基于地形的海底热液区沉积物分布趋势预测方法研究

热液区沉积物接受了大量热液物质的输入,其矿物组成及地球化学空间分布特征是多金属硫化物勘探的有效指标。由于重力作用,洋中脊区域沉积物主要分布于低洼和平坦地形区。为了探索地形因素对热液区沉积物分布的影响规律,本文通过ArcGIS提出了一种基于地形数据的海底热液区沉积物分布趋势预测方法,并对西南印度洋中脊龙角区地形数据进行了分析,包括沉积物重力搬运方向提取、沉积物汇集量估算、海底沟谷提取和沉积物源区划分。通过与研究区底质解译结果进行对比验证发现,预测结果与研究区内沉积物的实际分布范围较为吻合,表明本方法在一定程度上可以有效地指示地形影响下海底热液区沉积物的分布情况。本方法对海底硫化物矿产勘探工作具有一定指导意义,可为海底沉积物取样站位设置与海底硫化物成矿远景区圈定提供参考依据。     

海底热液活动的环境与产物

近23年的调查研究,使我们认识到分布于洋中脊、弧后盆地、岛弧和热点等环境的海底热液活动发育在多种围岩类型之上,包括超基性岩石、基性岩石、中性岩石、酸性岩石和沉积物。海底热液活动经历了岩浆去气作用、流体-岩石/沉积物相互作用和流体-海水混合,获取了岩浆、岩石、海水和沉积物的物质,构成了热液循环,产生了高温、低氧、高或低pH值、富含Fe、Mn、Cu、Zn、Pb、Hg、As等元素以及气体组分(甲烷、氢等)的喷口流体,影响了海水、沉积、岩石和生物环境,形成了热液柱、硫化物、含金属沉积物和蚀变岩石等热液产物,组成了海底热液系统。未来,促进海底热液活动探测技术和热液产物测试方法的发展,对海底热液区的岩石、喷口流体、热液柱、硫化物、含金属沉积物以及热液循环、生物活动的持续观测与研究,无疑将为人类探知海底地质过程及生命活动、保护海底热液环境和合理开发利用海底资源提供有力的工作支撑。     

洋中脊热液羽状流的分布特征及其在多金属硫化物找矿中的指示作用

热液羽状流是海底热液活动的重要标志,海底多金属硫化物是热液活动的产物。现阶段洋中脊多金属硫化物勘探工作的第一步是开展热液羽状流的近底探测;综合各类异常信息,实现从发现热液活动喷口到发现矿床的突破。本文以热液羽状流为研究对象,从羽状流的近底探测、扩散机制和分布特征3个方面,概述了最新的研究进展和有待完善的方面,阐述了羽状流在洋中脊多金属硫化物找矿中的指示作用,最后总结性地指出时空连续性、参数多元化将是热液探测的发展趋势,有助于提升对热液羽状流分布特征的认识,将为热液区分布模式的研究提供更加精细的探测资料。     

Newly discovered hydrothermal fields along the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge around 63°E

The ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge(SWIR) to the east of the Melville fracture zone is characterized by very low melt supply and intensive tectonic activity. Due to its weak thermal budget and extremely slow spreading rate, the easternmost SWIR was considered to be devoid of hydrothermal activity until the discovery of the inactive Mt. Jourdanne hydrothermal field(27°51′S, 63°56′E) in 1998. During the COMRA DY115-20 cruise in2009, two additional hydrothermal fields(i.e., the Tiancheng(27°51′S, 63°55′E) and Tianzuo(27°57′S, 63°32′E)fields) were discovered. Further detailed investigations of these two hydrothermal sites were conducted by Chinese manned submersible Jiaolong in 2014–2015. The Tiancheng filed can be characterized as a lowtemperature(up to 13.2°C) diffuse flow hydrothermal field, and is hosted by fractured basalts with hydrothermal fauna widespread on the seafloor. The Tianzuo hydrothermal field is an inactive sulfide field, which is hosted by ultramafic rocks and controlled by detachment fault. The discovery of the three hydrothermal fields around Segment #11 which receives more melt than the regional average, provided evidence for local enhanced magmatism providing heat source to drive hydrothermal circulation. We further imply that hydrothermal activity and sulfide deposits may be rather promising along the easternmost SWIR.     

Geomagnetic Models and Edge Recognition of Hydrothermal Sulfide Deposits at Mid-ocean Ridges

Near-bottom magnetic prospecting is considered to be an efficient method for investigating inactive hydrothermal areas and the study of the spatial structure of hydrothermal systems. Furthermore, geophysical forward modeling is widely used to simulate the anomalous characteristics of geological bodies. To understand the magnetic and magnetic structure features of hydrothermal sulfide deposits at mid-ocean ridges, we built 3D forward models for both mafic- and ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal sulfide deposits to simulate the near-bottom magnetic field. Our modeling results showed a low amplitude magnetic anomaly above the mafic-hosted hydrothermal sulfide deposits, and a high amplitude magnetic anomaly above the ultramafic-hosted deposits. These features allow us to identify and classify the host rocks of hydrothermal sulfide deposits. Moreover, we can recognize the edge of the magnetic anomalies using the intensity of the spatial differential vector method, considering variables such as the width of the alteration zone, the height of the observation platform, and the magnetic inclination and declination. Therefore, we propose the intensity of the spatial differential vector method as an effective approach to define the boundaries of hydrothermal sulfide deposits.     

基于PXRF的西南印度洋脊硫化物表层沉积物地球化学找矿研究

海底热液喷发形成的热液羽状流中富含成矿物质,并沉淀在距离热液喷口不等的范围内。对西南印度洋中脊热液喷口附近、距离喷口中等距离、远离喷口的六个表层沉积物样品开展了不同粒度沉积物的便携式XRF（PXRF）分析。结果表明,PXRF可以有效获得的洋中脊钙质沉积物中成矿元素的富集特征。>40目的沉积物样品具有较高的Cu、Zn、Fe、Mn等元素含量,40目以下沉积物中则相对稳定,可能与粗粒沉积物中玄武岩碎屑/玻璃含量较高有关,与镜下鉴定结果一致。以热液喷口为中心,表层沉积物中表现出Cu、Zn、As、Fe、Mn的元素分带,靠近喷口的沉积物中具有较高的成矿元素的含量,并具有较高的Cu/Fe、Zn/Fe比值或者Cu/Mn与Zn/Mn比值。上述结论表明,洋中脊沉积物中成矿元素的含量主要受与喷口的距离的影响,而与粒度的关系不大,洋中脊沉积物地球化学找矿应采用40目以下粒径沉积物作为分析样品。通过PXRF获得的Cu、Zn、As、Fe、Mn等元素含量及其比值特征可以作为海底多金属硫化物沉积物地球化学找矿的指标,该方法满足快速有效识别洋中脊沉积物中地球化学异常的要求。     

Depositional processes and stratigraphic architecture within a coarse-grained rift-margin turbidite system: The Wollaston Forland Group,east Greenland

The Wollaston Forland Basin, NE Greenland, is a half-graben with a Middle Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous basin-fill. In this outcrop study we investigate the facies, architectural elements, depositional environments and sediment delivery systems of the deep marine syn-rift succession. Coarse-grained sand and gravel, as well as large boulders, were emplaced by rock-falls, debris flows and turbulent flows sourced from the immediate footwall. The bulk of these sediments were point-sourced and accumulated in a system of coalescing fans that formed a clastic wedge along the boundary fault system. In addition, this clastic wedge was supplied by a sand-rich turbidite system that is interpreted to have entered the basin axially, possibly via a prominent relay ramp within the main fault system. The proximal part of the clastic wedge consists of a steeply dipping, conformable succession of thick-bedded deposits from gravity flows that transformed down-slope from laminar to turbulent flow behaviour. Pervasive scour-and-fill features are observed at the base of the depositional slope of the clastic wedge, c. 5 km into the basin. These scour-fills are interpreted to have formed from high-density turbulent flows that were forced to decelerate and likely became subject to a hydraulic jump, forming plunge pools at the base of slope. The distal part of the wedge represents a basin plain environment and is characterised by a series of crude fining upward successions that are interpreted to reflect changes in the rate of accommodation generation and sediment supply, following from periodic increases in fault activity. This study demonstrates how rift basin physiography directly influences the behaviour of gravity flows. Conceptual models for the stratigraphic response to periodic fault activity, and the transformation and deposition of coarse-grained gravity flows in a deep water basin with strong contrasts in slope gradients, are presented and discussed.     

Arctic margin gravity highs: Deeper meaning for sediment depocenters?

Morphologic, gravity, and seismic reflection/refraction data from ca. 10,000 km of Arctic passive continental margins suggest that the numerous oval free-air gravity anomalies, their +50–150 mGal extrema typically located just landward of shelf breaks, are caused by combinations of rapidly deposited Plio-Pleistocene glacial marine sediment loads, older post-breakup sediments, and perhaps causally related density anomalies (mascons) in the underlying oceanic crust. Dispersed seismicity associated with some gravity highs may reflect ongoing brittle, flexural adjustment to the loads. Multi-channel-seismic-controlled depocenter models for several prominent highs (including the Hornsund gravity high re-examined here) suggest that sediments alone do not suffice to explain the gravity highs, unless depocenter seismic velocities have been significantly underestimated. A flexural backstripping model for the Hornsund anomaly only roughly replicates observed gravity. Subjacent 'mascons', if present below some depocenters, may be caused by (1) anomalous subsidence of initially formed dense/thin crust; (2) depocenter blanketing of early-formed crust, mitigating hydrothermal fracturing and related density reduction; or (3) metastable phase transitions, converting basalt/gabbro to denser phases (Neugebauer–Spohn hypothesis), while cracks close or fill under the increased pressures and temperatures.     

Seafloor morphology in the Mozambique Channel: evidence for long-term persistent bottom-current flow and deep-reaching eddy activity

The Mozambique Channel plays a key role in the exchange of surface water masses between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans and forms a topographic barrier for meridional deep and bottom water circulation due to its northward shoaling water depths. New high-resolution bathymetry and sub-bottom profiler data show that due to these topographic constraints a peculiar seafloor morphology has evolved, which exhibits a large variety of current-controlled bedforms. The most spectacular bedforms are giant erosional scours in the southwest, where northward spreading Antarctic Bottom Water is topographically blocked to the north and deflected to the east forming furrows, channels and steep sediment waves along its flow path. Farther north, in the water depth range of North Atlantic Deep Water, the seafloor is strongly shaped by deep-reaching eddies. Steep, upslope migrating sediment waves in the west have formed beneath the southward flow of anticyclonic Mozambique Channel eddies (MCEs). Arcuate bedforms in the middle evolved through an interaction of the northward flow of MCEs with crevasse splays from a breach in the western Zambezi Channel levee. Hummocky bedforms in the east result from an interplay of East Madagascar Current eddies with overspill deposits of the crevasse and Zambezi Channel. All bedforms are draped with sediments indicating that the present-day current velocities are not strong enough to erode sediments. Hence, it can be concluded that the seafloor morphology developed during earlier times, when bottom-current velocities were stronger. Assuming a sedimentation rate of 20 m/Ma and a drape of at least 50 m thickness the bedforms may have developed during the Pliocene Epoch or earlier.     

海底多金属硫化物自然电位观测方式研究

利用海洋自然电位法可以探测海底多金属硫化物矿体的位置和轮廓。在调查过程中,可以进行水平观测和垂直观测,本文对这两种观测方式的探测效果进行数值模拟分析,结果表明垂直观测异常大,对矿体的横向分辨率高。但在进行垂直观测时,电极离底低,工作风险大。所以在实际调查过程中,需要根据需求选择合适的观测方式。另外,在实际测量过程中,电极对会偏离垂直方向和水平方向,将导致异常结果发生变化,因此在数据资料处理与解释过程中要注意。本文可以为海底多金属硫化物自然电位调查提供参考。     

Sulfur isotopic composition of seafloor hydrothermal sediment from the Jade hydrothermal field in the central Okinawa Trough and its geological significance

Eighteen samples of hydrothermal sediments from the Jade hydrothermal field in the central Okinawa Trough have been analyzed. Sulfur isotopic values for 10 sulfide samples vary from 5.2 × 10~(-3) to 7.2× 10(-3), δ~(34)S values for 7 sulfate samples vary from 16.3 × 10~(-3) to 22.3 × 10~(-3), and 1 native sulphur sample has a δ~(34)S value of 8.2× 10~(-3). The major sources of sulfur for hydrothermal sediment are intermediate to acid volcanic rocks and sea water sulfate, and it is possible that the partial sulfur of hydrothermal sediment is from the pelagic sediment by the interaction between hydrothermal fluid and sediment. The reasons of causing the distinct differences in sulfur isotopic values for sulfide samples from hydrothermal sediment ( compared with other hydrothermal fields), are the differences in the sources of sulfur, the magmatic activity and the tectonic evolution in different hydrothermal fields. The sulfur evolution is a long and complex process in the seafloor hydrothermal system     

New discovery of seafloor hydrothermal activity on the Indian Ocean Carlsberg Ridge and Southern North Atlantic Ridge—progress during the 26th Chinese COMRA cruise

The 26th Chinese COMRA (China Ocean Mineral Resources Research & Development Association) cruise was an important cruise. The Carlsberg Ridge (CR) of the Northwest Indian Ocean and the North Atlantic Ridge (NAR), in which less investigation has been carried out for hydrothermal activities, were investigated and studied during the first two legs of the 26th COMRA cruise. During the first leg, we found one hydrothermal activity field located in the CR at 3.5 -3.8 N on the Northwest Indian Ocean Ridge (NWIR), and sampled seafloor polymetallic sulfide deposits where only abnormalities were found before. During the second leg, we found a new hydrothermal anomaly field located in the NAR at 4 -7 N. The discovery of two hydrothermal and anomaly fields filled in the gap of hydrothermal investigation and study in the corresponding regions for China.     

Seamount gravity anomaly modelling with variably thick sediment cover

Inversion modelling of marine gravity anomalies to derive predicted seafloor topography has provided significant advance in delineating deep-ocean bathymetry where the seafloor both conforms to the half-space cooling model of seafloor spreading, and largely sediment-free. Similar modelling for elevated ridges and seamounts, that are formed by processes other than seafloor spreading and/or have proximal sediment sources (e.g., continental margins and volcanic arcs), have significantly higher errors when validated against modern shipborne echo-sounding data. A three-dimensional, five-layer gravity model is emulated for the cases of both synthetic and real seamounts, with varying degrees of sediment burial, to establish the sensitivity of variable sediment cover as a source of error. A simple `Gaussian' seamount with base radius of 30 km, 2000 m of relief, has a maximum 140–160 mGal anomaly, that decreases to 50 mGal with the addition of 1 km of sediment cover with simple `flood' geometry. Complete burial, with a typical sediment density of 2300 kg m^–3, results in a 120 mGal difference from a sediment-free seamount model. Increasing sediment density results in an exponential decay of the seamount anomaly. More complex synthetic geometries of varying basement relief and sediment thickness show that the anomaly amplitude remains significant, especially where the latter is >700–800 m thick. For the real case, seamounts of the Three Kings Ridge (northern New Zealand) imaged with seismic reflection data, with varying degrees of sediment cover of up to 1 km, when modelled both with and with-out the inclusion of a sediment layer, typically have rms differences of 30 mGal between observed and modelled gravity anomalies. Significantly, the rms errors are reduced by 50% with the inclusion of a sediment layer that corresponds to a reduction of predicted seafloor topography rms errors of 192–684 m to 78–360 m.     

海底热液成因含金属沉积物的研究现状及展望

海底热液成因含金属沉积物广泛分布于全球各大洋与弧后活动扩张中心、大洋玄武岩上覆沉积层的底部以及板内火山的顶部等区域.块状硫化物烟囱体经氧化蚀变发生再沉积作用、热液羽流的扩散和沉降作用或低温弥散流的直接沉淀均可形成含金属沉积物.尽管不同热液区的含金属沉积物在矿物和化学组成上具有一定的差异,但其相对正常远洋沉积物均表现为富...     

基于海底表层沉积物声速特征的南海地声模型

在由垂直声速梯度建立的地声模型基础上,通过引入沉积物与海水声速比和沉积物压缩波与切变波声速比两个表征沉积物声学特征参数得到更全面和有实际指导意义的地声模型。在沉积物声波传播FCMCM模型基础上,基于热作用和重力作用下沉积物两相介质的应力应变分析,建立TFCMCM和DFCFCM模型,运用模型校正表层沉积物声速特征来计算和解释地声模型。根据海底表层沉积物存在低声速和高声速两种类型,结合沉积物沿纵深孔隙度不变和变化两种类型,得到南海海底沉积物的两类四种典型地声模型:低声速孔隙度不变型、低声速孔隙度减小型、高声速不变型和高声速孔隙度减小型。运用这四种典型地声模型的组合解释了卢博提出的南海三种典型声速结构。认知声速结构将为南海声学探测海底、划分海底区域提供模型支持。     

南海西北海盆的构造特征及南海新生代的海底扩张

分析了南海西北海盆及其邻区的地形地貌、重磁场异常和地壳结构特征,并对穿过西北海盆和中央海盆的地震剖面进行精细解释。结果发现,西北海盆的地球物理场异常、地质构造和地壳厚度均呈ＮＥ走向展布,而中央海盆则表现为ＥＷ向特征;西北海盆中的新生代沉积比中央海盆多一套地层（Ｔ４－Ｔｇ）,说明西北海盆的年龄比中央海盆老。联系到南海西南海盆和西北海盆在区域构造、地球物理场异常和地形地貌特征等方面的相似,以及西南海盆和中央海盆由磁异常条带对比得出的年龄差异,我们认为,西北海盆和西南海盆是在第一次海底扩张时（４２－３５ＭａＢ．Ｐ．）形成的,中央海盆是在第二次海底扩张时形成的。     

Seafloor and buried mounds on the western slope of the Niger Delta

Seafloor mounds are potential geohazards to offshore rig emplacement and drilling operations and may contain evidence of underlying petroleum systems. Therefore, identifying and mapping them is crucial in de-risking exploration and production activities in offshore domains.A 738 km² high resolution three-dimensional seismic dataset was used to investigate the occurrence, seismic characteristics and distribution of features interpreted as seafloor and buried sediment mounds, at water-depths of 800–1600 m, on the western Niger Delta slope. Fifteen seafloor mounds and eighteen shallowly buried mounds were identified. The seafloor mounds are characterised by lower seismic amplitude anomalies than the surrounding seabed sediments, and overlie vertical zones of acoustic blanking. The buried mounds in contrast are characterised by high amplitude anomalies; they also directly overlie sub-vertical zones of acoustic blanking. Seismic evidences from the features, their distribution patterns and tectono-stratigraphic associations suggest that their formation was controlled by the juxtaposition of buried channels and structural highs and their formation caused by focused fluid flow and expulsion of entrained sediments at the seabed.Considering the acoustic and geometrical characteristics of the mounds and comparing them with mound-shaped features from around the world, we conclude that the mounds most likely comprise heterolithic seafloor extrusions of muds and sands from the Agbada Formation with gas and possibly oil in some of the pore space giving rise to the acoustic characteristics.     

西南印度洋49°～56°E洋脊段的热液羽状流:来自深水中的氦同位素异常证据

海水中的氦同位素能对海底热液活动进行有效示踪。本文对在西南印度洋49°~56°E洋脊段采集的5条CTD拖曳剖面共14件深水样品进行了氦氖同位素分析。通过分析水体中存在的氦同位素异常,探讨调查区热液异常的特征和热液羽状流的分布。分析表明,5条CTD剖面均存在δ3He异常,其中CTD7-2(位置:37.927°S、49.412°E,水深2 140m,离底高度100m)的δ3He值最大,达到49.2%。根据δ3He分布特征,认为调查区内存在至少6处热液羽状流,其中37.927°S、49.412°E以西数千米范围内可能存在海底热液喷口。     

东太平洋海隆13°N表层含金属沉积物物质组成与元素赋存状态

为了解不同类型含金属沉积物在物质组成和元素赋存状态的差异,对东太平洋海隆13°N洋中脊两侧表层含金属沉积物(站号:E271和E53)进行了矿物学、地球化学分析,顺序提取实验,并与前人对轴部表层沉积物(站号:17A-EPR-TVG1)的研究结果作了对比分析。研究结果表明, E271和E53是远端含金属沉积物,由非浮力热液羽状流中颗粒物沉降所形成的;17A-EPR-TVG1沉积物是近喷口含金属沉积物,由黑烟囱或者热液硫化物丘状体崩塌、堆积,或者由热液羽状流中Fe-Mn氧化物和硫化物快速沉淀而形成的,近喷口沉积物比远端沉积物更富集Fe、Cu和Zn等元素。元素在两种含金属沉积物中的赋存状态基本相同,除了Fe,Cu,Zn,Mo和稀土元素(REE)等元素在远端沉积物中主要存在于Fe-Mn氧化物相,在近喷口沉积物中主要在残留相中。远端沉积物中REE页岩标准化配分模式与海水相似,表明REE主要来自海水,而近喷口沉积物中REE配分模式与热液流体相似,说明REE以高温热液流体来源为主。相关研究结果加深了对热液沉积作用研究的认识。     

现代海底超镁铁质岩系热液系统与地质意义

现代海底热液循环与洋中脊地质过程一直是国际洋中脊计划研究的热点.海底热液系统多数都与海底玄武岩及其水-岩反应直接相关,而一类与深海橄榄岩的产出及其蛇纹石化作用有关的海底热液系统——超镁铁质岩系热液系统,以具有高浓度H2和CH4异常而低SiO2浓度为显著特征,主要分布在慢速扩张大西洋中脊和超慢速扩张北冰洋Gakkel洋脊和西南印度洋中脊.超镁铁质岩系热液系统在流体组成、构造背景和硫化物成矿方面与玄武岩热液系统有很大差异,主要表现在地幔来源超镁铁质岩石的普遍出露、喷口流体高的H2和CH4异常以及硫化物中高Co/Ni比值.超镁铁质岩系热液系统的发现丰富了全球洋中脊热液系统的研究内容,对洋中脊地质过程、海底热液活动及其成矿作用研究具有重要意义.