Early Devonian synorogenic alluvial-fan deposits of the Maccullochs Range,western New South Wales

The Early Devonian, Maccullochs Range beds (new) of the Winduck Interval largely comprise non-marine fine-grained sheet-flood-deposited sandstones which lie in the southeast sector of the Darling Basin Conjugate Fault System. Deposition of the >2.5 km-thick sequence occurred on the Wilcannia, Towers and Coolabah Bore alluvial fans, that were sourced largely from lightly indurated sandstone caps overlying a large basement high lying north of the Darling River Lineament, and also from west of Maccullochs Range (Coolabah Bore Fan). Four lithofacies are recognised. Lithofacies 1, massive sandstone, is proximal and was deposited from hyperconcentrated sheet floods. The more distal lithofacies 2 is partly massive, partly laminated and partly affected by soft sediment slumping during its deposition. It contains 1.3 – 3.5 m-thick sheet-flood successions that rarely show cross-bedding. Lithofacies 3 and 4 are minor: lithofacies 3, stream-flood deposited, comprises coarse-grained, pebbly sandstone and lithofacies 4, transient playa lake deposits that are locally intercalated with lithofacies 2. In lithofacies 2, thick massive fine-grained sandstone is commonly overlain by laminated sandstone that was deformed when soft. Incised channel deposits in lithofacies 2 deposits are rare and palaeosols were not discovered. Permanency of the positions of two of the alluvial fans, and by inference their feeder streams, remained unchanged for ～9 million years. The fans overlie probable floodplain deposits observed in a quarry in the easternmost part of the study area. Marine fossils are very minor in the range—the brachiopod Howellella jaqueti at one locality indicates an Early Devonian age for one of the brief marine incursions into what was normally an alluvial-fan environment. Very brief marine incursions elsewhere in the group are deduced from the presence of very rare fossil gastropods.     

Storm‐dominated sedimentation in a protected basin fringed by coral reefs,Nara Inlet,Whitsunday Islands,Great Barrier Reef,Australia

Hydrodynamic data and samples of bed sediment were collected from Nara Inlet, a small incised embayment in the Whitsunday Islands, central Great Barrier Reef. Measured tidal currents in the inlet do not exceed 0.2 ms^–1 even at spring tides. Swell waves dominate much of the inner shelf of the Great Barrier Reef but are absent from in the inlet due to the presence of a fringing reef at the inlet mouth. On the silty sand floor of the inlet, particle size decreases towards the inlet head. Most of the bed is too coarse to be remobilised by fair‐weather wave and tides, and we predict that bedload sediment transport thresholds are only exceeded in the inlet during cyclones. The observed distribution of bed sediments is consistent with landward dispersal of sediment under storm conditions. Over 20 m of (presumably Holocene) sediments occurs in the inlet and the seismic character of the infill is consistent with the observed textural variation of the modern sediments. We infer that sediment accumulation on the floor of the inlet has been storm dominated throughout much of the Holocene.     

Sediment Phosphorus Chemistry and Microbial Biomass along a Lowland New Zealand Stream

An evaluation of the distribution of P concentrations in streamflow, P fractions andthe microbial biomass P pool was made of bed and bank sediments along a lowlandstream in New Zealand. Agricultural intensification increased downstream. However,most P fractions decreased downstream (total P decreased from c. 400 to 250 mg kg^-1) in bed sediments, while P in streamflow remained relatively constant (generally < 0.005 mg l^-1) and sediment microbial P increased from 2 to 8 mg kg^-1. An investigation of P release from dried and rewetted sediments showed that solution P (CaCl2-P) increased, on average > 300%, and proportional to the size of the microbial biomass P pool before drying, except in sediments with much organic carbon (OC). When supplied with a P source (1 mg l^-1) and then simultaneously with a C source (glucose, 100 mg l^-1), all sediment behaved similarly and biotic sorption accounted for, on average, 27 and 34% of the total sediment uptake, respectively (maximum of 58%). The quantity of P taken up was related to the initial size of the microbial biomass P pool, and the availability of P as influenced by organic P complexes and OC. The sediment microbial biomass represents a transient, but small store of P could be useful to indicate bioavailable P inputs.     

Soft‐sediment deformation structures in a Pleistocene glaciolacustrine delta and their implications for the recognition of subenvironments in delta deposits

The development of soft‐sediment deformation structures in clastic sediments is now reasonably well‐understood but their development in various deltaic subenvironments is not. A sedimentological analysis of a Pleistocene (ca 13·1 to 15 ¹⁰Be ka) Gilbert‐type glaciolacustine delta with gravity‐induced slides and slumps in the Mosty‐Danowo tunnel valley (north‐western Poland) provides more insight, because the various soft‐sediment deformation structures in these deposits were considered in the context of their specific deltaic subenvironment. The sediments show three main groups of soft‐sediment deformation structures in layers between undeformed sediments. The first group consists of deformed cross‐bedding (inclined, overturned, recumbent, complex and sheath folds), large‐scale folds (recumbent and sheath folds) and pillows forming plastic deformations. The second group comprises pillar structures (isolated and stress), clastic dykes with sand volcanoes and clastic megadykes as examples of water‐escape structures. The third group consists of faults (normal and reverse) and extensional fissures (small fissures and neptunian dykes). Some of the deformations developed shortly after deposition of the deformed sediment, other structures developed later. This development must be ascribed to hydroplastic movement in a quasi‐solid state, and due to fluidization and liquefaction of the rapidly deposited, water‐saturated deltaic sediments. The various types of deformations were triggered by: (i) a high sedimentation rate; (ii) erosion (by wave action or meltwater currents); and (iii) ice‐sheet loading and seasonal changes in the ablation rate. Analysis of these triggers, in combination with the deformational mechanisms, have resulted – on the basis of the spatial distribution of the various types of soft‐sediment deformation structures in the delta under study – in a model for the development of soft‐sediment deformation structures in the topsets, foresets and bottomsets of deltas. This analysis not only increases the understanding of the deformation processes in both modern and ancient deltaic settings but also helps to distinguish between the various subenvironments in ancient deltaic deposits.     

海拉尔盆地乌南次凹南屯组层序格架及沉积体系研究

以层序地层学、坡折带分析理论为指导,通过对岩心、测井、录井、地震以及分析化验等资料的综合研究,建立了海拉尔盆地乌南次凹南屯组层序地层格架。将南屯组划分为 2 个三级层序和 8 个四级层序,并在层序格架内进行沉积体系和沉积相划分研究,确定该区主要发育近岸水下扇、扇三角洲、湖底扇和湖泊沉积等 4 种沉积体系。近岸水下扇主要分布在乌南次凹西部陡坡带,扇三角洲分布在东部缓坡带,湖底扇主要分布在中心的深湖相中,而湖泊沉积主要分布在凹陷的中心及近岸水下扇、扇三角洲的侧翼。从乌南次凹西部断阶带到凹陷中心,沉积相由近岸水下扇逐渐变为深湖--半深湖沉积,乌南次凹东部缓坡带到中心,沉积相由扇三角洲沉积逐渐变为滨浅湖、深湖--半深湖沉积,整体呈南北分异、东西成带的格局。不同时期的沉积特征、沉积相展布表现各异,总体表现出水体由浅变深,再变浅,沉积范围逐渐扩大的特点。     

现代河流沉积物碎屑及矿物组分研究新进展

现代河流沉积物忠实地记录了流域盆地内的母岩、风化、搬运和沉积过程中的化学、物理过程以及人类活动的改造作用,是探索和验证源- 汇系统等理论的重要媒介。本文以全球现代河流砂组分数据库为基础,总结了碎屑组分、重矿物组分在不同大陆的分布特征,探讨了其在物源识别、源区贡献率计算、沉积物产生及搬运过程中气候- 构造等影响因素的评估、对源- 汇系统的研究启示等方面的应用。今后建议加强基于大数据的沉积物组分对气候- 构造- 人类活动的响应、沉积物产生及通量、高时间分辨率的沉积物组分变异性、不同物源定量化方法的差异等方面的研究。     

海洋沉积物动力学的示踪物方法

本文的论题是示踪物方法在海洋物源追踪和沉积物输运率计算中的应用 ,以及示踪物方法的普适性理论框架。定量的物源追踪需要适当的示踪标记和物质混合模型 ,有必要根据沉积动力过程的研究来确定示踪标记的变换函数 ,从而将改进的示踪标记用于混合模型分析。人工示踪物实验的现有方法以空间积分法最为常用 ,其关键是示踪物质心运动和沉积物活动层的界定。天然示踪物的质心位置是无法定义的 ,因此不能借用传统人工示踪物方法来估算物质输运率 ;在某些特殊情形下 ,可以利用天然示踪物的质量守衡原理来获得物质输运信息。今后 ,以示踪物质的连续方程为基础 ,有可能建立一种同时适用于人工和天然示踪物的普适理论框架。其中需解决的问题包括示踪物与现场物质的差异、沉积速率和活动层厚度的时间尺度、沉积物扩散过程等。     

Coeval versus reciprocal mixed carbonate–siliciclastic deposition, Middle Devonian Baltic Basin, Eastern Europe: implications from the regional tectonic development

The Middle Devonian Narva succession in the Baltic Basin represents a significant turnaround in the history of the basin. The detailed study of core and outcrop sections and the three‐dimensional correlations across the Baltic Basin reveal a carbonate‐dominated, mixed retrogressive succession, overlain by a siliciclastic‐dominated, progradational succession. The palaeogeographic reconstructions show how the shallow, tide‐influenced basin expanded from south‐west to north‐east and, later during the transgression, also to the north, south and east. The transgressive portion of the basin fill is dominated by carbonate‐rich sabkha and supratidal to intertidal deposits on the basin margins, and subtidal carbonates in the basin centre. Siliciclastic material was derived by tidal currents and storm waves from the south‐west through a tidal inlet and flood‐tidal delta complex. This initial transgressive phase is characterized by the lack of subsidence or even episodic uplifts in the northern/north‐western part of the basin margin, shown by convergence of timelines and the thin (30 m) transgressive succession. In contrast, on the southern margin, the facies associations stack vertically into a 70 to 80 m thick succession, indicating significantly higher subsidence rates. The upper part of the transgressive phase indicates subsidence across the whole basin. The upper, progradational portion of the basin fill is dominated by coarse, siliciclastic, tide‐influenced deltaic deposits that rapidly prograded from north‐west to south‐east. This detailed study on the Narva succession shows that siliciclastic and carbonate deposition was coeval and that mixing occurred at different temporal and spatial scales. The mixing was controlled by grain‐size, volume and location of siliciclastic input rather than relative sea‐level changes as suggested in widely used reciprocal mixing models. It is suggested that the forebulge of the Scandinavian Caledonian fold‐and‐thrust belt migrated to the north‐western margin of the Baltic Basin during the earliest Eifelian, as indicated by the lack of subsidence and probable uplift in the northern/north‐western margin during the early transgressive phase. The forebulge migration ceased although the forebulge had already started to subside during the later stages of the transgressive phase. The deltaic progradation is interpreted to be associated with the orogenic collapse and uplift in the Scandinavian Caledonides that caused the erosion of the foreland basin fill and the coarse sediment transport into the Baltic Basin.     

云南白水台钙华景区的水化学动态变化研究

本文采用水化学仪器自动记录、现场测定和取样室内分析等相结合的方法,对云南白水台钙华景区水的物理化学动态变化特征进行了综合研究,结果发现: 随着CaCO3 的沉积,水中的主要离子Ca2+ 和HCO-3 浓度、电导逐渐降低; p H值升高。我们对1号泉进行昼夜观测发现: 5月1号泉的水温呈周期性变化,周期约为28小时,而在9月水温保持恒定。对下游( 12号观测点)的动态观测发现水的p H值与水温呈反相关关系,在对中游( 6号观测点)的早、中、晚观测得到了同样的结果。最终我们得出结论: 1号泉水温变化可能受补给水源水温动态变化、降雨和地热影响;中下游pH值和电导率的变化与碳酸钙的沉积速率、碳酸平衡和藻类作用有关。      

海洋沉积物中的钒、钼、铊、镓及其环境指示意义

研究探讨沉积物中钒、钼、铊和镓的生物地球化学行为对揭示海洋环境演变机制有重要的科学意义,基于此考虑,本文系统分析总结了近年来海洋沉积物中V、Mo、Tl和Ga的地球化学特征以及与环境关系的研究进展,以期对深入开展环境敏感微量元素的海洋生物地球化学有所裨益。结果表明,由于受人为输入的影响,近海沉积物中V、Mo、Tl和Ga含量高于远海,河口高于近海;在表层沉积物中,细颗粒沉积物中V、Mo、Tl和Ga含量高于粗颗粒中的,且其含量与物源、有机质含量等沉积环境因素密切相关;在垂直分布上,随沉积物深度的增加,V、Mo、Tl和Ga含量趋于降低,表明近几十年来,随人为影响的加剧,海洋作为地球上物质的汇获得了比以前更多的V、Mo、Tl和Ga。由此可见,在水平方向上,海洋沉积物中V、Mo、Tl和Ga的丰度可表明输入物源的特性,而在柱状样中的垂直分布,则能够表征历史年代上V、Mo、Tl和Ga沉积量的差异。由于沉积物中V、Mo、Tl和Ga的性质比较稳定,它们在一定程度上可以揭示和表征海洋环境演变的讯息,追溯海洋环境演变的历史以及预测将来的发展趋向。