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Temporal and spatial patterns of sediment deposition in the northern South China Sea over the last 50,000 years.
- Source :
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Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology . Jan2017, Vol. 465 Issue Part A, p212-224. 13p. - Publication Year :
- 2017
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Abstract
- Sediment depositional patterns along the upper continental slope of the northern South China Sea (SCS) have been studied using two sediment cores (GeoB16601-6, 20°09.07'N, 116°14.38'E, 1012 m water depth and GeoB16602-4, 18°57.12'N, 113°42.64'E, 951 m water depth) recovered during RV SONNE Cruise SO-221 "INVERS". Sediment cores were analyzed for bulk sediment element composition by X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) core scanning and clay mineral assemblage by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The bulk sediment element and the clay mineral compositions of the two cores suggest similar depositional patterns between 50 kyr BP and ~29 kyr BP, and ~14 kyr BP to present, but a clear difference in depositional patterns during the last glacial and deglacial (~29-14 kyr BP) when sea level was below-90 m. Between ~29-14 kyr BP, a higher kaolinite percentage in core GeoB16602-4 in comparison to core GeoB16601-6 is interpreted to reflect a higher contribution of clay supplied by the Pearl River to core site GeoB16602-4. In contrast, core GeoB16601-6 received less Pearl River supplied clayeymaterial during the same period. When the sea levelwas below-90mduring the last glacial lowstand, the detrital fine-grained materials supplied by the Pearl River were mostly transported by coastal currents to the southwest, resulting in a higher contribution of Pearl River discharged material at site GeoB16602-4 than at site GeoB16601-6. We suggest that sea-level induced modifications of the land-ocean distribution together with changes in the palaeo-physiographic conditions, such as the proximity of the palaeo-rivers to the individual core sites might be responsible for the different sediment depositional patterns in the study area. Thus, the overriding control of sea-level induced changes on the sediment depositional environment might mask climate-related changes in sediment depositional pattern in the northern SCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00310182
- Volume :
- 465
- Issue :
- Part A
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 119657025
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.10.033