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.     

Rapid Lateglacial tree population dynamics and ecosystem changes in the eastern Baltic region

A growing body of evidence implies that the concept of 'treeless tundra' in eastern and northern Europe fails to explain the rapidity of Lateglacial and postglacial tree population dynamics of the region, yet the knowledge of the geographic locations and shifting of tree populations is fragmentary. Pollen, stomata and plant macrofossil stratigraphies from Lake Kurjanovas in the poorly studied eastern Baltic region provide improved knowledge of ranges of north‐eastern European trees during the Lateglacial and subsequent plant population responses to the abrupt climatic changes of the Lateglacial/Holocene transition. The results prove the Lateglacial presence of tree populations (Betula, Pinus and Picea) in the eastern Baltic region. Particularly relevant is the stomatal and plant macrofossil evidence showing the local presence of reproductive Picea populations during the Younger Dryas stadial at 12 900–11 700 cal. a BP, occurring along with Dryas octopetala and arctic herbs, indicating semi‐open vegetation. The spread of Pinus–Betula forest at ca. 14 400 cal. a BP, the rise of Picea at ca. 12 800 cal. a BP and the re‐establishment of Pinus–Betula forest at ca. 11 700 cal. a BP within a span of centuries further suggest strikingly rapid, climate‐driven ecosystem changes rather than gradual plant succession on a newly deglaciated land. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The paleogeographic implications of loess mounds: Laizhou Bay plain

The loess mounds are a newly discovered type of landforms on the Laizhou Bay plain south of the Bohai Sea. Research shows that they were formed in the late period of the late Pleistocene when the Bohai Sea was exposed in the period of late Wümu glacial age and changed into plain. As the exposed area is not protected by vegetation, the sediments at the sea bottom are blown and transported southward by strong north winds, and deposit on the coastal plains. As thick loess is accumulated, the loess mound landforms are formed in the direction of down wind.     

Statistical analysis of the position of the monsoon trough

Using surface charts at 0330GMT, the movement of the monsoon trough during the months June to September 1990 at two fixed longitudes, namely 79°E and 85°E, is studied. The probability distribution of trough position shows that the median, mean and mode occur at progressively more northern latitudes, especially at 85°E, with a pronounced mode that is close to the northern-most limit reached by the trough. A spectral analysis of the fluctuating latitudinal position of the trough is carried out using FFT and the Maximum Entropy Method (MEM). Both methods show significant peaks around 7.5 and 2.6 days, and a less significant one around 40–50 days. The two peaks at the shorter period are more prominent at the eastern longitude. MEM shows an additional peak around 15 days. A study of the weather systems that occurred during the season shows them to have a duration around 3 days and an interval between systems of around 9 days, suggesting a possible correlation with the dominant short periods observed in the spectrum of trough position.     

Geochemistry of the subduction-related magmatic rocks in the Dahong Mountains, northern Hubei Province——Constraint on the existence and subduction of the eastern Mianle oceanic basin

Being a composite collisional orogen between North China and South China blocks, the Qinling orogenic belt is the key to understand the composite combination, prolonged evolutionary history and their continental dynamics. The main suture between north and south Qinling, called Shangdan suture zone (SDSZ), had been studied in detail for about twenty years. Recently, another suture zone, called Mianl黣 suture zone (MLSZ), has been identified in the Qinling Mountains. It is characterized b…     

北京地区两次沙尘(暴)天气过程对比分析

通过对 2 0 0 0年 4月 6日和 4月 9日北京地区两次沙尘 (暴 )天气过程的对比分析认为 :蒙古气旋型和不伴有气旋的西北槽型所造成的北京沙尘天气的严重程度不同 ;沙源地区中低层较强上升运动的主要作用是将当地沙尘垂直输送到空中 ,然后在70 0hPa较强西北气流的引导下将卷起的沙尘水平输送到下游地区 ;不稳定层结又加强了沙尘天气 ;沙尘暴区上空z 螺旋度分布的特征是高层为负值 ,低层为正值 ,对流层中低层螺旋度正的大值区与卫星云图显示的沙尘暴区具有较好的一致性 ,对沙尘暴的预报有一定的指示意义     

莱州湾南岸第三陆相层年龄的铀系等时线法(TSD)测定

于莱州湾南岸ZK32-1钻孔第三陆相层上下边界处选取自生钙质结核,采用样品全溶铀系等时线法(TSD法)测定钙质结核的年龄。测试结果表明,所有等时线上的数据都有很好的线性关系,表明所获得的年龄数据是合理的。通过对样品代表性的讨论,说明所选取的钙质结核的年龄确可代表其所在地层的年龄,从而得出莱州湾南岸第三陆相层的沉积起止时间为72.16ka B.P.±7.41ka B.P.到45.34ka B.P.±5.35ka B.P.的结论。本研究首次获得莱州湾南岸地层的铀系TSD年龄,为全面认识该地区晚更新世地层年代学提供了一个新视角。     

新疆北天山巴音沟南侧发育早泥盆纪蛇绿岩及其构造意义

北天山晚古生代蛇绿岩带的巴音沟蛇绿岩是该带的重要组成部分和典型代表。传统意义的巴音沟蛇绿岩带在区内分南北两支,南支为贝勒克蛇绿岩带,北支为巴音沟蛇绿岩带,分别代表早泥盆世末和早石炭世末的两条不同古洋壳残片。     

Geochemical Characteristics and Genesis of Late Cretaceous to Paleogene Basalts in the Tuyon Basin, South Tianshan Mountains

1. Introduction The Tianshan Mountains is a typical intercontinental orogenic belt in the world. From late Carboniferous to Permian, the old Tianshan formed during the tectonic amalgamation of the Tarim block, Tianshan block and Siberia craton (Carroll et al, 1990). Mid-Cenozoic basalts are widely distributed in both the Tuyon basin of southwest Tianshan and its western part of Tianshan in Jierjisi in late Cretaceous-Paleogene period, which indicates the activation of the old Tianshan.…