Reliable radiocarbon dating of fossil pollen grains: It is truly possible

Radiocarbon dating of fossil pollen concentrates has the potential to reduce limitations for sample selection in chronological studies of sedimentary archives. The recent development of the technology for rapidly preparing highly purified fossil pollen concentrates using a cell sorter makes it realistic to turn this dream into reality. Before utilizing pollen as a material for dating with confidence, however, it is necessary to understand the factors that may affect the result of the measurements, and to establish criteria to assess the reliability of the radiocarbon ages produced. In this study, peat soils which are commercially available in large quantities, and are hence used as our laboratory standard, as well as the varved lacustrine sediments from Lake Suigetsu, which has one of the best terrestrial radiocarbon stratigraphies in the world, were used to assess the accuracy of radiocarbon ages of pollen concentrates and to establish an appropriate protocol for sample preparation. A pollen-rich fraction prepared by a recently proposed combined method of physio-chemical pre-treatment and cell sorter (Yamada et al. 2021) was submitted to a range of different posterior treatments and radiocarbon measurement. The results were also compared with SEM (Scanning Electron Microscoic) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic observations. It was discovered that the sample prepared by the initial pre-treatment and cell sorter were not sufficiently pure and did not yield radiocarbon ages that were consistent with the terrestrial leaf fossils. Instead, the Acid-Base-Acid treatment with ultrafiltration following on from the cell sorter step proved to be highly effective in the removal of contaminants and improve the measured ages. The comparison with Suigetsu's terrestrial radiocarbon dataset also indicated that accuracy could be improved through closer assessment using the pollen taxa composition, carbon content (%C), and stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C) of the pollen concentrates. The age-depth models established by the radiocarbon dating of fossil pollen grains extracted from the Suigetsu sediments agree very well with that of plant macrofossils, and even improve the precision of the combined model. As long as handling was appropriate, the pollen concentrates prepared by the cell sorter provide reliable radiocarbon ages and the method can significantly contribute to Quaternary sciences in the future.     

Optical properties of inhomogeneous media: T-matrix approach (Review)

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird eine Übersicht darüber geben, wie man die effektive dielektrische Funktion, welche die optischen Eigenschaften heterogener Medien charakterisiert, berechnet. Für Inhomogenitäten kleiner als die Lichtwellenlange kann das entsprechende quasielektrostatische Problem in eine Integralgleichung umgeformt werden, welche die Anwendung des von der Festkörpertheorie her bekannten T-Matrix-Formalismus zur Berechnung von gestattet. Es werden unterschiedliche Näherungen für die T-Matrix diskutiert, die zu unterschiedlichen Effektiv-Medium-Theorien wie die Näherung der mittleren T-Matrix (ATA) oder die Näherung des kohärenten Potentials (CPA) führen.     

川西甘孜黄土磁性地层学研究及其古气候意义*

文章对川西甘孜地区甘孜寺剖面进行了系统的磁性地层学研究及石英颗粒表面形态特征分析。磁性地层学研究结果显示,B/M界线出现在S₈的顶部,并且在剖面下部12.7~14.0m处出现了松山负向期的贾拉米洛正向极性亚带。本次测试以及结合以前的研究结果表明,甘孜地区典型的风尘堆积形成于约1.15MaB.P.以前。石英颗粒表面形态特征的分析结果说明风尘物质可能经历了风、流水、冰川等多种外动力作用,进一步证明该区的风尘物质主要来源于青藏高原及其周缘地区的冰水沉积。另外,研究结果指示青藏高原及其周缘地区的环境状况大约在1.15MaB.P.发生了很大变化,主要表现为干旱化程度以及高原冬季风的明显增强,而这些变化又与青藏高原在该时期的快速隆升密切相关。磁性地层的研究结果将为在该区进一步开展古环境演化过程的对比分析及阶地地貌发育历史的研究奠定基础。     

西秦岭岷县地区红层砂岩成因分析

岷县西江盆地红层地层为上白垩统磨沟组,这套地层底部为一套紫红色厚块状砾岩,砾岩上部为厚度巨大的红层砂岩。本文试图通过对这套砂岩的研究,揭示其成因背景,对恢复晚白垩世西秦岭岷县地区古地理具有重要意义。根据岷县地区红层砂岩良好出露剖面测绘和取样资料,从沉积序列特征、粒度特征、石英颗粒表面特征方面对其成因进行分析。研究表明,这套砂岩厚度大,岩层中发育薄砾石层与干河床沉积物夹层,薄砾石层中砾石具沙漠漆等特征。粒径相对集中,缺乏粉砂和粘土组分,以中砂、细砂、极细砂组分为主。石英颗粒磨圆度好,表面发育碟形和新月形坑、溶蚀坑、硅质薄膜等典型特征。综合各种特征,认为这套砂岩为干热气候环境下风沙活动的产物。     

延边海沟金矿床石英流体包裹体激光探针40Ar/39Ar测年与成矿背景

海沟金矿为一大型贫硫化物石英脉型金矿床,长期以来其形成时代一直存在争议,致使矿床成因研究受到较大影响,成矿预测等方面研究进展缓慢。采用石英流体包裹体的⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar激光探针定年法对该金矿床进行了精细的年代学测定,获得主成矿阶段石英流体包裹体的⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar正、反等时线年龄分别为（170±20） Ma和（172±16） Ma,MSWD分别为0.31和0.35,⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar比值分别为298±4和299±4;进一步剔除接近大气的成分点和过剩氩高的成分点,计算获得等时线年龄为（170±38） Ma（⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar Int.=299±10）和（165±52） Ma（⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar Int.=303±23）。结合已有同位素年代学研究成果,进一步明确了海沟金矿床主成矿期发生在早侏罗世晚期,成矿作用与中生代库拉板块向亚洲板块俯冲、特别是由此引发的华北板块东缘与兴蒙造山带东段的强烈拼贴并诱发的岩石圈加厚、减薄作用密切相关。     

金矿物统计研究中容易忽略的问题

当前的金矿物统计工作大多局限于颗粒数百分比计算,而且常常把粒比简单地等同于重量比,这在理论上的实践上均是错误的。金矿物配分的本质是重量上的配分。根据物质的三维尺度特性,在光片中可以用面积比代替重量比;而在重砂分析中应尽量直接测定金矿物的质量,否则只能用体积比代重量比。     

风尘堆积物中石英颗粒表面微结构特征及其沉积学指示

通过对黄土-沙漠交接带的定边县、黄土高原中部偏南的灵台县表土样品及甘肃灵台剖面不同层位的黄土-古土壤-红粘土样品中石英颗粒的形态特征及表面微结构的观察测试,结果表明红粘土、古土壤及灵台表土原样中石英颗粒表面具有较丰富的次生硅质沉淀和明显的溶蚀痕迹,指示了碎屑石英在沉积之后,由于适宜的温湿气候条件而经历了较强烈的风化成壤改造作用;而定边县表土样及上粉沙层(L9)土样中的石英颗粒表面干净,具有较多的撞击浅坑等风力搬运痕迹。经过双氧水和盐酸清洗过后的石英颗粒的形态特征及表面微结构非常清晰,多为次棱角至次圆状,均具有较丰富的撞击麻点和浅坑,少数样品可见裂纹分布,说明红粘土和上覆的黄土和古土壤一样,主要为风力搬运堆积;但红粘土样中石英颗粒表面所具有的丰富硅质沉淀和明显的溶蚀痕迹,似乎暗示了晚第三纪沉积气候环境显著不同于第四纪的冷干、暖湿气候组合演化格局。     

延边天宝山多金属矿床的矿物流体包裹体激光探针~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar测年及其地质意义

延边天宝山为一座大型中高温热液多金属(铅,锌,铜,钼等)矿床,由新兴铅锌、立山铅锌铜和东风铅锌铜钼3个中型矿床所组成,研究采用单矿物流体包裹体的40Ar/39Ar激光探针定年法对其含矿石英脉进行了精细的年代学测定以确定该矿床形成时代和成矿流体来源;实验室获得的40Ar/39Ar正反等时线年龄分别为(175±10)Ma和(175±18)Ma;经验证实剔除部分接近大气的成分点和过剩氩的成分点,重新计算的正、反等时线年龄分别为(179±11)Ma和(179.1±9.8)Ma,MSWD分别为0.95和0.99,40Ar/36Ar比值分别为297.8±2.7,297.6±2.5;结合区域地质特征,认为天宝山多金属矿床的成矿应发生在早侏罗世晚期,成矿流体是以岩浆热液为主、少量大气水和地壳流体参与的混合流体。     

Organic models of interstellar grains

A number of experimental studies have been carried out to verify the claim that interstellar grains largely consist of organic material, including biological cells. Our spectroscopic studies on biological cells and organic extracts from carbonaceous compounds have failed to identify the well-known 2200 Å interstellar extinction peak with the organic material.     

河北宣龙地区铁质包壳粒及其形成的微生物作用

通过对宣龙地区“鲕状矿石”的详细镜下切片观察,与叠层石结构、形态和成分的对比,以及稳定同位素和有机地球化学特征分析研究,提出“鲕状矿石”实际上均为微生物成因的铁质包壳粒,并按其形态分为核形石,微生物鲕石、微生物豆石三种类型。对铁质包壳粒的微生物矿化作用也作了初步探讨。