Sea cliffs resulting from late Miocene extensional tectonics: the Serra Gelada case study (Betic Cordillera, Spain)

The Serra Gelada sea cliffs are carved in Mesozoic carbonate rocks belonging to the External Zones of the eastern Betic Cordillera (Alicante, SE Spain). Several normal faults with vertical slips of more than a hundred metres have played an important role in the origin of this coastline. Some previous studies propose that the present cliff morphology was mainly originated by Quaternary fault activity. However, the integration of geomorphological features, stratigraphical and sedimentological data, together with the results of the tectonic analysis of fractures occurring in Serra Gelada, and a detailed study of seismic reflection profiles carried out in the adjacent continental shelf, indicate that these normal faults were active mainly during the late Miocene. Therefore, the Serra Gelada sea cliffs represent a tectonically controlled long-term landscape. Thus, normal faults have not significantly modified the Serra Gelada relief since then. Furthermore, the northern part of the Serra Gelada cliff may be considered as an inherited pre-Quaternary relict palaeocliff since it has only undergone very little erosive recession.     

Effective timescales of coupling within fluvial systems

This paper presents a review of the coupling concept in fluvial geomorphology, based mainly on previously published work. Coupling mechanisms link the components of the fluvial system, controlling sediment transport down the system and the propagation of the effects of base-level change up the system. They can be viewed at several scales: at the local scale involving within-hillslope coupling, hillslope-to-channel coupling, and within-channels, tributary junction and reach-to-reach coupling. At larger scales, coupling can be considered as zonal coupling, between major zones of the system or as regional coupling, relating to complete drainage basins. These trends are illustrated particularly by the examples of hillslope-to-channel coupling in the Howgill Fells, northwest England, badland systems in southeast Spain, alluvial fans in Spain, USA and UAE, and base-level-induced dissection of Neogene sedimentary basins in southeast Spain. As the spatial scales increase, so do the timescales involved. Effective temporal scales relate to magnitude and frequency characteristics, recovery time and propagation time, the relative importance changing with the spatial scale. For downsystem coupling at the local scale, the first two are important, with propagation time increasing in importance in larger systems, especially in those involving upsystem coupling related to base-level change. The effective timescales range from the individual event, with a return period of decades, through decadal to century timescales for downsystem coupling, to tens to hundreds of thousands of years for the basinwide response to base-level change. The effective timescales influence the relative importance of factors controlling landform development.     

Human Modification of the Geomorphically Unstable Salt River in Metropolitan Phoenix

In‐stream gravel mining, massive bridge piers, and channelization have all contributed to the geomorphic instability of the Lower Salt River channel in Arizona. Dam closure, changing dam operating rules, and the frequent modification of the channel bed have decreased our ability to predict the Salt River hydrology. Engineering practice has adapted to this situation and to a public that is increasingly intolerant of service disruptions by constructing larger bridges and extending levees. Building these larger structures may be counterproductive; future construction should not constrict the channel and should re‐establish a braided river to decrease the energy available to the system.     

黄河上游第四纪河流地貌演化--兼论青藏高原1∶25万新生代地质填图地貌演化调查

在青藏高原1∶25万地质填图中,新生代地貌演化调查方法是查明地貌组成的形态、分布、形成年代等特征,分析地貌成因类型,研究地貌与构造、气候、沉积的关系,通过夷平面、河流阶地等反映隆升过程的标志性地貌面调查,分析地貌发展阶段,建立区域地貌演化史.由黄河上游羊曲段阶地地貌调查结果,推断黄河在0.03 Ma才切开共和南山.对比黄河上游不同发育地段阶地,表明黄河上游地貌演化过程是伴随高原阶段隆升而向上游阶段性溯源侵蚀发展的.1.6 Ma黄河稳定出现在民和-兰州-临夏,1.1 Ma切开积石峡到达化隆-贵德,0.15 Ma切开龙羊峡出现于共和盆地,约0.03 Ma经历最新抬升事件,切开贵南南山及西秦岭,并沟通若尔盖盆地抵达黄河源区.     

Characteristics of Tectonic Deformation and Mechanisms for the Active Maxianshan-Xinglongshan Fault System in the Lanzhou Area

A detailed investigation permitted us to obtain quantitative data concerning fine geometric structures of 4 faults of the active Maxianshan-Xinglongshan fault system and the latest movement along them. Of them the northern Maxianshan border fault is a large-scale, strongly active Holocene reverse sinistral strike-slip fault, the other 3 faults, the southern Maxianshan border fault and the southern Xinglongshan border and the northern Xinglongshan border faults are the accompanying active late-Pleistocene thrust faults, which are incorporated into the main strike-slip fault, the northern Maxianshan border fault at depth. It is the most important earthquake-controlling fault in the Lanzhou area, the fault influences and constrains the seismic activity in the area.     

湖南涟源凹陷构造演化与油气成藏研究

涟源凹陷经历了2个主要构造演化阶段:晚古生代海相碳酸盐岩夹碎屑岩盖层建造和中生代陆相沉积,现今的逆掩冲断构造样式和构造格局基本定型于燕山期。油气藏的形成经历了早、晚两期,早期形成于印支运动主幕,燕山运动主幕遭到破坏,部分经重新分配后形成次生气藏;晚期形成于燕山运动主幕以后,属原生油气藏。涟源凹陷中部褶断带的紧闭背斜是寻找次生气藏的首选区域,而宽缓向斜中的隐伏隆起则是寻找晚期原生油气藏的靶区。     

The design of post‐mining landscapes using geomorphic principles

Nature can provide analogues for post‐mining landscapes in terms of landscape stability and also in terms of the rehabilitated structure ‘blending in’ with the surrounding undisturbed landscape. In soil‐mantled landscapes, hillslopes typically have a characteristic pro?le that has a convex upper hillslope pro?le with a concave pro?le lower down the slope. In this paper hillslope characteristic form is derived using the area–slope relationship from pre‐mining topography at two sites in Western Australia. Using this relationship, concave hillslope pro?les are constructed and compared to linear hillslopes in terms of sediment loss using the SIBERIA erosion model. It is found that concave hillslopes can reduce sediment loss by up to ?ve times that of linear slopes. Concave slopes can therefore provide an alternative method for the construction of post‐mining landscapes. An understanding of landscape geomorphological properties and the use of erosion models can greatly assist in the design of post‐mining landscapes. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

滇西思茅大平掌矿区火山岩特征及其构造环境

滇西大平掌铜多金属矿床的含矿建造(龙洞河组)主要由细碧岩-角斑岩-石英角斑岩和流纹岩-硅质岩组成,伴有部分火山角砾岩、凝灰岩,属双峰式火山岩组合。火山岩具明显的Na2O>K2O和Nb、Ta、Zr、Hf、Ti亏损。岩石化学和微量元素判别标志指示含矿建造形成于岛弧裂陷环境。结合区域构造古地理资料分析,它是滇西南古特提斯洋壳在晚石炭世-早二叠世由西向东俯冲过程中岩浆作用的结果。     

岳西菖蒲地区超高压变质带内的构造地层序列与叠加褶皱型式

以大别造山带南部菖蒲地区为解剖区,结合区域地质调查分析,建立了包括浅变质岩层、超高压变质岩片在内的构造地层序列—岩片组合。对其组成特征、界面性质、形成时代、变形序列等,进行了较系统阐明,并对叠加褶皱型式及形成机制进行了讨论。     

Use of Geomorphological Information in Indirect Landslide Susceptibility Assessment

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the importance of geomorphological expert knowledge in the generation of landslide susceptibility maps, using GIS supported indirect bivariate statistical analysis. For a test area in the Alpago region in Italy a dataset was generated at scale 1:5,000. Detailed geomorphological maps were generated, with legends at different levels of complexity. Other factor maps, that were considered relevant for the assessment of landslide susceptibility, were also collected, such as lithology, structural geology, surficial materials, slope classes, land use, distance from streams, roads and houses. The weights of evidence method was used to generate statistically derived weights for all classes of the factor maps. On the basis of these weights, the most relevant maps were selected for the combination into landslide susceptibility maps. Six different combinations of factor maps were evaluated, with varying geomorphological input. Success rates were used to classify the weight maps into three qualitative landslide susceptibility classes. The resulting six maps were compared with a direct susceptibility map, which was made by direct assignment of susceptibility classes in the field. The analysis indicated that the use of detailed geomorphological information in the bivariate statistical analysis raised the overall accuracy of the final susceptibility map considerably. However, even with the use of a detailed geomorphological factor map, the difference with the separately prepared direct susceptibility map is still significant, due to the generalisations that are inherent to the bivariate statistical analysis technique.