Cretaceous continental margin evolution revealed using quantitative seismic geomorphology,offshore northwest Africa

The application of high‐resolution seismic geomorphology, integrated with lithological data from the continental margin offshore The Gambia, northwest Africa, documents a complex tectono‐stratigraphic history through the Cretaceous. This reveals the spatial‐temporal evolution of submarine canyons by quantifying the related basin depositional elements and providing an estimate of intra‐ versus extra‐basinal sediment budget. The margin developed from the Jurassic to Aptian as a carbonate escarpment. Followed by, an Albian‐aged wave‐dominated delta system that prograded to the palaeo‐shelf edge. This is the first major delivery of siliciclastic sediment into the basin during the evolution of the continental margin, with increased sediment input linked to exhumation events of the hinterland. Subaqueous channel systems (up to 320 m wide) meandered through the pro‐delta region reaching the palaeo‐shelf edge, where it is postulated they initiated early submarine canyonisation of the margin. The canyonisation was long‐lived (ca. 28 Myr) dissecting the inherited seascape topography. Thirteen submarine canyons can be mapped, associated with a Late Cretaceous‐aged regional composite unconformity (RCU), classified as shelf incised or slope confined. Major knickpoints within the canyons and the sharp inflection point along the margin are controlled by the lithological contrast between carbonate and siliciclastic subcrop lithologies. Analysis of the base‐of‐slope deposits at the terminus of the canyons identifies two end‐member lobe styles, debris‐rich and debris‐poor, reflecting the amount of carbonate detritus eroded and redeposited from the escarpment margin (blocks up to ca. 1 km³). The vast majority of canyon‐derived sediment (97%) in the base‐of‐slope is interpreted as locally derived intra‐basinal material. The average volume of sediment bypassed through shelf‐incised canyons is an order of magnitude higher than the slope‐confined systems. These results document a complex mixed‐margin evolution, with seascape evolution, sedimentation style and volume controlled by shelf‐margin collapse, far‐field tectonic activity and the effects of hinterland rejuvenation of the siliciclastic source.     

Sediment dispersal and redistributive processes in axial and transverse deep‐time source‐to‐sink systems of marine rift basins: Dampier Sub‐basin,Northwest Shelf,Australia

Morphological scaling relationships between source‐to‐sink segments have been widely explored in modern settings, however, deep‐time systems remain difficult to assess due to limited preservation of drainage basins and difficulty in quantifying complex processes that impact sediment dispersals. Integration of core, well‐logs and 3‐D seismic data across the Dampier Sub‐basin, Northwest Shelf of Australia, enables a complete deep‐time source‐to‐sink study from the footwall (Rankin Platform) catchment to the hanging wall (Kendrew Trough) depositional systems in a Jurassic late syn‐rift succession. Hydrological analysis identifies 24 drainage basins on the J50.0 (Tithonian) erosional surface, which are delimited into six drainage domains confined by NNE‐SSW trending grabens and their horsts, with drainage domain areas ranging between 29 and 156 km². Drainage outlets of these drainage domains are well preserved along the Rankin Fault System scarp, with cross‐sectional areas ranging from 0.08 to 0.31 km². Corresponding to the six drainage domains, sedimentological and geomorphological analysis identifies six transverse submarine fan complexes developing in the Kendrew Trough, ranging in areas from 43 to 193 km². Seismic geomorphological analysis reveals over 90‐km‐long, slightly sinuous axial turbidity channels, developing in the lower topography of the Kendrew Trough which erodes toe parts of transverse submarine fan complexes. Positive scaling relationships exist between drainage outlet spacing and drainage basin length, and drainage outlet cross‐sectional area and drainage basin area, which indicates the geometry of drainage outlets can provide important constraints on source area dimensions in deep‐time source‐to‐sink studies. The broadly negative bias of fan area to drainage basin area ratios indicates net sediment losses in submarine fan complexes caused by axial turbidity current erosion. Source‐to‐sink sediment balance studies must be done with full evaluating of adjacent source‐to‐sink systems to delineate fans and their associated up‐dip drainages, to achieve an accurate tectonic and sedimentologic picture of deep‐time basins.     

基于DEM的地球与火星格状沙丘对比分析

沙丘是柴达木盆地可类比火星的重要地貌类型,沙丘形态是类火星风沙地貌研究的重要内容。基于数字地形分析（DTA）的方法,采用高程、坡度、坡向及地表复杂程度4个地形计量学指标对火星（北极地区）和地球（柴达木盆地）格状沙丘的地貌形态特征进行定量对比分析。结果表明：（1）两个研究区的高程剖面、坡度、坡向的地理学空间分布格局具有较大相似性;（2）高程、高程梯度、坡度和坡向的直方图相似度指数均大于0.7;（3）不同尺度上的分形维数近似相等,即地表复杂程度相似。用数字地形分析与直方图相似度指数结合的方法,定量或半定量地分析两个研究区沙丘地貌形态的相似性,这对类火星风沙地貌研究中科学选择试验点是一种新的尝试,以期为反演火星风沙地貌的形成与演化提供科学依据。     

Biogeomorphic Relationships and Riparian Vegetation Changes Along Altered Ephemeral Stream Channels: Florence to Marana,Arizona

This study examines riparian vegetation cover changes along ephemeral channels due to the emplacement of the Central Arizona Project (CAP) canal. Two research questions examined are the following: (1) How has riparian vegetation changed over the course of twenty-eight years due to altered flow conditions? (2) How has channel morphology affected changes in vegetation cover? Five Landsat TM images acquired in 1982, 1989, 1996, 2003, and 2010 were classified. The average change of vegetation cover per 0.5-km section over the twenty-eight-year period is approximately 100,436 m² over 25.5-km length of the canal on the upstream section. In addition, the total amount of vegetation cover increase in the twenty-eight years over the 25.5-km length of the canal is approximately 5,122,239 m². Larger streams experienced a greater increase in vegetation cover upslope than smaller streams. In addition, streams of similar width dimensions that were completely closed off resulted in greater vegetation cover than streams that were semiconnected. A significant relationship between changes in vegetation green-up and channel widths was examined. Results from this study suggest that there is a quasi-linear relationship between channel widths and increases in vegetation cover for altered and impounded channels due to the presence of the CAP canal.     

不同海岸地貌背景下的南海周边岸带35年建设用地扩张分析

通过提取1975年与2010年左右南海海岸带建设用地信息,并对南海海岸带区域进行地貌分区,分析了不同类型海岸带35年建设用地扩张空间格局.结果表明:① 华南大陆和马来半岛建设用地扩张普遍快,中南半岛扩张程度中等,苏门答腊岛,加里曼丹岛和菲律宾群岛除马尼拉湾外普遍扩张程度慢.② 不同海岸地貌因自然资源条件,开发难易程度,腹地大小不同,其建设用地扩张程度差异显著.三角洲平原岸和河口平原岸因水运条件好,腹地广,建设用地扩张普遍显著,台地岸和沙坝--潟湖平原岸因适宜建中小型港口,扩张较为显著,海湾平原岸与山地岸则因平原面积小,开发潜力有限,建设用地扩张普遍不大,平直沙堤平原岸因腹地小,水运不发达而扩张甚微.③ 不同类型海岸带开发模式各异.三角洲平原岸和河口平原岸建设用地空间形态多样化,山地岸,台地岸,海湾平原岸以团块状或条带状为主,沙坝--潟湖平原岸以团块状与星状为主,平直沙堤平原岸多呈条带状,线状或点状分布.     

The influence of topographic variables on treeline trees under different environmental conditions

Aiming to analyze the site conditions of treeline trees at the highest elevations, we investigated 360 km of treelines in the Upper Valtellina, Italian Alps. We analyzed approximately five trees per km and determined the environmental factors limiting treeline elevation by distinguishing between geomorphologic constraints (mean elevation 2355 m), climatic constraints (2530 m), and human impacts (2335 m). Up to 82% of the 1814 analyzed treeline trees were influenced by geomorphological constraints, whereas human impacts influenced only 3% of the trees. Climatic treelines (15% of trees) were most common in the western sector. Moreover we analyzed the frequency distributions of elevation, slope, and aspect. Elevation was the most important variable that was also strongly associated with climatic treelines. The slope variable was more strongly associated with treelines limited by geomorphology than by climate. By reconstructing the altitudinal dynamics at the Mt. Confinale study site, we found rates of an ongoing treeline upward shift of up to 2.6 m/y in the period 2000–2009. Our results indicate that climatic conditions related to the ongoing air temperature rise in this region will likely enhance the treeline shift, especially at high elevations (>2400 m a.s.l.) and on non-extreme slopes (<45°).     

王乃樑先生对中国地貌学发展的主要贡献

王乃樑先生是中国著名的地貌学家。20世纪40年代至90年代初期,先后在清华大学和北京大学任教。他对中国黄土高原、华北、东北、西北、四川、湖北和广西等广大地区进行了地貌和新生代沉积研究,在新生代沉积与地貌演化历史、新构造活动与构造地貌学、地貌学与沉积学基本理论与方法等诸多领域取得了一系列创新性的成果。在地貌学学科建设、人才培养、科学研究和国内外学术交流诸方面,为中国地貌学的发展做出了卓越贡献。     

Understanding the Interactions between Climate Change, Landscape Evolution, Surface Processes and Tectonics in the Earth System: What Can the Studies of Chinese Deserts Contribute?

Due to large deserts on Earth surface a thorough understanding of climate change, landscape evolution and geomorphological processes having occurred in deserts is crucial for Earth System Science. The landscapes in deserts are, however, diverse and different over the globe with regard to their geomorphological nature, human activities and geological histories. In the last decades a great number of efforts have been put to the investigation of the initial timing of the occurrence of arid climate, e. g. in northwestern China. Silty sediments in the downwind directions have been used to deduce the histories of deserts. In general, there is a lack of knowledge about processes and landscapes in Chinese drylands between the initial Miocene silt sedimentation at desert margins and the late Quaternary multiple occurrences of wetter climate with assumed large lakes in many of the deserts in northern China. The geomorphological concept of three primary triggering factors, i.e., the sediment supply, sediment availability and transport capacity of wind, and additionally the underground geology need to be fully considered for a better understanding of the environmental histories of sand seas which should not be viewed as equivalent for deserts because sand seas cover between < 1% and ca. 45% of the desert areas in various continents dependent on a complex interaction between various processes of both exogenous and endogenous origins.     

Spatio-temporal variation of stable isotopes of river waters, water source identification and water security in the Heishui Valley (China) during the dry-season

Spatial variations of δD and δ¹⁸O among seven tributaries and their water sources were investigated in the Heishui Valley of the Yangtze River, China during the dry-season in 2004. A one-way ANOVA (analysis of variation) test showed that both δD (p?18O (p?=?0.045) spatially varied among the seven tributaries. The plot of δ¹⁸O versus δD for the river water collected at different locations showed that isotopic fractionation occurred during the snow and glacial melting process. The depleted δ¹⁸O and δD in the tributary waters distributed above the local meteoric water line (LMWL) suggested that the glacial and early snowpack meltwater largely recharged these streams during the early spring. The meltwater was isotopically distinguishable from the precipitation and river water, which had been evaporated during warmer and drier times. If glaciers and snow accumulation diminish with future climate warming, the recharge of these tributaries’ baseflow will decline and the security of the water resource in this watershed will be threatened.     

Under-ice mountains

The morphological structure of mountains forming under conditions of extensive continental and mountain glaciation is described. They are characterized by a general hummocky profile with alternating dome-shaped summits, steps, valley-shaped depressions, and microrelief represented by roche moutonées, greywethers, and nunataks with isolated peaks in the form of high cones and prisms. The under-ice mountains are represented by a step morphological landscape with glacial steps and leveling surfaces. The step pattern of their morphological landscape is assumed to be related to successive layering of ice according to its movement velocity and the formation of a jet current against the background of general dominant displacements of ice masses. This makes under-ice mountains morphologically similar to medium-height and low mountainous relief of the temperate humid belt in the Northern Hemisphere with dominant landslides on their slopes.