HOLOCENE CLIMATE VARIABILITY IN THE DENMARK STRAIT REGION - A LAND-SEA CORRELATION OF NEW AND EXISTING CLIMATE PROXY RECORDS

ABSTRACT. Two well dated Holocene sediment records bordering the Denmark Strait region have been used to reconstruct past climate variability. The content of biogenic silica, classic and organic material and moss in a lacustrine record from Lake N14 has been used to infer past variability in precipitation and temperature in southern Greenland. Sedimentologic and petrologic composition of sand in a shelf sediment record from the Djúpáll trough is used to infer past variability in the northwestern storm activity on northwestern Iceland, which probably also affected the inflow of polar waters from the East Greenland Current. Our evaluation of these records with a number of previous studies from the region documents Holocene climatic optimum conditions peaking between 8000 and 6500 calendar years before present (cal yr BP). Mid-Holocene climate deterioration set in around 5000 cal yr BP followed by a further marked setback around 3500 cal yr BP. A stacking of climate variability on a centennial timescale from previous studies in the area shows a fairly good correspondence to the timing of marked cold and warm events as evidenced from the Lake N14 and the Djúpáll trough records. Cooler periods are explained as the response to marked incursions of ice-laden polar water from the Arctic Ocean to the Denmark Strait region. Cool northerly and northwesterly winds along the East Greenland coast in relation to frequent strong atmospheric low pressure in the Barents Sea, coupled with strong high pressure over Greenland, would have favoured southward export of polar waters. A comparison with the proxy records of nuclide production (¹⁴C and ¹⁰Be) suggests that solar activity may have had some influence on the atmospheric pressure distribution in the Denmark Strait region.     

Transport rate of calcareous sand in unidirectional flow

This paper examines the transport of calcareous sand in unidirectional flow and its prediction through existing sediment transport models. A flume experiment of four sand samples collected on Oahu, Hawaii, provides 29 sets of sediment transport data in the bed-form and suspended transport stages. The measured transport data are compared with direct predictions from four energy-based transport models developed for siliceous particles. Corrections for the grain-size, fall velocity, and critical velocity of calcareous sand based on recent research are applied to the models and the results are compared with the direct calculations and measured data. The comparison illustrates the important role particle shape plays in the transport of calcareous sand. All four sediment transport models give consistent predictions and good agreement with the majority of the measured data. Two of the models respond positively to the corrections in both the bed-form and suspended transport stages indicating that such an approach may provide an interim solution for the transport of calcareous sand.     

Influence of vegetation on aeolian sand transport rate from a backshore to a foredune at Hasaki, Japan

The influence of vegetation on aeolian sediment transport rate in the region from a backshore to a foredune was investigated at the Hasaki Coast in Japan, where an onshore wind was predominant and the creeping beach grasses Carex kobomugi and Calystegia soldanella were major species. The comparison of cross-shore distributions of the cross-shore component of aeolian sand transport rate with and without vegetation, which were estimated on the basis of the beach profile changes and a mass conservation equation, showed that the creeping grasses influenced the aeolian sand transport rate. The landward aeolian sand transport rate rapidly decreased landward from the seaward limit of vegetation when the grasses grew. The aeolian sand transport rate reduced by 95% with a vegetation cover of 28%. On the other hand, when the grasses were absent, the landward aeolian sand transport rate did not decrease near the seaward vegetation limit, but near the foot of the foredune.     

Preliminary Characterisation of New Glass Reference Materials (GSA-1G, GSC-1G, GSD-1G and GSE-1G) by Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry Using 193 nm, 213 nm and 266 nm Wavelengths

New glass reference materials GSA-1G, GSC-1G, GSD-1G and GSE-1G have been characterised using a prototype solid state laser ablation system capable of producing wavelengths of 193 nm, 213 nm and 266 nm. This system allowed comparison of the effects of different laser wavelengths under nearly identical ablation and ICP operating conditions. The wavelengths 213 nm and 266 nm were also used at higher energy densities to evaluate the influence of energy density on quantitative analysis. In addition, the glass reference materials were analysed using commercially available 266 nm Nd:YAG and 193 nm ArF excimer lasers. Laser ablation analysis was carried out using both single spot and scanning mode ablation. Using laser ablation ICP-MS, concentrations of fifty-eight elements were determined with external calibration to the NIST SRM 610 glass reference material. Instead of applying the more common internal standardisation procedure, the total concentration of all element oxide concentrations was normalised to 100%. Major element concentrations were compared with those determined by electron microprobe. In addition to NIST SRM 610 for external calibration, USGS BCR-2G was used as a more closely matrix-matched reference material in order to compare the effect of matrix-matched and non matrix-matched calibration on quantitative analysis. The results show that the various laser wavelengths and energy densities applied produced similar results, with the exception of scanning mode ablation at 266 nm without matrix-matched calibration where deviations up to 60% from the average were found. However, results acquired using a scanning mode with a matrix-matched calibration agreed with results obtained by spot analysis. The increased abundance of large particles produced when using a scanning ablation mode with NIST SRM 610, is responsible for elemental fractionation effects caused by incomplete vaporisation of large particles in the ICP.     

Simplified Method for the Assessment of the Stiffness Anisotropy of Rocks at Small Strains

Summary A new, practically applicable method for characterizing the stiffness anisotropy of rocks is presented. The anisotropy of geo-materials is often ignored in engineering applications, with potentially serious ramifications, because of the number of parameters required for characterization. The elastic anisotropy has often been considered to be a function of mathematical symmetry, and the restrictions due to layering, microcracking and granularity of the materials have not been considered in the assessment of the anisotropy. The practicality of the method proposed here is achieved by rationally reducing the number of independent anisotropy parameters, typically 9 for orthotropic anisotropy, to a system of 4 independent parameters through a systematic theoretical and experimental analysis of these structural restrictions. These 4 parameters are shown to be sufficient for describing the anisotropy of some rocks and sands at small strains, and parameter determination by back-analysis is demonstrated to be stable using appropriate measurement systems involving 9 elastic wave velocities even when the directions of anisotropic axes are unknown and the velocity data contains appreciable error.     

青海省新型功能材料研究和产业的分析(续完)

介绍了部分新型功能材料的前沿领域发展情况;通过对青海省在能源、矿产资源方面的优势及青海省可持续发展能力的分析,对我省目前及未来可以发展的新型功能材料产业提出了意见和建议。     

晋北煅烧高岭土用煤矸石的应用矿物学特征

为了给晋北煅烧高岭土用煤矸石的评价和开发利用提供科学依据,采用XRD、XRF、SEM和白度计等现代分析测试技术,研究了晋北煅烧高岭土用煤矸石的应用矿物学特征。结果表明:1)根据造纸和涂料用煅烧高岭土的国家标准,晋北煤矸石主要可分为3种类型:合格原料、基本合格原料和不合格原料。2)与合格和基本合格原料相比,不合格原料煅烧产物的化学成分中SiO₂、Al₂O₃、Fe₂O₃含量以及碱金属与碱土金属总含量都与前者有较大差异。3)合格和基本合格原料主要由高岭石(85%～94%)组成,不合格煤矸石矿物组合为高岭石(30%～60%)+石英(23%～38%)+伊利石(14%～26%),并含少量黄铁矿和白云石等杂质矿物,石英等杂质矿物和含铁矿物是分别导致煅烧产物化学成分和白度不合格的主要原因。4)合格原料中高岭石结晶度较好,主要为不规则片状、书册状和弯曲片状,片表面光滑,片径大小范围较大,为0.05～51.22μm,平均2.80μm,径厚比41.24。     

矿物材料学的内涵与特征

经过20余年的研究与发展,矿物材料学已经成为材料科学与工程中一个相对独立和完善的组成部分,由于其定义、内涵与特征等基本问题与材料科学的从属性和独特性,多年的研究认为:矿物材料学是研究矿物材料的组成与结构、制备与合成、性能和使用效能以及矿物原料性质与特点等五要素及其相互关系和规律的一门学科.这五要素是具有内部互相联系和作用的有机整体,研究这五要素并了解它们之间的相互关系和规律构成了矿物材料学的内涵.矿物原料性质与特点是其他四要素的基本前提或重要基础,矿物原料及其与其他四要素的关系以及矿物在其他四要素中的关键性都体现了矿物材料学的矿物科学属性,正是因为兼具材料科学属性和矿物科学属性的矿物材料学这一重要特征使其有别于其他学科,而具有了理论及实用价值.     

矿物法--环境污染治理的第四类方法

总结介绍了近10年开展环境矿物材料研究所取得的较为系统的研究成果。新提出环境矿物材料基本性能,包括矿物表面效应、孔道效应、结构效应、离子交换效应、结晶效应、溶解效应、水合效应、氧化还原效应、半导体效应、纳米效应及矿物生物交互效应等。展示环境矿物材料开发应用方面的崭新成就,包括利用天然铁的硫化物矿物强还原性,发明一步法还原Cr(Ⅵ)与沉淀Cr(Ⅲ)废水处理新工艺;利用天然锰的氧化物矿物强氧化性,发明处理高浓度与强污染的印染和酚类废水新方法;利用天然钛的氧化物矿物日光催化性,发明光催化降解卤代有机污染物新方法;利用天然蛭石高温脱水膨胀热效应,发明能大幅度提高型煤固硫率与除尘新方法;利用天然钙基蒙脱石低成本制备出同时防止水体与无机和有机污染物渗漏的自愈性强的填埋场衬层建造用新型防渗材料,发明生活垃圾尤其是危险废物填埋场衬层建造新工艺;发现凝灰岩与花岗岩中长石类矿物发育有良好的孔道结构,核素进入可发生固定化作用,成为有效阻滞核素迁移的天然屏障;利用天然纳米管状纤蛇纹石成功制备二氧化硅纳米管,接枝有机物可由亲水性变为疏水性;利用黄钾铁矾的胶体特征作为多金属矿山废石堆隔离防渗层,防止金属硫化物矿物氧化分解与矿山酸性废水污染等。着重指出今后环境矿物?     

川西北天井山构造泥盆系油砂成矿条件与资源评价

通过对四川盆地油砂资源的全面调查与评价,首次在川西北地区天井山构造下泥盆统平驿铺组的石英砂岩中发现了油砂矿体。根据石油地质及成矿理论对该矿点的成矿条件进行了分析,认为该油砂矿形成过程中可能的烃源岩为早寒武世和早志留世的黑色泥页岩;当进入印支期,烃源岩开始大规模生成液态烃,液态烃通过该期运动形成的逆断层运移至下泥盆统平驿铺组圈闭富集成藏;进入喜山运动,早先形成的油藏抬升暴露、剥蚀而最终形成了目前的油砂矿体。天井山构造泥盆系埋深500 m以上的油砂资源量为5 356.4×10⁴ t。