Late Cenozoic Stratigraphy and Paleomagnetic Chronology of the Zanda Basin, Tibet, and Records of the Uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The characteristics of Late Cenozoic tectonic uplift of the southern margin of the Qinghai- Tibet Plateau may be inferred from fluvio-lacustrine strata in the Zanda basin, Ngari, Tibet. Magnetostratigraphic study shows that the very thick fluvio-lacustrine strata in the basin are 5.89- 0.78 Ma old and that their deposition persisted for 5.11 Ma, i.e. starting at the end of the Miocene and ending at the end of the early Pleistocene, with the Quaternary glacial stage starting in the area no later than 1.58 Ma. Analysis of the sedimentary environment indicates that the Zanda basin on the southern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau began uplift at -5.89 Ma, later than the northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Presence of gravel beds in the Guge and Qangze Formations reflects that strong uplift took place at -5.15 and -2.71 Ma, with the uplift peaking at -2.71 Ma.     

粤东成矿地质背景及银-铜-铅-锌成矿物质来源探讨

通过对粤东地区地层和岩石中成矿元素含量和区域地质背景的分析,认为粤东地区铜铅-锌-银成矿作用与燕山期的构造-岩浆作用关系密切,成矿物质中银-铜-锌以下地壳来源为主,铅则以上地壳及沉积地层来源为主。     

青藏高原北部新生代陆相盆地石油地质条件及勘探前景

青藏高原北部陆相盆地中烃源岩发育层位包括始新统风火山组、渐新统雅西措组和中新统五道梁组。古近系雅西措组烃源岩,特别是灰岩属于中好烃源岩范畴,有机质类型较好,且烃源岩主体处于成熟阶段,是藏北高原新生代陆相盆地主力烃源岩的发育层位。陆相盆地储集岩较发育,储层较丰富,发育层位包括风火山组和雅西措组,其中雅西措组是储层主力分布层位。对测区分析数据表明：通天河盆地具备一定规模的生油岩厚度,而且有机质丰度为沱沱河地区最高,表明其勘探前景较好。     

Geochemical Eccentricity of Ground Water Allied to Weathering of Basalts from the Deccan Volcanic Province,India: Insinuation on CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Consumption

Analyses of 72 samples from Upper Panjhara basin in the northern part of Deccan Plateau, India, indicate that geochemical incongruity of groundwater is largely a function of mineral composition of the basaltic lithology. Higher proportion of alkaline earth elements to total cations and HCO₃>Cl + SO₄ reflect weathering of primary silicates as chief source of ions. Inputs of Cl, SO₄, and NO₃ are related to rainfall and localized anthropogenic factors. Groundwater from recharge area representing Ca + Mg–HCO₃ type progressively evolves to Ca + Na–HCO₃ and Na–Ca–HCO₃ class along flow direction replicates the role of cation exchange and precipitation processes. While the post-monsoon chemistry is controlled by silicate mineral dissolution + cation exchange reactions, pre-monsoon variability is attributable chiefly to precipitation reactions + anthropogenic factors. Positive correlations between Mg vs HCO₃ and Ca + Mg vs HCO₃ supports selective dissolution of olivine and pyroxene as dominant process in post-monsoon followed by dissolution of plagioclase feldspar and secondary carbonates. The pre-monsoon data however, points toward the dissolution of plagioclase and precipitation of CaCO₃ supported by improved correlation coefficients between Na + Ca vs HCO₃ and negative correlation of Ca vs HCO₃, respectively. It is proposed that the eccentricity in the composition of groundwater from the Panjhara basin is a function of selective dissolution of olivine > pyroxene followed by plagioclase feldspar. The data suggest siallitization (L < R and R _k) as dominant mechanism of chemical weathering of basalts, stimulating monosiallitic (kaolinite) and bisiallitic (montmorillonite) products. The chemical denudation rates for Panjhara basin worked out separately for the ground and surface water component range from 6.98 to 36.65 tons/km²/yr, respectively. The values of the CO₂ consumption rates range between 0.18 × 10⁶ mol//km²/yr (groundwater) and 0.9 × 10⁶ mol/km²/yr (surface water), which indicates that the groundwater forms a considerable fraction of CO₂ consumption, an inference, that is, not taken into contemplation in most of the studies.     

Out-of-sequence thrusts and paleogeography of the Rhenodanubian Flysch Belt (Eastern Alps) revisited

The Oberstdorf nappe of the Western and the Laab nappe of the Eastern Rhenodanubian Flysch (ERF) were independently identified as out-of-sequence thrust units by facies studies (Mattern 1999) and zircon analyses (Trautwein et al. 2001a, b, c), respectively. A new look at both areas reveals mutual similarities and new evidence for the out-of-sequence concept. Paleocurrent and heavy mineral data make it possible to reconstruct the sediment influx directions. From the Barremian to the mid-Campanian, the western and eastern basin segments were fed with south-derived garnet and north-derived zircon/”ZTR” (i.e., zircon, tourmaline, and rutile). Because both out-of-sequence units are relatively rich in zircon/ZTR they must have occupied the northernmost basin position. In the Western Rhenodanubian Flysch segment, the Sigiswang nappe occupied the central and the Üntschen nappe the southernmost basin position. In the ERF segment the central basin is represented by the Greifenstein nappe and the southernmost basin by the Kahlenberg nappe. Both out-of-sequence units do not occur in the northernmost and tectonically lowest position in their respective nappe piles as they were thrust over the other nappes. The reconstructed basin positions of the thrust units are suggested by the observation of a gradient in heavy mineral content in the thrust units. This paleogeographic arrangement is least problematic and renders models with differently positioned thrust units, requiring debris-shedding intrabasinal ridges, as unnecessarily complicated. Instead, we suggest that gradual changes in heavy mineral composition existed in across-basin direction. Garnet may stem from the Central Gneiss Complex of the Tauern window and formerly exposed lateral equivalents, all representing the southern Mid-Penninic zone. We assign the Falknis/Tasna nappe and formerly exposed lateral equivalents to the northern Mid-Penninic zone which served as the zircon/ZTR source. Interpreting Ebbing’s (Ph.D. thesis, Freie Universität Berlin, pp 1-143, 2002; Fig. 6.10) density section, we suggest that Mid-Penninic crust exists beneath the Central Gneiss Complex. During the latest Cretaceous much garnet was also N-derived. This may reflect processes related to the consumption of the North Penninic basin.     

应用生烃动力学法研究川东上二叠统烃源岩生烃史

现今川东上二叠统烃源岩生烃史研究具有局限性.首先,没有对上二叠统Ⅰ-Ⅱ1型灰岩生油、Ⅲ型泥岩的生气史分开评价;其次,海相镜质组反射率通过拟合公式换算成镜质体反射率评价烃源岩成熟度具有局限性.针对上述不足,笔者通过热模拟实验,利用化学动力学方法,标定出两类源岩生油、生气的动力学参数,并结合川东地区的埋藏史及热史,模拟出源岩有机质的成烃转化率曲线.研究表明:上二叠统灰岩、泥岩有机质在距今200 Ma和190 Ma分别进入了生油、生气门限,而在距今170 Ma和140 Ma生烃结束.     

Effect of volatiles erupted from Mesozoic and Cenozoic volcanic activities on paleo-environmental changes in China

Based on the determination of composition of volcanic volatiles and petrologic estimation of the total mass of volatiles erupted, we showed important advances in the study of the impact of Mesozoic and Cenozoic volcanic activities on paleo-environmental changes in China. The volcanic activities include western Liaoning and Zhangjiakou Mesozoic intermediate-acidic explosive eruptions, southern Tibet and Shanwang Cenozoic volcanism, and Mt. Changbai volcanic eruption around one thousand years ago. The paper predominantly discusses the earth’s surface temperature changes, ozone depletion, acidic rain formation and mass mortalities of vertebrate induced by the Mesozoic and Cenozoic volcanism in China. __________ Translated from Bulletin of Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, 2007, 26(4): 319–322 [译自: 矿物岩石地球化学通报]     

Pelagic records from the Equatorial Ninetyeast Ridge and significant environmental events during the past 3.5 Ma

This paper presents pelagic records of planktic foraminifera, as well as data of stable isotope stratigraphy and carbonate stratigraphy since 3.5 Ma B.P. from site ODP758 in the Ninetyeast Ridge of the Indian Ocean. Based on these data, manifestations and related mechanisms of major tectonic and environmental events such as the rapid uplift of the Himalaya Mountains, “middle Pleistocene climatic transition” and “mid-Brunhes dissolution event” in the region are discussed. According to the analysis and comparison of various indices and changes in terms of foraminifera assemblage, paleotemperature, paleosalinity and themocline from site ODP758, the authors deduce that the paleoclimatic changes might correlate with the mid-Pleistocene transition at 1.4–1.7 Ma B.P. The changes of CaCO₃, mass accumulation rates (MAR) of CaCO₃ and non- CaCO₃ MAR indicate that the loaded terrigenous sediments increased at 1.7 Ma, which is in agreement with the uplift history of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau as shown by the available data. The last two changes coincide with the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, hence they are called “Qinghai-Tibet movement” (1.7 Ma), and the “Kunlun-Yellow River movement” (1.2–0.6 Ma). The changes of the CaCO₃ content, coarse fraction (> 150 μm) content and planktonic foraminifera biostratigraphy show that strong dissolution of abyssal CaCO₃ occurred in the study region during 0.5–0.4 Ma. The event was consistent with the “mid-Brunhes dissolution event” in the sedimentary records of the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Nansha sea area of the South China Sea. __________ Translated from Geological Bulletin of China, 2007, 26(12): 1627–1632 [译自: 地质通报]     

东秦岭中部奥陶系-志留系界线地层及腕足动物群

东秦岭中部晚奥陶世和早志留世地层分布较广,化石较丰富,尤其是腕足类,分为寺岗组、石燕河组、刘家坡组和张湾组。曾庆銮等(1993)根据腕足类及其群落的更替,把石燕河组和刘家坡组归於早志留世,因而引起较大争论。本文据岩性将寺岗组和石燕河组分别改称为石燕河组下段和上段,并据腕足类化石认为石燕河组和刘家坡组应归於晚奥陶世、张湾组为早志留世;另据上述地层生物群落的特征及群落的更替,认为从石燕河组到刘家坡组,以及刘家坡组至张湾组恰好反映了全球冰期引起的晚奥陶世海退和早志留世冰期结束引起的海侵,故本区奥陶系-志留系界线宜划在刘家坡组和张湾组之间。