The source of raw materials for Roman pottery from Leptiminus,Tunisia

Leptiminus, a Roman port city on the west coast of Tunisia, North Africa, exported olive oil and a garum fish paste to Rome. Excavations have uncovered many facilities including kilns and a potter's workshop, indicating an extensive ceramic industry. The vessels, manufactured at Leptiminus, included African red‐slip fineware, coarseware, and amphorae. A petrographic study of pottery sherds showed them to contain very similar temper, rounded aeolian sand grains and limestone, but varying in proportions to produce different textures. An investigation of the source of raw materials for the pottery found three distinct types of clay within a 50 km radius of Leptiminus: grey Miocene, brown Pliocene, and green Late Pliocene clay. Statistical analysis of trace element compositions, using induced neutron activation, of clays and sherds showed that the Pliocene brown clay was used to create all types of pottery. The specific clay horizon, used in Roman times, has apparently been removed by quarrying. However, a lateral continuation of this bed was found 7 m beneath the Leptiminus site 290. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The action of wind and water in a mid‐Cretaceous subtropical erg‐margin system close to the Variscan Iberian Massif,Spain

Aeolian processes and ephemeral water influx from the Variscan Iberian Massif to the mid‐Cretaceous outer back‐erg margin system in eastern Iberia led to deposition and erosion of aeolian dunes and the formation of desert pavements. Remains of aeolian dunes encased in ephemeral fluvial deposits (aeolian pods) demonstrate intense erosion of windblown deposits by sudden water fluxes. The alternating activity of wind and water led to a variety of facies associations such as deflation lags, desert pavements, aeolian dunes, pebbles scattered throughout dune strata, aeolian sandsheets, aeolian deposits with bimodal grain‐size distributions, mud playa, ephemeral floodplain, pebble‐sand and cobble‐sand bedload stream, pebble–cobble‐sand sheet flood, sand bedload stream, debris flow and hyperconcentrated flow deposits. Sediment in this desert system underwent transport by wind and water and reworking in a variety of sub‐environments. The nearby Variscan Iberian Massif supplied quartzite pebbles as part of mass flows. Pebbles and cobbles were concentrated in deflation lags, eroded and polished by wind‐driven sands (facets and ventifacts) and incorporated by rolling into the toesets of aeolian dunes. The back‐erg depositional system comprises an outer back‐erg close to the Variscan highlands, and an inner back‐erg close to the central‐erg area. The inner back‐erg developed on a structural high and is characterized by mud playa deposits interbedded with aeolian and ephemeral channel deposits. In the inner back‐erg area ephemeral wadis, desiccated after occasional floods, were mud cracked and overrun episodically by aeolian dunes. Subsequent floods eroded the aeolian dunes and mud‐cracked surfaces, resulting in largely structureless sandstones with boulder‐size mudstone intraclasts. Floods spread over the margins of ephemeral channels and eroded surrounding aeolian dunes. The remaining dunes were colonized occasionally by plants and their roots penetrated into the flooded aeolian sands. Upon desiccation, deflation resulted in lags of coarser‐grained sediments. A renewed windblown supply led to aeolian sandsheet accumulation in topographic wadi depressions. Synsedimentary tectonics caused the outer back‐erg system to experience enhanced generation of accommodation space allowing the accumulation of aeolian dune sands. Ephemeral water flow to the outer back‐erg area supplied pebbles, eroded aeolian dunes, and produced hyperconcentrated flow deposits. Fluidization and liquefaction generated gravel pockets and recumbent folds. Dune damming after sporadic rains (the case of the Namib Desert), monsoonal water discharge (Thar Desert) and meltwater fluxes from glaciated mountains (Taklamakan Desert) are three potential, non‐exclusive analogues for the ephemeral water influx and the generation of hyperconcentrated flows in the Cretaceous desert margin system. An increase in relief driven by the Aptian anti‐clockwise rotation of Iberia, led to an altitude sufficient for the development of orographic rains and snowfall which fed (melt)water fluxes to the desert margin system. Quartzite conglomerates and sands, dominantly consisting of quartz and well‐preserved feldspar grains which are also observed in older Cretaceous strata, indicate an arid climate and the mechanical weathering of Precambrian and Palaeozoic metamorphic sediments and felsic igneous rocks. Unroofing of much of the cover of sedimentary rocks in the Variscan Iberian Massif must therefore have taken place in pre‐Cretaceous times.     

Quartz microtextures and microstructures owing to deformation of glaciolacustrine sediments in the northern Venezuelan Andes

Glaciolacustrine sediments, ranging in age from Early to Late Mérida (Wisconsinan) in sections in the northern Venezuelan Andes near Pedregal, were studied to assess the effect of small‐scale folding and faulting on the surface microtextures of individual grains. At site PED5, faulting of sediments beneath 35 m of Middle to Late Mérida glaciolacustrine, glaciofluvial and probable till deposits, has resulted in a maximum displacement of 1 m and many crushed sand grains are found along the shear zone. These dominantly quartz particles are typically smoothed and/or faceted with surface skins split from parent grains to produce adhering blade or wafer‐shaped coarse silts. Faulting with displacement of< 40 cm occurs in Late Mérida glaciolacustrine beds at sites PED13 and PED11, beneath ca. 1–5 m of sediment and is thought to result from the removal of lateral support during valley erosion and possibly seismic disturbance. Associated sediments exhibit a greater incidence of small‐scale fold structures and convoluted bedding but with similar numbers and types of crushed grains. All of the fault traces examined exhibit microstructural modifications, including microfaulting, folding and multiple domains associated with fluidisation and liquefaction. The microtextures described are distinct from those produced by glacial or glaciofluvial transport processes and potentially may be used to infer glaciotectonic or other post‐depositional disturbance of sediments. Rare euhedral quartz grains with distorted crystallographic axes may derive from the shear zone of the regional transform Boconó Fault, although many of these grains appear to be overprinted by glacial and/or recent deformation processes. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

云南西北部丽江—剑川地区古近纪宝相寺组石英砂颗粒表面特征

石英砂具有丰富的颗粒表面特征,是判别沉积环境的重要标志。利用扫描电镜对云南丽江—剑川地区宝相寺组（E2b）的石英砂颗粒表面特征进行了系统分析：下部样品具水成特征,中部样品具风成特征,上部样品则具经水流改造后的风成特征。结合野外观察结果,从宝相寺组石英砂颗粒表面特征的变化规律可以看出,下部为近源洪积环境、中部为风成沙丘环境、上部为湖泊环境。其中中部样品的石英砂磨圆、分选极好,普遍具有标准的碟形、新月形撞击坑和毛玻璃化表面,是典型的沙漠砂沉积。     

云南西北部丽江—剑川地区古近纪宝相寺组 石英砂颗粒表面特征

石英砂具有丰富的颗粒表面特征,是判别沉积环境的重要标志。利用扫描电镜对云南丽江—剑川地区宝相寺组(E2b)的石英砂颗粒表面特征进行了系统分析:下部样品具水成特征,中部样品具风成特征,上部样品则具经水流改造后的风成特征。结合野外观察结果,从宝相寺组石英砂颗粒表面特征的变化规律可以看出,下部为近源洪积环境、中部为风成沙丘环境、上部为湖泊环境。其中中部样品的石英砂磨圆、分选极好,普遍具有标准的碟形、新月形撞击坑和毛玻璃化表面,是典型的沙漠砂沉积。     

对《西藏高原雅鲁藏布江北岸蛇绿岩带的发现及其地质意义》一文的商榷

综合1：5万区调成果，系统阐述了赣西北地区双桥山群的沉积学特征，认为是一套形成于滨海－半深海环境的重力流沉积体系，基本发育－系列重力流沉积相单元，即块状混杂砾岩相，正递变砾岩相，经典浊积岩相等，对各单元基本层序特征进行了总结论述，并结合地球化学特征及粒度分析成果探讨了沉积环境。     

毛乌素沙地沉积物粒度特征与土地沙漠化

为了研究毛乌素沙地沉积物的粒度特征与土地沙漠化的地质成因类型,通过系统研究沙地及相邻地区晚更新世以来在沙地内部、覆沙黄土区、黄土高原和河流谷地与湖泊等不同地质构造地貌条件下所形成的沉积物粒度特征,指出不同地质成因类型的沉积物是这些地区土地沙漠化的物质基础,区分不同类型的沉积物也是构成不同地质成因类型土地沙漠化分类的理论基础,探讨了不同地质作用对土地沙漠化的贡献及其对土地沙漠化防治方面的意义。研究表明,研究区的土地沙漠化是以各种类型的就地起沙为主要特征,地表径流的水力搬运是沙漠化物质搬运的重要途径。现代毛乌素沙地及其邻区的土地沙漠化是对地质历史时期形成的各种沉积物的进一步搬运、分选和再沉积过程,具有相对复杂的粒度特征。     

Sedimentological characteristics and morphology of the aeolian sand dunes in the eastern part of the UAE,a case study from Ar Rub' Al Khali

The Umm Az Zimul–Al Wijan area is located in the southeastern part of the UAE and covers about 1600 km². It is bounded to the east by the Oman Mountains and to the south and west by the extensive dune area of Ar Rub' Al Khali. Field investigation revealed the common occurrence of parallel to sub-parallel sand ridges with a general east–west orientation. Also present, but less frequent, are barchan, barchanoid and star dunes. Interdune areas are classified into four types that include: dolomite, mixed ancient sabkha and ophiolitic rock fragments, mixed sand sheet and ophiolitic rock fragments, and recent sabkha. The textural characteristics of the sand forming the dunes are unimodal with a modal class in fine sand size, moderately to very well sorted, positively skewed and mesokurtic. Quartz grains are mainly subrounded to subangular. The similarity in roundness properties in different dune types in the eastern province of the UAE seems not to be influenced by dune form. Based on the heavy mineral suites and the angularity of quartz grains, it is believed that the sand sediments are mostly derived from the ultrabasic rocks forming the ophiolitic sequence of the Oman Mountains, acidic rocks of Iran and from the coastal area.     

Sedimentological characteristics of the surficial sediments of the Kuwaiti marine environment, northern Arabian Gulf

The textural characteristics, carbonate content and the coarse fraction components of the Recent bottom sediments of the marine environment off Kuwait are described and the faunal-sediment associations discussed. The sediments were subdivided into seven textural classes, namely sand, silty sand, muddy sand, sandy silt, sandy mud, silt and mud. Most of the study area is covered with muddy sediments whereas sandy deposits are restricted to the rocky bottoms near the southern flat of Kuwait Bay, the southern coast of Kuwait and around the islands and bathymetric highs. The textural classes, carbonate contents and faunal types of the coarse fraction were used to construct a biolithofacies map of the marine bottom sediments off Kuwait, in which nine facies are identified. The sedimentological characteristics of the Recent marine bottom sediments off Kuwait reflect the interaction between autochthonous calcareous fragments mostly of biogenic origin, lime rock fragments derived from beachrocks and submerged reef flats, and allochthonous terrigenous detritus transported to the area mainly by dust storms. The Kuwaiti offshore area is generally a low energy depositional environment with little sediment transport.     

The spatial distribution and source of arsenic, copper, tin and zinc within the surface sediments of the Fal Estuary, Cornwall, UK

ABSTRACT Estuarine sediments commonly form major sinks for contaminants released during industrial activity. Many industrial processes lead to the release of metals initially in solution, which can then be adsorbed on to, for example, Fe hydroxides or clay minerals. However, in the mining industry, there are two major contaminant waste streams: (1) metals discharged in solution via mine drainage; and (2) particulate grains of the ore‐forming or related minerals released after ore processing. The release of particulate waste can have a major long‐term impact on environmental geochemistry. In this study, we have mapped the distribution of arsenic, copper, tin and zinc within the surficial sediments of the Fal Estuary, Cornwall, UK, an area that drains a historically important polymetallic mining district. There are clear spatial variations in the contaminants, with the highest levels (> 2800 p.p.m. As, > 5000 p.p.m. Cu, > 3000 p.p.m. Sn and > 6000 p.p.m. Zn) within Restronguet Creek on the western side of the estuary. Mineralogical studies show that small (< 20 µm) grains of detrital arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, cassiterite and sphalerite are very abundant within the surface sediments. Most of the sulphide grains are fractured, but mineralogically unaltered, although some grains show alteration rims caused by oxidation of the sulphides. The geochemistry and mineralogy are indicative of sediment supply from the discharge of particulate waste into the estuary during historical mining activity. Subsequently, this particulate waste has been largely physically and biologically reworked within the surface sediments. Although considerable effort has been made to minimize contaminants released via mine drainage into the estuary, the potential flux of contaminants present within the intertidal and subtidal sediments has not been addressed. Benthic invertebrates living within the area have adapted to be metal tolerant, and it is likely that the dominant source of bioavailable metals is a result of alteration of the particulate mine waste present within the intertidal and subtidal sediments.     

宁夏固原古近系寺口子组砂岩成因探讨*

宁夏固原寺口子组砂岩是中国古近纪内陆古环境研究的重要载体。通过岩性、沉积构造、石英颗粒表面微结构和粒度分布特征研究,对其成因进行了深入探讨。结果表明,古近系寺口子组砂岩由3个成因段构成:段Ⅰ为河流相沉积;段Ⅱ,即砂岩主体,为典型风成砂岩,沉积环境为风成沙丘和丘间地;段Ⅲ,初步推断其为湖相沉积。结合中国古近纪气候背景、研究区域地形条件及古风向,推断寺口子组砂岩主体风成沉积为行星风系控制下的沙漠沉积。     

Desert Pavement Disturbance and Artifact Taphonomy: A Case Study from the Eastern Libyan Plateau,Egypt

Accretionary desert pavements on the eastern Libyan Plateau of central Egypt support a rich Middle and Upper Paleolithic artifact assemblage exhibiting intensive blank production and minimal tool production. These assemblages appear to be in primary context with numerous examples of lithic refits showing on‐site lithic production. However, the smallest (length ≤2.5 cm) archaeological fragments are recovered at a much lower rate on this desert pavement surface than expected given comparable data from lithic assemblages in cave and shelter contexts in France. Excavation of archaeological contexts on the Libyan Plateau reveals the loss of small artifact fragments into the subsurface due to aeolian accumulation of silts, whereas geomorphic examination of desert pavement surfaces suggests a potential for relatively isolated bioturbation as a source of lateral and vertical disturbance of desert pavement surfaces over small areas. Archaeologists should be aware of the potential for long‐term assemblage stability as well as small artifact burial in surficial desert pavement contexts.     

Vulnerability and fate of a coastal sand dune complex,Rosetta-Idku,northwestern Nile Delta,Egypt

Types, distribution, and origin of recent sand dunes between Rosetta and Idku, in the western sector of the Nile Delta, Egypt were investigated. Sand samples from the dunes, beach, and seafloor were studied for grain size distribution and mineralogical composition. It has been found that most of the dunes in the study area have been subjected to deterioration and removal due to the construction of buildings and the International Coastal Highway. The remnant constitutes a damaged belt of foredunes that extends from El Bouseily village to the west of Idku town. The dune’s origin is interpreted to be the result of coastal drifting and the subsequent transport of sediments of the former Canopic Nile branch eastward by the predominant longshore current and by aeolian processes. The blown sand grains accumulated to form a belt of coastal sand dunes of original longitudinal and crescentic forms. Urbanization of the coast has severely altered the landscape. The study area is considered vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and the expected rise in sea level. The outcome of potential sea level rise is serious; erosion problems are expected to be exacerbated and vast areas from land and property would be lost. Thus, protection and preservation the remaining dunes in the study area are vital requirements for shore protection.     

A comparison of grain‐size analysis methods for sand‐dominated fluvial sediments

Grain‐size distribution is a fundamental tool for interpreting sedimentary units within depositional systems. The techniques assessed in this study are commonly used to determine grain‐size distributions for sand‐dominated sediments. However, the degree of consistency and differences in interpretation when using a combination of grain‐size methods have not yet been assessed systematically for sand‐dominated fluvial sediments. Results obtained from laser diffraction, X‐ray attenuation and scanning electron microscopy grain‐size analysis techniques were compared with those obtained from the traditional sieve/hydrometer method. Scanning electron microscopy was shown to provide an inaccurate quantitative analysis of grain‐size distributions because of difficulties in obtaining representative samples for examination. The X‐ray attenuation method is unsuitable for sand‐dominated sediments because of its upper size range of only 300 μm. The consistently strong correlation between the laser diffraction results and the sieve/hydrometer results shows that these methods are comparable for sand‐dominated fluvial sediments. Provided that sample preparation is consistent, the latter two methods can be used together within a study of such sediments while maintaining a high degree of accuracy. These results indicate that data for sand‐dominated fluvial sediments gained from the long‐established sieve/hydrometer method can be compared with confidence to those obtained by modern studies using laser diffraction techniques.     

克里雅河沿线沙丘沉积物石英砂表面特征分析

对沙漠内部典型河流沿线沙丘石英颗粒表面微形态特征的系统研究尚少。沿塔里木盆地南缘克里雅河下游丹丹乌里克、喀拉墩、圆沙古城、北方墓地及其北部塔里木河一带的沙丘顶部采到5件表沙样品。扫描电镜观察172颗经能谱挑选的石英颗粒表面微形态,筛析法测定5件样品的粒度。结果表明:1）丹丹乌里克样品以极细沙为主,其余均以细沙为主,各样品几乎不含黏土;2）样品磨圆度特征以次棱和次圆状为主,圆状很少,未见棱状特征,次棱状与次圆状特征之间消长关系显著,沙漠南北边缘样品的次棱状特征出现频率较腹地高;3）颗粒中V形坑频率呈现出沙漠边缘较高腹地低的特征,而沙漠边缘的化学作用结构特征低于腹地。石英砂表面特征结构以机械作用为主,同时伴生化学环境作用特征,可认为克里雅河下游沙物质包括了河流、冰川与戈壁成因及风输送而来的颗粒;颗粒表面特征总体新鲜,沙丘应较年轻。纵穿塔克拉玛干沙漠沉积物样品的表面微形态观察与粒度测定,为该地区沉积环境分析与沙丘砂溯源研究增添了新数据。     

碎屑颗粒粒度分析在东营凹陷辛176块沙四上亚段砂体成因研究中的应用

利用粒度资料进行沉积物的粒度结构分析, 能有效地判定沉积物搬运方式、判别水动力条件、区分沉积环境类型, 研究沉积物的成因机制。本文通过大量粒度频率曲线、概率累计曲线和粒级-标准偏差曲线等图件的分析, 详细研究了沉积物所包含的粒度组分及各自特征, 并提取出对沉积环境变化敏感的粒度组分, 确定了各自组分所对应的沉积水动力类型, 结合沉积相和构造背景研究, 探讨了东营凹陷辛176块沙四上亚段纯上5砂组砂体的成因, 认为辛176块王斜583、辛176斜1井砂体是广饶凸起的碎屑物质在南斜坡形成三角洲后被入湖河流继续搬运、沉积并被波浪改造形成的滩坝砂体; 牛114斜1、王587井砂体为青坨子凸起的碎屑物质以重力流方式搬运并与广饶凸起的物质混合、沉积, 后又被波浪改造而形成; 王58井砂体为来自青坨子凸起的重力流入湖后发生卸载形成的沟道砂体。     

Sand dunes as a major proximal dust source for late Pleistocene loess in the Negev Desert, Israel

Grain size analyses of three hilltop, primary eolian loess sequences in the Negev desert, southern Israel, show a bimodal grain-size distribution at 50-60 μm and 3-8 μm. Using analyses of mineralogy and OSL ages we demonstrate that the coarse mode is composed mostly of quartz grains and its relative magnitude increases regionally with time, suggesting an enhancement of a time-transgressive proximal dust source compared to a distal, Saharan fine-grain dust. The only proximal dust source for large amount of coarse silt quartz grains is the sands that advanced into Sinai and the Negev concurrently with the loess accretion during the late Pleistocene as a result of the exposure of the Mediterranean shelf. We therefore propose that the coarse silt quartz grains were formed through eolian abrasion within the margins of an advancing sand sea. This relationship between desert sand seas as a source for proximal coarse dust and desert margin loess deposits can be applicable to other worldwide deserts such as Northern Africa, China and Australia.     

内蒙巴丹吉林沙漠成因的粒度分析和热发光测年新证据

巴丹吉林沙漠位于中国内蒙古自治区的西部,是中国第三大沙漠。过去通常认为该沙漠中沙丘的可能沙源来自附近的各种沉积物和岩石,包括弱水河扇的沉积物,弱固结的二叠纪页岩、白垩纪砂岩和砾岩以及戈壁阿尔泰的古老岩石。根据对风成砂的粒度观测,有证据表明在沙漠内部的风成砂沉积朝东南方向具有较弱的但又确实的变细趋势。这与沙丘横脊线的SW-NE向排列以及坡面的南东指向是一致的。因此,可以认为西北部的弱水河冲积扇是巴丹吉林沙漠风成砂的最可能的沙源。在西北部风成床沙覆盖了较老弱水河扇起源的冲积物。这种沉积物的热发光测年范围在190～100 ka BP之间。由于测量中对沉积物漂白可能不完全以及对其中平均古水含量估算均存在不确定性,同时由于对沙漠该地区风成作用开始之前堆积的沉积物进行了测年,这一数据范围代表了最大的年龄。另外三个风成砂测年结果分别接近133.66和22 ka,代表有关巴丹吉林沙漠西北部风成作用开始的最小年龄。沙漠的沙丘高度平均为200～300m,但在东南部偶尔可达450m。一些学者曾提出风成床沙覆盖了一个陡峭岛山突起的假说,来解释这些异常的空间。本次研究发现,在研究区之下是一个产状水平的白垩纪扇砾岩和砂岩的台地,可以断定在沙漠东南部呈现台地地貌,但进一步向北该台地明显延伸到这些沙丘之下。因此现在可以认为巴丹吉林沙漠中高的沙丘是不同区域气候和地貌因素相互作用的结果,而不是覆盖一个陡峭的岛山突起。对弱水河冲积扇作为巴丹吉林沙漠的主要源区的证实强调区域环境的重要性。在全新世,沿河流的绿洲植被在某种程度上阻碍了冲积扇提供沙源。现在,河西走廊的农业用水量极大地危及沿河森林,因此沿着作为天然拦沙阱的弱水河,维持足够的河水流量来保护区域性密集的沙丘植被,一定会避免具有重大威胁的沙的活动性增加。     

南极普里兹湾石英砂表面微结构特征及环境意义

一、样品1981年我所颜其德同志在南极莫森站北面海区和戴维斯站基岩砂滩及其以北的普里兹湾采集了共11个站位的沉积物样品,它们分布在南纬66°-68°区间,其中水下7个,滩面4个,见图1。南极洲除少数山峰和岩石出露外,98%面积终年为冰川所覆盖,冰盖厚度可达数千米。地质环境特殊,气候严寒干燥,常有暴风袭击。化学作用微弱,而物理作用,特别是冰川作用显著。本文通过对普里兹湾石英砂表面微结构的分析,了解极地洋区典型的石英砂微形态的类型以及与此相适应的沉积环境和塑造这种形态的机械的、物理的和化学的因素。