Concurrent Determination of U‐Pb Age and REE Mass Fractions of Zircon by High Mass Resolution SIMS

A combined geochronological and geochemical investigation for the same domain of zircon provides valuable information on timing and genesis, particularly in the case of multi‐growth metamorphic zircon. A high spatial resolution concurrent analytical method for zircon U‐Pb age and rare earth element content was successfully achieved in this study, using a multi‐collector secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) at a ~ 8 μm diameter scale. Special instrument parameters were employed, including a high mass resolution of approximately 15000 applied to replace the previous energy filter method, and a dynamic multi‐collector mode used to reduce the measurement time to 18 min per analysis. Six zircon reference materials yielded precise and accurate ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages, which are comparable to those obtained by the ordinary mono‐collector method, but with 2–3 times higher spatial resolution. All zircon grains measured in this study showed enriched heavy‐REE (HREE) contents consistent with previously reported values determined by LA and solution ICP‐MS methods. The light‐REE (LREE) mass fractions measured using both SIMS and LA‐ICP‐MS methods in this study, although with quite different volume, show consistent results within uncertainties.     

准噶尔盆地西北缘及玛湖凹陷沉积储集层研究进展*

准噶尔盆地西北缘玛湖凹陷中心区10×10⁸ t级砾岩大油区的发现,带动了该区沉积储集层研究的不断深入。作者梳理了准噶尔盆地西北缘及玛湖凹陷的沉积储集层研究现状和进展,认为准噶尔盆地西北缘及玛湖凹陷的沉积储集层研究的进展主要表现为: (1)提出了新的砂砾岩储集层岩石相和岩石学分析方法;(2)探索形成了新的沉积储集层地球物理测井和地震描述技术;(3)针对不同层系,在沉积物源、沉积相、沉积环境、沉积体系和沉积模式等方面取得大量新认识,建立了大型退覆式浅水缓坡扇三角洲沉积模式,指导油气勘探不断获得新突破;(4)在成岩作用理论指导下,所发现的储集层埋藏深度不断增加。研究表明,玛湖凹陷的沉积体系具有继承性: 从二叠纪到新近纪,发育了火山—碎屑岩沉积体系、细粒—蒸发盐沉积体系以及粗粒冲积扇、扇三角洲、辫状河三角洲等沉积体系,气候、构造和湖平面变化控制了沉积体系的形成和演化。沉积储集层研究为玛湖砾岩大油田的发现提供了有力的理论支持。未来应当加强针对古老层系和深部地层的沉积储集层研究工作,重视新理论新技术在西北缘和玛湖沉积储集层研究中的应用,已经形成的理论技术需要在勘探实践中接受进一步检验和完善。     

毛乌素沙区1961-2016年降水特征

基于毛乌素沙区10个气象站1961-2016年观测资料，应用Mann-Kendall方法和t检验法对各气象站年降水量进行了突变检验，借助小波分析讨论了各气象站年降水量的周期特征，根据降水量等值线划分结果对整个研究区分区分析了年、季、月和日尺度上的降水变化特征，并在两个时段上分析了季节性降水的差异。结果表明：毛乌素沙区年降水量空间特征差异明显，东部亚区呈上升趋势，中西部亚区呈下降趋势，但变化趋势不显著且无突变发生；降水年内分配不均，干湿季分明，降水集中在5-9月，夏秋季降水占全年降水比重大，季、月和日尺度降水量存在梯度递减变化；年降水量的年际变化过程存在多重时间尺度的自相似结构；近26年的冬春季降水增加显著，但降水波动幅度小于前30年。     

塔里木盆地苏盖特布拉克剖面寒武系第二统第三阶微生物岩结构类型*

塔里木盆地阿克苏地区寒武系第二统第三阶肖尔布拉克组主要由微生物白云岩组成,代表性的剖面在阿克苏市西南90 km处的苏盖特布拉克。由于成岩作用改造严重,对这套微生物碳酸盐岩的特征和形成环境的认识还存在很多分歧,制约了勘探工作。通过详细野外勘察和室内研究,将肖尔布拉克组微生物岩分为4种结构类型: 凝块结构、纹层结构、砂屑结构和骨架结构。首次对凝块结构和纹层结构进行了亚类型的划分,其中凝块结构可划分为蠕虫状、网状和斑点状3种亚类型,纹层结构可划分为致密纹层、短薄纹层、颗粒纹层以及单纹层、纹层组、复合纹层。肖Ⅰ段—肖Ⅲ段发育凝块石白云岩、凝块—层纹石白云岩和层纹石白云岩,肖Ⅳ段发育凝块石微生物丘,肖V段下部发育网状结构凝块石白云岩,肖V段上部发育砂屑白云岩和肾形菌骨架岩。白云石化作用、溶蚀作用、重结晶作用是改变肖尔布拉克组微生物岩结构最重要的成岩作用,且该组下部比上部遭受了更强的成岩作用改造;微生物岩结构对成岩作用改造的抵抗能力为: 砂屑结构>纹层结构>凝块结构。根据微生物岩结构,推测肖Ⅰ段—肖Ⅲ段形成于潮坪环境,肖Ⅳ段和肖V段下部形成于深水潮下环境,肖V段上部形成于浅水潮下环境。以上成果为认识塔里木盆地肖尔布拉克组微生物岩的平面分布规律和今后开展被成岩作用强烈改造的白云岩型微生物岩的研究提供了一个重要参考。     

Predicting quantiles of water quality from catchment characteristics

Water quality is often highly variable both in space and time, which poses challenges for modelling the more extreme concentrations. This study developed an alternative approach to predicting water quality quantiles at individual locations. We focused on river water quality data that were collected over 25 years, at 102 catchments across the State of Victoria, Australia. We analysed and modelled spatial patterns of the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles of the concentrations of sediments, nutrients and salt, with six common constituents: total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorus (TP), filterable reactive phosphorus (FRP), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), nitrate-nitrite (NO_x), and electrical conductivity (EC). To predict the spatial variation of each quantile for each constituent, we developed statistical regression models and exhaustively searched through 50 catchment characteristics to identify the best set of predictors for that quantile. The models predict the spatial variation in individual quantiles of TSS, TKN and EC well (66%–96% spatial variation explained), while those for TP, FRP and NO_x have lower performance (37%–73% spatial variation explained). The most common factors that influence the spatial variations of the different constituents and quantiles are: annual temperature, percentage of cropping land area in catchment and channel slope. The statistical models developed can be used to predict how low- and high-concentration quantiles change with landscape characteristics, and thus provide a useful tool for catchment managers to inform planning and policy making with changing climate and land use conditions.     

Complete nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence analyses of the black-footed abalone Haliotis iris

The black-footed abalone Haliotis iris is an economically important shellfish species in New Zealand. We successfully amplified, sequenced and analysed the complete nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) of H. iris. The length of the nrDNA was determined to be around 9.6?kb and included, in order, small subunit ribosomal RNA (nrSSU, 1858bp), internal transcribed spacer (ITS, 749?bp), large subunit ribosomal RNA (nrLSU, 3412bp) and an intergenic spacer (IGS, 3560–3662?bp). The nrLSU genes were identical in two individuals, whereas the nrSSU and ITS regions existed at three and four base differences, respectively. The IGS was more variable than the other nrDNA regions. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the ITS sequence datasets, which revealed that Haliotidae has two major subclades, mainly distributed in the North Pacific, Europe and Australia. The complete nrDNA sequence will be useful for the classification, phylogeny and breeding of this shellfish.     

三元插层材料的合成及其在聚丙烯老化中的应用

以FeCl3?6H2O、NiCl2?6H2O、MgCl2?6H2O为原料，以NaOH为沉淀剂采用水热法合成了镁镍铁水滑石 (MgNiFe-LDH)，通过X射线衍射 (XRD)、傅里叶变换红外光谱 (FTIR) 和扫描电镜 (SEM) 分析了MgNiFe-LDH结构及形貌，探讨了不同陈化时间和水热温度对MgNiFe-LDH合成的影响。将制得的MgNiFe-LDH添加至聚丙烯 (PP) 中，制备MgNiFe-LDH/PP复合材料，通过对材料的加速老化测其力学性能，研究了添加MgNiFe-LDH前后材料力学性能的差异。研究结果表明，当Mg2+:Ni2+:Fe3+=2:1:1，反应温度为140℃、陈化时间为24 h时，合成的MgNiFe-LDH为片状，形貌较为规整，颗粒粒径约为2μm；经加速老化后，填充MgNiFe-LDH 复合材料的抗老化性能优于纯PP，当MgNiFe-LDH的填充量为6 wt% 复合材料拉伸强度不变，可明显提高PP的抗老化性能。     

Finding KBO Flyby Targets for New Horizons

Development of the New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt is now fully funded by NASA (Stern and Spencer, this volume). If all goes well, New Horizons will be launched in January 2006, followed by a Jupiter gravity assist in 2007, with Pluto arrival expected in either 2015 or 2016, depending on the launch vehicle chosen. A backup launch date of early 2007, without a Jupiter flyby, would give a Pluto arrival in 2019 or 2020. In either case, a flyby of at least one Kuiper Belt object (KBO) is planned following the Pluto encounter, sometime before the spacecraft reaches a heliocentric distance of 50 AU, in 2021 or 2023 for the 2006 launch, and 2027 or 2029 for the 2007 launch. However, none of the almost 1000 currently-known KBOs will pass close enough to the spacecraft trajectory to be targeted by New Horizons, so the KBO flyby depends on finding a suitable target among the estimated 500,000 KBOs larger than 40 km in diameter. This paper discusses the issues involved in finding one or more KBO targets for New Horizons. The New Horizons team plans its own searches for mission KBOs but will welcome other U.S, or international team who wish to become involved in exchange for mission participation at the KBO.     

Three Super Active Regions in the Descending Phase of Solar Cycle 23

We analyze the magnetic configurations of three super active regions, NOAA 10484, 10486 and 10488, observed by the Huairou Multi-Channel Solar Telescope (MCST) from 2003 October 18 to November 4. Many energetic phenomena, such as flares (including a X-28 flare) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), occurred during this period. We think that strong shear and fast emergence of magnetic flux are the main causes of these events. The question is also of great interest why these dramatic eruptions occurred so close together in the descending phase of the solar cycle.     

ELECTROCHEMICAL CORROSION BEHAVIOR OF STEEL IN THE JUNCTURE AREA OF SEA CLAY AND SAND

Corrosion behavior of steel in the juncture area of sea clay and sand was studied. The results show that galvanic corrosion occurred between steel samples buried in sea clay and sand, and that the polarity of the galvanic cell reversed after some testing later. The cause of reversing of polarity is discussed.