Geomorphic evidences of tectonic instability during the Late Quaternary Period along southern Saurashtra,western India

The coastal tract of southern Saurashtra has been studied for spectacular Miliolite Formation—its origin and depositional environment. The region had witnessed two moderate earthquakes of M_w 5.0 and 5.1 during 2007 and 2011. However, there have been limited studies which pronounce the geological and geomorphic evidences of neotectonics in southern Saurashtra. Also, there exists little to no information regarding the presence of faults from the region. The paper presents geological and geomorphic evidences of neotectonics from region between Somnath to Jafrabad, western India. A geospatial dataset was used to highlight the neotectonically active nature of the region, as well as support the claim with field evidences and drainage network anomalies. The morphometric parameters like longitudinal river profile, drainage basin asymmetry, and hypsometric integral suggest neotectonic activeness of the southern Saurashtra region. The southern Saurashtra coastal alluvial plains show presence of knick zone, ravines, coastal marine notches, and offset channels/ridges, which testifies the neotectonically active nature of the region. Presence of these features in Miliolites, Middle to Late Pleistocene age, suggests rejuvenation of the landscape post this period.     

Discontinuity surfaces and event stratigraphy of Okha Shell Limestone Member: Implications for Holocene sea level changes,western India

The Okha Shell Limestone Member of Chaya Formation is the coarse grained, shell rich deposit commonly recognized as the beach rocks. It has been age bracketed between Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Late Quaternary sea level changes have been studied with beach rocks along the Saurashtra coastal region. The present study has been carried out in the Okhamandal area of the Saurashtra peninsula especially on the Okha Shell Limestone Member as exposed at various locations along the coast from north to south. Temporal and spatial correlations of the observations have revealed three events in the Okha Shell Limestone Member of Chaya Formation that are correlated laterally. The events show depositional breaks represented by discontinuity surfaces, the taphofacies varieties and ichnological variations. The present study in the context of available geochrnological data of the region suggests a prominent depositional break representing low sea level stand (regression) during an Early Holocene during the deposition of Okha Shell Limestone Member.     

洞庭盆地两护村孔孢粉组合及其气候与地层意义

两护村ZKC1孔位于洞庭盆地安乡凹陷的东南部,孔内第四系(底部跨上新世)厚达294 m,为河流和湖泊沉积,自下而上依次为上新世—早更新世华田组、早更新世汨罗组、中更新世洞庭湖组、晚更新世坡头组以及全新统等。对ZKC1孔第四系进行了详细的孢粉分析,自下而上划分出16个孢粉组合带。ESR年龄和孢粉组合及其反映的气候特征指示华田组下段形成于上新世末。根据孢粉组合特征,结合构造—沉积演化和区域气候背景,重塑洞庭盆地上新世末以来的气候演化过程:上新世末期由孢粉带Ⅰ和Ⅱ指示具暖干气候。早更新世经历了凉干(孢粉带Ⅲ、Ⅳ)→暖湿间凉干(孢粉带Ⅴ～Ⅶ)→冷干间温湿(孢粉带Ⅷ～Ⅹ)→暖较湿(孢粉带Ⅺ,Ⅻ)的气候演变过程。中更新世早期无孢粉样品(洞庭湖组下部砾石层),其沉积环境暗示冷干气候条件;中期由孢粉带ⅩⅢ反映出暖稍湿的气候特征;晚期因构造抬升缺失沉积,同期湿热化事件指示暖湿气候。晚更新世早期缺乏沉积,据区域对比应为寒冷气候;中期由孢粉带ⅩⅣ指示温较湿的气候特征;晚期缺失沉积,系寒冷气候下区域海平面下降所致。全新世经历了暖稍湿(孢粉带ⅩⅤ)→暖稍干(孢粉带ⅩⅥ)的演变。上述气候演变过程与ZKC1孔化学蚀变指数曲线反映的气候演变过程以及中国东部第四纪气候演化基本吻合。以孔深140 m为界,上部孢粉数量显著高于下部,种属也更为丰富。这一变化很可能对应于一次重要的地质事件,其成因有待今后深入研究。     

第四纪洞庭盆地赤山隆起与安乡凹陷升降运动的沉积记录

通过地表地质调查和钻井资料,对第四纪洞庭盆地南部赤山隆起及其西侧安乡凹陷的沉积和地貌特征进行研究,进而探讨二者的升降过程。赤山隆起为居于洞庭盆地南部的小型抬升断块,主要受东、西边界正断裂所控制,长约18 km,宽4~5 km。隆起内早更新世汨罗组和中更新世新开铺组、白沙井组组成多级阶地。安乡凹陷内充填200~300 m厚的河流和湖泊相沉积,自下而上依次为早更新世华田组、汨罗组,中更新世洞庭湖组,晚更新世坡头组,全新世湖积、冲积等。地貌与沉积特征表明,早更新世—中更新世中期赤山隆起总体表现出抬升期与稳定期交替的脉动式抬升,而安乡凹陷则表现出缓慢与快速沉降交替的幕式沉降特征;前者构造较稳定期和构造抬升期分别对应于后者缓慢沉降期和快速沉降期。中更新世晚期二者因区域构造反转而整体抬升并遭受剥蚀。晚更新世—全新世安乡凹陷在拗陷背景下接受沉积。上述第四纪早期赤山隆起脉动式抬升与安乡凹陷幕式沉降的对应关系,为洞庭盆地与周边隆起的盆—山耦合过程提供了约束,同时暗示盆地断陷活动可能与地幔上隆导致中地壳物质自凹陷向周边迁移有关。     

化学风化指数和磁化率对洞庭盆地第四纪古气候变化的响应

在安乡凹陷东南部两护村新施工揭穿第四系的ZKC1孔,孔内第四系为河流和湖泊沉积,地层组成自下而上依次为上新世—早更新世华田组、早更新世汨罗组、中更新世早期—中期洞庭湖组、晚更新世坡头组以及全新统等。对钻孔岩心进行了系统的主量元素及磁化率分析,进而从陆相沉积物化学风化指数(CWI)与温度和湿度正相关、磁化率与温度和湿度负相关的理论出发,探讨洞庭盆地第四纪气候演变。结合其他资料,CWI曲线特征指示洞庭盆地第四纪气候演变过程:早更新世为冷干→暖湿→冷干→暖湿,中更新世为冷干→暖湿→冷干—温湿→暖湿,晚更新世为寒冷→温湿→寒冷,全新世总体为温湿-暖湿。这一结论与ZKC1孔孢粉组合特征反映的气候演变过程及中国东部第四纪气候演化基本吻合,说明沉积物CWI对第四纪气候演变具有较好的响应。变化曲线及相关系数(-0.32)表明磁化率值与CWI值呈较明显的负相关,暗示温度和湿度对磁化率具有明显的控制作用。但可能受盆地升降等因素的影响叠加,磁化率曲线未能如CWI一样明确反映出第四纪气候的阶段性变化。     

第四纪洞庭盆地安乡凹陷及西缘构造-沉积特征与环境演化

通过地表观察和钻孔资料,对洞庭盆地安乡凹陷及其西缘第四纪构造沉积特征和环境演化进行了研究,为江汉—洞庭盆地第四纪地质研究补充了新的资料。凹陷总体呈南北向,周边为正断裂。凹陷内第四系厚一般为100-220 m,最厚达300 m,自下而上依次为早更新世华田组、汨罗组,中更新世洞庭湖组,晚更新世坡头组和全新世湖冲积。第四系以砾石层、砂层为主,次为（含）粉砂质黏土、黏土,岩性、岩相横向变化大。安乡凹陷西缘（即太阳山隆起东缘）,呈自西向东缓倾的丘岗地貌。区内主要发育中更新世白沙井组,其中南部下部以砂、砾石层为主,上部为黏土;北部以粉砂质黏土沉积为主,下部可发育砂层。根据地貌、沉积及控凹断裂特征,重塑安乡凹陷及其西缘第四纪构造活动与环境演化过程：早更新世—中更新世早期,凹陷西边的北北东向周家店断裂伸展活动,安乡凹陷不均匀沉降,总体具河流和过流性湖泊环境并接受沅水沉积;同期凹陷西缘构造抬升,处于剥蚀的山地环境。中更新世中期断陷活动向西扩展,凹陷区为过流性湖泊环境;凹陷西缘地区转为河流（南部）和湖泊（北部）环境并接受沉积。中更新世晚期安乡凹陷及其西缘整体抬升并遭受剥蚀,凹陷西缘同时具有自西向东的掀斜。晚更新世安乡凹陷拗陷沉降,具河流和湖泊环境;同期凹陷西缘遭受剥蚀。晚更新世末受区域海平面下降影响,安乡凹陷遭受剥蚀。全新世安乡凹陷拗陷沉降,具泛滥平原之河流、湖泊环境。     

广东雷州半岛晚渐新世—早更新世孢粉共存因子分析及古气候变化重建

广东省雷州半岛新生代钻孔ZKA01揭露的地层序列自下向上为渐新统涠洲组、中新统下洋组、角尾组、灯楼角组、上新统望楼港组、下更新统湛江组和中更新统北海组,涠洲组—望楼港组为滨浅海沉积,湛江组和北海组为陆相河湖相沉积。本文在ZKA01钻孔地层中自下向上88个层位中获取的29311粒孢粉化石的81个属中,选取了常见的种子植物花粉种属42个,通过共存因子分析法,定量重建了研究区晚渐新世—早更新世的古气候参数,划分出晚渐新世—早中新世(25~17 Ma)、中中新世(17~13.5 Ma)、晚中新世—上新世初期(13.5~4 Ma)和上新世—早更新世(4~1.5 Ma)4个气候演化阶段。孢粉共存因子定量法重建的研究区晚渐新世—早更新世4个阶段的古气候变化过程能较好地与全球气候变化的趋势相匹配,晚渐新世—早中新世温度降低的时间拐点大致可与Mi1a气候变冷事件相吻合。中中新世可以与中中新世气候适宜期(MMCO)相对应,表现为炎热潮湿的气候特征。中中新世晚期的气温是下降的,在一定程度上响应了Mi3中中新世气候变冷事件。     

Uplifted crust in parts of western India

During northward movement of the Indian sub-continent, after its breakup from the Gondwanaland in the Late Cretaceous, the western part of India traversed over the Reunion plume. The Saurashtra peninsula and the Cambay Basin are two important geological regions in this part. Two and half dimensional density models, based on the crustal seismic structure, were generated to establish a relationship between these two regions. These models indicate that the crust is 32–33 km thick in the eastern Saurashtra and the northern part of the Cambay Basin. The shallower crust is in a triangular region formed by the extension of the western limb of the Proterozoic Aravalli trend in Saurashtra, its eastern limb and the Narmada fault in the south. Compared to 36–37 km thick crust to the west and 38–40 km to the east of this region the crust in the above triangular region is uplifted by 4 to 6 km. This uplift took place either after the deposition of Mesozoic sediments or was concomitant with the rise of Reunion plume prior to the extrusion of the Deccan volcanics as the region was close to the axis of the plume.     

Late Triassic sauropodomorph and Middle Jurassic theropod tracks from the Xichang Basin,Sichuan Province,southwestern China:First report of the ichnogenus Carmelopodus

Upper Triassic and Middle Jurassic strata of the Xichang Basin in Sichuan Province, southwestern China, yielded important dinosaur ichnofossils. From the Xujiahe Formation of the Yiguojiao tracksite, we report a Late Triassic footprint assemblage in China and the first discovery of diagnostic Triassic sauropodomorph tracks in this region. The tracks share a number of features in common with the ichnogenera Eosauropus(Late Triassic) and Liujianpus(Early Jurassic). The neighboring Bingtu tracksite is stratigraphically younger(Shaximiao Formation, Middle Jurassic) and preserves small tridactyl theropod tracks that represent the first occurrence of the ichnotaxon Carmelopodus in China and Asia. While these tracks are morphologically comparable to those from the Middle Jurassic type locality in North America, the specimens from China show the proximal margin of the digit IV impression in a more cranial position, which may indicate a trackmaker with a relatively short metatarsal IV. In addition to the skeletal record, the Carmelopodus footprints document the presence of small theropods in the dinosaur fauna of the Middle Jurassic Shaximiao Formation.     

松嫩平原东部中、晚更新世地层界限：光释光年龄及元素变化

松辽平原东部受第四纪差异性构造活动影响,形成特殊的更新世沉积地层。由于第四纪划分方案和地域差异,松辽平原东部中、晚更新世界限仍处于不确定状态。通过黑龙江省方正剖面的研究、中更新统顶部(149.6±10.4) ka光释光年龄和主要氧化物、微量元素、稀土元素分析以及区域剖面对比,认为将松辽盆地东缘中、晚更新世的界限年龄置于140 ka更适合地层实际情况。中更新世地层以河湖相、河流相和洪积相沉积物为主,完整的晚更新世地层应该包括下部的沼泽漫滩相黏土、亚黏土和上部亚砂土、黄土沉积。黑龙江省荒山剖面哈尔滨组下部可能由于相变而缺少沼泽漫滩相的沉积物。方正剖面与榆树东岗组剖面地层可以对比。中、晚更新世沉积环境发生了明显变化,主要氧化物、微量元素和稀土元素含量在中、晚更新世的地层界限处都发生了明显的突变。     

滇西北丽江盆地的第四纪地层与古环境

通过野外观测和室内分析，根据新发现的哺乳动物化石材料与抱粉分析资料，对滇西北丽江盆地的第四系进行了较详细的划分，拟定了其地质时代，讨论了其沉积相与形成时期的古环境。     

澜沧江南带三叠纪火山岩岩石学、地球化学特征、Ar-Ar年代学研究及其构造意义

滇西三江地区澜沧江南带广泛发育三叠纪火山岩。在北部云县一带,中晚三叠世火山岩出露齐全,自下而上可划分为中三叠统忙怀组(T₂m),上三叠统小定西组(T₃x)和上三叠统芒汇河组(T₃mh)。忙怀组以酸性火山岩为主,为一套流纹岩夹火山碎屑岩组合;小定西组发育为中基性火山熔岩夹火山碎屑岩;芒汇河组具有流纹质火山碎屑岩与玄武岩共存的"双峰式"火山岩特征。地球化学特征表明,南澜沧江带三叠纪火山岩具有弧火山岩与大陆板内火山岩的双重属性,推测其形成环境为过渡型的大陆边缘造山带环境。对南澜沧江带南部景洪附近采集到的石英安山岩样品进行Ar-Ar年龄测试,得到的坪年龄为236.7±2.2Ma,为中三叠世。结合火山岩年代学结果,推测澜沧江洋主碰撞期为早三叠世,中三叠世与晚三叠世早期分别为碰撞后的应力松弛阶段与洋盆继续俯冲期,到晚三叠世末期,俯冲作用结束,澜沧江洋关闭。     

Character, Age and Ecology of the Hezheng Biota from Northwestern China

1 Introduction In recent years, field works in the Hezheng area resulted in an explosive growth of new knowledge of Chinese mammalian faunas of the Late Cenozoic. A continuous sedimentary sequence from the Oligocene to the Pleistocene is developed and exposed in the Linxia Basin, Gansu Province, which contains a large number of mammal fossils. The Hezheng area comprises almost the whole Hezheng County, the western half of Guanghe County, the southern half of Dongxiang County, Linxia C…     

长春市南湖-桑家窝堡断层特征及活动性研究

南湖-桑家窝堡断层是一条穿越长春市区的北西向隐伏活动断层,该断层对长春地区的地壳稳定性影响较大。利用高分辨率遥感信息解译、探地雷达探测、浅层人工地震勘探和钻孔联合剖面探测等资料,并结合第四纪沉积物的ESR 年龄测定资料,讨论了南湖-桑家窝堡断层的空间展布和运动特征。南湖-桑家窝堡断层沿逯家窝堡、后三家子、南湖公园、长春公园、桑家窝堡、大合隆一线展布,断层产状为45°∠65°,断层线较平直。在断层西北端大合隆一带,南湖-桑家窝堡断层错断了上白垩统嫩江组( K2n) 岩层,并在嫩江组岩层顶部沿断层形成了侵蚀沟谷,但没有错断早更新世和中更新世地层。在断层东南端的逯家窝堡附近,南湖-桑家窝堡断层错断了白垩纪泉头组( Kq) 岩层,但没有错断中更新世和晚更新世地层。南湖-桑家窝堡断层形成于中生代末期,第四纪早期曾经活动,活动方式以左旋走滑运动为主,第四纪中更新世以来断层没有明显的活动迹象。     

呼包盆地第四纪地层与环境演化*

通过对呼包盆地钻孔岩芯进行系统的岩石学、年代学和孢粉带的分析,综合盆地已有的研究成果,并与邻区对比,划分了盆地第四纪地层单位,同时探讨了河套古湖泊在第四纪的演化特征。结果为:1)剖面存在两个假整合接触面(Q₁/Q₂和Q₂/Q₃),可划分为4个沉积旋回,7个孢粉带。2)剖面第四纪地层从下至上依次可划分下更新统(1070±150~844±126kaB.P.)、中更新统沟子板组(520±78~271±40kaB.P.)、上更新统萨拉乌苏组和城川组(108.7±7.8~14.80±1.03kaB.P.),以及全新统。3)河套盆地在第四纪存在4个古湖泊发育时期,即早更新世(80.0~107.0万年或更早),湖盆处于强氧化环境;中更新世早期(43.0~45.1万年),湖盆氧化强度降低;中更新世晚期(19.2~38.5万年),湖盆处于强烈的还原环境;晚更新世(2.4~11.3万年),湖盆处于还原环境。其间隔期为湖泊消亡或大规模萎缩时期,意味着盆地停止下降甚至处于上升隆起的剥蚀状态。     

Quaternary glaciation of the North Slope of Karakorum mountains

Three kinds of moraines can be found in the Muztagh valley on the N slope of Mount K2, Karakorum: an old calco-cement moraine lying at the altitude of 5000 m asl, a hilly moraine lying at the altitude of 4200–4800 m asl and a new lateral moraine, lying on both sides of the present river valley. According to the moraines’ geomorphology, they are referred to the Middle Pleistocene Glaciation, the Late Pleistocene Glaciation and the Post-Glacial Period respectively. The lowest level of glacial cirques at 4200–4000 m asl, corresponding to the largest Glaciation, belongs to the Middle Pleistocene (Riss). The ancient cirques at this altitude in the Shaksgam and Yargand valleys are poorly preserved while at the piedmont of the West Kunlun mountains they are represented in better shape. This means that these ancient cirques had been submerged and almost removed by the main ice flow of the valleys. Old cirques, however, are well shaped (or reshaped) where associated with younger cirques at 4600 m als; they could be considered as the product of the Last Glaciation (Würm). Thus, the equilibrium line altitude (ELA) decreased to 1600 m during the Riss Glaciation and to 1000 m during the Würm Glaciation. On the basis of the ELA decrease and existence of complex morainic deposits found at the piedmont of the West Kunlun mountains at about 2200 m asl, the author adheres to the opinion that Riss Glaciation had developed an ice cover (ice sheet), with the central ice area located in Karakorum and reaching up to the high peaks of the Kunlun mountains, and down to the piedmont region. During the Last Glaciation an immense ice cap covered the upper parts of the Shaksgam and Yarkant valleys. The paper also deals with the relations between glaciations and tectonic uplift, indicating that topographic and climatic conditions were favourable for the large-scale ice development in the Middle and Late Pleistocene. The uplift may have reached 600–800 m during the Postglacial period. The uplift rates are often reflected by the glaciostatic in the Postglacial Age.     

山东长山列岛黄土沉积磁组构特征及意义

本文对长山列岛的砣矾岛离石黄土和马兰黄土，及其以北大钛岛和以南南长山岛的马兰黄土等的沉积磁组构作了对比和分析，证明研究区离石黄土不是纯风尘沉积，至少本文所研究的剖面段不是风尘沉积，而是洪坡积，其沉积物质可能主要是当地红土风化壳物质被流水搬运来的；马兰黄土虽是风尘沉积，但物源与我国内陆黄土有明显区别，前者主要是低海面时期被风从附近搬运来的。     

关于如年各组的新认识

分布于炉霍-道孚断裂带的如年各组为一套深海环境形成的构造变形强烈的含硅质岩复理石沉积,与大量的蛇绿岩残片和古生界灰岩等外来岩块共存,具有基质、原地岩块和外来岩块共存的沉积-构造混杂特征,时代可限制在中三叠世拉丁期-晚三叠世诺利期.为了与理塘蛇绿岩群及金沙江蛇绿岩群相对比,将其更名为如年各岩群.     

洞庭盆地两护村孔重矿物特征及其对第四纪构造活动与环境演变的响应

第四纪洞庭盆地主体自西向东分为安乡凹陷、赤山隆起和沅江凹陷等3个次级构造单元。在安乡凹陷东南部两护村新施工揭穿第四系的ZKC1孔,其地层组成自下而上依次为早更新世华田组、汨罗组,中更新世早期—中期洞庭湖组,晚更新世坡头组以及全新统等。对钻孔岩芯进行了系统的重矿物分析,进而根据特征重矿物来源和含量变化,结合钻孔岩性和岩相变化以及区域地质和地理背景,探讨洞庭盆地南部早—中更新世沉积环境暨河湖变迁以及构造沉降过程。研究表明,洞庭盆地存在幕式断陷活动,早更新世早期、早更新世末期和中更新世中—后期等3个时期强烈断陷沉降,相对湖平面上升,来源于盆地南缘中段的资江河水部分向西注入安乡凹陷,导致ZKC1孔华田组下段下部、汨罗组顶部、洞庭湖组上段等相应层位中的锆石、金红石、锐钛矿和菱铁矿等(主要来源于资江流域)含量显著增高。其它时期断陷作用较弱,河湖水位低,沅水和资江分别沿其主水道于赤山隆起西侧和东侧向北汇入长江,导致ZKC1孔相应沉积层位中锆石、金红石、锐钛矿和菱铁矿的含量明显偏低。对重矿物特征指数变化与孢粉和化学蚀变指数所反映的气候变化的相关性研究,暗示上述3次相对湖平面上升的主要原因不是降水增加,而是构造沉降增强。     

北山红石山地区晚古生代火山岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄及其构造意义

北山地区古亚洲洋的闭合时间和晚古生代构造演化倍受关注且久有争议.晚古生代地层及其接触关系对探讨以上问题具有重要意义,但该区地层学研究薄弱,很大程度上制约了对构造演化的深入讨论.本文获得的北山红石山地区上古生界“下石炭统绿条山组、白山组”和“下二叠统双堡塘组”火山岩的LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄,分别为296.8±3.5Ma、314.9±3.3Ma和299.4±5.9Ma,时代为晚石炭世-早二叠世,相当于北山地区干泉组层位.原“白山组”与“双堡塘组”之间的平行不整合不成立,表明石炭纪-二叠纪为同期裂谷盆地.原“绿条山组”与中泥盆统的角度不整合实为干泉组与中泥盆统的角度不整合,代表了古亚洲洋的闭合与增生造山时间发生在中泥盆世与早石炭世之间.