Publication Date:
2023-02-08
Description:
Porewater flow at cold seeps controls methane oxidation and carbonate precipitation rates, and also plays an important role in gas hydrate dynamics. We constrain the porewater flow rates in the upper sediment of Gulf of Mexico cold seeps by fitting measured 226Ra and Cl− profiles. The approach exploits their natural increase with depth through shallow sediments at non-brine (226Ra) and brine (Cl−) seeps. Vertical flow velocities at non-brine and brine seeps are found to be similar in magnitude, typically on the order of 0.1 m y−1. The accuracy of the flow estimates is assessed and shown to depend substantially on uncertainties in both concentrations and sediment tortuosity. Model simulations further reveal that the natural heterogeneity of sediment permeability can cause considerable lateral variability in vertical flow at the scale of a sediment core, which implies that the coring location and core size can have a substantial effect on the estimated porewater velocities. The formation of gas hydrates and calcium carbonates reduce sediment permeability, and decrease the spatial variability in flow over time, as the formation rates are higher along preferential flow paths. This analysis of the effect of spatiotemporal variability on chemical profiles improves the assessment of uncertainties in the estimated magnitude of flow, and is important for the evaluation of benthic-pelagic coupling at seeps.
Type:
Article
,
PeerReviewed
Format:
text
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