海底沉积物孔隙度与声速的关系

给出大陆架海底沉积层中声速(压缩波)V_p依赖于沉积物孔隙度n的一个新的经验公式,该公式当n=100时,V_p=V₀,V₀为海底水声速.公式的计算值与我国周边大陆架测量值吻合较好,并将其结果与国内外成果作了对比讨论.     

用BHC法研究东海大陆架的现代沉积速率和沉积作用

长江口外的东海大陆架,是世界上最宽广的大陆架之一,它承受着中国最大河流——长江的巨大径流,同时,大量泥沙随径流进入陆架区,其中很大一部分泥沙沉积于图1中的Ⅰ_ο区,致使该区水下三角洲迅速演变发育,历史上曾从苏北而现在从渤海入海的黄河,也对本海区的沉积作用有很大的影响,这些沉积物对本海区沉积状况的演变起着很大的作用.沉积物现代沉积速率的测定,是河口陆架区沉积动力学研究的基本问题之一,为了更好地了解发生在河口陆架区现代沉积物表层的地质和化学过程,对海水-沉积物界面间的物质交换作出定量估价,有必要对不同沉积环境中现代沉积速率进行定量研究[1].     

海底沉积物力学性质影响声速的物理机制

利用声学方法提取海底沉积层物理一力学性质的信息,是近年得到迅速发展的一种海底调查方法[1-4],近一、二十年间利用电子显微镜观测技术,发现沉积物一些重要的微观特征,如沉积物颗粒堆垒状态、孔隙结构和孔隙纵横比等,对声在海底沉积物中的传播特性,特别是对于沉积物的声速,具有不能忽视的影响,为了阐明海底沉积物结构-力学因素影响声传播特性的物理机制,本文研究了沉积物微观结构与其宏观声学表现之间的关系,并以南海西北部一个有代表性的陆架海区为例,对17个现场测站的一系列测试数据进行回归分析,结果表明,采用无侧限抗压强度q_u作为等效因子来综合地表达海底沉积物颗粒堆垒和孔隙结构的宏观效应,可作为利用孔隙度n计算沉积层声速c的一个补充修正项;对于本海区,可得到下面形式的经验公式: f(c,n,q_u)=c-4195+90.5833n-0.7695n2+94.6968q_u-64.4603q_u2=0,它提高了不考虑孔隙结构的常用公式(如Anderson公式[5])的计算精度,同时免除了为修正声速计算而对微观孔隙进行测量统计的必要性。     

长江口及邻近海域细颗粒沉积物中重金属的空间分布及沉积通量

长江每年输送大量的泥沙进入东海,其中细颗粒沉积物具有搬运距离远、扩散范围大的特点,成为示踪河口及近海沉积物源汇过程的良好载体。本文基于采自长江口及邻近海域的44个表层沉积物样品,分析了细颗粒组分中重金属的空间分布和沉积通量,探讨了重金属来源和搬运沉积过程。研究表明:长江口及邻近海域细颗粒沉积物中Cu、Cr、Ni、V和Zn含量、沉积通量的空间分布具有高度的相似性,总体表现为长江口及浙闽沿岸高,向外急剧降低;该区细颗粒沉积物中的重金属主要来自长江,入海后向两个方向扩散,其一为向西南方向扩散,沉积于内陆架泥质区;其二是向东的跨陆架输送,沉积于长江冲淡水影响的海域。从长江口向西南方向的输送和沉积是长江入海重金属最重要的汇。     

三角洲中河流颗粒有机质的损失

三角洲中河流颗粒有机质的损失Ｒ．Ｇ．Ｋｅｉｌ等河流释放的颗粒有机质（ＰＯＭ）大约为海洋沉积物中颗粒有机质堆积速率的两倍。因此，通常认为河流ＰＯＭ埋藏效率是很低的。依据亚马逊流域沉积通量，计算出三角洲沉积物中河流ＰＯＭ埋藏效率小于２５％。可是，这种通量...     

三峡大坝建坝前后长江水下三角洲及邻近陆架沉积速率变化

沉积速率是沉积物供给和沉积作用的综合结果,也是表征沉积环境状态的重要指标。本文基于长江水下三角洲及邻近海域收集及补充的254个放射性²¹⁰Pb数据,对数据进行同化处理并使用统一的方法重新估算了沉积速率,分析三峡大坝建成前后研究区沉积速率的变化,探讨了长江入海泥沙减少及性质的变异对河口三角洲冲淤的影响。结果显示,2006年之后长江水下三角洲及邻近陆架沉积速率明显降低,其中水下三角洲沉积速率由最高5.4 cm/a降低到整体不足2 cm/a,而内陆架降幅较小由1～2 cm/a降低到不足1 cm/a,水下三角洲还出现了局部无沉积的站位。2006年之后沉积体表层混合作用增强,混合层厚度从4～10 cm增加到5～30 cm。沉积速率改变主要受制于长江入海沉积物的通量的巨减以及沉积物颗粒的粗化,而沉积速率的改变促进了底栖生物发育从而导致混合作用增强。     

菲律宾海北部四国海盆全新世沉积物源分析

对IODP333航次四国海盆北部地区C0011站位表层样品进行粒度和Sr-Nd同位素分析,并与前人发表的邻近海域同位素数据进行比较。经分离自生碳酸盐组分,四国海盆全新世沉积物呈现较好的陆源、火山源二端元组分特征。从地理位置看,四国海盆北部主要物质来源包括伊豆-小笠原海脊火山物质、日本列岛西南部的混合型沉积物以及由西向风或河流入海洋流输送而来的亚洲陆地沉积物,且日本列岛西南部对于该区域物质贡献最大。对四国海盆北部而言,与海盆中部沉积及日本海沉积相比,源自亚洲大陆的碎屑沉积物具有更多的贡献。沉积物中87Sr/86Sr与εNd、平均粒径的负相关关系反映了沉积物中陆源物质的相对贡献按时间顺序呈现增加、减小、增加、减少的多周期变化趋势。     

受控三轴应力-应变下沉积物声速与物理力学性质的关系

对南海某海域深度100～400 m的海底浅层（约2 m埋深范围）沉积物柱状样在接近海底水压力下进行三轴应变-声学同步测量,结果表明沉积物纵波声速有两个特征:（1）从应变过程开始到结束,沉积物纵波声速不断变化;（2）平均声速随着平均静弹性模量的增加,由大变小又由小变大,存在声速最小值。这些结果与海底浅表层沉积物的物理力学性质、围压、颗粒的结合状态改变有关。此外,沉积物动弹性模量和孔隙度呈良好的负相关性,这与孔隙度增大含水量增大有关;动弹性模量是静弹性模量的10～100倍,这主要与三轴应变试验的应变数量级与声波振动产生的应变数量级的差异大有关。采用本论文实验测量的数据分别建立了双复合参数-声速和孔隙度-声速经验公式,分析结果表明双复合参数-声速公式声速预报误差约是孔隙度-声速公式的1/4,表明双复合参数-声速公式更加有效。     

亚洲入海河流输沙量的区域性变化规律

以亚洲大陆入少河流为例,研究了入海径流量与输沙量的变化规律、含沙量的区域分布特点,依据输沙量和含沙量的特点,对亚洲大陆入海河流作了分区,分析了各个区域入海河流泯沙的形成、输移和沉积差别及其与流域的自然地理条件的密切关系。     

南黄海北部表层沉积物中生物标志物的组成特征及其地球化学意义

通过对南黄海北部14个站位的19个表层沉积物样品进行了粒度、有机碳、GC-FID和GC-MS-MS测定,探讨沉积物有机质中生物标志物组成特征及地球化学意义。研究区表明,沉积物有机碳含量较高,正构烷烃呈双峰分布,具有明显奇偶优势、平均L/H为0.36,说明沉积物中陆源高等植物贡献占优,分析对比表明其沉积物可能主要来自古黄河输入。类异戊二烯烃Pr/Ph均值0.46,表明有机质沉积于强还原环境;Pr/C₁₇和Ph/C₁₈值均小于1,并且随深度有减小的趋势,反映了研究区微生物的降解作用。甾类化合物C₂₉豆甾烷>C_（?）胆甾烷>C₂₈麦角甾烷,说明萜类化合物和甾类化合物主要为陆相输入。较高OEP值、高丰度的藿烯和莫烷及甾烷S构型含量均反映了现代沉积物中有机质未熟-低熟特征,但由于原始母质影响和微生物发育,Ts/Tm和C₃₁αβS/（S+R）、C₃₂αβS/（S+R）、C₃₃αβS/（S+R）和C₂₉αββ/（ααα+αββ）值较高。     

Sediment discharge to the ocean from small mountainous rivers: The New Guinea example

The small mountainous rivers draining the large island of New Guinea (area = 800,000 km²) discharge approximately 1.7 × 10⁹ t of sediment annually, about the same as the combined estimated loads of rivers draining North America. Sediment yields are particularly high for rivers that drain the high mountains of eastern New Guinea, where drainage basins are high and drainage areas small. Owing to the generally narrow (<10 km wide) shelf off eastern New Guinea, much of the fluvial sediment may escape directly to the adjacent deep sea, as evidenced by the presence of sediment-filled trenches. In contrast, many of the rivers draining the south—central part of the island discharge onto a fairly broad shelf, where much of the sediment presumably remains, perhaps as prograding mud wedges.     

Geochemical tracers of northern Portuguese estuarine sediments on the shelf

The northern Portuguese coastal zone is drained by large Iberian rivers, along which there is intensive industrial, agricultural and urban activity. Offshore of the two main river basins of the Douro and Minho, two fine-grained sedimentary formations can be characterised. A geochemical study of this sediment cover has been performed focussing in particular on the fine deposits and the adjacent estuaries. The chemical composition of superficial sediments collected from the northern Portuguese shelf and from the river basins of the Minho and Douro rivers was determined for major, minor and trace elements; the rare earth elements (REE) composition was also determined in selected samples. Statistical analyses of these data for the shelf sediments allow us to identify elements with similar behaviours and the different sediment types along the shelf, and to evaluate of their origins. Downcore profiles of the chemical composition of the fine sediments reveal no evidence for changes induced by recent human activities. To assess the influence of the rivers on the fine sedimentary formations, the elemental distribution patterns of selected sediments have been compared with the estuarine sediments. Lithogenic elements composition normalised to Al and the shale normalised REE distributions showed there are similarities between the Douro River sediments and the sediment composition of the Douro and Galicia mud patches. However, the Galicia mud field showed no relationship in its chemical composition to sediments derived from the Minho River. Nor was any evidence for heavy metal contamination originating from the Douro estuary detected in anthropogenic element/Al ratios in the shelf sediments. This may be because of processes associated with resuspension, complexation and bioturbation that occur during sediment transport and deposition. Nevertheless, the Douro River seems to be the main continental source of fine sediments being deposited on the northern Portuguese shelf.     

Zambezi continental margin: compartmentalized sediment transfer routes to the abyssal Mozambique Channel

Sediment delivery to the abyssal regions of the oceans is an integral process in the source to sink cycle of material derived from adjacent continents and islands. The Zambezi River, the largest in southern Africa, delivers vast amounts of material to the inner continental shelf of central Mozambique. The aim of this contribution is to better constrain sediment transport pathways to the abyssal plains using the latest, regional, high-resolution multibeam bathymetry data available, taking into account the effects of bottom water circulation, antecedent basin morphology and sea-level change. Results show that sediment transport and delivery to the abyssal plains is partitioned into three distinct domains; southern, central and northern. Sediment partitioning is primarily controlled by changes in continental shelf and shelf-break morphology under the influence of a clockwise rotating shelf circulation system. However, changes in sea-level have an overarching control on sediment delivery to particular domains. During highstand conditions, such as today, limited sediment delivery to the submarine Zambezi Valley and Channel is proposed, with increased sediment delivery to the deepwater basin being envisaged during regression and lowstand conditions. However, there is a pronounced along-strike variation in sediment transport during the sea-level cycle due to changes in the width, depth and orientation of the shelf. This combination of features outlines a sequence stratigraphic concept not generally considered in the strike-aligned shelf-slope-abyssal continuum.     

Depositional processes across the Sinú Accretionary Prism,offshore Colombia

The Pliocene to Recent of the Sinú Accretionary Prism, offshore Colombia, features gravity current dominated basins characterised primarily by channel- and sheet-like architectures and those with dominantly hemipelagic fills. The prism is fed by rivers that drain from uplifted older basins and volcanic Andean terranes to the south and east which source large volumes of sediment to the Colombian Shelf into the Colombian Basin. Some basin fills show evidence of both localised fold-induced sediment failure and regional-scale shelf collapse, both related to the generation and destruction of oversteepened slopes. Large scale collapses can create new sediment routing pathways and/or local depocentres into which sediment subsequently accumulates. In the Colombian Basin, even relatively distal basins show evidence of channel activity related primarily to the creation of new sediment distribution pathways through breaches in the substrate barriers between basins. These channels are often orientated parallel to the regional drainage trend, suggesting that regional sediment transport trends can assert themselves relatively early in a basin filling history regardless of the local bathymetric grain. While, at a regional scale, sediment dispersal fairways reflect drainage from the continental shelf to the basin floor, intraslope basins form local bathymetric obstructions that can drive local spatial variations in sediment distribution. Thus, both local and regional length scales of bathymetric control are evident within the intraslope basins of the Sinú Accretionary Prism. Although regional dispersal patterns generally become more important in time, individual intraslope basins exhibit more complex filling histories because events such as sill or shelf collapse may serve to disrupt established distribution pathways, initiating repeated episodes of adjustment.     

海南岛近海海域7个沉积岩芯的现代沉积速率及其分布特征

利用多道α能谱仪,对2005年8～9月在海南岛近海采集的7个沉积岩芯进行了210Pb的沉积速率测定,探讨了海南岛近海陆架上现代沉积速率的区域性分布特征,结果表明:位于港湾内的B1168站位由于沉积物供应充足,有最高的沉积速率,达2.9 cm/a;位于河口海湾附近且受沿岸流影响的B289站位,有很高的沉积速率,可达1.6 cm/a,沉积环境较稳定;位于西南海底沙脊区北缘且靠近昌化江河口的B97、B135、B10站位也有较高沉积速率,分别达到1.0、0.89和0.47 cm/a,在表层都出现了210Pb放射性活度倒置的现象,表明所处区域有较强混合作用;处于西南外陆架的C4站位受北部湾环流影响,沉积速率为0.6 cm/a;位于东部外陆架的B377站位处于上升流区,沉积速率较低,为0.21 cm/a.可见,海南岛近海陆架上的现代沉积速率存在着明显的区域分布:在物质来源丰富的沿岸流作用区和河口区附近,现代沉积速率很高;在陆架环流沉积作用区,现代沉积速率也较高;在水深较大的外陆架上,由于沉积物供应相对匮乏,沉积速率一般较低;在近岸潮流沙脊区,由于水动力很强,无法形成现代细粒沉积.同时,在陆架上,沉积速率有随着水深的增加而降低的趋势.由此可见,海南岛近海海域的沉积速率与该区的物质供应、水动力条件和海底地形等因素有密切关系.     

南海北部外陆架表层沉积物粒度参数特征及物源分析

为研究南海北部外陆架沉积物来源及沉积特征, 对南海北部外陆架18 个站位进行了表层沉积物取样和分析, 通过对沉积物的分类和粒度参数的计算, 探讨了沉积物类型和粒度参数的分布特征及其指示意义。研究结果表明, 研究区表层沉积物类型包括砾、砂质砾、砾质砂、砾质泥质砂、含砾砂、含砾泥质砂和含砾泥7 种类型。沉积物输运方式在外陆...     

Input of river-derived sediment to the New Zealand continental shelf: I. Mass

The input of river-borne sediments to the New Zealand continental shelf has been calculated for all the major rivers and basins in New Zealand. South Island yields 284 ± 40 × 10⁶ tonnes per year of sediment from a land area of 152 977 km² and North Island yields 105 ± 9·4 × 10⁶ tonnes per year from a land area of 114 621 km². Particularly high discharges are noted off the west coast of South Island and east coast of North Island and result in higher offshore sedimentation there. The data are compatible with measured sedimentation rates on the New Zealand continental shelf. The specific sediment yield from South Island is amongst the highest previously recorded.     

Relationship between hydrology and seasonal distribution of suspended sediments on the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay

Numerous oceanographic cruises (with hydrology, water sampling, drift current measurements) carried out since 1980 on the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay, together with available NOAA/AVHRR infra-red images, form the basis of a proposed explanation for the processes responsible for the distribution of suspended sediments on the shelf. The seasonal hydrographic structure of continental shelf waters is of paramount importance in sediment distribution. In summer, there is an horizontal stratification of water masses, and suspended sediment distribution is closely related to the thermo-haline structure. A fresher water mass with less suspended material lies on a thicker and more turbid homogeneous layer. During winter, when sediment discharge from the rivers often reaches its annual maximum, an oceanic thermo-haline wedge occurs on the shelf at around −100 m. As a result, winter turbidity values on the outer continental shelf are low (comparable to summer values), and a permanent nepheloı̈d layer is never observed. The wedge, which lasts for several months, may act as a filter, preventing transport to the slope. High turbidities on the external shelf and the continental slope are only measured in spring, when the thermo-haline wedge disappears. It seems possible that during winter time, suspended materials brought by rivers are deposited in the “Grande Vasière” (the “large mud patch”). It is postulated that the position of this mud patch is linked to the long-term stable location of the thermo-haline front that separates oceanic waters from the colder and less salty coastal waters.     

Seabed morphology and gas venting features in the continental slope region of Krishna–Godavari basin,Bay of Bengal: Implications in gas-hydrate exploration

Increased oil and gas exploration activity has led to a detailed investigation of the continental shelf and adjacent slope regions of Mahanadi, Krishna–Godavari (KG) and Cauvery basins, which are promising petroliferous basins along the eastern continental margin of India. In this paper, we analyze the high resolution sparker, subbottom profiler and multibeam data in KG offshore basin to understand the shallow structures and shallow deposits for gas hydrate exploration. We identified and mapped prominent positive topographic features in the bathymetry data. These mounds show fluid/gas migration features such as acoustic voids, acoustic chimneys, and acoustic turbid layers. It is interesting to note that drilling/coring onboard JOIDES in the vicinity of the mounds show the presence of thick accumulation of subsurface gas hydrate. Further, geological and geochemical study of long sediment cores collected onboard Marion Dufresne in the vicinity of the mounds and sedimentary ridges shows the imprints of paleo-expulsion of methane and sulfidic fluid from the seafloor.     

Continental Slopes of the West Africa Region: A Unique Treasure of Hydrocarbons

The West African region embraces a number of coastal sedimentary basins, which continued in deep-water areas of the Atlantic Ocean. It includes the following oil-and-gas-bearing basins: the Gulf of Guinea, the Kwanza–Cameroonian, and the Namibian. The sedimentary cover of the basins of this passive margin is represented by Mesozoic–Cenozoic deposits. The composition of sediments accumulated in them is quite specific and surprisingly units over the vast areas. The tectonic structure of the majority of the continental margins of West Africa makes possible to refer them to the margins of epiplatform orogenic belts. The existence of two systems of linear troughs—internal and external—on the passive margins at the early stages of continent–ocean transition zones relates deep-water hydrocarbon deposits to internal troughs filled by younger sediments: the alluvial fans of submarine rivers and landslide fronts with prograde formations (turbidites, debris flows, etc.). Late Cretaceous and Middle Paleogene clay formations played the role of source beds in the region, so-called “black clays.” An analysis of over 200 hydrocarbon fields, mainly petroleum, discovered in the past 10–15 years in the region revealed a clear tendency of these fields occurring in a productive zone of oil pools extending in a sea depth interval of 400–3000 m on the continental slope and possibly to 4000 m at the continental rise. Moreover, all discovered fields have been estimated in terms of reserves from large to giant. It is also noteworthy that within the shallow of this region, which includes the shelf and the coastal plain, only a number of small, insignificant oil and gas pays have been discovered. The main of oil and gas bearing potential prospects are related to deposits in the middle and lower parts of the continental slope and possibly adjacent areas of the continental rise. In the long term, the drilling objectives will be both postsalt and presalt deep-water oil-and-gas fields.