Palaeoenvironmental significance of Late Permian palaeosols in the South‐Eastern Iberian Ranges,Spain

The Late Permian (Wuchiapingian) Alcotas Formation in the SE Iberian Ranges consists of one red alluvial succession where abundant soil profiles developed. Detailed petrographical and sedimentological studies in seven sections of the Alcotas Formation allow six different types of palaeosols, with distinctive characteristics and different palaeogeographical distribution, to be distinguished throughout the South‐eastern Iberian Basin. These characteristics are, in turn, related to topographic, climatic and tectonic controls. The vertical distribution of the palaeosols is used to differentiate the formation in three parts from bottom to top showing both drastic and gradual vertical upwards palaeoenvironmental changes in the sections. Reconstruction of palaeoenvironmental conditions based on palaeosols provides evidence for understanding the events that occurred during the Late Permian, some few millions of years before the well‐known Permian‐Triassic global crisis.     

Carbonate aeolianites of western Saurashtra,India: experimental decipherment of the depositional mechanisms

Granular carbonate deposits of Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene age, commonly referred to as ‘miliolite limestone’, occur in a linear belt, parallel to the southern coast of Saurashtra, India. In the present study area these carbonate deposits are found in select valleys between ridges and mounds of pyroclastic material present in the Deccan trap plateau. Two different depositional histories have been proposed for these sediments. The presence of marine bioclasts led to the postulation of a marine origin for these deposits. The second school of thought propounded redeposition of the coastal sediments by aeolian processes. Although a few features could not be explained by the proposed aeolian model, critical comparison of these two views favoured the aeolian origin. The mode of occurrence, lithological and structural attributes, and microscopic evidence presented here, also support a possible aeolian origin for these deposits. Experimental observation indicates that these carbonate aeolianites represent backflow deposits, which accumulated because of the flow separation caused by the presence of topographic highs. The conspicuous concave‐up geometry of the deposit conformed to the shape of the separation bulb. In view of the inferred depositional mechanism, the disposition of the deposits and the signature of the palaeoflow direction suggest that the carbonate particles were derived from the north‐western coast of Saurashtra by strong south‐easterly winds. Massive granular carbonates with outsized basement clasts appear to be the product of avalanching of granular material from the higher contours because of oversteepening of the primary deposit.     

Statistical analysis of sand grain/bed collision process recorded by high-speed digital camera

A high‐speed digital camera was employed to record the sand grain/bed collision process. With image processing and a statistical method, a series of parameters of the collision process were obtained. The results show that the collision process of a grain with rebounding can be represented by two parameters: the kinetic energy restitution coefficient and the collision angle. Both parameters satisfy a normal distribution, and they are dependent on one another. With an increase of the collision angle, the distribution of the kinetic energy restitution gradually reduces from a broad to a narrow range with low values. The percentage of vertical velocity restitution coefficients greater than 1 can reach 70% or more, which ensures that the settling time of the sand grains in the air increases and that they receive more energy from the air to progress the saltation movement.     

Simultaneous transport of water and solutes under transient unsaturated flow conditions — A case study

The imbalance between incoming and outgoing salt causes salinization of soils and sub-soils that result in increasing the salinity of stream-flows and agriculture land. This salinization is a serious environmental hazard particularly in semi-arid and arid lands. In order to estimate the magnitude of the hazard posed by salinity, it is important to understand and identify the processes that control salt movement from the soil surface through the root zone to the ground water and stream flows. In the present study, Malaprabha sub-basin (up to dam site) has been selected which has two distinct climatic zones, sub-humid (upstream of Khanapur) and semi-arid region (downstream of Khanapur). In the upstream, both surface and ground waters are used for irrigation, whereas in the downstream mostly groundwater is used. Both soils and ground waters are more saline in downstream parts of the study area. In this study we characterized the soil salinity and groundwater quality in both areas. An attempt is also made to model the distribution of potassium concentration in the soil profile in response to varying irrigation conditions using the SWIM (Soil-Water Infiltration and Movement) model. Fair agreement was obtained between predicted and measured results indicating the applicability of the model.     

新疆境内塔拉斯 费尔干纳断裂早侏罗世走滑的古地震证据

在野外考察过程中,于新疆乌恰地区早侏罗世康苏组沼泽相砂岩层中,发现并识别出软沉积物液化变形层,变形包括负载构造,球枕构造及卷曲变形构造。通过模拟试验的对比研究认为,该软沉积物变形机制与液化作用有关,触发沉积物液化的动力是古地震,并且根据地震震级与液化最大震中距的关系,推测出造成早侏罗世软沉积物变形的里氏地震震级为6相似文献   

扬子及周缘地区上奥陶统-下志留统烃源岩发育环境及其控制因素

扬子地区下古生界发育了上奥陶统五峰组和下志留统龙马溪组两套有效烃源岩,查清其发育环境及其控制因素具有重要的科学理论和油气勘探意义.晚奥陶世开始,扬子地区进入碎屑岩陆棚演化阶段;五峰期-龙马溪期,扬子地区主体为局限的深水陆棚环境,总体呈现出浅水陆棚、深水陆棚、次深海共存的古地理格局.沉积体系展布和沉积演化主要受扬子陆块与华夏陆块的汇聚作用控制.扬子地区上奥陶统-下志留统烃源岩的形成与生烃母质生物的高生产力和高埋藏率、冰期-冰后期之交的气温快速转暖、海平面快速上升以及粘土矿物在有机质富集保存过程中的赋存驻留作用等密切相关.     

新疆境内塔拉斯-费尔干纳断裂早侏罗世走滑的古地震证据

在野外考察过程中,于新疆乌恰地区早侏罗世康苏组沼泽相砂岩层中,发现并识别出软沉积物液化变形层,变形包括负载构造,球-枕构造及卷曲变形构造。通过模拟试验的对比研究认为,该软沉积物变形机制与液化作用有关,触发沉积物液化的动力是古地震,并且根据地震震级与液化最大震中距的关系,推测出造成早侏罗世软沉积物变形的里氏地震震级为6相似文献   

煤岩对压裂裂缝长期导流能力影响的实验研究

煤层中一般都伴有煤层气,通过压裂可以将煤层气释放出来,一方面能够获得清洁能源,另一方面可以提高煤田的安全开采。煤岩层自身特点决定了其在压裂中应用的实验评价方法及结论应具有特殊性,本文主要针对煤层气井的煤岩层压裂裂缝长期导流能力进行实验评价研究。实验表明,与砂岩地层不同,煤岩的硬度较小,压裂中支撑剂嵌入情况较严重;煤岩易破碎,碎屑颗粒充填到支撑剂中;同时支撑剂存在破碎及吸附伤害等,多种作用导致支撑裂缝的导流能力降低。实验中,以煤岩层闭合压力为一个重要的参数,实验对比分析了在不同闭合压力下,铺砂浓度、支撑剂粒径、支撑剂种类及组合的选择、支撑剂颗粒的破碎与嵌入、压裂液残渣等因素对煤岩层导流能力的影响。本文的实验结论为,嵌入对煤岩层支撑裂缝的导流能力伤害很大,加大铺砂浓度、采用低破碎率支撑剂、降低压裂液伤害能在一定程度上提高煤层裂缝的导流能力,但影响程度随闭合压力的增加而逐渐降低。本文所得出的结论对今后煤层气的开发及设计施工具有一定的指导意义。     

TEM evidence for intracellular accumulation of lead by bacteria in subsurface environments

We monitored near-surface atmospheric fallout (15-cm above ground) and soil solution (at 15, 35 and 55 cm below ground) derived nanoparticles over an 8-month period by collecting the particles directly onto TEM grids in anthropogenically-influenced (vineyard) and pristine (native forest) sites in France. Particle clusters trapped on the grid were selected randomly and individual particles were binned into eight different groups (euhedral clays, weathered clays, salts, oxi-hydroxides, bacteria, non-living organic matter, aggregates and undetermined). Bacteria represent 9–23% of the collected nanoparticle area (ave. 9.4% and 18% for two atmospheric collection sites and ave. 23% for soil infiltration samples). Bacteria were most often associated with non-living organic matter and comprised a variety of morpho-types. Interestingly, 45% of all the bacteria analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and electron dispersive spectroscopy (TEM-EDX) showed the presence of intracellular grains significantly enriched in lead and phosphorus. Intracellular sequestration of Pb into polyphosphate bodies has been observed in the laboratory, but this is the first observation of this phenomenon in a natural environment. Furthermore, this suggests that microbial-bound Pb may be an important transport mechanism in subsurface environments.     

Delineation of groundwater protection zones by the backward particle tracking method: theoretical background and GIS-based stochastic analysis

The backward particle tracking method, an effective and powerful tool that can be used to delineate groundwater protection zones, is presented. The theoretical background and insights on the applicability of this method are provided. Moreover, the present work enriches the backward particle tracking method with an uncertainty analysis concerning the porosity values, applying a Monte Carlo (MC) approach, coupled with the use of geographical information systems (GIS). As an application example, a wellfield in the Komotini area, Greece, is investigated. The present study may serve as a potential guideline for wellfield delineation, particularly in areas like Greece where lack of data related to the hydrogeological system is often a problem.