line-level: 2" class=MsoNormal>weight: bold" lang=EN-US>Distribution of Mineral Assemblages in Offshore Surface Sediments of DalianBay in the Northwestern North Yellow Sea and Their Provenance and Environmental Implications
///Based on X-ray diffraction analysis of clay mineral compositions in the offshore surface sediments of DalianBay and DayaoBay, together with separation and identification on light minerals, the assemblages and distribution characteristics of these minerals were studied.Their sources and sedimentary environments were discussed. The mineral distribution is obviously controlled by local topography.The coastal shallow-water slope in the north of the study area is characterized by enrichment of plagioclase, quartz and K-feldspar, and lower weight percentage of light minerals, indicating strong hydrodynamic conditions and nearby source.With water depth increasing southward to a submarine platform, there are high contents of chlorite, muscovite, rich clay and silt in sediments, and lower contents of plagioclase, quartz and K-feldspar, indicating weakened hydrodynamic conditions and far sediment source.Calcite is a characteristic mineral of Yellow River sediments and mainly distributed in the western study area, which illustrates that sediments in the western study area are partly from the Yellow River.According to the distribution patterns of chlorite, muscovite and clay, fine grained sediment zone in the middle of the study area is transported from east to west.