The Shatter Belt and the European Core - A Geopolitical Discussion on the Untypical Case of Slovenia

Europe in general is in a great state of change. States uniting with difficulty, states collapsing in pain, newly freed states struggling for new political, economic, and social identities - it is a region in a true transition. The paper is focussing primarily on the European Shatter Belt, formerly known as Eastern Europe. This is in fact a subset of new and old nation-states in the region of Central and Eastern Europe or, to use an older, but increasingly popular term, Mitteleuropa (Ruppert, 1997). Mitteleuropa is reemerging from the commotion resulting from the collapse of the old political order - communism. Our focus in this presentation is on personal experiences and observations. We will note the progress and positive dimensions of the change (transition) in the light of Europe's and NATO expansion. We will address the issues at two scales- at the international/national level and then, at the level of a Slovenian case study. This will enable us to discuss the natural system of the process of enlargement and incorporate supporting material of geographical, historical and social nature as envisioned by Hartshorne. Since the collapse of communism, the region has experienced some serious traumas that vary in intensity across the region. Probably the greatest pain has been experienced in the former Yugoslavia - an estimated 150,000 have perished and about 2.5 millions have been displaced within and outside the country. Chaos still exists despite the protectorate arrangement in Bosnia. The hot spot Kosovo has yet to be calmed down. In parts of the region economic pain has been considerable. Every state of Mitteleuropa experienced absolute economic decline from 1990–1995; high inflation rates, increased economic inequality, high levels of poverty, increase of crime and more. Economic and psychological stress effect demographic processes. Things have partly changed to the better in the most recent years. The adoption of capitalism and a democratic political system has been painful, disorienting, and is still in progress. The democratization process varies considerably across the region and in some states is in jeopardy. Reformed communist parties had staged a restoration in nearly all of the states - in some winning the control of the government, in others gaining strong and influential positions, or both. But, two major processes promise future democracy, rule of law, wealth and stability in general. This is the decision of the member states of the European Union and NATO to incorporate some/several states of the Shatter Belt into their own zone of protection and/or federation. Nation-states of the region tend to follow the EU Agenda 2000 rules with Slovenia one of the first!     

滇东富源古敢水族乡热水塘锶—氟—硅—氡型理疗热矿水的地球化学特征及成因

为支撑滇东富源县古敢水族乡热水塘温泉旅游的开发和可持续利用,笔者等通过采集区内水样进行水化学及环境同位素分析,对温泉的形成机理及其理疗价值进行了研究。结果表明：热水塘温泉温度为37.8～42.2℃,pH值为7.24～7.75,TDS(溶解固态物质总量)的质量浓度为1245～1840 mg/L,属于中低温弱碱性热矿水。温泉水中偏硅酸的质量浓度为48.20～60.57 mg/L,F为2.86～2.94 mg/L,Sr为8.60～14.40 mg/L,均达到了硅水、氟水、锶水的理疗水质标准,此外温泉水中²²²Rn浓度达到了129.4 Bq/L,接近于氡水的理疗水质标准,具有较大的开发利用价值。热水塘温泉水中阳离子以Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺为主,阴离子以SO₄^2-、HCO^-₃为主,水化学类型为SO₄^2-—Ca²⁺·Mg²⁺型。石膏和碳酸盐岩矿物的溶解是控制热水塘...     

岩浆岩与变质岩分布区蓄水构造模式浅析——以胶东地区为例

胶东地区地层岩性多为岩浆岩和变质岩,富水性差异大,整体为缺水区。伴随着社会经济发展,人民对美好生活的需求不断提升,优质、稳定的地下饮用水也成为胶东人民的重要民生问题之一。笔者等通过大比例尺水文地质调查成果总结和已有研究成果分析,结合地下水勘查案例,从水文、地形地貌、含水层岩性和地质构造4个方面,对岩浆岩地区的地下水富集机理进行分析,提出了断裂型、接触带型、岩脉型、洼地风化带型和多期变质作用形成的5种蓄水构造模式,并对各类蓄水构造特征进行了分析,同时总结了风化裂隙水、构造裂隙水和岩溶裂隙水3类岩浆岩、变质岩分布区裂隙水的找水方向,进一步丰富了岩浆岩与变质岩缺水地区蓄水构造模式研究,对该地区地下水资源探寻具有一定的指导作用。     

Tracking multi-stage uplift history of the Eastern Tianshan Orogenic Belt during the Late Carboniferous and Early Cretaceous: Evidence from apatite U-Pb and fission track dataSCIEI北大核心CSCD

本文利用LA-ICP-MS磷灰石裂变径迹(FT)和U-Pb双定年技术,结合锆石原位U-Pb测年结果,对出露于东天山南部雅满苏-彩霞山地区的侵入岩样品进行了系统分析。结果显示,这些样品形成于357-309Ma和-252Ma,裂变径迹年龄变化于304-118Ma。根据裂变径迹年龄和径迹长度分布对其进行热史反演,得到晚石炭世-早二叠世(320-280Ma)、中-晚三叠世(240-210Ma)和早白垩世(120-100Ma)三个主要冷却时期。综合分析认为,研究区的石炭纪和三叠纪侵入体在晚石炭世-早二叠世、中-晚三叠世和早白垩世期间经历过构造隆升。其中,晚石炭世-早二叠世的抬升是由康古尔洋闭合后区域进入碰撞造山阶段导致,中-晚三叠世的抬升主要与古特提斯洋闭合后松潘-甘孜地体、羌塘地体先后与亚欧板块南缘的碰撞增生有关,早白垩世的抬升事件主要受到班公湖-怒江洋俯冲闭合以及拉萨地体与羌塘地体的碰撞增生影响。此外,东天山不同部位经历了显著的差异性隆升,这一现象与区内各构造单元的非均匀性、分块性及其地质演化历史的差异性密切相关,同时还受到外部驱动力以及早期先存断裂构造活化的制约。     

The source of platinum group elements in basalts of the ophiolite complex of the Kamchatsky Mys Peninsula (Eastern Kamchatka)

Contents of platinum group elements (PGE—Os, Ir, Ru, Rh, Pt, and Pd) and rhenium in basalts of different geochemical types from the ophiolite complex of the Kamchatsky Mys Peninsula have been determined by the isotope dilution-mass spectrometry method. The total contents of PGE in different basalts are commensurate (1.4-3.6 ppb), but the element ratios vary considerably. A specific feature of the rocks is the low degree of PGE fractionation (Pd/Ir = 0.9-6.6, Pt/Pd = 1.0-7.3), which makes them similar to the Hawaiian tholeiitic basalts and picrites. The most fractionated PGE pattern is observed for alkali basalt (Pd/Ir = 6.6), and the least fractionated one, for E-MORB (Pd/Ir = 1.7). The similarity of the PGE patterns of basalts of different geochemical types suggests their similar mantle sources. We propose a model explaining the geochemical features of the basalts of the Kamchatsky Mys ophiolite complex by an impurity of the Earth’s core material in the plume source. The Ir/Pd-Ru/Pd and Pd/10-Ir-Ru discrimination diagrams can be used to identify enriched (plume) basalts based on their PGE content.     

东准噶尔奥依托浪格地区石炭纪双峰式火山岩地球化学特征及其构造意义

本文对东准噶尔造山带三塘湖盆地西北缘奥依托浪格地区石炭纪巴塔玛依内山组进行了火山岩地质、岩相学、地球化学特征研究,并结合相关年代学成果,探讨了火山岩成因、形成环境与东准噶尔造山带构造演化。研究认为：该区石炭纪巴塔玛依内山组火山岩具明显的陆相火山岩、双峰式火山岩特征,岩石组合基性端元以玄武岩为主,酸性端元为珍珠岩、英安岩;主量元素特征显示基性端元为钙碱—碱性性质,酸性端元珍珠岩、英安岩分别属于碱性、拉斑性质;微量元素特征显示基性端元相对富集Ba、K、Sr等大离子亲石元素（LILE）,亏损Th、Nb、Nd等高场强元素（HFSE）,酸性端元强烈亏损Ba、Nb、Sr、Sm、Ti等元素,富集K元素;稀土元素显示两端元均为轻稀土元素（LREE）相对富集、重稀土元素（HREE）相对亏损特征;珍珠岩主、微量元素特征与整体具有明显差异。综合研究表明：该双峰式火山岩基性端元来源于地幔岩的部分熔融,酸性端元英安岩来源于基性端元的分离结晶作用,珍珠岩则来源于下地壳的部分熔融;地球动力学背景为俯冲洋壳的拆沉作用,造成软流圈热源上涌,引发地幔岩的部分熔融与岩石圈的伸展减薄,进而诱发下地壳镁铁质岩的减压熔融;构造环境为后碰撞伸展阶段晚期,并指示了板块链式缝合的特点。     

Characteristics of Milankovitch cycles recorded in Eocene strata in the eastern depression of North Yellow Sea Basin,North China

As cyclical orbital movements of Earth, Milankovitch cycles can be recorded in sedimentary strata. The time they reflect can be used to accurately divide and compare strata. Milankovitch cycles recorded in strata enrich the stratigraphic theory, especially the theories of cycle stratigraphy, and thus they are widely used in geological survey engineering nowadays. This study explored the characteristics of the Milankovitch cycles recorded in the eastern depression of the North Yellow Sea Basin, highlighting their control over high-frequency stratigraphic sequences. The Eocene Milankovitch cycles in the depression were calculated based on the method proposed by J. Laskar, and their parameters primarily include eccentricity cycles of 125 ka and 99 ka, obliquity cycles of 51 ka and 39 ka, and precession cycles of 23 ka and 19 ka. Spectral analysis of gamma-ray (GR) and spontaneous potential (SP) log curves of the Eocene strata was carried out to divide and compare stratigraphic sequences, revealing that the spectral peaks correspond well to astronomical cycles. This indicates that the strata in the depression fully record Milankovitch cycles. Furthermore, there are long-, medium-, and short-term stratigraphic cycles in the eastern depression, with a thickness of 13.03–15.89 m, 3.70–5.21 m, and 2.17–2.94 m, respectively. The sedimentation rates of the Eocene strata were calculated to be 121.2–127.12 m/Ma accordingly. From the uplift to the center of the lacustrine basin along the slope in the eastern depression, both the sedimentation duration and the sediment thickness increase, while the sedimentation rate remains relatively stable. The Eocene strata can be divided into six stages of high-frequency sequences by continuous wavelet transformation, namely E₆–E₁ from bottom to top. The sedimentation duration and sedimentation rates of the sequences were calculated using spectral analysis with each of the sequences as a separate window. Moreover, the impacts of climate change on the sedimentary environment in the eastern depression were analyzed. It can be concluded that E₆ was a lowstand system tract, E₅ and E₄ were lacustrine expansion system tracts, E₃ was a highstand system tract, and E₂ and E₁ were lacustrine contraction system tracts. All these verify that Milankovitch cycles serve as an effective approach for the analysis of sedimentary cycles.     

Origin,petrogenesis and geodynamic implications of the early Eocene Altınpınar adakitic andesites in the eastern Sakarya Zone,northeastern Turkey

Early Cenozoic magmatism in the eastern Sakarya Zone (NE Turkey) provides an important constraint on the regional tectono-magmatic evolution of the region. Early Eocene syn-collisional adakitic rocks are observed as small stocks with outcropping areas commonly less than 10 km². This study presents petrography, whole-rock geochemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope data, as well as in-situ ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age constraints on one of these adakitic andesites in the Altınpınar area of Gümüşhane, and discusses source region, petrological processes and geodynamic setting prevailed during their genesis. Andesites commonly show microlitic porphyric and vitrophyric porphyric textures, and include significant amounts of mafic microgranular enclaves (MMEs). Plagioclase, hornblende, Fe-Ti oxides and minor pyroxene are the main mineral phases. In-situ ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar amphibole dating constrains the cooling age of andesites into a time span from 52.8 ± 1.3–48.8 ± 1.9 Ma. Andesites are medium to high-K calc-alkaline and display most of the signatures typical of those of the adakites. They are characterized by moderate MgO (1.7–4.1 wt%), low Y (9−14 ppm), Yb (0.9–1.5 ppm), and HREE and high Sr (325−964 ppm) contents, and high Sr/Y (36–76) ratios. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_(t) (0.704948−0.705100) and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd_(t) (0.512588−0.512628) ratios are in the isotopic range of the adakites. All these geochemical and isotopic data suggest that the parental magma of adakitic andesites has been produced by partial melting of oceanic basalts under amphibole-eclogite facies conditions during the breakoff of the northern Neotethyan oceanic slab.     

Edentulous pterosaurs from the Cambridge Greensand (Cretaceous) of eastern England with a review of Ornithostoma Seeley, 1871

A re-examination of fossil material from the Late Cretaceous Cambridge Greensand Member (CGM) of the West Melbury Marly Chalk Formation revealed a number of new specimens of edentulous pterosaur jaw fragments previously identified as shark fin spines and fish jaws and accessioned under the epithet ‘cestraciontid finray’ and ‘jaws of fish’. These are now recognised as pterosaurian jaw tips and referred to Ornithostoma sedgwicki Seeley, 1891 and Azhdarchoidea indet. This material increases the diversity of edentulous pterosaurs from the CGM.The edentulous pterosaur Ornithostoma sedgwicki Seeley, 1891 from the Cretaceous Cambridge Greensand of eastern England is reviewed. The holotype specimen is confirmed as a fragment of a premaxilla/maxilla of a non-tapejarid azhdarchoid on account of the conspicuous curvature of the dorsal and occlusal margins posteriorly and the presence of small neural foramina on the lateral margins. Neural foramina are not seen on jaws of members of the Pteranodontia, a group to which O. sedgwicki was included previously. The referral of O. sedgwicki to Azhdarchoidea eliminates the single known Lower Cretaceous occurrence of Pteranodontidae, restricting the temporal range of this taxon to the Upper Cretaceous. Postcranial material referred to O. sedgwicki from the type horizon is regarded as indeterminate Pterosauria.