Replenishment episodes and crustal assimilation in the development of an early Tertiary magma chamber, East Greenland: evidence from layered cumulates of the Kælvegletscher ultramafic complex, Kangerlussuaq

Summary  From the early Tertiary K?lvegletscher ultramafic cumulate complex, emplaced into the Archaean basement on the west side of the Kangerlussuaq Fjord, East Greenland, we present geochemical and isotopic data from an outcrop of finely layered dunitic adcumulates. The dunites were deposited in a trough structure, interpreted to be a fossilized feeder channel to the K?lvegletscher magma chamber. Detailed geochemical sampling of the trough reveals subtle cryptic compositional variations of olivines (Fo = 86.5–89.3; Ni = 2000–2700 ppm) and chromites (Cr# = 66–80) in a stratigraphical profile perpendicular to the layering as well as relatively large simultaneous variations of whole-rock ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios. The dunites are separable into sequences of normal and reverse cryptic zonations which are interpreted as resulting from fractional crystallisation and magma chamber recharge, respectively. Up to 20% of magma chamber replenishment by high-Mg melts is suggested. Sr-isotope compositions of the cumulates correlate with olivine compositions and suggest mixing of fractionated and unfractionated parental melts assimilating up to 8% local basement. We propose the existence of a vigorous volcanic system at the K?lvegletscher site in early Tertiary times, where plume-derived magmas incorporated minor amounts of local basement and underwent fractionation and mixing in crustal chambers. Estimates of processed magma volumes during deposition of the trough cumulates are in the range of 100–130 km³. Received January 18, 2000;/revised version accepted December 19, 2000     

Geochemistry of organic-rich river waters in Amazonia: Insights on weathering processes of intertropical cratonic terrain

In this study, eight organic-rich rivers that flow through the Brazilian craton in the southwestern Amazon rainforest are investigated. This investigation is the first of its type in this area and focuses on the effects of lithology, long-term weathering, thick soils, forest cover and hydrological period on the dissolved load compositions in rivers draining cratonic terrain. The major dissolved ion concentrations, alkalinity (TAlk), SiO₂, trace element concentrations, and Sr isotope contents in the water were determined between April 2009 and January 2010. In addition, the isotopic values of oxygen and hydrogen were determined between 2011 and 2013. Overall, the river water is highly dilute and dominated by the major dissolved elements TAlk, SiO₂ and K⁺ and the major dissolved trace elements Al, Fe, Ba, Mn, P, Zn and Sr, which exhibit large temporal and spatial variability and are closely correlated with the silicatic bedrock and hydrology. Additionally, rainwater and recycled water vapor and the size of the basin contribute to the geochemistry of the waters. The total weathering flux estimated from our results is 2–4 t km⁻².yr⁻¹, which is one of the lowest fluxes in the world. The CO₂ consumption rate is approximately 21–61 10³ mol km⁻² yr⁻¹, which is higher than expected given the stability of the felsic to basic igneous and metamorphic to siliciclastic basement rocks and the thick tropical soil cover. Thus, weathering of the cratonic terrain under intertropical humid conditions is still an important consumer of CO₂.     

Structure of the precambrian sedimentary cover and upper part of the basement in the Central Russian Aulacogen and Orsha Depression (East European Platform)

The Precambrian sedimentary section and upper part of the basement of the Central Russian Aulacogen and Orsha Depression, two largest structures located beneath the Moscow Syneclise are analyzed. It has been established that the Late Riphean Central Russian Aulacogen was initiated on the Proterozoic crust of the Transcratonic belt that separates different-aged geological blocks of the East European Platform basement. The Orsha Depression is superposed both on sedimentary complexes of the aulacogen and rocks constituting structures surrounding the Transcratonic belt. Boundaries of the sedimentary cover and basement are outlined and a new structure (Toropets-Ostashkov Trough) is defined. The Precambrian section recovered by Borehole North Molokovo is proposed to serve as a reference one for the Central Russian Aulacogen. The CMP records demonstrate seismocomplexes, which allow one to trace rock members and sequences defined by drilling. Eight seismocomplexes, combination of which varies in different structures, are defined in the Upper Riphean-Vendian part of the sedimentary section. The section of the Central Russian Aulacogen includes the following sedimentary complexes: dominant gray-colored arkoses (R₃¹), variegated arkoses (R₃²), red-colored arkoses (R₃³), and volcanosedimentary rocks (V₁²). The section of the Orsha Depression consists of dominant red-colored quartz sandstones (R₃⁴), glacial and interglacial (V₁¹), and variegated volcanogenic-terrigenous sediments. The upper seismocomplex (V₂) is composed of terrigenous and terrigenous-carbonate rocks. It represents the basal unit of the Moscow Syneclise, which marks the plate stage in development of the East European Platform. The upper part of the basement corresponds to a seismocomplex (Pr₁) represented by dynamometamorphosed rocks that form a tectonic mélange. Analysis of the lateral and vertical distribution of the defined seismocomplexes made it possible to specify the structure of the Riphean-Vendian part of the sedimentary cover and to revise their formation history in some cases.     

Roles of climate changes and human interventions in land degradation: a case study by net primary productivity analysis in China’s Shiyanghe Basin

The Thornthwaite Memorial, Synthetic, and Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) models, with inputs from SPOT-VGT-S10 NDVI data, meteorological data (precipitation, temperature, solar radiation), and land use data were used to estimate the values of net primary productivity (NPP) from 1999 to 2007 in China’s Shiyanghe Basin. The human appropriation of NPP, which represents the difference between potential NPP predicted using the climatic models and actual NPP calculated using the CASA model, served as the indicator of human intervention in the evolution of productivity of the land. Analysis showed that 78.9% (~9,172 km²) of the degradation occurring in the Shiyanghe Basin was caused by human activities versus 15.0% (~1,752 km²) that was caused by climatic factors, whereas 16.9% (~6,404.5 km²) of the vegetation restoration resulted from human activities versus 49.7% (~18,881 km²) that resulted from climate changes. Human activity played a key role in vegetation restoration in the central areas of the basin and in determining land degradation in the southwestern and northeastern areas. In addition, climate significantly controlled the vegetation restoration in the southwestern and northeastern areas and controlled land degradation in the central area.     

Groundwater resources of the middle and upper Odra River basin, southwestern Poland

 The total amount of groundwater resources in the middle and upper Odra River basin is 5200×10³ m³/d, or about 7.7% of the disposable groundwater resources of Poland. The average modulus of groundwater resources is about 1.4 L/s/km². Of the 180 'Major Groundwater Basins' (MGWB) in Poland, 43 are partly or totally located within the study area. The MGWB in southwestern Poland have an average modulus of groundwater resources about 2.28 L/s/km² and thus have abundant water resources in comparison to MGWB from other parts of the country. Several types of mineral waters occur in the middle and upper Odra River basin. These waters are concentrated especially in the Sudety Mountains. Carbon-dioxide waters, with yields of 414 m³/h, are the most widespread of Sudetic mineral waters. The fresh waters of the crystalline basement have a low mineralization, commonly less than 100 mg/L; they are a HCO₃–Ca–Mg or SO₄–Ca–Mg type of water. Various hydrochemical compositions characterize the groundwater in sedimentary rocks. The shallow aquifers are under risk of atmospheric pollution and anthropogenic effects. To prevent the degradation of groundwater resources in the middle and upper Odra River basin, Critical Protection Areas have been designated within the MGWB. Received, January 1995 Revised, May 1996, August 1997 Accepted, August 1997     

Rapid erosion of the coast of Sagar island, West Bengal - India

The coastal zone of the Sagar island has been studied. The island has been subjected to erosion by natural processes and to a little extent by anthropogenic activities over a long period. Major landforms identified in the coastal area of the Sagar island are the mud flats/salt marshes, sandy beaches/dunes and mangroves. The foreshore sediments are characterized by silty, slightly sandy mud, slightly silty sand and silty sand. Samples 500 m inland from high waterline are silty slightly sandy mud, and by clayey slightly sandy mud. The extent of coastline changes are made by comparing the topographic maps of 1967 and satellite imageries of 1996, 1998 and 1999. Between 1967 and 1999 about 29.8 km² of the island has been eroded and the accreted area is only 6.03 km². Between 1996 and 1998 the area underwent erosion of 13.64 km² while accretion was 0.48 km². From 1998 to 1999, 3.26 km² additional area was eroded with meager accretion. Erosion from 1997 to 1999 was estimated at 0.74 km² /year; however, from 1996 to 1999, the erosion rate was calculated as 5.47 km²/year. The areas severely affected by erosion are the northeastern, southwestern and southeastern faces of the island. As a consequence of coastal erosion, the mud flats/salt marshes, sandy beaches/dunes and mangroves have been eroded considerably. Deposition is experienced mainly on the western and southern part of the island. The island is built primarily by silt and clay, which can more easily be eroded by the waves, tides and cyclonic activities than a sandy coast. Historic sea level rises accompanied by land subsidence lead to differing rates of erosion at several pockets, thus periodically establishing new erosion planes.     

Pre-Cenozoic geology of the Latrobe Valley Area—onshore Gippsland Basin,S.E. Australia

In 2010–2011, a well on the uplifted northern edge of the Latrobe Valley (Yallourn North-1A) cored a 550 m section of mostly arenaceous sediments from the Lower Cretaceous Tyers River Subgroup. A follow-up core-hole (Yallourn Power-1) aimed at extending the Tyers River Subgroup section some 5 km south into the Latrobe Valley instead encountered Paleozoic basement rocks immediately below Cenozoic coal measures. From a re-examination of earlier coal and groundwater bore results, and new interpretations from gravity, seismic and magneto-telluric (MT) surveys, there is a significant area of Paleozoic basement rock that may underlie the whole northern Latrobe Valley area. The uplifted Yallourn North Lower Cretaceous sediments are a separate basin entity herein named the Monash trough. It appears they are separate from the main Lower Cretaceous Strzelecki Group Basin sediments on the southern side of the Latrobe Valley. Attributes of the Monash trough may underlie the main Strzelecki Basin, but this remains to be substantiated by further drilling. The intervening subcrop of Paleozoic basement rocks is herein named the Glengarry basement block. It shows characteristic gravity, MT and seismic features covering some 200 km² of the northern Latrobe Valley area. The boundary between the Glengarry basement block and Strzelecki Basin approximates to the Princes Highway. It is uncertain whether structural separation of the Monash trough from the main Strzelecki Basin always existed, or whether uplift and stripping of Cretaceous rocks over the Glengarry basement block occurred in post-Cretaceous but pre-Cenozoic times. Comparative rank and maturity indices indicate a greater depth of burial of the Glengarry basement block than what exists today, whereas less stripping and loss of section have occurred to the Monash trough. Cretaceous sediments of the Tyers River Subgroup (Rintouls Creek Formation, Tyers Conglomerate) in the Monash trough are dominated by mudstones, siltstones with lesser quartzose sandstones, conglomerates and thin coals. The sediments are over 300 m thick and are conformably overlain by 100 m of volcaniclastic sediments typical of the main Strzelecki Group, in turn overlain by nearly 100 m of Cenozoic coal measures. New detailed spore–pollen dating of Yallourn North-1A cores indicates that all Cretaceous sediments in the Monash trough are Barremian in age. This revises the traditional Neocomian age assigned to the formation. High total organic carbon levels in the 100 m-thick mudstones of the Locmany Member in the Rintouls Creek Formation constitute a mature petroleum source rock worthy of future hydrocarbon exploration.     

Naturaliste Plateau: constraints on the timing and evolution of the Kerguelen Large Igneous Province and its role in Gondwana breakup

Volcanism associated with the Kerguelen Large Igneous Province is found scattered in southwestern Australia (the ca 136 to ca 130 Ma Bunbury Basalts, and ca 124 Ma Wallaby Plateau), India (ca 118 Ma Rajmahal Traps and Cona Basalts), and Tibet (the ca 132 Ma Comei Basalts), but apart from the ～70 000 km² Wallaby Plateau, these examples are spatially and volumetrically minor. Here, we report dredge, geochronological and geochemical results from the ～90 000 km² Naturaliste Plateau, located ～170 to ～500 km southwest of Australia. Dredged lavas and intrusive rocks range from mafic to felsic compositions, and prior geophysical analyses indicate these units comprise much of the plateau substrate. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plagioclase ages from mafic units and U–Pb zircon ages from silicic rocks indicate magmatic emplacement from 130.6 ± 1.2 to 129.4 ± 1.3 Ma for mafic rocks and 131.8 ± 3.9 to 128.2 ± 2.3 Ma for silicic rocks (2σ). These Cretaceous Naturaliste magmas incorporated a significant component of continental crust, with relatively high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (up to 0.78), high ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴ Pb ratios (15.5–15.6), low ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0.511–0.512) and primitive-mantle normalised Th/Nb of 11.3 and La/Nb of 3.97. These geochemical results are consistent with the plateau being underlain by continental basement, as indicated by prior interpretations of seismic and gravity data, corroborated by dredging of Mesoproterozoic granites and gneisses on the southern plateau flank. The Cretaceous Naturaliste Plateau igneous rocks have signatures indicative of extraction from a depleted mantle, with trace-element and isotopic values that overlap with Kerguelen Plateau lavas reflect crustal contamination. Our chemical and geochronological results therefore show the Naturaliste Plateau contains evidence of an extensive igneous event representing some of the earliest voluminous Kerguelen hotspot magmas. Prior work reports that contemporaneous correlative volcanic sequences underlie the nearby Mentelle Basin, and the Enderby Basin and Princess Elizabeth Trough in the Antarctic. When combined, the igneous rocks in the Naturaliste, Mentelle, Wallaby, Enderby, Princess Elizabeth, Bunbury and Comei-Cona areas form a 136–124 Ma Large Igneous Province covering >244 000 km².     

Précision de l'estimation des précipitations au Sahel selon la densité du réseau d'observation pluviométrique

Many earlier studies have shown the very large spatial variability of rainfall in the Sahel at all time steps, from the event to the season. Often, the meteorological network in these countries is sparse, with one to five rain gauges per 10 000 km². It is thus difficult to calculate accurate estimates of the mean rainfall over such a large area. To improve the knowledge of Sahelian systems and the spatial distribution of rainfall, a dense network was set up in an area of 16 000 km² in southwestern Niger between 1991 and 1996. The aim was to calculate accurate rainfall spatial means over an area of 12 000 km² at different time steps (from the season to the ten-day period). With the spatialisation method used (kriging), it was possible to calculate curves of estimation errors of mean rainfall versus the rain-gauge network density. Operational abacuses of the standard estimation error as a function of the spatial mean of rainfall and the network density are proposed.     

Basement topography of the Mexicali Valley from spectral and ideal body analysis of gravity data

Source-depth estimations based on analysis of gravity data enabled us to establish the basement topography in the area of the Mexicali Valley (Mexico). Analysis of the radial power spectrum from all the Bouguer gravity anomaly data indicates that the intermediate wave number interval ranging between 0.025 km⁻¹ and 0.112 km⁻¹ with a mean source depth of 3.5 km corresponds to the sedimentary basin. The gravity spectrum was analyzed to estimate the depth to the basement in different square sectors (windows) of the study area. Linear regression analysis was used to calculate the slopes of the respective power spectrums, to subsequently estimate the depths to the basement in each sector. The basement topography obtained in this way ranged from 2.1 to 4.5 km. Our basement topography is consistent with the depths to the basement reported from wells drilled in the study area. The basement is formed by granites to the northeast, dikes to the southwest, and shaped by structural lows and highs, with graben-horst structures at the center of the studied area.An independent estimation of the mean depth to the basement was obtained based on the ideal body theory. In particular trade-off curves relating the lower bound of the density contrast to the depth to the top of the geological interface were computed. If we assume that the sediments outcrop (as is actually the case), the minimum lower bound on the density contrast is 0.0700 g/cm³. This result would imply a maximum thickness of 13.5 km for the sedimentary infill.Seismic velocities of 5.83 and 4.9 km/s for the basement and the sedimentary infill, respectively, indicates densities of 2.86 and 2.56 g/cm³ according to the Nafe and Drake’s relationship between seismic velocities and densities. The corresponding density contrast of 0.3 g/cm³ helped us to constrain the analysis of the trade-off curves accordingly; the sedimentary thickness is of approximately 3.5 km. This result is in agreement with that obtained from our spectral analysis.     

四川海相克拉通盆地显生宙演化阶段及其特征

四川叠合盆地是在四川海相克拉通盆地基础上形成的。本文利用最新的钻井资料、地震资料及其研究成果,详细阐述了四川海相克拉通盆地在显生宙的演化阶段及其特征。研究结果发现,四川海相克拉通盆地显生宙演化可分为早晚两期,早期为晚震旦世-石炭纪,晚期为二叠纪-中三叠世。两期克拉通演化都经历了早期弱拉张,后期弱挤压阶段。弱拉张初始阶段都有一次海相碳酸盐岩的大面积稳定沉积(震旦系灯影组和二叠系栖霞-茅口组)和随后的隆升剥蚀作用及风化壳岩溶作用。其后进入弱拉张期,发育拉张槽,拉张强度最大的部位均位于克拉通的西北部,都是从克拉通的西北部边缘向克拉通内部减弱。然而,两期拉张槽的充填特征不同,早寒武世绵阳-长宁拉张槽是补偿型充填,与拉张槽周缘相比,拉张槽内沉积厚度巨大;晚二叠世-早三叠世开江-梁平拉张槽为欠补偿型充填,与拉张槽周缘相比,拉张槽内沉积厚度非常薄。拉张期结束后进入弱挤压阶段,形成古隆起,挤压强度最大的部位均位于克拉通的西南部,都是从克拉通的西南边缘向克拉通内部减弱。弱拉张阶段的拉张槽与弱挤压阶段的古隆起均为大角度相交关系;然而,拉张槽和古隆起的规模差别较大,早寒武世绵阳-长宁拉张槽面积约5.4×10~4km~2,对应的加里东期乐山-龙女寺古隆起面积6×10~4km~2;晚二叠世-早三叠世开江-梁平拉张槽面积约2.0×10~4km~2,对应的印支期开江古隆起面积0.8×10~4km~2;晚二叠世-早三叠世蓬溪-武胜拉张槽面积约1.5×10~4km~2,对应的印支期泸州古隆起面积4.2×10~4km~2。绵阳-长宁拉张槽的规模比开江-梁平拉张槽、蓬溪-武胜拉张槽要大,乐山-龙女寺古隆起的规模也大于泸州-开江古隆起的规模。四川海相克拉通盆地显生宙演化特征在很大程度上控制了四川叠合盆地海相油气地质条件的发育和油气藏的形成分布。     

Superdense CO2 inclusions in Cretaceous quartz–stibnite veins hosted in low-grade Variscan basement of the Western Carpathians, Slovakia

CO₂ inclusions with density up to 1,197 kg m⁻³ occur in quartz–stibnite veins hosted in the low-grade Palaeozoic basement of the Gemericum tectonic unit in the Western Carpathians. Raman microanalysis corroborated CO₂ as dominant gas species accompanied by small amounts of nitrogen (<7.3 mol%) and methane (<2.5 mol%). The superdense CO₂ phase exsolved from an aqueous bulk fluid at temperatures of 183–237°C and pressures between 1.6 and 3.5 kbar, possibly up to 4.5 kbar. Low thermal gradients (∼12–13°C km⁻¹) and the CO₂–CH₄–N₂ fluid composition rule out a genetic link with the subjacent Permian granites and indicate an external, either metamorphogenic (oxidation of siderite, dedolomitization) or lower crustal/mantle, source of the ore-forming fluids.According to microprobe U–Pb–Th dating of monazite, the stibnite-bearing veins formed during early Cretaceous thrusting of the Gemeric basement over the adjacent Veporic unit. The 15- to 18-km depth of burial estimated from the fluid inclusion trapping PT parameters indicates a 8- to 11-km-thick Upper Palaeozoic–Jurassic accretionary complex overlying the Gemeric basement and its Permo-Triassic autochthonous cover.     

Conflicts between wetland conservation and groundwater exploitation: Two case histories in Spain

The problems in two Spanish national parks located on wetlands are analyzed. The hydrogeological and ecological characteristics of the two parks are somewhat different as are their respective degrees of deterioration. The Tablas de Daimiel National Park is located on the Central Plateau of Spain. It used to consist of a marshy area of about 20 km² around the confluence of two relatively small rivers. The area was marshy mainly because it was the natural discharge zone for a Tertiary aquifer system about 100 m thick extending over an area of some 5,000 km², composed of calcareous and detrital material of continental origin. The average annual recharge has been estimated at approximately 350 hm³/yr. Current groundwater withdrawal is around 450 hm³/yr, mainly used to irrigate a surface area of some 1,000 km². This overdevelopment has led to a continuous depletion of the regional water table and eventually to the drying out of the marshy area. Spontaneous combustion or fires caused by man have occurred in about 10 km² of the desiccated areas since the spring of 1986. The Doñana National Park is located on the estuary of the River Guadalquivir. The aquifer system of the Lower Guadalquivir estuary consists essentially of a permeable formation of unconsolidated Plioquaternary materials with an area of some 3,000 km². Under the marshy area (about 1,800 km²) the aquifer system is confined below low-permeability estuary deposits which can be over 100 m thick. Around most of the marshland the aquifer crops out and is recharged by rain. The Doñana National Park is over 700 km² in size, part of which is in the marshland and part in the recharge area where the aquifer is phreatic. In the 1970s Spain's largest irrigation project using groundwater, covering a surface area of 240 km², was planned in an area bordering on the national park. The initial project has been scaled down considerably as a result of protests by conservation groups. However, it seems likely that the water table depletion as a result of pumpage for irrigation could cause a large part of the ecotone situated at the contact-line between the marshland and the phreatic aquifer to disappear. This ecotone exists because it is a natural groundwater dischange area.     

National-Scale Geochemical Mapping Projects in China

Regional, national and global scale geochemical mapping projects have been carried out in China since the late 1970s, due to the development of cost‐effective, low detection limit analytical methods. These projects have provided a huge mass of high‐quality, informative and comparable data for mineral resource exploration and are now making contributions to environmental assessment. In this paper, four national‐scale geochemical mapping projects are described. (1) The Regional Geochemistry‐National Reconnaissance Project (RGNR project), which is China's largest national geochemical mapping project, has covered 6 million km² of upland regions since 1978. Generally, stream sediment samples were collected at a density of 1/km² and four samples were composited into one sample and analysed for thirty‐nine elements. (2) The deep‐penetrating geochemical mapping project (DEEPMAP Project) has been conducted since 1994 in covered terrains, including sedimentary basins, at a density of 1 sample per 100 km² with thirty to seventy elements determined per sample. In the past 10 years, an area of approximately 800 000 km² has been covered and this project has played an important role in finding sandstone‐type uranium deposits in basins. (3) The seventy‐six geochemical element mapping project (76 GEM project) has been carried out since 1999 and involved the collection of stream sediment samples from the RGNR project targets which were analysed for seventy‐six elements. Samples from each 1:50 000 map sheet were composited into one analytical sample (approximately one composite sample per 400 km²). Approximately 1 million km² have been surveyed to date. (4) The multi‐purpose eco‐geochemical mapping project has been conducted since 1999 in Quaternary plain areas for environmental and agricultural applications. Surface soils (depths from 0–20 cm) were collected at a density of one sample per km², and four samples were composited into one for analysis. Deep soils (from a depth of 150 to 200 cm) were collected at a density of one sample per 4 km² and four samples were composited into one analytical sample. All the composite samples were analysed for fifty‐four elements.     

Leaching Behavior of Fly Ashes from Power Plants

The Yanzhou mine district, located in southwestern Shandong Province, is about 1300 km2 with more than 8×109tons of proved coal reserves and there are 10 big power plants in this area. A large amount of coal ashes, which are regarded as waste materials, have been stockpiled in the area and have influenced the environment of the mine district. In this paper, analysis of fly ash samples from three power plants is carried out, the enrichment and concentration of trace elements, Pb, Zn, Cu and As, in coal ashes are analyzed, and petrological and mineralogical characteristics and chemical compositions of coal ashes are studied. The aim of this work is to provide basic scientific data for utilization of ashes and reduction of environmental pollutions.     

A 90,000-year tephrostratigraphic framework of Aso Volcano, Japan

A detailed 90,000-year tephrostratigraphic framework of Aso Volcano, southwestern Japan, has been constructed to understand the post-caldera eruptive history of the volcano. Post-caldera central cones were initiated soon after the last caldera-forming pyroclastic-flow eruption (90 ka), and have produced voluminous tephra and lava flows. The tephrostratigraphic sequence preserved above the caldera-forming stage deposits reaches a total thickness of 100 m near the eastern caldera rim. The sequence is composed mainly of mafic scoria-fall and ash-fall deposits but 36 silicic pumice-fall deposits are very useful key beds for correlation of the stratigraphic sequence. Explosive, silicic pumice-fall deposits that fell far beyond the caldera have occurred at intervals of about 2500 years in the post-caldera activity. Three pumice-fall deposits could be correlated with lava flows or an edifice in the western part of the central cones, although the other silicic tephra beds were erupted at unknown vents, which are probably buried by the younger products from the present central cones. Most of silicic eruptions produced deposits smaller than 0.1 km³, but bulk volumes of two silicic eruptions producing the Nojiri pumice (84 ka) and Kusasenrigahama pumice (Kpfa; 30 ka) were on the order of 1 km³ (VEI 5). The largest pyroclastic eruption occurred at the Kusasenrigahama crater about 30 ka. This catastrophic eruption began with a dacitic lava flow and thereafter produced Kpfa (2.2 km³). Total tephra volume in the past 90,000 years is estimated at about 18.1 km³ (dense rock equivalent: DRE), whereas total volume for edifices of the post-caldera central cones is calculated at about 112 km³, which is six times greater than the former. Therefore, the average magma discharge rate during the post-caldera stage of Aso Volcano is estimated at about 1.5 km³/ky, which is similar to the rates of other Quaternary volcanoes in Japan.     

华北平原新生界盖层地温梯度图及其简要说明

本文报道新编比例尺为1:1500000的华北平原新生界盖层地温梯度图。该图以近4000口钻井的温度资料和对地温场控制因素的分析为基础,并结合地温场数学模拟计算结果编制而成。圈定全区地温梯度G>4℃/100m及大地热流q>62mw/m²的局部地热异常区44片,总面积为25000km²,为地热能勘探、开发远景规划提供了重要的科学依据。     

青藏高原东部长江流域盆地陆地化学风化研究

长江河水主要离子由流域盆地碳酸盐岩的风化所控制,沱沱河和楚玛尔河受蒸发盐岩影响较为明显;河水溶质载荷Si,Si/TZ *,Si/(Na* K)等指标表明,长江流域盆地地表硅酸盐岩风化还是浅表层次的;金沙江地表化学剥蚀速率为1.74×103mol/yr.km2,雅砻江为1.69×103mol/yr.km2,大渡河为1.57×103mol/yr.km2,岷江为1.88×103mol/yr.km2,长江河源区楚玛尔河为2.32×103mol/yr.km2,沱沱河为1.37×103mol/yr.km2,流域地表化学剥蚀速率可与世界上其它造山带的河流进行对比。     

Age and significance of the Late Pleistocene Dawson tephra in eastern Beringia

Dawson tephra, recently recognized in the Klondike area of Yukon Territory, records one of the largest Quaternary volcanic eruptions in Beringia. Its composition is similar to that of Old Crow tephra, indicating a source in the Aleutian arc-Alaska Peninsula region of southwestern Alaska. Its primary thickness in central Yukon is nearly twice that of Old Crow tephra, which has an estimated eruption volume of >50 km³. The distribution of Dawson tephra is still poorly known, but based on its source area and occurrence in central Yukon, it should be widespread across southern Alaska, Yukon and the Gulf of Alaska. New radiocarbon ages indicate the eruption occurred at about 24,000 ¹⁴C yr BP (ca 27,000 cal yr BP). The Dawson tephra is a valuable marker bed for correlating late Pleistocene records across large areas of eastern Beringia and adjacent marine records.     

Basement configuration of the Jhagadia–Rajpipla profile in the western part of Deccan syneclise,India from travel-time inversion of seismic refraction and wide-angle reflection data

2-D velocity structure up to the basement is derived by travel-time inversion of the first arrival seismic refraction and wide-angle reflection data along the SW–NE trending Jhagadia–Rajpipla profile, located on the western part of Deccan syneclise in the Narmada–Tapti region. The study region is mostly covered by alluvium. Inversion of refraction and wide-angle reflection data reveals four layered velocity structure above the basement. The first two layers with P-wave velocities of 1.95–2.3 km s^?1 and 2.7–3.05 km s^?1 represent the Recent and Quaternary sediments respectively. The thickness of these sediments varies from 0.15 km to 3.4 km. The third layer with a P-wave velocity of 4.8–5.1 km s^?1 corresponds to the Deccan volcanics, whose thickness varies from 0.5 km to 1.0 km. Presence of a low velocity zone (LVZ) below the high velocity volcanic rocks in the study area is inferred from the travel-time ‘skip’ and amplitude decay of the first arrival refraction data and the wide-angle reflection from top of the LVZ present immediately after the first arrival refraction from Deccan Trap layer. The thickness of the low velocity Mesozoic sediments varies from 0.3 km to 1.7 km. The basement with a P-wave velocity of 5.9–6.15 km s^?1 lies at a depth of 4.9 km near Jhagadia and shallows to 1.2 km towards northeast near Rajpipla. The results indicate presence of low velocity Mesozoic sediments hidden below the Deccan Trap layer in the western part of the Deccan syneclise.