Gas hydrate decomposition and migration of the sulfate/methane transition zone recorded by authigenic barite in cold seep sediments

After deposition of sediments a whole suite of geochemical/biogeochemical and transport processes - subsumed under the term early diagenesis - can potentially alter the primary sediment composition. Post-depositional overprint is not only restricted to the topmost part of the sediment but well extends into more deeply buried sediments. A biogeochemical reaction front which is of particular importance for deep post-depositional alteration is the so-called sulfate/methane transition zone (SMTZ) where the anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) by sulfate occurs. This front is often located several meters to several tens of meters within the sediment and can heavily impact a number of sedimentary components and attributes - like carbonates, barite, iron oxide and iron sulfide minerals as well as rock magnetic properties (e.g., magnetic susceptibility). In this way the primary sediment composition is distinctly altered several thousands to tens of thousands of years after deposition. Identifying and quantifying such diagenetic overprint is of the utmost importance to accurately interpret the sedimentary record. In marine environments affected by hydrocarbon seepage and/or the presence of gas hydrates the geochemical zonation is often significantly condensed and the sulfate/methane transition zone is typically located close to the sediment surface - in this way impacting the initial sediment composition at relatively shallow depth. While the process of AOM induces the destruction of several primary sediment components it also goes along with the diagenetic formation of secondary signals. One of these diagenetically formed compounds is authigenic barite which precipitates slightly above the SMTZ. We demonstrate that - following the approach of Dickens (2001) - authigenic barite can be a valuable geochemical proxy to trace the downward migration of the SMTZ over time as a result of the decomposition of gas hydrates and/or a decrease in the upward flux of hydrocarbons. Reference Dickens, G.R. (2001) Sulfate profiles and barium fronts in sediment on the Blake Ridge: Present and past methane fluxes through a large gas hydrate reservoir. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 65, 529-543.