Stratigraphic Data Research Articles

Sedimentation rates, coastal delta accretion, and stratigraphic datum of the Late Pleistocene–Mid-Holocene transition in the East Equatorial Atlantic: New concept from calcareous nannoplankton

This study examines the sedimentation rates (SR) during the last 20 kyr in the Niger Delta using selected biostratigraphic datum levels. Three gravity cores (GCs) collected at −40 m below sea level from the shallow offshore Niger Delta (GC1 = Western, GC2 = Central, and GC3 = Eastern) were analysed for their calcareous nannoplankton species ( Emiliania huxleyi, Gephyrocapsa oceanica, Helicophaera sellii and Reticulofenestra asanoi). Successive datums were established mainly from the informal biozones and ranges of Gephyrocapsa oceanica and Emiliania huxleyi marker species due to their abundance. By correlating the First Occurrence (FOC) and Last Occurrence (LOC) datums of the marker species in the cored sequences (GCs), SRs were reconstructed. Based on the constructions, the FOC of Gephyrocapsa oceanica (20 kyr) reflects a position towards the bottom of the GCs, the FOC of Emiliania huxleyi (11–8.5 kyr) delineates the middle of the GCs, and the LOC of Emiliania huxleyi (6.5 kyr) marks the uppermost part of the GCs. The sediment load by average calculated from each location in the Western, Central, and Eastern Niger Delta shows sequences of sedimentation rates of ~36.7 cm/kyr for the late Pleistocene, ~174 cm/kyr for the early Holocene, and ~18.6 cm/kyr for mid-Holocene time periods. Consequently, on average, ~229.3 cm/kyr of sediment were deposited at −40 m water level over the last 20 kyr, with the early Holocene experiencing the highest sedimentation rates (~174 cm/kyr) across the three locations. Additionally, this study provides evidence that the Niger Delta sink deposits responded to the West African Monsoon (WAM) driven sedimentation rates during the late Quaternary (20–6.5 kyr). Furthermore, this sediment deposit facilitated the development of a high-resolution age-depth and sedimentation rate model linked to the regional sea level of the Eastern Equatorial Atlantic that succinctly delineates the late Pleistocene and early Holocene boundary of the Niger Delta. The outputs of this study bridged the research gap and knowledge on the impact of coastal accretion and depositional processes on sedimentation rates in the shallow offshore Niger Delta.

Geotechnical Analysis for Slide Dump Geometry Optimization at PT Alamjaya Bara Pratama Mine Disposal Area in Pit 4B, Kutai Kartanegara Regency

The management of open-pit mines is one of the challenges that often arises in the management of mine disposal areas, especially in supporting the efficiency of transporting mining materials. In this context, it is important to design a safe and efficient slide dump geometry to reduce the risk of slope failure and operational costs. The study involved the collection of geotechnical data, such as lithological and stratigraphic data obtained from exploratory drilling activities, as well as material property data, including cohesion and deep shear angle (). The collected data was then input into slope stability analysis software with the limit equilibrium method, which ultimately informed safe design recommendations for the disposal slide dump area. The results of this study not only provide an understanding of slope stability, but also highlight the importance of design optimization in supporting operational efficiency. Overall, this study confirms that the design of the disposal slides at the high wall of Pit 4B is stated to be feasible according to the calculations, simulations, and risk analysis that have been carried out, with the hope of meeting the aspects of safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability.

The main results of the research on the cultural layer of the Samarovsky Yam settlement (Khanty-Mansiysk)

In 2016, archaeological excavations were carried out for the first time in the settlement of Samarovsky Yam (Khanty-Mansiysk) directed by I.Yu. Chikunova. The cultural layers of the 17th–20th centuries have been studied. This publication introduces the information and materials obtained during the excavations, and the results of the analysis of fish remains. Evidence has been found of the great flood of 1771, which left a thick sterile layer. This layer separated the cultural deposits of the 18th century. Stratigraphic data, coupled with the analysis of distribu-tion of various finds of wood, leather, metal, and molded, pottery and glazed ceramic ware, make it possible, in support of archival data, to trace on specific material the economic structure and changes in the level of economy of the first Russian population of Samarovsky Yam. Archaeoichthyological material is also a valuable informative archaeological source. The fish remains helped to clarify the species, size, age, and time of catching fish in the past. The study of the fish bone and scale remains made it possible to establish that whitefish species predomi-nated in the net fishing of the population of the Samarovsky Yam.

A revised terrace stratigraphy and chronology for the Little Ouse River as a framework for interpreting the late Lower and early Middle Palaeolithic of central East Anglia, UK

The Breckland of central East Anglia has a Pleistocene geological sequence spanning c. 1 million years, providing a framework for assessing changes in human technology and behaviour within a single changing palaeolandscape. The geological record and its associated Palaeolithic archaeology divides into three chronological periods: the fluvial deposits of the River Bytham, which span c. 1 ma to 450 ka; the Hoxnian interglacial sites (c. 400 ka); and the fluvial terraces of the post-Anglian drainage network, which records the past c. 400,000 years. This paper focuses on the third of these periods, presenting results from new work on the fluvial sediments and Palaeolithic archaeology associated with the Little Ouse River. Fieldwork was conducted at four Palaeolithic sites; Barnham Heath, Redhill, Santon Downham, and Broomhill Pit. The new sedimentological and stratigraphic data are used in conjunction with existing borehole records to construct long profiles for the river terrace aggradations and establish a terrace stratigraphy for the Little Ouse. Correlation with the marine isotope record is supported by age estimates from electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of sand units within the terrace aggradations. The results provide an age-constrained lithostratigraphic framework for understanding the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic records of the Little Ouse. The results can be added to previous work on the Bytham and Hoxnian sites, enabling an assessment of human activity in the region from c. 800-200 ka.

Rock cutting image recognition based on color and texture feature fusion

Abstract In the realm of oil exploration, there is an increasing demand for precise lithological analysis, particularly in the rapid and accurate identification of fine rock cutting images. Therefore, a novel rock cutting image recognition method based on the fusion of color and texture features is proposed. This method utilizes the color histogram and grayscale co-occurrence matrix techniques to extract color and texture features from target images, respectively. Compared with the traditional single-feature recognition methods, this integrated feature method can greatly improve the accuracy of fragment recognition and ensure more accurate fragment classification by designing the feature fusion structure of the fragment image feature set. The model is established by using the support vector machine (SVM) classifier to realize the automatic classification and recognition of cuttings images. This not only reduces the time and labor intensity of manual operation, but also improves the efficiency and speed of cuttings analysis, which meets the needs of modern efficient drilling operations. More detailed and accurate stratigraphic data can be provided by high precision rock chip identification and lithology analysis. These data have important reference value for geologists to analyze stratigraphic structure and distribution, determine the location and distribution of underground oil and gas layers, and optimize drilling decisions and operation plans. Experimental results show that the method achieves an overall recognition accuracy of more than 90% in the task of detecting 126 rock chip images for conglomerate, 153 for mudstone, and 150 for sandstone, and up to 94% for mudstone and sandstone. It is proved that the recognition method proposed in this paper can better classify sandstone, mudstone and conglomerate in rock chips with high recognition accuracy.

FIRST RECORD OF UPPER CRETACEOUS (CAMPANIAN?) LARGER BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA FROM THE YIGEZIYA FORMATION OF THE SOUTHWESTERN TARIM BASIN, CHINA

Larger benthic foraminifera are described for the first time from the Upper Cretaceous Yigeziya Formation of the southwestern Tarim Basin, China. They occur in middle-outer ramp carbonates with debris of rudists, coralline algae, echinoids, pithonellids, and rare dasycladalean green algae. The material allows an open taxonomic approach for a few taxa. The assemblage includes Charentia cf. cuvillieri Neumann, Cuneolina cf. parva Henson, Nezzazatinella cf. picardi (Henson), orbitolinid gen. et sp. indet., cyclamminid indet., Tetrataxiella? floriforma Schlagintweit & Sanders, Suturina? sp. and the new species Dictyopselloides? tarimensis n. sp. Lacking any resilient stratigraphic data in our material, a Campanian age is tentatively assumed. The benthic association is typical for Neotethys assemblages but also shows conspicuous overlap with the Campanian Tielongtan Formation of western Tibet.

A hybrid sparrow optimization Kriging model and its application in geological modeling

With the proposal of intelligent mines, the demand for drilling is increasing daily. Therefore, it is particularly crucial to gather more geological data by interpolation of limited drilling data for subsequent three-dimensional geological modeling. In this paper, a hybrid sparrow optimization Kriging model (HSSA), in which chaos theory and Levy flight are integrated into the initial population update algorithm of the sparrow algorithm and the location update algorithm of the entrants, is proposed. Next, the golden sine optimization algorithm is introduced into the reconnaissance and early warning mechanism of the sparrow algorithm to further improve the accuracy and local escape ability. By the correlation optimization of the original sparrow algorithm, the speed and accuracy of swarm intelligence optimization are further improved. In addition, the model solves the parameters of the variation function of the ordinary Kriging interpolation and reduces the generation error of the formation data interpolation. The results of relevant experiments show that the hybrid sparrow optimization Kriging model improves the accuracy and convergence speed compared with other swarm intelligence algorithms and that the accuracy of this model is improved by 8.4% compared with the original Kriging interpolation algorithm. Based on the hybrid sparrow optimization Kriging model, we propose a three-dimensional stratigraphic model for the Yangchangwan Coal Mine, which provides further support for mining operations and three-dimensional stratigraphic research in this area. The accuracy and applicability of the hybrid sparrow optimization Kriging model are further explained using a case study with the stratigraphic model data in the Yangchangwan Coal Mine. HSSA with significant potential for applications in industries such as coal mining and geological exploration. In these fields, the efficient acquisition, processing, and modeling of stratigraphic data are critical for enhancing geological interpretation and optimizing operational workflows.

A model integration approach for stratigraphic boundary delineation based on local data augmentation

Identification of stratigraphic boundaries is a fundamental task in the seismic interpretation of oil and gas reservoir locations. When employing deep learning techniques to interpret stratigraphic boundaries, insufficient training data and sample imbalances are common challenges affecting model training. In regions with intricate geological structural changes, conventional deep-learning segmentation algorithms, such as U-Net often struggle to accurately capture the features of complex local structures. To address these limitations, we propose a model integration approach that incorporates global and local uneven-type stratigraphic data augmentation to enhance the accuracy of stratigraphic boundary identification in uneven-type regions. To address the problems of class imbalance and insufficient complex variation samples, we adopted a strategy of separately training global and local data and integrating predictions, thereby handling the disparity between uneven-type and flat-type stratigraphic data during model training. By testing the Netherlands F3 dataset with sparsely labeled profiles, it was demonstrated that the proposed method can effectively improve the delineation accuracy of stratigraphic boundaries compared to the benchmark U-Net model.

The Paleogene Carbonate Banks of the Zagros Foreland Basin’s Forebulge, Northern Iraq: Stratigraphic Architectures and Facies Associations

The Paleogene sequence of the Zagros foreland basin of NE Arabiais punctuated by a linear chain of carbonate bank-ramp associations. These carbonate banks had developed over the NW-SE trending basin forebulge. Continued convergence and compressional tectonics of the basin made the forebulge become incipient and shallow enough to commence carbonate sedimentation. The porpose of this work is to investigate the origin, facies and regional stratigraphic relations of these carbonates to the forebulge and other basin depozones. Stratigraphic data of this research are collected from (15), measured outcrop sections distributed over the basin forebulge zone and surroundings. In addition, re-examination and reinterpretation of (30) previously studied surface and subsurface sections are compiled into the study. This done to integrate the regional facies distribution and basin-wide sequence stratigraphic architecture. Stratigraphic investigations include lithostratigraphic logging and correlation, microfacies analysis, and facies modeling. Four major banks were recognized, three of these banks (informally named: Dohuk, Kirkuk, and Sulaimaniyah) were developed over the forebulge zone. The other one (Sinjar bank) of the Sinjar area, is related to basininversion mechanism. The forebulge carbonate banks were developed as the reefal limestone of the Sinjar Formation, and the lagoonal carbonate and shale of the Khurmala Formation. The Sinjar Formation is dominated by coralgal reef and foraminiferal-shoals with facies spectrum forming the basic body of the bank. The ramp setting was developed on both sides of the bank. The bank limestone represents the inner ramp facies, whilea windward ramp is developed as foraminiferal bioclastic limestone fingers into the back-bulge basinal marlstone of the Aaliji Formation. A leeward ramp facies was developed into the foredeep depozone, with bioclastic carbonate intercalations that characterize the upper part of the Kolosh Formation. At a later stage of basin shoaling (Early Eocene), a carbonate back-bank lagoon was developed over the foredeep area. It became gradually, isolated at certain parts of the basin, and finally replaced by the dolostone of the Khurmala Formation.

Investigating Holocene relative sea-level changes and coastal dynamics in the mid-Tyrrhenian coast, Italy: An interdisciplinary study

Understanding millennial changes in relative sea level (RSL) and coastal responses in stable regions is crucial for deciphering the intricate relationship between natural dynamics and human adaptation. This interdisciplinary study explores the interplay between mid-to-Late Holocene sea-level fluctuations and tectonic along the mid-Tyrrhenian coast.The study area, located between the Fondi and Garigliano coastal plains, held great significance in ancient times. In particular, the strategic role of Formia, a monitoring point for the Tyrrhenian Sea, made this city one of the most important commercial hub during Roman occupation, leading to a significant urbanization of the coastal stretch testified by well-preserved remains nowadays scattered along the submerged or semi-submerged coastal sectors.This study reconstructs the mid-to-Late Holocene morpho-evolution and RSL changes in the study area by creating a geodatabase made of 52 sea-level markers (SLMs) derived from direct geoarchaeological measurements, stratigraphic and palaeoecological interpretations of new borehole data, and previously published stratigraphic data. Specifically, the radiocarbon dating of three peat samples provided new data ranging between 7.62 ± 47 and 1.00 ± 51 ka BP on the sea level history in the area. Based on our dataset, between 9.0 and 8.0 ka BP, the sea level rose from −19 m to −6.5 m at a rate of about 15.6 mm/y, slowing to 0.8 mm/y afterwards, stabilizing at its current position. Results suggest that during the 1st century BC, local sea level was no higher than −0.55 ± 0.29 m.The collected RSL data support the hypothesis of tectonic stability of this sector during the last 2.0 ka, testified by the position of the SLMs in accordance with the glacio-hydro-isostatic adjustment (GIA) models and supported by the determination of average vertical ground movement rates of −0.017 ± 0.23 mm/y.Finally, in terms of coastal changes the overlay between new data from geoarchaeological surveys, reinterpretation of previously-published stratigraphic data, and geomorphological analysis allowed us to deduce a general coastal progradation trend in the historical time for both low-lying and rocky sectors, due to natural and anthropogenic forcing factors.

Seismic amplification of Late Quaternary paleovalley systems: 2D seismic response analysis of the Pescara paleovalley (Central Italy)

Robust site characterization and ground response analysis require a thorough understanding of subsurface features, including geophysical properties and geometries of sediment bodies. Late Quaternary paleovalley systems, often overlooked in seismic hazard assessments, represent a potential threat due to their unconsolidated infill (with shear wave velocities <200 m/s) and sharp contrast with the adjacent substrate. Through an integrated approach that combined geophysical and stratigraphic data, we characterized the subsurface of the Pescara paleovalley system. Geostatistical interpolation of microtremor measurements enabled mapping resonance frequencies, highlighting abrupt changes and delineating the paleovalley boundaries. High-resolution core descriptions were then correlated with resonance frequencies, enabling the reconstruction of a 3D geophysical depth model of the buried paleovalley morphology. Furthermore, analyzing velocity profiles from down-hole tests led to the identification of five main seismic/stratigraphic layers within the valley fill. The geometry and facies architecture were reconstructed through a cross-section transversal to the paleovalley axis and then implemented into a 2D finite element model. Seismic response was computed, revealing significant amplification factors at frequencies closely matching the direct observations. Amplification factors peaked at frequencies between 0.9 and 1.1 Hz in the paleovalley center and up to 5.5 Hz towards the flanks, reaching a factor of 4.6. These findings suggest a notable increase in amplification amplitude compared to simpler geological contexts and emphasize the potential impact on common building types. Response spectra show strong amplifications in the paleovalley system, potentially leading to an underestimation of spectral accelerations compared to NTC18 guidelines. The comparisons of 1D and 2D modeling approaches revealed minimal differences, indicating that the generally flat geometry of the valley may not exhibit clear 2D effects. However, local subsurface stratigraphy strongly influences lateral changes in seismic response, emphasizing the importance of detailed subsurface knowledge for realistic seismic response estimates.

Archaeological LiDAR in Mediterranean Karst Landscapes. A Multiproxy Dating Method for Archaeological Landscape and a Case Study From Prehistoric Kras Plateau (Slovenia)

ABSTRACTThe case study area is a small but typical prehistoric landscape in the Kras Plateau on the north coast of the central Mediterranean. The Late Bronze and Iron Age Kras Plateau was an emblematic Mediterranean archaeological landscape dotted with numerous hillforts. Since the mid‐20th century, the landscape had been overgrown with some of the most archaeology‐hostile vegetation, severely impeding landscape archaeology until archaeological LiDAR revealed thousands of archaeological features that attest to a carefully constructed and managed agro‐pastoral landscape. However, these discoveries were hampered by insecure chronology typical of any LiDAR guided analysis. This case study meticulously documented two prehistoric hillforts and a previously unknown agro‐pastoral landscape with hundreds of archaeological features. The focus of the article, however, was on establishing a more precise and objective dating method. We proposed a multiproxy method to date the archaeological landscape. It combines relative dating using remote sensing data and historical maps; dating based on historical context; relative stratigraphic dating; indirect dating based on associated archaeological finds; and dating by association. Particularly, we focused on the association‐based dating of archaeological features. We proposed a method based on the concept of taskscapes that relies on kernel density estimation. Using these methods, we objectively demonstrated that agro‐pastoral landscape features documented with archaeological LiDAR were contemporaneous with Late Bronze Age and Iron Age hillforts and have no connection to the post‐medieval landscape. The latter has important methodological implications for the prehistoric archaeology of Mediterranean karst landscapes, where backdating post‐Medieval landscapes is a common practise.

In search of lost time: Recovering missing stratigraphical data from fossil marine reptile specimens using micropalaeontological analyses

Many museum and university collections contain fossil marine reptile specimens that have no provenance data associated with them, particularly those collected in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This may be because the information was never known to the museum or because the data have since been lost. Moreover, data that are associated with a specimen may have been assumed historically rather than verified and it is known that collectors, donors or sellers of specimens have sometimes been deliberately secretive or even misleading about the actual provenance of the fossils. If invertebrate macrofossils can be identified in the host matrix of the marine reptile specimen these can sometimes offer clues as to the stratigraphical origin of the specimen, but these instances are rare. Micropalaeontological analyses, however, can be undertaken on relatively small amounts of matrix associated with a specimen to attempt the recovery of lost data or confirm or reject assumed provenance details. Permission has been obtained to take small samples (as little as five grams) of host matrix from the rear of several ichthyosaur specimens during recent conservation projects where the provenance of the specimen was either totally unknown or was in doubt. These samples were analysed for their calcareous microfossil content, including ostracods and foraminifera. It was found that well-cemented limestones contained little or no recoverable material but softer mudstones have sometimes yielded very useful assemblages allowing specific biozones to be attributed to the host specimens, successfully recovering lost data and making the specimens much more useful scientifically. Even when the assemblage of microfauna is found to be poor or absent, some information about the sedimentary conditions of the preservational environment can often be ascertained from the micropalaeontological residues.

Provenance of cretaceous sediments in the West Kunlun piedmont belt and implications for tectonic evolutionary events

The West Kunlun orogenic belt located in the northwestern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is an important record of the formation and northward extension of the plateau, but the current research mainly focuses on the tectonic activities of the Cenozoic era, and there is still considerable controversy regarding the formation and evolutionary history of pre-Cenozoic orogenic belts. This study focuses on Cretaceous sandstone samples from the Kedong region in the piedmont belt of the West Kunlun orogenic belt. U-Pb geochronological analysis was performed on 200 detrital zircon grains from the core samples. Combined with stratigraphic data and previous research, the main provenance direction was investigated to constrain the tectonic evolutionary history of the orogenic belt’s peripheral regions. The results show that the detrital zircons are aged from 290 to 208 Ma, 520–310 Ma, 810–580 Ma, 1,400–880 Ma and 2,548–1,730 Ma, reflecting the complexity of provenance in this area. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the characteristics of igneous rocks, zircon age composition and stratigraphic conditions in potential source areas, it is concluded that the primary source regions include the East Kunlun orogenic belt and the North and South Kunlun terranes, with a low likelihood of contributions from within the Tarim Basin. The evolution of the West Kunlun orogenic belt can generally be divided into two opening and two closing phases. The detrital zircon ages predominantly exhibit two peak values at 259 Ma and 459 Ma, respectively representing the ages of transition from oceanic crust subduction to continent-continent collision for the Paleo-Tethys Ocean and the Proto-Tethys Ocean. Additionally, there is a temporal gap between the evolution of the Proto-Tethys Ocean and the Paleo-Tethys Ocean. The Triassic period marks a transitional phase in tectonic evolution, shifting into an intracontinental evolutionary stage. This study provides new geochronological evidence for the early developmental history of the West Kunlun orogenic belt.

The Identification Of Geological Disaster Based On Stratigraphic And Granulometric Data Of Burial Deposit At Majapahit Sites In The Trowulan Area, Mojokerto, East Java

Abstract The abundance of archaeological findings found in damaged and buried conditions in the Trowulan area raises suspicions about the role of geological disasters in the downfall of the Majapahit civilization in the city of Trowulan in the past. This study aims to identify the types and processes of past geological disasters in the Trowulan area based on literature study, stratigraphic data, and granulometry of burial materials at Kumitir Site, Kedaton Site, and Minakjinggo Site. Based on the stratigraphy and granulometry of disaster sediments, there are two types of past geological disasters that struck the Trowulan area, namely earthquake-liquefaction and flash floods. Earthquake-liquefaction disasters are characterized by layers with grain-supported and the presence of collapsed and contorted building structures. On the other hand, flash flood disasters are identified based on layers with matrix-supported compacted material, channeling and fragment imbrication structures, poorly sorting, and subangular-subrounded grain shapes. Based on stratigraphic facies and written records, the disasters that struck Trowulan are identified to have occurred in two periods. The first period includes the Palindu earthquake and Guntur Banyu Pindah flash flood in 1334 AD, while the second period includes the Palindu earthquake in 1450 AD and the Guntur Pawatugunung flash flood in 1481 AD.

Transgression patterns of Muara Enim Formation at Tanjung Agung Village based on stratigraphic data measurements

Abstract Muara Enim Formation is one of the formations which is composed in the South Sumatra Basin in the Late Miocene Epoch. It has a specific lithology which shows how the conditions of the depositional environment were the formation was deposited. The purpose of this research is to determine the pattern of transgression and regression of Muara Enim Formation. Transgression and regression patterns are used to determine how the shoreline moves. It is caused by the supply of sediment material. The finer sediment material is deposited and the smoother the movement of the material towards the land, showing the indication of transgression, and vice versa. This research uses analytical-interpretative as the method, which is using the result of sampling analysis and then interpreting how the pattern of transgression and regression are changed. This method is used to determine the physical properties of the lithology composing the Muara Enim Formation. Based on field observations on the Air Enim River, it is known that the Muara Enim Formation is composed of lithology dominated by fine grain size (claystone) to medium grain size (tuffaceous sandstone) with thin coal in several locations. Based on field outcrop (surface data) it is known that the claystone lithology is thickened to a younger layer (about 2.5 m thickness) with massive sedimentary structure. It is interpreted that the Muara Enim Formation was deposited in a transgression pattern in a depositional phase which was influenced by sediment supply factors and weak depositional currents.

A Preliminary Study of Past Geological Disasters in the Trowulan Majapahit Cultural Heritage Area, Mojokerto Regency, East Java

Abstract Numerous sites found buried in the Trowulan Cultural Heritage Area makes the area suspected of being the capital of the Majapahit Kingdom (13-15th century). The condition of the buried site raises an assumption of a past catastrophic event that hit and buried part of Trowulan area, causing the downfall of the Majapahit Kingdom. This assumption is supported by the existence of several books and inscriptions from the Majapahit Kingdom period that record events interpreted as geological disasters. Although there is a lot of evidence, however, what kind of geological disaster that hit the Trowulan area is not known for certain. This study aims to identify what kind geological disasters that buried the Trowulan Capital area based on previous studies and GIS analysis. The results inferred that flash floods and volcanic eruptions contributed to the burial of Trowulan Capital Region, which is supported by the geographical conditions of the capital city of Trowulan where the northern part is a flood plain and the southern part is part of the Jatirejo alluvial fan. Stratigraphic data collection needs to be carried out in the future as supporting evidence to know the detailed sequence of disaster events and the direction of the disaster flow.

Dating the Dawn of the Anthropocene

Abstract This article provides indepth insight into the debate (based on stratigraphic findings) as to the exact date that Earth entered the Anthropocene Epoch. Generally, in Human and Social Sciences, the date of the boundary is paid less attention than the systemic shifts resulting from it. (There have been a number of publications on our surpassing of the planet’s limits, and passing of the point of no return.) However, it is important to understand this debate based on stratigraphic data, because sooner or later, the International Union of Geological Sciences will amend the geological timescale to include the Anthropocene – even if, to date, the process of formal definition has been interrupted by the negative vote on 5 March 2024 of the Subcommission on Quaternary Stratigraphy (SQS) of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) after a positive vote in 2023 by the Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) proposing to date the onset of the Anthropocene in 1950 (with a “golden nail” in the Crawford lake beds). In future, almost all the world’s students will learn the date when we entered it. This article explores each of the possible dates when stratigraphic data suggest the Anthropocene may have started. This should hand tomorrow’s teachers the keys to understand what may sometimes seem an obscure expert debate.

Новый род лучеперых рыб (Eurynotoidiformes) из уржумских отложений Республики Татарстан (местонахождение Ключевской овраг)

New genus and species of eurynotoidiid actinopterygians (Eurynotoidiformes), Kluchevichthys praeclarus gen. et sp. nov., is described from the uppermost Urzhumian (Kluchevskoy Ovrag locality), Tetushi District, Republic of Tatarstan. The holotype of а new form is an almost complete, non-deformed skeleton. The diagnostic characters of K. praeclarus were obtained in the morphology of the skull roof bones, dental system, scales and fins. The morphology of the marginal dentition, combining the tricuspid pattern of tooth crowns with the conical shape of all their apices allows positioning of a new taxon at the base of most phylogenetic branches of herbivorous Eurynotoidiformes having more specialized condition of the dental system, which corresponds well to stratigraphic data.

Testing Mantle Convection Simulations With Paleobiology and Other Stratigraphic Observations: Examples From Western North America

AbstractMantle convection plays a fundamental role in driving evolution of oceanic and continental lithosphere. In turn it impacts a broad suite of processes operating at or close to Earth's surface including landscape evolution, glacio‐eustasy, magmatism, and climate. A variety of theoretical approaches now exist to simulate mantle convection. Outputs from such simulations are being used to parameterize models of landscape evolution and basin formation. However, the substantial body of existing simulations has generated a variety of conflicting views on the history of dynamic topography, its evolution and key parameters for modeling mantle flow. The focus of this study is on developing strategies to use large‐scale quantitative stratigraphic observations to assess model predictions and identify simulation parameters that generate realistic predictions of Earth surface evolution. Spot measurements of uplift or subsidence provide useful target observations for models of dynamic topography, but finding areas where tectonics have not also influenced vertical motions is challenging. To address this issue, we use large inventories of stratigraphic data from across North America with contextual geophysical and geodetic data to constrain the regional uplift and subsidence history. We demonstrate that a suite of typical geodynamic simulations struggle to match the amplitude, polarity and timing of observed vertical motions. Building on recent seismological advances, we then explore strategies for understanding patterns of continental uplift and subsidence that incorporate (and test) predicted evolution of the lithosphere, asthenosphere and deep mantle. Our results demonstrate the importance of contributions from the uppermost mantle in driving vertical motions of continental interiors.