Effects of light exposure on the TL dating of pottery

Bleaching experiments on Chinese pottery fine grains were conducted under sunlight and laboratory light conditions. It is found that the thermoluminescence (TL) at high temperatures can be bleached significantly, but no effects were observed on TL signals used for the pre-dose dating technique. It is concluded that the pre-dose dating technique can be applied to samples even after light exposures. Pottery samples of Tang Dynasty and New Stone Age were studied. Modifications to routine pre-dose dating technique are proposed with adding preheat procedures and using saturation exponential fitting for the sensitivity change data. The modified technique can extend the dating range to New Stone Age.     

Luminescence dating of Holocene sediment cores from a wave-dominated and mountainous river delta in central Vietnam

Sediments of river deltas provide valuable records of past coastal environments. Optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating has become an alternative to radiocarbon dating for constraining the sediment chronology in large deltas that allow for sufficient sunlight bleaching of sediments during the fluvial transport. However, its applicability to smaller deltas with mountainous riverine systems has not been confirmed yet. To check this, we examine multiple signals from two Holocene sediment cores in the wave-dominated Thu Bon River delta in central Vietnam. Two cores were collected, respectively, 3.9 km and 1.2 km inland from the present shoreline and both show a >-25-m thick succession of coarsening-upward mud to sand deposits. Coarse grains (180–250 μm in diameter) of quartz and K-feldspar, and fine grains (4–11 μm in diameter) of quartz and polymineral were extracted from the upper and lower parts of the cores for multi-grain measurements of quartz OSL, and of feldspar infrared-stimulated luminescence (IRSL) at 50 °C (IR₅₀) and post-IR IRSL at 175 °C (pIRIR₁₇₅) to determine burial ages. In addition, facies analysis and radiocarbon dating were conducted. The landward core consists of transgressive to early regressive estuarine and prodelta facies, which is overlain by a sandy beach-shoreface facies. The seaward core consists of a relatively simple shallowing-upward succession from muddy prodelta facies to sandy beach-shoreface facies. All luminescence ages except for pIRIR₁₇₅ of fine grains are mostly consistent with the radiocarbon ages. Instead, pIRIR₁₇₅ ages of fine grains are significantly overestimated with variable offsets. OSL and IR₅₀ of fine grains provide reasonable age estimates, as these grains were likely well bleached during the transport even along a short and steep mountainous river. Consistent age estimates of all signals from sand indicate that sand was well-bleached in the beach and shoreface owing to the frequent sediment reworking by waves and currents. These results support the hypothesis that luminescence dating is applicable to Holocene wave-dominated deltas and reiterate that comparing different luminescence signals is an effective way to check reliability of the age estimates in environments where the sunlight bleaching is not ensured.     

论东胜矿床油气逸散蚀变的地质地球化学特点及其意义

鄂尔多斯盆地东胜砂岩型铀矿的显著特点,首先是矿床存在明显的绿色蚀变控矿带以及漂白现象,其次是含矿层较广泛地分布有不连续透镜状碳酸盐化钙质胶结砂岩。经粘土矿物X射线衍射分析、扫描电镜鉴定、包裹体化学成分等项测试,认为绿色蚀变和漂白现象是在大范围还原性环境下形成的,而其中的还原性流体主要与油气逸散作用有关;经对含矿层罐顶气和碳酸盐碳同位素以及部分有机地球化学参数分析后认为,上述蚀变现象主要与上古生界来源的含CH4、H2S、CO、CO2等成分的煤成气向北东方向的逸散蚀变作用有关。故可认为,顺油气逸散方向的盆地边缘且位于绿色蚀变带前锋线的区域是铀矿成矿及找矿的有利地区。     

Comparison of paired quartz OSL and feldspar post-IR IRSL dose distributions in poorly bleached fluvial sediments from South Africa

A comparative study using quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and feldspar post-infrared infrared stimulated luminescence (post-IR IRSL) was undertaken on Quaternary fluvial sediments from an unnamed tributary of the Moopetsi River in South Africa. The aim is to assess whether the post-IR IRSL signal can be used to date incompletely bleached sediments. Several post-IR IRSL signals using varying stimulation and preheat temperatures were investigated; of these the post-IR IRSL₂₂₅ signal was deemed most appropriate for dating because it bleached most rapidly. The feldspar post-IR IRSL₂₂₅ equivalent dose (D_e) values from this site are consistently larger than those from quartz OSL, probably due to differences in the bleaching characteristics of the two signals. Additionally, the post-IR IRSL₂₂₅ D_e values within a sample showed less variation in precision than the quartz D_e data, possibly due to greater averaging between grains in the feldspar small aliquots. The agreement between ages based on the OSL and post-IR IRSL₂₂₅ signals was better for younger samples (<20 ka) than for older ones (>50 ka); the cause of this variation is unclear.     

贫信息条件下的多点变形预测模型及其应用

常用的单点变形分析方法没有利用监测点间相互关系的信息，不足以反映变形体整体的变形规律。本文将单点的变形预测模型扩展为多点的变形预测模型，建立了贫信息条件下的多点预测模型。进行了实例建模与分析，结果表明，多点预测模型为解决少数据，多因子的动态系统预测与分析提供了新的途径。     

仇山酸化钙基膨润土的 27Al和 29Si 魔角旋转核磁共振谱及脱色率研究

对用不同酸度处理的仇山钙基膨润土进行了化学分析、X射线衍线（XRD）、^27Al和^29Si魔角旋转核磁共振（MAS NMR）、吡啶吸附样品的红外光谱（IR）、比表面积、阳离子交换容量（CEC）和脱色率等测定。结果表明，随着处理酸度的增加和蒙脱石中阳离子的溶出，它的d(001)的衍射强度降低，同时其Si和Al原子局域结构环境发生了显著的改变，Al原子由Al^Ⅵ变成Al^Ⅵ，Si原子由Q^Si(0Al)结构向Q^4Si(0Al)和Q^3Si(1OH)结构转变。八面体片阳离子的溶出和Si,Al原子局域结构环境的转变，显著地增加了比表面积和孔结构；Al^Ⅵ向Al^Ⅵ的转变形成了Lewis酸中心，而Si原子局域结构环境的改变形成了Br φnsted酸中心。膨润土脱色率随处理酸度增加的本质原因是在Si和Al原子局域环境的变化过程中，在其表面分别形成了Brφnsted酸中心和Lewis酸中心。     

Water quality and coral bleaching thresholds: Formalising the linkage for the inshore reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The threats of wide-scale coral bleaching and reef demise associated with anthropogenic climate change are widely known. Here, the additional role of poor water quality in lowering the thermal tolerance (i.e. bleaching ‘resistance’) of symbiotic reef corals is considered. In particular, a quantitative linkage is established between terrestrially-sourced dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) loading and the upper thermal bleaching thresholds of inshore reefs on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Significantly, this biophysical linkage provides concrete evidence for the oft-expressed belief that improved coral reef management will increase the regional-scale survival prospects of corals reefs to global climate change. Indeed, for inshore reef areas with a high runoff exposure risk, it is shown that the potential benefit of this ‘local’ management imperative is equivalent to ∼2.0-2.5 °C in relation to the upper thermal bleaching limit; though in this case, a potentially cost-prohibitive reduction in end-of-river DIN of >50-80% would be required. An integrated socio-economic modelling framework is outlined that will assist future efforts to understand (optimise) the alternate tradeoffs that the water quality/coral bleaching linkage presents.     

High-resolution optical dating of Late Holocene storm surge deposits – a showcase from Schokland (Noordoostpolder,the Netherlands)

Storm surges have a major impact on land use and human habitation in coastal regions. Our knowledge of this impact can be improved by correlating long-term historical storm records with sedimentary evidence of storm surges, but so far few studies have applied such an approach. Here we apply, for the first time, state-of-the-art optically stimulating luminescence (OSL) methods to obtain high-resolution age information on a sequence of Late Holocene storm surge deposits. By combining this chronological framework of storm surges with other reconstruction methods, we investigate the storm surge impact on the former island Schokland, located in a former inlet of the North Sea (central Netherlands).During the Late Holocene, Schokland transformed from a peat area that gradually inundated (~800 CE) via an island in a marginal marine environment (~1600 CE) to a land-locked island in the reclaimed Province of Flevoland (1942 CE). These transitions are recorded in the sediment archive of the island, consisting of silty clay with sandy intervals deposited during storm surges. A series of ten quartz OSL ages, obtained using best-practice methods to deal with incomplete resetting of the OSL signal and dose rate heterogeneity, reveal two periods of storm surge deposition, around 1600 CE and between 1742 and 1822 CE. Historical sources indicate that major storm surges hit Schokland during these periods. Laboratory analyses (thermogravimetry, grain-size, foraminifera, bivalves and ostracods) corroborates the existence of the two sets of storm surge deposits within the clay sequence. Our study sets a benchmark for obtaining robust depositional age constraints from storm surge sediments, and demonstrates the great potential of modern OSL methods to contribute to improved assessment of storm surge risk. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pre- and post-1998 ENSO records of shallow-water octocorals (Alcyonacea) in the Chagos Archipelago

When compared, principal octocorals collected in the Chagos Archipelago before and after the 1998 ENSO shared many common taxa. While a few discontinuities in their biodiversity revealed subtle changes in more persistent genera (Lobophytum, Sarcophyton), some fast-growing “fugitive” genera (e.g. Cespitularia, Efflatounaria, Heteroxenia) disappeared after the ENSO-related coral bleaching. Such transient fugitives might thus be eliminated from soft coral communities on isolated reef systems, possibly in the long term, by events of this nature. The appearance of Carijoa riseii, a species often considered a fouling organism, even an invasive, may well be indicative of reef degradation during the ENSO event. The post-ENSO recovery manifested by this fauna nevertheless gives cause for hope for their survival in the face of climate change.     

Experimental bleaching of a tropical sea anemone in situ

Bleaching (whitening) of cnidarians such as corals and sea anemones has caused widespread degradation of coral reefs around the world and is therefore an urgent issue for coral reef science and conservation. Although cnidarians often bleach in aquaria, methods for experimental induction of bleaching in wild cnidarians are lacking, which impedes scientists’ ability to understand the ultimate effects of bleaching on the broader ecosystem. In this study, we investigated the utility of an in situ method for experimental induction of bleaching in the tropical sea anemone Heteractis crispa. Healthy, wild anemones were covered with opaque black plastic sheets, mesh cages or left undisturbed (controls) and tentacle colour and body size were monitored with a colour reference card and flexible tape, respectively, every 1–3 days for 15 days. Caged and control anemones remained unchanged for the duration of the experiment, but covered anemones commenced whitening after 4–6 days and were completely white after 7–14 days (mean time to bleaching ± SE = 10.1 ± 0.7 days). Experimental bleaching occurred without reduction in anemone body size and was visibly similar to natural bleaching seen previously in H. crispa. We hypothesize that light‐deprivation, reduced water flow, physical contact or some combination of these factors caused the bleaching. This study provides the basis for a simple and rapid method of inducing bleaching in situ, which releases scientists’ dependence on sporadic natural bleaching events or artificial aquarium experiments, and provides a means to investigate the effects of bleaching on other ecosystem components such as fishes.