The effects of acidification on the stable isotope signatures of marine algae and molluscs

Carbon (¹³C) and nitrogen (¹⁵N) stable isotope analysis has become increasingly important in the study of energy flow and tropho-dynamics in many ecosystems. Prior to analysis, samples are often pre-treated with acids to remove inorganic carbonates which may bias the results. The effects of pre-analysis acidification on isotopic values are, however, still poorly understood for marine producers (e.g. algae and cyanobacteria), and consumers (e.g. molluscs), which may confound the comparability of different studies. In this study, such effects (untreated vs. decalcified samples) were examined at two different sampling periods (summer and winter). Acidification did not seem to affect the isotopic composition of consumers, but reduced both δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of producers. This effect was consistent for the two sampling periods, although both producers and consumers had more enriched δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values in summer. Acidification had the most distinct, negative effect on the isotopic values of samples which had low carbonate contents. It is, therefore, important to be aware of temporal variations in sample isotopic values and especially the effects of sample treatment when attempting to compare different studies. As an attempt to standardize protocols, it is recommended that only acid-washing carbonate-rich samples is adopted as the most appropriate pre-analysis treatment.     

Numerical simulation of influence of the anomalies of the Central-eastern Equatorial Pacific SST and Arctic seaice cover in summer on the atmospheric circulation

A series of numerical experiments have been conducted with a perpetual July, nine-level general circulation spectral model to determine the effect of variation of the Arctic sea ice cover extent and the joint effect of anomalies of both the Arctic sea ice cover and the Central-eastern Equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature on the summer general circulation. Results show that the two factors,anomalously large extent of the Arctic sea ice cover and anomalously warm sea surface temperature over the Central-eastern Equatorial Pacific Ocean, play substantially the equal role in the effect on the summer general circulation, and either of them can notably induce the atmospheric anomalies. The main dynamical processes determining the effect of the Arctic sea ice and the equatorial SST anomalies are associated with two leading teleconnection patterns, i. e. the Asia North/American and Eurasian patterns observed in atmosphere. The results presented in this paper again prove that the general circulation is fun     

Microwave signatures of the sea ice in the east Greenland current

Airborne microwave radiometer measurements at 5, 17, and 34 GHz have been carried out over the East Greenland Current. Sea ice signatures have been established for some of the basic ice types like first-year ice and multiyear ice. Other signatures have been experienced like that of presumably very old arctic ice and signatures associated more with the snow cover on the ice than with the ice itself. During MIZEX-83 measurements of total ice concentration were carried out.     

Protein expression signatures: an application of proteomics

The methods of proteomics, the study of the protein complement of the genome, are applicable to environmental testing. Sets of proteins specific to different stressors can be isolated using computer imaging software. Individual proteins can be identified by mass spectrometry. The Protein Expression Signatures (PES) obtained have potential in diagnosing adverse factors in the environment. The challenge is to demonstrate their feasibility in complex environments. We have shown that PES for three endocrine disrupting compounds in trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss), can be detected in mixed sewage effluent. Other studies support these results. As protein databases expand, identification becomes routine, and capture molecules specific to each protein are developed, the possibility of simple field tests for multiple stressors becomes real.     

Bio-optical signatures and biogeochemistry from intense upwelling and relaxation in coastal California

The NSF-sponsored Coastal Ocean Processes Wind Events and Shelf Transport (WEST) experiment investigates the interplay between wind-driven transport and shelf productivity; while eastern boundary shelves are characterized by high productivity due to upward fluxes of nutrients into the euphotic zone, wind forcing also represents negative physical and biological controls via offshore transport and deep (light-limiting) mixing of primary producers. Although this interaction has been well documented for eastern boundary systems generally and for California specifically, one of the primary goals of WEST was to characterize more fully the interplay between positive and negative effects of wind stress, which result in the consistently elevated biological productivity in these shelf regions. During 3 month-long summer cruises (2000–2002) we observed extremes in upwelling/relaxation, using both in situ instrumentation and remotely sensed data. Relationships between optical and physical properties were examined, with emphasis on biogeochemical implications. During 2000, the WEST region was optically dominated by phytoplankton and covarying constituents. During 2001 and 2002, periods of more intense upwelling favorable winds, we observed a transition to optical properties dominated by detrital and inorganic materials. In all years, the continental shelf break provided a natural boundary between optically distinct shelf and open ocean waters. During 2002, we obtained discrete trace-metal measurements of particulate iron and aluminum; we develop a bio-optical proxy for acetic-acid leachable iron from backscatter and fluorescence, and demonstrate that particulate iron is not well correlated to traditional upwelling proxies such as macronutrients, temperature, and salinity. We conclude that the shelf break between ca. 100 and 200 m water depth serves as a natural break point between coastal and oceanic water masses in this region, and that the elevated biomass and productivity associated with this eastern boundary current regime is dominated by these iron rich, shallow shelf waters.     

Generation of baroclinic wave signatures by moving atmospheric fronts

The paper addresses the plane linear problem on generation of an internal wave in a continuously stratified ocean by a moving atmospheric front. The front exhibits air pressure perturbations, as well as the field of tangential wind stress. In the frame of a model for the planetary atmospheric boundary layer, a relationship between the air pressure and wind fields has been derived, generalizing Ackerbloom's formulae for the case of a moving atmospheric anomaly. Using the Fourier transform, a relation has been obtained for the wave's signature in the wake of a moving atmospheric perturbation, and the respective analysis has been performed. Numerical estimates of the internal wave amplitudes have been acquired for the mean density stratification in the Kuril-Kamchatka region. Comparative analysis of the effectiveness of wave signature generation by the moving areas of surface pressures and tangential wind stresses has been carried out. It has been demonstrated that the latter field determines the effectiveness of baroclinic wave signature generation. Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

Real-time extraction of hydrodynamic flow characteristics using surface signatures

This work describes a simple and robust engineering approach for the real-time sensing and monitoring of unsteady hydrodynamic loads and moments. Innovative flow diagnostics techniques are used to extract critical flow phenomena such as the state of the boundary layer (laminar, transitional, or turbulent), leading-edge stagnation point (or attachment line), flow separation and reattachment, and vortex pattern and their dynamic characteristics from surface hot-film signatures obtained with multielement, micron-thin surface hot-film sensors operated by a bank of constant voltage anemometers. Unsteady hydrodynamic loads and moments are then obtained as a function of the instantaneous locations of the critical surface signatures. Test results from a few recent experiments are described. The heuristics approach presented here will be useful for the development of closed-loop active control system for advanced autonomous underwater vehicle designs with biologically inspired smart actuators.     

Pigment signatures of phytoplankton composition in the northern Benguela ecosystem during spring

Pigment indices were used to investigate the distribution and composition of phytoplankton in the northern Benguela during the austral spring of 2000, with sampling being conducted on five transect lines between 19°S and 25°S and at other inshore stations on the shelf. Total chlorophyll a concentrations (TChla) at the surface ranged from 18.4mg m^?3 at shallow inshore stations to 0.58mg ^m?3 at offshore localities in deeper water. Phytoplankton communities in the inshore environment were characterised by elevated biomass levels and the dominance of diatoms (high Fuc_DP indices). These diatom populations were associated with cool, higher density, nutrient-rich waters near the coast. Phytoplankton biomass declined with increasing distance offshore and the communities changed to a mixed population where small flagellates were generally dominant (high Flag_DP indices). These flagellate communities were associated with warmer, lower density waters. Whereas dinoflagellates (Per_DP Index) and prokaryotes (Zea_DP Index) were observed throughout the region, their contribution to the communities was of secondary importance.     

Pigment signatures of some diatoms isolated from China seas

1 Introduction Bacillariophyceae (commonly referred to as di- atoms) are a major component of the world’s marine phytoplankton pool, and they form the base of the food chain in many oceanic regions, especially in temperate seawaters (Llewellyn and Gibb, …     

Structural and thermodynamic signatures of marine microlayer surfactant films

Natural surface film experiments in inland waters and shallow offshore regions of the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas were carried out in the time period 1990–1999 under calm sea conditions using a novel device for sampling and force-area studies. The sampler-Langmuir trough-Wilhelmy filter paper plate system ‘cuts out’ an undisturbed film-covered sea area to perform π-A studies without any initial physico-chemical sample processing. The limiting specific area A_lim (2.68–31.57 nm²/molecule) and mean molecular mass M_w (0.65–9.7 kDa) of microlayer surfactants were determined from the 2D virial equation of state applied to the isotherms. Enthalpy ΔH and entropy ΔS_t of the 2D first-order phase transitions were evaluated using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation applied to the isotherms. Miscibility of film components and film structure evolution is expressed by the scaling exponent y adopting the 2D polymer film scaling theory. The stress-relaxation measurements revealed a two-step relaxation process at the interface with characteristic times τ₁=1.1–2.8 and τ₂=5.6–25.6 seconds suggesting the presence of diffusion-controlled and structural organisation relaxation phenomena. The obtained results suggest that natural films are a complex mixture of biomolecules covering a wide range of solubilities, surface activity and molecular masses with an apparent structural organisation exhibiting a spatial and temporal variability.     

Polarization Signature of Radar Backscattering Spatial Variations

A new type of polarization signatures for the radar imaging of the Earth’s cover is proposed. These signatures allow determining the degree of spatial variations of the backscattering coefficient based on the fractal approach. The azimuthal dependence of the radar backscattering spatial variations is discovered when analyzing backscattering on a pine forest.     

激发极化法在水下主动电场探测中的应用

介绍了一种来源于弱电鱼的仿生主动电场探测机制,为了优化主动电场探测方法,研究了勘探地球物理学中激发极化法的应用,认为在同样的激发条件下,水下被测物也一样存在这种激电过程。搭建实验平台环境,使用小型蓄水池模拟海水域环境,辅以成熟的仪器设备,在实验平台中分别进行直流激电法与变频激电法电场探测实验。在 2 个不同的实验中,分别设定了不同的特征关系式对实验结果进行量化分析, 每个实验分别对空白背景对照组、铜立方体、铜圆柱、铝立方体、铝圆柱与塑料圆柱体进行测试,直流激电法原理简单、还原度高,所有实验组与空白背景环境存在明显差异,且所有金属物体的激电效应都强于非金属塑料,符合理论分析。变频激电法实验相比于直流激电法没有那么明显的组间关联性与规律。     

Morphologic signatures in submarine canyons and gullies,central USA Atlantic continental margins

The accumulation of bathymetric and seismic data on many continental margins has provided valuable new insights into variability of seascape morphology. The present challenge is in finding appropriate manners to characterise that morphology so that variations between areas and between potential influences can be recorded. In this paper, we employ hypsometry (area-elevation analysis) and present parameters derived from 65 hypsometric curves which represent distinct slope-basin shapes, based on data from the central USA Atlantic continental slope. The distinction of morphologic signatures has derived from the statistical moments, such as skewness and kurtosis, in describing the hypsometric curves of the submarine basins. Moreover, basin geometry in planview and network structure, have shown to be remarkably well reflected in the shape of the hypsometric curve. Based on the combined analysis of morphology and submarine processes and scenarios, we propose that concave hypsometry is characteristic of trellis networks that probably initiated by sporadic erosion by sedimentary flows, spilling over the shelf edge. The convex hypsometry that characterises poor- to well- developed dendritic networks, heading at or below the shelf break, is attributed to retrograde erosion and sediment fallout events, respectively. These results present initial step in helping to infer submarine processes from morphology, and provide initial information about the environmental scenarios for areas where the erosional record is unknown.     

Stock identification and life history interpretation using trace element signatures in salmon otoliths

Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) in the North Pacific Ocean are anadromous fish, and spend most of their life in the sea until spawning in natal streams. To identify the stock and habitat characteristics of chum salmon, the composition of chemical elements (Ca, Mn, Sr, Zn, and Ba) in otolith was examined using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). Two main types of analytical work have been carried out; discrete spot analysis and line scan analysis of otolith sections. Salmon otoliths were obtained from the eastern (Canada and USA) and western (Japan and Korea) North Pacific during 1997–1999 spawning seasons. Spot analysis of otolith cores demonstrated significant differences in the element concentration among countries (p = 0.003). Line scanning from the core to the margin showed that Sr concentrations were elevated at the core of the otoliths, decreased during the freshwater stage, increased suddenly at a certain point, and oscillated periodically towards the margin matching with year-ring. The elevated Sr concentration at the core may reflect the maternal contribution to the egg, and the oscillations toward the margin may reflect salinity gradients between onshore/offshore or north/south migrations. The Zn profiles also oscillated and corresponded to the annual ring of the otolith. However, the profiles of Sr and Zn oscillated oppositely after salmon migrated to saline water and the Zn uptake declined toward the rim of the otolith while Sr uptake increased.     

Simultaneous radiometric and radar altimetric measurements of sea microwave signatures

We discuss the advantages provided by the combined use of a polarization microwave radiometer and a short-pulse radar altimeter for sea roughness monitoring. A brief analysis of the potential of each device taken separately is carried out, which shows the advisability of their combination. The method and the results of the experiment performed with an airborneK-band radiometer and an altimeter are described. It is shown that, in regions of fully developed roughness, a correlation exists between the polarization characteristics of the microwave radiation by the sea surface and the rms sea waveheight as measured by the altimeter. Correlation is not found in regions where the roughness is not developed. Therefore, the combination of the two instruments makes it possible to sense the regions of fully developed sea roughness.     

410不锈钢在海水中阴极极化行为的研究

本文采用动电位极化曲线法和恒电位极化法研究410不锈钢在天然海水和模拟闭塞液中的阴极极化行为。采用失重法研究在模拟闭塞液中、不同阴极电位下的保护效果。体式显微镜(SM)、扫描电镜(SEM)和能谱X-射线分析(EDX)用于分析阴极保护7 d后410不锈钢表面的产物。结果表明:在保护电位为-0.70~-0.90V(vs.SCE)之间,410不锈钢在海水中的腐蚀得到有效的保护,在模拟闭塞液中的保护度80%。当阴极保护电位正于-0.70 V(vs.SCE)时,局部腐蚀得不到有效的防护;负于-0.90 V(vs.SCE)就会有氢脆的危险。当保护电位为-0.90 V(vs.SCE)时,天然海水中产生的垢层主要成分是CaCO3,在模拟闭塞液中表面产生明显的锈、垢混合物,垢层的主要成分是Mg(OH)2。     

Preservation of Mesoproterozoic age deep burial fluid signatures,NW Scotland

Bedding-parallel fibrous calcite is a widely developed feature of mudrock successions, reflecting conditions of fluid overpressure (Stoneley, 1983, Parnell et al., 2000, Cobbold et al., 2013). The calcite preserves signatures of fluids developed during deep burial, including hydrocarbons. Most studied examples are of Phanerozoic (<540 Ma) age. This study reports well-preserved fibrous calcite in the Mesoproterozoic (∼1180 Ma) Stoer Group, NW Scotland. The fibrous calcite occurs immediately above a unit of carbonaceous black shale. If hydrocarbons were generated from the black shales, they could have contributed to the development of fluid overpressure, but there is no direct evidence for this. The calcite reflects the original deep burial fluid, rather than a later overprint, because (i) it has a distribution related to stratigraphy, (ii) the bedding-parallel fibres have not been recrystallized, and (iii) later veining is at high angles to bedding. The calcite contains fluid inclusions, and has yielded stable isotope and entrained volatile data, indicating the potential to record diagenetic processes over one billion years ago.     

基于极化SAR数据的海浪信息反演

基于C波段极化AIRSAR数据,采用性能较好、计算简便的圆极化法提取极化方位角,利用极化SAR数据的反演算法反演海浪参数。将反演的海浪参数与NDBC浮标测得数据进行比对,结果显示两者反演海浪参数较为一致,精度符合海浪观测要求。同时,对海岸岬角在海浪传播过程中的折射作用进行了分析,发现海浪由开放水域向近岸浅水域传播过程中受到海岸岬角折射影响较大,结果符合近岸海浪传播特征。     

Fluid sources and stable isotope signatures in authigenic carbonates from the Northern Apennines,Italy

Authigenic carbonates are frequently associated with methane cold-seep systems, which extensively occur in various geologic settings worldwide. Of interest is the relation between the fluids involved in their formation and the isotopic signals recorded in the carbonate cements. Along the Northern Apennines foothills (Italy), hydrocarbons and connate waters still seeping nowadays are believed to be the primary sources for the formation of fossil authigenic carbonate found in Plio-Pleistocene marine sediments. Four selected outcrops of dolomitic authigenic carbonates were analysed to compare signature of seeping fluids with fractionation of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes recorded in the carbonate.Along the foothills, deep methane-rich fluids spontaneously rise to the surface through mud volcanoes or are exploited in wells drilled nearby to the fossil Plio-Pleistocene authigenic carbonates. The plumbing system providing fluids to present-day cold seeps was structurally achieved in Late Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene. δ¹³C values of methane, which vary from −51.9 to −43.0‰ VPDB, indicate that gas composition from the deep hydrocarbon reservoirs is relatively uniform along the foothills. On the contrary, δ¹³C in fossil authigenic carbonates strongly varies among different areas and also within the same outcrop.The different carbon sources that fed the investigated carbonates were identified and include: thermogenic methane from the deep Miocene reservoirs, ¹³C-enriched CO₂ derived from secondary methanogenesis and microbial methane from Pliocene successions buried in the Po Plain. The δ¹³C variability documented among samples from a single outcrop testifies that the authigenic carbonates might represent a record of varying biogeochemical processes in the hydrocarbon reservoirs. The sources of stable oxygen isotopes in authigenic carbonates are often ascribed to marine water. Oxygen isotopic fractionation in the dolomite cements indicates that marine pore water couldn't be the sole source of oxygen. δ¹⁸O values provide a preliminary evidence that connate waters had a role in the carbonates precipitation. The concomitant occurrence of active cold seepages and fossil record of former plumbing systems suggests that generation and migration of hydrocarbons are long-lasting and very effective processes along the Northern Apennines foothills.     

Protein expression signatures and lysosomal stability in Mytilus edulis exposed to graded copper concentrations.

Protein expression and lysosomal stability were observed in Mytilus edulis exposed to 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 ppb copper sulfate for 24 h in a static exposure system. Haemolymph was removed from each mussel and analyzed for lysosomal damage using the Neutral Red retention assay expressed as the ratio of lysosomal size to cell area, the lysosomal destabilization ratio. Gill tissue from the same individuals was dissected, homogenized and the proteins extracted and then separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Two-dimensional protein maps from each concentration were analyzed using MELANIE II 2D gel analysis software (Biorad). Lysosomal damage increased with each dosage, with LDRs ranging from 0.18 +/- 0.01 at 0 ppb copper sulfate to 0.32 +/- 0.11 at 80 ppb copper sulfate. Orthogonal comparisons showed that the control, 20 and 40 ppb classes together differed significantly (P < 0.05) from the 60 and 80 ppb classes together. Specific protein expression signatures were identified at each dosage.