Production of biogenic silica during the EBENE cruise, Equatorial Pacific

During the EBENE cruise (November 1996), distributions of biogenic silica concentration and production rates were investigated in the surface waters of the equatorial Pacific (180°W, from 8°S to 8°N), with particular emphasis on the limitation of the biogenic silica production by ambient silicic acid concentrations. Integrated over the depth of the euphotic layer, concentrations of biogenic silica and production rates were maximum at the Equator (8.0 and 2.6 mmol/m**2/d) and decreased more or less symmetrically polewards. Contribution of diatoms to the new production was estimated indirectly, comparing biogenic silica production rates and available data of new and export production in the same area. This comparison shows that new production in the equatorial area could mostly be sustained by diatoms, accounting for the major part of the exported flux of organic carbon. Kinetics experiments of silicic acid enrichment were performed. Half saturation constants were 1.57 µM at 3°S and 2.42 µM at the Equator close to the ambient concentrations. The corresponding Vmax values for Si uptake were 0.028/h at 3°S and 0.052/h at the equator. Experiments also show that in situ rates were restricted to 13-78% of Vmax, depending on ambient silicic acid concentrations. This work provides the first direct evidence that the rate of Si uptake by diatom populations of the equatorial Pacific is limited by the ambient concentration of silicic acid. However, such Si limitation might not be sufficient in itself to explain the low diatom growth rates observed, and additional limitation is suggested. One hypothesis that is consistent with the results of Fe limitation studies is that Fe and Si limitations may interact, rather than just being a mutually exclusive explanation for the HNLC character of the system.

Faunal analysis and Mg/Ca records of planktic foraminifera in sediment core SO189/2_039KL

Climate phenomena like the monsoon system, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) are interconnected via various feedback mechanisms and control the climate of the Indian Ocean and its surrounding continents on various timescales. The eastern tropical Indian Ocean is a key area for the interplay of these phenomena and for reconstructing their past changes and forcing mechanisms. Here we present records of upper ocean thermal gradient, thermocline temperatures (TT) and relative abundances of planktic foraminifera in core SO 189-39KL taken off western Sumatra (0°47.400' S, 99°54.510' E) for the last 8 ka that we use as proxies for changes in upper ocean structure. The records suggest a deeper thermocline between 8 ka and ca 3 ka compared to the late Holocene. We find a shoaling of the thermocline after 3 ka, most likely indicating an increased occurrence of upwelling during the late Holocene compared to the mid-Holocene which might represent changes in the IOD-like mean state of the Indian Ocean with a more negative IOD-like mean state during the mid-Holocene and a more positive IOD-like mean state during the past 3 ka. This interpretation is supported by a transient Holocene climate model simulation in which an IOD-like mode is identified that involves an insolation-forced long-term trend of increasing anomalous surface easterlies over the equatorial eastern Indian Ocean.

Radar profiles from South Shetland Islands/Western Antarctic Peninsula

The sedimentary architecture of polar gravel-beach ridges is presented and it is shown that ridge internal geometries reflect past wave-climate conditions. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data obtained along the coasts of Potter Peninsula (King George Island) show that beach ridges unconformably overlie the prograding strand plain. Development of individual ridges is seen to result from multiple storms in periods of increased storm-wave impact on the coast. Strand-plain progradation, by contrast, is the result of swash sedimentation at the beach-face under persistent calm conditions. The sedimentary architecture of beach ridges in sheltered parts of the coast is characterized by seaward-dipping prograding beds, being the result of swash deposition under stormy conditions, or aggrading beds formed by wave overtopping. By contrast, ridges exposed to high-energy waves are composed of seaward- as well as landward-dipping strata, bundled by numerous erosional unconformities. These erosional unconformities are the result of sediment starvation or partial reworking of ridge material during exceptional strong storms. The number of individual ridges which are preserved from a given time interval varies along the coast depending on the morphodynamic setting: sheltered coasts are characterized by numerous small ridges, whereas fewer but larger ridges develop on exposed beaches. The frequency of ridge building ranges from decades in the low-energy settings up to 1600 years under high-energy conditions. Beach ridges in the study area cluster at 9.5, 7.5, 5.5, and below 3.5 m above the present-day storm beach. Based on radiocarbon data, this is interpreted to reflect distinct periods of increased storminess and/or shortened annual sea-ice coverage in the area of the South Shetland Islands for the times around 4.3, c. 3.1, 1.9 ka cal BP, and after 0.65 ka cal BP. Ages further indicate that even ridges at higher elevations can be subject to later reactivation and reworking. A careful investigation of the stratigraphic architecture is therefore essential prior to sampling for dating purposes.

(Table 1) Chlorophyll a content and microalgae abundance and biovolume in pack ice in the Bellingshausen Sea

Pack ice in the Bellingshausen Sea contained moderate to high stocks of microalgal biomass (3-10 mg Chl a/m**2) spanning the range of general sea-ice microalgal microhabitats (e.g., bottom, interior and surface) during the International Polar Year (IPY) Sea Ice Mass Balance in the Antarctic (SIMBA) studies. Measurements of irradiance above and beneath the ice as well as optical properties of the microalgae therein demonstrated that absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) by particulates (microalgae and detritus) had a substantial influence on attenuation of PAR and irradiance transmission in areas with moderate snow covers (0.2-0.3 m) and more moderate effects in areas with low snow cover. Particulates contributed an estimated 25 to 90% of the attenuation coefficients for the first-year sea ice at wavelengths less than 500 nm. Strong ultraviolet radiation (UVR) absorption by particulates was prevalent in the ice habitats where solar radiation was highest - with absorption coefficients by ice algae often being as large as that of the sea ice. Strong UVR-absorption features were associated with an abundance of dinoflagellates and a general lack of diatoms - perhaps suggesting UVR may be influencing the structure of some parts of the sea-ice microbial communities in the pack ice during spring. We also evaluated the time-varying changes in the spectra of under-ice irradiances in the austral spring and showed dynamics associated with changes that could be attributed to coupled changes in the ice thickness (mass balance) and microalgal biomass. All results are indicative of radiation-induced changes in the absorption properties of the pack ice and highlight the non-linear, time-varying, biophysical interactions operating within the Antarctic pack ice ecosystem.

Summary of phase compositions of experimental silicate melt, un-normalised analyses

The solubility of Re and Au in haplobasaltic melt has been investigated at 1673-2573 K, 0.1 MPa-2 GPa and IW-1 to +2.5, in both carbon-saturated and carbon-free systems. Results extend the existing, low pressure and temperature, dataset to more accurately predict the results of metal-silicate equilibrium at the base of a terrestrial magma ocean. Solubilities in run-product glasses were measured by laser ablation ICP-MS, which allows for the explicit assessment of contamination by metal inclusions. The Re and Au content of demonstrably contaminant-free glasses increases with temperature, and shows variation with oxygen fugacity (fO2) similar to previous results, although lower valence states for Re (1+, 2+) are suggested by the data. At 2 GPa, and Delta IW of +1.75 to +2, the metal-silicate partition coefficient for Re (DMet/Sil) is defined by the relation LogD[met/sil][Re] = 0.50(±0.022)*10**4/T(K)+3.73(±0.095) For metal-silicate equilibrium to endow Earth's mantle with the observed time-integrated chondritic Re/Os, (and hence 187Os/188Os), DMet/Sil for both elements must converge to a common value. Combined with previously measured DMet/Sil for Os, the estimated temperature at which this convergence occurs is 4500 (±900) K. At this temperature, however, the Re and Os content of the equilibrated silicate is ~100-fold too low to explain mantle abundances. In the same experiments, much lower Dmet/sil values have been determined for Au, and require the metal-silicate equilibration temperature to be <3200 K, as hotter conditions result in an excess of Au in the mantle. Thus, the large disparity in partitioning between Re or Os, and Au at core-forming temperatures argues against their mantle concentrations set solely by metal-silicate equilibrium at the base of a terrestrial magma ocean.

Lead 210 concentrations in sediments of the Arabian Sea

In order to evaluate bioturbation in abyssal Arabian-Sea sediments of the Indus fan profiles of 210Pb (half-life: 22.3 yr) and 234Th (half-life: 24.1 d) were measured in cores collected during September and October 1995 and April 1997, respectively. The density and composition of epibenthic megafauna and lebensspuren were determined in vertical seafloor photographs during April 1997. Mean eddy-diffusive mixing coefficients according to the distribution of excess 210Pb ( 210Pb-DB) were 0.072±0.028, 0.068±0.055, 0.373±0.119, 0.037±0.009 and 0.079±0.119 cm**2 yr**-1 in the northern, western, central, eastern and southern abyssal Arabian sea, respectively. Mean eddy-diffusive mixing coefficients according to the distribution of excess 234Th (234Th-DB) were 0.53, 1.64 and 0.47 cm**2 yr**-1 in the northern, western and central abyssal Arabian Sea, respectively. Mobile epibenthic megafauna at the western, northern, central and southern study sites were dominated by ophiuroids, holothurians, ophiuroids and natant decapods (the respective densities were 100, 82, 29 and 6 individuals 1000 m**-2). The northern study site was characterized by a high abundance of spoke traces and fecal casts. The central site showed spoke traces and many tracks. The southern site displayed the highest abundance of spoke traces, whereas at the western site hardly any lebensspuren were observed. There is evidence for at least two functional endmember communities in the Arabian Sea. In the northwestern Arabian Sea (WAST) vertical particle displacement seems to be dominated by macrofauna and primarily eddy-diffusive. In the southern Arabian Sea (SAST) non-local and 'incidental' mixing due to spoke-trace producers might become more important and superimpose reduced eddy-diffusive mixing. With respect to biological data CAST is an intermediate location. Given the biological data, average 210Pb-DB is higher and decimeter-scale variability of 210Pb-DB smaller at CAST than expected. These findings indicate that in a mixture of both endmember communities the organisms may interact in way that increases values of biodiffusivity, as reflected by 210Pb-DB, and reduces decimeter-scale 210Pb-DB heterogeneity in comparison to the simple sum of the isolated effects of the endmembers. For time scales <100 years there was no evidence for a relationship between food supply (POC flux) and bioturbation intensity, as reflected by 210Pb-DB and 234Th-DB. Bioturbation intensity should be controlled primarily by the composition of the benthic fauna, its specific adaptation to the environmental setting, and the abundance of each species of the benthic community. Food supply can have only an indirect influence on bioturbation intensity. In certain parts of the ocean the a priori overall positive relationship between POC flux and biodiffusivity might include restricted intervals displaying no or even negative relations.