Taphonomic differentiation of Acropora palmata facies in cores from Campeche Bank Reefs, Gulf of México

A common assumption in the geological analysis of modern reefs is that coral community zonation seen on the surface should also be found in cores from the reef interior. Such assumptions not only underestimate the impact of tropical storms on reef facies development, but have been difficult to test because of restrictions imposed by narrow‐diameter cores and poor recovery. That assumption is tested here using large‐diameter cores recovered from a range of common zones across three Campeche Bank reefs. It is found that cores from the reef‐front, crest, flat and rubble‐cay zones are similar in texture and coral composition, making it impossible to recognize coral assemblages that reflect the surface zonation. Taphonomic signatures imparted by variations in encrustation, bioerosion and cementation, however, produce distinct facies and delineate a clear depth zonation. Cores from the reef‐front zone (2–10 m depth) are characterized by sections of Acropora palmata cobble gravel interspersed with sections of in‐place (but truncated) A. palmata stumps. Upper surfaces of truncated colonies are intensely bioeroded by traces of Entobia isp. and Gastrochaenolites isp. and encrusted by mm‐thick crustose corallines before colony regeneration and, therefore, indicate punctuated growth resulting from a hurricane‐induced cycle of destruction and regeneration. Cores from the reef crest/flat (0–2 m depth) are also characterized by sections of hurricane‐derived A. palmata cobble‐gravels as well as in‐place A. palmata colonies. In contrast to the reef front, however, these cobble gravels are encrusted by cm‐thick crusts of intergrown coralline algae, low‐relief Homotrema and vermetids, bored by traces of Entobia isp. and Trypanites isp. and coated by a dense, peloidal, micrite cement. Cores from the inter‐ to supratidal rubble‐cay zone (+0–5 m) are only composed of A. palmata cobble gravels and, although clasts show evidence of subtidal encrustation and bioerosion, these always represent processes that occurred before deposition on the cay. Instead, these gravels are distinguished on the basis of their limited bioerosion and marine cements, which exhibit fabrics formed in the intertidal zone. These results confirm that hurricanes have a major influence on facies development in Campeche Bank reefs. Instead of reflecting the surface coral zonation, each facies records a distinctive, depth‐related set of taphonomic processes, which reflect colonization, alteration and stabilization following the production of new substrates by hurricanes.     

Loch lomond stadial glacier at Fan Hir,Mynydd Du (Brecon Beacons), South Wales: Critical evidence and palaeoclimatic implications

The c. 1·2 km long, up to c. 25 m high ridge east of the almost north-south aligned Fan Hir scarp, Mynydd Du, South Wales has been regarded as a remarkable protalus rampart formed in the Loch Lomond Stadial (c. 11–10000 years BP ). New data are presented which indicate that it is a moraine. The main points supporting this glacigenic origin are: its curved plan form at the lower, southern end; its scale and the ample depth for snow to glacier ice transformation; the presence of subsidiary ridges interpreted as recessional moraines; the exceptional rate of rockwall retreat required if it were a protalus rampart; and, most importantly, the presence in the ridge of matrix-supported abraded clasts, up to 20% of which are striated. Useful criteria for differentiating moraines and protalus ramparts are thereby proposed and a sound basis is provided for palaeoclimatic reconstruction. Palaeoclimatic inferences imply that the glacier owed its existence to the combined effect of a mean July temperature of c. 8·5°C and topographically enhanced accumulation, nearly half of which was from wind-blown snow.     

Characteristics and implications of some Loch Lomond Stadial moraine ridges and later landforms,eastern Lake District,northern England

Moraine ridges and mounds of inferred Loch Lomond Stadial (LLS) age have been mapped at three sites (Fordingdale, Swindale and Wet Sleddale) in part of the eastern Lake District, northern England, and indicate glaciers were more widespread than envisaged by Sissons (1980, Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences, Vol. 71, pp. 13–27). The moraines delimit closely the downslope/downvalley limits of the former glaciers but there is no geomorphological evidence with which to define their upslope/upvalley margins. The former glaciers are considered to have been nourished within the confines of their individual valley, cirque and hillside embayment respectively, rather than being outlet glaciers of plateau icefields. Estimated equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) are within the range of values determined previously for LLS glaciers in the Lake District and do not necessitate revision of established palaeoclimatic parameters. Individual ELAs were probably influenced by local factors; all three former glaciers had accumulation-area aspects between north and east, limiting the impact of direct solar radiation during the ablation season, and were adjacent to extensive areas of high ground to the west and/or south that would have facilitated transfer of snow to their surfaces by winds from those directions. In Fordingdale, three essentially contemporaneous depositional landforms occur upslope of the moraines and are considered to represent hillslope adjustments following wastage of glacier ice from the site. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Snow-Push Processes in Pronival (Protalus) Rampart Formation: Geomorphological Evidence from Smørbotn, Romsdalsalpane, Southern Norway

It is demonstrated that pronival (protalus) ramparts can be formed by a snow-push mechanism and need not accumulate in the conventional manner as a result of supranival processes. Ridges in pronival positions up to 1.2 m high and of unequivocal snow-push origin are described from two sites in Smørbotn cirque, Romsdalsalpane, southern Norway. The seven lines of evidence are: (1) parallel abrasion tracks on large boulders embedded in the substrate; (2) displaced surface and embedded clasts with proximal furrows; (3) corrugated (flute-like) substrate surfaces; (4) the sickle-shaped plan-form of the ridges; (5) generally asymmetrical ridge cross-profiles (shallow, concave proximal; steep, convex distal); (6) strong preferred orientations and dips of surface-embedded clasts on ridge proximal slopes; and (7) a subnival/pronival ridge comprising loosely packed diamicton forming along the contact zone between the snowbed and substrate. This evidence indicates ridge formation by snow sliding involving bulldozing of the substrate. Factors considered important in favouring snow push producing distinct pronival ramparts at the sites include: a maritime periglacial climate with heavy winter snowfall and rapid snow-firn conversion producing snow densities of up to 900 kg m^–3; a deformable substrate with relatively small inputs of rockfall or avalanche debris; and a steep headwall susceptible to snow avalanching and hence enhanced snow supply. Consideration is given to the prospect that larger pronival ramparts can form incrementally by a snow-push mechanism.     

天山乌鲁木齐河源区倒石堆浅论

倒石堆是一种重要的山地地貌类型。作者于1985—1987年对天山乌鲁木齐河源区倒石堆的成因、类型、组构进行了实地考察,并重复定位观察了倒石堆岩屑运动速度,对野外所获资料及数据经分析处理后,得出若干结果。     

A Soil Chronosequence from Neoglacial Moraines in Western Norway

A soil chronosequence is presented based upon podzols developed on Holocene moraine crests in the Jardalen cirque complex, western Norway. Simple and inexpensive field and laboratory tests provide information on soil depth development, pH changes, silt/clay translocation and B-horizon reddening and thickness with age. Chronological control on historical moraine ages is provided by lichenometric dates, which support a 5 cm/100 year soil development rate for the first 700 years of pedogenesis. This initial rapid depth development tails off to a maximum rate of 0.06 cm/100 years between c . 1.5 ka and 10 ka BP based upon a Preboreal/Younger Dryas age for the oldest moraines and associated soils in the Jardalen cirque.     

火星伊西底斯平原的壁垒撞击坑：遥感分析及环境启示意义

伊西底斯平原是中国首次火星探测任务“天问一号”的预选着陆区之一,地表广泛发育指纹地形和壁垒撞击坑。壁垒撞击坑具有一层或多层流态化的连续溅射物,一般被认为是地下富含水/冰的地层（以下简称“地下水冰层”）与超高速撞击体作用的产物,是分析火星当前和过去地下水冰层的关键研究对象。基于高分辨率影像,本文采用影像解译、形貌分析、撞击坑统计定年等方法,开展了伊西底斯平原壁垒撞击坑的遥感综合分析。解译发现该平原目前共存在120个壁垒撞击坑,它们的最小直径为1.5 km,连续溅射物平均分布在撞击坑周围约1.3个半径范围之内,且外观不规则程度（弯曲度）高。采用撞击坑直径—频率分布定年方法确定了15个连续溅射物保存完整的壁垒撞击坑的绝对模式年龄（地质年龄）,发现它们全部形成于亚马逊纪。根据连续溅射物与指纹地形的空间叠加关系,本文推断构成指纹地形的锥状物形成于2.38—3.24 Ga（早亚马逊纪）。它们更可能是大量岩浆流过湿润或冰冻地面时下覆（融化）水分迅速气化而发生爆裂并冲破岩浆形成的无根锥/伪火山口。根据撞击坑直径和挖掘深度之间的经验关系,本文揭示伊西底斯平原有利于形成壁垒撞击坑的地下水冰层的平均埋藏深度至少稳定保持在1 km,并可能因火星自转倾角周期性变化对气候的影响而发生0.1 km的小幅上升或下降。本文研究成果对于重建伊西底斯平原地下水冰环境演变历史具有重要科学意义,并有望得到中国“天问一号”巡视器和轨道器次表层探测雷达探测结果的验证。     

考虑古城墙保护的连拱隧道施工方案优化

古迹保护已成为目前工程界十分关注的问题。文章以徽杭高速公路昱岭关隧道为工程背景,先通过数值模拟对古城墙处隧道的拱顶围岩加固影响和施工方案优化进行分析,主要模拟了不同施工顺序对中隔墙受力的影响以及拱顶围岩加固对控制地表不均匀沉降的作用;然后探讨了古城墙下隧道爆破方案的设计。通过现场的隧道监控量测数据表明,优化的隧道开挖方案和爆破设计有效的控制了古城墙处地表下沉,保证了古城墙的完整性。     

气象因素对南京明城墙本体臌胀的影响分析

构筑物变形会对构筑物的安全造成严重的影响,会造成构筑物不均匀沉降、开裂及墙体剥落等危害。臌胀是造成构筑物开裂及墙体剥落的重要因素,对构筑物的危害是不可忽视的,但相对于其他墙体变形,其可控性更大。本文以南京明城墙为研究对象,基于实时监测数据及气象数据研究城墙本体臌胀变化规律及气象因素的影响,结果表明:气象因素对南京明城墙本体的臌胀具有一定的影响,其中降雨量和气温对明城墙本体臌胀具有明显的影响,而湿度对明城墙本体的臌胀影响不明显。研究气象因素对明城墙本体臌胀的影响,对于明城墙的管理与保护具有一定的参考价值。     

The last glaciers (Loch Lomond Advance) in Snowdonia,N. Wales

Evidence for 35 former cwm glaciers has been mapped in Snowdonia, N. Wales. Glacial limits are based on end moraines, boulder and drift limits, and the down-valley extent of hummocky moraine. Protalus ramparts indicate that at least 16 semi-permanent snow beds down to altitudes of 150 m also existed. Radiocarbon dates and pollen stratigraphy indicate that the glaciers and snow beds belong to the Loch Lomond (Younger Dryas) Stadial. The existence of a large number of ‘Older Series Moraines’ is questionned. Glacier reconstruction and contouring allows calculation of fan line altitudes, and trend surface analysis indicates that they rise from 450 m in the southwest to 700 m in the northeast. It is inferred that mean July temperature at sea-level was around 8·5°C. Two differences between north and south Britain are recognized. Firstly in Snowdonia, as in the Lake District and Southern Uplands, the dominance of southerly air streams appears less than in the Scottish Highlands. Secondly, whereas in the Scottish Highlands, the glaciers appear to have stagnated in situ following initial active retreat, some of those farther south were active during much of the time their margins retreated.