A Titanosaurian Sauropod Dinosaur with Opisthocoelous Caudal Vertebrae from the Early Late Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, China

We describe a new titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur, Borealosaurus wimani gen. et sp. nov., based on a distinctive mid-distal caudal vertebra from the early Late Cretaceous Sunjiawan Formation exposed in the Shuangmiao village of Beipiao in Liaoning, China. We provisionally refer an isolated tooth crown, a middle caudal vertebra, and a right humerus from the same locality and horizon to this taxon. Borealosaurus is distinguished from other sauropods in its possession of opisthocoelous mid-distal caudal vertebrae. The occurrence of opisthocoelous caudals in Borealosaurus and the Mongolian sauropod Opisthocoelicaudia raises the possibility that these taxa pertain to an as-yet unrecognized titanosaurian subclade endemic to the Cretaceous Asia.     

Low‐temperature primordial gas in merging halos

The thermal regime of the baryons behind shock waves arising in the process of virialization of dark matter halos is governed at certain conditions by radiation of HD lines. A small fraction of the shocked gas can cool down to the temperature of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). We estimate an upper limit for this fraction: at z = 10 it increases sharply from about q_T ∼ 10^–3 for dark halos of M = 5 × 10⁷ M_⊙ to ∼ 0.1 for halos with M = 10⁸ M_⊙. Further increase of the halo mass does not lead however to a significant growth of q_T – the asymptotic value for M ≫ 10⁸ M_⊙ is 0.3. We estimate the star formation rate associated with such shock waves, and show that they can provide a small but not negligible fraction of the star formation. We argue that extremely metal‐poor low‐mass stars in the Milky Way may have been formed from primordial gas behind such shocks. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The first galaxies: assembly, cooling and the onset of turbulence

We investigate the properties of the first galaxies at   z ≳ 10  with highly resolved numerical simulations, starting from cosmological initial conditions and taking into account all relevant primordial chemistry and cooling. A first galaxy is characterized by the onset of atomic hydrogen cooling, once the virial temperature exceeds  ≃10⁴ K  , and its ability to retain photoheated gas. We follow the complex accretion and star formation history of a  ≃5 × 10⁷ M_⊙  system by means of a detailed merger tree and derive an upper limit on the number of Population III (Pop III) stars formed prior to its assembly. We investigate the thermal and chemical evolution of infalling gas and find that partial ionization at temperatures  ≳10⁴ K  catalyses the formation of  H₂  and hydrogen deuteride, allowing the gas to cool to the temperature of the cosmic microwave background. Depending on the strength of radiative and chemical feedback, primordial star formation might be dominated by intermediate-mass Pop III stars formed during the assembly of the first galaxies. Accretion on to the nascent galaxy begins with hot accretion, where gas is accreted directly from the intergalactic medium and shock heated to the virial temperature, but is quickly accompanied by a phase of cold accretion, where the gas cools in filaments before flowing into the parent halo with high velocities. The latter drives supersonic turbulence at the centre of the galaxy and could lead to very efficient chemical mixing. The onset of turbulence in the first galaxies thus likely marks the transition to Pop II star formation.     

Mary Anning,Alfred Nicholson Leeds and Steve Etches. Comparing the three most important UK ‘amateur’ fossil collectors and their collections

Mary Anning, Alfred Nicholson Leeds and Steve Etches form part of a long line of individuals who furnished a substantial addition to our understanding of marine and terrestrial ecosystems through collecting significant numbers of superb fossils. For all three collectors, fossils became a factor that dominated their lives, and their fossil collecting led to the discovery of numerous taxa new to science. Extensive collecting was made possible by the fortunate circumstances of living ‘in the right place at the right time’, close to fine-grained UK Jurassic deposits (Lagerstätten) with well-preserved large Jurassic marine reptiles. All three were highly-motivated and developed a considerable skill sets for discovering, collecting, preparing, conserving and displaying fossils. They developed personal and professional interactions with family and friends, and university and museum professionals, although their collecting resulted in variable recognition of their work. Each collector can be considered a complex mix of amateur and professional: Mary Anning, a professional fossil collector and amateur palaeontologist; Alfred Leeds transitioned from amateur to professional fossil collector, but remained an amateur palaeontologist; and Steve Etches has remained an amateur fossil collector and palaeontologist. However, all three exhibited an entirely professional outlook to collecting, and should be considered professionals of the highest degree. The impact of Mary Anning, Alfred Nicholson Leeds and Steve Etches has been critical for the development of Palaeontology as a science, and without whom palaeontology, with all its associated benefits to a wide scientific and non-scientific audience, would not be as rich as we currently know it.     

The Jurassic Coast Story Book: An approach to geoheritage interpretation from the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site

The World Heritage status of the Jurassic Coast has important implications for how the geoheritage of the site is communicated to audiences. UNESCO defines World Heritage Sites as places with Outstanding Universal Value to all people that must be preserved for future generations. Building relationships between people and place is key to conservation and on the Jurassic Coast that is delivered by providing audiences with physical, intellectual and emotional access to the Site. Heritage interpretation offers an effective way to develop these connections and create diverse ways for people to engage with the unique Earth Science stories that underpin the World Heritage Status of the Dorset and East Devon Coast. This paper reflects on the approach to interpretation taken by the Jurassic Coast Team and explores the ways in which geoheritage is a challenging subject to interpret. Practitioners on the Jurassic Coast have more recently developed an interpretive approach to help overcome these difficulties. Three categories of geoheritage stories were identified (Landscape, Cultural geology and Earth History) and three interpretive principles were devised (perspective, intimacy and imagination) as a way of scoping out a relevant emotional context for interpretive content. This approach laid the foundation for the development of a new interpretation framework for the Jurassic Coast – The Jurassic Coast Story Book, which will be subject to ongoing testing and evaluation by the new organisation leading on the protection and promotion of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site; Jurassic Coast Trust.     

Evolution of the depositional environments of the Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures,Surat Basin,Queensland, Australia

The Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures of the Surat Basin in eastern Australia host the continent's most significant coal bed methane resources. Previous studies have interpreted the Walloon Coal Measures within a single depositional facies model encompassing a wholly terrestrial setting. Using a multidisciplinary approach (facies analysis, palynology and wireline logs), the evolution of the Walloon Coal Measures is described within a new chronostratigraphic framework defined by accurate and precise U–Pb tuff dates. Analysis of sedimentary facies indicates that the majority of the Walloon Coal Measures was deposited by relatively small (<300 m wide), low gradient rivers on a poorly‐drained floodplain with numerous small lakes and mires. However, this study also identified some marine‐influenced facies with brackish palynomorphs (notably dinoflagellate cysts) and tidal sedimentary structures. These facies appear to have been deposited in estuaries during times of transgression. The evidence for base level shifts suggests that the coals may not have coevally accumulated with at least some of the thicker sandstones. Palaeogeographic maps for eleven time intervals suggest that rivers drained towards to the south/south‐west and south‐east, as indicated by sandstone percentage and gross unit isopach maps, presumably into proximal estuarine complexes. Marine incursions into the continent probably came from the north and east during times of high eustatic sea level and as precursors to those of the more persistent and extensive transgressions of the Early Cretaceous. A similar multidisciplinary approach should help to elucidate the evolution of other fluviolacustrine systems in other basins and aid in resource prediction.     

Stratigraphic evolution of the nearshore to fluvial plain of the Upper Cuyo Group,Neuquén,Argentina

The upper portion of the Cuyo Group in the Zapala region, south‐eastern Neuquén Basin (Western Argentina), encompasses marine and transitional deposits (Lajas Formation) overlain by alluvial rocks (Challacó Formation). The Challacó Formation is covered by the Mendoza Group above a second‐order sequence boundary. The present study presents the stratigraphic framework and palaeophysiographic evolution of this Bajocian to Eo‐Calovian interval. The studied succession comprises the following genetic facies associations: (i) offshore and lower shoreface–offshore transition; (ii) lower shoreface; (iii) upper shoreface; iv) intertidal–subtidal; (v) supratidal–intertidal; (vi) braided fluvial to delta plain; (vii) meandering river; and (viii) braided river. The stratigraphic framework embraces four third‐order depositional sequences (C1 to C4) whose boundaries are characterized by the abrupt superposition of proximal over distal facies associations. Sequences C1 to C3 comprise mostly littoral deposits and display well‐defined, small‐scale transgressive–regressive cycles associated with fourth‐order depositional sequences. Such high‐frequency cycles are usually bounded by ravinement surfaces associated with transgressive lags. At last, the depositional sequence C4 delineates an important tectonic reorganization probably associated with an uplift of the Huincul Ridge. This is suggested by an inversion of the transport trend, north‐westward during the deposition of C1 to C3 depositional sequences (Lajas Formation) to a south‐west trend during the deposition of the braided fluvial strata related to the C4 depositional sequence (Challacó Formation).     

中阿尔泰造山带北缘早泥盆世构造环境探讨:来自托普色克他乌地区过铝质花岗岩年代学和地球化学的制约

中阿尔泰造山带北缘早泥盆世花岗岩的年代学和地球化学研究,对探讨该地区早泥盆世构造格架和演化过程具有重要意义。针对侵入于喀纳斯群哲里开特组的托普色克他乌花岗闪长岩体进行LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb定年,获得其^( 206)Pb/²³⁸U加权平均年龄为404 Ma±3.2 Ma(MSWD=0.32),为早泥盆世岩浆活动的产物。全岩地球化学分析表明,岩石具有高硅(w_SiO2     

准噶尔盆地南缘前陆冲断带深层地质结构及对油气藏的控制作用:以霍尔果斯—玛纳斯—吐谷鲁褶皱冲断带为例

准噶尔盆地南缘前陆冲断带位于天山北麓,在晚新生代强烈的挤压作用下,地表发育数排背斜带。由于构造变形复杂、地震反射成像质量较差,对深层地质结构争议较大,另外前新生代盆地原型对晚新生代以来的褶皱冲断带构造格局的影响也尚未探讨。霍尔果斯—玛纳斯—吐谷鲁(简称霍-玛-吐)褶皱冲断带位于准噶尔盆地南缘前陆冲断带地表第二排背斜带,利用最新采集和处理的地震反射资料,并结合地表地质露头建立深层构造模型;利用平衡地质剖面复原和构造物理模拟实验的方法探索早侏罗世盆地原型结构对现今褶皱冲断带构造格局的影响;在此基础上分析霍-玛-吐褶皱冲断带深层天然气富集规律。霍-玛-吐褶皱冲断带垂向上发育古近系—第四系逆冲推覆构造、中上侏罗统—白垩系构造楔和下侏罗统半地堑断陷结构。控制早侏罗世半地堑系统的高角度正断层在晚期挤压构造变形体系中充当逆断坡,并控制上覆构造楔和浅层逆冲推覆构造的发育。早侏罗世半地堑系统具有分段性,并通过侧向断坡进行连接,侧向断坡上覆地层发育南北向走滑调节断层。油气勘探现状表明,霍-玛-吐褶皱冲断带内部南北向走滑调节断层具有高效沟通下侏罗统烃源岩的特点,是控制天然气的富集的重要因素。以上研究表明,中西部陆内前陆冲断带前新生代古构造对于晚新生代挤压冲断构造格局和深层天然气富集规律具有重要意义。     

基于信息量法的地质灾害气象风险预警模型:以甘肃省陇南地区为例

地质灾害气象风险预警是目前地质灾害防治研究领域的难点和热点。陇南地区是中国地质灾害造成人员财产损失和受灾害威胁最严重的区域之一,为精细化和准确化预报陇南地区地质灾害风险,在ArcGIS平台将研究区划分为250 m×250 m的栅格单元,使用信息量法选取9个影响因素进行地质环境敏感性评价,结合有效降雨量构建地质灾害气象风险预警模型;该模型通过6次历史降雨事件引发的156起地质灾害验证,预报准确率为83.42%,提高了研究区内地质灾害风险预警精度。该研究基于信息量法的地质环境敏感性分区客观合理,综合考虑下垫面和气象要素的第二代预警模型在类似地区的应用,有较高的准确性和适用性。