Earth Science Frontiers ›› 2009, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (6): 195-206.

• Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

 Isotopic evidences for provenances of loess of the Chinese Loess Plateau.

 YANG Jie-Dong, LI Gao-Jun, DAI Yun, RAO Wen-Bei, JI Jun-Feng   

  1. 1Center of Modern Analysis, Nanjing University,  Nanjing 210093, China
    2Institute of Surficial Geochemistry, Nanjing University,  Nanjing 210093, China
    3School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University,  Nanjing 210093, China
    4Shanghai Institute of Work Safety Science,Shanghai 200233, China
    5Institute of Isotope Hydrology, Research Academy of Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
  • Received:2009-04-17 Revised:2009-06-18 Online:2009-12-16 Published:2009-12-10

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Abstract:

 We have systematically collected the samples of the Malan loess in the Chinese Loess Plateau(CLP), the sand of ten deserts, the loess of the Hexi corridor, and the loess and sediments of riverbed and lake bottom on the northeast part of the QinghaiTibet Plateau. After removing calcites, the determined Nd and Sr isotopes of the Chinese Loess Plateau show that εNd(0) from -92 to -113 and 87Sr/86Sr from 071784 to 071944. They fall within the B region of NdSr isotope plot of provenances and are identical to those of the Badain Jaran Desert, the Tengger Desert and the northeast part of the QinghaiTibet Plateau. The determined C isotopes of dolomites of the Chinese Loess Plateau show that δ13C from 12‰ to 15‰. They are identical to those of the Qaidam Desert, the Hexi corridor and the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau. These imply that the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, the Badain Jaran Desert and the Tengger Desert may be the source areas of loess materials of the Loess Plateau, and that the possibility of the other deserts and sandy lands being the provenances of the loess is excluded, among them including the Gurbantunggut Desert, the Hunlun Buir sandy land, the Onqin Daga sandy land, the Horqin sandy land, the Hobqi Desert, the Mu Us Desert and the Taklimakan Desert. The field surveys further reveal the possibility that the materials of the Chinese Loess Plateau, the Badain Jaran Desert and the Tengger Desert are derived ultimately from the northeast part of the QinghaiTibet Plateau.

Key words:  isotope; loess; desert; Chinese Loess Plateau; QinghaiTibet Plateau