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The paper presents data on the geochemical processes of postsedimentation transformations of boggy deposits at early diagenesis and the redistribution of chemical elements, including biogenic ones, in the Holocene sections of peat bogs in the Baraba forest-steppe in southern West Siberia. The contents of Fe, Mn, Pb, Hg, Sb, Cd, Cu, and Zn were found out to increase in the upper layers of the peat, whereas the S, N, Ca, and Sr concentrations increase in the middle parts of the peat profiles. The distribution character of various physiological groups of microorganisms in the peat profiles of Ubinskoe and Sherstobitovo peatlands lead to the conclusion that the nitrogen and carbon cycles are more active than that of sulfur. The activity of microorganisms leads to a decrease in pH and Eh in the vertical sections of the peatlands. The high values of , , TOC, and the chemical oxygen demand in the bog waters of Ubinskoe and Sherstobitovo bogs indicate that active biochemical decomposition and oxidation of organic matter proceed in these bogs. According to their predominant ions, the waters of the bogs belong to the hydrocarbonate class of the calcium group and are characterized by elevated concentrations of Al, Fe, Cu, and Zn, which is caused by the acid composition of the waters. The low pH values of the bog waters and the oxidizing environment facilitated the development of goethite–hydrogoethite mineralization in the upper horizon of peat profiles. The formation of hematite and anhydrite in the middle parts of the peat profiles was probably caused by paleofires. The authigenic minerals formed in the process of early diagenesis are, first of all, pyrite and less often siderite, calcite, and kaolinite. Under reducing conditions, nanoparticles of native Ni and Ni–Cr intermetallic compounds can be formed, and amorphous silica can be deposited at the dissolution of aluminosilicate minerals from the upper peat horizons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holocene sequences of the Russian Arctic shelf seas are controlled by a combination of three main factors: deglaciation of the Late Pleistocene Barents-Kara ice sheet, global sea-level rise, and river runoff from Eurasia. Sedimentation in the Kara Sea is mainly defined by two latter factors. The lithological, grainsize, mineralogical, and micropaleontological compositions of the Holocene sequences of this basin have been widely studied, but only a few works report geochemical data. This paper considers comprehensive geochemical data on two cores from the Yenisei transect obtained during cruise of the R/V Akademik Petrov in 2000. Both the cores were dated by radiocarbon accelerator mass spectrometric method (AMS C) and analyzed using XRF and ICP MS methods. The study revealed and described differences in their chemical composition, which are caused by different facies settings of accumulation, their grain size composition, and influence of river run-off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine sediment cores from the Chukchi Plateau are used to demonstrate the efficiency of digital photographic determination of sediment color and lightness, supplemented with the statistically processed data on sediment composition, for lithostratigraphy and paleoreconstructions. Several clusters were established that correspond to brown and gray sediment layers, carbonate-rich beige interlayers and specific segments of unclear lamination and/or lens-like intercalation of brownish and grayish beds. Correlation of the studied cores with other sediment cores from the region with well-established stratigraphy revealed good correspondence (though with certain specific features) to the conventional model of the Late Pleistocene-Holocene sediment accumulation in the offshore Arctic Ocean beyond shelf areas with clearly defined glacial-interglacial cyclicity. It was shown that enhanced red-color component corresponds to the enrichment of the interglacial brown sediment layers with manganese and accompanying elements. Glacial gray layers with enhanced green-color component are enriched in iron, as well as rubidium, vanadium, titanium and yttrium and bear evidence for considerable diagenetic transformations. Blue-color component is related to the high calcium content (carbonate rock fragments) in the carbonate-rich interlayers accumulated during the periods of active disintegration of continental ice sheets and iceberg-rafting of terrigenous lithic fragments. Intermediate values of the studied parameters are likely indicative of specific sedimentation environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the purpose of tracing the variations of the organic matter sources of sediments, a sample column (25.96 m in size) from the Hemudu Area of Hangzhou Bay was put through AMSC dating and biogeochemical analysis. TOC and TN presented similar variation trends, suggesting the same and stable sources of organic matter; the bad correlation between the grain size and TOC content indicated that the organic matter occurrence was neither controlled by the grain size nor the surface absorption of the fine particles, but it may has something to do with the complicated sedimentary hydrodynamic force, the input of organic matter and microbial action. Judging on the basis of C/N ratio and δC, the organic carbon in sediments was a mixture of terrigenous and marine organic carbon, testifying to the land-sea interaction characteristic of the study area. The indexes experienced abrupt changes at about 6.5 ka BP, when the lighter terrigenous organic carbon made an increased proportion to the heavier marine organic carbon. The phenomenon reflected the enclosure of the lagoon and the reduced exchange interactions with the seawater of open seas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major and trace element distribution in the bottom sediments from Hole 13 drilled in Lake Grand, Magadan district, was studied using the method of principal components. It was established that geochemical characteristics are correlated with environmental changes. The sediments of cold MIS2 and MIS4 are characterized by the enriched TiO, MgO, AlO, FeO, and Cr and low NaO, KO contents, which is related to the grain-size composition of sediments. Sediments of warm stages show an opposite tendency. High concentration peaks of iron, phosphorus, and manganese correspond to the accumulation levels of vivianite and ferromanganese rocks. Silica is represented by biogenic and abiogenic varieties. Maximum SiO contents were found in the Late Holocene sediments and mark the high biological productivity of the basin. Revealed variations of some elements are correlated with the Heinrich events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]