Light utilization efficiency of phytoplankton in the Western Subarctic Gyre of the North Pacific during summer

We investigated the water-column light utilization efficiency (Ψ) of phytoplankton photosynthesis in the Western Subarctic Gyre (WSG) of the North Pacific during summer 2008. The Ψ values (0.64–1.86 g C [g Chl a]^?1 [mol photon]^?1 m²) obtained were observed to increase significantly with decreasing daily photosynthetic available radiation (PAR) and were generally higher than those of previous studies, not only from the subarctic Pacific but also from the world’s oceans. To examine the effect of iron availability on Ψ in the WSG, Ψ values were estimated from the data of two in situ iron fertilization experiments: the Subarctic Pacific Iron Experiment for Ecosystem Dynamics Study I (SEEDS-I) and II (SEEDS-II). We found that iron availability did not affect Ψ values. Overall, this study revealed that Ψ values changed remarkably in the WSG during the summer, and that higher values were found at the stations where moderate PAR levels (ca. 10–30 mol photons m^?2 day^?1) were observed and where autotrophic flagellates predominated in the phytoplankton assemblages.     

Heavy oil exposure increases viral production in natural marine bacterial populations

This study examined whether heavy oil (HO) increases viral production and how that change may affect the marine bacterial community. The addition of a relatively low concentration (10 μg/mL) of HO to seawater resulted in the highest degree of viral lysis. Although the composition of the bacterial community did not change upon the viral lysis in terms of the taxa present, the relative abundance of the γ-Proteobacteria family Alteromonadaceae decreased (by 10 %) after the HO exposure, implying that the selective lysis by viruses and induced prophages may be responsible for changes in the composition of the bacterial community.     

Depositional Age of a Fossil Whale Bone from São Paulo Ridge,South Atlantic Ocean,Based on Os Isotope Stratigraphy of a Ferromanganese Crust

Whale carcasses (whale falls) deposited on the deep seafloor are associated with a distinctive biotic community. A fossil whale bone recovered from São Paulo Ridge, South Atlantic Ocean, during cruise YK13–04 Leg 1 of R/V Yokosuka was covered by a ferromanganese (Fe–Mn) crust approximately 9 mm thick. Here, we report an age constraint for this fossil bone on the basis of Os isotopic stratigraphy (¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os ratio) of the Fe–Mn crust. Major‐ and trace‐element compositions of the crust are similar to those of Fe–Mn crusts of predominantly hydrogenous origin. Rare earth element concentrations in samples of the crust, normalized with respect to Post‐Archean average Australian Shale, exhibit flat patterns with positive Ce and negative Y anomalies. These results indicate that the Fe–Mn crust consists predominantly of hydrogenous components and that it preserves the Os isotope composition of seawater at the time of its deposition. ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os ratios of three Fe–Mn crust samples increased from 0.904 to 1.068 in ascending stratigraphic order. The value of 1.068 from the surface slice (0–3 mm depth in the crust) was identical to that of present‐day seawater within error (~1.06). The value of 0.904 from the basal slice (6–9 mm) equaled seawater values from ca. 4–5 Ma. Because it is unknown how long the bone lay on the seafloor before the Fe–Mn crust was deposited, the Os stratigraphic age of ca. 5 Ma is a minimum age of the fossil. This is the first application, to our knowledge, of marine Os isotope stratigraphy for determining the age of a fossil whale bone. Such data may offer valuable insights into the evolution of the whale‐fall biotic community.     

Basin-scale distribution of prokaryotic phylotypes in the epipelagic layer of the Central South Pacific Ocean during austral summer

In the present study, we used catalyzed reporter deposition-fluorescence in situ hybridization to quantify the abundance of five bacterial (Alphaproteobacteria, SAR11, Gammaproteobacteria, SAR86, and Bacteroidetes) and two archaeal (Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota) phylotypes in the epipelagic layer (0–200 m) of the Central South Pacific Ocean along 170°W from 0° to 40°S. We found that the distribution patterns of these phylotypes differed from each other. All phylotypes except Gammaproteobacteria were particularly abundant at the surface water of the equatorial region, whereas Gammaproteobacteria was relatively abundant in the area from the southern part of the South Pacific Ocean. SAR11, affiliated with Alphaproteobacteria was the dominant phylotype at all depths, throughout the study area. The abundance of SAR11 significantly increased with chlorophyll a concentration, suggesting that phytoplankton could affect their distribution pattern. There was a positive correlation between Bacteroidetes abundance and water temperature, suggesting that the temperature gradient could be a critical factor determining their distribution in the South Pacific Ocean. Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota were more abundant at the equatorial region than in other study areas. Euryarchaeota abundance significantly decreased with depth, and increased with chlorophyll a concentration. This suggests that there was ecological interaction between Euryarchaeota and phytoplankton in the equatorial surface. Our data indicate that distinct hydrographic properties such as seawater temperature, salinity, and the concentrations of chlorophyll a and nutrients can principally control the basin-scale distribution of different prokaryotic phylotypes in the epipelagic layer of the Central South Pacific Ocean.     

Examination of a Correction Procedure for the Flow Attenuation in Orthogonal Sonic Anemometers

In this study we examine the calibration of wind speed measured by a sonic anemometer, with an orthogonal probe configuration, with regard to the approximation of the flow angle, and the wind-speed dependence of the flow attenuation attributed to the transducer shadow. The flow angle should be calculated by the iterative method when the attenuation is relatively high. For a probe manufactured by Kaijo Co. TR-61C, the wind-speed dependence of the transducer shadow effect is formulated from the results of the wind-tunnel experiment. Assuming the equation is applicable to field observations, significant errors possibly remain especially when the wind speed is low, and /or the angle between the flow vector and the sonic path is small, if the wind-speed dependence in measurement errors is neglected.     

Mineralogical and Geochemical Characteristics of the Utanobori Gold Deposit in Northern Hokkaido,Japan

The Utanobori gold deposit is a low‐sulfidation, epithermal vein‐type deposit located in northern Hokkaido, Japan. The deposit is hosted by conglomerate, sandstone, and tuff of the Middle to Late Miocene Esashi Formation. These rocks were hydrothermally altered. Silica sinters and quartz‐adularia veins are common in the deposit. The quartz‐adularia veins either contain a ginguro band, which corresponds to the main gold‐bearing vein (Type 1 Veins), or do not contain a ginguro band but contain minor adularia (Type 2 Veins). Type 1 Veins are divided into three stages with 12–14 substages. Ore minerals identified include electrum, naumannite, chlorargyrite, bromargyrite, an unidentified Fe‐Sb mineral, and an Fe‐(Sb)‐As mineral. These ore minerals formed in the main mineralization stages I (bands I‐b and I‐d) and II (band II‐a). Scanning electron microscopy with cathodoluminescence images show that cathodoluminescence‐dark microcrystalline quartz exhibiting colloform (ghost‐sphere) texture is closely associated with ore minerals in the Type 1 Vein and Type 2 Vein, and the Al and K contents of such quartz are commonly >1000 ppm. This indicates that the ore minerals were crystallized from alkaline, silica‐saturated fluids at temperatures <200°C, which initially deposited amorphous silica that was recrystallized to microcrystalline quartz. The average Au content of electrum is 52.5 at% Au (n = 10), 65.7 at% Au (n = 20), and 55.5 at% Au (n = 5) in bands I‐b, I‐d, and II‐a, respectively, of Type 1 Veins. The δ³⁴S_CDT values of two fine‐grained disseminated pyrites in the altered conglomerate and bedded tuff in the argillic altered zone are ?4.3 and ?4.2‰. Ar‐Ar dating on adularia yielded 13.6 ± 0.06 Ma, 13.6 ± 0.07 Ma, and 13.6 ± 0.06 Ma for the stages I, II, and III of the Type 1 Vein, respectively. K‐Ar ages determined on adularia in the silica sinter and on whole‐rock of glassy rhyolite of the Esashi Formation are 15.0 ± 0.4 Ma and 14.6 ± 0.4 Ma, respectively. These radiometric ages indicate that silica sinter associated with the rhyolitic volcanic rocks formed prior to the main gold mineralization.     

Late Olenekian Radiolarians from Bedded Chert of Ashio Terrane, Northeast Japan,and Faunal Turnovers in Western Panthalassa during Early Triassic

Late Olenekian assemblages in the western Panthalassa have been recovered from bedded radiolarian chert sequences of an accretionary complex, the Ashio belt. These faunas are documented and considered in terms of radiolarian diversity and faunal turnover during the latest Permian to Middle Triassic time. The fauna includes 30 radiolarians belonging to Spumellaria or Entactinaria, with two relicts from the Late Permian. This late Olenekian fauna is markedly different from Permian and Asisian faunas, respectively, and is herein named the Minowa fauna. Study of the literaure indicates that radiolarian provinces were significantly disconnected between the western Panthalassa and eastern Tethys during late Olenekian time. Furthermore, 121 of 143 species disappeared during late Olenekian time, and in turn 118 new species appeared in the western Panthalassa around the Olenekian-Anisian boundary. It is concluded that faunal turnover occurred at least three times between the latest Permian and Middle Triassic.The first turnover is the Poalaozoie-type radiolarian extinction at the Permain-Triassic boundary,the second is the diversification of spheroidal Spumellaria and Entactinaria between early and late Olenekian time, and the third is a faunal turnover from the Minowa fauna to the true Mesozoic-type radiolarian famas that are characterized by mulit0segmented Nassellaria.     

黑龙江杂岩蓝片岩—云母片岩矿物成分及变质作用P-T条件

黑龙江构造混杂岩中保留着一套曾遭受过中高压变质作用的岩石,其代表性岩石为:蓝片岩-云母片岩;蓝闪石、铁蓝闪石和多硅白云母(单位结构中Si=3.37～3.46>3.30)等具有中高压性质的典型变质矿物在岩石中平衡共生.蓝片岩-云母片岩组合至少经历了早期和晚期两阶段变质,早期为绿帘蓝片岩相,变质温压条件为T=320～460℃,P=7.8×108～11×108Pa.晚期为高绿片岩相,出现富镁绿泥石(XMg=0.565～0.646)交代早期钠质角闪石和多硅白云母等高压变质矿物现象,变质温度升高而压力有所降低,由石榴石云母片岩所限定的高绿片岩相变质条件为T=536～598℃,P=6.8×108～9.5×108Pa,属中温和中高压变质.