Flat mantle reflectors in Eastern China: possible evidence of lithospheric thinning

Recent 24 s deep seismic reflection records revealed five flat reflectors in the lithospheric mantle in Eastern China. With increasing depth, they are named M1 to M5 and can be seen on both field single-shot and stacked records. Reflector M1 corresponds to the Moho discontinuity, whereas M5 may be the reflection from the bottom of the current lithosphere, which is about 78 km deep according to geothermal measurements. The other three reflectors seem peculiar and might result from interactions between the lithosphere and deeper mantle. Based on lithological and geochemical data, it is suggested that the lithosphere has been thinned from about 150 km to about 60 km in the Late Mesozoic, and then has been thickened to about 78 km during the Cenozoic. The thinning process produced a granulite layer in the old lower crust caused by magmatic underplating, whereas an eclogite layer formed beneath owing to the subduction of the Paleo-Tethys and Yangtze Craton during the Permian and Early Mesozoic. Reflector M2 at about 12 s two-way traveltime (TWT) might result from the Paleozoic Moho, which represents the boundary between the previous granulite and eclogite facies. Reflector M3 at about 14 s might correspond to the bottom of the eclogite layer, beneath which the old lithospheric mantle remained. The old and the newly developed mantle may have different compositions, resulting in reflector M4. The multi-layered mantle reflectors demonstrate a mantle structure that possibly correlates with the lithospheric thinning process that occurred in Eastern China during the Late Mesozoic. The discovery of multi-layered mantle reflectors in the studied areas indicates a high heterogeneity of the upper mantle. Reflection seismology with improved technology, together with velocity and resistivity imaging and rock-physics measurements, can provide more details of the heterogeneity and related dynamic processes that occurred in the lithospheric mantle.     

Confirmation of an Early Cretaceous age for the Qihulin Formation in eastern Heilongjiang Province, China: constraints from a new discovery of radiolarians

The coal-bearing, alternating marine and non-marine Longzhaogou Group in eastern Heilongjiang, northeastern China, has long been considered as Jurassic, or mainly Jurassic, in age. However, recent studies have demonstrated that the ammonites and dinoflagellate cysts are of Early Cretaceous age. This has now been confirmed by new radiolarian evidence. The radiolarian fauna recovered from the upper Qihulin Formation of the Longzhaogou Group consists of nine poorly preserved species referable to nine genera. Novixitus is a Cretaceous genus, and the specimens of Archaeodictyomitra sp. and Xitus sp. recovered resemble A. vulgaris Pessagno and X. spicularius (Aliev), respectively.     

Lipid distribution in a subtropical southern China stalagmite as a record of soil ecosystem response to paleoclimate change

Lipid extracts from a 61.7-cm-long subtropical stalagmite in southern China, spanning the period of ca. 10,000–21,000 yr ago as constrained by U–Th dating, were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The higher plants and microorganisms in the overlying soils contribute a proportion of n-alkanes identified in the stalagmite. The occurrence of LMW (lower molecular weight) n-alkanols and n-alkan-2-ones in the stalagmite was mainly related to the soil microorganisms. We suggest that HMW (higher molecular weight) n-alkanols and n-alkan-2-ones identified in the stalagmite originate from soil organics and reflect input from contemporary vegetation. Shifts in the ratio of LMW to HMW n-alkanols or n-alkan-2-ones indicative of the variation of soil ecosystems (e.g., microbial degradation of organic matter and/or the relative abundance of soil microorganisms to higher plants) are comparable with the subtropical alkenone-SST (sea surface temperature) record of the same period. The similar trends seen in the δ¹³C data and the lipid parameters in this stalagmite imply that the overlying soil ecosystem response to climate might be responsible for the variation of δ¹³C values.     

A late quaternary record of eolian silt deposition in a maar lake, St. Michael Island, western Alaska

Recent stratigraphic studies in central Alaska have yielded the unexpected finding that there is little evidence for full-glacial (late Wisconsin) loess deposition. Because the loess record of western Alaska is poorly exposed and not well known, we analyzed a core from Zagoskin Lake, a maar lake on St. Michael Island, to determine if a full-glacial eolian record could be found in that region. Particle size and geochemical data indicate that the mineral fraction of the lake sediments is not derived from the local basalt and is probably eolian. Silt deposition took place from at least the latter part of the mid-Wisconsin interstadial period through the Holocene, based on radiocarbon dating. Based on the locations of likely loess sources, eolian silt in western Alaska was probably deflated by northeasterly winds from glaciofluvial sediments. If last-glacial winds that deposited loess were indeed from the northeast, this reconstruction is in conflict with a model-derived reconstruction of paleowinds in Alaska. Mass accumulation rates in Zagoskin Lake were higher during the Pleistocene than during the Holocene. In addition, more eolian sediment is recorded in the lake sediments than as loess on the adjacent landscape. The thinner loess record on land may be due to the sparse, herb tundra vegetation that dominated the landscape in full-glacial time. Herb tundra would have been an inefficient loess trap compared to forest or even shrub tundra due to its low roughness height. The lack of abundant, full-glacial, eolian silt deposition in the loess stratigraphic record of central Alaska may be due, therefore, to a mimimal ability of the landscape to trap loess, rather than a lack of available eolian sediment.     

南海上层海洋热结构的年循环与半年循环

根据南海季风试验(SCSMEX)期间南海内区的三个ATLAS(Autonomous Temperature Line Acquisition System)锚碇浮标资料(1998年4月～1999年4月),采用谐波分析方法对南海上层海洋水温年循环、半年循环加以分离,发现无论在年循环还是在半年循环尺度上,18°N附近SCS1站与13°N附近SCS3站的水温变化次表层与表层呈反位相;15°20′N附近SCS2站水温变化基本上次表层与表层同位相.这说明不同区域上层海洋热变化受不同的正压与斜压模态控制.其次,SCS2、SCS3两点水温年循环振幅均在次表层达到极值;而SCS1在表层达到极大值,在100 m深度达到次极大值.3个站位水温半年循环振幅极值均出现在次表层内,这说明该层内的水温半年循环在温度变化趋势中所占的权重比在表层的权重大.     

西北地区东部春季土壤湿度变化的初步研究

利用中国西北地区东部 (包括宁夏、内蒙古西部以及甘肃、陕西两省 35°N以北地区 )农业气象站近 2 0年固定地段旬土壤湿度资料 ,对该地区春季土壤湿度的变化进行了初步分析。结果表明 ,中国西北地区东部土壤湿度的变化具有 3年左右的周期 ,而且 2 0世纪 90年代以来呈下降的趋势 ,这与该地区的降水和气温变化有关系 ;西北地区东部的土壤湿度变化对该地区群发性沙尘暴的爆发有一定影响     

华北汛期降水异常与100hPa高度场异常的关系

利用华北17站1951～2000年的逐月降水资料,与前期的100 hPa高度场(1958～1997年)求相关,找到了100 hPa高度场影响华北地区汛期降水的关键影响区为25°～35°N,85°～105°E,对应的关键影响时段为前一年3～5月.然后用SVD方法证实了前一年春季正是与华北汛期降水相关最显著的时段;而所选关键区正是处于一种范围更大的100 hPa高度场空间分布型的关键部位,而华北地区是关键区影响中国东部降水的最显著的区域之一.     

近50a东北地区夏季气温异常的时空变化特征

利用国家气候中心整编的1951—2000年中国160个站月平均气温资料，选出东北地区20个代表站，在分析东北气温季节一年际变化特征的基础之上，着重分析了东北夏季气温的年际、年代际变化的时空特征。发现：夏季气温20世纪50年代中期之前略偏高，50年代中期以后至70年代最低，80年代开始缓慢回升，90年代增暖程度加大，50a来有增暖的趋势；气温异常存在3a、4a、7a的年际周期和16a的年代际周期；东北地区夏季升温趋势与中国黄河以北地区是一致的，而与黄河以南-江南地区是反位相的，东北地区是我国夏季升温最显著的地区之一。     

奇异值分解和奇异交叉谱分析方法在华北夏季降水诊断中的应用

利用1965~2000年华北5省市及相邻省73个地面观测站逐月平均降水场及北半球500 hPa高度场、北太平洋海温场资料, 采用奇异值分解 (SVD)、奇异交叉谱 (SCSA) 分析方法, 将华北夏季降水场分别与1月北半球500 hPa高度场、冬季北太平洋海温场进行了诊断分析, 得出奇异向量分布型及相互作用的耦合周期信号。在对前4对奇异向量的分析中发现, 华北夏季降水全区域为正距平时与1月北半球500 hPa高度场PNA遥相关型关系非常密切。ENSO对华北夏季降水的影响确实存在, 但华北夏季降水全区域为正距平时与冬季北太平洋ENSO关系并不明显。同时还找出了华北降水与北半球500 hPa高度、北太平洋海温场相互作用的关键区。在华北各型降水与高度场、海温场关键区相互作用的耦合周期中, 前者以准2~7年振荡为主; 后者则周期较长, 最短周期仍为准2年振荡, 最长周期为准10~11年振荡。以上结论为进一步研究华北夏季降水短期气候预测方法, 提供了参考依据。     

中-吉-乌铁路(中国段)设计洪水的研究

根据中—吉—乌铁路(中国段)沿线近10个水文观测站40多年(建站一2000年)最大洪峰流量资料，对中—吉—乌铁路(中国段)最大洪峰流量设计值进行系统的研究。应用统计学导出的P—Ⅲ分布，预测了中—吉—乌铁路(中国段)最大洪峰流量不同概率设计值。这对于中—吉—乌铁路(中国段)工程设计和施工及未来铁路养护等具有重要的科学意义和工程价值。