Distribution and origin of sediments on the northern Sunda Shelf, South China Sea

ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＯｎｅｏｆｔｈｅｍｏｓｔｅｘｔｅｎｓｉｖｅｓｈｅｌｖｅｓｏｆｔｈｅｗｏｒｌｄｌｙｉｎｇｗｉｔｈｉｎｔｈｅｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎｐａｒｔｏｆｔｈｅＳｏｕｔｈＣｈｉｎａＳｅａｉｓｔｈｅ1850000ｋｍ2ＳｕｎｄａＳｈｅｌｆｌｏｃａｔｅｄｂｅｔｗｅｅｎｔｈｅｔｈｒｅｅｌａｒｇｅｉｓｌａｎｄｓｏｆＳｕｍａｔｒａ,Ｂｏｒｎｅｏ,ＪａｖａａｎｄｍａｉｎｌａｎｄＡｓｉａ(ＬａＦｏｎｄ,1966).ＴｈｅｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎｐａｒｔｏｆｔｈｅＳｕｎｄａＳｈｅｌｆｉｓｓｅｐａｒａｔｅｄｆｒｏｍｔｈｅＪａｖａＳｅａｓ…     

Sediment flux and source in northern Yellow Sea by^210 Pb technique

1 INTRODUCTION The Yellow Sea is a shallow epicontinental sea surrounded by Chinese mainland and Korean Peninsula. It is connected with the East China Sea to the south, and with the Bohai Sea to the north- west. Water depth is generally less than 80 m with average of 44 m (Qin et al., 1989). The major sediment sources are the Huanghe and Changjiang (Yangtze) Rivers, providing annual sediment load of about 1.1×109 and 4.9×108 tons, respectively. A maximum of 1.6×108 tons of sedime…     

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.     

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.     

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.     

SEDIMENT DISCHARGE OF THE HUANGHE RIVER AND ITS EFFECT ON SEDIMENTATION OF THE BOHAI SEA AND THE YELLOW SEA

The Huanghe (Yellow) River, with annual sediment discharge about 11 ×108tons, contributes about 17% of the fluvial sediment discharge of world's 21 major rivers to the ocean because its middle reaches flow across the great Loess Plateau of China. Sediment discharge of the Huanghe River has a widespread and profound effect on sedimentation of the sea. The remarkable shift of its outlet in 1128-1855 A.D. to the South Yellow Sea formed a large subaqueous delta and provided the substrate for an extensive submarine ridge field.The shift of its outlet in the modern delta every 10 years is the main reason why with an extremely heavy sediment input and a micro- tidal environment, the Huanghe River has not succeeded in building a birdfoot delta like the Mississippi. The Huanghe River has consistently brought heavy sediment input to sea at least since 0.7 myr.B.P. Paleochannels, paleosols, cheniers and fossils on the sea bottom indicate that the Yellow Sea was exposed during the late Quaternary glacial low-sea l     

Type and evolution of landscapes of Nansha Islands

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

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.     

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.     

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.     

南海北部花斑蛇鲻生长死亡参数估计及开捕规格

将南海北部花斑蛇鲻分成南海北部大陆架和北部湾两个不同海域群体 ,计算花斑蛇鲻的生长与死亡参数。得到的VonBertalanffy生长方程的相关参数为 :南海北部大陆架L∞ =4 5.5cm ,K =0 .2 8,t0 =- 0 .4 6 0 ;北部湾L∞ =4 0 .0cm ,K =0 .30 ,t0 =- 0 .4 43。计算自然死亡系数得南海北部大陆架为 0 .6 3;北部湾为 0 .6 7;捕捞死亡系数南海北部大陆架为 0 .79,北部湾为 1.11。据等渔获量曲线建议南海北部大陆架花斑蛇鲻开捕体长由 13.3cm增加至 2 0 .0cm ,同时 ,捕捞死亡系数可由当前的 0 .79放宽至 1.0 ;北部湾花斑蛇鲻开捕体长由 13.5cm增加至 19.0cm的同时 ,捕捞死亡系数可由当前的 1.11放宽至 1.5。     

UPWELLING AND SEDIMENTATION DYNAMICS Ⅲ: COINCIDENCE OF UPWELLING AREAS WITH MUD PATCHES IN NORTH HEMISPHERE SHELF SEAS

ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＴｈｅｈｏｒｉｚｏｎｔａｌｃｕｒｒｅｎｔｉｎｔｈｅｓｅａｏｒｏｃｅａｎｉｓａｍａｊｏｒｆａｃｔｏｒａｆｆｅｃｔｉｎｇｓｅｄｉｍｅｎｔｅｒｏｓｉｏｎ ,ｔｒａｎｓ ｐｏｒｔ,ｄｅｐｏｓｉｔｉｏｎ ,ｅｔｃ.Ｔｈｅｒｅｆｏｒｅ,ｍｏｓｔｗｏｒｋｄｏｎｅｗａｓｏｎｔｈｅｅｆｆｅｃｔｏｆｈｏｒｉｚｏｎｔａｌｃｕｒｒｅｎｔ.Ｆｅｗｏ ｃｅａｎｏｇｒａｐｈｅｒｓｈａｖｅｔａｋｅｎｎｏｔｅｏｆｔｈｅｉｎｆｌｕｅｎｃｅｏｆｖｅｒｔｉｃａｌｃｉｒｃｕｌａｔｉｏｎｏｎｔｈｅｓｕｓｐｅｎｄｅｄｍａｔｔｅ…     

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.     

中日东海划界之中间线方案:问题与评析

中日东海划界历经旷日持久而未能解决,中国主张尊重《联合国海洋法公约》(以下简称《公约》)中大陆架之自然延伸原则,采取不同于专属经济区的方法对大陆架进行划界,而日本则始终坚持采用中间线对中日东海大陆架和经济专属区作一揽子划界。无论从逻辑角度还是法理视角,日本主张在中日东海划界中适用中间线将混淆《公约》中专属经济区与大陆架两种制度。基于中日东海大陆架的地质与地貌特点以及公约对上述两种权利的不同规定,中日难以通过中间线对东海的海洋权益作出公平划分。中日两国应以《公约》为依据,分别对专属经济区和大陆架的划界作出安排,同时兼顾处理钓鱼岛群岛的主权归属问题,使中日东海划界问题得到妥善解决。     

Study on suspended matter in seawater in the Southern Yellow Sea

Distribution of suspended matter in seawater in the Southern Yellow Sea is investigated in five regions: 1) the Northern Jiangsu bank, the highest TSM (total suspended matter) content region; 2) the high TSM content region off the Changjiang River mouth; 3) the high TSM content region off the Chengshan Cape; 4) the low TSM region off Haizhou Bay; 5) the central part of the Southern Yellow Sea, a low TSM content region. The vertical distribution of TSM is mainly characterized by a spring layer of suspended matter, written as “suspended-cline” whose genesis is related to storms in winter. In this paper, non-combustible components and grain sizes in suspended matter, relationship between suspended matter and bottom sediments, and salinity in seawater are described. Investigation result shows that, in this area, suspended matter comes mainly from resuspended bottom sediment and secondarily from present discharge loads from rivers and biogenic materials. Discharged sediments from the Huanghe River move around the Chengshan Cape and affect the northwestern region of this area. Sediments from the Changjiang River affect only the southern part and have little or no direct influence on the central deep region. Wave is the main factor affecting distribution of suspended matter. Water depth controls the critical depth acted on by waves. The cold water mass in the central region limits horizontal and vertical dispersions of terrigenous materials. Suspended matter here has the transitional properties of the epicontinental sea. Its concentration and composition are different from those of a semi-closed sea (such as the Bohai Sea) and those of the East China Sea outer continental shelf or those near oceanic areas.     

Utilization and sustainable development of island mountains in China

ＵＴＩＬＩＺＡＴＩＯＮＡＮＤＳＵＳＴＡＩＮＡＢＬＥＤＥＶＥＬＯＰＭＥＮＴＯＦＩＳＬＡＮＤＭＯＵＮＴＡＩＮＳＩＮＣＨＩＮＡ①ＺｈａｎｇＹａｏｇｕａｎｇ（张耀光）ＹａｎｇＹｉｎｋａｉ（杨荫凯）ＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＭａｒｉｎｅＲｅｓｏｕｒｃｅｓ,Ｌｉａｏ...     

UPWELLING AND SEDIMENTATION DYNAMICS Ⅲ：COINCIDENCE OF UPWELLING AREAS WITH MUD PATCHES IN NORTH HEMISPHERE SHELF SEAS

The determinant role of upwelling in fine sediment patches is examined from the view-points of physical process and biological process respectively. It is pointed out that physical and biologicalprocesses are usually coexistent and interact with each other during the sedimentation of suspended mat-ters. This study used available figures showing the circulation pattern and surface sediment distribution inthe whole China Seas, the Gulf of Maine, the Irish Sea and the North Sea, and additional data to verifythat wherever upwelling exists on the continental shelf, mud must occur; and that wherever dowrtwellingoccurs, coarse sediment substitutes for mud.     

A TWO-DIMENSIONAL VORTICITY MODEL OF INTERNAL TIDES GENERATED ON THE CONTINENTAL SHELF/SLOPE

A two-dimensional spectral-difference mode (with vorticity and density equations) of internal tides isdeveloped for studying the genration and propagration of internal tides generated at the continentalshelf/slope. In general, internal tides propagate seaward in deep sea regions and shoreward on the shelf,and are dissipated rapidly. When the Vaisala frequency decreases vertically, waves may be mostly limited to thecontinental slope region. in deep sea region, motions may have either boam-like structure or modal structure,depending on the stratification strerigth and structure, whereas a modal structure may always exist onthe shelf. Waves show strong bottom intensification on the slope when strong stratification exists on thebottom. The barotropic tidal advection may affed the temporal character of internal tides at thecontinental slope, shelf break and shelf regions. but may have little influence on the energy density and energy flux of internal tides. ln the case of strong stratification, waverforms of     

Mechanism of Phase Lag Between Current Speed and Suspended Sediment: Combined Effect of Erosion,Deposition, and Advection

To retrieve and explain the phase lag between current speed and suspended sediment concentration(SSC), erosion, deposition, and advection were isolated as primary processes of sediment movement in a three-dimensional model. The response time was proved to be one of the reasons for the phase lag, as time is needed for suspension to diffuse from bottom to surface. A fitted Shields diagram was introduced into the model to reflect the relationship between SSC and shear stress, between shear stress and critical shear stress, as well as between SSC and critical shear stress for erosion. It takes some time for shear stress to increase to the critical value after high or low tide, and this was proved to be an important contributor to the phase lag. Overall, the variation of vertically integrated SSC is influenced by erosion mass flux, deposition mass flux, and advection flux. The phase pattern of erosion mass flux is consistent with the pattern of current if there was no wave action. However, phase difference is produced by the influence of deposition mass flux and advection. In this study, SSC peak/trough mostly occurred near the moment erosion mass flux approximately equaled deposition mass flux and would be impacted by advection. The time required for instantaneous variation of suspension to get to 0 after current peak/trough represents the phase lag between current speed and SSC.     

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。