Progradational and backstepping shoreface deposits in the Ladinian to Early Norian Snadd Formation of the Barents Sea

Shoreface sandstone deposits within the Early Carnian part of the Snadd Formation of the Norwegian Barents Sea can be traced for hundreds of kilometres in the depositional strike direction and for tens of kilometres in the depositional‐dip direction. This study uses three‐dimensional seismic attribute mapping and two‐dimensional regional seismic profiles to visualize the seismic facies of these shoreface deposits and to map their internal stratigraphic architecture at a regional scale. The shoreface deposits are generally elongate but show variable width from north‐east to south‐west, which corresponds to a sediment source in the northern part of the basin and a southward decrease in longshore sediment transport. The Snadd Formation presents an example of how large‐scale progradational shoreface deposits develop. The linear nature of its shoreface deposits contrasts with more irregular, cuspate wave‐dominated deltaic shorelines that contain river outlets, and instead implies longshore drift as the main sediment source. In map view, discrete sets of linear features bounded by truncation surfaces scale directly to beach ridge sets in modern counterparts. The shoreface deposits studied here are characteristic in terms of scale and basin‐wide continuity, and offer insight into the contrast between shallow marine deposition under stable Triassic Greenhouse and fluctuating Holocene Icehouse climates. Findings presented herein are also important for hydrocarbon exploration in the Barents Sea, because they describe a hitherto poorly understood reservoir play in the Triassic interval, wherein the most prominent reservoir plays have so far been considered to be found in channelized deposits in net‐progradational delta‐plain strata that form the topsets to shelf‐edge clinoforms. The documented presence of widespread wave‐dominated shoreface deposits also has implications for how the relative importance of different sedimentary processes is considered within the basin during this period.     

Provenance of Holocene beach sand in the Western Iberian margin: the use of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test for the deciphering of sediment recycling in a modern coastal system

Detrital zircons from Holocene beach sand and igneous zircons from the Cretaceous syenite forming Cape Sines (Western Iberian margin) were dated using laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry. The U–Pb ages obtained were used for comparison with previous radiometric data from Carboniferous greywacke, Pliocene–Pleistocene sand and Cretaceous syenite forming the sea cliff at Cape Sines and the contiguous coast. New U–Pb dating of igneous morphologically simple and complex zircons from the syenite of the Sines pluton suggests that the history of zircon crystallization was more extensive (ca 87 to 74 Ma), in contrast to the findings of previous geochronology studies (ca 76 to 74 Ma). The U–Pb ages obtained in Holocene sand revealed a wide interval, ranging from the Cretaceous to the Archean, with predominance of Cretaceous (37%), Palaeozoic (35%) and Neoproterozoic (19%) detrital‐zircon ages. The paucity of round to sub‐rounded grains seems to indicate a short transportation history for most of the Cretaceous zircons (ca 95 to 73 Ma) which are more abundant in the beach sand that was sampled south of Cape Sines. Comparative analysis using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistical method, analysing sub‐populations separately, suggests that the zircon populations of the Carboniferous and Cretaceous rocks forming the sea cliff were reproduced faithfully in Quaternary sand, indicating sediment recycling. The similarity of the pre‐Cretaceous ages (>ca 280 Ma) of detrital zircons found in Holocene sand, as compared with Carboniferous greywacke and Pliocene–Pleistocene sand, provides support for the hypothesis that detritus was reworked into the beach from older sedimentary rocks exposed along the sea cliff. The largest percentage of Cretaceous zircons (<ca 95 Ma) found in Holocene sand, as compared with Pliocene–Pleistocene sand (secondary recycled source), suggests that the Sines pluton was the one of the primary sources that became progressively more exposed to erosion during Quaternary uplift. This work highlights the application of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov method in comparison of zircon age populations used to identify provenance and sediment recycling in modern and ancient detrital sedimentary sequences.     

Iron isotopic systematics of UHP eclogites respond to oxidizing fluid during exhumation

The iron stable isotope compositions (δ⁵⁶Fe) and iron valence states of ultrahigh‐pressure eclogites from Bixiling in the Dabie orogen belt, China, were measured to trace the changes of geochemical conditions during vertical transportation of earth materials, for example, oxygen fugacity. The bulk Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratios of retrograde eclogites, determined by Mössbauer spectroscopy, are consistently higher than those of fresh eclogites, suggesting oxidation during retrograde metamorphism and fluid infiltration. The studied eclogites (five samples) display limited mid‐ocean ridge basalts (MORB)‐like (~0.10‰) δ⁵⁶Fe values, which are indistinguishable from their protoliths, that is, gabbro cumulates formed through differentiation of mantle‐derived basaltic magma. This suggests that Fe isotope fractionation during continental subduction is limited. Garnet separates display limited δ⁵⁶Fe variation ranging from ?0.08 ± 0.07 ‰ to 0.02 ± 0.07‰, whereas coexisting omphacite displays a large variation of δ⁵⁶Fe values from 0.15 ± 0.07‰ to 0.47 ± 0.07‰. Omphacite also has highly variable Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratios from 0.367 ± 0.025 to 0.598 ± 0.024, indicating modification after peak metamorphism. Omphacite from retrograde eclogites has elevated Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratios (0.54–0.60) compared to that from fresh eclogites (~0.37), whereas garnet displays a narrow range of ferric iron content with Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratios from 0.039 ± 0.013 to 0.065 ± 0.022. The homogenous δ⁵⁶Fe values and Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratios of garnet suggest that it survived the retrograde metamorphism and preserved its Fe‐isotopic features and ferric contents of peak metamorphism. Because of similar diffusion rates of Fe and Mg in garnet and omphacite, and constant Δ²⁶Mg_{omphacite‐garnet} values (1.14 ± 0.04‰), equilibrium iron isotope fractionation between garnet and omphacite was probably achieved during peak metamorphism. Elevated Fe³⁺/ΣFe ratios of omphacite from retrograde eclogites and variant Δ⁵⁶Fe_{omphacite‐garnet} values of the studied eclogites (0.13 ± 0.10‰ to 0.48 ± 0.10‰) indicate that oxidized geofluid infiltration resulted in the elevation of δ⁵⁶Fe values of omphacite during retrograde metamorphism.     

Thermal equation of state of natural tourmaline at high pressure and temperature

Synchrotron-based in situ angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction experiments were conducted on a natural uvite-dominated tourmaline sample by using an external-heating diamond anvil cell at simultaneously high pressures and temperatures up to 18 GPa and 723 K, respectively. The angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction data reveal no indication of a structural phase transition over the P–T range of the current experiment in this study. The pressure–volume–temperature data were fitted by the high-temperature Birch–Murnaghan equation of state. Isothermal bulk modulus of K ₀ = 96.6 (9) GPa, pressure derivative of the bulk modulus of \(K_{0}^{\prime } = 12.5 \;(4)\), thermal expansion coefficient of α ₀ = 4.39 (27) × 10^?5 K^?1 and temperature derivative of the bulk modulus (?K/?T) _P  = ?0.009 (6) GPa K^?1 were obtained. The axial thermoelastic properties were also obtained with K _a0 = 139 (2) GPa, \(K_{a0}^{\prime }\) = 11.5 (7) and α _a0 = 1.00 (11) × 10^?5 K^?1 for the a-axis, and K _c0 = 59 (1) GPa, \(K_{c0}^{\prime }\) = 11.4 (5) and α _c0 = 2.41 (24) × 10^?5 K^?1 for the c-axis. Both of axial compression and thermal expansion exhibit large anisotropic behavior. Thermoelastic parameters of tourmaline in this study were also compared with that of the other two ring silicates of beryl and cordierite.     

川北旺苍唐家河剖面仙女洞组灰泥丘沉积特征及造丘环境分析

目前川北地区早寒武世微生物藻与古杯参与的生物礁(丘)发育特征存在较大争议。通过实测剖面与镜下分析,川北旺苍县鼓城乡唐家河剖面仙女洞组发育三期灰泥丘。对该剖面灰泥丘沉积特征进行精细研究认为:第一期灰泥丘发育在滑塌角砾灰岩之上,造丘生物主要为枝状和房室状附枝藻,主要岩性为砾屑灰岩、藻格架凝块灰岩和含云生物碎屑灰岩,发育丘基、丘核、丘盖和丘翼,后期演化为钙质砂泥岩结束生长。第二期生物丘发育在鲕粒滩间生屑灰岩之上,造丘生物主要为肾状藻,次为附枝藻,主要岩性为生物碎屑灰岩、藻格架凝块灰岩、漂浮砾岩和亮晶鲕粒灰岩,纵向上发育丘基、丘核、丘坪、丘盖和丘翼,最终再度沉积鲕粒灰岩。第三期灰泥丘发育在藻叠层灰岩之上,造丘生物为古杯和微生物藻,岩性主要为古杯灰岩、生物碎屑泥晶灰岩、藻格架凝块灰岩和藻叠层灰岩,发育丘基、丘核和丘盖。进一步分析三期灰泥丘的成丘环境认为第一期灰泥丘属于台缘斜坡环境内的斜坡灰泥丘低能沉积,经历三个演化阶段;第二期属于台地边缘灰泥丘,经历四期演化阶段;第三期为台缘高能鲕粒滩向陆一侧能量相对较低的台缘古杯灰泥丘沉积,经历三个演化阶段。剖面中灰泥丘多与鲕粒滩共存,构成丘滩复合体,为后期研究储集性能和油气富集关系具有重要的油气地质意义。     

南美Oriente盆地北部海绿石砂岩油藏特征及成藏规律

南美厄瓜多尔Oriente盆地斜坡带发育的白垩系Napo组高伽马特征的UT海绿石砂岩段是成熟探区新发现的隐蔽含油层段。本文分析了海绿石砂岩储层的矿物组成、孔隙结构、成岩作用、物性特点,并结合烃源岩评价与石油空间分布探讨海绿石砂岩油藏的成藏特征。海绿石粘土矿物以颗粒形式存在,与石英共同构成海绿石砂岩的颗粒组分,海绿石砂岩的孔隙结构具有双峰特征,束缚水含量高,属于中-低孔、中-低渗储层类型,孔隙类型主要是剩余粒间孔。海绿石砂岩储层中石英次生加大属Ⅱ级,长石碎屑颗粒发生溶蚀作用,含铁碳酸盐类胶结物发育,结合泥岩低的I/S混层比和高的最高峰温值T_max,指示海绿石砂岩层段属于中成岩阶段A期的产物。与海绿石砂岩油藏紧邻的大面积分布的Ⅱ₁腐泥型成熟烃源岩就是缓翼斜坡带的生烃中心,大面积连续发育的海绿石砂岩与之构成优越的源储组合,有利于上生下储式成藏。海绿石砂岩油藏表现为近源性、成藏晚期性等特点,规模发育的海绿石砂岩储层得以成藏的主要运聚机制是体积流和扩散流运聚机制。这对盆地其它油区同类油藏的发现具有重要的借鉴意义。     

香港世界地质公园晚侏罗世荔枝庄组岩石组合及其成岩地质过程解析

中国东南大陆晚侏罗世地层普遍缺失,仅零星见于个别地区,香港新界东北的荔枝庄组即为其一。荔枝庄组出露于香港世界地质公园沉积岩园区的荔枝庄地区,自下往上由火山岩—沉积岩—火山岩组合而成,沉积岩中发育大型包卷层理和滑塌构造等典型沉积构造,是香港地区最具代表性的晚侏罗世火山—沉积岩系。通过实测地层剖面研究,确定其成岩过程大体上可划分为早期普林尼式火山爆发、中期破火山口湖相沉积和晚期普林尼式火山爆发三个阶段,以湖相沉积作用为主、火山喷发作用为辅;受晚期火山岩浆活动的影响,沉积岩层普遍发生硅化或炭化。荔枝庄组独特的岩石组合与形成的古地理环境,为探讨中国东南大陆中生代火山活动—沉积作用方式与成岩过程,提供了难得的研究实例。     

豫西偃龙煤田深部铝土矿地质特征及矿床成因

偃龙煤田深部铝土矿区位于豫西铝土矿成矿区嵩箕铝土矿成矿小区,是豫西铝土矿成矿区的重要组成部分。区内铝土矿赋存于上石炭统本溪组中上部,下伏具有岩溶特征的寒武—奥陶纪灰岩,沉积相为滨岸泻湖泥岩相区,属海相沉积的一水硬铝石岩溶型矿床,矿体主要填充在岩溶作用形成的负地形之中。本文系统阐述了矿区的含矿岩系、矿床地质及矿石质量特征等,研究了本区铝土矿的成矿地质条件、矿床的展布规律和富集规律,对矿床成因及控矿因素进行了分析,指出铝土矿床分布在坳陷区边部及隆起区的过渡带,铝土矿的厚度和品质与本溪组厚度有着明显的正相关关系,预测深部仍有较好的成矿远景。     

西藏班公湖-怒江缝合带西段特提斯洋晚二叠世(Ca.252Ma)洋内俯冲的地球化学和年代学证据

多龙蛇绿混杂岩是班公湖-怒江蛇绿岩带的重要组成部分,位于西藏阿里地区改则县北西约120 km的多龙矿集区内,大地构造位置处于班公湖-怒江缝合带中西段,南羌塘板块南缘。多龙蛇绿混杂岩主要分布在多龙矿区中部及东北部。矿区中部蛇绿岩主要由辉长岩、辉绿(玢)岩、枕状玄武岩、气孔杏仁状玄武岩、玄武质岩屑凝灰岩及硅质岩等组成,东西向延伸约35 km,南北宽3~7 km,出露面积约180 km2;该蛇绿岩残片的组成单元(包括基性岩单元以及硅质岩单元等)多被构造肢解,整体表现为不规则透镜体,以构造岩片的形式断续分布于侏罗系次深海陆棚-盆地斜坡复陆碎屑岩-类复理石建造内的断层带中,构成典型的网结状构造。矿区东北部蛇绿岩主要由含铁斜方辉石橄榄蛇纹岩、玻基玄武岩、碳酸盐化角闪辉长岩、微纹层状硅质岩等组成,该蛇绿混杂岩带沿北西-南东向断裂展布,延伸约12 km,宽1~3 km,出露面积约30 km2;该蛇绿岩残片组成单元(包括超基性岩单元、基性岩单元以及硅质岩单元等)均呈构造岩片的形式产出在三叠系灰岩地层内的断层带中。