Chemical characteristics of hadal waters in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench of the western Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Vertical profiles of potential temperature, salinity, and some chemical components were obtained at a trench station (29°05′N, 142°51′E; depth = 9768 m) in the Izu-Ogasawara (Bonin) Trench in 1984 and 1994 to characterize the hadal waters below ∼6000 m depth. We compared portions of both the 1984 and 1994 profiles with nearby data obtained between 1976 and 2013. Results demonstrated that the hadal waters had slightly higher potential temperature and nitrate and lower dissolved oxygen than waters at sill depths (∼6000 m) outside the trench, probably due to the effective accumulation of geothermal heat and active biological processes inside the trench. The silicate, iron, and manganese profiles in 1984 showed slight but significant increases below ∼6000 m depth, suggesting that these components may have been intermittently supplied from the trench bottom. Significant amounts of ²²²Rn in excess over ²²⁶Ra were detected in the hadal waters up to 2675 m from the bottom, reflecting laterally supplied ²²²Rn from the trench walls.