Processes of the deposition and vicissitude of Mu Us Desert, China since 150 ka B.P.

“Milanggouwan stratigraphical section” named lately takes down 27 cycles of alternately evolutionary histories of desert depositions in the Mu Us area with the fluviolacustrine facies and palaeosols since 150 ka B. P. Studies show that the sedimentary form was induced by the growth and decline and confrontation each other between the winter monsoon and the summer monsoon of East Asia in the past 150 ka. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 49473192).     

Young eclogite from the Greater Himalayan Sequence,Arun Valley,eastern Nepal: P–T–t path and tectonic implications

Garnet geochronology was used to provide the first direct measurement of the timing of eclogitization in the central Himalaya. Lu–Hf dates from garnet separates in one relict eclogite from the Arun River Valley in eastern Nepal indicate an age of 20.7 ± 0.4 Ma, significantly younger than ultra-high pressure eclogites from the western Himalaya, reflecting either different origins or substantial time lags in tectonics along strike. Four proximal garnet amphibolites from structurally lower horizons are 14–15 Ma, similar to post-eclogitization ages published for rocks along strike in southern Tibet. P–T calculations indicate three metamorphic episodes for the eclogite: i) eclogite-facies metamorphism at ～ 670 °C and ≥ 15 kbar at 23–16 Ma; ii) a peak-T granulite event at ～ 780 °C and 12 kbar; and iii) late-stage amphibolite-facies metamorphism at ～ 675 °C and 6 kbar at ～ 14 Ma. The garnet amphibolites were metamorphosed at ～ 660 °C. Three models are considered to explain the observed P–T–t evolution. The first assumes that the Main Himalayan Thrust (basal thrust of the Himalayan thrust system) cuts deeper at Arun than elsewhere. While conceptually the simplest, this model has difficulty explaining both the granulite-facies overprint and the pulse of exhumation between 25 and 14 Ma. A second model assumes that (aborted) subduction, slab breakoff, and ascent of India's leading edge occurred diachronously: ～ 50 Ma in the western Himalaya, ～ 25 Ma in the central Himalaya of Nepal, and presumably later in the eastern Himalaya. This model explains the P–T–t path, particularly heating during initial exhumation, but implies significant along-strike diachroneity, which is generally lacking in other features of the Himalaya. A third model assumes repeated loss of mantle lithosphere, first by slab breakoff at ～ 50 Ma, and again by delamination at ～ 25 Ma; this model explains the P–T–t path, but requires geographically restricted tectonic behavior at Arun. The P–T–t history of the Arun eclogites may imply a change in the physical state of the Himalayan metamorphic wedge at 16–25 Ma, ultimately giving rise to the Main Central Thrust by 15–16 Ma.     

Predicting lake water quality responses to load reduction: a three-dimensional modeling approach for total maximum daily load

Water quality restoration efforts often suffer the risk of ineffectiveness and failure due to lack of quantitative decision supports. During the past two decades, the restoration of one of China’s most heavily polluted lakes, Lake Dianchi, has experienced costly decision ineffectiveness with no detectable water quality improvement. The governments are planning to invest tremendous amount of funds in the next 5 years to continue the lake restoration process; however, without a quantitative understanding between the load reduction and the response in lake water quality, it is highly possible that these planned efforts would suffer the similar ineffectiveness as before. To provide scientifically sound decision support for guiding future load reduction efforts in Lake Dianchi Watershed, a sophisticated quantitative cause-and-effect response system was developed using a three-dimensional modeling approach. It incorporates the complex three dimensional hydrodynamics, fate and transport of nutrients, as well as nutrient-algae interactions into one holistic framework. The model results show that the model performs well in reproducing the observed spatial pattern and temporal trends in water quality. The model was then applied to three total maximum daily load scenarios and two refined restoration scheme scenarios to quantify phytoplankton responses to various external load reduction intensities. The results show that the algal bloom in Lake Dianchi responds to load reduction in a complex and nonlinear way, therefore, it is necessary to apply the developed system for future load reduction and lake restoration schemes for more informed decision making and effective management.     

大山片麻岩地质特征及侵位机制研究

大山片麻岩的原财为奥长化岗石,呈不规则状侵入柳树河子片麻岩中,年龄２７亿年左右,太古代阜平运动晚期侵位的。侵位与当时区域上大规模的韧性剪切作用密切相关。由于剪切带各相关位置的位移量的差异,形成空间,给岩浆被动就位了有利场所,形成大山片麻岩古深成岩体。     

SEM Observation of the Wing Membrane of Beipiaopterus chenianus (Pterosauria)

The cross-section and surface structures of wing membranes from the ctenochasmatid pterosaur Beipiaopterus chenianus were observed through a scanning electron microscope （SEM）. The results show that the wing membrane contains a high density of blood vessels, implying strong thermoregulatory function, similar to that of a bat wing membrane. This is the first comparison of the microstmctures of pterosaur wing membranes with those of the modem bat. It is inferred that a bat-like physiology exists, at least in relatively small pterosaurs suggesting that these pterosaurs were warm-blooded, active fliers.     

Quantitative assessment of gas washing of oils in the Tazhong area of the Tarim Basin,Northwest China

Gas washing has been known in the Tazhong area of the Tarim Basin, but its quantitative assessment has not yet been reported. Here the influence of gas washing fractionation in the area was discussed based on the gas chromatogram data of 68 oils and the results of the mixing experiments of a black oil and a condensate. The results show that the intensity of gas washing fractionation decreased generally from northern to southern part and vertically from deep reservoirs to shallow reservoirs. The gas washing fractionation was mainly controlled by fault systems in this area, with the increase of n-alkane mass depletion positively correlated to the number and scale of faults. Gas washing fractionation appears to have affected the hydrocarbon property, and as a result the diversity of the crude oils is markedly controlled by gas washing. In addition, the occurrence of waxy oil in this area may be resulted from multiple factors including gas washing, mixed filling and migration fractionation. Supported by National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2006CB202303) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40672091)     

云南鲁甸M_S6.5地震余震重定位及其发震构造

整合了鲁甸震区周边的云南省地震台网、昭通市地震台网、巧家台阵,以及流动台站2个月的震相观测数据,对鲁甸地震序列进行了重新定位,得到了1 750个地震的震源参数。重定位结果显示,余震有2个优势分布方向,分别为SE向和SW向,具有不对称的共轭分布特征。2个余震条带的展布长度相当,约为16km,夹角约100°。余震分布显示鲁甸地震的发震断层为高倾角的走滑断层。主震位于2个余震条带中间略偏西南的位置,早期余震主要沿NW-SE向垂直于昭通-鲁甸断裂分布,主震西南侧的余震可能为后期触发的。根据余震分布与周边断层的关系、主震震源机制、烈度分布的长轴方位,以及滑坡分布等资料,认为鲁甸地震的发震断层为NW向的包谷垴-小河断裂。包谷垴-小河断裂南北两侧无论是在地震活动、深部速度结构,还是块体运动方向和速率方面都存在显著差异,断裂北侧的高速异常可能是阻止余震向北继续扩展的主要原因。     

Effect of Biofuels on Biodegradation of Benzene and Toluene at Gasoline Spill Sites

The risk that benzene and toluene from spills of gasoline will impact drinking water wells is largely controlled by the natural anaerobic biodegradation of benzene and toluene. Benzene and toluene, as well as ethanol and other biofuels, are degraded under anaerobic conditions to the same pool of degradation products. Biodegradation of biofuels may produce concentrations of degradation products that make the thermodynamics for degradation of benzene and toluene infeasible under methanogenic conditions and produce larger plumes of benzene and toluene. This study evaluated the concentrations of fuel alcohols that are necessary to inhibit the anaerobic degradation of benzene and toluene under methanogenic conditions. At two ethanol spill sites, concentrations of ethanol greater ≥42 mg/L inhibited the anaerobic degradation of toluene. The pH and concentrations of acetate, dissolved inorganic carbon, and molecular hydrogen were used to calculate the Gibbs free energy for the biodegradation of toluene. In general, the anaerobic biodegradation of toluene was not thermodynamically feasible in water with ≥42 mg/L ethanol. In a microcosm study, when the concentrations of ethanol were ≥14 mg/L or the concentrations of n‐butanol were ≥16 mg/L, the biodegradation of the alcohols consistently produced concentrations of hydrogen, dissolved inorganic carbon, and acetate that would preclude natural anaerobic biodegradation of benzene and toluene by syntrophic organisms. In contrast, iso‐butanol and n‐propanol only occasionally produced conditions that would preclude the biodegradation of benzene and toluene.     

Mineral magnetic signatures in a long core from Lake Qarun, Middle Egypt

The analysis and interpretation of changes in mineral magnetic signatures from a long (ca. 8.2 m) sedimentary sequence recovered from Lake Qarun, Middle Egypt in 2003 spanning a timescale of approximately the last 2,000 years is reported. A suite of mass specific susceptibility and magnetic remanence measurements were made at irregular intervals downcore on 39 samples. These samples were selected on the basis of trends and abrupt changes in whole-core magnetic susceptibility measured using a Bartington^® MS2E sensor and were analysed for low and high temperature loss on ignition and their particle size distribution. Trends in all mineral magnetic concentration parameters are remarkably similar and were initially used to divide the core into three magnetically distinct zones. The upper and lower sections of the core (0–119 cm and 445–822 cm depth) are characterised by low values for all magnetic concentration parameters. Between 153 and 380 cm depth, concentration parameters are considerably higher, although somewhat variable. The S ratio and percentage loss of remanence after 24 h (IRM_loss) follow a different trend and are inversely related to each other. A low S ratio (<0.7) is associated with a loss of remanence of >4%. On the basis of these parameters, the core can be divided into four zones, and differences in magnetic mineralogy between these four zones were confirmed by measurement of IRM acquisition curves. The major difference between concentration parameters and ratios or percentage loss of IRM lies in the identification of an additional zone below 619 cm depth where the S ratio is high and IRM_loss is low. There is little evidence to suggest that the magnetic signatures are controlled by particle size or by trends in organic matter and/or carbonate content. The signatures appear to be predominantly detrital and show little evidence of post-depositional alteration through dissolution or authigenic addition of bacterial magnetite or greigite. Analysis of Saharan dust deposition rates in Northern Egypt suggests that atmospheric fallout is likely to make only a very minor contribution (<1%) to sedimentation rates in Lake Qarun. The downcore trends therefore appear to reflect major changes in fluvial sediment sources over the ca. 2,000 year time period spanned by this ～8 m core. Preliminary mineral magnetic characterisations of potential local sources suggest that these cannot account for the range of signatures recorded in the Qarun sediments and it is hypothesised that these sediments are derived from Nile river floods.