Importance of measurement of rare-earth elements from the Soil Information and Monitoring System： A normalization method for detection of chromium contamination in soils

The Soil Information and Monitoring System （TIM） is an independent subsystem of the integrated Environmental Information and Monitoring System in Hungary. Based on physiographical-soil-ecological units 1202 representative observation points were selected and exactly defined by geographical coordinates using GPS. The first sampling was done in 1992. Some soil parameters are measured every year, some others every 3 years or every 6 years depending on their changeability （stability）. Toxic element, heavy metal and rare earth element contents in soil samples were determined after hot and strong acid digestion by ICP-OES equipment. The rare earth elements were measured in TIM soil samples and some of them can be found in a relatively high amount, e.g. cerium and neodymium concentration are 3-4 times higher than the very often-measured copper concentration. Close correlation was found among some of the rare earth element concentrations. The Y-Yb correlation is the strongest, its r-value is higher than 0.95. The reason of difference among the yttrium concentrations of samples is not the deviation of ICP-OES measurement that is much smaller than the difference among the individual soil samples. Similar, close correlation was obtained between the soil yttrium and chromium concentration. The amount of chromium contamination can be calculated as the distance from the Y-Cr trend line. We call this method yttrium normalization. The principle of this method is described as follows： such elements than chromium and yttrium insist in the soil in a strongly bonded form. Therefore, in a non-contaminated area there is a close correlation between the yttrium and chromium concentrations. If the measured chromium concentration in a sample is not on the Cr-Y trend line than the distance it indicates the amount of antropogenic chromium. Contamination can be detected in that case of course if the contaminant does not contain yttrium.     

非洲与阿拉伯世界潜在的地质公园——第一届非洲和阿拉伯地质公园国际大会综述

1会议概况和会议主题由非洲地质公园网络(AGN)、非洲女地质工作者协会(AAWG)和联合国教科文组织(UNESCO)驻开罗办公室共同主办的第一届非洲和阿拉伯世界地质公园大会,于2011年11月20—29日在摩洛哥西北部滨临大西洋的埃尔加迪达召开。来自五大洲39个国家和国际、区域组织的代表100余人参加了大会。AAWG主席、AGN负责人、摩洛哥杜卡里大学Ezzoura Errami教授担任大会主席。应UNESCO     

Enhancement of the benthic communities around an isolated island in the Antarctic Ocean

Insular marine biotas are often richer in faunal diversity than those from the open sea in the same geographical region. The existence of particular island effects were tested under polar conditions by comparing infaunal benthic assemblages on Peter I Island with those of similar latitudes in the open ocean at the Bellingshausen Sea and also from the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Sampling was carried out aboard the R/V Hespérides during the expedition named BENTART-2003 from 24 January to 3 March 2003. Benthic samples were collected at 18 stations ranging from 90 to 2 044 m depth, using an USNEL-type box corer (BC) dredge. Representatives of 32 higher taxa of invertebrates were found. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed various patterns in the data. First, significant differences in polychaete abundance were detected between the stations located in the open sea and the remaining sites (island plus mainland sites). Bivalve abundances were also distinct between island and mainland sampling sites. Sediment columns taken from the island seafloor exhibited the highest rate of bioturbation by the infauna. These findings confirm the model that islands develop distinct assemblages characterized by the enhancement of the benthic communities even in cold waters. Several abiotic factors were measured simultaneously at the seafloor and along the water column to investigate faunal distribution patterns. Significant correlations were found between the benthic assemblages and a combination of two environmental variables: "island effect" (measured as a categorical variable) and the redox state of sediments. Richer and more complex benthic assemblages were found in Peter I Island’s sea bottom, whereas the more depauperate bottoms remained in the open sea.     

青海黄河贵德段河流阶地及新构造运动研究

贵德盆地作为青藏高原东北部的一个构造地貌单元,盆地中河流阶地发育,但是阶地的形成时代仍存在很大争议.选择阶地作为研究对象,并从龙羊峡至松坝峡共采集阶地样品10个,进行ESR测年,对测试结果进行了分析研究,建立了T0-T4阶地的海拔、河拔高度序列,分析了贵德盆地新构造运动规律具有间歇性、差异性、不对称性特征.     

东北亚的新仙女木和全新世气候演变的初步证据── 一个湖泊岩心的古环境变化的同位素和磁性记录

内蒙古合同察汗淖碱湖的磁化率和稳定同位素资料的初步证据表明,在东北亚也经历了新仙女木（ＹｏｕｎｇｅｒＤｒｙａｓ）寒冷事件。此外,９０００～６０００ａＢＰ的潮湿气候环境可能是由于季风活动加剧所致,随后,一个逐渐干化的气候条件一直延续到现在。     

四川冕宁昔格达组磁性地层学初步研究及意义*

文章首次对川西安宁河流域冕宁昔格达组河湖相沉积物进行岩石磁学和磁性地层学初步研究。结果表明沉积物具有正常的沉积组构,适合磁性地层学研究;赤铁矿和磁铁矿是主要载磁矿物;沉积物记录的古地磁场方向基本都为正极性,主要形成于高斯正极性时,约4.18~2.58Ma。综合对比表明,分布在大渡河、安宁河和金沙江干流的昔格达组以典型黄灰色岩性组合为特征,具有基本相同的沉积序列和磁极性序列,主要形成于高斯正极性时。     

元谋县各界盛典吉庆"元谋人"化石发现四十周年

"元谋人"的发现已有四十年周年."元谋人"是亚洲最早的古人类之一,生活在距今170万年前.它的发现将中华民族的历史向前推进了一百多万年.