Geochemistry of rare earth elements in the mid-late Quaternary sediments of the western Philippine Sea and their paleoenvironmental significance

Based on a δ18O chronology,rare earth elements(REE) and other typical elements in sediments from core MD06-3047 in the western Philippine Sea were analyzed to constrain the provenances of the sediments and investigate quantitative changes in the Asian eolian input to the study area over the last 700 ka.Among the competing processes that might affect REE compositions,sediment provenance is the most important one.Provenance analysis suggests that the study sediments have two provenance end-members;local volcanic sources are dominant,and eolian dust from the Asian continent has a smaller contribution.During glacial periods,eolian input to the western Philippine Sea was enhanced.In contrast,material supply from local volcanics increased during interglacial periods.Changes in eolian input to the study area were probably related to the strength of the East Asian winter monsoon(EAWM) as well as aridity in the Asian continent on an orbital time scale,and were partly influenced by local control factors on shorter time scales.Therefore,we propose that the present study expands the application of the REE-based method for quantitatively estimating the eolian component from the mid-latitude northern Pacific to the low-latitude western Pacific.Additionally,the study preliminarily confirms the influence of EAWM-transported eolian material on sedimentation in the western Philippine Sea since 700 ka.     

The NEAR‐Shoemaker x‐ray/gamma‐ray spectrometer experiment: Overview and lessons learned

Abstract— The near‐Earth asteroid rendezvous (NEAR)‐Shoemaker remote‐sensing x‐ray/gamma‐ray spectrometer (XGRS) completed more than a year of operation in orbit and on the surface of 433 Eros. Elemental compositions for a number of regions on the surface of Eros have been derived from analyses of the characteristic x‐ray and gamma‐ray emission spectra. The NEAR XGRS detection system was included as part of the interplanetary network (IPN) for the detection and localization of gamma‐ray bursts (GRBs). Preliminary results for both the elemental composition of the surface of Eros and the detection of GRBs have been obtained. In addition to the science results, the design and operation of the NEAR XGRS is considered. Significant information important for the design of future remote sensing XGRS systems has been obtained and evaluated. We focus on four factors that became particularly critical during NEAR: (1) overall spacecraft design, (2) selection of materials, (3) increase of the signal‐to‐noise ratio and (4) knowledge of the incident solar x‐ray spectrum.     

Tidal modification and its effect on sluice-gate outflow after completion of the Saemangeum dike,South Korea

This study examined tidal modification and change in tidal currents caused by the construction of the Saemangeum dike, based on field observations and a numerical model. The Saemangeum dike was completed in April 2006, enclosing an estuarine area along the mid-western coast of South Korea. After closure of the dike, the tidal range outside the dike decreased slightly but significantly, while the inside tidal range decreased drastically. The numerical model results show that the dike construction has influenced tidal energy propagation and the tidal system in the Yellow Sea. The tidal current speed near the dike decreased abruptly following closure of the dike, except in front of the sluice gates. Since completion of the dike, outflow water discharged from the sluice gates has longer residence times due to the weakened tidal current; the change in the tidal current field has also caused greater northward expansion of outflow water. The sluice gates release fresher water, which spreads over the sea surface mainly by inertial momentum near the gate; this water is then gradually mixed with sea water farther from the gate. The less saline, possibly more contaminated outflow impacts the marine environment near the Saemangeum dike. Controlling the discharge and gate-opening timing can partially mitigate these impacts on the marine environment.     

Impact of MJO on the diurnal cycle of rainfall over the western Maritime Continent in the austral summer

This paper investigates the impact of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) on the diurnal cycle of rainfall over the western Maritime Continent during the austral summer. For this purpose, cyclostationary empirical orthogonal function analysis is applied to the tropical rainfall measuring mission rain rate and the Japanese Reanalysis-25 data for the period 1998–2008. The real-time multivariate MJO index by Wheeler and Hendon (Mon Wea Rev 132:1917–1932, 2004) is adopted to define the intensity and the phase of MJO. It is demonstrated that the hourly maximum rain rate over the domain tends to increase when convectively active phase of MJO approaches the Maritime Continent. In contrast, the hourly maximum rain rate tends to decrease when convectively suppressed phase of MJO resides over the region. The changes in the rain rate due to MJO differ over the ocean and the land. This difference is the greatest when the MJO is in the mature stage. Throughout the day during this stage, terrestrial rain rates show minimum values while diurnally varying oceanic rain rates record maximum values. Thus, precipitation becomes more intense in the morning over the Java Sea and is weakened in the evening over Borneo and Sumatra during the mature stage of MJO. During the decaying stage of MJO over the Maritime Continent, the diurnal cycle of precipitation weakens significantly over the ocean but only weakly over land. Analyses suggest that the anomalous lower level winds accompanied by MJO interact with the monsoonal flow over the Maritime Continent. Westerlies induced by MJO convection in the mature stage are superimposed on the monsoonal westerlies over the equator and increase wind speed mainly over the Java Sea due to the blocking effect of orography. Mountainous islands induce flow bifurcation, causing near-surface winds to converge mainly over the oceanic channels between two islands. As a result, heat flux release from the ocean to the atmosphere is enhanced by the increased surface wind resulting in instability as described in the wind-induced surface heat exchange mechanism. This may contribute to heavy rainfall over the Java Sea in the morning during the mature stage. On the other hand, convergence and vertical velocity over the islands, which play important roles in inducing nighttime rainfall, tend to be weak in the evening during the mature stage of MJO. Strong westerlies arising from MJO and the seasonal flow during the mature stage tend to interrupt convergence over islands. This interruption of convergence by MJO gives rise to decreased rain rates over the land regions.     

Analytical Interpretation of Slug Test in a Vertical Cutoff Wall

An analysis method for slug tests performed in a partially penetrating well within a vertical cutoff wall is presented. A steady‐state shape factor for evaluating hydraulic conductivity of the material within the wall was derived by applying the method of images to the previously developed analytical solution of Zlotnik et al. (2010) for an infinite aquifer. Two distinct boundary conditions were considered: constant‐head boundary for the case of direct contact between the wall and the aquifer, and no‐flux boundary representing an impermeable filter cake on the sides of the wall. The constant‐head and no‐flux boundary conditions yield significantly higher and lower shape factors, respectively, than those for the infinite aquifer. Consequently the conventional line‐fitting method for slug test analysis would yield an inaccurate estimate of the hydraulic conductivity of a vertical cutoff wall.     

Analytical solution for transient groundwater flow during slug test in vertical cutoff walls

An analysis method for transient groundwater flow during slug tests performed in vertical cutoff walls is presented. The analytical solution for evaluating hydraulic conductivity of vertical cutoff walls is derived by applying the method of images to the previously developed analytical solution that is exclusively applicable to an infinite aquifer. Two distinct boundary conditions are considered to account for the configuration of the vertical cutoff wall: the wall‐soil formation interfaces with or without the existence of filter cakes, that is, constant‐head boundary and no‐flux boundary conditions. A series of type curves is constructed from the analytical solution and compared with those of a partially penetrated well within an aquifer. The constant‐head boundary condition provides faster hydraulic head recovery than the aquifer case. On the other hand, the no‐flux boundary condition leads to a delayed hydraulic head recovery. The greater the shape factor and well offset from the center of the cutoff wall, and the smaller the width of the cutoff wall, the greater the effect of the boundary condition observed in the type curves. This result shows the significance of considering proper boundary conditions at the vertical cutoff wall in analyzing slug tests. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessment of pollution and ecological risk of heavy metals in the surface sediments of Ulsan Bay,Korea

Heavy metal concentrations in the surface sediments of specially managed Ulsan Bay were investigated to determine metal distribution, pollution status and its ecological risk using pollution indices (enrichment factor and geo-accumulation index), potential ecological risk index and sediment quality guidelines (SQGs). The order of mean concentration (mg/kg) of metals was Zn (361.9) > Cu (95.6) > Pb (90.7) > Cr (64.7) > Ni (32.2) > Co (16.6) > As (15.8) > Cd (0.40) > Hg (0.16) in sediments of Ulsan Bay. Spatial distribution of metals in sediments showed a significantly higher concentration near industrial complexes, indicating that metal pollution is caused by anthropogenic sources. The results of enrichment factor (EF) and geo-accumulation index (I_geo) showed that sediments were significantly accumulated with Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb and Hg, indicating moderate to very severe enrichment (pollution) by these metals. Based on the potential ecological risk index, Hg and Cd posed a very high and a considerable potential ecological risk. Cu and As posed a moderate potential ecological risk, while, other metals (Cr, Co, Ni, Zn and Pb) rarely posed any potential ecological risk to the coastal environments. The sediments in Ulsan Bay showed a very high level of ecological risk, dominated by Hg and Cd. Metal concentrations in sediments were 80% for Cu, 96.7% for Zn, 50% for As, 70% for Pb and 50% for Hg above the threshold effects level (TEL), respectively.     

Morphology and molecular characterization of the epiphytic dinoflagellate Prorocentrum cf. rhathymum in temperate waters off Jeju Island, Korea

Prorocentrum spp. are planktonic and/or benthic species. Benthic Prorocentrum species are of primary concern to scientists and the public because some of them are toxic. We established clonal cultures of 3 strains of Prorocentrum species that were collected from the thalli of a macroalga in the coastal waters off Jeju Island, located at the southern end of Korea. The Korean strains of P. cf. rhathymum, which are morphologically almost identical to the Virgin Island strain of P. rhathymum, were different from P. mexicanum because the former dinoflagellate has one simple collar-like spine in the periflagellar area, while the latter dinoflagellate has a 2- or 3-horned spine. In addition, the sequences of the small subunit (SSU) rDNA of the Korean strains were identical to those of the Malaysian and Floridian strains of P. rhathymum, while the sequences of the large subunit (LSU) rDNA of the Korean strains were 0.1–0.9% different from those of the Iranian and Malaysian strains of P. rhathymum. In phylogenetic trees based on the SSU rDNA sequences, the Korean strains of P. rhathymum formed a clade with the Malaysian and Floridian strains of P. rhathymum and the Vietnamese and Polynesian strains of P. mexicanum. However, in phylogenetic trees based on the LSU rDNA sequences, the Korean strains of P. rhathymum formed a clade with the Iranian strain of P. rhathymum and the Spanish and Mexican strains of P. mexicanum. Therefore, the molecular characterization of the Korean strains does not allow us to clearly classify them as P. rhathymum, nor P. mexicanum, although their morphology has so far been reported to be closer to that of P. rhathymum than P. mexicanum and thus we designated them as P. cf. rhathymum.     

Geochemical-mineralogical-characteristics of the pre-Holocene sediments in Haenam Bay, west coast of Korea

The geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of pre-Holocene core sediments from Haenam Bay, southwest coast of Korea, were examined for post-depositional diagenetic changes and used to assess the provenance of fine-grained sediments in the region. The geochemical and mineralogical compositions of the sediments vary very little with core depth (Holocene to pre-Holocene age), except for the upper part of the pre-Holocene sedimentary layer. In this case, smectite and chlorite are depleted, presumably due to intensive subaerial weathering and low pH conditions. Highly mobile elements (Ca, Mg, Na and K) were likely removed with the breakdown of labile minerals, such as carbonate minerals, feldspar, and clay minerals, during subaerial exposure of this layer, resulting in low weathering indices. In particular, the low smectite content (<5%) and low V/Al ratio (<13) suggest that the Holocene and pre-Holocene sediments along the southwestern coast of Korea did not originate from mainland China but rather mostly from the Korean Peninsula. This aspect has been a subject of debate since the mid-1970s.