Abstract Environmental magnetism has been widely used as a rapid, cost-effective, and non-destructive method in various fields including sediment source identification. Systemic magnetic measurements were performed for surface sediments collected from sixty-eight stations within the eastern Beibu Gulf to the south of the Hainan Island. The results indicate that a mixture of single domain (SD) and multi-domain (MD) or persuade single domain (PSD) magnetite and a small part of hematite controlled the magnetic properties of the studied sediments. From north to south, concentration of magnetic minerals slightly decreased and then increased. The study area is partitioned to three sedimentary zones from west to east. Terrigenous input materials from the Qinzhou bay, the Red river, and rivers in the Hainan Island are transported from zone I, II, to III. Terrigenous input dominated sediments of the northern and eastern BBG. Both north–south terrestrial materials and south-north marine sediments carried by offshore tidal current are mixed at further outward to the south of the Hainan Island. The present study proves the effectiveness of the magnetic method for examining provenance and transportation of sediments. We believe that sediments in the eastern Beibu Gulf to the south of the Hainan Island were transported from Qinzhou bay, Red river, and rivers in the Hainan Island.

中文翻译：

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南海西北部表层沉积物磁学研究：对沉积物来源和输送的启示

摘要 环境磁学作为一种快速、经济、无损的方法被广泛应用于包括沉积物来源识别在内的各个领域。对从北部湾东部至海南岛以南的 68 个站点收集的表层沉积物进行了系统磁测量。结果表明，单畴（SD）和多畴（MD）或说服单畴（PSD）磁铁矿和一小部分赤铁矿的混合物控制了研究沉积物的磁性。磁性矿物浓度自北向南略有降低后升高。研究区自西向东划分为三个沉积带。来自钦州湾、红河和海南岛河流的陆源输入材料从I、II、III区运输。陆源输入主导了 BBG 北部和东部的沉积物。近海潮流携带的南北陆地物质和南北海洋沉积物在海南岛以南更远的地方混合。本研究证明了磁法检测沉积物来源和运输的有效性。我们认为海南岛以南北部湾东部的沉积物是从钦州湾、红河和海南岛内的河流运来的。本研究证明了磁法检测沉积物来源和运输的有效性。我们认为海南岛以南北部湾东部的沉积物是从钦州湾、红河和海南岛内的河流运来的。本研究证明了磁法检测沉积物来源和运输的有效性。我们认为海南岛以南北部湾东部的沉积物是从钦州湾、红河和海南岛内的河流运来的。