Significance of variations in the wind energy environment over the past 50 years with respect to dune activity and desertification in arid and semiarid northern China

Climate data from 339 meteorological stations collected from the 1950s to the early 2000s was employed to discuss aeolian activity in arid and semiarid northern China. The results show that at decadal time scales, erosivity varied greatly in this region. Most of arid and semiarid northern China was characterised by environments with moderate to low wind energy. After the 1980s, the erosivity was only 20 to 50% of that beforehand, and this difference had a significant impact on the environmental changes observed during the two periods. The dune mobility index was consistent with the observed dune activity. After the 1980s dune activity decreased and in some deserts with vegetated dune systems during the 1970s most of the dune plinths were active until the 1980s, after which only the crests were active. Some mobile dunes that had developed at the margins of mobile deserts were replaced by semi-anchored or anchored dunes. Because most desert areas with vegetated dune systems in arid and semiarid northern China are used for farming or grazing, the results of our monitoring show that the desertification trends were consistent with the trends in erosivity and dune activity in this region. Desertification was controlled much more by climatic changes than has previously been acknowledged, and especially by fluctuations in wind energy.     

声幅—变密度测井原理及测井解释方法

对利用声幅—变密度测井判断固井质量的测井原理和工作方式及资料的解释处理进行了介绍,并对固井中出现的各种可能曲线反映进行了详尽的分析,阐述了资料解释中不确定因素。     

江西安远路迳金伯利质煌斑岩筒研究——一种新型的幔源碱性超基性岩

路迳岩筒属火山通道相,由金伯利质煌斑岩、角砾岩、角砾凝灰岩组成,富含幔源橄榄岩包体、普通辉石巨晶和岩球。造岩矿物是橄榄石、斜方辉石、单斜辉石、角闪石和金云母,深源特征指示矿物有镁铝榴石、铬透辉石、铬尖晶石和镁钛铁矿。岩石化学组成超低SiO2,低MgO,高Al2O3,富碱,富挥发组分。轻稀土元素富集,相容元素贫化,不相容元素明显富集。岩浆起源深度约85km。其中：岩体产状,富含包体、巨晶和岩球,岩石结构和构造,矿物组成,岩石化学组成超低SiO2、富碱、富挥发组分等特征与金伯利岩相似;但岩石化学组成高Al2O3,低MgO,K2O低于Na2O,REE和LREE/HREE偏低,部分微量元素的亏损或富集,金云母成分富TiO2,富TFeO,贫MgO,镁铝榴石、铬透辉石、铬尖晶石和镁钛铁矿的Cr2O3含量偏低,岩浆起源深度较浅,均与金伯利岩有重大差异,而更接近煌斑岩类。研究认为,是幔源岩浆岩的一种新类型,岩石名称界定为金伯利质煌斑岩。     

Study of galvanic interactions between pyrite and chalcopyrite in a flowing system: implications for the environment

When galvanic interactions between pyrite and chalcopyrite occur in solution, pyrite, with the higher rest potential, acts as a cathode and is protected whereas chalcopyrite, with the lower rest potential, acts as an anode and its oxidation is increased. In this work a three-electrode system was used to investigate the corrosion current density and mixed potential of a galvanic cell comprising a pyrite cathode and a chalcopyrite anode in a flowing system. The results showed that with increasing concentration of ferric ion in the solution, with increasing acidity, and with increasing flow rate of the solution, the corrosion current density increased and the mixed potential of the galvanic cell became more positive. These experimental results are of direct significance to the control of environmental pollution in mining activity. By using the galvanic model, mixed potential theory, and the Butler–Volmer equation, the experimental results were explained theoretically.     

Potential hyperaccumulation of Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd in endurant plants distributed in an old smeltery, northeast China

The absorption and accumulation of Pb, Zn, Cu and Cd in some endurant weed plant species that survived in an old smeltery in Liaoning, China, were systematically investigated. Potential hyperaccumulative characteristics of these species were also discussed. The results showed that metal accumulation in plants differed with species, tissues and metals. Endurant weed plants growing in this contaminated site exhibited high metal adaptability. Both the metal exclusion and detoxification tolerance strategies were involved in the species studied. Seven species for Pb and four species for Cd were satisfied for the concentration time level standard for hyperaccumulator. Considering translocation factor (TF) values, one species for Pb, seven species for Zn, two species for Cu and five species for Cd possessed the characteristic of hyperaccumulator. Particularly, Abutilon theophrasti Medic, exhibited strong accumulative ability to four heavy metals. Although enrichment coefficients of all samples were lesser than 1 and the absolute concentrations didn’t reach the standard, species mentioned above were primarily believed to be potential hyperaccumulators.     

Spheroidal oscillations of the Earth stimulated by the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake with CDSN data

The 0S2~0S54 spheroidal modes of Earth’s free oscillations, triggered by the great Sumatra-Andaman earthquake of 26 December 2004 are retrieved from VHZ data recorded by seven upgraded stations of China Digital Seismograph Network (CDSN). We compare these spheroidal modes with theoretical free oscillation spectra calculated from the Preliminary Reference Earth Model (PREM) and find a coincidence between their periods. Spectral splitting phenomenon is observed obviously in 0S2, 0S3, 0S4, 2S1 and 1S2 free oscillation modes. What is most noticeable is that the oscillation mode 2S1 is reported for the second time (the first time by Rosat et al) without any data stacking. We simulated the split singlet of 0S2 mode on seven CDSN stations based on general focal mechanism and seismic moment of the earthquake. The result shows that seismic moment of the earthquake can reach 1023 N.m. We also find that the recording of Earth’s free oscillations carries abundant information of source mechanism and earthquake location, which is applicable to the detailed study of source rupture parameters.     

The mean value concept in mono-linear regression of multi-variables and its application to trace studies in geosciences

The "mean value concept" in a mono-linear regression of multi-variables is clarified.Its applications to reconstruction of the past 90-year salinity of the sea surface water in Xisha Islands and to tracing the past 80 ka paleo-geomagnetic events from the Luochuan loess 10Be record are introduced in detail,which show the significance and the potential of the "mean value concept" in geoscience research.     

Geology and geochemistry of the Bingdaban ophiolitic mélange in the boundary fault zone on the northern Central Tianshan Belt,and its tectonic implications

The properties and tectonic significance of the fault bound zone on the northern margin of the Central Tianshan belt are key issues to understand the tectonic framework and evolutionary history of the Tianshan Orogenic Belt. Based on the geological and geochemical studies in the Tianshan orogenic belt, it is suggested that the ophiolitic slices found in the Bingdaban area represent the remaining oceanic crust of the Early Paleozoic ocean between the Hazakstan and Zhungaer blocks. Mainly composed of basalts, gabbros and diabases, the ophiolites were overthrust onto the boundary fault between the Northern Tianshan and Central Tianshan belts. The major element geochemistry is characterized by high TiO₂ (1.50%–2.25%) and MgO (6.64%–9.35%), low K₂O (0.06%–0.41%) and P₂O₅ (0.1%–0.2%), and Na₂O>K₂O as well. Low ΣREE and depletion in LREE indicate that the original magma was derived from a depleted mantle source. Compared with a primitive mantle, the geochemistry of the basalts from the Bingdaban area is featureded by depletion in Th, U, Nb, La, Ce and Pr, and unfractionated in HFS elements. The ratios of Zr/Nb, Nb/La, Hf/Ta, Th/Yb and Hf/Th are similar to those of the typical N-MORB. It can be interpreted that the basalts in the Bingdaban area were derived from a depleted mantle source, and formed in a matured mid-oceanic ridge setting during the matured evolutionary stage of the Northern Tianshan ocean. In comparison with the basalts, the diabases from the Bingdaban area show higher contents of Al₂O₃, ΣREE and HFS elements as well as unfractionated incompatible elements except Cs, Rb and Ba, and about 10 times the values of the primitive mantle. Thus, the diabases are thought to be derived from a primitive mantle and similar to the typical E-MORB. The diabases also have slight Nb depletion accompanying no apparent Th enrichment compared with N-MORB. From studies of the regional geology and all above evidence, it can be suggested that the diabases from the Bingdaban area were formed in the mid-oceanic ridge of the Northern Tianshan ocean during the initial spreading stage. Supported by the Major State Research Program of PRC (Grant No. 2001CB409801), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40472115 and 40234041) and the State Research Program of China Geological Survey (Grant No. 2001130000-22)     

Fossil nothofagaceous leaves from the Eocene of western Antarctica and their bearing on the origin, dispersal and systematics of Nothofagus

Fossil leaves resembling Nothofagaceae have been investigated from the Eocene of western Antarctica and a new form genus Nothofagofolia is proposed for these kinds of fossils. Some new specimens belonging to this form genus are described. They were collected from the Fossil Hill locality of Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, South Shetland Islands, western Antarctica. Two new species, two new combinations and an unnamed species are reported. A number of published Nothofagus leaf fossils from the same locality are discussed and revised. As a result of these studies of Nothofagus leaf morphology, we conclude that (1) Nothofagus probably originated in high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere during the middle-late Late Cretaceous and diversified, dispersed gradually to the lower latitudes of the same hemisphere; (2) leaf morphological characters are significant for the systematics of the family Nothofagaceae, especially at the intrageneric level; and (3) extant species of Nothofagus known from southern temperate areas have more primitive leaf morphological characters and lower leaf ranks than those from tropical mountains as well as those of the Fagaceae and Betulaceae. Supported by the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology & Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaoentology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. 013106), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 30670159) and the Fund of Innovation Program by Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences     

Evolution of vegetation and climate since the last glacial maximum recorded at Dahu peat site, South China

Sporopollen analysis on a 346 cm peat record at Dahu, Jiangxi, chronologically constrained by 16 AMS 14C datings, provides an opportunity to reconstruct the vegetation evolution stages responding to cli-mate change in South China since the last glacial maximum. The result shows that during 18330-15630 cal a B.P., broad-leaved forest dominated the area, corresponding to mild, cool and fairly humid climate. At the interval of 15630-11600 cal a B.P., several evergreen broad-leaved species appeared within the broad-leaved forest, indicating moderate and humid condition. During early Holocene, broad-leaved evergreen forest community was constructed as Castanopsis/Lithorcarpus principally developed, suggesting a warm and humid scenario until 6000 cal a B. P. Since 6000 cal a B. P., abrupt forest deterioration happened with an contemporary increase of fern and herb communities, repre-senting a turnover to relatively cool and dry condition and as well, possible impact from human activi-ties. Meanwhile, several relatively cool and dry events can be identified in the sporopollen record, they can be correlated to the North Atlantic Heinrich event, YD and Holocene millennial-scale oscillations, implying that the low latitude climate was coupled with high latitude influences. Moreover, the varia-tions of temperature and humidity since LGM at Dahu were much smaller when compared with the re-cords in north monsoonal China.