兰州第四纪黄土/古土壤序列物源演变: 来自于碳酸盐矿物的证据*

黄土/古土壤的物源研究对于揭示第四纪气候变化和青藏高原隆升历史具有重要意义。本研究以位于黄土高原西部1.4 Ma以来的兰州黄土/古土壤沉积序列为研究对象,基于X射线衍射技术分析了黄土/古土壤中的主要矿物组成,侧重于碳酸盐矿物含量,追溯了兰州黄土/古土壤的直接物源。结果显示: (1)1.4 Ma以来兰州地区黄土/古土壤沉积物的主要直接源区为柴达木盆地沙漠区和阿拉善干旱区。(2)基于二元混合模型计算的潜在原始源区对兰州黄土白云石和总碳酸盐矿物的相对贡献率以及长石与石英比值结果一致支持1.4 Ma以来兰州黄土原始物源发生了多次变化。1.4~1.1 Ma和0.9~0.3 Ma青藏高原东北缘造山带(昆仑山、祁连山)和中亚造山带对兰州黄土的贡献相当,而1.1~0.9 Ma和0.3 Ma以来,中亚造山带对兰州黄土的物源贡献增加,这可能分别是对中更新世气候转型和0.3 Ma以来青藏高原及邻近地区干冷气候增强的响应。1.15 Ma和0.8 Ma兰州黄土/古土壤中高的白云石含量、碳酸盐矿物总含量以及0.8 Ma长石与石英比值的快速升高可能是对“昆黄运动”的响应,进而造成了昆仑山、祁连山对黄土高原物源贡献的增加。     

青藏高原东缘湖相沉积和黄土高原黄土沉积磁化率与粒度相关性对比*

为探讨构造稳定地区(如黄土高原)和构造活跃地区(如青藏高原东缘)粉尘沉积物中磁化率(SUS)与粒度的相关性及其对环境事件的指示意义,本次研究分析了黄土高原蓝田剖面黄土—古土壤样品和青藏高原东缘湖相沉积样品的粒度和磁化率记录。黄土高原黄土—古土壤沉积SUS与2~10 μm粒度组分最强正相关,青藏高原东缘湖相沉积的SUS与2~10 μm粒度组分最强负相关,反映2~10 μm粒度组分为黄土高原和青藏高原乃至亚洲干旱—半干旱地区连续稳定敏感的背景沉积组分。黄土高原黄土—古土壤沉积的SUS与32~63 μm粒度组分最强负相关,青藏高原东缘湖相沉积的SUS与32~63 μm粒度组分最强正相关,反映32~63 μm粒度组分不仅是黄土高原尘暴事件沉积的敏感指标,也是青藏高原东缘湖相沉积记录的地震事件敏感指标。SUS与粒度组分的相关性在青藏高原东缘地区地震事件层开始部分高于结束部分,也较好地反映地震事件为研究区添加新鲜沉积物后随地形地貌恢复逐步减少的过程。SUS与粒度组分相关性也受当地物源的影响。     

Variations in the sensitivity of the optically stimulated luminescence from quartz in the Xifeng section: A spatiotemporal comparison across the Chinese Loess Plateau since the last interglaciation

The sensitivity of the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) from quartz is thought to be mainly influenced by source rock (crystallization temperature and quartz defect types) and depositional history (irradiation/bleaching cycles). In this study, the OSL sensitivity of quartz of different grain sizes from loess (L1) and paleosol (S1) layers at the Xifeng section of the Chinese Loess Plateau was analyzed. The OSL sensitivity of the samples from the Xifeng section shows a distinct difference between glacial and interglacial cycles, which is consistent with the patterns observed from magnetic susceptibility (MS) and grain sizes. The highest OSL sensitivity is observed in S1, which is twelve times the lowest sensitivity observed in L1. Moreover, the contribution of the fast component of quartz OSL from the paleosol accounts for more than 90% of the total OSL signal. In contrast, the middle and slow components contribute more in loess, and a significant variation among different aliquots was observed.Comparison of the data obtained from loess sections from different regions, including Xifeng, Luochuan, Jingyuan and Shimao, show significant differences in the magnitudes of OSL sensitivity but a similar pattern between glacial and interglacial periods. The results of this study suggest that, except for the wildfire model proposed to interpret the high OSL sensitivity in paleosol (Zhang, 2018), the shift of wind pattern of westerly wind (i.e., transporting “dim” source from North Tibetan Plateau and northwesterly wind (i.e., transporting “bright” source from Alxa Arid Lands and the subsequent mixture from the different sources may partially contribute to the different OSL sensitivities observed for Xifeng and Luochuan. In contrast, the OSL sensitivity of Shimao samples from L1 was affected by the input from the Mu Us Desert, and those of Jingyuan may affected by the contribution from the Yellow River.     

A detailed luminescence chronology of the Lower Volga loess-palaeosol sequence at Leninsk

We present a detailed luminescence chronology of the loess-palaeosol sequences in the Lower Volga region of Russia at the Leninsk site – an important palaeogeographic archive describing the climate and environmental conditions of regressive stages of the Caspian Sea. The chronology of these sediments has received very little attention compared to the under- and overlying marine deposits. The degree of bleaching was addressed by making use of the differential resetting rates of quartz and feldspar. Our results show that the quartz OSL and feldspar pIRIR_50,290 signals were sufficiently bleached before deposition and uncertainties in bleaching have a negligible impact on the reliability of the luminescence ages. The combined quartz OSL and K-feldspar pIRIR_50,290 chronology constrains the main stages of the Northern Caspian Lowland evolution during the Late Quaternary. During early MIS 5 (130–120 ka), the northern part of the Lower Volga was covered by a shallow brackish water estuary of the warm Late Khazarian Caspian Sea transgression. After ∼122 ka, the Volga incised the Northern Caspian Lowland surface following sea-level decrease and the start of subaerial conditions at Leninsk. Loess accumulation rate increased towards the end of MIS 5 and two palaeosols of presumably MIS 5с and MIS 5a age formed, exhibiting features evidencing a dry, cold climate, influenced by long seasonal flooding by the Volga River. Cryogenesis affecting the MIS 5a soil is a regional phenomenon and is dated to between ∼70 and 90 ka. The overlying thick Atelian loess unit formed during the cold periods of MIS 4 and MIS 3. Clear erosional features at the top of the Atelian loess are constrained by luminescence to ∼35 to ∼24 ka, allowing reconstruction of erosion of 150–200 cm of loess.     

First high-resolution luminescence dating of loess in Western Siberia

The south of Western Siberia is an important part of the Eurasian loess belt, containing an extensive record of Quaternary landscape and climate evolution in up to 100 m thick loess deposits with as many as 10 pedocomplexes. However, this important Quaternary archive lacks a reliable absolute chronology, and this has prevented the linking of the widely accepted regional chronostratigraphic correlations with those of other parts of the Eurasian loess belt. Here we present the first results of detailed luminescence dating of the Late Pleistocene loess-palaeosol sequence at the Western Siberian stratotype section of Lozhok. According to the classical regional chronostratigraphic scheme, this sequence records the main stages of the environmental evolution of the region, including three palaeosols correlated with the warming stages of MIS 5e, MIS 5c and MIS 3. Our absolute chronology is based on 38 new luminescence ages (OSL, IR₅₀, pIRIR₂₉₀). Good agreement between the OSL and pIRIR₂₉₀ ages suggests sufficient bleaching before deposition. The resulting chronology reveals that, rather than being only Upper Pleistocene in age, the loess-palaeosol sequence at Lozhok actually formed in the Middle and Upper Pleistocene. The ages of individual horizons do not correspond to the previously accepted stratigraphic units and morphological features of pedocomplexes. Our Bayesian chronological model reveals remarkable variation in dust accumulation and preservation at the site. The new results unambiguously identify the presence of an erosional boundary with a hiatus lasting ∼90 ka. The upper pedocomplex, immediately below this discontinuity, formed in sediment deposited between 131 ± 9 ka and 122 ± 11 ka and clearly corresponds to MIS 5. The lower pedocomplex is found in sediment deposited between 240 ± 12 and 199 ± 9 ka, and correlates closely with MIS 7. These new findings demonstrate the urgent need for a wider programme to date the main stratotypes of loess-palaeosol sections in Western Siberia. Only then can the global implications of the regional climate record in this important continental-scale archive be correctly interpreted.     

Experimental study on the dynamic modulus of compacted loess under bidirectional dynamic load

The dynamic characteristics of compacted loess are of great significance to the seismic construction of the Loess Plateau area in Northwest China, where earthquakes frequently occur. To study the change in the dynamic modulus of the foundation soil under the combined action of vertical and horizontal earthquakes, a hollow cylindrical torsion shear instrument capable of vibrating in four directions was used to perform two-way coupling of compression and torsion of Xi'an compacted loess under different dry density and deviator stress ratios. The results show that increasing the dry density can improve the initial dynamic compression modulus and initial dynamic shear modulus of compacted loess. With an increase in the deviator stress ratio, the initial dynamic compression modulus increases, to a certain extent, but the initial dynamic shear modulus decreases slightly. The dynamic modulus gradually decreases with the development of dynamic strain and tends to be stable, and the dynamic modulus that reaches the same strain increases with an increasing dry density. At the initial stage of dynamic loading, the attenuation of the dynamic shear modulus with the strain development is faster than that of the dynamic compression modulus. Compared with previous research results, it is determined that the dynamic modulus of loess under bidirectional dynamic loading is lower and the attenuation rate is faster than that under single-direction dynamic loading. The deviator stress ratio has a more obvious effect on the dynamic compression modulus. The increase in the deviator stress ratio can increase the dynamic compression modulus, to a certain extent. However, the deviator stress ratio has almost no effect on the dynamic shear modulus, and can therefore be ignored.     

干湿循环效应下玄武岩纤维加筋黄土三轴剪切力学行为研究

通过干湿循环效应下的数字图像三轴剪切试验、CT扫描试验及扫描电镜SEM(scanning electron microscopy)试验,研究了玄武岩纤维加筋黄土干湿循环过程的三轴剪切力学行为及微细观结构演化机制。结果表明:随干湿循环次数增加,纤维含量较高试样的三轴剪切鼓胀破坏形态转变为剪切带破坏;干湿循环早期阶段,剪切破坏形态随纤维含量增加,由剪切带破坏转变为鼓胀破坏。干湿循环作用和纤维含量对应力-应变曲线的类型及特征无明显影响,均表现为应变硬化型。破坏偏应力随干湿循环次数增加而逐渐减小,但衰减速率逐渐减小;破坏偏应力随纤维含量增大先增加而后减小,呈抛物线变化特征,存在一个最佳纤维含量为0.6%。CT数均值ME值呈现与破坏偏应力相似的变化规律。干湿循环作用下筋-土界面产生一定的开裂和松弛现象,弱化了纤维的加筋效应,但与素黄土相比,纤维加筋黄土的微观结构表现出显著的整体稳定性。构建了干湿循环效应下玄武岩纤维加筋黄土的宏细观损伤变量,其表现出一致的变化规律。     

考虑含水率影响的结构性黄土临界状态模型

根据不同初始含水率原状黄土结构性演化规律,基于临界状态土力学理论,以应力、初始含水率和应变为基本变量,提出了一个可以反映原状黄土结构性演化规律及软化特性的临界状态本构模型。模型通过对比不同初始含水率下重塑与原状黄土等向压缩曲线,建立了不同含水率下原状黄土的结构性参数及其演化方程。此外,模型采用非相关联流动法则,以剪胀方程的形式来求解塑性偏应变。模型共计9个材料参数,均可由压缩试验和常规三轴剪切试验求得。通过与已有试验数据的对比发现,本模型不仅可以较好地体现初始含水率对原状黄土结构强度、变形特性以及结构破坏规律的影响,而且能较为合理地预测原状黄土的硬化及软化特性。所建立的结构性黄土临界状态模型为深化黄土力学特性研究提供了可能,同时为有效计算黄土地基湿陷变形提供了一定的理论依据。     

桩间黄土卸荷湿陷过程中卸荷量计算方法初探

为确定桩间黄土卸荷湿陷过程中卸荷量的合理取值,开展桩−土界面大型剪切试验,研究桩间黄土卸荷湿陷状态下桩−土界面剪切强度、剪切位移及桩−土界面法向力之间的相关关系。结果表明：在桩间土中性点深度范围内,不同竖向应力和含水率状态下的桩−土界面剪切强度可代表桩侧负摩阻力。利用卸荷量与桩侧负摩阻力互为作用力与反作用力的力学原理,并在分析卸荷量随湿陷深度和湿陷进程变化规律的基础上,提出黄土卸荷湿陷过程中卸荷量计算方法,通过对比卸荷量计算值与不同黄土地区桩侧负摩阻力现场实测值,以验证其合理性。该方法不仅为科学评价黄土卸荷湿陷特性提供卸荷作用量化手段,还为相关黄土工程的优化设计提供理论参考依据。