Lithology and conditions of the formation of Paleozoic rocks in northern areas of the Scythian Plate

The Paleozoic sequence recovered during the prospecting for oil and gas in different areas of the Scythian Plate is composed of terrigenous rocks (sandstones, siltstones, silty pelites, mudstones, shales, and phyllites) of different stages of alteration varying from late catagenesis to initial metamorphism. Their investigation allowed us to refine the sedimentation environment during different Carboniferous and Permian epochs at the southern margin of the East European Craton.     

New data on sedimentation and pedogenesis in the Selenga Midland (western Transbaikalia) during Late Glacial and Holocene

The investigation of soil-sedimentary sequences formed in different erosional and depositional environments in the central part of the Selenga Midland (western Transbaikalia region) during Late Glacial and Holocene made it possible to reveal nine periods of activation of exogenic processes and sedimentation and eight stages of intense pedogenesis, to define the specific features of these pedogenesis and sedimentation epochs, and to assess their duration. The data on the intensity of sedimentation and its influence on pedogenesis is demonstrated. Asynchronous development of exogenic processes and pedogenesis related to the landscapeâ “climate heterogeneity of the Selenga Midland have been revealed. The latter is reflected in more distinct epochs of intense exogenic processes in more arid southern areas of the midland and more durable periods of pedogenesis in humid climatic environments of its central part.     

The structure and mechanisms of the formation of coastal terrigenous rocks in Permian epicontinental basins of northern Russia

Structure and mechanisms of the formation of coastal paragenetic associations are widespread in the Permian terrigenous sequences of northern Russia. They are examined using the Kungurian-Ufimian rocks of northeastern Pai-Khoi as an example. Analysis of bed successions in the 620-m-thick section interval made it possible to distinguish 37 cyclothems, each being the result of execution of one transgression-regression sedimentation cycle. Based on the results obtained, the structural-genetic characteristics of bed successions of two types are given. The first type is represented by the Liur-Yaga ideal cyclothem related to landscapes of open coasts, which exist in both transgression and regression phases of sedimentation. The second type is represented by the Tab-Yu ideal cyclothem related to the formation of lagoon-bar systems in the regression phase of the sedimentation cycle and their destruction during transgressions. In the Pechora and Taimyr basins, bed successions of the two types were revealed in similar (with respect to composition and structure) Permian formations of different ages. It is likely that the proposed models are universal enough to be applicable for studying the terrigenous epicontinental rocks of humid zones irrespective of their age.     

川西凹陷地区更新统砾石层沉积成因探讨

笔者通过野外地质调查和相关资料,从宏观形态和沉积特征多方面对川西凹陷地区的更新统砾石层的成因进行综合分析.发现各时期更新统砾石层平面上均呈扇状,具多级阶地.各砾石层的岩性结构柱、基本层序、砾石的组构特征均表现为河流相冲洪积成因.并通过ESR和孢粉、充填序列和地貌标志探讨了区内各更新统砾石层的沉积时代、古气候特征.综合研究表明区内存在4套不同特征的更新统砾石层,它们不仅在空间位置上存在密切联系,而且在沉积特征和形成时代上也具继承性.沉积环境均为温暖潮湿热环境下,出龙门山的古青衣江在盆地中不同时期、不同位置的沉积响应.并反演古青衣江水系在前陆盆地中不同时期的迁移及变化规律.     

Specific features of early-middle carboniferous sedimentation in the southern part of the east european platform

The work discusses peculiarities of sedimentation during the onset and middle phase of the postrift subsidence in the southern part of the East European Platform corresponding to the Early and Middle Carboniferous epochs, which were marked by an accumulation of the most contrasting (in lithology and formation setting) sediments: coals and radiolaria-bearing domanikoid rocks. These are the early-middle Visean (Early Carboniferous) and late Bashkirian-early Moscovian (Middle Carboniferous) epochs. It should be noted that precisely these epochs were marked by a substantial renewal in faunal and floral communities, which also resulted from the new phase of the postrift subsidence. Radiolaria-bearing domanikoid facies were formed in the marine basin with normal salinity. The reconstruction of sedimentation settings indicates that shallow-water sediments (algal limestones) of the inner shelf were separated from deep-sea domanikoid facies of the outer shelf and, probably, continental slope by a chain of bioherms with an apron of organogenic-detrital limestones or spiculebearing facies.     

Origin of Pleistocene outwash plains in various topographic settings, southern Poland

The style of Pleistocene outwash sedimentation in the foreland of the central European Mountains (the Carpathians and Sudetes) was controlled to a large extent by the topography. The deposits of three outwash plains formed in various morphological situations in front of the Upper Odra Lobe during the Odranian glaciation (older Saalian) are described here to show the conditions of their development and to reveal the relation between outwash plain sedimentology and proglacial topography. One outwash plain was formed between the mountain front and the ice-sheet margin, which advanced into the zone of fore-mountain alluvial fans. This outwash, deposited parallel to the ice margin, was under the considerable influence of extraglacial rivers flowing from the mountains. The second outwash was deposited in a small valley dipping away from the ice sheet and successively buried by glaciofluvial sediments. It evolved from a narrow valley sandur to an unconfined outwash plain. The third one was formed in a relatively broad, dammed valley dipping towards the ice sheet, where proglacial lake base level controlled the pattern of outwash channels as well as the character of the sedimentation. The studied outwash plains have different sedimentary successions. Their sedimentary profiles differ from each other even in the neighbouring valleys, indicating that distinct depositional conditions existed at the same time in closely spaced areas. It is suggested that the glaciomarginal deposition was controlled mostly by the orientation of the valleys and the inter-valley areas relative to the ice-sheet front. Size and morphology of valleys and interfluves were also important. Depending on their orientation, the outwash plains were fed by meltwaters in various ways; the dip of their surfaces was markedly different and the dynamics of the proglacial river systems were diverse.     

Late Pleistocene and Holocene small- and large-mammal faunas from the Northern Urals

Data from the mammal fauna of the North Urals during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene are synthesised. Analysis of differentiation the degree of small- and large-mammal faunas during this time has been undertaken. Only differences of mammal species composition were significant between the Late Pleistocene and Holocene complexes, and within these complexes, the distinction between faunas was insignificant. The transition from the Late Pleistocene to the Holocene complex small-mammal faunas occurred in the Middle Late Valdai due to expansion of the forest species. In large-mammal faunas, the process was recorded later (in Dryas 3-Early Holocene) because of the extinction of some species and others that changed their areas of occupation.     

江西九江中更新世红土物质来源研究

华南地区广泛分布中更新世红土。目前, 对其物质来源尚有争议。九江红土剖面的沉积时代已得到很好限定, 同时由于其沉积连续、地层出露较好, 是开展中更新世红土物质来源研究的理想剖面。通过对九江中更新世红土2件碎屑锆石样品的分析, 共获得177颗谐和锆石U-Pb年龄, 主要峰值集中在新元古代(816 Ma、801 Ma和991 Ma)、古元古代(2019 Ma、2022 Ma和2481 Ma)和新太古代(2502 Ma), 并具有不显著的中生代峰值(135 Ma)。将其与潜在远源和近源物源区的锆石U-Pb年龄组成进行对比, 结果发现中国北方戈壁、沙漠和黄土高原、塔里木盆地、华北平原并不是九江中更新世红土的主要源区。庐山北麓早更新世发育的洪积扇为九江中更新世红土发育提供了充足物质。九江中更新世红土和九江晚更新世黄土的碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄组成存在明显差别, 后者主要来自长江河漫滩的碎屑物质。不同的气候条件主导了九江地区红土和黄土的发育, 二者都受控于青藏高原构造隆升产生的环境变化。     

轨道调谐建立西宁厚层黄土堆积时间标尺的探索

青藏高原东北部西宁-互助地区堆积的厚层黄土是认识高原第四纪环境演化和气候变化的重要信息载体。对西宁泮子山厚层黄土钻孔（181.7m）进行了间隔5cm的采样,在实验室测量了全部样品的粒度,以粒度和北半球高纬太阳辐射数据为材料,选择古地磁年龄作为独立年代控制点,采用改进的自动轨道调谐方法,建立了西宁黄土早更新世以来天文轨道调谐的时间标尺。调谐后的粒度时间序列与ETP曲线在轨道周期上高度相关,在一定程度上证明了轨道调谐方法建立西宁厚层黄土堆积年代标尺的可行性。泮子山厚层黄土的沉积速率在1.0Ma前后发生了明显变化,1.0Ma以来沉积速率的相对高值可能反映了粉尘源区的干旱化程度增强,也指示了亚洲中部和青藏高原干旱环境的急剧发展。西宁厚层黄土年代标尺的建立,对深入认识晚新生代亚洲干旱气候发展过程和青藏高原的环境演化具有积极意义。     

大连骆驼山地点真枝角鹿的新材料及其意义

2013年以来在辽宁大连骆驼山金远洞堆积(39°23'59.01"N,121°41'20.28"E)进行的系统发掘出土了大量的哺乳动物化石。最近从偶蹄类化石中鉴定出泥河湾期动物群的典型成员布氏真枝角鹿(Eucladoceros boulei)的头骨等材料。金远洞标本角柄粗短,角柄在额骨上向上、外侧方向生长,角枝长而弯曲;头骨额部宽而平,上颌骨高;颊齿齿冠高度中等偏低,上前臼齿舌侧主尖具釉质褶,P2和P3具明显的内中凹,上臼齿具内附尖(底柱),p4没有臼齿化迹象,下臼齿无古鹿褶,但具下外附尖(底柱)。布氏真枝角鹿的产出层位集中在下更新统,因此是早更新世动物群的代表。布氏真枝角鹿以前主要见于华北,向南可达安徽。大连金远洞标本的发现说明这个种的地理分布范围可以到达东北,但从整体看仍是北方动物群的成员。布氏真枝角鹿与欧洲维拉方期的真枝角鹿在形态上有一定的相似性,说明在早更新世期间欧亚大陆的东西两侧存在过动物群的交流。布氏真枝角鹿高度偏低的齿冠指示其食嫩叶的食性,说明在早更新世期间大连金远洞一带很可能存在一定范围的阔叶林环境。     

Source rocks in sedimentary basins of continental margins in the early paleozoic

During the Paleozoic, epochs with the relatively cold climate alternated with epochs marked by significant warming. Moreover, cooling epochs were characterized by the substantial sea level fall, while warming was accompanied by its rapid rise. In many basins located at margins of Laurentia, Baltica, and the North China continental block, such an alternation is reflected in the structure of sedimentary sequences and the lateral/vertical distribution of reservoirs, confining beds, and source rocks. Despite the fact that sediments with high concentrations of sapropelic OM accumulated in different periods, their distribution areas on continents and their margins became highly reduced during cold epochs, when these sediments filled mostly rift troughs and foreland basins. After the colonization of land by higher plant communities in the Carboniferous and Permian sediments deposited during cold epochs, the humic material became an important constituent of OM in the source rock sequences.     

Sedimentary filling characteristics of the South China Sea oceanic basin,with links to tectonic activity during and after seafloor spreading

ABSTRACT

Based on approximately 11,000 km of seismic reflection data collected across the South China Sea oceanic basin, we describe the sedimentary filling characteristics of the basin since its Oligocene opening, as well as connections between this history and contemporaneous regional tectonic events. The seismic lines are spaced ~50 km apart, and the data are tied to International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 349 drilling data. Basin filling occurred in three phases, with basin-wide mean sedimentation rates increasing through time. During the Oligocene to middle Miocene, sediments accumulated primarily in the northern East and Northwest Sub-basins, with a mean basin-wide sedimentation rate of 8 m/m.y. The presence of these deposits over deep basement floor indicates that seafloor spreading initiated in these northern regions. During the late Miocene, deposition occurred primarily in the Northwest Sub-basin and partly in the southern East Sub-basin, with a mean basin-wide sedimentation rate of 30 m/m.y. Basin filling during this time seems to have been linked to slip reversal of the Red River Fault and collision of the North Palawan Block with the Luzon Arc. During the Pliocene and Pleistocene, sediments accumulated rapidly in the northeastern and southern East Sub-basin and the Southwest Sub-basin. The mean basin-wide sedimentation rate was 70 m/m.y. Basin filling during this phase seems to have been associated with the Taiwan and North Palawan collisions, SCS subduction along the Manila Trench, and Tibetan Plateau uplift. Gravity flow deposits predominate throughout the basin fill.     

西藏阿里阿伊拉日居山脉第四纪冰川作用

在西藏阿里阿伊拉日居山脉南北两麓及切割山脉的各沟谷中,分布着4套早更新世以来的冰川沉积物。根据这些冰川沉积物的地层层序和冰川沉积物的电子自旋共振(ESR)年龄测定结果,将阿伊拉日居山脉南北两麓所发生的4次早更新世以来的冰川作用,分别命名为札达冰期(1161-952 ka BP)、阿伊拉日居冰期(762-730 ka BP)、学朗冰期(336-211 ka BP)和弄穷冰期(105-15 ka BP),并与青藏高原及其他地区冰期进行了对比。各次冰期的冰川性质分别为大型山岳冰川、冰帽、山麓冰川和中小型山谷冰川。全新世时期,现代冰川有过冰川推进。近期冰川则发生了明显的后退。     

Evaluation of Karst Hazards for Civil and Industrial Buildings

The European part of Russia exhibits highly developed sulphate and carbonate karst. It mostly occurs within river valleys with relatively thin covering deposits. These conditions may induce karst collapses, which appear to be the main danger for civil and industrial buildings. Evolution of karst rocks includes several epochs of karst development, which causes complicated distribution of karst caves in karst rocks and, as the result, irregular distribution of karst caves on the surface. Karst hazards prediction is mostly reliable within the geotechnical system "Karst-Construction", using probability methods. This approach allows creating 3 types of antikarst protection (alternative design of construction arrangement on a plan, structural protection of a construction and plugging of karst caves beneath construction foundation) and selecting the optimum or the most effective version or their rational combination.     

New geological and paleontological data on Alba Guyot (Magellan Seamounts, Pacific Ocean)

New materials obtained in the Pacific during cruises of the R/V Gelendzhik carried out by the State Scientific Center Yuzhmorgeologiya in 2000–2001 make it possible to specify the geologic and geomorphologic structure of Alba Guyot and clarify lithological and paleontological characteristics of lithotectonic rock complexes ranging from the Early Cretaceous to Pleistocene in age. Based on macro-and microfossils from sedimentary rocks several “transgressive” phases are distinguished in the guyot development: Cenomanian-Turonian, late Campanian-Maastrichtian, late Paleocene-middle Eocene, and Late Cenozoic. Finds of Paleogene molluscan and coral remains, together with planktonic foraminifers, imply relatively shallow sedimentation settings on Alba Guyot during the early Paleocene.     

华北地台部分麻粒岩地体及包体的地球化学特征对比

华北地台麻粒岩包体（汉诺坝）与麻粒岩地体（西望山、蔓菁沟）存在明显的岩石地球化学特征差异，麻粒岩包体总体成分偏基性，麻粒岩地体总体成分偏长英质。形成时间、空间及构造背景的不同是造成成分差异的重要因素。汉诺坝麻粒岩包体是在拉线环境下玄武质岩浆底侵下地壳后结晶分异过程中堆晶作用的结果，其主、微量元素成分受控于辉石和斜长石堆晶的相对比例；下地壳物质的混染作用不是造成麻粒岩包体Nb、Ta、Th、U亏损的惟一因素，底侵的玄武质岩浆可能发生了含钛矿物相的结晶分离，造成了汉诺坝麻粒岩包体Nb、Ta亏损，而下地壳的麻粒岩相变质作用则使Th、U发生亏损。麻粒岩地体存在两种不同性质的微量元素组成，反映了两种不同构造环境的并置，是构造挤压抬升的结晶。     

天津南部平原区3.6 Ma以来沉积环境演化——以沧县隆起ZKQ1孔为例

沧县隆起是渤海湾盆地的重要构造单元之一,对该区地层长尺度的沉积环境演化分析可为盆地演化、水工环地质勘查以及区域古地理研究等提供基础资料。本文通过对沧县隆起上的ZKQ1孔岩芯详细的沉积特征研究和综合测井、测年（AMS¹⁴C、OSL、古地磁）等研究工作,结果表明：①B/M界线位于62.80 m;M/G界线位于130.60 m;钻孔底界年龄不早于3.6 Ma;上更新统、全新统底界分别位于50.30 m、13.10 m。②沧县隆起3.6 Ma以来的沉积环境演化为晚上新世（<3.6—2.58 Ma）由泛滥平原→湖相三角洲→曲流河演变;早更新世以泛滥平原为主,夹湖沼和分支河道;中更新世存在沉积间断;晚更新世—全新世表现为三期河海交互作用沉积演化时期。     

Late Quaternary Calcareous Nannofossils from the Offshore Sediments in southern Hongkong

Based upon the features of nannofossil composition, distribution, abundance and diversity, the fossil-bearing sediments exposed by five drill holes in the offshore area of southern Hongkong can be divided into the upper Middle Pleistocene, the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene. There were two palaeoclimatic stages in the Holocene in this area according to fossil palaeoecologic and sedimentation analyses: the temperature-rising stage and the warm stage. The latter involves two temperature-falling periods, which could be the major factor causing sea-level fall during that time.     

Origin of friable sediments of the Barents Sea shelf

The origin of friable sediments blanketing the Barents Sea shelf is considered. It is shown that their characteristic seismoacoustic record patterns reflect low degree of diagenetic transformations and indicates continuous sedimentation. According to traditional views, this single sedimentary complex also includes diamicton, and the section is interpreted as a three-unit structure: diamicton, which is considered a till; the overlying friable sediments accumulated under different conditions of deglaciation in glaciomarine settings; and the postglacial marine sediments. It is demonstrated that such views are inconsistent with geomorphologic features (datings by physical methods included) indicating a prolonged hiatus that separates epochs of the diamicton accumulation and formation of friable sediments. The analysis revealed that the composition, vertical succession, and lateral distribution of different lithological types of friable sediments are related to the regular spatiotemporal replacements of different facies settings in the transgressing Arctic sea rather than by the glacial process. This inference is confirmed by the composition of foraminiferal assemblages.     

Sedimentary facies and depositional history of the Swan Islands,Honduras

Swan Island is a Honduran possession in the western Caribbean, located on the southeastern side of the Cayman Trench. Two sedimentary assemblages are found on the island: an older bedded sequence of mid-Tertiary age (Aquitanian or Burdigalian) and a younger sedimentary sequence of Late Pleistocene age. The older sequence is composed of a series of calcarenites, calcilutites, and siliciclastic mudstones; capping these are cliff-forming reefal carbonates of the younger sequence.The rocks of the older bedded sequence accumulated in deep water. Sedimentation consisted of a constant rain of pyroclastic debris interrupted by the episodic introduction of upslope carbonate material by turbidity currents. Uplift and deformation of this sequence was initiated sometime after the Early Miocene. By the Late Pleistocene, uplift had brought the rocks into water depths conducive to coral growth. Pleistocene sedimentation on the island was controlled by the interaction between tectonic uplift and eustatic sea-level changes. The primary controlling force on the tectonic history of the island is its proximity to the boundary between the North American and Caribbean plates.