Magnetic flux separation in photospheric convection

Three-dimensional non-linear magnetoconvection in a strongly stratified compressible layer exhibits different patterns as the strength of the imposed magnetic field is reduced. There is a transition from a magnetically dominated regime, with small-scale convection in slender hexagonal cells, to a convectively dominated regime, with clusters of broad rising plumes that confine the magnetic flux to narrow lanes where fields are locally intense. Both patterns can coexist for intermediate field strengths, giving rise to flux separation: clumps of vigorously convecting plumes, from which magnetic flux has been excluded, are segregated from regions with strong fields and small-scale convection. A systematic numerical investigation of these different states shows that flux separation can occur over a significant parameter range and that there is also hysteresis. The results are related to the fine structure of magnetic fields in sunspots and in the quiet Sun.     

Estimation of net accumulation rate at a Patagonian glacier by ice core analyses using snow algae

Snow algae in a 45.97-m-long ice core from the Tyndall Glacier (50°59′05″S, 73°31′12″W, 1756 m a.s.l.) in the Southern Patagonian Icefield were examined for potential use in ice core dating and estimation of the net accumulation rate. The core was subjected to visual stratigraphic observation and bulk density measurements in the field, and later to analyses of snow algal biomass, water isotopes (¹⁸O, D), and major dissolved ions. The ice core contained many algal cells that belonged to two species of snow algae growing in the snow near the surface: Chloromonas sp. and an unknown green algal species. Algal biomass and major dissolved ions (Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻) exhibited rapid decreases in the upper 3 m, probably owing to melt water elution and/or decomposition of algal cells. However, seasonal cycles were still found for the snow algal biomass, ¹⁸O, D-excess, and major ions, although the amplitudes of the cycles decreased with depth. Supposing that the layers with almost no snow algae were the winter layers without the melt water essential to algal growth, we estimated that the net accumulation rate at this location was 12.9 m a^− 1 from winter 1998 to winter 1999, and 5.1 m from the beginning of winter to December 1999. These estimates are similar to the values estimated from the peaks of ¹⁸O (17.8 m a^− 1 from summer 1998 to summer 1999 and 11.0 m from summer to December 1999) and those of D-excess (14.7 m a^− 1 from fall 1998 to fall 1999 and 8.6 m a^− 1 from fall to December 1999). These values are much higher than those obtained by past ice core studies in Patagonia, but are of the same order of magnitude as those predicted from various observations at ablation areas of Patagonian glaciers.     

Towards a climate event stratigraphy for New Zealand over the past 30 000 years (NZ‐INTIMATE project)

It is widely recognised that the acquisition of high‐resolution palaeoclimate records from southern mid‐latitude sites is essential for establishing a coherent picture of inter‐hemispheric climate change and for better understanding of the role of Antarctic climate dynamics in the global climate system. New Zealand is considered to be a sensitive monitor of climate change because it is one of a few sizeable landmasses in the Southern Hemisphere westerly circulation zone, a critical transition zone between subtropical and Antarctic influences. New Zealand has mountainous axial ranges that amplify the climate signals and, consequently, the environmental gradients are highly sensitive to subtle changes in atmospheric and oceanic conditions. Since 1995, INTIMATE has, through a series of international workshops, sought ways to improve procedures for establishing the precise ages of climate events, and to correlate them with high precision, for the last 30 000 calendar years. The NZ‐INTIMATE project commenced in late 2003, and has involved virtually the entire New Zealand palaeoclimate community. Its aim is to develop an event stratigraphy for the New Zealand region over the past 30 000 years, and to reconcile these events against the established climatostratigraphy of the last glacial cycle which has largely been developed from Northern Hemisphere records (e.g. Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), Termination I, Younger Dryas). An initial outcome of NZ‐INTIMATE has been the identification of a series of well‐dated, high‐resolution onshore and offshore proxy records from a variety of latitudes and elevations on a common calendar timescale from 30 000 cal. yr BP to the present day. High‐resolution records for the last glacial coldest period (LGCP) (including the LGM sensu stricto) and last glacial–interglacial transition (LGIT) from Auckland maars, Kaipo and Otamangakau wetlands on eastern and central North Island, marine core MD97‐2121 east of southern North Island, speleothems on northwest South Island, Okarito wetland on southwestern South Island, are presented. Discontinuous (fragmentary) records comprising compilations of glacial sequences, fluvial sequences, loess accumulation, and aeolian quartz accumulation in an andesitic terrain are described. Comparisons with ice‐core records from Antarctica (EPICA Dome C) and Greenland (GISP2) are discussed. A major advantage immediately evident from these records apart from the speleothem record, is that they are linked precisely by one or more tephra layers. Based on these New Zealand terrestrial and marine records, a reasonably coherent, regionally applicable, sequence of climatically linked stratigraphic events over the past 30 000 cal. yr is emerging. Three major climate events are recognised: (1) LGCP beginning at ca. 28 000 cal. yr BP, ending at Termination I, ca. 18 000 cal. yr BP, and including a warmer and more variable phase between ca. 27 000 and 21 000 cal. yr BP, (2) LGIT between ca. 18 000 and 11 600 cal. yr BP, including a Lateglacial warm period from ca. 14 800 to 13 500 cal. yr BP and a Lateglacial climate reversal between ca. 13 500 and 11 600 cal. yr BP, and (3) Holocene interglacial conditions, with two phases of greatest warmth between ca. 11 600 and 10 800 cal. yr BP and from ca. 6 800 to 6 500 cal. yr BP. Some key boundaries coincide with volcanic tephras. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical Modeling of Natural Fracture Distributions in Shale

The production efficiency of shale gas is affected by the interaction between hydraulic and natural fractures. This study presents a simulation of natural fractures in shale reservoirs, based on a discrete fracture network (DFN) method for hydraulic fracturing engineering. Fracture properties of the model are calculated from core fracture data, according to statistical mathematical analysis. The calculation results make full use of the quantitative information of core fracture orientation, density, opening and length, which constitute the direct and extensive data of mining engineering. The reliability and applicability of the model are analyzed with regard to model size and density, a calculation method for dominant size and density being proposed. Then, finite element analysis is applied to a hydraulic fracturing numerical simulation of a shale fractured reservoir in southeastern Chongqing. The hydraulic pressure distribution, fracture propagation, acoustic emission information and in situ stress changes during fracturing are analyzed. The results show the application of fracture statistics in fracture modeling and the influence of fracture distribution on hydraulic fracturing engineering. The present analysis may provide a reference for shale gas exploitation.     

天然气水合物样品带压转移装置的抓捕机构设计

在天然气水合物岩心样品的带压转移过程中,岩心衬管抓捕装置是实现样品转移的关键。岩心抓取是在岩心管内进行,属于非可视化操作过程,同时岩心样品和抓捕器都处于高压液体中,岩心衬管与岩心管之间的间隙非常小,要保证岩心样品的原位状态,对岩心抓捕装置的结构设计、精准定位、快速抓取和释放都有很高的要求。根据该装置所需实现的抓取、拖动、定位和释放功能,设计挂盘自锁和触碰解锁机构,探针抓取衬管,经过室内抓捕实验,该机构可以顺利抓捕和解卡,其结构简单,能在压力状态下进行岩心转移,加快了天然气水合物样品的带压转移装置的研究进展。     

四川尔呷地吉铅锌矿区复杂地层钻探施工技术

四川尔呷地吉铅锌矿区位于南北向甘洛-小江断裂（本区内称为马拉哈断裂）北段与马拉哈背斜的复合部位。区域地质条件复杂,岩层破碎、裂隙发育,存在钻孔坍塌、漏失、缩径、掉块等钻探难题。为避免井内复杂事故、缩减钻井周期、降低作业风险,在该矿区开展了钻探技术研究工作。以ZK4522、ZK4737、ZK7545钻孔施工问题为例,重点剖析了钻孔事故频发的原因,提出了改进措施,总结了适合该矿区钻探施工的钻孔结构设计,并对不同地层使用冲洗液配方进行了阐述,对水泥浆护壁工艺、套管护壁工艺采取了技术管控措施,在该矿区取得了良好的效果,形成了一套具有实际参考价值的钻探施工方案,为该矿区以后的施工提供了技术保障措施和经验,同时对其他类似钻探施工也具有一定的借鉴意义。     

中国东部新太古代末期构造演化——来自古老陆核构造恢复的启示

太古宙陆核的完整性对前寒武纪构造演化研究具有重要意义。华北克拉通东部陆块内太古宙陆核构造上受郯庐断裂影响较大,包括前期断裂带南侧NNE向左行走滑和后期断裂带北侧NE向左行走滑。本文还原了郯庐断裂发育之前华北克拉通东部陆块太古宙陆壳的原始格局。构造恢复后古老地体及地体内岩石片麻理均呈NNW走向。通过对弓长岭地区BIF铁矿进行深入的构造解析工作,发现含矿太古宙表壳岩发育大量暗示水平运动的逆冲推覆构造。结合其年代学特征,本文进一步揭示新太古代末期一定规模的侧向挤压构造(水平运动)可能已经在华北克拉通内出现。     

庐山变质核杂岩的变质变形及构造意义

庐山出露的变质核杂岩的构造层次具有典型的三层结构,即最上面的未变质沉积盖层、中间韧性流变层、核部的变质基底,其间分别以上剥离断层和拆离断层为分界线。上部沉积盖层以脆性变形为主,中间韧性流变层变形程度不一,但远离拆离带变质变形逐渐减弱,而核部的变质基底以强塑性变形为特征。对变质核杂岩南北两条地质剖面的分析,得到三个构造层次的岩石变质变形及岩性变化特征。区域动力学分析反映变质核杂岩东部原拆离带在五里正断层附近。拆离带中多硅白云母压力计得出的变质压力为0.6~1.1 GPa;锆石U-Pb年龄测试得到变质核杂岩的隆升时代为早白垩世。     

深部盐岩层绳索取心钻井液技术研究与应用

由于次生应力场的作用以及盐岩易溶于水的特性,深部盐岩层钻进存在岩层蠕动、钻井液易遭受盐钙侵等问题;钻进参数选择不合理易导致盐岩层取心效率低、岩心冲蚀严重。本文以河南省叶舞凹陷ZK3井为例,采用石油钻井与绳索取心相结合的措施,解决了普通固体矿产钻探设备在深部地层取心中效力不足的问题;通过阳离子交换容量测定、矿物组分鉴定、钻井液体系优选及性能测试等试验,确定了针对上部泥岩地层的聚合物钻井液体系,中部含膏泥岩的欠饱和盐水钻井液体系,下部盐岩层取心段的饱和盐水钻井液体系。通过确定合适的钻井液密度与临界环空返速,可以有效控制深部盐岩层蠕变与井壁冲蚀,适度提高排量以成倍提高钻进速度。钻进过程中钻井液性能稳定,体系转换顺利且性能易于调整,为取心任务的顺利完成提供了有力保证。     

钻井液类型对南极冰层取心钻进工作的影响

钻井液的类型与性能对于提高极地冰层取心钻进的效率与保证钻孔稳定性具有重要的影响。在分析铠装电动机械钻具工作原理与钻井液循环方式的基础上,较为详细地分析了升降钻具的速度与钻井液粘度与密度之间的关系;分析了现有钻井液类型和所存在的问题;以二元脂肪酸二醇酯、低分子量饱和脂肪酸酯与甲基硅油的试验测试数据为基础,确定了可用于极地冰层取心钻进的钻井液类型及其性能要求。