Monsoon-induced sea surface temperature changes recorded in Indian corals

The South Asian Summer Monsoon induces vertical mixing in the surface Arabian Sea, leading to a reduction in the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) of the order of 3–4°C. This reduction in temperature is recorded by modern corals (Porites) that grow in the Lakshadweep Islands (coralline islands located at about 350 km off the south-west coast of India) in their stable oxygen isotope ratios (denoted by δ¹⁸O). As large coral colonies of this genus are available, our results show that palaeomonsoon records for a few centuries back in time, a crucial input for climatic models aimed at predicting the Asian Monsoon, can be obtained from these corals. We also show that two corals separated by ? 60 km show similar (518O variations as does a giant clam (Tridacna maximus) that grew near one end of the coral colonies. As this clam is known to precipitate CaCO3 in isotopic equilibrium with the ambient sea-water, it is possible to estimate the isotopic offset of coralline δ¹⁸O from that of the CaCO3 precipitated in isotopic equilibrium. This ‘disequilibrium effect’ appears to be constant around 4.5±0.2%0. Our calculations show that SST (t, °C) is related to the coral δ¹⁸O (δ_c) and the sea-water δ¹⁸O (δ_w) by the equation t = 3.0–4.68 (δ_c - δ_w), which is in good agreement with such relationships for corals from the Pacific and Atlantic.     

Paleomonsoon precipitation deduced from a sediment core from the equatorial Indian Ocean

Rapid shifts in past climate recorded in polar ice sheets have elicited various explanations relating to either thermohaline circulation changes by ice-rafting or natural greenhouse gas concentrations modulated by climatic conditions in the tropics. To compare the tropical paleoclimate record with the polar record, one must choose sediment cores from highly productive ocean regions. Necessarily, such regions reflect the wind records in the tropics, because high productivity is associated with upwelling driven by winds. Comparing tropical precipitation records with high-latitude records is, however, a more difficult task because sediments recording paleoprecipitation usually have low sedimentation rates, and offer coarser resolution relative to polar ice cores. Here, we present δ ¹⁸O data of three planktonic species of Foraminifera (a proxy for precipitation) from such a sediment core, spanning the past 35 ka for the equatorial Indian Ocean, which falls under the southwest monsoon (SWM) realm. Results show that minimum SWM precipitation occurred at the Last Glacial Maximum, with a subsequent increase at Termination IA. During the Holocene, SWM precipitation intensified uniformly up to the core top (∼2.2 ka b.p.), as revealed by generally decreasing δ ¹⁸O values. Variations in precipitation are consistent with climate changes recorded in polar ice sheets. Although the different resolutions of the two records preclude a rigorous comparison, abrupt cooling/warming events appear to be accompanied by sudden reduction/enhancement in (SWM) rainfall. Thus, mechanisms with time scales much shorter than a millennium, such as natural greenhouse warming (e.g., CH₄ concentration), controlled by emissions from the tropics, could have played a major role in high-latitude climate change.     

Preliminary Study on Oil Oxidizing Degradation of Hydrocarbon

The present note describes the microbial degradation of crude oil and hydrocarbons, and discusses the microbial purification of the sea. The study shows that, (1) The ability, of Gram-negative bacteria to degrade crude oil is higher than Gram-positive bacteria. Degradation by Flavobacterium spp. and Xanthomonas spp. is higher than others; (2) The ability of dif-     

山东省胶莱盆地东北缘宋家沟金矿地质特征及其成因初探

山东省宋家沟金矿位于胶莱盆地东北缘 ,产于莱阳群林寺山组断裂破碎带中。牟—即断裂带为切割莱阳群的断裂 ,对金矿起控制作用。早白垩纪晚期的火山—岩浆活动为深部含金热液的运移提供了通道 ,并在其有利的构造部位沉淀成矿。稀土元素特征和氧、硫同位素特征亦说明宋家沟金矿的物质来源以深源为主 (幔源及下地壳中的金 ) ,是早白垩世晚期的火山—岩浆活动作用的结果。     

高速公路中红砂岩滑坡特征及整治

高速公路中红砂岩切方边坡失稳普遍存在。通过对两条高速公路边坡的调查研究和整治设计可以看出,边坡失稳主要与砂岩层面顺坡向、风化及节理发育程度有关外,还与地表形态、地表水下渗条件等密切有关。分析这些因素,为以后类似边坡工程积累经验,减少边坡开挖造成滑坡,对从事类似工程的设计施工,监理人员有参考作用。     

冀北赤城红旗营子群中变质橄榄岩的岩石学与地球化学特征

冀北赤城红旗营子群中变质橄榄岩呈透镜状或团块状产于黑云斜长片麻岩之中,通过对其进行详细的岩石学和地球化学研究.结果显示:岩石类型为强烈蛇纹石化的方辉橄榄岩,具粒状变晶结构或鬣刺结构,变质橄榄岩富ω(MgO)(37.49%～38.91%),贫ω(CaO)(0.12%～1.17%),ω(Al2O3)(0.54%～1.54%)和ω(FeO*)(5.51%～9.06%),ω(TiO2)介于0.01%～0.04%之间,REE含量低于原始地幔,过渡金属元素表现为不对称的"W"型配分型式,在Ti和Cu处形成明显的负异常"谷".上述特征表明变质橄榄岩相当于SSZ型地幔橄榄岩,可能来自于消减带之下的上地幔,属于部分熔融程度很高的亏损地幔岩,因构造侵位而分布于红旗营子群之中,部分岩块则经历了俯冲-消减作用而形成鬣刺结构.     

后撤式逆冲推覆断层成因机制及物理模拟——以准噶尔盆地西北缘克-百断裂带为例

位于准噶尔盆地西北缘中段的克-百断裂带,晚二叠世以来发育了一系列后撤式逆冲断层。长期以来,关于克-百断裂带高角度逆冲断层的成因机制一直处于争论当中,后撤式逆冲断层的物理模拟在国内尚未见文献报道。论文通过地震解释研究了克-百断裂带的构造变形特征及其演化阶段;应用断层"活动性系数"理论,半定量地描述了挤压条件下断层"活动性系数"、摩擦系数与断层倾角之间的关系,证明了挤压条件下也能形成高角度逆断层;结合"造山楔"理论解释了后撤式逆冲断层的成因机制。研究认为,克-百断裂带后撤式逆冲断层是印支期、燕山期持续挤压和扎伊尔山隆升效应综合作用的产物:挤压过程中发生"泊松效应",随着断层倾角增大,断层面上的正压力迅速增大、"活动性系数"降低,当倾角增大到一个临界值后断层停止活动,形成高角度的逆断层;同时扎伊尔山隆升造成挤压应力上移,为断层的后撤奠定了基础。最后利用砂箱物理实验模拟了克-百断裂带后撤式逆冲断层的形成过程。     

冀北赤城花岗岩的锆石SHRIMP年龄及其地质意义

冀北赤城侵位于红旗营子群中的花岗岩体主要有马营的红墩梁、清泉堡的冰山梁、云州水库的舍身崖和镇宁堡的东沟楼等岩体,属于陆壳成因的钙碱性系列花岗岩类。其中,红墩梁、舍身崖和东沟楼等岩体为黑云二长花岗岩,以富SiO2,贫Al2O3,Na2O和K2O为特征,εNd(t)为-13.25~-15.80,锆石SHRIMP年龄介于136 Ma与144 Ma之间,形成于燕山期;冰山粱岩体为花岗闪长岩类,以贫SiO2,富Al2O3,Na2O和K2O为特征,εNd(t)为-12.18,锆石SHRIMP年龄为228 Ma之间,形成于印支期。花岗岩的锆石SHRIMP年龄数据表明赤城地区存在有印支期和燕山期两次花岗岩浆活动事件,可能反映出华北克拉通破坏始于印支期,而在燕山期达到高潮。     

成都市近地表大气尘的矿物学特征及其环境指示意义

通过对成都市近地表大气尘X射线衍射、电镜扫描分析等研究显示:其主要由石英、长石、伊利石、绿泥石、方解石、石膏等矿物组成;就其形状看有致密的不规则粒状、片状单矿物、不规则粒状聚合体、浑圆形球状飘珠、聚合体放大观察可见片状的粘土矿物和细小的粒状单矿物,偶见藻类;矿物形貌特征及矿物组成空间分布特征的研究显示:球形状飘珠及伊利石、绿泥石、石膏的空间分布特征与工业布局和表层土壤的pH值密切相关,成都市近地表大气尘主要为地表扬尘和工业烟尘的混合物;与土壤的矿物组成比较可见,近地表大气尘重金属污染除土壤贡献外,还有其他污染贡献;石膏在本次研究中平均含量高达8.2%,推测可能成为成都市往年燃煤量大而无明显酸雨现象的原因之一。     

Analysis of a Vortex Precipitation Event over Southwest China Using AIRS and In Situ Measurements

A strong precipitation event caused by the southwest vortex(SWV), which affected Sichuan Province and Chongqing municipality in Southwest China on 10–14 July 2012, is investigated. The SWV is examined using satellite observations from AIRS(Atmospheric Infrared Sounder), in situ measurements from the SWV intensive observation campaign, and MICAPS(Marine Interactive Computer-Aided Provisioning System) data. Analysis of this precipitation process revealed that:(1)heavy rain occurred during the development phase, and cloud water content increased significantly after the dissipation of the SWV;(2) the area with low outgoing longwave radiation values from AIRS correlated well with the SWV;(3) variation of the temperature of brightness blackbody(TBB) from AIRS reflected the evolution of the SWV, and the values of TBB reduced significantly during the SWV's development; and(4) strong temperature and water vapor inversions were noted during the development of the SWV. The moisture profile displayed large vertical variation during the SWV's puissant phase,with the moisture inversion occurring at low levels. The moisture content during the receding phase was significantly reduced compared with that during the developing and puissant phases. The vertical flux of vapor divergence explained the variation of the moisture profile. These results also indicate the potential for using AIRS products in studying severe weather over the Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings, where in situ measurements are sparse.