Marine ferromanganese encrustations: Archives of changing oceans
Marine iron–manganese oxide coatings occur in many shallow and deep-water areas of the global ocean and can form in three ways: 1) Fe–Mn crusts can precipitate from seawater onto rocks on seamounts; 2) Fe–Mn nodules can form on the sediment surface around a nucleus by diagenetic processes in sediment pore water; 3) encrustations can precipitate from hydrothermal fluids. These oxide coatings have been growing for thousands to tens of millions of years. They represent a vast archive of how oceans have changed, including variations of climate, ocean currents, geological activity, erosion processes on land, and even anthropogenic impact. A growing toolbox of age-dating methods and element and isotopic signatures are being used to exploit these archives.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2017 |
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Title | Marine ferromanganese encrustations: Archives of changing oceans |
DOI | 10.2113/gselements.13.3.177 |
Authors | Andrea Koschinsky, James R. Hein |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Elements |
Index ID | 70188420 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center |