准噶尔盆地三个泉凸起油气成藏条件及动力学研究

Sangequan Uplift in Junggar Basin is an inherited positive structure, which has undergone many times of violent tectonic movements, with high tectonic setting, and far away from the oil-source sag, reservoir forming condition is complex. Combining sequence stratigraphy, depositional facies, reservoir formation theory with seismic and well logging analysis, this paper conducted integrated study on the hydrocarbon migration, accumulation, entrapment conditions, the reservoir forming dynamics and the forming model, and acquired the following recognition: (1) The special reservoir formation conditions that enable Sangequan Uplift to form a giant oil-gas field of over 100 million tons of reserves are as follows: (D Deltaic frontal sandbody is developed in Jurassic Xishanyao Formation, Toutunhe Formation and Lower Cretaceous Hutubihe Formation, with good reservoir quality;? Abundant hydrocarbon resources are found in Western Well Pen-1 Sag, which provides sufficient oil sources for reservoir formation of Sagequan Uplift; ?The unconformity-fault-sandbody system has formed a favorable space transporting system and an open conduit for long-distance hydrocarbon migration; ?fault, low amplitude anticline and lithological traps were well developed, providing a favorable space for hydrocarbon accumulation. (2) The most significant source beds in the Western Well Pen-1 Sag are the Mid-Permian Lower Wuerhe Formation and Lower-Permian Fengcheng Formation. The oil in the Well Block Lu-9 and Shinan Oilfield all originated from the hydrocarbon source beds of Fengcheng Formation and Lower Wuerhe Formation in the Western Well Pen-1 Sag and migrated through Jidong and Jinan deep faults linking unconformity of different regions from sources to structural highs of the uplift and shallow horizons. (3) There were 2 reservoir formation periods in District Sangequan: the first was in late Cretaceous during which the upper part of Xishanyao Formation and Toutunhe Formation; the second was in Triassic, the main resources are high-maturity oil and gas from Fengcheng Formation and Wuerhe Formation in Western Pen-1 Well sag and the gas from coal measure strata of Xishanyao Formation, that were accumulated in Hutubihehe Formation. (4) Model of the hydrocarbon migration, accumulation, reservoir formation of the study area are categorized as three types starting from the hydrocarbon source areas, focusing on the faults and unconformity and aiming at reservoirs: ① Model of accumulation and formation of reservoir through faults or unconformities along the "beam" outside source; ②Model of migration, accumulation and reservoir formation through on-slope near source;③Model of migration, accumulation and reservoir formation of marginal mid-shallow burial biogas-intermediate gas. (5) Pinchout, overlap and lithologic traps are developed in transitional zones between Western Well Pen-1 sag and Luliang uplift. Many faulted blocks and faulted nose-like traps are associated with large structures on Sangequan uplift. Above traps will be new prospecting areas for further hydrocarbon exploration in future.

下扬子北缘前陆盆地形成演化与油气赋存条件

The foreland basin on the northern margin of the lower reach of the Yangtze river (the lower Yangtze foreland basin) is tectonically situated in the basin-mountain transitional area along the southeastern flank of the Dabie mountains. The early formation and development of the basin is closely related to the open-up of the Mian-Lue paleo-oceanic basin on the southern margin of the Central Orogenic System represented by Qinling-Dabei orogenic belt, while the tectonic evolution of the middle-late stage of the basin is mainly related to development of the Mian-Lue tectonic zone that occurred on the basis of the previous Mian-Lue paleo-suture. The foreland basin of the northern rim of the lower reach of the Yangtze river was formed during the middle-Triassic collision between the Yangtze and North China plates and experienced an evolution of occuirence-development-extinction characterized by marine facies to continental facies and continental margin to intracontinent in terms of tectonic setting.The foreland basin (T2-J2) was developed on the basis of the passive continental marginal basin on the south side of the Mian-Lue paleo-ocean and superimposed by late Jurassic-Tertiary fault basin. The tectonic setting underwent a multiple transformation of rifting-collisional clososing-tensional faulting and depression, which resulted in changes of the property for the basin and the final formation of the superposed compose basin in a fashion of 3-story-building. According to the tectonic position and evolution stages of plate collision happening on the southeastern margin of the Dabie mountains, and tectono-tratigraphic features shown by the foreland basin in its main formational period, the evolution of the foreland basin can be divided into four stages: 1) pre-orogenic passive margin (P2-Ti). As the Mian-Lue ocean commenced subduction in the late-Permian, the approaching of the Yangtze and North China plates to each other led to long-periodical and large-scale marine regression in early Triassic which was 22 Ma earlier than the global one and generated I-type mixed strata of the clastic rocks and carbonate, and I-type carbonate platform. These represent the passive stratigraphy formed before formation of the foreland basin. 2) Foreland basin on continental margin during main orogenic episode (T2.3). The stage includes the sub-stage of marine foreland basin (T2X remain basin), which formed I-type stratigrphy of carbonate tidal flat-lagoon, the sub-stage of marine-continental transition-molasse showing II-type stratigraphy of marine-continental facies lake - continental facies lake. 3) Intracontinental foreland basin during intracontinental orogeny (Ji-2)- It is characterized by continental facies coal-bearing molasses. 4) Tensional fault and depression during post-orogeny (J3-E). It formed tectono-stratigraphy post formation of the foreland basin, marking the end of the foreland evolution. Fold-thrust deformation of the lower Yangtze foreland basin mainly happened in late middle-Jurassic, forming ramp structures along the Yangtze river that display thrusting, with deformation strength weakening toward the river from both the Dabie mountains and the Jiangnan rise. This exhibits as three zones in a pattern of thick-skinned structure involved the basement of the orogenic belt to decollement thin-skinned structure of fold-thrust from north to south: thrust zone of foreland basin on northern rim of the lower reach of the Yangtze river, foreland basin zone and Jiannan compose uplift zone. Due to the superposed tensional deformation on the earlier compressional deformation, the structural geometric stratification has occurred vertically: the upper part exhibits late tensional deformation, the middle portion is characterized by ramp fault -fold deformation on the base of the Silurian decollement and weak deformation in the lower portion consisting of Silurian and Neo-Proterozoic separated by the two decollements. These portions constitutes a three-layered structural assemblage in a 3-D geometric model.From the succession of the lower reach of the Yangtze river and combined with characteristics of hydrocarbon-bearing rocks and oil-gas system, it can be seen that the succession of the continental facies foreland basin overlies the marine facies stratigraphy on the passive continental margin, which formed upper continental facies and lower marine facies hydrocarbon-bearing rock system and oil-gas forming system possessing the basic conditions for oil-gas occurrence. Among the conditions, the key for oil-gas accumulation is development and preservation of the marine hydrocarbon-bearing rocks underlying the foreland basin. The synthetic study that in the lower Yangtze foreland basin (including the Wangjiang-Qianshan basin), the generation-reservoir-cover association with the Permian marine facies hydrocarbon-bearing rocks as the critical portion can be a prospective oil-gas accumulation.Therefore, it should aim at the upper Paleozoic marine hydrocarbon-bearing rock system and oil-gas forming system in oil-gas evaluation and exploration. Also, fining excellent reservoir phase and well-preserved oil-gas accumulation units is extremely important for a breakthrough in oil-gas exploration.

华北早二叠世鳞木类大孢子囊-孢子叶复合体—无被果孢属(Achlamydocarpon Schumacker-Lambry)的研究

本论文系统回顾了无被果孢属的研究历史，讨论了无被果孢属的鉴定特征及种的划分依据，总结了无被果孢属已有种的特征及分布。在此基础上对山西太原西山煤田太原组7号煤层煤核及河北平泉杨树岭煤矿太原组火山凝灰岩中的无被果孢属进行了详细的解剖学研究，把它们与无被果孢属已有种进行了详细的对比后，共鉴定出二个新种和二个未定种。这二个新种的主要特征如下： 过渡无被果孢（新种）Achlamydocarpon intermedia sp. nov. 大孢子囊大约长6.0－10.0 mm，宽4.6 mm，高1.4mm，背腹扁状，具顶脊，两侧角明显, 近轴端开口。孢子囊壁复杂，分化为三层：最外层为单层柱状细胞层;中层1－2层细胞厚，细胞具深色内含物，壁薄;内层1－3层细胞厚，细胞壁强烈加厚。柱状层朝近轴端方向厚度加大。大孢子叶柄背脊不甚发育，具明显侧翼，侧翼的末端膨大并下垂使得柄的横切面略呈 “M”形。侧翼的宽度由近轴端向远轴端随孢子囊宽度的增加而增加，整体宽度大致保持为孢子囊的宽度的1/2左右。侧翼的近轴面具对称的厚壁组织区域。木质部束在近轴端为近等径状，向远轴端则变为略呈水平伸长状。通气组织发达，独立空腔结构贯穿孢子叶柄的整个长度。败育大孢子似乎具肿块结构。 本新种产于山西太原西山煤田太原组7号煤层煤核中。 2、平泉无被果孢（新种） Achlamydocarpon pingquanensis sp. nov 大孢子囊10.0－15.0 mm长，8.1 mm宽，3.0 mm 高。背腹扁，不具顶脊，两侧角明显，远轴端开口。壁复杂，分化为5层：最外层为薄壁细胞层，厚1-3层细胞;次外层为次生壁强烈增厚的细胞层，厚2-数层细胞;中层为具深色内含物的薄壁细胞层，厚2-数层细胞;次内层为与次外层相似的厚壁细胞层;内层为厚度达数个细胞的薄壁细胞层。孢子叶柄侧翼发育，宽度大于孢子囊宽度。背脊或龙骨很不显著。远轴面有时呈强烈的起伏不平状。大孢子囊底部与孢子囊柄连结部分由厚壁的细胞构成。不育组织垫结构较显著。功能大孢子扁缩，在近轴端发育较好，上表面具一突起结构。败育大孢子瘪缩，结构复杂，具明显肿块结构（？），瘤状肿块结构与败育孢子表面相连部分呈棒状。孢子叶柄近轴面不具有明显的厚壁组织区域;维管束由木质部束、维管束鞘及其所围成的空腔组成，但在远轴端仅剩下木质部束;通气组织发达，在维管束下方形成一独立空腔。 本新种分别产于山西太原西山煤田太原组7号煤层煤核和河北平泉杨树岭煤矿太原组火山凝灰岩中。 过渡无被果孢（新种）的特征介于欧美植物区的变异无被果孢类型和塔赫他间无被果孢类型之间。平泉无被果孢（新种）则与变异无被果孢类型较相近，但二者的大孢子囊壁的最外层完全不同：前者的是柱状细胞层，而后者的则由近等径的类似薄壁组织的细胞构成。二个未定种中，无被果孢（未定种 1）与过渡无被果孢（新种）很相似，区别在于前者的大孢子囊壁缺乏最外层的柱状细胞层以及孢子叶柄具明显的背脊或龙骨。无被果孢（未定种 2）则与塔赫他间无被果孢类型较接近。 根据华夏植物区和欧美植物区的化石材料和文献，探讨了保存不完整的大孢子囊-孢子叶复合体的远轴端和近轴端的判断方法：孢子囊较宽较高、孢子叶柄较为粗大、侧翼较发育、维管束较大、通气腔较发育的一端往往为远轴端，反之则为近轴端。 还讨论了无被果孢属一些构造的演化趋势： 1、孢子囊壁由简单向复杂或高度分化; 2、通气组织由不发达到高度特异化; 3、叶迹从微弱到显著，从简单到复杂; 4、败育大孢子从饱满到瘪缩，从表面平整到高度曲折，结构复杂化 5、大孢子四分体结合紧密度呈下降趋势

山西煤核中辉木植物二个新种的研究--山西枝蕨和山西始莲座蕨

辉木植物是莲座蕨目在晚古生代最重要的成员，广泛分布于当时处于热带－亚热带气候条件下的晚石炭世－二叠纪欧美植物区和华夏植物区。目前欧美植物区晚石炭世的辉木植物已经研究得非常深入和全面，但相对来说二叠纪的辉木植物的研究，尤其是关于其非茎器官的研究要薄弱得多。中国山西太原西山煤田早二叠世早期太原组7号煤层煤核中产有丰富的辉木植物各种器官化石，这就为深入了解二叠纪辉木植物的形态、解剖以及辉木植物的系统发育与演化提供了重要的化石材料。本论文利用国际上研究煤核时广泛采用的揭膜法，深入研究了山西煤核中2种分散保存的辉木植物器官：羽轴－山西枝蕨（新种）和生殖羽片－山西始莲座蕨（新种）。由于目前尚无有关二叠纪具解剖构造的辉木植物羽轴的详细研究的报道，因此，山西枝蕨（新种）是国内外目前为止第一种研究得最详细的二叠纪具解剖构造的辉木植物羽轴，它与欧美植物区枝蕨属已有的几个种（均为晚石炭世）的主要区别在于：前者为背腹扁状，后者则为两侧扁状;前者具较发育的鳞片，后者一般没有;前者的表皮下方有一条含有较大的单宁质细胞的薄壁组织带，后者没有;前者的内维管束呈“C”形，较大，位于正中央，后者的内维管束一般呈“W”形，较小，位于一侧。山西始莲座蕨（新种）是目前为止国内第一种（世界第二种）详细研究的二叠纪具解剖构造的两侧对称形的辉木植物聚合囊，同时也是目前国内发现的时代最早的华夏植物区两侧对称形的莲座蕨目聚合囊（包括印痕－压型化石和具解剖构造的矿化化石），它与欧美植物区始莲座蕨属已有的2个种（均为晚石炭世）的主要区别在于：前者的聚合囊囊托维管化，后者的囊托中无维管组织存在;前者的孢子囊侧壁细胞在近顶端呈明显的径向伸长状，后者的孢子囊侧壁细胞的形状和大小在孢子囊的上下没有很明显的变化;前者的孢子很小，数量多，纹饰简单，后者的孢子大，数量少，纹饰复杂。总的来说，本文所研究的二个新种与欧美植物区同属其它种之间的区别要大于后者彼此之间的区别，这可能是由于处于不同的植物地理区，经过长期地理隔绝和平行演化的结果。本研究成果不仅丰富了我们对二叠纪辉木植物非茎器官解剖构造的认识，而且对今后开展华夏植物区二叠纪辉木植物的分类、系统发育和演化以及整体植物的研究，都具有重要的作用和意义。

中国西南地区晚二叠世莲座蕨目植物研究

本论文应用揭膜方法（Peeling Method）对产于我国西南地区滇东黔西一带晚二叠世地层中的保存有解剖构造的莲座蕨目化石进行了较为深入的研究，包括3 种茎和一种生殖器官。3 种茎中有二种为本文首次研究，均归入辉木属Psaronius Cotta，建立了二个新种：盘县辉木P. panxianensis 和老屋基辉木P. laowujiensis；另外一个种－田氏辉木P. tianii Li（MS）为前人所建立，但未正式发表，本文做了重新研究，新发现了一些特征，并对一些已有特征做了修订。讨论了这3 个种一些重要特征的分类和系统演化意义，这些特征包括：叶迹最后分出时的维管构型、维管束鞘和边缘茎维管束内侧的厚壁组织束。通过对不同地区和不同时代辉木属已有种的特征分析，对辉木属属下分类做了尝试，根据维管束是否结成环状、叶迹维管构型、是否具维管束鞘、边缘茎维管束内侧的厚壁组织束的发育与否、边缘茎维管束是否分叉等特征将辉木属已有种（包括本文所研究的3 个种）分为5 个组：1. Blicklei 组，代表种为Psaronius blicklei Morgan，包括欧美植物区目前已知各种，可能还包括华夏植物区的一些种。它们的主要特征是：不具维管束鞘；边缘茎维管束内侧的厚壁组织束不发育。2．Panxianensis 组，代表种为盘县辉木Psaronius panxianensis He，Wang，Hilton,Tian et Zhou，包括王氏辉木、老屋基辉木、江苏辉木，可能还有八角辉木和六角辉木。最主要特征是：具维管束鞘，简单，仅由薄壁细胞构成；边缘茎维管束内侧具树枝状和伞状或锚状厚壁组织束；叶迹由3 根维管束构成。该组目前仅发现于华南地区二叠系。3. Tianii 组，以田氏辉木Psaronius tianii Li（MS）为代表，目前只有这一个种。该组的主要特征：具维管束鞘，复杂，可分为两层；边缘茎维管束内侧具菊花状厚壁组织束，且每两环维管束之间具两条厚壁组织束，其中一条连续，另一条不连续；叶迹呈歪斜的弓形或M 形；叶迹维管束与茎维管束等粗；边缘茎维管束可分叉。该组目前仅发现于华南地区二叠系。4. Brasiliensis 组，以巴西辉木Psaronius brasiliensis Brongniart 为代表，除巴西辉木外，可能还包括P. sp. Herbst。该组的最主要特征就是其维管束的一端内卷并与主体部分连接形成一个封闭的环状构造；茎中央的维管束小，形态多变，而且排列十分不规则。该组目前仅发现于南美地区二叠系。5. Sinuosus 组，以P. sinuosus Herbst 为代表，目前也只有此一个种。其最主要的特征就是叶迹具多个维管束，且排列无规则；茎维管束非常长，呈盘绕状。该组目前仅发现于南美地区二叠系。生殖器官归入虫囊蕨属Scolecopteris（Zenker）Millay，建立一新种：贵州虫囊蕨。该种仅保存有聚合囊和分散的孢子囊，生殖小羽片不明。孢子囊面向外的壁较厚，但分化，自内向外可分为三部分；孢子具三缝，较大，直径55-60μm。由于该种同时拥有Millay 认为的原始特征（大的孢子）和进化特征（即分化的孢子囊面向外的壁）。很可能Millay 的观点仅仅反映了欧美植物区虫囊蕨属的演化规律。

中国二叠纪—三叠纪陆生植物多样性变化的研究

本文基于华南、华北地区二叠纪—三叠纪陆生植物大化石和孢粉的数据库， 对中国二叠纪—三叠纪陆生植物的多样性变化进行了统计分析研究，并重点探讨了在二叠纪—三叠纪界线（Permian-Triassic Boundary，PTB ）陆生植物是否与同期的海洋动物一样发生了同步的集群灭绝事件。 统计分析表明，华南、华北陆生植物大化石的分异度穿过PTB 均显示了较长时续（约37.8Ma）的下降和残存阶段，而孢粉化石在早三叠世的分异度则是上升的。总体上，陆生植物分异度穿过PTB 的变化较同期的海洋动物平稳缓慢。华南地区陆生植物大化石在晚二叠世末长兴期（Changhsingian）虽然伴随着最高的属灭绝率85.94% 和最低的属新生率28.12%，发生了最大的灭绝事件，但在晚二叠世早期和早三叠世的属的灭绝率也较高，分别为61.02% 和66.67% 。种的灭绝率在晚二叠世早期从早二叠世晚期的39%大幅度上升到80.36%，晚二叠世晚期达峰值97%，早三叠世稍降为93%，显然高于其它时段灭绝率范围（30—70%）。种和属的灭绝率呈现了同样的高峰阶段，从晚二叠世早期至早三叠世，时续为20.8 百万年（Ma）。基于更替率分析，华南地区陆生植物的高更替率事件分别发生在早二叠世晚期（93.75%）、早三叠世（90.92%）和晚三叠世（91.38%），但陆生植物在穿越早二叠世晚期—晚三叠世的整个过程中，更替率波动不大、比较平稳。华北地区陆生植物大化石穿越PTB 的灭绝率比华南地区低，属级高灭绝率事件集中在晚二叠世早期（67.31%）和晚二叠世晚期（63.89%）， 时续为14.8Ma，种级高灭绝率事件与华南地区类似，集中在晚二叠世早期（85.67%）、晚二叠世晚期（90.86%）和早三叠世（80.28% ）三个阶段，时续为20.8Ma 。显而易见，这比同期海洋动物集群灭绝的时续（3—11Ma ）要长。 本文基于这些分析结果，仔细考虑了集群灭绝的4 个特点（即量值、广度、幅度和时续），认为华南、华北陆生植物在PTB 并未发生集群灭绝事件，而是发生了演化替代，即陆生植物穿过PTB 经历了大的植物群重组和新种的演化。总体上，中国二叠纪—三叠纪陆生植物中选择性灭绝非常明显，古生代占优势的种子蕨、真蕨类、木本石松类和楔叶类逐渐被早中生代比较进化的裸子植物和真蕨类植物所替代，陆生植物穿过PTB 显示了危机（灭绝）—残存—复苏—辐射的宏演化式样。

Features of Late Cenozoic Deepwater Sedimentation in Southern Qiongdongnan Basin, Northwestern South China Sea

Based on high resolution 2D and 3D seismic data acquired in recent years, using sequence stratigraphy analysis and geophysical methods, we discuss the features of Late Cenozoic deepwater sedimentation in the southern Qiongdongnan (sic) basin. The study area entered a bathyal slope environment in the Miocene. The channel developed in the Sanya (sic) Formation was controlled by a fault break, and its shingled seismic characteristics represent multiple erosion and fill, which may indicate that turbidite current developed in the slope environment. The polygon faults found in mudstone of the Meishan (sic) Formation represent the deepwater hungry sedimentary environment. The large-scale channels developed on the top of Huangliu (sic) Formation could be the result of a big sea level drop and an increase of sediment supply. The fantastic turbidite channel developed in Late Quaternary in the slope environment has "fan-like" body and long frontal tiny avulsion channel. The analysis of these features suggests that the sediment supply of the study area in the post-rifting period was dominant from the Vietnam uplift in the southwest. These deepwater sedimentary features could be potential reservoirs or migration pathways for deepwater petroleum systems.

Transformation of accommodation space of the Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation, the Songliao Basin, NE China

Analysis of accommodation space variation during deposition of the Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation in the Songliao Basin, NE China, indicates that accommodation space changed both through time and across the basin as a seesaw movement. The mid-upper Qingshankou Formation is divided into three units. In each unit, changes of accommodation space differ in the southern and northern part of the basin. Increasing accommodation in the southern part is accompanied by a decrease in the northern part, and vice versa. Between the northern and southern basin, there was a neutral belt that is like a fulcrum, called the transformation belt here, where the accommodation did not change to any significant degree. We call this response 'accommodation transformation', whose characteristics are defined by tectonic subsidence analysis, palaeontological and sedimentary analyses. The accommodation increasing belt, decreasing belt, transformation belt and accommodation transformation boundary together constitute the accommodation transformation system. The recognition of accommodation transformation in the Songliao Basin provides a new insight into sequence stratigraphy and might be widely applicable.

Seismic characteristics of a reef carbonate reservoir and implications for hydrocarbon exploration in deepwater of the Qiongdongnan Basin, northern South China Sea

Our analysis of approximately 40,000 km of multichannel 2-D seismic data, reef oil-field seismic data, and data from several boreholes led to the identification of two areas of reef carbonate reservoirs in deepwater areas (water depth >= 500 in) of the Qiongdongnan Basin (QDNB), northern South China Sea. High-resolution sequence stratigraphic analysis revealed that the transgressive and highstand system tracts of the mid-Miocene Meishan Formation in the Beijiao and Ledong-Lingshui Depressions developed reef carbonates. The seismic features of the reef carbonates in these two areas include chaotic bedding, intermittent internal reflections, chaotic or blank reflections, mounded reflections, and apparent amplitude anomalies, similar to the seismic characteristics of the LH11-1 reef reservoir in the Dongsha Uplift and Island Reef of the Salawati Basin, Indonesia, which house large oil fields. The impedance values of reefs in the Beijiao and Ledong-Lingshui Depressions are 8000-9000 g/cc x m/s. Impedance sections reveal that the impedance of the LH11-1 reef reservoir in the northern South China Sea is 800010000 g/cc x m/s, whereas that of pure limestone in BD23-1-1 is > 10000 g/cc x m/s. The mid-Miocene paleogeography of the Beijiao Depression was dominated by offshore and neritic environments, with only part of the southern Beijiao uplift emergent at that time. The input of terrigenous sediments was relatively minor in this area, meaning that terrigenous source areas were insignificant in terms of the Beijiao Depression: reef carbonates were probably widely distributed throughout the depression, as with the Ledong-Lingshui Depression. The combined geological and geophysical data indicate that shelf margin atolls were well developed in the Beijiao Depression, as in the Ledong-Lingshui Depression where small-scale patch or pinnacle reefs developed. These reef carbonates are promising reservoirs, representing important targets for deepwater hydrocarbon exploration. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gas hydrate associated with mud diapirs in southern Okinawa Trough

Many mud diapirs have been recognized in southern Okinawa Trough by a multi-channel seismic surveying on R/V KEXUE I in 2001. Gas hydrates have been identified, by the seismic reflection characteristics, the velocity analysis and the impedance inversion. Geothermal heat flow around the central of the mud diapir has been determined theoretically by the Bottom Simulating Reflectors (BSRs). Comparing the BSR derived and the measured heat flow values, we infer that the BSR immediately at the top of the mud diapirs indicate the base of the saturated gas hydrate formation zone (BSGHFZ), but not, as we ordinarily know, the base of the gas hydrate stability zone (BGHSZ), which could be explained by the abnormal regional background heat flow and free gas flux associated with mud diapirs. As a result, it helps us to better understand the generation mechanism of the gas hydrates associated with mud diapirs and to predict the gas hydrate potential in the southern Okinawa Trough. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Paleoceanographic records in the sedimentary cores from the middle Okinawa Trough

Two gravity piston cores (Cores 155 and 18) involved in this study were collected from the middle Okinawa Trough. Stratigraphy of the two cores was divided and classified based on the features of planktonic foraminifera oxygen isotope changes together with depositional sequence, millennium-scale climatic event comparison, carbonate cycles and AMS(14)C dating. Some paleoclimatic information contained in sediments of these cores was extracted to discuss the paleoclimatic change rules and the short-time scale events presented in interglacial period. Analysis on the variation of oxygen isotope values in stage two shows that the middle part of the Okinawa Trough may have been affected by fresh water from the Yellow River and the Yangtze River during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The oxygen isotope value oscillating ranges of the cores have verified that the marginal sea has an amplifying effect on climate changes. The delta(13)C of benthic foraminifera Uvigerina was lighter in the glacial period than that in the interglacial period, which indicates that the Paleo-Kuroshio's main stream moved eastward and its influence area decreased. According to the temperature difference during the "YD" period existing in Core 180 and other data, we can reach the conclusion that the climatic changes in the middle Okinawa Trough area were controlled by global climatic changes, but some regional factors had also considerable influence on the climate changes. Some results in this paper support Fairbanks's point that the "YD" event was a brief stagnation of sea level rising during the global warming up procession. Moreover, the falling of sea level in the glacial period weakened the exchange between the bottom water of the Okinawa Trough and the deep water of the northwestern Pacific Ocean and resulted in low oxygen state of bottom water in this area. These procedures are the reasons for carbonate cycle in the Okinawa Trough area being consistent with the "Atlantic type" carbonate cycle.

Carbonate cycle and its control factors in Kuroshio source region during the last 190ka BP

Two deep sea cores (Ph05-5, 16.05 degrees N, 124.34 degrees E, water depth 3382m and WP3: 22.15 degrees N, 122.95 degrees E, water depth 2700m) retrieved from the Kuroshio source region of the western Philippine Sea were selected to carry out the CaCO3 and calcareous nannofossil faunas study. Based on AMS(14)C data and comparing tire oxygen isotope curve with SPECMAP delta O-18 (Martinson et al., 1987) a stratigraphy was established. And, combining the changes of primary productivity and dissolution index of carbonate, the carbonate cycle and its control factors were analyzed in this region during the last 190ka BP. The carbonate contents showed higher values in the glacial periods and lower values during the interglacial and Holocene periods, which characteristics was similar to the tendency of "Pacific Type" carbonate cycle. However, there were high carbonate contents in the warm period and low values during the cold interval, which displayed the same tendency with the "Atlantic Type" carbonate cycle during the last glacial period (MIS4-2) in the east of Phillipines. The variations of primary productivity and carbonate dissolution index indicated that the carbonate dissolution was a major factor controlling the carbonate content in tire cast of Philippines, and the variations in carbonate contents were mainly affected by the productivity of calcareous organism in the Southeast of Taiwan. The "Atlantic Type" carbonate cycle in the cast of Phillipines during the last glacial period (MIS4-2) was an effect of the process of dissolution combined with the change of primary productivity.