西昆仑库地混杂岩带中深海浊积岩的浊积相划分及其特征

西昆仑库地混杂岩带中发育一套深海浊积岩。本文在系统的沉积相分析基础上,识别并划分出本区浊积岩的7类浊积相及14种亚相,结合其成因分别对各浊积相(亚相)的沉积特征、垂向分布规律进行了总结与描述。此外,垂向上还识别出3种浊积相组合,文中对其沉积序列特征及其所代表的环境意义进行了阐述。结合其它资料,探讨了这套浊流沉积的沉积环境,认为它形成于位于消减带和海沟之间的弧前盆地环境。     

西昆仑北缘新元古代片麻状花岗岩锆石SHRIMP年龄及其意义

在西昆仑北缘早前寒武纪变质地层中,笔者等识别出大量不同时代的片麻状花岗岩,其中包括新元古代片麻状花岗岩。获得最新的新元古代片麻状花岗岩的单颗粒锆石SHRIMP年龄为815±57Ma,片麻状花岗岩的岩石学特征反映它们形成于裂解构造背景,结合对区域上新元古代地层及中元古代末期构造事件的研究,笔者认为新元古代片麻状花岗岩反映了古塔里木板块作为Rodinia超大陆一员发生裂解的时间,这对研究古塔里木板块在Rodinia超大陆中的位置及中国Rodinia超大陆裂解的研究提供了重要的地质依据。     

论构造耦合作用

构造耦合作用是一种普遍存在的地质现象。现今东、西太平洋的构造差异及古太平洋和现今太平洋大陆边缘构造差异与俯冲的洋壳板块性状有关,即:①俯冲角度;②俯冲角度的改变;③俯冲速率;④俯冲速率的改变;⑤俯冲深度;⑥俯冲板块前缘与海沟间的水平距离;⑦俯冲板块在670km上、下地幔界线处的构造形态;⑧俯冲板块的位移及位移方向。这种深部构造活动对浅部构造形成的制约和影响,是活动大陆边缘构造耦合现象的具体表现。中国西北部的盆山耦合现象是大陆内部的构造耦合作用,印度板块与欧亚板块碰撞产生的远距离效应,导致中亚地区产生陆内A型俯冲,A型俯冲是造成盆地消亡、山系形成的重要因素。     

Caledonian Low-Temperature Granulite-Facies Metamorphism in the West Kunlun Orogenic Belt—SHRIMP Chronological Evidence from Zircon

The West Kunlun orogenic belt is located at the conjunction of the paleo-Asian tectonic system and the Tethys tectonic system. Petrological and mineralogical studies of the Early Cambrian metamorphic surface crust in this region have shown that in case the metamorphism reached low-temperature granulate facies, the typical mineral assemblage is biotite-garnet-silimanite-K feldspar-plagioclase-quartz. The peak metamorphic temperatures are within the range of 720–740°C and the pressure is 0.6 GPa ±. Three types of metamorphic zircon have been detected in the metamorphic rocks: the complex inclusion-bearing type ; the early relic zircon inclusion-bearing type; and the inclusion-free type. SHRIMP age determination of these three types of metamorphic zircon have revealed that these zircons were formed principally during 400–460 Ma, indicating that pre-Cambrian metamorphic surface crust rocks underwent low-temperature granulite facies metamorphism during the Caledonian. In combination with the geological characteristics of this region, it is considered that when the oceanic basin was closed, there occurred intense intracontinental subduction (type A), bringing part of the Early Cambrian metamorphic basement in this region downwards to the lower crust. Meanwhile, there were accompanied with tectonic deformation at deep levels and medium- to high-grade metamorphism. This study provided important chronological and mineralogical evidence for the exploration of the evolutionary mechanism and process of the West Kunlun Early Paleozoic. Part of the results from the research project “ Research on the West Kunlun pre-Cambrian tectonic events” under the program “ Research on the important geological problems of China’ s pre-Cambrian” (No. 200113900070) sponsored by the China National Geological Surveying Bureau.     

Coal mining along the Warfield Fault, Mingo County, West Virginia: a tale of ups and downs

Mine development along a 15-mile (24 km) section of the Warfield Fault in Mingo County, West Virginia has broadened the geological understanding of the fault and its related structures. The fault has been exposed in two new road cuts, one in the northeast-trending segment at Neely Branch and one in the eastern east-trending segment at the head of Marrowbone Creek. Both exposures show a well-defined normal fault with a 45° to 55° N dip, juxtaposing sandstone/shale packages from the roof and the floor of the Coalburg seam. The fault is associated with a thin gouge zone, some drag folding, and parallel jointing. Its trace tends to run parallel to the crest of the adjacent Warfield Anticline. Based on underground mine development and detailed core drilling, the vertical offset along the fault plane ranges from a maximum of 240 ft (73 m) in the central part of the area near the structural bend to less than 100 ft (30 m) in western and eastern directions. The fault is located along the relatively steeply dipping (locally in excess of 25%) southern limb of the Warfield Anticline, and appears related to a late phase of extension involving folded Pennsylvanian strata. On a regional scale, the lithological variations across the fault do not suggest any appreciable strike-slip component.Underground room and pillar mines in the Coalburg seam north and south of the fault have been greatly impacted by the Warfield structures. Due to the combined (and opposite) effects of the folding and faulting, the northern mines are located up to 400 ft (125 m) higher in elevation than the southern ones. Overland conveyor belts connect mining blocks separated by the fault. The practical mining limit along the steep slopes toward the fault is around 15%. Subsidiary normal faults with offsets in the 5- to 15-ft (1.5–4.5 m) range are fairly common and form major roof control and production hurdles. Overall, the Warfield structures pose an extra challenge to mine development in this part of the Appalachian Coalfields.     

A biogenic-silica δO record of climatic change during the last glacial–interglacial transition in southwestern Alaska

Despite growing evidence for environmental oscillations during the last glacial–interglacial transition from high latitude, terrestrial sites of the North Pacific rim, oxygen-isotopic records of these oscillations remain sparse. The lack of data is due partially to the paucity of lakes that contain carbonate sediment suitable for oxygen-isotopic analysis. We report here the first record of oxygen-isotopic composition in diatom silica (δ¹⁸O_Si) from a lake in that region. δ¹⁸O_Si increases gradually from 19.0 to 23.5‰ between 12,340 and 11,000 ¹⁴C yr B.P., reflecting marked climatic warming at the end of the last glaciation. Around 11,000 ¹⁴C yr B.P., δ¹⁸O_Si decreases by 1.7‰, suggesting a temperature decrease of 3.5–8.9 °C at the onset of the Younger Dryas (YD) in southwestern Alaska. Climatic recovery began ca. 10,740 ¹⁴C yr B.P., as inferred from the increase of δ¹⁸O_Si to a maximum of 23.9‰ near the end of the YD. Our data reveal that a YD climatic reversal in southwestern coastal areas of Alaska occurred, but the YD climate did not return to full-glacial conditions.     

Mid-holocene climate change in Lake Bosumtwi, Ghana

Lake Bosumtwi is one of the most widely studied palaeoclimate archives in West Africa. Results from numerous AMS ¹⁴C dates of samples from four piston cores from Lake Bosumtwi show that an abrupt sedimentary transition from a mid-Holocene sapropel to calcareous laminated muds occurred at about 3200 cal yr B.P. High-resolution analyses of the nitrogen isotopic composition of organic matter across this transition confirm its abrupt nature, and suggest that the change may signal a step toward increased aridity and intensified surface winds that affected western equatorial Africa from Ghana to the Congo basin. Northern and Eastern Africa experienced a similar abrupt shift toward aridity during the late Holocene, but at about 5000 cal yr B.P., a difference in timing that illustrates the regional nature of climate changes during the Holocene and the importance of feedback mechanisms in regulating Holocene climate variability. Furthermore, an abrupt change at about 3000 cal yr B.P. occurs at several sites adjacent to the tropical and subtropical Atlantic, which may hint at major changes in the surface temperatures of the tropical Atlantic and/or Pacific at this time.     

西太平洋副高脊线北抬至25°N的OLR特征及诊断分析

取西太平洋副热带高压脊线北抬至 2 5°N日期和射出长波辐射 (OLR)月平均资料为素材 ,确定副高脊线北抬至 2 5°N指数和异常年例 ,揭示异常年例的OLR特征 ,进行诊断判据分析 ;主要结果有 :(1 ) 6月东亚中低纬地区的OLR距平场由中纬向低纬若呈偏低 (高 )、偏高 (低 )、偏低 (高 )分布时 ,副高脊线北抬至 2 5°N易于偏早 (迟 ) ;(2 )在分析诊断判据时 ,上一年 1 1月侧重南半球澳大利亚地区OLR所显示的信息 ;而当年三月侧重西太平洋辐合区OLR所显示的信息。     

太平洋混合层厚度(dml)年际异常的初步分析

用太平洋区域30a逐月混合层厚度(dml)及浅层海温(Ts)距平资料,分析了20°S以北太平洋区域dml年际变率的地理分布和季节变化,得到两个纬向dml高变率带,它们分别位于北太平洋(45°N附近)和赤道中、西太平洋.重点分析了赤道太平洋dml高变率带,并对其上混合层气候位置、dml年际异常与El Nino事件关系及伴随强El Nino事件的dml正异常东传等作了初步分析.     

中国西部退耕还林(草)和沙漠化土地绿化的区域性气候效应

中国正在实施的西部大开发必将导致较大规模的土地利用和地表覆盖(LULC)变化,其中最重要的两类LULC变化是退耕还林(草)和沙漠化土地绿化工程。利用最新的全球地表特征资料数据库(GLCCD)识别以上两项生态建设工程的实施规模与范围,并以此更新了目前比较流行的区域气候模式的下边界条件,利用修正了的区域气候模式研究上述大规模LULC变化可能对中国区域性气候造成的影响。使用的卫星资源数据库是由美国地质测绘局(USGS)和Nebraska-Lincoln大学牵头,根据NOAA卫星的AVHRR资料、USGS掌握的高分辨率数字化地图,以及生态区划和植被分布等资料组建的。