Detrital and pedogenic magnetic mineral phases in the loess/palaeosol sequence at Lingtai (Central Chinese Loess Plateau)

A detailed rock magnetic investigation of loess/palaeosol samples from the section at Lingtai on the central Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) is presented. Thermal demagnetisation of isothermal remanent magnetisation (IRM) and Curie temperature measurements suggest the presence of magnetite, maghemite and hematite as remanence carrying components. Bulk and grain size fractionated samples have been analysed using coercivity spectra of remanence acquisition/demagnetisation curves, which identify four main remanence carriers in different grain size fractions of loesses and palaeosols. A linear source mixing model quantifies the contribution of the four components which have been experimentally derived as dominating endmembers in specific grain size fractions. Up to two thirds of the total IRM of the palaeosols are due to slightly oxidised pedogenic magnetite. Two detrital components dominate up to 90% of the IRM of the loess samples and are ascribed to maghemite of different oxidation degree. Detrital hematite is present in all samples and contributes up to 10% of the IRM. The iron content of the grain size fractions gives evidence that iron in pedogenically grown remanence carriers does not originate from the detrital iron oxides, but rather from iron-bearing clays and mafic silicates. The contribution of pedogenic magnetite to the bulk IRM increases with the increasing degree of pedogenesis, which depends in turn on climate change.     

矫顽力组分定量分析揭示下蜀黄土磁化率异常降低的原因

镇江大港下蜀黄土剖面多个层位的磁化率出现异常降低,导致与北方黄土的磁化率记录难以对比.为探讨磁化率异常降低的原因,我们在大港钻探ZK孔获取了岩芯.在10个具代表性的层位采样并测量了其等温剩磁获得曲线.通过基于期望最大化算法的计算程序（Irmunmix V2.2）,定量分析了样品的磁性矫顽力组分（magnetic coercivity component）.结果显示这10个样品可大致分成3类,第一类不含中磁组分,第二类含有较少的中磁组分,第三类则含较多的中磁组分.矫顽力组分的含量与样品中铁锰结核的含量密切相关.铁锰结核含量高的样品,中磁组分、硬磁组分含量也高,而软磁组分含量低,与此对应的是这类样品的磁化率低.表明在铁锰结核的形成过程中,原始的软磁组分被溶解,而产生新的中磁组分、硬磁组分,这个次生变化过程导致样品磁化率异常降低.铁锰结核含量高的样品,经历过较强的还原作用,因此ZK剖面磁化率异常降低是还原作用的结果,可能是某时期降水量增大所致.     

Some magnetic properties of synthetic and natural haematite of different grain size

The behaviour of some magnetic properties of natural and synthetic haematite of different grain size is examined. The natural haematite was obtained from the hydrothermal deposit Kada (Czech and Slovak Federal Rep.). Six grain-size fractions ranging from 120 to 40 μm were prepared by means of sieving and two further fractions down to 5 μm by wet ultrasonic sieving. Since the behaviour of the fractions is similar, that of only four representative samples is reported. In addition, the behaviour of one submicron synthetic haematite fraction (0.5 μm) prepared by oxidation of ferrous sulphate (uniform in size and shape) was investigated.

The initial remanence value (J_r) seems to increase with decreasing grain size. During alternating field (AF) demagnetization, all fractions behaved similarly, except for the submicron fraction which is considerably softer than the others. Normalized (isothermal remanent magnetization) IRM acquisition curves were similar for all fractions.

Parameters of the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) display significant changes, mainly during IRM acquisition. During AF demagnetization, the anisotropy degree P exhibits a slight increase (some %), while the behaviour of the shape factor T is complicated. The anisotropy ellipsoid exhibits a tendency to rotate. Significant changes in the AMS parameters occur during IRM acquisition. Curves of P and T vs. IRM acquisition field, for various grain-size fractions, show no coherent pattern. For all the samples studied, the T vs. H curve exhibits a threshold value at which change in the type of arrangement of easy axis of magnetization occurs. For the IRM acquisition fields higher than some 320 kA m⁻¹, the minimum susceptibility axis parallels the direction of the IRM acquisition field.

Hysteresis curves of the fractions are similar to each other. The Preisach distribution function was determined and it indicates that the reversible part of the magnetization process plays an important role comparatively. Based on the coercivity data presented no unambiguous conclusion could be drawn from the single-domain (SD)-multidomain (MD) transition, associated with a coercivity maximum.     

黄土高原西北缘末次冰期晚期以来黄土沉积物的岩石磁学性质

以黄土高原西北缘的靖远和古浪剖面(包含黄土层L1上部和占土壤层SO)作为研究对象,选取代表性样品进行磁化率、频率磁化率、热磁曲线、等温剩磁获得曲线和磁滞回线等测定.结果表明,靖远和古浪L1黄土和SO古土壤具有相似的岩石磁学特征.磁性矿物含量相对较低,载磁矿物均以磁铁矿为主,同时含有磁赤铁矿和赤铁矿,且SO占土壤中的磁赤...     

Blake极性事件与古土壤层S1的沉积环境

对黄土高原定边、西峰、渭南三个剖面中古土壤层S1的定向连续古地磁样品作了详细的岩石磁学和古地磁学研究，均未发现Blake极性事件．在对其成因进行了分析研究后，提出如下看法：（1）六盘山以东黄土高原北部边缘的风成沉积可能存在局部的不连续性，因而没有记录Blake极性事件；（2）黄土沉积物的主要载磁矿物力磁铁矿，次生磁性矿物对剩磁的贡献可能大于原生磁铁矿，故在六盘山以东黄土高原北部边缘没有发现Blake极性事件；（3）六盘山以东黄土高原中部和南部地区，强烈的成土作用掩盖了持续时间较短的Blake极性事件；（4）六盘山以西的黄土高原具高速稳定沉积的特点，且成土作用弱，可记录Blake极性事件．     

The characteristics,origins, and geodynamic settings of supergiant gold metallogenic provinces

An investigation of the rock magnetic properties using stepwise isothermal remanence (IRM) acquisition, thermomagnetic analysis and temperature-dependent susceptibility history, identifies magnetite as the carrier of the main fraction of the remanence, associated with maghemite and hematite in Malan loess (L1), Holocene soil (S0) and last-glacial paleosol (S1). The presence of short-lived direction fluctuations indicates that no significant smoothing occurs in L1 when its remanence is locked, and thus L1 is capable of recording the geomagnetic secular variation (PSV), while the PSV has been severely smoothed or wiped out by pedogenic processes during S1 formation. It has been suggested that the Mono Lake and Laschamp excursions are two independent geomagnetic events based on this study.     

Palaeomagnetism of the loess/palaeosol sequence in Viatovo (NE Bulgaria) in the Danube basin

The results of a palaeomagnetic investigation of a 27 m thick loess/palaeosol sequence in Viatovo (NE Bulgaria) are presented in this paper. The sequence consists of topsoil S₀, seven loess horizons (L₁–L₇) and six interbedded palaeosols (S₁–S₆) overlying a red clay (terra rossa) complex. Magnetic viscosity experiments, IRM acquisition, AMS analysis and NRM stepwise alternating and thermal demagnetisation experiments of pilot samples were implemented for precise determination of the characteristic remanence and construction of a reliable magnetostratigraphical scheme. Analysis of IRM acquisition curves using the expectation – maximization algorithm of Heslop et al. [Heslop, D., Dekkers, M., Kruiver, P., van Oorschot, H., 2002. Analysis of isothermal remanent magnetization acquisition curves using the expectation – maximization algorithm. Geophys. J. Int., 148, 58–64] suggests that the best fitting is obtained by three coercivity components. Component 1 corresponds to SD maghemite/magnetite, while component 2 is probably related to the presence of oxidised detrital magnetites. The third component shows varying coercivities depending on the degree of pedogenic alteration of the samples and probably reflects the presence of detrital magnetite grains oxidised at different degree.

The relevance of the Viatovo section as a key representative sequence for the loess cover in the Danube basin is confirmed by the presence of geomagnetic polarity changes in the lower part of the sequence. The youngest one recorded in the seventh loess unit L₇ can be identified as corresponding to the Matuyama/Brunhes palaeomagnetic polarity transition. Two normal magnetozones were found in the red clay complex, probably corresponding to the Jaramillo and Olduvai subchronozones of the Matuyama chron.     

Low-Temperature Oxidation of Magnetite in Loess-Paleosol Sequences: a Correction of Rock Magnetic Parameters

Low-temperature oxidation under atmospheric conditions affects the magnetic properties of magnetite in natural rocks: the coercivities of magnetite grains increase and other parameters change accordingly. It was recently shown that heating to 150°C largely removes the effects of low-temperature oxidation (van Velzen and Zijderveld, 1995). Heating may therefore serve as a detection tool for the presence of the effect of low-temperature oxidation. In the present study, a collection of loess and paleosol samples from various loess regions of the world is examined for the influence of low-temperature oxidation. In all samples of the collection a decrease of coercivities was found after heating to 150°C. Generally loess samples were affected to a larger extent than paleosol samples. The original range of remanent coercivities(B _cr)of 21-58 mT changed to 20-42 mT after heating. The IRM capacity of the samples decreased from 0 up to 25%. ARM showed changes between a decrease of 10% and an increase of 15%. The grain-size indicative parameter IRM/ARM is considerably influenced by the heating and therefore by low-temperature oxidation. The changes in susceptibility are limited and will not influence the interpretation of large-scale features of the susceptibility record as a paleoclimate proxy. Small variations, however, may be obscured by the varying influence of oxidation in the outcrop, which can significantly modify the rock-magnetic record. Rock-magnetic parameters used to determine magnetic mineral content and grain sizes should be corrected for the effect of low-temperature oxidation. To this end heating to 150°C is recommended. The occurrence of the changes is in itself already an indication for the presence of magnetite. Low-temperature oxidation will not only be due to recent weathering in the outcrop, but also to earlier oxidation processes in the source area, during transport and deposition of the loess and during pedogenesis. Truly fresh sediment samples are only influenced by this earlier oxidation. In that case heating will reveal the degree of ancient low-temperature oxidation, which may be related to climate at the time of deposition and pedogenesis.     

Self-reversal of isothermal remanent magnetization in a pyrrhotite (Fe7S8) crystal

The remanent magnetization induced at room temperature (IRM) was measured for powder and massive specimens separated from a Fe₇S₈ crystal. To characterize the crystal, several methods were used including Mössbauer spectroscopy, thermomagnetic analysis, low-field susceptibility anisotropy and magnetic colloid method. Self-reversals of IRM were revealed in the massive crystal fragment after its magnetization in magnetic fields of the order of 10–10² mT. Both normal and reverse IRM vectors lay in the maximum susceptibility plane perpendicular to the crystallographic c′-axis of the crystal. A twinning also perpendicular to the crystal's c′-axis and a very low coercivity in each twin (monocrystallic layer) probably support the origin of the reverse IRM in the crystal.     

浅议中国黄土磁化率的物理意义

中国的陆相黄土地层连续地记录了第四纪以来的古气候变化。基于中国黄土磁化率曲线与深海氧同位素记录具有可比性这一事实，磁化率作为一种气候替代性指标在黄土研究中得到广泛的应用。但是，磁化率的物理意义仍不清楚。本文作者对陕西榆林蔡家沟剖面末次间冰期以来的风成沉积作了研究，指出黄土、古土壤的磁化率差异不仅与前人提出的碳酸盐淋失、空隙度变化、“就地”新生成磁性矿物等作用有关，而且还可能与有机质有重要关系。有机     

兰州盆地渐新世沉积物岩石磁学性质探究

我国西北地区出露大量富含哺乳动物化石的"第三纪红层",探明这些地层的岩石磁学特征对进一步开展磁性地层、环境磁学和古气候学研究具有重要意义.本文对青藏高原东北缘兰州盆地渐新世地层进行了详细的岩石磁学研究,分别确定了咸水河组下部砂岩和泥岩中磁性矿物含量、种类及其在加热过程中的转变;并结合X射线衍射,漫反射光谱和粒度分析等非磁学手段,揭示了磁性矿物种类与沉积环境的关系.结果表明,剖面底部和顶部的砂岩为河道沉积,磁性矿物含量较低,主要为高矫顽力的赤铁矿和针铁矿;中部泥岩为湖相沉积,指示了一个相对稳定的静水沉积环境,其磁性矿物含量比砂岩要高,不仅含有高矫顽力的赤铁矿和针铁矿,也含有低矫顽力的磁铁矿.在岩石磁学和环境磁学结果的基础上,结合野外考察和古生物证据,我们推测兰州盆地在晚渐新世为半湿润半干旱的气候条件,这为赤铁矿的生成提供了有利条件,导致盆地中富含赤铁矿的红色泥岩广泛发育.     

渤海BH08孔磁学参数变化机制与环境指示

边缘海-陆架区是研究海陆交互作用的理想区域,该区沉积物记录了海平面、气候与构造变化的重要信息.渤海作为我国的内海,前人对该区虽然进行了环境磁学方面的研究,但是受复杂的沉积环境影响,渤海沉积物的磁性变化机制十分复杂,因而需要对该区沉积物磁学性质及变化机制进行深入研究.针对这一问题,本文详细研究了渤海BH08孔岩芯沉积物的磁学性质,结果表明：①沉积物中主要载磁矿物是磁铁矿,部分层位含有高矫顽力的矿物;②岩芯整体磁学性质变化复杂,各项磁学参数变化剧烈,其总体波动与S/Cl值、沉积物红度a^*和深海底栖有孔虫δ¹⁸O相关性较好;③在主要的海陆交替边界层位发现胶黄铁矿,表明是富硫的弱还原环境,而快速变化的沉积环境和较高的沉积速率是胶黄铁矿得以保存的重要因素,因而胶黄铁矿可作为沉积环境发生转变的一种特征矿物.这些新认识为深入开展渤海地区,乃至陆架-边缘海区古环境研究提供了新的思路和方法.     

Multiple origins and interpretations of the magnetic susceptibility signal in Chinese wind-blown sediments

In most Chinese loess–paleosol sequences, high magnetic susceptibility values are found in the soil horizons, with low values in the loess layers. The susceptibility signal has been widely used as a proxy climatic indicator. However, both the causes and mechanisms which control susceptibility still remain controversial. Our recent studies challenge some earlier interpretations of the magnetic susceptibility signal in Chinese wind-blown sediments. First, the prevailing hypothesis of pedogenic origin cannot totally account for the susceptibility variations in many sections. Second, in some cases, the principal carrier of the magnetization seems not to be the ultrafine pedogenic minerals, rather coarse lithogenic magnetic minerals derived from local sources can also contribute significantly to the susceptibility signal. Finally, not all the Chinese soils have higher susceptibility values than that of loess or sand layers, opposite relationships do exist. It is concluded that the source and causes of susceptibility may be different from site to site or even at different times at a given site. Any single hypothesis cannot completely account for the susceptibility variations in the Chinese Loess Plateau and its surrounding regions. Besides the previous explanations of carbonate leaching, pedogenic processes and organic decomposition, the contribution of source materials to magnetic susceptibility must also be taken into account.     

Quantitative measurements on the paleo-weathering intensity of the loess-soil sequences and implication on paleomonsoon

The loess-soil sequences in northern China provide a near continuous record of Quaternary paleoclimate. The pedogenetic intensity of the sequences is closely linked with the variations of the East Asian summer monsoon. In this study, 2181 samples from the Changwu and Xifeng loess sections are analyzed and two high-resolution paleo-weathering timeseries of the last 1.2 Ma are generated, using the ratio of CBD extractable free Fe₂O₃ (FeD) versus the total iron (FeT). This new index is compared with micromorphological features, low-frequency magnetic susceptibility, frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility, and the Rb/Sr ratio^[5,6]. The results suggest that the FeD/FeT ratio is able to better reflect the degree of soil development. Since the chemical weathering of loess in the Loess Plateau region mainly depends upon the summer precipitation and temperature under modern climate condition, which are closely associated with strength of summer monsoon, and the chemical weathering intensity of loess primarily reflects the variations of the summer monsoon circulation.     

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.     

巴基斯坦Bahawalpur黄土岩石磁学特征及磁化率变化机制研究

风成黄土是陆地上分布最广泛的沉积物之一,记载了各种古气候演化信息.目前巴基斯坦的黄土研究甚少,磁化率与气候对应的变化机制研究尚未开展.本文对位于巴基斯坦印度河平原Bahawalpur地区新发现的黄土-古土壤剖面进行系统的岩石磁学研究,结合粒度和漫反射光谱(DRS)数据,讨论巴基斯坦黄土的磁化率变化机制.实验结果显示:Bahawalpur(BH)剖面黄土层主要的载磁矿物为磁铁矿,同时含有少量磁赤铁矿和针铁矿,磁性颗粒以原生的MD和PSD颗粒为主.相对于黄土层,古土壤层则是以针铁矿为主,含有顺磁性矿物和少量磁铁矿.BH剖面磁化率与成土作用关系和中国黄土高原典型剖面相反,磁化率的变化可能存在一个阈值12.8×10^-8 m³·kg^-1,在阈值之上,强磁性矿物(磁铁矿、磁赤铁矿)占主导;阈值之下,以弱磁性矿物(主要是针铁矿)为主,这种磁性矿物的转变可能导致磁化率降低.本文可为今后利用磁化率解读该地区地层蕴含的古气候信息提供新线索.     

Rock magnetic properties and ore microscopy of the iron ore deposit of Las Truchas, Michoacan, Mexico

Iron ore and host rocks have been sampled (90 oriented samples from 19 sites) from the Las Truchas mine, western Mexico. A broad range of magnetic parameters have been studied to characterize the samples: saturation magnetization, Curie temperature, density, susceptibility, remanence intensity, Koenigsberger ratio, and hysteresis parameters. Magnetic properties are controlled by variations in titanomagnetite content, deuteric oxidation, and hydrothermal alteration. Las Truchas deposit formed by contact metasomatism in a Mesozoic volcano-sedimentary sequence intruded by a batholith, and titanomagnetites underwent intermediate degrees of deuteric oxidation. Post-mineralization hydrothermal alteration, evidenced by pyrite, epidote, sericite, and kaolin, seems to be the major event that affected the minerals and magnetic properties. Magnetite grain sizes in iron ores range from 5 to >200 μm, which suggest dominance of multidomain (MD) states. Curie temperatures are 580±5°C, characteristic of magnetite. Hysteresis parameters indicate that most samples have MD magnetite, some samples pseudo-single domain (PSD), and just a few single domain (SD) particles. AF demagnetization and IRM acquisition indicate that NRM and laboratory remanences are carried by MD magnetite in iron ores and PSD–SD magnetite in host rocks. The Koenigsberger ratio falls in a narrow range between 0.1 and 10, indicating the significance of MD and PSD magnetites.     

雅鲁藏布大峡谷格嘎古堰塞湖沉积岩石磁学性质指示的溃决事件

末次冰期时,在雅鲁藏布大峡谷入口处发育了一个古冰川堰塞湖,称为格嘎古堰塞湖.该堰塞湖是认识冰川阻江地貌效应的重要地质证据.古冰川堰塞湖可能会发生多次溃决洪水,通过堰塞湖沉积的分析可以获取堰塞期间的水文事件的信息.本文通过对古堰塞湖沉积39个样品多种磁学参数的详细分析发现,湖相沉积中的砂层低频磁化率（X_lf）为291×10^-8m³/kg,泥质沉积的X_lf仅为42×10^-8m³/kg;而非磁滞剩磁磁化率（X_ARM）和饱和等温剩磁（SIRM）的差别则较小.进一步的X-T、Loop和IRM研究以及X_ARM/X_lf表明,砂层中包含较多的粗颗粒磁铁矿是X_lf较高的主要原因,说明砂层中的磁性矿物没有经过风化破坏,应为近源沉积,并且快速埋藏,指示了溃决事件.本文的结果表明,利用岩石磁学性质以检测古堰塞湖溃决事件是一种可行的新方法.     

Two pedogenic models for paleoclimatic records of magnetic susceptibility from Chinese and Siberian loess

The magnetic susceptibility (MS) of Chinese loess showing a general proportional relationship to pedogenic grade has been widely recognized and used for reconstruction of paleoclimate by Quaternary scientists. The in-situ pedogenic enhancement of ferrimagnetic content is normally believed to be the main reason for the increase of susceptibility in soil units. However, this pattern of high magnetic susceptibility in palaeosols, and low values in loess, are not replicated in some loess deposits. Siberian loess deposits display a completely opposite susceptibility behavior: high values in loess and low values in palaeosols. This inverse relationship has been explained by the idea that magnetic susceptibility is reflecting the magnitude of an aeolian ferrimagnetic component of consistent mineralogy, the grain size of which is related to average wind velocity. Our magnetic study of Siberian samples in this paper suggests that there are notable differences in magnetic properties between Siberian loess and developed palaeosols, not only in magnetic grain-size and concentration but also in magnetic mineralogy. This evidence is difficult to explain fully through variation in wind strength alone, but implies that the low magnetic susceptibility values in the Siberian paleosol units are a reflection, at least in part, of the alteration of the ferrimagnetic content by post-depositional processes. The Loess Plateau is a very arid area where potential evaporation is always higher than precipitation; pedogenesis occurs under dry oxidising conditions. The Siberian Kurtak region is located on the edge of the tundra where it is always wet and saturation during interglacials will lead to a reducing pedogenic environment. Ferrimagnetic minerals under this condition will be destroyed, resulting in lower magnetic susceptibility. Therefore, great care should be taken when using susceptibility values for paleoclimatic reconstruction.     

杭州城区土壤的磁性与磁性矿物学及其环境意义

对杭州城区四个不同功能区块土壤进行了系统的环境磁学测定,结果表明城市土壤的磁化率平均值为128×10^-8m³·kg^-1,频率磁化率平均值3.6%(样品数=182),城市土壤呈现明显的磁性增强. 城市土壤的磁化率与频率磁化率呈极显著指数负相关,表明城市土壤磁性增强明显区别于自然成土过程引起的以超顺磁性(SP)颗粒为主的表土磁性增强机理. 统计分析表明,城市土壤磁化率与软剩磁和饱和等温剩磁(SIRM)呈显著直线正相关,说明亚铁磁性矿物是城市土壤剩余磁性的主要载体. 综合等温剩磁获得曲线、热磁曲线、磁滞回线等岩石磁学测定和SEM/EDX分析,城市土壤的磁性矿物以磁铁矿和赤铁矿为主,磁性矿物以假单畴-多畴（PSD-MD）颗粒存在,粒度明显大于成土过程形成的磁性颗粒,这些磁性颗粒主要来自燃料燃烧、汽车尾气等环境污染物. 因此,城市土壤磁测可作为城市土壤污染监测、污染空间分布和污染物来源判断的新手段.