Ra/Ra and Ra/Ba ratios to track barite formation and transport in the water column

We measured ²²⁸Ra_ex/²²⁶Ra_ex and ²²⁶Ra_ex/Ba_ex ratios in suspended and sinking particles collected at the Oceanic Flux Program (OFP) time-series site in the western Sargasso Sea and compared them to seawater ratios to provide information on the origin and transport of barite (BaSO₄) in the water column. The ²²⁸Ra_ex/²²⁶Ra_ex ratios of the suspended particles down to 2000 m are nearly identical to those of seawater at the same water depth. These ratios are much lower than expected if suspended barite was produced in surface waters and indicate that barite is produced throughout the mesopelagic layer. The ²²⁸Ra_ex/²²⁶Ra_ex activity ratios of sinking particles collected at 1500 and 3200 m varied mostly between 0.1 and 0.2, which is intermediate between the seawater ratio at these depths (<0.03) and the seawater ratios found in the upper 250 m (0.31-0.42). This suggests that excess Ba (i.e., Ba_ex = Ba_total − Ba_lithogenic), considered to be mainly barite, present in the sinking flux is a mixture of crystals formed recently in the upper water column, formed several years earlier in the upper water column, or formed recently in deeper waters. We observe a sizeable temporal variability in the ²²⁸Ra_ex/²²⁶Ra_ex ratios of sinking particles, which indicates temporal variability in the relative proportion of barite crystals originating from surface (with a high ²²⁸Ra_ex/²²⁶Ra_ex ratio) and mesopelagic (with a low ²²⁸Ra_ex/²²⁶Ra_ex ratio) sources. However, we could not discern a clear pattern that would elucidate the factors that control this variability. The ²²⁶Ra/Ba ratios measured in seawater are consistent with the value reported from the GEOSECS expeditions (2.3 dpm μmol⁻¹) below 500 m depth, but are significantly lower in the upper 500 m. High ²²⁶Ra_ex/Ba_ex ratios and elevated Sr concentrations in suspended particles from the upper water column suggest preferential uptake of ²²⁶Ra over Ba during formation of SrSO₄ skeletons by acantharians, which must contribute to barite formation in shallow waters. Deeper in the water column the ²²⁶Ra_ex/Ba_ex ratios of suspended particles are lower than those of seawater. Since ²²⁸Ra_ex/²²⁶Ra_ex ratios demonstrate that suspended barite at these depths has been produced recently and in situ, their low ²²⁶Ra_ex/Ba_ex ratios indicate preferential uptake of Ba over Ra in barite formed in mesopelagic water.     

Trace element fractionation and distribution in turbidites,homogeneous and pelagic deposits; the Zaire Fan,Southeast Atlantic Ocean

In turbidites, homogeneous and pelagic deposits of the Zaire Fan Th, La, Sm, and Rb and to a lesser extent Yb and Ta correlate strongly. La, Sm, Yb, Rb, Ta, and Th increase two-fold in Te3 turbidite intervals relative to Te 1 due to an increase in clay fraction with which these elements occur associated preferentially.Hf and Zr are anomalously high in Tel and Tel intervals which is probably a result of mineral separation. Zr is absent in Te3 intervals and the homogenous and pelagic deposits. Ba, Br. and U are lowest in turbidites and highest in homogenous continental slope deposits which is probably caused by upwelling. Cc anomalies may be related to the crystallinity of smectite.     

Upper temperature tolerances of exotic brackish-water mussel, Mytilopsis leucophaeata (Conrad): an experimental study

The dark false mussel, Mytilopsis leucophaeata is an important mussel colonising the brackish-water systems of temperate and subtropical regions. Of late it has earned notoriety as a biofouling species in industrial cooling water systems. However, there are no published data on the temperature tolerance of this species. This paper presents data on the upper temperature tolerance of this mussel from the view point of biofouling control using thermal methods. In addition to mortality, response of physiological activities such as oxygen consumption, filtration rate, foot activity and byssus thread production were also studied at temperatures varying from 5 to 35 degrees C. Experiments were also carried out to understand the effect of mussel size, breeding condition, nutritional status and acclimation conditions (temperature and salinity) on the mortality pattern. The physiological activities were significantly reduced at temperatures beyond 27.5 degrees C and ceased at 35 degrees C. In 20 mm size group mussels exposed to 37 degrees C, 50% mortality was observed after 85 min and 100% mortality after 113 min. The effect of mussel size on mortality at different temperatures was significant, with the larger size group mussels showing greater resistance. M. leucophaeata collected during the non-breeding season (December-April) were more tolerant to temperature than those collected during the breeding season (June-October). Nutritional status of the mussel had no significant influence on the thermal tolerance of the mussel: fed and starved (non-fed) mussels succumbed to temperature at comparable rates. The effect of acclimation temperature and acclimation salinity on M. leucophaeata mortality at different temperatures was significant. Survival time increased with increasing acclimation temperature and decreased with increasing salinity. In comparison with other co-occurring species such as Mytilus edulis and Dreissena polymorpha, M. leucophaeata appears to be more tolerant to high temperature stress.     

Large-scale dune erosion tests to study the influence of wave periods

Large-scale physical model tests were performed to quantify the effects of the wave period on dune erosion. Attention was focussed on 2D cross-shore effects in a situation with sandy dunes and extreme water levels and wave conditions. Besides profile measurements, detailed measurements in time and space of water pressure, flow velocities and sediment concentrations were performed in the near near-shore area. It was concluded that a longer wave period leads to a larger dune erosion volume and to a larger landward retreat of the dune face. Tests with double-peaked wave spectra showed that the influence of the spectral shape on dune erosion was best represented by the T_m − 1,0 spectral mean wave period, better than the peak wave period, T_p. The effect of the wave period on dune erosion was implemented in a dune erosion prediction method that estimates erosion volumes during normative storm conditions for the Dutch coast. More details of the measurements and additional analyses of physical processes are described in an accompanying paper by Van Thiel de Vries et al. [Van Thiel de Vries, J.S.M., van Gent, M.R.A., Reniers, A.J.H.M. and Walstra, D.J.R., submitted for publication. Analysis of dune erosion processes in large scale flume experiments, In this volume of Coastal Engineering.].     

Developing a building policy for the erosion zone: Solutions to some key (Dutch) questions

In those coastal communities where the most seaward strip of mainland consists of dunes, these dunes often serve as a flexible sea defence. In addition, this strip offers large potential for housing and commercial enterprises. Unfortunately, due to severe storm surges part of this strip (the erosion zone) is subject to erosion, and as a result of which any buildings or infrastructure located here, are destroyed. Therefore, as we will illustrate in this paper, a building policy for this zone should reflect a compromise between two opposite interests: exploitation of the existing potential and, prevention of an unacceptable high risk due to erosion. Accordingly, the authors have developed a framework for such a building policy on the basis of which the desirability of various different types of investments and the location within the erosion zone of such investments can be determined. The examples that are used to illustrate this framework in this paper are limited to experiences in The Netherlands as relevant data and experiences are available and relatively easy accessible here. Nevertheless, the approach as is described is generic and applicable worldwide suggesting that the discovered unused potential for exploitation is not just limited to The Netherlands.     

The effect of a topographic high on the morphological stability of a two-inlet bay system

The cross-sectional stability of two tidal inlets connecting the same back-barrier lagoon to the ocean is investigated. The condition for equilibrium is the cross-sectional area tidal prism relationship. In an earlier study [Van de Kreeke, J., 1990. Can multiple inlets be stable? Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 30: 261–273.], using the same equilibrium condition, it was concluded that where two inlets connect the same basin to the ocean ultimately one inlet will close. One of the major assumptions in that study was that the water level in the basin fluctuated uniformly. In hindsight this assumption might be too restrictive. For example, in the Wadden Sea the back barrier lagoon consists of a series of basins, rather than one single basin, separated by topographic highs. These topographic highs limit but do not exclude the exchange of water between the sub-basins. For this reason in the present study, a topographic high in the form of a weir was added, separating the back-barrier lagoon in two sub-basins. The water level in the sub-basins, rather than in the back-barrier as a whole, is assumed to fluctuate uniformly. For this schematization the hydrodynamic equations are solved using a finite difference method. The results, together with the equilibrium condition, yield the equilibrium flow curve for each of the inlets. The intersections of the two equilibrium flow curves represent combinations of cross-sectional areas for which both inlets are in equilibrium. The stability of the equilibriums was investigated using a non-linear stability analysis resulting in a flow diagram. Calculations were carried out for different inlet and weir characteristics. Sinussoidal tides were the same for both inlets. The results show that for relatively large wetted cross-sectional areas over the topographic high, approaching the situation of a single basin, there are no combinations of inlet cross-sectional areas for which both inlets are in a stable equilibrium. This supports the conclusion in the earlier study. For relatively small wetted cross-sectional areas over the topographic high there is one set of stable equilibriums. In that case the two-inlet bay system approaches that of two single-inlet bay systems.     

An inventory of factors that affect polysaccharide production by Phaeocystis globosa

Phaeocystis material contains polysaccharides that are built from at least eight different monosaccharides. Differences have been reported between the carbohydrate composition of different Phaeocystis species, and also between samples taken from Phaeocystis globosa blooms in different areas. In order to elucidate factors that could play a role in determining variation in carbohydrate composition and production, a number of Phaeocystis globosa strains were studied under laboratory conditions. Although there was a clear distinction of a northern and a southern cluster in the Phaeocystis globosa strains based on RAPD analysis, the differences in the composition of the mucopolysaccharides were relatively small. The contribution of glucose, however, ranged from 7–85% of total sugars. A strain that was cultured in seawaters of diverse origin produced polysaccharides of a different composition, suggesting the effect of environmental factors. The presence of bacteria affected neither the amount, nor the composition of the carbohydrates that were produced by Phaeocystis globosa. Glucose is part of both the intracellular polysaccharide pool and of the mucopolysaccharides in the colony matrix. Using specific digestion of the intracellular chrysolaminaran by laminarinase, the distribution of polysaccharides over different pools could be assessed. During growth of an axenic, mucus-producing strain, the portion of glucose present as chrysolaminaran appeared to increase. The polyglucose that was not digested by laminarinase remains unidentified. This study shows that environmental factors rather than strain differences determine differences in the sugar composition of Phaeocystis globosa, especially with respect to the glucose content of the material. A difference in the contribution of glucose could be correlated to the portion of cells in the culture that are not in the colonies. Our study emphasises that for studying polysaccharide dynamics in Phaeocystis globosa it is important to be able to discriminate between the different polysaccharide pools. Preliminary results of an enzymatic approach were promising