The distribution and geological significance of carbazole compounds in Silurian paleo-pools of the Tarim Basin,Northwest China

The results presented in this paper indicated that the carbazole-type compounds have high thermal stability and also show stability in oxidation and bio-degradation. This kind of compounds still has high concentrations and a complete distribution in the analyzed dry asphalt samples, showing that they are particularly useful in the study of hydrocarbon migration of the paleo-pools. The difference in the contents of nitrogen compounds in the Silurian dry asphalts from the Awati, Tabei and Tazhong areas is attributed to the difference in the extent of oxidation and （or） bio-degradation for the areas; the Awati and Tabei areas underwent relatively strong oxidation and bio-degradation. During the first stage of hydrocarbon pool formation in the Silurian system in the Tazhong and Tabei areas of the Tarim Basin （at the end of the Silurian period） and at the second stage in the Awati area （in Permian）, the hydrocarbons experienced a long-distance migration.     

Sedimentary evidence and luminescence and ESR dating of Early Pleistocene high lake levels of Megalake Tengger,northwestern China

The timing of high lake-level stands during the Late Pleistocene in western China remains controversial. Here we report new results from Megalake Tengger based on a study of palaeo-shorelines and a drill core from Baijian Lake in the northwestern Tengger Desert. Multiple dating methods, based on luminescence signals (quartz optically stimulated luminescence, K-feldspar post infrared-infrared stimulated luminescence) and electron spin resonance signals of quartz, were used to date beach sands from palaeo-shoreline profiles at altitudes of ~1310 m (+20 m above lake level), ~1320 m (+30 m) and ~1350 m (+60 m), and from the top 20 m of sandy sediments from the drill core obtained from the modern beach of Baijian Lake. The dating results show that high lake-level stands associated with the previously reported Megalake Tengger (~1310–1320 m) occurred during the late Early to Middle Pleistocene, which is much earlier than previously reported. In addition, no geomorphological evidence of shorelines and sedimentary evidence from the drill core profile were found to support the previously reported Late Pleistocene lake levels. Our results indicate that the exact age of the previously reported ‘high lake level event’ in a large part of northwestern China during the Late Pleistocene needs to be re-evaluated.     

歧口凹陷新生界火成岩油藏特征及分布规律

歧口凹陷新生界发育了两类与火成岩相关的油藏：基性火山岩油藏和浅成侵入相辉绿岩蚀变带油藏,两者都为构造-岩性油藏。这两类油藏区域上受岩浆活动带控制,主要集中于NE向和EW向断裂转换带,并受烃源岩分布范围的影响而紧邻烃源岩分布;垂向上受区域盖层控制,集中于沙一中亚段和东三段。在转换带沙一中亚段和东三段内,火成岩能否富集成藏主要取决于储集系统的类型。开放式储集系统一方面利于流体替换使火成岩储集空间中的矿化水被及时排出减少次生矿物的形成,从而保护储集空间;另一方面利于富含有机酸流体进入火成岩储集体,通过溶蚀先期形成的杏仁体、裂缝充填物及火成岩中不稳定的矿物组分,使其储集空间扩大、容积增加,使火成岩的储集性能得以改善;另外,火成岩中的断裂通过与烃源岩的沟通为烃类注入富集成藏提供了必要的输导通道,致使这类储集系统能够富集烃类成藏。封闭式储集系统缺少这些条件,岩浆期后热液流体与成岩流体被包裹在火成岩储集空间内不能被排出,易形成次生矿物充填并堵塞这些空间,丧失其储集性能。部分未被充填的空间往往相互之间难以连通,并与生排烃地层隔绝而成为烃类难以注入的死孔隙,从而使这类储集系统难以聚集成藏。     

Petroleum Migration Direction of the Silurian Paleo-pools in the Tarim Basin, Northwest China

The results obtained in this paper indicate that carbazole-type compounds have high thermal stability and also show stability in oxidation and bio-degradation. This kind of compounds still has a high concentration and complete distribution in the analyzed dry asphalt samples, showing that they are particularly useful in studying petroleum migration of paleo-pool. During the basin＇s first-stage of oil-gas pool formation in the Silurian in Tazhong and Tabei areas of Tarim Basin （at the end of Silurian period） and the second-stage in the Awati area （in Permian）, the petroleum experienced a long-distance migration. During the formation of the Silurian paleo-pools in Tazhong Uplift at the end of Silurian, the petroleum mainly came from the lower and middle Cambrian source rocks in the Manjiaer sag. The petroleum migrated towards the southwest-south entering the Silurian reservoir beds in Tazhong first. Then, it further migrated within Silurian from northwest to southeast along the highs of the Structural Belts to the region of the Silurian pinchout boundary in Tazhong. In Tabei Uplift, during the first-stage of pool formation, the petroleum was also from the lower and middle Cambrian source rocks in the Manjiaer sag. It migrated northwest entering the Silurian reservoir beds in the Tabei Uplift firstly, and then the migration continued in the same direction within the Silurian reservoirs and finally the petroleum was trapped in higher positions. During the second-stage pool formation in the Silurian beds in the areas around Awati sag, the petroleum mainly came from the lower-middle Cambrian source rocks in the Awati sag. The petroleum migrated from the generation center to Silurian reservoirs in all directions around the sag through major paths, and the petroleum was finally trapped in higher locations.     

晚第四纪科尔沁黄土堆积的Rb-Sr地球化学特征及古气候变化

在科尔沁沙地南缘选取了两个典型的风成黄土-古土壤序列,对其记录的Rb-Sr地球化学特征进行了分析。结果表明,Rb-Sr含量变化与黄土高原黄土-古土壤序列相似,但Rb含量小于黄土高原,Sr含量则相反,可能是因为研究区距源区较近,粒径较粗,加之气候干冷,化学风化强度较弱造成的。总体而言,我国东北地区黄土Rb/Sr值作为反映东亚夏季风强弱变化的替代性指标是可行的。综合分析认为,晚第四纪科尔沁地区古气候存在多次明显的干湿变化,特别是在108~144、233±21和86±7 ka前后,气候较为暖湿;在261±32 ka前后,极为干冷,甚至出现沙漠化过程。晚第四纪科尔沁沙地的古气候变化,是东亚季风强弱变化的反映,也可能是全球气候变化在我国东北地区的体现。     

歧口凹陷火成岩的地球化学特征、形成时代及构造意义

歧口凹陷侏罗系火成岩主要以中-酸性的流纹岩、粗面岩和粗面安山岩为主,白垩系主要为中-基性的粗面玄武岩和玄武质粗面安山岩,第三系火成岩以粗面玄武岩、碱性玄武岩及辉绿岩为主。同位素定年结果获得白垩系玄武岩的年龄为133±20 Ma,安山岩和粗安岩年龄分别为111.8±0.9 Ma和122.1±3.1 Ma,第三系辉绿岩年龄为16.57±0.23 Ma。地球化学特征显示,侏罗系火成岩相对低钛、高碱和钠、低铁镁,轻重稀土元素强烈分馏、微量元素相对富集LILE、贫化HFSE、亏损Nb和Ti、P,部分高Sr、低Yb,总体指示为挤压环境下加厚地壳物质的熔融产物,白垩系火成岩中等钛和碱的含量,高钠、铁和镁,稀土和微量元素显示其来自于伸展背景的富集地幔源,但受到陆壳物质的混染,第三系火成岩高钛含量、中等碱含量但变化大、高钠、富铁镁,轻重稀土元素分馏弱到中等、微量元素富集LILE和HFSE,同样来自板内伸展环境的富集地幔源的产物。表明歧口凹陷构造转换发生在晚侏罗世和早白垩世之间。     

中国中部南洛河流域地貌、黄土堆积与更新世古人类生存环境

本文结合最近获得的新资料,对南洛河流域的地貌、黄土沉积和更新世环境进行综合分析。结果表明,南洛河上、中游地貌表现为河流峡谷和山间盆地相间分布的特征,盆地中河流阶地发育; 下游为平缓的山前平原和低山丘陵。黄土在全流域的山顶、河流阶地和盆地等各种地貌部位均有分布。黄土沉积受地形影响较大,上游黄土堆积速率低、颗粒细; 在下游有风道直通的地方,黄土堆积速率高、颗粒粗。在不同地貌部位,黄土开始堆积的年代不同,黄土底界的年代从早更新世到晚更新世均有所见。对埋藏旧石器的年代研究表明,南洛河流域的古人类活动从早更新世晚期(约800ka)开始,到晚更新世后期(约30ka)结束,期间有多期遗存。初步的孢粉和有机碳同位素分析表明,这里曾是森林草原景观,冰期时,乔木植被以松属为主,C4类型草本减少; 而间冰期时,乔木植被以松属-榆科占主导地位,C4类植物增多。古人类在黄土堆积期和古土壤发育期都可能在这个地方活动,但这一认识需要更多的证据支持。丰富的石制品分布和较为连续的黄土沉积,使南洛河流域成为理解更新世人类行为与环境的重要区域。     

Differential tectonic movements in the confluence area of the Huang Shui and Huang He rivers (Yellow River), NE Tibetan Plateau,as inferred from fluvial terrace positions

In the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau (NETP), the courses of the Huang Shui and Huang He near their confluence are characterized by alternating gorges and wide depressions, segmenting the fluvial systems. The river valleys have developed terrace staircases, which are used to infer relative tectonic motions between the segments. The terrace staircases are correlated by means of relative height and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating. At least eight terraces are present, two of which have been dated by OSL (the sixth and the third ones; c. 70 and c. 24 ka, respectively). The correlated longitudinal terrace profiles show no distinct relative tectonic movements within the confluence area, demonstrating that this area behaved as one tectonic block. The correlation of the terrace staircase of this block with areas upstream (Xining area) and downstream (eastern Lanzhou area) indicates relative tectonic movements, which therefore represent different tectonic blocks. The fluvial incision rate since c. 70 ka was much higher in the confluence area than in the blocks upstream and downstream, possibly indicating relative uplift. This relatively strong uplift provided more space for differentiation within the terrace staircase as a result of climatic changes, leading to six terraces formed as a response to minor climatic fluctuations (10³–10⁴ year timescale) since the last interglacial. This may indicate that the stronger the tectonic movement the better the climatic imprint as expressed in the form of terrace development. Over a shorter timescale, two accumulation terraces with thick stacked deposits (>18 m) may indicate relative subsidence in the confluence, occurring sometime between 20 and 70 ka. This indicates changes in relative vertical crustal motions at timescales of tens of thousands of years. We speculate that the inferred tectonic motions are related to transpression movements in the NETP as a result of the collision of the Indian and Asian plates.     

Crescentic dune migration and stabilization: Implications for interpreting paleo-dune deposits as paleoenvironmental records

Paleo-dune deposits have been widely used as a proxy indicator of past dune activity, which is further used to reconstruct paleoclimates. However, recent studies have critically examined the reproducibility of dune chronologies and the complexity of paleo-dune deposits as paleoenvironmental records. This paper addresses questions on the paleoenvironmental implications of dune chronostratigraphies that have been raised by those reviews, in the specific case of crescentic dunes, using a case study from the Mu Us dune field, north-central China. The processes of turn-over and stabilization of relatively small crescentic dunes are first investigated by observational evidence. In combination with the analysis of a simplified sand preservation model and stratigraphic records, the effect of dune morphodynamics on sand preservation is demonstrated. It is especially evident that thick, nearly instantaneously deposited sand units record dune stabilization near the very end of a dune activity episode, while thin sand units may signal the preservation of sand deposited earlier in episodes of activity. Interpreting the distribution of luminescence ages that indicate sand deposition over time is not as simple as assumed in some previous work. Low frequency of sand ages could indicate an interval of either dune field stabilization or extensive dune activity but poor sand preservation. A peak of sand age frequency likely represents a shift in dune field activity towards stabilization, not a peak of active dune extent, especially if it partially overlaps with an independently identified interval of stabilization (e.g. one recorded by paleosols). The nature and magnitude of these biases in the distribution of sand ages over time are strongly affected by the magnitude of net sand accumulation, which is in turn related to sand supply, transport capacity and sand availability, and ultimately climate change. Relatively short dune stabilization and turn-over time (10¹ to 10² yrs) indicate that dune geomorphic processes can quickly respond to short-term disturbance, but the chronology of that response must be interpreted in light of how those processes influence age distributions.