Tectonic geomorphology of the Ryukyu Trench-Arc-Backarc System: geological-geophysical exploration and mapping

OKINAWA TROUGH; BASIN

Formation and evolution of the modern warm current system in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea since the last deglaciation

To reconstruct the formation and evolution process of the warm current system within the East China Sea (ECS) and the Yellow Sea (YS) since the last deglaciation, the paleoceangraphic records in core DGKS9603, core CSH1 and core YSDP102, which were retrieved from the mainstream of the Kuroshio Current (KC), the edge of the modern Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) and muddy region under cold waters accreted with the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) respectively, were synthetically analyzed. The results indicate that the formation and evolution of the modern warm current system in the ECS and the YS has been accompanied by the development of the KC and impulse rising of the sea level since the last deglaciation. The influence of the KC on the Okinawa Trough had enhanced since 16 cal kyr BP, and synchronously the modern TWC began to develop with the rising of sea level and finally formed at about 8.5 cal kyr BP. The KC had experienced two weakening process during the Heinrich event 1 and the Younger Drays event from 16 to 8.5 cal kyr BP. The period of 7-6 cal kyr BP was the strongest stage of the KC and the TWC since the last deglaciation. The YSWC has appeared at about 6.4 cal kyr BP. Thus, the warm current system of the ECS and the YS has ultimately formed. The weakness of the KC, indicated by the occurrence of Pulleniatina minimum event (PME) during the period from 5.3 to 2.8 cal kyr BP, caused the main stream of the TWC to shift eastward to the Pacific Ocean around about 3 cal kyr BP. The process resulted in the intruding of continent shelf cold water mass with rich nutrients. Synchronously, the strength of the YSWC was relatively weak and the related cold water body was active at the early-mid stage of its appearance against the PME background, which resulted in the quick formation of muddy deposit system in the southeastern YS. The strength of the warm current system in the ECS and the YS has enhanced evidently, and approached to the modern condition gradually since 3 cal kyr BP.

The history of the Yangtze River entering sea since the last glacial maximum: a review and look forward

This review paper provides a brief review on the development of ideas in the fields of the sea level change of the ECS (East China Sea), the history of the Yangtze River entering the sea and paleochannels in the shelf of the ECS since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The paper summarizes two opposite theories about the Yangtze River entering the sea during the LGM. One theory is that the Yangtze River input a lacustrine in the north of Jiangsu province which was defunct in middle Holocene, and the river was once dry. The other was that the Yangtze River still existed and entered into the Okinawa Trough during the LGM, but scholars share different opinions on which course the river ran across and which place the river input the trough. This paper concludes future work is to study the evolution of the Yangtze River and the paleoclimate and the corresponding events as a whole from the view of regional and even global change, and more attention should be paid to the study on mud sediment, the Yangtze River's response to the changes in climate and sea-level, and the channel metamorphosis.

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.

Preliminary analysis of grain-size populations with environmentally sensitive terrigenous components in marginal sea setting

Terrigenous components were separated from the bulk sediment of Core A7 from the Okinawa Trough and Core A37 from the Ryukru Trench and grain-size distributions of these sub-samples were analyzed. Based upon an analysis of the grain-size data of the two sedimentary sequences, grain-size populations are identified to be sensitive to sedimentary environmental changes. The modal values and size ranges of the two main grain-size populations in Core A7 are evidently different from those of Core A37, indicating the spatial variability of sediment sources and transport processes between the two places. The downcore variations in the content of the environmentally sensitive grain-size populations reveal that during the accumulation of sedimentary material the environment remained relatively stable at the site where Core A7 was collected, except for the apparent events for the formation of two turbidite layers and a volcanic ash layer. However, the sedimentary sequence of Core A37 shows six sedimentary cycles, indicating a highly variable sedimentary environment at this location.

ABUNDANCE OF CHEMICAL-ELEMENTS IN CONTINENTAL-SHELF SEDIMENT OF CHINA

For the first time, an element abundance table of China Shelf Sea sediments is published based on 286 samples from the continental shelf of China analyzed for 62 chemical elements. The shelf sediments result from the redistribution of sediments from China over the continental shelf. On the basis of comparison of element abundances among the China shelf samples, hemipelagic Okinawa Trough samples, and pelagic brown clay from the West Pacific, it is clear that each has its own elemental characteristics. Hg anomaly enrichment in Okinawa Trough sediments may be used as an indicator of hydrothermal activity.

Tectonics in the northwestern West Philippine basin

The West Philippine basin (WPB) is a currently inactive marginal basin belonging to Philippine Sea plate, which has a complex formation history and various crust structures. Based on gravity, magnetic and seismic data, the tectonics in West Philippine basin is characterized by amagma spreading stage and strike slip fractures. NNE trending Okinawa-Luzon fracture zone is a large fracture zone with apparent geomorphology and shows a right-handed movement. The results of joint gravity-magnetic-seismic inversion suggest that the Okinawa-Luzon fracture zone has intensive deformation and is a transform fault. Western existence of the NW trending fractures under Ryukyu Islands Arc is the main cause of the differences between south and north Okinawa Trough. The Urdaneta plateau is not a remained arc, but remnant of mantle plume although its lava chemistry is similar to oceanic island basalt (OIB).

Living planktonic foraminifera from the northwestern Pacific Ocean: SSU rDNA sequences and their paleoceanographic significance

Living planktonic foraminifera (PF) samples from the Okinawa Trough of the northwestern Pacific Ocean were taken for DNA analysis. The SSU rDNA sequences of two PF species, Globigerina sp. and Pulleniatina obliquiloculata collected at Station WP01, were obtained and compared with those from the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Only small differences (< 0.7%-1.2% for P. obliquiloculata, and 0.3% for Globigerina sp.) were found between samples from the north- and south-western Pacific Ocean areas and this molecular evidence supported that these micropaleontological species are the same species, which implies that the West Pacific Ocean circulation system influences the planktonic foraminiferal gene communication.

Cross-shelf circulation in the Yellow and East China Seas indicated by MODIS satellite observations

Ocean color and sea surface temperature data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard the Terra satellite are used to study the cross-shelf circulation and transport of suspended sediments in the Yellow and the East China Seas. The ocean color images show a significant turbid water plume extending in the southeast direction from the Subei coasts of China to the shelf edge south of Cheju during fall-winter, suggesting significant cross-shelf currents in the Yellow Sea/East China Sea in winter. The currents transport suspended sediments from the area of the old Huanghe mouth into the Okinawa Trough. Part of the turbid plume joins the Yellow Sea Warm Current to enter the Yellow Sea trough in winter. The satellite images suggest that the time scales of cross-shelf transport and surface-to-subsurface descending of the suspended sediments are a few weeks. The turbid plume grows in fall, reaches its maximum expansion and intensity in winter-spring, and subsides in late spring. In summer, the plume becomes coastally trapped. Substantial interannual variations of the intensity and coverage of the turbid plume are indicated by the observations. In comparison, the Changjiang Diluted Water in summer only transports a small amount of the Changjiang suspended sediment to the outer shelf south of Cheju, which does not enter the Yellow Sea owing to the weak intrusion of the Yellow Sea Warm Current in summer. The dynamics of the cross-shelf circulation in the Yellow Sea in winter are hypothesized to be associated with (1) the convergence of the Yellow Sea Coastal Current and the Taiwan Warm Current off the Changjiang mouth and (2) the time-dependent forcing of the northerly wind bursts that drives the intrusion of the Yellow Sea Warm Current. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

冲绳海槽西南端中全新世以来的沉积特征及其物源与环境意义

作为大陆向大洋的过渡带，由于享有得天独厚的沉积环境，具有独特的构造特征以及与黑潮主流之间的密切关系，一直以来，冲绳海槽都是中外学者研究的重点靶区。2005年5月，由我国与法国联合主持的IMAGES 航次在台湾东北海域获取MD05-2908柱状岩芯（24º48.04′N,122 º29.35′E,水深为1275米），该柱状岩芯为一34.17米长高质量的连续沉积记录，岩性以深灰色粘土质粉砂为主，含水量较高，粘性、可塑性强，含有数层厚度不等的夹层。岩芯年龄模式依据17个AMS 14C定年数据建立，岩芯底部年代约6.8ka，为中全新世以来的沉积。在实验室对样品按照2cm的间隔进行分割后分别进行了粒度分析、粘土矿物提取与测试、碎屑矿物提取与鉴定、常微量元素和稀土元素分析等实验。 粒度分析结果显示，MD05-2908岩芯沉积物粒度垂向上总体比较均一，以细颗粒的粘土与粉砂质为主，但不同层位也稍有差别，表现为底部层位粒度较粗，含砂量较高，说明底部沉积环境比较复杂。粘土粒级（<2µm）矿物主要由四种粘土矿物和少量石英、长石碎屑组成。其中，粘土矿物相对含量变化中，伊利石（～68％）与绿泥石（～17%）构成主要成分，含有蒙皂石（～10％）和高岭石（～5％）。结合台湾东北外海表层沉积物的研究，利用粘土矿物伊利石/蒙皂石和绿泥石/高岭石比值得出岩芯粘土矿物主要为陆源碎屑粘土矿物，其源岩主要为台湾中央山脉的变质岩与台湾东部的沉积岩。重矿物分析共选取了41个层位，对63~250μm粒级的样品在实体镜和偏光显微镜下进行鉴定，结果显示，岩芯重矿物主要由绿泥石（29%）、普通角闪石（22%）、白云石（10%）、黑云母（8%）、绿帘石（7%）、白云母（7%）、褐铁矿（5%）等组成。稳定矿物少，矿物成熟度低。碎屑矿物风化程度低，磨蚀不明显，分选较差，表明沉积物来自于近源，后期改造作用不明显。常量元素分析结果表明，SiO2 、Al2O3和Fe2O3是岩芯沉积物中的最主要组分，这三种组分占沉积物总量的82%左右。 整个岩芯自下而上各常量组分变化不大，其平均值与东海陆架沉积物基本接近。微量元素变化比较明显， Ba、Cr、Cu、Zn元素的含量比东海陆架沉积物中的含量要高，而Sr的含量明显低于东海陆架。对常微量元素的R型因子分析表明，常量元素SiO2、Al2O3、Fe2O3、MgO和K2O，微量元素Cr、Cu、Ni、Zn、Pb、Rb和Mn可代表陆源物质；常量元素CaO和微量元素Sr、Ba可代表生物源物质。岩芯沉积物以陆源物质为主，生源物质的贡献起次要作用。岩芯沉积物中稀土元素总量平均为169.87×10-6，并且轻稀土含量均高于重稀土，LREE/HREE平均值为10.14，表明了轻稀土对稀土总量的贡献远高于重稀土，沉积物富集轻稀土，反映了沉积物的陆源特征。 岩芯MD05-2908中全新世以来平均5m/ka的高沉积速率主要源于丰富的物质供应和适宜的沉积环境。岩芯细粒级沉积物中，地球化学特征表明沉积物主要来源于陆源碎屑物质，粘土矿物特征与台湾东部陆源物质相同；粗粒级沉积物中，重矿物含量及矿物特征也表明岩芯沉积物粗颗粒组分主要来自于近源沉积。台湾宜兰境内的兰阳溪每年携带约一千万吨冲积物入海成为研究区重要的物质来源。由于受到黑潮的强烈影响，逆时针涡流及底层反向流的存在是岩芯高沉积速率重要控制因素。因此，利用动力分选的粉砂组分可以用来示踪古洋流强度，结果显示，6.8ka以来黑潮的强弱波动频繁，并表现出一定的旋回性变化，频谱分析表明，其具有的千年尺度周期（1500a）、百年尺度周期（604a、242a、192a、153a、133a）与十年尺度周期（22a）的周期性变化均与太阳辐射量变化有密切关系，因此，黑潮的强弱变化在大背景上是由太阳活动所控制的。 根据测年资料可以识别出岩芯存在5期快速堆积事件，这与区域性降水增加有关，降雨量增加导致陆源物质输入的增加。另外，岩芯位于大陆斜坡区，附近存在有三支海底峡谷，并且地震活动频繁，沉积在宜兰陆架及东海陆架处的浅海沉积物由于受到地震、风暴等活动的影响而受扰动崩塌、因重力作用而向低处输送，产生二次侵蚀并经由海底峡谷搬运到冲绳海槽南段堆积,使得沉积环境更为复杂，但同时也为冲绳海槽提供了丰富的物质供应。

冲绳海槽深部热场结构的地球动力学热模拟

本文搜集了我国东海及琉球沟弧盆系15个航次373个热流数据，并按其精度进行了初步的整理分类，发现这一区域的热流呈现出东西分带南北分块的分布格局，和这一区域的构造格局有着明显的对应关系。琉球海沟地区有着极低热流值，这和板块下插冷却模型相一致，冲绳海槽区出现了巨高热流值，而且数值变化很大，这和弧后盆地的拉张形成及其热液活动有关。

Main geochemical characteristics and key biogeochemical carbon processes in the East China Sea

Research related to carbon geochemistry and biogeochemistry in the East China Sea is reviewed in this paper. The East China Sea is an annual net sink for atmospheric CO, and a large net source of dissolved inorganic carbon to the ocean. The sea absorbs CO, from the atmosphere in spring and summer and releases it in autumn and winter. The East China Sea is a CO, sink in summer because Changjiang River freshwater flows into it. The net average sea-air interface carbon flux of the East China Sea is estimated to be about 4.3 X 10(6) t/y. Vertical carbon transport is mainly in the form of particulate organic carbon in spring; more than 98% of total carbon is transported in this form in surface water, and the number exceeds 68% in water near the bottom. In the southern East China Sea, the average particulate organic carbon inventory was about one-tenth that of the dissolved organic carbon. Research indicates that the southern Okinawa Trough is an important site for particulate organic carbon export from the shelf. The annual cross-shelf exports are estimated to be 414 and 106 Gmol/y for dissolved organic carbon and particulate organic carbon, respectively. Near-bottom transport could be the key process for shelf-to-deep sea export of biogenic and lithogenic particles.

The heart of a dragon: 3D anatomical reconstruction of the 'scaly-foot gastropod' (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Neomphalina) reveals its extraordinary circulatory system

Introduction: The 'scaly-foot gastropod' (Chrysomallon squamiferum Chen et al., 2015) from deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems of the Indian Ocean is an active mobile gastropod occurring in locally high densities, and it is distinctive for the dermal scales covering the exterior surface of its foot. These iron-sulfide coated sclerites, and its nutritional dependence on endosymbiotic bacteria, are both noted as adaptations to the extreme environment in the flow of hydrogen sulfide. We present evidence for other adaptations of the 'scaly-foot gastropod' to life in an extreme environment, investigated through dissection and 3D tomographic reconstruction of the internal anatomy.

Results: Our anatomical investigations of juvenile and adult specimens reveal a large unganglionated nervous system, a simple and reduced digestive system, and that the animal is a simultaneous hermaphrodite. We show that Chrysomallon squamiferum relies on endosymbiotic bacteria throughout post-larval life. Of particular interest is the circulatory system: Chrysomallon has a very large ctenidium supported by extensive blood sinuses filled with haemocoel. The ctenidium provides oxygen for the host but the circulatory system is enlarged beyond the scope of other similar vent gastropods. At the posterior of the ctenidium is a remarkably large and well-developed heart. Based on the volume of the auricle and ventricle, the heart complex represents approximately 4 % of the body volume. This proportionally giant heart primarily sucks blood through the ctenidium and supplies the highly vascularised oesophageal gland. Thus we infer the elaborate cardiovascular system most likely evolved to oxygenate the endosymbionts in an oxygen poor environment and/or to supply hydrogen sulfide to the endosymbionts.

Conclusions: This study exemplifies how understanding the autecology of an organism can be enhanced by detailed investigation of internal anatomy. This gastropod is a large and active species that is abundant in its hydrothermal vent field ecosystem. Yet all of its remarkable features-protective dermal sclerites, circulatory system, high fecundity-can be viewed as adaptations beneficial to its endosymbiont microbes. We interpret these results to show that, as a result of specialisation to resolve energetic needs in an extreme chemosynthetic environment, this dramatic dragon-like species has become a carrying vessel for its bacteria.

Granulometry, mineralogy and geochemistry of sediments from ODP Hole 169-1037B and Site 169-1038

Central Hill is in the northern part of the Escanaba Trough, which is a sediment-filled rift of southern Gorda Ridge. Central Hill is oriented north-south and is associated with extensive sulfide deposits. Hydrothermal alteration of sediment from Site 1038 was studied through analyses of mineralogy and the chemistry and oxygen isotopic compositions of one nearly pure clay sample. In addition, Site 1037 was drilled to establish the character of the unaltered sedimentary sequence away from the hydrothermal centers of the Northern Escanaba Trough Study Area (NESCA). Mineralogy of the clay-size fraction of turbiditic and hemipelagic sediments of Hole 1037B are predominantly quartz, feldspar, pyroxene, illite, chlorite, and smectite, representing continental-derived material. Cores from Hole 1038I, located within the area of Central Hill but away from known active vent areas, recovered minor amounts of chlorite/smectite mixed-layer clay in the fine fraction, indicating a low-temperature hydrothermal alteration. The 137.4-m-thick sediment section of Hole 1038G is located in an area of low-temperature venting. The uppermost sample is classified as chlorite/smectite mixed layer, which is underlain by chlorite as the dominant mineral. The lowermost deposits of Hole 1038G are also characterized by chlorite/smectite mixed-layer clay. In comparison to Hole 1038I, the mineralogic sequence of Hole 1038G reflects increased chloritization. Intensely altered sediment is almost completely replaced by hydrothermal chlorite in subsurface sediments of Hole 1038H. Alteration to chlorite is characterized by depletion in Na, K, Ti, Ca, Sr, Cs, and Tl and enrichment in Ba. Further, Eu depletion reflects a high-temperature plagioclase alteration. A chlorite 18O value of 2.6 indicates formation at a temperature of ~190°C. It is concluded that the authigenic chlorite in Hole 1038H formed by an active high-temperature fluid flow in the shallow subsurface.