Syn-rift to post-rift tectonic transition and drainage reorganization in continental rifting basins: Detrital zircon analysis from the Songliao Basin,NE China

Tectonic transition from a syn-rift stage to subsequent post-rift stage is an important mechanism in the evolution of extensional basins. The sedimentary infill records the crustal response to this process. We have obtained new detrital zircon U-Pb and Lu-Hf signatures from the Lower Cretaceous stratigraphic successions encompassing the commonly accepted syn- to post-rift transition boundary, the T4 unconformity, in the Songliao Basin, NE China. These constrain the Songliao Basin’s evolution from its center to distal margins, providing insights into the sediment provenance and dispersal pattern over the tectonic transition. Analysis of zircons from the syn-rift (the Shahezi and Yingcheng formations) and immediate post-rift (the Lower and Middle Denglouku Formation) stages reveals Phanerozoic age populations with positive ?_Hf(t) values, which were derived from the proximal juvenile mantle-derived melt origin bedrocks of the Songliao Block. In contrast, the overlying samples from the Upper Denglouku Formation deposited in the subsequent post-rift stage contain exotic and ancient zircon populations with ages of 2.5 Ga & 1.8 Ga and complex hafnium signatures, characteristic of a mixed origin. These are interpreted to be transported from distant cratonic terranes via larger drainage networks. It is obvious that the sediment dispersal pattern switched from being a local and hydrologically closed “intraregional” pattern to a “transcontinental” pattern during the transition. The time lag between the development of the T4 unconformity and the drainage reorganization also ensures a distinguishable ～3 Myr (106103 Ma, Late Albian) transition period of regional extent. During this transition stage, syn-rift faulting was replaced by post-rift thermal subsidence, exhibiting a uniform sag configuration. Our new findings are important for understanding other continental rift basins during syn- to post-rift transition, which often demonstrates a complex interaction between the linkage and integration of sub-basins, and the reorganization of fluvial drainages and catchment systems.     

Temporal variations of reference evapotranspiration and controlling factors: Implications for climatic drought in karst areas

Variations in reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) and drought characteristics play a key role in the effect of climate change on water cycle and associated ecohydrological patterns. The accurate estimation of ET₀ is still a challenge due to the lack of meteorological data and the heterogeneity of hydrological system. Although there is an increasing trend in extreme drought events with global climate change, the relationship between ET₀ and aridity index in karst areas has been poorly studied. In this study, we used the Penman–Monteith method based on a long time series of meteorological data from 1951 to 2015 to calculate ET₀ in a typical karst area, Guilin, Southwest China. The temporal variations in climate variables, ET₀ and aridity index (AI) were analyzed with the Mann–Kendall trend test and linear regression to determine the climatic characteristics, associated controlling factors of ET₀ variations, and further to estimate the relationship between ET₀ and AI. We found that the mean, maximum and minimum temperatures had increased significantly during the 65-year study period, while sunshine duration, wind speed and relative humidity exhibited significant decreasing trends. The annual ET₀ showed a significant decreasing trend at the rate of ?8.02 mm/10a. However, significant increase in air temperature should have contributed to the enhancement of ET₀, indicating an “evaporation paradox”. In comparison, AI showed a slightly declining trend of ?0.0005/a during 1951–2015. The change in sunshine duration was the major factor causing the decrease in ET₀, followed by wind speed. AI had a higher correlation with precipitation amount, indicating that the variations of AI was more dependent on precipitation, but not substantially dependent on the ET₀. Although AI was not directly related to ET₀, ET₀ had a major contribution to seasonal AI changes. The seasonal variations of ET₀ played a critical role in dryness/wetness changes to regulate water and energy supply, which can lead to seasonal droughts or water shortages in karst areas. Overall, these findings provide an important reference for the management of agricultural production and water resources, and have an important implication for drought in karst regions of China.     

Indication of hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes on the characteristics and circulation patterns of medium-low temperature geothermal resources in the Guanzhong Basin,China

Guanzhong Basin is a typical medium-low temperature geothermal field mainly controlled by geo-pressure in the west of China.The characteristics of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes were used to analyze the flow and storage modes of geothermal resources in the basin.In this paper,the basin was divided into six geotectonic units,where a total of 121 samples were collected from geothermal wells and surface water bodies for the analysis of hydrogen-oxygen isotopes.Analytical results show that the isotopic signatures of hydrogen and oxygen throughout Guanzhong Basin reveal a trend of gradual increase from the basin edge areas to the basin center.In terms of recharge systems,the area in the south edge belongs to the geothermal system of Qinling Mountain piedmont,while to the north of Weihe fault is the geothermal system of North mountain piedmont,where the atmospheric temperature is about 0.2℃-1.8℃in the recharge areas.The main factors that affect the geothermal waterδ18O drifting include the depth of geothermal reservoir and temperature of geothermal reservoir,lithological characteristics,water-rock interaction,geothermal reservoir environment and residence time.Theδ18O-δD relation shows that the main source is the meteoric water,together with some sedimentary water,but there are no deep magmatic water and mantle water which recharge the geothermal water in the basin.Through examining the distribution pattern of hydrogen-oxygen isotopic signatures,the groundwater circulation model of this basin can be divided into open circulation type,semi-open type,closed type and sedimentary type.This provides some important information for rational exploitation of the geothermal resources.     

Inverse modeling of lichen growth curves and implications for lichenometric dating

Lichenometric dating represents a quick and affordable surface exposure dating method that has been widely used to provide a minimum age constraint on tectonic and geomorphic landscape changes as well as buildings and anthropogenic landscape changes in various settings during the late Holocene. Despite its widespread usage, this method has several limitations. Major problems relate to the sampling of lichen population on any given rock surface and the modeling of growth curves. In order to overcome these issues, it has been suggested to subdivide the rock surface into some areas and measure the largest lichen thallus on each one. However, how to express the data in terms of a probability distribution function and link it to an age of last exposure of the rock surface are still a matter of debate. Here, we propose a novel approach to the modeling of lichen growth curves by treating lichen growth as a continuous-time Markov process with a time-varying rate and additive Brownian noise. Given the growth rates, the probability distribution of the lichen population at any time can then be obtained by solving the Fokker–Planck equation. This method is illustrated using a dataset from the Huashan area of eastern China, which consists of measurements of the largest thalli on 12 rock surfaces of known age. We first build up the probability distribution of the lichen population for each rock surface based on extreme value theory and then use these to optimize the growth curve by minimizing the Jensen–Shannon divergence. A new method is also proposed to use the growth curve to map a sample of size data from an undated rock surface to the calendar age domain so as to yield a fully probabilistic estimate of the exposure age of the undated rock surface rather than a point estimate.     

Testing a new combined (U,Th)–He and U/Th dating approach on Plio-Pleistocene calcite speleothems

The geochronology of cave deposits in the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO World Heritage Site in South Africa provides a timeframe essential for the interpretation of its fossils. The uranium-lead (U–Pb) and uranium-thorium disequilibrium (U/Th) dating of speleothems, mostly flowstones that underlie and blanket the fossil-bearing sediments, have been effective in this sense, but U–Pb is limited by the requirement of ∼1 ppm U concentrations and low common Pb contents, and U/Th has a c. 500 ka limit of applicability. Here we report age results for calcite-aragonite speleothems obtained using a new combined uranium-thorium-helium ((U,Th)–He) and U/Th dating routine. We reproduced within analytical uncertainty, the published U–Pb or U/Th ages for (a) flowstone in three drill core samples in the range 2000–3000 ka, (b) a flowstone hand sample taken at surface with an age of 1800 ka, and (c) five underground flowstone samples in the range 100–800 ka. Calcite retentivity for He under cave conditions is thus demonstrated. In the few cases where helium loss was observed in speleothems, only some of the subsamples were affected, and to varying degrees, suggesting loss by lattice damage not related to diagenetic processes, rather than volume diffusion. In the 100 to 800 ka range, the combined U/Th disequilibrium and (U,Th)–He method also yielded reliable values for initial (²³⁰Th/²³⁸U) and (²³⁴U/²³⁸U) activity ratios. Importantly, most subsamples had high initial (²³⁰Th/²³⁸U) values, ranging from 1.0 to 19.7, although having low Th/U ratios. This is probably due to incorporation of Fe–Mn oxides-hydroxides dust, on which ²³⁰Th was previously adsorbed. Such samples are mostly not dateable by U/Th without the additional input from the He analysis. If not detected and corrected for, such high initial (²³⁰Th/²³⁸U) values can lead to inaccurate U/Th and U–Pb ages. Our study shows that the incorporation of He analysis in U/Th dating has broad potential application, with four methods for calculating the ages, in carbonates from different environments where U-Pb or U/Th dating would not work.     

银额盆地蒙苏地1井钻井设计与施工

蒙苏地1井是中国地质调查局部署在银额盆地艾特格勒凹陷的一口大口径重点油气地质调查井,根据该区块地层地质概况和钻井施工技术难点,从井身结构、钻具组合、钻头选型和钻进工艺等方面对蒙苏地1井钻井工程进行了优化设计。综合采用 “简化井身结构+非常规钻具组合+常规钻头选型+强抑制性泥浆”的钻井技术方案,解决了中生界巴音戈壁组和二叠系上部地层的高硬度、可钻性差、裂缝构造易井斜及井壁失稳等一系列难题,顺利完成了该井的钻井施工任务。该井完钻井深2763.66 m,完钻口径215.9 mm,平均机械钻速3.51 m/h,成功揭示了中生界和石炭-二叠系岩石组合特征及含油气性,优质、高效、零事故完成各项目标任务。     

鄂尔多斯盆地南部延长组长7油组页岩层系天然裂缝发育特征及主控因素

利用地表露头、岩心、薄片和测井资料,对鄂尔多斯盆地南部长7油层组陆相页岩层系天然裂缝的成因类型、发育特征和主控因素进行研究。按地质成因,鄂尔多斯盆地南部长7油层组页岩层系的天然裂缝可以分为构造裂缝和成岩裂缝两大类,其中构造裂缝主要包括剪切裂缝和张性裂缝;成岩裂缝主要包括层理缝、页理缝和收缩裂缝。不同岩性中的天然裂缝发育情况明显不同,致密砂岩中以构造裂缝为主,层理缝仅在粉砂岩和局部细砂岩中发育;页岩和凝灰岩中页理缝、层理缝和构造裂缝均比较发育。不同类型的天然裂缝主控因素明显不同,构造裂缝的发育主要受岩性和岩石力学层层厚控制;砂岩中层理缝的发育主要受碳质纹层、粘土矿物转化程度等因素控制;凝灰岩中层理缝的发育主要受刚性玻屑脱玻化作用的控制;页岩中页理缝的发育主要受纹层、TOC含量和黄铁矿含量的控制。     

若尔盖黄河唐克段河岸沉积序列测年及地表过程变化

通过对若尔盖盆地进行野外考察,在盆地中部黄河唐克段右岸发现了包含深湖相的河岸沉积物,进行了细致的地层观测和系统年代学样品采集。在实验室利用光释光和AMS¹⁴C测年技术建立了年代框架,并结合各个层次的地层沉积相宏观特征和理化性质,分析探讨了若尔盖盆地内部从末次冰期古湖消亡以来的环境和地表过程变化规律。研究结果表明：古黄河在37 ka沿着玛曲断陷谷地溯源侵蚀,沟通了若尔盖古湖水系,盆地内部在30.9 ka之前为深湖环境,稳定地沉积了蓝灰色湖相淤泥层。30.9 ka之后,黄河贯穿若尔盖湖盆内部,古湖水外泄消失,原有的古湖水系转变成为黄河源水系。黄河从湖盆上游远距离搬运携带来的浊黄橙色泥沙大量沉积,覆盖了古湖相沉积层,湖盆内部风沙作用盛行。在末次冰盛期（Last Glacial Maximum, LGM）,盆地内部松散沉积物普遍地受到冰缘冻融作用的改造,形成了冻融褶皱现象。到了14.6~12.5 ka,响应B/A（B?lling-Aller?d）时期的温暖气候,盆地周边山地冰川消融,冰融水汇入盆地,古湖盆底部各种浅洼地形成了大小不等的浅湖,沉积了滨浅湖相的沙层。在12.5~11.7 ka,对应于全球性新仙女木（Younger Dryas,YD）事件,盆地气候再次变冷,转变为冰缘冻土环境,盆地内部滨浅湖相的沙层受到冻融作用和古地震扰动,形成复式褶皱现象。进入全新世,在11.7~4.8 ka气候逐渐变得温暖湿润,古湖盆底部浅洼地积水成为淤泥质沼泽环境,在全新世中后期4.8~1.8 ka则转变成为沼泽草甸环境,在1.8 ka之后,盆地内沼泽面积收缩,风沙活动盛行,河岸台地的近源沙尘暴沉积物经过成壤改造形成亚高山草甸黑土类现代土壤。     

构造活动影响下地质事件沉积序列：以鄂尔多斯盆地延长组长7油层组为例

中晚三叠世,印支运动I幕导致秦岭隆升,同期地震、火山活动频发,在鄂尔多斯湖盆中保存了大量地质事件沉积层。为了认识构造活动影响下地质事件沉积序列,探讨地质历史时期内各类地质事件的耦合关系,从全新的角度认识大型坳陷湖盆的形成和演化过程,笔者等以鄂尔多斯盆地内部及周缘的长7油层组野外露头及钻井岩心中发育的关键事件沉积层为研究对象,对地震事件、浊流事件、火山事件、缺氧事件沉积特征和叠置关系进行研究。研究结果表明：在长7期,湖盆中多种事件沉积类型主要受控于中—晚三叠世秦岭造山运动,构造活动引起湖盆沉降,为事件沉积层的保存提供了条件;火山事件喷发的火山灰降落在湖盆中形成凝灰岩层,同时,也为湖盆缺氧事件创造了条件;沉积层因地震活动形成震积岩,而地震活动又是诱发浊流事件发生的关键因素;这些构造活动影响下的地质事件交替发生,共同构成长7油层组内各类事件沉积层的相互叠置关系。     

柴北缘东段及周缘侏罗系发育特征及其对构造活动的响应

为研究柴北缘东部及周缘侏罗系发育特征及其对构造活动的响应,笔者等基于柴北缘东段红山、霍布逊及德令哈凹陷侏罗系野外地质调查,通过地层接触关系追踪、二维地震资料解释以及岩性岩相突变特征分析,同时与中国西北地区其他典型的盆地侏罗系发育特征进行对比分析,研究表明,在中国西北多个板块的相互作用的构造背景之下,柴北缘东段燕山期构造运动Ⅰ幕发生在早—中侏罗世,以古地理与古构造环境较为均一、发育粗碎屑凹陷、每个凹陷内具有幕式沉积充填特征,与中国西北其他盆地对比,此幕构造运动波及面大,但强度较弱,推测与中国西北周边各板块碰撞造山之后的伸展作用相关;燕山期构造运动Ⅱ幕发生在晚侏罗世—早白垩世,此幕构造运动导致古地理与古构造环境向新的环境转变,以中—上侏罗统之间的角度不整合、白垩系及晚侏罗统的残缺不全为特征,推测与拉萨地块与欧亚板块碰撞以及蒙古—鄂霍茨克洋的关闭及Kolyma—Omolon地块的碰撞有关。