The past in dust: current trends and future directions in Pleistocene geoarcheology of European loess

Loess is a main archive of Pleistocene landscapes and environments and therefore has an important connection to the preservation and interpretation of Paleolithic sites. In Europe, anthropogenic sites have been found in loess because of past local occupation. At one extreme, sites are well preserved with minimal disturbance often accompanied by embedded proxies to estimate ecological parameters. On the other hand, loess deposits have undergone post-depositional alterations such as weathering, pedogenesis or bioturbation due to changing environmental conditions or other disturbances that obscure anthropogenic sites. We outline the current state of research and connections between Paleolithic archeology and loess research while introducing a series of subsequent regional case studies as part of a special issue. We also make recommendations for future work to incorporate a wider variety of methods to create more robust inferences on hominin and environmental evolution and their connections.     

New results concerning the pedo- and chronostratigraphy of the loess–palaeosol sequence Attenfeld (Bavaria,Germany) derived from a multi-methodological approach

Loess–palaeosol sequences (LPS) represent important records of palaeoenvironmental dynamics throughout the Quaternary. During the Pleistocene's dry and cold phases, the Danube's riverbed was one of the major sources for loess sediments that built up LPS in southern Germany and southeastern Europe. Surprisingly, studies addressing Bavarian LPS along the Danube River often lack actuality. The Attenfeld site was one of them and is often cited as a typical LPS. Nevertheless, the site's previous interpretations are based on a few empirical data and field observations. Considering the site's closeness to the sediment's source area, the Alps, and the region's importance in Middle and Upper Palaeolithic migrational movements, those former renditions needed an evaluation. Therefore, we applied a multi-proxy approach (including analyses of grain-size distribution, element composition, and sediment colour attributes) combined with optically stimulated luminescence. Based on our findings, we conclude that the Attenfeld site's former interpretations might be too generalised. We identified units that were not mentioned by previous studies (e.g. Early Glacial dark greyish horizon). Field observations, sediment characteristics, and age estimates indicate sediment deposition of the dated units partly before MIS 4, which contrasts with previous interpretations. The results further demonstrate how sensitive LPS are to environmental settings and dynamics.     

甘肃通渭“9·14”常河滑坡成因机理

2019年9月14日11时,受多日降雨影响,甘肃省定西市通渭县常家河镇小庄村发生大规模黄土滑坡,体积约800万m³。滑坡造成部分农田、公路及阳坡大桥损毁,直接经济损失约2 347.2万元。在对滑坡现场进行大量地面调查的基础上,通过无人机航拍、现场测绘、走访调查和数值模拟等手段对滑坡的变形破坏特征进行了分析,并在此基础上探讨了其成因机制。结果表明:斜坡体是在震裂、蠕变、软化、水动力等多种条件下按照一定的先后顺序由稳态逐步演化至失稳;该滑坡的失稳演化过程和灾变机制可以概括为原始斜坡(黄土、泥岩二元层状结构)-地震触发(滑坡堆积体、坡体震裂损伤)-蠕变弱化(层间剪切带、裂缝和落水洞扩展)-降雨激发(滑带软化、泥化,水压力作用)-失稳滑动(滑面贯通)5个阶段;由于长期的蠕变和雨水的渗透冲蚀,坡体上的落水洞和地下暗河十分发育,且是控制本次滑坡边界的关键因素;滑坡后缘和前缘变形剧烈,中部变形相对稍弱,推断该滑坡为受地形及地下水作用控制明显的牵引-推移式复合滑坡。     

Pedosedimentary development and palaeoenvironmental significance of the S1 palaeosol on the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau

The S1 pedocomplex, correlated to Oxygen Isotope Stage 5 of the ocean cores, has been traced west of the Loess Plateau on to the extreme northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau in China. Detailed micromorphological analysis of closely spaced thinsections from the pedocomplex at this site provides the basis for reconstruction of the sequence of pedosedimentary processes and associated palaeoenvironmental changes occurring during this time interval. The six pedosedimentary stages identified are interpreted in terms of temporal variations in depositional rates, size of particles transported and availability of moisture for pedogenic alteration, as determined by changing balances in dominance of winter and summer monsoonal forces. Two main ‘soil-forming intervals’ are identified: the more extensive of the two in terms of resultant pedological features reflects pedogenic alteration at a relatively ‘stable’ land surface under a semi-arid climate during the later part of pedosedimentary stage 2. The other main period corresponds to pedosedimentary stages 4 and 5, when leaching and bioturbation processes were active at aggrading surfaces, leading to development of an accretionary unit without clear differentiation of horizons. Pedosedimentary stages 1, 3 and 6 were characterised mainly by rapid rates of coarse loess accumulation, with synsedimentary modification restricted to surface slaking and crust formation, and minor localised redistribution of calcite.     

Typical Geochemical Elements in Loess Deposit in the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau and Its Paleoclimatic Implication

Widespread and thick loess deposit in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau records paleoclimatic changes over the Quaternary period. In this study, we investigate a loess section located in a high terrace of the Huangshui River in the Xining Basin, and collect samples at 20-cm intervals by digging a well of 16-m depth （including paleosol S1 and SO and several loess interlayers over the last glacial-interglacial cycle and the Holocene）. Concentration of some active elements （Sr and Ca） and inert elements （Rb, Zr, Ti） in these loess samples are measured. The results show that ratios of those elements （oxide）, such as Rb/Sr, Ti/Sr, and Zr/CaO ratios, would indicate sensitively paleoclimatic changes, especially the history of precipitation over the last glacial-interglacial and the Holocene. Moreover, the curves of Rb/Sr, Ti/Sr, and Zr/CaO ratios had almost the same variable trends from the bottom to the top and also closely correlated with values of magnetic susceptibility and the global marine δ^18O record. But compared with the curves of magnetic susceptibility, the changes of ratios of these elements （oxide） are clearer and easy to understand. Therefore, the ratios of these typical chemical elements in the loess deposit may be used as an excellent index to investigate the history of paleoclimate, particularly precipitation changes in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau.     

黄土山区煤层群分层开采地表位移规律分析

为了研究黄土山区地形对煤层群开采地表位移的影响,以榆林某矿为地质原型,利用数值软件模拟地表为近水平、正坡、负坡、凸面和凹面五种地形条件下煤层群开采。结果表明:黄土山区地形的变化,对煤层群开采顶板垂直应力影响不明显,对地表位移影响较大;单向坡开采,斜坡滑移引起的下沉量在坡顶与开采沉陷量形成“叠加”,在坡底形成“抵消”;在组合坡中,煤层群开采地表位移量相差很大,说明在变坡点附近地表位移较为复杂。     

基于POI数据的西宁市零售业空间格局探究

零售业是城市商业结构中最有活力的组成部分,合理有序的零售空间结构对促进经济的发展、提高资源的配置、满足居民的生活需求至关重要。POI作为新的空间数据源,能够客观地、准确地对商业空间结构进行识别和探究。西宁市位于青藏高原东北部,是连接青藏高原与中国大陆的重要门户。西宁市集中大量的人口,且存在有潜力的消费市场。基于POI大数据,运用核密度、局域Getis-Ord G^*指数、Ripley’s K函数和区位熵的分析方法,以西宁市为研究案例探究零售网点的空间分布特征。零售业详细地分为以下8种类型,分别是食品、饮料及烟草制品,纺织、服装及日用品,文化、体育用品及器材,家用电器及电子产品,五金、家具室内装饰材料,医药及医疗器材,汽车、摩托车燃料及零配件,综合零售。结果表明:西宁市零售业集聚区空间分布特征显著,呈现"多集聚、多核心"商业空间形态。密度等级由中心区沿交通干线逐渐向外围递减;高密度集聚区分别分布在水井巷附近街区、商业巷附近街区、祁连路—北禅路交汇的附近街区(北山市场)和以万达广场为核心的海湖新区。行业属性不同使得零售点集聚和分布变化表现出较大的差异性,与人们日常生活密切相关的业态零售点呈现社区化、微型化和便利化的特征,且区位选择性较大,如:食品饮料及烟草制品、医药及医疗器材和综合零售行业,而家用电器及电子产品、文化体育用品和纺织服装等行业区位选择尺度小,集中在特定的区域;基于道路数据构建的街区单元冷热点区域分布特征显著,它受城市建设用地扩张,人口密度,交通可达性和城市规划等因素的影响,海湖新区将成为最有发展潜力的商业区;在街道尺度,各业态零售业专业化功能区块显著,发展成熟的街道表现出多优势行业集聚特征,西宁市多业态集聚区域较少,只有人民街街道。这项研究一方面有助于填补基于POI数据青藏高原河谷型城市商业空间结构研究的空白;另一方面,为政府战略制定,零售商选址和城市规划提供一些参考。     

利用InSAR识别与监测黑方台黄土滑坡

针对甘肃永靖县的黑方台地区滑坡不断对当地居民人身及财产安全构成重大威胁的现状,该文选取高分辨率的升降轨TerraSAR数据、3m分辨率的DEM数据和30m分辨率的SRTM DEM数据,利用InSAR技术对该地区的地表形变进行监测,主要结果如下:用Stacking技术获取了黑方台的形变速率图,识别出14处不稳定滑坡体;用SBAS-InSAR技术对典型滑坡体进行时间序列监测,将InSAR结果投影到滑坡方向与已有的GPS结果进行比较,最大较差为6mm,最大中误差为3mm。结果表明,InSAR技术用来识别与监测黄土滑坡方便可靠,并且精度较高。     

晚更新世末期东亚季风活动与陆架区沉积环境变迁

从距今 18 0 0 0年的最后冰期最盛时期到距今 10 0 0 0年开始的全新世海侵 ,全球气侯发生过急剧的变化。位于亚洲东部的古季风活动也经历了盛衰变化。大量的钻孔及浅地层剖面分析资料已经证实 ,冰期最盛时期陆架区古季风活动加强 ,陆架出现了沙漠环境与黄土沉积。当冰期结束 ,气候转暖 ,冬季风减弱之际 ,南黄海陆架及长江三角洲一带的沙漠与黄土分布范围也随之缩小 ,原先的沙漠活动区变成了黄土分布区 ,也就是所谓硬粘土沉积区。随着古季风活动的进一步衰退和海面的不断升高 ,来自陆架区的东北风变为冷湿气流。长江三角洲地区和陆架上出现了有利于沼泽发育的环境 ,全新世海侵把泥炭层淹没。陆架区晚更新世末期以来的地层中出现沙层、硬粘土和泥炭层的沉积序列 ,即“三元沉积结构”,是古冬季风盛衰过程的最好记录     

差分GPS方法在城市活断层探测中的应用探讨

使用差分GPS方法, 测量西宁盆地内部各级阶地参数, 对比野外阶地特征, 探讨区域新构造时期活动特征, 以及西宁城市周缘活断层的分布及活动特征。 通过这一区域的实践, 认为DGPS方法能够快速、 精确的获得区域内阶地面的坐标和高程, 是确定弱活动或隐伏断裂的可行方法。 南川河断裂错断T₃、 T₄、 T₅阶地, 断裂的活动时间为T₃阶地形成后, T₂级阶地形成前的0.10 Ma B.P.至0.05 Ma B.P.。 垂直断距15～20 m, 最小垂直活动速率约为0.30 mm/a。