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Factors influencing methane-derived authigenic carbonate formation at cold seep from southwestern Dongsha area in the northern South China Sea

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Abstract

This paper carried out mineral and geochemical studies on a profile through a diagenetic methane-derived authigenic carbonate sample that was collected from southwestern Dongsha area of the northern South China Sea. Five samples locating in the cross-sectional middle mainly consist of dolomite and quartz, and two samples close to the surface have a small amount of Mg-calcite. The δ13C values of the samples vary between −30.59 and −0.30 % VPDB, with δ18O values ranging from 3.07 to 3.59 % VPDB, δ44/40Ca values ranging from 1.35 to 1.47 % SRM915a, indicating a contribution of methane to the carbon pool where the precipitation of authigenic carbonates occurred. Based on the isotope values alone, it can not be distinguished if the carbon source is thermogenic gas or a mixture of biogenic methane and marine dissolved inorganic carbon. The δ18O values are in general consistent with dolomite precipitation from a fluid similar to present seawater. The observed small variation might be related to the oxygen isotope composition of seep fluid. The relative small range in calcium isotope values suggests that relatively constant growth conditions and precipitation from seawater. The central part of the carbonate nodule formed under the strong influence of methane seepage, and the external part is less influenced by methane, either due to reduced methane flux to the surface or caused by erosional exhumation of the carbonate nodule from greater depth to the sediment surface.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-YW-GJ03-01), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41276050, 41176052), the Scientific and Technology Program of Guangdong Province (2011A080403021), the National Basic Research Program of China(973) (2009CB219502-4).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CAS Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China

    Shuhong Wang, Wen Yan & Zhong Chen

  2. Guangzhou Center for Gas Hydrate Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    Shuhong Wang, Wen Yan & Zhong Chen

  3. Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) and Geosciences Department, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal

    Vitor H. Magalhães & Luis M. Pinheiro

  4. Institut für Mineralogie, Universität Münster, Corrensstr, 24, 48149, Münster, Germany

    Nikolaus Gussone

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  1. Shuhong Wang
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  2. Wen Yan
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  3. Vitor H. Magalhães
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Correspondence to Wen Yan.

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Wang, S., Yan, W., Magalhães, V.H. et al. Factors influencing methane-derived authigenic carbonate formation at cold seep from southwestern Dongsha area in the northern South China Sea. Environ Earth Sci 71, 2087–2094 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2611-9

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