Investigation of sediment core PS2556 from Bellingshausen Sea, Antarctica

Die Rekonstruktion der glaziomarinen Sedimentationsprozesse am antarktischen Kontinentalrand des westlichen Bellingshausenmeeres erfolgte durch die sedimentologische Auswertung eines 962 cm langen Schwerelotkernes aus 3594 m Wassertiefe. Der Kern wurde während des Fahrtabschnittes ANT-XI/3 mit dem FS "Polarstern" vom Scheitel einer Sediment- "Drift" gezogen. An dem Sedimentkern wurde eine lithologische Beschreibung, sowie sedimentologische Untersuchungen und sedimentphysikalische Messungen durchgeführt. Anhand der Ergebnisse konnten signifikante Änderungen in der Zusammensetzung und Struktur der Sedimente erkannt, und drei Faziestypen unterschieden werden. Die Faziestypen charakterisieren jeweils glaziale oder interglaziale Zeiträume. Der größte Teil der Sedimentabfolge gehört der Laminitfazies an. Dabei handelt es sich um feinlaminierte Sedimentabschnitte, die vorwiegend aus feinkörnigen, terrigenen Komponenten zusammengesetzt sind. In die feinlaminierten Abschnitte sind vereinzelte, wenige Milimeter bis Zentimeter mächtige Siltlagen eingeschaltet. Die biogenen Anteile sind gering, Anzeichen für Bodenleben fehlen völlig. Die Manganfazies wird von authigen gebildeten Mangankonkretionen dominiert, die jeweils diskrete Lagen bilden. Dabei handelt es sich zum einen um Mikromanganknollen und -krusten und zum andern um manganhaltige Gangfüllungen. Biogene und terrigene Anteile sind in diesem Faziestyp unbedeutend. Die Biogenfazies ist von strukturlosen und stark bioturbierten Sedimenten gekennzeichnet. In diesen Sedimentabschnitten ist der hohe Anteil an Eisfracht (IRD) und die erhöhten Gehalte an Kalziumkarbonat und Opal in der Sandfraktion markant. Die stratigraphische Einordnung des Sedimentkernes erfolgte über die von Grobe & Mackensen (1992) entwickelte Lithostratigraphie, mit deren Einheiten die Faziestypen des Sedimentkernes korreliert werden konnten. Dabei ergaben sich zwei mögliche Altersmodelle und ein Basisalter von ca. 250.000 Jahren. Anhand der stratigraphischen Fixpunkte wurden Sedimentationsraten des Gesamtsedimentes und Akkumulationsraten des Kalziumkarbonates, des Biogenopals und des organisch gebundenen Kohlenstoffes berechnet. Dabei wurde gezeigt, daß lediglich das Kalziumkarbonat und der Biogenopal als Anzeiger für biologische Produktion dienen können, wobei Lösungsprozesse in der Wassersäule und im Sediment eine große Rolle spielen. Der Gehalt an organisch gebundenem Kohlenstoff ist in dem Sedimentkern nur erhaltungsbedingt zu erklären. Die Sedimentationsprozesse der einzelnen Faziestypen sind von den Eisverhältnissen, der biologischen Produktion, dem gravitativen Transport und der Umlagerung durch Meeresströmungen abhängig. Die Auswirkung der einzelnen Faktoren ist jeweils unterschiedlich ausgeprägt und wirkt sich spezifisch auf die einzelnen Parameter aus. In den Glazialen hatte ein Vorstoß des Schelfeises über die Schelfkante zur Anlieferung großer Sedimentmassen geführt, die über gravitativen Transport den Kontinentalhang hinunter transportiert wurden. Die Feinfracht wurde über parallel zum Kontinentalhang laufende Konturströme westwärts transportiert und in der Larninitfazies der Driftkörper abgelagert. Am Ende der Glaziale kam es zur Sedimentation der Manganfazies. Die geringen Sedimentationsraten am Kamm der Sedimentdrift kamen aufgrund reduzierter Intensität der Konturströme und fehlender Umlagerung von Schelfsedimenten in Folge rückschreitender Schelfeisrnassen zustande. In den Interglazialen kam es durch den aufsteigenden Meeresspiegel zum Aufschwimmen des Schelfeises. Der damit verbundene Abbau der Eisrnassen über dem Schelf, hatte eine hohe Sedimentation von IRD zur Folge. Mit fortschreitendem Interglazial kam es in Zeiten nur saisonaler Meereisbedeckung zu verstärkter biologischer Produktion und zur Sedimentation biogenen Materials.

Sedimentology of cores from the Bellingshausen Sea, Antarctic

On the continental rise west of the Antarctic Peninsula there are nine large mounds interpreted as sediment drifts, separated by turbidity current channels. Drift 7 is 150 km long, 70 km wide and up to 700 m high and is asymmetric, with steep sides on the south-east (towards the continent) and south-west, and gentle slopes to north-west and north-east. Cores on the gentle sides of the drift show a cyclicity between brown, bioturbated, diatom-bearing mud with foraminifera and radiolarians, and grey, laminated, barren mud. Biostratigraphic evidence is consistent with a Late Quaternary age. Detailed lithostratigraphy and magnetic susceptibility data allow precise correlation over distances of tens of kilometres. On the basis of chemostratigraphy, the brown sediment is interpreted as interglacial (isotope stages 1 and 5) and the grey as glacial (stages 2-4 and 6). Sedimentation rates are 3.0-5.5 cm/ka. Cores on the steep sides of the drift recovered a condensed section with thinner cycles and hiatuses. Fine grain size, very poor sorting and the absence of a mode in the silt size range indicate deposition from suspension with only weak current activity, There is little evidence for cyclic changes in bottom current strength. Supply of sediment to the benthic nepheloid layer was by entrainment ofmud from turbidity currents, and by settling ofpelagic material (biogenic grains, IRD, sediment suspended in meltwater plumes). Cyclic changes in sediment supply include more biogenic supply in interglacials with less sea ice cover, more terrigenous supply from turbidites in glacials with ice sheets grounded to the shelf edge, and changes in IRD content.

Description and chemical composition of manganese deposits during the deep-sea expedition of the streamer Valdivia in 1898-1899

This monograph forms the fourth part of the tenth volume of the scientific results of the voyage of the German exploring ship Valdivia in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, made during the years 1898-1899. These volumes are published under the editorship of Prof. Chun, the zoologist of Leipzig, who was leader of the expedition ; and Prof. E. Philippi with the cooperation of Sir John Murray. The nature of the materials brought up at various points during the voyage is well illustrated by a series of plates, similar to those accompanying the Challenger volumes. Among the concretions from the Agulhas Bank were found phosphatic nodules containing 33 per cent, of calcium carbonate, 28 of calcium phosphate, 14.6 of calcium sulphate, and 4.8 of magnesium carbonate, with some ferric oxide, alumina, and silica. These nodules were dredged at a depth of 155 metres. Off the coast of Namibia, a large quantity of manganese nodules were also dredged. Their chemical analysis performed at the Mineralogical Institute of the University Jena show similar composition as the nodules recovered by the "Challenger" at station 253 in the Pacific Ocean.

Finely dispersed fraction of particulate organic matter and primary production in sea water of the Equatorial East Pacific

Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the finely dispersed fraction of particulate organic matter in sea water is given. It is demonstrated that in the euphotic zone of high productivity waters this fraction constitutes 86%, in waters with low productivity 61%, and in deep waters (>200 m) 53% of the organic carbon in particulate matter. Formation of the finely dispersed fraction and its role in distribution of energy in the detrital food chain of the ecosystem are discussed.

Siliceous fossils in sediments of the Ibero-Moroccan shelf and adjacent deep sea plains

Siliceous skeletons were investigated in two core profiles (9 cores), one off Cap de Sines, Portugal and the other off Cap de Mazagan, Morocco. Total number of skeletons was determined per gram of dried sediment at different core depths of the fraction >21 µ. Results are compared with a core profile from the Arabian Sea. Diatoms are of four groups: (A) marine-planktonic, B) marine-benthic, (C) freshwater and (D) Tertiary species (Trinacria e.g.). Species from groups (B), (C) and (D) are redeposited in all cores taken at a water depth of greater than 100 m. Small numbers of Silicoflagellates and Radiolarians were found throughout the cores from the Ibero-Moroccan shelf. In the Arabian Sea core, Radiolarians were concentrated in distinct horizons in which Tertiary material was redeposited (40-50, 140-150, 250-260 cm). The number of siliceous skeletons per gram of dried sediment decreases more or less rapidly with increasing depth in all cores. Whereas about 2500 skeletons were found in sediments close to the surface, approximately 100 skeletons only were found in deeper (>40 cm) layers. Deeper horizons with more than 100 specimens were interpreted as redeposited material. This sediment contained robust skeletons, resistant against dissolution, as well as benthic and Tertiary material. The decrease of siliceous skeletons relative to core depth depends upon the sedimentation rate. Where the sedimentation rate is high, the opal dissolution zone extends down to 30-60 cm, where the sedimentation rate is low, it is located at 10-30 cm. Below these depths opals disappears. These zones also have approximately the same age (4000 years) everywhere. Siliceous skeletons dissolve differentially, first the Silicoflagellates disappear, second the Diatoms, third the Radiolarians, and fourth the Sponge Spicules. Surface structure of skeletons from near the opal dissolution zones are similar to those of skeletons treated with NaOH. Tertiary diatoms (Trinacria e. g.) and benthic diatoms (Campylodiscus e.g.) dissolve less rapidly than skeletons of modern planktonic diatoms (Coscinodiscus e.g.). The time control of the opal dissolution zones appeared rather independent of various oceanic influences. No evidence was found for effects from upwelling either off Portugal or off Morocco. No difference in dissolution rates was recorded between the abyssal plains lying off these two areas. Likewise, there was no change in solution rates from Pleistocene to Holocene within either one of the abyssal plains. The Mediterranean outflow, which is enriched in dissolved silica, apparently had no effect on dissolution rates of siliceous skeletons in the sediment.

Geochemistry of terrigenous material in deep-sea sediments of the equatorial Pacific

Biological productivity in the modern equatorial Pacific Ocean, a region with high nutrients and low chlorophyll, is currently limited by the micronutrient Fe. In order to test whether Fe was limiting in the past and to identify potential pathways of Fe delivery that could drive Fe fertilization (i.e., dust delivery from eolian inputs vs. Fe supplied by the Equatorial Undercurrent), we chemically isolated the terrigenous material from sediment along a cross-equatorial transect in the central equatorial Pacific at 140°W and at Ocean Drilling Program Site 850 in the eastern equatorial Pacific. We quantified the contribution from each potential Fe-bearing terrigenous source using a suite of chemical- and isotopic discrimination strategies as well as multivariate statistical techniques. We find that the distribution of the terrigenous sources (i.e., Asian loess, South American ash, Papua New Guinea, and ocean island basalt) varies through time, latitude, and climate. Regardless of which method is used to determine accumulation rate, there also is no relationship between flux of any particular Fe source and climate. Moreover, there is no connection between a particular Fe source or pathway (eolian vs. Undercurrent) to total productivity during the Last Glacial Maximum, Pleistocene glacial episodes, and the Miocene "Biogenic Bloom". This would suggest an alternative process, such as an interoceanic reorganization of nutrient inventories, may be responsible for past changes in total export in the open ocean, rather than simply Fe supply from dust and/or Equatorial Undercurrent processes. Additionally, perhaps a change in Fe source or flux is related to a change in a particular component of the total productivity (e.g., the production of organic matter, calcium carbonate, or biogenic opal).

Historical sea ice of the Baltic Sea (1960/61-78/79)

The Baltic Sea is a seasonally ice-covered, marginal sea in central northern Europe. It is an essential waterway connecting highly industrialised countries. Because ship traffic is intermittently hindered by sea ice, the local weather services have been monitoring sea ice conditions for decades. In the present study we revisit a historical monitoring data set, covering the winters 1960/1961 to 1978/1979. This data set, dubbed Data Bank for Baltic Sea Ice and Sea Surface Temperatures (BASIS) ice, is based on hand-drawn maps that were collected and then digitised in 1981 in a joint project of the Finnish Institute of Marine Research (today the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI)) and the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI). BASIS ice was designed for storage on punch cards and all ice information is encoded by five digits. This makes the data hard to access. Here we present a post-processed product based on the original five-digit code. Specifically, we convert to standard ice quantities (including information on ice types), which we distribute in the current and free Network Common Data Format (NetCDF). Our post-processed data set will help to assess numerical ice models and provide easy-to-access unique historical reference material for sea ice in the Baltic Sea. In addition we provide statistics showcasing the data quality. The website http://www.baltic-ocean.org hosts the post-processed data and the conversion code.

Seafloor magnetic anomalies and ages observed from shipboard and airborne measurements from New Zealand to the Amundsen Sea (south of 64°S)

Geophysical data acquired using R/V Polarstern constrain the structure and age of the rifted oceanic margin of West Antarctica. West of the Antipodes Fracture Zone, the 145 km wide continent-ocean transition zone (COTZ) of the Marie Byrd Land sector resembles a typical magma-poor margin. New gravity and seismic reflection data indicates initial continental crust of thickness 24 km, that was stretched 90 km. Farther east, the Bellingshausen sector is broad and complex with abundant evidence for volcanism, the COTZ is ~670 km wide, and the nature of crust within the COTZ is uncertain. Margin extension is estimated to be 106-304 km in this sector. Seafloor magnetic anomalies adjacent to Marie Byrd Land near the Pahemo Fracture Zone indicate full-spreading rate during c33-c31 (80-68 Myr) of 60 mm/yr, increasing to 74 mm/yr at c27 (62 Myr), and then dropping to 22 mm/yr by c22 (50 Myr). Spreading rates were lower to the west. Extrapolation towards the continental margin indicates initial oceanic crust formation at around c34y (84 Myr). Subsequent motion of the Bellingshausen plate relative to Antarctica (84-62 Myr) took place east of the Antipodes Fracture Zone at rates <40 mm/yr, typically 5-20 mm/yr. The high extension rate of 30-60 mm/yr during initial margin formation is consistent with steep and symmetrical margin morphology, but subsequent motion of the Bellingshausen plate was slow and complex, and modified rift morphology through migrating deformation and volcanic centers to create a broad and complex COTZ.

Sedimentology of cores from the shelf of Lazarev Sea, East Antarctica

Distinct facies types, classified in radiocarbon-dated sediments from the shelf of the Lazarev Sea, East Antarctica, reveal a detailed history of processes that have controlled sedimentation during the deglaciation over the last 10,000 yr. The ice retreat on this part of the Antarctic shelf started 9500 yr BP, marked by the deposition of laminated sediments, deposited from a floating ice shelf. These laminites, which occur on top of diamictons laid down from a grounded ice sheet, are the basal sediments of the postglacial sequence. The intensity of the Antarctic Coastal Current (ACC), directed by shelf morphology, controlled sedimentation of the postglacial facies. A residual glaciomarine sediment with the fine fraction winnowed by strong currents developed from 9000-8000 yr BP in the western part of the investigation area and from 9000-5000 yr BP in the eastern part, closer to the prominent 'Fenno Deep' trough. Current velocities apparently decreased between 8000 and 2000 yr BP due to a deflection of the ACC by advancing ice tongues to the east of the investigation area during the 'Hypsithermal'. This led to a deposition of fine-grained sediments, and clay mineralogy suggests a continental source, possibly near the grounding line of the Nivl Ice Shelf, rather than a winnowing of sediments near the shelf break or advection from deeper water. Current velocities intensified after 2000 yr BP, removed fine material from these sediments and led to a relict sediment, consisting of coarse bryozoan and molluscan debris.