Absence of Archean basement in the South Kunlun Block: Nd-Sr-O isotopic evidence from granitoids

Abstract   The West Kunlun mountain range along the northwestern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is crucial in understanding the early tectonic history of the region. It can be divided into the North and South Kunlun Blocks, of which the former is considered to be part of the Tarim Craton, whereas consensus was not reached on the nature and origin of the South Kunlun Block. Samples were collected from the 471 Ma Yirba Pluton, the 405 Ma North Kudi Pluton and the 214 Ma Arkarz Shan Intrusive Complex. These granitoids cover approximately 60% of the Kudi area in the South Kunlun Block. Sr, Nd, and O isotope compositions preclude significant involvement of mantle-derived magma in the genesis of these granitoids; therefore, they can be used to decipher the nature of lower–mid crust in the area. All samples give Mesoproterozoic Nd model ages (1.1–1.5 Ga) similar to those of the exposed metamorphic complex of this block but significantly different from those of the basement of the North Kunlun Block (2.8 Ga). This indicates that the South Kunlun Block does not have an Archean basement, and, thus, does not support the microcontinent model that suggests the South Kunlun Block was a microcontinent once separated from and later collided back with the North Kunlun Block.     

Paleoclimate Changes during the Early Oiigocene in the Hoh Xil Region, Northern Tibetan Plateau

Sedimentological, cyclic-stratigraphic, paleomagnetic, and clay-mineralogical studies on the early Oligocene Yaxicuo Group in the Hoh Xil Basin, the largest Cenozoic sedimentary basin in the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau, provide abundant information of paleoclimate changes. A 350-m thick section in the middle-lower Yaxicuo Group was analyzed to reveal the climatic history that occurred in the Hoh Xil region during the early Oligocene interval 31.30-30.35 Ma, dated with the paleomagnetic chronostratigraphy. The results indicate that add and cold climate dominated the Hoh Xil region during the early Oligocene in general, being related to the global cooling and drying events that occurred in the earliest Oligocene. Within this period, relatively warm and wet climate accompanied by strong tectonic activity occurred in the 31.05-30.75 Ma interval; while add and cold climate and relatively inactive tectonics occurred in the 31.30-31.05 and 30.75-30.35 Ma intervals. Furthermore, spectral analyses of high-temporal resolution paleoclimatic records show orbital periods including eccentricity, obliquity, and precession. It is concluded that paleoclimate changes during the early Oligocene in the Hoh Xil region were forced by both tectonic activity and orbital periods.     

The red bed controversy revisited: shape analysis of Colorado Plateau units suggests long magnetization times

Several Triassic and earliest Jurassic sedimentary units from the Colorado Plateau region have distributions of virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) that are highly elongate along the path of apparent polar wander (APW). This suggests that the remanent magnetizations measured in these units were acquired over an extended period of time, possibly approaching 35 m.y., and are not precisely coeval with the stratigraphic age of the rock. Comparison with other paleomagnetic studies shows that the observed elongation is not a general attribute of the age of the rock, nor is it related to paleolatitude. The rocks that yield elongate VGP distributions are dominantly red to brown mudstones, and it is possible that their remanence is dominated by a slowly acquired chemical remanent magnetization, as suggested by Larson et al. [J. Geophys. Res. 87 (1982) 1081] and other authors. However, several superficially similar units from the Colorado Plateau have nearly circular VGP distributions. The process by which remanence is acquired in clastic sedimentary rocks merits further study.     

A statistical approach to evaluating distance metrics and analog assignments for pollen records

The modern analog technique typically uses a distance metric to determine the dissimilarity between fossil and modern biological assemblages. Despite this quantitative approach, interpretation of distance metrics is usually qualitative and rules for selection of analogs tend to be ad hoc. We present a statistical tool, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, which provides a framework for identifying analogs from distance metrics. If modern assemblages are placed into groups (e.g., biomes), this method can (1) evaluate the ability of different distance metrics to distinguish among groups, (2) objectively identify thresholds of the distance metric for determining analogs, and (3) compute a likelihood ratio and a Bayesian probability that a modern group is an analog for an unknown (fossil) assemblage. Applied to a set of 1689 modern pollen assemblages from eastern North America classified into eight biomes, ROC analysis confirmed that the squared-chord distance (SCD) outperforms most other distance metrics. The optimal threshold increased when more dissimilar biomes were compared. The probability of an analog vs no-analog result (a likelihood ratio) increased sharply when SCD decreased below the optimal threshold, indicating a nonlinear relationship between SCD and the probability of analog. Probabilities of analog computed for a postglacial pollen record at Tannersville Bog (Pennsylvania, USA) identified transitions between biomes and periods of no analog.     

ENSO事件中纬向异常流反向与东西侧边界反射的联系

建立一个中等复杂程度的海-气耦合模式研究东、西边界反射,纬向平流项-u′(δ)(T+T′)/(δ)x在ENSO循环位相转换中的作用及东、西边界反射与纬向异常流(u′) 符号改变的关系.结果得到:u′超前Nio3区SSTA位相转变的原因是东、西边界反射造成的.Sverdrup 平衡时所产生的地转流(ur)与东、西边界反射所产生的地转流(ur)的方向在大部分时间里是相反的,同时ur与风应力强迫之间大约有9个月的滞后时间(Kelvin波从180°E出发经东边界反射产生的Rossby波到达180°E时间).在模式ENSO事件消亡过程中的某一时刻以后,边界反射产生的调整过程变为主要过程,u′主要由ur来决定,这样就造成了u′的反向先于Nio区SSTA的反向.它实际上是海洋的调整过程与风应力强迫之间滞后关系的一种反映.敏感性数值试验表明,取消东边界反射,耦合模式能够模拟ENSO循环,但其周期比控制试验的周期短一年(3年).取消-u′(δ)(T+T′)/(δ)x,耦合模式能够模拟ENSO循环,但其周期比控制试验的周期长2年(6年).     

西北地区东部春季土壤湿度变化的初步研究

利用中国西北地区东部 (包括宁夏、内蒙古西部以及甘肃、陕西两省 35°N以北地区 )农业气象站近 2 0年固定地段旬土壤湿度资料 ,对该地区春季土壤湿度的变化进行了初步分析。结果表明 ,中国西北地区东部土壤湿度的变化具有 3年左右的周期 ,而且 2 0世纪 90年代以来呈下降的趋势 ,这与该地区的降水和气温变化有关系 ;西北地区东部的土壤湿度变化对该地区群发性沙尘暴的爆发有一定影响     

青藏高原上中尺度对流系统(MCSs)的个例分析及其比较

对1995年7月25—28日高原上连续数日出现MCSs的现象进行了红外云图特征及其演变、大尺度环境背景场和对流有效位能的分析。可以发现，所有这些MCSs有着相似的日变化演变过程；它们的初始对流在中午由于日射加热开始活跃，之后迅速发展，这些MCSs在后下午形成，在傍晚达到最强，之后逐渐减弱。其中26日MCS最为强大，它是在单一的强大的近于圆形的高原反气旋高压背景下受强的低层热力强迫和条件不稳定的驱动而发生的。这些发生条件都与高原本身的热力作用紧密相关，所以它的发生发展主要与高原特有的较为纯粹的热力因子相联系。28日MCS是另一个很强的MCS，它明显地受到中纬度西风槽的斜压区的影响，这二个很强的MCS有着不同的发展机制和显著不同的表现特征。     

松潘-甘孜造山带地壳速度结构

位于川西地区的奔子栏——唐克深地震测深剖面以NNE走向穿越松潘——甘孜造山带．根据人工地震记录分析得到的震相走时和相关的振幅信息，确定了该剖面二维P波地壳速度结构．剖面的地壳结构可分为5层，其中第1，2，3层为上地壳；第4，5层为下地壳．上地壳中部普遍存在低速异常带，但龙日坝以北，这一低速带与其上覆的低速基底合为一体．同时，沿剖面的地壳速度结构具有较强的横向变化．据此，可将剖面分为4段，即甘孜——理塘断裂以南、甘孜——理塘断裂至鲜水河断裂、鲜水河断裂至龙日坝断裂和龙日坝断裂以北. 这与区域构造划分基本一致． 地壳厚度沿测线从南西向北东逐渐减薄，即从金沙江畔的62 km减小到黄河附近的52 km． 根据PmP震相分析，莫霍界面深度在鲜水河断裂两侧没有明显变化．全剖面的地壳平均速度较低，为6.30 km/s．奔子栏——唐克剖面揭示了该地区的造山带型地壳上地幔结构特征．鲜水河断裂带位于剖面的中部，该地区的上地壳速度为正异常，而下地壳和上地幔顶部存在负异常．笔者认为，这是一类有利于强震孕育和发生的深部构造环境．      

青藏及邻区新生代火山活动及构造演化

青藏高原是现今地球动力学和地质演化研究的一个热点。该区火山活动受中 -新生代以来高原深部地球物理 -化学反应的控制 ,是多种因素相互作用所表现的形式和结果。本区既有富钾质的 (主导 ) ,也有富钠质的火山岩 (次要 ) ;既有喷发熔岩流 (主导 ) ,也有一些浅源上侵的次火山岩体 ;火山活动发育在古近纪、新近纪与第四纪 ,而最强烈的发生在中新世期间。本区钠质和钾质两类火山岩在形成环境和时代上有很大的差异 :前者一般发育在古新世—始新世 (6 0～ 4 0MaBP) ,而后者主要形成在渐新世—中新世 (30～ 10MaBP) ;存在着钠质—钾质—酸性次火山岩的演化过程 ;大体上可划分为西羌塘、北羌塘、可可西里、中昆仑、西昆仑等 5个火山岩省。本文对比了青藏高原及邻区甘肃礼县和云南三岩区 (金沙江北段、腾冲和滇东南地区 )新生代火山岩的岩石组合、同位素年代学以及地球化学特征 ,大量的证据表明 ,这些火山岩形成在原始地幔、或“壳 -幔过渡带”或陆壳基底等源区。在实际考察和综合研究的基础上 ,探讨了岩石圈的区域构造特征及其与高原隆升的关系等     

长江巨洪的强信号探讨

分析了1900年以来长江3次巨洪的3个强信号：(1)太阳黑子活动，(2)厄尔尼诺事件，(3)青藏高原南部大震，它们对大气环流异常的影响分别称为日气作用、海气作用、地气作用，依据长江巨洪和3个强信号的基本事实，讨论了长江发生巨洪的统计规律，指出当3个强信号的出现时间互相重叠时，长江很可能发生巨洪，如果再叠加其它信号，长江发生巨洪的量级更大，这对长江巨洪的超长期预期具有重要的指示作用。