First high-resolution luminescence dating of loess in Western Siberia

The south of Western Siberia is an important part of the Eurasian loess belt, containing an extensive record of Quaternary landscape and climate evolution in up to 100 m thick loess deposits with as many as 10 pedocomplexes. However, this important Quaternary archive lacks a reliable absolute chronology, and this has prevented the linking of the widely accepted regional chronostratigraphic correlations with those of other parts of the Eurasian loess belt. Here we present the first results of detailed luminescence dating of the Late Pleistocene loess-palaeosol sequence at the Western Siberian stratotype section of Lozhok. According to the classical regional chronostratigraphic scheme, this sequence records the main stages of the environmental evolution of the region, including three palaeosols correlated with the warming stages of MIS 5e, MIS 5c and MIS 3. Our absolute chronology is based on 38 new luminescence ages (OSL, IR₅₀, pIRIR₂₉₀). Good agreement between the OSL and pIRIR₂₉₀ ages suggests sufficient bleaching before deposition. The resulting chronology reveals that, rather than being only Upper Pleistocene in age, the loess-palaeosol sequence at Lozhok actually formed in the Middle and Upper Pleistocene. The ages of individual horizons do not correspond to the previously accepted stratigraphic units and morphological features of pedocomplexes. Our Bayesian chronological model reveals remarkable variation in dust accumulation and preservation at the site. The new results unambiguously identify the presence of an erosional boundary with a hiatus lasting ∼90 ka. The upper pedocomplex, immediately below this discontinuity, formed in sediment deposited between 131 ± 9 ka and 122 ± 11 ka and clearly corresponds to MIS 5. The lower pedocomplex is found in sediment deposited between 240 ± 12 and 199 ± 9 ka, and correlates closely with MIS 7. These new findings demonstrate the urgent need for a wider programme to date the main stratotypes of loess-palaeosol sections in Western Siberia. Only then can the global implications of the regional climate record in this important continental-scale archive be correctly interpreted.     

襄樊—广济断裂带东段构造变形特征及其演化

襄樊—广济断裂带是分隔大别造山带和扬子板块北缘前陆褶皱逆冲带的边界断裂,其几何学、运动学及构造演化特征记录了南北两大不同性质的大地构造单元发生碰撞、拼贴及相互作用的地质过程。在野外调查、构造解析和年代学研究基础上,结合区域地质和地球物理资料分析,认为襄樊—广济断裂带东段以深部向南逆冲、浅表向北逆冲的“鳄鱼嘴式”对冲构造为特征,与西段的构造变形样式和次序存在显著差异。中扬子地区东部受控于江南—雪峰造山带和大别造山带南北两大构造体系,深部扬子板块北缘向大别造山带之下俯冲导致造山带自北向南挤出,推覆构造可影响至瑞昌一带,由南向北的浅层逆冲推覆可影响至梅川附近,二者在襄樊—广济断裂带东段的蕲春—武穴—浠水一带对接。襄樊—广济断裂带经历了印支早期同碰撞由北向南的逆冲推覆和深层次的韧性剪切变形(T₂末)、燕山早—中期双向对冲构造变形(J_1-3)、燕山晚期伸展正断层变形(K_1-2)、喜山早期由北向南小规模逆冲变形(E₁)阶段。     

中线调水前汉江中下游水量和水质本底特性及变化趋势分析

为研究南水北调中线工程调水前,汉江中下游的水量和水质本底特性及变化趋势,选择汉江中下游6个水文站及4个水质观测断面,采用数理统计、Mann-Kendall检验和Spearman秩次检验法,分别从水量和水质两个方面进行了分析。研究结果表明:(1)对比分析历史长序列流量资料,1999~2013年间汉江中下游地区处于偏枯期;(2)汉江中下游水量的年际变化较大,极值比介于2.7~3.3之间。水量年内各月分配变化也较大,汛期径流量占全年的63%~66%,非汛期仅占全年的34%~37%;(3)汉江中下游地区各水文测站的年均流量序列,总体上随时间变化的趋势均不显著,但经历了1980~1990的偏丰期及1990~2013的偏枯期;(4)汉江中下游地区的水质达标情况较好,大部分年份的水质均优于III类水质标准,且水质无显著的变化趋势。     

长白山区二道白河流域早更新世玄武质熔岩的成因

采用岩石化学和同位素分析方法,研究了二道白河流域早更新世玄武质熔岩的成因。玄武质熔岩由钠质拉斑玄武岩和钾质粗面玄武岩、玄武质粗面安山岩组成。它们的REE分配形式比较相近,表明它们来自共同的源区。Sr、Nd、Pb同位素示踪表明,二道白河流域早更新世玄武质熔岩岩浆源区接近于似原始地幔。它们的Mg#=100Mg O/(Mg O+Fe O)低于中国东部新生代玄武岩原始岩浆的Mg#(60~68),Ni(27.76×10-6~200.6×10-6)低于原始地幔,Rb/Sr(0.05~0.09)、Ba/Rb(15.64~264)高于原始地幔,说明这些岩石不是源自原始地幔。玄武质熔岩的DI变化于42~67,具有高Ca、高Sr、Eu正异常,微量元素图解显示玄武岩保留部分熔融趋势,粗面玄武岩、玄武质粗安岩具有结晶分异趋势,岩浆上升过程中发生了不同程度的地壳混染作用。玄武质熔岩的Nb/Ta之比为14.8~15.8,与勘察加半岛深俯冲带火山类似。Nb/Ta-(Na2O-K2O)关系图解显示研究区玄武质岩浆的形成与俯冲板片的部分熔融有关。     

南海北部沉积物常量元素变化、碳酸盐旋回及其古环境意义

通过对南海北部ODP1145站沉积物的常量元素和碳酸盐分析,探讨了早更新世南海北部沉积物常量元素和碳酸盐含量变化特征及其古环境意义.结果表明,南海北部沉积物中主量元素CaO、Fe2O3、K2O、Na2O、MnO和P2O5受碳酸盐含量影响相对较小,而SiO2、MgO、Al2O3和TiO2受到碳酸盐含量影响相对较大.碳酸盐校正后的常量元素变化可以划分为3种类型,即PC1、PC2和PC3,它们的主要特点有:PC1元素组合包括了SiO2、CaO、Na2O、P2O5、Fe2O3和K2O,主要反映了与季风强度有关的生源物质产率变化,指示了距今2.5～1.5Ma时段生产力的逐渐降低;PC2元素组合(Al2O3、TiO2)代表了陆源物质的输入,指示了在约2Ma开始陆源物质输入的明显增加;PC3元素组合(MgO、MnO)可能与海洋自生作用有关,反映了海底氧化/还原环境的相对变化.早更新世南海北部CaCO3含量呈阶段性降低,一方面受陆源物质稀释作用的影响,另一方面可能更与生物生产力逐渐降低有关.主量元素组合及碳酸盐含量在约2Ma和1.7Ma左右均发生显著变化,可能指示了早更新世时期东亚冬季风的两次增强.     

江苏启东地区发现浅层天然气气源层与晚更新世末期古土壤层——据江苏1:5万余东镇等七幅区调

江苏东南部启东地区开展的1∶5万区域地质调查工作已经完成野外工作验收,通过整理分析新获取的地质资料,发现工作区内"下切河谷"地区地表下46~59 m处普遍存在棕黄色、灰绿色、灰黑色"硬黏土层",厚度2~10 m不等;局部地区钻孔岩心剖面在本层顶部表现为明显的古土壤层,见根痕构造、钙质结核等暴露成土特征,其下部可见灰黑色富有机质、植物碎屑的粉砂质黏土层。古土壤层的发现证明了本区在末次盛冰期并不完全为下切河谷地区,更新了前人对测区晚更新世末期沉积地层的认识;而厚度0.5~2 m不等的富有机质、植物碎屑的粉砂质黏土层为本区浅层天然气提供了气源。     

Periglacial and Fluvial Factors Controlling the Sedimentation of Pleistocene Breccia in NW Poland

Breccias were investigated on the terrace of the Toruń‐Eberswalde ice‐marginal valley at Rozwarzyn (NW Poland). Breccia layers include soft‐sediment clasts with diameters between 2 and 256 mm and soft‐sediment megaclasts with diameters from 256 mm to 7 m. The shape of the soft‐sediment clasts and megaclasts (derived from frozen sediments) in the breccia is diverse: from angular and irregular in the case of debris‐flow breccias to slightly rounded and tabular in fluvial breccias. These two types of breccias were developed during the Late Weichselian when the periglacial climate favored extensive lateral erosion by currents of frozen braided channels in the ice‐marginal valley. The dual presence of breccias of fluvial and debris‐flow origin in channel deposits is unique for Quaternary sediments. Zones of breccias existed in the channels where scours and obstacle marks related to megaclasts developed. The study of breccias shed new light on the fluvial processes in ice‐marginal valleys during the Pleistocene and can be considered as diagnostic for fluvio‐periglacial conditions.     

Depositional system and palaeoclimatic interpretations of Middle to Late Pleistocene travertines: Kocabaş, Denizli,south‐west Turkey

Travertine deposits in western Turkey are very well‐exposed in the area of Kocaba?, in the eastern part of the Denizli Basin. The palaeoclimatic significance of these travertines is discussed using U/Th dates, stable isotope data and palynological evidence. The Kocaba? travertine occurrences are characterized by successions of depositional terraces associated with palaeosols and karstic features. The travertines have been classified into eight lithotypes and one erosional horizon, namely: laminated, coated bubble, reed, paper‐thin raft, intraclasts, micritic travertine with gastropods, extra‐formational pebbles and a palaeosol layer. The analysed travertines mostly formed between 181 ka and 80 ka (Middle to Late Pleistocene) during a series of climatic changes including glacial and interglacial intervals; their δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O values indicate that the depositional waters were mainly of basinal thermal origin, occasionally mixed with surficial meteoric water. Palynological results obtained from the palaeosols showed an abundance of non‐arboreal percentage and xerophytic plants (Oleaceae and Quercus evergreen type) indicating that a drought occurred. Marine Isotope Stage 6 is represented by grassland species but Marine Isotope Stage 5 is represented by Pinaceae–Pinus and Abies, Quercus and Oleaceae. Uranium/thorium analyses of the Kocaba? travertines show that deposition began in Marine Isotope Stage 6 (glacial) and continued to Marine Isotope Stage 4 (glacial), but mostly occurred in Marine Isotope Stage 5 (interglacial). The travertine deposition continued to ca 80 ka in the south‐west of the study area, in one particular depression depositional system. Palaeoenvironmental indicators suggest that the travertine depositional evolution was probably controlled by fault‐related movements that influenced groundwater flow. Good correlation of the stable isotope values and dates of deposition of the travertines and palynological data of palaeosols in the Kocaba? travertines serve as a starting point for further palaeoclimate studies in south‐west Turkey. Additionally, the study can be compared with other regional palaeoclimate archives.     

黄河中游夏季降水异常的先兆特征和预测方法

本文利用黄河中游61站降水资料,分析了其变化规律和同期及前期环境场特征,并建立了夏季降水预测模型。研究发现：黄河中游夏季降水具有显著的年际变化特征,显著周期在3年左右;黄河中游夏季降水主要受到同期东亚高空急流、西太平洋副热带高压(以下简称副高)以及贝加尔湖附近低槽的影响,当急流和副高偏强（弱）偏北（南）、贝加尔湖附近高度场偏低（高）时,黄河中游降水偏多（少）。另外,前期秋季南方涛动指数、北非副热带高压（20°W~60°E）、南海副热带高压（100°~120°E）、北半球副高强度及北半球极涡强度发生异常时,对夏季环流产生影响,从而影响黄河中游夏季降水,据此,建立预测模型。评估发现该模型具有较强的预测能力,可用于黄河中游夏季降水的定量预测。     

The grain-size characteristics of Quaternary deposits at Xingshan near Siping in Jilin province, China

This research paper analyses the grain-size characteristics of the Quaternary deposits at Xingshan near Siping, Jilin province in China by employing graphic measures to study the grain size distribution and its mode of transport and deposition. The Quaternary deposits at Xingshan lie unconformable on Cretaceous rocks made of siltstone, mudstone and sandstone. The average grain size is between 8.06 to 8.55Ф （0. 002 6 0. 003 7 mm）. The Quaternary deposits at Xingshan mainly compose of very fine silt to clay. The compositions of the grade are clay 63 % and silt 37 %. The clay size components are weathered debris transported and deposited by flowing water from the SE highlands or hills to the low lying NW Xingshan plains whereas the silty components accumulated by aoelian process. The Quaternary deposits at Xingshan accumulated in the middle and late Pleistocene interglacial periods from （459.12 - 39.03 ） ka to （88.92 - 7.56 ） ka. The standard deviation ranged from 0.96 to 1.36%, indicating that the sediments are moderately to poorly sorted, Coefficient of skewness ranged from 0.16 - 0.31 with an average skewness of 0. 218, （Positively skewed towards fine）. Kurtosis values （0.84- 1.05） from the grain size distribution and visual inspection of the frequency curves indicate platykurtic to mesokurtic curves and unimodal to bimodal grain-size distribution. The type of deposit formation is sand dune and the source is at a distal from its provenance.