Discovery of six high-redshift quasars with the Lijiang 2.4 m telescope and the Multiple Mirror Telescope

Quasars with redshifts greater than 4 are rare, and can be used to probe the structure and evolution of the early universe. Here we report the discovery of six new quasars with i-band magnitudes brighter than 19.5 and redshifts between 2.4 and 4.6 from spectroscopy with the Yunnan Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera (YFOSC) at the Lijiang 2.4 m telescope in February, 2012. These quasars are in the list of z > 3.6 quasar candidates selected by using our proposed J K/i Y criterion and the photometric redshift estimations from the SDSS optical and UKIDSS near-IR photometric data. Nine candidates were observed by YFOSC, and five among six new quasars were identified as z > 3.6 quasars. One of the other three objects was identified as a star and the other two were unidentified due to the lower signal-to-noise ratio of their spectra. This is the first time that z > 4 quasars have been discovered using a telescope in China. Thanks to the Chinese Telescope Access Program (TAP), the redshift of 4.6 for one of these quasars was confirmed by the Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT) Red Channel spectroscopy. The continuum and emission line properties of these six quasars, as well as their central black hole masses and Eddington ratios, were obtained.     

A systematic study on energy dependence of quasi-periodic oscillation frequency in GRS 1915+105

Systematically studying all the RXTE/PCA observations for GRS 1915+105 before November 2010, we have discovered three additional patterns in the relation between Quasi-Periodic Oscillation (QPO) frequency and photon energy, extending earlier outcomes reported by Qu et al. (Astrophys. J. 710:836, 2010). We have confirmed that as QPO frequency increases, the relation evolves from the negative correlation to positive one. The newly discovered patterns provide new constraints on the QPO models.     

Risk analysis for clustered check dams due to heavy rainfall

Check dams are commonly constructed around the world for alleviating soil erosion and preventing sedimentation of downstream rivers and reservoirs.Check dams are more vulnerable to failure due to their less stringent flood control standards compared to other dams.Determining the critical precipitation that will result in overtopping of a dam is a useful approach to assessing the risk of failure on a probabilistic basis and for providing early warning in case of an emergency.However,many check dams are built in groups,spreading in several tributaries in cascade forms,comprising a complex network.Determining the critical precipitation for dam overtopping requires a knowledge of its upstream dams on whether they survived or were overtopped during the same storm,while these upstream dams in turn need the information for their upstream dams.The current paper presents an approach of decomposing the dam cluster into(1)the heading dam,(2)border dams,and(3)intermediate dams.The algorithm begins with the border dams that have no upstream dams and proceeds with upgraded maps without the previous border dams until all the dams have been checked.It is believed that this approach is applicable for small-scale check dam systems where the time lag of flood routing can be neglected.As a pilot study,the current paper presents the analytical results for the Wangmaogou Check Dam System that has 22 dams connected in series and parallel.The algorithm clearly identified 7 surviving dams,with the remaining ones being overtopped for a storm of 179.6 mm in 12 h,which is associated with a return period of one in 200 years.     

中天山基底与塔里木克拉通的构造亲缘性

中天山基底与塔里木克拉通的构造亲缘性问题涉及中亚大地构造单元的划分,倍受学术界关注.在诸多学者的研究基础上,特别是塔里木北缘物质成分和年代学成果基础上,通过区域地质调查,对托克逊县干沟与和静县阿拉沟两地的前南华纪地层序列及其岩石组合进行了专门研究,并筛选出4件浅变质砂岩样品做碎屑锆石U-Pb测年研究,获得165组年龄数据.结果表明,发育在中天山地区的前南华纪地层序列、岩石组合、地层接触关系、沉积环境与塔里木北缘的基本一致,可比性好,揭示了二者之间密切的构造亲缘性.其Th/U比值密集分布在0.4～4.0,表明岩浆锆石占绝大多数.锆石U-Pb测年产生了4个年龄峰值,分别为950Ma、1 550Ma、1 920Ma和2 480Ma,表明中天山较好地保存了元古代的4次重大构造-岩浆活动信息.这些年龄峰值在塔里木陆块均有对应岩浆体的发育,也与塔里木周缘的前寒武纪年龄谱吻合,进一步佐证了中天山基底与塔里木克拉通曾经是一个统一块体的认识.结合区域构造分析,认为中天山陆块是在南华纪以来,逐渐从塔里木克拉通拉张裂离出来的;伴随早古生代天山洋的俯冲,一个奥陶纪-志留纪火山弧发育在这个裂离的中天山陆块之上.     

Geochemistry,Paleoenvironment and Mechanism of Organic-Matter Enrichment in the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation Shale in the Sichuan Basin,China

To investigate the mechanism of the organic-matter enrichment in the Lower Longmaxi Formation shale, the geochemistry and total organic carbon(TOC) of the Longmaxi Formation black shales in the Jiaoshiba, Zhaotong, and Weiyuan areas of the Sichuan Basin were analyzed. Paleoproductivity proxy parameters(Babio, Siex, and Ni/Al), clastic influx proxies(TiO_2 and Ti/Al), redox indices(V/Cr, Ni/Co, V/(V+Ni), and U/Th), and hydrothermal indicators(Fe, Mn,and Y concentrations; Fe/Ti ratio and a Ni-Zn-Co diagram) were employed to decipher the paleoenvironment of the Lower Longmaxi Formation shales. TiO_2 and Ti/Al indicated low terrigenous detrital influx in all three areas. However, Babio, Siex,and Ni/Al indicated high productivity in the Jiaoshiba area. V/Cr, Ni/Co, and U/Th indicated higher oxygen content with larger fluctuations in the Zhaotong and Weiyuan areas. Fe, Mn, and Y concentrations and the Fe/Ti ratio implied greater active hydrothermal activity in the Weiyuan area. These heterogeneities were considered to be closely related to the paleoenvironment and paleogeography, and the large basement faults that developed during the Chuanzhong paleo-uplift could have provided vents for deep-hydrothermal-fluid upwelling. The redox indices(V/Cr, Ni/Co, and U/Th) and a paleoproductivity proxy(Ni/Al) displayed a significant correlation with the TOC, suggesting that both excellent preservation conditions and high paleoproductivity were the controlling factors for the enrichment of organic matter in the Longmaxi Formation shale. There was no obvious correlation between the clastic influx proxy(Ti/Al) and the TOC due to the extremely low supply of terrigenous debris. The hydrothermal indicator(Fe/Ti) was negatively correlated with the TOC in the Weiyuan area, indicating that hydrothermal activity may have played a negative role in the accumulation of organic matter. This study suggests that the enrichment of organic matter in the Longmaxi Formation marine shale varied according to the paleogeography and sedimentary environment.     

岩土工程中水文地质问题的危害性

岩土工程施工中会受到水文地质的影响,往往被工作人员忽视,导致一系列问题产生。为了保证岩土工程的质量,必须就水文地质问题对岩土工程的危害性进行分析研究,提出有效解决策略,以提高工程质量,保证工程安全。     

Genesis of the Xiuwenghala Gold Deposit in the Beishan Orogen,Northwest China: Evidence from Geology,Fluid Inclusion,and H–O–S–Pb Isotopes

The Xiuwenghala gold deposit is located in the Beishan Orogen of the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The vein/lenticular gold orebodies are controlled by Northeast‐trending faults and are hosted mainly in the brecciated/altered tuff and rhyolite porphyry of the Lower Carboniferous Baishan Formation. Metallic minerals include mainly pyrite and minor chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, galena, and sphalerite, whilst nonmetallic minerals include quartz, chalcedony, sericite, chlorite, and calcite. Hydrothermal alterations consist of silicic, sericite, chlorite, and carbonate. Alteration/mineralization processes comprise three stages: pre‐ore silicic alteration (Stage I), syn‐ore quartz‐chalcedony‐polymetallic sulfide mineralization (Stage II), and post‐ore quartz‐calcite veining (Stage III). Fluid inclusions (FIs) in quartz and calcite are dominated by L‐type with minor V‐type and lack any daughter mineral‐bearing or CO₂‐rich/‐bearing inclusions. From Stages I to III, the FIs homogenized at 240–260°C, 220–250°C, and 150–190°C, with corresponding salinities of 2.9–10.9, 3.2–11.1, and 2.9–11.9 wt.% NaCl eqv., respectively. The mineralization depth at Xiuwenghala is estimated to be relatively shallow (<1 km). FI results indicate that the ore‐forming fluids belong to a low to medium‐temperature, low‐salinity, and low‐density NaCl‐H₂O system. The values decrease from Stage I to III (3.7‰, 1.7–2.4‰, and ?1.7 to 0.9‰, respectively), and a similar trend is found for their values (?104 to ?90‰, ?126 to ?86‰, and ?130 to ?106‰, respectively). This indicates that the fluid source gradually evolved from magmatic to meteoric. δ³⁴S values of the hydrothermal pyrites (?3.0 to 0.0‰; avg. ?1.1‰) resemble those of typical magmatic/mantle‐derived sulfides. Pyrite Pb isotopic compositions (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.409–18.767, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.600–15.715, ²⁰⁸Pb^/204Pb = 38.173–38.654) are similar to those of the (sub)volcanic ore host, indicating that the origin of ore‐forming material was mainly the upper crustal (sub)volcanic rocks. Integrating evidence from geology, FIs, and H–O–S–Pb isotopes, we suggest that Xiuwenghala is best classified as a low‐sulfidation epithermal gold deposit.     

Tracking historical storm records from high-barrier lagoon deposits on the southeastern coast of Hainan Island,China

The relationship between storm activity and global warming remains uncertain. To better understand storm–climate relationships, coastal lagoon deposits are increasingly being investigated because they could provide high-resolution storm records long enough to cover past climate changes. However, site-specific sediment dynamics and high barriers may bias storm reconstructions. Here, we aimed to investigate these factors through the reconstruction of five distinct storm records (XCL-01, XC-03, XC-06, XC-07, XC-08) from different water depths in a lagoon with a high barrier (i.e., Xincun Lagoon of Hainan Island). Sediment cores were characterized using high-resolution grain size and XRF measurements, to identify storm events. These data were coupled with a numerical simulation to obtain bed shear stress data with high-spatial resolution to better understand storm-induced sediment transport mechanisms. 210Pb dating and Pb pollution chronostratigraphic markers indicated that the chronology of the storm deposit sequences of the cores span the period between 117 a and 348 a. The grain size and XRF results indicated numerous, highly variable and short-duration fluctuations, suggesting that storm-induced coarse-grained sediments were deposited at these core sites. The inconsistent storm events recorded in these cores suggest that these sites have different preservation potentials for storm deposits. However, the consistence between storm sediment records and historical documents for Core XCL-01 indicates that high-barrier lagoons could provide long-term storm event records with high preservation potential.     

地理学研究进展与前沿领域

现代地理学涵盖自然地理学、人文地理学和地理信息科学，其发展趋势是：相邻学科的交叉、渗透与融合，加强地理学内部的综合研究，地理过程的微观研究进一步深化，结合实践拓宽应用研究领域，实验与研究手段的现代化，理论思维模式的转变。地理学应在陆地表层过程与格局、全球环境变化及其区域响应、自然资源保障与生态环境建设、区域可持续发展及人地系统的机理与调控、地理信息科学和数字地球战略等前沿领域开拓创新，为促进地球系统科学的发展、协调人地关系等做出积极的贡献。     

塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地塔中地区大气气溶胶散射系数影响因子

利用2010年塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地塔克拉玛干沙漠大气环境观测试验站单波段(525nm)积分浊度计和PM10自动监测仪、能见度仪器观测资料,结合塔中地面气象观测资料,分析影响塔中气溶胶散射系数的各因子。结果表明:(1)散射系数和PM10质量浓度具有明显的正相关关系,相关程度秋季最大,达0.96;夏季次之,为0.94;冬季最小,为0.91。(2)质量散射系数3月最小,10月最大;四季中,春季最小,为0.60m2·g-1,秋季最大,为1.38m2·g-1。塔中站气溶胶质量散射系数小于河北张北站、甘肃民勤站、兰州西固区,大于内蒙古锡林浩特站、希腊克里特岛、以色列内盖夫沙漠。(3)能见度与散射系数呈显著负幂相关关系,相关系数为0.80,其中夏、秋、冬季的相关系数都超过了年相关系数,分别是0.913、0.908、和0.857,春季最低为0.723。(4)风速较大时,散射系数的值也比较大,两者呈现正相关关系,相关系数为0.45。散射系数小于500 Mm-1时,主要分布于ENE和NE;大于500Mm^-1以上则主要是在ENE、NE、E风向。在ESE风向时,散射系数的平均值最大,其次是SSE方向上,最小值是S风向。