Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Resolving the hydrothermal signature by sequential leaching studies of sediments from the middle of the Okinawa Trough

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Science China Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A sediment core H9 collected from the middle of the Okinawa Trough was studied by sequential leaching to indentify the hydrothermal component from the various other components such as detrital, biogenic, and so on. The elements were partitioned into five fractions: exchangeable, bound to carbonates, bound to iron and manganese oxides, bound to organic matter, and residual. The contents of elements Al, Ti, K, Fe, Mn, Pb, Co, Cu, Ni, and V in each fraction were determined and their percentages were calculated. Residual fraction is a dominant speciation for most studied elements except for Mn and Pb in the core sediments. For the elements Al, Ti, and K, residual fraction accounts for more than 95% of the total metal concentration. The concentrations of all studied elements in the exchangeable fraction, carbonate fraction, and organic fraction are relatively low. The metal levels in the iron and manganese oxide fraction are relatively high and this fraction represents another prevalent speciation. Also in this fraction, the metal concentrations and percentages are higher in the core section above 80 cm than those below 80 cm. Especially for Mn and Pb, the fractions bound to iron and manganese oxides account for more than 50% of the total metal concentration for the upper 80 cm section. Hydrothermal components mainly occur in this fraction. And the downcore variations of metal contents and percentages reflect the variations of hydrothermal inputs to the sediments. The high metal levels in the upper core indicate the enhancing influence of hydrothermal activities around on the core H9 during its late stage of sedimentation. The accumulation rates of hydrothermally derived Fe, Mn, Pb, Co, Cu, Ni, and V were evaluated based on their concentrations in the iron and manganese oxide fractions in this study. The results show that the accumulation rate of hydrothermally derived Mn is similar to those obtained from the Mid-ocean Ridges and Lau Basin. However, hydrothermally derived Fe and Cu present a relatively lower level.

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. Kuhn T, Burger H, Castradori D, et al. Volcanic and hydrothermal history of ridge segments near the Rodrigues Triple Junction (Central Indian Ocean) deduced from sediment geochemistry. Mar Geol, 2000, 169: 391–409

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. German, C R, Campbell, A C, Edmond, J M. Hydrothermal scavenging at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge: Modification of trace element dissolved fluxes. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 1991, 107: 101–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. German, C R, Klinkhammer, G P, Edmond, J M, et al. Hydrothermal scavenging of rare earth elements in the ocean. Nature, 1990, 345: 516–518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Mottl, M J, McConachy, T F. Chemical processes in buoyant hydrothermal plumes on the East Pacific Rise near 21°N. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1990, 54: 1911–1927

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Mills R A, Elderfield H, Thomson J. A dual origin for the hydrothermal component in a metalliferous sediment core from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. J Geophys Res, 1993, 98: 9671–9678

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Cave R R, German C R, Thomson J, et al. Fluxes to sediments underlying the Rainbow hydrothermal plume at 36°14′N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 2002, 66: 1905–1923

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Sibuet J C, Letouzey J, Barbier F, et al. Back arc extension in the Okinawa Trough. J Geophys Res, 1987, 92: 14041–14063

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Kimura M, Kaneoka I, Kato I, et al. Report on DELP 1984 cruise in the middle Okinawa Trough, part V: Topography and geology of the central grabens and their vicinity. Bull Earthquake Res Inst, 1986, 61: 269–310

    Google Scholar 

  9. Gamo, T, Sakai H, Ishibashi J, et al. Growth mechanism of the hydrothermal mounds at the CLAM site, Mid-Okinawa Trough, inferred from their morphological, mineralogical, and chemical characteristics (in Japanese). JAMSTECTR Deep-Sea Res, 1991, 7: 163–184

    Google Scholar 

  10. Halbach P, Pracejus B, Märten A. Geology and mineralogy of massive sulfide ores from the central Okinawa Trough, Japan. Econom Geo, 1993, 88: 2210–2225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Halbach P, Hansmann W, Koppel V, et al. Whole-rock and sulfide lead-isotope data from the hydrothermal JADE field in the Okinawa back-arc trough. Min Dep, 1997, 32: 70–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Sakai H, Gamo T, Kim E-S, et al. Unique chemistry of the hydrothermal solution in the Mid-Okinawa Trough backarc basin. Geophys Res Lett, 1990, 17: 2133–2136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Chiba H, Nakashima K, Gamo T, et al. Hydrothermal activity at the Minami-Ensei Knoll, Okinawa Trough: Chemical characteristics of hydrothermal solutions (in Japanese). JAMSTECTR Deep-Sea Res, 1993, 9: 271–282

    Google Scholar 

  14. Masuda H, Ishibashi J, Kato Y, et al. Oxygen isotope ratio and trace element composition of hydrothermal sediments from Okinawa Trough, collected with Shinkai 2000, dive 231 (in Japanese). JAMSTEC Deep-Sea Res, 1987, 3: 225–231

    Google Scholar 

  15. Zhao Y Y, Yan M C. Mercury anomaly in the Okinawa Trough sediments—An indicator of modern seafloor hydrothermal activity (in Chinese). Geochimica, 1994, 23: 132–139

    Google Scholar 

  16. Zhao Y Y, Zhai S K, Li Y Z, et al. New records of submarine hydrothermal activity in middle part of the Okinawa Trough. Chin Sci Bull, 1997, 42: 574–577

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Meng X W, Wang Y J, Lu C G. Precincts of sediments with different element associations and the sources indicators in the central Okinawa Trough (in Chinese). Mar Geol Quatern Geol, 1997, 17: 37–43

    Google Scholar 

  18. Gao X M, Lin Z H, Liu L, et al. The geochemical characteristics and source judgement on surface sediments of the central Okinawa Trough (in Chinese). Acta Oceanol Sin, 2000, 22: 61–66

    Google Scholar 

  19. Marumo K, Hattori K H. Seafloor hydrothermal clay alteration at JADE in the back-arc Okinawa Trough: Mineralogy, geochemistry and isotope characteristics. Geochim Cosmochim Acta, 1999, 63: 2785–2804

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Kimura M, Kato Y, Tanaka T, et al. Submersible SHINKAI 2000 study on the central rift in the middle Okinawa Trough (in Japanese). JAMSTECTR Deep-Sea Res, 1987, 3: 165–196

    Google Scholar 

  21. Ishibashi J I, Gamo T, Sakai, H, et al. Geochemical evidence for hydrothermal activity in the Okinawa Trough. Geochem J, 1988, 22: 107–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Chiba H, Ishibashi J I, Ueno H, et al. Seafloor hydrothermal systems at North Knoll, Iheya Ridge, Okinawa Trough (in Japanese). JAMSTEC Deep-Sea Res, 1996, 12: 211–219

    Google Scholar 

  23. Glasby G P, Notsu K. Submarine hydrothermal mineralization in the Okinawa Trough, SW of Japan: An overview. Ore Geol Rev, 2003, 23: 299–339

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Jiang F Q. Status of the Studies on the hydrothermal activity in the Okinawa Trough (in Chinese). Mar Sci, 1998(6): 25–28

  25. Tessier A, Campbell P G C, Bisson M. Sequential extraction procedure for the speciation of particulate trace metals. Anal Chem, 1979, 51: 844–851

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Marin B, Valladon M, Polve M, et al. Reproducibility testing of a sequential extraction scheme for the determination of trace metal speciation in a marine reference sediment by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Anal Chim Acta, 1997, 342: 91–112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Li J. Variation of geochemical records in core A7 sediments from middle Okinawa Trough during the past 18ka BP and its response to paleo-environmental changes (in Chinese). Mar Geol Quatern Geol, 2007, 27: 37–45

    Google Scholar 

  28. Hsu S C, Lin F J, Jeng W L, et al. Observed sediment fluxes in the southwesternmost Okinawa Through enhanced by episodic events: flood runoff from northeastern Taiwan rivers and large earthquakes. Deep-Sea Res, Part I, 2004, 51: 979–997

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Zhai S K, Yu Z H, Du T J. Elemental geochemical records of seafloor hydrothermal activities in the sediments from the Okinawa Trough. Acta Oceanol Sin, 2007, 26: 53–62

    Google Scholar 

  30. Zhai S K, Xu S M, Yu Z H, et al. Two possible hydrothermal vents in the northern Okinawa Trough, Chin Sci Bull, 2001, 46: 942–945

    Google Scholar 

  31. Daessle L W, Cronan D S, Marchig V, et al. Hydrothermal sedimentation adjacent to the propagating Valu Fa Ridge, Lau Basin, SW Pacific. Mar Geol, 2000, 144: 479–500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Leinen M, Stakes D. Metal accumulation rates in the central equatorial Pacific during Cenozoic time. Bull geol Soc Am, 1979, 90: 357–375

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Lyle M W, Owen R M, Leinen M. History of hydrothermal sedimentation at the EPR, 19°S. Initial Reports of the DSDP, 1986, 92: 585–596

    Google Scholar 

  34. Lavelle J W, Cowen J P, Massoth G J. A model for the deposition of hydrothermal manganese near ridge crests. J Geophys Res, 1992, 97: 7413–7427

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences and Prospecting Techniques, College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    ZengHui Yu, ShiKui Zhai & FeiFei Liu

  2. Shandong Institute of Geophysical and Geochemical Exploration, Jinan, 250013, China

    YuHua Gao

Authors
  1. ZengHui Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. YuHua Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. ShiKui Zhai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. FeiFei Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to ZengHui Yu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yu, Z., Gao, Y., Zhai, S. et al. Resolving the hydrothermal signature by sequential leaching studies of sediments from the middle of the Okinawa Trough. Sci. China Earth Sci. 55, 665–674 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-011-4273-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-011-4273-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation