Volcanic resurfacing and the early terrestrial crust: Zircon U-Pb and REE constraints from the Isua Greenstone Belt, southern West Greenland

The oldest known bona fide succession of clastic metasediments occurs in the Isua Greenstone Belt, SW Greenland and consists of a variety of mica schists and rare metaconglomerates. The metasediments are in direct contact with a felsic metavolcanic lithology that has previously been dated to 3.71 Ga. Based on trace element geochemical data for > 30 metasediments, we selected the six samples with highest Zr concentrations for zircon extraction. These samples all yielded very few or no zircon. Those extracted from mica schists yielded ion probe U/Pb ages between 3.70 and 3.71 Ga. One metaconglomerate sample yielded just a single zircon of 3.74 Ga age.The mica schist hosted zircons have U/Pb ages, Th / U ratios, REE patterns and Eu anomalies indistinguishable from zircon in the adjacent 3.71 Ga felsic metavolcanic unit. Trace element modelling requires the bulk of material in the metasediments to be derived from variably weathered mafic lithologies but some metasediments contain substantial contribution from more evolved source lithologies. The paucity of zircon in the mica schists is thus explained by incorporation of material from largely zircon-free volcanic lithologies. The absence of older zircon in the mica schists and the preponderance of mafic source material imply intense, mainly basaltic resurfacing of the early Earth. The implications of this process are discussed.Thermal considerations suggest that horizontal growth of Hadean crust by addition of mafic-ultramafic lavas must have triggered self-reorganisation of the protocrust by remelting. Reworking of Hadean crust may have been aided by burial of hydrated (weathered) metabasalt due to semi-continuous addition of new voluminous basalt outpourings. This process causes a bias towards eruption of Zr-saturated partial melts at the surface with O-isotope compositions potentially different from the mantle. The oldest zircons hosted in sediments would have been buried to substantial depth or formed in plutons that crystallised at some depth, from which it took hundreds of millions of years for them to be exhumed and incorporated into much younger sediments.     

A timescale decomposed threshold regression downscaling approach to forecasting South China early summer rainfall

A timescale decomposed threshold regression(TSDTR) downscaling approach to forecasting South China early summer rainfall(SCESR) is described by using long-term observed station rainfall data and NOAA ERSST data. It makes use of two distinct regression downscaling models corresponding to the interannual and interdecadal rainfall variability of SCESR.The two models are developed based on the partial least squares(PLS) regression technique, linking SCESR to SST modes in preceding months on both interannual and interdecadal timescales. Specifically, using the datasets in the calibration period 1915–84, the variability of SCESR and SST are decomposed into interannual and interdecadal components. On the interannual timescale, a threshold PLS regression model is fitted to interannual components of SCESR and March SST patterns by taking account of the modulation of negative and positive phases of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO). On the interdecadal timescale, a standard PLS regression model is fitted to the relationship between SCESR and preceding November SST patterns. The total rainfall prediction is obtained by the sum of the outputs from both the interannual and interdecadal models. Results show that the TSDTR downscaling approach achieves reasonable skill in predicting the observed rainfall in the validation period 1985–2006, compared to other simpler approaches. This study suggests that the TSDTR approach,considering different interannual SCESR-SST relationships under the modulation of PDO phases, as well as the interdecadal variability of SCESR associated with SST patterns, may provide a new perspective to improve climate predictions.     

Internal Microanatomy and Zoological Affinity of the Early Cambrian Olivooides

The early Cambrian pentamerous microfossil Olivooides/Punctatus in South China, which is characterized by a diagnostic stellate tubular apex, has been well-known for its almost complete development sequence that can be confidently traced from embryos and hatched juveniles, to conical adults. However, its zoological affinity remains highly controversial. Here we describe the internal microanatomic structures of the soft-body inside the peridermal theca of Olivooides multisulcatus Qian, 1977, including interradial pairs of tentacles, adradial and perradial frenula, perradial oral marginal lappets and twins of perradial gastric saccule-like humps as well as a circular velarium with striated coronal muscles. Particularly, one specimen shows bifurcated velarial canals along the bell aperture. Both the components of the soft-body and the external theca (or cyst) are arranged in perfect pentaradial symmetry. These characteristics are more compatible with those of living cubomedusans and co-occurring Cambrian athecate embryonic cubozoans. Concerning the presence of peridermal theca, Olivooides most likely represents an extinct thecate stem-group cubomedusae but devoid of both perradial eyes and specialized pedalia. The well-grown soft body inside the peridermal tube displays a set of mixed features of both polyp and medusa.     

东北大三江盆地群早白垩世存在统一湖盆的沉积学证据

大三江盆地群位于黑龙江省东部,中生代以来经历了多期构造运动,形成现今各自分割的10余个残余盆地。由于缺乏关键性证据,前人对大三江地区早白垩世是否存在统一湖盆存在争议。本次研究通过野外地质调查和钻井岩心观察,认为盆地总体缺乏边缘相沉积,并且主要以三角洲平原亚相和滨浅湖亚相为主。古水流恢复和重矿物特征显示,研究区主要存在西部和西北部、东部以及东南部三大物源体系,并且平面上具有由四周向中心汇聚的特征。地震资料反射特征显示下白垩统具有典型的断陷-坳陷复合结构,坳陷时期地层由各盆地中心至边部未出现明显的地层减薄现象,现今的盆地边界断裂多为后期对盆地进行改造、破坏的逆冲断裂。这些证据都是对大三江地区早白垩世存在统一湖盆的有力支撑。本研究不仅能为大三江盆地群原型盆地的恢复提供重要依据,也将为东北盆地群油气资源远景评价和进一步的勘探部署提供参考。     

延庆千家店地区硅化木赋存层位及形成时代分析

北京延庆千家店土城子组中的硅化木自发现以来,得到了众多学者的关注,但关于硅化木的赋存层位和形成时代一直未有定论,目前主流观点认为硅化木广泛发育于土城子组一段和二段的下部,关于其形成时代则自侏罗纪早期至白垩纪早期的论述均有,这种争论显然不利于木化石的保护、科普和进一步深化认识。在千家店土城子组进行的考察结果展现出与前人观点不同的线索。实地考察、剖面测量和年龄测试结果显示:原位埋藏硅化木形成时代应为晚侏罗世早期,赋存层位为土城子组一段下部,而土城子组二段下部的沉积特征反应出当时水位频繁升降,水体能量剧烈变化,火山活动暂时陷入沉寂的沉积环境,较难满足形成木化石的基本要求。     

北极秋季海冰密集度与中国初冬降雨之间的关系

本文通过对中国地区实测降水及北极海冰卫星数据的分析,研究了北极秋季海冰密集度与中国初冬降雨的关系。合成分析的研究结果表明2000年之前中国南方和北方冬季降水偏少,中部降水偏多,这之后中国南方和北方冬季降水增加,中部降水减少。SVD研究结果显示,北极海冰减少使得近三十年来中国南方和北方冬季降雨呈现逐渐增多,中部地区(从青藏高原向东北方向至日本)降雨逐步减少的趋势。随着北极海冰的进一步减少,如遇合适的气候条件,南方冻雨出现的概率会加大。北极秋季海冰异常的回复过程加之冬季海冰异常的延续信号在中国、蒙古及日本北部激发一个阻塞高压,以巴伦支海/卡拉海为中心激发一个异常低压。这使得来自北冰洋大西洋扇区的冷空气南下至欧洲大陆和亚洲北部,在阻塞高压的影响下,冷空气进一步南下,进入东亚地区。这不仅使得亚洲冬季温度降低,也为中国北部降水增加提供条件。     

西藏塔惹增地区下白垩统捷嘎组的厘定及其地质意义

笔者于西藏仲巴县塔惹增地区一带前人划分的一套早白垩世早期则弄群中发现了具有典型意义的、代表早白垩世晚期的Ampullina xainzaensis Yu,Ampullina cf. larteli Landerer,Tylostoma cf. brasilianus Maury,Pseudamaura cf. subfournaeti (Pcelincev),Gyrodes gaultiana Orbigny,Leviathania cf. gerassimovi(Pcelincev),Gymnentome cf. pizcuetana(Vilanova)等腹足类化石,以及较为丰富的中圆笠虫Mesorbitolina sp.和达克斯虫Daxia sp。表明在该区则弄群中至少有一部分以前没有被识别出的早白垩世晚期地层。通过岩石组合特征、基本层序、生物化石时代对比,将该套地层归属于捷嘎组。这一地层的确定为冈底斯带白垩系地层划分对比、地层格架建立提供了重要的依据,并丰富了该地层的古生物资料,且为中生代盆地的演化历史、古地理轮廓的确定提供了新的基础资料。     

Early Carboniferous ophiolite in central Qiangtang,northern Tibet: record of an oceanic back-arc system in the Palaeo-Tethys Ocean

Zircon U–Pb dating of two samples of metagabbro from the Riwanchaka ophiolite yielded early Carboniferous ages of 354.4 ± 2.3 Ma and 356.7 ± 1.9 Ma. Their positive zircon εHf(t) values (+7.9 to +9.9) indicate that these rocks were derived from a relatively depleted mantle. The metagabbros can be considered as two types: R1 and R2. Both types are tholeiitic, with depletion of high-field-strength elements (HFSE) and enrichment of large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) similar to those of typical back-arc basin basalts (BABB), such as Mariana BABB and East Scotia Ridge BABB. Geochemical and isotopic characteristics indicate that the R1 metagabbro originated from a back-arc basin spreading ridge with addition of slab-derived fluids, whereas the R2 metagabbro was derived from a back-arc basin mantle source, with involvement of melts and fluids from subducted ocean crust. The Riwanchaka ophiolite exhibits both mid-ocean ridge basalts- and arc-like geochemical affinities, consistent with coeval ophiolites from central Qiangtang. Observations indicate that the Qiangtang ophiolites developed during the Late Devonian–early Carboniferous (D₃–C₁) in a back-arc spreading ridge above an intra-oceanic subduction zone. Based on our data and previous studies, we propose that an oceanic back-arc basin system existed in the Longmuco–Shuanghu–Lancang Palaeo-Tethys Ocean during the D₃–C₁ period.     

大兴安岭十八站—韩家园地区中酸性侵入岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄、地球化学特征及其地质意义

大兴安岭北部塔河县十八站—呼玛县韩家园地区发育早古生代中酸性侵入岩。文章选取二长闪长岩和二长花岗岩开展岩石年代学与地球化学研究。二长闪长岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb年龄为512.4±3.5 Ma,为早—中寒武世岩浆作用的产物。岩石地球化学分析表明,中酸性侵入岩归属于准铝质—弱过铝质(A/CNK=0.77~1.04)钙碱性—高钾钙碱性系列。岩石稀土总量∑REE=69.51×10~(-6)~275.83×10~(-6),轻重稀土分异明显(La/Yb)_N=9.11~26.64。在稀土元素配分图上,显示为LREE富集、HREE相对平缓的右倾型,Eu异常不显著(δEu=0.90~1.35)。微量元素组成具明显富集大离子亲石元素Ba、Sr,显著亏损高场强元素Nb、Ta、Ti的特征。结合区域资料和本文研究,初步分析认为早古生代侵入体形成于活动大陆边缘或岛弧环境,为前古亚洲洋闭合背景下萨拉伊尔造山作用的产物。     

Mid-Cretaceous Hothouse Climate and the Expansion of Early Angiosperms

The remarkable transition of early angiosperms from a small to a dominant group characterized the terrestrial ecosystem of the Cretaceous. This transition was instigated and promoted by environmental changes. Mid-Cretaceous is characterized by major geological events that affected the global environment. δ18O, palaeothermometer TEX86, and other climatic indices from marine sediments suggest rapid temperature increase during mid-Cretaceous despite occasional short cooling events. Simultaneously, terrestrial deposits in East Asia changed from coal-bearing to shale, then to red beds and evaporites. Plant assemblages and other paleoclimate indicators point to rapid aridification for mid-Cretaceous terrestrial environments. In addition, the wildfires were frequently spread all over the earth by the numerous charcoal evidence during the Mid-Cretaceous. Thus, we speculate that the seasonally dry and hot conditions of mid-Cretaceous created a fiery hothouse world. Early angiosperms increased in abundance and diversity and evolved from a few aquatic species to terrestrial herbaceous and then to the diversified flora of today. Angiosperms showed rapid physiological evolution in vein density and leaf area that improved photosynthesis and water absorption. These ecophysiological changes made early angiosperms well adapted to the hot and dry environment in mid-Cretaceous. Moreover, these physiological changes facilitated the fire–angiosperm cycles in mid-Cretaceous that likely further stimulated the early angiosperm evolution.