Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Paleoenvironmental implications of high-density records in Co-rich seamount crusts from the Pacific Ocean

  • Published:
Science in China Series D: Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Co-rich seamount crusts have been shown to possess great potential for providing information on paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic changes. High resolution data are essential to decipher and correctly understand such high-density records. With the development of modern micro-probe techniques, detailed sampling of crusts can be performed and it is possible to retrieve detailed information about environmental changes recorded in the seamount crusts. We report here geochemical results of more than 40 elements (including all rare earth elements) of four Co-rich seamount crust samples, which were collected from seamounts in the central and western Pacific Ocean. These data were obtained with two micro-probe techniques: Electron Probe Micro Analyzer and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. The chronological framework of the seamount crust samples was determined using the cosmogenic 10Be and the Co-chronometer. Records of elemental composition, P, and Al/(Fe + Mn) and Y/Ho ratios across the sections of the four samples are used to identify paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic events over the past ∼30 Ma. These data show that: (1) Al/(Fe + Mn) in the western Pacific seamount crust is a useful proxy for the assessment of changes of source materials related to the variability of the Asian monsoon; (2) P and Y/Ho can be used as proxies to infer biogenic episodes. Finally we discuss the methodology related to dating and micro-probe analysis used in crust study.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kerr R A. Manganese nodules grow by rain from above. Science, 1984, 223 (4636): 576

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Cronan D S. Handbook of Marine Mineral Deposits. Boca Raton, London, New York, Washington D C: CRC Press, 2000. 239–279

    Google Scholar 

  3. Frank M. Radiogenic isotopes: Tracers of past ocean circulation and erosional input. Rev Geophys, 2002, 40(1): 1–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. DeCarlo E H. Paleoceanographic implication of rare earth element variability in a marine Fe-Mn crust from the Hawaiian Archipelago. Mar Geol, 1991, 98(2–4): 449–467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Wen X Y, DeCarlo E H, Li Y H. Interelement relationships in ferromanganese crusts from the central Pacific ocean: Their implications for crust genesis. Mar Geol, 1997, 136(3–4): 277–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Koschinsky A, Stascheit A, Bau M, et al. Effects of phosphatization on the geochemical and mineralogical composition of marine ferromanganese crusts. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1997, 61(19): 4079–4094

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Ling H F, Burton K W, O’Nions R K, et al. Evolution of Nd and Pb isotopes in Pacific seawater from ferromanganese crust. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 1997, 146(1–2): 1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Burton K W, Ling H F, O’Nions R K. Closure of the Central American Isthmus and its impact on North Atlantic deep water circulation. Nature, 1997, 386(6623): 382–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Ling H F, Jiang S Y, Frank M, et al. Differing controls over the Cenozoic Pb and Nd isotope evolution of deepwater in the central North Pacific Ocean. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 2005, 232(3–4): 345–361

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Klemm V, Reynolds Ben, Frank M, et al. Cenozoic changes in atmospheric lead recorded in central Pacific ferromanganese crusts. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 2007, 253(1–2): 57–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Piotrowski A M, Lee D-C, Christensen J N, et al. Changes in erosion and ocean circulation recorded in the Hf isotopic compositions of North Atlantic and Indian Ocean ferromanganese crusts. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 2000, 181(3): 315–325

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Lee D-C, Halliday A N, Hein J R, et al. Hafnium isotope stratigraphy of ferromanganese crusts. Science, 1999, 285(5430): 1052–1054

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. David K, Frank M, O’Nions R K, et al. The Hf isotope composition of global seawater and the evolution of Hf isotopes in the deep Pacific Ocean from Fe-Mn crusts. Chem Geol, 2001, 178(1–4): 23–42

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Burton K W, Bourdon B, Birck J-L, et al. Osmium isotope variations in the oceans recorded by Fe-Mn crusts. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 1999, 171(1): 185–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Zhu X K, O’Nions R K, Guo Y L, et al. Secular variation of iron isotopes in North Atlantic deep water. Science, 2000, 287(5460): 2000–2002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Levasseura S, Franka M, Hein J R, et al. The global variation in the iron Isotope composition of marine hydrogenetic ferromanganese deposits: Implications for seawater chemistry? Earth Planet Sci Lett, 2004, 224(1–2): 91–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Rehkämper M, Frank M, Hein J R, et al. Thallium isotope variations in seawater and hydrogenetic, diagenetic, and hydrothermal ferromanganese Deposits. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 2002, 197(1–2): 65–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhu J Q, Wang Y M, Legge G J F. Micro Scale Analysis of Deep Sea Ferromanganese Nodules with Nuclear Microprobes. Nucl Instr Meth B, 1993, 77(1–4): 478–483

    Google Scholar 

  19. Han X Q, Jin X L, Yang S F, et al. Rhythmic growth of Pacific ferromanganese nodules and their Milankovitch climatic origin. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 2003, 211(1–2): 143–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Wang X H, Zhan X C, Huang Y Y, et al. The preliminary research on element distribution for micro-structure in seamount Co-rich crust using SR-XRMP. Nucl Tech (in Chinese), 2005, 28(11): 810–814

    Google Scholar 

  21. Xu H Z, Hu S H, Hu Z C, et al. Elements distribution in cobalt-rich crust profile by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Chin J Anal Chem, 2007, 35(8): 1099–1104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Frank M, O’Nions R K, Hein J R, et al. 60 Myr records of major elements and Pb-Nd isotopes from hydrogenous ferromanganese crusts: Reconstruction of seawater paleochemistry. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1999, 63(11–12):1689–1708

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Jeong K S, Jung H S, Kang J K, et al. Formation of ferromanganese crusts on northwest intertropical Pacific seamounts: Electron photo micrography and microprobe chemistry. Mar Geol, 2000, 162(2-4): 541–559

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Lu Z L, Ling H F, Zhou F, et al. Variation of the Fe/Mn ratio of ferromanganese crusts from the Central North Pacific: implication for paleoclimate changes. Prog Nat Sci, 2005, 15(6): 530–537

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Wu G H, Zhou H Y, Zhang H S, et al. New index of ferromanganese crusts reflecting oceanic environmental oxidation. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2007, 50(3): 371–384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Dutta R K, Sideras-Haddad E, Connell S H. Distribution of various components in a hydrogenous ferromanganese nodule and an Afanasiy-Nikitin seamount from Indian ocean-A geochemical study using micro-PIXE. Nucl Instr Meth B, 2001, 181(1-4): 545–550

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Liu X M, Gao S, Yuan H L, et al. Analysis of 42 major and trace elements in glass standard reference materials by 193nm LA-ICP-MS. Acta Petrol Sin (in Chinese), 2002, 18(3): 408–418

    Google Scholar 

  28. Shen C D, Beer J, Liu T S, et al. 10Be in Chinese Loess. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 1992, 109(1-2): 169–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Chen C, Guo Z, Yan S, et al. Accelerator mass spectrometry at Peking University: Experiment and progress. Nucl Instr Meth B, 1994, 92(1–4): 47–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Liu K X, Gao H L, Zhou L P, et al. AMS measurements of 10Be concentration in Chinese loess using PKUAMS. Nucl Instr Meth B, 2004, 223–224: 168–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Puteanus D, Halbach P. Correlation of Co concentration and growth-A method for age determination of ferromanganese crusts. Chem Geol, 1988, 69(1–2): 73–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Manheim F T, Lane-Bostwick C M. Cobalt in ferromanganese crusts as a monitor of hydrothermal discharge on the Pacific sea floor. Nature, 1988, 335(1): 59–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Hein J R, Yeh H W, Gunn S H, et al. Two major Cenozoic episodes of phosphogenesis recorded in equatorial Pacific seamount deposits. Paleoceanography, 1993, 8(2): 293–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Zachos J C, Pagani M, Sloan L, et al. Trends, rhythms and aberrations in global climate 65 Ma to present. Science, 2001, 292(5517): 686–693

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Sun X J, Wang P X. How old is the Asian monsoon system? Palaeobotanical records from China. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol, 2005, 222(3–4): 181–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Wang P X. Neogene stratigraphy and paleoenvironments of China. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol, 1990, 77(3-4): 315–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. An Z S, Zhang P Z, Wang E Q, et al. Changes of the monsoon-arid environment in China and growth of the Tibet plateau since the Miocene. Quat Sci (in Chinese), 2006, 26(5): 678–693

    Google Scholar 

  38. Zheng H B, Powell C, Rea D K, et al. Late Miocene and mid-Pliocene enhancement of the East Asian monsoon as viewed from the land and sea. Global Planet Change, 2004, 41(3–4): 147–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Xu D Y, Jin Q H, Liang D H. A Study of Polymetallic Nodules in the Central Pacific Ocean (in Chinese). Beijing: Geological Publishing House, 1994

    Google Scholar 

  40. Moore T C Jr, Heath G R. Sea floor sampling techniques. Chem Oceanogr, 1978, 7: 75–126

    Google Scholar 

  41. Halbach P, Manheim F T, Otten P. Co-rich ferromanganese deposits in the marginal seamount regions of the central Pacific basin. Results of the Midpac’ 81, Erzmetall, 1982. 35

    Google Scholar 

  42. Halbach P, Sattler C D, Teichmann F, et al. Cobalt-rich and platinum-bearing manganese crust deposits on seamounts: Nature, formation and metal potential. Mar Mining, 1989, 8: 23–36

    Google Scholar 

  43. Koschinsky A, Stascheit A, Bau M, et al. Effects of phosphatization on the geochemical and mineralogical composition of marine ferromanganese crusts. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1997, 61(19): 4079–4094

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Nozaki Y, Zhang J, Amakawa H. The fractionation between Y and Ho in the marine environment. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 1997, 148(1–2): 329–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Wang Y M, Wang X H, Gao Y S. The review and prospect on geoanalysis. Chin J Anal Chem (in Chinese), 2001, 29(7): 845–851

    Google Scholar 

  46. Wang Y M, Wang X H, Gao Y S. Modern analytical technologies in earth sciences. Adv Earth Sci (in Chinese), 2003, 18(3): 476–482

    Google Scholar 

  47. Bu W R, Shi X F. Advances in growth rate determination of ocean ferromanganese deposits. Adv Earth Sci (in Chinese), 2002, 17(4): 551–556

    Google Scholar 

  48. Fu Y Z, Peng J T, Hu R Z, et al. A review on dating methods of ocean cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts. Earth Environ (in Chinese), 2006, 34(3): 1–8

    Google Scholar 

  49. Segl M, Mangini A, Bonani G, et al. 10Be-dating of a manganese crust from Central North Pacific and implications for ocean paleocirculation. Nature, 1984, 309(5968): 540–543

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Chabaux F, Cohen A S, O’Nions R K, et al. 238U-234U-230Th chronometry of Fe-Mn crusts: Growth processes and recovery of thorium isotopic ratios of seawater. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1995, 59(3): 633–638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Cowen J P, DeCarlo E H, McGee D L. Calcareous nanofossil biostratigraphic dating of a ferromanganese crust from Schumann Seamount. Mar Geol, 1993, 115(3–4): 289–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Cheng Z, Shi X, Wu Y, et al. Growth ages of ferromanganese crusts from the western and central Pacific: Comparison between nanofossil analysis and 10Be dating. Chin Sci Bull, 2006, 51(24): 3035–3040

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Joshima M, Usui A. Magnetostratigraphy of hydrogenetic manganese crusts from Northwestern Pacific seamounts. Mar Geol, 1998, 146(1–4): 53–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Futa K, Peterman Z E, Hein J R. Sr and Nd isotopic variation in ferromanganese crusts from Central Pacific implication for age and source provenance. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1988, 52(9): 2229–2233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Ingram B L, Hein J R, Farmer G L. Age determination and growth rates of Pacific ferromanganese deposits using strontium isotopes. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1990, 54(6): 1709–1721

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Peucker-Ehrenbrink B, Ravizza G, Hofmann A W. The marine 187Os/186Os record of the past 80 million years. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 1995, 130(1–4): 155–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Department of Geography, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    XiaoHong Wang & LiPing Zhou

  2. National Research Center for Geoanalysis, Beijing, 100037, China

    XiaoHong Wang, YiMin Wang & XingTao Fan

  3. Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, Guangzhou, 510760, China

    XueHua Zhang

  4. The Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics, Northwest University, Xi’an, 710069, China

    XiaoMing Liu

  5. The Key Laboratory of Heavy Ion Physics, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    KeXin Liu

  6. Institute of Mineral Resources, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, 100037, China

    JianXiong Zhou

Authors
  1. XiaoHong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. LiPing Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. YiMin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. XueHua Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. XiaoMing Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. XingTao Fan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. KeXin Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. JianXiong Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to XiaoHong Wang.

Additional information

Supported by the Key Laboratory of Marine Sedimentology and Environmental Geology, State Oceanic Administration (Grant No. MASEG200602), China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association (Grant No. DY105-01-04-05) and Programme of Excellent Young Scientists of the Ministry of Land and Resources

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, X., Zhou, L., Wang, Y. et al. Paleoenvironmental implications of high-density records in Co-rich seamount crusts from the Pacific Ocean. Sci. China Ser. D-Earth Sci. 51, 1460–1469 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-008-0092-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-008-0092-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation