Evaporative weathering of petroleum residues: The age of pelagic tar

The rate of evaporative weathering of a component of crude oil residue is assumed to be proportional to its equilibrium vapor pressure and to the amount remaining in the sample. This model is tested using literature data on normal paraffin profiles of crude oil weathered artificially and gas chromatographic data on crude oil residues weathered on rocky shores. Semiquantitative agreement over the time range from 1 to 400 days is demonstrated. Application of the model to gas chromatograms of pelagic tar lumps collected at Station S near Bermuda in 1972 implies that most of these lumps were formed by fragmentation of much larger and older masses, some within less than one day of the time they were collected. The weathering of pelagic tar thus involves a great deal more physical fragmentation than was previously supposed.     

The thermohaline fields and currents measured in the sub-arctic frontal zone of the Pacific Ocean

Based on the MEGAPOLYGON data, it is shown that the large-scale elements of the thermohaline structure and the fields of currents in the baroclinic layer (down to 1200 m) are well coordinated. The circulation has a two-layer structure with a transitory layer at a depth of 1200 m. The topography of the isopycnic surface of the layer's core is formed under the influence of small-scale and mesoscale processes which realize the trans-frontal exchange.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

The study of intermittent hydrophysical fields in the vicinity of the frontal zone

CTD data provided by the MGI-4204 and MARK-III probes are used to study the quasistationary subpolar front structure in the north-western Sea of Japan. In order to provide further insights into the intermittent scalar hydrophysical fields, the method of inhomogeneity identification using temperature pulsations calculated by the moving interval is suggested. The experimentally-derived inhomogeneity distribution is satisfactorily approximated by the exponential law.Translated by V. Puchkin.     

Joint Soviet-Turkish expedition in the Black Sea

The hydrological and hydrochemical structures of the upper 300 m water column of the Black Sea in autumn 1988 have been studied. Regularities in the distribution of the physico-chemical characteristics in the zone of interaction between aerobic and anaerobic waters as well as the topography of the H₂S zone boundary and its connection with a certain density gradient have been found.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

Seasonal methyltin and (3-dimethylsulphonio)propionate concentrations in leaf tissue of Spartina alterniflora of the Great Bay estuary (NH)

Concentrations of total recoverable inorganic tin (TRISn), monomethyltin (MeSn³⁺), dimethyltin (Me₂Sn²⁺), trimethyltin (Me₃Sn⁺) and (3-dimethylsulphonio)propionate (DMSP) were determined in leaves of Spartina alterniflora from three sites in the Great Bay estuary (NH) from 8 May to 15 September 1989. Total methyltin concentration increased from 8·9 ng g⁻¹ (fresh weight) on 8 May to 472 ng g⁻¹ on 23 May, decreased to 52 ng g⁻¹ on 7 June and 16ng g⁻¹ on 20 June, and remained low until the last sample on 18 September. Statistical calculations showed that methyltin concentrations varied significantly with sampling week, but not with site. DMSP concentrations showed very different behaviour. During the same sampling period DMSP concentrations varied only from 7·5 to 26 μmol g⁻¹ (fresh weight). DMSP concentrations varied significantly for site, but not sampling week.     

Interactions of cadmium with the reproductive cycle of Mytilus edulis L.

Sublethal effects of cadmium on reproduction can have detrimental consequences for the long-term survival, even of species with high LC₅₀ values. The sea mussel, Mytilus edulis, is well-known for its use in biomonitoring work due to its relatively low sensitivity towards many toxicants, including cadmium.¹ Because little is known on sublethal effects of this metal in invertebrates,^2–6 we have studied these effects, with emphasis on reproduction, by exposing mussels to 100 ppb cadmium in sea water. This concentration significantly inhibits follicle development in both male and female gonads, but has subsequently a stimulating effect on the spawning frequency. Due to these opposite effects the consequences of cadmium stress for gamete production are expected to be small, as the average number of gametes released by spawning animals was not significantly changed.     

Seasonal Variation in the Biomass of Marine Macrophyta from Greek Coasts

Abstract. The marine plant communities of the littoral zone in different biotopes of the Greek coasts were investigated in 1980-81. Seasonal distribution and variation of marine plant biomass were assessed. The communities of Cystoseira crinita and C. compressa were outstanding with maximum biomass during the summer months. Corallina officinalis and Pterocladia capillacea + Viva rigida communities predominated with maximum biomass in autumn and exhibited a decrease in winter, except in stressed biotopes. The species diversity and productivity of seaweeds along the Greek coasts are interpreted in relation to a number of environmental parameters.     

Monitoring the status of a mechanical cable while in operation by means of the acoustic emission method

The mechanical cable is an essential element in towing operations, remote control of equipment, salvage operations, civil engineering applications, etc.Failure of these cables can result in loss of life and loss of equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Obviously then, sensors that can indicate the condition of these cables so that the risk to their continued use and their remaining safe life can be determined when in operation are very important from the point of view of commercial and military interest.This paper presents a brief review of research into failure mechanisms of various cables and the acoustic emission signatures of the various cables under simulated loading. The development of a specific operational monitor for a towed cable system is also given.     

Experimental study of the fine structure of the wind field near a rough surface

The air-flow velocity field near the water surface is studied in the zone of wind-wave intensification. Caused by a periodic separation of eddies, a nonzero time-averaged value of the wind velocity in the near-water streamline is detected at the leading slope of the wave. The distribution of pressure along the wave with allowance for the vertical velocity shear and disturbances produced by eddies and a periodic deceleration of the viscous layer was calculated with the aid of the Cauchy-Lagrange integral. This procedure made it possible to calculate the growth rate of the wave amplitude, whose value was found to be close to its experimental value at the initial stage of acceleration.