孤北洼陷沙三-沙四段隐蔽油藏形成机制及其预测

Based on the study of sequence stratigraphy, modern sedimentary, basin analysis, and petroleum system in Gubei depression, this paper builds high resolution sequence stratigraphic structure, sedimentary system, sandbody distribution, the effect of tectonic in sequence and sedimentary system evolution and model of tectonic-lithofacies. The pool formation mechanism of subtle trap is developed. There are some conclusions and views as follows. 1.With the synthetic sequence analysis of drilling, seismic, and well log, the highly resolution sequence structure is build in Gubei depression. They are divided two secondary sequences and seven three-order sequences in Shahejie formation. They are include 4 kinds of system traces and 7 kinds of sedimentary systems which are alluvial fan, under water fan, alluvial fan and fan-delta, fan-delta, lacustrine-fan, fluvial-delta-turbidite, lakeshore beach and bar, and deep lake system. Sandbody distribution is show base on third order sequence. 2.Based on a lot of experiment and well log, it is point out that there are many types of pore in reservoir with the styles of corrosion pore, weak cementing, matrix cementing, impure filling, and 7 kinds of diagenetic facies. These reservoirs are evaluated by lateral and profile characteristics of diagenetic facies and reservoir properties. 3.The effect of simultaneous faulting on sediment process is analyzed from abrupt slope, gentle slope, and hollow zone. The 4 kinds of tectonic lithofacies models are developed in several periods in Gubei depression; the regional distribution of subtle trap is predicted by hydro accumulation characteristics of different tectonic lithofacies. 4.There are 4 types of compacting process, which are normal compaction, abnormal high pressure, abnormal low pressure and complex abnormal pressure. The domain type is normal compaction that locates any area of depression, but normal high pressure is located only deep hollow zone (depth more than 3000m), abnormal low pressures are located gentle slope and faulted abrupt slope (depth between 1200~2500m). 5.Two types dynamic systems of pool formation (enclosed and partly enclosed system) are recognized. They are composed by which source rocks are from Es3 and Es4, cap rocks are deep lacustrine shale of Esl and Es3, and sandstone reservoirs are 7 kinds of sedimentary system in Es3 and Es4. According to theory of petroleum system, two petroleum systems are divided in Es3 and Es4 of Gubei depression, which are high or normal pressure self-source system and normal or low pressure external-source system. 6.There are 3 kinds of combination model of pool formation, the first is litholgical pool of inner depression (high or normal pressure self-source type), the second is fault block or fault nose pool in marginal of depression (normal type), the third is fault block-lithological pool of central low lifted block (high or normal pressure type). The lithological pool is located central of depression, other pool are located gentle or abrupt slope that are controlled by lithological, faulting, unconfirmed. 7.This paper raise a new technique and process of exploration subtle trap which include geological modeling, coring description and logging recognition, and well log constrained inversion. These are composed to method and theory of predicting subtle trap. Application these methods and techniques, 6 hydro objects are predicted in three zone of depression.

陡坡带砂砾岩体油气成藏模式研究——以东营凹陷西北部陡坡带为例

Based on the study of sequence stratigraphy, modern sedimentary, basin analysis, and petroleum system in abrupt slop of depression, this paper builds sedimentary system and model, sandy bodies distribution, and pool-forming mechanism of subtle trap. There are some conclusions and views as follows. By a lot of well logging and seismic analysis, the author founded up the sequence stratigraphic of the abrupt slope, systematically illustrated the abrupt slope constructive framework, and pointed out that there was a special characteristics which was that south-north could be divided to several fault block and east-west could be carved up groove and the bridge in studying area. Based all these, the author divided the studying area to 3 fault block zone in which because of the groove became the basement rock channel down which ancient rivers breathed into the lake, the alluvial fan or fan delta were formed. In the paper, the author illustrated the depositional system and depositional model of abrupt slope zone, and distinguished 16 kinds of lithofacies and 3 kinds of depositional systems which were the alluvial fan and fan-delta system, lake system and the turbidite fan or turbidity current deposition. It is first time to expound completely the genetic pattern and distributing rule of the abrupt slope sandy-conglomeratic fan bodies. The abrupt slope sandy-conglomeratic fan bodies distribute around the heaves showing itself circularity shape. In studying area, the sandy-conglomeratic fan bodies mainly distribute up the southern slope of Binxian heave and Chenjiazhuang heave. There mainly are these sandy-conglomeratic fan body colony which distributes at a wide rage including the alluvial fan, sub-water fluvial and the turbidite fan or the other turbidity current deposition in the I fault block of the Wangzhuang area. In the II fault block there are fan-delta front and sub-water fluvial. And in the Binnan area, there mainly are those the alluvial fan (down the basement rock channel) and the sandy-conglomeratic fan body which formed as narrowband sub-water fluvial (the position of bridge of a nose) in the I fault block, the fan-delta front sandy-conglomeratic fan body in the H fault block and the fan-delta front and the turbidity current deposition sandy-conglomeratic fan body in the m fault block. Based on the reservoir outstanding characteristics of complex classic composition and the low texture maturity, the author comparted the reservoir micro-structure of the Sha-III and Sha-IV member to 4 types including the viscous crude cementation type, the pad cementation type, the calcite pore-funds type and the complex filling type, and hereby synthetically evaluated 4 types sandy- conglomeratic fan body reservoir. In the west-north abrupt slope zone of Dongying Depression, the crude oil source is belonging to the Sha-III and Sha-IV member, the deep oil of Lijin oilfield respectively come from the Sha-III and Sha-IV member, which belongs to the autogeny and original deposition type; and the more crude oil producing by Sha-IV member was migrated to the Wangzhuan area and Zhengjia area. The crude oil of Binnan oil-field and Shanjiasi oil-field belongs to mixed genetic. It is the first time to illustrate systematically the genetic of the viscous crude that largely being in the studying area, which are that the dissipation of the light component after pool-forming, the biological gradation action and the bath-oxidation action, these oil accumulation belonging to the secondary viscous crude accumulation. It is also the first time to compart the studying area to 5 pool-forming dynamical system that have the characteristic including the common pressure and abnormal pressure system, the self-fountain and other-fountain system and the closing and half-closing system etc. The 5 dynamical systems reciprocally interconnected via the disappearance or merger of the Ethology and the fluid pressure compartment zone, the fault and the unconformity surface, hereby formed duplicated pattern oil-gas collecting zone. Three oil-gas pool-forming pattern were founded, which included the self-fountain side-direction migrated collecting pattern, the self-fountain side-direction ladder-shape pool-forming pattern and the other-fountain pressure releasing zone migrated collecting pattern. A series of systemic sandy-conglomeratic fan bodies oil-gas predicting theory and method was founded, based on the groove-fan corresponding relation to confirm the favorable aim area, according as the characteristic of seismic-facies to identify qualitatively the sandy-conglomeratic fan bodies or its scale, used the temporal and frequency analysis technique to score the interior structure of the sandy- conglomeratic fan bodies, applied for coherent-data system analysis technology to describe the boundary of the sandy-conglomeratic fan bodies, and utilized the well logging restriction inversion technique to trace quantificational and forecast the sandy-conglomeratic fan bodies. Applied this technique, totally 15 beneficial sandy-conglomeratic fan bodies were predicted, in studying area the exploration was preferably guided, and the larger economic benefit and social benefit was acquired.

砂砾岩储层流动单元四维模型研究

This article is an important part of "95" technological subject of SINOPEC. It has a large number of difficulties and workloads, and has significant theoretical meanings and practical value. The study area is composed of sandstone & conglomerate reservoir of alluvial fan & fan delta, which belong to Sha3 lower member and Sha4 upper member of lower tertiary of Yong'an Town Oilfield in Dongying Depression. The target stataum develops in the hanging wall of the synsedimentary fault in the scarp zone of Dongying Depression. The frequently intense movements result in the variation of sandstone and conglomerate reservoir and the evolution of the time and space of Sha3 lower member and Sha4 upper member in Yong'an Town Oilfield. As a result, it is difficult for the individual reservoir correlation at the root of fan, which bring about a tackle problem for the exploitation of oilfield. In this background, the research of fluid units will be more difficult. In this article, the new concepts, the new methods, and the new techniques of sedimentology, petroleum geology, reservoir geology, physics of crystal surface, dynamic & static state reservoir description and well logging geology are synthetically applied, and the computer technology are made full uses of, and the identifying, dividing and appraising of the two-formation-type sandstone & conglomerate reservoir fluid units of Sha3 lower member and Sha4 upper member systemically analyzed in Yong'an Town Oilfield, Dongying Depression. For the first time, the single-well model, the section model, the plane model, the nuclear magnetism log model, the microcosmic network model, the 4-D geology model and the simulation model of the two-formation-type reservoir fluid units of the of sandstone & conglomerate reservoir of Sha3 lower member and Sha4 upper member are established, and the formative mechanism and distributing & enrichment laws of oil-gas of the two type of sandstone and conglomerate reservoir fluid units are revealed. This article established the optimizing, identifying, classifying and appraising standard of the two-formation-type reservoir fluid units of the of sandstone and conglomerate reservoir of Sha3 lower member and Sha4 upper member, which settles the substantial foundations for static state model of the fluid units, reveals the macroscopic & microcosmic various laws of geometrical static state of the fluid units, and instructs the oil exploitation. This article established static state model of the two-formation-type sandstone and conglomerate reservoir fluid units by using the multi-subject theories, information and techniques, and reveals the geometrical configuration, special distribution and the oil-gas enrichment laws of the sandstone and conglomerate reservoir fluid units. For the first time, we established the nuclear magnetism log model of the two-formation-type sandstone and conglomerate reservoir of Sha3 lower member and Sha4 upper member, which reveals not only the character and distributing laws of the porosity and permeability, bat also the formation and distribution of the movable fluid. It established six type of microcosmic net model of the two-formation-type sandstone and conglomerate reservoir of Sha3 lower member and Sha4 upper member in the working area by using the advanced theories, such as rock thin section, SEM, image analysis, intrusive mercury, mold, rock C.T. measure & test image etc., which reveals the microcosmic characteristic of porosity & throat, filterate mode and microcosmic oil-gas enrichment laws of the sandstone and conglomerate reservoir. For the first time, it sets up the 4-D model and mathematic model of the sandstone and conglomerate reservoir, which reveals the distributing and evolving laws of macroscopic & microcosmic parameters of the two-formation-type sandstone and conglomerate reservoir and oil-gas in 4-D space. At the same time, it also forecasts the oil-gas distribution and instructs the oilfield exploitation. It established reservoir simulation model, which reveals the filterate character and distributing laws of oil-gas in different porosity & throat net models. This article established the assistant theories and techniques for researching, describing, indicating and forecasting the sandstone and conglomerate reservoir fluid units, and develops the theories and techniques of the land faces faulted basin exploitation geology. In instructing oilfield exploitation, it had won the notable economic & social benefits.

西秦岭晚古生代弧前盆地沉积与成矿作用

The Western Qinling Orogenie belt in the Taibai-Fengxian and Xihe-Lixian areas can be subdivided into three units structurally from north to south, which are the island-arc, forearc basin and accretionary wedge, respectively. The forearc basin developed in the Late Paleozoic mainly controls sedimentation and some larger lead-zinc and gold deposits in the western Qinling. Stratigraphically, the island arc is dissected into the Liziyuan Group, the Danfeng Group and the Luohansi Group. The metavolcanic rocks include basic, intermediate and acidic rocks, and their geochemistry demonstrates that these igneous rocks generated in an island arc. Where, the basalts are subalkaline series charactered by low-medium potassium, with enriched LREE, negative Eu anomaly, and positive Nd anomaly. Cr-content of volcanic rocks is 2-3 times higher than that of island arc tholeiite all over the world. In addition, the lightly metamorphosed accretionary wedge in the areas of Huixian, Chengxian, Liuba and Shiqun is dominated by terrigenous sediments with carbonatite, chert, mafic and volcanic rocks. The age of the wedge is the Late Palaeozoic to the Trassic, while previous work suggested that it is the Silurian. The Upper Paleozoic between the island arc belt and accretionary wedge are mainly the sediments filled in the fore arc basin. The fillings in the forearc basin were subdivided into the Dacaiotan Group, the Tieshan Group, the Shujiaba Group and the Xihanshui Group, previously. They outcropped along the southern margins of the Liziyuan Group. The Dacaotan Group, the Upper Devonian, is close to the island arc complex, and composed of a suite of red and gray-green thick and coarse terrestrial elastics. The Shujiaba Group, the Mid-Upper Devonian, is located in the middle of the basin, is mainly fine-grained elastics with a few intercalations of limestone. The Xihanshui Group, which distributes in the southern of the basin, is mainly slates, phyllites and sandstones with carbonatite and reef blocks. The Tieshan Group, the Upper Devonian, just outcrops in the southwest of the basin, is carbonatite and clastic rocks, and deposited in the shallow -sea environment. The faults in the basin are mainly NW trend. The sedimentary characteristics, slump folds, biological assemblages in both sides of and within those faults demonstrate that they were syn-sedimentary faults with multi-period activities. They separated the forearc basin into several sub-basins, which imbricate in the background of a forearc basin with sedimentary characteristics of the piggyback basin. The deep hydrothermal fluid erupted along the syn-sedimentary faults, supported nutrition and energy for the reef, and resulted in hydrothermal-sedimentary rocks, reef and lead-zinc deposits along these faults. The sedimentary facies in the basin varies from the continental slope alluvial fan, to shallow-sea reef facies, and then to deep-water from north to south, which implies that there was a continental slope in the Devonian in the west Qinling. The strata overlap to north and to east respectively. Additionally, the coeval sedimentary facies in north and south are significantly different. The elastics become more and more coarser to north in the basin as well as upward coarsing. These features indicate prograding fillings followed by overlaps of the different fans underwater. The paleocurrent analyses show that the forearc basin is composed of thrust-ramp-basins and deep-water basins. The provenance of the fillings in the basin is the island arc in the north. The lead-zinc deposits were synchronous with the Xihanshui Group in the early stage of development of the forearc basin. They were strongly constrained by syn-sedimentary faults and then modified by the hydrothermal fluids. The gold deposits distributed in the north of the basin resulted from the tectonic activities and magmatism in the later stage of the basin evolution, and occurred at the top of the lead-zinc deposits spatially. The scales of lead-zinc deposits in the south of the basin are larger than that of the gold-deposits. The Pb-Zn deposits in the west of the basin are larger than those in the east, while the Gold deposits in the west of the basin are smaller than those in the east. Mineralizing ages of these deposits become younger and younger to west.

大港油田孔南地区孔一段储层流动单元研究

The main reservoir type in the south of Dagang Oilfield is alluvial reservoir. In this paper, the reservoir structure model and the distribution of connected body and flow barrier were built on base of the study of high-resolution sequential stratigraphic skeleton and fine sedimentary microfacies on level of single sandbody. Utilizing the static and dynamic data synthetically and carrying out the comparision of the classification method for reservoir flow unit in different reservoir, the criterion, which can be used to classify the flow unit in first section of Kongdian formation of Kongnan area, was defined. The qualitative method of well-to-well correlation and the quantitative method of conditional simulation using multiple data are adopted to disclose the oil and water moving regulation in different flow unit and the distribution rule of remaining oil by physical simulation measure. A set of flow unit study method was formed that is suit for the Dagang Oilfield on account of the remaining oil production according to the flow unit. Several outstanding progresses was obtained in the following aspects:It is considered that the reservoir structure of Zao V iow oil group- Zao Vup4 layerand are jigsaw-puzzled reservoir, while ZaoVup3-ZaoVupi layers are labyrinth reservoir,which are studied on base of high-resolution sequential stratigraphic skeleton on the levelof single sandbody in first section of Kongdian formation of Kongnan area and accordingto the study of fine sedimentary microfacies and fault sealeing.When classifying the flow unit, only permeability is the basic parameter using thestatic and dynamic data and, and also different parameters should be chose or deleted, suchas porosity, effective thickness, fluid viscosity and so on, because of the weak or stronginterlayer heterogeneous and the difference of interlayer crude oil character.The method of building predicting-model of flow unit was proposed. This methodis according to the theories of reservoir sedimentology and high-resolution sequencestratigraphic and adopts the quantitative method of well-to well correlation and the quantitative method of stochastic simulation using integrateddense well data. Finally the 3-D predicting-model of flow unit and the interlay er distribution model in flow unit were built which are for alluvial fan and fan delta fades in first section of Kongdian formation of Kongnan area, and nine genetic model of flow unit of alluvial environment that spread in the space were proposed.(4) Difference of reservoir microscopic pore configuration in various flow units and difference of flow capability and oil displacement effect were demonstrated through the physical experiments such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), constant rate mercury penetration, flow simulation and so on. The distribution of remaining oil in this area was predicted combining the dynamic data and numerical modeling based on the flow unit. Remaining oil production measure was brought up by the clue of flow unit during the medium and late course of the oilfield development.

A Quantitative Study on Paleo—River Environment During Late Jurassic on yaojie Region,Minhe Basin

Fluvial Sedimentation of alluvial facies prevailed during the Late Jrassic in the Minhe Basin.On the basis of the study of sedimentary facies of the Upper Jurassic series.this paper focuses on the river types suing the "Architecture Element" analysis method proposed by Miall,and calculated all the quantitative parameters to reflect the characteristics of the stream channel geometry and hydrodynamic conditions of paleo-rivers with the equations of ethrideg,schumm et al.Finally,we discussed the characteristics of environmental evolution of palsorivers on the quantitative basis.Our conclusion indicates that the evolution of paleo-rivers during the Late Jurassic,from early to late,shows such a tendency as alluvial fan river→ braid river→alluvial fan river→mid-sinuoisty river→ high-sinuosity river.

Quaternary palaeogeomorphologic evolution of the Wadi Faynan area, Southern Jordan

McLaren, S. Gilbertson, D. Grattan, J. Hunt, C. Duller, G. Barker, G. Quaternary palaeogeomorphologic evolution of the Wadi Faynan area, Southern Jordan. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 2004. 205. pp 131-154

Evolution of an Archean greenstone belt in the Stormy Lake - Kawashegamuk Lake area (stratigraphy, structure and geochemistry) - Western Wabigoon Subprovince, Northwest Ontario /

330 km 2 of the easter-n part of the Archean Manitou Lakes - Stormy Lake metavolcanic - metasedimentary belt have been mapped and sampled. A large number of rocks ~.vere analyzed for the major and trace constituents including the rare-earth elements (REE). The Stormy Lake - Kawashegamuk Lake area may be subdivided into four major lithological groups of supracrustal rocks 1) A north-facing mafic assemblage, consisting of pillowed tholeiitic basalts and gabbro sills characterized by flat REE profiles, is exposed in the south part of the map area and belongs to a 8000 m thick homoclinal assemblage outside the map area. Felsic pyroclastic rocks believed to have been issued from a large central vent conformably overlie the tholeiites. 2) A dominantly epiclastic group facing to the north consists of terrestrial deposits interpreted to be an alluvial fan deposit ; a submarine facies is represented by turbiditic sediments. 3) The northeastern part of the study area consists of volcanic rocks belonging to two mafic - felsic cycles facing to the southuest ; andesitic flows with fractionated REE patterns make up a large part of the upper cycle, whereas the lower cycle has a stronger chemical polarity being represented by tholeiitic flows, with flat REE, which a r e succeeded by dacitic and rhyolitic pyroclasti cs. iii 4) A thick monotonous succession of tholeiitic pillmled basalt f lows and gabbro sills with flat REE represent the youngest supracrustal rocks. TIle entire belt underwent folding, faulting and granitic plutonism during a tectono-thermal event around 2700 Ma ago. Rocks exposed in the map area were subjected to regional greenschist facies metamorphism, but higher metamorphic grades are present near late granitic intrusions. Geochemical studies have been useful in 1) distinguishing the various rock units ; 2) relating volcanic and intrusive rocks 3) studying the significance of chemical changes due to post magmatic processes 4) determining the petrogenesis of the major volcanic rock types. In doing so, two major volcanic suites have been recognized : a) a tholeiitic suite, mostly represented by mafic rocks, was derived from partial melting of upper mantle material depleted in Ti, K and the light REE ; b) a calc-alkalic suite which evolved from partial melting of amphibolite in the lower crust. The more differentiated magma types have been produced by a multistage process involving partial melting and fractional crystallization to yield a continuum of compos i t i ons ranging from basaltic andesite to rhyolite. A model for the development of the eastern part of the Manitou Lakes - Stormy Lake belt has been proposed.

Integration of remote sensing and GIS for modelling flash floods in Wadi Hudain catchment, Egypt

This paper presents a new approach to modelling flash floods in dryland catchments by integrating remote sensing and digital elevation model (DEM) data in a geographical information system (GIS). The spectral reflectance of channels affected by recent flash floods exhibit a marked increase, due to the deposition of fine sediments in these channels as the flood recedes. This allows the parts of a catchment that have been affected by a recent flood event to be discriminated from unaffected parts, using a time series of Landsat images. Using images of the Wadi Hudain catchment in southern Egypt, the hillslope areas contributing flow were inferred for different flood events. The SRTM3 DEM was used to derive flow direction, flow length, active channel cross-sectional areas and slope. The Manning Equation was used to estimate the channel flow velocities, and hence the time-area zones of the catchment. A channel reach that was active during a 1985 runoff event, that does not receive any tributary flow, was used to estimate a transmission loss rate of 7·5 mm h−1, given the maximum peak discharge estimate. Runoff patterns resulting from different flood events are quite variable; however the southern part of the catchment appears to have experienced more floods during the period of study (1984–2000), perhaps because the bedrock hillslopes in this area are more effective at runoff production than other parts of the catchment which are underlain by unconsolidated Quaternary sands and gravels. Due to high transmission loss, runoff generated within the upper reaches is rarely delivered to the alluvial fan and Shalateen city situated at the catchment outlet. The synthetic GIS-based time area zones, on their own, cannot be relied on to model the hydrographs reliably; physical parameters, such as rainfall intensity, distribution, and transmission loss, must also be considered.

Holocene settlement shifts and paleoenvironments on the Central Iranian Plateau: investigating linked systems

For thousands of years, humans have inhabited locations that are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, earthquakes, and floods. In order to investigate the extent to which Holocene environmental changes may have impacted on cultural evolution, we present new geologic, geomorphic, and chronologic data from the Qazvin Plain in northwest Iran that provides a backdrop of natural environmental changes for the simultaneous cultural dynamics observed on the Central Iranian Plateau. Well-resolved archaeological data from the neighbouring settlements of Zagheh (7170—6300 yr BP), Ghabristan (6215—4950 yr BP) and Sagzabad (4050—2350 yr BP) indicate that Holocene occupation of the Hajiarab alluvial fan was interrupted by a 900 year settlement hiatus. Multiproxy climate data from nearby lakes in northwest Iran suggest a transition from arid early-Holocene conditions to more humid middle-Holocene conditions from c. 7550 to 6750 yr BP, coinciding with the settlement of Zagheh, and a peak in aridity at c. 4550 yr BP during the settlement hiatus. Palaeoseismic investigations indicate that large active fault systems in close proximity to the tell sites incurred a series of large (MW ~7.1) earthquakes with return periods of ~500—1000 years during human occupation of the tells. Mapping and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) chronology of the alluvial sequences reveals changes in depositional style from coarse-grained unconfined sheet flow deposits to proximal channel flow and distally prograding alluvial deposits sometime after c. 8830 yr BP, possibly reflecting an increase in moisture following the early-Holocene arid phase. The coincidence of major climate changes, earthquake activity, and varying sedimentation styles with changing patterns of human occupation on the Hajiarab fan indicate links between environmental and anthropogenic systems. However, temporal coincidence does not necessitate a fundamental causative dependency.

Geoarchaeology and the value of multidisciplinary palaeoenvironmental approaches: a case study from the Tehran Plain, Iran

Tepe Pardis, a significant Neolithic–Chalcolithic site on the Tehran Plain in Iran, is, like many sites in the area, under threat from development. The site contains detailed evidence of (1) the Neolithic–Chalcolithic transition, (2) an Iron Age cemetery and (3) how the inhabitants adapted to an unstable fan environment through resource exploitation (of clay deposits for relatively large-scale ceramic production by c. 5000 BC, and importantly, possible cutting of artificial water channels). Given this significance, models have been produced to better understand settlement distribution and change in the region. However, these models must be tied into a greater understanding of the impact of the geosphere on human development over this period. Forming part of a larger project focusing on the transformation of simple, egalitarian Neolithic communities into more hierarchical Chalcolithic ones, the site has become the focus of a multidisciplinary project to address this issue. Through the combined use of sedimentary and limited pollen analysis, radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating (the application of the last still rare in Iran), a greater understanding of the impact of alluvial fan development on human settlement through alluviation and the development of river channel sequences is possible. Notably, the findings presented here suggest that artificial irrigation was occurring at the site as early as 6.7±0.4 ka (4300–5100 BC).

The greening of Arabia: multiple opportunities for human occupation of the Arabian peninsula during the Late Pleistocene inferred from an ensemble of climate model simulations

Climate models are potentially useful tools for addressing human dispersals and demographic change. The Arabian Peninsula is becoming increasingly significant in the story of human dispersals out of Africa during the Late Pleistocene. Although characterised largely by arid environments today, emerging climate records indicate that the peninsula was wetter many times in the past, suggesting that the region may have been inhabited considerably more than hitherto thought. Explaining the origins and spatial distribution of increased rainfall is challenging because palaeoenvironmental research in the region is in an early developmental stage. We address environmental oscillations by assembling and analysing an ensemble of five global climate models (CCSM3, COSMOS, HadCM3, KCM, and NorESM). We focus on precipitation, as the variable is key for the development of lakes, rivers and savannas. The climate models generated here were compared with published palaeoenvironmental data such as palaeolakes, speleothems and alluvial fan records as a means of validation. All five models showed, to varying degrees, that the Arabia Peninsula was significantly wetter than today during the Last Interglacial (130 ka and 126/125 ka timeslices), and that the main source of increased rainfall was from the North African summer monsoon rather than the Indian Ocean monsoon or from Mediterranean climate patterns. Where available, 104 ka (MIS 5c), 56 ka (early MIS 3) and 21 ka (LGM) timeslices showed rainfall was present but not as extensive as during the Last Interglacial. The results favour the hypothesis that humans potentially moved out of Africa and into Arabia on multiple occasions during pluvial phases of the Late Pleistocene.

Evolution of a rift basin dominated by subaerial deposits: The Guaritas Rift, Early Cambrian, Southern Brazil

Most existing models for the evolution of rift basins predict the development of deep-water depositional systems during the stage of greatest tectonic subsidence, when accommodation generation potentially outpaces sedimentation. Despite this, some rift basins do not present deep-water systems, instead being dominated by subaerial deposits. This paper focuses on one of these particular rift basins, the Cambrian Guaritas Rift, Southern Brazil, characterized by more than 1500 m of alluvial and aeolian strata deposited in a 50-km-wide basin. The deposits of the Guaritas Rift can be ascribed to four depositional systems: basin-border alluvial fans, bedload-dominated ephemeral rivers, mixed-load ephemeral rivers and aeolian dune fields. These four systems are in part coeval and in part succeed each other, forming three stages of basin evolution: (i) Rift Initiation to Early Rift Climax stage, (ii) Mid to Late Rift Climax stage, and (iii) Early Post-Rift stage. The first stage comprises most of the Guaritas Group and is characterized by homogeneous bed-load-dominated river deposits, which do not clearly record the evolution of subsidence rates. The onset of sedimentation of finer-grained deposits occurred as a consequence of a reactivation event that changed the outline of the basin and the distribution of the nearby highlands. This strongly suggests that the capture of the main river system to another depression decreased the sediment supply to the basin. The study of the Guaritas Rift indicates that rift basins in which the sediment supply exceeds the accommodation generation occur as a consequence of moderate subsidence combined with the capture of a major river system to the basin during the initial stages of basin evolution. In these basins, changes in the average discharge of the river system or tectonic modification of the drainage network may be the major control on the stratigraphic architecture. (c) 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Tectono-sedimentary evolution of the Neoproterozoic BIF-bearing Jacadigo Group, SW-Brazil

The Jacadigo Group contains one of the largest sedimentary iron and associated manganese deposits of the Neoproterozoic. Despite its great relevance, no detailed sedimentological study concerning the unit has been carried out to date. Here we present detailed sedimentological data and interpretation on depositional systems, system tracts, external controls on basin evolution, basin configuration and regional tectonic setting of the Jacadigo Basin. Six depositional systems were recognized: (I) an alluvial fan system; (II) a siliciclastic lacustrine system; (III) a fan-delta system; (IV) a bedload-dominated river system; (V) an iron formation-dominated lacustrine or marine gulf system; and (VI) a rimmed carbonate platform system. The interpreted depositional systems are related to three tectonic system tracts. The first four depositional systems are mainly made of continental siliciclastics and refer to the rift initiation to early rift climax stage; the lake/gulf system corresponds to the mid to late rift climax stage and the carbonate platform represents the immediate to late post rift stage (Bocaina Formation deposits of the Ediacaran fossil-bearing Corumba Group). The spatial distribution of the depositional systems and associated paleocurrent patterns indicate a WNW-ESE orientation of the master fault zone related to the formation of the Jacadigo Basin. Thus, the iron formations of the Jacadigo Group were deposited in a starved waterbody related to maximum fault displacement and accommodation rates in a restricted continental rift basin. The Fe-Si-Mn source was probably related to hydrothermal plume activity that reached the basin through the fault system during maximum fault displacement phases. Our results also suggest a restricted tectono-sedimentary setting for the type section of the Puga Formation. The Jacadigo Group and the Puga Formation, usually interpreted as glacial deposits, are readdressed here as basin margin gravitational deposits with no necessary relation to glacial processes. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

From Flysch to Molasse - sedimentary and tectonic evolution of late Caledonian - early Hercynian Foreland Basin in North Qilian Mountains

The Late Caledonian to Early Hercynian North Qilian orogenic belt in northwestern China is an elongate tectonic unit situated between the North China plate in the north and the Qaidam plate in the south. North Qilian started in the latest Proterozoic to Cambrian as a rift basin on the southern margin of North China, and evolved later to an archipelagic ocean and active continental margin during the Ordovician and a foreland basin from Silurian to the Early and Middle Devonian. The Early Silurian flysch and submarine alluvial fan, the Middle to Late Silurian shallow marine to tidal flat deposits and the Early and Middle Devonian terrestrial molasse are developed along the corridor Nanshan. The shallowing-upward succession from subabyssal flysch, shallow marine, tidal flat to terrestrial molasse and its gradually narrowed regional distribution demonstrate that the foreland basin experienced the transition from flysch stage to molasse stage during the Silurian and Devonian time.