Apatite fission-track study on the thermo-tectonic history of the Huainan Coalfield in Anhui Province, China: Tectonic implications for the potential coalbed methane resource

Coalbed methane (CBM) is a kind of burgeoning and enormously potential clean energy resource, and the temperature of the thermogenic CBM generation is close to that of the partial annealing zone (PAZ) of apatite fission tracks (AFT). In this study the thermo-tectonic history of the Huainan Coalfield and the potential CBM resource were studied and discussed by using the AFT method. The AFT data indicate that the apparent ages of AFT vary from 45.5 to 199.1 Ma. They are younger than the ages of their host strata (255–1800 Ma) except one sample, and the single-grain ages of AFT can be classified as a single age group for each sample. In combination with the geological setting, modeling results of the AFT ages, average lengths, and the thermal history based on the AFT single-grain ages and length distributions, some preliminary conclusions can be drawn as follows: (1) at least three thermo-tectonic events (in the periods of ～240, 140 and 80 Ma, respectively) have occurred in the study area since the Late Paleozoic. The occurrence of both the first (during 240–220 Ma) and second (during 160–120 Ma) thermo-tectonic events is possibly responsible for the establishment of the patterns of gas generation and reservoir formation. The second thermo-tectonic event also led to slight accumulation of hydrocarbons and generation of thermogenic gas; (2) the AFT ages of most coal-bearing strata lie between 50 and 70 Ma. They should represent the cooling ages and the ages of inferred uplift and denudation, as well as the possible CBM release history. Therefore, the maximum burial depth of coal-bearing strata and the denudation thickness of the overlying strata are over 3000 and 2000 m in the Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene series, respectively; and (3) subsequently, a spot of secondary biogenic and scarcely thermogenic gas generation occurred due to negligible sedimentation during the Neogene and Quaternary periods. Thus, it can be presumed that subsequent tectonism would destroy the CBM reservoir after its formation in the Huainan Coalfield, especially in its structural development region. These AFT data may be helpful for a better understanding of the thermo-tectonic history of the Huainan Coalfield, as well as of CBM generation, storage and release in the Huainan Coalfield.

Periodic response analysis of a misaligned rotor system by harmonic balance method with alternating frequency/time domain technique

A dynamic model is established for an offset-disc rotor system with a mechanical gear coupling, which takes into consideration the nonlinear restoring force of rotor support and the effect of coupling misalignment. Periodic solutions are obtained through harmonic balance method with alternating frequency/time domain(HB-AFT) technique, and then compared with the results of numerical simulation. Good agreement confirms the feasibility of HB-AFT scheme. Moreover, the Floquet theory is adopted to analyze motion stability of the system when rotor runs at different speed intervals. A simple strategy to determine the monodromy matrix is introduced and two ways towards unstability are found for periodic solutions: the period doubling bifurcation and the secondary Hopf bifurcation. The results obtained will contribute to the global response analysis and dynamic optimal design of rotor systems.

Exhumation history of the Jiaodong and its adjacent areas since the Late Cretaceous:Constraints from low temperature thermochronology

The thermal history of the Jiaodong region and adjacent provinces(Shandong and northern Jiangsu) have been extensively studied,particularly by apatite fission track(AFT) dating.However,the AFT ages from surface outcrops range broadly and do not show an apparent relationship between age and elevation.This work provides a multiple low temperature thermochronological dataset including zircon and apatite(U-Th)/He ages(ZHe and AHe),and AFT ages from a 1000-m-deep borehole at the Jiaojia goldneld in the northwest of Jiaodong Peninsula.ZHe,AFT and AHe ages range from-100-70,-85-50and-65-50 Ma,respectively.These data conform to the principles of age vs.closure temperature and age vs.elevation and thus can be employed to estimate the exhumation history.Based on the density histogram of fission track length calculation,thermal history modeling,and previously published AFT ages from the Chinese Continental Science Drill program,this work concludes that compared to the AFT ages from surface outcrops,the low temperature thermochronological ages from the boreholes show a better relationship between age,elevation and closure temperature,and the age becomes younger with increasing depth.In addition,the exhumation history in the Jiaodong and adjacent areas can be divided into two distinct stages:a short,rapid tectonic exhumation(~100-95 Ma) and a long,slow exhumation since 95 Ma.The rate and amount of tectonic exhumation since 95 Ma are inferred as ~30 m Ma^(-1) and ~3 km,respectively.