Shaler: in situ analysis of a fluvial sedimentary deposit on Mars

This paper characterizes the detailed sedimentology of a fluvial sandbody on Mars for the first time and interprets its depositional processes and palaeoenvironmental setting. Despite numerous orbital observations of fluvial landforms on the surface of Mars, ground‐based characterization of the sedimentology of such fluvial deposits has not previously been possible. Results from the NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover provide an opportunity to reconstruct at fine scale the sedimentary architecture and palaeomorphology of a fluvial environment on Mars. This work describes the grain size, texture and sedimentary facies of the Shaler outcrop, reconstructs the bedding architecture, and analyses cross‐stratification to determine palaeocurrents. On the basis of bedset geometry and inclination, grain‐size distribution and bedform migration direction, this study concludes that the Shaler outcrop probably records the accretion of a fluvial barform. The majority of the outcrop consists of large‐scale trough cross‐bedding of coarse sand and granules. Palaeocurrent analyses and bedform reconstruction indicate that the beds were deposited by bedforms that migrated towards the north‐east, across the surface of a bar that migrated south‐east. Stacked cosets of dune cross‐bedding suggest aggradation of multiple bedforms, which provides evidence for short periods of sustained flow during Shaler deposition. However, local evidence for aeolian reworking and the presence of potential desiccation cracks within the outcrop suggest that fluvial deposition may have been intermittent. The uppermost strata at Shaler are distinct in terms of texture and chemistry and are inferred to record deposition from a different sediment dispersal system with a contrasting provenance. The outcrop as a whole is a testament to the availability of liquid water on the surface of Mars in its early history.     

沉积学的新理论——评乔秀夫等著《软沉积物变形构造》一书

正2017年9月,地质出版社出版了一本前所未有的新书《软沉积物变形构造》,它像一棵耀眼的流星划破寂静的夜空落在地球上——落在地质学书库的海洋里。以往的沉积学都是研究静力(重力)沉积记录的科学,乔秀夫研究员等这本书恰恰相反,它是研究动力(地震力)沉积记录的科学,正像月球科学家过去的研究只限于月球的正面,现在开始研究月球的背面,点点滴滴的新信息都让人振     

华北地块中部新构造运动

由于印度板块持续向北运动,引起青藏高原的挤出,并于中新世末引起华北地块的向东挤出。大约在7.3 Ma,太行山西侧渭河盆地唐县面首先解体,继而向北、向东发展;到5 Ma左右,太行山东麓断裂带的右行走滑,导致华北中部唐县面全面解体,形成多个太行山内部山间盆地,以及太行山西侧山西地堑系。这些断陷盆地的断陷幅度各不相同,太行山西侧山西地堑系断陷幅度较大,太行山内部山间盆地断陷幅度较小,太行山东部的渤海湾盆地断陷活动不明显。伴随着盆地的形成,太行山相对进入快速隆升阶段。山西地堑系控盆断裂以及太行山东麓断裂带第四纪以来仍存在明显活动,切割并控制第四系,局部在地表形成地裂缝。华北地块中部的应力场恢复以及深部构造分析表明,深部地幔上涌对浅部伸展构造的形成具有重要的影响,深部构造演变与浅部构造演变具有高度的一致性和耦合性。太行山东部渤海湾盆地自中新世以来就进入拗陷阶段,断裂活动弱,构造演化与西侧差异较大,表明这期构造运动动力源于西侧,太行山东麓断裂带作为两侧差异演变的边界,调节着两侧的差异构造活动。     

New results concerning the pedo- and chronostratigraphy of the loess–palaeosol sequence Attenfeld (Bavaria,Germany) derived from a multi-methodological approach

Loess–palaeosol sequences (LPS) represent important records of palaeoenvironmental dynamics throughout the Quaternary. During the Pleistocene's dry and cold phases, the Danube's riverbed was one of the major sources for loess sediments that built up LPS in southern Germany and southeastern Europe. Surprisingly, studies addressing Bavarian LPS along the Danube River often lack actuality. The Attenfeld site was one of them and is often cited as a typical LPS. Nevertheless, the site's previous interpretations are based on a few empirical data and field observations. Considering the site's closeness to the sediment's source area, the Alps, and the region's importance in Middle and Upper Palaeolithic migrational movements, those former renditions needed an evaluation. Therefore, we applied a multi-proxy approach (including analyses of grain-size distribution, element composition, and sediment colour attributes) combined with optically stimulated luminescence. Based on our findings, we conclude that the Attenfeld site's former interpretations might be too generalised. We identified units that were not mentioned by previous studies (e.g. Early Glacial dark greyish horizon). Field observations, sediment characteristics, and age estimates indicate sediment deposition of the dated units partly before MIS 4, which contrasts with previous interpretations. The results further demonstrate how sensitive LPS are to environmental settings and dynamics.     

测井地质学前世、今生与未来——写在《测井地质学·第二版》出版之时

测井地质学以地质学和测井学的方法理论为指导,综合运用各种测井信息,来解决基础地质和石油地质的地质问题。经过数十年发展,测井地质学在油气勘探开发各个环节得到广泛应用。非常规油气的兴起使得测井地质学正面临多重挑战和全新探索,亟需建立针对非常规油气的测井地质学综合方法理论体系。本文以《测井地质学·第二版》出版为契机,系统归纳了测井地质学的起源及发展历程、主要研究内容和研究方法流程。然后总结了测井资料与地震、地质信息的匹配性,并分析了不同探测特性测井方法纵向分辨率区间特征。在此基础上评述了测井地质学在井旁构造解析、沉积学特征研究、层序地层划分、地应力方向判别及大小计算、井壁裂缝识别与评价、烃源岩评价以及非常规油气“七性关系”综合评价当中的应用。但由于测井资料的负载能力有限性、测井与地质信息属性不对应性以及测井资料本身的多解性,使得测井地质学在测井—地质转换、非常规油气测井评价及其与人工智能融合方面还存在一定的问题。因此加强基础岩石物理研究,挖掘测井曲线中包含的地质信息,并与人工智能相结合,将拓展测井地质学研究的精度和广度,从而使其未来可更好地应用至非常规油气测井评价等实践工作中。     

Chemical oceanographic influences on sediment accumulations of a carbonate ramp: Holocene Yucatan Shelf,Mexico

Global controls on the oceanographic influences on the nature of carbonate factories are broadly understood. The details of the influences of changes in temperature and nutrients across individual carbonate shelves are less well constrained, however. This study explores spatial and temporal variations in chemical oceanography along and across the Yucatan Shelf, a modern carbonate ramp, and how these factors relate to variable bottom character, sediment and sediment geochemistry. In‐situ sensors and remote‐sensing data indicate the sporadic presence of cool, upwelled water with low dissolved oxygen and elevated Chlorophyll‐a. This current‐driven, westward flow of upwelled water is most evident in a zone just offshore of the northern peninsular shoreline, but its influence wanes ca 75 km offshore and as the shore turns southward. The impacts of this water mass include a transitional photozoan–heterozoan assemblage with biosiliceous components, relict grains and common thin Holocene sediment accumulations nearshore; further offshore are coralgal reefs and expansive sand plains. Geochemical proxies of bulk sediment, including high δ¹⁸O and elevated HREE/LREE (heavy rare‐earth element/light rare‐earth element) ratios near, and downcurrent of, the upwelling source, are interpreted to represent the signal of nearshore, westward movement of the cool and nutrient‐rich, upwelled water. Collectively, these data emphasize how local processes such as upwelling and longshore transport can variably influence carbonate sediment accumulations and their geochemical signatures, both along and across individual shelves. These data and insights provide an analogue for the influences of spatial variability of water masses in the geological record, and for accurate interpretation of stratigraphic changes of sedimentary and geochemical proxy data in carbonate archives.     

遵化新太古代豆荚状铬铁矿变形特征、变形机制及其大洋地幔扩张运移的指示意义

豆荚状铬铁矿是蛇绿岩套地幔构造岩中特征的矿产,其矿石发育丰富的岩浆活动-高温变形结构构造类型,豆荚状铬铁矿高温下仍具有稳定的物理化学特性,对认识大洋上地幔扩张、横向运移具有重要指示意义。在对遵化新太古代豆荚状铬铁矿显微构造的深入研究基础上,通过对比分析豆荚状铬铁矿结构构造特征(岩浆活动、低温变形),提出高温变形结构及其特征(拉长网孔结构、条带状、糜棱状结构等)。借鉴现代洋中脊及弧后盆地扩张的构造模型,提出华北新太古代豆荚状铬铁矿扩张中心形成后的显微构造演化序列,豆荚状铬铁矿变形机制的研究,可以提供认识早期大洋上地幔动力学过程的新线索。     

大陆克拉通早期构造演化历史探讨:以华北为例

大陆早期构造演化的研究一直是大陆地质学研究的焦点问题.在华北克拉通基底构造1∶200万编图研究基础上, 本文开展基底断裂边界、构造样式及后期叠加关系的研究, 借鉴比较大地构造理论, 对华北克拉通基底重新进行了构造区划.结合标志性构造单元及其时代、同位素年龄数据库的综合研究, 提出华北早期构造格局演化及其重大构造热事件.华北克拉通基底主要由大面积的新太古代TTG杂岩及表壳岩系组成, 新太古代涉及活动陆缘环境的大规模陆壳增生及不同微陆块的碰撞聚合过程, 造成新太古代末期陆壳迅速增生和克拉通化.古元古代初期开始伸展裂解和早期盖层发育阶段, 古元古代晚期发生微陆块碰撞缝合, 形成超级克拉通, 并在克拉通西北边缘发生强烈改造作用.1.84Ga前后, 华北克拉通经历最强烈的一次伸展裂解过程, 从超级克拉通裂解, 开始了独立的构造演化, 在伸展构造背景下, 克拉通基底被强烈隆升冷却, 经历风化剥蚀, 发育沉积盖层.以上构造格局及其构造热事件提供了早期超级大陆再造研究的构造制约条件.      

阳江MS4.9级地震影响场与发震构造关系讨论

2004年9月17日02时31分广东省阳江市发生MS 4.9级地震,造成14个镇的57个行政村共1620多间房屋(主要为老旧民房)遭受轻微破坏,受影响居民21195户,经济损失2300多万元。震后进行了地震影响场调查,绘制了这次地震的等震线分布图,并对其发震构造进行了分析探讨。     

On the use of geochronology of detrital grains in determining the time of deposition of clastic sedimentary strata

Placing geologic events in a temporal framework is essential to telling the story of Earth history. However, clastic sedimentary rocks can be difficult to date in an absolute reference because they are made up of grains that are older than the rock in which they are now found, and some clastic rocks do not contain fossils that allow precise reference to the Geologic Timescale. For such rocks, the isotopic dating of detrital minerals can be used to estimate the time of deposition; the clastic rock must be younger than the youngest grain analysed. However, many researchers eschew this simple and straightforward approach in favour of schemes that estimate the maximum allowable depositional age as the weighted mean of the age of several grains, chosen by a variety of selection criteria. This is a mistake; in the absence of a geochemical resemblance apart from the similarity of their age, detrital grains should not be assumed to have originated in the same system and therefore any averaging or other manipulation of such data is statistically invalid and produces results without geologic significance. In the absence of interbedded volcanic rocks or index fossils, dating of detrital minerals can be an important aid in understanding the time of deposition of clastic rocks, but the best estimate will come from taking note of the youngest single grain and not by inappropriately averaging data.