Multi-approach characterization of shallow-water carbonates off Minamitorishima and their depositional settings/history

Sedimentological, geochemical, and chronological analyses were carried out on 18 carbonate rock samples collected at depths of 938, 1085, and 3354 m on the western slope of Minamitorishima (Marcus Island), which is located near the western margin of the Pacific Plate. Four groups of carbonate rocks were distinguished: a mollusk-rich limestone, a coral-rich dolomite, a foraminiferal-nannofossil packstone, and a phosphatized mudstone/wackestone. The mollusk-rich limestone is characterized by the dominance of bivalves (including rudists) and gastropod shells. Strontium isotope ratios (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) and Mesorbitolina ex gr. texana (a large benthic foraminifer) indicate that the shallow-water carbonates were deposited during the late Aptian–early Albian (ca. 123–111 Ma). The coral-rich dolomite is characterized by abundant scleractinian corals and nongeniculate coralline algae associated with encrusting acervulinid foraminifers. The biotic composition is similar to that of the Oligocene–Pleistocene carbonates reported from other seamounts in the northwestern Pacific. Geochemical data show that the coral-rich carbonates were dolomitized at 9.5–6.8 Ma (Tortonian–Messinian) and that normal seawater was the most likely parent fluid. The foraminiferal-nannofossil packstone is a semi-consolidated foraminiferal-nannofossil ooze and was deposited during the Pleistocene (0.99–0.45 Ma). The phosphatized mudstone/wackestone is marked by the absence of macrofossils and the presence of traces of planktic foraminifers. Although its depositional age is not constrained, the Sr isotope ratios indicate that the phosphatization occurred at 33.2–28.9 Ma. After the deposition of the Cretaceous shallow-water carbonates, including the mollusk-rich limestone, Minamitorishima was drowned and its top was covered with a pelagic cap, represented by the mudstone/wackestone. The late Eocene–early Oligocene volcanism (40.2–33.2 Ma) caused episodic uplift and returned the top of Minamitorishima to a shallow-water environment. After the early Oligocene phosphatization of the pelagic cap, coral reefs flourished on the top of this island. The reef limestone was dolomitized during the Tortonian–Messinian.     

Effects of low temperatures on strength and power input into rock failure

Study results of low temperature effects on the strength index and specific power input into rock failure are presented.It has been experimentally determined that within the range of-5 °С to-15 °С,there is a local minimum at which the compression strength and specific power input into failure of some rocks are 10%-50% lower than those at positive temperatures.     

碳酸盐成岩作用的研究前沿和值得思考的问题

碳酸盐成岩作用在碳酸盐沉积学,尤其是在碳酸盐储层沉积学中具有十分重要的意义,近年在以下领域取得重要进展：（1）白云岩烃类储层的几何学和岩石成因学,尤其涉及到对已有白云化模式的评论和重新认识等。（2）碳酸盐储层热液改造的构造控制机理,涉及热液白云岩的成因及其对烃类储层的影响,尤其是深部热流体对碳酸盐成岩作用的影响。（3）对一些经典成岩理论的更新和对传统成岩理论的挑战,尤其是对混合水成岩作用带和对海水环境下的埋藏成岩作用的重新认识等。（4）锶同位素组成在海相碳酸盐研究中的广泛应用,涉及对地质事件的跟踪研究、海相地层的等时对比、定年和成岩过程中水一岩相互作用的研究等。然而,碳酸盐成岩作用研究中也存在一些问题值得我们思考：（1）深埋条件下碳酸盐最为重要的溶解介质可能是作为硫酸盐还原作用产物的H2S和CO2,但并非是温度越高,碳酸盐越溶解,相对较低的温度条件反而有利于溶解,这就是所谓的倒退溶解模式。（2）碳酸盐溶解需要有温度的降低（即必须要有足够的负△T）,这可通过两种途径实现：其一是沿断层向上运移的流体,显示断层等构造作用在碳酸盐成岩研究中的重要性;二是构造抬升,显示与构造有关的埋藏历史在碳酸盐成岩研究中的重要性。（3）控制白云石锶含量最为重要的因素是其晶体化学习性,锶在白云石中的较低的分配系数导致了白云岩普遍较低的锶含量,因此,我们不能仅利用白云岩的锶含量来判断白云化流体的性质,白云岩较低的锶含量也不能说明相应的白云化流体与海水无关。（4）与硫酸盐还原作用有关的SO4^2-的带出会诱发白云化作用或白云石的沉淀,而与硫酸盐溶解有关的SO4^2-的引入则会加速白云石的溶解。     

滇东、桂东北地区泥盆纪灰岩的微相及其形成环境分析

在云南的曲靖、盘溪和广西的桂林、阳朔地区，中、晚泥盆世的海相灰岩广泛分布，根据微相特征划分出１３种微相类型．它们代表５种不同的沉积环境。沉积环境的分异与当时的海底地形和海平面的升降密切相关。     

Techniques for assessing spatial heterogeneity of carbonate δ13C values: Implications for craton‐wide isotope gradients

The sedimentary record of carbonate carbon isotopes (δ¹³C_carb) provides one of the best methods for correlating marine strata and understanding the long‐term evolution of the global carbon cycle. This work focuses on the Late Ordovician Guttenberg isotopic carbon excursion, a ca 2·5‰ positive δ¹³C_carb excursion that is found in strata globally. Substantial variability in the apparent magnitude and stratigraphic morphology of the Guttenberg excursion at different localities has hampered high‐resolution correlations and led to divergent reconstructions of ocean chemistry and the biogeochemical carbon cycle. This work investigates the magnitude, spatial scale and sources of isotopic variability of the Guttenberg excursion in two sections from Missouri, USA. Centimetre‐scale isotope transects revealed variations in δ¹³C_carb and δ¹⁸O_carb greater than 2‰ across individual beds. Linear δ¹³C_carb to δ¹⁸O_carb mixing lines, together with petrographic and elemental abundance data, demonstrate that much of the isotopic scatter in single beds is due to mixing of isotopically distinct components. These patterns facilitated objective sample screening to determine the ‘least‐altered’ data. A δ¹⁸O_carb filter based on empirical δ¹⁸O_carb values of well‐preserved carbonate mudstones allowed further sample discrimination. The resulting ‘least‐altered’ δ¹³C_carb profile improves the understanding of regional as well as continental‐scale stratigraphic relations in this interval. Correlations with other Laurentian sections strongly suggest that: (i) small‐scale variability in Guttenberg excursion δ¹³C_carb values may result in part from local diagenetic overprinting; (ii) peak‐Guttenberg excursion δ¹³C_carb values of the Midcontinent are not distinct from their Taconic equivalents; and (iii) no primary continental‐scale spatial gradient in δ¹³C_carb (for example, arising from chemically distinct ‘aquafacies’) is required during Guttenberg excursion‐time. This study demonstrates the importance of detailed petrographic and geochemical screening of samples to be used for δ¹³C_carb chemostratigraphy and for enhancing understanding of epeiric ocean chemistry.     

海相沉积物碳酸盐相中微量元素的分析方法研究

海相沉积物中自生沉积碳酸盐相的微量元素携带极为丰富的原始地质信息,然而海相沉积物中碳酸盐相的测定还没有建立统一的标准方法.本文以修正的Tessier七步提取流程为基础,以电感耦合等离子体质谱法(ICP-MS)为检测手段,针对海相沉积物碳酸盐相组分中V、Cr、Co、Ni、Sr五种微量元素建立了分级提取方法.实验以海相沉积物样品和标准物质作为参考样品,对比了NaAc和EDTA提取碳酸盐相的效果.结果表明,NaAc不能完全提取出沉积物碳酸盐相中的微量元素;EDTA可以较好地提取自生海相沉积物碳酸盐相中的微量元素,但是由于其络合能力太强还会提取有机物结合态的金属元素.本研究确定的分级提取方法是:首先用中性盐NaC1去除离子交换态,然后用提取专一性较强的焦磷酸钠(pH =10)去除有机态,再用EDTA提取仅自生海相沉积物的碳酸盐相.方法精密度(RSD)均＜5％,各元素的检出限在0.5～ 4.3 ng/g之间,回收率在88.0％ ～ 101.6％之间,方法的选择性和稳定性能够满足地球化学样品形态分析的要求.     

深循环地下水维系黄土高原风尘颗粒连续沉积

黄土高原地区的降水入渗试验表明,降水在入渗过程中受到了蒸发作用,并未入渗到潜水,土壤水中的氘氧同位素与地下水相近,这表明土壤水主要来自于地下水。外源水是黄土高原发源的河流、湖泊的主要补给源,当地的降水仅在汛期补给河流与湖泊。鄂尔多斯盆地黄土地区地下水的分水岭与基底断裂带的分布基本上重合,这暗示着地下水可能来自于基底断裂带,通过基底断裂带上涌的深循环地下水将风尘颗粒粘滞成颗粒团,形成了连续的风尘堆积,深循环的地下水成为维系风尘颗粒在黄土高原连续沉积的必要条件。分析黄土中CaCO3的物质不平衡和钙结核内部无生长层理以及碳氧同位素表现出高度均一性特征,得出黄土中的次生碳酸盐矿物也是由上涌地下水携带来的,并非大气降水入渗造成。调查发现,黄土塬规模的大小与塬轴对称中心钻孔的涌水量成正比关系,表明黄土塬风尘颗粒以对称形式沿着断裂连续地堆积,涌水量越大,所粘聚的风尘颗粒越多,塬的面积也越大,涌水量较小的断裂只能形成墚或峁结构。     

Some problems of slope development

Slopes are the fundamental unit of the physiographic landscape. Yet the reasons for variations in their morphology and inferred mode of development are not well understood. The problem is complex, but the slope budget, which results primarily from the interplay of climatically induced factors and structure is significant: where the erosion of the upper slope elements surpasses that on the lower, parallel retreat prevails, but when the reverse is the case, slope decline is dominant. Complications are introduced by such factors as climatic change and fluctuations of baselevel, both local and general. But structural factors can and do override all others.

A knowledge of geomorphic history, and of processes and their effectiveness under various circumstances, in advance of that usually at our disposal at present is necessary before slopes can satisfactorily be analysed. It appears unlikely that there is a universal law of slope development..     

Zincian dolomite from broken hill,New South Wales

Many Broken Hill (New South Wales) specimens labelled ‘zinco‐calcite’ in museum and private collections are snow‐white, globular forms with a sparkling appearance, on a coronadite or limonite matrix. X‐ray diffraction and microprobe analyses show the globules have a core of nearly pure calcite, overlain by colourless, drusy zincian dolomite with up to 4 mol % ZnCO₃ and up to 7 mol % excess CaCO₃. Although Zn is abundant in the Broken Hill orebody, it apparently entered carbonate, mainly as smithsonite, only during formation of the oxidised zone.     

The Early Devonian Coopers Creek Limestone: A deep‐water redeposited limestone in the Melbourne Trough,southeastern Australia

The Coopers Creek Limestone represents an Early Devonian redeposited carbonate accumulation and records the evolution of a carbonate slope in the southeastern portion of the Melbourne Trough. During the earliest Devonian, the underlying Boola Formation was deposited, probably as turbidites, in a moderately deep‐water setting. The presence of chert and greenstone clasts in the top of the formation indicates exposure of an area of Cambrian greenstones in this part of the Melbourne Trough, as a result of uplift associated with the earliest Devonian Bowning Orogeny. This uplift provided ideal conditions for carbonate production along the margin of the exposed landmass. The periodic transportation of carbonate material downslope resulted in the accumulation of the Coopers Creek Limestone. Initially, in the early Pragian, turbidity currents deposited clayey biomicrites and biopelmicrites on a relatively gentle slope. However, the rapid build‐up of carbonate sand banks at the shelf margin steepened the gradient from the shelf into the basin and a bypass margin began to develop. Grainflows deposited pelsparites and biopelsparites and the presence of debris flow breccias indicates erosion of lithified limestone by channelling. Continued carbonate build‐up led to the development of a rimmed reef margin in the earliest Emsian, with a steep fore‐reef gradient. Large blocks of reefal limestone fell or rolled to the base of the slope, to accumulate as reefal megabreccias at the top of the Coopers Creek Limestone. Carbonate production abruptly ceased in the early Emsian, due to the uplift of a quartzo‐micaceous source to the east during the initial stages of the Tabberabberan Orogeny. This uplift supplied abundant terrigenous material into the Melbourne Trough to be deposited as the turbidites of the Walhalla Group, which deeply buried the limestone accumulation.