Holocene calcrete crust deposits on the moraine of Batura Glacier, northern Pakistan

Abstract   Calcretes can be observed on the surface of old moraines around Batura Glacier in the upper Hunza Valley, Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan. They develop as a calcareous crust cementing small gravels under boulders. In order to understand the genesis of the calcrete crust, a variety of methods were employed: (i) study of mineralogy and geochemistry of a calcrete crust precipitated on the lateral moraine using X-ray diffractometer and electron probe microanalysis; (ii) analysis of solute chemistry of surface water and ice bodies around the Batura Glacier; and (iii) accelerator mass spectrometry ¹⁴C dating of the crust itself. The results indicate that the calcrete crust has definite laminated layers composed of a fine-grain and compact calcite layer, and a mineral fragment layer. The chemical composition of the calcite layer is approximately 60% CaO and 1% MgO. The mineral fragment layer consists of rounded grain materials up to 0.2 mm in diameter. It shows a graded bedding structure with fine grains of quartz, albite and muscovite. Meanwhile, as the Paleozoic Pasu limestone is distributed around the terminal of Batura Glacier, Ca cations dissolve in the melt water of the glacier. Accordingly, the calcrete crust is precipitated by decreases in CO₂ partial pressure from glacier ice and evaporation of the melt water, including high concentration of Ca²⁺ at ephemeral streams and small ponds stagnating between the moraine and glacial ice. On the basis of the AMS ¹⁴C age, the calcrete is considered to have formed approximately 8200 calibrated years bp under the Batura glacial stage.     

Geochemical Information Indicating the Water Recharge to Lakes and Immovable Megadunes in the Badain Jaran Desert

1 Introduction The Badain Jaran Desert, located in western Inner Mongolia, China, has a unique landscape containing 144 lakes (72 of which are still watery) with a total water area of about 23 km2, and the world’s highest stationary sand dunes with a height between 200 m and 500 m. Much attention has been paid to the water recharge of the desert in the past decade. Investigations on the resources of water system there have been performed continuously since the early 1990s, which lead to th…     

Landslide hazard in the Nebrodi Mountains (Northeastern Sicily)

The eastern sector of the Nebrodi Mountains (NE Sicily), a part of the Apenninic-Maghrebian orogenic chain, is characterized by an high landslide hazard. The village of S. Domenica Vittoria, which lies in the area, has been particularly affected by various landslide phenomena, with resulting damage to buildings and infrastructure.The rocks outcropping in the area belong to the Cretaceous Monte Soro Flysch; they consist of an alternation of argillaceous and calcareous beds at the base and argillaceous and quartzarenitic beds at the top. The lithotechnical characteristics of the formation and the steepness of the slopes in the area lead to an elevated instability, as testified by the widespread occurrence of sub-vertical arcuate cliffs (landslide scarps) and sub-horizontal areas (landslide terraces), typical of a landslide-controlled morphology. From a kinematics point of view, the observed phenomena can be referred to multiple rotational slides, flows, and complex landslides, often with a retrogressive development and enlargement. Triggering causes lie principally in the intense rainfalls that determine the decay of the geomechanical properties of the terrain and supply discontinuos groundwater circulation that is evident in seasonal springs. Human activity, such as the construction of roads and buildings on steep slopes and dispersal of water from supply systems and sewers has a significant impact as well.Due to the instability of the area, expansion of the village, which is already limited by the morphological conditions, is made difficult by the high hazard level, especially in the areas at higher elevations, where the principal landslide scarps are located, and even more on the rims of the scarps. Considering the high hazard level, S. Domenica Vittoria has been inserted by the National Geological Service among the sites in Sicily to be monitored by means of a GPS network. The survey carried out along the entire slope hosting the village has furnished the base for geological and geomorphological knowledge needed for the planning of the network, to identify the areas at landslide risk, where parts of the village lie, including the areas of expansion of the village, the main roads, and a portion of the Favoscuro river bed.     

新疆阿尔泰造山带构造作用的锆石裂变径迹分析

在新疆阿尔泰造山带所获得的19个锆石裂变径迹年龄变化于155-243Ma之间，明显地分为2组，分别对应于2个构造活动期，早期为155-189Ma，晚期为189-243Ma。这与磷灰石裂变径迹年龄反映的62-100Ma和100-160Ma两个构造期完全一致。早期和晚期构造活动期持续的时间分别为54-60Ma和34-38Ma，而这两个构造期之间的间隔时间，则从早到晚由83-89Ma变为89-93Ma。同时，锆石裂变径迹年龄与距特斯巴汗断裂和巴寨断裂的距离有关，反映这两条断裂带对区域构造演化的控制作用。     

论秦岭造山带的成矿作用

对秦岭造山带区域成矿背景、矿床的时空分布、典型矿床矿田赋存部位、区域成矿元素地球化学背景、多重岩片控矿理论,构造成矿体系、成矿物质来源、矿床成因类型、矿床区域成矿模式进行了讨论,在对大量资料研究的基础上提出了新认识。最后指出秦巴地区进一步寻找大型矿床的地区。     

六盘山典型植被类型土壤中石砾对大孔隙形成的影响

六盘山山区土壤中存在大量的石砾,对土壤大孔隙的形成具有重要影响。为了深刻了解和评价土壤中石砾对大孔隙形成的可能作用,本研究分析了六盘山典型植被类型下土壤中的石砾体积含量、大孔隙度变异以及石砾体积含量对大孔隙度、大孔隙半径与密度的影响。结果表明,石砾含量增加导致土壤大孔隙的平均半径和体积增大,特别是导致半径大于1.4 mm的大孔隙密度的增大,但对较小半径的大孔隙密度影响不大;总体上,石砾对土壤大孔隙度的形成影响随土深的增加而越来越明显,说明六盘山地区土壤的大孔隙明显同时受到生物因素和石砾含量因素的影响。     

Mountain Water Tower and Ecological Risk Estimation of the Mesta-Nestos Transboundary River Basin （Bulgaria-Greece）

The Mesta-Nestos river basin in Bulgaria and Greece is a case study for transboundary decision-making support in south-eastern Europe and a show-case for the development of methodologies and information-gathering for the integrated regional planning of water resources. Land-use conflicts in this water-scarce region cover a wide spectrum of activities like agricultural irrigation,drinking water production,diversions for industrial water,and risk of pollution from mining,to name a few examples. Measurements of the water quality were carried out in the upper basin. Results will be illustrated by the example of the environmental situation in the alpine region of the Pirin National Park as well as in the Razlog Basin with a stronger anthropogenic impact and pollution around a former uranium mine near the village of Ele?nica. The social and economic development of this transboundary region is a recently established priority for the future. It will mean an increase in water usage and more stress for the water resources if regional impacts of global climate change are verified. Problem-focused management of the catchment area as a whole on the basis of proved geo-data sets is needed for the future.     

昆仑造山带中段蛇绿混杂岩的地质地球化学特征

昆仑造山带中段蛇绿混杂岩由镁质超基性岩、块状辉石质玄武岩、枕状玄武岩、堆晶岩、斜长岩脉、灰岩岩块及其间的薄层状粉砂质泥岩、泥质粉砂岩组成 ,并有硅泥组合。不同岩性之间、不同块体之间由剪切带分开 ,沉积岩显示出浅深水岩块的混杂。其岩石化学主要特征是MgO含量特别高 ,达 33.2 2 %～ 37.2 8% ,SiO2 、CaO、Al2 O3 、TiO2 、K2 O含量低 ,FeO /(FeO 十MgO)、Ca/Al2 O3 比值非常低。属镁质超基性岩。超基性岩的常量元素、微量元素 ,以及稀土元素特征表明 ,其形成的环境为多硅铝质陆壳成分的大陆边缘盆地 (具有洋脊及岛弧的过渡性质 )。     

东天山康古尔金矿床成矿流体地球化学特征及其来源

新疆康古尔金矿床是分布于晚古生代火山岩区受脆韧性剪切带控制的蚀变岩型金矿。该矿床成矿流体具有中低温度（３２０～１００℃）、中等ＮａＣｌ质量分数（１１４％～１７０％）、弱还原等特征。包裹体气相成分以Ｈ２Ｏ和ＣＯ２为主,液相成分中富Ｎａ＋、Ｃｌ－,而贫Ｋ＋、Ｆ－。成矿流体δＤ为－４５‰～－６６‰,δ１８Ｏ为－８３４‰～２９８‰,（８７Ｓｒ／８６Ｓｒ）ｉ值为０７０７７～０７１０６,反映了成矿流体由变质水、大气降水和岩浆水混合组成的特点