A glove box for the fine-scale subsampling of sediment box cores

The construction and operation of a glove box which allows the fine-scale vertical subsampling of sediment box cores under a low oxygen atmosphere is described.     

Timing of the younger dryas glacial maximum in western Norway

This study precisely constrains the timing of the Younger Dryas (YD) glacial maximum in south‐western Norway by utilizing sediment records from lake basins. Two of the basins, located on the distal side of the mapped Herdla–Halsnøy Moraine, received meltwater directly from the ice sheet only when the ice margin reached its maximum extent during the YD. In the cores, the ice maximum is represented by well‐defined units with meltwater deposits, dominantly laminated silt. Plant macrofossils in the sediment sequences are common and we obtained 18 radiocarbon ages from one of the cores. By applying Bayesian age–depth modelling we obtained a precise date for this meltwater event and thereby also for the timing of the YD glacial maximum. We conclude that the ice‐sheet advance culminated at the Halsnøy Moraine at 11 760 ± 120 cal a BP, and that the ice margin stayed in this position for 170 ± 120 years. The subsequent retreat started at 11 590 ± 100 cal a BP, i.e. close to the YD/Holocene boundary. Withdrawal was probably triggered by abrupt climatic warming at this time. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Diagenesis in Mesozoic sandstones from Spitsbergen and the North Sea — A comparison

Mesozoic and Tertiary sandstones on Spitsbergen are generally tight and well cemented while Mesozoic and Tertiary sandstones from the North Sea include highly porous reservoir rocks.It is concluded that one of the most important controlling mechanisms for preservation of porosity is the build up of high pore pressures which effectively reduce pressure solution at grain contacts and the incidence of quartz overgrowth.High pore pressures are most commonly developed in onlapping sedimentary sequences with an effective shale seal like in the North Sea.Extensive diagenetic growth of kaolinite at the expence of clastic feldspar, which is commonly observed, requires a large flux of low salinity water. The most probable mechanism is fresh ground water drive through sandstones which have served as aquifers. During the late stages of burial (1–3 kms) the diagenetic reactions must have taken place within an isochemical semi-closed system. Calculations show that porewater expelled from compacting shales is insufficient to cause significant changes in the bulk chemistry of thick sandstones. Microprobe analyses carried out on Jurassic sandstones from the Statfjord field show that there are a continuous series of transitions from clastic mica to illite and kaolinite as indicated by a gradual loss of potassium. Evidence is presented to show that silica cementation is retarded in the presence of clastic mica while carbonate and feldspar cementation is favoured in this local high pH environment between sheets of mica. Electron probe analyses show that diagenetic feldspar overgrowths are pure potassium feldspar with a composition significantly different from that of clastic feldspar. During late diagenesis the porewater was most probably near equilibrium with the reactive phases.

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Zusammenfassung Die mesozoischen und tertiären Sandsteine von Spitzbergen sind im allgemeinen gut zementiert, während die gleichalten Sandsteine aus der Nordsee hochporöse Speichergesteine umfassen.Man erkennt, daß die Erhaltung der Porosität auf einen hohen Porenwasserdruck zurückzuführen ist. Dadurch wird Drucklösung an Kornkontakten sowie Weiterwachsen von Quarz verhindert.Hoher Porendruck entsteht gewöhnlich da, wo überlappende Sedimentserien mit einer Abdichtung durch Schiefer vorliegen—wie in der Nordsee.Ausgedehntes diagenetisches Wachstum von Kaolinit auf Kosten klastischer Feldspäte erfordert einen hohen Durchfluß von niedrigsalinem Wasser. Der wahrscheinlichste Mechanismus ist in einem Grundwasserstrom zu suchen, der durch die Sandsteine fließt, die als Wasserleiter dienen. Während der späten Stadien der Absenkung (1–3 km) müssen diese diagenetischen Reaktionen in einem halbgeschlossenem isochemischen System abgelaufen sein. Berechnungen aus Porenwasser, das von Schiefern gewonnen wurde, zeigen, daß dieses nicht ausreicht, bedeutende änderungen in der Gesamtchemie mächtiger Sandsteine zu bewirken.Mikrosondenanalysen, die an jurassischen Sandsteinen aus dem Statfjord-Feld vorgenommen wurden, zeigen, daß hier eine kontinuierliche Serie von übergängen aus klastischem Glimmer nach Illit und Kaolinit vorliegt. Eine stufenweise Abnahme von Kalium deutet dies an. Quarz-Zementation tritt zurück bei Anwesenheit von klastischem Glimmer, während Karbonat- und Feldspat-Zementation unter den Bedingungen eines hohen pH-Wertes zwischen den Glimmer-Blättern bevorzugt erscheint. Mikrosondenanalysen zeigen, daß der diagenetisch aufgewachsene Feldspat ein reiner Kali-Feldspat ist, der sich beträchtlich von den klastischen Feldspäten unterscheidet. Während der späten Diagenese stand das Porenwasser nahezu im Gleichgewicht mit den reagierenden Phasen.

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Résumé Les grès mésozoÏques et tertiaires du Spitzberg sont en général bien cimentés, tandis que les grès de mÊme âge de la Mer du Nord comprennent des roches-réservoirs très poreuses. On en conclut que l'un des plus importants mécanismes régissant le maintien de la porosité est la mise en jeu de fortes pressions dans les pores de la roche, ce qui effectievement réduit la dissolution par la voie de la pression s'exerÇant au contact des grains et l'intervention de la croissance des grains de quartz.De fortes pressions dans les pores sont le plus couramment développées dans les séquences sédimentaires isolées par un recouvrement argileux, comme dans la Mer du Nord.La croissance diagénétique à grande échélle de la kaolinite aux dépens du feldspath détritique, communément observée, requiert une grande circulation d'eau à faible salinité. Le mécanisme le plus probable est celui de la circulation d'eau douce dans des grès aquifères. Durant les derniers stades de l'enfouissement (1–3 km) les réactions diagénétiques se sont produites dans un système isochimique à moitié fermé. Des calculs montrent que l'eau poreuse chassée des argilites à la suite de leur compaction est insuffisante pour causer des changements de quelqu'importance dans la composition chimique des grès en masses épaisses. Des analyses à la microsonde sur des grès jurassiques de la région du Statfjord montrent qu'il existe une gamme continue de transitions depuis le mica détritique jusqu'à l'illite et la kaolinite, ainsi qu'il ressort de la perte graduelle du potassium. La preuve est donnée que la cimentation par la silice est retardée par la présence de mica détritique, tandis que la cimentation par le carbonate et par le feldspath est favorisée dans ce milieu restreint à pH élevé entre lamelles de mica. Des analyses électroniques montrent que les accroissements diagénétiques de feldspath sont faits de feldspath potassique pur d'une composition notablement différente de celle del feldspath détritique. A la fin de la diagénèse l'eau intersticielle était très probablement proche de l'équilibre avec les phases réagissantes.

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Late-Quaternary biogeographic scenarios for the brown bear (Ursus arctos), a wild mammal model species

This review provides an up-to-date synthesis of the matrilineal phylogeography of a uniquely well-studied Holarctic mammal, the brown bear. We extend current knowledge by presenting a DNA sequence derived from one of the earliest known fossils of a polar bear (dated to 115 000 years before present), a species that shares a paraphyletic mitochondrial association with brown bears. A molecular clock analysis of 140 mitochondrial DNA sequences, including our new polar bear sequence, provides novel insights into the times of origin for different brown bear clades. We propose a number of regional biogeographic scenarios based on genetic data, divergence time estimates and paleontological records. The case of the brown bear provides an example for researchers working with less well-studied taxa: it shows clearly that phylogeographic models based on patterns of modern genetic variation alone can be substantially improved by including data on historical patterns of genetic diversity in the form of ancient DNA sequences derived from accurately dated samples and by using an approach to divergence-time estimation that suits the data under analysis. Using such approaches it has been possible to (i) establish that the processes shaping modern genetic diversity in brown bears acted recently, within the last three glacial cycles; (ii) distinguish among hypotheses concerning species’ responses to climatic oscillations in accordance with the lack of phylogeographic structure that existed in brown bears prior to the last glacial maximum (LGM); (iii) reassess theories linking monophyletic brown bear populations to particular LGM refuge areas; and (iv) identify vicariance events and track analogous patterns of migration by brown bears out of Eurasia to North America and Japan.     

Analysis of shallow gas and fluid migration within the Plio-Pleistocene sedimentary succession of the SW Barents Sea continental margin using 3D seismic data

Three-dimensional (3D) seismic data acquired for hydrocarbon exploration reveal that gas accumulations are common within the 2–3 km thick Plio-Pleistocene stratigraphic column of the south-western Barents Sea continental margin. The 3D seismic data have relatively low-frequency content (<40 Hz) but, due to dense spatial sampling, long source-receiver offsets, 3D migration and advanced interpretation techniques, they provide surprisingly detailed images of inferred gas accumulations and the sedimentary environments in which they occur. The presence of gas is inferred from seismic reflection segments with anomalously high amplitude and reversed phase, compared with the seafloor reflection, so-called bright spots. Fluid migration is inferred from vertical zones of acoustic masking and acoustic pipes. The 3D seismic volume allows a spatial analysis of amplitude anomalies inferred to reflect the presence of gas and fluids. At several locations, seismic attribute maps reveal detailed images of flat spots, inferred to represent gas–water interfaces. The data indicate a focused fluid migration system, where sub-vertical faults and zones of highly fractured sediments are conduits for the migration of gas-bearing fluids in Plio-Pleistocene sediments. Gas is interpreted to appear in high-porosity fan-shaped sediment lobes, channel and delta deposits, glacigenic debris flows and sediment blocks, probably sealed by low-permeability, clayey till and/or (glacio)marine sediments. Gas and fluid flow are here attributed mainly to rapid Plio-Pleistocene sedimentation that loaded large amounts of sedimentary material over lower-density, fine-grained Eocene oozes. This probably caused pore-fluid dewatering of the high-fluid content oozes through a network of polygonal faults. The study area is suggested to have experienced cycles of fluid expulsion and hydrocarbon migration associated with glacial–interglacial cycles.     

Towards a calculation of organic carbon release from erosion of Arctic coasts using non-fractal coastline datasets

Changing environmental conditions in the Arctic will affect patterns of coastal erosion processes and thus modify the carbon cycle in the Arctic Ocean. To address this issue, a coastal classification of the Arctic was established to provide the first reliable estimate of organic carbon input from coastal erosion to the Arctic Ocean. The calculation relies on geomorphic parameters and the length of the coastline in the form of a line dataset used in geographical information systems (the World Vector Shoreline). The statistical self-similarity of Arctic shorelines (i.e. the fact that they exhibit similar features and hence different lengths at different scales) hampers the calculation process. Delineating the same section of shoreline at different spatial scales produces changes in the calculated length of the coastline and therefore in the volume of sediment released by up to 30% in some cases. The amount of change differs depending on the type and morphology of the coastline. The length of the World Vector Shoreline does not correlate well to any one scale and is inappropriate for use at the global level. Computations of erosion based on areas instead of lengths (i.e. buffers instead of shoreline lengths) provide a valuable yet simple substitute to the length-based method. Differences in quantities of eroded sediment are, on average, 70% less affected by scale changes when areas are used. Area-based methods are therefore recommended for circum-polar, computation-demanding, shoreline-based erosion calculations.     

Early Holocene drowned lagoonal deposits from the Kattegat, southern Scandinavia

Shallow seismic profiling indicated the presence of a drowned lagoon-barrier system formed during the transgression of the southern Kattegat, and investigations of core material have confirmed this. Studies of plant and animal macrofossils show that the lagoonal sediments contain a mixture of marine, brackish, lacustrine, telmatic and terrestrial taxa, and analyses of foraminifers indicate brackish-water conditions. Low oxygen isotope values obtained on shells of marine molluscs also point to lowered salinity. The lagoonal sediments are situated at depths between 24 and 35 m below present sea level. They are dated to between c. 10.5 cal. ka BP and c. 9.5 cal. ka BP, and reflect a period characterized by a moderate relative sea level rise. The lagoonal sediments are underlain by lateglacial glaciomarine clay and silt, which are separated from the Holocene deposits by an unconformity. The earliest Holocene sediments consist of littoral sand with gravel, stones and shells; these sediments were formed during the transgression of the area before the barrier island-lagoon system was developed. The lagoonal sediments are overlain by mud, which contains animal remains that indicate increasing water depths.