Significance of transition between Talchir Formation and Karharbari Formation in Lower Gondwana basin evolution — A study in West Bokaro Coal basin, Jharkhand, India

Basal part of the Gondwana Supergroup represented by Talchir and Karharbari Formations (Permo-Carboniferous) records an abrupt change-over from glacio-marine to terrestrial fluviolacustrine depositional environment. The contact between the two is an unconformity. Facies analysis of the glacio-marine Talchir Formation reveals that basal glaciogenic and reworked glaciogenic sediments are buried under storm influenced inner and outer shelf sediments. Facies associations of the Karharbari Formation suggest deposition as fluvio-lacustrine deposits in fault-controlled troughs. An attempt has been made in this paper to explain the sedimentation pattern in Talchir and Karharbari basins, and the abrupt change-over from glacio-marine to terrestrial fluviolacustrine depositional environment in terms of glacio-isostacy.     

Biological and abiological processes in a simulated sedimentary system

A simulated sedimentary system, capable of being controlled and monitored for a considerable length of time without undue disturbance, has been assembled and applied to specific problems of the genesis of stratiform Pb‐Zn ore deposits. Results have been obtained relevant to: (i) the concentration of Pb and Zn from brines to underlying sediments; (ii) the behaviour of microorganisms in metal‐rich, highly saline environments; (iii) the precipitation diagenesis of calcium and magnesium carbonates; and (iv) the diagenesis of organic matter.

The experiment has demonstrated the feasibility of simulating a complex sedimentary environment in the laboratory and has indicated the potential of such systems for the investigation of geobiological problems.     

徐家围子断陷深层火石岭组致密火山岩储层地应力分布规律研究

徐家围子断陷位于松辽盆地北部,其深层中生代火石岭组为致密火山岩气藏,天然裂缝发育,地应力分布非均质性强。结合诱导裂缝法与井径崩落法进行单井现今地应力方向分析,利用声波测井法计算现今地应力大小的纵向分布。依据火石岭组构造顶底面图、火山岩相组及断层分布特征建立非均质三维地质模型;在动、静态岩石物理参数拟合校正的基础上,结合实验测试及已有研究成果,确定不同岩相组和断层岩石物理参数,建立三维力学模型;利用Ansys有限元数值模拟软件建立火石岭组三维数学模型并进行相关运算获得三维现今地应力分布模型。计算结果表明在火石岭组地层中,水平最大主应力方向主要为东西向,应力值范围在86~110 MPa;水平最小主应力方向主要为南北向,应力值范围在67~84 MPa。分析模拟结果可知火山岩相、断层和构造起伏三者对火石岭组现今地应力分布影响较大。其中水平主应力的方向主要受断层和近火山口相分布的影响,而水平主应力的大小则是受三者综合作用。在构造低部位,近火山口相组发育处,断层上盘及断层端部皆为主应力的集中区域。依据现今地应力研究成果可为徐家围子断陷下一步开发井网部署、压裂改造方案和水平井的设计以及注水管理提供重要指导。      

平庄盆地六家立井地区找铀目标层岩石学特征及其找矿意义

六家立井地区位于平庄盆地北缘,白垩系下统阜新组上段是该区砂岩型铀矿床目标层位,具有较好找铀前景。为深入了解该区砂体的岩石学特征,通过野外钻探工作、岩心编录、样品采集及岩矿测试方法,详细研究了目标层碎屑岩类型、碎屑岩成分、结构构造等岩石学方面特征。结果表明目标层碎屑岩成分成熟度和结构成熟度均较低,具有搬运距离短、沉积速度快的特点,其物源较单一,初步判断物源来自盆地东北部和西北部隆起带酸性花岗岩,同时也为铀成矿提供了良好的铀源。     

Ostracoda (Arthropoda,Crustacea) in a Miocene oxygen minimum zone,Trinidad, West Indies: A test of the Platycopid Signal Hypothesis

Studies of Recent ostracodes around the area of South America shed little light on the paleoenvironmental interpretation of Miocene assemblages. Consequently, interpretations of the Miocene ostracode assemblages must be supplemented using evidence from better documented taxa. Benthic foraminifera in samples from the Lower to Middle Miocene Brasso Formation at Brasso Village, Trinidad, have previously been used to distinguish three sample groupings (Beneath, Within and Above) around an oxygen minimum zone (OMZ), this being a layer of water within which dissolved oxygen concentrations can be as low as 0.1–1.0 mL/L. Using these same samples and the foraminiferal assemblage demarcations relative to the OMZ, this paper examines the associated and rich ostracode fauna of the Brasso Formation.The mean recovery of ostracode valves per sample was approximately three times greater in the Within OMZ sample group than in either of the Beneath OMZ or Above OMZ groups, perhaps reflecting the exclusion of macro-predators from within the OMZ. Individual rarefaction of species richness S to N = 300 valves was conducted for each sample group. This showed that S did not differ between the sample groups, ranging from 22.4 to 24.8. We used all ostracode species to model group separation. Based upon the Mahalanobis’ criterion, we obtained significant group separation using a model with four taxa: Munseyella ex gr. minuta, Argilloecia posterotruncata, Munseyella sp. and Xestoleberis sp., while a fifth, Argilloecia spp., provided a significant but minor increase in separation probabilities over all groups. The two most abundant species (Bradleya sp., Gangamocytheridea reticulata) were thus not the best species for detecting the OMZ. Platycopid ostracodes of the genus Cytherella were found throughout the section, rather than concentrated within the OMZ, which contradicts the Platycopid Signal Hypothesis that OMZs are characterized by platycopid dominance. The total distribution and turnover of both ostracodal and foraminiferal assemblages were compared and contrasted quantitatively using a total assemblage turnover index (ATI) and the paleoenvironmental importance evaluated. The correlated between-sample ATI is for both groups lowest within the OMZ.     

New dinosaur tracks from Korea, Ornithopodichnus masanensis ichnogen. et ichnosp. nov. (Jindong Formation, Lower Cretaceous): implications for polarities in ornithopod foot morphology

Twelve trackways of ornithopods from Lower Cretaceous lacustrine margin deposits of the Jindong Formation represent new dinosaur trackways described from Korea. The site, discovered during highway construction, was rescued by removing the most important trackways to the Korean Natural Heritage Center in Daejeon, where they are on permanent display. The new ichnotaxon Ornithopodichnus masanensis ichnogen. et ichnosp. nov. is recognized as a distinctive robust tridactyl track, slightly wider than long (l/w ratio = 0.91), with positive (inward) rotation. The toe prints are very thick, broad and U-shaped, resulting in a trefoil outline with a smoothly rounded hind margin. Digit III is short and projects anteriorly much less than digit II and IV (= weak mesaxony). Divarication of digits II-IV is about 70° with interdigital angle II-III larger than III-IV. Trackway width is narrow and the stride length/track length ratio is about 4.2–4.6. The Ornithopodichnus trackways evidently represent gregarious blunt-toed Iguanodon-like bipedal ornithopods, although poorly preserved manus traces are discerned in a few trackways. Ornithopodichnus is distinct from other well known iguanodontid tracks that display much stronger mesaxony and indicates a polarity in ornithopod foot morphology that can be verified by reference to known foot skeletons.     

蓟县中元古界下马岭组地层中菱铁矿的发现及其意义

蓟县剖面中元古界下马岭组地层下部黑色岩系中发现丰富的铁质结核,经X射线粉晶衍射、显微镜下观察、能谱分析等方法鉴定,确定铁质结核主要由菱铁矿构成.这些菱铁矿可能具有经济意义.另外,野外和室内研究表明,无论是铁质结核还是黑色岩系本身,都匮乏硫化物.这一发现说明中元古代下马岭期的燕辽海盆水体贫氧、富铁、贫硫,不是硫化的海洋.     

Effects of low- to high-angle normal faults on sedimentary architectures in the Eocene Wenchang Formation,Enping Sag,Pearl River Mouth Basin,South China Sea

The effects of low- to high-angle (>30°) normal faults on sedimentary architectural units in the Eocene Wenchang Formation, Enping Sag, Pearl River Mouth Basin (PRMB), South China Sea were investigated utilising a high-quality 3D seismic data set and restored paleogeomorphology. It has been shown that sequence stratigraphic units and sedimentary architecture are significantly controlled by the low- to high-angle normal faults. The Wenchang Formation, a second-order sequence, can be subdivided into two para-second-sequences (the Lower and Upper Wenchang sequences, E₂W^L and E₂W^U) and seven third-order sequences (from base to top: SQ1～SQ7). The low-angle fault confined sequence architecture of the Wenchang Formation is mainly characterised by lateral stacking with the ratio of the vertical subsidence (V) to horizontal slip (H) being reduced from 1/2 for E₂W^L to 1/6 for E₂W^U. In contrast, the high-angle fault confined sequence is characterised by vertical stacking with the ratio of V/H close to 1 for sequences SQ1 to SQ7. In the 3D seismic area, the features of sediment-dispersal pattern were interpreted based on an integrated analysis of paleogeomorphology, seismic reflection characteristics, stratal thickness distribution and multiple attribute clustering. The results show that the large-scale fan delta, belt-shape lacustrine deposit and bird-foot braided delta systems mainly developed in the low-angle fault confined sequences, whereas small-scale fan delta, rhombus-shaped lacustrine deposit and lobe-shaped braided delta systems inherited tectono-sedimentary architectures in the high-angle fault confined sequences.     

成冰纪全球冰期事件的环境效应研究进展

成冰纪全球冰期是地球历史上最极端的冰室气候事件,冰川作用波及赤道区域,全球可能都遭受了冰封,海洋广泛缺氧,生物演化进程迟滞。然而,冰期结束之后,大气氧浓度迅速升高,海洋发生逐步氧化,大型带刺疑源类和真核多细胞藻类在埃迪卡拉纪开始繁盛,出现最早的动物,地表生物圈发生了翻天覆地的变化。显然,成冰纪全球冰期事件是地球系统演化的重要转折。认识冰期的环境效应是认识埃迪卡拉纪生物演化的关键,也是打开地表宜居环境演化的钥匙。本文总结了近年来成冰纪全球冰期的气候假说、冰期沉积特征、海洋氧化还原条件及冰期后的大气与海洋环境剧变等方面的研究进展,简要分析了全球冰期研究中存在的问题,并对该领域未来研究提出了展望与建议。

     

Microbiostratigraphy of Kazhdumi Formation in the Northwestern Shiraz (Southwest Iran) on the Basis of Foraminifera and Calcareous Algae

The middle Cretaceous Kazhdumi Formation,with a thickness of 222 m,belongs to the Bangestan Group and occurs in the Zagros folded zone in southwest Iran.The lower boundary with the Dariyan Formation is disconformable,which is recognized by iron oxides and glauconite.The recognized microfossils are Valvulammina sp.,Scandonea sp.,Daxia cenomana,Choffatela sp., Pseudolituonella reicheli and calcareous algae-Lithocodium aggregation(which belongs to the Sarvak Formation),representing the beginning of Cenomani...