Noble gas abundance patterns in deep-sea basalts — Primordial gases from the mantle

Rapidly cooled portions of eleven samples of mid-ocean ridge tholeiitic basalt pillows have noble gas abundance patterns which resemble the solar rare gas pattern rather than the noble gas pattern of the terrestrial atmosphere. We conclude that these samples contain primordial noble gases. In contrast, holocrystalline samples and a sample from the interior of a basalt pillow have noble gas abundance patterns which resemble the sea water pattern. Whereas the quenched glossy margins of basalt pillows record a non-atmospheric gas reservoir, these slowly cooled samples apparently have undergone exchange of their noble gases with those dissolved in sea water.     

Local volcanic activity and ice nuclei concentrations on Hawaii

Summary Ice nuclei counts made twice daily at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, throughout the Kilauea Iki and Puna eruptions of November 1959 to February 1960 did not show the increases reported elsewhere during periods of volcanic activity and were apparently not, affected by the visible presence of the volcanic effluent, even on days when this could be presumed to include enormous numbers of salt particles produced along the contact zone between hot lava flows and the sea. The observations suggest that not all active volcanos act as important sources of atmospheric ice nuclei, but that, in fact, other substances concurrently released may even inhibit nucleation.

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Zusammenfassung Während der Eruptionen des Kilauea Iki und des Puna von November 1959 bis Februar 1960 wurden am Mauna-Loa-Observatorium (Hawaii) täglich zweimal Zählungen der Eiskerne mit Hilfe einer Expansionskammer vorgenommen. Im Gegensatz zu den Beobachtungen an anderen Orten bei Vulkanausbrüchen konnte im vorliegenden Fall kein Anstieg der Eiskernzahlen festgestellt werden, obwohl der vulkanische Staub sichtbar war. Selbst an Tagen, an welchen von der Kontaktfläche zwischen Lavastrom und Meer große Mengen von Salzpartikeln in die Atmosphäre gelangt sein müssen, wurde kein Anstieg beobachtet. Die vorliegenden Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, daß nicht alle aktiven Vulkane wesentliche Quellen von Eiskernen sind und daß möglicherweise andere Stoffe, die gleichzeitig ausgestoßen werden, die Eisbildung sogar hindern können.

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Résumé A l'observatoire de Mauna Loa (Hawaï), on a dénombré les noyaux de congélation deux fois par jour au moyen d'une chambre d'expansion; ces mesures ont été effectuées de novembre 1959 à février 1960, c'est à dire durant la période d'éruption du Kilauea Iki et du Puna. Au contraire d'observations faites ailleurs lors d'éruptions volcaniques, il ne fut pas possible de déterminer ici une augmentation du nombre des noyaux de congélation bien que la poussière volcanique ait été visible à l'oeil nu. On n'a même pas constaté d'augmentation au cours des journées où le courant de lave entrait en contact avec la mer, c'est a dire durant les périodes où de grandes quantités de particules de sel étaient entraînées dans l'atmosphère. Ces résultats montrent que tous les volcans actifs ne doivent pas nécessairement être source de noyaux de congélation et qu'il est en outre possible que certaines substances émises en même temps que la poussière volcanique empêchent même la formation de glace.

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With 2 Figures     

A climate-related oxidizing event in deep-sea sediment from the Bering Sea

Many cores from the deep basins of the Bering Sea have a thin oxidized zone within otherwise reduced sediment. This oxidized zone began to form about 6000 yr ago and represents an interval of about 3200 yr. Mineralogically, the oxidized and reduced sediments are similar, but chemically they differ. Concentrations of Fe and C are lower, and concentrations of Mn, Ba, Co, Mo, and Ni are higher in the oxidized than in the reduced sediment. Mn is enriched about 10-fold in the oxidized zone relative to its concentration in the reduced sediment, Mo about threefold, and Ba, Co, and Ni about twofold. These data suggest that the oxidized zone developed diagenetically as the result of the balance between the flux of organic matter and the available dissolved oxygen in bottom and interstitial waters.We propose that the Bering Sea was substantially ice covered when global glacial conditions prevailed. during the transition to global interglacial conditions, seasonal meltwater from thawing sea ice formed a lens of fresh water that decreased organic productivity. During the winter seasons, however, sea ice reformed and caused downwelling of dense, oxygen-rich waters to recharge bottom waters. The combination of lower organic productivity and more oxygen-rich bottom water allowed oxidized sediment to accumulate. Once full interglacial conditions were established, the volume of sea ice produced was insufficient to affect either productivity or the supply of dissolved oxygen and so bottom conditions again became reducing.Similar events probably occurred during the onset of global glacial conditions, and similar oxidized layers probably formed at these times. Such oxidized zones are highly unstable, however, in a reducing environment and, once buried beyond the influence of bacterial and infaunal activities, are depleted of their available oxygen and converted to reduced sediment.     

Phase equilibria involving humite minerals in impure dolomitic limestones

The natural occurrence of critical assemblages among the phases clinohumite, chondrodite, norbergite, tremolite, forsterite, brucite, periclase, diopside, calcite and dolomite, together with experimental and thermochemical data, permits the calculation of phase equilibria governing the stability of the humite group minerals in impure dolomitic limestones. The phase relations are described by 29 divariant (OH-F) continuous reactions, and 11 univariant discontinuous reactions. The equilibrium conditions for these reactions have been calculated and plotted in isobaricT-X(OH-F) andT- phase diagrams. Continuous reactions govern the compositions of (OH-F) solid solutions and the consequent movement of three-phase triangles on the chemographic diagram. Discontinuous reactions result in the appearance or disappearance of a distinct phase assemblage. The pure OH-humite minerals are metastable relative to forsterite+brucite. With increasing fluorine content, clinohumite, followed in turn by chondrodite and norbergite, becomes stable. The stability fields for the individual humite minerals expand to more CO₂-rich fluid compositions with increasing fluorine content and decreasing total pressure. At 1,000 bars, clinohumite can contain a maximum of 58 mole percent fluorine before reacting discontinuously to form chondrodite (X _F=0.61) and forsterite. The stability field for clinohumite+calcite is restricted to fluids with <0.40. At temperatures less than 700°C, the minimum fluorine mole fractions required to stabilize chondrodite and norbergite are 0.31 and 0.62 respectively. At the same conditions, chondrodite can contain a maximum of approximately 85 mole % F. The calculated phase equilibrium boundaries, the range of stable humite compositions and the compositions of coexisting (OH-F) phases are in good overall agreement with natural assemblages. Owing to steepdT/d slopes for several of the humite continuous reactions, the F/(F+OH) ratio of a given humite mineral is a useful indicator of the CO₂/H₂O ratio of the fluid phase.     

Effects of size and temperature on mud crab,Panopeus herbstii,predation on hard clams,Mercenaria mercenaria

Predation byPanopeus herbstii onMercenaria mercenaria was significantly affected by temperature, and the size of predators and prey items. LargerP. herbstii opened more clams and preyed more successfully on larger clams than did smaller crabs. Increase in seed clam size and decrease in water temperature significantly reduced predation. Clam size appeared to be more important than crab satiation in reducing predation rate. Planting larger seed clams in cooler months should help to improve clam survival by reducing the impact ofP. herbstii in culture operations.     

Benthic community structure and sediment processes on an intertidal flat: results from the ECOFLAT project

Interactions between physical and biological processes in intertidal sediments have been the focus of studies in the framework of the ECOFLAT project. Process studies were focused on the Molenplaat, a 1.5 km² intertidal flat in the Westerschelde estuary, The Netherlands. Distinct spatial patterns in the biological community on the flat were found and related to patterns in bottom shear stress as derived from a hydrodynamic model. Based on these survey results five stations were selected with contrasting sediment composition and benthic communities.Long-term net sedimentation of mainly sand was deduced from radionuclide profiles. Sedimentation of mud on the surface of part of the intertidal flat was shown to be a seasonally cyclic process, with a magnitude sufficient to significantly affect the mud balance of the estuary. Measurements of erodability as a function of tidal current showed a biological control on this variable. Benthic microalgae stabilise the sediment surface, whereas the benthic macrofauna has a destabilising effect.Food web studies show that the contrasting biological communities (microbenthos, meiobenthos, macrobenthos) at muddy and sandy sites have substantial differences in the quantitative aspects of their food web. Turnover of microalgae is much lower at muddy than at sandy sites, and this is mostly related to a lower grazing pressure. It is hypothesised that high mud content decreases the availability of benthic microalgae to grazers.We demonstrate a positive feedback between benthic microalgae and mud sedimentation which may lead to the existence of different stable states. This may explain the existence of relatively sharp boundaries and strong community contrasts in the presence of weak and smooth environmental gradients.     

Effects of oilfield brine effluent on sediments and benthic organisms in trinity bay,Texas

Field studies have established the concentrations of naphthalenes in bay sediments and water in the vicinity of an oil separator platform and their effects on the benthic fauna. Fifteen stations were occupied monthly, from July, 1974 to December, 1975, along three transects extending from the separator platform outfall outwards for a distance of 4·0 to 5·6 km. A lesser number of stations were occupied from April, 1974 to June, 1974. Bottom sediments at each station were analysed for total naphthalenes content and for number of species and individuals. All stations were located in 2 to 3 m of water. The outfall was located 1 m off the bay bottom.There was a definite correlation between sediment naphthalenes concentration and number of species and individuals. As expected, the first station, located 15 m from the outfall, had the highest concentration of naphthalenes of all stations sampled. The naphthalenes levels dropped sharply from the outfall to the stations located 75 m from the platform where levels were about 20–50% of those found 15 m from the outfall. Naphthalenes concentrations then decreased gradually to near background levels at stations farther out. Hydrocarbon concentrations in bottom water 15 m from the outfall were three orders of magnitude lower than those in the full strength effluent, but sediments 15 m from the outfall had hydrocarbon concentrations four times as great as in the full strength effluent. There were approximately four orders of magnitude more hydrocarbons in the sediment than in the overlying water.The bay bottom was almost completely devoid of organisms within 15 m of the effluent outfall. Stations located 150 m from the outfall had severely depressed benthic faunas but not to the extent of stations nearer the outfall. Stations located 455 m from the platform were unaffected. Both numbers of species and individuals increased with distance from the platform and reached a peak at the first station medial to the control on each transect (685 to 1675 m from the platform) and then dropped at the control station. Physical environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, water depth and sediment type were essentially the same at all stations.The temporary use of a second outfall located 275 m from the main platform outfall resulted in a rapid build up of naphthalenes in surrounding sediments which persisted for at least six months following the termination of use of the second outfall. The benthic fauna was also severely depressed in the vicinity of the second outfall. The use of multiple outfalls, located some distance apart, appears to be more harmful than the use of a single outfall.Trinity Bay, Texas, the site of this investigation, has a mean depth of 2·5 m. The bay water is highly turbid due to the presence of a high concentration of clay-sized particulate material. The brine outfall was located approximately 1 m above the bay bottom. These special conditions undoubtedly contributed significantly to the observed impact of the brine. Therefore, extrapolations from the results of this study to offshore oil production and brine disposal should be made with extreme caution.     

The distribution and abundance of pelagic gammarid amphipods on Georges Bank and Nantucket Shoals

In this study, long-term, broad-scale zooplankton survey data were used to estimate the temporal and spatial distribution and abundance of gammarid amphipods present in the water column on Georges Bank. Delta-mean abundances computed from 10 years of data showed that gammarid amphipod abundances peaked in summer and again in fall. The amphipods were also most numerous in water less than 50 m deep. The statistical tests employed revealed no conclusive evidence for diurnal vertical migration. Interannual delta-mean abundances fluctuated approximately 5-fold between 1977 and 1986, ranging from 217 to 1181 amphipods 100 m⁻³. Peak amphipod biomass occurred in July and was estimated to be 2.8 kcal m⁻². Using production-to-biomass ratios from the literature, mean annual production of amphipods in these samples was estimated to be between 1.6 and 9.8 kcal m⁻². Production in shallow areas was especially high, 22 kcal m⁻² year⁻¹.