中国大陆古地震研究的关键技术与案例解析(4)——古地震定年技术的样品采集和事件年代分析

古地震资料要在地震中长期预报和地震危险性评估中发挥更重要的作用,关键在于减小古地震研究中的不确定性,古地震发生年代的确定是最大限度减小不确定性的关键因素之一。要得到尽可能接近真实的古地震事件年代,除正确地选择测年方法外,正确的采样方法和事件年代确定技术尤为关键。在几种主要测年技术中,优先采集碳十四(14C)测年样品、释光样品采集搬运过程有充分"退火"条件的物质、铍十(10Be)样品应采集各种干扰因素较少的样品、依据构造运动属性选择适宜的采样位置、用序列样品限制事件年代等,是正确采集测定事件年代样品的技术要点;用地层年代限制的事件发生年代宜用区间值、有多个可信样品年龄值时应用年轻样品的年代数据,是确定单一地点事件发生年代的基本原则;而包括逐次限定法、Z统计法、年龄分布曲线重叠法、事件窗法、年龄分布曲线权重重叠法在内的时间对比法,以及空间对比法是断层或断层段多个测年地点事件年代估计的主要分析方法。     

水成沉积物回授光释光测年可行性初探

通过对滹沱河冲洪积物、阳原盆地湖相地层细颗粒石英天然热转移光释光(TT-OSL)信号测量、回授剂量恢复测试以及简单多片光释光(OSL)与回授光释光(Re-OSL)测量结果对比等,探讨了细颗粒石英回授光释光在水成沉积物测年中应用的可能性。结果表明,冲积样品回授光释光信号没有随深度逐步增加的规律,而湖相样品热转移光释光信号随深度逐渐增大;冲洪积物细颗粒石英样品回授光释光不能得出剂量值,剂量不能恢复;而湖相样品回授实验室附加剂量与测得的剂量在2%的误差范围内一致,说明回授光释光测年在一定时间范围内对于湖相样品测年是可行的;细颗粒石英回授释光在测量>10万a的湖相样品年龄方面具有很大的潜力     

钻孔雷达与数字摄像在地质勘探中的综合应用

由于地质条件的特殊性和复杂性,利用传统的现场钻探手段来准确地评价岩体质量仍存在一系列的问题:钻探岩心提供的是一维信息,很难准确获知地质结构的空间特征以及周围岩体的地质信息;钻进过程中机械扰动导致岩芯破碎等因素也可能使得岩心不能正确反映岩体地质特征.本文将钻孔地质雷达和数字钻孔成像两种勘察方法结合起来,对钻孔孔壁以及周围...     

南京长江全新世河流阶地的年代及其意义

河流阶地作为古气候和古环境的重要载体,在研究古气候、古环境变化方面有着极其重要的作用.文中对南京市长江南岸全新世河流阶地的23m厚钻孔沉积物,采用细颗粒石英单测片再生法技术进行了系统的光释光(OSL)测年,并对沉积物中的植物碎片等进行了<‘14>C测年,样品的OSL年龄和经树轮校正后的<‘14>C年龄吻合.测年结果表明...     

K-Ar和Ar-Ar方法的精细测年及其检验

活动构造研究、近现代火山研究、古地磁研究等要求K-Ar和Ar-Ar年代学方法不断向越来越小的年龄尺度和越来越精细的方向发展。文中以腾冲等火山地区的K-Ar和Ar-Ar年代学研究结果及实验方法研究结果为根据,对K-Ar和Ar-Ar方法的精细测年及其检验进行阐述。说明K-Ar和Ar-Ar年代测定结果是单个样品的单次测量结果,其影响因素包括样品因素和实验因素。为了提高测年结果的准确度和精确度,必须有严格而合理的野外采样和实验过程,并且在具体的地质样品年代测量之外,还应经常利用一系列可能的方法对实验结果进行检验     

火山岩热释光测年述评

热释光法作为^14C法和K—Ar法测年范围间断的连接,在考古、地质及工程勘察中得到了广泛的应用。热释光测年在挽近时期火山活动的应用研究是一大发展方向。然而,由于测年对象释光的特殊性质,使得TL测年技术在火山岩的研究和应用中充满了曲折。与热释光测年有关的火山岩在广义上应包括火山熔岩、火山喷发物及与火山喷发有关的烘烤层。不同的火山物质有不同的释光特性,同时又具有一定的共性。“异常衰退”是火山岩热释光测年研究及应用的主要障碍。在研读献的基础上,对火山岩热释光测年的一般原理、火山岩的释光特征、样品的采集及实验方法等进行了总结。     

深圳市观澜断裂第四纪活动性研究

观澜断裂是深圳陆域地区规模最大的北北西向断裂。通过地质地貌调查、联合钻孔探测及地质年代测定等技术方法对观澜断裂的第四纪活动性进行了详细考察与综合研究。结果表明：穿越低丘陵台地地貌区的观澜断裂两侧未见地貌差异或现代构造形变现象;4个典型地质露头和2条钻孔联合剖面显示断裂没有扰动上覆第四系．观澜大布巷钻孔探测剖面还获得了断裂上覆冲洪积砂层底部12．6±2．4Ka的光释光测年数据;断裂物质主要由碎裂岩、构造角砾岩、硅化岩等组成．可见硅质被膜及半固结岩屑或岩粉状物质;7个断层样品的电子自旋共振测试结果显示断裂的最新活动年龄为距今21．1±2．1万年。结合12条浅层地震测线探测未发现断裂错移第四纪覆盖层底界的事实．得出了观澜断裂最新一次活动发生在中更新世晚期．自晚更新世中期以后没有新的近地表活动的结论。     

临潼-长安断裂上断层崩积楔光释光测年的探讨

选择西安临潼-长安断裂带上韩峪乡范家村剖面的一个典型崩积楔样品进行测试.用3种不同的释光测试方法测出了9个不同的年龄数据.根据地层信息和矿物的释光生长曲线确定只有采用混合矿物简单多片再生法、纯石英矿物简单多片再生法以及纯石英矿物单片再生法的光释光测年法所得结果更接近于崩积楔的真实年龄.这些断层崩积楔年龄接近于围岩的形成...     

西南天山明尧勒背斜河流阶地沉积物的光释光测年

晚第四纪细颗粒河流阶地沉积物的准确定年是当前光释光测年研究中的一个难点。利用简单多片再生法(SMAR)、单片再生法(SAR)等对新疆西南天山喀什前陆盆地明尧勒背斜喀浪勾律克河阶地沉积物样品的细颗粒石英光释光(BLSL)信号、混合矿物红外释光信号(IRSL)和红外后蓝光释光信号([Post-IR]OSL)进行测量。通过对比同一样品的细颗粒石英BLSL、混合矿物IRSL和[Post-IR]OSL的等效剂量值,认为细颗粒石英简单多片再生法是河流阶地沉积物释光测年最为适用的方法之一。对于细颗粒混合矿物而言,由于长石矿物的异常衰退,对于等效剂量De>70Gy的样品,其IRSL等效剂量值均偏小;其[Post-IR]OSL等效剂量值仍需慎重使用。通过对同一样品细颗粒石英多个测片的单片再生法等效剂量值分布以及简单多片再生法多个测片校正后天然释光信号强度的一致性判断,认为样品LEDL03-87q,LEDL03-86q和LEDL04-54q在沉积时的光晒退是不均匀的,采用最小等效剂量组分来计算沉积年龄     

龙门山映秀-北川断裂带擂鼓探槽剖面古地震事件测年

2008年5月12日四川汶川发生MS8.0大地震,形成了200多km长的地震地表破裂带。破裂带的古地震研究对于认识龙门山断裂带的活动习性和大地震的发生规律具有重要的理论和现实意义。文中用光释光(OSL)测年中的校正感量简单多片再生法(SMAR),对映秀-北川地震地表破裂带擂鼓探槽样品进行了光释光测年,并对探槽中含有的炭屑进行了AMS14C测年。样品的光释光年龄和校正的AMS14C年龄吻合,该地区与汶川地震类似规模的上一次古地震事件发生在距今约(2.1±0.2)ka至(1.1±0.2)ka间     

Luminescence dating of volcanic eruptions in Datong,northern China

In this study, fine-grain quartz was used for luminescence dating for lava baked samples from different sites in Datong. Optical stimulated luminescence (OSL), thermal transferred OSL (TT-OSL)/recuperated OSL (Re-OSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) dating protocols were applied. For these samples, the OSL signals saturate at about 300–400 Gy, which limits their age to less than 100 ka based on their ambient dose rates. The TT-OSL/Re-OSL method has poor dose recovery. TL dating gives reliable results, and multiple-aliquot regenerative-dose TL method with sensitivity change correction based on the 325 °C TL peak of a test dose can be applied for samples up to 400 ka. The results indicate that the ages of the volcanoes in Datong are from 380 ka to 84 ka. The volcanic activity started earlier in the southeast area than those in the northwest part, which is consist with the literature data.     

Testing the use of range-finder OSL dating to inform field sampling and laboratory processing strategies

A newly developed range-finder luminescence dating method is applied to samples from the eastern Punjab region of Pakistan. Overbank sediments from this area are the subject of an ongoing project into the demise of the Harappan civilization about 4.2 ka and the range-finder technique was used to ascertain whether samples from three pits are from this part of the Holocene. Luminescence measurements of raw sample gave a signal dominated by feldspars, even when using a [post-IR] optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signal. Following etching in hydrofluoric acid samples gave OSL signals characteristic of quartz and these were used to calculate the equivalent dose. The total dose rate was estimated from beta counting. Eight range-finder OSL ages extend from 4000 to 6600 years ago and are consistent with two radiocarbon ages from the same pits demonstrating that these sediments do straddle the period of interest for this project. The range-finder approach provides a rapid means of informing future field sampling campaigns.     

Luminescence dating without sand lenses: An application of OSL to coarse-grained alluvial fan deposits of the Lost River Range,Idaho, USA

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating is increasingly used to estimate the age of fluvial deposits. A significant limitation, however, has been that conventional techniques of sampling and dose rate estimation are suitable only for thick (>60 cm) layers consisting of sand size or finer grains. Application of OSL dating to deposits lacking such layers remains a significant challenge. Alluvial fans along the western front of the Lost River Range in east-central Idaho, USA are one example. Deposits are typically pebble to cobble sheetflood gravels with a sandy matrix but thin to absent sand lenses. As a result, the majority of samples for this project were collected by excavating matrix material from gravelly deposits under light-safe tarps or at night. To examine the contributions of different grain-size fractions to calculated dose-rates, multiple grain-size fractions were analyzed using ICP–MS, high resolution gamma spectrometry and XRF. Dose rates from bulk sediment samples were 0.4–40% (mean of 18%) lower than dose-rate estimates from the sand-size fractions alone, illustrating the importance of representative sampling for dose rate determination. We attribute the difference to the low dose-rate contribution from radio-nuclide poor carbonate pebbles and cobbles that occur disproportionately in clast sizes larger than sand. Where possible, dose rates were based on bulk sediment samples since they integrate the dose-rate contribution from all grain sizes. Equivalent dose distributions showed little evidence for partial bleaching. However, many samples had significant kurtosis and/or overdispersion, possibly due to grain-size related microdosimetry effects, accumulation of pedogenic carbonate or post-depositional sediment mixing. Our OSL age estimates range from 4 to 120 ka, preserve stratigraphic and geomorphic order, and show good agreement with independent ages from tephra correlation and U-series dating of pedogenic carbonate. Furthermore, multiple samples from the same deposit produced ages in good agreement. This study demonstrates that with modified sampling methods and careful consideration of the dose rate, OSL dating can be successfully applied to coarse-grained deposits of climatic and tectonic significance that may be difficult to date by other methods.     

Implications of broad dose distributions obtained with the single-aliquot regenerative-dose method on quartz fine-grains from loess

Six samples were collected from a section of Peoria Loess in Eustis, North America, for optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of quartz, and all except one (LV90) produced narrow dose distributions. A comparative study was conducted on this sample and on a ‘well-behaved’ sample (LV91), involving other dating methods and examination of the quartz OSL. These investigations revealed differences in the quartz OSL growth with dose, OSL response to thermal treatments and the range of components within the OSL signals. An ultra-fast component was found in LV90 that displayed a higher rate of sensitivity change than the fast component and this had a malign influence on the determination of the equivalent dose. The distinctive luminescence characteristics of LV90 imply either a change in wind dynamics and/or the source area for the silt.     

Potential of quartz OSL dating on moraine deposits from eastern Tibetan Plateau using SAR protocol

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating methods have been widely applied in Quaternary glaciology. However, glacigenic deposits are considered in general as problematic for OSL dating, mainly because they are transported shorter distances prior to burial and are usually partially bleached. Thus, most researchers choose glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine sediments (with relatively longer transportation times) for OSL dating when constraining the age of glaciation. In this study, four samples were collected from a lateral moraine series at Zhuqing Village, northern margin of Queer Shan Mountain, eastern Tibetan Plateau, in order to investigate the applicability of OSL dating for morainic deposits. Quartz grains (38–63 μm) were extracted and measured using single aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol. Internal checks and dose recovery test show that the SAR protocol is appropriate for equivalent dose (D_e) determination. The effect of thermal transfer is small for all samples and the recycling ratio for each individual sample is close to unity. The symmetry in the D_e distributions indicates that quartz grains were well-bleached prior to burial. OSL ages show good agreement with geomorphological and field investigations, and are also concordant with an independent ESR age. It is concluded that: (a) the morainic deposits in Zhuqing were well-bleached and suitable for OSL dating; (b) SAR protocol can be applied to morainic deposits for samples under study.     

Interpreting luminescence data from a portable OSL reader: three case studies in fluvial settings

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) is a technique that has been applied from the mid‐1980s, mainly for sediment dating. The OSL technique is based on sample stimulation by light to determine the luminescence signal that is stored in the crystal lattices of sediment grains after deposition, burial by later sediment and subsequent exposure to ionizing radiation from radioactive elements in the surrounding sediment. In such sediment dating, two parameters are required: the equivalent dose (i.e. the luminescence signal stored in the grains), and the dose rate (i.e. the ionizing energy from α, β and γ radiation emitted by naturally occurring radioisotopes in the deposit, plus the effects of cosmic radiation). In this research, the OSL technique is not used for dating. The study goal is to analyse only the luminescence signals (the total photon counts) in polymineral samples obtained after light stimulation in the blue (BLSL) and infrared (IRSL) wavelengths using a portable OSL reader designed and built at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC). Three fluvial case studies – from Cambodia, Australia and Mexico – are used to illustrate the geomorphological interpretations possible with the portable OSL reader data from sediments resulting from a range of different depositional processes. The case studies show that aspects of sediment's transport and depositional processes can be inferred from the portable OSL reader data, providing valuable insights into geomorphological history. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

OSL and IRSL dating of raised beach sand deposits along the southeastern coast of Norway

Raised beach sand deposits along the southeastern coast of Norway were dated by optical (OSL) and infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and the quartz and K-feldspar luminescence characteristics were described. Due to the poor quartz luminescence characteristics, only a limited number of samples were suitable for OSL dating. More promising are the K-feldspar extracts, with typical K-feldspar luminescence characteristics and no sign of fading. For equivalent dose (D_e) determination, sand-size quartz and feldspar extracts were used, applying a single aliquot regenerative (SAR) protocol. Both, OSL and IRSL D_e estimates show a wide distribution, unexpected for beach deposits. The calculated OSL and IRSL age estimates were generally in good agreement and the correctness of the ages was confirmed by independent age control. Because only a limited number of the quartz samples were suitable for OSL dating, IRSL dating of the K-feldspar represents an alternative to OSL quartz dating.     

Violet stimulated luminescence as an alternative for dating complex colluvial sediments in the Atacama Desert

Luminescence dating has become a key tool in studies of the Quaternary. The typically stable luminescence response of quartz grains and the absence of a significant internal dose, make quartz minerals the preferred dosimeter for monitoring the burial dose in sediments. Unfortunately, the reliability of conventional OSL (optically stimulated luminescence) dating, based on blue stimulation, can be compromised when the luminescence decay is not dominated by a rapidly decaying and stable part of the luminescence signal (i.e. the fast component). On the other hand, standard methods in luminescence dating are limited to ages of a few hundred kiloyears. In this study, violet stimulated luminescence (VSL) has been used as a means to overcome both problems, applied to a series of colluvial deposits in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Quartz from this region, characterized by poor blue-OSL response, showed a reproducible and stable VSL signal capable of recovering given doses up to ∼500 Gy and a saturation dose twice as high as conventional OSL. The VSL response from these samples has been studied in detail and the estimated ages have been compared with an already established chronology for the same site, based on IRSL of potassium feldspar single grains. Results agree for the dose range of the profile studied, ∼100–250 Gy, equivalent to ages of 29–79 ka confirming the suitability of VSL for dating sedimentary quartz with unreliable blue-OSL response and to extend the age range of conventional OSL dating.     

Optical dating of aeolian and fluvial sediments in north Tian Shan range,China: Luminescence characteristics and methodological aspects

Loess and fluvial sand are important materials for dating river terraces and alluvial fans. This study focuses on the methodological aspects of dating loess and fluvial deposits from the northern flank of the Tian Shan range, China, using sand-sized quartz and potassium (K) feldspar. Luminescence characteristics of quartz and K-feldspar were studied for searching suitable dating procedures. Our results indicate that 1) most quartz aliquots were contaminated by feldspar, and were dated using a post-infrared optically stimulated luminescence (post-IR OSL) procedure. A Fast ratio acceptance threshold of 15 can be applied to select these aliquots with post-IR OSL signals dominated by quartz OSL; 2) the multi-elevated-temperature post-IR IR stimulated luminescence (MET-pIRIR) procedures are applicable for K-feldspar. A test dose of ∼30% of the natural dose is appropriate for dating of older (>10 ka) samples. An Age (T, t) plateau test can be used to evaluate the dating results; 3) for the loess samples, both quartz and K-feldspar were well bleached and are suitable for dating. Dating using K-feldspar is preferred for its higher efficiency; 4) for the fluvial sand samples, only the quartz grains were fully bleached. Single-aliquot dating of quartz gives reliable ages.