Some Palaeozoic‐Mesozoic stratigraphic‐structural relationships in east timor and their significance in the tectonics of timor

An ‘autochthon’ model for the tectonic development of Timor is suggested, based on observations of Palaeozoic‐Mesozoic relationships from a broad area of central East Timor, including:

1. (a) ‘allochthonous’ Permian rocks unconformable on metamorphic rocks

2. (b) ‘allochthonous’ Permian units interbedded with ‘autochthonous’ Permian units, and

3. (c) ‘autochthonous’ Triassic sediments stratigraphically overlying ‘allochthonous’ Permian rocks.

The model is supported by recent modifications in palaeogeographic interpretations for the Permian of north Australia (e.g. Powell, 1976; Thomas, 1976). Our observations support and extend the earlier suggestions of Grady (1975), and the resulting model is in contrast with some of the hypotheses of Audley‐Charles and his associates (as, most recently, Barber et al., 1977), Fitch & Hamilton (1974), Hamilton (1973, 1976), and Crostella (1976).

Our model involves no essentially allochthonous pre‐Cainozoic material in Timor. The Permian to Cretaceous units are envisaged as developing on the continental margin which was dominantly inactive, but affected to some extent by Late Jurassic rifting activity. Following the Pliocene collision with the Inner Banda Arc, uplift along the collision zone would have caused gravity gliding towards the south. Thus, surficial olistostrome deposits, originally from the island arc, could have eventually moved to the northern slopes of the Timor Trough, while at depth, reverse faulting could have developed as a result of gravity gliding.

We maintain that previous postulates of a pervasive, strongly imbricate structure for Timor, lack adequate substantiation in the literature. Furthermore, accounts of the tectonic development of Timor, involving large scale translation on low angle faults, are even less well substantiated.     

Palaeomagnetic reconnaissance result from the maubisse formation,east timorand its tectonic implication

A preliminary palaeomagnetic investigation of the supposedly allochthonous Permian Maubisse Formation in East Timor yielded a mean direction of magnetization of decl. = 140E, incl. = +45 and α₉₅ = 13°. This direction is indistinguishable from that of the autochthonous Permian Cribas Formation reported earlier. The apparent agreement between the palaec magnetism of the two Formations is interpreted to imply that both are autochthonous and have been part of the Australian continental margin since the Permianand does not support the supposed Asian origin for the Maubisse Formation.     

Thrust tectonics in Timor

Recently it has been argued that the structure of the island of Timor can be interpreted without invoking the concept of major overthrust‐faulting. Using evidence from the Maubisse area of eastern Timor, Grady (1975) has suggested that the relationship between contiguous rock units in that area may be interpreted either as an unconformity or as steeply dipping fault‐planes. In the present account interpretations of the structure of Timor are reviewed and the concept of overthrusting is reconsidered. It is concluded that the structure may only be interpreted in terms of a series of overlapping thrust slices resting on folded sediments of the Australian continental shelf. The lowest thrust sheet, the Kolbano thrust sheet is composed of internally deformed deep‐water calcilutites. It is followed to the north by the Lolotoi thrust sheet, made up of a complex group of crystalline rocks varying from granulite to slate, together with unmetamorphosed ophiolites, clastic sediments, and massive Miocene limestones. Overlying this group to the north is the Maubisse‐Aileu thrust sheet composed of Permian crinoidal limestones and volcanics in the south, passing northwards into shales and sandstones. Within this unit there is also a marked increase in deformation and metamorphism from south to north. Slates in the south pass into mica schists, psammites, marbles, and hornblende schists of the amphibolite facies on the north coast of eastern Timor near Manatutu. A further thrust‐slice composed of ophiolites rests on this thrust unit on the north coast of western Timor between Wini and Atapupu.

The composition, structural state, and metamorphic grade of the rocks composing each of these thrust slices is described. The detailed relationships of the thrust units, including those of the Maubisse area, in the neighbourhood of the thrust planes is reconsidered. The case for the concept of major overthrusting is restated, both from regional considerations and from new evidence obtained during recent field mapping. This interpretation is placed in the context of a collision between the Australian continental margin and a detached portion of the Asiatic continental margin during the Cainozoic Era.     

Early Cambrian crustal shortening and a clockwise P–T–t path from the southern Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica: implications for the formation of Gondwana

Cambrian orogenesis (550–490 Ma) in the Lambert Province of the southern Prince Charles Mountains resulted in three successive stages of deformation. The earliest of these deformations resulted in the development of a layer‐parallel foliation (S1) that was folded into macro‐scale recumbent folds (F2). Subsequent deformation buckled the rocks into long‐wavelength (c. 20 km), SW‐ to NW‐trending antiformal closures (F3) mostly separated from each other by west to SW trending, steeply dipping, high‐strain zones. Metapelitic rocks from the region are divisible into two compositional types: a high‐Al, ‐Fe and ‐K type and a high‐Mg, ‐Ca and ‐Na type. In rocks of both composition, relic staurolite preceded the formation of upper amphibolite facies garnet + biotite + sillimanite ± muscovite mineral assemblages that record peak pressures and temperatures of c. 650–700 °C and 6–7 kbar. Subsequent decompression of c. 3 kbar is implied from texturally late plagioclase and a reduction in the modal abundance of garnet in the high‐Al, ‐Fe and ‐K metapelites, and from texturally late cordierite in the more magnesium rocks. This clockwise P–T–t path, with prograde heating followed by rapid decompression, is: (i) equivalent to that recorded in the same‐aged rocks at Prydz Bay located 600 km to the north, and (ii) similar to the modelled response of the crust to thickening following continent–continent collision. These results indicate that large areas of East Antarctica were thickened and rapidly exhumed, probably in response to collisional orogenesis during the Early Cambrian. This supports the inference that Early Cambrian orogenesis in the Prydz Bay–Prince Charles Mountains region of East Antarctica marks one of the fundamental lithospheric boundaries within Gondwana.     

Timing of the progress granite,Larsemann hills: Additional evidence for early Palaeozoic orogenesis within the east Antarctic Shield and implications for Gondwana assembly

The Progress Granite is one of numerous S‐type granitoid plutons exposed in the Larsemann Hills region, southwest Prydz Bay, east Antarctica. The granite was emplaced into a migmatitised pelitic to felsic paragneiss sequence during a regional high‐grade transpressional event (D₂) that pre‐dates high‐grade extension (D₃). SHRIMP (II) U‐Pb dating for two occurrences of the Progress Granite from D₂ and D₃ structural domains gives ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of 516.2 ± 6.8 Ma and 514.3 ± 6.7 Ma, respectively. These ages are interpreted as crystallisation ages for the Progress Granite and confirm Early Palaeozoic orogenesis in the Larsemann Hills region. This orogen appears to have evolved during continental convergence and is probably responsible for widespread radiogenic isotopic resetting and the near‐complete exhumation of the adjacent northern Prince Charles Mountains which evolved during a ca 1000 Ma event. The identification of a major Early Palaeozoic orogen in Prydz Bay allows tentative correlation of other domains of Early Palaeozoic tectonism both within the east Antarctic Shield and other, once contiguous, Gondwana fragments and illustrates the potential complexity inherent within intercratonic mobile belts. One such possibility, tentatively offered here, suggests a continuous belt of Early Palaeozoic tectonism from Prydz Bay eastward to the West Denman Glacier region and into the Leeuwin complex of Western Australia.     

The Purbeck Limestone Group of Dorset,southern England

The late Jurassic to early Cretaceous Purbeck Limestone Group of Dorset has been a focus for media and academic attention for the last 150 years. For example, The Illustrated London News in 1857 carried an article by the Revd Charles Kingsley, (of The Water Babies fame), titled ‘Geological Discoveries at Swanage’. describing fossil‐hunting endeavours of Samuel Husband Beckles (1814–1890; Fig. 1 ). Beckles had been encouraged by Richard Owen (1804–1892) to go in search of the tiny fossilized mammalian remains in these strata. Beckles rose to the challenge and at his own expense employed a team of workmen to carry out the excavations; in the process they uncovered a thin layer containing the numerous remains of diminutive mammals along with the remains of other vertebrates, including turtles, crocodiles and ornithischian dinosaurs. Since then, dinosaur tracks and related discoveries from these same strata have often caught the imagination of the press, inspiring sensational headlines such as ‘Builder digs up giant lizard fight’ and ‘Dinosaur graveyard in Swanage Bay’!

Figure 1 Open in figure viewer PowerPoint Contemporary illustration of Samuel Beckles’ excavation on the cliffs of Durlston Bay, from Charles Kingsley's account of the discoveries at Swanage which appeared in The Illustrated London News in 1857.     

Geological observations in high‐grade mid‐Proterozoic rocks from Else Platform,northern Prince Charles mountains region,east Antarctica

Granulite facies rocks on Else Platform in the northern Prince Charles Mountains, east Antarctica, consist of metasedimentary gneiss extensively intruded by granitic rocks. The dominant rock type is a layered garnetbiotite‐bearing gneiss intercalated with minor garnet‐cordierite‐sillimanite gneiss and calc‐silicate. Voluminous megacrystic granite intruded early during a mid‐Proterozoic (ca 1000 Ma) granulite event, M₁, widely recognized in east Antarctica. Peak metamorphic conditions for M₁ are in the range of 650–750 MPa at ～800°C and were associated with the development of a gneissic foliation, S₁ and steep east‐plunging lineation, L₁. Strain partitioning during progressive non‐coaxial deformation formed large D₂ granulite facies south‐dipping thrusts, with a steep, east‐plunging lineation. In areas of lower D₂ strain, large‐scale upright, steep east‐plunging fold structures formed synchronously with the D₂ high‐strain zones. Voluminous garnet‐bearing leucogneiss intruded at 940 ±20 Ma and was deformed in the D₂ high‐strain zones. Textural relationships in pelitic rocks show that peak‐M2 assemblages formed during increasing temperatures via reactions such as biotite + sillimanite + quartz ± plagioclase = spinel + cordierite + ilmenite + K‐feldspar + melt. In biotite‐absent rocks, re‐equilibration of deformed M₁ garnet‐sillimanite‐ilmenite assemblages occurred through decompressive reactions of the form, garnet + sillimanite + ilmenite = cordierite + spinel + quartz. Pressure/temperature estimates indicate that peak‐M₂ conditions were 500–600 MPa and 700±50°C. At about 500 Ma, north‐trending granitic dykes intruded and were deformed during D₃‐M₃ at probable upper amphibolite facies conditions. Cooling from peak D₃‐M₃ conditions was associated with the formation of narrow greenschist facies shear zones, and the intrusion of pegmatite. Cross‐cutting all features are abundant north‐south trending alkaline mafic dykes that were emplaced over the interval ca 310–145 Ma, reflecting prolonged intrusive activity. Some of the dykes are associated with steeply dipping faults that may be related to basin formation during Permian times and later extension, synchronous with the formation of the Lambert Graben in the Cretaceous.     

The metamorphic evolution of metapelitic granulites from Radok Lake, northern Prince Charles Mountains, east Antarctica; evidence for an anticlockwise P–T path

Mineral textures in metapelitic granulites from the northern Prince Charles Mountains, coupled with thermodynamic modelling in the K₂O–FeO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O–TiO₂–Fe₂O₃ (KFMASHTO) model system, point to pressure increasing with increasing temperature on the prograde metamorphic path, followed by retrograde cooling (i.e. an anticlockwise P–T path). Textural evidence for the increasing temperature part of the path is given by the breakdown of garnet and biotite to form orthopyroxene and cordierite in sillimanite‐absent rocks, and through the break‐down of biotite and sillimanite to form spinel, cordierite and garnet in more aluminous assemblages. This is equated to the advective addition of heat from the regional emplacement of granitic and charnockitic magmas dated at c. 980 Ma. A subsequent increase in pressure, inferred from the break‐down of spinel and quartz to sillimanite, cordierite and garnet in aluminous rocks, is attributed to crustal thickening related to upright folding dated at 940–910 Ma. The terrane attained peak metamorphic temperatures of c. 880 °C at pressures of c. 6.0–6.5 kbar during this event. Subsequent cooling is inferred from the localised breakdown of cordierite and garnet to form biotite and sillimanite that developed in the latter stages of the same event. The textural observations described are interpreted via the application of P–T and P–T–X pseudosections. The latter show that most rock compositions preserve only fragments of the overall P–T path; a result of different rock compositions undergoing mineral assemblage changes, or changes in mineral modal abundance, on different sections of the P–T path. The results also suggest that partial melting during granulite facies metamorphism, coupled with melt loss and dehydration, initiated a switch from pervasive ductile, to discrete ductile/brittle deformation, during retrograde cooling.     

A comparison of variational formats for porous media subjected to dynamic loading

This paper presents a comparison of two variational formats for fully saturated porous media subjected to dynamic loading, whereby the general situation of relative fluid acceleration is considered: (1) the classical three‐field ( u , p, w )‐format and (2) a novel two‐field ( u , p)‐format, where the seepage velocity w is a spatially ‘local’ field whose treatment resembles that of internal variables in material models. The limited numerical comparison shows that the ( u , p)‐format competes well with the ( u , p, w )‐format. Indeed, it is consistent with the general acceleration modeling in the full range of permeabilities. Moreover, in the low permeability regime (where the magnitude of w is insignificant), the new format reflects the situation pertinent to ‘added‐mass’ and is more efficient than the classical ( u , p, w )‐format. Finally, the ( u , p)‐formatcan conveniently be implemented in existing FE‐codes based on the ‘added mass’ formulation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Variations of b‐values at the western edge of the Ryukyu Subduction Zone,north‐east Taiwan

Using earthquakes relocated in north‐east Taiwan, we estimated b‐value distribution along a cross‐section located near the Ryukyu slab edge, and four b‐value anomalous areas are evidenced: (1) a high b‐value body lying on top of a low Vp, low Vs and high Vp/Vs sausage‐like body was considered as a region of enhanced partial melt or water supply above which seismicity occurs; (2) beneath the Ilan Plain, an anomalous area characterized by b‐values slightly higher than 1.1 might give evidence to the magma conduits to the Kueishantao Island; (3) above the Ryukyu Wadati‐Benioff zone, at depths ranging from 90 to 110 km, a high b‐value anomaly might correspond to the depth where dehydration occurs in the subducting oceanic plate; and (4) a low b‐value area located within the Ryukyu slab, at depths ranging from 70 to 90 km, might be linked to the compressive mechanisms shown by focal mechanisms and the bending of the subducting plate.     

Preconditioned IDR(s) iterative solver for non‐symmetric linear system associated with FEM analysis of shallow foundation

Non‐associated flow rule is essential when the popular Mohr–Coulomb model is used to model nonlinear behavior of soil. The global tangent stiffness matrix in nonlinear finite element analysis becomes non‐symmetric when this non‐associated flow rule is applied. Efficient solution of this large‐scale non‐symmetric linear system is of practical importance. The standard Krylov solver for a non‐symmetric solver is Bi‐CGSTAB. The Induced Dimension Reduction [IDR(s)] solver was proposed in the scientific computing literature relatively recently. Numerical studies of a drained strip footing problem on homogenous soil layer show that IDR(s = 6) is more efficient than Bi‐CGSTAB when the preconditioner is the incomplete factorization with zero fill‐in of global stiffness matrix K_ep (ILU(0)‐K_ep). Iteration time is reduced by 40% by using IDR(s = 6) with ILU(0)‐K_ep. To further reduce computational cost, the global stiffness matrix K_ep is divided into two parts. The first part is the linear elastic stiffness matrix K_e, which is formed only once at the beginning of solution step. The second part is a low‐rank matrix Δ, which is re‐formed at each Newton–Raphson iteration. Numerical studies show that IDR(s = 6) with this ILU(0)‐K_e preconditioner is more time effective than IDR(s = 6) with ILU(0)‐K_ep when the percentage of yielded Gauss points in the mesh is less than 15%. The total computation time is reduced by 60% when all the recommended optimizing methods are used. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lipid Biomarkers and Their Stable Carbon Isotopes inAncient Seep Carbonates from SW Taiwan,China

Four massive brecciated, chimney-like, and slender pipe network carbonate samples(JA-4, JA-5, JX-8 and BG-12) were collected from southwestern Taiwan, which were suggested to have formed as a result of anaerobic oxidization of methane(AOM). Considering that the environmental conditions of the carbonates precipitation and the sources of carbon and organic matter need to be further declared, molecular fossils and compound-specific carbon isotopic investigations of the carbonates were conducted in this study. According to lipid biomarkers of 2,6,10,15,19-pentamethyleicosane(PMI) and squalane diagnostic to methanotrophic archaea, as well as the extremely low δ¹³C values(as low as -1¹³.4‰) detected in samples JA-4, JA-5 and JX-8, these carbonates were revealed to be a result of AOM. Based on the varied δ¹³C values of characteristic archaea biomarkers in specific samples, biogenic methane was proposed to be responsible for the formation of samples JA-4 and JA-5, whereas a mixed carbon source of ¹³C-depleted methane and ¹³C-enriched residual CO_2 from methanogenesis was suggested for the carbonate of JX-8 due to the co-occurrence of a highly positive δ¹³ C_carb value(+8‰) and a moderate ¹³C depletion of PMI. The low content of AOM-related biomarkers and the absence of indicators for ANME-2 suggested that these carbonates were formed in weak seep settings. By comparison, no typical lipid biomarkers for methanotrophic archaea was detected in carbonate BG-12. The short-chain and long-chain n-alkanes accounted for 30% and 45% of all hydrocarbons, respectively, with a CPI value of 1.2, suggesting that the n-alkanes were derived from both marine organisms and terrestrial inputs. A low thermal maturity could be revealed by the incomplete equilibrium value of the C³¹αβ 22S/(22S+22R) ratio(0.5), and the carbonate BG-12 was probably deposited in a suboxic condition indicated by a value of Pr/Ph ratio(2.5).     

Effect of pedogenesis on the stable isotopic composition of calcretes and n‐alkanes: Implications for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction

In a fluvial system, depending on sub‐aerial exposure, non‐pedogenic pond calcretes can be modified into pedogenic calcretes. The present study attempts to understand the effect of sub‐aerial exposure and pedogenesis on calcretes using carbon and oxygen isotopic composition. For this purpose, two profiles (profile‐A and profile‐B) from the same stratigraphic level in Rayka from the western part of India were selected. The profiles are separated by a distance of 500 m and showed differences in calcrete characteristics. In profile‐A, the calcretes showed pedogenic features (root traces and void filling spar) whereas calcretes in profile‐B showed non‐pedogenic characteristics (fine laminations). However, some of the calcretes in profile‐A exhibited remnants of fine laminations suggesting that initially the calcretes had a non‐pedogenic origin but were modified due to pedogenesis. In profile‐A, the carbon and oxygen isotope values of pedogenic calcrete (δ¹³C_PC and δ¹⁸O_PC) showed more variation compared with non‐pedogenic pond calcretes (δ¹³C_SPC and δ¹⁸O_SPC) in profile‐B. The δ¹³C_PC and δ¹³C_SPC values exhibited a spread of 3·0‰ and 1·3‰, respectively, and δ¹⁸O_PC and δ¹⁸O_SPC values showed a spread of 2·3‰ and 1·3‰, respectively. The differences in the isotopic composition between the two profiles suggest that pedogenesis controlled the isotopic inheritance in calcretes. In addition, the carbon isotopic composition of organic matter (δ¹³C_OM) and n‐alkanes (δ¹³C_n‐alk) that forms the basis of palaeovegetational reconstruction have also been measured to understand the effect of pedogenesis on organic matter in both of the profiles. The average δ¹³C_OM values in profile‐A and profile‐B are ?23·4‰ and ?21·1‰, respectively. The disparity in δ¹³C_OM values is a result of the difference in the sources and preservation of organic matter. However, the δ¹³C_n‐alk values show a similar trend in profile‐A and profile‐B, indicating that sources of n‐alkanes are the same in both of the profiles and δ¹³C_n‐alk values are unaffected by the pedogenic modifications.     

An (in‐)coherent metamorphic evolution of high‐P eclogites and their host rocks in the Chinese southwest Tianshan?

In the (ultra‐)high‐P–low‐T metamorphic terrane of the Chinese South Tianshan, discontinuous mafic blocks and boudins (former upper oceanic crust) are now embedded in voluminous (mainly metasedimentary) host rocks. Two different models were proposed and relate the occurrence of both high‐P and ultra‐high‐P mafic and metasedimentary rocks to either (i) a tectonic mélange style exhumation, with no exhumation of coherent units, but different lithologies derived from different depths juxtaposed and intermingled during exhumation in the subduction channel, or (ii) the evolution of two coherent metamorphic belts: one with high‐P and the other with ultra‐high‐P conditions. In contrast to most previous studies in the Chinese South Tianshan which focused either on single eclogites or metasedimentary rocks (assumed as representative), this study concentrates on the systematic investigation of both mafic boudins and their immediate sedimentary host rocks, because the investigation of both lithologies and the comparison of their metamorphic evolution is crucial to reconstruct the geodynamical context of the whole (ultra‐)high‐P–low‐T metamorphic complex. Several sample pairs consisting of both lithologies were geochemically investigated and their respective metamorphic evolution was reconstructed using geothermobarometry and thermodynamic modelling. The latter approach considers changes in the mineral assemblage during the metamorphic evolution, as well as changes in mineral composition, which may help to determine the metamorphic history of a rock despite the preservation of critical mineral assemblages. All samples experienced a clockwise P–T path with overall maximum P–T conditions of 540–550 °C and 1.9–2.25 GPa for the host rocks, and 555–575 °C and 2.2–2.5 GPa for the eclogites. Peak‐metamorphic temperatures of ~525–540 °C of the metasedimentary host rocks were also confirmed by Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material. Results from thermobarometry and thermodynamic modelling are consistent with the observation that none of the samples contains mineral relicts indicating UHP conditions (like coesite in garnet) and neither conventional thermobarometry, nor thermodynamical modelling resulted in P–T conditions in the stability field of coesite. Thus, no evidence of ultra‐high‐P conditions was found. Given that the whole sampled river valley lies within the proposed ‘ultra‐high‐P sub‐belt’ and considering former studies, which showed that at other places within this ‘unit’ both ultra‐high‐P and high‐P rocks are now juxtaposed on a small scale, the formation of the whole (ultra‐)high‐P–low‐T metamorphic belt in the Chinese South Tianshan as a tectonic mélange style exhumation is more convincing than the formation and juxtaposition of two coherent metamorphic units with high‐P and ultra‐high‐P conditions respectively.     

Calculated phase equilibria in K2O-FeO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2-H2O for silica-undersaturated sapphirine-bearing mineral assemblages

Silica‐undersaturated, sapphirine‐bearing granulites occur in a large number of localities worldwide. Such rocks have historically been under‐utilized for estimating P–T evolution histories because of limited experimental work, and a consequent poor understanding of the topology and P–T location of silica‐undersaturated mineral equilibria. Here, a calculated P–T projection for sapphirine‐bearing, silica‐undersaturated metapelitic rock compositions is constructed using THERMOCALC for the FeO‐MgO‐Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ (FMAS) and KFMASH (+K₂O + H₂O) chemical systems, allowing quantitative analysis of silica‐undersaturated mineral assemblages. This study builds on that for KFMASH sapphirine + quartz equilibria [Kelsey et al. (2004) Journal of Metamorphic Geology, vol. 22, pp. 559–578]. FMAS equilibria are significantly displaced in P–T space from silicate melt‐bearing KFMASH equilibria. The large number of univariant silica‐undersaturated KFMASH equilibria result in a P–T projection that is topologically more complex than could be established on the basis of experiments and/or natural assemblages. Coexisting sapphirine and silicate melt (with or without corundum) occur down to c. 900 °C in KFMASH, some 100 °C lower than in silica‐saturated compositions, and from pressures of c.≤1 to ≥12 kbar. Mineral compositions and composition ranges for the calculated phases are consistent with natural examples. Bulk silica has a significant effect on the stability of sapphirine‐bearing assemblages at a given P–T, resulting in a wide variety of possible granulite facies assemblages in silica‐undersaturated metapelites. Calculated pseudosections are able to reproduce many naturally occurring silica‐undersaturated assemblages, either within a single assemblage field or as the product of a P–T trajectory crossing several fields. With an understanding of the importance of bulk composition on sapphirine stability and textural development, silica‐undersaturated assemblages may be utilized in a quantitative manner in the detailed metamorphic investigation of high‐grade terranes.     

High‐precision Determination of Gold Mass Fractions in Geological Reference Materials by Internal Standardisation

Determination of gold abundances in natural rock is critical for applications, but very challenging. Here, we report a method for determining gold with a very low mass fraction (> 0.01 ng g^?1) in rocks. The method involves Carius tube digestion with reverse aqua regia, chromatographic separation to remove most of the sample matrix and measurement by high‐sensitivity ICP‐MS. The mono‐isotopic element gold was quantified by external calibration using an internal standardisation of gold to platinum that was precisely determined by isotope dilution. The method is robust and the obtained results are indistinguishable (< 5–10%, 2s) from those independently obtained by a standard addition technique on the same solution. The results from reference materials TDB‐1 and GPt‐2 are consistent with the certified values and those determined by HF‐aqua regia digestion, confirming the validity of the method. TDB‐1 (n = 20), GPt‐2 (n = 6), BHVO‐2 (n = 9) and other mafic RMs are homogenous for gold (10–20%, 2s) at the 2 g test portion level; however, sample heterogeneity affects some RMs. Gold and platinum‐group elements also display different extents of sample heterogeneity for different RMs. Given the homogeneity observed for TDB‐1, GPt‐2 and BHOV‐2, they are recommended as well‐suited RMs for inter‐laboratory comparison studies of gold.     

Normal Alkane Distributions in Soil Samples along a Lhasa-Bharatpur Transect

We present n-alkane distributions in the soil samples along a transect from Lhasa on the Tibetan Plateau to Bharatpur in Nepal, which covers a large geographical area and a wide range of climatic conditions. These data allow us to assess the significance of n-alkane distributions in different vegetation types and their relationships to temperature and precipitation. In the tropical rainforest and broadleaved forest zones, n-alkanes exhibit a bimodal distribution pattern with dominant homologues around n-C_(31) and n-C_(23). The bimodal distribution of tropical rainforest n-alkanes may be a general pattern because of the presence of many lianas, epiphytic plants, algae and the strong microbial activity and degradation involved in the postdepositional process. In the warm-temperate mixed forest and needle-leaved forest zones, the long-chain alkanes have a pattern of n-C_(31) n-C_(33) n-C_(27). In the alpine shrub and grassland zone, although the most abundant homologue is n-C_(31) , relatively high n-C_(23) concentrations have also been observed in some samples. The statistical results show a good correlation between n-alkane proxies and climatic factors. The average chain length(ACL) values are positively correlated with precipitation and temperature across the transect. The carbon preference index(CPI) values show a negative correlation with temperature and precipitation along a Lhasa–Bharatpur transect. Although there is a positive relationship between ACL and temperature, it is difficult to separate the two climatic variables(temperature and precipitation) because they are well coupled in the monsoon region.     

The δ60/58Ni Values of Twenty‐Six Selected Geological Reference Materials

The high‐precision δ^60/58Ni values of twenty‐six geological reference materials, including igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, stream sediments, soils and plants are reported. The δ^60/58Ni values of all samples were determined by double‐spike MC‐ICP‐MS (Nu Plasma III). Isotope standard solution (NIST SRM 986) and geological reference materials (BHVO‐2, BCR‐2, JP‐1, PCC‐1, etc.) were used to evaluate the measurement bias and intermediate precision over a period of six months. Our results show that the intermediate precision of Ni isotope determination was 0.05‰ (2s, n = 69) for spiked NIST SRM 986 and typically 0.06‰ for actual samples, and the δ^60/58Ni _{NIST SRM 986} values were in excellent agreement with previous studies. Eighteen high‐precision Ni isotope ratios of geological reference materials are first reported here, and their δ^60/58Ni values varied from ?0.27‰ to 0.52‰, with a mean of 0.13 ± 0.34‰ (2s, n = 18). Additionally, SGR‐1b (0.56 ± 0.04‰, 2s), GSS‐1 (?0.27 ± 0.06‰, 2s), GSS‐7 (?0.11 ± 0.01‰, 2s), GSD‐10 (0.46 ± 0.06‰, 2s) and GSB‐12 (0.52 ± 0.06‰, 2s) could potentially serve as candidate reference materials for Ni isotope fractionation and comparison of Ni isotopic compositions among different laboratories.     

A Floating Astronomical Time Scale for the Early Late Cretaceous Continental Strata in the Songliao Basin,Northeastern China

A continuous terrestrial succession was recovered from the Songke-2(SK-2) borehole in the Songliao Basin, Northeastern China. This borehole provides a unique material for further research on the continental paleoclimate during Cretaceous greenhouse period, following a series of achievements of the Songke-1(SK-1) core. In this study, thorium(Th) logging data were chosen as a paleoclimate proxy to conduct a detailed cyclostratigraphic analysis. The Th series varies quasi-periodically; power spectra and evolutionary fast Fourier transformation(FFT) analysis reveal significant cycles in the Quantou(K2 q), Qingshankou(K2 qn), Yaojia(K2 y) and Nenjiang(K2 n) formations. The ratio of cycle wavelengths in these stratigraphic units is approximately 20:5:2:1, corresponding to long orbital eccentricity(405 kyr), short orbital eccentricity(100 kyr), obliquity(37 kyr), and precession cycles(22.5 kyr and 18.4 kyr). The durations of the K2 n, K2 y, K2 qn and K2 q are estimated as 6.97, 1.83, 5.30 and 4.52 Myr, respectively, based on the constructed ～18.62 Myr "floating" astronomical time scale(ATS). Comparison of the durations between the SK-1 s and SK-2 boreholes exhibits a slight difference of 0.06 Myr and 0.459 Myr for K2 qn and K2 y. Nevertheless, our ATS of K2 n supports the chronostratigraphic frame constructed by the CA-ID-TIMS data of the SK-1 s borehole. This new "floating" ATS provides precise numerical ages for stratigraphic boundaries, biozones and geological events in the Songliao Basin, and can serve as a basis for correlation of strata and events between marine and terrestrial systems.     

A Potential New Chalcopyrite Reference Material for Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Sulfur Isotope Ratio Analysis

Chalcopyrite is an important sulfide mineral in many types of ore deposits, but matrix‐matched chalcopyrite reference materials for microanalysis are lacking. A new natural chalcopyrite‐bearing specimen (HTS4‐6) was analysed in this study to investigate its potential as a reference material for microbeam sulfur isotope ratio measurement. Detailed textural examination and major element determination showed that the HTS4‐6 chalcopyrite grains have no growth rim or zoning. A total of 607 sulfur isotope ratio spot measurements with secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) conducted on the cruciform sections, and over 120 randomly selected grains yielded highly consistent sulfur isotope ratio. The intermediate measurement precision for four measurement sessions of the ³⁴S/³²S measurement results was better than 0.39‰ (2s). Randomly selected chalcopyrite grains of HTS4‐6 were further analysed by LA‐MC‐ICP‐MS, which gave a mean δ³⁴S value of +0.58 ± 0.38‰ (2s, n = 95). The maximum variance (expressed as intermediate precision from SIMS and LA‐MC‐ICP‐MS measurements) is not worse than 0.39‰ (the SIMS value), indicating that HTS4‐6 chalcopyrite is a potential reference material for in situ microbeam sulfur isotope measurements. The mean δ³⁴S value determined by gas source isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GS‐IRMS) is +0.63 ± 0.16‰ (2s, n = 23), consistent with that derived by LA‐MC‐ICP‐MS, and can represent the recommended value for this potential reference material.