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1.
Nanna Andreasen Rebecca Jackson Arka Rudra Henrik Nøhr-Hansen Hamed Sanei Jørgen Bojesen-Koefoed Marit-Solveig Seidenkrantz Christof Pearce Nicolas Thibault Sofia Ribeiro 《Boreas: An International Journal of Quaternary Research》2023,52(4):459-475
The organic matter content of marine sediments is often used to infer past changes in ocean conditions. However, the organic carbon pool preserved in coastal sediments is a complex mixture derived from different sources and may not reflect in situ processes. In this study, we combine taxonomic identification of reworked palynomorphs with pyrolysis organic geochemistry and reflected-light organic petrographic microscopy to investigate the provenance, composition and preservation of organic matter in a marine sediment core retrieved from the NE Greenland shelf. Our study reveals continuous yet variable input of land-derived organic carbon to the marine environment throughout the late Younger Dryas–Holocene, with the highest input of inert carbon in the late Younger Dryas. Although the sediments contain some recent marine palynomorphs, there is no other evidence of fresh marine organic carbon. In contrast, our results indicate that these shelf sediments represent a significant sink of recycled organic carbon. The results of pyrolysis geochemistry revealed that ~90% of the total organic carbon in the sediments is inert. The organic petrography analyses revealed that >70–84% of the organic carbon in the sediment core is terrigenous. Reworked dinoflagellate cysts showed a continuous provenance of Cretaceous land-derived material, most likely from the nearby Clavering Island. Our study points to the importance of constraining the organic matter origin, composition and preservation in marine sediments to achieve more accurate palaeoenvironmental reconstructions based on organic proxies. 相似文献
2.
Tianyi Shen Yue Chen Guocan Wang Junliang Ji Yong Wang Pan Zhang Paul Sotiriou Rong Guo Zezhuang Xu 《地学学报》2020,32(2):166-178
Analysing the provenance changes of synorogenic sediments in the Turpan‐Hami basin by detrital zircon geochronology is an efficient tool to examine the uplift and erosion history of the easternmost Tian Shan. We present detrital zircon U‐Pb analysis from nine samples that were collected within marginal lacustrine Middle‐Late Jurassic and aeolian‐fluvial Early Cretaceous strata in the basin. Middle‐Early Jurassic (159–172 Ma) zircons deriving from the southern Junggar dominated the Middle Jurassic sample from the western Turpan‐Hami basin, whereas Permian‐Carboniferous (270–330 Ma) zircons from the Bogda mountains were dominant in the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous samples. Devonian‐Silurian (400–420 Ma) and Triassic (235–259 Ma) zircons from the Jueluotage and Harlik mountains constituted the subordinate age groups in the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous samples from the eastern basin respectively. These provenance transitions provide evidence for uplift of the Bogda mountains in the Late Jurassic and the Harlik mountains since the Early Cretaceous. 相似文献
3.
《地学前缘(英文版)》2015,6(4)
The Yangtze River is one of the most important components of the East Asia river system.In this study,sediments in the Jianghan Basin,middle Yangtze River,were selected for trace element and rare earth element(REE)measurements,in order to decipher information on the change of sediment provenance and evolution of the Yangtze River.According to the elemental variations,the late Cenozoic sediments of the Jianghan Basin could be divided into four parts.During 2.68e2.28 Ma and 1.25e0 Ma,provenance of the sediments was consistent,whereas sediments were derived from variable sources during2.28e1.25 Ma.Comparison of the elemental compositions between the Pliocene and Quaternary sediments revealed a change in sediment source from a more felsic source area to a more basic source area around the PlioceneeQuaternary boundary.Input from the Emeishan LIP should account for this provenance change.Based on the provenance analysis of sediments in the Jianghan Basin,we infer that the Yangtze River developed into a large river with its drainage basin extended to the Emeishan LIP no later than the PlioceneeQuaternary boundary. 相似文献
4.
为揭示罗布泊盐湖第四系潜在物源区及凹陷阶段性演化过程,本文对罗布泊第一口钾盐科探深钻LDK01孔更新统不同深度样品进行碎屑锆石U-Pb微区定年分析。Th/U比值显示,钻孔碎屑锆石类型主要为岩浆锆石,少量为变质成因锆石。锆石年龄主要集中在209~240Ma、265~304Ma、320~385Ma、406~446Ma、705~880Ma及2376~2405Ma几个区间。综合分析潜在物源区的岩石属性和年龄构成,初步认为罗布泊地区前寒武纪年龄来自北部山前库鲁克塔格地区,加里东期碎屑锆石可能来源于阿尔金造山带和(或)南天山构造带。276Ma的峰值记录了塔里木盆地二叠纪大火成岩省事件,南天山最有可能为主导物源区。印支期和新生代碎屑锆石年龄暗示了北山地块和东天山,甚至较远的帕米尔-西昆仑山等地可能也提供了物源。凹陷周缘富钾岩体广泛出露,经风化、淋滤搬运至罗布泊,为凹陷第四纪成钾提供了有利的物质来源。塔里木盆地内部流域带来的碎屑组分是主要的物质来源,近源地区造山带岩体提供的物源有限。碎屑锆石年龄纵向变化特征显示,罗布泊北部地区在中更新世发生一次明显的构造抬升,可能是导致罗北凹地形成的重要原因。 相似文献
5.
柴达木盆地三湖地区第四系蕴藏着巨大的生物气资源,目前已探明加控制天然气储量接近3×1011m3。更新世时期,柴达木盆地的湖相沉积主要分布在三湖(吉乃尔湖、涩聂湖和达布逊湖)地区,自山前至盆地中心依次发育了冲积扇、河流三角洲和湖相沉积,其中湖相沉积分布最为广泛。早更新世湖相沉积开始形成,中更新世湖相沉积扩张并且达到鼎盛,晚更新世湖相沉积开始萎缩并形成盐湖沉积。中、早更新世冰川的出现和青藏高原的崛起使柴达木盆地的古气候变得干旱寒冷,沉积水体温度较低,盐度较高。本区第四纪独特的沉积环境是形成大型生物气藏最重要的地质条件。高盐度的水体环境减缓了有机质的降解速度,长期的低温条件抑制了甲烷菌的活动,避免了沉积有机质在沉积浅埋阶段的过量消耗,推迟了生物产气的高峰期。而三湖地区巨厚的第四系暗色泥岩和频繁发育的砂岩提供了充足的气源条件和构成了良好的生储盖组合。 相似文献
6.
The Three Gorges are considered to be critical to understand the formation of Yangtze River. Recent research results suggest that the Yangtze Three Gorges was created during the Quaternary but the exact time is debatable. Fe–Ti oxide minerals are seldom used to study sediment provenance, expecially using scanning electron microscopy(SEM), and energy dispersive spectrometer(EDS). In this study, the provenance of Quaternary sediments in Yichang area, which is located to the east of the Yangtze Three Gorges, was investigated by using SEM and EDS to research Fe–Ti oxides. The Panzhihua vanadium titanomagnetite and Emeishan basalt outcrop are located to the west of the Three Gorges. Further, the materials from them are observed in the Quaternary sediments of Yichang area. Fe–Ti oxide minerals from the Huangling granite are observed in the Yunchi and Shanxiyao Formations, which were formed before 0.75 Ma B.P., whereas Fe–Ti oxide minerals from the Huangling granite, Panzhihua vanadium titanomagnetite, and Emeishan basalt are observed in the riverbed and fifth-terrace sediments of the Yangtze River, which were formed after 0.73 Ma B.P.. Thus, we can infer that the Three Gorges formed after the deposition of the Shanxi Formation and before the fifth-terrace; i.e., 0.75–0.73 Ma B.P.. 相似文献
7.
Mohamed Ragab Shalaby Mohammed Hail Hakimi Wan Hasiah Abdullah 《International Journal of Earth Sciences》2013,102(1):319-332
The Shoushan Basin is an important hydrocarbon province in the northern Western Desert, Egypt, but the burial/thermal histories for most of the source rocks in the basin have not been assigned yet. In this study, subsurface samples from selected wells were collected to characterize the source rocks of Alam El-Bueib Formation and to study thermal history in the Shoushan Basin. The Lower Cretaceous Alam El-Bueib Formation is widespread in the Shoushan Basin, which is composed mainly of shales and sandstones with minor carbonate rocks deposited in a marine environment. The gas generative potential of the Lower Cretaceous Alam El-Bueib Formation in the Shoushan Basin was evaluated by Rock–Eval pyrolysis. Most samples contain sufficient type III organic matter to be considered gas prone. Vitrinite reflectance was measured at eight stratigraphic levels (Jurassic–Cretaceous). Vitrinite reflectance profiles show a general increase of vitrinite reflectance with depth. Vitrinite reflectance values of Alam El-Bueib Formation range between 0.70 and 0.87 VRr %, indicating a thermal maturity level sufficient for hydrocarbon generation. Thermal maturity and burial histories models predict that the Alam El-Bueib source rock entered the mid-mature stage for hydrocarbon generation in the Tertiary. These models indicate that the onset of gas generation from the Alam El-Bueib source rock began in the Paleocene (60 Ma), and the maximum volume of gas generation occurred during the Pliocene (3–2 Ma). 相似文献
8.
磁性地层学研究是建立渤海地区第四纪沉积序列地层年代框架的主要技术手段之一。通过对渤海海峡地区BHS01孔(孔深121.3 m)进行详细的磁性地层学研究,结果表明:BHS01孔岩心记录了布容(Brunhes)正极性时至松山(Matuyama)负极性时底部,包括贾拉米洛(Jaramillo)和奥尔都维(Olduvai)正极性亚时。早、中更新世界线即布容(Brunhes)正极性时/松山(Matuyama)负极性时界限(B/M)深度位于该钻孔的46.4 m处。根据沉积速率,推测钻孔底部121.3 m处的年龄约2.25 Ma。综合沉积物的岩性、磁性及沉积速率变化特征,将BHS01孔沉积物记录的区域沉积过程自下而上划分为3个阶段:阶段Ⅰ(2.25～1.46 Ma)以河流相沉积为主;阶段Ⅱ(1.46～0.78 Ma)为稳定的湖泊相沉积;阶段Ⅲ(0.78～0 Ma)发育海陆交互相沉积。这一研究为该钻孔提供了可靠的年代标尺,为渤海海峡及邻区第四纪地层的划分对比和沉积演化过程提供了新的依据。 相似文献
9.
Y. Graz C. Di-GiovanniY. Copard M. ElieP. Faure F. Laggoun DefargeJ. Lévèque R. MichelsJ.E. Olivier 《Applied Geochemistry》2011,26(8):1302-1314
This study relates to the input and fate of fossil organic matter (FOM) in the modern environment, and focuses on two experimental watersheds overlying Jurassic marls: Le Laval and Le Brusquet (1 km2 in area), located near Digne, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France. Considering that FOM delivery is mainly a result of different processes affecting sedimentary rocks [(bio)chemical and mechanical weathering], samples from different pools were collected: bedrocks, weathering profiles, soils and riverine particles. The samples were examined using complementary techniques: optical (palynofacies methods), geochemical (Rock-Eval 6 pyrolysis, C/N ratio), molecular (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) and isotopic (stable C isotopic composition). As a result, FOM markers were identified and tracked through the different pools. The results highlight the contribution of FOM, which can be found in all the studied pools. Transfer of FOM between bedrocks/weathering profiles (governed mainly by chemical weathering) and bedrocks/riverine particles (governed mainly by mechanical weathering) reveals any qualitative change. Weathering profiles/soils transition [governed by (bio)chemical weathering] is characterized by alteration of the FOM, which is difficult to describe because fossil material is mixed with recent organic matter (ROM). Despite this latter point, the study provides evidence for a relative resistance of FOM to weathering processes and points to its contribution to the modern geosystem and the C cycle. 相似文献
10.
页岩油是指生成并滞留在烃源岩中,以游离或吸附状态赋存在地层微纳米级储集空间中,基本未运移或极短距离运移的低熟—半熟油气.通过总结泥页岩低孔低渗的特点,对页岩油的形成机制、演化条件、保存条件以及分布特征进行了讨论.泥页岩中有机质的丰度、类型以及演化成熟度是泥页岩生油能力的主要影响因素.生油能力较好的Ⅰ或Ⅱ型干酪根是良好的有机质类型,而Ⅲ型干酪根则以生气为主.在适当的埋藏深度下,达到生油门限,即可发生热化学反应产生大量液态烃.弱水动力条件以及相对长时间稳定的构造活动,都能使得有机质及沉积物缓慢沉降并演化.陆上优质泥页岩由于分布范围广、类型多、时代跨度大、陆相湖盆面积小、物源丰富且湖平面变化等原因,有利于页岩油气形成. 相似文献
11.
国外深水盆地烃源岩发育特征表明:无论是板内的断坳盆地还是板缘的先裂陷后漂移沉积盆地,在裂陷期(断陷期)及坳陷期(漂移期)均有烃源岩分布,大陆边缘盆地不同演化阶段有效烃源岩发育程度存在差别,其中裂陷期非海相(湖相)暗色页岩是最主要和最普遍的生油岩,还可能发育过渡相或近海相的煤系和泥质烃源岩;其次是板内坳陷晚期或板缘漂移期的海陆过渡相、近海相、前三角洲相等有大量的有机质供给或者长期离物源区较近的情况下,烃源岩发育;裂陷晚期和坳陷早期烃源岩一般不发育,但有大量的有机质供给的半封闭浅海—半深海环境可能发育高效烃源岩。国外主要深水盆地中新生界烃源岩发育特征对中国南海北部深水区烃源岩的认识具有重要的指导意义。中国南海北部裂陷早期阶段发育的湖相烃源岩和裂陷晚期发育的海陆过渡相烃源岩为主力烃源岩;南海北部不同盆地坳陷期中新统海相烃源岩差异较大,其中陆源有机质输入不足的琼东南盆地烃源岩稍差些,陆源有机质输入相对充足的珠江口盆地烃源岩较好一些。墨西哥湾和北苏门答腊盆地的勘探实践已经证实了半深海相烃源岩可作为有效油源岩,这对中国南海北部深水区中新统海相烃源岩认识具有很好的借鉴意义。 相似文献
12.
莺歌海盆地黄流组二段碎屑锆石年龄与储层物源分析 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
莺歌海盆地位于昆嵩隆起和海南隆起之间的南海西北部海域,是发育在南海北部大陆架西区的新生代含油气盆地。黄流组二段作为优质的天然气储层,其物源特征一直是当前研究的重要课题。本文利用LA-ICP-MS定年技术对莺歌海盆地四个不同局部构造区的上中新统黄流组二段沉积岩中碎屑锆石进行了U-Pb同位素分析。结果显示,东方构造区(DF13)和海口构造区(HK29)年龄频谱相似,有40~34 Ma、154~139 Ma、245~241 Ma、416~394 Ma和2191~1772 Ma几个主要年龄峰或年龄区间,与区域上的几次构造事件密切相关。结合盆地周边区域地质特征,应用地震沉积学、重矿物和Sr-Nd同位素等资料,发现这两个构造区均以红河物源为主,但后者受盆地东侧海南隆起的物源影响较大。莲花构造区(L1X)年龄频谱相对简单,有247 Ma一个主要年龄峰,431 Ma、935 Ma和1851 Ma三个次要峰,缺少喜山期和燕山期锆石年龄,物源可能主要来自盆地西侧的昆嵩隆起;岭头构造区(LT11)有99 Ma和234 Ma两个主要年龄峰,157 Ma和939 Ma两个次要峰,其物源以海南隆起为主,同时有部分红河物源的加入。通过碎屑锆石年代学分析,对莺歌海盆地黄流组二段储层物源特征有了更清楚的认识,为今后莺歌海盆地天然气勘探提供重要的理论依据。 相似文献
13.
侏罗系是四棵树凹陷油气勘探的重要目的层,进一步查明侏罗系油气来源,落实生烃中心,对今后勘探选区选带十分重要。本文在对侏罗系烃源岩有机质丰度、类型、成熟度以及埋藏史和生烃潜力分析的基础上,开展了原油分类、油源对比及油气运移分析研究。结果表明,下侏罗统八道湾组主要发育湖相泥岩和河沼—三角洲相煤系两类烃源岩,有机质类型较好,丰度较高,主体处于低成熟—成熟阶段,局部演化程度高,生气潜力大;八道湾组具晚期快速埋藏生烃特点,四棵树凹陷主体以生油为主;生物标志化合物特征及其指纹对比发现,中侏罗统头屯河组含A、B两类原油,A类原油主要源自八道湾组中段湖相泥岩,生油母质以低等水生生物为主,B类原油的生油母质主要为高等植物,应主要来自八道湾组上、下段煤系地层;据三环萜烷/五环三萜烷和重排甾烷/规则甾烷反映出的运移效应推断,卡因迪克构造带以南至西湖构造之间存在八道湾组烃源岩的生油中心,是卡6井区和西湖1井头屯河组原油的主要供烃区,该区域是今后侏罗系勘探的有利区带。 相似文献
14.
《International Geology Review》2012,54(6):719-736
ABSTRACTThe Late Mesozoic Jiaolai basin preserves sediment source information that can help elucidate the tectonic history of East Shandong, China. The terrestrial Wangshi and Laiyang Groups are major components of the basin succession, but are not well studied in terms of their provenance and role in basin evolution. The Early Cretaceous Laiyang Group consists primarily of fluvial and lacustrine facies siltstones and sandstones, whereas the Late Cretaceous Wangshi Group consists of reddish fluvial siltstones and sandstones with interbedded conglomerates. This study reports detrital zircon age distributions from eight sandstones collected from the two groups. Age distributions exhibited four major populations of Palaeoproterozoic (2.5–2.4 Ga), Palaeoproterozoic (1.9–1.8 Ga), Neoproterozoic (850–700 Ma), and Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (171–107 Ma) ages. We interpret a maximum depositional age of 107 Ma for the Wangshi Group and a depositional age of 121–120 Ma for the upper Laiyang Group. Age distributions indicate that the Sulu orogenic belt of the East Shandong complex served as the primary source area. Detrital zircon age data also indicate major changes in the types of source material contributed to the Laiyang and Wangshi groups. Based on these shifts, we propose a four-stage model for Early Cretaceous evolution of the Jiaolai basin. In this model, subduction of the Pacific plate and associated transform motion on the Tan-Lu fault influenced the transition from a transpressional to an extensional tectonic setting. 相似文献
15.
Oceanic anoxic events (OAEs) throughout the Cretaceous were periods of high organic carbon burial leading to drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide and lowering of bottom-water oxygen concentration, thereby enhancing the preservation of organic matter (OM). Two dynamic depositional models have been proposed for these events in the Tethyan domain: one is based on strong thermohaline stratification and low surface productivity, the other on high surface productivity with intensified deep-water circulation. Here, we propose another explanation for the concentration of OM, derived essentially from microscopical observations (scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope) in the organic-richest interval of an Early Aptian OAE in central Italy (OAE1a or Selli level, 116 Ma). This high-resolution microscopical study of OM highlights benthic microbial mats as the possible source of organic-rich samples where amorphous OM is the major organic constituent. These mats could be more common in OAE black shales than previously thought. 相似文献
16.
青藏高原古大湖与夷平面的关系及高原面形成演化过程 总被引：4，自引：2，他引：2
青藏高原经过古近纪挤压缩短和增厚地壳均衡隆升,晚新生代形成了以走滑和伸展为主的相对稳定构造环境。中新世早期与晚更新世分别发育巨型古大湖,上新世-早更新世发育很多规模较大的古湖泊,古大湖对夷平面形成演化具有重要的控制作用。中新世早期(（24.1±0.6） ~（14.5±0.5）Ma)以古大湖的湖面为侵蚀基准面,经过隆起区剥蚀夷平和长期湖相沉积,在高海拔环境下形成早期夷平面。中新世晚期-第四纪以湖面与五道梁群湖相沉积顶面为基准,在高海拔环境下继续发生剥蚀夷平和准平原化,逐步形成主夷平面或高原面。第四纪河流溯源侵蚀导致内外流水系分界线自东向西迁移,在青藏高原东部形成高山峡谷地貌。 相似文献
17.
Complex flow-like landslides (CFLLs) are important geomorphic agents of Late Quaternary mountain evolution in the Flysch Belt of the Outer Western Carpathians. The CFLLs are characterised by the upper section of deep-seated, retrogressive landslide of structurally unfavourably oriented rocks and lower sections composed of earthflows originated due to liquefaction of material accumulated from the upper slopes. Radiocarbon dating of organic matter incorporated into landslide debris or related deposits suggests that most of the CFLLs collapsed repeatedly throughout the Holocene with typical recurrence intervals of approximately 1–2 ka. Catastrophic landslides that occurred during extreme hydrometeorological events in recent decades displayed evidence of Holocene activity. Most of the CFLLs dammed and steepened adjacent valleys. Our chronological dataset is biased by erosion of older landforms, but most of the dated reactivations correlate to regional increases in humidity identified by previous paleoenvironmetal studies. 相似文献
18.
Permian–Triassic fore-arc basin terranes are exposed in New Zealand, but their original positions and tectonic configurations along the eastern Gondwanan margin are not fully understood. To better constrain late Paleozoic and Mesozoic reconstructions, we investigated the provenance of Permian–Triassic marine sandstone units from the Dun Mountain-Maitai Terrane (Maitai Group) and the Kaka Point Structural Belt (Willsher Group). The recognition of abundant volcanic lithic fragments in the sandstone samples, combined with the pattern of detrital zircon ages (unimodal to bimodal 280–240 Ma age distribution), demonstrate that the upper Permian to Middle Triassic volcaniclastic successions were derived from a proximal arc source. The detrital zircon age spectra match magmatic pulses in the adjacent Tuhua Intrusives (Median Batholith), a conclusion similar to that recently proposed for the Brook Street Terrane (Grampian Formation) and Murihiku Terrane (Murihiku Supergroup). Trace-element data from the dated zircon grains provide further evidence for a Median Batholith source and cross-terrane provenance links. The data indicate that 275–230 Ma zircon grains from the Maitai Group, Willsher Group, and Murihiku Supergroup were derived from a common magmatic source, and that the late Permian Longwood Suite (261–252 Ma) in the Median Batholith was a source region for these terranes. Based on the cross-terrane provenance links, we suggest that the Brook Street and Murihiku terranes were deposited in the proximal part of a fore-arc basin, whereas the Dun Mountain-Maitai Terrane represents the distal part of the same basin. Sedimentation in the Maitai Group ceased during the Middle Triassic (∼238 Ma), likely in response to a period of orogenesis at 235–230 Ma (Gondwanide Orogeny) that is widely recognized throughout the southwest Pacific. 相似文献
19.
The quantification of carbon burial in lake sediments, and carbon fluxes derived from different origins are crucial to understand modern lacustrine carbon budgets, and to assess the role of lakes in the global carbon cycle. In this study, we estimated carbon burial in the sediment of Lake Qinghai, the largest inland lake in China, and the carbon fluxes derived from different origins. We find that: (1) The organic carbon burial rate in lake sediment is approximately 7.23 g m−2 a−1, which is comparable to rates documented in many large lakes worldwide. We determined that the flux of riverine particulate organic carbon (POC) is approximately 10 times higher than that of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Organic matter in lake sediments is primarily derived from POC in lake water, of which approximately 80% is of terrestrial origin. (2) The inorganic carbon burial rate in lake sediment is slightly higher than that of organic carbon. The flux of riverine dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) is approximately 20 times that of DOC, and more than 70% of the riverine DIC is drawn directly and/or indirectly from atmospheric CO2. (3) Both DIC and DOC are concentrated in lake water, suggesting that the lake serves as a sink for both organic and inorganic carbon over long term timescales. (4) Our analysis suggests that the carbon burial rates in Lake Qinghai would be much higher in warmer climatic periods than in cold ones, implying a growing role in the global carbon cycle under a continued global warming scenario. 相似文献
20.
Provenance of Holocene beach sand in the Western Iberian margin: the use of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test for the deciphering of sediment recycling in a modern coastal system 
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下载免费PDF全文 Manuel Francisco Pereira Luís Albardeiro Cristina Gama Martim Chichorro Mandy Hofmann Ulf Linnemann 《Sedimentology》2016,63(5):1149-1167
Detrital zircons from Holocene beach sand and igneous zircons from the Cretaceous syenite forming Cape Sines (Western Iberian margin) were dated using laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry. The U–Pb ages obtained were used for comparison with previous radiometric data from Carboniferous greywacke, Pliocene–Pleistocene sand and Cretaceous syenite forming the sea cliff at Cape Sines and the contiguous coast. New U–Pb dating of igneous morphologically simple and complex zircons from the syenite of the Sines pluton suggests that the history of zircon crystallization was more extensive (ca 87 to 74 Ma), in contrast to the findings of previous geochronology studies (ca 76 to 74 Ma). The U–Pb ages obtained in Holocene sand revealed a wide interval, ranging from the Cretaceous to the Archean, with predominance of Cretaceous (37%), Palaeozoic (35%) and Neoproterozoic (19%) detrital‐zircon ages. The paucity of round to sub‐rounded grains seems to indicate a short transportation history for most of the Cretaceous zircons (ca 95 to 73 Ma) which are more abundant in the beach sand that was sampled south of Cape Sines. Comparative analysis using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistical method, analysing sub‐populations separately, suggests that the zircon populations of the Carboniferous and Cretaceous rocks forming the sea cliff were reproduced faithfully in Quaternary sand, indicating sediment recycling. The similarity of the pre‐Cretaceous ages (>ca 280 Ma) of detrital zircons found in Holocene sand, as compared with Carboniferous greywacke and Pliocene–Pleistocene sand, provides support for the hypothesis that detritus was reworked into the beach from older sedimentary rocks exposed along the sea cliff. The largest percentage of Cretaceous zircons (<ca 95 Ma) found in Holocene sand, as compared with Pliocene–Pleistocene sand (secondary recycled source), suggests that the Sines pluton was the one of the primary sources that became progressively more exposed to erosion during Quaternary uplift. This work highlights the application of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov method in comparison of zircon age populations used to identify provenance and sediment recycling in modern and ancient detrital sedimentary sequences. 相似文献