The Messel oil shale, Germany, was deposited in a maar crater that formed 47 million years ago. Since 1975 the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt am Main, has conducted systematic scientific excavations of th...The Messel oil shale, Germany, was deposited in a maar crater that formed 47 million years ago. Since 1975 the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt am Main, has conducted systematic scientific excavations of this oil shale with much success. Besides plants and insects, more than 130 species of well-preserved fossil vertebrates like reptiles, fishes, birds and mammals have been found and have made Messel world-famous. Some examples of these vertebrates are presented.展开更多
Our field investigation indicates that the northern piedmont fault of the Hengshan Mountain has dislocated proluvial fan and terrace I of the gully mouth on the northern border of the Hengshan Mountain. Stratigraphic ...Our field investigation indicates that the northern piedmont fault of the Hengshan Mountain has dislocated proluvial fan and terrace I of the gully mouth on the northern border of the Hengshan Mountain. Stratigraphic age data indicates that the surface layer in the middle and rear part of the proluvial fan and on the terrace I of the gully mouth on the mountain border consists of sediments of about 5200～6800a B.P. The Hezhuang and Niucaoyu trenches excavated in the front of Hengshan Mountain revealed that 3 paleoseismic events have occurred along the northern piedmont fault of Hengshan Mountain since the early Holocene. The 3 paleoseismic events occurred in 2260±190～4370±150a BP, nearly 5628±150a BP, and 8083±250～8430±720a BP, respectively, and their recurrence interval is 2313a,2628a and 2471a on average. The coseismic vertical displacement produced by these events is 1 0～3 0m. The elapsed time of the latest movement along the fault has exceeded the recurrence interval of these paleoearthquakes. Thus, there exists the possibility of strong earthquake occurrence along the fault from now onward, so the fault is in need of observation.展开更多
It has been debated whether there was southward movement of the South China Block （SCB） during the Cretaceous. In this study, a paleomagnetic investigation was carried out on the Late Cretaceous volcanic rocks （-88...It has been debated whether there was southward movement of the South China Block （SCB） during the Cretaceous. In this study, a paleomagnetic investigation was carried out on the Late Cretaceous volcanic rocks （-88 Ma） of the Shimaoshan Group in Yongtai County, Fujian Province. Rock magnetic experiments showed that magnetite in pseudo-single-domain and multi-domain grain and hematite were predominant magnetic phases. Stepwise thermal demagnetization successfully isolated characteristic directional components at high-temperature interval （〉 500℃） from 383 specimens in 19 sites, which yielded a paleomagnetic pole for the studied section at 83.1°N, 152.6°E （N = 19, A95 = 3.9°）, and the scatter SB = 9.0. The Fisher distri- bution of virtual geomagnetic poles （VGPs） and the consistence of S8 with the expected value at the 95% confidence level in- dicate that the yielded paleomagnetic pole is free of paleomagnetic secular variation influence. The new pole, which is well consistent with that from the Eurasian apparent polar wander path （APWP） curve, suggests no obvious southward movement of the sampling site during the Cretaceous.展开更多
Palynological data are used to draw paleoecological inferences for the Dalichai Formation,northeast of Semnan,northeastern Iran.All samples examined yield well-preserved,diverse palynofloras consisting predominantly o...Palynological data are used to draw paleoecological inferences for the Dalichai Formation,northeast of Semnan,northeastern Iran.All samples examined yield well-preserved,diverse palynofloras consisting predominantly of miospores;dinoflagellate cysts,foraminiferal test linings,and fungal spores occur as minor constituents.Fifty-four species of spores(37 genera),18species of pollen(9 genera),and 16 species of dinoflagellate cysts(13 genera)are recognized.Co-occurrence of such miospore species with known vertical ranges as Klukisporites variegatus,Sellaspora asperata,Murospora florida,and Concavissimisporites verrucosus suggests a Middle Jurassic(Bajocian-Callovian)age for the host strata,thus corroborating the available paleozoological evidence.Such spore species as Klukisporites,Cyathidites,and Dictyophyllidites known to have been produced by Pterophyta dominate the palynofloras.Thus the contemporaneous coastal vegetation was characterized by predominance of Pterophyta whereas representatives of Ginkgophyta,Pteridospermophyta,Lycophyta,Coniferophyta,and Bryophyta were rarely represented.This reconstruction implies that a moist,warm climate prevailed in northeastern Iran during the Middle Jurassic(Bajocian-Callovian).This is confirmed by occurrence of fungal spores accompanied by such warm water dinoflagellate cysts as Mendicodinium groenlandicum,Pareodinia ceratophora,and Gonyaulacysta jurassica.Abundance of Amorphous Organic Matter(AOM)signifies a shallow,low-energy,dysoxic-anoxic depositional site for the host strata.Furthermore,the ratio of AOM to marine palynomorphs as well as abundance of blade-shaped to eqiudimensional opaque palynomacerals could indicate low sedimentation rate in a shallow,low-oxygenated marine environment.Additionally,occurrence of chorate dinoflagellate cysts(e.g.,Adnatosphaeridium caulleryi)and acritarchs bearing relatively long processes(e.g.,Micrhystridium)possibly suggests deepening upward in the study section.展开更多
文摘The Messel oil shale, Germany, was deposited in a maar crater that formed 47 million years ago. Since 1975 the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt am Main, has conducted systematic scientific excavations of this oil shale with much success. Besides plants and insects, more than 130 species of well-preserved fossil vertebrates like reptiles, fishes, birds and mammals have been found and have made Messel world-famous. Some examples of these vertebrates are presented.
文摘Our field investigation indicates that the northern piedmont fault of the Hengshan Mountain has dislocated proluvial fan and terrace I of the gully mouth on the northern border of the Hengshan Mountain. Stratigraphic age data indicates that the surface layer in the middle and rear part of the proluvial fan and on the terrace I of the gully mouth on the mountain border consists of sediments of about 5200～6800a B.P. The Hezhuang and Niucaoyu trenches excavated in the front of Hengshan Mountain revealed that 3 paleoseismic events have occurred along the northern piedmont fault of Hengshan Mountain since the early Holocene. The 3 paleoseismic events occurred in 2260±190～4370±150a BP, nearly 5628±150a BP, and 8083±250～8430±720a BP, respectively, and their recurrence interval is 2313a,2628a and 2471a on average. The coseismic vertical displacement produced by these events is 1 0～3 0m. The elapsed time of the latest movement along the fault has exceeded the recurrence interval of these paleoearthquakes. Thus, there exists the possibility of strong earthquake occurrence along the fault from now onward, so the fault is in need of observation.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40634024 and40821091)
文摘It has been debated whether there was southward movement of the South China Block （SCB） during the Cretaceous. In this study, a paleomagnetic investigation was carried out on the Late Cretaceous volcanic rocks （-88 Ma） of the Shimaoshan Group in Yongtai County, Fujian Province. Rock magnetic experiments showed that magnetite in pseudo-single-domain and multi-domain grain and hematite were predominant magnetic phases. Stepwise thermal demagnetization successfully isolated characteristic directional components at high-temperature interval （〉 500℃） from 383 specimens in 19 sites, which yielded a paleomagnetic pole for the studied section at 83.1°N, 152.6°E （N = 19, A95 = 3.9°）, and the scatter SB = 9.0. The Fisher distri- bution of virtual geomagnetic poles （VGPs） and the consistence of S8 with the expected value at the 95% confidence level in- dicate that the yielded paleomagnetic pole is free of paleomagnetic secular variation influence. The new pole, which is well consistent with that from the Eurasian apparent polar wander path （APWP） curve, suggests no obvious southward movement of the sampling site during the Cretaceous.
文摘Palynological data are used to draw paleoecological inferences for the Dalichai Formation,northeast of Semnan,northeastern Iran.All samples examined yield well-preserved,diverse palynofloras consisting predominantly of miospores;dinoflagellate cysts,foraminiferal test linings,and fungal spores occur as minor constituents.Fifty-four species of spores(37 genera),18species of pollen(9 genera),and 16 species of dinoflagellate cysts(13 genera)are recognized.Co-occurrence of such miospore species with known vertical ranges as Klukisporites variegatus,Sellaspora asperata,Murospora florida,and Concavissimisporites verrucosus suggests a Middle Jurassic(Bajocian-Callovian)age for the host strata,thus corroborating the available paleozoological evidence.Such spore species as Klukisporites,Cyathidites,and Dictyophyllidites known to have been produced by Pterophyta dominate the palynofloras.Thus the contemporaneous coastal vegetation was characterized by predominance of Pterophyta whereas representatives of Ginkgophyta,Pteridospermophyta,Lycophyta,Coniferophyta,and Bryophyta were rarely represented.This reconstruction implies that a moist,warm climate prevailed in northeastern Iran during the Middle Jurassic(Bajocian-Callovian).This is confirmed by occurrence of fungal spores accompanied by such warm water dinoflagellate cysts as Mendicodinium groenlandicum,Pareodinia ceratophora,and Gonyaulacysta jurassica.Abundance of Amorphous Organic Matter(AOM)signifies a shallow,low-energy,dysoxic-anoxic depositional site for the host strata.Furthermore,the ratio of AOM to marine palynomorphs as well as abundance of blade-shaped to eqiudimensional opaque palynomacerals could indicate low sedimentation rate in a shallow,low-oxygenated marine environment.Additionally,occurrence of chorate dinoflagellate cysts(e.g.,Adnatosphaeridium caulleryi)and acritarchs bearing relatively long processes(e.g.,Micrhystridium)possibly suggests deepening upward in the study section.
