Sub-surface magma movement inferred from low-frequency seismic events in the off-Nicobar region, Andaman Sea.

Monitoring volcanic activity along the submarine volcanoes that are usually induced by subsurface magmatism is a challenge. We present fresh set of Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS) data that shows geophysical evidence indicative of subsurface magmatism along the submarine volcanoes in the off Nicobar region, Andaman Sea. In this region, we observed for the first time, hybrid very long-period earthquakes documented by passive OBS experiment. These events were initiated by high-frequency (5-10 Hz) with a clear onset of P-phase followed by low-frequency (0.01-0.5 Hz) oscillations in the range of 300-600 s with a prominent high-frequency (10-40 Hz) hydro-acoustic phase. A total of 141 high-frequency events were detected on 21st and 22nd March 2014 out of which 71 were of low-frequency oscillations. These events are distributed in the northwest-southeast direction along the submarine volcanic arc and Seulimeum strand of Great Sumatra fault. Off Nicobar region has been witnessing frequent earthquake swarms since 26th December 2004 tsunamigenic Sumatra earthquake. These swarms occurred in January 2005, March and October 2014, November 2015 and March 2019. The occurrence of low-frequency earthquakes and prominent hydro-acoustic phase are suggestive of sub-surface tectonic and magmatic influence. We propose that upward movement of magma pulses from deeper magma reservoir to the shallow magma chamber activated the strike-slip movement of sliver faults and induced earthquake swarms in the off Nicobar region.

Acoustic reflections in the water column of Krishna-Godavari offshore basin, Bay of Bengal.

Seismic oceanographic studies from various oceans worldwide have indicated that the acoustic reflections are mostly observed along thermal boundaries within the water column. However, the authors present a case study of seismic data from Krishna-Godavari Basin which shows that salinity variations also play an important role in the occurrence of water column reflections. The observed reflection is modeled using the reflectivity series derived from the salinity and temperature profiles from a nearby Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) location. Sensitivity analysis of temperature and salinity on soundspeed shows that the effect of salinity cannot be ignored for modeling acoustic reflections. The synthetic seismogram matches well with the observed reflection seismic data. Remarkable similarities between the reflection seismic and the salinity profile in the upper thermocline suggest the importance of salinity variations on the water column reflection. Furthermore, impedance inversion of the reflectivity data reveals several thermohaline structures in the water column. The origin of these thermohaline structures is largely unaddressed and may be attributed to the fresh water influx coming from Himalayan and Peninsular rivers or due to the presence of different water masses in the Indian Ocean which warrants a detailed study using concurrent seismic and CTD data.

A Cenozoic record of the equatorial Pacific carbonate compensation depth.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and climate are regulated on geological timescales by the balance between carbon input from volcanic and metamorphic outgassing and its removal by weathering feedbacks; these feedbacks involve the erosion of silicate rocks and organic-carbon-bearing rocks. The integrated effect of these processes is reflected in the calcium carbonate compensation depth, which is the oceanic depth at which calcium carbonate is dissolved. Here we present a carbonate accumulation record that covers the past 53 million years from a depth transect in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. The carbonate compensation depth tracks long-term ocean cooling, deepening from 3.0-3.5 kilometres during the early Cenozoic (approximately 55 million years ago) to 4.6 kilometres at present, consistent with an overall Cenozoic increase in weathering. We find large superimposed fluctuations in carbonate compensation depth during the middle and late Eocene. Using Earth system models, we identify changes in weathering and the mode of organic-carbon delivery as two key processes to explain these large-scale Eocene fluctuations of the carbonate compensation depth.