Exploring the reasons for the seasons using Google Earth, 3D models,and plots

ABSTRACT

Public understanding of climate and climate change is of broad societal importance. However, misconceptions regarding reasons for the seasons abound amongst students, teachers, and the public, many of whom believe that seasonality is caused by large variations in Earth’s distance from the Sun. Misconceptions may be reinforced by textbook illustrations that exaggerate eccentricity or show an inclined view of Earth’s near-circular orbit. Textbook explanations that omit multiple factors influencing seasons, that do not mesh with students’ experiences, or that are erroneous, hinder scientifically valid reasoning. Studies show that many teachers share their students’ misconceptions, and even when they understand basic concepts, teachers may fail to appreciate the range of factors contributing to seasonal change, or their relative importance. We have therefore developed a learning resource using Google Earth, a virtual globe with other useful, weather- and climate-related visualizations. A classroom test of 27 undergraduates in a public research university showed that 15 improved their test scores after the Google Earth-based laboratory class, whereas 5 disimproved. Mean correct answers rose from 4.7/10 to 6/10, giving a paired t-test value of 0.21. After using Google Earth, students are helped to segue to a heliocentric view.     

阿尔金山北缘冰沟蛇绿混杂岩中辉长岩锆石SHRIMP U-Pb定年及其地质意义

冰沟蛇绿混杂岩是阿尔金山红柳沟蛇绿混杂岩带的东段部分,岩石组合包括蛇纹岩、方辉橄榄岩、辉石岩和辉长岩等。蛇纹岩具高Mg,Mg/Fe值大于9,低Al、Ca、Na、K为特征,从稀土元素和微量元素特征来看,基性辉长岩和洋壳以及洋中脊玄武岩极为相似,而超基性岩与原始地幔较为接近。辉长岩获得锆石SHRIMP年龄为449.5±10.9Ma。蛇绿混杂岩的围岩为一套巨厚的碎屑岩、火山碎屑岩、火山岩,以及部分碳酸盐岩构成,其中含有具有洋中脊特征的枕状构造玄武岩,以及放射虫硅质岩,放射虫时代为奥陶纪中晚期,与辉长岩的SHRIMP年龄一致。这些证据进一步证实了红柳沟一带存在早古生代洋盆的地质事实。     

新疆伊吾阿勒吞昆多蛇绿混杂岩特征

前人将唐巴勒-卡拉麦里缝合线置于伊吾县以南哈尔里克山塔水河一线。1993年巴瑞士等在伊吾西北大黑山发现超镁铁岩-镁铁岩洋壳残片,认为卡拉麦里蛇绿岩从伊吾西北大黑山一带向东延伸。2009年笔者参与伊吾县阿尔通盖一带1∶5万区域地质矿产调查工作,于伊吾县以北阿勒吞昆多一带发现阿勒吞昆多蛇绿混杂岩,该蛇绿岩中斜长花岗岩形成于早石炭世((351±6)Ma),大地构造为哈萨克斯坦-准噶尔板块及准噶尔微板块、唐巴勒-卡拉麦里古生代沟弧体系。在研究前人资料基础上,提出阿勒吞昆多蛇绿混杂岩为卡拉麦里蛇绿岩(属唐巴勒-卡拉麦里缝合线)向东延伸部分,唐巴勒-卡拉麦里缝合线(沟弧体系)西起唐巴勒,向东经达拉布特-卡拉麦里-塔克扎勒-大黑山至伊吾县阿勒吞昆多一带,可能延伸至蒙古境内。     

内蒙古乌斯尼黑蛇绿混杂岩带形成时代的地质新证据

贺根山-乌斯尼黑蛇绿混杂岩带的属性和形成时代存在明显的认识上的分歧.早期认为是二叠纪侵入的超镁铁质岩体.该超镁铁质岩体侵入了下二叠统格根敖包组,并被哲斯组地层不整合覆盖,形成时代为二叠纪.20世纪80年代以来,通过中国北方板块构造研究,在硅质岩中采集到的一系列化石资料表明,贺根山地区蛇绿混杂岩的形成时代应为中-晚泥盆世...     

东昆仑南缘布青山构造混杂岩带哥日卓托闪长岩体年代学、地球化学特征及其地质意义

对东昆仑南缘布青山构造混杂岩带哥日卓托闪长岩体进行了锆石U-Pb年代学和岩石地球化学研究,以便对其形成时代和岩石成因进行约束.结果表明,哥日卓托闪长岩锆石Th/U比值(0.63～1.28)较高,阴极发光图像显示锆石内部发育振荡环带,具岩浆成因特点;LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄为225.8±1.5Ma(MSWD=0.53),表明其形成时代为晚三叠世早期.岩体的SiO2含量在53.07％～58.74％之间,Al2O3(14.66％～16.17％)含量相对较高,全碱含量较低(4.76％～6.04％),高钾(1.60％～2.90％),里特曼指数σ在1.69～2.66之间,属高钾钙碱性系列.稀土元素总量(∑REE)为158.36×10-6～211.50×10-6,δEu为0.85～0.97,稀土元素配分曲线呈右倾型,具有弱的负铕异常.高场强元素(Nb、Ta、P等)和大离子亲石元素(Ba、Sr、Ti等)具有明显的负异常,而Rb、U、La、Hf、Nd等元素具有明显的正异常.哥日卓托闪长岩形成于高温环境(800℃±),具有后碰撞岩浆活动的特征,是东昆仑地块与巴颜喀拉地块碰撞后地壳部分熔融的产物.     

东昆仑可支塔格蛇绿混杂岩的地质地球化学特征

东昆仑可支塔格蛇绿混杂岩属于木孜塔格-鲸鱼湖大断裂的西延部分,主要由辉橄岩、辉长岩、闪长岩、斜长花岗岩、辉绿岩、玄武岩及硅质岩等组成,形成时代为早石炭世。为构造强烈破坏的蛇绿混杂岩,形成于俯冲带环境,属SSZ型蛇绿岩。其中辉橄岩以相对低SiO2、TiO2、Al2O3和CaO、高MgO为特征,贫有色金属成矿元素,富集相容元素Cr、Ni、Co。稀土总量低,接近于球粒陨石稀土元素总量,以LREE略富集为特征。闪长岩SiO2、K2O含量较低,MgO、CaO、Na2O较高,稀土总量高,∑REE为90.95μg/g,LREE富集。斜长花岗岩SiO269.8%,Na2O>K2O,K2O/Na2O为0.78,A/CNK为1.68,具有大洋斜长花岗岩的岩石化学特征。闪长岩、斜长花岗岩的微量元素特征相似,表现为大离子亲石元素K、Sr、Rb、Ba相对富集,高场强元素Nb、Ta、Zr、Hf相对亏损。研究表明,辉橄岩来源于亏损的地幔岩,接近于强烈亏损的方辉橄榄岩,而明显不同于结晶分异作用成因的超镁铁质岩石。闪长岩、斜长花岗岩为蛇绿混杂岩的浅色岩组分,是地幔岩浆结晶分异的产物。     

下刚果盆地重力滑脱构造发育特征及演化规律

论述了西非被动大陆边缘下刚果盆地重力滑脱构造的发育特征及演化规律。下刚果盆地早白垩世至今的被动大陆边缘阶段主要发育重力滑脱构造,可分为上陆坡的重力滑脱伸展构造、中陆坡和下陆坡的重力滑脱底辟构造、下陆坡-深海平原转换区的重力滑脱冲断构造。一期完整的重力滑脱构造演化模式为从早到晚由陆向海逐渐发育的前展式发育模式,即最早发育高部位的重力滑脱伸展构造、其次发育中部的重力滑脱底辟构造、最后发育低部位的重力滑脱冲断构造。下刚果盆地总共发育两期重力滑脱构造,分别是早白垩世阿尔布期(Albian)-渐新世的第一期(早期)重力滑脱构造,中新世至今的第二期(晚期)重力滑脱构造。这两期重力滑脱构造之间呈现出从早到晚由陆向海发育的前展式结构,即晚期的重力滑脱构造位于早期重力滑脱构造的向海一侧。     

新疆西准噶尔萨尔托海蛇绿混杂岩形成时代及构造环境分析

萨尔托海蛇绿混杂岩是西准噶尔地区达拉布特蛇绿混杂岩带的重要组成部分,其形成时代和构造环境颇具争议。通过LA-ICP-MS锆石微区原位U-Pb同位素测年,获得其中辉长辉绿岩的 ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U 加权平均年龄为388.8±1.1 Ma,确定该蛇绿混杂岩形成于中泥盆世。岩石地球化学分析表明,纯橄岩(蛇纹岩)属于低Si、低碱、高Mg的变质橄榄岩,REE呈∑REE 偏低的平坦型分布模式,Cr、Ni和Co含量较高,变玄武岩属于高Ti、富Mg、富Fe、偏碱的拉斑系列,REE分布模式呈现 ∑REE 偏低、Eu异常不明显的平坦型曲线,微量元素分布模式为K、Cs、Th、Nb和P相对亏损的平坦型曲线,Zr/Nb比值低,总体表现出与E-MORB相似的特征。综合判断认为,萨尔托海蛇绿混杂岩形成于大陆裂谷向洋盆转化的构造环境,类似于"红海式"洋盆,为进一步深入认识新疆地区众多蛇绿混杂岩的形成构造环境提供了新思路。     

南天山区域大地构造与演化

塔里木和中天山之间的南天山造山带,经历了复杂的构造演化与地壳增生过程。综合分析南天山造山带的构造、地层、古生物、岩石、地球化学和同位素年代学等方面的资料,特别是放射虫、蛇绿岩、蓝片岩等方面的最新研究成果,讨论了南天山的区域构造格局和演化过程。南天山主体为一上百公里宽的增生-碰撞混杂带-南天山(蛇绿)混杂带;其北侧为中天山岛弧,是仰冲壳楔;南侧为塔里木陆块,是俯冲壳楔。古南天山洋为一广阔的大洋,南天山碰撞造山作用起始于二叠纪末-三叠纪初,新近纪-第四纪进入陆内造山作用阶段。     

Temporal scaling in river flow: can it be chaotic? / L’invariance d’échelle de l’écoulement fluvial peut-elle être chaotique?

Abstract

Abstract Identification of the presence of scaling in the river flow process has been a challenging problem in hydrology. Studies conducted thus far have viewed this problem essentially from a stochastic perspective, because the river flow process has traditionally been assumed to be a result of a very large number of variables. However, recent studies employing nonlinear deterministic and chaotic dynamic concepts have reported that the river flow process could also be the outcome of a deterministic system with only a few dominant variables. In the wake of such reports, a preliminary attempt is made in this study to investigate the type of scaling behaviour in the river flow process (i.e. chaotic or stochastic). The investigation is limited only to temporal scaling. Flow data of three different scales (daily, 5-day and 7-day) observed in each of three rivers in the USA: the Kentucky River in Kentucky, the Merced River in California and the Stillaguamish River in Washington, are analysed. It is assumed that the dynamic behaviour of the river flow process at these individual scales provides clues about the scaling behaviour between these scales. The correlation dimension is used as an indicator to distinguish between chaotic and stochastic behaviours. The results are mixed with regard to the type of flow behaviour at individual scales and, hence, to the type of scaling behaviour, as some data sets show chaotic behaviour while others show stochastic behaviour. They suggest that characterization (chaotic or stochastic) of river flow should be a necessary first step in any scaling study, as it could provide important information on the appropriate approach for data transformation purposes.