Slab behaviour and its surface expression: new insights from gravity modelling in the SE-Carpathians

We use lithosphere-scale gravity models to calculate gravity anomalies resulting from oceanic subduction, continental collision, slab steepening, delamination, and break-off. Local isostasy was assumed for determining vertical movements caused by mass changes related to these tectonic processes. Our results show that subduction is accompanied by basin subsidence on the upper plate caused by the heavy lithospheric root of the subducting slab. The basin evolution goes parallel with the slab evolution and shows considerable modifications when the processes at depth change (slab steepening, delamination, break-off). Characteristic gravity anomaly curves were acquired for the different tectonic scenarios. These curves together with other data (e.g. basin evolution on the upper and the lower plate) were used for the reconstruction of the tectonic evolution of the SE-Carpathians which includes Tertiary subduction and collision followed by slab steepening and delamination.     

松嫩平原湿地植被对生境干-湿交替的响应

扎龙湿地和向海湿地水分布存在不均一性，生境中有“干-湿”交替过程。选取“干-湿”界面上沼泽植被与草甸植被共存的群落片断分别设置15个固定样方，生长季内4个月观测结果表明：扎龙湿地和向海湿地生境旱生化时羊草为优势种群，湿生化时芦苇为优势种群，芦苇沼泽群落和羊草草甸群落随生境“干-湿”交替过程相互演替，演替过程既受生境水分波动的影响，又由优势种群内在生物学特性决定。     

On the effect of a low viscosity asthenosphere on the temporal change of the geoid—A challenge for future gravity missions

New satellite technology to measure changes in the Earth’s gravity field gives new possibilities to detect layers of low viscosity inside the Earth. We used density models for the Earth mantle based on slab history as well as on tomography and fitted the viscosity by comparison of predicted gravity to the new CHAMP gravity model. We first confirm that the fit to the observed geoid is insensitive to the presence of a low viscosity anomaly in the upper mantle as long as the layer is thin ( 200 km) and the viscosity reduction is less than two orders of magnitude. Then we investigated the temporal change in geoid by comparing two stages of slablet sinking based on subduction history or by advection of tomography derived densities and compared the spectra of the geoid change for cases with and without a low viscosity layer, but about equal fit to the observed geoid. The presence of a low viscosity layer causes relaxation at smaller wavelength and thus leads to a spectrum with relatively stronger power in higher modes and a peak around degrees 5 and 6. Comparing the spectra to the expected degree resolution for GRACE data for a 5 years mission duration shows a weak possibility to detect changes in the Earth’s gravity field due to large scale mantle circulation, provided that other causes of geoid changes can be taken into account with sufficient accuracy. A discrimination between the two viscosity cases, however, demands a new generation of gravity field observing satellites.     

Response of active tectonics on the alluvial Baghmati River, Himalayan foreland basin, eastern India

Active tectonics in a basin plays an important role in controlling a fluvial system through the change in channel slope. The Baghmati, an anabranching, foothills-fed river system, draining the plains of north Bihar in eastern India has responded to ongoing tectonic deformation in the basin. The relatively flat alluvial plains are traversed by several active subsurface faults, which divide the area in four tectonic blocks. Each tectonic block is characterized by association of fluvial anomalies viz. compressed meanders, knick point in longitudinal profiles, channel incision, anomalous sinuosity variations, sudden change in river flow direction, river flow against the local gradient and distribution of overbank flooding, lakes, and waterlogged area. Such fluvial anomalies have been identified on the repetitive satellite images and maps and interpreted through DEM and field observations to understand the nature of vertical movements in the area. The sub-surface faults in the Baghmati plains cut across the river channel and also run parallel which have allowed us to observe the effects of longitudinal and lateral tilting manifested in avulsions and morphological changes.     

Geochemical and isotopic characterization of trace fossil infillings: New insights on tracemaker activity after the K/Pg impact event

Geochemical and isotopic analyses of the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary deposits were conducted at the Caravaca section (External Subbetic, southeast of Spain) in order to evaluate the recovery of the macrobenthic tracemaker community and the bioturbational disturbance. Samples from the infilling material of several lower Danian dark-colored trace fossils (Chondrites, Planolites, Thalassinoides and Zoophycos) located in the uppermost 8-cm of the light upper Maastrichtian strata, as well as samples from the host sedimentary rock of these trace fossils, were analyzed and compared with data from the lower Danian deposits. The values of element ratios indicative of extraterrestrial contamination (Cr/Al, Co/Al and Ni/Al) are higher in the infilling trace fossil material than in the upper Maastrichtian and lower Danian deposits, which suggests a contribution of the ejecta layer. Regarding the isotope composition, the δ¹³C values are lower in the infilling material than in the Maastrichtian host sedimentary rocks surrounding the traces, while the δ¹⁸O are higher in the infilling material. The geochemical and isotopic compositions of the infilling material evidence the unconsolidated character of the sediment, including the red boundary layer. Softground conditions confirm a relatively rapid recovery by the macrobenthic tracemaker community, starting a few millimeters above the K/Pg boundary layer. The mixture of the infilling material of the trace fossils moreover reveals a significant macrobenthic tracemaker activity affecting K–Pg boundary transition sediments that may have significantly altered original signatures.