Glacier change and glacier runoff variation in the Tuotuo River basin,the source region of Yangtze River in western China

Glaciers in the Tuotuo River basin, western China, have been monitored in recent decades by applying topographical maps and high-resolution satellite images. Results indicate that most of glaciers in the Tuotuo River basin have retreated in the period from 1968/1971 to 2001/2002, and their shrinkage area is 3.2% of the total area in the late 1960s. To assess the influence of glacier runoff on river runoff, a modified degree–day model including potential clear-sky direct solar radiation has been applied to the glaciated regions of the river basin over the period 1961–2004. It was found that glacier runoff has increased in the last 44 years, especially in the 1990s when a two-thirds increase in river runoff was derived from the increase in glacier runoff caused by loss of ice mass in the entire Tuotuo River basin.     

Sedimentary petrology and geochemistry of siliciclastic rocks from the upper Jurassic Tordillo Formation (Neuquén Basin, western Argentina): Implications for provenance and tectonic setting

The Upper Jurassic Tordillo Formation is exposed along the western edge of the Neuquén Basin (west central Argentina) and consists of fluvial strata deposited under arid/semiarid conditions. The pebble composition of conglomerates, mineralogical composition of sandstones and pelitic rocks, and major- and trace-element geochemistry of sandstones, mudstones, and primary pyroclastic deposits are evaluated to determine the provenance and tectonic setting of the sedimentary basin. Conglomerates and sandstones derived almost exclusively from volcanic sources. The stratigraphic sections to the south show a clast population of conglomerates dominated by silicic volcanic fragments and a predominance of feldspathic litharenites. This framework composition records erosion of Triassic–Jurassic synrift volcaniclastic rocks and basement rocks from the Huincul arch, which was exhumed as a result of Late Jurassic inversion. In the northwestern part of the study area, conglomerates show a large proportion of mafic and acidic volcanic rock fragments, and sandstones are characterised by a high content of mafic volcanic rock fragments and plagioclase. These data suggest that the source of the sandstones and conglomerates was primarily the Andean magmatic arc, located west of the Neuquén Basin. The clay mineral assemblage is interpreted as the result of a complex set of factors, including source rock, climate, transport, and diagenesis. Postdepositional processes produced significant variations in the original compositions, especially the fine-grained deposits. The Tordillo sediments are characterised by moderate SiO₂ contents, variable abundances of K₂O and Na₂O, and a relatively high proportion of ferromagnesian elements. The degree of chemical weathering in the source area, expressed as the chemical index of alteration, is low to moderate. The major element geochemistry and Th/Sc, K/Rb, Co/Th, La/Sc, and Cr/Th values point to a significant input of detrital volcanic material of calcalkaline felsic and intermediate composition. However, major element geochemistry is not useful for interpreting the tectonic setting. Discrimination plots based on immobile trace elements, such as Ti, Zr, La, Sc, and Th, show that most data lie in the active continental margin field. Geochemical information is not sufficiently sensitive to differentiate the two different source areas recognized by petrographic and modal analyses of conglomerates and sandstones.     

Deep-seated gravitational slope deformations and their influence on consequent mass movements (case studies from the highest part of the Czech Carpathians)

Gravitational spreading of mountain ridges displays primary disequilibrium of flysch mountain areas of the Czech Carpathians. The progression of various types of mass movements is a product of long-term ridge disintegration and is predisposed by the geological structure of the area and the upper Tertiary-Quaternary morphogenesis of the mountain area. Deep-seated slope deformations are spatially interconnected by the occurrence of some other types of slope deformations (e.g. debris flows, debris slides, slumps, rock avalanches, etc.), which pose a considerable risk for the existence of human society. An important causative factor in these dynamically developing hazardous processes is, among other factors, the way in which land has been used in the last three centuries. Therefore, the occurrence of various types of slope deformations is studied in terms of their relation to deep-seated gravitational deformations and in terms of other limiting factors (structural geological, morphological and climatic factors, manmade impacts, etc.). The paper presents several case studies of slope deformations (Velká Čantoryje Mt, Lysá hora Mt, Ropice Mt and Smrk Mt) in the area of the Outer Carpathians within the territory of the Czech Republic and also adverts to some consequences in terms of the socioeconomic structure of the landscape.     

Soil erosion susceptibility assessment and validation using a geostatistical multivariate approach: a test in Southern Sicily

A certain number of studies have been carried out in recent years that aim at developing and applying a model capable of assessing water erosion of soil. Some of these have tried to quantitatively evaluate the volumes of soil loss, while others have focused their efforts on the recognition of the areas most prone to water erosion processes. This article presents the results of a research whose objective was that of evaluating water erosion susceptibility in a Sicilian watershed: the Naro river basin. A geomorphological study was carried out to recognize the water erosion landforms and define a set of parameters expressing both the intensity of hydraulic forces and the resistance of rocks/soils. The landforms were mapped and classified according to the dominant process in landsurfaces affected by diffuse or linear water erosion. A GIS layer was obtained by combining six determining factors (bedrock lithology, land use, soil texture, plan curvature, stream power index and slope-length factor) in unique conditions units. A geostatistical multivariate approach was applied by analysing the relationships between the spatial distributions of the erosion landforms and the unique condition units. Particularly, the density of eroded area for each combination of determining factors has been calculated: such function corresponds, in fact, to the conditional probability of erosion landforms to develop, under the same geoenvironmental conditions. In light of the obtained results, a general geomorphologic model for water erosion in the Naro river basin can be depicted: cultivated areas in clayey slopes, having fine-medium soil texture, are the most prone to be eroded; linear or diffuse water erosion processes dominate where the topography is favourable to a convergent or divergent runoff, respectively. For each of the two erosion process types, a susceptibility map was produced and submitted to a validation procedure based on a spatial random partition strategy. Both the success of the validation procedure of the susceptibility models and the geomorphological coherence of the relationships between factors and process that such models suggest, confirm the reliability of the method and the goodness of the predictions.     

墨西哥湾GC238区冷泉碳酸盐岩的微结构与石化微生物特征

采于墨西哥湾GC238海底天然气渗漏区浅表层的冷泉碳酸盐岩呈结核状产出,由方解石微晶和胶结物及少量的黄铁矿构成。胶结物由直径为0.1～0.5 m的方解石化的球体、卵形体、棒状体组成,充填于方解石晶体之间。冷泉碳酸盐岩结核下表面发育有由方解石化的球体、卵形体、棒状体组成的薄层,其中的一些球状集合体（约5 m）断面显示发育有核和外壳的层圈结构。黄铁矿呈草莓状,也具有相似的层圈结构。这种层状结构与活体古细菌被硫酸盐还原细菌包裹的层圈结构相似。样品中所保存的球体、卵形体、棒状体及其所组成的层圈结构可能是石化的甲烷氧化古细菌和硫酸盐还原细菌。     

新疆北部库尔提蛇绿岩中角闪片岩的原岩恢复及其成因

库尔提角闪片岩产于库尔提蛇绿岩南部岩片中,与斜长花岗岩呈互层产出。这套角闪片岩的不相容微量元素组分显示了大洋中脊和岛弧玄武岩的双重特征,主要表现为大离子亲石元素(LILE)富集,高场强元素(HFSE)亏损以及平坦到亏损的轻稀土(LREE)配分模式。原岩恢复的结果表明,该角闪片岩的原岩为亚碱性的拉斑玄武岩类。库尔提角闪片岩亏损的LREE、高ε_(Nd)(t),以及关键元素比值(Th/Nb,La/Yb和Th/Yb)呈正相关都表明,其源区可能以MORB地幔为主,同时还伴有少量弧组分。因此,我们认为其形成于弧后盆地环境,同时推断该区弧后盆地存在一个二阶段的熔融演化模式:第一阶段,大约在晚古生代早期,古亚洲洋向西伯利亚板块发生北向俯冲,在会聚板块边界,弧火山岩被从含水的地幔楔中提取出来,留下一个亏损地幔;第二阶段,随着古亚洲洋板块持续消减,在中-晚泥盆世形成了库尔提弧后盆地,下部的亏损地幔发生了小比例的部分熔融形成了这套角闪片岩的原岩。     

甘新交界红柳河蛇绿岩形成和侵位年龄的准确限定及大地构造意义

采用锆石SHRIMP U-Pb同位素定年方法,获得新甘交界红柳河蛇绿岩中的堆晶辉长岩年龄为516.2±7.1Ma,代表了红柳河蛇绿岩的形成年龄;侵入到红柳河蛇绿岩中未变形变质的黑云母花岗岩的年龄为404.8±5.2Ma,限定了红柳河蛇绿岩侵位的上限。作为南天山洋壳的残骸,红柳河蛇绿岩新的可靠年龄数据表明,南天山洋在早寒武世已经开始形成,并于早泥盆世埃姆斯阶之前在红柳河地区已经闭合。上述洋盆演化过程对进一步研究东天山的大地构造演化具有重要的意义。     

新疆准噶尔盆地西北缘吐谷鲁群沉积体系分析

根据在新疆准噶尔盆地西北缘乌尔禾-夏子街地区的野外地层露头观察、追索及钻孔资料分析研究,笔者认为,该区下白垩统吐谷鲁群是一套以灰绿色砂岩和红色、棕红色泥岩组成的干燥气候条件下形成的内陆湖相碎屑沉积,发育浅水三角洲体系,主要由三角洲平原和三角洲前缘相组成.吐谷鲁群碎屑岩的碎屑粒度由下而上可分为两个大的韵律旋回,即粗-细-粗-细,反映了水体扩展到萎缩再扩展的过程.有利铀成矿的砂岩层主要集中在两个韵律旋回的底部,形成于三角洲平原分流河道、决口扇、三角洲前缘水下分流河道和水下堤环境.     

塔里木盆地寒武-奥陶系白云岩结构构造类型及其形成机理

塔里木盆地寒武-奥陶系白云岩度大、分布广,是重要的油气储集层.根据岩石学研究并结合地球化学特征将其分为4类,其特点如下:(1)泥晶-粉晶白云岩,白云石晶体小、晶形差,有序度在4类中最低(0.73);Na、K、Sr含量在4类中最高;δ13C值及Z值较高,分别为-0.94‰、122.3;Fe、Mn含量较低;阴极发光为亮桔红色;常呈纹层状,具暴露及成化标志.这些特征表明其结晶较快,形成环境蒸发强烈、盐度较高、氧化性较强,是在萨布哈环境中由浓缩海水发生白云石化所形成.(2)藻纹层白云岩,白云石晶体小,晶形较好,有序度较高(0.85);藻纹层基本保留了其原始微细结构;Na、K、Sr含量较低:δC值在4类中最高,平均为-0.50‰;含有较多黄铁矿.这些特征说明其可能形成于成岩作用的稍早期阶段且其成因与藻类活动密切相关,成岩环境盐度较低,可能是在藻类作用下,由富藻层浓集的镁与残留海水在浅埋藏环境中共同作用所形成.(3)雾心亮边白云岩,白云石普遍具雾心亮边结构,雾心含少量包裹体及灰质残余,亮边则少见或无;阴极发光下,雾心发亮桔黄色光,亮边发光暗或不发光;局部见此类白云石;呈星散状分布于亮晶颗粒灰岩或泥晶灰岩中;白云石晶体较大,晶形较好.此类白云岩的δ13C及Z值在4类中最低,K、Na、Sr、Fe含量相对较低,Mn含量最高;有序度较高,均值为0.83.这些特征表明此类白云岩中白云石的雾心可能是在早期浅埋藏环境中,由富镁孔隙水交代周围灰质所形成;亮边则形成于埋藏较深的环境,其所需镁可能来源于粘土矿物的转化.(4)重结晶白云岩:白云石晶体粗大且污浊,接触紧密;局部见白云石晶体具环带结构,局部见颗粒幻影结构;阴极发光较暗;Fe含量在4类中最高,Mn含量较高;有序度最高,平均为0.95;包裹体均一温度平均为110.2℃.这些特征表明其可能是在还原性较强的深埋藏环境中,由早期形成的白云岩经较强的重结晶作用所形成.     

印支运动的沉积学响应——以湖北秭归盆地中、上三叠统为例

通过对秭归盆地南缘中、上三叠统巴东组和沙镇溪组地层剖面的实测及1∶10万秭归幅地质填图发现,中三叠统巴东组在秭归盆地东南缘存在不同程度的缺失,秭归郭家坝一带,只沉积巴东组一段、二段地层。秭归楠家湾一带,整个巴东组全部缺失,上三叠统沙镇溪组直接覆盖于早三叠世嘉陵江组之上。而秭归盆地西缘沙镇溪、巴东麂子岩一带,巴东组发育齐全。上述现象表明,在早三叠世末期,由于印支运动的影响,巴东组地层出现了较大差异。沙镇溪组在沉积上继承了巴东组高低不平的古地貌特征,沉积厚度变化较大。上三叠统沙镇溪组与中统巴东组之间,在盆地不同的部位可呈现出整合或平行不整合的接触关系,而不存在断层接触关系。