The age and formation mechanisms of Late Triassic fissure deposits,Gloucestershire, England: Comments on Mussini,G. et al. (2020). Anatomy of a Late Triassic Bristol fissure: Tytherington fissure 2

In the Late Triassic the landscape NE of present-day Bristol, SW England was dominated by Carboniferous Limestone ridges and cuestas that became progressively buried by continental Mercia Mudstones and finally inundated during the Rhaetian marine transgression. Mussini et al. (2020) adopt the assertions of earlier collaborators back to Whiteside and Marshall (2008) that terrestrial vertebrate assemblages from sediments contained within karstic fissure systems in the former limestone ridges at Cromhall, Tytherington and elsewhere are restricted to the Rhaetian. We review and reject the sedimentological, stratigraphic, geomorphological and topographic arguments for this and reassert a long pre-Rhaetian (Norian) history for the vertebrate-bearing fissure systems at both Tytherington and Cromhall. We also reject the contemporaneous Rhaetian freshwater-seawater mixing zone dissolution model for the fissure systems adopted by Mussini et al. (2020) and reaffirm that the Tytherington and Cromhall fissures developed as conduit caves with a long Triassic history. Applying a new regional study of the Rhaetian transgressive surface, we also show that whilst the fissures at Cromhall remained sealed after the Norian, those at nearby Tytherington were re-exposed in the Late Rhaetian. Already partially filled with Norian sediments, the Tytherington fissures were subject to reworking on the seabed. Internal collapses, probably triggered by well documented repeated regional seismicity, led to the chaotic state of the Tytherington fills when downward moving Rhaetian marine components came to lie amongst and mix with earlier Norian terrestrial sediments. The vertebrate associations in the Tytherington fissures therefore contain a substantial Rhaetian input whilst those at Cromhall do not.     

四川盆地下奥陶统桐梓组白云岩多元成因

四川盆地下奥陶统桐梓组白云岩的成因研究较少,模式存在多样性,尚未达成共识.通过系统的岩心观察、薄片鉴定、地球化学分析等方法,在四川盆地桐梓组识别出晶粒白云岩、颗粒白云岩和含石英白云岩及含白云质石英砂岩等与白云石相关的岩石类型.地球化学分析揭示不同类型白云岩具有不同的地球化学特征及白云石化机理,晶粒白云岩的MgO含量与CaO含量呈现出明显的正相关性,具有相对高的δ18O_PDB值、δ13C_PDB值、Sr值及较高的Mg/Ca比值,Fe、Mn含量较低,为准同生期蒸发泵白云石化成因;A类含石英白云岩及含白云质石英砂岩具有与晶粒白云岩相似的地球化学特征,也主要为准同生期白云石化成因;颗粒白云岩的MgO含量与CaO含量表现出弱负相关性,δ13C_PDB值和δ18O_PDB值与同期海水碳、氧同位素值分布范围基本一致,Sr含量相对较高,为回流渗透白云石化成因;B类含石英白云岩及含白云质石英砂岩只在研究区靠近物源的局部地区发育,其MgO含量与CaO含量呈正相关,δ13C_PDB值和δ18O_PDB值表现为明显负偏,与其他两类白云岩相比具有较高的Al₂O₃、Fe、Mn含量和相对较低的Sr含量,且受到陆源碎屑混入的影响,认为是混合水白云石化成因.四川盆地桐梓组具有3种白云石化机理共存的特征,总体继承了上寒武统白云石化机理.      

Organic matter accumulation of Late Ordovician sediments in North Guizhou Province,China: Sulfur isotope and trace element evidences

The organic-rich Upper Ordovician sediments (Wufeng and Guanyinqiao Formations) on the Yangtze platform are considered to be one of the main source rocks. Here we present geochemical proxies, including redox indicator (S/C ratios and sulfur isotopes) and productivity indices (TOC, Mo and Ba contents), from Nanbazi section in North Guizhou province, South China, in order to investigate the mechanism of organic matter accumulation. The geochemical data suggest a stagnant and anoxic environment predominated the Yangtze Sea during the Wufeng period, whereas ventilated and oxygenated marine conditions pervaded the Yangtze Sea during the Guanyinqiao period. Variations in the concentration of TOC, Mo and Ba indicate that higher organic carbon export in the Wufeng intervals than those in the Guanyinqiao intervals. These variations in redox and productivity during the late Ordovician were associated with different mechanisms and forcing processes. The abrupt change from anoxic to oxygenated condition at the beginning of the Guanyinqiao was concomitant with the global glacial period, likely resulted from the glacio-eustatic sea-level fall and subsequent circulation of cold, dense oxygenated waters upon the shelf seabed. The productivity variations were related to the change of nutrient supply, which is consistent with volcanic activities and runoff to the Yangtze Sea. Redox changes, together with primary productivity fluctuations could have played a significant role on the variation of organic matter accumulation during the late Ordovician in South China.     

福建建瓯地区“竹洲砾岩”的厘定

对发育于福建建瓯市迪口镇竹洲村的"竹洲砾岩"的野外调查和室内研究表明,该砾岩既不是前震旦系马面山群龙北溪组的底部砾岩,也不是构造砾岩,而是相当于晚三叠世大坑组(T3d)层位的底砾岩,不整合沉积在前震旦系迪口组之上.这一发现对深化研究该地区前寒武纪地质构造演化历史具有重要意义.     

Late Pleistocene to Holocene record of changing uplift rates in southern Calabria and northeastern Sicily (southern Italy, Central Mediterranean Sea)

A combination of published and new radiometric dates on uplifted Holocene fossil beaches from northeastern Sicily and southern Calabria (southern Italy) is compared with the altitude of the inner margin of the Last Interglacial (LIg) (Late Pleistocene, 124 ka) and older marine terraces in order to gain a regional-scale outline of uplift rates and their temporal changes in a region which is one of the fastest uplifting sectors of the Central Mediterranean Sea. Late Holocene radiocarbon dates from Ioppolo (southern Calabria) and Ganzirri (northeast Sicily), two newly discovered sites are here presented for the first time. The Holocene uplift rates are highest at St. Alessio and Taormina in eastern Sicily (2.4 mm/y) and at Scilla in southwestern Calabria (2.1 mm/y), two sites located across the Messina Straits and which separate the island of Sicily from mainland Italy. Uplift rates decrease towards the south and north from this centre of uplift. Late Holocene uplift rates show an apparent increase of between 64 and 124% when compared with the longer-term uplift rates calculated from the LIg highstand terraces. Furthermore, we discovered that the locations of fastest Late Pleistocene and Late Holocene uplift rates spatially coincide. To what extent the Holocene increase in uplift rates results from incomplete elastic strain release along the major extensional faults which frame the seismotectonic of the area, or indicate a true change in regional tectonic processes, is not resolved. Nonetheless, the heterogeneity of uplift, with a well-defined centre that crosses the Messina Straits, and its persistence at different time-scales indicates a tight connection between wider regional processes and fault-related displacement in controlling crustal instability in this area.     

晚更新世以来闽东南老红砂沉积粒度特征与古气候变化

对闽东南深沪湾老红砂风沙沉积进行粒度测试,提取对环境变化敏感的粒级组分,结合年代学数据,初步划分了研究区晚更新世中晚期以来的气候变化阶段和气候驱动因素。研究发现,研究区经历了较冷干-暖湿-冷干-暖湿4个气候变化过程。气候变化主要受控于太阳辐射,表现出明显的23 ka长岁差周期、14.2 ka、11.8 ka半岁差周期,叠加约0.25 ka的双世纪周期,陆地-海洋-大气系统的内部因素对表现出来的百年周期可能产生放大或缩小影响。70.8—46.4 ka BP和21.3—11.6 ka BP两个阶段老红砂沉积速率较大,是老红砂风沙堆积的两个主要时期,两个阶段沉积速率分别达到30 mm/(100 a)、650 mm/(100 a)。     

Late Cenozoic fluvial development within the Sea of Azov and Black Sea coastal plains

Late Cenozoic terrestrial deposits are widespread across the northern coastal regions of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov and represent diverse fluvial, estuarine and deltaic environments. The dating and correlation of these deposits rely on stratigraphically-associated marine index beds, mammalian and molluscan faunas and magnetostratigraphy. In detail the geometries of these sediment bodies are extremely complex, typically varying between localities and representing many cycles of incision and aggradation. However, the overall disposition of the sediments reflects the transition from the uplifting sediment source region to the north and the subsiding depocentre in the interior of the Black Sea to the south. Since the Middle Miocene the area of the Paratethys/Black Sea depocentre has decreased significantly, but since the Middle Pliocene the hinge zone between uplift and subsidence has been located close to the modern coastline. A combination of regional and local differential crustal movements has given rise to the great variety of fluvial sediment bodies, to the erosion–aggradation cycles, different phases and river activity and to the various fluvial landforms that have all been important in landscape development in this region during the past 12 Ma. The fluvial erosion–accumulation cycles (during the upper Serravillian–Messinian, the Zanclean–late Gelasian, and the Pleistocene) and corresponding cycles of relief dissection and planation are reconstructed against a background of local sea-level changes and climatic variations determined from palaeobotanical data. The maximum fluvial incision occurred in the early Zanclean time with alluvial coastal plains, unique in this area, developing in the Gelasian. Increased climatic aridity during the Pleistocene caused a reduction of fluvial activity in comparison with the Late Miocene and Pliocene. The sea-level oscillations and Pleistocene glaciations affected fluvial processes in different ways. The most remarkable events were the substantial reduction of fluvial activity during the Messinian dessication in the Black Sea and drainage of the shelf, with intensive dissection, coeval with the Last Glaciation.     

青岛垭口—八仙墩变质海相碎屑岩的属性和构造意义

青岛垭口—八仙墩变质海相碎屑岩分布面积大,保留了原生的各种沉积构造,为一套浊积岩系,应归属于扬子板块上奥陶统,建议命名为八仙墩组。浊积岩系中的砾岩含花岗质砾石、角闪岩砾石和长英质砾石,可以为复原上奥陶世扬子板块大陆边缘沉积环境和研究物源区大地构造背景提供良好的研究素材。岩石地球化学成份判别为硬砂岩和页岩,也佐证了本套地层为浊积岩系。弱的Ce/Ce~*负异常,说明了海相沉积成因,也表明陆源碎屑物对沉积岩的主导作用。(Fe_2O_3+MgO)-TiO_2图解、La-Th-Sc图解和Th-Sc-Zr/10图解表明本套碎屑岩具有活动大陆边缘背景和大陆岛弧的共同特征,但从比较高的La丰度、Ce丰度和∑REE丰度,可以判断八仙墩碎屑岩为活动大陆边缘背景下发育的浊积岩系。通过露头的构造地质分析,推断本套地层是在扬子板块陆壳物质向华北板块下深俯冲过程期间或其后扬子板块陆壳上部盖层继续向华北板块仰冲就位的,在超高压变质岩折返时经历了由北向南的逆冲。本套碎屑岩明确指示在南黄海盆地深部应该有古生界奥陶统的地层,盆地深部的同一套地层应该具有油气储层和盖层的性能。     

塔中Ⅰ号坡折带上奥陶统成礁背景分析

自塔中Ⅰ号坡折带上奥陶统良里塔格组发现生物礁滩作为重要储集层后,有关礁的形态和规模一直存在较大的争议。本研究解析该地区礁的古生物组合、古生态结构和沉积环境,以此为基础系统论证生物礁的沉积序列。礁的建造方式可归属于珊瑚骨架礁丘、层孔虫—海绵骨架礁丘、海绵—层孔虫骨架礁丘以及管孔藻—层孔虫骨架礁丘几种生态类型,这些骨架礁丘无论从造礁生物多样性、生态组合特征以及造礁规模,皆不同于前时代的前寒武纪叠层石礁、寒武纪古杯礁、早奥陶世的灰泥丘和托盘海绵礁,而呈现出单个礁体厚度大、发育旋回多之特点,多期礁体的垂向叠加、横向迁移造成礁体叠置连片, 形成了呈条带状展布的大型生物礁群。     

塔中及相邻地区早奥陶世沉积格局新论

前人的观点认为,早奥陶世的塔里木盆地是一个统一的“大碳酸盐岩台地”,斜坡相呈马蹄形发育在古城—轮南一线。通过对塔中地区满加1井—塔中29井一线及相邻地区下—中奥陶统的岩石学、沉积学和地震地层学等方面的研究,发现这一线的下奥陶统主要由一套较深水的斜坡及海槽沉积构成,其地层厚度和地震反射特征也明显与周边地区不同,认为塔中及相邻地区在早奥陶世期间已经从早期的塔里木“大碳酸盐台地”中分化独立出来,分裂成塔中—巴楚台地、古城台地、塘南台地三块孤立台地,以塔北隔海相望。各孤立台地周缘发育台地边缘高能礁滩沉积体,呈条带状展布,主要由中高能粒屑滩组成;向内相变为台地相,发育台内滩、台内洼地、滩间海等亚相;向外进入较深水的斜坡—海槽沉积区,从而确立了塔中及相邻地区早奥陶世新的区域沉积格局。新沉积格局的确立,对于确立下奥陶统新的有利勘探区带具有重要的理论和现实意义,大大提升了研究区下奥陶统的油气勘探战略地位。