Contribution of cold seep barite to the barium geochemical budget of a marginal basin

Permanent citation URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1957/2372
Title:Contribution of cold seep barite to the barium geochemical budget of a marginal basin
Authors:McQuay, Erica L.
Advisors:Collier, Robert W.
Torres, Marta E.
Committee Members:McManus, James
Liburdy, James
Keywords:Barium
Marine sediments
Cold seeps
LCSH Keywords:Barite -- San Clemente Basin
Barium -- San Clemente Basin
Marine sediments -- San Clemente Basin -- Analysis
Issue Date:19-May-2006
Abstract:Large barite (BaSO4) structures mark cold seeps in the southern San Clemente Basin. Barium flux to San Clemente sediments is two to three times greater than fluxes measured in surrounding California Borderland basins. Analyses of sediment trap material, water column samples, sediments and pore water indicate that expected bariumbearing mineral phases (e.g. detrital aluminosilicates, biogenic material and Fe/Mn oxyhydroxides) cannot account for excess barium accumulating in the San Clemente Basin. This excess represents 7-70 % by weight of total sedimentary barium. Cold seep barite is accumulating in San Clemente sediments at an average rate of approximately 11 μmol m-2 day-1, a value that is comparable to the combined flux of detrital and biogenic material to the basin floor. Cold seep barite is largely unaccounted for in sedimentary barium inventories. The magnitude of cold seep barite flux to San Clemente Basin sediments and the occurrence of cold seeps throughout the oceans necessitate consideration of this phase in the development of barium geochemical budgets and the variety of paleoproxies involving barium in marine sediments.
Description:Graduation date: 2007
URI:http://hdl.handle.net/1957/2372
Appears in Collections:Chemical Oceanography
Theses, Dissertations and Student Research Papers (COAS)
Electronic Theses and Dissertations

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