Response of geomorphic and geological processes to insufficient and ample sediment supply along the upper continental slope in the north-western South China Sea

We document upper slope sedimentary process and strata on the passive margin of the north-western South China Sea (SCS) using multibeam bathymetry and high-resolution seismic data. The upper slope can be divided into two segments based on geomorphology, strata, and sediment supply. (1) The east segment is characterised by deep incised canyons and gullies, and slope failure. Submarine canyons with both U- and V-shaped morphology (13–28 km long × 2–4 km wide) are oriented NNE–SSW or NNW–SSE and are approximately perpendicular to the slope. Erosion is dominant, with escarpments, slumps, and several mass transport deposits (MTDs). Shelf-margin clinoforms show strongly upward vertical aggradation with time and are strongly aggradational in style. Since 5.5 Ma, the shelf break line migrated southwards and then retreated to its present position. The segment is classified as erosion-dominated due to insufficient sediment supply. (2) The west segment has a smooth surface, gentle gradient, and a strongly progradational style, with MTDs triggered by high sedimentation rates. Shelf-margin clinoforms display a combination of progradational and aggradational stacking patterns. The shelf break line migrated southwards with time. The segment is classified as deposition-dominated, resulting from plentiful sediment supply. Depositional models have been constructed for each segment: a constant shelf break model with insufficient sediment supply in the east, and a migration shelf break model with plenty sediment supply in the west. This case study contributes to the understanding of the upper slope sedimentary process and stratigraphic style under different sediment supply conditions.     

Hammer's Impact Force on Pile and Pile's Penetration

Methods of energy and momentum conservation, vibration theories, and model tests are employed to research the impact force of a hammer on a pile and the pile's penetration. An analytical formula of impact force of the hammer on pile is obtained. A comparison of results from the three methods finds that the analytical formula proposed by this article conforms well to practical situations. Research results show that if the hammer's impact energy remains unchanged, penetration increases with the increase of hammer weight and cushion stiffness. In addition, the impact force received by the pile head degrades with the increase of hammer weight, but increases with the increase of cushion stiffness. Impact time decreases with the increase of cushion stiffness, but increases with the increase of hammer weight. The model test shows that, when compared with a cotton cloth cushion, an elastic cushion's advantages lie in that the relatively small pile head impact force can achieve significant pile penetration. The cotton cloth is gradually compacted with the increase of blow counts; hence, the impact force the pile head receives tends to increase gradually.     

Discovery of prolific natural methane seeps at Gullfaks, northern North Sea

The Gullfaks and Kvitebjørn fields are located on the North Sea Plateau (135 m water depth), and on an ancient beach (135–190 m) deposited during the sea-level lowstand during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). There are several continuous seeps of mainly methane gas, where large patches of Beggiatoa bacterial mats occur. The ‘Heincke’ seep area, which is named after the German research vessel Heincke, has been targeted by scientists studying seep-associated processes and microbiology. The Gullfaks area has a long history of shallow gas and seepage. In 1980, well no. 34/10–10 had a blowout from a reservoir located 230 m below seafloor. The active Heincke seep location has no topographic expression, probably because the seabed consists of dense sand and gravel. Extensive bacterial mats (Beggiatoa sp.) are found on the seafloor at this seep site. Organisms such as hermit crabs were seen ingesting pieces of such mat, indicating ‘trophic bypass,’ where carbon derived directly from seeping methane is evidently feeding directly into higher trophic organisms. Ongoing and future research at this seep location in the North Sea can answer some important questions on the environmental impact of natural methane seeps on continental shelves.     

Load transfer and performance evaluation of piled beam-supported embankments

Acta Geotechnica - A ground modification technique with rigid columns and ground beams for supporting an embankment over multilayered soft soils is introduced and investigated. A fully coupled...     

南海北部陆坡深水曲流水道的识别及成因

深水水道是深水沉积体系中重要的组成单元,其作为潜在的油气储集体也被油气行业所关注。深水水道多处于深水环境下的沉积地层中,因此对于其直接的观测和研究都比较困难。基于近年新采集的多道2 D和3 D地震资料,利用相干时间切片、RMS均方根振幅、3D振幅可视化等地球物理手段对南海北部陆坡深水水道进行了识别和研究。该水道为更新世深水曲流水道,与来自中南半岛的浊流侵蚀有关,水道呈SW—NE向展布,侧向侵蚀特征明显。3D振幅可视化图显示该水道轴部为强振幅反射,推测为富砂充填,其余部分为弱振幅反射,推测为富泥充填,这点与世界已钻水道特征一致。深水曲流水道的形成过程和内部结构复杂,其内部砂体与泥岩常互层出现,泥岩的封堵作用会阻碍流体的流动或形成超压,同时也可起到良好的盖层作用,因此对于深水曲流水道的勘探和开发要重视这个问题。      

南海中沙群岛海域表层沉积物粒度特征及其输运趋势

对南海中沙群岛海域232个表层沉积物样品进行了粒度分析,以探讨研究区沉积物来源、沉积环境和输运趋势.根据Folk沉积物命名法,将研究区沉积物划分为砂、粉砂质砂、砂质粉砂、砂质泥、粉砂和泥等6种类型,以砂质泥和泥为主,粒径较粗、分选较好的沉积物主要分布在中沙台地海域.通过对组分含量、粒度参数和水深进行聚类分析和主成分分析...     

On upper mantle seismic heterogeneities beneath Fennoscandia

Three-dimensional seismic mapping of the upper mantle beneath Fennoscandia (Baltic Shield) using an ACH-type of inversion technique in combination with P-wave travel-time residual observations from the local seismograph network gave the following results. The central parts of the Baltic Shield are characterized by relatively high seismic velocities down to approximately 300 km. Those parts of the shield most affected by the Caledonide orogeny exhibit relatively low velocities particularly in the uppermost 100 km depth interval. The lower part of the upper mantle (300–600 km) does not exhibit pronounced seismic velocity anomalies and in this respect is in contrast to results from similar studies in regions subjected to neotectonic processes like parts of central and southeastern Europe. The seismic anomaly pattern in the presumed thickened lithosphere is in quantitative agreement with similar ones derived from surface wave dispersion analysis and inversion of electrical measurements. The general orientation of these anomalies coincides with that of the glacial uplift.     

U37K与海水表层温度

Ｕ₃₇^Ｋ是指少数藻类生物所特有的一种分子化合物（长链不饱和酮）的不饱和指数。在现代海洋沉积物中，Ｕ₃₇^Ｋ与浮游有孔虫的¹⁸Ｏ值具有很好的相关性。在实验室培养的藻类生物体中、海洋悬浮颗粒物及海洋沉积柱样的表层样中均检测出长链不饱和酮，其Ｕ₃₇^Ｋ与生物生长环境的海水表层温度具有很好的线性关系。因此，在古气候研究中，Ｕ₃₇^Ｋ可作为一种有效的古温度指标，且在古气候研究中已得到应用。主要介绍了Ｕ₃₇^Ｋ作为海水表层温度指标的原理、定量公式及其研究现状和存在的问题。     

Tectonics in the Northwestern West Philippine Basin

The West Philippine basin (WPB) is a currently inactive marginal basin belonging to Philippine Sea plate, which has a complex formation history and various crust structures. Based on gravity, magnetic and seismic data, the tectonics in West Philippine basin is characterized by amagnma spreading stage and strike slip fractures. NNE trending Okinawa-Luzon fracture zone is a large fracture zone with apparent geomorphology and shows a right-handed movement. The results of joint gravity-magnetic-seismic inversion suggest that the Okinawa-Luzon fracture zone has intensive deformation and is a transform fault. Western existence of the NW trending fractures under Ryukyu Islands Arc is the main cause of the differences between south and north Okinawa Trough. The Urdaneta plateau is not a remained arc, but remnant of mantle plume although its lava chemistry is similar to oceanic island basalt (OIB).     

Submarine landslides on the north continental slope of the South China Sea

Recent and paleo-submarine landslides are widely distributed within strata in deep-water areas along continental slopes, uplifts, and carbonate platforms on the north continental margin of the South China Sea (SCS). In this paper, high-resolution 3D seismic data and multibeam data based on seismic sedimentology and geomorphology are employed to assist in identifying submarine landslides. In addition, deposition models are proposed that are based on specific geological structures and features, and which illustrate the local stress field over entire submarine landslides in deep-water areas of the SCS. The SCS is one of the largest fluvial sediment sinks in enclosed or semi-enclosed marginal seas worldwide. It therefore provides a set of preconditions for the formation of submarine landslides, including rapid sediment accumulation, formation of gas hydrates, and fluid overpressure. A new concept involving temporal and spatial analyses is tested to construct a relationship between submarine landslides and different time scale trigger mechanisms, and three mechanisms are discussed in the context of spatial scale and temporal frequency: evolution of slope gradient and overpressure, global environmental changes, and tectonic events. Submarine landslides that are triggered by tectonic events are the largest but occur less frequently, while submarine landslides triggered by the combination of slope gradient and over-pressure evolution are the smallest but most frequently occurring events. In summary, analysis shows that the formation of submarine landslides is a complex process involving the operation of different factors on various time scales.