Direct determination of organic carbon in modern reef sediments and calcareous organisms after dissolution of carbonate

An improved method for the direct determination of organic carbon in calcareous marine sediments, organisms and particulate matter is described. Samples are dissolved in phosphoric acid to remove carbonates, purged with oxygen to remove CO₂, and the resulting acidic solution is analysed for total (dissolved and particulate) organic carbon. The method is rapid, involves minimal sample manipulation, and is both accurate (better than ± 2%) and precise (better than ± 0.2 mg organic carbon/g sediment). The method is especially suitable for modern carbonate sediments which have low levels of predominantly acid-soluble organic carbon.     

Heat flow and mass wasting in the Wilmington Canyon Region: U.S. Continental Margin

The average corrected heat flow in the Wilmington Canyon region, an area of inferred slope instability, is 35 ± 10 mW/m². This average heat flow is marginally consistent with the 46 ± 9 mW/m² measured at other North Atlantic sites over 160 m.y. old. High topographic relief causes most of the variability in surface heat flow and may lower the mean surface heat flow. There is no significant difference between the average corrected heat flow of 35 ± 10 mW/m² in sediment slide areas and the average corrected heat flow of 34 ± 10 mW/m² in undisturbed sediments.     

Short period internal waves over the Huanghe (Yellow River) delta front

Internal waves with periods of about 5 minutes and trough to crest heights of up to 6.2 m were observed acoustically over the actively accreting delta front of the Huanghe (Yellow River) in the western portion of the Gulf of Bohai, Peoples Republic of China. The radian frequency of the internal waves was close to the locally-observed Brunt-Vaisala frequency. Through the relatively short (one hour) duration of an internal wave train, the amplitude was observed to decrease progressively with time. These internal waves may cause resuspension of delta-front sediments.     

Petrology and mineral chemistry of sedimentary rocks from the Western Solomon Sea

Multichannel seismic reflection profiles recorded in the northern Red Sea show structures that we interpret to be a result of the intrusion of uppermost Miocene salt. We believe that the evaporites are underlaid by attenuated continental crust and the flow of salt is due to renewed faulting of basement in the Pliocene when sea floor spreading began between latitudes 21°N and 15°30°N.     

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals by bivalves from Limski Kanal (North Adriatic Sea). II. Copper distribution between oysters, Ostrea edulis, and ambient water

Accumulation of copper was studied between June 1979 and June 1980 in the oyster Ostrea edulis Linnaeus, cultivated in the Limski Kanal, on the Istria Peninsula (Yugoslavia).The copper distribution in different organs of oysters of the same age was compared with concentrations of copper existing in different physicochemical forms in ambient sea water, i.e., dissolved Cu in labile complexes determined at the natural pH of 8; ‘total’ dissolved Cu determined after acidification to pH 2; and Cu bound to suspended particles with a diameter above 0.45 μm. Copper concentrations in the water were determined by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) and in analyses of biotic material, graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) was applied.Significant correlations have been found between copper complexed with dissolved organic ligands and its concentration in the soft part of the oyster. Copper contents increase gradually with the weight of the organs until enhanced gametogenetic activity of the oysters occurs. Thereafter the correlation factor between copper contents and the size of body parts varied significantly with the season.     

Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni and Co distribution in the German Bight

Cd, Pb and Cu concentrations, dissolved and total, have been determined in the German Bight. In 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980 and 1983 water samples were collected at 215 sampling stations. In the 1983 mission samples were also analysed for Ni and Co. The samples were filtered and acidified immediately after collection. Analysis was performed by voltammetry.The analytical data indicate that a net portion of the Cd, the Weser being a distinct source for it, will cross the estuarine zone. Open sea Cd levels in the German Bight are about a factor 10 higher than North Atlantic values. Pb, being transported mainly with the suspended particulate phase (up to 99.5%), is better eliminated by sedimentation in the estuaries. Ni and Cu occur mainly in the dissolved phase. Pollution by Co is distinct in the Elbe, but the output is rapidly diluted to background contents below 10 ng kg⁻¹. An interpretation of the results from the different years yields a rather steady state situation in the German Bight.     

Phytoplankton production in two east coast estuaries: Photosynthesis-light functions and patterns of carbon assimilation in Chesapeake and Delaware Bays

Chesapeake Bay is a large and productive estuary that has received close scrutiny in recent years because of indications that its water quality and biota have been damaged by man's activities. Data on primary production for the estuary as a whole, however, are surprisingly sparse. We describe here the distribution of photosynthetic carbon assimilation by phytoplankton in Chesapeake Bay, and relate productivity patterns to hydrographic characteristics of the estuary. Between March 1982 and April 1983, a series of four cruises was conducted on Chesapeake Bay, and two cruises on the urbanized Delaware Bay for comparison. The upper Chesapeake and Delaware were highly turbid with high concentrations of suspended particulate matter and dissolved inorganic nutrients. Low chlorophyll concentrations were usually found in these areas of high turbidity, despite the abundance of nutrients, suggesting light limitation. Application of Wofsy's (1983) model of phytoplanton growth confirmed this suggestion. Chlorophyll and productivity maxima usually occurred seaward of the turbidity maxima where light penetration increased and suffient nutrients were present to support active phytoplankton growth. Further seaward of the chlorophyll maxima in the Chesapeake, the photic zone depth increased, concentrations of nutrients decreased, and phytoplankton biomass decreased, suggesting that nutrient availability, rather than light, controlled phytoplankton growth in the lower portion of the estuary. In contrast to the Chesapeake, Delaware Bay was more turbid, had generally higher nutrient concentrations, and was lower in phytoplankton productivity. The chlorophyll maxima and region of rapid phytoplankton growth occurred further toward the lower estuary and shelf regions in Delaware Bay because the high turbidity extended further seaward. Nutrients were never depleted at the shelf end of the estuary sufficiently to retard phytoplankton growth. Photosynthesis-irradiance (P-I) curves from simulated in situ and constant intensity incubations showed a strong correlation of the light-limited slope (a^B) with the light-saturated rate ( ) on each cruise. Spatial variations in corresponded to patterns of phytoplankton abundance, as did integral production (PP) and carbon-based growth rates (μ_C, μ_m), and photosynthetic parameters varied significantly with temperature.     

Numerical Solution of Lock-Release Gravity Current with Viscous Self-Similar Regime

Lock-release gravity currents with a viscous self-similar regime are simulated by use of the renormalization group(RNG) k - ε model for Reynolds-stress closure. Besides the turbulent regime with initially a slumping phase of a conslant current front speed and later an inviseid self-similar phase of front speed decreasing as t^-1/3(where t is the time measured from release), the viseous self-similar regime is satisfactorily reproduced with front speed decreasing as t^-4/5,consistent with well known experimental observations.     

Cross-Calibration and Long-Term Monitoring of the Microwave Radiometers of ERS, TOPEX, GFO, Jason, and Envisat

The radiometers on board the satellites ERS-1, TOPEX/Poseidon, ERS-2, GFO, Jason-1, and Envisat measure brightness temperatures at two or three different frequencies to determine the total columnal water vapor content and wet tropospheric path delay, a major correction to the altimeter range measurements. In order to asses the long-term stability of the path delay, the radiometers are calibrated against vicarious cold and hot references, against each other, and against several atmospheric models. Four of these radiometers exhibit significant drifts in at least one of the channels, resulting in yet unmodeled errors in path delay of up to 1 mm/year, thus limiting the accuracy at which global sea level rise can be inferred from the altimeter range measurements.