Optical dating of Holocene lake sediments: Elimination of the feldspar component in fine silt quartz samples

Optically stimulated luminescence of fine silt quartz was investigated to establish chronologies for lake sediments from the British Isles. Feldspar contamination and its potential effects on equivalent dose (D_e) determination were examined. A new feldspar contamination test based on the thermal quenching of quartz OSL and thermal assistance of feldspar OSL identified feldspar contamination in samples being treated for 20 min in 20% hydrofluoric acid. Feldspar component monitoring based on the post-IR OSL/OSL ratio was not sufficiently sensitive to monitor a feldspar component, but is a good indicator whether a standard SAR procedure can be applied successfully, despite the presence of feldspar. Based on these results we used a modified SAR protocol including a 100 s IRSL stimulation at 50 °C before OSL readout. This protocol could overcome any malign effects of feldspar even for a feldspar bearing polymineral sub-sample.     

Seasonal variation in water column conditions in the upper Gulf of Thailand

Seasonal variation in water column conditions in the upper Gulf of Thailand (UGoT) was analyzed by considering four major factors including surface heat flux, freshwater discharge, tidal and wind stirrings. The coincidence of surface heat loss, low river discharge and strong wind resulted in vertical well-mixing in December. Strong stratification developed in September and October due to large river discharge and moderate heat flux. Strong surface heating in April and May has a potential to generate strong stratification, although not as large as that in September and October due to low river discharge. Although no factors are prominent during January and March, and June and August, weak to moderate stratification results, because the influences of river discharge and surface heating are still larger than those of tidal and wind stirrings. The results of water column analysis based on monthly average data agree well with analyses derived from cruise data in the same months. Most analytical results correspond to the distributions of temperature and salinity from field observations. Disagreement, however, was found in December 2003 (cruise CU-2) when stratification in some small regions occurs in the distribution of water properties, but the water column analysis suggests vertical well-mixing. This phenomenon is triggered by non-uniform distribution of freshwater over UGoT, which is related to river discharge, monsoonal wind and current. Compared to a previous study regarding surface chlorophyll dynamics, water column conditions may be used to explain the occurrence of phytoplankton bloom in this region.     

On the speciation of metals in the water column of a polluted estuary

The dissolved (<0.40 γm) fraction of water samples from Newark Bay, New Jersey was analysed for Zn, Cu and Pb content by differential pulse anodic stripping polarographic techniques. In the dissolved fraction, non-labile forms of Zn, Cu and Pb exist as shown by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry analysis on acidified samples and acidified-UV irradiated samples. The particulate fraction (>;0.40 μm) contains metals in the form of sulphides (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn), oxides and oxyhydroxides (Si, Al, Fe, Cu, Ni, Sn), phosphate (Ca, Ce, La), clay minerals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Ti) and carbonaceous material (Fe, Cu, Zn) as demonstrated by X-ray microanalysis. The solid phases are likely present in colloidal form in the dissolved fraction of the water column as well. The forms of the metals in the water column are partially due to the resuspension of bottom sediments by dredging and natural processes, to sewage outfall and to natural geochemical processes.     

藻源性湖泛水体显黑颗粒的元素形态分析与鉴定

湖泛现象是我国超富营养化浅水湖泊面临的最严峻环境问题之一,水体发黑、发臭是湖泛水体最显著和基本的物理特征.针对太湖湖泛显黑颗粒缺乏从元素形态直接给出证据的问题,针对室内模拟藻体和沉积物存在下形成的湖泛水体,采用多种图谱分析技术,对厌氧截留分离的显黑颗粒物质及其化学组成和元素形态进行了分析鉴定.扫描电镜-X射线能谱分析与荧光光谱分析表明:湖泛水体显黑颗粒物质以藻类残体和悬浮沉积物颗粒物为主,其组成元素以C、O、Si为主;与未发生湖泛的对照样相比,湖泛水体显黑颗粒物样品中具有更高的Fe、S含量.X射线光电子能谱Fe、S微区分析进一步表明:湖泛显黑颗粒物样品中Fe主要以Fe(Ⅱ)的形式存在、S则以还原态S2-的形式赋存,两者具有共同化合成Fe S的充要条件.因此,缺氧厌氧条件下,湖泛水体的显黑物质组成是Fe S,它可由水体中Fe2+和ΣS2-通过化学共沉淀形成,并主要通过吸附于悬浮颗粒物之上而使得整个水柱呈现黑色,指示湖泛的暴发过程和维持状态.     

The water column distributions of thorium isotopes in the western North Pacific

Four vertical profiles of²³⁰Th and²²⁸Th were determined using large volume water samples in the western North Pacific. An almost linear increase of²³⁰Th with depth was observed for all of the profiles for which the unidirectional first order scavenging model was difficult to explain. We developed a model which included a dissolved-particulate transformation as well as parameters of the scavenging model. Application of the model to the vertical distributions of total and the GEOSECS particulate Th isotopes (²³⁰Th and²³⁴Th) yielded the residence time of dissolved Th with respect to adsorption to particles and the turnover time of particulate Th to be 235 days and 57 days, respectively. The Th isotopes appeared to be carried down the water column by fine particles with a mean settling velocity of 1 m/day which continually release Th into sea water as well as pick up Th from the water along their journey to the bottom.For²²⁸Th, a large excess over²³²Th was observed throughout the water column with pronounced high concentrations in surface and bottom waters, suggesting that the²²⁸Th was derived from²²⁸Ra diffused out of sediments. The vertical distributions of²²⁸Th seemed to be significantly influenced by lateral mixing along isopycnals.     

On the dynamical structure of the midshelf water column off northwest Africa

K undu (1977, Bottom turbulence, pp. 187–207) showed that the upwelling system off northwest Africa is dominated by turbulent friction and suggested that over such broad and shallow continental shelves, the surface and bottom frictional boundary layers overlap in the water column. Different estimates for the thickness of the boundary layers have been proposed more recently, which take into account, amongst other things, the effects of stratification. The application of these various estimates and the direct computation of the transports within the resulting layers provide a qualitatively consistent picture of the time-dependent structure of the water column on the northwest African continental shelf, with the observed cross-shelf transports in reasonable agreement with the expected Ekman transports. The only exceptions are two instances when the passage of upwelling fronts by the mooring appear to introduce an appreciable difference between the observed and the expected transports. Our results confirm those of K undu (1977), but only for times when the wind is strongly upwelling favourable. For periods of weak winds, our calculations suggest that a non-turbulent interior region develops. Thus, the structure of the water column is dynamically non-stationary, fluctuating between non-turbulent and frictionally dominated regimes, as a function of the intensity of the wind. This implies that the study of currents through a stationary time-series approach at individual depths may not be applicable in these regions.     

Serpentinite protrusions in the oceanic crust

Serpentinite may be a significant component of the oceanic crust, not as a continuous layer, but as vertical tectonic protrusions and sills emplaced from the upper mantle into fault zones parallel to the axis of spreading ridges. The diapiric emplacement of serpentinite bodies occurs within 100–200 km of ridge axis, with a rate of ascent on the order of 1 mm/year. Serpentinite protrusions may cause small-scale linear magnetic anomalies parallel to ridge axis. Serpentinites are distributed in the oceanic crust according to an orthogonal pattern, with large serpentinite protrusions aligned along major fracture zones, and smaller serpentinite bodies emplaced in bands parallel to ridge axis.     

Assessment of the oxygen consumption rate in the water column for the Mozhaisk and Ivankovo reservoirs

Long-term studies of oxygen consumption rate in the water column of the Mozhaisk and Ivankovo reservoirs enabled the calculation of statistical dependencies of oxygen consumption rate on oxygen deficit, taking into account the trophic level and hydrological structure of the water column. On the basis of the values of oxygen deficit, the vertical distribution of water density, and water transparency, the oxygen consumption rate in the water column can be estimated.     

Phase distribution of hydrocarbons in the water column after a pelagic deep ocean oil spill

Spills from wrecks are a potential major source of pollution in the deep ocean. However, not much is known about the fate of a spill at several kilometers depth, beyond the oceans continental shelves. Here, we report the phase distribution of hydrocarbons released from the wrecks of the Prestige tanker, several years after it sank in November 2002 to depths between 3500 and 3800 m. The released oil reached the surface waters above the wrecks without any signs of weathering and leaving an homogenous signature throughout the water column. At depths of several kilometers below the sea surface, the occurrence and spread of the deep sea oil spill could be evaluated better by quantifying and characterizing the dissolved hydrocarbon signature, rather than just the investigation of hydrocarbons in the suspended particulate matter.     

Application of modified Patankar schemes to stiff biogeochemical models for the water column

In this paper, we apply recently developed positivity preserving and conservative Modified Patankar-type solvers for ordinary differential equations to a simple stiff biogeochemical model for the water column. The performance of this scheme is compared to schemes which are not unconditionally positivity preserving (the first-order Euler and the second- and fourth-order Runge–Kutta schemes) and to schemes which are not conservative (the first- and second-order Patankar schemes). The biogeochemical model chosen as a test ground is a standard nutrient–phytoplankton–zooplankton–detritus (NPZD) model, which has been made stiff by substantially decreasing the half saturation concentration for nutrients. For evaluating the stiffness of the biogeochemical model, so-called numerical time scales are defined which are obtained empirically by applying high-resolution numerical schemes. For all ODE solvers under investigation, the temporal error is analysed for a simple exponential decay law. The performance of all schemes is compared to a high-resolution high-order reference solution. As a result, the second-order modified Patankar–Runge–Kutta scheme gives a good agreement with the reference solution even for time steps 10 times longer than the shortest numerical time scale of the problem. Other schemes do either compute negative values for non-negative state variables (fully explicit schemes), violate conservation (the Patankar schemes) or show low accuracy (all first-order schemes).     

A novel adsorption-anaerobiosis column for the removal of persistent organics from contaminated water

A novel adsorption-anaerobiosis column (AAC) system was used to treat persistent organics, namely neopentanoic acid (NPA, at 0.5 g l⁻¹) and 2-ethylhexanoic acid (EHA, at 1.0 g l⁻¹), in contaminated water. The fire-expanded clay pellets that were used to pack the column served as an adsorbent for organic contaminants and as a carrier for anaerobic biofilm immobilization. The AAC system could remove 75% of the NPA and 98% of the EHA at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2 days. The system could recover from a shock load equivalent to a 150% increase in hydraulic and organic loads, caused by a sudden decrease of HRT from 5 to 2 days.     

The hyperturbid state of the water column in estuaries and rivers: the importance of hindered settling

Over the last few decades, some estuaries have undergone a transition to a hyperturbid state, characterised by suspended sediment concentrations of several grammes per litre averaged over the water column. To improve our understanding of this transition and of naturally hyperturbid estuaries, we systematically identify the processes allowing for high suspended sediment concentrations using a water column (1DV) model. Under a range of realistic forcing conditions, the state of the water column can be characterised by one of two equilibrium states. The first is an erosion-limited state, in which there still is sediment available for erosion at the bed. We find that this state only occurs with relatively low concentrations. The second is a supply-limited state, in which all erodable sediment is in suspension. The concentration in this state depends entirely on the amount of sediment in the system and can potentially be very high. We identify the conditions under which the state of the water column can jump from a low to a high concentration and identify hysteresis in the transition between the two states. The mechanism responsible for this hysteresis is hindered settling. It thus follows that hyperturbidity is only possible in a supply-limited state. From this observation we derive a necessary condition for an estuarine system to make the transition from low turbidity to hyperturbidity in a 1DV context. This is an important step towards understanding why some estuaries are hyperturbid and assessing the risk that particular estuaries may become hyperturbid in the future.     

Dredging-induced nutrient release from sediments to the water column in a southeastern saltmarsh tidal creek

Dredging is a large-scale anthropogenic disturbance agent in coastal and estuarine habitats that can profoundly affect water quality. We examined the impact of a small-scale dredging operation in a salt marsh in South Carolina by comparing nutrient levels (NH(4)(+), NO(x), PO(4)(-)) and total suspended solid concentrations before and during dredging activities. Nutrient enrichment was evaluated within the context of tidal, seasonal, and inter-annual variability by using long-term water chemistry data provided by the North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The conditions of the dredging permit (i.e., its relatively small scale), the season chosen for the work (fall-winter), the nature of the sediments dredged (coarse-grained), and the amount of natural variability in the estuary's water chemistry (even on a daily time-scale) all minimized the impact of the dredging activities. Results of this study will add to the limited body of empirical data that should be considered in evaluating future dredging permit applications related to shallow estuarine waterways.     

Infrasonic wave magnetic field in the oceanic waveguide

The magnetic field generated by an acoustic wave, propagating in the oceanic wave guide, has been considered. It has been indicated that the induced field is most substantial at frequencies when only the first normal mode exists. The dependences of the induced field component on the depth, frequency, and direction of the geomagnetic field have been obtained in this frequency band. The possibility of determining coordinates of a strong underwater earthquake using the acoustic field magnetic field has been considered.     

Low-salinity plumes in the oceanic region of the Basque Country

Low-salinity waters, within the upper layers of the water column, have been observed in the oceanic region of the southeastern limit of the Bay of Biscay (in March, 2007). This contribution assesses the potential role of large surface freshwater discharges from the Adour (France), Nervión, Oria, Deba, Urola, Urumea and Bidasoa (Basque Country) rivers, to explain the presence of these low-salinity waters. Such discharges, within the offshore waters, reached to at least 50 m in depth; likewise, extending over 15–20 km, in the horizontal. This pattern is confirmed by field data collected by offshore buoys, model results, and the analysis of satellite images. The presence of the low-salinity waters is corroborated by numerical simulations, performed by the ROMS (Regional Ocean Modeling System) hydrodynamic model, with the incorporation of river discharges. In order to simulate the freshwater movements and to identify their origin, particles were released at the river mouths and dispersed (by a Lagrangian particle-tracking model, LPTM), supplied by 3-hourly current fields derived from the ROMS model. The plumes of the Nervión, Oria, Urola and Urumea rivers appear to be the main factors contributing to the low-salinity field, at the offshore locations of the buoys. This pattern is related mainly to the prevailing oceano-meteorological conditions, over the period of analysis.     

Distributions and removal fluxes of trace metals in the water column of the Hung-Tsai Trough off southwestern Taiwan

Vertical profiles of dissolved and particulate Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and (234)Th were determined in the Hung-Tsai Trough off southwestern Taiwan during 19-23 November, 2004. Except in the case of Cd, the distribution coefficient (K(d)) of the trace elements showed a negative correlation with the suspended particle concentration. Based on the average K(d) values, the general sequence of particle affinities for the eight trace elements is, from highest to lowest, Fe>Mn≈Pb>Zn≈Th>Cd≈Cu≈Ni. The trace metal data was coupled with the particle removal flux estimated from (234)Th/(238)U disequilibrium to investigate metal removal by particle sinking from the euphotic layer. The residence time of trace elements with respect to particle removal from the euphotic layer was estimated. A negative correlation between the residence time and the distribution coefficient for the trace metals was found.     

巢湖西湖心底泥蓝藻对水体蓝藻生物量的贡献

2018年10月-2019年10月对巢湖西湖心水体浮游藻类群落结构以及水体和底泥蓝藻生物量进行了月度调查.结果表明:巢湖西湖心浮游藻类的主要优势种属为微囊藻属、席藻属、十字藻、卵形隐藻和鱼腥藻属.蓝藻优势种属在5-10月为微囊藻属,11-12月为鱼腥藻属,1-4月为席藻属.巢湖水体和底泥蓝藻生物量峰值分别出现在9月和2月,水体蓝藻的衰亡下沉会导致底泥蓝藻生物量的上升.巢湖蓝藻主要分布在水体,底泥蓝藻生物量相对较低,单位面积水柱与底泥蓝藻生物量6月的比值大于100,在11-3月相对较低,最低值小于2.底泥蓝藻主要分布在底泥表层0～2 cm.通过安装原位捕获器,监测了蓝藻在西巢湖湖心水柱和底泥中的垂直迁移过程和通量.结果表明:11月和2月蓝藻有明显从水柱向底泥迁移的过程;底泥蓝藻全年向水体的静态迁移量都很低,而动态迁移在11月和6月出现两个峰值,主要受底泥蓝藻生物量和再悬浮的影响.本研究结果表明削减巢湖西湖心底泥种源的最佳时期为10月至来年2月,但是由于底泥蓝藻生物量远远小于水柱蓝藻生物量,底泥蓝藻向水体复苏迁移的通量也较低,即使削减了底泥种源,也不能有效降低水体蓝藻生物量.     

海洋重力勘探中的完全布格校正

海洋重力测量由于海底地形的复杂性,需要在简单布格校正的基础上加入海底地形校正,从而使理论地球模型更好的符合实际的地球椭球体.本文总结了完全布格校正的理论,从空间域和频率域的角度对中间层和地形校正的方法作了介绍,并引入了一种综合的方法且将之运用到了实际的工作中,并取得了很好的效果.     

Assessment of evaporation and water fluxes in a column of dry saline soil subject to different water table levels

Dry saline soils are common in the arid and hyper‐arid basins located in the Chilean Altiplano, where evaporation from shallow groundwater is typically the major component of the water balance. Thus, a good understanding of evaporation processes is necessary for improving water resource planning and management in these regions. In this study, we conducted laboratory experiments with a natural saline soil column to estimate evaporation rates and assess the liquid and water vapor fluxes under different water table levels. Water content, electrical conductivity and temperature at different depths were utilized to assess the liquid and water vapor fluxes in the soil column. We observed movement of water that dissolves salts from the soil and transports them to areas in the column where they accumulate. Isothermal liquid flux was predominant, while thermal and isothermal liquid and thermal water vapor fluxes were negligible, except for deep water table levels where isothermal and thermal water vapor fluxes had similar magnitude but opposite directions. Differences observed in total fluxes for all water table levels were due to different upward and downward fluxes, which depend on changes in water content and temperature within the soil profile. Both the vapor flux magnitude and direction were found to be very sensitive to the choice of empirical parameters used in flux quantification, such as tortuosity and the enhancement factor for local temperature gradients in the air phase within the column. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.