Fossil wood diversity gradient and Far-East Asia palaeoclimatology during the Late Triassic – Cretaceous interval

Mesozoic fossil floras are distributed over eastern Asia (China, Mongolia, Siberia, Korea and Japan) according to a regular latitudinal pattern. Two floras are usually distinguished, a northern type and a southern type, the distribution of which oscillated during the Mesozoic. In Japan, this regular pattern is disrupted by a sharp inflexion of the boundary between the two floras. Two competing hypotheses have been proposed to explain this disruption. One hypothesis advocates later tectonic motion clouding the original pattern, while the other hypothesis proposes that a warm oceanic current allowed the southern flora to grow much further north in coastal areas. We used fossil wood, a biotic component that has not previously been used, for a palaeobiogeographical study of the region. The observed fossil wood diversity at the generic level does not fit with the hypothesis of a warm oceanic current, unless this hypothesis is modified to include alternating warm northbound and cold southbound oceanic currents. Our results provide new evidence for the palaeoecology of the Mesozoic continental biota in Far-East Asia.     

Bayesian regression model for seasonal forecast of precipitation over Korea

In this paper, we apply three different Bayesian methods to the seasonal forecasting of the precipitation in a region around Korea (32.5°N?C42.5°N, 122.5°E-132.5°E). We focus on the precipitation of summer season (June?CJuly?CAugust; JJA) for the period of 1979?C2007 using the precipitation produced by the Global Data Assimilation and Prediction System (GDAPS) as predictors. Through cross-validation, we demonstrate improvement for seasonal forecast of precipitation in terms of root mean squared error (RMSE) and linear error in probability space score (LEPS). The proposed methods yield RMSE of 1.09 and LEPS of 0.31 between the predicted and observed precipitations, while the prediction using GDAPS output only produces RMSE of 1.20 and LEPS of 0.33 for CPC Merged Analyzed Precipitation (CMAP) data. For station-measured precipitation data, the RMSE and LEPS of the proposed Bayesian methods are 0.53 and 0.29, while GDAPS output is 0.66 and 0.33, respectively. The methods seem to capture the spatial pattern of the observed precipitation. The Bayesian paradigm incorporates the model uncertainty as an integral part of modeling in a natural way. We provide a probabilistic forecast integrating model uncertainty.     

Toxicogenomic analysis of immune system-related genes in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) exposed to heavy oil

Heavy oil contamination is one of the most important environmental issues. Toxicities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including immune toxicities, are well characterized, however, the immune toxic effects of heavy oil, as a complex mixture of PAHs, have not been investigated. In the present study, we selected Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) as a model organism, and observed alteration of immune function by the exposure to heavy oil. To analyze the expression profiles of immune system-related genes, we selected 309 cDNAs from our flounder EST library, and spotted them on a glass slide. Using this cDNA array, alteration of gene expression profiles was analyzed in the kidneys of flounders exposed to heavy oil. Six Japanese flounders (mean body weight: 197 g) were acclimated to laboratory conditions at 19-20 degrees C. Three fish were exposed to heavy oil C (bunker C) at a concentration of 3.8 g/L for 3 days, and the others were kept in seawater without heavy oil and used as the control. After the exposure period, the fish were transferred into control seawater and maintained for 4 days, and then they were dissected and their kidneys were removed. Total RNA was extracted from the kidney samples to use in gene expression analyses. The microarray detected alteration of immune system-related genes in the kidneys of heavy oil-exposed flounders, including down-regulation of immunoglobulin light chain, CD45, major histocompatibility complex class II antigens and macrophage colony-stimulating factor precursor, and up-regulation of interleukin-8 and lysozyme. These results suggest that pathogen resistance may be weakened in heavy oil-exposed fish, causing a subsequent bacterial infection, and then proinflammatory genes may be induced as a defensive response against the infection. Additionally, we found candidate genes for use as biomarkers of heavy oil exposure, such as N-myc downstream regulated gene 1 and heat shock cognate 71 kDa proteins.     

Water infiltration characteristics of unsaturated soil slope and its effect on suction and stability

Rainfall has been considered the cause of the majority of slope failures and landslides that happened in regions experiencing high seasonal rainfalls. The mechanism of the failures was mainly due to the lost of matric suction of soils by rainwater. This paper presents the results of a laboratory model study on the effect of slope angle and surface cover on water infiltration into soil and soil matric suction. A field infiltration test is carried out for comparison. A parametric study is also done to examine the effect of permeability ratio, development of perched water table and rainfall intensity on the factor of safety against instability of a soil slope. Results of the model study show that different surface covers on slopes have an effect on the water infiltration. Generally the covered surface (grass or geosynthetic net) has a lower infiltration rate compared with the bare (no cover) surface. On the effect of slope angle, it was observed that water infiltration decrease with increase in the slope steepness. With regards to the movement of the wetting front, it appears that water infiltration is more at the toe compared with the top of the model slope. Based on the parametric study, it is found factor of safety of the slope against instability drops for slope with higher ratio of permeability for the permeable and impermeable stratum. As the perched water table is formed, the factor of safety decreased. The rainfall intensity also has a marked effect on the slope factor of safety. The higher the intensity of the rainfall, the higher is the infiltration rate into the soil, hence the lower is the factor of safety against slope instability.     

Genetic Environment of the Intrusion-related Yuryang Au-Te Deposit in the Cheonan Metallogenic Province, Korea

Abstract. The Yuryang gold deposit, comprising a Te‐bearing Au‐Ag vein mineralization, is located in the Cheonan area of the Republic of Korea. The deposit is hosted in Precambrian gneiss and closely related to pegmatite. The mineralized veins display massive quartz textures, with weak alteration adjacent to the veins. The ore mineralization is simple, with a low Ag/Au ratio of 1.5:1, due to the paucity of Ag‐phases. Ore mineralization took place in two different mineral assemblages with paragenetic time; early Fe‐sulfide mineralization and late Fe‐sulfide and Au‐Te mineralization. The early Fe‐sulfide mineralization (pyrite + sphalerite) occurred typically along the vein margins, and the subsequent Au‐Te mineralization is characterized by fracture fillings of galena, sphalerite, pyrrhotite, Te‐bearing minerals (petzite, altaite, hessite and Bi‐Te mineral) and electrum. Fluid inclusions characteristically contain CO₂ and can be classified into four types (Ia, Ib, IIa and IIb) according to the phase behavior. The pressure corrected temperatures (≥500d?C) indicate that the deposit was formed at a distinctively high temperature from fluids with moderate to low salinity (<12 wt% equiv. NaCl) and CH₄ (1?22 mole %). The sphalerite geo‐barometry yield an estimated pressure about 3.5 ?2.1 kbar. The dominant ore‐deposition mechanisms were CO₂ effervescence and concomitant H₂S volatilization, which triggered sulfidation and gold mineralization. The measured and calculated isotopic compositions of fluids (δ¹⁸O_H2^O = 10.3 to 12.4 %o; δD_H2^O = ‐52 to ‐77 %o) may indicate that the gold deposition originated from S‐type magmatic waters. The physicochemical conditions observed in the Yuryang gold deposit indicate that the Jurassic gold deposits in the Cheonan area, including the Yuryang gold deposit are compatible with deposition of the intrusion‐related Au‐Te veins from deeply sourced fluids generated by the late Jurassic Daebo magmatism.     

湖北铜绿山矿床石英闪长岩的矿物学及Sr-Nd-Pb同位素特征

铜绿山是长江中下游鄂东南矿集区最重要的、大型夕卡岩型Cu-Fe(Au)矿床。本文对该矿区中与成矿密切的石英闪长岩进行了详细的矿物成分、地球化学及Sr-Nd-Pb同位素研究。结果表明:岩石中斜长石主要为更长石(An=21～31);角闪石贫Ti(0.2),高Mg/(Mg+Fe)(0.5),属于富镁角闪石;而黑云母为镁质黑云母。岩石的地球化学具有高硅(58.86%～67.71%),富碱(Na2O+K2O=5.67%～9.63%),富集轻稀土元素(LREE)和大离子亲石元素(LILE),并强亏损元素Nb、Ta、Ti等特征。岩石的(87Sr/86Sr)i为0.7055～0.7069,εNd(t)为-7.65～-3.44;(206Pb/204Pb)i=17.66～18.00,(207Pb/204Pb)i=15.49～15.56,(208Pb/204Pb)i=37.73～38.19。矿物成分、地球化学和同位素特征说明,铜绿山岩体与阳新岩体为同源岩浆的产物,源区为深度大于40km的富集地幔,经下地壳的混染及分离结晶作用形成。岩浆熔体形成的温度应大于889℃。角闪石和黑云母的温度计估算岩浆结晶温度分别为650～800℃和500～630℃,黑云母开始结晶温度略低于角闪石结晶结束温度,压力为1.49kbar,对应侵位深度约4.9km。岩浆具有利于Cu、Fe、Au等成矿元素进入熔体的条件,可能与板块俯冲作用相关。     

Combined analysis of electrical resistivity and geotechnical SPT blow counts for the safety assessment of fill dam

Electrical resistivity survey and the geotechnical SPT blow counts (N value) method were simultaneously analyzed to investigate the stability of a center-core type earth-fill dam against the seepage phenomenon. The coupling of these heterogeneous field methods provided a chance to understand the status of underground material by comparing the geophysical and geotechnical view. The analysis shows that the zones with low resistivity value generally have low N value, which means low stiffness. However, some zones with a high resistivity pattern are not accompanied by an increase of its N value, and are even showing a lower N value. These results imply that one should be careful to directly correlate resistivity value with the real status of the core material of a fill dam. And a highly resistive zone may be in poor status due to the effect of increase of resistivity value as a result of the piping condition. Additional laboratory tests show that there is a deficiency of fine soil particles believed as the clay at the troubled region, which means an increase in resistivity value. Therefore, multiple explorations should be planned to reduce the uncertainty in application of geophysical methods to dam safety evaluation in order to compensate the resistivity information of core material.     

Genetic Implications of Two Different Ultramafic Rocks from Hongseong Area in the Southwestern Gyeonggi Massif, South Korea

Two distinct ultramafic bodies occur in Baekdong and Bibong in the Hongseong area within Gyeonggi massif of South Korea. The Hongseong area is now extensively documented as an extension of the Dabie-Sulu collision belt in China. The Baekdong ultramafic body has a NWW elongation direction. This elongation trend is similar to the general trend of the Dabie-Sulu collision belt. The Bibong ultramafic body is elongated in a NNE direction and runs parallel to the direction of the main fault in the study area. The Baekdong ultramafic bodies show porphyroclastic and mylonitic textures while those at Bibong exhibit a mosaic texture. Both were grouped into peridotite and serpentinite based on their modal abundance of serpentine. In the olivine (Fo) vs. spinel [Cr# = Cr/ (Cr+Al)] diagram, both ultramafic rocks fall with in olivine spinel mantle array. The compositions of olivine, orthopyroxene and spinel indicate that the Baekdong ultramafic rock formed in deeper parts of the upper-mantle under passive margin tectonic setting. The SREE content of Baekdong ultramafic rock vary from 0.19 to 5.7, exhibits a flat REE pattern in the chondrite-normalized diagram, and underwent 5% partial melting. Conversely, large variation in SREE (0.5 21.53) was observed for Bibong ultramafic rocks with an enrichment of LREE with a negative slope and underwent 17 24% partial melting. The Baekdong ultramafic rocks experienced three stages of metamorphism after a high pressure residual mantle stage. The first stage of metamorphism occurred under the eclogite-granulite transitional facies (1123 911°C, >16.3 kb) the second under the granulite facies (825 740°C, 16.3 11.8 kb) and the third is the retrogressive metamorphism under amphibolite facies (782 718°C, 8.2 8.7 kb) metamorphism. The Baekdong ultramafic rocks had undergone high-P/T metamorphism during subduction of the South China Block, and experienced a fast isothermal uplift, and finally cooled down isobarically. Evidences for metamorphism were not identified in Bibong ultramafic rocks. Hence, the Baekdong ultramafic rocks with in the Hongseong area may indicate a link on the Korean counterpart of Dabie-Sulu collision belt between North and South China Blocks.