Slump structures in quaternary slope sediments of the northern Derbent Basin (Caspian Sea)

During Cruise 20–3 of the R/V Rift (April, 2006), the area that includes the shelf and slope of the Derbent Basin in the northern Middle Caspian was studied using the continuous seismoacoustic profiling method. In accordance with the previous standpoint, two Pleistocene deltaic complexes formed in the Enotaevian and Mangyshlakian time are defined in this area. The seismoacoustic records obtained for the northern slope of the Derbent Basin demonstrate the development of specific rootless exogenic-gravitational fold structures in the upper (～150–200 m) Quaternary part of the sedimentary sequence. The Quaternary section encloses angular unconformities indicating the pulsating mode of gravitational processes in the northern slope of the basin. South-dipping gravitational normal faults (and/or normal fault-related flexures) displacing the bottom surface and uppermost sedimentary layers (with vertical amplitudes up to 5–6 m) were defined in the southern part of the study area. Several impulses of the submarine slump structures predated and accompanied the deposition of the upper deltaic sequence (Mangyshlakian), although their most intense formation took place later during the Novocaspian (Holocene) time. Thus, the structural analysis of the seismoacoustic data revealed intense development of different-origin and different-age gravitational structures within the Quaternary sediments in the northern slope of the Derbent Basin. These results should be taken into consideration when designing, building, and operating submarine constructions in order to prevent potential natural hazards and reduce their consequences.     

Modern deposits of the Northern Caspian Sea and the Volga delta

Investigations based on a complex of techniques revealed that the modern deposits in the Northern Caspian Sea involve terrigenous sands and aleurites with an admixture of detritus and intact bivalve shells, including coquina. Generally, these deposits overlay dark grayish viscous clays. A similar geological situation occurs in the Volga delta; however, the local deposits are much poorer in biogenic constituents. Illite prevails among the clay minerals. The heavy transparent minerals are represented in the coarse aleurite fraction mostly by epidotes, while quartz and feldspars represent the lighter minerals. The sedimentary material in the Volga delta is far from completely differentiated into fractions due to the abundance of terrigenous inflows, which exceed the energy potential of the river. The comparatively better grading of the sediments at the testing sites is due to additional factors such as the bottom currents and storms. When passing from the Volga delta to the testing sites, the sediments are enriched in rare earth elements (except Eu), Ca, Au, Ni, Se, Ag, As, and Sr but depleted in Na, Rb, Cs, K, Ba, Fe, Cr, Co, Sc, Br, Zr, Ta, U, and Th. The concentrations of Zn remain almost unchanged. The sedimentation rates and the types of recent deposits in the Northern Caspian Sea are governed mainly by the abundant Volga discharge.     

南海深海盆地沉积柱样中的浊流沉积

本文根据南海深海盆地三个沉积柱样的粒度结构、地球化学、微体古生物等特征分析,深讨了南海深海盆地细粒沉积物的浊积现象。结果表明,位于南海北部陆架斜坡上KL37孔的浊流沉积现象并不明显;位于陆架斜坡和深海盆地交界处的KL29孔存在着大量的浊积层,属于浊流沉积和半远洋沉积环境;位于南海盆地中部的KL91孔虽然已属于远洋性沉积环境,但除出现火山灰沉积外,浊流沉积作用仍然是相当活跃的。     

Expeditionary studies in the western basin of the Aral Sea in September 2006

In September 2006, field studies were performed in the course of the seventh regular expedition of the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences within the frameworks of the program for multidisciplinary studies and monitoring of the condition of the hydrophysical, hydrochemical, and hydrobiological systems of the Aral Sea under the anthropogenic crisis. This program has been implemented together with a series of scientific institutions of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan starting in 2002. The results of the previous expeditions have been presented earlier in a series of publications (for example, [3–6, 12, 13]).     

Ostracod communities in the Caspian Sea

A total of 15 communities of ostracods have been recorded based on the dominant species in the bottom sediments sampled at 204 stations in the Caspian Sea. The distribution of the communities is determined by the bathymetric zonality of the sea, the currents, the topography of the water mass boundaries, the hydrochemical parameters of the water, the continental runoff, and the concentrations of O₂ and C_org in the water and sediments.     

Tidal oscillations in the Caspian Sea

Long-term hourly data from 12 tide gauge stations were used to examine the character of tidal oscillations in the Caspian Sea. Diurnal and semidiurnal tidal peaks are well-defined in sea level spectra in the Middle and South Caspian basins. High-resolution spectral analysis revealed that the diurnal sea level oscillations in the Middle Caspian Basin have a gravitational origin, while those in the South Caspian Basin are mainly caused by radiational effects: the amplitude of diurnal radiational harmonic S₁ is much higher than those of gravitational harmonics О₁, P₁, and K₁. In the North Caspian Basin, there are no gravitational tides and only weak radiational tides are observed. A semidiurnal type of tide is predominant in the Middle and South Caspian basins. Harmonic analysis of the tides for individual annual series with subsequent vector averaging over the entire observational period was applied to estimate the mean amplitudes and phases of major tidal constituents. The amplitude of the M₂ harmonic reaches 5.4 cm in the South Caspian Basin (at Aladga). A maximum tidal range of 21 cm was found at the Aladga station in the southeastern part of the Caspian Sea, whereas the tidal range in the western part of the South Caspian Basin varies from 5 to 10 cm.     

Field Measurements of Sea Currents on the Mangistau Shelf of the Caspian Sea

Oceanology - The pilot Kazakhstan–Russia project provided the first systematic data in a long time on coastal currents in one of the least studied areas of the Caspian Sea, namely the...     

Diatomaceous oozes of the Middle Caspian Sea

Ten cores taken by a gravity corer from an area 5 × 5 km in size at the foot of the western slope of the Derbent Basin recovered uniform sections composed of variegated clotted diatomaceous oozes and soft gray clays with hydrotroilite-enriched spots, lenses, and laminae, the abundance of which increases downward. The diatom assemblages indicate a strongly freshened basin, which was replaced in the Holocene (Novocaspian time) by the brackish-water and then present-day saline sea. The grain-size composition of the sediments was determined by the gravitational deposition of suspended particles and by the near-bottom currents. The latter likely promoted the concentration of diatom frustules and accumulation of diatomaceous oozes.     

南海东北部陆坡天然气水合物区的滑塌和泥火山活动

本文研究了南海东北部陆坡天然气水合物区滑塌和泥火山活动的特征及表现形式,探讨了滑塌和泥火山活动对天然气水合物成藏的影响,提出了滑塌主导和滑塌、泥火山共同作用两种控制模式。根据地震数据、浅层剖面和海底地形数据解释,将研究区划分为规则滑塌区和泥火山活动影响区,并识别出泥火山、泥火山脊、凹槽、凹坑等特征地形。滑塌和泥火山活动是陆坡天然气水合物发育区重要的地形控制因素,两种活动共同作用产生复杂的地形特征。综合多条地震测线中似海底反射层(BSR)形态、连续性和滑塌、泥火山活动的关系,认为滑塌控制的区域,BSR连续,天然气水合物储藏较完整,泥火山活动区天然气水合物储藏也仅受到局部破坏。同时指出滑塌和泥火山活动对研究区长期天然气渗漏活动具有重要作用。     

On vertical particle fluxes in the Caspian Sea

The first results of studies of vertical fluxes of sediment particles using the sediment traps at the Trans-Caspian section are presented. The flux values and distribution regularities are established. The fluxes of particles forming the sediment are also determined. The intra-annual variability in the fluxes corresponds to the seasonal variability of the biological activity. Above the northern slope of the Derbent Basin, the maximum vertical fluxes are recorded in the winter, which is caused by the intensification of the near-bottom currents.     

Tsunamis in the central part of the Caspian Sea

This paper describes the geotectonics of the Caspian Sea basin and the seismicity of its central part. The seismicity analysis enables us to identify the most probable zones of tsunami generation. We also present a brief review of the historical records of tsunamis in the Caspian Sea. In order to estimate the tsunami risk, we used the method of numerical hydrodynamic simulation while taking into account the real topography of the Caspian Sea. The computation of the wave field for the possible tsunamis occurring in the central part of the Caspian Sea allowed us to estimate the maximum expected heights of the waves along the coast of the CIS countries (Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan). On the basis of the earthquake statistics in the region and the results of numerical experiments, we show that the extreme wave heights can reach 10 m at certain parts of the coast. Such extreme events correspond to extended (up to 200 km) seismic sources with M _S ～ 8 and a recurrence period of T ≈ 1600 years. The tsunami wave heights are expected to be as high as 3 m for sources of lesser extent (<50 km) with earthquake magnitudes of M _S ～ 7 and a recurrence period of 200 years.     

菲律宾海的海底构造

“乔迪斯·决心者”号钻探船于2 0 0 1年3—5月在太平洋西部进行了第1 95航次的调查,是由加拿大地质调查所的MSalisbury、日本地震科学研究所的MShinohara和“大洋钻探计划”的代表CRichter负责。在深度为1 2 74m至571 0m处,沿着东起马里亚内海沟西至台湾岛穿过菲律宾海的剖面,选择3个站位,共计打了1 5个钻孔。第1 95航次的主要任务是在这个海区定位能安装长期监控地质现象的钻孔站位。其中的一个是为了研究俯冲区内的地球化学过程,查明气液流体在下沉板块中活动的空间变化和生物在深部岩石中的活动性。这个站位就是1 2 0 0号钻孔,它直接…     

From the Geophysical Contrasts of the Caspian Sea to Morphogenetic Differences of Caspian Seals

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - This paper proposes an approach to differentiating the Caspian seal population into separate subpopulations. The Caspian seal, despite the island nature...     

Geodynamics of the deep sedimentary basin of the Caspian Sea region: paragenetic correlation of seismicity and mud volcanism

In this paper we analyze seismic regime and earthquake depth distribution and correlation of seismicity and mud volcanism in the Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea region. For the present region we have calculated accurate source locations, seismic activity, earthquake repetition and released earthquake energy parameters. It is shown that the active tectonic processes in the region are concentrated within the thick sedimentary cover that we consider as a general source of contemporary stress and a main structural element responsible for the origin of regional earthquakes. The correlation of seismicity and mud volcanism is of paragenetic character.     

Mineral composition of sedimentary matter in the Caspian Sea

Data on the mineral composition of sedimentary matter and its fluxes in the sediment system of the Caspian Sea are presented. River runoff, aerosols, particulate matter from sediment traps, and the upper layer (0–1 cm) of bottom sediments are considered. The contents of detrital minerals (quartz, albite, and K-feldspar), clay minerals (illite, chlorite, and kaolinite), and carbonates (calcite, Mg-calcite, dolomite, aragonite, and rhodochrosite) are determined. Gypsum was found in bottom sediments but is absent in the other object of the sediment system.     

Age of Khvalynian transgressions in the Caspian Sea region

As follows from a geomorphologic analysis of the Khvalynian sediments in the North Caspian region, radiocarbon dating of their molluskan and plant remains provided more or less reliable age estimates, according to which the Khvalynian transgression occurred approximately 11–20 ka B.P. This value corresponds, however, to the terminal transgressive-regressive phase of the latter, i.e., rather to the Late Khalynian transgression than to its Early Khvalynian peak. It is inferred that the high terraces that formed during the maximal Early Khvalynian transgression are unambiguously older, being 70 to 40 ka in age.     

Metal Concentrations in the Coastal Fauna of the Caspian Sea

Ocean Science Journal - Metal concentrations were measured in predominant coastal fauna of the Caspian Sea including six macro-invertebrates (Mnemiposis leidyi, Balanus improvisus, Pontogammarus...     

南海北部西沙海槽北侧陆坡块体搬运沉积体系的发育特征及演化

Triple mass-transport deposits(MTDs) with areas of 625, 494 and 902 km2, respectively, have been identified on the north slope of the Xisha Trough, northern South China Sea margin. Based on high-resolution seismic reflection data and multi-beam bathymetric data, the Quaternary MTDs are characterized by typical geometric shapes and internal structures. Results of slope analysis showed that they are developed in a steep slope ranging from 5° to 35°. The head wall scarps of the MTDs arrived to 50 km in length(from headwall to termination). Their inner structures include well developed basal shear surface, growth faults, stepping lateral scarps, erosion grooves, and frontal thrust deformation. From seismic images, the central deepwater channel system of the Xisha Trough has been filled by interbedded channel-levee deposits and thick MTDs. Therefore, we inferred that the MTDs in the deepwater channel system could be dominated by far-travelled slope failure deposits even though there are local collapses of the trough walls. And then, we drew the two-dimensional process model and threedimensional structure model diagram of the MTDs. Combined with the regional geological setting and previous studies, we discussed the trigger mechanisms of the triple MTDs.     

The eastern slope of the southern Adriatic basin: a case study of submarine landslide characterization and tsunamigenic potential assessment

Marine Geophysical Research - The southern Adriatic basin is the current foredeep of the Albanide fold-and-thrust belt that runs along the eastern boundary of the Adriatic basin and partly owes its...