Mesozoic paleogeography and tectonic evolution of South China Sea and adjacent areas in the context of Tethyan and Paleo-Pacific interconnections

Abstract   During the Mesozoic era, the South China Sea and its environs were located at the south-eastern margin of the Eurasian continent. There has been hot debate on the influences of Tethyan and Paleo-Pacific tectonics to the Mesozoic evolution of the area. This paper compiles lithofacies maps of six time slices and discusses the paleogeographic and tectonic evolution of the area based on this compilation and other data on structural deformation and magmatism. In the Early Triassic, the Paleotethys Ocean extended eastward to the study area through the Song Da passage. Then a significant east–west differential evolution began. In the Late Triassic, the western area uplifted as a result of the collision between the Indosinian and South China blocks during the Indosinian orogeny, and the Song Da passage has closed since then. Meanwhile, a transgression of Paleo-Pacific waters occurred in the eastern and south-eastern portions of the area, forming the 'East Guangdong–North-west Borneo Sea'. In the Early Jurassic, seawater transgression was even more pronounced, resulting into the connection of this sea with the Mesotethys Ocean to the west. Large quantities of Tethyan water carrying Tethyan organisms entered the area. In the Middle Jurassic, a short-lived transgression occurred in the eastern Mesotethys and resulted in the formation of the 'Yunnan–Burma Sea'. The Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous was the climax of the subduction of both the Mesotethys and Paleo-Pacific towards the Eurasian continent. This led to the formation of the great 'Circum South-east Asia Subduction–Accretion Zone' in the Middle or Late Cretaceous. This paper also presents various lines of evidence for a newly recognized segment of this Mesozoic subduction–accretion zone buried under Cenozoic sediments in the north-eastern South China Sea.     

Rapid evolution of the Eocene accretionary complex (Hyuga Group) of the Shimanto terrane in southeastern Kyushu, southwestern Japan

Abstract   Detailed geologic examination of the Eocene accretionary complex (Hyuga Group) of the Shimanto terrane in southeastern Kyushu revealed that the oceanic plate was composed of Paleocene to Lower Eocene mudstone and siliceous mudstone, lower Middle Eocene red mudstone, and mid-Middle Eocene trench-fill turbidite with siltstone breccia, successively overlying the pre-Eocene oceanic plate. This oceanic plate sequence was overlain by Upper Eocene siltstone. Deposition of the lower Middle Eocene red mudstone was accompanied by basalt flows and it is interbedded with continental felsic tuff, which indicates that the basalt and red mudstone were deposited near the trench just before accretion. The Hyuga Group has very similar geological structure to that of the chert–clastic complexes found in the Jurassic accretionary complexes in Japan: that is, a decollement fault formed in the middle of an oceanic plate sequence, and an imbricate structure formed only in the upper part of the sequence. Thus, it appears that the Hyuga Group was formed by the same accretionary process as the Jurassic accretionary complexes. No accretion occurred before the Middle Eocene, and the rapid accretion of the Hyuga Group was commenced by the supply of coarse terrigenous sediments in the mid-Middle Eocene, when the direction of movement of the Pacific Plate changed. The pre-Eocene oceanic basement and lower Middle Eocene volcanic activity suggest that the oceanic plate partly preserved in the Hyuga Group was very similar to the northern part of the present West Philippine Sea Plate.     

南川市三泉镇岩溶区农田生态系统植被碳库的动态变化

通过农田样方观测与实验分析获得南川市三泉镇农田生态系统主要农作物的含碳率、经济系数、果实水分系数,结合该区近26年来( 1980- 2005)主要农作物产量与耕地面积的相关数据,用农作物产量与碳储量转换模型计算法估算和分析该区农田生态系统植被碳库的总量及构成的动态变化。结果发现: 近26年来该镇农田植被碳库和碳密度略有提高,具有微弱的碳汇效应。与邻近的四川盆地非岩溶区相比,该区农田植被碳密度较低。针对农田生态系统植被碳库的构成特点和动态特征,该镇今后应进行作物结构调整,适度增加水稻等大春作物的种植和马铃薯、油菜和饲料等小春作物的种植面积,稳定小麦等作物的播种面积; 加强农田基本建设,发展生态农业,以进一步提高农田生态系统植被碳库的碳储量和碳密度。      

太平洋海温异常对大理雨季开始期的影响

采用大理州雨季开始期资料、1961年6月~2008年5月太平洋5°×5°共286个格点的逐月平均海温资料及NCEP/NCAR的SSTA资料,通过相关分析发现,太平洋海温与大理雨季开始期的关系密切,春季和上年秋季太平洋海温对大理雨季开始的影响较大。雨季开始前若发生厄尔尼诺事件,大理雨季开始期偏晚,反之,若发生拉尼娜事件,大理雨季开始期偏早。N ino3区的海温异常对大理雨季开始期的影响相当明显,当5月N ino3区的海温异常偏高时,大理雨季开始期偏晚;反之,当5月N ino3区的海温异常偏低时,大理雨季开始期偏早,N ino3区海温异常可以作为大理雨季开始期预测的一个强信号因子。     

东亚夏季风的年际变化及其对环流和降水的影响

Using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis geopotential height (GHT) and wind at 850 hPa, GHT at 500 hPa, precipitation rate, sea level pressure (SLP) and precipitation observations from more than 600 stations nationwide in June–August from 1951 to 2006, and focusing on the East Asia-West Pacific region (10°–80°N, 70°–180°E), interannual variation of East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) and its correlations with general circulation and precipitation patterns are studied by using statistical diagnostic methods such as 9-point high pass filtering, empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, composite analysis and other statistical diagnosis, etc. It is concluded as follows: (1) EOF analysis of SLP in the East Asia-West Pacific region shows the existence of the zonal dipole oscillation mode (APD) between the Mongolia depression and the West Pacific high, and APD index can be used as an intensity index of EASM. (2) EOF analysis of GHT anomalies at 500 hPa in the East Asia-West Pacific region shows that the first EOF mode is characterized with an obvious meridional East Asian pattern (EAP), and EAP index can also be used as an EASM intensity index. (3) The composite analysis of high/low APD index years reveals the close correlation of APD index with EAP at 500 hPa (or 850 hPa). The study shows an obvious opposite correlation exists between APD index and EAP index with a correlation coefficient of −0.23, which passes the confidence test at 0.10 level. (4) Both APD and EAP indexes are closely correlated with precipitation during flood-prone season in China and precipitation rate over the East Asia-West Pacific region. The significant correlation area at 5% confidence level is mainly located from the southern area of the Yangtze River valley to the ocean around southern Japan, and the former is a positive correlation and the latter is a negative one. Foundation: Cooperative Project funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, No.2007DFB20210; National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.90502003; JICA China-Japan Technical Cooperative Project “China-Japanese Cooperative Research Center on Meteorological Disasters”. Author: Yu Shuqiu, Associate Professor, specialized in climate and climate change.     

Estimation of strong seismic ground motion for engineering use in Perth Western Australia

Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) was performed to determine two alternate magnitude-distance combinations for the 475 yr event, and the worst-case scenario event in Perth, Western Australia. Regional strong ground motion (SGM) time histories on rock sites are used to modify an eastern North America (ENA) seismic model to suit southwest Western Australian (SWWA) conditions. This model is then used to stochastically simulate a set of 475 yr design events and a set of worst-case scenario event for rock sites in the Perth metropolitan area (PMA). The simulated time histories are then used as input to typical soft soil sites in the PMA to estimate surface ground motions. The spectral accelerations of the ground motions on rock and soil sites are calculated and compared with the corresponding design spectra defined in current and previous Australian earthquake loading code. Discussions of the adequacy of the code spectra and the differences to ours, along with implications on structural response and damage are made.     

The relationship between the growth process of the ferromanganese crusts in the pacific seamount and Cenozoic ocean evolvement

Base on the Os isotope stratigraphy together with the empirical growth rate models using Co concentrations, the growth ages of the ferromanganese crusts MHD79 and MP3D10 distributed in the seamount of Pacific are confirmed. Through the contrast and research on the previous achievements including ODP Leg 144 and the crusts CD29-2, N5E-06 and N1–15 of the seamount of the Central Pacific, the uniform five growth and growth hiatus periods of them are found, and closely related to the Cenozoic ocean evolvement process. In the Paleocene Carbon Isotope Maximum (PCIM), the rise of the global ocean productivity promoted the growth of the seamount crust; the first growth hiatus (I) of the ferromanganese crust finished. In the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), though the vertical exchange of seawater was weakened, the strong terrestrial chemical weathering led to the input of a great amount of the terrigenous nutrients, which made the bioproductivity rise, so there were no crust hiatuses. During 52–50 Ma, the Early Eocene Optimum Climate (EECO), the two poles were warm, the latitudinal temperature gradient was small, the wind-driven sea circulation and upwelling activity were weak, the terrestrial weathering was also weakened, the open ocean bioproductivity decreased, and the ferromanganese crust had growth hiatus again (II). From early Middle Eocene-Late Eocene, Oligocene, it was a long-term gradually cooling process, the strengthening of the sea circulation and upwelling led to a rise of bioproductivity, and increase of the content of the hydrogenous element Fe, Mn and Co and the biogenous element Cu, Zn, so that was the most favorable stage for the growth of ferromanganese crust (growth periods III and IV) in the studied area. The hiatus III corresponded with the Eocene- Oligocene boundary, is inferred to relate with the global climate transformation, celestial body impact event in the Eocene-Oligocene transition. From the early to the middle Miocene, a large-scale growth hiatus (hiatus period IV) of the ferromanganese crust in the studied area is inferred to relate with temporary warm up climate and ephemeral withdrawal of Antarctic bottom water in the early Miocene. After that, the Antarctic ice sheets extended, the bottom water circumfluence strengthened, the ocean fertility increased, and the once interrupted crust continued to grow in the late Miocene (growth period V). Supported by China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association “10th Five Year” Topic (Grant No. DY105-01-04-14)     

川西高原水环境的氧化还原特征初探

从川西高原饮用水赋存的环境-地质条件出发进行研究,较全面的探讨了该区气象、水文、土壤等环境要素对水中氧化还原电位的制约作用。通过对研究区内饮用水赋存环境的一系列环境地质调查与氧化还原电位的现场测试可以得出：（1）该研究区所处特殊的地理位置（青藏高原的东南部-横断山系北段,属川西高山高原区）导致该区具有冬长,无夏,春秋短,气温低,温差大等独有的气象条件;该区主要的构造侵蚀高山地貌类型导致地下水循环具有径流途径短,水力坡度大,水-土间交换作用十分强烈的特点,该区土壤的特点是淋滤作用较强且成弱酸性等,这三个环境要素的特点是直接导致该区饮用水中氧化还原电位值升高的主要原因;（2）由于不同类型水（河水、沟水、泉水、土井水）其与大气接触程度的差异导致其氧化还原值呈现由高到低的趋势,即河水〉沟水〉泉水〉土井水。     

夏半年青藏高原“湿池”的水汽分布及水汽输送特征

采用1948-2007年共计60年的NCEP/NCAR再分析资料.计算了夏半年(4-9月)青藏高原大气中的可降水量、水汽输送通量和水汽输送通量散度,分析了夏半年青藏高原可降水量的分布和变化特征,青藏高原及其附近的水汽输送.结果表明:在对流层中层的青藏高原上空,夏季是一个明显的大气水汽含量高中心,"湿池"特征非常显著,湿池主要有三个大的可降水量中心,即高原的西南部、东南部和高原南侧.4-9月,高原上的可降水量变化很大,高原的增湿的速度小于减湿的速度.水汽进人高原主要通过三条水汽通道,即西风带水汽输送通道、印度洋-孟别拉湾水汽通道和南海-孟加托湾水汽通道.水汽主要在高原西南侧、喜马拉雅山中段和高原东南侧进入高原.     

初论发现于西太平洋富钴结壳的羟锰矿

大多数研究者认为富钴结壳中的锰矿物主要是水羟锰矿。X-射线衍射数据表明这次所研究的富钴结壳中主要的富锰矿物相是羟锰矿,这是在以往的结核和结壳研究中鲜为人知。探讨了羟锰矿和水羟锰矿的名称由来、化学式、晶胞参数及X射线粉晶衍射值,建议将X-射线衍射特征值为2.4×10^-10 m和1.4×10^-10 m的锰矿物相统称为水羟锰矿;通过研究这两种矿物的成因、产状及环境,认为结壳中羟锰矿的存在表明结壳在生长中后阶段仍处于还原环境。