Sedimentary Provinces of the North Pacific

Abstract

A survey of 250 long piston cores from the North Pacific Ocean reveals that cores taken within definite areas of the sea floor have common sediment characteristics. These belong to distinct regions and are named sedimentary provinces. Three orders of sedimentary provinces occur in the North Pacific Basin. First order provinces follow the general form of the basin and are of great areal extent. They are sites of pelagic deposition and are named the Central North Pacific, Japan-Kuril, and Aleutian-Alaskan Provinces. Because the North Pacific Basin is protected from large-scale basinward transfer of terrigenous sediment, the limits of first order provinces match the boundaries of major water masses. Second order provinces are dominated by features of positive submarine relief, are restricted in size, and their boundaries follow the configuration of hills and ridges. They include the Hawaiian Ridge, Marcus-Necker Ridge, Shatsky Rise, Emperor Seamount Chain, and Ridge and Trough Provinces. Sediment accumulating on and around these features is a function of the depth of crestal portions of submarine highs. Third order provinces constitute a narrow zone of terrigenous sediment around the rim of the North Pacific Basin. Included are the floors of the circum-Pacific trench system and a portion of the northeastern corner of the Pacific. Two are named: the Aleutian Trench and the Northeast Pacific Turbidite Provinces.

Late Quaternary glacial history and meltwater discharges along the Northeastern Newfoundland Shelf

“…Specific intervals were chosen to perform X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis to determine calcite and dolomite content (Table 1). D-spacing values used for the identification of quartz, calcite, and dolomite are generally of 3.34, 3.03, and 2.88-2.89 Å (1 Å = 0.1 nm, respectively, (Carroll 1970). Carbon content was determined using a LECO TruSpec station.…”

Quantitative resolution of eolian continental crustal material and volcanic detritus in North Pacific surface sediment

“…The North Pacific is an ideal region to evaluate this approach because continental crustal matehal from Asia reaches the central Pacific primarily by eolian processes. whereas the trenches and marginal seas associated with the Pacific nm trap most turbidites [Horn et al, 1970]. Volcanic material associated with the Pacific-rim is deposited only as hemipelagic muds or ash and thus does not represent eolian material from Asia.…”

GRADED‐BED SEQUENCES EMPLACED BY TURBIDITY CURRENTS NORTH OF 20°N IN THE PACIFIC, ATLANTIC AND MEDITERRANEAN1

“…They suggest the turbidites are funneled toward the trench through a major canyon network which originates in the Sagami Bay area. Horn et al (1970) show all trenches as containing some turbidites. This was done on the basis of available data.…”

“…Secondary basins, island arcs, trenches and troughs bar turbidity currents from most of the basin (Revelle et al, 1955;Menard, 1964). The effectiveness of these barriers to sediment dispersal is clearly indicated by the absence of turbidites in cores taken seaward of the circum-Pacific trenches (Horn et al, 1969(Horn et al, , 1970.…”