Correlation of spectroscopic properties and substitutional sites of Cr3+ in aluminosilicates: II. Andalusite and sillimanite

This paper is an extension of the earlier one dealing with kyanite in which the best fitting value of the oxygen ligand distance for Cr³⁺ is adopted to study the spectroscopic properties of Cr³⁺ ions doped at the two possible Al sites in the other two polymorphs of the aluminosilicate group (Al₂O₃ · SiO₂), namely, andalusite and sillimanite. The superposition model and the crystal field analysis package recently developed for 3d ions doped at arbitrary low symmetry sites in crystals are used to predict energy levels and statevectors within the whole 3d ³ configuration. Then the values of the ground state zerofield splitting for Cr³⁺ ions at each Al sites in the two crystals are obtained. The splittings of the lower excited states ² E and ⁴ T ₂ as well as the admixture of ⁴ T ₂ into ² E have also been predicted. Comparison of our results with the available experimental data enable us to correlate the optical and EPR Spectroscopic properties with the substitutional Cr³⁺ sites. The conclusion is that in andalusite and sillimanite only the Al sites with nearly-octahedral six-fold coordination seem to be occupied by Cr³⁺ ions.     

邯峰矿区古构造应力场与构造演化

采用共轭剪节理应力反演方法,恢复了邯郸-峰峰矿区晚古生代以来的3期古构造应力场,进而探讨了煤田构造的演化历史,将其分为4大阶段：①中生代早期近NS向挤压,煤系后期改造初动期;②中生代晚期SE-NW向挤压,奠定煤田构造格架的基础;③中生代末至古近纪NW-SE向拉张,煤田构造格架定型;④新近纪以来近东西向拉张,煤田构造的现代活动.     

南阿尔金地区早古生代中酸性侵入岩的岩石成因及其对构造演化的指示意义

南阿尔金造山带位于塔里木盆地和柴达木盆地之间,是中国西北地区重要的俯冲-碰撞杂岩带,其早古生代构造演化过程是近年来的研究热点之一,然而,洋壳俯冲的时限一直存在争议。本文对茫崖石英二长岩开展岩石学、地球化学、锆石U-Pb年代学和锆石Lu-Hf同位素地球化学研究,探讨其岩石成因及成岩时的构造环境。样品显示高碱、富钾、低钛、贫铁及Nd-Ta-Ti异常等与钾玄岩相似的地球化学特征,成岩年龄为511～495 Ma, ε_Hf(t)主要为-3.51～-0.08,少量介于0.04～1.69之间。我们认为俯冲洋壳到达角闪岩相边界时释放大量水并上升进入地幔楔,导致地幔楔橄榄岩发生角闪石化交代作用,由于地幔楔沿俯冲带向下拖曳而温度升高,角闪石化橄榄岩熔融形成的熔体在上升过程诱发上地壳物质部分熔融,壳源岩浆混合少量幔源岩浆形成了石英二长岩,该期花岗岩是对造山带从大洋岛弧环境向活动大陆边缘过渡的岩石学响应。因此,南阿尔金洋壳可能在约517 Ma前已经开始俯冲。     

鄱阳湖组(第四系)的修订及特征

根据对鄱阳湖地区 Zk0 1钻孔柱状剖面的研究 ,对鄱阳湖组的定义进行修订、补充 ,认为鄱阳湖组为一套以青灰色淤泥质粘土、黄褐色粘土、粉质粉土为主夹少量粉砂或细砂的湖泊—河口三角洲相沉积。年代地层为第四系全新统 ,底界年龄约 6 2 10± 12 5 a B.P.,开阔湖泊沉积始于 32 4 0± 180 a B.P.,且由北向南时代渐新 ,具有明显的穿时性     

稀土元素指标δCe－ΣREE对沉积相的指示研究

通过对内蒙古额济纳盆地小狐山剖面沉积物中酸溶组分稀土元素含量及其相关指标、分布模式的分析,讨论了剖面中稀土元素指标δCe－ΣREE与沉积相、沉积环境之间的关系。分析结果表明剖面沉积物酸溶组分中稀土元素丰度均值为7.24μg/g(不包括Y),其中LREE含量占稀土总量的88.67%; 且各层的稀土分布模式均为轻稀土适度富集缓右倾斜型、Eu呈负异常模式,但各相位地层的LREE富集程度与分配模式存在差异。由于小狐山剖面中沉积地层的自身岩性、沉积粒径、矿物结构组成以及气候环境变化等因素均可能会引起REE分异。因此,通过δCe－ΣREE图并结合三次回归曲线,可以很好地将不同沉积相得物质有效的区分开来。小狐山剖面除极少数的几个样品(水下沉积砂)之外,其余的均落在三次多项式回归曲线上部; 而风成砂层则几乎全部落在回归曲线之下; 此外,对于风沙－河流作用下的混合样品也有较好识别,河流过渡相的样品则分布在曲线上或与之相邻近。此研究结果得到了柴达木贝壳堤沉积物的REE数据的验证,运用此方法可以为直观的判别剖面中的不同沉积相,并为定量化划分地层提供依据。     

Major element geochemistry of purple soils/rocks in the red Sichuan Basin, China: implications of their diagenesis and pedogenesis

Major element compositions and chemical weathering features of the purple soils and their corresponding rocks in the Red Sichuan Basin, China were studied in this paper to infer the diagenetic features of the purple rocks and the pedogenetic features of the purple soils. The results showed that all of the rock and soil samples, except those from Yibin, have strongly similar major element compositions and the distribution patterns of their major element compositions are similar to those of the upper continental crust. Chemical index of alteration, chemical index of weathering and Na₂O/K₂O indicate that the purple soils and rocks have similar chemical weathering intensities, whereas the Al₂O₃–CaO* + Na₂O–K₂O (A–CN–K) relationship, suggests that chemical weathering was strong during diagenesis of the purple rocks, but weak during pedogenesis of the purple soils. Variations in major element compositions of the purplish rock samples, except that from Yibin, do not primarily reflect differences in compositions of the sediment source, sediment recycling and potassium metasomatism, and therefore the effects of chemical weathering on the major element compositions were mainly dependent on climate condition and the residence time of material exposed to chemical weathering. Chemical weathering of the purple rocks reached only moderate degrees under the general influence of warm and humid climate during Jurassic and Cretaceous. Warmer and more humid climate conditions partly resulted in stronger chemical weathering of rocks in the southern region of the basin than in the central and western region, whereas shorter residence time of material in upslope position partly resulted in weaker chemical weathering of rocks in the eastern region than in the central and western region. The same climate and stable tectonic setting led to comparable chemical weathering intensities of rocks in the Ziliujing and Jiaguan Formations. Gradually colder and dryer climate from Early Jurassic to Middle Jurassic then to Late Jurassic and shorter residence time in tectonically active setting of Middle Jurassic and late Late Jurassic resulted in the following order of chemical weathering intensity of the purple Jurassic rocks: Ziliujing Formation ? Shaximiao Formation ≈ Suining Formation > Penglaizhen Formation.     

Estimation of the methane flux from mud volcanoes along Chishan Fault,southwestern Taiwan

Because of the increasing public awareness of the greenhouse effect, geological emissions of methane (GEM) have gained more attention. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change included GEM in the natural sources of methane category in the Fourth Assessment Report in 2007. The methane flux from mud volcanoes (MVs) is the second leading source within GEM. However, given that gas flux from MVs has been measured directly only in Sicily and Azerbaijan, the global methane estimation is still a conservative assumption based on limited data. The behavior of MV activities is seldom reported. This study attempts to estimate annual methane emissions through MVs by using a video recorder to record MV activities along the Chishan Fault and determining the bubble size and flux rate of each MV. Observation results, after a 1 year observation period, indicate that the annual emissions of the 19 MVs along the Chishan Fault are 0.1–0.2% of the global methane flux from MVs, highlighting that the methane emission from these MVs should not be neglected. In addition, the continuous monitoring of a particular MV disclosed periodic characteristics of MV activities. These results manifest the spatial and temporal variations of MV activities along the Chishan Fault. The spatial variations are related to the extensional kinematics of the Chishan fault, while the temporal variation relates to the earth-tide-related MV activities. The estimated annual methane emissions from the study are far more than those of previous studies and are still considered conservative. Results of this study may provide valuable information for researchers attempting to estimate the quantity of GEM.     

Bungalows, mansions and shophouses: Encounters in architourism

In architourism, tourists are attracted to places because of iconic buildings. Increasingly, non-iconic buildings of vernacular architectural styles are also appreciated by visitors as a way to authentically experience a place. This paper explores architourism in Malaysia and Singapore through the lens of historic boutique hotels. Geographical discourses in and methodologies of architectural geography are used to interrogate what these hotels mean for guests and hoteliers, and the effects on them too. Empirical findings deepen understanding of architourism through examining how ‘producers’ create culturally authentic environments in boutique hotels, and how ‘consumers’ utilise hotels to experience local cultures. The dual focus on production and consumption is in-line with critical architectural geography’s insistence on exploring the rhetoric of building design as well as the realities of their everyday uses and users.     

The magmatic–hydrothermal transition—evidence from quartz phenocryst textures and endoskarn abundance in Cu–Zn skarns at the Empire Mine, Idaho, USA

Information about the magmatic to hydrothermal transition is preserved in late-stage features of quartz phenocrysts and endoskarn alteration in some Cu–Zn skarn deposits such as the Empire Mine in Idaho. Important features include: (1) quartz phenocrysts with strong resorption textures such as vermicular zones of igneous groundmass cutting primary quartz cathodoluminescence banding, (2) anomalous amounts of endoskarn (more than 50% of mineralized rock), (3) high F activities as evidenced by fluorite as an accessory mineral in igneous rocks, in alteration assemblages, and in fluid inclusions and by high F in hydroxyl sites in igneous biotite and amphibole, and (4) direct association of Zn, which normally is deposited distally at low temperature, with Cu in proximal locations and in endoskarn. These features are explained by the following model: (1) F lowers the solidus temperature of the magma, thus changing the timing, temperature, and duration of hydrothermal fluid exsolution. (2) Upon magmatic vapor saturation the F-rich hydrothermal fluids form bubbles that adhere to quartz phenocrysts and chemically corrode/tunnel into the quartz forming vermicular resorption textures. (3) F-rich hydrothermal fluids also promote the formation of endoskarn; silicic rocks are attacked by F-rich fluids in the same sense that carbonate wall rocks are dissolved by weakly to moderately acidic hydrothermal fluids. (4) Low fluid exsolution temperature facilitated by high F activity promotes high Zn/Cu ratios in proximal locations due to the solubility of Zn relative to Cu at lower temperatures. This model may be applicable at other localities such as the world-class Cu–Zn skarn Antamina mine, as well as some tin and rapakivi granites.