华北中元古代浅海碳酸盐沉淀方式变化:海水氧化还原条件波动的响应?*

海相碳酸盐的沉淀方式被认为与水体氧化还原条件密切相关,即太古宙至古元古代缺氧的铁化海水中碳酸盐沉淀抑制剂Fe²⁺和Mn²⁺强力抑制灰泥在水柱中成核,但允许文石直接在海底生长,从而导致大量文石以海底沉淀方式产出,而新元古代适度的氧化海水则有利于灰泥以水柱沉淀方式形成。然而,碳酸盐沉淀方式的长期变化还可能受控于其他因素,其与海水氧化还原条件之间的关系还需要通过大量具体实例来验证。针对上述科学问题,笔者选择碳酸盐沉淀方式尚处于过渡时期的华北中元古界碳酸盐岩为研究对象,开展碳酸盐沉淀方式及与之对应的氧化还原条件研究。结果表明,华北高于庄组三段(约1.56 Ga)、雾迷山组四段下部(约1.48 Ga)和铁岭组二段(约1.44 Ga)发育大量灰泥水柱沉淀,其Ⅰ/(Ca+Mg)值较高(普遍大于0.5 μmol/mol)、Ce负异常(低至0.8),指示适度氧化的条件;而高于庄组四段下部(约1.55 Ga)和雾迷山组二段中部(约1.50 Ga)则发育大量纤维状文石海底沉淀,其Ⅰ/(Ca+Mg)值约为0,指示次氧化至缺氧的环境。因此,本研究首次用大量实例证实了前寒武纪海水氧化还原条件对碳酸盐沉淀方式的重要调控作用,并且后者可作为海水氧化还原条件分析的重要指标,适用于高效开展长序列、多剖面的低氧背景下前寒武纪碳酸盐岩地层的氧化还原条件分析。     

世界海底富钴结壳资源分布特征

大洋富钴结壳资源是潜在的海底金属资源。文章对富钴结壳资源在太平洋、大西洋和印度洋分布的数据进行收集、整理、筛选、建库,从全球角度出发,对富钴结壳的分布特征进行了分析和对比。研究发现,海山、洋脊、海盆和陆坡4种地貌的Co品位分别为0.70%、0.46%、0.50%和0.43%,海山地貌更有利于高Co品位结壳的产出。三大洋中,太平洋海山富钴结壳矿点的分布比例占到了已知总数的73.3%,说明太平洋海山区是世界海底富钴结壳资源主要的产出区。根据入库数据的分布特点,在全球划分出10个富钴结壳成矿区,结合结壳的厚度和分布水深,从各成矿区中划分出富集区,并按照2 cm厚度和4 cm厚度的标准分别对富集区的富钴结壳资源量进行了估算。计算结果显示,太平洋富矿区的富钴结壳质量最好,w（Mn）、w（Co）、w（Ni）、w（Cu）平均分别为23.00%、0.66%、0.44%、0.09%,干结壳资源量分别为2426.33 Mt、70.30 Mt、48.75 Mt、10.30 Mt;按4 cm厚度指标,w（Mn）、w（Co）、w（Ni）、w（Cu）平均分别为23.70%、0.58%、0.48%、0.11%,干结壳资源量分别为1184.53 Mt、29.76 Mt、24.53 Mt、5.01 Mt。     

Alpine ocean seafloor spreading and onset of pelagic sedimentation: new radiolarian data from the Chenaillet-Montgenèvre ophiolite (French-Italian Alps)

Radiolarians of Middle Jurassic age (tentatively middle Bathonian) provide the first direct age determination from oceanic sediments associated with the Chenaillet-Montgenèvre ophiolite (Piemonte zone, French-Italian Alps). This datum obtained from radiolarites of the Lago Nero- Replatte thrust sheet is older than those previously established on ophiolite sedimentary covers from this segment of the western Alps. It also shows that Lago Nero-Replatte basal radiolarites are anterior to the youngest intrusives from the overlying Chenaillet s.s. thrust sheet. This chronological relationship implies either a late seafloor spreading-related magmatic activity in places younger than adjacent initial pelagic sedimentation, or more likely that the Lago Nero-Replatte and the Chenaillet s.s. thrust sheets are distinct and distant pieces of lithosphere that were eventually stacked together: the Lago Nero-Replatte unit was trapped within the accretionary wedge while the Chenaillet s.s., of a younger age and in a more distal position with regards to the European margin, was obducted. Regionally, the Lago Nero-Replatte sediments appear to be coeval to other Bathonian supraophiolitic radiolarites exposed in the western Alps. These results strengthen the Bathonian correlation of widespread seafloor spreading in both western Tethys and the central Atlantic ocean.     

Fast Double Selectivity Index-CFAR Detection Method for the Multi-Beam Echo Sounder

Abstract

Seafloor terrain and water column target detection is of great significance in marine surveys. However, the complex clutter environment can dramatically affect the detection performance of a multi-beam echo sounder. To simultaneously and robustly detect the seafloor terrains and water column targets, this paper proposes a fast two-dimensional double selectivity index-constant false alarm rate (DSI-CFAR) detection method. A two-dimensional cross sliding window, which includes reference cells and guard cells, is used in this paper. The proposed method improves the detection performance by using the appropriate clutter power level estimation strategies in different directions. An exponential model is accurately built by fitting various distributions, so the DSI-CFAR detection performance is greatly ameliorated. To reduce the computational load of the method, this paper uses a fast algorithm based on the global threshold. The region of interest (ROI) is selected by the preset global threshold, and the DSI-CFAR detector is only performed in the region of interest, which significantly reduces the number of pixels that must be calculated. In this paper, the measured results of different sliding windows and CFAR detection methods validate the basic performance of the proposed method.     

A generic swath‐mapping data format

There is a pressing need for standardization of data derived from bathy‐metric swath‐mapping systems. Currently several dozen multibeam and sidescan sonar data formats exist within the oceanographic community, and more can be expected as new systems are developed. Without some standardization of swath‐mapping data formats, the capability for use and integration of data from different systems will be severely compromised.

This paper presents a strategy for organizing swath bathymetry data in a logical modular fashion that will allow data from all current swath bathymetric sonar systems to be stored and accessed in a common fashion. We have chosen the approach of defining compact efficient modules for each logically independent portion of a data record and storing it in a manner that is portable between diverse computer architectures and operating systems. This approach is extensible to accommodate new types of data. Although specifically developed for swath bathymetry, this format is also capable of supporting digital sidescan data and other types of swath data.     

Installation of ocean bottom bases for observation of seafloor crustal movement

Abstract

Ocean bottom bases (OBBs) have been installed on both sides of the axis of the Sagami Trough east of the Izu Peninsula, central Japan, as the first step toward long‐term geodetic and geophysical observations at the plate boundary (subduction zone). The OBB is a platform for seafloor measurements; otherwise it is difficult to find an appropriate place for precise seafloor measurements in the subduction zones. It is made of a nonmagnetic concrete block of size 1100 × 1100 × 500 mm. It was lowered from a ship using a winch wire and installed on a predetermined place with its position being monitored by an acoustic transponder system and a 30‐kHz bottom pinger with an accuracy of about 2 m.

It was confirmed later during the divings on board the submersible Shinkai 2000 that the OBB was installed on a flat mud bottom in normal condition. No change has been recognized in the installation condition in 3 years; the OBB is stable enough to be used for acoustic range measurements on the seafloor as well as for several geophysical measurements.

The resolution of seafloor range measurement can be improved by two orders by using phase measurement techniques with the aid of pulse compression. Precise acoustic range measurement of the order of 10^?5 is feasible under the following conditions: two‐way measurements between the two OBBs installed on the slope facing each other with angles larger than 1.5°. Correction is necessary for the effect of long‐term temperature variation.     

南黄海中部海底沉积物原位声速与物理性质相关关系

基于在南黄海中部获得的海底沉积物原位声速数据,分析讨论了原位声速与密度、含水量、孔隙比、孔隙度等沉积物物理性质参数的相关关系。通过回归分析建立了海底沉积物原位声速预测方程。结果表明,原位声速与上述物理参数之间具有良好的相关性,相关系数r均大于0.93。对比分析了原位声速预测方程与甲板声速预测方程的差异,两者最小相差15.8 m/s,最大相差31.3 m/s,平均差值约为22.6 m/s。将原位声速预测方程与其他研究者建立的声速预测方程进行了对比,结果表明不同声速预测方程存在明显差异,初步分析了存在差异的原因。     

Sea Floor Sediment and Its Acouso-Physical Properties in the Southeast Open Sea Area of Hainan Island in China

Acouso-physical properties of sea floor sediments in the southeast offshore sea area of Hainan Island on the northern continental shelf of the South China Sea are analyzed. In many cruises, conductivity-temperature-depth measurements of seawater, measurements of shallow stratum and side-scan sonar have been made. Acoustic parameters, basic sedimentary parameters, physical-mechanical parameters and ¹⁴C age, etc., have been measured. The sediment elastic parameters, including Young's modulus, bulk modulus, constrained modulus, rigidity modulus, Poisson's ratio, Lames constant, etc., have been calculated. Results show that the compression wave velocity of the seafloor sediment in the sea area ranges from 1474–1700 m/s, and there are high and low sound velocity sediment types in the different sea areas; the shear wave velocity is 150–600 m/s; at 100 kHz the sediment sound attenuation is 35–260 dB/m, the sediment density is 1.4–2.0 g/cm³; the sediment porosity is 42–88%. Sound field parameters and describing sound reciprocity between sea and seafloor are described.     

Geotechnical Investigation of the Titanic Wreck Site

Abstract

Recent marine forensic investigations have largely unravelled the sequence of events concerning the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic and its descent through nearly 3800 m of water to the seafloor on the morning of 15 April 1912. In particular, the velocity and attitude of the Titanic's bow section (at present lying upright, reasonably intact, and embedded by ～12 m at the prow) as it hit the bottom are of general interest to marine accident investigators. During the 1998 Titanic Science Expedition, a single sediment sample was retrieved from the seafloor (depth 20–30 cm) near the wreck by the deep water submersible, Nautile. Published geological studies suggest the seafloor in this area has remained largely undisturbed since 1912. Geotechnical analysis of the sediment sample reveals that the impact was probably a substantially undrained event and that the characteristic undrained shear strength of the sediment is ～25kPa within 10–16 m below the seafloor. A simple analytical model was used to calculate the embedment of a cuboid with dimensions and mass of the water-filled bow as a function of impact velocity, impact angle, and the undrained shear strength of the sediment. The results indicate the impossibility of a steep angle of impact and fast velocity. The most likely scenario is an impact velocity of 5–10 m/s at a fairly shallow angle (<40°), which corroborates the results of hydrodynamic investigations.