Western Alpine back-thrusting as subsidence mechanism in the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (Western Po Plain, NW Italy)

Basin formation dynamics of the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (TPB) are here investigated by means of cross-section numerical modelling. Previous works hypothesised that basin subsidence occurred due first to extension (Oligocene) and then to subsequent loading due to back-thrusting (Miocene). However, structural evidence shows that the TPB was mainly under contraction from Oligocene until post Pliocene time while extension played a minor role. Furthermore, thermal indicators strongly call for a cold (flexure-induced) mechanism but are strictly inconsistent with a hot (thermally induced) mechanism. Our new modelling shows that the TPB stratigraphic features can be reproduced by flexure of a visco-elastic plate loaded by back-thrusts active in the Western Alps in Oligo-Miocene times. Far-field compression contributed to the TPB subsidence and controlled the basin infill geometry by enhancing basin tilting, forebulge uplift and erosion of the southern margin of the basin. These results suggest that the TPB subsidence is the result of a combination of mechanisms including thrust loading and far-field compressional stresses.     

江汉平原西部浅层孔隙水水文地球化学特征

为了揭示地下水由江汉平原周缘向中心径流过程中的水质演化和复杂的水文地球化学作用,以江汉平原西部地区为例,通过数理统计、水化学、同位素地球化学、离子比值关系等方法,开展了江汉平原西部边缘地带浅层孔隙地下水的水文地球化学特征研究。结果表明: 平原区孔隙水以HCO₃-Ca·Mg型为主,丘岗区(丘陵和岗地)主要是HCO₃-Ca·Mg型,少量为HCO₃·SO₄-Ca·Mg型,还出现了HCO₃·NO₃-Ca·Mg型水,总溶解固体(total dissolved solids,TDS)升高主要是由于碳酸盐岩的溶解; 浅层孔隙水均来源于大气降水,蒸发作用对该地区孔隙水的影响较小; 方解石、白云石和石膏的溶解主导研究区的水文地球化学过程,也是孔隙水中Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺的主要来源,Na⁺和K⁺的主要来源是阳离子交换吸附。     

Contrast in stress–strain history during exhumation between high- and ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic units in the Western Alps: Microboudinage analysis of piemontite in metacherts

Our analyses of microboudinage structures of piemontite grains embedded within six samples of metachert, one collected from an ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic unit at Lago di Cignana in Italy of the Western Alps, and the other five from surrounding high-pressure (HP) metamorphic units in Italy and France, have revealed that the structures are all symmetrical in type, and were presumably produced in coaxial strain fields. Stress–strain analyses of the microboudinaged grains revealed significant contrasts in the stress and strain histories of the UHP and HP metamorphic units, with the differential stress recorded by the UHP sample being unequivocally lower than that recorded by the five HP samples. In addition, our analyses showed that the UHP sample underwent stress-relaxation during microboudinage, whereas the five HP samples did not. On the basis of these observations and analyses we discuss the mechanical decoupling of the UHP and HP units that led to different histories in differential stress between the units during exhumation of the Western Alps.     

The first evidence of paleo-wildfire from the Campanian (Late Cretaceous) of North Africa

Although the fossil record of plant macro- and mesofossils, including fossil charcoal, is patchy geographically and temporally, such remains play an important role for the interpretation of paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic developments in the continental realm. In Egypt, previous palynological studies on the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) deposits suggested presence of lush subtropical forests, dominated by angiosperms and pteridophytes, which developed under warm and wet climatic conditions. In the present study, the occurrence of paleo-wildfires during the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) is presented for the first time, based on samples from a surface exposure in the vicinity of the Baris Oasis, south Western Desert, Egypt. Macroscopic charcoal was collected and subsequently analyzed under a stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The charred wood remains were identified as belonging to gymnosperms, which were important components of the North African paleoflora during the Cretaceous. These charcoal remains represent the first verified occurrence of paleo-wildfires in Africa during the Campanian.     

华北克拉通东部鲁西早白垩纪基性岩墙成因:来自锆石年龄、地球化学和Sr-Nd-Hf同位素的证据

中生代基性辉绿岩墙广泛分布于华北克拉通东部山东地区。本研究给出代表性岩墙的U-Pb锆石年龄、地球化学和Sr-Nd-Hf同位素证据,4个代表性锆石的LA-ICP-MS年龄范围处于121.9±0.6Ma和124.3±0.5Ma之间(早白垩纪)。岩石的主量元素组成变化较小,岩石富集轻稀土元素和大离子亲石元素(如,Rb、Ba、U、K和Pb),以及亏损高场强元素(如,Nb、Ta和Ti)。另外,基性岩墙具有相对一致的(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i比值(~0.7098),负的ε_Nd(t)值(-14.7~-14.5)、ε_Hf(t)值(-31.4~-26.7)和高的Hf模式年龄(t_DM1=1817~2024Ma)。研究显示基性岩墙来自富集岩石圈地幔的部分熔融作用,并在上升侵位过程中经历了一定程度的地壳混染作用影响。总体研究表明,基性岩墙的成因机制与扬子克拉通与华北克拉通的碰撞有关,岩浆源区为晚中生代前受俯冲扬子地壳沉积物交代后的富集岩石圈地幔。     

会理县小青山铜金矿区硅质钠长石岩研究

岩石空间产出特征、岩相学、岩石化学、稀土元素地球化学特征及成岩成矿作用特征等分析研究表明,硅质钠长石岩是经沉积变质、硅质钠质交代作用形成的,原岩组成多样,主要为碳质板岩,其次为条带状泥砂质白云岩,局部也可以是辉绿辉长岩。     

北半球低频扰动能量结构特征及其与西风急流的关系

对1980年7月29日—8月16日西太平洋副高位置持续偏南和1983年7月16日—8月12日西太平洋副高位置持续偏北的两次季节内副高中期进退过程的环流特征和加热差异作了对比分析,讨论了东亚季风与对流活动、副高进退之间的关系.     

Earthquake hazard of the northern parts of the Bohemian Massif and Western Carpathians

The new procedure of earthquake hazard evaluation developed by Kijko and Sellevoll is tested and applied for the border region of Czechoslovakia and Poland. The new method differs from the conventional approach. It incorporates the uncertainty of earthquake magnitudes, and accepts mixed data containing only large historical events and recent, complete catalogues. Seismic hazard has been calculated for nine regions determined in the border area. In the investigated area, data of historical catalogues are uncertain or, in many cases, the epicentral intensities are unknown. Thus, a number of assumptions have to be adopted in data preparation of catalogues since the year 1200. The calculated values of parameters b in the Gutenberg-Richter frequency-intensity relation as well as the return periods, seem to be reasonable and are generally confirmed by the results obtained from catalogues for the last 80–130 years.     

Assessment of soil erosion in a tropical mountain river basin of the southern Western Ghats,India using RUSLE and GIS

Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation(RUSLE) model coupled with transport limited sediment delivery(TLSD) function was used to predict the longtime average annual soil loss, and to identify the critical erosion-/deposition-prone areas in a tropical mountain river basin, viz., Muthirapuzha River Basin(MRB; area=271.75 km~2), in the southern Western Ghats, India. Mean gross soil erosion in MRB is 14.36 t ha~(-1) yr~(-1), whereas mean net soil erosion(i.e., gross erosion-deposition) is only 3.60 t ha~(-1) yr~(-1)(i.e., roughly 25% of the gross erosion). Majority of the basin area(~86%) experiences only slight erosion(5 t ha~(-1) yr~(-1)), and nearly 3% of the area functions as depositional environment for the eroded sediments(e.g., the terraces of stream reaches, the gentle plains as well as the foot slopes of the plateau scarps and the terrain with concordant summits). Although mean gross soil erosion rates in the natural vegetation belts are relatively higher, compared to agriculture, settlement/built-up areas and tea plantation, the sediment transport efficiency in agricultural areas and tea plantation is significantly high,reflecting the role of human activities on accelerated soil erosion. In MRB, on a mean basis, 0.42 t of soil organic carbon(SOC) content is being eroded per hectare annually, and SOC loss from the 4th order subbasins shows considerable differences, mainly due to the spatial variability in the gross soil erosion rates among the sub-basins. The quantitative results, on soil erosion and deposition, modelled using RUSLE and TLSD, are expected to be beneficial while formulating comprehensive land management strategies for reducing the extent of soil degradation in tropical mountain river basins.     

滇东黔西晚二叠世早期辫状河三角洲沉积体系及其聚煤特征

滇东黔西上二叠统底部发育着一套玄武岩质砾岩，本文针对云南富源和贵州盘县一带的底砾岩进行综合研究，认为这套砾岩为辫状河三角洲沉积，并进一步识别出砾质辫状河道、砂质辫状河道、砾质河口坝、砂质河口坝等沉积类型。文中还对该辫状河三角洲的沉积序列、发育背景以及与聚煤作用关系等问题做了一定分析，认为三角洲朵体之间地区以及在衰退的三角洲朵体之上成煤较好。