Spatial heterogeneity of cyanobacteria-inoculated sand dunes significantly influences artificial biological soil crusts in the Hopq Desert (China)

Artificial biological soil crusts (ABSCs), formed by inoculating Microcoleus vaginatus Gom. and Scytonema javanicum Born. et Flah. onto the topsoil of desert dunes, proved to be effective tools for the stabilization of moving dunes and promotion of soil fertility. As dominant driving forces in arid habitats, the abiotic environmental conditions of undulating dunes produce a gradient of abiotic stresses on cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are considered pioneering phototrophs in early soil crust communities in deserts. In this study, the development of ABSCs under various environmental site conditions was investigated using 16S rRNA-based polymerase chain reaction, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and soil property measurements. After inoculation in 2002 and long-term development, patchy moss crusts were observed on the dunes. All of the available sequenced bands in the DGGE gels belonged to Oscillatoriales and Nostocales. The dominant Nostocales genus in the ABSCs was still Scytonema; however, more Oscillatoriales genera were identified, which belonged to Microcoleus and Phormidium. The cyanobacterial compositions of different slope types were significantly distinct (p < 0.05), particularly those from windward slopes. The crusts of the top-dune slopes were more heterogeneous. In addition, the soil physicochemical properties and richness indices of the windward slopes were significantly lower than those of the leeward and interdune slopes (p < 0.05). Compared with uninoculated control dunes, all of the inoculated dunes had far higher biodiversities.     

Investigating soil thermodynamic parameters of the active layer on the northern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The soil thermodynamic parameters, including thermal conductivity, diffusivity and volumetric capacity within the active layer on the northern Tibetan Plateau, were calculated using the measured data of soil temperature gradient, heat flux, and moisture at four stations from October 2003 to September 2004. The results showed that the soil thermodynamic parameters exhibited clear seasonal fluctuation. The thermal conductivity and diffusivity in summer and autumn at Beiluhe, Kexinling, and Tongtianhe were larger than those in winter. The volumetric thermal capacity causes an opposite change; it was larger in autumn and winter than in summer. In spring, the soil thermal conductivity at the Kekexili station was larger than that in summer. Generally, fine-grained soils and lower saturation degrees in the topsoil might be a reason for the lower soil thermal conductivity in winter. For a given soil, soil moisture was the main factor influencing the thermodynamic parameters. The unfrozen water content that existed in frozen soils greatly affected the soil thermal conductivity, whose contribution rate was estimated to be 55 %. The thermodynamic parameters of frozen soils could be expressed as a function of soil temperature, volumetric ice content and soil salinity, while for the unfrozen ground the soil moisture content is the dominant factor for those thermal parameters. As for the soil thermal diffusivity, there exists a critical value of soil moisture content. When the soil moisture content becomes less than a critical value, the soil thermal diffusivity increases as the soil moisture content rises.     

The calculation of mine water yield using the non-continuous flow theory

Large amounts of groundwater are discharged during underground mining operations. As a result, the drawdown of groundwater, known as aquifer dewatering, is common in mining areas. Because of variability in permeability between different media in mines, mine drainage occurs primarily as non-continuous flow. However, calculations of mine water yield are usually made based on the continuous flow theory, and therefore often produce erroneous results. This study predicts the water yield of a mine using the module MODFLOW and incorporating the non-continuous flow theory into the calculation. Using this method, the predicted water yield of a mine was approximately 50 % lower than that predicted using the continuous flow theory. The model also demonstrates that the rate of mine drainage varies over time; there is initially a decrease in the rate of drainage which gradually approaches a constant value. Double level flow occurs when there is non-continuous flow in continuous media, which can effectively minimize the influence of mine drainage on upper aquifers and relieve the conflict between groundwater supply and drainage in the mining area.     

Modeling the risk of nitrate leaching and nitrate runoff loss from intensive farmland in the Baiyangdian Basin of the North China Plain

The water movement and soil nitrogen cycle of the Baiyangdian Basin were simulated, and the risk of nitrate leaching and nitrate runoff loss from intensive farmland was assessed by using the distributed hydrological soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) in this study. The model assessment showed that SWAT was able to simulate water and nitrate movement in the region with satisfactory results. The modeling analysis indicated that fertilizer application was the overriding source of soil nitrogen and might result in a large amount of nitrate accumulation in soils; this nitrate might be lost by leaching or runoff driven by water movement. In 2009, nitrate nitrogen leaching represented 19.5 % of the total amount of nitrogen fertilizer application, while nitrate nitrogen runoff represented 1.7 % only. Thus, it showed that the nitrate leaching was the main approach of soil nitrogen movement in farmland because of strong percolation. It also showed a significant variation of nitrate leaching from different soil depths, with the largest amount leached from surface soil layers and the smallest amount leached from lower soil layers. Therefore, it could be further revealed that the nitrate concentration was very low at soil layers lower than the root zone of crops (1.2 m). Validated by groundwater observations, groundwater pollution by nitrate derived from fertilizers was not serious because of the deep groundwater level in the study plain. However, the risk of groundwater pollution would increase significantly if precipitation increased.     

Decoupling of the East Asian summer monsoon and Indian summer monsoon between 20 and 17 ka

Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 2, with its profound environmental and climatic changes from before the last glacial maximum (LGM) to the last deglaciation, is an ideal period for understanding the evolution of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) and Indian summer monsoon (ISM), two Asian monsoon sub-systems. With 875 stable oxygen isotope ratios and 43 ²³⁰Th dates from stalagmites in Sanxing Cave, southwestern China, we construct and interpret a new, replicated, Asian summer monsoon (ASM) record covering 30.9–9.7 ka with decadal resolution. δ¹⁸O records from this site and other reported Chinese caves display similar long-term orbitally dominated trends and synchronous millennial-scale strong and weak monsoonal events associated with climate changes in high northern latitudes. Interestingly, Sanxing δ¹⁸O and Arabian Sea records show a weakening ISM from 22 to 17 ka, while the Hulu and Qingtian records from East and Central China express a 3-ka intensifying EASM from 20 to 17 ka. This decoupling between EASM and ISM may be due to different sensitivities of the two ASM sub-systems in response to internal feedback mechanisms associated with the complex geographical or land-ocean configurations.     

新疆西天山智博铁矿岩浆-热液成矿作用—来自安山岩矿物学的证据

本文以智博铁矿区内的安山岩为研究对象,通过详细的野外地质调查,并利用电子显微镜和电子探针,对安山岩中的主要矿物进行了系统的岩相学观察和矿物学研究。研究表明,智博安山岩中斜长石主要为Na-高钠长石,具低TiO2,高Na2O和Al2O3的特点;辉石主要为普通辉石,具高TiO2,高Al2O3的特点;角闪石主要为镁角闪石和阳起石,具低TiO2和Al2O3,高MgO的特点;副矿物磁铁矿具高TiO2,低MgO和Al2O3的特点。辉石、角闪石矿物化学特征表明,智博铁矿安山岩的母岩浆属于壳幔混源的玄武质岩浆,构造环境为火山岛弧环境。智博安山岩中单斜辉石结晶温度为1225℃左右,结晶压力约0.795GPa,结晶深度约26km。智博铁矿后期的热液作用也参与了磁铁矿成矿,对智博铁矿的成矿有一定的贡献。     

成藏期砂岩孔隙度对油气分布的控制作用——以东营凹陷牛庄洼陷沙三中亚段岩性油藏为例

在具有相同储集砂体和相似断层输导情况下,牛庄洼陷沙三中亚段砂岩体油藏长期存在以下难以解释的现象：1）现今砂岩孔隙度分布与油气分布不一致,高孔隙砂岩不含油而低孔隙砂岩含油;2）相同物性砂岩有的含油而有的不含油,含油砂体现今物性接近,但含油级别却存在很大差异。本文从古孔隙度恢复方面分析了牛庄洼陷西部地区沙三中砂岩储层在成藏期的储集条件,并探讨了成藏期储层临界孔隙度。研究发现：1）虽然现今储层物性下限很低,部分砂岩已经致密化,但成藏期的古孔隙度分布在18%～25%范围内,远大于成藏期临界孔隙度13.9%。但由于埋藏过程的差异导致砂岩储层后期减孔幅度不同,因而现今储层物性不能反映成藏期储层物性,成藏期孔隙度高并不能代表现今孔隙度高;2）成藏期高孔隙度带与现今油气分布范围高度一致,表明在相似断层输导条件下,由于储层物性级差优势形成油气优势运移通道,导致高孔隙度带砂体含油,因此,沙三中亚段岩性油藏富集在成藏期高孔隙带中,成藏期砂岩古孔隙度是油气成藏的重要控制因素,而现今砂岩储层高孔隙带在成藏期并不一定高。牛庄洼陷西部地区沙三中亚段储层中具有高古孔隙度的砂岩仍有较大勘探潜力。     

Time-Varying Multifractal Characteristics and Formation Mechanism of Loaded Coal Electromagnetic Radiation

Dynamic collapses of deeply mined coal rocks are severe threats to miners. To predict the collapses more accurately using electromagnetic radiation (EMR), we investigate the time-varying multifractal characteristics and formation mechanism of EMR induced by underground coal mining. A series of uniaxial compression and multi-stage loading experiments with coal samples of different mechanical properties were carried out. The EMR signals during their damage evolution were monitored in real-time; the inherent law of EMR time series was analyzed by fractal theory. The results show that the time-varying multifractal characteristics of EMR are determined by damage evolutions process, the dissipated energy caused by damage evolutions such as crack propagation, fractal sliding and shearing can be regard as the fingerprint of various EMR micro-mechanics. Based on the Irreversible thermodynamics and damage mechanics, we introduced the damage internal variable, constructed the dissipative potential function and established the coupled model of the EMR and the dissipative energy, which revealed the nature of dynamic nonlinear characteristics of EMR. Dynamic multifractal spectrum is the objective response of EMR signals, thus it can be used to evaluate the coal deformation and fracture process.     

Coal Mine Roadway Stability in Soft Rock: A Case Study

Roadway instability has always been a major concern in deep underground coal mines where the surrounding rock strata and coal seams are weak and the in situ stresses are high. Under the high overburden and tectonic stresses, roadways could collapse or experience excessive deformation, which not only endangers mining personnel but could also reduce the functionality of the roadway and halt production. This paper describes a case study on the stability of roadways in an underground coal mine in Shanxi Province, China. The mine was using a longwall method to extract coal at a depth of approximately 350 m. Both the coal seam and surrounding rock strata were extremely weak and vulnerable to weathering. Large roadway deformation and severe roadway instabilities had been experienced in the past, hence, an investigation of the roadway failure mechanism and new support designs were needed. This study started with an in situ stress measurement programme to determine the stress orientation and magnitude in the mine. It was found that the major horizontal stress was more than twice the vertical stress in the East–West direction, perpendicular to the gateroads of the longwall panel. The high horizontal stresses and low strength of coal and surrounding rock strata were the main causes of roadway instabilities. Detailed numerical modeling was conducted to evaluate the roadway stability and deformation under different roof support scenarios. Based on the modeling results, a new roadway support design was proposed, which included an optimal cable/bolt arrangement, full length grouting, and high pre-tensioning of bolts and cables. It was expected the new design could reduce the roadway deformation by 50 %. A field experiment using the new support design was carried out by the mine in a 100 m long roadway section. Detailed extensometry and stress monitorings were conducted in the experimental roadway section as well as sections using the old support design. The experimental section produced a much better roadway profile than the previous roadway sections. The monitoring data indicated that the roadway deformation in the experimental section was at least 40–50 % less than the previous sections. This case study demonstrated that through careful investigation and optimal support design, roadway stability in soft rock conditions can be significantly improved.     

中国萤石矿床分类

通过对中国萤石矿床的成矿作用研究,综合考虑萤石矿床的成因类型和工业类型,将中国萤石矿床划分为沉积改造型、热液充填型和伴生型3种矿床类型。在全面分析萤石矿典型矿床的成矿条件、控矿因素和成矿作用的基础上,总结成矿要素,以相同或相似的二级成矿必要要素组合确定沉积改造型、热液充填型萤石矿床的亚类型,沉积改造型进一步划分出2个矿床式,热液充填型划分出5个矿床式,伴生型按伴生主矿种划分出4个矿床式。文章分析了每一个矿床式的成矿地质背景,成矿条件、矿床特征、控矿因素和成矿作用,总结了每一个矿床式的二级成矿必要要素。