Gravity Flow on Slope and Abyssal Systems in the Qiongdongnan Basin, Northern South China Sea

The study of new seismic data permits the identification of sediment gravity flows in terms of internal architecture and the distribution on shelf and abyssal setting in the Qiongdongnan Basin (QDNB). Six gravity flow types are recognized: (1) turbidite channels with a truncational basal and concordant overburden relationship along the shelf edge and slope, comprising laterally-shifting and vertically-aggrading channel complexes; (2) slides with a spoon-shaped morphology slip steps on the shelf-break and generated from the deformation of poorly-consolidated and high water content sediments; (3) slumps are limited on the shelf slope, triggered either by an anomalous slope gradient or by fault activity; (4) turbidite sheet complexes (TSC) were ascribed to the basin-floor fan and slope fan origin, occasionally feeding the deep marine deposits by turbidity currents; (5) sediment waves occurring in the lower slope-basin floor, and covering an area of approximately 400?km2, were generated beneath currents flowing across the sea bed; and (6) the central canyon in the deep water area represents an exceptive type of gravity flow composed of an association of debris flow, turbidite channels, and TSC. It presents planar multisegment and vertical multiphase characteristics. Turbidite associated with good petrophysical property in the canyon could be treated as a potential exploration target in the QDNB.     

Sulfur Isotopes of Framboidal Pyrite in the Permian-Triassic Boundary Clay at Meishan Section

Pyrite framboids were found in the Permian-Triassic boundary at Meishan Section, while their sulfur isotopes were determined. The majority of framboids is less than 5 μm in diameter, with some large-sized framboids. Also, euhedral gypsums were observed in the boundary clay. The authors suppose that most of the pyrite framboids formed just below the redox boundary and stopped growing after entering the lower water column. The result indicates that it was probably lower dysoxia condition in the temporal ocean. Moreover, the authors also presume that some pyrite was oxidated to sulfates accompanying the fluctuation of redox condition, which would probably be the origin of the negative sulfur isotopes of gypsum and CAS reported before. In addition, sulfur isotope of framboidal pyrite suggests that sulfur is originated from bacterial sulfate reduction in anoxic condition. Therefore, this study confirms that the ocean was widely anoxic during the Permian-Triassic transitional period. However, the redox condition in temporal ocean was probably not stable, with short-term fluctuations.     

Heat flow pattern, base of methane hydrates stability zones and BSRs in Shenhu Area, northern South China Sea

Using the collected 433 heat flow values, we estimated the bases of methane hydrate stability zone (BHSZ), in northern South China Sea (NSCS). Through comparing BHSZs with the depths of bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs), in Shenhu Area (SA), we found that there are big differences between them. In the north of SA, where the water depth is shallow, many slumps developed and the sedimentation rate is high, it appears great negative difference (as large as -192%). However, to the southeast of SA, where the water depth is deeper, sedimentation rate is relatively low and uplift basement topography exists, it changes to positive difference (as large as +45%). The differences change so great, which haven’t been observed in other places of the world. After considering the errors from the process of heat flow measurement, the BSR depth, the relationship of thermal conductivity with the sediments depth, and the fluid flow activities, we conclude that the difference should be not caused by these errors. Such big disagreement may be due to the misunderstanding of BSR. The deviant “BSRs” could represent the paleo-BSRs or just gas-bearing sediment layers, such as unconformities or the specific strata where have different permeability, which are not hydraterelated BSRs.     

The impact of sulfate reduction on the distribution of methylmercury in reservoirs in the city of Guiyang

In this paper, the relationship between sulfate reduction potential and mercury methylation potential was studied in the Aha, Baihua and Hongfeng reservoirs from Guiyang City. The methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations of lake water in the Aha Reservoir were greatly elevated as compared to those of the Hongfeng and Baihua reservoirs, which was correlated with its distinctly high SRB abundance, SO42-, and S2- concentrations. Among the three reservoirs, however, the highest MeHg was observed in in the top several centimenters of pore water profile in the Hongfeng Reservoir where the lowest S2- in pore water occurred. The distributions of MeHg in lake water and pore water showed the highest methylation potential occurred at water-sediment surface for the Aha Reservoir and the in the top several centimenters of sediments for the Hongfeng Reservoir. It is guessed that the highest mercury methylation only occurs at the sites with certain sulfide concentrations.     

Land cover change and its response to water level around Tonle Sap Lake in 1988–2020

The transboundary influence of environmental change is a critical issue in the Lancang-Mekong region. As the largest river-connected lake in the lower Mekong, the ecological change and influence of Tonle Sap Lake have received widespread attention and discussion, especially after 2008, when the hydrological regime of the Lancang-Mekong River mainstream underwent distinct changes. However, the linkage and coupling mechanism between the lake riparian environment and mainstream water level change a...