Detrital zircon age spectra of middle and upper Eocene outcrop belts,U.S. Gulf Coast region

Recently reported detrital zircon (DZ) data help to associate the Paleogene strata of the Gulf of Mexico region to various provenance areas. By far, recent work has emphasised upper Paleocene‐lower Eocene and upper Oligocene strata that were deposited during the two episodes of the highest sediment supply in the Paleogene. The data reveal a dynamic drainage history, including (1) initial routing of western Cordilleran drainages towards the Gulf of Mexico in the Paleocene, (2) an eastward shift of the western continental divide, from the Jura‐Cretaceous cordilleran arc to the eastern edge of the Laramide province after the Paleocene and (3) a southward shift, along the eastern Laramide province, of the headwaters of river systems draining to the Mississippi and Houston embayments at some time between the early Eocene and Oligocene. However, DZ characterisation of most (~20 Myr) of the middle Eocene‐lower Oligocene section remains limited. We present 60 DZ age spectra, most of which are from the middle or upper Eocene outcrop belts, with 50–200‐km spacing. We define six to eight distinct groups of DZ age spectra for middle and upper Eocene strata. Data from this and other studies resolve at least six substantial temporal changes in age spectra at various positions along the continental margin. The evolving age spectra constrain the middle and upper Eocene drainage patterns of large parts of interior North America. The most well‐resolved aspects of these drainage patterns include (1) persistent rivers that flowed from erosional landscapes across the Paleozoic Appalachian orogen either into the low‐lying Mississippi embayment or directly into the eastern Gulf; (2) at least during marine regressions, a trunk channel that likely flowed southward along the axial part of Mississippi Embayment and integrated tributaries from the east and west; and (3) rivers that flowed to the Houston embayment in the middle Eocene that likely originated in the Laramide province in central Colorado and southern Wyoming, as Precambrian basement highs in those source areas were being unroofed.     

念青唐古拉山脉西段雪线高度变化遥感观测

利用Landsat TM/ETM+/8 OLI和HJ1A遥感影像资料作为数据源,通过目视解译方法,提取念青唐古拉山脉西段雪线高度变化值,同时对研究区周边气温与降水变化趋势进行分析,研究其与冰川变化的关系。结果表明：2004~2013年北坡13条冰川和南坡15条冰川的雪线高度都呈升高的趋势;从整体上来考察,北坡雪线高度升高值为14 m/a,南坡升高值为4.9 m/a,北坡升高速度比南坡快;自1964年以来,研究区气温升高趋势显著,降水增加不明显,气候变暖是冰川退缩的主要原因;北坡冰川比南坡冰川经历更大的物质负平衡,主要是由于气温的升高率北坡比南坡快所致。     

The Middle and Upper Devonian in southeastern flank of the Siberian platform (Southern Verkhoyansk Region,Sette-Daban Mountain Range)

Data on Middle and Upper Devonian deposits studied in southeastern flank of the Siberian platform are considered. A scheme of stratigraphic zoning in the study region is presented. Nineteen sedimentological and biotic events, which are recorded in the studied sections, are of the regional, interregional and global ranks. Their connection with eustatic sea-level fluctuations is established. Sections of the formation and regional horizon stratotypes and parastratotypes are described. The revision of species Mucrospirifer novosibiricus (Toll) is carried out.     

江苏小庙洪牡蛎礁的地貌-沉积特征

利用卫星影象和野外实地勘察资料对江苏小庙洪牡蛎礁的地貌-沉积特征进行分析。结果表明，该牡蛎礁发育在强潮淤泥质潮坪上，造礁牡蛎主要是近江牡蛎和长牡蛎，表层的鲜活牡蛎为褶牡蛎。牡蛎礁区海水属盐度较高(27—30)的半成水，含沙量较大，为0．2—0．3g／L。活体牡蛎堆积体顶面高于周围潮间下带滩面1．0—1．5m。潮流较强，多在0．5—2．0m／s。海岸剖面可分为4个带，即礁后潮间带、潮沟、礁体生长带及礁前斜坡带。由于处于海岸侵蚀段，礁后潮坪缺失潮上带和大部分的潮间上带。礁后潮坪主要以粗粉砂为主，礁后潮沟冲淤变化较大，故礁体生长带时而为一沙洲，时而又与岸滩相连。礁体生长带分布在潮间下带，可看到独立的斑状礁体、带状礁体和大面积环状礁体群。环状礁的微地貌可以划分为礁塘(泻湖)、塘口和塘沟、塘口三角洲、礁墙和礁平台等。     

Particle‐size evidence of barrier estuary regime as a new proxy for ENSO climate variability

We investigate a new proxy for ENSO climate variability based on particle‐size data from long‐term, coastal sediment records preserved in a barrier estuary setting. Corresponding ~4–8 year periodicities identified from Wavelet analysis of particle‐size data from Pescadero Marsh in Central Coast California and rainfall data from San Francisco reflect established ENSO periodicity, as further evidenced in the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI), and thus confirms an important ENSO control on both precipitation and barrier regime variability. Despite the fact that barrier estuary mean particle size is influenced by coastal erosion, precipitation and streamflow, balanced against barrier morphology and volume, it is encouraging that considerable correspondence can also be observed in the time series of MEI, regional rainfall and site‐based mean particle size over the period 1871–2008. This correspondence is, however, weakened after c.1970 by temporal variation in sedimentation rate and event‐based deposition. These confounding effects are more likely when: (i) accommodation space may be a limiting factor; and (ii) particularly strong El Niños, e.g. 1982/1983 and 1997/1998, deposit discrete >cm‐thick units during winter storms. The efficacy of the sediment record of climate variability appears not to be compromised by location within the back‐barrier setting, but it is limited to those El Niños that lead to barrier breakdown. For wider application of this particle size index of ENSO variability, it is important to establish a well‐resolved chronology and to sample the record at the appropriate interval to characterize deposition at a sub‐annual scale. Further, the sample site must be selected to limit the influence of decreasing accommodation space through time (infilling) and event‐based deposition. It is concluded that particle‐size data from back‐barrier sediment records have proven potential for preserving evidence of sub‐decadal climate variability, allowing researchers to explore temporal and spatial patterns in phenomena such as ENSO. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rapid adjustment of shoreline behavior to changing seasonality of storms: observations and modelling at an open‐coast beach

An 8‐year time series of weekly shoreline data collected at the Gold Coast, Australia, is used to examine the temporal evolution of a beach, focusing on the frequency response of the shoreline to time‐varying wave height and period. Intriguingly, during 2005 the movement of the shoreline at this site changed from a seasonally‐dominated mode (annual cycle) to a storm‐dominated (~monthly) mode. This unexpected observation provides the opportunity to explore the drivers of the observed shoreline response. Utilizing the calibration of an equilibrium shoreline model to explore the time‐scales of underlying beach behavior, the best‐fit frequency response (days^?1) is shown to be an order of magnitude higher post‐2004, suggesting that a relatively subtle change in wave forcing can drive a significant change in shoreline response. Analysis of available wave data reveals a statistically significant change in the seasonality of storms, from predominantly occurring at the start of the year pre‐2005 to being relatively consistent throughout the year after this time. The observed change from one mode of shoreline variability to another suggests that beaches can adapt relatively quickly to subtle changes in the intra‐annual distribution of wave energy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

小兴安岭-张广才岭铁力地区侏罗纪辉绿岩年代学、地球化学、锆石Hf同位素特征及其构造意义

小兴安岭-张广才岭地区中生代岩浆活动的成因及动力学背景对于揭示古太平洋的构造演化具有重要意义。本文选取小兴安岭-张广才岭铁力地区出露的辉绿岩墙为研究对象,进行锆石LA-ICP-MS U-Pb年代学、全岩地球化学和锆石Hf同位素等分析,对该基性岩的形成时代、岩石成因、岩浆源区以及形成的大地构造背景进行讨论。研究表明:辉绿岩锆石具有高Th/U比值( 0.3),CL图像显示微弱的振荡环带结构,具有岩浆锆石特征,~(206)Pb/~(238)U加权平均年龄为187±2Ma,即形成于早侏罗世;该岩体主要经历了橄榄石和单斜辉石的分离结晶作用,未遭受明显的地壳混染作用,并且具有Rb、Ba、U、Pb、K和Sr等流体活动元素相对富集,Th、Nb和Ta等非流体活动性元素相对亏损的地球化学特征,暗示其形成于被俯冲流体富集交代的亏损地幔部分熔融,源区可能为尖晶石-石榴石二辉橄榄岩,部分熔融程度约为6%～20%。结合该地区同时代的岩浆岩、变形构造、矿床特征和黑龙江蓝片岩的相关报道,本文认为小兴安岭-张广才岭地区在中生代期间处于活动大陆边缘环境,其岩浆岩的形成主要是由于存在于佳木斯地块和松嫩-小兴安岭地块间的牡丹江洋西向俯冲造成的。     

海洋生态文明视域下河口沙坝-潟湖生态修复思路探究

加大海岸整治修复力度是推进海洋生态文明建设的必然要求。沙坝-潟湖海岸具有典型的生态系统和独特的社会价值,同时也因人类活动受到不同程度破坏,是“蓝色海湾”等整治修复项目的重要对象。文章以辽宁省浮渡河口沙坝-潟湖为例,总结国内外河口沙坝-潟湖主要生态修复思路和方法,提出生态修复过程中沙坝-潟湖受损机制和生态修复评估体系构建两个关键技术问题。在此基础上,为深入推进我国海岸生态保护修复管理和海岸整治修复工程实践,需要做好顶层设计和提升整治修复能力两方面主要工作。     

龙门山中段中央断裂和前山断裂的晚新生代垂向活动性差异及其构造意义

2008汶川地震之后,多个研究组对龙门山的新生代剥蚀历史进行了研究,但是在龙门山推覆构造带中段,剥蚀历史研究主要集中在彭灌杂岩,而彭灌杂岩东侧(即中央断裂下盘)的热年代学资料相对缺乏,其剥蚀历史还比较模糊.对于彭灌杂岩东侧岩体的新生代剥蚀历史研究,不仅可以了解龙门山推覆构造带的新生代断层活动历史,而且对于青藏高原东缘的新生代隆升机制具有重要约束作用.在前人热年代学研究基础上,在龙门山推覆构造带中段中央断裂和前山断裂附近补充了一些裂变径迹样品.采用外探测器法(external detector method)对样品进行裂变径迹分析,实验测试在台湾中正大学裂变径迹实验室完成.实验获得了6个锆石裂变径迹和6个磷灰石裂变径迹年龄.前山断裂上盘,AFT(磷灰石裂变径迹)年龄以小鱼洞断裂为界存在明显的差异,其中小鱼洞断裂以南的样品AFT年龄为39Ma,小鱼洞断裂以北的4个AFT年龄介于6—8 Ma之间.研究揭示出中央断裂和前山断裂的新生代活动性以NW向小鱼洞断裂为界存在较大差异:距今8Ma以来,小鱼洞断裂以北,中央断裂和前山断裂的平均垂向滑动速率分别为约0.1mm·a-1和约0.55mm·a-1;小鱼洞断裂以南,平均垂向滑动速率则分别为约0.55mm·a-1和约0.1mm·a-1.低温热年代学方法获得的断层新生代垂向滑动速率与汶川地震断层垂向同震位移分布基本一致.前山断裂(小鱼洞断裂以北)距今8 Ma以来北西-南东向水平缩短量达到8~12km,表明地壳缩短是造成龙门山抬升和剥蚀的重要因素之一.本研究结论不支持下地壳增厚模型对于龙门山隆升的解释.     

Very slow erosion rates and landscape preservation across the southwestern slope of the Ladakh Range,India

Erosion rates are key to quantifying the timescales over which different topographic and geomorphic domains develop in mountain landscapes. Geomorphic and terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide (TCN) methods were used to determine erosion rates of the arid, tectonically quiescent Ladakh Range, northern India. Five different geomorphic domains are identified and erosion rates are determined for three of the domains using TCN ¹⁰Be concentrations. Along the range divide between 5600 and 5700 m above sea level (asl), bedrock tors in the periglacial domain are eroding at 5.0 ± 0.5 to 13.1 ± 1.2 meters per million years (m/m.y.)., principally by frost shattering. At lower elevation in the unglaciated domain, erosion rates for tributary catchments vary between 0.8 ± 0.1 and 2.0 ± 0.3 m/m.y. Bedrock along interfluvial ridge crests between 3900 and 5100 m asl that separate these tributary catchments yield erosion rates <0.7 ± 0.1 m/m.y. and the dominant form of bedrock erosion is chemical weathering and grusification. Erosion rates are fastest where glaciers conditioned hillslopes above 5100 m asl by over‐steepening slopes and glacial debris is being evacuated by the fluvial network. For range divide tors, the long‐term duration of the erosion rate is considered to be 40–120 ky. By evaluating measured ¹⁰Be concentrations in tors along a model ¹⁰Be production curve, an average of ~24 cm is lost instantaneously every ~40 ky. Small (<4 km²) unglaciated tributary catchments and their interfluve bedrock have received very little precipitation since ~300 ka and the long‐term duration of their erosion rates is 300–750 ky and >850 ky, respectively. These results highlight the persistence of very slow erosion in different geomorphic domains across the southwestern slope of the Ladakh Range, which on the scale of the orogen records spatial changes in the locus of deformation and the development of an orogenic rain shadow north of the Greater Himalaya. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.