Light utilization efficiency of phytoplankton in the Western Subarctic Gyre of the North Pacific during summer

We investigated the water-column light utilization efficiency (Ψ) of phytoplankton photosynthesis in the Western Subarctic Gyre (WSG) of the North Pacific during summer 2008. The Ψ values (0.64–1.86 g C [g Chl a]^?1 [mol photon]^?1 m²) obtained were observed to increase significantly with decreasing daily photosynthetic available radiation (PAR) and were generally higher than those of previous studies, not only from the subarctic Pacific but also from the world’s oceans. To examine the effect of iron availability on Ψ in the WSG, Ψ values were estimated from the data of two in situ iron fertilization experiments: the Subarctic Pacific Iron Experiment for Ecosystem Dynamics Study I (SEEDS-I) and II (SEEDS-II). We found that iron availability did not affect Ψ values. Overall, this study revealed that Ψ values changed remarkably in the WSG during the summer, and that higher values were found at the stations where moderate PAR levels (ca. 10–30 mol photons m^?2 day^?1) were observed and where autotrophic flagellates predominated in the phytoplankton assemblages.     

Thermal modeling for a parent body of Itokawa

We modeled the possible parent bodies of Itokawa, which was heated within by the decay energy of ²⁶Al. Based on mineralogic studies of dust particles derived from Itokawa by the Hayabusa spacecraft, it appeared that they were thermally metamorphosed at a peak temperature of 800 °C, and kept at 700 °C or higher at 7.6 Myr after CAI formation. Our numerical results show that the parent bodies of Itokawa would have been larger than 20 km in radius and accreted at a period between 1.9 and 2.2 Myr after CAI formation, to satisfy mineralogic and isotopic evidence from dust particles.     

Mineral chemistry of MUSES‐C Regio inferred from analysis of dust particles collected from the first‐ and second‐touchdown sites on asteroid Itokawa

The mineralogy and mineral chemistry of Itokawa dust particles captured during the first and second touchdowns on the MUSES‐C Regio were characterized by synchrotron‐radiation X‐ray diffraction and field‐emission electron microprobe analysis. Olivine and low‐ and high‐Ca pyroxene, plagioclase, and merrillite compositions of the first‐touchdown particles are similar to those of the second‐touchdown particles. The two touchdown sites are separated by approximately 100 meters and therefore the similarity suggests that MUSES‐C Regio is covered with dust particles of uniform mineral chemistry of LL chondrites. Quantitative compositional properties of 48 dust particles, including both first‐ and second‐touchdown samples, indicate that dust particles of MUSES‐C Regio have experienced prolonged thermal metamorphism, but they are not fully equilibrated in terms of chemical composition. This suggests that MUSES‐C particles were heated in a single asteroid at different temperatures. During slow cooling from a peak temperature of approximately 800 °C, chemical compositions of plagioclase and K‐feldspar seem to have been modified: Ab and Or contents changed during cooling, but An did not. This compositional modification is reproduced by a numerical simulation that modeled the cooling process of a 50 km sized Itokawa parent asteroid. After cooling, some particles have been heavily impacted and heated, which resulted in heterogeneous distributions of Na and K within plagioclase crystals. Impact‐induced chemical modification of plagioclase was verified by a comparison to a shock vein in the Kilabo LL6 ordinary chondrite where Na‐K distributions of plagioclase have been disturbed.     

Basin-scale distribution of prokaryotic phylotypes in the epipelagic layer of the Central South Pacific Ocean during austral summer

In the present study, we used catalyzed reporter deposition-fluorescence in situ hybridization to quantify the abundance of five bacterial (Alphaproteobacteria, SAR11, Gammaproteobacteria, SAR86, and Bacteroidetes) and two archaeal (Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota) phylotypes in the epipelagic layer (0–200 m) of the Central South Pacific Ocean along 170°W from 0° to 40°S. We found that the distribution patterns of these phylotypes differed from each other. All phylotypes except Gammaproteobacteria were particularly abundant at the surface water of the equatorial region, whereas Gammaproteobacteria was relatively abundant in the area from the southern part of the South Pacific Ocean. SAR11, affiliated with Alphaproteobacteria was the dominant phylotype at all depths, throughout the study area. The abundance of SAR11 significantly increased with chlorophyll a concentration, suggesting that phytoplankton could affect their distribution pattern. There was a positive correlation between Bacteroidetes abundance and water temperature, suggesting that the temperature gradient could be a critical factor determining their distribution in the South Pacific Ocean. Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota were more abundant at the equatorial region than in other study areas. Euryarchaeota abundance significantly decreased with depth, and increased with chlorophyll a concentration. This suggests that there was ecological interaction between Euryarchaeota and phytoplankton in the equatorial surface. Our data indicate that distinct hydrographic properties such as seawater temperature, salinity, and the concentrations of chlorophyll a and nutrients can principally control the basin-scale distribution of different prokaryotic phylotypes in the epipelagic layer of the Central South Pacific Ocean.     

Comparison of carbon cycle between the western Pacific subarctic and subtropical time-series stations: highlights of the K2S1 project

A comparative study of ecosystems and biogeochemistry at time-series stations in the subarctic gyre (K2) and subtropical region (S1) of the western North Pacific Ocean (K2S1 project) was conducted between 2010 and 2013 to collect essential data about the ecosystem and biological pump in each area and to provide a baseline of information for predicting changes in biologically mediated material cycles in the future. From seasonal chemical and biological observations, general oceanographic settings were verified and annual carbon budgets at both stations were determined. Annual mean of phytoplankton biomass and primary productivity at the oligotrophic station S1 were comparable to that at the eutrophic station K2. Based on chemical/physical observations and numerical simulations, the likely “missing nutrient source” was suggested to include regeneration, meso-scale eddy driven upwelling, meteorological events, and eolian inputs in addition to winter vertical mixing. Time-series observation of carbonate chemistry revealed that ocean acidification (OA) was ongoing at both stations, and that the rate of OA was faster at S1 than at K2 although OA at K2 is more critical for calcifying organisms.