Research of the Conductive Structure of Crust and the Upper Mantle beneath the South-Central Tibetan Plateau

With the super-wide band magnetoteiluric sounding data of the JUong （吉隆）-Cuoqin （措勤） profile （named line 800） which was completed in 2001 and the Dingri （定日）-Cuomai （措迈） profile （named line 900） which was completed in 2004, we obtained the strike direction of each MT station by strike analysis, then traced profiles that were perpendicular to the main strike direction, and finally obtained the resistivity model of each profile by nonlinear conjugate gradients （NLCG） inversion. With these two models, we described the resistivity structure features of the crust and the upper mantle of the center-southern Tibetan plateau and its relationship with Yalung Tsangpo suture： the upper crust of the research area is a resistive layer with resistivity value range of 200-3 000 Ω.m. The depth of its bottom surface is about 15-20 km generally, but the bottom surface of resistive layer is deeper in the middle of these two profiles. At llne 900, it is about 30 km deep, and even at line 800, it is about 38 km deep. There is a gradient belt of resistivity at the depth of 15-45 km, and a conductive layer is beneath it with resistivity even less than 5 Ω.m. This conductive layer is composed of individual conductive bodies, and at the south of the Yalung Tsangpo suture, the conductive bodies are smaller with thickness about 10 km and lean to the north slightly. However, at the north of the Yalung Tsangpo suture, the conductive bodies are larger with thickness about 30 km and also lean to the north slightly. Relatively, the conductive bodies of line 900 are thinner than those of line 800, and the depth of the bottom surface of line 900 is also shallower. At last, after analyzing the effect factors to the resistivity of rocks, it was concluded that the very conductive layer was caused by partial melt or connective water in rocks. It suggests that the middle and lower crust of the center-southern Tibetan plateau is very thick, hot, flabby, and waxy.

Heat Budget of the South-Central Equatorial Pacific in CMIP3 Models

ABSTRACT Using data from 17 coupled models and nine sets of corresponding Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project （AMIP） results, we investigated annual and seasonal variation biases in the upper 50 m of the south-central equatorial Pacific, with a focus on the double-ITCZ bias, and examined the causes for the amplitude biases by using heat budget analysis. The results showed that, in the research region, most of the models simulate SSTs that are higher than or similar to observed. The simulated seasonal phase is close to that observed, but the amplitudes of more than half of the model results are larger than or equal to observations. Heat budget analysis demonstrated that strong shortwave radiation in individual atmospheric models is the main factor that leads to high SST values and that weak southward cold advection is an important mechanism for maintaining a high SST. For seasonal circulation, large surface shortwave radiation amplitudes cause large SST amplitudes.

Exploratory Potential for Gold Placer Deposits in the Coastal Range, BioBío Region, South-Central Chile

Many gold placers located in the Coastal Range of south-central Chile have been exploited commercially during the past decades;nevertheless and until now, there are not any exploration studies of these placers and their basement. In order to provide an overview of exploratory potential, the stream sediments that are part of several gold placers in the northwest area of the BioBío region are analyzed, which have been registered on the basis of empirical evidence from artisanal mining activities. The overview consists of two goals: 1) determine the presence of auriferous occurrences (stream sediments and basement) and 2) identify potentially favorable areas to find gold placer deposits. Through optical microscopy this study characterized the metallic and non-metallic mineralogy of the basement, along with geochemical analyses of stream sediments and surrounding rocks of the placer deposits. The geochemical results show two sectors with high precious metal contents in sediments (up to 24 ppm of Au and 8 ppm of Ag) and two rocky outcrops with Au (757 and 41 ppb). Additionally, there are depressions in the study area that have received large amounts of sediments (reaching up to 170 m-thick), which are favorable places for the accumulation of auriferous sediments from nearby valleys due to the tectonic and structural conditions where they are located. Then, these results show an exploratory potential for gold placers and can be useful to delineate future exploration strategies in the Coastal Range of south-central Chile.

Mineralogy of a Radioactive-Rare Earth Elements Occurrence in the Paleozoic Batholith, South-Central Chile

South-central Chile has some potential mineral resources including radioactive and rare earth elements (REE) minerals. This study reports some basic characteristics of the mineralogy of a radioactive-rare earth elements occurrence, related to a pegmatitic outcrop “Vertientes Pegmatite” hosted on Paleozoic granitic rocks of the South Coastal Batholith and discusses potential areas for REE deposits, particularly beach placers along the coastline of the BioBío region. In this pegmatite, X-ray diffraction analysis shows uranium-bearing minerals such as coffinite and metaschoepite, along with microcline, anorthoclase, albite, quartz and illite. Through optical microscopy and electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA), rare earth minerals (monazite and xenotime) and radioactive minerals (thorite and thorium silicate ± uranium) were identified. Additionally, granitic rocks of the South Coastal Batholith around this pegmatite show rare earth minerals (monazite and allanite).

The transition from backarc extension to Andean growth:Insights from geochronologic,sedimentologic,and structural studies of Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary and volcanic rocks in south-central Chile(36°S)

Many studies propose a significant shift in the tectonic and paleogeographic evolution of the Andes in south-central Chile and Argentina during the Late Cretaceous.It has been proposed that the preceding Jurassic-Early Cretaceous extensional regime that resulted in a low-relief volcanic arc and the backarc Neuquén basin came to an end,giving way to shortening and Andean growth from the Late Cretaceous onward.Nevertheless,there are disagreements regarding the timing and nature of this transition to Andean orogenesis.To address these issues,we conducted geochronologic(U-Pb and^(40)Ar/&(39)Ar),sedimentologic,and structural studies on Mesozoic-Cenozoic sedimentary and volcanic rocks in the Río Maule area(Principal Cordillera,Chile,36°S).From our findings and prior analyses,we propose the following tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the region.(1)Marine deposition of the Tithonian-Hauterivian Baños del Flaco Formation took place in an extensional backarc basin.(2)After a~40 Myr hiatus,fluvial deposits of the Colimapu Formation and volcanic rocks of the Plan de los Yeuques Formation accumulated during the Cenomanian-Danian.Whereas the Colimapu Formation displays evidence of syndepositional shortening,the Plan de los Yeuques Formation exhibits synextensional growth strata.Contrary to other studies,our results suggest that the Chilean part of the Principal Cordillera was largely a zone of active deposition rather than an elevated fold-thrust belt during the Late Cretaceous.We propose that sedimentation occurred within a series of relatively stable intermontane subbasins generated by shortening,followed by extension.(3)After a~20 Myr hiatus,middle Eocene to early Miocene(Lutetian-Aquitanian)accumulation of a thick succession of andesitic lavas and minor clastic sediments of the Abanico Formation occurred in an intraarc extensional basin.(4)Finally,major shortening and uplift of previously deposited Mesozoic-Cenozoic rocks took place throughout the Neogene.This phase constituted the primary contractional deformation in the Andes of south-central Chile and Argentina.In terms of the transition to early Andean deformation,we propose that structural deformation did not generate a major,regional-scale fold-thrust belt during the late Albian-Santonian.Modest extension,tectonic quiescence,or low-magnitude shortening seem to have dominated during the early to middle Cenozoic.

Fluid Inclusion Geochemistry of Metallic Ore Deposits in the South- Central Sector of theDa Hinggan Mountains in China

Physicochemical parameters of mineralization such as temperature, pressure, salinity, density, composition and boiling of ore fluids as well as pH, Eh, fo2 and reducing parameter in theprocess of mineralization of major ore deposits in the study district have been obtained by the authors through systematic observation and determination of characteristics and phase changes of fluid inclusions at different temperatures and analysis of gaseous and liquid phase compositions of the inclusions, thus providing a scientific basis for the division of mineralization-alteration stages, types of mineral deposits and minerogenetic series and the deepening of the knowledge about the ore-forming processes and mechanisms of mineral deposits. It is indicated that the deposits of the same type have similar fluid inclusion geochemical features and physicochemical parameters though they belong to different minerogenetic series, while the compositions of inclusions are not conditioned by deposit types but closely related to the minerogenetic series of deposits.

珠江口盆地文昌A凹陷中南部油气成藏新认识与勘探启示

文昌9-7的发现打破了文昌A凹陷近10余年来勘探低谷,但是各构造带油气差异富集规律认识不清制约了勘探持续突破。本文通过剖析各构造带成藏关键问题,探讨油、气富集的主控因素,并提出文昌A凹陷生烃潜力大幅提升;帚状断裂北东段控制六号断裂带珠海组砂体优势展布;珠三南断裂带北部北东、东西向断层交汇处油气垂向运移活跃;南断裂带中、南部恩平组具有三凹供烃优势、油气主要纵向近源富集于恩平组;穿断运移规模是断阶带成藏关键等成藏新认识。在此基础上指出了各构造带下一步有利勘探区带。

Genetic diversity and offspring fitness in the red and white fruit color morphs of the wild strawberry Fragaria pentaphylla

Aims Fruit color polymorphisms are widespread in plants,but what maintains them is largely unclear.One hypothesis is that some morphs are preferred by dispersers while others have higher pre-or postdispersal fitness.This leads to the prediction that fruit color morphs will differ in pre-or postdispersal fitness.Methods We compared genetic and clonal diversity,mating system,morphological traits that might be associated with resistance to freezing,and germination,survival and seed production of progeny of the red and white fruit morphs in a population of a diploid,wild strawberry,Fragaria pentaphylla,from south-central China.Important Findings The red morph was much more abundant than the white but did not show higher genetic diversity as measured by observed and effective numbers of alleles,Shannon information index,or expected or observed heterozygosities.AMOVA showed that most of the genetic variation in the population was within rather than between morphs.Morphs did not differ in mating system parameters,and no significant biparental inbreeding was found in either morph.Gene flow between two morphs was high(N_(m)=6.89).Seeds of the red morph germinated about 2 days earlier and had a 40%higher rate of germination than those of the white morph,but survival of seedlings and seed production by surviving offspring did not differ between morphs.The whole postdispersal fitness of the red morph was about two times higher than that of the white morph.Red morphs had hairier petioles but not more surface wax on leaves.Overall,results showed partial evidence for difference in pre-and postdispersal fitness between fruit color morphs in F.pentaphylla.Differences in fitness independent of dispersal may thus partially account for fruit color polymorphism in all cases.