Riverine sediment geochemistry and its dispersal pattern on the western Sunda Shelf

Abstract

Understanding sediment provenance in continental shelf basins is essential for reconstructing paleoenvironmental changes, enhancing insights into sedimentary dynamics, and elucidating their contributions to the global carbon cycle. To decipher sediment provenances and enhance comprehension of the sediment dispersal patterns and the factors governing geochemical compositions on the Sunda Shelf, we conducted an exhaustive analysis of trace elemental concentrations and the isotopic ratios of strontium (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) and neodymium (εNd) in the silicate fractions of 35 surface sediment samples. These samples were collected from the western Sunda Shelf and its proximate major river end-members, namely, the Mekong, Rajang, Pahang, and Kelantan Rivers. Through the application of various statistical methodologies, including classical cluster analysis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), the La-Sc-Th discrimination diagram, and an array of elemental ratios, we identified three distinct geochemical provinces on the Sunda Shelf. Each province is defined by unique geochemical signatures indicative of varied sediment sources or provenances. This distinction was primarily attributed to pronounced sediment heterogeneity, reflecting lithologic variances from the diverse river end-members. In pursuit of a holistic understanding of sediment provenance in the region, SrNd isotopic data was also integrated from prior studies encompassing the eastern Sunda Shelf and the southern South China Sea. By utilizing the SrNd mixing model, complemented with Monte-Carlo simulations, we estimated the sediment contributions from surrounding river end-members to the southern South China Sea basin. According to the model, the Mekong River emerges as the principal sedimentary source of the Sunda continental shelf and the southern South China Sea, attributed to its substantial sediment outputs. Additionally, the model has identified significant contributions from the Rajang, Pahang, and Kelantan rivers, particularly in offshore regions near their estuaries. Further, this study revealed the previously underappreciated influence of South China's rivers, namely the Red and Pearl Rivers, on the eastern Sunda Shelf and deeper southern South China Sea region beyond the continental shelf. This study not only delineates the dominant sediment sources influencing the Sunda Shelf and the South China Sea but also underscores the importance of considering a broad spectrum of river end-members to understand sedimentary dynamics in an active marine environment.