The ecology of benthic foraminifera across the Frisian Front, southern North Sea

Benthic foraminifera were collected across the Frisian Front, a biologically enriched transition-zone with high organic matter content below a tidal-mixing front in the southern North Sea. On four occasions between 2002 and 2005, box-cores from different hydrographic regimes (i.e. tidally mixed, frontal and stratified) at depths between 30- and 45-m deep were sampled. The results indicate that standing stocks and foraminiferal diversity are higher in the central zone of the Frisian Front than further away from the frontal zone. Most of the abundant species occupy a specific zone relative to the front's central position. Elphidium excavatum is abundant at the southern edge of the Frisian Front, where input of labile organic matter is high and physical disturbance (i.e. resuspension of fine-grained material) is relatively frequent. Ammonia tepida and Quinqueloculina spp. dominate at the front's center where organic carbon input is relatively high. Hopkinsina pacifica has its highest abundances at the deepest, northerly boundary of the front, and Eggerella scabra dominates the deeper, seasonally stratified Oyster Grounds north of the front. Differences in seasonal distribution patterns were minor compared to spatial patterns. Depth distributions varied between summer (more ‘epifaunal’ distribution) and winter (vertically more evenly distributed). The latter suggests that the vertical distribution of foraminifera is governed by the arrival of fresh organic matter at the seafloor in spring and summer. A comparison with foraminiferal abundances across the Frisian Front in 1988/1989 reveals that total abundances and distribution of the most abundant species were similar in both data sets, despite a macrobenthic regime shift at the Frisian Front in the early 1990s. The decoupled dynamics of foraminifera and macrofauna suggests that foraminifera reflect reliably the hydrodynamic environment (stratified, frontal, mixed), despite the changed macrofaunal community and its physical and geochemical consequences.     

Tectonostratigraphy and sedimentary architecture of rift basins, with reference to the northern North Sea

A tectonostratigraphic model for the evolution of rift basins has been built, involving three distinct stages of basin development separated by key unconformities or unconformity complexes. The architecture and signature of the sediment infill for each stage are discussed, with reference to the northern North Sea palaeorift system. The proto-rift stage describes the rift onset with either doming or flexural subsidence. In the case of early doming, a proto-rift unconformity separates this stage from the subsequent main rift stage. Active stretching and rotation of fault blocks during the rift stage is terminated by the development of the syn-rift unconformity. Where crustal separation is accomplished, a break-up unconformity commonly marks the boundary to the overlying thermal relaxation or post-rift stage. Tabular architectures, thickening across relatively steep faults, characterize the proto-rift stage. Syn-rift architectures are much more variable. Depending on the ability of the sediment supply to fill the waxing and waning accommodation created during rotation and subsidence, one-, two- or three-fold lithosome architectures are likely to develop. During the post-rift stage, an early phase with coarse clastic infilling of remnant rift topography often precedes late stage widening of the basin and filling with fine-grained sediments.     

The 1984 North Sea conference: A preview

The author outlines the background to the decision to hold an international conference on the protection of the North Sea, and reviews the results that may realistically be expected. He explores the possibilities of achieving progress in pollution control in relation to the discharge of substances from land-based sources; discharges at sea; atmospheric pollution; and the monitoring of coastal waters and the high sea.     

北黄海BS24岩芯稀土元素地球化学与重矿物组成对北黄海晚全新世沉积演化过程的指示意义

北黄海泥质区具有地理位置独特、陆源物质供应丰富、沉积环境复杂等特点,为了更好地理解全球变化背景下对北黄海“源-汇”过程的影响,对北黄海泥质区边缘BS24岩芯沉积物进行了AMS14C测年、粒度、黏土粒级稀土元素和重矿物组成特征分析,以判识沉积物的来源、沉积环境特征,并进一步探讨北黄海的沉积演化过程。研究表明,BS24岩芯轻重稀土元素具有明显分异,稀土元素的球粒陨石标准化配分曲线右倾,轻稀土元素富集,重稀土元素亏损,上陆壳标准化的δEu和δCe无明显异常。稀土元素的变化趋势较为一致,以170 cm为界,上段波动幅度较大,下段含量相对稳定。岩芯中共鉴定出30种重矿物,以黑云母(37.46%)和自生黄铁矿(22.39%)最为常见,辉石和氧化铁矿物及不稳定矿物含量低。黏土粒级及极细砂组分特征指示,BS24岩芯晚全新世以来主要接受黄河物质的沉积。BS24岩芯自生黄铁矿含量的变化可能指示了北黄海冷水团强度的变化。650 cal. a BP以来,北黄海冷水团强度增强,自生黄铁矿含量降低;650～1 560 cal. a BP期间,研究区处于还原环境,北黄海冷水团强度减弱,营造的缺乏对流性环境为自生黄铁矿的富集提供了有利条件。     

The petroleum geology of the Unst Basin, North Sea

The Unst Basin is situated in the northern North Sea between the East Shetland Basin and the Shetland Isles. The basin is essentially a three-armed, Permo-Triassic fault-controlled basin containing up to 3600 m of red-beds. This is overlain by a westerly thickening Jurassic and early Cretaceous sequence, the stratigraphy of which is very similar to that of the East Shetland Basin. In particular, the Brent Group (140 m), Humber Group (685 m) and Cromer Knoll Group (300 m) are well represented.As a result of Laramide uplift of the area, the thick Upper Cretaceous and Palaeocene strata of the East Shetland Basin are absent from the Unst Basin. This uplift resulted in substantial erosion within the Unst Basin providing the major source for Palaeocene sands in the Viking Graben and the Faeroes Basin. Late Palaeocene and younger Tertiary strata transgress westwards across this erosion surface.Petroleum exploration within the basin culminated in the drilling of two exploration wells. These wells encountered potential reservoir and source rocks in the Jurassic section. However, geochemical analyses indicate these source rocks are immature for hydrocarbon generation within the Unst Basin. It is concluded that the Unst Basin has a low petroleum potential.     

南海现代沉积地质学的若干问题

本文根据大量实际调查资料,从地质学和海洋沉积学角度,论述南海现代沉积地质学7方面的规律问题,获得初步认识是:(1) 沉积物有8种沉积成因类型,5种沉积环境和相,及具有3次海退、海进旋回的沉积演化模式;(2) 沉积成因类型以陆源碎屑和生物源为主;(3) 生物沉积是判别沉积环境和相的重要标志。沉积物粒度特征,是反映主要水动力作用的可靠标志;(4) 海洋有用砂矿物和锰结核的沉积,受沉积成因类型和沉积环境所控制。