The first record of dinosaurs in the Dalmatian part (Croatia) of the Adriatic-Dinaric carbonate platform (ADCP)

The first discovery of dinosaur footprints on the Dalmatian part of the Adriatic-Dinaric carbonate platform (ADCP) is reported. They constitute the geologically youngest record of footprints on the ADCP. The trackbearing layer was formed in the intertidal environment and represents the final stage of a shallowing-upward cycle. Just below it, a heavy dinoturbated limestone layer can be observed. Microfacies analysis, incorporating evidence from benthic foraminifera and algae, indicates a Late Turonian–Early Coniacian age. The overall morphology and size of the footprints points to sauropod dinosaurs; they represent the largest forms recorded so far on the ADCP. This hints at a prolonged sauropod presence on the platform and to its Late Cretaceous connection to the continent rather than isolation.     

Turbulence Statistics Inside and Over Forest: Influence on Footprint Prediction

Observations of wind statistics within and above a Scots pine forest are comparedwith those predicted from an analytical second-order closure model. The roughnesssublayer (RSL) effects, and the influence of stability on similarity functions, arestudied using observations. The commonly accepted forms of similarity functionsdescribe the influence of diabatic effects above the RSL well. According to earlierstudies they are expected also to apply within the RSL. As an exception, the averagewind speed normalised with friction velocity was found to be invariant with stabilityclose to the canopy top under unstable conditions. Lagrangian stochastic trajectorysimulations were used to evaluate the influence of canopy turbulence profiles onfootprint prediction. The main uncertainty was found to arise from parameterisationof the random forcing term in the Lagrangian velocity equation. The influence ofdiabatic conditions was studied, and it was found that thermal stability affectssignificantly the footprint function above the forest canopy, but significantuncertainty exists because of uncertainties in the formulation of stability functions.     

Reflectance spectroscopic characterisation of mineral alteration footprints associated with sediment-hosted gold mineralisation at Mt Olympus (Ashburton Basin,Western Australia)

Hydrothermal ore deposits are typically characterised by footprints of zoned mineral assemblages that extend far beyond the size of the orebody. Understanding the mineral assemblages and spatial extent of these hydrothermal footprints is crucial for successful exploration, but is commonly hindered by the impact of regolith processes on the Earth's surface. Hyperspectral drill core (HyLogger?-3) data were used to characterise alteration mineralogy at the Mt Olympus gold deposit located 35 km southeast of Paraburdoo along the Nanjilgardy Fault within the northern margin of the Ashburton Basin in Western Australia. Mineralogy interpreted from hyperspectral data over the visible to shortwave (400–2500 nm) and thermal (6000–14500 nm) infrared wavelength ranges was validated with X-ray diffraction and geochemical analyses. Spaceborne multispectral (ASTER) and airborne geophysical (airborne electromagnetic, AEM) data were evaluated for mapping mineral footprints at the surface and sub-surface. At the deposit scale, mineral alteration patterns were identified by comparing the most abundant mineral groups detected in the HyLogger data against lithology logging and gold assays. Potential hydrothermal alteration phases included Na/K-alunite, kaolin phases (kaolinite, dickite), pyrophyllite, white mica, chlorite and quartz, representing low-T alteration of earlier greenschist metamorphosed sediments. The respective zoned mineral footprints varied depending on the type of sedimentary host rock. Siltstones were mainly characterised by widespread white-mica alteration with proximal kaolinite alteration or quartz veining. Sandstones showed (1) distal white mica, intermediate dickite, and proximal alunite + kaolinite or (2) widespread white-mica alteration with associated intervals of kaolinite. In both, sandstones and siltstones, chlorite was distal to gold mineralisation. Conglomerates showed distal kaolinite/dickite and proximal white-mica/dickite alteration. Three-dimensional visualisation of the gold distribution and spatially associated alteration patterns around Mt Olympus revealed three distinct categories: (1) several irregular, poddy, SE-plunging zones of >0.5 ppm gold intersected by the Zoe Fault; (2) sulfate alteration proximal to mineralisation, particularly on the northern side of the Mt Olympus open pit; and (3) varying Al^IVAl^VISi^IV_–1(Mg,Fe)^VI_–1 composition of white micas with proximity to gold mineralisation. Chlorite that developed during regional metamorphic or later hydrothermal alteration occurs distal to gold mineralisation. ASTER mineral mapping products, such as the MgOH Group Content used to map chlorite (±white mica) assemblages, showed evidence of correlation to mapped, local structural features and unknown structural or lithological contacts as indicated by inversion modelling of AEM data.     

河北宣化土城子组恐龙足迹化石新发现

本文报道了新近发现于河北宣化地区土城子组的恐龙足迹化石及沉积环境。为确定足迹化石的地质年代、土城子组的沉积环境及足迹化石属种,本文在对恐龙足迹化石层及其上、下地层进行剖面测制、沉积相划分和沉积环境分析的基础上,对化石层上覆凝灰岩层进行了LA-ICPMS锆石U-Pb测年,并对保存较好的足迹化石进行了测量和对比研究工作。研究结果表明,土城子组底部为冲积扇扇中沉积环境,足迹化石上、下地层则表现为河流相沉积环境,而足迹化石的赋存层位形成于滨湖相沉积环境,发育暴露构造并含有大量裸子植物碎屑化石。凝灰岩锆石U-Pb加权平均年龄为152.3±0.3 Ma(MSWD=0.00106),说明化石层位于土城子组一段,时代属于晚侏罗世钦莫利期(Kimmeridgian)中晚期。已发现的足迹化石以兽脚类三趾型足迹为主,包括跷脚龙足迹属(Grallator)、安琪龙足迹属(Anchisauripus)和实雷龙足迹属(Eubrontes),其次为一些疑似蜥脚类恐龙足迹,是华北北缘土城子组中群落丰富度最高的恐龙足迹点,其中一处或许为中国北方面积最大的恐龙足迹点。因此,我们认为宣化-下花园盆地土城子组一段以河流、湖泊...     

Probable Neolithic footprints preserved in inter-tidal peat at Kenfig, South Wales (UK)

Holocene footprints have been reported from several locations around the UK coast preserved within inter-tidal sediments. These sediments are normally fine-grained silts, sands and clays. Here we report potential human footprints preserved in the lower of two inter-tidal peat units exposed on the foreshore at Kenfig in South Wales. The lower peat layer pre-dates 3810 ± 40 BP and its maximum age is constrained by two dates, one of 4930 ± 50 BP and another of 5110 ± 50 BP. The prints may have formed at any point within this time interval. Both peat units formed in a salt marsh, or fen environment, as indicated by the analysis of both diatoms and pollen and have been tentatively assigned to the middle Wentlooge Formation within the Holocene lithostratigraphy established for the Severn Estuary Holocene sequence. The footprints were digitised using an optical laser scanner and are compared to other Holocene human footprints exposed on the Sefton Coast in North West England. In comparison the Kenfig prints have poor anatomical form which may be the result of both the substrate and post-depositional modification. The paper demonstrates the value of using optical laser scanning in the data capture and analysis of transitory archaeological and geological trace evidence.     

论江苏东海早白垩世地层

主要论述了江苏东海南古寨村一带产恐龙足印化石地层的岩石地层归属和地质时代,认为这套地层应归于大盛群,而不宜归于青山群或孟疃组,时代为早白垩世晚期。江苏东海南古寨村一带大量恐龙足印化石的发现不仅填补了江苏不产恐龙化石的空白,而且也为该县增添了新的旅游资源。     

常梯度声线跟踪中平均声速的改进算法

在对多波束测深常用声线跟踪算法进行分析的基础上,提出了一种改进的声线跟踪算法,即沿声线传播的圆弧路径进行积分来求取层内的平均声速,进而推导了严密的多波束测深波束脚印位置的计算公式。理论推导表明,常用的声线跟踪算法的平均声速是将声线的圆弧传播路径当作对应弧段弦时的改进算法平均声速的近似解。实验表明,改进的声线跟踪算法比常用的声线跟踪算法更严密。     

Performance of shape indices and classification schemes for characterising perceptual shape complexity of building footprints in GIS

Shape characterisation is important in many fields dealing with spatial data. For this purpose, numerous shape analysis and recognition methods with different degrees of complexity have so far been developed. Among them, relatively simple indices are widely used in spatial applications, but their performance has not been investigated sufficiently, particularly for building footprints (BFs). Therefore, this article focuses on BF shape characterisation with shape indices and classification schemes in a GIS environment. This study consists of four phases. In the first phase, the criteria for BF shape complexity were identified, and accordingly, benchmark data was constructed by human experts in three shape complexity categories. In the second phase, 18 shape indices were selected from the literature and automatically computed in GIS. The performance of these indices was then statistically assessed with histograms, correlation matrix and boxplots, and consequently four indices were found to be appropriate for further investigation. In the third phase, two new indices (Equivalent Rectangular index and Roughness index) were proposed with the objective to measure some BF shape characteristics more efficiently. The proposed indices also were found to be appropriate with the same statistical assessment procedures. In the final phase, BF shape complexity categories were created with the pairs of six appropriate indices and four choropleth mapping classification schemes (equal intervals, natural break, standard deviation, and custom) in GIS. The performance of the index–scheme pairs was assessed against the benchmark data. The findings demonstrated that both new indices and two of the selected indices (Convexity and Rectangularity) delivered higher performance. The custom classification scheme was found more ideal to reveal absolute shape complexity with the index value ranges derived from the boxplots while the other classification schemes were more appropriate to reveal relative shape complexity.     

The new hominid skeleton from Sterkfontein,South Africa: age and preliminary assessment

A new hominid skeleton from Sterkfontein Member 2 attaches to foot bones recovered from loose blocks during the 1980s and first described in 1995. Several flowstone horizons are present above and below the skeleton and have given clear palaeomagnetic signatures. Five changes in magnetic polarity have been identified; when constrained by the available biostratigraphy, this sequence can be placed confidently between 3.22 and 3.58 Ma. Interpolation of sedimentation rates over the small intervals between reversals allows this range to be reduced to 3.30–3.33 Ma. The skeleton is thus the oldest yet discovered and is considered to belong to a species of Australopithecus other than africanus. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

山东沂沭断裂带早白垩世晚期恐龙足迹特征差异性*

近些年来,在山东沂沭断裂带南部地区(莒南、临沭、郯城和东海）的下白垩统上部大盛群中发现了大量的恐龙足迹化石,而这些化石反映的足迹类型、形态大小、足迹踩踏深度等方面都存在有差异性。研究发现,在足迹类型方面,莒南地区以兽脚类和鸟脚类恐龙足迹为主,临沭、郯城和东海地区以蜥脚类恐龙足迹为主。足迹大小方面,莒南地区的兽脚类足迹可划分为类型Ⅰ和类型Ⅱ两种类型,而东海地区的恐龙足迹主要属于类型Ⅱ,但是莒南地区大多数足迹的趾间角要小于东海地区的,这可能是由于兽脚类恐龙属种的不同所造成的;莒南地区鸟脚类足迹绝大多数要小于临沭地区的鸟脚类足迹;郯城地区的蜥脚类足迹较小,而莒南、临沭和东海地区大多数蜥脚类足迹的大小较为相似,个别临沭和莒南地区的蜥脚类恐龙足迹较大。足迹踩踏深度方面,临沭、东海和郯城地区的足迹相比莒南地区的足迹要稍深,这与足迹形成在不同湿度、黏度、颗粒度的沉积物表面上有密切联系。基于上述研究认为,在早白垩世晚期,沂沭断裂带内生活着种类繁盛,数量庞大的恐龙动物群,联系到沂沭断裂带东部诸城地区早白垩世早期地层中也发现有大量的以兽脚类为主的恐龙足迹化石,推断在早白垩世,沂沭断裂带及胶莱盆地当时为一个理想的恐龙生存、繁衍的栖息地。同时,山东早白垩世大量恐龙足迹化石的发现也为整个华北甚至东北亚地区晚中生代恐龙属种的分布、演化以及古地理研究提供了丰富的材料和信息。