四川西昌盆地白垩纪恐龙足迹群的新发现

四川西昌盆地白垩系小坝组尚未发现骨骼化石记录,其白垩系恐龙动物群的信息全赖于足迹化石。2017年,在喜德县洛甘发现小坝组迄今最大型的恐龙足迹群。该足迹点保存了大量的兽脚类足迹。足迹保存条件较差,但具备了基本的形态学特征。总体来看,兽脚类足迹具有尺寸较小(8~13cm),中等中趾前凹(0.5~0.6)和第Ⅱ趾和第Ⅳ趾间较宽趾间角(70°~100°)的特征;少量足迹保存了跖骨垫。初步分析认为,洛甘兽脚类足迹与四川盆地夹关组的兽脚类足迹Eubrontes和Grallator形态类型相似,为两地在白垩纪中期具有类似的恐龙动物群的观点提供了新的证据。该发现对于西昌盆地的古气候、古地理和地层对比都具有重要的意义,足迹详细分类还有待进一步研究。     

Numerical analysis of effect of baffle configuration on impact force exerted from rock avalanches

In mountainous areas, channelized rock avalanches swarm downslope leading to large impact forces on building structures in residential areas. Arrays of rock avalanche baffles are usually installed in front of rigid barriers to attenuate the flow energy of rock avalanches. However, previous studies have not sufficiently addressed the mechanisms of interaction between the rock avalanches and baffles. In addition, empirical design approaches such as debris flow (Tang et al., Quat Int 250:63–73, 2012), rockfall (Spang and Rautenstrauch, 1237–1243, 1988), snow avalanches (Favier et al., 14:3–15, 2012), and rock avalanches (Manzella and Labiouse, Landslides 10:23–36, 2013), which are applied in natural geo-disasters mitigation cannot met construction requirements. This study presents details of numerical modeling using the discrete element method (DEM) to investigate the effect of the configuration of baffles (number and spacing of baffle columns and rows) on the impact force that rock avalanches exert on baffles. The numerical modeling is firstly conducted to provide insights into the flow interaction between rock avalanches and an array of baffles. Then, a modeling analysis is made to investigate the change pattern of the impact force with respect to baffle configurations. The results demonstrate that three crucial influencing factors (baffle row numbers, baffle column spacing, and baffle row spacing) have close relationship with energy dissipation of baffles. Interestingly, it is found that capacity of energy dissipation of baffles increases with increasing baffle row numbers and baffle row spacing, while it decreases with increasing baffle column spacing. The results obtained from this study are useful for facilitating design of baffles against rock avalanches.     

Application of incomplete similarity theory to the estimation of the mean velocity of debris flows

The mean velocity of debris flow is one of the most important parameters in the design of mitigation structures and in quantitative risk analysis. This study develops a model to predict the mean debris flow velocity observed in the field by applying the incomplete similarity argument. An equation for estimating the Darcy-Weisbach resistance coefficient for debris flows with a volumetric sediment concentration larger than 0.19 is accordingly derived using 128 sets of observation data from nine Chinese gullies, in which both the effect of the volumetric sediment concentration and channel slope on resistance are considered. The derived equation is then verified and compared against five previously published equations by using 61 sets of published observation data from six gullies located in four countries. The applications of the proposed equation are discussed, and the improvements made using the proposed equation are clearly very significant when compared with the previously published equations.     

Development of efficiently coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model to predict hydraulic fracture morphology in heavy oil reservoirs

The aim of the study involves examining the effect of heavy oil viscosity on fracture geometry in detail by establishing a heavy oil fracturing model and conventional fracturing model based on thermal–hydraulic–mechanical (THM) coupled theory, Walther viscosity model, and K–D–R temperature model. We consider viscosity and density within the heavy oil fracturing model as functions of pressure and temperature while that as constants within the conventional fracturing model. A heavy oil production well is set as an example to analyze the differences between the two models to account for the thermo-poro-elastic effect. The results show that temperature exhibits the most significant influence on the heavy oil viscosity while the influence of pressure is the least. In addition, a cooling area with a width of 0–1 m and varied length is generated near the fracture. The heavy oil viscosity increases sharply in this area, thereby indicating an area of viscosity increment. The heavy oil viscosity increases faster and is closer to wellbore, and a high viscosity increment reduces the mobility of the heavy oil and prevents the fracturing fluid from entering into the reservoir. The special viscosity distribution results in significant differences in pore pressure, oil saturation, and changing trends between these two models. In the heavy oil reservoir fracturing model, the thermal effect completely exceeds the influence of pore elasticity, and the values of the fracture length, width, and static pressure exceed those calculated in the conventional fracturing model. Thus, a comparison of the measured values indicates that the results obtained by considering viscosity as a function of temperature and pressure are more accurate. Therefore, the results of this study are expected to provide good guidelines for the design of heavy oil fracturing.     

Research on mining-induced deformation and stress,insights from physical modeling and theoretical analysis

The dynamic change of mining-induced stress is the main reason for large deformation of surrounding rock. To investigate the influence of mining-induced stress and deformation is important for appropriate supportive design. It also helps to raise the safety and productivity of longwall mining operations. In this paper, Weijiagou Coal Mine in Southwest China was selected as the case study. In order to research on the deformation and breakage of overlying strata, physical modeling test was carried out on the self-developed rotatable physical similar test system. By using digital image correlation (DIC) technique, the deformation of strata and development of cracks in the process of coal seam excavation were acquired, meanwhile, mining-induced stress was also monitored by pressure cell and strainmeter. According to the mechanical structure of stope, the height of the destressed zone has a significant influence on stress distribution. In order to minimize the discrepancy between the physical model test and theoretical analysis, the dimension of the plastic zone of roadway was added into the mining panel width, and the gap between the experimental and theoretical results reduced.     

柴北缘达达肯乌拉山地区闪长岩锆石LA-ICP-MSU-Pb年龄、岩石地球化学特征及其构造意义

达达肯乌拉山位于柴达木盆地北缘中东部,区内发育闪长岩体,以小岩株形式产出。通过对达达肯乌拉山闪长岩岩石LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年和地球化学特征的研究,获得闪长岩体的年龄为(240.5±1.7) Ma,属早印支期。闪长岩体的w(K_2O)较高,为2.03%～2.30%,w(Na2O)含量较低,为3.2%～3.44%,为一套准铝质及弱过铝质高K、低Na的高钾钙碱性型I型花岗岩。岩石稀土元素总量为158.35×10~(-6)～200.41×10~(-6),球粒陨石标准化曲线向右倾斜,重稀土元素曲线呈水平状,轻稀土元素富集,但负铕异常不明显,岩浆分异程度不高。岩石的La/Ta(54.32～68.51)、Sm/Nd(0.18～0.19)及Rb/Sr(0.11～0.19)比值特征反映该岩体岩浆具有壳幔混合的特点。通过构造判别,反映达达肯乌拉山岩体可能形成于俯冲陆壳断离、幔源岩浆底侵的地球动力学背景,在中央造山带早中生代统一的板块碰撞与挤压构造体制下,以滩间山蛇绿岩带为基础,发生陆壳俯冲和断离作用,并诱发幔源岩浆的底侵和下地壳物质的部分熔融,沿火山机构侵位形成达达肯乌拉山岩体。     

印支期龙门山断裂带的逆冲-推覆构造和沉积响应

伴随着华南、华北和羌塘地块在中—晚三叠世的俯冲—碰撞,古特提斯洋逐渐消亡,在龙门山及其前陆盆地发生了广泛的构造和沉积事件,统称为印支造山运动。然而,这期重要的造山事件普遍叠加有新生代印度与欧亚板块俯冲碰撞所引起的相似的北西—南东向构造挤压作用,使得印支期的构造活动对奠定龙门山初始构造和地貌特征,乃至对新生代构造活动的深远影响难以区分。对青藏高原其他边界的研究表明,只有通过多种手段从多个角度才能认清造山带形成的真实历史,而近些年来在龙门山地区开展的深地震探测、主断裂和飞来峰定年、前陆盆地沉积序列和沉积作用以及大地热流分布的研究则为我们进一步揭示印支初期龙门山断裂带构造活动本质提供了全新的视角。深地震反射剖面和最新的定年结果揭示龙门山地区在印支期发生了大型逆冲—推覆作用,在此期间,形成了两条主要断裂带,并直至后碰撞造山时期,形成了多期次的山前飞来峰构造。龙门山断裂带在印支期的大型逆冲—推覆构造活动,引发了大量的陆源碎屑沉积物涌入到四川前陆盆地中。强烈的断裂活动还引发了区域大地震的发生,在四川盆地西缘未完全固结沉积地层中形成了软沉积物变形。综合以往的研究结果,我们认为龙门山早期的逆冲—推覆和青藏高原东缘大地热流的升高伴随有区域岩石圈底部的拆沉导致软流圈高温物质的上涌。这种早期的构造格局对龙门山断裂带在新生代构造地貌的最终形成产生了深远的影响。     

四川盆地：周缘活动主控下形成的叠合盆地

四川盆地位于扬子板块西缘和青藏高原东缘,地震勘探资料等揭示盆地前寒武纪基底保存完整的古俯冲带和地堑-地垒结构,说明盆地基底后期构造活动非常稳定;显生宙以来经历晚震旦世-石炭纪、二叠纪-中三叠世两幕克拉通边缘强拉张-强挤压,而克拉通内弱拉张-弱挤压的构造演化过程,体现出盆地内部稳定性结构沉积演化特征。克拉通内弱拉张初期以海相碳酸盐岩大面积稳定沉积（即震旦系灯影组和二叠系栖霞-茅口组）和随后的风化壳岩溶作用（即桐湾期、东吴期等不整合面）为特征,弱拉张期以拉张槽（如：绵阳-长宁拉张槽和开江-梁平拉张槽等）的形成为典型特征;弱挤压则以古隆起（如：加里东期乐山-龙女寺古隆起、印支期泸州古隆起等）的发育为典型特征。四川盆地晚三叠世后的前陆盆地演化阶段受控于其周缘造山带逆冲推覆构造活动,是现今地貌和构造盆地的主要建造期,形成了四川盆地周缘突变（线型）和渐变（弥散型）两种盆山结构。盆地西边界（龙门山）和北边界（米仓山-大巴山）即是线型突变边界,也是扬子地块（板块）的边界,边界几何形状和扬子板块刚性特征对盆山系统结构-构造特征等有较大的控制作用;四川盆地的东边界（齐岳山-大娄山）和西南边界（大凉山）即是渐变弥散型边界,同时也是板（陆）块内部的边界,它们受控于邻区（盆外）的构造变形和盆内沉积盖层中滑脱层的分布特征。受控于盆地（克拉通）周缘活动,四川盆地垂向上前寒武纪基底与盖层、盖层内早期和晚期构造具解耦特征。基底与盖层构造的解耦有利于盆地内部前寒武纪基底结构构造的保存和盖层内大型隆-坳结构的形成演化;盖层内早期和晚期构造的解耦有利于早期构造免遭后期破环,对深层油气藏的保存意义重大。总之,四川盆地可能是具独特形成过程和特征的叠合盆地新类型,其突出特征表现为周缘活动、内部稳定及早期和晚期构造解耦。     

粗粒碎屑岩砾石定向性定量表征方法及应用

砾石定向性可用于辅助判断粗粒沉积物沉积环境的介质动力性质与强度。在岩芯图像分析与测量的基础上,运用砾石长轴视倾角玫瑰花图中任意相邻三个小扇形的半径之和的最大值（参数a）和小扇形半径大小偏离程度（参数σ）对玛湖地区百口泉组砂砾岩中砾石定向性进行等级划分和定量表征。通过该方法的应用,建立了该区不同级别砾石定向性的定量划分方案:有明显定向性（a大于35%且σ大于4）、有一定定向性（a大于35%且σ小于4）、有模糊定向性（a小于35%且σ大于4）、定向性杂乱（a小于35%且σ小于4）。并对研究区典型季节性辫状河道和暂时性辫状河道的定向性进行了实测,结果表明季节性辫状河道中σ为4.8~8.13,a为40%~62%,而暂时性辫状河道中σ小于4,a小于35%。该方法能够有效表征砾石定向性,并为沉积环境判断提供依据。     

东昆仑五龙沟金矿田控矿构造带的变形条件——来自EBSD组构的启示

五龙沟金矿田是东昆仑地区最重要的金矿集中区之一,金矿田主要控矿构造为偏脆性断裂破碎带,在三条控矿构造带中仅在萤石沟—红旗沟构造带邻近北侧的局部出露韧性变形带。本文作者运用电子背散射衍射技术(EBSD)技术方法,对东昆仑五龙沟金矿田萤石沟—红旗沟构造带变形岩石的组构分析显示,花岗质糜棱岩韧性变形强烈,大部分样品石英变形机制是以中温I级柱面(1010)1120滑移为主,变形式样比较单一;少量样品为中高温II级柱面(101—0)0001滑移和中低温底面(0001)112—0滑移。从岩石组构特点结合宏观构造分析,五龙沟金矿田萤石沟—红旗沟构造带及其邻近北侧经历了中-中深层次、中-中高温条件(15~25 km,t=350~550°C,P=0.40~0.60 Gpa)的韧性变形,局部叠加中浅层次、中低温条件(10~15 km,t=250~350°C,P=0.25~0.40 Gpa)的韧脆性变形;而岩金沟和三道梁—苦水泉构造带为低温低压条件的脆性破碎带。结合变形花岗闪长岩年代学资料,确定构造变形时代为早中生代。