Tectonic and climatic controls on late Quaternary bajada sedimentation along Narmada-Son Fault(NSF),Gujarat,Western India

An alluvial bajada has been recognized along a part of the active Narmada-Son Fault(NSF) and confined by the Karjan River on the eastern side and by the Madhumati River on western side.The bajada sequence exposed along the incised cliffs of various north flowing parallel streams has been studied in their proximal,medial and distal part. The sediments are characterized on the basis of grain size,fabric,sedimentary structures,bed geometry and sorting, and lithologs prepared from the mapped cliff sections.Detailed study of sedimentary characteristics,lithofacies analysis and facies associations indicate that sediments are mainly of three types-sediments that were deposited by debris flows and sediment gravity flows,and as extensive bar deposits.Three major aggredational sequences are recognized.Each sequence is composed of coarsening-upward sequence of proximal facies overlain by fining-upward sequence of distal facies.Coarsening upward sequence record periods of tectonic activity related to uplift along the NSF and fan progradation,whereas fining-upward sequence results from tectonic quiescence periods.The presence of rhizocretions,calcium carbonate nodules and calcite sheets within the basal debris flow and sediment gravity flow indicate semi-arid climate,whereas the formation of pedoginized paleosol indicate relatively wetter climate prevailing in the study area.Tectonic activity along the NSF has played dominant role by controlling the geometry and volume of bajada sediments.Climate is found to be responsible for compositional and temporal distribution of bajada sediments.OSL dating suggests that the bajada sediments were deposited during the later part of late Pleistocene.The incision of the sediments is attributed to uplift due to inversion of the lower Narmada basin during the early Holocene.     

Strategy Analysis of the Marine Science Projects of National Science Foundation of the United States

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an international research funding institution with significant influence. As one of the main bodies of marine science research grant, NSF plays nonsubstitutable role in the development of marine science, the establishment of international research programs and projects, and the construction of infrastructures in the marine field. By mainly analyzing the area focus of NSF support, grant distribution and change trend, project application and acceptance rate in recent years, we summarized its funding characteristics and trends in marine science, and finally put forward four suggestions for reference to the efficient management of China's funding institutions.     

未来10年(2000-2010)美国古生物学研究方向 --地球-生命耦合系统的动力学历史

阐述了美国2000—2010年古生物研究的4个主要方向: ①生物多样性的驱动机制,这些机制所适用的时空尺度;②主要的生物演变时、空分布的不均一性;③生物系统如何影响地表的物、化性质,生物地球化学循环如何随时间发生变化？④生物圈对区域尺度和全球尺度环境变化的反应,以及每一个方向包含的主要科学问题.。最后阐述了运用古生物知识认识当代环境变化。     

美国国家科学基金会(NSF)地学学部(GEO)基金资助战略分析

美国国家科学基金会（NSF）是国际上具有重要影响的资助基础科学研究的政府基金机构，对促进美国基础科学研究的发展和保持世界领先地位做出了重要贡献。其对基础研究的资助政策、方向遴选、评审程序、经费分配、管理机制等，形成了一套行之有效的模式，对其它国家的基础研究政府资助机构具有借鉴和示范意义。在分析美国NSF近3年经费状况及其领域分配情况、近5年项目受理与批准情况、近12年项目评议情况的基础上，重点分析了地学学部（GEO）的近期重点资助领域、近3年按照NSF的整体优先领域和战略产出目标的经费分配情况、近10年按科学处的经费分配情况及变化趋势、各科学处2004—2006财政年度经费状况与重点资助领域、近10年项目的资助率与资助强度变化情况等。NSF地学学部是美国政府资助以大学为主的地学基础研究的主要渠道，其经费约占美国政府资助地学基础研究经费的62%。对NSF的基金项目资助战略，特别是对其地学学部项目的资助情况予以全面分析，对我国相关部门的管理工作有重要参考价值和借鉴意义。     

三峡库区的新构造应力场及其对库岸滑坡滑动优势方向的影响*

新构造应力场在研究区域边坡稳定性及地表水土流失等方面具有重要作用。该文用地貌学方法——Scheidegger法,研究了三峡库区的新构造应力场及其与库岸滑坡滑动的优势方向问题。库岸滑坡发育的优势方向主要与新构造应力场的Maxl剪切带密切相关。     

应用地震层析成象技术研究深部速度结构

罗马尼亚Ｖａｎｃｅａ地震区是大陆上发生与板块磁撞和削减有关的中深部地震活动的地区之一。本文介绍了应用地震层析成象方法研究该地区深部速度结构成果。在研究中使用了地方和区域地震所记录的４３３个浅源和中部地震的到时资料反演求解深至２００ｋｍ的三维速度结构,在走时和射线路径的计算中利用了有效的三维射线跟踪技术,在反演中采用ＬＳＱＲ算法,高分辨率的地震层析图象揭示了速度结构的广泛不均匀性,结果表明,地震层析     

Late Quaternary geomorphic evolution of the lower Narmada valley, Western India: implications for neotectonic activity along the Narmada–Son Fault

Geomorphic data combined with stratigraphic studies provide significant information to constrain timing and amount of fault movement. The lower Narmada valley lies astride the Narmada–Son Fault (NSF), an important ENE–WSW-trending tectonic element responsible for the current intraplate seismicity being experienced in the central part of the Indian plate. Varying nature and degree of tectonic movements along the NSF during Late Pleistocene and Holocene have produced four geomorphic surfaces in the lower Narmada valley: the alluvial plain (S₁), ravine surface (S₂), a gravelly fan surface (S₃) and the valley fill terrace surface (S₄). Two major phases of tectonic movements in a compressive stress regime are recorded along the NSF: slow synsedimentary subsidence of the basin during Late Pleistocene due to differential movement, followed by inversion of the basin during the Holocene marked by differential uplift along the NSF. The study suggests that the inversion of the basin is in response to the significant increase in the intensity of compressive stresses in the Indian plate mainly during the Early Holocene. The present incisive drainage and recent seismic activity indicate that the compressive stresses continue to accumulate along the NSF due to continued northward movement of the Indian plate.