The hydrogeochemistry of a heavily used aquifer in the Mexican wine-producing Guadalupe Valley, Baja California

The Guadalupe Valley aquifer is the only water source for one of the most important wine industries in Mexico, and also the main public water supply for the nearby city of Ensenada. This groundwater is monitored for major ion, N-NO₃, P-PO₄, Fe, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and Sb concentrations, as well as TDS, pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature. High concentrations of N-NO₃ (26 mg l⁻¹), Se (70 μg l⁻¹), Mo (18 μg l⁻¹) and Cu (4.3 μg l⁻¹) suggest that groundwater is being polluted by the use of fertilizers only in the western section of the aquifer, known as El Porvenir graben. Unlike the sites located near the main recharge area to the East of the aquifer, the water in El Porvenir graben has low tritium concentrations (<1.9 TU), indicating a pre-modern age, and thus longer water residence time. No significant variations in water quality (generally <10%) were detected throughout 2001–2002 in the aquifer, suggesting that reduced rainfall and recharge during this dry period did not significantly affect water quality. However, the wells nearest to the main recharge area in the Eastern aquifer show a slight but constant increase in TDS with time, probably as a result of the high (∼200 L S⁻¹) uninterrupted extraction of water at this specific recharge site. Relatively high As concentrations for the aquifer (10.5 μg l⁻¹) are only found near the northern limit of the basin associated with a geological fault.     

GPS-derived strain in northwestern California: Termination of the San Andreas fault system and convergence of the Sierra Nevada–Great Valley block contribute to southern Cascadia forearc contraction

GPS-derived velocities (1993–2002) in northwestern California show that processes other than subduction are in part accountable for observed upper-plate contraction north of the Mendocino triple junction (MTJ) region. After removing the component of elastic strain accumulation due to the Cascadia subduction zone from the station velocities, two additional processes account for accumulated strain in northern California. The first is the westward convergence of the Sierra Nevada–Great Valley (SNGV) block toward the coast and the second is the north–northwest impingement of the San Andreas fault system from the south on the northern California coastal region in the vicinity of Humboldt Bay. Sierra Nevada–Great Valley block motion is northwest toward the coast, convergent with the more northerly, north–northwest San Andreas transform fault-parallel motion. In addition to the westward-converging Sierra Nevada–Great Valley block, San Andreas transform-parallel shortening also occurs in the Humboldt Bay region. Approximately 22 mm/yr of distributed Pacific–SNGV motion is observed inland of Cape Mendocino across the northern projections of the Maacama and Bartlett Springs fault zones but station velocities decrease rapidly north of Cape Mendocino. The resultant 6–10 mm/yr of San Andreas fault-parallel shortening occurs above the southern edge of the subducted Gorda plate and at the latitude of Humboldt Bay. Part of the San Andreas fault-parallel shortening may be due to the viscous coupling of the southern edge of the Gorda plate to overlying North American plate. We conclude that significant portions of the upper-plate contraction observed north of the MTJ region are not solely a result of subduction of the Gorda plate but also a consequence of impingement of the western edge of the Sierra Nevada–Great Valley block and growth of the northernmost segments of the San Andreas fault system.     

内蒙古大青山哈拉沁沟流域中游草本植被与环境的关系

选取内蒙古哈拉沁沟流域中游草本植被进行调查取样和数量分析。通过野外工作获取研究区的植物种、群落特征和环境数据,并将野外所采样品进行实验室内常规分析。分析结果显示,研究区植物群落分为5个群丛:百里香 羊草 细叶苔草群丛、蒙古蒿 细叶苔草 二裂委陵菜群丛、细叶苔草 白莲蒿 光稃茅香群丛、细叶苔草 硬质早熟禾群丛和蒙古蒿 鹅绒委陵菜 光稃茅香群丛。DCCA样方排序的结果与分类结果较吻合,其中排序第一轴主要指示海拔和土壤pH值对群落分布格局的影响,第二轴着重反映年太阳总辐射、相对地形湿润指数(TRM I)和土壤有机质含量对群落分布格局的影响。DCCA结果揭示出各植物群落沿环境梯度的递变规律,表明海拔与土壤的湿润及营养状况是控制研究区群落及物种分布的决定性因素。     

Holocene sediment budgets in two river catchments in the Southern Upper Rhine Valley, Germany

The Holocene sediments of two catchments in the southern Upper Rhine valley have been quantified as part of the German LUCIFS Programme (RheinLUCIFS), which aims to quantify sediment fluxes in the Rhine catchment since the onset of agriculture in the Neolithic about 7500 years ago.The spatial distribution of the alluvial and colluvial sediments was derived using geological maps, with information on the thickness of these sediments from various sources including auger profiles and data from excavations. The sediments were subdivided into characteristic sedimentary storage types according to the different types of landscapes. For each of the sedimentary storage types an average thickness was assessed so that an integral sediment balance for the Holocene could be derived.For the different types of landscapes in the study area, 32 Holocene sedimentary storage types were determined, 21 in the Elz catchment (1500 km²) and 11 in the Möhlin catchment (230 km²). By adding up the sediment volumes of all single sedimentary storage types the total Holocene sediment volumes for the two catchments were calculated. Erosion depths were determined by dividing the sediment volumes through the potential erosion areas (slope > 2%) and by assuming a sediment delivery ratio (SDR) between 0 and 0.4. The total erosion for the potential erosion areas during the Holocene was calculated as 31–61 cm in the Elz catchment and 44–79 cm in the Möhlin catchment.     

Metallogenic mechanism of cobalt in the Zhuchong cobalt -rich skarn iron deposit in the Middle -Lower Yangtze River Valley Metallogenic Belt: Constrained by in -situ sulfur isotopes and zircon U-Pb datingSCIEI北大核心CSCD

Cobalt, being a vital strategic rare and precious metal, is primarily produced within diverse deposit types through co association. The cobalt -rich skarn iron deposit is a key deposit type with considerable development potential. However, the source and enrichment mechanism of cobalt in skarn iron deposit remain unclear. The Zhuchong cobalt -rich skarn iron deposit is located in the Anqing-Guichi district of the Middle -Lower Yangtze River Valley Metallogenic Belt ( MLYB). It is the first large-scale skarn iron -rich deposit discovered in the metallogenic belt in recent years. Its associated cobalt resources have reached a medium scale. Meanwhile, the cobalt grade in the Zhuchong cobalt -rich skarn iron deposit is the highest among similar deposits in the MLYB, reaching 190g/t. In this study, the zircon U-Pb dating of the ore -forming intrusions and the spatial variation of pyrite in -situ sulfur isotopes in the vertical direction ( drilling section) of the Zhuchong cobalt -rich skarn iron deposit were carried out. The results indicate that the U-Pb ages of the two deep concealed magmatic rock samples are 139. 6 +/- 1. 0Ma and 138. 9 +/- 0. 6Ma, respectively, which occurred during the Early Cretaceous. Vertically, the overall range of pyrite sulfur isotope is +5. 3%similar to + 13. 9%o, and delta S-34 varies greatly from top to bottom, and shows strong heterogeneity, which is obviously different from the sulfur isotope compositions of Anqing skarn Cu -Fe deposit. The pyrite delta S-34 in the cobalt -rich magnetite ore body in the bottom -up mineralization -alteration zone of the Zhuchong deposit ranges from 5. 3%o to 10. 0%o. In the diopside skarn belt near the ore, the delta S-34 range of the vein pyrite spans from 12. 1%o to 13. 9%o. Within the altered diorite, the delta S-34 values of vein pyrite vary from 7. 1%o to 10. 8%o. In the outer skarn, the delta S-34 range of vein pyrite ranges fall between 6. 8%o and 7. 6%o. Within the siltstone of the Yueshan Formation, located in the gypsum -bearing salt layer, the delta S-34 values of pyrite range from 12. 0%o to 12. 7%o. Similarly, the uppermost siltstone vein pyrite of the Tongtoujian Formation exhibits a delta S-34 range of 6. 1%o to 7. 8%o. The sulfur isotope composition of pyrite within the Zhuchong cobalt -rich magnetite ore exhibits an intermediate range between that of the Yueshan pluton and the gypsum -salt layer of the Yueshan Formation. This suggests that the sulfur isotope signature within the ore reflects a mixture of two distinct end members. Statistical analysis of scale and grade within the MLYB cobalt -rich skarn deposits ( Fe -Cu -Co) indicates no apparent correlation between cobalt mineralization and the type of Fe -Cu skarn deposits. Furthermore, the involvement of sulfur through the gypsum -salt layer in the ore -forming hydrothermal fluid does not exhibit a discernible     

东非大裂谷的地壳和上地幔密度结构

利用卫星重力场数据和小波多尺度分析方法对东非大裂谷进行三维密度结构成像,取得了东非大裂谷地壳和上地幔多个深度等效层上的密度扰动图像,为东非大裂谷岩石圈结构和动力学的研究提供了重要佐证。结果表明,东非大裂谷中段的西支裂谷与东支裂谷的幔源熔体同源,但是西支裂谷发育较不充分、形成较晚。东非大裂谷的动力学模式为熔流体上涌的树形分叉模式,其要点包括：① 低密度流体在软流圈大面积上涌;② 流体在岩石圈继续上涌,部分转化为基性岩浆岩,平面面积缩小;③ 进入地壳后上涌熔流体分叉成多支,平面总面积进一步缩小; ④ 熔流体上涌到上地壳后仅在裂谷带活动,反映为火山链和玄武岩带。     

长江中下游地区新华夏构造体系的“米字型”结构特征

构造体系由强变形构造带和弱变形地域共同构成,这些构造带和变形带可以用结构面的形式表达。构造体系结构面的分布分析,更加适用于变形规律研究,便于追索构造应力场及其演化。以长江中下游地质结构与导矿-控矿要素研究为基础,总结了新华夏构造体系结构面的“米字型”分布特征。新华夏系“米字型”构造,由NNE 25°方向挤压断裂和褶皱带、NNW 345°方向(大义山式)张扭断裂、NEE 75°方向(泰山式)压扭构造和NWW 300°方向(长江式)的横张构造组成。其演化分先后三个阶段;NNW 345°方向—NEE 75°方向的共轭剪切构造阶段、NNE 25°方向挤压构造阶段和NWW 300°方向的张性剪切构造阶段。新华夏构造体系的“米字型”构造样式的识别,为研究构造体系的应力-应变成因、探讨构造体系的形成演化以及浅部构造和深部构造相关性研究提供了重要的地质构造基础。在其它类型的构造体系中,结构面也具有“米字型”分布特征。     

Geologic, Fluid Inclusion and Stable Isotope Constraints on Mechanisms of Ore Deposition at the Datuanshan Copper Deposit, Middle–Lower Yangtze Valley, Eastern China

The Datuanshan deposit is one of the largest and most representative stratabound copper deposits in the Tongling area,the largest ore district in the Middle-Lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt.The location of the orebodies is controlled by the interlayer-slipping faults between the Triassic and Permian strata,and all the orebodies are distributed in stratiform shape around the Mesozoic quartz monzodiorite dikes.Based on field evidence and petrographic observations,four mineralization stages in the Datuanshan deposit have been identified:the skarn,early quartz-sulfide,late quartzsulfide and carbonate stages.Chalcopytite is the main copper mineral and mainly formed at the late quartz-sulfide stage.Fluid inclusions at different stages were studied for petrography,microthermometry,laser Raman spectrometry and stable isotopes.Four types of fluid inclusions,including three-phase fluid inclusions(type 1),liquid-rich fluid inclusions(type 2),vapour-rich fluid inclusions(type 3) and pure vapour fluid inclusions(type 4),were observed.The minerals from the skarn,early and late quartz-sulfide stages contain all fluid inclusion types,but only type 2 fluid inclusions were observed at the carbonate stage.Petrographic observations suggest that most of the inclusions studied in this paper are likely primary.The coexistence of different types of fluid inclusions with contrasting homogenization characteristics(to the liquid and vapour phase,respectively) and similar homogenization temperatures(the modes are 440-480℃,380-400℃ and 280-320℃ for the skarn,early and late quartz-sulfide stages,respectively) in the first three stages,strongly suggests that three episodes of fluid boiling occurred during these stages,which is supported by the hydrogen isotope data.Laser Raman spectra identified CH_4 at the skarn and early quartz-sulfide stages.Combined with other geological features,the early ore-forming fluids were inferred to be under a relatively reduced environment.The CO_2 component has been identified at the late quartz-sulfide and carbonate stages,indicating that the late ore-forming fluids were under a relatively oxidized environment,probably as a result of inflow of and mixing with meteoric water.In addition,microthermometric results of fluid inclusions and H-O isotope data mdicate that the ore forming fluids were dominated by magmatic water in the early stages(skarn and early quartz-sulfide stages) and mixed with meteoric water in the late stages(late quartz-sulfide and carbonate stages).The evidence listed above suggests that the chalcopyrite deposition in the Datuanshan deposit probably resulted from the combination of multiepisode fluid boiling and mixing of magmatic and meteoric water.     

四川九寨沟地质遗迹保护探讨

世界自然遗产九寨沟地质遗迹资源景观丰富。以湖泊、瀑布、钙华津流、钙华彩池等为代表的地质遗迹景观具有极高的科研、观赏价值。应从加强地质遗迹本底调查,加强系统科研,特别是水循环的研究,加强对地质灾害的监测和预防治理等以进一步做好保护工作。