Trace metals in finfish from the New York Bight and Long Island Sound

Concentrations of silver, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc were measured in five species of finfish collected from the New York Bight and two from Long Island Sound. With few exceptions the trace metal contents were similar for the various species examined and also for a single species when comparing catch locations. Metal levels also were similar to concentrations reported by two other investigators who studied fish from the North Atlantic.     

Trace metal concentrations in sediments from Long Island Sound

It is important to determine trace metal concentrations in marine sediments because these could be important sources of contamination of marine organisms that reside there. In this study we measured the concentrations of thirteen metals in sediments obtained from Long Island Sound. We found great variations in metal levels for various geographic areas in the Sound; but, generally the highest concentrations found were in the extreme western end of the Sound. Comparison is made between metal levels in sediments from the Sound to seven other areas located in the U.S. and U.K.     

Application of magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy to the optical spectra of natural and irradiated diamonds

The MCD spectra of natural type Ia and electron-irradiated type Ia and type IIa diamonds have been measured. The information obtained from MCD spectroscopy complements that obtained from absorption spectroscopy and can be helpful in the assignment of electronic transitions.     

Apollo 17 KREEPy basalt: A rock type intermediate between mare and KREEP basalts

The Apollo 17 KREEPy basalt is a unique lunar volcanic rock, observed only as clasts in the light friable breccia matrix (72275) of Boulder 1, Station 2 at Taurus-Littrow. Its status as a volcanic rock is confirmed by the absence of any meteoritic contamination, a lack of cognate inclusions or xenocrystal material, and low Ni contents in metal grains.The basalt was extruded 4.01 ± 0.04 b.y. ago, approximately contemporaneously with the high-alumina mare basalts at Fra Mauro; shortly afterwards it was disrupted, probably by the Serenitatis impact, and its fragments emplaced in the South Massif. The basalt, which is quartz-normative and aluminous, is chemically and mineralogically intermediate between the Apollo 15 KREEP basalts and the high-alumina mare basalts in most respects. It consists mainly of plagioclase and pigeonitic pyroxene in approximately equal amounts, and 10–30% of mesostatis. Minor phases outside of the mesostatis are chromite, a silica mineral, Fe-metal, and rare olivine; the mesostatis consists primarily of ilmenite, Fe-metal, troilite, and ferroaugite, set in a glassy or microcrystalline Si-rich base.Chemical and isotopic data indicate that an origin by partial melting of a distinct source region is more probable than hybridization or contamination of magmas, and is responsible for the transitional composition of the basalt. The moon did not produce two completely distinct volcanic groups, the KREEP basalts and the mare/mare-like basalts; some intermediate rock types were generated as well. A corresponding spectrum of source regions must exist in the interior of the moon.     

Estimation of Tigris-Euphrates streamflow from regional paleoenvironmental proxy data

A six thousand year history of streamflow in Mesopotamia is derived from a synthesis of regional paleoenvironmental proxy data. The proxy data are interpreted with consideration to the climatic signals represented in the records and to the temporal resolution of the records. A consideration of modern synoptic climatology suggests the spatial patterns of streamflow-generating precipitation in relation to atmospheric circulation. These patterns provide a framework for the interpretation of streamflow from the regional proxies. Given the nature of the data at hand, only a low frequency signal is reconstructed. Assessment of the role of small scale climatic fluctuations as a forcing function of population dynamics must await the availability of finer resolution environmental data.     

The use of carbon and sulfur isotopes as correlation parameters for the source identification of beach tar in the southern California borderland

Carbon and sulfur isotope ratios and total sulfur content are used to correlate beach tars depositing near Los Angeles with their probable sources. Analysis is confined strictly to the asphaltene fraction of petroleum owing to the insensitivity of this fraction to weathering processes.The δ¹³C, δ³⁴S and % S of the asphaltene fraction of natural offshore seep oils range from ?22.51 to ?23.20%., +7.75 to + 15.01%. and 4.45 to 8.27%, respectively. Values for local offshore production wells overlapped those for the natural seepage, ranging from ?22.10 to ?22.85%., ?2.96 to 13.90%., and 0.81 to 8.00%. Analytical values for these parameters show that tanker crudes imported into the area are not similar to the California oils. Analysis of the same parameters in beach tars collected during 1976–1977 indicates a close match with the potential source oils, thus it is concluded that these parameters are useful for identifying petroleum sources, even after 2–4 weeks of weathering. Results indicate that 55% of the tars in Santa Monica Bay are derived from natural oil seepage 150km to the northwest at Coal Oil Point, 26% are derived from natural oil seepage in Santa Monica Bay, and 19% are derived from unknown sources.Models of tar transport are inferred which are consistent with the seasonal deposition pattern. Tar from Coal Oil Point natural oil seeps is transported southward in the southern California gyre during the spring, summer and fall seasons, but probably undergoes northward transport during the winter season due to the surfacing of the Davidson Current. Tar from the Santa Monica Bay natural oil seeps moves onshore, but deposition rate seems to depend on seepage flow rate.     

Fine-scale isotopic variation in Mariana Trough basalts: evidence for heterogeneity and a recycled component in backarc basin mantle

Fine-scale sampling with alvin and by dredging of the axial ridge in the Mariana Trough between 17°40′N and 18°30°N recovered basalts with isotopic compositions that span the range between N-type MORB and Mariana island arc basalts. There is a local tectonic-morphological control on basalt compositions; MORB-like basalts are found on the deeper ridge segment bounded by the Pagan transform and the ridge offset at 17°56′N, while basalts from the shallower ridge to the north are typical Mariana Trough basalts (MTB) having compositions intermediate between the two endmember rock types. Arc-like basalts were recovered from one site on the axial ridge.The discovery of basalts with such diverse isotopic characteristics from a short (100 km) section of this backarc spreading center constrains the chemical characteristics and distribution of mantle source variability in the Mariana Trough. SrNdPb isotopic variability suggests that the MTB source is heterogeneous on the scale of individual melt batches. The principal component in the MTB mantle source region is depleted peridotite similar to the source of MORB. The enriched component, most evident in the arc-like basalts and intimately mixed in MTB, has isotopic characteristics similar to those observed in the Mariana arc basalts. The isotopic data suggest that source variability for Mariana axial ridge basalts can be explained by mixed arc-like and MORB-like mantle. We hypothesize that there are fragments of old oceanic lithosphere in the backarc source region. This lithospheric component may reflect remnants of subducted seafloor or forearc-volcanic arc mantle that predate rifting in the backarc basin.     

Climate change in Thailand and its potential impact on rice yield

In Thailand, the world's largest rice exporter, rice constitutes a major export on which the economy of the whole country depends. Climate change could affect rice growth and development and thus jeopardize Thailand's wealth. Current climatic conditions in Thailand are compared to predictions from four general circulation models (GCMs). Temperature predictions correlate well with the observed values. Predictions of monthly rainfall correlate poorly. Virtually all models agree that significant increases in temperature (from 1 to 7 °C) will occur in the region including Thailand following a doubling in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration. The regional seasonality and extent of the rise in temperature varies with each model. Predictions of changes in rainfall vary widely between models. Global warming should in principle allow a northward expansion of rice-growing areas and a lengthening of the growing season now constrained by low temperatures. The expected increase in water-use efficiency due to enhanced CO₂ might decrease the water deficit vulnerability of dryland rice areas and could make it possible to slightly expand them.The research described in this article has been funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This document has been prepared at the EPA Environmental Research Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon, through contract # 68-C8-0006 to ManTech Environmental Technology, Inc. It has been subjected to the Agency's peer and administrative review and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.     

Origin of Sr,Nd and Pb isotopic systematics in high-Sr basalts from central Arizona

Alkalic and tholeiitic basalts were erupted in the central Arizona Transition Zone during Miocene-Pliocene time before and after regional faulting. The alkalic lava types differ from the subalkaline lavas in Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic ratios and trace element ratios and, despite close temporal and spatial relationships, the two types appear to be from discrete mantle sources. Pre-faulting lava types include: potassic trachybasalts (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.7052 to 0.7055, _Nd= –9.2 to –10.7); alkali olivine basalts (⁸⁷Sr/ ⁸⁶Sr = 0.7049 to 0.7054, _Nd= –2 to 0.2); basanite and hawaiites (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.7049 to 0.7053, _Nd= –3.5 to –7.8); and quartz tholeiites (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.7047, _Nd= –1.4 to –2.6). Post-faulting lavas have lower ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (<0.7045) and _Nd from –3.2 to 2.3. Pb isotopic data for both preand post-faulting lavas form coherent clusters by magma type with values higher than those associated with MORB but within the range of values found for crustal rocks and sulfide ores in Arizona and New Mexico. Pb isotopic systematics appear to be dominated by crustal contamination. Effects of assimilation and fractional crystallization are inadequate to produce the Sr isotopic variations unless very large amounts of assimilation occurred relative to fractionation. It is impossible to produce the Nd isotopic variations unless ancient very unradiogenic material exists beneath the region. Moreover the assumption that the alkalic lavas are cogenetic requires high degrees of fractionation inconsistent with major- and trace-element data. Metasomatism of the subcontinental lithosphere above a subduction zone by a slab-derived fluid enriched in Sr, Ba, P and K could have produced the isotopic and elemental patterns. The degree of metasomatism apparently decreased upward, with the alkalic lavas sampling more modified regions of the mantle than the tholeiitic lavas. Such metasomatism may have been a regional event associated with crustal formation at about 1.6 Ga. Disruption and weakening of the subcontinental lithosphere in the Transition Zone of the Colorado Plateau by volcanism probably made deformation possible.     

Couplings of watersheds and coastal waters: Sources and consequences of nutrient enrichment in Waquoit Bay,Massachusetts

Human activities on coastal watersheds provide the major sources of nutrients entering shallow coastal ecosystems. Nutrient loadings from watersheds are the most widespread factor that alters structure and function of receiving aquatic ecosystems. To investigate this coupling of land to marine systems, we are studying a series of subwatersheds of Waquoit Bay that differ in degree of urbanization and hence are exposed to widely different nutrient loading rates. The subwatersheds differ in the number of septic tanks and the relative acreage of forests. In the area of our study, groundwater is the major mechanism that transports nutrients to coastal waters. Although there is some attenuation of nutrient concentrations within the aquifer or at the sediment-water interface, in urbanized areas there are significant increases in the nutrient content of groundwater arriving at the shore’s edge. The groundwater seeps or flows through the sediment-water boundary, and sufficient groundwater-borne nutrients (nitrogen in particular) traverse the sediment-water boundary to cause significant changes in the aquatic ecosystem. These loading-dependent alterations include increased nutrients in water, greater primary production by phytoplankton, and increased macroaglal biomass and growth (mediated by a suite of physiological responses to abundance of nutrients). The increased macroalgal biomass dominates the bay ecosystem through second- or third-order effects such as alterations of nutrient status of water columns and increasing frequency of anoxic events. The increases in seaweeds have decreased the areas covered by eelgrass habitats. The change in habitat type, plus the increased frequency of anoxic events, change the composition of the benthic fauna. The data make evident the importance of bottom-up control in shallow coastal food webs. The coupling of land to sea by groundwater-borne nutrient transport is mediated by a complex series of steps; the cascade of processes make it unlikely to find a one-to-one relation between land use and conditions in the aquatic ecosystem. Study of the process and synthesis by appropriate models may provide a way to deal with the complexities of the coupling.