The Early Palaeozoic Break-up of Northern Gondwana: Sedimentology, Physical Volcanology and Geochemistry of a Submarine Volcanic Complex in the Bavarian Facies Association, Saxothuringian Basin, Germany

Ordovician volcano-sedimentary successions of the Bavarian facies association in the Saxothuringian basin record the continental rift phase of the separation of the Saxothuringian Terrane from Gondwana. An 80 m succession from the Vogtendorf beds and Randschiefer Series (Arenig-Middle Ordovician), exposed along the northern margin of the Münchberg Gneiss Massif in northeast Bavaria, were subjected to a study of their sedimentology, physical volcanology and geochemistry. The Randschiefer series previously has been interpreted as lavas, tuffs, sandstones and turbidites, but the studied Ordovician units include four main lithological associations: mature sandstones and slates, pillowed alkali-basalts and derivative mass flow deposits, trachyandesitic lavas and submarine pyroclastic flow deposits interbedded with turbidites. Eight lithofacies have been distinguished based on relict sedimentary structures and textures, which indicate deposition on a continental shelf below wave base. The explosive phase that generated the pyroclastic succession was associated with the intrusion of dykes and sills, and was succeeded by the eruption of pillowed basalts. Debris flow deposits overlie the basalts. Ordovician volcanism in this region, therefore, alternated between effusive and explosive phases of submarine intermediate to mafic volcanism.

Based on geochemical data, the volcanic and pyroclastic rocks are classified as basalts and trachyandesites. According to their geochemical characteristics, especially to their variable concentrations of incompatible elements such as the High Field Strength Elements (HFSE), they can be divided into three groups. Group I, which is formed by massive lavas at the base of the succession, has extraordinarily high contents of HFSE. The magmas of this group were probably derived from a mantle source in the garnet stability field by low (ca. 1%) degrees of partial melting and subsequent fractionation. Group II, which comprises the pillow lavas at the top of the sequence, displays moderate enrichment of HFSE. This can be explained by a slightly higher degree of melting (ca. 1.6%) for the primary magma. Group I and II melts fractionated from their parental magmas in different magma chambers. The eruption centres of Groups I and II, therefore, cannot be the same, and the volcanic rocks must have originated from different vents. The sills and pyroclastic flow deposits of Group III stem at least partly from the same source as Group I. Rocks of Group I most likely mixed together with Group II components during the formation of the Group III flows, which became hybridised during eruption, transportation and emplacement.

The sedimentological and geochemical data best support a rift as the tectonic setting of this volcanism, analogous to modern continental rift zones. Hence, the rift-associated volcanic activity preserved in the Vogtendorf beds and Randschiefer Series represents an early Ordovician stage of rift volcanism when the separation of the Saxothuringian Terrane from Gondwana had just commenced.     

北京地区岩浆岩和火山碎屑岩的特征及其对窑坡煤系的影响

详细研究了北京地区与窑坡组有关的岩浆岩和火山碎屑岩的岩性和分布特征以及对窑坡煤系的影响。认为窑坡组形成前的火山喷发,为煤系的形成提供了基底,并引起抢峰坡和葫芦棚等地隆起;窑坡组形成过程中的火山喷发,喷出的火山物质使湖泊淤浅,在淤浅处发育泥炭沼泽而成煤;窑坡组形成后的岩浆侵入使窑坡煤系受到了破坏。      

江西永新—崇义地区奥陶系内火山碎屑岩的发现及其意义

在江西永新—崇义地区的奥陶系内,作者首次发现了火山碎屑岩。介绍了沉凝灰岩、火山碎屑沉积岩、富火山碎屑浊流沉积岩的特征和分布层位,并对其构造意义作了简述。     

京津冀雾霾消散因子及其阈值研究

利用2006—2015年京津冀气象站的常规观测资料和同期NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,以秋冬季影响雾霾形成与消散的静稳大气和通透大气为研究对象,统计分析了气象因子的分布状况。结果表明:京津冀秋冬季降水对雾霾起不到冲刷作用,反而促进雾霾的形成与维持;京津冀秋冬季雾霾消散主要是风场因子的贡献。雾霾消散的大气状态可分为3种类型,在不同大气状态下,各风场因子对雾霾消散的贡献不同。采用迭代自组织数据类差最大值阈值分割法找出了各风场因子的最佳阈值。根据各风场因子对雾霾消散的敏感性和因子间的相关,筛选出3类大气状态下雾霾消散因子指标。采用指标叠套法对2016、2017年秋冬季大气进行检验,表明雾霾消散指标及其阈值能较好区分静稳大气和通透大气,对雾霾过程具有较好的指示意义;通过对derf2.0模式产品释用,可为延伸期雾霾过程客观化预测提供技术支撑。     

广西北海涠洲岛第四纪晚期火山碎屑流中橄榄岩包体碎块的发现及其地质意义

广西北海涠洲岛是我国面积最大的第四纪火山岩海岛,岛内出露的最新一次火山喷发产物为碧玄质岩石,它覆盖于晚更新世湖光岩组(Q3h)层状凝灰岩地层之上。在该火山岩中发现有橄榄岩包体,罕见的是,包体是以火山角砾的形式见于碧玄质火山碎屑流之中,故应是被炸碎的包体碎块,而非原始态包体。这是迄今为止较为特殊的一种橄榄岩包体产状类型,其原始态包体的岩石类型可能为方辉橄榄岩和纯橄岩。岩石结构及探针数据均表明该橄榄岩包体来自岩石圈地幔。包体的温压估算结果为960～1040℃和1.3GPa,对应的稳定深度约40km。此外,由于包体来源深度远小于其寄主碧玄质火山岩浆的来源深度(大于99km),表明涠洲岛地区第四纪火山碎屑流中的橄榄岩包体是地幔柱来源的碧玄质岩浆在上升经过岩石圈地幔约40km深度时捕获的偶然包体,并在就位前经历过炸碎。     

Geochemical Characteristics of Early Permian Pyroclastic Rocks in the Jimunai Basin,West Junggar,Xinjiang(NW China): Implications for Provenance and Tectonic Setting

During the Late Paleozoic, West Junggar(Xinjiang, NW China) experienced a shift in tectonic setting from compression to extension. Ha'erjiao is an important area for investigating collisional structures, post–collisional structures, and magmatic activities. Based on the petrological and geochemical characteristics of pyroclastic and other volcanic rocks in the Permian Kalagang Formation from the borehole ZKH1205 in the Jimunai Basin, the main types of source rock for the pyroclastic rocks deposited in the basin are identified and their implications for the Early Permian tectonic setting examined. The abundance of basalt and andesite lithic fragments in the pyroclastic rocks, together with the REE characteristics and the contents of transition and high field strength elements show that the source rocks were chiefly intermediate–basic volcanic rocks. High ICV values, low CIA values, low Rb/Sr ratios, low Th/U ratios and the mineralogical features suggest weak chemical weathering of the source rocks; the geochemical patterns of the pyroclastic rocks might not only have been impacted by crustal contamination but also might be related to the nature of the magma from the source area. The geochemical properties of the pyroclastic rocks distinguish them from arc-related ones, and such samples plot in the within-plate basalt(WPB) field in some diagrams. This is consistent with the formation background of the Early Permian volcanic rocks in this region.     

An experimental investigation of density-stratified inertial gravity currents

Turbidity currents and pyroclastic density currents may originate as stratified flows or develop stratification during propagation. Analogue, density‐stratified laboratory currents are described, using layers of salt solutions with different concentrations and depths to create the initial vertical stratification. The evolving structure of the flow depends on the distribution of the driving buoyancy between the layers, B* (proportional to the layer volumes and densities), and their density ratio, ρ*. When the lower layer contains more salt than the upper layer, and so has a greater proportion of the driving buoyancy (B* < 0·5), this layer can run ahead leading to streamwise or longitudinal stratification (ρ*→0), or the layers can mix to produce a homogeneous current (ρ*→1). If the upper layer contains more salt and thus buoyancy (B* > 0·5), this layer travels to the nose of the current by mixing into the back of the head along the body/wake density interface to produce a homogeneous flow (ρ*→1) or overtaking, leading to streamwise stratification (ρ*→0). Timescales describing the mixing between the layers and the streamwise separation of the layers are used to understand these flow behaviours and are in accordance with the experimental observations. Distance–time measurements of the flow front show that strongly stratified flows initially travel faster than weakly stratified flows but, during their later stages, they travel more slowly. In natural flows that are stratified in concentration and grain size, internal features, such as stepwise grading, gradual upward fining and reverse grading, could be produced depending on B* and ρ*. Stratification may also be expected to affect interactions with topography and overall fan architecture.     

火山碎屑岩对CO2的矿物捕获能力

CO2矿物捕获是指将大气中排放的CO2气注入到地下深部的含水层、油气田等渗透性储层中,通过一系列物理、化学反应,最终将CO2气以碳酸盐矿物的形式“固结”在岩石中。火山碎屑岩具有铁、镁离子含量高且容易释放及分布广泛等特点,是有前途的矿物捕获岩石类型。塔木察格盆地塔南凹陷铜钵庙组火山碎屑岩中发育大量的片钠铝石特征矿物,进一步证实了火山碎屑岩的矿物捕获能力。在火山碎屑岩中,CO2注入之后形成的矿物有片钠铝石、铁方解石、铁白云石等碳酸盐矿物,碳酸盐总量高达30%,说明CO2矿物捕获的能力较大。     

安徽巢县南陵湖组火山碎屑流沉积物的发现

在安徽巢县下三叠统南陵湖组上部，发育着一套火山碎屑沉积物，主要由英安质角砾岩、英安质晶屑、玻屑凝灰角砾岩和英安质玻屑、晶屑凝灰岩等组成。它厚１．８ｍ，层序清楚，分为２个布玛旋回。研究表明，它属于海底喷发、水流搬运的火山碎清流沉积（火山浊流沉积），并且可能是印支早期华北板块与扬子板块相互碰撞的一种反映。     

Sedimentologic and stratigraphic constraints on emplacement of the Star Kimberlite, east–central Saskatchewan

Diamond-bearing kimberlites in the Fort à la Corne region, east–central Saskatchewan, consist primarily of extra-crater pyroclastic deposits which are interstratified with Lower Cretaceous (Albian and Cenomanian) marine, marginal marine and continental sediments. Approximately 70 individual kimberlite occurrences have been documented. The Star Kimberlite, occurring at the southeastern end of the main Fort à la Corne trend, has been identified as being of economic interest, and is characterized by an excellent drill core database. Integration of multi-disciplinary data-sets has helped to refine and resolve models for emplacement of the Star Kimberlite. Detailed core logging has provided the foundation for sedimentological and volcanological studies and for construction of a regionally consistent stratigraphic and architectural framework for the kimberlite complex. Micropaleontologic and biostratigraphic analysis of selected sedimentary rocks, and U–Pb perovskite geochronology on kimberlite samples have been integrated to define periods of kimberlite emplacement. Radiometric age determination and micropaleontologic evidence support the hypothesis that multiple kimberlite eruptive phases occurred at Star. The oldest kimberlite in the Star body erupted during deposition of the predominantly continental strata of the lower Mannville Group (Cantuar Formation). Kimberlites within the Cantuar Formation include terrestrial airfall deposits as well as fluvially transported kimberlitic sandstone and conglomerate. Successive eruptive events occurred contemporaneous with deposition of the marginal marine upper Mannville Group (Pense Formation). Kimberlites within the Pense Formation consist primarily of terrestrial airfall deposits. Fine- to medium-grained cross-stratified kimberlitic (olivine-dominated) sandstone in this interval reflects reworking of airfall deposits during a regional marine transgression. The location of the source feeder vents of the Cantuar and Pense kimberlite deposits has not been identified. The youngest and volumetrically most significant eruptive events associated with the Star Kimberlite occur within the predominantly marine Lower Colorado Group (Joli Fou and Viking Formations). Kimberlite beds, which occur at several horizons within these units, consist of subaerial and marine fall deposits, the latter commonly exhibiting evidence of wave-reworking. Black shale-encased resedimented kimberlite beds, likely deposited as subaqueous debris flows and turbidites, are particularly common in the Lower Colorado Group. During its multi-eruptive history, the Star Kimberlite body is interpreted to have evolved from a feeder vent and overlying positive-relief tephra ring, into a tephra cone. Initial early Joli Fou volcanism resulted in formation of a feeder vent (200 m diameter) and tephra ring. Subsequent eruptions, dominated by subaerial deposits, partly infilled the crater and constructed a tephra cone. A late Joli Fou eruption formed a small (70 m diameter) feeder pipe slightly offset to the NW of the early Joli Fou feeder vent. Deposits from this event further infilled the crater, and were deposited on top of early Joli Fou kimberlite (proximal to the vent) and sediments of the Joli Fou Formation (distal to the vent). The shape of the tephra cone was modified during multiple marine transgression and regression cycles coeval with deposition of the Lower Colorado Group, resulting in wave-reworked kimberlite sand along the fringes of the cone and kimberlitic event deposits (tempestites, turbidites, debris flows) in more distal settings.