Authigenic gypsum found in gas hydrate-associated sediments from Hydrate Ridge, the eastern North Pacific

Hydrate Ridge is located at the second accretion-ary ridge along the Cascadia margin of Oregon in the eastern North Pacific (fig. 1). The Bottom Simulating Reflector (BSR) underlies the entire Hydrate Ridge[1]. The Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) in 1992 at Site 892 and the TECFLUX99 and 2000 showed that the gas hydrate occurs just beneath the thin sediment- covered surface and at the horizon of around 64 meter below seafloor (mbsf) on Hydrate Ridge[25]. The col-lision of the Juan de …

Authigenic gypsum found in gas hydrate-associated sediments from Hydrate Ridge, the eastern North Pacific

Characteristic gypsum micro-sphere and granular mass were discovered by binocular microscope in the gas hydrate-associated sediments at cores SO143-221 and SO143/TVG40-2A respectively on Hydrate Ridge of Cascadia margin, the eastern North Pacific. XRD patterns and EPA analyses show both micro-sphere and granular mass of the crystals have the typical peaks and the typical main chemical compositions of gypsum, although their weight percents are slightly less than the others in the non-gas hydrate-associated marine regions. SEM pictures show that the gypsum crystals have clear crystal boundaries, planes, edges and cleavages of gypsum in form either of single crystal or of twin crystals. In view of the fact that there are meanwhile gas hydrate-associated authigenic carbonates and SO42(-rich pore water in the same sediment cores, it could be inferred reasonably that the gypsums formed also authigenically in the gas hydrate-associated environment too, most probably at the interface between the downward advecting sulfate-rich seawater and the below gas hydrate, which spilled calcium during its formation on Hydrate Ridge. The two distinct forms of crystal intergrowth, which are the granular mass of series single gypsum crystals at core SO143/TVG40-2A and the microsphere of gypsum crystals accompanied with detrital components at core SO143-221 respectively, indicate that they precipitated most likely in different interstitial water dynamic environments. So, the distinct authigenic gypsums found in gas hydrate-associated sediments on Hydrate Ridge could also be believed as one of the parameters which could be used to indicate the presence of gas hydrate in an unknown marine sediment cores.