Beryllium geochemistry in soils: evaluation of Be/Be ratios in authigenic minerals as a basis for age models

Soils contain a diverse and complex set of chemicals and minerals. Being an ‘open system’, both in the chemical and nuclear sense, soils have defied quantitative nuclear dating. However, based on the published studies of the cosmogenic atmospheric ¹⁰Be in soils, its relatively long half-life (1.5 Ma), and the fact that ¹⁰Be gets quickly incorporated in most soil minerals, this radionuclide appears to be potentially the most useful for soil dating. We therefore studied the natural variations in the specific activities of ¹⁰Be with respect to the isotope ⁹Be in mineral phases in eight profiles of diverse soils from temperate to tropical climatic regimes and evaluated the implications of the data for determining the time of formation of soil minerals, following an earlier suggestion [Lal et al., 1991. Development of cosmogenic nuclear methods for the study of soil erosion and formation rates. Current Sci. 61, 636–639.]. We find that the ¹⁰Be/⁹Be ratios in both bulk soils and in the authigenic mineral phases are confined within a narrower range than in ¹⁰Be concentrations. Also, the highest ¹⁰Be/⁹Be ratios in authigenic minerals are observed at the soil-rock interface as predicted by the model. We present model ¹⁰Be/⁹Be ages of the B-horizon and the corresponding soil formation rates for several soil profiles. The present study demonstrates that the ¹⁰Be/⁹Be ratios in the authigenic phases, e.g. clay and Fe-hydroxides, can indeed be used for obtaining useful model ages for soils younger than 10–15 Ma. However, the present work has to be pushed considerably further, to take into account more realistic age models in which, for instance, downward transport ¹⁰Be and clays, and in-situ dissolution of clay minerals at depths, altering the ¹⁰Be/⁹Be ratios of the acidic solutions, are included. We show that in the case of younger soils (< 1 Ma) studied here, their ¹⁰Be inventories and ¹⁰Be/⁹Be ratios have been significantly disturbed possibly by mixing with transported soils.     

Paleoclimate and Paleoenvironment of Gonghe Basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, During the Lastdeglacial: Weathering, Erosion and Vegetation Cover Affect Clay Mineral Formation

With the analysis of the sources and formation mechanism of the clay minerals in the sediment core from the Dalianhai lake in the Gonghe Basin,northeastern Tibet-Qinghai Plateau,clay mineral composition proxies,grain-size and carbonate contents have been employed for high-resolution study in order to reconstruct East Asian Summer Monsoon （EASM） over the northeastern Tibet-Qinghai Plateau during the lastdeglacial.The study also extended to establish a relationship between vegetation cover changes and erosion during the last 14.5 ka with pollen record and clay mineral proxies.Smectite/kaolinite and smectite/（illite＋chlorite） ratios allow us to assess hydrolysis conditions in lowlands and/or physical erosion process in highlands of the Gonghe Basin.Before 12.9 Cal ka BP,both mineralogical ratios show low values indicative of strong physical erosion in the basin with a dominant cold and dry phase.After 12.9 Cal ka BP,an increase in both mineralogical ratios indicates enhanced chemical weathering in the basin associated with a warm and humid climate.The beginning of Holocene is characterized by high smectite/（illite＋chlorite） and smectite/kaolinite ratios that is synchronous as with deposition of many peat laminae,implying the best warm and humid conditions specifically between 8.0 to 5.5 Cal ka BP.The time interval after 5.0 Cai ka BP is characterized by a return to high physical erosion and low chemical weathering with dry climate conditions in the basin.Comparing variations of clay mineral assemblages with previous pollen results,we observe a rapid response in terms of chemical weathering and physical erosion intensity to a modification of the vegetation cover in the basin.     

Long-term rates of chemical weathering and physical erosion from cosmogenic nuclides and geochemical mass balance

Quantifying long-term rates of chemical weathering and physical erosion is important for understanding the long-term evolution of soils, landscapes, and Earth's climate. Here we describe how long-term chemical weathering rates can be measured for actively eroding landscapes using cosmogenic nuclides together with a geochemical mass balance of weathered soil and parent rock. We tested this approach in the Rio Icacos watershed, Puerto Rico, where independent studies have estimated weathering rates over both short and long timescales. Results from the cosmogenic/mass balance method are consistent with three independent sets of weathering rate estimates, thus confirming that this approach yields realistic measurements of long-term weathering rates. This approach can separately quantify weathering rates from saprolite and from overlying soil as components of the total. At Rio Icacos, nearly 50% of Si weathering occurs as rock is converted to saprolite; in contrast, nearly 100% of Al weathering occurs in the soil. Physical erosion rates are measured as part of our mass balance approach, making it particularly useful for studying interrelationships between chemical weathering and physical erosion. Our data show that chemical weathering rates are tightly coupled with physical erosion rates, such that the relationship between climate and chemical weathering rates may be obscured by site-to-site differences in the rate that minerals are supplied to soil by physical erosion of rock. One can normalize for variations in physical erosion rates using the “chemical depletion fraction,” which measures the fraction of total denudation that is accounted for by chemical weathering. This measure of chemical weathering intensity increases with increasing average temperature and precipitation in data from climatically diverse granitic sites, including tropical Rio Icacos and six temperate sites in the Sierra Nevada, California. Hence, across a wide range of climate regimes, analysis of chemical depletion fractions appears to effectively account for site-to-site differences in physical erosion rates, which would otherwise obscure climatic effects on chemical weathering rates. Our results show that by quantifying rates of physical erosion and chemical weathering together, our mass balance approach can be used to determine the relative importance of climatic and nonclimatic factors in regulating long-term chemical weathering rates.     

南海神狐海域Site 4B沉积物地球化学特征及其对甲烷渗漏的指示意义

前人对Site 4B站位海底浅表层沉积物的研究显示该站位历史上可能存在甲烷渗漏事件。为研究该站位的甲烷渗漏历史,分析了Site 4B站位柱状沉积物的元素地球化学特征,及沉积物中Mg/Ca和Sr/Ca比随深度的变化规律以及自生碳酸盐矿物的分布特征。元素相关性分析表明:研究区Ca、Sr等碳酸盐相关的元素极有可能来自于与甲烷渗漏有关的自生碳酸盐。结合沉积物的粒度特征,认为Site 4B站位在15.78 ka B.P.之前泥火山活动造成甲烷渗漏,且甲烷渗漏速率具有增大—减小的周期性变化特点。研究站位在24.15 ka B.P.、27.47 ka B.P.、31.05 ka B.P.具有相对较高的甲烷渗漏速率,且在31.05 ka B.P.达到最大值。研究结果对探明南海北部的甲烷渗漏历史具有重要的意义。     

An unsuccessful attempt at U/Th dating of soil calcretes from the Doukkâli area (western Morocco) and environmental implications

A large number of calcrete samples from topsoils of the Doukkâli area, western Morocco, were studied by U-disequilibrium series methods. The ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U ages are rather uniformly distributed between>350 and 2 ka BP. Homologous samples for occurrence and structure display quite different ages, the ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U ages are considered apparent. This is explained by repeated deposition of secondary calcite in the calcrete pores, which caused lowering of the original ages. However, the apparent ages may be considered minimum ages of the calcrete formation, indicating that calcium carbonate mobilization and deposition has been taking place repeatedly since >350 ka.

The age range obtained is quite comparable with that of calcretes from southern Spain, suggesting similar conditions for the calcrete formation in the two areas.     

30 ka以来东阿拉伯海U1456站位粘土粒级碎屑沉积物来源及其古环境意义

通过对国际大洋发现计划U1456站位沉积物AMS 14C年代、粘土矿物、常量元素及粒度组成的综合分析,探讨了东阿拉伯海粘土粒级碎屑沉积物的源-汇过程及其古环境指示意义.30 ka以来U1456站位的粘土矿物组合以蒙脱石和伊利石为主,并含有少量的绿泥石和高岭石.物源分析结果表明粘土粒级碎屑沉积物主要来自于印度河与德干高原.30 ka以来西南季风很可能是影响喜马拉雅山脉以及印度大陆风化剥蚀的重要因素.在西南季风减弱的阶段,印度河物源端元对研究区的输入量减少,这可能与此时热带辐合带的南移及末次冰盛期喜马拉雅山脉冰川覆盖面积的增加有关,从而导致印度河径流量及喜马拉雅山脉可供风化剥蚀的区域减少.K/Al比值指示的源区大陆化学风化作用强度与前人重建的西南季风记录间较为同步,在东阿拉伯海可以作为晚第四纪以来西南季风演化的有效重建指标.      

Time scale and conditions of weathering under tropical climate: Study of the Amazon basin with U-series

The Rio Solimões/Amazonas (Amazon River) and its major tributaries have been analyzed for U-series nuclides. ²³⁸U-²³⁴U-²³⁰Th-²²⁶Ra disequilibria have been measured in the dissolved (<0.2 μm) and suspended loads (>0.2 μm) as well as bed sands. U-series disequilibria are closely related to major and trace element compositions and therefore reflect elemental fractionation during chemical weathering. Moreover, while the dissolved load records present-day weathering, suspended particles integrate the erosion history over much longer time scales (>100 ka). Lowland rivers are characterized by long time scales of chemical erosion (?100 ka) resulting in a high weathering intensity. Moreover, exchange between suspended particles and the dissolved load may explain the U-series signature for these rivers. By combining U-series and Pb isotopes in suspended particles, we show that erosion in the Rio Madeira basin occurred as a multi-step process, whereby the pristine continental crust was eroded several hundreds of Ma ago to produce sediments that have then been integrated in the Cordillera by crustal shortening and are currently eroded. In contrast, recent erosion of a pristine crust is more likely for the Rio Solimões/Amazonas (<10 ka). The suspended particles of the rivers draining the Andes (Solimões/Amazonas, Madeira) suggest time scales of weathering ranging between 4 and 20 ka. This indicates that suspended particles transported by those rivers are not stored for long periods in the Andean foreland basin and the tropical plain. The sediments delivered to the ocean have resided only a few ka in the Amazon basin (6.3 ± 1 ka for the Rio Amazonas at Óbidos). Nevertheless, a large fraction of the sediments coming out from the Andes are trapped in the foreland basin and may never reach the ocean. Erosion in the Andes is not operating in steady state. U-series systematics shows unambiguously that rivers are exporting a lot more sediments than predicted by steady-state erosion and that is a consequence of soil destruction greater than production. By relating this observation to the short time scales of weathering inferred for the Andes (a few ka), it appears that the erosion regime has been recently perturbed, resulting in high denudation rates. A possible explanation would be the increase in precipitation less than 5 ka proposed by recent paleoclimatic studies. Our results indicate that erosion responds rapidly to high-frequency climatic fluctuations.     

Stable Strontium Isotopic Fractionation During Chemical Weathering in Drainage Basins: Mechanisms and Applications

The new non-traditional stable strontium (Sr) isotope has aroused great attention from academic scholars in terms of the continental weathering and marine Sr cycle. The analytical precision of stable Sr isotope using mass spectrometry is better than 0.03‰. The compiled δ⁸⁸/ ⁸⁶Sr values vary from -3.65‰ to 1.68‰ in natural reservoirs. Recent findings indicate that multiple processes can cause stable Sr isotope fractionation in Earth surface, including the incongruent dissolution of primary minerals, the formation and adsorption of secondary minerals, the precipitation of calcium carbonate, and the biological cycling. These processes lead to higher δ⁸⁸/ ⁸⁶Sr in the liquid phase and lower δ⁸⁸/ ⁸⁶Sr in the solid phase, and thus result in different geochemical behavior of stable Sr isotopes in water and sediment during the weathering processes. The δ⁸⁸/ ⁸⁶Sr values of river sediment decrease with the increase of weathering intensity, which has the potential to indicate chemical weathering intensity. Meanwhile, further study on the fractionation mechanisms and constraints of stable Sr isotopes in river water plays an important role in tracing chemical weathering processes within the watershed, which will lead to a better understanding of the global ocean Sr cycle.     

Indian monsoon variability in the Mahanadi Basin over the last two glacial cycles and its implications on the Indonesian throughflow

The orbital-scale variability of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) has been influenced by multiple factors, such as atmospheric CO₂ concentration, global ice volume, and insolation. Proxies for weathering activity and paleo-productivity provide potential insights into the driving forces of its variability. We documented multi-proxy data at IODP Site U1445, located in the Mahanadi Basin of the northwestern Bay of Bengal, to find out ISM variability over the last 200 ka. The proxy records, such as Nd/Sr isotopes of detrital particles, clay mineral compositions of the fine-grained sediments, biogenic opal and CaCO₃, organic carbon contents, and carbon isotopes of organic matter, represent sediment sources, weathering patterns, and paleo-productivity related to the ISM variability. Detrital Nd/Sr isotope data and clay mineral compositions suggest that the sediments at Site U1445 originated mainly from the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers without dramatic provenance change between the glacial and interglacial periods. The weathering activity inferred from clay mineral compositions and the paleo-productivity shift reconstructed by biogenic opal and CaCO₃ contents suggest that the land-sea interactions were closely linked to the ISM precipitation between the glacial and interglacial periods. High precipitation by the strong ISM resulted in intense chemical weathering and dominant biogenic opal deposition during the interglacial periods. In contrast, low precipitation by the weak ISM led to reduced chemical weathering and predominant CaCO₃ deposition during the glacial periods. Further, the ISM variability driving the land-sea interactions in the Mahanadi Basin was modulated by the Indonesian throughflow (ITF). Our study emphasizes the role of low-latitude forcing of climatic changes in the strong relationship between the ISM and ITF over orbital periods, providing a base for future investigations.     

Anomalous behaviour of uranium isotopes in coastal marine environment of the west coast of India

During the last few years, a remarkable anomaly between ²³⁸U and ²³⁴U activities has been observed in the top layers of the coastal sediments along the western region of the Indian sub-continent. Sediment samples from Bombay (19°N, 73°E) to Kottilppad (8°N, 77°E) were leached with saturated ammonium carbonate solution to extract uranium isotopes from the surface layers of the sediment particles without attacking the mineral cores. The ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios in these leachates are in the range of 1.12–1.14 while ²³⁵U/²³⁸U activity ratio is 0.046 which is the same as for other natural uranium.

The surface organic matter from the sediment particles was removed by treatment with hydrogen peroxide in presence of 0.05 M hydrochloric acid. ²³⁴U/²³⁸U and ²³⁵u/²³⁸U activity ratios in the extract and the residues were determined.

It is observed that disequilibrium between ²³⁸U and ²³⁴U exists only on the surface of sediment particles. ²³⁴U/²³⁸U on the surface of the sediment particles is the same as in the ambient water and as the surface organic matter is removed from the particle surface, the cores show equilibrium activities.     

华南扬子陆块成冰纪冰川作用的启动时限及其全球对比*

江口冰期和南沱冰期是华南地区引人注目的2次成冰纪冰川事件,但其确切启动时间及其全球对比关系仍未有定论。为此,对桂北地区成冰系(南华系)长安组底部和南沱组底部冰成杂砾岩开展了碎屑锆石U-Pb年代学研究。长安组碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄集中分布于958—717 Ma,显著峰值为720、753、805及848 Ma,最年轻一组 ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U 年龄的加权平均值为719.6±6.1 Ma,可解释为长安组最大沉积年龄;南沱组碎屑锆石U-Pb 年龄集中分布于987—649 Ma,显著峰值为650、720、753、779、803、823及848 Ma,最年轻一组 ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U 年龄的加权平均值为649.3±6.2 Ma,可解释为南沱组最大沉积年龄。结合已发表的相关年龄数据可知,江口冰期很可能启动于ca.715 Ma,与塔里木、阿拉伯—努比亚、劳伦等陆块的Sturtian冰川作用高度同步;南沱冰期的启动应晚于650 Ma,与西伯利亚、澳大利亚、劳伦等陆块的Marinoan冰川作用基本同步。另外,碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄谱与CL图像显示,长安组和南沱组的物质来源主要为下伏新元古界岩浆—沉积记录,揭示出冰川对下伏地层的强烈刨蚀作用和华南新元古代幕式构造岩浆热事件。扬子陆块成冰纪冰川刨蚀作用可能与Rodinia 超大陆“裂离”有关的强烈伸展活动存在联系,并可能持续至Marinoan 冰期结束。     

热带海南岛地表和地下化学风化：对全球碳循环及海水Sr 同位素演化研究的启示

热带地区火山岛/岛弧的化学风化对全球碳循环和海水的Sr同位素演化均有着重要的作用。文章对中国热带海南岛的玄武岩、花岗岩小流域和大河流域进行了河水、地下水、雨水以及基岩和沉积物的综合研究,分析了水样和固体样品的元素含量和Sr同位素比值。结果显示,河床沉积物的化学蚀变指数（CIA）与⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr之间存在着一定的变化关系,而这主要归因于沉积物的阶段性差异风化：风化早期阶段以黑云母占主导,⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr较高。此后斜长石开始风化,⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr逐渐下降。在风化程度中等阶段,斜长石大量分解后,各种富钾矿物风化加剧,⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr值升至最高点。在高风化程度阶段,随着富钾矿物逐渐减少,稳定的风化残余物质占据主导,⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr值逐渐下降。与年轻的活火山岛——加勒比海小安的列斯群岛和印度洋的留尼汪岛相比（其地下化学风化速率2~5倍于地表风化速率）,由于相对较低的降水量和老死火山低的孔隙度,海南岛地下水的流量和固溶物总量（TDS）要低的多,导致海南岛的地下化学风化速率低于地表风化速率,仅与高纬的俄罗斯堪察加活火山岛相近,为小安的列斯群岛和留尼汪岛的约6%~25%,属于全球地下风化贡献最低的区域之一。海南岛玄武岩区的地表化学风化和CO2消耗速率高于法国中央高原和西伯利亚,略低于夏威夷和德干,而显著小于东南亚的爪哇岛和 吕宋岛。在温度相近的条件下,径流量对化学风化速率有着非常明显的控制作用。由于较低的年径流量,热带区域的海南岛,其对大气CO₂的消耗能力只是处于一个全球平均的范围内。     

临夏盆地晚渐新世沉积物中坡缕石的发现及其环境气候意义

为揭示临夏盆地晚渐新世沉积物的矿物组成对环境气候的指示意义, 利用X射线衍射和扫描电子显微分析方法, 对临夏盆地晚渐新世的沉积物的矿物组成以及坡缕石的矿物学特征进行了深入的研究.结果表明, 沉积物中的坡缕石主要为自生成因, 极少量具有碎屑成因.自生成因的坡缕石呈细长丝状的形态特征, 往往沿片状的伊/蒙混层粘土矿物颗粒的边缘交代、生长;碎屑成因的坡缕石呈平直细纤维状的, 以单颗粒形式产出, 与细小的粘土矿物颗粒混杂, 或叠合在片状粘土矿物颗粒的表面.在临夏盆地晚渐新世沉积物中, 下段岩层中的粘土矿物组合为伊利石、伊/蒙混层粘土和高岭石;中段岩层的为伊利石、伊/蒙混层粘土;而上段岩层则为伊利石、伊/蒙混层粘土和绿泥石, 反映在盆地形成之后, 气候演化经历从湿润→冷干的变化过程.而沉积物中坡缕石的含量自下而上逐渐增多, 其分布特征与粘土矿物组合所反映的气候环境变化趋势相吻合.伊利石和伊/蒙混层粘土普遍存在于临夏盆地晚渐新世沉积物中, 伊利石、伊/蒙混层粘土和高岭石的共存表明这些粘土矿物具有不同的来源.坡缕石是干旱、半干旱地区泥灰岩风化以及风成沙漠尘土沉积物的特征矿物, 临夏盆地晚渐新世的沉积物中碎屑成因坡缕石的发现, 表明自~9Ma以来便出现风成黄土的沉积.      

Metapelites of the Valyukhta Formation as indicators of the Riphean residual weathering crust,Patom Highland

Bimodal metapelites of complex (sedimentary-epigenetic) origin were found at the base of the Upper Riphean Zhuya Group, which disconformably overlies the Lower-Middle Riphean Kadalikan Group. The substrate of these rocks is represented by relatively low-aluminous mudstones of the Valyukhta Formation, which bear evidence of physical disintegration replaced upsection by chemical decomposition. The altered mudstones compose a weathering crust with the typical fissure, clastic, rubble-grus (lithomarge), and fine-clastic (dispersed) zones. Rocks of the lithomarge zone are enriched in silica, which was removed from the dispersed zone during the formation of the chemical weathering crust. During partial erosion of this crust, detrital quartz and fine-dispersed (mature) clay material penetrated the fissured mudstones. The bulk of detrital quartz was precipitated in the lithomarge and clastic zones. Fine-dispersed clay matter was accumulated in lower parts of the fissure zone. Mudstones subjected to different-depth epigenetic alterations are transformed into sericite-bearing shales of in the fissure zone, quartz-bearing shales in the clastic zone, siliceous-quartz shales and clay-like siliceous-quartz rocks in the rubble-grus zone, and sericite phyllites in the fine-clastic zone. These rocks, developed after mudstones of the Valyukhta Formation, represent different-depth indicators of the weathering crust.     

On the stability of gold-silver alloys in the weathering environment

Thermodynamic analysis of the stability conditions for gold-silver solid solutions reveals that the silver component is unstable with respect to chlorargyrite and silver sulfate in most weathering environments. As a consequence supergene (secondary) gold and gold found in modern river placers (detrital and authigenic) tends to be pure. Impure, detrital placer gold is subject to natural purification processes as evidenced by silver depleted, spongey grain margins. In contrast, under hydrothermal conditions the silver content of primary gold can be controlled by equilibrium reactions with argentite.     

表生环境中镁同位素的地球化学循环

近些年表生环境中镁同位素分馏取得了一系列重要研究进展,这些新认识为深入理解表生环境中镁同位素地球化学循环奠定了基础。表生环境中镁同位素的地球化学循环主要涉及风化、河流搬运、碳酸盐沉淀、水岩反应等重要地质过程。风化过程中镁同位素发生显著分馏,硅酸盐风化产物中富集重的镁同位素,轻的镁同位素易进入水体。河流搬运过程中,镁同位素不发生分馏,但外源输入可能影响水体的镁同位素组成。河水汇入海洋后,碳酸盐沉淀过程可导致轻的镁同位素以碳酸盐的形式从海水中移出。在海底高温水岩反应过程中,海水中绝大多数的镁(80%~87%)都进入岩石,循环后的热液可能富集轻的镁同位素。海底低温水岩反应过程中海水的镁可以进入岩石并形成次生矿物,此过程的镁同位素分馏主要与次生矿物的形成有关。此外,海水中的镁易与黏土矿物发生交换反应,此过程黏土矿物倾向于吸附轻的镁同位素。总之,在表生环境中上地壳的镁(δ26Mg约为-0.22‰)经历风化作用、河流搬运、海洋贮存,最终以碳酸盐岩(δ26Mg一般小于-1‰)或与玄武岩发生反应的形式重新回到岩石圈。     

Constraints on paleowater dissolved loads and on catchment weathering over the past 16 ka from Sr/Sr ratios and Ca/Mg/Sr chemistry of freshwater ostracode tests in sediments of Lake Constance, Central Europe

Sr isotope and Ca/Mg/Sr chemical compositions of freshwater ostracode tests separated from a sediment core represent the last 16 ka of sedimentation in Lake Constance, Central Europe. The chemical evolution of the paleowater's dissolved load of Lake Constance was estimated by correcting the ostracode data for Ca/Mg/Sr fractionation due to biogenic calcification. Since the Late Pleistocene deglaciation, the Ca/Sr molar ratios of paleowaters increased systematically from about 100 (a near marine signature) to about 200. Ca/Mg molar ratios varied in the range of 1–25. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios indicate Late Pleistocene paleowater compositions of 0.7086–0.7091, significantly more radiogenic than present day waters (0.7085). Sr isotopes and Ca/Mg/Sr chemical data together show that weathering of Mesozoic evaporites consistently dominated the dissolved Sr load (80–90%). Carbonate and silicate weathering were less important (1–10%). Trends of Sr dissolved loads were therefore not related to Mg which was mainly mobilized by carbonate weathering. Biotite weathering was an important source of radiogenic Sr in the paleowaters. The short-term release (duration about 600–800 years) of radiogenic Sr during glacier retreat started 15.2 ka ago and was due to enhanced biotite weathering at the glacier base. Long-term release of radiogenic Sr was due to biotite weathering in glacial soils and silicate rocks, and has gradually declined since the Late Pleistocene/Holocene transition.     

Cosmogenic nuclide methods for measuring long-term rates of physical erosion and chemical weathering

Understanding the evolution of geochemical and geomorphic systems requires measurements of long-term rates of physical erosion and chemical weathering. Erosion and weathering rates have traditionally been estimated from measurements of sediment and solute fluxes in streams. However, modern sediment and solute fluxes are often decoupled from long-term rates of erosion and weathering, due to storage or re-mobilization of sediment and solutes upstream from the sampling point. Recently, cosmogenic nuclides such as ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al have become important new tools for measuring long-term rates of physical erosion and chemical weathering. Cosmogenic nuclides can be used to infer the total denudation flux (the sum of the rates of physical erosion and chemical weathering) in actively eroding terrain. Here we review recent work showing how this total denudation flux can be partitioned into its physical and chemical components, using the enrichment of insoluble tracers (such as Zr) in regolith relative to parent rock. By combining cosmogenic nuclide measurements with the bulk elemental composition of rock and soil, geochemists can measure rates of physical erosion and chemical weathering over 1000- to 10,000-year time scales.     

Mineral-groundwater interactions and the formation of authigenic kaolinite within the southeastern intake beds of the Great Australian (Artesian) Basin,New South Wales,Australia

Petrographic studies undertaken on samples from outcrops of the Jurassic Pilliga Sandstone intake beds in the extreme southeastern portion of the Great Australian Basin reveal an abundance of low birefringent clay material filling pore spaces and detrital grain fractures. Thin-section petrography and scanning electron microscopy indicate that much of this material is authigenic and X-ray diffraction studies show it to be essentially monomineralic, consisting of well-ordered kaolinite. Although the Pilliga Sandstone is quartz-rich, micrometric analysis indicates that potassium feldspar is present in quantities up to 20% of the total detrital material. Sporadic biotite mica is also present, constituting up to 3% of the detrital volume.Mechanisms for the formation of authigenic kaolinite are discussed in terms of chemical equilibrium and detrital mineral stability in aqueous systems. Chemical data from bore water and surface waters from this stratigraphic unit indicate that kaolinite is the major stable mineral phase in contact with these natural waters and that minerals such as potassium feldspar or mica would chemically alter to kaolinite. Such alteration of detrital mineral grains is supported by thin-section petrography and this mechanism is considered to be the source for the majority of the authigenic kaolinite observed.The hydrogeological characteristics of the Pilliga Sandstone intake beds are related to the extent of development of authigenic kaolinite.     

黄土高原黄土和红粘土~(10)Be地球化学特征

充分认识元素和同位素在不同环境条件下的地球化学行为,是运用元素和同位素示踪环境变化的前提。对来自于黄土高原的黄土、古土壤和红粘土样品的宇宙成因核素10Be测量和化学成分分析,以及各种化学淋溶实验表明：10Be主要以吸附状态赋存于粉尘沉积物粘粒矿物的表面,部分已结合进自生的粘土矿物中;在粉尘沉积物风化过程中10BC与9Be和Al的活动性相似,基本没有发生迁移,其原因是连续沉积的粉尘含有大量的碱性物质,阻止了10Be的解吸附和淋滤;沉积和风化作用导致了10Be浓度与化学指标在黄土－古土壤和红粘土剖面中的协同变化。