Deep ocean fluxes and their link to surface ocean processes and the biological pump

Intense studies of upper and deep ocean processes were carried out in the Northwestern Indian Ocean (Arabian Sea) within the framework of JGOFS and related projects in order to improve our understanding of the marine carbon cycle and the ocean’s role as a reservoir for atmospheric CO₂. The results show a pronounced monsoon-driven seasonality with enhanced organic carbon fluxes into the deep-sea during the SW Monsoon and during the early and late NE Monsoon north of 10°N. The productivity is mainly regulated by inputs of nutrients from subsurface waters into the euphotic zone via upwelling and mixed layer-deepening. Deep mixing introduces light limitation by carrying photoautotrophic organisms below the euphotic zone during the peak of the NE Monsoon. Nevertheless, deep mixing and strong upwelling during the SW Monsoon provide an ecological advantage for diatoms over other photoautotrophic organisms by increasing the silica concentrations in the euphotic zone. When silica concentrations fall below 2 μmol l⁻¹, diatoms lose their dominance in the plankton community. During diatom-dominated blooms, the biological pathway of uptake of CO₂ (the biological pump) appears to be more efficient than during blooms of other organisms, as indicated by organic carbon to carbonate carbon (rain) ratios. Due to the seasonal alternation of diatom and non-diatom dominated exports, spatial variations of the annual mean rain ratios are hardly discernible along the main JGOFS transect.Data-based estimates of the annual mean impact of the biological pump on the fCO₂ in the surface water suggest that the biological pump reduces the increase of fCO₂ in the surface water caused by intrusion of CO₂-enriched subsurface water by 50–70%. The remaining 30 to 50% are attributed to CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere. Rain ratios up to 60% higher in river-influenced areas off Pakistan and in the Bay of Bengal than in the open Arabian Sea imply that riverine silica inputs can further enhance the impact of the biological pump on the fCO₂ in the surface water by supporting diatom blooms. Consequently, it is assumed that reduced river discharges caused by the damming of major rivers increase CO₂ emission by lowering silica inputs to the Arabian Sea; this mechanism probably operates in other regions of the world ocean also.     

Microbial Biomass and Organic Nutrients in the Deep-Sea Sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin

In order to assess the impact of deep-sea mining on the in situ benthic life, we measured the microbial standing stock and concentration of organic nutrients in the deep-sea sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin in the Indian pioneer area. Sediments were collected using box core and grab samples during September 1996. The total bacterial numbers ranged from 10 10 -10 11 cells per g -1 dry weight sediment. There was a marginal decrease in the number of bacteria from surface to 30 cm depth, though the subsurface section registered a higher number than did the surface. The highest numbers were encountered at depths of 4-8 cm. The retrievable number of bacteria were two orders less in comparison with the direct total counts of bacteria. An almost homogeneous distribution of bacteria, total organic carbon, living biomass, and lipids throughout the depth of cores indicates active microbial and benthic processes in the deep sea sediments. On the other hand, a uniform distribution of total counts of bacteria, carbohydrates, and total organic carbon in all the cores indicates their stable nature and suggests that they can serve as useful parameters for long-term monitoring of the area after the benthic disturbance. Further studies on temporal variability in this region would not only verify the observed norms of distribution of these variables but would also help to understand restabilization processes after the simulated benthic disturbance.     

气相色谱指纹法在海上油污染源鉴别中的应用

通过一个具体案例,探讨了气相色谱指纹法在海上油污染源鉴别中的应用。该鉴别方法基于样品的正构烷烃气相色谱指纹分析,选择既能表征油种固有特性,又受风化影响较小的正十七烷(n-C17)、正十八烷(n-C18)、姥鲛烷(phy)、植烷(phy)和正二十烷(n-C20)等特征烷烃作为判据,可信度大,而且整个操作流程短(一般不超过半天),较简便易行。     

渤海、黄海、东海沉积物中矿物组合的研究

本文对黄海、渤海、东海以及长江、黄河、辽河表层沉积物中的轻、重矿物进行了研究。分析资料表明,调查区内共有三种类型的矿物:陆源矿物、自生矿物和海底火山喷发形成的火山型矿物。根据轻、重矿物组合的差异,可把调查区分成8个矿物区。其物质来源主要为黄河与长江。黄河物质主要沉积在黄海、渤海;长江物质沉积在东海陆架区,而冲绳海槽则发现有海底火山喷发物质与浊流沉积。     

The influence of island generated eddies on the carbon dioxide system, south of the Canary Islands

Measurements of surface partial pressure of CO₂ and water column alkalinity, pH_T, nutrients, oxygen, fluorescence and hydrography were carried out, south of the Canary Islands during September 1998. Cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies were alternatively observed from the northwestern area to the central area of the Canary Islands. Nutrient pumping and vertical uplifting of the deep chlorophyll maximum by cyclonic eddies were also ascertained by upward displacement of dissolved inorganic carbon. A model was applied to determine the net inorganic carbon balance in the cyclonic eddy. The fluxes were determined considering both the diffusive and convective contributions from the upward pumping and the corresponding horizontal transport of water outside the area. An increase in the total inorganic carbon concentration in the upper layers inside the eddy field of 133 mmol C m^− 2 d^− 1 was determined. The upward flux of inorganic carbon decreased the effect of the increased primary production on the carbon dioxide chemistry. The reduced fCO₂ inside the cyclonic eddy, 15 μatm lower than that observed in non-affected surface water, was explained by thermodynamic aspects, biological activity, eddy upward pumping and diffusion and air–sea water exchange effects.     

台湾海峡表层沉积物中重矿物特征及其物质来源

台湾海峡重矿物平均分布0.95%,其分布由西岸向东岸递减;由北部经台湾浅滩朝粤东方向缓慢递减。碎屑矿物46种,以角闪石、绿帘石、磁铁矿、钛铁矿、褐铁矿和片状矿物为主,它们占重矿物含量的67%。据主要重矿物含量将海峡分成8个矿物组合区。碎屑矿物来自海峡两岸基岩,通过河流搬运入海,有部分片状矿物为海峡以北的物质随浙闽沿岸流进入海峡而沉积。其海绿石是台湾西岸、澎湖岛第三系或第四系含海绿石岩层剥蚀后搬运入海沉积而成的。台湾浅滩的残留沉积物为晚更新世低海面时期的河口滨海相沉积物。由于处在开放的海洋环境,至今没有接受现代沉积。残留沉积物中的磁铁矿、钛铁矿、锆石等重矿物相对富集,含量高于近源海域,有可能赋存浅海砂矿。     

A technique for conducting seismic refraction experiments on the ocean bed using bottom shots

A technique has been devised for firing arrays of bottom shots on the ocean bed in depths upto 4000 m or more. Ten kilogram explosive charges are dropped from the surface while the shooting ship is navigated acoustically. They are detonated at preset times by an electronic timer which initiates an electrical detonator, detonating cord and cast PETN/TNT explosive. Ranges to ocean bottom seismographs, and the shot instants, can be calculated from the arrival-time differences of the direct and surface-reflected water waves. The accuracy, which is dependent on water-depth and range, was better than 22 m in range and 14 msec in shot instant for our experiments.     

耗散源函数及LAGFD-WAM海浪数值模式的改进

本文是在LAGFD-WAM海浪模式方法基础上,根据破碎波统计理论给出了LAGFD耗散源函数形式。同时对LAGFD-WAM模式进行了改进并与WAM模式作了三种典型风场下的对比实验和实测结果检验,取得了较好的结果。     

Characteristics of Clay Minerals in the Northern South China Sea and Its Implications for Evolution of East Asian Monsoon since Miocene

Clay mineral assemblages, crystallinity, chemistry, and micromorphology of clay particles in sediments from ODP Site 1146 in the northern South China Sea (SCS) were analyzed, and used to trace sediment sources and obtain proxy records of the past changes in the East Asian monsoon climate since the Miocene, based on a multi-approach, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS). Clay minerals consist mainly of illite and smectite, with associated chlorite and kaolinite. The illite at ODP Site 1146 has very well-to-well crystallinity, and smectite has moderate-to-poor crystallinity. In SEM the smectite particles at ODP Site 1146 often appear cauliflower-like, a typical micromorphology of volcanic smecites. The smectite at ODP Site 1146 is relatively rich in Si element, but poor in Fe, very similar to the smectite from the West Philippine Sea. In contrast, the chemical composition of illite at ODP Site 1146 has no obvious differences from those of the Loess plateau, Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Pearl River. A further study on sediment source indicates that smectite originates mainly from Luzon, kaolinite from the Pearl River, and illite and chlorite from the Pearl River, Taiwan and/or the Yangtze River. The clay mineral assemblages at ODP Site 1146 were not only controlled by continental eathering regimes surrounding the SCS, but also by the changing strength of the transport processes. The ratios of (illite+chlorite)/smectite at ODP Site 1146 were adopted as proxies for the East Asian monsoon evolution. Relatively higher ratios reflect strongly intensified winter monsoon relative to summer monsoon, in contrast, lower ratios indicate a strengthened summer monsoon relative to winter monsoon. The consistent variation of this clay proxy from those of Loess plateau, eolian deposition in the North Pacific, planktonic, benthic foraminifera, and black carbon in the SCS since 20 Ma shows that three profound shifts of the East Asian winter monsoon intensity, and aridity in the Asian inland and the intensity of winter monsoon relative to summer monsoon, occurred at about 15 Ma, 8 Ma, and the younger at about 3 Ma. The phased uplift of the Himalaya-Tibetan plateau may have played a significant role in strengthening the Asian monsoon at 15 Ma, 8 Ma, and 3 Ma.     

Impact of Montmorillonite and Calcite on Release and Adsorption of Cyanobacterial Fatty Acids at Ambient Temperature

Minerals might act as important sorbents of sedimentary organic matter and reduce biodegradation, which favors the formation of hydrocarbon source rocks in the earth's history. Since most organic matter is degraded during the sinking process, at ambient temperature, it is important to investigate the adsorption capacity of different minerals during this process, to assess the organic loss from primary productivity to sedimentary organic matter. In this study, montmorillonite and calcite have been selected to study the impact of different minerals on the release, adsorption, and deposition of cyanobacterial (Synechococcus elonpata) fatty acids (FAs) at ambient temperature. Gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) have been utilized to detect the variation in fatty acids. Primary results suggest that minerals have a different impact on dissolved organic matter. Montmorillonite can specifically enhance the release of fatty acids from cyanobacterial cells by lowering the pH values of the solution. The adsorption of the dissolved organic matter by montmorillonite will also be enhanced under a lower pH value. Conjunction of fatty acids with montmorillonite to form a complex will favor the sinking and preservation of these organics. Selective adsorption is observed among fatty acids with different carbon numbers. In contrast, calcite does not show any impact on the release and adsorption of organic matter even though it is reportedly capable of acting as a catalyst during the transformation of organic matter at high temperature. The primary data bridge a link between primary productivity and sedimentary organic matter, suggesting the relative importance of claystones in the formation of hydrocarbon source rocks in the earth's history.