Flexural deformation controls on Late Quaternary sediment dispersal in the Garo-Rajmahal Gap,NW Bengal Basin

Subsurface deformation is a driver for river path selection when deformation rates become comparable to the autogenic mobility rate of rivers. Here we combine geomorphology, soil and sediment facies analyses, and geophysical data of the Late Quaternary sediments of the central Garo-Rajmahal Gap in Northwest Bengal to link subsurface deformation with surface processes. We show variable sedimentation characteristics, from slow rates (<0.8 mm/year) in the Tista megafan at the foot of the Himalaya to nondeposition at the exposed surface of the Barind Tract to the south, enabling the development of mature soils. Combined subsidence in the Tista fan and uplift of the Barind Tract are consistent with a N-S flexural response of the Indian plate to loading of the Himalaya Mountains given a low value of elastic thickness (15–25 km). Provenance analysis based on bulk strontium concentration suggests a dispersal of sediment consistent with this flexural deformation—in particular the abandonment of the Barind Tract by a Pleistocene Brahmaputra River and the current extents of the Tista megafan lobes. Overall, these results highlight the control by deeply rooted deformation patterns on the routing of sediment by large rivers in foreland settings.     

Dissolution and depletion of ferromagnesian minerals from Holocene tephra layers in an acid bog,New Zealand,and implications for tephra correlation

This study examines the depletion of ferromagnesian silicate minerals from a sequence of thin, distal, mainly rhyolitic tephra layers of Holocene age preserved in an acid peat bog (Kopouatai), North Island, New Zealand. The rate of such depletion has been fast, as indicated by the complete loss of biotite from one tephra layer (Kaharoa Tephra), in which it is normally dominant, in only ca. 770 yr. Chemical dissolution is advocated as the likely cause for the depletion, with amphiboles and other mineral grains commonly showing etch pits, microcaves, and other characteristic surface solution features. Theoretical thermodynamic and kinetic models show a marked increase in the rate of dissolution of all ferromagnesian minerals under conditions of low pH (< 4), but that where silica concentrations in solution are high the relative proportions of minerals remaining are unaffected. However, where concentrations of dissolved silica are low, as in most bog environments, the relative proportions of ferromagnesian minerals are affected as well as absolute amounts being decreased. Amphiboles are depleted relative to pyroxenes, consistent with kinetic studies. The results show that the identification and correlation of tephras on the basis of relative abundances of ferromagnesian minerals alone may be unreliable, and emphasise the need to use multiple criteria in such studies.     

广西岩溶区金属硫化物矿床风化与元素表生迁移特征

对广西岩溶区三个铅锌硫化物矿床风化带观测结果表明，中低山岩溶区硫化物矿床具有更强烈的风化淋滤作用，但次生晕面积较小；岩溶平原区硫化物矿床风化与元素表生迁移特征较相似于非岩溶区的情况，表现在可产生较宽的ｐＨ偏低带和较大面积的次生晕     

Microbial release of potassium from K-bearing minerals by thermophilic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus

A strain of thermophilic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus was cultured with K-bearing minerals to determine if microbe-mineral interactions enhance the release of mineralic potassium. Experiments were carried out in two settings, one with the mineral grains and the fungal cells in direct contact, and the other employing a membrane (pore size 0.22 μm) to separate the two. Measurements over a period of 30 days showed that, irrespective of the experimental setup, the concentration of free K in the culture was drastically higher than those in any of the control experiments where no living organism was present. Moreover, the occurrence of mineral-cell physical contact enhanced potassium release by an additional factor of 3 to 4 in comparison to the separation experiments. For contact experiments, Electron Probe Microanalysis revealed the formation of mycelium-mineral aggregates, and Atomic Force Microscopy imaging further indicated the possible ingestion of mineral particles by the fungus cells. Contrasting to what was observed and expected in control experiments, the potassium solubilization rate showed a positive dependence upon pH when fungi and minerals were mixed directly, and exhibited no correlations with solution acidity if cell-rock contact was restrained. These results appear to suggest that A. fumigatus promoted potassium release by means of at least three likely routes, one through the complexation of soluble organic ligands, another appealing to the immobile biopolymers such as the insoluble components of secretion, and the third related to the mechanical forces in association with the direct physical contact between cells and mineral particles.     

An Attempt to Predict the Failure Time of Abandoned Mine Pillars

Summary  Left in place pillars of abandoned mines are subject to weathering (e.g action of water, bacteria) that degrades their mechanical strength and eventually leads to collapse. A simple weathering model is proposed, that is governed by two parameters: the rate of progression of weathered front and the rate of degradation of the compressive strength with time. Both plane strain and axisymmetric analyses are performed and closed form solutions of the variation with time of the bearing capacity of the pillar are given. Experimental data of the tests conducted on gypsum and anhydrite specimens attacked by water are presented. It is shown that in order to fit the experimental data a third parameter must be introduced. New closed form solutions are given and the data are used for estimating the time to failure of abandoned gypsum mines in Northern Italy. Authors’ address: Dr. Riccardo Castellanza, Research Assistant, Department of Structural Engineering, Milan University of Technology (Politecnico), Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy     

一株胶质芽胞杆菌对磷矿石风化作用的实验研究

以一株质芽孢杆菌为例研究实验条件下微生物对磷矿石的风化作用.以直接作用和间接作用的方式研究培养基中胶质芽孢杆菌对磷矿粉的风化作用,即在装有100目磷矿石粉的液体培养基中接种,研究该菌对磷矿石粉的直接风化作用;同时,将装有100目磷矿石粉的透析袋放入液体培养基中再接入该菌,研究其对磷矿石粉的间接风化作用.按不同时间取培养液上清液,过滤,用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱(ICP-OES)测定滤液中Ca2 、Mg2 、Na 、Mn2 、Al3 、Fe3 和K 等浓度,比色法测定水溶性P(Pws)和水溶性Si (Siws) 的含量;滤膜上的固体物称重并消解后,同上方法测定Ca2 、Mg2 、Na 、Mn2 、Al3 、Fe3 和K 等浓度以及Pws和Siws含量.此外,细菌风化作用后的矿物残渣用电子探针作表面微观形态分析和XRD矿物物相分析.结果表明:胶质芽孢杆菌对磷矿石粉风化的直接作用强度大于间接作用;对不同矿物的风化强度不同,对粘土矿物的风化作用较明显.提出细菌对磷矿石的风化作用源自细菌生长导致的机械破坏作用、胞外分泌物的生化降解作用以及多种因素之间的协同作用.     

南海西南部晚更新世以来元素地球化学特征的古环境意义

对南海西南部近湄公河三角洲中陆坡上的MD01-2392站样品进行的地球化学分析表明,该站的沉积物主要为湄公河带来的陆源碎屑,并且其物源四十万年来没有发生明显变化。分别用元素TiO2、CaO估算出沉积物中陆源碎屑的含量及CaCO3的含量,结果显示CaCO3在间冰期时高,而在冰期时低,表现出“大西洋旋回”的特征。陆源碎屑含量与CaCO3含量相反,显示出南海CaCO3旋回属于稀释旋回。元素的Ti标准化值表明,该站沉积物源区在冰期时化学风化弱,而在间冰期时相对较强,说明间冰期时物源区存在相对温暖湿润的气候环境。     

长江流域河水和悬浮物的锂同位素地球化学研究

深入理解流域侵蚀过程中的锂同位素分馏对于运用锂同位素来示踪化学循环和气候变化是十分必要的。研究集中在长江干流和主要支流的水体和悬浮物的锂及锂同位素组成。长江流域水体的锂及锂同位素组成（δ⁷Li）分别为150~4 570 nmol/L和+7.6‰~+28.1‰,两者沿上游至下游的变化趋势相反。悬浮物锂同位素组成（δ⁷Li）变化比较稳定,分别为41~92 μg/g和-4.7‰~+0.7‰,而且总是低于相应水体的锂同位素组成。悬浮物和流体之间的锂同位素分馏系数在0.977和0.992之间,与悬浮物的量及组成存在明显相关性,反映了粘土矿物的吸附和化学风化的程度。锂含量与锂同位素组成之间良好的负相关性表明流域水体的锂来自2个端元混合：其一可能是蒸发盐岩,并伴有深部热泉水;其二可能是硅酸岩。     

Effect of Bacillus mucilaginosus on weathering of phosphorite and a preliminary analysis of bacterial proteins

The authors investigated the effect of Bacillus mucilaginosus on weathering of phosphorite. Analysis of different proteins was of significance in exploring the molecular biological mechanism in the bacterial weathering process. The concrete methods are described as follows： Mineral powder was put into liquid culture medium and B. mucilaginosus was incubated in the medium. The control （group） had no mineral powder in the medium. The treatments and controls were cultured simultaneously under the same condition. In a few days, the supernatant was filtrated, the main cations （Ca^2＋, Mg^2＋, Na^＋, Mn^2＋, Al^3＋, Fe^3＋, K^＋） were measured by ICP-OES, and the contents of water soluble phosphorus （Pws） and silicon （Siws） were determined by colorimetry. The residual solid was weighed on the filter paper, followed by digestion with concentrated HNO3. The concentrations of the main cations and Pws, Siws in the digest liquid were measured by using the method mentioned above. After the supernatant was centrifuged, the precipitation was used to analyze the protein differences between the treatment groups and the control groups by 2-dimentional gel electrophoresis （2-DE）. The experimental results showed that apatite and quartz were partially weathered, but kaolinite was dissolved completely. The population of bacteria increased when mineral powder was added in the liquid medium. Software analysis and comparison of the 2-DE pictures of bacterial proteins revealed 1134 visible protein spots in the treatment group, and 729 visible protein spots in the control group. To compare the bacterial protein expression contents of the treatment group with those of the control group, there were 496 different protein spots, including 214 protein spots which indicated that the protein contents increased, 75 protein spots were indicative of a decrease, and 207 proteins were newly synthesized. It is proposed that the increased bacterial contents may be related to some protein expression and activation after the     

斜坡非饱和带低渗透岩石结构体风化前锋扩展过程

非饱和带低渗透岩石结构体风化前锋扩展是斜坡灾害孕育过程中的关键环节之一。到目前为止,化学风化领域的研究成果主要集中在高水-岩比的饱和环境下单矿物及矿物成分单一的碳酸盐岩的风化动力学方面,非饱和环境下的岩石风化研究还主要限于风化产物的特性描述方面。斜坡非饱和带低渗透岩石结构体风化前锋扩展是一种高度复杂的THMC过程。由于在溶解对象、溶解液及溶解过程的水动力-水化学环境等方面存在的显著差异,既有的地质材料风化动力学成果为探索这一复杂过程提供了理论储备,但还不能阐明其核心机理。斜坡非饱和带低渗透岩石结构体风化前锋的扩展过程研究不仅可以加深人们对斜坡灾害孕育的理解,为灾害预报-预警及其控制提供理论依据,同时可以促进岩石-岩体力学及浅表生水文地球化学等相关学科的交叉与发展。