Episodic tectonic plate reorganizations driven by mantle convection

Periods of relatively uniform plate motion were interrupted several times throughout the Cenozoic and Mesozoic by rapid plate reorganization events [R. Hey, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 88 (1977) 1404-1420; P.A. Rona, E.S. Richardson, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 40 (1978) 1-11; D.C. Engebretson, A. Cox, R.G. Gordon, Geol. Soc. Am. Spec. Pap. 206 (1985); R.G. Gordon, D.M. Jurdy, J. Geophys. Res. 91 (1986) 12389-12406; D.A. Clague, G.B. Dalrymple, US Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 1350 (1987) 5-54; J.M. Stock, P. Molnar, Nature 325 (1987) 495-499; C. Lithgow-Bertelloni, M.A. Richards, Geophys. Res. Lett. 22 (1995) 1317-1320; M.A. Richards, C. Lithgow-Bertelloni, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 137 (1996) 19-27; C. Lithgow-Bertelloni, M.A. Richards, Rev. Geophys. 36 (1998) 27-78]. It has been proposed that changes in plate boundary forces are responsible for these events [M.A. Richards, C. Lithgow-Bertelloni, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 137 (1996) 19-27; C. Lithgow-Bertelloni, M.A. Richards, Rev. Geophys. 36 (1998) 27-78]. We present an alternative hypothesis: convection-driven plate motions are intrinsically unstable due to a buoyant instability that develops as a result of the influence of plates on an internally heated mantle. This instability, which has not been described before, is responsible for episodic reorganizations of plate motion. Numerical mantle convection experiments demonstrate that high-Rayleigh number convection with internal heating and surface plates is sufficient to induce plate reorganization events, changes in plate boundary forces, or plate geometry, are not required.     

The effect of flow at Maud Rise on the sea-ice cover – numerical experiments

 The role of seamounts in the formation and evolution of sea ice is investigated in a series of numerical experiments with a coupled sea ice–ocean model. Bottom topography, stratification and forcing are configured for the Maud Rise region in the Weddell Sea. The specific flow regime that develops at the seamount as the combined response to steady and tidal forcing consists of free and trapped waves and a vortex cap, which is caused by mean flow and tidal flow rectification. The enhanced variability through tidal motion in particular modifies the mixed layer above the seamount enough to delay and reduce sea-ice formation throughout the winter. The induced sea-ice anomaly spreads and moves westward and affects an area of several 100 000 km². Process studies reveal the complex interaction between wind, steady and periodic ocean currents: all three are required in the process of generation of the sea ice and mixed layer anomalies (mainly through tidal flow), their detachment from the topography (caused by steady oceanic flow) and the westward translation of the sea-ice anomaly (driven by the time-mean wind).     

Biomineralization of organic matter in cobalt-rich crusts from the Marcus–Wake Seamounts of the western Pacific Ocean

Organic matter in cobalt-rich crust(CRC) from the Marcus–Wake Seamounts of the western Pacific Ocean, Sample CM1D03, has been analyzed to understand the source, geochemistry and mineralization of organic matter, and the mineralization environment. Biomarkers, including n-alkanes, isoprenoids, terpanes and sterols, have been detected in various layers of the CRC sample, using gas chromatography(GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry(GC–MS). The content of organic carbon(OC) and its stable isotope(δ13C), and the combined features of the biomarkers show that the mineralized organic matter in CM1D03 CRC was mainly derived from microorganisms and lower plankton(e.g., bacteria and algae, respectively) from marine surface water, with some terrestrial higher plant components. The ratio of chloroform bitumen "A": OC was high in the CRC, between 10.51 and 20.66, showing significant migration characteristics of n-alkanes. Four mineralization categories of organic matter were recognized based on GC chromatograms of n-alkane molecules:(1) primitive type(bacteria and algae), which is characterized by moderately mature of n-alkanes preserving the original characteristics of the organic matter from microorganisms and lower plankton;(2) microbial degradation type, which is characterized by low contents of n-alkanes and rising baseline in the chromatogram, with the "bulge" being the products of organic matter by biodegradation;(3) organic matter migration type, which is characterized by low carbon number of n-alkanes with n C18 as the main peak carbon, without odd even predominance, and low concentrations of isoprenoids and hydrocarbons with high carbon number; and(4) organic matter hydrothermal type, which is characterized by relatively low concentration of small molecular weight n-alkanes, pristane, and phytane, accompanied by higher concentration of n-alkanes with carbon number greater than n C18. This study shows that biomarkers can record controlling factors of mineralization and their variation.     

Assessment of acoustic backscatter intensity surveying on deep-sea ferromanganese crust: Constraints from Weijia Guyot,western Pacific Ocean

Near-bottom observation data from the manned deep submersible Jiaolong with high-precision underwater positioning data from Weijia Guyot, Magellan Seamounts in the Western Pacific Ocean are reported. Three substrate types were identified: Sediment, ferromanganese crust, and ferromanganese crust with a thin cover of sediment. The ferromanganese crusts show clear zoning and their continuity is usually disturbed by sediments on areas of the mountainside with relatively gentle slope gradients. The identified substrate spatial distributions correspond to acoustic backscatter intensity data, with regions of high intensity always including crust development and regions of low intensity always having sediment. Therefore, acoustic backscatter intensity surveying appears useful in the delineation and evaluation of crust resources, although further more work is needed to develop a practicable methodology.     

中太平洋海山区富钴结壳地质特征

应用 X射线衍射分析、穆斯堡尔谱分析、X荧光光谱分析以及超微生物化石定年等方法对 1 998年和 1 999年“大洋一号”调查船 DY95 - 8和 DY95 - 1 0航次采集的富钴结壳样品进行了地质特征综合研究与分析 ,结果表明 :( 1 )该区富钴结壳可划分为板状结壳、砾状结壳和钴结核三类 ,均具有微晶质结构。 ( 2 )该区富钴结壳宏观构造主要呈板层状和圈层状构造 ;显微构造在形态上可大体分为柱状构造、平行纹理状构造和致密块状构造三种基本类型。 ( 3)该区富钴结壳主要由三类矿物组成 :锰矿物、铁矿物和杂质矿物。其中锰矿物为水羟锰矿和少量的钡镁锰矿 ,铁矿物主要为 β-羟铁矿 ,偶见赤铁矿和磁铁矿等 ,杂质矿物有石英、斜长石等。( 4 )该区富钴结壳主要成矿元素含量 :Fe为 1 6.86% ,Mn为 2 1 .2 6% ,Cu为 1 1 0 2 .0 9× 1 0 - 6 ,Co为 62 5 2 .72× 1 0 - 6 ,Ni为 40 64.62× 1 0 - 6 。 ( 5 )该区东部海山 ( N1～ N4海山 )比西部海山( N5、 N6海山 ) Fe元素含量高 ,Mn、 Cu、 Co、 Ni元素含量则低 ,这一差异源于海水中 Fe、 Mn等成矿元素的分离作用 ,其分离程度与海底火山作用时代以及相应的玄武岩海解风化时间长短有密切关系。 ( 6)结壳形成于第三纪古新世至第四纪更新世 :第一阶段从第三纪古新世到中新世 ,     

Distribution and Origin of Seamounts in the Central Indian Ocean Basin

Approximately 200 seamounts of different dimensions have been identified, from multibeam bathymetry maps of the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) (9°S to 16°S and 72°E to 80°E), of which 61% form eight chains that trend N-S. The seamounts are clustered above and below 12°S latitude. Area II (9°–12°S) shows a concentration of smaller seamounts (≤400 m height), and area I (12°–15°S) has a mixed population (including both less and more than 400 m height). Inspite of the differences in their height, the seamounts of these eight chains are morphologically (slope angle, flatness, basal width) corelatable. Furthermore, we suggest that height-width ratio could be useful in identifying the style of seamount eruption. The seamount chains in the CIOB probably originated from propagative fractures and were produced between 61 and 52 Ma (chrons A26 to A23) as a result of the interaction between the conjugate crusts of the Central Indian and Southeast Indian Ridges during the Indo-Eurasian collision event.     

New data on the morphology and geological structure of the Gramberg Guyot (Magellan Seamounts, Pacific Ocean)

The geological-geophysical studies carried out in the western part of the Pacific Ocean by the State Research Center “Yuzhmorgeologiya“ during cruises of the R/V “Gelendzhik” in 2002–2004 yielded new data on the relief of the Gramberg Guyot and its constituting rocks, which appeared to be Early Cretaceous to Pleistocene in age. The analysis of macro- and microfaunal remains in sedimentary rocks made it possible to define the transgressive phases in the development of seamounts (the Cenomanian-Turonian, Late Campanian-Maastrichtian, and Late Cenozoic). The geological development of the Gramberg Guyot is compared with that of other similar structures of the Magellan Seamounts.     

西太平洋采薇海山群富钴结壳铂族元素地球化学特征与来源

为探讨富钴结壳铂族元素的来源,以西太平洋采薇海山群富钴结壳样品为研究对象,利用X射线衍射法、等离子体发射光谱法和质谱法,对富钴结壳样品进行了矿物组成、主量元素和铂族元素含量分析。研究表明,富钴结壳的主要结晶矿物为水羟锰矿,次要矿物有石英、斜长石、钾长石和碳氟磷灰石,同时含有大量非晶态铁氧/氢氧化物。富钴结壳中Mn和Fe含量最高,且明显富集铂族元素,铂族总量为142～1 352 ng/g,其中Pt为114～1 268 ng/g,占铂族总量的80%以上。老壳层的铂族元素含量高于新壳层,老壳层发生了磷酸盐化作用。富钴结壳的铂族元素之间发生了分异作用,Pd组（PPGE）含量高于Ir组（IPGE）。铂族元素配分模式显示Pt正异常和Pd负异常,具有Pt富集而Pd亏损特征,推测富钴结壳的铂族元素来源于洋壳蚀变过程中海山玄武岩和海水之间的水−岩反应。富钴结壳的铂族元素与CaO、P₂O₅、Ba和Cu正相关,推测铂族元素赋存于磷酸盐矿物相中。富钴结壳生长剖面从上到下,由新到老,铂族元素含量呈逐渐增加趋势,海水氧化性环境和高海洋生产力可增进磷酸盐化作用,从而进一步促进了铂族元素的富集。该研究对于揭示富钴结壳铂族元素的来源具有一定的参考价值。