大陆亚碱性火山岩的成因多样性：以敦化—密山和东宁火山岩带为例

对东北牡丹江海浪、鸡西鸡林、东宁老黑山三处亚碱性玄武岩类进行了柏A卜”Ar定年和元素与Sr-Nd-Pb同位素组成研究,结果显示,始新世海浪（玄武）安山岩属钙碱性系列,相对富硅碱,贫铁钙,高度富集Rb、Ba、Sr,亏损Th、U、Nb、Ta,富集LREE及极低的HREE含量,与五大连池钾质火山岩相近的同位素组成（^206Pb／^204Pb=16．56～16．66,^207Pb／^204Pb=15．44—15．47,^208Pb／^204Pb=36．80—36．95;ISr=0．704882～0．705564;εNd=-4．05～2．29）,表明来源于较厚的、受交代作用影响的含石榴石富集（LoMu）岩石圈地幔;中中新世鸡林拉斑玄武岩分布极为局限,辉石斑晶发育骸晶结构,富铁、钙、钛,不亏损Nb、Ta,富集Ba、Sr,REE相对平坦,HREE高于OIB,Sr、Nd同位素组成相似于Samoa岛玄武岩,显示源区除软流圈成分外,还有EMII富集组分的加入;晚中新世老黑山拉斑玄武岩,低碱低钾,LREE轻度富集,Nb、Ta不明显亏损,同位素比值与镜泊湖一带中新世碱性玄武岩范围一致,主要来源于软流圈并与富集岩石圈（EMI）发生过相互作用。地幔源区经历了古近纪富集地幔源到中新世软流圈组分增多的演化。东北新生代拉斑玄武岩不同的地球化学特征为认识大陆拉斑玄武岩成因的多样性提供了有益启示。     

吉林东南部晚中生代中酸性火山作用成因的地球化学制约

详细的主、微量元素和Sr-Nd-Pb同位素研究结果显示,延吉地区晚中生代(早白垩世)中酸性火山岩具有岛弧型微量元素特征(富集轻稀土(LREE)、大离子亲石元素(LILE)和亏损高场强元素(HFSE)),和中等放射成因Sr、Pb及类似于硅质地球的Nd同位素组成(~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr(i)=0.70437～0.70525;~(206)Pb/~(204)Pb(i)=18.19～18.37,~(207)Pb/~(204)Pb(i)=15.54～15.57,~(208)Pb/~(204)Pb(i)=38.13～38.22;ε_(Nd)(t)=-2.75～+1.61)。其Sr-Nd-Pb同位素组成特征类似于区域同期基性火山岩和大兴安岭地区同时代火山岩。这些广泛分布于吉林南部的晚中生代中酸性火山岩是岩石圈地幔来源岩浆经分离结晶或地壳物质混染/AFC过程的产物。吉林省东南部晚中生代不同区域火山岩的Sr-Nd-Pb同位素对比结果显示,辽源-延吉与通化地区分属不同构造单元,其中辽源-延吉一带则为中亚造山带的东段,而通化地区为华北克拉通的一部分,夹皮沟-松江断裂可能是华北克拉通东北缘的边界。     

庐枞早白垩世火山岩的地球化学特征及其源区意义

从中生代到新生代,华北东部岩石圈地幔发生了减薄以及地球化学性质置换, 而扬子地块东部中生代岩石圈地幔也表现出类似的过程,对中生代火山岩的地球化学研究有助于了解这一变化过程以及发生置换时的时空关系。庐枞火山岩出露于扬子地块东部,为一套包括粗玄岩–玄武粗安岩–粗面岩的富碱橄榄安粗岩系。研究了双庙组基性火山岩,这些岩石富集Rb,K,Sr,Th和轻稀土元素,亏损高场强元素。(87Sr/86Sr)i = 0.7060~0.7063,εNd(t )=-3.9~-6.2,(206Pb/204Pb)i=17.788~18.125,(207Pb/204Pb)i= 15.511~15.546,(208Pb/204Pb)i =37.735~38.184。在喷出地表过程中,火山岩没有受到明显的地壳物质混染,因此元素和同位素组成反映了地幔源区的地球化学特征。 其地幔源区具有同位素富集特征,表明火山岩源区曾受到地壳物质的影响,是富集地幔部分熔融的产物,并经历明显的结晶分异作用。庐枞火山岩的岩浆成分和源区特征反映该地区在晚中生代岩石圈地幔的伸展和软流圈地幔上涌的演化过程。     

中国东南沿海中—新生代玄武岩微量元素和Nd—Sr—Pb同位素研究

本文对中国东南沿海不含幔源包体的中生代玄武岩和含幔源包体的新生代玄武岩进行了微量元素和Nd-Sr-Pb同位素对比研究。中生代玄武岩呈Ta,Nb和Hf负异常，低Ce/Pb,Nb/U比值和高La/Nb比值，与岛弧火山岩和陆壳岩石的微量元素特征相类似，说明在岩浆生成和上升过程中，幔源组分受到了陆壳组分的混染。新生代玄武岩呈Ta,Nb正异常和Pb负异常，高Ce/Pb,Nb/U比值和低La/Nb比值，与海岛玄武岩（OIB）相类似，Nd-Sr同位素成分与夏威夷玄武岩类似，因而它们未受明显的陆壳混染。^143Nd/^144Nd与^206Pb/^204Pb之间的负相关关系和^87Sr/^86Sr与^206Pb/^204Pb之间的正相关关系说明本区新生代玄武岩起源于中等亏损程度的软流圈地幔，并与EMII富集地幔组分发生了混合。     

太行山地区中、新生代玄武质岩浆的源区特征与时空演化

本文总结了太行山地区中生代辉长岩和新生代玄武岩的元素和同位素组成，其组成显示它们的地幔源区存在着明显的差别。新生代玄武岩以碱性玄武岩为主，含有少量橄榄拉斑玄武岩，它们来自软流圈的部分熔融，并伴有少量古老岩石圈地幔组分的加入。相比之下，中生代辉长岩具有明显不同的地球化学特征：SiO2含量高，LREE和LILE（Ba，Th，U）富集以及HFSE（Nb，Ta，Zr和Ti）亏损，Sr-Nd同位素富集（大多数^87Sr／^86Sri〉0．705，^143Nd／^144Nd；〈0．512）、Pb同位素亏损（^206Ph／^204Pbi〈17．5，^207Ph／^204Pbi〈15．5，^208Pb／^204Pbi〈38．0）。这些特征表明中生代辉长岩来源于经过富硅熔体强烈改造的古老岩石圈地幔，这种富集改造过程很可能与华北克拉通内部元古代的俯冲／碰撞事件有关。古老且同位素富集的岩石圈地幔残存至新生代，并被新生代玄武岩携带的地幔橄榄岩捕虏体所记录。     

雷琼地区晚新生代玄武岩地球化学：EM2成分来源及大陆岩石圈地幔的贡献

对雷琼地区21个晚新生代玄武岩样品的主量、微量元素和Sr、Nd、Pb同位素分别用湿化学法、ICP-MS和MC-ICPMS进行了测定.这些玄武岩主要为石英拉斑玄武岩,其次为橄榄拉斑玄武岩和碱性玄武岩.大多数样品的微量元素和同位素成分与洋岛玄武岩(OIBs)相似,而且随着SiO_2不饱和度增加,不相容元素含量也增加.除R4-1可能受到地壳混染外,其他样品相对均一的Nd同位素(ε_(Nd)=2.5-6.0)以及变化明显但范围有限的Sr同位素(0.703106～0.704481),可能继承了地幔源区的特征.~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr与~(206)Pb/~(204)Pb的正相关和~(143)Nd/~(144)Nd与~(206)Pb/~(204)Pb的负相关特征暗示DM(软流圈地幔)与EM2(岩石圈地幔)的混合.地幔捕虏体的同位素特征暗示EM2成分不可能存在于尖晶石橄榄岩地幔,而La/Yb和Sm/Yb系统表明岩浆由石榴石橄榄岩部分熔融产生,这意味着EM2成分可能存在于石榴石橄榄岩地幔.雷琼地区玄武岩的地球化学变化可以用软流圈地幔为主的熔体加入不同比例石榴石橄榄岩地幔不同程度熔融产生的熔体来解释:碱性玄武岩和橄榄拉斑玄武岩是软流圈熔体与石榴石橄榄岩地幔较低程度(7%～9%)熔融体混合,而石英拉斑玄武岩是软流圈熔体与石榴石橄榄岩地幔较高程度(10%～20%)熔融体的混合.     

北部湾涠洲岛及斜阳岛火山岩微量元素和同位素地球化学及其构造意义

本文在北部湾内一对姊妹火山岛即涠洲岛及斜阳岛火山地质研究基础上,进一步开展火山岩微量元素和Sr-Nd-Pb同位素,以及地幔橄榄岩Re-Os同位素地球化学研究.岛上早晚两期火山岩均为碱性玄武岩,分别属于碱性橄榄玄武岩和碧玄岩.碧玄岩为玻基斑状结构,舍地幔橄榄岩碎块(一般<1cm),表明为地幔岩浆快速喷出地表冷凝而成,岩浆上升过程中极少演化.火山岩微量元素和Sr-Nd-Pb同位素资料表明,涠洲岛及斜阳岛玄武岩与雷琼及北部湾周边、南海海盆玄武岩类似,具有亏损地幔的Sr、Nd同位素组成与Pb同位素显示的EMII富集地幔特征的Dupal异常,表明岩浆并非来自单一地幔源区,不可与OIB或MORB源区简单类比,也非地幔柱成因,而是由两个不同的地球化学组分混合而成.Re-OS同位素特征也指示地幔橄榄岩捕虏体来源于亏损的岩石圈地幔,而非核幔边界.推测涠洲岛及斜阳岛与雷琼及北部湾周边的岩浆可能是由于南海扩张后大陆裂解-软流圈地幔热物质上涌,与上覆薄而年轻的岩石圈地幔相互作用的产物.     

甘肃西秦岭新生代钾霞橄黄长岩和碳酸岩的微量、稀土和Sr，Nd，Pb同位素地球化学：地幔柱-岩石圈交换的证据

西秦岭新生代钾霞橄黄长岩和碳酸岩具有强烈富集LILE和LREE的特征，经球粒陨石标准化的REE分配模式与OIB十分相似。钾霞橄黄长岩和碳酸岩的(^87Sr／^86Sr)i分别在0．70381～0．70940和0．70529～0．71332之间，^144Nd／^143Nd分别介于0．512404～0．512924和0．512210～0．512928之间。经计算获得多数样品的εNd落在-3．4～5．58范围内，与OIB的εNd值一致。这两类岩石的^208Pb／^204Pb、^207Pb/^204Pb和^206Pb／^204Pb分别为37．613～39．330和38．060～38．995，15．842～16．441和15.545～15．677，以及18．418～22．4和18．149～19．062。采用主量元素MgO—Ni和ε(Nd)-(^87Sr/^86Sr)相关图，以及高场强元素比值Zr／Nb—La／Nb和Ba／La—Ba／Nb相关图以及。^208Pb／^204Pb-^206Pb/^204Pb，^207Pb／^204Pb-^206Pb／^204Pb相关图，一致证明本区火山岩具有与洋岛玄武岩(OIB)相似的地球化学特征，且源区具有EM1和EM11富集端员的混合。但是本区火山岩高的Nb／Ta比和强烈富集Nb等高场强元素，以及较高的^144Nd／^143Nd值，表明该火山岩地球化学具有某种特殊性。结合对西秦岭深部地球物理资料及地质构造背景和演化历史的分析，提出西秦岭新生代钾霞橄黄长岩和碳酸岩的成因与地幔柱的活动有关，源区包含了EM1和EM11富集端员的组分。EM1和EM11富集端员的成因与地幔柱/软流圈流体的作用有关，也与大洋板片的脱水作用和大陆岩石圈的拆层作用有关。该区特殊的大地构造背景和演化历史为上述几种作用的联合提供了可能。它不仅较好地解释了该火山岩地球化学方面的特殊性，及钾霞橄黄长岩与碳酸岩共生的事实，同时也证明新生代火山岩的成因是地幔柱．岩石圈相互作用的产物。     

云南腾冲全新世火山岩地球化学特征及其成因

通过对腾冲火山群的黑空山、打莺山和马鞍山火山岩主量元素、微量元素、Sr-Nd-Pb同位素地球化学的研究表明,腾冲全新世火山岩为高钾钙碱性系列,包括粗面玄武岩、玄武粗安岩、粗面安山岩和英安岩。该套火山岩富集大离子亲石元素和轻稀土元素,亏损Nb-Ta-Ti不相容元素,具有高的⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr比值(0.705862～0.710614),低的¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd比值(0.511941～0.512526)和较高的放射性成因Pb同位素组成(²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=38.962～39.155;²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=15.620～15.659;²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=17.872～18.269)。主量、微量和同位素地球化学研究表明,腾冲全新世三座火山的岩浆源区为富集地幔,地幔富集与古洋壳俯冲有关。它们是由相同的地幔源区经历了不同的岩浆演化阶段的产物,打莺山岩浆演化程度最高,黑空山次之,马鞍山岩浆演化程度最弱。通过腾冲全新世火山岩与藏南碰撞后钾质火山岩的地球化学成分对比,Sr-Nd-Pb同位素地球化学成分存在着明显的不同,暗示两者的源区存在差异。     

藏北羌塘地块新生代火山岩中麻粒岩捕虏体的岩石学和地球化学研究:对青藏高原新生代火山岩成因及下地壳性质的约束

青藏高原北部羌塘地块的新生代高钾钙碱性火山岩中含有很多下地壳捕虏体,这些捕虏体的主要岩石类型为二辉石麻粒岩和单斜辉石麻粒岩。本文对鸟兰乌拉湖南侧枕头崖地区新生代高钾钙碱性火山岩中的9个麻粒岩样品(6个基性麻粒岩和3个酸性麻粒岩)进行了系统的岩石学,矿物化学,地球化学和Sr-Nd-Pb同位素地球化学研究。其中,紫苏辉石具有高MgO FeO,低Al_2O_3的特征,单斜辉石具有低Al_2O_3和TiO_2的特征,黑云母具有高TiO_2的特征,这些特征都表明这些矿物为变质成因。矿物温压计算表明二辉石麻粒岩形成的平衡温度为783℃～818℃。单斜辉石麻粒岩形成压力在0.845～0.858GPa之间,来源深度约28km。表明它们可能是来自青藏高原加厚陆壳中部的岩石样品。基性麻粒岩的SiO_2=48.76%～58.61%,Al_2O_3=18.34%～24.50%,Na_2O=3.16%～5.41%,K_2O=1.58%～3.01%,低Mg~#(30～67),富集轻稀土(LREE)和大离子亲石元素(LILE),其具有较高的Rb/Sr(0.09～0.21)和(La/Yb)_N(17.32～49.35),具有较低的Nb/Ta (9.76～14.92),其Eu异常变化于0.19～0.89之间。基性麻粒岩的Sr-Nd-Pb同位素地球化学表现为~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr=0.710812～0.713241,ε_(Sr)=169.13～203.88,~(143)Nd/~(144)Nd=0.512113～0.512397;ε_(Nd)=-4.70～-10.05,~(206)Pb/~(204)Pb=18.7000～-18.9565,~(207)Pb/~(204)Pb=15.7135～-15.7662,~(208)Pb/~(204)Pb=39.1090～39.4733。和基性麻粒岩类似,酸性麻粒岩也表现出富集轻稀土(LREE)和大离子亲石元素(LILE)的特征,它们的~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr=0.712041～0.729088,ε_(Sr)=180.71～430.59,~(143)Nd/~(144)Nd=0.512230～-0.512388;ε_(Nd)=-4.74～-7.96,~(206)Pb/~(204)Pb=18.9250～-19.1717,~(207)Pb/~(204)Pb=15.7662～-15.7720,~(208)Ph/~(204)Pb=39.2109～39.6467。上述地球化学特征表明这些基性麻粒岩的源岩是下地壳岩石,而非地幔岩或玄武质堆晶岩,而酸性麻粒岩的源岩极有可能是准铝质的花岗质岩石。这就表明青藏高原新生代下地壳的地温梯度很高,并含有部分沉积岩,而非典型的辉长质下地壳。而且,详细的研究表明,这种特殊的下地壳可能对青藏高原新生代高钾钙碱性和橄榄粗安质岩浆的起源有重要作用。因此目前所认为的超钾质-橄榄粗安质岩浆源于富集岩石圈地幔在对流减薄作用下发生部分熔融的观点值得重新考虑。     

摩擦桩基桩土间极限摩阻力取值问题探讨

通过对广珠东线高速公路横沥大桥的试桩及土体的工程地质条件分析,总结出影响摩擦桩基桩土间极限摩阻力取值的一般问题以及解决问题的方法和措施。     

从榴辉岩与围岩的关系论苏鲁榴辉岩的形成与折返

位于华北和扬子两板块碰撞带中的苏鲁榴辉岩形成的温压条件不但是超高压，而且是高温。榴辉岩的PTt轨迹表明其为陆-陆磁撞俯冲带的产物。榴辉岩的区域性围岩花岗质片麻岩为新元古代同碰撞期花岗岩，榴辉岩及其他直接围岩皆呈包体存在于其中，并见新元古代花岗岩呈脉状侵入榴辉岩包体中。区域性围岩新元古代花岗岩的锆石中发现有柯石英、绿辉石等包裹体，表明新元古代花岗岩的组成物质也经受过超高压变质作用，且榴辉岩与围岩新元古代花岗岩的锆石U-Pb体系同位素年龄基本相同。但新元古代花岗岩所记录的变质作用和变形作用期次（或阶段）却少于榴辉岩。椐上述可得如下推断：超高压榴辉岩与新元古代花岗岩岩浆是同时在碰撞带底部（俯冲板块前部）形成的；榴辉岩的第一折返阶段是由新元古代花岗岩岩浆携带上升的，其第二折返阶段是和新元古代花岗岩一起由逆冲及区域性隆起而上升，遭受剥蚀。     

The Importance of the Precipitation and the Susceptibility of the Slopes for the Triggering of Landslides Along the Roads

In order to characterise the influence of the heavyrains on the observed landslides during the 1996–1997hydrological cycle, rainfall records for the last 100years are analysed from 104 stations in easternAndalusia. Regarding the amounts of rain recordedbetween October 1996 and March 1997 in the 104stations studied, 31 presented new all-time records;15 presented values that were 80–100% of thepre-1995 record; 49 stations, 80–50%; and 9stations, < 50%. A map has been devised of thesusceptibility of the materials through which thesouth-eastern Andalusian road network crosses,together with an inventory of the damage caused byinstability phenomena on banks and cuttings of theroad network during the winter of 1996–1997. Therelationships between the rainfall during the studyperiod, the damage caused to the road network and thesusceptibility of the materials affected are analysed.The results indicate that there is a clearcorrespondence between the rainfall recorded and thesusceptibility of the materials with the inventorieddamage. It is concluded that the widespread seriousdamage caused in early 1997 to the roads andsurrounding areas in the Alpujarra region and thecoast of the Province of Granada was mainly caused bythe extraordinarily heavy rains. However, considerablyless damage was observed where the susceptibility ofthe terrain is low, thus highlighting the extremeusefulness of terrain-susceptibility maps for riskprevention and territorial planning.     

某高速公路下伏煤矿采空区稳定性分析

在论述某高速公路下伏砦脖煤矿采空区地质、采矿和工程地质特征的基础上, 进行了稳定性数值模拟分析, 定性与定量地分析与评价了该煤矿采空区的地表变形特征及稳定性。研究结果表明: 该煤矿采空区的变形尚未完成, 对拟建的高速公路将产生很大的危害, 必须采取相应的工程治理措施。      

混凝剂处理钻井废泥浆液的研究

通过烧杯搅拌实验对混凝剂处理钻井废泥浆液进行研究,从混凝剂适应p H值范围、混凝效果、沉降速度三方面研究比较,找出一种较为理想的混凝剂,并分析了影响混凝剂性能的主要因素,确定了混凝剂的最佳投放剂量。      

黄河源区水环境变化及黄河出现冬季断流的原因

自1954年有水文观测资料以来，黄河曾在青海省玛多县黄河沿水文站发生过3次断流。本文在分析黄河源区水环境特征及其影响因素的基础上指出，鄂陵湖、扎陵湖的环湖融区调节能力低，当遇到连续干旱、冬季其调节水量不足以维系黄河径流时便会发生断流，这是断流的主因。湖水位降低、开采沙金、过度放牧等自然和人为因素也会对黄河发生断流产生影响。鄂陵湖口附近黄河上修建的水电站开始蓄水，提高了两湖及环湖融区的调节能力，今后黄河冬季出现断流的可能性将大为降低。     

Unity of the national and the international in the socio-cultural development of the peoples of the USSR

International unity is becoming ever stronger in this country owing to an increasing similarity in the development of the cultural environment. This comprises the provision of all the country's republics with a sufficient number of schools, theatres, and other institutions and cultural information media in accordance with the needs of the population. An important part is played by the rise in ‘the general educational level, as well as the level of professional qualifications and skills. Among all the Soviet nations and nationalities, this rise being more rapid among formerly backward peoples. Prominent among the factors of internationalization is the progressive development of the nationalities’ cultural resources, while professional culture is being increasingly brought within the reach of the masses.The implementation of the nationalities policy promotes the all-round development of all Soviet nations and nationalities, their drawing together, the upsurge of the individual capabilities of every Soviet citizen.     

Artemia in the Salt Lakes of Russia:the Productivity of Populations,the Reserves of the Cysts and the Fisheries

正Artemia cysts are an extremely important component of aquaculture diets.It is well established that the cultivation of fish and shellfish derive substantial health and growth advantages when Artemia are included in the diets of the     

天山南坡科其喀尔冰川表碛区小气候特征研究

利用天山南坡科其喀尔冰川3号观测站2009年全年的气象观测资料,分析研究了科其喀尔冰川表碛区的小气候特征. 结果表明：总辐射和净辐射夏秋季较高、冬春季较低;反射辐射和地表反照率反之. 与其他地区不同,该区主要受积雪物理性质和下垫面状况的影响,冬春季地表反照率日变化表现为由大到小的变化过程,夏秋季表现为倒U型. 温度年变化表现为夏秋季高、冬春季低,最高月均值出现在8月,为9.4℃,最低月均值出现在1月,为-9.6℃. 受山谷风和冰川风的影响,全年的风向以西北风和西北偏西风为主,风向的日变化以11：00为界发生转向. 受降水和冰川消融等的影响,比湿夏秋季月均值较大,冬春季月均值较小.     

Climate: Is the past the key to the future?

 The climate of the Holocene is not well suited to be the baseline for the climate of the planet. It is an interglacial, a state typical of only 10% of the past few million years. It is a time of relative sea-level stability after a rapid 130-m rise from the lowstand during the last glacial maximum. Physical geologic processes are operating at unusual rates and much of the geochemical system is not in a steady state. During most of the Phanerozoic there have been no continental ice sheets on the earth, and the planet’s meridional temperature gradient has been much less than it is presently. Major factors influencing climate are insolation, greenhouse gases, paleogeography, and vegetation; the first two are discussed in this paper. Changes in the earth’s orbital parameters affect the amount of radiation received from the sun at different latitudes over the course of the year. During the last climate cycle, the waxing and waning of the northern hemisphere continental ice sheets closely followed the changes in summer insolation at the latitude of the northern hemisphere polar circle. The overall intensity of insolation in the northern hemisphere is governed by the precession of the earth’s axis of rotation, and the precession and ellipticity of the earth’s orbit. At the polar circle a meridional minimum of summer insolation becomes alternately more and less pronounced as the obliquity of the earth’s axis of rotation changes. Feedback processes amplify the insolation signal. Greenhouse gases (H₂O, CO₂, CH₄, CFCs) modulate the insolation-driven climate. The atmospheric content of CO₂ during the last glacial maximum was approximately 30% less than during the present interglacial. A variety of possible causes for this change have been postulated. The present burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and cement manufacture since the beginning of the industrial revolution have added CO₂ to the atmosphere when its content due to glacial-interglacial variation was already at a maximum. Anthropogenic activity has increased the CO₂ content of the atmosphere to 130% of its previous Holocene level, probably higher than at any time during the past few million years. During the Late Cretaceous the atmospheric CO₂ content was probably about four times that of the present, the level to which it may rise at the end of the next century. The results of a Campanian (80 Ma) climate simulation suggest that the positive feedback between CO₂ and another important greenhouse gas, H₂O, raised the earth’s temperature to a level where latent heat transport became much more significant than it is presently, and operated efficiently at all latitudes. Atmospheric high- and low-pressure systems were as much the result of variations in the vapor content of the air as of temperature differences. In our present state of knowledge, future climate change is unpredictable because by adding CO₂ to the atmosphere we are forcing the climate toward a “greenhouse” mode when it is accustomed to moving between the glacial–interglacial “icehouse” states that reflect the waxing and waning of ice sheets. At the same time we are replacing freely transpiring C3 plants with water-conserving C4 plants, producing a global vegetation complex that has no past analog. The past climates of the earth cannot be used as a direct guide to what may occur in the future. To understand what may happen in the future we must learn about the first principles of physics and chemistry related to the earth’s system. The fundamental mechanisms of the climate system are best explored in simulations of the earth’s ancient extreme climates. Received: 7 November 1996/Accepted: 23 January 1997