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Gravity-flow deposits form the northern part of the Crocker Formation (Oligocene–Early Miocene), with the most significant interpretation as a sand-rich system in the proximal and a mud-rich system in the distal area of the deep-water turbidite depositional setting. Seven outcrop localities in the northern-part area were selected for mapping and sampling, starting from Kota Kinabalu up to the Telipok area to evaluate the sedimentary sequence. This study used mapping, field observation, and log sketches in the field, as well as extensive analysis and interpretation of sedimentological methods to investigate the sequence of sediment outcrops in the Crocker Formation area of northwest Sabah. During the fieldwork, five main facies were found, namely, massive sandstone facies (f1), graded sandstone facies (f2), laminated sandstone facies (f3), interbedded sandstone and mudstone facies (f4), and mudstone facies (f5). These northern-part outcrops are interpreted as being deposited from the highest to the lowest turbidity currents and the actuality of pelagic mudstone deposition, based on their fining-coarsening-upward pattern. The five geometrical bodies were proposed as laterally contiguous depositional environments, namely, (1) inner fan channel, (2) inner fan channel–levee complex, (3) mid-fan channelized lobes, (4) non-channelized lobes/distal lobes, and (5) basin plains. The facies interpretation shows that the study area consists of lobes, channel–levee complexes, and levees formed in a fan of a deep-water basin setting, with the basinal plain enveloped by thick mudstone deposits. This northern part of the Crocker Formation is interpreted as a multiple-sourced sediment, shelf-fed, Type II, low-efficiency, and sand-rich turbidite depositional system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fan deltas of the Lower Cretaceous area in Saihantala sag, Erlian Basin have been identified as major petroleum exploration opportunities. The sedimentary evolution is, however, still debatable, which hinders insights into its controlling factors. This research employed new core observations, thin section observations, and grain size analyses of 28 wells in the Saidong sub-sag, together with numerous borehole and seismic data points, to explore lithofacies types, subfacies, and microfacies characteristics, thus leading to a further investigation of the sedimentary facies evolution of the sag and its controlling factors. The findings showed there are 3 categories, 12 sub-categories, and 20 fine lithofacies types in the Saidong sub-sag. Additionally, various sand-conglomerate lithofacies were characterized by lower composition and texture maturity. With dentate-shaped, box-bell-shaped, and other morphological well-logging responses, fan deltas were mostly developed in the A'ershan Formation and the Tengge'er Formation, which could be subdivided into three subfacies and eight microfacies. Given the sedimentary features and lithofacies characteristics of each microfacies, it can be determined that three main stages occurred in formations from the A'ershan to the Tengge'er: the water transgression, the water oscillation, and the water regression. Moreover, fan delta deposits were regulated primarily by semi-arid hygrothermal and semi-arid paleoclimate and paleotectonic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cordilleran orogenic systems have complex, polycyclic magmatic and deformation histories, and the timescales and mechanisms of episodic orogenesis are still debated. Here, we show that detrital zircons (DZs) in terrigenous sediment from the late Pleistocene Amazon Fan, found at the terminus of the continent-scale Amazon River-fan system, record multiple, distinct modes of U-Pb crystallization ages and U-Th/He (ZHe) cooling ages that correlate to known South American magmatic and tectonic events. The youngest ZHe ages delineate two recent phases of Andean orogenesis; one in the Late Cretaceous – Paleogene, and another in the Miocene. Frequency analyses of the deep-time Phanerozoic record of DZ U-Pb and ZHe ages demonstrate a strong 72 Myr period in magmatic events, and 92 Myr and 57 Myr periods in crustal cooling. We interpret these results as evidence of changes in upper and lower plate coupling, associated with multiple episodes of magmatism and crustal deformation along the subduction-dominated western margin of South America. South American cordilleran orogenic systems have repeated complex magmatic and deformation histories. Here the authors analyze detrital zircons found in the Amazon deep-sea fan that record mountain-building events and reveal cycles of orogenesis with periods of ~60–90 Myr since the Phanerozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment supply is widely believed to be a key control on alluvial fan morphology and channel dynamics. Although the sediment supply to natural fans is rather episodic, experimental studies of alluvial fans often use constant sediment supply rates, making it difficult to relate fan dynamics to the magnitude and frequency of sediment supply in the field. This paper presents a series of experiments designed to test the impact of episodic sediment supply on fan evolution and dynamics. We compare four experiments, each with the same mean sediment supply but different durations of high- and low-supply periods. The experiments show that fan morphology and channel dynamics respond systematically to the temporal elongation of sediment supply oscillations: longer supply cycles generate flatter fans with more trenched channels. These results highlight how different basin conditions might generate different fan morphologies: supply-limited basins with intermittent sediment supply might generate fans that are flatter than expected. Our results raise the question of whether a constant sediment supply in experimental models can adequately characterise the dynamics of natural fans in the field. We therefore suggest that experimental modellers should include variability when investigating fan responses to sediment supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep‐water massive sandstones (DWMS) are characterized by large volumes of sand accumulations which are considered as potential reservoir intervals in deep‐marine environments. Lithological variations and bed thickness statistics are used to interpret the distribution of massive sandstones in a deep‐marine fan‐lobe system. These massive sandstones are interpreted based on lithological heterogeneities and detailed facies analysis in seventeen exposed sections of the Late Palaeogene deposits in Sabah, NW Borneo. Sedimentary logs containing details of lithology textures and structures were used to recognize nine sedimentary facies of DWMS. These lithofacies were then grouped into three sedimentary facies associations: (1) massive facies association with basal part of turbiditic Bouma sequence, (2) massive facies association having soft‐sediment deformation structures, and (3) massive facies association with erosional features. The facies analysis portrays inner to middle submarine fan deposition and was later applied to reconstruct the distribution of a channel‐lobe complex. Individual sandstone bed thicknesses vary from 1 m to more than 8 m and the number of massive sandstones in submarine lobes range from less than 10% to more than 50%. The thicknesses of massive sandstones in channels are more than 8 m, whereas distal lobes have thicknesses from 1–2 m only. These sandstones are concentrated in channels, proximal and medial lobe settings that can also be verified from calculating the average of all maximum thickness of massive sand intervals that is, 8.91 m. The lithological heterogeneities and the processes associated with the deposition of these massive sandstones are vital for potential hydrocarbon reservoirs in the deep‐marine environments around the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sand bodies formed by braided fluvial fan deposits have a certain distinctiveness. They not only have the characteristics of fluvial facies sandbodies but also follow the distribution law of alluvial fan sand bodies. The variation law of sandbodies that are present along and perpendicular to a channel is relatively complex. Therefore, constraints in the modeling process of sand–mudstone facies of this type of reservoir are essential. This study selects the second member of the Shanxi Formation reservoir formed by a braided fluvial fan in the middle of Ordos Basin to perform sand–mudstone facies modeling. First, by studying the lithology and sedimentary structure of the area, the sedimentary characteristics and sand body distribution law of braided river fan are analyzed. Then, the original data points are analyzed, the variation function with high convergence is obtained, and the sand–mud facies model under the constraint of sedimentary facies is established using the random modeling method. Finally, the accuracy of the established random model is tested via single-well thinning, multi-well thinning, and random seed model similarity. The test results confirm that the distribution law of the sand and mudstone in the model is highly similar to that of the actual stratum. And it also conforms to the sedimentary model of braided fluvial fan. The accuracy of the model established by this method is reliable, and the method can be used to predict sand body distribution in areas with low well pattern density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Valdivia Bank is an oceanic plateau in the South Atlantic formed by hot spot magmatism at the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge during the Late Cretaceous. It is part of the Walvis Ridge, an aseismic ridge and seamount chain widely considered to be formed by age‐progressive volcanism from the Tristan‐Gough plume. To better understand the formation and history of this edifice, we developed a bathymetric map of Valdivia Bank by merging available multibeam echosounder data sets with a bathymetry grid based mainly on satellite altimetry (SRTM15+). The bathymetric map reveals previously unresolved features including extensive rift grabens, volcanic mounds and knolls, and large‐scale sediment transport systems. After Valdivia Bank was emplaced and probably eroded at sea level, it underwent a period of rifting, followed by a secondary magmatic pulse that caused regional uplift to sea‐level, followed by subsidence to current depths. Shallow banks at depths of ∼1,000 m are the result of a thick sediment pile atop uplifted volcanic crust. Several shallower mounds (∼1,000–520 m) and a guyot (∼220 m) likely resulted from coral reef growth atop one or more volcanic pedestals formed during the younger Cenozoic magmatic event. As sediments accumulated on the shallow platforms, sediment transport systems developed as gullies, channels and mass transport deposits carved valleys and troughs, shedding sediment into abyssal fans at the plateau base. The new bathymetric map demonstrates that oceanic plateaus are geologically active long after initial emplacement. Plain Language Summary: Valdivia Bank is an oceanic plateau in the South Atlantic that was formed as part of Walvis Ridge by hot spot volcanism at the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge. Walvis Ridge topography is more complex than that of simple hot spot tracks. Moreover, younger‐than‐expected ages from dredge samples suggest a second phase of volcanism. To better understand the development of this plateau, we created a detailed bathymetry map by compiling available multibeam echosounder data with satellite‐altimetry‐based depth estimates. The map reveals previously unseen features including rifts, volcanic mounds, and submarine slides and sediment drainage features. These suggest that after Valdivia Bank formed, it underwent faulting, followed by volcanism that raised the plateau to sea level. Subsequently, the plateau subsided while accumulating a thick sediment cover. Shallow banks resulted from thick sediments atop the uplifted basement. Several shallower mounds likely resulted from coral reef growth atop a volcanic base formed during the later stage of volcanism. As sediments accumulated atop the plateau, they were shed through gullies, channels and submarine slides, carving valleys and troughs, and then deposited around the plateau base. Our findings demonstrate that oceanic plateaus can be geologically active long after their formation. Key Points: A bathymetry map was constructed for Valdivia Bank from multibeam data merged with satellite altimetry‐predicted depthsValdivia Bank experienced extension, forming rifts, and secondary volcanism, uplift, and exposure, then was capped by carbonate sedimentsValdivia Bank shows evidence of mass wasting, partly triggered by Cenozoic uplift and erosion, but also owing to sediment cap instability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reservoir quality of sandstones is significantly impacted and transformed by sedimentation and diagenesis. It is necessary to clarify the internal relationship among them to precisely predict the sweet reservoir. In this study, five types of sedimentary microfacies are recognized through core observation and logging data: submerged distributary channel (fan delta), submerged interdistributary bay, submerged distributary channel (braided delta), distal bar, and turbidite fan. The major diagenetic processes, including compaction, cementation, and dissolution, have been analyzed based on petrography, scanning electron microscopy, and X-Ray diffraction. The dominant diagenetic cement includes calcite, smectite, kaolinite, illite, and I/S mixed-layer minerals, with small quantities of chlorite, pyrite, siderite, feldspar, and quartz cement. The reservoir quality is best in the submerged distributary channel (fan delta) sandstones, followed by submerged distributary channel (braided delta). Submerged interdistributary bay, distal bar, and turbidite fan are of poor reservoir quality. The grain size is the primary reservoir quality controlling factor, highly affected by sedimentary microfacies. Subsequent controls are diagenetic processes such as mechanical compaction, clay minerals formation, grain replacement, and dissolution that collectively influence the porosity and permeability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) conducted a series of expeditions between 2013 and 2016 that were designed to address the development of monsoon climate systems in Asia and Australia. Significant progress was made in recovering Neogene sections spanning the region from the Arabian Sea to the Sea of Japan and southward to western Australia. High recovery by advanced piston corer (APC) has provided a host of semi-continuous sections that have been used to examine monsoonal evolution. Use of the half-length APC was successful in sampling sand-rich sediment in Indian Ocean submarine fans. The records show that humidity and seasonality developed diachronously across the region, although most regions show drying since the middle Miocene and especially since ∼ 4 Ma, likely linked to global cooling. A transition from C 3 to C 4 vegetation often accompanied the drying but may be more linked to global cooling. Western Australia and possibly southern China diverge from the general trend in becoming wetter during the late Miocene, with the Australian monsoon being more affected by the Indonesian Throughflow, while the Asian monsoon is tied more to the rising Himalaya in South Asia and to the Tibetan Plateau in East Asia. The monsoon shows sensitivity to orbital forcing, with many regions having a weaker summer monsoon during times of northern hemispheric Glaciation. Stronger monsoons are associated with faster continental erosion but not weathering intensity, which either shows no trend or a decreasing strength since the middle Miocene in Asia. Marine productivity proxies and terrestrial chemical weathering, erosion, and vegetation proxies are often seen to diverge. Future work on the almost unknown Paleogene is needed, as well as the potential of carbonate platforms as archives of paleoceanographic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its nonlinear nature, the supply fan at air handling units with the controller tuned at the design condition tends to be aggressive and oscillate under partial load conditions. The objective of this paper is to develop and validate a gain scheduling control strategy to improve its nonlinear control performance. First, a control-oriented model, which does not require numerous physical parameters and extensive test data, is developed to study the nonlinearity of the fan system. Based on the theoretical model and experimental verifications, the issue of an aggressive response with a conventional fixed-gain controller is caused by the fact that the system gain is proportional to the ratio of the duct static pressure to the fan speed. To address the issue, a scheduling function of the measurable duct static pressure and fan speed is proposed to be included in the conventional fixed-gain controller to compensate for the fan system gain variation. The gain scheduling control strategy is found to approximately maintain the identical control performance under all operation conditions. Most importantly, the gain scheduling control strategy can be readily implemented without intensive computation and additional measurements, showing a promising potential in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the study of accretionary orogenic belts and collisional orogenic belts has achieved numerous insights and improvements. However, continental subduction, which often occurs during the oceanic and continental transition, has not received enough attention for a long time, such as what kind of structural deformation characteristics it has and how it affects the evolution of the orogenic belt. This paper studied two Cenozoic orogenic belts (the Taiwan orogenic belt and the Yarlung Zangbo River orogenic belt) and one Mesozoic orogenic belt (the Qiangtang orogenic belt) in order to clarify the unique structural deformation characteristics of continental subduction and its interaction with orogenic processes. It is found that the subduction of continental crust often forms a double-layer structure in the orogenic belt. The upper part is a set of thrust imbricate composed of Smith strata, and the lower part is a set of subduction complexes with a " blocks in the matrix" structure. The upper and lower parts of the double-layer structure are similar, mainly slope facies -submarine fan facies rocks and little shelf facies rocks. Due to the similar deformation time, the double-layer structure should be a structural system formed in different depths by the subduction of the same passive continental margin. We suppose that the subduction of the slope -submarine fan is the main factor for the formation of the double-layer structure. The subsequent continental shelf subduction could induce the collision and thus lead to strain's gradual propagation to the craton's interior, resulting in the foreland fold-thrust. Also, the double-layer structure is often destroyed during the collision, so the deeply underplated continental subduction complex can be exhumed to the shallow level. Therefore, this study also emphasizes the importance of continental subduction and the exhumation of subducted crustal rocks in the evolution of orogenic belts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 4th member of Xujiahe Formation (Xu4) in the western Sichuan Depression is a typical porous tight sandstone reservoir. Finding reservoirs with relatively high porosity controlled by sedimentation and diagenesis is crucial for successful tight gas exploration. In this study, the Xu4 sandstone was studied by diverse methods, including outcrop and core observation, logging data interpretation, thin section and cathodoluminescence examination, scanning electron microscopy analysis, and X-ray diffraction, to determine sedimentary and diagenetic characteristics and to discuss their impact on the sandstone reservoir quality. During the depositional period of Xu4, subaqueous distributary channel sandstone of braided river delta front developed extensively under controls of bidirectional provenance (LASP and SASP), mainly consisting of litharenite and sublitharenite, with low feldspar and high rock fragments volume, respectively. Strong compaction and carbonate cementation have largely destroyed primary porosity, while secondary pores constitute the main pore space in the Xu4 sandstone. The sediment provenance, sedimentary microfacies and A/S determine the clastic composition of sandstone, genetic type and thickness of sand bodies, furthermore affect the subsequent diagenetic variations. The larger the thickness of the sand body indicates a higher-energy depositional environment, coarser grain size, better sorting, and lower shaliness content of the sandstone during deposition period. This results in stronger resistance to compaction of the sandstone, which is conducive to the preservation of primary pores and dissolution of organic acids, resulting in better physical properties of sandstone. Among them, the physical properties of the sandstones of the Xu4s and Xu4x are better than those of the Xu4z; moreover, LASP's sandstone is superior to SASP. It is worth noting that subaqueous distributary channel sandstones with thickness exceeding 13 m in Xu4s and Xu4x from LASP represent favorable areas for high-quality reservoirs. The work can be used as a reference for the exploration and evaluation of similar tight sandstone gas in the world. • The sediment provenance determines the rock type of the reservoir. • High-energy sedimentary environment is the premise of forming high quality reservoir. • A/S affects the difference of stacking pattern and thickness of sand bodies. • The diagenesis of porous tight sandstone is influenced by sedimentary conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lacustrine shallow-water deltas exhibit highly variable morphologies, owing to their high sensitivity to changes in the upstream and downstream boundary conditions, where a small change significantly alters their morphology. In this study, we present the results from a numerical model (DELFT3D) used to explore the mechanism of distributary network amalgamation and delta evolution under various boundary conditions. We established a reference case to model the delta building-out process considering the basin water depth difference (shallow and deep). Geological and hydrodynamic models were established by varying the water level under a steady river discharge and sediment supply. Despite similar initial conditions, each modeled delta exhibits a unique morphological evolution, progressing through distinct stages: (i) formation of unstable, narrow channels with quasi-radial shapes; (ii) channel development, shaping the delta based on controlling factors; (iii) reduction of deltaic activity and increased channel avulsion due to delta submergence, and; (iv) new channels emerging, paving the way for reshaping and migration towards new paths, resulting in fewer bifurcations and straighter channels. Quantitative relationships characterizing delta morphology and distributary channels were established, and the following results were noted: (i) a positive correlation between active and abandoned channels, distributary channel network opening angle, and delta area with discharge and sediment grain size, and negative correlation with basin depth and falling water level; (ii) a positive correlation of lobe elongation with basin depth and discharge, and a negative correlation with sediment grain size; and (iii) roughness and length-to-width ratio emerging as key predictors of delta shape. By applying the model predictions to real-world scenarios, including modern deltas (Sile and Chiemsee) and ancient systems (Bohai Bay Basin), this study can provide valuable insights into the dynamics of lacustrine deltaic systems and their responses to changing boundary conditions. This highlights the importance of understanding deltaic systems for both theoretical research and practical applications. [Display omitted] • Shallow water deltas exhibitvariable morphologies, owing to their high susceptibility to changes in upstream and downstream boundary conditions. • Shallow delta evolution is tied to water level fluctuations, which continually shapes the channel network. • Differences in water depth generate significant morphological changes, resulting in varied delta morphologies. • Roughness, length-to-width ratio, and channel network opening angle are crucial predictors of the delta shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied deep (up to 6000 m) Lower Wilcox strata (Guadalupe A) immediately above the Midway shale using a 1000-km2 3D seismic volume and sparse six deep-well, wireline-log data in south-central Texas. Although some of the wells encounter sandstones collectively as thick as 500 m, traditional seismic attributes and seismic inversion are unable to reveal the sign and extent of the massive sand distribution in the intraslope minibasins. A new workflow that incorporates machine learning into seismic lithology and geomorphology was tested for quantitative mapping of sand-content sandstone thickness. The procedure significantly updates current workflows for better geologic and reservoir prediction with higher resolution and accuracy. In addition to good fit to impedance in training wells, results tied gamma-ray and sand-content curves at a blind-test well, ensuring high confidence in stratigraphic and depositional interpretation. The study recognized multiple thick, sandy intraslope minibasins in a 30-km-wide upper slope. Clinoforms on the shelf, erosional channels at the shelf edge, sandy channels, and fans in intraslope minibasins were found to support the interpretation of a unique sediment-disposal system triggered by hyperpycnal flows. Existence of massive sand accumulations in the upper slope zone in the Gulf Coast suggest the existence of another major mechanism of large sand transport during the early Wilcox in a high sea-level stand and possibly a future deep gas play in the area. • Machine learning integrated with seismic sedimentology improves workflows for quantitative sand-volume prediction. • A large training data set was built and tested with statistical modeling of sparse well data with stratigraphic control. • Results reveal intraslope minibasins in the upper slope, with maximum sandstone thickness of up to 500 m. • Hyperpycnal flows generated by river floods triggered disposal of massive sandy sediments to the upper slope. • In addition to basin-floor fans, intraslope subbasins are another major target for sand dispersal in the Lower Wilcox. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lower part of the Mount Messenger Formation, which crops out along the North Taranaki coast (North Island, New Zealand), is widely regarded to display classic examples of exhumed basin floor fan strata. This interpretation is supported by numerous publications on the sedimentary facies and depositional environments inferred for these strata, which are exposed in coastal cliff exposures about 20 m high with limited lateral extent. Consequently, for almost three decades, this succession has served as an analogue and training ground for geoscientists investigating the features of basin floor fan deposits and their reservoir characteristics. Here, we bring together seismic stratigraphy and seismic geomorphology of 2D and 3D seismic reflection datasets, as well as photogrammetric models based on images collected using uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) drones from selected locations along the outcrop belt to challenge this paradigm. We analyzed seismic reflection data in an area immediately offshore and down-dip of the strata exposed in the coastal outcrop and found no objective criteria for submarine fan depositional elements based on accepted seismic stratigraphic criteria. Furthermore, mapping of seismic reflectors revealed large submarine channel systems (up to 3 km wide and up to 200 m deep) within the lower part of the Mount Messenger Formation. Submarine channel depositional elements (less than 250 m wide and 25 m thick) are also observed to incise through the outcrops, but they are generally below seismic resolution. In the context of the regional geology, we conclude that the lower Mount Messenger Formation accumulated as continental slope sediments cross-cut by channels rather than as basin floor fans. This study issues a cautionary tale about applying facies analysis to outcrop with limited 3D exposure to interpret sedimentary environments. The spatial distribution of facies and architectural elements viewed in seismic data are invaluable for testing the veracity of facies interpretations. • Facies interpretations of lower Mount Messenger Formation outcrops on the North Taranaki coastal section are challenged. • Combined seismic stratigraphy and seismic geomorphology of seismic reflection data with photogrammetric models of outcrop. • No objective seismic stratal patterns of submarine fans were observed. Instead, seismic mapping reveals channelform dominance. • Photogrammetric outcrop models are used to identify channel-element margins and bedset parameters. • Lower Mount Messenger Formation was deposited on a continental slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reservoir architecture is often heterogeneous and can affect the migration and accumulation of hydrocarbons. The Triassic Baikouquan Formation in the Mahu oilfield presents a unique opportunity to use seismic data for fan delta channel and lobe belt characterization in an area with a sparse well spacing of about 800–1200 m. The Baikouquan Formation comprises coarse-grained lacustrine fan delta units deposited by traction and debris flows. The occurrence, distribution, and morphology were investigated using petrography, frequency spectrum decomposition, stratal slices, seismic forward modeling, and wireline logs. Fan-shaped lobe complexes and distributary channel complexes (sixth-order architectural units) exhibiting relatively large lateral and vertical variation were identified from 45- and 60-Hz seismic profiles. Channel and fan-shaped lobe belts (fifth-order architectural units) were investigated by integrating provenances, architectural elements from individual wells, the ratio of conglomerate to formation, cross section analysis, and seismic stratal slices. Four channel belts and three fan-shaped lobe belts were recognized, occurring in six evolutionary stages. It was discovered that these channel and lobe belts had distinct geomorphological traits. Reservoir architecture and distribution was governed by paleogeomorphology, fluctuations in accommodation space, and sediment supply. The identified fifth-order architectural units are useful for reservoir modeling and contribute to remaining oil development. This study indicates the suitability of seismic sedimentology for characterizing reservoir architecture in areas with sparse well spacing. • Seismic forward models are established to guide the interpretation of subsurface reservoir architecture. • Quantitative analysis of the fan delta complex is performed using frequency-division seismic profiles. • Reservoir architecture is governed by paleogeomorphology, fluctuations in accommodation space, and sediment supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near Nature's Valley, South Africa, alluvial fan and braided-stream sandstones and conglomerates occur as a thin veneer unconformably overlying the Cape Supergroup's heavily weathered Ordovician Table Mountain strata. These deposits are similar to the Enon Formation of the Mesozoic Uitenhage Group. Two distinctive facies are recognized in outcrop: gravelly braided-stream and interbedded alluvial fan conglomerates and sandstones of mid-fan to distal fan affinity. Proximal alluvial fan deposits are not present. Clast-supported, structured pebble-boulder conglomerates with sandstone matrix dominate the braided-stream facies. Stratification and clast imbrication are common. The conglomerate clasts are mainly quartzite originating from the Table Mountain Group strata upon which they rest. The mid-fan to distal fan deposits are represented by interbedded cobble-boulder conglomerates and sandstones, mostly with erosive bases and with beds of a short lateral extent. A basal-lag boulder and cobble conglomerate grades upward to reddish, medium to thick sets of cross-bedded sandy conglomerates that pass upward to medium and fine-grained sandstone. The sedimentological characteristics and location of Nature's Valley fan suggest that its development was more influenced by tectonics than by climate fluctuations. The evolutionary history is likely to be dominantly a result of accumulation close to the foot of an active fault scarp. • Deposits near Nature's Valley represent an alluvial fan and braided fluvial system. • The Nature's Valley deposits are most similar to the Early Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Enon Formation. • The top of the Nature's Valley outcrops were eroded when a marine terrace formed, perhaps in the Late Miocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Silurian–Devonian transition experienced dramatic changes of climates, global carbon cycles and faunas, but detailed documentation of the environments and biotas during this transitional interval in the South China Block is needed. The upper Silurian–Lower Devonian sequence of Qujing, Yunnan, southwestern China, represents one of the rare stratigraphic records of this transition in the South China Block. In this study, the Xiaxishancun Formation of Qujing, a unit generally considered earliest Devonian in age, is studied in terms of sedimentology and ichnology. The results show that the Xiaxishancun Formation typically records the deposition of hyperpycnal flow systems, which have been rarely reported in the Paleozoic. Three facies associations, including mudstone-dominated association, heterolithic association, and sandstone-dominated association, represent different parts of the channels and lobes of hyperpycnal subaqueous deltas on the shelf. Nineteen ichnogenera and 32 ichnospecies were distinguished in the Xiaxishancun Formation, and grouped into two ichnoassemblages, the Lockeia - Ptychoplasma - Oravaichnium ichnoassemblage in hummocky/swaley cross-stratified sandstones, and the Cruziana - Diplichnites - Monomorphichnus ichnoassemblage in thin rippled sandstone beds. The hyperpycnal depositional processes of the Xiaxishancun Formation created nutrient-rich, oxygen-rich, siliciclastic environments that supported diverse benthic ecosystems. Our study provides new insights into the understanding of marginal-marine environments and biotas of South China, immediately following the Silurian–Devonian transition event. • 32 ichnospecies reported from the Lower Devonian Xiaxishancun Formation. • Ichnoassemblages are helpful to analyze the sedimentary process of hyperpycnites. • Hyperpycnites developed in South China during the earliest Devonian. • Inceased terrestrial inputs improved Early Devonian marine community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Geological and cosmogenic data from Corsica reveal two-stage river capture events. • Clast lithologies demonstrate a progressive reduction of the Paleo-Ostriconi basin. • River capture led to the formation of a large Pliocene-Quaternary submarine fan. • Focused erosion can affect sites of former river capture after millions of years. • Corsica is still adapting to the disequilibrium caused by uplift of Alpine Corsica. Quantitative analysis of fluvial topography and sediment yield changes are often independently used to detect major river capture events and episodes of drainage reorganization. Here we use a unique set of geological and in situ 10Be cosmogenic data from Corsica, Western Mediterranean, to provide evidence of major river capture events affecting the former Paleo-Ostriconi river catchment during the Pliocene, and to illustrate how the landscape of Corsica is still reacting to the disequilibrium caused by the late Miocene uplift of Alpine Corsica. We found that ∼1280 km2 of basin area originally draining towards the Ligurian Sea were abruptly connected to the Tyrrhenian Sea by the capturing Tavignano and Golo rivers, which led to the formation of a large Pliocene-Quaternary submarine fan offshore the Tyrrhenian coast. The increased sediment yield towards the Tyrrhenian margin after river capture in the Pliocene was three times greater than the average sediment yield in the same source-to-sink system during the Holocene (410±100 t·km−2· a −1 vs ∼131±8 t·km−2· a −1) and greater magnitude than any subsequent peaks in sediment yield during late Pleistocene glaciations. 10Be-derived denudation rates reveal that focused erosion still affects retreating knickpoints near the sites of former river capture in central Corsica, suggesting persistence of landscape disequilibrium for several millions of years. Our results demonstrate the potentially large impact of river capture on the stratigraphic record and highlight the importance of full consideration of landscape response times to onshore disturbances for any reliable interpretation of the offshore sedimentary archive. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions among late Cenozoic global cooling, tectonic activity and regional climate evolution of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau remain elusive. To further understand the relative contributions of global climate change and tectonism, we conducted a comprehensive study of heavy minerals, rock magnetism, and branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) in late Cenozoic sediments of the Laojunmiao section (ca. 12.7 Ma to 5 Ma) in the Jiuxi Basin. Our results reveal a notable increase in magnetic susceptibility (χ) and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM) at 8.5 Ma, aligning with an accelerated decrease in temperature captured by brGDGTs. Combined with heavy mineral analysis, we propose that the profound changes in magnetic parameters and temperature are closely linked to the intensive uplift of the northern Qilian Shan since 8.5 Ma. Furthermore, this ongoing uplift has occurred simultaneously with persistent aridification in the Jiuxi Basin and its adjacent regions. The Qilian Shan might have reached a threshold elevation and began to act as a moisture barrier to northwestward moisture since 8.5 Ma. By synthesizing hydroclimate evolution records from the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, we deduce that changing topography resulting from tectonic uplift may have exerted a significant influence on regulating the moisture distribution in this region during the mid- to late Miocene. • Temperature reconstructed using brGDGTs declined at an accelerated rate at 8.5 Ma • Magnetic enhancement of lacustrine-delta fan sediments occurred at 8.5 Ma. • The northern Qilian Shan was uplifted at 8.5 Ma, simultaneous with regional drying. • Tectonic uplift was the primary driver of this climate transition at 8.5 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Formation of fan barriers and landslide dam between 1.74 ± 0.33 Ga and 122 ± 34 Ma. • Impounding of liquid fluid by fans barriers and landslide dam. • The age of the last erosion responsible for the formation of the depression strandlines must have occured between 122 ± 34 Ma and 90.5 ± 20 Ma. • The minimum age of the last stage of the channel floor surface is 90.5 ± 20 Ma. The second-largest outflow system on Mars is Kasei Valles. The southern branch of Kasei Valles includes two inner channels among the best-preserved examples of glacial and/or fluvial erosion. This study focuses on the landforms formed by surface processes within the midstream part of the southern branch of the Kasei Valles. We mapped the landforms and built a morpho-stratigraphical chronology using their cross-cutting relationships, and numerical crater dating. We interpret a complex geomorphological history, with various landforms in the study area, including fans, landslides, topographic barriers, strandlines, terraces and deeply incised canyons. Two coluvaial fans and a large landslide temporarily blocked the valles, forming topographical barriers to impound fluids (e.g., lava, mudflow, water). It has been suggested that the structures observed in the channels were formed by Bingham or Newtonian fluid. However, these fluids have disappeared but they have left the terraces and strandlines as their geomorphic imprints. The surface texture of the terraces implies that they were probably formed by a very low viscosity fluid that carved the fan, valley floor and formed terrace staircases and deep canyons. Crater statistics reveal two different temporal clusters of colluvial fan formation. The age of the older fan cluster in the Early Amazonian period, and the age of the younger fan cluster in the Late-Middle Amazonian period. The landslide is much younger and estimated to have formed 122 Ma ago, allowing us to constrain the timing of the latest erosional period. The youngest studied geomorphic features are the platy-textured deposits emplaced either as lavas or mudflows, aged 90 Ma, covering the floor of the valles. The strandlines defining the limits of the youngest erosional (thermal) process within the study area truncate the landslide but not the platy-textured features. Therefore, they are older than 90 Ma but younger than 122 Ma, implying environmental conditions sufficient to have allowed a liquid fluid body at the Martian surface during the Latest Amazonian period. Our data suggest that the presence of well-developed terraces between strandlines requires the presence of a fluid (e.g. water, liquid lava, mud) that ponded and subsequently evacuated from the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithologic variations in deep-water slope channel systems provide critical insight into sedimentary processes on deep-water slopes, and are a key control on natural resource distribution and connectivity in subsurface reservoirs associated with ancient deep-water systems. While many studies have described these variations at outcrop-scale along depositional strike (across-channel), few have focused on documenting along-depositional-dip changes due to: (1) the dearth of along-slope perspectives afforded by outcrops; or (2) limited resolution and coverage of subsurface data sets. In this study, slope channel elements (≤30 m thick; ≤400 m wide) and composite channelform bodies composed of ≥2 stacked channel elements (channel complexes and channel systems; >30 m thick; >400 m wide) were characterized along a 50-km-long depositional-dip-oriented outcrop belt of the Campanian-Maastrichtian Tres Pasos Formation (Chile) to constrain longitudinal changes in channel fill character and stacking patterns. Results show that channel elements become more sandstone-rich downdip. Outcrop observations are supported by channel element net-to-gross ratios (measures of sandstone proportion), which increase downdip. Sandstone-prone channel elements within channel complexes and channel systems are more prevalent downdip; however, variability in lateral and vertical offset between successive channel elements downdip results in a poor correlation between net-to-gross values and paleoslope position when composite channelform bodies are considered. These findings suggest that the along-slope distribution of coarse-grained sediment in channel systems is tied to the degree of coarse-grained sediment bypass and erosion that occurs along a slope. The results of this study provide a detailed perspective into downdip changes in slope channel fill and stacking patterns, and help clarify aspects of analogous subsurface reservoirs, including sandstone proportion trends for several scales of deep-water slope channel architecture. • Deep-water slope channel systems are analyzed using outcrop and subsurface data • Sandstone content in studied slope channel systems is found to increase downslope • Sandstone content is linked to sand-rich sediment bypass/deposition along a slope • Channel fill stacking is linked to autogenic processes and local slope morphology • Study findings provide insight into the properties of analogous reservoir units [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the dynamics of sediment plumes near the release from a deep seabed polymetallic nodule mining preprototype collector vehicle was conducted in the Clarion Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean 4500-m deep. It also discusses that that turbidity current dynamics sets the fraction of sediment remaining suspended and the scale of the subsequent ambient sediment plume.

The middle sub-member (Es3z) within the third member (Es3) of the Eocene Shahejie formation is the main source of the generation and accumulation of hydrocarbons in the lacustrine deltas of Bonan depression. Exploration and research work in different blocks is carried out separately. Types of sedimentary facies, and their vertical and lateral evolution in Es3z are not studied in detail. To fill this knowledge gap, we did a detailed analysis of facies and lithological characteristics through integrative studies of cores, well logs and seismic data. Identification of sedimentary structures and lithology of the reservoir zone from cores are calibrated with high-quality well logs and seismic data. Depositional facies in Es3z reservoirs are identified through analysis of sedimentary structures, grain size, log's trends and seismic sections. Es3z was deposited in the fan delta front setting where five facies associations are found, among them distributary channels consisting of MCS, CSg, PCSs, MS, RCL, WCS, PBSs, RCS and GBS lithofacies, natural levee containing DFs, and furthermore, sheet sand are associated to CBS and SSM lithofacies. GM, GGM and DGM lithofacies are related to inter-distributary deposits, whereas mouth bars consist of PLS, CS and CFS. Depositional history, flow direction of the sediments, and facies distribution are investigated through detailed facies mapping and cross-section profiling to show that the sediments were sourced from southeast to northwest. We found thicker succession of sedimentary profiles towards north and north-west directions. Belt distributary channel deposits, covering a wide range of areas, act as potential reservoirs along with mouth bar deposits, while mudstones in interdistributary channels act as a good source and seal rocks. The methodology adopted has great potential to explore the reservoirs of fan delta front in lacustrine deltas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A distributed fiber optic hydrophone (DFOH) is a new type of fiber optic hydrophone (FOH) with adjustable structure. The dependence of the directivity of a DFOH on array structure is theoretically and experimentally studied. The directivity function of a sensing channel and that of a DFOH are derived. Based on the directivity function, the simulations are performed. Finally, the theoretical analysis is demonstrated by the experiments performed on Qingyang lake, and the results reveal that the longer sensing channel length guarantees the lower first-order side lobe and the narrower main lobe. As the channel length increased from 1 to 3, the main lobe width and first-order side lobe height decreased by 4.9° and 6 dB, respectively. In addition, channel spacing is irrelevant to directivity as the spacing is shorter than the wavelength. As the channel spacing increased from 0 to 1, the variations of the main lobe width and first-order side lobe height are lower than 0.5° and 0.94 dB, respectively. This study would provide guidance for the structure design of a distributed fiber optic hydrophone in signal processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longitudinal ventilation fans in extra-long submarine tunnels are usually arranged at both ends of the tunnel limited by the tunnel cross section, which is usually hindered by insufficient power caused by extra-long ventilation distances. In this paper, the conception of a ventilation mode is proposed that services the tunnel and cross passages, to provide auxiliary air supply to the main tunnel. Two critical factors have been analyzed on the premise of evacuation safety, which combine to affect the ventilation efficiency in the case of an accident inside the tunnel, these are: air volume within the service tunnel, and cross passage open numbers. FDS simulation software is used to simulate the tunnel model; consider the number of cross passages from one to four; and simulate the service tunnel airflow velocity of 0.7 m/s, 0.75 m/s, 0.85 m/s, 1.0 m/s and 1.3 m/s. The results show that when 1.3 m/s wind speed is applied at both ends of the service tunnel, and three cross passages are operated, 20 MW of fire smoke within the accident tunnel can be effectively controlled; additionally, the wind speed in the cross passage will not hinder the evacuation. The simulation results are verified by ventilation network calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work of solar cells and their production of electrical energy have been affected by climate change, especially in hot regions which became significantly hotter and still receive relatively high levels of solar radiation throughout the year. Higher ambient temperature and solar radiation result in higher PV cell temperature and, therefore, the reduction in PV module power output and efficiency. This study investigates how a PV module performs throughout the year in a hot region by considering the variations in cell temperature resulting from changes in ambient temperature and solar radiation every day. The tilt angles and two-axis tracking have also been examined. Results indicate that the two-axis solar tracking system is critical to use in hot regions for obtaining higher output power. Therefore, part of this power can be used to cool solar panels using various methods to keep their efficiency high, such as operating air fans or operating pumps to cool them with coolant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of SDU Journal of Engineering Sciences & Design / Mühendislik Bilimleri ve Tasarım Dergisi is the property of Journal of Engineering Sciences & Design and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Petroleum Geology & Recovery Efficiency is the property of Petroleum Geology & Recovery Efficiency and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To summarize the discrepancies we have noted above, we provide in Table 1 revised stratigraphic and biostratigraphic data bearing on the Vancouver Island fossil wood localities discussed by Mustoe and Beard [[1]]. The southernmost Cretaceous exposures on northern Vancouver Island are located approximately 180 km northwest of the northernmost Cretaceous deposits of more southerly Vancouver Island, separated by the topographic high and geo-logic uplift of central Vancouver Island and the Johnstone Strait. The bulk of Mustoe and Beard's fossil wood occurrences are from the Upper Cretaceous Nanaimo Group of southeastern Vancouver Island. Mustoe and Beard's conclusion that the calcite-mineralization characteristic of all of the Cretaceous fossil wood of Vancouver Island raises intriguing questions. [Extracted from the article]

The fossil record of deep-marine environments is notoriously poor in comparison with that of their shallow-marine counterparts. Notably, deep-marine deposits are typically host to diverse and abundant trace-fossil assemblages, providing evidence of the ancient deep-sea benthos. To analyze the early colonization of the deep sea, we constructed a global dataset of trace-fossil occurrences from a survey of EdiacaranâDevonian stratigraphic units. This analysis highlights the importance of the Ordovician radiation as a pivotal time in the colonization of the deep sea. Ediacaran deep-marine trace fossils consist of very simple trails and burrows. Global and alpha ichnodiversity, as well as ichnodisparity, were extremely low. Nonspecialized grazing trails reveal the exploitation of microbial mats. These strategies persisted in the Cambrian, although with an increase in ichnodiversity (both global and alpha) and ichnodisparity. An increase in the complexity of morphologic patterns, as illustrated by the undermat mining ichnogenus Oldhamia, is apparent during the Cambrian. The face of the deep sea started to change during the end of the Cambrian and beginning of the Ordovician with the protracted expansion of farming and trapping strategies. The main architectural designs of deep-marine trace fossils (e.g. regular networks, delicate spiral burrows, guided meandering graphoglyptids) were established in the deep sea by the Early Ordovician, recording the first appearance of the Nereites Ichnofacies. Lower to Middle Ordovician deep-marine ichnofaunas are moderately diverse, and fodinichnia commonly dominates rather than graphoglyptids. A significant ichnodiversity and ichnodisparity increase occurred in the Late Ordovicianâearly Silurian, with ichnofaunas recording higher proportions of graphoglyptids and evidencing the establishment of a deep-marine ecosystem of modern aspect. The distinction between the Nereites and Paleodictyon ichnosubfacies, with the former characterized by the dominance of feeding traces in muddy turbidites and the later by the dominance of graphoglyptids in sandy turbidites, can also be tracked back to the Ordovician radiation. This trend of increased colonization of the deep sea continued through all the Silurian and the Devonian. However, colonization of carbonate turbidites may have lagged behind that of siliciclastic turbidites. The progressive increase in abundance and diversity of graphoglyptids resulted in an increased role of gallery biodiffusers. This faunal turnover in the deep sea was coincident with an increase in oxygenation in slope and base-of-slope settings, which is thought to have been a driver of Ordovician biodiversifications. The formation of permanent open burrows in the deep sea may have increased bioirrigation in the uppermost zone of the deep-sea sediment, therefore increasing ventilation and potentially generating a feedback loop between bioturbation and oxygenation, with the endobenthos engineering its environment.

The Ledong submarine channel and the Dongfang submarine fan, two remarkable sedimentary systems developed during the late Miocene, are considered promising hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Yinggehai Basin of the South China Sea. A comparative study was conducted to reveal the differences between the source-to-sink characteristics of the two gas-bearing and gravity-driven depositional systems to determine their provenances, formation mechanisms and migration paths as well as their key controlling factors. The heavy mineral assemblages and detrital zircon U-Pb dating results suggest that the Ledong channel was fed by the Hainan provenance from the eastern margin, whereas the Dongfang fan was supplied by northwestern terrigenous sources. The relative sea level transgression and sufficient sediment supply triggered the delivery of deltaic loads toward the continental shelves. Seismic data show that fracture activity had a great impact on the tectono-morphologic features of the margins. During downward flow, the gravity flow along the Yingdong Slope encountered steeply falling faulted slope break belts and formed the Ledong incised channel, and the gravity flow of the Yingxi Slope moved through the gently dipping flexural break slope zone and formed the Dongfang dispersed lobe deposits. Since ca. 30 Ma, the sedimentary center has been migrating from the north to the southeast, which produced a clear control of the southeastward distribution pattern of these two sedimentary systems. Observations of cores and thin sections indicate that the rock structures and their compositions are more mature in the Dongfang channel than in the Ledong fan. This study documents significant differences and similarities by comparing the source-to-sink processes of the two gravity-driven systems that developed in the Yinggehai Basin and provides analogies for understanding similar submarine sedimentary systems that developed under similar geological contexts worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment routing from hinterland to the deep sea is complicated because it involves evolution of river drainage from source areas to coastal plains and sediment mixing on the shelf and slope by marine currents. Previous regional paleogeographic mapping in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) has observed a >150 km offset between the middle Miocene paleo‐Tennessee fluvial axis and the associated deep‐sea fan depositional axis, indicating a complicated sediment pathway. We integrate new and published detrital zircon (DZ) U‐Pb age data from fluvial, shelf and deep‐sea deposits to examine the complex Miocene sediment routing system in the northern GOM. These data suggest an increase in sediment load derived from western North America (increased Western Cordillera terranes; <300 Ma zircon age component) from the early to middle Miocene in the deep‐water Green Canyon protraction area. The early Miocene Green Canyon area received sediments mainly from fluvial axes located directly updip: the paleo‐Mississippi River (44%–56%; characterized by Yavapai‐Mazatzal, Mid‐Continent and Western Cordillera sourced 1800–1600 Ma, 1500–1300 Ma and <300 Ma, respectively, and Grenville‐Appalachian sourced 1300–950 Ma and 500–300 Ma age components) and smaller rivers and tributaries draining the Appalachian Mountains (e.g. paleo‐Tennessee River, 18%–43%; mainly Grenville‐Appalachian sourced 1300–9500 Ma and 500–300 Ma age components). In contrast, the middle Miocene Green Canyon deep‐sea fan shows a strong DZ signal from the paleo‐Red River (38%; increased <300 Ma zircon age component), which requires input of additional sediment sources from west of the paleo‐Mississippi system. In addition, the paleo‐Tennessee River, which was a major middle‐Miocene sediment source for the central‐eastern GOM due to uplift and increased erosion of the Appalachian Mountains, is underrepresented (34%; decreased 1300–950 Ma zircon age component) in the middle Miocene Green Canyon fan. We suggest that two mechanisms combined to produce the increased middle Miocene input from western sediment sources and restriction of locally up‐dip Tennessee River sources: (1) regional drainage changes involving middle Miocene capture of the paleo‐Red River and its tributaries by the paleo‐Mississippi River, which at the same time lost some of its eastern tributaries owing to expansion of the paleo‐Tennessee and (2) eastward (clockwise) marine transport of western‐sourced sediment along the shelf or slope, which deflected the paleo‐Tennessee signal >150 km eastward to feed the deep‐sea fan further east, perhaps reflecting intensification of a precursor to the GOM Loop Current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late Eocene-early Oligocene paleoenviromental and paleoclimatic conditions in the southern Hellenic Thrace Basin (Lemnos Island, Northeast Aegean Sea) have been determined, based on planktonic and benthic foraminiferal analyses. One hundred thirty-nine mudstone samples were collected from representative outcrops that cover the entire stratigraphic record. The samples correspond to submarine fan (Ifestia, Panagia and Kaspaka sections) and shallow-marine deposits (Kaminia section). The analyses of calcareous nannoplankton and planktonic foraminifera indicate that sedimentation took place during the late Eocene to early Oligocene (Priabonian-Rupelian). The ratio of planktonic to benthic foraminifera, the paleobathymetry and the qualitative analysis of foraminifera support a regional shallowing-upward trend. The presence of Globobulimina suggests that dysoxic conditions prevailed the late Eocene, while the presence of paragloborotaliids, globigerinids and chiloguembelinids in the studied succession could be indicative of a gradual cooling event since the late Eocene. The Eocene/Oligocene boundary is characterized by well-oxygenated bottom waters, and the abundance of Catapsydrax unicavus and Paragloborotalia nana suggests a strong cooling event during the early Oligocene (O1 biozone). This decrease in water temperature is most likely linked to the global cold Oi1 event. The early Oligocene is characterized by oxic bottom-water redox conditions that were intermittently interrupted by shorter periods of dysoxic conditions. The occurrence of Bathysiphon indicates the passage of turbidity currents. The recognition of Chiloguembelina cubensis, P. nana and C. unicavus suggests high productivity over the range of the water column, most likely correlated with mixing water during the cold event Oi2. This study decrypted the global paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic changes that influenced the southern Hellenic Thrace Basin during the Eocene/Oligocene transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractionation of particles in deep‐water sediment gravity flows is an important factor in the resulting deposit and for discriminating sedimentary environments, but remains poorly understood. Quantitative characterization of particle shape was performed for more than ten‐thousand particles of experimental gravity flow experiments (both of cohesive and non‐cohesive nature) made using coal and kaolin particles. Eleven particle shape parameters were calculated and their distribution and trends within the experimental basin were evaluated. Results indicate the existence of non‐normal distributions and observable correlations between particle shape parameters. Shape parameters such as circularity and roundness are dominant controls on shape variation. Strong correlations exist between mean shape parameters and along‐flow distance from the source for particles in non‐cohesive flow experiments. Important differences were observed between shape parameter distributions of particles sampled at different areas within the experimental basin, which can be grouped based on their depositional setting (proximal or distal) using multivariate statistical analysis, especially for the non‐cohesive flow experiments. A tendency for more elongated and irregularly‐shaped particles at the more distal and marginal areas of the studied experimental basin was observed and validated by previous field studies in real‐world deep‐marine deposits. Besides, fractionation of particles is less‐pronounced in cohesive flows compared with non‐cohesive ones suggesting the soundness of discrimination of depositional settings based solely on particle shape characteristics is strongly dependent on parent flow characteristics. Yet, results highlight the potential of particle shape analysis in revealing spatial particle shape trends due to hydrodynamic fractionation and discriminating different depositional settings within submarine fans. This methodology may be applied to seafloor and subsurface samples to help identify the flow process and depositional environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submarine fan deposits are volumetrically the largest sediment accumulations on Earth and host significant hydrocarbon reserves. Extensive research has documented the bed‐scale architecture of high sand‐to‐mud ratio, proximal and axial environments, which can have bed thicknesses of several metres; however, less well‐understood are thin‐bedded turbidites, which are typically lower N:G and deposited in more distal environments. Conceptual models assume that lobe‐fringe‐to‐basin plain environments consist of tabular, sheet‐like beds that extend out continuously and predictably over long distances—up to several kilometres. Extensive lateral continuity, however, is not necessarily reflected in ancient outcrop analogues. This study seeks to apply a quantitative approach to the characterisation of thin‐bedded turbidites to assess the impact of multi‐scale heterogeneity on reservoir predictability. The sea‐cliff outcrop exposures of the Upper Cretaceous Point Loma Formation in San Diego, California, exhibit a wide range of bed thicknesses and stratigraphic architecture, which have been used to interpret an off‐axis‐to‐fringe depositional environment. The study area spans 700 m of laterally continuous outcrop, across which 10 correlated stratigraphic sections are used to quantify changes in metrics such as bed thickness, N:G, lithofacies proportions, etc. Results of this study demonstrate that thin sand beds experience both lateral facies changes and rapid thickness changes more frequently than conceptual models would predict. A single measure of lateral heterogeneity does not reflect the true architecture of sandstone beds, and significant information is lost when beds are correlated over ten to hundreds of metres. Sands are commonly deposited in irregular, 'finger‐like', planform geometries, which compounds at the lobe element scale and influences lateral lithofacies predictability. This study of the Point Loma Formation offers high‐resolution bed‐to‐element scale data, which may be used as inputs for reservoir models and horizontal facies predictions in both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grain‐size distribution of sediment particles is an important aspect of the architecture of submarine fans and lobes. It governs depositional sand quality and reflects distribution of particulate organic carbon and pollutants. Documenting the grain‐size distribution of these deep‐marine sedimentary bodies can also offer us an insight into the flows that deposited them. Submarine lobes are commonly assumed to linearly fine from an apex, meaning there should be a proportional relationship between grain size and distance from the lobe apex. However, not much detailed quantitative work has been done to test this hypothesis. Exposure of a 5 km long dip‐section of basin‐floor lobes in Clinoform 12, Battfjellet Formation, Spitsbergen, enable the study of basinward grain‐size evolution in lobe deposits. Furthermore, the dataset allows testing if there are any documentable grain‐size differences between lobe sub‐environments. For this purpose, the palaeogeography of Clinoform 12 was reconstructed and the youngest lobe, which was exposed in all collected logs, chosen to be evaluated for its grain‐size trends. Photographed thin sections of 66 rock samples were analysed to obtain quantitative grain‐size distributions. The results show that fining of lobe deposits occurs predominantly in the most proximal and most distal parts of the lobe, while the intermediate lobe, which is dominated by lobe off‐axis deposits, is characterised by a relatively consistent grain‐size range. Lobe sub‐environments show statistically distinct grain‐size distributions from lobe axis to lobe fringe. An explanation for these trends is the interplay of capacity and competence‐driven deposition with the grain‐size stratification of the flows. The outcomes of this study help to better understand the proximal to distal evolution of turbidity currents and their depositional patterns. They also provide important insights in reservoir potential of basin‐floor fans at lobe scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of China University of Petroleum is the property of China University of Petroleum and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Forties Sandstone Member is an important deep-water reservoir in the Central North Sea. The role of depositional characteristics, grain-coating clays, and diagenesis in controlling the reservoir quality of the sandstones is poorly understood. The main aim of the study is to understand the role of depositional characteristics, grain-coating and pore-filling clays, and diagenesis in controlling the reservoir quality evolution of turbidite-channel sandstones. The study employed a multi-disciplinary technique involving thin section petrography and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to investigate the impact of grain size, clay matrix content, mode of occurrence of grain-coating chlorite and illite, and their impact in arresting quartz cementation and overall reservoir quality in the sandstones. Results of our study reveal that porosity evolution in the sandstones has been influenced by both primary depositional characteristics and diagenesis. Sandstones with coarser grain size and lower pore-filling clay content have the best reservoir porosity (up to 28%) compared to those with finer grain size and higher pore-filling clay content. Quartz cement volume decreases with increasing clay-coating coverage. Clay coating coverage of >40% is effective in arresting quartz cementation. Total clay volume of as low as 10% could have a deleterious impact on reservoir quality. The Forties Sandstone Member could potentially be a suitable candidate for physical and mineralogical storage of CO2. However, because of its high proportion (>20%) of chemically unstable minerals (feldspar, carbonates, and clays), their dissolution due to CO2 injection and storage could potentially increase reservoir permeability by an order of magnitude, thereby affecting the geomechanical and tensile strength of the sandstones. Therefore, an experimental study investigating the amount of CO2 to be injected (and at what pressure) is required to maintain and preserve borehole integrity. The findings of our study can be applied in other reservoirs with similar depositional environments to improve their reservoir quality prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic matter burial in the deep-sea fan sediments is an important component of the long-term carbon cycle. Although there is increasing recognition of the importance of organic matter in deep-sea sediments, a major focus has been on mudstones, commonly interpreted as the background sediments, deposited by pelagic or hemipelagic vertical suspension fallout in low-energy fan environments. Emerging evidence suggests that relatively coarse-grained sediment gravity flow deposits (e.g., turbidites and hybrid event beds) can also store a significant quantity of organic carbon, implying that a wide range of depositional processes can result in the concentration and enrichment of organic matter in submarine fans. However, the role of these processes on carbon burial is still not fully understood. This review aims to discuss the impact of three widely documented deep-sea depositional mechanisms/processes, namely vertical suspension settling, grain-by-grain (incremental aggradation), and the en-masse deposition on distribution, burial, and preservation of organic matter in deep-marine deposits. Organic matter accumulated from slowly settling suspension in mud caps (Te or H5 divisions of turbidites and hybrid beds, respectively) is prone to higher oxidation compared to the carbon buried in sandy components of turbidity currents (Ta-Tc units) and hybrid beds (H2/H3 divisions). The burial of organic matter in sandy parts of the deposits has important implications for understanding the fundamental physical processes that control carbon accumulation and preservation in deep-marine rock record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cenozoic mountain building in Asia has been proposed as an important control over global climate by atmospheric CO 2 drawdown through silicate weathering and burial of organic carbon (OC) offshore. Because Asian submarine fans represent the most complete record of Asian orogenic erosion and weathering over the Cenozoic, evaluation of sediment major element chemistry and OC content can be used to estimate CO 2 sequestration rates driven by silicate chemical weathering and OC burial. From deep-sea fans in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, weathering rates are calculated by comparison of weathered sediment to initial bedrock source compositions and then integrated with deposited volumes to derive the first regional weathering budget for India-Asia collision over the last ∼25 m.y. Results indicate the Indus is more important than previously recognized before and during the middle Miocene in sequestering CO 2 (∼76% of Asian total at 16–14 Ma). This in part reflects the more reactive mafic and ultramafic bedrock sources compared to the largest and major east Himalayan drainage, the Ganga-Brahmaputra, but also greater erosional flux from the onshore Indus drainage at that time. This regional synthesis further concludes that OC burial only represented a minority (20–25%) of the regional carbon budget but became more important after 17 Ma, peaking at ∼38% after ∼3 Ma. CO 2 sequestration rates increased from 17 to 15 Ma, coinciding with the Miocene Climatic Optimum, and remained mostly steady in Asia from ∼15–5 Ma as the climate cooled. Only one of three possible sediment flux models for the Bengal Fan predicts increased CO 2 consumption rates after 15 Ma and, even then, only predicts steady rates from 11 to 5 Ma. The timing of changes in CO 2 consumption rates are not consistent with Asian orogenic silicate weathering acting as the dominant control over late Cenozoic atmospheric CO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The offshore margins of Guyana, Suriname, and French Guyana (the "Guyanas Equatorial Margin") have become the focus of active hydrocarbon exploration over the last decade, with significant energy resources discovered since 2015 along both the Guyana and Suriname segments of the margin. Those discoveries are mainly associated with the Late Cretaceous series of the Guyana-Suriname Basin and they shed light to a rare situation where stratigraphic traps are particularly successful. To date, the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the area has been primarily examined at margin-scale through seismic refraction, rare borehole data and sparse, regional long offset multichannel 2D seismic datasets. In this paper we combine the results from newly acquired high-resolution well data, 2D/3D seismic interpretation and 3D seismic geomorphology, to build a robust and consistent sequence stratigraphic framework and address the evolution of Cretaceous sedimentary landscapes offshore Suriname, with a particular emphasis on the Late Cretaceous strata. The Suriname margin displays a very specific overall sequence stratigraphic evolution marked by four main phases each characterized by distinct sedimentary fluxes and related overall geometries: 1) a margin initiation phase, 2) an aggrading phase, 3) a backstepping phase and 4) a forestepping phase. The Suriname basin initiated in the Early/Mid Jurassic after the emplacement of thick Early Jurassic volcanic series attributed to the Sierra-Leone (or Bahamas) Hotspot (phase 1). This localized early magmatic activity led to two very different configurations: a typical Volcanic Passive Margin in the east along the western border of the Demerara Plateau and a transform segment to the west (essentially along the Guyana margin). The following phase (phase 2) is characterized by the establishment of a Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous mixed clastic‑carbonate platform with an overall aggradational stacking pattern observed until the Early Aptian. Phase 3 started by significant backstepping, that culminated during the Cenomanian-Turonian transition, coeval with widespread organic-rich marine shale deposition. This overall transgression occurred in four steps: (B) late Early Aptian flooding followed by renewed margin progradation; (C) Early Albian flooding and (D) Late Albian to Cenomanian flooding above the break-up unconformity and (E) the maximum backstep at the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary. This long-term transgressive trend is interpreted as the combination of (1) long-term eustatic rise during the early Cretaceous; (2) high rates of margin subsidence following the Aptian to Albian opening phase of the Equatorial Atlantic, and (3) relatively limited sediment supply rates along the margin at that time. The successive, backstepping shelf-margin wedges created a distinctive stepped profile (paleo shelf-margins) that greatly impacted the geometries of the overlying Late Cretaceous sequences. During this backstepping phase, clastic sediment delivery to the deep-water part of the Suriname basin in the Early Cretaceous was limited and mainly sourced from the large Berbice Canyon complex at the Guyana-Suriname border. The outlet of the Berbice drainage systems may have been anchored by an aborted section of the Jurassic rift and linked to the onshore Takutu graben which separates the Guyana shield in two parts. The fourth phase of the Jurassic to Cretaceous evolution of the Suriname margin is characterized by a dramatic increase of the sediment supply during the Santonian resulting in the accumulation of thick sequences of channel-dominated turbidite fans. This renewed clastic input is linked to a major drainage reorganization on the Guyana shield and is also coeval to the change from the point-sourced Berbice system to a line-sourced input from smaller rivers and deltas along the Suriname margin. From Early Santonian to Late Maastrichtian, the offshore sedimentary systems were then characterized by an overall regression with stacked coastal clastic systems on the shelf and continued fan deposition in the slope together with abundant slope erosion and related Mass Transport Complexes. At higher frequency this long-term forestepping Late Cretaceous trend was modulated by accelerated pulses of sediment supply (and associated margin progradation) during the Middle Santonian, Middle Campanian, and the Early Maastrichtian. From the Santonian turn-around to the Late Maastrichtian, sedimentary systems are deciphered as sequences constrained by biostratigraphic data from the latest industry wells in Block 58 in Suriname and combined with seismic interpretation of both 3D and 2D data. The multi-scale sequence stratigraphic framework built in this study highlights 1) the specific sedimentary architecture of the margin and 2) the role and the impact of external forcing on the sedimentation rate. Moreover, the results highlight the key importance of topographic inheritance (from both structural and sedimentary origin) on deep-water reservoir architecture, that led to important hydrocarbon accumulations through stratigraphic trapping in offshore Suriname. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our recent echo-character analysis of the Tierra del Fuego Continental Margin, focusing on Sloggett Canyon and the interfluve with Valentín Canyon, provides insights into contemporary sedimentary processes. Utilizing high-resolution seismic profiles obtained from the R/V Austral in 2017, we categorized sub-bottom echoes into 10 distinct types, shedding light on various processes such as hemipelagic deposition, mass wasting events, glacial influence, and the impact of bottom water masses. By integrating data from the GLORYS12V1 model (1993–2020), CTDs from the World Ocean Database, and sediment samples, we analyze the interaction between bottom currents, seafloor topography, and sediment characteristics. We conclude that the flow of the Subantarctic Water Mass acts as an active transport of coarser sediment from the continental shelf into the canyon, maintaining the Sloggett Canyon's activity, while the flows of the Upper and Lower Circumpolar Water Masses contribute to contourite formation along the eastern canyon flank and the erosion of the lower interfluve, leading to the generation of distinctive longitudinal scours. Additionally, in the continental rise, the interaction of water masses with the seafloor influences the redistribution of the deep-sea fans from the Sloggett and Valentín canyons towards the northeast. This study significantly enhances our understanding of the sedimentary dynamics in this area, establishing the basis of the sedimentary distribution for future interdisciplinary studies and for setting a new baseline in marine protected areas. • We identified 10 echo-characters in the area encompassing Sloggett Canyon and its interfluve with Valentín Canyon. • Longitudinal scours on the lower interfluve result from bottom current erosion and deposition. • The eastern flank of the Sloggett Canyon is under the influence of hemipelagic sedimentation and mass wasting events. • Sediment is transported by flows of the Subantarctic Water Masses from the continental shelf into the canyon head. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The lake stages in Jezero are consistent with semiarid climates • The Jezero lake was a throughflow lake driven by significant surface runoff • Hydrological conditions do not favor large-scale evaporite deposition • Similar climates at Jezero and Gale produce contrasting lacustrine environments Jezero crater, the landing site of the Perseverance rover, hosts sedimentary fan deposits, aqueously altered sedimentary rock, and an outlet breach of the crater rim, all of which indicates that a long-lived lake (or lakes) once existed within the crater. The deltaic deposits in the crater may preserve evidence of habitable conditions within the past lake system, which would have been influenced by the climate and conditions of the past hydrological system within the watersheds and basin. However, the aqueously altered sedimentary deposits within Jezero are less extensive than those found in other crater lakes on Mars, like Gale with a crater filling mound of cemented sediment. In this work we use hydrological models of the past Jezero lake system to constrain the climatic and hydrological conditions by comparing model predictions to the proposed lake stands and mineralogy in the crater observed from orbit and by the Perseverance rover thus far. We then compare these results to Gale crater to understand the influence of basin hydrology on the depositional setting found within past crater lakes. We show that a lake forming at the outlet breach elevation or higher in Jezero requires a semiarid or wetter-arid climate, consistent with previous estimates. An integrated hydrologic system with seasonal variations similar to arid and semiarid climates on Earth results in a lake system at Jezero characterized by both surface and subsurface outflow from the lake. Outflow to the subsurface and through the outlet breach will remove dissolved solids from the lake system, mitigating large-scale evaporite cementation within the Jezero basin, which is in contrast to Gale crater, where subsurface inflow constituted a larger percentage of the total inflow to the lake and all loss was through evaporation due to the setting in a deeper impact crater. Furthermore, at hyperarid climatic and/or groundwater-driven hydrological conditions, lake formation within Jezero would have ceased while a lacustrine depositional environment would have continued at Gale. This highlights the importance of considering basin hydrology, in addition to climate, when interpreting lacustrine sedimentary deposits in craters on Mars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turbidites have been recognized as significant reservoir units in both marine and lacustrine basins. This study was conducted on the Eocene Dongying Sag (Bohai Bay Basin, East China) using sediment cores, well logs, seismic data, and petrography to investigate the diagenesis and reservoir quality of lacustrine turbidites controlled by climate-driven base-level changes. The early forced regression within a third-order sequence stratigraphy can be divided into rising and falling stages of fourth-order base-level changes. Throughout these stages, extrabasinal turbidites were triggered by river floods and comprised the main channel, distributary channel, lobe, and lobe fringe. Intrabasinal turbidites only occurred during the falling stage, which were caused by sediment failures and corresponded to tongue deposits. Compared to extrabasinal turbidites, intrabasinal turbidites possess enhanced anti-compaction capabilities, reduced clay matrix content, and higher carbonate cement content. Climate-driven base-level changes dominated the diagenesis of lacustrine turbidites. From the rising to falling stage, the climate transitioned from humid to arid conditions. This caused a decline in the formation of clay-sized sediments that were subsequently transported into deep-water environments, thereby enhancing mechanical compaction of extrabasinal turbidites. Stacking patterns of channel complexes changed from vertical aggradation to lateral migration, reducing the occurrence of carbonate cementation near channel amalgamation and sandstone–mudstone interfaces. Therefore, these processes controlled by base-level changes led to a decrease in carbonate cement content and mechanical compaction, simultaneously promoting dissolution in extrabasinal turbidites during burial. Additionally, falling base-level facilitated rapid progradation of clinothems and delta collapse, resulting in the development of limited-scale tongues characterized by lower sorting and clay matrix content inherited from the delta front. Tongues, despite their enhanced resistance to compaction, were surrounded by thick-layer deep-water mudstones, contributing to strong carbonate cementation during burial. This study confirms that extrabasinal turbidites during the falling base-level possessed better reservoir quality, thereby providing guidance for the exploration of gravity flow sandstone reservoirs in lacustrine basins. • There are two triggering mechanisms of gravity flows during the early forced regression. • Extrabasinal turbidites during the falling base-level possessed better reservoir quality. • Climate-driven base-level changes dominated the diagenesis of lacustrine turbidites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sedimentology of upper flow regime bedforms represents an important research topic at the present. Deposits interpreted as those of supercritical flows are widely recognized in modern fan systems, but their recovery is challenging. Most of the sedimentological information has come from channel thalwegs but supercritical bedforms are also frequently downslope from the channel mouths. Such an environment has been identified in the Paola basin, where erosive and depositional cyclic steps have been imaged and identified in a sandy submarine lobe of the Amantea Fan. High-resolution sub-bottom profiles provide insight into the bedform internal architecture and their relationships with a frontally-confining ridge. For the first time, supercritical bedforms in a submarine lobe have been interpreted in two distinct positions: in the scour of an erosional cyclic step and in the stoss side of a depositional cyclic step. Coarse to medium-grained massive sand with flame structures, indicating rapid sediment fall-out and frequently associated with the occurrence of hydraulic jumps, has been identified in the scour and at the toe of the ridge. The latter represents an example of topographically induced hydraulic jumps driven by a frontal confinement. Top-cut-out medium to fine sands with tractive structures have been interpreted as the deposits related to the stoss side of a cyclic step or small-scale antidune superimposed on the cyclic step surface. The presented data broaden the understanding of the range of processes that are driven by the interaction between turbidity currents and seafloor topography and the dip of the slope. The recognition that topography influences the density structure and the degree of criticality of the flow and, consequently, the morphodynamics and facies of the relative deposits may help to explain sediment distribution and improve depositional models of fan lobes in confined settings. • Sedimentological information about supercritical bedforms in a frontally confined submarine lobe are provided. • Observations result from the interpretation of high-resolution seismic profiles and the analysis of five gravity cores. • Sedimentary structures, generally associated with hydraulic jumps, have been identified in scour fills and at the base of a ridge. • The topography influences the distribution of supercritical bedforms and the flow criticality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing traditional natural raisin drying room, although it has a high green grade rate for grape drying, the disadvantage is that long drying cycle and uneven product quality. Therefore, a wind field automatic control (WFAC) system was proposed to address the above problems. The WFAC system was built based on the traditional natural drying room by installing blowing fans and exhausting fans, the working principle of the system is to use HMI software to monitor and display the environmental information in the drying room and remotely control the operating parameters of different fans to adjust the wind field by the wireless network communication system, thus increasing the utilisation rate of natural wind in the grape drying. The CFD simulation experiments were conducted, and the simulation results showed that when the fan was combined with two blowing fans and one exhausting fan (TBI + OEO), the fan wind speed was 8 m s−1, and the fan vertical installation distance was 1206 mm, the corresponding wind field uniformity in the drying room was the best, which was 0.721. Based on the simulation optimisation results, the grape drying field experiment was conducted, and the results showed that the efficiency of grape drying in the TBI + OEO drying room was the highest and the drying cycle could be shortened by up to 7 days compared to the traditional drying room. Additionally, the green grade rate of raisin by hanging string in the TBI + OEO drying room was the highest, up to 78%, which was 4% higher than that in the traditional raisin drying room. Overall, the WFAC system designed and optimised in this study performed well in improving the efficiency and quality of grape drying. The results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for drying room structure improvement and industrial product condition control. [Display omitted] • The raisin drying room with the wind field automatic control system was developed. • The parameters controlling the wind field were optimised by fluid simulation. • The accuracy of the simulation was validated by the field experiment. • The drying cycle of the optimised raisin drying room could be shortened by 7 days. • The green grade rate dried could reach 78% in optimised raisin drying room. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]