Fifty-thousand-year vegetation and climate history of Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, Bolivian Amazon

Pollen and charcoal records from two large, shallow lakes reveal that throughout most of the past 50,000 yr Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, in northeastern lowland Bolivia (southwestern Amazon Basin), was predominantly covered by savannas and seasonally dry semideciduous forests. Lowered atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, in combination with a longer dry season, caused expansion of dry forests and savannas during the last glacial period, especially at the last glacial maximum. These ecosystems persisted until the mid-Holocene, although they underwent significant species reassortment. Forest communities containing a mixture of evergreen and semideciduous species began to expand between 6000 and 3000 ¹⁴C yr B.P. Humid evergreen rain forests expanded to cover most of the area within the past 2000 ¹⁴C yr B.P., coincident with a reduction in fire frequencies. Comparisons between modern pollen spectra and vegetation reveal that the Moraceae-dominated rain forest pollen spectra likely have a regional source area at least 2-3 km beyond the lake shore, whereas the grass- and sedge-dominated savanna pollen spectra likely have a predominantly local source area. The Holocene vegetation changes are consistent with independent paleoprecipitation records from the Bolivian Altiplano and paleovegetation records from other parts of southwestern Amazonia. The progressive expansion in rain forests through the Holocene can be largely attributed to enhanced convective activity over Amazonia, due to greater seasonality of insolation in the Southern Hemisphere tropics driven by the precession cycle according to the Milankovitch Astronomical Theory.     

The development of subgrain misorientations with strain in dry synthetic NaCl measured using EBSD

The development of subgrain boundary misorientations with strain in dry, synthetic NaCl polycrystals, deformed at elevated temperature, has been investigated using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD). At low natural strains, up to 0.5, average misorientations of subgrain boundaries increase with strain and a power law relationship exists between strain and average misorientations. The average misorientations are strongly influenced by grain orientation, suggesting that the misorientation–strain relationship may also be texture dependent in materials with high plastic anisotropy, like NaCl. A slight grain size dependency of the average misorientations was observed. The results indicate that with suitable calibration, average subgrain boundary misorientations may offer a method for estimating the strain accommodated by dislocation creep in NaCl and thus perhaps in other geological materials, although current theories for polycrystalline plasticity imply that misorientations may also depend on stress in some situations.     

Element mobility during pyrite weathering: implications for acid and heavy metal pollution at mining-impacted sites

Based on back scattered electron images and electron micro-probe analysis results, four alteration layers, including a transition layer, a reticulated ferric oxide layer, a nubby ferric oxide layer and a cellular ferric oxide layer, were identified in the naturally weathering products of pyrite. These layers represent a progressive alteration sequence of pyrite under weathering conditions. The cellular ferric oxide layer correlates with the strongest weathering phase and results from the dissolution of nubby ferric oxide by acidic porewater. Leaching coefficient was introduced to better express the response of element mobility to the degree of pyrite weathering. Its variation shows that the mobility of S, Co and Bi is stronger than As, Cu and Zn. Sulfur in pyrite is oxidized to sulfuric acid and sulfate that are basically released into to porewater, and heavy metals Co and Bi are evidently released by acid dissolution. As, Cu and Zn are enriched in ferric oxide by adsorption and by co-precipitation, but they would re-release to the environment via desorption or dissolution when porewater pH becomes low enough. Consequently, Co, Bi, As, Cu and Zn may pose a substantial impact on water quality. Considering that metal mobility and its concentration in mine waste are two important factors influencing heavy metal pollution at mining-impacted sites, Bi and Co are more important pollutants in this case.     

Study on the Global Carbon Assimilation System Based on Multisource Remote Sensing Data

The Paris agreement signed in April, 2016 aims to balance global anthropogenic carbon emissions and terrestrial carbon sinks by the middle of the 21^st century. To fulfill this goal, it is necessary to calculate carbon fluxes of different regions reliably. The global carbon assimilation system is an effective technique for achieving this goal. The Ministry of Science and Technology of China supports the project entitled as study on the global carbon assimilation system based on multisource remote sensing data through the national key research and development programs for global change and adaptation during the thirteen-five period. This project will develop synergic inversion techniques for retrieving key parameters of biological and atmospheric cycles and for assimilating multisource remote sensing and ground based data. Then, the high resolution global carbon assimilation system coupled with an ecological model will be constructed. This system is able to assimilate jointly multisource observation data and to optimize key model parameters, photosynthesis and respiration carbon fluxes of global terrestrial ecosystems, and anthropogenic carbon emission fluxes of key regions. This system will be used to study quantitatively the spatial and temporal patterns of carbon fluxes of global terrestrial ecosystems and anthropogenic carbon emission fluxes of key regions and to identify the mechanisms driving the global terrestrial carbon sinks and sources. The outputs of this study will be helpful for the fulfillment of the key research and development programs for global change and adaptation and provide valuable data and technical support for the decision-making in China.     

西天山巴音布鲁克地区早古生代成矿地质环境:岩浆岩及其时代和元素同位素约束

西天山位于中亚造山带(CAOB)西南部,是其重要组成部分。CAOB晚古生代金属成矿环境和过程尤为典型,但早古生代成矿地质环境还不甚清楚。新疆巴音布鲁克地区出露(原定时代晚志留世)巴音布鲁克组火山岩夹浅海相碎屑岩和灰岩,是认识西天山早古生代成矿地质环境的难得对象。巴音布鲁克组出露于Nikolaev-那拉提山北缘断裂与Atbash-Inylchek-那拉提山南缘断裂之间的中天山,在巴音布鲁克地区典型发育,火山岩包括玄武岩、玄武安山岩、英安岩、流纹岩及相应的火山碎屑岩,其中侵入岩有正长斑岩和花岗闪长岩。LA-ICP-MS测得玄武安山岩、英安岩、正长斑岩、花岗闪长岩、流纹岩锆石U-Pb年龄分别为455.6±8.1Ma、444.5±1.9Ma、441.4±1.6Ma、455.4±5.3Ma、424±1.9Ma,岩浆活动于晚奥陶-早志留世,喷出和侵入时代接近,原定巴音布鲁克组地层时代晚志留世应改为晚奥陶-早志留世。这些岩浆岩具有相似的稀土元素地球化学特征,微量元素相比原始地幔均亏损Nb、Ta、P、Ti。玄武岩正的ε(t)=+1.6~+6.7,低的(~(87)~Sr/~(86)NdSr)i=0.70377~0.70489,指示岩浆源区具有亏损地幔特征,弱的Zr-Hf负异常,低的Th/Nb比值,较窄的同位素变化范围暗示地壳混染并不显著,微量元素及铅同位素特征(~(206)Pb/~(204)Pb=18.26~18.77,~(207)Pb/~(204)Pb=15.63~15.69,~(208)Pb/~(204)Pb=38.21~38.34)表明岩浆源区可能是俯冲流体及洋底沉积物交代的地幔楔橄榄岩部分熔融成因。西天山巴音布鲁克地区早古生代岩浆岩应是南天山洋晚奥陶-早志留世向北向中天山陆块之下俯冲在中天山-伊犁板块南缘活动大陆边缘的岩浆产物,指示了陆缘岩浆弧环境。这种陆缘弧环境有利于斑岩铜金成矿系统发育,值得高度关注相关铜金矿的地质找矿。     

Geochemistry of organic matter and elements of black shale during weathering in Northern Guizhou,Southwestern China: Their mobilization and inter-connection

Different from previous studies on effect of weathering upon geochemical variation along a single weathered profile, this paper provides a new methodology validated by comparing a weathered outcrop samples and their stratigraphic counterpart un-weathered core samples in a nearby shallow borehole. This outcrop and borehole penetrated the Ordovician-Silurian Wufeng–Longmaxi shales, located in the same anticline structure in the northern part of Guizhou Province, Southern China. The mineral composition, major, trace and rare earth elements (REEs) composition and Rock-Eval parameters of outcrop and core samples were analyzed and compared. Organic matter (OM) was observed in the microscope and extracted for elements analysis. The results show that short-term weathering still has significant influence on OM, mineral and elemental composition of black shales. The elements composition shows the outcrop profile was moderately weathered. The REEs compositions do not alter much during weathering process and the REEs composition and their relative ratios still are valid for rock origin determination. The OM, mainly composed by graptolite and bitumen, even entering the highly-over thermal maturity, is still sensitive to the weathering with a systematic loss 30–50% of TOC along the outcrop profile, which suggests that the OM consumption is predominantly controlled by weathering duration and the distance from the weathering surface. In turn, OM has significant influence on the trace elements transportation behavior during weathering. Some trace elements associated with the OM such as V, Cr, Th, U, Ni and Co, change significantly in their absolute concentration during weathering, but their relative ratios do not necessarily change too much and might be still reliable proxies for paleo-environmental determination. The mobility of shale minerals during weathering is in the following order: plagioclase?>?potassium feldspar and dolomite >pyrite and OM. Short-term weathering can also result in considerable transportation of elements and significant variation of minerals content in black shale, which may pose potentially high environmental and engineering risk in the regions rich in black shale.     

On the origin of bleaching phenomena in red bed sediments of Triassic Buntsandstein deposits in Central Germany

The Lower Triassic Buntsandstein in Central Germany comprises one of the major clastic, lithified hydrocarbon reservoirs, it is a major groundwater aquifer and it is considered as a potential underground gas storage lithology. Thus, sandstones of the Buntsandstein from Thuringia and NE Hesse were used to analyse their geochemical composition combined with mineralogical data in order to investigate the origin of several bleaching phenomena in primary red beds, since these give a hint for mineral alteration, mineral formation and mineral reactivity in the course of fluid-rock-interactions. This is relevant for e.g. recent Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) efforts. The origin of the observed bleaching phenomena is diverse and it is linked to certain stages of diagenesis and different episodes of fluid flow: (1) eodiagenetic bleaching coupled with palaeosoil formation and iron mobilisation, (2) mesodiagenetic bleaching as a result of hydrocarbon migration, (3) Tertiary bleaching due to CO₂ degassing from Miocene volcanism, (4) Tertiary telodiagenetic bleaching due to weathering under humid climate conditions, and (5) weathering processes related to recent telodiagenesis/pedogenesis. This study emphasizes the multiple nature of fluids, which can induce iron mobilisation and bleaching of red beds.     

新疆阿尔泰可可托海伟晶岩型稀有金属矿床中磷灰石地球化学特征及意义

磷灰石可以记录和保存岩浆和热液活动的信息。可可托海伟晶岩型稀有金属矿床磷灰石发育,为研究该矿床伟晶岩成岩成矿过程提供了优良的条件。已有对可可托海伟晶岩型稀有金属矿床磷灰石的研究集中在其稀土元素特征,较少讨论其对伟晶岩成岩成矿过程的制约。本文选取可可托海伟晶岩型稀有金属矿床富矿伟晶岩脉(3号脉)和相对贫矿伟晶岩脉(1号、2b号和3a号脉)中的磷灰石作为研究对象,进行磷灰石岩相学和地球化学研究。岩相学分析表明,磷灰石主要与钠长石、石英、白云母、锰铝榴石等伴生。EPMA分析显示,磷灰石F含量为3.67%～4.41%,Cl含量小于0.67%,较低的Cl含量表明伟晶岩熔体出溶的流体Cl含量较低;大部分磷灰石MnO含量为4.67%～8.71%,但2b号脉磷灰石MnO含量变化较大(1.23%～14.28%),这是由于2b号脉磷灰石具有分带结构,暗示其遭受后期热液作用,促使磷灰石溶解-再沉淀,导致MnO含量发生较大变化。LA-ICP-MS分析显示,贫矿伟晶岩脉磷灰石的稀土元素含量较低(180×10~(-6));相反,富矿伟晶岩脉磷灰石的稀土元素含量较高( 700×10~(-6)),并具有明显的四分组效应(TE_(1-3)平均值为1.7)。1号脉和3a号脉磷灰石均显示轻稀土元素富集,反映其形成过程中有含Cl热液的参与。3号脉磷灰石显示强烈Eu负异常和Ce正异常,而2b号脉磷灰石显示强烈Ce负异常和中等Eu负异常,这种Eu、Ce异常的差异可能与岩浆-热液阶段大量流体出溶密切相关。磷灰石的沉淀将导致热液中HF含量的降低,促使磷灰石周围铌钽矿结晶和Nb、Ta进入磷灰石中。可见,在伟晶岩形成过程中,磷灰石并非保持稳定,其分带结构和主微量成分变化记录了后期热液活动,暗示后期热液活动对伟晶岩的成矿具有重要作用。     

不同定义的湿位涡分析及在台风中的诊断

本文对不同定义的湿位涡做了理论分析,并利用1522号台风“彩虹”的数值模拟结果对各种湿位涡进行了诊断。主要结论有:经典湿位涡、广义湿位涡和改进湿位涡的差异主要是由不同定义的位温造成的,相当位温、广义位温和修改位温的构成均是在位温基础上添加一显含水汽的附加量;经典湿位涡、广义湿位涡和改进湿位涡的构成均能分为干、湿分量两部分,其干分量表达式相同,都与Ertel干位涡的定义一样,水物质相变潜热的影响隐含在位温中;不同定义湿位涡的本质差异表现在不同的湿分量上,湿分量的表达式中显含了水物质的作用。对台风的诊断分析发现,改进湿位涡分布与Ertel干位涡非常相似,呈现中空分布的位涡塔结构,大值区对应眼墙内侧,改进湿位涡湿分量与经典湿位涡的湿分量分布相似,只是湿分量的绝对值更小,这反映了改进湿位涡既能保持干位涡的分布特征,其分布和演变可反映台风的结构和演变,又能合理地体现水汽分布的影响,所以在台风诊断中有更广泛的应用前景。经典湿位涡在低层表现为负值,这与水汽梯度的分布关系很大,但与垂直速度、潜热加热大值区等都没有很好的匹配关系,用其分析台风结构和演变具有一定局限性;广义湿位涡其形式较复杂,仅在近饱和区域才能发挥其诊断优势。     

石崆山Ⅱ段岩质高边坡稳定性的工程地质系统分析研究

岩质高边坡稳定性的分析评价涉及工程地质学、岩体力学、计算科学等多学科交汇的问题,是一较为复杂的系统工程问题。在系统分析岩质高边坡赋存的地质背景和环境条件的基础上,采用系统分析评价、综合集成的方法应是研究分析和解决该问题的有效和最佳方法。针对漳龙高速公路石崆山Ⅱ段岩质高边坡工程,在系统分析边坡工程地质特性的基础上,采用赤平极射投影法和有限单元(FEM)法等,进行综合评价和系统分析,获得的稳定性结论,已正常运营使用若干年,反映了系统分析,综合评价方法是成功和有效的。它表明,综合评价、系统分析应是岩质高边坡稳定性评价分析的重要途径;它的综合内容和集成方式及其完善与工程实用性,有待进一步深入的研究和工程实践的运用及其经验的积累。