Biogeology. Biosphere from the Archean to Technogene

Biogeological history of the Earth was considered as a process of continuous transformation and permanent adaptation from original forms of life to its current state. The development of life on Earth arose under the conditions of changes in geological processes, chemical composition of the atmosphere and the aquatic environment during the periods between global catastrophes. As a result, more than 3.8 billion years were needed to form anthropogenic system ＂man--geological and adjacent environment＂, which transformed the biosphere according to human needs, creating a precedent of inconsistency between human needs and biosphere resources. The main scenarios of human and biosphere development were determined in the result of technogene. Scenarios of technogene progress and human role under conditions of intense transformation of the biosphere due to anthropogenic activities were investigated as well.

Preliminary research and scheme design of deep underground in situ geo-information detection experiment for Geology in Time

The deep earth,deep sea,and deep space are the main parts of the national“three deep”strategy,which is in the forefront of the strategic deployment clearly defined in China’s 14th Five-Year Plan(2021-2025)and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035.It is important to reveal the evolutionary process and mechanism of deep tectonics to understand the earth’s past,present and future.The academic con-notation of Geology in Time has been given for the first time,which refers to the multi-field evolution response process of geological bodies at different time and spatial scales caused by geological processes inside and outside the Earth.Based on the deep in situ detection space and the unique geological envi-ronment of China Jinping Underground Laboratory,the scientific issue of the correlation mechanism and law between deep internal time-varying and shallow geological response is given attention.Innovative research and frontier exploration on deep underground in situ geo-information detection experiments for Geology in Time are designed to be carried out,which will have the potential to explore the driving force of Geology in Time,reveal essential laws of deep earth science,and explore innovative technologies in deep underground engineering.

Planning and construction of Xiong’an New Area(city of over 5 million people):Contributions of China’s geologists and urban geology

China established Xiong’an New Area in Hebei Province in 2017,which is planned to accommodate about 5 million people,aiming to relieve Beijing City of the functions non-essential to its role as China’s capital and to expedite the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.From 2017 to 2021,the China Geological Survey(CGS)took the lead in multi-factor urban geological surveys involving space,resources,environments,and disasters according to the general requirements of“global vision,international standards,distinctive Chinese features,and future-oriented goals”in Xiong’an New Area,identifying the engineering geologic conditions and geologic environmental challenges of this area.The achievements also include a 3D engineering geological structure model for the whole area,along with“one city proper and five clusters”,insights into the ecology and the background endowment of natural resources like land,geothermal resources,groundwater,and wetland of the area before engineering construction,a comprehensive monitoring network of resources and environments in the area,and the“Transparent Xiong’an”geological information platform that is open,shared,dynamically updated,and three-dimensionally visualized.China’s geologists and urban geology have played a significant role in the urban planning and construction of Xiong’an New Area,providing whole-process geological solutions for urban planning,construction,operation and management.The future urban construction of Xiong’an New Area will necessitate the theoretical and technical support of earth system science(ESS)from various aspects,and the purpose is to enhance the resilience of the new type of city and to provide support for the green,low-carbon,and sustainable development of this area.

Exploration of the Construction of the Civic and Political Education in Engineering Geology Course

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the integration of the elements of civic and political education into the engineering geology course to improve students’ideological and moral qualities.It is proposed that by integrating elements of civic and political education,students are guided to form a positive attitude toward engineering practice as well as correct values and ethics.With regard to the teaching design and implementation of the course,the implementation paths of teacher team building,careful teaching design,innovative teaching methods,and the integration of civic and politics in practical teaching are proposed to summarize the significance of integrating the elements of civic and political education in the construction of the engineering geology course.It is pointed out that this integration not only improves the quality of the course,but also provides a reference for the civic and political education of other similar professional courses.This integration not only focuses on the teaching of professional knowledge,but also pays more attention to the cultivation of students’ideology and morality,which provides a model and guidance for shaping new talents with all-round development.

Deep seabed mining:Frontiers in engineering geology and environment

Ocean mining activities have been ongoing for nearly 70 years,making great contributions to industrialization.Given the increasing demand for energy,along with the restructuring of the energy supply catalyzed by efforts to achieve a low-carbon economy,deep seabed mining will play an important role in addressing energy-and resource-related problems in the future.However,deep seabed mining remains in the exploratory stage,with many challenges presented by the high-pressure,low-temperature,and complex geologic and hydrodynamic environments in deep-sea mining areas,which are inaccessible to human activities.Thus,considerable efforts are required to ensure sustainable,economic,reliable,and safe deep seabed mining.This study reviews the latest advances in marine engineering geology and the environment related to deep-sea min-ing activities,presents a bibliometric analysis of the development of ocean mineral resources since the 1950s,summarizes the development,theory,and issues related to techniques for the three stages of ocean mining(i.e.,exploration,extraction,and closure),and discusses the engineering geology environment,geological disasters,in-situ monitoring techniques,envi-ronmental protection requirements,and environmental effects in detail.Finally,this paper gives some key conclusions and future perspectives to provide insights for subsequent studies and commercial mining operations.

Extraction and imaging of indicator elements for non-destructive,in-situ,fast identification of adverse geology in tunnels

The lag in quantitative methods and detection techniques for geologic information has resulted in time-consuming and human-experienced geologic analysis in tunnels.Geochemical indicators of rocks can be used to identify adverse geology and to explain the intrinsic causes of damage to normal rocks.This study proposes a method to identify adverse geology by extracting and imaging the indicator elements.The mapping relationship between rock components and geologic bodies is quickly determined by indicator element extraction based on factor analysis,and then the data are gridded for image output.The location and size of the target adverse geology are visually identified through the distribution images of the indicator elements,thus reducing data dimensions and analysis time.A non-destructive,in-situ and fast element detection technique in tunnels was adopted to speed up the process of geology identification.The accuracy of the detection was validated by comparing field and laboratory test results.This study further confirms and refines the previous research,and the results provide references for geological,mining and underground projects.

Forward prediction for tunnel geology and classification of surrounding rock based on seismic wave velocity layered tomography

Excavation under complex geological conditions requires effective and accurate geological forward-prospecting to detect the unfavorable geological structure and estimate the classification of surround-ing rock in front of the tunnel face.In this work,a forward-prediction method for tunnel geology and classification of surrounding rock is developed based on seismic wave velocity layered tomography.In particular,for the problem of strong multi-solution of wave velocity inversion caused by few ray paths in the narrow space of the tunnel,a layered inversion based on regularization is proposed.By reducing the inversion area of each iteration step and applying straight-line interface assumption,the convergence and accuracy of wave velocity inversion are effectively improved.Furthermore,a surrounding rock classification network based on autoencoder is constructed.The mapping relationship between wave velocity and classification of surrounding rock is established with density,Poisson’s ratio and elastic modulus as links.Two numerical examples with geological conditions similar to that in the field tunnel and a field case study in an urban subway tunnel verify the potential of the proposed method for practical application.

Adverse Geology Identification Through Mineral Anomaly Analysis During Tunneling:Methodology and Case Study

Accurate and effective identification of adverse geology is crucial for safe and efficient tunnel construction.Current methods of identifying adverse geology depend on the experience of geologists and are prone to misjudgment and omissions.Here,we propose a method for adverse geology identification in tunnels based on mineral anomaly analysis.The method is based on the theory of geoanomaly,and the mineral anomalies are geological markers of the presence of adverse geology.The method uses exploration data analysis(EDA)to calculate mineral anomaly thresholds,then evaluates the mineral anomalies based on the thresholds and identifies adverse geology based on the characteristics of the mineral anomalies.We have established a dynamic expansion process for background samples to achieve the dynamic evaluation of mineral anomalies by adjusting anomaly thresholds.This method has been validated and applied in a tunnel excavated in granite.As shown herein,in the tunnel range of 142+800–142+860,the fault F37 was successfully identified based on an anomalous decrease in the diagenetic minerals plagioclase and hornblende,as well as an anomalous increase in the content of the alteration minerals chlorite,laumonite,and epidote.The proposed method provides a timely warning when a tunnel enters areas affected by adverse geology and identifies whether the tunnel is gradually approaching or moving away from the fault.In addition,the applicability,accuracy,and further improvement of the method are discussed.This method improves our ability to identify adverse geology,from qualitative to quantitative,and can provide reference and guidance for the identification of adverse geology in mining and underground engineering.

William Morris Davis: Father of Geomorphology or Father of Geology’s Unrecognized Paradigm Problem

An often unrecognized problem is the geology and glacial history paradigm’s inability to explain topographic map drainage system and erosional landform evidence, which means geology research studies rarely address that type of topographic map evidence. The problem originated in the late 19th century with William Morris Davis who is sometimes called the father of geomorphology and was one of the first geologists to interpret what in the late 19th century were newly available topographic maps. An 1889 Davis paper describes selected drainage system evidence observed on an advance copy of the 1890 Doylestown (Pennsylvania) topographic map and an 1892 Ward paper written after discussions with Davis describes additional selected drainage system evidence seen on the same map. Both papers fail to mention the majority of the Doylestown map’s drainage system features including most barbed tributaries, asymmetric drainage divides, and through (dry) valleys crossing major drainage divides. Had Davis used all of the map’s drainage system and erosional landform evidence he should have recognized the map evidence shows headward erosion of an east-oriented Neshaminy Creek valley captured southwest-oriented streams which headward erosion of the south-oriented Delaware River valley and its east-oriented tributary Tohickon Creek valley had beheaded. Consciously or unconsciously, Davis chose not to alert future investigators that Doylestown topographic map evidence did not support his yet-to-be-published Pennsylvania and New Jersey erosion history interpretations and instead Davis proceeded to develop and promote erosion history interpretations which the map evidence did not support.

Geology and Mineral Deposits of Saraikistan (South Punjab, Koh Sulaiman Range) of Pakistan: A Tabular Review of Recently Discovered Biotas from Pakistan and Paleobiogeographic Link: Phylogeny and Hypodigm of Poripuchian Titanosaurs from Indo-Pakistan

Saraikistan (South Punjab and surrounding) area of Pakistan is located in the central Pakistan. This area represents Triassic-Jurassic to Recent sedimentary marine and terrestrial strata. Most of the Mesozoic and Early Cenozoic are represented by marine strata with rare terrestrial deposits, while the Late Cenozoic is represented by continental fluvial deposits. This area hosts significant mineral deposits and their development can play a significant role in the development of Saraikistan region and ultimately for Pakistan. The data of recently discovered biotas from Cambrian to Miocene age are tabulated for quick view. Mesozoic biotas show a prominent paleobiogeographic link with Gondwana and Cenozoic show Eurasian. Phylogeny and hypodigm of Poripuchian titanosaurs from India and Pakistan are hinted at here.

Wisdom and Geology, the North German Basin, and the Significance of Thrown Dices

For thousands of years, mankind is observing the surrounding nature. Often, they found no obvious clues for inexplicable and complex facts, leading to the belief that their wisdom was limited. This is in the majority of cases still true today, but based on hundreds of years of (geo-) scientific work some older thoughts can now be readjusted by combining newer geological, environmental, historical and philosophical clues. Facts about the development of the North German Basin are used to demonstrate the variability of geological systems and how these can be described by taking dice as a metaphor for ruling geological parameters. This includes all kinds of plate tectonically controlled basin forming processes, especially metamorphism of the lower crust due to a fixed mantle plume, basin filling processes with their galactic and lunar overprints, basin modifying tectonics due to internal (halokinesis, inversion) or external forces (one-sided loads at the surface due to mighty Delta sediments or glacial ice sheets) and geochemical reactions as a result of pressure and temperature changes in course of subsidence. Especially, the Rotliegend (Lower Permian) Gas Play is one of the possible illustrations of the entity of the North German Basin with its more than 70 - 90 independent parameters belonging to a global set of very complex hydrocarbon systems. Processes on Earth like the formation of systems of hydrocarbon fields as well as environmental systems (e.g. river systems, lakes, islands, sedimentary basins) are subordinated to the dices of nature and are steered invisibly by a selection of rules of the game that one understands as natural laws. The facts and remaining uncertainties as well as problems with subsurface-related processes (e.g. manmade tectonics, subsidence and uplift) guide the thoughts of engaged individuals on how to proceed wisely with limited predictability of challenges and dangers of a subsurface system. This work will be a trial to associate once more the natural sciences (geology) and the humanities (philosophy) for the benefit of both.

Thermo-hydro-poro-mechanical responses of a reservoir-induced landslide tracked by high-resolution fiber optic sensing nerves

Thermo-poro-mechanical responses along sliding zone/surface have been extensively studied.However,it has not been recognized that the potential contribution of other crucial engineering geological interfaces beyond the slip surface to progressive failure.Here,we aim to investigate the subsurface multiphysics of reservoir landslides under two extreme hydrologic conditions(i.e.wet and dry),particularly within sliding masses.Based on ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating(UWFBG)technology,we employ specialpurpose fiber optic sensing cables that can be implanted into boreholes as“nerves of the Earth”to collect data on soil temperature,water content,pore water pressure,and strain.The Xinpu landslide in the middle reach of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area in China was selected as a case study to establish a paradigm for in situ thermo-hydro-poro-mechanical monitoring.These UWFBG-based sensing cables were vertically buried in a 31 m-deep borehole at the foot of the landslide,with a resolution of 1 m except for the pressure sensor.We reported field measurements covering the period 2021 and 2022 and produced the spatiotemporal profiles throughout the borehole.Results show that wet years are more likely to motivate landslide motions than dry years.The annual thermally active layer of the landslide has a critical depth of roughly 9 m and might move downward in warmer years.The dynamic groundwater table is located at depths of 9e15 m,where the peaked strain undergoes a periodical response of leap and withdrawal to annual hydrometeorological cycles.These interface behaviors may support the interpretation of the contribution of reservoir regulation to slope stability,allowing us to correlate them to local damage events and potential global destabilization.This paper also offers a natural framework for interpreting thermo-hydro-poro-mechanical signatures from creeping reservoir bank slopes,which may form the basis for a landslide monitoring and early warning system.

Indian monsoon drove the dispersal of the thoracica group of Scytodes spitting spiders

We examined the global biogeography of the Scytodes thoracica group of spitting spiders based on 23 years of sampling at the species level(61 species in the thoracica group and 84 species of Scytodes)using DNA data from six loci.Our results indicated that the thoracica group initially dispersed from Southeast Asia to East Africa between 46.5 and 33.0 million years ago,and dispersal events intensified between Southeast/South Asia and East/South Africa from the early to late Miocene.The timing of these events indicates that Asian-African faunal exchange of the thoracica group was driven by the Indian monsoon,and the pattern of dispersal suggests that colonialization took root when the Indian monsoon shifted from a North-South direction to an East-West direction from the middle Eocene.

Multiscale modeling of gas-induced fracturing in anisotropic clayey rocks

In the context of repositories for nuclear waste,understanding the behavior of gas migration through clayey rocks with inherent anisotropy is crucial for assessing the safety of geological disposal facilities.The primary mechanism for gas breakthrough is the opening of micro-fractures due to high gas pressure.This occurs at gas pressures lower than the combined strength of the rock and its minimum principal stress under external loading conditions.To investigate the mechanism of microscale mode-I ruptures,it is essential to incorporate a multiscale approach that includes subcritical microcracks in the modeling framework.In this contribution,we derive the model from microstructures that contain periodically distributed microcracks within a porous material.The damage evolution law is coupled with the macroscopic poroelastic system by employing the asymptotic homogenization method and considering the inherent hydro-mechanical(HM)anisotropy at the microscale.The resulting permeability change induced by fracture opening is implicitly integrated into the gas flow equation.Verification examples are presented to validate the developed model step by step.An analysis of local macroscopic response is undertaken to underscore the influence of factors such as strain rate,initial damage,and applied stress,on the gas migration process.Numerical examples of direct tension tests are used to demonstrate the model’s efficacy in describing localized failure characteristics.Finally,the simulation results for preferential gas flow reveal the robustness of the two-scale model in explicitly depicting gas-induced fracturing in anisotropic clayey rocks.The model successfully captures the common behaviors observed in laboratory experiments,such as a sudden drop in gas injection pressure,rapid build-up of downstream gas pressure,and steady-state gas flow following gas breakthrough.

Paleoenvironmental Characteristics of Paleogene Lacustrine Source Rocks in the Western Bozhong Sag,Bohai Bay Basin,China:Evidence from Biomarkers,Major and Trace Elements

The organic matter(OM)enrichment mechanisms and depositional environment characteristics of lacustrine source rocks in the western Bozhong Sag,Bohai Bay Basin in Northeast China remain controversial.To address these issues,based on Rock-Eval pyrolysis,kerogen macerals,H/C and O/C ratios,GC-MS,major and trace elements,the Dongying Formation Member(Mbr)3(E_(3)d_(3)),the Shahejie Formation mbrs 1 and 2(E_(2)s_(1+2)),and the Shahejie Mbr 3(E_(2)s_(3))source rocks in the western Bozhong Sag were studied.The above methods were used to reveal their geochemical properties,OM origins and depositional environments,all of which indicate that E_(2)s_(1+2)and E_(2)s_(3)are excellent source rocks,and that E_(3)d_(3)is of the second good quality.E_(3)d_(3)source rocks were formed under a warm and humid climate,mainly belong to fluvial/delta facies,the E_(3)d_(3)sediments formed under weakly oxidizing and freshwater conditions.Comparatively,the depositional environments of E_(2)s_(1+2)source rocks were arid and cold climate,representing saline or freshwater lacustrine facies,and the sediments of E_(2)s_(1+2)belong to anoxic or suboxic settings with large evaporation and salinity.During the period of E_(2)s_(3),the climate became warm and humid,indicating the freshwater lacustrine facies,and E_(2)s_(3)was characterized by freshwater and abundant algae.Moreover,compared with other intervals,the OM origin of E_(3)d_(3)source rocks has noticeable terrestrial input.The OM origin of the E_(2)s_(1+2)and E_(2)s_(3)are mainly plankton and bacteria.Tectonic subsidence and climate change have affected the changes of the depositional environment in the western Bozhong Sag,thus controlling the distribution of the source rocks,the geochemical characteristics in the three intervals of lacustrine source rocks have distinct differences.Overall,these factors are effective to evaluate the paleoenvironmental characteristics of source rocks by biomarkers,major and trace elements.The established models may have positive implications for research of lacustrine source rocks in offshore areas with few drillings.

A tectono-thermal perspective on the petroleum generation,accumulation and preservation in the southern Ordos Basin, North China

The southern Ordos Basin has excellent petroleum exploration prospects.However,the tectono-thermal history and the controls on petroleum generation,accumulation and preservation conditions in southern basin are unclear.In this study,we analyzed the present geothermal field,paleo-geothermal gradient,maturity of the hydrocarbon source rocks,uplift and cooling process and tectono-thermal evolution history.In the study area,for the Ordovician,Permain and the Triassic strata,the present temperature is low(3070℃)in the southeastern area but high(80140℃)in the northwestern area.The paleogeothermal gradient varied from 24℃/km to 30℃/km with a heat flow of 58—69 m W/m^(2)(i.e.,a medium-temperature basin).The paleo-temperatures are higher than the present temperatures and the maximum paleo-temperatures controlled the thermal maturity of the source rocks.The vitrinite reflectance(Ro)values of the Triassic strata are>0.7%and the thermal maturity reached the middlemature oil generation stage.The Rovalues of the Permian-Ordovician strata are>1.8%and the thermal maturity reached the over-mature gas generation stage.The southern Ordos Basin has experienced the multiple tectonic events at the Late Ordovician Caledonian(452 Ma),Late Triassic(215 Ma),Late Jurassic(165160 Ma),End-Early Cretaceous(110100 Ma)and Cenozoic(since 40 Ma).A large-scale tectonothermal event occurred at the End-Early Cretaceous(110100 Ma),which was controlled by lithospheric extension,destruction and thinning.This event led to the highest paleo-temperatures and thermal maturities and coeval with the peak period of petroleum generation and accumulation.The southern Ordos Basin has undergone rapid and large-scale uplift since the Late Cretaceous due to expansion of the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau,uplift of the Qinling orogenic belt and thrust faulting in the Liupanshan tectonic belt.The southern Ordos Basin experienced tectonic overprinting that was strong in the south and weak in the north.The strongest overprinting occurred in the southwestern part of the basin.The large-scale uplift,denudation and faulting led to oil and gas loss from reservoirs.The petroleum generation,accumulation and preservation in the southern Ordos Basin were affected by deep lithospheric structures and the tectono-thermal evolution.This work provides a novel tectono-thermal perspective on the petroleum generation,accumulation and preservation condition of the southern Ordos Basin.

Electrical Characteristics of Tangjiawan Landslide in Lixian, Sichuan

A wide range of terrain features and landforms,which are exemplified by intricate geological formations and diverse rock compositions,are found in the western mountainous regions of China.These areas frequently encounter geological disasters.As one of the natural disasters,landslides lead to considerable loss of human life and property.Considering mitigation of the losses caused by landslide disasters,a necessary measure for disaster prevention and mitigation involves conducting detailed investigations and monitoring of landslides,which is also the cornerstone of landslide warning.This study compares and analyzes the feasibility of the magnetotelluric detection method for landslides using the results of engineering geological surveys and landslide monitoring.The study aims to address the scientific problem of the validity of using magnetotelluric methods to detect landslide development processes.The Tangjiawan landslide signal on the left side of the K94+000~K94+145 section of the Wenma Expressway is analyzed by employing engineering geological survey,magnetotelluric detection,landslide monitoring,landslide analysis,and other methods.Analysis results provide the static electrical characteristics of lithology,structure,and groundwater,as well as the dynamic electrical characteristics of landslide development.This study focuses on analyzing the relationship between the methods of magnetotelluric detection and engineering geological surveys and the results of landslide monitoring.The workflow and methods for data collection,processing,inversion,interpretation,and analysis using the magnetotelluric method to detect the dynamic development process of landslides are presented in the conclusion.Preliminary conclusions indicate a strong correlation between the dynamic changes in magnetotelluric wave impedance with the surface displacement of landslides and the dynamic changes in groundwater.The use of the magnetotelluric method for landslide detection and monitoring is a feasible example.The research results can offer certain technical references for the detection and monitoring of landslides using magnetotelluric methods and also provide references and guidance for the selection of diversified landslide monitoring methods in the future.

Geological conditions and reservoir characteristics of various shales in major shalehosted regions of China

China is home to shales of three facies:Marine shale,continental shale,and marine-continental transitional shale.Different types of shale gas are associated with significantly different formation conditions and major controlling factors.This study compared the geological characteristics of various shales and analyzed the influences of different parameters on the formation and accumulation of shale gas.In general,shales in China’s several regions exhibit high total organic carbon(TOC)contents,which lays a sound material basis for shale gas generation.Marine strata generally show high degrees of thermal evolution.In contrast,continental shales manifest low degrees of thermal evolution,necessitating focusing on areas with relatively high degrees of thermal evolution in the process of shale gas surveys for these shales.The shales of the Wufeng and Silurian formations constitute the most favorable shale gas reservoirs since they exhibit the highest porosity among the three types of shales.These shales are followed by those in the Niutitang and Longtan formations.In contrast,the shales of the Doushantuo,Yanchang,and Qingshankou formations manifest low porosities.Furthermore,the shales of the Wufeng and Longmaxi formations exhibit high brittle mineral contents.Despite a low siliceous mineral content,the shales of the Doushantuo Formation feature a high carbonate mineral content,which can increase the shales’brittleness to some extent.For marine-continental transitional shales,where thin interbeds of tight sandstone with unequal thicknesses are generally found,it is recommended that fracturing combined with drainage of multiple sets of lithologic strata should be employed to enhance their shale gas production.

Journal of Central South University

1 Aims and scope Journal of Central South University(ISSN 2095-2899)is mainly devoted to publishing academic papers and reports that are of creativeness and present the latest achievement of scientific research in such fields as geology,mining,metallurgy,materials,chemistry and chemical engineering,mechatronics,information,energy,traffic transportation and environment.

Preface to the special issue dedicated to the 37^(th) International Geological Congress

The 37^(th) International Geological Congress,a premier forum held quadrennially and eagerly anticipated by geologists and geology enthusiasts worldwide,will take place from August 25 to 31,2024 in Busan,Republic of Korea.To celebrate this grand event,China Geology,a multidisciplinary geosciences journal sponsored by China Geological Survey and Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences(where the Secretariat of the International Union of Geological Sciences is currently located),presents this special issue and extends our best wishes for the success of the conference!