The Linkage between Midwinter Suppression of the North Pacific Storm Track and Atmospheric Circulation Features in the Northern Hemisphere

The midwinter suppression(MWS) of the North Pacific storm track(NPST) has been an active research topic for decades. Based on the daily-mean NCEP/NCAR reanalysis from 1948 to 2018, this study investigates the MWS-related atmospheric circulation characteristics in the Northern Hemisphere by regression analysis with respect to a new MWS index, which may shed more light on this difficult issue. The occurrence frequency of the MWS of the upper-tropospheric NPST is more than 0.8 after the mid-1980 s. The MWS is accompanied by significantly positive sea-level pressure anomalies in Eurasia and negative anomalies over the North Pacific, which correspond to a strengthened East Asian winter monsoon. The intensified East Asian trough and atmospheric blocking in the North Pacific as well as the significantly negative low-level air temperature anomalies, lying upstream of the MNPST, are expected to be distinctly associated with the MWS. However, the relationship between the MWS and low-level atmospheric baroclinicity is somewhat puzzling.From the diagnostics of the eddy energy budget, it is identified that the inefficiency of the barotropic energy conversion related to the barotropic governor mechanism does not favor the occurrence of the MWS. In contrast, weakened baroclinic energy conversion, buoyancy conversion, and generation of eddy available potential energy by diabatic heating are conducive to the occurrence of the MWS. In addition, Ural blocking in the upstream region of the MNPST may be another candidate mechanism associated with the MWS.     

Late Quaternary clay minerals off Middle Vietnam in the western South China Sea: Implications for source analysis and East Asian monsoon evolution

High-resolution clay mineral records combined with oxygen isotopic stratigraphy over the past 450 ka during late Quaternary from Core MD05-2901 off Middle Vietnam in the western South China Sea are re-ported to reconstruct a history of East Asian monsoon evolution. Variations in Illite, chlorite, and kaolinite contents indicate a strong glacial-interglacial cyclicity, while changes in smectite content present a higher frequency cyclicity. The provenance analysis indicates a mixture of individual clay minerals from various sources surrounding the South China Sea. Smectite derived mainly from the Sunda shelf and its major source area of the Indonesian islands. Illite and chlorite originated mainly from the Mekong and Red rivers. Kaolinite was provided mainly by the Pearl River. Spectral analysis of the kaolin-ite/(illite chlorite) ratio displays a strong eccentricity period of 100 ka, implying the ice sheet-forced win-ter monsoon evolution; whereas higher frequency changes in the smectite content show an ice sheet-forced obliquity period of 41 ka, and precession periods of 23 and 19 ka and a semi-precession period of 13 ka as well, implying the tropical-forced summer monsoon evolution. The winter monsoon evolution is generally in coherence with the glacial-interglacial cyclicity, with intensified winter monsoon winds during glacials and weakened winter monsoon winds during interglacials; whereas the summer monsoon evolution provides an almost linear response to the summer insolation of low latitude in the Northern Hemisphere, with strengthened summer monsoon during higher insolation and weakened summer monsoon during lower insolation. The result suggests that the high-latitude ice sheet and low-latitude tropical factor could drive the late Quaternary evolution of East Asian winter and summer monsoons, respectively, implying their diplex and self-contained forcing mechanism.     

塔里木河流域适应气候变化和人类活动的应对措施

自2001年开始实施塔里木河流域近期综合治理工程,提出了以强化流域水资源统一管理和调度为核心,以源流区节水改造和干流河道治理为重点进行综合治理,积极稳妥地进行经济结构调整,实施退耕封育保护,有效保护好现有天然林草植被.通过向塔里木河下游生态输水,干涸近30a的台特玛湖于2001年11月16日开始有水,使塔里木河下游绿色走廊得到初步复苏等,流域生态环境得到极大的恢复.然而,自2007年以来,塔里木河向下游输水已大为减少,仅能输水到中游,特别是2009年水文干旱,塔里木河干流断流达1 100km多,使下游绿色走廊再度陷入生态危机.为此,需要重新审视塔里木河流域的综合治理,从加强源流治理开始,来巩固干流治理成果.认真总结10a来治理经验与教训,针对人类活动和气候变化对源流与干流造成的影响程度,积极采取应对措施.     

Chronology of late Holocene climatic events in the northern North Atlantic based on AMS 14C dates and tephra markers from the volcano Hekla,Iceland

A combination of AMS¹⁴C dating and tephrochronology has been used to date late Holocene oceanographic events in a 335 cm marine record, covering about 4600 cal. yr with sedimentation rates exceeding 80 cm 1000 yr⁻¹. The core site is located 50 km offshore on the northern Icelandic shelf. Tephra markers from Iceland serve to correlate the marine and terrestrial records. Especially notable is the presence of three geochemically correlated tephra markers from the Icelandic volcano Hekla (Hekla 4, Hekla 3 and Hekla 1104). Benthic and planktonic foraminiferal abundance and distribution as well as the petrography of the sand fraction of the muddy shelf sediments are used as palaeoceanographic proxies. The foraminiferal assemblages reflect a general cooling trend during the last 4600 yr. A marked drop in sea‐surface temperatures is registered at about 3000 cal. yr BP, corresponding to the level of the Hekla 3 tephra. There is faunal indication of temperature amelioration during the Medieval Warm Period and a cooling again during the Little Ice Age. Periods of ice rafting events are indicated by ice rafted debris (IRD) concentrations, e.g. at around 3000 cal. yr BP and during the Little Ice Age. The former event occurred just prior to the deposition of the Hekla 3 tephra marker, the largest Holocene Hekla eruption. A correlation with terrestrial climatic events in Iceland is presented. A standard marine reservoir correction of 400 ¹⁴C yr appears to be reasonable, at least during periods with high influence of water masses from the Irminger Current on the northern Icelandic shelf. An increase to ca. 530 ¹⁴C yr may have occurred, however, when water masses derived from the East Greenland Current were dominant in the area. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

内蒙古巴彦塔拉盆地砂岩型铀矿化的蚀变特征

巴彦塔拉盆地砂岩型铀矿床产于下白垩统赛汉塔拉组下段辫状河流相砂岩中。本文通过对含矿主岩沉积特征、矿化和矿床蚀变特征的分析研究 ,认为早期为潜水氧化蚀变成矿 ;晚期为层间氧化 油气还原蚀变成矿 ,即来自蚀源区和天窗补给的含铀、含氧地下水遇沿断裂 (F2 1)上升的含H2 S的油气还原叠加改造成矿     

Structural characteristics of the KPR-CBR triple-junction inferred from gravity and magnetic interpretations,Philippine Sea Plate

The intersection of the Kyushu-Palau Ridge (KPR) and the Central Basin Rift (CBR) of the West Philippine Basin (WPB) is a relic of a trench-trench-rift (TTR) type triple-junction, which preserves some pivotal information on the cessation of the seafloor spreading of the WPB, the emplacement and disintegration of the proto-Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) Arc, and the transition from initial rifting to steady-state spreading of the Parece Vela Basin (PVB). However, the structural characteristics of this triple-junction have not been thoroughly understood. In this paper, using the newly acquired multi-beam bathymetric, gravity, and magnetic data obtained by the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, China Geological Survey, the authors depict the topographic, gravity, and magnetic characteristics of the triple-junction and adjacent region. Calculations including the upward continuations and total horizontal derivatives of gravity anomaly are also performed to highlight the major structural features and discontinuities. Based on these works, the morphological and structural features and their formation mechanisms are analyzed. The results show that the last episode amagmatic extension along the CBR led to the formation of a deep rift valley, which extends eastward and incised the KPR. The morphological and structural fabrics of the KPR near and to the south of the triple-junction are consistent with those of the western PVB, manifesting as a series of NNE-SSW- and N-S-trending ridges and troughs, which were produced by the extensional faults associated with the initial rifting of the PVB. The superposition of the above two reasons induced the prominent discontinuity of the KPR in deep and shallow crustal structures between 15°N–15°30′N and 13°30′N–14°N. Combined with previous authors’ results, we propose that the stress produced by the early spreading of the PVB transmitted westward and promoted the final stage amagmatic extension of the CBR. The eastward propagation of the CBR destroyed the KPR, of which the magmatism had decayed or ceased at that time. The destruction mechanism of the KPR associated with the rifting of the PVB varies along strike the KPR. Adjacent to the triple-junction, the KPR was destroyed mainly due to the oblique intersection of the PVB rifting center. Whereas south of the triple-junction, the KPR was destroyed by the E-W-directional extensional faulting on its whole width.©2021 China Geology Editorial Office.     

山东泰安朱家庄自然硫矿床地质概要

山东省泰安朱家庄自然硫矿床,赋存于鲁西断隆古近纪汶东陆相盆地。自然硫矿层在汶口组二段上亚段,泥质灰岩-含泥灰岩-含云灰岩-石膏岩韵律层中的白云岩-石膏岩层段发育。自然硫以胶态、晶态、土态3种形态产出,可划分为顺层型、准顺层型、斑杂型及不顺层型4大类10余种矿石类型。从矿区去膏化作用普遍、自然硫与石膏-硬石膏分别富集轻-重同位素的特征、油气显示明显及地下水主要径流方向自然硫矿化最强等各种证据,表明该矿属生物后生成因的矿床。     

辽宁北部秀水盆地秀D1井孢粉组合及其地层意义

孢粉化石采自辽宁省北部秀水盆地的秀D1井,分析、鉴定和系统研究结果表明,来自秀D1井井深62.1~1089.7m的孢粉化石自下而上划分为3个孢粉组合,下部孢粉组合(井深703.85~1089.7m)以Osmundacidites-Klukisporites-Podocarpidites为代表,地质时代为晚侏罗世堤塘期(Tithonian),中部孢粉组合(井深381.5~699.3m)以Densoisporites-Cicatricosisporites-Piceaepollenites为代表,地质时代为早白垩世贝里阿斯期(Berriassian),上部孢粉组合(井深62.1~339m)以Cicatricosisporites-Impardecispora-Pinuspollenites为代表,地质时代为早白垩世凡兰吟期—欧特里夫期(Valanginian-Hauterivian)。秀D1井钻遇地层所含孢粉组合特征在区域上可以与冀北地区大北沟组,辽宁西部地区下白垩统义县组、九佛堂组,松辽盆地东南缘下白垩统火石岭组、沙河子组所产的孢粉组合对比。含孢粉组合地层时代的确定解决了井柱地层的划分,以及与区域地层的对比关系,同时为区域地层古生物研究提供了翔实的基础资料。     

Thorium and uranium isotopes in a manganese nodule from the Peru basin determined by alpha spectrometry and thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS): Are manganese supply and growth related to climate?

Thorium- and uranium isotopes were measured in a diagenetic manganese nodule from the Peru basin applying alpha- and thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Alpha-counting of 62 samples was carried out with a depth resolution of 0.4 mm to gain a high-resolution²³⁰Th_excess profile. In addition, 17 samples were measured with TIMS to obtain precise isotope concentrations and isotope ratios. We got values of 0.06–0.59 ppb (²³⁰Th), 0.43–1.40 ppm (²³²Th), 0.09–0.49 ppb (²³⁴U) and 1.66–8.24 ppm (²³⁸U). The uranium activity ratio in the uppermost samples (1–6 mm) and in two further sections in the nodule at 12.5±1.0 mm and 27.3–33.5 mm comes close to the present ocean water value of 1.144±0.004. In two other sections of the nodule, this ratio is significantly higher, probably reflecting incorporation of diagenetic uranium. The upper 25 mm section of the Mn nodule shows a relatively smooth exponential decrease in the²³⁰Th_excess concentration (TIMS). The slope of the best fit yields a growth rate of 110 mm/Ma up to 24.5 mm depth. The section from 25 to 30.3 mm depth shows constant²³⁰Th_excess concentrations probably due to growth rates even faster than those in the top section of the nodule. From 33 to 50 mm depth, the growth rate is approximately 60 mm/Ma. Two layers in the nodule with distinct laminations (11–15 and 28–33 mm depth) probably formed during the transition from isotopic stage 8 to 7 and in stage 5e, respectively. The Mn/Fe ratio shows higher values during interglacials 5 and 7, and lower ones during glacials 4 and 6. A comparison of our data with data from adjacent sediment cores suggests (a) a variable supply of hydrothermal Mn to sediments and Mn nodules of the Peru basin or (b) suboxic conditions at the water sediment interface during periods with lower Mn/Fe ratios.     

Multi-decadal synthesis of benthic–pelagic coupling in the western arctic: Role of cross-shelf advective processes

Using geographic information systems (GIS) software and geostatistical techniques, we utilized three decades of water-column chlorophyll a data to examine the relative importance of autochthonous versus allochthonous sources of reduced carbon to benthic communities that occur from the northern Bering to the eastern Beaufort Sea shelf. Spatial trend analyses revealed areas of high benthic biomass (>300 g m⁻²) and chlorophyll (>150 mg m⁻²) on both the southern and northern Chukchi shelf; both areas are known as depositional centers for reduced organic matter that originates on the Bering Sea shelf and is advected northward in Anadyr and Bering shelf water masses. We found a significant correlation between biomass and chlorophyll a in the Chukchi Sea, reflective of the strong benthic–pelagic coupling in a system that is utilized heavily by benthic-feeding marine mammals. In contrast, there was no significant correlation between biomass and chlorophyll in the Beaufort Sea, which by comparison, is considerably less productive (biomass and chlorophyll, <75 g m⁻² and <50 mg m⁻², respectively). One notable exception is an area of relatively high biomass (50–100 g m⁻²) and chlorophyll (80 mg m⁻²) near Barter Island in the eastern Beaufort Sea. Compared to other adjacent areas in the Beaufort Sea, the chlorophyll values in the vicinity of Barter Island were considerably higher and likely reflect a long-hypothesized upwelling in that area and close coupling between the benthos and autochthonous production. In the Bering Sea, a drop in benthic biomass in 1994 compared with previous measurements (1974–1993) may support earlier observations that document a decline in biomass that began between the 1980s and 1990s in the Chirikov Basin and south of St. Lawrence Island. The results of this study indicate that the benthos is an excellent long-term indicator of both local and physical advective processes. In addition, this work provides further evidence that secondary production on arctic shelves can be significantly augmented by reduced carbon advected from highly productive adjacent shelves.