Correlations between heavy metals and organic carbon extracted by dry oxidation procedure in urban roadside soils

The organic fraction in soils has a significant influence on heavy metal transport. In this study, the organic carbon content was measured by dry oxidation procedure from 21 Xuzhou urban roadside soils to assess the relationships between the concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cr) and the amount of organic carbon. The anthropogenic heavy metals (e.g. Pb, Cu, Zn) were strongly correlated with organic carbon (denoted by C_org−c) extracted by dry oxidation while natural heavy metal (e.g. Cr) showed no correlation to the C_org−c. The anthropogenic heavy metals were also strongly correlated with the amount of the total carbon. These results show that the anthropogenic heavy metals are mainly enriched in the organic matter in the Xuzhou urban roadside soils.     

Pedogenic factors affecting magnetic susceptibility of the last interglacial palaeosol S1 in the Chinese Loess Plateau

The magnetic susceptibility has been used as a quantitative or semi‐quantitative proxy for reconstructing the summer monsoon intensity in the Chinese Loess Plateau based on extensive studies on climatic or/and environmental mechanisms producing the magnetic susceptibility signatures. However, the precise nature of the link between past climates and the susceptibility signatures has remained uncertain primarily due to lack of our understanding in the ?nalizing and preserving processes of the signatures. This paper attempts to examine the reliability or acceptability of this summer monsoon proxy from non‐magnetic perspectives of soil‐forming processes. We chose nine sections along two transects: one across the western part of the Chinese Loess Plateau and another across the eastern part. Several conclusions can be drawn from our analytical data. First, clay translocation within the S1 palaeosol pro?les, as indicated by ?eld‐observed clay coatings on ped faces in Bt and Bk horizons and demonstrated by laboratory‐analysed clay contents, must have moved some of the magnetic minerals downward so that the susceptibility re?ects only the post‐translocation distribution of the magnetic‐susceptibility‐producing minerals. Second, the best‐developed palaeosol S1S3 at most of the sections studied is not expressed by the magnetic susceptibility because this palaeosol developed in underlying coarse loess (L2) and coarse textures tend to lower the susceptibility. Third, carbonate concentration is normally negatively correlated with the magnetic susceptibility or simply suppresses the magnetic susceptibility peak when the susceptibility enhancement exceeds the carbonate dilution effect. To conclude, extreme caution must be observed when using magnetic susceptibility signatures to retrieve high‐resolution records of the last interglacial palaeoclimate in the Chinese Loess Plateau. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The foreshock sequence of haicheng earthquake and earthquake swarm—the use of foreshock sequences in earthquake prediction

We have compared the Haicheng foreshock sequence with several earthquake swarms which occurred in its neighborhood. The spatial distribution of the earthquakes is relatively concentrated. For the most part, the events occurred within a few kilometers of each other. The focal mechanisms are comparatively stable. However, there are several swarms in which the variations of focal mechanisms are quite obvious after the occurrence of the largest event of the sequence, which would allow it to be recognized as a swarm. However, there are also swarms whose focal mechanisms are no less stable throughout the sequence compared to the Haicheng foreshock sequence. This feature could thus not be used to identify a foreshock sequence. The temporal distributions of foreshocks and swarms are quite similar in some cases. This is again not a definite criterion for identifying foreshocks, but is worthy of further study. Thus, no definite criterion for identifying foreshock sequences has been found. However, some earthquake swarms may be recognized in their later stage.Finally, we introduced a magnitude sequence with gaps which can be used to see whether a large event is still forthcoming. This method (in conjunction with other methods) could be used in areas prone to large earthquakes, immediately before a large event, to improve the probability of predicting the occurrence of a large event. We also report that the temporal distribution of all the sequences showed a 12-hour recurrence pattern that corresponded with the earth tides, indicating that tidal forces might be influencing foreshocks and earthquake swarm occurrence.     

三分量地震资料中各向异性检测

各向异性研究是当令地震学研究领域中重要课题之一；三分量地震资料中各向异性的检测是各向异性理论研究成果解决地球科学实际问题的重要桥梁。本文简要描述了各向异性介质中横波分裂现象，分别介绍了现有的四种主要检测技术，即偏振图法、协方差拒阵法、质，点振动分辨率法及传输矩阵法，并对这四种技术作了一定的评述。     

North polar frontal clouds and dust storms on Mars during spring and summer

The complete archive of Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) Mars Daily Global Maps (MDGM) are used to study north polar clouds and dust storms that exhibit frontal structures during the spring and summer (L_s 0-180°). Results show that frontal events generally follow the edge of the polar cap during spring and mid/late summer with a gap in the distribution in early summer. The exact duration and timing of the gap vary from year to year. Ten to twenty percent of spring and summer time frontal events exhibit complex morphologies. Distinct temperature signatures are associated with features observed in images in many but not all cases. The general travel paths of the frontal events are eastward around the polar cap. Westward paths exist only at the edge of the polar cap in late spring/early summer. Occasionally, the paths curve toward or away from the polar cap in certain longitude sectors.     

2001年昆仑山口西8.1级地震地表破裂带

2001年11月14日昆仑山口西8.1级地震是近50年来在我国大陆发生的震级最大、地表破裂最长的地震事件.地震地表破裂带全长426km,宽数米至数百米,总体走向90°～110°,具有明显的破裂分段特征,自西向东由5条次级破裂段组成.各破裂段又由若干更次级左阶或右阶斜列的破裂组成,具有自相似的分形结构特征.地震破裂带以左旋走滑为主,倾滑量很小.宏观震中区位于库赛湖东北93.0°～93.5°E一带的昆仑山南麓断层谷地内.最大地表同震左旋水平位移6.4m,最大垂直位移为4m.地表水平位移沿地震破裂带走向出现6个峰值,各峰值之间存在相对独立的衰减序列,这表明此地震具有多点破裂特征.     

西南三江成矿带中南段金属矿床成矿规律与若干问题探讨

三江中南段地区地质构造演化复杂,古特提斯演化过程和陆内汇聚造山过程均伴随大规模的成矿作用,但是其涉及的空间范围不同,统一进行成矿带划分不能清晰地反映区域成矿规律。本次工作按前寒武纪、古特提斯阶段和陆内造山阶段进行了成矿带划分,提出了新的划分方案。系统提出了经过三江中南段地区至东南亚的5条展布千余公里长的大型成矿带：大理－哀牢山Cu、Ni、PGE成矿带,兰坪-－思茅盆地铅锌、银铜钴、汞锑多金属成矿带,金沙江－哀牢山铜金矿带,东南亚锡矿带西带和中带。在此基础上探讨了成矿带中存在的若干地质问题。     

三峡井网井水位对汶川8.0级地震的同震响应特征研究h

系统分析了三峡井网8口井水位对汶川8.0级地震的同震响应及其后效特征,揭示出这些特征因井而异,其差异性在井孔结构相似的条件下主要取决于井点的构造部位、观测含水层的地下水埋藏类型、含水层的导水系数等条件;深入研究了井水位同震后效特征中残留阶升与阶降的力学含义及其地震预测意义,并用仙女山断裂带上近期地震活动验证了残留阶升区可能是未来地震危险区的科学推论．      

Platinum-Group Element Geochemical Certified Reference Materials (GPt1-7)

Unlike the situation for other elements, few reference materials certified for the platinum-group elements are currently available. Therefore, the GPt1-7 series of PGE geochemical CRMs, prepared by the IGGE, represent an important addition and comprise a range of matrix types, including a soil, stream sediment, Mg-rich ultramafic rock, Fe-rich ultramafic rock, platinoid ore depleted in Cu, Ni and Fe, and a chromitite. The concentration of PGE in these samples ranges over 4-5 orders of magnitude and the samples were shown to have good homogeneity as assessed by a variance test. Analytical methods based on different principles were used in sample certification, including several fire assay and wet chemical procedures used for decomposition and preconcentration. Certified values for the elements Pt, Pd, Os, Ru, Ir, Rh and Au were determined by AAS, catalytic colourimetry (COL), catalytic polarography (POL), atomic emission spectrometry (AES), ICP-MS and NAA. Recently, the GPt1-7 samples were approved as national primary CRMs by the State Bureau of Technical Supervision of China.