Late quaternary seismic stratigraphy and active faults of the Gulf of İzmit (NE Marmara Sea)

The Upper Quaternary seismic stratigraphy and active faults of the Gulf of İzmit were investigated by means of high-resolution shallow seismic profiling data in the source region of 1999 İzmit earthquake. High-resolution seismic reflection data correlated with borehole data indicate that the stratigraphy of İzmit Bay consists of three distinct depositional sequences formed in response to middle Pleistocene-Holocene sea-level changes. Reflector R, separating the pre-Holocene sequences (1 and 2) from the Holocene sequence (3), represents an erosional unconformity produced by the subaerial fluvial erosion of the continental shelves at the time of the last glacial maximum. Occasional, anomalous reflections (acoustic turbidity) observed within the Holocene sequence are interpreted as gas accumulations. The maximum thickness of the Holocene sediments is found to be about 25 m. The isopach map of Holocene sediment implies that the thickness of the Holocene decreases from the east towards the central and western basins of İzmit Bay. Two distinct fault systems are interpreted in İzmit Bay. The main fault system extending roughly in an E-W direction along the Gulf of İzmit is an active right lateral strike slip fault with a normal component. The secondary faults are normal faults striking in different directions and these are identified as being both active and inactive. In addition, prominent compressive features are identified in the seismic cross-sections of some profiles acquired to the east of Hersek Peninsula where the focal mechanisms of the aftershocks of the 1999 İzmit earthquake also reveal predominantly reverse faulting mechanisms, as identified by a local dense seismic network.     

渭河流域东部全新世黄土-古土壤剖面光释光测年及其记录的土壤侵蚀事件

在渭河流域东部老官台(LGT)全新世黄土-古土壤剖面中,系统采集了15个黄土释光测年样品,应用单片再生剂量法(SAR)对这些样品的细颗粒混合矿物进行了光释光(OSL)测年,测定结果表明:红外之后蓝光释光([post—IR]OSL)的年龄偏大,红外释光(IRSL)的年龄偏小或与蓝光释光(BLSL)的年龄基本一致,应用IRSL和BLSL信号测定的OSL年龄整体偏小可能与测定样品中长石矿物的异常衰退有关,而[post—IR]OSL信号由于很少发生异常衰退问题,使得其年龄可靠性更高。基于测定的[post-IR]OSL年龄,结合该剖面的磁化率和粒度指标,进一步探讨了渭河流域东部自全新世以来发生的两期土壤侵蚀事件,第1期土壤侵蚀事件发生在约12.40～9.34 kaBP,即全新世大暧期来临之前的气候转暖期间;第2期土壤侵蚀事件发生在约4.60～3.76 kaBP,即全新世大暖期即将结束、气候开始出现恶化、黄河中游地区夏文化发展的时期,这为深入探索夏代发生的大洪水事件及其气候背景提供了科学依据,本区两期显著的土壤侵蚀事件的发现,揭示了东亚季风系统的不稳定性,表现为千年到百年尺度上的快速变化。     

Gradients in coral reef communities exposed to muddy river discharge in Pohnpei,Micronesia

This study analyzed how coral communities change along a gradient of increasing exposure to a mud-discharging river in the Enipein Catchment, Pohnpei, Micronesia. Using video transects, we quantified benthic communities at five sites along a gradient moving away from the river mouth towards the barrier reef. The most river-impacted site was characterized by a high accumulation of mud, low coral cover and low coral diversity. Although coral cover leveled off at ∼400 m from the river mouth to values found at the outer-most sites, coral diversity continued to increase with increasing distance, suggesting that the most distant site was still impacted by the river discharges. Fungiidae, Pavona, Acropora, Pachyseris and Porites rus all significantly increased in cover with distance from the river, while Turbinaria decreased. The combined presence and abundance of these six species groups, together with coral species richness, may help to indicate the effects of terrestrial runoff in similar runoff-exposed settings around Micronesia, whereas coral cover is not a sensitive indicator for river impact. Coral reefs are important resources for the people of Pohnpei. To prevent further degradation of this important resource, an integrated watershed approach is needed to control terrestrial activities.     

Environmental evolution of Gongwang Mountains during Holocene in northeastern Yunnan, China

This paper presents the study on two continuous glacio-lacustrine sedimentary deposits, Laotanfang (3 597 m) and Shibantang (3 689 m) located on the southern and northern sides of Hulifang peak in Yunan, China. Environmental change indexes are constructed for each deposit, based on grain size, geochemical and pollen analysis, environmental magnetic susceptibility, and 14C dating. The study of climatic environmental change since the Holocene epoch in this region shows that the climate fluctuated at different stages during the early Holocene, that is, the climate was cool and wet during 8 4-7 7 ka, cold and wet during 7 7-6 5 ka, cold and dry during 6 5-4 7 ka, cool and wet during 4 7-2 1 ka, warm and wet during 2 1-1 0 ka, and warmer and wet since 1 ka. These findings reflect the overlapping influences of the southwest and southeast monsoons in different times during the Holocene in the north part of southwestern China are in accord with other Holocene climate change models in this part of China.     

Environmental evolution of Gongwang Mountains during Holocene in northeastern Yunnan, China

This paper presents the study on two continuous glacio-lacustrine sedimentary deposits, Laotanfang （3 597 m） and Shibantang （3 689 m） located on the southern and northern sides of Hulifang peak in Yunan, China. Environmental change indexes are constructed for each deposit, based on grain size, geochemical and pollen analysis, environmental magnetic susceptibility, and 14C dating. The study of climatic environmental change since the Holocene epoch in this region shows that the climate fluctuated at different stages during the early Holocene, that is, the climate was cool and wet during 8.4-7. 7r ka, cold and wet during 7.7-6. 5 ka, cold and dry during 6. 5-4.7 ka, cool and wet during 4.7-2. 1 ka, warm and wet during 2. 1-1.0 ka, and warmer and wet since 1 ka. These findings reflect the overlapping influences of the southwest and southeast monsoons in different times during the Holocene in the north part of southwestern China are in accord with other Holocene climate change models in this part of China.     

Lakes of the Jom-Bolok Volcanoes Valley in the East Sayan Mts., Baikal region

Journal of Geographical Sciences - This article describes the lake basins of the Jom-Bolok volcanic region in the East Sayan (the largest manifestation of the Holocene eruptions in Central Asia)....     

Basin filling evolution of the central basins of Mallorca since the Pliocene

A new compilation of data from 436 drill cores using decompaction and backstripping techniques was used to reconstruct the basin filling history from the Pliocene until the present day in the Palma, Inca and Sa Pobla Basins on the island of Mallorca (Spain). Calcareous rocks dominate the source area and provide a limited amount of clastic input to the basins that has resulted in an average accumulation rate of between 5 and 20 m/Ma during the last 5.3 Ma. Carbonate sediment production dominated the basin filling history during early‐mid Pliocene, but during the Quaternary, the sedimentation processes in the Palma Basin were probably enhanced by an evolution in the drainage network that increased the sediment supply and the accumulated thickness caused by stream capture. However, the maximum sedimentation rate filling the depocentres of the three basins has been decreasing since the Pliocene, showing that not only the catchment transport efficiency but also the relative sea level have been controlling the sediment accumulation in these carbonate basins. The isopach cross‐sections support the idea that a palaeorelief was generated during the Messinian sea level drop and that heterogeneities were filled in from the Pliocene to the Quaternary. We conclude that the central basins of Mallorca were filled heterogeneously due to tectonic and geomorphic processes that controlled sediment transport and production, resulting in different average sedimentation thicknesses that decreased since the Pliocene as the accommodation space became filled and the relative sea level dropped.     

Extensional fault and fold growth: Impact on accommodation evolution and sedimentary infill

Extensional faults and folds exert a fundamental control on the location, thickness and partitioning of sedimentary deposits on rift basins. The connection between the mode of extensional fault reactivation, resulting fault shape and extensional fold growth is well‐established. The impact of folding on accommodation evolution and growth package architecture, however, has received little attention; particularly the role‐played by fault‐perpendicular (transverse) folding. We study a multiphase rift basin with km‐scale fault displacements using a large high‐quality 3D seismic data set from the Fingerdjupet Subbasin in the southwestern Barents Sea. We link growth package architecture to timing and mode of fault reactivation. Dip linkage of deep and shallow fault segments resulted in ramp‐flat‐ramp fault geometry, above which fault‐parallel fault‐bend folds developed. The folds limited the accommodation near their causal faults, leading to deposition within a fault‐bend synclinal growth basin further into the hangingwall. Continued fold growth led to truncation of strata near the crest of the fault‐bend anticline before shortcut faulting bypassed the ramp‐flat‐ramp structure and ended folding. Accommodation along the fault‐parallel axis is controlled by the transverse folds, the location and size of which depends on the degree of linkage in the fault network and the accumulated displacement on causal faults. We construct transverse fold trajectories by tracing transverse fold hinges through space and time to highlight the positions of maximum and minimum accommodation and potential sediment entry points to hangingwall growth basins. The length and shape of the constructed trajectories relate to the displacement on their parent faults, duration of fault activity, timing of transverse basin infill, fault linkage and strain localization. We emphasize that the considerable wavelength, amplitudes and potential periclinal geometry of extensional folds make them viable targets for CO₂ storage or hydrocarbon exploration in rift basins.     

全新世以来珠江三角洲海鸥沙形成过程的地貌动力学分析

海鸥沙是珠江三角洲一个极富特色的沉积砂体。本文基于钻孔资料并结合长周期“动力-沉积-形态”模型, 从沉积学和地貌动力学角度对全新世以来海鸥沙的形成演变过程进行了探讨。海欧沙在全新世的沉积层序自下而上分别为河流相、河口湾浅海相和三角洲相。全新世海侵盛期以来, 虎门涨潮射流和东北—西南向涨落潮流是影响海鸥沙形成演变的主要动力。6000—2500a BP, 受东北—西南向涨落潮流的影响, 海鸥沙中北部地区一直处于冲刷无沉积状态, 由虎门涨潮射流带来的泥沙主要在海鸥沙南部沉积, 沉积速率约为0.67mm·a ^-1; 2500—1700a BP, 随着番禺平原的发育, 东北—西南向涨落潮流逐渐消弱, 海鸥沙进入一个快速沉积期, 平均沉积速率约为15mm·a ^-1, 沉积由两端向中间发展; 1700—600a BP, 随着沙湾水道的形成, 海鸥沙中部迅速发展, 至600a BP左右, 海鸥沙基本形成并出露水面。     

广州城区晚全新世环境变迁与人类活动

对广州市越秀区解放中路考古遗址剖面进行了年代学、岩性、硅藻和软体动物鉴定等研究,发现广州珠江北岸古城区南部在先秦时期为河道及河口湾湿地/洼地;因河流-河涌的淡水注入使河口盐度降低,故而沉积物中未见较高盐度的微体生物,仅发现了河口型咸水-半咸水硅藻;此时堆积的贝壳大多为淡水种,半咸水种少见,表明先秦(东周)时期,广州地区...