The Lagoon of Venice： geological setting,evolution and land subsidence

The paper deals with the geological setting, history and subsidence of the Venetian Plain. Major attention is paid to the Pleistocene-Holocene stratigraphic sequence in the Lagoon of Venice, in relation to its origin that datesback to 6-7 kyr BP. Geological land subsidence, which played an important role in the origin and the evolution of the lagoon, and anthropogenic subsidence, that has recently assumed a major importance for the Venetian environment, are discussed. Considering also the sealevel rise, 23 cm loss in land elevation has occurred in the last century, leading to increased flooding events and environmental problems that require protective works.     

Forebulge dynamics and environmental control in Western Amazonia: The case study of the Arch of Iquitos (Peru)

The Iquitos Arch corresponds to a broad topographic high in the Western Amazonia. Morphostructural and geophysical data and flexural modeling show that the Iquitos Arch is the present-day forebulge of the Northwestern Amazonian foreland basin. A detailed tectono-sedimentary study of the Neogene and Quaternary deposits of the Iquitos area has been carried out in order to circumscribe the timing of the forebulge uplift and its environmental consequences. The Neogene and Quaternary sedimentary succession of the Iquitos Arch consists of six formations that evolved from tidal to fluvial environments. The first three formations exhibit Late Miocene gliding features and synsedimentary normal faults. Such soft-sediment deformations bear witness to tectonic activity ascribed to the growth of the forebulge. Regional erosive surfaces that separate the Neogene and Quaternary formations recorded the progressive forebulge emersion and the evolution of Amazonian drainage system. This uplift is related to an increase in tectonic activity within the Andes, which has provoked the eastern propagation of the orogenic wedge and caused an orogenic loading stage in the Amazonian foreland basin system. The emersion of the forebulge induced the retreat of the Pebas “marine megalake” nearby the Iquitos area and consequently caused important environmental changes in the Amazonian basin. From the end of the Late Miocene to the Pliocene, the forebulge acted as a barrier inducing the deposition of fluvial deposits in the forebulge depozone and the deposition of the “White Sand” deposits in the backbulge depozone. Since about 6 Ma, the forebulge is incised and crossed over by the modern Amazon River. The Iquitos forebulge is still growing as shown by the faulted Holocene terrace deposits.     

陕西洛川黄土的粒度分维值及其意义

对陕西洛川剖面１５８０个黄土样品的粒度数据分析表明,黄土的基本粒级,即在２－５０μｍ的标度范围内,粒度分布具有分形特征。黄土的粒度分维值在２．１６－２．５１之间,平均值为２．３２;而古土壤的粒度分维值在２．２３－２．５１之间,平均值为２．４１;粒芳分维值对黄土与古土壤的形成环境的演变,有良好的指示意义。粒度分雏值显示,250万年以来,东亚季风不断增强,变化周期和变化幅度逐渐变大。在早更新世,季风较弱,变化周期短．变化幅度小,表现为2～4万年的周期;而在晚更新世,季风较强,冬季风和夏季风相互消长,变化周期长且明显,变化幅度大,表现出10万年的变化周期。     

Water–gas dynamics and coastal land subsidence over Chioggia Mare field, northern Adriatic Sea

A major development programme comprising 15 gas fields of the northern Adriatic Sea has recently been submitted to the Ministry of the Environment, VIA Committee for the assessment of the environmental impact, by ENI-Agip, the Italian national oil company. One of the largest reservoirs is Chioggia Mare, located about 10 km offshore of the Venetian littoral, with a burial depth of 1000–1400 m. The planned gas production from this field is expected to impact the shoreline stability with a potential threat to the city of Venice, 25 km northwest of the center of Chioggia Mare. To evaluate the risk of anthropogenic land subsidence due to gas withdrawal, a numerical model was developed that predicts the compaction of both the gas-bearing formations and the lateral/bottom aquifer (water drive) during a 13-year producing and a 12-year post-production period, and the transference of the deep compaction to the ground surface. To address the uncertainty of a few important hydromechanical parameters, several scenarios are simulated and the most pessimistic predictions obtained. The modeling results show that at most 1 cm of land subsidence over 25 years may be expected at the city of Chioggia, whereas Venice is not subject to settlement. If aquifer drawdown is mediated by water injection, land subsidence is arrested 5 km offshore, with the Chioggia littoral zone experiencing a rebound of 0.6–0.7 cm. Electronic Publication     

Evaluation of secondary compression of sands and silts from CPTU

The estimate of secondary compression behaviour of sandy and silty deposits is not routinely taken into account in the classical settlement calculation, due to its generally limited contribution to the total amount of strains. However, such soils exhibit a non-negligible time-dependent behaviour and the prediction of their long-term response may sometimes be important.

This paper explores the capability of the piezocone test as an effective tool to estimate the one-dimensional secondary compression characteristics of sands and silts. The approach is mainly based on the observation that frictional response essentially governs both secondary compression of granular soils and cone resistance, hence it seems reasonable to establish a valid correlation among them.

The study uses part of the field data assembled over the last years at the Treporti Test Site (Venice, Italy), within an extensive research project aimed at analysing the stress-strain-time response of the predominantly silty sediments forming the Venetian lagoon subsoil.

Empirical, site-specific correlations for estimating the secondary compression coefficient from cone resistance are proposed. The regression analyses indicate that the estimate is slightly improved if the cone resistance-based correlations include a variable accounting for the different pore pressure response associated to the drainage conditions around the advancing cone.     

Environmental magnetic indicators of the sedimentary context of archaeological sites in the Shangqiu area of China

Environmental magnetic techniques provide significant potential for characterizing sediments and soils and inferring their sources. This article discusses the application of environmental magnetic techniques in the study of an evolving landscape in the Shangqiu area, China, an archaeologically important region for investigating the origin of Shang civilization. Two magnetic parameters—anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) and low-field magnetic susceptibility (χ)—are employed to discriminate the pre-Neolithic paleosol from the historic alluvium. In order to quantitatively interpret magnetic measurements, ARM versus χ plots are utilized with rigorous statistical analyses including group comparison and discriminant classification. With the ARM/χ classification model defined by the pre-Neolithic paleosol and historic alluvium, the sediment sources of three anthropogenic deposits (A-1, A-2, and A-3 from oldest to youngest) are addressed. Magnetic data clearly show that A-1 and A-3 are closely associated with the pre-Neolithic paleosol and historic alluvium, respectively. Cultural mixing processes might be partially responsible for the formation of A-2. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

大理岩型红宝石矿床的若干问题

大理岩型红宝石矿床是红蓝宝石矿床的最重要类型之一。对此类型矿床与找矿相关的若干问题,长期存在模糊认识。本文经过实际研究和相关文献资料的搜集整理,得出了以下重要结论：大理岩型红宝石矿床产于有深大断裂构造活动的深成造山变质带;矿床成因类型属区域热动力变质型;含矿岩石是钙质结晶大理岩,而非镁质大理岩或镁质矽卡岩;含矿岩石中的角门石为富铝贫硅含铬的钙质问石,而非绿色透闪石。     

Multiproxy Paleosol Evidence for Jurassic Paleoclimate Fluctuations in the Sichuan Basin, SW China

Paleoclimate reconstruction of continental environments has been hampered by the limited evidence. A thick sequence of Jurassic continental deposits in the Sichuan Basin, Southwest China yields abundant paleosols that may offer valuable insights regarding Jurassic climate scenarios. A succession of 169 paleosols belonging to Protosols, Calcisols, and Argillisols from 23 detailed stratigraphic sections was recognized and characterized macro- and micromorphologically and assessed for mineral and geochemical compositions. Quantitative paleoclimate reconstructions using bulk geochemical proxies, the depth to and the stable oxygen isotopic composition of paleosol carbonates indicated a predominant alternation of semiarid and arid cool/warm-temperate climatic conditions punctuated by several episodes of subhumid and humid climates that generally prevailed in the Sichuan Basin during the Jurassic. The estimated paleoatmospheric CO2 concentrations (pCO2) from calcic paleosols yielded a low range of ~104 ± 58 to ~610 ± 152 ppmv during the Middle Jurassic. The terrestrial paleotemperature changes in the Sichuan Basin coincided with the pCO2 variations, which probably resulted from global geological events (e.g., volcanic activities, magmatic and oceanic events, and the ephemeral caps development) in the Middle Jurassic. Jurassic climatic fluctuations in the basin were likely attributed to true polar wander due to global plate motion, megamonsoon effect linked to global and regional paleogeography, and regional paleotopography.     

Mineral magnetic record of paleoclimate variation in loess and paleosol from the Buenos Aires formation (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Environmental magnetic techniques were applied to a loess–paleosol sequence of the Chacopampean plain (Buenos Aires, Argentina). Mineral magnetic carriers and their grain size were identified in order to detect magnetic mineral fluctuations associated with climatic changes. Multidomain magnetite of detrital origin dominates the record. In paleosols, a high coercivity fraction was identified. Horizons with no visual evidence of pedogenesis, but showing magnetic behavior analogous to that of paleosols were observed and are thought to represent environmental conditions similar to those prevailing during paleosol formation.The results suggest that the magnetic signal yielded by paleosols in these South American loess deposits is different from that in the Chinese loess. This may be due to differences in parent materials, diagenetic processes and/or differences in paleoclimatic conditions in both regions.     

Geochemical Characteristics of Eolian Deposits on the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau and Implications for Provenance

Eolian dust deposition is intimately related to atmospheric circulation and environmental setting of the source region, and therefore is an invaluable tool for studying the evolutionary history of atmospheric circulation patterns and paleoclimatic change. Identifying the provenance of any eolian deposit is crucial not only for reconstructing the paleoenvironmental history of the dust source region, but also for understanding the paleoclimatic significance of various indices. Loess and paleosol samples from the Garze region on the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau(TP) were analyzed for their elemental(major and trace elements) and isotopic(Sm-Nd) geochemistry and compared with those of Northern Chinese(NC) loess formed at the same age. The results show that the geochemical compositions of the Garze loess and paleosol samples are similar to those eolian deposits on the Chinese Loess Plateau(CLP), and also resemble the average UCC. This indicates that the eolian deposits on the eastern margin of the TP were derived from well-mixed sedimentary protoliths that had undergone numerous upper crustal recycling processes, just as with the CLP loess deposits. However, compared with NC loess, the Garze samples have higher ∑REE, Li, Rb, Zr, Cs, Hf and Bi concentrations, higher TiO2/Al2O3, Hf/Nb, La/Nb, Th/Nb and lower K2O/TiO2, Zr/Hf, Ba/Rb ratios. From the Sm-Nd isotopic geochemistry, εNd(0) and 147Sm/144Nd values of Garze loess and paleosol samples are clearly lower than the NC loess. The higher Bi, Zr and Hf concentrations are relevant to the widely distributed acid-magmatic rocks in this region, whereas the higher contents of Li, Cs, Rb are attributed to the high background values of the TP. The geochemical characteristics of the Garze loess and paleosol samples further prove that the local glacial and other Quaternary detrital sediments are predominantly the contributors for the eolian deposits on the eastern margin of the TP. Stable element concentrations and their ratios in the Garze loess and paleosol samples formed at different times have relatively greater variation ranges in comparison with the NC loess, indicating that the source regions for eolian deposits have been unstable since the late Early Pleistocene. We attribute the instability of dust sources to variable earth surface conditions and the changeable TP winter monsoon in direction and intensity, which are in turn related to the uplift of the TP.     

A new hydrostratigraphic model of Venice area (Italy)

Two environmental problems affect the Venice area: subsidence, which has been increasing due to the intensive water abstraction after the Second World War, and contamination of the soil and shallow aquifers. In order to address these problems, which are decisive factors in the entire Venetian ecosystem, the aquifer structure must be known in detail. The lithologic data are abundant and of good quality up to a depth of 50 m, whereas boreholes beyond this depth are much rarer and more dispersed, making their associated lithological data unreliable. This work, which uses the available data together with fast and low cost passive seismic measurements, provides an improved understanding of the deeper hydrogeologic domain. For this purpose, a MATLAB package (Modalstrata) has been developed to improve the correlation of the stratigraphic succession for each selected homogeneous sub-area and applied to obtain a new, upgraded hydrostratigraphic model. The horizontal to vertical spectral ratio passive seismic surveys have confirmed the lateral correlations among the sample areas at least for the two main aquifer horizons. Analysis and comparisons of several previous studies performed on the data related to the only drilling continuous coring 951 m deep in the Tronchetto Island (Venice), have allowed a satisfactory validation of the proposed hydrogeological model.     

Depositional environments of Late Eocene lignite-bearing strata, east-central Texas

Late Eocene lignites in the Brazos River Valley area occur in parasequence-scale cycles containing mostly marine sediments. Lignite is present at the base of the marine interval and forms the base of the cycle in a majority of cases. Less frequently, lignite is underlain by a thin interval of nonmarine deposits that form the base of the cycle. In both situations, the lignite is part of a thin transgressive interval. Cycles are separated by an exposure surface, usually marked by plant rooting and/or development of a paleosol in the top of the underlying sediments. Peat accumulated on top of these exposure surfaces and lignite is preserved where marine flooding allowed ocean waters to cover the peat deposits with fine grained sediments, producing high-ash lignite horizons of great lateral extent but variable thickness and quality. This strandplain model of lignite occurrence provides a better understanding of Late Eocene lignites in Texas than the deltaic or fluvial-deltaic models previously used. The strandplain model of lignite occurrence is appropriate for most of the Yegua-Jackson lignites (Middle-Late Eocene) of Texas and should be considered when evaluating depositional conditions of Paleogene lignites in the northern Gulf Coast region. A re-evaluation of Late Eocene stratigraphy of the Brazos Valley area accompanies the documentation of depositional environments.     

Compositional characteristics of garnets and pyroxenes in contact-metasomatic skarn deposits and their relationship with metallization

The compositions of more than 300 granets and pyroxenes from 14 contact-metasomatic calcic skarn deposits and calcic-magnesia skarn skarn deposits in China have been examined using electron microprobe technique. The compositions of garnets and pyroxenes from a wide variety of ore types represent ten major classes of calcic skarn deposits (Fe, Fe-Cu, Pb-Zn,W, Sn, Sn-Mo-Bi-W, W-Bi-Cu-Mo, Cu-Zn and W-Zn-Cu) and three major classes of calcic-magnesia skarn deposits (Fe-Cu, Mo, Pb-Zn). Garnets and pyroxenes show a wide range of variation in composition, but the majority of garnets are grossular-andradite solid solutions containing less than 15 mol% (spessartine + almandine + pyrope), whereas most pyroxenes are diopside-hedenbergite solid solutions containing less than 5 mol% johannesenile. Some pyroxenes from a Pb-Zn calcic-magnesia skarn deposit display an increase in Mn content. Only Sn-W calcic skarn deposits and Pb-Zn calcic-magnesia skarn deposits contain garnets with more than 15 mol% (spessartine + almandine + pyrope). Some relationships have been established between the compositions of garnets and pyroxenes and the metallization types of economically important metals in skarn deposits.     

东秦岭南洛河上游黄土地层年代的初步研究 及其在旧石器考古中的意义*

近年来,在东秦岭南洛河流域发现了大批旧石器地点,该区域被认为是中国南北方旧石器工业的交汇和过渡地带。但是,早期人类在这一带的活动时间和环境背景尚不清楚。由于第四纪黄土的定年方法相对成熟,旧石器遗址的黄土堆积可为解决这些问题提供重要证据。对洛南盆地上白川和刘湾两个遗址的黄土剖面进行土壤地层和磁性地层研究以及光释光年龄和磁化率测定结果显示,该地区的黄土堆积可能从110万年前就已经开始,地层有明显的黄土-古土壤旋回,指示了气候和环境在冰期-间冰期时间尺度的变化。黄土地层下部出土的石制品表明,至少在约80万年前后人类就在这一带活动并制作工具。石制品两面加工技术被广泛采用,大量制作精美的手斧和薄刃斧等Acheulian工业类型工具的发现,显示洛南盆地的旧石器工业可能已经突破了"莫氏线(Movius Line)"的框架。     

兰州地区新生代最老的风成沉积

黄土高原西部风成沉积的研究,是近年古气候研究的重要问题之一,但对新生代风成沉积底界的认识仍存在争议。渐新世晚期发育于兰州地区的咸水河组的岩性特征与黄土高原的风尘沉积有相似的特征,对其进行系统的沉积相和沉积环境研究对认识黄土高原西部早期风尘沉积有重要意义。本研究对兰州以北厚约916m的凤凰山剖面进行了岩石磁学、粒度、成份分析和电镜等多种分析,初步结果表明,咸水河组大部分黏土没有水平层理,其粒度概率分布曲线、概率累积曲线、组成特征和磁化率、元素含量及扫描电镜与典型黄土、古土壤和红黏土非常相似,为风成沉积,是目前发现的兰州地区新生代最老的风成沉积。这套黏土的色调和磁化率等环境代用指标与黄土高原的第四纪黄土接近,指示了第三纪早期一个低温干旱的地质环境。咸水河组中出现的砂砾石层,以颗粒大、分选差、一般无水平层理或层理不明显为特征,其粒度概率曲线、累积概率曲线与典型河流沉积物非常相似,是河流沉积物,指示了多期河流发育,可能与青藏高原的隆升有关。     

丰宁黄土-古土壤剖面常量元素地球化学特征

丰宁滦河上游的河谷地带有多处黄土堆积,由于该地区黄土分布零星、厚度较小,在以往的研究中却很少引起人们的关注,然而该地区黄土堆积是河北坝上地区环境演化和气候变化的重要地质记录.为了探讨该地区黄土的成因、物源以及化学风化强度,选取代表性的黄土-古土壤剖面77个样品进行了常量元素分析,并与已知典型风成堆积物的地球化学元素特征进行对比.结果表明:(1) 丰宁剖面的主要常量元素(SiO₂、Al₂O₃和Fe₂O₃)之和以及UCC(Upper Continental Crust)标准化曲线均与典型风成堆积物具有较好的相似性, 表明丰宁黄土和古土壤为风成成因;(2) 丰宁黄土处于初等化学风化阶段,古土壤则进入了中等化学风化阶段.与典型风成堆积物相比,化学风化强度序列为:宣城风成红土＞＞西峰红黏土、镇江下蜀土＞丰宁古土壤、洛川古土壤＞洛川黄土＞丰宁黄土;(3) 常量元素迁移特征表明丰宁黄土和古土壤的化学风化已完成了早期去Na、Ca阶段,并进入到了中期去K阶段;(4) 丰宁黄土、古土壤的K₂O/Al₂O₃和Fe₂O₃/Al₂O₃比值与洛川黄土、洛川古土壤、镇江下蜀土、西峰红黏土较为接近,表明这些风成堆积物可能具有相似的源区.而TiO₂/Al₂O₃比值小于其他风成堆积物, 指示丰宁剖面具有其他物源.      

大理岩型红宝石矿床成因研究

大理岩型红宝石矿床是红蓝宝石矿床的重要类型。对此类型矿床与找矿相关的成因问题，长期存在模糊认识。本文在实际研究和文献资料整理的基础上，得出以下结论：大理岩型红宝石矿床产于有深大断裂构造活动的深成造山变质带；含矿岩石是钙质结晶大理岩，而非鲜质大理岩或镁质夕卡岩；含矿岩石中的角闪石为富铝贫硅含铬的钙质闪石，如含铬的镁砂川闪石，而非绿色透闪石；矿床成因类型属区域热动力变质型，而不是“气成－热认型”或“夕卡岩型”。     

Character, Age and Ecology of the Hezheng Biota from Northwestern China

1 Introduction In recent years, field works in the Hezheng area resulted in an explosive growth of new knowledge of Chinese mammalian faunas of the Late Cenozoic. A continuous sedimentary sequence from the Oligocene to the Pleistocene is developed and exposed in the Linxia Basin, Gansu Province, which contains a large number of mammal fossils. The Hezheng area comprises almost the whole Hezheng County, the western half of Guanghe County, the southern half of Dongxiang County, Linxia C…     

末次盛冰期北美风成环境变化及其在全球气候突变事件中的意义

本文用末次冰期北美大冰盖南缘的风尘堆积记录来重建末次盛冰期的亚极地环境变化.磁化率、有机碳含量和潜育化程度的资料表明,末次盛冰期的前期(约21000～15000aB P.)植被覆盖较差,而后期(15000～10000aB.P.)植被覆盖较好,15 000aB.P.环境发生了急剧的变化,磁化率曲线显示了大约1000a的氧化-还原周期.这种大约1000a的环境变化周期很可能由低纬地区的海洋和大气的扰动所驱动,这种扰动的能量通过北美大冰盖及时地传递到北大西洋.     

A loess-paleosol dating method

Based on the non-diachronic nature of loess- paleosol sequences, a paleosol dating method is suggested. Based on this method, the extant drainage system of the Yellow River was found to be 1.67-1.45 Ma old. During its existence, six fluvial terraces and two alluvial plains were formed. In the deposits of this time interval, studied in 400 sections, 33 cycles were identified in the sequence built of aquatic sediments and paleosol. Correlation of loess, paleosol, and aquatic sediment sequences of China and other regions points to a 0.4 Ma periodicity in the hydrologic regime and in the denudational processes. This periodicity might be related to global climatic changes due to changes of orbital parameters of the Earth.