http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987115001322

Zircon U-Pb geochronology has become a keystone tool across Earth science,arguably providing the gold standard in resolving deep geological time.The development of rapid in situ analysis of zircon（via laser ablation and secondary ionization mass spectrometry） has allowed for large amounts of data to be generated in a relatively short amount of time and such large volume datasets offer the ability to address a range of geological questions that would otherwise remain intractable（e.g.detrital zircons as a sediment fingerprinting method）.The ease of acquisition,while bringing benefit to the Earth science community,has also led to diverse interpretations of geochronological data.In this work we seek to refocus U-Pb zircon geochronology toward best practice by providing a robust statistically coherent workflow.We discuss a range of data filtering approaches and their inherent limitations（e.g.discordance and the reduced chi-squared;MSWD）.We evaluate appropriate mechanisms to calculate the most geologically appropriate age from both ²³⁸U/²⁰⁶Pb and ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ratios and demonstrate the cross over position when chronometric power swaps between these ratios.As our in situ analytical techniques become progressively more precise,appropriate statistical handing of U-Pb datasets will become increasingly pertinent.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987115001152

The nature of crustal and lithospheric mantle evolution of the Archean shields as well as their subsequent deformation due to recent plate motions and sustained intraplate geodynamic activity, has been a subject of considerable interest. In view of this, about three decades ago, a new idea was put forward suggesting that out of all shield terrains, the Indian shield has an extremely thin lithosphere(w100 km,compared to 250e350 km, elsewhere), apart from being warm, non-rigid, sheared and deformed. As expected, it met with scepticism by heat flow and the emerging seismic tomographic study groups, who on the contrary suggested that the Indian shield has a cool crust, besides a coherent and thick lithosphere(as much as 300e400 km) like any other shield. However, recently obtained integrated geological and geophysical findings from deep scientific drillings in 1993 Killari(M w: 6.3) and 1967 Koyna(M w: 6.3)earthquake zones, as well as newly acquired geophysical data over other parts of Indian shield terrain,have provided a totally new insight to this debate. Beneath Killari, the basement was found consisting of high density, high velocity mid crustal amphibolite to granulite facies rocks due to exhumation of the deeper crustal layers and sustained granitic upper crustal erosion. Similar type of basement appears to be present in Koyna region too, which is characterized by considerably high upper crustal temperatures.Since, such type of crust is depleted in radiogenic elements, it resulted into lowering of heat flow at the surface, increase in heat flow contribution from the mantle, and upwarping of the lithosphereasthenosphere boundary. Consequently, the Indian shield lithosphere has become unusually thin and warm. This study highlights the need of an integrated geological, geochemical and geophysical approach in order to accurately determine deep crust-mantle thermal regime in continental areas.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987115000456

This article adopts three artificial intelligence techniques, Gaussian Process Regression(GPR), Least Square Support Vector Machine(LSSVM) and Extreme Learning Machine(ELM), for prediction of rock depth(d) at any point in Chennai. GPR, ELM and LSSVM have been used as regression techniques.Latitude and longitude are also adopted as inputs of the GPR, ELM and LSSVM models. The performance of the ELM, GPR and LSSVM models has been compared. The developed ELM, GPR and LSSVM models produce spatial variability of rock depth and offer robust models for the prediction of rock depth.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987115000821

Learning incorporates a broad range of complex procedures. Machine learning(ML) is a subdivision of artificial intelligence based on the biological learning process. The ML approach deals with the design of algorithms to learn from machine readable data. ML covers main domains such as data mining, difficultto-program applications, and software applications. It is a collection of a variety of algorithms(e.g. neural networks, support vector machines, self-organizing map, decision trees, random forests, case-based reasoning, genetic programming, etc.) that can provide multivariate, nonlinear, nonparametric regression or classification. The modeling capabilities of the ML-based methods have resulted in their extensive applications in science and engineering. Herein, the role of ML as an effective approach for solving problems in geosciences and remote sensing will be highlighted. The unique features of some of the ML techniques will be outlined with a specific attention to genetic programming paradigm. Furthermore,nonparametric regression and classification illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of ML for tackling the geosciences and remote sensing problems.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987116000049

正The 2015 Geoscience Frontiers Annual Convention was held in Beijing,China during October 29,2015 hosted by China University of Geosciences,Beijing(Fig.1).This convention assembled earth scientists from 5 countries,including Australia(Prof.Franco Pirajno),China(several delegates),Germany(Prof.Daniel Harlov),Italy(Prof.Carlo Doglioni),Norway(Dr.Mathew Domeier),South Korea(Prof.S.Kwon)and United States(Prof.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987115000626

The middle-upper Cretaceous Ceduna River system traversed continental Australia from the NE coast to the centre of the southern coast.At its mouth,it formed a vast delta system that is similar in scale to the Niger delta of West Africa.The delta system is composed of two main lobes that represent different phases of delta construction.A recent hypothesis has challenged the traditional idea that both lobes of the delta were derived from a transcontinental river system by suggesting that the upper lobe(Santonian- Maastrichtian) is instead derived from a restricted catchment within southern Australia.Hf isotopic data presented here fingerprint the original source of the upper delta lobe zircons to NE Australia,with data comparing well with similar U-Pb and Lu-Hf isotopic data from the Lachlan Orogen,the New England Orogen,the eastern Musgraves Province and the northern Flinders Ranges.These data do not preclude a model where the lobe is derived from recycled Eromanga Basin sediments during a phase of late Cretaceous inland Australian uplift,but when coupled with reconnaissance low-temperature thermochronometry from the region of the Ceduna River course indicating widespread Triassic-Jurassic exhumation,and comparisons with detrital zircon data from the Winton Formation upstream of any proposed uplift,we suggest that both lobes of the Ceduna Delta are likely to be derived from a transcontinental Ceduna River.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987115000407

The western continental margin of India is one of the highly productive regions in the global ocean.Primary productivity is induced by upwelling and convective mixing during the southwest and northeast monsoons respectively.Realizing the importance of high primary productivity,a sediment core was collected below the current oxygen minimum zone(OMZ) from the southwestern continental margin of India.This was dated by AMS radiocarbon and as many as 60 paleoclimate/paceoceanographic proxies,such as particle size,biogenic components,major,trace and rare earth elements(REEs) which were measured for the first time to determine sources of sediment,biogeochemical processes operating in the water column and their variations since the last glacial cycle.R-mode factor analysis of comprehensive data indicates that the dominant regulator of paleoproductivity is the southwest monsoon wind induced upwelling.Other paleoproductivity related factors identified are the marine biogenic component and biogenic detritus(as an exported component from the water column added to the bottom sediment).All paleoproductivity components increased significantly during the marine isotope stage-1(MIS-1)compared to those accumulated from MIS-4 to MIS-2.The second group of factors identified are the terrigenous sediments with heavy minerals like zircon and ilmenite.The terrigenous sediment,in particular,increased during MIS-2 when the sea-level was lower;however,the heavy mineral component fluctuated over time implying pulsed inputs of sediment.The diagenetic fraction and reducing component are the third group of factors identified which varied with time with increased accumulation during the MIS transitions.The primary productivity along the southwestern continental margin of India seems to have been controlled principally by the upwelling during the southwest monsoon season that was weaker from MIS-4 to MIS-2,as relative to that during the MIS-1.In contrast,increased glacial productivity noticed in sediments deposited below the current oxygen minimum zone(OMZ) along the north of the study area that can be linked to entrainment of nutrients through the intensified convective mixing of surface water during the northeast monsoon.The sequestration of greenhouse gases by the western continental margin of India was higher during glacial than interglacial cycles.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987110000095

<正>Bauxite deposits are studied because of their economic value and because they play an important role in the study of paleoclimate and paleogeography of continents.They provide a rare record of the weathering and evolution of continental surfaces.Geomicrobiological analysis makes it possible to verify that microorganisms have played a critical role during the formation of bauxite with the possibility already intimated in previous studies.Ambient temperature,abundance of water,organic carbon and bioavailable iron and other metal substrates provide a suitable environment for microbes to inhabit.Thio-bacillus, Leptospirilum,Thermophilic bacteria and Heterotrophs have been shown to be able to oxidize ferrous iron and to reduce sulfate-generating sulfuric acid,which can accelerate the weathering of alumi-nosilicates and precipitation of iron oxyhydroxides.Microorganisms referred to the genus Bacillus can mediate the release of alkaline metals.Although the dissimilatory iron-reducing and sulfate-reducing bacteria in bauxites have not yet been identified,some recorded authigenic carbonates and "bacteriopyrites" that appear to be unique in morphology and grain size might record microbial activity.Typical bauxite minerals such as gibbsite,kaolinite,covellite,galena,pyrite,zircon,calcium plagioclase,orthoclase, and albite have been investigated as part of an analysis of microbial mediation.The paleoecology of such bauxitic microorganisms inhabiting continental(sub) surfaces,revealed through geomicrobiolo-gical analysis,will add a further dimension to paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental studies.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987111001277

A numerical model is developed for investigating the evolution of fracture permeability in a coupled fracture-matrix system in the presence of fracture-skin with simultaneous colloidal and bacterial tr...     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987114000644

正1.Introduction This special issue of Geoscience Frontiers is a tribute volume honoring the life and career of Jacques Touret.A set of research papers has been assembled,which broadly reflect his research interests over his 50 plus year career.These papers focus on the role that fluids play during the formation and evolution of the Earth's crust.Below I provide a brief summary of the life of Jacques Touret,along with a select bibliography of his more important papers.This is then followed by a brief introduction to the papers assembled for this special issue.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987112001247

The Sinai Peninsula has been recognized as a subplate of the African Plate located at the triple junction of the Gulf of Suez rift, the Dead Sea Transform fault, and the Red Sea rift. The upper and lower crustal structures of this tectonically active, rapidly developing region are yet poorly understood because of many limitations. For this reason, a set of P- and S-wave travel times recorded at 14 seismic stations belonging to the Egyptian National Seismographic Network (ENSN) from 111 local and regional events are analyzed to investigate the crustal structures and the locations of the seismogenic zones beneath central and southern Sinai. Because the velocity model used for routine earthquake location by ENSN is one-dimensional, the travel-time residuals will show lateral heterogeneity of the velocity structures and unmodeled vertical structures. Seismic activity is strong along the eastern and southern borders of the study area but low to moderate along the northern boundary and the Gulf of Suez to the west. The crustal V_p/V_s ratio is 1.74 from shallow (depth ≤ 10 km) earthquakes and 1.76 from deeper (depth > 10 km) crustal events. The majority of the regional and local travel-time residuals are positive relative to the Preliminary Reference Earth Model (PREM), implying that the seismic stations are located above widely distributed, tectonically-induced low-velocity zones. These low-velocity zones are mostly related to the local crustal faults affecting the sedimentary section and the basement complex as well as the rifting processes prevailing in the northern Red Sea region and the ascending of hot mantle materials along crustal fractures. The delineation of these low-velocity zones and the locations of big crustal earthquakes enable the identification of areas prone to intense seismotectonic activities, which should be excluded from major future development projects and large constructions in central and southern Sinai.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987114000036

The paper evaluates sensitivity of various spaceborne digital elevation models （DEMs）, viz., Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer （ASTER）, Shuttle Radar Topography Mapping Mission （SRTM） and Global Multi-resolution Terrain Elevation Data 2010 （GMTED）, in comparison with the DEM （TOPO） derived from contour data of 20 m interval of Survey of India topographic sheets of 1 ： 50,000 scale. Several topographic attributes, such as elevation （above mean sea level）, relative relief, slope, aspect, curvature, slope-length and -steepness （LS） factor, terrain ruggedness index （TRI）, topo- graphic wetness index （TWI）, hypsometric integral （lhyp） and drainage network attributes （stream number and stream length） of two tropical mountain river basins, viz. Muthirapuzha River Basin and Pambar River Basin are compared to evaluate the variations. Though the basins are comparable in extent, they differ in respect of terrain characteristics and climate. The result.,; suggest that ASTER and SRTM provide equally reliable representation of topography portrayed by TOP（） and the topographic attributes extracted from the spaceborne DEMs are in agreement with those derived from TOPO. Despite the coarser resolution, SRTM shows relatively higher vertical accuracy （RMSE -- 23 and 20 m respectively in MRB and PRB） compared to ASTER （RMSE - 33 and 24 m） and GMTED （RMSE - 59 and 48 m）. Vertical accuracy of all the spaceborne DEMs is influenced by relief of the terrain as well as type of vegetation. Further, GMTED shows significant deviation for most of the attributes, indicating its inability for mountain-river-basin-scale studies.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987111000600

Detailed studies on Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous carbonate rocks in central Hunan, southern China have led to the recognition of 25 lithofacies which can be grouped into:(1) inner ramp peritidal platform,(2) inner ramp organic bank and mound.(3) mid ramp,(4) outer ramp,and(5) shelf basin fades associations.The peritidal platform fades association dominates the Zimenqiao Formation (Namurian A or late Datangian) and is characterized by gypsum and dolostone-containing sequences, indicating a peritidal platform environment.The other four fades associations dominate the Menggongao Formation(late Famennian).Liujiatang Formation(Tournaisian or Yangruanian).Shidengzi Formations (early Visean or early Datangian).Five upward-shallowing cycles were distinguished in these three Formations.The predominant fades associations developed in each Formation demonstrate an overall transgression-regression cycle in the Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous in central Hunan.The overall transgressive sequence was preserved in the Shaodong.Menggongao.and Liujiatang Formations,and the overall regressive sequence was preserved in the Liujiatang.Shidengzi.Ceshui and Zimenqiao Formations.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987115001231

The Jinchuan Ni-Cu-PGE deposit(500 Mt @1.2%Ni,0.7%Cu,~0.4 g/t PGE),one of the largest magmatic sulphide deposits in the world,is located within the westernmost terrane of the North China Craton.It is hosted within the 6.5 km long,Neoproterozoic(~0.83 Ga) Jinchuan ultramafic intrusion,emplaced as a sill-like body into a Palaeoproterozoic suite of gneisses,migmatites,marbles and amphibolites,below an active intracratonic rift.The parental magma was high-Mg basalt,generated through melting of subcrustal lithospheric mantle by a mantle plume during the initiation of Rodinia supercontinent breakup.The lower Palaeozoic collision of the exotic Qilian Block with the breakup-related southern margin of the craton accreted a subduction complex,and emplaced voluminous granitic intrusions and foreland basin sequences within the craton,to as far north as Jinchuan.During the Cainozoic,allochthonous lower Palaeozoic rocks were thrust up to 300 km to the northeast over cratonic basement,to within 25 km of the Jinchuan deposit.The Jinchuan ultramafic intrusion was injected into three interconnected sub-chambers,each containing a separate orebody.It essentially comprises an olivine-orthopyroxene-chromite cumulate,with interstitial orthopyroxene,clinopyroxene,plagioclase and phlogopite,and is predominantly composed of lherzolite(~80%),with an outer rim of olivine pyroxenite and cores of mineralised dunite.Mineralisation occurs as disseminated and net-textured sulphides,predominantly within the dunite,with lesser,PGE rich lenses,late massive sulphide accumulations,small copper rich pods and limited mineralised diopside skarn in wall rock marbles.The principal ore minerals are pyrrhotite(the dominant sulphide),pentlandite,chalcopyrite,cubanite,mackinawite and pyrite,with a variety of platinum group minerals and minor gold.The deposit underwent significant post-magmatic tremolite-actinolite,chlorite,serpentine and magnetite alteration.The volume of thejinchuan intrusion accounts for 3% of the total parental magma required to generate the contained olivine and sulphide.It is postulated that mafic melt,intruded into the lower crust,hydraulically supported by density contrast buoyancy from below the Moho,ponded in a large staging chamber,where crystallisation and settling formed a lower sulphide rich mush.This mush was subsequently injected into nearby shallow dipping faults to form the Jinchuan intrusion.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987112001533

The collision of a divergent ocean ridge may evolve into two end cases:in the continuity of ocean-floor subduction.or in the detachment of the subducted plate.The northern Patagonia active plate margin has the unique situation that in Cenozoic time it has been subjected to two divergent ridge collisions,each one representing one of the end members.The Neogene Antarctica-Nazca divergent ridge collision evolved as a continuous ocean-floor subduction system,promoting a magmatic hiatus at the arc axis,the obduction of part of the ridge ocean-floor in the fore-arc.and basaltic volcanism in the back-arc.In contrast,the Paleogene Farallon-Aluk divergent ridge collision evolved into a transform margin,with the detachment and sinking of the Aluk plate and the development of a large slab window.As in the previous case,this collision promoted a magmatic hiatus at the arc axis,but the tectono-magmatic scenario changed to postorogenic synextensional volcanism that spread to the former fore-arc（basalt,andesite,rhyolite） and former back-arc（bimodal ignimbrite flare-up,basalt）.Geochemistry of this slab window synextensional volcanism shows more MORB-like basalts towards the former fore-arc,and MORB-OIB-like basalts towards the former back-arc.Instead,an isolated undeformable crustal block in the former back-arc,with an "epeirogenic" response to the slab window and extensional regime,was covered by OIB-type basalts after uplift.Major elements show that slab window basalts reach TiCh values up to 3 wt%,as compared with the top value of 1.5 wt%of arc magmas.Besides,the MgO with respect to（FeO^t + Al₂O₃） ratio helps to distinguish slab window magma changes from the former fore-arc to the former back-arc and also with respect to the "epeirogenic" block.Higher contents of HFS elements such as Nb and Ta also help to distinguish this slab window from arc magmas and also,to distinguish slab window magma changes from the former fore-arc to the former back-arc and "epeirogenic" block settings.The isotope compositions of slab window magmatism show a disparate coeval array from MORB to crustal sources,interpreted as a consequence of the lack of protracted storage and homogenization due to the extensional setting.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987111000478

Convective heat transfer associated with the circulation of pore-fluid in porous rocks and fractures within the upper crust of the Earth is substantial when the temperature gradient is sufficiently high.In order to understand the process of Sn-polymetallic mineralization in the Dachang ore district of Guangxi,a finite element method has been used in this study to simulate both pore-fluid flow and heat transfer in this district.On the basis of related geological,tectonic and geophysical constraints,a computational model was established.It enables a computational simulation and sensitivity analysis to be carried out for investigating ore-forming pore-fluid flow and other key factors that may affect hydrothermal ore genesis in the district.The related simulation results have indicated that:(1) permeable fault zones in the Dachang ore district can serve as preferential pathways for pore-fluid flow on a regional-scale;and(2) the pore-fluid flow can affect the salinity distribution.This latter factor is part of the reason why Sn-polymetallic mineralization has taken place in this district.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987110000344

The structural stability of methane hydrate under pressure at room temperature was examined by both in-situ single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction techniques on samples with structure typesⅠ,Ⅱ,and H in diamond-anvil cells.The diffraction data for typesⅡ(sⅡ) and H(sH) were refined to the known structures with space groups Fd3m and P6_3/mmc,respectively.Upon compression,sⅠmethane hydrate transforms to the sⅡphase at 120 MPa,and then to the sH phase at 600 MPa.The sⅡmethane hydrate was found to coexist...