Trace metals and hydrocarbons in sediments from the Southampton water region,with particular reference to the influence of oil refinery effluent

The concentrations of a number of trace metals (Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd and Hg) have been determined in sediments from cores collected in the Southampton Water region. Measurements of total hydrocarbons were also made on several of the cores. Markedly elevated concentrations of copper, up to 362 μg/g dry wt, were found in sediments which were collected close to the discharge points of oil refinery outfalls and which also showed concentrations of total hydrocarbons considerably greater than the background levels for the estuary. The results of selective chemical extractions showed that much of the copper was present in the non-lattice fraction of the sediment. Although the concentrations of Co, Ni, Zn and Cd were significantly correlated with those of copper in the core showing the highest concentrations of this element, these metals were not enhanced in comparison with the levels found in several other parts of the estuary. Variations in concentrations of metals in sediments throughout the estuary were not correlated with differences in organic carbon content.     

Seasonality and selectivity in the feeding ecology and reproductive biology of deep-sea bathyal holothurians

Chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments were determined from the gut sediments of five species of bathyal holothurian in the NE Atlantic, sampled shortly after the spring/summer phytoplankton bloom in 2001 and prior to the spring bloom in 2002. Three species, Laetmogone violacea, Paroriza pallens and Bathyplotes natans, sampled within a similar depth range (900–1100 m) in the summer of 2001 showed significant differences in their chlorophyll and carotenoid pigment concentrations. This suggests they may select for slightly different components from the available food resource. Four species sampled in early spring 2002, Laetmogone violacea, Paroriza pallens, Benthogone rosea and Benthothuria funebris, also had significant differences in their pigment concentrations. These species were sampled over a wider depth range (1000–3100 m) showing a bathymetric trend in pigment concentrations. There was a distinct seasonal change in the composition and concentration of the pigments, linked to a reduction in the availability of fresh organic material during autumn and winter periods.Ovarian tissue was also examined. The carotenoid pigments found in the ovary also occurred in the OM ingested by the holothurians. The dominant gonadal carotenoid pigments were β-carotene, echinenone and zeaxanthin. The potential for using these carotenoids to gain a competitive advantage through selectivity of chlorophyll and carotenoid pigment biomarkers are discussed in relation to competition for food resources by deposit-feeders. The results were also compared with selectivity in abyssal species.     

Improved in situ gamma-ray transmission densitometer for marine sediments

The first-generation University of Illinois gamma-ray transmission densitometer, designed for the in situ measurement of sediment bulk density, was modified by incorporating in the detector probe (1) an Americium-241 alpha particle pulser and an anti-walk gain stabilization control to maintain better temperature stability and (2) a small power supply and a IC preamplifier to eliminate the need for a high-voltage coaxial cable between the detector and external signal conditioning electronics package. This second-generation Lehigh University system has been successfully deployed since 1971 in routine use from ships and submersibles in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Gulf of Mexico. Results are presented of system operations to (1) measure bulk density over the range of 1.2–1.8 Mg/m³ in the Hudson Canyon, (2) penetrate 1.9 m into the seafloor in the San Diego trough and, (3) be lowered to a water depth of 3.6 km in the Gulf of Mexico.     

The impact of tributyltin from large vessels on dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus) populations around Scottish oil ports

Surveys of imposex in dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus) populations around oil terminals in Sullom Voe (Shetland) and Scapa Flow (Orkney) have confirmed that the effects of tributyltin (TBT) released from large vessels in coastal waters can be recognised. The impact of large vessels can be separated from the effects of other inputs of TBT in the areas studied. The intensity of the effects was greater in Shetland than in Orkney, reflecting the higher exposure to TBT resulting from the greater volume of traffic using the Shetland terminal, and the more restricted water exchange in that area. A large proportion of the female dogwhelks in Sullom Voe were unable to reproduce. Females in Scapa Flow were still able to reproduce, except for a small proportion close to two fish farm sites where TBT net-treatments were used prior to 1987.     

Contributions to atmospheric methane by natural seepages on the U.K. continental shelf [Mar. Geol. 137 (1997) 165–189]

Natural gas seepages occur on the United Kingdom's continental shelf and although published reports suggest that they are very rare, the petroleum industry has identified, but not publicly reported, many more. There is also very little data on the flux of gas from seabed seepages, and even less on the contribution of seepages to atmospheric concentrations of gases such as methane.

Potential gas source rocks include Quaternary and Tertiary peats as well as petroliferous source rocks such as the Carboniferous Coal Measures and the Upper Jurassic Kimmeridge Clays. There are also other organic-rich sediments which are potential source rocks. Together these cover a considerable part of the U.K. continental shelf.

Analogue seismic reflection (pinger) profiles acquired during the British Geological Survey's regional mapping programme have been reviewed to identify water column targets including fish and plumes of gas bubbles. The ability to distinguish targets is critical to an assessment of the distribution of gas seepages. Both theoretical predictions of target identity and the habits of shoaling fish have been investigated in order to identify a method of distinction.

Data from seabed seepages and measurements of seepage rates have been used to establish likely ranges of gas flux rates and the sizes of gas bubbles. The likelihood that a rising bubble will survive and escape into the atmosphere is determined primarily by bubble size and water depth; methane, the principal constituent of seepage gas, is relatively unreactive and sparingly soluble.

The studies have enabled a new estimate of the distribution of gas seepages on the U.K. continental shelf, and of the contribution to atmospheric methane levels. The results suggest that natural gas seepages are significantly more important as a source of methane than had hitherto been established. It is estimated that between 120,000 and 3.5 mtonnes of methane per year come from a continental shelf area of about 600,000 km². This represents between 2% and 40% of the total United Kingdom methane emission. It is suggested that similar contributions arise from other continental shelf areas worldwide, and that geological sources of atmospheric methane are more significant than is generally acknowledged.     

Coalification in Carboniferous sediments from the Lötschberg base tunnel

Vitrinite reflectance (Rr), proximate analysis and carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) have been used to characterise coal samples from two zones of Late Carboniferous sediments (Gastern and Ferden) in the Aar massif where they are penetrated by the Lötschberg base tunnel (constructed between 1999 and 2005). Samples are characterised by variable ash yields (21.7–93.9%; dry basis); those with ash yields of less than ~50% and with volatile matter content (V;dry ash-free basis) within the limits 2 < V% ≤ 8 are anthracite. Values of Rr range from 3.89% to 5.17% and indicate coalification to the rank of anthracite and meta-anthracite in both Gastern and Ferden Carboniferous zones. Samples of anthracite and shale from the Gastern Carboniferous exhibit a relatively small range in δ¹³C values (–24.52‰ to –23.38‰; mean: –23.86‰) and are lighter than anthracite samples from the Ferden Carboniferous (mean: –22.20‰). The degree of coalification in the Gastern and Ferden Carboniferous zones primarily depends on the maximum rock temperature (T) attained as a result of burial heating. Vitrinite reflectance based estimates of T range from ~290° –360 °C. For a proposed palaeogeothemal gradient of 25 ° C/km at the time of maximum coalification the required overburden is attributable to relatively thin autochtonous Mesozoic/Cenozoic sedimentary cover of the Aar massif and Gastern granite and deep tectonic burial beneath advancing Helvetic, Ultrahelvetic and Prealpine (Penninic) nappes in Early Oligocene to Miocene.     

Global comparison of the regional rainfall results of enhanced greenhouse coupled and mixed layer ocean experiments: Implications for climate change scenario development

The extent of agreement amongst current global climate models (GCMs) on the global pattern of rainfall change simulated under enhanced greenhouse conditions is assessed. We consider the results of five experiments which use a simple mixed layer ocean formulation and five which use a fully dynamic ocean model (coupled experiments). For many regions of the northern hemisphere there is strong agreement amongst both mixed layer and coupled experiments on the sign of simulated rainfall change. However, in the southern hemisphere there are large, and apparently systematic, differences between the coupled and mixed layer experiments. In particular, whereas the mixed layer experiments agree on simulated rainfall increase in summer in the tropics and subtropics of the Australian sector, the coupled experiments agree (although more weakly) on rainfall decreases. These differences appear to relate to the much reduced warming simulated by the coupled experiments in the high latitudes of the southern hemisphere. However, recent oceanographie evidence suggests that this suppressed warming may be considerably overestimated. We conclude therefore that despite the in-principle advantages of coupled models, it may be too soon to base some regionally specific climate change scenarios solely on the results of coupled experiments.     

Fluid-rock interaction between syenites and marbles at Stephen Cross Quarry,Québec,Canada: petrological and stable isotope data

Grenville dolomitic marbles and calc-silicates at Stephen Cross Quarry, Québec, underwent contact metamorphism and metasomatism associated with the intrusion of the Wakefield syenite at ambient pressures of 0.4GPa at 1090–1070Ma. Fluid infiltration produced exoskarns, calcite+periclase+forsterite±diopside±orthoclase assemblages in the marbles, and quartz±calcite±wollastonite±diopside±anorthite assemblages in the calc-silicates. Phase-equilibria in the CaO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O–CO₂ system suggest that fluid infiltration occurred close to the thermal peak of contact metamorphism (715–815°C) and that the fluids hadXCO₂0.15. In the metasediments, ¹⁸O values of calcite (Cc) are as low as 8.6, suggesting that the fluids were in isotopic equilibrium with the syenites (¹⁸O =8.8–10.2). Marble ¹³C(Cc) values are-0.1 to-3.2; the lack of correlation between ¹³C(Cc) and ¹⁸O(Cc) is consistent with the infiltration of water-rich fluids. The resetting of stable isotopes and the mineralogical changes can be explained by time-integrated fluid fluxes of up to 110 m³/m² (4×10⁶ mol/m²), corresponding to actual fluxes of 3×10^-11 to 3×10^-12 m³/m²-s and intrinsic permeabilities of 10^-18 to 10^-20 m² for fluid flow lasting 0.1-1Ma. Marble ¹⁸O(Cc) values do not correlate well with distance from the syenite, and fluids were probably channelled across lithological layering. The correlation between the degree of resetting of marble ¹⁸O(Cc) values with the abundance of submillimetre-wide veins, suggests that fluid focussing may have resulted from variations in fracture density. Late, lower temperature (<500°C), fluid flow formed serpentine (Serp) and brucite (Br) from periclase and forsterite. ¹⁸O(Br) and ¹⁸O(Scrp) values correlate with ¹⁸O(Cc), suggesting that retrogression involved only limited volumes of fluid. The observation that ¹⁸O(Cc-Br) and ¹⁸O(Cc-Serp) values are higher in marbles that have lower ¹⁸O(Cc) values is interpreted as indicating that fluid flow persisted to lower temperatures in those rocks due to higher intrinsic permeabilities. Calcite in the syenite was also formed by the influx of fluids during cooling. Syenite ¹⁸O(Cc) values are approximately in isotopic equilibrium with the high-temperature silicate minerals, suggesting that again only minor volumes of fluid were involved. In detail fluid flow was prolonged and complex, creating problems for the application of quantitative fluid flow models.This paper is a contribution to IGCP 304, Lower Crustal Processes     

Malta: macropolitical threats

Despite constitutional neutrality and non-alignment, for the last decade Malta has dabbled in Western security circles. By pledging commitment to the European CFSP and forging closer associations with NATO the government consummated allegiances with the hegemonic flank of their region and the only remaining superpower. However, Maltese security in the post-Cold War era is about more than just power fealty. Whilst not overlooking the still highly relevant military threats to security, this paper elucidates three macropolitical threats that are too impetuous for the worlds most powerful security organizations to handle. Indeed, future Maltese membership of the WEU or closer ties with NATO may even exacerbate these menaces.