Geysers of Enceladus: Quantitative analysis of qualitative models

Aspects of two qualitative models of Enceladus’ dust plume—the so-called “Cold Faithful” [Porco, C.C., et al., 2006. Cassini observes the active south pole of Enceladus. Science 311, 1393-1401; Ingersoll, A.P., et al., 2006. Models of the Enceladus plumes. In: Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, vol. 38, p. 508] and “Frigid Faithful” [Kieffer, S.W., et al., 2006. A clathrate reservoir hypothesis for Enceladus’ south polar plume. Science 314, 1764; Gioia, G., et al., 2007. Unified model of tectonics and heat transport in a Frigid Enceladus. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 104, 13578-13591] models—are analyzed quantitatively. The former model assumes an explosive boiling of subsurface liquid water, when pressure exerted by the ice crust is suddenly released due to an opening crack. In the latter model the existence of a deep shell of clathrates below Enceladus’ south pole is conjectured; clathrates can decompose explosively when exposed to vacuum through a fracture in the outer icy shell. For the Cold Faithful model we estimate the maximal velocity of ice grains, originating from water splashing in explosive boiling. We find that for water near the triple point this velocity is far too small to explain the observed plume properties. For the Frigid Faithful model we consider the problem of momentum transfer from gas to ice particles. It arises since any change in the direction of the gas flow in the cracks of the shell requires re-acceleration of the entrained grains. While this effect may explain the observed speed difference of gas and grains if the gas evaporates from triple point temperature (273.15 K) [Schmidt, J., et al., 2008. Formation of Enceladus dust plume. Nature 451, 685], the low temperatures of the Frigid Faithful model imply a too dilute vapor to support the observed high particle fluxes in Enceladus’ plume.     

河北洞子沟银铜多金属矿床地质特征及成因分析

洞子沟银铜多金属矿床产于华北克拉通北缘长城系常州沟组地层中,受地层控制明显。通过对该矿床地质特征及矿石的稀土元素地球化学特征、矿物流体包裹体特征、硫氢氧同位素组成及U-Pb同位素年代研究表明:成矿物质来源于幔源;矿床形成于古元古代晚期华北克拉通吕梁运动后的伸展裂解过程中,在断陷盆地接受沉积的同时,有沿同生断裂上升的幔源热液、银铜金铅锌等成矿物质组分与常州沟组陆源碎屑一同沉积,形成洞子沟银铜多金属沉积层控型矿床。     

Developments in the stratigraphy of the Deccan Volcanic Province,peninsular India

The Deccan Volcanic Province has been considered as one of the largest magmatic regions, involving an aerial coverage of ca. 500,000 km². It is subdivided into four sub-provinces, and holds a unique position in global tectonic models for understanding earth's geodynamics and the impact of voluminous eruptions on the contemporary biosystem and climate system. Published stratigraphic data suggest that volcanic eruption took place from 69 to 64 million years (Ma) ago when the Indian plate passed over the Réunion hotspot. The main phase of volcanic activity consisting of about 80% of total basaltic lava, erupted rapidly, during a short span (<1 Ma) or even less (two or three hundred thousand years), close to chron 29R, straddling to the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary. Recent high-precision age data show that the main volcanic phase is genetically linked to the Chicxulub impact and plume-head of the hotspot, and largely contributed to the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. To assess the links of the province to the K–Pg boundary, Chicxulub impact, Réunion plume, and Late Cretaceous global climate crisis, it is crucial to have a current state of knowledge of the understanding of its stratigraphy. A review of published data shows a surge in the province research that has considerably advanced the understanding of its stratigraphy. This province is intercalated with numerous infra- and intertrappean sedimentary beds that have yielded diverse biota, providing a reliable relative time control for duration of the volcanic activity. This paper presents a review of the stratigraphic developments of the province (lithostratigraphy, chemostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and chronostratigraphy) from the very beginning to the present, and discusses the role of the Réunion plume in its formation.     

基于烟羽模型的江苏港口腹地范围划分

运用烟羽模型对江苏各个港口的腹地在省内进行划分,在Arc GIS的可视化结果中,各个港口都有其明确的腹地范围,并且各港口所在的地级市是其腹地的范围之一。其中,淮安港的腹地范围分布最广,包括苏北地区12个县级市和市区;连云港港的腹地范围主要在连云港地区;苏州组合港的港区中张家港港、常熟港和太仓港三港也分别有其特定的腹地范围。结果显示:靠近江苏省地域边界的各个港口或港区的腹地范围主要以其所处地区为中心,向周边地区呈南北向延伸;位于江苏省内陆地区的港口或港区的腹地范围则以其所在县级市或市区为中心,向周边地区大致呈团状拓展。     

晋东南山西组主煤层热演化生烃史及热源分析

以晋城矿区山西组主煤层为代表,利用时间-温度指示法、有机质变质程度法、挥发分产率法对该煤层煤化作用历史进行了定量分析,指出其埋藏历史经历了4个发展阶段:(1)P₁-T₃的快速沉降阶段,平均沉降速度达94m/Ma;(2)J₁的逐渐抬升阶段,抬升幅度大于750m;(3)J₂的缓慢沉降阶段,平均沉降速率为10m/Ma;(4)J₃-现代的再次回返阶段。主煤层热演化主要发生在埋藏历史的第1阶段和第4阶段的J₃-K时期,前者为深成变质作用,主要生成湿气且难于保存;后者为异常高热古地温场所致,促使主煤层出现二次生烃作用,为裂解气阶段,主要生成干气,易于保存。最后指出晚中生代异常高温古地温场是由于上地幔顶界面隆起、地壳变薄、岩浆作用加剧、热流值增高所致。而上地幔顶界面的隆起则与幔柱构造中的热幔柱上涌辐射有关。     

祁连山元古宙大陆溢流玄武岩

祁连山西段大面积分布的元古宙浅海相火山岩系是大 陆裂 谷火山作用的产 物,属大陆溢流玄武岩系。岩石地球化学研究表明,它们具有高εNd值和低( 87Sr/86Sr)i值 ,系派生于岩石圈之下的地幔柱源,但也显示有岩石圈组分卷入的证据。它们的形成是地幔 柱岩石圈相互作用的结果,是北祁连山早古生代洋盆开启的前兆。     

扬子地块西南缘晚古生代基性岩浆岩的性质与古特提斯洋的演化

扬子地块西南缘晚泥盆世至晚二叠世的基性岩浆岩具有大体类似的地球化学性质, 它们均富集Ｔｉ（ＴｉＯ２＞ ２％ ）、ＬＩＬＥ和ＬＲＥＥ（Ｌａ／Ｙｂ）Ｎ＝ ４．８～１４．６）,Ｔｉ／Ｖ（３２～６７）、Ｔｉ／Ｙ（４００～６９３）和Ｚｒ／Ｙ（３．２～７．６）比值高,具洋岛玄武岩的特征,推测它们均与地幔柱岩浆的活动有关。该地幔柱岩浆活动的时期与古特提斯洋盆演化的时期大体吻合, 但地幔柱岩浆开始喷发的中心与古特提斯初始扩张的中心相距甚远,看来,金沙江－哀牢山洋盆的张开与地幔柱岩浆活动无关。从晚泥盆世至晚二叠世,地幔柱岩浆活动的规模和强度逐渐增加,玄武岩分布中心从广西的南宁－百色之间逐渐向北西３１０°方向迁移了约６００ ｋｍ ,推测这一迁移轨迹可能受金沙江－哀牢山洋盆扩张的影响。据此估计, 金沙江－哀牢山洋盆宽度可达约１ ０００ ｋｍ 。据地幔柱岩浆轨迹与金沙江－哀牢山缝合带所夹的角度推测, 扬子地块可能经历了顺时针旋转, 与古地磁资料一致。     

初议成矿地球物理场：献给刘光鼎院士七十华诞,祝愿刘光鼎院士健康长寿

中国大地构造格局和主要地球物理场分布十分吻合,一些主要地球物场的演化促使若干金属元素成矿,地幔热柱,幔隆和幔坳转换带,莫霍斜坡带,俯冲带等和成矿区关系密切。     

Evidences of the Blake and Iceland Basin magnetic excursions in southeastern Iberia and chronological implications for the Padul sedimentary record

The Padul-15-05 sediment core provides an exceptional perspective of the paleoenvironmental and climate change in the Western Mediterranean region for the last ca. 200 kyr. However, even though a robust chronology mainly relying on radiometric dating is available for the last 50 ka, the chronology for the older sediments is not yet fully resolved. Ages for the bottom part of the core (>21 m) were previously inferred from amino-acid racemization dating and sediment accumulation rates. In this work, we provide a more accurate chronology for the older part (>100 kyr) of the Padul-15-05 sediment core record based on the recognition of past Earth's magnetic excursions. We identify an interval prone of reversed polarity samples close to MIS-5e/5 d transition that we correlate to the Blake geomagnetic excursion (116.5 kyr–112 kyr). In addition, we identify an interval of low inclinations and two reversed samples that we interpret as the Iceland Basin geomagnetic excursion (192.7 kyr–187.7 kyr: wide scenario of VGP <40°). Our new results, which include IRM acquisition curves that contribute to understand the magnetic mineralogy, enhances the robustness of the age model for the Padul-15-05 sedimentary sequence by adding an independent age dataset with new accurate tie-points. Our refined age control together with the available paleoenvironmental and paleoclimate multiproxy data provide insightful information to unveil the response of the western Mediterranean environments to regional environmental and climate change.