Characteristics of Heavy Minerals and Quantitative Provenance Identification of Sediments from the Muddy Area Outside the Oujiang Estuary Since 5.8 kyr

The heavy mineral compositions of the sediments in core D04 with a length of 20.2 m from the muddy area outside the Oujiang Estuary along the coast of Zhejiang-Fujian Provinces have been analyzed. Core D04 can be divided into three units: DU1(0–7.4 m), DU2(7.4–11.4 m) and DU3(11.4–20.2 m). The results showed that the heavy minerals are authigenic pyrite(65.6%)– hornblende(16.0%) – epidote(4.6%) assemblages. The core sediments are mainly composed of clayey silt, which belongs to the clinoform deposit formed since 5.8 kyr, indicating a weak hydrodynamic environment. The deposition rates changed in the trend of high-low-high upward. Quantitative analysis shows that the core sediments were mainly from the suspended sediments of the Changjiang(Yangtze) River, accounting for 79.2%, with only 10.0% from Oujiang, and 10.8% from other provenance. The Oujiang-derived sediments were gradually increased from the bottom unit DU3(3.1%) to the top unit DU1(17.8%), but the Changjiang-derived sediments were gradually decreased. The source changes are closely related to the development of Yangtze River Delta and Wenzhou Bay, climate changes and human activities. During the period of 2.1–3.7 kyr, the sediment supply was greatly reduced due to the poor reclamation capacity of the river basins, resulting in a low deposition rate. Since 2 kyr, the enhancement of human activities in the Yangtze River Basin and the Oujiang River Basin led to more soils to be eroded and transported to the study area. Due to the short distance of the site of core D04 from the Oujiang River mouth, the study area received more Oujiang-derived sediments when upper unit(DU1) deposited than the lower units(DU2 and DU3).     

The Sources and Transport Patterns of Modern Sediments in Hangzhou Bay: Evidence from Clay Minerals

Clay mineral compositions of 199 offshore surface sediment samples collected from the Hangzhou Bay have been analyzed. The clay minerals in the sediments from the Hangzhou Bay are dominated by illite(58.7%, on average), followed by chlorite(20.3%), kaolinite(16.9%) and smectite(4.1%). Two provinces were classified by Q-mode cluster analysis. Class Ⅰ with relatively low amounts of illite and smectite is widely distributed in the Hangzhou Bay, especially concentrated in the top and mouth of the bay, and the northern and southern nearshore areas. Class Ⅱ with comparatively high amounts of illite and smectite is mainly concentrated in the central part of the bay with the water depth of 8–10 m. By comparing clay mineral compositions with the neighbouring regions, we can find that the sediments in the Hangzhou Bay are mainly influenced by the resuspension and repeated deposition of particles from the Yangtze River due to the strong dynamic environment. In particular, the clay fraction of Class Ⅰ is mainly supplied by the Yangtze River, while the sediments of Class Ⅱ are mixture of the clay minerals carried by the Yangtze River and Qiantang River. In general, the distributions of clay minerals in the northern bay are affected by Yangtze River runoff, coastal current and flood tide together, and in the southern they are mainly affected by the Qiantang River runoff and ebb tide.     

Heavy mineral stratigraphy of sediments from the southern outer shelf of the East China Sea since the last glaciation using fuzzy C-means cluster method

Correspondence analysis and fuzzy C-means cluster methods were used to divide the stratigraphy of heavy mineral assemblages, and the sediment sources and depositional dynamics of the environment reconstructed. The assemblages were taken from marine sediments from the late Pleistocene to the Holocene in Core Q43 situated on the outer shelf of the East China Sea. Based on the variable boundaries of the mineral assemblage at 63 and 228 cmbsf (cm below sea floor), the core might have previously been divided into three sediment strata marked with units I, II and III, which would be consistent with the divided sediment stratum of the core using minor element geochemistry. The downcore distribution of heavy minerals divided the sedimentary sequence into three major units, which were further subdivided into four subunits. The interval between 0 and 63 cmbsf of the core (unit I), which spans the Holocene and the uppermost late Pleistocene, is characterized by a hornblende-epidote-pyroxene assemblage, and contains relatively a smaller amount of schistic mineral and authigenic pyrite. In comparison, the interval between 63 and 228 cmbsf (unit II), is representative of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and features a hornblende-epidote-magnetite-ilmenite assemblage containing the highest concentrations of heavy minerals and opaque minerals. However, the interval between 228 and 309 cmbsf (unit III), which spans the subinterglacial period, is characterized by a hornblende-authigenic-pyrite-mica assemblage. Relative ratios of some heavy minerals can be used as tracers of clastic sediment sources. The lower part of the sediment core shows the highest magnetite/ilmenite ratio and relatively high hornblende/augite and hornblende/epidote ratios. The middle core shows the highest hornblende/augite and hornblende/epidote ratios, and the lowest magnetite/ilmenite ratio. The upper part exhibits a slightly higher magnetite/ilmenite ratio, and also the lowest hornblende/augite and hornblende/epidote ratios. The distribution of the mineral ratio is consistent with stratigraphic division in heavy mineral data using correspondence analysis and fuzzy C-means clustering. Variations in heavy mineral association and mineral ratio in core Q43 revealed changes in provenance and depositional environment of the southern outer shelf of the East China Sea since the late Pleistocene, well corresponding to interglacial and glacial cycles.     

Sediment Characteristics,Sources, and Transport Patterns in Kompong Som Bay,Cambodia: Indications from Grain Size and Heavy Minerals

In this paper, we analyzed the grain size and heavy mineral compositions of 52 surface sediment samples collected from the Kompong Som Bay of Cambodia and the adjacent rivers to depict the marine sedimentary environments and transport processes. Heavy minerals in sediments are dominated by authigenic pyrite, siderite, and tourmaline, with average percentages of 36.52%, 29.02%, and 10.94%, respectively. Two provinces can be divided according to the spatial similarity of minerals. The sediments from Province I, covered by silt grains in the northern bay, are characterized by autogenic pyrite, indicating a weakly reducing environment;whereas in Province II, covered by sand grains in the southern bay, the siderite-tourmaline-authigenic pyrite-zircon-hornblende assemblage occurs, indicating a mild reducing environment and locally oxidizing environment. Most of the sediments in the Kompong Som Bay are introduced from the Preak Piphot River and Srae Ambel River, except that some of them in the south areas come from coastal erosion. Generally, the sediments are difficult to be transported because of the low sediment loads entering the sea and weak hydrodynamic conditions. However, they are transported from the north to the south during the tide ebbing when the hydrodynamic force is much stronger. The sediment distribution and transport patterns are controlled by many factors, including submarine topography, hydrodynamic conditions, the southwest monsoon, land contours, and sediment supply.     

Clay mineral distribution in surface sediments of the South China Sea and its significance for in sediment sources and transport

Clay minerals of surface sediments in the South China Sea (SCS) are analyzed with X-ray diffraction, and their transport is explored with a grain size trend analysis (GSTA) model. Results show that clay mineral types in various sedimentary environments have different sediment sources and transport routes. Sediments in the northern SCS (north of 20°N) between the southwest of Taiwan Island and the outer mouth of the Pearl River have high contents of illite and chlorite, which are derived mainly from sediments on Taiwan Island and/or the Yangtze River. Sediments from the Pearl River are characterized by high kaolinite and low smectite content, and most are distributed in the area between the mouth of the Pearl River and northeast of Hainan Island and transported vertically from the continental shelf to the slope. Characterized by high illite content, sediments from Kalimantan Island are transported toward the Nansha Trough. Sediments from Luzon Island are related with volcanic materials, and are transported westwards according to smectite distribution. On the Sunda Shelf, sediments from the Mekong River are transported southeast in the north while sediments from the Indonesian islands are transported northward in the south. Ascertaining surface sediment sources and their transport routes will not only improve understanding of modern transportation and depositional processes, but also aid paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic analysis of the SCS.     

Sources of sediment in tidal fl ats off Zhejiang coast,southeast China

The growth of tidal fl ats off Zhejiang coasts in southwestern China has provided substantial areas for local agriculture and construction activities. To evaluate modern and future development of tidal fl ats in the region, a good understanding of sediment sources is necessary. Previous research has concluded that the Changjiang(Yangtze) River is the dominant supplier of sediments to this part of the southeast Chinese coast, despite the fact that sediment delivery from this source has been decreased markedly in the past two decades. In this study, we investigated the sources of tidal fl at sediments, and the magnetic and geochemical properties of recent tidal fl at sediments along the Zhejiang coast were compared with those discharged from rivers. Magnetic and geochemical properties of the tidal fl at samples reveal statistically distinct sediment provenance groups. The magnetic and geochemical scatter plots show that the suspended sediment samples are naturally divided into two diff erent groups, one including the Changjiang River and Qiantang River material, and the other including the Jiaojiang, Oujiang, and Feiyun Rivers that located in the central and southern parts of the study areas. At last, a binary source of tidal fl at sediments along the Zhejiang coast was determined, with the substantial majority originating from local rivers, while a much smaller proportion emanates from the Changjiang River to the north. We conclude that the sediment contribution of the Changjiang River to tidal fl at development in the region has been markedly overestimated, with important implications for management.     

Clay minerals and geochemistry of the bottom sediments in the northwestern East China Sea

Clay minerals of 34 sediments collected from the northwestern continental shelf of the East China Sea have been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The clay mineral distribution is mainly controlled by the sediment source and the dominant circulation pattern. The predominant clay mineral in our study area is illite comprising more than 67% of the whole clay fraction. The highest concentration of illite (>68%) is found in the southeastern offshore parts beyond the reach of terrigenous input from the Jeju Island. It means that these illites are largely transported by the Kuroshio Current from the South China Sea (SCS). Smectite is highly concentrated in the northwest middle part and in the outer-shelf mud patch. It seems to be due to the high supply of smectite transported from China where fine-grained sediments are discharged from modern and ancient Huanghe (Yellow) River. The relatively high abundant kaolinite is likely derived from the Changjiang (Yangtze) River via the Taiwan Warm Current. In contrast, large amounts of chlorite and high chlorite/kaolinite ratios occur in the northwestern area, reflecting the transportation by the Yellow Sea Coastal Current from the southern Yellow Sea. The discrimination diagrams clearly show that the sediments in the northwestern East China Sea are ultimately sourced from Chinese rivers, especially from the Huanghe River, whereas the sediment in the northeast part might come from the Jeju Island. The muddy sediments of the Changjiang River’s submerged delta have much lower 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.716 2–0.718 0) than those of the Shandong Peninsular mud wedge (0.721 6–0.724 9), which are supposed to be originated from the Huanghe River, suggesting the distribution pattern of 87Sr/86Sr ratios as a new tracer to discriminate the provenance of shelf sediments in the study area. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the outer-shelf muddy sediments ranged from 0.7169 to 0.7216 in a wide range and was between those of the Huanghe River and Changjiang River sediments, suggesting multiple sources of the sediment in the area.     

Distribution and provenance of detrital minerals in southern coast of Shandong Peninsula

Detrital minerals of 137 offshore and 22 river sediment samples collected from Qingdao coastal areas have been analyzed. Four mineral assemblage provinces can be classified by Q-mode cluster analysis. Factor analysis identifies two major factors that account for the total variability in most common minerals: 1) based on the relationship of quartz, hornblende, actinolite, micas, and authigenic pyrite, 41.55% of the variability is related to sediment sources; 2) based on the relationship of epidote, garnet, sphere, and ilmenite, 23.21% can be related to strong hydrodynamic conditions that control transport and sedimentation. By comparing mineral compositions of river waters in the study area, the following four mineral provenances can be identified. The Qingdao-Laoshan nearshore area has a quartz-feldspar-epidote-hornblende-limenite-limonite-sphene assemblage, which is largely attributed to relict sediment and coastal erosion. The Jimo-Haiyang nearshore area has a quartz-feldspar-hornblende-epidote-limonite-mica-actinolite assemblage, derived largely from the Wulong River and Rushan River, and is also affected by the Huanghe River, while the Qianliyan Island area in the deeper offshore area separated by a mud belt has a similar assemblage. The Haiyang-Rushan nearshore area has a quartz-feldspar-hornblende-epidote-micas-limonite assemblage, indicating multiple sources from the Rushan River, the Wulong River, the Huanghe River, and coastal erosion. The central area, located in an eddy center, has a mica-authigenic pyrite-hornblende-quartzfeldspar assemblage, indicating multiple sources dominated by Huanghe River distal sediments.     

Features of clay minerals in the YSDP102 core on the continental shelf of the southeast Yellow Sea

Ninety-eight clay mineral samples from the YSDP102 core were analyzed by x-ray diffractometer to study the four clay minerals: illite, chlorite, kaolinite and smectite. Twenty-eight samples had been analyzed on the laser particle-siz eanalyzer to reveal the particle features of the sediments. Distribution of the clay minerals and the particle characteristics in the YSDP102 core show that the core experienced three different depositional periods and formed three different sedimentary intervals due to different sediment sources and different depositional environments. Features of the clay minerals and the heavy minerals in the YSDP102 core indicate that coarse-grained sediments and fine-grained sediments result from different sources. The Yellow Sea Warm Current has greatly influenced the sedimentary framework of this region since the current‘s formation.     

Provenance of Sediments Filling a Paleo-Channel that Formed on the Western Yellow Sea Continental Shelf During the Last Glacial Period

Several buried paleo-channels are located on the continental shelf of the western Yellow Sea. Research on the paleochannels is significant for both theoretical studies and practical applications. In this paper, we analyse and discuss the mineralogy of sediments in a core (SYS-0803) recovered from a buried paleo-channel on the continental shelf of the western Yellow Sea. The aim is to determine the provenance of sediments that fill the paleo-channel. The heavy mineral assemblage of sediments in the core consists of schistose minerals, common hornblende, epidote, and ilmenite. The light mineral assemblage consists of plagioclase, quartz, lithic fragments, and K-feldspar. Analysis of the compositional maturity of the sand fraction revealed a quartz/feldspar ratio of < 1. A relatively high percentage of smectite is recorded throughout the entire paleo-channel fill, with the greatest percentage in the middle to lower parts. The detrital mineral assemblage and clay mineral content indicate that the paleo-channel sediments were sourced mainly from the Huanghe River during the last glacial period.     

Spatial variations in depth-distribution of trace metals in coastal wetland sediments from Quanzhou Bay, Fujian Province, China

Four short cores were obtained from the coastal wetland of the Quanzhou Bay, Fujian Province, China, and sediment samples were analyzed with a Mastersizer 2000 for grain size analysis and an Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-AES) for trace metal analysis. The results of grain size analysis show that the wetland sediments are mainly composed of silt and clay, and the distribution of median grain size is affected by human activities obviously. The results of trace metal analysis show that the wetland sediments mainly originate from terrestrial materials in the Luoyangjiang River estuary and from contaminants discharged from adjacent rivers in Shuitou area. The heavy metal contamination in Luoyangjiang estuary decreased from 1984 to 2004 due to industry transformation, but has increased since 2004 because of the discharge of contaminants to the Jinjiang River and much living sewerage to the bay, and a large number of trace metals are trapped within Spartina alterniflora marsh.     

Cold event at 5 500 a BP recorded in mud sediments on the inner shelf of the East China Sea

A 700-year record (1.0–1.5 a resolution) of the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM), based on grain-size analysis and AMS¹⁴C dating of Core EC2005 from the inner-shelf mud wedge of the East China Sea (ECS), was compared with the Dongge stalagmite δ¹⁸O record during the mid-Holocene. The upper muddy section of Core EC2005 has been formed mainly by suspended sediments derived from the Changjiang (Yangtze) River mouth since 7.3 ka BP. High precipitation and a strengthened EAWM might have played key roles in the high sedimentation rate (1 324–1 986 cm/ka) between 5.9–5.2 ka BP. The EAWM strengthened when the Asian summer monsoon weakened, especially around 5 500 a BP, which corresponded to a worldwide cold event. The EAWM during the mid-Holocene shows statistically significant solar periodicities at 62 and 11 a. The 5 500 a BP cold event might be resulted from orbital forcing and changes in solar activity.     

Study on the Marine Sedimentary Environment Evolution of the Southern Laizhou Bay Under the Impact of Port Projects

The southern Laizhou Bay is mainly composed of silt-sandy coasts with diverse landforms, and its marine hydrodynamic environment is sensitive to human activities. Marine hydrodynamic and sedimentary environments of the study area have changed under the influence of large-scale port projects in recent years. In this paper, the evolution of hydrodynamic environment, deposition rate, and geochemical characteristics were studied based on sediment grain size, element analysis and ~(210)Pb dating of two cores, in order to analyze the influence of Weifang Port on marine environmental evolution, and provide theoretical and practical basis for protecting marine environment in developing marine resources reasonably. Results showed that sediments of the two cores were relatively coarser and mainly composed of silty sand. Sediments above 230 cm in core WF1 and 218 cm in core WF2 were deposited since 1855 when the Yellow River appeared to deposit its sediments within the modern active delta, and the average deposition rate was between 0.3 and 0.5 cm a~(-1). Implement of Weifang Port projects in 1997 and 2007 created great influence on the sedimentary environment evolution in the surrounding waters, and the deposition rate was significantly increased. The average annual deposition rates were 5.1 cm and 3.5 cm in WF1 and WF2 respectively between 1997 and 2007. Content of heavy metals in sediments showed no obvious change in the vertical, indicating that the heavy metals were less affected by human activity and there was no significant accumulation of such metals in the study area.     

Sedimentary evolution since the late Last Deglaciation in the western North Yellow Sea

To decipher the sedimentary evolution and environmental changes since the late Last Deglaciation, two gravity cores were analyzed from the western North Yellow Sea (NYS). The two cores (B-L44 and B-U35) were sampled for grain size, clay minerals, detrital minerals, and 14C dating. They are comparable in lithofaies, and the observed succession was divided into four depositional units based on lithology and mineral assemblages, which recorded the postglacial transgression. Depositional unit 4 (DU 4) (before 11.5 ka) was characterized with enrichment in sand, and was interpreted as nearshore deposits in shallow water during the Younger Dryas Event. DU 3 (11.5-9.6 ka) displayed a fining-upward succession composed of sediments from local rivers, such as the Huanghe (Yellow) River, and from coastal erosion, which clearly were related to the Early Holocene transgression. Stable muddy deposition (DU 2) in NYS began to form at about 9.6 ka, which received direct supply of fine materials from the Shandong subaqueous clinoform. It is believed that the Yellow Sea circulation system played a major role in controlling the formation of fine sediment deposition in DU 1 (after 6.4 ka) after the sea level maximum.     

Change in sediment load of the Yangtze River after Wenchuan earthquake

On May 12, 2008, an earthquake of 8.0 magnitude on the Richter scale and its numerous aftershocks devastatingly hit Wenchuan County and its nearby region along the Longman Mountains in Sichuan Province, China. The heavy ruined area was up to 30,000 km2 and 13% of its land surface was denuded by the extremely terrible quakes. The mountain collapses, landslides and debris flows induced by the earthquake not only scared the landscape at the immense scale, but also poured 1.66-billion-m3 sediment combined with offscourings and rubble into the Yangtze River and its breaches. This amount of sediments is 3 times more than the normal amount discharged into the Yangtze River, and will significantly increase sediment transportation of rivers and decrease storage capacities of reservoirs downstream. The dramatic increase in sediment load will imperil the engineering safety and impact the operation of the giant Three-Gorge Hydro-power Station if no proper prevention measures are taken.     

The Mineral Composition and Sources of the Fine-Grained Sediments from the 49.6°E Hydrothermal Field at the SWIR

We used the X-ray diffraction method to determine systematically the mineral phases in bulk sediment samples and acid undissolved residuals of the fine-grained fraction of the surface sediments from the 49.6°E hydrothermal field at the Southwest Indian Ridge(SWIR)and discussed the mineral sources of the surface sediments.The results showed that the surface sediments in this region were composed of calcareous ooze,and calcite was the dominant mineral.The sediments also contained quartz,feldspar,clay minerals,pyroxene,sphalerite,barite,serpentine,and magnetite.The quartz,feldspar,and clay minerals were exogenous minerals that mainly originated from the Namib and Kalahari deserts in southern Africa.The pyroxene,serpentine,magnetite,sphalerite,calcite,and barite were endogenous minerals from weathering of seafloor basement rocks and seafloor hydrothermal activities.The sulfide particles in the sediments were mainly deposited from upwelling plumes.     

The origin,historical variations,and distribution of heavy metals in the Qiongzhou Strait and nearby marine areas

We analyzed heavy metal concentrations in a number of surface sediments and cores from the Qiongzhou Strait and surrounding marine areas.The areas of high concentrations are primarily outside the eastern mouth of the Qiongzhou Strait and on the west side of the Leizhou Peninsula,whereas the areas of low concentrations are located primarily in the eastern Qiongzhou Strait.The maximum Cd,Pb and Zn concentrations in the samples collected in our study do not exceed the official standards for marine sediments,whereas the concentrations of Cr and Cu slightly exceed the standards.Correlations exist between the concentrations of Cu,Pb,Zn,Cr and Cd,and the concentrations of these metals are positively correlated with the mean particle size(φ value),indicating that the finer sediments have adsorbed greater amounts of heavy metal elements than the coarser sediments.An evaluation of the potential environmental risks demonstrates that certain indices of heavy metal pollution and environmental risks are relatively low and may be assigned low risk levels,thereby indicating that,in terms of heavy metals,the marine sedimentary environment in this region is only mildly impacted.Our analysis of the contaminant origins shows that the heavy metals in this region primarily originate in the Pearl River Estuary and that a small amount of them is derived from local runoff.The elevated heavy metal concentrations from the upper sections of the cores started 130 years ago,which indicats that heavy metals in the surface sediments are primarily due to human activities associated with industrialization.     

Possible relatedness between the outburst of the Diexi ancient dammed lake and ancient Chengdu's cultural change

The Diexi ancient dammed lake is in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River. Six terraces with lacustrine sediments occur at the base. These terraces are the products of the graded outburst of the Diexi ancient dammed lake. The outburst of the ancient dammed lake would certainly have had an impact on the Chengdu Plain in the lower reaches of the Minjiang River. In this paper, on-site sampling and laboratory analysis were used to analyze the sediments of the Diexi ancient dammed lake and the Jinsha site in Chengdu Plain, and the environmental indicators of each sediment layer were tested. Through a comparative analysis of the environmental indicators in the sediments at the two locations, the following results were obtained: the palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental characteristics at the two locations generally show consistent changes. The most important finding is that the types and content of the major pollen taxa at the two locations are similar. The Pinus content strongly proves that the soil layers at the Jinsha site was sourced from the upper reaches of the Minjiang River. Considering that the demise of the ancient culture at the Jinsha site occurred close in time to the outburst of the ancient dammed lake, this similarity suggests that the cultural change at the Jinsha site may have been related to the outburst of the Diexi ancient dammed lake.     

Sediment records of environmental changes in the south end of the Zhejiang-Fujian coastal mud area during the past 100 years

Previous studies carried out in the East China Sea （ECS） mud area focused on long-term environmental changes in sedimentary records during the Holoeene, especially during the mid-Holocene high-stand water levels period. These results indicate that sensitive grain size groups can be used as a sedimentary proxy to reconstruct the evolution of the East Asian Winter Monsoon （EAWM）. The studies have been carried out mainly in the northern and middle portions of the Zhejiang-Fujian coastal mud, however, similar research in the southern portion and the comparison between sedimentary proxy and modern measured data of EAWM are lacking. In this paper, we focused on a sedimentary record of the past 100 years with an enhanced resolution of 1.8 years. Investigations of the southern end of the Zhejiang-Fujian coastal mud area were conducted on the basis of 21~Pb chronology, grain-size analysis and chemical element analysis. The correspondence between the mean grain size （Mz） of sediment sensitive grain size and the measured EAWM was confirmed for the first time. We found that during the recent 100 years, the variation of the mean grain size of the sensitive population in the southern portion of the Zhejiang-Fujian mud was mainly controlled by the EAWM intensity changes; and not directly related to changes in the sediment discharge from Datong station of the Changjiang River （DTSD）. Finally, recent changes in the content of heavy metals in study area reflect the impact of human activities on the environment.     

Introduction to the China-Vietnam Cooperation Project: A Comparative Study of the Holocene Sedimentary Evolution of the Yangtze and Red River Deltas

Both China and Vietnam confront the challenges of natural geohazards and environmental changes in their deltas and coastal zones due to rapid urbanization, economic development, and the impacts of global climate change. China and Vietnam initiated a comparative study of the Holocene sedimentary evolution of the Yangtze River Delta(YRD) and Red River Delta(RRD) for the period 2015–2018 in order to improve the understanding of the two delta evolution histories in the Holocene. Previous investigative data of the two rivers, onshore delta plains, and offshore subaqueous deltas have been explored and reinterpreted. New data gleaned from boreholes, piston cores, shallow seismic and hydrodynamic sources have been collected from the offshore YRD and the East China Sea inner shelf, and surface sediments and short cores have been collected from the RRD near-shore areas. Six focal areas of the joint project have been defined for comparative studies of the two deltas, including morphological development, sequential stratigraphy, coastline shifting, sedimentary characteristics, sedimentary dynamics, and correlation with anthropogenic global climate change. The results of these study areas are presented herein. The joint project also includes cooperative capacity building; exchanges of young scientists have been organized during the project period, and hands-on training in laboratory geochemical analysis, numerical modeling, and seismic data processing and interpretation have been provided by China and its Vietnamese geoscientist partners. Joint field excursions were organized to the upstream of the Yangtze and Red Rivers in Yunan Province, China, all the way downstream along the Vietnamese portion of the Red River. These joint studies have, over the past three years, improved understanding of the evolutionary history of these two major rivers and their mechanisms of source to sink. Joint project results of these two major deltas are not limited to the geosciences; the cooperative mechanical and operational experiences have been helpful for future cooperation in the field of marine geoscience between China and Vietnam, as well for cooperative activities with other ASEAN member countries.