Loess magnetic properties in the Ili Basin and their correlation with the Chinese Loess Plateau

Over the past two decades, magnetoclimatological studies of loess-paleosol sequences in the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) have made outstanding achievements, which greatly promote the understanding of East Asian paleomonsoon evolution, inland aridification of Asia, and past global climate changes. Loess magnetic properties of the CLP have been well studied. In contrast, loess magnetic properties from outside the CLP in China have not been fully understood. We have little knowledge about the magnetic properties of loess in the Ili Basin, an intermontane depression of the Tianshan (or Tien Shan) Mountains. Here, we present the results of rock magnetic measurements of the Ili loess including mass magnetic susceptibility (χ) and anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM), high/low temperature dependence of susceptibility (TDS) and hysteresis, as well as X-ray diffraction (XRD) for mineral analysis. Based on the comparison with loess-paleosol sequences in the CLP (hereafter referred to as the Chinese loess), we discuss the possible magnetic susceptibility enhancement mechanism of the Ili loess. The results show that 1) the total magnetic mineral concentration of the Ili loess is far lower than that of the Chinese loess, though they have similar magnetic mineral compositions. The ferrimagnetic minerals in the Ili loess are magnetite and maghemite, and the antiferromagnetic mineral is hematite; XRD analysis also identifies the presence of ilmenite. The ratio of maghemite is lower in the Ili loess than in the Chinese loess, but the ratios of magnetite and hematite are higher in the Ili loess than in the Chinese loess. 2) The granularity of magnetic minerals in the Ili loess, dominated by pseudo-single domain (PSD) and multi-domain (MD) grains, is generally much coarser than that of the Chinese loess. Ultrafine pedogenically-produced magnetic grains have a very limited contribution to the susceptibility enhancement. Rather, PSD and MD particles of magnetite and maghemite are the main contributors to the enhancement of susceptibility in the Ili loess. 3) The susceptibility enhancement mechanism for the Ili loess is complicated and superimposes both a wind velocity/vigor model (Alaskan or Siberian model) and the in situ ultrafine grain pedogenic model; the former might play an important role in the Ili loess. 4) Magnetic susceptibility enhancements of the Ili loess are related not only to the eolian input of the source area, but also to the local climate, landform, and geological background. Therefore, great care should be taken when reconstructing paleoclimate using magnetic susceptibility data from the Ili loess.     

The effect of C3 and C4 plants for the magnetic susceptibility signal in soils

To understand the origin of the ultrafine pedogenic components responsible for the magnetic susceptibility (MS) enhancement remains a major challenging problem in linking magnetic signal with paleoclimate. Here we examine the effect of the natural fires on the MS signal of both plants and modern soils and in particular the MS difference between C3 and C4 plant ashes and their influence on magnetic susceptibility. We also proved the influence of the different floral root systems on the MS signal of modern soils. We find that the C3 and C4 plants are different in their ability to enhance MS signal of modern soils. Increased MS signal of modern soils by C4 plants was much greater than that by C3 plants.     

The magnetic susceptibility measurements of turbidity current sediments from Fuxian Lake of Yunnan Province and their correlations with earthquakes

ｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＴｕｒｂｉｄｉｔｙｃｕｒｒｅｎｔｓｅｄｉｍｅｎｔｉｓａｎｏｕｔｃｏｍｅｏｆｄｅｎｓｉｔｙｆｌｏｗｓｅｄｉｍｅｎｔａｔｉｏｎ．Ｔｈｅｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈｏｎｍｏｄｅｒｎｔｕｒｂｉｄｉｌｉｔｙｃｕｒｅｎｔｓｅｄｉｍｅｎｔｓｆｒｏｍｄｅ...     

Pedogenic factors affecting magnetic susceptibility of the last interglacial palaeosol S1 in the Chinese Loess Plateau

The magnetic susceptibility has been used as a quantitative or semi‐quantitative proxy for reconstructing the summer monsoon intensity in the Chinese Loess Plateau based on extensive studies on climatic or/and environmental mechanisms producing the magnetic susceptibility signatures. However, the precise nature of the link between past climates and the susceptibility signatures has remained uncertain primarily due to lack of our understanding in the ?nalizing and preserving processes of the signatures. This paper attempts to examine the reliability or acceptability of this summer monsoon proxy from non‐magnetic perspectives of soil‐forming processes. We chose nine sections along two transects: one across the western part of the Chinese Loess Plateau and another across the eastern part. Several conclusions can be drawn from our analytical data. First, clay translocation within the S1 palaeosol pro?les, as indicated by ?eld‐observed clay coatings on ped faces in Bt and Bk horizons and demonstrated by laboratory‐analysed clay contents, must have moved some of the magnetic minerals downward so that the susceptibility re?ects only the post‐translocation distribution of the magnetic‐susceptibility‐producing minerals. Second, the best‐developed palaeosol S1S3 at most of the sections studied is not expressed by the magnetic susceptibility because this palaeosol developed in underlying coarse loess (L2) and coarse textures tend to lower the susceptibility. Third, carbonate concentration is normally negatively correlated with the magnetic susceptibility or simply suppresses the magnetic susceptibility peak when the susceptibility enhancement exceeds the carbonate dilution effect. To conclude, extreme caution must be observed when using magnetic susceptibility signatures to retrieve high‐resolution records of the last interglacial palaeoclimate in the Chinese Loess Plateau. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Low-field variation of magnetic susceptibility measured by the KLY-4S Kappabridge and KLF-4A magnetic susceptibility meter: Accuracy and interpretational programme

The KLY-4S Kappabridge and KLF-4A Magnetic Susceptibility Meter enable automated measurement of susceptibility variation with field in the ranges of 2–450 A/m and 5–300 A/m (in effective values), respectively. Unfortunately, the measurement accuracy decreases with decreasing field and it is not easy to decide whether the susceptibility variation at the lowest fields is natural phenomenon or results from measuring errors. To overcome this problem, the accuracies of both the above instruments were investigated experimentally using artificial specimens (mixture of pure magnetite and plaster of Paris) with variable susceptibilities ranging from 1 × 10⁻⁵ to 5 × 10⁻². The complete curve of the field variation of susceptibility of each specimen was measured 10 times and the relative error was calculated for each field. In the KLY-4S Kappabridge, in specimens with susceptibilities higher than 100 × 10⁻⁶, the relative errors are lower than 3% in all fields and lower than 1% in the fields stronger than 10 A/m. In the KLF-4A Magnetic Susceptibility Meter, in relatively strongly magnetic specimens with susceptibilities 5 × 10⁻⁴ to 5 × 10⁻², the relative error is less than 1.5% in the entire field range. While the former instrument is convenient for investigating almost all rock types, the latter instrument is convenient for measuring moderately and strongly magnetic specimens. To facilitate work with field variation of susceptibility curves, showing variable accuracies with field, the programme FieldVar was written. One of its options is plotting the measured data with corresponding field-variable error bars. In this way, a tool is offered for interpreting such susceptibility changes that are sound and reasonable from the point of view of measuring accuracy.     

黄土高原西北缘末次冰期晚期以来黄土沉积物的岩石磁学性质

以黄土高原西北缘的靖远和古浪剖面(包含黄土层L1上部和古土壤层S0)作为研究对象,选取代表性样品进行磁化率、频率磁化率、热磁曲线、等温剩磁获得曲线和磁滞回线等测定.结果表明,靖远和古浪L1黄土和S0古土壤具有相似的岩石磁学特征.磁性矿物含量相对较低,载磁矿物均以磁铁矿为主,同时含有磁赤铁矿和赤铁矿,且S0古土壤中的磁赤铁矿含量要高于L1黄土.靖远和古浪剖面L1黄土和S0古土壤的亚铁磁性矿物平均粒度都分布在准单畴(PSD)范围,并且L1黄土平均粒径比S0古土壤更靠近多畴(MD)范围.通过与黄土高原东部黄土剖面L1黄土和S0古土壤的磁化率对比分析,认为导致靖远和古浪S0古土壤磁化率增强的主要因素是气候,但是,研究区受物源影响较大,来自粉尘源区的粗颗粒磁性矿物对磁化率贡献不可忽略.     

Bartington MS2和Kappabridge MFK1-FA不同频率的磁化率在黄土、红粘土和湖相沉积物中的应用

通过Bartington MS2 和Kappabridge MFK1-FA两种仪器对黄土-古土壤、红粘土和湖相沉积物样品进行了5个频率的磁化率测试,并计算得到了4个频率磁化率.通过对比分析不同类型样品磁化率-频率变化曲线可知,当样品中细颗粒磁性矿物含量较高时,磁化率在较低频率即可达到峰值,而当样品中细颗粒磁性矿物含量较低时,磁化率在较高频率时才能达到峰值.因此,在黄土-古土壤等样品的应用中,成壤作用较强,细颗粒亚铁磁性矿物含量较高,Bartington MS2的低频(465 Hz)与Kappabridge MFK1-FA的F1(976 Hz)和F2(3905 Hz)频率均处于磁化率峰值区域,可以检测到SP/SD阀值区域颗粒的信息,但是对于红粘土和湖相沉积物等细颗粒亚铁磁性矿物含量较低的样品,磁化率峰值对应的频率较高,MS2型磁化率仪无法有效地检测其中细颗粒的含量,而MFK1-FA中F2(3905 Hz)和F3(15616 Hz)两个频率间的频率磁化率则可以较好地完成这一任务.     

Environmental mechanism of magnetic susceptibility changes of lacustrine sediments from Lake Hulun, China

The changes of magnetic susceptibility(κ) are correlated with those of corresponding sedimentological, geochemical, mineralogical and biological results, which verifies thatκ can be taken as one of the environmental proxies. However, usually the exact origin of magnetic signal is poorly understood, and is difficult to relate with the environmental evolution. Magnetic properties of material derived from the catchment and sedimentary environment may affect the accumulation, preservation, or authigenesis and diagenesis of magnetic minerals. In the Lake Hulun region in Inner Mongolia, it is found that muddy sediments, deposited during high water level period (corresponding to humid climate), have comparatively highκ values. In contrast, the sandy sediments, deposited during low water level period (corresponding to arid climate), have lowκ values. Detailed rock magnetic investigation confirms that detrital magnetite derived from volcanic rocks in the catchment exists in both muddy and sandy sediments. During high water level period, secondary ferrimagnetic iron sulphide was produced in muddy sediments under relatively reductive conditions. Ferrimagnetic iron sulphide, coexisting with detrital magnetite, predominates the magnetic properties of muddy sediments, resulting in increasingκ. This paper reveals the significance of authigenic ferrimagnetic iron sulphide produced after sediment deposition.     

天山黄土区与黄土高原表土磁性特征对比及环境意义

本文对黄土高原和天山黄土区表土进行系统的岩石磁学和粒度测试分析,探讨了表土磁性特征及其环境意义,结果表明表土中的强磁性矿物均为磁铁矿和磁赤铁矿,弱磁性矿物为赤铁矿和纤铁矿或针铁矿,黄土高原黄土地层中的磁赤铁矿至少有部分属于风积成因.黄土高原表土中磁化率与频率磁化率呈良好的正相关,气候作用是主导黄土高原表上磁化率增强的主...     

Two pedogenic models for paleoclimatic records of magnetic susceptibility from Chinese and Siberian loess

The magnetic susceptibility (MS) of Chinese loess showing a general proportional relationship to pedogenic grade has been widely recognized and used for reconstruction of paleoclimate by Quaternary scientists. The in-situ pedogenic enhancement of ferrimagnetic content is normally believed to be the main reason for the increase of susceptibility in soil units. However, this pattern of high magnetic susceptibility in palaeosols, and low values in loess, are not replicated in some loess deposits. Siberian loess deposits display a completely opposite susceptibility behavior: high values in loess and low values in palaeosols. This inverse relationship has been explained by the idea that magnetic susceptibility is reflecting the magnitude of an aeolian ferrimagnetic component of consistent mineralogy, the grain size of which is related to average wind velocity. Our magnetic study of Siberian samples in this paper suggests that there are notable differences in magnetic properties between Siberian loess and developed palaeosols, not only in magnetic grain-size and concentration but also in magnetic mineralogy. This evidence is difficult to explain fully through variation in wind strength alone, but implies that the low magnetic susceptibility values in the Siberian paleosol units are a reflection, at least in part, of the alteration of the ferrimagnetic content by post-depositional processes. The Loess Plateau is a very arid area where potential evaporation is always higher than precipitation; pedogenesis occurs under dry oxidising conditions. The Siberian Kurtak region is located on the edge of the tundra where it is always wet and saturation during interglacials will lead to a reducing pedogenic environment. Ferrimagnetic minerals under this condition will be destroyed, resulting in lower magnetic susceptibility. Therefore, great care should be taken when using susceptibility values for paleoclimatic reconstruction.     

The magnetic susceptibility of modern soils in China and its use for paleoclimate reconstruction

Summary Magnetic susceptibility of more than 160 modern silty soil samples in China was measured to assess the relationship between the magnetic susceptibility and modern climatic parameters. Correlation between magnetic susceptibility and mean annual temperature (MAT) or mean annual precipitation (MAP), shows a complex picture and no single function can be found to fit all the data on the national scale. In East China, where East Asian monsoon plays an important role for the climate conditions, magnetic susceptibility increases with the increase of MAT or MAP in temperate semi-arid regions of the Loess Plateau and surrounding areas. This can be attributed to increasing intensity of pedogenesis which would favor the formation of strongly magnetic minerals and/or reduce depositional rate of eolian dust. Magnetic susceptibility tends to decrease with the increase of temperature and precipitation in the tropical and subtropical warm and humid regions of the vast areas south of the Yangtze River. This may be explained by pedogenic transformation of iron-bearing minerals to weakly magnetic minerals. Between these two different correlation patterns, 15°C of MAT and/or 1200 mm of MAP seem to be the thresholds. In West China, the correlation becomes quite complex in the great mountains and vast sedimentary basins in the north-west. This may be due to the prevailing continental climate in this region and topographic contrast within short distance. The correlation for the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau is not clear because very few samples were collected. Fluctuations of paleo-temperature and paleo-precipitation at Luochuan for the last 130 ka were estimated using the climofunction obtained from this study.     

南海北部陆区岩石磁化率的矿物学研究

基于2517套现场测量资料,245块岩石样品的体积磁化率测量和详细的岩矿鉴定及硅酸盐全分析结果,结合单矿物磁化率特征及各岩石之间的对比研究,发现岩石磁化率主要受组成岩石的矿物磁化率控制.即岩石磁化率(κr)与组成岩石各个矿物磁化率(κi)及其体积含量(Ci)成正比.例如侵入岩磁化率,κr= -5.68×102Cq +2.86×102Cf +3.28×102Ca +1.18×104Cb +1.27×104Cam +5.35×105Cm;其中多项式各项的系数是与该矿物磁化率值成正比的常数,C为该矿物在该岩石中的体积含量,依次为石英q(κ=-1.3)、斜长石f(κ=0.01)、碱性长石a(κ=0.01)、黑云母b(κ=100)、角闪石am(κ=80)和磁铁矿m(κ=100000).对区内火山岩、侵入岩、沉积岩和变质岩磁化率研究发现,其他三类岩石磁化率与其组成矿物磁化率的关系和侵入岩的情况相同,矿物对岩石磁化率的贡献顺序为铁磁性矿物>顺磁性矿物>逆磁性矿物.其中,火成岩磁化率变化大,主要取决于岩石中磁铁矿、角闪石和黑云母的含量;沉积岩多为无磁性、弱磁性,其磁化率主要由黑云母、碱性长石及岩屑提供;变质岩的磁性变化较大,从无磁性到极强磁性,主要决定于其原岩的类型,副变质岩(沉积原岩)磁化率类似于沉积岩类,正变质岩(火成原岩)类似于火成岩类;石英岩和碳酸盐岩是所有岩石中磁性最弱的.岩石蚀变会对其磁化率产生显著性影响,通常,黑云母、角闪石等铁镁硅酸盐矿物经蚀变会因形成含铁质氧化物而使岩石的磁化率升高;长石等弱顺磁矿物的粘土矿化、绢云母化会升高磁化率而碳酸盐化、高岭土化作用会使磁化率降低;岩石的绿泥石化会增加磁化率;含铁磁性矿物的岩石风化时会因高磁性组分破碎、流失而致使岩石的磁化率降低.从岩石磁化率与其组成矿物的磁化率之间的关系,推测地质体的总磁化率与构成地质体各个岩石的磁化率-体积含量之间也应存在类似关系.     

巴基斯坦Bahawalpur黄土岩石磁学特征及磁化率变化机制研究

风成黄土是陆地上分布最广泛的沉积物之一,记载了各种古气候演化信息.目前巴基斯坦的黄土研究甚少,磁化率与气候对应的变化机制研究尚未开展.本文对位于巴基斯坦印度河平原Bahawalpur地区新发现的黄土-古土壤剖面进行系统的岩石磁学研究,结合粒度和漫反射光谱(DRS)数据,讨论巴基斯坦黄土的磁化率变化机制.实验结果显示：Bahawalpur (BH)剖面黄土层主要的载磁矿物为磁铁矿,同时含有少量磁赤铁矿和针铁矿,磁性颗粒以原生的MD和PSD颗粒为主.相对于黄土层,古土壤层则是以针铁矿为主,含有顺磁性矿物和少量磁铁矿.BH剖面磁化率与成土作用关系和中国黄土高原典型剖面相反,磁化率的变化可能存在一个阈值12.8×10^-8m³·kg^-1,在阈值之上,强磁性矿物(磁铁矿、磁赤铁矿)占主导;阈值之下,以弱磁性矿物(主要是针铁矿)为主,这种磁性矿物的转变可能导致磁化率降低.本文可为今后利用磁化率解读该地区地层蕴含的古气候信息提供新线索.

     

Origin of layering in cumulate gabbros in the Oman ophiolite: Insights from magnetic susceptibility measurements in the Wadi Sadm area

Abstract   Magnetic susceptibility and the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility were measured on an 800-cm-thick succession of cumulate gabbro in the Sadm area of the Oman ophiolite. The section contained three distinct cumulate units. The susceptibility tends to decrease upward in each from a melanocratic layer (several tens of centimeters thick) to a leucocratic layer (a few meters thick). The susceptibility decreases in accordance with the decreasing number of magnetite grains, which are the alteration product mainly of olivine minerals. This suggests the cyclic downward accumulation of olivine in the cumulate gabbro. The apparent strain deduced from the patterns of magnetic and grain fabrics was the result mostly of simple shear, so that the layering of gabbro is understood to be formed primarily by a crystal cumulus process followed by simple shear deformation.     

The anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility of lava flows: an experimental approach

Measurements of the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) of natural lavas have shown that AMS varies with depth within a lava flow. We have investigated the reasons for such variation by studying the effects of temperature and strain rate on the AMS of recent lava in the laboratory. Samples of lava from Kilauea were melted and subjected to a range of strain rate and cooling histories. The results show that the degree of anisotropy is a function of both the thermal and shearing history of a sample. High degrees of anisotropy were found only in samples that were deformed at temperatures close to those encountered during eruption and then rapidly quenched. Lavas subjected to similar shear stresses at high temperatures had low degrees of anisotropy if allowed to cool down slowly without further deformation. Additionally, lava subjected to complex shearing yield a lower degree of anisotropy even when high strain rates were imposed on it. These results lead to the conclusion that only the last phase of deformation is detectable using AMS and that high strain rates will not result in high degrees of anisotropy if either deformation ends while lava is still fluid or if the orientation of the maximum shear stress varies with time. The relation between the orientation of the principal susceptibilities and that of shear is less sensitive to variation on shear with time. Consequently, flow directions can be inferred confidently with this type of measurements.     

冀鲁豫交界区岩石圈磁场异常分布与磁化率结构分析

利用重磁反演软件,对2017年8月冀鲁豫交界区流动地磁总强度数据进行处理并解析延拓,研究该区岩石圈磁场及其深部、浅表磁场异常分布特征与地下介质磁化率结构的性质。结果表明:冀鲁豫交界区岩石圈磁场异常分布是岩石圈浅表与深部磁异常综合叠加的结果,岩石圈地下介质的浅表与深部磁化率结构具有一定差异性,且受断裂控制呈分段性特征,可能与该区域复杂的岩石圈磁化率结构及地质构造有关。     

Characteristics and genesis of maghemite in Chinese loess and paleosols: Mechanism for magnetic susceptibility enhancement in paleosols

Morphological characteristics and microstructures of magnetic minerals extracted from Chinese loess and paleosols were investigated using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Our results indicate that maghemite in loess–paleosol sequences was transformed from magnetite through oxidation of magnetite. Maghemite transformed from eolian magnetite during chemical weathering has low-angle grain boundaries among maghemite nano-crystals. Some nano-crystalline maghemites with nanoporous texture resulted from microbe-induced precipitation of magnetite or transformation of poorly crystalline ferric Fe (oxy)hydroxides in presence of Fe-reducing bacteria. Aggregates of euhedral maghemite nano-crystals were transformed from magnetite magnetosomes. Both microbe-induced nanoporous magnetite and microbe-produced magnetite magnetosomes are directly related to microbial activities and pedogenesis of the paleosols. It is proposed that the formation of nano-crystalline maghemite with superparamagnetic property in paleosol results in the enhancement of magnetic susceptibility, although the total amount (weight percent) of magnetic minerals in both paleosol and loess units is similar. Our results also show that nano-crystalline and nanoporous magnetite grains prefer to transform into maghemite in semi-arid soil environments instead of hematite, although hematite is a thermodynamically stable phase. This result also indicates that a decrease in crystal size will increase stability of maghemite. It is also inferred that surface energy of maghemite is lower than that of hematite.     

Correlation of strain with anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS)

Existing correlations between strain and anisotropy of low-field magnetic susceptibility (AMS) have been re-assessed using a single parameter to express both anisotropies. TheP parameter (Hrouda, 1982) shows potential as a powerful single expression of the intensity of strain and of AMS. Previous correlations are improved by use of this parameter. Cautious optimism is justified for correlations between strain and susceptibility in a certain strain window between a lower limit (excluding the incomplete overprint of predeformation anisotropy) and an upper limit (excluding the effects of saturation anisotropy). For successful correlations the influence of stress-controlled recrystallisation should be minimal and the mineralogical sources of susceptibility must predate deformation.     

空间波数混合域三维各向异性强磁性介质磁场数值模拟

各向异性普遍存在于强磁性体矿物中,为研究各向异性强磁性体磁场响应特征,本文提出一种空间波数混合域三维各向异性磁场数值模拟方法.该方法首先将各向异性强磁性体磁位满足的三维偏微分方程进行水平方向二维傅里叶变换,将其降为不同波数之间相互独立的一维常微分方程;然后加载准确的上下边界条件,采用二次插值有限单元法计算一维常微分方程,得到五对角方程,采用追赶法进行高效求解;最后采用迭代法求解场分量,引入紧算子保证迭代稳定收敛;综合傅里叶变换的高效性、一维方程求解的快速性和迭代算法的稳定性,实现各向异性强磁性体磁场的三维高效、高精度数值模拟.设计各向异性椭球模型验证算法的正确性,并分析紧算子对不同各向异性磁化率模型的迭代收敛性;与COMSOL Multiphysics软件对比计算效率,表明相同节点下本文算法效率优于常规三维有限元方法,且计算节点总数越多优势越明显.重点研究各向异性参数改变对VTI、HTI、TTI强磁介质异常场响应的影响.最后采用某磁铁矿DEM高程数据模拟起伏地形对各向异性强磁性体磁异常场幅值和形态的影响,体现出本文算法对各向异性强磁性体大规模复杂地形的适应性.

     

临夏盆地新近纪郭泥沟剖面磁组构特征及其环境意义

临夏盆地在东亚新生代地层、古气候、古生物研究方面占有举足轻重的地位.本文对盆地东部的郭泥沟剖面进行了详细的岩石磁学和磁组构研究,以揭示从早中新世到早上新世临夏盆地的沉积演化过程.郭泥沟剖面沉积物中的磁性矿物有磁铁矿、磁赤铁矿、赤铁矿和针铁矿,但剩磁载体以磁铁矿和赤铁矿为主.从上庄组和东乡组的褐红色粉砂质粘土到柳树组和何王家组的褐黄色粘土,赤铁矿含量呈现降低的趋势,与沉积物颜色变化一致.郭泥沟剖面沉积物磁组构类型为正常沉积磁组构.结合岩石磁学结果和磁组构参数特征可揭示临夏盆地早中新世-早上新世沉积的演化过程：早中新世上庄组为稳定湖相沉积,古水流方向为NNW,与南北向的大夏河方向一致;中中新世气候发生较明显的干湿波动,形成了东乡组的褐红色湖相粉砂质粘土夹粉砂、砂和青灰色泥灰质粘土条带,古水流方向主要为NNW,沉积过程主要受大夏河控制;中中新世晚期,受青藏高原构造运动影响,沉积相由湖相细粒沉积物转变为虎家梁组河流相砂砾层;同时,盆地的水动力条件也发生改变,晚中新世柳树组湖相沉积过程同时受南北向大夏河和东西向洮河控制,两个方向近垂直的河流共同作用导致柳树组内沉积各向异性度较低,面理和线理均不发育,磁化率最大轴偏角分布比较分散,磁组构确定的古流向为东西向和南北向;早上新世期间,由于受青藏高原隆升影响,沉积了何王家组下部的河流相砂砾层;受构造抬升影响,大夏河重新主导何王家组上部洪泛平原相沉积过程,水动力条件较为单一稳定,古流向主要为N向,与大夏河流向一致.