Late Cretaceous-Paleogene Palynostratigraphy from the Arkhara-Boguchan Brown Coal Mine of Zeya-Bureya Depression, Russia

1IntroductionThe Arkhara-Boguchan brown coal mine is lo-cated in the western Arkhara depression,southeast-ern part of the Zea-Bureya Basin (Fig.1). Late Creta-ceous-Paleogene coal-bearing strata are well out-cropped at the Arkhara-Boguchan quarry. It contains four coal-bearing beds (in descending order): “Ve-likan”, “Promezhutochny”,“Dvoinoy”and “Nyzhny”, and composed of three sedimentary cycles (Fig.2). The lower cycle can be divided into two sub-cycles:the lowest sub-cycle is …     

The possiblity of detection of ultracool dwarfs with the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey

We present predictions for the numbers of ultracool dwarfs in the Galactic disc population that could be detected by the WFCAM/UKIDSS Large Area Survey and Ultra Deep Survey. Simulated samples of objects are created with masses and ages drawn from different mass functions and birthrates. Each object is then given absolute magnitudes in different passbands based on empirically derived bolometric correction versus effective temperature relationships (or model predictions for Y dwarfs). These are then combined with simulated space positions, velocities and photometric errors to yield observables such as apparent magnitudes and proper motions. Such observables are then passed through the survey selection mechanism to yield histograms in colour. This technique also produces predictions for the proper motion histograms for ultracool dwarfs and estimated numbers for the as yet undetected Y dwarfs. Finally, it is shown that these techniques could be used to constrain the ultra-low-mass mass function and birthrate of the Galactic disc population.     

新疆库车新生代前陆褶皱冲断带的变形特征、时代和机制

库车前陆褶皱冲断带自北向南可分为基底冲断带、箱状背斜带、梳状背斜带和挠曲褶皱带,东西方向上可分为西段、中段和东段。本文分段叙述了各变形带的变形特征,指出东段箱状背斜带不发育,秋里塔格山脉(构造带)东延未进入东段,因而总体看自西向东变形强度减弱,地形上趋于夷平。该冲断带的形成经历了两次重大的冲断活动,分别发生在中新世和早(-中)更新世;相应地,该带可分为南、北两个"盆""山"亚系统,两者在地层记录、变形期次和变形机制上尚有若干差异。库车前陆褶皱冲断带的发育,除了受南天山的冲断和向南扩展引起的近南北向挤压应力场控制外,还受到基底断裂在新生代的活化和膏盐层底辟的制约,前者以近北西向的构造变换带及其共轭发育的近北东向断层最为重要,后者既控制了秋里塔格山脉的形成(主要受垂直的挤压应力场作用),也在库车前陆褶皱冲断带东西方向的变形分段中起了重要作用。文章还讨论了变形与地貌发育的关系和在油气勘探中的指导意义。     

Interference fringes on GLORIA side-scan sonar images from the Bering Sea and their implications

GLORIA side-scan sonographs from the Bering Sea Basin show a complex pattern of interference fringes sub-parallel to the ship's track. Surveys along the same trackline made in 1986 and 1987 show nearly identical patterns. It is concluded from this that the interference patterns are caused by features in the shallow subsurface rather than in the water column. The fringes are interpreted as a thin-layer interference effect that occurs when some of the sound reaching the seafloor passes through it and is reflected off a subsurface layer. The backscattered sound interferes (constructively or desctructively) with the reflected sound. Constructive/destructive interference occurs when the difference in the length of the two soundpaths is a whole/half multiple of GLORIA's 25 cm wavelength. Thus as range from the ship increases, sound moves in and out of phase causing bands of greater and lesser intensity on the GLORIA sonograph. Fluctuations (or wiggles) of the fringes on the GLORIA sonographs relate to changes in layer thickness. In principle, a simple three dimensional image of the subsurface layer may be obtained using GLORIA and bathymetric data from adjacent (parallel) ship's tracks. These patterns have also been identified in images from two other systems; SeaMARC II (12 kHz) long-range sonar, and TOBI (30 kHz) deep-towed sonar. In these, and other cases world-wide, the fringes do not appear with the same persistence as those seen in the Bering Sea.     

Elucidating the dynamics and mixing agents of a shallow fjord through age tracer modelling

The mixing agents and their role in the dynamics of a shallow fjord are elucidated through an Eulerian implementation of artificial tracers in a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. The time scales of vertical mixing in this shallow estuary are short, and the artificial tracers are utilized in order to reveal information not detectable in the temperature or salinity fields. The fjord's response to external forcing is investigated through a series of model experiments in which we quantify vertical mixing, transport time scales of fresh water runoff and estuarine circulation in relation to external forcing.Using age tracers released at surface and bottom, we quantify the time scales of downward mixing of surface water and upward mixing of bottom water. Wind is shown to be the major agent for vertical mixing at nearly all depth levels in the fjord, whereas the tide or external sea level forcing is a minor agent and only occasionally more important just close to the bottom. The time scale of vertical mixing of surface water to the bottom or ventilation time scale of bottom water is estimated to be in the range 0.7 h to 9.0 days, with an average age of 2.7 days for the year 2004.The fjord receives fresh water from two streams entering the innermost part of the fjord, and the distribution and age of this water are studied using both ageing and conservative tracers. The salinity variations outside this fjord are large, and in contrast to the salinity, the artificial tracers provide a straight forward analysis of river water content. The ageing tracer is used to estimate transport time scales of river water (i.e. the time elapsed since the water left the river mouth). In May 2004, the typical age of river water leaving the fjord mouth is 5 days. As the major vertical mixing agent is wind, it controls the estuarine circulation and export of river water. When the wind stress is set to zero, the vertical mixing is reduced and the vertical salinity stratification is increased, and the river water can be effectively exported out of the fjord.We also analyse the river tracer fields and salinity field in relation to along estuary winds in order to detect signs of wind-induced straining of the along estuary density gradient. We find that events of down estuary winds are primarily associated with a reduced along estuary salinity gradient due to increased surface salinity in the innermost part of the fjord, and with an overall decrease in vertical stratification and river water content at the surface. Thus, our results show no apparent signs of wind-induced straining in this shallow fjord but instead they indicate increased levels of vertical mixing or upwelling during down estuary wind events.     

湖北辽瓦店遗址地层记录的环境变迁与人类活动的关系研究

用XRF和ICP-AES方法分别测试了湖北辽瓦店遗址地层样品的氧化物含量和地球化学元素含量,恢复了遗址地层中夏代文化层、东周文化层和明清文化层记录的环境变化和人类活动特征。结果表明:1)夏代文化层时期,气候温暖湿润,生态环境良好,人类活动与自然环境和谐度高,有原始的手工业活动记录。2)东周时期气候开始进入干旱期,干旱程度在上东周文化层中部逐渐加深(LOI=6.98%),到了上东周文化层顶部气候进入暖湿期。该层Cu含量的异常高值(0.31mg/g)和出土的青铜器表明本文化层反映了青铜社会的繁荣期,而P含量的高值(22.73mg/g)和动物骨屑则反映了该期人们驯养、捕猎动物的普遍性。3)明清时期的气候趋于干凉,明代文化层中部有短暂暖湿期,后又进入冷干期。清代文化层中下部有暖湿特征,之后重新进入干冷期。该层Ca(均值101.5mg/g),Mg(均值60.27mg/g),Zn和Pb的高含量表明遗址曾有过制陶(瓷)业的历史。另外,Mg和Ca含量的高值与耕作区、墙壁灰浆、生活垃圾堆积等人类活动相关。Ca和Mg含量在近现代层逐步升高揭示了人类活动逐渐增强的事实。地层的平均粒径自上东周文化层(<142cm)开始出现振荡,暗示汉江洪水和季节性山洪发生的频率不断增加,表明恶劣环境条件虽然促进了人类生产力水平的提高,但原始生态系统却遭到破坏,人类活动对自然环境的正反馈效应日益凸显。     

加固含水平软弱层高陡边坡预应力锚索倾角的取值范围

用直线和曲线滑面两种模型，模拟预应力锚索加固含有水平软弱层的高陡边坡的潜在滑动面，通过对锚索加固的力学机理分析来阐述预应力在滑动面主滑方向上产生分力的原因。从锚索受力角度上对锚索倾角的取值范围进行探讨，结合实际造孔过程有不同程度的孔斜或弯曲以及获取较好的锚固灌浆效果，就仰角锚固和俯角锚固两种锚固条件分别得出锚索倾角的取值范围，并以此来判定锚索的预应力是否会在滑动面走向方向上产生不利于坡体稳定的下滑力。