Paleomagnetism and paleoclimate change in the South China Sea since the late Pleistocene

Signal processing techniques of cross-correlation, power spectral analysis and cross-power spectral analysis are used to determine the relationships between paleomagnetic properties and the oxygen isotope record of the South China Sea during the late Pleistocene. On the basis of correlation tests between the δ18O time series of cores V3 and A15 with the paleomagnetic properties of core SCS01, five events of susceptibility and intensity of natural remanent magnetization are identified as glacial events corresponding to δ18O positive events. The magnetic properties of the sediments which are independent of the geomagnetic field are sensitive climatic indicators which have frequencies corresponding to the Milankovitch orbital parameters.

Deepwater Ventilation and Stratification in the Neogene South China Sea

Combined data of physical property, benthic foraminifera, and stable isotopes from ODP Sites 1148, 1146, and 1143 are used to discuss deep water evolution in the South China Sea （SCS） since the Early Miocene. The results indicate that 3 lithostratigraphic units, respectively corresponding to 21-17 Ma, 15-10 Ma, and 10-5 Ma with positive red parameter （a^＊） marking the red brown sediment color represent 3 periods of deep water ventilation. The first 2 periods show a closer link to contemporary production of the Antarctic Bottom Water （AABW） and Northern Component Water（NCW）, indicating a free connection of deep waters between the SCS and the open ocean before 10 Ma.After 10 Ma, red parameter dropped but stayed higher than the modern value （a^＊=0）, the CaCO3 percentage difference between Site 1148 from a lower deepwater setting and Site 1146 from an upper deepwater setting enlarged significantly, and benthic species which prefer oxygen-rich bottom conditions dramatically decreased. Coupled with a major negative excursion of benthic δ^13Cat ～10 Ma,these parameters may denote a weakening in the control of the SCS deep water by the open ocean.Probably they mark the birth of a local deep water due to shallow waterways or rise of sill depths during the course of sea basin closing from south to east by the west-moving Philippine Arc after the end of SCS seafloor spreading at 16-15 Ma. However, it took another 5 Ma before the dissolved oxygen approached close to the modern level. Although the oxygen level continued to stabilize, several Pacific Bottom Water （PBW） and Pacific Deep Water （PDW） marker species rapidly increased since ～6 Ma,followed by a dramatic escalation in planktonic fragmentation which indicates high dissolution especially after ～5 Ma. The period of 5-3 Ma saw the strongest stratified deepwater in the then SCS, as indicated by up to 40﹪ CaCO3 difference between Sites 1148 and 1146. Apart from a strengthening PDW as a result of global cooling and ice cap buildup on northern high latitudes, a deepening sea basin due to stronger subduction eastward may also have triggered the influx of more corrosive waters from the deep western Pacific. Since 3 Ma, the evolution of the SCS deep water entered a modern phase, as characterized by relative stable 10﹪ CaCO3 difference between the two sites and increase in infaunal benthic species which prefer a low oxygenated environment. The subsequent reduction of PBW and PDW marker species at about 1.2 Ma and 0.9 Ma and another significant negative excursion of benthic δ^13Cto a Neogene minimum at ～0.9 Ma together convey a clear message that the PBW largely disappeared and the PDW considerably weakened in the Mid-Pleistocene SCS. Therefore, the true modern mode SCS deep water started to form only during the ＂Mid-Pleistocene climatic transition＂ probably due to the rise of sill depths under the Bashi Strait.

The stable isotope geochemical characteristics of dissolved inorganic carbon in northern South China Sea

The isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in marine and estuarine environments has been studied in some detail because of its role in determining the isotopic composition of inorganic/organic matter and its applications to the study of various natural processes. The δ13CDIC values of sea water are controlled by the sources and sinks of carbon and the results from isotope fractionation among solid, dissolved and gaseous phases. In this paper, based on the description of the stable isotope geochemical characteristics of dissolved inorganic carbon in northern South China Sea, the following conclusions were drawn: 1) the δ13CDIC values of natural waters are controlled by the sources and sinks of carbon and the results from isotope fractionation among solid, dissolved and gaseous phases. And the low seawater δ13CDIC values of northern South China Sea are accompanied by a low level of sea primary productivity in this region; 2) according to the parameter relationship (δ13CDIC-1.1 PO4) between δ13CDIC and PO4, it is indicated that northern South China Sea is the source of atmospheric CO2; and 3) nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are the elements which are the basis for phytoplankton growth. Based on the analysis of seawater δ13CDIC values and PO4 and NO3+NO2 concentrations, our data show that N is a limiting nutrient in northern South China Sea.

Carbonate dissolution and deep-water paleoceanography of the South China Sea since the Middle Pleistocene

Based on the data of oxygen isotope, micro-paleontology and paleomagnetism, we set up the detailed chronology of Core 17957-2 from the southern South China Sea and discuss the change of carbonate dissolution over the last 800 ka. Down-core variation of carbonate content records the 'Pacific-type' cycle of higher glacial values and lower interglacial values, though the core lies above the modern lysocline. Carbonate dissolution indices indicate that several severe dissolution of CaCO3 happened during the transition from interglacial to glacial stages. Spectral analyses of these indices show that the carbonate dissolution periodicities are mainly made up of 500 ka and 100 ka. Compared with the cycles of carbonate dissolution of the Indian Ocean, the long-term (500-ka) periodicity reflects the characteristic of the deep-water circulation of the oceans.

Calcium carbonate pump during Quaternary glacial cycles in the South China Sea

The preservation and dissolution of calcium carbonate (namely calcium carbonate pump) controls the pH of seawater in global oceans by its buffer effect, and in turn plays a significant role in global changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration. The results from measured carbonate con-tents over the past 2 Ma at ODP Site 1143 in the South China Sea provide high-resolution records to explore the process of the calcium carbonate pump during Quaternary glacial cy-cles. The results indicate statistically that the highest car-bonate accumulation rate leads the lightest d 18O by about 3.6 ka at transitions from glacials to interglacials, and that the strongest carbonate dissolution lags the lightest d 18O by about 5.6 ka at transitions from interglacials to glacials. The calcium carbonate pump releases CO2 to the atmosphere at the glacial-interglacial transitions, but transports atmos-pheric CO2 to deep sea at the interglacial-glacial transitions. The adjustable function of the calcium carbonate pump for the deep-sea 23CO- concentration directly controls parts of global changes in atmospheric CO2, and contributes the global carbon cycle system during the Quaternary.

Thirty million year deep-sea records in the South China Sea

In the spring of 1999 the Ocean Drilling Pro-gram (ODP) Leg 184 Shipboard Party cored 17 holes at 6 deep water sites in the northern and southern parts of the South China Sea (SCS). Chinese scientists actively partici-pated in the entire process of this first deep-sea drilling leg off China, from proposal to post-cruise studies. More than 30 categories of analyses have been conducted post-cruise in various Chinese laboratories on a large number of core sam-ples, and the total number of analyses exceeded 60 thousand. The major scientific achievements of the Leg 184 studies are briefly reported in three successive papers, with the first one presented here dealing with deep-sea stratigraphy and evolu-tion of climate cycles. This ODP leg has established the best deep-sea stratigraphic sequences in the Western Pacific: the 23-Ma isotope sequence from the Dong-Sha area is unique worldwide because of its continuity; the last 5-Ma sequence from the Nansha area represents one of the best 4 ODP sites worldwide with the highest time-resolution for that time in-terval, and the sequences of physical properties enable a de-cadal-scale time resolution. All these together have provided for the first time high-quality marine records for paleoenvi-ronmental studies in the Asian-Pacific region. This new set of stratigraphic records has revealed changes in climate cyclic-ity over the last 20 Ma with the fluctuating power of the 100 ka, 400 ka, 2000 ka eccentricity cycles, indicating the evolv-ing response of the climate system to orbital forcing along with the growth of the Antarctic and Northern Hemisphere ice sheets.

Coral reef ecosystems in the South China Sea as a source of atmospheric CO_2 in summer

由空至海的 CO2 的领域大小在华南海的三个珊瑚礁石区域交换(即 Nansha 岛的 Yongshu 礁石环礁，南部的华南海(SCS ) ；Xisha 岛的 Yongxing 岛，北方中央的 SCS；并且在海南岛的 Sanya 的 Luhuitou Fringing 礁石，北 SCS ) 在 2008 和 2009 的夏天期间揭示了那 CO2 (pCO2 ) 的部分压力显示出的空气和表面海水常规日报周期。最小的价值在早上发生在晚上和最大的价值。在每三个学习区域的空气 pCO2 出现了小日报变化，当时大日报变化在海水 pCO2 被观察。日报海水 pCO2 的变化振幅是 70 摩尔摩尔? 1 在 Yongshu 礁石泻湖， 420619 摩尔摩尔? 1 在 Yongxing 岛礁石公寓，和 264579 摩尔摩尔上? 1 在 Luhuitou Fringing 礁石的礁石公寓上，并且 324492 摩尔摩尔? 1 在就在这 fringing 礁石外面的一个邻近的区域。关于空间关系，在越过华南海的由空至海的 CO2 流动有大差别(例如 0.4 mmol CO2 m ? 2 d ? 1 在 Yongshu 礁石， 4.7 mmol CO2 m ? 2 d ? 1 在 Yongxing 岛，并且 9.8 mmol CO2 m ? 2 d ? 1 在 Luhuitou Fringing 礁石)。然而，这些积极的值建议 SCS 的珊瑚礁石生态系统可以是到空气的 CO2 的网络来源。另外的分析显示了那日报在浅水礁石公寓的表面海水 pCO2 的变化主要被生物新陈代谢的过程控制，当那些被两个生物新陈代谢和水动力学因素更深的水泻湖和外部礁石区域调整时。不同于开的海洋，无机的新陈代谢在在珊瑚礁石生态系统影响海水 pCO2 变化起一个重要作用。

A 200-ka carbon isotope record from the South China Sea

A stacked ocean carbon isotope (δ 13C) record of 200 ka is established on the basis of planktonic foraminifer (Globigerinoides ruber) δ 13C data from 8 sites in the South China Sea (SCS). The δ 13C record from the SCS displays a trend similar to that from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans mainly re-sponding to long eccentricity and precession cycles, with all the three δ 13C minima occurring at glacial terminations. Thus, the changes of the oceanic car-bon reservoir in glacial cycles should not be consid-ered as a response only to ice-sheet variations, but could have been driven also by low latitude proc-esses, such as the monsoon.

Carbon Isotope Records Indicative of Paleoceanographical Events at the Latest Permian Dalong Formation at Shangsi,Northeast Sichuan,China

Paired organic and carbonate carbon isotope compositions of Late Permian Wujiaping （吴家坪） and Dalong （大隆） formations at Shangsi （上寺）, Northeast Sichuan （四川） were analyzed by MAT 251. An abrupt negative excursion in the two isotope records was observed in the middle part of Dalong Formation, in association with a drop in the carbon isotope difference of the two records and an increase of total organic carbon （TOC） content. The negative drop of the paired carbon isotope records is suggestive of the input of 12C-enriched CO2. The molecular ratios of pristane to phytane and dibenzothiophene to phenanthrene indicate the anoxic condition in this interval. The enhanced TOC content is indicative of the elevated preservation of organic matter due to the anoxic condition. These isotopic and organic geochemical data probably infer the occurrence of the upwelling in this interval. The additional contribution of volcanism activity observed in South China cannot be excluded to the input of 12C-enriched CO2 and the negative shifts in carbon isotope composition of bulk organic matter and carbonate.

Environmental Redox Changes of the Ancient Sea in the Yangtze Area during the Ordo-Silurian Transition

Extensive organic-matter （OM） rich facies （black shales） occur in the Ordo-Silurian boundary successions in the Yangtze area, South China. To investigate the redox changes of the Yangtze Sea during the Ordo-Silurian transition, two OM sections （Wangjiawan in Yichang, Hubei Province, and Sanjiaguan in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province） straddling the Ordo-Silurian boundary are studied. The measurements finished in this study include contents of the total organic carbon （TOC）, pyrite sulphur, and different species of Fe, including dithionite-extractable Fe （FED）, pyrite Fe （FeP）, HCl-extractable Fe （FeH）, and total Fe （FeT）, in black shales, as well as other redox proxies, such as the SIC ratio, the ratio between highly reactive Fe （FeHR = FeD ＋ FeP） and FeT, and the FeP/（FeP ＋ FeH） ratio, known as the degree of pyritization （DOP）. In the Wangjiawan section, the Middle Ashgill sediments have high FeHR/FeT ratios （0.20-0.77; avg. 0.45）, high DOP values （0.21-0.72; avg. 0.54）, and a relatively constant sulfur content independent of the organic carbon content. By the contrast, the mid-early Hirnantian deposits generally have low FeHR/FeT ratios （0.10-0.35; avg. 0.21）, low DOP values （0.11- 0.40; avg. 0.28）, and SIC values are clustering on the normal marine value （SIC = 0.36）. The late Hirnantian and early Rhuddanian deposits, similar to those of the Middle Ashgill deposits, are characterized by high FeHR/FeT ratios （0.32-0.49; avg. 0.41）, high DOP values （0.46-0.68; avg. 0.53） and fairly constant sulfur contents. These data suggest the occurrences of marine anoxia on the Yangtze Sea shelf during intervals of the Mid Ashgill, Late Hirnantian and Early Rhuddanian, and ventilated and oxygenated marine conditions during the mid-early Hirnantian time. The mid-early Hirnantian ventilated event was concomitant with the global glacial period, likely resulted from the glacio-eustatic sea-level fall and subsequent circulation of cold, dense oxygenated waters upon the shelf seabed. Accordingly, the abrupt change from oxygenated to anoxic marine waters from the late Hirnantian and the early Rhuddanian were resulted from the post-glacial rise of eustatic sea level. Combined with the data from Sanjiaguan section near the subemergent highland, salinity stratification of water columns are strongly evidenced by very low S/C ratios （ 0.00-0.08, avg. 0.02）, low FeHR/FeT ratios （0.10-0.37, avg. 0.27）, low DOP values （0.01-0.27, avg. 0.10）, and TOC contents （0.72%-4.27%, avg. 2.55%）. Under this circumstance, the anoxic water columns could have formed beneath the halocline, above which desalinized waters formed. In the Wangjiawan section, TOC contents are generally high （0.94- 9.32%, avg. 4.44%）, but low （0.35%-2.12%, avg. 1.29%） in the mid-early Hirnantian that is coincident with the oceanic oxic stage, together with relation of the organic contents to the stratal thickness, suggesting that the accumulation of the organic matter was mainly controlled by the oxygen levels of the water columns; on the other hand, productivity and depositional rate may also have played a role in the organic accumulation and preservation.

重建南海27Ma以来高分辨率碳酸盐补偿深度

新生代海洋碳酸盐补偿深度(CCD)的重建长期受到学术界的广泛关注。本研究以南海14个站位20个钻孔的综合大洋钻探计划(IODP)物质数据与年龄-深度模型,恢复了对应钻孔的古水深,计算了碳酸盐累积速率(CAR),基于线性回归的方法,重建了南海27 Ma以来CCD变化。研究结果显示:南海在海盆拉张形成期(27~18 Ma)出现了CCD超过2000 m大幅度的下降;在随后的中中新世气候适宜期(MMCO)期间,南海CCD出现800 m变浅。8 Ma以来南海CCD演化和赤道太平洋的演化呈现了不同的演化趋势:前者在3500~4000 m范围内波动,后者则从4000 m持续下降到4500 m左右。27 Ma之前,广泛的陆源输入和上升洋流发育导致南海出现浅的CCD。27~18 Ma时期的构造拉张导致的海盆加深,同时上升洋流减弱,被解释为该时期CCD下降的主要因素。MMCO期间气候驱动下的海平面波动导致了碳酸盐沉积核心区域的变化,是造成CCD波动的重要原因。8 Ma以来南海和太平洋CCD的差异演化是太平洋底水与南海底水的交换不畅的结果。

南海深水区晚更新世以来沉积速率、沉积通量与物质组成

通过调查所获得柱样沉积物氧碳同位素测年资料及多学科综合分析表明 ,晚更新世以来南海沉积速率和沉积通量具有以下几个特征 :(1)总体上为间冰期沉积速率低、冰期沉积速率高 ,冰期沉积速率是间冰期沉积速率的 1.3～ 1.6倍 ;(2 )南海沉积速率趋势面分析表明 ,氧同位素 1期东北陆坡和西南陆坡沉积速率高 ,氧同位素 2、3期沉积速率分布特征相似 ,与 1期有所不同 ,东北陆坡沉积速率高于西南陆坡 ,表明氧同位素 2期之后 ,南海的沉积环境发生明显的改变 ,造成上述沉积速率分布的主要控制因素是南海周围的河流分布、季风、海流等 ;(3)南海东部沉积通量与物质组成分析表明 ,末次冰期以来沉积总通量北部陆坡区明显高于深海区 ,前者是后者 2～ 3倍 ,并有自北向南逐渐降低的趋势 ;(4)硅质生物沉积通量冰期明显高于间冰期 ,末次冰期以来东北部陆坡区的硅质生物沉积通量最高 ,末次冰期之前恰好相反 ,深海盆高于陆坡区 ;(5 )末次冰期以来 ,陆源沉积约占南海东部海域沉积的 4 4

南海西南部晚更新世500ka以来的古海洋学特征

对湄公河口外MD01-2392孔浮游有孔虫的定量分析,并采用FP-12E转换函数、MAT现代类比法及温跃层转换函数的计算,结合氧同位素分析结果,揭示了南海南部晚更新世近500ka以来的古海洋学演化特征.发现冰期MIS12、MIS8、MIS2-4冬季表层水温明显高出相邻的间冰期,特别是间冰期MIS9、MIS5、MIS1表层水温都较低.温跃层在MIS5与MIS1最浅,MIS9其次.主要表现在浮游有孔虫深层高营养种的含量增高,表明上升流增强.间冰期的低水温很可能主要是由于上升流影响所致,当然表层盐度由于多雨而降低也可能影响到间冰期的水温估算.冰期时较高的表层水温,喜暖高盐型次表层种Pulleniatinaobliquiloculata的大量繁殖,说明冰期时南部海区受来自北部强冬季风的制约使上升流活动减弱,海平面降低后与邻区通道的关闭也造成水体置换明显减弱,可能有淡水盖层发育,最终导致上层海水分层增强和冬季表层水温保持相对较高.晚更新世时期的南海南部由于冰期低海平面造成半封闭的海盆环境和季风变化,是影响其浮游有孔虫对冰期旋回响应与北部和开放大洋不同的根本原因.

南海北部晚更新世以来的碳酸盐旋回

碳酸盐的相对含量是深海沉积物最直观的特征变量,也是最重要的古环境信息来源。南海晚更新世以来的碳酸盐旋回已进行了深入的研究,并已总结出溶跃面以上为"大西洋旋回",溶跃面以下为"太平洋旋回"。但经过大量的柱状样研究后发现,也有不少的"例外",溶跃面以上,并没有出现明显的"大西洋旋回"特征,尤其在南海东北部东沙群岛以东海域和琼东南海域。这些"例外"呈明显的区域性分布表明其不是个别现象。研究认为,主要是由于冰期-间冰期陆源物质的供给量的变化所致。南海北部海域,大致可以分为3个区,中区碳酸盐分布具有典型的"大西洋旋回",东区基本没有旋回性,西区总体有一定的旋回特征,但不够典型,且越接近海南岛,旋回特征越差。这主要是由于中区陆架宽、陆坡相对较缓,在冰期旋回中陆源物质供给量的变化明显。东区主要陆源物质可能来自台湾岛,而台西南岛架很窄,在冰期旋回中,陆源物质的供给量变化可能不大。西区,越靠近海南岛,海南岛的物源影响越大,而海南岛西南的岛架比华南的陆架也明显窄得多,而且华南与海南两个不同的物源,可能使琼东南的碳酸盐变得更复杂。

近2万年来南海北部与西部碳酸盐旋回及其古海洋学意义

通过对南海北部与西部５个活塞取心钻孔的碳酸盐系统分析，并结合部分年代学和有孔虫溶解指数资料研究，认为位于ＣＣＤ界面以上，以稀释作用为主的半深海陆坡区碳酸盐沉积旋回有如下特点：近２万年来区内碳酸盐旋回可以分为６期，并具一定的普遍性和可比性；与同位素和气候旋回相比，碳酸盐旋回在时间上存在“超前”现象，超前时间为１—２ｋａＢ．Ｐ．；早冰后期，约相当于７．０－８．０ｋａＢ．Ｐ．期间，区内存在一次低碳酸盐事件，起因可能主要与区域降温有关。

海洋生物泵研究进展

海洋生物泵是以一系列海洋生物为介质将大气中的碳输运到海洋深层的过程,是海洋碳循环的重要组成部分以及未来的研究重点。本文系统地描述了海洋生物泵碳汇几个主要阶段:浮游植物沉降,浮游动物粪球颗粒沉降,透明胞外聚合颗粒物(TEP)沉降和海雪沉降以及碳酸盐反向泵过程。同时,本文对南海生物泵的研究进展进行简要介绍,服务于中国海碳循环。

南海北部DSH-1C柱状样晚更新世以来沉积物磁性特征及其环境意义

对取自南海北部陆坡"海洋四号沉积体"的DSH-1C柱状样,进行了沉积学和磁学分析,结合相关资料探讨了该柱状样沉积物磁性特征的纵向变化及其与该区沉积环境变化的关系。结果表明:DSH-1C柱状样自上而下共划分为3个岩性单元,表层沉积物为全新世氧同位素1期(MIS1)以粘土质粉砂为主的深海-半深海沉积;中部含数层重力流沉积夹层为晚更新世氧同位素2期(MIS2)沉积;底部为晚更新世氧同位素3期(MIS3)粘土质粉砂。该柱状样磁化率(χ)平均值为1.72×10-7m3/kg。所有样品的等温剩磁(IRM)均已达到饱和等温剩磁(SIRM)的80%以上,S300的最小值为0.605。该柱状样沉积物中的磁性矿物极少,以低矫顽力矿物为主;在陆源物质输入较多的间冰期(MIS1和MIS3期),其磁性参数值较高;反之,在MIS2其磁性参数值较低,可能与冰期该区陆源物质减少有关。此外,该岩心柱中富含有孔虫壳体或双壳碎屑的重力流层沉积物的磁性参数值低,与这些逆磁性碳酸盐组分的增加有关。

南海北部陆坡晚更新世末期硅藻及其古环境意义

对南海北部陆坡17940孔晚更新世末期沉积物硅藻的研究表明,该时期硅藻组合以亚热带浮游性种类为主。硅藻组合中优势种和特征种含量的变化,指示了晚更新世末期南海海洋环境较现代封闭、海平面较现代为低的古地理环境。同时,根据硅藻组合中特征种的变化,也可以清楚地界定出波令—阿勒罗德期和新仙女木事件,但是全新世的底界并不明显。

新近纪南海深层水的增氧与分层

综合南海ODP1148站、1146站和1143站沉积物物性、底栖有孔虫、同位素等资料，探讨早中新世以来南海深层水的演化特征．结果表明，在21～17Ma、15～10Ma和10～5Ma3个时间段分别对应3个富含红褐色粘土的岩性单元，其红色参数（a^＊）增高指示南海深层水中溶解氧含量的增加．对比发现，前两阶段的深层水增氧与南极底层水和北大西洋组合水增强有关，说明10Ma前南海与外地的底层水基本是相互连通的．10Ma以后，南海深层水溶解氧降低，同时分别处于下深层水的1148站和上深层水的1146站之间的CaCO3含量变化加大，喜氧底栖有孔虫减少，底栖δ^13 C在～10Ma大幅度减轻，说明南海当时的深层水受大洋深层水的控制减弱．推测主要是南海海盆白16-15Ma停止扩张以后，南海逐渐关闭引起本地深层水开始形成的缘故．从6Ma左右开始出现大量的太平洋底层水和深层水的底栖有孔虫标志种，1148站和1146站在5～3Ma期间的CaCO3含量之差达到40％，标志南海深层水最大分异期．除了全球气候变冷、北半球结冰引起太平洋深层水扩张的影响之外，南海海盆由于更强烈向东俯冲而进一步下沉也可能是原因之一．3Ma以来南海深层水演化进入现代模式，两站之间的CaCO3含量之差稳定在10％左右，厌氧底栖种丰度增加．太平洋底层水和深层水的标志种相继在1．2Ma和0．9Ma大量减少，底栖δ^13 C也同时大幅度变轻到新近纪的最低值，表明太平洋底层水的影响基本消失，太平洋深层水的影响也大大减弱．因此，标准现代模式的南海深层水，推测主要由于“中更新世气候转型”时期巴士海峡下面的海槛抬升到接近目前～2600m的深度时，才开始形成．

南海西南部晚更新世以来元素地球化学特征的古环境意义

对南海西南部近湄公河三角洲中陆坡上的MD01-2392站样品进行的地球化学分析表明,该站的沉积物主要为湄公河带来的陆源碎屑,并且其物源四十万年来没有发生明显变化。分别用元素TiO2、CaO估算出沉积物中陆源碎屑的含量及CaCO3的含量,结果显示CaCO3在间冰期时高,而在冰期时低,表现出“大西洋旋回”的特征。陆源碎屑含量与CaCO3含量相反,显示出南海CaCO3旋回属于稀释旋回。元素的Ti标准化值表明,该站沉积物源区在冰期时化学风化弱,而在间冰期时相对较强,说明间冰期时物源区存在相对温暖湿润的气候环境。