Late Quaternary systematic stream offsets caused by repeated large seismic events along the Kunlun fault, northern Tibet

The Kunlun fault is one of the largest strike-slip faults in northern Tibet, China. In this paper, we focus upon the Kusai Lake–Kunlun Pass segment of the fault to understand the geomorphic development of offset streams caused by repeated large seismic events, based on tectono-geomorphic analysis of high-resolution satellite remote sensing images combined with field studies. The results indicate that systematic left-lateral stream offsets appear at various scales across the fault zone: Lateral offsets of small gullies caused by the 2001 M_w 7.8 Kunlun earthquake vary typically from 3 m to 6 m, meanwhile streams with cumulative offsets of 10 m, 25–30 m, 50–70 m, 250–300 m and 750–1400 m have resulted from repeated large seismic events during the late Quaternary. An average slip rate of 10 ± 1 mm/year has been estimated from the lateral stream offsets and ¹⁴C ages of alluvial fan surfaces incised by the streams. A three-dimensional model showing tectono-geomorphic features along a left-lateral strike-slip fault is also presented. The Kusai Lake–Kunlun Pass segment provides an opportunity to understand the relationship between geomorphic features produced by individual large seismic events and long-term geomorphic development caused by repeated large seismic events along a major strike-slip fault.     

Impacts of groundwater flow on the evolution of a thermokarst lake in the permafrost–dominated region on the Qinghai–Tibet plateau

As a result of global warming induced permafrost degradation in recent decades, thermokarst lakes in the Qinghai–Tibet plateau (QTP) have been regulating local hydrological and ecological processes. Simulations with coupled moisture–heat numerical models in the Beiluhe basin (located in the hinterland of permafrost regions on the QTP) have provided insights into the interaction between groundwater flow and the freeze–thaw process. A total of 30 modified SUTRA scenarios were established to examine the effects of hydrodynamic forces, permeability, and climate on thermokarst lakes. The results indicate that the hydrodynamic condition variables regulate the permafrost degradation around the lakes. In case groundwater recharges to the lake, a low–temperature groundwater flow stimulates the expansion of the surrounding thawing regions through thermal convection. The thawing rate of the permafrost underlying the lake intensifies when groundwater is discharged from the lake. Under different permeability conditions, spatiotemporal variations in the active layer thickness significantly influence the occurrence of an open talik at the lake bottom. A warmer and wetter climate will inevitably lead to a sharp decrease in the upper limit of the surrounding permafrost, with a continual decrease in the duration of open talik events. Overall, our results underscore that comprehensive consideration of the relevant hydrologic processes is critical for improving the understanding of environmental and ecological changes in cold environments.     

A late Early Pleistocene pollen record from Fontana Ranuccio (central Italy)

A pollen record from a sediment core drilled underneath the Acheulian site of Fontana Ranuccio provides new data on the vegetation characters in central Italy during the late Early Pleistocene, in a forest phase possibly corresponding to a substage of Marine Isotope Stage 21. A number of tree taxa nowadays extinct in Europe (Cathaya, Tsuga, Taxodium type, Carya and Pterocarya) are present at Fontana Ranuccio in a temperate phase characterised by dense forest conditions, dominated by Alnus and Pterocarya. The comparison of the Fontana Ranuccio record with other dated sites distributed along the Italian peninsula indicates that the floristic and vegetational characters of the Mid Pleistocene revolution present a rather distinct succession of biostratigraphic events. Compared to other Early Pleistocene pollen records from southern Europe, the Italian Peninsula shows greater floristic similarities with the Eastern Mediterranean regions than with the Iberian Peninsula. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Late Triassic E-MORB-like basalts associated with porphyry Cu-deposits in the southern Yidun continental arc,eastern Tibet: Evidence of slab-tear during subduction?

It is generally believed that andesite–dacite–rhyolite suites and contemporary porphyry Cu deposits are related to subduction in active continental margin settings. However, it is still unclear which tectonic events result in the generation of porphyry Cu deposits and whether asthenospheric mantle material is involved in this process. Widespread andesitic–dacitic felsic intrusions associated with porphyry Cu deposits and rarer basalts have been identified in the Late Triassic southern Yidun arc (SYA) of eastern Tibet. However, few geochronological and geochemical data are available for these basalts, thereby hampering the development of geodynamic models for this magmatic event and the formation of related porphyry Cu deposits in the region. Here we present the first geochemical and SIMS (secondary ion mass spectrometry) zircon U–Pb data of Xiaxiaoliu basalts in the SYA. The age of the Late Triassic Xiaxiaoliu basalts (216.1 ± 2.8 Ma) is consistent with the timing of emplacement of voluminous porphyritic intrusions and the formation of Cu deposits within the SYA (peaking at 215–217 Ma). The Xiaxiaoliu basalts have E-MORB-like trace element patterns that are free of negative Nb–Ta anomalies, and have high ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd_(t) values, suggesting they were sourced from asthenospheric mantle without any arc-type influence. These observations, combined with the fact that some Late Triassic mineralized porphyritic intrusions within the SYA have adakitic affinities, suggest that the basalts and other igneous rocks and associated porphyry Cu deposits within the SYA were produced by tearing of a westward-dipping slab, triggering the upwelling of asthenospheric mantle material during subduction of the Garze–Litang Ocean crust.     

Early‐middle Holocene land snail shell stable isotope record from Grotta di Latronico 3 (southern Italy)

This paper compares stable isotope (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) records of early–middle Holocene land snail shells from the archaeological deposits of Grotta di Latronico 3 (LTR3; southern Italy) with modern shell isotopic data. No substantial interspecific variability was observed in shell δ¹⁸O (δ¹⁸Os) of modern specimens (Pomatias elegans, Cornu aspersum, Eobania vermiculata, Helix ligata and Marmorana fuscolabiata). In contrast, interspecific shell δ¹³C (δ¹³Cs) variability was significant, probably due to different feeding behaviour among species. The δ¹⁸Os values of living land snails suggest that species hibernate for a long period during colder months, so that the signal of ¹⁸O‐depleted winter rainfall in their δ¹⁸Os is lost. This suggests that δ¹⁸Os and δ¹³Cs values of Pomatias elegans from this archaeological succession provide valuable clues for seasonal (spring–autumn) climatic conditions during the early–middle Holocene. The δ¹⁸Os values of fossil specimens are significantly lower than in modern shells and in agreement with other palaeoclimatic records, suggesting a substantial increase of precipitation and/or persistent changes in air mass source trajectories over this region between ca. 8.8 cal ka BP and 6.2–6.7 ka ago. The δ¹³Cs trend suggests a transition from a slightly ¹³C‐enriched to a ¹³C‐depleted diet between early and middle Holocene compared to present conditions. We postulate that this δ¹³Cs trend might reflect changes in the C3 vegetation community, potentially combined with other environmental factors such as regional moisture increase and the progressive decrease of atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

西藏拿若铜(金)矿床隐爆角砾岩流体包裹体研究

隐爆角砾岩是西藏拿若矿床的重要组成部分,赋存厚大的铜矿体。笔者将隐爆角砾岩中流体分成两个主要期次,并对这两期流体开展包裹体研究。通过包裹体岩相学和显微测温认为:角砾中的石英(早期)包裹体形状均匀呈椭圆形,大小主要在2~5μm;胶结物中石英(晚期)包裹体形状可见椭圆状、长条状和近方形,大小主要在2~7μm。早期流体的包裹体可分为两个阶段,均一温度分别为早阶段280~368℃和晚阶段208~305℃,盐度分布为(4.65~12.73)%Na Cleq。晚期流体的包裹体同样可分为两个阶段,其均一温度分别为早阶段309~588℃和晚阶段232~335℃,盐度变化为(3.55~12.51)%Na Cleq,两个阶段的流体分别属于高温、中低盐度和中高温、中低盐度流体。L-V型包裹体激光拉曼分析显示:包裹体中气泡成分主要为气态H2O和少量CO2。拿若矿床至少经历两次隐爆作用,由晚期沸腾热液引起,并未成矿。成矿作用发生于隐爆角砾岩形成之后。     

西藏班公湖-怒江缝合带西段特提斯洋晚二叠世(Ca.252Ma)洋内俯冲的地球化学和年代学证据

多龙蛇绿混杂岩是班公湖-怒江蛇绿岩带的重要组成部分,位于西藏阿里地区改则县北西约120 km的多龙矿集区内,大地构造位置处于班公湖-怒江缝合带中西段,南羌塘板块南缘。多龙蛇绿混杂岩主要分布在多龙矿区中部及东北部。矿区中部蛇绿岩主要由辉长岩、辉绿(玢)岩、枕状玄武岩、气孔杏仁状玄武岩、玄武质岩屑凝灰岩及硅质岩等组成,东西向延伸约35 km,南北宽3~7 km,出露面积约180 km2;该蛇绿岩残片的组成单元(包括基性岩单元以及硅质岩单元等)多被构造肢解,整体表现为不规则透镜体,以构造岩片的形式断续分布于侏罗系次深海陆棚-盆地斜坡复陆碎屑岩-类复理石建造内的断层带中,构成典型的网结状构造。矿区东北部蛇绿岩主要由含铁斜方辉石橄榄蛇纹岩、玻基玄武岩、碳酸盐化角闪辉长岩、微纹层状硅质岩等组成,该蛇绿混杂岩带沿北西-南东向断裂展布,延伸约12 km,宽1~3 km,出露面积约30 km2;该蛇绿岩残片组成单元(包括超基性岩单元、基性岩单元以及硅质岩单元等)均呈构造岩片的形式产出在三叠系灰岩地层内的断层带中。     

西藏夏季降水的季节内变化特征及其影响系统

利用西藏地区1980-2013年夏季降水量资料、NCEP再分析资料等,分析了西藏地区夏季降水主模态季节内变化特征,尤其是盛夏7和8月降水异常对应的大尺度环流特征和影响系统。结果表明:西藏夏季降水存在明显的季节内变化,6和7月降水主模态的时间系数变化具有较好的持续性,而7和8月降水主模态的时间系数的相关关系明显减弱。西藏地区7和8月降水偏多年,西藏地区上游低层纬向风场均呈西风异常,但是水汽来源有差异;同时欧亚中高纬地区对流层中高层环流存在显著差异。西藏7月降水与南亚高压强度存在显著负相关关系,南亚高压偏强/弱时,降水偏少/多。西藏8月降水与南亚高压的位置关系更密切,南亚高压偏南/北,降水偏多/少。     

武汉中心城区热岛效应模拟

针对传统的模拟热环境时空演变模型欠缺可推广性,该文提出运用CA-Markov模型研究热环境变化趋势,既能有效模拟元胞时空格局变化,又能提高元胞转化预测精度,经验证Kappa指数为73.46%,具有较高的可信度。基于CA-Markov模型模拟的武汉中心城区热环境表明:2009—2018年低温区和次低温区呈现减少趋势,中温区显著增加,热岛略有增长,总体强度增大,热岛效应愈发明显;2009—2018年热岛演变呈西南-东北方向,有向西-东方向发展的趋势,热岛重心南偏西方向移动;2009—2018年热岛区域在景观水平上破碎度较高,热环境趋于复杂化。研究结果对武汉中心城区城市规划、生态环境改善等具有一定的参考价值。