Noble metals in the bottom sediments of the Chukchi Sea

Abundance of noble metals (NM) and bulk chemical composition have been studied in bottom sediments of the Chukchi Sea. Distribution of NM and their correlation with major and trace elements in the sediments have been analyzed using multicomponent statistics. It was established that the average contents of NM in the bottom sediments of the Chukchi Sea significantly exceed those both in shelf terrigenous sediments and stratisphere. Osmium and iridium enrich mixed and pelitic sediments relative to shallow-water areas and their influx is presumably determined by erosion of coastal and bottom loose deposits. High Ag, Ru, Au, and Pt contents were identified in the clayey sediments enriched in biogenic elements in the individual areas of the Southern Chukchi plain (Chukchi sea) confined to the intersection zones of submeridional and sublatitudinal structures of the graben-rift system, which was formed in the Mesozoic and activated in the late Cenozoic time.     

楚科奇海-加拿大海盆表层沉积物中的氨基酸

对2003年中国第二次北极科学考察所获得的部分表层沉积物样品进行了总水解氨基酸(THAA)、氨基糖(HA)的测定。不同区域氨基酸主要成分不同,楚科奇海站位的氨基酸主要成分为甘氨酸(Gly)、谷氨酸(Glu),位于加拿大海盆的B80、B11、P27站THAA的主要成分为丝氨酸(Ser)。沉积物的总有机碳(TOC)、总氮(TN)、THAA、HA含量等特征随区域不同有较大差别,白令海峡的BS11站TOC、HA含量最低,加拿大海盆的B80站THAA、TN含量最低。楚科奇海R03站TOC、TN为最高,THAA在R11含量达最大值,HA在楚科奇海台的P11站最高。初步讨论了楚科奇海—加拿大海盆表层沉积物中氨基酸的空间分布,根据氨基酸选择性降解和主成份分析结果引入DI”指标,并对七个站位表层沉积物有机质新鲜程度进行了比较,新鲜度由大至小顺序为C15>BS11>R11>S11>P11>R03>B80,这与表层沉积物来源、水动力条件等有关,由此推测楚科奇海陆架、白令海峡沉积物有机质较楚科奇海台、加拿大海盆较为新鲜。     

Mineral Grains of Base and Precious Metals in the Surface Layer of Bottom Sediments in the Chukchi Sea

Data on electron microprobe X-ray analysis of mineral grains of base (Cu, Zn, Sn, Pb, Ni, Bi, and Mo) and precious metals (Ag, Au, Pd, and Pt) detected for the first time in the sediments of the Chukchi Sea are presented. The peculiarities of the morphology and chemical composition of the grains are considered along with their sources and distribution in the sediments.     

白令海楚科奇海的海冰范围变化特征

白令海和楚科奇海位于北极太平洋一侧的海冰外缘线附近,具有较强烈的气冰海相互作用.采用滑动t检验和小波分析方法对白令海和楚科奇海1953—2004年海冰范围的年际变化、年代际变化和总体趋势变化进行分析.结果表明:20世纪70年代后期,海冰范围在白令海存在显著的均值突变现象,而楚科奇海在对应阶段则表现为更明显的变频现象;在突变点前后两个时段里,阿留申低压中心低压加强、核心位置偏移以及对应风场分布的变化是导致白令海海冰范围明显缩小的主要动力原因.楚科奇海海冰范围的年际变化中存在由低频向高频变化的现象,该现象除了在局地气温变化中存在之外,在北冰洋区域风涡度、波弗特海纬向风、东西伯利亚海经向风等动力因素中也有所体现.因此,除热力因素外,动力因素引起的海冰的平流与该变频现象也存在一定的联系.     

Influence of the Yangtze River and grain size on the spatial variations of heavy metals and organic carbon in the East China Sea continental shelf sediments

Bulk heavy metal (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd), Al, organic carbon and carbonate concentrations, grain sizes, and δC¹³ of the organic carbon distributions were studied in sediments collected throughout the East China Sea continental shelf and the Yangtze River Delta. The results demonstrated that terrigenous sediments from the Yangtze River is a dominating factor controlling the spatial variations of heavy metals and organic carbon concentrations on the East China Sea continental shelf. In addition, grain size and recent anthropogenic influences are also major factors modifying the spatial and vertical variations of heavy metals.Large spatial variations with a band type distribution of heavy metals, grain size, organic carbon and carbonate were observed. Higher concentrations of heavy metal and light δC¹³ of the organic carbon were found primarily in the Deltaic and inner shelf sediments. The band type distribution generally followed the coastline with little variations in the north–south direction. Away from the Delta and inner shelf (west–east direction), most heavy metal concentrations decreased rapidly with the exception of Cd where high concentrations of Cd were also found in the carbonate-rich shelf break sediments. Coarse-grained relict sediments and biogenic carbonate are two primary diluting agents for the fine-grained aluminosilicate sediments from the Yangtze River with high concentrations of heavy metals.Unusually high concentrations of Cu, Pb, and Cd showed both spatially and vertically that more pollution prevention measures are needed in the Yangtze River drainage basin in order to prevent further heavy metal pollution of the East China Sea inner continental shelf.     

北冰洋沉积物和海水叶绿素α浓度分布的区域性特征

2003年夏季中国第二次北极科学考察期间,在北冰洋楚科奇海陆架、楚科奇海台、陆坡流区、门捷列夫海岭和加拿大海盆等不同区域进行了200 m以浅海水和部分观察站沉积物表层叶绿素a浓度的现场观测。结果表明,观测水体叶绿素α浓度变化范围为0.002～39.008 μg/dm3。表层浓度分布范围为0.037～4.644 μg/dm3,平均值为0.612 μg/dm3;高叶绿素α浓度出现在水深20～30 m的次表层水。叶绿素α浓度分布具有明显的区域性特征,水柱平均浓度的次序为楚科奇海陆架区>陆坡流区>楚科奇海台区>加拿大海盆区>门捷列夫海岭区。表层沉积物叶绿素α浓度从未能检出～3.978 μg/g(湿重),平均浓度为0.954 μg/g(湿重),表现为沉积物表层的浓度高于下层,陆架和陆坡流区的浓度高于海岭区以及海台和海盆区的分布特征。     

中国南方晚古生代深水碳酸盐岩及控油气性

晚古生代华南陆块西南部位于被动陆缘和陆内,早泥盆世开始,裂离和裂陷运动最终使之形成连陆台地、孤立台地和台缘斜坡-台间海槽相间排布的古地理格局,晚石炭世至早三叠世,槽、台格局分布区收缩,仅限于滇东、桂西、桂中和黔南地区。已总结出裂陷区碳酸盐岩综合沉积模式。台缘中、下斜坡沉积厚度大,最有利烃源岩发育,台间海槽亦有烃源岩形成。跌积边缘型中斜坡剖面大量原生与次孔隙中有丰富的沥青充填。沉积边缘型剖面某些层段粒间、亮晶间亦见沥青充填。故应对深水碳酸盐岩中的油气勘探予以重视。     

Principal features of the tectonic evolution of sedimentary basins in the Western Chukchi shelf and their petroleum resource potential

The history of the formation of sedimentary basins located predominantly in the western shelf of the Chukchi Sea is considered along with the data on the geology of adjacent areas of the American part of the sea and northern Alaska reported in the available publications on this region. The main lithotectonic complexes that correspond to particular stages of evolution of the region are identified. The tectonic rearrangement of the structural grain in response to the formation of the Canada Basin resulted in the development of the North Chukchi Trough. Intense subsidence of this trough and accumulation of thick sedimentary sequence favored, in turn, the balanced inversion uplift of the Wrangel-Herald Zone spatially related to depocenters of older sediments. Vigorous uplift and folding ceased in the Albian. In the geologic record, these processes are marked by unconformity and overstep of the older structural features. The inversion uplifts continued to rise later. Analysis of the data available provides new insights into the structure and evolution of the region. The sedimentary basins with a great thickness of their fill were favorable for generation and accumulation of hydrocarbons. The large uplifted blocks, extensive wedge-out zones, and stratigraphic unconformities at the walls of troughs and uplift slopes are especially favorable for hydrocarbon accumulation. Permissive beds are correlated with the Neocomian-Aptian sequence in Alaska that hosts oil and gas fields. The Upper Paleozoic and Lower Mesozoic strata, which are the main petroliferous sedimentary rocks in Alaska, may occur at a shallow depth in the Wrangel-Herald Inversion Zone. The conclusions drawn in this paper should be taken into account during reappraisal of the petroleum resources throughout the entire Chukchi shelf. At present, several oil and gas prospects are outlined in the Russian part of the Chukchi Sea.     

The composition of ferromanganese nodules of the Chukchi and East Siberian seas

Ferromanganese nodules from the floors of the Chukchi and East Siberian seas were examined by means of analytical electron microscopy and plasmic and chemical analysis. It was found that the nodules consisted of aggregates of colloform and poorly crystallized matter of globular and irregular shapes, in which the minerals of iron and manganese were mainly presented by hematite, vernadite, and asbolane. The samples from the Chukchi Sea contained single micrograins of native gold. The tested nodules were comparable to oceanic ones in iron content. The contents of manganese, ore elements, and most of microelements are well below those of the ocean. The comparison of the composition of bottom sediments and considered nodules showed that the latter were enriched during their formation by factors of 100–200 in manganese, of 10–18 in cobalt, and of 4–8 in iron, nickel, and zinc. However, the process of diagenetic accumulation of metals by nodules in the marine environment is less effective than in the open ocean with the sediments of higher con-tent of mobile element forms and of higher exposure time compared to marine sediments.     

Key Scientific Problems and Challenges of Studying Carbon Cycle Mechanism in Pacific Sector of the Arctic

Challenged by the enormous pressure to reduce the global carbon emission, it is expected that the Arctic Ocean could absorb additional atmospheric CO₂ with the retreating of sea-ice. The Chukchi Sea and adjacent waters, characterized by the highest carbon fixation in the global ocean and large carbon flux into the deep-ocean for sequestration, make substantial contributions to carbon cycling in the entire Arctic Ocean. Understanding the response mechanism of carbon cycling in this region to the rapidly changing environment is the foundation for the prediction of carbon sink in the Arctic Ocean. However, the response of carbon absorption and storage to climate change is still controversial, and the main controlling factors of the carbon cycle process remain unclear.Thus, to establish high-resolution coupled ocean-ice-carbon models can explore the influence of sea ice retreat on atmospheric CO₂ and the vertical sinking carbon fluxes in Chukchi Sea, estimate the effectiveness of growing inflow and slope upwelling on carbon sink/source patterns, discuss the response of deep-ocean carbon sequestration to the changing environment, and evaluate the effectiveness of continental shelf pump in the Chukchi Sea as well as its role in the global carbon sink. Based on the challenge for the research of the Chukchi Sea carbon cycle research with rapidly changing climate, the basic ideas of establishing Arctic Ocean carbon cycling model as well as its key scientific issues to be resolved were proposed.     

Structural features in the Dead Sea-Jordan rift zone, interpreted from a combined magnetic-gravity study

The results of a combined analysis of aeromagnetic and gravity data covering the rift and adjacent areas show two different deep structural models: (a) Across the northern and central portions of the rift zone the crustal thickness and the character of the upper mantle remain unchanged. On the other hand, the lithology of the upper crust varies laterally so that the mafic composition of the rock type probably increases from east to west. (b) The southern portion of the rift may be underlain by an anomalous, low-density upper mantle.

Local negative gravity anomalies within the rift zone delineate deep depressions, separated by structural highs. The Dead Sea depression is interpreted to be filled by 7.5 km of young, low-density sediments.

Local magnetic anomalies which cover the northern portion only are interpreted as basalt flows. This approach enables delineation of fault patterns which support the classic view of sinistral strike slip movement along a complicated fault system.     

Abundance and Chemical Speciation of Phosphorus in Sediments of the Mackenzie River Delta, the Chukchi Sea and the Bering Sea: Importance of Detrital Apatite

Utilizing a sequential extraction technique this study provides the first quantitative analysis on the abundance of sedimentary phosphorus and its partitioning between chemically distinguishable phases in sediments of the Bering Sea, the Chukchi Sea and the Mackenzie River Delta in the western Arctic Ocean. Total sedimentary phosphorus (TSP) was fractionated into five operationally defined phases: (1) adsorbed inorganic and exchangeable organic phosphorus, (2) Fe-bound inorganic phosphorus, (3) authigenic carbonate fluorapatite, biogenic apatite and calcium carbonate-bound inorganic and organic phosphorus, (4) detrital apatite, and (5) refractory organic phosphorus. TSP concentrations in surface sediments increased from the Chukchi Sea (18 μmol g⁻¹ of dried sediments) to the Bering Sea (22 μmol g⁻¹) and to the Mackenzie River Delta (29 μmol g⁻¹). Among the five pools, detrital apatite phosphorus of igneous or metamorphic origin represents the largest fraction (~43%) of TSP. The second largest pool is the authigenic carbonate fluorapatite, biogenic apatite as well as CaCO₃ associated phosphorus (~24% of TSP), followed by the Fe-bound inorganic phosphorus, representing ~20% of TSP. The refractory organic P accounts for ~10% of TSP and the readily exchangeable adsorbed P accounts for only 3.5% of TSP. Inorganic phosphorus dominates all of phosphorus pools, accounting for an average of 87% of the TSP. Relatively high sedimentary organic carbon and total nitrogen contents and low δ¹³C values in the Mackenzie River Delta together with the dominance of detrital apatite in the TSP demonstrate the importance of riverine inputs in governing the abundance and speciation of sedimentary phosphorus in the Arctic coastal sediments.     

白令海与西北冰洋表层沉积物中四醚膜类脂物研究及其生态和环境指示意义

通过对中国第3次和第4次北极考察在白令海和西北冰洋采集的65个表层样沉积物中生物标记物四醚膜类脂物(GDGTs)的研究,发现西北冰洋表层沉积物中类异戊二烯和支链GDGTs的浓度分布大致以楚科奇海和波弗特海的陆坡为界线,呈现南高北低的特征,这一特征主要与水体生产力和陆源有机质的输入量有关.基于GDGTs的陆源输入指数BIT显示,从楚科奇海北部到高纬度区的阿尔法脊,陆源有机质的相对比例明显增加,与有机碳稳定同位素等结果一致,表明BIT可以用来指示北极陆源有机质输入量的变化.应用前人TEXL86-SST方程估算的研究区表面海水温度SST与现代年均SST和夏季平均SST的相关性较差,原因可能与陆源输入的类异戊二烯GDGTs干扰以及低的古菌生产力有关.从季节性海冰覆盖区到永久性海冰覆盖区,基于支链GDGTs的环化指数CBT明显升高,可能反映了CBT对海冰覆盖状况的响应,但其响应机制还不清楚.基于支链GDGTs的环化指数CBT和甲基化指数MBT估算的北极陆地年均大气温度和土壤pH差异较大,可能是由表层沉积物的来源复杂以及混合作用造成的.     

Rare Earth Elements in the Bottom Sediments of the East Arctic Seas of Russia as Indicators of Terrigenous Input

The REE distribution was studied in the bottom sediments of the East Arctic shelf of Russia. It is established that sediments of the Laptev and western East Siberian seas are significantly enriched in REEs, the contents of which are much higher than those of other near-continental basins. The main REE sources are runoff of the Lena River, the basin of which comprises ancient crystalline shields and magmatic rocks enriched in LREEs with significant contribution from the coastal erosion of the ice complex from the Laptev Sea and western East Siberian Sea. The terrigenous flux with a specific REE composition is supplied to the Chukchi Sea through the Bering Strait.     

内蒙古中部元古宙海底喷流-沉积矿床的古构造-沉积环境分析

古构造-沉积环境作为喷流-沉积矿床重要控矿因素,引起国内外地质工作者的普遍关注。在内蒙古中部元古宙克拉通边缘裂陷槽内,古隆起两侧受深断裂控制的断陷盆地中,断续分布中元古界狼山群、渣尔泰群碳砂泥质-碳酸盐岩浅变质岩系,并产出一系列喷流-沉积型硫-多金属矿床。通过对该区裂陷槽、三级断陷盆地、盆地边缘断裂、同沉积期生长断裂和火成活动等古构造-沉积环境的分析,总结出内蒙中部元古宙海底喷流-沉积矿床受克拉通边缘裂陷槽-生长断裂-三级断陷盆地控制的古构造控矿模式。     

Conditions of the formation of gold-enriched horizons of ore-hosting black shale sequences (illustrated by Permian and recent marine sediments of Northeastern Asia)

The problems of the origin of Au-rich horizons, which host all significant gold-ore deposits of the region, including valuable objects on a global level (Natalka and Nezhdaninskoe deposits), are considered, exemplified by Permian black shale deposits of the Ayan-Yuryakh anticlinorium of the Yana-Kolyma foldbelt and recent bottom sediments of the Chukchi Sea continental shelf.     

Neotectonic and volcanic characteristics of the Karasu fault zone (Anatolia,Turkey): The transition zone between the Dead Sea transform and the East Anatolian fault zone

The Karasu Rift (Antakya province, SE Turkey) has developed between east-dipping, NNE-striking faults of the Karasu fault zone, which define the western margin of the rift and west-dipping, N–S to N20°–30°E-striking faults of Dead Sea Transform fault zone (DST) in the central part and eastern margin of the rift. The strand of the Karasu fault zone that bounds the basin from west forms a linkage zone between the DST and the East Anatolian fault zone (EAFZ). The greater vertical offset on the western margin faults relative to the eastern ones indicates asymmetrical evolution of the rift as implied by the higher escarpments and accumulation of extensive, thick alluvial fans on the western margins of the rift. The thickness of the Quaternary sedimentary fill is more than 465 m, with clastic sediments intercalated with basaltic lavas. The Quaternary alkali basaltic volcanism accompanied fluvial to lacustrine sedimentation between 1.57 ± 0.08 and 0.05 ± 0.03 Ma. The faults are left-lateral oblique-slip faults as indicated by left-stepping faulting patterns, slip-lineation data and left-laterally offset lava flows and stream channels along the Karasu fault zone. At Hacılar village, an offset lava flow, dated to 0.08 ± 0.06 Ma, indicates a rate of left-lateral oblique slip of approximately 4.1 mm·year^–1. Overall, the Karasu Rift is an asymmetrical transtensional basin, which has developed between seismically active splays of the left-lateral DST and the left-lateral oblique-slip Karasu fault zone during the neotectonic period.     

Biogeochemical processes in the Chukchi Sea

Study of biogeochemical processes in water and sediments of the Chukchi Sea in August 2004 revealed atypical maximums of the concentration of biogenic elements (N, P, and Si) and the rate of microbial sulfate reduction in the surface layer (0–3 cm) of marine sediments. The C: N: P ratio in the organic matter (OM) of this layer does not fit the Redfield-Richards stoichiometric model. Specific features of biogeochemical processes in sea are likely related to the complex dynamics of water, high primary productivity (110–1400 mg C/(m² day)), low depth of basin (<50 m in 60% of the water area), reduced food chain due to low population of zooplankton, high density of zoobenthos (up to 4230 g m^?2), and high activity of microbial processes. Drastic decrease in the concentration of biogenic elements, iodine, total alkalinity (Alk), and population of microorganisms beneath the 0–3 cm layer testify to a large-scale OM decay at the water-seafloor barrier. Our original experimental data support the high annual rate of OM mineralization at the bottom of the Chukchi Sea.     

Heavy metals in mangrove sediments of the central Arabian Gulf shoreline,Saudi Arabia

To assess heavy metals in mangrove swamps of Sehat and Tarut coastal areas along the Arabian Gulf, 18 sediment samples were collected for Al, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, Sr, As, Fe, Co, and Ni analysis. The results indicated that the distribution of some metals was largely controlled by anthropogenic inputs, while others were of terrigenous origin and most strongly associated with distribution of aluminum and total organic carbon in sediments. Mangrove sediments were extremely severe enriched with Sr (EF?=?67.59) and very severe enriched with V, Hg, Cd, Cu, As (EF?=?44.28, 37.45, 35.77, 25.97, and 11.53, respectively). Average values of Sr, V, Hg, Cd, Cu, Ni, As, and Cr were mostly higher than the ones recorded from the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba, the Caspian Sea, the Arabian and Oman gulfs, coast of Tanzania, sediment quality guidelines, and the background shale and the earth crust. Landfilling due to coastal infrastructure development around mangrove forests, oil spills and petrochemical and desalination effluents from Al-Jubail industrial city to the north were the anthropogenic activities that further enhanced heavy metals in the studied mangrove sediments.     

Holocene seismic and tectonic activity in the Dead Sea area

The Dead Sea is a large, active graben within the Dead Sea rift, which is bounded by two major strike-slip faults, the Jericho and the Arava faults. We investigated the young tectonic activity along the Jericho fault by excavating trenches, up to 3.5 m deep, across its trace. The trenches penetrate through Late Pleistocene and Holocene sediments. We found that a zone, up to 15 m wide, of disturbed sediments exists along the fault. These disturbed sediments provide evidence for two periods of intensive activity or more likely, for two major earthquakes, that occurred during the last 2000 years. The earthquakes are evident in small faults, vertical throw of a few layers, cracks, unconformities and wide fissures. We further documented evidence for recent sinistral shear along the Jericho fault in deformed sediments and damage to an 8th Century palace on a subsidiary fault. We suggest that the two earthquakes may be correlated with the 31 B.C. earthquake and the 748 A.D. earthquake, reported by the ancients.