『Abstract
Bank sediments and suspended loads of the Brahmaputra River and
its important tributaries were collected from the Himalayan front
to Bangladesh along with most of the important tributaries. Chemical
and isotopic compositions of the sediments are used to trace sediment
provenance and to understand erosion patterns in the basin. Overall
isotopic compositions range from 0.7053 to 0.8250 for Sr and εNd from -20.5 to -6.9. This large range derives
from the variable proportions of sediments from Himalayan formations
with high Sr isotopic ratios and low εNd,
and Transhimalayan plutonic belt with lower Sr isotopic ratios
and higher εNd. The latter are exposed to
erosion in the Tsangpo and in the eastern tributary drainages.
Overall erosion of the Himalayan rocks is dominant, representing
ca 70% of the detrital influx. Compositions of the Brahmaputra
main channel are rather stable between 0.7177 and 0.7284 for Sr
and between -14.4 and -12.5 for εNd throughout
its course in the plain from the Siang-Tsangpo at the foot of
the Himalayan range down to the delta. This stability, despite
the input of large Himalayan rivers suggests that the Siang-Tsangpo
River represents the major source of sediment to the whole Brahmaputra.
Geochemical budget implies that erosion of the Namche Barwa zone
represents about 45% of the total flux at its outflow before confluence
with the Ganga from only 20% of the mountain area. Higher erosion
rates in the eastern syntaxis compared to the other Himalayan
ranges is related to the rapid exhumation rates of this region,
possibly triggerred by higher precipitation over the far-eastern
Himalaya and the high incision potential of the Tsamgpo River
due to its very high water discharge.
Keywords: Brahmmaputra River; Himalayas; Erosion; Sr-87/Sr-86;
Nd-144/Nd-143; Stream sediments 』
『要旨
Brahmaputra川とその重要な支流の河岸堆積物と懸濁負荷が、ヒマラヤ前縁からバングラデシュまで、重要な支流の大部分に沿って採取された。堆積物の化学組成と同位体組成は、堆積物の起源を追跡し、流域の浸食パターンを理解するために用いられた。全体の同位体組成はSrについて0.7053〜0.8250、εNd については-20.5〜-6.9の範囲である。この大きな範囲は、高Sr同位体比と低εNdをもつヒマラヤの地層からの堆積物と、低Sr同位体比と高εNdをもつヒマラヤ横断深成岩帯との様々な割合のかに由来している。後者は、Tsangpoと東部支流流域に浸食されて露出している。ヒマラヤの岩石は全体的に浸食が支配的で、砕屑流入物の約70%を示す。Brahmaputraの主な流路の組成は、ヒマラヤ山脈の麓のSiang-Tsangpoから三角州までの平原の流路全体において、Srは0.7177〜0.7284でεNdは-14.4〜-12.5の間でかなり安定している。この安定性は、ヒマラヤの大河川が流入しているにもかかわらず、Siang-Tsangpo川がBrahmaputra全体への堆積物の主要な源であることを表すことを示している。地球化学収支は、わずか20%の山岳地域からGangaと合流する前での流出において、Namche
Barwa帯の浸食が全フラックスの約45%に相当することを意味する。他のヒマラヤ山脈地域と比べて東部の対曲での浸食速度が速いことは、この地域の急速な再露出速度に関係しており、おそらく最東部ヒマラヤ全体の高い降水量とTsangpo川の非常に高い流出量による高い穿入能力により引き起こされている。』
1. Introduction
2. The Brahmaputra basin
3. Samples
4. Analytical methods
5. Results
5.1. Major elements
5.2. Carbonates
5.3. Sr isotopic compositions of silicate
5.4. Nd isotopic compositions
6. Brahmaputra outflow composition
7. Sources of sediments
8. Erosion distribution in the drainage basin
9. Conclusion
Acknowledgements
References