Stable isotope study of the Archaean rocks of the Vredefort impact structure,central Kaapvaal Craton,South Africa

The Vredefort dome in the Kaapvaal Craton was formed as a result of the impact of a large meteorite at 2.02 Ga. The central core of Archaean granitic basement rocks is surrounded by a collar of uplifted and overturned strata of the Witwatersrand Supergroup, exposing a substantial depth section of the Archaean crust. Orthogneisses of the core show little variation in whole-rock δ ¹⁸O value, with the majority being between 8 and 10‰, with a mean of 9.2‰ (n = 35). Quartz and feldspar have per mil differences that are consistent with O-isotope equilibrium at high temperatures, suggesting minimal interaction with fluids during subsequent cooling. These data refute previous suggestions that the Outer Granite Gneiss (OGG) and Inlandsee Leucogranofels (ILG) of the core represent middle and lower crust, respectively. Granulite-facies greenstone remnants from the ILG have δ ¹⁸O values that are on average 1.5‰ higher than the ILG host rocks and are unlikely, therefore, to represent the residuum from the partial melting event that formed the host rock. Witwatersrand Supergroup sedimentary rocks of the collar, which were metamorphosed at greenschist-to amphibolite-facies conditions, generally have lower δ ¹⁸O values than the core rocks with a mean value for metapelites of 7.7‰ (n = 45). Overall, through an ∼20 km thick section of crust, there is a general increase in whole-rock δ ¹⁸O value with increasing depth. This is the reverse of what is normal in the crust, largely because the collar rocks have δ ¹⁸O values that are unusually low in comparison with metamorphosed sedimentary rocks worldwide. The collar rocks have δD values ranging from −35 to −115‰ (average −62‰, n = 29), which are consistent with interaction with water of meteoric origin, having a δD of about −25 to −45‰. We suggest that fluid movement through the collar rocks was enhanced by impact-induced secondary permeability in the dome structure. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Microbial release of potassium from K-bearing minerals by thermophilic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus

A strain of thermophilic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus was cultured with K-bearing minerals to determine if microbe-mineral interactions enhance the release of mineralic potassium. Experiments were carried out in two settings, one with the mineral grains and the fungal cells in direct contact, and the other employing a membrane (pore size 0.22 μm) to separate the two. Measurements over a period of 30 days showed that, irrespective of the experimental setup, the concentration of free K in the culture was drastically higher than those in any of the control experiments where no living organism was present. Moreover, the occurrence of mineral-cell physical contact enhanced potassium release by an additional factor of 3 to 4 in comparison to the separation experiments. For contact experiments, Electron Probe Microanalysis revealed the formation of mycelium-mineral aggregates, and Atomic Force Microscopy imaging further indicated the possible ingestion of mineral particles by the fungus cells. Contrasting to what was observed and expected in control experiments, the potassium solubilization rate showed a positive dependence upon pH when fungi and minerals were mixed directly, and exhibited no correlations with solution acidity if cell-rock contact was restrained. These results appear to suggest that A. fumigatus promoted potassium release by means of at least three likely routes, one through the complexation of soluble organic ligands, another appealing to the immobile biopolymers such as the insoluble components of secretion, and the third related to the mechanical forces in association with the direct physical contact between cells and mineral particles.     

Integrating diverse methods to understand climate-land interactions in East Africa

The questions of how land use change affects climate, and how climate change affects land use, require examination of societal and environmental systems across space at multiple scales, from the global climate to regional vegetative dynamics to local decision making by farmers and herders. It also requires an analysis of causal linkages and feedback loops between systems. These questions and the conceptual approach of the research design of the Climate-Land Interaction Project (CLIP) are rooted in the classical human-environment research tradition in Geography.This paper discusses a methodological framework to quantify the two-way interactions between land use and regional climate systems, using ongoing work by a team of multi-disciplinary scientists examining climate-land dynamics at multiple scales in East Africa. East Africa is a region that is undergoing rapid land use change, where changes in climate would have serious consequences for people’s livelihoods, and requiring new coping and land use strategies. The research involves exploration of linkages between two important foci of global change research, namely, land use/land cover (LULC) and climate change. These linkages are examined through modeling agricultural systems, land use driving forces and patterns, the physical properties of land cover, and the regional climate. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are being used to illustrate a diverse pluralism in scientific discovery.     

Numerical modeling of tide-surge interaction along Orissa coast of India

The Orissa coast of India is one of the most vulnerable regions of extreme sea levels associated with severe tropical cyclones. There was extensive loss of life and property due to the October 1999 super cyclone, which devastated large part of the Orissa coast. The shallow nature of the head bay, presence of a large number of deltas formed by major rivers of Orissa such as Mahanadi and Dhamra, and high tidal range are responsible for storm surge flooding in the region. Specifically, rising and falling tidal phases influence the height, duration, and arrival time of peak surge along the coast. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the tide-surge interaction during the 1999 Orissa cyclone by using nonlinear vertically integrated numerical models. The pure tidal solution for the head bay region of the Bay of Bengal provides the initial condition for the fine resolution nested grid Orissa model. However, the feedback from the Orissa model does not affect the head bay model as the study provides a one-way interaction. Numerical experiments are performed to study the tide-surge interaction by considering various relative phases of the tidal waves with the surge-wave produced by 1999 Orissa cyclone. The comparison, although utilizing only the limited estimates of tidal data, appears adequate to assert that the principal features are reproduced correctly.     

邹平王家庄铜矿床成矿地球化学及成因探讨

王家庄铜矿床的矿化脉石英中流体包裹体均一温度介于116 ~ 566 ℃之间,均值为 289 ℃;盐度介于7.2%～63.2% NaCleq,均值为21.1% NaCleq。流体的气相成分主要为H2O和CO2。在均一温度为240 ~ 440 ℃区间内,出现了富气相的两相水溶液包裹体、富液相的两相水溶液包裹体和含子晶的三相水溶液包裹体共存现象,以及加温后富气相包裹体均一到气相和同期富液相包裹体均一到液相的特征,表明成矿流体曾发生过沸腾作用;其中第一次发生于360 ~ 400 ℃,主要形成高温、高盐度含子晶的三相水溶液包裹体和高温、中盐度富液相的两相水溶液包裹体及高温、低盐度富气相的两相水溶液包裹体;第二次发生于240 ~ 320 ℃,主要形成高—中温、高盐度的含子晶的三相水溶液包裹体和高—中温、中盐度富液相的两相水溶液包裹体及高—中温、低盐度富气相的两相水溶液包裹体;之后主要形成富液相的两相水溶液包裹体,具有中低温和中盐度的特征。矿化脉石英中的δ18OH2O介于-1.14‰ ~ 1.79‰之间,均值为0.94‰;δD介于-63.70‰ ~ -56.50‰之间,均值为-59.8‰;说明王家庄铜矿床的成矿流体主要来源于岩浆,后期混入大气降水。矿石矿物的δ34S变化于-8.80‰ ~ -2.80‰之间,均值为-6.33‰。矿石矿物的n(206Pb)/n(204Pb)介于18.1684 ~ 18.3637之间,均值为18.2892;n(207Pb)/n(204Pb)介于155546 ~ 156342之间,均值为155777;n(208Pb)/n(204Pb)介于38.1286 ~ 38.4840之间,均值为38.2780。说明矿石具有贫重硫和富放射性成因铅的特征,硫、铅主要来源于深部,后期可能受到地壳物质或大气降水的混染。     

内蒙阿右旗铁板井镍矿矿床特征及成因探讨

铁板井绦矿床赋存于辉橄岩体中,辉橄岩体具有全岩矿化的特点,岩体及镍矿体的形成经历了三种不同的成矿过程:首先是岩浆深源液态重力分异作用,而后发生岩浆深源熔离-贯入(成岩、成矿)作用,形成岩体和镍矿体,最后在岩浆期后热液作用的叠加下完成整个成矿过程.该矿床是典型的主要由岩浆熔离作用形成的岩浆矿床.     

引水工程秦巴段隧洞地应力模拟及工程地质问题

利用Ansys有限元软件对三峡引水工程秦巴段线路不同深度、不同截面形态隧洞围岩的应力重分布情况进行模拟计算,得到圆形隧洞、城门形隧洞和马蹄形隧洞围岩的应力数值和等值线图.利用库仑一纳维尔强度准则,对花岗岩区及灰岩区隧洞围岩的剪切破坏进行分析;利用三种岩爆应力判别指标,对岩爆进行初步预测;进而对不同深度、不同截面形态的隧洞围岩的稳定性进行分析;最后对引水工程隧洞设计中截面形态的选择给出了初步建议.     

Finite Element Modeling of Swelling Soil Pressures Using Joint/Interface Elements

There could be some discontinuities in a soil media such as layers, earth structures, cracks, and fissures so that estimation of stresses and deformations in these types of soil masses are somewhat different from continuous masses. The discontinuities in a soil mass could be considered as a special link between two blocks. Transmitted swelling pressures affected by the soil properties of the backfill especially at the interface between the backfill and retaining wall. In order to estimate the transmitted swelling pressure distribution behind a retaining wall, using with interface element, a new finite element model and a code (SWELPRES) have been developed. To evaluate the effect of backfill characteristics and interface element from the transmitted lateral swelling pressures, four cases of thickness of backfills with or without interface elements are investigated.     

柴达木盆地北缘侏罗系两类不同有机质丰度泥岩的 生物标志物特征对比研究

在柴达木盆地北缘地区,分别选取有机碳含量很低和较高的侏罗系泥岩样品,对比分析了它们在生物标志物组成上的差异。结果发现,高有机质丰度泥岩的生标组成与我国西北地区侏罗纪煤系有机质的特征差异不大,相比而言,低有机质丰度泥岩的正烷烃以前主峰为特征,Pr/Ph比值在1.0左右,三环萜烷和伽马蜡烷丰度较高,并在部分样品中检出了25 降藿烷系列。结合泥岩的有机岩石学特征,认为这些差异可能反映了泥岩沉积环境和生烃母质的不同:高有机质丰度泥岩的有机显微组分以相对弱还原条件下的形态有机质为主,包括藻类体、孢子体和角质体等,而低有机质丰度泥岩的有机显微组分以相对强还原条件下的矿物沥青基质为主,其母质可能来源于低等显微菌藻类。进一步通过对比不同有机质丰度泥岩,以及区内原油生标组成之间的相互关系,讨论了研究区的油源问题。     

东天山黄山-镜儿泉过铝花岗岩矿物学、地球化学及年代学研究

对东天山黄山-镜儿泉一带黄山南、镜儿泉、图拉尔根沟三个过铝花岗岩作了岩相学、矿物学、地球化学、sr-Nd同位素和锆石U-Pb年代学研究.锆石U-Pb LA-ICP-MS原位定年测得黄山南岩体结晶年龄为259.9±1.4Ma(MSWD=0.86),图拉尔根沟岩体结晶年龄为275.4±8.3Ma(MSWD=29),均侵位于二叠纪碰撞后伸展环境.三个过铝花岗岩均具有低锶同位素初始比值(Isr=0.6969～0.70396)、高εNd(t)值( 5.5～ 7.2)以及年轻的亏损地幔单阶段模式年龄(tDM=0.48～0.56Ga),表明其岩浆源区均为来源于亏损地幔的新生地壳岩石.这种新生地壳岩石可能为偏酸性的火山岩.三个岩体的矿物学和地球化学可分为两类:一类以黄山南白云母花岗岩为代表,为强过铝花岗岩(A/CNK>1.1),强烈亏损Ba、sr和Ti而富集Cs、Rb和K,具有高的Rb/sr(2.03～14.5)和Al2O3/TiO2(110～1592),低的Nb/Ta(3.24～6.76)比值,其稀土元素配分曲线呈"V"字形,显示强烈铕亏损(Eu/Eu*=0.04～0.55),表明这类岩体的直接源岩以泥质岩为主.另一类以图拉尔根沟二云母花岗岩为代表,为弱过铝(1