Fractionation of platinum group elements in upper mantle: Evidence from peridotite xenoliths from Wangqing

The peridotite xenoliths from Wangqing display a downward-concave PGE pattern with Pt at maximum due to Pt-Pd fractionation, which is different from the flat or negatively sloped patterns commonly observed for worldwide peridotite xenoliths and massifs. Taking into account the difference in partition coefficients of Pt and Pd between alloy and sulfide melt, it is suggested that some of the Wangqing peridotites must have been equilibrated with a melt in which alloy and sulfide coexisted. Segregation of Pt-rich alloy from Pd-sulfide melts due to density contrast and extraction of residual melts without sulfide saturation resulted in the fractionation of Pt from Pd. Project supported by the Ministry of Human Affairs and a part of an international collaboration program between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS, France), and Australian Institute of Nuclear Sciences and Engineering (AINSE) grant to SJR.     

帕米尔－兴都库什地区中源地震的空间分布和震源机制解特征

利用国际地震中心（ISC）提供的1964至2003年的高精度地震资料,给出了帕米尔－兴都库什地区中源地震带更完整、更明确的几何形态.兴都库什中源地震带（H带）和帕米尔中源地震带（P带）的倾向和最大深度沿走向有变化,可以进一步划分为HW段（H带西段）、HE段（H带东段）、PSW段（P带西南段）、PM段（P带中段）和PNE段（P带东北段）.H带在170～190 km 深度附近存在地震空区,其下方地震带的倾角明显大于上方,接近垂直.同时,空区下方的地震带沿东西方向成连续的倒“V"字形,两个分支的交角接近垂直.西段分支属于HW段,较浅,没有双层结构;东段分支属于HE段,较深,有双层结构.中源地震的震源机制解规律明显.兴都库什地区主要以近垂直的T轴和近水平的垂直于地震带走向的P轴为特征.帕米尔地区的震源机制解由西南到东北逐渐由P轴近水平并沿地震带走向,转变为B轴近水平并沿走向,直至T轴近水平并沿走向.同时,P轴方向由西向东逐渐转为恒定地与地震带的走向相垂直.最后,我们讨论了这一地区地震活动可能的动力学成因.     

Fluids double-fracturing genetic mechanism and mineralization of gold-copper of the breccia pipe at Qibaoshan in Shandong Province

After studying the characteristics and special texture of the fluidogenous tectonics, mineral assemblage in the cemented vein between breccia and their special distribution, and stress analyzing the joint structures in and around the breccia pipe, it is found that the observed phenomena are caused by a new tectonic dynamic mechanics of fluid—double-fracturing caused by temperature and pressure of fluids and pulsating expansion. Under the actions of thermal stress and the pressure of fluids, thermal cracks and joints that developed along parts of the thermal cracks formed systematically in the rocks. Under these conditions, up-arching fracture zones that pulsatively expanded upward and cylindrical pressing breccia body were formed. Rocks at the peak of the pyramidal fractures zone break down instantly. Where the difference between pressure of fluids and the overburden pressure exceeded greatly the competence of the rocks, fluid junctions occurred and the velocity of the fluid flow increased as a result. Explosive body expanded upward in the shape of an inverse cone, cone-like explosive breccia body and cover-like shattering breccia body located on the upper part of the breccia pipe were ultimately formed. Gold-rich fluids were enriched and mineralized near the boiling surface in the lower part of the inverse cone-like explosive breccia body where temperature and pressure decreased rapidly, while copper-rich fluids were enriched and mineralized in the junction area where temperature and pressure were relatively high.     

Spatial damage distribution of August 16,2003,Inner Mongolia,China,M_S=5.9 earth-quake and analysis

Introduction The ground motion is generally estimated by attenuation relation in seismic hazard assesment.The attenuation relation is usually the function of earthquake magnitude and distance.Actually the focal mechanism and other source parameters may also have significant impacts on the ground motion,especially in the near-source region.Recent post-earthquake investigations show that the damages have close relation with the closest fault-plane distance.On August16,2003,a MS=5.9earthquake o…     

Statistical distribution of natural fractures and the possible physical generating mechanism

We have fitted field measurements of fracture spacings (from the vicinity of Lake Strom Thurmond, Georgia, U.S.A.) to the Weibull, Schuhmann and fractal distributions. The fracture spacings follow a fractal and Weibull distribution which implies that they were formed as a result of a repetitive fragmentation process. The limited variation of the fracture density with orientation in the study area suggests that the stress distribution generating these fractures may be uniform.     

基于重力资料的南海及邻区断裂分布特征研究

断裂构造作为重力异常一个非常重要的解释成果,它与能源和矿产资源勘查、构造单元划分和大地构造分区有着密切的联系.有些地质界线以断裂为界,有些能源或矿产资源与断裂伴生.本文利用重力异常,采用归一化总水平导数垂向导数（NVDR-THDR）断裂识别方法推断了南海及邻区主要断裂平面分布位置,首次采用重力异常曲率属性方法反演了南海及邻区主要断裂视深度.在南海及邻区推断断裂57条,其中一级断裂14条,二级断裂43条;断裂走向以NE和NW向为主,其次为NEE、NWW和NNE向以及NNW、EW和近SN向;一级断裂长度大部分为600~1400 km,二级断裂长度大部分为400~900 km;断裂视深度约为2~10 km,其中一级断裂视深度大部分为2~10 km,二级断裂视深度大部分为2~8 km.该研究成果可以为南海及邻区油气勘探、矿产资源勘探以及基础地质研究提供依据.

     

琼北火山群形成的动力学机制及地震现象的新认识

分析世界火山分布图发现琼北火山群分布在一南北向的火山带上,应用有限元方法模拟计算了双俯冲作用下海南岛所在雷琼\|越东火山带的形成机制,结合海南岛精确定位的地震数据和形变观测结果,认为琼北地区可能存在岩墙侵入或张性断裂膨胀,并根据地震数据模拟分析了岩墙侵入对区域应力场及形变的影响.琼北地区精确地震（2000~2006）定位结果表明地震主要集中在一个垂直面上,并且地震带两端有分叉现象.通过地震时空分布特征推测存在岩墙侵入,并通过数值模拟很好地解释了琼北地区地震的分布特征（狗骨头状）以及地表垂向形变东升西降的特征.     

川滇地区7级大震前中强震震源机制变化

分析了 70年代以来 ,川滇地区发生的 8次 7级大震前 5年内 ,发生在大震孕震区和震源区内的中强震震源机制解时空分布。结果表明 ,最早中强震发生在大震震源区或其附近 ,其发震应力场与区域构造应力场一致 ,与大多数大震发震应力场一致或接近。大多数中强震震源破裂特征与大震明显不同。之后有多次中强震发生在距大震震源区较远的大震孕震区内其他地方 ,它们的发震应力场往往经历了与区域构造应力场和大震应力场一致与不一致的多次交替变化。大震前最后 1个中强震也发生在距大震震源区较近的地方 ,其发震应力场与大震发震应力场明显不一致 ,偏转了 30°～ 5 0° ,或更多 ,大多数也与区域构造应力场不一致 ,有的中强震发震断裂破裂特征与大震不一致。大震前中强震震源机制的变化 ,反映了大震孕育过程的不同阶段 ,区域构造应力场的时空调整变化和增强过程 ,以及由此引发的构造断裂异常活动 ,揭示出与大震发生有关的应力场和震源破裂特征信息     

Subcellular distribution of trace elements in the liver of sea turtles

Subcellular distribution of Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Mo, Ag, Cd and Pb was determined in the liver of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) from Yaeyama Islands, Japan. Also, hepatic cytosol from sea turtles was applied on a Sephadex G-75 column and elution profiles of trace elements were examined. Copper, Zn, Se, Rb, Ag and Cd were largely present in cytosol in the liver of both species, indicating that cytosol was the significant site for the accumulation of these elements in sea turtles. In contrast, Mo and Pb were accumulated specifically in nuclear and mitochondrial fraction and microsomal fraction, respectively. Gel filtration analysis showed that Cu, Zn, Ag and Cd were bound to metallothionein (MT) in the cytosol of sea turtles. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the association of trace elements with MT in sea turtles.     

Progress in optical dating of guano-rich sediments associated with the Deep Skull, West Mouth of the Great Cave of Niah, Sarawak, Borneo

The West Mouth of the Great Cave of Niah is one of the major archaeological sites in Southeast Asia; the radiocarbon chronology of this site currently places the earliest presence of Homo sapiens (a Deep Skull find) in Southeast Asia at about 45 ka BP. An optical dating programme using sand-sized quartz was initiated in the West Mouth to complement the radiocarbon chronology. This paper reports on the progress in dating a key sample (sample 376r) that was taken from deposits containing the Deep Skull. A somewhat novel procedure was developed to separate and clean quartz grains from the unusual guano-rich deposits. From this, only a small quantity of quartz grains could be recovered and 36 aliquots (1 mm in diameter) were prepared, each consisting of 80 grains. This sample was dated by means of the single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) method using the protocols of Murray and Wintle [2000. Luminescence dating of quartz using an improved single-aliquot regenerative-dose protocol. Radiation Measurements 32, 57–73], and of Choi et al. [2003. Luminescence dating of well-sorted marine terrace sediments on the southeastern coast of Korea. Quaternary Science Reviews 22, 407–421]. The results showed a wide distribution of equivalent doses; this distribution is inferred to be due to bioturbation, variable bleaching at deposition, and to local variations in the dose rate within the sample site. Dose rates were measured using both field (in-situ γ-ray spectrometry, IGRS) and laboratory (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry/atomic emission spectrometry, ICP-MS/AES; and isotope dilution, ID) methods. There was significant disagreement between the concentrations of radioisotopes found using laboratory and field measurements, indicating sediment heterogeneity and also possible disequilibrium in the ²³⁸U decay chain. Future work in the West Mouth should therefore concentrate on taking sediment samples of at least 500–600 cm³, improving the dose rate estimates (e.g. by high-resolution γ-ray spectrometry) and investigating other luminescence signals (e.g. red thermoluminescence) as potential geochronometers.