Biostratigraphic Analysis of the Top Layer of Sediment Cores from the Reference and Test Sites of the INDEX Area

Abstract

Radiolarian fossil study in the sediment cores collected during the pre- and postdisturbance cruises of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Indian Ocean Experiment (INDEX) program of deep sea mining in the Central Indian Ocean Basin suggests a pronounced directional deposition of fossil radiolarians exhumed during the deep sea benthic disturbance experiment. The relative occurrences of the Stylatractus universus species that became extinct ～0.425 million years before present were mostly confined to the older and deeper strata of the sediment of the disturbance tract in the southwestern direction. This pattern is remarkable and suggests that the disturbance plume has been preferentially redeposited in the southwestern direction. This observation is in concurrence with the prevailing southwestern abyssal current during the disturbance experiment in the Central Indian Basin.     

Increased Particle Fluxes at the INDEX Site Attributable to Simulated Benthic Disturbance

Particle fluxes were measured 7 m above the sea bottom during the predisturbance, disturbance, and postdisturbance periods by using time series sediment traps attached to seven deep-sea moorings deployed in the INDEX experiment site in the Central Indian Basin. The predisturbance particle fluxes varied between 22.3 to 55.1 mg m -2 day -1 . Increased and variable particle fluxes were recorded by the sediment traps during the disturbance period. The increase observed was 0.5 to 4 times more than the background predisturbance fluxes. The increases in particle fluxes (~4 times) recorded by the sediment trap located in the southwestern direction (DMS-1) were the greatest, which could be the result of preferential movement of resuspended particles generated during the deep-sea benthic disturbance along the general current direction prevailing in this area during the experimental period. Also, the traps located closer to the disturbance area recorded greater fluxes than did the traps far away, across the Deep Sea Sediment Resuspension System path. This variability in recorded particle fluxes by the traps around the disturbance area clearly indicates that physical characteristics such as grain size and density of the resuspended particles produced during the disturbance had an important effect on particle movement. The postdisturbance measurements during ~5 days showed a reduction in particle fluxes of ~50%, indicating rapid particle settlement.     

Increased Particle Fluxes at the INDEX Site Attributable to Simulated Benthic Disturbance

Abstract

Particle fluxes were measured 7 m above the sea bottom during the predisturbance, disturbance, and postdisturbance periods by using time series sediment traps attached to seven deep-sea moorings deployed in the INDEX experiment site in the Central Indian Basin. The predisturbance particle fluxes varied between 22.3 to 55.1 mg m^?2 day^?1. Increased and variable particle fluxes were recorded by the sediment traps during the disturbance period. The increase observed was 0.5 to 4 times more than the background predisturbance fluxes. The increases in particle fluxes (～4 times) recorded by the sediment trap located in the southwestern direction (DMS-1) were the greatest, which could be the result of preferential movement of resuspended particles generated during the deep-sea benthic disturbance along the general current direction prevailing in this area during the experimental period. Also, the traps located closer to the disturbance area recorded greater fluxes than did the traps far away, across the Deep Sea Sediment Resuspension System path. This variability in recorded particle fluxes by the traps around the disturbance area clearly indicates that physical characteristics such as grain size and density of the resuspended particles produced during the disturbance had an important effect on particle movement. The postdisturbance measurements during ～5 days showed a reduction in particle fluxes of ～50%, indicating rapid particle settlement.     

Microbial Biomass and Organic Nutrients in the Deep-Sea Sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin

In order to assess the impact of deep-sea mining on the in situ benthic life, we measured the microbial standing stock and concentration of organic nutrients in the deep-sea sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin in the Indian pioneer area. Sediments were collected using box core and grab samples during September 1996. The total bacterial numbers ranged from 10 10 -10 11 cells per g -1 dry weight sediment. There was a marginal decrease in the number of bacteria from surface to 30 cm depth, though the subsurface section registered a higher number than did the surface. The highest numbers were encountered at depths of 4-8 cm. The retrievable number of bacteria were two orders less in comparison with the direct total counts of bacteria. An almost homogeneous distribution of bacteria, total organic carbon, living biomass, and lipids throughout the depth of cores indicates active microbial and benthic processes in the deep sea sediments. On the other hand, a uniform distribution of total counts of bacteria, carbohydrates, and total organic carbon in all the cores indicates their stable nature and suggests that they can serve as useful parameters for long-term monitoring of the area after the benthic disturbance. Further studies on temporal variability in this region would not only verify the observed norms of distribution of these variables but would also help to understand restabilization processes after the simulated benthic disturbance.     

Selection of Test and Reference Areas for the Indian Deepsea Environment Experiment (INDEX)

The Indian Deepsea Environment Experiment (INDEX) was conducted in the Central Indian Ocean Basin, to assess the effects of a simulated disturbance on the marine ecosystem and to collect data to predict the effects of large-scale mining. To select the Test and Reference areas for benthic disturbance, detailed studies were carried out for a better understanding of the topgraphic undulations and nodule distribution in five preselected areas of 10 ×10 nautical miles each. Flat topography was one of the important considerations for selection of the areas, because this would allow further dispersion of sediment plume and offer easier maneuverability of the benthic disturber. Relatively low nodule abundances were also preferred, to prevent clogging of the suction device used for resuspension of sediment. On the basis of morphological analysis and nodule distribution, two areas, T1 and A1, were selected as the best suited pair for the disturbance and monitoring experiment.     

Microscale Response of Sediment Variables to Benthic Disturbance in the Central Indian Ocean Basin

The response of sediment bacteria and biochemical variables to benthic disturbance was investigated in the Central Indian Ocean Basin from cores at nine stations. Generally, bacterial density and biochemical variables declined vertically with depth in the upper layers of the cores. Mechanical disturbance caused by a hydraulic disturber brought about a substantial decrease in total bacterial numbers. However, the numbers of retrievable bacteria increased by two orders of magnitude. The biochemical parameters decreased in quantity with a shift in the linear relationship. The data suggest that abiotic artifacts will directly affect the biomass and biochemistry of the sediment.     

Benthic Disturbance and Impact Experiments in the Central Indian Ocean Basin

As a part of the Environmental Impact Assessment studies for nodule mining, a long-term program has been initiated in the Central Indian Basin. Multidisciplinary studies on geological, biological, physical, and chemical parameters were carried out in an area selected on the basis of baseline data collected in the first phase of the program. A benthic disturbance was simulated with a hydraulic device also used in the previous experiments in the Pacific Ocean. A site of 3,000 ×200 m was repeatedly disturbed by a combination of fluidizing pump and suction pump to dislodge and discharge sediment from the seafloor into the water column 5 m above the seafloor. During 9 days of operation, 26 tows were carried out for 47 h of disturbance, resuspending about 6,000 m 3 of sediment along an 88-km line. Data for postdisturbance impact assessment were collected with sediment traps, deep-towed cameras, seafloor samples, and conductivity-temperature depth sensor (CTD)-rosette observations. Seafloor data, sediment samples, and water column studies were aimed at evaluating the impact of benthic disturbance, on the basis of pre- and postdisturbance data collected during the experiment. Observations show that vertical mixing of sediment as well as its lateral movement and resedimentation because of plume migration alters various parameters and leads to changes in the environment around the area.     

Microscale Response of Sediment Variables to Benthic Disturbance in the Central Indian Ocean Basin

Abstract

The response of sediment bacteria and biochemical variables to benthic disturbance was investigated in the Central Indian Ocean Basin from cores at nine stations. Generally, bacterial density and biochemical variables declined vertically with depth in the upper layers of the cores. Mechanical disturbance caused by a hydraulic disturber brought about a substantial decrease in total bacterial numbers. However, the numbers of retrievable bacteria increased by two orders of magnitude. The biochemical parameters decreased in quantity with a shift in the linear relationship. The data suggest that abiotic artifacts will directly affect the biomass and biochemistry of the sediment.     

南印度洋海表温度距平冬季重现特征与机制的初步分析

本文主要利用1958–2016年GECCO2等资料通过超前/滞后相关分析方法,分析了南印度洋海表温度距平（SSTA）冬季?冬季重现的时空特征,并探讨了海洋和大气强迫对其形成的贡献。结果显示,SSTA冬季?冬季重现主要发生在南印度洋15oS以南海域,特别是在马达加斯加岛至澳大利亚西南部之间的海域（15o～45oS,70o～100oE）重现信号最为显著。重现信号除了主要发生在次年冬季外,在部分海域重现信号发生较早,可在次年秋季发生并持续至随后的冬季。进一步分析表明,混合层深度冬深夏浅的变化（即海洋重现机制）是研究海域SSTA冬季重现的主因。另外,在马达加斯加岛南部海域和澳大利亚西南部海域海面净热通量对SSTA的重现也有直接的贡献。     

Changes in Geotechnical Properties of Sediments from the Central Indian Basin Induced by Disturbance Experiment

During the Indian Deep-sea Environment Experiment (INDEX) conducted in the Central Indian Basin to simulate nodule mining activity, the sediments were physically disturbed, lifted from the seafloor, and then redeposited to study the effects of sediment redistribution on geological, chemical and biological characteristics of benthic environment. The first monitoring cruise, 44 months after the experiment, was part of long-term observations for restoration of conditions. This study describes the effects of the experiment on geotechnical properties of sediments measured in predisturbance, postdisturbance and monitoring phases. To compare the effects, sediment cores were collected from the same locations during the three phases. Siliceous, fine-grained sediments from the study area showed change in geotechnical properties induced due to the disturbance. Marginal increase in natural water content and significant reduction in undrained shear strength at the 0–5 cm sediment layer of cores from the tow zone during postdisturbance was observed. However, during the monitoring phase, an increase in shear strength and reduction in water content was noticed, which might indicate that the sediments are gradually acquiring predisturbance characteristics. The study also revealed that the meiofaunal density has a positive correlation with the water content, but a negative relationship with the shear strength of these siliceous sediments. Specific gravity of solids and porosity showed marginal change, whereas wet density remained unchanged.     

How does the Indian Ocean subtropical dipole trigger the tropical Indian Ocean dipole via the Mascarene high？

The variation in the Indian Ocean is investigated using Hadley center sea surface temperature(SST)data during the period 1958–2010.All the first empirical orthogonal function(EOF)modes of the SST anomalies(SSTA)in different domains represent the basin-wide warming and are closely related to the Pacific El Ni o–Southern Oscillation(ENSO)phenomenon.Further examination suggests that the impact of ENSO on the tropical Indian Ocean is stronger than that on the southern Indian Ocean.The second EOF modes in different domains show different features.It shows a clear east-west SSTA dipole pattern in the tropical Indian Ocean(Indian Ocean dipole,IOD),and a southwest-northeast SSTA dipole in the southern Indian Ocean(Indian Ocean subtropical dipole,IOSD).It is further revealed that the IOSD is also the main structure of the second EOF mode on the whole basin-scale,in which the IOD pattern does not appear.A correlation analysis indicates that an IOSD event observed during the austral summer is highly correlated to the IOD event peaking about 9 months later.One of the possible physical mechanisms underlying this highly significant statistical relationship is proposed.The IOSD and the IOD can occur in sequence with the help of the Mascarene high.The SSTA in the southwestern Indian Ocean persists for several seasons after the mature phase of the IOSD event,likely due to the positive wind–evaporation–SST feedback mechanism.The Mascarene high will be weakened or intensified by this SSTA,which can affect the atmosphere in the tropical region by teleconnection.The pressure gradient between the Mascarene high and the monsoon trough in the tropical Indian Ocean increases(decreases).Hence,an anticyclone(cyclone)circulation appears over the Arabian Sea-India continent.The easterly or westerly anomalies appear in the equatorial Indian Ocean,inducing the onset stage of the IOD.This study shows that the SSTA associated with the IOSD can lead to the onset of IOD with the aid of atmosphere circulation and also explains why some IOD events in the tropical tend to be followed by IOSD in the southern Indian Ocean.     

Coupled patterns between fields of dynamic height and bottom pressure in the Japan/East Sea

Vertical coupling between shallow and deep mesoscale eddy processes in the southwestern Japan/East Sea is investigated using acoustic travel-time and bottom pressure measurements from a two-year deployment of an array of pressure-gauge-equipped inverted echo sounders. Canonical correlation analysis is applied to the simultaneously measured data to extract the coupled modes. The upper layer exhibits a migration of the Ulleung Warm Eddy, and correspondingly the deep potential vorticity in the Ulleung Basin adjusts in magnitude and sense to conserve potential vorticity. Coupling between meanders of strong upper currents and abyssal flows has been observed previously in the Gulf Stream during the Synoptic Ocean Prediction experiment. The evidence from our study strongly suggests that such coupling occurs also under much weaker flows.     

Spreading of Antarctic Bottom Water and its effects on the floor of the Indian Ocean inferred from bottom-water potential temperature,turbidity, and sea-floor photography

Data on bottom-water potential temperature, turbidity and current indications show that in the Southern Ocean west of the Kerguelen Plateau, Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) of Weddell Sea origin spreads northwards from the Atlantic—Indian Basin in two directions: (1) AABW enters the Agulhas Basin through relatively deep areas in the Mid-Indian Ridge at 20–25°E and possibly at 35°E, and flows northwards into the Mozambique Basin as far as its northern limits; (2) a more easterly spreading path extends from the Atlantic—Indian Basin through the Crozet into the Madagascar, Mascarene, Somali and Arabian Basins. The passage in the western branch of the Indian Ridge for the AABW spreading from the Crozet into the Madagascar Basin appears to be at 29-26°S and 60–64°E.East of the Kerguelen Plateau in the South Indian Basin, the bottom water formed mainly along the Adélie Coast and Ross Sea travels west towards the Kerguelen Plateau and then parallel to it. This water finally flows eastwards hugging the Southeast Indian Ridge. Significant deviations from this general circulation pattern occur due to local topographic effects. Some AABW in the South Indian Basin exits through a passage at 120–125°E in the region of the Australian—Antarctic discordance in the Southeast Indian Ridge and enters the South Australian Basin and subsequently the Wharton Basin. This passage is clearly indicated by the northward extension of a cold, bottom-water tongue as shown by the temperature distribution in the region; the bottom-water effects in the passage are reflected in the high turbidity and current lineations on the sea floor.In the Southern Ocean basins, bottom-water turbidity is generally high, reflecting in part the strong bottom-water activity. The effects of AABW circulation on the sea floor—in the form of well-developed small- or large-scale current ripples and erosional/depositional features, manganese-nodule formations, and unconformities and reworking of sediments observed in cores — are also marked in these basins. Even though the AABW in the Wharton Basin is cold, its spreading effects on the sea floor are minimal in this basin in contrast to the basins west of the Mid-Indian Ridge at comparable latitudes.     

Recent bottom-current activity in the deep western Bay of Bengal

We present several types of data which show that strong geostrophic bottom currents are present in a broad valley in the deep western Bay of Bengal adjacent to the Indian margin. Sea-floor photographs show well-developed current lineations with scour marks on the northern sides and sediment deposition tails on the southern sides of some objects (such as fecal pellets) suggesting strong southward-flowing bottom currents. A direct current measurement made in the region confirms this inferred flow direction. The nepheloid layer is much stronger in the western Bay of Bengal than in any other region of the northern Indian Ocean and indicates strong turbulence and a high concentration of suspended sediment at or near the sea floor. Additional data which do not provide unequivocal evidence for, but may also be indicative of, the existence of the bottom currents are as follows: the dispersal of the peninsular Indian rivers-derived smectite-rich sediments all along the valley to as far as south of Sri Lanka; a zone of sediment waves (as recorded on 3.5-kHz echograms) parallel to the regional trend of bathymetric contours along the Indian margin; and the frequent occurrence of thin, sharp and uniform layers of fine sand and silt beds rather than thick graded turbidite beds in the cores from the broad valley in the deep western Bay of Bengal.     

印度洋海底压强的季节和长期变化

利用2003—2015年的重力恢复和气候实验(Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, GRACE)卫星观测数据, 揭示了印度洋海底压强的变化特征, 并探讨了其变化机制。结果表明, 印度洋海底压强具有显著的季节变化特征, 北半球冬季在40°S以北(南), 海底压强呈负(正)异常, 夏季分布与冬季相反。印度洋区域的海底压强空间分布与Ekman输送空间分布有较好的对应关系。正压涡度方程诊断结果表明, 利用风场重构的海底压强能够较好地解释印度洋海底压强的季节和长期变化。此外, 海平面变化收支分析表明, 海底压强的变化在高纬度区域主导了海平面变化。     

Long-term changes in microbial and biochemical parameters in the Central Indian Basin

Natural kilometer-scale spatial variability and seasonal variability in deep-sea sediments at ∼5000 m depth was studied at two reference sites in the Central Indian Basin. Biochemical parameters such as the labile organic matter (LOM) (consisting of carbohydrates, protein and lipids) and total organic matter (TOM) and biological parameters such as total counts of bacteria and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were estimated after an interval of 54 months. These were compared with nine locations (12–17 km away) where an artificial sediment disturbance was created by a hydraulic benthic disturber. Besides the above-mentioned parameters, extracellular enzymes, alkaline phosphatase, aminopeptidase and lipase were also monitored at these nine locations. Post-disturbance (PoD1) observations were carried out immediately after the benthic disturbance experiment and compared with the pre-disturbance (PreD) pattern. The restoration process in the test site was studied after a period of 44 months (PoD2). There was a drastic reduction in total counts of bacteria, ATP, carbohydrates and lipids accompanied by a two- to four-fold increase in protein content at the undisturbed reference sites after 54 months. A similar reduction in these parameters was observed in the PoD1 compared to the PreD stage at the test site. An initial increase in TOM content and in the activities of three extracellular enzymes in the PoD1 stage was followed by a reduction in TOM, ATP and organic P content and activities of the extracellular enzymes in the PoD2 phase (i.e. after 44 months). Reduction in ATP levels suggests a negative impact of resedimentation on living biomass in the sediments. Although LOM, protein concentrations and the protein/carbohydrate ratio increased in the PoD2 phase relative to the PoD1 phase, the bacterial numbers were below the concentrations in the PreD stage, indicating slow restoration of benthic conditions. Long-term analyses of the indicator parameters thus showed mixed effects of sediment disturbance. A similar pattern at the undisturbed reference location suggests that natural (seasonal) variability outweighed artificial variability caused by the benthic disturbance in the Central Indian Basin and the former is responsible for bringing about changes in deep-sea benthic ecosystem on long-time scales.     

Decadal variation of thermocline-sea surface temperature feedback in the tropical Indian Ocean and the underlying mechanisms

The thermocline-sea surface temperature (SST) feedback is the most important component of the Bjerknes feedback, which plays an important role in the development of the air-sea coupling modes of the Indian Ocean. The thermocline-SST feedback in the Indian Ocean has experienced significant decadal variations over the last 40 a. The feedback intensified in the late twentieth century and then weakened during the hiatus in global warming at the early twenty-first century. The thermocline-SST feedback is most prominent in the southeastern and southwestern Indian Ocean. Although the decadal variations of feedback are similar in these two regions, there are still differences in the underlying mechanisms. The decadal variations of feedback in the southeastern Indian Ocean are dominated by variations in the depth of the thermocline, which are modulated by equatorial zonal wind anomalies. Whereas the decadal variation of feedback in the southwestern Indian Ocean is mainly controlled by the intensity of upwelling and thermocline depth in winter and spring, respectively. The upwelling and thermocline depth are both affected by wind stress curl anomalies over the southeastern Indian Ocean, which excite anomalous Ekman pumping and influence the southwestern Indian Ocean through westward propagating Rossby waves.     

Revisiting ENSO impacts on the Indian Ocean SST based on a combined linear regression method

The El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has great impacts on the Indian Ocean sea surface temperature (SST). In fact, two major modes of the Indian Ocean SST namely the Indian Ocean Basin (IOB) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) modes, exerting strong influences on the Indian Ocean rim countries, are both influenced by the ENSO. Based on a combined linear regression method, this study quantifies the ENSO impacts on the IOB and the IOD during ENSO concurrent, developing, and decaying stages. After removing the ENSO impacts, the spring peak of the IOB disappears along with significant decrease in number of events, while the number of events is only slightly reduced and the autumn peak remains for the IOD. By isolating the ENSO impacts during each stage, this study reveals that the leading impacts of ENSO contribute to the IOD development, while the delayed impacts facilitate the IOD phase switch and prompt the IOB development. Besides, the decadal variations of ENSO impacts are various during each stage and over different regions. These imply that merely removing the concurrent ENSO impacts would not be sufficient to investigate intrinsic climate variability of the Indian Ocean, and the present method may be useful to study climate variabilities independent of ENSO.     

Monitoring the Impact of Simulated Deep-sea Mining in Central Indian Basin

Monitoring of deep-sea disturbances, naturai or man-made, has gained significance due to the associated sediment transport and for the ensuing alterations in environmental conditions. During the Indian Deep-sea Environment Experiment (INDEX), resuspension of deep-sea sediment in the Central Indian Basin (CIB) resulted in an increase and lateral movement of suspended particles, vertical mixing of sediments, changes in sedimentological, biochemical, and geochemical conditions and an overall reduction in benthic biomass. Monitoring the conditions 44 months after the experiment has shown a partial recovery of the benthic ecosystem, with indications of restoration and recolonization.