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On the basis of systematic study of sedimentary facies, microfacies and geochemistry of measured strata sections and wells, the ooid shoals of the Cambrian Miaolingian Zhangxia Formation in the southern Ordos Basin are composed of both high- and low-energy ooid shoals. The characteristics of the high-energy shoals are sparry cementation, with moderate to well sorting, large grain size, high ooid content and low micrite, weak micritization, and well-preserved internal textures of the ooids. Macroscopically, the high-energy ooid shoals display a thick-bedded aggradational stacking pattern in upward coarsening and thickening sequences. The low-energy ooid shoals are mainly made up of micritic cementation, with moderate to poor sorting, relatively small grain size, lower ooid content and higher micrite, strong micritization, and poorly-preserved internal textures of the ooids. Macroscopically, the low-energy ooid shoals show a thin-bedded, interbedded stacking pattern in upward fining and thinning sequences. The sedimentological evidence and carbon isotope data show that the differences of internal fabric and sedimentary evolution of both high- and low-energy ooid shoals are closely related to the sea-level change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The variation of volatile compounds during the ripening stages of DDHs was first studied. • The "fruity" aroma was the dominant aroma characteristic of DDHs and became richer with the increasing maturity. • The enantiomeric content and distribution of linalool oxide A enantiomers may be a potential indicator to identify the maturity of DDHs; • Only the enantiomer R -linalool (OAVs: 5.56–6.14) was found to be an important contributor to the aroma profiles of DDHs at different stages of maturity. Dendropanax dentiger honey (DDH) is a specialty herbal honey from China. Previous research on DDH has mostly focused on its composition and potential chemical markers, no studies have been conducted on the changes in aroma characteristics and chiral odorants during its maturation. Therefore, the present study aims to address the missing parts. The proportions and total concentrations of 185 volatile compounds identified in different classes varied with DDHs ripening. Fourteen common odor-active compounds were identified by odor activity values (OAVs) and GC-olfactometry (GC-O) analysis. The aroma profiles of DDHs were observed to vary at different ripening stages, although the dominant aroma characteristic was "fruity" aroma, which became more pronounced with increasing maturity. The enantiomeric contents and distributions of 7 volatile enantiomers were related to specific physicochemical indicators and the maturity of DDHs, among which the enantiomers of linalool oxide A may be a potential indicator to identify its maturity. Furthermore, precise quantification and OAVs calculation showed that the enantiomer (2 S , 5 S)-linalool oxide A presented the highest concentration (8.83–27.39 ng/mL) and only the enantiomer R -linalool (OAVs: 5.56–6.14) was an important contributor to the aroma profiles of DDHs at different stages of maturity. These results provided a new research idea for quality control and identification of DDHs at different maturity stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reservoir characteristics and genetic mechanisms of the deeply buried microporous limestones have been determined by integrating mercury injection capillary pressure measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations on the Yingshan and Yijianfang formations in the Shunnan area, Tarim Basin. The studied intervals have low porosity (<2%) and permeability (<1 mD). Nearly all the macropores have been destroyed while the micropores, with pore diameters smaller than 10 μm, remain open, even at depths greater than 6,000 m. Based on petrophysical properties, the studied microporous limestones can be grouped into three types. Type I dominated by punctic‐serrate microcrystals is characterized by an intermediate porosity (1.63%), the highest permeability (1.1 mD) and the largest pore‐throat radius (13.01 μm). Type II is highly related with the vast meshed microfabric, which corresponds to the highest porosity of 4.22% but a relatively lower permeability (0.04 mD) and a smaller pore‐throat radius (0.26 μm). Type III mainly consists of the fitted coalescent microfabric and thus corresponds to the lowest reservoir quality (0.33%, 0.005 mD, 0.05 μm). Petrophysical characteristics of these different types are tightly associated with the microcrystals. Micropores hosted between the microcrystals determine the reservoir quality. The depositional textures, by contrast, have no correlation with the reservoir quality. Mudstone may have higher porosity and permeability values than the grainstone cemented by blocky calcite spar. Initial micropores within the limestones are mainly from the dissolution and re‐precipitation progress of the metastable aragonite and high‐Mg calcite. Ostwald ripening effect, which is more significant immediately below the high‐frequency shallowing‐upward sequence, can facilitate the dissolution and re‐precipitation progress, and thus locally improves the reservoir properties dominated by microporosity. Calcite cementation fills nearly all the macropores whereas the micropores remain open. Stylolites in the studied samples behave differently but predominantly act as conduits for fluid flow during the reservoir evolution progress. Since petrophysical properties tend to be independent from depositional textures, it is impractical to link lithology to a specific petrophysical property for the ultra‐deep micropores‐dominated limestone reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China Low Activation Martensitic (CLAM) steel as one of 9%Cr ferritic-martensitic steels was designed as the structural materials for fusion reactors and lead-based Reactor in China. The long-term thermal stability of precipitated phases in CLAM steel at 550 °C was systematically studied in this paper, including coarsening kinetics, number density and shape stability. Based on large data statistics, the coarsening kinetics of M 23 C 6 carbide, MX carbonitride and Laves phase were analyzed to develop a coarsening model of each precipitated phase, respectively. The results showed that the coarsening rate of Laves phase was about 100 times than that of M 23 C 6 carbide after aging for 20,000 h at 550 °C. The number density of precipitated phases increased firstly and then decreased with increasing of aging time due to a dynamic equilibrium process of the precipitation and dissolution of precipitated phase. The results will help to deep understand degradation mechanisms after thermal aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sulfur isotopic composition and trace element content recorded in sedimentary pyrite have been widely used as a proxy to establish the geochemistry of pyrite-forming fluids. However, a continuous and complete evolution process of these fluids from the sedimentary period to diagenetic period remains not well constrained. The middle Jurassic strata (the Yan'an Formation containing coal seams and its overlying Zhiluo Formation hosting U deposits in the sandstone) in the northeastern Ordos Basin contain four kinds of microenvironments favorable for pyrite formation, namely coal, carbonaceous debris in barren gray sandstone, barren gray sandstone without carbonaceous debris and U mineralized gray sandstone from bottom to top, providing a good opportunity to decode pyrite formation in response to synsedimentary/diagenetic fluid evolution. In these microenvironments, pyrite named as PC, PD, PB and PM respectively, displays a variety of micro morphologies (framboidal, euhedral, infilling, irregular and cement) formed during sedimentary and diagenetic stages. PC has δ34S values ranging from −36.1 to +26.5 ‰ and low contents of total trace elements (from 6.7 to 58 ppm of Co + Ni + As + Se + Mo). PD and PB present δ34S signatures from −33.6 to +14.4 ‰ and from +9.7 to +22.2 ‰, respectively, with moderate trace element contents (from 21 to 111 ppm and from 23 to 80 ppm, respectively). PM resulting from the oxidation of PD and PB shows negative δ34S values (from −16.9 to −11.1 ‰ for framboidal pyrite and from −56.7 to −34.8 ‰ for euhedral pyrite + pyrite cement) and high trace element contents varying from 350 to 931 ppm. Detailed sulfur isotope and trace element microanalyses indicate that S involved in the formation of pyrite is derived from the fractionation process of organic sulfur in the coal, while Fe and trace elements originate from the surface-derived meteoric water. A paragenetic sequence from early PC, to PD and PB, and finally PM implies an evolution trend of δ34S values increasing first and then decreasing (bacterial sulfate reduction for framboids and Ostwald ripening for euhedral pyrite and pyrite cement of PM) and gradual enrichment of trace elements from synsedimentary to diagenetic fluids. The quantitative results can contribute to a better understanding of synsedimentary/diagenetic fluid evolution both locally and regionally for sedimentary strata in the low-temperature system. • Synsedimentary/diagenetic fluid evolution in middle Jurassic strata was quantitatively characterized. • Sedimentary pyrite displays a variety of morphologies, with a broad range of δ34S values and trace element contents. • Pyrite is the result of encounter of hydrocarbon fluids moving upward and meteoric water migrating downward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After more than 50,000 dams were built in the Yangtze basin, especially the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) in 2003, the sediment discharge to the East China Sea decreased from 470 Mt/yr before dams to the current level of ~140 Mt/yr. The delta sediment's response to this decline has interested many researchers. Based on a dataset of repeated samplings at 44 stations in this study, we compared the surficial sediment grain sizes in the southern Yangtze subaqueous delta front for two periods: pre-TGD (1982) and post-TGD (2012). External factors of the Yangtze River, including water discharge, sediment discharge and suspended sediment grain size, were analysed, as well as wind speed, tidal range and wave height of the coastal ocean. We found that the average median size of the sediments in the delta front coarsened from 8.0 µm in 1982 to 15.4 µm in 2012. This coarsening was accompanied by a decrease of clay components, better sorting and more positive skewness. Moreover, the delta morphology in the study area changed from an overall accretion of 1.0 cm/yr to an erosion of − 0.6 cm/yr. At the same time, the riverine sediment discharge decreased by 70%, and the riverine suspended sediment grain size increased from 8.4 µm to 10.5 µm. The annual wind speed and wave height slightly increased by 2% and 3%, respectively, and the tidal range showed no change trend. Considering the increased wind speed and wave height, there was no evidence that the capability of the China Coastal Current to transport sediment southward has declined in recent years. The sediment coarsening in the Yangtze delta front was thus mainly attributed to the delta's transition from accumulation to erosion which was originally generated by river damming. These findings have important implications for sediment change in many large deltaic systems due to worldwide human impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Intense tectonic movement occurred along the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau 3–4Ma. During the same time period, global climate changed from a period of stability to a period of frequent and abrupt changes, which prevented fluvial and glacial systems from establishing a state of equilibrium. Thus, it is difficult to directly attribute the 3–4Ma coarse-grained sediment accumulation in East Asia to climate change or tectonic activity. This study compares Late Cenozoic multi-proxy records from the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) to the low-latitude grain size, sea level and benthic δ 18O records from the South China Sea (SCS) and the high latitude grain-size record from Lake Baikal. All records suggest a steady and persistent cooling since ~4Ma, which correlates well with those cooling records from other regions around the world. This coincided in timing with the modeling results that the closure of the Central American Seaway (CAS) initiated strengthening of Atlantic meridional overturning circulation between 4.8 and 4.0Ma which led to both warming of the Northern Hemisphere (NH) and cooling of the Southern Hemisphere (SH). Cooling of the SH would induce a marked development of the Antarctic ice sheets at ~4Ma, pushing the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) northward. This was superimposed on warming of the NH and brought more precipitation to the middle latitudes of the NH, resulting in increases in coarse-grained sediments in the Sikouzi section from the western CLP since 4.2Ma. Notably, the absence of coarse-grained sedimentation in the Sikouzi section during 3.0-2.1Ma and the gradual decrease in coarse-grained peaks since 2.1Ma reflected by the Sikouzi grain-size record probably resulted from stepwise increase in the NH ice volume pushing the ITCZ southward. On the other hand, development of the Antarctic ice sheets would induce global cooling and enhancement of physical weathering, initiating increases in sedimentation rates as well as increases in grain size from Lake Baikal to the CLP to the SCS. Therefore the closure of the CAS during 4.8–4.0Ma and its influence on ocean heat transport was possibly the major forcing factor for global cooling since 4Ma. A persistent and steady cooling during 4–3Ma probably made a significant contribution to the establishment of the NH ice sheets at 2.75Ma ago. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Thermal aging experiment is an effective method to evaluate the thermostability of structure materials which serve in high temperatures. But it difficult to acquire the aging data throughout service term, because it would take a long time. Hence, an accelerating thermal aging model of China low activation martensitic (CLAM) steel was built in this paper to shorten the time of the thermal aging experiment. The microstructure analysis and Charpy impact tests were conducted on CLAM steel after thermal aging with different temperatures. The results showed that raising temperature could accelerate the grain coarsening process and the main factor of ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) increasing was grain coarsening after aging for less than 8000 h which were analyzed by fracture model. Hence, the activation energy of grain coarsening with a value of 47.4 kJ/mol could be regarded as the activation energy of thermal aging. Then a model of accelerating thermal aging was built by using Arrhenius formula to evaluate the properties degradation during thermal aging. This strategy could be used to accelerate thermal aging process of CLAM steel through raising aging temperature and it could save time and cost for aging experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]