Glacial bedforms in the Northwind Abyssal Plain,Chukchi Borderland

A series of sub-parallel linear glacial scours are identified on the crest of the Baoshi Seamount in the Northwind Abyssal Plain by compiling new multibeam data acquired during the 9th Chinese Arctic Research Expedition (CHINARE-Arc9) in 2018 and previously published data. The new data reveal scours that developed at water depths of 850–1 030 m with an orientation of about 75°/255°. The maximum water depth occurs in the southernmost scour and is deeper than that from previous investigations, which showed a maximum scouring depth of about 900 m on the seamount. The topographic and geomorphological characteristics suggest that these scours resulted from erosion by the ice shelf extending from the Chukchi margin and/or Laurentide Ice Sheet that grounded on the crest of the seamount and moved in a NE–SW direction. Other possibilities of their genesis include armadas of large icebergs/multi-keel icebergs calved from the Chukchi Shelf or the Laurentide Ice Sheet. The new data provide new constraints for assessing the extent and volume of the ice sheet in the Chukchi area during glacial maxima.     

2014年大西洋水在楚科奇边陲区域的上边界混合

This study presents an analysis of the CTD data and the turbulent microstructure data collected in 2014, the turbulent mixing environment above the Atlantic Water(AW) around the Chukchi Borderland region is studied.Surface wind becomes more efficient in driving the upper ocean movement along with the rapid decline of sea ice,thus results in a more restless interior of the Arctic Ocean. The turbulent dissipation rate is in the range of4.60×10~(–10)~(–3.31×10~(–9) W/kg with a mean value of 1.33×10~(–9) W/kg, while the diapycnal diffusivity is in the range of1.45×10~(–6)–1.46×10~(–5)m~2/s with a mean value of 4.84×10~(–6) m~2/s in 200–300 m(above the AW). After investigating on the traditional factors(i.e., wind, topography and tides) that may contribute to the turbulent dissipation rate, the results show that the tidal kinetic energy plays a dominating role in the vertical mixing above the AW. Besides, the swing of the Beaufort Gyre(BG) has an impact on the vertical shear of the geostrophic current and may contribute to the regional difference of turbulent mixing. The parameterized method for the double-diffusive convection flux above the AW is validated by the direct turbulent microstructure results.     

基于卫星图像的北极浮冰大小分布特征分析

随着全球气候变暖,海冰厚度逐渐变小,海冰面积逐渐缩小,开阔海域的面积越来越大,北极地区海冰也越来越容易受到海浪的侵袭导致浮冰发生破碎,加速海冰融化。因此在全球气候变暖的环境下,分析浮冰大小分布特征,对于研究北极海区的动量和热量收支有着重要意义,同时有助于改进现有的海冰模型。文中基于3种不同空间分辨率的卫星图像,利用限制增长法分析了2014年夏秋季转化季节波弗特海和楚科奇海的浮冰大小分布特征,所用的卫星图像包括Medea图像,RADARSAT-2图像以及Landsat 8图像,3种图像的空间分辨率分别为1 m,15 m和100 m。不同的空间分辨率为研究浮冰大小总体分布特征提供了一个广泛的数据基础,能够更充分地研究不同尺寸的浮冰大小分布。采用的限制增长法,能够自动识别并提取出浮冰,最终得到浮冰大小分布特征满足幂律分布形式,幂指数的范围在0.8~1.91之间,较大的浮冰对应的幂指数也相应较大,且随着远离海冰边界的距离,幂指数有增大的趋势。处于在夏秋转换季节,部分浮冰开始发生冻结,小尺度浮冰数量逐渐减少。     

楚科奇和西伯利亚陆架颗粒有机物的来源：碳、氮同位素的线索

The stable isotopic composition(δ~(13)C and δ~(15)N) and carbon/nitrogen ratio(C/N) of particulate organic matter(POM) in the Chukchi and East Siberian shelves from July to September, 2016 were measured to evaluate the spatial variability and origin of POM. The δ~(13)C_(POC) values were in the range of -29.5‰ to-17.5‰ with an average of -25.9‰±2.0‰, and the δ~(15)N_(PN) values ranged from 3.9‰ to 13.1‰ with an average of 8.0‰±1.6‰. The C/N ratios in the East Siberian shelf were generally higher than those in the Chukchi shelf, while the δ~(13)C and δ~(15)N values were just the opposite. Abnormally low C/N ratios(4), low δ~(13)C_(POC)(almost-28‰) and high δ~(15)N_(PN)(10‰) values were observed in the Wrangel Island polynya, which was attributed to the early bloom of small phytoplankton. The contributions of terrestrial POM, bloom-produced POM and non-bloom marine POM were estimated using a three end-member mixing model. The spatial distribution of terrestrial POM showed a high fraction in the East Siberian shelf and decreased eastward, indicating the influence of Russian rivers. The distribution of non-bloom marine POM showed a high fraction in the Chukchi shelf with the highest fraction occurring in the Bering Strait and decreased westward, suggesting the stimulation of biological production by the Pacific inflow in the Chukchi shelf. The fractions of bloom-produced POM were highest in the winter polynya and gradually decreased toward the periphery. A negative relationship between the bloom-produced POM and the sea ice meltwater inventory was observed, indicating that the net sea ice loss promotes early bloom in the polynya.Given the high fraction of bloom-produced POM, the early bloom of phytoplankton in the polynyas may play an important role on marine production and POM export in the Arctic shelves.     

Outflow of Pacific water from the Chukchi Sea to the Arctic Ocean

Pacific water exits the Chukchi Sea shelf through Barrow Canyon in the east and Herald Canyon in the west, forming an eastward-directed shelfbreak boundary current that flows into the Beaufort Sea. Here we summarize the transformation that the Pacific water undergoes in the two canyons, and describe the characteristics and variability of the resulting shelfbreak jet, using recently collected summertime hydrographic data and a year-long mooting data set. In both canyons the northward-flowing Pacific winter water switches from the western to the eastern flank of the canyon, interacting with the northward-flowing summer water. In Barrow canyon the vorticity structure of the current is altered, while in Herald canyon a new water mass mode is created. In both instances hydraulic effects are believed to be partly responsible for the observed changes. The shelfl）reak jet that forms from the canyon outflows has distinct seasonal configurations, from a bottom-intensified flow carrying cold, dense Pacific water in spring, to a surface-intensified current advecting warm, buoyant water in summer. The current also varies significantly on short timescales, from less than a day to a week. In fall and winter much of this mesoscale variability is driven by storm events, whose easterly winds reverse the current and cause upwelling. Different types of eddies are spawned from the current, which are characterized here using hydrographic and satellite data.     

The occurrence of hydrocarbons in Cambrian sandstones of the Welsh Borderland

Hydrocarbon shows occur in Cambrian sandstones in the Welsh Borderland. In Shropshire, sandstones of the Upper Comley Group in particular contain hydrocarbons infilling residual primary porosity and secondary porosity after leaching of feldspars. In the Malvern Hills, the Hollybush Sandstone is locally black due to an impregnation by hydrocarbons. Evidence from the distribution of hydrocarbons in other Lower Palaeozoic rocks and in Precambrian rocks in Shropshire suggests that they have migrated from hydrocarbon-bearing Carboniferous sandstones. However, the source of hydrocarbons for the Hollybush Sandstone may be the immediately superjacent Upper Cambrian black shales.     

2012年楚科奇海及其邻近海域浮游植物现存量和初级生产力粒级结构研究

通过2012年夏季第五次北极科学考察期间在楚科奇海及其邻近海域现场调查所获得的数据分析研究了海域的粒度分级叶绿素a浓度和初级生产力。结果表明,叶绿素a浓度和初级生产力的高值均出现在楚科奇海陆架区,并且远高于深海区。去程时调查海域水层平均叶绿素a浓度的变化范围为0.32~15.66mg/m3,平均(2.77±3.96)mg/m3,高值区出现在南部邻近白令海峡海域、北部阿拉斯加巴罗近岸和冰缘区;初级生产力的范围为50.11~943.28mg/(m2d),高值出现在冰缘水华区。返程时水层平均叶绿素a浓度的变化范围为0.07~1.52mg/m3,平均(0.41±0.40)mg/m3,高值仍出现在陆架区,但比去程时低了一个数量级;初级生产力的分布范围为12.31~41.35mg/(m2d),高值出现在陆架区。浮游植物粒度分级测定结果表明,在生物量较低的深海区,叶绿素a浓度和初级生产力的粒级结构以微微型浮游生物(Pico级份)占优势(其贡献率分别为46.1%和56.9%),小型(Net级份)和微型(Nano级份)对总叶绿素a浓度的贡献差异极小,分别为26.6%和27.3%,对总初级生产力的贡献分别为23.8%和19.3%;而在生物量较高的水深小于200m的陆架区,Net级份叶绿素a浓度所占百分比最高,Pico级份次之,Nano级份最低,分别为59.8%、27.9%和12.3%,初级生产力的粒级结构中叶绿素a浓度所占百分比由高到低同样是Net、Pico和Nano,所占百分比分别为60.6%,32.2%和7.2%。     

应用木质素示踪楚科奇海表层沉积物中有机碳的来源和降解程度

埋藏在海洋沉积物中的有机碳是大气二氧化碳的净汇,而埋藏过程主要发生在陆架区。北冰洋拥有全球最大的陆架,接收大量来自河流和沿岸侵蚀输运的陆源有机碳,楚科奇海作为北冰洋的边缘海,是有机碳埋藏的重要海区之一。本研究选用楚科奇海和海台的表层沉积物（陆架区33~82.69 m,陆坡区164.63~3 763 m）,通过木质素,结合粒度、比表面积、有机碳百分含量（OC%）、有机碳稳定同位素（δ13C）等指标来示踪楚科奇海沉积物有机碳的来源和降解程度。结果表明,有机碳载荷从陆架到陆坡有明显的降低趋势;δ13C的范围指示有机碳可能来自苔藓、草本裸子植被、浮游植物和冰藻等;木质素丁香基酚（S）与香草基酚（V）的比值（S/V）和肉桂基酚（C）与香草基酚（V）的比值（C/V）表明裸子植物的草本组织贡献了更多的陆源有机碳;此外,较高含量的C9DA二酸（干酪根氧化产物）表明干酪根也可能是楚科奇海表层沉积物中有机质来源的重要组成。指示降解的参数[（Ad/Al） s、（Ad/Al） v、（Ad/Al） p、3,5-Bd/V]在陆架和陆坡沉积物中的差异表明陆坡沉积物中有机质的降解过程受到水动力分选以及原位降解等因素的影响更为明显。     

Geographical distribution of general aerobic heterotrophic bacteria in surficial sediments from the Chukchi Sea and Canadian Basin

This paper determined the abundance of General Aerobic heterotrophic Bacteria(GAB) in surficial sediments from the Chukchi Sea and the Canadian basin by using MPN and discussed their geographical distribution.The result shows that the determination percentages of the GAB were high,even till 100 percentage.The abundance range and averages of GAB for 4℃and 25℃ were from 4.00×102 to 2.40×106,1.71×106 ind.·g-1(wet sample) and from 2.40×105 to 2.40×107,1.10×107 ind.·g-1(wet sample) respectively.Not only the abundance range but also the averages of GAB in 25℃ were higher than that in 4℃.The abundance of GAB in sediments show a tendency that it is roughly greater in the lower latitudinal area than in the higher latitudinal area.The abundance of GAB increased from east to west as for the longitudinal distribution.With the water depth increasing,the abundance of GAB at 4℃ decreased,but GBA at 25℃ is not changed obviously with water depth.It seems that warmer circumstantial temperature is more suitable for some GAB.     

Stratigraphic constraints on late Pleistocene glacial erosion and deglaciation of the Chukchi margin, Arctic Ocean

At least two episodes of glacial erosion of the Chukchi margin at water depths to ∼ 450 m and 750 m have been indicated by geophysical seafloor data. We examine sediment stratigraphy in these areas to verify the inferred erosion and to understand its nature and timing. Our data within the eroded areas show the presence of glaciogenic diamictons composed mostly of reworked local bedrock. The diamictons are estimated to form during the last glacial maximum (LGM) and an earlier glacial event, possibly between OIS 4 to 5d. Both erosional events were presumably caused by the grounding of ice shelves originating from the Laurentide ice sheet. Broader glaciological settings differed between these events as indicated by different orientations of flutes on eroded seafloor. Postglacial sedimentation evolved from iceberg-dominated environments to those controlled by sea-ice rafting and marine processes in the Holocene. A prominent minimum in planktonic foraminiferal δ¹⁸O is identified in deglacial sediments at an estimated age near 13,000 cal yr BP. This δ¹⁸O minimum, also reported elsewhere in the Amerasia Basin, is probably related to a major Laurentide meltwater pulse at the Younger Dryas onset. The Bering Strait opening is also marked in the composition of late deglacial Chukchi sediments.