Timings of early crustal activity in southern highlands of Mars:Periods of crustal stretching and shortening

Extensional and compressional structures are globally abundant on Mars. Distribution of these structures and their ages constrain the crustal stress state and tectonic evolution of the planet. Here in this paper, we report on our investigation over the distribution of the tectonic structures and timings of the associated stress fields from the Noachis-Sabaea region. Thereafter, we hypothesize possible origins in relation to the internal/external processes through detailed morphostructural mapping. In doing so, we have extracted the absolute model ages of these linear tectonic structures using crater size-frequency distribution measurements, buffered crater counting in particular. The estimated ages indicate that the tectonic structures are younger than the mega impacts events(especially Hellas) and instead they reveal two dominant phases of interior dynamics prevailing on the southern highlands, firstly the extensional phase terminating around3.8 Ga forming grabens and then compressional phase around 3.5-3.6 Ga producing wrinkle ridges and lobate scarps. These derived absolute model ages of the grabens exhibit the age ca. 100 Ma younger than the previously documented end of the global extensional phase. The following compressional activity corresponds to the peak of global contraction period in Early Hesperian. Therefore, we conclude that the planet wide heat loss mechanism, involving crustal stretching coupled with gravitationally driven relaxation(i.e.,lithospheric mobility) resulted in the extensional structures around Late Noachian(around 3.8 Ga). Lately cooling related global contraction generated compressional stress ensuing shortening of the upper crust of the southern highlands at the Early Hesperian period(around 3.5-3.6 Ga).     

Paleoproterozoic volcanic rocks in the southern margin of the North China Craton,central China:Implications for the Columbia supercontinent

The volcanic rocks of the Xiong'er Group are situated in the southern margin of the North China Craton(NCC).Research on the Xiong er Group is important to understand the tectonic evolution of the NCC and the Columbia supercontinent during the Paleoproterozoic.In this study,to constrain the age of the Xiong'er volcanic rocks and identify its tectonic environment,we report zircon LA-ICP-MS data with Hf isotope,whole-rock major and trace element compositions and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopes of the volcanic rocks of the Xiong'er Group.The Xiong'er volcanic rocks mainly consist of basaltic andesite,andesite.dacite and rhyolite,with minor basalt.Our new sets of data combined with those from previous studies indicate that Xiong'er volcanism should have lasted from 1827 Ma to 1746 Ma as the major phase of the volcanism.These volcanics have extremely low MgO.Cr and Ni contents,are enriched in LREEs and LILEs but depleted in HFSEs(Nb,Ta,and Ti),similar to arc-related volcanic rocks.They are characterized by negative zircon ε_(Hf)_(t) values of-17.4 to 8.8,whole-rock initial ~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr values of 0.7023 to 0.7177 andε_(Nd)(t) values of-10.9 to 6.4.and Pb isotopes(~(206)Pb/~(204)Pb =14.366-16.431,~(207)Pb/~(204)Pb =15.106-15.371,~(208)Pb/~(204)Pb= 32.455-37.422).The available elemental and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotope data suggest that the Xiong'er volcanic rocks were sourced from a mantle contaminated by continental crust.The volcanic rocks of the Xiong'er Group might have been generated by high-degree partial melting of a lithospheric mantle that was originally modified by oceanic subduction in the Archean.Thus,we suggest that the subduction-modified lithospheric mantle occurred in an extensional setting during the breakup of the Columbia supercontinent in the Late Paleoproterozoic,rather than in an arc setting.     

吴尚时对中国近代地理学的贡献与学术思想探讨

吴尚时（1904-1947）是中国近代地理学重要开创者之一。1928年吴尚时获金牌毕业于中山大学,次年考取公费前往法国学习地理学。他先后就读于里昂大学和格日诺布尔大学,授业于A. 阿历克斯,M.巴尔台和R.布朗夏尔等,布氏是维达尔·布拉什知名弟子。1934年吴氏学成归国,任中山大学地理系教授,1939-1945年任地理系主任。时逢日军侵华,学校不断搬迁逃避战火,华南、西南千里迁徙之途成为先生的野外考察路线,这需要非同一般的坚毅意志和对科学的献身精神。先生学术文稿泰半完成于此艰危时期,过度的劳累和极度困苦的环境严重损害了他的健康。1947年,先生去世,年仅43岁。     

省属师范院校地理科学专业本科生生源及就业特征研究——以信阳师范学院为例

基于信阳师范学院地理科学学院2001—2012级学生生源分布和就业数据统计,运用基尼系数和集中化指数识别分析了地理科学专业应届毕业生的生源地、就业地的时空格局。研究发现:研究对象的生源地和就业地呈"大分散、小集聚"且就业地分布较生源地分布分散的格局;来自不同地区的毕业生迁移距离具有标度分布的统计规律,可为高校的招生和就业工作提供指导和借鉴。     

Investigating Bermuda's pollution history through stable isotope analyses of modern and museum-held gorgonian corals

For centuries, Bermuda has been challenged with wastewater management for the protection of human and environmental health. By quantifying the δ¹⁵N of the common sea fan Gorgonia ventalina sampled from 30 sites throughout Bermuda we show that sewage-derived nitrogen is detectable on nearshore coral reefs and declines across the lagoon to the outer rim. We also sampled gorgonians from two museum collections representing a 50y time-series (1958–2008). These samples revealed an increase in δ¹⁵N of > 4.0‰ until the mid-1970s, after which δ¹⁵N values slowly declined by ~ 2.0‰. A δ¹⁵N chronology from a gorgonian skeleton exhibited a similar decline over the last 30–40 years of approximately 0.6‰. We conclude that policies have been effective in reducing sewage impacts to Bermudian reefs. However, significant sources of sewage pollution persist and are likely have a strong impact on harbor and nearshore coral communities and human health.     

King Canute muses in the South Seas: Why aren’t Pacific Islands transitioning to low carbon sea transport futures?

Transition to low carbon sea transport is a logical response to the extreme dependency of the Pacific Islands region on imported fossil fuel, its significant vulnerability to the effects of climate change and the critical shipping needs of Pacific Island countries (PICs). Building on previous work in low carbon sea transport in the Pacific, this paper further considers the barriers to achieving such transition by assessing, through a ‘post-Paris Agreement’ lens, the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted by PICs and contrasting these to the near total lack of investment and planning for low carbon transition in the transport sector with the parallel occurrence in the electricity sector where ~USD 2 billion of donor investment is deployed or queued despite electricity using only ~20% of fossil fuel across the region. Consistent with recent international studies, inadequate and inappropriate financing and policy have been identified as dominant transition barriers for low carbon sea transport development in PICs. This paper further examines the regional level barriers to policy development, and finds them inhibited by the silo nature of the major regional actors. The implications that the Paris Agreement has for climate financing to support the essential research and capacity development needed to underpin a successful low carbon sea transport transition strategy at any useful scale and speed are also considered in this paper.     

Spatio-temporal evaluation of global gridded precipitation datasets across Iran

ABSTRACT

In this work, the accuracy of four gridded precipitation datasets – Climatic Research Unit (CRU), Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC), PERSIANN-Climate Data Record (PCDR) and University of Delaware (UDEL) – is evaluated across Iran to find an alternative source of precipitation data. Monthly, seasonal and annual precipitation data from 85 synoptic stations for the period 1984–2013 were used as the basis for the evaluations. Our results indicate that all datasets underestimate and overestimate precipitation in stations with annual precipitation greater than 600 and less than 100 mm, respectively. However, all datasets correctly recognize regimes of precipitation, but with a bias in amount of precipitation. Our spatio-temporal assessments show that GPCC is the most suitable dataset to be used over Iran. Both UDEL and CRU can be considered as the second and third most suitable datasets, while PCDR showed the weakest performance among the studied datasets.     

校园观光车最优路径规划算法研究——以韶关学院为例

复杂校园路网下的最优路径计算,直接影响校车站点设置、线路设置等。以韶关学院校园观光车的行车路线为研究对象,利用迪克斯查标号法(Dijkstra)最短路径算法为基础,采用地理信息系统(GIS)空间网络分析方法,根据校园师生问卷调查的结果确定站点,是建立最优路径规划算法的前提条件,从起点和终点,再根据连接的中间站点,计算韶关学院各乘车站点之间的最优路径的整体路径规划方案。结合韶关学院的实际情况,提出校园观光车最优路径方案规划算法、站点和路径。以便提高校园观光车的利用率,减少资源的占用和浪费,既保证了校园师生的安全,也节省了广大师生的时间以及获取教育资源的便捷程度,降低校园能耗,为创建节约型校园做出贡献。     

Fifty Years of Cartography at the University of Glasgow

Abstract

This paper documents ongoing glacier retreat in the eastern part of the Granatspitz Mountains (Hohe Tauern Range, Austrian Alps) for the time period 2003–2009 using aerial photogrammetry. Aerial photographs of 2003, 2006, and 2009 were made available by the Hydrological Service of the Regional Government of Salzburg, the Federal Office of Metrology, Surveying and Mapping, Vienna, and the Regional Government of the Tyrol, respectively. High resolution multi-temporal digital elevation models and digital orthophotos of the area of interest were derived using digital photogrammetric methods to provide a sound basis for glaciological research. Glacier outlines of the three glacial stages were mapped interactively. Temporal change in area and surface height of the glaciers mapped clearly document glacier retreat. Glacier mass balance based on the geodetic method was calculated for Stubacher Sonnblickkees (Glacier). Mean annual specific net balance amounts to ?656 mm w.e. for the time period 2003–2009, with a mass balance gradient of 324 mm w.e. (100 m)^?1 and an equilibrium-line altitude of 2995 m a.s.l. Digital orthophoto maps and other thematic maps, e.g. showing surface height change, were prepared to support further data interpretation. Both the study area and its spatio-temporal change were visualized with special emphasis on the glaciers in a computer generated video film. Another film (exposure 29 August 2011) shows the lower part of Stubacher Sonnblickkees and its surroundings for reasons of comparison.     

《地球科学与环境学报》出版“庆祝长安大学建校七十周年专辑”的编辑策略

2021年4月18日,长安大学迎来建校七十周年。为了庆祝这一重要时刻,《地球科学与环境学报》出版了“庆祝长安大学建校七十周年专辑”,分上、中、下三册(2021年第1期、第2期和第3期),共发表39篇高质量论文,以期汇聚地球科学与环境领域高端人才,为学校相关学科高质量发展和科技创新建言献策。总结了《地球科学与环境学报》出版“庆祝长安大学建校七十周年专辑”的编辑策略,包括组稿策划、出版过程和宣传方式。组稿策划主要包括拟定征稿通知、确定组稿对象、邀请专家学者赐稿、定期询问稿件准备情况等。出版过程主要包括严格执行“三审三校”制度,创造性开展封面设计、创意扉页设计和致谢形式多样化实践,采用中国知网网络首发确保论文第一时间与读者见面。宣传方式主要包括组稿时在官方网站以及出版后在官方微信公众号针对每篇论文发布动态消息,组稿阶段及时向专家学者汇报专辑来稿最新进展,走访地球科学与环境领域高校及科研院所,参加相关学术会议并向专家学者赠送本次专辑。上述措施的高效实施确保了“庆祝长安大学建校七十周年专辑”既是一本高质量专辑,更是一本有温度的专辑。