Tephrochronology and tephrostratigraphy of two Pleistocene continental fossiliferous successions from central Italy

The stratigraphical context of two Middle Pleistocene fossiliferous palaeosols from Central Italy (Abruzzo and Tuscany) have been studied. Small mammals and molluscs occur in both palaeosols, which are covered by tephra layers that were analysed using an interdisciplinary approach. Application of fission‐track dating to apatites separated from the Case Picconetto tephra (Pescara, Abruzzo), yielded an age of 0.48 ± 0.04 Ma, indistinguishable from those previously determined for the Campani Quarry (Lower Valdarno, Tuscany) (0.46 ± 0.05 Ma and 0.48 ± 0.05 Ma). Geochemical and petrographic investigations indicate that these tephra originated from different volcanoes, the Alban Hills Volcanic Complex and the Vico Volcano (Latium) respectively. Small mammal and mollusc assemblages indicate different palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental conditions for the Case Picconetto and Campani Quarry palaeosols. Warm and humid conditions can be inferred for the Campani Quarry site, whereas open and cold conditions can be inferred for Case Picconetto. On the basis of faunal data, fission‐track dates and attribution of tephra to specific volcanic eruptions, we suggest a correlation of these faunas with marine oxygen isotope stage 14 (Case Picconetto) and with marine oxygen isotope stage 11 (Campani Quarry), respectively. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rift-related Jurassic basaltic phreatomagmatic volcanism in the central Transantarctic Mountains: precursory stage to flood-basalt effusion

 The Middle Jurassic Kirkpatrick flood basalts and comagmatic Ferrar intrusions in the Transantarctic Mountains represent a major pulse of tholeiitic magmatism related to early stages in the breakup of Gondwana. A record of the volcano-tectonic events leading to formation of this continental flood-basalt province is provided by strata underlying and only slightly predating the Kirkpatrick lavas. In the central Transantarctic Mountains, the lavas rest on widespread (≥7500 km²) tholeiitic pyroclastic deposits of the Prebble Formation. The Prebble Formation is dominated by lahar deposits and is an unusual example of a regionally developed basaltic lahar field. Related, partly fault-controlled pyroclastic intrusions cut underlying strata, and vents are represented by the preserved flanks of two small tephra cones associated with a volcanic neck. Lahar and air-fall deposits typically contain 50–60% accidental lithic fragments and sand grains derived from underlying Triassic – Lower Jurassic strata in the upper part of the Beacon Supergroup. Juvenile basaltic ash and fine lapilli consist of nonvesicular to scoriaceous tachylite, sideromelane, and palagonite, and have characteristics indicating derivation from hydrovolcanic eruptions. The abundance of accidental debris from underlying Beacon strata points to explosive phreatomagmatic interaction of basaltic magma with wet sediment and groundwater, which appears to have occurred in particular where rising magma intersected upper Beacon sand aquifers. Composite clasts in the lahar deposits exhibit complex peperitic textures formed during fine-scale intermixing of basaltic magma with wet sand and record steps in subsurface fuel-coolant interactions leading to explosive eruption. The widespread, sustained phreatomagmatic activity is inferred to have occurred in a groundwater-rich topographic basin linked to an evolving Jurassic rift zone in the Transantarctic Mountains. Coeval basaltic phreatomagmatic deposits of the Mawson and Exposure Hill Formations, which underlie exposures of the Kirkpatrick Basalt up to 1500 km to the north along strike in Victoria Land, appear to represent other parts of a regional, extension-related Middle Jurassic phreatomagmatic province which developed immediately prior to rapid outpouring of the flood basalts. This is consistent with models which assign an important role to lithospheric stretching in the generation of flood-basalt provinces. Received: 28 August 1995 / Accepted: 18 April 1996     

A transdisciplinary analysis of water problems in the mountainous karst areas of Morocco

Water management and engineering in the karstic High Atlas of Morocco are difficult tasks under the prevailing geological, hydrogeological, geomorphological, vegetational and climatic conditions. It is important to be able to understand and predict the characteristics and availability of water for future water planning in the region under changing climatic and agricultural conditions. An interdisciplinary analysis of problems and adequate hydrological modelling tools developed by geologists, hydrologists and biologists are necessary. The karst areas of the High Atlas Mountains are characterised by impermeable triassic basalt underlying substantial subsurface reservoirs with high potential discharge rates. The karst groundwater aquifers are extensive but largely unknown in dimension, probably with a hierarchical network of groundwater flow paths. It is estimated that approximately 70% of the surface water is directly lost to groundwater. Steep landslide- and debris flow prone slopes exist next to coarse-grained, highly porous river beds. Infrequent, high intensity rainfall or snowmelt causes a particularly high flood risk to these karst areas. In addition, agriculture and land use changes have degraded the karst areas. The most important driving forces for degradation include permanent overgrazing even during droughts and the use of firewood by a continually growing population. Large scale degradation of vegetation has occurred in the oro-mediterranean (mountainous Mediterranean) zone, between 2600 and 3400 m which coincides with the most important zone for karstic groundwater creation. The combination of high amounts of groundwater flow and rapid surface flow due to sparse vegetation has increased the problems of flood flow.     

山西霍山植物群落主要层LAI垂直分布规律

在山西霍山七里峪林场，采用间接的光学测量方法对沿着海拔分布的植物群落主要层叶面积指数（LAI）进行了测量，从不同的角度对LAI的垂直分布规律进行分析。结果表明：1．海拔不同，LAI表现出很大的差异，海拔1750m左右的LAI值大于较高与较低海拔的；对LAI和海拔之间的关系进行回归，得到LAI分布的拟合方程：y=b0＋b1x＋b2x^2＋b3x^3（R=0．712，P〈0．01）。2．同一海拔样带，阴坡LAI均大于阳坡，但对同种种群来说，阴坡树种平均胸径并不一定均大于阳坡。3．植被类型LAI比较表现为：低山针叶林〈低山灌丛〈落叶阔叶林〈落叶针叶林〈常绿针叶林；而主要群系LAI比较表现为：油松林（0．38）〈落叶松林（0．78）〈山杨林及其混交林（1．09）〈白桦林（2．00）〈辽东栎林及其混交林（3．73）。4．典型群落LAI值变化分析和人工林与天然林以，比较表明，LAI值在一定海拔达到最大值，这对于山西霍山人工林栽培和丰产林培育等具有重要意义。     

大别山超高压石榴多硅白云母片岩中钻石U－Pb年龄

大别山超高压石榴多硅白云母片岩中钻石Ｕ－Ｐｂ年龄刘晓春（中国地质科学院地质力学研究所，北京１０００８１）李惠民，左义成（地质矿产部天津地质矿产研究所，天津３００１７０）关键词石榴多硅白云母片岩，Ｕ－Ｐｈ年龄，早元古代表壳岩，印支期超高压变质，大别山高...     

火山作用—深成作用的相互联系

火山作用－深成作用的相互联系是研究岩浆活动从侵入到喷出，以及演化和发展的重要内容。高位深成岩体是其过渡类型，其中中心式环状杂岩体尤为重要，关键是要识别含棱角状捕掳体及破碎捕掳晶的侵入凝灰岩，包括侵入角砾岩，爆发角砾岩等一系列具侵入特征的火成碎屑岩类；大量的上覆火山岩碎块作为捕掳体出现在充气岩浆中，模糊了深成岩类和火山岩类，但根据产出形态及接触关系等特征仍可加以区别，本文对此问题作了明确的阐明，并以玉华山杂岩体为实例加以简要的论述     

Geochemistry of the subduction-related magmatic rocks in the Dahong Mountains, northern Hubei Province——Constraint on the existence and subduction of the eastern Mianle oceanic basin

Being a composite collisional orogen between North China and South China blocks, the Qinling orogenic belt is the key to understand the composite combination, prolonged evolutionary history and their continental dynamics. The main suture between north and south Qinling, called Shangdan suture zone (SDSZ), had been studied in detail for about twenty years. Recently, another suture zone, called Mianl黣 suture zone (MLSZ), has been identified in the Qinling Mountains. It is characterized b…     

天山山区近40a年降水变化特征与南、北疆的比较

本文分析了天山山区近40 a来年降水变化的基本特征，并与南疆、北疆进行了比较，所得的主要结果如下：(1)天山山区在年降水量干湿变化阶段上与北疆的相似性强于南疆。(2)年降水量的空间分布的同步变化性以北疆为最好，南疆最差，天山山区居中，而年降水量的空间分布的反向变化性，以天山山区为最大，北疆最小，南疆居中。(3)天山山区与南疆从60年代到90年代，年降水均表现出了持续的增加的趋势，北疆年降水从60年代到90年代，除70年代外，不断增多。     

西天山艾肯达坂组火山岩系同位素定年及其构造意义

西天山艾肯达坂地区较好发育了艾肯达坂纽红色陆相火山岩建造．它不整合在下石炭统大哈拉军山组之上,未经变形和变质，属于陆陆碰撞晚期的橄榄安粗岩系，其年龄确定是厘定从碰撞造山向陆内构造演化的关键。因此,通过16件新获得的钾氩年龄测值，确定艾肯达坂组火山岩系形成在260Ma～270Ma之间，属早二叠世，而不是过去认为的石炭纪；西天山的陆陆碰撞应在二叠纪末结束,此后进入陆内造山阶段。