Location and height of intertidal bars on macrotidal ridge and runnel beaches

Previous studies devoted to the morphology and hydrodynamics of ridge and runnel beaches highlight characteristics that deviate from those initially postulated by King and Williams (Geographical Journal, 1949, vol. 113, 70–85) and King (Beaches and Coasts, 1972, Edward Arnold). Disagreements on the morphodynamics of these macrotidal beaches include the position of the ridges relative to the mean neap and spring tide levels, the variation in the height of the ridges across the intertidal profile and, most importantly, whether the ridges are formed by swash or surf zone processes. The morphological characteristics of ridge and runnel beaches from three locations with varying wave, tidal and geomorphic settings were investigated to address these disagreements. Beach profiles from each site were analysed together with water‐level data collected from neighbouring ports. It was found that the ridges occur over the entire intertidal zone. On one site (north Lincolnshire, east England), the ridges are uniformly distributed over the intertidal beach, whereas on the two other sites (Blackpool beach, northwest England, and Leffrinckoucke beach, north France) there is some indication that the ridges appear to occur at preferential locations. Most significantly, the locations of the ridge crests were found to be unrelated to the positions on the intertidal profile where the water level is stationary for the longest time. It was further found that the highest ridges generally occur just above mid‐tide level where tidal non‐stationarity is greatest. These findings argue against the hypothesis that the ridges are formed by swash processes acting at stationary tide levels. It is tentatively suggested that the ridges are the result of a combination of swash and surf zone processes acting across the intertidal zone. Elucidation of the morphodynamic roles of these two types of processes, and other processes such as strong current flows in the runnels, requires further comprehensive field measurements complemented by numerical modelling. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

从大洋中脊反思大陆漂移说——兼论地球膨裂说

本文通过讨论地幔对流的可能性以及大洋中脊的运动方式,证明了大陆漂移说对大陆漂移的源动力的解释仍存在漏洞,并提出大陆漂移源动力与地球膨裂的关系。对大陆漂移说具有补充性。     

Heterogeneous mantle melting and magmatic processes at the East Pacific Rise (2.6–3.1°S): Evidence from mid-ocean ridge basalt geochemistry and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopes

ABSTRACT

We present the major and trace elements and Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopes in mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) from the East Pacific Rise (EPR) at 2.6–3.1°S. These samples are low-K tholeiites and show significant variation in their major element compositions (e.g. 4.60–8.18 wt% MgO, 8.34–12.12 wt% CaO, 9.78–14.25 wt% Fe₂O₃, and 0.06–0.34 K₂O wt%). Trace element abundances of the 2.6–3.1°S MORB are variably depleted (e.g. (La/Sm), _N = 0.51–0.78, Zr/Y = 2.35–3.42, Th/La = 0.035–0.056, and Ce/Yb = 2.38–3.96) but closely resemble the average N-MORB. In the compatible elements (Ni and Cr) against incompatible element Zr plots, the 2.6–3.1°S MORB show well-defined negative correlations, together with a liquid line of descent (LLD) modelling and petrographic observations, implying a significant role of olivine, plagioclase and clinopyroxene fractionation during magma evolution. When compared to global MORB and peridotites, the 2.6–3.1°S MORB and most of the other axial lavas from the South EPR show similar Zn/Fe, Zn/Mn, and Fe/Mn ratios, attesting to a peridotite-dominated mantle lithology. However, the relationships between incompatible trace element ratios, such as Zr/Rb and Nb/Sm, and the negative correlation between Zr/Nb and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr indicate a geochemically heterogeneous mantle source. The mantle beneath the South EPR likely consists of two components, with the enriched component residing as physically distinct domains (e.g. veins or dikes) in the depleted peridotite matrix. In the Sr–Nd–Pb isotope space, the South EPR MORB lie along the mixing lines between the depleted MORB mantle (DMM) and the ‘C’-like Pukapuka endmember. We infer that low-F melts derived from these enriched materials may cause localized mantle heterogeneity (veins or dikes) via an infiltration process. Subsequent melting of the refertilized mantle may impart an isotopically distinct characteristic to South EPR MORB.     

南黄海辐射沙脊群西洋水道污水输移扩散研究

采用沿深平均二维数值模型对南黄海辐射沙脊群西洋海域的潮流场和物质扩散场进行了模拟,计算和分析了大潮情况下海域5 m、7 m和10 m 3种水深(理论基准面下)排放位置处达标污水输移扩散的范围及分布规律。结果表明,污水排入海后,会很快被稀释,各排放位置200和500稀释度等值线包络面积均较小,且包络面积随水深增加有明显变小的规律。拟合了不同污水排放量对应的200和500稀释倍数包络面积,发现两者呈良好的幂级数关系。     

西藏雅鲁藏布江缝合带西段东波蛇绿岩的构造背景特征

西藏东波蛇绿岩位于雅鲁藏布江缝合带西段,由地幔橄榄岩、辉石岩和辉长岩等组成。地幔橄榄岩主要为方辉橄榄岩、纯橄岩和少量二辉橄榄岩。岩体的边界出露玄武岩和硅质岩等。地幔橄榄岩中有少量辉石岩和辉长岩的脉岩,宽约1 m,走向北西,与岩体的构造线方向基本一致。各岩相岩石地球化学研究结果表明,东波蛇绿岩的岩相存在较大的差异,玄武岩具有与洋岛玄武岩(OIB)相似的地球化学特征,而地幔橄榄岩中辉石岩、辉长岩脉与洋中脊玄武岩(MORB)相似,形成于洋中脊环境,并受后期俯冲流体作用的改造。东波岩体中二辉橄榄岩具有与深海地幔橄榄岩较一致的轻稀土亏损特征,而方辉橄榄岩和纯橄岩的地球化学特征显示出岩体形成于MOR环境,后受到SSZ环境的改造。东波蛇绿岩的岩石地球化学特征显示其洋中脊叠加洋岛的构造背景。     

A mechanism for the origin and development of the large-scale dunefield on the right flank of the lower reach of Laoha River, Northeast China

By viewing satellite imagery, a striking large-scale dunefield can be clearly perceived, with a size of nearly 63 km long and 11 km wide, and trending NE–SW, on the right flank of the lower Laoha River, Northeast China. By means of remote sensing imagery analysis and field observation as well as a comparison with a small-scale dunefield on the right flank of the lower Xiangshui River, analogous to the case of the lower Laoha River, this paper presents a new mechanism for its origin and development. The results show that:(1) the large-scale dunefield bears a tile-style framework overwhelmingly composed of transverse barchanoid ridges perpendicular to the predominant winds, and inlaid diverse blowouts.(2) The small-scale dunefield, referred to as a primary structural unit of the large one, is typical of an incipient dunefield, following the same rules of evolution as the larger.(3) A succession of barchanoid ridge chains can steadily migrate downwind in much the same manner as surface wave propagation in air or water stimulated by an incised valley, and ultimately tend to bear roughly the same wavelength and amplitude under stable climate and hydrologic regimes.(4) The first ridge chain acquires its sand source substantially from the downwind escarpments exposing the loose Quaternary sandy sediments to the air, while the ensuing ridges derive their sands dominantly from in situ deflation of the underlain Quaternary loose sandy sediments in blowouts, partly from the upwind ridges through northern elongated horns. Theoretically, the sands from riparian escarpments can be transported by wind to the downwind distal end of a dunefield after sufficient long duration.(5) The lower Laohahe region experienced probably three significant climatic changes in the past, corresponding to the three active dune belts, suggesting that once a large-scale dunefield occurs, it is nearly impossible to be completely stabilized, at least in its central portions. At present, seasonal shrinkage and stagnation of the lower Laoha River, widespread farming and afforestation in the valley, and establishing windbreaks downwind of the valley as well as surrounding the dunefield, appear to have significantly modified local flow fields and sand sources, engendering significant degradation of the dunefield.