Sulfur isotope biogeochemistry of the Proterozoic McArthur Basin

Previous geochemical and biomarker studies of the late Paleo-Mesoproterozoic propose a stratified world, with strongly reducing (possibly sulfidic) deep-ocean conditions overlain by an oxygenated surface-ocean and atmosphere. To investigate such a scenario, we look to the structure of the biogeochemical sulfur cycle. We present sulfur (³²S, ³³S, ³⁴S, and ³⁶S in sulfides) isotope data from the McArthur Basin (Barney Creek, Reward, Velkerri, and McMinn formations) that allows for a direct evaluation of the surface biosphere. We are interested in investigating the types of information that can be gained by including ³³S and ³⁶S. When the ³⁴S/³²S fractionations are small, the inclusion of ³³S and ³⁶S provides little additional information, but does provide ancillary evidence for relative isotopic homogeneity (with the internal consistency of ³³S/³²S and ³⁶S/³²S). When the ³⁴S/³²S fractionations are large, direct information about the fractionation mechanisms can be obtained, with the potential to distinguish the biological from abiological processes. For example, the reconstruction of the Roper Group suggests that seawater sulfate concentrations were high enough to buffer against spatial heterogeneities. Overall, our findings agree with previously proposed redox structure of the Proterozoic ocean, highlight contributions from the oxidative sulfur cycle, and outline a new tool for interpreting the state of the surface sulfur cycle.     

Long run surface temperature dynamics of an A-OGCM: the HadCM3 4×CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> forcing experiment revisited

The global mean surface temperature (GMST) response of HadCM3 to a 1,000 year 4×CO₂ forcing is analysed using a transfer function methodology. We identify a third order transfer function as being an appropriate characterisation of the dynamic relationship between the radiative forcing input and GMST output of this Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Model (A-OGCM). From this transfer function the equilibrium climate sensitivity is estimated as 4.62 (3.92–11.88) K which is significantly higher than previously estimated for HadCM3. The response is also characterised by time constants of 4.5 (3.2–6.4), 140 (78–191) and 1,476 (564–11,737) years. The fact that the longest time constant element is significantly longer than the 1,000 year simulation run makes estimation of this element of the response problematic, highlighting the need for significantly longer model runs to express A-OGCM behaviour fully. The transfer function is interpreted in relation to a three box global energy balance model. It was found that this interpretation gave rise to three fractions of ocean heat capacity with effective depths of 63.0 (46.7–85.4), 1291.7 (787.3–2,955.3) and 2,358.0 (661.3–17,283.8) meters of seawater, associated with three discrete time constants of 4.6 (3.2–6.5), 107.7 (68.9–144.3) and 537.1 (196.2–1,243.1) years. Given this accounts for approximately 94% of the ocean heat capacity in HadCM3, it appears HadCM3 could be significantly more well mixed than previously thought when viewed on the millennial timescale.     

A new coral reef province in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia: Colonisation, growth and submergence during the early Holocene

Multibeam sonar mapping, drill cores and underwater video data have confirmed the existence of a previously unknown coral reef province in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. Seven reefs, comprised of coral limestone that support living corals have been mapped so far and as many as 50 other reefs may exist in the region. U/Th ages show that reef growth commenced shortly after limestone pedestals were submerged by rising sea level around 10.5 kyr BP, making them the oldest Holocene reefs known in Australia. Reef growth persisted for ~ 2.0 kyr but it had ceased at most locations by ~ 7.0 kyr BP. Measurements of reef growth rates (0.95 to 4 m kyr^− 1), indicate that the reefs were unable to keep pace with contemporaneous rapid sea level rise (> 10 m kyr^− 1), which is consistent with a “give up” reef growth history. Core samples from reef platforms demonstrate that Pleistocene limestone is exposed at depths of 27 and 30 m below present mean sea level. These depths represent regionally significant phases of reef growth during a prolonged sea level still stand. We conclude that the reefs are therefore mostly relict features, whose major phase of growth and development relates to an earlier, pre-Holocene sea level still stand.     

ROBUST: The ROle of BUffering capacities in STabilising coastal lagoon ecosystems

“Buffer capacities” has been defined in ecology as a holistic concept (e.g., Integration of Ecosystem Theories: A Pattern, second ed. Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1997, 388pp), but we show that it can also be worked out in mechanistic studies. Our mechanistic approach highlights that “buffering capacities” can be depleted progressively, and, therefore, we make a distinction between current and potential “buffering capacities”. We have applied this concept to understand the limited “local stability” in seagrass ecosystems and their vulnerability towards structural changes into macro-algal dominated communities. We explored the following processes and studied how they confer buffering capacities to the seagrass ecosystem: (i) net autotrophy is persistent in Zostera noltii meadows where plant assimilation acts as a sink for nutrients, this contrasted with the Ulva system that shifted back and forth between net autotrophy and net heterotrophy; (ii) the Z. noltii ecosystem possesses a certain albeit rather limited capacity to modify the balance between nitrogen fixation and denitrification, i.e., it was found that in situ nitrogen fixation always exceeded denitrification; (iii) the nitrogen demand of organoheterotrophic bacteria in the sediment results in nitrogen retention of N in the sediment and hence a buffer against release of nitrogen compounds from sediments, (iv) habitat diversification in seagrass meadows provides shelter for meiofauna and hence buffering against adverse conditions, (v) sedimentary iron provides a buffer against noxious sulfide (note: bacterial sulfide production is enhanced in anoxic sediment niches by increased organic matter loading). On the other hand, in the coastal system we studied, sedimentary iron appears less important as a redox-coupled buffer system against phosphate loading. This is because most inorganic phosphate is bound to calcium rather than to iron. In addition, our studies have highlighted the importance of plant–microbe interactions in the seagrass meadows.     

Aerogel keystones: Extraction of complete hypervelocity impact events from aerogel collectors

Abstract— In January 2006, the Stardust mission will return the first samples from a solid solar system body beyond the Moon and the first samples of contemporary interstellar dust ever collected. Although sophisticated laboratory instruments exist for the analysis of Stardust samples, techniques for the recovery of particles and particle residues from aerogel collectors remain primitive. Here, we describe our recent progress in developing techniques for extracting small volumes of aerogel, which we have called “keystones,” which completely contain particle impacts but minimize the damage to the surrounding aerogel collector. These keystones can be fixed to custom‐designed micromachined silicon fixtures (so called “microforklifts”). In this configuration, the samples are self‐supporting, which can be advantageous in situations where interference from a supporting substrate is undesirable. The keystones may also be extracted and placed onto a substrate without a fixture. We have also demonstrated the capability of homologously crushing these unmounted keystones for analysis techniques that demand flat samples.     

MUSES‐C target asteroid (25143) 1998 SF36: A reddened ordinary chondrite

Abstract— Near‐Earth asteroid (25143) 1998 SF36 is a planned target for the Japanese MUSES‐C sample return mission. High signal‐to‐noise and relatively high‐resolution (50 Å) visible and near‐infrared spectroscopic measurements obtained during this asteroid's favorable 2001 apparition reveal it to have a red‐sloped S(IV)‐type spectrum with strong 1 and 2 μm absorption bands analogous to those measured for ordinary chondrite meteorites. This red slope, which is the primary spectral difference between (25143) 1998 SF36 and ordinary chondrite meteorites, is well modeled by the spectrum of 0.05% nanophase iron (npFe⁰) proposed as a weathering mechanism by Pieters et al. (2000). Asteroid 1998 SF36 appears to have a surface composition corresponding to that of ordinary chondrite meteorites and is most similar in spectral characteristics and modeled olivine/pyroxene content to the LL chondrite class.     

The Arctic’s rapidly shrinking sea ice cover: a research synthesis

The sequence of extreme September sea ice extent minima over the past decade suggests acceleration in the response of the Arctic sea ice cover to external forcing, hastening the ongoing transition towards a seasonally open Arctic Ocean. This reflects several mutually supporting processes. Because of the extensive open water in recent Septembers, ice cover in the following spring is increasingly dominated by thin, first-year ice (ice formed during the previous autumn and winter) that is vulnerable to melting out in summer. Thinner ice in spring in turn fosters a stronger summer ice-albedo feedback through earlier formation of open water areas. A thin ice cover is also more vulnerable to strong summer retreat under anomalous atmospheric forcing. Finally, general warming of the Arctic has reduced the likelihood of cold years that could bring about temporary recovery of the ice cover. Events leading to the September ice extent minima of recent years exemplify these processes.     

Beyond slash-and-burn: The roles of human activities,altered hydrology and fuels in peat fires in Central Kalimantan,Indonesia

Near-annual landscape-scale fires in Indonesia's peatlands have caused severe air pollution, economic losses, and health impacts for millions of Southeast Asia residents. While the extent of fires across the peatland surface has been widely attributed to widespread peatland drainage for plantation agriculture, fires that transition from surface into sub-surface soil-based fires are the source of the most dangerous air pollution. Yet the mechanisms by which this transition occurs have rarely been considered, particularly in diversely managed landscapes. Integrating physical geography methods, including active fire scene evaluations and hydrological monitoring, with qualitative methods such as retrospective fire scene evaluations and semi-structured interviews, this article discusses how and why sub-surface peat fire transition occurs in an intensively altered peatland ecosystem in Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province. We demonstrate that variable water table levels and flammable surface vegetation (fire fuels) are co-produced socio-political and biophysical phenomena that enable the conditions in which surface fire is likely to transition into peat fire and increase landscape vulnerability to ongoing, uncontrollable annual fires. This localized understanding of peat fire transition counters normative causal narratives of tropical fire such as ‘slash-and-burn’, with implications for the management of new fire regimes in inhabited landscapes.     

MASS BALANCE OF POLAR ICE FROM LONG WAVELENGTH FEATURES OF THE EARTH'S GRAVITATIONAL FIELD

We have used satellite solutions to the low degree zonal harmonics of the Earth's gravitational potential, and rates of surface accumulation to partially constrain, by means of repeated forward solution, the time rates of thickness change over the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets (dTA and dTG respectively). In addition to the observed zonal coefficients j2 through j5 we impose only one other constraint: That dTA and dTG are proportional to surface accumulation. The lagged response of the Earth to secular changes in ice thickness spanning recent time periods (up to 2000 years before present) and the late Pleistocene is accounted for by means of two viscoelastic rebound models. The sea level contributions from the ice sheets, calculated from dTA and dTG, lower mantle viscosity, and the start time of present-day thickness change are all variables subject to the constraints. For a given set of post glacial rebound inputs, a family of solutions that have similar characteristics and that agree well with observation are obtained from the large number of forward solutions. The off axis position of the Greenland ice sheet makes its contribution to the low degree zonal coefficients less sensitive to the spatial details of the mass balance than to the overall sea level contribution. dTG is therefore modeled as surface mass balance offset by a uniform and constant mass loss. Though dTA varies widely with choices of input parameters, the combined sea level contribution from both ice sheets is reasonably well constrained by the gravity coefficients, and is predicted to range from -0.9 to +1.6 mm yr-1. The sign of the slope of the low degree zonal coefficients versus sea level contribution for Greenland is positive, but for Antarctica, the sign of the slope is positive for even degree and negative for odd degree harmonics. By using this property of the zonal coefficients, it is possible to determine the individual sea level contributions for Greenland and Antarctica. They vary from -0.6 to +0.3 mm yr-1 for the Greenland Ice Sheet, and from -0.3 to +1.3 mm yr-1 for the Antarctic Ice Sheet.