Glacier change and glacier runoff variation in the Tuotuo River basin,the source region of Yangtze River in western China

Glaciers in the Tuotuo River basin, western China, have been monitored in recent decades by applying topographical maps and high-resolution satellite images. Results indicate that most of glaciers in the Tuotuo River basin have retreated in the period from 1968/1971 to 2001/2002, and their shrinkage area is 3.2% of the total area in the late 1960s. To assess the influence of glacier runoff on river runoff, a modified degree–day model including potential clear-sky direct solar radiation has been applied to the glaciated regions of the river basin over the period 1961–2004. It was found that glacier runoff has increased in the last 44 years, especially in the 1990s when a two-thirds increase in river runoff was derived from the increase in glacier runoff caused by loss of ice mass in the entire Tuotuo River basin.     

Heat capacity and phase equilibria of wadeite-type K2Si4O9

The low-temperature heat capacity (C _p) of Si-wadeite (K₂Si₄O₉) synthesized with a piston cylinder device was measured over the range of 5–303 K using the heat capacity option of a physical properties measurement system. The entropy of Si-wadeite at standard temperature and pressure calculated from the measured heat capacity data is 253.8 ± 0.6 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹, which is considerably larger than some of the previous estimated values. The calculated phase transition boundaries in the system K₂O–Al₂O₃–SiO₂ are generally consistent with previous experimental results. Together with our calculated phase boundaries, seven multi-anvil experiments at 1,400 K and 6.0–7.7 GPa suggest that no equilibrium stability field of kalsilite + coesite intervenes between the stability field of sanidine and that of coesite + kyanite + Si-wadeite, in contrast to previous predictions. First-order approximations were undertaken to calculate the phase diagram in the system K₂Si₄O₉ at lower pressure and temperature. Large discrepancies were shown between the calculated diagram compared with previously published versions, suggesting that further experimental or/and calorimetric work is needed to better constrain the low-pressure phase relations of the K₂Si₄O₉ polymorphs. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Isotopic studies of leaf water. Part 1: A physically based two-dimensional model for pine needles

Understanding of isotopic variations in leaf water is important for reconstruction of paleoclimate and assessment of global biochemical processes. We report here a study of isotopic distributions within a single needle of two pine species, Pinus resinosa Ait and Pinus strobes L., with the objective of understanding how isotopic compositions of leaf water are controlled by environmental and physiological variables. A 2D model was developed to simulate along-leaf isotopic variations and bulk leaf water isotopic compositions. In addition to variables common to all leaf water isotopic models, this 2D model also takes into account the specific geometry and dimensions of pine needles and the isotopic transport in xylem and mesophyll. The model can successfully simulate oxygen isotopic variations along a single needle and averaged over a leaf (bulk leaf water). The simulations suggest that isotopic composition of the bulk leaf water does not always depend only upon the average transpiration rate, which in turn raises questions about using leaf water isotopic values to estimate transpiration rates. An unsuccessful attempt to simulate along-needle hydrogen isotopic variations suggests that certain unknown biological process(es) may not have been incorporated into our 2D model, and if so, it calls for a reevaluation of all other models for hydrogen isotopic simulations of leaf water since they too lack these processes.Existing leaf water isotopic models are reviewed in this work. In particular, we evaluate the most frequently used model, the stomatal boundary layer model (also referred to as the Craig-Gordon model). We point out that discrepancy between the boundary layer model and the measured bulk leaf water seems to depend upon relative humidity. Using our 2D model, we show that this humidity dependency is a result of an interplay between environmental and physiological conditions: if the transpiration rate of plant leaves decreases with increasing relative humidity, our 2D model can reproduce the pattern of isotopic discrepancy between boundary layer model predictions and observations, enabling us to understand better the reason behind this discrepancy.     

Lithospheric Origin of Oligocene-Miocene Magmatism in Central Chile: U-Pb Ages and Sr-Pb-Hf Isotope Composition of Minerals

Establishing the petrogenesis of volcanic and plutonic rocksis a key issue in unraveling the evolution of distinct subduction-relatedtectonic phases occurring along the South American margin. Thisis particularly true for Cenozoic times when large volumes ofmagma were produced in the Andean belt. In this study we havefocused on Oligo-Miocene magmatism in central Chile at 33°S.Our data include field and petrographic observations, whole-rockmajor and trace element analyses, U–Pb zircon dating,and Pb, Sr, and Hf isotope analyses of plagioclase, clinopyroxene,and zircon mineral separates. Combined with earlier dating resultsthe new zircon ages define a 28·8–5·2 Maperiod of plutonic and volcanic activity that ceased as a consequenceof flattening subduction of the Nazca–Farallon plate.Rare earth elements patterns are variable, with up to 92 timeschondrite concentrations for light rare earth elements yielding(La/Yb)_N between 3·6 and 7·0, and an absence ofEu anomalies. Initial Pb isotope signatures are in the rangeof 18·358–19·023 for ²⁰⁶Pb/ ²⁰⁴Pb, 15·567–15·700for ²⁰⁷Pb/ ²⁰⁴Pb and 38·249–39·084 for ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb. Initial ⁸⁷Sr/ ⁸⁶Sr are mostly in the range of 0·70369–0·70505,with two more radiogenic values at 0·7066. Initial Hfisotopic compositions of zircons yield exclusively positiveHf_i ranging between + 6·9 and + 9·6. The newlydetermined initial isotope characteristics of the Oligo-Miocenemagmas suggest that the mantle source lithologies are differentfrom both those of Pacific mid-ocean ridge basalt and oceanisland basalt, plotting in the field of reference values forsubcontinental lithospheric mantle, characterized by moderatelarge ion lithophile element–high field strengh elementdepletion and high ²³⁸U/ ²⁰⁴Pb. A Hf model age of 2 Ga is estimatedfor the formation of the subcontinental mantle–continentalcrust assemblage in the region, suggesting that the initialSr and Pb isotope ratios inferred for the source of the Oligo-Mioceneparental magmas are the result of later Rb and U enrichmentcaused by mantle metasomatism. A time-integrated model Rb/Srof 0·039 and µ 16 are estimated for the sourceof the parental magmas, consistent with ratios measured in peridotitexenoliths from continental areas. Evolution from predominant(>90%) basaltic–gabbroic to andesitic–dioriticmagmas seems to involve a combination of (1) original traceelement differences in the metasomatized subcontinental mantle,(2) different degrees of partial melting and (3) fractionalcrystallization in the garnet- and spinel-peridotite stabilityfields. The genesis of more differentiated magmas reaching rhyolitic–graniticcompositions most probably also includes additional crystalfractionation at both shallow mantle depths and within the crust,possibly leading to some very minor assimilation of crustalmaterial. KEY WORDS: calc-alkaline magmatism; Oligo-Miocene; U–Pb dating; Sr–Pb–Hf isotopes; central Chile     

中国滑坡预测预报研究综述

滑坡预测预报是有效预防滑坡灾害的重要途径之一,这方面的研究不仅受到广泛重视,且硕果累累。将中国滑坡预测预报的研究历史划分为四个阶段：① 经验判断——被动防灾避灾阶段;② 定性——半定量分析预测预报阶段;③ 理论方法探索——检验预测预报阶段;④ 理论方法深化——综合应用预测预报阶段。从监测（观测）方法、预测预报方法,以及研究特点等方面进行简要回顾,总结已有监测方法（手段）、预测预报理论、方法的研究现状,认为尚存在：① 监测方法（手段）,包括仪器、设备的精度不足;② 预测预报方法综合性、实用性不强;③ 预测预报专门理论尚待完善等问题。在分析的基础上,提出自己的观点,并进行了发展趋势展望。     

人工合成烃类包裹体研究进展

人工合成烃类包裹体不仅可以作为分析仪器校正的标样,还可以增进人们对烃类包裹体形成机制和水—岩作用机理的认识。人工合成包裹体的方法主要有三种：人工晶体生长法、焊封石英管法和金刚石压腔法,其中利用愈合人工石英(水晶)单晶裂隙合成流体包裹体技术已成为标准的合成技术。目前人工合成烃类包裹体主要利用晶体生长法合成,包括高温高压利用石英（或方解石）晶体生长愈合裂缝形成流体包裹体和低温下采用过饱和溶液重结晶形成流体包裹体。由于高温高压条件下烃类可能发生裂解,母液保真是成功实现人工合成烃类包裹体的重要前提条件。国外在人工合成烃类包裹体研究方面已经取得了一些重要的认识,但远不及人工合成无机体系流体包裹体研究那样系统和完善。国内关于人工合成烃类包裹体研究尚处于起步阶段,迫切需要开展这方面的研究工作。     

实验研究不同盐离子对水分子拉曼效应的影响

对流体包裹体中常见的几种盐水溶液进行了拉曼光谱分析.采用了频移参数描述水分子拉曼峰的形变强度,并讨论了频移参数与盐度之间的关系.实验分析结果表明,盐度越大,频移参数越大,水分子拉曼峰形变越大.对频移参数曲线斜率分析显示,盐类对水分子拉曼峰偏移程度影响的强弱顺序为NaCl＞Na2SO4＞NaHCO3＞Na2CO3.讨论了不同阳离子和阴离子对水伸缩振动拉曼峰的影响,结果表明,高价阳离子的影响明显高于低价阳离子;而阴离子对水拉曼峰影响的强弱顺序初步确定为Cl-≈SO2-4-＞HCO-3＞CO2-3≈NO-3.