Structural evolution of the Pleistocene Cimini trachytic volcanic complex (Central Italy)

Structural, geomorphological, geophysical and volcanological data have been processed for the implementation of a dedicated GIS through which the structural evolution of the Pleistocene trachytic Cimini volcano (central Italy) has been reconstructed. The evolution of the Cimini complex includes three main close-in time phases: (1) intrusion of a shallow laccolith, rising along NW and NE trending faults and stagnating at the contact between the Mesozoic-Cenozoic and the Pliocene-Pleistocene sedimentary units constituting the bedrock of the volcano; (2) emplacement of lava domes along radial and tangential fractures formed by the swelling induced by the laccolith growth; (3) ignimbrite eruptions and final effusion of olivine-latitic lavas. Domes are both of Pelean and low lava dome type and their morphology was controlled by the location on the inclined surface of the swelled area. Some domes show to have uplifted upper Pliocene thermally metamorphosed clay sediments, suggesting a cryptodome-like growth. Comparison of the top of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic units with the top of the upper Pliocene-Pleistocene sedimentary complex, suggests that the laccolith emplaced in a graben of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic sedimentary complex filled by the Pliocene–Pleistocene sediments uplifted by the shallow intrusion. Stress patterns acting on the Cimini area have been deduced analysing the drainage network and the morphotectonic lineaments. Rose diagrams show a large dispersion of the lineaments reflecting the local presence of radial and tangential fractures. The most frequent extensional NW and NE trending lineaments have regional significance and controlled the magma uprise leading to the laccolith emplacement.     

Erodibility of some crust forming soils/sediments from the Southern Aral Sea Basin as determined in a wind tunnel

Severe dust storms in the Southern Aral Sea Basin have become common with the desiccation of the sea. The high incidence of dust in the area has had severe ecological consequences. Within the framework of efforts to reduce this phenomenon, deflatability as well as deflatability‐related characteristics of some prominent soils/sediment surfaces in the Southern Aral Sea Basin were examined. The materials included a salt crust from a developed Solonchak, a Takyr crust and a Takyr‐like soil, and salt crusts from undeveloped Solonchaks formed on the exposed bottom of the Aral Sea. Characteristics determined were particle size distribution, dry aggregate size distribution and salt, carbonate and organic carbon contents. Deflatability was examined using a suction type wind tunnel with a SENSIT‐type sensor to detect airborne unconsolidated material, on materials treated to different moisture levels and with a chemical stabilizer, and on restored crusts created from the unconsolidated materials. Fine sand dominates in the materials, and in the Takyr crust and Takyr‐like soils is accompanied by significant amounts of silt and clay. All materials contain moderate amounts of carbonate and are low in organic matter. All soils/sediments contain salts, but in the salt crusts of the Solonchaks the salt fraction dominates. They all have more than 50 per cent PM₈₅₀ (particles with diameter <850 µm), indicating a relatively high deflatability potential. The materials from the Takyr crusts and Takyr‐like soil with a high proportion of fine aggregates had the lowest threshold friction velocities, while the salt crusts of the Solonchaks with a high proportion of coarse aggregates had the highest. This suggests that Takyrs and Takyr‐like soils are the most deflatable and Solonchak soils the least deflatable. These differences are attributed to the presence of salts that create stable, large aggregates in the Solonchak crusts. Wetting of the materials to three moisture levels considerably increased threshold friction velocity. The increase was most prominent in the salt‐rich materials, and was attributed to the rapid formation of surface films by drying in the course of the wind tunnel determinations. Applications of chemical stabilizers at two levels also considerably increased threshold friction velocity. On the restored crusts, threshold friction velocity dramatically increased, occasionally to non‐recordable values. This increase was monitored with both the salt crusts characteristic for the Solonchak soils and the fine‐grained crusts characteristic for the Takyr soils. The stability was attributed to the tightly packed salt particles in the salt crusts, and to the cohesive properties of the fine‐grained materials in the Takyr crusts. Once the crusts were ruptured, however, strong deflation commenced. These results suggest that by maintaining moisture in the soils/sediments (for example, by maintaining a high water table in the Amu‐Darya river flood plain) deflation can be reduced. By the same means, deflation can be reduced by creating new crusts or by preserving existing crusts. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying drainage components and salt and water balance in YinNan Irrigation District,China, based on a controlled drainage experiment

YinNan Irrigation District (YNID) is located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River in NingXia, China. Its irrigated area is about 80 000 ha, with one‐third of it for rice production. The major part of its drainage system was constructed between the 1950s and 1970s to maintain the salt and water balances of the district. The system, however, has been reported as draining the agricultural lands excessively by several studies. In addition to field, lateral and main drainage ditches, agricultural fields of YNID are also under the influence of the Yellow River channel and some low‐lying depressions, thus forming a dual drainage system. Owing to difficulties in irrigation inflow measurement, evaluation of the existing drainage system often appears to be elusive. Based on a dual drainage assumption and an on‐site controlled drainage experiment, we present a detailed analysis on drainage components and the salt and water balance of YNID. Results show that, by implementing controlled drainage, shallow drainage from field ditches can be reduced by 60%. Deep drainage from main ditches, the Yellow River channel and low‐lying depressions is relatively stable year around, and it neutralized the potential effect of controlled drainage on salinity increase. Drainage water salinity calculated from the dual subsurface drainage model was consistent with field observations, proving that the dual drainage assumption is valid for the study area. Based on this study, field water management practices of the irrigation district can be better targeted and fairly evaluated. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The process of sedimentation on the surface of a salt marsh

An unditched salt marsh-creek drainage basin (Holland Glade Marsh, Lewes, Delaware) has a sedimentation rate of 0·5 cm year^?1. During normal, storm-free conditions, the creek carries negligible amounts of sand and coarse silt. Of the material in the waters flooding the marsh surface, over 80% disappears from the floodwaters within 12 m of the creek. About one-half of the lost material is theoretically too fine to settle, even if flow were not turbulent; however, sediment found on Spartina stems can account for the loss.The quantity of suspended sediment that does reach the back marsh during these normal tides is inadequate to maintain the marsh surface against local sea level rise. This suspended sediment is also much finer than the deposited sediments. Additionally, remote sections of low marsh, sections flooded by only the highest spring tides, have 15–30 cm of highly inorganic marsh muds.This evidence indicates that normal tidal flooding does not produce sedimentation in Holland Glade. Study of the effects of two severe storms, of a frequency of once per year, suggests that such storms can deposit sufficient sediment to maintain the marsh.The actual deposition of fine-grained sediments (fine silt and clay) appears to result primarily from biological trapping rather than from settling. In addition, this study proposes that the total sedimentation on mature marshes results from a balance between tidal and storm sedimentation. Storms will control sediment supply and movement on micro- and meso-tidal marshes, and will have less influence on macro-tidal marshes.     

青海可可西里盐湖水化学及硼同位素地球化学特征

本文主要依据2009—2010年间的考察对可可西里地区盐湖进行了水化学及硼同位素分布特征研究。结果表明,除前人发现的5个盐湖外,可可西里东部新发现的多秀湖、茶错、布查湖和果木错玛德日4个湖泊也属于盐湖;勒斜武担湖为氯化物型盐湖,其余8个盐湖均为硫酸盐型盐湖;盐湖及周围水体皆富集B、Li元素,形成以盐湖为中心的含量高值区,且B-Li元素对显示出协同消长关系,表明在该地区这两种元素的物质来源、搬运条件及富集环境具有相似性;正热电离质谱法测量结果显示,本区盐湖δ11B值的变化范围在+4.77‰~+12.52‰之间,远低于海水δ11B值,证明这些盐湖均属陆相成因,与前人对青藏高原地区盐湖成因的研究结果相一致;勒斜武担湖和布查盐湖北部均出露有大量泉水,水化学分析和硼同位素分析数据表明,勒斜武担湖和布查盐湖分别与各自周围的泉水具有同源性,认为这些泉水是这两个盐湖的主要物质来源;根据区域地质构造特征和硼同位素地球化学数据,可判断出新青峰喷泉中的硼主要来自于深部火山岩溶滤。     

准噶尔盆地乌尔禾地区二叠系风城组盐类矿物流体包裹体特征

二叠系风城组为准噶尔盆地乌尔禾地区重要的勘探层系,也是成因非常特殊的深湖相含盐火山-沉积建造。通过钻井岩心观察、薄片鉴定、扫描电镜、X衍射、电子探针和包裹体显微测温等技术手段,较为详细地研究了风城组盐类矿物流体包裹体特征及成因。确定盐类矿物成矿流体属中-低温度(51.2~125.7℃)、中-高盐度(13.72%~24.93%Na Cl)、中偏高密度(1.06~1.16g/cm3)的H2O-Na Cl体系、并含有CH4气体的高碱性热卤水;提出风城组深湖相含盐火山-沉积建造与湖底热液喷流活动有关,推测下渗湖水与幔源岩浆水混合形成的深部高碱性热卤水失衡回返,萃取易溶盐类物质,最终通过湖底喷流口以热卤水形式喷发,与湖盆底部低浓度水混合"兑卤成盐",形成罕见、复杂盐类矿物组合。     

内蒙古苏尼特左旗早白垩世宝德尔花岗岩伸展穹隆的确定及其地质意义

内蒙古宝德尔穹隆是发育在苏尼特左旗中蒙边境地区的不对称同构造伸展穹隆。该穹隆由内向外由核部早白垩世花岗岩、边缘韧性剪切带和脆性拆离断层组成,上盘为未变形的早二叠世花岗闪长岩、泥盆系片岩和早白垩世盆地,韧性剪切带和拆离断层仅发育在穹隆西南部。区域构造解析和显微构造分析表明,岩体侵位和韧性剪切带形成于同一构造应力场,指示上盘统一向NW方向剪切,变形程度由未变形的岩体核部向外侧逐渐增强,面理的形成与岩体的侵位和隆升过程密切相关。因此,该穹隆和东北亚其他岩浆穹隆相似,是不对称的花岗岩穹隆,反映了区域伸展拆离环境下侵位的同构造花岗岩穹隆的特点。     

综合物探在柴达木盆地盐湖深层卤水钾矿勘查中的应用

青海省柴达木盆地是著名的钾肥生产基地,也是中国盐类矿产的主要产地.以往盐类矿产勘查主要针对第四纪浅部盐类矿产,对第四纪深部及古近纪-新近纪卤水钾矿工作程度较低,资源勘查情况不明.由于盐湖区浅部卤水矿化度较高,会对电阻率类方法造成严重的低阻屏蔽效应,从而影响其探测深度,对于应用地球物理方法造成了极大的局限性.为查明该区深部卤水钾矿资源情况,采用对低阻异常敏感、信号强度大、纵横向分辨率高的瞬变电磁法（TEM）,并结合勘探深度较大的大地电磁测深法（MT）对深层卤水钾矿进行探测.勘查结果识别出了相对低阻异常区,经后期钻孔验证,显示探测结果较为可靠,表明TEM、MT两种物探方法应用于盐湖区深层卤水钾矿探测是有效的,揭示了TEM、MT综合物探方法在盐湖区探测深层钾盐资源的良好应用前景.