海洋核杂岩形成机制及其热液硫化物成矿意义

海洋核杂岩是近年来新提出的洋底构造样式,其主要产出于慢速-超慢速扩张洋中脊轴两侧,目前在中大西洋脊、西南印度洋脊、中印度洋脊以及东南印度洋脊均发现海洋核杂岩。海洋核杂岩以其表面梳状构造为主要的探测特征,其构造要素还包括平行于洋脊轴的拆离断层、上盘后期正断层等;其岩石组合以出露于洋底的地幔岩石为主。海洋核杂岩的发育与慢速-超慢速洋脊的扩张速率、岩浆补给和拆离断层的发育有关:慢速-超慢速扩张洋脊的岩浆补给不足以平衡洋脊扩张所带来的空间应变量,从而以在薄弱带发育拆离断层来弥补,并继而使拆离断层下盘的地幔岩石出露洋底表面,形成海洋核杂岩。海洋核杂岩的发育经历了发育初期、发展期、成熟期和衰亡期等周期。海洋核杂岩为洋底热液硫化物矿床的发育提供了物质来源、热液通道等有利条件,或将是热液硫化物矿床发育的有利构造条件,是一种新的远离洋脊轴的热液系统。     

蛇纹岩化作用对超慢速洋中脊拆离断层发育的影响

在超慢速扩张的洋中脊区域,广泛发育的拆离断层将幔源橄榄岩大规模拆离到海底表面,上升出露的橄榄岩发生蛇纹岩化作用,极大地降低了岩石强度,促进了拆离断层的持续滑动,形成独特的光滑地形。本文利用快速拉格朗日连续介质分析法模拟研究蛇纹岩化作用对超慢速洋中脊拆离断层发育的影响。通过对比有蛇纹岩化作用和无蛇纹岩化作用下拆离断层发育的生命周期和力学差异,发现在蛇纹岩化作用下,岩石圈生成断层所需要应力降低了40%,导致断层下盘极易产生与原断层倾向相反的新断层;蛇纹岩化导致断层滑动摩擦力减小,有利于断层的持续滑动。理解蛇纹岩化作用和断层发育的关系对认识超慢速洋脊段末端的扩张机制具有重要意义。     

海洋核杂岩

为了解释洋壳中大量铲形正断层及垂直洋中脊的大量线理(如大西洋中脊的巨型窗棱构造)等现象,通过与大陆上变质核杂岩对比,近来提出了一种新的海底构造类型———海洋核杂岩。在洋底深地震剖面上核杂岩结构形态可以分为3部分,其中第1部分为层1和层2,以脆性变形为特征;第2部分为脆-韧性过渡层,拆离带发育其中,由白色结壳式碳酸盐岩和强烈蛇纹石化的橄榄岩或玄武岩、超镁铁质糜棱岩、糜棱状辉长岩等组成。拆离面之上为未变质的薄层海洋沉积层,其下为热洋幔的退变质岩石组成;第3部分为核部,以塑性变形为特征,常被超基性岩体(尤其是辉长岩侵入体)底辟侵入。与大陆变质核杂岩相比,海洋核杂岩具有明显的独特性。海洋核杂岩的拆离断层同样有数十千米的位移量,因而,可能导致出现海底磁条带的局部错位现象,使得洋壳磁条带的平面结构复杂化。     

东南印度洋中脊(108°—134°E区域)断层构造与岩浆活动关系

东南印度洋脊(Southeast Indian Ridge, 简称SEIR)是中速扩张洋中脊, 在其中的108°—134°E区域的全扩张速率为72~76 mm·a ^-1。但在接近澳大利亚-南极洲不整合带(Australian-Antarctic Discordance, 简称AAD)区内, 海底地貌沿洋中脊的变化强烈, 其变化范围涵盖了从慢速到快速扩张洋中脊上常见的例子, 且出现了明显的地球物理与地球化学异常, 说明洋中脊在AAD区附近的岩浆供应量极不均匀。文章定量分析了高精度多波束测深数据, 计算了洋中脊不同段的地形坡度、断层比例以及平面与剖面的岩浆参数M值, 结合研究区内剩余地幔布格重力异常以及洋中脊轴部地球化学指标Na_8.0、Fe_8.0等资料, 分析与讨论了研究区的断层构造与岩浆活动特征的关系。研究发现, 东南印度洋脊108°—134°E区域的B区(在AAD区内)及C5段(在AAD区外西侧)发育有大量的海洋核杂岩, 而且B区的海洋核杂岩单体规模更大, 其中最大的位于B3区, 沿洋中脊扩张方向延伸约50km。研究结果首次系统性地显示, 相比东南印度洋的其他区域, B和C5异常区具有偏低的平面与剖面M值、偏高的断层比例、偏正的地幔布格重力异常以及偏高的Na_8.0值与偏低的Fe_8.0值, 这些异常特征可能反映了B区和C5段的岩浆初始熔融深度较浅以及岩浆熔融程度较低, 因此导致其岩浆供应量异常少, 形成较薄的地壳。研究结果同时表明, 在岩浆供应量极少的洋中脊, 构造伸展作用有利于海洋核杂岩的发育, 导致地壳进一步减薄。     

南海西南次海盆与超慢速扩张西南印度洋中脊地壳结构对比

近年来对西南印度洋中脊的研究显示,超慢速扩张(全扩张率:12~18mm·yr~(-1))的西南印度洋中脊包含岩浆增生型和非岩浆增生型两种截然不同的地壳结构。岩浆增生型中脊段表现为轴向的海底隆起,通常具有较低的地幔布格重力异常和较强的磁性,地壳厚度较大;非岩浆增生型中脊段通常水深较深,缺乏转换断层,发育拆离断层和高角度正断层,具有较高的地幔布格重力异常和微弱的磁性,大量蛇纹石化的地幔橄榄岩出露海底,火成岩地壳较薄甚至不存在。南海西南次海盆具有较慢速扩张率(全扩张率:50~35mm·yr~(-1)),其接近消亡洋中脊中央部分的地壳厚度也较薄,也有可能存在蛇纹石化地幔,具有超慢速扩张脊非岩浆增生段的特点。     

慢速扩张洋中脊热液成矿的典型实例——青藏高原北部德尔尼铜矿地质对比研究

青海德尔尼铜矿是发育在青藏高原北部的块状硫化物矿床,其赋矿围岩为阿尼玛卿蛇绿岩套中的超基性岩,代表了古特提斯洋的残骸。通过对德尔尼铜矿的详细地质解剖,认为其保留了大量海底热液喷流的地质记录,包括:矿体上部普遍发育的薄层喷流岩;多孔状硫化物中保留下来的胶状结构、草莓结构和角砾结构;矿石的主要矿物组成;与黄铁矿碎屑同期形成的方解石、长英质胶结物;与大西洋Rainbow、TAG热液硫化物矿床相似的矿体分带性。根据洋脊玄武岩中TiO2全岩含量估算德尔尼蛇绿岩所代表的这一段古特提斯洋洋中脊为慢速-超慢速扩张洋中脊,半扩张速率为1.1~2.5cm/a。类比现今洋中脊热液硫化物成矿过程,认为德尔尼铜矿经历了海底喷流、冷却保存和俯冲侵位等3个阶段,其中海底喷流阶段可能与洋底核杂岩具有成因联系,俯冲侵位过程中的矿体和超基性岩、玄武岩受逆冲断层控制。与世界上其他陆地上保存的类似矿床相比,德尔尼铜矿时代年轻(石炭纪),矿床结构和构造及其围岩蚀变特征保存完整,是慢速-超慢速洋脊超基性围岩热液成矿作用的典型实例,可以称之为德尔尼型成矿作用,研究其成矿过程,对研究和理解现今洋中脊超基性岩系统热液成矿作用(尤其是深部成矿作用)具有重要的意义。     

洋中脊分段性及其拓展和叠接机制

各种扩张速率下的洋中脊被转换断层和非转换断层分成许多段(长10到100km不等),而且这种岩浆活动和构造的分段特性在大西洋中脊表现特别明显。洋脊分段特征可以划分为4级。其中,转换断层是1级间断,其错断洋脊距离大于30km,其长度可达1000km左右,存在寿命可达10Ma。相邻转换断层之间的距离间隔也与扩张速率有关：扩张速率最慢处的距离间隔小于200km,中速一快速扩张脊为600～1000km,扩张速率大于140mm／a的脊段上未发现转换断层,总体上转换断层间距随扩张速率而增加。叠接拓展中心、斜向剪切带、火山间隔和横向断错等分别为2～4级间断,出现在两条转换断层之间,使洋中脊错断距离逐渐减少。2～4级区段的洋中脊长度也越来越小,存在的寿命也越来越短,直至4级区段的洋中脊长度一般小于10km,存在寿命为10^2～10^4a。这种分段性无论在超快速、快速、中速、慢速扩张脊,还是超慢速扩张脊都存在,其分段机制都与洋中脊拓展、叠接、跃迁(或废弃)、死亡过程密切相关,而拓展、叠接过程又受多种动力要素控制。正是洋中脊分段的动力机制控制了中央裂谷的存在与否。     

西南印度洋中脊岩石地球化学特征及其岩浆作用研究

作为超慢速扩张脊的代表,西南印度洋中脊(SWIR)因其独一无二的地形地貌特征、洋壳结构、洋壳增生机制、岩浆和热液活动以及深部动力学过程,近30年来成为国内外研究的热点区域。基于近年来对SWIR玄武岩、辉长岩及橄榄岩的岩石学和地球化学研究成果总结,重点探讨了沿SWIR轴向(大尺度)以及单个洋脊分段(小尺度)的岩石地球化学变化特征及其影响因素,阐述了SWIR的岩浆供应及洋壳增生模式。其中,在9°～16°E斜向扩张脊,以构造作用为主的洋脊扩张模式导致了更宽的洋壳增生带和显著的地球化学异常;而在50°～51°E脊段,发育了强烈的火山活动,其成因机制包括克洛泽热点与洋中脊相互作用、微热点、古老熔融事件的残留地幔再熔融等几种观点。此外,西南印度洋中脊龙旂热液区(～49.7°E)的最新研究表明,其热液循环路径与拆离断层的发育密不可分,热液流体循环最深可达莫霍面以下6 km。因此,在今后的一段时间,应进一步加强SWIR不同空间尺度地幔源区性质、洋中脊构造与岩浆作用过程、热点-洋中脊相互作用和岩浆-热液活动与成矿等主要科学问题的研究。     

慢速、超慢速扩张洋中脊三维地震结构研究进展与展望

慢速与超慢速扩张洋脊是研究岩浆活动、构造运动、热液循环等相互作用的最佳场所;其复杂的三维空间的地震结构是构建构造动力学机制的基础.文章首先结合国际深海研究发展趋势,回顾了慢速扩张洋脊的三维地震结构研究进展,发现慢速扩张洋中脊与快速洋脊相似,也存在岩浆房或熔融体;然后,重点结合我国2010年1-3月首次在西南印度洋洋中脊开展的三维地震探测实验,提出了今后超慢速洋中脊的重要研究方向;此次地震数据初步处理结果表明,数据质量良好,为下一步三维层析成像研究打下坚实基础;相信此次研究将在超慢速扩张洋脊的形成演化机制上取得突破性进展,提升我国在国际大洋中脊研究中的地位.     

IODP360航次——西南印度洋中脊地壳与莫霍面(慢扩张脊的下地壳和莫霍面性质)

<正>IODP360航次是一个多期钻井项目的第一个航次(slomo-1),旨在钻透超慢扩张的西南印度洋中脊的地壳/地幔边界,研究莫霍地震不连续性(莫霍面)的性质。该航次预计钻至1 300m可达下地壳的辉长岩,穿透地壳-地幔过渡的大量橄榄岩的可能性不大。钻井位于亚特兰蒂斯滩的亚特兰蒂斯II东翼的一个海蚀平台上。以前的钻井和图件表明亚特兰蒂斯滩是一个大型的海洋核杂岩复合物,海洋滑脱断层下盘是深部地壳和岩石圈地幔剥蚀出露的一个构造窗。亚特兰蒂斯滩最浅的部分水深700m,包括一个25km2边缘为薄     

Microbial Biomass and Organic Nutrients in the Deep-Sea Sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin

In order to assess the impact of deep-sea mining on the in situ benthic life, we measured the microbial standing stock and concentration of organic nutrients in the deep-sea sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin in the Indian pioneer area. Sediments were collected using box core and grab samples during September 1996. The total bacterial numbers ranged from 10 10 -10 11 cells per g -1 dry weight sediment. There was a marginal decrease in the number of bacteria from surface to 30 cm depth, though the subsurface section registered a higher number than did the surface. The highest numbers were encountered at depths of 4-8 cm. The retrievable number of bacteria were two orders less in comparison with the direct total counts of bacteria. An almost homogeneous distribution of bacteria, total organic carbon, living biomass, and lipids throughout the depth of cores indicates active microbial and benthic processes in the deep sea sediments. On the other hand, a uniform distribution of total counts of bacteria, carbohydrates, and total organic carbon in all the cores indicates their stable nature and suggests that they can serve as useful parameters for long-term monitoring of the area after the benthic disturbance. Further studies on temporal variability in this region would not only verify the observed norms of distribution of these variables but would also help to understand restabilization processes after the simulated benthic disturbance.     

Geoacoustic Inversion via Genetic Algorithm and Its Application to Manganese Sediment Identification

An acoustic inversion method using a wide-band signal and two near field receivers is proposed and applied to multiple layered seabed models including a manganese sediment. The inversion problem can be formulated into a probabilistic model comprised of signals, a forward model, and additive noise. The forward model simulates wide-band signals, such as chirp signals, and is chosen to be the source-waveletconvolution plane wave modeling method. The wavelet matching technique, using weighted least-squares fitting, estimates the sediment sound-speed and thickness on which determination of the possible numerical ranges for a priori uniform distribution is based. The genetic algorithm is applied to a global optimization problem to find a maximum a posteriori solution for determined a priori search space. Here the object function is defined by an L 2 norm of the difference between measured and modeled signals. Not only the marginal pdf but also its statistics are calculated by numerical evaluation of integrals using the samples selected during importance sampling process of the genetic algorithm.     

Deep-Sea Sediment Compression Curves: Some Controlling Factors, Spurious Overconsolidation, Predictions, and Geophysical Reproduction

Oedometer tests have been carried out on 70 undisturbed surficial clays (at approximately 250 mm below the mudline), mostly collected by free-fall corers from sites widely scattered throughout the deep-sea North Atlantic. Acoustic measurements were also made, initially on contiguous samples and ultimately on the same sample using a geophysically instrumented oedometer which also collected electrical resistivity data. Apart from those quiescent areas below the carbonate compensation depth, such as north of the West Indies where very fine clays exist, most of the samples are silty clays whose geotechnical-geophysical properties are dependent on the type of clay minerals present (and their ability to take in moisture), the sand-size fraction, and the quantity of carbonate present. Thus the pure clays have high compressibilities which decrease on the addition of coarse particles, while the converse is true for the acoustic parameters, these increasing with the sand fraction. Using the notion of the intrinsic compression line for all samples, and comparison to it of the measured compression curves, it is clear that, contrary to some previously held ideas, most deep-sea clays are normally consolidated; the addition of carbonate has the effect of creating an open, stronger sediment skeleton. Interestingly, where information is available, the variation with depth of a sample's acoustic velocity follows the void ratio pressure relationship of the compression curve. This allows the construction of an in-situ sediment compression curve using the in-situ geophysical observations.     

INFORMATION FOR AUTHORS

<正>Acta Oceanologica Sinica(AOS)is a comprehensive academic journal edited by the Editorial Committee of Acta Oceanologica Sinica and is designed to provide a forum for important research papers of the marine scientific community which reflect the information on a worldwide basis.The journal publishes scholarly papers on marine science and technology,including physics,chemistry,biology,     

Evaluation of the Risk of Marine Slope Instability: A Pseudo-3D Approach for Application to Large Areas

This article presents a methodology developed to evaluate the instability of submarine slopes that extend over a large area. Special attention was paid to (1) the complex geometry (bathymetry) and the expanse of the slope, (2) the heterogeneity of the sediment, and (3) the distribution of the pore pressure. The safety factor was considered as a spatially varying quantity. The General Formulation (GLE, Fredlund and Krahn 1977), which fully satisfies equilibrium conditions, was used for evaluating the stability of the marine slope. The submarine slope failure, which occurred on 16 October 1979 during the construction of the new Nice airport, was studied in order to test the developed model. Geotechnical parameters were taken from experimental tests carried out by IFREMER on 19 cores extracted at different depths (from 27 m to 1300 m) (Cochonat, Bourillet, and Savoye, 1993; Mulder et al., 1994). Many scenarios were proposed in order to explain the cause of the Nice slope failure (Habib, 1994). In this article, two of those scenarios were tested. Simulation results are presented and discussed.     

Effects of tributyltin at environmental levels on monooxygenase system of digestive gland in hard clam Meretrix meretrix

The effects on ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase （EROD）, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and NADH cytochrorne b5 reductase activities of digestive gland in Meretrix meretrix exposed to tributyltin （TBT） at environmental levels （0.1,1.0,10.0 ng/dm as stannum concentration）,in experimental condition, were evaluated. The EROD, NADH cytochrorne b5 reductase activities were significantly inhibited after exposure to 10.0 ng/dm^3 TBT for 8 and 20 d, the NADPH cytochrorne c reductase activities were significantly inhibited after exposure to 0.1,1.0 and 10.0 ng/dm TBT for 8 d and to 1.0 and 10.0 ng/dm for 20 d, as compared with the matched control, while NADH cytochrorne b5 reductases and NADPH cytochrome c reductase activities were induced after exposure to 10.0 ng/dm^3 TBT for 2 d. The EROD activity in the 10 ng/dm^3 group,and the NADH cytochrome b5 reductases activities in 1.0 and 10.0 ng/dm groups, were significantly induced when transferred to clean recovery tanks for 7 d. The three enzymic activities in the clams exposed to TBT were recovered to the level corresponding to that of the control group after transfer to clean recovery tanks for 20 d. NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity in Meretrix meretrix seems to be more sensitive to exposure of TBT than that of the EROD and NADH cytochrome b5 reductases. The results suggest that induction and inhibition by TBT to the monooxygenase system enzymic activity in Meretrix meretrix would simultaneously exist. The enzymic activities were inhibited by exposure for a long time. The results suggest that inhibition of the monooxygenase system should be an indication of the exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of TBT for a long time.     

Morphological Features of Co-Rich Manganese Deposits and Their Relation to Seabed Slopes

The morphological features associated with Co-rich manganese deposits, the size variations of nodules, and the occurrence of different substrates have been analyzed, to evaluate the influence of various seabed slope angles on the distribution of these features. The coverage and size of the crusts depend on their surface morphology and seabed topography, resulting in cobble-type, lineated, or step-like outcrops. Small nodules (1 - 4 cm in diameter) dominate all seabed slopes, with a few locations having nodules ranging from 1 to 8 or 1 to 10 cm. Sediments invariably occur as substrates for nodules and as cover for crusts, their coverage being inversely proportional to that of the nodules and crust outcrops. Steeper seafloor areas have large crust outcrops exposed with no or few nodules and sediments associated with them. The intermediate slopes have a combination of nodules, sediments, and crusts in various proportions, depending on topography and gradient. Large-scale nodule occurrences, followed by sediment fields and crust outcrops on seabed slopes of greater than 3 degrees, 3 - 7 degreees, and less than 15 degrees, respectively, represent typical morphological distribution zones of the Co-rich manganese deposits on a seamount in the central Pacific Ocean. A transition zone between nodule-dominated fields and large crust outcrops occurs for slopes from 7 degrees to 15 degrees. This detailed study on distribution of Co-rich deposits gives a better understanding for purposes of their exploitation.     

Deep-sea nematode assemblage has not recovered 26 years after experimental mining of polymetallic nodules (Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, Tropical Eastern Pacific)

We investigated nematode assemblages inhabiting the 26-year-old track created by experimental deep-sea mining of polymetallic nodules, and two adjacent, undisturbed sites, one with nodules and one without nodules. The aim was to compare density, assemblage structure, and diversity indices in order to assess the process of recovery of the nematode assemblage inhabiting the disturbed site. This experimental dredging was conducted in 1978 by the Ocean Minerals Company (USA) in the area of a French mining claim in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (Tropical Eastern Pacific) at a depth of about 5000 m. The nematode assemblage had not returned its initial state 26 years after the experimental dredging: the total nematode density and biomass within the dredging track were significantly lower than outside the track; the biodiversity indices showed significantly lower nematode diversity within the track; and the structure of the nematode assemblage within the track differed significantly from those in the two undisturbed sites outside the track. However, there were no significant differences in the mean body volumes of adult nematodes and adult-juvenile ratios between the track and reference sites. Parameters such as the rate of sediment restoration (which depends on local hydrological conditions) and the degree and character of the disturbance appeared to be of considerable importance for the recovery rate of the deep-sea nematode assemblages and their ability to recolonize disturbed areas. The rates of recolonization and recovery may vary widely in different deep-sea regions.     

Tectonically-driven mud volcanism since the late Pliocene on the Calabrian accretionary prism,central Mediterranean Sea

Mud volcanoes recently discovered on the offshore Calabrian Arc are investigated at two sites 60 km apart, in water depths of 1650--2300 m, using swath bathymetry, 2D&3D multichannel seismic and cores. The seabed and subsurface data provide information on their formation and functioning in relation to tectonic activity during the rapid Plio-Quaternary advance of the accretionary prism. Fore-arc extension and thrust-belt compression are seen to have involved two main phases of activity, separated by a regional unconformity recording a mid-Pliocene (3.5–3.0 Ma) tectonic reorganization. The two sites of mud volcanism lie in contrasting tectonic settings (inner fore-arc basin vs central fold-and-thrust belt) and record differing forms of seabed extrusive activity (twin mud cones and a caldera vs a broad mud pie). At both sites, subsurface data show that mud volcanism took place throughout the second tectonic phase, since the late Pliocene; differing forms of mud extrusion were accompanied by subsidence to form depressions beneath and within extrusive edifices up to 1.5 km thick. The basal subsidence depressions point to sources within the succession of thrusts underlying the inner to central Arc, consistent with microfossils within cored mud breccias from both sites that are derived from strata as old as Late Cretaceous.