Organotemplate silica deposition in Neoproterozoic deep-marine environments: evidence from the Penganga Group, Adilabad, India

Silica in bedded cherts interstratified with manganese carbonates in a deep‐water carbonate ramp succession of the Neoproterozoic Penganga Group, India, displays film‐like, spherical to rod‐shaped, and tubular branching microstructures. The microstructures resemble mineralized extracellular polysaccharides, biofilms and bacterial morphologies. The microstructures suggest silicification by nucleation of silica on organic‐templates or indirectly as sorbed species accumulating on organic templates. Given that similar microstructures have also been documented in Archean cherts it is proposed that organotemplates might have been an important sink for the deposition of silica in Precambrian deep‐water marine environments.     

Formation of chemogenic calcite in super-anoxic seawater — Framvaren, southern Norway

Framvaren, a super-anoxic fjord in southern Norway, contains 7–8 mmoll⁻¹ of sulphide and a total carbonate concentration of 18.5 mmol kg⁻¹ in the bottom water. The chemistry of calcium has been studied, considering sources, biogenic and chemical processes and sedimentary sinks. Calcium associated with the bacteria biomass at the redox interface (18m depth) appears to be the primary source of dissolved calcium in the deep, anoxic water. Excess calcium and high total carbonate cause supersaturation of calcite, which is precipitated chemogenically. Calcite (and presumably some aragonite) is identified both in sediment trap material and the bottom sediments below the depth of supersaturation.     

Trace metals in suspended particulate matter and in sediment trap material from a permanently anoxic fjord — Framvaren, South Norway

Geochemical studies of the trace metal concentrations in suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sediment trap material from a permanently anoxic fjord, Framvaren, South Norway in 1989 and 1993 indicate that extremely high concentrations of zinc (max = 183920 mg/kg), copper (max = 4130 mg/kg), lead (max = 2752 mg/kg), and cadmium (max= 8.1 mg/kg) sometimes (1993) occur in the SPM collected in the anoxic water layer. The highest concentrations of Zn occur just below the redoxcline at 22 m water depth (in 1993), and copper, lead and cadmium have maximum concentrations between 30 and 80 m depth, where the amount of total SPM is at a minimum (about 0.3 mg/L). On a mass per volume (g/L) basis, the maximum concentrations of Cd, Cu and Fe occur at the interface (21m) and those of Zn occur just below the redoxcline (22 m depth). The SPM and sediment trap data suggest that the metals are precipitated as sulfide minerals in the anoxic water. The presence of particulate sulfides was confirmed by SEM studies that show the occurrence of discrete metal (Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn) sulfide particles in size from 10–20 m as well as framboidal pyrites (1–5 m in size). Higher levels of metal sulfides at intermediate depths rather than in the deep water of Framvaren (> 100 m), may be due to input of trace metals by water exchange over the sill in the upper part of the water column. In the deep water, less metal sulfide precipitation takes place due to depletion of trace metals, and the dilution of particulate metal concentrations by organic matter and by the chemogenic formation of calcite.     

Phytoplankton, nutrients, and transparency in Danish coastal waters

We present a comparative analysis of 1400 data series of water chemistry (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations), phytoplankton biomass as chlorophylla (chla) concentrations, concentrations of suspended matter and Secchi depth transparency collected from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s from 162 stations in 27 Danish fjords and coastal waters. The results demonstrate that Danish coastal waters were heavily eutrophied and had high particle concentrations and turbid waters. Median values were 5.1 μg chla 1⁻¹, 10.0 mg DW 1⁻¹ of suspended particles, and Secchi depth of 3.6 m. Chlorophyll concentration was strongly linked to the total-nitrogen concentration. The strength of this relationship increased from spring to summer as the concentration of total nitrogen declined. During summer, total nitrogen concentrations accounted for about 60% of the variability in chlorophyll concentrations among the different coastal systems. The relationship between chlorophyll and total phosphorus was more consistant over the year and correlations were much weaker than encountered for total nitrogen. Secchi depth could be predicted with good precision from measurements of chlorophyll and suspended matter. In a multiple stepwise regression model with In-transformed values the two variables accounted for most of the variability in water transparency for the different seasons and the period March–October as a whole (c. 80%). We were able to demonstrate a significant relationship between total nitrogen and Secchi depth, with important implications for management purposes.     

Chemical and isotopic equilibrium between CO2 and CH4 in fumarolic gas discharges: Generation of CH4 in arc magmatic-hydrothermal systems

The chemical and isotopic composition of fumarolic gases emitted from Nisyros Volcano, Greece, and of a single gas sample from Vesuvio, Italy, was investigated in order to determine the origin of methane (CH₄) within two subduction-related magmatic-hydrothermal environments.Apparent temperatures derived from carbon isotope partitioning between CH₄ and CO₂ of around 340°C for Nisyros and 470°C for Vesuvio correlate well with aquifer temperatures as measured directly and/or inferred from compositional data using the H₂O-H₂-CO₂-CO-CH₄ geothermometer. Thermodynamic modeling reveals chemical equilibrium between CH₄, CO₂ and H₂O implying that carbon isotope partitioning between CO₂ and CH₄ in both systems is controlled by aquifer temperature.N₂/³He and CH₄/³He ratios of Nisyros fumarolic gases are unusually low for subduction zone gases and correspond to those of midoceanic ridge environments. Accordingly, CH₄ may have been primarily generated through the reduction of CO₂ by H₂ in the absence of any organic matter following a Fischer-Tropsch-type reaction. However, primary occurrence of minor amounts of thermogenic CH₄ and subsequent re-equilibration with co-existing CO₂ cannot be ruled out entirely. CO₂/³He ratios and δ¹³C_CO2 values imply that the evolved CO₂ either derives from a metasomatized mantle or is a mixture between two components, one outgassing from an unaltered mantle and the other released by thermal breakdown of marine carbonates. The latter may contain traces of organic matter possibly decomposing to CH₄ during thermometamorphism.     

Multi-angle backscatter classification and sub-bottom profiling for improved seafloor characterization

This study applies three classification methods exploiting the angular dependence of acoustic seafloor backscatter along with high resolution sub-bottom profiling for seafloor sediment characterization in the Eckernförde Bay, Baltic Sea Germany. This area is well suited for acoustic backscatter studies due to its shallowness, its smooth bathymetry and the presence of a wide range of sediment types. Backscatter data were acquired using a Seabeam1180 (180 kHz) multibeam echosounder and sub-bottom profiler data were recorded using a SES-2000 parametric sonar transmitting 6 and 12 kHz. The high density of seafloor soundings allowed extracting backscatter layers for five beam angles over a large part of the surveyed area. A Bayesian probability method was employed for sediment classification based on the backscatter variability at a single incidence angle, whereas Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC) and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) were applied to the multi-angle layers. The Bayesian approach was used for identifying the optimum number of acoustic classes because cluster validation is carried out prior to class assignment and class outputs are ordinal categorical values. The method is based on the principle that backscatter values from a single incidence angle express a normal distribution for a particular sediment type. The resulting Bayesian classes were well correlated to median grain sizes and the percentage of coarse material. The MLC method uses angular response information from five layers of training areas extracted from the Bayesian classification map. The subsequent PCA analysis is based on the transformation of these five layers into two principal components that comprise most of the data variability. These principal components were clustered in five classes after running an external cluster validation test. In general both methods MLC and PCA, separated the various sediment types effectively, showing good agreement (kappa >0.7) with the Bayesian approach which also correlates well with ground truth data (r²?>?0.7). In addition, sub-bottom data were used in conjunction with the Bayesian classification results to characterize acoustic classes with respect to their geological and stratigraphic interpretation. The joined interpretation of seafloor and sub-seafloor data sets proved to be an efficient approach for a better understanding of seafloor backscatter patchiness and to discriminate acoustically similar classes in different geological/bathymetric settings.     

Composition and origin of organic matter in surface sediments of Lake Sarbsko: A highly eutrophic and shallow coastal lake (northern Poland)

We present an organic geochemical study of surface sediments of Lake Sarbsko, a shallow coastal lake on the middle Polish Baltic coast. The aim was to provide evidence concerning the origin of the organic matter (OM) and its compositional diversity in surface deposits of this very productive, highly dynamic water body. The content and composition of the OM in the bottom sediments were investigated at 11 sampling stations throughout the lake basin. OM sources were assigned on the basis of bulk indicators [total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), δ¹³C_TOC and δ¹⁵N and extractable OM yield], biomarker composition of extractable OM and compound-specific C isotope signatures. The source characterization of autochthonous compounds was verified via phytoplankton analysis. The distribution of gaseous hydrocarbons in the sediments, as well as temporal changes in lake water pH, the concentration of DIC (dissolved inorganic carbon) and δ¹³C_DIC were used to trace OM decomposition.The sedimentary OM is composed mainly of well preserved phytoplankton compounds and shows minor spatial variability in composition. However, the presence of CH₄ and CO₂ in the bottom deposits provides evidence for microbial degradation of sedimentary OM. The transformation of organic compounds in surface, bottom and pore waters via oxidative processes influences carbonate equilibrium in the lake and seasonally favours precipitation or dissolution of CaCO₃.The data enhance our understanding of the relationships between the composition of sedimentary OM and environmental conditions within coastal ecosystems and shed light on the reliability of OM proxies for environmental reconstruction of coastal lakes.