Late glacial palaeoceanography of Hinlopen Strait, northern Svalbard

Timing and structure of the Late and post-glacial development of the northern Svalbard margin, together with the initial influx of Atlantic water into the Arctic Ocean are still very poorly constrained. We investigated a sediment core (NP94-51) from a high accumulation area on the continental shelf north of Hinlopen Strait with the purpose of resolving the timing and structure of the last deglaciation. Detailed analyses of ice-rafted detritus, benthic and planktonic foraminiferal fauna, diatom flora, grain size and radiocarbon dates are used to reconstruct the palaeoceanographic evolution of the area. Our results indicate that the disintegration of Hinlopen Strait ice and possibly the northern margin of the Svalbard Ice Sheet commenced between 13.7 and 13.9 ¹⁴C Ky BP. Influx of subsurface Atlantic waters into the area (12.6 ¹⁴C Ky BP) and the retreat of the sea ice cover, with the accompanying opening of the surface waters (10.8 ¹⁴C Ky BP), happened at different times and both much later than the disintegration of the ice sheets. The transition into the Holocene shows a two-step warming.     

Time-resolved spectroscopy of IR Gem at quiescence

We present some preliminary results of a spectroscopic study of the cataclysmic system IR Gem at quiescence during two orbital periods.The spectra covered the wavelength range 4000–7000 Å. The variations with the phase in the equivalent width of the H line confirms the existence of a maximum at phase 0.5.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.     

Statistical Analysis of Well Logs Compared with the Geotechnical Data in Storegga Slide Area

Storegga Silide has been studied intensively due to the development of the big Ormen Lange gas field. Both marine and glacial deposits were involved in this slide, and marine layers were the sliding planes. Data from different wireline logs in the Storegga Slide area are analyzed using principal components and cluster statistical methods to characterize the two different kinds of sediments. The results show that the marine layer with high water content, high clay content and low strength can be differentiated from the glacial deposits. Moreover, the analysis from log response are compared with the physical parameters from the geotechnical boreholes, a good correlation exists in the dataset.     

Fragmented subfossil <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chaoborus</Emphasis> mandibles reveal periods of cyprinid presence in lake histories

Cyprinid fish have pharyngeal teeth that mash ingested food. Here we show that roach (Rutilus rutilus L.), a common cyprinid in Swedish boreal lakes, often break the mandibles of ingested Chaoborus larvae into smaller fragments. The presence/absence of roach in historic fish communities could therefore possibly be determined from the proportion of fragmented Chaoborus mandibles in lake sediments, which we assessed using the following three approaches. (1) Roach that were fed Chaoborus larvae in laboratory aquaria evacuated a significantly higher fraction of fragmented prey mandibles than perch (Perca fluviatilis L.). (2) Surface sediments from lakes in an acidified region in southwestern Sweden showed significantly higher proportions of fragmented mandibles for lakes containing roach compared to lakes devoid of cyprinid fish. (3) A paleo-study in Lake Lysevatten, into which roach were introduced in the 1880s and were extirpated in the 1960s, showed significantly higher proportions of fragmented mandibles in sediment layers from the roach period. We conclude that mandible fragmentation was related to roach presence, and propose that the proportion of fragmented Chaoborus mandibles in lake sediments may provide important information when historical cyprinid alterations are of interest, as in paleo-studies on acidification, eutrophication, or fish introductions.     

Heat transfer and the onset of chaos in a spherical,axisymmetric, anelastic model of whole mantle convection

Abstract

An isochemical uni-phase model of whole mantle convection has been developed in terms of which factors influencing the onset of time dependent chaotic behavior may be assessed. The model is spherical but restricted in generality to the analysis of axisymmetric solutions. In this paper we have employed it to examine the impact of compressibility and sphericity on the nature and onset of time dependence. Particular attention has been given to an examination of the impact that the onset of time dependence has upon the power law relation that connects the heat transfer (represented by the Nusselt number) to the strength of the thermal forcing (represented by the Rayleigh number). In order to obtain these results very extensive numerical simulations were required and the results themselves should be rather useful in the context of models of the thermal history of the planet.     

Parameter studies of sediments in the Storegga Slide region

Based on classification tests, oedometer tests, fall-cone tests and triaxial tests, physical and mechanical properties of sediments in the Storegga Slide region were analysed to assess parameter interrelationships. The data show good relationships between a number of physical and mechanical parameters. Goodness of fit between compression index and various physical parameters can be improved by multiple regression analysis. The interclay void ratio and liquidity index correlate well with the undrained shear strength of clay. Sediments with higher water content, liquid limit, activity, interclay void ratio, plasticity index and liquidity index showed higher compression index and/or lower undrained shear strength. Some relationships between parameters were tested by using data from two other sites south of the Storegga Slide. A better understanding of properties of sediments in regions such as that of the Storegga Slide can be obtained through this approach.     

Gas-related sea floor craters in the Barents Sea

A cluster of craterlike depressions in the central Barents Sea are several hundred meters across, have steep walls, and are cut into underlying Triassic rocks. Their formation is explained in relation to the glacial history of the region, and a possible model suggests that gas from a deeper, thermogenic source allowed a hydrate layer of considerable thickness to form during the Late Weichselian, when grounded ice covered the area and increased the hydrostatic pressure. After a rapid retreat of the marinebased ice sheet, the hydrates decomposed and the layer thinned rapidly until pressurized free gas, trapped below the hydrates, erupted and formed the sea-floor depressions.     

IUE-spectra of the four interacting binary white dwarf stars: AM CVn,PG 1346+082, V803 Cen,AND GP com. A comparative study

This project is part of a world wide cooperation aimed at investigating properties of white dwarf stars to determine their constitution and evolution. The project is based on two recent developments:-The first is the discovery, of pulsational instabilities in some white dwarf stars, giving rise to non-radial pulsations which can be observed as flux modulations with low amplitude.-The second is to study the mass transfer between interacting binary white dwarf stars, which transports processed material from the interior of the donating star to the accretor. We present a study of four interacting binary white dwarf systems based on IUE spectra.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife Canary Islands, Spain.     

The EC 14026 stars – V. The pulsation periods of PB 8783

PB 8783 is a member of the newly discovered class of pulsating sdB stars, the EC 14026 stars. The potential of the pulsations of these stars as diagnostic probes of their interiors can only be realized fully by intensive campaigns of multisite time series photometry. To this end we have undertaken a campaign spanning 2 weeks and involving data from five different sites. 183 h of data were obtained. Frequency analysis yielded at least 11 pulsation periods in seven discrete groups between 94 and 136 s. Three of the periods in one specific group are equally spaced in frequency, with a spacing of 0.94 μHz. The frequency spacings amongst the members of other groups are similar to this. A rotation period of ∼12 d is implied. A general scheme for identifying the observed modes is suggested. The periods from a detailed model are in good overall agreement with the observed periods, but some difficulties remain. Three additional periods in the range 61–63 s, and with very low amplitude, were also found. No convincing interpretation of these could be devised.