ABSTRACT

Vertical profiles of total sulfur and organic carbon have been measured in two deep-sea piston cores from the Japan Basin of the Japan Sea. The concentration of total sulfur, most of which is present as pyrite, is less than 0.05% in the upper part, while it suddenly increases to 2.0% at certain depths and reachs 5.0 to 4.2% in both cores. The layers with the extremely high sulfur contents are considered to have deposited primarily as a result of the appearance of H₂S-bearing bottom waters. The ¹⁴C ages of the extremely high sulfur layers nearly coincide with the last glacial period.