Diagenesis of sandstones in the back-arc basins of the western Pacific Ocean

ABSTRACT Sandstones occur in back-arc basins of the western Pacific at DSDP sites 299 (Sea of Japan), 297 (northern Shikoku Basin), 445 and 446 (Daito-Ridge-and-Basin Province), 453 (Mariana Trough), 286 (New Hebrides Basin) and 285 (South Fiji Basin). These sandstones are dominantly volcaniclastic arenites derived from andesitic island arcs. The degree of sandstone diagenesis is dependent on original composition, burial rate, heat flow history of the basin, and timing of sandstone deposition with respect to rifting processes and associated high heat flow.
Sandstones containing a larger proportion of volcaniclastic components showed more diagenetic effects than sandstones containing a significant volume of other rock fragments and mineral components. Sandstones deposited during early stages of rifting (sites 445, 446) with a slow burial rate and high crustal heat flow showed the greatest degree of downhole diagenetic change. These diagenetic changes include early pore-space reduction and rim cementation by clay minerals followed later by calcite, and subsequent pore-fill cementation by clinoptilolite, heulandite, analcite and later calcite. Replacement of recognizable volcanic rock fragments by chert, calcite and zeolites was observed in the deepest part of the hole. Sandstones deposited after rifting under conditions of associated lower heat flow showed considerably less diagenetic changes, particularly if burial was rapid.
The high heat flow associated with earliest rifting, associated fluid circulation driven by thermal convection, and slow burial rate controlled the diagenetic history of these sandstones. Thus, timing of sandstone deposition with rifting stage and associated burial rates were key factors in controlling sandstone diagenesis in back-arc basins.