The tectonic regime in Italy inferred from borehole breakout data

In Italy, the horizontal stress directions are well constrained in many regions, but the tectonic regime is not well known because the stress magnitudes are unknown. Our intention is to improve the knowledge of crustal stress in Italy, both at shallow depth and in low seismicity areas. Therefore, we inferred the tectonic regime from the comparison between the depth of breakout occurrence and the physical properties of the rocks in 20 boreholes. The critical value of the maximum horizontal stress, for which the effective tangential stress at the borehole wall overcomes the rock strength to form breakouts, could be computed from rock strength and density. Comparing the theoretical stress distributions for different tectonic regimes with the depth distribution of breakout occurrence, it is possible to infer the tectonic regime that fits best to the breakout depth distribution. We investigated boreholes up to 6 km deep located in different tectonic environments over the Italian peninsula: the Po Plain, the Apenninic chain, the Adriatic foredeep and the Tyrrhenian Quaternary volcanic region. These wells are characterised by breakout data of good quality (A, B and C, according to World Stress Map quality ranking system). The results are in general agreement with the style of faulting derived from earthquake focal mechanisms and other stress indicators. Our results show a predominance of a normal faulting (NF) regime in the inner Apennines and both normal faulting and strike–slip faulting (SS) style in the surrounding regions, possibly also associated with changes in the tectonic regime with depth.     

Early Cretaceous planktonic foraminifera from the Tethys: the large, many-chambered representatives of the genus Globigerinelloides

This paper deals with the taxonomic revision of the Early Cretaceous large, many-chambered planispiral planktonic foraminifera, historically assigned to the genus Globigerinelloides or alternatively assigned in the 1990s to the genera Globigerinelloides Cushman and ten Dam, Biglobigerinella Lalicker, Blowiella Krechmar and Gorbachik and Alanlordella BouDagher-Fadel. In a previous paper we demonstrated that the morphological and microstructural features used in the literature for distinguishing Blowiella from Globigerinelloides have value only at species level, and the former genus was thus invalidated (being the junior synonym). Moreover, the Late Aptian specimens assigned to Biglobigerinella by some authors, based on the presence of twin last chamber(s), are also included in Globigerinelloides because individuals sharing the same features (number of chambers, growth rate, size of umbilicus, and a finely perforate wall) may or may not possess twin last chamber(s). Meanwhile, Moullade et al. questioned the taxonomic value of Alanlordella, erected by BouDagher-Fadel to accommodate planispiral taxa possessing a macroperforate wall. All the species analysed here possess a finely perforate wall and consequently cannot be assigned to this taxon.The large species of Globigerinelloides retained here, with six or more chambers in the outer whorl, are G. algerianus Cushman and ten Dam, G. aptiensis Longoria, G. barri (Bolli, Loeblich and Tappan) and G. ferreolensis (Moullade).In the sections studied, Globigerinelloides aptiensis was first found close to the Barremian/Aptian boundary, even though this species was recorded in Spain (Rio Argos) in the mid Upper Barremian; very rare, small, seven-chambered individuals here assigned to Globigerinelloides ferreolensis are recorded in the Lower Aptian (just below and within the Selli Level, OAE1a), while a few specimens belonging to Globigerinelloides barri occur in the Globigerinelloides ferreolensis Zone (Upper Aptian). Globigerinelloides aptiensis and G. ferreolensis range up to the Ticinella bejaouaensis Zone while Globigerinelloides barri disappears at the top of the Globigerinelloides algerianus Zone; finally, Globigerinelloides algerianus obviously spans the eponymous total range zone.From an evolutionary point of view, two lineages within the many-chambered Globigerinelloides have been recognized. In the first, already known in the literature, Globigerinelloides aptiensis gave rise to G. ferreolensis, which evolved into G. algerianus; the latter in turn gave rise to Pseudoplanomalina cheniourensis as the final evolutionary member. In the second lineage Globigerinelloides barri originated from G. blowi.     

Orbitolinidae and Alveolinidae (Foraminiferida) from the uppermost Albian-lower Cenomanian of Monti d'Ocre (Abruzzi, Italy)

A biostratigraphic study carried out in the Monti d'Ocre area, Abruzzi, Central Apennines, allowed us to recognize Orbitolina (Conicorbitolina) moulladei ‘Strata 5 (1985) 1’, Praealveolina iberica Reichel and Praealveolina simplex Reichel in uppermost Albian–lower Cenomanian shelf-edge deposits of the Fossato Machè succession. These foraminifers have now been found for the first time in the Apennines of central Italy; their finding is quite important from a palaeobiogeographic viewpoint, as it contributes to the improvement of our knowledge on facies distribution in the circum-Mediterranean regions during the Cretaceous Period. In the study area, the coeval Monte Rotondo and Monte Orsello sections also crop out; these are characterized by bauxite deposits and stratigraphic gaps reflecting episodes of emergence on the carbonate platform. The Monte Rotondo and Monte Orsello sections accumulated in a platform back-reef environment; consequently, in this sector of the Monti d'Ocre area, the depositional environment shifted from a back-reef westward and southward to a shelf-edge northward, during the latest Albian–early Cenomanian. Owing to synsedimentary tectonics, the area investigated underwent differential subsidence: westward and southward, wide areas were uplifted and subjected to emergence, karstification and bauxite accumulation, whereas sedimentation continued in a shelf-edge environment in the north-eastern area.     

中心回线瞬变电磁法2.5维有限单元算法

瞬变电磁法的野外资料解释基本上停留在一维水平，本文从生产实践中常用的中心回线法入手，基于电磁场本身的叠加原理，从麦克斯韦方程组出发，导出了中心回线瞬变电磁2.5维二次场（纯异常）的有限单元计算公式. 该算法采用三角形有限元网格，在尽可能拟合地下电性断面的情况下减少有限元网格的节点数和单元数；用选主元的LU分解法求解线性方程组，做到了在移动场源时只需改变右端项；在反傅氏变换中，使用新的波数选取方案，让波数m随时间t滑动. 最后给出的算例表明，该算法直接计算异常场，计算速度快、精度高.     

新疆地表水资源对亚洲中部未来气候变化的响应

在未来的亚洲中中气候变冷过程中，从咸海干涸海底和卡拉博加戈尔湾等等内陆湖泊和地区吹起的盐粒，农田排出的农药残余物，尘埃微粒等－固态大陆型气溶胶具有主要的作用。在这一过程中，环流及该区域的生物系统对气候的变化可能起着相反的影响。     

新疆对中亚五国的外贸结构,问题及对策

本文在分析新疆对中亚五国的外贸结构基础上，阐述了目前在与中亚五国的贸易中存在的一些问题，提出相应的对策建议，以推动新疆与中亚五国外贸发展的良性循环。     

The phytoplankton of some saline lakes in Central Asia

The Aral Sea, Lake Balkhash, and Lake Kamyslybas are closed lakes in Central Asia. They range from oligosaline to metasaline. The salinity of the Aral Sea has increased by more than 30 g L⁻¹ since widespread irrigation began in its catchment area. Few studies of the phytoplankton have been conducted on these lakes since extensive irrigation started. The investigation reported here compares the flora of phytoplankton in these saline lakes. In the Small Aral Sea, phytoplankton density gradually decreased with increasing electrical conductivity (EC) (∼ salinity), but there was no such relation in Lake Balkhash and Lake Kamyslybas. In the Aral Sea, Dinophyceae and Bacillariophyceae were frequently observed in most areas of high EC value, and Cyanophyceae were most conspicuous in the area of medium and lower EC values. In Lake Balkhash, Cyanophyceae were most conspicuous, but Chlorophyceae were also noticeable. Most Cyanophyceae in Aral Sea formed filaments with heterocysts. The distinct characteristic of the phytoplankton of the Lake Balkhash was that all dominant species form colonies covered with a gelatinous film. Siliceousplankton diversity gradually decreased with increasing EC values in the Aral Sea and Lake Balkhash.     

An estimate of hypocentre location accuracy in a large network: possible implications for tectonic studies in Italy

Data recorded by the Italian Telemetered Seismic Network (ITSN) of the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica (ING) have been widely used in recent years to image slab structures and to find evidence for active processes along the Italian Peninsula. However, the use of seismic data for geostructural purposes may be affected by the well-known trade-off between earthquake location and seismic-velocity parameters. Furthermore, the confidence ellipse predicted by standard procedures may be inadequate for the representation of the probable error of a computed localization. This paper evaluates the probable errors on the hypocentre determinations of the seismic events recorded by the ITSN, using a Monte Carlo method.
We compute synthetic arrival times using a 1-D velocity model appropriate as an average for the Italian area. The hypocentres used are all those recorded by the ITSN during the period January 1992 to March 1994 (1972 events). Station locations are those of the current ITSN configuration. The synthetic arrival times are perturbed with a Gaussian distribution of errors and input to ING's standard hypocentral location procedure, but using crustal velocities differing by 10 per cent from those used to generate them. Each simulation is repeated at least 30 times. Average absolute shifts of hypocentres are assessed in grid cells of linear dimension 33 km covering the whole Italian region.
For regions within the ITSN, shifts are typically 5–10 km in location and up to 20 km in depth. However, for offshore and coastal regions, they are much greater: 50 km or more in both location and depth (far exceeding the equivalent uncertainties quoted by ING bulletins). Possible consequences of this are highlighted by producing a cross-section of subcrustal hypocentres from the Adriatic to the Tyrrhenian Sea, where the large uncertainty in depth precludes any confident interpretation of dipping tectonic features.     

欧洲中部地区晚更新世及全新世的泉华沉积

在中欧地区的河谷、洪积扇、山坡坡麓及湖底常零星分布着更新世及全新世的碳酸盐沉积物。不少学者把碳酸盐沉积当作气候变化的产物并划分出其在中欧沉积的若干时期。笔者通过德国中部Leine河流域新老石灰泉华的详细研究对泉华沉积与气候直接联系的观点提出了新的见解。运用不同方法测年验证，得知研究区的石灰泉华沉积始于11000aB.P,随后石灰泉华在研究区不同地点连续沉积。岩芯上沉积的变化和石灰泉华层的消失应是由地貌过程所引起的泉水出露位置改变所致。     

New palaeomagnetic data from Central Iran and a Triassic palaeoreconstruction

New pole positions for Triassic and Cretaceous times have been obtained from volcanic and sedimentary sequences in Central Iran. These new results confirm the general trend of the Apparent Polar Wander Path (APWP) of the Central-East-Iran microplate (CEIM) from the Triassic through the Tertiary as published by Soffel and Förster (1983, 1984). Two new palaeopoles for the Triassic of the CEIM have been obtained; limestones and tuffs from the Nakhlak region yield a mean direction of 094.0°/25.0°, N=12, k=4.1,α ₉₅=24.7°, after bedding correction, corresponding to a palaeopole position of 310.8°E; 3.9°S, and volcanic rocks from the Sirjan regions yield a mean direction of 114.5°/35.1°, N=44, k=45.9,α ₉₅=3.2° after bedding correction and a palaeopole position of 295.8°E; 10.3°N. Combining these with the two previously published results yields a new palaeopole position of 317.5°E; 12.7°N, for the Triassic of the CEIM, thus confirming that large counterclockwise rotations of the CEIM have occurred since the Triassic time. New results have also been obtained from Cretaceous limestones from the Saghand region of the CEIM. The mean direction of 340.7°/26.3°, N=33, k=44.3,α ₉₅=3.8°, and the corresponding palaeopole position of 283.1°E; 64.4°N, is in agreement with previously determined Cretaceous palaeopole positions of the CEIM. Furthermore, results have also been obtained from Triassic dolomite, limestone, sandstone and siltstone from the Natanz region, which is located to the west of the CEIM. A total of 161 specimens from 44 cores taken at five sites gave a mean direction of the five sites at 033.3°/25.1°, N=5, k=69.0,α ₉₅=9.3° and a palaeopole position of 167.2°E; 53.7°N. They pass the positive fold test of McElhinny (1964) on the level of 99% confidence. This pole position is in fairly good agreement with the mean Triassic pole position of the Turan Plate (149°E; 49°N). It indicates that the area of Natanz has not undergone the large counterclockwise rotation relative to the Turan plate since the Triassic, which has been shown for the CEIM. A Triassic palaeogeographic reconstruction of Iran, Arabia (Gondwana) and the Turan Plate (Eurasia) is also presented.