Authigenic Formation of Clay Minerals in the Abyssal North Pacific

Abstract

Present estimates of the biogeochemical cycles of calcium, strontium, and potassium in the ocean reveal large imbalances between known input and output fluxes. Using pore fluid, incubation, and solid sediment data from North Pacific multi‐corer cores we show that, contrary to the common paradigm, the top centimeters of abyssal sediments can be an active site of authigenic precipitation of clay minerals. In this region, clay authigenesis is the dominant sink for potassium and strontium and consumes nearly all calcium released from benthic dissolution of calcium carbonates. These observations support the idea that clay authigenesis occurring over broad regions of the world ocean may be a major buffer for ocean chemistry on the time scale of the ocean overturning circulation, and key to the long‐term stability of Earth's climate.

Trace Element Geochemistry in North Pacific Red Clay Sediment Porewaters and Implications for Water‐Column Studies

“…(2019) and porewater concentrations of $${{\text{NO}}_{3}}^{-}$$, Ca 2+ , K + , Sr 2+ , Mg 2+ , and Li + are provided in Steiner et al. (2022b).…”

“…By the shape of the profile, 𝐴𝐴 SO4 2− (Figure 3d) also belongs to group II, as is As in the deeper part of the cores (Figure 4d). The largest decreases in the concentrations of 𝐴𝐴 SO4 2− , U, Mo, and (Steiner et al, 2022b), (c) biogenic silica (Hou et al, 2019), and (d) aluminum. The vertical dashed line in D represents the average Al content of the upper continental crust (Rudnick & Gao, 2003).…”

“…Sulfur (as sulfate, 𝐴𝐴 SO4 2− ) concentrations were analyzed in acidified samples from both cores and averaged for each depth horizon. Silicic acid concentrations in these sediment cores were previously published by Hou et al (2019) and porewater concentrations of 𝐴𝐴 NO3 − , Ca 2+ , K + , Sr 2+ , Mg 2+ , and Li + are provided in Steiner et al (2022b).…”

“…Slow accumulation rates of pelagic sediments allow thousands of years for meta‐stable phases to dissolve, and for phases that are stable under the physico‐chemical conditions prevailing in the abyssal ocean to precipitate (Andrews et al., 2020; Fantle & DePaolo, 2007). Common reactions that prevail in the upper 10–30 cm of abyssal North Pacific sediments include near‐complete dissolution of calcium carbonate minerals, dissolution of some alumino‐silicate minerals, and precipitation of authigenic clay minerals (e.g., Berger et al., 1976; Chen et al., 1988; Dunlea et al., 2017; Hein et al., 1979; Steiner et al., 2022b).…”

effect of physical work environment and work motivation on the performance of civil servants in south Sumatra province forestry service

“…Performance is the result achieved by employees in their work according to specific criteria that apply to a job (Robbins & Coulter, 2014). According to Robbins & Coulter (2014), there are six indicators for measuring individual employee performance, namely: 1) quality, 2) quantity, 3) timeliness, 4) effectiveness and 5) independence (Agbozo et al, 2017;Al-Omari & Okasheh, 2017;Steiner et al, 2022).…”