Relation of submarine landslide to hydrate occurrences in Baiyun Depression,South China Sea

Submarine landslides have been observed in the Baiyun Depression of the South China Sea. The occurrence of hydrates below these landslides indicates that these slope instabilities may be closely related to the massive release of methane. In this study, we used a simple Monte-Carlo model to determine the first-order deformation pattern of a gravitationally destabilizing slope. The results show that a stress concentration occurs due to hydrate dissociation on the nearby glide surface and on top of a gas chimney structure. Upon the dissolution of the gas hydrate, slope failure occurs due to the excess pore pressure generated by the dissociation of the gas hydrates. When gas hydrates dissociate at shallow depths, the excess pore pressure generated can be greater than the total stress acting at those points, along with the forces that resist sliding. Initially, the failure occurs at the toe of the slope, then extends to the interior. Although our investigation focused only on the contribution of hydrate decomposition to submarine landslide, this process is also affected by both the slope material properties and topography.     

Stratigraphic Sequence and Sedimentary Systems in the Middle-Southern Continental Slope of the East China Sea from Seismic Reflection Data: Exploration Prospects of Gas Hydrate

Many evidences for gas hydrate bearing sediments had been found in the continental slope of the East China Sea, such as bottom simulating reflections(BSRs), undersea gas springs, pyrite associated with methane leakage, mud diapirs/mud volcanos, bottom-water methane anomalies and so on. In this study, six key stratigraphic interfaces including T_0(seafloor), T_1(LGM, 23 kyr B.P.), T_2(2.58 Myr), T_3(5.33 Myr), T_4(11.02 Myr) and T_5(16.12 Myr) were identified, and then five third-order sequences of SQIII1 to SQIII5 were divided. However, T5 in southern continental slope is not found, which shows that the middle-northern Okinawa Trough had begun to rift in the early Miocene, earlier than the southern segment. Four system tracts including lowstand systems tract(LST), transgressive systems tract(TST), highstand systems tract(HST) and falling stage systems tract(FSST) are further divided. The marine erosion interface of 11.02 Myr and regressive unconformity interface of 23 kyr B.P. indicate two large-scale sea level drop events in the research area. Seven typical seismic facies identified in the continental slope are continental shelf-edge deltas, littoral fluvial-delta plains, incised channels or submarine canyons, slope fans, submarine fans or coastal sandbars, littoral-neritic finegrained sediments, mud volcanos and some other geological bodies respectively. The minimum water depth for hydrate occurrence in the Okinawa Trough is 630 m, and the thickness of gas hydrate stability zone in continental slope is between 0 and 590 m. The calculated bottom boundary of hydrate stability zone is slightly deeper than BSRs on the seismic sections. The re-depositional turbidite sand bodies, such as canyon channels, slope fans and submarine fans developed in Quaternary strata, are the predominant hydrate reservoirs. According to developing process, the dynamic accumulation of hydrate systems can be divided into three evolutionary stages including canyon erosion and hydrate stability zone migration stage, sediments destabilizing and methane leakage stage, and channel filling and hydrate re-occurrence stage.     

The Character and Formation of Elongated Depressions on the Upper Bulgarian Slope

Seafloor elongated depressions are indicators of gas seepage or slope instability. Here we report a sequence of slopeparallel elongated depressions that link to headwalls of sediment slides on upper slope. The depressions of about 250 m in width and several kilometers in length are areas of focused gas discharge indicated by bubble-release into the water column and methane enriched pore waters. Sparker seismic profiles running perpendicular and parallel to the coast, show gas migration pathways and trapped gas underneath these depressions with bright spots and seismic blanking. The data indicate that upward gas migration is the initial reason for fracturing sedimentary layers. In the top sediment where two young stages of landslides can be detected, the slopeparallel sediment weakening lengthens and deepens the surficial fractures, creating the elongated depressions in the seafloor supported by sediment erosion due to slope-parallel water currents.     

Submarine landslides on the north continental slope of the South China Sea

Recent and paleo-submarine landslides are widely distributed within strata in deep-water areas along continental slopes, uplifts, and carbonate platforms on the north continental margin of the South China Sea (SCS). In this paper, high-resolution 3D seismic data and multibeam data based on seismic sedimentology and geomorphology are employed to assist in identifying submarine landslides. In addition, deposition models are proposed that are based on specific geological structures and features, and which illustrate the local stress field over entire submarine landslides in deep-water areas of the SCS. The SCS is one of the largest fluvial sediment sinks in enclosed or semi-enclosed marginal seas worldwide. It therefore provides a set of preconditions for the formation of submarine landslides, including rapid sediment accumulation, formation of gas hydrates, and fluid overpressure. A new concept involving temporal and spatial analyses is tested to construct a relationship between submarine landslides and different time scale trigger mechanisms, and three mechanisms are discussed in the context of spatial scale and temporal frequency: evolution of slope gradient and overpressure, global environmental changes, and tectonic events. Submarine landslides that are triggered by tectonic events are the largest but occur less frequently, while submarine landslides triggered by the combination of slope gradient and over-pressure evolution are the smallest but most frequently occurring events. In summary, analysis shows that the formation of submarine landslides is a complex process involving the operation of different factors on various time scales.     

Potential submarine geologic hazards at the entrance of the Pearl River Estuary in the northern South China Sea

The potential submarine geologic hazards were distinguished and categorized at the entrance of the Pearl River Estuary in the northern South China Sea, based upon the analysis of side scan sonar and sub-bottom profiler surveying data of about 2500 km long, in an area about 2000 km~2 around the Wanshan Archipelago. The data obtained in the survey has the highest spatial resolution by far, which could reveal more detailed distributions and characteristics of the geologic hazards than before. In the study region, three paleo-channels that were buried about 10–30 m below the seabed were found; more than 10 shallow gas areas were discovered. The sand waves found in the region were generally small and located near the islands, and twenty pockmarks found on the seabed were mostly concentrated to north of Zhuzhou island. There are also many man-made obstacles in the region, such as wreckages, pipeline, etc. In this paper we provide a detailed distribution map of the submarine geologic hazards in this region for the first time, and discuss their formation and harmfulness, which will provide a scientific basis for marine engineering construction, marine geologic disaster prevention and mitigation.     

海底麻坑的特征、分类与成因机制

海底麻坑是由超压流体溢出海底时侵蚀海底沉积物所形成的一种负地貌,其广泛分布于各种水下构造环境(如大陆边缘盆地和增生楔等)。综合近年有关海底麻坑的研究成果,依据麻坑形状、直径、长宽比、空间分布以及垂向充填方式等特征,对其类型进行了系统划分,详细介绍了麻坑形成的主要条件及影响因素(如底辟、断层等),深入阐释了麻坑的成因机制。麻坑形成过程中,地层中的局部异常流体压力(超压)是最为关键的条件和驱动因素。根据地层中超压形成和释放过程的快慢,可以将麻坑的成因机制划分为渐进型、突发型和混合型3类。渐进型麻坑形成过程中,地层超压的形成和释放的过程较为缓慢;突发型麻坑形成过程中地层超压形成和释放的过程较快;混合型麻坑的形成过程介于二者之间。鉴于麻坑在形成过程中受到海水和下伏地层等多种因素的共同影响,未来十分有必要对海底深部地层中“超压形成-流体聚集-垂向运移至海底表面并逸散-形成麻坑”的整个动态过程展开物理和数值模拟研究,进一步建立海底麻坑形成模式。     

Assessments on slope instabilities triggered by engineering excavations near a small settlement (Turkey)

In this study, the mechanisms of slope instabilities triggered by engineering excavations at location of a planned tunnel portal in the northwest region of Turkey were assessed, and stability of the current slopes which has impacts on safety of a settlement (village) and agricultural fields was investigated. In the first stage of the study, in order to identify the geological units and structural properties of the sedimentary rocks in the area, to clarify the mechanisms of instabilities and to characterize discontinuity and rock mass properties field works were conducted. In this content, geotechnical boreholes, geophysical explorations between the boreholes, line surveys to explore discontinuity properties, preparation of slope profiles using topographical techniques and sampling of rock blocks and discontinuity planes were performed. In the second stage, laboratory tests were carried out on the samples to determine the geomechnical properties of the slope forming materials and discontinuities. Then, back analyses of the instabilities were made to assess the responsible shear strength parameters of the geological units during failures by considering laboratory shear test results too. Based on the backanalyses of the failures, the strength properties of the slope debris were estimated, and it has been clarified that the residual shear strength properties are the factors controlling slip mechanism along the beddings. Following the stability analyses, it is understood that a further instability along the mass or bedding planes in the failed and redesigned area are not expected, if the current slope geometry is not changed. However, safety factor calculated for the slope in the debris is 1.1 which is well below the recommended value in the literature. The minimum safety factor for currently stable slopes which were cut at the eastern part of the failed area is 1.22 which is also less than that suggested in literature. Some remedial measures such as mini-pile or slope flattening are suggested after analyses to increase the factor of safety for this part below the settlement.     

Quantification of methane fluxes from hydrocarbon seeps to the ocean and atmosphere: Development of an <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> and online gas flux measuring system

Natural hydrocarbon seeps in the marine environment are important contributors to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Such gases include methane, which plays a significant role in global carbon cycling and climate change. To accurately quantify the methane flux from hydrocarbon seeps on the seafloor, a specialized in situ and online gas flux measuring (GFM) device was designed to obtain high-resolution time course gas fluxes using the process of equal volume exchange. The device consists of a 1.0-m diameter, 0.9-m tall, inverted conical tent and a GFM instrument that contains a solenoid valve, level transducer, and gas collection chamber. Rising gas bubbles from seeps were measured by laboratory-calibrated GFM instruments attached to the top of the tent. According to the experimental data, the optimal anti-shake time interval was 5 s. The measurement range of the device was 0–15 L min^?1, and the relative error was ± 1.0%. The device was initially deployed at an active seep site in the Lingtou Promontory seep field in South China Sea. The amount of gas released from a single gas vent was 30.5 m³ during the measurement period, and the gas flow rate ranged from 22 to 72 L h^?1, depending on tidal period, and was strongly negatively correlated with water depth. The measurement results strongly suggest that oceanic tides and swells had a significant forcing effect on gas flux. Low flow rates were associated with high tides and vice versa. The changes in gas volume escaping from the seafloor seeps could be attributed to the hydrostatic pressure induced by water depth. Our findings suggest that in the marine environment, especially in the shallow shelf area, sea level variation may play an important role in controlling methane release into the ocean. Such releases probably also affect atmospheric methane levels.     

Stability of submarine slopes in the northern South China Sea: a numerical approach

Submarine landslides occur frequently on most continental margins. They are effective mechanisms of sediment transfer but also a geological hazard to seafloor installations. In this paper, submarine slope stability is evaluated using a 2D limit equilibrium method. Considerations of slope, sediment, and triggering force on the factor of safety (FOS) were calculated in drained and undrained (Φ=0) cases. Results show that submarine slopes are stable when the slope is <16° under static conditions and without a weak interlayer. With a weak interlayer, slopes are stable at <18° in the drained case and at <9° in the undrained case. Earthquake loading can drastically reduce the shear strength of sediment with increased pore water pressure. The slope became unstable at >13° with earthquake peak ground acceleration (PGA) of 0.5 g; whereas with a weak layer, a PGA of 0.2 g could trigger instability at slopes >10°, and >3° for PGA of 0.5 g. The northern slope of the South China Sea is geomorphologically stable under static conditions. However, because of the possibility of high PGA at the eastern margin of the South China Sea, submarine slides are likely on the Taiwan Bank slope and eastern part of the Dongsha slope. Therefore, submarine slides recognized in seismic profiles on the Taiwan Bank slope would be triggered by an earthquake, the most important factor for triggering submarine slides on the northern slope of the South China Sea. Considering the distribution of PGA, we consider the northern slope of the South China Sea to be stable, excluding the Taiwan Bank slope, which is tectonically active.     

3D seismic analysis of the gas hydrate system and the fluid migration paths in part of the Niger Delta Basin,Nigeria

Comprehensive qualitative and semi-quantitative seismic analysis was carried out on 3-dimensional seismic data acquired in the deepwater compressional and shale diapiric zone of the Niger Delta Basin using an advanced seismic imaging tool. The main aim of this work is to obtain an understanding of the forming mechanism of the gas hydrate system, and the fluid migration paths associated with this part of the basin. The results showed the presence of pockmarks on the seafloor and bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs) in the field, indicating the active fluid flux and existence of gas hydrate system in the area. In the area of approximately 195 km² occupying nearly 24% of the entire study field, three major zones with continuous or discontinuous BSRs of 3 to 7 km in length which are in the northeastern, southern and eastern part of the field respectively were delineated. The BSR is interpreted to be the transition between the free gas zone and the gas hydrate zone. The geologic structures including faults (strike-slip and normal faults), chimneys and diapirs were deduced to be the main conduits for gas migration. It is concluded that the biogenic gases generated in the basin were possibly transported via faults and chimneys by advection processes and subsequently accumulated under low temperature and high pressure conditions in the free gas zone below the BSR forming gas hydrate. A plausible explanation for the presence of the ubiquitous pockmarks of different diameters and sizes in the area is the transportation of the excessive gas to the seafloor through these mapped geologic structures.     

海底泥底辟(泥火山)对天然气水合物成藏的影响

海底泥底辟(泥火山)与周缘发育的天然气水合物存在着密切的关联,表现在静态要素和动态成藏2个方面。作为一种重要而有效的运移通道类型,泥底辟(泥火山)携带的气体将是天然气水合物的重要气体来源。同时,含气流体沿着泥底辟(泥火山)的上侵,可能会导致上覆地层中温压场和地球化学组分的改变,进而引起天然气水合物稳定带厚度的变化。因此,泥底辟(泥火山)将控制天然气水合物的成藏,如位于构造中心部位的矿物低温热液成藏模式和位于构造边缘的矿物交代成藏模式。另一方面,泥底辟(泥火山)的不同演化阶段将对天然气水合物的形成和富集产生不同的影响。早期阶段,泥底辟(泥火山)形成的运移通道可能并未延伸到天然气水合物稳定带,导致气源供给不够充分;中期阶段,天然气水合物成藏条件匹配良好,利于天然气水合物的生成;晚期阶段,泥火山喷发带来的高热量含气流体引起天然气水合物稳定带的热异常,可能导致天然气水合物的分解,直至泥火山活动平静期,天然气水合物再次成藏。      

Downward shift of gas hydrate stability zone due to seafloor erosion in the eastern Dongsha Island,South China Sea

New acquired and reprocessed three-dimensional(3 D) seismic data were used to delineate the distribution and characterization of bottom simulating reflections(B SRs) in the Chaoshan Sag,in the eastern part of Dongsha Island,South China Sea.Three submarine canyons with different scales were interpreted from the 3 D seismic data,displaying three stages of canyon development and are related with the variation of BSR.Abundant faults were identified from the coherence and ant-tracing attributions extracted from3 D seismic data,which provide the evidence for fluid migration from deeper sediments to the gas hydrate stability zone(GHSZ).The uplift of Dongsha Island created a large number of faults and leads to the increased seafloor erosion.The erosion caused the cooling of the seafloor sediments and deepening of the base of the gas hydrate stability zone,which is attributed to the presence of paleo-BSR and BSR downward shift in the study area.Hence,methane gas may be released during the BSR resetting and gas hydrate dissociation related with seafloor ero sion.     

1990～2000年中国稻田甲烷排放变化模拟

甲烷（CH^₄）是大气中重要的温室气体之一。研究我国稻田的甲烷排放年际变化,客观评估我国稻田CH^₄排放量,对于区域乃至全球大气CH^₄浓度的贡献具有积极意义。本文将一个比较成熟的稻田甲烷排放模型CH^₄MOD和G IS空间化数据库结合,模拟估计了中国大陆1990～2000年水稻生长季稻田甲烷排放的年际变化。模拟结果表明:从1990年到2000年,我国稻田甲烷排放量具有比较明显的年际波动,其中1993～1995年由于播种面积较少,甲烷排放为一个低谷,排放量约为5.37Tg;其他年份的排放量在5.93～6.22Tg之间。虽然1997年之后我国水稻播种面积比1993年之前少约1.84×10⁶hm²,但两个时期的甲烷排放量却基本相等,这主要是由于1997年之后单位面积稻田甲烷的排放也较1993年之前高的缘故。从空间格局方面讲,我国稻田甲烷排放的高值区主要分布在湖南、湖北、江西、广东、广西、四川、江苏和安徽,东北地区稻田甲烷排放在20世纪90年代有逐年增加的趋势。     

Atmospheric methane over the past 2000 years from a sub-tropical ice core,central Himalayas

A high-resolution 2000-year methane record has been constructed from an ice core recovered at 7200 m a.s.l. on the Dasuopu Glacier in the central Himalayas. This sub-tropical methane record reveals an increasing trend in the concentration of methane during the industrial era that is similar to observations from polar regions. However, we also observed the differences in the atmospheric methane mixing ratio between this monsoon record and those from polar regions during pre-industrial times. In the time interval 0-1850 A.D., the average methane concentration in the Dasuopu ice core was 782±40 ppbv and the maximum temporal variation exceeded 200 ppbv. The difference gradient of methane concentration in Dasuopu ice core with Greenland and Antarctica cores are 66±40 ppbv and 107±40 ppbv, respectively. This suggests that the tropical latitudes might have acted as a major global methane source in pre- industrial times. In addition, the temporal fluctuation of the pre-industrial methane records suggests that monsoon evolution incorporated with high methane emission from south Asia might be responsible for the relatively high methane concentration observed in the Dasuopu ice core around A.D. 800 and A.D. 1600. These results provide a rough understanding of the contribution of tropical methane source to the global methane budget and also the relationship between atmospheric methane and climate change.     

Prediction for potential landslide zones using seismic amplitude in Liwan gas field,northern South China Sea

The Liwan (Lw) gas field located in the northern slope of the South China Sea (SCS) is extremely complex for its sea-floor topograghy, which is a huge challenge for the safety of subsea facilities. It is economically impractical to obtain parameters for risk assessment of slope stability through a large amount of sampling over the whole field. The linkage between soil shear strength and seabed peak amplitude derived from 2D/3D seismic data is helpful for understanding the regional slope-instability risk. In this paper, the relationships among seabed peak, acoustic impedance and shear strength of shallow soil in the study area were discussed based on statistical analysis results. We obtained a similar relationship to that obtained in other deep-water areas. There is a positive correlation between seabed peak amplitude and acoustic impedance and an exponential relationship between acoustic impedance and shear strength of sediment. The acoustic impedance is the key factor linking the seismic amplitude and shear strength. Infinite slope stability analysis results indicate the areas have a high potential of shallow landslide on slopes exceeding 15° when the thickness of loose sediments exceeds 8 m in the Lw gas field. Our prediction shows that they are mainly located in the heads and walls of submarine canyons.     

温室气体源汇及其对气候影响的研究进展

从与人类活动密切相关的温室气体（CO2、CH4、N2O）源汇研究以及温室气体对气候环境的影响等方面论述温室气体研究进展.介绍了国内外有关温室气体源和汇研究,如岩溶系统碳循环、黄土中温室气体组分特征、森林和大陆边缘海二氧化碳、稻田和湿地甲烷排放等方面的研究成果和认识.介绍了冰芯温室气体的部分研究成果和国内外温室气体与气候关系研究中涉及的一些模式及重要结论.结合温室气体源汇及其与气候变化,指出了目前应重视的一些研究内容,如研究陆地和海洋生态系统的碳氮循环问题,温室气体浓度变化与气候变化的相互关系以及气候变化机制.     

上斜坡区筇竹寺组沉积环境及其页岩气勘探潜力:以四川盆地威远地区威207井为例

为深入分析早寒武世(541～509 Ma)海洋化学状态、有机质富集机制,积极评价四川盆地西南部下寒武统筇竹寺组页岩气资源潜力,基于四川盆地威远地区威207井筇竹寺组岩石学、地球化学、主微量元素、孔隙结构与吸附特征,对寒武纪早期上斜坡区古海洋环境、有机质富集控制因素及页岩含气潜力进行了探讨。沉积旋回显示筇竹寺组细粒沉积期发育多个海平面升降控制下深水-浅水陆棚交互转换旋回,但以浅水陆棚相为主,发育典型斜坡浊积体(扇)、重力流沉积。以威远地区为代表的上斜坡区未长期处于深水区,富有机质黑色泥页岩沉积厚度受限。有机地球化学测试结果显示,威207井筇竹寺组有机质以Ⅰ型干酪根为主,热演化程度高,残余烃较少,生烃能力偏低。氧化还原参数指示地处上斜坡的威远地区寒武纪初期海洋环境处于中等限制程度,仅存在一定程度的上升流,海水经历了“缺氧-氧化-缺氧-次氧化-氧化”的转变过程,致使上斜坡区古海洋生产力水平整体较低,由下至上呈明显下降趋势。微观孔隙结构与氮气吸附曲线指示筇竹寺组储层以复杂的、无规则狭缝型孔为主,甲烷吸附量和w(TOC)呈正相关性,但与温度呈负相关性,表明筇竹寺组现今普遍面临的高压高温条件不适于...     

Sediment Provenance and Climate Changes Since the Middle Pleistocene in the Yingqiong Continental Slope of the South China Sea

The age, grain size compositions and major elemental compositions for sediments in core YQ1 from the Yingqiong continental slope in the South China Sea was determined in this paper. It is noted that the periodically cyclic change of sedimentation rates occurred in the Yingqiong continental slope in the South China Sea. During the interglacial periods, the sedimentation rates were high, while the sedimentation rates exhibited low values during the glacial periods. During Marine Isotope Stage 1(MIS1), the sedimentary rate could reach about 800 cm kyr~(-1) and during the MIS6 this area is characterized by the lowest sedimentary rate, which is lower than 3 cm kyr~(-1). According to the R-mode factor analysis of the major element data, three factors F1(Al_2O_3, Fe_2O_3, TiO_2 and K_2O), F_2(MgO and MnO) and F3(Na_2O and P_2O_5) were obtained, which shows that vertical change of the major elemental concentrations in the core was mainly controlled by the nearby terrestrial inputs and the early diagenesis, while the effect of volcanic and biogenous inputs was less. The obvious glacial-interglacial cyclic features are presented in the changes of the typical terrestrial element ratios contained in factor F1, which reflects the impact of glacial-interglacial climatic cycle on the evolution of the East Asian monsoon. This indicates that the major element ratios in terrestrial sediments are significant indicators of regional climate changes.     

Deep-sea geohazards in the South China Sea

Various geological processes and features that might inflict hazards identified in the South China Sea by using new technologies and methods.These features include submarine landslides,pockmark fields,shallow free gas,gas hydrates,mud diapirs and earthquake tsunami,which are widely distributed in the continental slope and reefal islands of the South China Sea.Although the study and assessment of geohazards in the South China Sea came into operation only recently,advances in various aspects are evolving at full speed to comply with National Marine Strategy and‘the Belt and Road’Policy.The characteristics of geohazards in deep-water seafloor of the South China Sea are summarized based on new scientific advances.This progress is aimed to aid ongoing deep-water drilling activities and decrease geological risks in ocean development.     

新疆NDVI时空特征及气候变化影响研究

基于新疆50个气象测站2003-2010年逐日降水、气温资料,结合逐月归一化植被覆盖影像资料,利用趋势分析、R/S分析、模糊C均值聚类、图像处理等方法,系统分析了全疆NDVI时空变化特征及其可持续性,并探究NDVI与气候因子（气温、降水）之间的相关性。研究表明：植被覆盖及气象因子年际间差异不大,呈现出整体稳定的态势,但年内变化明显。北疆/天山北坡水热条件优良、植被长势最好,且植被长势对气候因子的滞后效应并不明显且滞后时间短。天山南坡/天山东段次之,而南疆植被覆盖程度最差,南疆/天山南坡植被长势对气候因子（降水、气温）存在明显的滞后效应,植被生长受气温、降水限制性更大,且气温作为主要因子,对天山南坡植被生长的限制作用表现得更为突出。总体上,新疆植被覆盖呈持续性变化,现有植被覆盖情况基本保持不变,但呈退化趋势的面积大于得到改善的面积,在一定程度上与人类活动有很大关系,探查植被长势的变化趋势并及时做出相应调整,不仅能为新疆地区的植被保护以及植被恢复工作提供一定的科学依据,更能够为合理有效地安排农作物生产提供重要的理论指导。