Characteristics and landcover of estuarine boundaries: implications for the delineation of the South African estuarine functional zone

This study investigated whether the current lateral boundary for estuaries in South Africa, i.e. the estuarine functional zone (EFZ), includes all estuarine habitats. The EFZ covers 173 930 ha in 304 estuaries/outlets nationally. Field surveys and analysis of available aerial images showed that 82 (12 956.70 ha) of these estuaries (26%) had estuarine habitats occurring outside of this boundary. As a result of mapping scale, the National Vegetation Map does not represent habitats that are associated with small estuaries (approximately 50% of South Africa's estuaries). For estuaries in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces, most habitats have been lost due to urban development, whereas in subtropical areas (northern Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal), cultivation has removed estuarine habitat. Although delineation of boundaries can be complicated by landcover changes, the estuarine lateral boundary in Cape estuaries could be identified based on sediment characteristics (moisture content, organic content, electrical conductivity), groundwater characteristics (salinity, conductivity and depth) and plant species. The delineation of the EFZ needs to be consistent, inclusive of all estuarine physical and biological processes, and cost-effective to identify so that it can protect estuarine habitats.     

Dissolved DMSO production via biological and photochemical oxidation of dissolved DMS in the Ross Sea,Antarctica

Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is an important degradation product of the climate-influencing gas dimethylsulfide (DMS). In the Ross Sea, Antarctica, dissolved DMSO (DMSOd) concentrations exhibited substantial seasonal and vertical variations. Surface water DMSOd concentrations in pre-bloom waters were very low (<1 nM) but increased rapidly up to 41 nM during the spring Phaeocystis antarctica bloom (late November). Increases in DMSOd concentrations lagged by several days increases in DMS concentrations. Although DMSOd concentrations reached relatively high levels during the spring bloom, concentrations were generally higher (36.3–60.6 nM) during summer (January), even though phytoplankton biomass and DMS concentrations had decreased by that time. During both seasons, DMSOd concentrations were substantially higher within the surface mixed layer than below it. DMSOd production from biological DMS consumption (BDMSC) was higher during late November (3.4–5.2 nM d^?1) than during the summer (0.7–2.4 nM d^?1); therefore, production via BDMSC alone could not explain the higher DMSOd concentrations encountered during the summer. Mixed layer-integrated DMSOd production from BDMSC was 2.5–13.7 times greater than production from dissolved DMS photolysis during the P. antarctica bloom, while photolysis contributed 1.3 times more DMSO than BDMSC before the bloom. The DMSO yield from BDMSC was consistently higher within the upper mixed layer than at depths below. Experimental incubations with water from the mixed layer showed that exposure to full spectrum sunlight for 72 h caused an increase in the DMSO yield whereas exposure to only photosynthetically active radiation did not. This suggests that ultraviolet radiation is a potential factor shifting the fate of biologically consumed DMS toward DMSO. In general, the highest DMSO yields from BDMSC were in samples with slow biological DMS turnover, whereas fast turnover favored sulfate rather than DMSO as a major end-product. This study provides the first detailed information about DMSOd distribution and production in the Ross Sea and points to DMSOd as an important biological and photochemical degradation product of DMS and a major reservoir of methylated sulfur in these polar surface waters.     

Influence of sedimentary setting on the use of magnetic susceptibility: examples from the Devonian of Belgium

Bulk magnetic susceptibility measurements on sedimentological samples from all geological periods have been used widely in the last two decades for correlations and as a proxy for sea‐level variations. This paper explores the link between magnetic susceptibility, depositional setting and environmental parameters. These environmental parameters include distal–proximal transects, microfacies successions and fourth‐order trends on different carbonate platform types (platform, ramp, carbonate mound or atoll) during different Devonian stages (Eifelian, Givetian and Frasnian). Average magnetic susceptibility values over a distal–proximal‐trending facies succession vary markedly with depositional setting. On carbonate platforms, average magnetic susceptibility generally increases towards the top of shallowing‐upward sequences. On a distal–proximal transect, average magnetic susceptibility is intermediate for the deepest facies, decreases for the reef belts and increases to a maximum in the back‐reef zone. In ramps and atolls, magnetic susceptibility trends clearly differ; average magnetic susceptibility generally decreases towards the top of shallowing‐upward sequences and is highest in the deepest facies. The strong relationship between magnetic susceptibility, facies and sequences implies a strong environmental influence. However, the different responses in the different platform types suggest that sea‐level changes leading to variation in detrital input is not the only parameter controlling average magnetic susceptibility values. Other primary or secondary processes also probably influenced magnetic mineral distribution. Primary processes such as carbonate production and water agitation during deposition are probably key factors. When carbonate production is high, the proportion of magnetic minerals is diluted and the magnetic susceptibility signal decreases. High water agitation during deposition will also selectively remove magnetic minerals and will lead to low average magnetic susceptibility values. These parameters explain the lowest values observed on the reef platform, inner ramp and atoll crown, which are all in areas characterized by higher carbonate production and greater water agitation during deposition. The lowest values observed in the lagoon inside the atoll crown can be related to detrital isolation by the atoll crown. However, other parameters such as biogenic magnetite production or diagenesis can also influence the magnetic signal. Diagenesis can change magnetism by creating or destroying magnetic minerals. However, the influence of diagenesis probably is linked strongly to the primary facies (permeability, amount of clay or organic matter) and probably enhanced the primary signal. The complexity of the signal gives rise to correlation problems between different depositional settings. Thus, while magnetic susceptibility has the potential to be an important correlation tool, the results of this investigation indicate that it cannot be used without consideration of sedimentary processes and depositional environments and without strong biostratigraphical control.     

GSCORS不稳定站坐标时间序列分析

本文对114个GSCORS坐标时间序列予以分析,发现93％以上的GSCORS位置稳定,序列变化平稳.个别基准站位置不稳定,造成基准站不稳定的因素多种多样,其中基准站周边地质松软、地基不稳为主要因素,导致测站大幅沉降、倾斜.科学、精准地分析不稳定基准坐标时间序列对维护省级参考框架的稳定具有重要指导作用.     

2000年4月15日青海省杂多县5．3级地震

在杂多5．3级地震宏观烈度考察、划分的基础上,分析讨论了区域地震构造背景及发震构造,并对地震序列类型进行了划分。     

基于信号估计的高分辨率叠加速度分析

如何得到高分辨率的叠加速度谱是高分辨率地震资料处理的关键.本文在分析地震共中心点(CDP)道集的振幅随偏移距变化(AVO)特性的基础上,提出一种信号模型来逼近CDP道集,然后利用优化技术估计信号,并采用信号估计误差实现信号检测,从而提出一种新的基于信号检测和估计的高分辨率叠加速度谱分析方法.文中的方法充分利用地震信号波形中所包含的速度信息.     

315国道勘察设计中的洪水研究

315国道依吞布拉克—若羌段水毁灾害问题十分突出,为配合公路改建工程的勘察计,通过对水毁路段野外勘测,在获取沿线主要河流的历史洪水信息基础上,分3种方案分析计算了既定控制节点历史洪水洪峰流量,并确定了历史洪水重现期。在此基础上,采用多种方法计算了控制节点设计洪峰流量和设计洪水位,经分析论证后推荐选用其合理的计算成果作为公路设计的基础依据。本次研究所提出的小汇水区设计洪水计算技术路线和方法为公路、铁路、水利等部门开展类似流域设计洪水分析计算提供了有益的借鉴。     

Jurassic Black Shales Facies from Qiangtang Basin (Northern Tibet):Rare Earth and Trace Elements for Paleoceanographic Implications

The Biluo Co and Amdo 114 station, northern Tibet, cropping out the Early Toarcian and Middle-Late Tithonian (Jurassic) organic-rich black shales, have been a focus to petroleum geologists in discussing their oil-producing potential. This paper first reports the trace elements and rare earth elements to discuss the paleoenvironments, redox conditions and sedimentary mechanisms of those black shales. Both sections exhibit variation in trace element abundances with concentrations <0.1 ppm to 760 ppm, mostly enriched in V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Ba and U. Element ratios of Ni/Co, V/Cr, U/Th and V/(V+Ni) plus U were used to identify redox conditions. The shale-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns are characterized by the flat-shale type with instable Ce anomalies and very weekly positive Eu anomalies. Positive Ceanom values are significant with values varying between –0.064 and 0.029 in Biluo Co, which may be interpreted as release of REE and input of riverine terrestrial matter with rich Ce (resulting in pH change) during the anoxic conditions. In the middle parts of Amdo 114 station, distinct negative Ceanom values are observed (?0.238 to ?0.111) and associated surface water warming were interpreted as being related to a major sea level rise. In contrast, the formation of the black shales in the lower and upper part of the studied succession took place during a cooler (Ceanom values >–0.10), lower surface water productivity, and lower sea-level stage. Thus, we emphasize the role of different factors that control the formation of local and regional black shales. The most important factors are sea-level fluctuations and increasing productivity.