Subglacial emplacement of tills and meltwater deposits at the base of overdeepened bedrock troughs

The sedimentary infills of subglacially eroded bedrock troughs in the Alps are underexplored archives for the timing, extent and character of Pleistocene glaciations but may contain excellent records of the Quaternary landscape evolution over several glacial–interglacial cycles. The onset of sedimentation in these bedrock troughs is often reflected by diamicts and gravels directly overlying bedrock in the deepest basin segments. Subglacial or proglacial depositional environments have been proposed for these coarse‐grained basal units but their characteristics and origin remain controversial. This article presents results from drill cores that recovered a coarse‐grained basal unit in a major buried bedrock‐trough system in the Lower Glatt Valley, northern Switzerland. The excellent core recovery allowed a detailed study combining macroscopic, microscopic and geochemical methods and gives unprecedented insights into the transition from erosion to deposition in overdeepened bedrock troughs. These results show that the basal infill comprises diamicts, interpreted as subglacial tills, separated by thin sorted interbeds, originating from subglacial cavity deposition. The stacking of these units is interpreted to represent repeated switching between a coupled and decoupled ice–bed‐interface indicating an ever‐transforming mosaic of subglacial bed conditions. Decoupling in response to high basal water pressures is probably promoted by the confined subglacial hydraulic conditions resulting from the bedrock acting as aquitards, the narrow reverse sloping outlet and a large catchment area. While stratigraphic and lithological evidence suggests that erosion and the onset of basal sedimentation occurred during the same glaciation, different scenarios for the relative timing of infilling in relation to formation and glaciation of the bedrock trough are discussed. Overlying deltaic and glaciolacustrine sediments suggest deposition during subsequent deglaciation of the bedrock trough. The basal sediment characteristics are in agreement with previous reports in hydrogeological and seismic exploration and suggest the occurrence of similar basal successions in other subglacially overdeepened basins in the Alps and elsewhere.     

Origin and significance of soft-sediment deformation in the Old Red Sandstone of central South Wales,UK

Vertically oriented water-escape cusps are the most common type of soft-sediment deformation structure in sandstone-rich intervals of the fluvial Brownstones and Senni Formations (Cosheston Subgroup, Daugleddau Group) of the Lower Old Red Sandstone in the central Brecon Beacons and eastern Black Mountains, South Wales. The structures are widely distributed and occur at several stratigraphical levels. They can be divided into two styles. (1) Small-scale (height less than a single bed), isolated water-escape cusps formed when loosely packed sediment deposited rapidly in flood events liquefied in advance of subsequent flood events or pulses, causing localised fluidization due to the escape of excess pore water. Inclined cusps higher in some beds confirm the relationship of this deformation style to active flood events. (2) Horizons of larger-scale (occupying the entire bed thickness), laterally continuous water-escape cusps and fold trains can be traced for hundreds of metres to kilometres and result from widespread liquefaction in response to earthquakes. A lack of overturning indicates that their formation did not coincide with active flow conditions. Further detailed mapping is needed to clarify the continuity and extent of such structures and their relationship to faults that may have been active during sedimentation. The occurrence of triggers capable of causing liquefaction in granular materials provides a greater control on the occurrence of soft-sediment deformation than do lithological controls such as grain size or interbedding of sandstone and mudstone. The findings are broadly consistent with interpretations of soft-sediment deformation in the Cosheston Subgroup in Pembrokeshire, SW Wales.     

A log‐normal spectral analysis of inorganic grain‐size distributions from a Canadian boreal lake core: Towards refining depositional process proxy data from high latitude lakes

Better methods for interpreting grain‐size spectra will enhance current understanding of past transport–depositional processes. A high‐resolution inorganic grain‐size dataset has been measured from a freeze core extracted from ‘Alberta Lake E’ a boreal fresh water lake 40 km east of the Athabasca Oil Sands in north‐eastern Alberta, Canada. The grain‐size spectra are remarkably consistent throughout the core, exhibiting a structure comprising six persistent grain‐size distributions below ca 250 μm, plus a rare medium‐sand distribution. Automated deconvolution of the grain‐size spectra produced poor results. Constraining the modes of two of the distributions produced deconvolution solutions that were statistically excellent and consistent with the structure of each spectrum. Statistical analysis of the ‘constrained’ solutions indicates that deconvolution successfully extracted independent grain‐size populations. Conversely, the multimodal spectra generate traditional measures (for example, mean grain size) that are inconsistent combinations of different individual populations and thus are poor proxies of transport–depositional processes. Alberta Lake E is situated in a boreal wetland landscape where sediment delivery is dominated by overland flow transport during spring melt. This context means that the Alberta Lake E grain‐size spectra can be interpreted to reflect: (i) a bedload component transported during short‐duration high discharge events that reflect the intensity of the melt; and (ii) a finer suspended load component representing material whose magnitude is controlled by the volume of the spring melt. Stratigraphically, bedload and suspended load populations demonstrate different short‐wavelength and long‐wavelength cyclicity, suggesting that spring melt is likely to be driven by cyclic external forcing factors. The links between the grain‐size spectra and spring melt have potential for generating proxy records that better capture the external controls over spring melt in boreal systems and the risks associated with these energetic hydrodynamics. This is exemplified by the coarsest Alberta Lake E distributions, which indicate that more intense spring‐melt dynamics occurred in pre‐historical times.     

能源盆地沉积学及其前沿科学问题

赋存油、气、煤和（或）铀能源矿产的沉积盆地,称为能源盆地。沉积作用及建造是影响油气煤铀同盆共存、成藏及分布的重要因素和物质基础。能源等沉积矿产及其形成,是沉积学的重要组成部分。通过讨论能源盆地沉积建造与油气煤铀赋存成藏及分布的内在联系,提出成煤建造在盆地演化和空间分布上,总体处于成油气建造和成铀建造的过渡、衔接部位和承前启后的演化阶段。并探讨了厚煤层的初始成煤物质来源与成因,蚀源区物源对盆地沉积建造、油气储层和铀成矿的重要影响。分析认为当前存在重先进技术观测测试,轻露头区精细剖析的倾向;对后期改造的影响程度和原盆古沉积面貌恢复的水平尚需重视和提高。能源盆地沉积学内涵的自然外延领域广阔,与之相关的前沿科学问题颇多。应将沉积学置于盆地形成演化和改造的时空过程中,兼顾地球环境和生物演变进程,进行整体、动态、综合研究。重点讨论了其中部分相关前沿科学问题,如:沉积盆地动力学、地球环境及生命演变对沉积和成矿作用的影响、有机与无机相互作用对能源矿产形成的影响、事件沉积学及深部作用与成矿作用的关联、能源矿产空间分区性及偏富极形成的沉积学环境、沉积建造和沉积矿产年代学等。     

铀矿沉积学研究与发展

随着铀矿床尤其是砂岩型铀矿勘探和开发的迅速发展,砂岩型铀矿沉积学的概念应运而生。铀矿沉积学是研究沉积盆地形成演化过程中铀的成矿作用、形成环境、含铀岩（层）系特征,以及沉积作用控制下铀的富集机理和分布规律的学科。它综合了铀矿地质学、盆地分析等学科的内容,具有较明显的学科交叉特点。砂岩型铀矿沉积学是铀矿沉积学最典型的代表,它以盆地分析、砂岩型铀矿地质学为重要理论平台,结合沉积学技术方法,具体研究砂岩型铀矿形成的物质来源、成岩作用与铀的预富集、沉积物的结构构造与渗透性、沉积体系与含铀岩系分析、流体作用与后期改造、层序地层与铀的空间分布、铀富集因素与沉积和古气候环境,沉积作用因素与砂岩型铀矿预测,以及管理信息化的三维可视化建模等。以新疆伊犁盆地、吐哈盆地、鄂尔多斯盆地北部等地区代表性砂岩铀矿为实例,从铀矿聚集与沉积物形成—演化过程、沉积物特征及沉积体系分析与铀矿聚集、层序地层学与铀聚集作用等方面分析了铀矿沉积学研究的最新进展和认识。同时对铀矿沉积学的发展趋势进行了展望:认为砂岩铀矿“大规模成矿作用”和铀的“超常富集”关键地质环境、含铀岩系沉积与铀的空间分布、多种高新分析测试技术的应用等方面将是铀矿沉积学未来研究和发展的重点。由于铀矿沉积学与人类生存环境关系的重要性,并且其涉及沉积学学科的方方面面,因此有理由相信,铀矿沉积学未来可能作为沉积学的一个独立分支学科将得到更好的研究和发展。     

河流沉积学研究热点与进展--第11届国际河流沉积学大会综述

第11届国际河流沉积学大会于2017年7月17日-21日在加拿大卡尔加里大学举行,每四年举行一次的国际河流沉积学学术会议,吸引了当今北美、欧洲、澳洲及亚洲从事河流沉积学及相关学科研究的众多知名学者参会,研究成果充分体现了当前国际河流沉积学研究取得的重要进展和发展方向。重要进展有:1）河流动力学及其变化过程研究。其中包括将今论古法论现代河流沉积过程与古老地层对比,河道-洪泛平原体系的越岸复合沉积动力学,河流动力学与变化过程研究展望,恢复河道迁移过程:新一代平面图演化模式的讨论,冲积河流和基岩河流的湍流、颗粒间作用和沉积作用;2）陆缘河流。包括河流入海处的地貌动力学与沉积学,河流补给边缘的沉积物搬运、地貌和地层特征,干旱地区河流、冲积扇体系与风的相互作用,植被生长前、无植物生长、或是植被发育区河流的沉积过程研究;3）河流沉积地层及其地下资源。包括源-汇系统,"河流相模式"是否有用的讨论,辫状河、网状河、曲流河概念的厘定等;4）河流地貌变化。包括气候改变、泥泞植被洪泛平原等对河流沉积物通量、河流模式等产生影响,河道中冲积岛屿的演化和稳定河流的蛇曲化,河流环境中沉积物生物作用等。基于上述资料分析,认为河流演化过程从定性向定量化研究,物理模拟与数值模拟技术是河流沉积学研究不可或缺的手段,应用定量建模、数学计算等方法进行精准研究,碎屑锆石U-Pb定年技术是新一代从源到汇研究的重要工具等诸多方面,是我国学者应该重视并开展研究的方向。     

从端点走向连续:河流沉积模式研究进展述评

从河道类型的划分、河床演变与河型转换、河道沉积与河流砂体的建筑结构要素、河漫滩沉积、季节性河流与分支河流体系、河流沉积相模式、河流沉积学研究技术与方法等方面对国内外河流沉积模式的研究进展进行了综述,认为近十年来河流沉积学的理论和方法都发生了重要的变化。地貌学家、沉积学家和工程师认识到河道形态是连续可变的,而不是只有4~40多个端点类型。河床的演变受河床比降、流量变幅、河岸沉积物粒度构成、气候、植被以及构造沉降速率等多方面的影响。垂向剖面分析法难以对古河流类型做出正确的判断,运用建筑结构要素分析法重建河道内大型底形的地貌形态是河型判别和河流相模式重建的正确方法。河漫滩是河流沉积事件记录最为齐全的部位,对河漫滩、天然堤和泛滥平原沉积层序的研究能够揭示更多古河流沉积过程以及古环境、古气候和古生物方面的信息。对季节性河流、受季风强烈影响地区的河流、以及不同气候带河流所发育的独特沉积构造和建筑结构要素的研究不断增加。分支河流体系的概念得到越来越多的应用,但也得到不少质疑。我国学者应当注重对现代河流地貌形态和沉积过程的观察,把河床演变学的定量方法与沉积学的观点、理论和资料相结合,利用露头、三维地震资料和探地雷达技术建立河流砂体内部建筑结构信息数据库,加强对古河流河漫滩和泛滥平原的沉积过程、特征及其控制因素的研究,加强对不同构造和气候条件下河流沉积的差异性研究,不断发展河流沉积学研究技术,加强河流沉积学实验室建设和研究队伍建设,加强国际交流与合作,使我国河流沉积学为国家经济社会发展提供更加有力和有效的支撑,为推动国际河流沉积学发展做出中国人自己的贡献。     

人类世生态地质学研究方法及应用研究

地质学家和社会学家广泛关注“人类世”这一新概念,但是,对于“人类世”的时间跨度仍然存在很大争议。在结合前人研究结果的基础上,对人类世提出了新的划分方法:认为人类世是一个以人类活动为主导因素的地质时期,要探讨人类世的生态与环境演化过程,就需要寻找一种有时间序列、分辨率高、分布范围广并且与生物活动紧密相关的沉积层。选取粪土层作为过去生态环境信息记录的新载体,运用多学科交叉的方法探索南极生态、气候和环境变化的问题,是南极无冰区生态地质学的理论基础。南极无冰区生态地质学是人类世生态地质学的组成部分,是沉积学与地球化学、考古学、生态学多学科交叉的结果,它的理论和方法已被成功地运用到北极和中国的南海地区,它应该放在全球的沉积学大平台上,开拓新的领域。并详细讨论了人类世生态地质学的研究方法及应用实例,对于了解人类世以来气候、环境和生态的变化及其与人类活动的关系具有重要意义。     

中晚全新世湘西莲花洞石笋旋回沉积速率变化及其古气候意义

石笋旋回沉积速率是按照石笋沉积旋回测年得到的沉积速率,是石笋沉积过程的重要参数和反演古气候变化的有效代用指标。旋回沉积速率的波动可能反应了地表温度和降雨量的变化,与夏季风强度存在关联。文章以湖南湘西莲花洞LH2石笋为材料,利用42个230Th年龄获得的石笋旋回沉积速率序列重建了8.6 ka BP以来湖南湘西地区温度和降雨雨量的变化历史: 8.6-4.2 ka BP期间,气候以高温多雨为特征,夏季风强,石笋生长率高,但气候并不稳定,存在一系列千年-百年尺度的波动;4.2-0.05 ka BP期间,气候整体偏冷干,旋回沉积速率偏低。总体上,在轨道尺度上,LH2石笋的旋回沉积速率与该石笋的δ18O值之间存在负相关关系。旋回沉积速率的重复性检验证明了旋回沉积速率古气候记录的有效性。石笋旋回沉积速率变化主要受北半球夏季太阳辐射量的控制和ITCZ的直接影响,在百年尺度上,旋回沉积速率的波动可能与中晚全新世的弱季风事件存在关联。      

落马洞暗河发育特征及其洪涝成因分析

根据区域岩溶发育史分析认为,湖北宣恩县落马洞暗河的形成总体上可分为两个阶段:第一阶段发生在白垩纪末至晚第三纪。在该阶段中,降水主要通过发育于卧西坪岩溶坡立谷地两侧的小型洼地、落水洞汇入地下管道,往卧西坪谷地排泄,在卧西坪一带形成一小型岩溶湖泊的同时,还在谷地西侧形成了下黑槽、铜锣坪、扁洞三个近东西向地下暗河系统。第二个阶段发生在晚第三纪至今。在这一期间,随着区域构造运动的振荡性抬升,岩溶侵蚀基准面不断下降,在谷地内形成了上、下黑槽、铜锣坪落水洞与卧西坪消水洞等垂向岩溶管道,贯通早期形成的东西向管道并袭夺卧西坪和铜锣坪一带的地表岩溶湖水,使得原分散的岩溶水系统通过南北向的主管道集中排泄,形成了多进口的树枝状复杂管道暗河系统。卧西坪岩溶坡立谷内常年遭受洪涝的原因主要是由于落马洞地下暗河形成年代较晚,管道规模较小,且洞内坍塌淤积严重,排水能力小。在此基础上,提出了加强流域水土流失管理、疏通河道和新建排水隧洞等治理措施与防治对策。