Bacterial methane in the Atzbach-Schwanenstadt gas field (Upper Austrian Molasse Basin), Part I: Geology

Bacterial methane gas accumulations occur in Upper Oligocene to Early Miocene clastic deepwater sediments in the Austrian Molasse Basin. Methane gas is produced from the Upper Puchkirchen Fm. (Aquitanian) in the Atzbach-Schwanenstadt gas field which is one of the largest gas fields in this basin.     

近千年青藏高原的温度变化

通过对昌都树轮d13C、达索普冰芯d18O和先前重建的整个高原温度序列的分析,以及与其他气候代用记录的比较,揭示了青藏高原近1000 a来的温度变化特征。依据昌都树轮d13C年表,指出青藏高原的中世纪暖期发生于1200-1400 AD,该时期的夏季温度比长期平均值或现代（20世纪,下同）约高1.2℃,小冰期（1400-1700 AD）的夏季温度比长期平均值或现代约低0.5℃。近1000 a最暖的时期是13世纪,而最冷的时期是1000-1200 AD,温度比现代约低0.9℃。20世纪的气候变暖主要表现在冬季温度的升高,同期的夏季温度呈微弱的下降趋势。     

Tectonic and climate control of oil shale deposition in the Upper Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation (Songliao Basin, NE China)

Oil shales were deposited in the Songliao Basin (NE China) during the Upper Cretaceous period, representing excellent hydrocarbon source rocks. High organic matter (OM) contents, a predominance of type-I kerogen, and a low maturity of OM in the oil shales are indicated by bulk geochemical parameters and biomarker data. A major contribution of aquatic organisms and minor inputs from terrigenous land plants to OM input are indicated by n-alkane distribution patterns, composition of steroids, and organic macerals. Strongly reducing bottom water conditions during the deposition of the oil shale sequences are indicated by low pristane/phytane ratios, high C₁₄-aryl-isoprenoid contents, homohopane distribution patterns, and high V/Ni ratios. Enhanced salinity stratification with mesosaline and alkaline bottom waters during deposition of the oil shales are indicated by high gammacerane index values, low MTTC ratios, high β-carotene contents, low TOC/S ratios, and high Sr/Ba ratios. The stratified water column with anoxic conditions in the bottom water enhanced preservation of OM. Moderate input of detrital minerals during the deposition of the oil shale sequences is reflected by titanium concentrations. In this study, environmental conditions in the paleo-lake leading to OM accumulation in the sediments are related to sequence stratigraphy governed by climate and tectonics. The first Member of the Qingshankou Formation (K₂qn₁) in the Songliao Basin, containing the oil shale sequence, encompasses a third-order sequence that can be divided into three system tracts (transgressive system tract—TST, highstand system tract—HST, and regressive system tract—RST). Enrichment of OM changed from low values during TST-I to high-moderate values during TST-II/III and HST-I/II. Low OM enrichment occurs during RST-I and RST-II. Therefore, the highest enrichment of OM in the sediments is related to stages of mid-late TST and early HST.     

近千年青藏高原的温度变化

Temperature variations on the Tibetan Plateau during the last millennium are revealed by comparing a Qamdo tree-ring δ13C, the Dasuopu ice-core δ18O series, and a previous composite temperature reconstruction. Results show that an obvious warm period during 1200-1400 AD corresponds to the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) when summer temperature was 1.2℃ higher than the recent 1000 years average, and a cool phase from 1400 to 1700 AD, with summer temperature being 0.5℃lower than long-term average, can be correlated to the Little Ice Age (LIA). The 13th century was the warmest phase during the past 1000 years, while the coldest period occurred during 1000-1200 AD. The 20th century warming was characterized by rapid winter temperature rise while summer temperature at that time displayed a slight downward trend.     

Multiple drivers of Holocene lake level changes at a lowland lake in northeastern Germany

Many German lakes experienced significant water level declines in recent decades that are not fully understood due to the short observation period. At a typical northeastern German groundwater‐fed lake with a complex basin morphology, an acoustic sub‐bottom profile was analysed together with a transect of five sediment cores, which were correlated using multiple proxies (sediment facies, μ‐XRF, macrofossils, subfossil Cladocera). Shifts in the boundary between sand and mud deposition were controlled by lake level changes, and hence, allowed the quantification of an absolute lake level amplitude of ~8 m for the Holocene. This clearly exceeded observed modern fluctuations of 1.3 m (AD 1973–2010). Past lake level changes were traced continuously using the calcium‐record. During high lake levels, massive organic muds were deposited in the deepest lake basin, whereas lower lake levels isolated the sub‐basins and allowed carbonate deposition. During the beginning of the Holocene (>9700 cal. a BP), lake levels were high, probably due to final melting of permafrost and dead‐ice remains. The establishment of water‐use intensive Pinus forests caused generally low (3–4 m below modern) but fluctuating lake levels (9700–6400 cal. a BP). Afterwards, the lake showed an increasing trend and reached a short‐term highstand at c. 5000 cal. a BP (4 m above modern). At the transition towards a cooler and wetter late Holocene, forests dominated by Quercus and Fagus and initial human impact probably contributed more positively to groundwater recharge. Lake levels remained high between 3800 and 800 cal. a BP, but the lake system was not sensitive enough to record short‐term fluctuations during this period. Lake level changes were recorded again when humans profoundly affected the drainage system, land cover and lake trophy. Hence, local Holocene water level changes reflect feedbacks between catchment and vegetation characteristics and human impact superimposed by climate change at multiple temporal scales.     

The movement of oil under non-breaking waves

The combined effects of wave kinematics, turbulent diffusion, and buoyancy on the transport of oil droplets at sea were investigated in this work using random walk techniques in a Monte Carlo framework. Six hundred oil particles were placed at the water surface and tracked for 500 wave periods. A dimensionless formulation was presented that allowed reporting distances in terms of the wave length and times in terms of the wave period. Stokes' drift was, expectedly, the major mechanism for horizontal transport. It was also found that plumes that have large terminal rise velocities move faster forward but spread less than those that have small terminal rise velocities. The increase in wave slope (or wave steepness) caused an increase in transport and spreading of the plume. Our results supported treating the oil as completely mixed vertically in a layer near the surface. In the horizontal direction, buoyant plumes had spreading coefficients that are essentially constant after about 200 wave periods. But neutrally buoyant plumes had horizontal spreading coefficients that increased with time (for the simulation time of 500 wave periods). Techniques for generalizing the results for a wide range of wave parameters were presented.     

Reconstruction of floral changes during deposition of the Miocene Embalut coal from Kutai Basin,Mahakam Delta,East Kalimantan,Indonesia by use of aromatic hydrocarbon composition and stable carbon isotope ratios of organic matter

The distribution of aromatic hydrocarbons and stable carbon isotope ratios of organic matter in a series of nine Miocene Embalut coal samples obtained from nine coal seams of Kutai Basin, East Kalimantan, Indonesia were studied. The rank of the Embalut coals ranged from lignites to low rank sub-bituminous coals (0.36–0.50% Rr), based on measurements of huminite reflectance. The aromatic hydrocarbon fractions of all coal samples were dominated by cadalene in the lower boiling point range and picene derivatives in the higher boiling point range of the gas chromatograms. Cadalene can be attributed to the contribution of Dipterocarpaceae and various hydrated picenes to the contribution of additional angiosperms to the coal forming vegetation. The picenes originate from alpha- and beta-amyrin. However, in some coal samples minor amounts of simonellite and retene were also detected which argues for an additional contribution of gymnosperms (conifers) to coal forming vegetation preferentially in the Middle Miocene and at the beginning of the Late Miocene. The results of stable carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C) in most of the coal samples are consistent with their origin from angiosperms (δ¹³C between ?27.0‰ and ?28.0‰). During the Miocene the climate of Mahakam Delta was not uniformly moist and cooler than the present day climate. This would have been favourable for the growth of conifers, especially in the montane forests. The contribution of conifers to the Embalut coals might be a result of the cool Middle/Late Miocene climate during peat accumulation in the Kutai Basin.     

Real-time drilling mud gas monitoring for qualitative evaluation of hydrocarbon gas composition during deep sea drilling in the Nankai Trough Kumano Basin

Background

Riverine particles undergo a rapid transformation when they reach estuaries. The rapid succession of hydrodynamic and biogeochemical regimes forces the particles to flocculate, settle and enter the sediment pool. The rates and magnitudes of flocculation depend on the nature of the particles which are primarily affected by the types and quantities of organic matter (OM). Meanwhile, the OM characteristics vary widely between environments, as well as within a single environment due to seasonal climate and land use variability. We investigated the effect of the OM types and quantities through laboratory experiments using natural estuarine particles from the Mississippi Sound and Atchafalaya Bay as well as model mixtures of montmorillonite and organic molecules (i.e., biopolymers (guar/xanthan gums) and humic acid).

Results

Biopolymers promote flocculation but the magnitude depends on the types and quantities. Nonionic guar gum yields much larger flocs than anionic xanthan gum, while both of them exhibit a nonlinear behavior in which the flocculation is the most pronounced at the intermediate OM loading. Moreover, the effect of guar gum is independent of salinity whereas the effect of xanthan gum is pronounced at higher salinity. Meanwhile, humic acid does not affect flocculation at all salinity values tested in this study. These results are echoed in the laboratory manipulation of the natural estuarine particles. Flocculation of the humic acid-rich Mississippi Sound particles is unaffected by the OM, whereas that of biopolymer-rich Atchafalaya Bay particles is enhanced by the OM.

Conclusions

Flocculation is positively influenced by the presence of biopolymers that are produced as the result of marine primary production. Meanwhile, humic acid, which is abundant in the rivers that drain the agricultural soils of Southeastern United States, has little influence on flocculation. Thus, it is expected that humic acid-poor riverine particles (e.g., Mississippi River, and Atchafalaya River, to a lesser degree) may be prone to rapid flocculation and settling in the immediate vicinity of the river mouths when mixed with biopolymer-rich coastal waters. It is also expected that humic acid-rich riverine particles (e.g., Pearl River) may resist immediate flocculation and be transported further away from the river mouth.