Mass wasting, ephemeral fluid flow, and barite deposition on the California continental margin

Research Article| April 01, 2000 Mass wasting, ephemeral fluid flow, and barite deposition on the California continental margin T. H. Naehr; T. H. Naehr 1Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar D. S. Stakes; D. S. Stakes 1Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, California 95039, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar W. S. Moore W. S. Moore 2Department of Geological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2000) 28 (4): 315–318. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)28<315:MWEFFA>2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 17 Sep 1999 rev-recd: 24 Dec 1999 accepted: 11 Jan 2000 first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation T. H. Naehr, D. S. Stakes, W. S. Moore; Mass wasting, ephemeral fluid flow, and barite deposition on the California continental margin. Geology 2000;; 28 (4): 315–318. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)28<315:MWEFFA>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract An area of active fluid discharge characterized by authigenic barite formation and populated by vestimentiferan tubeworms has been discovered by remotely operated vehicle exploration in Monterey Canyon. Slumping and mass wasting, presumably triggered by seismic activity, have exposed barium-rich pore fluids to sulfate-rich bottom water, leading to barite precipitation on the sea floor. Age estimates based on 210Pb/226Ra dating of the barite samples and growth rates of vestimentiferan tubeworms indicate that the seep site might be as young as 100 yr. Systematic variations in sulfur and strontium isotope ratios, the lack of visible fluid flow, and the abundance of dead tubeworms indicate decreasing flow rates. This newly discovered site shows many similarities to a previously described barite deposit in the California Borderland, possibly misinterpreted as a hydrothermal vent site. The discovery of a cold seep associated with barite deposits on the seismically active, transpressional California margin raises the possibility that numerous unexplored areas along the continental margins might have similar low-temperature deposits. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.