Studies on the determination of inorganic iodine in seawater

Existing methods for the determination of the various forms of iodine present in seawater are laborious or unwieldy in use. This paper describes modified forms of the iodate and total iodine methods described by Barkley and Thompson (1960), a spectrophotometric procedure for iodate determination derived from Johannesson's (1958) work, and an automatic method for total iodine determination. Procedures for iodate and total-iodine determination which are suitable for use aboard ship, are recommended. Both procedures for iodate determination returned a standard deviation close to 0.5 μg/l when several replicate samples of a seawater containing approximately 30 μg/l of iodate-iodine were analysed. The automatic method for total iodine determination yielded a standard deviation of 0.8 μg/l by the repeated analysis of a seawater containing a total of approximately 50 μg/l of iodine. Suitable methods for the filtration and storage of seawater are also described.     

Plate boundaries and evolution of the Solomon Sea region

The Solomon Sea Plate was widely developed during late Oligocene, separating the proto-West Melanesian Arc from the proto-Trobriand Arc. Spreading in the Bismarck Sea and in the Woodlark Basin resulted from interaction between the Pacific and Australian Plates, specifically from the collision of the proto-West Melanesian Arc with north New Guinea, which occurred after arc reversal. This model explains the extensive Miocene, Pliocene, and Quaternary volcanism of the Papua New Guinea mainland as it related to southward subduction of the Trobriand Trough. Our interpreted plate motions are concordant with the geological evidence onshore and also with complex tectonic features in the Solomon Sea Basin Region.     

Microearthquakes along the back-arc spreading system in the eastern Bismarck Sea

OBS’s were deployed for 26 to 29 days in the eastern Bismarck Sea to investigate the back-arc spreading. Hypocenters of 186 shallow earthquakes were determined using P- and S-waves from at least five stations. In the western survey area, a transform fault zone is marked by a linear micro-earthquake activity striking N65°W and less than 5 km wide. The predominant type of their focal mechanisms is strike-slip. In the eastern area, several intermittent zones of micro-earthquakes and their strike-slip type focal mechanisms suggest the location of short-length transform faults separating en-echelon spreading ridges.     

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.     

A locking-compass for in situ sample orientation

A mechanically-actuated locking-compass was designed for mounting on corers to record equipment orientation during the sampling process, thereby providing magnetic orientation data on the recovered deep-sea core. Locking occurs upon impact by the corer with the sea-floor; after retrieval, the device is easily unlocked and reset for another station. Compass construction makes use of commercially available parts, requires no welding and little machining, and thus allows inexpensive and easy assembly at sea.     

Uptake of plutonium from seawater and sediment by a marine polychaete worm

The results of the uptake of plutonium 239 from sediment by a marine polychaete wormNereis diversicolor is reported in the present paper. A comparison is made of the relative importance of two possible uptake pathways, sediment and seawater by which this worm may obtain its plutonium body-burden. Under the laboratory conditions used for the comparison of those two routes it would appear thatNereis obtains greater than 98% of its body activity from seawater.