On the influence of vertical loads on the lateral response of pile foundation

The influence of vertical loads on the lateral response of group piles installed in sandy soil and connected together by a concrete cap is studied through finite elements analyses. The analyses focus on the five piles in the middle row of 3 × 5 pile groups. The vertical load is applied by enforcing a vertical displacement equivalent to 2% of the pile diameter through the pile cap prior to the application of the lateral loads. The results have shown that the lateral resistance of the leading pile (pile 1) does not appear to vary considerably with the vertical load. However, the vertical load leads to 23%, 36%, 64%, and 82% increase in the lateral resistance of piles 2–5, respectively. The increase in the lateral pressures in the sand deposit is the major driving factor to contribute the change in the lateral resistance of piles, depending on the position of the pile in the group. The distribution of lateral loads among piles in the group tends to be more uniform when vertical loads were considered leading to a more economical pile foundation design.     

High-Nb hawaiite–mugearite and high-Mg calc-alkaline lavas from northeastern Iran: Oligo-Miocene melts from modified mantle wedge

Tertiary volcanic rocks in northwestern Firoozeh, Iran (the Meshkan triangular structural unit), constitute vast outcrops (up to 250 km²) of high-Mg basaltic andesites to dacites that are associated with high-Nb hawaiites and mugearites. Whole-rock ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages show a restricted range of 24.1 ± 0.4–22.9 ± 0.5 Ma for the volcanic rocks. The initial ratios of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd vary from 0.703800 to 0.704256 and 0.512681 to 0.512877, respectively, in the high-Mg basaltic andesites–dacites. High-Th contents (up to 11 ppm) and Sr/Y values (27–100) and the isotopic composition of the subalkaline high-Mg basaltic andesites–dacites indicate derivation from a mantle modified by slab and sediment partial melts. Evidence such as reverse zoning and resorbed textures and high Ni and Cr contents in the evolved samples indicate that magma mixing with mafic melts and concurrent fractional crystallization lead to the compositional evolution of this series. The high-Nb hawaiites and mugearites, by contrast, have a sodic alkaline affinity and are silica undersaturated; they are also enriched in Nb (up to 47 ppm) and a wide range of incompatible trace elements, including LILE, LREE, and HFSE. Geochemistry and Sr–Nd isotopic compositions of the high-Nb hawaiites and mugearites suggest derivation from a mantle source affected by lower degrees of slab melts. Post-orogenic slab break-off is suggested to have prompted the asthenospheric upwelling that triggered partial melting in mantle metasomatized by slab-derived melts.     

Mesozoic collision-related magmatism and crust–mantle interaction along the Anhui segment of the Yangtze River Valley,east-central China

The middle segment of the Yangtze River Deep Fault Belt, located in the foreland of the Dabie orogen, contains widely exposed volcanic–intrusive complexes that formed during two episodes of magmatism (post-collisional and post-orogenic), reflecting crust–mantle interactions during the Late Jurassic (J₃) to Early Cretaceous (K₁). This article summarizes research on the Mesozoic igneous suites and xenolith suites in the area along the Yangtze River. ‘Post-collisional magmatism’ occurred during lithospheric extension at ～145–130 Ma. Its beginning and end are marked by gabbroic xenoliths and pyroxene cumulates within intrusions at Tongling, and by alkali-rich magmatic rocks. The association includes peraluminous silicic rocks and metaluminous mafic–felsic igneous suites, ranging from medium-K to high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonitic compositions. Taking the Tongling region as an example, quartz monzodiorite yields a sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) zircon U–Pb age of 139.5 ± 2.9 Ma, and granodiorite yields an age of 135.5 ± 4.4 Ma. These intrusive rocks contain 52.79–66.46 wt.% SiO₂, 13.12–17.73 wt.% Al₂O₃, 1.37–4.62 wt.% MgO, 3.86–6.84 wt.% FeO^T, and 4.71–7.87 wt.% total alkalis (Na₂O?+?K₂O). ACNK values range from 0.62 to 1.20, and ANK values from 1.45 to 3.48. ‘Post-orogenic magmatism’ occurred during lithospheric delamination at ～130–120 Ma. The start of magmatism was marked by the formation of gabbro containing spinel lherzolite xenoliths in the Nanjing–Wuhu Basin (NWB), and its end was marked by the generation of feldspathoid phenocryst-bearing phonolite in the NWB and the Lujiang–Zongyang Basin (LZB), respectively. The association that formed during this episode ranges from alkaline to peralkaline. Taking the Niangniangshan Formation in the NWB as an example, the Nosite phonolite yields a whole-rock monomineral Rb–Sr isochron age of 120 ± 9 Ma, and contains 49.92–60.09 wt.% SiO₂, 17.67–20.65 wt.% Al₂O₃, 0.08–2.45 wt.% MgO, 1.32–6.62 wt.% FeO^T, and 9.24–13.92 wt.% total alkalis (Na₂O?+?K₂O). ACNK values range from 0.72 to 1.24, and ANK values from 1.03 to 1.35.

The two magmatisms correspond to two episodes of crust–mantle interaction. The first involved intensive interaction between middle–lower crust and underplated basaltic magma derived from the upper mantle lithosphere, whereas the second involved minor interaction between the middle–lower crust and basaltic magma derived from the lower lithospheric mantle.     

Age and metal source of orogenic gold deposits in Southeast Guizhou Province,China: Constraints from Re-Os and He-Ar isotopic evidence

The orogenic gold deposits in Southeast Guizhou are an important component of the Xuefeng polymetallic ore belt and have significant exploration potential, but geochronology research on these gold deposits is scarce. Therefore, the ore genetic models are poorly constrained and remain unclear. In the present study, two important deposits(Pingqiu and Jinjing) are investigated, including combined Re-Os dating and the He-Ar isotope study of auriferous arsenopyrites. It is found that the arsenopyrites from the Pingqiu gold deposit yielded an isochron age of 400 ± 24 Ma,with an initial ~(187)Os/~(188)Os ratio of 1.24 ± 0.57(MSWD = 0.96). An identical isochron age of 400 ± 11 Ma with an initial ~(187)Os/~(188)Os ratio of 1.55 ± 0.14(MSWD = 0.34) was obtained from the Jinjing deposit. These ages correspond to the regional Caledonian orogeny and are interpreted to represent the age of the main stage ore. Both initial ~(187)Os ratios suggest that the Os was derived from crustal rocks. Combined with previous rare earth element(REE), trace elements, Nd-Sr-S-Pb isotope studies on scheelite, inclusion fluids with other residues of gangue quartz, and sulfides from other gold deposits in the region, it is suggested that the ore metals from Pingqiu and Jinjing were sourced from the Xiajiang Group. The He and Ar isotopes of arsenopyrites are characterized by ~3 He/~4 He ratios ranging from 5.3 × 10~(-4) Ra to 2.5 × 10~(-2) Ra(Ra = 1.4 × 10~(-6), the ~3 He/~4 He ratio of air), 40 Ar=/~4 He ratios from 0.64 × 10~(-2) to 15.39×10~(-2), and ~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar ratios from 633.2 to 6582.0. Those noble gas isotopic compositions of fluid inclusions also support a crustal source origin,evidenced by the Os isotope. Meanwhile, recent noble gas studies suggest that the amount of in situ radiogenic ~4 He generated should not be ignored, even when Th and U are present at levels of only a few ppm in host minerals.     

Influence of capillary-pressure models on CO2 solubility trapping

The typical shape of a capillary-pressure curve is either convex (e.g., Brooks–Corey model) or S-shaped (e.g., van Genuchten model). It is not universally agreed which model reflects natural rocks better. The difference between the two models lies in the representation of the capillary entry pressure. This difference does not lead to significantly different simulation results for modeling CO₂ sequestration in aquifers without considering CO₂ dissolution. However, we observe that the van-Genuchten-type capillary-pressure model accelerates CO₂ solubility trapping significantly compared with the Brooks–Corey-type model. We also show that the simulation results are very sensitive to the slope of the van-Genuchten-type curve around the entry-pressure region. For the representative examples we study, the differences can be so large as to have complete dissolution of the CO₂ plume versus persistence of over 50% of the plume over a 5000-year period.The cause of such sensitivity to the capillary-pressure model is studied. Particularly, we focus on how the entry pressure is represented in each model. We examine the mass-transfer processes under gravity-capillary equilibrium, molecular diffusion, convective mixing, and in the presence of small-scale heterogeneities. Laboratory measurement of capillary-pressure curves and some important implementation issues of capillary-pressure models in numerical simulators are also discussed. Most CO₂ sequestration simulations in the literature employ one of the two capillary-pressure models. It is important to recognize that these two representations lead to very different predictions of long-term CO₂ sequestration.     

Evolution of continental crust of the Aravalli craton,NW India,during the Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic: evidence from geochemistry of granitoids

Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic granitoids of the Aravalli craton, represented by four plutons with different ages, viz. Gingla (2.6–2.4 Ga), Ahar River (2562 Ma), Untala (2505 Ma), and Berach (2440 Ma) granitoids, are classified into three suites: TTG-like, Sanukitoid, and High-K Granitoid suite, all exhibiting negative Nb and Ti anomalies. The TTG-like suite is characterized by high contents of SiO₂, Na₂O, and LREEs, high (La/Yb)_N, low contents of K₂O, MgO, Cr, and Ni, and low (Dy/Yb)_N, suggesting that this suite formed by partial melting of a subducted basaltic slab without interacting with a mantle wedge. In contrast, the calc-alkaline Sanukitoid suite is marked by a high content of LILEs and mantle-compatible elements, which indicate that this suite formed by partial melting of a slab-fluid metasomatized mantle wedge in a subduction-related arc environment. On the other hand, the High-K Granitoid suite is characterized by high contents of SiO₂ and K₂O, and low contents of Na₂O, MgO, Cr, and Ni with variable Eu anomaly, along with high (La/Sm)_N and (La/Yb)_N, and low (Dy/Yb)_N and Nb/Th. Some high-K granitoids also exhibit A-type characteristics. These features indicate that the High-K Granitoid suite formed by melting of crustal rocks. Early Neoarchaean continental crust formation reflected a slab-melting-dominated magmatic process as evidenced by the TTG-like suite, whereas Palaeoproterozoic petrogenesis was governed by the interaction of slab melt with mantle wedge as demonstrated by the Sanukitoid suite. The High-K Granitoid suite formed during the waning stages of subduction. This study reveals that granitic rocks of the Aravalli craton evolved from slab melting in the Neoarchaean to melting of mantle wedge in the Palaeoproterozoic. Melting of older crust led to the formation of the High-K Granitoid suite.     

Landscape ecological construction and biodiversity protection

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On determining the noon polar cap boundary from SuperDARN HF radar backscatter characteristics

Previous work has shown that ionospheric HF radar backscatter in the noon sector can be used to locate the footprint of the magnetospheric cusp particle precipitation. This has enabled the radar data to be used as a proxy for the location of the polar cap boundary, and hence measure the flow of plasma across it to derive the reconnection electric field in the ionosphere. This work used only single radar data sets with a field of view limited to 2 h of local time. In this case study using four of the SuperDARN radars, we examine the boundary determined over 6 h of magnetic local time around the noon sector and its relationship to the convection pattern. The variation with longitude of the latitude of the radar scatter with cusp characteristics shows a bay-like feature. It is shown that this feature is shaped by the variation with longitude of the poleward flow component of the ionospheric plasma and may be understood in terms of cusp ion time-of-flight effects. Using this interpretation, we derive the time-of-flight of the cusp ions and find that it is consistent with approximately 1 keV ions injected from a subsolar reconnection site. A method for deriving a more accurate estimate of the location of the open-closed field line boundary from HF radar data is described.     

建设中国地质学会为世界一流学会的对策和建议

中国地质学会第40届理事会提出了将中国地质学会建设成为国内领先、世界一流学会的设想。为实现这一目标,本文将中国地质学会与美国地质学会、英国地质学会、澳大利亚地质学会、加拿大地质学会等4家地质领域世界领先学会进行了对比分析,找出了差距,明确了目标,并对如何将中国地质学会建成国内领先、世界一流学会提出了对策和建议。     

Kinematics of the Guerrero terrane accretion in the Sierra de Guanajuato,central Mexico: new insights for the structural evolution of arc–continent collisional zones

The Guerrero terrane comprises Middle Jurassic–Early Cretaceous arc successions that were accreted to the North American craton in the late Early Cretaceous, producing closure of the Arperos oceanic basin and the formation of an approximately 100 km-wide fold–thrust belt. Such a suture is key to investigating the structural evolution related to Guerrero terrane accretion and, in general, to arc–continent collisional zones. The Sierra de Guanajuato is an exposure of the Guerrero terrane suture belt and consists of a complex tectonic pile that formed through at least three major shortening phases: D1SG, D2SG, and D3SG (SG, Sierra de Guanajuato). During the D1SG and D2SG phases, the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous successions of the Arperos Basin piled up, forming a doubly vergent imbricate fan of thrust sheets that accommodated substantial NE–SW shortening. Mylonite microtextures, as well as syntectonic minerals, indicate that the D1SG and D2SG deformation events took place under low greenschist-facies metamorphic conditions. We relate these deformation phases to the progressive NE migration of the Guerrero terrane, which triggered the collapse and closure of the Arperos Basin. During D3SG, the El Paxtle arc assemblage of the Guerrero terrane was tectonically emplaced onto the previously deformed successions of the Arperos Basin. However, D3SG structures indicate that during this deformational stage, the main shortening direction was oriented NW–SE and that contraction was accommodated mostly by SE-vergent ductile thrusts formed under low greenschist-facies metamorphic conditions. We suggest that the top-to-the-SE emplacement of the El Paxtle assemblage may be a result of the tectonic escape of the arc produced by the continuous NE impingement of the Guerrero terrane during its collisional addition to the Mexican mainland.