A geomagnetic secular variation study (31000–19 500 bp) in Western Canada

Summary. Palaeomagnetic results from 212 horizons spread evenly through an 18 m sedimentary sequence in southern British Columbia are reported. Radiocarbon ages suggest that the sequence spans the interval from 31 200 to 19 500 yr bp. No evidence for any large geomagnetic excursions (such as the so-called Mono Lake Excursion) is found, but a distinctive pattern of 'normal' secular variation is observed with declination and inclination swings of 45° and 25° peak to peak amplitude respectively. For the most part the secular variation consists of low amplitude oscillations about the field vector of a geocentric axial dipole expected at the site latitude, but three relatively large perturbations occur at approximately 4000 yr intervals. These perturbations systematically bias the overall mean to shallow inclinations and easterly declinations in a manner reminiscent of the spatially non-isotropic secular variation model proposed by Cox. The bias involved is about 6° in declination and 3° in inclination (overall mean D = 5.8°E, I = 64.2°, α95 = 0.9°, N = 212 horizons), which leads to a pole which is both 'far-sided' and 'right-handed'. If the horizons involved in the three major perturbations are eliminated the mean direction ( D = 1.2°E, I = 67.2°, α95 = 0.8°, N = 125 horizons) does not differ from that of a geocentric axial dipole despite the small cone of confidence.     

Sequence hierarchy in a Mesoproterozoic interior sag basin: from basin fill to reservoir scale,the Tombador Formation,Chapada Diamantina Basin,Brazil

The Tombador Formation exhibits depositional sequence boundaries placed at the base of extensive amalgamated fluvial sand sheets or at the base of alluvial fan conglomeratic successions that indicate basinward shifts of facies. The hierarchy system that applies to the Tombador Formation includes sequences of different orders, which are defined as follows: sequences associated with a particular tectonic setting are designated as ‘first order’ and are separated by first‐order sequence boundaries where changes in the tectonic setting are recorded; second‐order sequences represent the major subdivisions of a first‐order sequence and reflect cycles of change in stratal stacking pattern observed at 10² m scales (i.e., 200–300 m); changes in stratal stacking pattern at 10¹ m scales indicate third‐order sequences (i.e., 40–70 m); and changes in stratal stacking pattern at 10⁰ m scales are assigned to the fourth order (i.e., 8–12 m). Changes in palaeogeography due to relative sea level changes are recorded at all hierarchical levels, with a magnitude that increases with the hierarchical rank. Thus, the Tombador Formation corresponds to one‐first‐order sequence, representing a distinct intracratonic sag basin fill in the polycyclic history of the Espinhaço Supergroup in Chapada Diamantina Basin. An angular unconformity separates fluvial‐estuarine to alluvial fan deposits and marks the second‐order boundary. Below the angular unconformity the third‐order sequences record fluvial to estuarine deposition. In contrast, above the angular unconformity these sequences exhibit continental alluvial successions composed conglomerates overlain by fluvial and eolian strata. Fourth‐order sequences are recognized within third‐order transgressive systems tract, and they exhibit distinct facies associations depending on their occurrence at estuarine or fluvial domains. At the estuarine domain, they are composed of tidal channel, tidal bar and overlying shoreface heterolithic strata. At the fluvial domain the sequences are formed of fluvial deposits bounded by fine‐grained or tidal influenced intervals. Fine grained intervals are the most reliable to map in fourth‐order sequences because of their broad laterally extensive sheet‐like external geometry. Therefore, they constitute fourth‐order sequence boundaries that, at the reservoir approach, constitute the most important horizontal heterogeneity and, hence, the preferable boundaries of production zones. The criteria applied to assign sequence hierarchies in the Tombador Formation are based on rock attributes, are easy to apply, and can be used as a baseline for the study of sequence stratigraphy in Precambrian and Phanerozoic basins placed in similar tectonic settings.     

Annihilation of both place and sense of place: the experience of the Cheslatta T'En Canadian First Nation within the context of large-scale environmental projects

The water resources of Canada are today, and have always been, of major importance to the welfare of Canadians. Throughout most of Canada's history, these resources have been viewed within a supply–management framework and, frequently, exploited through the construction of 'megaprojects', often with little or no concern for issues such as environmental harm and social and community disruption. As in many parts of the world, those most affected by such large-scale water resource developments have been aboriginals (in Canada, 'First Nations' peoples). Although the issues of environmental, social and economic damage to First Nations as a result of water megaprojects have been investigated, little has been written about the impact of such projects – especially dam construction – on the loss of sense of place of deracinated peoples. This paper investigates one example of such loss of sense of place, that of the Cheslatta T'En forcibly removed from their ancestral lands in the 1950s so as to allow for the construction of a private hydroelectric dam by the Aluminum Company of Canada (Alcan).     

Detachment folding in a Lower Cambrian–Upper Permian karst reservoir: 3D model of the Yubei 3D area (eastern Markit Slope,Tarim Basin,Northwest China)

A three-dimensional (3D) structural modeling of the Lower Cambrian–Upper Permian Yubei 3D area was performed to understand its structural evolution. This model reproduces the present-day structure of the basin and comprises 11 horizons within Lower Cambrian to Upper Permian rocks. The analysis is based on 3D depth views and faults. The results image salt movements due to tectonics and/or burial. From these observations, this paper deduces that salt structures are correlated to the main faults and tectonic events. From the model analysis, we interpret the timing and geometry of Tarim Basin tectonics. The fault geometry can be resolved based on the strike of the fault, the morphology of hanging wall strata, and the stratigraphic distribution. Emphasis is placed on gypsum rock detachment, considering its movements during the Middle Caledonian event and decoupling effects during tectonic evolution. Moreover, we point to the structural control of the Paleozoic basement and the crustal architecture (Yubei 3D Zone) on the geometry of the Tarim Basin.     

幸福河评价体系及其应用

幸福河是中国新时代江河治理的新目标,对保障河流健康及经济社会可持续发展意义重大。为定量评价幸福河状况,本文通过对幸福河概念内涵的进一步梳理,提出幸福河评价体系;以安全运行、持续供给、生态健康、和谐发展"四大判断准则"为框架,按"目标-准则-指标"三层级,构建幸福河评价指标体系,包括基本指标16个、备选指标34个;参考相关规范、标准文件和研究成果,将幸福河评价指标划分为5个等级,分别给出各指标5个等级的分级标准值;引入"幸福河指数"来定量评价河流幸福河状态,采用"单指标量化-多指标综合-多准则集成"方法,定量计算幸福河指数。最后,以黄河为例,分别对2017年黄河上中下游分段、支流渭河以及流经的9个省区开展幸福河评价的实例应用。经验证,所提出的幸福河评价体系能较好地反映黄河客观实际,具有较强的可靠性和适用性。     

Palaeomagnetism of limestones from the Gargano Peninsula (Italy), and the implication of these data

The platform limestones of Apulia are usually too weakly magnetic for precise measurement. The East Gargano basin is an autochthonous extension of Apulia and incorporates deeper water limestones which, though weakly magnetic ( J NRM ≃ 50 nG), can be reliably measured using a cryogenic magnetometer. The magnetization is attributed to the presence of detrital magnetite and the pelagic limestones yield a mean magnetic direction for the Late Cretaceous (Dec. = 335°, Inc. = 38°, α₉₅= 6.5°). The circle of confidence associated with this direction overlaps with those associated with Late Cretaceous magnetic directions from Iblei (Sicily) and from the Vicentinian (Southern) Alps. Palaeomagnetic pole positions for Iblei, Gargano/Apulia and the Southern Alps indicate that these three autochthons need not have rotated significantly relative to each other since the Late Cretaceous. An inferred Late Cretaceous pole position for Africa coincides with the pole positions obtained from these Italian data.     

Cretaceous volcanic belts and the evolution of the Black Sea Basin

Deposits in southwestern Crimea that contain Late Albian, Middle Senomanian, and Middle Campanian volcanic material are described and dated. Supposedly volcanic edifices are identified in the Black Sea (the Shatsky Swell) based on seismic data. The Albian, Senomanian, and Campanian volcanic belts are reconstructed for the entire Black Sea Region. The suggestion is made that the Black Sea Basin formed as a back-arc basin that started from rifting in the Albian and finished with spreading of the oceanic crust in the Senomanian-Early Santonian.     

The Influence of Place on the Willingness to Pay for Ecosystem Services

Sense of place, including an individual’s attitudes toward specific geographic settings, is generally predicted to influence willingness to engage in place-protective behaviors. Relatively little research, however, has empirically examined the influence of people’s attitudes toward a place on their willingness to pay for environmental protection. Using the example of a payment for ecosystem services (PES) initiative in the McKenzie River watershed, Oregon, USA, we found that place attitudes were a significant predictor of respondents’ willingness to pay for a program designed to benefit drinking water quality. These results suggest that connecting conservation actions to landscapes that are meaningful to people may increase their financial support for PES and other conservation programs. While program managers have little or no influence over stakeholders’ political ideology, gender, or income, managers may be able to influence prospective PES buyers’ awareness and attitudes through targeted communications, thereby potentially increasing support for place-based conservation efforts.     

Variations in exospheric density at heights near 1100km, derived from satellite orbits

In an earlier paper, values of exospheric density were obtained from the orbit of Echo 2 for the years 1964–1965. The results indicated a semi-annual variation in density by a factor of between 2 and 3, considerably larger than predicted by existing atmospheric models.

These studies have now been extended to the beginning of 1967, using both Echo 2 and Calsphere 1, to show how the density is responding to increasing solar activity. Variations in density during 1964 have been analysed in more detail. The long-term variation associated with the solar cycle and the short-term variations associated with magnetic and solar disturbances agree with the variations expected on the basis of current models. The semi-annual variation is persisting to higher levels of solar activity, and although its amplitude is diminishing the factor of variation was still 1.6 in 1966.