Weichselian Convolution Phenomena and processes in fine sediments.

In three excavations in the southern Netherlands and northern Belgium, the Weichselian convolutions in fine sand, silt and clay deposits were investigated, and an attempt was made towards a semi-quantitative approach to some sediment parameters. This, together with a detailed field survey, enabled interpretation of the deformations as forms of periglacial loadcasting. They originated from the time of permafrost degradation when large quantites of water were available. The amplitude of the involutions can be related to the depth of the permafrost table at that time. During the weichselian, two periods occurred in which this involution process could have been active     

西昆仑山前冲断带晚新生代构造地貌特征

在卫片解译、DEM数据处理、地形图分析与剖面制作的基础上,结合野外构造地貌考察与观测,对西昆仑山前冲断带的构造地貌特征进行了定量、半定量的研究。沿山前发育系统的水系变化、冲积扇变化、不对称背斜、大规模正断裂、不对称河流阶地等典型的构造地貌,表明这条由南向北逆冲的冲断带在扩展过程中存在着由西向东迁移的特征。冲断带的东西分段以桑株河为界,以西发育固满背斜,其构造样式为向北的逆冲伴随向南的反冲;以东发育一系列不对称的背斜,表现出明显的由南向北逆冲的特征,地表无明显的反冲构造出现。利用生长地层和河流阶地估算了西昆仑山的隆升速率:晚上新世—早更新世以来的最低隆升速率为0.21～0.25mm/a,100ka以来的隆升速率为1.5mm/a。     

(U‐Th)/He zircon dating of Chesapeake Bay distal impact ejecta from ODP site 1073

Single crystal (U‐Th)/He dating has been undertaken on 21 detrital zircon grains extracted from a core sample from Ocean Drilling Project (ODP) site 1073, which is located ~390 km northeast of the center of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure. Optical and electron imaging in combination with energy dispersive X‐ray microanalysis (EDS) of zircon grains from this late Eocene sediment shows clear evidence of shock metamorphism in some zircon grains, which suggests that these shocked zircon crystals are distal ejecta from the formation of the ~40 km diameter Chesapeake Bay impact structure. (U‐Th/He) dates for zircon crystals from this sediment range from 33.49 ± 0.94 to 305.1 ± 8.6 Ma (2σ), implying crystal‐to‐crystal variability in the degree of impact‐related resetting of (U‐Th)/He systematics and a range of different possible sources. The two youngest zircon grains yield an inverse‐variance weighted mean (U‐Th)/He age of 33.99 ± 0.71 Ma (2σ uncertainties n = 2; mean square weighted deviation = 2.6; probability [P] = 11%), which is interpreted to be the (U‐Th)/He age of formation of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure. This age is in agreement with K/Ar, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar, and fission track dates for tektites from the North American strewn field, which have been interpreted as associated with the Chesapeake Bay impact event.     

Authigenic weddellite in sediments from the Coral Sea Basin

Euhedral, tetragonal, dipyramidal crystals of weddellite, an authigenic calcium oxalate, occur in samples from the topmost core of Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 210 in the Coral Sea Basin. Opinions in the literature differ as to whether weddellite is formed in situ or during sample storage. Comparison of smear-slides made of samples after a 4 year storage period with shipboard smear-slides made immediately after core retrieval, indicates that weddellite was formed in situ. Possible further growth during storage is not obvious. The presence of many corroded crystals, and the absence of weddellite in deeper cores, suggest that weddellite is formed soon after deposition, but dissolves again in time and with increased burial, due to changing geochemical parameters.     

Regional precipitation and temperature scenarios for climate change

Abstract

To investigate the consequences of climate change on the water budget in small catchments, it is necessary to know the change of local precipitation and temperature. General Circulation Models (GCM) cannot provide regional climate parameters yet, because of their coarse resolution and imprecise modelling of precipitation. Therefore downscaling of precipitation and temperature has to be carried out from the GCM grids to a small scale of a few square kilometres. Daily rainfall and temperature are modelled as processes conditioned on atmospheric circulation. Rainfall is linked to the circulation patterns (CPs) using conditional probabilities and conditional rainfall amount distribution. Both temperature and precipitation are downscaled to several locations simultaneously taking into account the CP dependent spatial correlation. Temperature is modelled using a simple autoregressive approach, conditioned on atmospheric circulation and local areal precipitation. The model uses the classification scheme of the German Weather Service and a fuzzy rule-based classification. It was applied in the Aller catchment for validation using observed rainfall and temperature, and observed classified geopotential pressure heights. GCM scenarios of the ECHAM model were used to make climate change predictions (using classified GCM geopotential heights); simulated values agree fairly well with historical data. Results for different GCM scenarios are shown.     

U-series Isotope Data on Lau Basin Glasses: the Role of Subduction-related Fluids during Melt Generation in Back-arc Basins

New thermal ionization mass spectrometry U-series disequilibriumdata are presented for 24 basaltic to dacitic glasses from activespreading centres in the back-arc Lau Basin (SW Pacific), togetherwith additional inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometrytrace element analyses and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope data.Valu Fa Ridge samples, adjacent to the arc front, have highU/Th and (²³⁰Th/²³⁸U) <1, implying a recent (<<350ka) addition of a U-rich slab-derived fluid. The Valu Fa datacan be combined with existing ²³⁰Th–²³⁸U data for theCentral Tonga arc to infer a fluid addition event at     

DELINEATION OF SHALLOW SALT DOMES AND SURFACE FAULTS BY TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS AT A DEPTH OF APPROXIMATELY 2 METRES*

The feasibility of using temperature measurements at a depth of about 2 m for locating and delineating salt domes and faults has been investigated both theoretically and in experimental field surveys. It is shown that measurable temperature anomalies in the soil are to be expected over shallow salt domes. In a field survey over a salt-dome area bordering the Groningen gas field, a large number of temperature measurements were made in small holes (2 m deep, 3 cm in diameter) within a relatively short time (some weeks). The results clearly indicate several temperature anomalies with differential temperatures of about 1°C. Comparison of our thermal contour map with interpretations of available seismic or gravity data, or with direct evidence from wells, showed an excellent correlation. Seismic data even support the shape of the thermal contours. Results in similar agreement with gravity or well data were obtained over salt ridges in a tropical area. Experiments showed that the technique worked as well in lakes and marshes as on dry land. In addition, some experimental evidence collected so far over shallow and surface faults is presented. In several cases, strong thermal anomalies coincided with known surface faults. A thermal model for a surface-fault zone is suggested which accounts satisfactorily for the observed thermal data. It suggests some diagnostic value for the fault's geometry. For shallow faults, however, lack of knowledge of subsurface detail prevented any unambiguous correlation with observed thermal anomalies. Accordingly any geological use of thermal analysis over shallow faults remains debatable. The field technique is simple, needs little correction and can, where useful, easily be included in routine gravity work to provide additional local information.