Sub-seasonal Prediction of the South China Sea Summer Monsoon Onset in the NCEP Climate Forecast System Version 2

This study depicts the sub-seasonal prediction of the South China Sea summer monsoon onset(SCSSMO) and investigates the associated oceanic and atmospheric processes, utilizing the hindcasts of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction(NCEP) Climate Forecast System version 2(CFSv2). Typically, the SCSSMO is accompanied by an eastward retreat of the western North Pacific subtropical high(WNPSH), development of the cross-equatorial flow, and an increase in the east-west sea surface temperat...     

Reconstruction of eddies by assimilating satellite altimeter data into Princeton Ocean Model

An optimal interpolation assimilation model for satellite altimetry data is developed based on Princeton Ocean Model (POM), which is applied in a quasi-global domain, by the method of isotropic correlation between sea level anomaly (SLA) and sea temperature anomaly. The perfor- mance of this assimilation model is validated by the modeled results of SLA and the current patterns. Comparisons between modeling and satellite data show that both the magnitudes and distribution patterns of the simulated SLA are improved by assimilation. The most signiˉcant improvement is that meso-scale systems, e.g., eddies, are well reconstructed. The evolution of an eddy located in the northwest Paciˉc Ocean is traced by using the assimilation model. Model results show that during three months the eddy migrated southwestward for about 6 degrees before merging into the Kuroshio. The three dimensional structure of this eddy on 12 August 2001 is further analyzed. The strength of this warm, cyclonic eddy decreases with the increase of depth. The eddy shows di?erent horizontal patterns at di?erent layers, and the SLA and temperature ˉelds agree with each other well. This study suggests that this kind of data assimilation is economic and reliable for eddy reconstruction, and can be used as a promising technique in further studies of ocean eddies as well as other ˉne circulation structures.     

Early Cretaceous Metasomatized Lithospheric Mantle beneath the Central Jiangnan Orogen in South China: Geochemical and Sr-Nd Isotope Evidence from the Tuanshanbei Dolerite

It is well established that Cretaceous magmatism in the South China Block (SCB) is related to the Paleo-Pacific subduction. However, the starting time and the associated deep crust-mantle processes are still debatable. Mafic dike swarms carry important information on the deep earth (including mantle) geodynamics and geochemical evolution. In the Jiangnan Orogen (South China), there is no information on whether the Mesozoic magmatic activities in this region are also directly related to the Pacific subduction or not. In this study, we present detailed zircon U-Pb geochronological, whole-rock element and Sr-Nd isotope data for Early Cretaceous Tuanshanbei dolerite dikes, and provide new constraints on the condition of the lithospheric mantle and mantle dynamics of the SCB during that time. LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating suggests that this dolerite erupted in the Early Cretaceous (~145 Ma). All samples have alkaline geochemical affinities with K2O + Na2O = 3.11–4.04 wt%, K2O/Na2O = 0.50–0.72, and Mg# = 62.24–65.13. They are enriched in LILE but depleted in HFSE with higher initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio (0.706896–0.714743) and lower εNd(t) (?2.61 to ?1.67). They have high Nb/U, Nb/La, La/Sm and Rb/Sr, and low La/Nb, La/Ta, Ce/Pb, Ba/Rb, Tb/Yb and Gd/Yb ratios. Such geochemical signatures suggest that the fractional crystallization is obvious but crustal contamination play a negligible role during magmatic evolution. Tuanshanbei dolerite were most likely derived from low-degree (2%–5%) partial melting of a phlogopite-bearing mantle material consisted of ~85% spinel peridotite and ~15% garnet peridotite previously metasomatized by asthenosphere-derived fluids/melts with minor subduction-derived fluids/melts. Slab-rollback generally lead to the upwelling of the hot asthenosphere. The upwelling of asthenosphere consuming the lithospheric mantle by thermo-mechanical-chemical erosion. The lithospheric mantle may have partially melted due to the heating by the upwelling asthenosphere and lithospheric extension. It is inferred that the Tuanshanbei dolerite might be associated with the initial slab rollback and corresponding lithospheric extension occurred potentially at ca. 145 Ma.     

Chronology and Geochemistry of Volcanic Rocks in the Cretaceous Suifenhe Formation in Eastern Heilongjiang, China

Zircon U-Pb ages and geochemical data of volcanic rocks in the Suifenhe Formation in eastern Heilongjiang Province are reported, and their petrogenesis is discussed in this paper. The Suifenhe Formation mainly consists of basalt, andesite, and dacite. Zircon from andesite and dacite are euhedral in shape and show typical oscillatory zoning with high Th/U ratios (0.18-0.57), implying its magmatic origin. Zircon U-Pb dating results by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) indicate that the 206Pb/238U ages of zircons from andesite range within 105-106 Ma, yielding a weighted mean age of 105.5±0.8 Ma (n=14), and that 206Pb/238U ages of zircons from dacite are between 90-96 Ma, yielding a weighted mean age of 93.2±1.3 Ma (n =13). The volcanic rocks from the Suifenhe Formation are subalkaline series and show a calc-alkaline evolutionary trend with SiO2 content of 47.69%-65.47%, MgO contents of 1.42%-6.80% (Mg#= 45-53), and Na2O/K2O ratios of 1.83-3.63. They are characterized by enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and light-rare-earth elements (LREE), depletion in heavy rare earth elements (HREE) and high field strength elements (HFSE) (e.g., Nb, Ta, Ti), and low initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7041-0.7057) and positiveεNd(t) values (039-4.08), implying that they could be derived from a depleted magma source. Taken together, these results suggest that the primary magma of the volcanic rocks might originate from partial melting of the mantle wedge metasomatized by fluids derived from subducted slab under a tectonic setting of active continental margin.     

Organic Carbon Isotopic Evolution during the Ediacaran-Cambrian Transition Interval in Eastern Guizhou, South China： Paleoenvironmental and Stratigraphic Implications

Secular variations of carbon isotopic composition of organic carbon can be used in the study of global environmental variation, the carbon cycle, stratigraphic delimitation, and biological evolution, etc. Organic carbon isotopic analysis of the Nangao and Zhalagou sections in eastern Guizhou reveals a negative excursion near the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary that correlates with a distinct carbonate carbon isotopic negative excursion at this boundary globally. Our results also demonstrate that several alternating positive and negative shifts occur in the Meishucunian, and an obvious negative anomaly appears at the boundary between the Meishucunian and Qiongzhusian. The isotope values are stable in the middle and lower parts but became more positive in the upper part of the Qiongzhusian. Evolution of organic carbon isotopes from the two sections in the deepwater facies can be well correlated with that of the carbonate carbon isotopes from the section in the shallow water facies. Integrated with other stratigraphic tools, we can precisely establish a lower Cambrian stratigraphic framework from shallow shelf to deep basin of the Yangtze Platform.     

DRY-SEASON VARIABILITY IN SUSPENDED SEDIMENT CONCENTRATIONS IN THE SOUTH PASSAGE OF THE CHANGJIANG ESTUARY

This paper reports the results of continuous monitoring of turbidity, water depth, salinity (using an Optical Backscatter Sensor (OBS)), and current velocity (using a Current meter (SLC9-2)) in the South Passage of the Changjiang Estuary over a spring–neap period in February 2003 (dry season). The turbidity measured via OBS was closely correlated with the suspended sediment concentration (SSC), which was highly variable. Over the study period, the SSC in the middle layer ranged from 110 to 1400 mg/l. The minimum SSC occurred during a late ebb tide, and the maximum SSC occurred during a late flood tide. On average, the SSC was 1.5 times higher during flood tide than during ebb tide. Vertically within the water column, SSC increased downward, with the ratio of SSC measured near the bed to that measured at the surface ranging from 1.90 to 18.3. The temporal variability in SSC is jointly governed by tides and wind-induced waves, whereas the vertical variability in SSC is attributed to the effect of gravity and vertical water circulation.     

攀西古裂谷地区深部热流

在实测地表大地热流、岩石放射性元素含量以及生热率的基础上,作者计算了攀西古裂谷地区的深部热流值(q_r)及地壳上部放射性元素富集层厚度(D),即分别为38.4mw/m~2和15.7km。与世界上其它地区相比,本区具有较高的深部热流值和较大的D值。笔者进一步阐明,较大的D值是攀西古裂谷地区地壳分异程度差在地热上的反映,而较高的q_r值表明本区来自地壳深处上地幔的热量比较大,这与攀西古裂谷地区的整个地质发展历史相一致。     

从钻孔温度看气候变化──方法介绍及实例

地壳浅层的地温分布与过去一定时期的地表温度变化之间有着内在的联系，地温场记录着地表温度变化的历史。由于地表温度是描述气候变化的重要参数，通过对钻孔地温数据进行分析处理，可以达到研究古气候变化的目的。美国东北部、加拿大东南部和中国四川攀西地区若干钻孔地温剖面的反演结果一致表明，这些区域在过去数百年间地表温度均有不同程度的升高。与研究古气候的其他方法相比，地热方法具有理论基础牢固和现成数据基础庞大的突出特点，这一研究方法在世界范围的广泛应用必将有助于揭开全球气候变化的奥秘。     

漳州热田地下热水的循环深度

漳州热田是我国东南沿海地区目前所见温度(121.5℃)最高的一个。热田地热地质、地球化学以及地温场的研究结果表明,漳州热田属于深循环对流型热田。为了计算热田的热水循环深度,本文采用管道模型的方法,利用热田中心钻孔的测温资料计算地下热水上涌的流速,利用热田内水化学资料计算热储温度,然后用图解法求出漳州热田热水的循环深度为3.4—4.0 km,为漳州热田的成因分析和热水资源的评价提供了依据。