Evolution of Electric Currents Associated with Two M-Class Flares

Using one-minute cadence vector magnetograms from Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO), we analyze the temporal behavior of derived longitudinal electric currents associated with two flares on July 26, 2002. One of the events is an M1.0 flare which occurred in active region NOAA 10044, while the other is an M8.7 flare in the adjacent region 10039. Rapid changes of magnetic fields in the form of flux emergence are found to be associated with both of these events. However, the temporal behavior of electric currents are very different. For the M1.0 flare, the longitudinal electric current density drops rapidly near the flaring neutral line; while for the M8.7 flare, the current density rapidly increases, confirming the picture of the current-carrying flux emergence. We offer a possible explanation for such a difference: magnetic reconnection at different heights for the two events, near the photosphere for the M1.0 flare, and higher up for the M8.7 flare.     

Early Uplift History of the Tibetan Plateau:Records from Paleocurrents and Paleodrainage in the Hoh Xil Basin

Paleocurrent indicator data collected in field work were used to study the early Cenozoic regional paleodrainage patterns in the Hob Xil basin in northern Tibetan plateau. The paleocurrent directions of the Eocene Fenghuoshan Group obviously show that the flows were northward with a unidirectional dispersal pattern. This probably reflects the uplift of the Qiangtang terrain during the initial basin deposition period and indicates that the Tanggula Moutains occurred as topographic highlands at least in the Eocene. Paleoflows of the Oligocene Yaxicuo Group were dominantly oriented to the north and then flowed eastwards during its late deposition. This regional variability of paleodrainage patterns of the Yaxicuo Group is interpreted to record the dispersal style of sediments from transverse rivers to longitudinal river systems. It is inferred that the Oligocene uplift of the Kunlun Mountains obstructed by northward paleoflows and created longitudinal river systems parallel to the orogenic belts. The temporal and spatial changes of the paleodrainage patterns suggest that the northern boundary of the Tibetan plateau during the early Cenozoic was situated in the Hoh Xil area and its uplift has progressed northwards through time.     

藏北安多地区侏罗纪菊石动物群及其古地理意义

藏北安多地区新发现2套以黑色页岩、深灰色钙质泥岩和泥灰岩为主的舍菊石化石的侏罗纪地层，它们与羌塘地区广泛分布的雁石坪群无论在化石组合或沉积特征方面都明显不同．岗尼乡剖面地层中产太阳菊石科的菊石，主要有Sonninia，Dorsetensia，Witchellia等。、这套地层是双湖地区色哇组的东延部分，时代确定为中侏罗世早中巴柔期114道班剖面中羌姆勒曲组的菊石化石大多归属于Virgatosphinctinae科，计有Aulacosphinctes、Virgatosphinctes等，均为上侏罗统菊石化石的典型分子，产出层位应归于提塘阶中、上部。藏北安多-改则以北一线的侏罗系深水黑色岩系虽不十分连续，但从有化石证据的土阿辛阶到巴柔阶再到提塘阶都有零星出露，它们同属一个沉积相区。侏罗纪时羌塘南部可能存在一套大陆边缘型沉积地层，因此有必要对该区的构造属性和演化历史重新进行解释。     

Paleoclimate Changes during the Early Oiigocene in the Hoh Xil Region, Northern Tibetan Plateau

Sedimentological, cyclic-stratigraphic, paleomagnetic, and clay-mineralogical studies on the early Oligocene Yaxicuo Group in the Hoh Xil Basin, the largest Cenozoic sedimentary basin in the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau, provide abundant information of paleoclimate changes. A 350-m thick section in the middle-lower Yaxicuo Group was analyzed to reveal the climatic history that occurred in the Hoh Xil region during the early Oligocene interval 31.30-30.35 Ma, dated with the paleomagnetic chronostratigraphy. The results indicate that add and cold climate dominated the Hoh Xil region during the early Oligocene in general, being related to the global cooling and drying events that occurred in the earliest Oligocene. Within this period, relatively warm and wet climate accompanied by strong tectonic activity occurred in the 31.05-30.75 Ma interval; while add and cold climate and relatively inactive tectonics occurred in the 31.30-31.05 and 30.75-30.35 Ma intervals. Furthermore, spectral analyses of high-temporal resolution paleoclimatic records show orbital periods including eccentricity, obliquity, and precession. It is concluded that paleoclimate changes during the early Oligocene in the Hoh Xil region were forced by both tectonic activity and orbital periods.     

车排子凸起与沙湾凹陷过渡带的构造模型

车排子凸起位于准噶尔盆地扎伊尔山前,是夹持在南部四棵树凹陷和东部沙湾凹陷之间的三角构造带。然而对这个三角构造带是原地掩伏构造,山前推覆构造,还是走滑构造控制形成的认识存在争议。目前对于车排子凸起与沙湾凹陷过渡带的构造变形特征以及变形机制的认识尚不清楚。而过渡带是研究该区构造变形与演化的良好区域,精细研究该区域构造几何学与运动学对于揭示其构造变形机制以及认识盆山之间的关系具有积极作用,并对于该区油气勘探具有重要意义。本文以研究区的连片三维地震资料为基础,运用不整合面识别、轴面分析及平衡剖面等方法,对车排子凸起与沙湾凹陷过渡带进行精细的构造解析、建模与构造复原。研究表明,过渡带发育下二叠统（P₁j-P₁f）,中二叠统（P₂x-P₂w）,上二叠统（P₃w）,三叠系（T）,侏罗系（J）,白垩系（K）与古近系-第四系（E-Q）7个构造变形层序。发育佳木河组底部及石炭系内部滑脱层。深部（前二叠系）构造楔发育于整个过渡带,其个数和几何学形态的变化直接影响了上覆背斜形态。构造楔在早二叠世开始楔入,挤压作用持续至三叠纪末期。晚三叠世发育生长地层,显示了P-T构造层褶皱变形的时间,随后三叠纪末期,过渡带受到来自西北缘造山带方向的逆冲推覆构造的叠加作用,表现在后缘发育一系列叠瓦构造,推覆距离约为8 km,南部逆冲断层上盘二叠系-三叠系被剥蚀完全,北部残余少量下二叠统佳木河组。     

中太平洋地区两个铁锰结壳的生长幕研究

通过对3块中太平洋铁锰结壳样品进行的生物地层学及其结构构造、元素地球化学剖面的综合研究发现,铁锰结壳的生长主要集中于两个形成环境存在差异分别由不同因素控制的形成阶段,一个是约25Ma以来其形成环境氧化程度由南极底层流(AABW)控制的对应于结壳新壳层的生长幕,另一个是渐新世之前其形成环境氧化程度由环赤道表中层洋流和高密度温盐表层水下沉控制的对应于结壳老壳层的生长幕,而在早、中渐新世处于两种环境的转换期,也正好是海退期、大洋低生产力期、低CCD和生物碳酸盐低产率期,形成结壳生长的主要生长间断。该研究成果对于进一步了解太平洋的古海洋、古环境演变有一定意义。     

陆源碎屑岩中的古土壤在地层分析中的应用

对各种古土壤的分类标准进行比较之后,重点介绍了Mack的古土壤分类及其土壤的演变序列。Mack的古土壤分类主要依据稳定矿物和保存在土壤中的古地貌属性,将古土壤划分为9种。在地层序列中古土壤的识别标志主要包括颜色、粒度、生物成因构造（植物生长痕迹）、原生沉积构造退化特征、层次化和边界特征、宏观结构特征、矿物及地球化学特征等。可以通过野外观察、室内显微镜观察、实验室化验及地震、测井资料来进行鉴别。陆相盆地具有很强的分隔性,盆地相变又非常复杂,寻找区域性较稳定的层序界面比较困难。越来越多的研究证实用古土壤划分陆相成因地层层序、解决地区及全球对比具有重要的实用价值。     

天文卫星下传数据处理系统的规划

天文卫星获取的数据需要经过卫星下传数据处理系统的一系列加工,生成可以分析的数据产品,这些产品及相应软件要发布给国内外用户,同时数据处理系统还要监测载荷状态、数据质量及天体源爆发等。这样,下传数据处理系统的建设直接关系到物理成果的获取,规划该系统就变得非常有意义。从数据产品定义、子系统规划、数据流程等方面介绍卫星下传数据处理系统的规划,并提出以模块化开发方式从整体上协调各个子系统的开发,使各个系统及其软件相互配合,共同促进科学产出。     

Natural thermoluminescence of fossil foraminiferals as a potential proxy for deep-sea temperature changes

Foraminiferal shells from two piston cores separately located at the Ninetyeast Ridge and the Bengal Fan of the Indian Ocean were selected and purified for measurements of natural thermoluminescence （NTL） intensity by a high precision thermoluminescence meter （RGD-3）. Variations of the NTL intensity along the two core sequences both spanning the last two glacial--interglacial cycles displayed a strong, identical signal of the global ice volume cycles, which matched well with their corresponding oxygen isotope data. As higher NTL intensity occurred within interglacial periods and changes in an NTL signal were most likely influenced by the temperature of ambient seawater in which the planktonic foraminiferal shells long existed, the NTL signal could be considered as a potential proxy for orbital scale temperature changes of bottom seawater in the tropical Indian Ocean.