Seismic monitoring of sub-seafloor fluid processes in the Haima cold seep area using an Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS)

The use of ocean bottom seismometers provides an effective means of studying the process and the dynamic of cold seeps by continuously recording micro-events produced by sub-seafloor fluid migration.We deployed a four-component Ocean Bottom Seismometer(OBS)at an active site of the Haima cold seep from 6 November to 19 November in 2021.Here,we present the results of this short-term OBS monitoring.We first examine the OBS record manually to distinguish(by their distinctive seismographic signatures)four types of events:shipping noises,vibrations from our remotely operated vehicle(ROV)operations,local earthquakes,and short duration events(SDEs).Only the SDEs are further discussed in this work.Such SDEs are similar to those observed in other sea areas and are interpreted to be correlated with sub-seafloor fluid migration.In the OBS data collected during the 14-day monitoring period.We identify five SDEs.Compared to the SDE occurrence rate observed in other cold seep regions,five events is rather low,from which it could be inferred that fluid migration,and subsequent gas seepage,is not very active at the Haima site.This conclusion agrees with multi-beam and chemical observations at that site.Our observations thus provide further constraint on the seepage activity in this location.This is the first time that cold seep-related SDEs have been identified in the South China Sea,expanding the list of sea areas where SDEs are now linked to cold seep fluid migration.

Interactions of Microplastics and Methane Seepage in the Deep-Sea Environment

Microplastics(MPs)are important exempla of the Anthropocene and are exerting an increasing impact on Earth’s carbon cycle.The huge imbalance between the MPs floating on the marine surface and those that are estimated to have been introduced into the ocean necessitates a detailed assessment of marine MP sinks.Here,we demonstrate that cold seep sediments,which are characterized by methane fluid seepage and a chemosynthetic ecosystem,effectively capture and accommodate small-scale(<100μm)MPs,with 16 types of MPs being detected.The abundance of MPs in the surface of the sediment is higher in methane-seepage locations than in non-seepage areas.Methane seepage is beneficial to the accumulation,fragmentation,increased diversity,and aging of MPs.In turn,the rough surfaces of MPs contribute to the sequestration of the electron acceptor ferric oxide,which is associated with the anaerobic oxidation of methane(AOM).The efficiency of the AOM determines whether the seeping methane(which has a greenhouse effect 83 times greater than that of CO_(2)over a 20-year period)can enter the atmosphere,which is important to the global methane cycle,since the deep-sea environment is regarded as the largest methane reservoir associated with natural gas hydrates.

Discovery of prenylated indole alkaloid and natural xanthone from cold-seep sediment derived fungus Talaromyces funiculosus SD-523

A new prenylated indole alkaloid 11,17-epi-mangrovamide A(1),a new natural occurring product,1,7-dihydroxy-6-methyl-8-hydroxymethyl-xanthone(2),two known alkaloids,mangrovamide A(3)and mangrovamide G(4),and four known polyketide derivatives(5–8)were isolated and identified from the cold-seep sediment derived fungal strain Talaromyces funiculosus SD-523.Their structures were elucidated by combination of nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR),high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy(HRESIMS),quantum chemical electronic circular dichroism(ECD),and DP4+probability analysis as well as by comparison of the data with literature reports.All isolated compounds were tested for antibacterial activities.

Quantitative estimation of bubble volume fraction of submarine seep plumes by modeling seismic oceanography data

Submarine seep plumes are a natural phenomenon in which different types of gases migrate through deep or shallow subsurface sediments and leak into seawater in pressure gradient.When detected using acoustic data,the leaked gases frequently exhibit a flame-like structure.We numerically modelled the relationship between the seismic response characteristic and bubble volume fraction to establish the bubble volume fraction in the submarine seep plume.Results show that our models are able to invert and predict the bubble volume fraction from field seismic oceanography data,by which synthetic seismic sections in different dominant frequencies could be numerically simulated,seismic attribute sections(e.g.,instantaneous amplitude,instantaneous frequency,and instantaneous phase)extracted,and the correlation between the seismic attributes and bubble volume fraction be quantitatively determined with functional equations.The instantaneous amplitude is positively correlated with bubble volume fraction,while the instantaneous frequency and bubble volume fraction are negatively correlated.In addition,information entropy is introduced as a proxy to quantify the relationship between the instantaneous phase and bubble volume fraction.As the bubble volume fraction increases,the information entropy of the instantaneous phase increases rapidly at the beginning,followed by a slight upward trend,and finally stabilizes.Therefore,under optimal noise conditions,the bubble volume fraction of submarine seep plumes can be inverted and predicted based on seismic response characteristics in terms of seismic attributes.

Mg/Ca,Ba/Ca,and S/Ca ratios as environmental and growth proxies for bivalve shells from the Haima cold seep,South China Sea

Bivalve shell fossils,cemented by authigenic carbonates,are widely spread in the Haima cold seep,Qiongdongnan Basin of the South China Sea(SCS).In this study,we examined an element profile of Gigantidas platifrons in the Haima cold seeps at a water depth of 1381 m.Based on the scanning electron microscope(SEM)analyses,the prismatic layer and nacreous layer were identified,which are characterized by prismatic structure and stratified structure,respectively.In addition,the profile can be subdivided into two parts:altered and unaltered zones.Laser inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(LA-ICP-MS)mapping shows that the element concentrations of the altered zones were influenced by the authigenic carbonate rocks,whereas the element concentrations of unaltered zones remain stable.In-situ X-ray diffraction(XRD)analyses show that the mineral constituent of the prismatic layer is mainly composed of aragonite.Along with the growth profile,Mg/Ca ratios of unaltered zones have minor variations,ranging 0.72-0.97 mmol/mol(mean=0.87 mmol/mol),with estimated temperatures of 3.8-4.1℃,indicating that the temperature of the surrounding seawater remains constant and agree with the measured data of 3.9℃which was conducted by a conductivity-temperature-depth system(CTD).The minor variations of Ba/Ca ratios(0.01-0.06 mmol/mol;mean=0.04 mmol/mol)indicate a relatively stabilized salinity of the surrounding seawater.S/Ca ratios show large variations of 0.04-4.15 mmol/mol(mean=1.37 mmol/mol).S/Ca ratios have regular variations which generally correspond to the variations of the Mg/Ca ratios,highlighting that the S/Ca ratios of bivalve shells show the potential to reflect the growth rate of the Gigantides.However,further studies should be carried out on the understanding of the links between the S/Ca ratios and seepage intensity of cold-seep fluids.

Seep/w在坝基墙幕结合防渗体系结构优化中的应用

在墙幕结合的防渗体系中,上部防渗墙和下部帷幕灌浆的结构尺寸大多是凭经验取得的.文章主要从工程防渗效果及安全性、经济性等方面出发,应用渗流有限元数值模拟软件Seep/w,采用图解最大梯度法,对墙接幕防渗体系的结构尺寸进行优化,得出既能满足防渗要求,又能确保工程安全、经济的最优化深度.

SEEPS基热塑性磁流变弹性体复合材料的制备、结构与性能

选用性能优良的聚(苯乙烯-b-乙烯-b-乙烯-丙烯-b-苯乙烯)(SEEPS)热塑性弹性体代替传统橡胶为基体、软磁性羰基铁粉为磁性填料,采用熔融共混技术制备得到弹性好、磁流变效应高的新型各向同性和各向异性SEEPS基热塑性磁流变弹性体(MRE)复合材料。详细地介绍了两类材料的制备方法,系统地研究了基体分子量、羰基铁含量和外加磁场强度等因素对材料结构和性能的影响。羰基铁粉在各向同性MRE复合材料中呈现无规均匀分散,在各向异性MRE复合材料中呈现明显链状定向有序结构。高分子量基体吸油性优于低分子量基体,柔软度更高,加工性能更好,强度和韧性受高填充羰基铁的影响小,磁流变效应也更高。各向异性MRE比各向同性MRE具有更高的储能模量和磁流变效应。

基于SEEP/W的吊江岩水电站闸坝渗流稳定分析

针对吊江岩水电站首部枢纽布置和闸址处河床覆盖层复杂的地质条件,采用SEEP/W软件对闸基进行了渗流稳定性分析。结果表明,设计防渗体系是合理可行的,为闸坝稳定性提供科学依据。

弹性体SEEPS增韧聚碳酸酯的研究

研究了三种不同分子量三嵌段弹性体SEEPS(po lystyrene-b-po ly(ethy lene/propy lene)-b-po lystyrene)的加入对聚碳酸酯性能的影响。发现三种弹性体都能大大改善基体PC的缺口敏感性高的行为。虽然薄制品的缺口冲击强度随弹性体加入量的增加而降低,但厚制品的缺口冲击强度却大幅度提高,即使弹性体含量达到25%时,厚制品仍然具有优良的抗缺口冲击性能。SEM观察发现材料由原来的冲击波状脆性断裂转变为韧性断裂。SEEPS的加入还能明显改善体系的流变性和抗环境应力开裂性能。

SEEP/W在基于非饱和土理论的公路排水设计计算中的应用

该文针对基于非饱和土理论的公路排水设计问题,介绍了基于有限元法的非饱和土水模拟软件SEEP/W,并用SEEP/W对实际道路渗流场进行了模拟。通过对比实测数据,认为SEEP/W可以很好地模拟复杂边界条件下的路基非饱和土水暂态流问题,并且认为土水特征曲线、水力传导曲线和几何边界是模拟计算的关键参数。通过路基内部渗沟和排水层对路基水分运动影响的模拟计算,发现渗沟或集水管同排水层的共同使用可以有效地减少路基水分。

SEEPS结构、性能及应用研究进展

SEEPS相比于SEBS,有更高的拉伸强度,更好的锁油性,更平滑的表面,与聚乙烯更好的相容性,更好的低温性能。SEEPS相比SEPS有更高的强度。对国内外SEEPS的发展现状、加氢用催化剂、SEEPS的结构、种类及用途进行了介绍,SEEPS可广泛应用于聚合物共混、胶粘剂、塑料改性、减震材料及发泡材料等。在我国SEBS及SEPS已实现产业化的基础上建议加大SEEPS开发力度,争取早日工业化,填补我国在该领域的空白。

Geochemical characteristics of cold-seep carbonates in Shenhu area,South China Sea

Cold seeps spread worldwide along the continental margins,which are closely related to the exploration of gas hydrates.Cold-seep carbonates have been reported to record the nature of seepage,including fluid source,sedimentary environment,and variation of seepage activity.We investigated the morphology,mineralogy,element compositions,and carbon and oxygen isotopes of 15 cold-seep carbonates collected from the Shenhu area,and compared them with 2 carbonates from the Haima cold seep,the South China Sea(SCS),to promote our knowledge of cold-seep system in SCS.Most of the Shenhu carbonates exhibit crust morphology,and some are in the form of chimneys and blocks.Their absolute(20%–65%)and relative carbonate mineral contents(mainly aragonite and calcite,with minor samples containing dolomite)vary significantly,indicating the multi-stage methane leakage in our study area.Some samples show a slight negative Ce anomaly,suggesting either the mixing of seawater or variation of the redox condition during the precipitation;the cooccurrence of strongly enriched U and Mo demonstrates anoxic condition during precipitation.The mixed genetic methane source was interpreted by δ^(13)C of the Shenhu carbonates to range from-22.34‰to-59.30‰Vienna PeeDee Belemnite(VPDB),and the slight ^(18)O-enrichment imprinted on the carbonates suggests the possible influence from hydrate dissociation.The Haima carbonates,with biogenic methane as the main gas source,were presumably formed in a stronger fluid flux by compared with our Shenhu samples.

SEEP2D软件在坝堤渗漏计算中的应用

在国际通用的地下水数值模拟软件中,GMS软件以其友好的使用界面,强大的前、后处理功能及其良好的三维可视效果应用越来越广泛。在对GMS软件中SEEP2D模块进行简单介绍的基础上,以坝堤剖面渗漏为例介绍SEEP2D模块在地下水数值模拟计算中的应用。

Lipid Biomarkers and Their Stable Carbon Isotopes in Ancient Seep Carbonates from SW Taiwan, China

Four massive brecciated, chimney-like, and slender pipe network carbonate samples(JA-4, JA-5, JX-8 and BG-12) were collected from southwestern Taiwan, which were suggested to have formed as a result of anaerobic oxidization of methane(AOM). Considering that the environmental conditions of the carbonates precipitation and the sources of carbon and organic matter need to be further declared, molecular fossils and compound-specific carbon isotopic investigations of the carbonates were conducted in this study. According to lipid biomarkers of 2,6,10,15,19-pentamethyleicosane(PMI) and squalane diagnostic to methanotrophic archaea, as well as the extremely low δ^(13)C values(as low as -1^(13).4‰) detected in samples JA-4, JA-5 and JX-8, these carbonates were revealed to be a result of AOM. Based on the varied δ^(13)C values of characteristic archaea biomarkers in specific samples, biogenic methane was proposed to be responsible for the formation of samples JA-4 and JA-5, whereas a mixed carbon source of ^(13)C-depleted methane and ^(13)C-enriched residual CO_2 from methanogenesis was suggested for the carbonate of JX-8 due to the co-occurrence of a highly positive δ^(13) C_(carb) value(+8‰) and a moderate ^(13)C depletion of PMI. The low content of AOM-related biomarkers and the absence of indicators for ANME-2 suggested that these carbonates were formed in weak seep settings. By comparison, no typical lipid biomarkers for methanotrophic archaea was detected in carbonate BG-12. The short-chain and long-chain n-alkanes accounted for 30% and 45% of all hydrocarbons, respectively, with a CPI value of 1.2, suggesting that the n-alkanes were derived from both marine organisms and terrestrial inputs. A low thermal maturity could be revealed by the incomplete equilibrium value of the C^(31)αβ 22S/(22S+22R) ratio(0.5), and the carbonate BG-12 was probably deposited in a suboxic condition indicated by a value of Pr/Ph ratio(2.5).

SEEP/W与SLOPE/W耦合的边坡稳定分析

为更准确地分析降雨条件下边坡的稳定性,以大连变电站拟开挖边坡为实例,运用SEEP/W分析了不同持时和降雨强度条件下边坡内部孔隙水压力的变化规律。结果表明,降雨强度越大,空隙水压力上升越快;相同降雨量条件下,降雨强度越小,空隙水压力上升越大。随后将SEEP/W所得结果耦合到SLOPE/W中进行稳定性计算,计算结果表明降雨导致边坡安全系数下降;相同降雨量条件下,持时越长,安全系数越低。相应结果为利用SEEP/W和SLOPE/W耦合分析解决降雨条件下边坡稳定性问题提供了参考案例。

基于SEEPS方法的重庆地区降水数值预报性能分析

本研究简要介绍了SEEPS方法的具体计算方案,将该方法应用到重庆地区的降水数值预报检验中,对重庆地区常用的3个业务数值模式2017年全年的预报结果进行了检验评估,并对比分析了3个模式降水预报性能的总体差异及时空分布特征.结果表明,综合各个预报时效2017年全年区域平均SEEPS技巧评分的结果, EC模式的降水预报性能最优,其次是SWC-WARMS, CQMFS最差;综合各个预报时效2017年1-12月逐月区域平均的SEEPS技巧评分的结果, SWC-WARMS各月的预报性能均优于CQMFS. SWC-WARMS和CQMFS的降水预报性能在7月和8月总体而言优于EC模式,其余各月均差于EC模式;对于同一区域全年平均的降水数值预报性能, EC模式最优,其次是SWC-WARMS, CQMFS最差.各个模式的SEEPS技巧评分在四川盆地东部偏东地区均存在大值中心. EC模式总体表现出在重庆的东北部偏东地区和中西部偏北地区的SEEPS技巧评分优于重庆的其他地区. SWC-WARMS总体表现出在重庆东南部地区的SEEPS技巧评分优于重庆的其他地区. CQMFS总体表现出在重庆的东南部地区和重庆的中西部偏北地区的SEEPS技巧评分优于其他地区.

基于SEEP/W程序的堤防截渗墙防渗性能研究

以沁河河道现状堤防为研究对象,通过对工程地质条件的分析,建立地质概化模型,采用地下水渗流程序Geo Studio-Seep/W建立二维有限元模型,分析截渗墙的深度和厚度对防渗性能的影响。研究结果表明：截渗墙明显降低了地下水的浸润面,增加了非饱和土的范围,同时减少了高水头的范围,对大堤和堤基土的稳定性有利;截渗墙对断面流量、出逸高度和出逸坡降都有明显的降低,而截渗墙厚度对以上因素的影响不大;全截式截渗墙的防渗效果最好,改变全截式截渗墙的深度,防渗效果没有改变,截渗墙厚度为20 cm、深入相对隔水层1~2 m时,可满足防渗要求。

基于SEEP/W的基底地下水赋存形态及孔压分析

依托SEEP/W软件和实测数据模拟地下水压力在某工程基底及侧墙的分布情况,分析在抗浮水位下的渗流物理过程,确定其基底水压力及分布规律。

Microbial diversity in cold seep sediments from the northern South China Sea

South China Sea （SCS） is the largest Western Pacific marginal sea. However, microbial studies have never been performed in the cold seep sediments in the SCS. In 2004, ＂SONNE＂ 177 cruise found two cold seep areas with different water depth in the northern SCS. Haiyang 4 area, where the water depth is around 3000 m, has already been confirmed for active seeping on the seafloor, such as microbial mats, authigenic carbonate crusts and bivalves. We investigated microbial abundance and diver- sity in a 5.55-m sediment core collected from this cold seep area. An integrated approach was employed including geochemistry and 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analyses. Here, we show that microbial abun- dance and diversity along with geochemistry profiles of the sediment core revealed a coupled reaction between sulphate reduction and methane oxidation. Acridine orange direct count results showed that microbial abundance ranges from 105 to 106 cells/g sediment （wet weight）. The depth-related variation of the abundance showed the same trend as the methane concentration profile. Phylogenetic analysis indicated the presence of sulphate-reducing bacteria and anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea. The diver- sity was much higher at the surface, but decreased sharply with depth in response to changes in the geochemical conditions of the sediments, such as methane, sulphate concentration and total organic carbon. Marine Benthic Group B, Chloroflexi and JS1 were predominant phylotypes of the archaeal and bacterial libraries, respectively.

An examination by GC×GC-TOFMS of organic molecules present inhighly degraded oils emerging from Caribbean terrestrial seeps of Cretaceous age

For our ancestors, oil seeps were both a fascination and a resource but as the planet's reserves of high quality low density oil becomes increasingly depleted, so there is now a renewed interest in heavier,biodegraded oils such as those encountered in terrestrial seeps. One such seep is Pitch Lake in the Caribbean island of Trinidad, which is the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world. At the northern end of the Caribbean, oil emerges along a tectonic contact on the island on Cuba. The sources of the oils from these seeps are relatively recent and both are subject to intense weathering due to the tropical conditions. When analysed by gas chromatography(GC) both oils appear as unresolved complex mixtures(UCM) and show a very high degree of biodegradation thus presenting an analytical challenge. In this case study, these two Caribbean seep oils were analysed by comprehensive two dimensional GC with time of flight mass spectrometry(GC×GC-TOFMS) to expose many thousands of the individual compounds that comprise the UCM. The high chromatographic resolution of the GC×GC-TOFMS produced good quality mass spectra allowing many compounds including molecular fossil ‘biomarkers' to be identified. Compound classes included diamondoid hydrocarbons, demethylated hopanes and secohopanes, mono-and tri-aromatic steroids. D-ring aromatised structures of the 8,14-seco-hopanes,including demethylated forms were present in both oils but further demethylation, probably at position C-25 during biodegradation, was only observed in the Pitch Lake oil. Many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) were absent although the fungal-derived pentacyclic PAH perylene was present in both oils. The presence of the angiosperm biomarker lupane in the Pitch Lake oil constrained the age to the Late Cretaceous. The higher degree of biodegradation observed in the Cuban oil was likely due to relatively slow anaerobic processes whereas oil within Pitch Lake was probably subject to additional more rapid aerobic metabolism within the lake.