Unconsolidated sediment distribution patterns in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight,South Africa: the role of wave ravinement in separating relict versus active sediment populations

This paper examines the distribution of unconsolidated sediment in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight located along the east coast of South Africa. Results show that there is a general shelf-wide sediment distribution of coarser grain sizes between depths of 60 and 100?m, punctuated by a broad swathe of mud offshore of the Thukela River. Seasonal changes in sediment distribution patterns are small, being restricted to seaward fining on the inner shelf off the fluvial sources. Sediment distribution reflects a partitioning between sediment populations that are current- influenced and relict (palimpsest) populations associated with submerged shorelines. Wave ravinement during the deglacial transgression, the reworking of submerged shorelines during sea-level stillstands and, to a lesser extent, the Agulhas Current system, are the dominant controls on sediment distribution.     

Spatial mapping of earthquake hazard parameters in the Hindukush–Pamir Himalaya and adjacent regions: Implication for future seismic hazard

The study deals spatial mapping of earthquake hazard parameters like annual and 100-years mode along with their 90% probability of not being exceeded (NBE) in the Hindukush–Pamir Himalaya and adjoining regions. For this purpose, we applied a straightforward and most robust method known as Gumbel’s third asymptotic distribution of extreme values (GIII). A homogeneous and complete earthquake catalogue during the period 1900–2010 with magnitude M_W ⩾ 4.0 is utilized to estimate these earthquake hazard parameters. An equal grid point mesh, of 1° longitude X 1° latitude, is chosen to produce detailed earthquake hazard maps. This performance allows analysis of the localized seismicity parameters and representation of their regional variations as contour maps. The estimated result of annual mode with 90% probability of NBE is expected to exceed the values of M_W 6.0 in the Sulaiman–Kirthar ranges of Pakistan and northwestern part of the Nepal and surroundings in the examined region. The 100-years mode with 90% probability of NBE is expected to exceed the value of M_W 8.0 in the Hindukush–Pamir Himalaya with Caucasus mountain belt, the Sulaiman–Kirthar ranges of Pakistan, northwestern part of the Nepal and surroundings, the Kangra–Himanchal Pradesh and Kashmir of India. The estimated high values of earthquake hazard parameters are mostly correlated with the main tectonic regimes of the examined region. The spatial variations of earthquake hazard parameters reveal that the examined region exhibits more complexity and has high crustal heterogeneity. The spatial maps provide a brief atlas of the earthquake hazard in the region.     

Experimental study of the response of a gravel streambed to increased sediment supply

If increased sediment supply to a river channel exceeds its transport capacity, deposition necessarily occurs as the bed adjusts to accommodate the increased supply. Both the mean and spatial patterns in bed elevation and grain size may change and an ability to understand their relative importance is needed to predict bed response. We report on an experiment in a field‐scale flume in which sediment supply is increased to a gravel bed with alternate bars. Sediment was recirculated in the experiments, but augmented in two steps, after which the bed was allowed to reach a new steady state. The transport rate at the end of the experiment was three times larger than at the start. High‐resolution sediment flux and topographic measurements, grain size derived from photographs, and hydrodynamic modeling allow us to document the topographic and textural response of the bed to increased sediment supply. The spatial patterns of bed topography and texture were forced by the flume setup and the initial and final steady states included long stationary alternate bars with associated grain size sorting. The transient bed contained several scales of shorter wavelength migrating bedforms superimposed on, and temporarily replacing the stationary alternate bars. Bed topography and textural patterns adjusted to increased sediment supply over different timescales. Bed slope and mean stress increased directly with sediment supply rate to produce a new transport steady state in a time about 2.5 times the minimum needed to deposit the required sediment wedge, indicating a trap efficiency of about 40% for the aggrading wedge. Adjustments in local topography and sorting, primarily in the form of smaller, migrating bars, continued for a period approximately equal to that required to initially reach transport steady state. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中国中西部大型湖盆沉积体系域研究进展及页岩油气勘探*

中国陆相大型湖盆碎屑岩—碳酸盐岩沉积区分布广泛,含油气盆地内新发现了多个油气田,特别是近年来在致密油/页岩油勘探方面获得了突破。根据沉积体系域演化和可容纳空间演变解释层序地层单元,建立层序演化模式,预测油气储集体,适合于研究有成因联系的异旋回地层序列。深水体系的沉积层序体系域研究进展表现为引入强制海退(湖退)的概念,从经典的层序地层学格架三分体系域发展为四分体系域和二分体系域,不同尺度的相对整合序列和体系域分布与命名具有紧密联系。强制海(湖)退条件下形成的下降期体系域(FSST)和强制海(湖)退楔体系域(FRW)有内涵细节上的差异。采用A-P-D(加积-进积-降积)准层序叠加分析方法,分析体系域格架下薄层细粒沉积砂体的沉积搬运机理,提高了体系域识别和油气储集体预测的准确度。柴达木盆地古近系和四川盆地侏罗系研究实例表明,湖侵体系域随湖平面上升,浅湖和半深湖范围扩大,沉积中心地区发育三角洲前缘薄层砂体和深水浊积扇及多旋回泥页岩—泥灰岩组合,有利于页岩油气储集体的发育,成为“甜点”勘探目标区。展望未来,与页岩油气勘探有关的沉积层序体系域领域研究在以下几个方面将取得重要进展: (1)咸化湖盆深水沉积体系的高频旋回体系域研究; (2)与页岩型和混积型页岩油类型相关的湖侵体系域混积体系研究; (3)体系域级别的层序—古地理研究; (4)体系域格架下的源-汇系统及其古湖泊分布特征研究; (5)湖泊古水深、古气候和古环境的地球化学指标分析; (6)富有机质页岩发育的微纳米级孔—缝体系储集能力研究; (7)煤系环境纯湖相泥岩和沼泽相(湖沼或河沼)泥岩对规模天然气生烃贡献率的沉积基础研究。     

南堡凹陷东营组高精度层序地层格架及沉积体系分析

在高分辨率三维地震、钻井以及大量地质资料研究基础上,根据层序地层界面特征,将南堡凹陷东营组划分为1个二级层序和4个三级层序。以初始洪泛面和最大洪泛面识别特征为依据,进一步将三级层序划分出体系域。通过层序地层格架特征及其发育位置分析,认为柳南次凹层序地层格架发育的主控因素为构造、物源和湖平面变化。应用层序地层学原理及南堡凹陷沉积充填背景研究,认为柳南次凹的沉积体系类型为冲积扇、扇三角洲、水下扇、重力流及湖泊沉积体系。冲积扇及水下扇体系在低位体系域中发育,高位体系域中扇三角洲体系和重力流发育,湖扩体系域中湖泊体系非常发育。     

Dynamic soil–structure interaction analysis of a telescope at the Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory

This paper presents the dynamic soil–structure analysis of the main telescope T250 of the Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre (OAJ, Javalambre Astrophysical Observatory) on the Pico del Buitre. Vibration control has been of prime concern in the design, since astrophysical observations may be hindered by mechanical vibration of optical equipment due to wind loading. The telescope manufacturer therefore has imposed a minimal natural frequency of 10 Hz for the supporting telescope pier. Dynamic soil–structure interaction may significantly influence the lowest natural frequency of a massive construction as a telescope pier. The structure clamped at its base has a resonance frequency of 14.3 Hz. A coupled finite element–boundary element (FE–BE) model of the telescope pier that accounts for the dynamic interaction of the piled foundation and the soil predicts a resonance frequency of 11.2 Hz, demonstrating the significant effect of dynamic soil–structure interaction. It is further investigated to what extent the coupled FE–BE model can be simplified in order to reduce computation time. The assumption of a rigid pile cap allows us to account for dynamic soil–structure interaction in a simplified way. A coupled FE–BE analysis with a rigid pile cap predicts a resonance frequency of 11.7 Hz, demonstrating a minor effect of the pile cap flexibility on the resonance frequency of the telescope pier. The use of an analytical model for the pile group results in an overestimation of the dynamic soil stiffness. This error is due to the large difference between the actual geometry and the square pile cap model for which the parameters have been tuned.     

冲绳海槽高分辨率层序地层研究

冲绳海槽为西太平洋内弧盆体系中一个典型的弧后盆地,其形成和发展与太平洋板块、欧亚板块和菲律宾板块活动有关,为海底扩张的结果,具有高的热流值和活火山的岩浆活动。中新世以来的太平洋活化区,沉积物包括海洋的生源物质和陆源碎屑物质,地层中记录了古海洋环境和大陆古气候变化的有关信息,对该区进行高分辨率层序地层研究和计算沉积速率显得尤为重要。在小波变换的基础上建立高分辨率的层序地层格架,以米兰科维奇思想对测井曲线和天文周期进行频谱分析,从而求得地层的沉积速率是沉积时限,另外对测井曲线和天文周期曲线运行调谐,建立起地层的天文年代标尺,从而对地层进行精确的定年。     

珠江口盆地番禺4洼文昌组基于层序地层格架约束下的优质烃源岩预测

珠江口盆地番禺4洼“小而肥”,目前的探明石油地质储量已超出早期估算的地质资源量,早期对烃源岩的认识不足可能是其主要原因,尤其是对优质烃源岩的分布范围仍缺少精确刻画,在很大程度上限制了对该洼陷勘探潜力的认知。以该难点问题为切入点,利用最新钻井和地震资料,采取层序地层学开展了番禺4洼烃源岩的预测工作。通过地震资料上识别的各种反射特征,结合区内已有钻井资料识别的旋回特征,将番禺4洼文昌组划分5个三级层序,进而建立了等时地层格架。在此基础上,综合运用地震沉积学最新技术手段,精细揭示了番禺4洼文昌组文三段优质烃源岩的分布范围。研究结果表明,番禺4洼优质烃源岩分布面积较为广泛,尤其在北次洼和西次洼,优质源岩面积均超过了以往预期。这一研究成果对本区和珠江口盆地油气勘探具有一定指导意义。     

大川中地区须家河组二、四段地震相与沉积相研究

四川盆地上三叠统须家河组油气勘探开始于20世纪40年代,其中须二段、须四段是主要探目的层段,也是盆地周边地区寻找新气源最有利层位之一。依据地震地层学方法和理论,结合钻井与测井资料,将大川中地区须家河组划分成7个地震层序边界,分别为SB1—SB7,与之对应6个最大湖泛面,分别为MFS1—MFS6,并对层序界面的地震反射特征进行了总结。利用地震反射内部结构、外部形态和反射波终止类型,在大川中地区须家河组须二段与四段内共识别出平行—亚平行、前积、丘状、透镜状及发散状地震反射特征等5种地震相,并对18条二维地震测线进行了剖面地震相的综合解释,编制了须二段与四段的地震相平面分布图。通过地震相与沉积相的转换,分别划分出冲积扇、扇三角洲、辫状河三角洲以及湖泊等沉积体系,编制了大川中地区须家河组二段与四段沉积相平面图,对大川中地区须家河组构造格局的演化规律进行了分析。