间,我们对周口店第一地点的洞穴主要堆积物进行了古地磁地层学的研究,对北京人的年代问题提出我们的粗浅认识,供有关方面讨论。     

The role of true polar wander on the Jurassic palaeoclimate

From the Late Carboniferous until the Middle Jurassic, continents were assembled in a quasi-rigid supercontinent called Pangea. The first palaeomagnetic data of South America indicated that the continent remained stationary in similar present-day latitudes during most of the Mesozoic and even the Palaeozoic. However, new palaeomagnetic data suggest that such a scenario is not likely, at least for the Jurassic. In order to test the stationary versus the dynamic-continent model, we studied the Jurassic apparent polar wander paths of the major continents, that is, Eurasia, Africa and North America that all in all show the same shape and chronology of the tracks with respect to those from South America. We thus present a master path that could be useful for the Jurassic Pangea. One of the most remarkable features observed in the path is the change in pole positions at ~197 Ma (Early Jurassic), which denotes the cessation of the counter-clockwise rotation of Pangea and commencement of a clockwise rotation that brought about changes in palaeolatitude and orientation until the end of the Early Jurassic (185 Ma). Here, we analyse a number of phenomena that could have triggered the polar shift between 197 and 185 Ma and conclude that true polar wander is the most likely. In order to do this, we used Morgan’s (Tectonophysics 94:123–139, 1983) grid of hotspots and performed “absolute” palaeogeographical reconstructions of Pangea for the Late Triassic and Jurassic. The palaeolatitudes changes that we observe from our palaeomagnetic data are very well sustained by diverse palaeoclimatic proxies derived from geological and palaeoecological data at this time of both the southern and northern hemispheres.     

The Early Palaeozoic break-up of northern Gondwana,new palaeomagnetic and geochronological data from the Saxothuringian Basin,Germany

Early Palaeozoic volcanic and sedimentary rocks from the Saxothuringian Basin (Franconian Forest, northern Bavaria) have been subjected to detailed radiometric and palaeomagnetic studies in order to determine the tectonic environment and geographic setting in which they were deposited. Two hand samples were collected from the as yet undated pyroclastic flow deposits for ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age dating. Radiometric results for these samples, obtained by the single-zircon evaporation technique, are identical within error, and the mean age of all measured grains is 478.2ǃ.8 Ma (n=11). This age is considered to be primary and firmly constrains the eruption of the ignimbrites and formation of the subaqueous pyroclastic flows as having occurred in Early Ordovician (Arenig) times. Palaeomagnetic studies were carried out on these Early Ordovician volcanic rocks, and also on the biostratigraphically dated, Late Ordovician (Ashgillian) Döbra sandstones. The volcanic rocks carry up to three directions of magnetisation. The poorly defined, low and intermediate unblocking temperature directions are thought to represent secondary overprint directions of post-Ordovician age. The high temperature component, however, identified at temperatures of up to 580 °C, is of mixed polarity and passes the fold test with 99% confidence. The overall mean direction after bedding correction is 189°/76°, !₉₅=11.6°, k=44.7 (25 samples, five sites), and is considered to be primary and Early Ordovician in origin. It yields a palaeo-south pole at 24°N and 007°E, which translates into palaeolatitudes of 63°+21.7°/-17.3° S for the Saxothuringian Terrane. Samples from the Late Ordovician Döbra sandstone are generally very weakly magnetised. A high temperature D component of magnetisation can be identified in some samples and yields a mean direction of 030°/-58°, !₉₅=18.5°, k=25.7 (15 samples, four sites) after bedding correction. The Arenig palaeomagnetic results indicate high palaeolatitudes, but separation from northern Gondwana. This is in basic agreement with data from elsewhere in the Armorican Terrane Assemblage, all of which suggest high southerly palaeolatitudes in the Early Ordovician. The geochemical signatures of these rocks indicate emplacement in an extensional environment. These new data, therefore, are interpreted as marking the onset of rifting of Saxothuringia from the north African margin of Gondwana, and the start of the relative northward migration of the Saxothuringian Terrane. Although the Late Ordovician palaeomagnetic results presented here are only poorly constrained, they suggest an intermediate palaeolatitude for Saxothuringia in Ashgillian times, in good agreement with Late Ordovician palaeomagnetic data from the Barrandian.     

Vertical Helicity Flux as an Index of General Atmospheric Circulation

As an index of the general atmospheric circulation over the hemisphere, it is proposed to calculate the hemisphere-area-averaged (poleward of the latitude 20°) product of the Coriolis parameter by the wind velocity squared at the upper boundary of the planetary boundary layer. In practical calculations, data on the wind velocity at an isobaric level of 850 hPa were used. Control calculations for the 900 hPa level gave similar results. It is shown that the index introduced adequately characterizes the seasonal and interannual variability of the general atmospheric circulation over both hemispheres.     

When did Sardinia stop rotating? New palaeomagnetic results

Previous palaeomagnetic results from Tertiary volcanic rocks of Sardinia suggest that the island underwent a quick counterclockwise rotation between 20.5 and 19 Ma. In order to test this hypothesis, a new palaeomagnetic study was carried out on sediments and volcanic rocks with well-controlled biostratigraphic or radiometric ages younger than the suggested age for the end of the rotation.
Unrotated palaeomagnetic directions obtained from the Upper Ignimbrites (radiometric age: 18.5–19.7 Myr) and the Aquitanian tuffs collected in the Anglona region (N Sardinia) would suggest that the rotation ended earlier than 20.5 Myr. The directions found in the volcanics are perhaps the result of secular variation, rather than differential rotation of the Anglona region with respect to surrounding regions.
Two sites belonging to the upper ignimbritic unit (SI₂) in the Monte Traessu-Monte Rispisu area (Logudoro region) exhibited a large amount of rotation ( D =320.4°, I =60°) which may be age related (radiometric age: 19.9 Myr). Four dikes (radiometric age: 18.3–16.7 Myr) in the Arcuentu volcanic complex (Arburese region) yield results ( D =348.4°, I =33.8°) that indicate a further amount of rotation after their emplacement.
Stable end-point directions were successfully isolated from three Upper Burdigalian/Langhian sedimentary sites (biostratigraphic age: 18–15Ma) from the Marmilla and Logudoro regions. Consistent paleomagnetic directions obtained from these sites ( D =352°, I =49°) indicate that a small amount of rotation was still to be completed in the Langhian time. This result is consistent with the history of Sardinian volcanism, which did not end until 13 Ma.     

Calibration and testing of an empirical chloritoid-chlorite Mg-Fe exchange thermometer and thermodynamic data for daphnite

A compilation of literature data on the Fe-Mg composition of coexisting chlorite and chloritoid from metapelites metamorphosed at various P - T  conditions shows that the logarithm of the Fe-Mg partitioning (ln K _D) varies linearly with the inverse of temperature, from about 2.4 at 300  °C to about 1.3 at 600  °C. In contrast, no trend was observed with pressure, and the molar volumes of Mg- and Fe-chlorite end-members suggest that the pressure dependence of ln K _D is not significant. Therefore, the chloritoid-chlorite Mg-Fe exchange reaction is a potential thermometer and has been empirically calibrated using the analyses of 112 chloritoid-chlorite pairs from 28 different localities. Temperatures estimated using the Chl-Cld thermometer were checked against independent estimates for 20 samples not involved in the calibration (Beni Mzala window, Morocco), and the results are in fair agreement with independent temperature estimates. However, the analytical uncertainties and errors are too large to obtain reliable temperature estimates for extremely Mg-rich or Fe-rich compositions. The Chl-Cld thermometer is unreliable at XMg-_CLD<0.2 and XMg-_CLD>0.8 at 700  °C, and XMg-_CLD<0.1 and XMg-_CLD>0.9 at 300  °C. Using the results of the empirical calibration, we calculated new thermodynamic data for daphnite. Implementing these data, it becomes possible to estimate T  and P conditions of metamorphism for the invariant chlorite-chloritoid-quartz-aluminosilicate assemblage that is widespread in low-grade metapelites. These estimates appear to be relevant only in the stability field of kyanite, whereas the uncertainties on the calculated pressure conditions are very large in the stability field of kaolinite and pyrophyllite.     

The Late Carboniferous to Late Triassic segment of the apparent polar wander path of Iberia

A palaeomagnetic study has been carried out at 16 well-dated sites from four areas in central Spain (southeastern Iberian Massif and western Iberian Ranges) in order to constrain the Late Carboniferous to Late Triassic segment of the apparent polar wander path (APWP) of Iberia. 322 samples (218 with useful results) were collected from andesitic rocks at Atienza (287 ± 12 Ma) and from Triassic continental red beds at Molina de Aragón (Anisian-Ladinian), Alcaraz (Ladinian-Carnian), Alcázar de San Juan (Ladinian-Carnian) and Cuevas de Ayllón (Carnian-Norian). Comparison of the palaeomagnetic results from the western Iberian Ranges and from the Iberian Massif indicates that the investigated area of the Iberian Ranges forms part of Stable Iberia. The palaeomagnetic poles obtained in this study and a revision of previous palaeomagnetic data, discarding poles obtained from areas of doubtful stability, show together a gradual and consistent change in latitude and longitude resulting in a coherent segment of the APWP for the Late Carboniferous to Late Triassic time span.     

三大自然区过渡地带近50年来气候类型变化及其对气候变化的响应

The transition area of three natural zones (Eastern Monsoon Region, Arid Region of Northwest China, Qinghai Tibet Plateau Region) is influenced by the Asian monsoon and middle latitude westerly circulation because of its special geographical position. And it is more sensitive to global climate change. The Koppen climate classification, which is widely used in the world, and the accumulated temperature-dryness classification, which is usually used in China, were used to study the climate zones and changes in the region of longitude 97.5°~108°E, latitude 33°~41.5°N, from 1961 to 2010. The changing areas of each climate zone were compared to the East Asian Summer Monsoon index, the South Asian Summer Monsoon index, the Summer Westerly index, the East Asian Winter Monsoon index, the Plateau Summer Monsoon index, the North Atlantic Oscillation index, the Southern Oscillation index, NINO3.4 index, to explore the response of the transition area of three natural zones to each climate system. According to the results, this region will become wetter when the Summer Westerly or the East Asian Winter Monsoon is relatively strong. When the East Asian Summer Monsoon or the South Asian Summer Monsoon becomes strong, the climate in low altitude region of the study area will easily become drier, and the climate in high altitude region of the study area is easily to become wetter. When the Plateau Summer Monsoon is relatively strong, the climate in the study area will easily become drier. When the North Atlantic Oscillation is relatively strong, the study area will easily become wetter. And when the El Niño is relatively strong, or the Southern Oscillation is relatively weak, the study area will easily become drier. In general, the moisture status of this region is mainly controlled by the middle latitude westerly circulation. The enhancement of the Asian summer monsoon could increase the precipitation in the southeast part of this regional, but, according to the degrees of dryness and the types of climate change in this paper, warming effects could offset precipitation increasing and make the area drier. The transition area of three natural zones is influenced by multiple interactions of climate systems from East Asia. A single climatic index, such as air temperature or precipitation, can not completely represent the regional features of climate change. As a result, areas of climate zones can be used as an important index in the regional climate change assessment.     

Cretaceous palaeomagnetic results from Hainan Island in south China supporting the extrusion model of Southeast Asia

We report the Cretaceous palaeomagnetic results from Hainan Island, south China. In Hainan island we collected the Early Cretaceous redbeds of the Lumuwan Formation at eleven sites. We also describe the tectonic kinematics for and around Hainan Island since the Cretaceous, deduced from our and previous palaeomagnetic results. The palaeolatitude of Hainan Island is 25.9°N (+3.4°/−3.2°), implying that Hainan island was situated about 7° north from the present position during the Cretaceous. The palaeopole of Hainan Island (latitude = 77.7°N, longitude = 162.1°E, k=65.6, and A₉₅=4.4°) suggests 4.0±5.8° counterclockwise rotation and 14.1±5.5° southward translation relative to the suspected coherent part of the south China block (SCB) since the Cretaceous. The rotation and translation of similar sense (18.8±7.4° and 7.8±6.9°, respectively) are detected in the existing palaeomagnetic result from the Xinlong Formation in Guangxi, which is situated approximately 400 km north-northwest from Hainan Island. The southward translation of both areas seems to have been due to the southeastward extrusion of dissected zones within the southwestern part of the SCB in a similar pattern to the Indochina block, which had resulted from the indentation of India into Asia. This SW part seems to have slightly rotated counterclockwise, because its extrusion was probably smaller in scale than the Indochina block and therefore it was dragged out by the Indochina block. This hypothesis is supported by the existence of a northwest–southeast-trending fault system parallel to the Red River Fault.     

Ordovician faunas, island arcs and ophiolites in the Scandinavian Caledonides

Ordovician faunal data from the Scandinavian Caledonides is tested with new geochemical information from zircons to give U/Pb ages and source origins of volcanic arc and ophiolite sequences. Early Ordovician (Arenig-Llanvirn), low latitude, Toquima-Table Head faunas from the upper Upper Allochthon are associated with an island arc system formed adjacent to Laurentia. Contemporaneous mafic magmas were contaminated by crustal material during subduction and associated granites contain inherited zircons of Archaean age. The nearest source for such rocks is on the Laurentian rather than the Baltic side. Higher latitude Celtic province faunas from the upper Upper Allochthon are from one insular site accessible to forms from both Laurentia and Baltica.
The late Ordovician low-latitude Holorhynchus and subtropical Hirnantia faunas occur in overstep sequences above deeply eroded early Ordovician arc complexes. The transgression appears to be coeval with a second generation of spreading-related complexes. Single detrital zircons from sediments show sources from Archaean, Proterozoic and early Ordovician terranes. This suggests that deposition was in a basin situated along the same continental margin (Laurentia) to which the early Ordovician ophiolite/arc sequences had already become accreted. The late Ordovician faunas link both Laurentia and Baltica at a time of narrowing of lapetus.
The new geochemical data together with the faunal information is supported by recent palaeomagnetic studies.     

中国第二次北极科学考察路线上温室气体瓶采样结果分析

用气相色谱和非红外色散分析方法,分析了中国第二次北极科学考察路线上采集到的气体样品中温室气体(CO₂和CH₄)的浓度,对不同纬度带上CO₂和CH₄平均浓度变化特征进行了研究.结果表明:海洋表面不同纬度带上CO₂的浓度呈现出随纬度升高而减小的趋势,这与全球范围内CO₂的年平均浓度的地理分布特征相反,显示了海洋对CO₂气体的吸收作用.45°N以北的海洋表面,CH₄浓度有随纬度升高而增大的趋势,这与全球范围内CH₄的年平均浓度的地理分布特征相同;中纬度近海岸地区温室气体浓度变化无明显规律,可能受到区域或局地气团的影响较大.     

Layer parallelisation: An unrecognised mechanism for palaeomagnetic rotations in fold belts

We report a new driving mechanism for vertical-axis rotation in fold belts: during directed folding, there always are layers which are tilted oblique to the regional shortening direction. These layers are geometrically incompatible with fold closure and must become accommodated towards parallelism with the other layers in the course of further shortening. Accommodation is achieved through vertical-axis rotations of the layers towards the shortening direction. A revision of palaeomagnetic data sets from fold belts shows that (1) incompatible layers occur in almost all data sets, reflecting a certain degree of non-cylindrical folding, and (2) a parallelisation of the layers by true vertical-axis rotations occurred when folding became intense. Layer parallelisation is a potential source of disturbance for palaeomagnetic and tectonic interpretation. It can be the explanation for some of the frequent outliers in palaeomagnetic data sets, and a basic model for the rotation pattern of palaeomagnetic directions.     

中国大陆对全球变暖响应的区域敏感性分析

依据分辨率为0.5°×0.5°经纬度的网格数据,运用Mann-Kendall法对中国大陆各地在20世纪温度变化进行了分析.结果显示:有两次明显的升温事件,分别发生在20年代初到40代中期(第一次升温事件)和70年代中期以来(第二次升温事件);对比各地对全球升温响应的突变时间,发现在中国大陆的响应规律为:沿经线方向,大约35°N附近为两次升温事件的分界线,以它为界,第一次升温事件中温度转折时间向低纬度不断提早,在第二次升温事件中,升温突变时间越向高纬度地区越提早;在纬线方向上,中国东部地区对升温响应的时间突变点基本一致,但在青藏高原及其周围地区,由于受特殊的高原气候的影响,升温时间突变迥然不同.青藏高原大大提前了其西部和西北地区对全球升温的响应时间,同时它又推迟了其西南地区对全球升温响应的时间.通过分析发现,升温机制不同,温度变化区域响应的敏感性主要是纬度位置和地形因素综合影响的结果,而纬度位置是制约区域温度变化敏感性的主导性因素.     

Determination of magnetic anisotropy and a ca 1.2 Ga palaeomagnetic pole from the Bremer Bay area,Albany Mobile Belt,Western Australia

Granulite facies tonalitic gneiss, mafic granulite and late metadolerite dykes from Bremer Bay in the Mesoproterozoic Albany Mobile Belt yield palaeomagnetic remanence that were acquired between ca 1.2 Ga and 1.1 Ga. A well‐constrained pole (66.6°N, 303.7°E) fits the ca 1.2 Ga part of the Precambrian Australian apparent polar wander path. This pole is in agreement with the high‐latitude position of Australia at ca 1.2–1.1 Ga shown on some Rodinia reconstructions. More data are required before any significance can be attributed to a second, poorly defined pole (41.8°S, 243.7°E) that falls at some distance from the ca 0.8 Ga part of the Australian apparent polar wander path. Magnetic anisotropy measurements from all samples except late granite dykes indicate northeast‐southwest elongation (i.e. parallel to the local trend of the orogenic belt) and northwest‐southeast contraction. This is in agreement with the orientation of principal strain axes deduced from structures formed during late stages of ductile deformation. The mean magnetic fabric lineation (long axis of the strain ellipsoid) is subparallel to a mineral elongation lineation and the axes of late upright to inclined folds. Short axes of the strain ellipsoid determined from magnetic fabric measurements are in a similar orientation to poles to the axial surfaces of these folds and to the associated cleavage. This mean shortening axis bisects late conjugate ductile shear zones that overprint the folds. This study has shown that structurally complex high‐grade gneisses and intrusive rocks with variable timing relationships may yield meaningful palaeomagnetic results for late stages of metamorphism. Magnetic anisotropy analysis is also seen to be a valuable tool in providing principal strain directions for late ductile deformation.     

长江三角洲地层中的冷杉和云杉花粉的来源推测

孢粉通常被用作古气候的代用指标,长江三角洲地区已经进行了许多相关的孢粉-古气候的研究工作。通过对长江三角洲地区7个晚更新世钻孔的孢粉资料进行提取对比,发现冷杉和云杉两种花粉在地层中分布有一定的规律性。现代长江流域这两种耐寒植物集中分布在青藏高原区,长江中下游地区极少分布,但其花粉确出现在近河口区的晚更新世以来的暖期地层中（MIS1,3和5期）,并且达到了一定数量,这很可能是长江从其上游地区搬运至此沉积下来的。同时,我们也发现西部内陆平原区由于受长江物源影响较少,其晚更新世以来地层中的冷杉和云杉花粉分布与河口区差别很大,这也为河流携带冷杉和云杉花粉至河口地区提供了证据。这一发现如果成立,冷杉和云杉花粉即可作为长江物源的一个判别指标。     

Spatial pattern of Abies and Picea surface pollen distribution along the elevation gradient in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and Xinjiang, China

In this study we examine the relationships between Abies and Picea abundance in surface pollen and sub-alpine coniferous forest (SCF) distribution, elevation and climate in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau using a large modern pollen data set consisting of 857 samples. Results indicate that Abies and Picea pollen are abundant in the southern and eastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, where SCF dominates the landscape. Pollen percentages of both Abies and Picea show a unimodal pattern with changes in elevation and climate, and their optima occur at elevations from 2500 to 4000 m a.s.l., mean annual temperature from −1 to 10 °C and mean annual precipitation from 450 to 850 mm. The optimal elevation of Abies and Picea pollen distribution decreases with latitude from c . 4000 m in the south (21–32°N) to c . 2500 m in the north (43–49°N). The spatial pattern of Abies and Picea pollen abundance is highly correlated with the modern distribution of these taxa, which is largely controlled by elevation and climate. These relationships could provide a practical reference for interpretation of fossil pollen data in terms of climate and elevation in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau.     

Timing of Late Neoproterozoic glaciation on Baltica constrained by detrital zircon geochronology in the Hedmark Group, south-east Norway

The Moelv Tillite is the Late Neoproterozoic Varanger glacial deposit recorded in the Hedmark Group, SE Norway. Paired U–Pb and Lu–Hf data collected on detrital zircons in the Rendalen Formation underlying the Moelv Tillite have identified an uncommon 677 ± 15 to 620 ± 14 Ma population, that constrain the deposition of the Moelv Tillite to be younger than 620 ± 14 Ma. The youngest detrital zircons may be derived from granite magmatism related to the 616 ± 3 Ma Egersund dolerite magmatism, situated in the western part of the Sveconorwegian orogen. The Moelv Tillite, which is not overlain by a cap carbonate, possibly correlates with the c. 580 Ma Squantum-Gaskiers glacial deposits of Avalonia. Available palaeomagnetic data for the Late Neoproterozoic suggest that Baltica was located at intermediate to high latitude between 620 and 555 Ma.     

中朝板块晚古生代的古地磁特征

中朝板块及其北部的西伯利亚板块,是亚洲东部晚古生代的两大古板块。近年来的地质工作陆续发现,在中朝板块之北侧的索伦山—二连以东地区,存在着晚古生代的大洋壳残余。这表明,在晚古生代的一个时期中,中朝古板块和西伯利亚古板块之间曾一度被大洋所隔。