Oligocene–Miocene formation of the Haifa basin: Qishon–Sirhan rifting coeval with the Red Sea–Suez rift system

During mid-Oligocene to early-Miocene times the northeastern Afro-Arabian plate underwent changes, from continental breakup along the Red Sea in the south, to continental collision with Eurasia in the north and formation of the N–S trending Dead Sea fault plate boundary. Concurrent uplift and erosion of the entire Levant area led to an incomplete sedimentary record, obscuring reconstructions of the transition between the two tectonic regimes. New well data, obtained on the continental shelf of the central Levant margin (Qishon Yam 1), revealed a uniquely undisturbed sedimentary sequence which covers this time period. Evaporitic facies found in this well have only one comparable location in the entire eastern Mediterranean area (onland and offshore) over the same time frame — the Red Sea–Suez rift system. Analysis of 4150 km of multi and single-channel seismic profiles, offshore central Levant, shows that the sequence was deposited in a narrow basin, restricted to the continental shelf. This basin (the Haifa Basin) evolved as a half graben along the NW trending Carmel fault, which at present is one of the main branches of the Dead Sea fault. Re-evaluation of geological data onland, in view of the new findings offshore, indicates that the Haifa basin is the northwestern-most of a larger series of basins, comprising a failed rift along the Qishon–Sirhan NW–SE trend. This failed rift evolved spatially parallel to the Red Sea–Suez rift system, and at the same time frame. The Carmel fault would therefore seem to be related to processes occurring several million years earlier than previously thought, before the formation of the Dead Sea fault. The development of a series of basins in conjunction with a young spreading center is a known phenomenon in other regions worldwide; however this is the only known example from across the Arabian plate.     

二连盆地白音查干凹陷层序地层及其油气勘探意义

基于测井和地震资料分析, 识别了二连盆地白音查干凹陷的层序界面, 建立了凹陷层序地层格架, 研究凹陷内部沉积相类型及其平面展布特征, 并建立了单断箕状断陷盆地沉积相模式。根据油气生、储、盖组合特征, 预测腾格尔组(层序Ⅲ)和都红木组一段(层序Ⅳ)为油气有利成藏层位, 南部缓坡河道砂体储集层和北部陡坡冲积扇储集层为油气有利储集相带, 达尔其断块和桑合地区为油气有利成藏区块。      

西藏当雄-羊八井盆地的第四纪地质与断裂活动研究

在当雄-羊八井盆地进行的详细地质填图工作表明,该盆地中堆积了上新世或早更新世以来多套不同成因的沉积物。其中最显著的是形成于约700~500kaB.P.、250~125kaB.P.和75~12kaB.P.等三个阶段的冰川和冰水沉积物,它们指示念青唐古拉山地区在中更新世以来曾有过三次冰期。对念青唐古拉山东南麓断裂带的研究表明,该断裂带包含了三条次级断层带,它们具有不断向盆地内部迁移和多期活动的特点,其中中更新世以来的几次重要活动分别发生在700~500kaB.P.、350~220 kaB.P.、140kaB.P.和70~50kaB.P.。断裂带错动中更新世以来地层所形成的断层崖高度随着地层时代的变新发生系统地减小,指示该断裂的垂直活动速率介于0.4mm/a~2mm/a之间,其中第四纪期间的长期的平均垂直活动速率为1.1±0.3mm/a,而全新世期间的垂直活动速率为1.4±0.6mm/a.      

Tectonic and climatic controls on Holocene channel migration,incision and terrace formation by the Rio Grande in the Palomas half graben,southern Rio Grande rift,USA

In order to evaluate potential effects of tectonics and climate change on the behaviour of the axial Rio Grande in the Rio Grande rift, a 16·5 km stretch of modern floodplain and Holocene terraces were mapped in the tectonically active Palomas half graben, south‐central New Mexico, USA. In addition, 51 cores and natural exposures were logged and 20 radiocarbon dates were obtained from charcoal, bulk organic matter, mollusc shells and pedogenic calcite. The Holocene alluvium comprises four terraces above the modern floodplain, each of which formed by a period of river incision followed by stability and renewed floodplain construction to a level below that of the previous terraces. Estimated times of incision between Terraces I and II, II and III, and III and IV are after 12 400, 8040 to 5310, and 760 to 550 yr bp , respectively, whereas the incision between Terrace IV and the modern floodplain occurred within the last 260 years. Although there is some evidence for tectonic control on river behaviour in the southern part of the basin, terrace formation is interpreted as being related to climate change, with periods of incision corresponding to times of increased aridity and low sediment/water discharge ratio in the Rio Grande. This process may have resulted from a reduction in intensity and magnitude of summer storms which supply sediment to the axial river, coupled with an increase in spring discharge peak caused by snowmelt in upstream mountain catchments.     

定日县岗嘎地堑盆地隐伏断层氡气特征及其活动性分析

在中尼铁路的前期地质勘查工作中,岗嘎地堑盆地的活动断层对于铁路选址的影响是不可忽略的因素。为查明岗嘎地堑盆地的盆地边界断层、3个地垒的边界正断层以及其他隐伏断层的位置与活动性,开展了土壤氡气测量工作。通过测量,查明了盆地的东侧、西侧、北侧3个边界断层的大致位置,明确了3个地垒边界正断层的位置及其延伸走向。对盆地内断层的活动性进行了分析,北侧断层的活动性整体强于南侧,东侧强于西侧。研究可为中尼铁路的选址工作提供科学依据。     

冲绳海槽地壳结构的研究

根据1990年以来对冲绳海槽地质地球物理调查的最新实测资料,包括多道和单道反射地震、海底地震仪折射地震、重磁测量、水深测量、海底岩石拖网,结合国内外学者对冲绳海槽的调查研究成果,对冲绳海槽地壳结构进行了探讨,得出如下初步结论：（1）冲绳海槽是一个典型的发育在大陆地壳边缘、由陆壳张裂而成、处于裂谷作用最高演化阶段、洋壳即将产生、海底扩张即将出现的弧后活动裂谷。（2）根据火成岩发育、沉积层分布和地壳结构分析,冲绳海槽尚缺少已经开始“扩张”的证据,还不能确定海槽中央已经发育了大洋地壳。冲绳海槽目前仍属于拉薄的大陆地壳。（3）冲绳海槽作为一个浅海槽状地貌单元,形成于距今6Ma。作为一个弧后裂谷,自距今2Ma以来开始强烈的张裂活动。海槽中央张裂地堑（槽中槽）距今2Ma以来开始形成并逐渐发展。中央张裂地堑内的火成岩年龄不大于1Ma。因此,冲绳海槽是一个年青的、正在活动的弧后裂谷盆地。     

汾渭地堑系列湖盆第四纪中晚期地貌与沉积阶段性演化的时间序次差异及其构造指示意义

依据汾渭地堑系列湖盆地貌与沉积特征对其阶段性演化历史进行了研究。野外调查发现,在第四纪中晚期,各湖盆内曾发生过3次大幅快速的湖退或河流强烈下切事件; 从渭河盆地至临汾太原盆地,再至大同阳原盆地,每一次事件的出现在各盆地中都有时间序次上的差异。以黄土-古土壤序列作为时间坐标系,渭河盆地中的3次湖退或河流下切分别发生在L9,L6和L2黄土堆积期; 临汾太原盆地分别发生在S8,S5和S1古土壤发育时期; 大同阳原盆地分别发生在L8,L5和L1黄土堆积期。也即是,第一次事件在几个盆地中出现的时间序次是L9-S8-L8,第二次事件是L6-S5-L5,第三次为L2-S1-L1。事件出现的时间序次差异显示: 距青藏高原越远的盆地,事件出现的时间越晚。根据早期对区域湖退-湖侵发生机制的研究成果并结合上述这些发现,本文认为正是受到青藏高原挤压隆升的影响,而非西太平洋板块俯冲的影响,才产生了区域系列湖盆第四纪中晚期地貌与沉积阶段性演化的这种时间序次差异。     

Structural architecture and tectonic evolution of the Yelleg inverted half graben,northern Sinai,Egypt

The Gebel Yelleg area includes a number of folds belonging to the northern Sinai Syrian Arc structures. Detailed surface structural mapping and subsurface (seismic and borehole) data show that the Gebel Yelleg structures are related to Late Cretaceous-Early Tertiary inversion of a Jurassic asymmetric (or half) graben formed during the opening of Neotethys. The inversion structures include a large (45-km long) asymmetric fold (Yelleg Anticline) with a steep flank overlying the southeastern (main) bounding fault of the inverted half graben as well as some right-stepped en echelon folds overlying the northwestern bounding fault of the half graben. The large inversion anticline is dissected by a large number of long, nearly orthogonal normal faults whereas the en echelon folds are dissected by transverse normal faults and two sets of oblique-slip faults. Inversion of the northern Sinai extensional basins is related to Africa-Eurasia convergence and was probably transpressional with a small component of dextral slip. This study shows that the magnitude of inversion in the northern Sinai fold belt decreases toward the southern boundary of the Jurassic extensional province.