Mineral chemistry indicates the petrogenesis of rhyolite from the southwestern Okinawa Trough

To reveal the petrogenesis of rhyolite from the southwestern Okinawa Trough, the mineral chemistry of plagioclase, orthopyroxene, amphibole, quartz and Fe-Ti oxide phenocrysts were analyzed using an electron microprobe, and in suit Sr and Ba contents of plagioclase analysed by LA-ICPMS were chosen for fingerprinting plagioclases of different provenances. Results indicate an overall homogeneous composition for each of the mineral phases except for plagioclase phenocrysts which have a wide range of composition(An=39~88). Plagioclase crystals characterized by An contents of 70 are not in equilibrium with their whole-rock compositions, and coarse-sieved plagioclase phenocryst interiors record high An contents(70) and Sr/Ba ratios(7), which are similar to the those of plagioclase crystals in basalt. Therefore, these crystals must have been introduced to the rhyolitic magma from a more mafic source. Equilibrium temperatures estimated using orthopyroxene-liquid, iron–titanium oxide, titanium-in-quartz and amphibole geothermometers show consistent values ranging from 792 to 869℃. The equilibrium pressure calculated using amphibole compositions is close to 121 MPa which corresponds to an approximate depth of 4 km. The fO_2 conditions estimated from Fe-Ti oxides and amphiboles plot slightly above the NNO buffer, which indicates that the rock formed under more oxidized conditions. Our results suggests that petrogenesis of the rhyolite due to basaltic magma ascend with the high An and Sr/Ba plaigoclases from deep magma chamber into the shallow chamber where the fractional crystallization and crustal assimilation happened. It also indicates that a two-layer magma chamber structure may occur under the southwestern Okinawa Trough.     

ON TECTONIC PROBLEMS OF THE OKINAWA TROUGH

The Okinawa Trough is a very active tectonic zone at the margin of the Northwest Pacific and is typical of back-arc rifting at the young stage of tectonic evolution. Many scientists from Japan,China, Germany, France, the U. S.A. and Russia have done a lot of geologic and geophysical investigations there. It is well known that the Okinawa Trough is an active back-arc rift with extremely high heat flow, very strong hydrothermal circulation, strong volcanic and magmatic activity, frequent earthquakes,rapid subsidence and rifting, well-developed fault and central graben. But up to now, there are still some important tectonic problems about the Okinawa Trough that require clarification on some aspects such as the type of its crust, its forming time, its tectonic evolution, the distribution of its central grabens, the relationship between its high heat flow and tectonic activity. Based on the data obtained from seismic sur-vey, geomagnetic and gravity measurements, submarine sampling and heat flow measurements in the last 15 years, the author discusses the following tectonic problems about the Okinawa Trough: (1) If the Okinawa Trough develops oceanic crust or not. (2) Is the South Okinawa Trough tectonically more active than the North Okinawa Trough with shallower water and few investigation data on it. (3) The formation time of the Okinawa Trough and its tectonic evolution. The Okinawa Trough has a very thin continental crust. Up to now, there is no evidence of oceanic crust in the Okinawa Trough. The North, Middle and South Okinawa Trough are all very strongly active areas. From 6 Ma B.P. , the Okinawa Trough began to form. Since 2 Ma, the Okinawa Trough has been very active.     

Geochemical features of trace and rare earth elements of pumice in middle Okinawa Trough and its indication of magmatic process

Pumice, the most widely distributed volcanic rock in Okinawa Trough, is loose and porous. Since its formation, it has definitely suffered from the denudation of the sea to different degrees. In order to truly reveal the geochemical features of pumice, we choose the method of mineral separation. Firstly, the phenocryst is separated from glass. Then the phenocryst is divided into light and heavy mineral compositions. By ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) analytical technology, the contents of trace and rare earth elements in the whole pumice, the glass and the heavy and light mineral compositions are determined respectively. By researching the elemental geochemical features, the magma dynamic processes are found. It shows that the initial magma for the pumice in Okinawa Trough came from the depleted mantle, from which the N-MORB (normal type of mid-ocean ridge basalt) is formed, homologous with the local basalts. But they are formed in different periods of magma crystal fractionation. Featured with sufficient crystal fractionation for pumice, it is found that the earlier crystallizing minerals are olivine, plagioclase and pyroxene. The pumice magma, formed from the depleted mantle, was mixed with additional subduction-related materials (components), and contaminated with the mass from upper crust when it rose up into the crust. As the Okinawa Trough is a back-arc basin in its early back-arc spreading stage, its magmatism has a series of its own unique characteristics, different from not only the mid-ocean ridge expansion, but also the mature back-arc basin.     

MAGMATIC EVOLUTION OF OKINAWA TROUGH DURING ITS EARLY SPREADING STAGE

The Okinawa Trough is different from other typical backarc spreading basins because the acidic vol-canic rock(pumice)is extensively distributed in it.Systematic mineralogical and petrochemical study on arepresentative core(Z14—5)to characterize the magmatic evolution of the Trough during its early spreading stage showed that the pumice magma was originally from the mantle,but underwent full crystallizationdifferentiation and was possibly contaminated by crust-derived material.With time,the acidic volcanic ac-tivities of the Okinawa Trough have an evolutional tendency of shifting to relatively basic magma activity.With further spreading of the Trough the magmatic activity will be intensified and the crust of the Troughwill develop from the transitional type to the oceanic type.     

Geochemical characteristics of hydrothermal sediments from Iheya North Knoll in the Okinawa Trough

Thirty sediment subsamples were recovered from the Iheya North hydrothermal field(with an average of 38 m away from the hydrothermal vent) in the middle Okinawa Trough.Samples were obtained by the ROV(Remote Operated Vehicle) Faxian during the virgin cruise of the R/V Kexue in 2014 with the application of push cores.The chemical compositions of the sediments show that the hydrothermal sediments near the hydrothermal vent are mainly composed of SO_3,ZnO and Fe_2O_3.Moreover,the hydrothermal sediments are also highly enriched in Pb,As,Sb,Hg,Se,Ag,Ba,Mo and Cd comparing with previous analysis results.On the other hand,the concentrations of Sr,Hg and Ag in studied sediments are strongly and positively correlated,these elements can be used as an hydrothermal indicator.In addition,a factor analysis of the sediments suggested that the sediments were mainly influenced by hydrothermal origin,and terrestrial and biogenic input are limited in studied area.It is also suggested that different stages of crystallization were involved in the formation of hydrothermal chimney from factor analysis.     

Phylogenetic diversity and bioactivity of culturable deep-sea-derived fungi from Okinawa Trough

Deep-sea sediments are now recognized as a home for rich and largely microbial community. Recently, it has been believed in an increasing number of studies that bacteria could be abundant in deepsea sediments of many types; however, fungi in deep-sea sediments remain relatively unknown. The phylogenetic diversity and bioactivity of culturable deep-sea-derived fungi from Okinawa Trough sediments were investigated in traditional method combined with fungal identification of molecular biology in this study. A total of 76 isolates belonged to 15 fungal taxa were recovered in a harsh condition of low nutrient and low temperature, indicating that the fungal communities in deep-sea sediments from Okinawa Trough were relatively abundant and diversified. Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Penicillium were the dominant fungal genera, while Mycosphaerella, Purpureocillium, and Schizophyllum were relatively rare in the deep-sea sediments from Okinawa Trough. Among the six genera recovered, Mycosphaerella was firstly recovered from deep-sea sediments in this study. Moreover, about 75% of the extracts from the 15 fungal representative isolates displayed distinct bioactivity against at least one indicator bacterium or marine macrofouler, emphasizing the potentials of these deep-sea-derived fungi from Okinawa Trough as producers of bioactive metabolites. Notably, isolates Cladosporium oxysporum SCSIO z001 and Penicillium citrinum SCSIO z049 displayed a wide spectrum of bioactivities, isolates Cladosporium cladosporioides SCSIO z015, Cladosporium sphaerospermum SCSIO z030, and Penicillium verruculosum SCSIO z007 exhibited a strong anti-bacterial-growth activity, and isolate Penicillium chrysogenum SCSIO z062 displayed a strong anti-larval-settlement activity. These results suggest that these isolates deserved further study as potential sources of novel bioactive metabolites.     

The tectonics beneath the Okinawa Trough

The nature of the crust of the Okinawa Trough is different from that of the continental shelf in the East China Sea. The crust beneath the Trough is in transformation from continental to oceanic and the depth of MOHO in the northern section of the Trough is deeper than in the southern section. Thick sedimentary strata of Neogene and Pleistocene ages are deposited in the Okinawa Trough, and divided into three layers: the upper horizontal layer, the middle layer lightly folded and the lower deformed layer. They were formed in Pleistocene, Pliocene, and Miocene to Paleogene, respectively. The tectonic movement in the southern section is stronger than that in the northern section. Some volcanic seamounts appear on the bottom of the Trough. On both slopes of the Trough are developed many normal faults and the intrusive igneous rocks. The Okinawa Trough, the back-arc basin, is an embryonic marginal basin in rifting and spreading. The formation of the Okinawa Trough started in the early Pliocene. The transformation of crust and the growth of the Trough progressed from the southern to the northern section. The southern section is a true trough in tectonic sense. Contribution No. 986 from the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica. The paper was presented in the PS-11 of IAPSO Symposium, 18th General Assembly IUGG, Hamburg, 22 August 1983.     

Palynological and algal assemblages from the sediments of Okinawa Trough

According to the distribution of spores, pollen and algae in the surface sediments, Okinawa Trough may be divided into three palynological regions: 1)Pinus-Quercus-Pteridium palynological region lying between the two slopes of Okinawa Trough, 2)Pinus-Castanopsis-Quercus palynological region lying north of the trough and 3)Pinus-Quercus-Polypodiaceae palynological region lying south of the trough. Comparing the sporo-pollen assemblages of the column sections with each other, five sporo-pollen zones have been distinguished and their ages determined. Four problems about the palynology of the trough sediments have been discussed. This paper was published in Chinese inOceanologia et Limnologia Sinica 13(5): 440–450, 1982.     

Some new species of radiolaria from surface sediments of the East China Sea and the South China Sea

Fourteen species of Radiolaria described in this paper were discovered from surface sediments of the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the cores of the Okinawa Trough. Type specimens are deposited in the Second Institute of Oceanography, SOA.     

A new model of lithosphere deformation beneath the Okinawa Trough based on gravity data

The Ryukyu trench-arc system can be divided into two types according to its subduction model. The normal subduction in the northern part of the Philippine Sea plate creates a hinge sedimentary wedge with large deformation at the collision front, while the oblique subduction in the southern part gives rise to a smaller accretion with small deformation than that in the northern part. The mechanisms that cause distinction between these two types have been analysed and calculated by using gravity data based on the lithosphere rheology and the stress state of the lithosphere in the subduction boundary. The two types of subduction model are associated with the internal extension in the southern Okinawa Trough and the small extension in the northern part. The difference of the stress state between the two types of subduction model is also manifested in other tectonic features, such as topography, volcanic activity and crust movement. Modeling bathymetric and gravity data from this area suggests that the oblique subduction of low angle, together with smooth geometry of the overlying plate crust, results in small stress released on the south of the trench by the subduction plate. The intraplate faults in the southern Okinawa Trough behind the trench stand in surplus intensive stress. On the other hand, the normal subduction of high angle, together with strong undulation geometry of the overlying crust, results in more intensive stress released in the northern Ryukyu Trench than that in the south. The intraplate faults in the northern Okinawa Trough behind the northern Ryukyu Trench stand in small stress.     

The crust and upper mantle structure and the stretching mechanism of the Okinawa Trough

The major aim of this study is to put forwad a valid model to explain the gravity anomalies observed over the Okinawa Trough which the crustal structure and a reasonable model of the downgoing slab themselves cannot explain. The result of inversion indicates that the lithosphere above the center of the trough thins out to 45% of the normal thickness (63 km) of the lithosphere of the East China Sea. Fur ther, the originations of lithospheric force are discussed. The tensional stress of about 160 bar arising from density contrast in the Okinawa Trough is recognized to be the most important causative factor in the stretching of the trough. Contribution No. 1487 from Institute of Oceanology. Academia Sinica     

云南乌东德水电站施期料场中元古代热液白云岩研究

云南禄劝乌东德水电站是我国第三座超千万千瓦级水电站，其建设所采用的混凝土人工骨料来源于坝址下游施期料场的中元古代落雪组灰岩。在骨料勘察和实际开采过程中，发现灰岩与白云岩在同一层位产出，其岩性变化界线切割岩层面，该类现象为工程地质研究中所罕见，引起了高度关注。以施期料场灰岩-白云岩过渡带和骨料开采残留的一处白云岩凸起岩块为重点研究对象，开展了野外地质调查、室内岩相学、微区矿物形貌和成分、碳氧同位素以及流体包裹体分析，深入探讨了研究区碳酸盐岩成岩演化和岩相转变过程与机理，提出了新的白云岩化成因模式。结果表明:①矿物形貌和空间分布特征指示与灰岩过渡的白云岩为早期灰岩经过后期白云岩化形成；②白云岩中发育的斑马纹构造、鞍状白云石及其伴生的硫化物和碳质物等，指示其经历了热液白云岩化过程。鞍状白云石中流体包裹体的均一温度（183~215℃）显著高于围岩方解石中流体包裹体均一温度（102~152℃）；③白云岩普遍具有较轻的O同位素值（δ18O=-13.3‰~-7.8‰），而其中鞍状白云石的δ18O最低（-13.3‰），表明它们可能为热液流体直接沉淀的产物，而其他白云岩由于受热液流体影响程度较低而具有较低的包裹体均一温度和较高的δ18O值；④乌东德地区近直立的岩层产状和断裂可能为热液流体运移提供了通道，而其上覆的近水平震旦系灯影组厚层白云岩则起到了封堵作用，使热液流体在不整合面之下与灰岩发生长时间反应；热液流体的运移方向决定了最终的热液白云岩的分布。      

AVO character research of natural gas hydrates in the East China Sea

Natural gas hydrates are considered as strategic resources with commercial potential in the 21st century. Obvious BSR characteristics will be shown on seismic profiles, if there exist natural gas hydrates. The AVO method is one of the methods which can be used to identify and forecast lithologic characteristics and fluid properties by using the relationship between Amplitude and Offset. AVO anomaly is one of the significant signs to check out whether or not there is free gas below the BSR, so it can be used to detect natural gas hydrates from the seismic profile. Considering the geological and geophysical characteristics of the Okinawa Trough and making use of the techniques mentioned above, we can conclude that the conditions there are favorable for the formation and concentration of natural gas hydrates. By analyzing the data collected from the study area, one can discover many different anomalous phenomena on the seismic profile which are related to the existence of natural gas hydrates. Preliminary estimation of the natural gas hydrates in the Okinawa Trough shows that the trough is rich in natural gas hydrates and may become a potential important resources exploration area.     

Geochemical characteristics of stable isotopes from hydrothermal chimneys in the Mariana Trough, West Pacific Ocean

ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＲｅｓｅａｒｃｈｅｓｏｎｓｅａ ｆｌｏｏｒｈｙｄｒｏｔｈｅｒｍａｌａｃｔｉｖｉｔｉｅｓａｎｄｈｙｄｒｏｔｈｅｒｍａｌｓｕｌｆｉｄｅｓｙｉｅｌｄｅｄｔｈｅｎｅｗｅｓｔｋｎｏｗｌｅｄｇｅａｂｏｕｔｍｏｄｅｒｎｍａｒｉｎｅｇｅｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌｅｖｏｌｕｔｉｏｎａｎｄｍｉｎｅｒａｌｉｚａｔｉｏｎｐａｔｔｅｒｎｓ.Ｓｉｎｃｅｔｈｅ 1 980ｓ,ｓｃｉｅｎｔｉｓｔｓｈａｖｅｂｅｅｎａｐｐｌｙｉｎｇｔｈｅｏｘｙｇｅｎｉｓｏｔｏｐｅｍｅｔｈｏｄｔｏｒｅｃｏｖｅｒｔｈｅｎｏｔｄｉｒｅｃｔｌｙｄｅ…     

湖北大冶铜山口斑岩-矽卡岩型铜钼矿床包裹体特征及流体演化意义

为了提供矽卡岩岩浆成因证据,丰富多成因矽卡岩理论,并研究湖北大冶铜山口铜钼矿床成矿流体性质,以包裹体的岩相学观察为基础,结合高温流体包裹体显微测温和激光拉曼光谱分析,对铜山口矿床矽卡岩矿化进行了研究。结果表明:在早期矽卡岩矿物石榴石中发现了丰富的晶质和非晶质熔融包裹体、熔体-流体包裹体,表明天然岩浆珠滴被矽卡岩矿物晶格缺陷捕获,其中含有石榴石、黄铜矿等子矿物,且早期流体包裹体均一温度超过500℃,为早期矽卡岩岩浆熔体成因提供了重要证据。矽卡岩成矿早期以岩浆作用为主,晚期以热液作用为主,且熔-流转换的过程主要发生在干矽卡岩阶段,早期岩浆熔体中富含成矿物质,为矿区深部成矿提供了物质基础。      

A METHOD FOR EPICENTER LOCATNG BY USING T WAVES

Two OBS arrays were deployed in the southern Okinawa Trough.Some of the OBS records revealedmany earthquakes with intensive T waves but ambiguous body waves.A new method using T waves for epicenter locating was developed that was found to be as precise as the body wave method for locatingepicenters when T waves are clearly recorded.     

Methane-rich fluid inclusions and their hosting volcanic reservoir rocks of the Songliao Basin, NE China

Methane-rich fluids were recognized to be hosted in the reservoir volcanic rocks as primary inclusions.Samples were collected from core-drillings of volcanic gas reservoirs with reversed δ12C of alkane in the Xujiaweizi depression of the Songliao Basin. The volcanic rocks are rhyolite dominant being enriched in the more incompatible elements like Cs, Rb, Ba, Th, U and Th with relative high LREE, depleted HREE and negative anomalies of Ti and Nb,suggesting a melt involving both in mantle source and crustal assimilation. Primary fluids hosted in the volcanic rocks should have the same provenance with the magma. The authors concluded that the enclosed CH4 in the volcanics are mantle/magma-derived alkane and the reversed δ13C of alkane in the corresponding gas reservoirs is partly resulted from mixture between biogenic and abiogenic gases.     

The gravity field and deep tectonics of the Ruykyu T-A-BA system

This paper reports on our research on the gravity data around the Ryukyu T-A-BA system, and presents the results obtained and the calculation methods, such as, Moho calculation, spectrum analysis, smooth filtering, analytic extension, horizontal derivation, correlative analysis, etc. used in this study. In contrast to the information obtained from seismic profiles, the analyses show that oceanic and continental crusts demarcated by the Ryukyu T-A-BA system are very different in gravitational and tectonic characteristics. The structures in the T-A-BA region are very complicated and linearity of the gravity field and structure is very obvious. The Okinawa Trough with its two groups of fault structures in their respective NW and NNE strikes is an active neo-spreading back are basin whose development and evolution is greatly influenced by faulting. This paper was read in the SGCM (International Symposium on Geology of Continental Margin) in 1986; This study was supported by NNSFC. Contribution No. 1410 from Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica     

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.