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.     

Evolution of late Quaternary mud deposits and recent sediment budget in the southeastern Yellow Sea

Analysis of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles and sediment samples has revealed the evolution and sediment budget of the southeastern Yellow Sea mud belt (SEYSM) along the southwestern Korean Peninsula. The SEYSM, up to 50 m thick, over 250 km long and 20–55 km wide, can be divided into three stratigraphic units (A1, A2, and B, from oldest to youngest). Unit A1, overlying the acoustic basement, comprises the northern part of the SEYSM. Unit A2 comprises the southern part of the SEYSM; much of unit A2 is exposed at the seafloor. Unit B completely covers unit A1 and pinches out southward.

¹⁴C data suggest that evolution of each unit is closely related to the postglacial sea-level changes. Unit A1 consists of estuarine/deltaic or shallow-water muds deposited during the early to middle stage of postglacial sea-level rise (ca. 14,000–7000 yr B.P.). Unit A2 corresponds to relict muds deposited during the last, deceleration stage of sea-level rise (ca. 7000–3.500 yr B.P.). Unit B consists of shelf muds deposited during the recent sea-level highstand (ca. <3500 yr B.P.).

Very low background activities of ²¹⁰Pb of the surface sediment of unit A2 suggest that the present-day sediment accumulation is negligible in the southern SEYSM. On the other hand, ²¹⁰Pb excess activity profiles in unit B yield an average sediment accumulation rate of 3.9 mm/yr, indicating active sediment accumulation in the northern SEYSM. The annual sink (3.0×10⁷ tons/yr) of fine-grained sediment in unit B is about an order of magnitude greater than can be explained by the sediment input from the Korean rivers alone. We propose that reworking of unit A2 has provided large volumes of muds to unit B, resulting in excessive sediment accumulation in the northern SEYSM. Much of unit A2, in turn, is likely to have originated from erosion of unit A1 in the north. This rather unique erosional/depositional regime of the SEYSM is probably owing to the tidal and regional currents characteristic in the southeastern Yellow Sea.     

Seismic quality factors across a bottom simulating reflector in the Makran Accretionary Prism, Arabian Sea

The hydrate-bearing sediments above the bottom simulating reflector (BSR) are associated with low attenuation or high quality factor (Q), whereas underlying gas-bearing sediments exhibit high attenuation. Hence, estimation of Q can be important for qualifying whether a BSR is related to gas hydrates and free-gas. This property is also useful for identifying gas hydrates where detection of BSR is dubious. Here, we calculate the interval Q for three submarine sedimentary layers bounded by seafloor, BSR, one reflector above and another reflector below the BSR at three locations with moderate, strong and no BSR along a seismic line in the Makran accretionary prism, Arabian Sea for studying attenuation (Q⁻¹) characteristics of sediments. Interval Q for hydrate-bearing sediments (layer B) above the BSR are estimated as 191 ± 11, 223 ± 12, and 117 ± 5, whereas interval Q for the underlying gas-bearing sediments (layer C) are calculated as 112 ± 7, 107 ± 8 and 124 ± 11 at moderate, strong and no BSR locations, respectively. The large variation in Q is observed at strong BSR. Thus Q can be used for ascertaining whether the observed BSR is due to gas hydrates, and for identifying gas hydrates at places where detection of BSR is rather doubtful. Interval Q of 98 ± 4, 108 ± 5, and 102 ± 5, respectively, at moderate, strong and no BSR locations for the layer immediately beneath the seafloor (layer A) show almost uniform attenuation.     

Seismic quality factors across a bottom simulating reflector in the Makran Accretionary Prism,Arabian Sea

The hydrate-bearing sediments above the bottom simulating reflector (BSR) are associated with low attenuation or high quality factor (Q), whereas underlying gas-bearing sediments exhibit high attenuation. Hence, estimation of Q can be important for qualifying whether a BSR is related to gas hydrates and free-gas. This property is also useful for identifying gas hydrates where detection of BSR is dubious. Here, we calculate the interval Q for three submarine sedimentary layers bounded by seafloor, BSR, one reflector above and another reflector below the BSR at three locations with moderate, strong and no BSR along a seismic line in the Makran accretionary prism, Arabian Sea for studying attenuation (Q⁻¹) characteristics of sediments. Interval Q for hydrate-bearing sediments (layer B) above the BSR are estimated as 191 ± 11, 223 ± 12, and 117 ± 5, whereas interval Q for the underlying gas-bearing sediments (layer C) are calculated as 112 ± 7, 107 ± 8 and 124 ± 11 at moderate, strong and no BSR locations, respectively. The large variation in Q is observed at strong BSR. Thus Q can be used for ascertaining whether the observed BSR is due to gas hydrates, and for identifying gas hydrates at places where detection of BSR is rather doubtful. Interval Q of 98 ± 4, 108 ± 5, and 102 ± 5, respectively, at moderate, strong and no BSR locations for the layer immediately beneath the seafloor (layer A) show almost uniform attenuation.     

Numerical modelling of suspended sediment fluxes in estuarine waters

A two-dimensional finite difference numerical model, capable of predicting depth-averaged tidal flow fields in coastal and estuarine waters, has been extended to include tide-induced non-cohesive sediment transport processes. The partial differential equations governing the conservation of mass, momentum and suspended sediment in an incompressible turbulent flow are included in a depth-integrated form in the model. For the representation of the processes of erosion and deposition of sediment from the bed an empirically based source-sink term was refined, based on the results of three mobile bed flume studies. The model has been tested by simulating tidal flows and suspended sediment fluxes in two estuaries, with particular application to the Humber estuary in the U.K. The model was calibrated and found to produce an encouraging degree of agreement between the numerical predictions and corresponding field measurements for this estuary. Furthermore, the predicted gross deposition and erosion features of the estuary were found to be in close agreement with interpretations from Eulerian tidal residual predictions.     

Alkenones and particulate fluxes in sediment traps from the central equatorial Pacific

We investigated a year-long (September 1992 to August 1993) time series of total mass, calcium carbonate, organic carbon, opal, and alkenone fluxes in sinking particles collected with sediment traps moored at 1770 and 4220 m in the central equatorial Pacific. The total mass fluxes varied from 14.7 to 68.7 mg/m²/day at 1770 m, with greater fluxes in October–November and February–April, and from 14.6 to 50.4 mg/m²/day with peak fluxes during October–November at 4220 m. High flux in the spring season shown at 1770 m was not indicated at 4220 m; instead, a slight increase was shown during a broad period from March to June. The calcium carbonate fluxes varied from 10.8 to 49.1 mg/m²/day with higher fluxes in October–November and March–April at 1770 m, and from 8.9 to 37.0 mg/m²/day with a higher flux in October–November at 4220 m. The organic carbon fluxes varied from 0.36 to 5.91 mg/m²/day, with higher fluxes in October–November and March–April at 1770 m, and from 0.72 to 2.58 mg/m²/day at 4220 m. The annual mean organic carbon flux was 1.84 and 1.28 mg/m²/day at 1770 and at 4220 m, respectively. These values were less than half of those reported for the EqPac sediment trap experiment. The opal fluxes varied from 0.55 to 4.4 mg/m²/day at 1770 m and from 1.23 to 2.95 mg/m²/day at 4220 m. Alkenone fluxes varied significantly from 0.05 to 0.84 μg/m²/day, with high values in November, February–March, and June at 1770 m. For the 4220 m trap, these values ranged from 0.05 to 0.25 μg/m²/day, with slightly higher fluxes in April–May and June–July, which followed periods of high alkenone fluxes observed in February–April and June–July, respectively, at 1770 m depth. These values were remarkably low compared with those reported by the previous studies at other sites. U₃₇^K′ values were constantly high >0.95 throughout the collection period. However, relatively low U₃₇^K′ values (0.92 and 0.93) were occasionally observed during February to March. Estimated alkenone temperatures from those U₃₇^K′ values were about 27–29°C and consistent with the observed temperature of the upper layer at ca.100 m depth. The seasonal change of the U₃₇^K′ values could be affected by not only water temperature but also the relative amount of ‘warm’ and ‘cold’ types of alkenone producer in the central equatorial Pacific.     

Exchange fluxes of nutrients between sediment and sea water in the Bohai Sea

IrocrIowThere is a linkage in shallow marine systerns between sea-noor biOgaxhemical pmeessesand water column pnductivity (Bereson et al., l998). Benthic fluxes provide a significantsource of nutrients to the overlying water tO supPOrt primary pnduction and play a role in de-.creasing oxygen concentrations (van et al., l999; Cowan and Boynton, l996; Berelson etal., 1998; Friedl et al., l998; Zabel et al., l998). TherefOre, it is imPOrtant to define theediment di8genetic pathways for the …     

Radiolarian fluxes from the southern Bay of Bengal: sediment trap results

A study of radiolarian fluxes collected during 1991–93 from time-series sediment traps deployed at 1071 and 3010 m water depth in the southern Bay of Bengal (SBBT) yielded 40 species/groups of radiolarians. Among the order Polycystina, the species of sub-order Spumellaria were by far the most abundant (∼95%) followed by sub-order Nassellaria (5%). This is contrary to reports from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is attributed to the prevailing hyposaline condition resulting from the monsoonal rainfall. Higher radiolarian fluxes occurred during March–May, when moderate salinity and a high sea surface temperature (SST) regime prevailed at the trap site. R-mode cluster analysis of the radiolarian flux data revealed three assemblages represented by the cooler (A) and warmer (C) surface dwelling fauna (0–50 m) dominated by spumellarians, and a deeper dwelling (B) sub-surface fauna (50–100 m) associated with deep dwelling (>100 m) nassellarian species. Spongaster tetras tetras, a surface water radiolarian species, exhibited its preference for high SST and moderate salinity conditions during the pre-monsoon season (March–May). Radiolarian fluxes responded to seasonal changes in SST and salinity variations due to the monsoonal precipitation, and the freshwater runoff from the Indian rivers causing a hyposaline condition in the Bay of Bengal. Results imply that the radiolarian assemblages in the down core data may reveal the monsoonal history in the geological past.     

淡水和海水环境下沉积物搬运过程碳释放通量的模拟研究

基于室内物理模拟实验, 对长江沉积物进行淡水和海水环境下沉积物搬运过程碳释放通量实验模拟。结果表明, 模拟实验初期, 淡水和海水均为大气CO₂的源, 但淡水CO₂释放通量略高于海水;淡水、海水两种环境下, CH₄释放通量均较小, 为弱释放-弱吸收过程。对两种环境下碳通量对比研究发现,Eh 值可能是造成淡水和海水环境下CO₂通量差别的主要原因, 而pH 值可能对CO₂通量差别的影响较小。两种环境下温室气体通量差别的具体原因仍需进一步研究。通过模拟对比试验, 旨在为系统地认识长江流域水库的温室效应与减排提供科学依据, 为我国清洁水电能源发展提供理论参考。     

Bed changes at toe of inclined seawalls

This study was carried out to investigate the scour phenomenon at the toe of seawalls and the different parameters that affected it. Experiments were achieved using different wave steepnesses, bed material grain sizes, wall positions and inclinations. Based on experimental results, the parametric plots of toe scour for smooth impermeable inclined seawalls were prepared. Also, this paper presents the bed changes prediction at seawalls toe using artificial neural networks on the basis of experimental data to widen the range of application. Suitability of using a neural network model was developed, and a model was validated. It is proposed that this model can be used in coastal engineering applications.     

Quantitative links between fluvial sediment discharge,trapped terrigenous flux and sediment accumulation,and implications for temporal and spatial distributions of sediment fluxes

The southwestern-most Okinawa Trough (SOT), characterized by high sedimentation rates (>0.1 cm/yr), has the potential for recording high-resolution episodic events, such as storm floods and seismic activities, at least on a regional scale. To retrieve data on past climate change from nearby sediment cores and quantitatively reconstruct it, particularly with respect to precipitation (or typhoon-induced flood events), a linkage between fluvial sediment discharge and terrigenous sediment flux is warranted. Apparent sediment fluxes, observed with four arrays of sediment traps deployed in the SOT, were found to vary with fluvial sediment discharges. Empirical equations for individual arrays of sediment traps are site-dependent and related to the scenario of initial supply, transport and final deposition of terrigenous sediments (i.e. land–sea interaction). Using these equations and hydrological data from 1950 to 2000, the long-term temporal and spatial variations of settling sediment fluxes were simulated. Simulation results agree well with sediment mass accumulation rates derived from literature data on ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs chronology. The simulated spatial patterns of sediment fluxes along a slope–trough section illustrate that sediment plumes can disperse concurrently in two manners, namely near-bottom and mid-depth plumes, and the flood-driven plumes can travel very long distances, approaching 125°E or beyond. The sediment burial budget in the SOT was estimated to be approximately 5.2 Mt/yr, representing about 80% of riverine exports from the Lanyang Hsi, Taiwan. This is the first study dealing qualitatively and quantitatively with two parameters, namely terrigenous sediment flux and fluvial sediment discharge.     

福建沿岸晚第四纪地层的混合现象

本文根据福建省海岸带和海涂资源以及台湾海峡西部海域等综合调查资料进行研究,报道了福建沿岸晚第四纪地层存在着新老沉积物的混合现象。混合层分布在易受老碳玷污的闵江等河流入海区附近,存在于0.6～1.0m深的沉积物中,发生在10ka以近的时间里。这是由于冰后期气候、构造条件发生大变异,使老地层裸露、风化、剥蚀,其沉积物搬运后,在水动力条件适宜的海区与年轻沉积物发生混合沉积.在使用这些混合层的测年资料时应当加以研究,当沉积物与沉积层具有同时性时,沉积物年代可以代表沉积层年代;如果两者不具同时性,应当通过对比和必要的校正后方能做为地层划分的重要依据。     

冲绳海槽DGKS9603孔细粒沉积物元素组合特征及其意义

通过对冲绳海槽DGKS9603孔柱样高密度取样,提取样品中小于2μm的黏土粒级组分,利用ICP-AES进行常、微量元素含量分析后,再经多种方法处理数据,发现该孔沉积物物源时段分明:距今45～43ka以生物源作用为主,距今43～41ka以火山作用为主,距今41.0～11.2ka以陆源作用为主,距今11.2～0.0ka以生物源作用为主.元素和氧化物含量的垂向变化主要受古气候、古环境变化的影响.DGKS9603孔沉积物元素地球化学特征清晰地记录了E3,YD,H1,LGM,H2,H3,H5七次变冷事件,并表明该孔很可能受到了A,B,C三次火山事件的影响.     

杭州湾口南汇咀近岸水域水沙特征与通量

南汇咀近岸水域是长江口与杭州湾交汇以及近岸水沙交换的重要地带。根据杭州湾口北部南汇咀-崎岖列岛断面上6个测站1999年1～2月大、中、小潮海流与悬沙含量的现场同步观测资料,阐述了该断面上潮流和悬沙浓度的分布变化特征,并通过断面进出潮通量和悬沙通量的计算,得出该断面以出水出沙为主要特征,与余流方向一致。分析表明,长江口与杭州湾的水沙交换是复杂的,而间接交换是其主要的方式。     

西菲律宾海盆XT06孔第四纪磁性地层与深海沉积动力过程

菲律宾海是西太平洋典型的风尘汇集区,也是南极底层水影响的远端地区。由于水深较大等原因,这一热点地区沉积物的古环境研究尚未全面展开。本文对菲律宾海中部XT06孔沉积物开展了磁性地层和粒度测试工作,分析了XT06孔沉积记录的年代学特征和沉积过程,初步探讨了区域沉积演化的控制因素与古环境意义。结果表明：（1）通过系统交变退磁实验,XT06孔沉积物可以辨识出6个磁极性区间,分别对应于布容正极性时、加拉米洛亚极性时、奥杜维尔正极性时和松山负极性时。通过与国际标准磁极性序列对比,发现XT06孔的沉积速率由快转慢,指示了在1.0～1.5 Ma曾发生过一次明显的沉积转折,可能代表了区域深海沉积中心的迁移,与东亚-西太平洋构造活动等密切相关。（2）XT06沉积物属于典型的远洋悬浮体,反映了较弱的沉积动力环境。通过多种粒度分析方法的交叉对比和验证,发现XT06孔沉积物包含粗、细两个互为消长的动力学组分,指示了较为稳定的深海沉积环境。通过对比其他古环境指标,我们推测在构造时间尺度上,亚洲内陆干旱化导致的粉尘输入增加可能是控制XT06孔沉积物粒度逐步变细的主要因素;而在更高时间分辨率上XT06孔沉积物粒度粗细变化可能主要受深海环流强度的控制作用,体现了冰期南极深/底层水团影响减弱、而间冰期增强的区域特征。本文结果展现了菲律宾海中部沉积过程的一些关键特征,揭示了菲律宾海沉积记录在深入研究地球系统多圈层耦合过程中的巨大潜力。     

Impact of hydrographic parameters and seasonal variation in sediment fluxes on coral status at Chumbe and Bawe reefs,Zanzibar, Tanzania

Coral reefs which are an important resource to coastal communities and nation at large are adversely affected by rate of sediment flux to the reefs. However, there is little information on seasonal trend in sediment flux and its impact at the reefs off Zanzibar. Two years’ monthly data on sedimentation at Chumbe and Bawe reefs were used to assess seasonal variability in sediment flux and its implication on the coral status. Sediment flux to the Bawe reefs for the duration of the study ranged from 0.2 to 41.5 mg cm⁻² d⁻¹, while it ranged from 0.8 to 65.8 mg cm⁻² d⁻¹ at the Chumbe reefs. Sediment fluxes at Bawe reefs were highest between November and March, while they were highest between April and September at Chumbe reefs. Generally, sediment fluxes at Bawe reefs were low compared to those at Chumbe. The total sediment input to the reefs ranged from 4615 to 123,403 kg d⁻¹ for Bawe reefs and 2750 to 79,636 kg d⁻¹ for Chumbe reefs. High sediment fluxes at Bawe reefs between November and March; and the Chumbe reefs between April and September can be attributed to water currents and wind pattern in the east African region which are under the influence of the monsoons. The observed trend suggests that the period for coral transplant as a management option for the two sites should be different. Coral transplant can be undertaken in such a way that stress of the corals due to sedimentation can be felt after they have overcome stress from transplant process and temperature. The results from this study contribute to the much needed information for coral transplant, restoration, and management.     

Tidal variability in benthic silicic acid fluxes and microphytobenthos uptake in intertidal sediment

Silicic acid (DSi) benthic fluxes play a major role in the benthic–pelagic coupling of coastal ecosystems. They can sustain microphytobenthos (MPB) development at the water–sediment interface and support pelagic diatoms when river DSi inputs decrease. DSi benthic fluxes have been studied at the seasonal scale but little is known about their dial variations. This study measured the amplitude of such variations in an intertidal area over an entire tidal cycle by following the alteration of DSi pore water concentrations at regular intervals over the flood/ebb period. Furthermore we independently estimated the potential DSi uptake by benthic diatoms and compared it to the variations of DSi pore water concentrations and fluxes. The microphytobenthos DSi demand was estimated from primary production measurements on cells extracted from the sediment. There were large changes in DSi pore water concentration and a prominent effect of tidal pumping: the DSi flushed out from the sediment at rising tide, occurs in a very short period of time, but plays a far more important role in fueling the ecosystem (800 μmol-Si m⁻² d⁻¹), than diffusive fluxes occurring throughout the rest of the tidal cycle (2 μmol-Si m⁻² d⁻¹). This process is not, to our knowledge, currently considered when describing the DSi cycling of intertidal sediments. Moreover, there was a large potential MPB requirement for DSi (812 μmol-Si m⁻² d⁻¹), similar to the advective flow periodically pumped by the incoming tide, and largely exceeded benthic diffusive fluxes. However, this DSi uptake by benthic diatoms is almost undetectable given the variation of DSi concentration profiles within the sediment.     

Observed fluxes of water,salt and suspended sediment in a partly mixed estuary

Observations of the residual fluxes of water, salt and suspended sediment are presented for seven stations along the Tamar Estuary. The data include measurements over single spring and neap tidal cycles, and are generally applicable to medium or high run-off conditions.Surface to bed differences in salinity are typically of the order of several parts per thousand. Gravitational circulation is an important component of residual flow in the deep, lower reaches of the estuary. Here, Stokes drift is insignificant. In the shallow upper reaches, the major residual currents are generated by Stokes drift and freshwater inputs. Data are compared with predictions from Hansen and Rattray's (1966) model of estuarine circulation.Salt fluxes due to tidal pumping and vertical shear are directed up-estuary at spring tides, tidal pumping being dominant. Tidal pumping of salt is also directed up-estuary at neap tides, although it is insignificant in the lower reaches, where vertical shear dominates.Tidal pumping of suspended sediment is directed up-estuary near the head at spring tides, and probably contributes to the formation of the turbidity maximum. The existence of the turbidity maximum is predicted using a simplified model of the transport of water and sediment. The model shows that an additional mechanism for the existence of the turbidity maximum is an up-estuary maximum in the tidal current speeds (and thus resuspension). In the lower reaches, transport of suspended sediment is directed down-estuary at both spring and neap tides, and sediment is essentially flushed to sea with the fresh water.     

渤海湾连片开发对湾内水沙通量的影响研究

渤海湾内海岸的连续开发导致岸线 、海床发生较大变化, 同时影响着湾内的水沙通量。根据不同时期的遥感影像、 实测地形和水文泥沙资料, 统计分析了渤海湾岸线 、面积和海床冲淤变化, 构建了渤海潮流泥沙数学模型, 模拟了 1984 年、 2006 年和 2015 年三个时期的水沙分布, 探究了海岸连续开发对水沙分布和通量引起的累积效应。结果表明： 渤海湾岸线和 海湾面积变化主要发生于 2005 年后, 与 1984 年相比, 2020 年的岸线长度增长超过 185%,海湾面积减少近 19%;曹妃甸港 区南侧海域冲刷基本在 2 m 等深线以内, 而近岸和港池水域基本呈现淤积状态, 淤积幅度在 2 m 以内; 海湾的连续开发利用 使得湾内分潮波振幅增大 、传播速度减缓, 近岸海域的余流变化较为明显,南部较北部海域更甚;西北湾顶 0.2 kg/m3 悬沙 分布区域不断缩小, 西南近岸 0. 15 kg/m3 悬沙分布区域向中部海域推进; 悬沙通量变化与潮流通量并不完全一致, 呈外海增 加、近岸整体降低的变化特征, 湾内向外海输移泥沙的能力减弱。