Flute casts encode critical hydrodynamic information,yet their characteristics and controlling factors remain inadequately studied. This paper focuses on the Lashizhong Formation exposed in the Zhuozishan outcrop,Ordos Basin,aiming to document the morphological characteristics of flute casts,investigate the main controlling factors governing their spatial distribution,and establish a depositional model for such structures,thereby enriching field-based geological case studies of flute cast systems. Field section survey,petrographic thin-section analysis,and grain-size parameter analysis were integrated to conduct this research. Key findings include: (1)Eight morphological types and three assemblage types of flute casts are identified in the Lashizhong Formation of the study area,including narrow simple parabolic,wide simple parabolic,bulbous parabolic,and conical parabolic forms(classified as Assemblage Type I),fusiform form(Assemblage Type Ⅱ),as well as asymmetric,cometary,and helicoidal forms(Assemblage Type Ⅲ).(2)Flute casts formed during channel deposition are the largest in scale,whereas those developed in lobe deposits exhibit the greatest morphological diversity.(3)Flute cast formation is primarily controlled by flow energy,velocity,density,and erosion duration. High-energy,high-velocity flows favor large-scale Type I flutes,while decreasing flow energy leads to smaller,more numerous Type II forms. Longer erosion duration results in denser flute distributions.(4)Strong,high-density erosive events form thick,coarse-grained,poorly sorted sandstone layers dominated by Type I flutes,whereas weaker,low-density flows deposit fine-grained,well-sorted thin sandstone beds containing Type II flutes.
重力流理论的形成与发展是沉积学的一场革命(Mutti et al., 2009),该理论为深刻理解深水沉积过程提供了全新视角。值得关注的是,深水重力流沉积广泛发育丰富的沉积构造,在流动过程中,由于重力流的能量、密度、流速及流体状态都在变化(操应长等,2017),直接控制了沉积物的搬运与沉积方式,进而形成了多种类型的沉积构造。因此,沉积构造的类型和组合特征不仅反映了重力流的沉积动力学过程,也为重建古流体演化及沉积环境提供了重要依据。槽模是重力流沉积中典型的底部沉积构造,其形态、规模和分布特征能反映重力流在流动过程中的动力学特征与演化过程。在20世纪 50—60年代,对槽模的研究多集中于形态特征描述与古水流恢复,探讨了底质情况与流线特征对槽模形成的影响(Dżułyński and Walton,1965);自20世纪70年代起,对槽模的研究逐渐转向形成机理与动力学过程。Allen(1971a,1971b)提出了槽模的演化过程,总结了槽模的基本类型,解释了槽模与湍流涡旋、流体分离层及沉积物侵蚀之间的关系,并基于流动持续时间的变化,探讨了槽模在大小、形态及分布等方面的发展过程,将其划分为5个变化阶段。Blumberg 和 Curl(1974)从流体力学角度解释了槽模表面粗糙度的形成机制。进入21世纪以来,研究重心进一步扩展至实验模拟及理论模型的建立,Peakall等(2020)结合实验与理论模型,系统阐释了槽模的形成过程及其与湍流结构、鲍马序列的耦合关系; Baas等(2021)指出,槽模等底模不仅受控于流速与湍流特征,更与流体的黏聚性密切相关且不同类型底模与流体类型存在一定对应关系,此外,底模组合和切割关系的出现揭示了单次沉积事件内部的流态演化过程。因此,槽模不仅是古水流方向的指示器,更是揭示沉积事件流态演变和流体性质的重要证据。虽然前人通过开展沉积模拟实验对槽模进行了较多描述和研究(Allen,1971a,1971b,1982;Elliott,2000),但聚焦露头尺度的槽模相关研究仍然匮乏。到目前为止对槽模的时空展布、形成机理及主控因素等方面的研究,尚未见统一的动力学解释或沉积模式。鄂尔多斯盆地西缘奥陶系地层出露良好,其中拉什仲组发育大量的槽模,为从区域沉积学角度分析槽模形成与演化规律创造了有利条件。本研究通过对研究区野外露头的观察与测量,综合区域地质背景,分析槽模形态及其组合特征,结合沉积单元类型、砂岩厚度和鲍马序列等因素从流体性质、能量以及侵蚀持续时间方面探讨槽模的形成机制,揭示槽模的时空展布及演化规律。以期更全面的恢复研究区拉什仲组重力流特征,从而丰富槽模野外研究实例,深化深水重力流沉积认识。
1 区域地质概况
鄂尔多斯盆地位于中国华北克拉通的西南部,呈南北分区,带状展布,盆地面积约 3.7×105 km2。盆地西北缘地处西缘逆缓冲带,东临鄂尔多斯地块,北接伊盟隆起,西北部为阿拉善地块(图 1-a)(Sun and Dong,2020)。鄂尔多斯盆地晚奥陶世以海相碳酸盐岩沉积为主,其西缘自东向西依次发育开阔台地、台地边缘、深水斜坡和盆地,斜坡呈SW倾向的开放环—带状分布,发育浊流沉积(吴胜和等,1994;肖彬等,2013;王振涛等,2015;吴东旭等,2018),研究区位于内蒙古乌海市海南区桌子山地区,位于贺兰构造带与秦岭、北祁连海槽组成的三叉裂谷系(晋慧娟等,2005;李华和何幼斌,2020; 李向东和陈海燕,2020;王鹏伟等,2020)。本区重力流沉积主要分布于斜坡带至深水盆地。
鲍马序列与层理构造的发育存在相对固定的关系,而与槽模之间的关系却不是固定不变的,随着鲍马序列的组合层段的不同槽模形态与规模会发生变化(图 6-a)Baas等(2021)研究指出,槽模与上覆沉积层序之间未必存在直接成因联系,槽模并非仅限于鲍马序列 Ta 段,而主要反映的是流体与基底之间的相互作用。研究区拉什仲组可见Tabe和Tbcde等不完整的鲍马序列,通过对其底部槽模的观察,在Ta段底部,均发育槽模,几乎不见沟模及生物遗迹化石伴生; 而在Tb和Tc段底部倾向于发育较多的生物遗迹和沟模,伴随少量的槽模。
鲍马序列各层段的槽模特征清晰地反映了流体能量与砂体厚度的差异。在高能量、厚砂岩的 Ta 段底部,槽模以Ⅰ型组合为主,具体表现为简单抛物线(宽)形约占 40%,锥状抛物线形约占 35%,而球茎状抛物线形与简单抛物线(窄)形合计占比 10%~15%。这些槽模规模显著大于 Tb、Tc 段发育的槽模,当槽模长度大于 7.5 cm、宽度大于5 cm、厚度大于2 cm 时,其发育频率明显增加,并在 Ta 段占据主导地位。相反,在低能量、薄砂岩的 Tb 与 Tc 段,槽模组合类型以Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型混合为主,其中简单抛物线(窄)形占 85%,纺锤形占 15%(图 6-b,6-c),同时伴生沟模和遗迹化石。此时槽模规模都很小,槽模长度小于7.5 cm、宽度小于5 cm以及厚度小于1 cm的情况主要集中于Tb和Tc段下(图 6-d,6-e,6-f)。
根据野外规律总结以及前人成果,总结形态演化规律是随着颗粒粒度变细、分选变好、水体能量减弱、速度减慢或砂岩占比降低,槽模规模变小,形态由简单抛物线(宽)形—简单抛物线(窄)形—球茎状抛物线形—锥状抛物线形—纺锤形依次变化(其过程可以从任何形态开始和结束)(Peakall et al., 2020)。槽模随下游距离的分布,其规模将向下游减小(Allen,1971a)。
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