Geochemical characteristics of sphagnum brown coal — A possible oil-generating precursor

A preliminary study of newly discovered sphagnum brown coal from the Jingsuo Basin, Yunnan Province, China, which is quite rich in montan wax, indicates the predominance of highern-alkane homologues and aromatized triterpenoid components. Aromatic hydrocarbons are composed mainly of pentacyclic and tetracyclic di-, tri- and tetra-aromatic components, which are obviously diagenetically related to higher plant-derived triterpenoids naturally occurring in the biosphere. Because the sphagnum brown coal still remains in the highly immature stage, it seems that the progressive diagenetic aromatization of the higher plant-derived triterpenoids may start at a very early stage.     

A study of234U/238U ratios in groundwaters of Taiyuan area,Shanxi Province

Uranium contents and²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratios have been determined on 29 water samples from the Taiyuan area, Shanxi Province. The results show that the same artesian aquifer has similar uranium contents and²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios, and the deeper aquifers have higher A. R. values but lower uranium contents. The A. R. values increase slightly towards groundwater flow in the artesian aquifers dominated by oxidizing ground waters. The Lancun Spring and the famous Jinci Spring belong to two different karst groundwater systems, i.e., the east and west karst groundwater systems. The recharge area of the Lancun Spring should cover the wide limestone outcrops of middle Ordovician in the northeast. The Ordovician fissure-karst ground water to the Jinci Spring is extensively mixed with fissure water in Carboniferous-Jurassic formations and seepage water from the Fenhe River.     

Sulphur-containing compounds in sulphur-rich crude oils from hypersaline lake sediments and their geochemical implications

Three sulphur-rich commercial crude oils have been studied, which contain sulphur as high as up to 4–12%. These samples were collected from Tertiary hypersaline lake sediments of the Jianghan Basin, Hubei Province at different depths, but above the oil generation threshold (2200m). FPD-GC and GC-MS data show that aromatic fractions of the crude oils are composed of different homologues of sulphur-containing compounds, including long-chain normal alkyl-thiophenes and-thiolanes, long-chain isoprenoid-thiophenes and -thiolanes, and benzothiophenes. It is worth noting that the distribution patterns of long-chain alkyl-thiophenes and -thiolanes from two shallow-seated crude oils are quite similar to those of normal alkanes showing marked even-odd predominance. It seems that the even-odd predominance of sulphur-containing compounds decreases with increasing burial depth of the crude oils. The major component of aliphatic fraction is phytane, and similarly the major peaks of aromatic fractions also represent C₂₀ isoprenoid thiophenes. Some preliminary conclusions have been drawn from the above discussion: (1) Abundant sulphur-containing compounds may be used as an indicator of low mature or immature crude oils produced from hypersaline lake sediments; (2) Sulphur-containing compounds are considered to be early diagenetic products of reactions between elemental sulphur or sulfides and alkanes or their precursors (phytols, fatty acids, alcohols, etc.), or of bacterial activities, but not direct inputs of organisms.     

Discovery of lipitobiolite in suqiao area—On the discrimination of coal-generated gases and oils and their prospects

Based on the fluorescence microscopic study, organic compositional analysis and simulating experiments on core samples and cuttings in the Suqiao area, it is found that the Carboniferous-Permian coal-bearing formations have substrata rich in spore, cuticle, resin and bark. These substrata have high potential for hydrocarbons, with S₁ + S₂ high up to about 200, high productivity of liquid hydrocarbons (73.5 mg / g or more) and natural gases (up to 194 ml / g). The substrata are thought to be an important source for natural gases and condensates found in this area. According to biomarker compounds and carbon and hydrogen isotope data from the Suqiao natural gas-condensate field, the coal and its simulating products, characteristics of coal-generated gases and oils from a special kind of coal and their correlation methods are discussed in the paper. In terms of the geochemical conditions of formation the distribution regularities of paralic coal rich in hydrogen, the commercial prospects of Carboniferous-Permian coal-generated oils have been evaluated as well.     

Stratigraphy,type and formation conditions of the late precambrian banded iron ores in south China

Based on research on the “Xinyu-type” Sinian iron deposits in Jiangxi Province and metamorphosed iron deposits in Jiangkou and Qidong of Hunan, Sanjiang and Yingyangguan of Guangxi, Longchuan of Guangdong and some other areas in Fujian, the authors have come to the following conclusions:

1. The metamorphosed late Precambrian iron ores widespread in south China may be roughly assigned to two ore belts, namely the Yiyang-Xinyu (Jiangxi)-Jiangkou(Hunan)-Sanjiang (Guangxi) ore belt or simply the north ore belt, and the Songzheng(Fujian)-Shicheng (Jiangxi)-Bailing (Longchuan of Guangdong)-Yingyangguan (Guangxi) ore belt or the south ore belt. Tectonically, the former lies along the southern margin of the “Jangnan Old Land”, while the latter along the northwestern border of the “Cathaysian Old Land”.
2. Iron deposits of this type occur exclusively in the same interglacial horizon of the Sinian Glaciation in south China. Above and below the ore bed there lie the glacial till-bearing volcanic-sedimentary layers.
3. Based on sedimentary features, the iron formations can be divided into four types: silica-iron-basalt formation, silica-iron-clastic rock formation, silica-iron-tuff formation and silica-iron-carbonate rock formation, which progressively grade into each other.
4. Iron ores were formed at the late stage of late Proterozoic rifting in neritic environments, with their distribution governed by the rift valleys on the margins of the “Jiangnan Old Land” and “Cathaysian Old Land”. Consequently, intense mafic volcanism as well as weathering and denudation of palaeocontinent during rifting provided material sources for the formation of iron deposits. Meanwhile, warm and humid stationary neritic environment during the south China great glacial period constitutes favorable palaeoclimatologic and palaeogeographic conditions for the deposition of iron ores.
5. The iron formations have undergone regional metamorphism of greenschist-amphibolite facies.

To sum up, the late Precambrian banded iron ores should be of metamorphosed volcano-sedimentary type.     

华北强震孕育的地震活动性

通过对华北第四活跃期高潮期强震发生前中小地震的时、空、强分布图象的研究,发现每次七级以上强震发生前区域地震活动都经历过一个类似的阶段性变化过程,我们称为强震孕育阶段过程。华北地震活动高潮期就是由若干个这样的孕震过程所组成。华北强震孕育过程都可以划分为三个不同的时期,即预备期(A期)、激进期(B期)、逼震期(C期)。这三个时期地震活动具有的特点和某些规律性反映了华北地下介质应力应变的变化过程与现有的破裂机制概念相一致。因此认为强震的孕育不仅取块于区域应力场的作用,而且与区域内中小地震活动的变化和进程密切相关,同时提出一个简单的孕震模式——“阻导模式”。     

北京地区地壳Q值随深度的分布特征

地震波在介质中的衰减,是介质的重要特性之一,而Q值则是衡量衰减特性的主要物理参数,称之谓介质的品质因子。根据文献[1]提出的方法,用北京台网记到的近震直达P波资料,测定北京地区的大量Q值表明:Q值与P、S波到时差(t_s—t_p)有关;(t_s—t_P)大,测得的Q值也大;(t_s—t_P)小,测得的Q值也小。这种现象在朱传镇、李兴才     

七十年代全球地面气温的初步研究(二)——七十年代全球地面气温的变率和主要变率中心影响的传播

本文计算分析了七十年代全球地面气温变率的时空变化特征。发现全球有三个最大的变率中心:欧亚大陆中部、南极洲和赤道中东太平洋。它们的位置和强度有一定的季节变化。这些区域的温度变化与全球温度的异常有密切的联系,除了直接向周围一定区域扩展外,它们可能以三种主要方式向其它地区传播:(1)纬向温度距平波;(2)经向温度距平波;(3)“经向温度通道”。 因此可以认为,这些地区是全球气候变化的灵敏点,并可能成为异常气候的源地。我国特别是东北地区的温度异常与最大变率中心的温度变化有相当密切的联系。 有意思的是,这三个最大变率中心都位于地球大气的主要热汇区,下垫面热力状况可能是它们形成的一个重要原因。     

A preliminary study on mineralogical and chemical compositions of some chondrites falling in China

Samples are available from 37 stony meteorites falling in China. Twenty-two chondrites are examined in terms of chemical and mineral compositions, cosmogenic nuclides, formation and exposure ages, impact effect and chondrule textures. On the basis of chemical-petrologic features these chondrites are classified asE ₄ (Qingzhen),H ₅ (Jilin, Changde, Shuangyang, Anlong, Xinyi and Yangjang),L ₆ (Renqiu, Junan, Heze, Rugao and Nei Monggol) andLL ₆ (Dongtai). E ₄ is characterized by high iron and sulfur, with the former occurring mainly as Fe^o and FeS. FromH ₅ throughH ₆ toLL ₆, iron and nickel decrease gradually while FeO and the ratio of Fe silicate to total iron increase gradually. indicating a general increase in the orderE-H-L-LL in the degree of oxidation at the time of formation. E ₄ consists mainly of enstatite and, to much less extent, free SiO₂ but olivine is hardly to be found. The olivine proportions amount to 29.07, 41.98 and 51.36 percent inH ₅,L ₆ andLL ₆ respectively, with Fa increasing from 17 to 27 percent. Recrystallization has been noticed to different degrees inH ₄,H ₅,L ₆ andLL ₆ chondrites. The extent to which the original structure disappears and the boundaries of chondrules become indistinct decreases from type 6 through type 5 to type 4, reflecting different degrees of thermal metamorphism. Major minerals in the meteorites all exhibit signs of low to medium shock metamorphism. Specific activity, depth effect and orbit effect are also measured on some chondrites that have fallen in recent years and some new information has been obtained with respect to the orbit and source region for meteorite parent bodies in space. This results show that the environment of formation ofE group may be nearer to Mars than that ofO group. Each chemical group of chondrites has its own evolutionary history, and chondritets of different chemical groups may have originated from parent bodies of different compositions. Or owing to the differentiation caused by thermal melamorphism, various kinds of meteorites may be derived from a common parent body. From this argument it is suggested that five stages may be recognized during the formation process of chondrites.     

Morphological peculiarities of synthesized diamonds and a preliminary discussion on the region for perfect diamond crystal growth

Crystal habit and morphological peculiarities of synthetic diamonds at various temperatures and pressures have been studied. A diagram has been proposed based on experimental data for different crystal morphologies with respect to differentT-P conditions. A preliminary discussion has been given to the growth field of perfect crystals and a principle is presented for the optimumT-P conditions for synthesis of perfect diamonds.