Latitudinal and Vertical Distributions of Phytoplankton Absorption Spectra in the Central North Pacific during Spring 1994

Vertical changes of phytoplankton absorption spectra along 175°E from 48°N to 15°S were examined during spring 1994. The absorption spectra were analyzed using three different approaches; averaging the spectra within same oceanic areas, EOF analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Average spectra showed differences in five oceanic areas; subarctic, Kuroshio, subtropical surface, equatorial surface, and subtropical and equatorial subsurface areas. The distributions of the EOF mode of the variance of absorption spectra and of the pigments estimated by the multiple regression analysis indicated consistent differences of the spectra between those areas. Kuroshio water contains highest chlorophyll a concentrations and low chlorophyll-a-specific absorption spectra, and this may be caused by the package effect with large phytoplankton cell and by low concentrations of photo-protected carotenoids. Subtropical and equatorial subsurface water showed high absorption at 480 nm and indicated the effects of chlorophyll b. Absorption of the subsurface phytoplankton also showed a shift of the blue peak, possibly caused by the presence of divinyl-chlorophyll a. The consistency of the three different analytical methods indicates that the phytoplankton absorption includes significant information on pigment composition along a north-south vertical section of the central North Pacific.     

Enrichment of alkanes within a phytoplankton bloom during an in situ iron enrichment experiment in the western subarctic Pacific

During the Subarctic Pacific Iron Experiment for Ecosystem Dynamics Study ΙΙ (SEEDS-II), we monitored variations in the concentrations of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), CH₃Cl, N₂O, and CH₄ within a phytoplankton bloom. Stable isotopic compositions were also determined to evaluate the sources of the variations. Although there was little variation in either the concentrations or the stable isotopic compositions of alkenes, CH₃Cl, N₂O, and CH₄ during the 23-day observation period, alkane concentrations increased substantially as the phytoplankton bloomed. The column-integrated quantities of alkanes increased to 3 times pre-bloom levels for C₂H₆, 5 times for C₃H₈, and 20 times for n-C₄H₁₀. The δ¹³C values of both C₂H₆ and C₃H₈ remained almost constant while concentrations increased, whereas that of n-C₄H₁₀ increased by about 12‰. To evaluate the sources of the alkanes produced during the bloom, we compared their δ¹³C values with those of alkanes produced in axenic phytoplankton cultures in our laboratory. We concluded that during the SEEDS-ΙΙ experiment the major portions of C₂H₆ and C₃H₈ were produced during the autolysis of diatoms cells, whereas n-C₄H₁₀ was produced during autolysis of other phytoplankton cells such as cryptophytes and dinoflagellates.     

Seasonal change of oceanographic conditions and chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> vertical distribution in the southwestern Okhotsk Sea during the non-iced season

Seasonal changes in oceanographic conditions related to primary productivity was investigated in the southwestern Okhotsk Sea during non-iced seasons, using the observation data conducted in 2000∼2006. Based on hydrographic characteristics, the studied area could be classified into two regions, the Coastal Region which is influenced under the Soya Warm Current and the Forerunner Water of the Soya Warm Current, and the Offshore Region where the Intermediate Cold Water was located in the subsurface layer. This study is the first report on seasonal change of nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations in the offshore region of the southwestern Okhotsk Sea. Variability of concentrations of chlorophyll a and nutrients is temporally and regionally high in the Coastal Region. The maximum chlorophyll a concentration in April was observed at the surface layer of both regions. The most remarkable feature on the vertical structure in the Offshore Region was the consistent existence of the Intermediate Cold Water and the development of seasonal thermocline in the subsurface layer during summer and autumn. The stratification formed within the euphotic zone in the Offshore Region resulted in the formation of the subsurface chlorophyll a maximum (SCM) from May to October. Throughout the research period, although less amplitude of nutrients at the surface was observed in the Coastal Region than that in the Offshore Region, comparable amplitude of chlorophyll a concentration was observed between regions. These results suggested differences of environmental conditions for primary production between the two regions. Depending on the presence of SCM, relationships between chlorophyll a concentration at the sea surface and chlorophyll a standing stock within the euphotic layer were different. At most stations with SCM, the surface chlorophyll a concentration was lower than 0.6 mg m-3. This suggests that the presence of SCM and the chlorophyll a standing stock within the euphotic layer may be estimated using the surface chlorophyll a concentration from spring to autumn in the studied area.     

Abel inversion for deriving refractivity profile from down-looking GPS radio occultation: simulation analysis

Down-looking (DL) Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation can produce an estimate of the atmospheric refractivity profile. The main observations are the bending angle as a function of the impact parameter. DL provides both negative as well as positive elevation angle measurements. Abel inversion can be operated on a profile of partial bending angle found by subtracting the positive elevation measurement from the negative one with the same impact parameter. Abel inversion requires the spherical symmetrical assumption. Basically, partial bending calculation removes the ionospheric bending and hence it is possible to use a single frequency GPS receiver. The current paper introduces a simulation data for the case of a receiver on mountain top. The simulation uses model refractivity from MSISE-90 model as well as radiosonde data. Random noises are added to the bending angle profile before inversion. The result shows that it is possible to produce accurate vertical refractivity profile below the receiver altitude. The calculation of the water vapor profile is also made using temperature profile information from the MSISE-90 model as well as radiosonde. The errors in the retrieved vapor profile are always less than 0.1?mbar.     

Study of the structure of silica film by infrared spectroscopy and electron diffraction analyses

Amorphous silicon oxide films have been studied on the basis of electron diffraction (ED) analyses and infrared (IR) spectroscopy in order to elucidate the relationship between the structures. After the heat treatment of the film in air at 300 and 500°C, the ED pattern showed halo rings, and the IR spectra clearly changed. Intensity analysis of the ED pattern provided evidence for the structural change of the amorphous film. It was concluded that the spectral changes in the ranges of 9.2–10.2, 12.5–13.5 and 19.5–22.5 μm were the result of phase transitions of the microcrystallites of α-cristobalite to β-cristobalite, and α- or β-quartz. Astrophysical implications have been discussed.     

Responses of diatoms to iron-enrichment (SEEDS) in the western subarctic Pacific, temporal and spatial comparisons

Phytoplankton species composition was analyzed inside and outside of the iron-enriched patch during the SEEDS experiment. Before the iron-enrichment, the phytoplankton community consisted of similar proportions of pico-, nano- and micro-sized phytoplankton, and the micro-phytoplankton was dominated by the pennate diatom Pseudo-nitzschia turgidula. Although all the diatoms, except the nano-sized Fragilariopsis sp., increased during the two weeks of the observation period, the flora in the patch dramatically changed with the increase of phytoplankton biomass to a centric diatom-dominated community. Neritic diatoms, especially Chaetoceros debilis, showed higher growth rates than other diatoms, without any delay in the initiation of growth after the enrichment, and accounted for 90% of the micro-phytoplankton after day 9. In contrast, the oceanic diatoms showed distinct delays in the initiation of growth. We conclude that the responses of the diatoms to the manipulation of iron concentration were different by species, and the fast and intensive response of the phytoplankton to iron-enrichment resulted from the presence of a small amount of neritic diatoms at the study site. The important factors that determine the dominant species in the bloom are the potential growth rates under an iron-replete condition and the growth lag. Abundant species in the patch are widely distributed in the North Pacific and their relative contributions in the Oyashio area and at Stn KNOT are high from spring to summer. However, a characteristic difference of species composition between the SEEDS bloom and natural blooms was the lack of Thalassiosira and Coscinodiscus species in the patch, which usually account for a major part of the phytoplankton community under blooming conditions in the western North Pacific.     

Effect of iron enrichment on the dynamics of transparent exopolymer particles in the western subarctic Pacific

Dynamics of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) was studied during the first in situ iron-enrichment experiment conducted in the western subarctic Pacific in July–August 2001, with the goal of evaluating the contribution of TEP to vertical flux as a result of increased primary production following iron enrichment in open ocean ecosystems. Subsequent to the enhancement of phytoplankton production, we observed increase in TEP concentration in the surface layer and sedimentation of organic matter beneath it. Vertical profiles of TEP, chlorophyll a (Chl a) and particulate organic carbon (POC) were obtained from six depths between 5 and 70 m, from a station each located inside and outside the enriched patch. TEP and total mass flux were estimated from the floating sediment traps deployed at 200 m depth. Chl a and TEP concentrations outside the patch varied from 0.2 to 1.9 μg L⁻¹ and 40–60 μg XG equiv. L⁻¹, respectively. Inside the patch, Chl a increased drastically from day 7 reaching the peak of 19.2 μg L⁻¹ on day 13, which coincided with the TEP peak of 189 μg XG equiv. L⁻¹. TEP flux in the sediment trap increased from 41 to 88 mg XG equiv. m⁻² d⁻¹, with 8–14% contribution of TEP to total mass flux. This forms the basic data set on ambient concentrations of TEP in the western subarctic Pacific, and evaluation of the effect of iron enrichment on TEP.     

Feeding of copepods on natural suspended particles in Tokyo Bay

Community grazing rates of copepods were estimated from data taken during three cruises in Tokyo Bay, based on bottle incubations and a temporal variation of gut fluorescence. Special attention was paid to the feeding selectivity in the estimations. Differential grazing was observed in the copepod communities:Acartia omorii, abundant in February, selectively fed on the particles of dominant size classes, whileOithona davisae, dominant throughout the year, andCentropages abdominalis selected large particles (>20µm). The maximum filtering rates on certain size classes were several times the average. In addition, a 34-hr investigation of the gut fluorescence of copepods revealed nocturnal feeding inParacalanus spp.,Pseudodiaptomus marinus andOithona davisae.Copepod communities collected with a net (95-µm mesh opening) were estimated to graze, in February 3.0%, in August 3.1–4.5% and in November 4.2–11.9% of the standing crops of phytoplankton or suspended particles per day.     

Thermal phase transition of potassium sulfate,K2SO4

The thermal phase transition of K₂SO₄ has been investigated by high temperature polarized light microscopy. K₂SO₄ undergoes a first-order transition at 587° C where the orthorhombic low temperature form (Pmcn) transforms into a hexagonal high temperature modification (P6₃/mmc). Prior to the beginning of the phase transition, K₂SO₄ shows an anomalous optical behavior. The crystal apparently becomes optically uniaxial twice at 338° and 425° C, respectively, and truly optically uniaxial at 587° C. The phase transition propagates through an intermediate temperature form, which is sandwiched between the low and the high temperature forms and moves in a definite direction, 〈130〉 (orthorhombic indices), in the vicinity of the phase transition. Passing through the phase transition point on cooling, dark belts crossing each other are observed which are a result of the transformation twins parallel to {110} and {130}.