东太平洋水合物海岭沉积物中黏土矿物与水合物饱和度相关性研究

为了探讨水合物储层中不同黏土矿物与水合物饱和度的关系,选取位于东太平洋水合物海岭国际大洋钻探计划204航次中的3个钻孔(1245B孔、1244C孔和1251B),开展储层沉积物黏土矿物的测试和综合分析。结果表明,蒙脱石、伊利石、绿泥石为主要黏土矿物(平均含量分别为40.3%、33.4%、21.4%);高岭石为次要黏土矿物(平均4.9%)。伊利石、绿泥石、高岭石三种矿物含量的垂向变化规律相似,但它们与蒙脱石的垂向变化趋势相反。该区水合物饱和度与蒙脱石含量呈正相关,且正相关程度在“细粒岩性”层段较高(R=0.55~0.97);水合物饱和度与伊利石、绿泥石、高岭石则显示负相关。3个钻孔中水合物储层厚度、水合物饱和度在各钻孔中分布的差异性表明水合物饱和度的受控因素复杂,首先是气源和流体迁移与供给,其次为沉积物岩性;而“细粒岩性”层段较高含量蒙脱石与水合物饱和度正相关关系可能代表了更次一级的沉积影响因素。为检验其它海区是否也存在黏土矿物对水合物饱和度的影响,将上述3个钻孔与印度外海Krishna-Godavari盆地17-07P钻孔记录进行对比。结果显示,17-07P孔的砂含量高,在粗砂层蒙脱石含量与水合物饱和度呈正相关,反映两个海域岩性对水合物饱和度控制机理不同。上述“细粒岩性”层段蒙脱石含量和伊利石、绿泥石、高岭石3种黏土矿物含量与水合物饱和度之间相关性的差异,可能因为蒙脱石具有特殊层状结构和表面化学性质(层间表面带负电荷、具有可交换的层间水合阳离子等),有利于促进水合物的形成和富集,因而表现为正相关;而伊利石、绿泥石、高岭石自身属性与蒙脱石不同(吸水膨胀能力、对甲烷的吸附能力较蒙脱石弱),不利于水合物的聚集,表现为负相关。     

跳出南海看南海——新特提斯洋闭合与南海的形成演化

本文总结了笔者参与基金委重大研究计划"南海深海过程演变"的研究成果。我们发现南海和青藏高原都是新特提斯洋闭合的产物,而非前人所说的南海是由青藏高原碰撞导致的中南半岛逃逸所形成。与青藏高原碰撞隆升机制不同,南海是新特提斯闭合后期弧后拉张的结果。新特提斯洋位于北边的欧亚大陆与南面的非洲、印度和澳大利亚板块之间,呈东宽西窄的喇叭型。在西部,新特提斯洋向北的俯冲可能在侏罗纪就开始了,局部形成了弧后盆。约130Ma前,由于凯尔盖朗等大火成岩省的喷发,新特提斯洋脊也开始向北漂移。由于新特提斯洋东部宽度较大,弧后拉张明显,形成了古南海。新特提斯洋闭合过程中一个重大事件是洋脊俯冲:从菲律宾经福建及两广到青藏高原,均有100Ma左右的埃达克岩产出,是洋脊俯冲的产物。其中,菲律宾、福建、广东埃达克岩形成了斑岩铜金矿床;而在青藏高原,埃达克岩虽有矿化,但没有形成大规模的斑岩铜金矿床。同时期,华南出现了一次短暂的大规模挤压事件,与洋脊俯冲契合。这次挤压事件可能导致了古南海闭合的开始。与此同时,青藏高原冈底斯出现高温岩石——埃达克质紫苏花岗岩;其北面有～110Ma短时间内发生的大规模花岗岩事件。考虑到板块重建的结果,这些埃达克岩和华南短时间挤压事件的时空分布显示新特提斯洋脊在约100～110Ma,近似平行于俯冲带俯冲到了欧亚大陆之下;其前片下沉,扰动软流圈,形成大规模岩浆活动;后片则缓慢后撤,于～80Ma形成了A-型花岗岩。这些A-型花岗岩多属于A2型,受到了还原性板块俯冲的影响而普遍含锡,形成了全球60%的锡矿。俯冲板片的后撤,导致了拉张,可以合理解释南海北缘的"神狐运动"。随着俯冲板片后撤,俯冲角度加大,形成新的弧后拉张,于～33Ma出现洋壳,形成了南海。青藏高原碰撞引起的物质向东、南、北等各方向逃逸,对东亚大陆的构造格局也产生了重要的影响,但是并非南海拉张的主要控制因素。到～23Ma时,东经九十度海岭的俯冲阻挡了青藏高原下方地幔物质向东南方向逃逸,改变了东亚构造格局。同时,由于该海岭俯冲产生的向北东方向的挤压,造成印支半岛向西南挠曲,导致南海洋脊产生向南的跃迁。     

Heat flow measurements on the Lomonosov Ridge, Arctic Ocean

Heat flow was measured on the Lomonosov Ridge during the 5th Chinese National Arctic Expedition in 2012. To derive the time-temperature curve, resistivity data were transformed to temperature by the resistivity- temperature program. Direct reading and linear regression methods were used to calculate the equilibrium temperature, which were regressed against the depth of the probes in sediment to derive the geothermal gradient. Then, heat flow was calculated as the product of geothermal gradient and thermal conductivity of sediments. The heat flow values on the basis of the two methods were similar （i.e., 67.27 mW/m2 and 63.99 mW/m2, respectively）. The results are consistent with the measurements carried out at adjacent sites. The age of the Lomonosov Ridge predicted by the heat flow-age model was 62 Ma, which is in accordance with the inference that the ridge was separated from Eurasia at about 60 Ma.     

A polyphase glacitectonic model for ice-marginal retreat and terminal moraine development: the Middle Pleistocene British Ice Sheet,northern Norfolk,UK

Recent investigations from modern environments demonstrate that many terminal moraines do not simply record a single glacial maximum, but instead reveal a complex oscillatory pattern of ice-marginal behaviour including polyphase retreat. Within this study, we examine the geomorphology, geology and internal structure of a terminal moraine complex – the ‘Cromer Ridge’ in north Norfolk to reconstruct patterns of ice-marginal behaviour. Previously, this landform was interpreted as the limit of a southern extension of the British Ice Sheet during a Middle Pleistocene glaciation. Evidence presented here reveals a more complicated pattern of ice-marginal behaviour with the ‘Cromer Ridge’ reinterpreted as a ‘complex’ comprising several ridge elements. We propose that the maximum ice extent lay further to the south, with the size and morphology of the largest ridge element (the ‘Cromer Ridge’ as previously defined) a facet of thrust-stacking at an ice-marginal still-stand. We recognise multiple oscillations of the ice-front recorded against a twelve-stage model for the decay of the southern margins of a fast-flowing lobe of North Sea ice. Changes in ice-marginal dynamics are identified by the superimposition and lateral and vertical evolution of glacitectonic styles. Differences between these various states, and switches between ‘shallow’ and ‘deep’ thin-skinned glacitectonics, are strongly influenced by sub-marginal and proglacial water availability. Examination of the evidence for the morphostratigraphic proposals for the glacitectonic assemblage, within the context of the above interpretation, suggests that many of the ‘glacigenic landforms’ are erosional and a MIS 12 age of formation is favoured although several anomalies remain to be explained.     

The nature and origin of pigments in black opal from Lightning Ridge,New South Wales,Australia

Abstract

Black opal (opal-AG) owes its dark coloration to a fine-grained pigment commonly inferred to be mainly carbon, yet chemical compositions for black opals suggest there may be additional components. Here we search for such components in pigment concentrates prepared by dissolving black opal nodules (nobbies) from Lightning Ridge (NSW) in hydrofluoric acid, using electron microscopy (scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy), X-ray diffraction and laser-ablation ICP-MS. The results demonstrate the presence of sulfides—predominantly pyrite and chalcopyrite, with minor galena and Ti-oxide phases, as additional components of the pigment. ATR-FTIR analysis indicates the presence of C=O and C–H groups, consistent with an organic origin. Transmission electron microscopy images of pigment show variously deformed, originally spherical ～100?nm particles rich in sulfide and carbon, which are interpreted as thin coatings of pigment on now dissolved opaline silica spheres. Laser-ablation ICP-MS analysis identifies remnant silica in pigment concentrates, which may be interpreted as opaline silica surviving HF treatment protected as inclusions in sulfides. When examined within the context of petrographic observations from more than 1000 opal nodules (nobbies) at Lightning Ridge, these new results suggest that pigment carbon and sulfides in the nodules formed microbially under initially anoxic groundwater conditions, within pre-existing cavities concurrently being filled with silica sol ultimately derived from chemical weathering of feldspar-rich volcaniclastic sediment. Intensely black pigment layers observed at the floor of many nodules indicate settling of dark, high-density (sulfide–Ti-oxide-rich) pigment within cavities, with the implication that sulfate-reducing bacterial (SRB) activity commences early during the silica sol-gel ripening process. Microbial activity may persist until after the cavity has completely filled with the silica sol, as illustrated by abundant black opals with uniformly distributed pigment. Pigment formed at this stage may no longer be able to settle out within the ripening and increasingly viscous silica gel, thus forming pigmentation throughout the opal cavity. The existence of ‘amber’, pigment-poor opal with intensely black basal pigment layers is interpreted as signalling a lack of sulfate to sustain further SRB activity, or a change to more oxidising conditions, possibly related to interaction with surface waters within a downward-penetrating weathering front. A change in redox conditions would shut off activity of SRB and thus sulfide pigment production and allow development of aerobic microbial activity as described by others.     

基于地形的海底热液区沉积物分布趋势预测方法研究

热液区沉积物接受了大量热液物质的输入,其矿物组成及地球化学空间分布特征是多金属硫化物勘探的有效指标。由于重力作用,洋中脊区域沉积物主要分布于低洼和平坦地形区。为了探索地形因素对热液区沉积物分布的影响规律,本文通过ArcGIS提出了一种基于地形数据的海底热液区沉积物分布趋势预测方法,并对西南印度洋中脊龙角区地形数据进行了分析,包括沉积物重力搬运方向提取、沉积物汇集量估算、海底沟谷提取和沉积物源区划分。通过与研究区底质解译结果进行对比验证发现,预测结果与研究区内沉积物的实际分布范围较为吻合,表明本方法在一定程度上可以有效地指示地形影响下海底热液区沉积物的分布情况。本方法对海底硫化物矿产勘探工作具有一定指导意义,可为海底沉积物取样站位设置与海底硫化物成矿远景区圈定提供参考依据。