Modeling for Inter-Basin Groundwater Transfer Identification: The Case of Upper Rift Valley Lakes and Awash River Basins of Ethiopia

Groundwater movement beneath watershed divide is one component of the hydrological cycle that is typically ignored due to difficulty in analysis. Numerical ground-water models, like TAGSAC, have been used extensively for predicting aquifer responses to external stresses. In this paper TAGSAC code was developed to identify the inter-basin groundwater transfer (IBGWT) between upper Awash River basin (UARB) and upper rift valley lakes basin (URVLB) of Ethiopia. For the identification three steady state groundwater models (for UARB, URVLB and for the two combined basins) were first created and calibrated for the 926 inventoried wells. The first two models are conceptualized by considering the watershed divide between the two basins as no-flow. The third model avoids the surface water divide which justifies IBGWT. The calibration of these three models was made by changing the recharge and hydrogeologic parameters of the basins. The goodness of fit indicators (GoFIs) obtained was better for the combined model than the model that describes the URVLB. Furthermore, the hydraulic head distribution obtained from the combined model clearly indicates that there is a groundwater flow that doesn’t respect the surface water divide. The most obvious effect of IBGWT observed in these two basins is that it diminishes surface water discharge from URVLB, and enhances discharge in the UARB. Moreover, the result of this study indicates potential for internal and cross contamination of the two adjacent groundwater.

Optical Characteristics of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter(CDOM)in Upstream and Downstream Lakes of Taihu Lake Basin:New Insights for Water Environmental Management

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter(CDOM)is a key component of organic matter that contributes to the ecological functioning of lakes.The lakes in Taihu Lake Basin play an important role in maintaining regional ecological stabilities;however,the optical characteristics of the CDOM in the upstream and downstream lakes in this basin have not yet been systematically studied.Here,the optical characteristics of CDOM in ten lakes of upstream and downstream of the Taihu Lake Basin were studied using UV-Visible and excitation-emission matrix spectroscopies.Three different fluorophores consisting of two humic-like components(C1,C2)and one protein-like component(C3)were identified by parallel factor analysis.Soil or surface erosion was responsible for the higher abund-ance of C1 in the upstream lakes,and increased biological activities accounted for the higher abundance of C3 in the downstream lakes.Rainfall erosion in the wet season led to an increase in CDOM.We also found that the photodegradation and flocculation degree,which played a significant role in reducing CDOM,were higher in downstream lakes than in upstream lakes.Optical analysis of CDOM provides a promising method for monitoring water qualities(e.g.,total phosphorus and potassium permanganate index)in each lake.Re-ductions in soil or surface erosion in the upstream are needed to improve water quality.

Temporal and spatial variation and prediction of water yield and water conservation in the Bosten Lake Basin based on the PLUS-InVEST model

To comprehensively evaluate the alterations in water ecosystem service functions within arid watersheds,this study focused on the Bosten Lake Basin,which is situated in the arid region of Northwest China.The research was based on land use/land cover(LULC),natural,socioeconomic,and accessibility data,utilizing the Patch-level Land Use Simulation(PLUS)and Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs(InVEST)models to dynamically assess LULC change and associated variations in water yield and water conservation.The analyses included the evaluation of contribution indices of various land use types and the investigation of driving factors that influence water yield and water conservation.The results showed that the change of LULC in the Bosten Lake Basin from 2000 to 2020 showed a trend of increasing in cultivated land and construction land,and decreasing in grassland,forest,and unused land.The unused land of all the three predicted scenarios of 2030(S1,a natural development scenario;S2,an ecological protection scenario;and S3,a cultivated land protection scenario)showed a decreasing trend.The scenarios S1 and S3 showed a trend of decreasing in grassland and increasing in cultivated land;while the scenario S2 showed a trend of decreasing in cultivated land and increasing in grassland.The water yield of the Bosten Lake Basin exhibited an initial decline followed by a slight increase from 2000 to 2020.The areas with higher water yield values were primarily located in the northern section of the basin,which is characterized by higher altitude.Water conservation demonstrated a pattern of initial decrease followed by stabilization,with the northeastern region demonstrating higher water conservation values.In the projected LULC scenarios of 2030,the estimated water yield under scenarios S1 and S3 was marginally greater than that under scenario S2;while the level of water conservation across all three scenarios remained rather consistent.The results showed that Hejing County is an important water conservation function zone,and the eastern part of the Xiaoyouledusi Basin is particularly important and should be protected.The findings of this study offer a scientific foundation for advancing sustainable development in arid watersheds and facilitating efficient water resource management.

Iteration and evaluation of shale oil development technology for continental rift lake basins

By benchmarking with the iteration of drilling technology,fracturing technology and well placement mode for shale oil and gas development in the United States and considering the geological characteristics and development difficulties of shale oil in the Jiyang continental rift lake basin,East China,the development technology system suitable for the geological characteristics of shale oil in continental rift lake basins has been primarily formed through innovation and iteration of the development,drilling and fracturing technologies.The technology system supports the rapid growth of shale oil production and reduces the development investment cost.By comparing it with the shale oil development technology in the United States,the prospect of the shale oil development technology iteration in continental rift lake basins is proposed.It is suggested to continuously strengthen the overall three-dimensional development,improve the precision level of engineering technology,upgrade the engineering technical indicator system,accelerate the intelligent optimization of engineering equipment,explore the application of complex structure wells,form a whole-process integrated quality management system from design to implementation,and constantly innovate the concept and technology of shale oil development,so as to promote the realization of extensive,beneficial and high-quality development of shale oil in continental rift lake basins.

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Land Use Units in the Kadzel Sub-Catchment Basin in Diffa, Niger

Environmental degradation linked to land occupation and use, such as climate change and anthropogenic activities, has led to the modification of the landscape units of the Kadzel sub-watershed. The objective of this study is to analyze the dynamics of land use units in the Kadzel area in Diffa between 1992 and 2022 and to propose a future scenario for sustainable environmental management. The approach used relies on remote sensing and geographic information systems to analyze the dynamics of land use units. Additionally, the Markov Cellular Automata (CA) model was used to predict future land use. The land cover maps were produced from a supervised classification by maximum likelihood based on the true and false color compositions of bands 4/3/2 (TM5), 3/2/1 (ETM+) and 7/5/4 (8 OLI). Ten occupation classes were discriminated. Between 1992 and 2022, there was a decrease in the areas of irrigated crops (4.91% and 2.88%), of shrubby tree steppes (14.31% and 9.48%), field-fallow complexes (22.23% and 10.52%), and degraded areas. Grassy steppes (25.76% and 13.32%). However, this reduction has been beneficial for wastelands, urban areas and bodies of water. Based on predictive modeling, it is predicted that by 2052, urban areas, fallow field complexes and bare soils will constitute the main types of housing units. The regressive trend in natural resources appears to continue into the future with current land use practices.

Characteristics of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Losses in Different Crop Rotation Systems in the North of Erhai Lake Basin

[Objective] Nitrogen and phosphorus losses of surface runoff in various crop rotation systems in the north of Erhai Lake basin were studied with the objective to provide references for risk evaluation of environmental pollution and formulating countermeasures to control the nonpoint source pollution from agriculture.[Method] Water samples collected in four typical crop rotation systems distributed in seven towns（townships） in the north of Erhai Lake basin were investigated,as well as the fertilizer input,to explore the dynamic change of nitrogen and phosphorus content in surface water of farmland and ditch water,and the correlation between fertilizer input and the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in the surface water of farmland and in the ditch water.[Result] The results showed that nitrogen loss in surface water of farmland in different crop rotation systems differed greatly,and the risk of nitrogen loss was 38% lower in broad bean-rice crop rotation than that in garlic-rice crop rotation.The water soluble nitrogen was the primary form of nitrogen loss.The content of water soluble nitrogen was significantly higher in garlic-rice crop rotation than that in the other rotation systems,and the concentrations of nitrogen in the surface water of farmland in different crop rotation systems followed the sequence below：garlic-rice crop rotationryegrass-rice crop rotationbroad bean-rice crop rotationrape-rice crop rotation.The loss of phosphorus in the surface water of farmland was relatively low and phosphorus combined with silt was the primary form for phosphorus loss.There was no significant difference of the loss of various forms of phosphorus in different crop rotation systems.The contents of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in the surface water of farmland were higher than that in ditch water,with increasing rates of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in ditch water of 72% and 82%,respectively.Topdressing was the critical reason for the high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in the surface water,which also caused the increasing load to the ditch water.[Conclusion] Both the nitrogen and phosphorus loss were the highest in garlic-rice crop rotation.Reasonable crop rotation systems should be established based on both the environmental and economic benefits.This study provided references for controlling the nonpoint source pollution of farmland and improving the water quality of Erhai Lake.

Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Estuarine Surface Sediments of Tangxi River in Chaohu Lake Basin

A total of 30 surface sediments samples from the estuary wetland of the Tangxi River, Chaohu Lake Basin were obtained and tested. Enrichment factor （EF） and geoaccumulation index （Igeo） as well as multivariate statistical analysis methods including Factor Analysis （FA） and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis （HCA） were applied for the assessment of heavy metal pollution in surface sediments. The results of EF values show that the pollution of copper （Cu） and cadmium （Cd） occurs in the estuarine sediments, and that zinc （Zn）, lead （Pb） and chrome （Cr） may originate from crustal materials or natural weathering process. The mean EF values of the five heavy metals are in the decreasing order： Cu〉Cd）Zn〉Pb〉Cr. Based on the lgeo of target heavy metals, the surface sediments collected from the study area can be approximately categorized as unpolluted with Zn, Pb and Cr, and moderately polluted with Cu and Cd. The degree of heavy metal pollution decreases in the order of Cu〉Cd〉Zn〉Pb〉Cr. Three groups of pollution factors are presented from FA： Zn-TOC, Cu-Cd and Cr-Pb, which respectively accounte for 27.22%, 25.20% and 21.05% of variance. By means of HCA, a total number of seven groups are distinguished from 30 sampling sites. Results indicate that Cu and Cd are the prior controlled pollutants in the estuarine sediments of the Tangxi River.

Forecast of Flood in Chaohu Lake Basin of China Based on Grey-Markov Theory

Flood is one kind of unexpected and the most common natural disasters, which is affected by many factors and has complex mechanism. At home and abroad, there is still no mature theory and method used for the long-term forecast of natural precipitation at present. In the present paper the disadvantages of grey GM (1, 1) and Markov chain are ana- lyzed, and Grey-Markov forecast theory about flood is put forward and then the modifying model is developed by making prediction of Chaohu Lake basin. Hydrological law was conducted based on the theoretical forecasts by grey system GM (1, 1) forecast model with improved Markov chain. The above method contained Stat-analysis, embodying scientific approach, precise forecast and its reliable results.

Relationship Between Changes of River-lake Networks and Water Levels in Typical Regions of Taihu Lake Basin,China

The typical regions of the Taihu Lake Basin,China,were selected to analyze the variation characteristics of river-lake networks under intensive human activities.The characteristics of the fractal dimension of river networks and lakes for different periods were investigated and the influences of river system evolution on water level changes were further explored through the comparison of their fractal characters.The results are as follows:1) River network development of the study area is becoming more monotonous and more simple;the number of lakes is reducing significantly,and the water surface ratio has dropped significantly since the 1980s.2) The box dimension of the river networks in all the cities of the study area decreased slowly from the 1960s to the 1980s,while the decrease was significant from the 1980s to the 2000s.The variations of lake correlation dimension are similar to those of the river network box dimensions.This is unfavorable for the storage capacity of the river networks and lakes.3) The Hurst exponents of water levels were all between 0.5 and 1.0 from the 1960s to the 1980s,while decreased in the 2000s,indicating the decline in persistence and increase in the complexity of water level series.The paper draws a conclusion that the relationship between the fractal dimension of river-lake networks and the Hurst exponents of the water level series can reveal the impacts of river system changes on flood disasters to some extent:the disappearance of river networks and lakes will increase the possibility of flood occurrence.

Impacts of climate change and human activities on water resources in the Ebinur Lake Basin, Northwest China

Changing climatic conditions and extensive human activities have influenced the global water cycle.In recent years,significant changes in climate and land use have degraded the watershed ecosystem of the Ebinur Lake Basin in Xinjiang,Northwest China.In this paper,variations of runoff,temperature,precipitation,reference evapotranspiration,lake area,socio-economic water usage,groundwater level and water quality in the Ebinur Lake Basin from 1961 to 2015 were systematically analyzed by the Mann-Kendall test methods(M-K)mutation test,the cumulative levelling method,the climate-sensitive method and land-use change index.In addition,we evaluated the effects of human activities on land use change and water quality.The results reveal that there was a significant increase in temperature and precipitation from 1961 to 2015,despite a decrease in reference evapotranspiration.The Wenquan station was not significantly affected by human activities as it is situated at a higher altitude.Runoff at this station increased significantly with climate warming.In contrast,runoff at the Jinghe station was severely affected by numerous human activities.Runoff decreased without obvious fluctuations.The contributions of climate change to runoff variation at the Jinghe and Wenquan stations were 46.87%and 58.94%,respectively;and the contributions of human activities were 53.13%and 41.06%,respectively.Land-use patterns in the basin have changed significantly between 1990 and 2015:urban and rural constructed lands,saline-alkali land,bare land,cultivated land,and forest land have expanded,while areas under grassland,lake,ice/snow and river/channel have declined.Human activities have dramatically intensified land degradation and desertification.From 1961 to 2015,both the inflow into the Ebinur Lake and the area of the lake have declined year by year;groundwater levels have dropped significantly,and the water quality has deteriorated during the study period.In the oasis irrigation area below the runoff pass,human activities mainly influenced the utilization mode and quantity of water resources.Changes in the hydrology and quantity of water resources were driven primarily by the continuous expansion of cultivated land and oasis,as well as the growth of population and the construction of hydraulic engineering projects.After 2015,the effects of some ecological protection projects were observed.However,there was no obvious sign of ecological improvement in the basin,and some environmental problems continue to persist.On this basis,this study recommends that the expansion of oasis should be limited according to the carrying capacity of the local water bodies.Moreover,in order to ensure the ecological security of the basin,it is necessary to determine the optimal oasis area for sustainable development and improve the efficiency of water resources exploitation and utilization.

Deep-water gravity flow deposits in a lacustrine rift basin and their oil and gas geological significance in eastern China

The types,evolution processes,formation mechanisms,and depositional models of deep-water gravity flow deposits in a lacustrine rift basin are studied through core observation and systematic analysis.Massive transport of slide and slump,fluid transport of debris flow and turbidity currents are driven by gravity in deep-water lacustrine environment.The transformation between debris flow and turbidity current,and the transformation of turbidity current between supercritical and subcritical conditions are the main dynamic mechanisms of gravity flow deposits in a lake basin.The erosion of supercritical turbidity current controls the formation of gravity-flow channel.Debris flow deposition gives rise to tongue shape lobe rather than channel.Deep-water gravity flow deposits are of two origins,intrabasinal and extrabasinal.Intrabasinal gravity flow deposits occur as single tongue-shape lobe or fan of stacking multiple lobes.Extrabasinal gravity-flow deposits occur as sublacustrine fan with channel or single channel sand body.However,the nearshore subaqueous fan is characterized by fan of stacking multiple tongue shape lobes without channel.The differential diagenesis caused by differentiation in the nearshore subaqueous fan facies belt results in the formation of diagenetic trap.The extrabasinal gravity flow deposits are one of the important reasons for the abundant deep-water sand bodies in a lake basin.Slide mass-transport deposits form a very important type of lithologic trap near the delta front often ignored.The fine-grained sediment caused by flow transformation is the potential"sweet spot"of shale oil and gas.

Lithologic Hydrocarbon Deposits in Rift Lake Basins in Eastern China

The rift lake basins in the eastern China have abundant hydrocarbon resources of lithologic deposits, which resulted from excellent source rocks and multi-type sandbodies developed during strong rifting. Vertically, the lithologic deposits are mainly distributed in the lowstand, lacustrine invasion and early highstand systems of third-order sequence corresponding to a secondary tectonic episode of strong rifting, and laterally they are closely related to various fans and turbidite sandbodies controlled by syn-sedimentary faults. A variety of lithologic traps have been developed in the rift lake basins, and they generally have favorable conditions of source-reservoir-seal assemblage and hydrocarbon accumulation dynamics, indicating that there is a great exploration potential of lithologic deposits in the rift lake basins. In order to obtain satisfactory effects of lithologic deposit exploration, it is required to combine new theories with advanced technical methods.

Applying multivariate statistics for identification of groundwater chemistry and qualities in the Sugan Lake Basin, Northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

The Sugan Lake Basin is located in the inland arid region of northwestern China,in which groundwater is of great significance to human and ecology.Therefore,it is necessary to understand the chemical characteristics and quality of groundwater in the basin.Based on samples collected from 35 groundwater wells in Sugan Lake Basin,the spatial distribution characteristics of groundwater chemistry,main hydrogeochemical processes and groundwater quality have been discussed in this paper by using the multivariate statistics and hydrochemistry analysis methods.The results showed that the groundwater is weakly alkaline,and its total dissolved solid(TDS)and total hardness(TH) are high,with the average values of 1244.03 mg/L and 492.10 mg/L,respectively.The types of groundwater are mainly HCO_3^--SO_4^(2-)-Ca^(2+)type in the runoff area and Cl^--SO_4^(2-)-Na^+type in the catchment area.Rock weathering and ion exchange are the main controlling factors of regional groundwater chemistry,followed by evaporative crystallization,and human activities have less impact on groundwater.The spatial difference of groundwater quality is obvious,the water quality of the catchment area is not suitable for drinking,and the suitability for plant growth is also poor.The groundwater in the runoff area can be used for drinking,but the hardness is slightly higher,which is more suitable for ecological purpose.

Migration and accumulation mechanisms and main controlling factors of tight oil enrichment in a continental lake basin

Based on the typical dissection of various onshore tight oil fields in China,the tight oil migration and accumulation mechanism and enrichment-controlling factors in continental lake basins are analyzed through nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)displacement physical simulation and Lattice Boltzmann numerical simulation by using the samples of source rock,reservoir rock and crude oil.In continental lake basins,the dynamic forces driving hydrocarbon generation and expulsion of high-quality source rocks are the foundational power that determines the charging efficiency and accumulation effect of tight oil,the oil migration resistance is a key element that influences the charging efficiency and accumulation effect of tight oil,and the coupling of charging force with pore-throat resistance in tight reservoir controls the tight oil accumulation and sweet spot enrichment.The degree of tight oil enrichment in continental lake basins is controlled by four factors:source rock,reservoir pore-throat size,anisotropy of reservoir structure,and fractures.The high-quality source rocks control the near-source distribution of tight oil,reservoir physical properties and pore-throat size are positively correlated with the degree of tight oil enrichment,the anisotropy of reservoir structure reveals that the parallel migration rate is the highest,and intralayer fractures can improve the migration and accumulation efficiency and the oil saturation.

Sedimentation retention basin utilization for best management practice

Approaches to the artificial impoundment and theoretical design of sedimentation retention basin are reviewed with particular attention to best management practice(BMP) to control agriculture and surface runoff. Sediments retention basins are the small version of farm pond used where a criteria of farm pond is not met. Such basin traps the pollutants and suspended solids prior to entry into streams and lakes. The study is focused with special reference to the assessment and control of non point source pollution(NPSP) from the sub basin area of Tai Lake in the Xishan County of Wuxi City of China. The author suggested two different approaches to conduct this study including theoretical design for sedimentation retention basin and computation of flow, sediment transport and deposition during the artificial impoundment of retention basin for BMP's utilization. Theoretical design will provide a useful function as a first line defense against the movement of sediments and transport of pollutants into the Tai Lake while the assessment of sediments deposition will help to make its proper use and periodic cleanup.

Porosity Distribution Characteristics and Geological Analysis of Brine Storage Medium in the Qaidam Basin, Western China

Underground brine is an unusual water resource that contains abundant mineral resources. It is distributed widely in the Qaidam Basin, western China, a hyperarid inland basin located in the northern Tibetan Plateau. Pores in the brine storage medium act as storage space and transmission channels of underground brine. Therefore, the porosity of brine storage medium determines its ability to store brine. In this study, Mahai Salt Lake was used as the research area as a modern saline lake located in the north area of the Qaidam Basin. A total of 100 porosity samples were collected from eight sampling points in two profiles of the research area at sampling depths of 1.30–314.78 m. The porosity distribution characteristics and influencing factors in brine storage medium were analysed according to the measured porosity data. Based on analysis of the pore structure characteristics, the brine storage medium contains intercrystalline pores, unlike conventional freshwater storage mediums. Moreover, the primary salt rock is susceptible to dissolution by lighter brine, facilitating the formation of secondary porosity. Due to the formation of secondary pores, a porosity greater than 20% remains even at buried depths greater than 100 m. Based on the geological statistical analysis, due to the geographic location, salt formation time, and depositional environment, the porosity values of Mahai Salt Lake do not exhibit a wider distribution, but also show more extreme values than a nearby salt lake. Based on the porosity characteristics by depth, due to the presence of secondary pores, flooding, stratigraphic static pressure, and other factors, porosity shows fluctuations with increasing depth.

Effects of Afforestation on Carbon Storage in Boyang Lake Basin,China

By using field survey data from the sixth forest inventory of Jiangxi Province in 2003,the biomass and carbon storage for three studied species(Pinus massoniana,Cunninghamia lanceolata,and Pinus elliottii)were estimated in Taihe and Xingguo counties of Boyang Lake Basin,Jiangxi Province,China.The relationship between carbon density and forest age was analyzed by logistic equations.Spatio-temporal dynamics of forest biomass and carbon storage in 1985–2003 were also described.The results show that total stand area of the three forest species was 3.10×105ha,total biomass 22.20 Tg,vegetation carbon storage 13.07 Tg C,and average carbon density 42.36 Mg C/ha in the study area in 2003.Carbon storage by forest type in descending order was:P.massoniana,C.lanceolata and P.elliottii.Carbon storage by forest age group in descending order was:middle stand,young stand,near-mature stand and mature stand.Carbon storage by plantation forests was 1.89 times higher than that by natural forests.Carbon density of the three species increased 8.58 Mg C/ha during the study period.The carbon density of Taihe County was higher in the east and west,and lower in the middle.The carbon density of Xingguo County was higher in the northeast and lower in the middle.In general,the carbon density increased with altitude and gradient.Afforestation projects contribute significantly to increasing stand area and carbon storage.Appropriate forest management may improve the carbon sequestration capacity of forest ecosystems.

Inconsistent increasing of climate potential productivity resulting from global warming and land use transitions in the Dongting Lake Basin,from 2000 to 2020

In the face of global warming and increasing impervious surfaces,quantifying the change of climate potential productivity(CPP)is of great significance for the food production planning.Targeting the Dongting Lake Basin,which is a key area for food production in China,this paper uses meteorological data,as well as Climate Change Initiative Land Cover,and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission digital elevation model to investigate the CPP and its changes from 2000 to 2020.The suitability of land for cultivation(SLC),and the land use/land cover change(LUCC)are also considered.The results showed that the CPP varied from 9,825 to 20,895 kg ha^(-1).Even though the newly added impervious surfaces indirectly resulted in the decrease of CPP by of 9.81×10~8 kg,overall,the CPP increased at an average rate of 83.7 kg ha^(-1)a^(-1).Global warming is the strongest driver behind CPP increase,and CPP has played an important role in the conversions between cultivated land and other land types.The structure of land types tends to be optimized against this challenge.

Responses of soil nutrient to driving mechanism in Taihu Lake basin in last 20 years

The objectives of this study is to understand the changing law of soil nutrient quality in Taihu Lake basin, Yangtze Delta in last 20 years, and reveal the relationship between soil nutrient changes and human driving forces in regional level over long period of time. Experiment on long-term collecting samples was conducted to study changes of soil organic matter, total N, available N, available P and available K in Dongting town, Wuxi city during the last 20 years. The paper analyses the co-relationship of the fluctuation of soil nutrient and state policy, cultivating practice, agricultural input, and per hectare agricultural net income. The results showed that at first the content of soil organic matter increased, then decreased, and increased again. The content of total N and available N steadily increased. The content of available K and available P steadily decreased. The authors found that the influence of state policy and cultivating practice on soil nutrient quality index (SNQI) is obvious, agricultural input and SNQI are positively correlated, and per hectare agricultural net income and SNQI are negatively correlated.

Sedimentary characteristics and model of gravity flow channel-lobe complex in a depression lake basin:A case study of Chang 7 Member of Triassic Yanchang Formation in southwestern Ordos Basin,NW China

To reveal the development characteristics and distribution of gravity flow sedimentary system under micro-paleogeomorphologic units of the Chang 7 Member of Triassic Yanchang Formation in the southwestern Ordos Basin,on the basis of the restoration of the paleogeomorphological form of the Chang 7 depositional period by the impression method,each micro-paleogeomorphologic unit was depicted in-depth,and the characteristics and development models of gravity flow deposits in the study area were studied in combination with outcrop,core,mud logging and log data.The results show that:(1)The paleogeomorphology in the Chang 7 depositional period was an asymmetrical depression,wide and gentle in the northeast and steep and narrow in the southwest.Three sub-paleogeomorphologic units were developed in the basin,including gentle paleo-slope,paleo-slope and paleo-depression,and they can be further subdivided into eight micro-paleogeomorphologic units:bulge,groove,slope break belt,plain of lake bottom,deep depression of lake bottom,paleo-channel,paleo-ridge of lake bottom,and paleo-uplift of lake bottom.(2)There are 9 types of lithofacies and 4 types of lithofacies assemblages of Chang 7 Member.According to lithofacies composition and lithofacies vertical combination,the gravity flow deposit is further divided into 5 types of microfacies:restricted channel,unrestricted channel,natural levee,inter-channel,lobe.(3)Paleogeomorphology plays an important role in controlling sediment source direction,type and spatial distribution of sedimentary microfacies,genetic types and distribution of sand bodies in Chang 7 Member.