Borowski, Walter S; Hoehler, Tori M; Alperin, Marc J; Rodriguez, Nancy M; Paull, Charles K (2000): Pore water isotopic ratios of CO2 and SO4, and sediment CH4 content of ODP Leg 164 sites [dataset publication series]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.803710, Supplement to: Borowski, WS et al. (2000): Significance of anaerobic methane oxidation in methane-rich sediments overlying the Blake Ridge gas hydrates. In: Paull, CK; Matsumoto, R; Wallace, PJ; Dillon, WP (eds.) Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program), 164, 1-13, https://doi.org/10.2973/odp.proc.sr.164.214.2000
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Abstract:
A unique set of geochemical pore-water data, characterizing the sulfate reduction and uppermost methanogenic zones, has been collected at the Blake Ridge (offshore southeastern North America) from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 164 cores and piston cores. The d13C values of dissolved CO2 (sum CO2) are as 13C-depleted as -37.7 per mil PDB (Site 995) at the sulfate-methane interface, reflecting a substantial contribution of isotopically light carbon from methane. Although the geochemical system is complex and difficult to fully quantify, we use two methods to constrain and illustrate the intensity of anaerobic methane oxidation in Blake Ridge sediments. An estimate using a two-component mixing model suggests that ~24% of the carbon residing in the sum CO2 pool is derived from biogenic methane. Independent diagenetic modeling of a methane concentration profile (Site 995) indicates that peak methane oxidation rates approach 0.005 µmol/cm**3/yr, and that anaerobic methane oxidation is responsible for consuming ~35% of the total sulfate flux into the sediments. Thus, anaerobic methane oxidation is a significant biogeochemical sink for sulfate, and must affect interstitial sulfate concentrations and sulfate gradients.
Such high proportions of sulfate depletion because of anaerobic methane oxidation are largely undocumented in continental rise sediments with overlying oxic bottom waters. We infer that the additional amount of sulfate depleted through anaerobic methane oxidation, fueled by methane flux from below, causes steeper sulfate gradients above methane-rich sediments. Similar pore water chemistries should occur at other methane-rich, continental-rise settings associated with gas hydrates.
Project(s):
Ocean Drilling Program (ODP)
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 31.659665 * Median Longitude: -75.328010 * South-bound Latitude: 31.500000 * West-bound Longitude: -75.545900 * North-bound Latitude: 31.843100 * East-bound Longitude: -75.100000
Date/Time Start: 1995-11-07T14:08:00 * Date/Time End: 1995-12-10T00:10:00
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0)
Size:
2 datasets
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Datasets listed in this publication series
- Borowski, WS; Hoehler, TM; Alperin, MJ et al. (2000): (Table 3) Methane concentration in sediments of ODP Leg 164 sites and piston core 11-8. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.803709
- Borowski, WS; Hoehler, TM; Alperin, MJ et al. (2000): (Table 2) Carbon dioxide concentration, and isotopic ratios of sulphate and carbon dioxide in interstitial waters of ODP Leg 164 sites. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.803708