Origin of Late Palaeoproterozoic Great Vindhyan basin of North Indian shield: Geochemical evidence from mafic volcanic rocks

On the western and southern margins of the sickle shaped Vindhyan basin of north Indian shield, there are basal Vindhyan mafic volcanic rocks referred to as Khairmalia volcanics and Jungel volcanics respectively. These volcanics vary in composition from low-Ti tholeiite to high-Ti alkali basalt showing close affinity with continental flood basalts (CFB) and ocean island basalts (OIB) respectively. The parental magmas of Khairmalia and Jungel alkali basalts were formed by different degrees of partial melting of a garnet lherzolite. The magma of Khairmalia tholeiites was generated by a relatively higher degrees of partial melting of a garnet + spinel lherzolite. The geochemical data coupled with available geological and geophysical data favour a rift type origin of this basin which evolved as a peripheral basin showing many similarities with Paleogene Himalayan foreland basin. The existing radiometric age data suggest that the origin of Vindhyan basin is linked with Aravalli–Satpura orogeny. At about 1800–1600 Ma collision occurred along the Aravalli-Delhi fold belt (ADFB) and Central Indian Tectonic Zone (CITZ) with west and south subduction respectively. During this process the subducting lithosphere suffered extensional deformation on its convex side and some pre-existing large faults in the already thin leading edge of subducted plate also reactivated and tapped magma generated by decompressional melting of the subcontinental mantle. The simultaneous processes such as flexural subsidence, reactivation of pre-existing faults, heating, thermal cooling and contraction during volcanism, resulted in the formation of curvilinear warp parallel to the emerging mountain front. The Lower Vindhyan volcano–sedimentary succession was deformed and exposed to erosion before the deposition of Upper Vindhyan rocks. The orogenic forces were active intermittently throughout the Vindhyan sedimentation.     

Thermochemical sulphate reduction in the Upper Devonian Cairn Formation of the Fairholme carbonate complex (South-West Alberta, Canadian Rockies): evidence from fluid inclusions and isotopic data

The Fairholme carbonate complex is part of the extensively dolomitized Upper Devonian carbonate reefs in west-central Alberta. The studied formations contain moulds (up to 10 cm in diameter), which are filled partially with (saddle) dolomite, quartz and calcite cements. These cements precipitated from a mixture of brines that acquired high salinity by dissolution of halite and brines derived from evaporated sea water. The fluids were warm (homogenization temperature of primary fluid inclusions of 76 to 200 °C) and saline (20 to 25 wt% NaCl equivalent) and testify to thermochemical sulphate reduction processes. The latter is deduced from S in solid inclusions, CO₂ and H₂S in volatile-rich aqueous inclusions and depleted δ¹³C values down to −26‰ Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite. High ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values (0·7094 to 0·7110) of the cements also indicate interaction of the fluids with siliciclastic sequences. The thermochemical sulphate reduction-related cements probably formed during early Laramide burial. Another (younger) calcite phase, characterized by depleted δ¹⁸O values (−23·9‰ to −13·9‰ Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite), low Na (27 to 37 p.p.m.) and Sr (39 to 150 p.p.m.) concentrations and non-saline (∼0 wt% NaCl equivalent) fluid inclusions, is attributed to post-Laramide meteoric water.     

Sediment supply from the Betic-Rif orogen to basins through Neogene

We present a quantification of total and partial (divided by time slices) sedimentary volumes in the Neogene basins of the Betic-Rif orogen. These basins include the Alboran Sea, the intramontane basins, the Guadalquivir and Rharb foreland basins and the Atlantic Margin of the Gibraltar Arc. The total volume of Neogene sediments deposited in these basins is ~ 209,000 km³ and is equally distributed between the internal (Alboran Basin and intramontane basins) and the external basins (foreland basins and Atlantic Margin). The largest volumes are recorded by the Alboran Basin (89,600 km³) and the Atlantic Margin (81,600 km³). The Guadalquivir and Rharb basins amount 14,000 km³ and 14,550 km³, respectively whereas the intramontane basins record 9235 km³. Calculated mean sediment accumulation rates for the early-middle Miocene show an outstanding asymmetry between the Alboran basin (0.24 mm/yr) and the foreland basins (0.06-0.07 mm/yr) and the Atlantic Margin (0.03 mm/yr). During the late Miocene, sedimentation rates range between 0.17 and 0.18 mm/yr recorded in the Alboran Basin and 0.04 mm/yr in the intramontane basins. In the Pliocene-Quaternary, the highest sedimentation rates are recorded in the Atlantic Margin reaching 0.22 mm/yr. Sedimentary contribution shows similar values for the inner and outer basins with a generalized increase from late Miocene to present (from 3500 to 6500 km³/My). Interestingly, the Alboran Basin records the maximum sedimentary contribution during the late Miocene (5500 km³/My), whereas the Atlantic Margin does during the Pliocene-Quaternary (6600 km³/My). The spatial and time variability of the sediment supply from the Betic-Rif orogen to basins is closely related to the morphotectonic evolution of the region. The high sedimentation rates obtained in the Alboran Basin during the early-middle Miocene are related to active extensional tectonics, which produced narrow and deep basins in its western domain. The highest sedimentary contribution in this basin, as well as in the foreland and intramontane basins, is recorded during the late Miocene due to the uplift of wide areas of the Betics and Rif chains. The analysis of the sedimentary supply also evidences strong relationships with the post-Tortonian crustal thickening and coeval topographic amplification that occurred in the central Betics and Rif with the concomitant evolution of the drainage network showing the fluvial capture of some internal basins by rivers draining to the Atlantic Ocean (the ancestral Guadalquivir).     

Modelled palaeo-temperature on Vøring, offshore mid-Norway — The effect of the Lower Crustal Body

The Vøring area, offshore mid-Norway has a complex geological history, has experienced several extensional phases and was significantly influenced by the break-up of the North Atlantic. We have modelled a cross-section over the Vøring Basin aiming to 1) reconstruct the basin evolution in a realistic way, and 2) to investigate the heat flow and temperature history in the basin.For the modelling we used the following tectonic events: the opening of the basin during the Permo-Triassic, an event during the Middle to Late Cretaceous and an event in the Late Cretaceous/Paleocene. The theoretical effects of the lithospheric stretching are depending on the palaeo-water depths of the area. We present a prediction of the palaeo-water depth, and a sensitivity analysis of the influence of the palaeo-water depth on the estimated beta-factors in the area.A lower crustal high-velocity body found in the area is often interpreted as magmatic underplating related to the break-up of the Norwegian Sea. We show the temperature history calculated by models that were run with and without assumption of underplating by a magmatic body emplaced during the Early Tertiary. The observed vitrinite reflectance in the Vøring area is best explained by numerical calculations of the vitrinite reflectance without a magmatic underplating. Our conclusion is that the Lower Crustal Body is not related to magmatic underplating or to significant sill intrusions. The body may consist of older mafic rocks, or a mixture of old continental crust and mafic intrusions.     

地震相干分析技术在埕岛油田断裂解释和砂体预测中的应用

三维地震相干数据分析技术是近年发展起来的一项新技术,在解释断层和识别沉积相（砂体预测）等地质特征研究方面有独特效果.为了解决埕岛油田埕北302潜山复杂断层解释和埕北凹陷沉积相分析两项问题,采用了相干分析技术对三维地震资料进行了处理,解释出了埕北302潜山区块众多次级断层和裂缝,识别出了埕北凹陷馆陶组上段沉积相、沉积亚相并预测了有利砂体,得到了满意的研究结果.本文在简要介绍三维地震相干数据体分析技术原理基础上,重点分析了该技术在埕岛油田断裂系统解释和沉积相（砂体）预测中的具体应用并展示了成果,证实了地震相干分析的技术优势以及在油田应用的广泛前景.     

蒸发岩序列中氯化物盐的氯同位素分馏效应及应用——兼论塔里木盆地、柴达木盆地古代岩盐的沉积阶段

卤水蒸发析盐到晚期阶段,才有可能析出溶解度极大的钾盐类矿物,因此在一个成盐盆地要找到钾盐矿床,除判断物源特征外,还必须找到最晚沉积阶段的区域和层位。本文通过对实验室配制溶液和盐湖卤水蒸发析出的不同氯化物矿物、钾盐矿床沉积序列不同阶段盐类矿物对比分析,讨论了氯同位素的分馏规律。结果表明,不同蒸发浓缩阶段的氯化物盐,氯同位素发生显著分馏。一般钾盐沉积层位的石盐δ³⁷Cl值小于0,钾石盐及其以后沉积的氯化物δ³⁷Cl值小于-0.5‰,特别是钾石盐以后析出的氯化物更为偏负,光卤石一般小于-1.00‰,而钾盐沉积阶段之前早期沉积石盐的δ³⁷Cl值显著偏正。因此,δ³⁷Cl值是判断岩盐沉积阶段的有效指标。基于此,对塔里木库车盆地第三纪、莎车盆地白垩-第三纪部分代表性盐矿点以及柴达木盆地西部不同构造单元、不同层位第三纪岩盐沉积做了氯同位素分析。初步结果表明塔里木莎车盆地晚白垩世岩盐的沉积阶段明显晚于库车盆地第三纪沉积,特别是莎车盆地喀什次级凹陷δ³⁷Cl值最低,大部分样品小于-0.5‰,推测该区成盐古卤水已浓缩到晚期或接近晚期钾盐沉积阶段,应是今后一重点开展钾盐找矿的区域。柴达木盆地油墩子、南翼山地区中新统、上新统蒸发岩沉积序列δ³⁷Cl值普遍偏正,推测当时卤水浓缩演化可能只达到石盐沉积阶段,浓缩到后期阶段的富K⁺、Mg²⁺盐溶液随西部隆起迁移到柴达木盆地南部地区,因此认为第三纪地层虽然石盐沉积层位多,厚度大,但找到大规模钾盐矿床的可能性不大。     

柴达木盆地西部大浪滩140 ka以来沉积特征与古环境

文章选取柴达木盆地西部大浪滩盐湖沉积中心的钻孔岩芯为研究对象,通过U系年代学研究,建立了该地区140kaBP以来的湖相地层沉积序列。从沉积特征来看,期间共经历了8次成盐期和6次淡化期,成盐期沉积的主要矿物为石盐、石膏、芒硝和白钠镁矾。淡化阶段主要矿物为粘土(伊利石占绝大多数,次为绿泥石和高岭石)、碳酸盐(方解石和白云石为主)和石英长石。对该时段碳氧同位素分析显示,140～113kaBP(92～84m),同末次间冰期的演化阶段(5e)有着很好的对应关系;113～93kaBP(84～78m)(5d),从碳同位素组成特征看,该阶段也有多次气候的颤动发生,在78～80m层段,有近2m厚的中粗粒芒硝,其为冷相矿物,这说明该阶段水体温度变化频繁;此外,93～87kaBP(78～74.6m)、87～79.5kaBP(74.6～67.5m)、79.5～76kaBP(67.5～63.5m)也都分别对应着末次间冰期后的5c、5b、5a三个阶段。76～72kaBP(60～64m)(MIS4),氧同位素组成快速偏重(-4‰～-8‰(PDB)),温度下降,水体明显咸化;72～30kaBP(60～16m)(MIS3),总体碳氧同位素组成偏重,代表干凉的古气候环境,期间有两次成盐期,代表了冷干时段;30～14kaBP(16～0m)(MIS2),氧同位素组成明显偏重,代表了末次盛冰期的到来,进而结束了湖泊水体沉积。     

库车坳陷却勒地区新生代盐构造特征、演化及变形控制因素

本文利用野外地质调查结果、遥感资料、地震资料和钻、测井数据,建立了两条库车坳陷却勒地区的区域大剖面,约束却勒地区盐构造特征和演化,分析东、西段变形差异及差异形成过程,探讨构造变形控制因素。却勒地区发育的盐构造样式主要有盐底辟、盐焊接、盐撤凹陷、大型盐推覆体、外来盐席、盐枕、盐背斜和滑脱褶皱,其中,盐撤凹陷、盐背斜和滑脱褶皱仅发育于东段,造成东、西段构造变形差异。却勒地区盐构造分为3期:①渐新世—中新世吉迪克期为构造平静期,发育盐撤凹陷和盐底辟;②中新世康村期—上新世早期构造挤压微弱,发生早期褶皱作用,却勒盐丘继续发育,北部盐底辟中新世末停止发育;③上新世晚期—现今发生大规模逆冲推覆,是褶皱-冲断带主要形成时期,发育大型盐撤凹陷、外来盐席、盐推覆构造、盐背斜和滑脱褶皱。却勒地区东、西段盐构造变形差异主要形成于上新世晚期—现今(第3期)。喀拉玉尔滚右旋走滑断层为薄皮构造,调节了却勒地区东、西段前缘的变形差异。却勒地区构造变形主要受控于盐岩沉积范围、区域构造应力及强度、上覆层应变强度和差异负载(沉积负载和局部构造负载)。     

晚三叠世留山盆地沉积特征与构造环境分析

本文在实测剖面的基础上,通过薄片观察、粒度分析和阴极发光测试等手段,以沉积相的研究为切入点,将沉积作用和构造作用紧密联系,分析了留山盆地的沉积特征和构造性质。研究表明,留山盆地上三叠统沉积相主要为扇三角洲相,经历了早期的退积作用和晚期的进积作用。沉积相的演化和源区分析综合表现出,留山盆地是一个孤立的陆相盆地,沉积物来源主要为盆地周围的造山带物质。盆地演化经历了盆地形成阶段、平稳沉降阶段、快速沉降阶段和快速充填阶段,其构造动力与盆地周缘的构造作用强度相呼应。盆地性质可能为压坳性盆地,进而推测留山盆地是华北与扬子板块在晚三叠世碰撞期间向南大规模推覆而产生的背驼式盆地。     

海洋沉积物中色素生物标志物研究进展

海洋沉积物中的光合色素包含着水体、沉积物中浮游和底栖植物以及微生物群落的丰富信息,能表征特定生物来源,在埋藏到沉积物甚至发生某些改变之后仍然保留其源信息,是一类重要的化学生物标志物.结合总有机碳、总氮等其他海洋地球化学参数,沉积色素可用来研究海洋浮游植物和光合细菌的群落组成和丰度,反演海洋初级生产、水体富营养化水平及其历史趋势,指示水体和沉积物氧化还原条件,揭示海域气候条件等现状及其历史变化.沉积色素的研究,对于掌握海洋中碳的生物地球化学循环过程,回溯古环境、古海洋、古生态以及古气候记录,制定合理的海洋管理政策具有十分重要的意义.阐述了沉积物中色素的分类、来源、性质和分析方法,分析了色素在沉积物中的保存和变化规律,探讨总结了沉积色素作为化学生物标志物在海洋学研究中的应用.