Developmental disorders in larvae of eelpout (Zoarces viviparus) from German and Swedish Baltic coastal waters

Pregnant eelpout were collected for several years at German and Swedish Baltic coastal stations with different impact of pollutants and the prevalence of fry abnormalities compared between sites. Mortality of apparently normal developed larvae was observed with high variability in both German and Swedish sites. Malformation of larvae was a prominent disorder at all German stations with a prevalence ranging from about 50% up to a maximum of 90% in almost all analysed samples. At the Swedish stations malformation rates were significantly lower (range: 0-6%). Growth retardation of fry was clearly more prominent in eelpout from German coastal waters as well. Taken together the field data suggests that impaired larval development was associated with the state of environmental pollution at the sampling locations.     

Oscillations of rapidly rotating stratified neutron stars

We use time evolutions of the linear perturbation equations to study the oscillations of rapidly rotating neutrons stars. Our models account for the buoyancy due to composition gradients and we study, for the first time, the nature of the resultant g modes in a fast spinning star. We provide detailed comparisons of non-stratified and stratified models. This leads to an improved understanding of the relationship between the inertial modes of a non-stratified star and the g modes of a stratified system. In particular, we demonstrate that each g mode becomes rotation dominated, i.e. approaches a particular inertial mode, as the rotation rate of the star is increased. We also discuss issues relating to the gravitational wave driven instability of the various classes of oscillation modes.     

The Combined Atmospheric Photochemistry and Ion Tracing code: Reproducing the Viking Lander results and initial outflow results

A Combined Atmospheric Photochemistry and Ion Tracing code (CAPIT) has been developed to explore ion loss into space at Mars. The CAPIT code includes the major photochemical reactions of Mars’ ionosphere, ion tracing in the presence of magnetic fields, and plasma wave heating of ions. In particular, we examine whether O⁺ escape from the day-side ionosphere is limited by ion production (UV input) or by external energy input to the ions. To verify the code, it is demonstrated that the CAPIT solutions reproduce the Viking 1 Lander’s ion density and temperature profiles. Using Viking 1 Lander conditions as a baseline, ion outflow rates are examined as function of solar wind energy input via plasma waves and UV ionization rates. The O⁺ outflow rates predicted by the simulation are comparable to the outflow rates estimated by observation. The results indicate that plasma waves are a viable source of energy to O⁺ ions and suggest that present-day O⁺ outflow rates at Mars are source limited by photochemical production (UV input) during periods of strong energy input (plasma wave activity), but otherwise regulated by both UV input and energy input. These results imply that ion heating by plasma waves can influence the present-day loss of O⁺.     

Thallium isotope composition of the upper continental crust and rivers—An investigation of the continental sources of dissolved marine thallium

The thallium (Tl) concentrations and isotope compositions of various river and estuarine waters, suspended riverine particulates and loess have been determined. These data are used to evaluate whether weathering reactions are associated with significant Tl isotope fractionation and to estimate the average Tl isotope composition of the upper continental crust as well as the mean Tl concentration and isotope composition of river water. Such parameters provide key constraints on the dissolved Tl fluxes to the oceans from rivers and mineral aerosols.The Tl isotope data for loess and suspended riverine detritus are relatively uniform with a mean of ε²⁰⁵Tl = −2.0 ± 0.3 (ε²⁰⁵Tl represents the deviation of the ²⁰⁵Tl/²⁰³Tl isotope ratio of a sample from NIST SRM 997 Tl in parts per 10⁴). For waters from four major and eight smaller rivers, the majority were found to have Tl concentrations between 1 and 7 ng/kg. Most have Tl isotope compositions very similar (within ±1.5 ε²⁰⁵Tl) to that deduced for the upper continental crust, which indicates that no significant Tl isotope fractionation occurs during weathering. Based on these results, it is estimated that rivers have a mean natural Tl concentration and isotope composition of 6 ± 4 ng/kg and ε²⁰⁵Tl = −2.5 ± 1.0, respectively.In the Amazon estuary, both additions and losses of Tl were observed, and these correlate with variations in Fe and Mn contents. The changes in Tl concentrations have much lower amplitudes, however, and are not associated with significant Tl isotope effects. In the Kalix estuary, the Tl concentrations and isotope compositions can be explained by two-component mixing between river water and a high-salinity end member that is enriched in Tl relative to seawater. These results indicate that Tl can display variable behavior in estuarine systems but large additions and losses of Tl were not observed in the present study.     

Modelling of uranium and neptunium chemistry in a deep rock environment

According to the present concept for final storage of spent nuclear fuel in Sweden, the spent fuel, encapsulated in copper or copper/steel canisters, will be placed in tunnels in a deep rock formation. The canisters will be surrounded by compacted bentonite clay acting as a buffer material. In connection with a safety analysis of such a storage facility, the total solubility of certain elements (e.g., uranium) as well as the transport properties (e.g., retardation due to sorption on mineral surfaces) of the long-lived radionuclides released from the canister have to be predicted or measured. The chemical conditions, governing the solubility and speciation of trace elements encountered in and around the repository depend on interactions between the ground water and the engineering materials in the repository and a production of oxidants due to radiolysis in the spent fuel. In the present study the speciation and solubility of uranium and neptunium in a bentonite-ground water system and in ground waters with compositions measured at a site at äspö, SE Sweden, have been calculated. The calculations have been carried out using a recent version of the geochemical computer code PHREEQE and the database HATCHES 5.0. Predictions of the uranium and neptunium concentrations in the ground water in the vicinity of a damaged high level waste repository have also been performed. The uranium concentration in the water in the bentonite barrier is predicted to be of the same order of magnitude or lower than that found in some granitic ground waters. For neptunium the calculations are uncertain due to the small amount of experimentally determined thermodynamic data and few verifications under the conditions (pH - Eh - carbonate concentration) considered. The predicted concentrations (ca 10^–12 m, corresponds to ca 0.006 Bq/l) may be regarded as high, considering the high toxicity of neptunium and its long half-life.     

Levels and patterns of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans and biphenyls in surface sediments from the western Baltic Sea (Arkona Basin) and the Oder River estuarine system

Surface sediment samples were collected from the western Baltic Sea (Arkona Basin) and the Oder River estuarine system in May and August 1995 and analysed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans and biphenyls. Contents of PCDF (sum) and PCDD (sum) varied from 2.5 to 820.0 pg g⁻¹ dw and from 12.7 to 2991.0 pg g⁻¹ dw, respectively. PCB contents (sum of 23 congeners) ranged between < 130.0 and 16267.0 pg g⁻¹ dw. Only slight variations in PCDF/D and PCB contents on dry weight basis were found between the Oder River estuarine system and the open Baltic Sea. TOC-normalization of the data showed an approximately homogen PCDF/D distribution in the study area. The distribution pattern for PCDF/D and PCB may be attributed to high sediment dynamics combined with transport processes from the temporary sedimentation basin (Oderhaff) to the deeper parts of the Baltic Sea.