In situ U–Pb SIMS (IN-SIMS) micro-baddeleyite dating of mafic rocks: Method with examples

An in situ U–Pb SIMS (IN-SIMS) method to date micro-baddeleyite crystals as small as 3 μm is presented with results from three samples that span a variety of ages and geologic settings. The method complements ID-TIMS geochronology by extending the range of dateable crystals to sizes smaller than can be recovered by physical separation. X-ray mapping and BSE imaging are used to locate target grains in thin section, followed by SIMS analysis on a CAMECA ims 1270, using the field aperture in the transfer column to screen out ions from host phases. Internal age precisions for the method are anticipated to range from 0.1% for Precambrian rocks to 3–7% for Phanerozoic rocks. Results establish a 2689 ± 5 Ma age for mafic dikes in the Wyoming craton, USA, a 1540 ± 30 Ma age for a subaerial lava flow from the Thelon Basin of northern Canada, and a 457 ± 34 Ma age for mafic dikes in the platform sequence of southeastern Siberia. The method is ideal for relatively non-destructive dating of small samples such as extraterrestrial rocks and precious terrestrial samples.     

A Middle Miocene carbonate embankment on an active volcanic slope: Ilhéu de Baixo,Madeira Archipelago,Eastern Atlantic

Carbonate factories on insular oceanic islands in active volcanic settings are poorly explored. This case study illuminates marginal limestone deposits on a steep volcanic flank and their recurring interruption by deposits linked to volcaniclastic processes. Historically known as Ilhéu da Cal (Lime Island), Ilhéu de Baixo was separated from Porto Santo, in the Madeira Archipelago, during the course of the Quaternary. Here, extensive mines were tunnelled in the Miocene carbonate strata for the production of slaked lime. Approximately 10 000 m³ of calcarenite (−1 to 1ø) was removed by hand labour from the Blandy Brothers mine at the south end of the islet. Investigations of two stratigraphic sections at opposite ends of the mine reveal that the quarried material represents an incipient carbonate ramp developed from east to west and embanked against the flank of a volcanic island. A petrographic analysis of limestones from the mine shows that coralline red algae from crushed rhodoliths account for 51% of all identifiable bioclasts. This material was transported shoreward and deposited on the ramp between normal wave base and storm wave base at moderate depths. The mine's roof rocks are formed by Surtseyan deposits from a subsequent volcanic eruption. Volcaniclastic density flows also are a prevalent factor interrupting renewed carbonate deposition. These flows arrived downslope from the north and gradually steepened the debris apron westwards. Slope instability is further shown by a coral rudstone density flow that followed from growth of a coral reef dominated by Pocillopora madreporacea (Lamarck), partial reef collapse, and transport from a more easterly direction into a fore‐reef setting. The uppermost facies represents a soft bottom at moderate depths in a quiet, but shore‐proximal setting. Application of this study to a broader understanding of the relationship between carbonate and volcaniclastic deposition on oceanic islands emphasizes the susceptibility of carbonates to dilution and complete removal by density flows of various kinds, in contrast to the potential for preservation beneath less‐disruptive Surtseyan deposits. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

塔里木盆地石炭系烃源岩成熟演化研究

尽管塔里木盆地石炭系富含有机质且已发现其生成的原油,但关于石炭系烃源岩热演化研究却很薄弱。根据基础地质资料、古地温梯度和实测镜质体反射率数据,本文定量模拟了塔里木盆地6口典型井的石炭系烃源岩热演化史和这套烃源岩底界、顶界在二叠纪末期、三叠纪末期、白垩纪末期及现今成熟度的平面分布规律。塔北隆起南部、塔西南坳陷和阿瓦提凹陷在石炭-二叠纪作为沉降中心接受了巨厚的沉积物,造成这些地区石炭系烃源岩底界成熟度在二叠纪末期达到0.9%～1.3%（中-高成熟）,顶界为0.5%～0.9%（低-中成熟）,成为有利生油区。中生代时期,塔里木盆地中、东部长期处于沉降状态,石炭系烃源岩处于成熟演化阶段。白垩纪末期,塔中低凸起和满加尔凹陷的石炭系底界成熟度为0.7%～0.9%（中成熟）,顶界为0.5%～0.7%（低成熟）,而塘古孜巴斯坳陷底界成熟度为0.9%～1.1%（中-高成熟）,顶界为0.7%～0.9%（中成熟）。受羌塘地体、拉萨地体、印度板块分别与欧亚板块南缘碰撞远程效应的影响,塔西南坳陷和巴楚隆起在中生代一直处于隆升剥蚀状态,烃源岩热演化进入停滞状态。新生代以来,塔西南坳陷和阿瓦提凹陷演化为前陆盆地,再次接受了巨厚沉积物,致使石炭系烃源岩快速成熟演化,底-顶界成熟度现今已超过2.0%,进入干气阶段。满加尔凹陷石炭系烃源岩自石炭纪至今一直处于成熟演化阶段,现今达到最大,为0.8%～1.0%。另外,热史研究表明塔西南坳陷和阿瓦提凹陷石炭系烃源岩具有二次生烃潜力。本研究不仅丰富了塔里木盆地石炭系烃源岩热史研究成果,而且对油气勘探与开发具有重要的指导意义。     

Subaqueous eruption-fed mass-flow deposits: Records of the Ordovician arc volcanism in the northern Famatina Belt; Northwestern Argentina

This study is focused on the analyses of a Chaschuil section (27° 49′ S–68° 04′ W), north of the Argentina Famatina Belt, where Ordovician explosive-effusive arc volcanism took place under subaerial to subaqueous marine conditions. In analyzing the profile, we have recognized an Arenigian succession composed by dominant volcaniclastic lithofacies represented by volcaniclastic debris flow, turbidity current and minor resedimented syn-eruptive pyroclastic depositsand lavas. The upper portions of succession are represented by volcanogenic sedimentary lithofacies with fossiliferous levels. Great volumes of the volcaniclastic deposits are strongly controlled in their transport by mass flow processes. These representative deposits provide significant data in relation to the coeval volcanic events for recognizing a continuous explosive volcanism together a minor effusive activity and the degradation of volcanic edifices. Likewise mass flow deposits give indications of the high rate of sedimentation, strong slope control and instability episodes in the basin, typical of those volcanic environments. That substantial information was the key to understand the features and evolution of the Arenigian basin in the north of the Famatina System.     

Geochemical features and origin of natural gas in heavy oil area of the Western Slope,Songliao Basin,China

The Western Slope of the Songliao Basin is rich in heavy oil resources (>70 × 10⁸ bbl), around which there are shallow gas reservoirs (∼1.0 × 10¹² m³). The gas is dominated by methane with a dryness over 0.99, and the non-hydrocarbon component being overwelmingly nitrogen. Carbon isotope composition of methane and its homologs is depleted in ¹³C, with δ¹³C₁ values being in the range of −55‰ to −75‰, δ¹³C₂ being in the range of −40‰ to −53‰ and δ¹³C₃ being in the range of −30‰ to −42‰, respectively. These values differ significantly from those solution gases source in the Daqing oilfield. This study concludes that heavy oils along the Western Slope were derived from mature source rocks in the Qijia-Gulong Depression, that were biodegraded. The low reservoir temperature (30–50 °C) and low salinity of formation water with neutral to alkaline pH (NaHCO₃) appeared ideal for microbial activity and thus biodegradation. Natural gas along the Western Slope appears mainly to have originated from biodegradation and the formation of heavy oil. This origin is suggested by the heavy δ¹³C of CO₂ (−18.78‰ to 0.95‰) which suggests that the methane was produced via fermentation as the terminal decomposition stage of the oil.     

“软−硬”关系框架下城市型目的地出入境旅游响应路径——基于1997―2019年中国香港特区数据的组态分析

选取1997―2019年中国香港特区数据,使用定性比较分析（QCA）方法对出入境旅游流产生路径的前因条件以及结果条件进行分析,研究结果表明：① 在路径数量上,虽持续简化,但是仍然具有复杂性;② 在核心条件中,所有的单因素均不构成影响的核心条件,中国香港出入境旅游流路径受到多因素组合作用;③ 在前因条件中,“软?硬”关系影响存在差异,硬实力关系对高出入境旅游流起主导作用,软实力关系则对非高出入境旅游流作用较大;④ 在路径国家（地区）中,高和非高出入境旅游流存在显著地区差异;⑤ 在时间层面上,阶段1与阶段2、阶段3路径差异较大,表明时间节点的分割事件对中国香港出入境旅游的影响不同。     

The role of the hyporheic zone across stream networks

Many hyporheic papers state that the hyporheic zone is a critical component of stream ecosystems, and many of these papers focus on the biogeochemical effects of the hyporheic zone on stream solute loads. However, efforts to show such relationships have proven elusive, prompting several questions: Are the effects of the hyporheic zone on stream ecosystems so highly variable in place and time (or among streams) that a consistent relationship should not be expected? Or, is the hyporheic zone less important in stream ecosystems than is commonly expected? These questions were examined using data from existing groundwater modelling studies of hyporheic exchange flow at five sites in a fifth‐order, mountainous stream network. The size of exchange flows, relative to stream discharge (Q_HEF:Q), was large only in very small streams at low discharge (area ≈ 100 ha; Q < 10 l/s). At higher flows (flow exceedance probability > 0·7) and in all larger streams, Q_HEF:Q was small. These data show that biogeochemical processes in the hyporheic zone of small streams can substantially influence the stream's solute load, but these processes become hydrologically constrained at high discharge or in larger streams and rivers. The hyporheic zone may influence stream ecosystems in many ways, however, not just through biogeochemical processes that alter stream solute loads. For example, the hyporheic zone represents a unique habitat for some organisms, with patterns and amounts of upwelling and downwelling water determining the underlying physiochemical environment of the hyporheic zone. Similarly, hyporheic exchange creates distinct patches of downwelling and upwelling. Upwelling environments are of special interest, because upwelling water has the potential to be thermally or chemically distinct from stream water. Consequently, micro‐environmental patches created by hyporheic exchange flows are likely to be important to biological and ecosystem processes, even if their impact on stream solute loads is small. Published in 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A 24 h investigation of the hydrogeochemistry of baseflow and stormwater in an urban area impacted by mining: Butte,Montana

Changes in water quality during a storm event were continuously monitored over a 24 h period at a single location along an urban stormwater drain in Butte, Montana. The Butte Metro Storm Drain (MSD) collects groundwater baseflow and stormwater draining Butte Hill, a densely populated site that has been severely impacted by 130 years of mining, milling, and smelting of copper‐rich, polymetallic mineral deposits. On the afternoon of 26 June 2002, a heavy thunderstorm caused streamflow in the MSD to increase 100‐fold, from 0·2 ft³ s⁻¹ to more than 20 ft³ s⁻¹. Hourly discharge and water quality data were collected before, during, and following the storm. The most significant finding was that the calculated loads (grams per hour) of both dissolved and particulate copper passing down the MSD increased more than 100‐fold in the first hour following the storm, and remained elevated over baseline conditions for the remainder of the study period. Other metals, such as zinc, cadmium, and manganese, showed a decrease in load from pre‐storm to post‐storm conditions. In addition to the large flush of copper, loads of soluble phosphorus increased during the storm, whereas dissolved oxygen dropped to low levels (<2 mg l⁻¹). These results show that infrequent storm events in Butte have the potential to generate large volumes of runoff that exceed Montana water quality standards for acute exposure of aquatic life to copper, as well as depressed levels of dissolved oxygen. This study has important implications to ongoing reclamation activities in the upper Clark Fork Superfund site, particularly with respect to management of storm flow, and may be applicable to other watersheds impacted by mining activities. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evolution of scouring process downstream of grade‐control structures under steady and unsteady flows

For many incised channels, one of the most common strategies is to install some hard structures, such as grade‐control structures (GCSs), in the riverbed to resist further incision. In this study, a series of experiments, including both steady and unsteady flow conditions, were conducted to investigate the scouring process downstream of a GCS. Three distinct phases, including the initial, developing and equilibrium phases, during the evolution of scour holes were identified. In addition, a semi‐empirical method was proposed to predict the equilibrium scour‐hole profile for the scour countermeasure design. In general, the comparisons between the experimental and simulated results are reasonably consistent. As the studies on temporal variation of the scour depth at GCSs caused by floods are limited, the effect of flood hydrograph shapes on the scour downstream of GCSs without upstream sediment supply was also investigated experimentally in this study. Based on the dimensional analysis and the concept of superposition, a methodology is proposed to simulate the time evolution of the maximum scour depth downstream of a GCS for steady flows. Moreover, the proposed scheme predicts reasonably well the temporal variations of the maximum scour depth for unsteady flows with both single and multiple peak. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.