Holocene activity of the Scilla Fault, Southern Calabria: Insights from coastal morphological and structural investigations

Integration of on-land and offshore geomorphological and structural investigations coupled to extensive radiometric dating of co-seismically uplifted Holocene beaches allows characterization of the geometry, kinematics and seismotectonics of the Scilla Fault, which borders the eastern side of the Messina Strait in Calabria, Southern Italy. This region has been struck by destructive historical earthquakes, but knowledge of geologically-based source parameters for active faults is relatively poor, particularly for those running mostly offshore, as the Scilla Fault does. The  30 km-long normal fault may be divided into three segments of  10 km individual length, with the central and southern segments split in at least two strands. The central and northern segments are submerged, and in this area marine geophysical data indicate a youthful morphology and locally evidence for active faulting. The on-land strand of the western segment displaces marine terraces of the last interglacial (124 to 83 ka), but seismic reflection profiles suggest a full Quaternary activity. Structural data collected on bedrock faults exposed along the on-land segment provide evidence for normal slip and  NW-SE extension, which is consistent with focal mechanisms of large earthquakes and GPS velocity fields in the region. Detailed mapping of raised Holocene marine deposits exposed at the coastline straddling of the northern and central segments supplies evidence for two co-seismic displacements at  1.9 and  3.5 ka, and a possible previous event at  5 ka. Co-seismic displacements show a consistent site value and pattern of along-strike variation, suggestive of characteristic-type behaviour for the fault. The  1.5–2.0 m average co-seismic slips during these events document M_e  6.9–7.0 earthquakes with  1.6–1.7 ka recurrence time. Because hanging-wall subsidence cannot be included into slip magnitude computation, these slips reflect footwall uplift, and represent minimum average estimates. The palaeoseismological record based on the palaeo-shorelines suggests that the last rupture on the Scilla Fault during the February 6, 1783 M_w = 5.9–6.3 earthquake was at the expected time but it may have not entirely released the loaded stress since the last great event at  1.9 ka. Comparison of the estimated co-seismic extension rate based on the Holocene shoreline record with available GPS velocities indicates that the Scilla Fault accounts for at least  15–20% of the contemporary geodetic extension across the Messina Strait.     

Microbially mediated carbonates in the Holocene deposits from Sarliève, a small ancient lake of the French Massif Central, testify to the evolution of a restricted environment

Both the mineralogy and facies of lacustrine bio‐induced carbonates are controlled largely by hydrological factors that are highly dependent upon climatic influence. As such they are useful tools in characterizing ancient lake environments. In this way, the study of the sedimentary record from the small ancient Sarliève Lake (Limagne, Massif Central, France) aims to reconstruct the hydrological evolution during the Holocene, using petrographical, mineralogical and geochemical analyses. The fine‐grained marls, mainly calcitic, display numerous layers rich in pristine Ca‐dolomite, with small amounts of aragonite, which are clearly autochthonous. As these minerals are rather unusual in the temperate climatic context of western Europe, the question arises about their forming conditions, and therefore that of the lacustrine environment. Ca‐dolomite prevails at the base of the sequence as a massive dolomicrite layer and, in the middle part, it builds up most of the numerous laminae closely associated with organic matter. Scanning electron microscope observations reveal the abundance of tiny crystals (tens to hundreds of nanometres) mainly organized as microspheres looking like cocci or bacilli. Such a facies is interpreted as resulting from the fossilization of benthic microbial communities by dolomite precipitation following organic matter consumption and extracellular polymeric substance degradation. These microbial dolomites were precipitated in a saline environment, as a consequence of excess evaporation from the system, as is also suggested by their positive ?¹⁸O values. The facies sequence expresses the following evolution: (i) saline pan, i.e. endorheic stage with a perennial lowstand in lake level (Boreal to early Atlantic periods); (ii) large fluctuations in lake level with sporadic freshening of the system (Atlantic); (iii) open lake stage (sub‐boreal); and (iv) anthropogenic drainage (sub‐Atlantic).     

Planktonic foraminifers in the southern Bering Sea: Changes in composition and productivity during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene

Taxonomic composition and distribution of planktonic foraminifers are studied in section of Core GC-11 that penetrated through Upper Quaternary sediments of the Bowers Ridge western slope, the southern Bering Sea. As is shown, structure of foraminiferal assemblage and productivity have varied substantially during the last 32000 calendar years in response to changes in surface water temperatures and water mass circulation in the northern part of the Pacific, the Bering Sea included. The productivity was maximal during deglaciation epoch, being notably lower in the Holocene and minimal at the glaciation time.     

中国全新世大暖期哺乳动物与气候波动

中国全新世哺乳动物群有众多地点，并已作了详细研究，绝大多数地点有＾１４Ｃ的年代测定，全新世一更新世的界线，作者根据哺乳动物及＾１４Ｃ年代测定，在１２－１０ｋａＢ．Ｐ之间，可作为二者之间的过渡层位，在１０ｋａＢ．Ｐ。可作为全新世的开始，中国的全新世大暖期出现于８．５－３．０ｋａＢ．Ｐ。在此期间内的哺乳动物偏南种类似为明显，如亚洲象，苏门犀及爪哇犀等，在５．６－３．０ｋａＢ．Ｐ。这一时期内的气候波动剧     

南极冰退与深圳湾北岸海平面变化的地质记录

南极冰层的冰量为２４．５×１０６ｋｍ３，占地球总冰量的９０％以上，南极冰川进退控制着全球海平面变化和气候波动。酉部南极乔治王岛第四纪冰碛与湖积剖面记录了近１２０００ａ来南极曾于距今１１０００ａ，９０００ａ和６１００ａ出现过３次快速的冰消过程，近６０００ａ来是一小幅度冷暖交替的气候波动过程。深圳湾北岸潮间带堆积是在近６０００ａ以来发育的，堆积物的环境记录表明，海平面呈周期性升降变化，波动周期平均为６７０ａ，低海面时期发生于距今５５００—４９００ａ，３９００—３６００ａ，２４００—２２００ａ和１３００—１２００ａ。相邻低海面间则是海面上升时期，每一升降周期的海平面变化幅度为８０ｃｍ左右，近１００ａ的现代增温，海平面处于上升阶段，上升速率为２—３ｍｍ·ａ（－１）。     

青海湖全新世植被演变及气候变迁：QH85—14C孔孢粉数值分析

本文应用青海湖QH85-14C孔取得的具有~(14)C测年数据所支持的原始孢粉资料,进行数值分析(有序聚类、主成份分析、滑动平均和回归分析)。从而对青海湖区11000年以来的植被和气候变化进一步讨论。     

北仑港区宁波组晚大理冰期气候特征

以往认为宁波组沉积时期的古气候为寒冷干燥或冷凉干燥。本文依据北仑B_(12)孔的孢粉资料,阐明在这一冷期中曾有一次相对较暖的气候波动,据此又可分冷凉—温和—温凉三个阶段,湿度以略湿为主。此外,还讨论了本区在晚大理冰期温度、湿度的变化特点。     

龙感湖地区近3000年来的植被及其气候定量重建

本文依据龙感湖钻孔的孢粉及硅藻资料，探讨了该地区近３０００年来的植被发展及气候变化，通过数值分析方法，重建了年均温及年降水的时间序列，发现气候波动存在的两个阶段，（依１．５ｋａＢ．Ｐ．前后划分）四个旋回（０．８ｋａ的准周期）两个突变事件（３ｋａＢ．Ｐ）前后的冷暖急剧变化及１ｋａＢ．Ｐ的降温事件）。这些变化与敦德冰心及固城湖孢粉反映的气候波动有较好的一致性，具有全球变化意义。     

Mid-Holocene emergence of southern Tunisian coasts

We present new sea-level data from the coasts of southern Tunisia, between the Gulf of Gabès and the Libyan border. The work tests, previously, published evidence on Holocene shorelines, and confirmed that a distinct emergence has occurred in this area during this time. The emergence peak lies at least 186 ± 11 cm above present and is inferred from: (1) AMS radiocarbon dates of subtidal vermetids and boring shells collected in growth position, and (2) careful assessment of tidal heights. Maximum emergence took place between about 6000 and 5000 ¹⁴C years BP; it cannot be ascribed to tectonics and is probably related to post-glacial hydro-isostatic effects. It challenges the inference of a 3-m global sea-level rise since 6000 years BP due to residual Antarctic melting.