The gawler ranges,South Australia: an unusual volcanic massif

The volcanic residuals of the Gawler Ranges together form an extensive massif that in its gross morphology differs markedly from most exposures of silicic volcanic rocks. The upland developed in two stages, the first involving differential fracture‐controlled subsurface weathering, the second the stripping of the regolith. As a result, an irregular weathering front was exposed, with domical projections prominent. These bornhardts are etch forms, and they are of considerable antiquity.

The differential weathering of the rock mass reflects the exploitation of various fracture systems by shallow groundwaters. Orthogonal fracture systems at various scales, sheet fractures and columnar joints control the morphology of the bornhardts in gross and in detail.

The exploitation of the structural base, which was established in the Middle Protero‐zoic, probably took place throughout the Late Proterozoic and the Palaeozoic, though only minor remnants of the Proterozoic land surface remain. The major landscape features developed during the Mesozoic. The weathering which initiated the bornhardts occurred in the Jurassic or earlier Mesozoic, and the landforms were exposed in Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary times.

Though structural forms dominate the present landscape, some major and some minor landforms are best explained in terms of climatic changes of the later Cainozoic. The palaeodrainage system, established under humid conditions by the Early Tertiary, was alluviated during the Cainozoic arid phases, and salinas were formed. The sand dunes of the region also reflect this aridity.     

Transient loading-related settlement of a square foundation on geogrid-reinforced sand

Summary Laboratory model test results are presented that determine the effectiveness of using layers of geogrids as reinforcement in sand to reduce the settlement of square surface foundations subjected to transient loading. The model tests were conducted with only one type of geogrid at one relative density of compaction of sand. The maximum intensity of the transient load applied always exceeded the static ultimate bearing capacity of the foundation when supported by unreinforced sand. The settlement reduction factors for various depths of reinforcement have been determined.     

Mexico's drug networks: Modeling the smuggling routes towards the United States

Drug smuggling routes are chosen to maximize profit while minimizing costs. Routes with the least drug transportation costs and the lowest risk for drug confiscation and gang fight are most preferred. This study attempts to predict the ground trafficking corridors for transporting marijuana and opium derivatives from Mexico to the United States border. The cost surface, representing impedance to transport illicit drugs, is modeled by considering physical, socio-demographic, and drug violence factors. The impedance is then transferred to the road network to represent the cost for moving drugs along the roads, which becomes the main input for network analysis. The results from the routes simulation confirm largely the known territory divisions and the drug trafficking routes of the major Mexican drug organizations. The findings help us understand the development of drug trafficking routes in Mexico, which can potentially enhance our capability to predict the dynamics of drug smuggling routes.     

Distribution of the crustal magnetic anomaly and geological structure in Xinjiang,China

Based on the high-order crustal magnetic field model NGDC-720-V3, we investigate the distribution of crustal magnetic anomaly, the decay characteristics of the anomaly, and the relationship between the magnetic anomaly and geological structure in Xinjiang, China. Topography of the magnetic layer basement is studied through Curie isothermal surface using the power spectrum method. It is found that south Tarim Basin, Junggar Basin, and Turpan–Hami Basin have strong positive magnetic anomaly, whereas west Kunlun Mountain, Altun Mountain, Tianshan Mountain, and Altai Mountain have weak or negative anomaly. The magnetic anomaly well reflects the regional tectonic structure, i.e., three alternating mountains intervened by two basins. The magnetic anomaly on the ground surface in Tarim Basin is well corresponding to the mafic dykes. The decay of the magnetic anomaly with altitude indicates that Xinjiang is a large massif composed of several magnetic blocks with different sizes in different directions. The Curie surface presents a feature of being shallow under mountains whereas being deep under basins, roughly having an anti-mirror correspondence with the Moho depth.     

平武板状绿柱石{0001}晶面的溶蚀像特征与晶体生长

板状绿柱石产于花岗岩云英岩化边部或晶洞壁的白云母-钠长石-绿柱石-水晶的矿物组合中,钠长石呈自形晶,绿柱石的洁净度与透明度相对较差。晶体测量表明,晶体的单形晶面发育依次为c{0001}→s{11 2-1}→p{10 1-1}→m{10 1-0}→v{21 3-1}、n{45 9-4}、a{11 2-0}。微分干涉显微镜(DIC)及扫描电镜(SEM)研究表明:各单形晶面上生长纹(微形貌)反映面网结构的对称性,c{0001}单形晶面上的六边形溶蚀坑(50～170μm)是由平行晶体C轴的各单形晶面生长层从晶体中心向外叠堆组成,层生长机理制约晶体生长全过程,平行双面(c)的生长层较薄(5～8μm)且较稳定,六方双锥(s)生长层较厚且圆滑,六方柱(m)生长层由晶体中心往外其厚度由厚逐渐变薄(12～20μm),台间隔由窄变宽。晶体溶蚀是从面网密度最大的c{0001}开始,溶蚀面积依平行双面(c)、六方双锥(s)单形晶面由大变小,六方柱(a)、复六方双锥(v、n)单形晶面因面网密度小而未受到溶蚀。据矿物共生组合、流体包裹体均一法测量与拉曼光谱(LRS)分析表明板状绿柱石是在中–高温(303℃)、过饱和度较大、成矿介质的钠长石化发育且热动力环境相对稳定的条件下形成,气液包裹体主要由H2O、CO2及微量CH4、N2组成,CO2及微量CH4、N2可能与碳酸盐围岩有关。     

宁夏南部山区天然草场不同植被覆盖度的小气候特征比较

利用不同季节小气候加密观测和小气候常规观测资料,通过分析西吉月亮山禁牧草场和鸦儿湾荒地近地层气温、地温、风速、相对湿度等要素的差异和日变化特征,探讨了不同下垫面下小气候变化的趋势。结果表明:封山禁牧后,下垫面随之变化,会产生所谓的“绿岛效应”,尤其在植被生长旺盛的夏季,气温明显下降,空气湿度增大。说明封山禁牧这一措施对脆弱生态的恢复改造有明显的效果。     

Large‐scale connectivity of fluvio‐deltaic stratigraphy: Inferences from simulated accommodation‐to‐supply cycles and automated extraction of chronosomes

Multiscale simulation of fluvio‐deltaic stratigraphy was used to quantify the elements of the geometry and architectural arrangement of sub‐seismic‐scale fluvial‐to‐shelf sedimentary segments. We conducted numerical experiments of fluvio‐deltaic system evolution by simulating the accommodation‐to‐sediment‐supply (A/S) cycles of varying wavelength and amplitude with the objective to produce synthetic 3‐D stratigraphic records. Post‐processing routines were developed in order to investigate delta lobe architecture in relation to channel‐network evolution throughout A/S cycles, estimate net sediment accumulation rates in 3‐D space, and extract chronostratigraphically constrained lithosomes (or chronosomes) to quantify large‐scale connectivity, that is, the spatial distribution of high net‐to‐gross lithologies. Chronosomes formed under the conditions of channel‐belt aggradation are separated by laterally continuous abandonment surfaces associated with major avulsions and delta‐lobe switches. Chronosomes corresponding to periods in which sea level drops below the inherited shelf break, that is, the youngest portions of the late falling stage systems tract (FSST), form in the virtual absence of major avulsions, owing to the incision in their upstream parts, and thus display purely degradational architecture. Detailed investigation of chronosomes within the late FSST showed that their spatial continuity may be disrupted by higher‐frequency A/S cycles to produce “stranded” sand‐rich bodies encased in shales. Chronosomes formed during early and late falling stage (FSST) demonstrate the highest large‐scale connectivity in their proximal and distal areas, respectively. Lower‐amplitude base level changes, representative of greenhouse periods during which the shelf break is not exposed, increase the magnitude of delta‐lobe switching and favour the development of system‐wide abandonment surfaces, whose expression in real‐world stratigraphy is likely to reflect the intertwined effects of high‐frequency allogenic forcing and differential subsidence.     

甘肃河西走廊沙尘暴与赤道中,东太平洋海温之间的遥相关分析

春、夏季甘肃河西走廊沙尘暴发生次数与赤道中、东太平洋海温之间遥相关分析结果表明：春、夏季河西走廊沙尘暴发生次数与前二年赤道中、东太平洋海温的负相关最好,时间过远或过近,相关性反而较差。利用前期的赤道中、东太平洋海温可以较好地预报出河西走廊春季沙尘暴发生的多寡。     

1957-2014年库布齐沙漠地面风场特征

风对沙漠化过程具有重要影响,起沙风是塑造沙漠地貌格局的主要动力。根据1957-2014年库布齐沙漠周边4个基准气象站的地面风资料,从风速、风向和输沙势等方面分析库布齐沙漠的地面风场特征。结果显示：（1）库布齐沙漠的起沙风频率与平均风速有很高的相关性;（2）年平均风速为2.7 m·s^-1,全年盛行风向为WNW-NW,为中等变率锐双峰风况,合成输沙风向约为310°。4月风速最大,为中等变率环境;8月风速较小,为高变率环境;1月风速最小,为低变率环境。3-6月风速最大,风向集中度一般;11月至翌年2月风速较大,风向集中度高;7-10月风速最小,风向集中度差;（3）20世纪80年代中后期和2007年前后风速、起沙风频率和输沙势发生了较大变化,尤其是2007年前后由减小向增大发展;（4）大气环流和地表粗糙度的改变是库布齐沙漠地面风场变化的重要原因。     

Anisotropy beneath Hawaii from surface wave particle motion observations

Observed polarization ellipses for fundamental-mode surface waves observed at a digital station in Hawaii deviate from those expected for isotropic models of crust and mantle structure for that region. The anomalous motion occurs as rotations of the ellipse about all three axes in a cartesian corrdinate system. The largest and most consistent deviations occur as anomalous slopes of the ellipse about the horizontal axis transverse to the direction of propagation.The observed orientations and magnitudes of these angles can be explained by models of the upper mantle which contain olivine for which thea-axis dips significantly from the horizontal and which includes a sufficiently thick sedimentary layer (1 km) and a thicker than normal oceanic crust (15 km). The ellipses are also generally inclined from great circle paths about the vertical axis and are tilted about the axis aligned with the propagation direction. Both angles are small and difficult to measure, but the inclination angles are consistent with a model of the upper mantle in which thea-axis of olivine is preferentially oriented in an east-west direction.