Identification and quantification of mixed sources of oil spills based on distributions and isotope profiles of long-chain n-alkanes

Combined with quantitative determination of concentration and isotopic composition of petroleum hydrocarbons, weathering simulation experiments on artificially mixed oils and their two end-member oils are performed for identification and quantification of mixed sources. The >C₁₈n-alkanes show no appreciable losses during a short-term weathering process. An approach based on distribution of long-chain n-alkanes (>C₁₈) is suggested for estimating the contribution proportion of each source in mixed oils. Stable carbon isotope profile of individual n-alkanes is a powerful tool to differentiate sources of oil spills, but unavailable to accurately allocate each contribution due to a relatively large analytical error.     

Potential of in situ-produced cosmogenic nuclides for quantifying strength reduction of bedrock in soil-mantled hillslopes

This study presents a semi-empirical model for quantifying the reduction in the mechanical strength of bedrock beneath actively eroding soil-mantled hillslopes. The strength reduction of bedrock controls the rate of physical disintegration of saprolite, which supplies fresh minerals that are then exposed to intense chemical weathering in soil sections. To determine the values of parameters employed in the model requires knowledge of the denudation rate of the hillslope, the thickness of the soil and saprolite layers, the strength of fresh bedrock, and the threshold strength for physical erosion at the uppermost face of the saprolite. These parameters can be obtained from cosmogenic nuclide analyses for quartz samples from the soil–saprolite boundary and basic field- and laboratory-based investigations. Further testing of the model within a diverse range of climatic, tectonic, and lithologic environments is likely to provide clues to the mechanisms responsible for local and regional variations in the rates of soil production and chemical weathering upon hillslopes.     

Interaction of Tectonic and Surface Geological Processes

1. Introduction to surface processesThe shape or morphology of Earth's surface is basically the result of the interplay between two competing forces - mountain building and erosion. Tectonic forces, driven by thermal energy from Earth's interior, cause the rocks of the crust to be folded, faulted and uplifted into high plateaus and mountain belts. As soon as uplift begins, the processes of erosion, driven by gravity, start to wear away the rocks. Masses of weathered rock move downhill under t…     

砂岩碎屑组份变化对库车坳陷和南天山盆山演化的指示

为研究库车坳陷中-新生代物源变化与南天山构造演化的关系,对该坳陷中-新生界砂岩进行了系统取样,应用Dickinson砂岩分析方法详细研究了其沉积背景和物源变化。库车坳陷中-新生代沉积物源始终为再造山旋回带,自老到新砂岩中不稳定岩屑组份的含量有规律地变化:从三叠系到侏罗系,岩屑组份中沉积岩岩屑含量最高;白垩系中变质岩岩屑增多;新生界特别是新近系,碳酸盐岩岩屑所占的比例很大。岩屑组份的这种变化反映了天山地区隆升和剥蚀的一个历史过程。随着山脉隆升幅度和剥蚀强度的加大,古生界变质岩和碳酸盐岩逐步接受剥蚀,并在白垩纪以后成为盆地沉积物的主要物源。根据风化指数半定量计算的结果,结合前人古气候的研究成果,早-中三叠世该区沉积物风化程度低,推测此时地形高差较大;在晚三叠世至晚侏罗世该区风化程度较高,地形起伏较低;白垩纪是一个转折期,沉积物风化程度由强转变为弱,地形高差在该期也有所增大;古近纪延续了这种趋势。新近纪以后地形高差显著加大,沉积物风化程度明显降低,说明此时南天山的隆升速率和库车坳陷的沉积速率都很快,源区与沉积区的距离很近。     

Classification of rock weathering at writing-on-stone Provincial Park,Alberta, Canada: A study in applied geomorphology

At Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park in southern Alberta, Canada, weathering is causing deterioration and loss of archaeologically important Indian rock art. A procedure devised for the use of park personnel identified four classes of weathering ranging from largely unweathered rock to severely weathered. The technique employed simple visual, qualitative assessment and photo interpretation of 50 sample sections of sandstone cliff face covering a total area of 354 m². Schmidt hammer tests indicated large variations in rock strength and provided a numerical basis for the visual assessment. About 43 per cent of the cliffs are severely to completely weathered, 41 per cent show moderate weathering.     

海南岛第四纪玄武岩风化壳中次生矿物转变与时间的关系

本文采用X射线分析法,从分析风化壳中的次生矿物入手,研究了海南岛北部不同地质年龄的第四纪玄武岩风化壳中次生矿物增长数量与风化时间的关系。两者关系的回归方程为Y=4.1898 207.30t,其中Y为次生矿物的含量(g/cm~2),t为风化时间(Ma)。相关系数γ=0.9977。每0.01Ma次生矿物平均增长2.2164g/cm~2。     

河流稀土元素地球化学研究进展

河流系统中,稀土元素(REE)受区域地质背景、风化作用、溶液化学以及水与颗粒物相互作用等因素的影响发生分异。河流悬浮物显示轻稀土(LREE)适度富集;河水显示重稀土(HREE)富集,或在HREE富集的基础上又有适度的中稀土(MREE)富集;与其它微量元素相比,REE在河水与颗粒物之间有较小的分配系数(K≈10-6);河流沉积物多显示平坦的REE配分模式。     

Occurrence and mobility of major and trace elements in groundwater from pristine volcanic aquifers in Jeju Island,Korea

Major and trace elements in groundwater from basaltic aquifers in pristine conditions were investigated in a volcanic island to evaluate sources, sinks, and mobility of elements over a wide range of mineralization conditions with total dissolved solids from 50 mg/L to 3400 mg/L. Groundwater was highly undersaturated with respect to primary silicate minerals, indicating that dissolution of basaltic rocks may continue under conditions with precipitation of calcite and secondary silicates. Evolution of B/Cl ratio in groundwater from marine aerosols to basaltic rocks showed that the ratio could be used as a conservative tracer for interactions between water and basaltic rocks. Relative mobility (RM) of elements calculated using the concentrations of elements in the local basaltic rocks and those in groundwater showed that mobility decreased in the order of B > Rb > Na > K > Mg > Ca > Mo > V > Si > Sr > Sc > P > U > Zn > Pb > Cr > Cu > Ba > Ni > Ti > (Mn, Al, Fe, Co, Th) indicating that oxyanion-forming elements and alkali metals had the highest mobility. Compared to average RM, V had decreased mobility, and Fe and Mn had increased mobility in anoxic groundwater while V, Mo, and U had higher mobility in oxic-alkaline water. The sources of V, Cr, Cu, and Zn in rocks were estimated using the partition coefficients between minerals and basaltic melt, and the disparity between sources and mobility indicated that sinks are more important for controlling the concentrations of these elements in groundwater than the contents in the rocks. Principal component analysis (PCA) of hydrogeochemical parameters in groundwater produced three principal components (PC) which represent dissolution of basaltic rocks without significant attenuation of released solutes, higher degree of water–rock interactions resulting in oxic-alkaline conditions, and attenuation of Zn and Cu in higher pH, respectively. Spatial distribution of PCs revealed that groundwater with elevated concentrations of mobile elements was concentrated in the southwestern area and that concentrations of V and Cr were more scattered, which is likely to be controlled by pH and redox states of groundwater as well as degree of water–rock interactions.     

Geochemistry of organic-rich river waters in Amazonia: Insights on weathering processes of intertropical cratonic terrain

In this study, eight organic-rich rivers that flow through the Brazilian craton in the southwestern Amazon rainforest are investigated. This investigation is the first of its type in this area and focuses on the effects of lithology, long-term weathering, thick soils, forest cover and hydrological period on the dissolved load compositions in rivers draining cratonic terrain. The major dissolved ion concentrations, alkalinity (TAlk), SiO₂, trace element concentrations, and Sr isotope contents in the water were determined between April 2009 and January 2010. In addition, the isotopic values of oxygen and hydrogen were determined between 2011 and 2013. Overall, the river water is highly dilute and dominated by the major dissolved elements TAlk, SiO₂ and K⁺ and the major dissolved trace elements Al, Fe, Ba, Mn, P, Zn and Sr, which exhibit large temporal and spatial variability and are closely correlated with the silicatic bedrock and hydrology. Additionally, rainwater and recycled water vapor and the size of the basin contribute to the geochemistry of the waters. The total weathering flux estimated from our results is 2–4 t km⁻².yr⁻¹, which is one of the lowest fluxes in the world. The CO₂ consumption rate is approximately 21–61 10³ mol km⁻² yr⁻¹, which is higher than expected given the stability of the felsic to basic igneous and metamorphic to siliciclastic basement rocks and the thick tropical soil cover. Thus, weathering of the cratonic terrain under intertropical humid conditions is still an important consumer of CO₂.