Statewide Estimates of Undiscovered Deposits of Gold,Silver, Copper,Lead, and Zinc

Estimates of the number of undiscovered deposits on a statewide basis offer a different perspective on the nation's undiscovered resources of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc. Mean estimates of the number of undiscovered deposits statewide were extracted from the estimates of undiscovered deposits nationwide. More than 50 undiscovered deposits are estimated to occur in Alaska, Arizona, Nevada, and Wisconsin. Estimating the number of undiscovered deposits statewide serves as a measure of a state's total remaining mineral resources in known conventional deposit types.     

Evidence for focused hot fluid flow within the Britannia Field, offshore Scotland, UK

Fluid inclusion and scanning electron microscope‐cathodoluminescence evidence indicates focused hot, saline, diagenetic fluid flow within the Eastern Flank of the Britannia Field, offshore Scotland, UK. The fluid was sourced from the Andrew Salt Dome, 10 km to the east. The fluids, which promoted quartz cementation of the upper zones within the field, were up to ～30°C hotter and had salinities up to ～10 wt% NaCl equivalent higher than fluids from lower in the reservoir section. During diagenesis hot saline fluids migrated westwards as part of a radiating ‘diagenetic front’ from the Andrew Salt Dome. Structural dip associated with the Eastern Flank of the Fladen Ground Spur impeded the westward movement of the diagenetic fluid. The quartz cements from the upper and lower reservoir zones can be distinguished by morphology. In the upper zones the quartz cements have well‐developed macro‐crystalline zoning and heterogeneous luminescence across the grain. In the lower zones, the cements are much less developed, unzoned and very weakly luminescent. The diagenetic fluids were primarily focused into Zone 45 within the upper reservoir. Furthermore, within the Main Platform Area the most prolific producing zone is Zone 45, indicating the importance of this interval as a permeable flow unit during both diagenetic and production timescales. Within the Eastern Flank, the quartz overgrowths have a major impact on reservoir permeability and thus well productivity. The overgrowths are most extensive in the originally clean sandstones with low clay content. Clay in optimum volumes (5–10%) can inhibit nucleation of the damaging quartz overgrowths without having a detrimental effect on pore connectivity. These observations provide a predictive concept for use in the search for relative reservoir sweetspots within the degraded Eastern Flank.     

Self-affinity dimensions of topography and its implications in morphotectonics: an example from Taiwan

This paper discusses the self-affinity dimensions of landscape surfaces at a short-range scale and the link to morphotectonic features of the young orogenic belts of Taiwan. The variogram method is adopted to estimate such parameters as the fractal dimension (D), the ordinate-intercept (γ) and the range (R) from data subsets of the digital elevation model (DEM) in a moving-window operation. The fractal morphology expressed by D and γ is found to be useful in defining geomorphic provinces that are related to tectonic features. The mountainous terrain is characterized by high gamma values and low fractal dimensions in contrast to the coastal plains where low gamma values and high fractal dimensions are found. A zone, defined by the fractal parameters (2.4<D<2.6 and 0<γ<2.4), is found to coincide with the most tectonically active zone of Taiwan. Active faults often occur at the boundary between landscapes with contrasting fractal patterns. In the flat lowlands along the western coast, the fractal morphology displays a west-facing amphitheatric pattern, which may be related to the indentation of the pre-Miocene Peikang Basement High. The fractal morphology may reflect some subtle changes in surface textures of a landscape sculpted by surface processes, which in turn are influenced by tectonic activities. The surface roughening and diffusive smoothing may concur to shape the landscape surface at the short ranges we discuss in this study.     

浙江省城市化与生态环境协调度及其胁迫关系探讨

运用交互胁迫、耦合协调模型,结合主观均方差分析法和客观结构熵值法确定指标权重,通过建立指标体系研究2000-2014年浙江省生态环境和城市化的交互胁迫关系和协调类型.结果表明:浙江省生态环境和城市化之间存在交互胁迫关系,演变状态符合双指数函数;前者对后者有显著的约束作用,后者对前者有显著的胁迫作用.对城市化综合水平影响程度大小依次为经济、社会与人口城市化,对生态环境综合水平影响程度大小依次为生态环境压力、状态与响应.2000-2014年浙江省综合协调耦合类型分为磨合协调阶段(2000-2003年)、基本协调阶段(2003-2005年)、拮抗协调阶段(2005-2010年)和良好协调阶段(2010-2014)4个阶段.     

Knowledge-Driven Prospectivity Mapping for Granite-Related Polymetallic Sn–F–(REE) mineralization,Bushveld Igneous Complex,South Africa

This paper presents mineral prospectivity mapping to identify potential new exploration ground for polymetallic Sn–F–REE mineralization associated with the Bushveld granites of the Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa. The Lebowa Granite Suite, commonly known as the Bushveld granites, is host to a continuum of polymetallic mineralization with a wide range of metal assemblages (Sn–Mo–W–Cu–Pb–Zn–As–Au–Ag–Fe–F–U–REE), ranging from a high-temperature to a low-temperature magmatic hydrothermal mineralizing environment. The prospectivity map was generated by fuzzy logic modeling and a selection of targeting criteria (or spatial proxies) based on a conceptual mineral system highlighting critical processes responsible for the formation of the polymetallic mineralization. The spatial proxies include proximity to differentiated granites (as heat and metal-rich fluid sources), Rb geochemical map (fluid-focusing mechanism such as fractionation process), principal component maps (PC 4 Y–Th and PC 14 Sn–W, fluid pathways for both high- and low-temperature mineralization) and proximity to roof rocks (traps for fluids). Logarithmic functions were used to rescale rasterized evidential maps into continuous fuzzy membership scores in a range of [0, 1]. The evidential maps were combined in two-staged integration matrix using fuzzy AND, OR and gamma operators to produce the granite-related polymetallic Sn–F–(REE) prospectivity map. The conceptual mineral system model and corresponding prospectivity model developed in this study yielded an encouraging result by delineating the known mineral deposits and occurrences of Sn–F–(REE) mineralization that were not used to assign weights to the evidential maps. The prospectivity model predicted, on average, 77% of the known mineral occurrences in the BIC (i.e., 56 of 73 Sn occurrences, 12 of 15 F occurrences and 6 of 8 REE occurrences). Based on this validation, 13 new targets were outlined in this study.     

Reponses and sensitivities of maize phenology to climate change from 1981 to 2009 in Henan Province,China

With the global warming, crop phenological shifts in responses to climate change have become a hot research topic. Based on the long-term observed agro-meteorological phenological data (1981–2009) and meteorological data, we quantitatively analyzed temporal and spatial shifts in maize phenology and their sensitivities to key climate factors change using climate tendency rate and sensitivity analysis methods. Results indicated that the sowing date was significantly delayed and the delay tendency rate was 9.0 d·10a^-1. But the stages from emergence to maturity occurred earlier (0.1 d·10a^-1<θ<1.7 d·10a^-1, θ is the change slope of maize phenology). The length of vegetative period (VPL) (from emergence to tasseling) was shortened by 0.9 d·10a^-1, while the length of generative period (GPL) (from tasseling to maturity) was lengthened by 1.7 d·10a^-1. The growing season length (GSL) (from emergence to maturity) was lengthened by 0.4 d·10a^-1. Correlation analysis indicated that maize phenology was significantly correlated with average temperature, precipitation, sunshine duration and growing degree days (GDD) (p<0.01). Average temperature had significant negative correlation relationship, while precipitation, sunshine duration and growing degree days had significant positive correlations with maize phenology. Sensitivity analysis indicated that maize phenology showed different responses to variations in key climate factors, especially at different sites. The conclusions of this research could provide scientific supports for agricultural adaptation to climate change to address the global food security issue.     

A proposal for the theoretical analysis of the interactive coupled effects between urbanization and the eco-environment in mega-urban agglomerations

Mega-urban agglomerations are strategic core areas for national economic development and the main regions of new urbanization. They also have important roles in shifting the global economic center of gravity to China. However, the development of mega-urban agglomerations has triggered the interactive coercion between resources and the eco-environment. The interactive coupled effects between urbanization and the eco-environment in mega-urban agglomerations represent frontier and high-priority research topics in the field of Earth system science over the next decade. In this paper, we carried out systematic theoretical analysis of the interactive coupling mechanisms and coercing effects between urbanization and the eco-environment in mega-urban agglomerations. In detail, we analyzed the nonlinear-coupled relationships and the coupling characteristics between natural and human elements in mega-urban agglomerations. We also investigated the interactive coercion intensities between internal and external elements, and the mechanisms and patterns of local couplings and telecouplings in mega-urban agglomeration systems, which are affected by key internal and external control elements. In addition, we proposed the interactive coupling theory on urbanization and the eco-environment in mega-urban agglomerations. Furthermore, we established a spatiotemporal dynamic coupling model with multi-element, multi-scale, multi-scenario, multi-module and multi-agent integrations, which can be used to develop an intelligent decision support system for sustainable development of mega-urban agglomerations. In general, our research may provide theoretical guidance and method support to solve problems related to mega-urban agglomerations and maintain their sustainable development.     

天山山区典型内陆河流域径流组分特征分析

通过对天山南北坡的两个典型流域降水、地下水、河流、融冰雪水δD和δ¹⁸O及水化学检测,基于同位素径流分割模型定量分析了年内径流组分特征。结果表明：（1）两条河流的径流组成中地下水为构成径流的主要成分,其次是冰川融水,融雪水及降水,但南北坡径流组分表现出较明显的差异,乌鲁木齐河流域中冰川融水的比重要大于黄水沟流域,对气候变化响应明显。（2）两条河流在不同季节径流组分也表现出较大差异,春季径流组分差异最为明显。     

大城市边缘区农村居民点用地空间布局优化研究——对上海南汇地区的考察

大城市边缘区农村居民点用地存在用地粗放、布局散乱、难于规范管理等问题。以大城市边缘区农村居民点用地整理为契机,优化空间布局不仅有利于形成农村经济新增长点,还可促进农村居民点土地集约节约利用。在分析当地农村居民点用地现状及其分布状况的基础上,以典型地区——上海南汇地区为例,对其空间分布的随机性进行了检验,对农村居民点用地按标准偏差分类,并进一步按欧氏空间距离对大于2.25标准偏差的地块进行聚类分析。结果显示:南汇地区农村居民点用地的空间分布并不是随机分布,可分为远离中心类和集聚中心类两种类型。依据结果,提出了"远离中心方案"和"集聚中心方案"两种不同的农村居民点用地整理方案。     

运用气候箱模拟石河子棉区棉花冷害的试验研究

为了确定引起棉花障碍型冷害的主导气象因子,达到及时预报、减轻损失的目的,2003-2005年在新疆石河子棉区乌兰乌苏农业气象试验站内,通过智能人工气候箱实施低温处理试验,模拟2001年石河子地区发生障碍型冷害时的温、湿度变化,并做不同光照强度处理的对比试验。结果表明,棉花在花铃期遭受异常低温冷害之后,其叶片、蕾和幼铃都会出现异常脱落现象,并且其蕾和幼铃先于叶片表现出受害现象,其减少率也大于叶片;而且受害程度不仅与冷害过程中的温、湿度及光照强度有关,而且与冷害发生前所处的环境条件密切相关。