Geochemical evidence (C,N and Pb isotopes) of recent anthropogenic impact in south‐central Chile from two environmentally distinct lake sediment records

In this paper, we compare the elemental and isotopic (C, N, Pb) geochemistry of lake sediments from two contrasted environments in south‐central Chile. The first lake, Laguna Chica de San Pedro (LCSP), is situated in the urbanised area of the Biobio Region (36°S). The second lake, Lago Puyehue (40° S), is located 400 km to the southeast of LCSP and within an Andean national park. Our aim is to identify environmental impacts associated with increasing industrial activities and land degradation during the last 150 a. In LCSP, shifts in C/N atomic ratios, δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N from 1915–1937 to the late 1980s are attributed to successive land degradation episodes in the lake watershed. Based on a Pb isotopic mixing model, we estimate that up to 20% of lead in LCSP sediments is supplied from urban atmospheric pollution. By contrast, human impact in the watershed of Lago Puyehue is very limited. We observe no change in organic geochemistry during the last 150 a and lead contamination remains lower than 5%, even during the last decades. Although contamination levels are much higher in LCSP than in Lago Puyehue, a peak in anthropogenic Pb is recorded during the same period (1974–1976) at both sites. This maximum contamination level is consistent with increased industrial activity in the vicinity of Concepción. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

TRANSFERABLE PHOSPHORUS IN SEDIMENTS OF THE HUANGHE RIVER ESTUARY ＇S ADJACENT WATERS

Based on a new idea for research on cycling of marine biogenic elements, this study showed that only the leachable form phosphorus in natural grain sizes manne sediments constitutes the transferable phosphorous in the sediments. The transferable phosphorus content in the natural grain sizes surface sediments in the Huanghe River estuary adjacent waters ranges from 58.5-69.8 μg/g, accounting for only 9.1%-11.0% of the total phosphorus content, whereas the leachable form (“transferable” )phosphorus content in the sediment after it was totally ground into powder was found to be 454.8-529.2μg/g, accounting for 73.4%-89.1% of the total phosphorus. Analysis of the correlation between thebill,ass of benthos and the leachable form (“transferable” ) phosphorus showed that most of the leachableform (“transferable”) phosphorus in the totally ground sediment did not participate in the marine biogeo chemical cycling. Furthermore, a synchronous survey on benthos showed that the biornass of meio-and maero-benthos exhibited good positive correlation with the leachable form of phosphorus in the naturalgrain sizes sediment, but peorer correlation with the leachable form (“transferable”) phosphorus in the totally ground sediment, indicating that transferable phosphorus in marine sediment is the leachable form of phosphorus in the natural grain sizes sediments, and is not the previously known leachable form(“transferable”) phosphorus obtained from the totally ground sediment.     

中下扬子地区的壳幔结构及其与地震相关性的研究

针对中下扬子地区人口稠密、经济建设蓬勃发展、而其地壳构造十分复杂、天然地震比较活跃的现实情况，以实测的地球物理资料与卫星重力异常等相结合，分析了该地区地壳构造和上地幔深部构造的基本特征，指出该地区中强震的形成和发生既有可能与地壳层中存在的低速带和高导层有关，还可能与更深部上地幔内部构造的背景因素有关。文中还提出了一些值得进一步探讨的问题。     

ESR DATING OF FLUVIAL SEDIMENTS USING GE CENTER IN QUARTZ

Using the Ge centers of quartz sediments, the buried ages of fluvial sediments were determined by ESR technique. The ESR ages obtained from Ge centers are consistent with the TL ages, correspond with their horizons, accord with the geological background, and every ESR age is available. In this paper, determination of total dose of natural radiation (TD) and the reliability of ESR age using Ge center are also discussed.     

Recent environmental changes inferred from the sediments of small lakes in Yellowstone's northern range

Recent sediments of eight small lakes in the northern winter range of Yellowstone National Park were cored to examine stratigraphic records of past changes in limnology and local environment that might be attributed to grazing and other activities of elk, bison, and other large ungulates. Cores of undisturbed sediment were analyzed at close intervals to depths covering the last 100–150 years according to chronologies established by lead-210 dating. Pollen analyses were made to show change in regional vegetation, and diatom and geochemical analyses were made to reveal possible limnological changes resulting from soil erosion and nutrient input from the lake catchments.Variations in sedimentary components prior to establishment of the Park in 1872 indicate some natural variability in environmental factors e.g., erosional inputs in landslide areas west of Gardiner. All lakes had abundant nutrient inputs.After the Park was founded, fire suppression may have been responsible for small increases in pollen percentages of various conifers and Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush) at different times in different lakes. Perceptible decreases in pollen of willow, aspen, alder, and birch at different times may reflect local ungulate browsing, although drier climatic conditions may have been a factor as well.The most striking manifestation of accelerated erosion in a catchment was found at a lake located beside a road constructed in the 1930s. In contrast to changes at this site, the record of erosion at other lakes is hardly perceptible. Changes in sediment-accumulation rates seen at most sites result from redistribution of sediment within the lake after initial deposition.In the century following Park establishment, the abundance of planktonic diatoms relative to benthic taxa varies among lakes and may reflect differential nutrient inputs or changes in lake level. Four of the five lakes analyzed for diatoms show in the last few decades an increase in planktonic relative to benthic species, implying elevated nutrient inputs. The recent flora, however, is similar to that in pre-Park levels which suggests that these lakes have not been perturbed outside their normal range. Increased nutrient supply in recent decades for at least two of the lakes is supported by the geochemical data, which show an increase in biogenic silica and in organic matter.As a whole, our investigation of the sedimentary record does not support the hypothesis that ungulate grazing has had a strong direct or indirect effect on the vegetation and soil stability in the lake catchments or on the water quality of the lakes.     

A search for a problem free cosmology

We explore features of a nonminimally coupled theory of scalar fields with an effective potential that supports non topological soliton solutions. It is suggested that a problem free cosmology results.     

香山绝对点周围的局部地壳变形及其对重力测量结果的影响

为了监视北京地区的地壳稳定性，北京测绘院对10多个基岩点和北京市区进行了多次沉降观测，结果表明香山点近10多年来高程变化只有几毫米，其重力效应可略而不计，但测点东北和东南方有两个较大的下沉区。用线积分法计算了两个局部沉降的重力效应，在沉降区中心其影响可达0.38μms^-2，但对香山点的重力效应非常小，完全可以忽略。因此得出如下结论：香山点观测到的重力变化不是地壳变形引起的。     

北京大灰厂试验场重力变化特征及其解释

介绍了北京大灰厂试验场（简称京西试验场）的概况，对１９９３年３月以来重力重复观测资料进行了处理。计算了各期重力观测精度，结果显示１９９３年３月～１９９５年５月京西试验场存在一定重力变化。采用给定的模型反演了八宝山断层介质的密度变化，认为断层破碎带介质密度的变化可能是引起地表重力变化的主要因素     

Geopotential from space techniques

The monitoring of the perturbed motion of artificial satellites since the 1960's has provided a valuable resource for improved activities in geodesy. These observations and the improved geodetic techniques they fostered have provided an unparalleled means for studying both the gravity field and the Earth's shape. In this paper, we will review the various determinations of the Earth's gravity field produced at many research centers over the years from space techniques. The specific methods which have been used to measure our planet, such as satellite altimetry and satellite orbital perturbation analyses (over short and long periods of time), will be compared.