Aimei Zhu

The distribution and variation of elements in sediments off the Huanghe (Yellow) River mouth

Surface sediment samples collected off the Huanghe (Yellow) River mouth during the period 2007–2009 were analyzed for major and trace element concentrations. Concentrations of 16 elements were measured using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Results demonstrate that sediment grain size is the dominant factor controlling the spatial variations of elemental concentrations. Correlation and cluster analyses allowed classification of the study area into four geochemical regions: Regions I and III are characterized by high concentrations of Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, Na2O, K2O, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn, and contain fine-grained sediments with mean grain size (Mz)<22 μm; and; Regions II and IV contain mostly coarse-grained sediments, and are characterized by high concentrations of SiO2, Na2O, and Zr. The sediment entering the sea from the Huanghe River and its tributaries is enriched in Ca. Thus, the Ca/Al ratio was used as an indicator of the proportion of sediments in the study area that originated from the Huanghe River. Ca/Al ratios decrease from Regions I and II (located in the nearshore zone of the Huanghe River delta) to Regions III and IV (distributed in the offshore zone of the northern Huanghe River delta, southern and southeastern Laizhou Bay area).

Characteristics of a ridge-transform inside corner intersection and associated mafic-hosted seafloor hydrothermal field (14.0°S, Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

Morphotectonic analysis of the inside corner intersection (14.0°S) between the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Cardno fracture zone indicate a young rough massif emerging after the termination of a previous oceanic core complex. The massif, which hosts an off-axis hydrothermal field, is characterized by a magmatic inactive volcanic structure, based on geologic mapping and sample studies. Mineralogical analyses show that the prominent hydrothermal deposit was characterized by massive pyrite-marcasite breccias with silica-rich gangue minerals. Geochemical analyses of the sulfide breccias indicate two element groups: the Fe-rich ore mineral group and silica-rich gangue mineral group. Rare earth element distribution patterns showing coexistence of positive Eu anomalies and negative Ce anomalies suggest that sulfides were precipitated from diffused discharge resulted from mixing between seawater and vent fluids. Different from several low temperature hydrothermal systems occurring on other intersection dome-like massifs that are recognized as detachment fault surfaces associated with variably metamorphosed ultramafic rocks, the 14.0°S field, hosted in gabbroic-basaltic substrate, is inferred to be of a high temperature system and likely to be driven by deep high temperature gabbroic intrusions. Additionally, the subsurface fossil detachment fault is also likely to play an important role in focusing hydrothermal fluids.