Sources of Labrador Sea sediments since the last glacial maximum inferred from Nd-Pb isotopes

Pb isotopes have been measured in the clay-size fraction of Late Glacial and Holocene deep-sea sediments recovered from two Labrador Sea piston cores that have been previously analyzed for Nd isotopes. The newly acquired Pb isotopic data allow us to better constrain the different source areas that supplied clay-size material during the last deglaciation, until 8.6 kyr (calendar ages). Nd-Pb data can be modeled mainly as a mixture between a Precambrian crust and Lower Paleozoic material originating from the denudation of the pan-African orogen. The old material originates mainly from the Archean, Lower Proterozoic, or both terranes of Greenland (and also probably corresponding terranes of Labrador), although minor input of other Precambrian material is recorded in some detrital carbonate-rich deglacial samples from Orphan Knoll. The Phanerozoic crustal end member consists of sediment material mainly originating from northwestern Europe. This source area is found to be the only significant source of young crustal material in early Holocene sediments from the Greenland Rise. No significant input from the mid-Atlantic volcanism is apparent. This study puts further constraints on the deep circulation pattern during the last deglaciation. It is concluded that at that time, European Phanerozoic material was carried from the Norwegian Sea through the Wyville Thompson Ridge into the Iceland Basin by the North East Atlantic Deep Water. No evidence for an overflow is found either south of the Iceland (Iceland-Scotland Ridge) or through the Denmark Strait.     

塔里木盆地塔东地区中—上奥陶统海底扇浊积岩层序地层格架及沉积特征

塔东地区是塔里木盆地重要的油气资源战略接替区域之一。在剖面、测井和岩心资料的基础上,以Cross的高分辨率层序地层学理论为指导,对区内中—上奥陶统海底扇相浊积岩进行了初步的层序地层分析,识别出了6个三级层序,并建立了横向连井层序地层对比格架,揭示了地层的时空展布规律。在对海底扇相沉积特征研究的基础上,首次以三级层序为单位勾绘了6期海底扇扇体形态的平面展布图,分析了各期扇体的平面展布特征;最后,依据扇体形态,结合其岩性特征和重矿物分析,对海底扇的物源方向进行了初步的探讨,得出该区海底扇物源应来自北部的库鲁克塔格地区,研究成果为本区今后的油气勘探工作提供了依据。     

Timing and prediction of climate change and hydrological impacts: periodicity in natural variations

Hydrological impacts from climate change are of principal interest to water resource policy-makers and practicing engineers. Predictive climatic models have been extensively investigated to quantify the impacts. Palaeoclmatic investigations, on the other hand, show unequivocal and strong periodicity of climate variations in proxy evidence. Yet how to use the periodicity in future hydroclimatic timing and forecasting has received less attention. This paper examines the periodicity in Pleistocene–Holocene glacial–interglacial events and in modern precipitation records, and discusses a way in which the periodicity is used for hydroclimatic predictions. The analysis, based on published CO₂, ΔT (δ²H) and δ¹⁸O proxy data of polar ice cores and deep oceanic benthic fossils, shows a periodicity in a ~100, ~40 or 25 kyear duration consistent with Milankovitch orbital regulations during the glacial–interglacial periods. On a fine time scale, millennium and multi-decadal periodicity is observed in high-resolution proxy variations of Greenland ice cores and in instrumental precipitation records of the contiguous USA. A basic periodicity of decadal and multi-decadal changes in ~20 and ~10–15 year duration is apparent in wavelet frequency analysis of both ice core proxy and precipitation data. While the kyear-scale periodicity is found of global prevalence, the millennium and decadal variations vary in space and are region-specific. Based on these findings, a generalized time-downscaling hierarchy of periodicity is proposed as a potential approach for timing and forecasting future hydroclimatic conditions at a resolution relevant to the water resources engineering and management.     

Impacts,volcanism and mass extinction: random coincidence or cause and effect?

Large impacts are credited with the most devastating mass extinctions in Earth's history and the Cretaceous?–?Tertiary (K/T) boundary impact is the strongest and sole direct support for this view. A review of the five largest Phanerozoic mass extinctions provides no support that impacts with craters up to 180 km in diameter caused significant species extinctions. This includes the 170 km-diameter Chicxulub impact crater regarded as 0.3 million years older than the K/T mass extinction. A second, larger impact event may have been the ultimate cause of this mass extinction, as suggested by a global iridium anomaly at the K/T boundary, but no crater has been found to date. The current crater database suggests that multiple impacts, for example comet showers, were the norm, rather than the exception, during the Late Eocene, K/T transition, latest Triassic and the Devonian?–?Carboniferous transition, but did not cause significant species extinctions. Whether multiple impacts substantially contributed to greenhouse warming and associated environmental stresses is yet to be demonstrated. From the current database, it must be concluded that no known Phanerozoic impacts, including the Chicxulub impact (but excluding the K/T impact) caused mass extinctions or even significant species extinctions. The K/T mass extinction may have been caused by the coincidence of a very large impact (>?250 km) upon a highly stressed biotic environment as a result of volcanism. The consistent association of large magmatic provinces (large igneous provinces and continental flood-basalt provinces) with all but one (end-Ordovician) of the five major Phanerozoic mass extinctions suggests that volcanism played a major role. Faunal and geochemical evidence from the end-Permian, end-Devonian, end-Cretaceous and Triassic/Jurassic transition suggests that the biotic stress was due to a lethal combination of tectonically induced hydrothermal and volcanic processes, leading to eutrophication in the oceans, global warming, sea-level transgression and ocean anoxia. It must be concluded that major magmatic events and their long-term environmental consequences are major contributors, though not the sole causes of mass extinctions. Sudden mass extinctions, such as at the K/T boundary, may require the coincidence of major volcanism and a very large Impact.     

Stegosaur tracks and the persistence of facies — the Lower Cretaceous of Western Australia

Sometimes between January and June 1996, the only known stegosaur tracks were stolen from Broome in north-western Australia (Fig. 1). Vandalism or loss of any type material is always to be lamented, yet there is good cause to suspect that the trackmaker at Broome was not a stegosaur. The reasons why this should be so relate to some of the factors involved in the formation of dinosaur trace fossils and the difficulties encountered in their interpretation. The stratigraphy at Broome is notable for preserving evidence of potential Wealden-type deposition in Australia.     

The lignin geochemistry of marine sediments from the southern Washington coast

Lignin oxidation products and stable carbon isotope distributions are used to investigate the sources, transport, and chemical stability of land-derived organic matter in dated cores of modern sediment from the southern Washington State continental shelf and slope. There is no evidence for significant chemical alteration of lignin compounds in these sediments for time periods of up to 400 yr. Gymnosperm woods and nonwoody angiosperm tissues account for most of the land-derived organic matter in the deposits. These land plant remains have an average δ¹³C of approximately ?25.5% and are concentrated in a narrow band of silty sediment which extends northward from the Columbia River mouth along the mid-shelf. Marine organic matter having an approximate δ¹³C of ?21.5%, strongly predominates in most other shelf and slope environments. Net fluxes of land-derived organic matter into the surface 5 cm of the cores vary directly with sediment accumulation rates. Net fluxes of marine organic material into the surface sediments are highest in environments which favor the preservation of organic matter, but correspond to less than 1% of the primary productivity in the overlying waters.     

Susceptibility as a tool for studying magnetic stratigraphy of marine sediments

Eighty six gravity cores collected from the Pacific Ocean by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography have been logged for magnetic susceptibility using a simple and rapid technique. These logs fall into three types: Type 1 showing several highs and lows, Type 2 with a single-broad-hump, and Type 3 showing nearly constant susceptibility with depth. Type 1 cores are found to be mainly from sediment-trap (trenches) areas which are close to the active volcanoes and the high peaks probably correspond to a slump or deposition of volcanic material; these events occurred between 0·1 and 2·8 million years ago. Type 2 cores are by far the most common, (56 out of 86) and show a maximum deposition of magnetic material (i.e. crest region of the hump) in the range of 0·2 and 1·7 million years. The susceptibility during this period was about a factor of two higher for several cores compared to their respective values during the last 0·1 million years. Oceanwide deposition of volcanic material and/or the atmospherically transported dust rich in magnetic material (cosmic and/or terrestrial) by our planet can account for such an increase. A third possibility may be the change (decrease) in accumulation rates of the sediments during this period. In type 3 cores the susceptibility is almost constant with depth and these are randomly distributed (excluding the sediment trap areas) analogous to the case of type 2 cores. A high deposition rate in these areas can alter type 2 into type 3. It appears that the maximum of type 2 hump can act as a stratigraphic marker since type 2 cores are the most common ones and are widely distributed over the entire Pacific.     

红土地质考古带和早期人类进化

分布在旧大陆热带、亚热带的红土是一条巨型纬向地质体、它汇集了迄今已知年代 最古老的人类化石和旧石器遗址,是研究人类起源、人类最初扩散以及同时期全球环境变迁的信息载体。近年亚洲红土地质考古带的重大发现表明,亚洲、非洲最早出现的人类在年代上、体质特征上和文化面貌上都十分接近。这个事实将对人类演化理论产生重大影响。     

Inhibition of dissolution within shallow water carbonate sediments: impacts of terrigenous sediment input on syn-depositional carbonate diagenesis

The early diagenetic chemical dissolution of skeletal carbonates has previously been documented as taking place within bioturbated, shallow water, tropical carbonate sediments. The diagenetic reactions operating within carbonate sediments that fall under the influence of iron‐rich (terrigenous) sediment input are less clearly understood. Such inputs should modify carbonate diagenetic reactions both by minimizing bacterial sulphate reduction in favour of bacterial iron reduction, and by the reaction of any pore‐water sulphide with iron oxides, thereby minimizing sulphide oxidation and associated acidity. To test this hypothesis sediment cores were taken from sites within Discovery Bay (north Jamaica), which exhibit varying levels of Fe‐rich bauxite sediment contamination. At non‐impacted sites sediments are dominated by CaCO₃ (up to 99% by weight). Pore waters from the upper few centimetres of cores show evidence for active sulphate reduction (reduced SO₄/Cl^? ratios) and minor CaCO₃ dissolution (increased Ca²⁺/Cl^? ratios). Petrographic observations of carbonate grains (specifically Halimeda and Amphiroa) show clear morphological evidence for dissolution throughout the sediment column. In contrast, at bauxite‐impacted sites, the sediment is composed of up to 15% non‐carbonate and contains up to 6000 μg g^?1 Fe. Pore waters show no evidence for sulphate reduction, but marked levels of Fe(II), suggesting that bacterial Fe(III) reduction is active. Carbonate grains show little evidence for dissolution, often exhibiting pristine surface morphologies. Samples from the deeper sections of these cores, which pre‐date bauxite influence, commonly exhibit morphological evidence for dissolution implying that this was a significant process prior to bauxite input. Previous studies have suggested that dissolution, driven by sulphate reduction and sulphide oxidation, can account for the loss of as much as 50% of primary carbonate production in localized platform environments. The finding that chemical dissolution is minor in a terrigenous‐impacted carbonate environment, therefore, has significant implications for carbonate budgets and cycling, and the preservation of carbonate grains in such sediment systems.     

Sources and history of heavy metal contamination and sediment deposition in Tivoli South Bay, Hudson River, New York

Persistent inorganic constitutents preserved in sediments of aquatic ecosystems record temporal variability of biogeochemical functioning and anthropogenic impacts.²¹⁰Pb and¹³⁷Cs dating techniques were used to study the past variations of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, and Zn) and accumulation rates of sediments for Tivoli South Bay, in the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve ecosystem. South Bay, a tidal freshwater embayment of the Hudson, may play an important role in the sediment dynamics of this important river. The measured sedimentation rate range of 0.59 to 2.92 cm yr⁻¹ suggests that rapid accumulation occurred during the time period represented by the length of the cores (approximately the past 50 yr). Direct measurements of sediment exchange with the Hudson River reveal high variability in the sediment flux from one tidal cycle to the next. Net exchange does not seem to be adequate to explain sediment accumulation rates in the bay as measured by²¹⁰Pb and¹³⁷Cs. The difference may be supplied from upland streams or the Hudson River during storm events. Concentrations of the metals Pb, Cu and Zn were found to be well correlated with each other within individual cores at five of six sites tested. This suggests a common proximate source for the three metals at a specific site. The evidence is consistent with mixing in some environmental compartment before delivery to the bay. While metals self-correlate within individual cores, absolute concentrations, depth distribution patterns, and ratios of the metals to each other vary among the cores collected at different locations within the bay. Organic matter, Fe content, and particle size distribution of sediments do not account for the intercore variations in metal concentration. It is likely that cores collected from different sites may have derived metals from different sources, such as watershed streams and tidal exchange with the Hudson River.     

Where is the Fossil Evidence for Gondwanan Crayfish?

Crayfish body- and ichnofossils recently reported from Lower Permian and Lower Triassic strata of Antarctica have been reinterpreted to be the body fossils of euthycarcinoid arthropods and the burrows of small- to large-sized therapsids (mammal-like reptiles). The earliest fossil evidence of crayfish presence and activity in continental deposits is still from the Laurasian continents of Pangea. This evidence is in the form of body fossils and burrows from the Upper Triassic and burrows from the Lower Permian of the American southwest. For that matter, nearly all ichno- and body fossils have been described from Laurasian rocks with the exception of the occurrence of an isolated claw of a parastacid crayfish from Paleogene deposits in Queensland, Australia.

Where is all the fossil evidence for Gondwanan crayfish? There is a rich extant diversity of parastacid crayfish in Australia, and they are dispersed between other Gondwanan continents, with the exception of Africa and Antarctica. Paleontological and ichnological evidence, when taken into consideration with paleogeographic reconstructions, indicates that they originated early, during, or slightly after the formation of Pangea. Thus, at the very least, there should be trace and body fossil evidence in Australia indicating the long evolutionary history of the parastacids. Evidence for ancient Gondwanan crayfish in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems should occur in rocks of similar ages to those in North America where ichno- and body fossils have been identified.     

中国历史时期气候变化对社会发展的影响*

历史时期气候变化对社会发展的影响与人类适应问题,是当前全球变化领域的研究热点之一。近年来,在利用丰富的历史文献资料研究中国历史时期(特别是过去2000年时段)气候变化与人类社会相互作用的过程机理方面取得了一系列新成果。本文将其归纳为3个方面: 理论上,构建了基于粮食安全的气候影响传递过程分析框架;方法上,实现了服务于气候变化影响研究的、基于语义差异的历史社会经济序列定量重建;科学认识上,总结出“冷抑暖扬”而又福祸相依的宏观韵律。在此基础上,对未来研究需要进一步深化的方向进行了展望。     

Isotopic variations in S-type granites: an inheritance from a heterogeneous source?

Inherited zircons from S-type granites provide exceptionally good insight into the isotopic heterogeneity of their sources. Zircons from four samples (one granite, two granodiorites, one granodioritic enclave) of Pan-African S-type granite of the Cape Granite Suite (c. 540 Ma) have been the subject of a laser LA-ICP-MS zircon U/Pb study to determine emplacement ages and inheritance. Zircons from three of these samples (2 granodiorites and 1 granodioritic enclave) were also analysed for Hf isotopes by LA-MC-ICP-MS. Ages of inherited cores range from 1,200 to 570 Ma and show Hafnium isotope values (ε_Hf,t ) for the crystallisation age (t) of the different cores that range from −14.1 to +9.1. Magmatic zircons and magmatic overgrowth with concordant spot ages between ca. 525 and ca. 555 Ma show a similar range of ε_Hf,t , between −8.6 and +1.5, whilst ε_Hf values calculated at 540 Ma (ε_Hf,540) for inherited cores range from −15.2 to +1.7. Thus, our results show that the time evolved ε_Hf arrays of the inherited cores overlap closely with the ε_Hf range displayed by the magmatic rims at the time of crystallisation of the pluton. These similarities imply a genetic relationship between magmatic and inherited zircons. Within the inherited cores, four main peak ages can be identified. This, coupled with their large Hf isotopic range, emphasises that the source of the granite is highly heterogeneous. The combination of the U/Pb zircon ages ranges and Hf isotope data implies that: (1) The source of S-type granite consists of crustal material recording several regional events between 1,200 and 600 Ma. This material records the recycling of a much older crust derived from depleted mantle between 1.14 and 2.02 Ga. (2) The homogenisation of Hf isotopic variation in the magma acquired through dissolution of the entrained zircon, via mechanical mixing and/or diffusion between within the granite was particularly inefficient. (3) This evidence argues for the assembly of the pluton through many relatively small magma batches that undergo rapid cooling from their intrusion temperature (ca. 850°C) to background magma chamber temperature that is low enough to ensure that much of the magmatic zircon crystallised rapidly (>80% by 700°C). (4) There is no evidence for the addition of mantle-derived material in the genesis of S-type Cape Granite Suite, where the most mafic granodiorites are strongly peraluminous, relatively low in CaO and K₂O rich. Interpreted more widely, these findings imply that S-type granites inherit their isotopic characteristic from the source. Source heterogeneity transfers to the granite magma via the genesis of discrete magma batches. The information documented from the S-type CGS zircons has been recorded because the individual batches of magma crystallised the bulk of their magmatic zircon prior to mechanical or diffusional magma homogenisation. This is favoured by zirconium saturation in the magma shortly after emplacement, by partial dissolution of the entrained zircon fraction, as well as by the intrusion of volumetrically subordinate magma batches into a relatively cool pluton. Consequently, evidence recorded within inherited cores will most likely be best preserved in S-type granite plutons intruded at shallow depths. Other studies that have documented similar ε_Hf arrays in magmatic zircons have interpreted these to reflect mixing between crustal- and mantle-derived magmas. This study indicates that such arrays may be wholly source inherited, reflecting mixing of a range of crustal materials of different ages and original isotopic signatures.     

Khok Phanom Di,central Thailand: Chemical analysis of pollen core KL 2 and AMS radiocarbon dates from cores KL 2 and BMR 2

Summary pollen diagrams and carbonized particle concentration figures from cores collected very near the central Thai archaeological site of Khok Phanom Di (ca. 2000-1500 B.C.) have recently been published in this journal. This paper reports on the chemical analysis of one of these cores (KL 2), the accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dates from two cores (KL 2 and BMR 2), and reinterprets the pollen record in relation to the 17 dates now available from the archaeological site. the chemical analyses are the first from a lowland Southeast Asian pollen core and reinforce the conclusions of pollen analysis, while the radiocarbon dates indicate that the earlier disruption to the vegetation suggested in the previous paper pre-dates the excavation evidence. There is some evidence that archaeologically older strata than already uncovered occur at Khok Phanon Di.     

Drumlin formation in Southern Anglesey and Arvon,Northwest Wales

This is a study of Late Devensian drumlins formed in southern Anglesey and Arvon, northwest Wales. This area was affected by ice sheet coalescence when the Welsh ice sheet met with the lrish Sea ice sheet, and drumlins were formed once the two had coalesced. It is suggested that the drumlins were the result of net subglacial soft-bed erosion, and that they represent more resistant cores within the subglacial deforming layer. The drumlins have either gravel or till cores, and where the core was deformable, large-scale compressive glaciotectonic structures were seen (e.g. Dinas Dinlle) with local subglacial compression of –59%. Where the cores were more resistant (e.g. Lleiniog) these were not deformed but remained as more competent masses within the deforming layer. It is suggested that the less competent material flowed around the cores, some remaining as a thin carapace, but most of the material being removed down glacier, leaving the drumlins as erosional remnants. In northwest Wales there is a multi-till sequence that traditionally has been interpreted as having been deposited as the result of separate ice-sheet advances and retreats. However, in this study, it is suggested that the different tills were deposited as the result of ice-sheet coalescence, and that sites such as Dinas Dinlle do not show evidence of a major readvance in the retreat of the Devensian ice, but are indicative of continuously changing conditions within the subglacial deforming bed.     

冰雪地球的研究进展综述

在大约6~7亿年前的新元古代时期，地球是否曾经被冰雪完全覆盖而成为了一个“冰雪地球”？如果是，什么诱发了这种全球性的冰川期？又是什么导致了它的融化？新元古代时期的极端气候变化对其后的寒武纪生命大爆发有何影响？围绕这些问题，古地质、古生物和古气候学界在最近几年展开了广泛的研究和激烈争论。根据现有的研究结果，地球在新元古代时期确实经历了数次地球历史上最为严重的全球性冰川期，但地球是否被完全冰封还需要更充分的古地质和古生物方面的证据来证明；利用气候模式对各种可能的外部强迫的模拟试验表明“冰雪地球”是很难形成的，并且，如果地球进入完全被冰封的状态，它将是难以被融化的；关于新元古代时期剧烈的气候变化对寒武纪生命大爆发所起的作用存在2种观点，一种认为气候变化导致了原始生命的基因突变并诱发了寒武纪生命爆发，另一种认为这种影响主要是生态方面的。     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Recent lake sediments—I. Compounds having anthropogenic origins

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in sediment cores from Lake Lucerne, Lake Zürich, and Greifensee, Switzerland, and Lake Washington, northwest U.S.A., have been isolated, identified and quantified by glass capillary gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Surface sediment layers are greatly enriched in PAH—up to 40 times—compared to deeper layers. In addition, concentration increases in upper sediments generally correspond to increasing industrialization and urbanization in the catchment basins of the lakes. Few PAH could be detected in pre-industrial revolution sediments, indicating that background levels for most PAH in aquatic sediments are extremely low.These results are consistent with an anthropogenic source for most of the aromatic hydrocarbons present in the modern sediments. A comparison of PAH distributions in the sediments and in possible source materials shows that urban runoff of street dust may be the most important PAH input to these lacustrine sediments. There is evidence that a significant contribution to the PAH content of street dust comes from material associated with asphalt.     

In situ SHRIMP U-Pb dating of monazite integrated with petrology and textures: Does bulk composition control whether monazite forms in low-Ca pelitic rocks during amphibolite facies metamorphism?

Bulk composition and specific reaction history among common silicate minerals have been proposed as controls on monazite growth in metapelitic rocks during amphibolite facies metamorphism. It has also been implied that monazite that formed during greenschist facies metamorphism may be preserved unchanged under upper amphibolite facies conditions. If correct, this would make the interpretation of monazite ages in polymetamorphic rocks exceedingly difficult, because isotopic dates could vary significantly in rocks that have experienced identical metamorphic conditions but differ only slightly in whole-rock composition. Low-Ca pelitic schists from the Mount Barren Group in southwestern Australia display a range of whole-rock compositions in AFM space and different peak mineral assemblages resulting from amphibolite facies metamorphism (∼8 kb, 650 °C). In this study, we test whether bulk composition controls the formation of monazite through geochronology and textural evidence linking monazite growth with deformation and peak metamorphism. X-ray element mapping of monazite from the metapelitic rocks reveals concentric zoning in many grains with compositionally distinct cores and rims. In situ SHRIMP U-Pb geochronology of monazite yields two ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age populations. The cores, and texturally early monazite, give an age of 1209 ± 10 Ma, interpreted to record prograde metamorphism, whereas the rims and “late” monazite define a single population of 1186 ± 6 Ma, which is considered the likely age of peak thermal metamorphism. The growth of monazite was widespread in low-Ca pelitic schists representing a broad range of compositions in AFM space, indicating that variations in bulk composition in AFM space did not control the formation of monazite during amphibolite facies metamorphism in the Mount Barren Group.     

Late quaternary glacial history of the South Orkney Plateau, Antarctica

Piston cores from the South Orkney Plateau penetrated overcompacted diamictons in water depths of up to 250 m. Detailed textural and petrological analyses of these diamictons indicate that they are basal tills. Seismic records from the plateau show a widespread surface of glacial erosion and provide additional evidence of an ice cap grounded to a depth of 250 m. Piston cores from the slope of the plateau penetrated diatomaceous muds resting directly on poorly sorted muds with very little to no biogenic material. The ice-rafted debris in these glacial-marine sediments is composed almost exclusively of material derived from the South Orkney Islands. This implies deposition beneath an ice shelf as opposed to iceberg rafting. In contrast, diatomaceous muds contain relatively abundant exotic iceberg-rafted material and reflect a glacial-maritime setting similar to that of today. The sharp contact separating diatomaceous surface sediments from basal tills and sub-ice shelf deposits indicates that the ice cap and ice shelf retreated from the plateau rapidly. Radiocarbon dates for diatomaceous muds from a glacial trough on the plateau indicate that the ice cap and ice shelf retreated from the plateau prior to 6000 to 7000 years ago. The homogeneity of surficial diatomaceous sediments suggests that sea ice conditions over the plateau have not changed radically since that time.     

Mental health preparedness for natural disasters in Iran

Appropriate emergency preparedness and response rely on social, economical, cultural, and political infrastructures, which vary widely according to the level of the development of each country. Mental health damages are among the consequences of absence of such infrastructure, which have not been studied comprehensively till to date. In most countries, planning for natural disasters and earthquakes has been mainly focused on physical and economical impacts; however, lessons learnt from recent earthquakes in Iran and other countries show that psychological impacts need to be considered more seriously. The first responder to an emergency is really the affected community, which consequently should be mentally prepared by appropriate training programs. These should include simple psychosocial interventions developed for people with average level of education in a way to be easily understandable and practicable. After the Bam earthquake, local community volunteers have been selected and trained to provide post-disaster mental health services.