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As the interface between seawater and the seabed, superficial sediments on the seabed are an important part of the marine acoustic field environment and are indispensable for marine resource investigations. Studying sediments several meters to hundreds of meters below the seafloor is highly valuable and important. This study processes and analyses the water depth, topography and bottom data and obtains the shallow bottom profile and topographic map of the northern continental slope of the South China Sea (SCS). The study analyzes the influence of physical parameter (including density, porosity, and grain size) on the acoustic velocity in sediments. Single-parameter and dual-parameter models are established to further examine this influence. The results show that porosity and density have greater influences on the acoustic velocity of sediments than does grain size. Finally, the acoustic properties of several typical stations with water depths are tested to analyze the variations in the acoustic properties of the shallow sediments in the northern SCS. The results show that the influence of each parameter on the prediction of the acoustic velocity of the sediment is in the following order: porosity>density>grain size. This study analyses and reveals the reason why the seafloor sediments in the local area cause the acoustic properties to change greatly. It may be caused by changes in the sediment type, lithology along with the depth. And the other reason is the development of interlayer in the land slope of the northern SCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sources of supply and transformation of organic matter (OM) as it transitions from dissolved form to particulate matter, fluffy layer, and bottom sediments were investigated along a meridional transect from the Lena River delta to the continental slope (in the depth range of 10 to 2390 meters, cruise 63 of the R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh, September 2015). The study of OM molecular markers showed that dissolved and particulate organic matter of marine and terrigenous origin biodegrades in the water column and accumulates insignificantly in bottom sediments. Thus, OM from Lena River runoff does not contribute to the formation of OM in bottom sediments in summer. An area of influence of under-ice blooms on the sedimentation process was identified on the outer shelf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wave‐ and current‐supported gravity flows (WCSGFs) represent a primary mechanism responsible for the transport of sediment along gentle coastal and continental slopes. However, due to limited in situ measurements, the dynamic processes involved in the downslope movement of WCSGFs along such slopes remain poorly understood. Here, tripods were strategically deployed on a muddy coastal slope in central Jiangsu, China. We found that WCSGFs occurred following a wave event, particularly during tidal slack periods. In instances where WCSGF events coincide with low slack water, the observed time lags between break and toe sites align with expectations based on gravity‐driven velocities and distances, thereby corroborating the gravitationally induced sediment transport across the gently sloping coast. Comparatively, WCSGF events during high slack water were suggested to originate from the upper tidal flat of the cross‐shore profile and were unable to reach the toe site. Waves are crucial in supporting the downslope transport of WCSGFs. In addition to sustaining the cross‐shore movement of WCSGFs, currents suspend sediments from the high‐concentration layer, dispersing them into the overlying water column. This suspension helps extinguishing WCSGFs. The local slope at the toe site lacks the necessary gravitational force to propel high‐concentration layers further offshore, as evidenced by the abnormally low drag coefficient (CD) derived from the theoretical WCSGF model. Despite their short‐lived nature and limited travel distance, the WCSGFs examined in this study make a significant contribution to cross‐shore sediment transport. This study contributes to a better understanding of WCSGF dynamics and their importance in coastal sediment transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acoustic properties of seafloor sediments on continental slopes play a crucial role in underwater acoustic propagation, communication, and detection. To investigate the acoustic characteristics and spatial distribution patterns of sediments on the continental slope, a geoacoustic experiment was conducted in the northwestern South China Sea. The experiment covered two sections: one crossing the shelf and slope in the downslope direction, and the other near the shelf break in the along-slope direction. In situ techniques, sediment sampling, and laboratory measurements were used to acquire data on sediment acoustic properties (such as sound speed and attenuation) and physical properties (including particle composition, density, porosity, and mean grain size). The experimental findings revealed several key points: (1) Acoustic properties of shallow water coarse-grained sediments and deep-sea sediments were higher when measured in the laboratory compared to in situ measurements. (2) Relationships between measured attenuation and physical properties, as well as between sound speed and mean grain size, showed deviations from previous empirical equations. (3) Sediment acoustic and physical properties exhibited significant variations in the downslope direction, while showing gradual variations in the along-slope direction. These variations can be attributed to sedimentary environmental factors such as material sources, hydrodynamic conditions, and water depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyzes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) isolated from bottom sediments of the Barents and Norwegian seas (2019–2021 cruises of the R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh). Elevated PAH concentrations (up to 16 900 ng/g) are recorded in the coastal region of the Svalbard archipelago, and low ones, in the Greenland Basin and the eponymous ridge (up to 80 ng/g), as well as on the continental slope of the Barents Sea (up to 240 ng/g on average). Among cata-condensed PAHs, 2–3 ring polyarenes are the most common: naphthalene, 1- and 2-methylnaphthalenes, and phenanthrene, while among peri-condensed PAHs, 4–6 ring polyarenes are the most typical: fluoranthene, pyrene, and benz(a)anthracene. Anthropogenic sources in the bottom sediments of the study area are of subordinate importance compared to their natural input from the sedimentary stratum with fluid fluxes and erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The features of the concentration distribution of 238U, 232Th, and 226Ra in the surface layer in the bottom sediments of the shelf and continental slope of Svalbard are considered. The content of 226Ra, 232Th, and 238U varied in the range 22–134.3, 22.4–50.9, and 10.9–37.7 Bq/kg, respectively. The amount of 226Ra nonequilibrium with 238U (226Raex) ranged from 23 to 73% of the total 226Ra content in sediments. The maximum concentrations of 226Ra, 238U, 232Th, and 226Raex (134.3, 37.7, 50.9, and 98.2 Bq/kg, respectively) were obtained in the area of increased bioproductivity (Eagle Trough). In this zone, the relationship between the concentrations of 226Ra and 226Raex with the content of organic matter in sediment is well expressed, the correlation coefficients are R = 0.94 and 0.92, respectively, which indicates a significant contribution of the biological community to the accumulation of 226Ra in bottom sediments. The 226Ra concentration and the 226Ra excess value are negatively related to the redox potential of the sediment (R = –0.88). This pattern is also true in other areas of the Svalbard waters. In general, for the entire array of observations, the concentrations of 238U and 232Th increase with increasing content of organic carbon in the sediment (R = 0.72 and 0.7, respectively). The concentrations of 238U and 232Th decrease with increasing Ccarb content in the sediment (R = –0.79 and –0.81, respectively). The data obtained indicate the need to take into account the 226Ra excess when assessing the total natural radioactivity of marine sediments, the value of which may exceed the radioactivity of 238U and 232Th. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Mesozoic succession of the Anyui–Chukotka fold system (North‐East Russia), five stratigraphic intervals were recognised that have an abundance of gravity flow deposits. These are the Olenekian (Lower Triassic), Upper Carnian, Upper Norian, Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian and Valanginian. The Triassic gravity flow deposits formed on the south‐facing, passive margin of the Chukotka microplate and consist of greywackes and lithic arenites. Palaeocurrent data indicate that the flows were directed towards the south‐east. The Olenekian gravity flow units consist of clast‐rich sandstone deposited on the continental slope, and clast‐poor sandstone deposited at the base of the slope. Upper Carnian mud‐poor sandstones were deposited at the base of the slope and the Norian thin‐bedded turbidites were upper to mid‐slope deposits. The continental margin was affected by tectonism and was uplifted in the latest Triassic–earliest Jurassic, possibly due to the initiation of the southward translation of the Arctic Alaska–Chukotka microplate. Following an Early–Middle Jurassic uplift of the area, sedimentation resumed in the Late Jurassic and earliest Cretaceous. Several syn‐orogenic depressions (Rauchua, Pegtymel, Pevek, Myrgovaam and Kytepveem) developed on the south‐western margin of the Chukotka microplate, and deposition in these basins included gravity flow deposits at various times. In both the Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian and Valanginian successions, gravity flow deposits included arkosic and subarkosic sandstones with a northern source area of granitoid complexes and deformed Triassic strata. The intervening Tithonian–Berriasian gravity flow deposits consisted mainly of thin‐bedded turbidites. These sediments had a southern source, which included a volcanic arc that had accreted to the southern margin of the Chukotka microplate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyzes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) isolated from bottom sediments of the Barents and Norwegian seas (2019–2021 cruises of the R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh). Elevated PAH concentrations (up to 16 900 ng/g) are recorded in the coastal region of the Svalbard archipelago, and low ones, in the Greenland Basin and the eponymous ridge (up to 80 ng/g), as well as on the continental slope of the Barents Sea (up to 240 ng/g on average). Among cata-condensed PAHs, 2–3 ring polyarenes are the most common: naphthalene, 1- and 2-methylnaphthalenes, and phenanthrene, while among peri-condensed PAHs, 4–6 ring polyarenes are the most typical: fluoranthene, pyrene, and benz(a)anthracene. Anthropogenic sources in the bottom sediments of the study area are of subordinate importance compared to their natural input from the sedimentary stratum with fluid fluxes and erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of gas geochemical and lithogeochemical studies of bottom sediments in the Tatar Strait trough (Sea of Japan) based on cruise data from the R/V Akademik M.A. Lavrentyev (LV-81 and LV-85) are presented. Anomalies of hydrocarbon gases (HCGs) and chemical elements in the surface bottom sediments were determined. It has been established that sediments with anomalous methane contents are significantly enriched in Mn, Sc, V, Co, Ni, Cu, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Sb, Te, Tl, and U, the coefficients of the concentration (Kc) of which are 1.3–5.9 times higher than similar values at other stations. The data obtained allow us to assume the presence of gas sources of hydrocarbon migration; the continental slope and deep-water area of the Tatar trough are promising for setting up detailed work on the assessment of the oil and gas potential and the gas hydrate content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continental slopes can play a significant contribution to marine productivity and carbon cycling. These regions can harbour distinct geological features, such as salt diapirs and pockmarks, in which their depressions may serve as natural sediment traps where different compounds can accumulate. We investigated the prokaryotic communities in surface (0–2 cm) and subsurface (18–20 or 22–24 cm) sediments from a salt diapir and pockmark field in Santos Basin, Southwest Atlantic Ocean. Metabarcoding of 16 samples revealed that surface sediments were dominated by the archaeal class Nitrososphaeria, while the bacterial class Dehalococcoidia was the most prevalent in subsurface samples. Sediment strata were found to be a significant factor explaining 27% of the variability in community composition. However, no significant difference was observed among geomorphological features. We also performed a metagenomic analysis of three surface samples and analysed the highest quality metagenome-assembled genome retrieved, which belonged to the family CSP1–5, phylum Methylomirabilota. This non-methanotrophic methylotroph contains genes encoding for methanol oxidation and Calvin Cycle pathways, along with diverse functions that may contribute to its adaptation to deep-sea habitats and to oscillating environmental conditions. By integrating metabarcoding and metagenomic approaches, we reported that CSP1–5 is prevalent in the sediment samples from Santos Basin slope, indicating the potential importance of methanol metabolism in this region. Finally, using a phylogenetic approach integrating 16S rRNA sequences assigned to Methylomirabilota in this study with those from a public database, we argued that CSP1–5 public sequences might be misclassified as Methylomirabilaceae (the methanotrophic clade) and, therefore, the role of these organisms and the methanol cycling could also be neglected in other environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in the study of microplanktonic organisms in the Arctic has increased owing to their direct participation in the process of sedimentation and sensitive response to changes in environmental and climatic factors. This study presents new data on the taxonomic diversity and content of radiolarian skeletons and agglutinated tintinnid ciliate loricae in the Upper Holocene sediments of the Laptev Sea, East Siberian Sea, and the adjacent part of the Arctic Ocean. We traced the spatial distribution of representative microfauna of these groups in surface sediments and sediment cores. Radiolarian skeletons were found in the surface sediments of the continental slope of the Laptev Sea and adjacent parts of the Arctic Ocean. These belong to the following six species: Stylatractus (?) sp., Actinomma leptoderma leptoderma, Actinomma leptoderma longispina, Streblacantha circumtexta, Spongotrochus glacialis, and Cycladophora davisiana. The radiolarian fauna detected was in deep sea and close to the fauna of the Nansen Basin (Central Arctic). Furthermore, we found tintinnid ciliate loricae belonging to the following seven species: Tintinnopsis ventricosoides, Tintinnopsis fimbriata, Tintinnopsis turbo, Tintinnopsis nitida, Tintinnopsis sp. cf. fusus (?), Tintinnopsis sp., and Stenosemella nivalis. In the study area, the tintinnid ciliate loricae of these species were discovered for the first time and traced mainly in the coastal shelf zone, which can be explained by their ecology. The only exception is that of T. nitida, which was found only on the continental slope of the Laptev Sea. Our findings advance knowledge on the biodiversity of Arctic seas and can be used to monitor ecological and paleoceanographic changes in the Arctic region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The features of the distribution of the 226Ra, 232Th, 238U concentrations in the surface layer of bottom sediments in the northern part of the Laptev Sea are considered. Data are obtained for the bottom sediments of the shelf zone of the sea, the continental slope, and abyssal depths. The concentrations of 226Ra and 232Th varied in the range 17–36.3 and 28.7–38.1 Bq/kg, respectively, and the 238U concentration, within 12.5–38.7 Bq/kg. It is assumed that the enrichment of sediments in 226Ra and 238U with depth is due to the reduction of part of the carbonates containing 226Ra and 238U, followed by the sorption of 226Ra from sea water and the sedimentation of hydrolysis forms of 238U to the bottom. An increase in the 226Ra and 238U concentrations in the sediment with depth in the eastern section, as the concentration of inorganic carbon decreases, is consistent with this assumption. In this case, the correlation of the 226Ra and 238U concentrations with the concentration of inorganic carbon is negative (R = –0.98 and –0.94, respectively). The 232Th concentration correlates with the concentration of organic carbon (R = 0.85). In the area of the outer shelf and in the Vilkitsky Strait, the 226Ra, 232Th, and 238U concentrations in the surface layer of sediments depend on the fractional composition of the sediment and change with a change in the fractional ratio. The concentrations of 238U and 232Th correlate with each other (R = 0.84) and with the concentration of inorganic carbon (R = 0.75 and 0.87, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systematics of REE, Sc, Cr, Zr, and Th in silty-pelitic and pelitic surface bottom sediments sampled during cruises 71, 75, 77, and 80 of the R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh in the Nordic Seas is considered. It is shown that the geochemical features of silts in a number of regions (the southern part of the Kolbeinsei Ridge, the continental slope of Norway, the northern end of Mona Ridge) indicate the presence in their composition of a significant (30–40%) proportion of erosion products of basic rocks. Other possible source rock assemblages of fine-grained aluminosiliciclastics for the analyzed bottom sediments were apparently similar in their geochemical characteristics to the basement rocks, supracrustal formations, and leucogranites of the Caledonides of East Greenland, the anorthosite–mangerite–charnockite–granite (AMCG) association of the Lofoten Islands, and a number of other objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake occurred off southern Sanriku, Japan, on March 11 and generated strong shaking and huge tsunami along the entire eastern coast of Tohoku. The mainshock and numerous large aftershocks caused mass-wasting sedimentation events on the continental shelf, slope, and trench bottom. To investigate the impacts of the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake on the deep-sea bottom-water environment off Sanriku, we conducted shipboard surveys up to ~ 2000 dbar during 2011–2018 and long-term monitoring of the seafloor on the continental slope using a deep-sea station (~ 1000 dbar) off Otsuchi Bay during 2012–2018. The high turbidity (maximum ~ 6%) was observed for the bottom water deeper than 500 dbar on the continental slope of the entire area off Sanriku during 2012–2018. This high turbidity was caused by sporadic sediment resuspension induced by frequent large aftershocks. Furthermore, dissolved oxygen concentrations in the bottom layer from 1000 to 1500 dbar dropped significantly by about 10% after the earthquake, while nutrients and dissolved inorganic carbon showed no significant changes but exhibited wide variations. The high turbidity was associated with the increase in the concentrations of phosphate, dissolved inorganic carbon, and methane, as well as the decrease in those of dissolved oxygen and nitrate. This suggests that remineralization of suspended organic matter resulting from the respiration and denitrification of microbial communities after the earthquake caused the chemical properties of the deep-sea bottom-water. The deep-sea bottom-water environment change was maintained by sporadic sediment resuspension due to continued large aftershocks and was likely caused by variations in dissolved inorganic carbon and phosphate. There are two peaks in the concentration and carbon isotope ratio of methane on the deeper slope from 1000 to 2000 dbar near the hypocenter, which were advected along isopycnal surfaces of 27.38σθ (1000 dbar) and 27.56σθ (1500 dbar). The source of the shallower peak of chemical input is considered to be the sediment resuspension from the shallow sediment on the continental slope induced by the mainshock and large aftershocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geochemical data are presented on the Pleistocene sediments from the central part of the outer shelf of the East Siberian Sea, the continental slope and Podvodnikov Basin of the Arctic Ocean. The studied sediments of the outer shelf and continental slope belong to the aleuropelitic type, while those of the shelf edge and the Podvodnikov Basin, to the pelitoaleuritic type. The contents of the psammitic fraction and stone material do not exceed 10 and 1%, respectively. These features predetermine the distribution of the maximum sediment density and median diameters in the sediments of the outer shelf, and the minimum values in the Podvodnikov Basin. The distribution of Corg and Сcarb contents in the studied sediments is characterized by a similar variability. The average wetness content in the bottom sediments in the study area systematically increases in the "shelf–pelagial" direction. The study of the chemical and gas composition of the bottom sediments in the same direction made it possible to distinguish four main groups of geochemical associations in the Pleistocene sediments of the study area. The bottom sediments of the outer shelf are characterized by the maximum concentrations of the first group of chemical elements (Si, Sr, Ba) and methane (up to 0.102 cm3/kg), those of the shelf edge, by the maximum concentrations of the second group (Cd, Hg, U, K, Ca) and the minimum content of methane (up to 0.002 cm3/kg). The sediments of the continental slope have the maximum concentrations of the third group (Cu, Zn, Ti, Be, Nb, Ag, Tl, Pb, Lu, Tm, Tb, Ho, Eu, Yb, Er, Dy), while those of the Podvodnikov Basin, the fourth group (Mn, Fe, Al, Cr, P, Mg, Mo, Ni, Sb, Sn, As, Th, Co, Ga, W, Hf, Rb, V, Cs, Sc, Li, Gd, Sm, Pr, Nd, La, and Ce) and intermediate contents of methane (up to 0.051 cm3/kg). The maximum total concentration of methane homologues (up to С5 including, 0.006 cm3/kg), δ13С-СН4 (up to –36.0‰), δ13С-С2Н6 (up to –17.2‰), molecular mass of the hydrocarbon fraction (up to 27.5 g/mol), coefficient of transformation and "wetness" of the hydrocarbon fraction were found in the Pleistocene sediments of the continental slope and the foot of the Podvodnikov Basin, while the lowest concentrations of these parameters were determined in the outer shelf. The established isotope-gas-geochemical indicators point to the predominance of epigenetic hydrocarbon gases from various gas sources in the studied sediments. The positive and negative correlations between geochemical and isotopic-gas-geochemical indicators have been established. Obtained data were used to estimate the oil and gas prospects of the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mineral and bulk chemical (basic rock-forming oxides) composition of more than 20 samples of surface bottom sediments taken on a number of cruises of R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh in the Nordic Seas (the Mona, Knipovich, Kolbeinsey, and Aegir ridges, the basins of the Norwegian and Greenland seas, the continental slope of Svalbard, the western continental margin of the Barents Sea, etc.) is considered. One of the goals of these cruises was a comprehensive study of the sedimentary system of the Nordic Seas. Our data on the distribution of quartz and calcite in the sediments confirm the idea that the composition of surface bottom sediments at coastal stations is affected by the material coming from the land, while the seaward sediments are affected by the relatively warmer Atlantic waters, leading to their dilution with calcium carbonate, which are mainly produced by planktonic foraminifera. The absence of a correlation between /SiO2 and Al2O3/SiO2 indicates the effect of mineralogical sorting is not pronounced in the sediments. The distribution of the data points of surface bottom sediments on the Ti/Al–1000*(Cr/Al) diagram is considered. It is concluded that the source of fine aluminosiliciclastics for most of the studied samples is both acidic and basic igneous rocks (volcanic rocks of Iceland) in different proportions. The value of Strakhov's modulus in the entire sample ranges from 5 to 10. This gives grounds to believe that no products of hydrothermal activity were introduced into the surface bottom sediments of the areas studied by us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a detailed description of the lithostratigraphy of mostly contouritic deposits from the Piedra Buena Terrace (PBT), collected at water depth of 2–2.5 km. It is based upon a multi-proxy investigation of five gravity cores, including visual description and scanning, grain size distributions, microfossils and sand fraction study, supported by the analysis of high-resolution sub-bottom profiles. Two older seismic units were identified in addition to those previously described in the area. The defined lithostratigraphic units were correlated to the upper seismic units, while the age of the younger units was confirmed using AMS-14C dating. In terms of the sedimentary facies, the dark quartz-glauconitic sands, which seem to be a fingerprint of the Piedra Buena Terrace, were investigated by applying the X-ray diffraction and performing grain SEM - SE images. The sandy facies correspond to sea-level low-stands during cold glacials (MIS 2 and MIS 4), when glauconite and terrigenous material were transported from the emerged shelf down and along the Patagonian continental slope by vigorous bottom currents. The latter is confirmed by an occurrence of parts of bi-gradational sequences reported from the grain-size distributions in lithostratigraphic units 2 and 4. Units 1 and 3, represented by mostly hemipelagic calcareous ooze, were formed during warm high sea-level stages (MIS 1 and 3). Unlike Unit 1, Unit 3 also demonstrates clear contourite features, similar to Units 2 and 4. They include common bioturbation, occurrence of mottles, lenses, irregular thin layers of sand, erosional boundaries and hiatuses between and within the units, good sorting of fine sands, and microfossil reworking. Together with our previous data from canyons on the Perito Moreno Terrace and the Ameghino segment, supported by available publications from the PBT and Mar del Plata areas, this study demonstrates that the Patagonian Continental Margin could be used as a natural laboratory to investigate and better understand contourite systems. • Massive quartz-glauconite sands discovered on the PBT. • Detailed litho- and chronostratigraphy provided for ∼70 ka. • Contourite sediments identified between ∼70 and ∼14ka. • More developped glauconitization phase during glacials. • New seismic units and unconformities identified in the PBT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intermediate nepheloid layer (INL) serves as an important conduit for the cross-slope transport of particulate matter, including organic carbon, biological nutrients and other lithogenic minerals. Despite extensive reports on the substantial sediment influx from the Ayeyarwady River into the northern continental slope of the Andaman Sea (AS), the transport route and fate of these river-borne sediments remain poorly understood, due to lack of in situ observations of turbid INL over the slope. In this study, we present direct evidence of an INL over the northern continental slope of the AS during the winter of 2019/2020, accompanied by enhanced mid-water turbulent mixing. Mooring measurements reveal energetic internal tides with high-mode vertical structure in the study region; and beam-like structures of internal tides are observed, which could be responsible for the enhanced mid-water turbulent mixing coinciding with the INL. Moreover, available microstructure profiles reveal energetic turbulent mixing with bottom-intensified turbulent diffusivity over the study area. Numerical experiments suggest that inhomogeneous distribution of turbulent mixing over the continental slope could induce local convergence of the upwelling transport in the upslope direction, resulting in an intrusion from the boundary to the interior and consequently promoting the INL formation. The discovery of the INL and its mixing-driven generation mechanism provide new insights into sediment transport dynamics over the northern continental slope of the AS. • Direct observation of intermediate nepheloid layer (INL) over the northern continental slope of the Andaman Sea (AS). • Enhanced turbulent mixing coinciding with the INL likely caused by energy dissipation along the beam of internal tides. • Local enhancement of bottom-intensified turbulent mixing can promote the formation of the INL over the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is a unique ecosystem due to its physical characteristics, being influenced by the Mississippi River in the north and the Loop Current from the south, resulting in a gradient of organic to carbonate sediment composition from north to south. The continental slope of the northern and southwestern portions of the GoM are generally well studied; however, less is known about the southeastern GoM along the slope of Cuba. To fill this knowledge gap, sediment cores were collected in 2017 at nine stations (974–1580 m depth) to determine abiotic controls on the deep-sea benthic macrofauna community. Oceanographic data indicated a stratified water column typical of an oligotrophic ocean and no evidence of hypoxia. Sediment texture and composition indicated a west-east gradient likely determined by downslope transport of terrigenous material in the eastern part with a high proportion of carbonate in the west. Heavy metals (Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) at concentrations known to cause adverse benthic effects were present in the east near the city of Havana, with the macrofauna community showing characteristics indicative of environmental stress. Overall, this region supported a diverse community of macrofauna families of low abundance, typically only 1–2 animals, and high variability among replicates within stations. Rarefaction curves revealed higher biodiversity per number of individuals in the samples from Cuba compared to those from the nGoM at similar depths, though more samples would be needed to better reveal the true diversity. The major factors influencing macrofauna communities in the continental slope off northwestern Cuba are most likely the lack of organic-rich sediment and low sediment deposition rates, both of which can be attributed to the strong currents and lack of major terrigenous input, along with the regular natural disturbances which prevents domination. • Along the Cuban slope, there was a total of 275 macrofauna collected from 65 families and 9 phyla in 25 cores. • Evidence of toxic levels of heavy metals and adverse community impacts were observed from the station offshore of Havana. • Southeast GoM has low abundance, but higher diversity and evenness compared to northern GoM samples from comparable depths. • Highly heterogenous habitat along Cuban slope resulting in large variation in macrofauna communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports new data on the composition of hydrocarbon gases in bottom sediments of the Laptev–East Siberian marginal shelf transition zone, the continental slope of the Lomonosov Ridge, and Podvodnikov Basin of the Arctic Ocean. Anomalous concentrations of methane and hydrocarbon gases (up to C5 inclusive) have been established. Gas-geochemical indicators of eight genetic groups of hydrocarbon gases have been determined. The oil-and-gas content of the study area has been predicted based on the data obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a systematic analysis of double-frequency (DF) microseisms recorded on the unconsolidated sediments in the eastern and southeastern coasts of United States. For all recordings, the site effect parameters (predominant frequency (f0), amplification factor and unconsolidated sediment thickness (UST)) are obtained by Nakamura method and the DF spectra are classified into five groups in terms of the DF peak patterns and the recording locations relative to the coastline. The frequencies and energy levels of the DF peaks in horizontal direction and the amplification factors are associated with the UST which is resulted from seismic site effect. By polarization analysis, the primary vibration directions of the DF peaks are identified and presented as great circles passing through the recording stations intersecting mainly along the continental slope. Correlation analyses of time histories of the DF energy and the ocean wave climate observed at buoys show that the low (<0.2 Hz) and high (>0.2 Hz) frequency DF microseisms are generated in the deep ocean and the continental shelf respectively. It is concluded that the continental slope plays a significant role in the generation of DF microseisms as it causes reflection of waves from the open ocean, initiating standing waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to studing of the features of sedimentation on the bottom of the northwestern shelf and western deep-water area of the Black Sea based on an analysis of our own and published data obtained by bottom sediment radioisotope geochronology. It was determined that the relationship between the mass accumulation rate and primary production was linear, due to the aggregate biogeographic, hydrological, and hydrochemical conditions. The features of bottom sediment formation in the open part of the sea were associated with the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in deep waters (deeper than 100–200 m). It was shown that 20 (on the continental slope) and 17 g/(m2 year) of particulate organic matter (in the deep-sea basin) entered from the oxygen-containing zone. In this case, the predominant fractions in bottom sediments were mineralized biogenic matter: 54 and 68.5%, respectively, in these areas. The contribution of organic, mineralized biogenic, and lithogenic sedimentary matter to the formation of the mass accumulation rate was estimated, and changes in their ratio with distance from the coast and estuaries were shown. Based on the nature of the formation of the mass accumulation rate, three groups of sea areas were identified in which the ratio of biogenic and lithogenic components in absolute masses reflected a change in their role of these components in bottom sediment formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane hydrates are an attractive source of future clean energy and are abundant in voids of sediments, in permafrost regions, and along continental slopes. Understanding the mechanical behavior of methane hydrate-bearing sediment (MHBS) is essential for commercial gas production from hydrate reservoirs. In this paper, the effects of the intermediate principal stress are studied on the microscopic and macroscopic mechanical behavior of MHBS-filled porous media. Using discrete element method (DEM) simulations, methane hydrates are modeled as cemented agglomerates filling the pores of soil at a specific hydration level. The simulated sample is sheared under strain-controlled conditions to different values of the intermediate principal stress ratio b. The results suggest evolution rules of the principal stresses that depend on the parameter b. The friction angle increases with b, reaching a peak value at a certain value, after which it decreases. Monitoring local variables, including principal strong fabric, contact rose diagram, coordination number, and damage parameter, the effects on the macroscopic bulk behavior are demonstrated. In particular, the changes in the fabric tensor are strongly correlated with response to changes in the principal stresses, the parameter b, and the strain tensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multidisciplinary approach, involving geochemical, sedimentological and oceanographic analyses, was employed to examine the distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a strongly anthropized area of the marginal Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean basin). The investigation into PAH distribution considered the grain size and biogeochemical properties of the sediments, as well as in relation to the main oceanographic processes and river inputs. Both biogeochemical and hydrographical inputs regulated the sedimentation of organic particles, influencing the distribution of PAHs. The results indicated PAH levels in 116 marine surface sediments ranging from 4 to 235 ng g−1 (average 55 ng g−1). The distribution of PAHs in Adriatic Sea surface sediments aligned with a higher clayey sedimentation in the deeper basin areas of the Middle Adriatic Depression. [Display omitted] • A multidisciplinary approach combined geochemical and oceanographic aspects. • Level of PAHs in a large area of central and southern Adriatic Sea was evaluated. • The biogeochemical and hydrographical factors regulated PAH distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Global warming drives microeukaryotes to move northward in the coastal sediments. • Microeukaryotic benthos stride over the ecological barrier of 32°N between the ECS and the YS under the global change. • Water depth restricts the connectivity between the continental slope community from the SCS and the continental shelf communities from the ECS and YS. • Higher phylogenetic diversity was detected in SCS than those in ECS and YS. • The depth, temperature and latitude significantly influence the microeukaryotes community in the coastal sediments. The marine flora and fauna along the China seas include the Indo-West Pacific warm-water fauna and the North Pacific temperate fauna. The latitude of 32°N is recognized as the ecological barrier for benthic fauna in the China Seas. However, the ecological barrier on macrobenthos community gradually weakened because of global warming. Microeukaryotes are major components of marine food webs and can quickly response to environmental changes. We hypothesis that microeukaryotic benthos can stride over the ecological barrier of 32°N from the East China Sea (ECS) to the Yellow Sea (YS) under the global change, but their distribution is still limited by depth gradients between the South China Sea (SCS) and the ESC. Therefore, we investigated the distribution of benthic microeukaryotes in the China Seas using RNA metabarcoding. Higher OTU richness and phylogenetic diversity were detected in the SCS than those in the YS and ECS. The YS and ECS communities clustered together firstly and then clustered with the SCS community. Unexpectedly, communities from the 33°N in the YS clustered with those from the ECS. Similar pattern was also detected for Cercozoa, Diatomea, Amoebozoa and Fungi. These findings indicated that microeukaryotic benthos strode over the ecological barrier of 32°N under the global change. Source-sink analyses indicated more than 50% sources of the 33°N community were attributed to the ECS community, while only 12.5% from the YS community. Depth, temperature and latitude showed significant influence on communities in the China Seas. This study highlights the response of active microeukaryotes to the global warming in the coastal sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Submarine lobes have been identified within various deep‐water settings, including the basin‐floor, the base of slope and the continental slope. Their dimensions and geometries are postulated to be controlled by the topographic configuration of the seabed, sediment supply system and slope gradient. Ten experiments were conducted in a three‐dimensional‐flume to study the depositional characteristics of submarine lobes associated with: (i) different basin floor gradients (0 to 4°); (ii) different sediment concentrations of the parent turbidity current (11 to 19% vol); and (iii) varying discharge (25 to 40 m3 h−1). Most runs produced lobate deposits that onlapped onto the lower slope. Deposit length was proportional to basin‐floor angle and sediment volume concentration. A higher amount of bypass is observed in the proximal area as the basin‐floor angles get steeper and sediment concentrations higher. Deposits of runs with lower discharge could be traced higher upslope while runs with higher discharge produced an area of low deposition behind the channel mouth, i.e. discharge controlled whether lobe deposits were attached or detached from their channel‐levée systems. A particle‐advection‐length scale analysis suggests that this approach can be used as a first order estimation of lobe element length. However, the estimations strongly depend on the average grain size used for calculations (for example, silt is still actively transported after all sand has been deposited) and the method cannot be used to locate the main depocentre. Furthermore, attempted reconstructions of turbidity current velocities from natural systems suggest that the method is not appropriate for use in inversions from more complex composite bodies such as lobes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The landward wall of the New Britain Trench (NBT) is an active continental margin. Unlike passive margins, it lacks a continental rise and the abyssal plain, and has a steep continental slope ending in an oceanic trench. Although the trench systems are receiving more and more attentions, our understanding of the microbiology of the NBT and its trench walls is limited. In this study, we collected a 70 cm gravity core (4524 m depth) and a 30 cm box core (4130 m depth) from the western and eastern landward walls of the NBT, respectively. Diversity and composition of microbial communities were investigated at high resolution in 2 cm depth intervals. In two cores, obvious vertical transitions from the aerobic to anaerobic but distinct dominant anaerobic microbes were observed. In the eastern trench wall, anaerobic fermenters, such as Anaerolineales and Alphaproteobacteria, were dominant, but the western contained abundant Dehalococcoidia, and Gammaproteobacteria, such as Alteromonadales and Oceanospirillales. Combined with the results of higher bacteria abundance and probable shallower aerobic active zone in the eastern core, such patterns of species composition might be related with richer input of labile allochthonous terrestrial organic matter by mass wasting processes in the steeper eastern wall. Our analysis also revealed highly diversified Dehalococcoidia including some new phylotypes, extending the current understandings on Dehalococcoidia diversity. This study fills the gap of benthic microbial study in the NBT, and highlights the need of multi-point sampling in trench studies for the great geographical variations along the trench wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding continental‐slope morphological evolution is essential for predicting basin deposition. However, separating the imprints and chronology of different seafloor shaping processes is difficult. This study explores the utility of bathymetric spectral decomposition for separating and characterizing the variety of interleaved seafloor imprints of mass wasting, and clarifying their role in the morphological evolution of the southeastern Mediterranean Sea passive‐margin slope. Bathymetric spectral decomposition, integrated with interpretation of seismic profiles, highlights the long‐term shape of the slope and separates the observed mass transport elements into several genetic groups: (1) a series of ~25 km wide, now‐buried slide scars and lobes; (2) slope‐parallel bathymetric scarps representing shallow faults; (3) slope‐perpendicular, open slope slide scars; (4) bathymetric roughness representing debris lobes; (5) slope‐confined gullies. Our results provide a multi‐scale view of the interplay between sediment transport, mass transport and shallow faulting in the evolution of the slope morphology. The base of the slope and focused disturbances are controlled by ~1 km deep salt retreat, and mimic the Messinian base of slope. The top of the open‐slope is delimited by faults, accommodating internal collapse of the margin. The now‐buried slides were slope‐confined and presumably cohesive, and mostly nucleated along the upper‐slope faults. Sediment accumulations, infilling the now‐buried scars, generated more recent open‐slope slides. These latter slides transported ~10 km3 of sediments, depositing a significant fraction (~3 m in average) of the sediments along the base of the studied slope during the past < 50 ka. South to north decrease in the volume of the open‐slope slides highlight their role in counterbalancing the northwards diminishing sediment supply and helping to maintain a long‐term steady‐state bathymetric profile. The latest phase slope‐confined gullies were presumably created by channelling of bottom currents into slide‐scar depressions, possibly establishing incipient canyon headword erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geophysical and geochemical data indicate there is abundant fluid expulsion in the Nootka fault zone (NFZ) between the Juan de Fuca and Explorer plates and the Nootka continental slope. Here we combine observations from >20 years of investigations to demonstrate the nature of fluid‐flow along the NFZ, which is the seismically most active region off Vancouver Island. Seismicity reaching down to the upper mantle is linked to near‐seafloor manifestation of fluid flow through a network of faults. Along the two main fault traces, seismic reflection data imaged bright spots 100–300 m below seafloor that lie above changes in basement topography. The bright spots are conformable to sediment layering, show opposite‐to‐seafloor reflection polarity, and are associated with frequency reduction and velocity push‐down indicating the presence of gas in the sediments. Two seafloor mounds ~15 km seaward of the Nootka slope are underlain by deep, nonconformable high‐amplitude reflective zones. Measurements in the water column above one mound revealed a plume of warm water, and bottom‐video observations imaged hydrothermal vent system biota. Pore fluids from a core at this mound contain predominately microbial methane (C1) with a high proportion of ethane (C2) yielding C1/C2 ratios <500 indicating a possible slight contribution from a deep source. We infer the reflective zones beneath the two mounds are basaltic intrusions that create hydrothermal circulation within the overlying sediments. Across the Nootka continental slope, gas hydrate‐related bottom‐simulating reflectors are widespread and occur at depths indicating heat flow values of 80–90 mW/m2. Key Points: Fluid flow is focused along Nootka Fault traces resulting in shallow bright spotsTwo seafloor mounds are the result of basaltic intrusions in the Nootka fault zoneGas hydrates occur at the Nootka Slope and are imaged seismically as bottom‐simulating reflectors suggesting a regional heat flow of ~80 mW/m2 along the slope [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract—The lithological-facies zonality of the Neo- and Eopleistocene sediments from two main areas of the Cordilleran submarine margin is described for the first time. Processing of corresponding maps and isopach schemes using A.B. Ronov's volumetric method made it possible to calculate the quantitative parameters of sedimentation for the distinguished types of Pleistocene sediments. Terrigenous sedimentation predominated and was intensified during the Pleistocene. The accumulation of biogenic opal and carbonates was more intense in the Neopleistocene than in the Eopleistocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New data on the gas and chemical composition of bottom sediments of the marginal-shelf part of the East Siberian Sea, continental slope, and Podvodnikov Basin of the Arctic Ocean are presented. The genetic parameters of seven groups of epigenetic hydrocarbon gases are determined. The distribution areas of the potential oil–gas, gas–oil, and oil deposits have been revealed. Three groups of chemical elements have been specified in bottom sediments. Their maximum concentrations are related to particular geostructures of the area studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, shear wave speed and related physical properties were measured for 21 seafloor sediment cores collected in the northern South China Sea. Results reveal that the shear wave speed in this study area ranges between 15.57 and 75.55 m/s and demonstrates a pattern of regional distribution. The sediment in the continental shelf area shows characteristics of high shear wave speed, high wet bulk density, low porosity, and large grain size. Contrarily, the sediment in the continental slope area exhibits characteristics of low shear wave speed, low wet bulk density, high porosity, and fine particles. Accordingly, the correlation between shear wave speed and physical properties such as porosity, wet bulk density, water content, and average grain size was studied. Prediction formulas of shear wave speed of sediments in this study area containing single and double physical parameters were established via regression analysis. The comparison between single‐parameter and double‐parameter prediction formulas indicates that the determined coefficient of the double‐parameter prediction formulas based on porosity and average grain size is higher than that of single‐parameter prediction formulas. It indicates that the double‐parameter prediction formulas based on porosity and average grain size have better prediction performance. Moreover, the prediction formulas established in this study were further compared with those of other study areas, and their differences were analyzed accordingly. Plain Language Summary: The shear wave speed of seafloor sediments is the velocity of shear wave propagating in seafloor sediments. Shear wave speed is one of the critical acoustic properties of seabed sediments, which is very useful in many fields such as exploration and exploitation of seabed resources, precise prediction of the acoustic field, and prediction of stability with regard to engineering geology. In view of the importance of shear wave speed, the correlation between shear wave speed and physical properties such as porosity, wet bulk density, water content, and average grain size were analyzed, and the prediction formulas of shear wave speed were established in this study. Key Points: Shear wave speed and physical properties of sediments in the continental shelf were compared with those in the continental slopePrediction formulas of shear wave speed based on porosity, density, water content, average grain size were establishedThe prediction formulas established in this study were compared with those of other study areas, and their differences were analyzed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of geoacoustic provinces has important applications in assessing the responses of sedimentary environment and processes. Suitable geoacoustic provinces have not yet been identified in the northern South China Sea, which is an excellent study site for examining sediment acoustic properties. To determine the geoacoustic provinces of sediments in the northern South China Sea, 270 position samples were collected and analysed. Two-parameter empirical equations linking sediment grain-size components to sound speed were applied to sediments from the continental shelf and slope to accurately calculate sound speed in seafloor sediments, especially in the absence of site-specific acoustic data. Based on the ratios of sound speed within the sediments, two geoacoustic provinces are identified. Province I, which is characterized by low sound speed, primarily consists of fine-grained sediments discharged from the Pearl River. Province II, which is characterized by high sound speed, can be further divided into Province II-A and Province II-B. Province II-A is composed of mixed modern and relict sediments originating from the Pearl River and the southwest coast of Taiwan during a Pleistocene drop in sea level. Province II-B consists of coarser relict sediments caused by sea level change during the late Quaternary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To increase the proxy toolbox for the reconstruction of redox conditions, the transition metal tungsten (W) has been increasingly suggested as a promising new candidate during the last few years. However, compared to other trace metals such as molybdenum (Mo), studies on the redox behavior of W in the brackish/marine environment are relatively rare and mainly limited to euxinic settings. To contribute to our understanding of the behavior of W in modern aquatic ecosystems, we here present a water column W and Mo dataset that follows the salinity gradient of the Pearl River Estuary towards the adjacent coastal and offshore waters of the northern South China Sea (water depths range from 36 m to 3735 m) with the latter also including mostly anoxic porewater and rather oxic sediment surface data. Except for deviations of W in the low-salinity reaches of the Pearl River Estuary, both metals are conservatively introduced to the coastal ocean. The contribution of dissolved W via the Pearl River plume was identified in surface waters along the coastline. In line with previous open ocean studies, the conservative behavior of W proceeds towards the remote parts of the study area with surface waters that are possibly also affected by the South China Sea Warm Current. Within the short core porewater profiles, W concentrations increased with sediment depth and reached the highest levels at the more distal sites. These trends are not linked to the formation of more soluble thiotungstate species as indicated by generally non-sulfidic porewaters. Along with porewater gradients of W, the W concentrations in near-bottom waters suggest effective trapping of W at the sediment/water interface by Mn oxides especially at greater water depths and limited contribution to the open water column W inventory. In contrast to W, Mo concentrations show little variation in the reducing porewaters and remain close to or slightly above the ocean level. Enrichments of W and Mo in the surface sediments from the upper and lower continental slope reflect the known affinity of both trace metals to Mn oxides. Positive correlations of W with the heavy mineral-associated metals titanium (Ti) and zirconium (Zr) in sand-rich deposits of the outer continental shelf subjected to stronger near-bottom currents, further indicate a relation of sedimentary W abundances to the depositional environment. • Except for low-salinity reaches, W behaves conservative in the Pearl River Estuary. • W contribution by the Pearl River plume could be traced only in near-coastal waters. • Non-sulfidic but anoxic porewaters at the shelf and slope show elevated W levels. • Upward diffusing porewater W is efficiently trapped by Mn oxides in surface sediments. • Depositional energy affects solid W contents and its use as redox proxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we present the mass and carbonate annual fluxes, collected by two sediment traps at 1000 m depth, located on the western and southern deep-water region of the Gulf of Mexico (GM), and compare them with the total mass and carbonate accumulation rates (CAR) from 46 sediment cores retrieved from continental slopes and the abyssal plain of the southern Gulf of Mexico (sGM). CaCO 3 fluxes in the sediment traps located close to 1000 m water depth, range between 15.1 and 22.4 g m−2 yr−1, these values fall on the high-end range of the mean fluxes reported for the global ocean (9–22 g m−2 yr−1). The carbonate fluxes from the water column are remarkably close to the CAR in the lower slope and abyssal sediments of the southern GM, implying that dissolution processes of biogenic carbonate in the sediments below 1000 m are negligible in the sGM. The spatial patterns of CARs in the sediments are mainly linked with surface productivity of calcareous organisms and export to depth over the continental slope and abyssal plain regions, with mean values of 15.7 ± 5.7 g m−2 yr−1 (0.15 ± 0.06 mol m−2 yr−1). However, there are some large areas over the abyssal plain to the north of the Campeche escarpment showing enhanced CAR values most likely as a result from two processes, lateral input from the Yucatan carbonate shelf region and massive collapse events originating at the Campeche escarpment and deposited to the north of the Yucatan Platform. These processes can account for an additional increase in carbonate mass accumulation by approximately 8 g m−2 yr−1 in this area, showing a decreasing gradient towards the N of the escarpment. Lateral transport by turbidity currents of carbonate platform sediments along submarine canyons and probably episodic gravity flows further aid to explain the localized higher carbonate mass accumulation (> 20 g m−2 yr−1) observed at the foot of the continental slopes to the west and south of the southern GM. We estimate total carbonate accumulation estimates for the entire Gulf of Mexico, from the upper slope to the abyssal plain (1000–3750 m), considering the northern deep-water region reported by Giering et al., 2018 , of 0.09 to 0.12 Tmol/yr accounts for 0.8 to 1.8% of all carbonate sedimentation in the ocean below 1000 m. Taking into considerations its small areal extent of <0.3% of the global ocean the GM carbonate accumulation accounts for a factor of 3 to 6 its areal importance, implying that changes in the production and export of carbonate in the GM due to surface ocean warming and acidification processes in this inland sea will have a sensible effect in the global carbon cycle. • Carbonate accumulation rates in the Gulf of Mexico sediments are very similar to sediment traps carbonate fluxes. • Pelagic export of calcareous organisms is the main origin of carbonate in deep-sea sediments of the GoM locally enriched by resedimentation processes. • Carbonate accumulation in the continental margin and abyssal plane of the GM is a factor of 3 to 6 its areal importance of the global ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early diagenesis processes in the Bay of Biscay have been studied previously on short interface cores. In order to complete the data base and to characterize anoxic biogeochemical processes that affect Quaternary deposits, 1–3 m long gravity cores were collected at 150, 550, 1000 and 2000 m water depth on the continental slope of the south-eastern part of the Bay of Biscay. The aim of this work was to determine how a recorded signal could be changed in the several thousand-year situation of the Holocene period. For that, we determined radiocarbon and 210Pb dating, sedimentological characteristics, and the vertical distribution of particulate and pore water biogeochemical compounds. The sediment consists of a muddy facies deposited continuously during the Holocene. Results show that the distribution of redox sensitive compounds follows the well-established depth sequence of diagenetic reactions governed by the preferential use of the electron acceptor for the bacterially mediated oxidation of organic matter. Mineralization of organic matter occurs down to the bottom of the cores studied, indicating that Holocene sediment of the Bay of Biscay are in a transient state and they keep on being diagenetically transformed today. Effects of anoxic processes on buried sediments were estimated from fluxes induced by chemical gradients in pore waters. Anoxic processes consume up to 3.6 mg particulate organic carbon (POC) per g of dry sediment. They yield also precipitation of secondary calcium carbonate, which represent up to 5% of total buried carbonates. Early diagenetic reactions, which affect proxies commonly used in paleo-oceanography, such as POC, carbonates, phosphorus, or manganese, should be quantified in order to distinguish the part of a sedimentary record being the result of past environmental conditions from that due to post-depositional diagenetic processes. Diagenesis of Holocene deposits also contributes to a low, but significant fraction of N and P flux to the Bay of Biscay sea water. • Early diagenetic processes in 1–3 m-long cores from the Bay of Biscay. • Holocene sediment of the Bay of Biscay keep on being diagenetically transformed. • Post-depositional CaCO3 and organic C consumption affect paleo-oceanographic records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Exploratory drilling for deep‐sea oil and gas resources is planned for the Great Australian Bight (GAB). There is scant knowledge of the region's benthic ecosystems and no baseline information of the region's indigenous oil degrading bacteria. To address this knowledge gap, we used next generation sequencing (NGS) of three marker genes (alkB, c23o and pmoA) to detect and characterize the microbial communities capable of aerobic hydrocarbon degradation. Unique, highly novel microbial communities capable of degrading hydrocarbons occur in surface sediments at depths between 200 and 2800 m. Clustering at 97% demonstrated differences in community structure with depth, changing most markedly between 400 and 1000 m depth on the continental slope, and identified putative functional 'ecotypes' related to depth. Observed differences in community structure showed strong correlations with temperature, other physicochemical properties of the overlying water column and are further modulated by differences in sediment grain size. This study provides important baseline data on hydrocarbon degrading microbial communities prior to the start of petroleum resource extraction. Our data will inform future ecological monitoring of the GAB deep‐sea ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Here we present new results on the spatial distribution patterns of lithogenic and biogenic components and sedimentation processes in the deep-water region (966–3741 m) of the southern Gulf of Mexico (sGM). A collection of 44 cores retrieved from the continental slopes and the abyssal plain were dated with the aid of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C determinations on planktic foraminifera. We applied a mixing box model (MBM) to estimate the mixed layer age (T ML), the mean sediment accumulation rate (S m), and the mixing depth (X ML) for each core. Observed ranges for these variables were S m (3.4–17.7 cm/kyr), T ML (393–6021 yr) and X ML (2.4–24.3 cm). Deep-sea sediments in the study region fall into three main groups, which reflect the importance of the main sediment components, lithogenic and biogenic, and sedimentation processes at depth in the sGM. Cores clustered in Group 1 include most of the stations in the abyssal plain, show the oldest T ML , relatively low S m , and a relatively higher ratio between the carbonate and terrigenous components (mostly silt and clay). Group 2 cores were collected from stations in the transitional region, between the abyssal plain and the continental slopes, show relatively higher S m , a younger T ML and a relatively lower ratio between the carbonate and the terrigenous content than cores from G1. Group 3 cores were collected from different water depths on the continental slopes, show the highest S m , younger T ML , and the highest terrigenous content. These distinct groupings enabled us to recognize anomalous properties in certain cores, with implications on the local processes that alter their sedimentation processes at those sites. Our results highlight the importance of the terrigenous input to this basin, as one of the main controls of the burial rates with important implications on the possible fate of anthropogenic inputs and its sequestration in the deep-sea sediments of the sGM. Highlights • Sediment accumulation rates and mixing in the deep-water region of the southern Gulf of Mexico. • Sediment CaCO 3 and terrigenous content in the southern Gulf of Mexico deep-water region. • Links between carbonate content and sedimentation patterns in deep-water sediments of the southern Gulf of Mexico. • Links between water circulation patterns and sedimentation processes at deep-sea sites in the southern Gulf of Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laminated sediments of the continental slope off the Makran coast in the northern Arabian Sea are well-known climate archives and record productivity, as well as supply of material from land. Here, we studied sediment core 275KL off Pakistan in concert with sediment trap, dust and river samples in order to characterize and quantify land-derived material deposited in varves and event layers. We analysed grain sizes, mineral assemblages, bulk components and stable isotopes (δ13C, δ18O) of carbonates. In winter, enhanced river discharge is the main source of lithogenic matter contributing the major amounts to the total annual sedimentation of the northern Arabian Sea. During the late summer season, lithogenic matter accumulation is slightly enhanced, probably carried along with the south-eastward blowing Levar winds from the Balochistan and the Sistan Basins and the summer monsoon discharge maximum of perennial streams. C/N ratios and stable carbon and oxygen isotopes could not be used to distinguish between organic matter produced on land and in the ocean, whereas stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of carbonates suggest that sedimentation of event layers is dominated by direct inputs from land. Catastrophic denudation and storm events occur on average once every 50 years and lead to sedimentation rates that exceed the mean annual sedimentations of 983 g m−2 yr−1 by 6 to 10 times. Nevertheless, due to their rare occurrence, they contributed only 7% to the total sedimentation during the last ca. 5000 years. End-member modelling of grain sizes in accordance with lithogenic matter accumulation rates and event layer frequencies showed that arid conditions prevailed between 4000 and 5000 a BP while more humid conditions commenced around 2000 ka BP in accordance with the Pacific ENSO record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal/Ca ratios and their corresponding enrichment factors (EFs) in bulk sediment samples collected at a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic continental slope setting with an extensive pockmark field were measured and analyzed to find evidence of lateral differences in the redox potential and recent seepage activity inside the pockmarks. The analyzed ratios point to metal enrichments that indicate variations in the redox potential inside the pockmarks compared to the adjacent areas, as shown by the Cu/Ca, Ni/Ca and Zn/Ca EFs. Slight but statistically significant differences in the Mg/Ca ratios indicated that the formation of Mg-enriched carbonates within the pockmarks is presently taking place, attesting the maintenance of seepage in the shallow sedimentary column. Recent seepage activity was also confirmed by the upward enrichment of Ba in the sedimentary column. Our study provides direct evidence for pockmark activity and reinforces the need for an extended analysis of the geochemistry of natural seepages on the SW Atlantic margin, an area that has still not been studied in relation to this subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long‐term warming of the continental shelf of the Canadian Beaufort Sea caused by the transgression associated with the last deglaciation may be causing decomposition of relict offshore subsea permafrost and gas hydrates. To evaluate this possibility, pore waters from 118 sediment cores up to 7.3‐m long were taken on the shelf and slope and analyzed for chloride concentrations and δ180 and δD composition. We observed downcore decreases in pore waters Cl− concentration in sediments from all sites from the inner shelf (<20‐m water depth), from the shelf edge, from the outer slope (down to 1,000‐m water depths), and from localized shelf features such as midshelf pingo‐like features and inner shelf pockmarks. In contrast, pore water freshening is absent from all investigated cores of the Mackenzie Trough. Downcore pore waters Cl− concentration decreases indicate regional widespread freshwater seepage. Extrapolations to zero Cl− of pore water Cl− versus δ180 regression lines indicate that freshwaters in these environments carry different isotope signatures and thus are sourced from different reservoirs. These isotopic signatures indicate that freshening of shelf sediments pore waters is a result of downward infiltration of Mackenzie River water, freshening of shelf edge sediments is due to relict submarine permafrost degradation or gas hydrate decomposition under the shelf, and freshening of slope sediments is consistent with regional groundwater flow and submarine groundwater discharge as far as 150 km from shore. These results confirm ongoing decomposition of offshore permafrost and suggest extensive current groundwater discharge far from the coast. Plain Language Summary: The continental shelves around the Arctic Ocean were exposed to very low temperatures during the last glacial period more than 12,000 years ago. Precipitation that infiltrated these areas froze in the soils as permafrost. When climate warmed at the end of the glacial period, sea level rose and inundated the shelves warming them up. The warming may be reaching the now submarine permafrost and inducing its melting. This permafrost decomposition may be detected as freshwater seeping into the seafloor. In this study, we found evidence that in the Canadian Beaufort Sea not only permafrost is decomposing and seeping into the seafloor but also current groundwater discharge into the seafloor occurs at distances as far as 150 km from the current shore, likely routed by the permafrost presence in the shelf as a frozen lid. Active water discharge onto sediments may induce sediment instabilities that result in landslides, which can trigger tsunamis. In addition, sediment instabilities are a geohazard for sea‐based infrastructure. Key Points: Freshening was observed in near‐seabed sediment pore waters in the shelf, shelf edge, and continental slope of the Canadian Beaufort Sea but not in the Mackenzie TroughThe source of freshwater in shelf sediments is top‐down infiltration of seawater mixed with Mackenzie River water in the water columnThe source of freshwater in shelf edge sediments is degradation of relict terrestrial submarine permafrost or gas hydrates under the shelf, whereas in the slope the source is submarine groundwater discharge [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radionuclide concentrations were studied in sediment cores taken at the continental slope of the Philippine Sea off Mindanao Island in the equatorial Western Pacific. High resolution deposition records of anthropogenic radionuclides were collected at this site. Excess 210 Pb together with excess 228 Th and anthropogenic radionuclides provided information about accumulation rates. Concentrations of Am and Pu isotopes were detected by gamma spectrometry, alpha spectrometry and ICP-MS. The Pu ratios indicate a high portion (minimum of 60%) of Pu from the Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG). This implies that the transport of PPG derived plutonium with the Mindanao Current southward is similarly effective as the previously known transport towards the north with the Kuroshio Current. The record is compared to other studies from northwest Pacific marginal seas and Lombok basin in the Indonesian Archipelago. The sediment core top was found to contain a 6 cm thick layer dominated by terrestrial organic matter, which was interpreted as a result of the 2012 Typhoon Pablo-related fast deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large sediment waves have been observed over the Gulf of Roses (GoR) continental slope (NW Mediterranean), developed between ~200 and ~400 m water depth. Geometric parameters computed from the acquired swath bathymetry revealed mean wave lengths of ~2000 m, and maximum wave heights of ~60 m. Single-channel reflection seismic profiles provided information on the sediment wave internal structure and the Quaternary stratigraphic architecture of the GoR outer shelf and slope. Seven main seismic units could be identified, with continuous development of sediment waves over the outer continental shelf and upper slope, showing differences in wave height and length. The seismic units are differentiated by erosional surfaces that can be followed from the outer shelf down the slope, and which have been correlated with Pleistocene eustatic oscillations. Sediment cores were collected over the sediment wave crests and troughs, and grain size distribution and sediment accumulation rates were analysed. Results show a dominant fraction of fine sediments, allowing classifying the observed bedforms as mud waves. Calculated sediment accumulation rates ranged between 0.08 and 0.18 cm/y, with no clear sedimentation pattern (e.g. differential sediment deposition rates) observed between wave crests and troughs. Nevertheless, the presence of thick surface mixed layers and the increase of the sand fraction in the upper sections of the cores indicate that the surface sediments are affected by bottom trawling activities, since the area is highly impacted by this human activity. The sediment waves observed over the GoR slope are most likely to be formed by bottom currents generated by overflows of dense water originated in the Gulf of Lions shelf, which cascade downslope in an oblique angle with respect the main bathymetric contours. This study offers new insights on the role of dense shelf water cascading processes and associated off-shelf sediment transport reshaping the morphology of the open-slope regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methane content in water and bottom sediments was measured in vertical sections: Lena River Delta-continental slope (the Laptev Sea), Taimyr Peninsula-Voronin Trough, and along the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago. The methane concentrations varied from 2.5 to 70 nmol/L and from 590 to 2600 nmol/L in the water column and sediments, respectively. Most of the surface water samples showed oversaturation in methane (up to 19-fold, fourfold on average), which determined the water-atmosphere direction of methane fluxes, which amounted to 1-400 mol/km2 day (52 mol/km2 day on average). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Okinawa Trough is a transitional zone between the shallow shelf and the deep ocean, which is covered by a large number of terrigenous materials, recording sea-level fluctuations, tectonic activities, and source-sink during the late Quaternary. Based on grain size and trace element analysis of Core S01–10 from the western continental slope area of central Okinawa Trough, high-resolution paleoenvironment records since 14 ka had been obtained. There is a significant positive correlation between the ratio data of Nb, Th, Sc and REE elements of Core S01–10, which reflects the composition characteristics of terrigenous materials. We use REEs and their discrimination plot of Gd/Yb-Yb and La/Yb-Gd/Yb to conclude that the terrigenous materials mainly came from the Yellow River during 14,000–11,500 a. Moreover, grain size parameters and the provenance discriminant function (DF) show that the transportation of terrigenous materials substance from the main rivers in Chinese Mainland (the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers) to the western slope of central Okinawa Trough is affected by the East Asian winter monsoon. This is mainly manifested in two major stages. During 14,000–11,500 a, these indicators fluctuate on the whole, but in the mass, they indicate a strong East Asian winter monsoon stage, which also leads to the formation and enhancement of the low-temperature underflow, leading to the Yellow River as the dominant source. During 11,500–1920 a, these indicators fluctuated more frequently, reflecting the strengthening/weakening of the East Asian winter monsoon in a shorter period. The tendency of East Asian winter monsoon analyzed by using grain size parameters and DF is consistent with the Ti content of Lake Huguang Maar on the whole, which also verifies the feasibility of the results from the side. Overall, the contribution of substance from the relevant source areas is different in different periods, but Paleo-Huanghe remains the main source. According to the study, the analysis of grain size parameters and trace element in the western slope of central Okinawa Trough can indicate changes of provenance, sea level rising and falling and winter monsoon in this area since 14 ka, which is helpful to explore and reconstruct the sediment provenance and Paleoenvironment evolution in this area since the late Pleistocene. • Based on AMS14C ages, grain size and trace elements, high-resolution paleoenvironment records since 14 ka had been obtained. • The terrigenous materials mainly came from the Yellow River between 14,000–11,500 a. • The terrigenous materials to the western slope of central OT is mainly affected by the East Asian winter monsoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) may originate from both anthropogenic and natural sources. The measurement of spatial and temporal variations of Hg isotope ratios in sediments may enable source identification and tracking of environmental processes. In this study we establish the distribution of mercury concentrations and mercury isotope ratios in surface sediments of three transects along the continental shelf and slope in Campos Basin-RJ-Brazil. The shelf showed on average lower total Hg concentrations (9.2 ± 5.3 ng g −1 ) than the slope (24.6 ± 8.8 ng g −1 ). MMHg average concentrations of shelf 0.15 ± 0.12 ng g −1 and slope 0.13 ± 0.06 ng g −1 were not significantly different. Distinct differences in Hg isotope ratio signatures were observed, suggesting that the two regions were impacted by different sources of Hg. The shelf showed more negative δ 202 Hg and Δ 199 Hg values ranging from −0.59 to −2.19‰ and from −0.76 to 0.08‰, respectively. In contrast, the slope exhibited δ 202 Hg values from −0.29 to −1.82‰ and Δ 199 Hg values from −0.23 to 0.09‰. Mercury found on the shelf, especially along the “D” and “I” transects, is depleted in heavy isotopes resulting in more negative δ 202 Hg compared to the slope. Isotope ratios observed in the “D” and “I” shelf region are similar to Hg ratios commonly associated with plants and vegetation and very comparable to those detected in the estuary and adjoining mangrove forest, which suggests that Hg exported from rivers may be the dominating source of Hg in near coastal regions along the northern part of the shelf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deciphering the role slope topography plays in partitioning sediment on siliciclastic continental slope and base-of-slope systems helps our understanding of slope depositional processes in significant ways: (1) by validation of large-scale depositional process models for continental margins, (2) by validation of numerical basin-scale stratigraphic forward models used to test and deploy source-to-sink (S2S) concepts and (3) by creating models for setting reservoir presence and quality expectations in frontier areas poorly constrained by wells and seismic. A global database consisting of >700 km of drilled stratigraphy provide empirical rock data lacking from most S2S studies. Analysis of calibrated seismic stratigraphic units characterised using the contextual framework laid out in this paper show that both gross depositional environments ( GDEs) and sand content occur across slope profiles in systematic ways. The challenge in using these observations to quantify reservoir risk and uncertainty lies with relating the observations to depositional processes that can be used to characterise frontier basins that lack calibration. Depositional process-based understanding encoded in 3D stratigraphic forward models ( SFM) can simulate both lithologies and GDEs providing broad predictions for exploration at the scale of an entire basin or slope system. Stratigraphic forward models allow the integration of S2S understanding and provide a framework for testing sediment-partitioning hypotheses in frontier settings. Valid S2S models must balance sediment yield from the source catchments with sinks, and be consistent with basin specific observations. The proportions of GDEs across the slope provide additional validation criteria to ensure the models are plausible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rift basins adjacent to accreted terranes provide accommodation space for sediments eroded from these terranes. Despite similar depositional environments and geologic age, rocks of the Triassic Gettysburg Basin have approximately half the arsenic concentrations of the adjacent Newark Basin. Quartz-feldspar-lithics (QFL) diagrams and rare earth element (REE) geochemical signatures can inform sediment provenance. Here we investigate REE geochemical signatures of the sedimentary rocks in the Triassic Gettysburg rift basin, with the goal of distinguishing the main sources of siliciclastic sediment among the Appalachian foreland in the rift footwall from Piedmont arc and Iapetan continental margin rocks exposed in the hanging wall and ultimately understanding the geochemical cycling of arsenic to the Gettysburg Basin. Shale-normalized REE spider diagrams and Mann-Whitney tests on trace element ratios suggest that the Gettysburg Basin samples show patterns that most closely resemble those of the Iapetus Continental Slope Rise Iapetus Rift Volcanic, and Accretionary Complex deposits. Mann-Whitney Rank Sum analysis suggest that the Iapetus Continental Slope Rise terrane is the main source of sediments to the basin, which confirms results from prior QFL analysis and shows the utility of REE fingerprinting in provenance analysis. The main sources of sediment have smaller minimum and maximum arsenic concentrations than other terranes and the Newark Basin sediments, additionally suggesting the source of arsenic to the Gettysburg Basin is based upon specific terranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The “source-conduit-sink” model is crucial for studying deep-water sedimentary systems along a continental margin. Using seismic data, bulk rare earth element compositions of sediments and zircon U-Pb age data, we examined the supply and deposition (i.e., the source and sink) of the sediments in the Central Canyon of the South China Sea. Five phases of secondary canyon fill are present in the Central Canyon. The natural levees developed at the head of phase 1 of the secondary canyon deposits indicate that the Central Canyon initially developed at 10.5 Ma. The sediments in the Central Canyon were supplied by the Ledong submarine fan, and the provenance of the material in the Ledong submarine fan and Central Canyon was eastern Vietnam. Large amounts of sediments were transported through the Central Canyon to the Shuangfeng Basin and deposited during four phases of submarine fan development. Phases 1–3 of the Shuangfeng submarine fans are composed of deep-water branching channel and inter-channel sediments. Phase 4 of the Shuangfeng submarine fan consists of deep-water channel and lobe sediments. Tectonic events, including the broad uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and central-southern Vietnam during the late Miocene, reversal of the strike-slip Red River Fault, and rapid subsidence in the Qiongdongnan Basin at approximately 5.5 Ma, provided favourable conditions for the growth of the Ledong submarine fan, Central Canyon and Shuangfeng submarine fan system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]