The geology of Australian Mars analogue sites

Australia has numerous landforms and features, some unique, that provide a useful reference for interpreting the results of spacecraft orbiting Mars and exploring the martian surface. Examples of desert landforms, impact structures, relief inversion, long-term landscape evolution and hydrothermal systems that are relevant to Mars are outlined and the relevant literature reviewed. The Mars analogue value of Australia's acid lakes, hypersaline embayments and mound spring complexes is highlighted along with the Pilbara region, where the oldest convincing evidence of life guides exploration for early life on Mars. The distinctive characteristics of the Arkaroola Mars Analogue Region are also assessed and opportunities for future work in Australia are outlined.     

An overview of the geology of the Transvaal Supergroup dolomites (South Africa)

 In the Neoarchaean intracratonic basin of the Kaapvaal craton, between approximately 2640 Ma and 2516 Ma, two successive stromatolitic carbonate platforms developed. Deposition started with the Schmidtsdrif Subgroup, which is probably oldest in the southwestern part of the basin, and which contains stromatolitic carbonates, siliciclastic sediments and minor lava flows. Subsequently, the Nauga formation carbonates were deposited on peritidal flats located to the southwest and were drowned during a transgression of the Transvaal Supergroup epeiric sea, around 2550 Ma ago. This transgression led to the development of a carbonate platform in the areas of the preserved Transvaal and Griqualand West basins, which persisted for 30–50 Ma. During this time, shales were deposited over the Nauga Formation carbonates in the southwestern portion of the epeiric sea. A subsequent period of basin subsidence led to drowning of the stromatolitic platform and to sedimentation of chemical, iron-rich silica precipitates of the banded iron formations (BIF) over the entire basin. Carbonate precipitation in the Archaean was largely due to chemical and lesser biogenic processes, with stromatolites and ocean water composition playing an important role. The stromatolitic carbonates in the preserved Griqualand West and Transvaal basins are subdivided into several formations, based on the depositional facies, reflected by stromatolite morphology, and on intraformational unconformities; interbedded tuffs and available radiometric age data do not yet permit detailed correlation of units from the two basins. Thorough dolomitisation of most formations took place at different post-depositional stages, but mainly during early diagenesis. Partial silicification was the result of diagenetic and weathering processes. Karstification of the carbonate rocks was related to periods of exposure to subaerial conditions and to percolation of groundwater. Such periods occurred locally at the time of carbonate and BIF deposition. Main karstification, however, probably took place during an erosional period between approximately 2430 Ma and 2320 Ma. Received: 15 September 1996 · Accepted: 12 May 1998     

陕西洛南石门─潘河断裂以南地区的中元古界

据对洛南石门-潘河断裂以南地区中元古界叠层石组合特征,及其与国内外相应层位的对比研究,笔者认为该断裂南北两地区的中元古界地层完全可以对比．因此,石门-潘河断裂不具备地层区划界线的价值．     

Les écosystèmes microbiens marqueurs des variations des niveaux lacustres en contexte de fan-deltas. Exemple du rift rhénan méridional (Europe occidentale)

The Rhine Graben begins to develop in the Upper Eocene. During the first paroxysmal stage a belt of sandstones and conglomerates, the so-called Conglomé-rats cotiers, is deposited on the rift border. In the graben an euryhaline lacustrine basin regulates the extension of fan-deltas which are developing along the boundary faults of the rift.Stromatolites preferentially colonize the littoral fringe of the lake where they find indurated substratums. So they appear to be excellent markers of the transgressive movements of the lake and its palaeomargins. The stromatolites also allow an excellent sequential subdivision to reconstruct the history of the basin.

     

柴达木盆地中新世叠层石成因与古环境研究

柴达木盆地西部干柴沟一带发育了大量湖相叠层石，主要存在于新近纪中新世地层中。柴西地区的叠层石形态各异，成因各具特点，而且部分叠层石与现代叠层石完全不同而是更类似于前寒武时期的对应物，根据国内外叠层石研究的最新成果和成因分类标准，柴西地区主要发育了骨架、凝集和细粒叠层石。对应于不同的分类标准其成因也各不相同，细粒叠层石的形成主要是通过微生物自身的钙化作用和生物膜上过饱和碳酸盐等物质以及微生物的引发的沉淀作用；凝集型叠层石的形成主要与原核生物和真核藻类共同发挥粘附作用有关；骨架型叠层石的形成主要是真核藻类等的钙化与原地碳酸盐的沉淀综合作用的结果。柴达木盆地频繁变化的湖相水体条件和周围的构造运动是叠层石形态多样，成因各异的主要外部和环境因素。对各类叠层石的深入细致研究将对沉积学和环境学的研究提供宝贯的现代对应物。     

柴达木盆地中新世叠层石沉积特征及其环境和构造意义

柴达木盆地西部地区发育了大量的各种类型的湖相叠层石,主要集中在中新世早中期下油砂山组的地层中。根据野外考察并参考国内外的叠层石研究,柴西地区叠层石主要包括丘状、指状、柱状和多边形叠层石4种类型,每一种叠层石的宏观形态、内部成份和构造都具有独特的特征,且形成于不同的沉积环境中。据地球化学元素、孢粉和生物化石等分析可以确定,叠层石形成于气候温暖、水体盐度较高和陆源碎屑流入较少的环境中。与现代叠层石的对比进一步明确了新生代柴达木盆地湖相叠层石的沉积特点和属性特征。结合柴达木盆地中新世的沉积特征、湖相叠层石的属性以及柴达木盆地与青藏高原的关系,进一步讨论了中新世期间青藏高原和柴达木盆地的构造情况以及隆起程度。     

鄂尔多斯地台南缘的叠层石生物层研究

鄂尔多斯地台南缘断续出露上元古界青白口系皇坪组,其上部为叠层石白云岩,叠层石大都已硅化,呈树枝状,有原地生长的,也有倒卧的,厚30～40m,为叠层石生物层。它们大致沿东西向构造线呈带状分布,延展近60km,其底部为角砾岩,角砾成分主要为燧石,其次为白云岩,燧石大都为薄板状。角砾为杂基支撑,定向排列,具粒序层理,系叠层石生物层崩塌而成的碎屑流。     

Bacterial calcification as a possible trigger for francolite precipitation under sulfidic conditions

Francolite (carbonate-fluor-apatite) is known to form in sediments where intense organic-matter decay occurs, but under oxic-to-suboxic conditions, because the alkalinity rise accompanying bacterial sulfate reduction (anoxic conditions) increases francolite solubility, hence preventing its supersaturation and precipitation. However, lagoonal, organic matter-rich, cryptalgal carbonates of Jurassic age located in the French Jura Mountains contain francolite that formed during early diagenesis, under anoxic-sulfidic and highly alkaline conditions. To explain this paradoxical situation, we propose the following “chain of reactions”: the presence of abundant biomass in the sediment would supply the “raw material” to the reactional system, i.e., the initial P budget, released through organic decay. The development of cryptalgal, bacterial mats at the sediment–water interface would have limited exchanges between the water column and the pore space, hampering pore water renewal and favoring the early onset of sulfate-reducing reactions. The onset of sulfate reduction would increase pore water alkalinity, potentially preventing francolite precipitation. In addition, the presence of sulfide ions would induce organic matter sulfurization, resulting in a relative pH rise. Alkalinity and pH rises would trigger the development of conditions leading to carbonate supersaturation, inducing bacterial-structure calcification. The sudden fall in alkalinity induced by early calcification would allow francolite precipitation, despite sulfidic conditions.     

江苏徐州及其邻区新元古代魏集组叠层石礁

江苏徐州及其邻区新元古代魏集组出露广泛，其中由新元古代沿海潮坪-浅滩底栖微生物群落生命活动形成的叠层石礁碳酸盐岩厚达300m，延绵几百km^2以上，构成了该区一系列山丘的主体。就该区主要的叠层石类型及其形成的礁体作一综述，并讨论其区域地层对比。     

Detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology of stromatolitic carbonates from the greenstone belts of Dharwar Craton and Cuddapah basin of Peninsular India

Oldest rocks are sparsely distributed within the Dharwar Craton and little is known about their involvement in the sedimentary sequences which are present in the Archean greenstone successions and the Proterozoic Cuddapah basin.Stromatolitic carbonates are well preserved in the Neoarchean greenstone belts of Dharwar Craton and Cuddapah Basin of Peninsular India displaying varied morphological and geochemical characteristics.In this study,we report results from U-Pb geochronology and trace element composition of the detrital zircons from stromatolitic carbonates present within the Dharwar Craton and Cuddapah basin to understand the provenance and time of accretion and deposition.The UPb ages of the detrital zircons from the Bhimasamudra and Marikanve stromatolites of the Chitradurga greenstone belt of Dharwar Craton display ages of 3426±26 Ma to 2650±38 Ma whereas the Sandur stromatolites gave an age of 3508±29 Ma to 2926±36 Ma suggesting Paleo-to Neoarchean provenance.The U-Pb detrital zircons of the Tadpatri stromatolites gave an age of 2761±31 Ma to1672±38 Ma suggesting Neoarchean to Mesoproterozoic provenance.The Rare Earth Element(REE)patterns of the studied detrital zircons from Archean Dharwar Craton and Proterozoic Cuddapah basin display depletion in light rare earth elements(LREE)and enrichment in heavy rare earth elements(HREE)with pronounced positive Ce and negative Eu anomalies,typical of magmatic zircons.The trace element composition and their relationship collectively indicate a mixed granitoid and mafic source for both the Dharwar and Cuddapah stromatolites.The 3508±29 Ma age of the detrital zircons support the existence of 3.5 Ga crust in the Western Dharwar Craton.The overall detrital zircon ages(3.5-2.7 Ga)obtained from the stromatolitic carbonates of Archean greenstone belts and Proterozoic Cuddapah basin(2.7-1.6 Ga)collectively reflect on^800-900 Ma duration for the Precambrian stromatolite deposition in the Dharwar Craton.