Alluvial architecture of the Holocene Rhine–Meuse delta (the Netherlands)

Ancient fluvial successions often act as hydrocarbon reservoirs. Sub‐surface data on the alluvial architecture of fluvial successions are often incomplete and modelling is performed to reconstruct the stratigraphy. However, all alluvial architecture models suffer from the scarcity of field data to test and calibrate them. The purposes of this study were to quantify the alluvial architecture of the Holocene Rhine–Meuse delta (the Netherlands) and to determine spatio‐temporal trends in the architecture. Five north–south orientated cross‐sections, perpendicular to the general flow direction, were compiled for the fluvial‐dominated part of the delta. These sections were used to calculate the width/thickness ratios of fluvial sandbodies (SBW/SBT) and the proportions of channel‐belt deposits (CDP), clastic overbank deposits (ODP) and organic material (OP) in the succession. Furthermore, the connectedness ratio (CR) between channel belts was calculated for each cross‐section. Distinct spatial and temporal trends in the alluvial architecture were found. SBW/SBT ratios decrease by a factor of ca 4 in a downstream direction. CDP decreases from ca 0·7 (upstream) to ca 0·3 (downstream). OP increases from less than 0·05 in the upstream part of the delta to more than 0·25 in the downstream delta. ODP is approximately constant (0·4). CR is ca 0·25 upstream, which is approximately two times larger than in the downstream part of the delta. Furthermore, CDP in the downstream Rhine–Meuse delta increases after 3000 cal yr BP. These trends are attributed to variations in available accommodation space, floodplain geometry and channel‐belt size. For instance, channel belts tend to narrow in a downstream direction, which reduces SBW/SBT, CDP and CR. Tectonics cause local deviations in the general architectural trends. In addition, the positive correlation between avulsion frequency and the ratio of local to regional aggradation rate probably influenced alluvial architecture in the Rhine–Meuse delta. The Rhine–Meuse data set can be a great resource when developing more sophisticated models for alluvial architecture simulation, which eventually could lead to better characterizations of hydrocarbon reservoirs. To aid such usage of the Rhine–Meuse data set, constraints for relevant parameters are provided at the end of the paper.     

The Lower Permian Wasp Head Formation,Sydney Basin: high‐latitude,shallow marine sedimentation following the late Asselian to early Sakmarian glacial event in eastern Australia

The Lower Permian Wasp Head Formation (early to middle Sakmarian) is a ～95 m thick unit that was deposited during the transition to a non‐glacial period following the late Asselian to early Sakmarian glacial event in eastern Australia. This shallow marine, sandstone‐dominated unit can be subdivided into six facies associations. (i) The marine sediment gravity flow facies association consists of breccias and conglomerates deposited in upper shoreface water depths. (ii) Upper shoreface deposits consist of cross‐stratified, conglomeratic sandstones with an impoverished expression of the Skolithos Ichnofacies. (iii) Middle shoreface deposits consist of hummocky cross‐stratified sandstones with a trace fossil assemblage that represents the Skolithos Ichnofacies. (iv) Lower shoreface deposits are similar to middle shoreface deposits, but contain more pervasive bioturbation and a distal expression of the Skolithos Ichnofacies to a proximal expression of the Cruziana Ichnofacies. (v) Delta‐influenced, lower shoreface‐offshore transition deposits are distinguished by sparsely bioturbated carbonaceous mudstone drapes within a variety of shoreface and offshore deposits. Trace fossil assemblages represent distal expressions of the Skolithos Ichnofacies to stressed, proximal expressions of the Cruziana Ichnofacies. Impoverished trace fossil assemblages record variable and episodic environmental stresses possibly caused by fluctuations in sedimentation rates, substrate consistencies, salinity, oxygen levels, turbidity and other physio‐chemical stresses characteristic of deltaic conditions. (vi) The offshore transition‐offshore facies association consists of mudstone and admixed sandstone and mudstone with pervasive bioturbation and an archetypal to distal expression of the Cruziana Ichnofacies. The lowermost ～50 m of the formation consists of a single deepening upward cycle formed as the basin transitioned from glacioisostatic rebound following the Asselian to early Sakmarian glacial to a regime dominated by regional extensional subsidence without significant glacial influence. The upper ～45 m of the formation can be subdivided into three shallowing upward cycles (parasequences) that formed in the aftermath of rapid, possibly glacioeustatic, rises in relative sea‐level or due to autocyclic progradation patterns. The shift to a parasequence‐dominated architecture and progressive decrease in ice‐rafted debris upwards through the succession records the release from glacioisostatic rebound and amelioration of climate that accompanied the transition to broadly non‐glacial conditions.     

High resolution paleoenvironmental and chronological investigations of Norse landnám at Tasiusaq, Eastern Settlement, Greenland

High-resolution paleoenvironmental data from a peat profile with a small pollen source area are used to reconstruct the impacts of landnám on vegetation and soils at a Norse farm complex (∅2 at Tasiusaq) comprising two farms in the Eastern Settlement of Greenland. Analyses include the AMS ¹⁴C dating of plant macrofossil samples and the use of Bayesian radiocarbon calibration to construct improved age-depth models for Norse cultural horizons. The onset of a regional landnám may be indicated by the clearance of Betula pubescens woodland immediately prior to local settlement. The latter is dated to AD 950-1020 (2σ) and is characterised by possible burning of Betula glandulosa scrub to provide grassland pasture for domestic stock. Clearance and grazing resulted in accelerated levels of soil erosion at a westerly farm. This was followed by an easterly migration of settlement and agriculture. Site constraints prevent an assessment of the demise of the easterly farm, but pressures of overgrazing and land degradation may have been the major factors responsible for the abandonment of the earlier farm.     

Age estimates of coastal terraces in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and their tectonic implications

The great Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004 caused significant vertical changes in its rupture zone. About 800 km of the rupture is along the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which forms the outer arc ridge of the subduction zone. Coseismic deformation along the exposed land could be observed as uplift/subsidence. Here we analyze the morphological features along the coast of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in an effort to reconstruct the past tectonics, taking cues from the coseismic effects. We obtained radiocarbon dates from coastal terraces of the island belt and used them to compute uplift rates, which vary from 1.33 mm yr^− 1 in the Little Andaman to 2.80 mm yr^− 1 in South Andaman and 2.45 mm yr^− 1 in the North Andaman. Our radiocarbon dates converge on  600 yr and  1000 yr old coastal uplifts, which we attribute to the level changes due to two major previous subduction earthquakes in the region.     

广西大厂拉么锌铜多金属矿床成岩成矿作用年代学研究

本文对广西大厂矿田拉么矿区内出露的酸性侵入岩和矿石进行了精细的年代学研究,分别获得龙箱盖含斑黑云母花岗岩锆石原位SHRIMP UPb和全岩RbSr等时线年龄为94±4Ma（95%可信度）和98.6±1.9Ma（95%可信度）,矽卡岩成矿期锌铜矿石中石英矿物RbSr等时线年龄为98.6±6Ma（95%可信度）。上述测定结果表明,拉么锌铜多金属矿床的成矿年龄与相关岩体的成岩年龄接近,均形成于早白垩世晚期。     

赣南淘锡坑钨多金属矿床花岗岩和云英岩岩石特征及云英岩中白云母40Ar/39Ar定年

赣南崇义县淘锡坑钨矿位于南岭东西向构造带东段,属于以黑钨矿石英脉型为主的钨多金属矿床。矿床形成与燕山期中酸性岩浆作用有密切关系,石英矿脉受一组北西向断裂控制,穿切新元古界。本文在淘锡坑钨矿区3个揭露到花岗岩体顶部的中段（206、106、56中段）采集到岩体顶部云英岩样品,利用40Ar/39Ar同位素定年测得云英岩中的白云母的坪年龄分别为152.7 ± 1.5 Ma（206中段）,153.4 ± 1.3 Ma（106中段）,155.0 ± 1.4 Ma（56中段）。与前人用其他方法测定的花岗岩成岩和成矿年龄几乎一致。花岗岩和云英岩全岩稀土元素均具有M型四分组效应和强烈的Eu亏损特征,反映出花岗质岩浆经历了高度分异演化及其岩体结晶晚期流体/熔体相互作用。综合前人在南岭地区同类矿床的研究资料,可知南岭地区160～150Ma成岩成矿作用主要分布于南岭中-东段,可能为大陆边缘弧后岩石圈伸展的构造动力学背景的产物。     

辽河断陷大民屯凹陷静北潜山孢粉化石新发现

静北潜山的油气勘探始于上世纪70年代初,并将钻井揭示的未见化石的碳酸盐岩和石英砂岩沉积划归中元古界长城系,沿用至今.2002年在对该区的地层研究中,首次发现了晚古生代孢粉化石,从而证实静北潜山存在晚古生代地层.本文以孢粉化石为主要依据,对潜山地层进行了重新划分,并与邻区进行对比.在此基础上对本区的构造和沉积作一讨论.     

安徽铜陵狮子山矿田岩浆岩锆石SHRIMP定年及其成因意义

铜陵狮子山矿田发育大量岩浆岩,且与矿田中的铜金多金属成矿关系密切。锆石SHRIMP同位素精确定年表明,矿田中的岩浆侵位年龄在132.4～142.9Ma之间,即晚侏罗世—早白垩世,属燕山早期晚阶段。矿田岩浆岩体是在同期岩浆活动中多次侵位形成的,岩浆侵入活动可以划分为分别起始于140Ma前后和约136Ma的早晚两次。从岩浆上升侵位到冷却结晶的时间间隔均较短,但其中白芒山辉石二长闪长岩冷却史相对较长,且经历了早期深部岩浆房中的分离结晶作用和后期构造脉动、岩浆上升侵位、减压受热、早期晶体再熔蚀及冷却结晶的过程。结合主量元素和微量元素地球化学研究认为,狮子山矿田岩浆演化的后期,即起源于上地幔或下地壳的原生岩浆在同化了壳源物质并聚集到岩浆房中以后,在滞留的过程中发生了一定程度的分离结晶作用,但尚未固结,成分上显示了一定的带状分布,在区域构造应力松弛及构造事件诱发下,随机地沿发育的构造裂隙先后上升侵位,冷凝结晶。     

西藏东巧蛇绿岩中辉长岩锆石SHRIMP定年及其地质意义

东巧蛇绿岩位于分割羌塘地块和拉萨地块的班公湖—怒江缝合带中段,是该带最著名的产铬铁矿床的蛇绿岩残片之一。该蛇绿岩遭受构造肢解,恢复后的蛇绿岩剖面各岩石单元齐全。本文应用SHRIMPⅡ锆石UPb法,对东巧蛇绿岩中堆晶辉长岩进行了测年,获得辉长岩年龄为187.8±3.7 Ma。该年龄代表了东巧洋盆的形成时代,为确定研究区特提斯洋盆的古构造格局及其发育演化过程等提供了重要的年代学制约。     

云南个旧老厂-卡房花岗岩体成因：锆石U-Pb年代学和岩石地球化学约束

在云南个旧地区发育大量与成矿时空密切相关的侵入岩。个旧东区的老厂-卡房花岗质岩体为一隐伏的花岗岩体,侵入于三叠纪个旧组灰岩和碳酸盐地层中,岩性主要为中细粒黑云母花岗岩,是个旧地区与成矿关系最为密切的花岗岩体之一。岩石的ACNK值大多在1.0以上,属于高钾钙碱性系列岩石;U、Th含量较高,应归属于HHP花岗岩;岩石类型属于S型花岗岩,但经历了高度的分异和演化;n(Rb)/n(Sn)- n(Rb)/n(Ba)与n(CaO)/n(Na2O)-n(Al2O3)/n(TiO2)图解均暗示岩石的源区性质为由粘土岩所派生的岩浆。锆石LA-ICP-MS定年结果表明,老厂-卡房岩体形成于85±0.85Ma,相当于晚白垩世。根据区域地质和花岗岩的地球化学特征,暗示个旧地区燕山晚期处于伸展构造背景。