Mangshan loess on China’ s Central Plain and its response to tectonic movement and climate*

The Mangshan loess on China’s Central Plain, located on the transitional zone between the uplifting Loess Plateau and the subsiding North China Plain, is a proximal sandy loess transported from the fanhead of alluvial fan in the lower reaches of the Yellow River and has recorded the coupling effect of the tectonics and climate over the last 200 ka. An abrupt environmental change indicated by the abrupt rise of deposit rate in the late penultimate glaciation, about 150 ka BP, took place; that is, the Yellow River downcut and moved eastwards through the Sanmenxia Gorge and transported abundant materials from the Loess Plateau to form paleosol S1 with a thickness of 15.7 m and loess L1 with a thickness of 77.3 m. The loess-paleosol sequence at Mangshan has not only recorded detailed climate responses of this area to the East Asian monsoon, but also reflects the tectonogenetic environmental effect caused by the trunk stream of the Yellow River cutting through Sanmenxia Gorge into sea. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No..49572132).     

再探中国大陆第四纪地壳运动时程

以柴达木盆地新构造运动发生的期次、黄河兰州谷地出现的突出构造事件、阿尔金断裂带第四纪所经历的大运动阶段、攀西裂谷区新构造运动分期、北京地区南段新构造运动波动、全国一些地区断裂活动时序等为例证,再次证明了第四纪以来中国大陆地壳活动具有明显的时段性,４次强烈的构造活动分别发生在上新世末至早更新世初、早更新世中晚期、中更新世中晚期和全新世。其中,以中更新世中晚期地壳活动强度最大、波及范围最广     

Optically stimulated luminescence dating of sediments from the Yellow River terraces in Lanzhou: Tectonic and climatic implications

The stratigraphic chronology of Yellow River terraces was investigated and studied in Lanzhou Basin, western Chinese Loess Plateau. The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating results show that terraces T₁, T₂ and T₃ formed at 8 ka, 20 ka and 70 ka, respectively. Lateral accretion of the riverbed facies gravel sediments occurred during interglacial periods while vertical aggradations of the terrace sediments deposited predominantly under cold and dry glacial period. A thick layer of aeolian loess with a basal age about 35 ka indicates a remarkable drop of air temperature and a dry, cold climate. The temporal correlation between terrace formation and tectonic movement has not yet been established in this research, but the stratigraphic chronology of the terrace sections provides the timing of the terrace formation, the incision rate of the Yellow River, and the slip rate of the fault horizon.     

A 2.8 Ma record of environmental evolution and tectonic events inferred from the Cuoe core in the middle of Tibetan Plateau

Based on a multi-proxy investigation into the deep core of the Cuoe Lake in the middle of Tibetan Plateau, a 2.8 Ma paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental evolution is reconstructed. The result of magnetic stratum indicates that the lake basin was formed at about 2.8 MaBP, while the multi-proxy analyses of lithology, grain size, magnetic susceptibility and geochemical elements reveal that there have been three major environmental evolution stages and at least two intensive uplifts of the Tibetan Plateau in the lake basin area, i.e. during 2.8-2.5 MaBP, the lake basin came into being as a result of the disaggregation of the planation surface and rapid rising of the Tibetan Plateau. During 2.5-0.8 MaBP, with gradual uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, the environment of this area was more effectively controlled by the climatic cycle of the alternative glacial-interglacial stages. After 0.8 MaBP, the middle part of the Plateau accelerated its uplift and entered cryoshere.     

Mineral composition and particle size distribution of river sediment and loess in the middle and lower Yellow River

Hyperconcentrated flows often occur in the middle and lower Yellow River(MLYR)and its tributaries,within which the main sediment source originates from the Loess Plateau of China due to serious water erosion.Little is known about the properties of river sediment that is transported by hyperconcentrated flows,particularly with respect to the mineral composition and size distribution.Samples of sediment and loess were collected in the northern,middle,and southern Loess Plateau and the mainstream and tributaries of the MLYR.A total of 18 loess samples and 24 river sediment samples were analyzed to determine their sediment size distribution and mineral composition.The bottom loess samples reflected the original sedimentary features of the Loess Plateau,and the median particle size reduced,and the clay content increased from the north to the south of the study region.The surface loess has been weathered under the action of wind and rainfall,and the clay particle content in the surface loess samples was higher than that in the undisturbed bottom loess.Erosion of the surface soil due to rainfall and surface runoff means that fine particles(mostly clay)have been washed away.The median diameter of surface loess particles was a little larger than that of the bottom loess particles where water erosion dominates.The particle size became coarser with increasing distance from the estuary in the MLYR,which reflects depositional sorting in the river channel.Significant logarithmic relations were found between the median diameter of the sediment particles and the i)non-clay mineral content and ii)clay mineral content.Thus,clay and non-clay mineral compositions can be conveniently estimated from the particle size distribution.     

Evolution of the Ordos Plateau and environmental effects

Based on the analysis of temporary-spatial distribution, geomorphic position, contact relationship with underlying strata and grain size of red clay, we studied the formation and environmental background of red clay. During late Miocene-Pliocene, the Ordos Block finished the transformation from the basin to the plateau, which had an obvious environmental effect on the topography, indicated by the formation of highland undergoing wind erosion and lowland receiving red clay deposits. The red clay materials were sourced from dusts carried by wind energy and covered on the initial topography. Unlike Quaternary loess dust covering the overall the Loess Plateau, red clay deposited on the highland would be transported to the lowlands by wind and fluvial process. As a result, there was no continuous "Red Clay Plateau" in the Ordos region and red clay was only preserved in former lowlands. However, red clay was discontinuously distributed through the Loess Plateau and to some extent modified the initial topography. The differential uplift in interior plateau is indicated by the uplift of northern Baiyushan, central Ziwuling and southern Weibeibeishan. The Weibeibeishan Depression formed earlier and became the sedimentary center of red clay resulting in the thicker red clay deposits in Chaona, Lingtai and Xunyi. Since Quaternary the aridity in the northern plateau enhanced and accelerated loess accumulation caused the formation of the Loess Plateau. During the late Pleistocene the rapid uplift led to the enhancement of erosion. Especially after the cut-through of Sanme Lake by the Yellow River, the decline of base level caused the falling of ground water level and at the same time the increase of drainage density resulting in the enhancement of evaporation capacity, which enhanced the aridity tendency of aridity in the Loess Plateau region.     

Evolution of the Ordos Plateau and environmental effects

Based on the analysis of temporary-spatial distribution, geomorphic position, contact relationship with underlying strata and grain size of red clay, we studied the formation and environmental background of red clay. During late Miocene-Pliocene, the Ordos Block finished the transformation from the basin to the plateau, which had an obvious environmental effect on the topography, indicated by the formation of highland undergoing wind erosion and lowland receiving red clay deposits. The red clay materials were sourced from dusts carried by wind energy and covered on the initial topography. Unlike Quaternary loess dust covering the overall the Loess Plateau, red clay deposited on the highland would be transported to the lowlands by wind and fluvial process. As a result, there was no continuous “Red Clay Plateau” in the Ordos region and red clay was only preserved in former lowlands. However, red clay was discontinuously distributed through the Loess Plateau and to some extent modified the initial topography. The differential uplift in interior plateau is indicated by the uplift of northern Baiyushan, central Ziwuling and southern Weibeibeishan. The Weibeibeishan Depression formed earlier and became the sedimentary center of red clay resulting in the thicker red clay deposits in Chaona, Lingtai and Xunyi. Since Quaternary the aridity in the northern plateau enhanced and accelerated loess accumulation caused the formation of the Loess Plateau. During the late Pleistocene the rapid uplift led to the enhancement of erosion. Especially after the cut-through of Sanme Lake by the Yellow River, the decline of base level caused the falling of ground water level and at the same time the increase of drainage density resulting in the enhancement of evaporation capacity, which enhanced the aridity tendency of aridity in the Loess Plateau region.     

Distribution of uranium isotopes in the main channel of Yellow river (Huanghe), China

Uranium isotopes were measured in waters and suspended particulate matters (SPM) of the main channel of Yellow River, China that were sampled during four field trips between August 2005 and July 2006. The results show that the concentration of dissolved U (2.04–7.83 μg/l) and the activity ratio of ²³⁴U/²³⁸U (1.36–1.67) are much higher than the average U concentrations and activity ratios of global major rivers. Mass balance calculations using the results of simulated experiments and measurement data show that the section of the Yellow River between Lanzhou and Sanmenxia has its dissolved U derived from two sources: suspended sediments (68%) and groundwater/runoff from loess deposits (32%). Both sources are related to the heavy erosion of the Chinese Loess Plateau.     

Late quaternary monsoon patterns on the Loess Plateau of China

China's Loess Plateau was formed under special conditions. The tectonic movement, topographical characteristics, and monsoon patterns combined to create a favourable environment for the accumulation of thick loessic deposits. The Loess Plateau itself is part of the ‘Monsoon Triangle’ of China, a region very susceptible to climatic changes. Throughout the Upper Pleistocene the palaeoenvironment on the Loess Plateau alternated from steppe, to deciduous forest and coniferous forest, in response to shifts in the atmospheric circulation. Three monsoon patterns appear to be indicated: (1) a full glacial monsoon pattern (18000–15000 yr BP) which induced a cold and dry climate favouring loess accumulation in steppe conditions; (2) an interglacial monsoon pattern (last interglacial and Holocene) in which a warm humid climate prevailed with deciduous forests, leaving palaeosols interbedded within the loess sequence; and (3) a transitional or interstadial monsoon pattern (50 000–23 000 yr BP) in which the climate was cold and humid in the Loess Plateau, encouraging the development of coniferous forest.     

Clay mineral records of the Erlangjian drill core sediments from the Lake Qinghai Basin,China

Located at the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) in the Asian interior, the Lake Qinghai is sensitive to environmental change and thus an outstanding site for studying paleoenvironmental changes. Thick deposits in the Lake Qinghai provide important geological archives for obtaining high-resolution records of continental environmental history. The longest drilling core obtained from the Lake Qinghai, named Erlangjian (ELJ), reached about 1109 m and was investigated to determine its clay mineral assemblage and grain size distributions. Clay mineralogical proxies, including type, composition, and their ratios, as well as the illite crystallinity (KI) and chemical index (CI), in combination with grain size data, were used for reconstructing the history of paleoenvironmental evolution since the late Miocene in the Lake Qinghai Basin. The clay mineral records indicate that the clay mainly comprise detritus originating from peripheral material and has experienced little or no diagenesis. The proportion of authigenic origin was minor. Illite was the most abundant clay mineral, followed by chlorite, kaolinite, and smectite. Variations of clay mineral indexes reflect the cooling and drying trends in the Lake Qinghai region, and the grain size distribution is coincided with the clay minerals indexes. The paleoclimatic evolution of the Lake Qinghai Basin since the late Miocene can be divided into five intervals. The climate was relatively warm and wet in the early of late Miocene, then long-term trends in climate change character display cooling and drying; later in the late Miocene until early Pliocene the climate was in a short relatively warm and humid period; since then the climate was relatively colder and drier. These results also suggest multiple tectonic uplift events in the northeastern QTP.     

Unique landslides (loess slide-flows) induced by an extreme rainstorm in 2018 on the Loess Plateau: A new geological hazard and erosion process

Currently, the vegetation has recovered well in most areas of the Loess Plateau in China, and soil erosion has significantly decreased. However, the heavy rainfall event in July 2018 triggered many instances of a unique type of loess landslides(i.e., slide-flows) on the gully-slopes with vegetation recovery in the Nanxiaohegou Basin on the Loess Plateau. This rainfall event was unusual and was a persistent heavy rainfall. The accumulated rainfall from 24 June to 10 July was 232.2 mm, which compr...     

Erosion-control mechanism of sediment check dams on the Loess Plateau

Severe soil erosion occurs on the Loess Plateau in China, which makes the Yellow River the most sediment-laden river in the world. Construction of about 60,000 sediment check dams has remarkably controlled soil erosion on the Loess Plateau and reduced the sediment load of the middle and lower Yellow River. Nonetheless, little is known about the mechanism of erosion control and vegetation development of sediment check dams. The function of a single check dam mainly is trapping sediment, while the function of a train of check dams comprising dozens of or over hundreds of check dams in a gully encompasses controlling bed incision and reducing erosion energy. A formula was proposed to calculate the potential energy of bank failure and slope failure in a gully, which essentially constitutes the erosion energy. The erosion energy increases when gully incision occurs, which is induced by the incision of the Yellow River and its tributaries on the Loess Plateau. Sediment deposition in many gullies due to construction of check dams reduces the erosion energy to almost zero, which in turn greatly reduces soil erosion and sediment yield. Construction of check dams promotes vegetation development. The vegetation-erosion dynamics model was used to study the effect of check dams on vegetation development. Simulation results show that reforestation without check dam construction might result in an increase of vegetation cover in the first ten years and then a drop of vegetation cover to less than 10% in the later years. The check dams provide a foundation for vegetation development.     

Taphonomic and paleoenvironmental issues of the Pleistocene loessic Paleolithic sites in the Qinling Mountains,central China

Hinterland intermountain basins and northern and southern piedmonts of the Qinling Mountains accumulated a large amount of loess during the Pleistocene. The loess strata not only record local paleogeographic and paleoenvironmental changes, but also contain rich hominin fossils and Paleolithic remains. In the northern piedmont of the Qinling Mountains and the lower valley of the South Luohe River, the loess strata have multi loess-paleosol sequences with aeolian loess continuously accumulating during glacial and interglacial cycles. In contrast to the northern piedmont, loess stratigraphy in the hinterland intermountain basins of the Qinling Mountains is relatively thin and contains finer loess particles. In this “mini” type of loess stratum, the density of Paleolithic remain generally is higher than the Loess Plateau in the north of the Qinling Mountains. Based on stratigraphic, chronological, and lithic artifacts analysis in recent years, it appears that the regional lithic assemblage belongs to the Oldowan (Mode I) lithic industry, and it is dominated by choppers, cores, flakes, and simple retouched flake tools from 1.15 to 0.6 Ma. Paleolithic open-air sites such as Gongwangling and Chenjiawo in the Lantian area, Shangbaichuan and Liuwan in the Luonan Basin, Qiaojiayao in the Lushi Basin, Longgangsi and Yaochangwan in the Hanzhong Basin, Guanmiao in the Ankang Basin, and the Yunxian Man Site in the Yunxian Basin are representative sites in the region; from 400 to 250 ka, the Longyadong cave site in the Luonan Basin inherited the characteristics of the local Mode I lithic industry, the stone assemblage is made up of cores, flakes, and small retouched flake tools, such as scrapers, points, and burins; during the period from 250 to 50 ka, bi-facially retouched Acheulean tools (Model II), such as hand-axes, picks, and cleavers, were commonly found in the Qinling Mountains region. The emergence of a large number of Model II artifacts indicates that local lithic industries went through a major transition process. Zhanghuokou, Guoyuan, and Huaishuping sites in the Luonan Basin, Diaozhai, Ganyu, Laochihe, and Xiehu sites in the Lantian area, Hejialiang site in the Hanzhong Basin are representative sites in this period; to the turn of the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene, it may also exist a small flake-retouched tools lithic industry in the piedmonts of the northern and southern sides of the Qinling Mountains. The lithic assemblages in different stages of the Qinling Mountains region reflect the hominin behavioral changes and the development of lithic technology during the Pleistocene.     

Late Cenozoic deformation subsequence in northeastern margin of Tibet --Detrital AFT records from Linxia Basin

Two events of Tibet uplifting are revealed by detrital apatite fission track (AFT) age data from Linxia Basin. They occurred at about 14 and 5.4-8.0 MaBP respectively. We interpret the first one to be related to the uplifting of the northern Tibet, which might have resulted from convectively removing the thickened lower lithosphere. The second one is a result of Laji Mountain uplifting. Numerous studies of the Tibetan Plateau suggest that the onset time of the deformation in the northeastern margin of Tibetan Plateau and the time of Tibet attaining to its present elevation is about 8 MaBP. They are approximately coincident with the uplift of Lajishan Mountain. It suggests that the northeastern margin of Tibet propagated northeastwardly to its present site in about 8 MaBP for accommodating the sustained convergence between India-Eurasia plate and for keeping its high elevation. The active block pattern dominating the strong earthquake distribution of Chinese continent probably formed at about 8.0-5.4 MaBP.     

Late Cenozoic deformation subsequence in northeastern margin of Tibet —Detrital AFT records from Linxia Basin

Two events of Tibet uplifting are revealed by detrital apatite fission track (AFT) age data from Linxia Basin. They occurred at about 14 and 5.4-8.0 MaBP respectively. We interpret the first one to be related to the uplifting of the northern Tibet, which might have resulted from convectively removing the thickened lower lithosphere. The second one is a result of Laji Mountain uplifting. Numerous studies of the Tibetan Plateau suggest that the onset time of the deformation in the northeastern margin of Tibetan Plateau and the time of Tibet attaining to its present elevation is about 8 MaBP. They are approximately coincident with the uplift of Lajishan Mountain. It suggests that the northeastern margin of Tibet propagated northeastwardly to its present site in about 8 MaBP for accommodating the sustained convergence between India-Eurasia plate and for keeping its high elevation. The active block pattern dominating the strong earthquake distribution of Chinese continent probably formed at about 8.0-5.4 MaBP.

     

渤海海域主要新构造活动断裂带

渤海位于渤海湾盆地的东部,是我国华北地区新构造活动最强烈的地区之一,盆地内的沉积盖层(N-Q)中断裂极为发育。许多研究者从不同角度对渤海新构造进行过研究,但认识不一。笔者基于以往的工作,对该区新构造作了较深入的分析,确定渤海新构造运动起始于中新世晚期(12~10Ma BP)。从三维空间分析盖层断裂,并按其与盆地基底断裂的成因关系,将新构造活动的断裂分为继续活动断裂和新生断裂,并划分出3条主要的新构造活动断裂带:北东(偏北)向营口-潍坊断裂带北段是继续活动构造带,右旋逆平移活动,活动性弱;北西西向北京-蓬莱断裂带亦为继续活动构造带,左旋正平移活动,活动性较强;北东向庙西北-黄河口断裂带为新生构造带,右旋平移活动,活动性强。后两者组成一对以庙西北-黄河口断裂带为主的偏共轭活动构造带,该区域地震活动与之关系密切。最后探讨了渤海地区新构造期北东东-南西西至近东西向水平挤压的构造应力场及其与新构造活动断裂带发育的关系。提出新构造应力场与古近纪盆地裂陷阶段的应力场截然不同,新构造为地壳共轭剪切破裂系统,古近纪盆地构造是发育于地壳上部的伸展构造系统,这是两期不同体制的构造系统。     

Preliminary study of mollusk fossils in the Qinan Miocene loess-soil sequence in western Chinese Loess Plateau

The Qinan Miocene loess-soil sequence (~22―6.2 Ma)[1] discovered from the Gansu Group[2] several years ago extends the well-known Quaternary loess-soil sequence and the late Tertiary Red Clay se-quence of the Loess Plateau to early Miocene epoch. Most recently, the Dongwan late Miocene–Pliocene loess-soil sequence (~7.1―3.5 Ma)[3] further extends the upper limit of the reported Qinan Miocene loess-soil sequence into the Pliocene. These extensions have great potentials for the study o…     

History and variability of Asian interior aridity recorded by eolian flux in the Chinese Loess Plateau during the past 7 Ma

Eolian flux in the Chinese Loess Plateau was reconstructed by measuring the dry bulk density and CaCO3 content of the late Cenozoic loess-paleosol-red clay sequences in the Lingtai profile. Comparison of eolian flux variation between the Lingtai profile and the ODP sites 885/886 in the North Pacific shows a significant wet-dry variability in addition to a gradual drying trend in the dust source regions in interior Asia. Especially, the increase of eolian fluxes from both continental and pelagic eolian sediments indicates a sharp drying of the dust source regions between 3.6 and 2.6 MaBP, which might be attributed to the tectonic uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, which cut down the moisture input to the interior Asia. The average value and variability of eolian flux are higher after 2.6 MaBP than before, which may be related to the Quaternary climatic fluctuations on the glacial-interglacial timescale after the commencement of major Northern Hemisphere Glaciations. The eolian fluxes of the Lingtai profile and Core V21-146 in northwest Pacific show a synchronous variation on the 104-105 a timescale, indicating that the flux variations from both continental and marine records are closely correlated to the Quaternary climatic fluctuation forced by the ice volume changes on a global scale.     

鄂尔多斯高原河曲段黄河阶地构造变形研究

通过对河曲县城一带出露较好的黄河阶地剖面进行研究,认为河曲一带黄河三、四级阶地形成于中更新世时期,晚更新世早期形成二级阶地,全新世形成一级阶地。本区中更新世抬升速率为0．14mm／a,晚更新世抬升速率为0．18mm／a,全新世抬升速率为0．70mm／a,晚更新世和全新世抬升速率的突然加大,可能与黄河下游三门湖的贯通、区域侵蚀基准面突然降低、河流侵蚀加大有关。     

DEM-based numerical modelling of runoff and soil erosion processes in the hilly–gully loess regions

For sake of improving our current understanding on soil erosion processes in the hilly–gully loess regions of the middle Yellow River basin in China, a digital elevation model (DEM)-based runoff and sediment processes simulating model was developed. Infiltration excess runoff theory was used to describe the runoff generation process while a kinematic wave equation was solved using the finite-difference technique to simulate concentration processes on hillslopes. The soil erosion processes were modelled using the particular characteristics of loess slope, gully slope, and groove to characterize the unique features of steep hillslopes and a large variety of gullies based on a number of experiments. The constructed model was calibrated and verified in the Chabagou catchment, located in the middle Yellow River of China and dominated by an extreme soil-erosion rate. Moreover, spatio-temporal characterization of the soil erosion processes in small catchments and in-depth analysis between discharge and sediment concentration for the hyper-concentrated flows were addressed in detail. Thereafter, the calibrated model was applied to the Xingzihe catchment, which is dominated by similar soil erosion processes in the Yellow River basin. Results indicate that the model is capable of simulating runoff and soil erosion processes in such hilly–gully loess regions. The developed model are expected to contribute to further understanding of runoff generation and soil erosion processes in small catchments characterized by steep hillslopes, a large variety of gullies, and hyper-concentrated flow, and will be beneficial to water and soil conservation planning and management for catchments dealing with serious water and soil loss in the Loess Plateau.