Controlling factors of the δ 11B-pH proxy and its research direction

Significant boron isotope fractionation occurs in nature (?70 ‰ to +75 ‰) due to the high geochemical reactivity of boron and the large relative mass difference between ¹⁰B and ¹¹B. Since the 1990s, reconstruction of ancient seawater pH using the isotopic composition of boron in bio-carbonates (δ ¹¹B_carb), and then calculation of the past pCO₂ have become important issues for the international isotope geochemistry community, and are called the δ ¹¹B-pH proxy. Although many achievements have been made by this proxy, various aspects of boron systematics require rigorous evaluation. Based on the previous researches, mechanism of boron isotope fractionation, variation of boron isotope (δ ¹¹B) in nature (especially in bio-carbonates) and controlling factors of the δ ¹¹B-pH proxy, such as the dissociation constant of B(OH)₃ in seawater (pK_a), the δ ¹¹B of seawater (δ ¹¹B_SW), the boron isotopic fractionation factor between B(OH) ₄ ^? and B(OH)₃ (α _4–3), and the incorporated species of boron into bio-carbonates, are reviewed in detail and the research directions of this proxy are proposed. Generally, the controversy about pK_a, δ ¹¹B_sw, and α _4–3 is relatively less, but whether boron incorporated into bio-carbonates only in the form of B(OH) ₄ ^? remains doubtful. In the future, it is required that the physicochemical processes that control boron incorporation into carbonates be rigorously characterized and that the related chemical and isotopic fractionation be quantified. It is also necessary and important to establish a “best-fit empirically equation” between δ ¹¹B_carb and pH of seawater based on the precipitation experiments of inorganic or culture experiments of corals or foraminifera. In addition, extended application of the δ ¹¹B-pH proxy to the earlier part of the Phanerozoic relying on the Brachiopods is worthy of studying. Like other geochemical indicators, there are limiting factors of δ ¹¹B; however, it remains a very powerful tool in the reconstruction of past seawater pH at present.     

Antimony adsorption on kaolinite in the presence of competitive anions

Antimony (Sb) emissions to the environment are increasing, and there is a dearth of knowledge regarding Sb fate and behavior in natural systems. In natural systems, the presence of competitive anions may compete with Sb for adsorption sites on mineral surfaces, hence increasing its potential bioavailability. Accordingly, the adsorption of Sb(III) on kaolinite was investigated in the presence of competitive anions. Kinetic studies suggest that adsorption reaction of Sb(III) on kaolinite is rapid initially and becoming slow after 12 h both in binary Sb(III)–kaolinite system and in ternary Sb(III)-competitive anion–kaolinite system. The presence of PO₄ ^3? has a much stronger and more obvious promotive effect on the adsorption of Sb(III) on kaolinite compared with the other two anions. The adsorption data of Sb(III) on kaolinite in the absence and presence of competitive anions at three temperatures were successfully modeled using Langmuir (r ² > 0.95) and Freundlich (r ² > 0.95) isotherms. Accompanied the adsorption of Sb(III) on kaolinite, significant oxidation of Sb(III) to Sb(V) had occurred under the experimental conditions used in this study. The presence of kaolinite which has a larger specific surface area could increase the contact area between the adsorbed Sb(III) and oxygen in the bulk solution, which promoted the oxidation rate of Sb(III) to Sb(V).     

Decoupling of the East Asian summer monsoon and Indian summer monsoon between 20 and 17 ka

Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 2, with its profound environmental and climatic changes from before the last glacial maximum (LGM) to the last deglaciation, is an ideal period for understanding the evolution of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) and Indian summer monsoon (ISM), two Asian monsoon sub-systems. With 875 stable oxygen isotope ratios and 43 ²³⁰Th dates from stalagmites in Sanxing Cave, southwestern China, we construct and interpret a new, replicated, Asian summer monsoon (ASM) record covering 30.9–9.7 ka with decadal resolution. δ¹⁸O records from this site and other reported Chinese caves display similar long-term orbitally dominated trends and synchronous millennial-scale strong and weak monsoonal events associated with climate changes in high northern latitudes. Interestingly, Sanxing δ¹⁸O and Arabian Sea records show a weakening ISM from 22 to 17 ka, while the Hulu and Qingtian records from East and Central China express a 3-ka intensifying EASM from 20 to 17 ka. This decoupling between EASM and ISM may be due to different sensitivities of the two ASM sub-systems in response to internal feedback mechanisms associated with the complex geographical or land-ocean configurations.     

Changes in the critical erosion velocity for sediment colonized by biofilm

In flowing water the incipient motion of sediment can be affected by the presence of microbial biofilm growth. This article documents a series of flume experiments using non‐uniform sediments, in which sediment entrainment was investigated for cases where the sediment was immersed in deionized water, so that no biofilm developed, and for cases where a bio‐sediment was cultivated by placing the sediment in a mixture of natural water and nutrient solution. Differences in entrainment and the velocity at incipient motion were measured over an eight week period, as biofilm grew. It was found that the incipient motion phenomena were quite distinct between the two kinds of sediment. Sediment with biofilm was more stable and, over time, incipient velocity increased to a threshold level, before declining. Biofilm development is clearly an important control on the stability of sediments, especially in eutrophic water bodies. Two incipient velocity formulas were derived for sliding and rolling conditions. Film water theory was utilized to describe the cohesive force between sediment particles and the adhesive force generated by biofilm was introduced into the formula derivation; the time variation characteristics of biofilm strength and the features of the substrate were also taken into consideration. Such analyses can help to predict sediment transport changes due to biofilm presence in nutrient‐rich water bodies.     

塔中地区奥陶系喜马拉雅山期S干气充注的证据

塔中地区奥陶系天然气成因多样;Ⅰ号坡折带中东部奥陶系天然气以高干燥系数、 甲烷同位素值重为特征;与塔深1井寒武系原油裂解气接近;应主要来自寒武系原油裂解气成因。寒武系贫H₂S、 高成熟原油裂解气在喜马拉雅山期时;气侵奥陶系油气藏;得到了以下主要证据的支持: 1）天然气甲烷δ¹³C值大多比Chung et al.（1988）天然气模式甲烷δ¹³C值计算值高3‰以上;2）干燥系数与甲烷δ¹³C值大体上具有正相关关系;3）天然气干燥系数与H₂S含量大体上具有负相关关系。这些特征表明;存在贫H₂S、 相对富¹³C甲烷为主的干气与富H₂S、 相对贫¹³C甲烷的湿气混合作用。奥陶系中H₂S-δ³⁴S 值为14‰～20‰;远低于中深1井寒武系原地热化学硫酸盐还原作用（TSR）成因的H₂S（33‰）;支持了奥陶系中H₂S并不是来源于寒武系古油气藏。于是提出;来自寒武系贫H₂S的干气在喜马拉雅山期对良里塔格组和鹰山组油气藏发生了气洗;油气藏的气/油比值增大、 导致了原油蜡含量增高、 甲烷δ¹³C值发生正偏移。     

中国地热研究的进展与展望(1995～2014)

地热是主要地球物理场之一,地热能是地球的本土能源。李四光在20世纪60年代开创了我国地热科学。到90年代,学科体系基本建立。在过去20年里,我国地热研究得到了进一步深化和拓展。本文从大地热流、岩石圈热结构、地热系统、油气盆地地热、矿山地热、天然气水合物以及气候变化等方面回顾地热研究代表性的创新进展,并对深层地热、海洋地热、环境地热等研究方向作了展望。本文认为,过去20年我国地热研究成果丰硕,国际影响力得到提高,未来发展势头强劲。在经历了由浅入深,从今到古的成长之后,地热研究还将不断拓展领域,为我国地球科学,特别是能源与环境安全做出更大贡献。     

Assessment of the Excavation-Damaged Zone in a Tall Rock Slope Using Acoustic Testing Method

During slope excavation, high stresses can become concentrated in the rock mass because of stress redistribution. Failure of the rock mass creates an excavation-damaged zone (EDZ) in the slope. The damage reduces the acoustic wave velocity in the rock mass. Results of field tests measuring acoustic wave velocity at the Jinping I Hydropower Station are used here to study the EDZ in a tall rock slope. Two acoustic testing methods were adopted in the field tests: single-hole acoustic testing (SAT) and cross-hole acoustic testing (CAT). The acoustic wave velocity was lower in the EDZ, and the depth of the EDZ increased with decreasing slope elevation. Statistical analysis shows that the acoustic wave velocity obtained by the SAT method is larger than that obtained by the CAT method, and the relative difference between the SAT- and CAT-derived velocities is lower for a high quality rock mass than for a low quality rock mass. The integrity ratio and severity of damage can also be determined by acoustic wave velocity test results, revealing that the integrity ratio and elastic modulus of a rock mass are reduced in the EDZ.     

蛇绿岩型金刚石的特征

蛇绿岩型金刚石产在蛇绿岩地幔橄榄岩和铬铁矿中,不同于产在大陆克拉通的金伯利岩型金刚石,也不同于产在板块俯冲带中的超高压变质型金刚石和陨石撞击成因的金刚石。蛇绿岩型金刚石的主要特征是粒度普遍较小,多数在200~500μm之间,C同位素显示极低的δ13CVPDB值(-28‰~-18‰),金刚石中包裹体以含富Mn的矿物为特征,金刚石产在蛇绿岩大洋地幔橄榄岩中,其构造背景为板块缝合带。金伯利岩型金刚石粒度可达厘米级,是大颗粒宝石级金刚石的主要来源,其C同位素显示轻微低的δ13CVPDB值(-10‰~-5‰),包裹体矿物多为富Mg的矿物组合,金刚石产在克拉通和大陆岩石圈构造背景。超高压变质带中的金刚石颗粒十分细小,由数微米至100μm,C同位素为中等低的δ13CVPDB值(-15‰~-7‰),金刚石通常与碳酸岩和地壳成因矿物伴生,含有金刚石的超高压变质岩石形成的构造背景为板块深俯冲边界。形成于陨石撞击的金刚石产出和研究均较少,金刚石通常也是微米级,产出在陨石撞击形成的变质岩中,伴生矿物的成分与与撞击变质的原岩有关。以上四类金刚石无论野外和室内区分显著,由此,可以将蛇绿岩型金刚石归为地球上一种新的金刚石产出类型。     

降雨类型对浅层滑坡稳定性的影响

在降雨与浅层滑坡稳定性关系的研究中, 目前的研究往往忽略了降雨类型的影响.因此, 选取4种具有代表性的降雨类型: 均匀型、递增型、递减型以及峰值型为对象, 基于Rosso提出的降雨强度与地下水关系模型, 构建考虑降雨类型的浅层滑坡地下水位高度随降雨时间的变化关系, 研究不同降雨类型对浅层滑坡地下水位变化的影响.进而, 结合无限边坡理论, 建立浅层滑坡的稳定性计算模型, 研究不同降雨类型对浅层滑坡稳定性的影响.研究结果表明: 降雨类型对浅层滑坡稳定性的影响是明显的, 递增型降雨作用下的浅层滑坡安全系数最小, 其次是均匀型降雨, 再次是峰值型降雨, 最大的是递减型降雨; 同时在确定浅层滑坡临界降雨量和进行区域浅层滑坡易发性研究时降雨类型的影响不容忽视.      

Spatiotemporal variation of meteorological droughts based on the daily comprehensive drought index in the Haihe River basin,China

Meteorological droughts can affect large areas and may have serious environmental, social and economic impacts. These impacts depend on the severity, duration, and spatial extent of the precipitation deficit and the socioeconomic vulnerability of the affected regions. This paper examines the spatiotemporal variation of meteorological droughts in the Haihe River basin. Meteorological droughts events were diagnosed using daily meteorological data from 44 stations by calculating a comprehensive drought index (CI) for the period 1961–2011. Based on the daily CI values of each station over the past 50 years, the drought processes at each station were confirmed, and the severity, duration and frequency of each meteorological drought event were computed and analyzed. The results suggest the following conclusions: (1) the use of the CI index can effectively trace the development of drought and can also identify the duration and severity of each drought event; (2) the average drought duration was 57–85 days in each region of the Haihe River basin, and the region with the highest average values of drought duration and drought severity was Bohai Bay; (3) drought occurred more than 48 times over the study period, which is more than 0.95 times per year over the 50 years studied. The average frequencies of non-drought days, severe drought days and extreme drought days over the study period were 51.2, 3.2 and 0.4 %, respectively. Severe drought events mainly occurred in the south branch of the Hai River, and extreme drought events mainly occurred in the Shandong Peninsula and Bohai Bay; (4) the annual precipitation and potential evapotranspiration of the Haihe River basin show decreasing trends over the past 50 years. The frequency of severe drought and extreme drought events has increased in the past 20 years than during the period 1961–1990. The results of this study may serve as a reference point for decision regarding basin water resources management, ecological recovery and drought hazard vulnerability analysis.