The interpretative value of transformed tephra sequences

We explore developments in tephra science that consider more than chronology, using case studies of morphological transformations of tephra deposits. Volcanic processes and prevailing weather conditions determine the distribution of tephra deposits immediately after an eruption, but as these freshly fallen tephra become part of the stratigraphic record, the thickness, morphology and definition of the layers they form changes, reflecting the interplay of the tephra, climate, Earth surface processes, topography and vegetation structure, plus direct or indirect modification caused by people and animals. Once part of the stratigraphic record, there can be further diagnostic changes to the morphology of tephra layers, such as the creation of over folds by cryoturbation. Thus, tephra layers may contain proxy evidence of both past surface environments and subsurface processes. Transformations of tephra deposits can complicate the reconstruction of past volcanic processes and make the application of classical tephrochronology as pioneered by Thorarinsson (Sigurður Þórarinsson in Icelandic) challenging. However, as Thorarinsson also noted, novel sources of environmental data can exist within transformed tephra sequences that include the spread or removal of tephra, variations in layer thickness and internal structures, the nature of contact surfaces and the orientation of layers.     

生物扰动下海底沉积物-水界面溶解氧二维观测方法

沉积物-水界面(SWI)是生物地球化学循环的主要界面,界面上溶解氧(DO)的分布实时测量对于了解生物扰动的复杂作用和生物地球化学循环过程有着重要意义。为了探索生物扰动作用对SWI微尺度溶解氧二维分布的影响作用,本文以八乙基卟啉铂为荧光指示剂,掺杂香豆素(Macrolex Yellow10GN)作为荧光素能量供体,以聚苯乙烯为基质制作了光学平面传感膜。以发光二极管(LED)为激励光源,结合彩色相机,构建了基于比率法的二维溶解氧观测系统,系统能够以0.36 mm的空间分辨率对SWI的溶解氧分布连续观测,实验室内的模拟实验结果表明,底栖沙蚕掘穴扰动可使局部沉积物溶解氧质量比提高3~4?g/g。该研究填补了国内基于比率法的平面光学溶解氧传感器研究领域的空白。     

Sea-bed Mixing and Particle Residence Times in Biologically and Physically Dominated Estuarine Systems: a Comparison of Lower Chesapeake Bay and the York River Subestuary

Biologically dominated lower Chesapeake Bay and the physically dominated York River subestuary are contrasted in terms of the dynamics of sediment mixing, strata formation and sea-bed particle residence times. Two lower bay sites were examined; both are located within the bay stem plains and are characterized by muddy sand and an abundance of large, deep-dwelling organisms. X-radiographs indicate extensive biological reworking of sediments, with no long-term preservation of physical stratification.²¹⁰Pb profiles reveal low sediment accumulation rates at both lower bay sites (<0·1 cm year⁻¹), but significant differences in biological mixing depths (25vs40 cm) and biodiffusivity (>80vs6–30 cm²year⁻¹). In contrast, the York River site, located within a partially-filled palaeochannel, is predominantly mud with a depauperate benthic community dominated by small, short-lived, shallow-dwelling organisms. Although²¹⁰Pb accumulation rates at the York River site (<0·2 cm year⁻¹) are similar to those measured in the lower bay, there is little bioturbation. In addition, transient bed forms at the York River site form laterally persistent, linear ridges and furrows sub-parallel to the channel, spaced 10–20 m apart. These observations, coupled with evidence of episodic erosion and deposition from radioisotope and porosity profiles, and X-radiographs, suggest that the upper 60–120 cm of the sea-bed are dominated by physical mixing. Deep mixing and low accumulation rates result in long residence times of particles in the mixed upper portion of the sea-bed (10²year) at both locations, despite different mixing controls [i.e. biological (diffusive)vsphysical (advective)].     

Geotechnical property variability of continental margin sediments: High‐resolution vertical and lateral data from the northern California slope

High‐resolution vertical and lateral gradients and variations in sediment mass physical properties were derived from measurements in box cores, on the scale of millimeters, tens of centimeters, and kilometers from typical, relatively broad areas of the northern California continental slope in the Cape Mendocino area at water depths from 380 to 940 m. Such data are important as a control on comparisons of different sediment suites, as well as providing limits for realistic flux calculations of dissolved inorganic and biochemical species and pollutants. The sediments studied have relatively constant organic carbon contents (OC ? 1.75 wt%) and bulk mineralogy. They range from silty sands (～45% sand, 40% silt) to clayey silts (～63% silt, ～35% clay) and are extensively bioturbated. Physical property variations between subcores (～25 to 35 cm in length), taken from the same box core, increase with increasing clay content. For coarse‐grained sediments, mean down‐core differences in physical property values between related subcores are small, averaging 3.6% for water content, 4% for porosity, 0.026 Mg/m³ for wet bulk density, and 0.1 for void ratio. Subcore variations for fine‐grained sediments are generally significantly larger, averaging 9.8% for water content, 1.52% for porosity, 0.027 Mg/m³ for wet bulk density, and 0.3 for void ratio (box core 125). Millimeter variations of physical properties from horizontal 12‐cm‐long subcores indicate a maximum range of lateral variation of 18.2% for water content, 8% for porosity, 0.14 Mg/m³ for wet bulk density, and ～ 0.6 for void ratio.     

The effect of biological and physical disturbances on the transport of arsenic from contaminated estuarine sediments

From the distribution of dissolved and solid arsenic species in a contaminated estuarine sediment and measured rates of flux of the various arsenic species we propose an empirical model for the cycling of arsenic between sediments and water column. The chemical form of arsenic in the sediment was largely determined by the redox state of the sediment. Arsenite was the dominant dissolved and solid species in the deeper reduced sediment, and arsenate was dominant in the oxidized surface layer. Arsenite in the interstitial water diffused toward the surface layer, where it was mostly oxidized to arsenate prior to leaving the sediments. Some arsenate adsorbed to the surface sediments and produced a surface layer enriched in arsenic. Small concentrations of methyl and dimethyl arsenic were produced in the sediments, and these also diffused into the overlying water.Nereis succinea, a burrowing polychaete, affected distribution and flux of arsenic from the sediments by its production of irrigated burrows. These burrows increased both the effective surface area of the sediment and the diffusion of arsenic by a factor of five. When the relative effects of the activities of Nereis succinea and physical resuspension are compared, results indicate that although physical resuspension can produce large pulses of materials from contaminated sediments, continuous biological activity is likely to be more important in the mobilization of contaminants from sediments in many estuarine environments.     

The Influence of the Cockle, Cerastoderma edule, on the Macrozoobenthic Community of Tidal Flats in the Wadden Sea

Abstract. The cockle Cerastoderma edule is one of the large and important species of the tidal flats of the Wadden Sea. C. edule disturbs the upper sediment layer due to its crawling and “shaking” behaviour. About 7% of a cockle population move within one week. The mean distance of movement is -4 cm per week, which, in the case of a 2-year-old cockle with a length of ?3 cm, means that ?20 cm² of sediment is disturbed to a depth of ?3 cm. Besides these measurable movements, cockles also regularly “shake” themselves, thereby disturbing the sediment around them to at least ?0.5 cm. At a density of 500 cockles per m² of a mean length of 3 cm, ?16% of the sediment surface is occupied by cockles and another ?29% is disturbed by cockles within one week. To study the effects of cockles on recruitment of other benthic species, densities of 0, 125, 250, 375 and 500 cockles (mean length 3 or 3.5 cm) were added to 1-m² plots within large depopulated squares in April. Subsequently, sediment samples were sieved once a month (from June to September) and the densities of all macrozoobenthic species were estimated. The presence of cockles significantly reduced the densities of juveniles of the bivalve species C. edule, Macoma balthica, Mya arenaria, Tellina (Angulus) tenuis, and Ensis directus and of the worm species Pygospio elegans, Lanice conchilega, Eteone longa, Anaitides spec., Nephtys hombergii, Heteromastus filiformis, Scoloplos armiger, and Tharyx marioni and of the amphipods Corophium volutator and C. arenarium. Non-significant effects were found only in Capitella capitata and Nereis diversicolor. For all species mentioned above a negative effect was already observed at the lower cockle densities of 125 - 250 per m². Reductions of about 50% or more were found at densities of 500 per m², which was more than could be expected based on the area occupied by the cockles (?16%), but close to the area occupied plus disturbed (?45%). It is concluded that (dense) assemblages of adult cockles can have a strong influence on the macrozoobenthic community.     

大民屯凹陷古近系沙河街组三段扇三角洲前缘沉积生物扰动特征

为探究陆相扇三角洲前缘沉积生物扰动特征,以辽河拗陷大民屯凹陷沈检5井古近系沙河街组三段扇三角洲前缘沉积岩芯为研究对象,对生物遗迹化石进行了鉴定,统计了垂向剖面上生物扰动层厚度和扰动指数的分布特征。依据主微量元素参数反映的沉积条件,探讨了生物扰动层厚度和扰动指数与沉积环境的响应关系。研究结果表明,沈检5井S34Ⅱ和S34Ⅰ油层组发育生物扰动构造,生物遗迹化石以古藻迹（Palaeophycus）和漫游迹（Planolites）占优势为特征。生物扰动构造主要发育于水下分流间湾微相沉积物中,扰动层厚度在5～51cm,扰动指数以3~5级为主。主微量元素参数分析表明S34Ⅱ和S34Ⅰ油层组沉积期的古气候、古生产力、古盐度和古水深条件相近,即为相对温湿的古气候、低古生产力、淡水—微咸水盐度条件和浅水沉积环境。沉积环境变化幅度小是造成S34Ⅱ油层组与S34Ⅰ油层组发育的生物扰动层厚度和扰动指数差异不明显的主要原因。但当前研究还难以明确单个油层组内生物扰动层厚度和扰动指数变化的主控因素。该项研究加深了对陆相浅水扇三角洲前缘沉积环境遗迹化石组成和生物扰动指数变化特征的认识。     

基于神经网络模型的生物扰动碳酸盐岩储集层识别与孔隙度预测——以塔里木盆地塔河油田奥陶系生物扰动碳酸盐岩储集层为例

塔里木盆地塔河油田奥陶系生物扰动碳酸盐岩储集层非常发育,但利用常规测井数据识别生物扰动储集层发育段和准确预测孔隙度难度较大。本文在对研究区16口取芯井奥陶系岩芯上生物扰动区域扰动等级划分的基础上,通过岩性标定测井,优选常规测井参数,基于BP神经网络模型分别建立了适合研究区生物扰动碳酸盐岩储集层识别和孔隙度预测的模型,并对建立的模型进行了有效性检验。结果表明：① 选择自然电位、自然伽马、井径、深侧向电阻率、浅侧向电阻率、补偿中子和密度等常规测井数据作为生物扰动碳酸盐岩储集层识别模型输入层的参数值,生物扰动指数（Bioturbation Index, BI）作为输出结果;选取rprop、sigmoid symmetric和sigmoid stepwise函数分别作为训练函数、隐含层和输出层的激活函数,建立节点数为3、层数为3的神经网络识别模型,识别效果好,适用于研究区奥陶系生物扰动碳酸盐岩储集层的识别。② 选择自然电位、自然伽马、井径、声波、补偿中子和密度值等常规测井数据作为输入层的参数值,对应深度上岩芯柱塞孔隙度测试结果和利用孔隙度样品检验模型计算得出的孔隙度结果作为输出结果,选取incremental、gaussian和sigmoid分别作为训练函数、隐含层和输出层的激活函数,建立节点数为4,层数为3的生物扰动碳酸盐岩储集层孔隙度预测模型,预测效果良好,适用于研究区奥陶系生物扰动储集层孔隙度的预测。该研究对定量表征研究区生物扰动储层特性、储量估算、油藏描述和储层地质建模等具有重要的借鉴意义。     

黔中息烽磷矿床成矿环境、成矿作用及成矿模式探讨*

息烽磷矿是贵州地区震旦纪陡山沱期磷矿的重要组成部分,以矿层厚、品位高、断裂构造发育、叠层石丰富而独具特色。通过对矿床地质特征及矿床地球化学特征综合研究认为,从陡山沱组底到顶气候经历温湿—干热—湿热变化,海平面对应经历了海进—海退—海进,其内的磷块岩和磷质岩是在热水沉积作用、生物作用和正常海水沉积作用等共同作用下形成于前滨—临滨环境。综合以上,反演息烽陡山沱期成矿过程,发现矿床经历了“海进—海退—海进”三阶段成矿,在陡山沱早期海进阶段形成下矿层,随后的海退阶段和海进阶段形成上矿层。空间上,2矿层之间夹白云岩,且交于靠黔中古陆一侧,当第2次海进越过第1次海进的前滨—临滨位置后,只形成上矿层,是开阳、息烽磷矿床1层矿体形成的对应部位。瓮福磷矿床有2层矿体,对应处于经历了“三阶段成矿”的前滨—临滨部位,且瓮福磷矿成矿时的位置高程明显低于息烽磷矿、息烽磷矿略低于开阳磷矿,通过岩性特征对比,与实际基本吻合。因此,在对陡山沱期的磷矿进行成矿预测和找矿勘查中,与息烽磷矿床相似的黔中及附近区域的动态前滨—临滨环境,均为磷矿床的找矿靶区,利用“三阶段成矿”形成相交的2矿层特点,可高效对已知矿床、矿化点和前滨—临滨带周围进行成矿预测。