Post-solidification cooling and the age of Io's lava flows

The modeling of thermal emission from active lava flows must account for the cooling of the lava after solidification. Models of lava cooling applied to data collected by the Galileo spacecraft have, until now, not taken this into consideration. This is a flaw as lava flows on Io are thought to be relatively thin with a range in thickness from ∼1 to 13 m. Once a flow is completely solidified (a rapid process on a geological time scale), the surface cools faster than the surface of a partially molten flow. Cooling via the base of the lava flow is also important and accelerates the solidification of the flow compared to the rate for the ‘semi-infinite’ approximation (which is only valid for very deep lava bodies). We introduce a new model which incorporates the solidification and basal cooling features. This model gives a superior reproduction of the cooling of the 1997 Pillan lava flows on Io observed by the Galileo spacecraft. We also use the new model to determine what observations are necessary to constrain lava emplacement style at Loki Patera. Flows exhibit different cooling profiles from that expected from a lava lake. We model cooling with a finite-element code and make quantitative predictions for the behavior of lava flows and other lava bodies that can be tested against observations both on Io and Earth. For example, a 10-m-thick ultramafic flow, like those emplaced at Pillan Patera in 1997, solidifies in ∼450 days (at which point the surface temperature has cooled to ∼280 K) and takes another 390 days to cool to 249 K. Observations over a sufficient period of time reveal divergent cooling trends for different lava bodies [examples: lava flows and lava lakes have different cooling trends after the flow has solidified (flows cool faster)]. Thin flows solidify and cool faster than flows of greater thickness. The model can therefore be used as a diagnostic tool for constraining possible emplacement mechanisms and compositions of bodies of lava in remote-sensing data.     

澜沧江云南德钦古水一带第四纪堰塞湖的沉积特征及其环境意义

在云南省西北部德钦县古水一带深切的澜沧江河谷中,发现了一套第四纪湖相沉积物,以纹层状粘土、粉砂质粘土和粉砂的互层组合为特征,构成了第三和第四级阶地的基座.笔者对该湖相剖面进行了U系、孢粉和若干地球化学指标的分析测试,并以这些结果讨论了古湖的形成时代和成因,以及古湖堆积时期的古植被和古气候.剖面顶部、中部和中下部粘土的U系法年龄测定结果分别为52.3±3.4 ka、64.2±5.6 ka和81.9±6.5 ka,说明古水古湖形成于晚更新世早中期的末次间冰期晚期和末次冰期的早冰阶与间冰阶早期,很可能是大型冰川(如下游的明永冰川等)或巨量的冰水沉积物堰塞了澜沧江河谷而造成的结果.     

Case history of controlling a landslide at Panluo open-pit mine in China

Controlling of landsides safely and economically is a great challenge to mine operators because landslides are major geological problems especially in open-pit mines. In this paper, a case history at Panluo open-pit mine is presented in detail to share the experiences and lessons with mine operators. Panluo open-pit mine is located in the southwestern Fujian province of China. It is the largest open-pit iron mine in the Fujian province and was planned in 1965 and is in full operation from 1978. In July 1990, an earthquake of magnitude 5.3 in Taiwan Strait and big rainstorms impacted the mine slope, causing tension cracks and rather large-scale failures, and forming a U-shaped landslide. Total potential volume was estimated to be up to 1.0 × 10⁶ m³. This directly threatened the mine production. In order to protect the mine production and the dwellers’ safety around, a dynamic comprehensive method was implemented including geotechnical investigations, in-situ testing and monitoring, stability analysis, and many mitigation and preventive measures. These measures slowed down the development and further occurrence of the landslide. The results showed that the landslides were still active, it was slowed with the control measures and moved rapidly with rainfall and mining down. However, no catastrophic accidents occurred and the pit mining was continued till it was closed at the elevation of 887 m in 2000. As a successful case of landslide control at an open-pit mine for 10 years, this paper reports the controlling measures in details. These experiences of landslide control may be beneficial to other similar mines for landslide control.     

Georadiochemical evidence to weathering of mining residues of the Mansfeld mining district,Germany

Mining heaps are used as archives for the investigation of weathering processes. Aim of this work was to investigate the different weathering behavior of heap materials derived from Kupferschiefer mining with respect to environmental hazard. For this purpose, Kupferschiefer and slag material of two heaps of different age were examined regarding to the radionuclide distribution and geochemical composition. By measuring of the local dose rate, performing digital autoradiography and gamma spectrometry the radiological load of the heaps and the heap materials was determined. The geochemical characterization of the samples was performed by XRF, ICP–OES and ICP–MS. The results show a clear higher radionuclide load of the younger slag heap. A depletion of chalcophile and lithophile elements in the older slag was determined. Apart from a homogeneous radionuclide distribution, considerable radionuclide enrichments in fossil fragments could be proven. The results reveal a different weathering behavior of slag material in comparison to the Kupferschiefer depending on the chemical binding of the elements on organic and inorganic species. Natural organic matter as well as apatite in Kupferschiefer act as retention barrier for some metals.     

川中—川南地区上三叠统沉积相研究

综合分析岩心、露头剖面和测井资料,认为川中—川南地区上三叠统发育三角洲相和湖泊相,其中,三角洲相可进一步划分为三角洲平原、三角洲前缘和前三角洲三个亚相,湖泊相则可细分为滨湖和浅湖两个亚相。不同时期三角洲相和湖泊相发育程度不同。须一段、须三段、须五段和须六段以湖泊沉积为主,由东向西,水体逐渐加深。须二段和须四段以三角洲沉积为主,湖泊沉积分布范围较小。须二段发育时期,研究区北部构造活动强烈,沉积物供给充分,三角洲相主要由北向南延伸;须四段沉积时期,由于北部构造活动逐渐减弱,东南部沉积物供给增加,三角洲相主要由东南向西北方向延伸。随着周缘构造活动的变化,研究区沉积范围逐渐扩大。早期沉积范围仅局限于宜宾—泸州以北地区,中晚期沉积范围扩大,宜宾—泸州以南地区开始接收沉积。     

柴达木盆地昆特依盐湖的地球化学演化与古气候变化

１９９０年用铀系年代学及古地磁对昆特依盐湖沉积物进行年代测定，探讨该湖区地球化学演化与古气候变化关系。结果表明，该区最老的盐层形成于早更新世晚期（大于７３０ｋａ），大量的盐类沉积则始于３００ｋａ左右；盐湖沉积物中元素含量变化主要受古盐度、矿物、类质同象和吸附控制；沉积物水溶Ｆ／Ｃｌ比值与古盐度成反比关系；该湖２０００ｋａ以来的古环境演变：盐层形成于干冷、偏酸性的氧化环境，泥岩层形成于湿暖、偏碱性的     

Evaluation of mine tailings effects on a benthic marine infaunal community over 29 years

Benthic infaunal and sediment data collected over 29 years were used to examine the extent and geographic range of effects and recovery from submarine tailings deposition. Empirical data were used to determine extreme and moderate effects, and identify near-, mid- and far-field zones. A simple probability test using overlap in frequency distributions was then used to determine less obvious effects, identify "normal" or "reference" conditions, and verify the geographic range of effect zones. Tailings thickness and sediment particulate copper were elevated from the outfall to 16-20 km distant, particularly below discharge depth (50 m). Changes in tailings thickness and copper levels before, during and after mining showed three distinct impact zones below discharge depth: near-field (<5 km from outfall); mid-field (5-16 km); and far-field (20 + km). Consistent faunal declines during mining were noted at sediment particulate copper levels >300 microg g(-1), and sediment tailings thickness > 15-20 cm. Extreme impoverishment at these sediment levels were; < 100 animals/m2, <2.5 g/m2 biomass and <7 taxa per station. No stations with >300 microg g(-1) copper and 20 cm tailings had more than 40 taxa. Amphipods were particularly affected by tailings, with distributions reflecting the instability in sediments from heavy deposition and/or shifting of tailings due to resuspension. The probability testing method assumed that reference conditions existed in far-field stations. There was no difference in abundance distributions between near-, mid- and far-field zones. Total taxa per station during mining was significantly reduced (<45) in both near- and mid-field stations compared with far-field (less than 10% overlap in distributions). One midfield station in Quatsino Sound (23) was in reference condition throughout the study period. Post-closure stations in the near- and mid-field had total taxa numbers approaching far-field conditions (overlap of 62% in distributions). Within 3 years following closure, total taxa values were within the far-field range for all stations sampled. Biomass showed a distinct decline in the near-field during mining, but with more overlap in near-field and far-field distributions (27%) than for total taxa per station, and was returning to far-field conditions in the post-closure years. A multivariate (Bray-Curtis) measure of dissimilarity indicated that the near- and mid-field infaunal compositions were distinct from the far-field during mining (< 10% overlap in distributions). The mid-field composition overlapped more with the far-field in the post-closure years, but the near-field composition did not, suggesting that the mine tailings are still affecting the fauna. The most abundant taxon in each of the reference and near-field station groups both showed significantly distinct relative abundance distributions between near- and far-field stations. In summary, the probability method showed that species richness, biomass, species composition and indicator taxa were useful for differentiating affected and non-affected stations. Polychaetes recolonize stable tailings most quickly, and have dominated the tailings stations in the post-closure years. Amphipods have recolonized sporadically, but seem to be highly sensitive to tailings stability. There was no evidence of recovery in dominant bivalves or echinoderms within three years after mine closure.     

中国北方盐田和盐湖高盐水域藻类的初步研究

于１９８６年３月－１９９０年９月，对中国北方一些盐田和盐湖的高盐水域（盐度６１．０－３２０．０）中的藻类（主要是浮游藻）进行调查。在青岛东风盐场和天津汉沽盐场每月２次定点采集藻类标本水样７２份以及随机在山西解地、青海尕海，新疆达板城盐湖和巴里坤湖采集水样５份。鉴定出蓝藻５种，绿藻８种，硅藻８种。结果表明，均是典型的耐盐或喜盐种类，但其种的多样与水体的盐度呈负相关，藻类种群生物量以春季和秋季最为丰富     

江苏省主要湖泊的降水量与湖泊的降水效应

本文分析了江苏境内主要湖泊的降水量特征,揭示了长江是江苏各湖泊不同降水量特征的一条十分明显的天然界线;估算了太湖的降水效应,并据此推估出江苏主要湖泊的降水效应不太明显;江苏各湖泊的降水量与其水位年过程趋势相似,只是后者位相滞后于前者而已。