Rare earth elements in sediments of the China continental shelf

Determination of the concentrations of, 15 rare earth elements (REE) in China continental shelf sediments by X-ray fluorescent spectral analysis of selected representative sediment samples showed that REE concentration in the sediments is 156 ppm, similar to that in China loess and Fujian granite, but different from that in Pacific sediments. The shelf REE have the characteristic distribution pattern of typical continental crust REE and evidently philo-continental property. The above findings suggest that weathered materials transported from the China continent are the main source of the REE in China continental shelf sediments. Experiments show that REE exist mainly in the crystal lattices of clay minerals (<2μ) as isomorphs and that REE have close relation with most elements (Al, Ti, K, Rb, Fe, etc.) related with clay minerals, but have negative correlation with the biophile elements Ca and Sr. Contribution No. 1520 from the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica.     

Radiolaria fossils in the surface sediments and sedimentary environment in the Bering Sea

Totally 2472 grains of Radiolaria belonging to 36 Genera and 45 species are distinguished from 12 surface sediments in the Bering Sea. The distribution characteristics of Radiolaria fossils in the surface sediments are as follows: (1) From the shelf of shallow water to the upper of continental slope, there are a few Radiolaria fossils and monotonous genus and species; (2) In the lower of continental slope, Radiolaria fossils are poor in the volcanic cinders and turbidite; (3) The abundance and diversity of Radiolaria fossils are high in clay of the basin. The dominant species of Radiolaria is Spongotrochus glacialis on the continental shelf. Current, topography, water depth, and temperature etc. are key factors influencing Radiolaria distribution. The sources of sediments mainly are terrigenous, biogenic and volcanic sediments in the survey area and they are mostly from the Kamchatka peninsula in the east of Russia and the Aleutian Islands.     

Diatom assemblages in surface sediments from the South China Sea as environmental indicators

We studied diatom distribution from 62 samples from the uppermost 1 cm of sediment in the South China Sea (SCS), using grabs or box corers in three cruises between 2001–2007. Fifty six genera, 256 species and their varieties were identified. Dominating species included Coscinodiscus africanus, Coscinodiscus nodulifer, Cyclotella stylorum, Hemidiscus cuneiformis, Melosira sulcata, Nitzschia marina, Roperia tesselata, Thalassionema nitzschioides, Thalassiosira excentrica, and Thalassiothrix longissima. Most surface sediments in the SCS were rich in diatoms, except for a few coarse samples. Average diatom abundance in the study area was 104 607 valve/g. In terms of the abundance, ecology, and spatial distribution, seven diatom zones (Zones 1–7) were recognized. Zone 1 (northern continental shelf) is affected by warm currents, SCS northern branch of the Kuroshio, and northern coastal currents; Zone 2 (northwestern continental shelf) is affected by intense coastal currents; Zone 3 (Xisha Islands sea area) is a bathyal environment with transitional water masses; Zone 4 (sea basin) is a bathyal-to-deep sea with stable and uniform central water masses in a semi-enclosed marginal sea; Zone 5 (Nansha Islands marine area) is a pelagic environment with relatively high surface temperature; Zone 6 (northern Sunda Shelf) is a tropical shelf environment; and Zone 7 (northern Kalimantan Island shelf area) is affected by warm waters from the Indian Ocean and coastal waters. The data indicate that these diatom zones are closely related to topography, hydrodynamics, temperature, nutrients and especially the salinity. Better understanding of the relationship between diatom distribution and the oceanographic factors would help in the reconstruction of the SCS in the past.     

Change in Sediment Provenance Near the Current Estuary of Yellow River Since the Holocene Transgression

Sedimentary sequence and sediment provenance are important factors when it comes to the studies on marine sedimentation. This paper studies grain size distribution, lithological characteristics, major and rare earth elemental compositions, micropaleontological features and ~(14)C ages in order to examine sedimentary sequence and sediment provenance of the core BH6 drilled at the mouth of the Yellow River in Bohai Sea. According to the grain size and the micropaleontological compositions, 4 sedimentary units have been identified. Unit 1(0–8.08 mbsf) is of the delta sedimentary facies, Unit 2(8.08–12.08 mbsf) is of the neritic shelf facies, Unit 3(12.08–23.85 mbsf) is of near-estuary beach-tidal facies, and Unit 4(23.85 mbsf–) is of the continental lake facies. The deposits from Unit 1 to Unit 3 have been found to be marine strata formed after the Holocene transgression at about 10 ka BP, while Unit 4 is continental lacustrine deposit formed before 10 ka BP. The provenances of core BH6 sediments show properties of the continental crust and vary in different sedimentary periods. For Unit 4 sediments, the source regions are dispersed while the main provenance is not clear, although the parent rock characteristics of a few samples are similar to the Luanhe River sediments. For Unit 3, sediments at 21.1–23.85 mbsf have been mainly transported from the Liaohe River, while sediments above 21.1 mbsf are mainly from the Yellow River and partially from the Liaohe River. For Unit 2, the sediments have been mainly transported from the Yellow River, with a small amount from other rivers. For Unit 1, the provenance is mainly the Yellow River catchment. These results help in better understanding the evolution of the Yellow River Delta.     

Basic geochemical characteristics of sediments in the Okinawa trough

A total of 21 elements, Si, Al, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Ti, P, Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Pb, Cr, Rb, Sr Ba, Cd and C_org(organic carbon), was determined in the trough. Average contents of most elements were found to be higher in the trough bottom than in the western and eastern slopes. We call these elements the indicator elements because of their “transition” property. This is in keeping with the “intermediate” geographical position of the trough where the continental crust turns to oceanic crust. Though the authigenic fraction of some elements here increases, the detrital fraction of most elements is still dominant, indicating that the influences of terrigenous and volcanic detrital materials on the trough sediments are still dominant. The abundant biogenous component in the trough is characterized by the increase of Ca, Sr, and C_org contents. Ca existes mainly in the form of CaCo₃ that is mostly found in various shells. Sr often easily replaces Ca within the shells. A belt-shaped distribution pattern of elements was found in the south and a “block” pattern in the north trough. Such distribution patterns are directly controlled by water depth, topography, current sediment type, and mineral, biological, and volcanic processes. This paper was published in Chinese in Oceanologia et Limnologia Sinica15(4): 371–379, 1984.     

Contribution of Mountain River Materials to the Continental Shelf off Southeastern Hainan Island Since the Mid-Holocene

The concentrations of rare earth elements(REEs) in the bulk sediment of Core X2, which was collected from southeastern Hainan Island, were analyzed to investigate the relative contributions of various provenance regions since mid-Holocene. The results show that sediments in Core X2 were primarily derived from Hainan Island with lesser amounts from Taiwan and limited input from the Pearl River. Based on the application of quantitative inversion to model the REE data, the average contributions of river materials from southeastern Hainan Island and southwestern Taiwan to the study area were 68% and 32%, respectively. Furthermore, starting at 4.0 kyr BP, the transport of fluvial sediments from Taiwan to the study region increased due to enhanced hydrodynamics in South China Sea(SCS). These results indicate that the contributions of mountain river materials from Hainan Island and Taiwan to the continental shelf of northern SCS are non-negligible. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that mountain rivers can play an important role in the material cycle of continental margins and may feature a greater impact than large river systems in specific continental shelf areas.     

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.     

块状硫化物矿床的类型、分布和形成环境

从全球视野全面概括了块状硫化物矿床的成矿背景和成矿类型,突出强调了洋壳和岛弧或陆壳两种成矿环境对成矿类型分类的重要性,并探讨了由于洋、陆转化过程中过渡环境的存在对两种成矿类型亦存在过渡的成矿复杂性,分析评述了块状硫化物矿床在全球各大陆块及其主要造山带中的地质分布和成矿特点。已发现矿床数量北半球明显发育,南半球发现稀少,太古代和中新生代是火山成因块状硫化物矿床的最主要形成期,其次是晚古生代,而中国则以早古生代的发现最为重要,与全球的情况有显著差异。探讨了全球块状硫化物矿床的形成演化和主要形成环境,强调了在地质历史上造山带中可能保存下来代表弧后盆地洋壳环境的蛇绿岩中寻找火山成因块状硫化物矿床的重要性。介绍了利用高场强元素对火山成因块状硫化物矿床构造背景的判别方法。     

Evolution of Palaeoenvironment of the South Yellow Sea Since the Last Deglaciation

The sediments in core YS01 recovered from the South Yellow Sea mud deposit zone contain abundant benthic foraminifera, particularly shallow continental shelf species, but rare of planktonic foraminifera. The benthic foraminifera are dominated by stenohaline cold shallow-water species and euryhaline brackish-water species. In this paper, the palaeoenvironmental changes were discussed based on the grain-size compositions and benthic foraminiferal assemblages. Six different benthic foraminiferal assemblages were discriminated by species analysis from the foraminiferal fauna. According to AMS~(14)C dating data in core YS01, we identified four main stages of marine environmental changes since the last deglaciation: a near-shore depositional stage(13.1 – 9.5 kyr B.P.), a transitional stage from near-shore deposition to shallow-sea deposition(9.5 – 5.6 kyr B.P.), a high sea level stage with shallow-sea deposition(5.6–2.9 kyr B.P.), and a stable shallow-sea depositional stage(2.9 kyr B.P. to the present).     

扬马延微陆块构造特征及火山型被动陆缘远端带构造演化模式

随着全球油气勘探的不断深入,北大西洋极地逐渐成为油气勘探研究的前沿领域,而扬马延矿区勘探程度极低。基于中海油冰岛矿区新采集的地震及重磁资料,结合其他有关扬马延微陆块最新的研究资料,开展了扬马延微陆块的地层和构造特征分析,以及与共轭盆地的对比,建立了扬马延火山型被动陆缘远端带的构造演化模式。研究表明:位于北大西洋格陵兰与挪威之间海域的扬马延微陆块,与北大西洋两侧陆架盆地古生代-中生代地层具有共轭特征;构造呈NE-SE向展布,发育拆离断裂体系,与挪威西部陆架盆地中生界拆离断裂体系具有相似性;构造内部受岩浆侵入及喷出等强烈影响,发育向海倾斜反射层(SDR)及岩浆溢流相沉积。在上述研究基础上,探讨了扬马延微陆块与格陵兰古陆和波罗的海古陆拉断分离的构造演化过程,认为扬马延在古生代-中生代与格陵兰古陆和波罗的海古陆为一体,在经历了古生代-中生代陆内碰撞、弱伸展到陆内裂谷和陆内热沉降后,受北大西洋拉开影响,经历了古近纪和新近纪火山型被动陆缘远端带的形成演化过程,在55 Ma第一次洋中脊扩张期,与波罗的海古陆挪威陆缘盆地分离,在25 Ma第二次洋脊跃迁时期,新生洋脊扩张导致扬马延微陆块与格陵兰古陆分离,在沉积与构造上开始与北大西洋火山型被动陆缘盆地产生分异,最终扬马延微陆块成为孤立在洋壳上的一个"弃子"。本次关于扬马延微陆块的研究揭示了火山型被动陆缘远端带在岩浆活动、拆离断裂作用下,减薄-破裂的残余陆壳及内部新生洋壳的构造面貌及板块构造背景下的演化过程。      

Distribution and abundance of euphausiid larvae and salps during austral summers in Prydz Bay, Antarctica

The distribution and abundance of euphausiid larvae and salps was studied from samples collected in 2002 and 2006 from Prydz Bay, Antarctica.Larvae of Thysanoessa macrura and Euphausia superba were mainly distributed in the north of the continental shelf. T. macrura was more abundant and had a relatively wider distribution. In 2006, with ice having retreated and higher seawater temperatures and chlorophyll a levels, E. superba and T. macrura occurred in higher abundances and at more mature developmental stages. Euphausia crystallorophias was mainly distributed in the neritic region. In 2002, with severe ice conditions in the neritic region, abundance of E. crystallorophias was consisted of metanauplius (MN) and calyptopis I (CI). Salps, mostly Salpa thompsoni, had a low abundance in Prydz Bay. In 2002, S. thompsoni was only m)-3. In 2006, S. thompsoni was found at three stations located near the contimental factors, such as the timing of ice melt, polynya formation and food concentration appear to have a marked effect on the distribution and abundance of euphausiid larvae and salps.     

渤海湾周缘主要河流钾长石物源示踪指标研究

渤海湾盆地碎屑物质的物源示踪研究,对于渤海湾盆地的自身演化,周缘造山带隆升和剥蚀过程,以及中国东部陆架海的物质扩散研究均具有重要意义,受到国内外学者的广泛关注,同时也存在诸多争议。钾长石是地壳中最主要的造岩矿物之一,在河流沉积物中广泛出现,在进行物源示踪研究时具有代表性。基于此,利用激光剥蚀电感耦合等离子质谱仪（LA-ICP-MS）对渤海湾盆地主要注入河流的碎屑钾长石进行了原位地球化学特征分析,结果表明,黄河干流碎屑钾长石的常量元素Na₂O、Al₂O₃、SiO₂、K₂O的标准偏差与滹沱河、滦河、辽河和漳河4条河流存在差异。在钾长石常量元素Al₂O₃质量分数与Na₂O和K₂O质量分数二维散点图中,部分黄河样品的Al₂O₃值较之整体部分（其他4条河流和黄河样品）偏低;微量元素中Ba、Pb、Sr、Rb和Ca的质量分数占主体部分,尤其Ba、Pb、Sr、Rb的含量较高。在Ba和Sr以及Ba和Pb质量分数二维散点图中,黄河与其他4条河流明显不同。该研究结果表明,钾长石的Ba和Sr含量变化可以成为环渤海湾盆地沉积物中黄河物源示踪的特征指标。      

Type and evolution of landscapes of Nansha Islands

ＴＹＰＥＡＮＤＥＶＯＬＵＴＩＯＮＯＦＬＡＮＤＳＣＡＰＥＳＯＦＮＡＮＳＨＡＩＳＬＡＮＤＳＺｈａｏＨｕａｎｔｉｎｇ（赵焕庭）ＳｏｕｔｈＣｈｉｎａＳｅａＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＯｃｅａｎｏｌｏｇｙ,ｔｈｅＣｈｉｎｅｓｅＡｃａｄｅｍｙｏｆＳｃｉｅｎｃｅｓ,Ｇｕ...     

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.     

Type and evolution of landscapes of Nansha Islands

Landscapes of the Nansha Islands may be divided into five types: tropical marine organism-breeding landscape of reef knoll like Zengmu Shoal, Wan’an Bank and so on; tropical marine organism-breeding landscape of atoll including all emerged reefs and most submerged reefs; tropical evergreen arbor-bush forest and phosphorous lime soil landscape of limesand Islets like Taiping Islet, Nanwei islet and so on; tropical shallow sea marine organism-breeding landscape of southern continental shelf; tropical oceanic and deep-sea marine organism landscape in middle and north parts of the Nansha Islands area. These five landscape types may be also summed up as two categories, one is tropical sea landscape including those in shallow and deep sea, the other is tropical coral reef landscape including those of reef knoll, atoll and limesand islet. This paper outlines the evolutional model of landscapes of the Nansha Islands. The distribution and evolution of landscape types are related with palaeogeography and modern environmental conditions. The former shallow sea of the Nansha islands was coastal zone in the Late Pleistocene epoch. Deep sea is evolved from shallow sea due to long and slow subsidence of crust. Modern coral reefs develop on old reef top of the Late pleistocene epoch or on baserock of continental shelf in the Holocene due to the rise of sea level in postglacial. Limesand islet is in the peak of developmental stage.     

Thermo-Rheological Structure and Passive Continental Margin Rifting in the Qiongdongnan Basin,South China Sea,China

To investigate the thermo-rheological structure and passive continental margin rifting in the Qiongdongnan Basin(QDNB),thermo-rheological models of two profiles across the western and eastern QDNB are presented.The continental shelf of western QDNB,having the lowest crustal extension factor,is recognized as the initial non-uniform extension crust model.This regime is referred to as the jelly sandwich-1(JS-1)regime,having a lower crustal ductile layer.The oceanward part of the western QDNB changes from the relatively strong JS-1 to the weak crème br?lée-1(CB-1)regime with a significantly thinned lower crust.However,the crustal extension in the eastern QDNB is significantly higher than that in the western QDNB,with conjugate faults extending deep into the lower crust.The central depression zone of the eastern QDNB is defined as the much stronger JS-2 regime,having a brittle deformation across the entire crust and upper mantle and characteristics of a cold and rigid oceanic crust.Unlike the widespread lower crustal high-velocity layers(HVLs)in the northern margin of the South China Sea,the HVLs are confined to the lower crustal base of the central depression zone of the QDNB.The HVLs of QDNB are the results of non-uniform extension with mantle underplating during the lower crustal-necking stage,which is facilitated by the lower crustal ductile layer and derived by mantle lat-eral flowing.The gigantic mantle low-velocity zone related to the Red River Fault should be a necessary factor for the east-west differential margin rifting process of QDNB,which may drive the lateral flowing in the mantle.     

An approach to the transgressive sedimentary pattern of the present continental shelf

On the basis of our study of the present sediments in the northern part of the continental shelf of the South China Sea, this article clarifies our views that a "three-zone pattern" is the basic feature of transgression-type sedimentation.The classification of transgression-type sedimentation of the present continental shelf is based on: the close relationships between the formation of the present continental shelf and the position of the low sea level of the Wiirrn glacial stage, the genetic types and environmental features of sedimentary zoning, the relationship between the formation of glauconite with different maturity and the migration of coastline, the speed of transgression, and the overlying speed of sedimentation. We put forward the genetic name of the "three-zone pattern" to denote:1.The inner zouu, river mouth-coastal current sedimentary area;2.The intermediate zone, coastal current-sea current scouring-sedimentary area;3.The outer zone, sea current scouring area.All these are of significance     

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.     

山东胶东金矿成矿地质背景初论

胶东地区的基底地质构造演化经历了陆核形成期、陆壳增生期和汇聚定型期3个主要阶段,古元古代克拉通化汇聚碰撞作用的形成使得原始的绿岩带矿源岩系活化改造;三叠纪华北板块与扬子板块间陆陆碰撞形成了山东东部的胶南-威海造山带,碰撞造山作用使克拉通地体再活化,二大板块的物质成分在区内重新熔合分配并促使金元素转移富集;侏罗-白垩纪时期太平洋板块对欧亚板块的强烈洋陆俯冲作用,形成了活动大陆边缘俯冲造山带的大陆弧花岗岩,包括玲珑序列二长花岗岩组合、郭家岭序列花岗闪长岩组合和伟德山序列花岗岩组合,这些花岗岩的强烈岩浆活动为金元素迁移成矿提供了热驱动;巨型走滑系统即郯庐断裂带及其巨大的左型走滑系统及其所形成的次级羽状断裂系统为     

东昆仑东段坑德地区侵入岩岩石地球化学特征及其构造意义

对东昆仑造山带东段坑德地区出露的侵入岩进行了详细的岩石地球化学研究。结果表明,东昆仑造山带东段坑德地区岩体为一套高钾钙碱性花岗闪长岩,岩石由准铝质向过铝质过渡。岩石稀土元素具LREE元素富集、HREE元素亏损,有弱的负Eu异常的特征,微量元素明显富集大离子亲石元素(Rb,Ba,K)和活泼的不相容元素Th,U等;相对亏损高场强元素Nb,Ti,P;Rb/Sr,Nb/Ta,Zr/Hf等特征显示岩石具壳幔混合特征。岩石具有板块俯冲碰撞前活动大陆边缘构造环境特征,应该为阿尼玛卿洋向北俯冲碰撞过程中壳幔岩浆混合作用形成。