Luminescence dating of sand–loess sequences and response of Mu Us and Otindag sand fields (north China) to climatic changes

The sand–loess transition zone in north China is sensitive to climate change, and is an ideal place to investigate past environmental changes. However, past climate change at millennial–centennial timescales in this region has not been well reconstructed because of limited numerical dating. Alternations of sandy loam soils with aeolian sand layers in the Mu Us and Otindag sand fields, which lie along the sand–loess transition zone, indicate multiple intervals of dune activity and stability. This change is probably a response to variations of the East Asian monsoon climate during the late Quaternary. The single aliquot regeneration (SAR) optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating protocol, which has been successfully applied to aeolian deposits worldwide, is applied to these two sand fields in this study. The OSL ages provide reliable constraints for reconstruction of past climate changes at suborbital timescale. Sections in both sand fields contain aeolian sand beds recording millennial‐scale episodes of dry climate and widespread dune activation, including episodes at about the same time as Heinrich Event 5 and the Younger Dryas in the North Atlantic region. These results demonstrate the potential of aeolian sediments in semi‐arid north China to record millennial‐scale climatic events, and also suggest that dry–wet climate variation at the desert margin in China may be linked to climatic change elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere, through atmospheric circulation. This article was published online on 27 November 2008. An error was subsequently identified. This notice is included in the online and print versions to indicate that both have been corrected (16 December 2008). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A micromechanical finite element model for linear and damage‐coupled viscoelastic behaviour of asphalt mixture

This study presents a finite element (FE) micromechanical modelling approach for the simulation of linear and damage‐coupled viscoelastic behaviour of asphalt mixture. Asphalt mixture is a composite material of graded aggregates bound with mastic (asphalt and fine aggregates). The microstructural model of asphalt mixture incorporates an equivalent lattice network structure whereby intergranular load transfer is simulated through an effective asphalt mastic zone. The finite element model integrates the ABAQUS user material subroutine with continuum elements for the effective asphalt mastic and rigid body elements for each aggregate. A unified approach is proposed using Schapery non‐linear viscoelastic model for the rate‐independent and rate‐dependent damage behaviour. A finite element incremental algorithm with a recursive relationship for three‐dimensional (3D) linear and damage‐coupled viscoelastic behaviour is developed. This algorithm is used in a 3D user‐defined material model for the asphalt mastic to predict global linear and damage‐coupled viscoelastic behaviour of asphalt mixture. For linear viscoelastic study, the creep stiffnesses of mastic and asphalt mixture at different temperatures are measured in laboratory. A regression‐fitting method is employed to calibrate generalized Maxwell models with Prony series and generate master stiffness curves for mastic and asphalt mixture. A computational model is developed with image analysis of sectioned surface of a test specimen. The viscoelastic prediction of mixture creep stiffness with the calibrated mastic material parameters is compared with mixture master stiffness curve over a reduced time period. In regard to damage‐coupled viscoelastic behaviour, cyclic loading responses of linear and rate‐independent damage‐coupled viscoelastic materials are compared. Effects of particular microstructure parameters on the rate‐independent damage‐coupled viscoelastic behaviour are also investigated with finite element simulations of asphalt numerical samples. Further study describes loading rate effects on the asphalt viscoelastic properties and rate‐dependent damage behaviour. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

油页岩综合利用对周围环境的影响——以抚顺矿区为例

世界能源日益减少的局面为油页岩的开发应用带来广阔的前景，但油页岩工业所带来的环境影响亦不容忽视。以抚顺油页岩为例，从油页岩综合利用和油页岩工业对环境的影响等方面系统讨论了在我国发展油页岩工业时，如何本着节约能源、保护环境、实现可持续发展的观念，利用现有先进技术，科学发展油页岩工业，降低生产过程中的固、液、气污染物对环境的危害。     

云南矿业支柱产业建设的重点、难点及对策研究

云南矿业发展现状尤其是磷化工和有色金属等优势资源的调研和分析结果表明，矿业已成为云南工业的主体产业群体，影响云南矿业发展的难点主要是企业规模偏小，产品结构不合理，企业整体经济效益下降，国有企业困难面大，地质勘探投入少，矿山建设落后等，并据此讨论了矿业作为云南省支柱产业发展的思路和重点，提出相应的对策和建议。     

混合岩中斜长石的交代净边结构和倒转双晶研究——以大别罗田黄土岭长英片麻岩为例

湖北罗田黄土岭长英片麻岩是与紫苏石榴黑云片麻岩共生的浅色片麻岩，成分上近于Ａ型花岗岩．受到浅混合岩化，钾交代现象显著．在斜长石与钾长石新成体接触处有清楚的交代净边结构，背散射电子探针分析表明，净边成分为钠长石（Ａｂ８９～９７）．在净边结构上，发现叠加倒转双晶．净边结构产生于长英片麻岩部分熔融的高温条件下，与整个大别地体隆升过程和Ａ型花岗岩的生成有成因联系     

瑶沟等地区勘查金矿的放射性和非放射性气体地球化学方法的研究

本文介绍了瑶沟等地区勘查金矿的放射性和非放射性气体地球化学方法的研究成果：基本查明了应用本方法勘查金矿的主要条件是金矿中伴生有足够的Ｕ，Ｈｇ和碳酸盐矿物；研制成了壤中气（Ｒｎ－ＣＯ２）联测技术，提高了测量质量和探测深部矿体的能力；利用壤中气（Ｒｎ－ＣＯ２）异常进行了成矿预测，并已获得成功。     

开发旅游观光资源与四川西部之发展

川西甘孜州旅游观光资源丰富多彩，遍布的温泉、热泉与雪山、草地、森林相配置成的景点、景区比比皆是．加之悠久的人文、宗教建筑和文物，都具有很高的研究和观赏价值。开发这些资源以引导甘孜州经济的发展，将是大有可为的。