This study presents new geochronological constraints for the Niluo Member within the slope-basin facies of the Late Triassic Nanpanjiang Basin, eastern Tethys. The basin underwent a significant marine-to-continental transition during this period. Previous biostratigraphic studies on platform facies were hindered by inconclusive conodont zonation, leaving the chronology of slope-basin deposits poorly resolved. To address this, we identified volcanic ash layers within the Niluo Member in the Wangmo area. Zircon U-Pb dating of these ashes yielded weighted mean ages of 229.9 Ma and 229.0 Ma, establishing a Carnian depositional age. This result is significantly younger than previous estimates and coincides with the CPE. The Niluo Member is interpreted as a period of slow, oxygen-deficient sedimentation, contrasting with the rapid turbidite deposition of the enclosing formations. This depositional hiatus likely facilitated the preservation of the datable ash layers. The Carnian age and unique lithology suggest the Niluo Member may record the CPE in the slope environment, potentially linked to increased terrigenous input that suppressed carbonate production. Concurrent conodont sampling w
Due to spatial scarcity and uncertainties in sediment data, initial and boundary conditions in deep-time climate simulations are not well constrained. On the other hand, the climate is a nonlinear system with a multitude of feedback mechanisms that compete and balance differently depending on the initial and boundary conditions. This opens up the possibility to obtain multiple steady states under the same forcing in numerical experiments. Here, we use the MIT general circulation model with a coupled atmosphere-ocean-thermodynamic sea ice-land configuration to explore the existence of such alternative steady states around the Permian-Triassic Boundary (PTB). We construct the corresponding bifurcation diagram, taking into account processes on a timescale of thousands of years, in order to identify the stability range of the steady states and tipping points as the atmospheric CO$_2$ content is varied. We find three alternative steady states with a difference in global mean surface air temperature of about 10 $^\circ$C. We also examine how these climatic steady states are modified when feedbacks operating on comparable or longer time scales are included, in particular vegetation dynami
High temperature impact melt breccias from the Rochechouart (France) meteorite crater record magnetization component with antipodal, normal and reverse polarities. The corresponding paleomagnetic pole for this component lies between the 220 Ma and 210 Ma reference poles on the Eurasian apparent polar wander path, consistent with the 214 $\pm$ 8 Ma 40Ar/39Ar age of the crater. Late Triassic tectonic reconstructions of the Eurasian and North American plates place this pole within 95% confidence limits of the paleomagnetic pole from the Manicouagan (Canada) meteorite impact crater, which is dated at 214 $\pm$ 1 Ma. Together, these observations reinforce the hypothesis of a Late Triassic, multiple meteorite impact event on Earth.
Scientists have discovered Labrujasuchus expectatus, a bizarre crocodile relative that looked more like an ostrich-like dinosaur than anything resembling a modern crocodile。 It walked on two legs, had tiny arms, and sported a toothless beak—an unexpected combination for a member of the crocodile lineage
The hydro-mechanical behavior of clay-sulfate rocks, especially their swelling properties, poses significant challenges in geotechnical engineering. This study presents a hybrid constrained machine learning (ML) model developed using the categorical boosting algorithm (CatBoost) tuned with a Bayesian optimization algorithm to predict and analyze the swelling behavior of these complex geological materials. Initially, a coupled hydro-mechanical model based on the Richards' equation coupled to a deformation process with linear kinematics implemented within the finite element framework OpenGeoSys was used to simulate the observed ground heave in Staufen, Germany, caused by water inflow into the clay-sulfate bearing Triassic Grabfeld Formation. A systematic parametric analysis using Gaussian distributions of key parameters, including Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, maximum swelling pressure, permeability, and air entry pressure, was performed to construct a synthetic database. The ML model takes time, spatial coordinates, and these parameter values as inputs, while water saturation, porosity, and vertical displacement are outputs. In addition, penalty terms were incorporated into the
The Chang 2 bottom water reservoir area in the western part of northern Shaanxi is one of the core oil-producing areas in the Ordos Basin.One of the main reservoirs is the Chang 2 reservoir of the Triassic Yanchang Formation, which has good physical conditions, active edge and bottom water, and high geothermal gradient. In this paper, the reservoir numerical simulation software CMG is used to simulate the water intake and heat recovery in the target study area, and the heat recovery rate and heat recovery of the three water production methods of direct water production, four injection and one production and one injection and four production under different injection pressures are analyzed. The results show that it is difficult to realize the direct water extraction from the bottom water reservoir. The annual heat recovery of single well of four injection and one production and one injection and four production is converted to the standard coal production between 190 ~ 420 t, so the Chang 2 reservoir in the western part of northern Shaanxi has the potential of water injection and heat recovery.
The Carnian Pluvial Episode (CPE) was a major global climate change event in the early Late Triassic that significantly affected marine ecosystems and carbon cycles. One of the most prominent features of the CPE is the coupled multiple negative carbonate-organic carbon isotope excursions. However, at Erguan and Xiashulao from eastern Tethys, a decoupling between carbonate-organic carbon isotope during CPE was observed. At the end of early Carnian (Julian), the carbonate carbon isotope showed a negative excursion of 2-3 per-mille, while the organic carbon isotope exhibited a positive excursion of about 3-4 per-mille. In addition, increased terrestrial inputs is indicated by the rising C/N (3 to 10) and decreasing Y/Ho (42 to 27) that coexist with this decoupling. The coupling of carbon isotope negative excursions is from the shallow shelves and the deep slopes, whereas the decoupling occurs from the deep shelf to the shallow slope. In the deep shelf to the shallow slope, sedimentary organic matter is mainly sourced from pelagic before the CPE as evidenced by low C/N (3) and high Y/Ho (36-42). During the CPE, the increased fresh water flux (Sr/Ba <1) enhanced terrestrial input in
Radiolarians are significant contributors to the oceanic primary productivity and the global silica cycle in the last 500 Myr. Their diversity throughout the Phanerozoic shows periodic fluctuations. We identify a possible abiotic candidate for driving these patterns which seems to potentially influence radiolarian diversity changes during this period at a significance level of $\sim 2.2 σ$. Our finding suggests a significant correlation between the origination of new radiolaria species and maximum excursions of the Solar system from the Galactic plane, where the magnetic shielding of cosmic rays is expected to be weaker. We connect the particularly strong radiolaria blooming during the Middle Triassic to the so-called Mesozoic dipole-low of the geomagnetic field, which was in its deepest state when radiolarias were blooming. According to the scenario, high-energy cosmic rays presumably implied particular damage to the DNA during the maximum excursions which may trigger large chromosomal abnormalities leading to the appearance of a large number of new genera and species during these periods.
Many fundamental parameters of biological systems -- eg. productivity, population sizes and biomass -- are most effectively expressed in absolute terms. In contrast to proportional data (eg. percentages), absolute values provide standardised metrics on the functioning of biological entities (eg. organisism, species, ecosystems). These are particularly valuable when comparing assemblages across time and space. Since it is almost always impractical to count entire populations, estimates of population abundances require a sampling method that is both accurate and precise. Such absolute abundance estimates typically entail more "sampling effort" (data collection time) than proportional data. Here we refined a method of absolute abundance estimates -- the "exotic marker technique" -- by producing a variant that is more efficient without losing accuracy. This new method, the "field-of-view subsampling method" (FOVS method) is based on area subsampling, from which large samples can be quickly extrapolated. Two case studies of the exotic marker technique were employed: 1, computer simulations; and 2, an observational "real world" data set of terrestrial organic microfossils from the Permia
Understanding the co-evolution of complex life with Earth's geology is an enduring challenge. The rock record evidences remarkable correlations between changes in biology and the wider Earth system, yet cause and effect remain unclear. Here, we link the evolutionary history of eukaryotes with the rise and fall of carbonate rock fraction within continental crust - a key variable in controlling the efficiency of carbon drawdown during weathering, solid Earth degassing rates, and ultimately nutrient supply to life. We use geospatial database analyses to demonstrate a strongly non-linear growth and then collapse in Earth's continental crust carbonate reservoir. Biomineralisers reshaped Earth's surface in their image; armouring continental margins with carbonate platforms, such that the continental carbonate reservoir increased in size by 5-fold in under 100 Myr after the Cambrian Radiation of animal life. This Paleozoic carbonate revolution represents among the most dramatic crustal evolutionary events in Earth's history. The Permo-Triassic extinction event coupled to the rise of open ocean calcifiers initiated a steady decline in continental crustal carbonate content; one that still c
In the solar system, oldhamite (CaS) is generally considered to be formed by the condensation of solar nebula gas. Enstatite chondrites, one of the most important repositories of oldhamite, are believed to be the representative of the material which formed Earth. Thus, the formation mechanism and the evolution process of oldhamite are of great significance to the deeply understanding about the solar nebula, meteorites, the origin of Earth, and the C-O-S-Ca cycles of Earth. To date, no report about the oldhamite in the mantle exists. However, here we show the formation of oldhamite through the reaction between sulfide-bearing orthopyroxenite and molten calcite at 1.5 GPa/1510 K and 0.5 GPa/1320 K. Surprisingly the oxygen fugacities in our experiments are within the range of mantle conditions, which is 6 orders of magnitude higher than that of the solar nebula mechanism. Oldhamite is easily oxidized to calcium sulfate. Both low oxygen fugacity of magma and extreme low oxygen content of atmosphere are necessary for existence of oldhamite on the surface of a planet; otherwise, anhydrite or gypsum will exist in large quantities. The widespread existence of oldhamite on the planet surfac
The location of El Ejido town over a deep sedimentary basin in a zone of high seismicity in the Spanish context has motivated research on its seismic response characterization. To this aim, S-wave velocity models have been obtained from joint inversion of Rayleigh wave dispersion curves and full-wavefield modelling of the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio of ambient noise (HVSR) under the diffuse field assumption (DFA). Combination of spatial autocorrelation surveys (SPAC) with array apertures of several hundred metres and HVSRs displaying low-frequency peaks allowed to characterize deep ground features down to the Triassic bedrock. Predominant periods in the town ranged from 0.8 to 2.3 s, growing towards the SE, with few secondary peaks at higher frequencies. The shallow structure has been explored by means of geotechnical surveys, Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) and SPAC analysis in small-aperture arrays. Resulting models support a general classification of the ground as stiff soil.
Natural selection explains how life has evolved over millions of years from more primitive forms. The speed at which this happens, however, has sometimes defied formal explanations when based on random (uniformly distributed) mutations. Here we investigate the application of a simplicity bias based on a natural but algorithmic distribution of mutations (no recombination) in various examples, particularly binary matrices in order to compare evolutionary convergence rates. Results both on synthetic and on small biological examples indicate an accelerated rate when mutations are not statistical uniform but \textit{algorithmic uniform}. We show that algorithmic distributions can evolve modularity and genetic memory by preservation of structures when they first occur sometimes leading to an accelerated production of diversity but also population extinctions, possibly explaining naturally occurring phenomena such as diversity explosions (e.g. the Cambrian) and massive extinctions (e.g. the End Triassic) whose causes are currently a cause for debate. The natural approach introduced here appears to be a better approximation to biological evolution than models based exclusively upon random
Within the frame of the ANR-funded CANTARE-Alsace project, we have undertaken a multi-scale and multidisciplinary approach to increase our knowledge of the transition zone between the sedimentary cover and the basement and provide fundamental knowledge for the assessment of its geothermal potential. In this paper, we report out the results of a study performed on an exhumed transition zone in the Ringelbach area in the Vosges Mountains, on the flank of the Rhine graben. In this analogue of a deeply buried transition zone of the Rhine Graben, a thin layer of Triassic sandstones is still present on the top of the fractured and altered granitic basement providing the opportunity to study in-situ the physical properties of this transition zone. In this paper, we focused on electrical and acoustic properties of the transition zone as they are the main physical parameters usually assessed with the help of geophysical methods during the exploration phase of a geothermal project.
The end-Permian mass extinction is the most severe known from the fossil record. The most likely cause is massive volcanic activity associated with the formation of the Permo-Triassic Siberian flood basalts. A proposed mechanism for extinction due to this volcanic activity is depletion of stratospheric ozone, leading to increased penetration of biologically damaging Solar ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation to Earth's surface. Previous work has modeled the atmospheric chemistry effects of volcanic emission at the end-Permian. Here we use those results as input for detailed radiative transfer simulations to investigate changes in surface-level Solar irradiance in the ultraviolet-B, ultraviolet-A and photosynthetically available (visible light) wave bands. We then evaluate the potential biological effects using biological weighting functions. In addition to changes in ozone column density we also include gaseous sulfur dioxide (SO2) and sulfate aerosols. Ours is the first such study to include these factors and we find they have a significant impact on transmission of Solar radiation through the atmosphere. Inclusion of SO2 and aerosols greatly reduces the transmission of radiation across
By utilizing satellite-based estimations of the distribution of clouds, we have studied the Earth's large-scale cloudiness behavior according to latitude and surface types (ice, water, vegetation and desert). These empirical relationships are used here to reconstruct the possible cloud distribution of historical epochs of the Earth's history such as the Late Cretaceous (90 Ma ago), the Late Triassic (230 Ma ago), the Mississippian (340 Ma ago), and the Late Cambrian (500 Ma ago), when the landmass distributions were different from today's. With this information, we have been able to simulate the globally-integrated photometric variability of the planet at these epochs. We find that our simple model reproduces well the observed cloud distribution and albedo variability of the modern Earth. Moreover, the model suggests that the photometric variability of the Earth was probably much larger in past epochs. This enhanced photometric variability could improve the chances for the difficult determination of the rotational period and the identification of continental landmasses for a distant planets.
Those ousted included ADA journal editor-in-chief Steven Kahn and former ADA president Desmond Schatz
Scientists have uncovered a surprising force that may help explain how binary star systems form so quickly。 New supercomputer simulations show that magnetic fields surrounding newborn stars can act like a cosmic brake, stripping away angular momentum and allowing two still-forming protostars to spiral closer together instead of drifting apart
New studies suggest consciousness can't be judged solely by behavior, whether it's a chatbot discussing philosophy or a bee searching for nectar。 Researchers are increasingly focusing on the internal mechanisms of brains and computers, concluding that today's AI is likely not conscious while leaving open the possibility for both conscious insects a
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has uncovered unusual chemistry in interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, including the first direct detection of methane on a visitor from another star system。 The comet also contains exceptionally high levels of carbon dioxide, making it unlike most comets born in our solar system。 Scientists believe the methane was hidden