Relations quantitatives entre les craies à silex et les formations résiduelles à silex de l'ouest du bassin de Paris

During the past century, the autochthonous and allochthonous origin of clay with flints from underlying chalk rocks has been the subject of many discussions. In order to have a better understanding of the origin of this unit, a weathering balance between chalk and clay with flints was made. This balance was estimated by an accurate knowledge of mother chalk ages and by comparison of grain size distribution and geochemistry between chalk and clay with flints. These comparisons are based on the quantities of flints in chalk and in clay with flints, because flints are autochthonous and their weathering is calculated. Results provide several new elements on the Cretaceous evolution of the Paris-London Basin: chalk of Maastrichtian age existed in the Paris Basin, and we now have good estimations of the quantities of chalk that disappeared through weathering. Results further show that the stratigraphic succession of chalk is maintained in the clay with flints. Additionally, flints (autochthonous elements of clay with flints) are only slightly weathered. Clay with flints matrix is composed of a significant allochthonous fraction in the first 10 m, which diminishes with depth and disappears below a depth of 20 m. Pure clay with flints issued from chalk decarbonatation only exists at a depth greater than 20 m.     

Electron spin resonance (ESR) and thermal ionization mass spectrometric (TIMS) 230Th/234U dating of teeth in Middle Paleolithic layers at Amud Cave,Israel

Electron spin resonance (ESR) dating and thermal ionization mass spectrometric ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U dating was conducted on six teeth from the prehistoric site of Amud Cave. By combining the ESR and ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U analyses, we obtained burial ages for teeth in various layers of the site. Layer B₁/6–7, from which the Amud I Neanderthal skeleton was recovered, is dated to 53 ± 8 ka. Layer B₂/8, which yielded other important human remains including the Amud 7 skeleton, gives a mean burial age of 61 ± 9 ka. One tooth from the lowest layer (B₄) yielded a date of 70 ± 11 ka, but another tooth from this layer gave an 113 ± 18 ka. Despite this discrepancy, these ages agree with previously published TL ages on heated flints for the corresponding layers. This agreement between ESR on tooth enamel and TL on burned flint is also seen at all other sites studied with both methods in Israel. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Reconstruction of the Upper Cretaceous chalks removed by dissolution during the Cenozoic in the western Paris Basin

 During the Cenozoic, in the western Paris Basin, atmospheric weathering of the chalks with flints of the Upper Cretaceous led to the creation of clay with flints. A reconstitution of the chalks lost to dissolution is proposed and is based on the determination of the age of the parent chalks of the clay with flints and the quantification of the thickness of dissolved chalk. The chalks affected by weathering range in age from Turonian to Maastrichtian, thus confirming the deposition of calcareous sediments in the western Paris Basin up to the Maastrichtian. Chalk weathering took place in situ, as indicated by the preservation of the stratigraphic succession of the chalk in the clay with flints profiles. Weathering led to the dissolution of 20–200 m of chalk, with regional variations. The weathering rate varies between 2.1 and 14.5 m/Ma. Received: 20 July 1998 / Accepted: 1 July 1999     

陕西洛南县蓟县系洛南群层控玉化硅质岩特征、成因及意义*

华北板块南缘陕西洛南县北部中元古界蓟县系洛南群巡检司组顶部层控玉化硅质岩中,发育似层状硅质玉髓及透镜状燧石,这些燧石及硅质玉髓已经玉化,质细色艳,达到高品级石英岩质玉石级别,已申报为国家宝玉石矿种,并在宝玉石市场崭露头角,显示出巨大的经济开发潜力。作者以岩石学及地球化学分析为手段,研究该层控玉化硅质岩特征、成因及意义。研究表明: (1)层控玉化硅质岩赋存于中元古界蓟县系洛南群巡检司组顶部的紫红色、灰绿色薄层状砂泥质板岩层中,层厚一般0.5~4 m;似层状玉髓多呈紫红色、灰绿色、烟灰色和无色等,透镜状燧石多呈紫红色及灰绿色似玛瑙纹圈层状。(2)硅质玉髓主要成分为石英,隐晶、微晶结构,块状构造,质地细腻、坚硬,玻璃光泽,半透明—微透明;其Al/(Al+Fe+Mn)均值为0.62,Zr/Hf均值为34.83,Sr/Ba均值除1个异常点外为0.50,V/Ni均值为0.37,ΣREE均值为5.11,δCe均值为1.02,δEu均值为0.86,La_N/Ce_N均值为0.85,总体显示淡水沉积环境,硅质来源主要为陆源来源,也有后期热液作用来源的部分加入。(3)似层状硅质玉髓层是由于快速海退引起的淡水淋滤硅化作用形成的海底硬底构造或硅质壳;似玛瑙纹透镜状燧石及彩色似层状硅质玉髓层是由于沉积期及沉积期后成岩作用氧化还原条件变化,及后期热液侵入烘烤引起的紫色与绿色致色矿物或致色元素转变形成;角砾状燧石是由于后期秦岭强烈构造作用,引起似层状硅质玉髓上下岩层因软硬差异而产生的变形破裂作用形成的构造角砾岩。     

Applicability of ESR dating using multiple centres to fault movement — The case of the Itoigawa-Shizuoka tectonic line, a major fault in Japan

No direct method for dating the fault movement has been hitherto established, except ESR dating whose applicability is disputed however. The most serious question in ESR dating is whether accumulated ESR signals are completely reset at the time of fault movement. When the defect centres are partially preserved at the time of previous faulting, the date obtained is uncertain. We have shown (Fukuchi et al., 1985, 1986), however, that we can judge correctly whether ESR signals were completely reset or not when the ESR signal counting is done for multiple ESR centres of different stabilities for resetting. From the data for completely reset centres, actual date of fault movement can be calculated.This multiple centre method was tested with samples whose ESR signal intensities are judged to be about zero at the time of fault movement. The result, which confirms the applicability for the fault movement dated back to 100 ka BP, is presented in this paper.     

断层电子自旋共振定年中石英信号强度的影响因素分析

电子自旋共振(ESR)是一种利用矿物在地质环境中的累计辐射能进行测年的技术方法,它采用的测年矿物石英广泛分布,并具有记录断层作用良好的计时零点,是同位素测年的重要补充。ESR信号强度是决定ESR年龄精确度的关键因素,但是各种参数条件对测量结果的影响方式及其程度缺乏系统研究。本文以取自断层带石英的一种顺磁中心——E’心为研究对象,运用单因素重复性实验方法,分析石英ESR定年中5种影响因素与ESR信号强度的相关关系。结果表明,微波功率、调制幅度、扫描宽度是影响ESR信号强度的主控因素,样品管方位及直径对测量结果影响不大。微波功率0.02~0.1 m W、调制幅度0.25~0.4 Gs可作为精确测量断层泥石英E’心普适性的参数区间,过大或过小的扫描宽度均不利于ESR测量,可利用在大扫描宽度条件下先预扫描再精细扫描的方法确定合适的扫描宽度,重复测量后求取平均值可有效降低测量误差。利用本文提出的参数区间及其确定的方法测量断层泥石英的E’心信号强度,能显著提高ESR测量精度。     

Dating of a volcanic rock by electron spin resonance

The age of a volcanic rock has been determined by ESR dating using the Ge center in quartz. The total dose of natural radiation and the age obtained from the Ge center are 460 krad and 2.07 ± 0.50 Ma, respectively, and those from the unidentified defect at g = 2.011 are 484 krad and 2.16 ± 0.21 Ma, respectively. These dates agree well with the age of 2.0 ± 0.5 Ma determined by the fission-track method. High stress or temperature destroy these accumulated defects but, in the same time, produce a lot of new diamagnetic precursors which enable us to observe the clear ESR signal.     

泥河湾盆地东谷坨遗址再发掘

1997年东谷坨遗址出土的石制品,特别是其中的“东谷坨定型石核”迸一步肯定了该遗址石器工业的进步性,对全面认识泥河湾盆地旧石器时代早期文化具有重要意义。     

石英电子自旋共振（ESR）的地学研究现状与展望

电子自旋共振（ESR）是一种对断层物质、燧石、火山灰和沉积物（水系、风成、冰川）定年的重要方法,它广为接受的测年范围为第四纪。对断层泥和沉积物样品,石英ESR信号的不完全归零往往使ESR年龄偏老,多重ESR中心法和颗粒大小“平顶判据”是判断信号归零特征的两种有效方法。为将ESR测年范围拓展至前第四纪,通常采用石英氧空位在加热转化后极大增强的E’心作为测年信号,但由于石英氧空位形成转化机理不明确,加热后增强的ESR信号与地质年龄的相关性有待进一步验证。近期研究表明石英ESR的封闭温度为49 ℃～82 ℃,可在比磷灰石（U-Th）/He更低的温度区间内研究地球近地表的构造演化过程。释光技术热年代学研究发展迅速,与之测年原理接近的ESR在低温热年代学领域展现了良好的应用前景,它与释光及磷灰石（U-Th）/He可相互比对、共同提高地球近地表构造和地形演化问题的分析精度。     

The Ge/Si ratio as a tool to recognize biogenic silica in chert

Germanium and silicon, dissolved in seawater, are considered to be incorporated into biogenic opal with no or little fractionation, which permitted to use diatoms as reliable recorders of seawater Ge/Si. Does some fractionation occur during diagenesis, preventing the use of Ge/Si in ancient sediments? We examined the Ge/Si ratio of fossil sponges and flint nodules of the Cretaceous Chalk Formation of northern France. Though disputed, silica in this formation is considered to originate from sponges. No fractionation is observed between sponges and diagenetic flints, which allows us to observe whether Ge/Si bears a biogenic or detrital signature. We may thus confirm that sponges were the main silica supplier during the chalk deposition. The Ge/Si ratio may be used to identify a biogenic signature in cherts where the origin of silica is dubious.     

冰川沉积类型识别与ESR测年样品采样规范

电子自旋共振(ESR)技术是一种确定物质成分和结构的顺磁性质的分析方法,也能够用于沉积物定年。该方法的测量技术和测年的物理机制等还处于发展阶段。冰川作用过程十分复杂,形成各种类型的冰川沉积物,其顺磁信号的归零机制有显著差异,ESR测年的实验方案也有所差异。因此,识别冰碛物类型,采集合适的样品对于ESR测年的准确性十分重要。冰下融出碛和滞碛经过了冰下磨蚀过程,结构致密,细颗粒基质含量高,石英砂中的一些杂质芯的ESR信号能够衰退。许多冰上融出碛,结构疏松,但细颗粒基质含量高,不但经过了搬运过程中的冰下磨蚀过程使ESR信号衰退,又经历了沉积时的冰上阳光直射过程使信号衰退,一些样品的ESR信号能够完全晒退。冰水湖泊和冰水河流沉积的细砂和粉砂来源于冰下研磨的产物,信号会衰退;在搬运沉积过程中又可能被阳光直射,信号进一步衰退。其它类型的冰碛物的ESR信号衰退机制不明,或粒径不适合用ESR方法测年。采集冰碛物ESR年代样品时,最好同时采集信号衰退机制相同的现代冰碛物样品,以便对照,并用于扣除可能的残留信号。     

沉积物的ESR测年

对沉积物中石英ESR测年的特性进行了较为详细地研究，可用沉积物中石英的Ge心信号进行ESR测年；根据石英E心饱和功率较小这一特性，采用较大的微波功率可以测得较老海洋沉积物（大于0.5Ma）的ESR年龄；石英E心的异常较照剂量响应是判断海岸风成沙环境的一个标志。此外，还介绍了沉积物ESR测年在地质上的应用。     

石英ESR测年信号衰退特征研究进展

电子自旋共振(ESR)测年法是第四纪地质年代学的重要测试方法之一,其测年范围广,特别是对于20万年至百万年尺度的第四纪样品有着重要意义.准确测量古剂量是影响ESR测年法精度和可信度的重要因素之一,而掌握ESR信号衰退特征及机制是获得准确、可信古剂量的重要前提.ESR测年法适用的地质样品种类较多,如热液石英脉、地质断层泥、水系沉积物等,不同样品的ESR信号衰退特征和机制有较大差异.近年来,国内外学者针对不同地质样品中石英ESR信号的衰退特征和机制深入开展了一系列的实验室模拟和野外观测研究,取得了诸多新认识.回顾了近年来在石英ESR信号衰退特征领域取得的进展,特别是水系沉积物石英ESR信号的衰退特征,并展望了这一领域的未来工作重点.     

The challenge of dating early pleistocene fossil teeth by the combined uranium series–electron spin resonance method: the Venta Micena palaeontological site (Orce,Spain)

The palaeontological site of Venta Micena (Orce, Andalusia, Spain) lies in the eastern sector of the Guadix–Baza basin, one of the best documented areas in Europe for Plio‐Pleistocene biostratigraphy. The combination of biochronological and palaeomagnetic results, combined with the radiometric data obtained for Atapuerca Sima del Elefante, indicated that the Venta Micena stratum was formed between the Jaramillo and Olduvai palaeomagnetic events, most likely between 1.22 and 1.77 Ma. Five fossil teeth from two outcrops (sites A and B) were selected to assess the potential of combined uranium series–electron spin resonance (US‐ESR) dating of Early Pleistocene sites. Although the US‐ESR results of the first outcrop showed a large scatter between the three teeth, the mean age of 1.37 ± 0.24 Ma can be considered a reasonable age estimate for Venta Micena. The mean ESR age of 0.62 ± 0.03 Ma obtained for site B seems to be a severe underestimation when compared with the independent age control. This underestimation is attributed to a relative recent U‐mobilization event that led to some U‐leaching. The results show that any ESR age calculations of old samples are extremely sensitive to variations in the measured ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U ratios in dental tissues. Although the results demonstrate that ESR can in principle be applied to Early Pleistocene sites, they also reveal the complexity of dating such old teeth. It is necessary to continue research in several directions, such as study of the behaviour of ESR signals in old teeth and understanding recent U‐mobilization processes, to improve the reliability of the combined US‐ESR dating method applied to Early Pleistocene times, a period for which the number of available numerical dating techniques is very limited. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electron spin resonance and related studies of lignite and ball clay from South Devon,England

Electron spin resonance and infrared spectroscopic studies of lignite and ball clay from South Devon, and of extracts obtained from them by solvent fractionation, revealed similarities between corresponding organic components associated with both materials. All fractions exhibited a free radical resonance at g = 2.0037, which occurred with greatest intensity in the humic acids. Additional ESR features due to Fe³⁺, Mn²⁺ and VO²⁺ complexes were observed. Ferric ions give rise to resonances at g = 4.2 which have not been previously reported in the case of natural carbonaceous materials. It is shown that the paramagnetic species associated with the ball clay and lignite extracts do not significantly contribute to the observed ESR spectra of kaolinites, the latter being attributable to substituted Fe³⁺ ions and defect centres within the kaolinite lattice.     

Compositional variability of Saalian till in The Netherlands and its origin

Variations in composition between and within Saalian till types of The Netherlands are demonstrated with reference to grain-size distribution, fine-gravel petrography and heavy-mineral composition. Several factors explain different aspects of the compositional variations. Firstly, a compositional layering results from differences in the amount of local material that has been assimilated in successive till hands. Secondly, a petrographic stratification is present in the erratic components, which is most strikingly expressed by the occurrence of flint-poor till overlying till rich in flints. This feature is interpreted to have been inherited from an englacial debris stratification which is related to the distribution of source rock types in the up-glacier area. Finally, a predominantly lateral variation in till composition is present, reflected best in the assemblages of the indicator pebbles, resulting from deposition by ice streams of different source and direction of flow.     

Distinct ruby suite at Sardapur, Orissa: A spectroscopic investigation

Orissa is an important area for gem variety of corundum deposits in India. Spectroscopic studies, such as ESR, OAS on samples from Sardapur, Orissa, were carried out to ascertain the colour cause of corundum. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopic study was carried out on the samples to detect the presence of paramagnetic ions i.e. Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Ti⁴⁺, Cr³⁺ and V³⁺ etc. The variable temperature experiment carried out to observe the effect of heating on peak valence state change in paramagnetic ions. Samples were cut and polished to obtain the optical absorption spectrum (OAS) to detect the colour causing transition ions/defect centres. The samples of gem variety were step heated up to 300°C for colour enhancement studies. EPMA analysis has revealed the low chromium concentration in the rubies. The varying hues of red in the corundum are due to the presence of bivalent and trivalent iron and charge transfer process along with Cr³⁺ absorption in the 550 nm region.     

Towards single grain ESR dating of sedimentary quartz: first results

In optically stimulated luminescence dating, apparent ages of individual grains are thought to reflect a wide distribution of initial bleaching levels in hard to bleach sediments. Although having a larger age range (up to 1 Ma and beyond), this approach has not been used yet in electron spin resonance (ESR) dating. Here we report on the first results of ESR measurements on single sedimentary quartz grains. Initial bleaching levels are evaluated for two different River Meuse deposits in Limburg, NE Belgium. Measurements were done with a Q-band ESR spectrometer on transparent quartz grains of sufficiently large diameter (0.5–0.7 mm). Single crystal ESR properties were used to identify different ESR active centres. In about 50% of the selected grains an Al and/or Ti–Li signal was detected and the latter has been selected for further measurements. Artificial bleaching experiments show a strong signal decrease with UV light exposure. After gamma-ray irradiation, a number of different signal intensity vs. artificial dose curves could be observed: exponential growth, exponential saturation, linear, with inflexion points, and unclear ones. Many grains show increasing ESR signals with doses up to 1000 Gy, suggesting that the age range could be extended over 1 Ma, covering the Middle Pleistocene and part of the Early Pleistocene. Accumulated doses of individual grains were calculated using the additive dose method. The results show a large dose distribution of individual grains for both deposits. It is concluded that insufficiently bleached grains can be detected using single grain ESR measurements of sedimentary quartz in a fluvial environment.     

The origin of very flinty dry-valley deposits in the Marlow area,Buckinghamshire, England

Some of the soils on the floors of dry chalkland valleys north of the River Thames in the Marlow area have surface horizons of moderately to very flinty, weakly or non-calcareous, poorly sorted loams, which were deposited in the late Holocene. These overlie typical chalkland gelifluction and periglacial fluvial deposits. Fine calcareous colluvial loams also occur but are less common than in valleys elsewhere on the English chalk. Particle size and mineralogical analyses suggest that the loamy matrix of the flinty surface horizons was derived from loess and early Tnames terrace deposits or Clay-with-flints occurring on interfluves between the dry-valleys. On the evidence of their poorly sorted nature, lack of carbonate, abundance of large flints and irregularly ridged surfaces, it is suggested that they originated mainly as valley-side debris flows.     

Liquefaction, fluidization and erosional structures associated with bituminous sands of the Bracklesham Formation (Middle Eocene) of Dorset, England

ABSTRACT At Hengistbury Head, Dorset, the Boscombe Sands (Middle Eocene, Bracklesham Formation) are of estuarine channel facies. A mud-filled channel is exposed, the banks and eastern flank of which have a black carbonaceous stain, the degraded remains of a bitumen. At the time of deposition, the bitumen rendered the sediment firm and it was extensively burrowed by a Thalassinoides -forming organism (crustacean). The bituminous sand on the eastern channel bank suffered brecciation and dilation as a result of liquefaction and flowage of the underlying sediments. This is thought to have been due to rapid expulsion of pore water, possibly as a result of seismic shock. The layers of bituminous sand below the surface were ruptured during water-escape, resulting in localized zones of rapid flow causing fluidization and the development of dewatering pipes up to 1.2 m long. The estuarine sediments were subsequently transgressed during which the bituminous sand was exposed on the seafloor, when it was eroded into a hummocky topography and heavily burrowed. Blocks of bituminous sand were reworked into the marine basal conglomerate, composed mainly of flints, demonstrating the remarkable strength of the bituminous cement.