光谱技术用于恐龙骨骼化石风化监测初探

化石风化监测一直是化石产地监测和保护工作的核心难题,光谱技术为监测化石风化提供了可行途径。本文采用美国ASD Field Spec 4便携式地物光谱仪对山东诸城恐龙骨骼化石开展了相关研究。研究结果显示,不同颜色、不同风化程度的化石在光谱曲线上存在差异,有明显的识别标识,其光谱曲线的变化特征,对后续化石风化监测具有重要的借鉴意义。     

Mineral magnetic analysis of a ‘weathering’ surface within glacigenic sediments at Glanllynnau,North Wales

A number of ‘weathering’ horizons have been identified within glacigenic sediment sequences in North Wales and have been instrumental in determining various proposed Late Quaternary event chronologies. This paper applies the techniques of mineral magnetic analysis to such a sediment sequence at Glanllynnau. The presence (or otherwise) of evidence for weathering processes on the upper surface of the Criccieth Till, which is overlain by further glacial materials, is examined. Despite a marked colour variation between the ‘weathered’ and non-weathered components of the Criccieth Till, their mineral magnetic properties suggest little or no variation in iron oxide assemblages. The consequences of this for the environmental interpretation of the sediment sequence are discussed.     

门楼水库溢流坝段岩石与混凝土抗剪参数的确定

通过对门楼水库溢流坝段不同位置、不同深度、不同岩石风化程度在不同混凝土强度和不同含水率情况下近百块试块的室内直剪试验,研究了岩石和混凝土胶结面的抗剪强度与混凝土强度、岩石的风化破碎程度和含水率的关系。结果表明,混凝土的强度对胶结面的抗剪强度具有明显的影响;对于块状及次块状结构类型岩体,胶结面抗剪强度参数基本相同,但裂隙块体强度降低很多,部分块体破坏形态已不在是沿胶结面破坏,而是部分迁就胶合面,部分追随岩体内的结构面,并形成较大的起伏;随着含水率的增加,凝聚力和内摩擦角都明显降低。试块的抗剪强度只代表试验点的强度,为了得到建基面的抗剪强度,将岩石和混凝土的抗剪强度看作随机变量,引入区域化内变量和变异函数反映抗剪强度的随机性和结构性,通过克里格方程求得各个样本的权值,进而求出不同建基面的抗剪参数。     

中国不同气候带盐风化作用的地貌特征

盐风化作用是地球表面普遍存在的一种物理风化作用,由于盐类的周期性结晶作用而造成地表岩石和建筑材料的破坏,形成诸如风化穴或蜂窝石构造等地貌景观。盐风化作用也是差异风化的主要表现形式之一。然而,到目前为止盐风化作用在中国地学界仍然被严重忽视,以至于盐风化作用造成的地貌景观常常被地学研究者和科普人士误读为海浪冲蚀、流水侵蚀、风蚀作用等。经过近十年的野外观察与探讨,笔者等对盐风化的形成机理和表现形式有了深入的理解。本文以中国境内东部海岸带、华北半干旱区、西北干旱区和东南湿热气候带基岩露头为例,系统地分析了盐风化作用的机理及其在不同气候带的表现形式。盐风化的必要条件是:适当的可溶性盐类(如Na_2SO_4、NaCl等)供应、周期性的干湿交替和温度变化。盐风化作用主要在发育可渗性孔隙的砂砾岩类和富含微裂隙的花岗岩类之露头表面表现明显,可以形成特征显著的盐风化穴。盐风化作用形成的地貌景观在东部海岸带和西北干旱区表现尤为明显,常常形成蜂窝石构造和大型风化穴,与风蚀作用的痕迹明显有别;而在华北半干旱区和南方湿热气候带虽然受到降雨等其他因素的影响而常常遭受改造、叠加甚或清除,但在某些露头区仍然保留有重要的识别标志,形成大型风化穴以及小型蜂窝石构造。笔者等强调:地表各种地貌景观形成过程中都有盐风化作用的贡献,而建筑物和景观保护也必须考虑到盐风化作用的影响。建议地学同仁重视盐风化作用的普遍性和重要性,在相关教材中补充更新盐风化的概念,并以科普的方式通过多种媒体纠正过去的错误认识。     

The Abnormal Condition Analysis used to characterize weathered discard coals

Coal, by its nature, is unstable and weathers when exposed to moisture and oxygen. Weathering can result in a general decline on the commercial value and technological properties of coal. Coals of similar chemical properties have been shown to combust differently, and the differences can be attributed to petrographic composition variations, poor combustion environments, and weathered particles. Stockpiled and dumped discard coals have been targeted for use by a lower power utility, and a novel technique was developed to quantify and qualify the degree of weathering in these coals. The petrographic based Abnormal Condition Analysis (previously referred to as the Weathering Index Analysis) considers features not typically characterized during routine petrographic analyses, but which may have an impact on the technological properties of coals. Discard coals ranging in age from 5 to 40 years where characterized to determine the extent of secondary weathering. Eight secondary weathering features, clearly different from inherent weathering, were qualified and quantified. Margin effect appears to be an early microscopic indicator of weathering, followed by discoloration. Alteration minerals have only been observed in stockpiled and dumped coals and hence could be a useful feature to benchmark when considering whether or not a coal has been stored. Long-term stored coals have microcrack and fissure patterns clearly different from fresh coals. The length of exposure to weathering processes was determined to be proportional to the extent of weathering as determined petrographically. The Abnormal Condition Analysis should be used as a supplement to routine coal petrography as it can assist with the determination of anomalous behavior of coals.     

Continental weathering as a possible origin of vein-type uranium deposits

Geochemical and geochronological data presently available, concerning pitchblende vein-type deposits in France, seem altogether too contradictory for use in building a genetic model. Mostly hydrothermal hypotheses have however been suggested, although the previously mentioned idea of formation through continental weathering remains quite relevant; indeed, it may be noted that: a) Uraniferous areas are predominantly connected with granites where geochemical uranium, found as uraninite, can easily be leached through slight weathering, in the absence of any vegetation, along with Si, Al, Na and Ca. b) Apart from Na, these are elements essentially found in mineral deposits of pitchblende with a quartz, clay or calcite matrix. c) Such weathering conditions occurred during the Permian period, about 245 million years ago, at which time these mineralizations may have been laid (geochronology U-Pb); d) Veined pitchblende deposits show much analogy in their mineral associations and sequences to the uraniferous concentrations from superficial sources, as is the case with certain deposits in the United States, formed by the circulation of vadose waters. If such a model proves correct, this type of deposit would be contemporaneous with red-bed series whose presence could then become a valuable guide-line for regional-scale exploration.     

A sensitivity analysis of the PROFILE model in relation to the calculation of soil weathering rates

Recently there has been growing interest in, and use of, the PROFILE model, principally through the role of weathering rates in determining critical loads. In many cases the accuracy of the data used to run the model is not quoted. A simple sensitivity analysis of the model has been carried out by varying the input data one at a time in a systematic fashion. The variation in weathering rate that this generates for monomineralic soil profiles and for a soil profile from an acid sensitive forested catchment in Scotland has been recorded. Variations in weathering rates of over 100% can be generated using ranges of input parameters measured in field studies. The model broadly predicts the relative ease of weathering of the different minerals. Minerals which are particularly sensitive to input variations have been identified, e.g. Kfeldspar. Some input parameters exert a larger influence on the weathering rate as calculated by the model than others. The most sensitive input data are soil temperature, moisture content and exposed mineral surface area. The least sensitive input data are cation load and precipitation rate.     

云冈石窟砂岩特性与岩石风化试验

侏罗纪期间河相沉积而成的巨大砂岩透镜体是云冈石窟遗产载体,在目前环境条件下,石窟砂岩风化破坏非常严重。通过现场调查表明,在不同细分层位,砂岩破坏特征与其沉积环境及沉积构造密切相关。进一步对不同风化程度样品进行测试,以此建立起风化评估依据,结果表明,该砂岩化学风化主要体现在胶结物流失、长石蚀变,而次生可溶盐结晶及冻融形成的物理破坏也不应该忽视。通过风化模拟试验可知：酸的溶蚀对石窟岩体表面造成直接破坏;同时,形成的可溶盐将导致砂岩出现由内而外劣化现象;由于岩石的孔隙率低、渗透性较差且胶结密实,岩石抵抗冻融作用相对较强。建议云冈石窟目前保护措施以治水为主,通过减少崖壁表面渗水、洞窟裂隙渗水及底部泥岩泛潮来减少上述劣化作用效应。     

微生物对硅酸盐矿物风化作用研究进展

微生物对硅酸盐矿物风化的影响研究取得了一系列重要进展。在贫营养环境中,微生物风化硅酸盐矿物获取营养物质,加速了硅酸盐矿物的风化;由于微生物的作用,矿物的风化会不遵循正常的矿物化学风化序列,表现出稳定矿物比不稳定矿物更易风化的特征。微生物风化硅酸盐矿物时会在硅酸盐矿物表面留下痕迹,即富集或转移相应的元素和矿物,而且还能改变硅酸盐矿物的化学组成和结构。微生物的上述行为受营养基质含量、有机酸、生物膜、胞外聚合物以及氧化还原作用的影响。     

A quantitative weathering classification system for yellow travertines

Weathering can cause adverse effects on the physico-mechanical properties of rocks. Although the processes and outcomes of weathering have been investigated for many rock types, the travertine weathering was not paid enough attention as much as the others. However, the unfavorable effects of weathering may arise rapidly due to travertine’s calcium carbonate composition and highly porous texture. Travertine is an important rock type in building stone market and is generally preferred as an exterior façade material. This rock type was also used in many historical buildings and sculptures in the past, and the signs of extensive weathering can be recognized on some of these travertine-made structures. In this study, it was aimed to characterize the effect of weathering on travertine’s structural properties. The yellow travertine from Eskipazar (Karabuk, Turkey) was selected as the study material and the samples with different weathering degrees were collected from site. The chemical, physical and mechanical properties of those samples were determined in laboratory. The physico-mechanical variations with progressive weathering grades were statistically evaluated and a weathering classification based on a rating system was proposed for yellow travertine in rock material scale. The newly developed system may assist in characterizing the degree of weathering for historical structures built by yellow travertine. Additionally, the classification may also guide to further researches on the weathering of different types of travertine.     

Oil and gas pools in weathering crusts on the sedimentary basin basement

Weathering crusts of the sedimentary basin basement are collectors in several regions of the world. They enclose huge reserves of oil and gas. The paper considers the geochemical, mineral, and petrophysical heterogeneities of weathering crusts that should be taken into consideration in the prospecting, exploration, and development of hydrocarbon raw material therein. Areal and linear-fissure types of weathering crust are defined. They were formed before the overlapping of basement by rocks of the sedimentary cover. Areal crusts are pervasive at the basement roof, whereas linear-fissure crusts are formed along fractures. A complete weathering crust profile includes the following zones (from the bottom to top): disintegration, leaching and hydration, hydrolysis, and final hydrolysis. Rocks of the lower two zones represent the cavernous-fissure collector, while rocks of the upper zones are impermeable. In the arches of uplifted blocks of the basement, weathering crusts are subjected to erosion during marine transgressions. In such places, the roof is composed of rocks of the lower permeable zones that often make up a single heterogeneous natural reservoir overlapped by sandy collectors of sedimentary sequences. Linear-fissure weathering crusts show zonal distribution with good filtration-capacity properties. Several large oil and gas pools have been discovered in them.     

The Silurian of Gotland (Sweden): facies interpretation based on stable isotopes in brachiopod shells

The Silurian of Gotland, Sweden, consists of 440 m of carbonate deposits. Repeatedly, uniform sequences of micritic limestones and marls are interrupted by complex-structured reefs and by adjacent platform sediments. Generally, the alteration of facies is interpreted as the result of sea-level fluctuations caused by a gradual regression with superimposed minor transgressive pulses. The purpose of this study is a facies interpretation based on both field observations and stable isotope measurements of brachiopod shells. Approximately 700 samples from stratigraphically arranged localities in different facies areas have been investigated. The carbon and oxygen isotopes show principally parallel curves and a close relationship to the stratigraphic sequence. Lower values occur in periods dominated by deposition of marly sequences. Higher values are observed in periods dominated by reefs and extended carbonate platforms. The oxygen isotope ratios are interpreted to reflect paleosalinity changes due to varying freshwater input, rather than to paleotemperature. Carbon isotope ratios are believed to have been connected to global changes in the burial of organic carbon in black shales during periods of euxinic deep water conditions. Consequently, the facies succession on Gotland results from global paleoclimatic conditions. Changes in terrigenous input due to different rates of weathering and freshwater runoff, rather than sea-level fluctuations, control the carbonate formation of the Silurian on Gotland.     

Deeply weathered rock at victorian damsites

Two major features of weathering at Victorian damsites are joint controlled weathering and sub-basaltic weathering. These features have received attention in the literature from geologists generally engaged on engineering projects. The author has been fortunate to have been associated with geologic investigations at more than fifteen damsites where the features have been exposed.

Weathering at Australian sites is typical as it tends to occur where water is most often present. Barriers within or above the subject rock direct percolating waters to some locations and protect others.

The significant feature of joint controlled weathering is that the relevant barriers, the limonite-coated joints, are themselves the product of earlier weathering and provide the avenue for water penetration into the rock mass bound by the joints.

Sub-basaltic weathering appears to be due to the effect of the basalt cap in concentrating percolation through vertical joints.     

Stratigraphy of the fluvial deposits of the Salado river basin,Buenos Aires Province: Lithology,chronology and paleoclimate

The regional landscape of the Salado depression is related to weathering, eolian and fluvial processes generated under different climatic conditions. Although during most of the Holocene the climatic conditions were warm and humid, previously, a vast plain dominated by deflation processes and enhanced by weathering processes was developed in an arid environment. Fluvial deposits produced afterwards are continuous and lithologically homogeneous, which allows differentiation and characterization of the entire stratigraphic sequence. The stratigraphic units of this area, closely related to the paleoclimatic conditions, are recognized and characterized. Three lithostratigraphic units of fluvial origin (Members) and two paleosols have been differentiated. The first ones were grouped in the Luján Formation. Some of the units are related to other ones previously recognized in this area (La Chumbiada Member and La Pelada Geosol), but others have no similarity or relationship with previously known units (Gorch and Puente Las Gaviotas Members, and Frigorífico Belgrano Geosol). Radiocarbon ages suggest that the fluvial sequences were deposited after the glacial maximum, corresponding to MIS 1, except for the basal levels of the lower member which is late Late Pleistocene. Although the general paleoclimatic conditions were related to warm and humid climate, events related to water deficits were also recognized, which could be related to the Younger Dryas, the middle Holocene and the late Holocene.     

塔里木盆地碳酸盐岩层序地层特征及其控油作用

寒武纪-奥陶纪塔里木盆地经历了4种不同类型的碳酸盐岩台地结构型式的演变。不同台地区带的碳酸盐岩层序结构特征显著不同,柯坪地区寒武系-奥陶系为一套碳酸盐岩为主的地层,发育7种不同特征的碳酸盐岩层序构型。库鲁克塔格地区层序总体表现为半深海-深海盆地相背景下的海底扇沉积。相带和层序界面对储层发育具有重要影响,不同级别的层序界面对其下碳酸盐岩储层的发育具有重要的控制作用,并对埋藏条件下的流体具有输导作用。流体对埋藏岩溶型储层的形成具有重要的改造作用,风化壳岩溶型储层受风化淋滤带和层序界面的控制,白云岩储层和礁滩型储层主要受沉积相和成岩相控制。     

风化岩体及风化带划分的数学地质方法研究

针对风化岩体仍无理想的定量分带方法这一研究现状与工程建筑需要的矛盾,提出了对能够检测工程环境岩体风化程度的各种物理力学、矿物学和声学指标进行方差分析和特殊的“动态方差分析”方法,可对岩体风化带的划分进行定量评价,达到某一试验结果下的最佳分带效果。还结合应用实例讨论了不同地质条件下分带计算过程的相应变化和应用效果。最后指出,工程岩体分类亦可借鉴本文的研究方法。     

Geochemistry of late quaternary sediments from Tecocomulco lake, central Mexico: Implication to chemical weathering and provenance

This paper presents the first detailed multi-element geochemical data from the late Quaternary sediments of the Tecocomulco lake basin (central Mexico) and rocks exposed in the basin catchments to understand the extents of chemical weathering and provenance of the siliciclastic fractions. Ternary diagrams of A-CN-K, A-C-N and A-CNK-FM and elemental ratios suggest that most of the lacustrine sediments were derived from mafic volcanic deposits comprising the Chichicuatla and the Apan-Peñon andesites and the Apan-Tezontepec basaltic-andesites. The felsic tephra layers have chemical compositions comparable to the Acoculco volcanic sequences. The calculated indices of chemical weathering such as chemical index of alteration (CIA), plagioclase index of alteration (PIA) and chemical index of weathering (CIW) indicate low to extreme chemical weathering for the lacustrine sediments and low chemical weathering for tephra layers. The varying degree of chemical weathering in lacustrine sediments is related to the fluctuating average annual precipitation during the late Quaternary. However, the low weathering of tephra layers are due to their higher rate of deposition. The dacite-rhyolitic tephra layers of ca. 31,000 ¹⁴C yr BP are relatively more weathered compared to the unweathered rhyolitic tephra of ca. 50,000 ¹⁴C yr BP. This could be due to the rapid deposition of ca. 200 cm of tephra layers during the ca. 50,000 ¹⁴C yr BP volcanic eruption that might have prevented the interaction between tephra layers and weathering agents.     

87Sr/86Sr as an indicator of flowpaths and weathering rates in the Plynlimon experimental catchments,Wales, U.K.

A knowledge of the processes involved in streamflow generation are critical to an understanding of solute transport and weathering rates in upland catchments. The determination of specific flow pathways and the formulation of process-based models have proved difficult in such terrains, largely due to the heterogeneous nature of catchments and the necessary limitations of bulked parameter models. Natural geochemical tracers have proved invaluable in developing conceptual models of catchment functioning and for constraining weathering processes and geochemical cycling. Strontium isotopes have been used as a natural tracer to calculate weathering rates for Sr and Ca, and to constrain the dominant flow pathways in two upland forested sub-catchments (Afon Hafren and Afon Hore) of the River Severn at Plynlimon in Central Wales. The dominant source of Sr in the catchments is considered to be from the weathering of silicate minerals. Weathering rates for Sr and Ca in the Afon Hafren, calculated using Sr isotopes, were similar to those derived from mass balance studies. The rates for the Afon Hore were similar for Ca, but significantly different for Sr. The reason for the difference is unclear, but may be due to additional sources (calcite) in the catchment. Strontium isotope ratios for different input sources and compartments within the catchment were characterised and helped to identify potential flow pathways. The data suggest an important role for groundwater inputs in contrast to previous models which indicated a dominant role for soil waters.     

Rock weathering on the eastern mountains of southern Africa: Review and insights from case studies

The mountains in the eastern region of southern Africa are of significant regional importance, providing for a diverse range of land use including conservation, tourism and subsistence agriculture. The higher regions are comprised of flood basalts and are immediately underlain by predominantly aeolian-origin sandstones. Our understanding of the weathering of these basalts and sandstones is reviewed here, with particular focus on the insights gained from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and an ongoing study into the deterioration of rock art. While the chemical weathering attributes of the basalts have been substantially investigated, it is evident that the environmental surface conditions of rock moisture and temperature, as affecting weathering processes, remain largely unknown. Within the sandstones, studies pertaining to rock art deterioration present insights into the potential surface weathering processes and highlight the need for detailed field monitoring. Outside of these site-specific studies, however, little is understood of how weathering impacts on landscape development; notably absent, are detail on weathering rates, and potential effects of biological weathering. Some palaeoenvironmental inferences have also been made from weathering products, both within the basalts and the sandstones, but aspects of these remain controversial and further detailed research can still be undertaken.