Geological investigation and optical dating of Quaternary siliciclastic sediments near Apalachicola,North‐west Florida,USA

Ground penetrating radar and single‐aliquot regenerative‐dose optically stimulated luminescence were used to determine the depositional environments and age of unconsolidated siliciclastic sediments near Apalachicola, Florida. Five direct‐push cores, five vibracores and 28 optically stimulated luminescence samples were collected, as well as 7 km of ground penetrating radar data. A new model of cosmic dose rate calculation, which removes the effect of a much younger aeolian cap, was utilized to calculate more representative optically stimulated luminescence ages. Five radar facies were identified based on reflector amplitude and orientation. The resulting data indicate that the Tertiary/Quaternary Shelly Sediments were deposited before marine isotope stage 6, the Quaternary Alluvium was deposited during marine isotope stage 6 and the Quaternary Beach Ridge and Dune was deposited during the marine isotope stage 5e sea‐level highstand, which peaked at approximately 2·5 m above present sea‐level in this area.     

Petrographic and Geochemical Constraints on the Provenance of Sanidine‐Bearing Temper in Ceramic Potsherds,Four Corners Region,Southwest USA

Previous researchers proposed that trachybasalt temper with “poikilitic” sanidine, found in pottery from the Mesa Verde region of the American Southwest, was procured along the eastern Chuska Mountains. This served as one line of evidence that Chaco Canyon was a regional trade center linked to the Chuska Mountains in the ninth to thirteenth centuries. Recent geologic studies, however, revealed other potential sources for the trachybasalt temper. A comparison of petrographic features and geochemical signatures of poikilitic sanidine in rock samples and potsherds shows no definitive correlation of temper materials and a specific geologic source. Several outcrops of trachybasalt are identified as less viable prospects, but the results do not support the idea that the sanidine‐rich temper was exclusively gathered in the Chuska Mountains. This conclusion opens up the possibility that raw materials were gathered from local sources that were more accessible, reducing the dependence on a regional trade center.     

A New Non‐Pterodactyloid Pterosaur from Qinglong County,Hebei Province of China

A new basal non-pterodactyloid pterosaur, Changchengopterus pani gen. et sp. nov., is erected, on the basis of a nearly complete postcranial skeleton. The new taxon is distinguished by relatively short extensions of the prezygapophyses, postzygapophyses and haemal arches of the caudal vertebrae; a humerus that has a subtriangular deltopectoral crest; limb elements that decrease in length in the following order: ulna> wing-phalange 2 > wing-phalange 3 = wing-phalange 1>humerus >tibia>femur>wing-metacarpal. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Changchengopterus is a basal member of rhamphorhynchoids, and more closely related to Dorygnathus than to other rhamphorhychoids. The geological age of the Changchengopterus -bearing sediments is no latter than the end of the Late Jurassic and it is possible Middle Jurassic.     

Coastal Dynamics and Pre‐Columbian Human Occupation in Horseshoe Cove on the Northern Gulf Coast of Florida,USA

Site‐specific paleoenvironmental reconstructions are necessary to isolate environmental factors from social forces that influence shifting human practices in the coastal environment. This interdisciplinary study included the collection and analysis of marine and freshwater pond sediment cores and terrestrial sediment samples along with archaeological excavations at three directly associated pre‐Columbian sites in Horseshoe Cove on the northern Gulf Coast of Florida. This research shows a strong correlation between environmental change, the timing of initial occupation, and the morphological characteristics chosen for settlement by the pre‐Columbian residents of this area. Specific attributes sought for new settlements included elevated landforms in protected areas away from the immediate shoreline, access to fresh water from nearby spring‐fed ponds or tidal creeks, and easy access to marine resources via tidal creeks. The result of this study can be useful as a model for locating and identifying archaeological sites in similar environmental settings.     

Lacustrine records of post‐glacial environmental change from the Nulhegan Basin,Vermont, USA

The sedimentary records of Nulhegan Pond and Beecher Pond in the Nulhegan Basin of north‐eastern Vermont were analyzed to yield a history of environmental change since the latest Pleistocene. Shoreline landforms indicate that part of the Nulhegan Basin was inundated by Glacial Lake Nulhegan (GLN), which was impounded behind a dam of glacial sediment. Outwash derived from stagnant ice forms the bottom 176 cm of the Nulhegan Pond core. Fine‐grained inorganic sediment deposited between 13.4 and 12.2k cal a BP is interpreted as a deep‐water facies representing GLN, while coarser sediment from 12.2 to 11.8k cal a BP records draining of the glacial lake. Rapid, simultaneous increases in organic matter and biogenic silica signal the onset of productivity following the Younger Dryas. Beecher Pond formed c. 11.3k cal a BP through surface collapse over a buried ice block; buried stagnant ice may have persisted in the vicinity of the pond into the early Holocene. From 8.9 to 5.5k cal a BP, sediment in both lakes became coarser and richer in aquatic organic matter, suggesting a low‐water phase in which previously deposited lacustrine sediments were reworked and the littoral zone shifted basinward. Low water levels at this time are consistent with other records from Maine and southern Quebec, but contrary to records from ～325 km to the south. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trace‐element analysis of native copper: The view from Northern Minnesota,USA

Native copper, both finished artifacts and worked pieces, are relatively common in pre‐Contact sites of northeastern Minnesota. Fifteen artifact samples and seven sources of native copper were submitted for trace‐element analysis as a test of the procedures developed by G. Rapp, Jr. and colleagues (2000). Although the specific sources chosen had high typicality probabilities, very low posterior probabilities preclude confidence that the artifacts were accurately sourced. Potential problems include incomplete characterization of several sources, as well as the limited number of sources in the database. Of more interest than identification of specific sources is the selection of apparent source pairs. Michipicoten (eastern Lake Superior) and Isle Royale (western Lake Superior) are often chosen together; Weyerhauser Mine (Wisconsin) and the Champion Mine (Keewenaw Peninsula) may form another pair. Future research should concentrate on identifying patterns of sources in the region rather than focusing on specific mines. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Geomorphology of carbonate platform‐marginal uppermost slopes: Insights from a Holocene analogue,Little Bahama Bank,Bahamas

As the product of a variety of sediment sources and sedimentation (and re‐sedimentation) and erosion processes, the geomorphology and sedimentology of carbonate slopes are highly variable. The purpose of this study is to describe sub‐bottom profiles and side‐scan sonar, multibeam and optical data acquired by an autonomous underwater vehicle to explore variability in geomorphological and sedimentological character of the present‐day platform‐marginal, uppermost slope environments (< 240 m water depth) on the north, open‐ocean facing flank of Little Bahama Bank, Bahamas. Although at time scales of greater than 100 ka this margin is progradational, the data illustrate a complex juxtaposition of erosional and depositional processes and features. Erosion is evidenced by two prominent escarpments (70 m and 120 m) that expose eroded, bedded rocky outcrops. These escarpments are interpreted to represent relict features, related to past sea‐level positions, although they still may be shedding debris. Aside from erosional remnants, sedimentation and active transport is indicated by several features, including active bedforms (especially above the 70 m escarpment, but ripples occur to depths of ca 200 m), several mass transport complexes that overlie and cover the lower escarpment, gravity flow deposits and rare slump features. Similarly, a thick (up to 20 m) onlapping sediment wedge, interpreted to be Holocene in age, suggests lateral accretion of the slope by more than 75 m in this period. Data illustrate that this open‐ocean margin is distinct from windward margins in the Bahamas, which typically include near‐vertical walls of erosion or bypass, flanked downdip by rubble and talus, and leeward margins, which have onlapping muddy wedges, but that lack marked terraces or escarpments. Collectively, the results provide perspectives into the nature and controls on complex geomorphological patterns of erosion and deposition in Holocene uppermost slope systems, concepts potentially applicable to ancient analogues.     

遵义市2009/2010年秋冬春连旱事实及形成原因初析

2009年秋季到2010年初春,遵义市出现了特大干旱,对农业、林业、人畜饮水、水利电力等方面造成严重的危害和巨大的损失。详细分析干旱期间的气象要素,从秋季9月到初春3月的总降水量不足常年同期平均值的一半,并与历史上的秋冬干旱年份进行了比较,发现本次干旱期间遵义市大部分地方降水量等多项气象要素突破历史最少记录,因此认为2...     

Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Compositions of Calcite and Rhodochrosite from Geothermal Exploratory Drills TH‐4 and TH‐6 near the Toyoha Deposit,Hokkaido, Japan

We studied calcite and rhodochrosite from exploratory drill cores (TH‐4 and TH‐6) near the Toyoha deposit, southwestern Hokkaido, Japan, from the aspect of stable isotope geochemistry, together with measuring the homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions. The alteration observed in the drill cores is classified into four zones: ore mineralized zone, mixed‐layer minerals zone, kaolin minerals zone, and propylitic zone. Calcite is widespread in all the zones except for the kaolin minerals zone. The occurrence of rhodochrosite is restricted in the ore mineralized zone associated with Fe, Mn‐rich chlorite and sulfides, the mineral assemblage of which is basically equivalent to that in the Toyoha veins. The measured δ¹⁸O_SMOW and δ¹³C_PDB values of calcite scatter in the relatively narrow ranges from ?2 to 5‰ and from ?9 to ?5‰, respectively; those of rhodochrosite from 3 to 9‰ and from ?9 to ?5‰, excluding some data with large deviations. The variation of the isotopic compositions with temperature and depth could be explained by a mixing process between a heated surface meteoric water (100°C δ¹⁸O =?12‰, δ¹³C =?10‰) and a deep high temperature water (300°C, δ¹⁸O =?5‰, δ¹³C =?4‰). Boiling was less effective in isotopic fractionation than that of mixing. The plots of δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C indicate that the carbonates precipitated from H₂CO₃‐dominated fluids under the conditions of pH = 6–7 and T = 200–300°C. The sequential precipitation from calcite to rhodochrosite in a vein brought about the disequilibrium isotopic fractionation between the two minerals. The hydrothermal fluids circulated during the precipitation of carbonates in TH‐4 and TH‐6 are similar in origin to the ore‐forming fluids pertaining to the formation of veins in the Toyoha deposit.     

Basin‐scale predictive models of alluvial architecture: Constraints from the Palaeocene–Eocene,Bighorn Basin,Wyoming, USA

Basin‐scale models are required to interpret ancient continental sedimentary successions, and reduce uncertainty in assessing geological resources in basins. Recently, modern studies show distributive fluvial systems to comprise a substantial proportion of modern sedimentary basins, but their role in ancient basin fills has yet to be quantitatively documented at the basin scale. This study analysed key fluvial characteristics to construct a detailed basin‐wide model of the Palaeogene Fort Union and Willwood formations (Bighorn Basin, Wyoming), using observations from modern studies, and ancient system scale studies of distributive fluvial systems, to guide interpretations. Mapping showed these formations to be highly heterogeneous with channel‐body proportion (from 12 to 81%) and geometry types (large amalgamated bodies to isolated channels), grain size (silt to conglomerate), average channel‐body thickness (4 to 20 m) and average storey thickness (3 to 10 m) varying significantly across the basin. Distributive fluvial systems in the form of alluvial and fluvial fans in transverse configurations were recognized as well as a wide axial system, with heterogeneity in the formations being closely aligned to these interpretations. Furthermore, numerous individual depositional systems were identified within the formations (Beartooth Absaroka, Washakie, Owl Creek and axial). Predicted downstream distributive fluvial system trends (i.e. downstream decrease in channel proportion, size and grain size) were identified in the Beartooth, Absaroka and Owl Creek systems. However, predicted trends were not identified in the Washakie system where intrabasinal thrusting disturbed the sequence. Importantly, a wide axial fluvial system was identified, where reverse downstream distributive fluvial system trends were present, interpreted to be the result of the input of transverse systems of variable size. This study provides a new level of detail in the application of basin‐scale models, demonstrating their usefulness in trying to understand and predict alluvial architecture distribution and heterogeneity, with important implications for economic resources and palaeogeographic reconstructions.     

Millennial‐scale fire and vegetation history from a mesic hardwood forest of southeastern Wisconsin,USA

High‐resolution charcoal analysis of lake sediment cores was used to reconstruct the fire history from two sites in a mesic hardwood forest of south‐eastern Wisconsin located in the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Pollen data from the region indicate that the sites, which lie within 5 km of each other, have had a consistent presence of mesic hardwood forest for the last 6500 years. A pollen record from one of the sites confirmed the regional vegetation history and the charcoal analysis indicated that fire frequency at each site was temporally linked to regional drought. Periods of high fire occurrence occurred in connection with a region‐wide drought 4200 years ago and, over the last 2000 years, shorter‐scale regional droughts were centred at 1800, 1650, 1100, 1000, 800, 700 and 600 cal a BP. The fire histories indicate that the last 1000 years have had lower fire frequencies than the previous 6500 years and suggest that the mesic hardwood forests may be resilient to increases in fire that may result from future climate change. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Two successive phases of ultrahigh temperature metamorphism in Rogaland,S. Norway: Evidence from Y‐in‐monazite thermometry

In Rogaland, South Norway, a polycyclic granulite facies metamorphic domain surrounds the late‐Sveconorwegian anorthosite–mangerite–charnockite (AMC) plutonic complex. Integrated petrology, phase equilibria modelling, monazite microchemistry, Y‐in‐monazite thermometry, and monazite U–Th–Pb geochronology in eight samples, distributed across the apparent metamorphic field gradient, imply a sequence of two successive phases of ultrahigh temperature (UHT) metamorphism in the time window between 1,050 and 910 Ma. A first long‐lived metamorphic cycle (M1) between 1,045 ± 8 and 992 ± 11 Ma is recorded by monazite in all samples. This cycle is interpreted to represent prograde clockwise P–T path involving melt production in fertile protoliths and culminating in UHT conditions of ~6 kbar and 920°C. Y‐in‐monazite thermometry, in a residual garnet‐absent sapphirine–orthopyroxene granulite, provides critical evidence for average temperature of 931 and 917°C between 1,029 ± 9 and 1,006 ± 8 Ma. Metamorphism peaked after c. 20 Ma of crustal melting and melt extraction, probably supported by a protracted asthenospheric heat source following lithospheric mantle delamination. Between 990 and 940 Ma, slow conductive cooling to 750–800°C is characterized by monazite reactivity as opposed to silicate metastability. A second incursion (M2) to UHT conditions of ~3.5–5 kbar and 900–950°C, is recorded by Y‐rich monazite at 930 ± 6 Ma in an orthopyroxene–cordierite–hercynite gneiss and by an osumilite gneiss. This M2 metamorphism, typified by osumilite paragenesis, is related to the intrusion of the AMC plutonic complex at 931 ± 2 Ma. Thermal preconditioning of the crust during the first UHT metamorphism may explain the width of the aureole of contact metamorphism c. 75 Ma later, and also the rarity of osumilite‐bearing assemblages in general.     

2009/2010年我国西南秋冬春连旱特征及其大气环流异常分析

利用中国逐日站点降水资料、逐日季风监测指数及逐日副热带高压指数、74项环流指数及NCEP/NCAR再分析资料, 分析了2009年秋季至2010年春季的秋冬春西南特大干旱过程中各指数及大气环流异常特征.结果表明: 自2009年10月底东亚冬季风建立以来, 至2010年春季, 东亚冬季风强度持续偏强, 加之西太平洋副热带高压较常年偏西偏南, 西南地区长期受副高控制, 气温持续偏高, 加之冷空气虽然总体偏强, 但主要控制我国北方地区, 造成冷暖空气在西南地区少有交汇, 致使降水偏少, 干旱发生发展. 印缅槽强度较常年偏弱, 来自印度洋、孟加拉湾以及南海的水汽条件不足, 向西南地区输送的来自南海和孟加拉湾两条水汽通道的水汽通量均较常年偏弱很多, 加之西南地区、特别是云南地区自2009年秋季以来, 长期处于下沉运动的正距平区, 造成这段时间西南地区干旱少雨, 旱情持续. 2009年9月El Niño事件全面爆发, 南海-西太平洋地区形成异常反气旋流场, 该反气旋流场较常年偏西偏南, 造成副高位置偏西偏南, 从而使得云贵高原及其周边的印度季风区的降雨量明显偏少;高原地区及南海、菲律宾附近及热带辐合带地区OLR异常对西太平洋副热带高压的变化有一定影响, 进而影响西南地区降水, 其内在机制还有待深入研究.     

A record of Lateglacial/Holocene environmental change from a high‐elevation site in the Intermountain West,USA

Records of past vegetation and fire history can be complicated by changes in the depositional environment of a sampling location. However, these changes can alternatively be used as a measure of climate variability. Our study site, ca. 18.0 cal. ka BP record from Little Brooklyn Lake, Wyoming, located near the crest of the Snowy Range, records three moisture states. Initially, the lake was likely a glacier‐fed pond indicated by the presence of Pediastrum algae colonies. Around 13.0 cal. ka BP this pond transitioned to a meadow environment, suggested by the loss of Pediastrum algae colonies and slow sedimentation rates. Meadow conditions were maintained until ca. 5.0 cal. ka BP when Pediastrum algae colony abundance increased,indicating the formation of a shallow lake. From 18.0 to ca. 5.0 cal. ka BP, the pollen record is suggestive of alpine vegetation conditions with relatively high spruce and herbaceous taxa. Low charcoal influx also characterizes the period between 18.0 and 5.0 cal. ka BP. After 5.0 cal. ka BP, the coincidence of the formation of shallow lake and pollen data, indicating a shift to a spruce and fir forest, suggests an increase in effective moisture. Fire remained rare in this basin over the entire record, however, once the lake established sedimentation rates and charcoal influx increased. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An Unusual, Three-Dimensionally Preserved, Large Hadrosauriform Pes Track from “Mid”-Cretaceous Jiaguan Formation of Chongqing, China

Three-dimensional tracks provide unique insights into the locomotor mechanics of their track makers. An isolated, large hadrosauriform print attributable to Caririchnium lotus from the “mid”-Cretaceous Lotus track site (Jiaguan Formation) in China permits reconstruction of the footfall, weight-bearing, and kick-off phases of the step cycle. Large-scale modifications of the pes during the step cycle indicate C. lotus trackmakers were capable of locomotory modifications in response to substrate consistency beyond the “expected” shift between bipedal and quadrupedal postures. An unusual curvature to the trace of one of the outer digits indicates substantial transverse mobility. The remaining digits demonstrate lesser degrees of transverse movement accompanied by extension of the digits during footfall. The absence of overprinted scale-scratch marks and toe drags are consistent with a vertical kick-off of the pes and concomitant flexion of the digits. This track suggests that pedal mobility in C. lotus track makers was greater than previously suspected and has implications for reconstructions of hadrosauriform locomotion.     

Guano core evidence of palaeoenvironmental change and Woodland Indian inhabitance in Fern Cave,Alabama, USA,from the mid‐Holocene to present

Bat guano cores have been used as a source of palaeoenvironmental information to aid in the reconstruction of past climates and vegetation. We collected a 104‐cm‐long (43 cm compacted) guano core from Fern Cave, Alabama, USA, that provided a c. 6000‐year record of guano accumulation. Pollen, nutrients (C, N, P) and stable isotopes (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) were measured on the guano core with the objective of reconstructing the environmental history of the area from the mid‐Holocene to present. Our data indicate that bats have utilized Fern Cave for at least 6000 years and that Woodland Indians also utilized the cave for a short period. A 3‐cm charcoal layer was dated to 2720±30 cal. a BP and inferred to be Woodland Indian in origin from microscopic inspection and thickness. Pollen and geochemical data showed that bat diets changed in the late Holocene possibly linked to food supply and climate changes. These results demonstrate that guano cores are a useful tool of palaeoenvironmental reconstruction when other forms of palaeorecords do not exist and can add to local archaeological information.     

Single‐Grain Luminescence Dating of Sediment Surrounding a Possible Late Pleistocene Artifact from the Wenas Creek Mammoth Site,Pacific Northwest,USA

Excavations at the Wenas Creek Mammoth Site yielded mammoth, bison, and two possible artifacts in a single colluvial stratum, with radiocarbon bone dates ∼17 ka. Eight infrared‐stimulated luminescence (IRSL) samples were collected to establish general ages of site strata, returning multi‐grain estimates consistent with stratigraphic integrity and the radiocarbon dates. Four additional IRSL samples were collected to estimate the depositional age of one artifact found in place. These produced a pooled total of 94 single‐grain estimates from near the artifact, 80% averaging 16.8 ± 0.9 ka, and 20% averaging 5.1 ± 0.5 ka. These results could be interpreted to demonstrate pre‐Clovis age artifact deposition consistent with the bone dates, or a mid to late Holocene intrusion into older deposits, possibly by bioturbation. The single‐grain IRSL dates do not provide proof of pre‐Clovis presence beyond reasonable doubt at this site, but do show that this technique is valuable in assessing the stratigraphic integrity needed for any such claim.     

Final Closure Time of the Paleo‐Asian Ocean: Implication from the Provenance Transformation from the Yangjiagou Formation to Lujiatun Formation in the Jiutai Area,NE China

The Jiutai area is tectonically situated at the eastern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB) and is close to the North China Craton(NCC) to the south, serving as an ideal place to investigations of the closure of the PaleoAsian Ocean(PAO). Sandstone samples collected from the Yangjiagou Formation and the Lujiatun Formation in this area have been studied in detail in terms of petrology, geochronology and geochemistry. The maximum depositional time of the Yangjiagou and Lujiatun formations has been constrained to early Middle Triassic(ca. 245 Ma) and middle Late Triassic(ca. 219 Ma), respectively. The Yangjiagou Formation, with a major provenance of dissected island arcs, is dominantly composed of Phanerozoic sediments from Northeastern China(NE China) massifs. The Lujiatun Formation, with major sediments from active continental margins, has a relatively larger proportion of Precambrian sediments, in which the ～1.85 Ga and ～2.5 Ga sediments are typical of the crystalline basements of the NCC and NE China massifs, which were uplifted and eroded during the closure of the PAO. Besides, both formations show the enrichment in LREEs and the depletion in HREEs, the common Eu negative anomalies, and trace element contents similar to that of the upper continental crust. Based on the provenance analysis of these two formations, the final closure time of the PAO in this area is constrained as from the early Middle Triassic(ca. 245 Ma) to the middle Late Triassic(ca. 219 Ma).     

A 15 000‐year record of climate change in northern New Mexico,USA, inferred from isotopic and elemental contents of bog sediments

Elemental (C, N, Pb) and isotopic (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) measurements of cored sediment from a small bog in northern New Mexico reveal changes in climate during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Abrupt increases in Pb concentration and δ¹³C values ca. 14 420 cal. YBP indicate significant runoff to the shallow lake that existed at that time. Weathering and transport of local volcanic rocks resulted in the delivery of Pb‐bearing minerals to the basin, while a ¹³C‐enriched terrestrial vegetation source increased the δ¹³C values of the sedimentary material. Wet conditions developed over a 300 a period and lasted for a few hundred years. The Younger Dryas period (ca. 12 700–11 500 cal. YBP) caused a reduction in terrestrial productivity reflected in decreasing C/N values, δ¹⁵N values consistently greater than 0‰ and low organic content. By contrast, aquatic productivity increased during the second half of this period, evidenced by increasing δ¹³C values at the time of highest abundance of algae. Dry conditions ca. 8 000–6 000 cal. YBP were characterised by low organic carbon content and high Pb concentrations, the latter suggesting enhanced erosion and aeolian transport of volcanic rock. The range in δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N and C/N values in the sedimentary record fall within the range of modern plants, except during the periods of runoff and drought. The sedimentary record provides evidence of natural climate variability in northern New Mexico, including short‐ (multi‐centennial) and long‐(millennial) term episodes during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.