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Hf and Nd isotopes in marine sediments: Constraints on global silicate weathering

Hf and Nd isotopes in marine sediments: Constraints on global silicate weathering
Hf and Nd isotopes in marine sediments: Constraints on global silicate weathering
The combined use of Lu–Hf and Sm–Nd isotope systems potentially offers a unique perspective for investigating continental erosion, but little is known about whether, and to what extent, the Hf–Nd isotope composition of sediments is related to silicate weathering intensity. In this study, Hf and Nd elemental and isotope data are reported for marine muds, leached Fe-oxide fractions and zircon-rich turbidite sands collected off the Congo River mouth, and from other parts of the SE Atlantic Ocean. All studied samples from the Congo fan (muds, Fe-hydroxides, sands) exhibit indistinguishable Nd isotopic composition (?Nd ~ ? 16), indicating that Fe-hydroxides leached from these sediments correspond to continental oxides precipitated within the Congo basin. In marked contrast, Hf isotope compositions for the same samples exhibit significant variations. Leached Fe-hydroxide fractions are characterized by ?Hf values (from ? 1.1 to + 1.3) far more radiogenic than associated sediments (from ? 7.1 to ? 12.0) and turbidite sands (from ? 27.2 to ? 31.6). ?Hf values for Congo fan sediments correlate very well with Al/K (i.e. a well-known index for the intensity of chemical weathering in Central Africa). Taken together, these results indicate that (1) silicate weathering on continents leads to erosion products having very distinctive Hf isotope signatures, and (2) a direct relationship exists between ?Hf of secondary clay minerals and chemical weathering intensity.
These results combined with data from the literature have global implications for understanding the Hf–Nd isotope variability in marine precipitates and sediments. Leached Fe-hydroxides from Congo fan sediments plot remarkably well on an extension of the ‘seawater array’ (i.e. the correlation defined by deep-sea Fe–Mn precipitates), providing additional support to the suggestion that the ocean Hf budget is dominated by continental inputs. Fine-grained sediments define a diffuse trend, between that for igneous rocks and the ‘seawater array’, which we refer to as the ‘zircon-free sediment array’ (?Hf = 0.91 ?Nd + 3.10). Finally, we show that the Hf–Nd arrays for seawater, unweathered igneous rocks, zircon-free and zircon-bearing sediments (?Hf = 1.80 ?Nd + 2.35) can all be reconciled, using Monte Carlo simulations, with a simple weathering model of the continental crust.
neodymium isotopes, hafnium isotopes, silicate weathering, continental erosion, seawater array, Congo fan
0012-821X
318-326
Bayon, G.
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Burton, K.W.
335afabf-2fee-4afd-b300-c8138a081fb6
Soulet, G.
0c986d5c-6cd8-4240-8412-30aebd691329
Vigier, N.
d30389c8-05e3-4c91-a79f-9717e6f4bbee
Dennielou, B.
5dd7ec19-a94c-4cc3-992b-11134dd611a1
Etoubleau, J.
2fd54151-1149-43e6-b566-28e0055dc586
Ponzevera, E.
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German, C.R.
cd0eedd5-1377-4182-9c8a-b06aef8c1069
Nesbitt, R.W.
6a124ad1-4e6d-4407-b92f-592f7fd682e4
Bayon, G.
ebd811fb-f5b9-4b3b-87b7-72b6c80cdfcf
Burton, K.W.
335afabf-2fee-4afd-b300-c8138a081fb6
Soulet, G.
0c986d5c-6cd8-4240-8412-30aebd691329
Vigier, N.
d30389c8-05e3-4c91-a79f-9717e6f4bbee
Dennielou, B.
5dd7ec19-a94c-4cc3-992b-11134dd611a1
Etoubleau, J.
2fd54151-1149-43e6-b566-28e0055dc586
Ponzevera, E.
ba74a6ed-d9fb-44a1-a08a-02058bca47b5
German, C.R.
cd0eedd5-1377-4182-9c8a-b06aef8c1069
Nesbitt, R.W.
6a124ad1-4e6d-4407-b92f-592f7fd682e4

Bayon, G., Burton, K.W., Soulet, G., Vigier, N., Dennielou, B., Etoubleau, J., Ponzevera, E., German, C.R. and Nesbitt, R.W. (2009) Hf and Nd isotopes in marine sediments: Constraints on global silicate weathering. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 277 (3-4), 318-326. (doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.10.028).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The combined use of Lu–Hf and Sm–Nd isotope systems potentially offers a unique perspective for investigating continental erosion, but little is known about whether, and to what extent, the Hf–Nd isotope composition of sediments is related to silicate weathering intensity. In this study, Hf and Nd elemental and isotope data are reported for marine muds, leached Fe-oxide fractions and zircon-rich turbidite sands collected off the Congo River mouth, and from other parts of the SE Atlantic Ocean. All studied samples from the Congo fan (muds, Fe-hydroxides, sands) exhibit indistinguishable Nd isotopic composition (?Nd ~ ? 16), indicating that Fe-hydroxides leached from these sediments correspond to continental oxides precipitated within the Congo basin. In marked contrast, Hf isotope compositions for the same samples exhibit significant variations. Leached Fe-hydroxide fractions are characterized by ?Hf values (from ? 1.1 to + 1.3) far more radiogenic than associated sediments (from ? 7.1 to ? 12.0) and turbidite sands (from ? 27.2 to ? 31.6). ?Hf values for Congo fan sediments correlate very well with Al/K (i.e. a well-known index for the intensity of chemical weathering in Central Africa). Taken together, these results indicate that (1) silicate weathering on continents leads to erosion products having very distinctive Hf isotope signatures, and (2) a direct relationship exists between ?Hf of secondary clay minerals and chemical weathering intensity.
These results combined with data from the literature have global implications for understanding the Hf–Nd isotope variability in marine precipitates and sediments. Leached Fe-hydroxides from Congo fan sediments plot remarkably well on an extension of the ‘seawater array’ (i.e. the correlation defined by deep-sea Fe–Mn precipitates), providing additional support to the suggestion that the ocean Hf budget is dominated by continental inputs. Fine-grained sediments define a diffuse trend, between that for igneous rocks and the ‘seawater array’, which we refer to as the ‘zircon-free sediment array’ (?Hf = 0.91 ?Nd + 3.10). Finally, we show that the Hf–Nd arrays for seawater, unweathered igneous rocks, zircon-free and zircon-bearing sediments (?Hf = 1.80 ?Nd + 2.35) can all be reconciled, using Monte Carlo simulations, with a simple weathering model of the continental crust.

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More information

Published date: 30 January 2009
Keywords: neodymium isotopes, hafnium isotopes, silicate weathering, continental erosion, seawater array, Congo fan

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 71960
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/71960
ISSN: 0012-821X
PURE UUID: 788159f2-0dc5-4b43-9df3-257009199f1a

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Date deposited: 12 Jan 2010
Last modified: 13 Mar 2024 20:53

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Contributors

Author: G. Bayon
Author: K.W. Burton
Author: G. Soulet
Author: N. Vigier
Author: B. Dennielou
Author: J. Etoubleau
Author: E. Ponzevera
Author: C.R. German
Author: R.W. Nesbitt

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