Recent 2000-year geological records of mud in the inner shelf of the East China Sea and their climatic implications

AXIS(14)C dating and grain-size analysis for Core DD2, located at the north of the Yangtze River-derived mud off the Zhejiang-Fujian coasts in the inner shelf of the East China Sea, provide us a high-resolution grain-size distribution curve varying with depth and time. Data in the upper mud layer of Core DD2 indicate that there are at least 9 abrupt grain-size increasing in recent 2000 years, with each corresponding very well with the low-temperature events in Chinese history, which might result from the periodical strengthening of the East Asian Winter Monsoon (EAWM), including the first-revealed maximum temperature lowering event at around 990 a BP. At the same time, the finer grain size section in Core DD2 agrees well with the Sui-Tang Warming Period (600-1000 a AD) defined previously by Zhu Kezhen, during which the climate had a warm, cold and warm fluctuation, with a dominated cooling period of 750-850 a AD. The Little Ice Age (LIA) can also be identified in the core. It starts around 1450 a AD and was followed by a subsequent cooling events at 1510, 1670 and 1840 a AD. Timing of these cold events revealed here still needs to be further verified owing to some current uncertainty of dating we used in this study.

Radiolarian fauna in surface sediments of the northeastern East China Sea

Radiolarian abundance and species composition have been determined in 72 surface: sediment samples from the northeastern East China Sea. The results are compared with chemical and physical properties of the overlying water masses, and with sediment conditions. In the study area, radiolarian abundance and species number increase markedly from northwest to southeast, and their distributions can be divided into three provinces: the low-density zone corresponding to the shelf, the middle-density zone corresponding to the western slope of the Okinawa Trough and the high-density zone corresponding to the central part of the Okinawa Trough. The distribution of radiolarians correlates well with modem sea surface temperature and sea surface salinity, but shows a negative relation with nutrients and primary productivity of the overlying water. This distribution pattern is also strongly affected by the sediment type and terrigenous material input. Also, the Kuroshio Current has an important effect on controlling the distribution and species composition of radiolarian fauna in this area. Based on three Q-mode factors (accounting for 90.2% of the variance), three radiolarian assemblages have been distinguished, and their distributions are clearly correlated with oceanographic current patterns in the region. The mixed water assemblage dominated by Tetrapyle circularis, Tetrapyle quadriloba and Ommatartus tetrathalamus tetrathalamus is restricted to the area of the Mixed Water, but mainly influenced by the Shelf Water. The Kuroshio Water assemblage, which is dominated by Lithelius minor, Dictyocoryne profunda, Stylodictya multispina, Acrosphaera spinosa, Dictyocoryne truncatum, Spongaster tetrars, Stylodictya arachnia and Ommatartus tetrathalamus tetrathalamus, is basically controlled by the Kuroshio Surface Water. And the transition assemblage dominated by Tetrapyle quadriloba and Monozonium pachystylum is associated with the Tsushima Warm Current Water. The boundaries among these assemblages approximately coincide with the oceanographic front. And the changes in the distribution of these assemblages could be,regarded as-not only modifications of the water masses, but also indicators of the possible movements of the oceanic front. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

The stability zone of gas hydrate in the slope of East China Sea and neighboring trough basin area

We analyze the distribution of temperature and heat flow of the sea floor sediment in the area of East China Sea slope and West basin area of the Okinawa Trough. Based on the Sonar Buoy and OBS data, 6 velocity layers are recognized, each of which has velocity of 1.8(1.8 similar to 2.2) km/s,2.2(2.0 similar to 2.5)km/s,2.8 (2.7 similar to 3.2)km/s,3.4 similar to 3.6km/s,4.2(4.1 similar to 4.7)km/s and 5.1km/s, respectively. The upper velocity layer of 1.8 similar to 2.2 km/s corresponds to the Quaternary sediment stratum. The layer with velocity 3.4 similar to 4.2km/s is the Pliocene sediment stratum. The area that is suitable for stable existence of gas hydrate by the temperature and pressure is 70,000km(2) about 1/10 the total area of East China Sea. The thickness of the stability zone ranges from 400m (Middle Part of Okinawa Trough) to 1100m (North and South Part of Okinawa Trough). The Quaternary and Pliocene layers are suitable for stable exitence of gas hydrate. According to the tectonic stability and heat flow, the north part and south part of the Okinawa Trough are the most perspective area for the gas hydrate explorations.

Sediment provenance and province of the southern Yellow Sea: Evidence from light mineral

The distribution for percent content of light mineral is divided in detail to emphasize distributional trends of higher and lower contents by using 222 samples of light mineral in the southern Yellow Sea. 5 mineral provinces are divided, and they are I-north mineral province of the southern Yellow Sea, the sediment dominantly derived from the Yellow River; II-mixed mineral province, the sediment derived from both the Yellow River and Yangtze River; III-middle mineral province, the sediment derived mainly from the Yellow River and a part of sediment derived from Yangtze River; IV-province east of Yangtze River mouth, the sediment derived dominantly from Yangtze River; and V south mineral province, sediment was affected by relict sediment and modern sediment of Yangtze River. In this paper, the assemblage of dominant mineral and diagnostic mineral for the five provinces are discerned.

Sedimentary processes and development of the Zenisu deep-sea channel, Philippine Sea

Zenisu deep-sea channel originated from a volcanic arc region, Izu-Ogasawara Island Arc, and vanished in the Shikoku Basin of the Philippine Sea. According to the swath bathymetry, the deep-sea channel can be divided into three,segments. They are Zenisu canyon, E-W fan channel and trough-axis channel. A lot of volcanic detritus were deposited in the Zenisu Trough via the deep-sea channel because it originated from volcanic arc settings. On the basis of the swath bathymetry, submersible and seismic reflection data, the deposits are characterized by turbidite and debrite deposits as those in the other major deep-sea channels. Erosion or few sediments were observed in the Zenisu canyon, whereas a lot of turbidites and debrites occurred in the E-W channel and trough axis channel. Cold seep communities, active fault and fluid flow were discovered along the lower slope of the Zenisu Ridge. Vertical sedimentary sequences in the Zenisu Trough consist of the four post-rift sequence units of the Shikoku Basin, among which Units A and B are two turbidite units. The development of Zenisu canyon is controlled by the N-S shear fault, the E-W fan channel is related to the E-W shear fault, and the trough-axis channel is related to the subsidence of central basin.

Response of coastal marine eco-environment to river fluxes into the sea: A case study of the Huanghe (Yellow) River mouth and adjacent waters

The impact of the Huanghe (Yellow) River outflows on its estuary was investigated with river gauging and shipboard hydrographic observations. The river flux has been decreasing dramatically; the discharges of water and sediment in the 1990s dropped to 27.4% and 31.9% of those in the 1950s, respectively, resulting in frequent and lengthy events of downstream channel dry-up since the 1970s. There were accumulatively 897 zero-flow days during the 1990s in the river course below the Lijin Hydrological Station, 100 km upstream from the river mouth, which is 82.4% of that in 1972. As freshwater input decreases, river-borne nutrients to the estuarine increased significantly. Concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) in the 1990s was four times of that in 1950s. Changes in amount and content of the riverine inputs have greatly affected the estuarine ecosystem. Over the past several decades, sea surface temperature and salinity in the estuary and its adjacent waters increased and their distribution pattern altered in response to the reduction of freshwater inflow. The distribution of and seasonal succession in nutrient concentrations in the surface layer have also changed with a shift of river outlet and the decrease in riverine nutrient loads. Furthermore, deterioration of estuarine ecosystem by less river input has decreased primary productivity in the deltaic region waters, and in turn depressed the fishery. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Manganese abnormity in holocene Sediments of the Bohai Sea

Manganese abnormity has been observed in the Holocene sediments of the mud area of Bohai Sea. On the basis of grain size, chemical composition, heavy mineral content and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) C-14 dating of foraminifer, relationships between manganese abnormity and sedimentation rates, material source, hydrodynamic conditions are probed. Manganese abnormity occurred during the Middle Holocene when sea level and sedimentation rates were higher than those at present. Sedimentary hiatus was not observed when material sources and hydrodynamic conditions were quite similar. Compared with the former period, the latter period showed a decrease in reduction environment and an inclination toward oxidation environment with high manganese content, whereas provenance and hydrodynamic conditions showed only a slight change. From the above observations, it can be concluded that correlation among manganese abnormity, material source, and hydrodynamic conditions is not obvious. Redox environment seems to be the key factor for manganese enrichment, which is mainly related to marine authigenic process.

Authigenic sulfide minerals and their sulfur isotopes in sediments of the northern continental slope of the South China Sea and their implications for methane flux and gas hydrate formation

This is a report of the study of the authigenic sulfide minerals and their sulfur isotopes in a sediment core (NH-1) collected on the northern continental slope of the South China Sea, where other geophysical and geochemical evidence seems to suggest gas hydrate formation in the sediments. The study has led to the findings: (1) the pyrite content in sediments was relatively high and its grain size relatively large compared with that in normal pelagic or hemipelagic sediments; (2) the shallowest depth of the acid volatile sulfide (AVS) content maximum was at 437.5 cm (> 2 mu mol/g), which was deeper than that of the authigenic pyrite content maximum (at 141.5-380.5 cm); (3) delta S-34 of authigenic pyrite was positive (maximum: +15 parts per thousand) at depth interval of 250-380 cm; (4) the positive delta S-34 coincided with pyrite enrichment. Compared with the results obtained from the Black Sea sediments by Jorgensen and coworkers, these observations indicated that at the NH-1 site, the depth of the sulfate-methane interface (SMI) would be or once was at about 437.5-547.5 cm and the relatively shallow SMI depth suggested high upward methane fluxes. This was in good agreement with the results obtained from pore water sulfate gradients and core head-space methane concentrations in sediment cores collected in the area. All available evidence suggested that methane gas hydrate formation may exist or may have existed in the underlying sediments.

Mineral provinces and matter provenance of the surficial sediments in the western Philippine Sea: implication for modern sedimentation in West Pacific marginal basin

The characteristics and distribution patterns of detrital minerals (0.063 similar to 0.125 mm) in marine sediments provide a significant indicator for the identification of the origin of sediment. The detrital mineral composition of 219 surface sediment samples was analysed to identify the distribution of sediments within the western Philippine Sea. The area can be divided into three mineral provinces: ( 1) province east of the Philippine Trench, the detrital minerals in this province are mainly composed of calcareous or siliceous organisms, with the addition of volcanogenic minerals from an adjacent island arc; (II) middle mineral province, clastic minerals including feldspar, quartz and colorless volcanic glass, sourced from seamounts with intermediate-acid volcanic rock, or erupting intermediate-acid volcano; (III) province west of the Palau-Kyushii Ridge, the matter provenance within this province is complex; the small quantity of feldspar and quartz may be sourced from seamounts or erupting volcano with intermediate - acid composition, with a component of volcanic scoria sourced from a volcano erupting on the Palau-Kyushu Ridge. it is suggested that, ( I) Biogenic debris of the study area is closely related to water depth, with the amount of biogenic debris controlled by carbonate lysocline. (2) Volcaniclastic matter derived from the adjacent island are can be entrained by oceanic currents and transported towards the abyssal basin over a short distance. The weathering products of volcanic rocks of the submarine plateau ( e. g. I Benham Plateau) and adjacent ridges provide an important source of detrital sedimentation, and the influence scope of them is constrained by the intensity of submarine weathering. (3) Terrigenous sediments from the continent of Asia and the adjacent Philippine island arc have little influence on the sedimentation of this study area, and the felsic mineral component is probably sourced from volcanic seamounts of intermediate-acid composition.

Development of the East Asian monsoon: Mineralogical and sedimentologic records in the northern South China Sea since 20 Ma

We here reconstruct the past change of the East Asian monsoon since 20 Ma using samples from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1146 in the northern South China Sea based On a multi-proxy approach including a monomineralic quartz isolation procedure, identification of clay minerals by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and grain-size analysis of isolated terrigenous materials. Terrigenous supply to ODP Site 1146 was dominated by changes in the strength of multiple sources and transport processes. Grain-size data modeled by an end-member modeling algorithm indicate that eolian dust from the and Asian inland and fluvial input have contributed on average 20% and 80% of total terrigenous material to ODP Site 1146, respectively. Specifically, about 40-53% of the total (quartz+feldspar) and only 6-11% of the total clay is related to eolian supply at the study site. Detailed analysis of the sedimentary environment, and clay minerals combined with previous studies shows that smectite originates mainly from Luzon, kaolinite from the Pearl River and illite and chlorite from the Pearl River, Taiwan and/or the Yangtze River. The proportion and mass accumulation rate (MAR) of the coarsest end-member EM1 (interpreted as eolian dust), ratios of (illite+chlorite)/smectite, (quartz+feldspar)% and mean grain-size of terrigenous materials at ODP Site 1146 were adopted as proxies for East Asian monsoon evolution. The consistent variation of these independent proxies since 20 Ma shows three profound shifts in the intensity of East Asian winter monsoon relative to summer monsoon, as well as aridity of the Asian continent, occurred at similar to 15 Ma, similar to 8 Ma and the youngest at about 3 Ma. In comparison, the summer monsoon intensified contemporaneously with the winter monsoon at 3 Ma. The phased uplift of the Himalaya-Tibetan plateau may have played a significant role in strengthening the Asian monsoon at similar to 15 Ma, 8 Ma and 3 Ma. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preservation of black carbon in the shelf sediments of the East China Sea

Concentrations and carbon isotopic (C-14, C-13) compositions of black carbon (BC) were measured for three sediment cores collected from the Changjiang River estuary and the shelf of the East China Sea. BC concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 0.14 mg/g (dry weight), and accounted for 5% to 26% of the sedimentary total organic carbon (TOC) pool. Among the three sediment cores collected at each site, sediment from the Changjiang River estuary had relatively high BC contents compared with the sediments from the East China Sea shelf, suggesting that the Changjiang River discharge played an important role in the delivery of BC to the coastal region. Radiocarbon measurements indicate that the ages of BC are in the range of 6910 to 12250 years old B. P. (before present), that is in general, 3700 to 9000 years older than the C-14 ages of TOC in the sediments. These variable radiocarbon ages suggest that the BC preserved in the sediments was derived from the products of both biomass fire and fossil fuel combustion, as well as from ancient rock weathering. Based on an isotopic mass balance model, we calculated that fossil fuel combustion contributed most (60%. 80%) of the BC preserved in these sediments and varied with depth and locations. The deposition and burial of this "slow-cycling" BC in the sediments of the East China Sea shelf represent a significant pool of carbon sink and could greatly influence carbon cycling in the region.

Low-amplitude BSRs and gas hydrate concentration on the northern margin of the South China Sea

The passive northern continental margin of the South China Sea is rich in gas hydrates, as inferred from the occurrence of bottom-simulating reflectors (BSR) and from well logging data at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) drill sites. Nonetheless, BSRs on new 2D multichannel seismic reflection data from the area around the Dongsha Islands (the Dongsha Rise) are not ubiquitous. They are confined to complex diapiric structures and active fault zones located between the Dongsha Rise and the surrounding depressions, implying that gas hydrate occurrence is likewise limited to these areas. Most of the BSRs have low amplitude and are therefore not clearly recognizable. Acoustic impedance provides information on rock properties and has been used to estimate gas hydrate concentration. Gas hydrate-bearing sediments have acoustic impedance that is higher than that of the surrounding sediments devoid of hydrates. Based on well logging data, the relationship between acoustic impedance and porosity can be obtained by a linear regression, and the degree of gas hydrate saturation can be determined using Archie's equation. By applying these methods to multichannel seismic data and well logging data from the northern South China Sea, the gas hydrate concentration is found to be 3-25% of the pore space at ODP Site 1148 depending on sub-surface depth, and is estimated to be less than values of 5% estimated along seismic profile 0101. Our results suggest that saturation of gas hydrate in the northern South China Sea is higher than that estimated from well resistivity log data in the gas hydrate stability zone, but that free gas is scarce beneath this zone. It is probably the scarcity of free gas that is responsible for the low amplitudes of the BSRs.

Paleoenvironment evolution of the East Philippine Sea recorded in the new-type ferromanganese crust since the terminal Late Miocene

From systemic research of microstructure, geochemistry, uranium-series and Be-10 isotope dating on a new-type deepwater ferromanganese crust from the East Philippine Sea, the paleoenvironment evolution of the target area since the terminal Late Miocene was recovered. The vertical section changes of microstructure and chemical composition are consistent in the studied crust, which indicate three major accretion periods and corresponding paleoenvironment evolution of the crust. The bottom crust zone was formed in the terminal Late Miocene (5.6 Ma) with loose microstructure, high detritus content and high growth rate. Reductions of mineral element content, accretion rate and positive Ce-anomaly degree at 4.6 Ma indicate temporal warming, which went against the crust accretion and finally formed an accretion gap in the terminal Middle Pliocene (2.8-2.7 Ma). The more active Antarctic bottom seawaters in the Late Pliocene (2.7 Ma) facilitated the fast transfer to the top pure crust zone. Hereafter, with the further apart of volcanic source and the keeping increase of eolian material (1.0 Ma), although surrounding conditions were still favorable, mineral element content still shows an obvious reducing trend. It thereby offers new carrier and data for the unclear paleoceanographic research of the target area since the terminal Late Miocene.