Magnetic properties of some young basalts from the East Pacific Rise

We report the results of a study of the magnetic properties of basalts recovered from the axis and from 0.7 m.y. old crust at 21° N and 19°30 S on the East Pacific Rise as well as from the 9°03 N overlapping spreading centers. The natural remanent magnetization of the samples from 21° N and 19°30 S decreases from the axis to 0.7 m.y. old crust as a result of low-temperature oxidation. In addition, the magnetic properties of the samples from the 21° N sites indicate that: (1) the magnetic susceptibility and the Koenigsberger ratio decrease with low-temperature alteration, (2) the Curie temperature, the median demagnetizing field and the remanent coercivity increase with maghemitization, (3) the saturation magnetization measured at room temperature does not change significantly with age. The magnetic properties of the basalt samples from the 9°03 N overlapping spreading centers indicate the presence of a high magnetization zone at the tip of the eastern spreading center. This high magnetization zone is the result of the high percentage of unaltered, fine-grained titanomagnetites present in the samples. These measurements are consistent with the results of the three-dimensional inversion of the magnetic field over the 9°03 N overlapping system [Sempere et al., 1984] as well as with detailed tectonic and geochemical investigations of overlapping spreading centers (Sempere and Macdonald, 1986a; Langmuir et al., 1986; Natland et al., 1986). The high magnetization zone appears to be the result of the eruption of highly fractionated basalts enriched in iron associated with the propagation of one of the limbs of the overlapping system into older lithosphere and not just to rapid decay, due to low-temperature oxidation, of the initially high magnetization of pillows extruded in the neovolcanic zone.     

Assessment of the distribution of sponge chips in the sediment of East Pacific Ocean reefs

Sponges are one of the principal agents of bioerosion and sediment production in coral reefs. They generate small carbonate chips that can be found in the sediments, and we investigated whether these could provide a means for assessment of bioerosion applicable to reef monitoring. We tested this hypothesis on samples from 12 Mexican coral reefs distributed along the Pacific coast, where boring sponges were particularly abundant, and quantified the amount of chips in samples of superficial sediment in three grain‐size fractions: fine (<44 μm), medium (44–210 μm) and coarse (>210 μm). The grain‐size distribution varied among reefs, with the majority of the sediment of most reefs being composed of coarse sands, and the medium and fine fractions dominating only at La Entrega and Playa Blanca. All the reefs presented clear evidence of bioerosion by sponges, with the characteristic chips present in the sediment, although at most sites the percentage of chips was very low (from 1% to 3% of the total sediment). Only at La Entrega and Playa Blanca did they constitute a significant fraction of the total sediment (18% and 16%, respectively). While not statistically significant, there was an interesting trend between sponge chips versus sponge abundance that suggests that quantification of the chips in the sediment could be used as a proxy for sponge erosion of the entire community, which cannot be estimated in by laboratory experiments. However, while this methodology could provide an integrated approach to monitor sponge bioerosion, more studies are necessary due to the influence of environmental factors on the transport and deposition of these chips.     

快速扩张的东太平洋海隆侧翼年轻深海丘陵的热液释放现象

大洋板块从洋中脊扩张后,经过热传导和热平流,大洋岩石圈冷却下来。据估算,50%的水热损失(5.5×1012W)和流体通量(2.3×1012m3/a)来自于5Ma或者更年轻的海底。来自0.1～5Ma的地壳流体循环的大量矿物沉降,可以解释地震速度的快速增加,上地壳孔隙度和渗透率随年龄增加而降低,以及504B孔岩心中约6.9Ma时的玄武岩蚀变和矿脉层。虽然发现了洋脊侧翼通量增大的证据,但是由于缺少勘探和足够的知识来了解洋脊侧翼的热液如何释放至海底,对于如此大范围的海底热液喷口的直接观察进行地很少。沿着洋中脊顶部已经发现了上百座活动喷口,在这里已经进行…     

Generation of internal waves of the near-inertial period by a periodic wind

Internal waves at the inertial periods and outside them generated by the tangential stress of a periodic wind are studied in a linear statement. At a constant Väisälä-Brunt frequency and the ocean's depth, formulae have been derived which permit the computation of parameters of forced internal waves close to and at the inertial periods. It is shown that when approaching the inertial period, one can observe not only a general increase of the amplitudes of waves and velocities, but also the emergence of separate spikes at the resonance periods. When the periods exceed the inertial one, the wave disturbances attenuate rapidly in the ocean's depths.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

东太平洋海盆430柱沉积物特征与地层

对东太平洋海盆 ４３０ 柱沉积物的组分、古生物、结构构造以及古地磁、铀系等进行研究后, 将沉积物进行分类、命名与分层, 并确定其年代。研究表明, 本柱由下至上的沉积物分别为含沸石粘土、深海粘土、硅质粘土和钙质粘土。该柱中存在 ４ 个沉积间断, 其中在 ３２５ ｃｍ附近层位有一厚约 １０ ｃｍ 的多金属结核层,此界面为中中新世至晚上新世的沉积间断,它在 Ｃ Ｃ区内普遍存在, 持续时间长, 分布范围广。反映此时南极底层流十分强盛, 对东太平洋 Ｃ Ｃ 区的沉积作用和多金属结核形成与发育产生重要的影响。     

Modeled interactions of mesoscale eddies with the East Pacific Rise: Implications for larval dispersal

Larval transport from distant populations is essential for maintenance and renewal of populations in patchy and disturbed ecosystems such as deep-sea hydrothermal vents. We use quasi-geostrophic modeling to consider the potential for long-distance dispersal of hydrothermal vent larvae in mesoscale eddies interacting with the northern East Pacific Rise. Modeled eddy dynamics were similar to the observed propagation dynamics of Tehuantepec eddies, including their ability to cross the ridge. Simulated surface anticyclones were associated with coherent cyclones in the deep layer with relatively strong current velocities that could significantly increase the dispersal potential of passive particles. Eddy interactions with ridge topography further enhanced tracer dispersal along the ridge axis through shearing and elongation of the eddy core. Simulations suggest that the passage of an eddy would result in local loss from the vent field and aggregate transport with potential enhancement of dispersal between vent fields separated by up to 270 km. Based on the latitude at which most Tehuantepec eddies cross the ridge, eddy-induced flows would enhance connectivity between the 13°N, 11°N, and 9°N vent fields along the East Pacific Rise asymmetrically with higher transport from northern vent fields to southern vent fields.     

Impact of seepage flow on sediment resuspension by internal solitary waves: parameterization and mechanism

Sediment incipient motion is the first step in sediment resuspension. Previous studies ignored the effect of seepage flow on the mobility of sediment particles and simplified the seabed surface as a rigid boundary. A flume experiment was designed to innovatively divide the seabed into two parts to control the dynamic response of the seabed and control the seepage conditions. In the experiment, the seabed sediments and the amplitude of internal solitary waves(ISWs) were changed to compare and ana...     

基于MODIS遥感影像的安达曼海内波特征参数分布及生成周期研究

本文基于2017年634幅MODIS影像分析了安达曼海3个典型区域的内波空间分布特征,定量统计了波峰线长度、波包面积等特征参数,利用射线追踪法探讨了内波的潜在激发源并推算了内波的生成周期。研究表明,安达曼海北部海域的内波空间尺度较小,前导波波峰线的平均长度约为107 km,平均波包面积约为1 860 km²,内波的传播方向主要为东向以及西南向。安达曼海中部海域内波前导波波峰线的平均长度约为133 km,平均波包面积约为3 503 km²,超过70%的内波沿东偏北方向传播。苏门答腊岛北部海域内波前导波波峰线的平均长度约为131 km,平均波包面积约为2 997 km²,内波的传播方向主要为东向、东北向及东南向。安达曼海共有7个潜在内波激发源,内波的生成时间间隔介于11.5～13 h,具有明显的半日周期特征。     

The renavigation of Sea Beam bathymetric data between 9° N and 10° N on the East Pacific Rise

We present a gridded Sea Beam bathymetric map of a 5100 km² area between 9° and 10° N on the East Pacific Rise (included as a color separate accompanying this issue). The raw bathymetric data are renavigated using a technique for calculating smooth adjustments to navigation that incorporates absolute constraints from satellite fixes and acoustically-located explosive shots, and relative constraints from the misfit of bathymetric data at ship track crossovers. We describe a back-projection technique for gridding the bathymetric data that incorporates an approximation for the power distribution within a narrow-beam echo sounding system and accounts for the variable uncertainties associated with multi-beam data. The nodal separation of the resulting map is ~ 80 m in both latitude and longitude, and the sampling of grid points within a 60 × 85 km² region is in excess of 99%. A formal analysis of variance is applied to the gridded bathymetric data. For each grid point, the difference between the variance of data from within a track versus data from between tracks provides an upper bound on the magnitude of bathymetric misfits arising from navigational errors. The renavigation results in an 88% reduction in this quantity. We also examine the effects of renavigation on the misfit of magnetic and gravity data at crossovers and compare our results with other bathymetric surveys. A striking feature of the final bathymetric map is the sinuous regional shape of the rise axis. In plan view, the local trend of morphology sometimes varies by up to 15° and the distances separating changes in morphological trend are about 10–20 km. In cross section the slopes of the rise flanks are notably asymmetric and show some correlation with the offset of the axial magmatic system as detected by seismic methods.     

Genesis of anhydrite in hydrothermally altered basalt from the East Pacific Rise near 13°N

This study reports the occurrence of anhydrite in hydrothermally altered pillow basalt (12°50.55′N, 103°57.62′W, water depth 2 480 m), which may have been produced in the basalt during seawater-basalt interaction in the laboratory. The existence of anhydrite in the altered basalt indicates extensive hightemperature hydrothermal alteration at the surface of seafloor pillow basalt. Microprobe analysis shows significant chemical zoning in the hydrothermally altered pillow basalt, in which Ca, Si and Al contents decrease and P, Fe, Mn, Cr and S contents increase from fresh basalt to altered basalt. The negative correlation between Rb-Sr and Li-Sr, and negative correlation between Li-Ca and Rb-Ca in the high-temperature vent fluids show that these fluids underwent anhydrite precipitation before fluid jetting due to mixing with seawater in the sub-seafloor. Based on these observations, we show that not all Ca in the anhydrite comes from basalt in the reaction zone, and that the basalts on the seafloor or in the upflow zone may also provide Ca for anhydrite.     

The distribution of geothermal fields along the East Pacific Rise from 13°10′ N to 8°20′ N: Implications for deep seated origins

In 1983 a combined SeaMARC I, Sea Beam swath mapping expedition traversed the East Pacific Rise from 13°20 N to 9°50 N, including most of the Clipperton Transform Fault at 10°15 N, and a chain of seamounts at 9°50 N which runs obliquely to both the ridge axis and transform fault trends. We collected temperature, salinity and magnetic data along the same track. These data, combined with Deep-Tow data and French hydrocasts, are used to construct a thermal section of the rise axis from 13°10 N to 8°20 N.Thermal data collected out to 25 km from the rise axis and along the Clipperton Transform Fault indicate that temperatures above the rise axis are uniformly warmer by 0.065°C than bottom water temperatures at equal depths off the axis. The rise axis thermal structure is punctuated by four distinct thermal fields with an average spacing of 155 km. All four of these fields are located on morphologic highs. Three fields are characterized by lenses of warmed water 20 km in length and 300 m thick. Additional clues to hydrothermal activity are provided in two cases by high concentrations of CH₄, dissolved Mn and ³He in the water column and in another case by concentrations of benthic animals commonly associated with hydrothermal regions.We use three methods to estimate large-scale heat loss. Heat flow estimates range from 1250 MW to 5600 MW for one thermal field 25 km in length. Total convective heat loss for the four major fields is estimated to lie between 2100 MW and 9450 MW. If we add the amount of heat it takes to warm the rest of the rise axis (489 km in length) by 0.065.°C, then the calculated axial heat loss is from 12,275 to 38,525 MW (19–61% of the total heat theoretically emitted from crust between 0 and 1 m.y. in age).     

Experimental evidence of habitat provision by aggregations of Riftia pachyptila at hydrothermal vents on the East Pacific Rise

Habitat created or modified by the physical architecture of large or spatially dominant species plays an important role in structuring communities in a variety of terrestrial, aquatic, and marine habitats. At hydrothermal vents, the giant tubeworm Riftia pachyptila forms large and dense aggregations in a spatially and temporally variable environment. The density and diversity of smaller invertebrates is higher in association with aggregations of R. pachyptila than on the surrounding basalt rock seafloor. Artificial substrata designed to mimic R. pachyptila aggregations were deployed along a gradient of productivity to test the hypothesis that high local species diversity is maintained by the provision of complex physical structure in areas of diffuse hydrothermal flow. After 1 year, species assemblages were compared among artificial aggregations in low‐, intermediate‐, and high‐productivity zones and compared to natural aggregations of R. pachyptila from the same site. Hydrothermal vent fauna colonized every artificial aggregation, and both epifaunal density and species richness were highest in areas of high chemosynthetic primary production. The species richness was also similar between natural aggregations of R. pachyptila and artificial aggregations in intermediate‐ and high‐productivity zones, suggesting that complex physical structure alone can support local species diversity in areas of chemosynthetic primary production. Differences in the community composition between natural and artificial aggregations reflect the variability in microhabitat conditions and biological interactions associated with hydrothermal fluid flux at low‐temperature hydrothermal vents. Moreover, these local ecological factors may further contribute to the maintenance of regional species diversity in hydrothermal vent communities on the East Pacific Rise.     

Observations on depth distribution,diversity and abundance of pelagic nemerteans from the Pacific Ocean off California and Hawaii

Meso- and bathypelagic nemerteans were collected during five cruises west of Pt. Conception, California, and one west of Oahu, Hawaii, from depths of 0–3800 m, using a 10 m² Tucker Trawl modified with a thermally protected closing cod end, as well as MOCNESS-10 and MOCNESS-1D trawls. In this study, about 53 putative species were collected off California and about 23 off Hawaii, with little taxonomic overlap between the two groups, as compared to 16 and 0 species previously known from these regions. Numbers of nemertean individuals and species were greatest between 625 and 1750 m off California, and 1300–2500 m off Hawaii. Abundance of nemerteans off California was about 10 times that off Hawaii. The Shannon– Wiener diversity index (H′) was higher for Hawaii than for California due to numerical dominance by two species, Phallonemertes cf murrayi and Nectonemertes cf mirabilis, off California and a more even species distribution off Hawaii. Neither of the two dominant California species showed evidence of nocturnal vertical migration to shallow water. This is the first report of a Phallonemertes species from the Pacific and the first report of pelagic nemerteans from waters off Hawaii.     

Characteristics of short-period internal waves in the Kara Sea inferred from satellite SAR data

In this paper we present the results of short-period internal wave (SIW) observations in the Kara Sea on the basis of satellite ENVISAT ASAR data between July and October 2007. Altogether, 248 internal wave (IW) packets and solitons are identified in 89 SAR images. Detailed spatial statistics of IW signatures and their properties in the Kara Sea is presented. The primary regions of IW activity are the areas near the Kara Gates Strait, the southeastern part of the Novaya Zemlya Trough, and in the vicinity of Cape Zhelaniya. We identify the regions where large IW packets are observed with wavelengths up to 2–3 km and the front length exceeding 200 km. The mean interpacket distance for observed IWs is about 20 km, but it may reach 50–60 km. Consequent IW packets are observed to travel up to 500 km from the presumed generation points. The results of satellite observations are compared with results of previous studies.     

利用SAR遥感卫星资料研究东海内孤立波时空分布特征

通过分析欧洲空间局的地球资源卫星(ERS-1/2)从1995—2010年的合成孔径雷达(SAR)图像,研究了东海内孤立波的时间分布特征,绘制了东海内孤立波的空间分布图,并且反演了个别海区内孤立波的传播速度。研究结果表明:东海内孤立波主要分布在两个海域,台湾东北部海域和长江口、杭州湾以及外舟山群岛附近海域。在这两个海域,大潮期间的强潮流有利于内孤立波的出现。在长江口及附近海域,跃层强时,内孤立波出现的概率相对较高。台湾东北部内孤立波波速约为0.6—0.8 m/s,长江口及附近海域内孤立波波速约为0.6 m/s左右。     

Radiolarian fluxes from the southern Bay of Bengal: sediment trap results

A study of radiolarian fluxes collected during 1991–93 from time-series sediment traps deployed at 1071 and 3010 m water depth in the southern Bay of Bengal (SBBT) yielded 40 species/groups of radiolarians. Among the order Polycystina, the species of sub-order Spumellaria were by far the most abundant (∼95%) followed by sub-order Nassellaria (5%). This is contrary to reports from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is attributed to the prevailing hyposaline condition resulting from the monsoonal rainfall. Higher radiolarian fluxes occurred during March–May, when moderate salinity and a high sea surface temperature (SST) regime prevailed at the trap site. R-mode cluster analysis of the radiolarian flux data revealed three assemblages represented by the cooler (A) and warmer (C) surface dwelling fauna (0–50 m) dominated by spumellarians, and a deeper dwelling (B) sub-surface fauna (50–100 m) associated with deep dwelling (>100 m) nassellarian species. Spongaster tetras tetras, a surface water radiolarian species, exhibited its preference for high SST and moderate salinity conditions during the pre-monsoon season (March–May). Radiolarian fluxes responded to seasonal changes in SST and salinity variations due to the monsoonal precipitation, and the freshwater runoff from the Indian rivers causing a hyposaline condition in the Bay of Bengal. Results imply that the radiolarian assemblages in the down core data may reveal the monsoonal history in the geological past.     

Lava morphology mapping by expert system classification of high-resolution side-scan sonar imagery from the East Pacific Rise, 9°–10°N

Fine-scale lava morphology has been classified on the ridge crest of the East Pacific Rise between 9°15′N and 10°02′N using an expert system classification method. This method establishes the means to classify complicated seafloor environments by integrating textural and geometric feature attributes from a high-resolution side-scan sonar dataset where ground-reference data are available from near-bottom visual observations. The classification in this study focuses upon mapping the lava morphology distribution of sheet, lobate, and pillow flows along the East Pacific Rise. The reliability of the classification has been evaluated using an accuracy assessment. The study region yields a coverage area of 37,814 m² (44%) for lobate flows; 10,421 m² (12%) for pillow flows; 15,096 m² (18%) for sheet flows; 19,679 m² (23%) for fissured areas; and 2,967 m² (3%) for shadows or no data. The systematic distribution of lava morphology along the ridge found in this study supports the idea of using the regional distribution of surface morphology as an indicator of emplacement dynamics and supports an organization of the volcanic plumbing system at a third order segmentation scale beneath mid-ocean ridges.     

A geological transect across the crest of the East Pacific Rise at 21°N latitude made from the deep submersible ALVIN

This paper is a report of geological observations made using the submersible ALVIN on the crest of the East Pacific Rise near 21°N. The profile is 6 km long and crosses a 5–10 km wide plateau which rises 100 m±above the rise flanks. At the axis are exposed fresh glassy pillow lavas with no sediment accumulation in a region termed the neovolcanic zone. This zone is about one kilometer wide and includes elongate ridges of pillow lavas and seventeen hydrothermal vent fields in the study area. Outside the neovolcanic zone the seafloor is extensively fissured in another zone which is up to two kilometers wide. The neovolcanic zone and the fissured zone are included within a rift valley or graben about 3 to 5 km wide and 50 m±deep. This rift valley is asymmetrically located on the west side of the axial plateau; the neovolcanic zone in the study area is asymmetrically located on the east side of the rift graben. Fissured crust is not common outside the rift graben or in the neovolcanic zone; similarly, large throw faults such as those which form the edges of the graben are not found outside of it. These observations can be interpreted according to a volcanic-tectonic cycle in which volcanic eruptions and hydrothermal circulation are followed by a tectonic phase which includes fissuring and vertical movements. When a new cycle starts it may involve a lateral shift of the spreading axis. Lavas along the dive profile are suggested to be no older than a few thousand years based on sediment accumulation. In contrast, seafloor spreading rates here predict crust up to 10⁵ yr old. This observation suggests that lavas from the neovolcanic zone can spread laterally about a kilometer or more and overlap on older crust.     

Control of barrier island shape by inlet sediment bypassing: East Frisian Islands, West Germany

A study of the East Frisian Islands has shown that the plan form of these islands can be explained by processes of inlet sediment bypassing. This island chain is located on a high wave energy, high tide range shoreline where the average deep-water significant wave height exceeds 1.0 m and the spring tidal range varies from 2.7 m at Juist to 2.9 m at Wangerooge. An abundant sediment supply and a strong eastward component of wave power (4.4 × 10³ W m⁻¹) have caused a persistent eastward growth of the barrier islands. The eastward extension of the barriers has been accommodated more by inlet narrowing, than by inlet migration.

It is estimated from morphological evidence that a minimum of 2.7 × 10⁵ m³ of sand is delivered to the inlets each year via the easterly longshore transport system. Much of this sand ultimately bypasses the inlets in the form of large, migrating swash bars. The location where the swash bars attach to the beach is controlled by the amount of overlap of the ebb-tidal delta along the downdrift inlet shoreline. The configuration of the ebbtidal delta, in turn, is a function of inlet size and position of the main ebb channel. The swash bar welding process has caused preferential beach nourishment and historical shoreline progradation. Along the East Frisian Islands this process has produced barrier islands with humpbacked, bulbous updrift and bulbous downdrift shapes. The model of barrier island development presented in this paper not only explains well the configuration of the German barriers but also the morphology of barriers along many other mixed energy coasts.     

Helium and oxygen isotope analyses of hydrothermal fluids from the East Pacific Rise between 17°S and 19°S

 Hydrothermal vent fields south of the Garret Fracture zone were sampled for the isotope composition of helium and oxygen ([¹⁸O]H₂O/[¹⁶OH₂O). The helium isotopes end-member (³He / ⁴He=8.3×R _a and [⁴He]≈1.2–2.4×10^-5 cm³ STP g^-1) is quite similar to other known hydrothermal sites pointing to the homogeneous helium composition of the upper mantle. The δ¹⁸O end-member value (δ¹⁸O≈0.5–0.6‰) confirms previous suggestions from other sites and from isotope modeling, that hydrothermal fluids are slightly enriched in ¹⁸O relative to the ocean as a result of water–rock interactions at high temperature. Received: 11 December 1995/Revision received: 20 December 1996