Geochronology of Pliocene volcanism in the Dzhavakheti Highland (the Lesser Caucasus). Part 1: Western part of the Dzhavakheti Highland

Isotopic-geochronological study of the Pliocene magmatic activity in western part of the Dzhavakheti Highland (northwestern region of the Lesser Caucasus) is carried out. The results obtained imply that the Pliocene magmatic activity lasted in this part of the highland approximately 2 million years from 3.75 to 1.75–1.55 Ma. As is established, the studied volcanic rocks correspond in composition mostly to K-Na subalkaline and more abundant normal basalts. Time constraints of main phases in development of basic volcanism within the study region are figured out. We assume that individual pulses of silicic to moderately silicic volcanism presumably took place in the Dzhavakheti Highland about 3.2 and 2.5 Ma ago.     

山西榆社-太谷盆地上新世中晚期的植被与环境

山西中、东部的榆社、太谷盆地发育了良好的上新世河湖相地层，其丰富的植物、鱼类和哺乳类化石为我们提供了一个古植被和古环境研究的理想场所。根据榆社盆地磁笥年表以及化石组合特征，榆社、太谷盆地约为5．5MaBP以来的套沉积、榆社张村组与太谷小白组的沉积时代相当，大约形成于3．5－2．3MaBP。从大约4．4MaBP开始，较高含量的云杉、冷杉花粉显示研究区已有暗针叶林生长，从3．5MaBP开始，暗针叶林有了较大的发展，存在大面积的暗针叶林纯林。大致从上新世中期的4．4MaBP开始，气候已经开始变冷，并有较明显的干湿波动，蒿、藜为主的干草原大约从2．3MaBP开始繁盛，表明研究区转变为干冷气候。     

东营市东辛2-4井磁性地层划分对比研究

本文通过东辛2—4井岩心样品的古地磁学研究,整段岩心呈现以正极性为主的混合极性特征。自上而下划分的布容、松山、高斯和吉尔伯特极性时和布容极性时内清晰显示出的哥德堡和布莱克亚时的界限分别位于井深28.0m、161.0m、274.5m和452.0m。据黄河口南北5个钻孔磁性地层的划分对比,长江口、苏北盆地和东营地区,吉尔伯特、高斯和布容极性时的沉积速度较快,松山极性时较慢或近于缺失;黄河口以北至河北地区,高斯极性时地层不发育,吉尔伯特、松山和布容极性时则较厚,表明它们所处的构造单元、地质基础和沉积环境有较大的不同。     

中国海域的天然气水合物资源

天然气水合物是甲烷等天然气在高压、低温条件下形成的冰状固体物质。据估算,全球天然气水合物中碳的含量等于石油、煤等化石能源中碳含量的2倍。在人类面临化石能源即将枯竭的时候,各国科学家和政府都把目光投向这一未来能替代化石能源的新能源。新生代构造演化历史、沉积条件、沉积环境等显示,南海具有生成和蕴藏巨大天然气水合物资源的条件;南海海域的地震反射剖面多处显示存在BSR反射波;2007年已钻探见到水合物样品。东海冲绳海槽在第四纪的沉积速率高(10~40cm/ka),槽坡存在泥底辟构造和断裂活动,从上新世以来发生过两次构造运动,这些对天然气水合物的形成是十分有利的;因此,中国海域的天然水合物资源是十分丰富的,在不远的将来它可能成为新的替代能源。     

Anomalous geochemical provenance and weathering history of Plio-Pleistocene glaciomarine fjord strata, Bardin Bluffs Formation, East Antarctica

Major and trace element chemical analyses of the Plio‐Pleistocene Bardin Bluffs Formation, on the margin of a major ice‐stream of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, yield an anomalous chemically altered sediment composition. The Bardin Bluffs Formation of the Pagodroma Group is one of the key deposits on the Antarctic continent recording glaciomarine sedimentation under open marine fjord conditions as recently as the Plio‐Pleistocene. In modern fjords occupied by outlet glaciers of ice sheets, the composition of fine‐grained terrigenous sediments approaches that of unweathered rock types exposed upstream. In the Bardin Bluffs Formation, average abundances of stable elements (Ti, Al, Zr) approach average upper crustal compositions and the element ratios are consistent with sediments with a cratonic source, implying glacial dispersal from a large shield area through the Lambert Glacier drainage system. Interestingly, the chemical index of alteration (CIA) of these sediments has values similar to those of average shales formed under conditions of chemical weathering. The sediments are particularly depleted in silicate Ca, which has been observed elsewhere in glacial muds sourced from pre‐glacial saprolites. The anomalous chemistry of the Bardin Bluffs Formation can be explained by a sequence of events, involving chemical weathering prior to glacial expansion and erosion. The presence of a remnant 1·5 m deep late Neogene weathering profile at the base of the Bardin Bluffs sequence corroborates this conclusion. Supply of large quantities of chemically weathered materials to Antarctic marginal basins requires at least partial deglaciation of the continent and was previously regarded as uncharacteristic for late Neogene Antarctica.     

甘肃西峰6.2～2.4MaB.P.红粘土中孢粉记录及古植被演化

通过对甘肃西峰赵家川6.2～2.4MaB.P.红粘土地层的孢粉学研究,建立了3个孢粉组合带。孢粉组合特征显示该区在此阶段总体为干旱的草原环境,6.2～5.8MaB.P.为灌丛草原;5.8～4.2MaB.P.是稀疏森林草原,植被由大量中生性草本植物和少量喜湿性的乔木植物组成,反映当时气候相对湿润;4.2～2.4MaB.P.植被中旱生植物藜科和麻黄明显增多,反映典型草原-荒漠草原。分析认为研究区自6.2MaB.P.干旱草原环境的格局就已经形成。红粘土中孢粉记录的植被演化信息与青藏高原隆升有时代上的耦合性,也与北极冰盖的起源和演化历史有着密切的联系。     

洁居纳卓组:西藏措勤地区的上新统岩石地层单位

分布于措勤县城一带的一套地层在1：100万日喀则幅区调中校划属上新统乌郁群，由下部火山岩和上部沉积岩组成。在1：25万措勘县幅区调中，根据获得的同位素年龄值已将下部火山岩地层划归古新统的典中组，而上部的沉积地层中含圆笠虫等有孔虫化石应属下白垩统。在这一地区还新发现一套陆相碎屑地层，根据其岩性组合、ESR年龄值及区域地层对比，本文将其新命名为上新统洁居纳卓组。     

Plio-Pleistocene mammals from Mille-Logya,Ethiopia, and the post-Hadar faunal change

We describe the non-primate mammalian fauna from the late Pliocene to earliest Pleistocene deposits of Mille-Logya in the Lower Awash Valley, Ethiopia, dated to c. 2.9–2.4 Ma, and divided into three successive units: Gafura, Seraitu, and Uraitele. We identify 41 mammalian taxa (including rodents), the most diverse group being the Bovidae, with 17 taxa. While the Gafura assemblage still resembles those from the earlier Hadar Formation, the younger Seraitu assemblage documents a major turnover. While there is little change in the species present across this interval, the relative abundances of various taxa change dramatically, with suids being largely replaced by open-country bovids (Alcelaphini and Antilopini). We interpret this faunal change as reflective of an environmental shift, contemporaneous with the replacement of Australopithecus afarensis by Homo in the area.     

Late Miocene–early Pliocene planktonic foraminifer event-stratigraphy of the Bajo Segura basin: A complete record of the western Mediterranean

The Bajo Segura basin (eastern Betic Cordillera) has one of the most complete late Miocene–early Pliocene marine records of the western Mediterranean. An updated planktonic foraminifer zonal scheme based on recent astronomically tuned biozones is presented for this interval, documenting a complete succession of biostratigraphic markers, from biozone MMi9 (earliest Tortonian) to MPl3 (latest early Pliocene), of likely significance for regional-scale correlation throughout the Mediterranean. The findings reveal a series of intrazonal events (some unreported until now in the Mediterranean Neogene basin), including the particularly interesting two influxes of the Globorotalia miotumida group during the Tortonian. These biostratigraphic findings are the basis for a framework of the major allostratigraphic units in the basin based on planktonic foraminifer event-stratigraphy: synthems Tortonian I, Tortonian II, Tortonian-Messinian I, Messinian II, and Pliocene. In addition, the timing of the main tectono-sedimentary and palaeogeographic events throughout the basin's evolution has been further constrained. Our results suggest that, at least in the Bajo Segura basin, the late-Messinian barren interval (non-distinctive zone) can be considered an ecobiostratigraphic zone (cenozone) characterized by dwarf fauna of planktonic foraminifera. Consequently, the Bajo Segura composite section can be regarded as a biostratigraphic reference section for Neogene basins in the Betic Cordillera and hence also in the Western Mediterranean.     

河北平原廊固凹陷ACX03孔晚上新世以来地层与沉积*

基于河北平原廊固凹陷东北部ACX03孔(深300.0 m)浅部¹⁴C年龄和磁性地层,建立钻孔第四纪地层格架,依据ACX03孔岩心沉积物、测井曲线和微体古生物特征划分沉积层段并分析沉积环境。研究结果表明: ACX03孔B/M(布容/松山)、M/G(松山/高斯)极性界线分别位于83.8 m、220.2 m,孔底年龄约3.2 Ma,划分13个沉积层段。上新统(220.2~300.0 m)为河道、河漫滩夹湖泊沉积,下更新统(85.2~220.2 m)为河道、湖泊、河漫滩沉积,中更新统(61.5~85.2 m)为分支河道夹河漫滩及河间洼地—湖沼沉积,上更新统(23.2~61.5 m)为河漫滩、分支河道沉积,全新统(0~23.2 m)为泛滥平原、河曲—牛轭湖沉积。对比ACX03孔与邻近钻孔第四纪地层认为,河北平原廊坊—固安一带早更新世差异性沉降最强,之后一直到全新世越来越弱。