Two-Dimensional Variational Analysis of Near-Surface Moisture from Simulated Radar Refractivity-Related Phase Change Observations

Because they are most sensitive to atmospheric moisture content, radar refractivity observations can provide high-resolution information about the highly variable low-level moisture field. In this study, simulated radar refractivity-related phase-change data were created using a radar simulator from realistic highresolution model simulation data for a dryline case. These data were analyzed using the 2DVAR system developed specifically for the phase-change data. Two sets of experiments with the simulated observations were performed, one assuming a uniform target spacing of 250 m and one assuming nonuniform spacing between 250 m to 4 km. Several sources of observation error were considered, and their impacts were examined. They included errors due to ground target position uncertainty, typical random errors associated with radar measurements, and gross error due to phase wrapping. Without any additional information, the 2DVAR system was incapable of dealing with phase-wrapped data directly. When there was no phase wrapping in the data, the 2DVAR produced excellent analyses, even in the presence of both position uncertainty and random radar measurement errors. When a separate pre-processing step was applied to unwrap the phase-wrapped data, quality moisture analyses were again obtained, although the analyses were smoother due to the reduced effective resolution of the observations by interpolation and smoothing involved in the unwrapping procedure. The unwrapping procedure was effective even when significant differences existed between the analyzed state and the state at a reference time. The results affirm the promise of using radar refractivity phase-change measurements for near-surface moisture analysis.     

The impact of disposal and treatment of coal mining wastes on environment and farmland

In China, coal mining wastes have traditionally been dumped in cone-shaped heaps that have the potential to pollute air, soil and water environments and landscapes through dust generation, leachate production, self-ignition and as a consequence of an absence of vegetation cover. Since 1980s, the disposal technique for coal mining wastes has been changing and in many instances the wastes are now transported directly to subsided land as a fill to enable the reuse of that land. Thus, today, both coal mining waste dumps from the past and filled subsided lands are in existence. However, the comparative impacts of these different disposal techniques on the environment and farmland productivity have not been studied in detail. Using Dongtan (DT), Nantun (NT) and Xinglongzhuang (XLZ) coal mines as examples, the components of coal mining wastes and their potential pollution contribution to soil, surface water and ground water are tested in-situ. The results show that contaminants are released after self-ignition and weathering of coal mining wastes, but they are not above the allowable environmental standards. However, despite these findings, more and closer attention needs to be paid to the mobility, transportation and accumulation of these contaminants in the environment over time.     

甘肃龙首山红石泉正长岩地球化学特征及成因探讨

研究区红石泉位于龙首山成矿带西部,本次研究对区内正长岩进行系统的元素地球化学和年代学分析测试,理清其岩石成因,探讨其构造意义.结果 显示,红石泉正长岩样品的w(SiO2)为57.15％～65.03％,w(Al2O3)为14.31％～18.46％,相对高钾w(K2O)=4.55％～11.30％和富碱w(K2O+ Na2O)=10.48％～13.10％,K2O/Na2O比值为0.64～4.22,可归类为准铝质高钾碱性系列.岩石相对富集Rb,Th等大离子亲石元素与轻稀土,相对亏损Nb,Ta,P和Ti等高场强元素与重稀土,Eu(均值0.66)呈轻微负异常.锆石U-Pb定年指示其结晶年龄为416.00±0.17 Ma(MSWD=0.88).综合分析认为,红石泉正长岩的形成与壳幔岩浆混合作用密切相关.晚志留纪至早泥盆纪时,祁连—柴达木板块和阿拉善板块的碰撞造山作用进入后碰撞伸展阶段,地幔岩浆的底侵作用诱发了地壳熔融,从而形成壳源岩浆,而幔源岩浆与壳源岩浆的混合作用形成了红石泉正长岩的母岩浆.     

A high‐resolution multi‐proxy stalagmite record from Mechara,Southeastern Ethiopia: palaeohydrological implications for speleothem palaeoclimate reconstruction

An annually laminated stalagmite from Southeastern Ethiopia grew for 443±8 yr starting at 5023 yr BP (±160 yr) as determined by lamina‐tuned U‐Th dating. The speleothem shows three growth phases: (1) an initial phase where the stalagmite has a candlestick shape, deposited by relatively slow rate drip water; (2) a middle growth phase where laminae grow on the flanks, suggesting faster drip rates; and (3) a final growth phase where the speleothem becomes narrower owing to a decrease in drip water supply towards the end of deposition. Morphometry, annual growth rate, fluorescence index, and ²³⁴U/²³⁸U isotope ratio show marked differences between the growth phases, while δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O do not show significant variation, except within the third phase towards the top of the stalagmite, where they have higher values. The study indicates that the multiproxy approach is crucial as the different proxies respond to single climate forcing in different manners. Our results can be widely applied to speleothem studies distinguishing the relative importance of the various proxies in recording cave ‘external’ (climate, hydrology) and cave ‘internal’ (e.g. evaporation) processes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exploring former subglacial Hodgson Lake,Antarctica. Paper II: palaeolimnology

Direct exploration of subglacial lakes buried deep under the Antarctic Ice Sheet has yet to be achieved. However, at retreating margins of the ice sheet, there are a number of locations where former subglacial lakes are emerging from under the ice but remain perennially ice covered. One of these lakes, Hodgson Lake (72°00.549′S, 068°27.708′W) has emerged from under more than 297–465 m of glacial ice during the last few thousand years. This paper presents data from a multidisciplinary investigation of the palaeolimnology of this lake through a study of a 3.8 m sediment core extracted at a depth of 93.4 m below the ice surface. The core was dated using a combination of radiocarbon, optically stimulated luminescence, and relative palaeomagnetic intensity dating incorporated into a chronological model. Stratigraphic analyses included magnetic susceptibility, clast provenance, organic content, carbonate composition, siliceous microfossils, isotope and biogeochemical markers. Based on the chronological model we provisionally assign a well-defined magnetic polarity reversal event at ca 165 cm in the lake sediments to the Mono Lake excursion (ca 30–34 ka), whilst OSL measurements suggest that material incorporated into the basal sediments might date to 93 ± 9 ka. Four stratigraphic zones (A–D) were identified in the sedimentological data. The chronological model suggests that zones A–C were deposited between Marine Isotope Stages 5–2 and zone A during Stage 1, the Holocene. The palaeolimnological record tracks changes in the subglacial depositional environment linked principally to changing glacier dynamics and mass transport and indirectly to climate change. The sediment composition in zones A–C consists of fine-grained sediments together with sands, gravels and small clasts. There is no evidence of overriding glaciers being in contact with the bed reworking the stratigraphy or removing this sediment. This suggests that the lake existed in a subglacial cavity beneath overriding LGM ice. In zone D there is a transition to finer grained sediments characteristic of lower energy delivery coupled with a minor increase in the organic content attributed either to increases in allochthonous organic material being delivered from the deglaciating catchment, a minor increase in within-lake production or to an analytical artefact associated with an increase in the clay fraction. Evidence of biological activity is sparse. Total organic carbon varies from 0.2 to 0.6%, and cannot be unequivocally linked to in situ biological activity as comparisons of δ¹³C and C/N values with local reference data suggest that much of it is derived from the incorporation of carbon in catchment soils and gravels and possibly old CO₂ in meteoric ice. We use the data from this study to provide guidelines for the study of deep continental subglacial lakes including establishing sediment geochronologies, determining the extent to which subglacial sediments might provide a record of glaciological and environmental change and a brief review of methods to use in the search for life.     

藏东义敦地体早古生代构造格局：来自碎屑锆石U-Pb-Hf同位素的约束

位于藏东的义敦地体是研究青藏高原和古特提斯构造演化的关键区域,其在早古生代时期的古地理位置及构造演化过程尚不明确。沉积岩中碎屑锆石记录了物源区丰富的地质信息,被广泛应用于示踪沉积物源和古地理重建。本文对义敦地体三件下古生界浅变质沉积岩样品开展了碎屑锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年代学和Hf同位素研究,结果显示：三件样品均具有“多峰”的碎屑锆石年龄分布特征,其U-Pb年龄主要集中在约2535～2350 Ma、约1000～900 Ma、约890～750 Ma和约590～520 Ma四个区间,对应的ε_Hf(t)值分别为-8.8～13.1、-11.8～10.0、-20.1～12.6和-27.6～6.1。综合本次研究结果和前人数据,提出义敦地体下古生界变沉积岩中约2535～2350 Ma和约890～750Ma年龄段的锆石主要来自邻区松潘-甘孜地体和华南地块,而约1000～900 Ma和约590～520 Ma年龄段的碎屑锆石主要源自东冈瓦纳大陆Rayner-Eastern Ghats、Prydz-Darling和Kuunga造山带的岩浆岩。对比该地层与区内新元古界碎屑岩及相...     

南极普里兹湾沉积物稀土元素地球化学特征

利用中国第29次南极科学考察在南极普里兹湾获取的3个短柱样品,进行了稀土元素测试分析,探讨了普里兹湾海洋沉积物稀土元素特征、分布模式及其控制因素。结果表明,普里兹湾各站沉积物中稀土元素含量各异,但均具有与上陆壳、中山站变质岩相似的页岩标准化配分模式,整体表现为轻稀土富集型,说明其物源一致,具有明显的大陆地壳来源特征。结合沉积物粒度、化学元素、生源指标等分析其分布及富集规律,发现物源是控制研究区稀土元素组成的主要因素,同时生物作用会对稀土元素的含量产生稀释,但"粒度效应"在此并不明显。普里兹湾沉积物短柱稀土元素参数垂向变化,反映了百年尺度内物源输入、沉积环境的变化。各站δCe值普遍具有向下减小的趋势,反映了随深度增加沉积环境的氧化性逐渐减弱的特征。     

西藏邦铺钼多金属矿床矽卡岩矿物学特征及其地质意义

西藏邦铺超大型钼多金属矿床中矽卡岩铅锌矿体赋存于下二叠统洛巴堆组矽卡岩和大理岩中,矿体呈似层状、透镜状产出,矽卡岩矿物较为发育。为进一步查明矿床矽卡岩矿物种属及矽卡岩类型,剖析矽卡岩形成环境及其与矿化类型之间的关系,基于对矽卡岩矿物系统地显微镜下观测,利用电子探针对矿床主要矽卡岩矿物化学成分进行了系统分析。结果表明,石榴子石端员组分以钙铁榴石为主,含少量锰铝榴石和钙铝榴石;单斜辉石主要为透辉石-钙铁辉石系列,含少量锰钙辉石;似辉石为铁钙蔷薇辉石;角闪石主要为钙质阳起石;绿帘石贫Fe、Mg。矽卡岩矿物组合特征表明,矿床矽卡岩兼具钙矽卡岩和锰质矽卡岩特征;早期矽卡岩形成于较强的氧化环境,成矿岩浆流体亦具有较高氧逸度。邦铺首次发现锰质矽卡岩矿物组合,表明矿区具有银矿找矿潜力,为下一步找矿工作提供了理论支撑。