Seasonal variability of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in a wetland system of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau,southwest China: a quantitative assessment of groundwater inflow fluxes

The Caohai Wetland serves as an important ecosystem on the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau and as a nationally important nature reserve for migratory birds in China. In this study, surface water, groundwater and wetland water were collected for the measurement of environmental isotopes to reveal the seasonal variability of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes (δ¹⁸O, δD), sources of water, and groundwater inflow fluxes. Results showed that surface water and groundwater are of meteoric origin. The isotopes in samples of wetland water were well mixed vertically in seasons of both high-flow (September) and low-flow (April); however, marked seasonal and spatial variations were observed. During the high-flow season, the isotopic composition in surface wetland water varied from ?97.13 to ?41.73‰ for δD and from ?13.17 to ?4.70‰ for δ¹⁸O. The composition of stable isotopes in the eastern region of this wetland was lower than in the western region. These may have been influenced by uneven evaporation caused by the distribution of aquatic vegetation. During the low-flow season, δD and δ¹⁸O in the more open water with dead aquatic vegetation ranged from ?37.11 to ?11.77‰, and from ?4.25 to ?0.08‰, respectively. This may result from high evaporation rates in this season with the lowest atmospheric humidity. Groundwater fluxes were calculated by mass transfer and isotope mass balance approaches, suggesting that the water sources of the Caohai Wetland were mainly from groundwater in the high-flow season, while the groundwater has a smaller contribution to wetland water during the low-flow season.     

Development of efficiently coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model to predict hydraulic fracture morphology in heavy oil reservoirs

The aim of the study involves examining the effect of heavy oil viscosity on fracture geometry in detail by establishing a heavy oil fracturing model and conventional fracturing model based on thermal–hydraulic–mechanical (THM) coupled theory, Walther viscosity model, and K–D–R temperature model. We consider viscosity and density within the heavy oil fracturing model as functions of pressure and temperature while that as constants within the conventional fracturing model. A heavy oil production well is set as an example to analyze the differences between the two models to account for the thermo-poro-elastic effect. The results show that temperature exhibits the most significant influence on the heavy oil viscosity while the influence of pressure is the least. In addition, a cooling area with a width of 0–1 m and varied length is generated near the fracture. The heavy oil viscosity increases sharply in this area, thereby indicating an area of viscosity increment. The heavy oil viscosity increases faster and is closer to wellbore, and a high viscosity increment reduces the mobility of the heavy oil and prevents the fracturing fluid from entering into the reservoir. The special viscosity distribution results in significant differences in pore pressure, oil saturation, and changing trends between these two models. In the heavy oil reservoir fracturing model, the thermal effect completely exceeds the influence of pore elasticity, and the values of the fracture length, width, and static pressure exceed those calculated in the conventional fracturing model. Thus, a comparison of the measured values indicates that the results obtained by considering viscosity as a function of temperature and pressure are more accurate. Therefore, the results of this study are expected to provide good guidelines for the design of heavy oil fracturing.     

Mechanical behavior and micro-structure of cement kiln dust-stabilized expensive soil

In this study, the effects of cement kiln dust (CKD) on the swelling properties, strength properties, and microstructures of CKD-stabilized expansive soil were investigated. Samples were prepared and stabilized with different CKD content ratios, ranging from 0 to 18% by dry mass. The results obtained show that the maximum swelling pressures decrease exponentially with increases in CKD content. Both the cohesion and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) increase at ratios below 10% CKD and then decrease slightly, above that ratio. CKD can also improve the strength of saturated, expansive soil. There is no visible change of UCS for soil without CKD when cured, while the UCS of a sample with 10% CKD content after curing for 90 days is higher than that after curing for only 1 day. This indicates that CKD can improve the long-term strength of expansive soil. Finally, microstructure analysis reveals that the addition of CKD reduces the montmorillonite content of expansive soil and decreases its swelling properties. The addition of CKD also changes the pore volume distribution, both the size and amount of macro-pores and micro-pores decrease with increase in CKD content. For saturated samples, the size of macro-pores is obviously reduced, while that of micro-pores is slightly increased for both treated and untreated soils. Hydration and saturation processes make the soil structure become dispersive which results in a lower strength, and adding CKD can restrain this process. The suggested optimal CKD content is between 10 and 14% and with a curing time of more than 27 days.     

Paleo-environment and reservoir evolution of the Middle Ordovician Kelimoli Formation in the northern Tianhuan area,Ordos Basin,China: implications for high-quality reservoir development

The Middle Ordovician Kelimoli Formation carbonate reservoirs in the northern Tianhuan area, Ordos Basin, China are main exploration targets. Subsurface core samples, logging, drilling and production data from the area were used to characterise the carbonate reservoir and to construct a genetic model for exploration. The sedimentary facies identified include trough–continental rise, upper–lower slope, platform margin reef-shoal, open platform and evaporation-restricted platform. The slope and platform margin facies are potential zones for high-quality reservoirs. Porosity in the study area comprises intergrain, intercrystal, intragrain and intracrystal pores, fractures and vughs. The Sr/Ba (0.40–4.87) and V/(V + Ni) (0.64–0.97) ratios indicate deposition in a brackish water-dominated environment under reducing conditions, associated with sea-level fluctuations during the deposition of the Kelimoli Formation. The Sr/Ba, V/(V + Ni), ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios, δ¹⁸O values and crystal texture of dolomite samples suggest that meteoric water was involved in the diagenetic fluid in the near-surface depositional environment. Isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O) and trace elements (Fe and Mn) allowed the identification of seepage-reflux and mixed-water dolomitisation. The crystal textures of the samples consist of micritic, bioclastic and reefal limestones, and dolomite with gypsum, which were easily dissolved during the early diagenetic stage. The epidiagenetic stage was the key period for the development of high-quality reservoirs because of large-scale bedding-parallel karstification from meteoric water. The reservoir zones, dominated by partially filled and unfilled vughs, and fractures, are favourable exploration targets in the northern Tianhuan area.     

The Derivation and Validation of TBM Disc Cutter Wear Prediction Model

The problem of disc cutter wear is inevitable when shield or TBM excavating hard rock for a long distance, thus, the study of disc cutter wear model has an important project value on predicting its service life and replacement opportunity. It is put forward by analyzing disc cutter wear mechanism that the main wear form is abrasive wear, which is based on plastic removal mechanism. Then, disc cutter wear rate and linear wear rate prediction models are obtained by approximate calculation and mathematical deduction, which are based on Rabinowicz equation and CSM model. At last, the two models are verified through field test data from three projects, and the results show that the prediction model can accurately reflect the real wear situation of disc cutter.     

Geochemical Characteristics and Tectonic Significance of Aoyougou Group Basalts in Western North Qilian

The North Qilian orogenic belt is a typical plate suture zone, which is studded with numerous different sizes of fragments of micro-continental crust consisting of pre-Sinian metamorphic rocks and the North Qilian orogenic belt provides important study carrier for studying the pre-orogenic tectonic process of the North Qilian. The relatively complete volcanic-clastic-carbonate rocks formation of Zhulongguan Group, Changchengian System, Mesoproterozoic are distributed in the Kawa-Qiqing area, Western North Qilian orogenic belt. Geochemical characteristics of the Aoyougou Group basalts in the North Qilian indicated that the contents of major element were relatively stable, high K₂O contents(4.27%~6.07%), TFe₂O₃(10.49%~13.01%),TiO₂(1.96%~2.90%)and middle MgO(5.37%~6.71%,Mg^# 48~51), CaO(2.57%~5.51%)content. Thus, the Aoyougou Group basalts belong to potassium alkaline basalt. The contents of Cr and Ni of the basalts decreased with the decreasing of Mg^#, and there was a positive correlation between CaO and CaO/Al₂O₃, Furthermore, the Eu anomaly of samples was slightly negative, high contents of high field strength elements (HFSE, Nb, Ta, Ti), and the ratios of Gd/Yb(2.5~3.0), Zr/Y(8.6~10.2), Ta/Yb(0.96~1.23), Ti/Yb(5 074~6 021), Zr/Yb(81~97), Ce/Nb(1.87), Zr/Nb(6.41)indicated that the Aoyougou Group basalts had obvious OIB-type magmatic affinity. In combination with the regional geological background, the study results showed that Aoyougou Group alkaline basalt generated from deep enrichment mantle similar to the source of OIB, with fractional crystallization of olivine and monoclinic pyroxene and a certain degree of contamination of continental crust in the process of magmatism, formed in the background of continental rift, might response to the Proterozoic Columbia supercontinent rifting, which further provides important petrological evidences for the relationship between North China Craton rifting events and Columbia supercontinent rifting during Proterozoic.     

Progress in the Application of Ground Gravity Observation Data in Earthquake Prediction

The mechanism of earthquake inoculation and the process of earthquake occurrence are very complicated. Additionally, earthquakes do not happen very often, and we lack enough cognition to the earth’s interior structure, activity regularity and other key elements. As a result, research progress about the theory of earthquake precursors has been greatly restricted. Ground gravity observation has become one of the main ways to study earthquake precursor information in many countries and regions. This paper briefly summarized the surface gravity observation technology and observation network in China: the surface gravity measurement instrument developed from Huygens physical pendulum in seventeenth Century to today’s high-precision absolute gravimeter, and its accuracy reached to ±1×10^-8 m/s². China has successively established the National Gravity Network, Digital Earthquake Observation Network of China,the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China Ⅰ and the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China, to provide a public platform for monitoring non tidal gravity change, seismic gravity and tectonic movement. The use of specific examples illustrated the role of gravity observation data in earthquake prediction. The gravity observation data of ground gravity can be used to capture the information of gravity change in the process of strong earthquake inoculation, and to provide an important basis for the long-term prediction of strong earthquakes. The temporal and spatial variation characteristics of the regional gravity field and its relation to strong earthquakes were analyzed: Before the earthquake whose magnitude is higher than M_S 5, generally there will be a large amplitude and range of gravity anomaly zones. Strong earthquakes occur mainly in areas where the gravity field changes violently. The dynamic change images of gravity field can clearly reflect the precursory information of large earthquakes during the inoculation and occurrence. Finally, the existing problems of surface gravity technology in earthquake precursor observation were put forward and the use of gravity measurement data in earthquake prediction research was prospected.     

Comparative analysis of significant wave height between a new Southern Ocean buoy and satellite altimeter

中国于2019年第35次南极考察中,首次在南大洋布放了锚系实时综合观测浮标(西风带海洋环境监测浮标,WEMB),为深入了解此海区的海洋环境变化提供了宝贵资料.国家海洋技术中心WEMB研究团队基于AVISO公开发布的多颗卫星高度计L3产品,通过数据配对,误差统计和最小二乘线性拟合等方法,对西风带海洋环境监测浮标的有效波高数据误差进行了分析与校正.校正后的浮标有效波高统计显示西风带常年处于大浪以上海况,观测期间内57％处于巨浪海况,并且伴随有高度相关的大风天气.     

论中国国家公园地质考察与评价——以浙江丽水百山祖国家公园为例

鉴于保护地调查评价历史与目标,国家公园地质考察评价基准是地质学关于地球的“时间、空间、演化”知识的发现路径,既识别国家公园候选地的国家符合性地质事件,又识别国家公园自然性、独特性、优美性、多样性、整体性的地质机制,提供国家公园最重要的自然生态系统与自然景观保育管理的地质学支撑。浙江丽水百山祖国家公园符合性的地质事件是公园发现的4.0~4.2 Ga冥古宙陆核物质的锆石晶体、中生代岛弧陆盆火山酸性火山岩系列和从流纹岩山岭到花岗岩—变质岩谷底的“峰—岭—丘—谷（盆）”的亚热带滨海山地地貌结构,地貌结构发育演化是百山祖公园最重要的自然生态系统、区域性流域水源地、独特山水景观的形成基础。保护百祖山公园地貌结构和过程的完整性与真实性是确保其重要自然生态系统自然演化和生态服务产品持续供给的基础。     

山西长治盆地中更新世气候转型期环境变化特征

中更新世气候转型(MPT)是第四纪环境变化的一个重要时期,该时期气候模式、气候周期等均发生了明显变化,然而不同区域对中更新世气候转型的响应特征存在明显差异.本研究选取了长治盆地XZK4钻孔中更新世转型前后(1.8～0.1 Ma)共207个样品,通过古地磁定年,运用粒度端元分析和孢粉分析,阐述了长治盆地中更新世转型期的环境变化与湖泊演化特征.结果显示,1.8 Ma以来,孢粉组合中乔木花粉含量多高于60％,但个别时段草本植物花粉占优,显示区域植被多数阶段为森林,但存在明显冷期,并且1.1 Ma和0.55 Ma是研究区环境转变的重要转折点.中更新世转型期前(～1.1 Ma):沉积物粒度总体较细,黏土含量多高于25％,EM1组分(湖相沉积)多高于60％,EM3(河流相组分)在个别时段出现,总体显示该阶段沉积物组成以湖相沉积为主,个别阶段受到河流影响大;中更新世转型时期(1.1～0.55 Ma):沉积物粒度较上一阶段更细,黏土含量(平均为30％)、EM1占比和孢粉浓度均达到研究段最高,沉积物颜色以棕灰色为主,EM3组分占比降至最低,其中1.1～0.95 Ma喜冷的云杉属花粉出现,显示该时期研究区气候总体偏冷湿,湖泊面积较1.1 Ma之前扩大;中更新世转型后(～0.55 Ma):沉积物粒度明显变粗,达到钻孔最高值,沉积物颜色变黄,EM2(风成组分)和EM3占主导,草本植物含量增加,尤其是喜干的蒿属花粉增加明显,表明气候较之前变干,沉积物类型以风力沉积为主,湖泊消亡.综合对比显示,构造运动是影响长治古湖消长的主要驱动力,气候变干加剧了湖泊消亡.