Precambrian fluvial deposits: Enigmatic palaeohydrological data from the c. 2–1.9 Ga Waterberg Group, South Africa

Precambrian fluvial systems, lacking the influence of rooted vegetation, probably were characterised by flashy surface runoff, low bank stability, broad channels with abundant bedload, and faster rates of channel migration; consequently, a braided fluvial style is generally accepted. Pre-vegetational braided river systems, active under highly variable palaeoclimatic conditions, may have been more widespread than are modern, ephemeral dry-land braided systems. Aeolian deflation of fine fluvial detritus does not appear to have been prevalent. With the onset of large cratons by the Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic, very large, perennial braided river systems became typical. The c. 2.06–1.88 Ga Waterberg Group, preserved within a Main and a smaller Middelburg basin on the Kaapvaal craton, was deposited largely by alluvial/braided-fluvial and subordinate palaeo-desert environments, within fault-bounded, possibly pull-apart type depositories.

Palaeohydrological data obtained from earlier work in the Middelburg basin (Wilgerivier Formation) are compared to such data derived from the correlated Blouberg Formation, situated along the NE margin of the Main basin. Within the preserved Blouberg depository, palaeohydrological parameters estimated from clast size and cross-bed set thickness data, exhibit rational changes in their values, either in a down-palaeocurrent direction, or from inferred basin margin to palaeo-basin centre. In both the Wilgerivier and Blouberg Formations, calculated palaeoslope values (derived from two separate formulae) plot within the gap separating typical alluvial fan gradients from those which characterise rivers (cf. [Blair, T.C., McPherson, J.G., 1994. Alluvial fans and their natural distinction from rivers based on morphology, hydraulic processes, sedimentary processes, and facies assemblages. J. Sediment. Res. A64, 450–489.]). Although it may be argued that such data support possibly unique fluvial styles within the Precambrian, perhaps related to a combination of major global-scale tectono-thermal and atmospheric–palaeoclimatic events, a simpler explanation of these apparently enigmatic palaeoslope values may be pertinent. Of the two possible palaeohydrological formulae for calculating palaeoslope, one provides results close to typical fluvial gradients; the other formula relies on preserved channel-width data. We suggest that the latter will not be reliable due to problematic preservation of original channel-widths within an active braided fluvial system. We thus find no unequivocal support for a unique fluvial style for the Precambrian, beyond that generally accepted for that period and discussed briefly in the first paragraph.     

川西地区“西康群”研究工作中若干基本问题的思考

西康群等岩群的研究已取得初步成果,由于构造变形复杂,至今沉积地层层序等基本问题尚未解决。运用沉积地质学理论,从造山带演化观点出发,对海底扁和滨、浅海沉积等关键问题进行了讨论,提出盆地演化的初步设想,并就今后研究提出了若干意见,以促进该项研究工作的深入发展。     

湖盆扇三角洲河口坝发育程度及粒度韵律特征:以滦平盆地桑园剖面下白垩统西瓜园组为例*

扇三角洲作为重要的油气储集场所,其成因单元类型及分布特征控制着油气的差异分布及采出效率。关于扇三角洲分流河道沉积特征已有共识,但河口坝沉积特征尤其是韵律特征尚存在争议。以滦平盆地桑园剖面下白垩统西瓜园组湖盆扇三角洲沉积体为例,通过人工实测及无人机观测相结合的方法,对河口坝沉积特征、尤其是韵律特征进行研究,利用水槽模拟实验阐明河口坝韵律特征的形成机理。结果表明,河口坝在整个剖面中占砂(砾)岩体的45.27%,分流河道和席状砂分别占53.42%和1.31%。河口坝在剖面上呈底平顶凸状,通常由多期增生体组成。当增生体主要由砂岩组成时,呈粒度反韵律特征; 而当增生体主要由砾岩组成时,呈粒度正韵律特征。河口坝整体韵律受控于增生体的垂向叠置样式,既可呈反韵律特征又可呈正韵律特征。当流量、沉积底形坡度等地质条件一定时,河口坝内部增生体韵律性主要受沉积物粒度控制。当沉积物粒度较细时,河口水流扩散模式为底床摩擦力主控,增生体呈现反韵律特征; 而当沉积物粒度较粗时,河口水流扩散模式为惯性力主控,河口坝增生体则呈现正韵律特征。     

Response of unconfined turbidity current to normal‐fault topography

Turbidity currents descending the slopes of deep‐water extensional basins or passive continental margins commonly encounter normal‐fault escarpments, but such large‐magnitude phenomena are hydraulically difficult to replicate at small scale in the laboratory. This study uses advanced computational fluid dynamics numerical simulations to monitor the response of large, natural‐scale unconfined turbidity currents (100 m thick and 2000 m wide at the inlet gate) to normal‐fault topography with a maximum relief of nearly 300 m. For comparative purposes, the turbidity current is first released on a non‐faulted pristine slope of 1·5° (simulation model 1). The expanding and waxing flow bypasses the slope without recognizable deposition within the visibility limit of 8 vol.% sand grain packing. Similar flow is then released towards the tip (model 2) and towards the centre (model 3) of a normal‐fault escarpment. In both of these latter models, the sand carried by flow tends to be entrapped in four distinct depozones: an upslope near‐gate zone of flow abrupt expansion and self‐regulation; a flow‐transverse zone at the fault footwall edge; a flow‐transverse zone at the immediate hangingwall; and a similar transverse zone near the crest of the hangingwall counter‐slope, where some of the deposited sand also tends to be reshuffled to the previous zone by a secondary reverse underflow. The near‐bottom reverse flow appears to be generated on a counter‐slope of 1·1°, increased to 2·0° by deposition. The Kelvin–Helmholtz interface instability plays an important role by causing three‐dimensional fluctuations in the flow velocity magnitude and sediment concentration. The thick deposits of large single‐surge flows may thus show hydraulic fluctuations resembling those widely ascribed to hyperpycnal flows. The study indicates further that the turbiditic slope fans formed on such fault topographies are likely to be patchy and hence may differ considerably from the existing slope‐fan conceptual models when it comes to the spatial prediction of main sand depozones.     

准噶尔盆地玛湖凹陷西斜坡三叠系百口泉组扇三角洲优质储集层预测

针对准噶尔盆地玛湖凹陷西斜坡风南地区三叠系百口泉组扇三角洲砂岩物性空间变化大、优质储集层(孔隙度大于7.4%,渗透率大于0.05×10^-3μm²)预测难的问题,在沉积岩石学、地震沉积学以及地震反演和解释理论指导下,综合利用测井、岩心和三维地震等资料开展了高精度层序地层划分、沉积微相描述和优质储集层地震反演研究。建立了风南井区四级层序地层格架,明确了扇三角洲多期水进水退的充填过程,指出SSQ3和SSQ5是优质储集层的发育层系;识别出扇三角洲平原分流河道、河道间和扇三角洲前缘水下分流水道、河口坝、席状砂等沉积微相,指出扇三角洲平原是优质储集层发育相带;通过应用高分辨层序地层纵向边界和沉积相横向边界约束,进行分层相控叠后地震波阻抗反演,提升储集层预测精度,在SSQ3和SSQ5预测5个优质储集层发育区,提出3口井的井位建议,钻探均获工业油流。     

依-舒地堑汤原与方正断陷宝泉岭组二段沉积体系的异同

汤原断陷和方正断陷是位于依兰—舒兰地堑内两个主要的一级负向构造单元,表现为受东西两条深大断裂控制的双断式断陷。汤原断陷和方正断陷古近系宝泉岭组二段在相类似的构造与沉积背景下沉积特征有异同。共识别出3种主要沉积相类型：扇三角洲相、湖泊相和湖底扇相。控盆断裂对这两个断陷的沉积具有同样重要的控制作用,宝二段沉积时期方正断陷的构造作用强度比汤原断陷大得多,方正断陷湖盆面积比汤原断陷小,但湖盆深度要深。     

Large to intermediate-scale aquifer heterogeneity in fine-grain dominated alluvial fans (Cenozoic As Pontes Basin,northwestern Spain): insight based on three-dimensional geostatistical reconstruction

Facies reconstructions are used in hydrogeology to improve the interpretation of aquifer permeability distribution. In the absence of sufficient data to define the heterogeneity due to geological processes, uncertainties in the distribution of aquifer hydrofacies and characteristics may appear. Geometric and geostatistical methods are used to understand and model aquifer hydrofacies distribution, providing models to improve comprehension and development of aquifers. However, these models require some input statistical parameters that can be difficult to infer from the study site. A three-dimensional reconstruction of a kilometer scale fine-grain dominated Cenozoic alluvial fan derived from more than 200 continuously cored, closely spaced, and regularly distributed wells is presented. The facies distributions were reconstructed using a genetic stratigraphic subdivision and a deterministic geostatistical algorithm. The reconstruction is only slightly affected by variations in the geostatistical input parameters because of the high-density data set. Analysis of the reconstruction allowed identification in the proximal to medial alluvial fan zones of several laterally extensive sand bodies with relatively higher permeability; these sand bodies were quantified in terms of volume, mean thickness, maximum area, and maximum equivalent diameter. These quantifications provide trends and geological scenarios for input statistical parameters to model aquifer systems in similar alluvial fan depositional settings.     

CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHY,SEDIMENTATION AND EVOLUTION OF THE XIGAZE FOREARC BASIN: IMPLICATIONS FOR DYNAMIC EVOLUTION OF THE YARLUNG ZANGBO SUTURE ZONE

CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHY,SEDIMENTATION AND EVOLUTION OF THE XIGAZE FOREARC BASIN: IMPLICATIONS FOR DYNAMIC EVOLUTION OF THE YARLUNG ZANGBO SUTURE ZONE1　All埁ｇｒｅＣＪ,CourtillotV ,TapponnierP ,etal.StructureandevolutionoftheHimalaya Tibetorogenicbelt[J] .Nature,1984 ,30 7:17～ 2 2 . 2　CoulonC ,MaluskiH ,BollingerC ,etal.MesozoicandCenozoicvolcanicrocksfromcentralandsouthernTibet:3 9Ar 40 Ardating ,petrotogicalcharacteristicsandgeodyn…     

阵发性洪水条件下辫状河型冲积扇构型研究:以准噶尔盆地西北缘现代白杨河冲积扇为例*

白杨河冲积扇是由阵发性洪水期的碎屑流沉积物与间洪期辫状河沉积物组成的复合型冲积扇,其构型与碎屑流扇的构型和河流型扇的构型有很大的不同。本研究选取准噶尔盆地西北缘干旱气候下发育的现代白杨河冲积扇作为解剖实例,对103个天然剖面和9个人工大型探槽进行了详细测量,在沉积微相及不同级别的沉积构型的观测和分析的基础上,分析了阵发性洪水条件下间歇性辫状河型冲积扇体的地貌单元的演化过程和沉积构型特征,研究不同流态的阵发性洪水条件下各种建造和改造机制,明确受阵发性洪水控制的间歇性辫状河型冲积扇的沉积特征,建立了其沉积构型模式。认为: 在洪水期,阵发性洪流(碎屑流)形成席状化的片流(或片洪)沉积,在洪退期,随着洪水强度的减弱,又转变为辫流沉积,而在间洪期,仍有持续的辫状流体(牵引流)在限制性的水道中流动,并对洪水期的碎屑流沉积物进行改造,形成了限制性的(条带状的)辫状河道沉积,2个时期的沉积物在时空上频繁叠置,形成了一种更加复杂的沉积构型。该模式对油田地下冲积扇砂砾储集层的成因识别、预测及对比具有一定的参考价值。     

Mosaic desert pavement influences water infiltration and vegetation distribution on fluvial fan surfaces

Desert pavements (DPs) are critical for maintaining ecological stability and promoting near-surface hydrological cycling in arid regions. However, few studies have focused on eco-hydrological processes of DPs in the ecological systems of fluvial fans. Although DP surfaces appear to be barren and flat, we found that the surfaces are characterized by surface mosaic patterns of desert pavement (mosaic DP) and bare ground (mosaic BG). We investigated the effects of mosaic DP on water infiltration and vegetation distribution at six sites in fluvial fans (one on a hillside and five within the sectors of fans) along a southwest belt transect in northern Linze County, in the central Hexi Corridor (China). We found significant differences in mosaic DP between the hillside and sector sites in terms of pavement thickness and vesicular horizon thickness (Av thickness), particle composition, and bulk density, although significant differences were absent for mass soil water content, gravel coverage, and surface gravel size. The mosaic DP inhibited water infiltration by the pavement layer, where the sorptivity (S), initial infiltration rate (i_int), steady-state infiltration rate (i_sat) and infiltration time (T) averaged 1.19 cm/min^-0.5, 0.64 cm/min, 0.13 cm/min and 12.76 min, respectively. Where the pavement layer was scalped, the S, i_int, and i_sat increased by 0.27 cm/min^-0.5, 0.52 cm/min, and 0.40 cm/min, respectively, and the T reduced by 7.42 min. Water infiltration was mainly controlled by the pavement layer thickness (+), Av thickness (−), surface gravel coverage (−), fine earth (+) and fine gravel (−) in the pavement layer. The DP surfaces only had a sparse covering of shrubs, but an abundance of herbs. Few shrubs were present on the mosaic DP, but a greater number of shrubs and herbs grew on the mosaic BG. It can be concluded that DPs can maintain vegetation stability for different surface mosaic patterns. This study deepens our understanding of the eco-hydrological cycle of DP landscapes in arid regions.