Biostratigraphic and aminostratigraphic constraints on the age of the Middle Pleistocene glacial succession in north Norfolk,UK

Considerable debate surrounds the age of the Middle Pleistocene glacial succession in East Anglia following some recent stratigraphical reinterpretations. Resolution of the stratigraphy here is important since it not only concerns the glacial history of the region but also has a bearing on our understanding of the earliest human occupation of north‐western Europe. The orthodox consensus that all the tills were emplaced during the Anglian (Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 12) has recently been challenged by a view assigning each major till to a different glacial stage, before, during and after MIS 12. Between Trimingham and Sidestrand on the north Norfolk coast, datable organic sediments occur immediately below and above the glacial succession. The oldest glacial deposit (Happisburgh Till) directly overlies the ‘Sidestrand Unio‐bed’, here defined as the Sidestrand Hall Member of the Cromer Forest‐bed Formation. Dating of these sediments therefore has a bearing on the maximum age of the glacial sequence. This paper reviews the palaeobotany and describes the faunal assemblages recovered from the Sidestrand Unio‐bed, which accumulated in a fluvial environment in a fully temperate climate with regional deciduous woodland. There are indications from the ostracods for weakly brackish conditions. Significant differences are apparent between the Sidestrand assemblages and those from West Runton, the type site of the Cromerian Stage. These differences do not result from contrasting facies or taphonomy but reflect warmer palaeotemperatures at Sidestrand and a much younger age. This conclusion is suggested by the higher proportion of thermophiles at Sidestrand and the occurrence of a water vole with unrooted molars (Arvicola) rather than its ancestor Mimomys savini with rooted molars. Amino acid racemisation data also indicate that Sidestrand is significantly younger than West Runton. These data further highlight the stratigraphical complexity of the ‘Cromerian Complex’ and support the conventional view that the Happisburgh Till was emplaced during the Anglian rather than the recently advanced view that it dates from MIS 16. Moreover, new evidence from the Trimingham lake bed (Sidestrand Cliff Formation) above the youngest glacial outwash sediments (Briton's Lane Formation) indicates that they also accumulated during a Middle Pleistocene interglacial – probably MIS 11. All of this evidence is consistent with a short chronology placing the glacial deposits within MIS 12, rather than invoking multiple episodes of glaciation envisaged in the ‘new glacial stratigraphy’ during MIS 16, 12, 10 and 6. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical modeling for analyzing thermal surface anomalies induced by underground coal fires

Coal seams burning underneath the surface are recognized all over the world and have drawn increasing public attention in the past years. Frequently, such fires are analyzed by detecting anomalies like increased exhaust gas concentrations and soil temperatures at the surface. A proper analysis presumes the understanding of involved processes, which determine the spatial distribution and dynamic behavior of the anomalies.In this paper, we explain the relevance of mechanical and energy transport processes with respect to the occurrence of temperature anomalies at the surface. Two approaches are presented, aiming to obtain insight into the underground coal fire situation: In-situ temperature mapping and numerical simulation. In 2000 to 2005, annual temperature mapping in the Wuda (Inner Mongolia, PR China) coal fire area showed that most thermal anomalies on the surface are closely related to fractures, where hot exhaust gases from the coal fire are released. Those fractures develop due to rock mechanical failure after volume reduction in the seams. The measured signals at the surface are therefore strongly affected by mechanical processes.More insight into causes and effects of involved energy transport processes is obtained by numerical simulation of the dynamic behavior of coal fires. Simulations show the inter-relation between release and transport of thermal energy in and around underground coal fires. Our simulation results show a time delay between the coal fire propagation and the observed appearance of the surface temperature signal. Additionally, the overall energy flux away from the burning coal seam into the surrounding bedrock is about 30-times higher than the flux through the surface. This is of particular importance for an estimation of the energy released based on surface temperature measurements. Finally, the simulation results also prove that a fire propagation rate estimated from the interpretation of surface anomalies can differ from the actual rate in the seam.     

地下矿产开采对天然气管道工程的安全影响评价

西气东输天然气管道工程途经兖州市,穿越杨庄、杨村、兴隆庄等煤矿矿区,压覆煤层埋深变化较大。该文采用预测法对各煤矿在不同开采条件下分煤层对管道运营安全的危害程度进行了评价分析。通过计算表明,煤矿开采埋深越浅,煤层越厚,对管道危害越严重。兴隆庄煤矿3煤层、杨村煤矿煤16t、煤17开采对管道影响强烈,杨庄煤矿煤16t、煤17开采对管道影响中等,兴隆庄煤矿煤16t、煤17开采对管道运营影响小。     

含煤层地质环境下地震波场的数值模拟

本文对含低速煤层地质环境下弹性波场多波多分量地震资料进行了二维数值模拟研究,对人工边界反射进行了有效处理,频散效应得到了有效的压制,对几种不同激发与观测排列方式下的弹性波资料进行了模型计算与分析。     

东海陆缘(闽北段)晚第四纪沉积的硅藻学研究

对东海陆缘 (闽北段 )晚第四纪沉积 4口钻井岩心进行系统的硅藻分析研究,获得丰富的硅藻化石,共发现硅藻 117种和变种,分属于 33个属。根据剖面硅藻组合特征变化,结合最优分割法和对应序分法的计算机运算结果,可以详细划分为 12个硅藻带,自下而上为 :1.Cascinodiscusargus-Cos.wittiomus-Cyclotellastriata硅藻带,2.Cos.blandus-Cyclotellastriata硅藻带,3.Cos.excentricus-Trbliepteychuscocconiformis硅藻带,4.Gomphonema-Cos.blandus-Actnolychusralfsii硅藻带,5.Cos.-Cyclotellastriata-Actinocyclusralfsii硅藻带,6.Cos.-Actinolychusralfsii硅藻带,7.贫乏硅藻带,8.Cos.lineatus-Cos.rothii-Actinolyclusralfsii硅藻带,9.Gomphonema-Cyclotellastriata-Cocconeisplacentulavareuglypta硅藻带,10.Cos.rothii-Cyclotellastriata-Actinolychusralfsi,11.Cymbel laaffinis-Cyclotellastriata-Gomphonema硅藻带,12.Coscinodiscuswittinus-Cyclotellastriata-Epithemiahynd manii硅藻带,建立了该区晚第四纪硅藻组合序列,并探讨其相应的古环境演变。     

Mechanisms of coal metamorphism: case studies from Paleozoic coalfields

Controls on coal metamorphism can be complex. In this paper, we examine four Paleozoic coalfields: the western Kentucky portion of the Illinois Basin, the Pennsylvania anthracite fields, the South Wales Coalfield, and the Bowen Basin. An increase in temperature with depth of burial is certainly a factor in coal metamorphism. In many coalfields, however, including the coalfields reviewed here, it has become apparent that such a simple mechanism does not explain the coal rank patterns observed. The flow of hydrothermal fluids through the coals has been proposed as a cause of coal metamorphism. Evidence includes inverted rank gradients, elevated CFL as an indicator of brine fluids, isotopic evidence for hydrothermal fluids, and vein and cleat mineral assemblages. In any case, multiple hypotheses must often be evaluated in the examination of any coalfield since the simple paradigm of coal rank increases with a simple increase in temperature with increasing depth does not fit the evidence observed in many cases.     

Coal mining along the Warfield Fault, Mingo County, West Virginia: a tale of ups and downs

Mine development along a 15-mile (24 km) section of the Warfield Fault in Mingo County, West Virginia has broadened the geological understanding of the fault and its related structures. The fault has been exposed in two new road cuts, one in the northeast-trending segment at Neely Branch and one in the eastern east-trending segment at the head of Marrowbone Creek. Both exposures show a well-defined normal fault with a 45° to 55° N dip, juxtaposing sandstone/shale packages from the roof and the floor of the Coalburg seam. The fault is associated with a thin gouge zone, some drag folding, and parallel jointing. Its trace tends to run parallel to the crest of the adjacent Warfield Anticline. Based on underground mine development and detailed core drilling, the vertical offset along the fault plane ranges from a maximum of 240 ft (73 m) in the central part of the area near the structural bend to less than 100 ft (30 m) in western and eastern directions. The fault is located along the relatively steeply dipping (locally in excess of 25%) southern limb of the Warfield Anticline, and appears related to a late phase of extension involving folded Pennsylvanian strata. On a regional scale, the lithological variations across the fault do not suggest any appreciable strike-slip component.Underground room and pillar mines in the Coalburg seam north and south of the fault have been greatly impacted by the Warfield structures. Due to the combined (and opposite) effects of the folding and faulting, the northern mines are located up to 400 ft (125 m) higher in elevation than the southern ones. Overland conveyor belts connect mining blocks separated by the fault. The practical mining limit along the steep slopes toward the fault is around 15%. Subsidiary normal faults with offsets in the 5- to 15-ft (1.5–4.5 m) range are fairly common and form major roof control and production hurdles. Overall, the Warfield structures pose an extra challenge to mine development in this part of the Appalachian Coalfields.     

Surface analysis of pyrite in the No. 9 coal seam, Wuda Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, China, using high-resolution time-of-flight secondary ion mass-spectrometry

The chemical composition of pyrite in coal can be used to investigate its geological and mineralogical origin. In this paper, high-resolution time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) was used to study the chemical composition of various pyrite forms in the No. 9 coal seam (S_t,d=3.46%) from the Wuda Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, northern China. These include bacteriogenic, framboidal, massive, cell-filling, fracture-filling, and nodular pyrites. In addition to Fe⁺ (⁵⁴Fe⁺, ⁵⁶Fe⁺, ⁵⁷Fe⁺), other fragment ions were detected in bacteriogenic pyrites, such as ²⁷Al⁺, Si⁺ (²⁸Si⁺, ²⁹Si⁺, ³⁰Si⁺), ⁴⁰Ca⁺, Cu⁺ (⁶³Cu⁺, ⁶⁵Cu⁺), Zn⁺ (⁶⁴Zn⁺, ⁶⁶Zn⁺, ⁶⁷Zn⁺, ⁶⁸Zn⁺), Ni⁺ (⁵⁸Ni⁺, ⁶⁰Ni⁺, ⁶²Ni⁺), and C₃H₇⁺. TOF-SIMS images show bacteriogenic pyrites are relatively rich in Cu, Zn, and Ni, suggesting that bacteria probably play an important role in the enrichment of Cu, Zn, and Ni during their formation. Intense positive secondary ion fragments from framboidal aggregates, such as ²⁷Al⁺, ²⁸Si⁺, ²⁹Si⁺, AlO⁺, CH₂⁺, C₃H₃⁺, C₃H₅⁺, and C₄H₇⁺, indicate that formation of the framboidal aggregates may have occurred together with clay mineral and organic matter, which probably serve as the binding substance. The intense ions of ²⁸Si⁺ and ²⁷Al⁺ from massive pyrites also suggest that their pores incorporated clay minerals during crystallization. Together with the lowest ²⁸Si⁺/²³Na⁺ value, the intense organic positive secondary ion peaks from cell-filling pyrites, such as C₃H₃⁺, C₃H₅⁺, C₃H₇⁺, and C₄H₇⁺, indicate that pyrite formation may have accompanied dissolution or disintegration of the cell. The intense P⁺ peak was observed only in the fracture-filling pyrite and the highest ²⁸Si⁺/²³Na⁺ value of fracture-filling pyrite reflects its epigenetic origin. Together with XRD and REEs data, the stronger ⁴⁰Ca⁺ in nodular pyrite than other pyrite forms shows seawater influence during its formation.     

Evidence of early generation of liquid hydrocarbon from suberinite as visible under the microscope

The early generation of liquid hydrocarbons from suberinite can be clearly observed under the microscope. The generation of this oil-like material, mainly in the form of exsudatinite, from the maceral suberinite occurs at a maturity level of about 0.4% vitrinite reflectance. Hydrocarbons appear to be naturally expelled from coal initially through sweating and agglomeration of suberinite which subsequently forms exsudatinite. It is suggested that extensive expulsion of exsudatinite causes cracks to develop in vitrinite whereas limited expulsion of exsudatinite will only impregnate the vitrinite matrix. If cracks are formed, it is possible they could progressively develop to form an exsudatinite-crack network. The formation of such a network is believed to represent an effective way of hydrocarbon expulsion from coal source rocks.     

链子崖T_8－T_（12）缝段地下水的侵蚀性及其工程对策

在简述地形地貌、气象水文、构造部位和岩石组成等地质环境因素的基础上．本文重点研究了链子崖危岩体煤层采空区地下水的水化学类型及其对工程结构的侵蚀等级．并提出了地上排水、地下排水与采用抗侵蚀工程材料等综合的工程治理对策。