The Vema Transverse Ridge (Central Atlantic)

Transverse ridges are elongate reliefs running parallel and adjacent to transform/fracture zones offsetting mid-ocean ridges. A major transverse ridge runs adjacent to the Vema transform (Central Atlantic), that offsets the Mid-Atlantic Ridge by 320 km. Multibeam morphobathymetric coverage of the entire Vema Transverse ridge shows it is an elongated (300 km), narrow (<30 km at the base) relief that constitutes a topographic anomaly rising up to 4 km above the predicted thermal contraction level. Morphology and lithology suggest that the Vema Transverse ridge is an uplifted sliver of oceanic lithosphere. Topographic and lithological asymmetry indicate that the transverse ridge was formed by flexure of a lithospheric sliver, uncoupled on its northern side by the transform fault. The transverse ridge can be subdivided in segments bound by topographic discontinuities that are probably fault-controlled, suggesting some differential uplift and/or tilting of the different segments. Two of the segments are capped by shallow water carbonate platforms, that formed about 3–4 m.y. ago, at which time the crust of the transverse ridge was close to sea level. Sampling by submersible and dredging indicates that a relatively undisturbed section of oceanic lithosphere is exposed on the northern slope of the transverse ridge. Preliminary studies of mantle-derived ultramafic rocks from this section suggest temporal variations in mantle composition. An inactive fracture zone scarp (Lema fracture zone) was mapped south of the Vema Transverse ridge. Based on morphology, a fossil RTI was identified about 80 km west of the presently active RTI, suggesting that a ridge jump might have occurred about 2.2 m.a. Most probable causes for the formation of the Vema Transverse ridge are vertical motions of lithospheric slivers due to small changes in the direction of spreading of the plates bordering the Vema Fracture Zone.     

Ionic medium effects in sea water — A comparison of acidity constants of carbonic acid and boric acid in sodium chloride and synthetic sea water

It is shown that the values of pK_1C and pK_2C for carbonic acid, pK_B for boric acid and the ionic product of water, pK_w, in sea water may be explained on the basis of their determination in 0.7 M_w sodium chloride and the formation of the following ion-pairs: NaSO₄^?, MgSO₄, CaSO₄, MgCO₃, CaCO₃, MgHCO₃⁺, CaHCO₃⁺, MgOH⁺, HSO₄^?, MgB(OH)₄⁺ and CaB(OH)₄⁺. On the whole the calculated stability constants are lower than those given by Garrels and Thompson (1962).     

An ocean bottom,microprocessor based seismometer

We describe the design and construction of an ocean bottom seismometer configured as a computer, based on an Intersil IM6100 microprocessor plus appropriate peripheral devices. The sensors consist of triaxial 1 Hz seismometers and a hydrophone, each sensor channel being filtered prior to digitizing so that typical noise spectra are whitened. Digital data are recorded serially on magnetic tape. The instrument is placed on the ocean bottom by allowing it to fall freely from just below the surface. An acoustic system allows precise determination of instrument position, acoustic recall, and transmission of operational information to the surface. Release from an expendable anchor is accomplished by redundant pyrotechnic bolts which can be fired by acoustic command or by precision timers.The operational flexibility provided by the micro-computer, which executes the DEC PDP8/E instruction set, enables optimum use of the 6-hr recording capacity (at 128 samples/second/channel) in the context of the particular experiment being performed.

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An evaluation of metal bioaccessibility in estuarine sediments using the commercially available protein, bovine serum albumin

The bioaccessibility of metals (Al, Ca, Fe, Mn, Ag, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sn, Zn) in oxic estuarine sediments has been evaluated using solutions of a commercially available protein (bovine serum albumin; BSA) that mimic the chemical conditions encountered in the gut environment of many deposit-feeding organisms. Over a 20 h incubation period with 5 g L^− 1 BSA, metal mobilisation was generally biphasic in that a relatively short period of rapid release was succeeded by more gradual release or approach to equilibrium, although in some cases metal readsorption was evident during the time-courses. Availability to BSA, defined as metal released after 20 h relative to metal extracted by boiling aqua regia, was greatest for Cd, Ni, Ca and Zn and lowest for Fe and Mn, and correlated well with, but was an order of magnitude lower than, metal digested by acidified hydrogen peroxide. Time-courses conducted in the absence of the protein revealed that significant quantities of Ca and Mn were water-soluble, reflecting the partial dissolution of carbonates and hydrous Mn oxides, respectively. Additional experiments indicated a net increase in metal release with increasing BSA concentration and, with the exception of Ca and Mn, a substantial increase in metal mobilisation after sediment organic matter had been digested by peroxidation. These observations suggest that, apart from Ca and Mn, metal release proceeds via complexation with component amino acids of the protein, denudation of organic host phases, and exposure of inorganic, metal-bearing minerals. Accordingly, the bioaccessibility of a metal is predicted to be dependent on its (i) affinity for proteinaceous ligands, (ii) association with components of digestible sediment organic matter, and (iii) degree of binding at relatively weak sites on sediment phases that are exposed or modified by the action of proteins and other chemical constituents of the gut environment.     

Validation of the stochastic distorted-wave Born approximation model with broad bandwidth total target strength measurements of Antarctic krill

In the computations of SDWBA_TTS(f) in Figure 4, the scatteredvector was integrated over all orientations in the XY plane,where X is the main axis of the krill, but a factor of 2 was     

Can turbidity caused by Corophium volutator (Pallas) activity be used to assess sediment toxicity rapidly?

The standard toxicity test organism, Corophium volutator, exhibits a behavioural response to contaminated sediments that causes increased turbidity of overlying water. We quantify the effects of this response to an estuarine sediment spiked with copper and hydrocarbon contaminated sediments from an oil installation in the North Sea. Turbidity measured 24 h after the start of a toxicity test shows a strong relationship with contaminant concentrations and with mortality after 10 days. Turbidity measurements can therefore give a rapid indication of sediment toxicity, permitting a reduction in storage time of sediments to be used in dilution series and toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) tests, reducing the likelihood of contaminants degrading prior to testing.     

Seasonality and selectivity in the feeding ecology and reproductive biology of deep-sea bathyal holothurians

Chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments were determined from the gut sediments of five species of bathyal holothurian in the NE Atlantic, sampled shortly after the spring/summer phytoplankton bloom in 2001 and prior to the spring bloom in 2002. Three species, Laetmogone violacea, Paroriza pallens and Bathyplotes natans, sampled within a similar depth range (900–1100 m) in the summer of 2001 showed significant differences in their chlorophyll and carotenoid pigment concentrations. This suggests they may select for slightly different components from the available food resource. Four species sampled in early spring 2002, Laetmogone violacea, Paroriza pallens, Benthogone rosea and Benthothuria funebris, also had significant differences in their pigment concentrations. These species were sampled over a wider depth range (1000–3100 m) showing a bathymetric trend in pigment concentrations. There was a distinct seasonal change in the composition and concentration of the pigments, linked to a reduction in the availability of fresh organic material during autumn and winter periods.Ovarian tissue was also examined. The carotenoid pigments found in the ovary also occurred in the OM ingested by the holothurians. The dominant gonadal carotenoid pigments were β-carotene, echinenone and zeaxanthin. The potential for using these carotenoids to gain a competitive advantage through selectivity of chlorophyll and carotenoid pigment biomarkers are discussed in relation to competition for food resources by deposit-feeders. The results were also compared with selectivity in abyssal species.     

Multi-AUV Control and Adaptive Sampling in Monterey Bay

Operations with multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) have a variety of underwater applications. For example, a coordinated group of vehicles with environmental sensors can perform adaptive ocean sampling at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales. We describe a methodology for cooperative control of multiple vehicles based on virtual bodies and artificial potentials (VBAP). This methodology allows for adaptable formation control and can be used for missions such as gradient climbing and feature tracking in an uncertain environment. We discuss our implementation on a fleet of autonomous underwater gliders and present results from sea trials in Monterey Bay in August, 2003. These at-sea demonstrations were performed as part of the Autonomous Ocean Sampling Network (AOSN) II project