Statistical Analysis of the Spatial Distribution of Multi-Elements in an Island Arc Region: Complicating Factors and Transfer by Water Currents

The compositions and transfer processes affecting coastal sea sediments from the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean are examined through the construction of comprehensive terrestrial and marine geochemical maps for western Japan. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) suggests that the elemental concentrations of marine sediments vary with particle size, and that this has a greater effect than the regional provenance of the terrestrial material. Cluster analysis is employed to reveal similarities and differences in the geochemistry of coastal sea and stream sediments. This analysis suggests that the geochemical features of fine sands and silts in the marine environment reflect those of stream sediments in the adjacent terrestrial areas. However, gravels and coarse sands do not show this direct relationship, which is likely a result of mineral segregation by strong tidal currents and the denudation of old basement rocks. Finally, the transport processes for the fine-grained sediments are discussed, using the spatial distribution patterns of outliers for those elements enriched in silt and clay. Silty and clayey sediments are found to be transported and dispersed widely by a periodic current in the inner sea, and are selectively deposited at the boundary of different water masses in the outer sea.