Seismic Stability of Gravity Retaining Structures by Pseudo-Dynamic Method

An analytical expression of a gravity retaining wall's seismic stability against sliding and overturning is proposed in this article. The derivation, aiming at the cohesionless soil with inclined backfill surface and nonvertical wall back, is based on limit equilibrium analysis and the pseudo-dynamic method. The variations of the sliding and overturning stability safe factors with the horizontal seismic acceleration are investigated for different seismic amplification factors, soil friction angles, wall friction angles, vertical seismic acceleration coefficients, wall back inclination angles, and backfill surface inclination angles. The results indicate that the soil friction and horizontal seismic action significantly impact the seismic stability. The increase of vertical earthquake action changes the curvature of stability factor curves. The wall friction and back inclination strengthen the gravity retaining wall's resistance to sliding and overturning failure while the backfill surface inclination plays a negative role in the seismic stability. We also found that the seismic stability safe factors calculated by the proposed method are larger but more reasonable than those by the Mononobe-Okabe method.     

Protective effects of C-phycocyanin on alcohol-induced acute liver injury in mice

Excessive alcohol consumption leads to liver disease. Extensive evidence suggests that C-phycocyanin (C-PC), a chromophore phycocyanobilin derived from Spirulina platensis, exerts protective effects against chemical-induced organ damage. In this study, we investigated whether C-PC could protect against ethanol-induced acute liver injury. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (CHOL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), liver homogenate malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) content were measured, and pathological examination of liver sections were examined. C-PC showed obvious inhibitory effects on serum ALT, AST, TG, CHOL, LDL and MDA, and SOD content significantly increased in the liver. The structure of hepatic lobules was clear, liver sinus returned to normal, and liver cell cords were arranged in neat rows. Cloudiness, swelling, inflammatory cell infiltration and spotty necrosis of liver cells were significantly reduced. Therefore, C-PC can significantly protect against ethanol-induced acute liver injury.     

榆树林油田扶杨油层沉积岩地球化学特征及地质意义

三肇凹陷榆树林油田扶杨油层中泥岩、粉砂岩和砂岩样品主量元素和微量元素地球化学分析表明,多数主量元素含量中等,与全球平均大陆上地壳(UCC)相比,Fe_2O_3、MgO、CaO、Na_2O含量较低,而TiO_2、Al_2O_3、K_2O、MnO含量均略高;样品中的相容元素(V、Cr、Co、Ni等)含量均低于澳大利亚后太古宙页岩(PAAS)和UCC;稀土元素总量为102×10~(-6)~276×10~(-6),平均为188×10~(-6),与PAAS表现出相似的球粒陨石标准化曲线,显示了相似的物源和构造背景。元素间的相关性分析显示大部分元素与SiO_2负相关而与Al_2O_3正相关,说明大部分元素受到黏土矿物吸附作用的影响,石英与长石矿物对这些元素表现出一定的稀释效应。根据主元素物源判别方程图和Th-Hf-Co图投影及La/Hf、(Gd/Yb)N值,扶杨油层物源主要来自后太古宙长英质火山岩,可能卷入了部分再循环沉积岩。通过一系列的构造背景判别图解分析,表明扶杨油层沉积时以大陆岛弧环境为主。在对油层组进行了纵向古气候分析后,认为FI油层组沉积时处于一个构造活动强、干旱的环境中,所形成的沉积岩储层物性更好,是油气勘探开发的重点层位。     

新疆乌鲁木齐东部早二叠世枕状玄武岩火山岩系的发现及大地构造意义

新疆乌鲁木齐东部野生动物园附近的下二叠统下部发育了一套以枕状玄武岩为代表的火山岩系。该玄武岩在公路上发育有两层,上部一层较厚,可达7～8m,下部一层2～3m。岩枕近圆形、肾状、枕状、条带状或蠕虫状等,多呈顶突底凹。岩枕长轴平行排列,长轴基本顺层面分布;有的岩枕中含大量海百合茎、珊瑚及腕足等生物化石。在TAS图中大部分样品位于玄武粗安岩,而在K_2O-SiO_2图上主要落在低K拉斑玄武岩区间。MnOTiO_2-P_2O_5图解显示以岛弧为主,常量元素的特征总体上更接近岛弧玄武岩。在Hf/3-Th-Ta图解上也以岛弧为主;在Zr/4-2Nb-Y图解显示以火山弧为主,常量元素的特点总体上更接近岛弧玄武岩。微量元素原始地幔标准化蛛网图表明为同源岩浆产物,具高度相似的演化过程,多种微量元素判别图揭示岛弧-弧后盆地环境;稀土总量明显较低,在稀土元素球粒陨石标准化图解上,其稀土分布曲线一致性较好,呈轻稀土富集右倾型,Eu为负异常,揭示了乌东玄武岩岩浆有一定分异。稀土元素配分曲线与弧后盆地玄武岩(BABB)具有很好的一致性。U-Pb和谐年龄为283±8Ma,结合地层及古生物资料推测乌东玄武岩喷发的时间为早二叠世早期。乌东枕状玄武岩-灰岩之下有一套(磨拉石)底砾岩,初定为石炭-二叠系的界限。底砾岩之下为下石炭统的中厚层灰岩,具有明显的喀斯特化,为不整合接触,揭示在两者之间发生了造山作用。通过对新疆乌东早二叠世早期的枕状玄武岩的地质特征、地球化学特征、形成环境和时代的研究,表明乌东一带早二叠世主要为一个岛弧和弧后盆地环境,进一步揭示了北天山北缘石炭-二叠世碰撞闭合造山之后又发生了松弛扩张形成了弧后盆地,海水再度大规模入侵。最终的闭合碰撞造山的时间最早可能在晚二叠世。由于乌东枕状玄武岩在喷出地表后受到了生物化石和陆源碎屑的污染,再加上侵入过程中地壳的污染,使其具有非常复杂的地球化学特点和多解性。乌东玄武岩的研究对于了解博格达山、甚至天山中段在晚古生代的构造沉积演化及造山作用具有重要意义,同时对准噶尔盆地、吐哈盆地及三塘湖盆地油气资源的形成与分布具有重要意义。     

New Zircon U‐Pb Age of Granodiorite in Chifeng at the Northern Margin of North China Craton and Constraints on Plate Tectonic Evolution

正Objective The North China Craton(NCC)is one of the oldest cratons in the world.The accretionary belt at its northern margin has been the focus of scholars both at home and abroad(Zhu Junbing and Ren Jishun,2017).In recent years,a series of Late Paleozoic–Mesozoic intrusions trending E–W have been discovered within the northern margin of the NCC,forming a magmatic belt.The study     

Distribution and geochemical significance of trace elements in shale rocks and their residual kerogens

There is a dearth of information about the distribution of trace elements in kerogen from shale rocks despite several reports on trace element composition in many shale samples. In this study, trace elements in shale rocks and their residual kerogens were determined by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. The results from this study show redox-sensitive elements relatively concentrated in the kerogens as compared to the shales. This may be primarily due to the adsorption and complexation ability of kerogen, which enables enrichment in Ni, Co, Cu, and Zn. For the rare earth elements (REEs), distinct distribution characteristics were observed for shales dominated by terrigenous minerals and their kerogen counterparts. However, shales with less input of terrigenous minerals showed similar REE distribution patterns to their residual kerogen. It is speculated that the distribution patterns of the REEs in shales and kerogens may be source-related.     

The morphological characteristics of gully systems and watersheds in Dry-Hot Valley,SW China

Gully systems and watersheds are geomorphic units with clear boundaries that are relatively independent of basin landscapes and play an important role in natural geography. In order to explore the morphological characteristics of gully systems and watersheds in the Dry-Hot Valley [South West (SW) China], gullies are interpreted from online Google images with high resolution and watersheds are extracted from digital elevation model at a scale of 1:50,000. The results show that: (1) There are 17,382 gullies (with a total area of 1141.66 km²) and 42 watersheds in the study area. (2) The average gully density of the study area (D) is 4.29 km/km², gully frequency (F) is 14.39 gullies/km², the branching ratio (B) is 5.13, the length ratio (L) is 3.12, and the coefficient of the main and tributary gullies (M) is 0.06. The degree of gully erosion is strong to extremely strong, the main development intensity of gully erosion ranges from intense to moderate, and the type of gully system is tributary. (3) The watershed areas (A) are between 0.39 and 96.43 km², the relief ratio (R) is from 0.10 to 0.19, the circularity ratio (C) is from 0.30 to 0.83, the texture ratio (T) is from 0.82 to 39.35, and the dominant geomorphological texture type is fine. (4) There is a quantitative relationship between F and D:F?=?0.624D² (R?=0.84) and T is closely related to D, F, M (R²?>?0.7). A, R and C are related to M (R²?>?0.5). The development of gully systems is the result of coupling effects between multiple factors. In this area, the degree of erosion and the condition of the main and tributary gullies can be controlled by the degree of topographic breakage in the watershed, which provides some theoretical basis for the evaluation of gully erosion by the latter. In addition, the scale, relief, and shape have a significant impact on the locations of the main and tributary gullies. For tributary gullies, attention should be paid to the interception and control of runoff and sediment in the small confluence branches in order to prevent gully expansion and head advance. These features can inform the development of targeted measures for the control of soil erosion.     

Tectono–Thermal Evolution, Hydrocarbon Filling and Accumulation Phases of the Hari Sag, in the Yingen–Ejinaqi Basin, Inner Mongolia, Northern China

This work restored the erosion thickness of the top surface of each Cretaceous formations penetrated by the typical well in the Hari sag, and simulated the subsidence burial history of this well with software BasinMod. It is firstly pointed out that the tectonic subsidence evolution of the Hari sag since the Cretaceous can be divided into four phases: initial subsidence phase, rapid subsidence phase,uplift and erosion phase, and stable slow subsidence phase. A detailed reconstruction of the tectonothermal evolution and hydrocarbon generation histories of typical well was undertaken using the EASY R_0% model, which is constrained by vitrinite reflectance(R_0) and homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions. In the rapid subsidence phase, the peak period of hydrocarbon generation was reached at c.a.105.59 Ma with the increasing thermal evolution degree. A concomitant rapid increase in paleotemperatures occurred and reached a maximum geothermal gradient of about 43-45℃/km. The main hydrocarbon generation period ensued around 105.59-80.00 Ma and the greatest buried depth of the Hari sag was reached at c.a. 80.00 Ma, when the maximum paleo-temperature was over 180℃.Subsequently, the sag entered an uplift and erosion phase followed by a stable slow subsidence phase during which the temperature gradient, thermal evolution, and hydrocarbon generation decreased gradually. The hydrocarbon accumulation period was discussed based on homogenization temperatures of inclusions and it is believed that two periods of rapid hydrocarbon accumulation events occurred during the Cretaceous rapid subsidence phase. The first accumulation period observed in the Bayingebi Formation(K_1 b) occurred primarily around 105.59-103.50 Ma with temperatures of 125-150℃. The second accumulation period observed in the Suhongtu Formation(K_1 s) occurred primarily around84.00-80.00 Ma with temperatures of 120-130℃. The second is the major accumulation period, and the accumulation mainly occurred in the Late Cretaceous. The hydrocarbon accumulation process was comprehensively controlled by tectono-thermal evolution and hydrocarbon generation history. During the rapid subsidence phase, the paleo temperature and geothermal gradient increased rapidly and resulted in increasing thermal evolution extending into the peak period of hydrocarbon generation,which is the key reason for hydrocarbon filling and accumulation.     

Is Ziarat a Potential Site for Conventional or Unconventional Energy Resources?

A structural interpretation of the Ziarat block in the Balochistan region (a part of the Suleiman Fold and Thrust Belt) has been carried out using seismic and seismological data. Seismic data consists of nine 2.5D pre‐stack migrated seismic lines, whereas the seismological data covers the Fault Plane Solution and source parameters. Structural interpretation describes two broad fault sets of fore and back thrusts in the study area that have resulted in the development of pop‐up structures, accountable for the structural traps and seismicity pattern in terms of seismic hazard. Seismic interpretation includes time and depth contour maps of the Dungan Formation and Ranikot group, while seismological interpretation includes Fault Plane Solution, that is correlated with a geological and structural map of the area for the interpretation of the nature of the subsurface faults. Principal stresses are also estimated for the Ranikot group and Dungan Formation. In order to calculate anisotropic elastic properties, the parameters of the rock strength of the formations are first determined from seismic data, along with the dominant stresses (vertical, minimum horizontal, and maximum horizontal). The differential ratio of the maximum and minimum horizontal stresses is obtained to indicate optimal zones for hydraulic fracturing, and to assess the potential for geothermal energy reservoir prospect generation. The stress maps indicate high values towards the deeper part of the horizon, and low towards the shallower part, attributed to the lithological and structural variation in the area. Outcomes of structural interpretation indicate a good correlation of structure and tectonics from both seismological and seismic methods.