Geochemical evidence of hydrothermal recharge in Lake Baringo,central Kenya Rift Valley

Lake Baringo, a freshwater lake in the central Kenya Rift Valley, is fed by perennial and ephemeral rivers, direct rainfall, and hot springs on Ol Kokwe Island near the centre of the lake. The lake has no surface outlet, but despite high evaporation rates it maintains dilute waters by subsurface seepage through permeable sediments and faulted lavas. New geochemical analyses (major ions, trace elements) of the river, lake, and hot spring waters and the suspended sediments have been made to determine the main controls of lake water quality. The results show that evaporative concentration and the binary mixing between two end members (rivers and thermal waters) can explain the hydrochemistry of the lake waters. Two zones are recognized from water composition. The southern part of the lake near sites of perennial river inflow is weakly influenced by evaporation, has low total dissolved species (TDS), and has a seasonally variable load of mainly detrital suspended sediments. In contrast, waters of the northern part of the lake show evidence for strong evaporation (TDS of up to eight times inflow). Authigenic clay minerals and calcite may be precipitating from those more concentrated fluids. The subaerial hot‐spring waters have a distinctive chemistry and are enriched in some elements that are also present in the lake water. Comparison of the chemical composition of the inflowing surface waters and lake water shows (1) an enrichment of some species (HCO₃^?, Cl, SO₄^2?, F, Na, B, V, Cr, As, Mo, Ba and U) in the lake, (2) a depletion in SiO₂ in the lake, and (3) a possible hydrothermal origin for most F. The rare earth element distribution and the F/Cl and Na/Cl ratios give valuable information on the rate of mixing of the river and hydrothermal fluids in the lake water. Calculations imply that thermal fluids may be seeping upward locally into the lake through grid‐faulted lavas, particularly south of Ol Kokwe Island. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The accreting plate boundary Ardoukoˆba Rift (northeast Africa) and the oceanic Rift Valley

The Ardouko?ba Rift, subaerially exposed for ～12 km between the Ghoubbat-al-Kharab and Lake Asal in the French Territory of the Afars and Issas (northeast Africa), has intrinsic features and a regional setting consistent with arguments that it is the site of crustal accretion at approximately the same rate as that found along the rifted Mid-Oceanic Ridge (～2 cm/yr). The ～11 km wide Central Zone of the Ardouko?ba Rift has an internal relief of less than ～300 m and is set between step-like ridges standing up to 800 m above the deepest part of the rift. The lower inward-facing scarps of the Central Zone border a narrow Inner Floor. The Central Zone of the typically ～25–35 km wide oceanic Rift Valley can have a greater and rougher relief and has a width of ～8–16 km, but deep areas with an internal relief of <400 m have a maximum width that is about the same as that of the corresponding area in the Ardouko?ba Rift (～11 km). The width of the Inner Floor of the Ardouko?ba Rift varies from 2 to 5 km; in the oceanic Rift Valley the range is from less than 1 to ～9 km. Equivalence of tectonic and volcanic processes in the two settings has not been demonstrated; but a comparison of a segment of the Rift Valley in the FAMOUS area near 36°50′N in the Atlantic with the Ardouko?ba Rift encourages the tentative use of evidence from the latter to complement arguments about the pattern of vulcanism and scarp formation in the oceanic Rift Valley as a whole. The Inner Floor of the Rift Valley is the main site of horizontal extension without vertical displacements, of normal faulting that involves little or no accumulation of vertical offsets, and of constructional vulcanism, which may be further concentrated along narrow (～1 km wide) fissured zones. The normal faulting that disrupts and constrains more or less orderly growth of the Inner Floor may happen in such a way that the new graben that become new Inner Floors are laterally offset with respect to the middle line of the Rift Valley and to the axis of symmetry of a hypothetical block accounting for the central positive magnetic anomaly.Additional complexities may be introduced by syntectonic and post-tectonic vulcanism, and by normal fault displacement at any one time of young crust along only part of the distance between transform faults. Thus, although opening rate can always be equated in principle with total addition of new crust to the two plates, the assumption is suspect that the concept of spreading rate (rate of addition of crust to one plate or the other) can necessarily be applied precisely to the central part of the Rift Valley. In more general terms, the physical meaning of interpolated spreading rates on the time scale of magnetic anomalies is worth questioning. On evidence from the Rift Valley, the spreading rates need not reflect monotonic additions of new crust, and rocks of the same inferred age from opposite plates may not have the same composition. The problem is highlighted by the apparently symmetrical growth of the North Atlantic over long periods of time.     

On the source of water from the thermomineral springs of Lake Kinneret (Israel)

The chemical and isotopical (¹⁸O-deuterium) composition of the thermomineral water emerging around Lake Kinneret is shown to be similar to that of the saline water found in deep oil-exploration wells in the Coastal Plain of Israel, and different from the water found near the Dead Sea.

It is suggested that an ancient brine which is filling the deep non-flushed aquifers is driven from the south towards the Rift Valley by a piston action and is mixed with paleo and contemporaneous meteoric water before emerging as thermomineral springs.     

Some characteristics of the Rift Valley in the Atlantic Ocean near 36° 48′ north

The Rift Valley between 36° 42′N and 36° 55′N in the Atlantic Ocean is 31 km wide, with half-widths of 12 and 19 km for the western and eastern sides respectively. Both outer edges of the Rift Valley stand about 1500 m above an Inner Floor where very fresh pillow lavas occur. The Inner Floor probably includes the locus of new crust; and its bordering slopes, which are particularly well-defined on the western side, limit to less than about 2.5 km the width of the zone over which new crust may have evolved with little or no vertical displacement. The width of the locus of new crust may be less than 0.5 km between 36° 45′N and 36° 47′N, where the deepest slopes of the Rift Valley walls nearly merge. Near 36° 50′N, the Inner Floor accommodates an approximately 1 km wide, 4 km long Central High, with a height of up to 250 m. In this area, the locus of new crust may also occupy a very narrow zone; it may lie either along the Central High or along a trough flanking the Central High. The magnetic anomaly pattern indicates that, since the beginning of the Brunhes epoch (6.9 × 10⁵ yr B.P.), the eastern limb has grown approximately twice as fast as the western limb. Using extrapolated spreading rates, the ages of the outer edges of the Rift Valley are 1.3 and 1.7 m.y. for the eastern and western sides respectively. Comparison with data for the Rift Valley in other parts of the ocean further suggests that the residence time of new crust in the Rift Valley is about 1.5 m.y. Uplift of crust from the Inner Floor, which may be dominated by lithospheric thickening, may thus be primarily a function of age.     

Geochemical studies on the Feshcha Springs,Dead Sea basin

The Feshcha springs issue in a 4 km long strip on the Dead Sea shores. They constitute two separate groups: a) T-N waters, similar in their salt composition, temperature and radon content to the many other members of the Rift Valley “Tiberias-Noit water association”. The hydrologic, radon, tritium and carbon-14 indicate they are mixtures of recent meteoric waters with ancient (trapped) T-N waters of an age of at least 18000 years. b) Z-Y waters which, like other members of the Dead Sea basin “Zohar-Yesha water group”, originate by a mixing of T-N waters with Dead Sea waters. This is seen in the chemical compositions and is confirmed by the oxygen-18 and deuterium data.     

Geology of the Corbetti Caldera area (Main Ethiopian Rift Valley)

The Corbetti Caldera area, a recent volcanic complex in the Main Ethiopian Rift Valley, is described. In the area, most of the volcanic products are peralkaline pyroclastics (ignimbrites and pumice). The volcanological history of this complex has been reconstructed. It comprises fissure eruptions, which were followed by a volcano-tectonic collapse. Finally the activity resumed with the birth of two recent peralkaline volcanoes (Urji and Chabbi) inside the caidera. Both these volcanoes are at present in a fumarolic stage. Relations between the tectonic of the Rift Valley and the volcanological evolution of the Caldera Corbetti Area are discussed.     

Sources of salinity in ground water from Jericho area, Jordan Valley

One of the major problems in the lower Jordan Valley is the increasing salinization (i.e., chloride content) of local ground water. The high levels of salinity limit the utilization of ground water for both domestic and agriculture applications. This joint collaborative study evaluates the sources and mechanisms for salinization in the Jericho area. We employ diagnostic geochemical fingerprinting methods to trace the potential sources of the salinity in (1) the deep confined subaquifer system (K2) of Lower Cenomanian age; (2) the upper subaquifer system (K1) of Upper Cenomanian and Turonian ages; and (3) the shallow aquifer system (Q) of Plio-Pleistocene ages. The chemical composition of the saline ground water from the two Cenomanian subaquifers (K1 and K2) point to a single saline source with Na/Cl approximately 0.5 and Br/Cl approximately 7 x 10(-3). This composition is similar to that of thermal hypersaline spring that are found along the western shore of the Dead Sea (e.g., En Gedi thermal spring). We suggest that the increasing salinity in both K1 and K2 subaquifers is derived from mixing with deep-seated brines that flow through the Rift fault system. The salinization rate depends on the discharge volume of the fresh meteoric water in the Cenomanian Aquifer. In contrast, the chemical composition of ground water from the Plio-Pleistocene Aquifer shows a wide range of Cl- (100-2000 mg/L), Na/Cl (0.4-1.0), Br/Cl (2-6 x 10(-3)), and SO4/Cl (0.01-0.4) ratios. These variations, together with the high SO4(2-), K+, and NO3- concentrations, suggest that the salinity in the shallow aquifer is derived from the combination of (1) upconing of deep brines as reflected by low Na/Cl and high Br/Cl ratios; (2) leaching of salts from the Lisan Formation within the Plio-Pleistocene Aquifer, as suggested by the high SO4(2-) concentrations; and (3) anthropogenic contamination of agriculture return flow and sewage effluents with distinctive high K+ (80 mg/L) and NO3- (80 mg/l) contents and low Br/Cl ratios (2 x 10(-3)). Our data demonstrates that the chemical composition of salinized ground water can be used to delineate the sources of salinity and hence to establish the conceptual model for explaining salinization processes.     

HYDROGEOCHEMISTRY OF GROUNDWATER IN CENTRAL ISRAEL

ABSTRACT

The regional groundwater groups of central Israel include:

1. bicarbonate waters representing the replenishment areas;

2. chloride waters representing the confined and the base-level zones;

3. sulfate waters of the intermediate zones (fig. 2).

These water types were found to fit broadly into five hydrogeographical groups.

The chemical evolution of the ground waters is a function of: a) lithology and solubility of the aquifer components and of the surrounding strata; b) mixing between groundwater bodies of different composition. The first factor is important mainly within the confined zones while the latter is conspicuous in the Rift Valley and adjacent areas.

Groundwater mixing within the Dead Sea basin produces waters with Mg > Na > Ca, and Cl ? SO > HCO₃. Other brines show the order: Ca > Na > Mg. All these brines show compositions different from ocean water.     

Seismic crustal study of the Oslo Rift

A seismic refraction investigation across the southern part of the Oslo Rift has been made, based on quarry blasts at three localities. The study shows a three-layered crust with the followingP-wave velocities: . the upper mantleP-wave celocity, is 8.07 km/s. The velocity-depth relationship for the uppermost crust, obtained by solving the Wiechert-Herglotz integral equation numerically, shows a continuously decreasing velocity gradient in the region of the Oslo Rift which approaches zero at a depth of 9 km, the corresponding increase in theP-wave velocity being from 5.55 km/s to 6.34 km/s. The interface separating the subsurface layer ( =6.60 km/s) from the uppermost layer , interpreted as the Conrad discontinuity, is essentially horizontal in the investigated part of the Oslo Rift at a depth of approximately 15 km. A deep crustal layer with aP-wave velocity of 7.10 km/s appears to be related to the rift, though the top of this layer extends somewhat eastwards beneath the Precambrian rocks from the southern part of the rift at a depth of approximately 20 km. The Moho discontinuity is elevated beneath the Oslo Region compared with the surrounding area. A broad regional gravity high of about 45 mgal is observed along the entire rift zone. It is suggested that this anomaly is caused by the elevation of the sub-Conrad and Moho discontinuities during the rifting processes.     

Formation of a salt plume in the Coastal Plain aquifer of Israel: the Be''er Toviyya region

The formation and development of a salt plume (salinity up to 800 mg Cl 1⁻¹) in the inner part of the Coastal Plain aquifer of Israel is analyzed. Massive groundwater exploitation during the 1950s caused a large drop in the water level and formation of a hydrologic depression in the Be'er Toviyya-Kefar Warburg area. The depression reached a maximal depth during the late 1960s; thereafter a reduction in the rate of pumpage led to restoration of water levels and shallowing of the depression, until its complete disappearance towards the end of the 1980s. A spot of high salinity first appeared in 1956, following a deep drawdown in the water levels. This saline plume has been continuously expanding with increasing salinity concentrations (200–800 mg Cl 1⁻¹) in its center. The average rate of radial expansion was about 50 m year⁻¹. The expansion and salinization did not cease as the depression disappeared. Rather, equalization of water levels in wells situated within the plume area with those of situated along its margins resulted in the salinization of the latter within a period of 1 year.

Mass balances for water and chloride contents were made for the period 1967–1990. Taking into consideration the storage change, pumpage, natural replenishment and artificial recharge, the lateral inflow to the depression is estimated as 60 × 10⁶ m³. Upon addition of the chloride balance, and taking into consideration the chloride concentrations of the surrounding fresh water and the apparent possible end-member of the saline source (based on geochemical considerations), the saline inflow is estimated as (40–60) × 10⁶ m³. These estimates indicate that a large amount of saline water penetrated into the aquifer, of about half of the natural replenishment of the study area, with an estimated salinity of 1900–2700 mg Cl 1⁻¹.

It is suggested that the salt plume was formed as a result of a drop in water level combined with a flow of underlying saline water bodies from deeper strata. The chemical composition of the groundwater points to the existence of two saline water bodies of Ca-chloride composition and a marine Br/Cl ratio: (1) saline water with low Na/Cl (0.6), So₄/Cl, and B/Cl ratio; (2) saline water with higher Na/Cl (> 0.6), So₄/Cl, and B/Cl ratios. These chemical compositions resemble Ca-chloride saline waters found in other locations in the Coastal Plain aquifer and in underlying formations. The saline water bodies may occur in either pockets at the bottom of the aquifer or lumachelle and sandstone layers of high hydraulic conductivity in underlying sediments.     

Geochemistry of Quaternary travertines in the region north of Rome (Italy): structural, hydrologic and paleoclimatic implications

In the Tyrrhenian region of central Italy, late Quaternary fossil travertines are widespread along two major regional structures: the Tiber Valley and the Ancona-Anzio line. The origin and transport of spring waters from which travertines precipitate are elucidated by chemical and isotopic studies of the travertines and associated thermal springs and gas vents. There are consistent differences in the geochemical and isotopic signatures of thermal spring waters, gas vents and present and fossil travertines between east and west of the Tiber Valley. West of the Tiber Valley, δ¹³C of CO₂ discharged from gas vents and δ¹³C of fossil travertines are higher than those to the east. To the west the travertines have higher strontium contents, and gases emitted from vents have higher ³He/⁴He ratios and lower N₂ contents, than to the east. Fossil travertines to the west have characteristics typical of thermogene (thermal spring) origin, whereas those to the east have meteogene (low-temperature) characteristics (including abundant plant casts and organic impurities). The regional geochemical differences in travertines and fluid compositions across the Tiber Valley are interpreted with a model of regional fluid flow. The regional Mesozoic limestone aquifer is recharged in the main axis of the Apennine chain, and the groundwater flows westward and is discharged at springs. The travertine-precipitating waters east of the Tiber Valley have shallower flow paths than those to the west. Because of the comparatively short fluid flow paths and low (normal) heat flow, the groundwaters to the east of the Tiber Valley are cold and have CO₂ isotopic signatures, indicating a significant biogenic contribution acquired from soils in the recharge area and limited deeply derived CO₂. In contrast, spring waters west of the Tiber Valley have been conductively heated during transit in these high heat-flow areas and have incorporated a comparatively large quantity of CO₂ derived from decarbonation of limestone. The elevated strontium content of the thermal spring water west of the Tiber Valley is attributed to deep circulation and dissolution of a Triassic evaporite unit that is stratigraphically beneath the Mesozoic limestone. U-series age dates of fossil travertines indicate three main periods of travertine formation (ka): 220-240, 120-140 and 60-70. Based on the regional flow model correlating travertine deposition at thermal springs and precipitation in the recharge area, we suggest that pluvial activity was enhanced during these periods. Our study suggests that travertines preserve a valuable record of paleofluid composition and paleoprecipitation and are thus useful for reconstructing paleohydrology and paleoclimate.     

河套盆地周缘泉水化学组分对2015年4月15日阿左旗MS5.8地震的响应*

根据河套盆地周缘断裂带泉水的氢、氧同位素组成和水化学组分,讨论了该区地下水的化学类型、成因及其与地震活动的关系。于2014年9月下旬和2015年4月15日M_S5.8阿左旗地震震后在河套盆地周缘的乌拉山断裂带、色尔腾断裂带、狼山断裂带以及桌子山断裂带采集了17个泉水和井水样品,测得水样的TDS分布在143.8~42 553.0mg/L范围内,δD和δ¹⁸O值分别在-83.6‰~66.56‰和-11.16‰~8.2‰的范围内,来源为大气降水。根据舒卡列夫分类法,震前水样可划分为13种水化学类型,震后西山咀、圐圙朴隆等5个点采样点泉水的水化学类型发生变化。其中,乌拉山断裂带的水样以HCO₃-Ca型低矿化度地表水为主;色尔腾断裂带、狼山断裂带泉水受白垩系含水层影响,矿化度较高,富含HCO^-₃及SO^2-₄;桌子山一带受煤矿开采影响,水样以富SO^2-₄和Cl^-的高矿化度水为特征。地震前后TDS、阴、阳离子以及γNa/γCl、γ(SO₄+Cl)/γHCO₃、γHCO₃/γCl等毫克当量比值能够较好地反映地震。2015年4月15日阿左旗M_S5.8地震后,呼鲁斯太、迪延阿贵庙及八一井的水化学组成变化较大,对地震响应较为敏感。呼鲁斯太地区泉水的TDS稍有降低,但HCO^-₃在阴离子中所占比例有所增加,表明震后该地区含水层的泉水与较低矿化度的含碳酸盐岩含水层水发生了混合;八一井的TDS值有所增加,γNa/γCl比值有所降低,表明深部高矿化度水的混入;迪延阿贵庙水样的TDS稍有下降,但NaCl的相对含量较震前有所升高,表明有低矿化度NaCl水的混入。本工作不仅确定了该区水文地球化学背景,而且对地震监测和预测具有一定参考价值。     

Sources of Ground Water Salinization in Parts of West Texas

Abstract
Determination of chemical constituent ratios allows distinction between two salinization mechanisms responsible for shallow saline ground water and vegetative-kill areas in parts of west Texas. Mixing of deep-basin (high Cl) salt water and shallow (low Cl) ground water results in saline waters with relatively low Ca/Cl, Mg/Cl, SO₄4/ Cl, Br/Cl, and NO₃/Cl ratios. In scattergrams of major chemical constituents vs. chloride, plots of these waters indicate trends with deep-basin brines as high Cl end members. Evaporation of ground water from a shallow water table, in contrast, results in saline water that has relatively high Ca/Cl, Mg/Cl, SO₄/Cl, and Br/CL ratios. Trends indicated by plots of this water type do not coincide with trends indicated by plots of sampled brines. Leaching of soil nitrate in areas with a shallow water table accounts for high NO₃ concentrations in shallow ground water.     

Hydrogeochemistry of thermal and mineral water springs of the Azores archipelago (Portugal)

Mineral and thermal water chemistry from the Azores archipelago was investigated in order to discriminate among hydrochemical facies and isotopic groups and identify the major geochemical processes that affect water composition. A systematic geochemical survey of mineral and thermal water chemistry was carried out, incorporating new data as well as results from the literature. The Azores are a volcanic archipelago consisting of nine islands and samples were collected at São Miguel, Graciosa, Faial, São Jorge, Pico and Flores islands. Hydrothermal manifestations show the effects of active volcanism on several islands. Discharges are mainly related to active Quaternary central volcanoes, of basaltic to trachytic composition, but also some springs are related to older dormant or extinct volcanoes.Multivariate analysis – principal component and cluster analysis – enables classification of water compositions into 4 groups and interpretation of processes affecting water compositions. Groups 1 and 2 discharge from perched-water bodies, and mostly correspond to Na–HCO₃ and Na–HCO₃–Cl type waters. These groups comprise of cold, thermal (27 °C–75 °C) and boiling waters (92.2 °C–93.2 °C), with a wide TDS range (77.3–27, 145.7 mg/L). Group 3 is made of samples of dominated Na–SO₄ from very acid boiling pools (pH range of 2.02–2.27) which are fed by steam-heated perched-water bodies. Group 4 is representative of springs from the basal aquifer system and corresponds to Na–Cl type fluids, with compositions dominated by seawater.Results are used to further develop a conceptual model characterizing the geochemical evolution of the studied waters. Mineral and thermal waters discharging from perched-water bodies are of meteoric origin and chemically evolve by absorption of magmatic volatiles (CO₂) and by a limited degree of rock leaching. Existing data also suggest mixture between cold waters and thermal water. Water chemistry from springs that discharge from the basal aquifer system evolves by mixing with seawater; although, processes such as absorption of magmatic volatiles (CO₂), rock leaching and mixture with hydrothermal waters are not excluded by the data because the actual composition of these waters deviates from that expected considering only conservative mixing between fresh and seawater.     

Geothermal resources in the imperial valley of california

The Imperial Valley is a major rift valley characterized by unusually high heat flow and large quantities of water in storage in the thick fill of alluvium provided by the sediments of the delta of the Colorado River. The inventory of hot water appears to be sufliciently large that if used for water desalination it might add several million acreleet of new water to the resources of the lower Colorado River basin. This distilled water would serve to lower river salinity and provide extra water to help meet the U. S. — Mexico treaty commitments. A major fraction of water desalination costs lie in the cost of energy and are related to desalination technology which is directly related to water chemistry. The discovery of low salinity geothermal waters in the Imperial Valley opened th possibility for a major breakthrough in lowered water desalination costs. We have tried to develop a broad understanding of the origins of the waters of the Imperial Valley and how natural recharge occurs. The chemical composition of the waters of the central portion of Imperial Valley basin waters, while not that of present surface flow of the rivers, nevertheless does have a close affinity to Colorado River water. No sea water seems to be present in the valley although marine sediments appear to occur on basement on West Mesa and on basement to the east in Arizona south of Yuma. Low salinity waters dominate the basin hydrology and waters as saline or more saline than sea water appear to be restricted to the immediate area of the Salton Sea. The isotope work of T. Coplen makes it possible to determine the relative contribution of precipitation runoff from California watersheds and from Colorado River water. Both sources are significant. The Colorado River water in aquifers from 100–400 m appears to have been entrapped from a relatively homogeneous basin which was subject to substantial evaporation. Its original source was snow melt water from the Colorado River. Five types of waters, none of them sea water, were recognized by their salt geochemistry. Bromide/chloride data are particularly effective in resolving different types of water masses. The bromide/chloride data agree with the isotope data and identify rainfall and precipitation runoff from the high mountains to the west. Modern Colorado River water is easily recognized by its salts and two types of ancient Colorado River waters from previous lake stage are proposed on the basis of the bromide/chloride data. One old lake occurring during the pluvial stage associated with the last Ice Age is proposed to account for much of the water in artesian aquifers. Another younger lake stage, possibly with Lake Cahuilla affinities is also suggested. Mountain runoff waters can be distinguished in the subsurface by their relatively lower salinity and high bicarbonate concentration, and their heavy isotopic composition. Revised fluid reserve calculations based on additional porosity data continue to show that the low salinity water resources of the Imperial Valley may exceed two billion acre-feet. The oceanic plate tectonic model is modified in the Imperial Valley by the evidence of a series of complex blocks with the generation of both tensional and compressional features in the valley. Major strike slip faults dominate the tectonic fabric but conjugate features increase complexity by a large degree and a major amount of work will be needed before any geologically sound structural models can be generated. Xenoliths within the obsidians at the volcanoes at the south end of the Salton Sea provide samples of the basement under the Imperial Valley. These xenoliths include partially remelted granitic rocks, fragments of basalt, greenschist, and baked shale and sandstone. This is taken as evidence that the basement in the valley consists in part of partially remelted granite. This would render basement plastic and readily deformed. The source of the heat is suggested to be derived from basalt that comes into the basement and deeper sediments from below. This upward movement of basalt along a spreading zone is the continental equivalent to a sea floor spreading area. In the continental case the insulating blanket of wet sediment retains the heat and appears to produce a major geothermal resource. The geothermal resources of the Imperial Valley are the aggregate of the thermal energy of the large inventory of subsurface water heated by the complex mix of intrusive phenomena. The net result is to generate a polygenetic geothermal resource of very large dimensions.     

Holocene calcrete crust deposits on the moraine of Batura Glacier, northern Pakistan

Abstract   Calcretes can be observed on the surface of old moraines around Batura Glacier in the upper Hunza Valley, Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan. They develop as a calcareous crust cementing small gravels under boulders. In order to understand the genesis of the calcrete crust, a variety of methods were employed: (i) study of mineralogy and geochemistry of a calcrete crust precipitated on the lateral moraine using X-ray diffractometer and electron probe microanalysis; (ii) analysis of solute chemistry of surface water and ice bodies around the Batura Glacier; and (iii) accelerator mass spectrometry ¹⁴C dating of the crust itself. The results indicate that the calcrete crust has definite laminated layers composed of a fine-grain and compact calcite layer, and a mineral fragment layer. The chemical composition of the calcite layer is approximately 60% CaO and 1% MgO. The mineral fragment layer consists of rounded grain materials up to 0.2 mm in diameter. It shows a graded bedding structure with fine grains of quartz, albite and muscovite. Meanwhile, as the Paleozoic Pasu limestone is distributed around the terminal of Batura Glacier, Ca cations dissolve in the melt water of the glacier. Accordingly, the calcrete crust is precipitated by decreases in CO₂ partial pressure from glacier ice and evaporation of the melt water, including high concentration of Ca²⁺ at ephemeral streams and small ponds stagnating between the moraine and glacial ice. On the basis of the AMS ¹⁴C age, the calcrete is considered to have formed approximately 8200 calibrated years bp under the Batura glacial stage.     

山西断陷带地壳结构的接收函数研究

利用2006年8月到2008年3月北京大学在山西断陷带南部架设的两条东西向流动观测地震台阵记录的远震资料,提取各台站接收函数,然后进行倾斜叠加(Slant stack)和台阵偏移成像,获得了沿台阵横穿山西断陷带的地壳和上地幔的精细结构变化.研究结果显示,山西断陷带下面莫霍面存在明显不连续,莫霍面上隆约4~6 km,纵横波速比从两侧的1.75上升为山西断陷带内部2.0左右,且中、下地壳可能存在一个低速层.山西断陷带的构造模式沿相距140 km的两条剖面表现出明显差异:南端的临汾盆地为拉张作用下的纯剪切模式,向北转化为太原盆地的简单剪切模式.     

多震相走时和波形三维地震成像方法及在朝鲜半岛和祁连山地壳结构研究的应用

本项成果包括：提出天然地震走时反演层析成像技术,采用下列方法使得处理结果得以改善：1)利用Pg,Sg,Pm,Sm,Pn,Sn等震相增大约束条件;2)用已有精度较高的人工地震测深结果作速度约束;3)用波形反演来修改模型,把波源,介质吸收,散射等全部物理特征集中反映在记录中,把诸多物理量开发出来互为约束,以修改后的模型再作反演,使解的稳定性大大提高;4)采用最优化过程,选择遗传算法。可以进行震源定位,走时反演,波形反演;5)得到任意深度的速度分布及从地表到Moho面的速度剖面。主要应用结果：对于朝鲜半岛南部,划分为5(沿纬度)*６(沿经度)*8(沿深度)块,对于中部分288块.得到从地表到M面的8个水平切面;中部地区沿纬度13个二维剖面及其Moho面深度分布。上述方法也用于祁连山中东段地壳三维结构成像加上地震台网数字记录,反演。该区属塔里木-阿拉善地块走廊过渡带与北祁连褶皱带;从剖面可看出该地块上地壳低速层厚,下地壳有-低速层。北祁连褶皱带盆地与隆起构造之间的起伏差异,显示古浪断裂与金强河断裂之间的深部差异与界线。两地区的结果表明,这些剖面对认识大地构造、地质结构的稳定性,深部事件的性质是很有益的,对地球动力学研究也有重要意义。