A new genus of galeaspids(jawless stem-Gnathostomata)from the early Silurian Chongqing Lagerstätte,China

The early Silurian Chongqing Lagerstätte(middle Telychian)yields exceptionally preserved articulated jawless and jawed fishes.Here,we describe a new eugaleaspiform(Galeaspida,jawless stem-Gnathostomata),Miaojiaaspis dichotomus gen.et sp.nov.,from the Chongqing Lagerstätte in Xiushan,Chongqing,China.The new form resembles Tujiaaspis vividus in the short medial dorsal canal,and the presence of the branching ends of the lateral transverse canal.They differ in that T.vividus has highly developed subordinate branches of the sensory canals that form a reticulate sensory canal system,and the median dorsal opening is more elongated.Our phylogenetic analysis recovers M.dichotomus and T.vividus as a monophyletic clade(Tujiaaspidae fam.nov.),which is supported by two synapomorphies:the short medial dorsal canal,and the branching ends of the lateral transverse canal.Tujiaaspidae forms a trichotomy with Shuyuidae and a clade comprising Anjiaspis,Sinogaleaspidae,Yongdongaspidae,and the‘eugaleaspid cluster’.The sensory canal patterns in galeaspids are compared to show the transformation sequence of the sensory canal system in Eugaleaspiformes.

Anomaly and geochemistry of rare earth elements and yttrium in the late Permian coal from the Moxinpo mine,Chongqing,southwestern China

The rare earth elements and yttrium(REY)of the K2 coal from the Moxinpo mine,Chongqing,were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS).The results show that REY are enriched in the K2 coal,with the average content up to 462 lg/g,much higher than average values of most coals in the world.The REY distribution patterns indicate that the light REY is enriched and show a well-pronounced Eu minimum.The fractionation of individual light-REY is higher than that of the heavy-REY.The REY distribution through the K2 coal seam shows that the top and bottom portion of the coal seam have a lower content of REY than the middle portion.Goyazite and rhabdophane were identified with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy-dispersed X-ray spectrometer(SEM-EDX).The REY distributions through the coal seam,SEM-EDX data and the correlation analysis between ash yields and the concentrations have revealed that the REY mainly occurs in the organic matter.The K2 coal is a potential rare-metal resource due to its high REY contents,and the coal ash could be regarded as a new and promising raw material for recovery of REY as a by-product.

A New Family of Galeaspids(Jawless Stem-Gnathostomata) from the Early Silurian of Chongqing, Southwestern China

A new genus and species of agnathan Eugaleaspidiformes(Galeaspida), Yongdongaspis littoralis gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Llandovery(lower Silurian) Huixingshao Formation at Yongdong Town, Xiushan County, Chongqing, southwestern China. This new Telychian taxon morphologically exhibits some transitional states between Sinogaleaspidae and a cluster of higher eugaleaspidiforms containing Tridensaspidae, Eugaleaspidae, Yunnanogaleaspis, and Nochelaspis, which we term here as the ’eugaleaspid cluster’. Phylogenetic analysis of an extended character matrix of Galeaspida reveals Yongdongaspis, on which Yongdongaspidae fam. nov. is erected, as the sister taxon of this ’eugaleaspid cluster’, supported by two synapomorphies, the presence of one median transverse canal, and two lateral transverse canals leaving from the infraorbital canal. As the first fish described from the Llandovery Huixingshao Formation in Chongqing, Yongdongaspis provides new fossil evidence for the subdivision and correlation of the Upper Red Beds in South China.

First Discovery of Dicerorhinus sumatrensis from Yanjinggou Provides Insights into the Pleistocene Rhinocerotidae of South China

The Rhinocerotidae is one of the most common and important families in the Pleistocene mammalian fauna of South China.Since the last century,most of the Pleistocene rhinocerotid fossils were prematurely assigned to Rhinoceros sinensis,which has resulted in confusion of taxonomy for decades,especially in South China.The Yanjinggou area in Chongqing Municipality of China,where the neotype of R.sinensis came from,has yielded abundant rhinocerotid fossils and is a key area to solve this problem.A recently discovered juvenile skull from a karstic fissure in this area can be referred to Dicerorhinus sumatrensis(Fischer,1814),which is the first confirmed non-Rhinoceros rhinocerotid from the area.This new finding indicates that non-Rhinoceros fossils might have been mixed in AMNH collection from Yanjinggou and thus the diagnosis of Rhinoceros sinensis needs reformation.On the other hand,Stephanorhinus?kirchbergensis is also detected in Granger’s collection based on our reobservation.The coexistence of Rhinoceros,Dicerorhinus and Stephanorhinus shows the higher diversity of Pleistocene rhinocerotids in South China.

Calculation of reverse-fault-related parameters using topographic profiles and fault bedding

Fault-related parameters are critical for studying tectonic evolution, deformation character- istics, active tectonism, and seismic hazards. A new method of calculating reverse-fault- related parameters has been developed, which uses systematic analysis of the geometrical characteristics of normal and reverse scarps of reverse faults together with measurements of topographic profiles and fault bedding. The results show that the most suitable method of calculating fault parameters heavily relies on the specific type of fault scarp. For a reverse scarp, the size of the vertical displacement （VD） of the fault, the vertical separation （VS） of the hanging wall and the footwall, and the fault scarp height （SH）how the relationship VD ≥VS ≥ SH; conversely, for normal scarps, VD ≤ VS ≤ SH. The theoretical equations were used to study fault deformation in the Southwest Tianshan Mountain foreland basin. The results showed that, for every fault, VD ≥ VS ≥SH, which is consistent with our predicted relationship. This finding demonstrates that this method is suitable to explore structural information of reverse faults. In the study area, the vertical displacement is 1.4 times the horizontal displacement, suggesting that fiexural-slip faults may play an important role in transferring local deformation from horizontal shortening to vertical uplift. Therefore, one of the most important steps in correct calculation of reverse-fault-related parameters is selection of the proper equations by identifying the specific type of fault scarp and the corresponding calculation method.

Crustal Structure of the Jurassic Quiet Zone in the West Pacific Ocean:Insights from 2D Multichannel Seismic Reflection Profiles

The Jurassic oceanic crust is the oldest existing oceanic crust on earth,and although distributed sparsely,carries essential information about the earth's evolution.The area around the Pigafetta Basin in the west Pacific Ocean(also known as the Jurassic Quiet Zone,JQZ)is one of a few areas where the Jurassic oceanic crust is present.This study takes full advantage of high-resolution multichannel seismic reflection profiles in combination with bathymetry,magnetic,and gravity data from the JQZ to examine the structure,deformation,and morphology of the Jurassic oceanic crust.Our results show the following insights:1)The Moho lies at 2–3 s in two-way travel time beneath the seafloor with the segmented feature.The gaps between the Moho segments well correspond to the seamounts on the seafloor,suggesting the upward migration of magma from the mantle has interrupted the pre-existing Moho.2)The oceanic crust is predominantly deformed by crustal-scale thrust faults,normal faults cutting through the top of basement,and vertical seismic disturbance zones in association with migration of thermal fluids.The thrust faults are locally found and interpreted as the results of tectonic inversion.3)Seafloor morphology in the JQZ is characterized by fault scarps,fold scarps,seamounts,and small hills,indicating the occurrence of active faults.4)The oceanic crust in the JQZ and East Pacific Rise has many structural and geometrical variations,such as the thickness of sediments,seafloor topography,basement morphology,fault size and type.

Stratigraphic framework and sedimentary evolution during the Cryogenian-Ediacaran transition in northeastern Sichuan Basin,South China

The northeastern Sichuan area in the northern Yangtze margin has unique Ediacaran geological records,especially the Doushantuo Formation(DST),and become a hot research area in recent years.However,the Cryogenian-Ediacaran(C-E)boundary has not been precisely identified,which restricts the in-depth study of geological information during this crucial transitional period and is unfavorable for a systematic and complete understanding of the Yangtze Block and even the global paleogeographic pattern.This study conducted stratigraphy,sedimentology,and chronostratigraphy to establish the stratigraphic framework and sedimentary evolution of the C-E transition strata in northeastern Sichuan.The results showed that the Ediacaran sediments,without the cap dolomite,unconformably overlaid the Cryogenian sediments in the studied area.The Member II of the DST,characterized by 50-160 m of red-green sandstone(approximately equivalent to the original Chengkou“Guanyinya Formation”),directly overlaid the Cryogenian sediments and displayed a 623±2.3 Ma maximum depositional age from the detrital zircon U-Pb dating.Regional stratigraphic correlations indicate that the C-E transition strata in northeastern Sichuan had a consistent lithological association and sedimentary sequence characteristics but differed from the Three Gorges.Typically,the upper Nantuo massive glacial diamictites transition to the icebergs rafted lonestone-bearing mudstones at the top,then change upward to DST barrier coast sandstones.The proposed DST of the northeastern Sichuan Basin was divided into three lithostratigraphic members without the regional Member I cap dolomite:(i)Member II purple-red,gray-green sandstone strata,(ii)MemberⅢblack mudstone strata,and(iii)Member IV P-Mn bearing strata.During the C-E transition,the study area experienced(i)the global deglaciation stage in the terminal Marinoan glaciation and(ii)the filling-leveling up stage with clastic rocks in the early Ediacaran.Overall,the early Ediacaran of northeastern Sichuan succeeded the paleogeographic features of the late Cryogenian.

Low-field NMR application in the characterization of CO_(2)geological storage and utilization related to shale gas reservoirs:a brief review

CO_(2)geological storage and utilization(CGSU)is considered a far-reaching technique to meet the demand of increasing energy supply and decreasing CO_(2)emissions.For CGSUs related to shale gas reservoirs,experimental investigations have attracted variable methodologies,among which low-field NMR(LF-NMR)is a promising method and is playing an increasingly key role in reservoir characterization.Herein,the application of this nondestructive,sensitive,and quick LF-NMR technique in characterizing CGSU behavior in shale gas reservoirs is reviewed.First,the basic principle of LF-NMR for 1H-fluid detection is introduced,which is the theoretical foundation of the reviewed achievements in this paper.Then,the reviewed works are related to the LF-NMR-based measurements of CH_(4)adsorption capacity and the CO_(2)-CH_(4)interaction in shale,as well as the performance on CO_(2)sequestration and simultaneous enhanced gas recovery from shale.Basically,the reviewed achievements have exhibited a large potential for LF-NMR application in CGSUs related to shale gas reservoirs,although some limitations and deficiencies still need to be improved.Accordingly,some suggestions are proposed for a more responsible development of the LF-NMR technique.Hopefully,this review is helpful in promoting the expanding application of the LF-NMR technique in CGSU implementation in shale gas reservoirs.