Implications of structural inheritance in oblique rift zones for basin compartmentalization: Nkhata Basin,Malawi Rift (EARS)

The Cenozoic East African Rift System (EARS) is an exceptional example of active continental extension, providing opportunities for furthering our understanding of hydrocarbon plays within rifts. It is divided into structurally distinct western and eastern branches. The western branch comprises deep rift basins separated by transfer zones, commonly localised onto pre-existing structures, offering good regional scale hydrocarbon traps. At a basin-scale, local discrete inherited structures might also play an important role on fault localisation and hydrocarbon distribution. Here, we consider the evolution of the Central basin of the Malawi Rift, in particular the influence of pre-existing structural fabrics.Integrating basin-scale multichannel 2D, and high resolution seismic datasets we constrain the border, Mlowe-Nkhata, fault system (MNF) to the west of the basin and smaller Mbamba fault (MF) to the east and document their evolution. Intra basin structures define a series of horsts, which initiated as convergent transfers, along the basin axis. The horsts are offset along a NE–SW striking transfer fault parallel to and along strike of the onshore Karoo (Permo-Triassic) Ruhuhu graben. Discrete pre-existing structures probably determined its location and, oriented obliquely to the extension orientation it accommodated predominantly strike-slip deformation, with more slowly accrued dip-slip.To the north of this transfer fault, the overall basin architecture is asymmetric, thickening to the west throughout; while to the south, an initially symmetric graben architecture became increasingly asymmetric in sediment distribution as strain localised onto the western MNF. The presence of the axial horst increasingly focussed sediment supply to the west. As the transfer fault increased its displacement, so this axial supply was interrupted, effectively starving the south-east while ponding sediments between the western horst margin and the transfer fault. This asymmetric bathymetry and partitioned sedimentation continues to the present-day, overprinting the early basin symmetry and configuration. Sediments deposited earlier become increasingly dissected and fault juxtapositions changed at a small (10–100 m) scale. The observed influence of basin-scale transfer faults on sediment dispersal and fault compartmentalization due to pre-existing structures oblique to the extension orientation is relevant to analogous exploration settings.     

Geochemical characteristics of the Paleogene shales in the Dongying depression,eastern China

Fluctuations in lacustrine sedimentary environments significantly affect distributions of organic matter (OM), uranium, and other elements in shales. In this study a high-resolution geochemical record of fluctuations in the paleo-depositional environment of a terrestrial lake basin is provided on the basis of extensive samples collected from the Member 3 of the Paleogene Shahejie Formation (Es₃) of the Niu-38 well in the Dongying Depression, Eastern China. These samples were tested for total organic carbon (TOC), element concentrations, and biomarkers to study the evolution and fluctuation in the depositional environments of an ancient lake basin and associated geochemical response. The evolution and fluctuation of the sedimentary environment from a deep lake to a semi-deep lake and then to a shallow lake delta were indicated by geochemical response. During this evolution, the values of TOC, S₁, S₂, Sr, and Ts/(Ts + Tm) remarkably decreased, whereas those of Co, Ni, Rb, Na, Fe/Mn, Fe/(Ca + Mg), and C₂₉ mortane/C₂₉ hopane significantly increased. The deep lake basin shows depositional fluctuations, as indicated by rock lithofacies and their geochemical parameters. A close interrelationship was observed among U concentration, TOC content, and inorganic element content. Uranium concentrations are positively correlated with TOC contents, Ca and Sr concentrations, and Sr/Ba and Ca/Mg ratios but negatively with K, Na, Ba, and Rb contents and Fe/(Ca + Mg) and Fe/Mn ratios. The observed increase in U concentration in the lower Es₃ section is closely related to surface adsorption by clay minerals and OM, together with some replacements of Ca and Sr by U in the shales.     

Microbial diversity in Huguangyan Maar Lake of China revealed by high-throughput sequencing

Huguangyan Maar Lake is a typical maar lake in the southeast of China. It is well preserved and not disturbed by anthropogenic activities. In this study, microbial community structures in sediment and water samples from Huguangyan Maar Lake were investigated using a high-throughput sequencing method. We found significant differences between the microbial community compositions of the water and the sediment. The sediment samples contained more diverse Bacteria and Archaea than did the water samples. Actinobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Deltaproteobacteria predominated in the water samples while Deltaproteobacteria, Anaerolineae, Nitrospira, and Dehalococcoidia were the major bacterial groups in the sediment. As for Archaea, Woesearchaeota (DHVEG-6), unclassified Archaea, and Deep Sea Euryarchaeotic Group were detected at higher abundances in the water, whereas the Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotic Group, Thermoplasmata, and Methanomicrobia were significantly more abundant in the sediment. Interactions between Bacteria and Archaea were common in both the water column and the sediment. The concentrations of major nutrients (NO^3-, PO4^3-, SiO3^2- and NH4^+) shaped the microbial population structures in the water. At the higher phylogenetic levels including phylum and class, many of the dominant groups were those that were also abundant in other lakes;however, novel microbial populations (unclassified) were often seen at the lower phylogenetic levels. Our study lays a foundation for examining microbial biogeochemical cycling in sequestered lakes or reservoirs.     

Numerical simulation and preliminary analysis of typhoon waves during three typhoons in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

In this study,typhoon waves generated during three typhoons(Damrey(1210),Fung-wong(1416),and Chan-hom(1509))in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea were simulated in a simulating waves nearshore(SWAN)model,and the wind forcing was constructed by combining reanalyzed wind data with a Holland typhoon wind model.Various parameters,such as the Holland fitting parameter(B)and the maximum wind radius?,were investigated in sensitivity experiments in the Holland model that affect the wind field construction.Six different formulations were considered and the parameters determined by comparing the simulated wind results with in-situ wind measurements.The key factors affecting wave growth and dissipation processes from deep to shallow waters were studied,including wind input,whitecapping,and bottom friction.Comparison with in-situ wave measurements suggested that the KOMEN scheme(wind input exponential growth and whitecapping energy dissipation)and the JONSWAP scheme(dissipation of bottom friction)resulted in good reproduction of the significant wave height of typhoon waves.A preliminary analysis of the wave characteristics in terms of wind-sea and swell wave revealed that swell waves dominated with the distance of R to the eye of the typhoon,while wind-sea prevailed in the outer region up to six to eight times the R values despite a clear misalignment between wind and waves.The results support the hypothesis that nonlinear wave-wave interactions may play a key role in the formation of wave characteristics.     

三峡大坝会减小东海的上升流和生产力吗?——敬复王保栋、孙霞两位指教

2000年笔者利用很简单的一维稳态箱式模型,指出若三峡大坝减少了流入东海的淡水量,则将减少东海陆棚边缘涌升的黑潮次表层水.由于黑潮次表层水饱含营养盐,因此若涌升速率降低了,涌升至东海大陆架的营养盐也就跟着降低,从而影响生物生产力及渔获.王、孙二位提出了不同的看法,并正确地指出了一维稳态箱式模型过度简化所导致的若干问题.然而,王、孙二位似乎对大陆架上之浮力效应原理有所误解,因而误以为浮力效应原理与箱式模型所得推论相反.     

晚更新世以来古气候与海平面变化在东海地区的响应

第四纪特别是晚更新世以来气温的大幅度冷暖变化,导致全球海平面的变化,引起陆架海侵和海退。东海陆架的气候和海平面变化与全球变化基本同步。晚更新世以来,东海陆架随全球气候变化发育多次海进海退旋回。东海陆架上的古河道、古三角洲和潮流沙脊等沉积体系的形成和演化与海平面升降变化存在耦合关系。     

东海和黄海表层沉积物生物标志物的分布特征及古生态重建潜力

多参数生物标志物法已被广泛用于重建浮游植物生产力和种群结构.但目前还缺乏这一应用的现代证据,尤其是西太平洋边缘海地区.文中作者对东/黄海的表层沉积物中的浮游植物生物标志物的分布进行研究,发现东海表层沉积物中菜子甾醇、甲藻甾醇、长链烯酮的总含量变化范围为357～3 115 ng/g,黄海的总含量变化范围为2 898 ～6 714 ng/g,硅藻、甲藻和颗石藻生物标志物总量基本具有近岸高、离岸低的趋势,与现场调查资料所得到的趋势基本一致.生物标志物比例结果显示在东海的长江口方向离岸越远硅藻相对比例下降,而在长江口以南则是离岸越远硅藻比例升高.在东海和黄海颗石藻所占比例都很低,但是有离岸越远比例升高的趋势.用生物标志物所重建的种群结构的变化趋势与现场调查资料相符,但其绝对值却与现场资料存在差异.本研究为生物标志物重建种群结构提供了现代数据,但是此方法的定量应用还需做进一步的研究.     

东海北部外陆架MIS 6以来的沉积地层格架及古环境演化

利用最新采集的高分辨率浅地层剖面资料,结合SHD-1钻孔岩心资料,对东海北部外陆架MIS 6以来的地层结构进行了分析,建立了MIS 6以来的沉积地层格架,并对地层的地质年代进行了厘定。根据Octavian Catuneanu（2005）的层序地层学理论,研究区地层划分出海侵和高位体系域、下降期体系域、海退和低位体系域。研究表明,过孔的浅地层剖面与钻孔岩心的沉积地层有很好的对应关系。东海北部外陆架MIS 6以来可划分出7个不整合界面（D7—D1）和7个地震单元（SU7—SU1）。东海外陆架的海进层序与海退层序有规律地交替发育,它们与海平面变化曲线也有很好的对应关系。其中,地震单元SU1、SU5分别为MIS 1、MIS 5形成的海侵沉积,主要发育浅海沉积层,100 m以浅的位置发育潮流沙脊;地震单元SU2、SU4、SU6分别对应 MIS 2、MIS 4和MIS 6低海平面时期形成的河流/河口—三角洲沉积;地震单元SU3、SU4为下降期体系域,这两个亚单元分别对应MIS 3和MIS 4晚期。MIS 4—MIS 3发育厚层且分布广泛的水下三角洲,但MIS 4发育的水下三角洲的规模不及MIS 3大。总之,对MIS 6以来沉积地层格架的建立和古环境研究可为东海外陆架晚第四纪地层的海平面变化、古环境演化等相关研究提供参考。     

The East Greenland Spill Jet as an important component of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

The recently discovered East Greenland Spill Jet is a bottom-intensified current on the upper continental slope south of Denmark Strait, transporting intermediate density water equatorward. Until now the Spill Jet has only been observed with limited summertime measurements from ships. Here we present the first year-round mooring observations demonstrating that the current is a ubiquitous feature with a volume transport similar to the well-known plume of Denmark Strait overflow water farther downslope. Using reverse particle tracking in a high-resolution numerical model, we investigate the upstream sources feeding the Spill Jet. Three main pathways are identified: particles flowing directly into the Spill Jet from the Denmark Strait sill; particles progressing southward on the East Greenland shelf that subsequently spill over the shelfbreak into the current; and ambient water from the Irminger Sea that gets entrained into the flow. The two Spill Jet pathways emanating from Denmark Strait are newly resolved, and long-term hydrographic data from the strait verifies that dense water is present far onto the Greenland shelf. Additional measurements near the southern tip of Greenland suggest that the Spill Jet ultimately merges with the deep portion of the shelfbreak current, originally thought to be a lateral circulation associated with the sub-polar gyre. Our study thus reveals a previously unrecognized significant component of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation that needs to be considered to understand fully the ocean׳s role in climate.     

Long-term changes in the fish community structure from the Tsushima warm current region of the Japan/East Sea with an emphasis on the impacts of fishing and climate regime shift over the last four decades

Japanese fisheries production in the Japan/East Sea between 1958 and 2003 increased to their peak (1.76 million tons) in the late 1980s and decreased abruptly with the collapse of Japanese sardine. Catch results for 58 fisheries and various environmental time-series data sets and community indices, including mean trophic level (MTL) and Simpson’s diversity index (DI), were used to investigate the impacts of fishing and climate changes on the structure of the fish community in the Tsushima warm current (TWC) region of the Japan/East Sea. The long-term trend in fisheries production was largely dependent on the Japanese sardine that, as a single species, contributed up to 60% of the total production in the Japanese waters of the Japan/East Sea during the late 1980s. Excluding Japanese sardine, production of the small pelagic species was higher during 1960s and 1990s but lower during 1970s and 1980s. This variation pattern generally corresponds with the trend in water temperature, warmer before early 1960s and after 1990s but colder during 1970s and 1980s. The warm-water, large predatory fishes and cold water demersal species show opposite responses to the water temperature in the TWC region, indicating the significant impact of oceanic conditions on fisheries production of the Japan/East Sea. Declines in demersal fishes and invertebrates during 1970s and 1980s suggested some impact of fishing. MTL and DI show a similar variation pattern: higher during 1960s and 1990s but lower during 1970s and 1980s. In particular, the sharp decline during the 1980s resulted from the abundant sardine catches, suggesting that dominant species have a large effect on the structure of the fish community in the Japan/East Sea. Principal component analysis for 58 time-series data sets of fisheries catches suggested that the fish community varied on inter-annual to inter-decadal scales; the abrupt changes that occurred in the mid-1970s and late 1980s seemed to correspond closely with the climatic regime shifts in the North Pacific. These results strongly suggest that the structure of the fish community in the Japan/East Sea was largely affected by climatic and oceanic regime shifts rather than by fishing. There is no evidence showing “fishing down food webs” in the Japan/East Sea. However, in addition to the impacts of abrupt shifts that occurred in the late 1980s, the large predatory and demersal fishes seem to be facing stronger fishing pressure with the collapse of the Japanese sardine.