Focused ion beam technique and transmission electron microscope studies of microdiamonds from the Saxonian Erzgebirge, Germany

A focused ion beam of Ga ions is a relatively new technique that has been developed for microelectronic industries. Now researchers of the Earth sciences find it to be a promising tool for studying various geological materials. Using the FIB technique and an FEI Strata DB 235 dual beam system, we have successfully prepared several electron-transparent foils, which crossed μm-sized diamonds included in host minerals such as zircon and garnet from quartzofeldspathic rocks of the Saxonian Erzgebirge, Germany. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy applied to these foils revealed that the diamonds contain crystalline nanometric inclusions. These inclusions consist of minerals of known stoichiometries such as SiO₂ and Al₂SiO₅, whereas others are characterized by different combinations of Si, K, P, Ti, and Fe in the presence of oxygen (stoichiometries are not clear at this stage of research). One suite of inclusions is assumed to be represented by archerite, KH₂PO₄, which is known to be stable at pressures of 4–22 GPa, and one nanocrystal containing Pb, oxygen and carbon is interpreted to be Pb_xO_y or PbCO₃. Along with solid crystalline inclusions, the diamonds contain cavities filled by liquid/gas that escaped during sample preparation. These are associated with dislocations of diamond growth. Our data are consistent with the concept of diamond crystallization from a COH-rich multicomponent supercritical fluid and suggest that the composition of such a fluid is more consistent with a local crustal source rather than that of a mantle origin.     

Crustal structure beneath the Songpan—Garze orogenic belt

The Benzilan-Tangke deepseismic sounding profile in the western Sichuan region passes through the Song-pan-Garze orogenic belt with trend of NNE.Based on the travel times and the related amplitudes of phases in the record sections,the 2-D P-wave crustal structure was ascertained in this paper.The velocity structure has quite strong lateral variation along the profile.The crust is divided into 5layers,where the first,second and third layer belong to the upper crust,the forth and fifth layer belong to the lower crust.The low velocity anomaly zone gener-ally exists in the central part of the upper crust on the profile,and it integrates into the overlying low velocity basement in the area to the north of Ma‘erkang.The crustal structure in the section can be divided into 4parts:in the south of Garze-litang fault,between Garze-Litang fault and Xianshuihe fault,between Xianshuihe fault and Longriba fault and in the north of Longriba fault,which are basically coincided with the regional tectonics division.The crustal thickness decreases from southwest to northeast along the profile,that is ,from62km in the region of the Jinshajiang River to 52km in the region of the Yellow River.The Moho discontinuity does not obviously change across the Xianshuihe fault basesd on the PmP phase analysis.The crustal average velocity along the profile is lower,about 6.30 km/s.The Benzilan-Tangke profile reveals that the crust in the study area is orogenic.The Xianshuihe fault belt is located in the central part of the profile,and the velocity is positive anomaly on the upper crust,and negative anomaly on the lower crust and upper mantle.It is considered as a deep tectonhic setting in favor of strong earthquake‘s accumulation and occurrence.     

Petrography and uplift history of the Quaternary Takidani Granodiorite: could it have hosted a supercritical (HDR) geothermal reservoir?

The Quaternary Takidani Granodiorite (Japan Alps) is analogous to the type of deep-seated (3–5 km deep) intrusive-hosted fracture network system that might support (supercritical) hot dry/wet rock (HDR/HWR) energy extraction. The I-type Takidani Granodiorite comprises: porphyritic granodiorite, porphyritic granite, biotite-hornblende granodiorite, hornblende-biotite granodiorite, biotite-hornblende granite and biotite granite facies; the intrusion has a reverse chemical zonation, characterized by >70 wt% SiO₂ at its inferred margin and <67 wt% SiO₂ at the core. Fluid inclusion evidence indicates that fractured Takidani Granodiorite at one time hosted a liquid-dominated, convective hydrothermal system, with <380°C, low-salinity reservoir fluids at hydrostatic (mesothermal) pressure conditions. ‘Healed’ microfractures also trapped >600°C, hypersaline (35 wt% NaCl_eq) fluids of magmatic origin, with inferred minimum pressures of formation being 600–750 bar, which corresponds to fluid entrapment at 2.4–3.0 km depth. Al-in-hornblende geobarometry indicates that hornblende crystallization occurred at about 1.45 Ma (7.7–9.4 km depth) in the (marginal) eastern Takidani Granodiorite, but later (at 1.25 Ma) and shallower (6.5–7.0 km) near the core of the intrusion. The average rate of uplift across the Takidani Granodiorite from the time of hornblende crystallization has been 5.1–5.9 mm/yr (although uplift was about 7.5 mm/yr prior to 1.2 Ma), which is faster than average uplift rates in the Japan Alps (3 mm/yr during the last 2 million years). A temperature–depth–time window, when the Takidani Granodiorite had potential to host an HDR system, would have been when the internal temperature of the intrusive was cooling from 500°C to 400°C. Taking into account the initial (7.5 mm/yr) rate of uplift and effects of erosion, an optimal temperature–time–depth window is proposed: for 500°C at 1.54–1.57 Ma and 5.2±0.9 km (drilling) depth; and 400°C at 1.36–1.38 Ma and 3.3±0.8 km (drilling) depth, which is within the capabilities of modern drilling technologies, and similar to measured temperature–depth profiles in other active hydrothermal systems (e.g. at Kakkonda, Japan).     

Exploration and discovery in Yellowstone Lake: results from high-resolution sonar imaging, seismic reflection profiling, and submersible studies

‘No portion of the American continent is perhaps so rich in wonders as the Yellow Stone’ (F.V. Hayden, September 2, 1874)Discoveries from multi-beam sonar mapping and seismic reflection surveys of the northern, central, and West Thumb basins of Yellowstone Lake provide new insight into the extent of post-collapse volcanism and active hydrothermal processes occurring in a large lake environment above a large magma chamber. Yellowstone Lake has an irregular bottom covered with dozens of features directly related to hydrothermal, tectonic, volcanic, and sedimentary processes. Detailed bathymetric, seismic reflection, and magnetic evidence reveals that rhyolitic lava flows underlie much of Yellowstone Lake and exert fundamental control on lake bathymetry and localization of hydrothermal activity. Many previously unknown features have been identified and include over 250 hydrothermal vents, several very large (>500 m diameter) hydrothermal explosion craters, many small hydrothermal vent craters (1–200 m diameter), domed lacustrine sediments related to hydrothermal activity, elongate fissures cutting post-glacial sediments, siliceous hydrothermal spire structures, sublacustrine landslide deposits, submerged former shorelines, and a recently active graben. Sampling and observations with a submersible remotely operated vehicle confirm and extend our understanding of the identified features. Faults, fissures, hydrothermally inflated domal structures, hydrothermal explosion craters, and sublacustrine landslides constitute potentially significant geologic hazards. Toxic elements derived from hydrothermal processes also may significantly affect the Yellowstone ecosystem.     

西北干旱区深层岩溶地下水系统的水化学-同位素研究--以宁南“南北古脊梁”岩溶水系统为例

运用构造控水分析、水化学同位素等方法，对宁南“南北古脊梁”岩溶裂隙水系统进行了深入的分析与讨论。本区储水空间以岩溶裂隙为主，岩溶水的空间分布明显受南北向大型断裂构造控制。岩溶地下水以大气降水起源为主，并表现为多元水混合。水质分布呈南优北劣的分带特征，北部水-岩相互作用形式为溶滤-蒸发浓缩型，呈高矿化咸水；南部为溶滤-混合型，呈低矿化淡水。根据水动力场和水化学场特征，划分了3个相对独立的岩溶水子系统。     

中国油气储层地质研究面临的挑战和发展方向

论述了我国采取“稳定东部 ,发展西部”的油气战略后 ,油气地质所面临的形势 ,以及油气工业的发展对储层地质提出四个领域的挑战 :深部储层、挤压盆地储层、低渗透储层和碳酸盐岩储层 ;这些都是石油勘探开发中久攻不克的难题。根据我国陆上东西部油气区的勘探开发实际和近年的储层研究实践 ,文章系统多视角地分析了这四个难题 ,并提出了相应客观的研究思路和研究方向。     

Fluid flow and mineralization of Youjiang Basin in the Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi area, China

Comprehensive studies, based on isotope geochemistry of C, H, O, S and Sr, chronology, common element and trace element geochemistry of fluid inclusions for the epithermal Au, As, Sb and Hg deposits in the Youjiang Basin and its peripheral areas, suggested that the ore fluid was the basin fluid with abundant metallic elements and the large-scale fluid flow of the same source in the late Yenshan stage was responsible for huge epithermal mineralization and silicification. The ore fluid flowed from the basin to the platform between the basin and the platform and migrated from the inter-platform basin to the isolated platform in the Youjiang Basin. The synsedimentary faults and paleokast surface acted respectively as main conduits for vertical and lateral fluid flow.     

沉积盆地异常低压与低压油气藏成藏机理综述

地下异常低压主要有两种成因：抬升—剥蚀反弹和在介质孔隙度、渗透率非均质性条件下的区域地下水稳态流动，而化学渗透与流体“冷却”在低压形成中只起次要作用。根据圈闭类型、储盖组合及成藏过程，将低压油气藏分为三种类型：①常规地层型(除砂岩透镜体外)低压油气藏，低渗透岩石通常起遮挡作用，底水与边水不发育；②砂岩透镜体低压油气藏，通常分布于盆地中心的深部，具有不含水、充满油气的特点，油气的充注和水的排出与构造抬升之前压实作用、超压引起的水驱裂缝和毛细管力的作用有关，抬升—剥蚀引起的异常低压导致水由砂岩向页岩的流动有助于油气藏中水的排出；③深盆区低渗透储层低压气藏，通常分布在含水层的下倾方向(气水倒置)，异常低压是由于构造抬升致使超压向低压演化的结果。实例研究表明，构造抬升盆地中的低压系统是一个水动力相对封闭的体系，有利于油气的聚集与保存。     

高密度电法勘探在岩溶查找中的应用

介绍了武汉市汤逊湖污水处理厂厂址的地质概况和地球物理特征，以及高密度电法勘探的施工方案，分析了视电阻率异常特征，并说明了其异常验证情况。高密度电法勘探结果表明该区存在溶洞，为施工提供了决策依据，建议在有溶洞的地段采取相应措施，以防止工程建设后发生地质灾害。     

停止开采深层地下水 修复与改善生态环境

沧州市水资源短缺，深层地下水严重超采，已形成大面积区域地下水位降落漏斗，地面沉降已达2m，生态环境严重恶化．为保障经济社会的可持续发展，要积极引调地表水，开发利用地下咸水，加强雨洪控制利用，逐步替代最后终止深层地下水的开采。从根本上修复和改善生态环境。