The response of ostracod shell chemistry to seasonal change in a Mediterranean freshwater spring environment

We established the relationships between water chemistry changes in a pool fed by a permanent spring and seasonal variations in trace-element contents (Sr & Mg) in the shells of the ostracod species Herpetocypris intermedia, based on monthly collections of ostracod and water samples. The water chemistry of the investigated pool (Maïques, Valëncia, Spain) was dominated by calcium and bicarbonate, and showed marked seasonal variation in alkalinity, Ca²⁺ content, Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios. Although the variability in the water chemistry was relatively low (~10% relative standard deviation over the entire period), the trace-element contents in the ostracod shells tracked the seasonal change in the water chemistry of Maïques pool. Moreover, due to the rapid renewal of H. intermedia population, this species is able torecord in its shells the evolution of the water chemistry at a monthly time scale. Our results also showed that, in the Maïques pool system, ostracod Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios increased with the decrease in water salinity.To our knowledge, this is the first geochemical study of ostracods dwelling in spring environments. The results of this study may be applied to paleohydrological reconstruction using ostracods preserved in sediments deposited around springs (i.e. travertine and tufa deposits).     

High precision glacial–interglacial benthic foraminiferal Sr/Ca records from the eastern equatorial Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea

Glacial–interglacial variation in the marine Sr/Ca ratio has important implications for coral Sr thermometry [J.W. Beck et al., Science 257 (1992) 644–647]. A possible variation of 1–3% was proposed based on ocean models [H.M. Stoll and D.P. Schrag, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 62 (1998) 1107–1118]. Subsequently, studies have used fossil foraminifera to test this prediction [P.A. Martin et al., Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 1 (1999); H.M. Stoll et al., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 63 (1999) 3535–3547; H. Elderfield et al., Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 1 (2000)]. But whether some component of foraminiferal Sr/Ca variation can be uniquely ascribed to seawater Sr variation is still not clear. To address this question, we developed cleaning and analysis techniques and measured Sr/Ca ratios on individual shells of the modern benthic foraminifer Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi. We showed that different size shells have different Sr/Ca ratios; however, samples with shell sizes of 355–500 μm appear to have normally distributed Sr/Ca ratios (1σ=1.8%). For multi-shell measurements (with estimated errors of 0.12–0.39%), the ratio varied by as much as 7.2±0.5% during the last glaciation for two Caribbean records at the same site and by 3.7±0.5% over the past 40,000 yr for one record from the Sierra Leone Rise in the eastern equatorial Atlantic. The two Caribbean records are very similar indicating that the behavior of shell Sr uptake was identical locally and that the shell Sr/Ca ratio faithfully reflects the local environment. The Atlantic record differs from the Caribbean records by as much as several percent. Thus, the foraminiferal Sr/Ca changes cannot be solely due to changes in seawater Sr/Ca unless the glacial deep ocean had spatial variation in Sr/Ca well in excess of the modern ocean. Certain similarities between the three records do exist. Notably, the rate of change of Sr/Ca is similar between 9 and 0 ka (−0.25%/kyr) and between 25 and 16 ka (+0.16%/kyr). This suggests that during these intervals, benthic foraminiferal Sr/Ca was affected by similar large-scale variables. One of these variables may be the average marine Sr/Ca ratio; however, comparison with model predictions [H.M. Stoll and D.P. Schrag, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 62 (1998) 1107–1118] suggests other factors must also be considered. The discrepancies between the two sites may be related to the different water mass histories for the Caribbean and eastern Atlantic. Our results suggest that variation of the seawater Sr budget only partially contributed to C. wuellerstorfi Sr/Ca records, while other significant factors still need to be quantified. At present we cannot confidently determine past seawater Sr/Ca variation from our foraminiferal records.     

Studies on40Ar/39Ar thermochronology of strike-slip time of the Tan-Lu fault zone and their tectonic implications

Samples of mylonite, ultramylonite and phyllonite were collected from 5 localities in the Anhui part of the Tan-Lu fault zone for⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar chronological studies. Among them 4 samples from 3 localities on the eastern margin of the Dabie orogenic belt yielded⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages of 128 —132 Ma; and 2 samples from the western margin of the Zhangbalin uplift and eastern margin of the Bengbu uplift gave the same⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages of 120 Ma. Isochron analyses and other lines of evidence suggest that the data are reliable. The data are interpreted as cooling ages of sinistral strike-slip deformation of the Tan-Lu fault zone. The younger ages from the north might be related to slower strike-slip rising. These results indicate that the large-scale left-lateral displacement in the Tan-Lu fault zone took place in the Early Cretaceous, rather than in Late Triassic (Indosinian) as proposed by some geologists. Therefore, this fault zone is an intracontinental wrench fault rather than a transform fault or suture line developed during formation of the Dabie orogenic belt.     

Quantitative measurements on the paleo-weathering intensity of the loess-soil sequences and implication on paleomonsoon

The loess-soil sequences in northern China provide a near continuous record of Quaternary paleoclimate. The pedogenetic intensity of the sequences is closely linked with the variations of the East Asian summer monsoon. In this study, 2181 samples from the Changwu and Xifeng loess sections are analyzed and two high-resolution paleo-weathering timeseries of the last 1.2 Ma are generated, using the ratio of CBD extractable free Fe₂O₃ (FeD) versus the total iron (FeT). This new index is compared with micromorphological features, low-frequency magnetic susceptibility, frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility, and the Rb/Sr ratio^[5,6]. The results suggest that the FeD/FeT ratio is able to better reflect the degree of soil development. Since the chemical weathering of loess in the Loess Plateau region mainly depends upon the summer precipitation and temperature under modern climate condition, which are closely associated with strength of summer monsoon, and the chemical weathering intensity of loess primarily reflects the variations of the summer monsoon circulation.     

Low Electrical Resistivity And Seismic Velocity At The Base Of The Upper Crust As Indicator Of Rheologically Weak Layer

Conductivity models were compiled in two geological provinces with thinsediments. The first province is the margin of the Precambrian East EuropeanPlatform. The second one is the Phanerozoic Rhenish Massif as a part of CentralGermany Hercinicum. In both provinces, a conducting layer was revealed at thebase of the upper crust by the magnetotelluric soundings. Its depth is around10 km in the East European Platform and around 15 km in the Rhenish Massif.The conductance of the layer reaches a few tens of Siemens in the first provinceand is almost an order of magnitude greater in the second one.A good correlation between the conductor and a seismic wave-guide (low-velocityzone) exists at the base of the upper crust. Simultaneous decrease of both electricalresistivity and seismic velocity, suggests an increase of porosity and permeability inpresence of saline water. The depth of rheological weak layer in the PhanerozoicRhenish Massif corresponds to the commonly accepted depth of the thermallyinduced brittle/ductile transition. Contrary similar layer in the Precambrian EasternEuropean Platform is much shallower than the thermally induced transition. Somenew mechanism should be considered.     

边界条件对土层粘弹性地震反应的影响

边界条件是土层粘弹性地震反应必须考虑的问题。对于地表面，一般作为自由边界，而对于地下深处基岩面，边界条件有两种处理方法：一是静止边界，二是非静止边界的。首先给出了在时间域内单层地基一维土层粘弹性地震反应封闭解析解，然后从理论上分析边界条件对土层粘弹性地震反应的影响，认为采用静止边界进行土层地震反应计算得到的地震动加速度时程符合天然地震记录形式，而采用非静止边界进行土层地震反应计算得到的地震动加速度时程初始阶段出现较大幅度的振荡现象，随着土层厚度增加，这种振荡现象逐渐减弱直至消失。当土层阻尼较小或剪切波速增长时，振荡现象加剧；当土层阻尼比较大或剪切波速减小时，振荡现象减弱。此外，采用非静止边界进行土层地震反应计算，表现出随着土层厚度的增加，土层对基岩输入地震动的放大作用逐步转化为吸收作用。     

内蒙古固阳渣尔泰山群层序地层与复合海平面变化

通过内蒙古固阳渣尔泰山群的岩性、岩相和相序研究，对其进行了层序分析和层序划分，识别出一级、二级、三级层序层面，包括海侵沟蚀面和暴露-淹没复合型层序界面。共划分出1个超层序，3个大层序和8个层序，总结出渣尔泰山群的不同古地理背景如碎屑滨岸、台缘碳酸盐岩与碎屑岩混积、碳酸盐台地、台前斜坡和陆棚盆地层序发育模式以及内部构成特征，并探讨了复合海平面变化以及对层序发育和演化的控制作用。     

吐哈盆地侏罗系层序地层学研究

吐哈盆地侏罗系是一个盆地充填层序 (一级层序 ),包括 4个构造层序 (二级层序 ),分别与侏罗纪湖盆的 4个演化阶段 (稳定沉降阶段、短期收缩阶段、扩张阶段和萎缩阶段 )相对应,其中又分为 13个 (三级 )层序。与海相地层不同的是,本区识别出了 4种层序边界类型 (A型、B型、C型和D型 ),其对应的层序本文分别称之为冲积层序、淹没层序、类Ⅰ型层序和类Ⅱ型层序。冲积层序形成于构造剧烈抬升时的盆地萎缩阶段,淹没层序形成于构造沉降迅速时的盆地扩张阶段.     

叠前正演模拟与偏移的网络并行计算

在叠前深度偏移和非零炮检距声波方程正演计算过程中包含了大量的可并行计算的成分。作者在本文中提出叠前正演模拟与偏移的网络并行计算算法，并基于TCP／IP协议，将该算法设计成网络并行处理程序，极大地提高了计算效率。实际运算结果证明，本文提出的并行算法和技术路线是切实可行的。     

Crustal structure in and around the region of the 1995 Kobe Earthquake deduced from a wide-angle and refraction seismic exploration

Abstract The 1995 Kobe (Hyogo-ken Nanbu) earthquake (M_JMA 7.2, M_w 6.9) occurred on Jan. 17, 1995, at a depth of 17 km, beneath the areas of southern part of Hyogo prefecture and Awaji Island. To investigate P-wave velocity distribution and seismological characteristics in the aftershock area of this great earthquake, a wide-angle and refraction seismic exploration was carried out by the Research Group for Explosion Seismology (RGES) . The profile including 6 shot points and 205 observations was 135 km in length, extending from Keihoku, Northern Kyoto prefecture, through Kobe, to Seidan on Awaji Island. The charge of each shot was 350–700 kg. The P-wave velocity structure model showed a complicated sedimentary layer which is shallower than 2.5 km, a 2.5 km-thick basement layer whose velocity is 5.5 km/s, overlying the crystalline upper crust, and the boundary between the upper and lower crust.
Almost all aftershock hypocenters were located in the upper crust. However, the structure model suggests that the hypocenters of the main shock and some aftershock clusters were situated deeper than the boundary between the upper and lower crust. We found that the P-velocity in the upper crust beneath the northern part of Awaji Island is 5.64 km/s which is 3% lower than that of the surrounding area. The low-velocity zone coincides with the region where the high stress moment release was observed.