The Eltanin asteroid impact: possible South Pacific palaeomegatsunami footprint and potential implications for the Pliocene–Pleistocene transition

Large asteroid impacts are rare, and those into the deep ocean are rarer still. The Eltanin asteroid impact around 2.51 ± 0.07 Ma occurred at a time of great climatic and geological change associated with the Pliocene–Pleistocene boundary. Numerical models of the event indicate that a megatsunami was generated, although there is debate concerning its magnitude and the region‐wide extent of its influence. We summarise the existing evidence for possible Eltanin megatsunami deposits in Antarctica, Chile and New Zealand, while also examining other potential sites from several locations, mainly around the South Pacific region. In reviewing these data we note that these events were unfolding at the same time as those associated with the Pliocene–Pleistocene boundary and, as such, most of the geological evidence from that time has a climatic interpretation. The potential climatic and geological ramifications of the Eltanin asteroid impact, however, have failed to be considered by most researchers studying this time period. Although we are not advocating that all geological activity at that time is connected with the Eltanin asteroid impact, it raises interesting questions about the role potentially played by such catastrophic events in contributing to or even triggering epochal transitions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Peat mounds of southwest Tasmania: Possible origins

Small mounds of peat rise several metres above the level of the water‐table at Melaleuca Inlet and Louisa Plains on the buttongrass plains in southwest Tasmania. Possible origins of the peat mounds have been explored by pollen analysis and radiocarbon dating of a set of samples taken from a vertical section of one peat mound at Melaleuca. The peat accumulation is entirely of Holocene age although the mound is underlain by sapric peats preserving a cold climate palynoflora of probable Late Pleistocene age. Peats at and near the base of the mound accumulated under a heath sedgeland during the earliest Holocene while after about 7630 a BP the peat‐forming vegetation was shrub‐dominated. The radiocarbon data indicate two main phases of overall peat accumulation, between 7630 and 5340 a BP (Middle Holocene) and between 4450 and 450 a BP (Late Holocene), that were interrupted by a wildfire which burnt into the surface peats. The maintenance of high surface and internal levels of moisture almost certainly was the critical factor behind the low incidence of in situ fires burning into the surface peats on the mound. The perennial influx of groundwater below the mound is a possible origin that fits well with our observations, although the expansion and contraction of soils cannot be discounted as an initiating factor. Enhanced nutrient input from birds may have helped promote growth in the peat‐forming communities. The data do not support the mounds being eroded remnants of a former blanket peat cover or being due to periglacial activity. The peat mounds of southwest Tasmania deserve maximum protection because of their rarity in the Australian landscape and, it seems, elsewhere.     

新疆富蕴地区晚第四纪松散沉积的孢粉研究

据对新疆富蕴吐尔洪及干沟等剖面的孢粉分析,揭示这些剖面沉积时期的气候温和干燥,植被为荒漠草原或稀树草原。孢粉分析结果及14C年龄数据说明,这些沉积物的地质时代属全新世。通过对取自断层两侧沉积物的孢粉分析研究,获知此断层的形成时间不会早于全新世     

应用地层倾角测井资料研究古河流特征

鄂尔多斯盆地绥德-榆林地区石炭、二叠系砂岩体大多为点砂坝,通过本区仅有的3口井倾角测井资料的研究,提供了古河流特征参数。这些数据表明石盒子和山西期的河流类型为辫状河-曲流河;太原期为低弯度曲流河。砂体宽度300-900m,平均496m.经镇川堡气田试采验证,这种认识与客观实际相符。另外,本区地层倾角测井所得垂直于倾向的走向方向才是河流的古流向,为测井数据合理解释古流向提供了理论依据。     

晚石炭世腕足动物古生物地理区

本文详细研究了晚石炭世腕足动物地理分布，辅之以、双壳和植物等资料，确定了晚石炭世腕足动物的三个古生物地理大区（ｒｅａｌｍ）：冈瓦纳大区；古地中海大区；北极大区。指出冈瓦纳和北极大区为凉水型腕足动物大区，古地中海大区为暖水型的腕足动物大区。将古地中海大区进一步划分为区（ｐｒｏｖｉｎｃｅ），小区（ｓｕｂｐｒｏｖｉｎｃｅ），并指出了北美北部阿舍尔期古生物地理的变化。筛选出了各大区、区及小区的腕足动物特征属，简要叙述各大区、区及小区腕足动物群分布情况。     

华北晚古生代聚煤盆地造盆构造述略

本文从盆地基底、盆地基盘及盆地发育期构造演化三个层次讨论了华北晚古生代聚煤盆地的造盆构造特征。文中提出了盆地基盘概念，阐述释了华北地台晚古生代积活动肇始的构造机理，对华力西阶段华北板块板缘活动及其板内地层记录进行了对应研究。     

山东淄博晚石炭世双壳类动物群及其古生态特征

本文记述了采自山东淄博地区晚石炭世太原组双壳类化石１５属２８种，讨论了化石组合特征．在研究双壳类动物群的基础上，划分了３个动物群落，即：Ａｃａｎｔｈｏｐｅｃｔｅｎ群落、Ｐａｌａｃｏｌｉｍａ群落和Ａｉｔａｒｔｅｌｌａ群落，并对各群落的生态特征进行了系统研究．     

“豫灵人”发现区第四系与古人类相关问题分析

本文通过对“豫灵人”发现区地壳发展历史和第四系成因类型的分析,提出了“豫灵人”发现区古人化石所在地的中更新统上部地层是本区继续寻找发现古人化石和旧石器的重要地区与地层之一。     

昆明草海晚更新世硅藻植物群及其环境演化

通过对草海2号孔硅藻植物群生态演化及沉积特征的研究,将草海晚更新世划分为十个硅藻带和五个环境演化段落,说明5万年以来草海经历了由河流三角洲—中深湖滨—浅湖—沼泽的发展过程,在距今4.4万年时,滇池湖达到高潮,以后一直湖退,其中距今2.8万年左右由于河口砂坝的发展而形成海埂,使草海与滇池相对隔离而进入一个独立发展阶段,并加快了草海沼泽化进程。从气候上看,5万年以来,草海也经历了凉—暖—凉—温的两次周期性变化。