Kinetic studies of the rate of dissolution of silica and diatom tests in sea water

Kinetic studies have been carried out on the dissolution of 10μm beads of silica and of the siliceous tests of two species of diatoms (Thalassiosira fluviatus andSkeletonema costatum) in sea water at 10–50°C and over the pH range 6–9. At all temperatures dissolution of the biogenous silica occurred most rapidly at pH 8 and most slowly at pH 6. First order kinetics were closely followed when the silica was present in a considerable excess over that required for saturation, the rate being proportional to the area of the silica. Apparent deviation from this type of kinetics occurred when there was insufficient silica to bring about saturation. This was undoubtedly due to the progressive decrease in the surface area which takes place as the particle dissolves. Application of the rather simplistic model developed by Kamataniet al. (1980), which makes allowance for this decrease, gave a close correspondence with the data until ∼ 90% of the silica had dissolved.     

Submersible structural study of Tamayo transform fault: East Pacific Rise, 23°N (project RITA)

A submersible structural study of Tamayo transform fault, the second field study of an oceanic transform, was conducted with the diving saucer CYANA as part of the international project RITA. On the basis of the surface ship surveys and deep-tow traverses made prior to the diving program, the four successful dives of CYANA established the geometry of the presently active shear zones and demonstrated that the median ridge of the Tamayo transform is tectonically inactive. The dive results require the presence, in an area marked by diapir-like bodies, of an extensional relay zone linking the two offset shear zones which trend about 110°.P. CHOUKROUNE, Laboratoire de Géologie structurale, Université de Rennes I, avenue du Général-Leclerc, 35042-Rennes Cédex, France; P. J. FOX, State University of New York at Alban, Albany, New York, 12222, USA; M. SEGURET, Laboratoire de Géologie structurale Université des Sciences et Techniques du Languedoc, Place Eugéne-Bataillon, 34060, Montpellier Cédex, France; J. FRANCHETEAU, H. D. NEEDHAM, Centre Océanologique de Bretagne, B. P. 337, 29273, Brest Cédex, France; T. JUTEAU, Laboratoire de Minéralogie-Pétrographie, Université Louis-Pasteur, 1 rue Blessig, 67084, Strasbourg, Cédex, France; R. D. BALLARD, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 02543, USA; W. NORMARK, United States Geological Survey, Pacific-Arctic Branch of Marine Geology, Menlo Park, California, 94025, USA; A. CARRANZA, Centro de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico 20 DF, Mexico; D. CORDOBA, J. GUERRERO, Instituto de Geologia, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico 20 DF Mexico; C. RANGIN, UNAM,now at Université de Paris VI, France.     

Fine-grained sediments in deep water: An overview of processes and facies models

There appears to be a continuum of processes affecting the transport and deposition of fine-grained sediments in the deep sea. This results in a facies continuum within which we can recognize three broadly different facies groups: turbidites, contourites, and pelagites/hemipelagites. Several distinct facies models can be defined for each group on the basis of their chief structural, textural, and compositional attributes.     

Estimation of the leeway drift of small craft

Small craft (<6·4 m) leeway is determined as a function of the wind speed in the range of 5–20 knots (3·6–10·3 m/sec). Leeway is calculated relative to the surface current by measurement of the separation distance of the small craft from a dyed patch of surface water at sea, using time-sequenced aerial photography. Leeway increases linearly with wind speed for small craft equipped with or without a sea anchor in the wind range studied. Leeway for small craft without sea anchor can be calculated from the equation U_L = 0.07 U_W + 0.04 where U_W is the wind speed at 2 m elevation. Leeway for small craft drifted off the be calculated from the equation U_LD = 0·05 U_W − 0·12. The small craft drifted off the downwind direction in about 80% of the experiments. The drift angle is variable and difficult to predict.     

The influence of the gulf’s geometry on seiche oscillations in an enclosed basin

The finite-elements technique is applied to study the effect of a basin’s geometry (bays, harbours) and location of the characteristics of seiche oscillations in the basin and in the gulf proper. An increase of the length of the bay is shown to contribute to the periods of natural oscillations and to cause their restructuring. Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

Kirsch problem and the lower natural frequencies of a clamped square-plate

A clamped square-plate is subjected to a uniform state of stress in the x-direction. The present study deals with the basic question of determining the variation of the lower natural frequencies of transverse vibration of a plate as a small diameter, central hole is made in it, introducing a stress concentration field.     

Transverse vibrations of a rectangular cantilever plate with thickness varying in a discontinuous fashion

A numerical solution is obtained for the title problem by means of the popular finite element method. An experimental investigation of the problem is also presented for plates of square planform. The agreement between theoretical and experimental values is very good in the case of the fundamental frequency, and reasonably good when the second and third normal modes of transverse vibration are considered. It is concluded that beneficial effects are obtained in the sense that one generates a lighter structural element with higher fundamental frequency of transverse vibration. Hence, dynamic stiffening is achieved.