Monsoon variability and chemical weathering during the late Pleistocene in the Goriganga basin, higher central Himalaya, India

Stable isotope analysis along with radiocarbon and luminescence dating of late Pleistocene lacustrine deposits at Burfu in the higher central Himalaya are used to interpret hydrologic changes in the lake basin. From 15.5 ka to ~ 14.5 ka the Burfu lake was largely fed by melting glaciers. A warming event at 14.5 ka suggests an enhanced monsoon and increased carbonate weathering. From ~ 13.5 ka to ~ 12.5 ka the isotopic data suggest large-amplitude climate variability. Following this, the isotope data suggest a short-lived, abrupt cooling event, comprising a ~ 300-yr intense cool period followed by a ~ 500-yr interval of moderate climate. A shift in isotope values at ~ 11.3 ka may signify a strengthening monsoon in this region. The inferred climatic excursions appear to be correlative, at least qualitatively, with global climatic events, and perhaps the Burfu lake sequence provides regional evidence of globally recorded excursions. This study also suggests a potential use of radiocarbon ages in specific environments as a paleoenvironmental proxy.     

Sr fluxes and Sr/Sr characterization of river waters from a karstic versus granitic watershed in the Yangtze River

The watershed in the southern Jiangxi Province (Jiangxi Province is called simply Gan) (SGW) and the watershed in the central Guizhou Province (Guizhou Province is called simply Qian) (CQW) are two subtropical watersheds of the Yangtze River in China. Both watersheds have similar latitudes and climate, but distinct differences in basin lithology. These similarities and differences provide a good natural laboratory in which to investigate weathering processes and Sr end-members in river waters. This work aims to identify and contrast the sources, fluxes and controls on Sr isotopic composition in the river waters of these two areas. Results showed that the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr in the SGW waters ranged from 0.716501 to 0.724931, with dissolved Sr averaging 27 μg l^− 1. Rhyolites and granites are two major sources for the dissolved Sr. The SGW waters receive 42% of their Sr from silicates weathering, 32% from carbonates and 3.2% from evaporites. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr in the CQW waters has a lesser variation from 0.707694 to 0.710039, but higher Sr contents (average of 208 μg l^− 1). Dolomite, limestone and dolomitic limestone are major sources of Sr in the waters. The CQW waters receive 69% of their Sr from carbonates, 1.7% from silicates and 0.9% from evaporites. The chemical erosion rate and Sr flux in the CQW are 122 t km^− 2 a^− 1 and 0.079 t km^− 2 a^− 1, respectively, which are higher than those of the SGW (56 t km^− 2 a^− 1 and 0.021 t km^− 2 a^− 1, respectively). These data suggest that the intensive carbonates weathering occurred in the karstic area in the upper-reach of the Yangtze River exert great influence on the high Sr concentration and low Sr isotopic ratios in the River.     

冀北凹陷高于庄组与洪水庄组在岩芯、露头中多赋存态生物标志物的对比

利用气相色谱-质谱联用仪对采自燕山地区冀北凹陷的中元古界长城系高于庄组(Chg)灰岩和蓟县系洪水庄组(Jxh)泥页岩露头和岩芯中不同赋存状态生物标志物进行了分析.正构烷烃和萜类生物标志物显示从高于庄组(Chg)到洪水庄组(Jxh)生源由浮游类和底栖类为主转变为浮游类为主,而沉积水体的盐度则由高变低.露头样品和相应岩芯中...     

化学风化指数和磁化率对洞庭盆地第四纪古气候变化的响应

在安乡凹陷东南部两护村新施工揭穿第四系的ZKC1孔,孔内第四系为河流和湖泊沉积,地层组成自下而上依次为上新世—早更新世华田组、早更新世汨罗组、中更新世早期—中期洞庭湖组、晚更新世坡头组以及全新统等。对钻孔岩心进行了系统的主量元素及磁化率分析,进而从陆相沉积物化学风化指数(CWI)与温度和湿度正相关、磁化率与温度和湿度负相关的理论出发,探讨洞庭盆地第四纪气候演变。结合其他资料,CWI曲线特征指示洞庭盆地第四纪气候演变过程:早更新世为冷干→暖湿→冷干→暖湿,中更新世为冷干→暖湿→冷干—温湿→暖湿,晚更新世为寒冷→温湿→寒冷,全新世总体为温湿-暖湿。这一结论与ZKC1孔孢粉组合特征反映的气候演变过程及中国东部第四纪气候演化基本吻合,说明沉积物CWI对第四纪气候演变具有较好的响应。变化曲线及相关系数(-0.32)表明磁化率值与CWI值呈较明显的负相关,暗示温度和湿度对磁化率具有明显的控制作用。但可能受盆地升降等因素的影响叠加,磁化率曲线未能如CWI一样明确反映出第四纪气候的阶段性变化。     

黄铁矿风化作用及其工程地质意义

黄铁矿是自然界分布非常广泛而又极度不均匀的金属硫化物矿物,随着环境条件的变化而容易发生风化作用,人类活动也会加速黄铁矿的风化,从而降低岩体强度并导致很多工程地质问题。在地质环境中的钙离子与硫酸根结合生成石膏等次生风化矿物的过程中,当黄铁矿中的硫转化生成等摩尔数的石膏时,矿物体积将增加5倍以上。由于黄铁矿分布的极端不均匀性,导致工程建筑的膨胀破坏。另外,黄铁矿被氧化分解也可以形成易溶于水的黄钾铁矾等次生矿物,这些矿物进一步溶蚀后常在岩体中留下空洞,促使地下流体通道的形成与改造,加大了对工程的破坏程度。尽管黄铁矿风化的工程地质学意义已经受到一些重视,但是,充分利用地球化学原理解释黄铁矿风化过程所导致的工程地质问题仍然需要进行深入研究和系统总结。     

姑婆山花岗岩西南缘矽卡岩风化带含金特征

文章通过研究姑婆山花岗岩体西南缘矽卡岩中含Au丰富 ,以及其上部风化土壤中各不同分层中金含量变化情况 ,分析金在矽卡岩风化土壤中的迁移富集机制 ,认为相对还原、碱性的C层是主要含金层 ,所形成的“泥巴矿”金矿化及矿床是一种新的金矿化和矿床类型 ,具有找矿意义和理论研究意义。     

Degree of rock surface weathering as an indicator of ice-sheet thickness along an east—west transect across southern Norway

Rock surface weathering, as reflected by rock surface hardness and roughness, was measured at six mountains along an east-west transect across southern Norway. At most sites the results show significant differences in rock surface weathering across the autochthonous blockfield boundary, suggesting that the areas above the boundary have been exposed to subaerial weathering for a considerably longer time span that the areas below. The results are interpreted as reflecting the surface profile of an asymmetric, west-centred, low-gradient ice sheet.     

东营凹陷王庄地区古近纪沙河街组三段扇三角洲砂砾岩体沉积特征分析

本文利用现代沉积学、测井学和地震勘探等手段,对王庄地区砂砾岩扇体特征进行了研究,认为该区在古近纪以形成古近系的较高水动力能砂砾岩扇体沉积体为主,其中扇三角洲砂砾岩体是本区最主要的砂砾岩扇体类型,并具有较好的储集性能,是本区最主要的油气储集体;王庄地区砂砾岩扇体沉积,强烈地受控于边界构造条件;砂砾岩扇体沉积及其形态均受沉积相的控制,并具有复杂多变的特征,从而导致了本区油气藏的聚集和分布具有复杂多变的特点。     

Stable isotopes in the source waters of the Yamuna and its tributaries: seasonal and altitudinal variations and relation to major cations

Water samples from the Yamuna and its tributaries, one of the major river systems draining the Himalaya, have been analysed for their stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes during three seasons (summer, monsoon and post‐monsoon). The data show clear seasonal and altitudinal variations; waters from higher altitudes and those collected during monsoon season are characterized by relatively depleted isotopic composition. Regression analysis of δD–δ¹⁸O data of samples collected during summer and monsoon seasons shows that the slope of the best‐fit lines are nearly identical to those of precipitation at New Delhi for the same period. The similarity in their slopes suggests that the isotopic composition of precipitation contributing water to these rivers are reasonably well preserved in both monsoon and non‐monsoon seasons, however, during the non‐monsoon period both rainfall and river waters carry signatures of evaporation. The ‘deuterium excess’ in river waters during the three seasons though overlap with each other, the values during October are higher. This can be understood in terms of recycled moisture contributions to precipitation. The ‘altitude effect’ for δ¹⁸O in these waters is determined to be 0·11‰ per 100 m, a factor of about two less than that reported for the Ganga source waters from similar altitudinal range. The variability in altitude effects in rivers draining the Himalaya seems to be controlled by the ‘amount effect’ associated with the monsoon. The significant spatial variability in altitude effect in these river basins, which are a few hundred kilometers apart, suggests that reconstruction of palaeoelevation in the Himalaya, based on δ¹⁸O‐altitude gradients, would depend critically on its proper assessment in the region. This study has established a relationship between total cation abundance and δ¹⁸O in waters of the Yamuna mainstream; total cations (corrected for cyclic components) double for a 1·4 km decrease in altitude as the Yamuna flows downstream. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Low energy neutral atoms imaging of the Moon

Imaging of low-energy neutral atoms (LENAs) in the vicinity of the Moon can provide wide knowledge of the Moon from the viewpoint of plasma physics and planetary physics. At the surface of the Moon, neutral atoms are mainly generated by photon-stimulated desorption, micrometeorite vaporization and sputtering by solar wind protons. LENAs, the energetic neutral atoms with energy range of 10-500 eV, are mainly created by sputtering of solar wind particles. We have made quantitative estimates of sputtered LENAs from the Moon surface. The results indicate that LENAs can be detected by a realistic instrument and that the measurement will provide the global element maps of sputtered particles, which substantially reflect the surface composition, and the magnetic anomalies. We have also found that LENAs around dark regions, such as the permanent shadow inside craters in the pole region, can be imaged. This is because the solar wind ions can penetrate shaded regions due to their finite gyro-radius and the pressure gradient between the solar wind and the wake region. LENAs also extend our knowledge about the magnetic anomalies and associated mini-magnetosphere systems, which are the smallest magnetospheres as far as one knows. It is thought that no LENAs are generated from mini-magnetosphere regions because no solar wind may penetrate inside them. Imaging such void areas of LENAs will provide another map of lunar magnetic anomalies.