Temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of nutrients in Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone in the Pacific in 2017

This research investigated eight stations in Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone(CCFZ) in the eastern tropical Pacific in 2017 to study the spatial distribution characteristics of nutrients and chlorophyll a(Chl a) concentration,and compared nutrient concentrations and molar ratios with those of other investigations 20 years ago in the same area. The study found that dissolved inorganic nutrient(N, P and Si) concentrations were lowest in the upper layer, and increased from surface to some depths, t...     

A preliminary study on diatoms and silicoflagellates in cores from CC Zone, the East Pacific

I~IOXSince the add-1970s, in the course of operation and reSearch of DSDP and ODP, abundantremains of diatornS and silicoflagellateS have been found in the ocedc depoSits, especially in thedePOsits below calcium car~e compenSation depth, where the calcareous fOSSils are almOSt dissolved, so that the diatorns and silicoflagellates are taken as an important means to be widely usedin stratigraphical subdivision and correlation and tO reconstruct PaleOCeanic environment since Tertiary in…     

Role of Siliceous Fossil Dissolution in Downcore Variations of Grain Size and Water Content: Western Margin of Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone,NE Equatorial Pacific

Abstract

Grain size and water content in box-core sediments from the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone (C-C zone) in the northeast equatorial Pacific were analyzed in detail to understand the downcore variations across a hiatus between Quaternary and Tertiary layers. Grain-size distributions in the topmost core sediments show two modes: a coarse mode (peaked at 50 μm) and a fine mode (at 2–25 μm). The coarse mode disappears gradually with depth accompanied by the dissolution of siliceous fossil tests, whereas the fine mode coarsens due to the formation of authigenic minerals. Water content increases abruptly across a color boundary between an upper pale brown layer and a lower dark brown layer that is the hiatus between Quaternary and Tertiary layers. Abundant smectites and microvoid molds, which are created by the prolonged fossil dissolution in the underlying sediment, are attributed for the abrupt downcore variation of water content. Overall variations in grain size and water content in the topmost core sediments in the western C-C zone are possibly constrained by the dissolution of biogenic siliceous fossils. Variations in geotechnical properties related to these changes must be considered in the design of nodule collectors.     

Sea Levels and Western Boundary Flow Near a Tectonic Zone in the Northern Pacific

This article concerns an interrelation between the sea levels and the western boundary flow near a tectonic boundary in a local zone in the Northwestern Pacific. In this zone, sea level variations at stations located on the coast facing the Pacific are studied to find the interrelation between variations of the Kurosio flow as an index of the distance of the flow axis off a specific coast. The result is discussed after data processing of the monthly means of the sea levels, and a notice is taken of variations caused by active crustal upheavals during a seismic event, a local earthquake.     

海洋与气候学视域下中北太平洋过渡区研究现状、启示与对策

中北太平洋过渡区是高低纬海洋西边界强化动力系统的接续区和交汇区,是大尺度和中小尺度海洋过程的突出集中区,是研究海洋和海气系统多尺度过程与海洋气候和环境生态效应的关键区。文章从海洋学和气候学角度简述中北太平洋过渡区相关海域有关科学研究成果,并就相关科学问题研究现状和不足提出启发性研究对策和建议。结果表明,中北太平洋过渡区对认识全球变暖背景下海洋与气候变化的临界条件、临界状态、跨界触发、通道机制等研究具有重要参考价值,建议通过国际合作主导引领相关地区海洋自主或联合调查,系统构建气候变化观测体系,发展多尺度过程互馈机制和可预测性研究,创建仿生仿真多功能耦合模型,突破致害致灾风险预评估与区划技术关键,为深化海洋与气候变化认识,防灾减灾研究,海洋区域治理和海洋环境与生态安全保障提供坚实的科技支撑。     

Role of Siliceous Fossil Dissolution in Downcore Variations of Grain Size and Water Content: Western Margin of Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, NE Equatorial Pacific

Grain size and water content in box-core sediments from the Clarion-Clipperton fracture zone (C-C zone) in the northeast equatorial Pacific were analyzed in detail to understand the downcore variations across a hiatus between Quaternary and Tertiary layers. Grain-size distributions in the topmost core sediments show two modes: a coarse mode (peaked at 50 μm) and a fine mode (at 2-25 μm). The coarse mode disappears gradually with depth accompanied by the dissolution of siliceous fossil tests, whereas the fine mode coarsens due to the formation of authigenic minerals. Water content increases abruptly across a color boundary between an upper pale brown layer and a lower dark brown layer that is the hiatus between Quaternary and Tertiary layers. Abundant smectites and microvoid molds, which are created by the prolonged fossil dissolution in the underlying sediment, are attributed for the abrupt downcore variation of water content. Overall variations in grain size and water content in the topmost core sediments in the western C-C zone are possibly constrained by the dissolution of biogenic siliceous fossils. Variations in geotechnical properties related to these changes must be considered in the design of nodule collectors.     

Deposition of hydrogenetic and hydrothermal manganese minerals in the Ogasawara (Bonin) Arc Area,Northwest Pacific

A widespread distribution of hydrothermal and hydrogenetic manganese deposits is described in the results of the Hakurei‐Maru cruises conducted in the Bonin Arc areas of the West Pacific from 1984 to 1989. Manganese deposits occur in the active volcano chains, back‐arc basins, remnant back‐arc ridges, and oceanic seamounts.

The hydrogenetic iron‐manganese deposits commonly form earthly black crusts and nodules on the topographic highs of inactive ridges and old seamounts, sometimes as thick as 10 cm. They are always composed of the iron‐manganese mineral vernadite. Co and Ni contents are relatively high in the crusts from the seamounts in the open Pacific Ocean (up to 1.1% Co and 1.0% Ni). Two generations of distinct chemistry and texture are typical of these crusts, which can be compared to reported thick crusts from the Central Pacific seamounts.

The hydrothermal deposits, characterized by dense, submetallic, and gray appearance, are dominant in the recent and also in past submarine volcanoes of the island‐arc systems. Evidence of past hydrothermal activity was ascertained as fossil hydrothermal manganese deposits inside the hydrogenetic nodules or beneath the hydrogenetic crusts over the Tertiary island arc. Their component minerals are considered to be todorokite and bimessite (stable and contractible upon dehydration), having almost negligible amounts of Fe, Si, Al, Ni, Co, Zn, Pb, Cu, etc. In the small model site, the Kaikata Seamount hydrothermal area, the presumably recent hydrothermal activity has yielded thin slabs of pure manganate deposits growing downward within volcanic and sand layers.

Early diagenetic influence is negligible on nodules of this area.     

Grain size,La/Yb and Th/Sc of settling particles in the western North Pacific: Evidence for lateral transport of small Asian loess

To understand the transport process of lithogenic particles in the ocean, we measured the grain size distributions of lithogenic particles and measured the opal, La, Yb, Th, and Sc concentrations of the settling particles collected from time-series sediment traps at Sta. KNOT (44°N, 155°E, water depth 5320 m) from June 2002 to May 2004. The annual mean lithogenic particle flux observed at the lower sediment trap (5100 m) was twice as high as that at the upper sediment trap (770 m). The contribution of Asian loess estimated by the La/Yb and the Th/Sc ratios in the lower layer was greater than that in the upper layer. The fluxes of small lithogenic particles with sizes of 3–4 μm at the lower layer (5 to 65 mg/m²/day) were approximately four times larger than that at the upper layer (0.6 to 27 mg/m²/day). These results indicate that the horizontal addition of small particle sizes of Asian loess is a main factor in the increase of lithogenic particles at the lower layer. The temporal variations in the small lithogenic particle flux at the lower layer had a positive correlation with those at the upper layer (r = 0.71). The small lithogenic particle fluxes showed a strong positive correlation with the opal fluxes (r = 0.9). We therefore conclude that the small lithogenic particles were laterally transported and scavenged by the formation of aggregates with opal.     

西太平洋及其边缘海的浮游动物系统分类、物种多样性及新物种-中国海洋生物分类专著的简要编目

生物多样性的研究和保护首先从认识物种开始,并需要内容全面的的基础资料,这很大程度上依赖于通过现场调查和文献研习所获得的物种编目和分布图集研究成果。由于分类学人才储备不足,重要标本的收集和鉴定变得越来越困难。西太平洋是全球海洋生物种源中心,许多海洋生物类群的最高物种多样性都出现于该区域。本文在西太平洋及其边缘海（105-152°E,0–45°N）701个测站获取的6203份浮游动物样品分类鉴定基础之上,对1965-2008年该区浮游动物主要类群的系统分类、物种多样性和新物种新纪录进行了汇编和总结。本文共记录和编入西太平洋及其边缘海10个浮游动物类群206科686属2657种（含亚种）。包括水螅水母类99科251属697种,栉水母类12科22属59种,浮游软体动物14科36属85种,介形类8科91属416种,桡足类51科156属908种,糠虾类4科60属202种,磷虾类2科8属56种,十足类8科23属105种,毛颚类5科13属48种,被囊类5科26属81种。文中详细列举了10大类群的主要优势种,并记述了筒螅水母科2新种以及棒状水母科1新属2新种。许多赤道热带海、高纬度寒带海、深海深层的浮游动物物种在我国首次记录,较以往我国所记录的1852种增加了806种,增录43.5%,包括赤道热带种增录1.4%,高纬度冷水种增录3.5%,深海深水种增录3.2%。作者还对中国海洋浮游动物研究的5个主要领域进行了展望。本文的定性系统分类信息对海洋浮游动物多样性和生物地理学研究具有重要意义,特别是对2008年以后中国海洋生物种类全面系统总结的专著而言。     

Role of Bacteria in the Carbon and Nitrogen Flow between Water-Column and Sediment in a Shallow Marine Bay (Bay of Piran, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Abstract. The interdependences between phytoplankton standing crop, bacterial biomass and the dissolved organic matter (DOM) pool in the water column were investigated and related to sediment parameters in a shallow marine bay (Bay of Piran, Northern Adriatic Sea) over an annual cycle. Bacterioplankton density varied between 1–10 × 10⁵ cells ml^-1, with lowest density observed in March corresponding to the low Chi a concentrations during this period. Generation times as determined by dialysis incubations ranged between 4h (June) and 82 h (March). Mean bacterial secondary production rates during summer were about 40 mg C m^-1 d^-1 and 5mg C m^-3.d^-1 during winter. With a short time lag, DOM concentrations followed the fluctuation in Chi a.
Sediment oxygen demand measurements revealed a mean mineralization rate of about 260 mg C m^-2 d^-1 during summer and 100–200 mg C m^-2 d^-1 in winter. Sediment bacterial density varied between 10⁸ - 10⁹ cells g (sediment dry wt)^-1 in the top 5 cm sediment layer or, in terms of biomass, 4.3 g C m^-l during summer and 0.6 g C m^-2 during winter. Highest concentrations of DOM in pore waters were measured in September, coinciding with high rates of sediment oxygen demand.     

High-West and Low-East Distribution Patterns of Chlorophyll a, Primary Productivity and Diatoms in the Subarctic North Pacific Surface Waters, Midwinter 1996

We have determined chlorophyll a (Chla) concentration, primary productivity, cell density and species composition of diatoms, and the number of microzooplankton at the surface in the subarctic North Pacific in January 1996. The wet weight of copepods obtained by vertical tows from 150 m to the surface was also measured during the cruise. Chla concentration and primary productivity tended to be higher in the region west of 180°, the western subarctic North Pacific (WSNP), than east of 180°, the eastern subarctic North Pacific (ESNP). The same results were observed for the total diatom cell densities and for the genera Thalassiosira and Denticulopsis. Significant linear relationships were observed between the Thalassiosira cell density and Chla concentration and primary productivity, indicating that Thalassiosira contributes to the high-WSNP and low-ESNP distribution patterns of Chla concentration and primary productivity. Moreover, naked ciliate abundance tended to be lower in the WSNP than in the ESNP, whereas copepod biomass showed an inverse trend. Significantly negative Spearman rank correlations were found between the Thalassiosira cell density and the number of naked ciliates and between the number of naked ciliates and the wet weight of copepods. These results indicate that copepod grazing indirectly controls Thalassiosira cell density via predation on the naked ciliates. We conclude that the high copepod biomass in the WSNP is a factor controlling the high-WSNP and low-ESNP Thalassiosira abundance and hence Chla concentration and primary productivity patterns.     

Ba, Si, U, Al, Sc, La, Th, C and C/C in a sediment core in the western subarctic Pacific as proxies of past biological production

A sediment core covering the last 145 kyrs was collected in the western subarctic Pacific (WSAP), and analyzed for Ba, U, Al, Sc, La, Yb, Th, biogenic opal (Opal) and organic carbon (C_org) as well as its isotopic ratio (δ¹³C). This study examined the change of past biological production in WSAP with multiple proxies, together with understanding the relation between Loess from the Asian continent and the biological production. The Loess content was estimated from the metal components, Al, Sc, La, Yb and Th. In this high latitude core (50°N), the Loess content was generally high during the glacial periods, but it was also high even in some interglacial periods. The excess amount of Ba relative to the detrital material composition, Ba_ex, showed the best correlation with the Vostok δD (r = 0.72, p < 0.001), indicating that the biological production was lower in the glacial periods than in the interglacials. This corroborates the pervasive correlation between Ba_ex in the polar region, WSAP and the Antarctic Sea, and Antarctic temperature, combined with previous research. This correlation might be explained by the stratification caused by cooling. In addition, the time variations of Ba_ex in WSAP were similar to those of Ba_ex in the Okhotsk Sea and of other proxies (C_org and Opal) in both the Okhotsk and the Bering Sea, indicating the spatial homogeneity of Ba_ex in WSAP including proximal marginal seas. The Opal content was more weakly correlated with the Vostok δD (r = 0.46, p < 0.001) than Ba_ex, reflecting that Opal in WSAP including proximal marginal seas was spatially heterogeneous compared to Ba_ex. While both the C_org content and U_ex, the excess amount of U relative to the detritus composition, were not positively correlated with the Vostok δD, they behaved similarly in the sediments. The positive correlation between δ¹³C and the Vostok δD (r = 0.42, p < 0.001), between δ¹³C and Ba_ex (r = 0.60, p < 0.001) and between δ¹³C and Opal (r = 0.36, p < 0.01) indicates that δ¹³C in WSAP may give some information on the phytoplankton growth rate. There was not a significant correlation between the spatially homogeneous Ba_ex in WSAP and Loess (r = − 0.16, p > 0.01), suggesting that the increase of biological production with the increase of Loess supply during the glacial periods did not occur.