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Rock magnetic and geochemical analyses of surface sediment characteristics in deep ocean environments: A case study across the Ryukyu Trench

Earth, Planets and Space volume 60, pages 179–189 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Magnetic minerals in marine sediments are often dissolved or formed with burial depth, thereby masking the primary natural remanent magnetization and paleoclimate signals. In order to clarify the present sedimentary environment and the progressive changes with burial depth in the magnetic properties, we studied seven cores collected from the Ryukyu Trench, southwest Japan. Magnetic properties, organic geochemistry, and interstitial water chemistry of seven cores are described. Bottom water conditions at the landward slope, trench floor, and seaward slope are relatively suboxic, anoxic, and oxic, respectively. The grain size of the sediments become gradually finer with the distance from Okinawa Island and finer with increasing water depth. The magnetic carriers in the sediments are predominantly magnetite and maghemized magnetite, with minor amounts of hematite. In the topmost sediments from the landward slope, magnetic minerals are diluted by terrigenous materials and microfossils. The downcore variations in magnetic properties and geochemical data provided evidence for the dissolution of fine-grained magnetite with burial depth under an anoxic condition.

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Author notes

  1. Noriko Kawamura

    Present address: Geological Survey of Japan, AIST, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, 305-8567, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-nihonmatsu-cho, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan

    Noriko Kawamura & Naoto Ishikawa

  2. Fukada Geological Institute, 2-13-12, Honkomagome, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-0021, Japan

    Kiichiro Kawamura

Authors
  1. Noriko Kawamura
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  2. Kiichiro Kawamura
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  3. Naoto Ishikawa
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Correspondence to Noriko Kawamura.

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Kawamura, N., Kawamura, K. & Ishikawa, N. Rock magnetic and geochemical analyses of surface sediment characteristics in deep ocean environments: A case study across the Ryukyu Trench. Earth Planet Sp 60, 179–189 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03352781

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