Processes and rates of rock fragment displacement on cliffs and scree slopes in an amba landscape, Ethiopia

Distinct rock fragment displacements occur on the ambas, or structurally determined stepped mountains of the Northern Ethiopian Highlands. This paper describes the rock fragment detachment from cliffs by rockfall, quantifies its annual rate, and identifies factors controlling rock fragment movement on the scree slopes. It further presents a conceptual model explaining rock fragment cover at the soil surface in these landscapes. In the May Zegzeg catchment (Dogu'a Tembien district, Tigray), rockfall from cliffs and rock fragment movement on debris slopes by runoff and livestock trampling were monitored over a 4-year period (1998–2001). Rockfall and rock fragment transport mainly induced by livestock trampling appear to be important geomorphic processes. Along a 1500-m long section of the Amba Aradam sandstone cliff, at least 80 t of rocks are detached yearly and fall over a mean vertical distance of 24 m resulting in a mean annual cliff retreat rate of 0.37 mm y^− 1. Yearly unit rock fragment transport rates on scree slopes ranged between 23.1 and 37.9 kg m^− 1 y^− 1. This process is virtually stopped when exclosures are established. Corresponding mean rock fragment transport coefficients K are 32–69 kg m^− 1 y^− 1 on rangeland but only 3.9 kg m^− 1 y^− 1 in densely vegetated exclosures. A conceptual model indicates that besides rockfall from cliffs and argillipedoturbation, all factors and processes of rock fragment redistribution in the study area are of anthropogenic origin.     

云南三江口地区超基性岩岩石化学及成因

三江口地区超基性岩按岩石类型可分六种,岩石的m/f值小于6 5,属铁质超基性岩,呈包体状产于下二叠统木星土岩组(P1mx.)及上二叠统洛吉组(P2lj)中,与其为同源异相产物,形成于板块裂陷环境。岩浆活动时期大致为晚古生代 早三叠世早期,可能代表古特提斯形成的早期阶段。成果为进一步研究和恢复该区古构造格局提供重要依据。     

金平龙脖河地区元古界龙脖河岩群的建立

将金平县龙脖河口一带原划二叠纪的玄武岩组，三叠纪的个旧组、火把冲组，更正为元古代，并命名为龙脖河岩群。为研究该区的地层展布、大地构造环境、古地理、构造活动等提供了新资料。     

内蒙古宝音图岩群变质基性火山岩锆石U-Pb年龄及意义

内蒙古达茂旗宝音图岩群是在达茂旗、查干呼绍地区 1:5万区调和白云鄂博幅 1:2 5万区调过程中从过去的巴特敖包群和白云鄂博群未分岩组解体出来的中级变质岩系。通过对宝音图岩群中阳起钠长片岩、二云片岩 (原岩均为基性火山岩 )进行单颗粒锆石U -Pb法年龄测定 ,获得了两条不一致线上交点年龄 (2 486± 42 )Ma、(2 496± 2 6 )Ma ,代表了宝音图岩群基性火山岩及宝音图岩群的形成时代 ;在不一致线之外不同成因的锆石的2 0 7Pb/ 2 0 6Pb表面年龄 (2 2 2 7± 15 )Ma ,寓示着 2 2 0 0Ma左右发生了一次区域性变质热事件 ;下交点年龄 (319±486 )Ma和 (40 6± 46 )Ma ,代表了 2 5 0～ 480Ma时期该区大面积岩浆侵位及宝音图岩群后期变形变质改造的时期 ,两个年龄样的获得为研究古元古代古陆的裂解及白云鄂博海槽的形成提供了直接依据。     

基于高温高压岩石破裂实验结果对中强地震前震中附近区域部分地震学现象的初步解释

依据高温高压岩石破裂实验结果并结合理论分析，对 附近区域不同深度温压条件下岩石变形破坏性质及破坏失稳的力学行为进行了研究，在一次应力加载循环中，发生破坏的部位随时间具有向深部下迁的趋势。考虑到深度温压条件下岩石的渐进式破坏行为及突发失稳，对主震前震中附近区域小地震活动的增强、平静、活化等现象，以及b值等时间序列参数变化的可能机理进行初步探讨，并简单讨论了两类平静和两类b值变化的可能原因。     

Inferring erosional resistance of bedrock units in the east Tennessee mountains from digital elevation data

Measures of local relief, regional relief, and slope were calculated from digital elevation models (DEMs) for 50 bedrock units in the Ridge and Valley and Blue Ridge provinces of Tennessee. Each of these measures was normalized and the three were then averaged to produce the erosional resistance index (ERI). Bedrock units with higher ERI values include coarse clastics, intermediate clastics, and metaplutonics. Units with lower values include shales, limestones, limestones plus dolostones, and carbonates plus fine clastics. Dolostones tend to have intermediate values. The calculated ERI values were compared with subjective ratings by a geologist with decades of field experience in east Tennessee. Generally, the agreement between the two ratings was good, the most glaring exception being several shales with improbably high ERI values. These turned out to be thin units cropping out beneath very hard sandstones, allowing them to stand higher and steeper than would otherwise be possible. A systematic method for detecting such erroneously high ERI values is suggested. Inspection of a drainage map superimposed on the geology map shows that in a given area, streams tend to flow on rock units with the lowest ERI values. In addition, statistical analysis shows that bedrock units with the lowest ERI values are, on average, almost three times closer to the nearest stream and six times as likely to have streams flowing on them than are units with highest values. Further, the effect of ERI on stream location is strongest for streams with drainage areas between 1 and 30 km². Thus, small streams appear to be subject to greater lithologic control than are larger streams.     

滇中震旦系碳酸盐岩破碎地层的钻探护孔新技术

破碎地层中钻探，采用有效的护孔技术是避免孔内事故发生的重要手段，同时也是保证完成钻探各项技术经济指标的先决条件。本文阐述了在具代表性的磷矿破碎地层中钻进所遇到的护孔难题及其所采用的护孔新技术、新方法。     

滇西北石鼓片岩变质变形特征及其划分

滇西北金沙江结合带东侧的石鼓变质岩系，可划分为石鼓岩群和巨甸岩群。石鼓岩群受区域动力热流变质作用改造，主期变形环境为中、深部构造相；巨甸岩群受区域低温动力变质作用改造，与之相伴的构造形迹属中、浅部构造相。石鼓岩群包含羊坡岩组和露西岩组，巨甸岩群可进一步划分为陇巴岩组和塔城岩组。同一岩群的岩组，变质作用、构造变形特征相同，但变质岩石组合及原岩特征却有明显差别。     

Magnetic properties of a freshly fallen LL ordinary chondrite: the Bensour meteorite

A comprehensive rock magnetic, magnetic anisotropy and paleomagnetic study has been undertaken in the brecciated LL6 Bensour ordinary chondrite, a few months only after its fall on Earth. Microscopic observations and electronic microprobe analyses indicate the presence of Ni-rich taenite, tetrataenite and rare Co-rich kamacite. Tetrataenite is the main carrier of remanence. Magnetization and anisotropy measurements were performed on mutually oriented 125 mm³ sub-samples. A very strong coherent susceptibility and remanence anisotropy is evidenced and interpreted as due to the large impact responsible for the post-metamorphic compaction of this brecciated material and disruption of the parent body. We show that the acquisition of remanent magnetization postdates metamorphism on the parent body and predates the entering of the meteorite in Earth’s atmosphere. Three components of magnetization could be isolated. A soft coherent component is closely related to the anisotropy of the meteorite and is interpreted as a shock remanent magnetization acquired during the same large impact on the parent body. Two harder components show random directions at a few mm scale. This randomness is attributed either to the formation mechanism of tetrataenite or to post-metamorphic brecciation. All components are likely acquired in very low (≈μT) to null ambient magnetic field, as demonstrated by comparison with demagnetization behavior of isothermal remanent magnetization. Two other LL6 meteorites, Kilabo and St-Mesmin, have also been studied for comparison with Bensour.     

Temporal variations of shear-wave splitting in field and laboratory studies in China

Observations of shear-wave splitting at seismic stations above a swarm of small earthquakes on Hainan Island, China, and other examples world-wide, suggest that the time-delays of split shear-waves monitor the build up of stress before earthquakes and the stress release as earthquakes occur. Rock physics experiments on marble specimens also show variations of shear-wave time-delays with uniaxial pressure analogous to the field observations. The rock experiments show an abrupt decrease in time-delays immediately before fracturing occurs. Similar precursory behaviour has been observed before earthquakes elsewhere, and is believed to be important for two reasons. Precursory changes in shear-wave splitting could be used for short-term forecasting, but of greater importance may be the information such behaviour provides about the source processes in earthquake preparation zones.