Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-jr42d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T07:16:30.346Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Quartz grain characteristics of the late Pleistocene hard clay in the Yangtze River delta and implications for sedimentary environment and provenance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 June 2020

Chao Wu Open the ORCID record for Chao Wu [Opens in a new window] ,
Peng Qian ,
Xiangmin Zheng ,
Limin Zhou ,
Hui Wang  and
Hongyang Xu
Chao Wu*
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Geo-information Science of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai200241, China
Peng Qian*
Affiliation:
School of Geography, Nantong University, Nantong226007, China
Xiangmin Zheng*
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Geo-information Science of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai200241, China
Limin Zhou
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Geo-information Science of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai200241, China
Hui Wang
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Geo-information Science of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai200241, China
Hongyang Xu
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Geo-information Science of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai200241, China
*
*Corresponding authors e-mail address: 619676293@qq.com (C. Wu); 51163901057@stu.ecnu.edu.cn (X. Zheng); dapeng_96@sina.com (P. Qian).
*Corresponding authors e-mail address: 619676293@qq.com (C. Wu); 51163901057@stu.ecnu.edu.cn (X. Zheng); dapeng_96@sina.com (P. Qian).
*Corresponding authors e-mail address: 619676293@qq.com (C. Wu); 51163901057@stu.ecnu.edu.cn (X. Zheng); dapeng_96@sina.com (P. Qian).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The sedimentologic fingerprinting in detrital deposit is vital to reconstruct sedimentary environments and discriminate sources. In this study, grain size and microtextural characteristics of quartz from the late Pleistocene hard clay in the Yangtze River delta (YRD) were analyzed by using a laser particle size analyzer and a scanning electron microscope. Subaqueous quartz from the Yangtze River and Yellow River sediments and eolian quartz from the Chinese Loess Plateau loess were also analyzed by scanning electron microscopy to obtain the microtextural characteristics. Quartz grains of the hard clay were characterized by poor sorting, fine skew, bimodal grain-size distributions, and numerous eolian microtextures. The comparison of the quartz grain characteristics of the hard clay with these in eolian loess indicated that the hard clay belonged to an eolian deposition. Moreover, the fine quartz grains of the hard clay were dominated by eolian microtextural characteristics, representing long-distance transportation. The coarse quartz grains of the hard clay exhibited more subaqueous microtextural characteristics, which indicated that the coarse fraction of the hard clay was derived from the proximal source regions in the YRD. The determination of buried eolian deposition with multiple sources in the YRD implies a southward westerly jet stream, strengthened eolian dust transportation, and extensive aridification in the YRD due to the increased Northern Hemisphere ice sheets in Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 2.

Keywords

Grain-size distributionMicrotextures of quartz silt grainsEolian depositYangtze River Delta
Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 97 , September 2020 , pp. 199 - 215
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © University of Washington. Published by Cambridge University Press, 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Barbara, A.M., 2016. Palaeoclimatic records of the loess/palaeosol sequences of the Chinese Loess Plateau. Quaternary Science Reviews 154, 23–84.Google Scholar
Bellanova, P., Bahlburg, H., Nentwig, V., Spiske, M., 2016. Microtextural analysis of quartz grains of tsunami and non-tsunami deposits—a case study from Tirúa (Chile). Sedimentary Geology 343, 72–84.10.1016/j.sedgeo.2016.08.001CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blott, S.J., Pye, K., 2001. GRADISTAT: a grain size distribution and statistics package for the analysis of unconsolidated sediments. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 26, 1237–1248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bory, A.J.M., Biscaye, P.E., Grousset, F.E., 2003. Two distinct seasonal Asian source regions for mineral dust deposited in Greenland (NorthGRIP). Geophysical Research Letters 30(4).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boulay, S., Colin, C., Trentesaux, A., Pluquet, F., Bertaux, J., Blamart, D., Buehring, C., Wang, P., 2003. Mineralogy and sedimentology of Pleistocene sediments on the South China Sea (ODP Site 1144). In: Prell, W.L., Wang, P., Blum, P., Rea, D.K., Clemens, S.C. (Eds.), Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program: Scientific Results. Vol. 184. Ocean Drilling Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, pp. 1–21.Google Scholar
Chen, Q.Q., Li, C.X., Li, P., Liu, B.Z., Sun, H.P., 2008. Late Quaternary palaeosols in the Yangtze Delta, China, and their palaeoenvironmental implications. Geomorphology 100, 465–483.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chow, K.C., Su, L., Fung, J.C., Ma, H., Lau, A.K., 2014. Numerical modeling of a strong dust event over the south China region in March 2010. Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics 126, 119–138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Costa, P.J.M., Andrade, C., Dawson, A.G., Mahaney, W.C., Freitas, M.C., Paris, R., Taborda, R., 2012. Microtextural characteristics of quartz grains transported and deposited by tsunamis and storms. Sedimentary Geology 275–276, 55–69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Costa, P.J.M., Andrade, C., Mahaney, W.C., Marques da Silva, F., Freire, P., Freitas, M.C., Janardo, C., Oliviera, M.A., Silva, T., Lopes, V., 2013. Aeolian microtextures in silica spheres induced in a wind tunnel experiment: comparison with aeolian quartz. Geomorphology 180–181, 180–129.Google Scholar
Ding, Z., Liu, T., Rutter, N., Yu, Z., Guo, Z., Zhu, R., 1995. Ice-volume forcing of East Asian winter monsoon variations in the past 800,000 years. Quaternary Research 44, 149–159.10.1006/qres.1995.1059CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ding, Z.L., Yu, Z.W., Yang, S.L., 2001. Coeval changes in grain size and sedimentation rate of eolian loess, the Chinese Loess Plateau. Geophysical Research Letters 28, 2097–2100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gindy, N.N., 2015. Environmental implications of electron microscope study of quartz grains’ surface textures on khors sediments, Lake Nasser, Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research 41, 41–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guo, Z.T., Peng, S.Z., Hao, Q.Z., 2001. Origin of the Miocene–Pliocene red-earth formation at Xifeng in Northern China and implications for paleoenvironments. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 170, 11–26.10.1016/S0031-0182(01)00235-8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guo, Z.T., Peng, S.Z., Hao, Q.Z., Biscaye, P. E., An, Z.S., Liu, T.S., 2004. Late Miocene–Pliocene development of Asian aridification as recorded in an eolian sequence in northern China. Global and Planetary Changes 41, 135–145.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hao, Q.Z., Guo, Z.T., Qiao, Y.S., Xu, B., Frank, O., 2010. Geochemical evidence for the provenance of middle Pleistocene loess deposits in southern China. Quaternary Science Reviews 29, 3317–3326.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heinrich, H., 1988. Origin and consequences of cyclic ice rafting in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean during the past 130,000 years. Quaternary Research 29, 142–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jeong, G.Y., 2008. Bulk and single-particle mineralogy of Asian dust and a comparison with its source soils. Journal of Geophysical Research 113(D2).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kenig, K., 2006. Surface microtextures of quartz grains from Vistulian loesses from selected profiles of Poland and some other countries. Quaternary International 152–153, 118–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kleesment, A., 2009. Roundness and surface textures of quartz grains in Middle Devonian deposits of East Baltic and their palaeogeographic implications. Estonian Journal of Earth Science 58, 71–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krinsley, D.H., Cavallero, L., 1970. Scanning electron microscopic examination of periglacial eolian sands from Long Island, New York. Journal of Sedimentary Research 40, 1345–1350.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krinsley, D.H., Donahue, J., 1968. Environmental interpretation of sand grain surface textures by electron microscopy. Geological Society of America Bulletin 79, 743–748.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krinsley, D.H., Smalley, I.J., 1973. The shape and nature of small sedimentary quartz particles. Science 180, 1277–1279.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Krinsley, D.H., Takahashi, T., 1962. Surface textures of sand grains: an application of electron microscopy. Science 135, 923–925.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Li, C.X., Chen, Q.Q., Zhang, J.Q., Yang, S.Y., Fan, D.D., 2000. Stratigraphy and paleoenvironmental changes in the Yangtze Delta during late Quaternary. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 18, 453–469.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, F., Li, G.J., Chen, J., 2014. U-Pb ages of zircon grains reveal a proximal dust source of the Xiashu loess, Lower Yangtze River region, China. China Science Bulletin 59, 2391–2395.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, T., Ding, Z., Rutter, N., 1999. Comparison of Milankovitch periods between continental loess and deep sea records over the last 2.5 Ma. Quaternary Science Reviews 18, 1205–1212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lu, H.Y., An, Z.S., 1997. Paleoclimatic implication of grain-size distribution of loess at Luochuan. [In Chinese.] Chinese Science Bulletin 42, 66–69.Google Scholar
Lu, H.Y., An, Z.S., 1998. Paleoclimatic significance of grain size of loess-paleosol sequences of central China. Science in China, Series D: Earth Sciences 41, 626–631.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Machado, G.M.V., Albino, J., Leal, A.P., Bastos, A.C., 2016. Quartz grain assessment for reconstructing the coastal palaeoenvironment. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 70, 353–367.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mahaney, W.C., 2002. Atlas of Sand Grain Surface Textures and Applications. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 1–237.Google Scholar
Mahaney, W.C., Kalm, V., 2000. Comparative scanning electron microscopy study of oriented till blocks, glacial grains and Devonian sands in Estonia and Latvia. Boreas 29, 35–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mahaney, W.C., Stewart, A., Kalm, V., 2001. Quantification of SEM microtextures useful in sedimentary environmental discrimination. Boreas 30, 165–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mao, L., Mo, D., Li, M., Zhou, K., Yang, J., Guo, W., 2011. The rare earth element compositions of sediments from the loess tableland in the Liyang Plain, southern China: implications for provenance and weathering intensity. Environment Earth Science 62, 1609–1617.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Margolis, S.V., Kennett, J.P., 1970. Antarctic glaciation during Tertiary recorded in sub-Antarctic deep sea cores. Science 170, 1085–1087.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Margolis, S.V., Krinsley, D.H., 1974. Processes of formation and environmental occurrence of microfeatures on detrital quartz grains. American Journal of Science 274, 449–464.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Newsome, D., Ladd, P., 1999. The use of quartz grain microtextures in the study of the origin of sand terrains in Western Australia. Catena 35, 1–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nie, J., Stevens, T., Rittner, M., 2015. Loess plateau storage of northeastern Tibetan plateau-derived yellow river sediment. Nature Communications 6, 8511–8518.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Paterson, G.A., Heslop, D., 2015. New methods for unmixing sediment grain size data. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 16, 4494–4506.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pye, K., 1987. Aeolian dust and dust deposits. Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Qiao, Y.S., Hao, Q.Z., Peng, S.S., Wang, Y., Li, J.W., Liu, Z.X., 2011. Geochemical characteristics of the eolian deposits in southern China, and their implications for provenance and weathering intensity. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 308, 513–523.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Qin, J., Wu, G., Zheng, H., Zhou, Q., 2008. The palynology of the first hard clay layer (late Pleistocene) from the Yangtze delta, China. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 149, 63–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sahu, B.K., 1964. Depositional mechanisms from the size analysis of clastic sediments. Journal of Sediment Petroleum 34, 73–83.Google Scholar
Shi, Y.X., Dai, X.R., Song, Z.G., Yu, L.Z., Guan, Z.Z., 2006. Particle size distribution and mineral components of atmospheric particles collected in spring of Shanghai. [In Chinese.] Acta Sedimentologica Sinica 5, 780–785.Google Scholar
Song, Y.G., Zeng, M.X., Chen, X.L., Li, Y., Chang, H., An, Z.S., Guo, X, H., 2018. Abrupt climatic events recorded by the Ili loess during the last glaciation in Central Asia: evidence from grain-size and minerals. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 155, 58–67.10.1016/j.jseaes.2017.10.040CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Strand, K., Passchier, S., Nasi, J., 2003. Implications of quartz grain microtextures for onset Eocene/Oligocene glaciation in Prydz Bay, ODP site 1166, Antarctica. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 198, 101–111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sun, D., Bloemendal, J., Rea, D.K., Vandenberghe, J., Jiang, F., An, Z., Ruixia, S., 2002. Grain-size distribution function of polymodal sediments in hydraulic and aeolian environments, and numerical partitioning of the sedimentary components. Sedimentary Geology 152, 263–277.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sun, D.H., Lu, H.Y., Rea, D., 2000a. Bimode grain-size distribution of Chinese Loess and its paleoclimate implication. [In Chinese.] Acta Sedimentologic Sinica 18, 327–335.Google Scholar
Sun, J.M., Ding, Z.L., Xia, X.P., Sun, M., Windley, B.F., 2018. Detrital zircon evidence for the ternary sources of the Chinese Loess Plateau. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 155, 21–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sun, Y.B., Chen, H.Y., Tada, R., Weiss, D., Lin, M., Toyoda, S., Yan, Y., Isozaki, Y., 2013. ESR signal intensity and crystallinity of quartz from Gobi and sandy deserts in East Asia and implication for tracing Asian dust provenance. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 14, 2615–2627.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sun, Y.B., Lu, H.Y., An, Z.S., 2000b. Grain size distribution of quartz isolated from Chinese loess/paleosol. China Science Bulletin 45, 2296–2298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sun, Y.B., Lu, H.Y., An, Z.S., 2006. Grain size of loess, palaeosol and Red Clay deposits on the Chinese Loess Plateau: significance for understanding pedogenic alteration and palaeomonsoon evolution. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 241, 129–138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tian, S.C., Sun, J.M., Gong, Z.J., 2017. Loess deposits in Beijing and their paleoclimatic implications during the last interglacial-glacial cycle. Quaternary Science Reviews 177, 78–87.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vandenberghe, J., 2013. Grain size of fine-grained windblown sediment: a powerful proxy for process identification. Earth-Science Reviews 121, 18–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vos, K., Vandenberghe, N., Elsen, J., 2014. Surface textural analysis of quartz grains by scanning electron microscopy(SEM): from sample preparation to environmental interpretation. Earth-Science Reviews 128, 93–104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, G., Li, J.R., Ravi, S., Pelt, R.S.V., Costa, P.J.M., Dukes, D., 2017a. Tracer techniques in aeolian research: approaches, applications, and challenges. Earth-Science Reviews 170, 1–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, J., Chen, G., Peng, Z., Grapes, R., 2015. Loess-like deposits in the Pearl River delta area, southeast China. Aeolian Research 19, 113–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, X., Wei, H.T., Khormali, F., Taheri, M., Kehl, M., Frechen, M., Luaer, T., Chen, F.H., 2017b. Grain-size distribution of Pleistocene loess deposits in northern Iran and its palaeoclimatic implications. Quaternary International 429, 41–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Warrier, A.K., Pednekar, H., Mahesh, B.S., Mohan, R., Gazi, S., 2016. Sediment grain size and surface textural observations of quartz grains in late quaternary lacustrine sediments from Schirmacher Oasis, East Antarctica: paleoenvironmental significance. Polar Science 10, 89–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woronko, B., 2016. Frost weathering versus glacial grinding in the micromorphology of quartz sand grains: processes and geological implications. Sedimentary Geology 335, 103–119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xia, F., Zhang, Y.Z., 2018. Late Quaternary strata and environmental evolution record of core LG in Longgang, north Jiangsu plain, China. [In Chinese.] Geographical Research 37, 433–446.Google Scholar
Xiao, J.L., Porter, S.C., An, Z.S., Kumai, H., Yoshikawa, S., 1995. Grain size of quartz as an indicator of winter monsoon strength on the Loess Plateau of central China during the last 130,000 yr. Quaternary Research 43, 22–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xu, H.Y., Zheng, X.M., Zhou, L.M., 2016. Characteristics of quartz grains of the Xiashu loess in Zhoujiashan Nanjing and its provenance significance. [In Chinese.] Acta Sedimentologica Sinica 34, 1176–1186.Google Scholar
Yamamoto, Y., Toyoda, S., Nagasima, K., Igarashi, Y., Tada, R., 2013. Investigation of the temporal change of the sources of aeolian dust delivered to East Asia using electron spin resonance signals in quartz. Geochronometria 40, 355.10.2478/s13386-013-0121-xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yan, Y., Ma, L., Sun, Y.B., 2017. Tectonic and climatic controls on provenance changes of fine-grained dust on the Chinese Loess Plateau since the late Oligocene. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 200, 110–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, W., Chen, J., Ji, J., Li, G., 2016. Evolving flux of Asian dust in the North Pacific Ocean since the late Oligocene. Aeolian Research 23, 11–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, W.F., Vleeschouwer, D.D., Shen, J., Zhang, Z., Zeng, L., 2018. Orbital time scale records of Asian eolian dust from the Sea of Japan since the early Pliocene. Quaternary Science Reviews 187, 157–167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, W.G., Yu, L.Z., Lu, M., Zheng, X.M., Shi, Y.X., 2007. Magnetic properties and geochemistry of the Xiashu loess in the present subtropical area of China, and their implications for pedogenic intensity. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 260, 86–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, X.N., Zhou, A.F., Wang, X., Song, M., Zhao, Y.T., Xie, H.C., Russell, J.M., Chen, F.H., 2017. Unmixing grain-size distributions in lake sediments: a new method of endmember modeling using hierarchical clustering. Quaternary Research 89, 365–373.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zheng, X.M., 1999. Aeolian Sediments and Environment in the Yangtze River Delta and the Adjacent Coastal Ocean. [In Chinese.] East China Normal University Press, Shanghai.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Wu et al. supplementary material

Wu et al. supplementary material

Download Wu et al. supplementary material(File)
File 16.9 KB