Late Holocene monsoon climate as evidenced by proxy records from a lacustrine sediment sequence in western Guangdong,South China

The study of a 300-cm-thick exposed lacustrine sediment section in the Hedong village in Zhaoqing area which is located in sub-tropical west Guangdong Province in South China, demonstrates that the lacustrine sedimentary sequence possibly contains evidence for exploring variation of Asian monsoon climate. Multi-proxy records, including the humification intensity, total organic carbon, and grain size fractions, reveal a general trend towards dry and cold conditions in the late Holocene that this is because of a decrease in solar insolation on an orbital scale. Three intensified Asian summer monsoon (ASM) intervals (∼3300–3000 cal yr BP, ∼2600–1600 cal yr BP, and ∼900–600 cal yr BP), and three weakened ASM intervals (∼4000–3300 cal yr BP, ∼3000–2600 cal yr BP, and ∼1600–900 cal yr BP) are identified. Our humification record (HD_cal) shows a good correlation on multi-centennial scale with the tree ring Δ¹⁴C record, a proxy of solar activity. A spectral analysis of HD_cal reveals four significant cycles, i.e., ∼1250 yr, 300 yr, 110 yr, and 70 yr, and most of these cycles are related to the solar activity. Our findings indicate that solar output and oceanic–atmospheric circulation probably have influenced the late Holocene climate variability in the study region.     

Location,location, location: changes in the diversity of animal resources exploited by Tardiglacial humans in northern Spain

Prey diversity of Homo sapiens in north Iberia exhibited shifts associated with climate warming after the Last Glacial Maximum, as deduced from animal remains obtained from Upper Palaeolithic caves in Asturias (northern Spain). Significant association of prey diversity and river proximity was found during adverse climate conditions, indicating opportunistic predation. A high increase of prey diversity was found when small animals (including fish) were taken into account in archaeological records, highlighting the importance of this type of prey in Palaeolithic diets. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The grain-size characteristics of Quaternary deposits at Xingshan near Siping in Jilin province, China

This research paper analyses the grain-size characteristics of the Quaternary deposits at Xingshan near Siping, Jilin province in China by employing graphic measures to study the grain size distribution and its mode of transport and deposition. The Quaternary deposits at Xingshan lie unconformable on Cretaceous rocks made of siltstone, mudstone and sandstone. The average grain size is between 8.06 to 8.55Ф （0. 002 6 0. 003 7 mm）. The Quaternary deposits at Xingshan mainly compose of very fine silt to clay. The compositions of the grade are clay 63 % and silt 37 %. The clay size components are weathered debris transported and deposited by flowing water from the SE highlands or hills to the low lying NW Xingshan plains whereas the silty components accumulated by aoelian process. The Quaternary deposits at Xingshan accumulated in the middle and late Pleistocene interglacial periods from （459.12 - 39.03 ） ka to （88.92 - 7.56 ） ka. The standard deviation ranged from 0.96 to 1.36%, indicating that the sediments are moderately to poorly sorted, Coefficient of skewness ranged from 0.16 - 0.31 with an average skewness of 0. 218, （Positively skewed towards fine）. Kurtosis values （0.84- 1.05） from the grain size distribution and visual inspection of the frequency curves indicate platykurtic to mesokurtic curves and unimodal to bimodal grain-size distribution. The type of deposit formation is sand dune and the source is at a distal from its provenance.     

湖南省主要内生成矿事件的构造格局控矿特征及动力机制

湖南省内生矿产资源丰富,内生成矿事件主要有加里东期(以志留纪为主)、印支晚期(晚三叠世)、燕山中晚期(晚侏罗世-早白垩世)等3期。以区域矿产资料为基础,结合大地构造、成岩成矿年龄、矿床成因机制等研究成果,对上述3期内生成矿事件的构造格局控矿特征和动力机制进行探讨。①受加里东运动自东南向西北扩展以及深部岩石圈结构差异控制,加里东期湖南省自东南往西北分为成矿特征有别的3个构造带。湘中-湘东南构造岩浆带(Ⅰ)发生后碰撞花岗质岩浆活动,于局部产生与岩浆活动相关的W、萤石等成矿作用;雪峰构造带(Ⅱ)东部的雪峰冲断带(Ⅱ1)形成了以构造活化成因为主的金矿和锑金矿;雪峰构造带(Ⅱ)西部的武陵低缓褶皱带(Ⅱ2)及湘西北构造抬升带(Ⅲ)内形成了与寒武纪同沉积断裂活动、加里东运动后的伸展活动以及相应的热液活动有关的汞铅锌矿。②印支晚期受深部岩石圈结构差异控制,湖南省自东南至西北分为3个构造带:湘中-湘东南构造岩浆带(Ⅰ)因后碰撞减压熔融而发生大规模花岗质岩浆活动,从而于其东南部形成钨锡铅锌多金属矿床,西北部形成锑金钨多金属矿床;雪峰构造带(Ⅱ)可能无内生热液成矿作用;湘西北褶皱带(Ⅲ)发育小型脉型铅锌矿。③燕山中晚期,湖南省自东南往西北分为3个构造带:湘中-湘东构造岩浆带(Ⅰ)受岩石圈拆沉、软流圈上隆、陆内碰撞后期增温减压、俯冲板块崩塌等深部构造作用控制而发生大规模花岗质岩浆活动,形成了大量的有色金属矿床和金矿床;雪峰西部构造带(Ⅱ)成矿作用弱,局部存在Au、Hg成矿作用;湘西北褶皱带(Ⅲ)发育少量低温热液充填型萤石矿和砷矿。     

Climatic implications of correlated Upper Pleistocene glacial and fluvial deposits on the Cinca and Gállego Rivers (NE Spain) based on OSL dating and soil stratigraphy

We correlate Upper Pleistocene glacial and fluvial deposits of the Cinca and Gállego River valleys (south central Pyrenees and Ebro basin, Spain) using geomorphic position, luminescence dates, and time-related trends in soil development. The ages obtained from glacial deposits indicate glacial periods at 85 ± 5 ka, 64 ± 11 ka, and 36 ± 3 ka (from glacial till) and 20 ± 3 ka (from loess). The fluvial drainage system, fed by glaciers in the headwaters, developed extensive terrace systems in the Cinca River valley at 178 ± 21 ka, 97 ± 16 ka, 61 ± 4 ka, 47 ± 4 ka, and 11 ± 1 ka, and in the Gállego River valley at 151 ± 11 ka, 68 ± 7 ka, and 45 ± 3 ka. The times of maximum geomorphic activity related to cold phases coincide with Late Pleistocene marine isotope stages and Heinrich events. The maximum extent of glaciers during the last glacial occurred at 64 ± 11 ka, and the terraces correlated with this glacial phase are the most extensive in both the Cinca (61 ± 4 ka) and Gállego (68 ± 7 ka) valleys, indicating a strong increase in fluvial discharge and availability of sediments related to the transition to deglaciation. The global Last Glacial Maximum is scarcely represented in the south central Pyrenees owing to dominantly dry conditions at that time. Precipitation must be controlled by the position of the Iberian Peninsula with respect to the North Atlantic atmospheric circulation system. The glacial systems and the associated fluvial dynamic seem sensitive to 1) global climate changes controlled by insolation, 2) North Atlantic thermohaline circulation influenced by freshwater pulses into the North Atlantic, and 3) anomalies in atmospheric circulation in the North Atlantic controlling precipitation on the Iberian Peninsula. Our scenario of glacial and fluvial evolution during the Late Pleistocene in northern Spain could be extrapolated to other glaciated mountainous areas in southern Europe.     

Environmental changes on Yugorski Peninsula, Kara Sea, Russia, during the last 12,800 radiocarbon years

New pollen and radiocarbon data from an 8.6-m coastal section, Cape Shpindler (69°43′N; 62°48′E), Yugorski Peninsula, document the latest Pleistocene and Holocene environmental history of this low Arctic region. Twelve AMS ¹⁴C dates indicate that the deposits accumulated since about 13,000 until 2000 radiocarbon years BP. A thermokarst lake formed ca. 13,000–12,800 years BP, when scarce arctic tundra vegetation dominated the area. By 12,500 years BP, a shallow lake existed at the site, and Arctic tundra with Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Salix, Saxifraga, and Artemisia dominated nearby vegetation. Climate was colder than today. Betula nana became dominant during the Early Preboreal period about 9500 years BP, responding to a warm event, which was one of the warmest during the Holocene. Decline in B. nana and Salix after 9500 years BP reflects a brief event of Preboreal cooling. A subsequent increase in Betula and Alnus fruticosa pollen percentages reflects amelioration of environmental conditions at the end of Preboreal period (ca. 9300 years BP). A decline in arboreal taxa later, with a dramatic increase in herb taxa, reflects a short cold event at about 9200 years BP. The pollen data reflect a northward movement of tree birch, peaking at the middle Boreal period, around 8500 years BP. Open Betula forest existed on the Kara Sea coast of the Yugorski Peninsula during the Atlantic period (8000–4500 years BP), indicating that climate was significantly warmer than today. Deteriorating climate around the Atlantic–Subboreal boundary (ca. 4500 years BP) is recorded by a decline in Betula percentages. Sedimentation slowed at the site, and processes of denudation and/or soil formation started at the beginning of the Subatlantic period, when vegetation cover on Yugorski Peninsula shifted to near-modern assemblages.     

Non-uniform across-shelf variations in thickness, grain size, and frequency of turbidites in a transgressive outer-shelf, the Middle Pleistocene Kakinokidai Formation, Boso Peninsula, Japan

Across-shelf variations in thickness, grain size, and frequency of sandstone beds in a transgressive outer-shelf succession were investigated from the Middle Pleistocene (ca. 0.7 Ma) Kakinokidai Formation on the Boso Peninsula, Japan. The transgressive deposits are generally muddy and contain slumps and slump scars. The intercalated sandstone beds are interpreted to have been formed from turbidity currents as a response to erosion and resuspension of sandridge-complex deposits in the southwestern upslope area during storm events. Mapping of volcanic ash beds and a transgressive surface in the base of the formation permits detailed bed-by-bed correlation of the outer-shelf sandstone beds. Although, overall, thickness, grain size, and frequency of sandstone beds decrease in the downslope direction, some sandstone beds locally thin out and coarsen in association with slump scars in the surrounding muddy deposits. These sandstone beds subsequently thicken and fine, and finally thin out in the farther downslope area. In addition to the local thinning of sandstone beds, the frequency of sandstone beds first decreases and then increases in the farther offshore direction. From this evidence, we concluded that these non-uniform patterns of across-outer-shelf variations in thickness, grain size, and frequency of sandstone beds were caused by the local increases in flow speeds and subsequent expansion and reduced speeds of turbidity currents, along with a local increase in the seafloor gradient that was induced by the development of slump scars in the transgressive outer-shelf floor. These physiographic features in the outer shelf are interpreted not to have permitted monotonous downslope thinning and fining of sandstone beds, compared with the bed-shape models of depletive turbidity currents and with the proximality trend of shelf sandstones from modern and ancient highstand-stage shelf systems.     

上扬子晚古生代海相地层锶同位素曲线的LOWESS拟合

目前仍难以有一种具体的函数关系来描述随时问或随地层厚度变化的地质数据,L0wESS方法被证明是拟合这类数据的较为有效的方法.采用LOWESS方法对我国上扬子地区晚古生代98个海相碳酸盐的锶同位素数据进行科学的拟合,使拟舍得出的曲线具有更好的全球可对比性,从而提高我国锶同位素地层学的研究水平,并使之与相应的国际研究接轨.同时,还从数学角度讨论参数回归和非参数回归的区别,并对影响拟合结果的两个参数和误差范围进行讨论.     

北秦岭二郎坪群抱树坪组沉积时代与构造环境

二郎坪群抱树坪组作为北秦岭早古生代重要的沉积记录,其研究程度较低。本文通过对抱树坪组内火山岩夹层和花岗斑岩脉进行岩石学、地球化学和锆石U- Pb测年研究,旨在进一步确定其沉积时代与构造环境。研究结果表明：豫西夏馆地区抱树坪组火山岩夹层已变质为（黑云）阳起钠长片岩,常与黑云石英片岩呈“互层状”产出;岩石原岩为安山质凝灰岩,具有相对低的SiO2（52. 56%~62. 04%）、较高的Al2O3（10. 70%~18. 55%）、低的MgO（4. 06%~6. 21%）和FeOT/MgO（1. 23~1. 81）,富集轻稀土元素和大离子亲石元素Rb、Th、U、K,相对亏损高场强元素Nb、Ta、P、Ti,具镁安山质岩石的特点;结合地球化学特征及前人研究认为,抱树坪组可能形成于活动陆缘弧后盆地。获得黑云阳起钠长片岩原岩的结晶锆石U- Pb年龄为446. 0±1. 7 Ma,以及侵入其中花岗斑岩脉的成岩年龄为430. 0±3. 0 Ma,首次将抱树坪组的形成时代准确地限定为晚奥陶世至早志留世。综合区域研究成果认为,小寨组和抱树坪组在地层层序和地层时代上符合广义二郎坪群的划分方案,但大庙组、火神庙组及由小寨组和抱树坪组构成的整体三者在形成时代上表现为近于同时性,在空间上主体呈现近平行关系,可能主体属时代大体相当的不同沉积环境的产物;在大地构造属性方面,认为二郎坪群是在约470 Ma之前由于商丹洋向北俯冲而形成的火山岛弧,在470~436 Ma转化为弧后盆地,至约430 Ma之前最终完成消减闭合。     

蒲江—新津—成都—德阳断裂带——成都平原内一条代表性弱活动地震带的地震地质特征

活断层是地震的潜在策源地。然而不同的活断层上地震潜在能力有极大的差别。客观地评价活断层上地震潜在能力不仅是地震预报研究的需要,对国民经济建设的布局和抗震决策也极为重要。在这个意义上,对弱活动性断裂的研究与对强活动性断裂的研究具有同样的重要性。本文以弱活动的蒲江—新津—成都—德阳断裂带为例,讨论了该断裂的晚第四纪活动性,断裂带的地质结构以及断裂的切割深度等因素对该断裂带地震潜在能力的可能影响。