Geological characteristics of the Qiaoyue Seamount and associated ultramafic-hosted seafloor hydrothermal system (～52.1°E,Southwest Indian Ridge)

Hydrothermal vent incidence was once thought to be proportional to the spreading rate of the mid-ocean ridges (MORs). However, more and more studies have shown that the ultraslow-spreading ridges (e.g., Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR)) have a relatively higher incidence of hydrothermal venting fields. The Qiaoyue Seamount (52.1°E) is located at the southern side of segment #25 of the SWIR, to the west of the Gallieni transform fault. The Chinese Dayang cruises conducted eight preliminary deep-towed surveys of hydrothermal activity in the area during 2009 and 2018. Here, through comprehensive analyses of the video and photos obtained by the deep-towed platforms, rock samples, and water column turbidity anomalies, a high-temperature, ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal system is predicted on the northern flank of the Qiaoyue Seamount. We propose that this hydrothermal system is most likely to be driven by gabboric intrusions. Efficient hydrothermal circulation channels appear against a backdrop of high rock permeability related to the detachment fault.     

A comparison of the effectiveness of the roots of two grass species in reducing soil erosion on alluvial fans in south-east China

The effects of root systems on soil detachment by overland flow are closely related to vegetation types. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of two gramineous roots (Paspalum mandiocanum with shallow roots and Pennisetum giganteum with deep roots) on soil detachment capacity, rill erodibility, and critical shear stress on alluvial fans of benggang in south-east China. A 4-m-long and 0.12-m-wide flume was used. Slope steepness ranged from 9% to 27%, and unit flow discharge ranged from 1.39 × 10⁻³ to 4.19 × 10⁻³ m² s⁻¹. The mean detachment capacities of P. mandiocanum and P. giganteum lands were 18% and 38% lower than that of bare land, respectively, and the effects of root on reducing soil detachment were mainly reflected in the 0- to 5-cm soil layer. The most important factors in characterizing soil detachment capacity were root length density and soil cohesion, and soil detachment capacity of the two grass lands could be estimated using flow shear stress, soil cohesion, and root length density (NSE = 0.90). With the increase in soil depth, rill erodibility increased, whereas shear stress decreased. The mean rill erodibilities of P. mandiocanum and P. giganteum lands were 81% and 61% as much as that of bare land, respectively. Additionally, rill erodibilities of the two grass lands could be estimated as an exponential function by root length density and soil cohesion (NSE = 0.88). The mean critical shear stress of P. mandiocanum and P. giganteum lands was 1.29 and 1.39 times that of bare land, respectively, and it could be estimated with a linear function by root length density (NSE = 0.76). This study demonstrated that planting of the two grasses P. mandiocanum and P. giganteum could effectively reduce soil detachment and enhance soil resistance to erosion on alluvial fans, with the deep roots of P. giganteum being more effective than the shallow roots of P. mandiocanum. The results are helpful for understanding the influencing mechanism of root systems on soil detachment process.     

Hydraulics of overland flow influenced by litter incorporation under extreme rainfall

Water erosion on hillslopes is a worldwide environmental problem, which is a rainfall‐induced process, especially extreme rainfall. The great intensity of extreme rainfall strongly enhances the power of overland flow to detach soil and transport sediment. Plant litter is one of the most important constituents of ecosystems that often covers the soil surface and can be incorporated into topsoil. However, little attention has been paid to its effect on flow hydraulics owing to the veiled nature. This study aimed to examine the effects of incorporated litter on the hydraulic properties under extreme rainfall condition. To reach this goal, six litter rates of 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.35, and 0.50 kg m^?2 and four litter types collected from deciduous trees, coniferous trees, shrubs, and herbs were incorporated into topsoil. Then, simulated rainfall experiments were performed on five slope gradients (5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, and 25°) with an extreme rainfall intensity of 80 mm h^?1. The results showed that Froude number and flow velocity of the overland flow decreased, whereas flow resistance increased exponentially with litter incorporation rate. Litter type had an influence on flow hydraulics, which can mainly be attributed to the variations in surface coverage of the exposed litter and the litter morphology. Flow velocity and Darcy–Weisbach coefficient increased markedly with slope gradient. However, the variation of slope gradient did not modify the relationships between flow hydraulics and incorporated litter rate. The random roughness, resulting from heterogeneous erosion due to the uneven protection of surface exposed litter, increased linearly with litter incorporated rate. As rainfall proceeded, flow hydraulics varied with incorporated litter rate and slope gradient complicatedly due to the increases in flow rate and coverage of the exposed litter and the modification of soil surface roughness.     

Structural and kinematic analysis of the Corredoiras detachment: evidence for early Variscan synconvergent extension in the Ordenes Complex, NW Spain

 An important detachment is described in the allochthonous Ordenes Complex, in the NW Iberian Massif, and its meaning is related to the kinematics of contemporaneous convergent structures. The Corredoiras Detachment (CD) separates a hangingwall unit, characterised by a medium-pressure metamorphic gradient, from a footwall high-pressure and high-temperature unit and an underlying ophiolitic unit. An associated ductile shear zone, nearly 2000 m thick, developed in the lower part of the hangingwall unit, where the Corredoiras Orthogneiss, a Lower Ordovician metagranite, was progressively transformed into augengneisses, mylonitic and ultramylonitic gneisses. The attitude of the stretching and mineral lineation in the mylonites varies due to late refolding at map scale, but the sense of movement can be estimated, being roughly top to the SE. According to crosscutting relationships, the CD developed subsequent to the thrusting of the high-pressure/high-temperature unit onto the ophiolitic unit, and prior to younger extensional detachments, upright folding and strike-slip tectonics. The geometric relationships of the CD with the previous structures in the footwall unit, the subtractive character of the metamorphic gap between its hangingwall and footwall, and the available isotopic data suggest that the CD is an early Variscan, ductile extensional detachment, the movement of which was roughly simultaneous with the onset of thrusting of the allochthonous complexes over their relative autochthon. Received: 17 November 1998 / Accepted: 4 April 1999     

Multi-Layered Low-Angle Ductile Detachment System in Dabie-Sulu UHPM and HPM Belts,China

INTRODUCTIoNTheDabie-Suluregion,Chinahasbeenrecognizedasthelargestultrahigh-pressuremetamorphic(UHPM)(peakp>2.7GPa)andHPMbeltsintheworld,andattractedexten-siveinterestfrominternationalgeoscientists.AwealthofpublicationsexistsabouttheoccurrenceofUHPMindexmin-erals,thegeochronology,metamorphicPTpaths,andthelarge-scaleconceptualtectonicevolutionofUHPMandhigh-pressuremetamorphic(HPM)rocksintheDabie-Suluregion.Morerecentoverviewsaregiven'byErnstetal.(1995),Liouetal.(l996),andHackere…     

Gully head modelling: A Mediterranean badland case study

Predicting the location of gully heads in various environments is an important step towards predicting gully erosion rates. So far, field data collection and modelling of topographic thresholds for gully head development has mainly focused on gullies that formed in forested areas, rangelands, pastures and cropland. Such information for gullies in badlands however is very scarce. Therefore, this paper aims to extend the database on gully head topographical thresholds through data collection in a badland area and to improve the prediction of gully heads forming at sites with a very low erosion resistance value. For this, we chose a badland site located in central Italy that is characterized by biancana forms and both active and dormant gullies. The definition of the conditions under which present‐day gully heads developed allowed a better modelling of the gully head threshold equation, with modification of a previous model and the exemplification of how to use the updated model. The model shows that the resistance to gully head retreat depends on slope gradient and drainage area at gully heads, land use at the moment of gully development (as numerically expressed using parameters derived from the Runoff Curve Number method), surface rock fragment cover, presence of joints, pipes, and factors/processes affecting detachment rate. This study attempted to better understand environmental conditions that control the development of gully heads in badlands through a combination of field data collection of gully heads, an analysis of land use changes over 10 centuries, focusing on the period 1820–2005, and land use management through repeat photography and a critical examination of historical documents. © 2018 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

塔西南甫沙地区被动顶板双重构造和乌泊尔地区背驮盆地的数值模拟

塔里木盆地西南缘前陆褶皱冲断带发育被动顶板双重构造(甫沙地区)和背驮盆地(乌泊尔地区)两种明显不同的构造类型。为了探讨它们的不同成因,利用有限差分软件FLAC开展了一系列二维数值模拟研究。采用遵循平面应变的黏弹塑性本构模型,设置两个滑脱层和三个能干层。同时考虑基底沉降、同构造剥蚀和沉积,缩短速率为8mm/a,剥蚀速率为每年侵蚀基准面以上高程的3×10-7(相当于每1000m每年剥蚀0.3mm)。在基底水平的情况下,采用均一的沉降速率1.6mm/a并以填平补齐的方式进行沉积时,3.5 Ma后发育成与甫沙地区相似的被动顶板双重构造。而当模型采用中部小两端大的拱形沉降速度以及填平补齐的沉积时最终发育成背驮盆地,和乌泊尔地区地质原型接近。模拟结果表明,同构造沉积地层对褶皱冲断带的影响巨大,当沉积物大量堆积在褶皱冲断带前缘时有利于被动顶板双重构造的形成,而沉积物大量堆积在逆冲楔顶与斜坡时则更有利于背驮盆地的发生。模拟结果认为甫沙地区和乌泊尔地区都接受了填平补齐的沉积方式,但基底沉降差异造成了两者的构造样式明显不同。在小范围内(后陆至前陆小于80km),甫沙地区基底以水平方式发生沉降,褶皱冲断带前缘接受了大量沉积;而乌泊尔地区基底在挤压下发生弯曲,使得后陆发生了更大的沉降从而接受了更多的沉积。     

琼东南盆地地壳伸展深度依赖性及其动力学意义

地壳或岩石圈尺度内伸展因子随深度变化特征对于理解岩石圈演化有重要的指示意义.我们利用南海北部大陆边缘琼东南盆地区深反射地震剖面的地壳分层模型,计算了沿剖面上地壳与全地壳的伸展因子.结果表明:琼东南盆地区具有明显的地壳尺度内伸展的深度相关性（上地壳尺度伸展因子变化范围为1.0~2.0,全地壳尺度的伸展因子变化范围为1.2~2.5）;琼东南盆地各构造单元内的上地壳与全地壳伸展具有明显的非均一性(长昌凹陷上地壳尺度伸展最大,乐东—陵水凹陷其次,松南—宝岛凹陷最小;长昌凹陷和松南—宝岛凹陷的地壳尺度伸展因子较乐东—陵水凹陷大) 与各向异性(南东—北西剖面较之北东—南西向剖面地壳伸展因子大).这些结果预示着琼东南盆地区地壳伸展优势方向为北西向,盆地区东西部的伸展过程或伸展机制可能差异较大拟或存在太平洋岩石圈俯冲角空间差异或地幔岩浆产出时空差异.结合研究区相关研究成果,推断地壳伸展因子的深度相关性可能是共轭大陆边缘低角度拆离控制的简单剪切系统内伴随地幔挤出的动力学现象.     

The effect of a hydrous phase on P‐wave velocity anisotropy within a detachment shear zone in the slow‐spreading oceanic crust: A case study from the Godzilla Megamullion,Philippine Sea

We studied the contributions of plagioclase, clinopyroxene, and amphibole to the P‐wave velocity properties of gabbroic mylonites of the Godzilla Megamullion (site KH07‐02‐D18) in the Parece Vela Rift of the central Parece Vela Basin, Philippine Sea, based on their crystal‐preferred orientations (CPOs), mineral modes, and elastic constants and densities of single crystals. The gabbroic mylonites have been classified into three types based on their microstructures and temperature conditions: HT1, HT2 and medium‐temperature (MT) mylonites. The P‐wave velocity properties of the HT1 mylonite are dominantly influenced by plagioclase CPOs. Secondary amphibole occurred after deformation in the HT1 mylonite, so that its effect on P‐wave velocity anisotropy is minimal due to weak CPOs. Although the HT2 mylonite developed deformation microstructures in the three minerals, the P‐wave velocity properties of the HT2 mylonite are essentially isotropic, resulting from the destructive interference of different P‐wave velocity anisotropy patterns produced by the distinct CPOs of the three constituent minerals (i.e., plagioclase, clinopyroxene, and amphibole). The P‐wave velocity properties of the MT mylonite are influenced mainly by amphibole CPOs, whereas the effect of plagioclase CPOs on P‐wave velocity anisotropy becomes very small with a decrease in the intensity of plagioclase CPOs. As a result, the gabbroic mylonites tend to have weak P‐wave velocity anisotropy in seismic velocity, although their constituent minerals show distinct CPOs. Such weakness in the whole‐rock P‐wave velocity anisotropy could result from the destructive contributions of the different mineral CPOs with respect to the structural framework (foliation and lineation). These results show that amphibole has a high potential for P‐wave velocity anisotropy by aligning both crystallographically and dimensionally during deformation in the hydrous oceanic crust. The results also suggest that the effect of a hydrous phase on P‐wave velocity anisotropy within the detachment shear zone in a slow‐spreading oceanic crust varies depending on the degree of deformation and on the timing of hydrothermal activity.     

Magnetotelluric study of the Xuefeng mountain area,Hu’nan Province,China

A magnetotelluric study was carried out in the Xuefeng mountain uplift belt and its western margins. A detailed investigation was made of the resistivity of the formations, and reliable data were obtained. The sedimentary cover and basement structure of the Xuefeng mountain area and the deep geological structure were analyzed in detail using magnetotelluric data from the two-dimensional inversion of the resistivity profile data in combination with regional gravity and magnetic data. It was concluded that the tectonic movements were characterized by basement detachment, and north-south ramp. The study area can be divided into a southern uplift zone, a southern thrust-faulted zone, a central uplift zone, and a northern depression zone. This work has provided geophysical evidence that can be used in future studies of the tectonics and petroleum geology of this region.