High-resolution shallow seismic identification of gas escape features in the sediments of Loch Tay, Scotland: tectonic and microbiological associations

High-resolution seismic reflection profiles (3·5 kHz) have revealed the presence of extensive interstitial gas accumulation within the sedimentary sequences of Loch Tay, Scotland, as identified by acoustic turbidity masking the seismic stratigraphy. Within the central section of the loch, in the deepest water area directly above the zone of the seismically active Loch Tay Fault, focused flows of gas through the sediment pile to the loch bed via chimneys and pockmarks, together with gas seeps within the water column, have been identified. Microbiological observations indicate that the gas is biogenic CH₄, produced by both chemoautotrophic (which use CO₂ as a source of carbon and H₂ as a source of energy) and aceticlastic species (which use acetate as a source of carbon and energy) of methanogens in the fine-grained, organic rich deposits that have been focused into the zone of accumulation in the deep central part of the loch. The spatial distribution of the gas escape features suggests that earthquake movements along the Loch Tay Fault are responsible for facilitating focused gas escape in this part of the loch, by the creation of new pathways and conduits through the sediment pile, along which gas can migrate upwards and exit into the water column. Relict pockmarks and associated chimneys identified in the seismic records indicate that gas escape has been taking place since Pleistocene times though the precise timings cannot be ascertained. This is the first time that such features have been reported from a lake in the UK.     

Rock fracturing by explosive energy: review of state-of-the-art

A study of the dynamic rock fracture initiation and propagation due to explosive energy is presented through a detailed state-of-the-art review. Explosive energy dissipation in crushing and fracturing is examined and the various means to enhance the explosive energy utilization for dynamic rock fracturing are reviewed. The study highlights the need for a better understanding of the dynamic fracturing process particularly in the presence of in situ stresses in the rock mass.     

延边地区中生代火山岩的岩浆源区:来自Sr-Nd同位素和深源捕虏体(晶)的证据

延边地区中侏罗世和早白垩世火山岩中包含有较多的辉石岩捕虏体和角闪石捕虏晶,前者为普通辉石变种,其化学成分类似于中国东部新生代玄武岩中单斜辉石巨晶的成分,具有岩浆堆积成因特征;后者为韭闪石和镁质绿钠闪石变种,其成分类似于中生代晚期玄武岩中角闪二辉石岩包体里的角闪石和新生代玄武岩中的角闪石巨晶.矿物温压计算结果显示,它们形成深度介于25～37km.延边地区中生代火山岩的(87Sr/86Sr)i值介于0.704 3～0.705 0,εNd(t)值介于2.33～4.71,表明岩浆源区应是一套具有亏损性质的新增生的地幔物质.综合上述结果,可以判定延边地区中生代火山岩的原始岩浆应来源于新增生的壳幔过渡带物质的部分熔融,地壳增生事件的时间为新元古代.     

云南中甸五村-移山晚三叠世沉积及盆地特征

五村-移山地区晚三叠世地层发育齐全，并在中咱地块边缘至甘孜-理塘结合带之间构成一个较为完整的沉积盆地。中甸、格咱和弥里淌三条平行控制性断裂将盆地由西向东依次横向分割成中咱微大陆五村台地边缘三角洲、哈工弧后断陷盆地、属都火山复理石盆地和尼汝弧前斜坡(盆地)。在上述4种构造-相区中沉积了各具特色的沉积物，具有不同基本层序结构、不同生物组合及沉积相特征。显示盆地经历下降-抬升-下降-抬升两个周期性演化过程。     

国道108线广元段公路桥梁裂缝病害及加固对策

国道108线广元段由于地质地貌条件复杂、重载作用及施工质量未能保证，桥梁裂缝病害较为普遍。文章简要介绍了沿线工程地质条件，按裂缝病害的成因将其分为3种类型：即桥台填土上部不密实引起的裂缝病害、桥台填土整体不密实引起的裂缝病害及地基土不均匀引起的裂缝病害。分别提出3种加固对策：即压浆、预应力对穿锚索锚梁及高压旋喷技术对上述病害进行治理。通过工程实例证明了这3种措施的有效性，为公路桥梁类似裂缝灾害提供了实践经验。这3种治理措施的优点为工艺简单、成本较低。但是桥梁病害的治理往往为隐蔽工程，施工难度较大、检测困难。对于压浆和高压旋喷加固工程，必须进行取芯检测，而预应力对穿锚索锚梁在施工过程中必须严格控制水平孔的倾斜度，保证施工质量。     

苏鲁超高压变质岩区深部流体He-Ar的系统关系：中国大陆科学钻探工程在线流体监测的解析

中国大陆科学钻探工程在线监测从泥浆中分离出的气体地球化学组成揭示了一段重要的气体异常,从2004年12月24日夜里开始到12月29日晚上结束。从12月10日到24日晚上11点30分的气体的Ar、He和N2基本上沿着趋势A分布,而12月26日早上7点半到29日晚上7点半的数据沿趋势C分布。相对于趋势A,趋势C中的气体含有相对升高的Ar,Ar/He和Ar/N2的平均值分别为3653和0.0142,明显高于空气的比值1800和0.0119。趋势A中的气体的Ar/He和Ar/N2比值分别围绕1851和0.0118变化,其中的Ar/He比值稍微高于空气的比值,但Ar/N2比值近似于空气比值,表明背景地下流体含非常低的Ar,而He和N2主要是大气组分。在趋势A和趋势C之间的数据(时间段B)具有和空气接近的Ar/N2比值,但平均Ar/He比值为3265,明显高于空气比值,反映了该段气体具有相对亏损的He。苏鲁-大别山地区的热年代学研究已经表明云母和角闪石的Ar/Ar的冷却年龄大大地高于磷灰石或锆石的He的冷却年龄,说明Ar在超高压变质地体折返早期就已封闭,而He一直保持开放状态,直到超高压变质岩接近地表。这种Ar和He对温度变化的不同反应,导致大部分的He在超高压岩石折返过程中脱气并释放到空气中,Ar则相对圈闭在固体岩石或封闭的断裂带中。在He-Ar的系统关系上,表现为来自于超高压岩石或断裂带中的流体具有富集Ar、亏损He及升高的Ar/He比值。气体组分从趋势A向趋势C的骤然跳跃,反映了地下流体组分的强烈变化,即具有相对富集Ar的深部流体的贡献大大增强。     

羌塘盆地那底岗日地区中侏罗世层序地层与碳、氧、锶同位素响应

羌塘盆地那底岗日地区中侏罗世沉积了一套稳定的滨浅海相碳酸盐岩与碎屑岩地层,通过层序地层研究划分出五个三级层序。对其中四个层序内碳酸盐岩碳、氧、锶稳定同位素测试分析得出,不同层序、层序界面及层序内不同体系域的δ13 C、δ180、N(87Sr/86Sr)值均有明显的差异,并具规律性变化,整体上反映出研究区中侏罗世发生了多次海平面升降变化和气候、构造活动的演变,为层序地层研究提供了定量的地质地球化学依据。     

Problems with argon: K-Ar ages in Gulf Coast shales

K-Ar ages of Gulf Coast shales do not correspond to diagenetic ‘events’, but are a combination of inherited detrital ages and authigenic overprints. The key to understanding K-Ar ages of shales is the fate of the ⁴⁰Ar when the host minerals dissolve or react during the illitisation reaction: is ⁴⁰Ar incorporated within the illite, or is it lost to the porewaters? Ages are modelled as due to a single illitisation reaction, assuming a uniform precursor sediment and open-system import of K. Both whole-rock and clay mineral fraction data can be reproduced by modelling. The ⁴⁰Ar incorporated into illite is a surprisingly high proportion (75-100%) of that produced within detrital phases (smectite, K-feldspar, mica), perhaps implying that the illitisation reaction is a solid-state transformation, or that ⁴⁰Ar is imported into the shales along with incoming K. The model does not provide a good fit to the data below 4000 m, when the illitisation reaction is apparently complete, but shales lose ⁴⁰Ar by solid-state diffusion or recrystallisation.     

Streams in the Harz National Parks (Germany) — a hydrochemical and hydrobiological evaluation

Between 1995 and 2001, 16 measuring points at small and medium sized brooks in the Harz National Parks were sampled. The samples have been evaluated by means of hydrochemistry and macroinvertebrate biology. Although nearly all streams are largely uncontaminated by oxygen-consuming substances, they are settled only by a small number of macroinvertebrate species. There is a clear correlation between this number and pH. The reduction in species number with decrease of pH is mainly caused by the absence of most Ephemeroptera, some Coleoptera and Trichoptera. Comparing biological evaluation of acidity with physico-chemical measurements, a unacceptable underestimation was found. The reason could be that different sensitivities to acidification between regional populations seem to exist.

Despite of the low species number, there is a very specific macroinvertebrate fauna that emphasizes the conservation value of the Harz National Parks.