The meteoritic origin of Tutankhamun's iron dagger blade

Scholars have long discussed the introduction and spread of iron metallurgy in different civilizations. The sporadic use of iron has been reported in the Eastern Mediterranean area from the late Neolithic period to the Bronze Age. Despite the rare existence of smelted iron, it is generally assumed that early iron objects were produced from meteoritic iron. Nevertheless, the methods of working the metal, its use, and diffusion are contentious issues compromised by lack of detailed analysis. Since its discovery in 1925, the meteoritic origin of the iron dagger blade from the sarcophagus of the ancient Egyptian King Tutankhamun (14th C. BCE) has been the subject of debate and previous analyses yielded controversial results. We show that the composition of the blade (Fe plus 10.8 wt% Ni and 0.58 wt% Co), accurately determined through portable x‐ray fluorescence spectrometry, strongly supports its meteoritic origin. In agreement with recent results of metallographic analysis of ancient iron artifacts from Gerzeh, our study confirms that ancient Egyptians attributed great value to meteoritic iron for the production of precious objects. Moreover, the high manufacturing quality of Tutankhamun's dagger blade, in comparison with other simple‐shaped meteoritic iron artifacts, suggests a significant mastery of ironworking in Tutankhamun's time.     

控制虾夷扇贝闭壳肌积累类胡萝卜素相关基因的筛查

利用抑制性差减杂交技术(Suppression subtractive hybridization,SSH)对虾夷扇贝闭壳肌积累类胡萝卜素相关基因进行筛查和分析。以虾夷扇贝橘红色闭壳肌和白色闭壳肌cDNA构建正反向差减文库,结合454测序技术在正向差减文库中测序得到2 640条序列,拼接得到50个contigs(重叠群);反向差减文库中测序得到2 496条序列,拼接得到187个contigs。经过同源性比对分析,共获得150多个差异表达基因,从中选择3种清道夫受体SRB1、SRF2和SRCR作为候选基因进行研究,对其在虾夷扇贝各组织中的表达量水平进行检测,初步阐述了其在虾夷扇贝中的组织表达规律。根据结果推测在虾夷扇贝橘红色闭壳肌中,清道夫受体有可能是调节类胡萝卜素累积和转运的关键基因。本研究为虾夷扇贝闭壳肌类胡萝卜素累积相关通路的探索提供了初步研究的基础数据。     

Supraglacial weathering crust dynamics inferred from cryoconite hole hydrology

Water levels in cryoconite holes were monitored at high resolution over a 3‐week period on Austre Brøggerbreen (Svalbard). These data were combined with melt and energy balance modelling, providing insights into the evolution of the glacier's near‐surface hydrology and confirming that the hydrology of the near‐surface, porous ice known as the ‘weathering crust’ is dynamic and analogous to a shallow‐perched aquifer. A positive correlation between radiative forcing of melt and drainage efficiency was found within the weathering crust. This likely resulted from diurnal contraction and dilation of interstitial pore spaces driven by variations in radiative and turbulent fluxes in the surface energy balance, occasionally causing ‘sudden drainage events’. A linear decrease in water levels in cryoconite holes was also observed and attributed to cumulative increases in near‐surface ice porosity over the measurement period. The transport of particulate matter and microbes between cryoconite holes through the porous weathering crust is shown to be dependent upon weathering crust hydraulics and particle size. Cryoconite holes therefore yield an indication of the hydrological dynamics of the weathering crust and provide long‐term storage loci for cryoconite at the glacier surface. This study highlights the importance of the weathering crust as a crucial component of the hydrology, ecology and biogeochemistry of the glacier ecosystem and glacierized regions and demonstrates the utility of cryoconite holes as natural piezometers on glacier surfaces. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

煤田火区特征的土地覆盖分类方法 ——以乌达煤田火区为例

土地覆盖变化是土地分析与评价和生态环境变化预测的重要科学基础, 通过精确的土地覆盖分类方法 获取高精度的土地覆盖图是研究煤田火区生态环境变化的必要手段。本文以最大似然法、光谱角度法、面向对象 分类法和基于复合分区的分层分类法进行乌达煤田火区土地覆盖分类的方法研究。研究结果表明, 基于复合分区的 分层分类方法分类精度较高, 总体分类精度为92.97%, kappa 系数为0.9155。该方法通过基于地表热辐射特征、热 异常状况、地貌类型, 以及对生态系统扰动状况等的划分, 减少了地物信息的混淆度, 即通过提     

Development of large‐scale seismites in Upper Cretaceous fluvial sandstones in a fault‐proximal setting

Large‐scale soft‐sediment deformation structures occur within fluvial sandstone bodies of the Upper Cretaceous Wahweap Formation in the Kaiparowits basin, southern Utah, USA. These structures represent an exceptional example of metre‐scale fault‐proximal, seismogenic load structures in nearly homogenous sandstones. The load structures consist of two types: large‐scale load casts and wedge‐shaped load structures. Large‐scale load casts penetrate up to 4·5 m into the underlying sandstone bed. Wedge‐shaped load structures include metre‐scale, parallel, sub‐vertical features and decimetre‐scale features along the periphery of the large‐scale load casts or other wedge‐shaped load structures. Wedge‐shaped load structures contain well‐developed, medial cataclastic shear deformation bands. All load structures contain pervasive well‐defined millimetre‐thick to centimetre‐thick internal laminae, oriented parallel to the outside form of the load structures and asymptotic to deformation bands. Both types of load structures formed because of an inverted density profile, earthquake‐triggered liquefaction and growth of irregularities (a Rayleigh–Taylor instability) on the sandstone–sandstone erosional contact. The internal laminae and deformation bands formed during deformation and clearly demonstrate polyphase deformation, recording a transition from liquefied to hydroplastic to brittle modes of deformation. Decimetre‐scale wedge‐shaped load structures on the edge of the large‐scale load casts probably formed towards the end of a seismic event after the sediment dewatered and increased the frictional contact of grains enough to impart strength to the sands. Metre‐scale wedge‐shaped load structures were created as the tips of downward foundering sediments were driven into fractures, which widened incrementally with seismic pulsation. With each widening of the fracture, gravity and a suction effect would draw additional sediment into the fracture. Superimposed laminae indicate a secondary syndeformational origin for internal laminae, probably by flow‐generated shearing and vibrofluidization mechanisms. Large‐scale and wedge‐shaped load structures, polyphase deformation and secondary laminae may characterize soft‐sediment deformation in certain fault‐proximal settings.     

Tectono-magmatic evolution from accretion to collision in the southern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic BeltSCIEI北大核心CSCD

造山带演化及增生到碰撞的转变是板块构造与大陆动力学研究中的前沿科学问题。中亚造山带被认为是古亚洲洋长期俯冲-增生演化形成的显生宙最大的增生造山带,以发育巨量的面状展布的俯冲-增生相关的弧岩浆岩为特征。并且,由于中亚增生型造山带在潘吉亚最后聚合过程中发生弧弧(陆)碰撞,因此缺乏大规模且跨构造单元的碰撞相关的构造和变质等物质标志。显然,能否识别出大洋闭合期间碰撞作用的岩浆标志成为确定增生造山带增生过程终止的关键之一。本文系统研究确定:中亚造山带东南缘二叠纪到三叠纪钙碱性-碱钙性岩浆在空间分布上显示出由北西向南东迁移演化的特征;在岩浆性质上具有从二叠纪新生地壳来源的弧岩浆向早-中三叠世碰撞挤压背景下古老陆壳组分逐渐增多的高Sr/Y岩浆以及晚三叠世后造山伸展相关的A型花岗岩演化的特征。这些特征提供了俯冲-增生向碰撞造山演变的关键岩浆岩证据。结合区域资料,厘定出增生造山带最后碰撞相关的标志性岩浆为沿缝合带呈零星线性展布的增厚下地壳源区的高Sr/Y花岗岩类,构建了中亚造山带南缘从双向俯冲-增生到增生楔-增生楔碰撞及后造山伸展的三阶段构造-岩浆演化模型。系统对比研究,揭示出增生-碰撞相关的岩浆记录沿横向展布在中亚造山带南缘甘肃北山到吉林中部一带,表明碰撞挤压相关的岩浆作用在中亚造山带南缘具有一定的普适性。中亚造山带南缘从增生到碰撞的岩浆演化记录的厘定,证实显生宙最大的巨型增生造山带演化末期经历了碰撞造山作用,对进一步深入探索增生造山演化末期碰撞相关的标志性岩浆具有重要意义。     

亚洲大洋洲区域综合地球观测系统计划进展

亚洲大洋洲区域综合地球观测系统是为实现国际地球观测组织总体战略目标而设立的区域地球观测合作计划,旨在面向亚大区域国家对地球观测技术的应用需求,保障亚大区域地球观测空间信息的精准获取与主动服务,增强地球观测技术支撑区域可持续发展的综合能力。该计划由地球观测组织亚大区域成员国共同提出,并对亚大地区的所有国家和参与组织开放。通过国际地球观测组织亚大区域政府间合作机制,在国家、区域和全球层面建立有效的合作框架,积极协调区域内的地球观测资源设施的互联互通、技术合作与共享服务,促进亚大区域国家在社会经济关键领域的应用,共同应对可持续发展、全球变化和重大灾害的挑战。     

粉质土海底边界层动态演化过程波浪水槽实验

The objectives of this study are carried out a series of controlled large wave flume experiments using fine-grained sediment from the Huanghe River Delta, exploring the complete sequence of sediment behavior in the bottom boundary layer(BBL) during wave-induced liquefaction. The results show that:(1) The BBL in silty seabed is exposed to a progressive wave, goes through a number of different stages including compaction before liquefaction, sediment liquefaction, and compaction after liquefaction, which determines the range and thickness of BBL.(2) With the introduction of waves, first, the sediment surface has settled by an amount S(S=1–2 cm) in the course of wave loadings with an insufficient accumulation of pore water pressure. And a thin high concentration layer formed the near-bed bottom.(3) Once the liquefaction sets in, the liquefied sediment with an ‘orbital motion' and the sub-liquefied sediment form a two-layer-sediment region. The range of BBL extends downwards and stopped at a certain depth, subsequently, develops upwards with the compaction process. Meanwhile, resuspended sediments diffuse to the upper water column.(4) During the dynamics process of the BBL beneath progressive waves, the re-suspended sediment increment ranked as sediment liquefaction erosion before liquefaction compaction after liquefaction.     

Fossil wood

Plants have been making wood (secondary xylem) for more than 370 million years. This familiar material is one of the keys to their massive success. Wood allows plants to attain breathtaking heights and maximize the capture of sunlight for growth. By creating complex, multi‐layered forests, the evolution of wood, has done more to shape life on land than almost any other innovation. Wood is one of the most common terrestrial fossils encountered in the geological record. Whether preserved as huge petrified logs or as minute chunks of charcoal, fossil wood is abundant in rocks of Late Devonian age and younger. It is of enormous scientific importance, shedding light on the identity and stature of ancient trees. As a record of growth over a sustained period, it also tells us much about the climates and environments in which those trees lived. In this article, I explain some aspects of the origin, evolution, preservation, and identification of fossil wood, and emphasise its great significance for geology.