Defining the Quaternary

The Quaternary System is under threat of extinction as a chronostratigraphic unit in the international Geological Time Scale. In its place, the Neogene System (previously comprising Miocene and Pliocene Series), is to be extended to include the Pleistocene and Holocene Series. It may be possible to “save” the Quaternary by defining it as a Subsystem of the Neogene. In doing so, it would be an opportune time to extend the base of the Quaternary to 2.6 Ma to encompass the time during which (1) Earth's climate has been strongly influenced by bi-polar glaciation, and (2) the genus Homo first appeared and evolved.     

The Quaternary System/Period and its major subdivisions

The Quaternary System/Period represents the past 2.58 million years and is officially subdivided into the Pleistocene and Holocene series/epochs, with the base of the Holocene assigned an age of 11,700 calendar years before AD 2000. The two lowest stages of the Pleistocene, the Gelasian (base 2.58 Ma) and the Calabrian (base 1.80 Ma), have been officially defined and these effectively constitute the Lower Pleistocene Subseries/Subepoch. The Middle and Upper Pleistocene have yet to be formally defined, representing an important future challenge, along with the subdivision of the Holocene, consideration of the ‘Anthropocene’, and fine-scale subdivision elsewhere within the Quaternary.     

Formal ratification of the Quaternary System/Period and the Pleistocene Series/Epoch with a base at 2.58 Ma

In June 2009, the Executive Committee of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) formally ratified a proposal by the International Commission on Stratigraphy to lower the base of the Quaternary System/Period to the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the Gelasian Stage/Age at Monte San Nicola, Sicily, Italy. The Gelasian until then had been the uppermost stage of the Pliocene Series/Epoch. The base of the Gelasian corresponds to Marine Isotope Stage 103, and has an astronomically tuned age of 2.58 Ma. A proposal that the base of the Pleistocene Series/Epoch be lowered to coincide with that of the Quaternary (the Gelasian GSSP) was also accepted by the IUGS Executive Committee. The GSSP at Vrica, Calabria, Italy, which had hitherto defined the basal boundary of both the Quaternary and the Pleistocene, remains available as the base of the Calabrian Stage/Age (now the second stage of the revised Pleistocene). In ratifying these proposals, the IUGS has acknowledged the distinctive qualities of the Quaternary by reaffirming it as a full system/period, correctly complied with the hierarchical requirements of the geological timescale by lowering the base of the Pleistocene to that of the Quaternary, and fully respected the historical and widespread current usage of both the terms ‘Quaternary’ and ‘Pleistocene’. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

第四系的正式地位和定义初步确定

国际地层委员会最新表决通过第四系为系级年代地层单位,它位于新近系之上,底界由意大利西西里岛的Monte San Nicola"金钉子"定义,也就是由定义格拉斯阶底界的"金钉子"来定义,年龄值约为2.59Ma;更新统的底界也下移到这个位置,格拉斯阶划归更新统,长期争论的第四系的地位和定义问题有望得到解决。     

青藏高原古大湖与夷平面的关系及高原面形成演化过程

青藏高原经过古近纪挤压缩短和增厚地壳均衡隆升,晚新生代形成了以走滑和伸展为主的相对稳定构造环境。中新世早期与晚更新世分别发育巨型古大湖,上新世-早更新世发育很多规模较大的古湖泊,古大湖对夷平面形成演化具有重要的控制作用。中新世早期(（24.1±0.6） ~（14.5±0.5）Ma)以古大湖的湖面为侵蚀基准面,经过隆起区剥蚀夷平和长期湖相沉积,在高海拔环境下形成早期夷平面。中新世晚期-第四纪以湖面与五道梁群湖相沉积顶面为基准,在高海拔环境下继续发生剥蚀夷平和准平原化,逐步形成主夷平面或高原面。第四纪河流溯源侵蚀导致内外流水系分界线自东向西迁移,在青藏高原东部形成高山峡谷地貌。     

青海格尔木早更新世昆仑河砾岩的发现及其地质意义

昆仑河发源于昆仑山,是格尔木河的重要支流之一。前人所报道的新近纪与第四纪地层,主要集中于昆仑山垭口地区,而在昆仑河—格尔木河谷地中,只有中更新世以来的最新地层,从而提出了发生于1.1~0.6 Ma BP间的“昆仑—黄河运动”的概念。然而在昆仑河谷中发现了厚达20 m的钙质胶结的河流相砾石层(昆仑河砾岩),其分布、特征及其与纳赤台沟组、三岔河组和低阶地沉积等上覆地层的不整合接触关系,以及ESR法测定的该砾石层2个钙质胶结物样品的年龄(分别为1 042 ± 104 ka BP与1 269 ± 126 ka BP)均表明,早在距今1.27~1.42 Ma之前昆仑河—格尔木河河谷已经形成,而且已深切到现今的谷底。此后河谷内的多次切割与堆积,不应是构造运动的结果,而可能是冰期与间冰期气候变化所引起的侵蚀与搬运能力变化造成的。同样,昆仑山相对于柴达木盆地的强烈隆升至少应发生于距今1.27~1.42 Ma之前。      

Position of the base of the Quaternary in West Siberia (based on paleobotanical and paleomagnetic evidence)

This study reviews a possible new position of the base of the Quaternary in West Siberia based on paleobotanical and paleomagnetic data in view of ratification of ICS recommendations by the IUGS Executive Committee and the decision of the Interdepartmental Commission on the Quaternary Stratigraphy of Russia to lower the base of the Quaternary (and, therefore, the base of the Pleistocene) at 2.58 Ma. The paleobotanical and paleomagnetic data from two horizons on the West Siberian plain (Kulunda, attributed in part to the formerly Neogene Gelasian Stage, and Kochki, attributed to the Quaternary) were used to identify global cooling that occurred synchronously with a regional cooling phase determined at the base of the Gelasian at Monte San Nicola, Italy.     

第四纪地质定年与地质年表

时、空、质(物质)、能(动力)是研究地质过程、环境演变的基本要素，其中时间是关键．任何一个自然事件、任何一个地质过程，都与时间相关联，时间的重要性需要通过年龄的精确测量来体现。本文综述了第四纪定年的基本方法和特点以及近年来年代地层学所获得的进展，提出了中国第四纪的划分简表。     

对山东省第四纪史家沟组划分的再认识

史家沟组的时代归属一直存在争议。在系统梳理山东省史家沟组地层划分沿革的基础上,对蓬莱、长岛和无棣3个地区的11个史家沟组露头剖面进行系统采样,获取了14个K-Ar年龄和2个ESR年龄,通过与前人测年数据对比分析,发现在山东境内仅在无棣碣石山(0.87 Ma)和蓬莱市北沟镇迎口山(1.51 Ma)出露有第四纪更新世玄武岩,其他测试年龄均为新近纪(9.24~5.02 Ma)。蓬莱和长岛地区的玄武岩地层多属中新世晚期(蓬莱北沟镇迎口山除外)尧山组,仅有少量属第四纪史家沟组。建议将无棣大山、蓬莱北林院迎口山区域玄武岩划为第四纪,其他区域出露的第四纪史家沟组划为新近纪。     

Provenance of Holocene beach sand in the Western Iberian margin: the use of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test for the deciphering of sediment recycling in a modern coastal system

Detrital zircons from Holocene beach sand and igneous zircons from the Cretaceous syenite forming Cape Sines (Western Iberian margin) were dated using laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry. The U–Pb ages obtained were used for comparison with previous radiometric data from Carboniferous greywacke, Pliocene–Pleistocene sand and Cretaceous syenite forming the sea cliff at Cape Sines and the contiguous coast. New U–Pb dating of igneous morphologically simple and complex zircons from the syenite of the Sines pluton suggests that the history of zircon crystallization was more extensive (ca 87 to 74 Ma), in contrast to the findings of previous geochronology studies (ca 76 to 74 Ma). The U–Pb ages obtained in Holocene sand revealed a wide interval, ranging from the Cretaceous to the Archean, with predominance of Cretaceous (37%), Palaeozoic (35%) and Neoproterozoic (19%) detrital‐zircon ages. The paucity of round to sub‐rounded grains seems to indicate a short transportation history for most of the Cretaceous zircons (ca 95 to 73 Ma) which are more abundant in the beach sand that was sampled south of Cape Sines. Comparative analysis using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistical method, analysing sub‐populations separately, suggests that the zircon populations of the Carboniferous and Cretaceous rocks forming the sea cliff were reproduced faithfully in Quaternary sand, indicating sediment recycling. The similarity of the pre‐Cretaceous ages (>ca 280 Ma) of detrital zircons found in Holocene sand, as compared with Carboniferous greywacke and Pliocene–Pleistocene sand, provides support for the hypothesis that detritus was reworked into the beach from older sedimentary rocks exposed along the sea cliff. The largest percentage of Cretaceous zircons (<ca 95 Ma) found in Holocene sand, as compared with Pliocene–Pleistocene sand (secondary recycled source), suggests that the Sines pluton was the one of the primary sources that became progressively more exposed to erosion during Quaternary uplift. This work highlights the application of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov method in comparison of zircon age populations used to identify provenance and sediment recycling in modern and ancient detrital sedimentary sequences.     

甘肃酒泉Q_(y1)钻孔磁性地层划分与对比

甘肃第四纪地质研究取得了丰硕成果，但因各家对第四纪地层划分的原则和依据不统一及其他原因，致使第四纪划分的一些基本问题尚无统一意见。为建立河西走廊地层层序，本文依据酒泉Ｑｙ１钻孔磁性地层特征、热释光测试成果、１４Ｃ资料及岩石地层特征进行地层划分。依据区域地质资料和古地磁成果，确定第四纪下限为２．４８Ｍａ，中更新世下限为０．７３Ｍａ，晚更新世下限为０．２０Ｍａ，全新世下限为０．０１２Ｍａ。     

北京怀柔地区上新世-更新世地层

本文运用岩石地层学、年代学、古地磁学、孢粉学、生物学和矿物学等综合分析方法对HR88-1钻孔资料进行了详细研究,确立了北京怀柔地区晚新生代地层层序,并阐明了自上新世晚期至更新世末期不同阶段的沉积物类型和地质演化史。     

从天津CQJ4孔探讨中国东部海侵层的年代问题

天津CQJ4钻孔磁性地层研究结果表明,该孔第四系底界（258Ma）位于340m处,中更新世底界, 即B/M界线位于74m处。微体生物分析显示该孔岩芯记录了三个海侵层,分别位于42~120m、164~302m和5655~5800m,与渤海湾西岸其他钻孔对比,这三期海侵对应于“第Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ海侵层”。古地磁研究表明布容极性期内该孔记录了4次极性漂移,分别对应于Blake（120~110ka）、Jamaica（215~205ka）、Calabrian Ridge 1（325~315ka）和Calabrian Ridge 2（525~515ka）。结合钻孔岩芯磁性参数与深海氧同位素的对比,推测这三个海侵层的年龄分别为120~70ka、240~180ka和500ka左右,可以与中国东部沿海地区的“第Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴ海侵层”相对应。这一对比方案与目前较普遍接受的沿海平原晚更新世以来三期大海侵的认识,在层位对比上明显冲突,但“晚更新世以来三期大海侵”之说,尚难以解释晚更新世底界与中更新世底界（B/M界线）过近的问题。     

基于磁性地层和沉积地层特征对北京市南口—孙河断裂活动性评估

南口—孙河断裂是北京平原区一条重要的活动断裂,也是渤海—张家口断裂带的组成部分。本文通过开展钻探和样品测试(古地磁和14C测年)分析工作,利用沉积相分析和磁性地层学技术方法建立钻孔沉积地层的磁极性年代序列,并对南口—孙河断裂北段进行第四纪以来活动性进行分析和研究。结果表明:南口—孙河断裂北段第四纪以来的活动性变化特征表现为早更新世早期(2.58～0.99 Ma)活动性由强转弱,在早更新世末期(0.99～0.78 Ma)再次转强;中更新世(0.78～0.126 Ma)活动性转弱;晚更新世至全新世(0.126 Ma至今)活动性再次加强。这一规律与北京西山隆升基本特征吻合,活动性总体表现"强-弱-加强"的特点。     

祁连山东南缘第四纪以来的隆升作用及动力学分析

祁连山东南缘隆升是来自印度板块挤压的远程效应与该区周边地块的存在及其活动的相互制约作用而产生的挤压隆升、伸展隆升和左旋走滑隆升共同作用的结果.标志性构造及主应力分析表明, 自早更新世以来, 隆升动力机制不断发生转换, 在早更新世早期以北东-南西向挤压为主, 中更新世早期至全新世早期以北东-南西向拉张、近东-西向的拉张为主, 全新世晚期以北西-南东向左旋扭动为主.根据湟水河阶地有关数据估算出的不同时段河谷下切速率为: 1.4 1× 103 ~ 36.4ka间平均速率较慢(0.11mm/a), 36.4ka至今较快(1.5 4mm/a), 其中10.5~ 3ka间最快(2.2 7~ 2.80mm/a), 显示该区自1.4 1Ma至今构造隆升具有越来越强烈的变化趋势.      

Lower Boundary of the Marine Pleistocene in Northern Shelf of the South China Sea

A marine stratigraphic sequence across the Pliocene / Pleistocene boundary has been found in the north-ern continental shelf of the South China Sea. The marine Quaternary deposits in the Yinggehai Basin may ex-ceed 2,000 m in thickness, probably providing the best section for studying the lower boundary of the marinePleistocene in South China. The vertical succession with planktonic foraminifers and nannofossils revealed inboreholes in the basin has been well correlated with that in the international stratotype section of thePliocene / Pleistocene boundary at Vrica, Italy, resulting in the acquirement of a biostratigraphic boundary at1.64 Ma. This boundary, however, does not coincide with any prominent lithological palaeoenvironmentalchanges in the study area and can hardly be used in geological practice. There are, in contrast, significantchanges at the level of LAD of Globorotalia multicamerata sensu lato located below the above-mentionedboundary. The percentage of planktonic foraminifers in the total population and preservation of foraminiferaltests display great changes at this level corresponding to a clear onlap on the seismic profiles and indicating adepositional hiatus at ca. 2.0-2.5 Ma. Since the level can be widely traced in the Pearl River Mouth Basin andthe Beibu Gulf Basin and well corresponds with the marked depositional environmental changes recorded inthe west Pacific and other regions, it is recommended that the Plio / Pleistocene boundary be drawn at the levelof Gr. multicamerata sensu lato LAD, roughly concurrent with the Gauss / Matuyama turn.     

小兴安岭逊克地区第四纪高镁安山岩的岩石学、K-Ar年代学及火山地质特征

黑龙江省小兴安岭北段逊克地区出露大面积的第四纪火山岩,分布面积约3000km~2。岩性主要为玄武安山岩和玄武质粗面安山岩,还有少量的粗面安山岩和安山岩。逊克火山岩的Si O2含量为54.3%~57.4%,MgO含量变化为3.82%~5.80%,镁指数(Mg#=100×Mg/(Mg+Fe~(2+))变化于49.6~57.8之间,属于高镁安山岩。逊克高镁安山岩火山口的位置分布在火山岩区的南面,根据火山岩区南高北低的地势,推测北边的火山岩是由南侧的岩浆向北流动形成的。岩浆流动形成了具有特征性的火山地貌,如沿河谷形成数公里长的石垄以及大面积的翻花熔岩形成的石海景观。火山岩的K-Ar测年结果表明,逊克高镁安山岩可以划分为早更新世(1.12~1.00Ma)和中更新世(0.68~0.25Ma)两期。在第四纪熔岩和河湖相沉积之间还夹有薄层火山灰,推测在岩浆溢流形成大面积熔岩之前有小规模岩浆爆发活动。     

What status for the Quaternary?

The status of the Quaternary, long regarded as a geological period effectively coincident with the main climatic deterioration of the current Ice Age, has recently been questioned as a formal stratigraphic unit. We argue here that it should be retained as a formal period of geological time. Furthermore, we consider that its beginning should be placed at the Gauss-Matuyama magnetic chron boundary at about 2.6 Ma, rather than at its current position at about 1.8 Ma. The Quaternary would be formally subdivided into the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs. The global chronostratigraphical correlation table proposed is enclosed at the back of this issue.     

共和盆地剖面第四纪孢粉组合特征及环境演化

青藏高原东北缘共和盆地沉积了较厚的第四系,详细地记录了共和盆地第四纪环境变化。通过对共和盆地第四系沉积序列特征和孢粉组合特征的分析,结合热释光测年,本文较详细地研究了共和盆地第四纪以来的环境变迁,并将其分为两大阶段:早期为湖相沉积阶段(中更新世晚期~0.079Ma),气候相对温和。晚期为河流和风成沉积阶段(79.2ka~至今),气候相对干旱。早期阶段又可进一步划分为三个气候期和五个气候亚期。总体上,共和盆地自早更新世以来由偏湿气候逐渐转变为干旱气候,古植被由森林植被逐渐转化为森林草原型植被。其主要原因可能是早更新世以来青藏高原强烈隆升,改变了西南季风气候格局所致。      

中国最早人类化石地层年龄的测定——巫山下更新统磁性地层学研究

四川巫山大庙龙骨坡是新发现的重要人类化石点,地层属下更新统,含人类化石层位正对应于留尼汪I 极性亚时,年龄应为2.04—2.01MaB.P。它是我国迄今发现的最早的人类化石。本研究还揭示中国第四纪下限至少早于2.0MaB.P.。