Geochemistry and palaeo-oceanography of metalliferous and pelagic sediments from the Late Cretaceous Oman ophiolite

Metalliferous and pelagic sediments are exposed within and above the extrusive successions of the Upper Cretaceous Oman ophiolite which, on the basis of mostly geochemical evidence, is believed to have formed in an incipient marginal basin setting located above a NE-dipping subduction zone. The ophiolitic extrusives document various volcano-tectonic settings which include the axial zones of a spreading ridge, fault-controlled seamounts and off-axis volcanic edifices. Most of the Fe, Mn and trace metal-enriched sediments studied are interpreted as precipitates formed by oxidation of solutions derived from high-temperature sulphide-precipitating vents. The trace element content (e.g. REE and Sr) was largely scavenged from seawater. The sediments are similar to the dispersed metalliferous sediments on the flanks of modern spreading ridges, and the ‘basal’ sediments of DSDP wells and of other ophiolite complexes (e.g. Troodos, Cyprus).Distinctive mound structures located low in the lavas are attributed to percolation of sulphide-rich solutions into already deposited metalliferous oxide sediments. The resulting iron-silica rock was probably originally precipitated as ferruginous silicates.Major massive sulphides formed off-axis at the base of intermediate-basic edifices of volcanic arc affinities. Fe, Mn and trace metal enrichment in the sediment cover of a flat-topped seamount of axial lavas is interpreted as a dispersion halo around the largest massive sulphide orebody which is situated 5 km away (Lasail). Small massive sulphide bodies are common in the axial lavas particularly along major seafloor fault zones. The metalliferous sediments, locally precipitated near these vents, are ferromanganiferous, but trace metal-depleted.The metalliferous and pelagic sediment cover of the extrusive successions, generally, documents waning hydrothermal input after volcanism ended in the area.A model is discussed in which the ophiolite was created at a spreading axis above a subduction zone dipping away from the Arabian continental margin. With progressive subduction this crust approached the margin. Initially, calcareous sediment accumulated above the calcite compensation depth (CCD), but then non-calcareous radiolarites were deposited as the ophiolitic crust approached the continental margin where the CCD was higher and marginal upwelling possibly enhanced productivity. As the edge of the Arabian continental margin entered the trench, the over-riding ophiolite was regionally uplifted allowing short-lived chalk accumulation above the CCD. This was followed by volcaniclastic deposition related to the tectonic emplacement.     

Geoacoustic Characterisation of Fine-grained Sediments using Single and Multiple Reflection Data

Fine-grained sediments commonly occur in areas of the continental shelf where wave and current energy are weak. Bulk density, compressional wave speed and attenuation are fundamental physical properties of these sediments required for predicting the response of the seabed for diverse branches of marine science. The traditional coring approach is time and labor-intensive, with large uncertainties associated with sediment disturbance in the sampling phase. Acoustic methods offer the advantages of remote sensing, i.e., sampling the sediment structure without mechanical disturbance and a significantly larger seabed coverage rate per unit time. Two different acoustic methods are described: one using short-range single-bounce interactions with the seabed, and the second using long-range modal propagation to infer the sediment properties. The relative strengths and sensitivities of each approach are explored through simulations guided by experience with measured data.     

A Preliminary Study of Shear Wave in Seafloor Surface Sediments

This article preliminarily reports and analyses the transmission characteristics and behaviors of shear wave in the offshore seafloor surface sediments in China, discusses the relationships between the physical and mechanical features of the shear wave and the compression wave, and compares the testing results with that of Hamilton and Chen et al. The result shows that the shear wave can be tested if the seafloor surface sediment has tangent modulus. The shear wave velocity ranges from 50-600 m/s and the measuring frequency from 50-200 kHz. The sound velocity rate of shear wave and compression wave can be used to appraise the stress-strain feature of seafloor surface sediments. This study provides a basis for further describing and appraising the seafloor sedimentary acoustic-mechanical feature and building a geological-acoustic model on China's offshore sea area.     

冲绳海槽中西部边缘区沉积物成因和沉积环境

本文根据１９９６年“中－法合作东海计划”在冲绳海槽中西部边缘区所取柱状样岩芯沉积物粒度分析资料,对该区沉积物特征进行研究。结果表明,火山沉积和富含生物的半远洋深海软泥沉积是本区的主要特征。以４８１ｃｍ为界,上、下两层沉积物截然不同,可能是沉积物的来源不同或者是水动力条件的差异。该区主要受火山活动的影响,其次是黑潮、大洋风暴     

沉积物对磷酸盐的吸附与释放

本实验研究黄河口水文站沉积物对黄河水磷的吸附释放过程和东海１１１号站位沉积物对海水磷的吸附释放过程。并摸拟黄河沉积物在海水中磷的吸附释放过程。结果表明：底沉积物对磷的吸附相当迅速，无论是河泥还是海泥在２４ｈ内均能达到吸附平衡。吸附量与沉积物的量和水中原有磷的浓度有关，在不同的ｐＨ条件下，沉积物对磷的吸附是有显著差别的     

全新世长江水下三角洲朵体及其发育特征

本文根据长江水下三角洲地区的五个钻水及３０００ｋｍ浅地震剖面资料，运用生物地层学和地震地层学方法分析研究，获得了水下三角洲分期和三角洲朵体的分布及发育等地质信息，首次提出，长江水下三角洲沉积体由六期朵体参错迭置而成，详细阐述了水下三角洲复合体的结构特征；并结合古海岩线，孢粉气候地层，测年资料等，探讨了其发育过程及形成时代，为预测长江下水三角洲的发民菜，提供了新的基础地质依据。     

Variation in microbial biomass and community structure in sediments of peter the great bay (sea of japan/east sea), as estimated from fatty acid biomarkers

Variation in the microbial biomass and community structure found in sediment of heavily polluted bays and the adjacent unpolluted areas were examined using phospholipid fatty acid analysis. Total microbial biomass and microbial community structure were responding to environmental determinants, sediment grain size, depth of sediment, and pollution due to petroleum hydrocarbons. The marker fatty acids of microeukaryotes and prokaryotes - aerobic, anaerobic, and sulfate-reducing bacteria -were detected in sediments of the areas studied. Analysis of the fatty acid profiles revealed wide variations in the community structure in sediments, depending on the extent of pollution, sediment depth, and sediment grain size. The abundance of specific bacterial fatty acids points to the dominance of prokaryotic organisms, whose composition differed among the stations. Fatty acid distributions in sediments suggest the high contribution of aerobic bacteria. Sediments of polluted sites were significantly enriched with anaerobic bacteria in comparison with clean areas. The contribution of this bacterial group increased with the depth of sediments. Anaerobic bacteria were predominantly present in muddy sediments, as evidenced from the fatty acid profiles. Relatively high concentrations of marker fatty acids of sulfate-reducing bacteria were associated with organic pollution in this site. Specific fatty acids of microeukaryotes were more abundant in surface sediments than in deeper sediment layers. Among the microeukaryotes, diatoms were an important component. Significant amounts of bacterial biomass, the predominance of bacterial biomarker fatty acids with abundance of anaerobic and sulfate-reducing bacteria are indicative of a prokaryotic consortium responsive to organic pollution.     

渤海南部表层沉积的相特征

通过海上调查及实验室分析,查明渤海南部表层沉积物在结构类型、矿物组合、生物组分及沉积构造等相特征方面具有明显的分区性。渤海南部存在五种沉积相:黄河水下三角洲相、陆架盆地相、海湾相、潮流浅滩相及古滨岸相。黄河水下三角洲相从河口延至水深15—20米处,沉积速率很高,沉积物富含碎屑云母及CaCo_3。陆架盆地相的沉积为粉砂质粘土,具有生物扰动构造。     

Field Placement and Evaluation of Stabilized Dredged Material (SDM) from the New York/New Jersey Harbor

Since the 1997 local ban on ocean dumping of dredged sediments, the States of New York and New Jersey have pursued a policy of environmentally sound solutions to the management of dredged material, including beneficial use of stabilized dredged material (SDM) in transportation applications. A pilot study was initiated in 1998 to evaluate the use of SDM in the construction of highway embankments. Utilizing 80,000 cubic yards of dredged material, two embankments were constructed from SDM on a commercial development area adjacent to the Harbor. Geotechnical properties and handling of SDM were evaluated both during and one year post - construction. This article presents the evaluation of the embankments themselves, including constructability and performance. The results demonstrate that SDM satisfies most of the geotechnical criteria for fill construction, except those for durability, requiring proper coverage and protection similar to that provided for fills constructed on cohesive soils. This same characteristic precludes long term stockpiling of SDM prior to final placement, limiting applications to those that have schedules overlapping with dredging projects. Increased costs for the use of SDM can be as high as $8 per cubic yard over traditional fills; however, this cost may be recouped through management fees collected from dredging projects.