Effects of resuspension on benthic fluxes of oxygen,nutrients, dissolved inorganic carbon,iron and manganese in the Gulf of Finland,Baltic Sea

The effect of resuspension on benthic fluxes of oxygen (O₂), ammonium (NH₄⁺), nitrate (NO₃^?), phosphate (PO₄^3?), silicate (Si(OH)₄), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), total dissolved iron (Fe) and total dissolved manganese (Mn) was studied at three different stations in the Gulf of Finland (GoF), Baltic Sea during three cruises in June–July 2003, September 2004 and May 2005. The stations were situated on different bottom types in the western, central and eastern part, respectively, of the open GoF. The fluxes were measured in-situ using the autonomous Göteborg benthic lander. To simulate resuspension events, the stirring speed was increased in two of the four chambers of the lander after approximately half of the incubation time. The other two chambers were used as control chambers. Clear effects of resuspension were observed on the oxygen fluxes where an increase of the consumption was observed in 88% of the cases and on average with 59% (stdev=53). The NH₄⁺ fluxes were affected in 50% of the cases (4 out of 8 incubations) at stations with low bottom water oxygen concentrations, but in no cases where the bottom water was oxygenated (0 out of 9 incubations). The NH₄⁺ fluxes decreased by 26±27% in 2005 and by 114±19% in 2003. There was no clear effect of resuspension on the fluxes of any of the other solutes in this study. Thus, resuspension events did not play a significant role in release/uptake of NO₃^?, PO₄^3?, Si(OH)₄, DIC, Fe and Mn in GoF sediments. However, increased oxygen consumption as a result of resuspension may lead to spreading of anoxic/suboxic bottom water conditions, and thus indirectly to increased benthic release of phosphate, ammonium and iron.     

An OSL‐dated sediment sequence at Idre,west‐central Sweden,indicates ice‐free conditions in MIS 3

In central and northern Sweden, glacial sediments and landforms, formed during Early and Middle Weichselian stadials and their transition into interstadials, are often preserved in spite of having been overridden by later glacial advances. This study presents an OSL‐dated glacial stratigraphy from Idre in west‐central Sweden, expanding the area in which Middle Weichselian ice‐free conditions have been identified. Three sedimentary units were identified, with the lowermost unit consisting of glaciolacustrine sand, deposited in a stagnant water‐body. Nine OSL samples gave ages ranging from 54 to 41 ka, suggesting deposition during a deglacial phase in MIS 3. Normal faults and silt veins, formed after deposition, indicate that the area was ice‐free for a prolonged period, enabling the melting of buried stagnant ice. Above an erosional unconformity is a sediment unit characterized by gravels and sands deposited in a proximal braided‐river environment. OSL ages range from 180 to 41 ka, indicating poor sediment bleaching during deposition. We thus consider them to give a maximum age of the sedimentation, indicating deposition at or after 41 ka. The uppermost unit consists of a stacked succession of subglacial traction tills and glaciotectonite beds, representing the Late Weichselian glaciation of the area, probably during the inception phase with a wet‐based glacier regime. At the last deglaciation of the area there was extensive meltwater erosion, eroding all sedimentary units and forming a landscape with terraces and channels, and erosional remnants of the uppermost diamict as free‐standing hummocks.     

Probing the submillimetre number counts at f850 μm < 2 mJy

We have conducted a submillimetre mapping survey of faint, gravitationally lensed sources, where we have targeted 12 galaxy clusters and additionally the New Technology Telescope (NTT) Deep Field. The total area surveyed is 71.5 arcmin² in the image plane; correcting for gravitational lensing, the total area surveyed is 40 arcmin² in the source plane for a typical source redshift z ≈ 2.5. In the deepest maps, an image plane depth of 1σ rms ∼0.8 mJy is reached. This survey is the largest survey to date to reach such depths. In total 59 sources were detected, including three multiply imaged sources. The gravitational lensing makes it possible to detect sources with flux density below the blank field confusion limit. The lensing-corrected fluxes range from 0.11 to 19 mJy. After correcting for multiplicity, there are 10 sources with fluxes <2 mJy of which seven have submJy fluxes, doubling the number of such sources known. Number counts are determined below the confusion limit. At 1 mJy, the integrated number count is  ∼10⁴ deg⁻²  , and at 0.5 mJy it is  ∼2 × 10⁴ deg⁻²  . Based on the number counts, at a source plan flux limit of 0.1 mJy, essentially all of the 850-μm background emission has been resolved. The dominant contribution (>50 per cent) to the integrated background arises from sources with fluxes S ₈₅₀ between 0.4 and 2.5 mJy, while the bright sources S ₈₅₀ > 6 mJy contribute only 10 per cent.     

Investigating CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-enhanced oil recovery potential for a mature oil field: a case study based on Ankleshwar oil field,Cambay Basin,India

CO₂-enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is an upcoming technology in India. At present, no Indian field is under CO₂-EOR and implementation of this technique to a mature oil field needs a rigorous study. In the present work, we made an attempt to investigate the CO₂-EOR potential of a mature oil field, situated in Cambay Basin, India. The field was put on production in 1961, and it has produced approximately 65.36 MMt oil during massive water flooding, leading to residual oil reserves of 6.49 MMt. The operator of the field is interested in incremental oil recovery from this field by injecting CO₂. This requires estimation of incremental oil recovery potential of the field by carrying out systematic study. We, therefore, developed a conceptual model inspired by Ankleshwar oil field of Cambay Basin using available information provided by the field operator and carried out systematic studies to establish an optimized strategy for CO₂ injection. To achieve this goal, we investigated the effect of various operational parameters on oil recovery efficiency of our conceptual model and selected optimum parameters for reservoir simulations. Simulation results clearly indicate that the field can be a good candidate for CO₂-EOR, and an additional oil recovery of 10.4% of hydrocarbon pore volume is feasible. Major outcome of the study is an optimized black-oil simulation model, which is in good agreement with the fine grid compositional model of high accuracy. The proposed black-oil model can easily be implemented and updated compared with compute intensive finer compositional simulation model.     

Analysis of limestone micromechanical properties by optical microscopy

Four dense Scandinavian limestones were analyzed to determine their mechanical properties. The generation of dust (? 10 μm) and fines (? 90 μm) during a closed circuit vertical roller mill comminution process was correlated with the calcite crystal size distributions of each limestone. Thin sections were analyzed and by means of stereology the calcite crystal size distributions for each limestone was measured. The dust generation of limestones is governed by a surface abrasive mechanism (R² = 0.99) and the production of fines is governed by the mechanical strength of limestones (R² = 0.99). The overall limestone degradation mechanism is predominantly controlled by the calcite cleavage planes which reduce the power consumption during the comminution process. This study is the first step in determining the influence of limestone texture on the wear rates in heterogenous raw mixes used in closed circuit comminution equipment.     

Hydrogeochemical Processes in the Kafue River upstream from the Copperbelt Mining Area, Zambia

Frequent sampling during an annual cycle of dissolved(<0.45 m) and suspended (>0.45 m) elementshas been conducted in the Kafue River at Raglan'sFarm, upstream from the mining activities within theCopperbelt Province, Zambia. Additional sampling ofsediment and interstitial pore water was conductedduring low water discharge. The presence of carbonateswithin the drainage basin naturally gives rise to highelement concentrations in the dissolved phase(Ca = 626, Mg = 494, Na = 360 and K = 24 mmol l^-1).During the rainy season the relative composition ofthe dissolved elements indicated a wash out ofaccumulated weathering products and mineralisedorganic material from the unsaturated zone of the soilprofile. High concentrations of dissolved Al, Fe andMn were measured during high water discharge. At lowwater discharge the sediment was a major source of Fe,Mn and associated Co and Cu to the water column.Enhanced concentrations of dissolved and suspended S,Co and Cu during the rainy season indicated thatatmospheric deposited particles from the mining areawere washed out into the river. Autochthonousformation of particles rich in Si indicated diatomproduction during low water discharge.     

Glacier hydrochemistry, solute provenance, and chemical denudation at a surge-type glacier in Kuannersuit Kuussuat, Disko Island, West Greenland

In 1995–1998, Han 11 km terrestrial surge of Kuannersuit Glacier, an outlet glacier of the largest ice cap on Disko Island, West Greenland, affected the catchment dramatically. In order to estimate solute fluxes and provenances, bulk meltwaters were sampled at the main subglacial outlet during the initial part of the quiescent phase. The hydrochemistry is significantly influenced by a subglacial basaltic weathering regime with absence of carbonate minerals. The results show that marine and aerosol derived solutes have minimal contribution to the total ion content, whereas sequestration of atmospheric CO₂ associated with carbonation of Ca-rich feldspar and reactive volcanic glass is more dominant than previously reported from glacierized catchments. Application of a sampling strategy dividing water samples into four groups to determine the content of dissolved HCO₃⁻ and CO₃²⁻ shows that the cationic equivalent weathering rate range is 683–860 Σmeq⁺ m⁻² a⁻¹ and solute flux ranges between 76 and 98 t km⁻² a⁻¹. The crustal denudation rate is estimated to 26 t km⁻² a⁻¹, and the transient CO₂ drawdown amounts to 8500–13700 kg C km⁻² a⁻¹.     

Glaciological Features in the Initial Quiescent Phase of Kuannersuit Glacier, Greenland

This paper describes glaciological features observed on the surface of the large outlet glacier Kuannersuit Glacier on Disko Island, West Greenland, during its initial quiescent phase after a major surge event occurred in 1995–98 in order to classify the glaciomorphological surge system. Focus is on surge features either associated with active surging such as a propagating surge front and serac formation or formed as a consequence of surging such as looped medial moraines and potholes; and on hydrological features related to the evolution of the glacier drainage system such as the supraglacial routing, moulin types and chasms. A chronological glaciomorphological model of the initial quiescent phase of Kuannersuit Glacier, which can be regarded as representative for large outlet surge‐type glaciers with terrestrial terminal regime and long quiescent phase, is proposed.     

Cyanobacteria as a trigger for increased primary productivity during sapropel formation in the Baltic Sea—a study of the Ancylus/Litorina transition

A sediment sequence from the Gotland Basin, representing the Ancylus Lake/Litorina Sea transition, was analysed for pigments, stable isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N), diatoms and carbon and nitrogen content. The negative correlation between the cyanobacterial specific pigment zeaxanthin and δ¹⁵N supports the hypothesis that cyanobacteria in the early Litorina Sea indeed were nitrogen fixers. Their incorporation of nitrogen could have acted as a trigger for eutrophication during the Litorina Sea stage of the Baltic Sea. As cyanobacteria normally flourish in eutrophicated waters, the increasing concentrations of zeaxanthin during early Litorina Sea also corroborate that high primary production was an important part of the formation of organic rich (sapropel) sediments in the Baltic Sea. The first occurrence pre-dates the formation of laminated sediments, but the peaks of both zeaxanthin and organic carbon are within laminated sequences. This implies that the oxygen conditions of the bottom water also play a major role in the formation of sapropel sediments.