The effects of asymmetric potential vorticity forcing on the instability of South Asia High and Indian summer monsoon onset

Based on the theory of potential vorticity(PV),the unstable development of the South Asia High(SAH)due to diabatic heating and its impacts on the Indian Summer Monsoon(ISM)onset are studied via a case diagnosis of 1998.The Indian Summer Monsoon onset in 1998 is related to the rapidly strengthening and northward moving of a tropical cyclone originally located in the south of Arabian Sea.It is demonstrated that the rapid enhancement of the cyclone is a consequence of a baroclinic development characterized by the phase-lock of high PV systems in the upper and lower troposphere.Both the intensification of the SAH and the development of the zonal asymmetric PV forcing are forced by the rapidly increasing latent heat released from the heavy rainfall in East Asia and South East Asia after the onsets of the Bay of Bengal(BOB)monsoon and the South China Sea(SCS)monsoon.High PV moves southwards along the intensified northerlies on the eastern side of the SAH and travels westwards on its south side,which can reach its northwest.Such a series of high PV eddies are transported to the west of the SAH continuously,which is the main source of PV anomalies in the upper troposphere over the Arabian Sea from late spring to early summer.A cyclonic curvature on the southwest of the SAH associated with increasing divergence,which forms a strong upper tropospheric pumping,is generated by the anomalous positive PV over the Arabian Sea on 355 K.The cyclone in the lower troposphere moves northwards from low latitudes of the Arabian Sea,and the upper-layer high PV extends downwards and southwards.Baroclinic development thus occurs and the tropical low-pressure system develops into an explosive vortex of the ISM,which leads to the onset of the ISM.In addition,evolution of subtropical anticyclone over the Arabian Peninsula is another important factor contributing to the onset of the ISM.Before the onset,the surface sensible heating on the Arabian Peninsula is very strong.Consequently the subtropical anticyclone which dominated the Arabian Sea in spring retreats westwards to the Arabian Peninsula and intensifies rapidly.The zonal asymmetric PV forcing develops gradually with high PV eddies moving southwards along northerlies on the eastern side of the anticyclone,and a high PV trough is formed in the middle troposphere over the Arabian Sea,which is favorable to the explosive barotropic development of the tropical cyclone into the vortex.Results from this study demonstrate that the ISM onset,which is different from the BOB and the SCS monsoon onset,is a special dynamical as well as thermodynamic process occurring under the condition of fully coupling of the upper,middle,and lower tropospheric circulations.     

Phosphatic microspherules and their geobiological implications from the Frasnian-Famennian transition at the Yangdi section,Guilin, South China

Abundant perfectly-preserved phosphatic microspherules have been discovered across the Frasnian-Famennian(F-F)transition from the Yangdi section in Guilin,Guangxi,South China.They are mostly spherical or elliptical in shape and about 150μm in diameter with smooth exterior surfaces.Each microspherule consistently possesses a small dimple on the surface.The internal texture of microspherules consists of concentric light-colored apatite and dark-colored organic matter bands alternating around a central core.Conodonts have also been found preserved together with phosphatic microspherules in the same horizon,and the abundance of the former is obviously higher than that of the latter.Laser Raman spectral studies show close similarities in spectral patterns between the outer shells of phosphatic microspherules and the blade of the conodont genus Palmatolepis sp.,as well as between the microspherule nucleus and the platform of the same conodont genus.Furthermore,the statistical results and geochemical data demonstrate that the elevated abundance of phosphatic microspherules roughly coincides with the blooms of bacteria and algae,but is later than the sharp increase of oceanic nutrients.The phosphatic microspherules are interpreted here to be the‘otoliths’secreted by conodont animals based on the compositional similarities between phosphatic microspherules and conodonts and their interrelated abundances.In addition,an analogous study reveals morphological and textural similarities between fish otoliths and phosphatic microspherules.The formation of phosphatic microspherules is probably related to seawater eutrophication.We speculate that the explosive growth of bacteria and algae is probably caused by the enrichment of nutrients that is most likely associated with the increase of terrestrial inputs,submarine hydrothermal activities or the upwelling anoxic bottom waters in the late Devonian,which would stimulate the conodont animals to secrete phosphatic microspherules—the‘otoliths’of conodont animals.This study reveals the coupling relationship between organisms and environments from the perspective of phosphatic microspherules and provides new evidence for the cause of faunal crisis during the Late Devonian F-F transition.     

Organic carbon isotope gradient and ocean stratification across the late Ediacaran-Early Cambrian Yangtze Platform

Organic carbon isotope(δ13Corg) data from two well-preserved sections across a shallow-to-deep water transect of the late Ediacaran-Early Cambrian Yangtze Platform in South China show significant temporal and spatial variations. In the shallow-water Jiulongwan-Jijiapo section, δ13Corg values of the late Ediacaran Dengying Formation range from -29‰ to -24‰. In the deep-water Longbizui section, δ13Corg values from time-equivalent strata of the Dengying Formation are mostly between –35‰ and -32‰. These new data, in combination with δ13Corg data reported from other sections in South China, reveal a 6‰–8‰ shallow-to-deep water δ13Corg gradient. High δ13Corg values(-30‰) occur mostly in shallow-water carbonate rocks, whereas low δ13Corg values(-32‰) dominate the deep-water black shale and chert. The large temporal and spatial δ13Corg variations imply limited buffering effect from a large dissolved organic carbon(DOC) reservoir that was inferred to have existed in Ediacaran-Early Cambrian oceans. Instead, δ13Corg variations between platform and basin sections are more likely caused by differential microbial biomass contribution to total organic matter. High δ13Corg values(-30‰) documented from shallow-water carbonates are within the range of typical Phanerozoic δ13Corg data and may record the isotope signature of organic matter from primary(photosynthetic) production. In contrast, low δ13Corg values(-32‰) from deep-water sections may have resulted from higher chemoautotrophic or methanotrophic biomass contribution to bulk organic matter in anoxic environments. The δ13Corg data provide indirect evidence for ocean stratification and episodic chemocline fluctuations in the Ediacaran-Early Cambrian Yangtze Platform.     

The geobiological formation process of the marine source rocks in the Middle Permian Chihsia Formation of South China

The Chihsia Formation is one of the four sets of regional marine hydrocarbon source rocks from South China.In the past two decades,detailed geochemical and sedimentological studies have been carried out to investigate its origination,which have demonstrated that the high primary productivity plays a primary role in the deposition of sediments enriched in the organic matter.However,the mechanism of this high productivity and the path of the deposition and burial of the organic matter have always been a mystery.Based on the previous studies on the Shangsi Section in Guangyuan City,Sichuan Province,we proposed that the development of the equatorial upwelling due to the sea level rise is responsible for the relatively high productivity in the Chihsia Formation.The sea waters with high nutrient were transported by the sub-surface currents along the equator.High organic carbon flux was deposited on the deeper shelf,and then decomposed by bacteria,leading to the occurrence of anaerobic respiration.The metabolism of the microorganisms consumed the dissolved oxygen in waters,which was in favor of the preservation of the organic matter.This suggested geobiological model integrating with paleoclimatology,paleoceanography and geomicrobiology will help us to understand the causes of this particular sedimentary sequence.     

Mesozoic tectono-magmatic activities in South China:Retrospect and prospect

The South China Block was formed through the collisional orogeny between the Cathaysia Block and the Yangtze Block in the Early Neoproterozoic.The northern,western and southern sides of the South China Block were affected by disappearance of the Paleo-Tethyan Ocean during the Paleozoic.The southern and northern sides of the South China Block were respectively collided with the Indo-China Block and North China Block in the latest Paleozoic to form the basic framework of the Eastern China.The Eastern China has been affected by the westward subduction of the Pacific Plate since the Mesozoic.Therefore,the South China Block was influenced by the three major tectonic systems,leading to a superposed compound tectonics.The comparative study of the Mesozoic geology between the South China Block and its surrounding areas suggests that although the Mesozoic South China Block was adjacent to the subduction zone of the western Pacific,no juvenile arc-type crust has been found in the eastern margin.The main Mesozoic geology in South China is characterized by reworking of ancient continental margins to intracontinental tectonics,lacking oceanic arc basalts and continental arc andesites.Therefore,a key to understanding of the Mesozoic geology in South China is to determine the temporal-spatial distribution and tectonic evolution of Mesozoic magmatic rocks in this region.This paper presents a review on the tectonic evolution of the South China Block through summarizing the magmatic rock records from the compressional to extensional tectonic process with the transition at the three juncture zones and using the deformation and geophysic data from the deep part of the South China continental lithosphere.Our attempt is to promote the study of South China’s geology and to make it as a typical target for development of plate tectonic theory.     

膏盐脱水在盐底辟发育过程中的作用分析-以东营凹陷为例

基于国内外已经取得的盐构造研究成果, 根据东营凹陷盐构造的发育特征, 指出流体在盐构造发育过程的重要作用。东营凹陷沙四段含有大量膏盐和含膏地层, 根据岩心、测井和地震等资料分析了东营凹陷盐构造特征。由于膏盐脱水作用会导致地层内部产生异常高压, 而异常高压可以作为动力迫使流体向上流动继而在上覆地层产生水压力裂缝, 流体上涌过程中可以带动盐类物质向上运动, 因此认为膏盐脱水对盐构造形成发育有重要作用。基于膏盐脱水和超压流体作用, 建立了东营凹陷沙四段盐底辟构造发展史模型, 分析了东营凹陷盐构造在流体作用下形成发育过程, 结果表明膏盐脱水在盐构造发育初期和中期具有重要作用。      

华南地区晚三叠世含煤岩系层序—古地理

在对露头及钻孔剖面沉积特征研究的基础上,建立了华南地区晚三叠世含煤岩系层序地层格架,恢复了基于三级层序的岩相古地理,并分析了聚煤规律。根据岩相特征及岩相组合类型,在区内晚三叠世含煤地层中识别出陆相和海陆过渡相两大沉积类型,并可进一步识别出冲积扇、河流(包括辫状河和曲流河)、三角洲、湖泊、潮坪—潟湖、滨海平原和滨浅海等7种沉积类型。陆相沉积主要发育在上扬子地区的四川盆地;海陆过渡相沉积主要发育在东南部湘赣粤滨浅海。在晚三叠世含煤岩系中识别出区域性不整合面和构造应力转换面、砂砾岩体底部冲刷面和岩性突变面等类型的层序界面,将含煤岩系划分为5个三级层序。以三级层序为古地理作图单元,恢复了研究区的古地理格局。由煤层厚度与岩相古地理平面展布规律可知,最有利的成煤环境为三角洲沉积体系,其次为河流、潮坪—潟湖沉积体系,聚煤中心主要分部在四川盆地的乐威煤田以及华蓥山煤田、湘赣粤滨浅海地区的湘东南至赣西萍乡一带。     

1736-2010年华南前汛期始日变化

根据清代华南雨雪分寸记载的内容、特点,参照华南地区前汛期降水特征,提出了利用雨雪分寸记载重建华南前汛期开始时间的方法,重建了1736-1911 年福州与广州前汛期开始日期变化序列;并利用福州与广州（分别始于1953 和1952 年）逐日降水观测记录辨识了器测时期两地前汛期的逐年开始时间;据此分析了过去300 年华南前汛期开始日期的年-年代际变化特征。结果表明：1736-2010 年间,福州、广州两地前汛期开始时间平均为5 月第1 候;但存在显著的年际和年代际波动,其中重建时段（1736-1911 年）的主周期为2~3 年、准10 年和准40年,器测时段的主周期为2~3 年、准10 年和准22 年。在年际尺度,重建时段福州和广州前汛期开始时间最早的年份均为4 月第4 候,最晚的年份则分别为5 月第6 候和6 月第1 候;而器测时段两地前汛期开始时间的最早年、最晚年均为4 月第4 候和6 月第1 候。在年代际尺度,重建时段福州和广州相邻年代最大变幅分别为2.2 候和1.6 候;器测时段福州和广州相邻年代最大变幅则分别为2.5 候和2.4 候。     

吕宋海峡西侧海域混合层盐度低频变化特征分析

利用WOD09和Argo剖面资料,结合SODA、OFES、GPCP和WHOI等资料分析了吕宋海峡西侧海域混合层盐度1984—2010年间的长期变化趋势和年代际变化特征,并利用混合层盐度平衡方程探讨了其变化机理。研究结果表明:(1)吕宋海峡西侧海域的盐度整体上呈现下降趋势,线性趋势为-0.020/a;(2)以1999年为界,吕宋海峡西侧海域的盐度在1999年之前为正距平,最大正距平值可达0.14,平均值为0.05,在1999年之后为负距平,最大负距平值为-0.22,平均值为-0.06;(3)影响该海域混合层盐度的长期变化趋势和年代际变化的主要因素为平流作用,特别是黑潮入侵的变化。     

中国西北地区旱涝年南亚高压异常特征

利用1961年1月1日至2010年12月31日NCEP/NCAR再分析数据和站点观测资料,统计分析表明：中国西北区域重旱年典型特征为3、4月南亚高压中心均出现偏西约40°;偏旱年典型特征为3月至4月出现中心位置西移之后东撤,4月至5月出现西移,或4月偏东40°;偏涝年典型特征为7月至8月东西振荡幅度大;西北区域多雨年典型特征为5月中心位置位于孟加拉湾海域,9月明显出现南亚高压东部型,12月位置偏西40°。面积距平最明显的特征是重旱年、偏旱年南亚高压面积偏小,偏涝年、多雨年南亚高压面积偏大,同样也可以看到重旱年4月南亚高亚异常特征十分明显。强度和面积与西北区域降水很好的相关性主要存在于2—4月。