title: Characteristics of hydrocarbons in sediment core samples from the northern Okinawa Trough.
abstract: Sediment core samples from the northern Okinawa Trough (OT) were analyzed to determine abundances and distributions of hydrocarbons by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The results show that the n-alkanes in this sediment core conform to a bimodal distribution, and exhibit an odd-to-even predominance of high molecular weights compared to an even-to-odd predominance in low molecular weight n-alkanes with maxima at C16and C18. The concentrations of bitumen, alkanes and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were higher in samples S10-07 than all others. Three maturity parameters as well as the ratios between parent phenanthrenes (Ps) and methylphenanthrenes (MPs) in samples S10-07 and S10-17 were higher. The distribution and composition of hydrocarbons in sample S10-07 suggest that one, or several, undetected hydrothermal fields may be present in the region of this sediment core. Results also suggest that volcanism may be the main reason for the observed distribution and composition of hydrocarbons in S10-17 sample.
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Coastal Ocean Variation and Disaster Prediction Technologies, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Geology and Environment, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China. Electronic address: shaoshanhx@126.com.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Geology and Environment, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China.
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Geology and Environment, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China; Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, China.
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Coastal Ocean Variation and Disaster Prediction Technologies, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Coastal Ocean Variation and Disaster Prediction Technologies, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China.
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Hydrocarbons; Hydrothermal activity; Okinawa Trough; Sediment core; Volcanism