Plankton abundance and feeding characteristics of Thysanoessa raschii from Godthabsfjord, Greenland

Despite being a key zooplankton group, knowledge on krill biology from the Arctic is inadequate. The present study examine the functional biology and evaluate the trophic role of krill in the Godthabsfjord (64°N, 51°W) SW Greenland, through a combination of fieldwork and laboratory experiments. Krill biomass was highest in the middle fjord and inner fjord, whereas no krill was found offshore. The dominating species Thysanoessa raschii revealed a type III functional response when fed with the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii. At food saturation, T. raschii exhibited a daily ration of 1% body C/d. Furthermore, T. raschii was capable of exploiting plankton cells from 5 to 400 µm, covering several trophic levels of the pelagic food web. The calculated grazing impact by T. raschii on the fjord plankton community was negligible. However, the schooling and migratory behaviour of krill will concentrate and elevate the grazing in specific areas of the euphotic zone.

Dissolution rate spectra data of calcite single crystal and micrite material

The large discrepancy between field and laboratory measurements of mineral reaction rates is a long-standing problem in earth sciences, often attributed to factors extrinsic to the mineral itself. Nevertheless, differences in reaction rate are also observed within laboratory measurements, raising the possibility of intrinsic variations as well. Critical insight is available from analysis of the relationship between the reaction rate and its distribution over the mineral surface. This analysis recognizes the fundamental variance of the rate. The resulting anisotropic rate distributions are completely obscured by the common practice of surface area normalization. In a simple experiment using a single crystal and its polycrystalline counterpart, we demonstrate the sensitivity of dissolution rate to grain size, results that undermine the use of "classical" rate constants. Comparison of selected published crystal surface step retreat velocities (Jordan and Rammensee, 1998) as well as large single crystal dissolution data (Busenberg and Plummer, 1986) provide further evidence of this fundamental variability. Our key finding highlights the unsubstantiated use of a single-valued "mean" rate or rate constant as a function of environmental conditions. Reactivity predictions and long-term reservoir stability calculations based on laboratory measurements are thus not directly applicable to natural settings without a probabilistic approach. Such a probabilistic approach must incorporate both the variation of surface energy as a general range (intrinsic variation) as well as constraints to this variation owing to the heterogeneity of complex material (e.g., density of domain borders). We suggest the introduction of surface energy spectra (or the resulting rate spectra) containing information about the probability of existing rate ranges and the critical modes of surface energy.

Analysis of soils from King George Island and Casey station, Antarctica

A comparative study was carried out on soils of the maritime (Arctowski, King George Island) and the continental (Casey, Wilkes Land) Antarctic. Soil sampIes are described for surface layers (0-10 cm) by their in situ temperature profiles as well as by field and laboratory analyses of grain sizes, pH and nutrient contents. Active cryoturbation is a main factor of mixing processes in surfaces with high silt and clay content. In both regions processes of podzolisation were recognized. Microclimatic conditions show the importance of small scale processes which are of special importance for freeze-thaw cycles. The distribution of nutrients and other inorganic components is rather homogeneous in regosols and leptosols. But in soils with organic top layers by lichen and moss cushions (crusts) accumulation occurs as well as displacement of metal ions into deeper layers (>10 cm). Histosols show patterns of brown soils. Special attention is given to the origin of nitrogen compounts and the different ways of import of other components (e.g. chloride) into the Antarctic system are discussed.

Physical properties, velocity and attenuation characteristics, and mineralogy of gabbros from ODP Hole 176-735B

Laboratory compressional wave (Vp) and shear wave (Vs) velocities were measured as a function of confining pressure for the gabbros from Hole 735B and compared to results from Leg 118. The upper 500 m of the hole has a Vp mean value of 6895 m/s measured at 200 MPa, and at 500 meters below seafloor (mbsf), Vp measurements show a mean value of 7036 m/s. Vs mean values in the same intervals are 3840 m/s and 3857 m/s, respectively. The mean Vp and Vs values obtained from log data in the upper 600 m are 6520 and 3518 m/s, respectively. These results show a general increase in velocity with depth and the velocity gradients estimate an upper mantle depth of 3.32 km. This value agrees with previous work based on dredged samples and inversion of rare element concentrations in basalts dredged from the conjugate site to the north of the Atlantis Bank. Laboratory measurements show Vp anisotropy ranging between 0.4% and 8.8%, with the majority of the samples having values less than 3.8%. Measurements of velocity anisotropy seem to be associated with zones of high crystal-plastic deformation with predominant preferred mineral orientations of plagioclase, amphiboles, and pyroxenes. These findings are consistent with results on gabbros from the Hess Deep area and suggest that plastic deformation may play an important role in the seismic properties of the lower oceanic crust. In contrast to ophiolite studies, many of the olivine gabbros show a small degree of anisotropy. Log derived Vs anisotropy shows an average of 5.8% for the upper 600 m of Hole 735B and tends to decrease with depth where the overburden pressure and the age of the crustal section suggests closure of cracks and infilling of fractures by alteration minerals. Overall the results indicate that the average shear wave splitting in Hole 735B might be influenced by preferred structural orientations and the average value of shear wave splitting may not be a maximum because structural dips are <90°. The maximum fast-wave orientation values could be influenced by structural features striking slightly oblique to this orientation or by near-field stress concentrations. However, flexural wave dispersion analyses have not been performed to confirm this hypothesis or to indicate to what extent the near-field stresses may be influencing shear wave propagation. Acoustic impedance contrasts calculated from laboratory and logging data were used to generate synthetic seismograms that aid in the interpretation of reflection profiles. Several prominent reflections produced by these calculations suggest that Fe-Ti oxides and shear zones may contribute to the reflective nature of the lower oceanic crust. Laboratory velocity attenuation (Q) measurements from below 500 m have a mean value of 35.1, which is consistent with previous vertical seismic profile (VSP) and laboratory measurements on the upper 500 m.

Electrical resistivity, formation factors, and sound velocity at DSDP Holes 75-530A and 75-530B

From 0 to 277 m at Site 530 are found Holocene to Miocene diatom ooze, nannofossil ooze, marl, clay, and debrisflow deposits; from 277 to 467 m are Miocene to Oligocene mud; from 467 to 1103 m are Eocene to late Albian Cenomanian interbedded mudstone, marlstone, chalk, clastic limestone, sandstone, and black shale in the lower portion; from 1103 to 1121 m are basalts. In the interval from 0 to 467 m, in Holocene to Oligocene pelagic oozes, marl, clay, debris flows, and mud, velocities are 1.5 to 1.8 km/s; below 200 m velocities increase irregularly with increasing depth. From 0 to 100 m, in Holocene to Pleistocene diatom and nannofossil oozes (excluding debris flows), velocities are approximately equivalent to that of the interstitial seawater, and thus acoustic reflections in the upper 100 m are primarily caused by variations in density and porosity. Below 100 or 200 m, acoustic reflections are caused by variations in both velocity and density. From 100 to 467 m, in Miocene-Oligocene nannofossil ooze, clay, marl, debris flows, and mud, acoustic anisotropy irregularly increases to 10%, with 2 to 5% being typical. From 467 to 1103 m in Paleocene to late Albian Cenomanian interbedded mudstone, marlstone, chalk, clastic limestone, and black shale in the lower portion of the hole, velocities range from 1.6 to 5.48 km/s, and acoustic anisotropies are as great as 47% (1.0 km/s) faster horizontally. Mudstone and uncemented sandstone have anisotropies which irregularly increase with increasing depth from 5 to 10% (0.2 km/s). Calcareous mudstones have the greatest anisotropies, typically 35% (0.6 km/s). Below 1103 m, basalt velocities ranged from 4.68 to 4.98 km/s. A typical value is about 4.8 km/s. In situ velocities are calculated from velocity data obtained in the laboratory. These are corrected for in situ temperature, hydrostatic pressure, and porosity rebound (expansion when the overburden pressure is released). These corrections do not include rigidity variations caused by overburden pressures. These corrections affect semiconsolidated sedimentary rocks the most (up to 0.25 km/s faster). These laboratory velocities appear to be greater than the velocities from the sonic log. Reflection coefficients derived from the laboratory data, in general, agree with the major features on the seismic profiles. These indicate more potential reflectors than indicated from the reflection coefficients derived using the Gearhart-Owen Sonic Log from 625 to 940 m, because the Sonic Log data average thin beds. Porosity-density data versus depth for mud, mudstone, and pelagic oozes agree with data for similar sediments as summarized in Hamilton (1976). At depths of about 400 m and about 850 m are zones of relatively higher porosity mudstones, which may suggest anomalously high pore pressure; however, they are more probably caused by variations in grain-size distribution and lithology. Electrical resistivity (horizontal) from 625 to 950 m ranged from about 1.0 to 4.0 ohm-m, in Maestrichtian to Santonian- Coniacian mudstone, marlstone, chalk, clastic limestone, and sandstone. An interstitial-water resistivity curve did not indicate any unexpected lithology or unusual fluid or gas in the pores of the rock. These logs were above the black shale beds. From 0 to 100 m at Sites 530 and 532, the vane shear strength on undisturbed samples of Holocene-Pleistocene diatom and nannofossil ooze uniformly increases from about 80 g/cm**2 to about 800 g/cm**2. From 100 to 300 m, vane shear strength of Pleistocene-Miocene nannofossil ooze, clay, and marl are irregular versus depth with a range of 500 to 2300 g/cm**2; and at Site 532 the vane shear strength appears to decrease irregularly and slightly with increasing depth (gassy zone). Vane shear strength values of gassy samples may not be valid, for the samples may be disturbed as gas evolves, and the sediments may not be gassy at in situ depths.

Description and iron and manganese content of ferromanganese nodules from Oneida Lake, NY

Ferromanganese nodules in the deep-sea and in freshwater lakes usually accrete layers rich in manganese oxides alternating with layers rich in iron oxides. The mechanism producing these alternating layers is unknown; indeed, the mechanism producing the nodules themselves is unknown. In Oneida Lake, New York, precipitants from the lake water and the surfaces of nodules at the sediment-water interface are enriched in Mn, whereas nodules buried in lake sediments have surface layers enriched in Fe. It is hypothesized here, using field and laboratory evidence, that reduction and mobilization of Mn from the nodule surface during periods of anoxic sediment cover produce the high Fe layers observed in the nodules.

Phosphate d18O pore-water profiles of sediment core GeoB11807-2 and GeoB11804-4

Phosphorus cycling in the ocean is influenced by biological and geochemical processes that are reflected in the oxygen isotope signature of dissolved inorganic phosphate (Pi). Extending the Pi oxygen isotope record from the water column into the seabed is difficult due to low Pi concentrations and small amounts of marine porewaters available for analysis. We obtained porewater profiles of Pi oxygen isotopes using a refined protocol based on the original micro-extraction designed by Colman (2002). This refined and customized method allows the conversion of ultra-low quantities (0.5 - 1 µmol) of porewater Pi to silver phosphate (Ag3PO4) for routine analysis by mass spectrometry. A combination of magnesium hydroxide co-precipitation with ion exchange resin treatment steps is used to remove dissolved organic matter, anions, and cations from the sample before precipitating Ag3PO4. Samples as low as 200 µg were analyzed in a continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometer setup. Tests with external and laboratory internal standards validated the preservation of the original phosphate oxygen isotope signature (d18OP) during micro extraction. Porewater data on d18OP has been obtained from two sediment cores of the Moroccan margin. The d18OP values are in a range of +19.49 to +27.30 per mill. We apply a simple isotope mass balance model to disentangle processes contributing to benthic P cycling and find evidence for Pi regeneration outbalancing microbial demand in the upper sediment layers. This highlights the great potential of using d18OP to study microbial processes in the subseafloor and at the sediment water interface.