南海北部陆坡某海域浅层气的声学特征及其对水合物勘探的指示意义

海底天然气渗漏是海洋环境中广泛分布的自然现象,在世界各大洋中都有发现。海底渗漏的气体赋存于浅部地层,可以改变近表层沉积物的物理性质,使其在声学剖面上得以反映。通过对南海北部陆坡某海域研究区浅地层剖面和地震数据分析,在浅地层剖面上发现了声空白、声混浊、增强反射层、速度下拉等特征,在地震剖面上则识别出气烟囱或泥底辟、亮点、速度下拉、增强反射层等特征。以似海底反射层（BSR）作为地震剖面上明显的含气层标志,划分了2套含气系统。通过浅地层剖面与地震剖面联合解释认为,BSR之下气烟囱／泥底辟的发育导致了亮点、速度下拉、增强反射层等声学特征的发生,BSR之上水合物层的存在则可能起到封堵天然气而使其发生侧向运移的作用,在气体封堵相对薄弱的位置,天然气向上运移形成声空白、声混浊、增强反射层、速度下拉等特征。以声空白代表的天然气聚集带可能成为块状水合物的发育场所,可能成为较有潜力的勘探目标。     

南海北部陆坡神狐海域浅地层与单道地震剖面联合解释——水合物区沉积地层特征

本文通过南海北部陆坡神狐海域浅地层、单道地震剖面联合解释,发现了一系列与天然气水合物密切相关的海底异常地貌、地层结构.在精细浅地层剖面上发现了陆坡丘状体、浅部断层以及由连续强反射层、声空白补丁、局部增强反射和声空白带构成的海底浅部含气带.浅部含气带位于海底之下34-82m,通过其空间分布位置判断,认为气体来源于深部天然气水合物的分解.在单道地震剖面上识别出麻坑、气体渗漏柱、褶皱、模拟海底反射(BSR,bottom simulating reflector)等结构.BSR位于我国首次钻取的天然气水合物样品深度之下,判断其为该区水合物稳定带底界.依据ODP1148站深海钻井的地层厚度、沉积速率、测年等资料进行地层划分,识别出渐新世、中新世等地层界面,初步建立了神狐海域水合物区沉积地层年代标尺.地层年代划分结果表明BSR、褶皱、首次钻取的水合物样品位于晚中新世至上新世地层内,以上地层成为南海北部神狐海域天然气水合物勘探重点目标层位.     

琼东南盆地华光凹陷天然气水合物成藏条件及有利区带预测

分析了琼东南盆地华光凹陷天然气水合物稳定条件、气源供给来源、运移通道类型等成藏条件,指出了研究区天然气水合物的勘探方向并建立了天然气水合物的成藏模式。华光凹陷浅部沉积层的温度、压力条件满足天然气水合物形成的要求,生物成因甲烷水合物稳定带最大厚度约320m,热成因天然气水合物稳定带最大厚度约为345m。气源岩主要分布在凹陷西部地区的断陷期层序中,具有早、晚两期生烃且以晚期为主的特征,有利于热解成因气在水合物稳定带内的聚集成藏。晚中新世以来快速沉降的巨厚半深海细粒沉积物为生物成因气的形成提供了物质基础。泥底辟与其伴生断裂及多边形断层等构成了天然气水合物成藏的主要流体运移体系。华光凹陷靠近(1)号断裂的西部地区是有利的勘探方向。晚中新世以来的快速沉降使得渐新世成熟—过熟烃源岩大量生气或裂解,而且由于欠压实作用形成的地层超压为含气流体的运移提供了强大的动力。热解天然气和生物气沿着泥底辟和多边形断层等构成的输导网络向上垂向运移至水合物稳定带,形成天然气水合物,其中深水浊流水道是寻找高饱和度水合物的有利目标体。     

流体迁移和海底地形与天然气水合物的形成

使用重力取样器、渔网、深潜器等手段,已经在海底及以下浅表层的区域采获天然气水合物样品,但关于浅表层水合物的发育机制、分布规律、与海底地形的关系等问题还缺乏基本认识。根据2006年鄂霍次克海天然气水合物调查航次的调查数据,发现萨哈林东北陆坡区,特别是中、下陆坡区发育大量海底凸起。这些凸起一般呈不对称的丘形,宽几百米,高几十米。与海底沙波、沙脊不同,海底凸起为孤立海底地形,在南北方向上并不连续。海底剖面仪结果清楚地显示古陆坡凸起的发育。现今海底陆坡凸起的幅度普遍地要小于古陆坡凸起的幅度,个别地方古今陆坡凸起的形态有所变化,但大部分古、今陆坡凸起是一一对应的,基本形态没有根本变化。在萨哈林陆坡地区存在两个方向的挤压应力场,分别是由德鲁根盆地向萨哈林陆坡方向的挤压应力场和萨哈林陆坡沿萨哈林走滑断裂向南的挤压应力场,海底陆坡凸起是这两大应力场复合作用的结果。浊反射区中的游离气是底辟构造中的超高压多相物质向上迁移形成的,浊反射区上方对应的海底凸起应该是宏观构造挤压和局部底辟发育叠合的结果,浊反射区上方的海底凸起,在形态等方面应该和其他仅由挤压构造原因形成的凸起有所区别,比如顶部发育裂口等。在底辟构造中,由于游离气体的向上迁移,在整个水合物稳定域中从下到上,直至海底都可能形成水合物。     

泥底辟/泥火山流体热效应及其对天然气水合物赋存的影响

泥底辟/泥火山流体热效应对天然气水合物赋存的影响是探索泥底辟/泥火山发育区水合物赋存规律的关键问题。笔者在分析总结国外泥底辟/泥火山流体热异常及其对天然气水合物赋存之影响的基础上,重点探讨了我国南海北部陆坡珠江口盆地神狐海域SH5站位未钻获水合物的原因及泥底辟/泥火山流体热效应对天然气水合物赋存的影响。当初寄予厚望的位于泥底辟之上的SH5站位未成功钻遇水合物的原因是晚期泥底辟刺穿水合物稳定带使深部高温流体沿着泥底辟和断裂通道上侵,该过程致使水合物稳定带温度场升高进而导致早期形成的水合物发生分解,因此,泥底辟/泥火山的流体热效应会直接制约水合物的赋存。探索泥底辟/泥火山流体热效应及其对水合物成藏的影响,不仅为丰富和完善流体渗漏构造环境下天然气水合物成藏动力学研究与勘探提供了热力学理论依据,而且对天然气水合物勘探开发及资源潜力评价等具有重要的指导意义。     

南海神狐水合物钻探区不同形态流体地震反射特征与水合物产出的关系

天然气水合物的分布在很大程度上受到含气流体运移的影响。南海北部陆坡区,尤其是珠江口盆地的白云凹陷,普遍存在流体渗漏的现象,暗示了水合物赋存的良好前景。神狐海域水合物钻探区内的高分辨率地震资料显示,区域内发育大量流体运移通道,在地震剖面上表现为不同形态的地震反射模糊带,根据其形态特征,可以划分为花冠状和穹顶状两大类模糊反射带。模糊反射带的存在意味着研究区内具有良好的含气流体运移条件,能够为甲烷气体的垂向运移提供通道。神狐海域水合物的钻探结果表明,水合物的分布与模糊反射带的分布范围具有良好的空间匹配关系,其中,花冠状地震反射模糊带侧翼部与中尺度正断层相连,促进了含气流体的侧向运移,顶部与可能的微裂隙相通,气体可向上运移至水合物稳定带,形成了水合物藏;而穹顶状地震反射模糊带顶部则通过疑似流体通道与海底沟通,这种结构极易形成气体逃逸而无法形成水合物。因此,不同形态特征的模糊反射带可能对水合物的分布具有一定的指示意义。     

南海东北部陆坡与恒春海脊天然气水合物分布的地震反射特征对比

对“探宝号”调查船2001年8月在南海东北部陆坡及台湾南部恒春海脊海域采集的多道地震剖面资料进行了地震反射波数据分析、解释和研究,并对南海北部陆坡、陆隆及其东侧俯冲带等区域天然气水合物矿藏的成藏规律及分布特征作了初步的分析与探讨,结果表明:(1)南海东北部陆坡和台湾南部恒春海脊海域地震剖面上均显示有BSR,但两区域构造成因、形式和相关地质环境的不同造成了天然气水合物的成因及过程不同。(2)南海东北部陆坡区域的天然气水合物形成与该区广泛发育的断裂带、滑塌构造体及其所形成的压力场屏蔽环境有关,而台湾南部恒春海脊海域天然气水合物的形成则与马尼拉海沟俯冲带相关的逆冲推覆构造、增生楔及其所对应的海底流体疏导体系有关。(3)南海陆缘区域广泛发育有各种断裂带、滑塌构造体、泥底辟、俯冲带、增生楔等,且温压环境合适,是天然气水合物矿藏极有可能广泛分布的区域。     

浅剖资料在南海北部东沙西南海域水合物调查中的应用

南海北部东沙海域陆坡已经被证实为天然气水合物前景分布区,浅地层剖面数据以其高效率采集过程和浅表层高分辨率的特点被国内外学者应用到天然气水合物调查中并取得了很多成果。以南海北部东沙西南海域的两条浅剖测线为例,分析了该区浅表层沉积物的声学特征,并在浅剖剖面上发现了浅层含气带以及气体泄露现象,初步推测为深部的天然气水合物分解后通过断层运移到浅层中形成了浅层含气带,部分浅层气体还通过泄露点喷射到海水中从而形成了剖面中的气体泄露现象。最后,进一步通过对研究区域的沉积及气源条件、温压条件、地质及生物证据的讨论,证实该区具有天然气水合物发育的基本条件,因此,可以证实上述浅剖资料解释中关于天然气水合物的推测。     

琼东南盆地深水区浅层运聚系统及其对天然气水合物成藏的控制

以琼东南盆地连片三维地震资料为基础,精细识别盆地浅层多种类型运移通道,系统总结了盆地深水区浅层运聚系统发育特征,并探讨其对天然气水合物成藏的控制,预测了天然气水合物有利目标区。研究结果表明:琼东南盆地浅层运移通道主要包括断层、气烟囱、裂隙、大型侵蚀不整合面和盆缘大型储集体,多种类型运移通道空间上相互组合,共同构建成盆地浅层流体运聚系统;不同区域浅层流体运移通道发育程度不一样,陵南-松南低凸起浅层流体运移通道最为发育,中央坳陷发育程度次之,浅水区相对不发育;琼东南盆地深水区浅层流体运聚系统控制着天然气水合物的分布,对中深层天然气勘探也具有重要的指示作用。总之,琼东南盆地浅层流体运移通道较发育,其中最为发育的陵南-松南低凸起是盆地天然气水合物规模成藏最为有利的场所,松南-宝岛凹陷陆坡区也具备优越的水合物成藏条件。     

南海北部陆坡泥底辟/气烟囱基本特征及其与油气和水合物成藏关系

以南海北部陆坡深水区琼东南盆地南部及珠江口盆地白云凹陷地质地震资料为基础,综合分析了泥底辟及气烟囱分布特征、发育演化特点、成因机制及其与油气和水合物成藏的关系。研究结果表明:泥底辟及气烟囱主要相对集中发育于凹陷中心或凹陷与凸起构造转换带,具有杂乱模糊地震反射特征且其模糊带形态各异;泥底辟及气烟囱展布规模大小不一,刺穿层位及幅度亦存在明显差异,且常常伴生强烈的热流体活动;泥底辟及气烟囱形成受控于沉积充填的巨厚欠压实泥页岩及其伴生的高温超压潜能、断层裂缝及构造薄弱带和有机质生烃增压等地质因素;泥底辟与气烟囱及其伴生断层裂隙是深部气源向浅层运移聚集的优势通道,通过这些流体运聚的高速通道,可以将其运移至上覆新近系储层和深水海底浅层高压低温稳定域,最终形成深部常规油气藏与海底浅层天然气水合物矿藏纵向叠置复式聚集的组合特点。     

Model of the post-Cenozoic evolution of the cryolithozone of the shelf of the western part of the Laptev Sea

The analysis of the structure of the cryolithozone, facies, and thicknesses of the Quaternary sediments and the results of the physicochemical mathematical modeling of the modern shelf of the western part of the Laptev Sea support the influence of the Late Pleistocene glaciations on the heat conditions and the distribution of the permafrost in the area. A ～200-m thick glacier formed under aerial conditions from atmospheric precipitation represented the metamorphosed snow cover. According to the modeling, the long-living (from 60?50 to 10?4 ky) glacier reduced the thickness of the permafrost rocks in the reviewed shelf area for 280–360 m. The Holocene marine transgression additionally decreased the thickness from 50–140 m on the inner shelf to 220–350 m on the outer shelf. The modern submarine cryolithozone 450-0 m thick is wide-spread in the studied region from the coast to the shelf boundary (isobaths of 130–140 m), where it pinches out at a distance of ～380 km from the coast at a depth of ～250 m above the sea level.     

Investigation of the mechanism of the long-term evolution of the carbon cycle in the ecosystem of the Sevastopol bay

We analyze the components of the carbon system of the Sevastopol bay waters and the balance of main sediment-forming substances using the data of field investigations in 1998–2008. The interannual variations of total inorganic carbon and the equilibrium partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the bay water are noted. An increase in the flux of carbon dioxide into the bay and in the content of organic carbon in bottom sediments is revealed, and an explanation of this phenomenon is given. The priority accumulation of organic carbon in the sediments of the bay is established. We assess the interannual variation in the relative abundances of organic and inorganic carbon as an index of the carbon cycle stability.     

Contemporary state of the investigation of the influence of the discharge of rivers on the hydrologic structure of the Black Sea

We generalize and analyze the state of investigations of the influence of river waters on the hydrologic structure of the Black Sea. Specific features of the water, regime and hydrography of rivers flowing into the sea, data on the discharge of rivers, and intrayear and interyear variability of the discharge are presented. We discuss and analyze works studying the transformation of river waters, routes of desalinized sea waters, and their influence on the thermohaline structure and dynamic regime of the sea. Translated by Peter V. Malyshev and Dmitry V. Malyshev     

Modelling of the ecosystem of the Black-Sea shelf zone near the estuary of the Danube

We analyze the results of numerical calculations performed according to the three-dimensional interdisciplinary model of an ecological system of the Black-Sea shelf zone near the estuary of the Danube. The complete system of equations of hydrothermodynamics is solved together with transport equations of the advection-diffusion-reaction type used to describe the transformation of a substance (nitrogen) between the components of the characteristic vectors of the ecosystem: plankton, detritus, and biogenic elements (nitrates). We describe the distinctive features of the circumcontinental distribution of components obtained as a result of numerical experiments and present arguments for the conclusion that the ecosystem of the Danube estuary water area plays the role of a buffer zone between the press of the Danubian biogenic pollutions and the neighbouring areas of the shelf zone and open sea. Translated by Peter V. Malyshev and Dmitry V. Malyshev     

Relationship between the path of the Kuroshio in the south of Japan and the path of the Kuroshio Extension in the east

A relationship between paths of the Kuroshio and Kuroshio Extension (KE) is investigated, using the satellite-derived altimetry dataset of 1993–2008. When the Kuroshio takes the nearshore nonlarge meander path or typical large meander path and resultantly goes through the deeper channel (about 2500 m) of the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge, the KE path adopts a relatively stable state with the two quasi-stationary meanders. On the other hand, when the Kuroshio takes the offshore nonlarge meander path and then passes over the shallower part of the Ridge (about 1000 m), the KE path tends to be convoluted, i.e., an unstable state.     

Dynamics of the ice cover and peculiarities of the ice transportation of the sediments at the tidal flats of the Kandalaksha Gulf of the White Sea

Ten years of semistationary studies of the interaction of the ice cover and the coastal relief of the Kandalakhsa Gulf in the White Sea allowed us to reveal the peculiarities of these processes in the warm and cold years and the mechanisms of the origination of ice forms, including ice tents, which govern the character of the tidal flats. Three dynamic fast ice zones are distinguished by their geomorphological location, morphology, and ice dynamics. The dependence of the mechanisms and volumes of the enrichment of the fast ice in the sediments on the coastal zone??s relief was established. At the coast of the Kindo Peninsula (Velikaya Salma Strait), the ice mostly contains fine-sandy sediments. Coarser sediments, including boulders, are occasional and frozen into the ice at the contact of the fast ice and the bottom. At the expense of the ice??s spreading by 4?C6 times in the warm years and 2?C4 times in the cold years, several thousand tons of sediments mostly from the tidal flat??s surface (100?C700 m³ from 1 km of coast in the wide tidal flats and <50 m³ on the steep coasts) are delivered to the water area.     

Parameters of the sediments of the deep-water basin of the Black Sea

The methodology and the first results of the computations of the volumes, masses, and growth rates of the sedimentary body of the buried Black Sea basin are presented. Their temporal evolution reflects the regional paleogeodynamics, in particular, the reorientation of the vector of the relative movement of the Arabian and Eurasian lithospheric plates and the related intensification of their collision in the late Miocene-Pliocene.     

Variability of the nutrient runoff of the rivers of the Arctic Basin

The spatiotemporal variability of the hydrochemical composition of the riverine runoff in nearmouth areas is presented using the example of selected rivers of the Arctic Basin. The temporal dynamics of the riverine nutrient runoff are mainly determined by the seasonal and interseasonal variations in the drainage basins. The spatial variations in the chemical composition of riverine waters in the near-mouth areas are mainly caused by the dynamics of the water flow and the river bed relief and, to a lesser degree, by biochemical processes. It is shown that the variations in the nutrient composition of the waters in near-mouth areas are comparable in magnitude to those at the river-sea geochemical barriers.     

On the Relationship between the Characteristics of the Annual Variations of the Virtual Height of the Ionospheric Sporadic E Layer with the Seasonal Rearrangements of the Stratomesospheric Circulation

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - Analysis of the temporal variations of the virtual heights of the sporadic E layer (h?ES) determined from ionograms with increased accuracy (1...     

A model of the dynamics of the ecosystem of the Sea of Azov

We use many-year archival observations of hydrologic and hydrobiologic state of the Sea of Azov for the identification of the structure of a model of its ecosystem. The ecosystem model, supplemented with expert estimates of bioresource consumption (fish reserve), contamination level, and possible ecologic fines for violation of the sea natural state, is formalized by the method of system dynamics. Hereat, the major part of influence functions is found in terms of observational data with application of self-organization algorithms. We also present the results of simulated experiments with the model of the ecosystem, which enable us to analyse scenarios of its behaviour under the influence of various external factors (wind, river discharge, water exchange with the Black Sea, etc.). Translated by Peter V. Malyshev and Dmitry V. Malyshev