稀土元素在成岩型海洋铁锰结核中的富集特征及机制

借助相分析中的偏提取方法对取自东太平洋深海平原上的成岩型铁锰结核进行了选择性提取实验以研究稀土元素在其中各矿物或氧化物相中的分布模式以及铁氧化物和锰氧化物对稀土元素的吸附机制.结果显示,尽管1 nm-水锰矿相对无定形铁的氧化物/氢氧化物而言是成岩型结核中的优势矿物,但是稀土元素主要富集在无定形铁的氧化物/氢氧化物中.虽然稀土元素在海水中主要是以碳酸盐络合物的形式存在,但是无定形铁的氧化物/氢氧化物则是从海水中获得自由稀土元素离子来络合,而1 nm-水锰矿则直接吸附稀土元素的碳酸盐络合物.因此,无定形铁的氧化物/氢氧化物对稀土元素来说具有比1 nm-水锰矿更强的络合能力.成岩型结核的Ce负异常是由于成岩型结核形成于缺氧微环境中,该环境不能把可溶性的Ce~(3+)氧化成不溶性的Ce~(4+)发生沉淀.     

Optimum sampling interval for evaluating ferromanganese nodule resources in the central Indian Ocean

A study to estimate manganese nodule abundance (weight of nodules in kg/m²) was carried out in a small area of the abyssal plains covering a one-degree square block in the central Indian Basin. Abundance was assessed at various intervals by progressively reducing the grid spacing. Sampling the corners of the 1° survey block (approximately110-km spacing), i.e., four stations with 5-7 free-fall operations (sampling locations) in each case, indicated a nodule abundance of 3.50 kg/m². By reducing the sampling spacing to four grid units (0.5° survey blocks) and sampling the entire block at eight stations (25 locations), the average abundance of the block was 3.36 kg/m². Further reduction of the grid to 0.25° survey blocks and sampling in 16 grid units (70 sampling locations) increased the abundance to 4.41 kg/m². For 64 grid units in the one-degree block (sampling in 0.125° survey blocks), a substantially higher value was recorded, i.e., 5.31 kg/m² or about 1.5 times the abundance obtained at a 1° spacing. Adding 25 more stations in 0.0625° survey blocks (intervals of sampling locations approximately 500 m) resulted in a negligible change in abundance, the average value of the one-degree block being 5.23 kg/m². These data demonstrate that, for estimating nodule resources in the region, it is important to adopt a close-grid sampling strategy, so that areas with lower abundance can be relinquished and areas with higher abundance can be confidently identified. To ascertain exact nodule abundance for mine-track selection, it may be sufficient to restrict detailed grid surveys to areas with marked variations in topography and nodule abundance, rather than carrying out such detailed (albeit less cost effective) surveys at a very narrow spacing (0.0625°) over the entire pioneer area.     

深海锰结核以煤代焦还原熔炼新工艺研究

针对锰结核焦炭还原熔炼成本高、焦炭生产过程环境污染严重等问题,作者提出了锰结核以煤代焦还原熔炼新工艺,对减少锰结核冶炼环境污染、降低冶炼成本,具有积极意义.以东北太平洋中部深海锰结核为原料,对还原温度、还原时间、硅石加入量、无烟煤加入量对锰结核中Co、Ni、Cu、Fe、Mn回收率的影响进行了研究.结果表明:500 g锰...     

东太平洋铁锰结核区微生物的丰度及其成矿作用研究

１９９４ 年 ４～１１ 月在东太平洋铁锰结核区, 使用 “向阳红 ０９”船, 采集 ３９ 个表层沉积物、１２ 个上覆水和 ７ 个结核样。在现场用平板法测定了异养细菌和铁、锰细菌丰度, 用稀释法（ Ｍ Ｐ Ｎ 法） 测定硫酸还原菌丰度。为了探讨微生物在大洋成矿过程的作用, 在实验室对异养细菌和锰细菌作纯化分离, 并进行了多项生理生化实验, 参照伯杰氏手册第八版鉴定至属。使用分光光度法, 测定锰细菌对锰、铁离子的转化作用, 使用 ｐ Ｈ 计测定了ｐ Ｈ 值的变化, 同时测定了不同培养温度对转化作用的影响。结果表明, 沉积物中异养细菌的数量在 ３×１００～９５×１０３个／ｇ; 锰、铁细菌的数量在１×１００ ～１×１０３ 个／ｇ; 硫酸盐还原细菌的数量分布范围在 ０～４×１０３个／ｇ;在上覆水和结核样中各类细菌的数量均较低,比沉积物样中各类细菌数低 １ 个数量级。在细菌的种群组成方面与近海区相比存在差异, 特别是在革兰氏阳性菌的组成上微球菌占了绝对优势。在成矿作用方面, 锰细菌对锰、铁氧化还原的实验结果表明, 在好氧的条件下, 锰细菌使可溶性的 Ｍ ｎ２＋ 氧化为 Ｍ ｎ４＋ , 其氧化速度与环境温度存在密切关系, 锰细菌对铁的氧化速度比对锰的氧化速度来得快。在     

深海ROV多层脐带缆绞车卷筒力学分析

通过对深海ROV脐带缆微元段受力情况的分析,基于简化理论模型的假设,建立了能够模拟脐带缆绞车卷筒受力情况的理论模型。对比某绞车的实验数据,验证了本力学模型的正确性。通过对实例的计算分析,能够为深海ROV脐带缆绞车的设计工作提供理论支持。     

大洋多金属结核矿区表层沉积物的物理性质

利用大洋多金属结核矿区调查过程中4个航次所得的600多组表层沉积物物性测试资料,将矿区的沉积物分为5种类型,并分析了这些沉积物的物理性质,同时,运用回归分析方法,统计分析了不同类型沉积物的含水量、湿密度、孔隙比与埋藏深度的关系,以及各物性指标之间的相关关系。结果表明:(1)大洋多金属结核矿区表层沉积物均为粉质土,黄棕色粉质土是西部矿区的主要沉积物类型,棕黄色粉质土是东部矿区的主要沉积物类型;(2)除褐色粉质土外,其余4种类型土的含水量、孔隙比均随埋藏深度的增加而减少和降低,湿密度则随深度增加而增大;(3)各类土的物性指标与埋藏深度的相关性甚好,因而可以利用埋藏深度对矿区的沉积物进行物性指标预测;(4)含水量、孔隙比、湿密度等物性指标之间呈线性相关,其中含水量与孔隙比的相关性最为密切,呈明显线性关系。     

深海高温淀粉普鲁兰酶异源表达及酶活分析

深海热液口厌氧古菌Thermococcus siculi HJ21中的高温淀粉普鲁兰酶进行分子进化树系分析,并在大肠杆菌中通过pMal-c2x载体表达并纯化其N端催化结构域.通过融合表达,在N端催化结构域的N端融合有麦芽糖结合蛋白MalE.对该融合蛋白的α-淀粉酶和普鲁兰酶活性进行了实验分析.融合蛋白的两种酶活的最适温...     

深海采矿整体联动风险分析及应急撤离策略研究

深海采矿作为新领域资源重点开发项目,国外已开展部分试验研究,国内现阶段仅停留在重点设备部件级功能验证,还未开展过系统整体联动,距离海洋油气等正在进行的规模化商业开采还有很大距离.本文以深海采矿系统整体联动模型为基础,与海洋油气工程作业平台技术模型进行对比,对整体联动风险点进行深度分析,并根据重点风险部件开展其悬挂模式、...     

Numerical analysis of cross-section ovalization in the deep-sea pipeline lateral buckling process

Abstract

The deep-water pipeline is the main means of transportation in offshore oil and gas development engineering. The deep-water pipeline may incur lateral global buckling due to the high temperature and pressure that are applied on the pipeline to ensure the contents’ liquidity. With the increasing operating water depth, a higher temperature and pressure are applied to the pipeline, causing large lateral deformation and a large bending moment. Due to the inhomogeneous distribution of the bending moment on the cross-section, different points on the cross-section will deform differently. This kind of deformation causes the cross-section to turn into an oval ring. The cross-section ovalization caused by global buckling was rarely analyzed in former engineering practice since the load is relatively low. With the increase in operation water depth and operation load, the ovality caused by global buckling is noticeable. This article analyzed cross-section ovalization caused by pipeline lateral global buckling with a numerical simulation method. The pipelines with different initial cross-section shapes were simulated, and the influence of several impact factors, including load, pipeline and soil factors on the ovality of the cross-section, were analyzed. The results show that the initial cross-section shape type has little effect on the pipeline ovalization pattern. The initial ovality of the pipeline with an oval ring cross-section shape has little influence on the residual ovality. Among all the factors analyzed in this paper, the pressure difference is the primary factor that should be considered in a pipeline ovalization check.     

Influence of surface texture and microhabitat heterogeneity in structuring nodule faunal communities

Manganese nodules provide an important habitat for sessile benthic organisms, many of them novel foraminifera, in the abyssal Pacific. The surface texture and microhabitat heterogeneity of nodules may play a significant role in structuring these communities. We analyzed the distribution of foraminiferal species on 20 nodules collected using either a USNEL box corer or the Nautile submersible sampling tool at a 5000-m-deep site in the Tropical North Pacific. The nodules had an upper region characterized by two microhabitats, namely raised surfaces and intervening depressed surfaces. The more or less vertical sides of the nodules were regarded as a third microhabitat. The upper region had a predominantly smooth texture while the sides had a rough texture. We tested whether the percent cover of each of the 34 species examined was distributed evenly over the three microhabitats and the two surface textures (smooth vs rough). More than half (20 out of 34) of species covered a greater area on smooth surfaces than on rough surfaces, while one-third of the species (12 out of 34) occurred more on raised microhabitats than on depressed surfaces and nodule sides. These two results are closely interrelated, since 78% of the raised surfaces were characterized by a smooth texture. The nodule-encrusting species were feeding either on suspended particles or on particles deposited on the nodule surfaces. Because most species had a mat-like or domed morphology, we suspect that nodule surface feeding was more prevalent. Current flow, which transports propagules and particulate food, may be the main environmental factor explaining the observed faunal distributions, as it is in the case of other hard-substrate assemblages.     

Image analysis of seafloor photographs for estimation of deep-sea minerals

Factors such as non-uniform illumination of seafloor photographs and partial burial of polymetallic nodules and crusts under sediments have prevented the development of a fully automatic system for evaluating the distribution characteristics of these minerals, necessitating the involvement of a user input. A method has been developed whereby spectral signatures of different features are identified using a software ‘trained’ by a user, and the images are digitized for coverage estimation of nodules and crusts. Analysis of >20,000 seafloor photographs was carried out along five camera transects covering a total distance of 450 km at 5,100–5,300 m water depth in the Central Indian Ocean. The good positive correlation (R² > 0.98) recorded between visual and computed estimates shows that both methods of estimation are highly reliable. The digitally computed estimates were ∼10% higher than the visual estimates of the same photographs; the latter have a conservative operator error, implying that computed estimates would more accurately predict a relatively high resource potential. The fact that nodules were present in grab samples from some locations where photographs had nil nodule coverage emphasises that nodules may not always be exposed on the seafloor and that buried nodules will also have to be accounted for during resource evaluation. When coupled with accurate positioning/depth data and grab sampling, photographic estimates can provide detailed information on the spatial distribution of mineral deposits, the associated substrates, and the topographic features that control their occurrences. Such information is critical for resource modelling, the selection of mine sites, the designing of mining systems and the planning of mining operations.     

Variability of suspended organic matter in the surface layer of the Black Sea (deep-sea areas)

The peculiarities of the distribution of the components of the suspended organic matter (SOM) and their interannual and seasonal variability have been analysed in the surface water layer and photic water layer of the Black Sea (the deep-sea areas) for the period of 1978–1995. The statistical assessment of the seasonal and monthly dynamics of the SOM components and their ratios was performed. The seasonal dynamics of the concentration of particulate organic carbon have been calculated based on the data on the Chlorophyll “a” (Chl “a”) concentration in the surface water layer based on the regression relationship between these two parameters measured in situ simultaneously. Taking these relationships into account, the interannual dynamics of the Chl “a” concentration have been analysed for the period of 1978–2010. It was found that the concentrations of the SOM components increased significantly in the 1980’s and early 1990’s with the maximum reached in the summer of 1992. It was also found that the seasonal interannual dynamics of the components of the SOM were mainly preconditioned by the interannual dynamics of the phytoplankton biomass, which, in turn, depended on the climatic conditions.     

Prediction and measurement of the stability of a deep-sea trimooring

The three-dimensional array of current velocity and temperature sensors for the Internal Wave Experiment (IWEX) was supported on a tripod mooring rising from the sea floor to a height of 5 km in water km deep. The mooring was so designed that its current-induced motions would be small, as required by the experiment. Sensitivity of the mooring excursions to cable buoyancy, leg inclination, apex buoyancy and cable size was examined by computer simulation to optimize the design.When deployed the mooring carried nine precision pressure recorders to monitor its configuration and stability. After removal of the tidal pressure variations, the pressure records confirmed vertical excursions small enough to contribute only insignificant noise to the velocity measurements. Comparison of the measured excursions with those predicted by computer simulation using actual current measurements showed good agreement.     

Lipid correction for carbon stable isotope analysis of deep-sea fishes

Stable isotope analysis of fish tissue can aid studies of deep-sea food webs because sampling difficulties severely limit sample sizes of fish for traditional diet studies. The carbon stable isotope ratio (δ¹³C) is widely used in food web studies, but it must be corrected to remove variability associated with varying lipid content in the tissue. A lipid correction has not been determined for any deep-sea fish. These fishes are ideal for studying lipid correction because lipid content varies widely among species. Our objective was to evaluate an application of a mass balance δ¹³C correction to a taxonomically diverse group of deep-sea fishes by determining the effect of lipid extraction on the stable isotope ratios, examining the quality of the model parameters derived for the mass balance correction, and comparing the correction to published results. We measured the lipid extraction effect on the nitrogen stable isotope ratio (δ¹⁵N) and δ¹³C of muscle tissue from 30 North Atlantic species. Lipid extraction significantly increased tissue δ¹⁵N (+0.66‰) and δ¹³C values, but the treatment effect on δ¹³C was dependent on C:N, a proxy for lipid content. We compared the lipid-extracted δ¹³C to the δ¹³C predicted by the mass balance correction using model variables estimated from either all individuals (pooled) or species-by-species or using published values from other species. The correction using the species-by-species approach performed best; however, all three approaches produced corrected values that were generally within 0.5‰ of the measured lipid-free δ¹³C and that had a small over-all bias (<0.5‰). We conclude that a generalized mass balance correction works well for correcting δ¹³C in deep-sea fishes, is similar to that developed for other fishes, and recommend caution when applying a generalized correction to fish with high lipid content (C:N >8).     

Vibration analysis of stepped-pipe strings for mining from deep-sea floors

The present study addresses essentially to the investigation of the longitudinal vibrations of a stepped-pipe string for mining from deep-sea floors. The stepped-pipe string, consisting of four parts having different physical properties in each pipe string segment, is assumed to have two pump modules and a buffer, each of which is equipped with a vibration absorber. Moreover, the pipe string is subjected to external viscous damping because of the surrounding medium. A theoretical analysis has been made for a simplified model of the system, in which it is assumed that both the pump modules and buffer can be considered as concentrated masses, the fluid inside of the pipe string vibrates together with the string, and that the flexible pipe does not affect the vibration of the pipe string. Furthermore, absorbers are modeled as concentrated masses, each of which is attached to pump modules and the buffer by springs and dampers. Applying the method of separation of variables, exact analytical solutions for damped free and forced responses of the system subjected to heave motion of the mining ship are determined with and without absorbers, in which overdamped and underdamped modes are determined and studied separately too. It is important to note that the solutions obtained are expressed in terms of parameters characterizing the physical properties of the system under consideration. Numerical applications show that the attachment of convenient vibration absorbers causes the longitudinal displacements at the certain locations to decrease to very small values, where the vibration absorbers are adjusted to the excitation frequency.     

Lipids and pigments in deep-sea surface sediments and interfacial particles from the Western Crozet Basin

Deep-sea sediment samples were collected in the Western Crozet Basin (Indian sector of the Southern Ocean) through Permanently Open Ocean Zone (POOZ), Polar Frontal Zone (PFZ) and Sub-Antarctic Zone (SAZ). Lipid class and fatty acid compositions were investigated to determine the sources and fate of organic matter in the first centimeter of sediment and, above this layer, in the fluff (when present) and particles in the overlying water. The total lipid content varied from 74 to 1033 μg l⁻¹ in the overlying particles and fluffs, and from 24 to 97 μg g⁻¹ dry mass (DM) in surficial sediments. Lipid composition was always dominated by phospholipids in the first centimeter of sediment and often in the overlying particles. The amount of phospholipids (labile compounds representative of fresh material) was compared to the amount of chlorophyll a (Chl a), another compound that is susceptible to rapid degradation. A strong N–S gradient was observed in the distribution of these two compounds, which was attributed to the contrasting hydrodynamic of the study area. The high sedimentation rate in POOZ resulted in better preservation of Chl a in this zone than in other zones of the Crozet Basin (PFZ and SAZ). Phospholipid fatty acids suggested the presence of viable as well as morphologically intact organisms, and these organisms consisted essentially of bacteria with some diatom cysts in the fluff of POOZ. These spores were able to grow in the culture, indicating that they were still viable. Despite the strong hydrodynamic variability, phospholipid fatty acids analysed from the deep-sea surficial sediments were never representative of plankton. This pointed to the extremely labile nature of the phospholipids originally present in planktonic material compared with Chl a, which was always found in overlying particles and surficial sediments.     

Radiochemical,scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray dispersive energy (EDAX) studies of a FAMOUS hydrothermal deposit

During the French-American Mid-Oceanic Undersea Survey (FAMOUS) the French team participating in the mission explored the active A transform fault with the diving saucer CYANA, and discovered a characteristic hydrothermal deposit. The results presented here concern the structural and radiochemical study of three samples: two metalenriched samples and one sample of consolidated calcareous sediment recovered from the area.It is shown that there is a chemical segregation between silica and iron on one hand, and manganese in the other hand, and that on such deposits the layer-by-layer radio-chemical analysis of the uranium series is not applicable.Three different age estimations may be made:In the managanese encrustation, thorium 230 is depleted towards equilibrium with its parent uranium 234, suggesting a maximum age of 45,000 years to the deposit.On the contrary, the outermost layer, 0.1 cm thick, formed essentially with loose sediment stained with oxides, presents an excess of thorium 230. The Σ²³⁰Th_(excess)/cm² may be used to calculate a minimum age of 20 years.Such a sediment thickness, in this area, corresponds to a time span of 50 years.     

Energy budget of surface waves in the global ocean

Mechanical energy input from atmosphere and losses from wave-breaking dissipation of sea surface waves are estimated by a direct scheme. This scheme is based on the integration in the wavenumber space of the wind input and breaking dissipation source functions of the MASNUM wave model. The global amount of wind energy input, averaged in 2005, is about 57 TW, and the wave-breaking dissipation summed in deep-water is about 33 TW, over a half of the wind energy input. The residual may be dissipated by beach processes. Global distributions of the energy input and breaking dissipation concentrate in the westerlies of the Southern Hemisphere.     

Discharge and surface plume measurements during manganese nodule mining tests in the north equatorial pacific

Rates, concentrations, and composition of mining discharge and the size and structure of the ensuing surface plumes were examined during North Pacific tests of scaled manganese nodule mining systems. Discharge was composed principally of bottom water and pelagic silts and clays, although nodule fragments with diameters less than 1 mm were also discharged at widely varying rates. Average flow rates of the discharge varied from 95 to 160 litres/s, with the solid fraction varying from 550 to approximately 2000g/s. The plume, as determined by particulate concentrations in excess of ambient oceanic conditions, extended approximately 5 km from the mining ship and had a width of about 1 km. Fe and Mn signatures allowed detection of the plume nearly 35 km from the source. The plume provided evidence of settling more rapidly than expected of silt and clay-size particles: a mean settling velocity of 6 × 10^?2 cm/s for the particulates in the plume and a mixed layer vertical turbulent eddy diffusivity of 1 × 10^?2m²/s have been inferred from the data. Field and laboratory data together suggest that the rapid settling was due to flocculation of the discharge particulates.