Water in granulites: implications for the nature and evolution of the lower continental crust

The tower continental crust is one of the most important sphere-layers in the deep earth, and is the direct place where the crust-mantle interactions occur. Granulttes are the dominated rocks in the lower crust, and have critical implications for the knowledge of the composition, nature and evolution of the deep crust; fluids are important mediums influencing many geochemical, geophysical and geodynamical characteristics of the lower crust, and may also play a fundamental role in the petrogenesis of granulites and the formation of the lower crusts. In this paper, we review recent advances involved with the deep continental crust, granulites and fluids, and some longstanding debates. Combined with the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis performed on the mineral assemblages (cpx, opx, plag and grt) in lower crustal granulite xenoliths and terrains (exposed section) from east China, it is suggested that structural water, dominated by OH, in these nominally anhydrous phases may constitute the most important water reservoir in the deep crust. This structual water may help to understand many lower crustal geological processes and phenomena (e.g. seismic activities and electrical conductive anomalies), and influences from these water must be taken into consideration.     

Late Cenozoic history of deep water circulation in the western North Pacific: Evidence from Nd isotopes of ferromanganese crusts

Despite its importance in regulating the global climate, the past deep ocean circulation in the western North Pacific has still been poorly understood. Nd isotopes of ferromanganese crusts have been proven to be a good proxy to monitor paleoceanic circulation changes. In this study, late Cenozoic Nd isotopic records are recovered from two ferromanganese crusts located near Mariana arc but at different water depths (MKD13: 1530 m, MDD53: 2700 m), and their implications for paleocirculation change in this area are explored. From the early to late Miocene, Nd isotopic compositions of MDD53 remained stable, and they were also characterized by the least radiogenic signatures ( Nd4.0 to5.0) compared to crusts of similar water depths in the Miocene North Pacific. Afterward, an abrupt increase in its Nd value occurred in the Pliocene. In contrast, Nd isotopes of MKD13 became more radio- genic with time in the Miocene and were almost invariable thereafter. The continual increase in Nd of shallower crust MKD13 is interpreted as reflecting progressive closure of Indonesian Seaway in the Miocene, while the deep western boundary current sourced from the Southern Pacific may have dominated Nd isotopes of deeper crust MDD53 during the same time interval. The lack of Nd isotopic variation of MKD13 in the Pliocene indicates that there were no changes in Nd sources in shallower waters and the final restriction between the Indian and Pacific may have only occurred since then. Therefore the observed large shift to more radiogenic Nd isotopes of MDD53 in the Pliocene should not be resulted from changes in vertical input from shallower to deeper water. Instead, a decreased ventilation of deep southern component current along the studied water depth range (~2700 m) may have continued in the Pliocene.     

Relationship between the tropical cyclone genesis over the Northwest Pacific and the sea surface temperature anomalies

Using the tropical cyclone (TC) data derived from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and the sea surface temperature data derived from the Joint Environmental Data Analysis Center (JEDAC) at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography from January 1955 to December 2000, we analyzed the relationship between the TC genesis over the Northwest Pacific (NWP) and the sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) over the Pacific basin. A long-term trend indicated that the highest frequency of monthly TC genesis appeared earlier and the annual genesis sum increased gradually during the last half century with some oscillations. No significant synchronous correlation was found between the NWP TC events and the SSTA over the Pacific basin, while the annual sum of TC genesis was closely related with the SSTA averaged from the first three months (January, February and March) of the year in the equatorial western and eastern Pacific and over mid-high latitudes of the North Pacific. The results implied that there are an interannual El Nio SSTA mode in the equatorial western and eastern Pacific and an interdecadal SSTA mode in the northern Pacific, which affected the TC genesis. A regression analysis between the first three-month SSTA and the annual TC sum based on two time scales was conducted. The correlation coefficient between simulated and observed TC sums reached a high value of 0.77.     

Ecological and environmental explanation of microbiotic crusts on sand dune scales in the Gurbantonggut Desert, Xinjiang

Results obtained from the field investigation and the analysis in laboratory show that many species of microbiotic crusts of lichens, mosses and algae develop extensively in the Gurbantonggut Desert, Xinjiang. The formation, species and distribution are closely related to the environmental conditions at the different positions of sand dunes. The animalcule crusts develop mainly on the mobile or semi-mobile sand surface of dune tops, the alga crusts develop mainly at the upper to middle parts of dune slopes, the lichen crusts develop at middle and lower parts of dune slopes, and the moss crusts are mainly distributed at the lower part of dune slopes and the interdune lowlands. The species, thickness and developing degree of microbiotic crusts increase from the upper part to the middle and lower parts of dune slopes and the interdune lowlands, and an obvious contrast between the microbiotic crusts and the different species of plant communities forms. The development and differentiation of microbiotic crusts at the different positions of dunes are the ecological appearance and the natural selection of synthetic adaptability of the different microbiotic crust species to the local environmental conditions, and are closely related to the ecological conditions, such as the physiochemical properties of soils and stability of topsoil texture.     

Water in granulites: implications for the nature and evolution of the lower continental crust

The lower continental crust is one of the most important sphere-layers in the deep earth, and is the direct place where the crust-mantle interactions occur. Granulites are the dominated rocks in the lower crust, and have critical implications for the knowledge of the composition, nature and evolution of the deep crust; fluids are important mediums influencing many geochemical, geophysical and geodynamical characteristics of the lower crust, and may also play a fundamental role in the petrogenesis of granulites and the formation of the lower crusts. In this paper, we review recent advances involved with the deep continental crust, granulites and fluids, and some long-standing debates. Combined with the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis performed on the mineral assemblages (cpx, opx, plag and grt) in lower crustal granulite xenoliths and terrains (exposed section) from east China, it is suggested that structural water, dominated by OH, in these nominally anhydrous phases may constitute the most important water reservoir in the deep crust. This structual water may help to understand many lower crustal geological processes and phenomena (e.g. seismic activities and electrical conductive anomalies), and influences from these water must be taken into consideration.     

Finding of ancient materials in Cathaysia and implication for the formation of Precambrian crust

U-Pb dating for fifty-six detrltsl zircons from a paragneiss in Nanxiong area, northern Guangdong Province, Indicates that the latest Neoproterozoic sediments in Cathaysia hinterland are composed of numerous Grenvillian and Necerchaean clasUc materials, as well as some Mesoproterozolc detritus. Minor Paleoarchaean （3.76 Ga） and Mesoarchaean （3.0-3.2 Ga） zircons, which are the oldest zircons In South China, also are firstly found in the sediments, suggesting that the Cathaysia Block may contsln very old materials. The Hf isotope compositions of thirty-seven zircons reveal that these clastlc materials have different origins. Minor zircons crystslllzed from magma generated from relatively juvenile crust, while the parental magma of most zircons was derived from ancient crust. Integration of U-Pb dating and Hf Isotope analysis of these zircons suggests that the generation of juvenile crust in the Cathaysia block mainly occurred at 2.5-2.6 Ga. Mesoarchaean （3.0-3.3 Ga）, late Paleoproterozolc （-1.8 Ga） and Paleoarchaean （-3.7 Ga） may also be important episodes of crustal growth. Grenvllllan magmatism is extremely Intense, but it mainly involved recycling of ancient crustal components with little formation of Juvenile crust. The marked presence of -2.1 Ga Hf model ages and the absence of the zircons with crystsllizatlon ages at -2.1 Ga suggest that the parental magma of many zircons was probably derived from the mixed source consisting of Neoarchaean and late Paleoproterozoic materlals.     

Variation of the FeMn ratio of ferromanganese crusts from the Central North Pacific: implication for paleoclimate changes

Contents of Fe, Mn and other elements in four ferromanganese crusts recovered from the central North Pacific are analyzed at high depth-resolution by electron microprobe for reconstructing factors controlling their deposition. Manganese (IV) in hydrogenetic ferromanganese crusts is mainly supplied as colloidal precipitates from the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ), which concentrates high amounts of dissolved Mn (II). The iron is derived from carbonate dissolution and silicate particles of eolian dust. An increase in paleoproductivity during cooler climate would potentially lead to a decrease in Mn deposition due to enlargement of the OMZ which has a “temporary storage” effect for Mn. On the other hand, not affected by the OMZ, the iron entering the Fe-Mn crust would likely increase with the eolian dust input and surface productivity at glacial stages. As a result, the increasing FeMn ratio should indicate a cooling climate. This is supported by the following observations. In the profile of the past 1 Ma, the variations of FeMn ratio coincide with benthic oxygen isotope fluctuation in glacial-interglacial cycles. Three episodes with high FeMn ratios, approximately at 2.6, 1.8 and 0.8 Ma, are detected within the past 3 Ma and coincide with major climate transitions and cooling events. The secular evolution pattern of FeMn ratio in the Cenozoic is similar to the Pb isotope evolution which is mainly controlled by eolian dust and related to climate. The FeMn evolution pattern is also broadly consistent with the global deep-sea oxygen isotope records. Therefore, FeMn ratio recorded in the ferromanganese crusts may be a new proxy for climate change.     

Climatic difference in dry and wet season under effect of the Longitudinal Range-Gorge and its influence on transboundary river runoff

Based on observed data of transboundary river runoffs in the Longitudinal Range-Gorge Region （LRGR） and those of precipitation and air temperature fields in Yunnan, climatic variability in dry and wet seasons under the impact of LRGR and its influence on transboundary river runoff are studied by means of statistical analysis and wavelet transforms. Results show that latitude variations of high correlation center for precipitation field and corresponding transboundary river runoff are not so notable due to the underlying topography of LRGR, while longitude variations are highly marked. In dry season, greater precipitation and slighter relative deviation are observed in the eastern part as compared to those in the western part of LRGR; while lower average temperature and greater standard deviation are found in the eastern part. In wet season, greater precipitation and slighter relative deviation are ob- served in the western part, while lower average temperature and similar standard deviation are found in the eastern part. Either in dry or wet season, relative deviation of eastern runoff is always greater than that of the western one. LRGR＇s barrier action is stronger for southwest monsoon but weaker for northeast one. Under the effect of LRGR, precipitation variations in the eastern and western parts are primarily found in smaller timescales, and the variations tend to be insignificant as timescales increase; whereas slighter temperature variations are observed In recent years, precipitation in wet season tended to increase, which in turn resulted in the greater runoff of transboundary rivers. While in the past decade, air temperature showed a climbing trend in both dry and wet season in the LRGR.     

Relationship between the tropical cyclone genesis over the Northwest Pacific and the sea surface temperature anomalies

Using the tropical cyclone (TC) data derived from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and the sea surface temperature data derived from the Joint Environmental Data Analysis Center (JEDAC) at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography from January 1955 to December 2000, we analyzed the relationship between the TC genesis over the Northwest Pacific (NWP) and the sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) over the Pacific basin. A long-term trend indicated that the highest frequency of monthly TC genesis appeared earlier and the annual genesis sum increased gradually during the last half century with some oscillations. No significant synchronous correlation was found between the NWP TC events and the SSTA over the Pacific basin, while the annual sum of TC genesis was closely related with the SSTA averaged from the first three months (January, February and March) of the year in the equatorial western and eastern Pacific and over mid-high latitudes of the North Pacific. The results implied that there are an interannual El Nio SSTA mode in the equatorial western and eastern Pacific and an interdecadal SSTA mode in the northern Pacific, which affected the TC genesis. A regression analysis between the first three-month SSTA and the annual TC sum based on two time scales was conducted. The correlation coefficient between simulated and observed TC sums reached a high value of 0.77.     

Early Pleistocene formation of the asymmetric east-west pattern of upper water structure in the equatorial Pacific Ocean

Surface-and subsurface-dwelling planktonic foraminifera from the upper 43 m of Hole A at the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 807,which was recovered from the western Pacific warm pool during ODP Leg 130,were analyzed for stable oxygen and carbon isotopes.By comparing these results with data from ODP Site 851 in the eastern equatorial Pacific,this study has reconstructed the paleoceanographic changes in upper ocean waters in the equatorial Pacific since 2.5 Ma.During the period from 1.6-1.4 Ma,the oxygen isotopes of surface and subsurface waters were found to markedly change in the western and eastern equatorial Pacific,further confirming the final formation of the well-defined asymmetric east-west (E-W) pattern at that time.This feature was similar to the zonal temperature gradient (sea surface temperature is higher in the west and lower in the east) and the asymmetric upper water structure (thermocline depth is deeper in the west and shallower in the east) in the modern equatorial Pacific.The zonal gradient change of subsurface water δ18O was greater than that of surface water δ18O,indicating that the formation of the asymmetric E-W pattern in the equatorial Pacific should be much more related to the shoaled thermocline and markedly decreased subsurface water temperature in the eastern equatorial Pacific.Moreover,since ～1.6 Ma,the carbon isotopic differences between surface and subsurface waters clearly decreased in the equatorial Pacific,and their long-term eccentricity periods changed from 400 ka to ～500 ka,reflecting the reorganization of the ocean carbon reservoir.This probably resulted from the deep water reorganization in the Southern Ocean at that time and its enhanced influence on the tropical Pacific (especially subsurface water).Our study demonstrates that the tropical ocean plays an important role in global climate change.     

Variation of the Fe/Mn ratio of ferromanganese crusts from the Central North Pacific: implication for paleoclimate changes

Hydrogeneticferromanganesecrusts(Fe Mn crustshereafter),areinorganiccolloidprecipitatesfromseawater,whicharebelievedtohaverecorded theevolutionofelementalandisotopiccompositionsof seawaterovertime[1—7].Studiesontraceelements andisotopeshavebroughtmoreinsightsthanstudies onironandmanganesecontents.TheMn/Feratio hasbeenconsideredtoreflectwaterdepth,deep wa teroxygenation[8,9],andhasalsobeensuggestedasa reliablecriterionfordistinguishingdifferentgenetic typesofferromanganesedeposits[10].Apossi…     

Os isotopic compositions of a cobalt-rich ferromanganese crust profile in Central Pacific

Cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts occur throughout the global ocean on seamounts, ridges, and plateaus where currents have kept the rocks swept clean of sediments for millions of years. Crusts are important as a potential re-source for primarily cobalt, but also for titanium, nickel, REE, PGE, and other elements. Most Co-rich crusts pre-cipitate at water depths of about 1000-3000 m, and are easy to be exploited. Besides the high cobalt contents compared to abyssal Fe-Mn nodules, exploitati…     

Neodymium isotopes distribution and transport in the central North Pacific deep water

Radiogenic Neodymium (Nd) isotopes in the central North Pacific deep water have been generally interpreted as reflecting Pacific arcs input according to previous studies, while little is known about the specific path and mode of radiogenic Nd from these arcs to deep water. In this study, Nd isotopic data from surface scrapings of 17 Fe-Mn crusts from the central North Pacific deep water (around 20°N) have been reported. Based on these data together with recently published data on dissolved Nd isotopes in seawater for this region, we propose that radiogenic Nd isotopes in North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW 300–800 m) from the western Pacific margin is an important source for the central North Pacific deep water, while the surface water of this area has little influence on dominating deep water Nd isotopes. Such a view emphasizes the role of vertical mixing and advection of the marginal ocean currents in balancing Nd isotopes in central North Pacific deep water, and helps to understand oceanic Nd cycling. Moreover, the values of ε _Nd from surface scrapings of Fe-Mn crusts are relatively homogenous, with an average value of about −3.4, which is higher than that of modern seawater (∼−3.9). This difference over short time scales reflects the quick evolution of Nd isotopes in central North Pacific deep water.     

Determination on ^87Sr/^86Sr ratio and stratigraphic dating of single-grain foraminifera

Information on palaeoocean and palaeoclimate can be recorded in foraminifera, and formation ages of the fo- raminifera are nevertheless essential for such study of pa- laeoenvironment. The growth rate of seamount ferroman- ganese crusts is normally very l…     

黄土发育表土结皮过程和微结构分析的试验研究

对采自晋西离石的马兰黄土进行了模拟降雨试验，研究表土微结构与表土结皮发育过程的关系．模拟降雨强度为１．２ｍｍ／ｍｉｎ，降雨历时为１～３０ｍｉｎ．通过对表土微结构的变化观测可以清楚看到，在３０ｍｉｎ降雨过程中经历了两次表土结皮的形成过程．初始形成的表土结皮是很不稳定的，在表土结皮的初期发育阶段较容易被破坏．在稍后阶段形成的表土结皮会更加稳定．观测到的表土微结构变化过程揭示出它们是呈周期性变化：团聚体被破坏、土壤颗粒发生垂直和水平位移、表土结皮层和淋溶层的孔隙和结构不断形成和破坏、表土结皮的形成破坏、表土变得比较密实．土壤抗剪强度可以用标准锥体贯入仪来测定，由土壤含水量和土壤抗剪强度关系得到的表土结皮强度指标与观测到的表土微结构变化密切相关．     

咸沟岩体地质地球化学特征及成岩机制探讨

咸沟岩体位于华北地台北缘西段．主岩体为二云母花岗岩，成岩时代为３９９．８±１．８２．１Ｍａ，内有岩浆演化晚期的白云母花岗岩侵入，与主岩体有迥然不同的地球化学特点．前者显示出不同地壳物质混合的岩浆特征，后者属典型的Ｓ型花岗岩．结合区域构造演化分析，认为咸沟岩体形成于拉张环境，源岩可能为下地壳的英云闪长岩．下地壳的深熔岩浆在上升迁移过程中，遭受了富含泥质的陆壳物质的强烈混染，混染岩浆向Ｓ型岩浆方向演化．     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating of the Ordos Basin basement and its tectonic significance

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon 207 Pb/206 Pb ages were obtained from two drill cores from the basement of the Ordos Basin.A garnet-sillimanite-biotite-plagioclase gneiss(QI1-1) from the western Ordos Basin basement yielded an average age of 2031 10 Ma.Based on the mineral assemblages,the source material of the gneiss is speculated to be pelitic-felsic system.A gneissic two-mica granite(Long1-1) from the eastern Ordos Basin basement yielded an average age of 2035 10 Ma.The zircons from both samples exhibit magmatic growth pattern.The shapes of the zircons suggest that the zircons should crystallize from a granitic of felsic volcanic terrain.The ages and the characters of zircons are consisitent with the other researches in the Ordos Basin and indicate that the basement of the Ordos Basin had experienced an intensive magmatic epsode during the late Paleoproterozoic period.The date from this study suggest the possible existences of a Paleoproterozoic mobile tectonic belt in the region.The reconstruction of such a belt is critical for understanding the tectonomagmatic evolution of the western block of the North China Craton.     

Eolian sand deposition and its environmental significance in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

The dry climate which appeared about 8#x2013;7 Ma ago in South Asia has been interpreted as results of the intensification of Asian monsoon caused by the uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau at its maximum altitude around that time. Whether it is or not, it is a critical problem. A total of 55 samples were taken from the Tertiary red earth and Quaternary lacustrine deposits and loess in the Linxia Basin which is located in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, for the analysis of quartz types and contents using electron probe microanalyzer. The results indicate that the eolian sands have existed since 15Ma and reached its maximum content at 8 and 6#x2013;5 Ma, respectively. This means that the climate was very dry during 8-5 Ma period in western China, which was regarded as the result of global climatic change at that time. Mean size of quartz sand grains was about 0.4 mm during 15#x2013;3.6/2.6 Ma period and dropped to 0.1–0.07 mm dramatically after 3.6–2.6 Ma. This demonstrates that the local eolian deposition was decreased significantly and even disappeared since Late Pliocene and was replaced by dust deposits from distal source, suggesting the uplift of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the change of air circulation after 3.6–2.6 Ma.     

Ca. 2.5 Ga TTG rocks in the western Alxa Block and their implications

The Alxa Block is considered part of the North China Craton, but the unambiguous Archean basement has not been reported. In this study, we present the first evidence of the Neoarchean rocks in the Beidashan area of the western Alxa Block. The petrographic and geochemical data show that these rocks are granodiorite with TTG (tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite) characteristics. Zircon U-Pb dating gave an age of 2522±30 Ma for the magmatic core and 2496±11 Ma for the metamorphic recrystallized rim. The near-identical age between the Latest Neoarchean magmatism and the high-grade metamorphism shows that these features were related to the same Latest Neoarchean-Earliest Paleoproterozoic tectonothermal event. The age-corrected Hf (t) value is mainly between 0.4 and 4.9. The two-stage zircon Hf model age ranges from 2.7 to 3.0 Ga, suggesting that the Mesoarchean- Neoarchean (2.7-3.0 Ga) juvenile crust was reworked at the end of the Neoarchean in the western Alxa Block. These data suggest that the western Alxa Block experienced a Mesoarchean-Neoarchean crust growth and Latest Neoarchean-Earliest Paleoproterozoic tectonothermal event similar to the North China Craton.