Rip currents as a geological tool

This paper considers the nature and sedimentary significance of rip currents. Rip currents are the main factor responsible for the transport of coarse sediments from the littoral zone to greater depths. Such sediments, deposited outside the zone of wave deformation, may be identified as storm rip current increments within sediments deposited during fair weather. Composite beds deposited during a given wave cycle by storm rip currents are closely similar to ‘turbidites’ and many so called ‘fluxo-turbidites’ described from flysch deposits. Using data gathered in studies conducted on the modern Baltic coast, supplemented by experimental work and theoretical considerations, a sedimentary model is proposed. The model may be used to interpret possible rip current deposits among shallow water ‘turbidites’, and both modern storm sediments and ancient ‘tempestites’.     

Sedimentary structures in the Lower Greensand of the Weald,England, and Bas-Boulonnais,France

Study of the cross-stratification and other sedimentary structures in the Lower Greensand of the Weald, England, and Bas-Boulonnais, France, indicates that the sediments were deposited by the lateral migration of sand waves in a neritic sea. Comparison of the Lower Greensand sea with the modern North Sea was attempted. If those sediments were deposited as a result of tidal current similar to the present-day North Sea then the Lower Greensand shoreline could be deduced as running northwest-southeast, indication that the western part of the London Platform was submerged.     

杭州湾南岸庵东潮坪现代沉积特征

在进行庵东潮坪水文要素定点测量的基础上,对地貌特征,沉积粒度,沉积构造及重向剖面作了全面分析与研究。结果表明,滩地位于杭州湾进、退潮流的交会点,控制其发育的主动力为潮汐作用,具明显的不规则半日潮特性,涨潮流强度远大于落潮流,造就了宽达十余公里的潮滩地貌。滩地水动力深受湾内水流影响,高潮期服从其总体潮流流向,导致潮坪上发育众多与杭州湾深槽系统相连的潮沟,破坏了沉积物正常分布规律,高潮坪存在一定向平行岸线的大型潮沟,受强劲水流影响,沉积粒度粗化,并因快冲快淤而产生变形构造;中潮坪接受退潮期潮沟漫岸物质,粒度相对较小,分选性变差,沉积构造以直脊流水波痕及板状交错层理为主;低潮坪潮流作用大、沉积粒度粗,分选性最佳,发育小型流水波痕,内部构造以槽状交错层理,“青鱼刺”层理及再作用构造为特征。潮坪近岸处潮沟迁移层序及浪成波痕层理的发现反映水动力异常强大,威胁人工海塘的安全,建议停止进一步围垦滩涂,采取促淤方法,抑制潮沟的发育,以维持滩地稳定。     

Sedimentation in a tropical, microtidal, wave-dominated coastal-plain estuary

The Mono estuary is an infilled, microtidal estuary located on the wave-dominated Bight of Benin coast which is subject to very strong eastward longshore drift. The estuarine fill comprises a thick unit of lagoonal mud deposited in a ‘central basin’between upland fluvial deposits and estuary-mouth wave-tide deposits. This lagoonal fill is capped by organic-rich tidal flat mud. In addition to tidal flat mud, the superficial facies overlying the ‘central basin’fill include remnants of spits resting on transgressive/washover sand, an estuary-mouth association of beach, shoreface, flood-tidal delta and tidal inlet deposits, and a thin sheet of fluvial sediments deposited over tidal flat mud. After an initial phase of spit intrusion over the infilled central basin east of the present Mono channel, the whole estuary mouth became bounded by a regressive barrier formed from sand supplied by the Volta Delta during the middle Holocene eustatic highstand. Barrier progradation ceased late in the Holocene following the establishment of an equilibrium plan-form shoreline alignment that allowed through-drift of Volta sand to sediment sinks further downdrift. Over the same period, accretion, from fluvially supplied sediments, of the estuarine plain close to the limit of spring high tides, or, over much of the lower valley, into a fluvial plain no longer subject to tidal flooding, induced marked meandering of the Mono and its tidal distributaries in response to confinement of much of the tidal prism to these channels. The process resulted in erosion of spit/washover and regressive barrier sand, and in reworking of the tidal flat and floodbasin deposits. The strong longshore drift, equilibrium shoreline alignment and the year-round persistence of a tidal inlet maintained by discharge from the Mono and from Lake Ahémé have resulted in a stationary barrier that is reworked by a mobile inlet. The Mono example shows that advanced estuarine infill may result in considerable facies reworking, obliteration of certain facies and marked spatial imbrication of fluvial, estuarine and wave-tide-deposited facies, and confirms patterns of sedimentary change described for microtidal estuaries on wave-influenced coasts. In addition, this study shows that local environmental factors such as sediment supply relative to limited accommodation space, and strong longshore drift, which may preclude accumulation of sediments in the vicinity of the estuary mouth, may lead to infilled equilibrium or near-equilibrium estuaries that will not necessarily evolve into deltas.     

Paleo-environmental reconstruction of Lopingian (upper Permian) sediments in the Galilee Basin,Queensland, Australia

The recent review of the Lopingian (upper Permian) stratigraphic framework of the Galilee Basin, prompted a reconsideration of the paleo-environments of deposition. This study interpreted the distribution of sedimentary facies from geophysical logs across the basin complemented by detailed logging from four key wells (GSQ Tambo 1-1A, OEC Glue Pot Creek 1, CRD Montani 1 and GSQ Muttaburra 1). Seven facies associations were identified: terrestrial fluvial, floodplain, lacustrine and mire; and paralic to marine estuarine shoreline, delta and restricted marine. Coal measures (mire facies) are best developed in the northeastern margin of the basin, whereas the southern Springsure Shelf was dominated by marine conditions throughout the Lopingian, only developing terrestrial facies towards the very uppermost Lopingian. The ‘Colinlea Sandstone equivalent’ was deposited in a fluvial system, with tidal influence exhibited in the southern part of the basin, which decreases further north as lacustrine environments become common. The regional transgression represented by the Black Alley Shale can be mapped into the central part of the basin, but based on new exploration data its northern extent is more limited than previously thought. The ‘Burngrove Formation equivalent’ and Bandanna Formation represent a southerly prograding fluvial-deltaic system during the regional regression in the upper part of the Lopingian.     

古代潮汐沉积物的新判据--潮汐周期层序

根据我国东部海岸现代潮坪沉积物和古代潮汐沉积物的研究,新发现一种潮汐沉积物所具有的特殊沉积构造,这种沉积构造可区分出三种类型,特征明显,易于鉴定,反映潮汐运动规律,命名为“潮汐周期层序”。用这种沉积构造作为古代潮汐沉积物的鉴定标志,将大大提高鉴定的可靠性。     

东濮凹陷古近系沙河街组沙三段沉积期湖岸线的变化及岩相古地理特征

东濮凹陷沙三段地层为深水相暗色泥岩与砂岩频繁互层及深水相暗色泥岩与盐膏岩频繁互层.这种砂体是东濮凹陷很重要的含油气储层。过去这种砂体往往按照静态的模式被解释为重力流成因,随着勘探的不断深入,越来越多的证据表明这些砂体中存在着牵引流和暴露地表的标志,其成因和沉积模式需要重新认识。东濮凹陷沙三段沉积时期,湖平面变化频繁,有长周期,也有短周期。根据录井、电性及岩心等资料识别出湖平面变化的5级周期,其变化频率约为1000次/Ma。根据计算,东濮凹陷沙三段沉积时期湖水最大深度为30 m。高水位沉积期,湖岸线距盆地中心较远,盆地沉积中心发育暗色泥岩夹薄层碳酸盐岩,盆地边缘发育粗碎屑岩沉积;水位下降期,边缘相砂体不断向盆地中心进积;低水位期湖岸线向盆地中心退缩了1030 km,盆地沉积中心发育盐膏岩沉积,盐膏岩的周围发育低水位三角洲、扇三角洲和滨湖滩坝相的粗碎屑岩体。正是由于湖平面的变化引起的湖岸线迁移,导致高水位沉积期和低水位期湖盆的岩相古地理面貌发生很大的变化,根据这种动态的模式来预测砂体的分布,在指导油气勘探中产生了明显的效果。     

A tidal-inlet complex in the Cretaceous epeiric sea of North America: Virgelle Member, Milk River Formation, southern Alberta, Canada

The upper portion of the Virgelle Member (Upper Cretaceous Milk River Formation) at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park of southern Alberta preserves evidence of tidal processes along an otherwise wave-dominated, progradational shoreline in the Cretaceous Interior Seaway of North America. The upper Virgelle Member is underlain by offshore transition to lower shoreface deposits of the Telegraph Creek Member and the lower Virgelle Member, respectively, and is overlain by the non-marine shales and sandstones of the Deadhorse Coulee Member. The sediments of the upper Virgelle Member were deposited along a prograding shoreline and are interpreted here as those of a tidal-inlet complex. Most inlet sections consist of an erosional base overlain by a shale-pebble conglomerate, followed by cross-bedded sandstones which become finer-grained and decrease in scale upwards. Indicators of tidal processes include palaeocurrent distributions, mud couplets, tidal bundles, re-activation surfaces and herringbone cross-beds. The sequence through the tidal-inlet complex can be differentiated, according to prevalent palaeoflow directions and sedimentary structures, as ebb-dominated, flood-dominated, or mixed-tidal influence. Ebb-dominated sections commonly contain lateral accretion surfaces whereas flood-dominated sections contain tidal-ramp deposits. Back-barrier lagoon deposits are dominated by sandstones of an extensive flood-tidal delta with only thin shales preserved locally at the top of the inlet complex. Deposits of ebb-tidal deltas are absent, presumably due to the effective sediment dispersal by waves and wave-induced longshore currents acting on the regionally wave-dominated shoreline.     

Sedimentology and stratigraphy of a transgressive, muddy gravel beach: Waterside Beach, Bay of Fundy, Canada

Sediments exposed at low tide on the transgressive, hypertidal (>6 m tidal range) Waterside Beach, New Brunswick, Canada permit the scrutiny of sedimentary structures and textures that develop at water depths equivalent to the upper and lower shoreface. Waterside Beach sediments are grouped into eleven sedimentologically distinct deposits that represent three depositional environments: (1) sandy foreshore and shoreface; (2) tidal‐creek braid‐plain and delta; and, (3) wave‐formed gravel and sand bars, and associated deposits. The sandy foreshore and shoreface depositional environment encompasses the backshore; moderately dipping beachface; and a shallowly seaward‐dipping terrace of sandy middle and lower intertidal, and muddy sub‐tidal sediments. Intertidal sediments reworked and deposited by tidal creeks comprise the tidal‐creek braid plain and delta. Wave‐formed sand and gravel bars and associated deposits include: sediment sourced from low‐amplitude, unstable sand bars; gravel deposited from large (up to 5·5 m high, 800 m long), landward‐migrating gravel bars; and zones of mud deposition developed on the landward side of the gravel bars. The relationship between the gravel bars and mud deposits, and between mud‐laden sea water and beach gravels provides mechanisms for the deposition of mud beds, and muddy clast‐ and matrix‐supported conglomerates in ancient conglomeratic successions. Idealized sections are presented as analogues for ancient conglomerates deposited in transgressive systems. Where tidal creeks do not influence sedimentation on the beach, the preserved sequence consists of a gravel lag overlain by increasingly finer‐grained shoreface sediments. Conversely, where tidal creeks debouch onto the beach, erosion of the underlying salt marsh results in deposition of a thicker, more complex beach succession. The thickness of this package is controlled by tidal range, sedimentation rate, and rate of transgression. The tidal‐creek influenced succession comprises repeated sequences of: a thin mud bed overlain by muddy conglomerate, sandy conglomerate, a coarse lag, and capped by trough cross‐bedded sand and gravel.     

华北克拉通南缘中-新元古代沉积演化:以豫西地区黄连垛组和董家组为例

华北克拉通(华北)南缘中元古代早期熊耳群火山活动之后,在渑池-确山地区发育了一套中-新元古代沉积(汝阳群、洛峪群、黄连垛组、董家组以及罗圈组和东坡组),记录了该时期沉积-构造演化过程。通过该区碎屑锆石和洛峪群顶部凝灰岩年龄的约束,将汝阳群-洛峪群的沉积时代基本限定于约1750～1600Ma,导致洛峪群由中元古界上部或新元古界下划到中元古界长城系。因此,在现有的地层年代格架下,需要重新对该区中-新元古代沉积演化进行讨论。本文通过对洛峪口组上覆黄连垛组和董家组沉积环境和物源分析,同时借助古生界辛集组源区分析的约束,揭示华北南缘中-新元古代沉积-构造演化。沉积环境分析显示,黄连垛组沉积初期发育了河口湾沉积环境。伴随海侵扩大,在下汤地区沉积了潮上带长石石英砂岩与泥质粉砂岩,而叶县地区发育了潮间带泥晶白云岩。晚期下汤和叶县地区发育潮下带泥晶白云岩与含硅质条带白云岩。董家组与下伏黄连垛组为平行不整合接触,董家组沉积初期为陆源碎屑物质供给充分的滨海相,在下汤和叶县地区沉积底部细砾岩及长石石英砂岩。随后,两个地区发育潮坪相长石石英砂岩与泥质粉砂岩,在顶部沉积了局限台地钙质泥岩。黄连垛组在豫西下汤和叶县地区沉积于河口湾-潮坪沉积环境,整体表现为自南向北的海进序列,而董家组总体上沉积于局限海盆的滨浅海-潮坪环境。由于下伏汝阳群-洛峪群分别沉积在河流-滨海-潮坪和浅海-滨海-潮坪环境,黄连垛组和董家组指示其沉积时期盆地产生收缩。碎屑锆石定年结果显示,黄连垛组和董家组碎屑锆石年龄主要峰值为1800Ma、2250Ma、2350Ma、2650Ma,两者物源均为华北克拉通。但下汤地区早古生界辛集组碎屑锆石显示主要峰值年龄为1850Ma、2500Ma、2200Ma、2700Ma,其次为1200Ma。结合华北克拉通发育大量的中元古代末期到新元古代碎屑锆石以及南缘中元古界官道口群和新元古界栾川群沉积特征,黄连垛组和董家组代表的局限盆地(海盆)沉积可能构成了该时期盆地的边缘相,期间伴随的抬升和盆地中心迁移可能与同期大地构造演化密切相关。     

Facies,environments and sedimentary cycles in the Middle Eocene,Bracklesham Formation of the Hampshire Basin: evidence for global sea-level changes?

The Bracklesham Formation is of Middle Eocene age and occurs throughout the Hampshire Basin of southern England. The basin is elongated east-west and filled with Lower Tertiary sediments. Its southern margin is marked by either large, northward-facing monoclines, or faults, both of which underwent differential movement, with uplift of the southern side throughout the Middle Eocene. The Bracklesham Formation, which is up to 240 m thick, shows pronounced lateral facies changes with dominantly marine sediments in the east passing to alluvial sediments in the west. Four principal sedimentary environments: marine, lagoonal, estuarine and alluvial are distinguished. Marine sediments comprise six facies including offshore silty clays and glauconitic silty sands, beach and aeolian dune sands, and flint conglomerates formed on pebble beaches. Offshore sediments predominate in the eastern part of the basin, as far west as Alum Bay, where they are replaced by nearshore sediments. Lagoonal sediments comprise four facies and formed in back-barrier lagoons, coastal marshes and, on occasions, were deposited over much of the basin during periods of low salinity and restricted tidal motion. Five estuarine facies represent tidal channels, channel mouth-bars and abandoned channels. These sediments suggest that much of the Bracklesham Formation was deposited under micro- to meso-tidal conditions. Alluvial sediments dominate the formation to the west of Alum Bay. They comprise coarse to fine sands deposited on the point-bars of meandering rivers, interbedded with thick sequences of laminated interchannel mudstones, deposited in marshes, swamps and lakes. Extensive layers of ball clay were periodically deposited in a lake occupying much of the alluvial basin. In alluvial areas, fault movement exposed Mesozoic rocks along the southern margin of the basin, the erosion of which generated fault-scarp alluvial fan gravels. Locally, pisolitic limestone formed in pools fed by springs emerging at the faulted Chalk-Tertiary contact. In marine areas, flint pebbles were eroded from coastal exposures of chalk and accumulated on pebble beaches and in estuaries. From other evidence it is suggested that older Tertiary sediments were also reworked. The Bracklesham Formation is strongly cyclic and was deposited during five marine transgressions, the effects of which can be recognized throughout the basin in both marine and alluvial areas. Each of the five transgressive cycles is a few tens of metres thick and contains little evidence of intervening major regression. The cycles are thought to represent small-scale eustatic sea-level rises (‘paracycles’) superimposed upon a major transgressive ‘cycle’ that began at the base of the Bracklesham Formation, following a major regression, and was terminated, at the top of the Barton Formation by another major regression. This major cycle can be recognized world-wide and may reflect a period of rapid northward extension of the mid-Atlantic ridge.     

Sedimentology of the Middle Marker (3.4 Ga), Onverwacht Group,Transvaal, South Africa

The Middle Marker is a thin (3–6 m) sedimentary unit at the base of the Hooggenoeg Formation in the 3.4 Ga old Onverwacht Group, Barberton Mountain Land, South Africa. The original sediments consisted largely of current-deposited volcaniclastic detritus now represented by green to buff-colored silicified volcaniclastic rock and fine-grained gray chert. Black chert, possibly formed by the silicification of a non-volcaniclastic precursor, makes up a significant part of the unit. The Middle Marker is underlain and overlain by mafic and commonly pillowed volcanic flowrock. Although the original sediment has been replaced by and/or recrystallized to a microquartz, chlorite, sericite, carbonate and iron oxide mosaic under lower greenschist-grade metamorphism, sedimentary textures and structures are remarkably well preserved. Textural pseudomorphs indicate the primary volcaniclastic sediment consisted of a mixture of crystal, vitric and lithic debris. Middle Marker sediments were deposited as a prograding, cone-flanking volcaniclastic sedimentary platform in a relatively-shallow and locally current/wave-influenced subaqueous sedimentary environment. Available paleocurrent data indicate a largely bimodal, orthogonal distribution pattern which is quite similar to both ancient and modern shallow marine/shelf systems. Diagnostic evidence for tidal activity is lacking. As felsic volcanic activity waned, an extensive airfall blanket of fine-grained volcanic ash and dust was deposited in a low-energy subaqueous environment. The sedimentary cycle was terminated with a renewal of submarine mafic volcanism. Middle Marker volcaniclastic sediments accumulated in an anorogenic basin removed or isolated from the influence of continental igneous and metamorphic terranes. Although compositionally dominated by a volcanic source, Middle Marker sediments owe their final texture and sedimentary structures to subaqueous sedimentary rather than volcanogenic processes.     

Sedimentological and palynological constraints on the basal Triassic sequence in Central Switzerland

In Central Switzerland, Mesozoic sedimentation began after erosion and peneplainisation of the Hercynian relief and late Paleozoic continental deposition in SW-NE striking pull-apart basins. The first Triassic sedimentary sequence overlaying a weathered crystalline basement consists of a relatively thin (<10 m), lithologically highly variable unit with coarse-grained siliciclastic deposits at the base, grading into a mixed sandstone/shale-dolomite sequence followed by well-bedded dolomites with chert nodules.Sedimentary texture analyses and petrological investigations revealed four different sedimentary units starting at the base with a regolith unit that represents the weathered crystalline basement. It is overlain by terrestrial plain deposits, followed by mixed siliciclastic-carbonaceous sediments and a sequence of dolomites, deposited between the supralittoral and eulittoral zones of a tidal flat (Mels-Formation), and the eulittoral to sublittoral zones of a carbonate tidal flat environment (Röti-Dolomit), respectively.Palynological data from four localities in Central Switzerland indicate a heterochronous early Anisian age (Aegean – Bithynian/Pelsonian) for the supra- to eulittoral mixed siliciclastic-carbonaceous sediments. These new biostratigraphic ages suggest that the first Triassic marine transgression in Central Switzerland is time equivalent with those of the basal Wellendolomit in Northern Switzerland but slightly older than in the Germanic Basin. Consequently, Central Switzerland was located at this time at the northern shoreline of the Tethys and not on the southern limit of the Germanic Basin.     

哈萨克斯坦Marsel探区下石炭统碳酸盐岩微相特征与沉积环境

根据薄片和岩心资料,识别出哈萨克斯坦Marsel探区下石炭统43种微相类型(MF)和10种微相组合样式(MA)。其中,MF1—MF3为灰泥灰岩,形成于外缓坡或局限低能环境;MF4—MF13为粒泥灰岩,形成于内缓坡泻湖—潮缘带、中缓坡或外缓坡环境;MF14—MF20为泥粒灰岩,形成于局限及低能的内缓坡环境;MF21—MF34为颗粒灰/云岩,多形成于内缓坡潮下带—中缓坡浅滩环境;MF35—MF37为晶粒白云岩,形成于蒸发潮坪环境;MF38—MF43为细粒碎屑岩,主要形成于内缓坡—中缓坡环境。微相组合样式主要包括中—外缓坡微相组合(MA2)、中—低能浅滩微相组合(MA1、MA8)、中缓坡混积微相组合(MA5)、中—高能浅滩—潮坪微相组合(MA6、MA7、MA9)、内缓坡泻湖—潮坪微相组合(MA3)、内缓坡碎屑潮坪微相组合(MA4)和混积潮坪微相组合(MA10)。通过亚相和微相组合分析,认为研究区早石炭世属于缓坡型台地沉积模式。杜内阶—维三段早期,相对海平面缓慢—快速上升,总体以内—中缓坡低能局限泻湖—潮坪和中—外缓坡沉积为主;维三段中期—谢尔普霍夫阶期,相对海平面缓慢—快速下降,主要发育内缓坡低能局限泻湖—潮坪和蒸发潮坪沉积,局部地区发育浅滩和混积潮坪沉积。     

Sedimentological interpretation of an Ediacaran delta: Bonney Sandstone,South Australia

The type section of the late Ediacaran (ca 565 Ma) Bonney Sandstone in South Australia provides an opportunity to interpret a succession of Precambrian clastic sediments using physical sedimentary structures, lithologies and stacking patterns. Facies models, sequence stratigraphic analysis, and process-based architectural classification of depositional elements were used to interpret depositional environments for a series of disconformity-bounded intervals. This study is the first detailed published work on the Bonney Sandstone, and provides additional context for other Wilpena Group sediments, including the overlying Rawnsley Quartzite and its early metazoan fossils. Results show that the ～300 m-thick section studied here shows a progressive change from shallow marine to fluvially dominated sediments, having been deposited in storm-dominated shelf and lower shoreface environments, lower in the section, and consisting primarily of stacked channel sands, in a proximal deltaic environment near the top. Based on the degree of influence of wave, tidal or fluvial depositional processes, shallow marine sediments can be classified into beach, mouth bar, delta lobe and channel depositional elements, which can be used to assist in predicting sandbody geometries when only limited information is available. Sediments are contained within a hierarchical series of regressive, coarsening-upward sequences, which are in turn part of a larger basin-scale sequence that likely reflects normal regression and filling of accommodation throughout a highstand systems tract. Paleogeographic reconstructions suggest the area was part of a fluvially dominated clastic shoreline; this is consistent with previous reconstructions that indicate the area was on the western edge of the basin adjacent to the landward Gawler Craton. This research fills in a knowledge gap in the depositional history of a prominent unit in the Adelaide Rift Complex and is a case study in the interpretation of ancient deposits that are limited in extent or lacking diagnostic features.     

现代乌伦古湖滨岸沉积环境与沉积体系分布及其控制因素

通过现场实地踏勘、拍照、开挖探槽、利用卫星图解译等方法,对乌伦古湖环布伦托海区域和吉力湖北部乌伦古河现代三角洲地区的湖泊滨岸沉积环境和沉积体系进行了现代沉积调查。研究表明乌伦古湖滨岸沉积环境可以划分为基岩型湖岸、砾质湖岸、砂质湖岸、泥质湖岸等4种类型,发育山前基岩型湖岸、侵蚀基岩型湖岸、砾质冲积扇-扇三角洲、砾质辫状河三角洲、砾质滩坝、砂质滩坝、砂质三角洲、风成沙丘和泥质沼泽等9种滨岸沉积体系。山前基岩湖岸分布在布伦托海的北部,主要发育小型塌积扇、倒石锥和狭窄的湖滩。侵蚀型基岩湖岸位于布伦托海西岸和东北角地区,发育湖滩宽20~40 m。砾质冲积扇-扇三角洲沉积体系分布在布伦托海西北部25.8 km狭长区域,表现为一系列冲积扇-扇三角洲体系在山前形成裙边状展布的辫状平原,顺流向长5~15 km。砾质辫状河三角洲体系发育在布伦托海西部,砾质滩坝发育在砾质三角洲前缘,沉积物一般为中砾和粗砾,泥质含量低。现代乌伦古河三角洲位于吉力湖北部,沙丘广泛分布在布伦托海东部的三角洲平原。砂质滩坝发育在布伦托海东岸南部地区,滩坝带宽30~100 m,发育大量障碍痕、冰划痕。泥质沼泽占据湖岸总长度29.22 km,沼泽地带植物繁茂,水动力微弱,泥质和有机质含量高。根据卫星照片推测乌伦古湖水位可能发生过3次较大的下降,现代乌伦古河三角洲可能经过了4个发育阶段,但目前缺乏地质年代学证据。构造格局控制了湖泊边界的地形地貌特征,平行构造线走向容易形成规模较大的沉积体系,垂直构造走向形成的沉积体系规模较小。寒旱地区湖泊周缘入湖河流较少,具有季节性和暂时性特点,洪水泥石流、塌积扇等重力沉积体系比较发育。湖泊封冻是寒旱区湖泊区别于温暖地区湖泊的重要特征。在相同气候背景下,源汇地区的高差和河流的流程、流量决定了沉积物的供给总量和沉积体系的特征。湖盆边界形态影响沿岸流的发育,也影响湖泊风动力方向和强度。乌伦古湖滨岸沉积体系的多样性对研究古代湖泊滨岸沉积体系具有重要的启发,开展湖泊滨岸沉积环境和沉积体系调查对完善陆相湖盆沉积体系模式,对发现新的储层类型,对重建湖泊古地理环境具有重要的意义。     

宣化地区古老的潮汐沉积

大约在十八亿年前左右,在经过长期风化剥蚀后基本上处于准平原状态的华北地台上,沿着北东向的几条基底断裂,形成一个沿朝阳、蓟县、石家庄、长治一线展布的北东向长形断陷沉积盆地。初期,可能仅在局部地区(如蓟县附近)沉积河流相砂砾岩。     

东海盆地某凹陷P井区平湖组沉积微相及沉积模式

以东海陆架盆地某凹陷西部斜坡带P井区7口井的岩心详细观察与描述资料为基础,综合利用测井、分析化验数据及地震等资料,研究平湖组沉积微相及沉积模式.结果表明：P井区平湖组发育一套海陆过渡沉积体系,主要为潮汐影响的三角洲-潮坪相沉积,沉积亚相主要包括三角洲前缘、前三角洲和潮间带.进一步识别出了水下分流河道、河口沙坝、分流间湾、潮汐水道等7种沉积微相.同生断层对沉积微相平面分布影响明显.断距较小时,随着物源与断层走向夹角的增大,水下分流河道会出现改道等现象;断距较大时,水下分流河道沉积物仅在同生断层上盘低部位沉积,向盆地中心推进有限.在沉积体系分析的基础上,建立了研究区潮汐影响三角洲前缘的沉积模式.     

On minimum spanning trees and the intergradation of clusters

Cluster analysis groups samples, but does not generally show gradations between clusters. To illustrate these relationships, principal-coordinate analysis and multidimensional scaling can be employed, but these methods may not be appropriate due to structural distortion. A minimum spanning tree (MST) computes a point-to-point path through the original matrix, and clusters are mapped on the MST diagram. The MST linkages, therefore, provide a natural continuum between the clusters, without distortion. Forty-six Silurian Tonoloway Limestone samples were analyzed for 16 sedimentary features indicative of subaerial exposure. Cluster analysis identified nine clusters which were reduced to five final, ordered groups by MST.     

An overview of the Permian (Karoo) coal deposits of southern Africa

The coal deposits of southern Africa (Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe) are reviewed. The coal seams formed during two periods, the Early Permian (Artinskian–Kungurian) and the Late Permian (Ufimian–Kazanian). The coals are associated with non-marine terrestrial clastic sedimentary sequences, most commonly mudrock and sandstones, assigned to the Karoo Supergroup. The Early Permian coals are most commonly sandstone-hosted while the younger coals typically occur interbedded with mudstones. The sediments were deposited in varying tectono-sedimentary basins such as foreland, intracratonic rifts and intercratonic grabens and half-grabens. The depositional environments that produced the coal-bearing successions were primarily deltaic and fluvial, with some minor shoreline and lacustrine settings. Coals vary in rank from high-volatile bituminous to anthracite and characteristically have a relatively high inertinite component, and medium- to high-ash content. In countries where coal is mined, it is used for power generation, coking coal, synfuel generation, gasification and for (local) domestic household consumption.