A macroscale analysis of coastal steepening around the coast of England and Wales

Coastal steepening potentially presents an array of management issues in the form of financial implications of sea defence degradation, increased risk posed to the hinterland as wave attenuation is reduced, 'coastal squeeze' and statutory requirements in the light of the Habitats Directive. The extent to which coastal steepening has occurred throughout England and Wales has been investigated through use of a GIS and dataset based on historical Ordnance Survey map information. Data were collected along 1084 selected profile lines, positioned so as to be geomorphologically representative of the coast. Features recorded from each map year included the positions of mean high water (MHW) and mean low water (MLW), the relative movements of which infer changing intertidal gradients. The results presented in this paper are on a subject and scale not previously published. It is revealed that 61% of the coastline studied has experienced a tendency towards steepening. Of the remainder, 33% has flattened, and 6% has experienced no rotational movement. This tendency towards steepening has been the dominant movement on each of the west, south, and east coasts.     

Curie-point depth from spectral analysis of magnetic data in central-southern Europe

The basal depth of the outer layer with internal magnetic sources was calculated from magnetic data available within a roughly 500 km wide and 1200 km long area, running from central Germany to southern Italy. The dataset, deriving from different aeromagnetic surveys, is reduced to the reference altitude of 3000 m a.s.l. and a reference year of 1980.0. The adopted method, which transforms the spatial data into the frequency domain, provides a relationship between the two-dimensional spectrum of the magnetic anomalies and the top and centroid depths of the magnetic sources. The magnetic layer bottom depth (MLBD) thus obtained is 29-33 km deep in the stable areas (central Europe Variscan units, Corsica-Sardinia Variscan block) and corresponds to the Moho, having an average temperature of 560 °C. From the Alps to the Apennines, MLBD ranges between 22 and 28 km and is clearly shallower than the Moho. In these units, the wide variation of MLBD appears to be compatible with the presence of shallow magnetised bodies, consisting of lower crustal rocks (Ivrea-Verbano zone), ophiolitic units (Penninic zone and Voltri Massif) and intrasedimentary basic volcanic bodies (Po Basin). An average value of 25 km can be attributed to MLBD, which corresponds to a temperature of 550 °C. In the peri-Tyrrhenian zone and the Ligurian Sea, MLBD is below the Moho, which ranges from 17 to 20 km depth, and it has a temperature matching approximately to the Curie temperature of magnetite (580 °C).     

Macroseismic Intensity Modelling of Earthquakes in Southern Spain: Attenuation and Tectonic Implications

A modelling of the observed macroseismic intensity of historical and instrumental earthquakes in southern Spain is proposed, with the aim of determining the macroseismic parameters for seismic hazard evaluation in a region in which the characterization of intensity distribution of seismic events shows different levels of difficulty referable to the complex faults system of the area in study. The adopted procedure allows an analytical determination of epicenters and principal attenuation directions of earthquakes with a double level of verification with reference to the maximum shaking area and structural lineaments of the region, respectively. The analyses, carried out on a suitable number of events, highlight, therefore, some elements for a preliminary characterization of a seismic zonation on the basis of the consistency between seismic intensity distribution of earthquakes and corresponding structural framework.     

“青藏高原南部空白区基础地质调查与研究”计划项目新成果、新进展

通过2 0 0 4年度各相关图幅的大力工作,在基础地质、矿产和资源等方面取得了大量实际材料,综合研究区域构造地层格架、青藏高原地质图和青藏高原南部火山岩及其地球动力学意义等,取得重要进展和新认识,在矿产资源、旅游和人文景观等方面也取得重要阶段性成果。     

西南天山构造地层学初步研究

西南天山造山带可划分为伊犁中天山、中天山南缘、南天山和塔里木４个构造地层区。伊犁中天山区出露早元古代变质结晶基底及晚期地台型稳定盖层。中天山南缘区产出一套早古生代变质俯冲杂岩。南天山区早古生代为陆坡、陆棚相被动陆缘沉积，晚古生代发育洋壳建造。塔里木区北部出露中晚元古代“优地槽建造”的变质结晶基底和早震旦世后稳定盖层。     

新疆伊犁盆地南缘层间氧化带及铀矿化特征

研究表明，在伊犁盆地南缘产出一条东西长达近百千米的铀及伴生元素成矿带，在我国境内依次产出有509、510、511、513及512铀矿床，此外还有多个铀矿化异常点，其中511、513、512等矿床为可地浸砂岩型铀矿床，受层间氧化带控制非常明显，从巳知矿床的成矿环境和特征出发，阐述了伊犁盆地南缘层间氧化带的空间分布及控矿规律，通过不同层位的层间氧化带含矿性对比及同一层位不同地段的层间氧化带含矿性对比，总结出了伊犁盆地南缘含铀矿层间氧化带特征。     

上扬子克拉通南缘中泥盆统-石炭系高频层序及复合海平面变化

上扬子克拉通南缘中泥盆统—石炭系地层高频层序可以划分为三个级别 ,并与层序地层学术语可以对比 :六级层序—韵律层 ;五级层序—准层序 ;四级层序—准层序组。不同级别高频层序的形成受米兰柯维奇驱动力引起的具不同周期和频率的复合海平面变化控制。克拉通边缘沉积环境中 ,低频海平面变化的上升阶段形成以淹没节拍为主的高频层序 ,而在停滞至下降阶段形成以暴露节拍为主的高频层序。所以 ,通过对不同特征的高频层序及垂向叠加的分析 ,可以求解低频海平面的变化     

Caledonian high-pressure metamorphism in the Strona-Ceneri Zone (Southern Alps of southern Switzerland and northern Italy)

The Strona-Ceneri Zone comprises a succession of polymetamorphic, pre-Alpidic basement rocks including ortho- and paragneisses, metasedimentary schists, amphibolites, and eclogites. The rock pile represents a Late Proterozoic or Palaeozoic subduction accretion complex that was intruded by Ordovician granitoids. Eclogites, which occur as lenses within the ortho-paragneiss succession and as xenoliths within the granitoids record a subduction related high-pressure event (D1) with peak metamorphic conditions of 710 ± 30 °C at 21.0 ± 2.5 kbar. After isothermal uplift, the eclogites experienced a Barrowtype (D2) tectonometamorphic overprint under amphibolite facies conditions (570-630 °C, 7-9 kbar). U-Pb dating on zircon of the eclogites gives a metamorphic age of 457 ± 5 Ma, and syn-eclogite facies rutile gives a ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 443 ± 19 Ma classifying the subduction as a Caledonian event. These data show that the main tectonometamorphic evolution of the Strona-Ceneri Zone most probably took place in a convergent margin scenario, in which accretion, eclogitization of MOR-basalt, polyphase (D1 and D2) deformation, anatexis and magmatism all occurred during the Ordovician. Caledonian high-pressure metamorphism, subsequent magmatism and Barrow-type metamorphism are believed to be related to subduction and collision within the northern margin of Gondwana. Editorial handling: Edwin Gnos     

新疆巴州且末县、若羌县南部山区地质矿产特征及找矿靶区选择

新一轮国土资源大调查工作开展以来,东昆仑地区新发现了一系列矿床和找矿新线索,特别是白干湖钨锡矿床、肯德可克钴金铋多金属矿床和骆驼沟大型钴金矿床的发现,成为东昆仑地区地质找矿方面新的重大突破,同时,还发现了具大型远景规模的大场蚀变岩型金矿床,使得东昆仑地区成为我国又一重要的铜钴金多金属成矿带,已成为我国重点支持的铜钴金多金属矿产勘查地区之一。结合且末县、若羌县南部山区地质矿产特征、化探异常及区域内矿床实例,为新疆紫金地质勘查院2010年优选找矿靶区,指导登记探矿权。     

秦岭以南地区降水量变化及其灾害效应研究

近年来气候变化诱发的灾害效应损失严重。利用秦岭以南地区1951-2001年28个站逐月降水资料,计算了降水量的线性趋势值及降水距平变化,分析了降水量的时间和空间演变特征。受地形影响,秦岭南北与东西降水量变化差异较大,西部大于东部,南坡多于北坡,季节性降水过程差异也很明显;年平均最大降水量为1 254.6 mm,出现在镇巴,最少降水量为690.7 mm,出现在丹凤;50年来降水量变化呈减少趋势,平均递减率为56.5 mm/10 a。分析表明,降水突变是触发其它灾害的主要因素。由强降水及连阴雨诱发的干旱、洪涝及地质灾害效应损失严重,在降雨强度达200 mm/d以上的区域成为泥石流、滑坡灾害,水土流失的多发区,主要分布在秦岭以南多暴雨中心的米仓山、大巴山、佛坪、商南及洛南一带。降水诱发的灾害效应与人类活动也密切相关,这些研究为未来防灾减灾和环境治理提供了依据。