Geochronology and Genetic Model for Early Cretaceous Volcanic Rocks from the Southern Qiangtang Terrane, Northern Tibet, China: Constraints from U-Pb Zircon Dating, Whole-Rock Geochemical and Sr-Nd Isotopic Data

Post-collisional volcanic rocks of Mesozoic age occur in the regions adjacent to Gerze, part of the southern Qiangtang Terrane of northern Tibet, China. Geochronological, geochemical, and whole-rock Sr-Nd isotopic analyses were performed on the volcanic rocks to better characterize their emplacement age and models for their origin. Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U-Pb zircon analyses yielded consistent ages ranging from 123.1±0.94 Ma to 124.5±0.89 Ma for six volcanic rocks from the study area. The intermediate volcanic rocks belong to the alkaline and sub-alkaline magma series in terms of K2O+Na2O contents (5.9%–9.0%), and to the shoshonitic and calc-alkaline series on the basis of their high K2O contents (1.4%–3.3%). The Gerze volcanic rocks are characterized by the enrichment of light rare earth elements [(La/Yb)N=34.9–49.5] and large–ion lithophile elements (e.g., Rb, Ba, Th, U, K, Pb, and Sr), slightly negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu*=0.19–0.24), and negative anomalies in high field strength elements (e.g., Nb, Ta, Hf and Ti), relative to primitive mantle. The samples show slightly elevated (87Sr/86Sr)i values that range from 0.7049 to 0.7057, and low εNd(t) values from ?0.89 to ?2.89. These results suggest that the volcanic rocks studied derived from a compositionally heterogeneous mantle source and that their parent magmas were basaltic. The more mafic, parental magmas to the Gerze volcanic rocks likely underwent fractional crystallization of clinopyroxene, hornblende, biotite, and potassium feldspar, during ascent, with little to no crustal contamination, prior to their eruption/emplacement. While these volcanic rocks exhibit geochemical signatures typical of magmas formed in a destructive plate-margin setting, it is plausible that their mantle source might also have acquired such characteristics in an earlier episode of subduction.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987114000711

The West Junggar region,located in the loci of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt,is a highly endowed metallogenic province with >100 tonnes Au,>0.7 Mt Cu,>0.3 Mt Mo,and >2.3 Mt chromite as well as significant amounts of Be and U.The West Junggar region has three metallogenic belts distributed systematically from north to south:(1) late Paleozoic Saur Au-Cu belt;(2) early Paleozoic XiemisitaiSharburt Be-U-Cu-Zn belt;(3) late Paleozoic Barluk-Kelamay Au-Cu-Mo-Cr belt.These belts host a number of deposits belonging to at least eight economically important styles,including epithermal Au,granite-related Be-U,volcanogenic massive sulfide(VMS) Cu-Zn,podiform chromite,porphyry Cu,hydrothermal quartz vein Au,porphyry-greisen Mo(-W),and orogenic Au.These deposit styles are associated with the tectonics prevalent during their formation.Five tectonic-mineralized epochs can be recognized:(1) Ordovician subduction-related VMS Cu-Zn deposit;(2) Devonian ophiolite-related podiform chromite deposit;(3) early Carboniferous subduction-related epithermal Au and porphyry Cu deposits;(4) late Carboniferous subduction-related granite-related Be-U,porphyry Cu,and hydrothermal quartz vein Au deposits;and(5) late Carboniferous to early Permian subduction-related porphyry-greisen Mo(-W) and orogenic Au deposits.     

Monitoring Soil Salt Content Using HJ-1A Hyperspectral Data: A Case Study of Coastal Areas in Rudong County,Eastern China

Hyperspectral data are an important source for monitoring soil salt content on a large scale. However, in previous studies, barriers such as interference due to the presence of vegetation restricted the precision of mapping soil salt content. This study tested a new method for predicting soil salt content with improved precision by using Chinese hyperspectral data, Huan Jing-Hyper Spectral Imager(HJ-HSI), in the coastal area of Rudong County, Eastern China. The vegetation-covered area and coastal bare flat area were distinguished by using the normalized differential vegetation index at the band length of 705 nm(NDVI705). The soil salt content of each area was predicted by various algorithms. A Normal Soil Salt Content Response Index(NSSRI) was constructed from continuum-removed reflectance(CR-reflectance) at wavelengths of 908.95 nm and 687.41 nm to predict the soil salt content in the coastal bare flat area(NDVI705 < 0.2). The soil adjusted salinity index(SAVI) was applied to predict the soil salt content in the vegetation-covered area(NDVI705 ≥ 0.2). The results demonstrate that 1) the new method significantly improves the accuracy of soil salt content mapping(R2 = 0.6396, RMSE = 0.3591), and 2) HJ-HSI data can be used to map soil salt content precisely and are suitable for monitoring soil salt content on a large scale.     

Petrogenesis of Early Permian Intrusive Rocks from Southeastern Inner Mongolia, China: Constraints on the Tectonic Framework of the Southeastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt

The late Paleozoic tectonic framework of the southeastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt is key to restricting the accretion orogeny between the Siberia Craton and the North China Craton. To clarify the framework, petrogenesis of early Permian intrusive rocks from southeastern Inner Mongolia was studied. Zircon U-Pb dating for bojite and syenogranite from Ar-Horqin indicate that they were emplaced at 288–285 Ma. Geochemical data reveal that the bojite is highly magnesian and low-K to middle-K calc-alkaline, with E-MORB-type REE and IAB-like trace element patterns. The syenogranite is a middle-K calc-alkaline fractionated A-type granite and shows oceanic-arc-like trace element patterns, with depleted Sr-Nd-Hf isotopes, (87Sr/86Sr)I = 0.7032–0.7042, εNd(t) = +4.0 to +6.6 and zircon εHf(t) = +11.14 to +14.99. This suggests that the bojite was derived from lithospheric mantle metasomatized by subducted slab melt, while the syenogranite originated from very juvenile arc-related lower crust. Usng data from coeval magmatic rocks from Linxi?Ar-Horqin, the Ar-Horqin intra-oceanic arc was reconstructed, i.e., initial transition in 290–280 Ma and mature after 278 Ma. Combined with regional geological and geophysical materials in southeastern Inner Mongolia, an early Permian tectonic framework as ‘one narrow ocean basin of the PAO’, ‘two continental marginal arcs on its northern and southern’ and ‘one intra-oceanic arc in its southern’ is proposed.     

Investigation of frost heave prevention using permeable subgrade structure

This paper set up a series of comprehensive targets based on the concept of 'anti-freeze filler', which include reasonable water retention rate, frost heave characteristics, and compaction characteristics of filling material. Then, a type of permeable graded gravel is proposed, suitable for high-speed railway subgrade. A series of in-door water retention, permeability, and frost heave tests were performed under different graded conditions. Water retention, permeability, and frost heave characteristic of different graded filling materials can be determined, in order to define the gradation range of permeable graded gravel. Relying on the frost-heave monitoring record of high speed railway in Northeast China, a series of experimental studies were performed, which included on-site filler production, compaction test, and the anti-frost effect test, in order to improve the production and compaction techniques of permeable graded gravel. From the research of this paper, the use of permeable graded gravel subgrade as the anti-frost structure for the high-speed railway subgrade in cold areas is feasible.     

Constraints of Fe Isotopic Compositions on the Origin of the Luobusa Podiform Chromite Deposit, Tibet

<正>We measured Fe isotopic compositions of mineral separates of harzburgite,dunite and chromitite from Luobusa,Tibet as well as two harzburgites from Zedang for comparison to constrain the origin of podiform chromite deposits.The olivine(Ol)and orthopyroxene(Opx)of harzburgites from both localities have δ~(56) Fe values of     

利用气候态水文数据Hydrobase II分析北欧海深层水的分布与输运

Deep water in the Nordic seas is the major source of Atlantic deep water and its formation and transport play an important role in the heat and mass exchange between polar and the North Atlantic. A monthly hydrological climatology—Hydrobase II—is used to estimate the deep ocean circulation pattern and the deep water distribution in the Nordic seas. An improved P-vector method is applied in the geostrophic current calculation which introduces sea surface height gradient to solve the issue that a residual barotropic flow cannot be recognized by traditional method in regions where motionless level does not exist. The volume proportions, spatial distributions and seasonal variations of major water masses are examined and a comparison with other hydrological dataset is carried out. The variations and transports of deep water are investigated based on estimated circulation and water mass distributions. The seasonal variation of deep water volume in the Greenland Basin is around 22×103 km3 whereas significantly weaker in the Lofoten and Norwegian Basins. Annual downstream transports of about 1.54×103 and 0.64×103 km3 are reported between the Greenland/Lofoten and Lofoten/Norwegian Basins. The deep water transport among major basins is generally in the Greenland-Lofoten-Norwegian direction.     

Distribution of sediment chloroplastic pigments in the Southern Yellow Sea,China

The distribution of sediment chloroplastic pigments (Chl-a, i.e. chlorophyll a and Pha-a, i.e. phaeophorbide a) in the Southern Yellow Sea of China was studied. Samples were collected from four cruises in January and June 2003, and January and June 2004. The results show that the vertical distribution of Chl-a and Pha-a in the sediment layers 0-2cm, 2-5cm and 5-8cm, follows a stable ratio, 5:3:2. The average ratio of Pha-a to Chl-a in sediment is 2.83. Spearman 2-tailed rank correlation analysis shows that Chl-a and Pha-a contents in each sediment layer have a highly significant correlation. The average contents of Chl-a and Pha-a in the sediment of the 0-8cm layer in the investigated area are 0.31 -0.47μgg-1 and 1.28-1.40 μgg-1 sediment (dry weight), respectively. The average Chl-a and Pha-a contents in sediment are higher in summer than in winter. ANOVA analysis shows that there is a highly significant variation among the Chl-a contents (P = 0.002 <0.01) of the four cruies, but this is not true for the case of Pha-a content (P = 0.766>0.05). The average Chl-a and Pha-a contents in the 2 sediment layers (0-2cm and 2-5cm) have significant or highly significant correlations with organic matter (OM), median diameter (Mdφ), silt plus clay percentage in the January 2003 cruise. In the June 2003 cruise, the average Chl-a content in the 3 sediment layers (0-2cm, 2-5cm, and 5-8cm) has a significant correlation with meiofauna biomass, and Pha-a content has highly significant correlations with water depth, bottom water temperature, OM and Mdφ The contents of Chl-a and Pha-a are lower than those in estuaries and intertidal areas, but close to those in the same area studied previously.     

Natural mineral photoelectric effect: mineral non-classical photosynthesis

Under the ever-present solar radiation, photosynthetic organisms on Earth evolved structurally-sophisticated photosynthetic systems. However, little attention has been paid to the inherent impact of sunlight illumination on the inorganic minerals widespread on the Earth surface. We discovered for the first time the solar energy conversion system of the “mineral coatings” on the Earth's surface (aka“mineral membrane”), which exerts potential oxygen-production and carbon-sequestration functions on the Earth surface. Our finding shed a light on the photoelectric effect and non-classical photosynthesis involving natural semiconducting minerals. In this contribution, we studied the semiconducting property and photoelectron energy of typical minerals in the “mineral membrane”, focusing primarily on the photoelectric effect in and oxygen-production/carbon-sequestration function of ferromanganese oxides, as well as relevant geological records. We propose that birnessite, goethite and hematite, the semiconducting minerals commonly found in the “mineral membrane”, can perform sensitive and stable photon-to-electron conversion under solar radiation. The non-classical mineral photosynthetic function we put forth is as follows: Solar energy utilization by inorganic minerals resembles photosynthesis in regarding to oxygen evolution and carbon fixing, and the “mineral membrane” may take part in both photocatalytic water-oxidation reaction and transformation of atmospheric CO₂into marine carbonate. In addition, minerals might as well have promoted photosynthesis in photosynthetic organisms. During the water-oxidation reaction, the inorganic cluster Mn₄CaO₅of photosystem II cycles through redox intermediates that are analogous to birnessite both in structure and component. Thus, it is fair to postulate that birnessites could play a role in the initiation of the photosynthesis in cyanobacteria, as minerals could weaken the hydrogen bond strength and alter water properties, thus facilitating water oxidation and photosynthesis. This observation offers further insights into the molecular mechanism of mineral participation in photosynthesis in photosynthetic organisms.