On Liaoximordellidae Fam. Nov. (Coleoptera, Insecta) from the Jurassic of Western Liaoning, China

A new insect family Liaoximordellidae (fam. nov.) has been named for a well-preserved specimen which was collected from the Upper Jurassic outcropping west of Daxinfangzi Village, Lingyuan County, Liaoning Province. The specimen can not be put into Mordellidae or Praemordellidae because it possesses some original and intermediate characters in morphology. It serves the study of mordellid evolution. Besides, the fossil group associated with the insect is important for the stratigraphic division of the Mesozoic in western Liaoning.     

Cold seep deposits of Beauvoisin (Oxfordian; southeastern France) and Marmorito (Miocene; northern Italy): microbially induced authigenic carbonates

The relation of two well-known ancient carbonate deposits to hydrocarbon seepage was confirmed by this study. Archaea are found to be associated with the formation of Oxfordian seep carbonates from Beauvoisin and with a Miocene limestone from Marmorito ("tube-worm limestone"). Carbonates formed due to a mediation by archaea exhibit extremely positive or extremely negative δ¹³C_carbonate values, respectively. Highly positive values (+15‰) reflect the use of ¹³C-enriched CO₂ produced by methanogenesis. Low δ¹³C values of the Marmorito carbonates (–30‰) indicate the oxidation of seepage-derived hydrocarbons. Likewise, the δ¹³C content of specific tail-to-tail linked isoprenoids, biomarkers for archaea, was found to be strikingly depleted in these samples (as low as –115‰). The isotopic signatures corroborate that archaea were involved in the cycling of seepage-derived organic carbon at the ancient localities. Another Miocene limestone ("Marmorito limestone") shows a strong imprint of methanotrophic bacteria as indicated by δ¹³C values of carbonate as low as –40‰ and biomarker evidence. Epifluorescence microscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy revealed that bacterial biofilms were involved in carbonate aggregation. In addition to lucinid bivalves previously reported from both localities, we infer that sponges from Beauvoisin and tube worms from Marmorito depended on chemosynthesis as well. Low δ¹³C values of nodules related to sponge taphonomy (–27‰) indicate that sponges might have been linked to an enhanced hydrocarbon oxidation. Tube worm fossils from Marmorito closely resemble chemosynthetic pogonophoran tube worms from Recent cold seeps and are embedded in isotopically light carbonate (δ¹³C –30‰). Received: 13 October 1998 / Accepted: 5 February 1999     

Climato-limnological signals during the past 260 000 years in physical properties of bottom sediments from Lake Baikal

The St.16 core obtained from the Academician Ridge of Lake Baikal in eastern Siberia may span about 260 000 years, and some physical properties of the core samples are closely related to aquatic paleoproductivity and climatic change. The median of grain size, grain density, and water content fluctuate synchronously. They also are connected with change in the abundance of biogenic silica (diatoms). The physical parameters indicate that there were high aquatic productivity periods around interglacial periods (MIS 5 and 7; 70 000-125 000 yr B.P. and 180 000-250 000 yr B.P.). Comparatively large clastics were transported from outside of the lake through various routes (ice rafting, etc.) in addition to fluvial routes during the glacials or 'stadials. There are ca. 20 000 yr, 40 000 yr and 100 000 yr periods in the variations of physical properties. These are related to the three Milankovitch parameters of solar insolation.     

Palynofacies investigation of Callovian (Middle Jurassic) sediments from DSDP Site 534, Blake-Bahama Basin,Western Central Atlantic

During the extension of Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Leg 76 a new and previously unpenetrated lithological unit composed mainly of claystones was cored above basalt basement at Site 534 in the Blake-Bahama Basin. The Callovian part of the new unit contains interbedded ‘black shales’ which were hitherto unexpected in this part of the section. This Paper presents a brief palynological examination of lithofacies-kerogen relationships in these sediments and shows that their organic content is almost entirely a function of the re-deposition of terrestial and marine organic matter versus the ambient redox conditions of the depositional environment. Allochthonous organic matter inputs are highest in the interbedded turbidites and decline progressively toward the pelagic black shales in which marine organic matter is comparatively well preserved. The significance of various kerogen and palynomorph indices are discussed. The study emphasizes the absolute necessity for sedimentologically-aware sampling in all palynological and geochemical work on lithologically heterogeneous sequences.     

重庆合川自流井组植物化石的发现

描述了发现于合川自流井组东岳庙段的三种似木贼植物化石,即Equisetites flus Harris,E．1ateralis(Phillips)和E．columnaris(Brongn．)Phillips。标本保存良好,依据植物和双壳类化石的分布关系,提出自流井组东岳庙段的时代为早侏罗世晚期至中侏罗世早期。同时,分析了东岳庙段的岩相特征和沉积环境。     

Using unmanned underwater vehicles as research platforms in coastal ocean studies

The advantages of using unmanned underwater vehicles in coastal ocean studies are emphasized. Two types of representative vehicles, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) from University of South Florida, are discussed. Two individual modular sensor packages designed and tested for these platforms and field measurement results are also presented. The bottom classification and albedo package, BCAP, provides fast and accurate estimates of bottom albedos, along with other parameters such as in-water remote sensing reflectance. The real-time ocean bottom optical topographer, ROBOT, reveals high-resolution 3-dimentional bottom topography for target identification. Field data and results from recent Coastal Benthic Optical Properties field campaign, 1999 and 2000, are presented. Advantages and limitations of these vehicles and applications of modular sensor packages are compared and discussed.     

准噶尔盆地腹部侏罗系层序地层划分

根据工区内现有的钻井、测井和地震资料,应用以基准面为参照格架的高分辨层序地层学理论与研究方法,对准噶尔盆地腹部侏罗系进行了层序界面的识别.共识别出层序界面7个,对应划分出1个长期基准面旋回和6个中期基准面旋回,长期基准面旋回界面的性质为区域性角度不整合,中期基准面旋回界面性质包括局部不整合、沉积转换面和同沉积侵蚀面.沉积转换面的识别对中期基准面旋回界面的识别起重要作用.     

柴达木盆地东部侏罗系煤系烃源岩生烃潜力评价及地球化学特征

对柴达木盆地东部地区侏罗系大煤沟剖面、绿草山剖面进行了露头取样,并利用Rock-Eval生油岩评价仪、色谱—质谱仪、稳定同位素质谱仪等实验分析测试技术对样品进行了地球化学特征分析。实验结果表明,样品有机碳含量变化从0.07%到56.8%,有机质类型以Ш型有机质为主,少数为型有机质,极少数为型有机质,灰黑色油页岩及黑色炭质页岩是侏罗系中的优质烃源岩。检测样品C29甾烷异构化参数C29αββ/(αββ ααα)、C29ααα20S/(20S 20R)分布范围分别为0.25~0.35、0.06~0.34,处于未熟—低熟状态。侏罗系水体环境较浅,多为滨浅湖与沼泽环境,具有煤系烃源岩特点,局部为水体比较咸化的半深湖—深湖环境。     

藏北色哇地区索布查组、曲色组岩石地层、层序地层、生物地层特征及三叠系与侏罗系界线

对藏北羌塘盆地南缘色哇地区的三叠纪与侏罗纪地层进行研究,在下侏罗统曲色组之下发现了一套以灰岩为主的地层,建立了索布查组,该组下部产晚三叠世腕足类、双壳类、六射珊瑚,上部产早侏罗世菊石,因此确定索布查组地质时代为晚三叠世—早侏罗世。三叠系-侏罗系界线应在索布查组之内,三叠系与侏罗系可能为整合接触。     

Change of Gas Hydrate Reservoir and Its Effect on the Environment in Xisha Trough since the Last Glacial Maximum

In this article, Milkov and Sassen’s model is selected to calculate the thickness of the gas hydrate stable zone (GHSZ) and the amount of gas hydrate in the Xisha (西沙) Trough at present and at the last glacial maximum (LGM), respectively, and the effects of the changes in the bottom water temperature and the sea level on these were also discussed. The average thickness of the GHSZ in Xisha Trough is estimated to be 287 m and 299 m based on the relationship between the GHSZ thickness and the water depth established in this study at present and at LGM, respectively. Then, by assuming that the distributed area of gas hydrates is 8 000 km2 and that the gas hydrate saturation is 1.2% of the sediment volume, the amounts of gas hydrate are estimated to be ~2.76×1010 m3 and ~2.87×1010 m3, and the volumes of hydrate-bound gases are ~4.52×1012 m3 and ~4.71×1012 m3 at present and at LGM, re- spectively. The above results show that the thickness of GHSZ decreases with the bottom water tem- perature increase and increases with the sea level increase, wherein the effect of the former is larger than that of the latter, that the average thickness of GHSZ in Xisha Trough had been reduced by ~12 m, and that 1.9×1011 m3 of methane is released from approximately 1.1×109 m3 of gas hydrate since LGM. The released methane should have greatly affected the environment.