The effect of water on stress relaxation of faulted and unfaulted sandstone

A series of stress relaxation experiments have been carried out on faulted and intact Tennessee sandstone to explore the influence of pore water on strength at different strain rates. Temperatures employed were 20, 300 and 400°C, effective confining pressure was 1.5 kb and strain rates as low as 10^–10 sec^–1 were achieved. Most samples were prefaulted at 2.5 kb confining pressure and room temperature. This is thought to have secured a reproducible initial microstructure.The strength of the dry rock was almost totally insensitive to strain rate in the range 10^–4 to 10^–10 sec^–1. In contrast, the strength of the wet rock decreased rapidly with strain rate at rates less than 10^–6 sec^–1. Brittle fracture of the quartz grains which constitute this rock is the most characteristic mode of failure under the test conditions used.The experimental data are discussed in terms of the possible deformation rate controlling processes, and it is suggested that in the wet experiments at intermediate to high strain rates (10^–7 to 10^–4 sec^–1) the observed deformation rate is controlled by the kinetics of water assisted stress corrosion, whilst deformation at low strain rates (ca. 10^–9 sec^–1) is controlled by a pressure solution process.The results have implications for the rheology of fault rocks at depths of perhaps 10 to 15 km in sialic crust.     

Velocities of elastic waves andv P/v S ratios in dry and water-saturated rock samples at high pressure

Elastic wave velocities and the ratiov _P/v _S were studied for dry and initially saturated samples of carbonate and crystalline rocks at pressures to 2 kbar. In initially saturated samplesv _P increases in crystalline rock, whereas in sedimentary rock it may either increase or decrease with increasing pressure. Under the same conditionsv _S remains approximately constant in crystalline rocks and decreases in sedimentary samples. The ratiov _P/v _S as a function of pressure increases in dry rocks and decreases in saturated ones. Saturated samples always have higherv _P/v _S ratios than dry ones. It appears that the geometry of the pore space influences the acoustic properties of saturated crystalline rocks.     

Evolution of three unconformity‐bounded sandy carbonate successions in the McArthur River region of northern Australia: The Lawn,Wide and Doom Supersequences in a proximal part of the Isa Superbasin

Gamma‐ray curves from surface outcrops together with U–Pb SHRIMP zircon dating are used to redefine the evolution of a Palaeoproterozoic sandy dolostone succession from northern Australia. This case history indicates that gamma‐ray logging of surface sections should accompany lithostratigraphic logging or an inadequate interpretation of stratigraphic evolution is a likely outcome. The 1200 m‐thick Nathan Group from the McArthur River area had previously been interpreted as a more‐or‐less continuous package of carbonates deposited in lacustrine and associated shallow‐water environments. Now it is seen to comprise the preserved remnants of three truncated, second‐order supersequences—the Lawn, Wide and Doom Supersequences—each a few hundred metres thick and each deposited over a time period of a few million years. These supersequences are separated by major stratigraphic breaks each approaching probably 10 million years duration. Each supersequence comprises several third‐order sequences which themselves contain higher‐order cycles. These were deposited in a series of continental, shoreline, and inner to outer carbonate platform environments. Transgressive, high‐energy, fluvial to marginal marine, mixed clastic‐carbonate facies dominate most of the sequences. The middle, Wide Supersequence, however, preserves deeper water (mostly sub‐storm‐wave‐base) stromatolitic facies in one sequence, and storm‐reworked clastics in another. These are interpreted as condensed intervals deposited around their respective maximum flooding surfaces and are succeeded by regressive facies that probably represent highstand systems tracts. New correlations between these 1615–1575 Ma sandy carbonate successions of the McArthur Basin (Amos, Balbirini and Dungaminnie Formations) and time‐equivalent largely clastic successions in the Lawn Hill area (Lawn Hill and Doomadgee Formations), some 400 km to the southeast, are proposed.     

Reconstruction of protoliths of metamorphic rocks and tectonic setting of Wolegen Group

Parametamorphic rocks from Arong County in southeastern Inner Mongolia-Daxinganling district are regarded as Proterozoic in age,belonging to the Wolegen Group and composed of volcanoclastic and sandstone in origin,and have been disputed in tectonic setting.Because of the stability in metamorphism,the rare earth dements indicate the features of their protoliths.The authors integrated the petrologic methods with the geochemical parameters which include ∑REE,∑LREE/∑HREE,δCe,δEu,La/Yb,Sm/Nd,Th/Sc and the standard values of chondrite.The results show that the protoliths of Wolengen Group may be a group of voleanoclastic and continental margin elastic rocks,and their tectonic setting is the continent island arc.     

辽南早元古宙变质热液型金矿床成矿机理探讨

辽南早元古宙辽河群变质岩系中的金矿床为变质热液成因金矿床,矿床的形成与吕梁期变质变形作用关系密切。金矿化带的展布与金矿体的产出受韧性剪切带控制。剪切带内岩石具有明显的动态性组构特征,直接赋矿围岩为辽河群盖县组糜棱岩化千枚岩、变砂岩及云母石英糜棱岩等。韧性剪切带为含矿流体的运移提供通道。作者定义这类金矿床为变质热液型含金剪切带金矿床。     

Metallicity and kinematical clues to the formation of the Local Group

The kinematics and elemental abundances of resolved stars in the nearby Universe can be used to infer conditions at high redshift, trace how galaxies evolve and constrain the nature of dark matter. This approach is complementary to direct study of systems at high redshift, but I will show that analysis of individual stars allows one to break degeneracies, such as between star formation rate and stellar Initial Mass Function, that complicate the analysis of unresolved, distant galaxies (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

极震区岩体地震动力破坏研究体系框架浅析

极震区岩体地震动力破坏是造成极震区严重的地震地质灾害和次生灾害的根本原因。汶川地震中因此而导致的交通工程结构损坏、中断和次生崩滑流、堰塞湖等地质灾害,不仅加剧了灾害损失,并给震后的灾区恢复重建和对外交通遗留了较多的安全隐患。从岩体稳定、山体稳定和区域稳定的层次,分别对有关极震区岩体地震动力破坏的主要研究成果进行了系统总结,分析了其现状和存在的问题。结合对研究思路和方法论的讨论,构建了极震区岩体地震动力破坏研究的体系框架,提出了极震区岩体地震动力破坏研究的主要内容和方向,以期明晰概念,理清思路,为有关问题的深入研究提供有益的参考。     

云南东川新山含金剪切带型金矿

新山金矿属构造剪切带控制的典型金矿床,产于中元古界昆阳群美党组(Pt2m)中部变质石英砂板岩中。规模大、品位富、易采易选。矿区构造——含金剪切带与土壤地球化学金异常,是寻找该类金矿的重要标志。     

云南孟连芒信金矿成因探讨

芒信金矿脉状、透镜状、串球状金矿体,赋存于石炭系碳酸盐岩破碎带中。以裂隙金、晶隙金、固溶金、吸附金状存在。经历沉积—变质—岩浆活动等阶段。