Paleoclimatic implications of the spatial patterns of modern and LGM European land-snail shell δO

The oxygen isotopic composition of land-snail shells may provide insight into the source region and trajectory of precipitation. Last glacial maximum (LGM) gastropod shells were sampled from loess from Belgium to Serbia and modern land-snail shells both record δ¹⁸O values between 0‰ and − 5‰. There are significant differences in mean fossil shell δ¹⁸O between sites but not among genera at a single location. Therefore, we group δ¹⁸O values from different genera together to map the spatial distribution of δ¹⁸O in shell carbonate. Shell δ¹⁸O values reflect the spatial variation in the isotopic composition of precipitation and incorporate the snails' preferential sampling of precipitation during the warm season. Modern shell δ¹⁸O decreases in Europe along a N-S gradient from the North Sea inland toward the Alps. Modern observed data of isotopes in precipitation (GNIP) demonstrate a similar trend for low-altitude sites. LGM shell δ¹⁸O data show a different gradient with δ¹⁸O declining toward the ENE, implying a mid-Atlantic source due to increased sea ice and a possible southern displacement of the westerly jet stream. Balkan LGM samples show the influence of a Mediterranean source, with δ¹⁸O values decreasing northward.     

Carbon and nitrogen isotope records in sediments of Lake Taihu, China, and their paleoenvironmental significance

Lake sediments can provide important historical information on records of paleoenvironments and paleoclimates and their changes.This study deals with the sedimentary history of the westem Taihu Lake based on seven geochemical indices measured in an 89-cm long sediment core. The core, corresponding to a time period from 6870 a B.P. to the present, was analyzed for δ^13Corg, δ^15N, TOC, TN, TP, C/N ratio and radiocarbon dates. Comparison of these multiple geochemical tracers helps to improve interpretations of the paleoenvironmental changes. All of the geochemical proxies used in the study change regularly, and show four major time scales that suggest different environments. During 6870-6532 a B.P., the values of all parameters slightly varied. δ^13Corg values increased in a wave pattern from -25.9‰ to -20.7‰. Similarly, δ^15N values increased from 1.6‰ to 4.5‰. TOC, TN and TP concentrations remained around 0.8%, 0.1%-3.2% and 0.5%, respectively. C/N ratios varied from 20.6 to 6.6. At 6370 a B.P., the sediment record profile showed dramatic variations in all parameters. δ^13Corg and δ^15N values dropped to -26.9‰ and 1.3‰, respectively.     

Palaeomonsoon and palaeoproductivity records of δ18O, δ{13}C and CaCO3 variations in the northern Indian Ocean sedimentsC and CaCO3 variations in the northern Indian Ocean sediments

δ¹⁸ O and δ¹³C of G.sacculifer have been measured in five cores from the northern Indian Ocean. In addition, high resolution analysis (1 to 2 cm) was performed on one core (SK-20-185) for both δ¹⁸O and gd¹³C in five species of planktonic foraminifera. CaCO₃ variation was measured in two cores. The results, presented here, show that

Petrogenesis of an early Eocene gabbro–granite complex in Kachang (SW Yunnan) and its implications for Eocene magmatism in the Tengchong terrane of SW China

Major and trace element, zircon U–Pb and Hf-isotope data are reported for mafic intrusions and host granite from the Kachang pluton (North Yingjiang of SW Yunnan) in the Tengchong Terrane, in order to investigate their sources, petrogenesis and tectonic implications. The zircon U–Pb age of the mafic rocks (~55 Ma) is identical to that of the host granite (56.7 ± 0.6 Ma). The mafic rocks have high MgO concentrations (up to 13.43 wt.%) at low SiO₂ contents (low to 42.73 wt.%) and slight negative to positive εHf(t) values (?2.26 to +0.59). They are enriched in LILE and LREEs and depleted in HFSEs, which can be explained as melts derived from a enriched mantle, with some crustal contamination. The host granite have high SiO₂ contents (69.18–72.65 wt.%), highly negative εHf(t) values (?9.08 to ?5.14), suggesting mainly derived from an ancient crustal source. Field observations, geochronology, geochemistry and zircon Hf isotopic compositions point to a complex petrogenesis, where enriched mantle- and crust-derived magma mixing was coupled with crystal fractionation, thus explaining the genetic link between mafic and felsic magmas, result of mafic magma upwelling triggered by the subduction rollback of the Neotethyan slab. Our new data, along with the data reported (especially zircon U–Pb dating and Lu–Hf isotope data) in the Tengchong Terrane, indicate that the spatial and temporal variations and changing magmatic compositions over time in the Tengchong Terrane closely resemble those of the Lhasa Terrane in southern and central Tibet.     

Modelling δC and δO in the solution layer on stalagmite surfaces

We derive equations describing the evolution of the carbon and oxygen isotope composition of the bicarbonate in a calcite precipitating solution on the surface of a stalagmite using a classical Rayleigh approach. The combined effects of calcite precipitation, degassing of CO₂ and the buffering effect of the water reservoir are taken into account. Whereas δ¹³C shows a progressive increase to a final constant value, δ¹⁸O shows an initial isotopic enrichment, which exponentially decays due to the buffering effect of the water reservoir. The calculated evolution is significantly different for both carbon and oxygen isotopes than derived in a recent paper [Dreybrodt W. (2008) Evolution of the isotopic composition of carbon and oxygen in a calcite precipitating H₂O-CO₂-CaCO₃ solution and the related isotopic composition of calcite in stalagmites. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta72, 4712-4724.].Furthermore, we discuss the isotopic evolution of the bicarbonate in the solution for long residence times on the stalagmite surface, i.e., for t→∞. The equilibrium isotope ratio of the bicarbonate is then determined by isotopic exchange between the cave atmosphere and the bicarbonate in the solution and can be calculated by equilibrium isotope fractionation. For strongly ventilated caves exchange with the cave atmosphere will result in higher δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values than those observed in a pure Rayleigh distillation scenario, for sparsely ventilated caves it will result in lower δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values.     

Isotope Geochemistry of the Dongchuan Copper Deposit,Yunnan,SW China： Stratigraphic Chronology and Application of Lead Isotopes in Geochemical Exploration

In this paper the Pb-Pb isochron method was used to determine the isotopic ages of the Luoxue Formation dolomites (1716 ±56 Ma), the Heishan Formation carbonaceous slates ( 1607 ±128 Ma) of the middle sub-group of the Kunyang Group and the Dayingpan Formation carbonaceous slates (1258 ±70Ma) of the upper sub-group of the Kunyang Group. The age of the middle sub-group of the Kunyang Group is about 1800 – 1600 Ma, belonging to the Late Paleo-Proterozoic, and that of the Dayingpan Formation in the upper sub-group of the Kunyang Group is about 1200 – 1300 Ma, belonging to the Middle Proterozoic. In addition, the Pb isotope chemical exploration techniques were used to study systematically the Pb isotopic compositions of rocks and ores across the No. 14 vein in the middle segment of the No. 1 pit of the Tangdan copper deposit and the result showed that the Pb isotope V₁ values are negatively correlated with the copper contents. It is the first trial to use the systematic section method to conduct Pb isotope chemical exploration. This research project was financially supported jointly by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 49702022, 40073001) and the State 973 Program (No.G1999043215).     

Combining forms of heavy metal elements in Dianshan Lake sediments and their spatial and temporal variations

Dianshan Lake is one of the important water supply sources for Shanghai City. The contents of heavy metals in the sediments are obviously higher than those in the overlying water body. The contents of Pb in the sediments vary seasonally; with increasing depth, the contents of Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr and Fe show no variation generally, but Mn varies in the peak pattern. Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr and Fe in the sediments are present predominantly in sludge phase, but iron and manganese oxide form of Pb and organic matter-sulfide form of Cu are their respective preferential combining forms. Manganese is present largely in exchangeable form, iron-manganese oxide combined form and sludge form. The contents of the various forms of Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr and Fe tend to vary with changing season and depth. The contents of exchangeable forms of Fe and Mn vary with depth in the peak-like pattern.     

Geological and isotopic constraints on the origin of the Anle carbonate-hosted Zn–Pb deposit in northwestern Yunnan Province,SW China

The Anle Zn–Pb deposit, hosted by Upper Cambrian dolostone, is located in the southern Songpan–Ganzi Block in southwest China. In this deposit, ore bodies occur as stratiform lenses and consist of galena, sphalerite and pyrite as ore minerals, and quartz, dolomite and calcite as gangue minerals. The mineralization shows mainly vein, banded and brecciated structures. Four ore bodies have been found in the Anle deposit, with a combined 2.0 million tonnes (Mt) of sulfide ores at average grades of 1.64 wt.% Pb, 6.64 wt.% Zn and 45 g/t Ag. Brown, brownish-yellow and yellow sphalerite samples have δ⁶⁶Zn values ranging from + 0.08 to + 0.10‰ (average + 0.09‰, n = 3), + 0.12 to + 0.38‰ (average + 0.24‰, n = 8) and + 0.40 to + 0.50‰ (average + 0.46‰, n = 3), respectively. We interpret the progressively heavier Zn isotopes from brown to yellow sphalerite as being led by kinetic Raleigh fractional crystallization. Calcite samples have δ¹³C_PDB and δ¹⁸O_SMOW values ranging from − 4.8 to − 0.2‰ (average − 1.7‰, n = 7) and + 17.9 to + 21.4‰ (average + 19.6‰, n = 7), respectively. Whole-rock δ¹³C_PDB and δ¹⁸O_SMOW values of the Cambrian ore-hosting dolostone range from + 0.1 to + 1.1‰ (average + 0.6‰, n = 3) and + 23.2 to + 24.1‰ (average + 23.6‰, n = 3), respectively. This suggests that carbon in the ore-forming fluids was provided by the host dolostone through carbonate dissolution. δ³⁴S_CDT values of sulfide samples range between − 1.3‰ and + 17.8‰ with an average value of + 6.3‰ (n = 25), lower than evaporites (such as barite + 19.8‰) in the overlaying Lower Ordovician sedimentary strata. The data suggest that sulfur in the hydrothermal fluids were derived from evaporites by thermo-chemical sulfate reduction (TSR). ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios for sulfide minerals range from 17.63 to 17.86, 15.58 to 15.69 and 37.62 to 37.95, respectively. The data are similar to those of the age-corrected Cambrian ore-hosting dolostone (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 17.70–17.98, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.58–15.65 and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 37.67–38.06), but lower than those of age-corrected Ordovician sandstone and slate (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.54–19.58, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.73–15.81 and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 38.44–39.60). This indicates that ore Pb was most likely to be derived from the Cambrian ore-hosting dolostone. Therefore, our new geological and isotopic evidence suggests that the Anle Zn–Pb deposit is best classified to be an epigenetic carbonate-hosted Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposit.     

Controls on δ34S and δ18O of dissolved sulfate in aquifers of the Murray Basin,Australia and their use as indicators of flow processes

The usefulness of stable isotopes of dissolved SO₄ (δ³⁴S and δ¹⁸O) to study recharge processes and to identify areas of significant inter-aquifer mixing was evaluated in a large, semi-arid groundwater basin in south-eastern Australia (the Murray Basin). The distinct isotopic signatures in the oxidizing unconfined Murray Group Aquifer and the deeper reducing Renmark Group confined aquifer may be more sensitive than conventional chemical tracers in establishing aquifer connections. δ³⁴S values in the unconfined Murray Group Aquifer in the south and central part of the study area decrease along the hydraulic gradient from 20.8 to 0.3‰. The concomitant increasing SO₄/Cl ratios, as well as relatively low δ¹⁸O_SO4 values, suggest that vertical input of biogenically derived SO₄ via diffuse recharge is the predominant source of dissolved SO₄ to the aquifer. Further along the hydraulic gradient towards the discharge area near the River Murray, δ³⁴S values in the unconfined Murray Group Aquifer increase, and SO₄/Cl ratios decrease, due to upward leakage of waters from the confined Renmark Group Aquifer which has a distinctly low SO₄/Cl and high δ³⁴S (14.9–56.4‰). Relatively positive δ³⁴S and δ¹⁸O_SO4 values, and low SO₄/Cl in the Renmark Group Aquifer is typical of SO₄ removal by bacterial reduction. The S isotope fractionation between SO₄ and HS⁻ of ∼24‰ estimated for the confined aquifer is similar to the experimentally determined chemical fractionation factor for the reduction process but much lower than the equilibrium fractionation (∼70‰) even though the confined groundwater residence time is >300 Ka years. Mapping the spatial distribution of δ³⁴S and SO₄/Cl of the unconfined Murray Group Aquifer provides an indicative tool for identifying the approximate extent of mixing, however the poorly defined end-member isotopic signatures precludes quantitative estimates of mixing fractions.     

Genesis of the Nanyangtian scheelite deposit in southeastern Yunnan Province,China: evidence from mineral chemistry,fluid inclusions,and C–O isotopes

The Nanyangtian skarn-type scheelite deposit is an important part of the Laojunshan W–Sn polymetallic metallogenic region in southeastern Yunnan Province, China. The deposit comprises multiple scheelite ore bodies; multilayer skarn-type scheelite ore bodies are dominant, with a small amount of quartz vein-type ore bodies. Skarn minerals include diopside, hedenbergite, grossular, and epidote. Three mineralization stages exist: skarn, quartz–scheelite, and calcite. The homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions in hydrothermal minerals that formed in different paragenetic phases were measured as follows: 221–423 °C (early skarn stage), 177–260 °C (quartz–scheelite stage), and 173–227 °C (late calcite stage). The measured salinity of fluid inclusions ranged from 0.18% to 16.34% NaCleqv (skarn stage), 0.35%–7.17% NaCleqv (quartz–scheelite stage), and 0.35%–2.24% NaCleqv (late calcite vein stage). Laser Raman spectroscopic studies on fluid inclusions in the three stages showed H₂O as the main component, with N₂ present in minor amounts. Minor amounts of CH₄ were found in the quartz–scheelite stage. It was observed that the homogenization temperature gradually reduced from the early to the late mineralization stages; moreover, δ¹³C_PDB values for ore-bearing skarn in the mineralization period ranged from ? 5.7‰ to ? 6.9‰ and the corresponding δ¹⁸O_SMOW values ranged from 5.8‰ to 9.1‰, implying that the ore-forming fluid was mainly sourced from magmatic water with a minor amount of meteoric water. Collectively, the evidence indicates that the formation of the Nanyangtian deposit is related to Laojunshan granitic magmatism.     

Geochronological framework of Mesozoic volcanic rocks in the Great Xing’an Range,NE China,and their geodynamic implications

Mesozoic volcanic rocks are widespread throughout the Great Xing’an Range, NE China. However, precise data constraining the exact eruption ages are limited, especially for those from the southern Great Xing’an Range, which severely hampers our understanding of the petrogenesis and geodynamics of these rocks. In this paper, we report precise in situ LA-ICPMS zircon U–Pb age measurements for these volcanic rocks. Volcanic rocks in the southern Great Xing’an Range were divided into four units from bottom to top, namely, the Manketouebo, Manitu, Baiyingaolao and Meiletu formations. The previous studies suggested that these volcanic rocks were mainly formed in the Late Jurassic. Our data demonstrate that the Manketouebo formation erupted during Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous time, whereas the other formations are all of Cretaceous age. The southern Great Xing’an Range age dataset, along with recently obtained precise ages for volcanic rocks from the northern Great Xing’an Range indicate that Mesozoic volcanism throughout the Great Xing’an Range commenced in Late Jurassic, but peaked during the Cretaceous. They formed under an extensional tectonic setting which resulted from closure of the Mongol–Okhotsk Ocean and subsequent orogenic collapse. The globally elevated mantle temperature in Cretaceous may provided thermal contributions to the generation of the volcanisms.     

Characteristics of the Reservoir of the Rehai Geothermal Field in Tengchong, Yunnan Province, China

The Rehai geothermal field in Tengchong County, Yunnan Province is a significant high-temperaturehydrothermal convective system. The geothermal reservoir is composed of granite. Various geothermometersare used to evaluate the reservoir temperature. The most likely temperature of the reservoir as representedby T_(Na-K-Ca) is about 230℃. The chemical and isotopic compositions of fluids before boiling within the reser-voir are estimated. The mixing and dilution of cold and warm waters are discussed. The Rehai geothermal fieldis a high-temperature (hot) water system with the subsurface boiling zone close to the surface. The reservoirpressure at different depths is calculated. And finally the water-rock equilibration is inferred.     

Elemental and Sr–Nd isotopic geochemistry of Permian Emeishan flood basalts in Zhaotong,Yunnan Province,SW China

International Journal of Earth Sciences - This study presents new whole-rock elemental and isotopic data for the basalts from the Zhaotong area, located in the intermediate zone of the...     

Zircon U–Pb Ages and Lu–Hf Isotope of the Dongchuan Group in Central Yunnan,China, and their Geological Significance

On the southwestern margin of the Yangtze Block, the Dongchuan Group consists of slightly metamorphosed sedimentary rocks, including silty slate, argillaceous slate, clayey slate, arkose, dolomite, and minor volcanic rocks. To date, it is still a controversy over the depositional age and stratigraphic sequence of the Dongchuan Group. In this study, we analyzed five samples of meta-sedimentary rocks and one sample of meta-tuff from the Yinmin, Luoxue and Etouchang Formations of the Dongchuan Grou...     

Changes in annual and seasonal temperature extremes in the arid region of China, 1960–2010

Daily data of minimum and maximum temperature from 76 meteorological stations for 1960–2010 are used to detect the annual and seasonal variations of temperature extremes in the arid region, China. The Mann–Kendall test and Sen estimator are used to assess the significance of the trend and amount of change, respectively. Fifteen temperature indices are examined. The temperature extremes show patterns consistent with warming, with a large proportion of stations showing statistically significant trends. Warming trends in indices derived from daily minimum temperature are of greater magnitudes than those from maximum temperature, and stations along the Tianshan Mountains have larger trend magnitudes. The decreases in frequency for cold extremes mainly occur in summer and autumn, while warm extremes show significant increases in frequency in autumn and winter. For the arid region as a whole, the occurrence of cold nights and cold days has decreased by ?1.89 and ?0.89 days/decade, respectively, and warm nights and warm days has increased by 2.85 and 1.37 days/decade, respectively. The number of frost days and ice days exhibit significant decreasing trends at the rates of ?3.84 and ?2.07 days/decade. The threshold indices also show statistically significant increasing trends, with the extreme lowest temperatures faster than highest temperatures. The diurnal temperature range has decreased by 0.23 °C/decade, which is in accordance with the more rapid increases in minimum temperature than in maximum temperature. The results of this study will be useful for local human mitigation to alterations in water resources and ecological environment in the arid region of China due to the changes of temperature extremes.     

Seasonal variations of arsenic at the sediment–water interface of Poyang Lake,China

Arsenic species including arsenite, arsenate, and organic arsenic were measured in the porewaters collected from Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake of China. The vertical distributions of dissolved arsenic species and some diagenetic constituents [Fe(II), Mn(II), S(−II)] were also obtained in the same porewater samples in summer and winter. In sediments the concentration profiles of total As and As species bound to Fe–Mn oxyhydroxides and to organic matter were also determined along with the concentrations of Fe, Mn and S in different extractable fractions. Results indicate that, in the summer season, the concentrations of total dissolved As varying from 3.9 to 55.8 μg/L in sediments were higher than those (5.3–15.7 μg/L) measured in the winter season, while the concentrations of total As species in the solid phase varied between 10.97 and 25.32 mg/kg and between 7.84 and 30.52 mg/kg on a dry weight basis in summer and winter, respectively. Seasonal profiles of dissolved As suggest downward and upward diffusion, and the flux of dissolved As across the sediment–water interface (SWI) in summer and winter were estimated at 3.88 mg/m² a and 0.79 mg/m² a, respectively. Based on porewater profiles and sediment phase data, the main geochemical behavior of As was controlled by adsorption/desorption, precipitation and molecular diffusion. The solubility and migration of inorganic As are controlled by Fe–Mn oxyhydroxides in summer whereas they appear to be more likely controlled by both amorphous Fe–Mn oxyhydroxides and sulfides in winter. A better knowledge of the cycle of As in Poyang Lake is essential to a better management of its hydrology and for the environmental protection of biota in the lake.     

Variations in composition and δ18O values within the Kaffo albite—Riebeckite granite of Liruei Complex,Younger Granites of Nigeria

The peralkaline Kaffo albite—riebeckite granite is an albitised, low-temperature intrusion in Liruei Complex, one of the oldest of the ring-complexes in the Younger Granite province of Nigeria. Analyses of borehole samples from different parts of the intrusion show it to be compositionally heterogeneous, especially in respect of Si, Al, Na, K and F distribution and this, in part, can be correlated with the variable degree of albitisation. Isotopically the granite is a normal plutonic type with δ¹⁸ O values of $\text{+ 8.1 ± 0.2‰}$, and albitisation does not seem to have been accompanied by exchange of isotopes between albitising fluid and the granite. Co-existing riebeckitic-arfvedsonite and aegirine pairs from borehole samples show extreme enrichment in Na and Fe; the amphibole also shows considerable substitution of Fe by Ti, Zn and Mn, and of OH by F. Isotopically the amphibole and pyroxene are different from others, having low, variable δ¹⁸ O values (+5.3–+6.4 and $\text{+4.4–+5.1‰}$, respectively), and the fractionation value Δ Px — Am is always large, negative and constant (—$\text{1.2 ± 0.2‰}$). The low δ¹⁸ O values are considered to be due to special features of the crystal chemistry of the alkali amphiboles and pyroxenes, and the spread of each set of values may be due to sub-solidus isotope exchange between the minerals and albitising fluid.     

Positive correlation between salinity and n-alkane δ13C values in the mangrove Avicennia marina

Carbon isotope ratio (δ¹³C) values of lipid biomarkers from plants can be used to assess water use efficiency and to reconstruct environmental conditions in the past. We assessed the effect of salinity on the δ¹³C values for leaf wax n-C₃₁ and n-C₃₃ alkanes, bulk leaf matter and leaf total lipid extracts from Avicennia marina (gray mangrove) trees growing along the Brisbane River estuary in Queensland, Australia. We observed an increase in 0.19 ± 0.053‰ (R² 0.61, p 0.008) and 0.16 ± 0.052‰ (R² 0.55, p 0.01) per salinity unit for the two n-alkanes, respectively, and of 0.087 ± 0.028‰ (R² 0.41, p 0.009) for whole leaves per salinity unit, indicating that water use efficiency of A. marina increased with the salt content of water. There was no correlation between δ¹³C values of total lipid extracts and salinity, perhaps because of a decrease in lipid concentration at higher salinity or because of varying contributions of different lipid classes to the extract. The robust relationship between salinity and δ¹³C values of leaf wax lipids provides a means of quantitatively reconstructing past salinity from carbon isotope ratios of mangrove lipid biomarkers in sediments. When paired with measurements of the hydrogen isotope ratio values of the same compounds, the approach should facilitate quantitative reconstruction of the hydrogen isotope composition of environmental water. In order for the method to successfully reconstruct past salinity and water isotopes, a mangrove source for leaf wax would need to be confirmed by palynological or other evidence, or the isotopic composition of a more source specific biomarker, such as taraxerol, would need to be measured.