The quaternary glacial history of the Lahul Himalaya,northern India

This paper presents the first glacial chronology for the Lahul Himalaya, Northern India. The oldest glaciation, the Chandra Glacial Stage, is represented by glacially eroded benches at altitudes greater than 4300 m above sea-level. This glaciation was probably of a broad valley type. The second glaciation, the Batal Glacial Stage, is represented by highly weathered and dissected lateral moraines, which are present along the Chandra valley and some of its tributaries. This was an extensive valley glaciation. The third major glaciation, the Kulti Glacial Stage, is represented by well-preserved moraines in the main tributary valleys of the Chandra valley. This represents a less extensive valley glaciation. Two minor glacial advances, the Sonapani I and II, are represented by small sharp-crested moraines, which are within a few hundred metres or few kilometres of the present-day glaciers. The change in style and extent of glaciation is attributed to an increase in aridity throughout the Quaternary, due either to global climatic change or uplift of the Pir Panjal mountains to the south of Lahul, which restricted the northward penetration of the south Asian summer monsoon. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

云南楚雄盆地上三叠统沉积及地球化学的海相特征

楚雄盆地为中生代形成的典型前陆盆地。三叠纪是其形成的主体阶段和盆山转换的重要时期,也是由海相向陆相沉积环境的转折期,同时上三叠统是楚雄盆地最重要的油气资源层系。通过对楚雄盆地上三叠统进行系统的沉积学、层序地层学和波动地质学分析,在上三叠统识别出3个三级层序,建立了层序地层格架和高频波动曲线。对层序地层格架内的碳、氧同位素和微量元素的特征进行分析,发现楚雄盆地晚三叠世诺利晚期—瑞替期沉积具有海相沉积环境的地球化学特征,同时综合多学科的研究成果,指出楚雄盆地该时期为一与海域相接的近海湖盆,并受到间歇性海侵的影响。而海相烃源岩与陆相烃源岩在生烃能力、分布规律等方面均具有较大的差异。因此,这一认识对于重新评价楚雄盆地晚三叠世烃源岩具有重要意义。     

东亚季风气候对Heinrich2事件的响应:来自石笋的高分辨率记录

据湖北省神农架天鹅洞一支石笋11个230Th年龄和254个δ18O数据,建立了28.5～22.0kaB.P.同位素分辨率平均约30a的东亚季风气候变化序列。该石笋δ18O曲线与南京葫芦洞石笋记录在重叠时段基本一致,说明本区石笋δ18O反映了区域性东亚季风经向环流特征。在24.3kaB.P.左右,石笋δ18O明显正偏,持续时间近1ka,指示一次显著的弱夏季风事件,与北大西洋倒数第二次冰漂碎屑事件(Heinrich2)同步发生,可视为东亚季风气候对H2事件的响应。高分辨率的δ18O序列揭示了H2事件的内部结构特征:(1)事件发生的突变性,石笋δ18O记录指示事件发生时在100a内δ18O从-8.59‰迅速正偏为-6.75‰,振幅达1.84‰;(2)事件结束的渐变性,δ18O正偏到-6.75‰后便以阶梯状缓慢负偏到-8.86‰至事件结束,持续时间近900a。这一过程与末次盛冰期东亚季风气候H1事件表现的季风强弱转换方式基本一致,说明末次盛冰期东亚季风气候H型事件具有共同的内部结构特征。研究表明,末次盛冰期东亚季风气候H事件的突变可能受北大西洋驱动并经青藏高原冰川变化放大。     

井资料高分辨率层序地层学

在准层序中进行层组一级地层单元的识别和对比是高分辨率层序地层学研究的主要难点.提出了一种综合应用井资料进行层组界面识别和对比的新方法.通过测井曲线形态特征、岩心观察、铸体薄片、X衍射、扫描电镜分析、FMI测井资料, 对工区内钙质夹层成因、泥岩电阻率差异、储层电阻率和海拔深度关系进行了研究.结果表明: 钙质夹层单层厚度在0.5~2m之间, 靠近风化壳和断层位置单层厚度大, 分布在水下分支河道底部和河口坝顶部; 低阻泥岩(4~5Ω·m)和高阻泥岩(> 10Ω·m) 分别来源于不同的沉积物源或者形成于不同的沉积相带; 储层电阻率随着海拔深度的增加而增加.因此, 钙质夹层可以作为层组界面识别和对比的标志, 利用泥岩电阻率差异可以确定层组的叠置关系, 判断储层连通性.据此, 建立了准噶尔盆地石南地区西山窑组含油层段等时地层格架, 确定了格架内储层的连通性及油水界面, 并且通过MDT测井资料进行了验证.在此等时地层格架内, 层组的发育顺序、叠置关系、空间展布形态、以及彼此之间的连通性都被定性、定量的表征出来.      

燕山地区新元古界青白口系沉积层序与地层格架研究

燕山地区是中国新元古界青白口系出露最好、层序较为完整的地区。从沉积特征研究入手,确定了各种沉积相、微相及沉积序列,在区内青白口系划分出4种沉积体系及5种沉积相、12种沉积亚相、16种微相。对副层序的主要类型及其特征进行了分析,结合层序界面和最大海泛面的研究,将区内青白口系划分出3个层序。在层序划分和对比基础上建立了燕山地区青白口纪的地层沉积格架并对其古地理演化进行了探讨。认为燕山青白口纪的沉积为华北陆块上真正的盖层沉积。     

Adding the missing third and fourth dimensions to trajectory analysis in carbonate systems

We developed a seismic geomorphology-based procedure to enhance traditional trajectory analysis with the ability to visualize and quantify lateral variability along carbonate prograding-margin types (ramps and rimmed shelves) in 3D and 4D. This quantitative approach analysed the shelf break geometric evolution of the Oligo-Miocene carbonate clinoform system in the Browse Basin and delineated the feedback between antecedent topography and carbonate system response as controlling factor on shelf break rugosity. Our geometrical analysis identified a systematic shift in the large-scale average shelf break strike direction over a transect of 10 km from 62° to 55° in the Oligo-Miocene interval of the Browse Basin, which is likely controlled by far-field allogenic forcing from the Timor Trough collision zone. Plotting of 3D shelf break trajectories represents a convenient way to visualize the lateral variability in shelf break evolution. Shelf break trajectories that indicate contemporaneous along-strike progradation and retrogradation correlate with phases of autogenic slope system re-organization and may be a proxy for morphological stability of the shelf break. Shelf break rugosity and shelf break trajectory rugosity are not inherited parameters and antecedent topography does not dictate long-term differential movement of the shelf margin through successive depositional sequences. The autogenic carbonate system response to antecedent topography smooths high-rugosity areas by filling accommodation and maintains a relatively constant shelf break rugosity of ~150 m. Color-coding of the vertical component in the shelf break trajectory captures the creation and filling of accommodation, and highlights areas of the transect that are likely to yield inconsistent 2D sequence stratigraphic interpretations.     

Quantifying sand delivery to deep water during changing sea-level: Numerical models from the Quaternary Brazos Icehouse continental margin

Sequence stratigraphy for clastic continental margins predicts the development of sand-rich turbidite deposits during specific times in relation to base-level cycles. It is now widely understood that deltas can extend to the shelf-edge forced by high sediment flux and/or base level, providing a direct connection to transfer sediment and sand to the slope and basin floor even during high base level periods. Herein, we build a stratigraphic forward model for the last 120 kyr of the fluvio-deltaic to deep-water Brazos system (USA) where sediment partitioning along an Icehouse continental margin can be evaluated. The reduced-complexity stratigraphic forward model employs geologically constrained input parameters and mass balance. The modelled architecture is consistent with the location of depositional units previously mapped in the shelf. Sand bypasses the shelf and upper slope between 35 to 15 kyr before present and only about 20%–30% of all the sediment and sand supplied to the system is transferred to deep water. Several scenarios based on the initial Brazos model investigate the relationships between base level and deep-water sand ratio (DWSR). DWSR is defined as the relative amount of sand transferred to the deep-water portions of the system subdivided by the total sand input to the model. Linear correlations between DWSR and base level change rates or base level are very poor. Short-term variability due to local processes (for example avulsions) is superimposed to the long-term trends and mask the base level signal. DWSR for an entire base-level cycle is mainly controlled by the proportion of time the delta stays docked at the shelf-edge. Stratigraphic forward models are useful to complement field observations and quantify how different processes control stratigraphy, which is important for making predictions in areas with limited information.     

On the use of geochronology of detrital grains in determining the time of deposition of clastic sedimentary strata

Placing geologic events in a temporal framework is essential to telling the story of Earth history. However, clastic sedimentary rocks can be difficult to date in an absolute reference because they are made up of grains that are older than the rock in which they are now found, and some clastic rocks do not contain fossils that allow precise reference to the Geologic Timescale. For such rocks, the isotopic dating of detrital minerals can be used to estimate the time of deposition; the clastic rock must be younger than the youngest grain analysed. However, many researchers eschew this simple and straightforward approach in favour of schemes that estimate the maximum allowable depositional age as the weighted mean of the age of several grains, chosen by a variety of selection criteria. This is a mistake; in the absence of a geochemical resemblance apart from the similarity of their age, detrital grains should not be assumed to have originated in the same system and therefore any averaging or other manipulation of such data is statistically invalid and produces results without geologic significance. In the absence of interbedded volcanic rocks or index fossils, dating of detrital minerals can be an important aid in understanding the time of deposition of clastic rocks, but the best estimate will come from taking note of the youngest single grain and not by inappropriately averaging data.     

Climatically controlled lacustrine clinoforms: Theory and modelling results

Lacustrine basins and their deposits are good paleoclimate recorders and contain rich energy resources. Shelf-margin clinoforms do exist in deep lacustrine basins, but with striking differences from those in deep marine basins, caused by a correlation between the river-derived sediment supply and the lake level. This study uses empirical relationships to calculate the water and sediment discharge from rivers and coeval lake level during wet–dry cycles at 10 s of ky time scale. Sediment supply and lake-level changes are used for a stratigraphic forward model to understand how lacustrine clinoforms develop under different climate conditions. The results show that both wet and dry cycles can be associated with thick deep-water fan deposits, supporting the existing climate-driven lacustrine model proposed based on field data (e.g. Neogene Pannonian Basin and Eocene Uinta Basin). The wet period with high sediment supply and rising lake level creates the highly aggradational shelf, progradational slope and thick bottomset deposits. This is contrary from marine basin settings where the presence of rising shelf-margin trajectory commonly indicates limited deep-water fan deposits. This work suggests marine-based stratigraphic models cannot be directly applied to lacustrine basins.     

Characterisation and preliminary quantification of the methane reservoir in a coastal sedimentary source: San Simón Bay,Ría de Vigo,NW Spain

Ría de Vigo is a river valley flooded by the sea, with a bay (San Simón Bay) at its innermost part. The accumulation of Holocene sediment in San Simón Bay has been studied by the integration of 1) large scale high resolution seismic data, and 2) detailed geochemical analysis of a gravity core. In San Simón Bay the majority of the seismic records are obscured by acoustic turbidity which represents gassy sediments, but on records from Rande Strait it is possible to distinguish two Quaternary seismic sequences; an Upper Pleistocene sequence (SQ1) and a Holocene sequence (SQ2). Only SQ2 is recognized in San Simón Bay where it is comprised of two seismic units; the upper unit represents the HST sediment, i.e. the period of highest sea level. A gravity core taken within the gassy zone at 10 m water depth provided 3.55 m of fine-grained sediments (muds) from the youngest seismic unit (4 m thick). Geochemical analysis show high values (4 to 10%) of TOC. Sediment and porewater analyses indicate a distinct sulphate–methane transition zone (SMTZ) between 60 and 80 cm where sulphate is depleted (to <1.7 mM) and methane increases (to >0.4 mM). The top of the acoustic turbidity (the gas front) at 80 cm corresponds to the lower limit of the SMTZ. The methane cannot have been derived from the underlying metamorphic and granitic rocks, but was probably derived by microbial degradation of the organic matter in the Holocene sediments. We estimate that the sediments of the Bay contain approximately 1.8 × 10⁶ m³ of organic carbon and 275 ton of methane.