REE geochemistry of sea-floor sediments of the continental shelf of the East China Sea

REE geochemistry has been studied of sea-floor sediments of the continental shelf of the East China Sea. The average content of RE₂O₃ is estimated at 175 ppm based on 68 sediment samples from the continental shelf. The absolute concentrations of Y and La-Lu in the sediments are shown in Table 3. The REE distribution patterns in the sediments demonstrate a distinct depletion in Eu and a negative slope. It is considered that the fragments of Mesozoie intermediate-acid igneous rocks widely distributed in southeastern China are the main source of REE in sea-floor sediments of the East China Sea continental shelf.     

Speciation and spatial distribution of solid-phase iron in surface sediments of the East China Sea continental shelf

Speciation and reactivity characterization of solid-phase Fe in marine sediments are of significance to understanding its heterogeneous mineralogy and crystallinity, the diagenetic cycling of Fe and its regulating roles on many other elements in sediments. In this study, a combination of sequential and single-step extractions was used for the determination of seven Fe pools in surface sediments of the East China Sea (ECS) continental shelf: (1) carbonate associated Fe (Fe(II)_carb) plus acid volatile sulfide-Fe (Fe(II)_AVS), (2) easily reducible amorphous/poorly crystalline Fe oxides (Fe_ox1), (3) reducible crystalline Fe oxides (Fe_ox2), (4) magnetite (Fe_mag), (5) poorly reactive sheet silicate Fe (Fe_PRS), (6) pyrite-Fe (Fe_py), and (7) unreactive silicate Fe (Fe_U). Total Fe (Fe_T) in the sediments is largely determined by terrestrial aluminosilicate particles as indicated by a great similarity of the Fe_T with that of the Yangtze River and global riverine particulates. The size of Fe_PRS is found to be the largest pool, followed by Fe_U, Fe_ox2, Fe_mag, Fe(II)_AVS+carb, Fe_ox1 and Fe_py. The large Fe_PRS may result from neoformation of Fe-rich clay minerals via reverse weathering and subsequent ageing. The small sizes of Fe(II)_AVS+carb and Fe_py pools is believed to be the result of low SO₄ reduction due to generally low labile organic matter together with the oxic/suboxic, dynamic environments of the surface sediments. The occurrence of Fe_ox1, Fe_ox2 and Fe_PRS in the sediments is closely associated with the clay fraction as indicated by a high spatial correlation between the former and the latter. Highly reactive Fe(Fe_HR) in the sediments is comparable to that in global marine sediments, but apparently lower than in the Yangtze River and global riverine particulates due probably to sequestration in the Yangtze Estuary. The ratios of Fe_HR/Fe_T, Fe_PR/Fe_T and Fe_U/Fe_T in the ECS surface sediments consistently show more similarity to those in the Yangtze River particulates than in the global continental margin or deep-sea sediments. The surface sediments maintain a high level of buffering capacity toward sulfidation suggested by a large fraction of highly reactive Fe(III) oxides (Fe(III)_HR) in Fe_HR.     

Diatom preservation in an inner continental shelf borehole from the South China Sea

Diatom distribution in a 60-m long borehole from a siliciclastics-dominated ‘stable’ inner continental shelf in the South China Sea off Hong Kong was investigated. The Quaternary sediments contained evidence for five interglacial marine transgressions dating back to oxygen-isotope Stage 12, and yielded 53 genera and 186 taxa of diatoms. Intertidal species and nearshore shallow water species, including both planktonic and benthonic tropical and subtropical varieties, were dominant. Four diatom zones reflecting the shallow water environment have been recognized in the top 13.8 m of the borehole. Diatoms are missing in Stage 11 while Stage 7 and Stage 9 are very low in diversity and abundance compared to Stage 1 and Stage 5. The distribution pattern found is accounted for by the duration of time available for frustule dissolution through acid–sulphate soil development during Stages 2, 6, 8 and 10 when the shelf was subaerially exposed. Preservation of diatoms is best in Stage 1 because the deposits have never been subaerially exposed followed closely by Stage 5. Aging mainly through post-depositional dissolution is identified as the important controlling factor in determining diatom distribution in pre-Holocene deposits.     

中国海及大陆架沉积物标准物质系列评介

自20世纪90年代末以来,在有关国家专项的支持下,中国先后研制了分别取自黄海、东海和南海的共9个大陆架沉积物地球化学标准物质,基本构成了一个比较有代表性的中国海及大陆架沉积物标准物质系列,为中国海洋国土及专属经济区调查研究工作提供了有力技术支撑.本文简介了这些标准的研制背景、概况,着重评介了这些标准物质的特点,特别说明了该标准物质系列在海洋地质调查与研究中应用及在地质分析技术发展上的意义.     

南海西北部陆坡H1事件的磁学记录

Heinrich 1（H1）事件,是末次冰消期内一个重要的千年尺度的古气候事件。南海不同海域沉积物磁学性质对H1事件的响应存在差异,因而磁学参数的多解性应予以关注。本文选取南海西北部陆坡具有良好年龄框架的PC338岩芯顶部370 cm段（底部年龄20.5 ka B.P.）,进行详细的磁学性质分析,并利用IRM获得曲线组分分离方法和高场磁化率值等参数,试图为区域气候变化的沉积物磁学响应给出合理解释。结果表明,在H1事件发生时,碎屑成因的磁铁矿（IRM_（C2+C3））和顺磁性组分（χ_p）明显降低,这反映了源区化学风化的减弱,指示南海北部冷干的气候条件;另外,H1事件发生时,南海西北部陆坡的赤铁矿含量较高,这与海平面降低造成的红河源区的赤铁矿输入增多和暴露的大陆架处于氧化条件有关。H1事件时期,东亚季风区呈现末次冰消期以来最干旱的气候特征,主要受控于大西洋经向翻转环流的减弱迫使热带辐合带南移和热带太平洋类La Niña的气候条件这两个因素。

     

南海北部陆架海域表层沉积物黏土矿物分布特征及物源分析

应用X射线衍射(XRD)对南海北部陆架海域225个站位表层沉积物黏土组分进行分析,结果表明,研究区黏土矿物总体以伊利石和绿泥石为主,高岭石和蒙脱石质量分数少,绿泥石、高岭石与蒙脱石质量分数呈明显的负相关关系。根据南海北部陆架海域表层沉积物中黏土矿物空间分布特征,结合邻近河流的黏土矿物组分以及洋流搬运作用,雷州半岛东部海域伊利石主要来源于广东沿海河流和珠江,绿泥石来自台湾岛,蒙脱石主要由吕宋河流提供,高岭石则由广东沿海河流和海南岛入海河流提供;雷州半岛西部海域伊利石来源于珠江,绿泥石和高岭石由红河提供,蒙脱石可能受广西入海河流携带的沉积物影响。     

Trace metals in sediments from the inner continental shelf of the western Beaufort Sea

Increased development and changing climate have enhanced global interest in the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas. Using a large, 3-yr data base, we have determined the distribution of trace metals in sediments from the inner shelf of the western Beaufort Sea. Metal concentrations in these sediments reflect pristine conditions, consistent with those for most coastal areas in the Arctic and with predictions based on average continental crust. Geographic variations in metal values are primarily related to sediment grainsize distribution. However, grain-size patterns are a complex function of several variables including source areas, ice and water movement, as well as physical and chemical weathering. Future identification of any metal contamination in Beaufort Sea sediments will be simplified by understanding the predictable natural patterns.     

Influence of the Yangtze River and grain size on the spatial variations of heavy metals and organic carbon in the East China Sea continental shelf sediments

Bulk heavy metal (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd), Al, organic carbon and carbonate concentrations, grain sizes, and δC¹³ of the organic carbon distributions were studied in sediments collected throughout the East China Sea continental shelf and the Yangtze River Delta. The results demonstrated that terrigenous sediments from the Yangtze River is a dominating factor controlling the spatial variations of heavy metals and organic carbon concentrations on the East China Sea continental shelf. In addition, grain size and recent anthropogenic influences are also major factors modifying the spatial and vertical variations of heavy metals.Large spatial variations with a band type distribution of heavy metals, grain size, organic carbon and carbonate were observed. Higher concentrations of heavy metal and light δC¹³ of the organic carbon were found primarily in the Deltaic and inner shelf sediments. The band type distribution generally followed the coastline with little variations in the north–south direction. Away from the Delta and inner shelf (west–east direction), most heavy metal concentrations decreased rapidly with the exception of Cd where high concentrations of Cd were also found in the carbonate-rich shelf break sediments. Coarse-grained relict sediments and biogenic carbonate are two primary diluting agents for the fine-grained aluminosilicate sediments from the Yangtze River with high concentrations of heavy metals.Unusually high concentrations of Cu, Pb, and Cd showed both spatially and vertically that more pollution prevention measures are needed in the Yangtze River drainage basin in order to prevent further heavy metal pollution of the East China Sea inner continental shelf.     

Distribution and transport of hydrocarbons in surface sediments of the alaskan outer continental shelf

Surface sediments from the Outer Continental Shelf of Alaska were analyzed for hydrocarbons as part of an environmental survey sponsored by NOAA/BLM. Sediments were collected from the proposed oil lease areas of Beaufort Sea, southeastern Bering Sea, Norton Sound, Navarin Basin, Gulf of Alaska, Kodiak Shelf and lower Cook Inlet. Data on normal and branched alkanes and di- and triterpenoids from capillary gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/ MS) indicate that the area displays little evidence of petroleum hydrocarbons (i.e., seeps) except at a few isolated stations. Beaufort Sea sediments have the highest hydrocarbon budget, whereas Kodiak Shelf sediments have the lowest. The molecular markers of the hydrocarbons are of a mixed marine autochthonous and terrestrial allochthonous origin. Norton Sound and Cook Inlet sediments contain the highest levels of terrigenous lipids and Kodiak Shelf the lowest. The abundance of alkenes implies that relatively low oxidizing conditions exist in some of the depositional areas studied, suggesting that extraneous petroleum hydrocarbons introduced into these sediments would be expected to have a relatively long residence time. The distribution of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is complex and shows a pyrolytic origin. The data on perylene strongly favor the hypothesis that it is “performed” from terrigenous precursors and transported into the marine environment with no apparent in situ generation. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons of diagenetic origin are probably dominant in Gulf of Alaska and Kodiak Shelf sediments.Two stations, north of Kalgin Island, in lower Cook Inlet and one in southeastern Bering Sea show typical weathered petroleum distribution of n-alkanes and triterpenoids. Probable pathways of transport and fate of petroleum hydrocarbons in case of an oil spill are also briefly discussed.     

南海东北部表层沉积中钙质超微化石的分布特征

对南海东北部188个表层沉积样品进行了钙质超微化石分析.结果表明,除2个样品外,其他样品均含有超微化石,但丰度相差悬殊,在(9～1 684)个/10视域范围内变化.钙质超微化石相对丰度在平面上的分布可划分为3个区.共鉴定出钙质超微化石17属27种,以Florishaera profunda,Gephyrocapsa oceanica,G.spp.(small)和Emiliania huxleyi为优势种.调查区钙质超微化石的分布受多种因素的综合影响.重点讨论了水深、陆源物质的输入、碳酸盐溶解作用等因素对超微化石丰度及优势种分布的影响.     

东海外陆架浅孔沉积物的岩性和磁性特征及成因讨论?

利用东海外陆架的10根柱状样，进行磁性、粒度、氯离子含量和粘土矿物分析。结果表明：在东海外陆架扬子浅滩前缘，浅部沉积地层自上而下可分为两层。上层为砂泥混合物，含大量贝壳碎片，磁化率与饱和等温剩磁较强，主要是磁铁矿富集所致，反映了冰后期海侵对晚更新世沉积物的强烈改造。研究还发现，现代海底表层沉积物中存在铁硫化物，它是浅海还原环境中铁磁性矿物次生变化的产物。下层为坚硬致密的黄褐色泥质粉砂和粉砂质泥（硬土层），磁化率与饱和等温剩磁较弱，但局部存在剩磁异常高，从矫顽力等磁性特征证明它是硫复铁矿的富集所致。另外，在硫复铁矿富集层中绿泥石和氯离子含量明显富集，反映该硬土层是早期海侵沉积物在末次冰期干冷气候条件下的风化产物。     

Concentration distribution and assessment of heavy metals in sediments of mud area from inner continental shelf of the East China Sea

Heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, and As), grain-size, pH, Eh, and total organic material (TOM and TN) of 59 surficial sediments of mud area from the inner continental shelf of the East China Sea have been analyzed. The relations of the heavy metals to sediment composition, pH, reduction/oxidation conditions and total organic materials were evaluated with multivariate statistics analysis, and the hydrodynamic conditions such as coastal current and Taiwan warm current are the other important controlling factors to the distribution of heavy metals. Sediment enrichment factors and potential ecological hazard index ( E_\textRI E_{\text{RI}} ) were used to assess the heavy metals accumulation; the results indicate that moderate contamination of most heavy metals is prevalent, and the contamination level in the estuary is rather high, which is mainly from anthropogenic source. Compared with other areas in China, the contaminant level of the study area is moderate.     

Quaternary seismic stratigraphy and paleoenvironments on the continental shelf of the East China Sea

Paleoenvironments and stratigraphy have been interpreted from 4380 km of seismic profiling collected during a geological and geophysical cruise on the continental shelf of the East China Sea (ECS) undertaken in 1996. The geophysical data are correlated with a borehole situated on the outer shelf obtained by Shanghai Marine Geology Bureau, indicating that six seismic units have been preserved since oxygen-isotope stage 6, including four regressive–transgressive cycles. Seismic units U2, U3+U4+U5, U6, and U7 are interpreted to correspond respectively to oxygen-isotope stages 1, 3, 5, and 6, implying that sediment partitioning and sequence architecture in the ECS have been controlled by glacio-eustasy and global climate changes. Alternating continental and marine strata corresponding to glaciation and interglaciation are well preserved on the outer shelf of the ECS. Most of the cold environment strata, which formed on the outer shelf during oxygen-isotope stages 2 and 4, are too thin to be recognized on SIG 600J because of resolution, but corresponding erosion surfaces exist. Seismic unit U7 is widespread over the shelf, extending to the continental edge and showing little variation in thickness, as the regression was pronounced and lasted a long time. Thus, U7 can be used as a marker layer for correlation of Quaternary strata on the shelf of the ECS. Post-glacial transgression is obvious in the ECS. Marine strata with varied thickness were developed in the shallow sea of the inner shelf, thinning toward the outer shelf. The continental shelf of the ECS has been influenced by Pacific tide-wave systems for a long time, forming tidal sand-ridge sequences, developed during transgressions, corresponding to oxygen-isotope stages 7 (or 9), 5, 3 and 1.     

REE Geochemistry of Surficial Sediments from the Yellow Sea of China

REE geochemical studies of surficial sediment samples from the Yellow Sea of China have shown:(1)The average content of RE2O3 in the Yellow Sea sediments is 175 ppm,close to that in the East China Sea sediments.The REE distribution patterns in the Yellow Sea sediments are also similar to anomalies.These REE characteristics are typical of the continental crust.(2)The contents of REE are controlled mainly by the sediment grain size,i.e.,REE contents increase gradually with decreasing sediment grain size.REE are present mainly in clay minerals.In addition,REE contents are controlled obviously by heavy minerals.REE abundances in heavy minerals are much greater than those in light minerals.(3)Correlation analysis shows that REE have a close relationship with siderophile elements,especially Ti,which has the largest correlation coefficient relative to REE.Terrigenous clastic materials subjected to weathering and transport are suggested to be the main source of REE in the Yellow Sea sediments.     

Distributions and vertical variation patterns of sound speed of surface sediments in South China Sea

The distributions of sound speed show different characteristics in continental shelf, continental slope and Nansha Trough. The differences have closely related to the distributions of sediment physical properties in the southern South China Sea. According to the analysis of sound speeds and physical properties variation characteristics with buried depth, the vertical variations of sound speed are closely related to sediment texture, sedimentary environment, transport, erosion, compaction, consolidation, etc. The comparison results indicate 3 vertical variation patterns of sound speed: increasing model, invariant model and complicate variation model. The above 3 variation models represent the vertical distribution characteristics of sound speed in different depositional environments. Different variation patterns have different key factors which generally contain porosity or grain size. The calculated sound speeds with Buckingham’s theory of compressional waves in fluid-like marine sediments follows the trend of measured speeds accurately.     

Characteristics and evaluation of Mesozoic source rocks in the southeastern East China Sea continental shelf

Source rocks are the material basis of oil and gas generation and determine the potential resources of exploration blocks and have important research value. This paper studies the lithology, thickness, and geochemistry of Mesozoic source rocks in the southeastern East China Sea continental shelf. The results show that the Mesozoic source rocks are mainly dark mudstone and coal-bearing strata. The total thickness of Lower–Middle Jurassic source rocks ranges from 100 m to 700 m, and that of Lower Cretaceous source rocks ranges from 50 m to 350 m. The overall thickness of Mesozoic source rocks is distributed in the NE direction and their thickness center is located in the Jilong Depression. The Lower–Middle Jurassic source rocks are mainly developed shallow marine dark mudstone and transitional coal measure strata. Those of the Lower Cretaceous are mainly mudstone of a fan delta front. Lower–Middle Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous hydrocarbon source rocks are dominated by type III kerogen, with Lower–Middle Jurassic hydrocarbon source rocks having high organic matter abundance and being medium–good hydrocarbon source rocks, while Lower Cretaceous hydrocarbon source rocks have relatively poor quality. From northwest to southeast, the vitrinite reflectance Ro of Mesozoic source rocks increases gradually. Source rocks in the study area are divided into three types. The first hydrocarbon-generating area is mainly located in the southeastern region of the study area, and the Jilong Depression is the hydrocarbon-generating center. The results of this study can provide a basis for exploration of Mesozoic oil and gas resources in the southeastern East China Sea continental shelf.© 2019 China Geology Editorial Office.     

Earthquake-related soft-sediment deformation structures in Palaeogene on the continental shelf of the East China Sea

Earthquake, as disastrous events in geological history, can be recorded as soft-sediment deformation. In the Palaeogene of the East China Sea shelf, the soft-sediment deformation related to earthquake event is recognized as seismic micro-fractures, micro-corrugated laminations, liquefied veins, ‘vibrated liquefied layers’, deformed cross laminations and convolute laminations, load structures, flame structures, brecciation, slump structures and seismodisconformity. There exists a lateral continuum, the wide spatial distribution and the local vertical continuous sequences of seismites including slump, liquefaction and brecciation. In the Palaeogene of East China Sea shelf, where typical soft-sediment deformation structures were developed, clastic deposits of tidal-flat, delta and river facies are the main background deposits of Middle-Upper Eocene Pinghu Formation and Oligocene Huagang Formation. This succession also records diagnostic marks of event deposits and basinal tectonic activities in the form of seismites.     

Comparative study of the moment and graphic size parameters of the sediments of the western continental shelf of India

A comparative study of the moment and graphic size parameters was undertaken on about two hundred surficial sediment samples varying from sand to clay sizes from the western continental shelf of India. The studies reveal that the mean size and standard deviation may be calculated either by the moment method or by graphic methods (Inman; Folk and Ward) without any significant differences, as the methods are highly correlated. Moment and graphic skewness show less comparability than the mean size and standard deviation. The moment and graphic kurtosis estimate different properties and are not comparable.