New Early Cretaceous paleomagnetic results from Qilian orogenic belt and its tectonic implications

Lower Cretaceous red sedimentary rocks from the depositional basin of East Qilian fold belt have been collected for a paleomagnetic study. Stepwise thermal demagnetization reveals two or three components of magnetization from dark red sandstones. Low-temperature magnetic component is consistent with the present Earth Field direction in geographic coordinates. High-temperature magnetic components are mainly carried by hematite. The mean pole of 19 sites for high-temperature magnetic components after tilt-correction is λ=62.2°N, φ=193.4°E, A95=3.2°, and it passes fold tests at 99% confidence level and reversal tests at 95% confidence level. The paleopole is insignificantly different from that of Halim et al. (1998) from the same sampling area at the 95% confidence level. Compared with paleomagnetic results for North China, South China, and Eurasia, our results suggest that no significant relative latitudinal displacement has taken place between Lanzhou region and these blocks since Cretaceous time. Remarkably, the pole of Lanzhou shows a 20° clockwise rotation with respect to those of North China, South China, and Eurasia. Geological information indicates that the crustal shortening in the western part of Qilian is greater than that in eastern part. In this case, the clockwise rotation of sampling area was related to India/Eurasia collision, and this collision resulted in a left-lateral strike-slip motion of the Altun fault in north Tibetan Plateau after the Cretaceous.     

Fracturation d'âge Aptien supérieur sur la bordure orientale de la plate-forme arabique (Haushi-Huqf,Oman)Aptian faulting (Shu'aiba Formation) on the eastern edge of the Arabian Platform (Haushi-Huqf,Oman)

In the Haushi-Huqf (Eastern Central Oman) as in other parts of the Arabian platform, a major sedimentary break is recorded between the Early Aptian carbonates (Shu'aiba Formation) and the Albian orbitolinid-rich marls (Nahr Umr Formation). The unconformity corresponds to a succession of events: (1) a brusque interruption of the regressive sequence of the Shu'aiba limestone (algae and small rudistid build-ups); (2) a stratigraphic gap related to the Late Aptian; (3) the development of a thick ferruginous crust (hardground) that covered the top surface of the Shu'aiba; the hardground is related to a forced flooding surface; (4) the Shu'aiba was rapidly drowned and buried under the Nahr Umr marls. Moreover, the Shu'aiba limestone was subject to faulting NW–SE-trending normal faults before lithification and formation of the ferruginous crust. The faulting episode is clearly dated: post-Early Aptian and pre-Albian. The signification of the faulting remains hypothetical. The syndiagenetic NW–SE normal faults may correspond to ‘en echelon’ faults, combined with transcurrent fault movements (for example the Haushi-Nafun Fault). The possible causes of these intra-platform transcurrent movements are discussed. To cite this article: C. Montenat, P. Barrier, C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 781–787.     

The relative stability of prehistorical geographic environment in China's tropics on the basis of archaeology

According to archaeological data from about sixty samples the relative stability of physical and human geographical environment in the tropical zone of China is discussed in this paper. Because of the superior natural environment, sufficient food resources and a sparse population resulting in the absence of social requirement to transform the productive forces, the advancement of economy and society was stagnated during prehistorical period in China's tropics. Compared with northern China, the appearance of ground stone tool stagnated about 3,000 years, the beginning of Bronze Age, about 1,000 years, and the agriculture, 2,500-3,000 years. The no ceramics age continued till the early Neolithic Age and the appearance of colour or white ceramics was 2,000 years later than that in northern China. The life form of migration to gather and to hunt continued till the middle Neolithic Age, and the fixed settlement based on agriculture 1,000-2,000 years stagnated. The clan commune just appeared at the end of the Neolithic Age which was 2,000-3,000 years later than that in northern China.     

四川盆地白垩纪沙漠石英沙颗粒表面特征

石英具有较大的硬度和较高的化学稳定性，因而其颗粒表面特征能很好地反映沉积环境。而通过扫描电镜研究石英颗粒表面微细特征是分析沉积环境行之有效的方法。虽然多数人认为四川盆地白垩纪地层存在沙漠沉积(打儿凼组和夹关组)，但仍有人对沙漠沉积的存在持怀疑态度，并认为是河流成三角洲沉积。过去关于其沉积环境的判别主要是根据沉积结构和构造，并未对其石英沙颗粒表面特征进行过系统分析。笔者对采自四川盆地白垩系不同层位地层的样品进行了石英沙颗粒表面特征系统分析。结果表明，石英沙颗粒表面特征分析可以成功地将石英沙区分为风成和水成沉积。因此，本文从石英沙颗粒表面特征方面进一步肯定了四川盆地白垩纪古沙漠的存在。     

辽西朝阳盆地早白垩世一新的无齿翼龙化石

采自辽西朝阳盆地早白垩世九佛堂组的一翼龙化石被记述。化石材料是一接近完整骨架的无齿的翼龙，带有一不完全的头骨。作者将其归于翼手龙类(Pteroclactyloidea)，并建一新属、新种一无齿吉大翼龙(Jidapterus edentus gen．et sp．nov．)。     

泥盆纪最早期牙形刺带化石在蒙古南戈壁幕使盖(Mushgai)地区"尕屋(Gavuu)"段的首次发现

在蒙古南戈壁的Bayan—Khoshuu Ruins剖面原归入到志留系Mandalovoo组尕屋(Gavuu)段的地层中发现了牙形刺Caudicriodus woschimidti woschmidti，这是泥盆纪最早期牙形刺带化石在蒙古的首次发现。尕屋(Gavuu)段的下部属志留系，但其上部，即采集牙形刺样品M-9～M-12的层位肯定属下泥盆统(下洛霍考夫阶)，而不是下志留统。Mandalovoo组应当改为Mandalovoo群，它的三个段应提升为三个组。     

天津地区井水位年变异常研究

近年来 ,中国地震预报学者开始关注井水位的年变异常及其中短期预测意义问题 ,但井水位年变异常判别采用动态图像的定性对比方法 ,表现出一定的随意性。针对这种现状 ,文中引进概率论与数理统计中的随机过程理论与时间序列分析技术 (盛骤等 ,1989) ,提出了“井水位动态年周期法”与“相对时段速率比较法” ,解决了井水位年变异常的定量识别方法 ,并应用到天津井网 2 1口井的观测数据 (1985年以来 )分析中 ,证明了该方法的可行性与有效性。分析结果表明 ,天津井网中有 7口井在首都圈邻区 4次中强 (MS≥ 5 .8)地震之前 ,表现出 17井次的井水位年变异常 ,且多在震前 1.5～6个月内出现 ,从而再次证明了井水位年变异常具有一定的中短期预测意义     

地震周期的存在及形成机制讨论

根据1900～2000年中国大陆、台湾及全球地层记录及前人的研究，论证了地层周期存在的可能性及形成机制。作者认为，是太阳活动、月球运动轨道及各行星运动轨道的周期性变化，通过磁力及万有引力改变地球内部物质的分布，从而引起地球自转速度的周期性变化，最终致使地展出现周期性的活跃期及平静期。     

Estimation of fundamental periods of shear‐wall dominant building structures

Shear‐wall dominant multistorey reinforced concrete structures, constructed by using a special tunnel form technique are commonly built in countries facing a substantial seismic risk, such as Chile, Japan, Italy and Turkey. In spite of their high resistance to earthquake excitations, current seismic code provisions including the Uniform Building Code (International Conference of Building Officials, Whittier, CA, 1997) and the Turkish Seismic Code (Specification for Structures to be Built in Disaster Areas, Ankara, Turkey, 1998) present limited information for their design criteria. In this study, consistency of equations in those seismic codes related to their dynamic properties are investigated and it is observed that the given empirical equations for prediction of fundamental periods of this specific type of structures yield inaccurate results. For that reason, a total of 80 different building configurations were analysed by using three‐dimensional finite‐element modelling and a set of new empirical equations was proposed. The results of the analyses demonstrate that given formulas including new parameters provide accurate predictions for the broad range of different architectural configurations, roof heights and shear‐wall distributions, and may be used as an efficient tool for the implicit design of these structures. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.