Advances in Earth Science ›› 2024, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (6): 589-601. doi: 10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2024.043

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Authigenic Pyrite Indicates Seafloor Methane Seepage

Qiying ZHANG 1( ), Xiaoming MIAO 1, Xin CHANG 1, Fanxing KONG 1, Yu GU 1, Xiting LIU 1 , 2( )   

  1. 1.Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences and Prospecting Technology, College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
    2.Laboratory for Marine Geology, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao 266237, China
  • Received:2024-01-31 Revised:2024-05-24 Online:2024-06-10 Published:2024-07-15
  • Contact: Xiting LIU E-mail:zhangqiying@stu.ouc.edu.cn;liuxiting@ouc.edu.cn
  • About author:ZHANG Qiying, Master student, research area includes marine sedimentology. E-mail: zhangqiying@stu.ouc.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42276060);The Outstanding Youth Fund Project of Shandong Province(ZR2021YQ26)

Qiying ZHANG, Xiaoming MIAO, Xin CHANG, Fanxing KONG, Yu GU, Xiting LIU. Authigenic Pyrite Indicates Seafloor Methane Seepage[J]. Advances in Earth Science, 2024, 39(6): 589-601.

Seafloor methane seepage is an important source of methane affecting the global carbon cycle and extreme environmental biogeochemical cycles. Therefore, identifying modern and ancient seafloor methane seepage is of great scientific significance. During methane leakage, Sulfate-Driven Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane (SD-AOM) commonly occurs, changing the geochemical characteristics of pore water and forming of authigenic minerals. Authigenic pyrite is a typical authigenic mineral in SD-AOM and can be used as a good indicator for recording methane leakage. This study summarizes the geochemical and morphological characteristics of SD-AOM-derived authigenic pyrite and evaluates its potential for tracing and reconstructing seabed (paleo) methane leakage. The results show that the sulfur and Fe isotopes, as well as in situ trace elements and isotopes of authigenic pyrite, can effectively identify the SD-AOM process. In addition, significant differences are observed in the morphology and content of authigenic pyrite in sediments in these environments compared with normal marine sediments, highlighting the great potential of authigenic pyrite for tracing and reconstructing seabed (paleo-) methane leakage events.

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