Using Nd-Sr isotopes and rare earth elements to study sediment provenance of the modern radial sand ridges in the southwestern Yellow Sea

Abstract

The radial sand ridges (RSRs) in the southwestern Yellow Sea off the Jiangsu Coast, East China have been intensively studied at least since 1975. Despite decades of studies, the provenance of the RSR sediments remains uncertain. In this study, the Nd-Sr isotopic and REE geochemical compositions of residual sediments (i.e., the acid-insoluble fractions) were investigated to determine the provenance of the RSR sediments. The Nd isotopic composition, PAAS-normalized REE patterns and characteristic parameters (e.g., Sm/Nd, (La/Sm)N, (Gd/Yb)N) were merely associated with source rocks but not with particle sorting while the Sr isotopic composition and REE contents of residual sediments were affected by particle sorting in addition to source rocks. The onshore RSR sediments originated mainly from mixing of the fine-grained sediments from various parts of the offshore RSR in terms of REE geochemical and isotopic analyses. Isotopic and REE geochemical comparison further reveals that the RSRs off the Jiangsu Coast were fed chiefly by the dispersal of surface sediments from the Yangtze River Mouth. Surface sediments from the Yangtze River Mouth were directly dispersed to the RSRs along the Jiangsu Coast and significantly affected the seaward part of the offshore RSR and the old Yellow River Delta area by a northward branch of the Changjiang Diluted Freshwater Plume. Only minor quantities of surface sediments from the modern Yellow River Mouth were introduced into the RSRs by the Jiangsu Coastal Current and mainly contaminated the landward part of the offshore RSR area. Our findings highlighted the potential of the Nd isotopes with REE geochemistry to trace the provenance of coastal sediments.