Environmental Changes at the Desert Margin: An Assessment of Recent Paleolimnological Records in Lake Qarun, Middle Egypt

Lake Qarun has been profoundly affected by a combination of human activities and climatic changes during the past 5000 years. Instrumental records available for the 20th century show that during most of this period both lake water level and salinity increased and that by the late 1980s lake water salinity was approximately that of seawater. Sediment cores (c. 1 m long) were collected from this shallow (Z_max 8.4 m) saline lake in 1998 and the master core (QARU1) was used to examine the potential of paleolimnology for reconstructing the recent environmental history of the site. According to ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb radio-assay, the recent sediment accumulation rate in QARU1 was around 5 mm year⁻¹ during the latter half of the 20th century but radionuclide levels were low. Spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCPs) were present in the upper c. 30 cm of QARU1 and indicates contamination by low level particulate pollution, probably beginning around 1950. The record of exotic pollen (Casuarina) indicated that sediment at 51–52 cm depth dated to around 1930. Otherwise the pollen spectra indicated a strongly disturbed landscape with high ruderals and increased tree planting particularly since c. 1950. Diatom records were strongly affected by taphonomic processes including reworking and differential preservation but typical marine diatoms increased after the 1920s. Instrumental records show that the lake became more saline at this time. Freshwater taxa were present at approximately similar abundances throughout the core. This distribution probably reflected a combination of processes. Reworking of ancient freshwater diatomites is one likely source for freshwater diatoms in QARU1 but some taxa must also be contributed via the freshwater inflows. Overall, the diatom stratigraphy indicated increasingly salinity since the 1920s but provided no firm evidence of lake eutrophication. Diatom inferred salinity reconstructions were in only partial agreement with instrumental records but inferred for the lower section of the core (pre 20th century to the 1960s) accord with measured water salinity values. Surficial sediments of Lake Qarun contain environmental change records for the 20th century period but high sediment accumulation rate and pollen reflect the high degree of human disturbance in the region. Because of poor preservation and evidence of reworking, the relationships between diatom records and past water quality changes require careful interpretation, especially in the upper section of the core. Nevertheless, early to mid 20th century measurements of increasing lake water salinity are well supported by sediment records, a change that is probably linked to ingress of saline ground water     

Last interglacial sea levels on the south coast of New South Wales

Remnants of the Last Interglacial shoreline occur at Middle Lagoon on the far south coast of New South Wales. Relict beach sediments can be traced to a height of at least +4.8 m and are indicative of a former mean sea level of about +3 m. Thermoluminescence (TL) ages of 126 ± 13 ka and 114 ± 15 ka were determined for beach and aeolian facies respectively. Sands in the lower part of an exposure on the adjacent Gillards Beach gave TL ages of 108 ± 13 ka, but sands in the upper part of that exposure gave an age of 19.9 ± 3.5 ka. This chronological evidence of a stratigraphic unconformity in what was initially taken as pedogenic differentiation at Gillards Beach is supported by contrasting electron traps and colour centres in crystal lattices of quartz grains in these two samples. No tectonic displacement is apparent. This site provides the first evidence of the Last Interglacial sea level for 1000 km along the coast between Gippsland and Newcastle.     

滇黔桂盆地碎屑物源的变化及其对古特提斯洋演化历史的启示

古特提斯洋的构造与演化过程一直是研究热点,很多学者在其产生、扩张、俯冲及闭合的时间上持有不同观点.本次研究中,运用LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年技术对滇黔桂盆地三叠纪罗楼组碎屑锆石、泥盆纪坡松冲组碎屑独居石进行分析测试,同时结合古生代以来碎屑物源的演化历史,以期确定出古特提斯洋开启与闭合的时间.锆石测试结果显示:者...     

ESR DATING OF FLUVIAL SEDIMENTS USING GE CENTER IN QUARTZ

Using the Ge centers of quartz sediments, the buried ages of fluvial sediments were determined by ESR technique. The ESR ages obtained from Ge centers are consistent with the TL ages, correspond with their horizons, accord with the geological background, and every ESR age is available. In this paper, determination of total dose of natural radiation (TD) and the reliability of ESR age using Ge center are also discussed.     

内蒙古道伦达坝铜钨多金属矿黑云母花岗岩年代学、地球化学特征及其地质意义

内蒙古道伦达坝铜钨多金属矿是大兴安岭南段近年来新发现的一个铜、钨、锡共生的多金属矿床,成矿与中粗粒黑云母花岗岩密切相关,但其形成时代还存在较大争议,对岩浆来源缺乏足够的研究。本文对道伦达坝矿床内黑云母花岗岩进行了系统的岩石地球化学、年代学、Hf-Pb同位素地球化学组成测试。道伦达坝黑云母花岗岩SiO2含量为65.42%～67.41%,富铝、钾,A/NCK值为1.08～1.27,CIPW标准矿物刚玉含量较高(1.82%～4.08%),岩石属于过铝质S型花岗岩。微量、稀土元素组成表现出的轻稀土富集、重稀土亏损型式和Eu负异常以及明显的Nb、Ta、Sr、Ti亏损的特点显示为壳源成因的火山弧花岗岩。LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年结果表明其形成年龄为292.1±0.84Ma(MSWD=1.18)～292.5±0.88Ma(MSWD=0.46)。Hf同位素测试结果显示,道伦达坝黑云母花岗岩的εHf(t)=-0.8～+13.3,176Hf/177Hf比值(0.282643～0.282804)偏低,二阶段Hf同位素模式年龄较高(740～1024Ma)。全岩Pb同位素组成较均一,206Pb/204Pb介于18.416～18.766,207Pb/204Pb介于15.519～15.542,208Pb/204Pb变化在38.238～39.460。黑云母花岗岩为早二叠世西伯利亚板块南缘俯冲增生背景下的产物,主要源自从亏损地幔新增生的年轻地壳物质的部分重熔,在侵位过程中可能受到了残留的古地壳或岩石圈地幔的混染。古生代是兴蒙造山带的一个重要的成矿阶段,矿化以岛弧或活动大陆边缘背景下的斑岩-矽卡岩-热液脉型铜钼金多金属矿床为主。     

西天山达巴特火山岩的形成环境及对斑岩型矿化的制约

本文通过对西天山地区比较典型的达巴特斑岩铜钼矿床矿区范围内出露上的英安岩和花岗斑岩进行了系统的岩石地球化学分析,对英安岩和流纹斑岩中的锆石进行了SHRIMP U-Pb定年研究,分别获得了315.9±5.9Ma和278.7±5.7Ma。岩石化学、微量以及稀土元素特征表明从英安岩到花岗斑岩,岩体具有明显的分异演化特征和很好的继承性。火山岩和次火山岩的精确定年为准确厘定火山岩形成的时限和地球动力学背景提供了依据。结合已有的Re-Os法获得的矿化年龄,表明晚石炭世末-早二叠世初（278.7±5.7Ma）,西天山地区进入板块碰撞-板内伸展阶段,由于板内幔根的部分熔化,造成深源斑岩岩浆侵位,在达巴特矿区形成了由花岗斑岩、流纹斑岩和流纹质凝灰熔岩组成的椭圆形火山机构,并导致相关矿床的形成。     

滇西腾冲地区勐连花岗岩体南段LA-ICP-MS 锆石U-Pb定年及其构造意义

高黎贡构造带属于冈底斯地块东缘,滇西高黎贡花岗岩是冈底斯构造活动重要的岩浆记录。对高黎贡构造带的勐连花岗岩体南段的蒲川花岗岩地球化学特征进行的研究表明,蒲川花岗岩主要属于钙碱性-高钾钙碱性花岗岩,并表现出较强的过铝质特点;稀土元素配分模式曲线均表现为向右陡倾的LREE富集模式,具较弱的Eu负异常;花岗岩具后碰撞的特征,形成于主碰撞之后地壳向后碰撞-陆内转换的构造环境。LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年表明,蒲川花岗岩形成于早白垩世（128.9Ma±2.4Ma）,年龄、地球化学特征与高黎贡构造带北部和中部一致,其形成可能是滇西怒江带碰撞作用的岩浆响应。     

滇西勐库地区退变质榴辉岩锆石U-Pb年龄及其地质意义

滇西双江县勐库地区退变质榴辉岩呈构造透镜体产于湾河蛇绿混杂岩带内,该发现弥补了东特提斯造山带高压-超高压变质岩在云南境内的空缺。在岩石学观察的基础上,借助激光剥蚀等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)技术,对退变质榴辉岩中的锆石开展了精确的U-Pb年龄测定。所测试的3件样品分别采自3个不同的露头:样品PM011-9-1采自勐库控角剖面,样品PM038-15-4采自勐库地界剖面,样品GH1612-1-1采自勐库根恨大寨。测年结果显示,样品PM011-9-1的23个测点中存在2组较集中的~(206)Pb/~(238)U年龄,分别为801.0±9.8Ma和227.0±12Ma;样品PM038-15-4的26个测点中存在2组较集中的~(206)Pb/~(238)U年龄,分别为447.5±3.6Ma和291.7±6.3Ma;样品GH1612-1-1的30个测点中存在一组较集中的~(206)Pb/~(238)U年龄,为229.0±1.3Ma。结合区域资料及锆石阴极发光图像分析,801.0±9.8Ma应属退变质榴辉岩的原岩年龄,可能代表了Rodinia超大陆裂解早期出现的初始洋壳;而447.5±3.6Ma、291.7±6.3Ma和229.0±1.3～227.0±12Ma这3组年龄可能代表了退变质榴辉岩经历的3期变质作用年龄:分别为峰期硬柱石榴辉岩相的变质作用;中期角闪石榴辉岩相-高压麻粒岩相的退变质作用,为一个降压-增温的"热折返"过程;主期角闪岩相的退变质作用,是一个大幅度的降温-减压过程,奠定了勐库地区退变质榴辉岩的主体面貌。     

黔中乌当盆地阶地沉积特征及其对盆地演化的指示

黔中乌当盆地是贵州省山间盆地的典型代表,四级河流阶地清晰地记录了新构造运动中区域地壳抬升和盆地演化。通过阶地沉积物砾组统计、粒度分析、光释光（OSL）测年,探讨盆地的发育和演化。结果显示,阶地砾石排列指示盆地水系古流向与现代河流基本一致,砾石磨圆度变化大,分选较差,岩性继承了区域地层。砾石组合特征反映了构造抬升期盆地内强烈的冲刷剥蚀。漫滩沉积物粒度表明盆地在稳定阶段河流水动力整体呈增大趋势。T4和T3发育阶段区域以冲刷剥蚀为主并塑造了盆地雏形。T2阶地沉积特征及测年结果（177.4 ka~87.6 ka）表明中更新世末期持续数万年的沉积夷平作用使盆地基本成型。T1阶地形成时代约25ka,指示了黔中地区最近一次构造抬升和盆地的最终定型。     

Using chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and tritium (3H) to estimate groundwater age and flow velocity in Hohhot Basin,China

The concentrations of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC‐11, CFC‐12 and CFC‐113) and tritium (³H) content in groundwater were used to date groundwater age, delineate groundwater flow systems and estimate flow velocity in the Hohhot basin. The estimated young groundwater age is fallen in the bracket of 21 ~ 50 a and indicates the presence of two different age profiles and flow systems in the shallow groundwater system. Older age waters occur under the topographically low areas, where the aquifer is double‐layer aquifer system consisting of shallow unconfined‐semi‐confined aquifer and deep confined aquifer. This reflects long flow paths associated with regional flow. Groundwater (range from 21 to 34 years) in the north piedmont and east hilly areas, where the aquifer is a single‐layer aquifer consisting of alluvial fans, are typically younger than those in the low areas. The combination of CFCs dating with hydrogeological information indicates that both local and regional flow systems are present at the basin. The regional groundwater flow mainly flows from the north and east to the southwest, the local groundwater flow system occurs nearby the Hohhot city. The mean regional groundwater flow velocity of the shallow groundwater is estimated about 0.73 km/a. These findings can aid in refining hydrogeological conceptual model of the study area. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.