Evolution of the Bonneville shoreline scarp in west-central Utah: Comparison of scarp-analysis methods and implications for the diffusion model of hillslope evolution

Wave-cut pluvial shoreline scarps are ideal natural experiments in hillslope evolution because the ages of these scarps are often precisely known and because they form with a range of heights, alluvial textures, and microclimates (i.e., orientation). Previous work using midpoint-slope methods on pluvial scarps in the Basin and Range concluded that scarp evolution is nonlinear and microclimatically controlled. The purpose of this study was to further examine the influence of scarp height, texture and microclimate in an attempt to calibrate a nonlinear model of scarp evolution. To do this, over 150 profiles of the Bonneville shoreline in the adjacent Snake and Tule Valleys, west-central Utah were collected and analyzed by fitting the entire scarp profile to diffusion-equation solutions, taking into account uncertainty in the initial scarp angle. In contrast to previous studies, this analysis revealed no evidence for nonlinearity or microclimatic control. To understand the reason for this discrepancy, we undertook a systematic study of the accuracy of each scarp-analysis method. The midpoint-slope-inverse method was found to yield biased results, with systematically higher diffusion ages for young, tall scarps. The slope-offset method is unbiased but has limited resolution because it requires many scarp profiles to yield a single diffusion age. A method that incorporates the full scarp profile and uncertainty in the initial scarp angle was found to be the most accurate technique. The application of the full-scarp method to the Bonneville shoreline supports the use of a linear diffusion model for scarps up to 20 m in height. Scarp orientation had no discernable effect on diffusivity values. Soil texture was found to have a weak but significant inverse relationship with diffusivity values.     

The formation and evolution of the barrier islands of Inhaca and Bazaruto, Mozambique

The barrier islands of Inhaca and Bazaruto are related to the extensive coastal dune system of the Mozambican coastal plain, south-east Africa. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of key stratigraphic units indicates that accretion of sediment within these systems is episodic. Both islands appear to have been initiated as spits extending from structural offsets in the coastline. Superposition of significant quantities of sediment upon these spits during subsequent sea-level highstands formed the core of the islands, which were anchored and protected by beachrock and aeolianite formation. At least two distinct dune-building phases occurred during Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 5, tentatively attributed to marine transgressions during sub-stages 5e and 5c. Although some localized reactivation of dune surfaces occurred prior to the Holocene, large quantities of sediment were not deposited on either island during the low sea-levels associated with MIS 2. Significant dune-building and sediment reworking occurred immediately prior to and during the Holocene, though it is not clear whether these processes were continuous or episodic. Significant erosion of the eastern shoreline of Bazaruto suggests that it is far less stable than Inhaca and may suffer further large-scale erosion. A model is presented for the formation of barrier islands along the Mozambican coastal plain.     

南海西南部曾母盆地早中新世以来沉降史分析

采用回剥法和局部均衡模式研究曾母盆地早中新世以来的沉降史，并探讨了该盆地构造演化特征。曾母盆地自早中新世以来经历了17．5-11．6Ma、11．6-5．5Ma、5．5-3．0Ma和3．0-0Ma的4次快速沉降作用，其构造演化受控于曾母地块与南沙地块及婆罗洲地块的碰撞和盆地两侧的万安-卢帕尔断裂与廷贾走滑断裂的综合作用，可划分为南北双向挤压（晚始新世-早中新世）、走滑改造（中中新世-晚中新世）和区域沉降（上新世-第四纪）3个演化阶段。     

邯峰矿区古构造应力场与构造演化

采用共轭剪节理应力反演方法,恢复了邯郸-峰峰矿区晚古生代以来的3期古构造应力场,进而探讨了煤田构造的演化历史,将其分为4大阶段：①中生代早期近NS向挤压,煤系后期改造初动期;②中生代晚期SE-NW向挤压,奠定煤田构造格架的基础;③中生代末至古近纪NW-SE向拉张,煤田构造格架定型;④新近纪以来近东西向拉张,煤田构造的现代活动.     

乐平统底界定义和点位的争论

有关乐平统底界定义和点位的争论涉及到有关建立界线层型的一些基本原则。本文作者确信,乐平统的底界不可能建立在小间断上或层序界面上;不能被证实的点断成种事件也不能用来建立界线层型;定义种在连续演化谱系中首现的点位是确定的不是任意的;必须考虑定义种的首现时期的居群特征,不能用定义种晚期的居群特征来确定GSSP的点位;定义种的定义不能任意改动,要保持分类的稳定。不能过高估计或只认为齿脊特征是区别晚二叠世舟刺分子的唯一标准。梅仕龙有关C. postbitteri和C. dukouensis两个种区别特征的争辩是无用的,因为本文作者所使用的区别这两个种的标准正是梅仕龙等(Mei et al, 1994)所提出的。现在没有必要为维护自己的界线定义或点位而修改有关种的定义。原来有关这两个种的定义和区别特征是科学的。本文作者鉴定的C. dukouensis (Wang, 2000a, p1. 2, figs. 1～8)是正确的,符合原来的定义。乐平统底界定义应当是严格的科学的。金玉玕等(Jin et al, 1994, 1998)从来没有提到更谈不上“反复讨论”了C. doukouensis的“首现”(梅仕龙,本期)。虽然提到(C. postbitteri的首现,但由于C. postbitteri的先驱种不清,这个定义是不科学的。乐平统底界的科学而严格的定义应是:在Clarkikina postbitteri—C. duk     

宁镇地区中更新世环境演变的沉积学研究

句容放牛山剖面ESR测年、粒度以及磁化率的研究结果表明,下蜀黄土作为一种受后生成土作用强烈的风尘堆积,其性状与北方黄土差别很大,主要表现为由于成壤作用及次生风化作用导致粘粒含量增多。该剖面揭示出本区中更新世 5个气候暖湿期,分别是 :15 9~ 16 3ka,192ka,195~ 198ka,2 0 3~ 2 30ka与 311~ 35 0ka。其中第一个相对暖湿期不十分明显,在大致同时期的深海氧同位素 (V2 1- 14 6孔 ) 6阶段当中为一个小的气候回暖波动,第 2、3、4气候暖湿期可大致与西峰黄土S2古土壤层所反映的气候温暖事件相对应,可与深海氧同位素 (V2 1- 14 6孔 )第 7氧同位素阶段大致相对比。其中,前 4个温暖期可大致与老虎山下蜀黄土的标准剖面自上而下的 4个埋藏古土壤层相对应。旧石器考古发掘发现 6、7层有石器,从剖面测年资料及各环境代用指标综合分析得出,当时为暖湿的生态环境(即第 5个气候暖湿期 ),较适宜人类活动,与南京汤山猿人洞研究结果相一致。东北地区庙后山下层文化 (14 0 0~2 30ka)以大石片石器为主,文化面貌兼有华北大小两个石器系统的特征。这与该遗址发掘的石器相类似,这可能说明至少在中更新世中期长江河道应在句容以南。     

柴达木北缘中生代盆地的成因类型及构造沉积演化

柴达木盆地是我国西部一个大型中新生代陆相含油气盆地。其剖面结构、构造样式、沉积特征、基底沉降、古地温等表明中生代盆地的性质应为挤压环境下经过多次幕式逆冲形成的、也祁连造山带有关的叠置前陆盆地，经历了早株罗世的破裂前陆盆地和中株罗世之后的类前陆盆地的演化过程。柴达缘中生代沉积充填由构造层序I（早株罗世）、构造层序Ⅱ（中侏罗世）和构造层序Ⅲ（晚侏罗世）三个完整的构造层序构成，由粗到细多个沉积旋回代表了逆冲加载过程中由活动期到平静期的转化过程。随着逆冲活动的加强和频率加快，构造层序Ⅳ（白垩纪）只经历逆冲活动期，是不完整的构造层序，发育补偿和过补偿沉积，盆地逐渐萎缩。     

苏皖地区石炭纪海相碳酸盐岩碳和氧同位素演化规律

对江苏南京孔山和安徽巢湖凤凰山石炭系碳酸盐岩C、O稳定同位素进行了测定。结果表明，苏皖地区石炭系δ^13C,δ^18O记录是以4个同位素演化阶段为特征，前3个同位素演化阶段与同时代的北美石炭纪相似，仅仅是内部演化特征略有不同，这反映了区域性的沉积环境的不同变化。在金陵组下部、和州组下部、黄龙组中下部和船山组层段，δ^13C表现出明显的正漂移，这可能是受植物和生物量增长、有机碳储藏量增加所引起的。δ^18O记录总体上与δ^13C值呈相似的变化趋势。δ^18O增加记录了气候变冷和冰川作用的结果。δ^18O负漂移与气候变暖和冰川消融是一致的。在浅水潮坪环境，大气淡水的淋滤作用使δ^13C和δ^18O值明显降低。