Recent increases in sediment and nutrient accumulation in Bear Lake, Utah/Idaho, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smoak, J.M.; Swarzenski, P.W.

2004-01-01

This study examines historical changes in sediment and nutrient accumulation rates in Bear Lake along the northeastern Utah/Idaho border, USA. Two sediment cores were dated by measuring excess 210Pb activities and applying the constant rate of supply (CRS) dating model. Historical rates of bulk sediment accumulation were calculated based on the ages within the sediment cores. Bulk sediment accumulation rates increased throughout the last 100 years. According to the CRS model, bulk sediment accumulation rates were <25mg cm-2 year-1 prior to 1935. Between 1935 and 1980, bulk sediment accumulation rates increased to approximately 40mg cm -2 year-1. This increase in sediment accumulation probably resulted from the re-connection of Bear River to Bear Lake. Bulk sediment accumulation rates accelerated again after 1980. Accumulation rates of total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), total inorganic carbon (TIC), and total organic carbon (TOC) were calculated by multiplying bulk sediment accumulation rates times the concentrations of these nutrients in the sediment. Accumulation rates of TP, TN, TIC, and TOC increased as a consequence of increased bulk sediment accumulation rates after the re-connection of Bear River with Bear Lake.

A continuous 250,000 yr record of oxygen and carbon isotopes in ostracode and bulk-sediment carbonate from Bear Lake, Utah-Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bright, Jordon; Kaufman, D.S.; Forester, R.M.; Dean, W.E.

2006-01-01

Oxygen and carbon isotopes from a continuous, 120-m-long, carbonate-rich core from Bear Lake, Utah-Idaho, document dramatic fluctuations in the hydrologic budget of the lake over the last 250,000 yr. Isotopic analyses of bulk sediment samples capture millennial-scale variability. Ostracode calcite was analyzed from 78 levels, mainly from the upper half of the core where valves are better preserved, to compare the isotopic value of purely endogenic carbonate with the bulk sediment, which comprises both endogenic and detrital components. The long core exhibits three relatively brief intervals with abundant endogenic aragonite (50??10%) and enriched ??18O and ??13C. These intervals are interpreted as warm/dry periods when the lake retracted into a topographically closed basin. We correlate these intervals with the interglacial periods of marine oxygen-isotope stages 1, 5e, and 7a, consistent with the presently available geochronological control. During most of the time represented by the core, the lake was fresher than the modern lake, as evidenced by depleted ??18O and ??13C in bulk-sediment carbonate. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating Passive Sampling Methods into Management of Contaminated Sediment Sites: A Guide for Department of Defense Remedial Project Managers

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-01

concentration and toxicity to invertebrates (Kreitinger et al. 2007). Bulk contaminant sediment measurements do not reveal the differences across...feed on fish and invertebrates , while others can affect wildlife through direct contact or ingestion; regardless, both effects are influenced by and...sediment management. PAHs are risk drivers primarily because of the potential for adverse effects on benthic invertebrates and sediment-associated fish

Sediment redistribution and grainsize effects on 230Th-normalized mass accumulation rates and focusing factors in the Panama Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loveley, Matthew R.; Marcantonio, Franco; Lyle, Mitchell; Ibrahim, Rami; Hertzberg, Jennifer E.; Schmidt, Matthew W.

2017-12-01

Here, we examine how redistribution of differing grain sizes by sediment focusing processes in Panama Basin sediments affects the use of 230Th as a constant-flux proxy. We study representative sediments of Holocene and Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) time slices from four sediment cores from two different localities close to the ridges that bound the Panama Basin. Each locality contains paired sites that are seismically interpreted to have undergone extremes in sediment redistribution, i.e., focused versus winnowed sites. Both Holocene and LGM samples from sites where winnowing has occurred contain significant amounts (up to 50%) of the 230Th within the >63 μm grain size fraction, which makes up 40-70% of the bulk sediment analyzed. For sites where focusing has occurred, Holocene and LGM samples contain the greatest amounts of 230Th (up to 49%) in the finest grain-sized fraction (<4 μm), which makes up 26-40% of the bulk sediment analyzed. There are slight underestimations of 230Th-derived mass accumulation rates (MARs) and overestimations of 230Th-derived focusing factors at focused sites, while the opposite is true for winnowed sites. Corrections made using a model by Kretschmer et al. (2010) suggest a maximum change of about 30% in 230Th-derived MARs and focusing factors at focused sites, except for our most focused site which requires an approximate 70% correction in one sample. Our 230Th-corrected 232Th flux results suggest that the boundary between hemipelagically- and pelagically-derived sediments falls between 350 and 600 km from the continental margin.

The diffusion of ions in unconsolidated sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manheim, F.T.

1970-01-01

Diffusion in unconsolidated sediments generally proceeds at rates ranging from half to one twentieth of those applying to diffusion of ions and molecules in free solution. Diffusion rates are predictable with respect to porosity and path tortuosity in host sediments, and can be conveniently measured by determinations of electrical resistivity on bulk sediment samples. Net ion flux is further influenced by reactions of diffusing species with enclosing sediments, but such influences should not be confused with or lumped with diffusion processes. ?? 1970.

Laboratory-Measured and Property-Transfer Modeled Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity of Snake River Plain Aquifer Sediments at the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Perkins, Kim S.

2008-01-01

Sediments are believed to comprise as much as 50 percent of the Snake River Plain aquifer thickness in some locations within the Idaho National Laboratory. However, the hydraulic properties of these deep sediments have not been well characterized and they are not represented explicitly in the current conceptual model of subregional scale ground-water flow. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the nature of the sedimentary material within the aquifer and to test the applicability of a site-specific property-transfer model developed for the sedimentary interbeds of the unsaturated zone. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) was measured for 10 core samples from sedimentary interbeds within the Snake River Plain aquifer and also estimated using the property-transfer model. The property-transfer model for predicting Ksat was previously developed using a multiple linear-regression technique with bulk physical-property measurements (bulk density [pbulk], the median particle diameter, and the uniformity coefficient) as the explanatory variables. The model systematically underestimates Ksat,typically by about a factor of 10, which likely is due to higher bulk-density values for the aquifer samples compared to the samples from the unsaturated zone upon which the model was developed. Linear relations between the logarithm of Ksat and pbulk also were explored for comparison.

Comparison of Radiocarbon Ages of Sediments, Plants, and Shells From Coastal Lakes in North Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Das, O.; Liu, J.; Xu, X.; Roy, R.; Donoghue, J. F.; Means, G. H.

2017-12-01

Coastal lakes sediments are valuable archives of paleo-hurricanes and environmental changes during the late Quaternary provided that they can be accurately dated. Here, we report new radiocarbon (14C) dates derived from various organic and inorganic substrates, including bulk sediment organic matter, plants, shells, particulate organic matter (POM) and dissolved organic matter (DOM), from three coastal lakes in Florida, and compare these ages to evaluate the "reservoir effect" on 14C dating of both organic and inorganic carbon in these lakes. Bulk sediment organic matter yielded consistently older 14C ages than contemporaneous plants and shell fragments, indicating significant radiocarbon deficiencies in sedimentary organic matter in these coastal lakes, caused by influx of old organic carbon from terrestrial sources (such as soils and ancient peat deposits) in the watershed. Several reversals are observed in the 14C ages of bulk sediment organic matter in sediment cores from these lakes, indicating that input of aged organic matter from terrestrial sources into these lakes can vary considerably over time. DOM and POM samples collected at different times also yielded variable 14C signatures, further confirming the temporal variability in the contribution of old organic carbon from terrestrial sources to the lakes. The 14C age discrepancy between bulk sediment organic matter and co-occurring plant fragments or shells varies from less than one hundred years to nearly three thousand years in sediment cores examined in this study. The results show that 14C ages obtained from bulk sediment organic matter in these coastal lakes are unreliable. Analyses of both modern and fossil shells from one of the lakes suggest that the 14C reservoir effect on inorganic carbon in the lake is small and thus freshwater shells (if preserved in the sediment cores) may serve as a good substrate for 14C dating in the absence of plant fragments. However, unidentifiable shell fragments, especially those associated with sand pockets (or sand layers), in coastal lake sediment cores are not suitable for 14C dating as they are likely of marine origin and affected by significant marine 14C reservoir effect.

Evaluation of dredged material proposed for ocean disposal from Shark River Project area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Antrim, L.D.; Gardiner, W.W.; Barrows, E.S.

1996-09-01

The objective of the Shark River Project was to evaluate proposed dredged material to determine its suitability for unconfined ocean disposal at the Mud Dump Site. Tests and analyses were conducted on the Shark River sediments. The evaluation of proposed dredged material consisted of bulk sediment chemical and physical analysis, chemical analyses of dredging site water and elutriate, water-column and benthic acute toxicity tests, and bioaccumulation tests. Individual sediment core samples collected from the Shark River were analyzed for grain size, moisture content, and total organic carbon (TOC). One sediment composite was analyzed for bulk density, specific gravity, metals, chlorinatedmore » pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and 1,4- dichlorobenzene. Dredging site water and elutriate, prepared from suspended-particulate phase (SPP) of the Shark River sediment composite, were analyzed for metals, pesticides, and PCBs. Benthic acute toxicity tests and bioaccumulation tests were performed.« less

Chemical concentrations and instantaneous loads, Green River to the Lower Duwamish Waterway near Seattle, Washington, 2013–15

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conn, Kathleen E.; Black, Robert W.; Vanderpool-Kimura, Ann M.; Foreman, James R.; Peterson, Norman T.; Senter, Craig A.; Sissel, Stephen K.

2015-12-23

Median chemical concentrations in suspended-sediment samples were greater than median chemical concentrations in fine bed sediment (less than 62.5 µm) samples, which were greater than median chemical concentrations in paired bulk bed sediment (less than 2 mm) samples. Suspended-sediment concentration, sediment particle-size distribution, and general water-quality parameters were measured concurrent with the chemistry sampling. From this discrete data, combined with the continuous streamflow record, estimates of instantaneous sediment and chemical loads from the Green River to the Lower Duwamish Waterway were calculated. For most compounds, loads were higher during storms than during baseline conditions because of high streamflow and high chemical concentrations. The highest loads occurred during dam releases (periods when stored runoff from a prior storm is released from the Howard Hanson Dam into the upper Green River) because of the high river streamflow and high suspended-sediment concentration, even when chemical concentrations were lower than concentrations measured during storm events. 

Compositional Data for Bengal Delta Sediment Collected from a Borehole at Rajoir, Bangladesh

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breit, George N.; Yount, James C.; Uddin, Md. Nehal; Muneem, Ad. Atual; Lowers, Heather; Berry, Cyrus J.; Whitney, John W.

2007-01-01

Processes active within sediment of the Bengal basin have attracted world concern because of the locally high content of arsenic dissolved in ground water drawn from that sediment. Sediment samples were collected from a borehole in the town of Rajoir, Rajoir upazila, Madaripur district, Bangladesh, to investigate the processes contributing to arsenic contamination. The samples were mineralogically and chemically analyzed to determine compositional variations related to the arsenic content of the sediment. Mineralogy of the sediment was determined using powder X-ray diffraction. Bulk chemical composition was measured by Combustion; Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy; Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence; and Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Sediment was treated with 0.5 N HCl and resulting solutions were analyzed, primarily to evaluate the abundance and oxidation state of acid-soluble iron. Acid-volatile sulfide, acid-soluble sulfate, and reducible sulfide were also measured on a few samples. Sediment sampled at Rajoir is typically unlithified, gray, micaceous, feldspathic arenaceous sand with a few silt and clay layers. Arsenic content of the sediment ranges from 0.6 to 21 ppm with a median of 1.2 ppm.

Results of bulk sediment analysis and bioassay testing on selected sediments from Oakland Inner Harbor and Alcatraz disposal site, San Francisco, California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Word, J Q; Ward, J A; Woodruff, D L

1990-09-01

The Battelle/Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) was contracted by the US Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco District, to perform bulk sediment analysis and oyster larvae bioassays (elutriate) on sediments from Inner Oakland Harbor, California. Analysis of sediment characteristics by MSL indicated elevated priority pollutants, PAHs, pesticides, metals, organotins, and oil and grease concentrations, when compared to Alcatraz Island Dredged Material Disposal Site sediment concentrations. Larvae of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, were exposed to seawater collected from the Alcatraz Island Site water, and a series of controls using water and sediments collected from Sequim Bay, Washington. Exposure of larvae tomore » the Alcatraz seawater and the 50% and 100% elutriate concentrations from each Oakland sediment resulted in low survival and a high proportion of abnormal larvae compared to Sequim Bay control exposures. MSL identified that field sample collection, preservation, and storage protocols used by Port of Oakland contractors were inconsistent with standard accepted practices. 23 refs., 10 figs., 40 tabs.« less

A comparison of approaches for estimating bottom-sediment mass in large reservoirs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juracek, Kyle E.

2006-01-01

Estimates of sediment and sediment-associated constituent loads and yields from drainage basins are necessary for the management of reservoir-basin systems to address important issues such as reservoir sedimentation and eutrophication. One method for the estimation of loads and yields requires a determination of the total mass of sediment deposited in a reservoir. This method involves a sediment volume-to-mass conversion using bulk-density information. A comparison of four computational approaches (partition, mean, midpoint, strategic) for using bulk-density information to estimate total bottom-sediment mass in four large reservoirs indicated that the differences among the approaches were not statistically significant. However, the lack of statistical significance may be a result of the small sample size. Compared to the partition approach, which was presumed to provide the most accurate estimates of bottom-sediment mass, the results achieved using the strategic, mean, and midpoint approaches differed by as much as ?4, ?20, and ?44 percent, respectively. It was concluded that the strategic approach may merit further investigation as a less time consuming and less costly alternative to the partition approach.

Sediment studies in the Assabet River, central Massachusetts, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmerman, Marc J.; Sorenson, Jason R.

2005-01-01

From its headwaters in Westborough, Massachusetts, to its confluence with the Sudbury River, the 53-kilometer-long Assabet River passes through a series of small towns and mixed land-use areas. Along the way, wastewater-treatment plants release nutrient-rich effluents that contribute to the eutrophic state of this waterway. This condition is most obvious where the river is impounded by a series of dams that have sequestered large amounts of sediment and support rooted and floating macrophytes and epiphytic algae. The water in parts of these impoundments may also have low concentrations of dissolved oxygen, another symptom of eutrophication. All of the impoundments had relatively shallow maximum water depths, which ranged from approximately 2.4 to 3.4 meters, and all had extensive shallow areas. Sediment volumes estimated for the six impoundments ranged from approximately 380 cubic meters in the Aluminum City impoundment to 580,000 cubic meters in the Ben Smith impoundment. The other impoundments had sediment volumes of 120,000 cubic meters (Powdermill), 67,000 cubic meters (Gleasondale), 55,000 cubic meters (Hudson), and 42,000 cubic meters (Allen Street). The principal objective of this study was the determination of sediment volume, extent, and chemistry, in particular, the characterization of toxic inorganic and organic chemicals in the sediments. To determine the bulk-sediment chemical-constituent concentrations, more than one hundred sediment cores were collected in pairs from the six impoundments. One core from each pair was sampled for inorganic constituents and the other for organic constituents. Most of the cores analyzed for inorganics were sectioned to provide information on the vertical distribution of analytes; a subset of the cores analyzed for organics was also sectioned. Approximately 200 samples were analyzed for inorganic constituents and 100 for organics; more than 10 percent were quality-control replicate or blank samples. Maximum bulk-sediment phosphorus concentrations in surface samples from the impoundments increased along a downstream gradient, with the exception of samples from the last impoundment, where the concentrations decreased. In addition, the highest phosphorus concentrations were generally in the surface samples; this finding may prove helpful if surface dredging is selected as a means to control phosphorus release from sediments. There is no known relation, however, between bulk-sediment concentration of phosphorus and the concentrations of phosphorus available to biota. Potentially toxic metals, including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, nickel, lead, and zinc were frequently measured at concentrations that exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sediment-quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life and that occasionally exceeded Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection guidelines governing landfill disposal (reuse). Due to the effects of matrix interference and sample dilution on laboratory analyses, neither pesticides nor volatile organic compounds were detected at any sites. However, samples collected in other studies from nearby streams indicated the possibility that pesticides might have been detected in the impoundments if not for these analytical problems. Although polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations, as individual Aroclors, generally exceeded published U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guideline concentrations for potential effects on aquatic life, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guideline concentrations for human contact or the Massachusetts guidelines for landfill reuse were rarely exceeded. Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, both individually and total, frequently were greater than guideline concentrations. Concentrations of total extractable petroleum hydrocarbons did not exceed Massachusetts guideline concentrations in any samples. When the sediment analytes from surface samples are considered togethe

Evaluation of dredged material proposed for ocean disposal from Gravesend Bay Anchorage, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barrows, E.S.; Gruendell, B.D.

1996-09-01

The Gravesend Bay Anchorage was one of seven waterways that the US Army Corps of Engineers-New York District (USACE-NYD) requested the Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) to sample and evaluate for dredging and disposal in February 1994. Sediment samples were submitted for physical and chemical analyses to provide baseline sediment chemistry data on the Gravesend Bay Anchorage. Individual sediment core samples collected at the Gravesend Bay Anchorage were analyzed for grain size, moisture content, and total organic carbon (TOC). Two samples, one of composited sediment cores representing the southeast corner of the anchorage (COMP GR), and one sediment core representingmore » the northeast corner of the anchorage (Station GR-1 0), were analyzed for bulk density, specific gravity, metals, chlorinated pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and 1,4-dichlorobenzene.« less

Sample preparation for the determination of 241Am in sediments utilizing gamma-spectroscopy.

PubMed

Ristic, M; Degetto, S; Ast, T; Cantallupi, C

2002-01-01

This paper describes a procedure developed to separate americium-241 from the bulk of a sample by coprecipitation followed by high sensitivity gamma-counting of the concentrate in a well-type detector. It enables the measurement of 241Am at low concentrations, e.g. fallout levels in soils and sediments, or where large sample sizes are not available. The method is much faster and more reliable than those involving separation from other alpha-emitters, electroplating and alpha-spectrometry. A number of tracer experiments was performed in order to optimize the conditions for coprecipitation of 241Am from sediment leachates. The general outline of the determination of americium is also given.

The Georges Bank monitoring program 1985; analysis of trace metals in bottom sediments during the third year of monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bothner, Michael H.; Rendigs, R. R.; Campbell, Esma; Doughten, M.W.; Parmenter, C.M.; O'Dell, C. H.; DiLisio, G.P.; Johnson, R.G.; Gillison, J.R.; Rait, Norma

1986-01-01

Of the 12 elements analyzed in bulk (undifferentiated) sediments collected adjacent to drilling rigs on Georges Bank, only barium was found to increase in concentration during the period when eight exploratory wells were drilled (July 1981 until September 1982). The maximum postdrilling concentration of barium (a major element in drilling mud) reached 172 ppm in bulk sediments near the drill site in block 410. This concentration is higher than the predrilling concentration at this location by a factor of 5.9. This maximum barium concentration is within the range of predrilling concentrations (28-300 ppm) measured in various sediment types from the regional stations of this program. No drilling-related changes in the concentrations of the 11 other metals have been observed in bulk sediments at any of the locations sampled in this program. We estimate that about 25 percent of the barite discharged at block 312 was present in the sediments within 6 km of the rig, 4 weeks after drilling was completed at this location (drilling period was December 8, 1981-June 27, 1982). For almost a year following completion of this well, the inventory of barite decreased rapidly, with a half-life of 0.34 year. During the next year, the inventory decreased at a slower rate (half-life of 3.4 years). The faster rate probably reflects resuspension and sediment transport of bariterich material residing at the sediment surface. Elevated barium concentrations in post-drilling sediment-trap samples from block 312 indicate that such resuspension can occur up to at least 25 m above the sea floor. As the remaining barite particles are reworked deeper into the sediments by currents and bioturbation, removal by sediment-transport processes is slower. The barite discharged during the exploratory phase of drilling is associated with the fine fraction of sediment and is widely distributed around the bank. We found evidence for barium transport to Great South Channel, 115 km west of the drilling, and to stations 2 and 3, 35 km east of the easternmost drilling site. Small increases in barium concentrations, present in the fine fraction of sediment only, were measured also at the heads of both Lydonia and Oceanographer Canyons, located 8 and 39 km, respectively, seaward of the nearest exploratory well.

A Guide for Using Geochemical Methods in Dredged Material, Sediment Tracking, and Sediment Budget Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-26

size on ratios of OM. Specifically, there are two basic forms of OM. Particulate OM, such woody and vegetative debris, soot, and charcoal, exists as...discrete particles that influence a bulk samples carbon content. Conversely, a second form of OM occurs as a film-like substance that is strongly...nitrogen. Carbon occurs in a wide variety of forms associated with sediments from organic compounds to inorganic carbonates. Carbon has two stable

Distribution and assessment of sediment toxicity in Tamaki Estuary, Auckland, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abrahim, G. M. S.; Parker, R. J.; Nichol, S. L.

2007-07-01

Heavy metal levels in surface sediments from Tamaki Estuary demonstrate significant up estuary increases in Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd and mud concentrations. Increased metal levels towards the head of the estuary are linked to local catchment sources reflecting the historical development, industrialisation and urbanisation of catchment areas surrounding the upper estuary. The relatively narrow constriction in the middle estuary (Panmure area), makes it susceptible to accumulation of upper estuary pollutants, since the constriction reduces circulation and extends the time required for fine waterborne sediments in the upper estuary to exchange with fresh coastal water. As a result fine fraction sediments trapped in the upper estuary facilitate capture and retention of pollutants at the head of the estuary. The increase in sandy mud poor sediments towards the mouth of the estuary is associated with generally low metal concentrations. The estuary’s geomorphic shape with a mid estuary constriction, sediment texture and mineralogy and catchment history are significant factors in understanding the overall spatial distribution of contaminants in the estuary. Bulk concentration values for Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd in all the studied surface samples occur below ANZECC ISQG-H toxicity values. Cd and Cu concentrations are also below the ISQG-L toxicity levels for these elements. However, Pb and Zn concentrations do exceed the ISQG-L values in some of the surface bulk samples in the upper estuary proximal to long established sources of catchment pollution.

Characterization of methane hydrate host sediments using synchrotron-computed microtomography (CMT)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, K.W.; Feng, H.; Tomov, S.; Winters, W.J.; Prodanovic, M.; Mahajan, D.

2007-01-01

The hydrate-sediment interaction is an important aspect of gas hydrate studies that needs further examination. We describe here the applicability of the computed microtomography (CMT) technique that utilizes an intense X-ray synchrotron source to characterize sediment samples, two at various depths from the Blake Ridge area (a well-known hydrate-prone region) and one from Georges Bank, that once contained methane trapped as hydrates. Detailed results of the tomographic analysis performed on the deepest sample (667??m) from Blake Ridge are presented as 2-D and 3-D images which show several mineral constituents, the internal grain/pore microstructure, and, following segmentation into pore and grain space, a visualization of the connecting pathways through the pore-space of the sediment. Various parameters obtained from the analysis of the CMT data are presented for all three sediment samples. The micro-scale porosity values showed decreasing trend with increasing depth for all three samples that is consistent with the previously reported bulk porosity data. The 3-D morphology, pore-space pathways, porosity, and permeability values are also reported for all three samples. The application of CMT is now being expanded to the laboratory-formed samples of hydrate in sediments as well as field samples of methane hydrate bearing sediments.

Iron Cycling in Sediment of the North Atlantic: Preliminary Results from R/V Knorr Expedition 223

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, C. H.; Estes, E. R.; Dyar, M. D.; Murray, R. W.; Spivack, A. J.; Sauvage, J.; McKinley, C. C.; Present, T. M.; Homola, K.; Pockalny, R. A.; D'Hondt, S.

2015-12-01

Iron (Fe) in marine sediments is a significant microbial electron acceptor [Fe(III)] in suboxic conditions and is an electron donor [Fe(II)] in oxic conditions. In the transition from oxic to suboxic sediment, a portion of solid Fe is reduced and mobilized as soluble Fe(II) into interstitial water during the oxidation of organic matter. The presence of Fe and its oxidation state in oxic sediment provides insight into an important metabolic and mineral reaction pathway in subseafloor sediment. We recovered bulk sediment and interstitial water at western North Atlantic sites during Expedition 223 on the R/V Knorr in November, 2014. The expedition targeted regions with predominantly oxic sediment and regions with predominantly anoxic sediment, ideal for investigating redox Fe cycling between solid and aqueous phases. At Site 10 (14.4008N, 50.6209W, 4455m water depth), interstitial dissolved oxygen is depleted within the upper few meters of sediment. At Site 12 (29.6767N, 58.3285W, 5637m water depth), interstitial dissolved oxygen is present throughout the cored sediment column (10s of meters). Here we present total solid Fe concentration for 45 bulk sediment samples and total aqueous Fe and Mn concentrations for 50 interstitial water samples analyzed via ICP-ES. We additionally present Fe(II) and Fe(III) speciation results from 10 solid sediment samples determined by Mossbauer spectroscopy. We trace downcore fluctuations in Fe in solid and aqueous phases to understand Fe cycling in oxic, suboxic, and transitional regimes. Our preliminary data indicate that solid Fe concentration ranges from 4-6 wt % at the oxic site; aqueous Fe ranges from below detection to 20μM and aqueous Mn ranges from 1 to 125 μM at the anoxic site. In the anoxic sediment (Site 10), 86-90% of the total Fe is oxidized [Fe(III)] and 10-14% as reduced [Fe(II)], compared to 3-6% as reduced [Fe(II)] at the oxic site (Site 12), even in sediment as old as 25 million years.

Emergent macrophytes modify the abundance and community composition of ammonia oxidizers in their rhizosphere sediments.

PubMed

Zhao, Dayong; He, Xiaowei; Huang, Rui; Yan, Wenming; Yu, Zhongbo

2017-07-01

Ammonia oxidation is a crucial process in global nitrogen cycling, which is catalyzed by the ammonia oxidizers. Emergent plants play important roles in the freshwater ecosystem. Therefore, it is meaningful to investigate the effects of emergent macrophytes on the abundance and community composition of ammonia oxidizers. In the present study, two commonly found emergent macrophytes (Zizania caduciflora and Phragmitas communis) were obtained from freshwater lakes and the abundance and community composition of the ammonia-oxidizing prokaryotes in the rhizosphere sediments of these emergent macrophytes were investigated. The abundance of the bacterial amoA gene was higher in the rhizosphere sediments of the emergent macrophytes than those of bulk sediments. Significant positive correlation was found between the potential nitrification rates (PNRs) and the abundance of bacterial amoA gene, suggesting that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) might play an important role in the nitrification process of the rhizosphere sediments of emergent macrophytes. The Nitrosotalea cluster is the dominant ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) group in all the sediment samples. Analysis of AOB group showed that the N. europaeal cluster dominated the rhizosphere sediments of Z. caduciflora and the bulk sediments, whereas the Nitrosospira cluster was the dominant AOB group in the rhizosphere sediments of P. communis. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Rare earth element compositions of core sediments from the shelf of the South Sea, Korea: Their controls and origins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Hoi-Soo; Lim, Dhongil; Choi, Jin-Yong; Yoo, Hae-Soo; Rho, Kyung-Chan; Lee, Hyun-Bok

2012-10-01

Rare earth elements (REEs) of bulk sediments and heavy mineral samples of core sediments from the South Sea shelf, Korea, were analyzed to determine the constraints on REE concentrations and distribution patterns as well as to investigate their potential applicability for discriminating sediment provenance. Bulk sediment REEs showed large variation in concentrations and distribution patterns primarily due to grain size and carbonate dilution effects, as well as due to an abundance of heavy minerals. In the fine sandy sediments (cores EZ02-15 and 19), in particular, heavy minerals (primarily monazite and titanite/sphene) largely influenced REE compositions. Upper continental crust-normalized REE patterns of these sand-dominated sediments are characterized by enriched light REEs (LREEs), because of inclusion of heavy minerals with very high concentrations in LREEs. Notably, such a strong LREE enrichment is also observed in Korean river sediments. So, a great care must be taken when using the REE concentrations and distribution patterns of sandy and coarse silty shelf sediments as a proxy for discriminating sediment provenance. In the fine-grained muddy sediments with low heavy mineral abundance, in contrast, REE fractionation ratios and their UCC-normalized patterns seem to be reliable proxies for assessing sediment provenance. The resultant sediment origin suggested a long lateral transportation of some fine-grained Chinese river sediments (probably the Changjiang River) to the South Sea of Korea across the shelf of the northern East China Sea.

Determining the sources of suspended sediment in a Mediterranean groundwater-dominated river: the Na Borges basin (Mallorca, Spain).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estrany, Joan; Martinez-Carreras, Nuria

2013-04-01

Tracers have been acknowledged as a useful tool to identify sediment sources, based upon a variety of techniques and chemical and physical sediment properties. Sediment fingerprinting supports the notion that changes in sedimentation rates are not just related to increased/reduced erosion and transport in the same areas, but also to the establishment of different pathways increasing sediment connectivity. The Na Borges is a Mediterranean lowland agricultural river basin (319 km2) where traditional soil and water conservation practices have been applied over millennia to provide effective protection of cultivated land. During the twentieth century, industrialisation and pressure from tourism activities have increased urbanised surfaces, which have impacts on the processes that control streamflow. Within this context, source material sampling was focused in Na Borges on obtaining representative samples from potential sediment sources (comprised topsoil; i.e., 0-2 cm) susceptible to mobilisation by water and subsequent routing to the river channel network, while those representing channel bank sources were collected from actively eroding channel margins and ditches. Samples of road dust and of solids from sewage treatment plants were also collected. During two hydrological years (2004-2006), representative suspended sediment samples for use in source fingerprinting studies were collected at four flow gauging stations and at eight secondary sampling points using time-integrating sampling samplers. Likewise, representative bed-channel sediment samples were obtained using the resuspension approach at eight sampling points in the main stem of the Na Borges River. These deposits represent the fine sediment temporarily stored in the bed-channel and were also used for tracing source contributions. A total of 102 individual time-integrated sediment samples, 40 bulk samples and 48 bed-sediment samples were collected. Upon return to the laboratory, source material samples were oven-dried at 40° C, disaggregated using a pestle and mortar, and dry sieved to

Preparation of Authigenic Pyrite from Methane-bearing Sediments for In Situ Sulfur Isotope Analysis Using SIMS.

PubMed

Lin, Zhiyong; Sun, Xiaoming; Peckmann, Jörn; Lu, Yang; Strauss, Harald; Xu, Li; Lu, Hongfeng; Teichert, Barbara M A

2017-08-31

Different sulfur isotope compositions of authigenic pyrite typically result from the sulfate-driven anaerobic oxidation of methane (SO4-AOM) and organiclastic sulfate reduction (OSR) in marine sediments. However, unravelling the complex pyritization sequence is a challenge because of the coexistence of different sequentially formed pyrite phases. This manuscript describes a sample preparation procedure that enables the use of secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) to obtain in situ δ 34 S values of various pyrite generations. This allows researchers to constrain how SO4-AOM affects pyritization in methane-bearing sediments. SIMS analysis revealed an extreme range in δ 34 S values, spanning from -41.6 to +114.8‰, which is much wider than the range of δ 34 S values obtained by the traditional bulk sulfur isotope analysis of the same samples. Pyrite in the shallow sediment mainly consists of 34 S-depleted framboids, suggesting early diagenetic formation by OSR. Deeper in the sediment, more pyrite occurs as overgrowths and euhedral crystals, which display much higher SIMS δ 34 S values than the framboids. Such 34 S-enriched pyrite is related to enhanced SO4-AOM at the sulfate-methane transition zone, postdating OSR. High-resolution in situ SIMS sulfur isotope analyses allow for the reconstruction of the pyritization processes, which cannot be resolved by bulk sulfur isotope analysis.

Nontronite Stability in Near-Surface Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Home, C.; Baker, L.

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study is to examine how long nontronite clays persist in soil, by studying samples collected from a sediment cone weathering out of crack in a basalt outcrop near Moscow Idaho. Nontronite, a dioctahedral ferric smectite clay, is a frequent weathering product of basaltic rocks. However, it is rarely described in surface soils, even in basaltic terrains. At our field site, nontronite formed by basalt weathering is eroding from cracks in the basalt and forming small talus cones. We are examining samples collected from a trench and several soil cores to determine the clay mineralogy at different depths in the talus cone. Bulk and clay mineralogy is being determined using X-ray Diffractometry (XRD) analysis and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis. Bulk chemical analyses, and selective extractions with acid oxalate and citrate-bicarbonate-dithionite reagents, are being used to analyze Fe mineralogy and amorphous constituents. Preliminary observations suggest that iron mineralogy may vary with depth in the sediments, and that older, deeper sediments may contain more Fe in oxide phases. We hypothesize that nontronite in the sediments is decomposing over time to form low-Fe smectites + Fe oxides. The results of this study will help determine whether nontronite is stable to erosion and redeposition in a surficial environment, as well as the timescale of its possible decomposition. These results may be useful in assessing proposed models of nontronite transport and redeposition on Mars.

The effects of low-tide rainfall on metal content of suspended sediment in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moskalski, S. M.; Torres, R.; Bizimis, M.; Bergamaschi, B. A.; Fleck, J.; Goni, M. A.

2012-12-01

Rain falling near low tide is capable of eroding and transporting cohesive sediment from marsh and mudflat surfaces. Given that metals adsorb strongly to silt- and clay-sized particles, it is conceivable that lowtide rainfall may also liberate previously-deposited metals from storage in intertidal sediment. To investigate the potential for rainfall as an agent of remobilization of metals, this study tested the hypothesis of sediment, and therefore metals and nutrients, mobilization during these punctuated low-tide rainfall events. Water samples were collected during low-tide rain events in winter and wind resuspension events in summer from a marsh in central California. The concentrations of suspended sediment, particulate organic carbon and nitrogen, and total adsorbed concentration (mass of metal per volume of filtered water) of most metals were higher during a low tide rainfall event than during wind-only and fair-weather events. Metal contents (mass of metal per mass of sediment) were also greater during the rain event for most metals. Principle components analysis and the relationships between total adsorbed metals and SSC suggest rainfall during low tide can mobilize a different source of sediment than the background sediment available for tidal and wind-wave resuspension. The metal content of bulk sediment samples from around the study area could not be matched satisfactorily to the suspended sediment in any of the events, implying that bulk sediment should not be used to extrapolate to suspended sediment in terms of adsorbed metal content. Some of the adsorbed metals were present during the rain event in amounts that could be toxic, depending on the actual bioavailability of the metals.; Summary plots of measured organic parameters. (A) POC (B) PN (C) C:N (D) total leachable metal concentration, sum of all measured metals. The solid line inside box is the median and the dashed line is the mean.

Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 1993 through September 1994) and statistical summaries of data for streams in the Upper Clark Fork basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambing, J.H.; Hornberger, Michelle I.; Axtmann, E.V.; Dodge, K.A.

1995-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to below Missoula as part of a program to characterize aquatic resources in the upper Clark Fork basin of western Montana. Water- quality data were obtained periodically at 16 stations during October 1993 through September 1994 (water year 1994); daily suspended-sediment data were obtained at six of these stations. Bed-sediment and biological data were obtained at 11 stations in August 1994. Sampling stations were located on the Clark Fork and major tributaries. The primary constituents analyzed were trace elements associated with mine tailings from historical mining and smelting activities. Water-quality data include concentrations of major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment in samples collected periodically during water year 1994. Daily values of streamflow, suspended-sediment concentration, and suspended- sediment discharge are given for six stations. Bed- sediment data include trace-element concentrations in the fine and bulk fractions. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Quality-assurance data are reported for analytical results of water, bed sediment, and biota. Statistical summaries of bed sediment, and biological data are provided for the period of record at each station since 1985.

Copper speciation in variably toxic sediments at the Ely Copper Mine, Vermont, United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kimball, Bryn E.; Foster, Andrea L.; Seal, Robert R.; Piatak, Nadine M.; Webb, Samuel M.; Hammarstrom, Jane M.

2016-01-01

At the Ely Copper Mine Superfund site, Cu concentrations exceed background values in both streamwater (160–1200 times) and sediments (15–79 times). Previously, these sediment samples were incubated with laboratory test organisms, and they exhibited variable toxicity for different stream sites. In this study we combined bulk- and microscale techniques to determine Cu speciation and distribution in these contaminated sediments on the basis of evidence from previous work that Cu was the most important stressor in this environment and that variable observed toxicity could have resulted from differences in Cu speciation. Copper speciation results were similar at microscopic and bulk scales. The major Cu species in the more toxic samples were sorbed or coprecipitated with secondary Mn (birnessite) and Fe minerals (jarosite and goethite), which together accounted for nearly 80% of the total Cu. The major Cu species in the less toxic samples were Cu sulfides (chalcopyrite and a covellite-like phase), making up about 80–95% of the total Cu, with minor amounts of Cu associated with jarosite or goethite. These Cu speciation results are consistent with the toxicity results, considering that Cu sorbed or coprecipitated with secondary phases at near-neutral pH is relatively less stable than Cu bound to sulfide at lower pH. The more toxic stream sediment sites were those that contained fewer detrital sulfides and were upstream of the major mine waste pile, suggesting that removal and consolidation of sulfide-bearing waste piles on site may not eliminate all sources of bioaccessible Cu.

A method for the concentration of fine-grained rutile (TiO2) from sediment and sedimentary rocks by chemical leaching

USGS Publications Warehouse

Commeau, Judith A.; Valentine, Page C.

1991-01-01

Most of the sample analyzed by the method described were marine muds collected from the Gulf of Maine (Valentine and Commeau, 1990). The silt and clay fraction (up to 99 wt% of the sediment) is composed of clay minerals (chiefly illite-mica and chlorite), silt-size quartz and feldspar, and small crystals (2-12 um) of rutile and hematite. The bulk sediment samples contained an average of 2 to 3 wt percent CaCO3. Tiher samples analyzed include red and gray Carboniferous and Triassic sandstones and siltstones exposed around the Bay of Fundy region and Paleozoic sandstones, siltstones, and shales from northern Maine and New Brunswick. These rocks are probable sources for the fine-grained rutile found in the Gulf of Maine.

Assessment of sediment yield in a sloping Mediterranean watershed in Cyprus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djuma, Hakan; Bruggeman, Adriana; Camera, Corrado

2014-05-01

In the Mediterranean region, water catchment sediment yield as a result of erosion is higher than in many other regions in Europe due to the climatic conditions, topography, lithology and land-use. Modelling sediment transport is difficult due to intermittent stream flow and highly irregular rainfall conditions in this region. The objective of this study is to quantify sediment yield of a highly sloping Mediterranean environment. This study is conducted in the Peristerona Watershed in Cyprus, which has ephemeral water flow. In the downstream area a series of check dams have been placed across the stream to slow the flow and increase groundwater recharge. The surface area of the watershed, upstream of the check dams, is 103 km2 with elevation changing between 1540 m and 280 m and a mean local slope higher than 40% for the mountainous part and lower than 8% for the plain. The long-term average annual precipitation ranges from 755 mm in the upstream area to 276 mm in the plain. The surface extent of the sediment that was deposited at the most upstream check dam during two seasons was measured with a Differential Global Positioning System. The depth of the sediment was measured with utility poles and bulk density samples from the sediment profile were collected. The sediment had a surface area of 12600 m2 and an average depth of 0.23 m. The mean of the sediment dry bulk density samples was 1.05 t m-3 with a standard deviation of 0.11. Based on these values, area specific sediment yield was computed as 1 t ha-1 per year for the entire catchment area upstream of the check dam, assuming a check dam sediment trap efficiency of 15%. Erosion in the watershed is currently modeled with PESERA using detailed watershed data.

A COMPARISON OF BULK SEDIMENT TOXICITY TESTING METHODS AND SEDIMENT ELUTRIATE TOXICITY

EPA Science Inventory

Bulk sediment toxicity tests are routinely used to assess the level and extent of contamination in natural sediments. While reliable, these tests can be resource intensive, requiring significant outlays of time and materials. The purpose of this study was to compare the results ...

Al-to-oxide and Ti-to-organic linkages in biogenic sediment: relationships to paleo-export production and bulk Al/Ti

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kryc, K. A.; Murray, R. W.; Murray, D. W.

2003-06-01

To increase our understanding of the mechanisms that control the distribution of Al and Ti within marine sediment, we performed sequential extractions targeting the chemical signatures of the loosely bound, exchangeable, carbonate, oxide, organic, opal, and residual fraction of sediment from a carbonate-dominated regime (equatorial Pacific) and from a mixed opal-terrigenous regime (West Antarctic Peninsula). We observe a systematic partitioning of Al and Ti between sediment phases that is related to bulk Al/Ti. We show that, where we can quantify an Alexcess component, the dissolved Al is preferentially affiliated with the oxide fraction, resulting in Al/Ti molar ratios of 500-3000. This is interpreted as the result of surface complexation in the water column of dissolved Al onto oxyhydroxides. We also observe a previously undetected Tiexcess with as much as 80% of the total Ti in the organic fraction, which is most likely a function of metal-organic colloidal removal from the water column. In samples where the excess metals are obscured by the detrital load, the Al and Ti are almost exclusively found in the residual phase. This argues for the paired removal of Al (preferentially by the oxide component) and Ti (preferentially by the organic component) from the water column by settling particulate matter. This research builds upon earlier work that shows changes in the bulk ratio of Al to Ti in carbonate sediment from the central-equatorial Pacific that coincide with changes in the sedimentary bulk accumulation rate (BAR). The ratios that are observed are as much as three times higher than typical shale values, and were interpreted as the result of scavenging of dissolved Al onto particles settling in the water column. Because this non-terrigenous Alexcess accounts for up to 50% of the total sedimentary Al inventory and correlates best with BAR, the bulk Al/Ti may be a sensitive tracer of particle flux and, therefore, export production. Because we show that the excess metals are the result of scavenging processes, the bulk Al/Ti may be considered a sensitive proxy for this region.

Mineralogical analyses of surface sediments in the Antarctic Dry Valleys: coordinated analyses of Raman spectra, reflectance spectra and elemental abundances.

PubMed

Bishop, Janice L; Englert, Peter A J; Patel, Shital; Tirsch, Daniela; Roy, Alex J; Koeberl, Christian; Böttger, Ute; Hanke, Franziska; Jaumann, Ralf

2014-12-13

Surface sediments at Lakes Fryxell, Vanda and Brownworth in the Antarctic Dry Valleys (ADV) were investigated as analogues for the cold, dry environment on Mars. Sediments were sampled from regions surrounding the lakes and from the ice cover on top of the lakes. The ADV sediments were studied using Raman spectra of individual grains and reflectance spectra of bulk particulate samples and compared with previous analyses of subsurface and lakebottom sediments. Elemental abundances were coordinated with the spectral data in order to assess trends in sediment alteration. The surface sediments in this study were compared with lakebottom sediments (Bishop JL et al. 2003 Int. J. Astrobiol. 2, 273-287 (doi:10.1017/S1473550403001654)) and samples from soil pits (Englert P et al. 2013 In European Planetary Science Congress, abstract no. 96; Englert P et al. 2014 In 45th Lunar and Planetary Science Conf., abstract no. 1707). Feldspar, quartz and pyroxene are common minerals found in all the sediments. Minor abundances of carbonate, chlorite, actinolite and allophane are also found in the surface sediments, and are similar to minerals found in greater abundance in the lakebottom sediments. Surface sediment formation is dominated by physical processes; a few centimetres below the surface chemical alteration sets in, whereas lakebottom sediments experience biomineralization. Characterizing the mineralogical variations in these samples provides insights into the alteration processes occurring in the ADV and supports understanding alteration in the cold and dry environment on Mars. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Risk assessment of trace metals in an extreme environment sediment: shallow, hypersaline, alkaline, and industrial Lake Acıgöl, Denizli, Turkey.

PubMed

Budakoglu, Murat; Karaman, Muhittin; Kumral, Mustafa; Zeytuncu, Bihter; Doner, Zeynep; Yildirim, Demet Kiran; Taşdelen, Suat; Bülbül, Ali; Gumus, Lokman

2018-02-23

The major and trace element component of 48 recent sediment samples in three distinct intervals (0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm) from Lake Acıgöl is described to present the current contamination levels and grift structure of detrital and evaporate mineral patterns of these sediments in this extreme saline environment. The spatial and vertical concentrations of major oxides were not uniform in the each subsurface interval. However, similar spatial distribution patterns were observed for some major element couples, due mainly to the detrital and evaporate origin of these elements. A sequential extraction procedure including five distinct steps was also performed to determine the different bonds of trace elements in the < 60-μ particulate size of recent sediments. Eleven trace elements (Ni, Fe, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, As, Co, Cr, Al and Mn) in nine surface and subsurface sediment samples were analyzed with chemical partitioning procedures to determine the trace element percentage loads in these different sequential extraction phases. The obtained accuracy values via comparison of the bulk trace metal loads with the total loads of five extraction steps were satisfying for the Ni, Fe, Cd, Zn, and Co. While, bulk analysis results of the Cu, Ni, and V elements have good correlation with total organic matter, organic fraction of sequential extraction characterized by Cu, As, Cd, and Pb. Shallow Lake Acıgöl sediment is characteristic with two different redox layer a) oxic upper level sediments, where trace metals are mobilized, b) reduced subsurface level, where the trace metals are precipitated.

Estuarine bed-sediment-quality data collected in New Jersey and New York after Hurricane Sandy, 2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fischer, Jeffrey M.; Phillips, Patrick J.; Reilly, Timothy J.; Focazio, Michael J.; Loftin, Keith A.; Benzel, William M.; Jones, Daniel K.; Smalling, Kelly L.; Fisher, Shawn C.; Fisher, Irene J.; Iwanowicz, Luke R.; Romanok, Kristin M.; Jenkins, Darkus E.; Bowers, Luke; Boehlke, Adam; Foreman, William T.; Deetz, Anna C.; Carper, Lisa G.; Imbrigiotta, Thomas E.; Birdwell, Justin E.

2015-01-01

Bed-sediment samples were collected from June to October 2013 from 167 estuarine sites extending from Cape May, New Jersey, to the New York Harbor and the eastern end of Long Island. Each sampling location and study region was characterized by using geographic information to identify potential contaminant sources. Characterizations included land cover, locations and types of businesses (industrial, financial, and others), spills (sewage, chemical, and others), bulk storage facilities, effluent discharges within 2 kilometers of the sampling point, and discharges within inundated and non-inundated regions near the sampling location. Samples were analyzed for particle size, total organic carbon, metals and trace elements, semivolatile organic compounds, wastewater compounds, hormones, and sediment toxicity. Samples were also screened using x-ray fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. In addition, bioassays for endocrine disruptors and protein phosphatase 2A inhibition were conducted. The study was designed to provide the data needed to understand the extent and sources of contamination resulting from Hurricane Sandy, to compare the chemistry and toxicity of estuarine bed sediments before and after the storm, and to evaluate the usefulness of rapid screening and bioassay approaches in disaster settings.

A comparative study of neutron activation analysis and proton-induced X-ray emission analysis for the determination of heavy metals in estuarine sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randle, K.; Al-Jundi, J.; Mamas, C. J. V.; Sokhi, R. S.; Earwaker, L. G.

1993-06-01

Our work on heavy metals in the estuarine environment has involved the use of two multielement techniques: neutron activation analysis (NAA) and proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis. As PIXE is essentially a surface analytical technique problems may arise due to sample inhomogeneity and surface roughness. In order to assess the contribution of these effects we have compared the results from PIXE analysis with those from a technique which analyzes a larger bulk sample rather than just the surface. An obvious method was NAA. A series of sediment samples containing particles of variable diameter were compared. Pellets containing a few mg of sediment were prepared from each sample and analyzed by the PIXE technique using both an absolute and a comparitive method. For INAA the rest of the sample was then irradiated with thermal neutrons and element concentrations determined from analyses of the subsequent gamma-ray spectrum. Results from the two methods are discussed.

PCBs in Rain Water, Streams and a Reservoir in a Small Catchment of NW Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delgado-Martín, Jordi; Cereijo-Arango, José Luis; García-Morrondo, David; Juncosa-Rivera, Ricardo; Cillero-Castro, Carmen; Muñoz-Ibáñez, Andrea

2016-04-01

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) constitute a significant environmental concern due to its persistence, tendency to bio-accumulate, acknowledged toxicity and ubiquity. In the present study, a small water catchment (~100 km2) inclusive of a two-tailed water supply reservoir (Abegondo-Cecebre) has been monitored between 2009 and 2014. Sampling stations include: a) one precipitation gauge used to collect monthly-integrated bulk precipitation (25 samples); b) seven streams (95 samples); c) five surface and one bottom points within the reservoir (104 samples); d) five points for sediment sampling in two surveys (spring and summer; 10 samples). All the water samples as well as the leachates of sediment washing have been analyzed for their concentration in 6 marker PCB (congeners 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 and 180) and 12 dioxin-like PCB (congeners 77, 81, 105, 114, 118, 123, 126, 156, 157, 167, 169 and 189) compounds. The average concentration of PCBtot in the bulk precipitation during the sampling period is ~406 pg/L although a very significant decrease has occurred since the end of 2011 (~800 pg/L) to the end of 2014 (~60 pg/L). Likewise, the mean concentration of PCBtot in the stream water samples is 174 pg/L and a similar reduction in the concentration of PCBtot is also acknowledged for the same period of time (~250 pg/L before the end of 2011 and ~30 pg/L after then). Reservoir surface water has a PCBtot concentration of ~234 pg/L which, according to its sampling time (2010-2011) is consistent with the measured stream waters. However, deep reservoir water reveals an average concentration which is higher than the corresponding top water (~330 pg/L) but significantly smaller than the water-leached sediments (~860 pg/L). The available data suggest that up to a 30% of PCBs associated with precipitation becomes sequestered by the soil/sediment system while no significant change takes place during the transfer of water from the stream to the reservoir system, at least in surface. However, deep reservoir water is enriched in PCBs what is likely due to exchange reactions with the already enriched reservoir sediments. Significant differences are also observed between the PCBtot concentrations of the sediment samples taken in spring (lower) and summer (higher) as well as in connection with the different organic carbon and metal content present in the two tails of the reservoir.

Water-quality, bed-sediment, and biological data (October 1992 through September 1993) and statistical summaries of water-quality data (March 1985 through September 1993) for streams in the upper Clark Fork basin, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambing, John H.

1994-01-01

Water, bed sediment, and biota were sampled in streams from Butte to below Missoula as part of a program to characterize aquatic resources in the upper Clark Fork basin of western Montana. Water-quality data were obtained periodically at 16 stations during October 1992 through September 1993 (water year 1993); daily suspended-sediment data were obtained at six of these stations. Bed-sediment and biological data were obtained at 11 stations in August 1993. Sampling stations were located on the Clark Fork and major tributaries. The primary constituents analyzed were trace elements associated with mine tailings from historic mining and smelting activities. Water-quality data include concentra- tions of major ions, trace elements, and suspended sediment in samples collected periodically during water year 1993. A statistical summary of water- quality data is provided for the period of record at each station since 1985. Daily values of streamflow, suspended-sediment concentration, and suspended-sediment discharge are given for six stations. Bed-sediment data include trace- element concentrations in the fine and bulk fractions. Biological data include trace-element concentrations in whole-body tissue of aquatic benthic insects. Quality-assurance data are reported for analytical results of water, bed sediment, and biota.

Separation of magnetic susceptibility components from magnetization curves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosareva, L.; Nourgaliev, D.; Kuzina, D.; Spassov, S.; Fattakhov, A.

2014-12-01

Modern lake sediments are a unique source of information for climate changes, regionally and globally, because all environmental variations are recorded by these sediments with high resolution. The magnetic properties of Chernyshov Bay (Aral Sea) sediments we investigated from core number 4 (N45o57'04.2''; E59o17'14.3'') are taken at far water depth of 9.5 m. The length of the core is 4.16 m. Samples for measurements were taken to plastic sample boxes with internal dimensions 2x2x2 cm. Remanent magnetization curves were measured by coercivity spectrometer for the separate determination of the different contributions to the total bulk magnetic susceptibility. There was measured also magnetic susceptibility using MS2 susceptibility meter. Those operations were done for data comparison between 2 susceptibilities obtained from different equipment. Our goal is to decipher the magnetic susceptibility signal in lake sediments by decomposing the bulk susceptibility signal of a lake sediment sequence into ferromagnetic (χf), dia-/paramagnetic (χp) and superparamagnetic (χsp) components using data from remanent and indused magnetization curves Each of these component has a different origin: paramagnetic minerals are usually attributed to terrigenous sediment input, ferromagnetics are of biogenic origin, and superparamagnetic minerals may be of either biogenic or terrigenous origin. Comparison between susceptibility measurements of MS2-Bartington susceptometer and of the coercivity spectrometer has shown good correlation. The susceptibility values measured in two different equipment are fairly close and indicate thus the reliability the proposed method. In research also has shown water level changes in Aral Sea based on magnetic susceptibility. The work is performed according to the Russian Government Program of Competitive Growth of Kazan Federal University also by RFBR research projects No. 14-05-31376 - а, 14-05-00785- а.

New radiocarbon ages from cirques in Colorado Front Range

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, P.T.; Birkeland, P.W.; Caine, N.

The authors recovered sediment cores 3.1 m long from Blue Lake ([approximately]37m water depth, [approximately]3,445m a.s.l., 40[degree]5 minutes 20 seconds N, 105[degree]37 minutes 08 seconds W) and 2.7m long from Lake Dorothy ([approximately]35m water depth, [approximately]3,675m a.s.l., 40[degree]00 minutes 46 seconds N, 105[degree]41 minutes 11 seconds W). A light-weight percussion coring system suspended from perlon ropes was used because of sediment thicknesses, water depths, and ski-backpacking requirements. Lake ice provided a stable coring platform. One purpose of the project is provision of a high-resolution record of environmental change in the subalpine/alpine ecotone during the Holocene, under the auspices of themore » Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research program. The sediment cores also provide minimum-limiting radiocarbon ages for deglaciation of cirques and the deposits that impound their tarns. Here the authors report on this second purpose. The Blue Lake core bottomed in sandy, gray, inorganic sediment, presumably glacial diamict. A bulk sample from 2.8--2.9m depth yielded a conventional radiocarbon age of 12,275[+-]345 yrs BP. Thus, ice retreated from the site by 12 ka. Since 12 ka both glacial and rock-glacial sediments have been deposited upvalley; some of these events may be recognized in the core. In contrast, the Lake Dorothy core did not penetrate gray inorganic diamict and is entirely organic-rich. A bulk sample from 2.65--2.7m depth yielded a conventional radiocarbon age of 10,910 [+-] 320 yrs BP. Thus, the moraines impounding the lake are 2--3 times older than suggested by a combination of relative-age methods and one radiocarbon age from surface sediments.« less

Ramped PyrOx 14C With a Twist: Improving Radiocarbon Chronologies on Highly Detrital Marginal Antarctic Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subt, C.; Yoon, H.; Yoo, K. C.; Lee, J. I.; Domack, E. W.; Rosenheim, B. E.

2016-02-01

Highly detrital sediments can be difficult to date when the detritus includes material similar to that from which dates are sought. For radiocarbon dating, samples with a high degree of pre-aged detrital carbon contamination necessitate measurement of a very small portion of the sample to remove that contamination from the targeted component, even when using advanced techniques such as Ramped PyrOx (RP) 14C dating. Here we present three case studies of alternative RP approaches, producing accurate and precise chronologies for highly detrital sediments near the Larsen C ice shelf, near the Drygalski Ice Tongue in Ross Sea, and in Lapeyrère Bay, Anvers Island. For sediments where the proportion of organic carbon that was modern at the time of deposition is too small for a traditional AMS analysis after RP treatment, we have developed an innovative multiple RP analyses approach to minimize the cost in precision from using smaller temperature intervals, while maximizing the benefit in accuracy. Resulting sub ice-shelf chronologies show vastly improved dates down-core, significantly younger than the equivalent 14C chronology from the bulk acid insoluble organic (AIO) carbon with increasing ages down-core. By comparison, bulk AIO 14C dates in the study areas are not only older, but are subject to age reversals and nearly constant ages that make sedimentation rates impossible to resolve. Using our new approaches, we can reduce pre-aged carbon contamination in Lapeyrère Bay, and date sediments within layers of siliceous mud and ooze in the Ross Sea, and near the Larsen C ice shelf. Improved accuracy for 14C dates of highly detrital sediments can sometimes require the incorporation of a larger blank correction to account for multiple analyses, decreasing the precision. Application of this method refines ages of hard-to-date sediments, removing limits on what to include in a regional approach to chronicle ice shelf collapse.

Environmental assessment of creosote-treated pilings in the marine environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Butala, J.H.; Webb, D.A.; Jop, K.M.

1995-12-31

A comprehensive ecological risk assessment was conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of creosote-treated pilings in the marine environment at Moss Landing Harbor, Moss Landing, California. Four areas of investigation comprising the risk assessment were (1) evaluation of environmental conditions around existing creosote-treated pilings (2) investigating effects related to restoration of pilings (3) assessing creosote migration into surrounding environment, one year after pile-driving and (4) confirmation of creosote toxicity in laboratory studies. Biological and chemical evaluation of the impact of creosote-treated pilings was conducted on surface sheen, water column and sediment samples collected at Moss Landing Harbor. Water samples (surfacemore » sheen, water column and sediment pore water) were evaluated using short-term chronic exposures with Mysidopsis bahia, while bulk sediment samples were evaluated with 10-day sediment toxicity tests with Ampelisca abdita. Samples of surface, column water and sediment were analyzed for the constituents of creosote by GC mass spectrometry. In addition, a sample of neat material used to preserve treated pilings represented a reference for the polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Verification of organism response and analyses of field collected samples was performed by conducting 10-day A. abdita sediment and 7-day M. bahia elutriate exposures with creosote applied to clean sediment collected at Moss Landing, Evaluations were also performed to determine the effects of photoinduced toxicity on test organisms exposed to PAHs. The biological and analytical results of the field and laboratory exposures are being used to evaluate and determine risk of creosote-treated pilings on the marine environment.« less

Analysis of organic matter in sediments and meteorites and paleochemical studies of extinct and contemporary life forms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calvin, M.

1975-01-01

The insoluble organic materials present in the algal mats at Laguna Mormona, Baja California were studied. A series of six identical sediments collected from Mono lake which were stored under different conditions was investigated to see if any changes are observed in the lipid distribution patterns as a result of differences in sample storage conditions. Bacteria strains from Mono Lake sediments were cultured in bulk quantities and the sterol fractions from them were isolated and analyzed. Results add further support to the utility of the sterols as a chemotaxonomical tool in distinguishing and classifying these bacteria.

Bulk organic δ 13C and C/N as indicators for sediment sources in the Pearl River delta and estuary, southern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Fengling; Zong, Yongqiang; Lloyd, Jeremy M.; Huang, Guangqing; Leng, Melanie J.; Kendrick, Christopher; Lamb, Angela L.; Yim, Wyss W.-S.

2010-05-01

Preservation of organic matter in estuarine and coastal areas is an important process in the global carbon cycle. This paper presents bulk δ 13C and C/N of organic matter from source to sink in the Pearl River catchment, delta and estuary, and discusses the applicability of δ 13C and C/N as indicators for sources of organic matter in deltaic and estuarine sediments. In addition to the 91 surface sediment samples, other materials collected in this study cover the main sources of organic material to estuarine sediment. These are: terrestrial organic matter (TOM), including plants and soil samples from the catchment; estuarine and marine suspended particulate organic carbon (POC) from both summer and winter. Results show that the average δ 13C of estuarine surface sediment increases from -25.0 ± 1.3‰ in the freshwater environment to -21.0 ± 0.2‰ in the marine environment, with C/N decreasing from 15.2 ± 3.3 to 6.8 ± 0.2. In the source areas, C 3 plants have lower δ 13C than C 4 plants (-29.0 ± 1.8‰ and -13.1 ± 0.5‰ respectively). δ 13C increases from -28.3 ± 0.8‰ in the forest soil to around -24.1‰ in both riverbank soil and mangrove soil due to increasing proportion of C 4 grasses. The δ 13C POC increases from -27.6 ± 0.8‰ in the freshwater areas to -22.4 ± 0.5‰ in the marine-brackish-water areas in winter, and ranges between -24.0‰ in freshwater areas and -25.4‰ in brackish-water areas in summer. Comparison of the δ 13C and C/N between the sources and sink indicates a weakening TOM and freshwater POC input in the surface sedimentary organic matter seawards, and a strengthening contribution from the marine organic matter. Thus we suggest that bulk organic δ 13C and C/N analysis can be used to indicate sources of sedimentary organic matter in estuarine environments. Organic carbon in surface sediments derived from anthropogenic sources such as human waste and organic pollutants from industrial and agricultural activities accounts for less than 10% of the total organic carbon (TOC). Although results also indicate elevated δ 13C of sedimentary organic matter due to some agricultural products such as sugarcane, C 3 plants are still the dominant vegetation type in this area, and the bulk organic δ 13C and C/N is still an effective indicator for sources of organic matter in estuarine sediments.

Accuracy of sample dimension-dependent pedotransfer functions in estimation of soil saturated hydraulic conductivity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Saturated hydraulic conductivity Ksat is a fundamental characteristic in modeling flow and contaminant transport in soils and sediments. Therefore, many models have been developed to estimate Ksat from easily measureable parameters, such as textural properties, bulk density, etc. However, Ksat is no...

Groundwater hydrochemistry in the active layer of the proglacial zone, Finsterwalderbreen, Svalbard

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cooper, R.J.; Wadham, J.L.; Tranter, M.; Hodgkins, R.; Peters, N.E.

2002-01-01

Glacial bulk meltwaters and active-layer groundwaters were sampled from the proglacial zone of Finsterwalderbreen during a single melt season in 1999, in order to determine the geochemical processes that maintain high chemical weathering rates in the proglacial zone of this glacier. Results demonstrate that the principle means of solute acquisition is the weathering of highly reactive moraine and fluvial active-layer sediments by supra-permafrost groundwaters. Active-layer groundwater derives from the thaw of the proglacial snowpack, buried ice and glacial bulk meltwaters. Groundwater evolves by sulphide oxidation and carbonate dissolution. Evaporation- and freeze-concentration of groundwater in summer and winter, respectively produce Mg-Ca-sulphate salts on the proglacial surface. Re-dissolution of these salts in early summer produces groundwaters that are supersaturated with respect to calcite. There is a pronounced spatial pattern to the geochemical evolution of groundwater. Close to the main proglacial channel, active layer sediments are flushed diurnally by bulk meltwaters. Here, Mg-Ca-sulphate deposits become exhausted in the early season and geochemical evolution proceeds by a combination of sulphide oxidation and carbonate dissolution. At greater distances from the channel, the dissolution of Mg-Ca-sulphate salts is a major influence and dilution by the bulk meltwaters is relatively minor. The influence of sulphate salt dissolution decreases during the sampling season, as these salts are exhausted and waters become increasingly routed by subsurface flowpaths. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Geochemical heterogeneity in a sand and gravel aquifer: Effect of sediment mineralogy and particle size on the sorption of chlorobenzenes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, L.B.; Thurman, E.M.; Runnells, D.R.; ,

1992-01-01

The effect of particle size, mineralogy and sediment organic carbon (SOC) on solution of tetrachlorobenzene and pentachlorobenzene was evaluated using batch-isotherm experiments on sediment particle-size and mineralogical fractions from a sand and gravel aquifer, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Concentration of SOC and sorption of chlorobenzenes increase with decreasing particle size. For a given particle size, the magnetic fraction has a higher SOC content and sorption capacity than the bulk or non-magnetic fractions. Sorption appears to be controlled by the magnetic minerals, which comprise only 5-25% of the bulk sediment. Although SOC content of the bulk sediment is < 0.1%, the observed sorption of chlorobenzenes is consistent with a partition mechanism and is adequately predicted by models relating sorption to the octanol/water partition coefficient of the solute and SOC content. A conceptual model based on preferential association of dissolved organic matter with positively-charged mineral surfaces is proposed to describe micro-scale, intergranular variability in sorption properties of the aquifer sediments.The effect of particle size, mineralogy and sediment organic carbon (SOC) on sorption of tetrachlorobenzene and pentachlorobenzene was evaluated using batch-isotherm experiments on sediment particle-size and mineralogical fractions from a sand and gravel aquifer, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Concentration of SOC and sorption of chlorobenzenes increase with decreasing particle size. For a given particle size, the magnetic fraction has a higher SOC content and sorption capacity than the bulk or non-magnetic fractions. Sorption appears to be controlled by the magnetic minerals, which comprise only 5-25% of the bulk sediment. Although SOC content of the bulk sediment is <0.1%, the observed sorption of chlorobenzenes is consistent with a partition mechanism and is adequately predicted by models relating sorption to the octanol/water partition coefficient of the solute and SOC content. A conceptual model based on preferential association of dissolved organic matter with positively-charged mineral surfaces is proposed to describe micro-scale, intergranular variability in sorption properties of the aquifer sediments.

Assessment of sediment toxicity and chemical concentrations in the San Diego Bay region, California, USA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fairey, R.; Roberts, C.; Jacobi, M.

1998-08-01

Sediment quality within San Diego Bay, Mission Bay, and the Tijuana River Estuary of California was investigated as part of an ongoing statewide monitoring effort (Bay Protection and Toxic Cleanup Program). Study objectives were to determine the incidence, spatial patterns, and spatial extent of toxicity in sediments and porewater; the concentration and distribution of potentially toxic anthropogenic chemicals; and the relationships between toxicity and chemical concentrations. Rhepoxynius abronius survival bioassays, grain size, and total organic carbon analyses were performed on 350 sediment samples. Strongylocentrotus purpuratus development bioassays were performed on 164 pore-water samples. Toxicity was demonstrated throughout the San Diegomore » Bay region, with increased incidence and concordance occurring in areas of industrial and shipping activity. Trace metal and trace synthetic organic analyses were performed on 229 samples. Copper, zinc, mercury, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and chlordane were found to exceed ERM (effects range median) or PEL (probable effects level) sediment quality guidelines and were considered the six major chemicals or chemical groups of concern. Statistical analysis of the relationships between amphipod toxicity, bulk phase sediment chemistry, and physical parameters demonstrated few significant linear relationships. Significant differences in chemical levels were found between toxic and nontoxic responses using multivariate and univariate statistics. Potential sources of anthropogenic chemicals were discussed.« less

Grain Size Biasing of 230Th-derived Focusing Factors in the Panama Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loveley, M. R.; Marcantonio, F.; Lyle, M. W.; Ibrahim, R.; Wang, J. K.; Hertzberg, J. E.

2014-12-01

In this study, we attempt to understand how differing grain size classes in Panama Basin sediments may create biasing of 230Th as a constant-flux proxy. Greater amounts of 230Th are contained in fine grained particles, which, if fractionated from coarser grained counterparts may lead to biasing of 230Th-derived mass accumulation rates (MARs) and sediment focusing factors. We examined sediments that span the past 25 kyr from four new sediment cores retrieved from two different localities close to the ridges that bound the Panama Basin. Each locality contained paired sites that were seismically interpreted to have undergone sediment redistribution, i.e., thick focused sites versus thin winnowed sites. Two sediment cores were retrieved from the northern part of the Panama basin, Cocos Ridge, (MV1014-01-"4JC", 5° 44.7'N 85° 45.5' W, 1730 m depth; MV1014-01-"8JC", 6° 14.0'N 86° 2.6' W, 1993 m depth), and two were retrieved from the southern part of the basin, Carnegie Ridge, (MV1014-02-"11JC", 0° 41.6'S 85° 20.0' W, 2452 m depth; MV1014-02-"17JC" 0° 10.8'S 85° 52.0' W, 2846 m depth). Cores 4JC and 11JC lie closer to the ridge tops of the Cocos and Carnegie Ridges, respectively, and have thin sediment drapes, while deeper cores, 8JC (Cocos) and 17JC (Carnegie), have thicker sediment drapes and lie downslope from the ridge top cores. Age-model-derived sand MARs, which likely represent the vertical rain of particles that cannot be transported by bottom currents, are similar at each of the paired sites in Holocene and glacial time slices. However, 230Th-normalized MARs are about 50% lower, on average at each of the paired sites during the same time slices. Both Holocene and glacial samples from "thin" cores (4,11JC) contain, surprisingly, significant amounts (up to 50%) of the 230Th within the coarse grained (>63 μm) fraction which makes up 40-70% of the bulk samples analyzed. On the contrary, Holocene and glacial samples from "thick" cores, (8,17JC), contain the greatest amounts of 230Th (up to 49%) in the finest grain-sized fraction (<4μm), which makes up 26-40% of the bulk samples analyzed. Although, redistribution of sediment has taken place, our analysis indicates that 230Th-derived focusing factors are being overestimated at thick sites and underestimated at thin sites.

Dissolution Rates of Biogenic Carbonate Sediments from the Bermuda Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finlay, A. J.; Andersson, A. J.

2016-02-01

The contribution of biogenic carbonate sediment dissolution rates to overall net reef accretion/erosion (under both present and future oceanic pCO2 levels) has been strikingly neglected, despite experimental results indicating that sediment dissolution might be more sensitive to ocean acidification (OA) than calcification. Dissolution of carbonate sediments could impact net reef accretion rates as well as the formation and preservation of valuable marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Bulk sediment dissolution rates of samples from the Bermuda carbonate platform were measured in natural seawater at pCO2 values ranging from approximately 3500 μatm to 9000 μatm. This range of pCO2 levels incorporates values currently observed in porewaters on the Bermuda carbonate platform as well as a potential future increase in porewater pCO2 levels due to OA. Sediment samples from two different stations on the reef platform were analyzed for grain size and mineralogy. Dissolution rates of sediments in the dominant grain size fraction of the platform (500-1000 μm) from both stations ranged between 16.25 and 47.19 (± 0.27 to 0.79) μmoles g-1 hr-1 and are comparable to rates previously obtained from laboratory experiments on other natural carbonate sediments. At a pCO2 of 3500 μatm, rates from both samples were similar, despite their differing mineralogy. However, at pCO2 levels above 3500 μatm, the sediment sample with a greater weight percent of Mg-calcite had slightly higher dissolution rates. Despite many laboratory studies on biogenic carbonate dissolution, a significant disparity still exists between laboratory measurements and field observations. Performing additional controlled, laboratory experiments on natural sediment may help to elucidate the reasons for this disparity.

Seismic peak amplitude as a predictor of TOC content in shallow marine sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neto, Arthur Ayres; Mota, Bruno Bourguignon; Belem, André Luiz; Albuquerque, Ana Luiza; Capilla, Ramsés

2016-10-01

Acoustic remote sensing is a highly effective tool for exploring the seafloor of both deep and shallow marine settings. Indeed, the acoustic response depends on several physicochemical factors such as sediment grain size, bulk density, water content, and mineralogy. The objective of the present study is to assess the suitability of seismic peak amplitude as a predictor of total organic carbon (TOC) content in shallow marine sediments, based on data collected in the Cabo Frio mud belt in an upwelling zone off southeastern Brazil. These comprise records of P-wave velocity ( V P) along 680 km of high-resolution single-channel seismic surveys, combined with analyses of grain size, wet bulk density, absolute water content and TOC content for four piston-cores. TOC contents of sediments from 13 box-cores served to validate the methodology. The results show well-defined positive correlations between TOC content and mean grain size (phi scale) as well as absolute water content, and negative correlations with V P, wet bulk density, and acoustic impedance. These relationships yield a regression equation by which TOC content can be satisfactorily predicted on the basis of acoustic impedance for this region: y = - 4.84 ln( x) + 40.04. Indeed, the derived TOC contents differ by only 5% from those determined by geochemical analysis. After appropriate calibration, acoustic impedance can thus be conveniently used as a predictor of large-scale spatial distributions of organic carbon enrichment in marine sediments. This not only contributes to optimizing scientific project objectives, but also enhances the cost-effectiveness of marine surveys by greatly reducing the ship time commonly required for grid sampling.

Contributions of organic and inorganic matter to sediment volume and accretion in tidal wetlands at steady state

EPA Science Inventory

A mixing model derived from first principles describes the bulk density (BD) of intertidal wetland sediments as a function of loss on ignition (LOI). The model assumes the bulk volume of sediment equates to the sum of self-packing volumes of organic and mineral components or BD =...

Development of property-transfer models for estimating the hydraulic properties of deep sediments at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winfield, Kari A.

2005-01-01

Because characterizing the unsaturated hydraulic properties of sediments over large areas or depths is costly and time consuming, development of models that predict these properties from more easily measured bulk-physical properties is desirable. At the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, the unsaturated zone is composed of thick basalt flow sequences interbedded with thinner sedimentary layers. Determining the unsaturated hydraulic properties of sedimentary layers is one step in understanding water flow and solute transport processes through this complex unsaturated system. Multiple linear regression was used to construct simple property-transfer models for estimating the water-retention curve and saturated hydraulic conductivity of deep sediments at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. The regression models were developed from 109 core sample subsets with laboratory measurements of hydraulic and bulk-physical properties. The core samples were collected at depths of 9 to 175 meters at two facilities within the southwestern portion of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory-the Radioactive Waste Management Complex, and the Vadose Zone Research Park southwest of the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center. Four regression models were developed using bulk-physical property measurements (bulk density, particle density, and particle size) as the potential explanatory variables. Three representations of the particle-size distribution were compared: (1) textural-class percentages (gravel, sand, silt, and clay), (2) geometric statistics (mean and standard deviation), and (3) graphical statistics (median and uniformity coefficient). The four response variables, estimated from linear combinations of the bulk-physical properties, included saturated hydraulic conductivity and three parameters that define the water-retention curve. For each core sample,values of each water-retention parameter were estimated from the appropriate regression equation and used to calculate an estimated water-retention curve. The degree to which the estimated curve approximated the measured curve was quantified using a goodness-of-fit indicator, the root-mean-square error. Comparison of the root-mean-square-error distributions for each alternative particle-size model showed that the estimated water-retention curves were insensitive to the way the particle-size distribution was represented. Bulk density, the median particle diameter, and the uniformity coefficient were chosen as input parameters for the final models. The property-transfer models developed in this study allow easy determination of hydraulic properties without need for their direct measurement. Additionally, the models provide the basis for development of theoretical models that rely on physical relationships between the pore-size distribution and the bulk-physical properties of the media. With this adaptation, the property-transfer models should have greater application throughout the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory and other geographic locations.

Mercury speciation and dispersion from an active gold mine at the West Wits area, South Africa.

PubMed

Lusilao-Makiese, J G; Tessier, E; Amouroux, D; Tutu, H; Chimuka, L; Weiersbye, I; Cukrowska, E M

2016-01-01

Total mercury (HgTOT), inorganic mercury (IHg), and methylmercury (MHg) were determined in dry season waters, sediments, and tailings from an active mine which has long history of gold exploitation. Although HgTOT in waters was generally low (0.03 to 19.60 ng L(-1)), the majority of the samples had proportions of MHg of at least 90 % of HgTOT which denotes a substantial methylation potential of the mine watersheds. Mercury was relatively high in tailing materials (up to 867 μg kg(-1)) and also in the mine sediments (up to 837 μg kg(-1)) especially in samples collected near tailing storage facilities and within a receiving water dam. Sediment profiles revealed mercury enrichment and enhanced methylation rate at deeper layers. The presence of IHg and decaying plants (organic matter) in the watersheds as well as the anoxic conditions of bulk sediments are believed to be some of the key factors favoring the mercury methylation at the site.

The physical characteristics of the sediments on and surrounding Dauphin Island, Alabama

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellis, Alisha M.; Marot, Marci E.; Smith, Christopher G.; Wheaton, Cathryn J.

2017-06-20

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center collected 303 surface sediment samples from Dauphin Island, Alabama, and the surrounding water bodies in August 2015. These sediments were processed to determine physical characteristics such as organic content, bulk density, and grain-size. The environments where the sediments were collected include high and low salt marshes, washover deposits, dunes, beaches, sheltered bays, and open water. Sampling by the USGS was part of a larger study to assess the feasibility and sustainability of proposed restoration efforts for Dauphin Island, Alabama, and assess the island’s resilience to rising sea level and storm events. The data presented in this publication can be used by modelers to attempt validation of hindcast models and create predictive forecast models for both baseline conditions and storms. This study was funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, via the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund.This report serves as an archive for sedimentological data derived from surface sediments. Downloadable data are available as Excel spreadsheets, JPEG files, and formal Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata.

Fine Increment Soil Collector (FISC): A new device to support high resolution soil and sediment sampling for agri-environmental assessments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mabit, Lionel; Meusburger, Katrin; Iurian, Andra-Rada; Owens, Philip N.; Toloza, Arsenio; Alewell, Christine

2014-05-01

Soil and sediment related research for terrestrial agri-environmental assessments requires accurate depth incremental sampling of soil and exposed sediment profiles. Existing coring equipment does not allow collecting soil/sediment increments at millimetre resolution. Therefore, the authors have designed an economic, portable, hand-operated surface soil/sediment sampler - the Fine Increment Soil Collector (FISC) - which allows extensive control of soil/sediment sampling process and easy recovery of the material collected by using a simple screw-thread extraction system. In comparison with existing sampling tools, the FISC has the following advantages and benefits: (i) it permits sampling of soil/sediment samples at the top of the profile; (ii) it is easy to adjust so as to collect soil/sediment at mm resolution; (iii) it is simple to operate by one single person; (iv) incremental samples can be performed in the field or at the laboratory; (v) it permits precise evaluation of bulk density at millimetre vertical resolution; and (vi) sample size can be tailored to analytical requirements. To illustrate the usefulness of the FISC in sampling soil and sediments for 7Be - a well-known cosmogenic soil tracer and fingerprinting tool - measurements, the sampler was tested in a forested soil located 45 km southeast of Vienna in Austria. The fine resolution increments of 7Be (i.e. 2.5 mm) affects directly the measurement of the 7Be total inventory but above all impacts the shape of the 7Be exponential profile which is needed to assess soil movement rates. The FISC can improve the determination of the depth distributions of other Fallout Radionuclides (FRN) - such as 137Cs, 210Pbexand239+240Pu - which are frequently used for soil erosion and sediment transport studies and/or sediment fingerprinting. Such a device also offers great potential to investigate FRN depth distributions associated with fallout events such as that associated with nuclear emergencies. Furthermore, prior to remediation activities - such as topsoil removal - in contaminated soils and sediments (e.g. by heavy metals, pesticides or nuclear power plant accident releases), basic environmental assessment often requires the determination of the extent and the depth penetration of the different contaminants, precision that can be provided by using the FISC.

Distribution, enrichment and accumulation of heavy metals in coastal sediments of Alang-Sosiya ship scrapping yard, India.

PubMed

Reddy, M Srinivasa; Basha, Shaik; Sravan Kumar, V G; Joshi, H V; Ramachandraiah, G

2004-06-01

Since its inception in 1982, the Alang-Sosiya yard has become the largest ship scrapping works in the world. Several hundreds of ships arrive every year. The degree of heavy metal contamination has been studied in bulk and fine sediments from the intertidal zone of this ship scrapping yard, two stations, one on either side at 5 km distance and one reference station 60 km distance near Mahuva, towards the south. The samples have been subjected to a total digestion technique and analysed for elements: Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn and Al, and %TOC. The absolute metal concentrations reflected variations in BF and FF sediment samples with organic matter content. Enrichment factors (EF) and geoaccumulation indices (Igeo) have been calculated and the relative contamination levels are assessed at these sites. At Alang-Sosiya, the enrichment of heavy metals has been observed to be relatively high.

Characterization and Modeling of Settling, Consolidation, and Suspension to Optimize Sediment Retention of Sediment Diversions for Coastal Restoration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sha, X.; Xu, K.; Bentley, S. J.; Robichaux, P.

2016-02-01

Although many studies of sediment diversions have been conducted on the Mississippi Delta, relatively less attention has been paid to understanding sediment retention and basic cohesive sedimentation processes in receiving basins. Our research evaluates long-term (up to six months) sedimentation processes through various laboratory experiments, especially cohesive sediment settling, consolidation and resuspension and their impacts on sediment retention. Bulk sediment samples were collected from West Bay, near Head of Passes of the Mississippi Delta, and the Big Mar basin that receive water and sediment from the Caernarvon Diversion in the upper Breton Sound region of Louisiana, USA. A-230-cm tall settling column with nine sampling ports at 15 cm intervals was used to measure the consolidation for four initial sediment concentrations (10-120 kg m-3) with two salinities (1 ppt & 5 ppt). Samples of sediment slurry were taken from every port at different time intervals up to 15 days or longer (higher concentration needs longer time to consolidate) to record concentrations gravimetrically. A 200 cm long tube was connected to a 50 cm long core chamber to accumulate at least a 10 cm thick sediment column for erosion tests. A dual-core Gust Erosion Microcosm System was employed to measure time-series (0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 months) erodibility at seven shear stress regimes (0.01-0.60 Pa). Our preliminary results show a significant decrease of erodibility with time and high concentration (120g/L). Salinity impacted on sediment behavior in consolidation experiments. Our study reveals that more enclosed receiving basins, intermittent openings of diversions, or reduced shear stress due to man-made structure all can potentially reduce cohesive sediment erosion in coastal Louisiana. Further results will be analyzed to determine the model constants. Consolidating rates and corresponding erosional changes will be determined to optimize sediment retention in coastal protection.

Implications of Smectite Subduction at the Costa Rican Convergent Margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardace, D.; Morris, J. D.; Underwood, M. B.; Spinelli, G.

2003-12-01

Legs 205/170 of the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) drilled a reference section on the incoming plate and sites at the toe of the sedimentary prism at the Costa Rican convergent margin. Complete sediment subduction has been documented, with the prism described by Leg 205/170 shipboard scientists as a paleoslump prism. Despite sediment subduction, Costa Rican arc lava geochemistry shows little sediment signal. Though subduction erosion has been posited as a mechanism for damping the geochemical sediment signal, this abstract addresses whether the clay content and distribution in the subducting pile can (a) play a role in localizing the decollement and (b) impact subduction of sediment to depth. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses of bulk sediment, with biogenic silica determinations, have been carried out for samples from the prism, through the decollement, to the underthrust sediments. Clay fractions have been isolated and silica studied for a subset of these samples. XRD peak areas of bulk samples were transformed into relative abundances via matrix singular value decomposition (Fisher and Underwood, 1995, Proc. ODP, Init. Repts., 156: 29-37), and adjusted following silica determination; volcanic ash has been neglected as a sedimentary component. Average relative weight percents of dominant minerals and biogenic silica (bSiO2) for prism toe units (Site 1040) are: P1A (silty clay, 74.8 m thick) 82 wt% clay, 5 wt% quartz, 13 wt% plagioclase, 0 wt% calcite; P1B (silty clay, 296.4 m thick) 82.1 wt% clay, 6.0 wt% quartz, 10.4 wt% plagioclase, 0 wt% calcite, 1.4 wt% bSiO2. Below the decollement, underthrust abundances are: U1A (clayey diatomite, 13.2 m thick) 82.7 wt% clay, 5.2 wt% quartz, 8.9 wt% plagioclase, 0 wt% calcite, 3.2 wt% bSiO2; U1B (clayey diatomite, 38.2 m thick) 80.7 wt% clay, 4.4 wt% quartz, 6.6 wt% plagioclase, 0 wt% calcite, 8.2 wt% bSiO2; U2 (silty claystone, 57.1 m thick) 84.8 wt% clay, 4.5 wt% quartz, 6.8 wt% plagioclase, 0 wt% calcite, 3.9 wt% bSiO2; U3A (siliceous nannofossil chalk, 18.1 m thick) 44.1 wt% clay, 2.0 wt% quartz, 5.6 wt% plagioclase, 31.8 wt% calcite, 16.5 wt% bSiO2; U3B (siliceous nannofossil chalk, 75.55 m thick) 1.9 wt% clay, 0 wt% quartz, 1.1 wt% plagioclase, 92.4 wt% calcite, 4.7 wt% bSiO2; and U3C (siliceous nannofossil chalk, 80.18 m thick) 6.6 wt% clay, 6.1 wt% quartz, 4.6 wt% plagioclase, 74.1 wt% calcite, 8.7 wt% bSiO2. XRD peak areas for clay fractions of prism samples above and in the decollement (Site 1254 ˜Site 1040, 300-370 mbsf) were transformed into relative weight percent data with Biscaye weighting factors. Smectites ranged from 77-93 wt%, illites ranged from 0-4 wt%, and kaolinites/chlorites ranged from 5-20 wt%. The maximum smectite value was obtained in the lower decollement. Bulk mineralogy data for sediments subducting at Costa Rica show that the prism and uppermost underthrust sediments are 80-93 wt% clay sized minerals. Clay mineralogy suggests that the smectite maximum occurs in the lower decollement and decreases dramatically below. Low biogenic silica abundances persist down core, emphasizing the importance of clays to the subducting section at Costa Rica.

Passive sampling methods for contaminated sediments: Risk assessment and management

PubMed Central

Greenberg, Marc S; Chapman, Peter M; Allan, Ian J; Anderson, Kim A; Apitz, Sabine E; Beegan, Chris; Bridges, Todd S; Brown, Steve S; Cargill, John G; McCulloch, Megan C; Menzie, Charles A; Shine, James P; Parkerton, Thomas F

2014-01-01

This paper details how activity-based passive sampling methods (PSMs), which provide information on bioavailability in terms of freely dissolved contaminant concentrations (Cfree), can be used to better inform risk management decision making at multiple points in the process of assessing and managing contaminated sediment sites. PSMs can increase certainty in site investigation and management, because Cfree is a better predictor of bioavailability than total bulk sediment concentration (Ctotal) for 4 key endpoints included in conceptual site models (benthic organism toxicity, bioaccumulation, sediment flux, and water column exposures). The use of passive sampling devices (PSDs) presents challenges with respect to representative sampling for estimating average concentrations and other metrics relevant for exposure and risk assessment. These challenges can be addressed by designing studies that account for sources of variation associated with PSMs and considering appropriate spatial scales to meet study objectives. Possible applications of PSMs include: quantifying spatial and temporal trends in bioavailable contaminants, identifying and evaluating contaminant source contributions, calibrating site-specific models, and, improving weight-of-evidence based decision frameworks. PSM data can be used to assist in delineating sediment management zones based on likelihood of exposure effects, monitor remedy effectiveness, and, evaluate risk reduction after sediment treatment, disposal, or beneficial reuse after management actions. Examples are provided illustrating why PSMs and freely dissolved contaminant concentrations (Cfree) should be incorporated into contaminated sediment investigations and study designs to better focus on and understand contaminant bioavailability, more accurately estimate exposure to sediment-associated contaminants, and better inform risk management decisions. Research and communication needs for encouraging broader use are discussed. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2014;10:224–236. © 2014 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. PMID:24343931

Test of a new stable isotopic fingerprinting technique (i.e. Compound Specific Stable Isotope) in an Austrian sub-catchment to establish agricultural soil source contribution to deposited sediment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mbaye, Modou; Mabit, Lionel; Gibbs, Max; Meusburger, Katrin; Toloza, Arsenio; Resch, Christian; Klik, Andreas; Swales, Andrew; Alewell, Christine

2017-04-01

In order to test and refine the use of compound-specific stable isotope (CSSI) as a fingerprinting technique, an innovative study was conducted in a sub-catchment dominated by C3 plants located 60 km north of Vienna. This experimental site consists of 4 different contributing sources (i.e. 3 agricultural fields and one grassed waterway) and one sediment mixture in which the δ13C values of the bulk soil carbon and of various fatty acids (FAs) were analysed after a cost effective sampling strategy. Bi-scatterplots of all possible combinations of δ13C FAs including the bulk soil carbon δ13C showed that bulk soil carbon δ13C is a strong discriminant among the other FAs. Moreover, bulk soil carbon δ13C values highlighted the highest difference between the four sources and the δ13C values of C24 indicated significant differences for all sources while δ13C of C22 did not exhibit a significant difference between the two first sources. An additional correlation analysis revealed that the highest significant linear dependencies are between δ13C16 & δ13C18 > δ13C18 & δ13C24 > δ13C16 & δ13C24. Among the variables, the bulk soil carbon δ13C was found to be the least correlated parameter, confirming that it is the most reliable discriminator to determine the sediment origins in the mixture. To summarize, only the long chain FAs (i.e. C22 and C24) as well as the bulk soil carbon δ13C succeeded in fulfilling our multivariate statistical tests. These findings were confirmed by the mixing polygon tests and Principal Component Analysis. Using three different mixing models (i.e. Iso-source, CSSIAR v1.0 and MIXSIAR), the contribution of the different sources to the mixture were evaluated. All models highlighted that the third source (field having C3 and C4 plants in rotation) and the grassed waterway were the main contributing agricultural area representing 25-31% and 50-57% of the deposited sediment constituting the mixture, respectively.

A primer on trace metal-sediment chemistry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, Arthur J.

1985-01-01

In most aquatic systems, concentrations of trace metals in suspended sediment and the top few centimeters of bottom sediment are far greater than concentrations of trace metals dissolved in the water column. Consequently, the distribution, transport, and availability of these constituents can not be intelligently evaluated, nor can their environmental impact be determined or predicted solely through the sampling and analysis of dissolved phases. This Primer is designed to acquaint the reader with the basic principles that govern the concentration and distribution of trace metals associated with bottom and suspended sediments. The sampling and analysis of suspended and bottom sediments are very important for monitoring studies, not only because trace metal concentrations associated with them are orders of magnitude higher than in the dissolved phase, but also because of several other factors. Riverine transport of trace metals is dominated by sediment. In addition, bottom sediments serve as a source for suspended sediment and can provide a historical record of chemical conditions. This record will help establish area baseline metal levels against which existing conditions can be compared. Many physical and chemical factors affect a sediment's capacity to collect and concentrate trace metals. The physical factors include grain size, surface area, surface charge, cation exchange capacity, composition, and so forth. Increases in metal concentrations are strongly correlated with decreasing grain size and increasing surface area, surface charge, cation exchange capacity, and increasing concentrations of iron and manganese oxides, organic matter, and clay minerals. Chemical factors are equally important, especially for differentiating between samples having similar bulk chemistries and for inferring or predicting environmental availability. Chemical factors entail phase associations (with such sedimentary components as interstitial water, sulfides, carbonates, and organic matter) and ways in which the metals are entrained by the sediments (such as adsorption, complexation, and within mineral lattices).

Evaluation of dredged material proposed for ocean disposal from Bronx River Project Area, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gruendell, B.D.; Gardiner, W.W.; Antrim, L.D.

1996-12-01

The objective of the Bronx River project was to evaluate proposed dredged material from the Bronx River project area in Bronx, New York, to determine its suitability for unconfined ocean disposal at the Mud Dump Site. Bronx River was one of five waterways that the US Army Corps of Engineers-New York District (USAGE-NYD) requested the Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory (MSL) to sample and to evaluate for dredging and disposal. Sediment samples were submitted for physical and chemical analyses, chemical analyses of dredging site water and elutriate, benthic and water-column acute toxicity tests, and bioaccumulation studies. Fifteen individual sediment core samplesmore » collected from the Bronx River project area were analyzed for grain size, moisture content, and total organic carbon (TOC). One composite sediment sample, representing the entire reach of the area proposed for dredging, was analyzed for bulk density, specific gravity, metals, chlorinated pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and 1,4- dichlorobenzene. Dredging site water and elutriate water, which was prepared from the suspended-particulate phase (SPP) of the Bronx River sediment composite, were analyzed for metals, pesticides, and PCBS.« less

Suspending sediment transport, sedimentation, and resuspension in Lake Houston, Texas: Implications for water quality

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matty, J.M.; Anderson, J.B.; Dunbar, R.B.

1987-01-01

Lake Houston is a man-made reservoir located northeast of Houston, Texas. The purpose of this investigation was to document suspended sediment transport, sedimentation, and resuspension in the lake with a view towards estimating the influence of sedimentation on water quality. Sediment traps were placed in strategic locations in the lake to collect suspended sediments. Samples were analyzed for bulk density, grain size, organic carbon, and a number of trace elements. These data were analyzed along with meteorological data to examine those factors which regulate suspended sediment input and dispersal, and the role of suspended sediments in controlling water quality withinmore » the lake. Sediment input to the lake depends primarily on the intensity of rainfall in the watershed. Sediment movement within the lake is strongly influenced by wave activity, which resuspends sediments from shallow areas, and by wind-driven circulation. The increased residence time of suspended sediments due to resuspension allows greater decomposition of organic matter and the release of several trace elements from sediments to the water column. Virtually all samples from sediment traps suspended between 1 and 5 m above the lake bottom contain medium to coarse silt, and even some very fine sand-sized material. This implies that circulation in Lake Houston is periodically intense enough to transport this size material in suspension. During winter, northerly winds with sustained velocities of greater than 5 m/sec provide the most suitable condition for rapid (< 1 d) transport of suspended sediment down the length of the lake. Fluctuations in current velocities and the subsequent suspension/deposition of particles may explain variations in the abundance of coliform bacteria in Lake Houston.« less

Reconciling elemental Ba and barite as proxies of export production: Multiple Ba reservoirs in biogenic sediment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, R. W.; Kryc, K. A.; Murray, D. W.

2003-12-01

The use of barite has long been recognized as a promising proxy for export production due to the relationship between its formation and settling biogenic matter. Accordingly, excess Ba (total Ba minus Ba associated with terrigenous material) calculations have been applied as a proxy of barite to assess export production, although this approach may be problematic. For example, because there are additional carrying phases of Ba in sediment other than terrigenous Ba and barite (e.g., oxides, organic matter), excess Ba may not be related in a predictable manner to export production. Indeed, previous workers have also identified the importance of non-barite reservoirs of Ba in sediment traps (e.g., Dymond et al., 1992; Francois et al., 1995) and sediment (e.g., Schroeder et al., 1997; Eagle et al., 2003). Despite these multiple reservoirs, the use of elemental Ba in biogenic sediment as a proxy of export production has a proven and resilient track record. To further understand the partitioning of Ba in biogenic sediment, we sequentially extracted seven, operationally-defined fractions (loosely-bound, exchangeable, carbonate, oxide, organic, opal, and residual) of sediment from surface and downcore samples from a cross-equatorial meridional transect in the equatorial Pacific. We find that Ba is evenly distributed between the sedimentary components with approximately 25-40 percent of the total extracted Ba in each of the exchangeable, carbonate, and oxide fractions for both surface and downcore sediment samples. In the surface sediment transect across the equator, there is no Ba in the residual fraction, and between 10 and 50 percent of the total extracted Ba is in the organic fraction. Also, downcore samples that were extracted from sediments with low relative bulk Ba/Ti tend to have Ba in both the residual and organic fractions as opposed to samples with high relative bulk Ba/Ti where there is a lack of Ba in both the residual and organic fractions. These observations indicate that alternate carriers of Ba, including the exchangeable, carbonate, and oxide fractions of sediment, may exert a larger influence on total Ba than previously suspected. Our new results, when interpreted in the context of recent experimental (Ganeshram et al., 2003) and observational (Eagle et al., 2003) studies of barite formation and the relationship between barite and Ba, further explain why elemental Ba is a valid proxy of export production, as is the distribution of barite (e.g., Paytan et al., 1996). Our results show that while there is a reorganization of elemental Ba between sedimentary phases (which can be considered a continuation of the water column processes described by Ganeshram et al., 2003), the reorganization only affects the distribution of the Ba and does not destroy the primary relationship between export flux and the accumulation of Ba preserved in the sedimentary record.

Patterns in bacterial and archaeal community structure and diversity in western Beaufort Sea sediments and waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamdan, L. J.; Sikaroodi, M.; Coffin, R. B.; Gillevet, P. M.

2010-12-01

A culture-independent phylogenetic study of microbial communities in water samples and sediment cores recovered from the Beaufort Sea slope east of Point Barrow, Alaska was conducted. The goal of the work was to describe community composition in sediment and water samples and determine the influence of local environmental conditions on microbial populations. Archaeal and bacterial community composition was studied using length heterogeneity-polymerase chain reaction (LH-PCR) and multitag pyrosequencing (MTPS). Sediment samples were obtained from three piston cores on the slope (~1000m depth) arrayed along an east-west transect and one core from a depth of approximately 2000m. Discrete water samples were obtained using a CTD-rosette from three locations adjacent to piston core sites. Water sample were selected at three discrete depths within a vertically stratified (density) water column. The microbial community in near surface waters was distinct from the community observed in deeper stratified layers of the water column. Multidimensional scaling analysis (MDS) revealed that water samples from mid and deep stratified layers bore high similarity to communities in cores collected in close proximity. Overall, the highest diversity (bacteria and archaea) was observed in a core which had elevated methane concentration relative to other locations. Geochemical (e.g., bulk organic and inorganic carbon pools, nutrients, metabolites) and physical data (e.g. depth, water content) were used to reveal the abiotic factors structuring microbial communities. The analysis indicates that sediment water content (porosity) and inorganic carbon concentration are the most significant structuring elements on Beaufort shelf sedimentary microbial communities.

Diagenetic Mineralogy at Gale Crater, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaniman, David; Blake, David; Bristow, Thomas F.; Chipera, Steve; Gellert, Ralf; Ming, Douglas; Morris, Richard; Rampe, E. B.; Rapin, William

2015-01-01

Three years into exploration of sediments in Gale crater on Mars, the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity has provided data on several modes and episodes of diagenetic mineral formation. Curiosity determines mineralogy principally by X-ray diffraction (XRD), but with supporting data from thermal-release profiles of volatiles, bulk chemistry, passive spectroscopy, and laser-induced breakdown spectra of targeted spots. Mudstones at Yellowknife Bay, within the landing ellipse, contain approximately 20% phyllosilicate that we interpret as authigenic smectite formed by basalt weathering in relatively dilute water, with associated formation of authigenic magnetite as in experiments by Tosca and Hurowitz [Goldschmidt 2014]. Varied interlayer spacing of the smectite, collapsed at approximately 10 A or expanded at approximately 13.2 A, is evidence of localized diagenesis that may include partial intercalation of metal-hydroxyl groups in the approximately 13.2 A material. Subsequent sampling of stratigraphically higher Windjana sandstone revealed sediment with multiple sources, possible concentration of detrital magnetite, and minimal abundance of diagenetic minerals. Most recent sampling has been of lower strata at Mount Sharp, where diagenesis is widespread and varied. Here XRD shows that hematite first becomes abundant and products of diagenesis include jarosite and cristobalite. In addition, bulk chemistry identifies Mg-sulfate concretions that may be amorphous or crystalline. Throughout Curiosity's traverse, later diagenetic fractures (and rarer nodules) of mm to dm scale are common and surprisingly constant and simple in Ca-sulfate composition. Other sulfates (Mg,Fe) appear to be absent in this later diagenetic cycle, and circumneutral solutions are indicated. Equally surprising is the rarity of gypsum and common occurrence of bassanite and anhydrite. Bassanite, rare on Earth, plays a major role at this location on Mars. Dehydration of gypsum to bassanite in the dry atmosphere of Mars has been proposed but considered unlikely based on lab studies of dehydration kinetics in powdered samples. Dehydration is even less likely for bulk vein samples, as lab data show dehydration rates one to two orders of magnitude slower in bulk samples than in powders. On Mars, exposure ages of 100 Ma or more may be a significant factor in dehydration of hydrous phases.

Towards improved cirque glacier reconstructions: differentiating glacial- from non-glacial sediments by means of environmental magnetism.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kvisvik, Bjørn Christian; Paasche, Øyvind; Olaf Dahl, Svein

2014-05-01

Skriufonnen, a small cirque glacier (0.4 km2) in Southern Norway, has been monitored for the last 10 years, revealing a short response time to on-going climate change. This is the only remaining glacier in the central mountain massif known as Rondane where investigations of past climate variability are scarce. A series of short (HTH, n=8) and long (piston, n=6) cores from two lakes located downstream of Skriufonnen were retrieved and sediments were dated and analysed. In order to complement and validate lake sediment interpretations i.e., the potential connection to glacier variability, a number of soil samples was collected from the surrounding catchment. The six 110 mm piston cores (< 3.1 m length) and eight sediment surface cores were analysed for grain size distribution, geochemical elements (ITRAX XRF-scanning), organic matter content (LOI), magnetic parameters (magnetic susceptibility; surface and bulk), anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) and Saturation Isothermal remanent magnetizations (sIRM). Consistent age-depth relationships were obtained by AMS-C14 and Pb210 dates showing that the cores cover at least the last 10 000 years. High-resolution analysis (XRF and MS) reveals centennial trends, but also distinct changes in frequency and amplitude. A quiescent period during the Holocene Thermal Optimum (9-6 ka) is followed by a sudden onset of Neoglacial (3.8 ka) activity peaking at 2.4 ka. The Little Ice Age (LIA) peaked at 1800 AD. A weak magnetic signal is observed in all cores. This is explained by the fact that Rondane is made of Sparagmite, an arkosic sandstone partly consisting of metamorphosed sandstone and conglomerate with high content of quarts (SiO2) (between 80 to 87 %) and Feldspar. The Sparagmite is resistant to chemical weathering, making the soils dry and sandy. Catchment sediment samples, running in a transect all the way up from the lakes to the glacier snout were sieved into various size classes (250, 125, 63, 38, 20 μm) prior to measuring bulk susceptibility (Ξbulk) at 293K and 77K. The ratio between the two measurements indicates the relative amount of paramagnetic versus ferromagnetic minerals, and results indicate not only that the finest fractions increase in strength as one gets closer to the glacier front, but also that there are long periods in the cores which is dominated by paramagnetic minerals. The approach employed here suggests that the combination of catchment samples with high-resolution analysis of lake sediment cores provide a more accurate reconstruction of past glacier variability, and has resulted in the first continuous cirque glacier reconstruction from this area.

High-resolution 14C dating of a 25,000-year lake-sediment record from equatorial East Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaauw, Maarten; van Geel, Bas; Kristen, Iris; Plessen, Birgit; Lyaruu, Anna; Engstrom, Daniel R.; van der Plicht, Johannes; Verschuren, Dirk

2011-10-01

We dated a continuous, ˜22-m long sediment sequence from Lake Challa (Mt. Kilimanjaro area, Kenya/Tanzania) to produce a solid chronological framework for multi-proxy reconstructions of climate and environmental change in equatorial East Africa over the past 25,000 years. The age model is based on a total of 168 AMS 14C dates on bulk-organic matter, combined with a 210Pb chronology for recent sediments and corrected for a variable old-carbon age offset. This offset was estimated by i) pairing bulk-organic 14C dates with either 210Pb-derived time markers or 14C dates on grass charcoal, and ii) wiggle-matching high-density series of bulk-organic 14C dates. Variation in the old-carbon age offset through time is relatively modest, ranging from ˜450 yr during glacial and late glacial time to ˜200 yr during the early and mid-Holocene, and increasing again to ˜250 yr today. The screened and corrected 14C dates were calibrated sequentially, statistically constrained by their stratigraphical order. As a result their constrained calendar-age distributions are much narrower, and the calibrated dates more precise, than if each 14C date had been calibrated on its own. The smooth-spline age-depth model has 95% age uncertainty ranges of ˜50-230 yr during the Holocene and ˜250-550 yr in the glacial section of the record. The δ 13C values of paired bulk-organic and grass-charcoal samples, and additional 14C dating on selected turbidite horizons, indicates that the old-carbon age offset in Lake Challa is caused by a variable contribution of old terrestrial organic matter eroded from soils, and controlled mainly by changes in vegetation cover within the crater basin.

Deep sea authigenic clays as a sink for seawater Mg through the Cenozoic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunlea, A. G.; Murray, R. W.; Ramos, D. S.; Higgins, J. A.

2016-12-01

The most enigmatic sink of many elements in the global ocean is the formation of authigenic aluminosilicates. Pelagic clays cover 40% of the seafloor and "reverse weathering" type reactions within this lithology have the potential to be a large sink of seawater Mg and affect carbon cycling in the ocean. We use pelagic clays from Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 329 Site U1366 in the South Pacific Gyre to track authigenic aluminosilicates with two complementary methods: (1) Mg isotopic analyses, and (2) bulk sediment geochemistry with provenance modeling. Mg isotopic analyses of the bulk, unleached clay samples reveal isotopic values significantly heavier than average continental crust (δ26Mg = -0.1 to -0.3%o) indicating significant authigenic uptake. The bulk sediment geochemistry (i.e., major, trace, rare earth element concentrations) and multivariate statistical models of provenance determine the mass fraction of six different sediment sources that mixed to create the sediments: Fe/Mn-oxyhydroxides, apatite, excess Si, dust, and two altered volcanic ashes. A significant correlation between the mass fraction of one of the specific altered ash end-member and the δ26Mg signature allows us to characterize and track the abundance of the authigenic aluminosilicate component downcore. Trends in the provenance models suggest that the elements that compose the authigenic aluminosilicates may originate from volcanic ash, biogenic Si, and/or hydrothermal plume deposits. We examine variations in the spatial and temporal contributions of each of these sources and assess how these variations may have affected the amount of Mg authigenically consumed by deep sea authigenic clays through the Cenozoic. If the authigenic aluminosilicates are created by "reverse weathering" reactions, their formation also has important implications for carbon cycling in the global ocean.

Role of structure, accessibility and microporosity on sorption of phenanthrene and nonylphenol by sediments and their fractions.

PubMed

Zhang, Dainan; Duan, Dandan; Huang, Youda; Xiong, Yongqiang; Yang, Yu; Ran, Yong

2016-12-01

To better understand interaction mechanism of sediment organic matter with hydrophobic organic compounds, sorption of phenanthrene (Phen) and nonylphenol (NP) by bulk sediments and their fractions was investigated. Three surface sediments were selectively fractionated into different organic fractions, including the demineralized carbon (DM), lipid free carbon (LF), lipid (LP), and nonhydrolyzable carbon (NHC) fractions. The structure and microporosity of the isolated fractions were characterized by NMR and CO 2 adsorption techniques, and used as sorbents for Phen and NP. The calculated micropore volumes (V o ) and specific surface area (SSA) values are positively related to the concentrations of aromatic C and char for the DM, LF and NHC fractions, suggesting that aromatic moieties and char component significantly contribute to the microporosity. The LF fractions exhibit greater sorption affinity than the DM fractions do, indicating that the presence of LP could block the accessibility of sorption sites for Phen and NP. Significant and positive correlations among log K' FOC values for Phen and NP and aromatic carbon and char contents, and V o and SSA values suggest the aromatic moieties and microporosity dominate their sorption of HOCs by sediment organic matter (SOM). As the NHC fractions have much stronger sorption than other fractions do, they dominate the overall sorption by the bulk samples. This study indicated that the important roles of aromatic moieties, accessibility, and microporosity in the sorption of HOCs by SOM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geochemical heterogeneity in a sand and gravel aquifer: Effect of sediment mineralogy and particle size on the sorption of chlorobenzenes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, Larry B.; Thurman, E. Michael; Runnells, Donald D.

1992-01-01

The effect of particle size, mineralogy and sediment organic carbon (SOC) on sorption of tetrachlorobenzene and pentachlorobenzene was evaluated using batch-isotherm experiments on sediment particle-size and mineralogical fractions from a sand and gravel aquifer, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Concentration of SOC and sorption of chlorobenzenes increase with decreasing particle size. For a given particle size, the magnetic fraction has a higher SOC content and sorption capacity than the bulk or non-magnetic fractions. Sorption appears to be controlled by the magnetic minerals, which comprise only 5–25% of the bulk sediment. Although SOC content of the bulk sediment is <0.1%, the observed sorption of chlorobenzenes is consistent with a partition mechanism and is adequately predicted by models relating sorption to the octanol/water partition coefficient of the solute and SOC content. A conceptual model based on preferential association of dissolved organic matter with positively-charged mineral surfaces is proposed to describe micro-scale, intergranular variability in sorption properties of the aquifer sediments.

Non-Destructive High-Resolution Organic Matter Record on Lake Sediment using Steady-State Solid Phase Fluorescence: Organic Matter Quality and Quantity Assessment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quiers, M.; Perrette, Y.; Etienne, D.; Develle, A. L.; Jacq, K.

2017-12-01

The use of organic proxies increases in paleoenvironmental reconstructions from natural archives. Major advances have been achieved by the development of new highly informative molecular proxies usually linked to specific compounds. While studies focused on targeted compounds, offering a high information degree, advances on bulk organic matter are limited. However, this bulk is the main contributor to carbon cycle and has been shown to be a driver of many mineral or organic compounds transfer and record. Development of target proxies need complementary information on bulk organic matter to understand biases link to controlling factors or analytical methods, and provide a robust interpretation. Fluorescence methods have often been employed to characterize and quantify organic matter. However, these technics are mainly developed for liquid samples, inducing material and resolution loss when working on natural archives (either stalagmite or sediments). High-resolution solid phase fluorescence (SPF) was developed on speleothems. This method allows now to analyse organic matter quality and quantity if procedure to constrain the optical density are adopted. In fact, a calibration method using liquid phase fluorescence (LPF) was developed for speleothem, allowing to quantify organic carbon at high-resolution. We report here an application of such a procedure SPF/LPF measurements on lake sediments. In order to avoid sediment matrix effects on the fluorescence signal, a calibration using LPF measurements was realised. First results using this method provided organic matter quality record of different organic matter compounds (humic-like, protein-like and chlorophylle-like compounds) at high resolution for the sediment core. High resolution organic matter fluxes are obtained in a second time, applying pragmatic chemometrics model (non linear models, partial least square models) on high resolution fluorescence data. SPF method can be considered as a promising tool for high resolution record on organic matter quality and quantity. Potential application of this method will be evocated (lake ecosystem dynamic, changes in trophic levels)

Sulphate reduction and nitrogen fixation rates associated with roots, rhizomes and sediments from Zostera noltii and Spartina maritima meadows.

PubMed

Nielsen, L B; Finster, K; Welsh, D T; Donelly, A; Herbert, R A; de Wit, R; Lomstein, B A

2001-01-01

Sulphate reduction rates (SRR) and nitrogen fixation rates (NFR) associated with isolated roots, rhizomes and sediment from the rhizosphere of the marine macrophytes Zostera noltii and Spartina maritima, and the presence and distribution of Bacteria on the roots and rhizomes, were investigated. Between 1% and 3% of the surface area of the roots and rhizomes of both macrophytes were colonized by Bacteria. Bacteria on the surfaces of S. maritima roots and rhizomes were evenly distributed, while the distribution of Bacteria on Z. noltii roots and rhizomes was patchy. Root- and rhizome-associated SRR and NFR were always higher than rates in the bulk sediment. In particular, nitrogen fixation associated with the roots and rhizomes was 41-650-fold higher than in the bulk sediment. Despite the fact that sulphate reduction was elevated on roots and rhizomes compared with bulk sediment, the contribution of plant-associated sulphate reduction to overall sulphate reduction was small (< or =11%). In contrast, nitrogen fixation associated with the roots and rhizomes accounted for 31% and 91% of the nitrogen fixed in the rhizosphere of Z. noltii and S. maritima respectively. In addition, plant-associated nitrogen fixation could supply 37-1,613% of the nitrogen needed by the sulphate-reducing community. Sucrose stimulated nitrogen fixation and sulphate reduction significantly in the root and rhizome compartments of both macrophytes, but not in the bulk sediment.

U.S. Geological Survey research on surrogate measurements for suspended sediment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, John R.; Melis, Theodore S.; Patiño, Eduardo; Larsen, Matthew C.; Topping, David J.; Rasmussen, Patrick P.; Figueroa-Alamo, Carlos

2003-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is evaluating potentially useful surrogate instruments and methods for inferring the physical characteristics of suspended sediments. Instruments operating on bulk acoustic, bulk and digital optic, laser, and pressure-differential technologies are being tested in riverine and laboratory settings for their usefulness to Federal agencies toward providing quantifiably reliable information on bed-material and bed-topography characteristics, and on concentrations, size distributions and transport rates of sediments in suspension and as bedload. The efficacy of four suspended-sediment surrogate technologies has been demonstrated to varying degrees of success in Kansas, Florida, Arizona, and Puerto Rico.

Rare earth elements in the phosphatic-enriched sediment of the Peru shelf

USGS Publications Warehouse

Piper, D.Z.; Baedecker, P.A.; Crock, J.G.; Burnett, W.C.; Loebner, B.J.

1988-01-01

Apatite-enriched materials from the Peru shelf have been analyzed for their major oxide and rare earth element (REE) concentrations. The samples consist of (1) the fine fraction of sediment, mostly clay material, (2) phosphatic pellets and fish debris, which are dispersed throughout the fine-grained sediment, (3) tabular-shaped phosphatic crusts, which occur within the uppermost few centimeters of sediment, and (4) phosphatic nodules, which occur on the seafloor. The bulk REE concentrations of the concretions suggest that these elements are partitioned between the enclosed detrital material and the apatite fraction. Analysis of the fine-grained sediment with which the samples are associated suggested that this detrital fraction in the concretions should have shale REE values; the analysis of the fish debris suggested that the apatite fraction might have seawater values. The seawater contribution of REE's is negligible in the nodules and crust, in which the apatite occurs as a fine-grained interstitial cement. That is, the concentration of REE's and the REE patterns are predominantly a function of the amount of enclosed fine-grained sediment. By contrast, the REE pattern of the pelletal apatite suggests a seawater source and the absolute REE concentrations are relatively high. The REE P2O5 ratios of the apatite fraction of these samples thus vary from approximately zero (in the case of the crust and nodules) to as much as approximately 1.2 ?? 10-3 (in the case of the pellets). The range of this ratio suggests that rather subtle variations in the depositional environment might cause a significant variation in the REE content of this authigenic fraction of the sediment. Pelletal glauconite was also recovered from one sediment core. Its REE concentrations closely resemble those of the fish debris. ?? 1988.

Physical properties of sediments from Keathley Canyon and Atwater Valley, JIP Gulf of Mexico gas hydrate drilling program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winters, W.J.; Dugan, Brandon; Collett, T.S.

2008-01-01

Physical property measurements and consolidation behavior are different between sediments from Atwater Valley and Keathley Canyon in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Void ratio and bulk density of Atwater Valley sediment from a seafloor mound (holes ATM1 and ATM2) show little effective stress (or depth) dependence to 27 meters below seafloor (mbsf), perhaps owing to fluidized transport through the mound itself with subsequent settling onto the seafloor or mound flanks. Off-mound sediments (hole AT13-2) have bulk physical properties that are similar to mound sediments above 27 mbsf, but void ratio and porosity decrease below that depth. Properties of shallow (<50 mbsf) Keathley Canyon sediments (KC151-3) change with increasing effective stress (or depth) compared to Atwater Valley, but vary little below that depth. Organic carbon is present in concentrations between typical near-shore and deep-sea sediments. Organic carbon-to-nitrogen ratios suggest that the organic matter contained in Atwater Valley off-mound and mound sites came from somewhat different sources. The difference in organic carbon-to-nitrogen ratios between Atwater Valley and Keathley Canyon is more pronounced. At Keathley Canyon a more terrigenous source of the organic matter is indicated. Grain sizes are typically silty clay or clay within the two basins reflecting similar transport energy. However, the range in most shallow sediment properties is significantly different between the two basins. Bulk density profiles agree with logging results in Atwater Valley and Keathley Canyon. Agreement between lab-derived and logging-derived properties supports using logging data to constrain bulk physical properties where cores were not collected.

Speciation of strontium in particulates and sediments from the Mississippi River mixing zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yingfeng; Marcantonio, Franco

2004-06-01

Sequential extractions were performed on small amounts of particulate and sediment samples (6 to10 mg) from the Mississippi River mixing zone. The leachates were analyzed for Sr concentration and 87Sr/ 86Sr isotope ratio. Mn and Fe contents were also measured as their oxyhydroxides are potential carrier phases for Sr. The largest fraction of Sr in the solid phase (particulates and sediments) was found to be present in the residual, refractory fraction (>70% of total). By comparison with the corresponding sediment, particulates appear to have higher concentrations of nonresidual, labile Sr (30% vs. 15%). Carbonate components seem to play an important role as carriers for labile Sr in particulates and sediments. Changes in the composition and content of the solid phase may significantly modify both the 87Sr/ 86Sr isotope ratio of the total labile fractions and that of the bulk components. However, such modifications, under normal conditions, exert little measurable influence on the Sr isotope composition of the dissolved phase.

A recent history of metal accumulation in the sediments of Rijeka harbor, Adriatic Sea, Croatia.

PubMed

Cukrov, Neven; Frančišković-Bilinski, Stanislav; Hlača, Bojan; Barišić, Delko

2011-01-01

We studied metal pollution in the sediments of Rijeka harbor, including anthropogenic influence during recent decades and at the present time. Sediment profiles were collected at ten sampling points. The concentrations of 63 elements in bulk sediment were obtained using ICP-MS, and the concentrations of selected elements were evaluated by statistical factor analyses. We also calculated metal-enrichment factors and geoaccumulation indices and constructed spatial-distribution maps. Mercury (Hg) was the heaviest pollutant, with concentrations exceeding 4 mg/kg. Silver (Ag) was the second most important pollutant, with constantly increasing values. The average concentrations of the most toxic elements were comparable to those found in sediments of other ports throughout the world, and their toxicity ranged from threshold values [chromium (Cr), arsenic (As)] and midrange-effect values [cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni)] to extreme-effect values (Hg). Metal pollution has decreased during recent decades, except for Ag and barium (Ba). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of bottom trawling on deep-sea sediment properties along the flanks of a submarine canyon.

PubMed

Martín, Jacobo; Puig, Pere; Masqué, Pere; Palanques, Albert; Sánchez-Gómez, Anabel

2014-01-01

The offshore displacement of commercial bottom trawling has raised concerns about the impact of this destructive fishing practice on the deep seafloor, which is in general characterized by lower resilience than shallow water regions. This study focuses on the flanks of La Fonera (or Palamós) submarine canyon in the Northwestern Mediterranean, where an intensive bottom trawl fishery has been active during several decades in the 400-800 m depth range. To explore the degree of alteration of surface sediments (0-50 cm depth) caused by this industrial activity, fishing grounds and control (untrawled) sites were sampled along the canyon flanks with an interface multicorer. Sediment cores were analyzed to obtain vertical profiles of sediment grain-size, dry bulk density, organic carbon content and concentration of the radionuclide 210Pb. At control sites, surface sediments presented sedimentological characteristics typical of slope depositional systems, including a topmost unit of unconsolidated and bioturbated material overlying sediments progressively compacted with depth, with consistently high 210Pb inventories and exponential decaying profiles of 210Pb concentrations. Sediment accumulation rates at these untrawled sites ranged from 0.3 to 1.0 cm y-1. Sediment properties at most trawled sites departed from control sites and the sampled cores were characterized by denser sediments with lower 210Pb surface concentrations and inventories that indicate widespread erosion of recent sediments caused by trawling gears. Other alterations of the physical sediment properties, including thorough mixing or grain-size sorting, as well as organic carbon impoverishment, were also visible at trawled sites. This work contributes to the growing realization of the capacity of bottom trawling to alter the physical properties of surface sediments and affect the seafloor integrity over large spatial scales of the deep-sea.

Impact of Bottom Trawling on Deep-Sea Sediment Properties along the Flanks of a Submarine Canyon

PubMed Central

Martín, Jacobo; Puig, Pere; Masqué, Pere; Palanques, Albert; Sánchez-Gómez, Anabel

2014-01-01

The offshore displacement of commercial bottom trawling has raised concerns about the impact of this destructive fishing practice on the deep seafloor, which is in general characterized by lower resilience than shallow water regions. This study focuses on the flanks of La Fonera (or Palamós) submarine canyon in the Northwestern Mediterranean, where an intensive bottom trawl fishery has been active during several decades in the 400–800 m depth range. To explore the degree of alteration of surface sediments (0–50 cm depth) caused by this industrial activity, fishing grounds and control (untrawled) sites were sampled along the canyon flanks with an interface multicorer. Sediment cores were analyzed to obtain vertical profiles of sediment grain-size, dry bulk density, organic carbon content and concentration of the radionuclide 210Pb. At control sites, surface sediments presented sedimentological characteristics typical of slope depositional systems, including a topmost unit of unconsolidated and bioturbated material overlying sediments progressively compacted with depth, with consistently high 210Pb inventories and exponential decaying profiles of 210Pb concentrations. Sediment accumulation rates at these untrawled sites ranged from 0.3 to 1.0 cm y−1. Sediment properties at most trawled sites departed from control sites and the sampled cores were characterized by denser sediments with lower 210Pb surface concentrations and inventories that indicate widespread erosion of recent sediments caused by trawling gears. Other alterations of the physical sediment properties, including thorough mixing or grain-size sorting, as well as organic carbon impoverishment, were also visible at trawled sites. This work contributes to the growing realization of the capacity of bottom trawling to alter the physical properties of surface sediments and affect the seafloor integrity over large spatial scales of the deep-sea. PMID:25111298

Late Quaternary Environmental Changes Inferred from the stable Oxygen Isotope Composition of Aquatic Insects (Chironomidae: Diptera) and Stable Hydrogen Isotope Composition of bulk sediments from Idavain Lake, Southwest Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Finney, B.; Wooller, M. J.

2007-12-01

Several techniques are available to examine the isotopic composition of historic lake waters, providing data that can subsequently be used to examine environmental changes. Recently-developed techniques are the stable oxygen isotope analysis of subfossil chironomid (Diptera: Chironomidae) head capsules (mostly chitin) preserved in lake sediments and stable hydrogen isotope analyses directly on bulk sediments. An advantage of using δ18O of chironomids is that the chitinous chironomid headcapsules preserve well in lake sediments, retaining the stable oxygen isotope signature of the lake in which they lived. An advantage of δD analyses of bulk sediments is that a sediment core can be analyzed relatively easily and when the %C (total organic carbon) and %H profiles correlate the data can be used to infer past δD changes of the organics in the sediments. We present results from these analyses of a lake sediment core from Idavain Lake (58°46'N, 155°57'W, 223m above sea level) in southwest Alaska in concert with other paleolimnological proxies, including δ15N, δ13C, LOI, magnetic susceptibility, organic content and opal concentrations for a better understanding of paleolimnological changes since deglaciation for the region. Our preliminilary result shows that downcore shifts of δ18O analyzed from chironomid head capsules coincide well with LOI and pollen changes. The δD of sediments and TOM showed large magnitude changes and reflected the relative lake level changes during the record. This study aim to test the correlation between stable isotope analyese on chiornomid head capsules, lake water, and bulk sediments. In the addition, our study will add to the relatively small database of paleoenvironmental reconstructions from terrestrial sites in Southwest Alaska.

Remanence of lead pollution in an urban river system: a multi-scale temporal and spatial study in the Seine River basin, France.

PubMed

Ayrault, S; Le Pape, P; Evrard, O; Priadi, C R; Quantin, C; Bonté, P; Roy-Barman, M

2014-03-01

Total lead (Pb) concentration and Pb isotopic ratio ((206)Pb/(20)7Pb) were determined in 140 samples from the Seine River basin (France), covering a period of time from 1945 to 2011 and including bed sediments (bulk and size fractionated samples), suspended particulate matter (SPM), sediment cores, and combined sewer overflow (CSO) particulate matter to constrain the spatial and temporal variability of the lead sources at the scale of the contaminated Seine River basin. A focus on the Orge River subcatchment, which exhibits a contrasted land-use pattern, allows documenting the relation between hydrodynamics, urbanization, and contamination sources. The study reveals that the Pb contamination due to leaded gasoline that peaked in the 1980s has a very limited impact in the river nowadays. In the upstream Seine River, the isotopic ratio analysis suggests a pervasive contamination which origin (coal combustion and/or gasoline lead) should be clarified. The current SPM contamination trend follows the urbanization/industrialization spatial trend. Downstream of Paris, the lead from historical use originating from the Rio Tinto mine, Spain ((206)Pb/(207)Pb=1.1634 ± 0.0001) is the major Pb source. The analysis of the bed sediments (bulk and grain size fractionated) highlights the diversity of the anthropogenic lead sources in relation with the diversity of the human activities that occurred in this basin over the years. The "urban" source, defined by waste waters including the CSO samples ((206)Pb/(207)Pb=1.157 ± 0.003), results of a thorough mixing of leaded gasoline with "historical" lead over the years. Finally, a contamination mixing scheme related to hydrodynamics is proposed.

Spatial variability of shelf sediments in the STRATAFORM natural laboratory, Northern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goff, J.A.; Wheatcroft, R.A.; Lee, H.; Drake, D.E.; Swift, D.J.P.; Fan, S.

2002-01-01

The "Correlation Length Experiment", an intensive box coring effort on the Eel River shelf (Northern California) in the summer of 1997, endeavored to characterize the lateral variability of near-surface shelf sediments over scales of meters to kilometers. Coring focused on two sites, K60 and S60, separated by ??? 15 km along the 60 m isobath. The sites are near the sand-to-mud transition, although K60 is sandier owing to its proximity to the Eel River mouth. Nearly 140 cores were collected on dip and strike lines with core intervals from < 10m to 1 km. Measurements on each core included bulk density computed from gamma-ray attenuation, porosity converted from resistivity measurements, and surficial grain size. Grain size was also measured over the full depth range within a select subset of cores. X-radiograph images were also examined. Semi-variograms were computed for strike, dip, and down-hole directions at each site. The sand-to-mud transition exerts a strong influence on all measurements: on average, bulk density increases and porosity decreases with regional increases in mean grain size. Analysis of bulk density measurements indicates very strong contrasts in the sediment variability at K60 and S60. No coherent bedding is seen at K60; in the strike direction, horizontal variability is "white" (fully uncorrelated) from the smallest scales examined (a few meters) to the largest (8 km), with a variance equal to that seen within the cores. In contrast, coherent bedding exists at S60 related to the preservation of the 1995 flood deposit. A correlatable structure is found in the strike direction with a decorrelation distance of ??? 800 m, and can be related to long-wavelength undulations in the topography and/or thickness of the flood layer or overburden. We hypothesize that the high degree of bulk density variability at K60 is a result of more intense physical reworking of the seabed in the sandier environment. Without significant averaging, the resistivity-based porosity measurements are only marginally correlated to gamma-ray-bulk density measurements, and are largely independent of mean grain size. Furthermore, porosity displays a high degree of incoherent variability at both sites. Porosity, with a much smaller sample volume than bulk density, may therefore resolve small-scale biogenic variability which is filtered out in the bulk density measurement. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incorporating Contaminant Bioavailability into Sediment Quality Assessment Frameworks

EPA Science Inventory

The recently adopted sediment quality assessment framework for evaluating bay and estuarine sediments in the State of California incorporates bulk sediment chemistry as a key line of evidence(LOE) but does not address the bioavailability of measured contaminants. Thus, the chemis...

Estimation of different source contributions to sediment organic matter in an agricultural-forested watershed using end member mixing analyses based on stable isotope ratios and fluorescence spectroscopy.

PubMed

Derrien, Morgane; Kim, Min-Seob; Ock, Giyoung; Hong, Seongjin; Cho, Jinwoo; Shin, Kyung-Hoon; Hur, Jin

2018-03-15

The two popular source tracing tools of stable isotope ratios (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to estimate the relative source contributions to sediment organic matter (SeOM) at five different river sites in an agricultural-forested watershed (Soyang Lake watershed), and their capabilities for the source assignment were compared. Bulk sediments were used for the stable isotopes, while alkaline extractable organic matter (AEOM) from sediments was used to obtain fluorescent indices for SeOM. Several source discrimination indices were fully compiled for a range of the SeOM sources distributed in the catchments of the watershed, which included soils, forest leaves, crop (C3 and C4) and riparian plants, periphyton, and organic fertilizers. The relative source contributions to the river sediment samples were estimated via end member mixing analysis (EMMA) based on several selected discrimination indices. The EMMA based on the isotopes demonstrated that all sediments were characterized by a medium to a high contribution of periphyton ranging from ~30% to 70% except for one site heavily affected by forest and agricultural fields with relatively high contributions of terrestrial materials. The EMMA based on fluorescence parameters, however, did not show similar results with low contributions from forest leaf and periphyton. The characteristics of the studied watershed were more consistent with the source contributions determined by the isotope ratios. The discrepancy in the EMMA capability for source assignments between the two analytical tools can be explained by the limited analytical window of fluorescence spectroscopy for non-fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) and the inability of AEOM to represent original bulk particulate organic matter (POM). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial Trends and Variability of Vertical Accretion Rates in the Barataria Basin, Louisiana, U.S.A. using Pb-210 and Cs-137 radiochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrull, S.; Wilson, C.; Snedden, G.; Bentley, S. J.

2017-12-01

Barataria Basin on the south Louisiana coast is experiencing some of the greatest amounts of coastal land loss in the United States with rates as high as 23.1 km2 lost per year. In an attempt to help slow or reverse land loss, millions of dollars are being spent to create sediment diversions to increase the amount of available inorganic sediments to these vulnerable coastal marsh areas. A better understanding of the spatial trends and patterns of background accretion rates needs to be established in order to effectively implement such structures. Core samples from 25 Coastwide Reference Monitoring System (CRMS) sites spanning inland freshwater to coastal saline areas within the basin were extracted, and using vertical accretion rates from Cs-137 & Pb-210 radionuclide detection, mineral versus organic sediment composition, grain size distribution, and spatial trends of bulk densities, the controls on the accretion rates of the marsh soils will be constrained. Initial rates show a range from 0.31 cm/year to 1.02 cm/year with the average being 0.79 cm/year. Preliminary results suggest that location and proximity to an inorganic sediment source (i.e. river/tributary or open water) have a stronger influence on vertical accretion rates than marsh classification and salinity, with no clear relationship between vertical accretion and salinity. Down-core sediment composition and bulk density analyses observed at a number of the sites likely suggest episodic sedimentation and show different vertical accretion rates through time. Frequency and length of inundation (i.e. hydroperiod), and land/marsh classification from the CRMS data set will be further investigated to constrain the spatial variability in vertical accretion for the basin.

Fractionation of surface sediment fines based on a coupled sieve-SPLITT (split flow thin cell) method.

PubMed

Coppola, Laurent; Gustafsson, Orjan; Andersson, Per; Axelsson, Pär

2005-05-01

In traditional sediment grain-size separation using sieve technique, the bulk of the organic matter passes through the smallest mesh size (generally 38 microm) and is not further fractionated. In this study, a common sieve separation has therefore been coupled with an extra high capacity split flow thin cell fractionation (EHC-SPLITT) instrument to separate the bulk surface sediment not only into size-based sieve fractions (> 100, 63-100, 38-63 and < 38 microm) but particularly to further fractionate hydrodynamically the fine fraction (< 38 microm) using the EHC-SPLITT. Compared to the few previous studies using a smaller high capacity (HC) SPLITT cell, the EHC-SPLITT evaluated in detail here has several advantages (e.g., 23 times higher throughput and allowance for large particle diameters). First, the EHC-SPLITT was calibrated with particle standards. Then, its ability to fractionate fine surface sediments hydrodynamically was demonstrated with material from biogeochemically distinct regimes using two cutoff velocities (1 and 6 m d(-1)). The results from particle standards indicated a good agreement between theory and experiment and a satisfactory mass recovery for the sieve-SPLITT method (80-97%) was observed for sediment samples. The mass distributions revealed that particles < 38 microm were predominant (70-90%), indicating the large need for a technique such as the EHC-SPLITT to further fractionate the fine particles. There were clearly different compositions in the EHC-SPLITT-mediated sub-fractions of the sediment fines as indicated by analyses of organic and inorganic parameters (POC, Si, Fe and Al). The EHC-SPLITT technique has the potential to provide information of great utility to studies of benthic boundary layer transport and off-shelf export and how such processes fractionate geochemical signals.

The effects of trawling on the properties of surface sediments in the Lagoon of Venice, Italy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aspden, R.; Vardy, S.; Perkins, R.; Davidson, I.; Paterson, D. M.

2003-04-01

The effects of trawling for clams in two differently impacted areas of the Lagoon of Venice were investigated. The Lagoon has an area of 55,000 hectares and the trawling of clams (Tapes phippinarum) has important socio-economic and environmental implications for the area. Bottom trawling has been shown to have large disruptive effects on the structure of benthic communities but the relationship of this to the stability and structure of the surface sediments is still unclear. The sediment stability, grain size, bulk and colloidal carbohydrate content, total organic carbon, chlorophyll a content, and sediment dry bulk density were measured in order to determine the effects of dredging on the physical and biological properties of the lagoon surface sediments. The sediments were more stable at the less impacted site and biological measurements from the same site indicated a relatively low capacity for biogenic stabilisation of sediments. Measurements were taken before and after trawling had occurred. At the less impacted site all biological properties were significantly different before and after the disturbance event, the only physical property to be significantly different was water content. At the highly impacted site the disturbance event had only a small effect on the biological and physical properties of the sediments. Only chlorophyll a content was significantly different before and after the trawl. The results suggest that frequent trawling of the lagoon will reduce the stability of the surface sediments due to the effects on the bulk strength of the sediments and on the biological status of the surface sediments.

Spatial and Temporal Variations in Diatoms from la Chaine des Lacs Urban Watershed, Nord-Pas France, in Relation to Water Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noble, P. J.; Van de Vijver, B.; Verleyen, E.; Prygiel, J.; Ivanovsky, A.; Lesven, L.; Billon, G.

2016-12-01

Diatom analysis was conducted on lake sediments in la Chaîne des Lacs (CDL), a shallow eutrophic urban park and storm control system in Villeneuve d'Ascq, France, to address both the present day water quality, and the evolution of this urban system over its 40 year history. The main lake, Lac du Héron (LDH), received recent attention because of water quality problems, including eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, and invasion by the macrophyte Elodea in 2012. A total of 17 sites were collected in CDL, 11 of which were in LDH, to document spatial variability, and a 26cm long core addresses historical changes. The bulk of the diatom assemblage in LDH can be classified as both eutrophic and moderately metal tolerant, using modern national diatom indices developed and used by the French regional water agencies. Surface sediment samples within LDH show large spatial variations in %Cocconeis placentula whose habitat is epiphytic growth on Elodea. Other variation is reflected in the phytoplankton composition both spatially, and interannually. Aulacoseira muzzanensis and Cyclostephanos dubius showed greater abundance in the open water habitats in LDH, whereas sites in CDL outside of LDH had greater Cyclotella meneghiniana. Temporally, Stephanodicsus (largely S. hantzschii), the dominant diatom in early spring, were present in greater abundances in the 2016 surface sediment samples than in any of the 2015 samples. One possible explanation is that the 2016 samples, taken March 30th, preferentially preserved the early spring Stephanodiscus bloom, in contrast to the 2015 samples, which were taken in January. The sediment core provides an historical record, where the uppermost 4cm plot with the bulk of the LDH surface samples and contain abundant Cocconeis, 4 -14cm is phytoplankton-rich, largely Cyclostephanos dubius and Aulacoseira muzzanensis, and represents a less weed-choked environment prior to the 2012 Elodea invasion. The base of the core is dominated by Amphora and Rhoicosphenia abbreviata, is most similar to an outlier site on the Marque River, and represents early conditions after the reservoir was established. Continued work will focus on relating these results to urban development, improvements of the sewage system, and meteorological patterns.

River-plume sedimentation and 210Pb/7Be seabed delivery on the Mississippi River delta front

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, Gregory; Bentley, Samuel J.; Georgiou, Ioannis Y.; Maloney, Jillian; Miner, Michael D.; Xu, Kehui

2017-06-01

To constrain the timing and processes of sediment delivery and submarine mass-wasting events spanning the last few decades on the Mississippi River delta front, multi-cores and gravity cores (0.5 and <3 m length respectively) were collected seaward of the Mississippi River Southwest Pass in 25-75 m water depth in 2014. The cores were analyzed for radionuclide activity (7Be, 210Pb, 137Cs), grain size, bulk density, and fabric (X-radiography). Core sediments are faintly bedded, sparsely bioturbated, and composed mostly of clay and fine silt. Short-term sedimentation rates (from 7Be) are 0.25-1.5 mm/day during river flooding, while longer-term accumulation rates (from 210Pb) are 1.3-7.9 cm/year. In most cores, 210Pb activity displays undulatory profiles with overall declining activity versus depth. Undulations are not associated with grain size variations, and are interpreted to represent variations in oceanic 210Pb scavenging by river-plume sediments. The 210Pb profile of one gravity core from a mudflow gully displays uniform basal excess activity over a zone of low and uniform bulk density, interpreted to be a mass-failure event that occurred 9-18 years before core collection. Spatial trends in sediment deposition (from 7Be) and accumulation (from 210Pb) indicate that proximity to the river mouth has stronger influence than local facies (mudflow gully, depositional lobe, prodelta) over the timeframe and seabed depth represented by the cores (<40 years, <3 m length). This may be explained by rapid proximal sediment deposition from river plumes coupled with infrequent tropical cyclone activity near the delta in the last 7 years (2006-2013), and by the location of most sediment failure surfaces (from mass flows indicated by parallel geophysical studies) deeper than the core-sampling depths of the present study.

A sediment ecotoxicity assessment platform for in situ measures of chemistry, bioaccumulation and toxicity. Part 1: System description and proof of concept.

PubMed

Burton, G Allen; Rosen, Gunther; Chadwick, D Bart; Greenberg, Marc S; Taulbee, W Keith; Lotufo, Guilherme R; Reible, Danny D

2012-03-01

In situ-based testing using aquatic organisms has been widely reported, but is often limited in scope and practical usefulness in making decisions on ecological risk and remediation. To provide this capability, an integrated deployment system, the Sediment Ecotoxicity Assessment (SEA) Ring was developed, which incorporates rapid in situ hydrological, chemical, bioaccumulation, and toxicological Lines-of-Evidence (LoE) for assessing sediment and overlying water contamination. The SEA Ring system allows for diver-assisted, or diverless, deployment of multiple species of ecologically relevant and indigenous organisms in three different exposures (overlying water, sediment-water interface, and bulk sediment) for periods ranging from two days to three weeks, in a range of water systems. Measured endpoints were both sublethal and lethal effects as well as bioaccumulation. In addition, integrated passive sampling devices for detecting nonpolar organics (solid phase micro-extraction fibers) and metals (diffusive gradients in thin films) provided gradient measures in overlying waters and surficial sediments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbon-13 natural abundance signatures of long-chain fatty acids to determinate sediment origin: A case study in northeast Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mabit, Lionel; Gibbs, Max; Meusburger, Katrin; Toloza, Arsenio; Resch, Christian; Klik, Andreas; Swales, Andrew; Alewell, Christine

2016-04-01

- Several recently published information from scientific research have highlighted that compound-specific stable isotope (CSSI) signatures of fatty acids (FAs) based on the measurement of carbon-13 natural abundance signatures showed great promises to identify sediment origin. The authors have used this innovative isotopic approach to investigate the sources of sediment in a three hectares Austrian sub-watershed (i.e. Mistelbach). Through a previous study using the Cs-137 technique, Mabit et al. (Geoderma, 2009) reported a local maximum sedimentation rate reaching 20 to 50 t/ha/yr in the lowest part of this watershed. However, this study did not identify the sources. Subsequently, the deposited sediment at its outlet (i.e. the sediment mixture) and representative soil samples from the four main agricultural fields - expected to be the source soils - of the site were investigated. The bulk delta carbon-13 of the samples and two long-chain FAs (i.e. C22:0 and C24:0) allowed the best statistical discrimination. Using two different mixing models (i.e. IsoSource and CSSIAR v1.00) and the organic carbon content of the soil sources and sediment mixture, the contribution of each source has been established. Results suggested that the grassed waterway contributed to at least 50% of the sediment deposited at the watershed outlet. This study, that will require further validation, highlights that CSSI and Cs-137 techniques are complementary as fingerprints and tracers for establishing land sediment redistribution and could provide meaningful information for optimized decision-making by land managers.

Source-to-Sink Methods by Hyperspectral Imaging: a Case Study of the Laminated Sediments of Lake Linné (Svalbard).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Exem, A.; Debret, M.; Copard, Y.; Verpoorter, C.; Sorrel, P.; de Wet, G.; Werner, A.; Roof, S.; Laignel, B.; Retelle, M.

2016-12-01

Laminated sediments contained valuable information recorded on a micrometric scale. Information about sediments flux and origins require high-resolution source tracking analysis. Quick and non-destructive, hyperspectral imaging provides contiguous reflectance datasets into 2 dimensions with a spatial resolution of 0.02 mm. Located on the west of the Spitzbergen, Lake Linné is the largest lake in the region. Erosion is mainly driven by glacier fluctuations and three different bedrocks are potential sediment sources. Organic matter (coal) is only found in some carboniferous rocks. Four cores recovered from different parts of the lake contain millimeter scale laminae. Two approaches were compared: (i) measurement of statistical correlations between the sediments and source samples, (ii) extraction of extreme spectral signatures from the VNIR hyperspectral images. Total Organic Carbon (TOC) values of all samples were also given by bulk geochemistry (RE6 ® pyrolyzer). Consequently, the measured similarity between the hyperspectral image and the field samples illustrates the sources contribution within the core. Three sample clusters and three equivalent spectral signatures were found. TOC values from the archive show good correlation (r=0.86, p<0.001, n=73) with the hyperspectral signature relative to TOC content. A least-squares regression (r²=0.74) was used to extrapolate TOC values in order to represent their distribution at 0.02 mm resolution. This is the first source-to-sink study based on imaging spectroscopy. Our results indicate that hyperspectral imagery is a useful tool to (i) identify sediment sources, (ii) perform continuous paleo-environmental reconstruction at high resolution, and (iii) can provide quantitative results (TOC values) validated by destructive analyses.

The lignin component of humic substances: Distribution among soil and sedimentary humic, fulvic, and base-insoluble fractions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ertel, John R.; Hedges, John I.

1984-10-01

Vanillyl, syringyl and cinnamyl phenols occur as CuO oxidation products of humic, fulvic and base-insoluble residual fractions from soils, peat and nearshore marine sediments. However, none of these lignin-derived phenols were released by CuO oxidation of deepsea sediment or its base-extractable organic fractions. Lignin analysis indicated that peat and coastal marine sediments contained significantly higher levels of recognizable vascular plant carbon (20-50%) than soils and offshore marine sediments (0-10%). Although accounting for less than 20% of the total sedimentary (bulk) lignin, lignin components of humic acid fractions compositionally and quantitatively resembled the corresponding bulk samples and baseinsoluble residues. Recognizable lignin, presumably present as intact phenylpropanoid units, accounted for up to 5% of the carbon in peat and coastal humic acids but less than 1% in soil humic acids. Fulvic acid fractions uniformly yielded less lignin-derived phenols in mixtures that were depleted in syringyl and cinnamyl phenols relative to the corresponding humic acid fractions. Within the vanillyl and syringyl families the relative distribution of acidic and aldehydic phenols is a sensitive measure of the degree of oxidative alteration of the lignin component The high acid/aldehyde ratios and the low phenol yields of soils and their humic fractions compared to peat and coastal sediments indicate extensive degradation of the lignin source material. Likewise, the progressively higher acid/aldehyde ratios and lower phenol yields along the sequence: plant tissues (plant debris)-humic acids-fulvic acids suggest that this pattern represents the diagenetic sequence for the aerobic degradation of lignin biopolymers.

Effects of sampling methods on the quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter in sediment pore waters as revealed by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy.

PubMed

Chen, Meilian; Lee, Jong-Hyeon; Hur, Jin

2015-10-01

Despite literature evidence suggesting the importance of sampling methods on the properties of sediment pore waters, their effects on the dissolved organic matter (PW-DOM) have been unexplored to date. Here, we compared the effects of two commonly used sampling methods (i.e., centrifuge and Rhizon sampler) on the characteristics of PW-DOM for the first time. The bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption, and excitation-emission matrixes coupled with parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) of the PW-DOM samples were compared for the two sampling methods with the sediments from minimal to severely contaminated sites. The centrifuged samples were found to have higher average values of DOC, UV absorption, and protein-like EEM-PARAFAC components. The samples collected with the Rhizon sampler, however, exhibited generally more humified characteristics than the centrifuged ones, implying a preferential collection of PW-DOM with respect to the sampling methods. Furthermore, the differences between the two sampling methods seem more pronounced in relatively more polluted sites. Our observations were possibly explained by either the filtration effect resulting from the smaller pore size of the Rhizon sampler or the desorption of DOM molecules loosely bound to minerals during centrifugation, or both. Our study suggests that consistent use of one sampling method is crucial for PW-DOM studies and also that caution should be taken in the comparison of data collected with different sampling methods.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kayzar, Theresa M.; Villa, Adam C.; Lobaugh, Megan L.

The uranium concentrations and isotopic compositions of waters, sediment leachates and sediments from Red Rock Creek in the Stanislaus National Forest of California were measured to investigate the transport of uranium from a point source (the Juniper Uranium Mine) to a natural surface stream environment. Furthermore, we alter the (234U)/(238U) composition of Red Rock Creek downstream of the Juniper Mine. As a result of mine-derived contamination, water (234U)/(238U) ratios are 67% lower than in water upstream of the mine (1.114–1.127 ± 0.009 in the contaminated waters versus 1.676 in the clean branch of the stream), and sediment samples have activitymore » ratios in equilibrium in the clean creek and out of equilibrium in the contaminated creek (1.041–1.102 ± 0.007). Uranium concentrations in water, sediment and sediment leachates are highest downstream of the mine, but decrease rapidly after mixing with the clean branch of the stream. Uranium content and compositions of the contaminated creek headwaters relative to the mine tailings of the Juniper Mine suggest that uranium has been weathered from the mine and deposited in the creek. The distribution of uranium between sediment surfaces (leachable fraction) and bulk sediment suggests that adsorption is a key element of transfer along the creek. In clean creek samples, uranium is concentrated in the sediment residues, whereas in the contaminated creek, uranium is concentrated on the sediment surfaces (~70–80% of uranium in leachable fraction). Furthermore, contamination only exceeds the EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) for drinking water in the sample with the closest proximity to the mine. Isotopic characterization of the uranium in this system coupled with concentration measurements suggest that the current state of contamination in Red Rock Creek is best described by mixing between the clean creek and contaminated upper branch of Red Rock Creek rather than mixing directly with mine sediment.« less

Spatial and Temporal Variability in Sediment P Distribution and Speciation in Coastal Louisiana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowes, K.; White, J. R.; Maiti, K.

2017-12-01

Excess loading of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) into aquatic systems leads to degradation of water quality and diminished important ecosystem services. In the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM), excess P and N loading has led to a seasonally present hypoxic area with less than 2 mg/L O2 in bottom waters, approximating 26,000 km2 in 2017. A sequential extraction (SEDEX) method was performed on surficial sediments from five different coastal and shelf sites as a function of distance from the Mississippi River mouth in the NGOM. To better quantify temporal variability in P distribution and speciation, samples were collected during both low (August) and high (May) river flow regimes. Sequential extraction techniques have been successful in separating pools of P into exchangeable or loosely sorbed P, Fe-P, Authigenic-P, Detrital-P, and Organic-P. Preliminary results suggest Authigenic-P is approximately 3-6 times more concentrated in NGOM sediments than all other P pools. Fractionation results did not show a consistent trend with sediment depth. Sediment samples had an average moisture content of 58.72% ± 12.06% and an average bulk density of 0.582 ± 0.275 g/cm3. Continued analysis of P speciation and cycling in NGOM sediments is critical in understanding the driving force behind coastal eutrophication and informing effective nutrient management strategies.

The behavior of natural and anthropogenic osmium in Long Island Sound, an urban estuary in the eastern U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Gwyneth; Marcantonio, Franco; Turekian, Karl K.

1997-04-01

The Os concentration and 187Os/ 186Os distributions in surface sediments of Long Island Sound (eastern U.S.) provide a way of determining the sources and estuarine transport of Os. The contribution of anthropogenic Os from sewer outfalls from the New York City region supplies a tracer with a characteristic 187Os/ 186Os of about 1. The Os concentration of the bulk surface sediment increases steeply moving toward New York City in the westernmost Sound and generally follows the concentration of organic carbon. The 187Os/ 186Os ratio of bulk surface sediment increases from west to east in the westernmost part of the Sound and is effectively constant in the central Sound. We interpret these results as indicating that the surface bulk sediments of the Sound contain a low 187Os/ 186Os component, perhaps as a reduced coating associated with organic remains from sewer outfalls. The acid hydrogen peroxide leach fraction has an average 187Os/ 186Os of 9.5 in the central Sound, significantly higher than both the bulk sediment value and the probable sea water value of about 8. The leach fraction in the westernmost part of the traverse is less radiogenic than the central Sound and follows the Os wsotope trend of the bulk sediment. Liquid effluent from a New York City sewer outfall contains 30 pg l -1 of dissolved Os with a 187Os/ 186Os of about 2.5, consistent with its being an end-member of the west-east sediment pattern recorded in the leach fractions of the westernmost cores. The leachable Os from the central Sound predominantly reflects Os in ferromanganese oxyhydroxide coatings from continentally derived sediments with 187Os/ 186Os ratios more radiogenic than seawater. The distribution patterns of anthropogenic and natural Os, with their characteristic isotopic signatures in the Sound, and the insights gained from the behavior of other particle-reactive species, indicates that very little Os in solution may pass through the estuarine gauntlet.

Alteration of organic matter during infaunal polychaete gut passage and links to sediment organic geochemistry. Part I: Amino acids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woulds, Clare; Middelburg, Jack J.; Cowie, Greg L.

2012-01-01

Of the factors which control the quantity and composition of organic matter (OM) buried in marine sediments, the links between infaunal ingestion and gut passage and sediment geochemistry have received relatively little attention. This study aimed to use feeding experiments and novel isotope tracing techniques to quantify amino acid net accumulation and loss during polychaete gut passage, and to link this to patterns of selective preservation and decay in sediments. Microcosms containing either Arenicolamarina or Hediste (formerly Nereis) diversicolor were constructed from defaunated sediment and filtered estuarine water, and maintained under natural temperature and light conditions. They were fed with 13C-labelled diatoms daily for 8 days, and animals were transferred into fresh, un-labelled sediment after ∼20 days. Samples of fauna, microcosm sediment and faecal matter were collected after 8, ∼20 and ∼40 days, and analysed for their bulk isotopic signatures and 13C-labelled amino acid compositions. Bulk isotopic data showed that, consistent with their feeding modes, Hediste assimilated added 13C more quickly, and attained a higher labelling level than Arenicola. Both species retained the added 13C in their biomass even after removal from the food. A principal component analysis of 13C-labelled amino acid mole percentages showed clear differences in composition between the algae, faunal tissues, and sediment plus faecal matter. Further, the two species of polychaete showed different compositions in their tissues. The amino acids phenylalanine, valine, leucine, iso-leucine, threonine and proline showed net accumulation in polychaete tissues. Serine, methionine, lysine, aspartic and glutamic acids and tyrosine were rapidly lost through metabolism, consistent with their presence in easily digestible cell components (as opposed to cell walls which offer physical protection). All sample types (polychaete tissues, sediments and faecal matter) were enriched in labelled glycine. Possible mechanisms for this enrichment include accumulation through inclusion in tissues with long residence times, preferential preservation (i.e. selection against) during metabolism, production from other labelled amino acids during varied metabolic processes, and accumulation in refractory by-products of secondary bacterial production. Overall, similarities were observed between amino-acid decay patterns in faunated microcosms, afaunal controls, and those previously reported in marine sediments. Thus, while polychaete gut passage did produce compound-selective accumulation and losses of certain amino acids in polychaete tissues and faecal matter, the impact of polychaete gut passage on sediment organic geochemistry was difficult to deconvolve from microbial decay. Despite processing large volumes of organic matter, polychaetes may not have distinctive influence on sediment compositions, possibly because metabolic processes concerning amino acids may be broadly similar across a wide range of organisms.

Investigating the Influence of Clay Mineralogy on Stream Bank Erodibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambers, R. K.; Stine, M. B.

2005-12-01

Soil scientists concerned with erosion of agricultural fields and geotechnical engineers concerned with the mechanical behavior of soils under different conditions have both examined the role of clay mineralogy in controlling soil/sediment properties. Fluvial geomorphologists studying stream channel erosion and stability have focused more on the effects of particle-size distribution, vegetation and rooting. The clay mineralogy of bed and bank sediment has the potential to influence cohesiveness and erodibility, however. The goal of this study is to determine the influence of clay mineralogy on the erodibility of natural stream bank sediment, utilizing techniques drawn from pedology and soil mechanics. Bank samples were collected from eleven sites in small watersheds in central and western Virginia. To obtain sediment containing a range of different clay minerals, watersheds with different types of bedrock were chosen for sampling. Rock types included mafic to felsic metamorphic and igneous rocks, shale, sandstone, and limestone. Where stream bank materials were clearly stratified, different layers were sampled separately. X-ray diffraction of the clay-fraction of the sediment indicates the presence of kaolinite, illite, vermiculite, and mixed-layer clay minerals in various abundances in the different samples. Clay content is 9-46%, as determined by the hydrometer method, and textures range from silty clay and silt loam to clay loam and sandy loam. Organic mater contents range from 1-5% by the loss-on-ignition method. Bulk density of intact sediment samples averages 1.5 g/cc. Liquid limits range from 23-41 with one sample having a value of 65; plasticity indices range from 15-22. While these tests predict that the samples would show a range of mechanical behaviors, the channel morphology at the sampling sites was not strikingly different, all having steep cut banks eroded primarily by scour with no evidence of mass movement and most having a width/depth ratio around 4.5. The ASTM pinhole test for identifying dispersive clay soils is being adapted to measure erodibility of intact and remolded sediment samples in the laboratory to look for more subtle differences in behavior under erosive conditions. Factors such as the extent and method of sample compaction are being taken into account in order to standardize the method.

Black Sea nitrogen cycling and the preservation of phytoplankton δ15N signals during the Holocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fulton, James M.; Arthur, Michael A.; Freeman, Katherine H.

2012-06-01

The stable isotopic compositions of bulk, clay-bound, organic, and compound-specific nitrogen were determined for mid to late Holocene Black Sea sediments from a set of box and gravity cores. The data demonstrate that cyanobacterial N2fixation provided ˜55% of phytoplankton-derived N preserved in the top 1-2 cm of the sediments. Prior to widespread agricultural and industrial development in the catchment, N2fixation was more prominent, providing 70-80% of phytoplankton N. Organic and clay-bound nitrogen fractions record different down-coreδ15N trends that reflect phytoplankton and detrital sources, respectively, and in samples with low organic matter content, the clay-bound fraction comprises up to 38% of bulk nitrogen. Compared with bulk samples, pyropheophytina (Pphe a), which is a chlorophyll a (Chl a) degradation product, provides a more accurate record of changing phytoplankton δ15N values during the Holocene. An examination of the δ15NPphe a values in light of published and new estimates of the isotopic difference between biomass and Chl a suggests that most of the preserved Pphe a was derived from eukaryotic algae, not cyanobacteria. We infer from these data that cyanobacterial biomass is rapidly recycled in the photic zone, with 15N-depleted NH4+ released during heterotrophy and assimilated by other phytoplankton. A conceptual model for N2 fixation in the Black Sea is presented, drawing upon water column nutrient and hydrographic data as well as regional climate variability to explain the proposed temporal variability in N2 fixation.

Bioavailability of metals and toxicity identification of the sediment pore waters from Plow Shop Pond, Fort Devens, Massachusetts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jop, K.; Putt, A.; Shepherd, S.

1995-12-31

Plow Shop Pond is a shallow, 30-acre pond located at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. An ecological risk assessment was conducted at Plow Shop Pond as part of a remedial investigation. Preliminary analysis revealed high concentrations of arsenic, copper, chromium, lead, and mercury in the sediment. Therefore, a laboratory testing program was incorporated into this investigation to assess the toxicity of sediments to aquatic organisms. The screening testing program included short-term chronic exposure of Ceriodaphnia dubia to pore waters, 10-day exposures of Chironomus tentans and Hyalella azteca to bulk sediments and a bioaccumulation study with Lumbriculus variegatus. Survival and reproduction of C.more » dubia, growth of amphipods and reproduction of oligochaetes appeared to indicate sediment toxicity at some sites within the pond. Although high concentrations of arsenic, copper, mercury and lead were detected in the whole sediments and pore waters, the response could not be correlated to a particular element. Also, relatively low bioaccumulation of methyl mercury and high uptake of inorganic mercury was established for three sediment samples. To characterize and identify the source of toxicity, a toxicity identification evaluation program using sediments collected at several locations was performed. The pore water from these samples was used for fractionation coupled with a 10-day test using H. azteca. Survival and growth were evaluated as endpoints during the exposures. Partitioning of metals and their bioavailability was influenced primarily by organic carbon and AVS concentration. At least two constituents were responsible for the toxicity.« less

Reevaluation of microplastics extraction efficiency with the aim of Munich Plastic Sediment Separator.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zobkov, Mikhail; Esiukova, Elena; Grave, Aleksei; Khatmullina, Liliya

2017-04-01

Invading of microplastics into marine environment is known as a global ecological threat. Specific density of microplastics can vary significantly depending on a polymer type, technological processes of its production, additives, weathering, and biofouling. Plastic particles can sink or float on the sea surface, but with time, most of drifting plastics become negatively buoyant and sink to the sea floor due to biofouling or adherence of denser particles. As a result, the seabed becomes the ultimate repository for microplastic particles and fibres. A study of microplastics content in aquatic sediments is an important source of information about ways of their migration, sink and accumulation zones. The Munich Plastic Sediment Separator (MPSS), proposed by Imhoff et al. (2012), is considered as the most effective tool for microplastic extraction. However, we observed that the numbers of marine microplastics extracted with this tool from different kinds of bottom sediments were significantly underestimated. We examined the extraction efficiency of the MPSS by adding artificial reference particles (ARPs) to marine sediment sample before the extraction procedure. Extraction was performed by two different methods: the modified NOAA method and using the MPSS. The separation solution with specific density 1.5 g/ml was used. Subsequent cleaning, drying and microscope detection procedures were identical. The microplastics content was determined in supernatant fraction, in the bulk of the extraction solution, in spoil dump fraction of MPSS and in instrument wash-out. While the extraction efficiency from natural sediments of ARPs by the MPSS was really high (100% in most cases), the extraction efficiency of marine microplastics was up to 10 times lower than that obtained with modified NOAA method for the same samples. Less than 40% of the total marine microplastics content has been successfully extracted with the MPSS. Large amounts of marine microplastics were found in the spoil dump and in the bulk solution fractions of the MPSS. Changes in stirring and separation periods had weak impact on the extraction efficiency of ARPs and marine microplastics. Until now, we are unable to find effective working procedures for adequate extraction of marine microplastics with the MPSS. The MPSS was found to be a useful tool for microplastics extraction from large sediment samples for qualitative analysis and to obtain examination specimens. Applying the MPSS for quantitative microplastics analysis requires further testing and elaboration of standardized extraction procedures. The research is supported by the Russian Science Foundation, grant number 15-17-10020 (project MARBLE). Imhof, H. K., Schmid, J., Niessner, R., Ivleva, N. P., Laforsch, C. 2012. A novel, highly efficient method for the separation and quantification of plastic particles in sediments of aquatic environments. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 10(7), 524-537. DOI 10.4319/lom.2012.10.524

Microbiome succession during ammonification in eelgrass bed sediments.

PubMed

Ettinger, Cassandra L; Williams, Susan L; Abbott, Jessica M; Stachowicz, John J; Eisen, Jonathan A

2017-01-01

Eelgrass ( Zostera marina ) is a marine angiosperm and foundation species that plays an important ecological role in primary production, food web support, and elemental cycling in coastal ecosystems. As with other plants, the microbial communities living in, on, and near eelgrass are thought to be intimately connected to the ecology and biology of eelgrass. Here we characterized the microbial communities in eelgrass sediments throughout an experiment to quantify the rate of ammonification, the first step in early remineralization of organic matter, also known as diagenesis, from plots at a field site in Bodega Bay, CA. Sediment was collected from 72 plots from a 15 month long field experiment in which eelgrass genotypic richness and relatedness were manipulated. In the laboratory, we placed sediment samples ( n  = 4 per plot) under a N 2 atmosphere, incubated them at in situ temperatures (15 °C) and sampled them initially and after 4, 7, 13, and 19 days to determine the ammonification rate. Comparative microbiome analysis using high throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes was performed on sediment samples taken initially and at seven, 13 and 19 days to characterize changes in the relative abundances of microbial taxa throughout ammonification. Within-sample diversity of the sediment microbial communities across all plots decreased after the initial timepoint using both richness based (observed number of OTUs, Chao1) and richness and evenness based diversity metrics (Shannon, Inverse Simpson). Additionally, microbial community composition changed across the different timepoints. Many of the observed changes in relative abundance of taxonomic groups between timepoints appeared driven by sulfur cycling with observed decreases in predicted sulfur reducers ( Desulfobacterales ) and corresponding increases in predicted sulfide oxidizers ( Thiotrichales ). None of these changes in composition or richness were associated with variation in ammonification rates. Our results showed that the microbiome of sediment from different plots followed similar successional patterns, which we infer to be due to changes related to sulfur metabolism. These large changes likely overwhelmed any potential changes in sediment microbiome related to ammonification rate. We found no relationship between eelgrass presence or genetic composition and the microbiome. This was likely due to our sampling of bulk sediments to measure ammonification rates rather than sampling microbes in sediment directly in contact with the plants and suggests that eelgrass influence on the sediment microbiome may be limited in spatial extent. More in-depth functional studies associated with eelgrass microbiome will be required in order to fully understand the implications of these microbial communities in broader host-plant and ecosystem functions (e.g., elemental cycling and eelgrass-microbe interactions).

Redox Conditions and Related Color Change in Eastern Equatorial Pacific Sediments: IODP Site U1334

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kordesch, W. E.; Gussone, N. C.; Hathorne, E. C.; Kimoto, K.; Delaney, M. L.

2011-12-01

This study was prompted by a 65 m thick brown-green color change in deep-sea sediments of IODP Site U1334 (0-38 Ma, 4799 m water depth) that corresponds to its equatorial crossing (caused by the Northward movement of the pacific plate). Green sediment is a visual indicator of reducing conditions in sediment due to enhanced organic matter deposition and burial. Here we use geochemical redox indicators to characterize the effect of equatorial upwelling on bottom water. The modern redox signal is captured in porewater profiles (nitrate, manganese, iron, sulfate) while trace metal Enrichment Factors (EF) in bulk sediment (manganese, uranium, molybdenum, rhenium) normalized to the detrital component (titanium) record redox state at burial. To measure export productivity we also measure biogenic barium. Porewater profiles reveal suboxic diagenesis; profiles follow the expected sequence of nitrate, manganese oxide, and iron oxide reduction with increasing depth. Constant sulfate (~28 μM) implies anoxia has not occurred. Bulk sediment Mn EF are enriched (EF > 1) throughout the record (Mn EF = 15-200) while U and Mo enrichment corresponds to green color and equatorial proximity (U EF = 4-19; Mo EF = 0-7). Constant Mn enrichment implies continuous oxygenation. Uranium and Mo enrichment near the equator represents suboxic conditions also seen in the porewater. Low Re concentrations (below detection) provide additional evidence against anoxia. A comparison of Mn EF from total digestions to samples treated with an additional reductive cleaning step distinguishes between Mn-oxides and Mn-carbonates, indicating oxygenated and reducing conditions respectively. Mn-carbonate occurrence agrees with U and Mo EF; conditions were more reducing near the equator. Bio-Ba shows significant variability over this interval (22-99 mmol g-1). Our geochemical results indicate that bottom waters became suboxic at the equator as a result of equatorial upwelling-influenced increases in organic matter sedimentation. Comparison of results to Site U1335 (0-26 Ma, 4327 m water depth) will test the relative importance of equatorial proximity.

Constraining Resurgence through Lake Sediment Paleomagnetism on Resurgent Dome Samosir Island in Toba Caldera, Sumatra, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solada, K.; de Silva, S. L.; Stoner, J. S.; Mucek, A. E.; Reilly, B. T.; Hatfield, R. G.; Pratomo, I.; Bowers, J.; Jamil, R.; Setianto, B.

2017-12-01

Around 74 ka, a supervolcano, Toba Caldera in Sumatra, Indonesia erupted, producing the Youngest Toba Tuff and its associated caldera. After this catastrophic eruption, a lake filled the caldera, sedimentation within the lake occurred, and the process known as resurgence began. Today, the resurgent dome, Samosir Island, is uplifted 700 m above the lake with the upper 100 m composed of these post eruption lake sediments. These sediments and their ages offer insight to the resurgent uplift history. To constrain sediment chronology, we collected discrete paleomagnetic 8 cm3 cubes and 43 radiocarbon samples from 10 sites around the island. Bulk organic carbon 14C ages provide an initial chronostratigraphic framework, which is improved by correlating paleomagnetic signals between site sections. Additionally, nearby marine sediment paleomagnetic records show large amplitude changes in inclination over the past 74 ka, providing a good template to compare the sediment chronology. 27 radiocarbon samples have already been dated, with the oldest dating at 38 ka. However, our radiocarbon and paleomagnetic correlation suggest that this record extends even older. Natural and laboratory magnetizations on discrete samples were studied using alternating field (AF) demagnetization at the Oregon State University P-Mag Lab. Although there is variability in magnetic susceptibility between study sites and natural remanant magnetization intensities are often relatively low ( 10-4 (A/m)), AF demagnetization behavior suggests a primary magnetization is recorded. Characteristic remanent magnetizations are reasonably well-defined using a principal component analysis with maximum angular deviation values < 15°, though stronger samples typically have better resolved magnetizations. Data from 4 sites with 14C ages ranging from 23 ka to 38 ka, show low inclination values, averaging around -5° compared with geocentric axial dipole prediction for the site location of approximately 4°. This is consistent with the negative inclination anomaly associated with this region. These observations and similar patterns between sections suggest that a reliable record is preserved that is suitable for magnetic stratigraphy.

Spatial and temporal variations of Rb/Sr ratios of the bulk surface sediments in Lake Qinghai

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

The Rb/Sr ratios of lake sediments have been suggested as indicators of weathering intensity by increasing work. However, the geochemistry of Rb/Sr ratios of lake sediments is variable between different lakes. In this study, we investigated the spatial and temporal patterns of Rb/Sr ratios, as well as those of other major elements in surface sediments of Lake Qinghai. We find that the spatial pattern of Rb/Sr ratios of the bulk sediments correlates well with that of the mass accumulation rate, and those of the terrigenous fractions, e.g., SiO2, Ti, and Fe. The temporal variations of Rb/Sr ratios also synchronize with those of SiO2, Ti, and Fe of each individual core. These suggest that Rb/Sr ratios of the surface sediments are closely related to terrigenous input from the catchment. Two out of eight cores show similar trends between Rb/Sr ratios and precipitation indices on decadal scales; however, the other cores do not show such relationship. The result of this study suggests that physical weathering and chemical weathering in Lake Qinghai catchment have opposite influence on Rb/Sr ratios of the bulk sediments, and they compete in dominating the Rb/Sr ratios of lake sediments on different spatial and temporal scales. Therefore, it is necessary to study the geochemistry of Rb/Sr ratio of lake sediments (especially that on short term timescales) particularly before it is used as an indicator of weathering intensity of the catchment. PMID:20615264

High-resolution δ13C record of fossil wood and bulk organic matter from a deep Oligocene lacustrine succession, Bach Long Vi Island, Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzi, M.; Schovsbo, N. H.; Fyhn, M. B. W.; Korte, C.

2017-12-01

We present a high-resolution stable isotope record based on bulk organic matter (δ13Corg) and fossil wood (δ13Cwood) originating from Oligocene deep lacustrine sediments cored on the Bach Long Vi Island, northern Gulf of Tonkin, offshore Vietnam. The sediments are exceptionally well preserved. They are thus excellently suited for a detailed stratigraphical analysis of the stable isotope record and as proxy for environmental and climatic changes within this period. The sediments were deposited in rapid subsiding, narrow and elongated fault-bound graben (Fyhn and Phach, 2015) and are represented by deep pelagic lacustrine organic-rich mud interrupted by numerous density-flow deposits (Hovikoski et al., 2016). The density-flow deposits contain abundant fragments of fossil wood. Therefore it was possible to obtain 262 coalified wood fragments together with 1063 bulk organic samples throughout the span of the core. This allowed to establish a high resolution stable C isotope record (δ13Corg and δ13Cwood). In addition 2464 handheld XRF determinations were carried out to further characterize the depositional environment (Rizzi et al., 2017). The organic carbon isotope trend from the 500 m core succession provides insight into the palaeoenvironmental changes of the lake during the Oligocene. Both, global and local factors control the δ13C variations. The aim of the study is to obtain pure global δ13Corg and δ13Cwood signals that would allow comparison of the studied sediments with coeval syn-rift successions in the South China Sea region and other parts of the world. [1] Fyhn and Phach (2015) Tectonics, 34(2): 290-312. [2] Hovikoski et al. (2016) Journal of Sedimentary Research, 86(8): 982-1007. [3] Rizzi et al. (2017) EGU General Assembly Abstract EGU 2017-17584.

The diagenetic behavior of cutin acids in buried conifer needles and sediments from a coastal marine environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goñi, Miguel A.; Hedges, John I.

1990-11-01

Whole green, litter, and sedimentary fir, hemlock, and cedar needles and bulk sediments collected from the Dabob Bay region in Washington state were analyzed for their cutin-derived CuO reaction products. All samples yielded dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid isomers (x,ω-C 16), 16-hydroxyhexa-decanoic acid (ω-C 16), 14-hydroxytetradecanoic acid (ω-C 14), and 18-hydroxyoctadec-9-enoic acid (ω-C 18: 1) as the major cutin acids. Fir/hemlock needle mixtures were characterized by a high abundance of the 9,16-dihydroxyhexadecanoic acid positional isomer, while cedar needles produced primarily the 10,16-dihydroxy counterpart. Cutin acids accounted for ~3% of tissue C in green needles, ~4% in needle litter, 0.5-1.5% in sedimentary needles, and about 0.1% of the organic carbon (OC) in bulk sediments. Approximately 80% of the original cutin acids in fresh green needles were lost from the deepest (~100 years old) sedimentary tissues. Cutin was more reactive than lignin and polysaccharides, but more stable than the cyclitol components of the same needles. Comparative diagenetic losses of the individual cutin acids were not uniform and suggest that additional hydroxy groups and the presence of C double bonds both increase overall reactivity. The relative stability series derived for all the molecular constituents measured is: total vanillyl phenols > total P- hydroxy phenols, ferulic acid, most aldoses, bulk organic matter > mannose, ω-C 14, ω-C 16 ⩾ ω-C 18:1 > glucose, p- coumaric acid, x, ω-C 16 > all cyclitols. Diagenetically induced changes in the various cutin parameters used to characterize nonwoody vascular plant tissues were not large enough to confuse degraded conifer tissues with other cutin sources. Based on these trends, the finely disseminated cutin-bearing tissues in Dabob Bay sediments appear to be comprised approximately of equal amounts of highly degraded fir/hemlock and cedar needle fragments. According to this estimate, nonwoody vascular plant debris accounted for roughly 15% of the total organic matter present in these sediments.

Combining sediment fingerprinting and a conceptual model for erosion and sediment transfer to explore sediment sources in an Alpine catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, A.; Stutenbecker, L.; Anghileri, D.; Bakker, M.; Lane, S. N.; Molnar, P.; Schlunegger, F.

2017-12-01

In Alpine basins, sediment production and transfer is increasingly affected by climate change and human activities, specifically hydropower exploitation. Changes in sediment sources and pathways significantly influence basin management, biodiversity and landscape evolution. We explore the dynamics of sediment sources in a partially glaciated and highly regulated Alpine basin, the Borgne basin, by combining geochemical fingerprinting with the modelling of erosion and sediment transfer. The Borgne basin in southwest Switzerland is composed of three main litho-tectonic units, which we characterised following a tributary-sampling approach from lithologically characteristic sub-basins. We analysed bulk geochemistry using lithium borate fusion coupled with ICP-ES, and we used it to discriminate the three lithologic sources using statistical methods. Finally, we applied a mixing model to estimate the relative contributions of the three sources to the sediment sampled at the outlet. We combine results of the sediment fingerprinting with simulations of a spatially distributed conceptual model for erosion and transport of fine sediment. The model expresses sediment erosion by differentiating the contributions of erosional processes driven by erosive rainfall, snowmelt, and icemelt. Soil erodibility is accounted for as function of land-use and sediment fluxes are linearly convoluted to the outlet by sediment transfer rates for hillslope and river cells, which are a function of sediment connectivity. Sediment connectivity is estimated on the basis of topographic-hydraulic connectivity, flow duration associated with hydropower flow abstraction and permanent storage in hydropower reservoirs. Sediment fingerprinting at the outlet of the Borgne shows a consistent dominance (68-89%) of material derived from the uppermost, highly glaciated reaches, while contributions of the lower part (10-25%) and middle part (1-16%), where rainfall erosion is predominant, are minor. This result is confirmed by the model simulation which shows that, despite the large flow abstraction (about 90%), the upstream reaches contribute the most of the sediments. This study shows how combining geochemical techniques and sediment erosion models provides insight in the dynamics of sediment sources.

He, Ne and Ar systematics in single vesicles: Mantle isotopic ratios and origin of the air component in basaltic glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raquin, Aude; Moreira, Manuel Alexis; Guillon, Fabien

2008-09-01

An outstanding problem in understanding the origin of the gaseous phase, particularly the rare gas compositions in magmatic rocks, is the ubiquitous atmospheric component in bulk rock samples, and whether this atmospheric component is a late stage contamination of the sample, or a recycled component though sediments or altered oceanic crust. In the present study we address this problem by analyzing single vesicles from the "popping rock 2∏D43" sample from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge using a UV laser ablation system. We have determined both elemental and isotopic compositions of He, Ne and Ar in single vesicles as well as Kr and Xe abundances. All vesicles analyzed have an isotopic composition identical to the referred degassed mantle value estimated from this same sample, despite analyzing vesicles from a wide size distribution. The atmospheric component, which is always detected in bulk samples by crushing or heating, was not detected in the single vesicles. This implies that the recycling of atmospheric noble gases in the mantle cannot explain the air-like component of this sample. The addition of the atmospheric component must occur either during the eruption, or after sample recovery.

Gas content and composition of gas hydrate from sediments of the southeastern North American continental margin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lorenson, T.D.; Collett, T.S.

2000-01-01

Gas hydrate samples were recovered from four sites (Sites 994, 995, 996, and 997) along the crest of the Blake Ridge during Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 164. At Site 996, an area of active gas venting, pockmarks, and chemosynthetic communities, vein-like gas hydrate was recovered from less than 1 meter below seafloor (mbsf) and intermittently through the maximum cored depth of 63 mbsf. In contrast, massive gas hydrate, probably fault filling and/or stratigraphically controlled, was recovered from depths of 260 mbsf at Site 994, and from 331 mbsf at Site 997. Downhole-logging data, along with geochemical and core temperature profiles, indicate that gas hydrate at Sites 994, 995, and 997 occurs from about 180 to 450 mbsf and is dispersed in sediment as 5- to 30-m-thick zones of up to about 15% bulk volume gas hydrate. Selected gas hydrate samples were placed in a sealed chamber and allowed to dissociate. Evolved gas to water volumetric ratios measured on seven samples from Site 996 ranged from 20 to 143 mL gas/mL water to 154 mL gas/mL water in one sample from Site 994, and to 139 mL gas/mL water in one sample from Site 997, which can be compared to the theoretical maximum gas to water ratio of 216. These ratios are minimum gas/water ratios for gas hydrate because of partial dissociation during core recovery and potential contamination with pore waters. Nonetheless, the maximum measured volumetric ratio indicates that at least 71% of the cages in this gas hydrate were filled with gas molecules. When corrections for pore-water contamination are made, these volumetric ratios range from 29 to 204, suggesting that cages in some natural gas hydrate are nearly filled. Methane comprises the bulk of the evolved gas from all sites (98.4%-99.9% methane and 0%-1.5% CO2). Site 996 hydrate contained little CO2 (0%-0.56%). Ethane concentrations differed significantly from Site 996, where they ranged from 720 to 1010 parts per million by volume (ppmv), to Sites 994 and 997, which contained much less ethane (up to 86 ppmv). Up to 19 ppmv propane and other higher homologues were noted; however, these gases are likely contaminants derived from sediment in some hydrate samples. CO2 concentrations are less in gas hydrate than in the surrounding sediment, likely an artifact of core depressurization, which released CO2 derived from dissolved organic carbon (DIC) into sediment. The isotopic composition of methane from gas hydrate ranges from ??13C of -62.5??? to -70.7??? and ??D of -175??? to -200??? and is identical to the isotopic composition of methane from surrounding sediment. Methane of this isotopic composition is mainly microbial in origin and likely produced by bacterial reduction of bicarbonate. The hydrocarbon gases here are likely the products of early microbial diagenesis. The isotopic composition of CO2 from gas hydrate ranges from ??13C of -5.7 to -6.9, about 15??? lighter than CO2 derived from nearby sediment.

Data for calibrating unsteady-flow sediment-transport models, East Fork River, Wyoming, 1975

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mahoney, Holly A.; Andrews, Edmund D.; Emmett, William W.; Leopold, Luna Bergere; Meade, Robert H.; Myrick, Robert M.; Nordin, Carl F.

1976-01-01

In 1975, data to calibrate a one-dimensional unsteady-flow and sediment-transport routing model were collected on a reach of the East Fork River of western Wyoming. The reach, 3.1 miles (5 kilometers) in length, wan immediately upstream from a previously established bedload sampling station. Nineteen channel cross sections were sounded at regular intervals during the spring-runoff period. Four stage recorders provided continuous records of water-surface elevations. Samples of bed material at most of the cross sections were obtained prior to high water. Streamflow and sediment-discharge measurements were collected at four of the sections.The physiography and hydrology of the contributing watershed, the study reach, and the equipment and techniques used in data collection are described briefly. The bulk of the report is a presentation of data for the several-week period of late May to early June 1975, for which concurrent water discharge data, bedload transport and size data, and cross-section depth measurements were collected. In addition, some data collected in 1973 and 1974 and before and after the calibration period in 1975 are included for completeness.

Comparison of bulk sediment and sediment elutriate toxicity testing methods

EPA Science Inventory

Elutriate bioassays are among numerous methods that exist for assessing the potential toxicity of sediments in aquatic systems. In this study, interlaboratory results were compared from 96-hour Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas static-renewal acute toxicity tests conduct...

Mineralogy of Gas Hydrate Bearing Sediment in Green Canyon Block 955 Northern Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heber, R.; Kinash, N.; Cook, A.; Sawyer, D.; Sheets, J.; Johnson, J. E.

2017-12-01

Natural gas hydrates are of interest as a future hydrocarbon source, however, the formation and physical properties of such systems are not fully understood. In May 2017, the University of Texas drilled two holes in Green Canyon Block 955, northern Gulf of Mexico to collect pressurized core from a thick, 100 m accumulation of gas hydrate in a silt dominated submarine canyon levee system. The expedition, known as UT-GOM2-01, collected 21, 10-m pressure cores from Holes H002 and H005. Approximately half of the cores successfully pressurized and were fully recovered. Unsuccessful cores that did not pressurize generally had low core recovery. By analyzing the sediment composition in known gas hydrate reservoirs, we can construct a more detailed picture of how and why gas hydrates accumulate, as mineralogy can affect physical properties such as porosity and permeability as well as geophysical measurements such as resistivity. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) on bulk sediment powders, we determined the bulk mineralogy of the samples. Moreover, we investigated drilling mud contamination using XRD and light optical analysis. In some cores, contamination was easily recognized visually as dense sludge between the core barrel and the recovered sediment core, however drilling mud is best observed both along the liner and interbedded within the sediment on X-ray computed tomography scans. To fully identify the presence and influence of drilling mud, we use XRD to analyze samples on cores collected both while drilling mud was used in hole and when only seawater was used in hole and consider the density anomalies observed on the XCT scans. The preliminary XRD light optical microscopy results show that the silt-dominated reservoir is primarily composed of quartz, with minor alkali feldspar, amphibole, muscovite, dolomite, and calcite. Samples from intervals with suspected drilling mud contamination show a similar composition, but with the addition of barite, a common component in drilling mud. Understanding why contamination occurs will improve the coring process and ensure maximum recovery in the future. The XRD data also show the presence of 7-angstrom clay minerals, most likely chlorite and serpentine, but more analysis is required in order to verify the identification and to establish relative abundances of each mineral.

Provenance of Continental Margin Sediments in the East China Sea, Results from IODP Expedition 346

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, C. H.; Dunlea, A. G.; Murray, R. W.; Tada, R.; Alvarez Zarikian, C. A.

2016-12-01

Sedimentation in the East China Sea (ECS) is driven largely by fluvial and eolian fluxes that are likely influenced by the East Asian Monsoon (EAM). Seasonal shifts and long term trends in the atmospheric and precipitation regimes over Asia are recorded in the inorganic chemistry of the sediment of the ECS and other Asian coastal seas. Changes in the intensity and timing of the EAM over a variety of time scales may impact the relative proportion of fluvial and eolian inputs into the ECS, and perhaps even their individual sources. We utilize bulk sediment recovered from IODP Sites U1428 and U1429 in the ECS during IODP Expedition 346 in 2013 to examine changes in the EAM over the past 400ky. Sites U1428 and U1429 are located in the northernmost portion of the ECS in the Danjo Basin, and are separated by 7.4 km. We present major, trace and rare earth element (REE) data for 83 bulk sediment samples analyzed by ICP-ES and ICP-MS, and interpret this data set using a variety of geochemical approaches in addition to multivariate statistics (Q-mode Factor Analyses, Multiple Linear Regressions) to investigate the provenance of terrigenous material during the Pleistocene. We focus on a suite of nine elements that are associated with terrigenous components (Al, Ti, Sc, Cr, Ni, Zn, Rb, Th, La), and that are expected to reflect potential changes in provenance. At both sites average downhole major element ratios exhibit limited variation, but indicate mixing between multiple compositional sources. Ternary diagrams utilizing La-Th-Sc and Rb-Sc-Zn diagrams suggest crustal mixing between three or more sources including upper continental and mafic inputs. Our multivariate statistical data exploration consistently indicates four statistically robust end members explaining 99% of total data variability when we treat these sites as a combined regional signal. Considering each site separately, the four end members are joined by additional fifth end member at each site; highlighting variation in Cr or Ti depending on the site. Inputs from different upper crustal sources and most likely including refractory sands are the most likely contributors to the bulk sediment. Additional results from further statistical analysis will also be presented.

Chemical and physical properties affecting strontium distribution coefficients of surficial-sediment samples at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Liszewski, M.J.; Rosentreter, J.J.; Miller, Karl E.; Bartholomay, R.C.

2000-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey and Idaho State University, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, conducted a study to determine strontium distribution coefficients (K(d)s) of surficial sediments at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Batch experiments using synthesized aqueous solutions were used to determine K(d)s, which describe the distribution of a solute between the solution and solid phase, of 20 surficial-sediment samples from the INEEL. The K(d)s for the 20 surficial-sediment samples ranged from 36 to 275 ml/g. Many properties of both the synthesized aqueous solutions and sediments used in the experiments also were determined. Solution properties determined were initial and equilibrium concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and strontium, pH and specific conductance, and initial concentrations of potassium and sodium. Sediment properties determined were grain-size distribution, bulk mineralogy, whole-rock major-oxide and strontium and barium concentrations, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area. Solution and sediment properties were correlated with strontium K(d)s of the 20 surficial sediments using Pearson correlation coefficients. Solution properties with the strongest correlations with strontium K(d)s were equilibrium pH and equilibrium calcium concentration correlation coefficients, 0.6598 and -0.6518, respectively. Sediment properties with the strongest correlations with strontium K(d)s were manganese oxide (MnO), BET surface area, and the >4.75-mm-grain-size fraction correlation coefficients, 0.7054, 0.7022, and -0.6660, respectively. Effects of solution properties on strontium K(d)s were interpreted as being due to competition among similarly charged and sized cations in solution for strontium-sorption sites; effects of sediment properties on strontium K(d)s were interpreted as being surface-area related. Multivariate analyses of these solution and sediment properties resulted in r2 values of 0.8071 when all five properties were used and 0.8043 when three properties, equilibrium pH, MnO, and BET surface area, were used.

Investigating uranium distribution in surface sediments and waters: a case study of contamination from the Juniper Uranium Mine, Stanislaus National Forest, CA.

PubMed

Kayzar, Theresa M; Villa, Adam C; Lobaugh, Megan L; Gaffney, Amy M; Williams, Ross W

2014-10-01

The uranium concentrations and isotopic compositions of waters, sediment leachates and sediments from Red Rock Creek in the Stanislaus National Forest of California were measured to investigate the transport of uranium from a point source (the Juniper Uranium Mine) to a natural surface stream environment. The ((234)U)/((238)U) composition of Red Rock Creek is altered downstream of the Juniper Mine. As a result of mine-derived contamination, water ((234)U)/((238)U) ratios are 67% lower than in water upstream of the mine (1.114-1.127 ± 0.009 in the contaminated waters versus 1.676 in the clean branch of the stream), and sediment samples have activity ratios in equilibrium in the clean creek and out of equilibrium in the contaminated creek (1.041-1.102 ± 0.007). Uranium concentrations in water, sediment and sediment leachates are highest downstream of the mine, but decrease rapidly after mixing with the clean branch of the stream. Uranium content and compositions of the contaminated creek headwaters relative to the mine tailings of the Juniper Mine suggest that uranium has been weathered from the mine and deposited in the creek. The distribution of uranium between sediment surfaces (leachable fraction) and bulk sediment suggests that adsorption is a key element of transfer along the creek. In clean creek samples, uranium is concentrated in the sediment residues, whereas in the contaminated creek, uranium is concentrated on the sediment surfaces (∼70-80% of uranium in leachable fraction). Contamination only exceeds the EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) for drinking water in the sample with the closest proximity to the mine. Isotopic characterization of the uranium in this system coupled with concentration measurements suggest that the current state of contamination in Red Rock Creek is best described by mixing between the clean creek and contaminated upper branch of Red Rock Creek rather than mixing directly with mine sediment. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Investigating uranium distribution in surface sediments and waters: a case study of contamination from the Juniper Uranium Mine, Stanislaus National Forest, CA

DOE PAGES

Kayzar, Theresa M.; Villa, Adam C.; Lobaugh, Megan L.; ...

2014-06-07

The uranium concentrations and isotopic compositions of waters, sediment leachates and sediments from Red Rock Creek in the Stanislaus National Forest of California were measured to investigate the transport of uranium from a point source (the Juniper Uranium Mine) to a natural surface stream environment. Furthermore, we alter the (234U)/(238U) composition of Red Rock Creek downstream of the Juniper Mine. As a result of mine-derived contamination, water (234U)/(238U) ratios are 67% lower than in water upstream of the mine (1.114–1.127 ± 0.009 in the contaminated waters versus 1.676 in the clean branch of the stream), and sediment samples have activitymore » ratios in equilibrium in the clean creek and out of equilibrium in the contaminated creek (1.041–1.102 ± 0.007). Uranium concentrations in water, sediment and sediment leachates are highest downstream of the mine, but decrease rapidly after mixing with the clean branch of the stream. Uranium content and compositions of the contaminated creek headwaters relative to the mine tailings of the Juniper Mine suggest that uranium has been weathered from the mine and deposited in the creek. The distribution of uranium between sediment surfaces (leachable fraction) and bulk sediment suggests that adsorption is a key element of transfer along the creek. In clean creek samples, uranium is concentrated in the sediment residues, whereas in the contaminated creek, uranium is concentrated on the sediment surfaces (~70–80% of uranium in leachable fraction). Furthermore, contamination only exceeds the EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) for drinking water in the sample with the closest proximity to the mine. Isotopic characterization of the uranium in this system coupled with concentration measurements suggest that the current state of contamination in Red Rock Creek is best described by mixing between the clean creek and contaminated upper branch of Red Rock Creek rather than mixing directly with mine sediment.« less

A procedure for partitioning bulk sediments into distinct grain-size fractions for geochemical analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barbanti, A.; Bothner, Michael H.

1993-01-01

A method to separate sediments into discrete size fractions for geochemical analysis has been tested. The procedures were chosen to minimize the destruction or formation of aggregates and involved gentle sieving and settling of wet samples. Freeze-drying and sonication pretreatments, known to influence aggregates, were used for comparison. Freeze-drying was found to increase the silt/clay ratio by an average of 180 percent compared to analysis of a wet sample that had been wet sieved only. Sonication of a wet sample decreased the silt/clay ratio by 51 percent. The concentrations of metals and organic carbon in the separated fractions changed depending on the pretreatment procedures in a manner consistent with the hypothesis that aggregates consist of fine-grained organic- and metal-rich particles. The coarse silt fraction of a freeze-dried sample contained 20–44 percent higher concentrations of Zn, Cu, and organic carbon than the coarse silt fraction of the wet sample. Sonication resulted in concentrations of these analytes that were 18–33 percent lower in the coarse silt fraction than found in the wet sample. Sonication increased the concentration of lead in the clay fraction by an average of 40 percent compared to an unsonicated sample. Understanding the magnitude of change caused by different analysis protocols is an aid in designing future studies that seek to interpret the spatial distribution of contaminated sediments and their transport mechanisms.

The equilibrium sedimentation of hyaluronic acid and of two synthetic polymers

PubMed Central

Nichol, L. W.; Ogston, A. G.; Preston, B. N.

1967-01-01

1. The method of equilibrium sedimentation has been investigated as an alternative to osmotic-pressure measurement for determining thermodynamic properties of polymer solutions at relatively high concentrations. 2. The simplifications that must be made in the theoretical treatment are discussed. 3. Measurements have been made on samples of polyethylene glycol, neutralized polymethacrylic acid and hyaluronic acid. With the first and third, values of the `non-ideality coefficients' have been obtained that agree with those obtained from osmotic measurements on the same materials. 4. Evidence has been obtained of the presence in hyaluronic acid preparations of a fraction that has either a lower degree of thermodynamic non-ideality or a higher density increment than the bulk of the sample. This fraction is not protein. ImagesFig. 3.Fig. 4.Fig. 5.Fig. 7.Fig. 8.Fig. 9.Fig. 11.Fig. 12.Fig. 13.Fig. 14. PMID:6029600

QA/QC requirements for physical properties sampling and analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Innis, B.E.

1993-07-21

This report presents results of an assessment of the available information concerning US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) requirements and guidance applicable to sampling, handling, and analyzing physical parameter samples at Comprehensive Environmental Restoration, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) investigation sites. Geotechnical testing laboratories measure the following physical properties of soil and sediment samples collected during CERCLA remedial investigations (RI) at the Hanford Site: moisture content, grain size by sieve, grain size by hydrometer, specific gravity, bulk density/porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, moisture retention, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, and permeability of rocks by flowing air. Geotechnical testing laboratories alsomore » measure the following chemical parameters of soil and sediment samples collected during Hanford Site CERCLA RI: calcium carbonate and saturated column leach testing. Physical parameter data are used for (1) characterization of vadose and saturated zone geology and hydrogeology, (2) selection of monitoring well screen sizes, (3) to support modeling and analysis of the vadose and saturated zones, and (4) for engineering design. The objectives of this report are to determine the QA/QC levels accepted in the EPA Region 10 for the sampling, handling, and analysis of soil samples for physical parameters during CERCLA RI.« less

Formation of natural gas hydrates in marine sediments. Gas hydrate growth and stability conditioned by host sediment properties

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clennell, M.B.; Henry, P.; Hovland, M.; Booth, J.S.; Winters, W.J.; Thomas, M.

2000-01-01

The stability conditions of submarine gas hydrates (methane clathrates) are largely dictated by pressure, temperature, gas composition, and pore water salinity. However, the physical properties and surface chemistry of the host sediments also affect the thermodynamic state, growth kinetics, spatial distributions, and growth forms of clathrates. Our model presumes that gas hydrate behaves in a way analogous to ice in the pores of a freezing soil, where capillary forces influence the energy balance. Hydrate growth is inhibited within fine-grained sediments because of the excess internal phase pressure of small crystals with high surface curvature that coexist with liquid water in small pores. Therefore, the base of gas hydrate stability in a sequence of fine sediments is predicted by our model to occur at a lower temperature, and so nearer to the seabed than would be calculated from bulk thermodynamic equilibrium. The growth forms commonly observed in hydrate samples recovered from marine sediments (nodules, sheets, and lenses in muds; cements in sand and ash layers) can be explained by a requirement to minimize the excess of mechanical and surface energy in the system.

Neutral carbohydrate geochemistry of particulate material in the central equatorial Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernes, Peter J.; Hedges, John I.; Peterson, Michael L.; Wakeham, Stuart G.; Lee, Cindy

Neutral carbohydrate compositions were determined for particulate samples from plankton net tows, shallow floating sediment traps, mid-depth and deep moored sediment traps, and sediment cores collected along a north-south transect in the central equatorial Pacific Ocean during the U.S. JGOFS EqPac program. Total neutral carbohydrate depth profiles and patterns along the transect follow essentially the same trends as bulk and organic carbon (OC) fluxes—attenuating with depth, high near the equator and decreasing poleward. OC-normalized total aldose (TCH 2,O) yields along the transect and with depth do not show any consitent patterns. Relative to a planktonic source, neutral carbohydrate compositions in sediment trap and sediment core samples reflect preferential loss of ribose and storage carbohydrates rich in glucose, and preferential preservation of structural carbohydrates rich in rhamnose, xylose, fucose, and mannose. There is also evidence for an intermediately labile component rich in galactose. It appears that compositional signatures of neutral carbohydrates in sediments are more dependent upon their planktonic source than on any particular diagenetic pathway. Relative to other types of organic matter, neutral carbohydrates are better preserved in calcareous oozes from 12°S to 5°N than in red clays at 9°N based on OC-normalized TCH 2O yields, due to either differing sources or sorption characteristics. Weight per cent glucose generally decreases with increased degradation of organic material in the central equatorial Pacific region. Based on weight per cent glucose, comparisons of samples between Survey I (El Niõn) and Survey II (non-El Niño) indicate that during Survey I, organic material in the epipelagic zone in the northern hemisphere may have undergone more degradation than organic material in the southern hemisphere.

Physical properties of the Nankai inner accretionary prism sediments at Site C0002, IODP Expedition 348.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitamura, M.; Kitajima, H.; Henry, P.; Valdez, R. D., II; Josh, M.; Tobin, H. J.; Saffer, D. M.; Hirose, T.; Toczko, S.; Maeda, L.

2014-12-01

Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Nankai Trough Seismogenic Zone Experiment (NanTroSEIZE) Expedition 348 focused on deepening the existing riser hole at Site C0002 to ~3000 meters below seafloor (mbsf) to access the deep interior of the Miocene inner accretionary prism. This unique tectonic environment, which has never before been sampled in situ by ocean drilling, was characterized through riser drilling, logging while drilling (LWD), mud gas monitoring and sampling, and cuttings and core analysis. Shipboard physical properties measurements including moisture and density (MAD), electrical conductivity, P-wave, natural gamma ray, and magnetic susceptibility measurements were performed mainly on cuttings samples from 870.5 to 3058.5 mbsf, but also on core samples from 2163 and 2204 mbsf. MAD measurements were conducted on seawater-washed cuttings ("bulk cuttings") in two size fractions of >4 mm and 1-4 mm from 870.5 to 3058.5 mbsf, and hand-picked intact cuttings from the >4 mm size fractions within 1222.5-3058.5 mbsf interval. The bulk cuttings show grain density of ~2.7 g/cm3, bulk density of 1.9 g/cm3 to 2.2 g/cm3, and porosity of 50% to 32%. Compared to the values on bulk cuttings, the intact cuttings show almost the same grain density, but higher bulk density and lower porosity, respectively. Combined with the MAD measurements on hand-picked intact cuttings and discrete core samples from previous expeditions, porosity generally decreases from ~60% to ~20% from the seafloor to 3000 mbsf at Site C0002. Electrical conductivity and P-wave velocity on discrete samples, which were prepared from both cuttings and core samples in the depth interval of 1745.5-3058.5 mbsf, range 0.15-0.9 S/m and 1.7-4.5 km/s, respectively. The electrical resistivity on discrete samples is higher than the LWD resistivity data but the overall depth trends are similar. The electrical conductivity and P-wave velocity on discrete samples corrected for in-situ pressure and temperature will be presented. The shipboard physical properties measurements on cuttings are very limited but can be useful with careful treatment and observation.

Isotopic identification of natural vs. anthropogenic lead sources in marine sediments from the inner Ría de Vigo (NW Spain).

PubMed

Álvarez-Iglesias, P; Rubio, B; Millos, J

2012-10-15

San Simón Bay, the inner part of the Ría de Vigo (NW Spain), an area previously identified as highly polluted by Pb, was selected for the application of Pb stable isotope ratios as a fingerprinting tool in subtidal and intertidal sediment cores. Lead isotopic ratios were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry on extracts from bulk samples after total acid digestion. Depth-wise profiles of (206)Pb/(207)Pb, (206)Pb/(204)Pb, (207)Pb/(204)Pb, (208)Pb/(204)Pb and (208)Pb/(207)Pb ratios showed, in general, an upward decrease for both intertidal and subtidal sediments as a consequence of the anthropogenic activities over the last century, or centuries. Waste channel samples from a nearby ceramic factory showed characteristic Pb stable isotope ratios different from those typical of coal and petrol. Natural isotope ratios from non-polluted samples were established for the study area, differentiating sediments from granitic or schist-gneiss sources. A binary mixing model employed on the polluted samples allowed estimating the anthropogenic inputs to the bay. These inputs represented between 25 and 98% of Pb inputs in intertidal samples, and 9-84% in subtidal samples, their contributions varying with time. Anthropogenic sources were apportioned according to a three-source model. Coal combustion-related emissions were the main anthropogenic source Pb to the bay (60-70%) before the establishment of the ceramic factory in the area (in the 1970s) which has since constituted the main source (95-100%), followed by petrol-related emissions. The Pb inputs history for the intertidal area was determined for the 20th century, and, for the subtidal area, the 19th and 20th centuries. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Description and hydrogeologic implications of cored sedimentary material from the 1975 drilling program at the radioactive waste management complex, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rightmire, C.T.

1984-01-01

Samples of sedimentary material from interbeds between basalt flows and from fractures in the flows, taken from two drill cores at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory were analyzed for (1) particle-size dribution, (2) bulk mineralogy, (3) clay mineralogy, (4) cation-exchange capacity, and (5) carbonate content. Thin sections of selected sediment material were made for petrographic examination. Preliminary interpretations indicate that (1) it may be possible to distinguish the various sediment interbeds on the basis of their mineralogy, (2) the presence of carbonate horizons in sedimentary interbeds may be utilized to approximate the time of exposure and the climate while the surface was exposed (which affected the hydrogeologic character of the sediment), and the type and orientation of fracture-filling material may be utilized to determine the mechanism by which fractures were filled. (USGS)

Organic Carbon Release from Groundwater Sediments under Changing Geochemical Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinnacher, R. M.; Bhattacharyya, A.; Fox, P. M.; Nico, P. S.

2016-12-01

Due to climate change, local weather patterns are expected to change, especially with respect to precipitation, the frequency of extreme storm water events, and `drought-like' conditions. This in turn, may affect groundwater recharge, the geochemical conditions in natural groundwater systems, and the chemical and microbiological processes involved in organic matter degradation. Besides the complexity of organic matter structures and local limitations in nutrients, the association of organic carbon with sediment minerals can strongly limit organic matter bioaccessability and degradability. In this study, we investigate how variations in groundwater chemistry, e.g. with respect to dissolved CO2 concentrations, may potentially affect the release of natural organic carbon from groundwater sediments, and render organic matter more bioaccessible. In lab-scale experiments under anaerobic conditions, aquifer sediments from the floodplain of the Colorado River (Rifle, USA) were brought into contact with fresh, organic-carbon free groundwater solutions, at natural or reduced CO2 concentration levels. During the repeated exchange of solutions at two temperature settings (room-temperature and 4 °C), supernatant solutions were characterized in terms of pH, dissolved metal and organic carbon (OC) concentrations, and potential changes in released OC characteristics. Sediment samples were evaluated for possible differences in Fe-speciation before and after the experiment based on EXAFS (bulk Fe K-edge). Preliminary results for 20 exchanges of groundwater solutions show a repeated release of low OC concentrations ( 0.5-2 mg OC/g sediment; 0.05-0.2% of sediment-associated OC) without any apparent depletion in the overall source term over 50 days. After 14 days, room-temperature samples released slightly higher OC concentrations than samples kept at 4 °C. An increase in solution pH, after switching to a `CO2-free' groundwater solution, did not trigger a higher OC release. Last, specific UV absorbance measurements for room-temperature samples suggest changes in released OC characteristics due to repeated solution exchanges. Additional sample characterization is ongoing, with the goal to elucidate potential changes in released OC characteristics over the course of the experiment.

Thermal conductivity of hydrate-bearing sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cortes, Douglas D.; Martin, Ana I.; Yun, Tae Sup; Francisca, Franco M.; Santamarina, J. Carlos; Ruppel, Carolyn D.

2009-01-01

A thorough understanding of the thermal conductivity of hydrate-bearing sediments is necessary for evaluating phase transformation processes that would accompany energy production from gas hydrate deposits and for estimating regional heat flow based on the observed depth to the base of the gas hydrate stability zone. The coexistence of multiple phases (gas hydrate, liquid and gas pore fill, and solid sediment grains) and their complex spatial arrangement hinder the a priori prediction of the thermal conductivity of hydrate-bearing sediments. Previous studies have been unable to capture the full parameter space covered by variations in grain size, specific surface, degree of saturation, nature of pore filling material, and effective stress for hydrate-bearing samples. Here we report on systematic measurements of the thermal conductivity of air dry, water- and tetrohydrofuran (THF)-saturated, and THF hydrate–saturated sand and clay samples at vertical effective stress of 0.05 to 1 MPa (corresponding to depths as great as 100 m below seafloor). Results reveal that the bulk thermal conductivity of the samples in every case reflects a complex interplay among particle size, effective stress, porosity, and fluid-versus-hydrate filled pore spaces. The thermal conductivity of THF hydrate–bearing soils increases upon hydrate formation although the thermal conductivities of THF solution and THF hydrate are almost the same. Several mechanisms can contribute to this effect including cryogenic suction during hydrate crystal growth and the ensuing porosity reduction in the surrounding sediment, increased mean effective stress due to hydrate formation under zero lateral strain conditions, and decreased interface thermal impedance as grain-liquid interfaces are transformed into grain-hydrate interfaces.

Biomarker signatures in sediment cores of Lake Urmia (NW Iran): Potential implications for paleo-climate and paleo-environment reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haghipour, Negar; Eglinton, Timothy Ian; McIntyre, Cameron; Darvishi Khatooni, Javad; Hunziker, Daniela; Mohammadi, Ali

2015-04-01

Lake Urmia, in northwest Iran, is the largest saline lake in the Middle East with a surface area of ~ 5000km2. Historical documents indicate its existence since at least 2000 years BC, and palynological investigation of a 100 m-long core suggest it contains a sedimentary record spanning the last 200 ka. Despite this potential as an archive of paleo-climate and paleo-environmental information, to date there has been no molecular organic geochemical investigation or precise dating of these sediments. As part of an exploratory study, we have analyzed material from 3 recently collected 8 m-long cores from the eastern, western and middle part of the lake, with the aim of gaining insight in to past depositional and environmental conditions from biomarker signatures preserved in Lake Urmia sediments. The main objectives are to 1) constrain major source(s) of organic matter and gain insights into carbon cycle and depositional processes from bulk isotopic (δ13Corg, 14Corg) and molecular information, 2) determine the applicability of molecular proxies (TEX86 index derived from glyceroldialkylglycerol tetraethers, GDGTs, and unsaturation index UK37 based on long chain alkenones) for paleo-temperature reconstruction and 3) reconstruct the paleo- vegetation and hydrology from compound-specific stable isotopes (δ13C and δD of n-alkanes). In select samples examined from the three cores, we find the hydrocarbon fractions are dominated by long-chain n-alkanes, with n-C29 and C31 as the dominant homologues in most of the samples. Based on the n-alkane distribution, we distinguish two main types; Type 1 mainly includes the samples deeper than ca 4 m (CPI= 10.2, ACL= 30), characteristic of a terrestrial higher plant source; Type 2 comprises mainly shallower samples (CPI =1.5, ACL = 27.3) which may suggest an increased contribution of aquatic plants. Preliminary GDGT analyses indicate low BIT values for most samples, which suggest little input of soil-derived branched-GDGTs. The fact that Urmia Lake is big and little affected by in situ production of iso-GDGTs from methanogenic Euryarchaeota makes the measured TEX86 proxy reliable. The potential for Uk37 index-based temperature reconstruction also appears feasible since the alkenone concentrations in most of the samples are sufficient. We will present these preliminary data together, compound-specific stable isotope with initial 14C results on bulk sediments.

Impacts of Hydrate Distribution on the Hydro-Thermo-Mechanical Properties of Hydrate-Bearing Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, S.; Seol, Y.

2015-12-01

In general, hydrate makes the sediments hydraulically less conductive, thermally more conductive, and mechanically stronger; yet the dependency of these physical properties on hydrate saturation varies with hydrate distribution and morphology. Hydrate distribution in sediments may cause the bulk physical properties of their host sediments varying several orders of magnitude even with the same amount of hydrate. In natural sediments, hydrate morphology is inherently governed by the burial depth and the grain size of the host sediments. Compare with patchy hydrate, uniformly distributed hydrate is more destructive to fluid flow, yet leads to higher gas and water permeability during hydrate dissociation due to the easiness of forming percolation paths. Water and hydrate have similar thermal conductivity values; the bulk thermal conductivity of hydrate-bearing sediments depends critically on gas-phase saturation. 60% of gas saturation may result in evident thermal conductivity drop and hinder further gas production. Sediments with patchy hydrate yield lower stiffness than that with cementing hydrate but higher stiffness than that with pore filling and loading bearing hydrate. Besides hydrate distribution, the stress state and loading history also play an important role in the mechanical behavior of hydrate-bearing sediments.

Origin and provenance of spherules and magnetic grains at the Younger Dryas boundary

PubMed Central

Wu, Yingzhe; Sharma, Mukul; LeCompte, Malcolm A.; Demitroff, Mark N.; Landis, Joshua D.

2013-01-01

One or more bolide impacts are hypothesized to have triggered the Younger Dryas cooling at ∼12.9 ka. In support of this hypothesis, varying peak abundances of magnetic grains with iridium and magnetic microspherules have been reported at the Younger Dryas boundary (YDB). We show that bulk sediment and/or magnetic grains/microspherules collected from the YDB sites in Arizona, Michigan, New Mexico, New Jersey, and Ohio have 187Os/188Os ratios ≥1.0, similar to average upper continental crust (= 1.3), indicating a terrestrial origin of osmium (Os) in these samples. In contrast, bulk sediments from YDB sites in Belgium and Pennsylvania exhibit 187Os/188Os ratios <<1.0 and at face value suggest mixing with extraterrestrial Os with 187Os/188Os of ∼0.13. However, the Os concentration in bulk sample and magnetic grains from Belgium is 2.8 pg/g and 15 pg/g, respectively, much lower than that in average upper continental crust (=31 pg/g), indicating no meteoritic contribution. The YDB site in Pennsylvania is remarkable in yielding 2- to 5-mm diameter spherules containing minerals such as suessite (Fe-Ni silicide) that form at temperatures in excess of 2000 °C. Gross texture, mineralogy, and age of the spherules appear consistent with their formation as ejecta from an impact 12.9 ka ago. The 187Os/188Os ratios of the spherules and their leachates are often low, but Os in these objects is likely terrestrially derived. The rare earth element patterns and Sr and Nd isotopes of the spherules indicate that their source lies in 1.5-Ga Quebecia terrain in the Grenville Province of northeastern North America. PMID:24009337

Debris flows resulting from glacial-lake outburst floods in tibet, China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cui, P.; Dang, C.; Cheng, Z.; Scott, K.

2010-01-01

During the last 70 years of general climatic amelioration, 18 glacial-lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and related debris flows have occurred from 15 moraine-dammed lakes in Tibet, China. Catastrophic loss of life and property has occurred because of the following factors: the large volumes of water discharged, the steep gradients of the U-shaped channels, and the amount and texture of the downstream channel bed and bank material. The peak discharge of each GLOF exceeded 1000 m3/s. These flood discharges transformed to non-cohesive debris flows if the channels contained sufficient loose sediment for entrainment (bulking) and if their gradients were >1%. We focus on this key element, transformation, and suggest that it be included in evaluating future GLOF-related risk, the probability of transformation to debris flow and hyperconcentrated flow. The general, sequential evolution of the flows can be described as from proximal GLOFs, to sedimentladen streamflow, to hyperconcentrated flow, to non-cohesive debris flow (viscous or cohesive debris flow only if sufficient fine sediment is present), and then, distally, back to hyperconcentrated flow and sediment-laden streamflow as sediment is progressively deposited. Most of the Tibet examples transformed only to non-cohesive debris flows. The important lesson for future hazard assessment and mitigation planning is that, as a GLOF entrains (bulks) enough sediment to become a debris flow, the flow volume must increase by at least three times (the "bulking factor"). In fact, the transforming flow waves overrun and mix with downstream streamflow, in addition to adding the entrained sediment (and thus enabling addition of yet more sediment and a bulking factor in excess of three times). To effectively reduce the risk of GLOF debris flows, reducing the level of a potentially dangerous lake with a siphon or excavated spillway or installing gabions in combination with a downstream debris dam are the primary approaches.

A New Method for the Determination of Annual Sediment Fluxes from Varved Lake Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Francus, P.; Massa, C.; Lapointe, F.

2013-12-01

Calculation of sediment mass accumulation rates instead of thickness accumulation is preferable for paleoclimatic reconstruction as it eliminates the effects of dilution and compaction. Annually laminated lake sediment sequences (varved) theoretically allow for the estimation of sediment fluxes at annual scale, but the calculation is limited by discrete bulk density measurements, often carried out at a much lower resolution (usually 1 cm) than the varves (ranging from 0.07 to 27.3 mm, average 1.84 mm according to Ojala et al. 2012). Since many years the development of automated logging instruments made available continuous and high resolution sediment property data, in a non-destructive fashion. These techniques can easily be used to extract the physical and chemical parameters of sediments at the varve scale (down to 100 μm). Here we present a robust method to calculate annual sediment fluxes from varved lake sediments by combining varves thickness measurements to core logging data, and provide an example for its applications. Several non-destructive densitometric methods applied to the Strathcona Lake sediment, northern Ellesmere Island, Canada (78°33'N; 82°05'W) were compared: Hounsfield Units from a CT-Scan, coherent/incoherent ratio and X-ray radiography (of both split core and sediment slabs, from an Itrax core Scanner), and gamma ray attenuation density. Core logging data were statistically compared to 400 discrete measurements of dry bulk density, wet bulk density and water content performed at 2 mm contiguous intervals. A very strong relationship was found between X-ray grey level on sediment slab and dry bulk density. Relative X-ray densities, at 100μm resolution, were then successfully calibrated against real densities. The final step consisted in binning the calibrated densities to the corresponding varve thickness and then to calculate the annual mass accumulation rates by multiplying the two parameters for each varve year. Strathcona Lake is located directly downstream of the Agassiz ice cap and contains laminated sediments whose accumulation is directly related to hydrological inputs generated by the melting of the ice cap. Over the last 65 years, annual sediment accumulation rates in Strathcona Lake documented an increase in high-energy hydrologic discharge events from 1990 to 2009. This timing is in agreement with evidence for an increase in the amount of melt on the adjacent Agassiz Ice Cap, as recorded in ice cores. A good correspondence was also found between annual mass accumulation rates and Eureka air temperature records, suggesting that temperature changes affected the extent of summer melting on the Agassiz Ice Cap, leading to high sediment yield to Strathcona Lake. Ojala, A.E.K., Francus, P., Zolitschka, B., Besonen, M. and Lamoureux, S.F. (2012) Characteristics of sedimentary varve chronologies - A review. Quaternary Science Reviews, 43, 45-60.

Reconstructing Eolian Delivery to the Ulleung Basin (IODP Site U1430) Over the Past 12 Myr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, C. H.; Dunlea, A. G.; Murray, R. W.; Tada, R.; Alvarez Zarikian, C. A.

2017-12-01

Spring storms associated with the seasonal phases of the East Asian Monsoon (EAM), transport dust seaward and influence marine sedimentation in adjacent ocean regions. Here, we aim to track changes in the intensity of the EAM since the late Miocene by examining the relative proportions and sources of eolian inputs in marine sediment records. We use bulk sediment recovered from Site U1430 in the Ulleung Basin during Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 346 in 2013 to examine changes in the EAM over the past 12 Myr. Sediment recovered at this site is clayey silt, nannofossil and diatom oozes, claystone, and basal glauonitic sandstone. We analyze major, trace, and rare earth element concentrations for 72 bulk sediment samples analyzed by ICP-ES and ICP-MS, and interpret this dataset using a variety of multivariate statistical partitioning techniques (Q-mode Factor Analyses (QFA), Multiple Linear Regressions) to investigate sediment provenance. Sedimentologic observations and elemental concentrations indicate the presence of biogenic siliceous and carbonaceous components mixed with aluminosilicates. For example, Si/Al (g/g) reaches local maxima at 3 Ma and 10 Ma in several diatom rich sections, and Ca/Al (g/g) exhibits a peak at 0.58 Ma. Other downhole element ratios exhibit subtle variations, including Ti/Al of 0.05 +/- 0.004 g/g, Sc/Al 2 +/- 0.2 ug/g, and Rb/Al 17 +/- 1.5 ug/g. When plotted in ternary diagrams, samples exhibit offset arrays (La-Th-Sc) or multiple clusters (Zr-Nb-Sc) from an Upper Continental Crust and Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalt mixing line. In Th-Cr-Nb, the data exhibit a V-shaped array. The range of geochemical variability suggests that multiple sources of terrigenous matter and/or volcanic ash are being delivered to the site. The multivariate statistics also indicate the mixing of multiple aluminosilicate sources. Focusing on a suite of seven elements (Al, Ti, Sc, Cr, Rb, Th, La), preliminary QFA suggest that five factors are required to explain 99% of the variability in the dataset. Factors group different co-varying elements: Factor 1 Zr and Th, Factor 2 only Cr, Factor 3 Sc and La, Factor 4 Al and Sc, and Factor 5 with Rb and Th. Terrigenous inputs are likely from several sources including loess and other continental crustal material, and will be discussed further.

Saco River-Camp Ellis Harbor, Saco, Maine. Small Navigation Project, Detailed Project Report and Environmental Assessment.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-01

41294) further evaluation of chemical -biological interactive effects is not necessary because the sediments meet the following evaluation criteria...such release would be predicted at the dredge site. bulk chemical analyses were run on the five samples taken in conjunction with maintenance...material to be dredged is therefore considered to be chemically acceptable for beach nourishment purposes or other disposal methods. 38 1%4* 4J 0 0 * M 0 0

Variability of in situ sediment strength and pore pressure behavior of tidal estuary surface sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucking, Greg; Stark, Nina; Lippmann, Thomas; Smyth, Stephen

2017-10-01

Tidal estuaries feature spatially and temporally varying sediment dynamics and characteristics. Particularly, the variability of geotechnical sediment parameters is still poorly understood, limiting the prediction of long-term sediment stability and dynamics. This paper presents results from an in situ investigation of surficial sediments (≤50 cm) in a tidal estuary in New Hampshire (USA), using a portable free fall penetrometer. The aim is to investigate variations in sediment strength and pore pressure behavior with regard to sediment type and seabed morphology. The study also provides a detailed analysis of high velocity impact pore pressure data to derive information about sediment type and permeability. The penetrometer was deployed 227 times, and the findings are correlated to 78 sediment samples. Differences in sediment strength and type were found when transitioning from tidal flats to the deeper channels. Finer-grained sediments located predominantly on the tidal flats appeared well consolidated with noticeable and spatially consistent sediment strength (reflected in an estimate of quasi-static bearing capacity qsbcmax 10 kPa). Sediments with higher sand content (>75%) showed more variations in strength relating to differences in gradation, and likely represent loose and poorly consolidated sands (qsbcmax 10-55 kPa). The rate at which the recorded excess pore pressures approached equilibrium after penetration was classified and related to sediment type. The data indicate that the development of excess pore pressures upon impact and during penetration may provide additional insight into the nature and layering of bed material, such as identifying a desiccated or over-consolidated dilative surficial layer. In summary, with varying sediment grain size distributions, bulk densities and morphology, sediment strength and pore pressure behavior can vary significantly within a tidal estuary.

Clay with Desiccation Cracks is an Advection Dominated Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baram, S.; Kurtzman, D.; Sher, Y.; Ronen, Z.; Dahan, O.

2012-04-01

Heavy clay sediments are regarded "safe" from the hydrological point of view due to their low hydraulic conductivities. However, the formation of desiccation cracks in dispersive clays may dramatically change their bulk hydraulic properties. The impact of desiccation cracks on water percolation, dissolved salts and contaminants transport and redox related reactions (microbial ammonium oxidation and denitrification) were investigated in 6 -12 m clay layer near a diary farm waste lagoon. The study implemented unique vadose-zone monitoring systems that enable in-situ measurements of the temporal variation of the sediment's water content along with frequent sampling of the sediment's pore water along the entire vadose zone (> 30 m). Results from four years of continuous measurements showed quick rises in sediment water content following rain events and temporal wastewater overflows. The percolation pattern indicated dominance of preferential flow through a desiccation-cracks network crossing the entire clay sediment layer. High water-propagation velocities (0.4 - 23.6 m h-1) were observed, indicating that the desiccation-crack network remains open and serves as a preferential flow pathway year-round, even at high sediment water content (~0.50 m3 m-3). The rapid percolation bypassed the most bio-geo-active parts of the soil, transporting even highly sorptive contaminants (testosterone and estrogen) in to the deep sections of the vadose zone, accelerating the underlying groundwater contamination. The ammonium and nitrate concentrations in the vadose zone and the high number of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria (~108 gene copies gdry-sediemt-1, each) found in the sediment indicated that the entire vadose zone is aerated even at high water content conditions (~0.55 m3 m-3). The dissolved salts concentration in the pore-water and the δ2H-H2O and δ18O-H2O values of the pore-water substantially increased with depth (becoming less depleted) in the clay sediment, indicating deep soil evaporation. Daily fluctuation of the air temperature in the desiccation cracks supported thermally induced air convection within the cracks void and could explain the deep soil salinization process. Combination of all the abovementioned observations demonstrated that the formation of desiccation cracks network in dispersive clay sediments generates a bulk advection dominated environment for both air and water flow, and that the reference to clay sediments as "hydrologically safe" should to be reconsidered.

Microbiome succession during ammonification in eelgrass bed sediments

PubMed Central

Ettinger, Cassandra L.; Williams, Susan L.; Abbott, Jessica M.; Stachowicz, John J.

2017-01-01

Background Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is a marine angiosperm and foundation species that plays an important ecological role in primary production, food web support, and elemental cycling in coastal ecosystems. As with other plants, the microbial communities living in, on, and near eelgrass are thought to be intimately connected to the ecology and biology of eelgrass. Here we characterized the microbial communities in eelgrass sediments throughout an experiment to quantify the rate of ammonification, the first step in early remineralization of organic matter, also known as diagenesis, from plots at a field site in Bodega Bay, CA. Methods Sediment was collected from 72 plots from a 15 month long field experiment in which eelgrass genotypic richness and relatedness were manipulated. In the laboratory, we placed sediment samples (n = 4 per plot) under a N2 atmosphere, incubated them at in situ temperatures (15 °C) and sampled them initially and after 4, 7, 13, and 19 days to determine the ammonification rate. Comparative microbiome analysis using high throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes was performed on sediment samples taken initially and at seven, 13 and 19 days to characterize changes in the relative abundances of microbial taxa throughout ammonification. Results Within-sample diversity of the sediment microbial communities across all plots decreased after the initial timepoint using both richness based (observed number of OTUs, Chao1) and richness and evenness based diversity metrics (Shannon, Inverse Simpson). Additionally, microbial community composition changed across the different timepoints. Many of the observed changes in relative abundance of taxonomic groups between timepoints appeared driven by sulfur cycling with observed decreases in predicted sulfur reducers (Desulfobacterales) and corresponding increases in predicted sulfide oxidizers (Thiotrichales). None of these changes in composition or richness were associated with variation in ammonification rates. Discussion Our results showed that the microbiome of sediment from different plots followed similar successional patterns, which we infer to be due to changes related to sulfur metabolism. These large changes likely overwhelmed any potential changes in sediment microbiome related to ammonification rate. We found no relationship between eelgrass presence or genetic composition and the microbiome. This was likely due to our sampling of bulk sediments to measure ammonification rates rather than sampling microbes in sediment directly in contact with the plants and suggests that eelgrass influence on the sediment microbiome may be limited in spatial extent. More in-depth functional studies associated with eelgrass microbiome will be required in order to fully understand the implications of these microbial communities in broader host-plant and ecosystem functions (e.g., elemental cycling and eelgrass-microbe interactions). PMID:28828269

Stratigraphy of a proposed wind farm site southeast of Block Island: Utilization of borehole samples, downhole logging, and seismic profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheldon, Dane P. H.

Seismic stratigraphy, sedimentology, lithostratigraphy, downhole geophysical logging, mineralogy, and palynology were used to study and interpret the upper 70 meters of the inner continental shelf sediments within a proposed wind farm site located approximately two to three nautical miles to the southeast of Block Island, Rhode Island. Core samples and downhole logging collected from borings drilled for geotechnical purposes at proposed wind turbine sites along with seismic surveys in the surrounding area provide the data for this study. Cretaceous coastal plain sediments that consist of non-marine to marine sand, silt, and clay are found overlying bedrock at a contact depth beyond the sampling depth of this study. The upper Cretaceous sediments sampled in borings are correlated with the Magothy/Matawan formations described regionally from New Jersey to Nantucket. An unconformity formed through sub-aerial, fluvial, marine, and glacial erosion marks the upper strata of the Cretaceous sediments separating them from the overlying deposits. The majority of Quaternary deposits overlying the unconformity represent the advance, pulsing, and retreat of the Laurentide ice sheet that reached its southern terminus in the area of Block Island approximately 25,000 to 21,000 years before present. The sequence consists of a basal glacial till overlain by sediments deposited by meltwater environments ranging from deltaic to proglacial lakefloor. A late Pleistocene to early Holocene unconformity marks the top of the glacial sequence and was formed after glacial retreat through fluvial and subaerial erosion/deposition. Overlying the glacial sequence are sediments deposited during the late Pleistocene and Holocene consisting of interbedded gravel, sand, silt, and clay. Sampling of these sediments was limited and surficial reflectors in seismic profiles were masked due to a hard bottom return. However, two depositional periods are interpreted as representing fluvial and estuarine/marine environments respectively. One sample recovered at five meters contained shell fragments within a gray fine to coarse sand possibly representing a shallow estuarine to marine environment. A coarse near surface deposit described but not recovered in all borings may represent a transgressive unconformity and resulting lag deposit however due to lack of sampling and seismic resolution in the upper 5 meters, the nature of this deposit is merely speculation. In areas where depth to the glacial surface increased, sediments ranging from sand to fine-grained silt and clay were encountered in borings. In summary, the upper 70 meters of the inner continental shelf section within the study site consists of unconsolidated sediments spanning three major depositional periods. Sediments derived from glacial activity represent the bulk of samples collected. The glacial sequences represent various depositional environments, although most samples are interpreted to be the product of glacial meltwater deposition with distribution determined by source as well as highs and lows present in the antecedent topography. Finely laminated (varved) sediment to the south of Block Island indicates the presence of proglacial lakes in the area during the time of glacial retreat. Overlying sediments represent environments ranging from fluvial to marine.

Controls on debris flow bulking in proglacial gully networks on Mount Rainier, WA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Legg, N. T.; Meigs, A.; Grant, G. E.; Kennard, P.

2012-12-01

Conversion of floodwaters to debris flows due to sediment bulking continues to be a poorly understood phenomenon. This study examines the initiation zone of a series of six debris flows that originated in proglacial areas of catchments on the flank of Mount Rainier during one storm in 2006. One-meter spatial resolution aerial photographs and LiDAR DEMs acquired before and after the storm reveal the lack of a single mass failure to explain the debris flow deposits. Rather, the imagery show appreciable gully widening along reaches up to approximately 1.5 km in length. Based on gully discharges estimated from rainfall rates and estimates of sediment contribution from gully wall width change, we find that the sediment volumes contributed from gully walls are sufficient to bulk floodwaters up to debris flow concentrations. Points in gullies where width change began (upstream limit) in 2006 have a power law trend (R2 = 0.58) in terms of slope-drainage area. Reaches with noticeable width change, which we refer to as bulking reaches (BR), plot along a similar trend with greater drainage areas and gentler slopes. We then extracted slope and drainage area of all proglacial drainage networks to examine differences in morphology between debris flow basins (DFB) and non-debris flow basins (NDFB), hypothesizing that DFB would have a greater portion of their drainage networks with similar morphology to BR than NDFB. A comparison of total network length with greater slope and area than BR reveals that the two basins types are not statistically different. Lengths of the longest reaches with greater slope and drainage area than the BR trend, however, are statistically longer in DFB than in the NDFBs (p<0.05). These results suggest that debris flow initiation by sediment bulking does not operate as a simple threshold phenomenon in slope-area space. Instead debris flow initiation via bulking depends upon slope, drainage area, and gully length. We suspect the dependence on length relates to the poorly understood bulking process where feedback mechanisms working to progressively increase sediment concentrations likely operate. The apparent length dependence revealed in this study requires a shift in thought about the conditions leading to debris flow generation in catchments dominated by unconsolidated and transportable material.

Landscape-Scale Analysis of Wetland Sediment Deposition from Four Tropical Cyclone Events

PubMed Central

Tweel, Andrew W.; Turner, R. Eugene

2012-01-01

Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike deposited large quantities of sediment on coastal wetlands after making landfall in the northern Gulf of Mexico. We sampled sediments deposited on the wetland surface throughout the entire Louisiana and Texas depositional surfaces of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and the Louisiana portion of Hurricane Ike. We used spatial interpolation to model the total amount and spatial distribution of inorganic sediment deposition from each storm. The sediment deposition on coastal wetlands was an estimated 68, 48, and 21 million metric tons from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Gustav, respectively. The spatial distribution decreased in a similar manner with distance from the coast for all hurricanes, but the relationship with distance from the storm track was more variable between events. The southeast-facing Breton Sound estuary had significant storm-derived sediment deposition west of the storm track, whereas sediment deposition along the south-facing coastline occurred primarily east of the storm track. Sediment organic content, bulk density, and grain size also decreased significantly with distance from the coast, but were also more variable with respect to distance from the track. On average, eighty percent of the mineral deposition occurred within 20 km from the coast, and 58% was within 50 km of the track. These results highlight an important link between tropical cyclone events and coastal wetland sedimentation, and are useful in identifying a more complete sediment budget for coastal wetland soils. PMID:23185635

Effect of sediment size on bioleaching of heavy metals from contaminated sediments of Izmir Inner Bay.

PubMed

Guven, Duyusen E; Akinci, Gorkem

2013-09-01

The effect of sediment size on metals bioleaching from bay sediments was investigated by using fine (< 45 microm), medium (45-300 microm), and coarse (300-2000 microm) size fractions of a sediment sample contaminated with Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn. Chemical speciation of the metals in bulk and size fractions of sediment were studied before and after bioleaching. Microbial activity was provided with mixed cultures of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. The bioleaching process was carried out in flask experiments for 48 days, by using 5% (W/V) of solid concentration in suspension. Bioleaching was found to be efficient for the removal of selected heavy metals from every size fraction of sediments, where the experiments with the smaller particles resulted in the highest solubilization ratios. At the end of the experimental period, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were solubilized to the ratios of 68%, 88%, 72%, and 91% from the fine sediment, respectively. Higher removal efficiencies can be explained by the larger surface area provided by the smaller particles. The changes in the chemical forms of metals were determined and most of the metal releases were observed from the reducible and organic fractions independent from grain size. Higher concentrations were monitored in the residual fraction after bioleaching period, suggesting they are trapped in this fraction, and cannot be solubilized under natural conditions.

Tracing metal sources in core sediments of the artificial lake An-Dong, Korea: Concentration and metal association.

PubMed

Choi, Mansik; Park, Jongkyu; Cho, Dongjin; Jang, Dongjun; Kim, Miseon; Choi, Jongwoo

2015-09-15

The concentration and source of trace metals in the artificial lake An-Dong, which has widespread abandoned mines and a Zn smelter upstream of the drainage basin, were investigated. Soils (18ea), stream waters (15ea) and sediments (15ea) in the main channel and five tributaries downstream of the Zn smelter towards the lake (~ 50 km downstream) were collected. And two core sediments were also taken from the middle of the lake. All samples were analyzed for trace metals in bulk and in a 1N HCl-leached fraction. Although the soil and stream sediments consisted mostly of sand-sized grains, concentrations of metals (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) were very high in all samples, including soils, stream waters and sediments at sites near the Zn smelter. However the metal concentrations decreased rapidly downstream, suggesting that the area of impact of the smelter lies within 5 km. Highly enriched metal concentrations were also found in dated core sediments from the lake; while the highest concentrations of Co, Ni, As, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb were detected in the bottom of the sediment core (dated 1980) they decreased towards 2000, and only Cu, Zn and Cd concentrations increased again in present-day samples. Since the temporal variation in metal concentrations appeared consistent with historical variation in ore mining and Zn smelter production rates, a model combining the production rates of each was developed, which estimated 3%, 12% and 7% contributions from Zn smelter compared to ore mining production rate to levels of Cu, Cd and Zn, respectively, suggesting the different pathways by different sources. In addition, analysis of Cd/Zn and Cu/Zn ratios showed that contamination from ore mining decreased from 1980 to 2000, and smelting processes were most likely responsible for metal enrichment (Cu, Cd and Zn) from 2000 to the present. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using Elemental Abundances and Petrophysical Properties to Trace Sediment Transport in the Hudson River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, C.; Kenna, T. C.; Nitsche, F. O.

2016-12-01

The IPCC predicts that the frequency and severity of storms worldwide will increase due to climate change, a growing concern for the highly populated coastal areas near the Hudson River estuary. Storms have the potential to change the river's sediment budget, and it is necessary to update the current understanding of the effect of storms on sediment dynamics. In 2011, Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Irene delivered over 2.7 million tons of sediment to the Hudson River including over 1.5 million tons from the Mohawk River, a freshwater tributary, in addition to record amounts contributed from other major tributaries. The goals of this project are to use sediment elemental compositions to trace the major tributaries contributing to this storm-deposited sediment and to determine where sediment is accumulating as a result of storm activity. Chemical analysis of over 800 archived sediment samples are compiled to provide a pre-storm background level. These samples are compared to newly deposited sediment and material from specific tributaries. Elemental abundances (K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Zr, Pb, and U) are measured using a field portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) unit and core scanning XRF unit. Bulk matrix density is measured using a pycnometer. The measurements are used to identify elemental signatures from tributary sediment and to trace the influence of specific tributaries on deposition through the river. Our results suggests measureable signatures in sediment from individual tributaries. The Mohawk River contributes high concentrations of Ca due to the calcite deposits in its watershed. XRF measurements also show the effect of human activity on sediment deposition; variations in Rb and Zr indicate changes in deposition due to dredging in Haverstraw Bay. The salt wedge front, where ocean and fresh water meets is evident in areas of below average matrix density. This project shows significant geochemical variability between sediment from different areas of the river, and indicates that XRF can be used to track sediment sources and deposition.

Monsoonal vs. glacial control on erosion and sediment storage in the Himalayan rain shadow, Zanskar River, northwest India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonell, Tara; Clift, Peter; Carter, Andrew; Böning, Philipp; Wittmann, Hella

2016-04-01

Summer monsoon precipitation strongly controls erosion and sediment storage in the frontal Himalaya but the relationship between monsoonal variability and erosion is less well-constrained beyond the High Himalayan topographic divide in the rain shadow. Here we establish a Quaternary erosional history for a rain shadow tributary of the upper Indus River system, the Zanskar River, by applying several sediment provenance techniques to modern and dated terrace river sediments. We evaluate if there are temporal links between sediment storage and moisture supply to the rain shadow and if regions like the Zanskar River basin play a significant role in controlling total sediment flux to the Indus River. We compile bulk sediment petrography and Sr and Nd isotope geochemistry, detrital U-Pb zircon and apatite fission track dating with in-situ 10Be cosmogenic radionuclide techniques to identify patterns of erosion and sediment production across Zanskar. Bulk petrography, Sr and Nd isotope geochemistry, and U-Pb detrital zircon spectra of modern and older terrace sediments indicate high rates of erosion along the Greater Himalaya in the Zanskar River basin. We find that the wettest and most glaciated subcatchment dominates the bulk sediment provenance signal, with only moderate input from other tributaries, and that other basin parameters cannot explain our observations. Catchment-averaged in-situ 10Be cosmogenic nuclide concentrations of modern sediments indicate erosion rates up to ˜1.2 mm y-1 but show strong dilution attributed to glacial sediment recycling into the modern river, suggesting rates nearer 0.4-0.6 mm•y-1. These rates are consistent with longer-term rates of incision (0.3-0.7 mm•y-1) calculated from detrital apatite fission track ages, and incision rates inferred from Late Glacial and Holocene terraces near the Zanskar-Indus confluence. Our findings suggest that sediment production in glaciated Himalayan rain shadow environments like Zanskar is largely controlled by internal glacial fluctuations coupled with periodic dissection and reworking of terrace material during strong monsoonal precipitation phases.

Characteristics of sediment resuspension in Lake Taihu, China: A wave flume study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Yanqing; Sun, Limin; Qin, Boqiang; Wu, Tingfeng; Shen, Xia; Wang, Yongping

2018-06-01

Lake Taihu is a typical shallow lake which frequently happens sediment resuspension induced by wind-induced waves. The experiments are carried on to simulate the wave disturbance processes in wave flume by setting a series of wave periods (1.2 s, 1.5 s, 1.8 s) and wave heights (2 cm, 10 cm). It aims to analyze the characteristics of sediment resuspension and the mechanisms of nutrients release and to evaluate the effects of sediment dredging on sediment resuspension and nutrients release in Lake Taihu. The results show that wave shear stress during 2 cm and 10 cm wave height processes ranges 0.018-0.023 N/m2 and 0.221-0.307 N/m2, respectively. Wave shear stress has no significant differences between wave periods. Wave height has much more effects on sediment resuspension. Wave height of 2 cm could induce total suspended solids (TSS) reaching up to 5.21 g/m2 and resuspension flux of sediment (M) up to 1.74 g/m2. TSS sharply increases to 30.33-52.41 g/m2 and M reached up to 48.94 g/m2 when wave height reaches to 10 cm. The disturbance depth under different sediment bulk weights ranges from 0.089 to 0.161 mm. Variation of suspended solids in 3 layers (1 cm, 5 cm, 20 cm above sediment interface) has no significant differences. Organic matter, TN and TP have positive relationship with SS. Organic matter is only accounted for 5.7%-7.3% of SS. The experiments under different sediment bulk densities (1.34 g/cm3, 1.47 g/cm3 and 1.59 g/cm3) find that TSS and M fall by 44.2% and 39.8% with sediment bulk density increasing, respectively. Total TN, DTN, TP and DTP decrease by 24.3%-33.6%. It indicates that sediment dredging could effectively reduce SS concentration and nutrient levels in water column. The researches provide a theoretical basis for sediment dredging to control the shore zone of Lake Taihu for lake management.

The effects of clam fishing on the properties of surface sediments in the lagoon of Venice, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aspen, R. J.; Vardy, S.; Perkins, R. G.; Davidson, I. R.; Bates, R.; Paterson, D. M.

Harvesting of clams(Tapes philippinarum) has important socio-economic and environmental implications for the Venice lagoon area, Italy. Clam harvesting disrupts the structure of benthic communities but the effects upon sediment stability and surface structure remain unclear. The effect of clam fishing on the sediment properties of the lagoon bed was investigated at two different sites, a heavily fished site (San Angelo) and an infrequently fished site (San Giaccomo). Both sites were assessed for immediate impacts of fishing, using indicators of biogenic sediment stabilisation. Samples were taken at three points along three 100 m linear transects at each site prior to and post fishing. Paired samples were also taken parallel to each transect at a distance of 5m, to allow for temporal variation. Sediment stability, measured with a cohesive strength meter (CSM), was significantly higher at the less impacted site (F1,34 = 6.23, p < 0.018), was correlated with indicators of biogenic sediment stabilisation and decreased by approximately 50% following the trawling event. Concomitant decreases in chlorophyll a (chl a), colloidal-S carbohydrate and dry bulk density were observed on the transect after fishing but not adjacent to the fishing path. At the heavily impacted site, clam fishing by trawling had, in general, no significant effect on the biological and physical properties (although chl a did decrease significantly after fishing). The lack of a significant impact from fishing at the impacted site was attributed to the higher frequency of fishing occurring in this area. Hence, frequent fishing of the lagoon prevents establishment of biotic communities, preventing biostabilisation and thus reduces the stability of the surface sediment.

Regional-scale input of dispersed and discrete volcanic ash to the Izu-Bonin and Mariana subduction zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scudder, Rachel P.; Murray, Richard W.; Schindlbeck, Julie C.; Kutterolf, Steffen; Hauff, Folkmar; McKinley, Claire C.

2014-11-01

We have geochemically and statistically characterized bulk marine sediment and ash layers at Ocean Drilling Program Site 1149 (Izu-Bonin Arc) and Deep Sea Drilling Project Site 52 (Mariana Arc), and have quantified that multiple dispersed ash sources collectively comprise ˜30-35% of the hemipelagic sediment mass entering the Izu-Bonin-Mariana subduction system. Multivariate statistical analyses indicate that the bulk sediment at Site 1149 is a mixture of Chinese Loess, a second compositionally distinct eolian source, a dispersed mafic ash, and a dispersed felsic ash. We interpret the source of these ashes as, respectively, being basalt from the Izu-Bonin Front Arc (IBFA) and rhyolite from the Honshu Arc. Sr-, Nd-, and Pb isotopic analyses of the bulk sediment are consistent with the chemical/statistical-based interpretations. Comparison of the mass accumulation rate of the dispersed ash component to discrete ash layer parameters (thickness, sedimentation rate, and number of layers) suggests that eruption frequency, rather than eruption size, drives the dispersed ash record. At Site 52, the geochemistry and statistical modeling indicates that Chinese Loess, IBFA, dispersed BNN (boninite from Izu-Bonin), and a dispersed felsic ash of unknown origin are the sources. At Site 1149, the ash layers and the dispersed ash are compositionally coupled, whereas at Site 52 they are decoupled in that there are no boninite layers, yet boninite is dispersed within the sediment. Changes in the volcanic and eolian inputs through time indicate strong arc-related and climate-related controls.

Cadmium, metal-binding proteins, and growth in bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cope, W. Gregory; Wiener, James G.; Steingraeber, Mark T.; Atchison, Gary J.

1994-01-01

We exposed juvenile bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) to ~1000 mg∙L−1 of continuously suspended river sediment in a 28-d test with six treatments (randomized block with one sediment-free control and five sediments ranging from 1.3 to 21.4 μg Cd∙g dry weight−1). Each treatment had three replicates, each with 25 fish. Growth was reduced by exposure to suspended sediment, probably due to physical effects of sediment on feeding and to toxicity in the treatment with the greatest concentrations of metals. Mean whole-body concentrations of cadmium (0.04–0.14 μg∙g wet weight−1) were correlated with cadmium concentration in filtered water (8–72 ng∙L−1), suspended sediment (0.61–16.8 μg∙L−1), and bulk sediment. The concentration of hepatic nonthionein cytosolic cadmium (cadmium not bound by metal-binding proteins, MBP) in fish exposed to the two most contaminated sediments exceeded that in controls. The mean concentration of hepatic MBP was correlated with cadmium concentration in filtered water, suspended sediment, bulk sediment, and whole fish. Whole-body cadmium concentration was the most sensitive indicator of cadmium exposure, with lowest observed effect concentrations of 1.9 μg Cd∙L−1 for suspended sediment and 13 ng Cd∙L−1 for filtered water. Sediment-associated cadmium was less available than waterborne cadmium for uptake by fish.

Massive sulfide metallogenesis at a late Mesozoic sediment-covered spreading axis: Evidence from the Franciscan complex and contemporary analogues

USGS Publications Warehouse

Koski, Randolph A.; Lamons, Roberta C.; Dumoulin, Julie A.; Bouse, Robin M.

1993-01-01

The Island Mountain deposit, an anomalous massive sulfide in the Central belt of the Franciscan subduction complex, northern California Coast Ranges, formed during hydrothermal activity in a sediment-dominated paleo-sea-floor environment. Although the base of the massive sulfide is juxtaposed against a 500-m-wide melange band, its gradational upper contact within a coherent sequence of sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone indicates that hydrothermal activity was concurrent with turbidite deposition. Accumulations of sulfide breccia and clastic sulfide were produced by mass wasting of the sulfide mound prior to burial by turbidites. The bulk composition of sulfide samples (pyrrhotite rich; high Cu, As, and Au contents; radiogenic Pb isotope ratios) is consistent with a hydrothermal system dominated by fluid-sediment interaction. On the basis of a comparison with possible contemporary tectonic analogues at the southern Gorda Ridge and the Chile margin triple junction, we propose that massive sulfide mineralization in the Central belt of the Franciscan complex resulted from hydrothermal activity at a late Mesozoic sediment-covered ridge axis prior to collision with the North American plate.

Sediment transport measurements: Chapter 5

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diplas, P.; Kuhnle, R.; Gray, J.; Glysson, D.; Edwards, T.; García, Marcelo H.

2008-01-01

Sediment erosion, transport, and deposition in fluvial systems are complex processes that are treated in detail in other sections of this book. Development of methods suitable for the collection of data that contribute to understanding these processes is a still-evolving science. Sediment and ancillary data are fundamental requirements for the proper management of river systems, including the design of structures, the determination of aspects of stream behavior, ascertaining the probable effect of removing an existing structure, estimation of bulk erosion, transport, and sediment delivery to the oceans, ascertaining the long-term usefulness of reservoirs and other public works, tracking movement of solid-phase contaminants, restoration of degraded or otherwise modified streams, and assistance in the calibration and validation of numerical models. This chapter presents techniques for measuring bed-material properties and suspended and bed-load discharges. Well-established and relatively recent, yet adequately tested, sampling equipment and methodologies, with designs that are guided by sound physical and statistical principles, are described. Where appropriate, the theory behind the development of the equipment and guidelines for its use are presented.

Massive sulfide metallogenesis at a late Mesozoic sediment-covered spreading axis: Evidence from the Franciscan complex and contemporary analogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koski, Randolph A.; Lamons, Roberta C.; Dumoulin, Julie A.; Bouse, Robin M.

1993-02-01

The Island Mountain deposit, an anomalous massive sulfide in the Central belt of the Franciscan subduction complex, northern California Coast Ranges, formed during hydrothermal activity in a sediment-dominated paleo-sea-floor environment. Although the base of the massive sulfide is juxtaposed against a 500-m-wide melange band, its gradational upper contact within a coherent sequence of sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone indicates that hydrothermal activity was concurrent with turbidite deposition. Accumulations of sulfide breccia and clastic sulfide were produced by mass wasting of the sulfide mound prior to burial by turbidites. The bulk composition of sulfide samples (pyrrhotite rich; high Cu, As, and Au contents; radiogenic Pb isotope ratios) is consistent with a hydrothermal system dominated by fluid-sediment interaction. On the basis of a comparison with possible contemporary tectonic analogues at the southern Gorda Ridge and the Chile margin triple junction, we propose that massive sulfide mineralization in the Central belt of the Franciscan complex resulted from hydrothermal activity at a late Mesozoic sediment-covered ridge axis prior to collision with the North American plate.

Lagrangian and Eulerian description of bed-load particle kinematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballio, Francesco; Sadabadi, Seyed Abbas Hosseini; Pokrajac, Dubravka; Radice, Alessio

2016-04-01

The motion of bed-load sediment particles transported by a flow can be analyzed within a Lagrangian or an Eulerian framework. In the former case, we consider the particles as individual objects in motion and we study their kinematic properties. The latter approach is instead referred to suitably chosen control volumes. Quantities describing sediment motion in the two frameworks are different, and the relationships among the two approaches are not straightforward. In this work, we intend to discuss the kinematic properties of sediment transport: first, a set of quantities is univocally defined; then, relationships among different representations are explored. Proof-of-concept results presented in the study are from a recent experiment involving weak bed-load sediment transport, where the moving particles were released over a fixed rough bed. The bulk flow velocity was 1.4 times the critical value for incipient particle motion, and particles were mostly moving by rolling and sliding, with limited saltation. The particle motion was filmed from the top and the measurements were conducted by image-based methods, obtaining extensive samples of virtually-instantaneous quantities.

Are the Element Budget and the Occurrence of Polymetallic Nodules influenced by Fluids Circulating through the Oceanic Crust or/and Sediments?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heller, C.; Kuhn, T.

2016-12-01

Hydrothermal fluids can extract significant amounts of heat from oceanic lithosphere by lateral fluid flow through permeable basaltic crust of an age of up to 65 Ma. Fluid recharge and discharge occur at basement outcrops in between impermeable pelagic sediments. Recharge of oxic seawater causes upward oxygen diffusion into sediments overlying the permeable basalt in areas proximal to recharge sites. It is suggested that this oxygen have a strong impact on sediments and Mn nodules during fluid exposure time. The aim of this study is to investigate if and how fluid flow through oceanic crust influence the distribution and element budget of the Mn nodules. For that purpose, Mn nodules were examined which were collected during the research cruise SO240 in the equatorial NE Pacific at sites with and without faults in the upper basement and overlying sediments. Faults are thought to be preferred fluid pathways. Nodules were found on the sediment surface as well as in the sediment and consist of different nm- to µm-thick, dense and porous layers. The geochemical composition of bulk nodules and single nodule layers were determined by XRF, ICP-MS/OES and by high resolution analyses with EMPA and LA-ICP-MS. Dense layers have low Mn/Fe ratios (<4) and high concentrations of Co, Zr and REY, while porous layers are characterized by high Mn/Fe ratios (> 10) and high Ni+Cu and Li concentrations (Koschinsky et al., 2010; Kuhn et al., 2010). The different compositions depends on different formation processes of the layers. Dense layers are formed by element precipitation from oxygen rich seawater and/or pore water and are called hydrogenetic, while porous layers were formed by precipitation from almost oxygen-free (suboxic) pore water (Burns & Burns, 1978; Glasby, 2006) and are called diagenetic (Halbach et al., 1988). Preliminary results show that there are significant differences between the geochemical composition of nodules grown at sediment surface and those found within sediments. Compared to surface nodules, buried nodules are enriched in Co and W, but has lower concentration of Mo, Ba, Zn, Li. Distribution of Rare Earth Elements (REY) are also different. Especially, the element distribution in the bulk samples and the single layers of the buried nodules could be used to find a possible influence of circulating fluids on nodule formation.

Varying sediment sources (Hudson Strait, Cumberland Sound, Baffin Bay) to the NW Labrador Sea slope between and during Heinrich events 0 to 4

USGS Publications Warehouse

Andrews, John T.; Barber, D.C.; Jennings, A.E.; Eberl, D.D.; Maclean, B.; Kirby, M.E.; Stoner, J.S.

2012-01-01

Core HU97048-007PC was recovered from the continental Labrador Sea slope at a water depth of 945 m, 250 km seaward from the mouth of Cumberland Sound, and 400 km north of Hudson Strait. Cumberland Sound is a structural trough partly floored by Cretaceous mudstones and Paleozoic carbonates. The record extends from ∼10 to 58 ka. On-board logging revealed a complex series of lithofacies, including buff-colored detrital carbonate-rich sediments [Heinrich (H)-events] frequently bracketed by black facies. We investigate the provenance of these facies using quantitative X-ray diffraction on drill-core samples from Paleozoic and Cretaceous bedrock from the SE Baffin Island Shelf, and on the < 2-mm sediment fraction in a transect of five cores from Cumberland Sound to the NW Labrador Sea. A sediment unmixing program was used to discriminate between sediment sources, which included dolomite-rich sediments from Baffin Bay, calcite-rich sediments from Hudson Strait and discrete sources from Cumberland Sound. Results indicated that the bulk of the sediment was derived from Cumberland Sound, but Baffin Bay contributed to sediments coeval with H-0 (Younger Dryas), whereas Hudson Strait was the source during H-events 1–4. Contributions from the Cretaceous outcrops within Cumberland Sound bracket H-events, thus both leading and lagging Hudson Strait-sourced H-events.

Relationships between microbial communities and environmental parameters at sites impacted by mining of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits, Prince William Sound, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foster, A.L.; Munk, L.; Koski, R.A.; Shanks, Wayne C.; Stillings, L.L.

2008-01-01

The relations among geochemical parameters and sediment microbial communities were examined at three shoreline sites in the Prince William Sound, Alaska, which display varying degrees of impact by acid-rock drainage (ARD) associated with historic mining of volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits. Microbial communities were examined using total fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), a class of compounds derived from lipids produced by eukaryotes and prokaryotes (bacteria and Archaea); standard extraction techniques detect FAMEs from both living (viable) and dead (non-viable) biomass, but do not detect Archaeal FAMEs. Biomass and diversity (as estimated by FAMEs) varied strongly as a function of position in the tidal zone, not by study site; subtidal muds, Fe oxyhydroxide undergoing biogenic reductive dissolution, and peat-rich intertidal sediment had the highest values. These estimates were lowest in acid-generating, intertidal zone sediment; if valid, the estimates suggest that only one or two bacterial species predominate in these communities, and/or that Archeal species are important members of the microbial community in this sediment. All samples were dominated by bacterial FAMEs (median value >90%). Samples with the highest absolute abundance of eukaryotic FAMEs were biogenic Fe oxyhydroxides from shallow freshwater pools (fungi) and subtidal muds (diatoms). Eukaryotic FAMEs were practically absent from low-pH, sulfide-rich intertidal zone sediments. The relative abundance of general microbial functional groups such as aerobes/anaerobes and gram(+)/gram(-) was not estimated due to severe inconsistency among the results obtained using several metrics reported in the literature. Principal component analyses (PCAs) were performed to investigate the relationship among samples as separate functions of water, sediment, and FAMEs data. PCAs based on water chemistry and FAMEs data resulted in similar relations among samples, whereas the PCA based on sediment chemistry produced a very different sample arrangement. Specifically, the sediment parameter PCA grouped samples with high bulk trace metal concentration regardless of whether the metals were incorporated into secondary precipitates or primary sulfides. The water chemistry PCA and FAMEs PCA appear to be less prone to this type of artifact. Signature lipids in sulfide-rich sediments could indicate the presence of acid-tolerant and/or acidophilic members of the genus Thiobacillus or they could indicate the presence of SO4-reducing bacteria. The microbial community documented in subtidal and offshore sediments is rich in SRB and/or facultative anaerobes of the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium group; both could reasonably be expected in PWS coastal environments. The results of this study provide evidence for substantial feedback between local (meter to centimeter-scale) geochemical variations, and sediment microbial community composition, and show that microbial community signatures in the intertidal zone are significantly altered at sites where ARD drainage is present relative to sites where it is not, even if the sediment geochemistry indicates net accumulation of ARD-generated trace metals in the intertidal zone. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cleaning Surface Particle Contamination with Ultrapure Water (UPW) Megasonic Flow on Genesis Array Collectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allton, J. H.; Calaway, Michael J.; Hittle, J. D.; Rodriquez, M. C.; Stansbery, E. K.; McNamara, K. M.

2006-01-01

The hard landing experienced by the Genesis sample return capsule breached the science canister containing the solar wind collectors. This impact into the damp lakebed contaminated collector surfaces with pulverized collector and spacecraft materials and Utah sediment and brine residue. The gold foil, polished aluminum, and bulk metallic glass remained intact, but the solar wind bulk and regime-specific array collectors were jarred loose from their frames and fractured into greater than 10,000 specimens. After a year of investigation and cleaning experimentation, the Genesis Science Team determined that array collectors had 4 classes of contaminants: particles, molecular film, submicron inorganic particulate ("aerosol"), and pre-launch surface contamination. We discuss here use of megasonically energized ultrapure water (UPW) for removing particulate debris from array collector fragments.

Distribution and transport of total mercury and methylmercury in mercury-contaminated sediments in reservoirs and wetlands of the Sudbury River, east-central Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Colman, John A.; Waldron, Marcus C.; Breault, Robert F.; Lent, Robert M.

1999-01-01

Total mercury and methylmercury were measured in 4 reservoir cores and 12 wetland cores from Sudbury River. The distribution of total mercury and methylmercury in these cores was evaluated to determine the potential for total mercury and methylmercury transport from reservoir and wetlands sediments to the water column. Concentrations of methylmercury were corrected for an analytical artifact introduced during the separation distillation used in the analysis procedure. Corrected methylmercury concentrations correlated with total mercury concentrations in bulk sediment from below the top layers of reservoir and wetland cores; methylmercury concentrations at the top layers of cores were relatively high, however, and were not correlated with total mercury concentrations. Concentrations of methylmercury in pore water were positively correlated with methylmercury concentrations in the bulk sediment. High concentrations of total mercury and methylmercury in sediment (73 and 0.047 micrograms per gram dry-weight basis, respectively) contributed less to the water column in the reservoir than in the wetlands probably because of burial by low concentration sediment and differences in the processes available to transport mercury from the sediments to the water in the reservoirs, as compared to the wetlands .

Hydrocarbon composition and concentrations in the Gulf of Mexico sediments in the 3 years following the Macondo well blowout.

PubMed

Babcock-Adams, Lydia; Chanton, Jeffrey P; Joye, Samantha B; Medeiros, Patricia M

2017-10-01

In April of 2010, the Macondo well blowout in the northern Gulf of Mexico resulted in an unprecedented release of oil into the water column at a depth of approximately 1500 m. A time series of surface and subsurface sediment samples were collected to the northwest of the well from 2010 to 2013 for molecular biomarker and bulk carbon isotopic analyses. While no clear trend was observed in subsurface sediments, surface sediments (0-3 cm) showed a clear pattern with total concentrations of n-alkanes, unresolved complex mixture (UCM), and petroleum biomarkers (terpanes, hopanes, steranes) increasing from May to September 2010, peaking in late November 2010, and strongly decreasing in the subsequent years. The peak in hydrocarbon concentrations were corroborated by higher organic carbon contents, more depleted Δ 14 C values and biomarker ratios similar to those of the initial MC252 crude oil reported in the literature. These results indicate that at least part of oil discharged from the accident sedimented to the seafloor in subsequent months, resulting in an apparent accumulation of hydrocarbons on the seabed by the end of 2010. Sediment resuspension and transport or biodegradation may account for the decrease in sedimented oil quantities in the years following the Macondo well spill. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early diagenesis of recently deposited organic matter: A 9-yr time-series study of a flood deposit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tesi, T.; Langone, L.; Goñi, M. A.; Wheatcroft, R. A.; Miserocchi, S.; Bertotti, L.

2012-04-01

In Fall 2000, the Po River (Italy) experienced a 100-yr return period flood that resulted in a 1-25 cm-thick deposit in the adjacent prodelta (10-25 m water depth). In the following years, numerous post-depositional perturbations occurred including bioturbation, reworking by waves with heights exceeding 5 m, as well as periods of extremely high and low sediment supply. Cores collected in the central prodelta after the Fall 2000 flood and over the following 9 yr, allowed characterization of the event-strata in their initial state and documentation of their subsequent evolution. Sedimentological characteristics were investigated using X-radiographs and sediment texture analyses, whereas the composition of sedimentary organic matter (OM) was studied via bulk and biomarker analyses, including organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), carbon stable isotope composition (δ13C), lignin phenols, cutin-products, p-hydroxy benzenes, benzoic acids, dicarboxylic acids, and fatty acids. The 9-yr time-series analysis indicated that roughly the lower half of the original event bed was preserved in the sediment record. Conversely, the upper half of the deposit experienced significant alterations including bioturbation, addition of new material, as well as coarsening. Comparison of the recently deposited material with 9-yr old preserved strata represented a unique natural laboratory to investigate the diagenesis of sedimentary OM in a non-steady system. Bulk data indicated that OC and TN were degraded at similar rates (loss ∼17%) whereas biomarkers exhibited a broad spectrum of reactivities (loss from ∼6% to ∼60%) indicating selective preservation during early diagenesis. Given the relevance of episodic sedimentation in several margins, this study has demonstrated the utility of event-response and time-series sampling of the seabed for understanding the early diagenesis in non-steady conditions.

The sedimentary organic matter from a Lake Ichkeul core (far northern Tunisia): Rock-Eval and biomarker approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Affouri, Hassène; Sahraoui, Olfa

2017-05-01

The vertical distributions of bulk and molecular biomarker composition in samples from a ca. 156 cm sediment core from Lake Ichkeul were determined. Bulk analysis (Rock-Eval pyrolysis, carbonate, lipid extraction) and molecular analysis of saturated fractions were used to characterize the nature, preservation conditions and input of sedimentary organic matter (OM) to this sub-wet lake environment. The sediments are represented mainly by gray-black silty-clay facies where the carbonate (CaCO3) content varies in a range of 10-30% dry sediment. Rock-Eval pyrolysis revealed a homogeneous total organic carbon (TOC) content of ca. 1% sediment, but with down core fluctuation, indicating different anoxic conditions at different depths and material source variation. The values show three periods of relative enrichment, exceeding ca. 1%, at 146-134 cm, 82 cm and 14-0 cm depth. The low Hydrogen Index (HI) values [<119 mg hydrocarbon (HC)/g TOC)] were characteristic of continental Type III OM. The Tmax values in the range 415-420 °C were characteristic of immature OM at an early diagenetic stage. The distributions of n-alkanes (C17 to C34), isoprenoid (iso) alkanes (pristane and phytane), terpanes and steranes showed that the OM is a mixture of marine algal and bacterial source and emergent and floating higher plant origin. In addition, the distributions, as well as several biomarker ratios (n-alkanes, iso-alkanes/n-alkanes), showed that the OM is a mixture of immature and mature. Significant downcore fluctuation was observed in the molecular composition. This indicates intense microbial activity below ca. 50 cm core depth under an anoxic and brackish environment.

Investigating the development of less-mobile porosity in realistic hyporheic zone sediments with COMSOL Multiphysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MahmoodPoorDehkordy, F.; Briggs, M. A.; Day-Lewis, F. D.; Bagtzoglou, A. C.

2017-12-01

Although hyporheic zones are often modeled at the reach scale as homogeneous "boxes" of exchange, heterogeneity caused by variations of pore sizes and connectivity is not uncommon. This heterogeneity leads to the creation of more- and less-mobile zones of hydraulic exchange that influence reactive solute transport processes. Whereas fluid sampling is generally sensitive to more-mobile zones, geoelectrical measurement is sensitive to ionic tracer dynamics in both less- and more-mobile zones. Heterogeneity in pore connectivity leads to a lag between fluid and bulk electrical conductivity (EC) resulting in a hysteresis loop, observed during tracer breakthrough tests, that contains information about the less-mobile porosity attributes of the medium. Here, we present a macro-scale model of solute transport and electrical conduction developed using COMSOL Multiphysics. The model is used to simulate geoelectrical monitoring of ionic transport for bed sediments based on (1) a stochastic sand-and-cobble mixture and (2) a dune feature with strong permeability layering. In both of these disparate sediment types, hysteresis between fluid and bulk EC is observed, and depends in part on fluid flux rate through the model domain. Using the hysteresis loop, the ratio of less-mobile to mobile porosity and mass-transfer coefficient are estimated graphically. The results indicate the presence and significance of less-mobile porosity in the hyporheic zones and demonstrate the capability of the proposed model to detect heterogeneity in flow processes and estimate less-mobile zone parameters.

Quantification of Biogenic Magnetite by Synchrotron X-ray Microscopy During the PETM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H.; Wang, J.; Kent, D. V.; Chen-Wiegart, Y. C. K.

2014-12-01

Exceptionally large biogenic magnetite crystals, including spearhead-like and spindle-like ones up to 4 microns, have been reported in clay-rich sediments recording the ~56 Ma Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) and carbon isotope excursion (CIE) in a borehole at Ancora, NJ and along with magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) chains, were suggested [Schumann et al. 2008 PNAS; Kopp et al. 2009 Paleoceanography] to account for the distinctive single domain (SD) rock magnetic properties of these sediments [Lanci et al. 2002 JGR]. However, because uncalibrated magnetic extraction techniques were used to provide material for TEM imaging of the biogenic magnetite, it is difficult to quantitatively analyze their concentration in the bulk clay. In this study, we use a synchrotron transmission X-ray microscope to image bulk CIE clay. We first take mosaic images of sub-millimeter-sized bulk clay samples, in which we can identify many of the various types of giant biogenic magnetite crystals, as well as several other types of iron minerals, such as pyrite framboids, siderite, and detrital magnetite. However, limited by the instrument resolution (~50 nm), we are not able to identify MTB chains let alone isolated magnetic nanoparticles that may be abundant the clay. To quantitatively estimate the concentration of the giant biogenic magnetite, we re-deposited the bulk clay sample in an alcohol solution on a silicon nitride membrane for 2D X-ray scans. After scanning a total area of 0.55 mm2 with average clay thickness of 4 μm, we identified ~40 spearheads, ~5 spindles and a few elongated rods and estimated their total magnetization as SD particles to be less than about 10% of the mass normalized clay for the scanned area. This result suggests that the giant biogenic magnetite is not a major source of the SD signal for the clay and is in good agreement with rock magnetic analyses using high-resolution first-order reversal curves and thermal fluctuation tomography on bulk CIE clay showing that most of the magnetite occurs as isolated, near-equant SD particles [Wang et al. 2013 PNAS]. This would also exclude a significant contribution from MTB chains and points to a non-biogenic origin, such as a comet impact plume condensate, for the magnetic nanoparticles [Kent et al. 2003 EPSL] in the very rapidly deposited CIE clays [Wright & Schaller 2014 PNAS].

Radiocarbon-based assessment of fossil fuel-derived contaminant associations in sediments.

PubMed

White, Helen K; Reddy, Christopher M; Eglinton, Timothy I

2008-08-01

Hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) are associated with natural organic matter (OM) in the environment via mechanisms such as sorption or chemical binding. The latter interactions are difficult to quantitatively constrain, as HOCs can reside in different OM pools outside of conventional analytical windows. Here, we exploited natural abundance variations in radiocarbon (14C) to trace various fossil fuel-derived HOCs (14C-free) within chemically defined fractions of contemporary OM (modern 14C content) in 13 samples including marine and freshwater sediments and one dust and one soil sample. Samples were sequentially treated by solvent extraction followed by saponification. Radiocarbon analysis of the bulk sample and resulting residues was then performed. Fossil fuel-derived HOCs released by these treatments were quantified from an isotope mass balance approach as well as by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. For the majority of samples (n = 13), 98-100% of the total HOC pool was solvent extractable. Nonextracted HOCs are only significant (29% of total HOC pool)in one sample containing p,p-2,2-bis(chlorophenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane and its metabolites. The infrequency of significant incorporation of HOCs into nonextracted OM residues suggests that most HOCs are mobile and bioavailable in the environment and, as such, have a greater potential to exert adverse effects.

Suspended sediment and bedload in the First Broad River Basin in Cleveland County, North Carolina, 2008-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hazell, William F.; Huffman, Brad A.

2011-01-01

A study was conducted to characterize sediment transport upstream and downstream from a proposed dam on the First Broad River near the town of Lawndale in Cleveland County, North Carolina. Streamflow was measured continuously, and 381 suspended-sediment samples were collected between late March 2008 and September 2009 at two monitoring stations on the First Broad River to determine the suspended-sediment load at each site for the period April 2008-September 2009. In addition, 22 bedload samples were collected at the two sites to describe the relative contribution of bedload to total sediment load during selected events. Instantaneous streamflow, suspended-sediment, and bedload samples were collected at Knob Creek near Lawndale, North Carolina, to describe general suspended-sediment and bedload characteristics at this tributary to the First Broad River. Suspended- and bedload-sediment samples were collected at all three sites during a variety of flow conditions. Streamflow and suspended-sediment measurements were compared with historical data from a long-term (1959-2009) streamflow station located upstream from Lawndale. The mean streamflow at the long-term streamflow station was approximately 60 percent less during the study period than the long-term annual mean streamflow for the site. Suspended-sediment concentrations and continuous records of streamflow were used to estimate suspended-sediment loads and yields at the two monitoring stations on the First Broad River for the period April 2008-September 2009 and for a complete annual cycle (October 2008-September 2009), also known as a water year. Total suspended-sediment loads during water year 2009 were 18,700 and 36,500 tons at the two sites. High-flow events accounted for a large percentage of the total load, suggesting that the bulk of the total suspended-sediment load was transported during these events. Suspended-sediment yields during water year 2009 were 145 and 192 tons per square mile at the two monitoring stations. Historically, the estimated mean annual suspended-sediment yield at the long-term streamflow station during the period 1970-1979 was 250 tons per square mile, with an estimated mean annual suspended-sediment load of 15,000 tons. Drought conditions throughout most of the study period were a potential factor in the smaller yields at the monitoring stations compared to the yields estimated at the long-term streamflow station in the 1970s. During an extreme runoff event on January 7, 2009, bedload was 0.4 percent, 0.8 percent, and 0.1 percent of the total load at the three study sites, which indicates that during extreme runoff conditions the percentage of the total load that is bedload is not significant. The percentages of the total load that is bedload during low-flow conditions ranged from 0.1 to 90.8, which indicate that the bedload is variable both spatially and temporally.

Environmental contamination associated with a marine landfill ('seafill') beside a coral reef.

PubMed

Jones, Ross

2010-11-01

In Bermuda, bulk waste such as scrap metal, cars, etc., and blocks of cement-stabilized incinerator ash (produced from burning garbage) are disposed of in a foreshore reclamation site, i.e., a seafill. Chemical analyses show that seawater leaching out of the dump regularly exceeds water quality guidelines for Zn and Cu, and that the surrounding sediments are enriched in multiple contaminant classes (metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, petroleum hydrocarbons, dioxins and furans, polychlorinated biphenyls and an organochlorine pesticide), i.e., there is a halo of contamination. When compared against biological effects-based sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), numerous sediment samples exceeded the low-range values (where biological effects become possible), and for Hg and Zn exceeded the mid-range value (where they become probable). A few metres away from the edge of the 25 acre dump lies a small coral patch reef, proposed here as most contaminated coral reef in the world. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distribution, diversity and abundance of bacterial laccase-like genes in different particle size fractions of sediments in a subtropical mangrove ecosystem.

PubMed

Luo, Ling; Zhou, Zhi-Chao; Gu, Ji-Dong

2015-10-01

This study investigated the diversity and abundance of bacterial lacasse-like genes in different particle size fractions, namely sand, silt, and clay of sediments in a subtropical mangrove ecosystem. Moreover, the effects of nutrient conditions on bacterial laccase-like communities as well as the correlation between nutrients and, both the abundance and diversity indices of laccase-like bacteria in particle size fractions were also studied. Compared to bulk sediments, Bacteroidetes, Caldithrix, Cyanobacteria and Chloroflexi were dominated in all 3 particle-size fractions of intertidal sediment (IZ), but Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were lost after the fractionation procedures used. The diversity index of IZ fractions decreased in the order of bulk > clay > silt > sand. In fractions of mangrove forest sediment (MG), Verrucomicrobia was found in silt, and both Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes appeared in clay, but no new species were found in sand. The declining order of diversity index in MG fractions was clay > silt > sand > bulk. Furthermore, the abundance of lacasse-like bacteria varied with different particle-size fractions significantly (p < 0.05), and decreased in the order of sand > clay > silt in both IZ and MG fractions. Additionally, nutrient availability was found to significantly affect the diversity and community structure of laccase-like bacteria (p < 0.05), while the total organic carbon contents were positively related to the abundance of bacterial laccase-like genes in particle size fractions (p < 0.05). Therefore, this study further provides evidence that bacterial laccase plays a vital role in turnover of sediment organic matter and cycling of nutrients.

Radiocarbon dating of individual lignin phenols: a new approach for establishing chronology of late quaternary lake sediments.

PubMed

Hou, Juzhi; Huang, Yongsong; Brodsky, Corynn; Alexandre, Marcelo R; McNichol, Ann P; King, John W; Hu, Feng Sheng; Shen, Ji

2010-09-01

The reliability of chronology is a prerequisite for meaningful paleoclimate reconstructions from sedimentary archives. The conventional approach of radiocarbon dating bulk organic carbon in lake sediments is often hampered by the old carbon effect, i.e., the assimilation of ancient dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) derived from carbonate bedrocks or other sources. Therefore, radiocarbon dating is ideally performed on organic compounds derived from land plants that use atmospheric CO(2) and rapidly delivered to sediments. We demonstrate that lignin phenols isolated from lake sediments using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) can serve as effective (14)C dating materials for establishing chronology during the late Quaternary. We developed a procedure to purify lignin phenols, building upon a published method. By isolating lignin from standard wood reference substances, we show that our method yields pure lignin phenols and consistent ages as the consensus ages and that our procedure does not introduce radiocarbon contamination. We further demonstrate that lignin phenol ages are compatible with varve counted and macrofossil dated sediment horizons in Steel Lake and Fayetteville Green Lake. Applying the new method to lake sediment cores from Lake Qinghai demonstrates that lignin phenol ages in Lake Qinghai are consistently younger than bulk total organic carbon (TOC) ages which are contaminated by old carbon effect. We also show that the age offset between lignin and bulk organic carbon differs at different Lake Qinghai sedimentary horizons, suggesting a variable hard water effect at different times and that a uniform age correction throughout the core is inappropriate.

Chlorine isotope constraints on fluid-rock interactions during subduction and exhumation of the Zermatt-Saas ophiolite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selverstone, J.; Sharp, Z. D.

2013-10-01

Chlorine isotope compositions of high-pressure (˜2.3 GPa) serpentinite, rodingite, and hydrothermally altered oceanic crust (AOC) differ significantly from high- and ultrahigh-pressure (> 3.2 GPa) metasedimentary rocks in the Aosta region, Italy. Texturally early serpentinites, rodingites, and AOC have bulk δ37Cl values indistinguishable from those of modern seafloor analogues (δ37Cl = -1.0 to +1.0‰). In contrast, serpentinites and AOC samples that recrystallized during exhumation have low δ37Cl values (-2.7 to -0.5‰); 37Cl depletion correlates with progressive changes in bulk chemistry. HP/UHP metasediments have low δ37Cl values (median = -2.5‰) that differ statistically from modern marine sediments (median = -0.6‰). Cl in metasedimentary rocks is concentrated in texturally early minerals, indicating modification of seafloor compositions early in the subduction history. The data constrain fluid sources during both subduction and exhumation-related phases of fluid-rock interaction: (1) marine sediments at the top of the downgoing plate likely interacted with isotopically light pore fluids from the accretionary wedge in the early stages of subduction. (2) No pervasive interaction with externally derived fluid occurred during subsequent subduction to the maximum depths of burial. (3) Localized mixing between serpentinites and fluids released by previously isotopically modified metasediments occurred during exhumation in the subduction channel. Most samples, however, preserved protolith signatures during subduction to near-arc depths.

Tracking the Fate of Explosive-Trinitrotriazine (RDX) in Coastal Marine Ecosystems Using Stable Isotopic Tracer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariyarathna, T. S.; Ballentine, M.; Vlahos, P.; Smith, R. W.; Bohlke, J. K.; Tobias, C. R.; Fallis, S.; Groshens, T.; Cooper, C.

2017-12-01

It has been estimated that there are hundreds of explosive-contaminated sites all over the world and managing these contaminated sites is an international challenge. As coastal zones and estuaries are commonly impacted zones, it is vital to understand the fate and transport of munition compounds in these environments. The demand for data on sorption, biodegradation and mineralization of trinitrotriazine (RDX) in coastal ecosystems is the impetus for this study using stable nitrogen isotopes to track its metabolic pathways. Mesocosm experiments representing subtidal vegetated, subtidal unvegetated and intertidal marsh ecocosms were conducted. Steady state concentrations of RDX were maintained in the systems throughout two-week time duration of experiments. Sediment, pore-water and overlying water samples were analyzed for RDX and degradation products. Isotope analysis of the bulk sediments revealed an initial rising inventory of 15N followed by a decay illustrating the role of sediments on sorption and degradation of RDX in anaerobic sediments respectively. Both pore-water and overlying water samples were analyzed for 15N inventories of different inorganic nitrogen pools including ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, nitrous oxide and nitrogen gases. RDX is mineralized to nitrogen gas through a series of intermediates leaving nitrous oxide as the prominent metabolite of RDX. Significant differences in RDX metabolism were observed in the three different ecosystems based on sediment characteristics and redox conditions in the systems. Fine grained organic carbon rich sediments show notably higher mineralization rates of RDX in terms of production of its metabolites. Quantification of degradation and transformation rates leads to mass balances of RDX in the systems. Further analysis of results provides insights for mineralization pathways of RDX into both organic and inorganic nitrogen pools entering the marine nitrogen cycle.

Mineralogy, early marine diagenesis, and the chemistry of shallow-water carbonate sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higgins, J. A.; Blättler, C. L.; Lundstrom, E. A.; Santiago-Ramos, D. P.; Akhtar, A. A.; Crüger Ahm, A.-S.; Bialik, O.; Holmden, C.; Bradbury, H.; Murray, S. T.; Swart, P. K.

2018-01-01

Shallow-water carbonate sediments constitute the bulk of sedimentary carbonates in the geologic record and are widely used archives of Earth's chemical and climatic history. One of the main limitations in interpreting the geochemistry of ancient carbonate sediments is the potential for post-depositional diagenetic alteration. In this study, we use paired measurements of calcium (44Ca/40Ca or δ44Ca) and magnesium (26Mg/24Mg or δ26Mg) isotope ratios in sedimentary carbonates and associated pore-fluids as a tool to understand the mineralogical and diagenetic history of Neogene shallow-water carbonate sediments from the Bahamas and southwest Australia. We find that the Ca and Mg isotopic composition of bulk carbonate sediments at these sites exhibits systematic stratigraphic variability that is related to both mineralogy and early marine diagenesis. The observed variability in bulk sediment Ca isotopes is best explained by changes in the extent and style of early marine diagenesis from one where the composition of the diagenetic carbonate mineral is determined by the chemistry of the fluid (fluid-buffered) to one where the composition of the diagenetic carbonate mineral is determined by the chemistry of the precursor sediment (sediment-buffered). Our results indicate that this process, together with variations in carbonate mineralogy (aragonite, calcite, and dolomite), plays a fundamental and underappreciated role in determining the regional and global stratigraphic expressions of geochemical tracers (δ13C, δ18O, major, minor, and trace elements) in shallow-water carbonate sediments in the geologic record. Our results also provide evidence that a large shallow-water carbonate sink that is enriched in 44Ca can explain the mismatch between the δ44/40Ca value of rivers and deep-sea carbonate sediments and call into question the hypothesis that the δ44/40Ca value of seawater depends on the mineralogy of primary carbonate precipitations (e.g. 'aragonite seas' and 'calcite seas'). Finally, our results for sedimentary dolomites suggest that paired measurements of Ca and Mg isotopes may provide a unique geochemical fingerprint of mass transfer during dolomitization to better understand the paleo-environmental information preserved in these enigmatic but widespread carbonate minerals.

Tracking sedimentation from the historic A.D. 2011 Mississippi River flood in the deltaic wetlands of Louisiana, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Khan, Nicole S.; Horton, Benjamin P.; McKee, Karen L.; Jerolmack, Douglas; Falcini, Federico; Enache, Mihaela D.; Vane, Christopher H.

2013-01-01

Management and restoration of the Mississippi River deltaic plain (southern United States) and associated wetlands require a quantitative understanding of sediment delivery during large flood events, past and present. Here, we investigate the sedimentary fingerprint of the 2011 Mississippi River flood across the Louisiana coast (Atchafalaya Delta, Terrebonne, Barataria, and Mississippi River Delta basins) to assess spatial patterns of sedimentation and to identify key indicators of sediment provenance. The sediment deposited in wetlands during the 2011 flood was distinguished from earlier deposits based on biological characteristics, primarily absence of plant roots and increased presence of centric (planktonic) diatoms indicative of riverine origin. By comparison, the lithological (bulk density, organic matter content, and grain size) and chemical (stable carbon isotopes of bulk organic matter) properties of flood sediments were nearly identical to the underlying deposit. Flood sediment deposition was greatest in wetlands near the Atchafalaya and Mississippi Rivers and accounted for a substantial portion (37% to 85%) of the annual accretion measured at nearby monitoring stations. The amount of sediment delivered to those basins (1.1–1.6 g cm−2) was comparable to that reported previously for hurricane sedimentation along the Louisiana coast (0.8–2.1 g cm−2). Our findings not only provide insight into how large-scale river floods influence wetland sedimentation, they lay the groundwork for identifying previous flood events in the stratigraphic record.

Arsenic associations in sediments from shallow aquifers of northwestern Hetao Basin, Inner Mongolia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Deng, Y.; Wang, Y.; Ma, T.; Yang, H.; He, J.

2011-01-01

Understanding the mechanism of arsenic mobilization from sediments to groundwater is important for water quality management in areas of endemic arsenic poisoning, such as the Hetao Basin in Inner Mongolia, northern China. Aquifer geochemistry was characterized at three field sites (SH, HF, TYS) in Hangjinhouqi County of northwestern Hetao Basin. The results of bulk geochemistry analysis of sediment samples indicated that total As concentrations have a range of 6. 8-58. 5 mg/kg, with a median of 14. 4 mg/kg. The highest As concentrations were found at 15-25 m depth. In the meanwhile, the range of As concentration in the sediments from background borehole is 3-21. 8 mg/kg, with a median value of 9 mg/kg. The As sediments concentrations with depth from the SH borehole were correlated with the contents of Fe, Sb, B, V, total C and total S. Generally, the abundance of elements varied with grain size, with higher concentrations in finer fractions of the sediments. Distinct lithology profile and different geochemical characteristics of aquifer sediments indicate the sediments are associated with different sources and diverse sedimentary environments. Up to one third of arsenic in the sediments could be extracted by ammonium oxalate, suggesting that Fe oxyhydroxides may be the major sink of As in the aquifer. Sequential extraction results indicate that arsenic occurs as strongly adsorbed on and/or co-precipitated with amorphous Fe oxyhydroxides in sediments accounting for 35 and 20%, respectively, of the total contents of arsenic. The release of As into groundwater may occur by desorption from the mineral surface driven by reductive dissolution of the Fe oxide minerals. Furthermore, small proportions of As associated with iron sulfides occur in the reductive sediments. ?? 2011 Springer-Verlag.

Geochemical, mineralogical and microbiological characteristics of sediment from a naturally reduced zone in a uranium-contaminated aquife

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campbell, K M; K Kukkadapu, R K; Qafoku, N P

2012-05-23

Localized zones or lenses of naturally reduced sediments have the potential to play a significant role in the fate and transport of redox-sensitive metals and metalloids in aquifers. To assess the mineralogy, microbiology and redox processes that occur in these zones, several cores from a region of naturally occurring reducing conditions in a U-contaminated aquifer (Rifle, CO) were examined. Sediment samples from a transect of cores ranging from oxic/suboxic Rifle aquifer sediment to naturally reduced sediment were analyzed for U and Fe content, oxidation state, and mineralogy; reduced S phases; and solid-phase organic C content using a suite of analyticalmore » and spectroscopic techniques on bulk sediment and size fractions. Solid-phase U concentrations were higher in the naturally reduced zone, with a high proportion of the U present as U(IV). The sediments were also elevated in reduced S phases and Fe(II), indicating it is very likely that U(VI), Fe(III), and SO4 reduction has occurred or is occurring in the sediment. The microbial community was assessed using lipid- and DNA-based techniques, and statistical redundancy analysis was performed to determine correlations between the microbial community and the geochemistry. Increased concentrations of solid-phase organic C and biomass in the naturally reduced sediment suggests that natural bioreduction is stimulated by a zone of increased organic C concentration associated with fine-grained material and lower permeability to groundwater flow. Characterization of the naturally bioreduced sediment provides an understanding of the natural processes that occur in the sediment under reducing conditions and how they may impact natural attenuation of radionuclides and other redox sensitive materials. Results also suggest the importance of recalcitrant organic C for maintaining reducing conditions and U immobilization.« less

Geochemical, mineralogical and microbiological characteristics of sediment from a naturally reduced zone in a uranium-contaminated aquifer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campbell, Kate M.; Kukkadapu, Ravi K.; Qafoku, Nikolla

2012-05-23

Localized zones or lenses of naturally reduced sediments have the potential to play a significant role in the fate and transport of redox-sensitive metals and metalloids in aquifers. To assess the mineralogy, microbiology, and redox processes that occur in these zones, we examined several cores from a region of naturally occurring reducing conditions in a uranium-contaminated aquifer (Rifle, CO). Sediment samples from a transect of cores ranging from oxic/suboxic Rifle aquifer sediment to naturally reduced sediment were analyzed for uranium and iron content, oxidation state, and mineralogy, reduced sulfur phases, and solid phase organic carbon content using a suite ofmore » analytical and spectroscopic techniques on bulk sediment and size fractions. Solid-phase uranium concentrations were higher in the naturally reduced zone, with a high proportion of the uranium present as reduced U(IV). The sediments were also elevated in reduced sulfur phases and Fe(II), indicating it is very likely that U(VI), Fe(III), and sulfate reduction occurred or is occurring in the sediment. The microbial community was assessed using lipid- and DNA-based techniques, and statistical redundancy analysis was performed to determine correlations between the microbial community and the geochemistry. Increased concentration of solid phase organic carbon and biomass in the naturally reduced sediment suggests that natural bioreduction is stimulated by a zone of increased organic carbon concentration associated with fine-grained material and lower permeability to groundwater flow. Characterization of the naturally bioreduced sediment provides an understanding of the natural processes that occur in the sediment under reducing conditions and how they may impact natural attenuation of radionuclides and other redox sensitive materials. Results also suggest the importance of recalcitrant organic carbon for maintaining reducing conditions and uranium immobilization.« less

Geochemical, mineralogical and microbiological characteristics of sediment from a naturally reduced zone in a uranium-contaminated aquifer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Campbell, K. M.; Kukkadapu, R. K.; Qafoku, N. P.

2012-08-01

Localized zones or lenses of naturally reduced sediments have the potential to play a significant role in the fate and transport of redox-sensitive metals and metalloids in aquifers. To assess the mineralogy, microbiology and redox processes that occur in these zones, several cores from a region of naturally occurring reducing conditions in a U-contaminated aquifer (Rifle, CO) were examined. Sediment samples from a transect of cores ranging from oxic/suboxic Rifle aquifer sediment to naturally reduced sediment were analyzed for U and Fe content, oxidation state, and mineralogy; reduced S phases; and solid-phase organic C content using a suite of analyticalmore » and spectroscopic techniques on bulk sediment and size fractions. Solid-phase U concentrations were higher in the naturally reduced zone, with a high proportion of the U present as U(IV). The sediments were also elevated in reduced S phases and Fe(II), indicating it is very likely that U(VI), Fe(III), and SO 4 reduction has occurred or is occurring in the sediment. The microbial community was assessed using lipid- and DNA-based techniques, and statistical redundancy analysis was performed to determine correlations between the microbial community and the geochemistry. Increased concentrations of solid-phase organic C and biomass in the naturally reduced sediment suggests that natural bioreduction is stimulated by a zone of increased organic C concentration associated with fine-grained material and lower permeability to groundwater flow. Characterization of the naturally bioreduced sediment provides an understanding of the natural processes that occur in the sediment under reducing conditions and how they may impact natural attenuation of radionuclides and other redox sensitive materials. Results also suggest the importance of recalcitrant organic C for maintaining reducing conditions and U immobilization.« less

In Situ Mo Isotope Fractionation in the Water Columns of Euxinic Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neubert, N.; Nägler, T. F.; Böttcher, M. E.

2007-12-01

The present study investigates for the first time the overall process of molybdenum (Mo) scavenging in modern euxinic systems using Mo concentration and stable isotope measurements. We analyzed samples from three different sites: The Black Sea, the largest permanently euxinic basin, and two anoxic basins of the Baltic Sea, the Gotland Deep and the Landsort Deep which have maximum water depths of 247 m and 459 m, respectively. Water column profiles, as well as surface sediment samples, were recovered from different water depths. Mo is a redox-sensitive trace metal which is soluble as the molybdate oxyanion in oxic seawater with a residence time of about 800 ka. The isotope signature of Mo is a relatively new proxy used to reconstruct the paleo-redox conditions of the Earth's atmosphere and the oceanic system. The Mo isotope composition in seawater is homogeneous (Siebert et al. 2003). Scavenging of Mo under euxinic conditions is related to the amount of free sulfide in the water column. Near total removal of Mo from the water column is reached at aquatic sulfide concentration of c. 11 μM (Erickson and Helz 2000). In the Black Sea this corresponds to a water depth of about 400 m. Sediment samples of the Black Sea from more then 400 m water depth show seawater isotopic composition, in line with the assumption of bulk Mo removal. However, shallower sediments deposited under lower aquatic sulfide concentrations show significant Mo isotope fractionation. The Baltic Sea oceanographic conditions, including temporary bottom water oxygenation due to sporadic North Sea water inflows, are more complex than in the Black Sea. The aquatic sulfide concentration in the water column is less than 5 μM in the two anoxic troughs. As expected from this lower sulfidity, the surface sediments show Mo fractionation similar to the oxic to slightly euxinic sediments of the Black Sea. Our new results on the Mo isotopic composition in euxinic water columns clearly indicate in situ fractionation of Mo isotopes. All euxinic water samples from the three settings are shifted towards heavier Mo isotope signatures, thus complementing the lighter values in the surface sediments (Nagler et al. 2005).

Occurrence and possible sources of arsenic in seafloor sediments surrounding sea-disposed munitions and chemical agents near O´ahu, Hawai´i

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomlinson, Michael S.; De Carlo, Eric Heinen

2016-06-01

The Department of Defense disposed of conventional and chemical munitions as well as bulk containers of chemical agents in US coastal waters including those surrounding the State of Hawai´i. The Hawai´i Undersea Military Munitions Assessment has been collecting biota, water, and sediment samples from two disposal areas south of the island of O´ahu in waters 500 to 600 m deep known to have received both conventional munitions and chemical agents (specifically sulfur mustard). Unlike a number of other sea-disposed munitions investigations which used grabs or corers lowered from surface vessels, we used manned submersibles to collect the samples. Using this approach, we were able to visually identify the munitions and precisely locate our samples in relation to the munitions on the seafloor. This paper focuses on the occurrence and possible sources of arsenic found in the sediments surrounding the disposed military munitions and chemical agents. Using nonparametric multivariate statistical techniques, we looked for patterns in the chemical data obtained from these sediment samples in order to determine the possible sources of the arsenic found in these sediments. The results of the ordination technique nonmetric multidimensional scaling indicate that the arsenic is associated with terrestrial sources and not munitions. This was not altogether surprising given that: (1) the chemical agents disposed of in this area supposedly did not contain arsenic, and (2) the disposal areas studied were under terrestrial influence or served as dredge spoil disposal sites. The sediment arsenic concentrations during this investigation ranged from <1.3 to 40 mg/kg-dry weight with the lower concentrations typically found around control sites and munitions (not located in dredge disposal areas) and the higher values found at dredge disposal sites (with or without munitions). During the course of our investigation we did, however, discover that mercury appears to be loosely associated with munitions. Given that mercury contamination has been seen in about 20% of the munitions and ton containers of sulfur mustard, the association of mercury with chemical agents is not totally unexpected.

Magnetic fingerprint of the sediment load in a meander bend section of the Seine River (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kayvantash, D.; Cojan, I.; Kissel, C.; Franke, C.

2017-06-01

This study aims to evaluate the potential of magnetic methods to determine the composition of the sediment load in a cross section of an unmanaged meander in the upstream stretch of the Seine River (Marnay-sur-Seine). Suspended particulate matter (SPM) was collected based on a regular sampling scheme along a cross section of the river, at two different depth levels: during a low-water stage (May 2014) and a high-water stage (February 2015). Riverbed sediments (RBS) were collected during the low-water stage and supplementary samples were taken from the outer and inner banks. Magnetic properties of the dry bulk SPM and sieved RBS and bank sediments were analysed. After characterizing the main magnetic carrier as magnetite, hysteresis parameters were measured, giving access to the grain size and the concentration of these magnetite particles. The results combined with sedimentary grain size data were compared to the three-dimensional velocity profile of the river flow. In the RBS where the magnetic grain size is rather uniform, the concentration of magnetite is inversely proportional to the mean grain size of the total sediment indicating that magnetite is strongly associated with the fine sedimentary fraction. The same pattern is observed in the samples from the outer and inner banks. During the low-water stage, the uniformly fine SPM grain size distribution characterizes the wash load. The magnetic fraction is also relatively fine (within the pseudo single domain range) with concentration similar to that of the fine RBS fraction. During the high-water stage, SPM samples correspond to mixtures of wash load and resuspended sediment from the bedload and riverbanks. Here, the grain size distribution is heterogeneous across the section showing coarser particles compared to those in the low-water stage and more varying magnetite concentrations while the magnetic grain size is like that of the low-water stage. The magnetite concentration in the high-water SPM can be modelled based on a mixing of the magnetite concentrations of the different grain size fractions, thus quantifying the impact of resuspension in the cross section.

13.000 years of multicentennial variability in Nile discharge: The link between solar activity, Indian monsoon, and Sapropel S1 formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hennekam, Rick; Jilbert, Tom; Schnetger, Bernhard; De Lange, Gert J.

2014-05-01

Sediments in the southeast Mediterranean are characterized by high accumulation rates, being influenced by suspended matter from the Nile plume. Therefore, the sediments from this area offer an invaluable high-resolution climate archive. Earlier work has shown that Nile River outflow has influenced water chemistry in this region throughout the entire Holocene, being well recorded in the oxygen isotopic ratio of the planktic foraminifer Globigerinoides ruber (δ18Oruber). The deposition of organic-rich layers (sapropels) during precession minima is often linked to Nile discharge. Here we present a multi-proxy study of a well-dated sediment core from the southeast Mediterranean basin to study in high-resolution the variability in Nile discharge during the early- to mid-Holocene. High sedimentation rates and sample resolution allow for recognition of (multi-)centennial variability in Nile discharge as recorded by δ18Oruber. Moreover, we measured bulk sediment Ba/Al (representing export-productivity), V/Al (representing redox conditions), and total organic carbon (Corg) during deposition of sapropel S1 (~6-10 kyr BP). Nile discharge is influenced by moisture transport from both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, being presently dominated by Atlantic moisture. We show that Nile discharge during the early- to mid-Holocene was dominated by Indian Ocean moisture transport. This is supported by the maximum in Nile discharge at ~9.5 cal. kyr BP, similar to the maximum intensity of Indian Ocean-influenced southwest Indian summer monsoon. Moreover, the strong solar activity signal observed in multi-centennial oscillations in Nile discharge during this time interval concords with those recorded in contemporaneous Indian Ocean-derived monsoon records, but not with those from the Atlantic Ocean. Solar-induced variability in Nile discharge also influenced the conditions relating to Sapropel S1 formation. During its deposition, similar multi-centennial variability is found in bulk sediment Ba/Al, V/Al, and Corg, indicating that nutrient availability and shallow water column ventilation in the eastern Mediterranean were sensitive to Nile discharge.

Mercury pollution in Doha (Qatar) coastal environment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Madfa, H.; Dahab, O.A.; Holail, H.

Surface water and sediment samples were collected from the Doha coastal area and analyzed for content of physico-chemical forms of mercury. Dissolved reactive Hg represented 81.0% of the total dissolved Hg. Organic Hg contributed only 5.0% of total Hg. Mercury showed a strong tendency to be associated with suspended matter in Doha coastal waters, as it represented about 73.0% of the total. Total Hg in bulk Doha surface sediments fluctuated between 0.14 and 1.75 [mu]g g[sup [minus]1] dry weight, with an average of 0.54 [+-] 0.46 [mu]g g[sup [minus]1] dry weight. The sediment fraction past 63 [mu]m contained 0.73 [+-]more » 0.60 [mu]g g[sup [minus]1] dry weight total Hg. Leachable and methyl Hg averaged 0.10 [+-] 0.11 and 0.02 [+-] 0.03 [mu]g g[sup [minus]1] dry weight, respectively, in the < 63-[mu]m sediment fraction. There is a general trend for all Hg species determined in water and sediments to decrease seaward. The significantly elevated Hg levels at certain locations indicated that the main Hg sources to Doha coastal environment are leachate from the solid waste disposal site, the two harbors, and surface-water discharge.« less

Glacial versus interglacial sedimentation rates and turbidite frequency in the Bahamas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Droxler, Andre W.; Schlager, Wolfgang

1985-11-01

The southern Tongue of the Ocean is a 1300-m-deep, flat-floored basin in the Bahamas that receives large amounts of sediment from the carbonate platforms surrounding it on three sides. We have examined five 8 13-m-long piston cores and determined bulk sedimentation rates, turbidite frequency, and turbidite accumulation rates for the past two glacial and interglacial periods. The mean of bulk sedimentation rates is four to six times higher in interglacial periods; average accumulation rates of recognizable turbidites are higher by a factor of 21 to 45, and interglacial turbidite frequency is higher by a factor of 6 to 14. Sediment composition indicates that increased interglacial rates are due to higher accumulation of platform-derived material. Additional data from other Bahamian basins as well as published material from the Caribbean strongly suggest that highstand shedding is a general trend in pure carbonate depositional systems. Carbonate platforms without a siliciclastic component export more material during highstands of sea level when the platform tops are flooded and produce sediment. The response of carbonate platforms to Quaternary sea-level cycles is opposed to that of siliciclastic ocean margins, where sediment is stored on the inner shelf during highstands and passed on to continental rises and abyssal plains during lowstands of sea level.

Properties and reactivity of aquatic organic matter from an Amazonian floodplain system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez, M. A. P.; Benedetti, M. F.; Moreira-Turcq, P.

2009-04-01

The aim of this study was to characterize the nature of the bulk dissolved organic matter (DOM) in different types of environments in the Amazon River-floodplain system and determine the importance of two different fractions of dissolved organic matter onto adsorption processes that occurs through the transport of organic matter in the Amazon Basin. Seven samples were collected in the Amazon River - "Lago Grande de Curuai" floodplain system, in rising water levels cruise (March 2006). The samples were taken in the Amazon main stem, in white and black floodplain waters, and in the middle of a phytoplaktonic bloom. The bulk, dissolved (i.e. < 0.22 micrometer), hydrophobic (HPO) and transphilic (TPH) fractions extracted by XAD-8 and XAD-4 columns chromatography respectively were isolated. Organic carbon (OC) and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations, Specific UV absorbance (SUVA), Size-Exclusion Chromatography (SEC), d13C and d15N isotopes, and reactivity (acid-base titration) were characterized for these fractions. Adsorption experiments onto mineral phase from de surface sediment of the Curuai floodplain lake (rich in smectite and kaolinite) were realized with HPO and TPH fractions. The OC concentrations in the natural organic matter (Bulk and < 0.22 micrometer fractions) varied between 3.7-5.7 mg/L. The OC and TN concentrations varied between 510 - 528 mg C/g in the HPO fraction, and 408 - 462 mg C/g in the TPH compounds and between 14.3 - 17.6 mg N/g (HPO), and 22.1 - 30.0 mg N/g (TPH). The molecular weight of both fractions (HPO and TPH) didn't present significant variation. Both fractions presented high aromaticity and they were rich in carboxylic groups, although smaller values are systematically reported for the HPO fractions. The OM of the main stem was the most adsorbed, followed by the white water lake, the phytoplanktonic bloom, and black water lake sample. These results helped us to strengthen the hypothesis that the organic matter carried from the river and sediment in the floodplain is closely associated with mineral phase.

Sediment and organic carbon transport in Cap de Creus canyon, Gulf of Lions (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tesi, T.; Puig, P.; Palanques, A.; Goni, M. A.; Miserocchi, S.; Langone, L.

2009-04-01

The off-shelf transport of particles in continental margins is responsible for much of the flux of organic matter (OM)and nutrients towards deep-sea ecosystems, playing a key role in the global oceanic biogeochemical cycles. Off-shelf sediment transport mechanism have been well described for many continental margins being triggered by a series of physical forcings such as tides, storms, internal waves, floods, earthquakes, as well as the combination of some of these processes, while topographic structures such as submarine canyons act as preferential sedimentary conduits toward deep ocean. However, the composition of the material supplied to the deep ocean during these events is still poorly understood since most studies have only investigated the magnitude of the down-slope fluxes or limited their analysis to the major bulk components. A special opportunity to characterize the biogeochemical composition of the off-shelf export in the Gulf of Lions (GoL) margin was provided during the winter 2004-2005, when an exceptional dense water cascading event occurred. Dense water overflowing off the shelf in the GoL has been recently recognized as one of the main process affecting particulate shelf-to-slope exchange in northwestern Mediterranean Sea. During the 2004-2005 cascading event, moored instruments were deployed at the Cap de Creus (CdC) canyon head to monitor the physical parameters and to characterize the temporal variability of the exported material. Post-cascading sediment cores were collected along the sediment dispersal system to trace the sediment transport pathway. In this study we developed a source tracing method using elemental compositions, alkaline CuO reaction products (lignin, cutin, lipids, hydroxy benzenes, proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides products), biogenic silica, carbon stable isotope composition, radiocarbon measurements, and grain size as a fingerprint for each sample. The aforementioned analyses were carried out on both sediment trap and sediment samples to obtain a homogeneous data matrix. The dynamic mixture of OM sources and shelf sediments was then analyzed using multivariate statistics. A quantitative mixing model was used to assess the relative contribution of allochthonous and autochthonous OM and to identify the relationship between sediment export from the shelf and down-slope particulate fluxes (sediment provenance).

What Controls Sediment Retention in an Emerging Delta?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keogh, M.; Kolker, A.

2016-12-01

What controls sediment retention in an emerging delta? Here, we examine the effects of river discharge and flow velocity on sediment retention rate, using a developing crevasse splay in the Lower Mississippi Delta as a study location. With a controlled discharge that ranges from 28 to 280 m3/s, Davis Pond Freshwater Diversion connects the Mississippi River to the adjacent wetland, allowing river water, sediment, and nutrients to flow into the marsh. Although Davis Pond was primarily designed to regulate salinity within Barataria Basin rather than to build land, a new crevasse splay has recently emerged at the mouth of the diversion's outfall channel. Short (5 cm) sediment cores were collected at 22 locations around the Davis Pond receiving basin in spring 2015, fall 2015, and spring 2016. All cores were analyzed for sediment geotechnical parameters including organic content, bulk density, and grain size. Sediment input into the receiving basin was calculated using a ratings curve. Activity of the radioisotope beryllium-7 was used to calculate rates of sediment accumulation and retention. We find that while sediment input is greater during high flow, rate of retention is greater during low flow. This is likely due to the increase in flow velocity that accompanies high discharge, which retains sediment in suspension and leads to more throughput of material. Furthermore, the diversion operation regime of sustained low flow punctuated by short-duration high discharge events has increased soil bulk density, mineral sediment accumulation, and marsh platform elevation. River diversions such as Davis Pond mimic the land-building processes of natural crevasse splays and provide a promising method to restore deltaic wetlands worldwide.

Age of Palos Verdes submarine debris avalanche, southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Normark, W.R.; McGann, M.; Sliter, R.

2004-01-01

The Palos Verdes debris avalanche is the largest, by volume, late Quaternary mass-wasted deposit recognized from the inner California Borderland basins. Early workers speculated that the sediment failure giving rise to the deposit is young, taking place well after sea level reached its present position. A newly acquired, closely-spaced grid of high-resolution, deep-tow boomer profiles of the debris avalanche shows that the Palos Verdes debris avalanche fills a turbidite leveed channel that extends seaward from San Pedro Sea Valley, with the bulk of the avalanche deposit appearing to result from a single failure on the adjacent slope. Radiocarbon dates from piston-cored sediment samples acquired near the distal edge of the avalanche deposit indicate that the main failure took place about 7500 yr BP. ?? 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Acoustic impedance properties of seafloor sediments off the coast of Southeastern Hainan, South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Zhengyu; Chen, Zhong; Wang, Jingqiang; Zheng, Xufeng; Yan, Wen; Tian, Yuhang; Luo, Yun

2018-04-01

Geoacoustic parameters are essential inputs to sediment wave propagation theories and are vital to underwater acoustic environment and explorations of the sea bottom. In this study, 21 seafloor sediment samples were collected off the coast of southeastern Hainan in the South China Sea. The sound speed was measured using a portable WSD-3 digital sonic instrument and the coaxial differential distance measurement method. Based on the measured sound speed and physical properties, the acoustic impedance and the pore-water-independent index of impedance (IOI) were calculated in this study. Similar to the sound speed, the IOI values are closely related to the sediment physical properties and change gradually from the northwest to the southeast. The relations between IOI and physical properties were studied and compared to the relations between the sound speed and physical properties. IOI is better correlated to physical properties than sound speed. This study also uses an error norm method to analyze the sensitivity of IOI to the physical parameters in the double-parameter equations and finds that the most influential physical parameters are as follows: wet bulk density > porosity > clay content > mean particle size.

Tracking the deposition of sediments from the Great Mississippi Flood of 2011

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, N. S.; McKee, K. L.; Horton, B. P.; Varvaeke, W.; Dura, T.; Jerolmack, D. J.

2011-12-01

The marshes of coastal Louisiana are disappearing at a rapid rate due to both natural and anthropogenic processes. Maintenance of soil elevations relative to water levels is key to marsh sustainability, but leveeing of the Mississippi River prevents overbank flooding and direct delivery of sediment to counterbalance rapid rates of subsidence in the deltaic plain. Episodic sediment deposition may occur during storms and hurricanes or extreme flood events, contributing to marsh accretion, but their relative importance to marsh maintenance is unclear. A better understanding of routing and deposition of sediments and their role in the marsh-building dynamics of coastal Louisiana would help clarify these issues and aid restoration planning. The Great Mississippi River Flood of 2011 caused sustained high discharge, producing a narrow jet that penetrated far into the Gulf of Mexico, and prompted the opening of the Morganza spillway, which generated a wide, diffuse plume that inundated vast areas of land and was trapped within coastal currents. These events provided a unique opportunity to test a new theoretical model of coastal sediment dynamics that predicts greater sedimentation over a broader area from the smaller Atchafalaya channel in comparison to the focused plume emanating from the larger Mississippi River channel. Here, we report how the flood contributed to marsh sedimentation, which is part of a larger effort to connect offshore sediment dynamics to sediment delivery and soil accretion within wetlands. A helicopter survey of 45 sites was conducted across the Mississippi (Bird's Foot) Delta, Barataria, Terrebonne, and Atchafalaya basins (350 km of coastline) to measure sediment accumulation and determine its provenance. At each site, new flood sediment deposits were distinguished from pre-flood sediment and sampled separately for organic matter content, bulk density, grain-size and diatom analysis. Comparison of grain-size distribution and diatom assemblages of new marsh sediment accumulations to grab samples taken from within and offshore of the Mississippi River elucidates their provenance. Of the 45 sites sampled, 31 have pre-existing data on marsh accretion or hurricane deposition, providing context for the flood-induced sediment deposition. Our preliminary findings show that sediment accumulation was greatest in the Atchafalaya (1.61 ± 0.96 g cm-2), intermediate in the Bird's Foot (1.14 ± 0.78 g cm-2) and least in the Terrebonne (0.42 ± 0.18 g cm-2) and Barataria (0.34 ± 0.22 g cm-2) basins. These pilot results provide support for the theoretical model of coastal mixing and sedimentation patterns and imply that while small diversions and branches off the main channel supplied sediment locally to marshes in the Bird's Foot Delta, the Mississippi River plume contributed little to declining wetlands in the Barataria and Terrebonne basins during this flood event. The significant sediment deposits found in Atchafalaya marshes indicate greater contributions to soil accretion and improved potential for wetland maintenance.

Sediment movement and dispersal patterns on the Grand Banks continental shelf and slope were tied to the dynamics of the Laurentide ice-sheet margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashid, H.; MacKillop, K.; Piper, D.; Vermooten, M.; Higgins, J.; Marche, B.; Langer, K.; Brockway, B.; Spicer, H. E.; Webb, M. D.; Fournier, E.

2015-12-01

The expansion and contraction of the late Pleistocene Laurentide ice-sheet (LIS) was the crucial determining factor for the geomorphic features and shelf and slope sediment mobility on the eastern Canadian continental margin, with abundant mass-transport deposits (MTDs) seaward of ice margins on the upper slope. Here, we report for the first time sediment failure and mass-transport deposits from the central Grand Banks slope in the Salar and Carson petroleum basins. High-resolution seismic profiles and multibeam bathymetry show numerous sediment failure scarps in 500-1600 m water depth. There is no evidence for an ice margin on the upper slope younger than MIS 6. Centimeter-scale X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), grain size, and oxygen isotope data from piston cores constrain sediment processes over the past 46 ka. Geotechnical measurements including Atterberg limit tests, vane shear measurements and triaxial and multi-stage isotropic consolidation tests allowed us to assess the instability on the continental margin. Cores with continuous undisturbed stratigraphy in contourite silty muds show normal downcore increase in bulk density and undrained peak shear strength. Heinrich (H) layers are identifiable by a marked increase in the bulk density, high Ca (ppm), increase in iceberg-rafted debris and lighter δ18O in the polar planktonic foram Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sinistral): with a few C-14 dates they provide a robust chronology. There is no evidence for significant supply of sediment from the Grand Banks at the last-glacial maximum. Mass-transport deposits (MTD) are marked by variability in the bulk density, undrained shear strength and little variation in bulk density or Ca (ppm) values. The MTD are older than 46 ka on the central Grand Banks slope, whereas younger MTDs are present in southern Flemish Pass. Factor of safety calculations suggest the slope is statically stable up to gradients of 10°, but more intervals of silty mud may fail during earthquake-induced cyclic loading based on Atterberg tests. By analogy with the Holocene, contourites deposited in MIS 5e may be particularly silty and form a "weak layer" susceptible to failure.

TOXICITY CHARACTERIZATION PROCEDURES FOR ORGANIC TOXICANTS IN BULK SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

We have been pursuing development of toxicant characterization, isolation, and identification procedures for organic toxicants that can be applied in the context of 10-d solid-phase sediment tests measuring survival and growth of freshwater in the context of 10-d solid-phase sedi...

Roughness configuration matters for aeolian sediment flux

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The parameterisation of surface roughness effects on aeolian sediment transport is a key source of uncertainty in wind erosion models. Roughness effects are typically represented by bulk drag-partitioning schemes that scale the threshold friction velocity (u*t) for soil entrainment by the ratio of s...

California coast nearshore processes study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pirie, D. M. (Principal Investigator); Steller, D. D.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Remote sensor aircraft flights took place simultaneously with ERTS-1 overpasses at the San Francisco, Monterey Bay, and Santa Barbara test cells. The cameras and scanners used were configured for detecting suspended sediment and for maximum water penetration. The Ektachrome/Wratten 12 photographs which were intentionally overexposed 1-1/2 stops were found to show the most extensive sediment transport detail. Minus blue/K 2 photographs illustrate nearshore underwater bottom detail including the head of the Mugu submarine canyon. The EMSIDE 9 channel scanner was employed to classify and differentiate suspended sediment, oil, kelp, and other materials found in the nearshore area. Processing of bulk ERTS-1 computer compatible tapes was utilized to enhance and analyze nearshore sediments. This technique was most successful in enhancing subtle nearshore features found to be faint or invisible on prints made from the supplied negatives. In addition to this continuing computer process, an effort was initiated to interface density values from the bulk tapes into contouring and mapping software.

Magnesium isotopic behavior during the formation of chlorite-rich hydrothermal sediment in the middle Okinawa Trough

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, H.; Yang, S.; Teng, F. Z.; Cai, D.; Humphris, S. E.

2016-12-01

Chlorite is a common alteration product during water-rock reactions in seafloor hydrothermal systems. This chlorite is commonly characterized by high concentrations of magnesium. However, the source of the Mg and its behavior during hydrothermal alteration have yet to be clarified. Mg isotopes have been used in recent years to investigate a variety of geological processes, including low temperature weathering and metamorphism processes, and Mg cycling in sediments. In this study, we investigate the source of Mg and its behavior in chlorite-rich sediments collected during IODP Expedition 331 from the active hydrothermal Iheya North Knoll field in the middle Okinawa Trough — an intra-continental rift in continental crust. This area is characterized by hemipelagic muds with interbedded thick layers of felsic pumiceous volcanic material. Based on mineralogical, geochemical, and isotopic data, we have previously suggested that the chlorite-rich sediments resulted from hydrothermal alteration of the pumiceous layers at temperatures of 220-300°C. Prior to Mg isotope analysis, all selected samples were pretreated with 1N HCl in order to remove carbonates and other unstable minerals, and measurements were made on both the residues (mainly chlorite) and leachates, as well as on bulk samples. The residues are expected to show higher δ26Mg than the leachates reflecting the Mg isotopic signature of the pumiceous material precursor and provide insight into the behavior of Mg isotopes during the high-temperature hydrothermal processes.

Simulation experiments to elucidate variable fluorescence as a potential proxy for bulk microalgal viability from natural water, sediments and biofilms: Implication in ships ballast water management.

PubMed

Patil, Jagadish S; Anil, Arga Chandrashekar

2018-05-30

The variable fluorescence fluorometry measuring microalgal biomass (initial fluorescence - F 0 , a chl-a proxy) and photosynthetic efficiency (F v /F m ) has been suggested as a potential tool in ballast-water assessment. In ballast tank, microalgae can be found in contiguous compartments i.e., in water, sediment, and biofilms. Therefore the utility of F 0 and F v /F m depends upon proper background corrections, which is straightforward for water samples but not for sediment and biofilms. This study proposes procedures for correcting F 0 values from sediment and biofilms. Irrespective of the saturation flash protocol used on any sample types the outcome of the results from viable and non-viable microalgae will remain same. Stress experiments (continuous darkness and biocide treatments) confirm that variable fluorescence (F v ) can be used as a potential proxy for viable cells as the values were negligible for non-viable cells and increased with an increase in abundance. Through this study, the utility of F v and σ PSII (functional-absorption-cross-section of photosystem II) along with F 0 and F v /F m in providing additional information on cell-viability and algal-size group during assessment is discussed. The findings will have implications not only from the perspective of ballast water but also in testing/assays of specific interest (e.g. toxicity, water treatments, antifouling) and ecological studies involving microalgae. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metagenomic profiling of historic Colorado Front Range flood impact on distribution of riverine antibiotic resistance genes.

PubMed

Garner, Emily; Wallace, Joshua S; Argoty, Gustavo Arango; Wilkinson, Caitlin; Fahrenfeld, Nicole; Heath, Lenwood S; Zhang, Liqing; Arabi, Mazdak; Aga, Diana S; Pruden, Amy

2016-12-05

Record-breaking floods in September 2013 caused massive damage to homes and infrastructure across the Colorado Front Range and heavily impacted the Cache La Poudre River watershed. Given the unique nature of this watershed as a test-bed for tracking environmental pathways of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) dissemination, we sought to determine the impact of extreme flooding on ARG reservoirs in river water and sediment. We utilized high-throughput DNA sequencing to obtain metagenomic profiles of ARGs before and after flooding, and investigated 23 antibiotics and 14 metals as putative selective agents during post-flood recovery. With 277 ARG subtypes identified across samples, total bulk water ARGs decreased following the flood but recovered to near pre-flood abundances by ten months post-flood at both a pristine site and at a site historically heavily influenced by wastewater treatment plants and animal feeding operations. Network analysis of de novo assembled sequencing reads into 52,556 scaffolds identified ARGs likely located on mobile genetic elements, with up to 11 ARGs per plasmid-associated scaffold. Bulk water bacterial phylogeny correlated with ARG profiles while sediment phylogeny varied along the river's anthropogenic gradient. This rare flood afforded the opportunity to gain deeper insight into factors influencing the spread of ARGs in watersheds.

Metagenomic profiling of historic Colorado Front Range flood impact on distribution of riverine antibiotic resistance genes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garner, Emily; Wallace, Joshua S.; Argoty, Gustavo Arango; Wilkinson, Caitlin; Fahrenfeld, Nicole; Heath, Lenwood S.; Zhang, Liqing; Arabi, Mazdak; Aga, Diana S.; Pruden, Amy

2016-12-01

Record-breaking floods in September 2013 caused massive damage to homes and infrastructure across the Colorado Front Range and heavily impacted the Cache La Poudre River watershed. Given the unique nature of this watershed as a test-bed for tracking environmental pathways of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) dissemination, we sought to determine the impact of extreme flooding on ARG reservoirs in river water and sediment. We utilized high-throughput DNA sequencing to obtain metagenomic profiles of ARGs before and after flooding, and investigated 23 antibiotics and 14 metals as putative selective agents during post-flood recovery. With 277 ARG subtypes identified across samples, total bulk water ARGs decreased following the flood but recovered to near pre-flood abundances by ten months post-flood at both a pristine site and at a site historically heavily influenced by wastewater treatment plants and animal feeding operations. Network analysis of de novo assembled sequencing reads into 52,556 scaffolds identified ARGs likely located on mobile genetic elements, with up to 11 ARGs per plasmid-associated scaffold. Bulk water bacterial phylogeny correlated with ARG profiles while sediment phylogeny varied along the river’s anthropogenic gradient. This rare flood afforded the opportunity to gain deeper insight into factors influencing the spread of ARGs in watersheds.

A field survey-Staroe lake suffering from atmospheric deposition in the region north of the Arctic Circle.

PubMed

Kikuchi, Ryunosuke; Gorbacheva, Tamara T

2009-06-01

The Arctic holds large stores of minerals, and extracted materials are provided to the world's economy; in this sense, the Arctic issue associated with mining is not local but global. In a part of the Arctic region (the Kola Peninsula, 66-70 degrees N and 28-41 degrees E), metal levels are generally elevated in the lake sediment. There is a question as to what results in elevated metal levels-a natural process (naturally abundant minerals) or an anthropogenic process (mining and metallurgy). In terms of solving this question, Staroe lake located on the Kola Peninsula was researched as a case study. The following parameters were determined in relation with Staroe lake: (1) the current quality of the lake's water-each 1,000-ml sample was collected at a surface point and a deep point (near the bottom layer), and the collected samples were directly analyzed after filtration; (2) atmospheric bulk deposition-bulk deposition was collected using a set of three rainwater samplers near the lake. In addition, bulk deposition was collected in a background site (250 km to the southwest of the smelter complex) as a reference; and (3) sediment profile (plus principal component analysis)-lake-bottom sediment was collected by an open-gravimetric column sampler equipped with an automatic diaphragm. After collection, the sample columns were cut at a 1-cm interval for analysis. Eigenvalues and variances by factor were calculated from the correlation coefficients. The obtained data show that (1) naturally poor elements (Cu, Ni, Si, and SO(4) (2-)) dominantly influence the lake's water quality; (2) they are transported from the anthropogenic sources to the study lake through the atmospheric pathway; (3) mainly the contents of Cu, Ni, Sr, and Ca have influenced the sediment quality since the 1950s, corresponding to the industrial movement; and (4) Cu, Ni, and Sr originate from an anthropogenic source (smelter), and Ca originates from both natural and anthropogenic sources. As compared with the Russian standard (San Pin 2.1.980-00), the contents of NO(3) (-) (50.3 +/- 0.1 mg l(-1)) and particulates (2.3 +/- 0.2 mg l(-1)) exceeded the standard levels (0.7 mg l(-1) NO(3) (-) and 45 mg l(-1) particulates); Staroe lake may be slightly contaminated. However, the contamination factor (comparison with the background data) implies that Staroe lake is considerably contaminated. There is a strong possibility that fine overburden detritus (<0.1 mm diameter) may be transported from an open pit to the study lake by natural forces such as wind. Although it is difficult to suppose that one factor dominantly affects the sediment quality, it follows from a factor analysis that factors 1 and 2 account for about 70% of the total variance: Factor 1 is the most dominant, and factor 2 is the second most dominant in the variability of sediment quality. It is considered that Cu, Sr, and Ni in factor 1 originate from anthropogenic sources because they are poor in sediment rocks. The field survey conducted in Staroe lake can give the following answers to the key objectives: (1) The present water quality is affected by Cu, Ni, Si, and SO(4) (2-) in light of the contamination factor, and these elements originate from anthropogenic sources (the smelter and the open pit) and are transported to the lake through the atmospheric pathway; (2) the sediment profile and statistic analysis show that the lake quality has been influenced by deposition of metals since the 1950s; and (3) Cu, Ni, Sr, and Ca have influenced the sediment quality in light of the most dominant factor-Cu, Ni, and Sr originate from an anthropogenic source, whereas Ca comes from both natural and anthropogenic sources. The presented lake survey shows that the dispersion of human-related pollutants via the atmospheric pathway takes place in the Arctic region. If the current pollution continues without countermeasures, the high-latitude environment may lose its original characteristics; hence, this subject is important when considering how to implement a wide range of environmental protection measures in the Arctic.

Plant-mediated Sediment Oxygenation in Coastal Wetlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koop-Jakobsen, K.

2016-02-01

Belowground sediment oxygenation by wetland plants is an important mechanism controlling many microbial processes and chemical fluxes in coastal wetlands. Although transport of oxygen via the arenthyma tissue and subsequent oxygen loss across root surfaces is well-documented for Spartina grasses, only few studies have measured the oxygenation of sediment surrounding roots and rhizomes. In this study, the degree of sediment oxygenation in Spartina anglica rhizospheres was assessed in situ using a novel multifiber optode system inserting 100 oxygen sensing fiber optodes directly into the rhizosphere. Two closely located, but morphologically different, S. anglica populations growing in permeable sandy sediment and tidal flat deposit, respectively, were investigated. No oxygen was detected inside the rhizospheres at any depth in either location indicating that plant-mediated sediment oxygenation in S. anglica had a limited impact on the bulk anoxic sediment. This was substantiated by planar optode studies showing that sediment oxygenation was confined to the immediate vicinity of the root tips of adventitious root and root hairs stretching only up to 1.5mm away from the roots surface in permeable sandy sediment and 0.4mm in tidal flat deposit, which had a substantially higher oxygen demand. This contrasts previous studies estimating that more than half of the S. anglica rhizosphere volume may be oxygenated, and thereby suggests a high variability in the degree of sediment oxygenation among different S. anglica populations. Furthermore, there may be a significant difference in the degree of sediment oxygenation among different Spartina species; our recent in situ investigation of oxygen profiles in a Spartina alterniflora-dominated marsh suggested that oxygen leakage here may keep the bulk sediment at low oxygen concentration ranging from 0.5-4μM.

IN SITU APPARENT CONDUCTIVITY MEASUREMENTS AND MICROBIAL POPULATION DISTRIBUTION AT A HYDROCARBON CONTAMINATED SITE

EPA Science Inventory

We investigated the bulk electrical conductivity and microbial population distribution in sediments at a site contaminated with light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL). The bulk conductivity was measured using in situ vertical resistivity probes, while the most probable number met...

Technological advances in suspended-sediment surrogate monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, John R.; Gartner, Jeffrey W.

2009-04-01

Surrogate technologies to continuously monitor suspended sediment show promise toward supplanting traditional data collection methods requiring routine collection and analysis of water samples. Commercially available instruments operating on bulk optic (turbidity), laser optic, pressure difference, and acoustic backscatter principles are evaluated based on cost, reliability, robustness, accuracy, sample volume, susceptibility to biological fouling, and suitable range of mass concentration and particle size distribution. In situ turbidimeters are widely used. They provide reliable data where the point measurements can be reliably correlated to the river's mean cross section concentration value, effects of biological fouling can be minimized, and concentrations remain below the sensor's upper measurement limit. In situ laser diffraction instruments have similar limitations and can cost 6 times the approximate $5000 purchase price of a turbidimeter. However, laser diffraction instruments provide volumetric-concentration data in 32 size classes. Pressure differential instruments measure mass density in a water column, thus integrating substantially more streamflow than a point measurement. They are designed for monitoring medium-to-large concentrations, are generally unaffected by biological fouling, and cost about the same as a turbidimeter. However, their performance has been marginal in field applications. Acoustic Doppler profilers use acoustic backscatter to measure suspended sediment concentrations in orders of magnitude more streamflow than do instruments that rely on point measurements. The technology is relatively robust and generally immune to effects of biological fouling. Cost of a single-frequency device is about double that of a turbidimeter. Multifrequency arrays also provide the potential to resolve concentrations by clay silt versus sand size fractions. Multifrequency hydroacoustics shows the most promise for revolutionizing collection of continuous suspended sediment data by instruments that require only periodic calibration for correlation to mean concentrations in river cross sections. Broad application of proven suspended sediment surrogate technologies has the potential to revolutionize fluvial sediment monitoring. Once applied, benefits could be enormous, providing for safer, more frequent and consistent, arguably more accurate, and ultimately less expensive sediment data for managing the world's sedimentary resources.

Technological advances in suspended‐sediment surrogate monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, John R.; Gartner, Jeffrey W.

2009-01-01

Surrogate technologies to continuously monitor suspended sediment show promise toward supplanting traditional data collection methods requiring routine collection and analysis of water samples. Commercially available instruments operating on bulk optic (turbidity), laser optic, pressure difference, and acoustic backscatter principles are evaluated based on cost, reliability, robustness, accuracy, sample volume, susceptibility to biological fouling, and suitable range of mass concentration and particle size distribution. In situ turbidimeters are widely used. They provide reliable data where the point measurements can be reliably correlated to the river's mean cross section concentration value, effects of biological fouling can be minimized, and concentrations remain below the sensor's upper measurement limit. In situ laser diffraction instruments have similar limitations and can cost 6 times the approximate $5000 purchase price of a turbidimeter. However, laser diffraction instruments provide volumetric‐concentration data in 32 size classes. Pressure differential instruments measure mass density in a water column, thus integrating substantially more streamflow than a point measurement. They are designed for monitoring medium‐to‐large concentrations, are generally unaffected by biological fouling, and cost about the same as a turbidimeter. However, their performance has been marginal in field applications. Acoustic Doppler profilers use acoustic backscatter to measure suspended sediment concentrations in orders of magnitude more streamflow than do instruments that rely on point measurements. The technology is relatively robust and generally immune to effects of biological fouling. Cost of a single‐frequency device is about double that of a turbidimeter. Multifrequency arrays also provide the potential to resolve concentrations by clay silt versus sand size fractions. Multifrequency hydroacoustics shows the most promise for revolutionizing collection of continuous suspended sediment data by instruments that require only periodic calibration for correlation to mean concentrations in river cross sections. Broad application of proven suspended sediment surrogate technologies has the potential to revolutionize fluvial sediment monitoring. Once applied, benefits could be enormous, providing for safer, more frequent and consistent, arguably more accurate, and ultimately less expensive sediment data for managing the world's sedimentary resources.

Physical properties and Consolidation behavior of sediments from the N. Japan subduction zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valdez, R. D., II; Lauer, R. M.; Ikari, M.; Kitajima, H.; Saffer, D. M.

2013-12-01

Sediment hydraulic properties, consolidation state, and ambient pore pressure development are key parameters that affect fluid migration, deformation, and the slip behavior and mechanical strength of subduction zone megathrusts. In order to better understand the dynamics and mechanisms of large subduction earthquakes, Integrated Oceanic Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 343, drilled into the toe of the Japan Trench subduction zone in a region of large shallow slip in the M 9.0 Tohoku earthquake, as part of the Japan Trench Fast Drilling Project (J-FAST). Here, we report on two constant rate of strain (CRS) uniaxial consolidation experiments and two triaxial deformation experiments on bedded claystone and clayey mudstone core samples collected from the frontal prism and subducted sediment section cored at Site C0019, 2.5 km landward of the Japan Trench, from depths of 697.18 and 831.45 mbsf. The goals of our experiments were: (1) to define the hydraulic and acoustic properties of sediments that host the subduction megathrust fault that slipped in the M 9.0 Tohoku earthquake; and (2) to constrain in-situ consolidation state and its implications for in-situ stress. The permeability-porosity trends are similar for the two samples, and both exhibit permeability that decreases systematically with increasing effective stress and decreasing porosity, and which varies log-linearly with porosity. Permeabilities of material from the frontal prism decrease from 5×10-18 m2 at 5 MPa effective stress, to 3.0×10-19 m2 at 70 MPa, and porosities decrease from 51% to 29%, while permeabilities of the subducted sediment sample decrease from 5×10-18 m2 at 5 MPa to 3.6×10-19 m2 at 90 MPa, and porosities decrease from 49% to 36%. In-situ permeabilities for the prism and underthrust sediment samples, estimated using laboratory defined permeability-porosity relationships, are 4.9×10-18 m2 and 3.7×10-18 m2, respectively. Elastic wavespeeds increase systematically with increasing effective stress. P-wave velocities (Vp) in the frontal prism sample increase from 2.1 km/s at 8 MPa to 2.7 km/s at 55 MPa effective stress, and velocities in the underthrust sediment sample increase from 2.3 km/s at 6 MPa to 3.0 km/s at 76.5 MPa. Estimated in-situ Vp for the frontal prism and underthrust sediment sample are 2.1 km/s and 2.4 km/s, respectively. This is slightly higher than both the logging while drilling (LWD) measurements and shipboard velocity measurements on discrete samples. We also estimated pre-consolidation pressures (Pc) for each sample using the work-stress method. Comparing Pc with the present day in-situ vertical stress calculated from shipboard bulk density data, we find that both samples are severely overconsolidated. We report this in terms of overconsolidation ratio (OCR), defined as the ratio of Pc to the in-situ stress expected for the case of normal consolidation. Values of OCR for the prism and underthrust samples are 3.95 and 4.28, respectively. This overconsolidation is broadly consistent with fully drained (non-overpressured) conditions, and may reflect uplift and unroofing of the sediments following peak burial greater than their current depth, a significant contribution from lateral tectonic stresses leading to an effective stress far greater than expected for the case of uniaxial burial, or cementation that leads to apparent overconsolidation.

Cell-Sediment Separation and Elemental Stoichiometries in Extreme Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neveu, M.; Poret-peterson, A. T.; Lee, Z. M.; Anbar, A. D.; Elser, J. J.

2012-12-01

Better understanding of the coupling of major biogeochemical cycles requires knowledge of the cellular elemental composition of key microbes. This is difficult in benthic sediments and mats, because of the contributions of non-living components. We are particularly interested in microbial extremophiles, and therefore sought to determine and interpret bulk and cellular elemental ratios in complex field-collected sediment samples from diverse hot spring ecosystems of Yellowstone National Park (YNP). These samples covered a broad range of temperature, pH, and chemical composition. We also sought to extend stoichiometric analysis to a broader suite of elements, including metals (Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, etc.) of biological importance (Sterner and Elser, 2002). To overcome the challenge of rigorously isolating communities from their complex mineral matrices (Havig et al., 2011), we adapted a cell-sediment separation procedure from Amalfitano and Fazi (2008). The method involves chemical (use of a detergent and a chelating agent) and physical methods (stirring, gentle sonication, and gradient centrifugation) to break the microbe-mineral bonds. C and N elemental and isotopic abundances were determined by elemental analysis - isotope ratio - mass spectrometry (EA-IR-MS), while P, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, V, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Mo contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We sought to assess the existence of an "Extended Redfield Ratio" (ERR) for these microbes; that is, to establish the multi-element stoichiometric envelope within which extremophilic microbes must operate. Elemental and isotopic mass balance analyses of cultured E. coli before and after separation showed that our procedure preserved cellular C, N, P, Fe, and trace metal contents: neither loss of these elements (e.g., by cell lysis) nor contamination by reagents were observed. On the other hand, cation-forming elements (Na, Mg, K, Ca), were not conserved. Cell counting by epifluorescence microscopy indicated a cell recovery yield between 6 and 40% in field-collected samples (95% for cultured E. coli). Aluminum, assumed to be non-biological in origin, was used to estimate the extent of mineral contamination of isolated cell communities. These results show that our method is successful at separating microbial cells from sediment collected in extreme environments and preserving them for analysis of a broad suite of elements. Photosynthetic sites yielded much more cell material than hotter, chemosynthetic sites (Cox et al., 2011). We are currently measuring cellular elemental abundances and ratios in samples from relatively low-temperature (25 to 65°C), photosynthetic areas, spanning a wide range of pH (2 to 9.5) and composition. These measurements will be compared to existing datasets on the bulk sediment stoichiometry of these ecosystems, and to previous observations of cellular elemental composition. References: Redfield, A.C. (1934) In Daniel, R.J. [Ed.], James Johnstone Memorial Volume, pp. 176-192, Univ. Press Liverpool. Sterner, R.W., Elser, J.J. (2002) Ecological Stoichiometry Princeton Univ. Press, 441p. Havig, J.R., et al. (2011) JGR 116, G01005. Amalfitano, S., Fazi, S. (2008) J. of Microbiol. Methods 75, 237-243. Cox, A., et al. (2011) Chem. Geol. 280, 344-351.

Hydrogeologic investigations of the Miocene Nogales Formation in the Nogales Area, Upper Santa Cruz Basin, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Page, William R.; Gray, Floyd; Bultman, Mark W.; Menges, Christopher M.

2016-07-28

Hydrogeologic investigations were conducted to evaluate the groundwater resource potential for the Miocene Nogales Formation in the Nogales area, southern Arizona. Results indicate that parts of the formation may provide new, deeper sources of groundwater for the area. Geologic mapping determined the hydrogeologic framework of the formation by defining lithologic, mineralogic, and stratigraphic characteristics; identifying potential aquifers and confining units; and mapping faults and fractures which likely influence groundwater flow. Geophysical modeling was used to determine the basin geometry and thickness of the Nogales Formation and younger alluvial aquifers and to identify target areas (deep subbasins) which may prove to be productive aquifers.Volcaniclastic sandstone samples from the formation were analyzed for porosity, bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and fabric. Effective porosity ranges from 16 to 42 percent, bulk density from 1.6 to 2.47 grams per cubic centimeter, and saturated hydraulic conductivity (SHC) from 4 to 57 centimeters per day (4.9×10-5 to 6.7×10-4 centimeters per second). Thin sections show that sandstone framework grains consist of quartz, feldspar, biotite, hornblende, pumice, volcanic glass, and opaque minerals. The matrix in most samples consists of pumice fragments, and some contain predominantly silt and clay. Samples with a mostly silt and clay matrix have lower porosity and SHC compared to samples with mostly pumice, which have higher and wider ranges of porosity and SHC. Pore space in the Nogales Formation sediments includes moldic, intercrystalline, and fracture porosity. Some intercrystalline pore space is partially filled with calcite cement. About one third of the samples contain fractures, which correspond to fractures noted in outcrops in all members of the formation.Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses indicate that most of the samples contained the zeolite clinoptilolite and mixed-layer clay. X-ray diffraction analyses verified clinoptilolite as the only zeolite in Nogales Formation samples; they also verified the presence of smectite and illite clay and some kaolinite. Samples which contain greater amounts of clinoptilolite and lesser amounts of smectite have high porosity and SHC in narrow ranges. However, samples with abundant smectite and lesser amounts of clinoptilolite span the entire ranges of porosity and SHC for the formation.All members of the Nogales Formation are fractured and faulted as a result of Tertiary Basin and Range extensional deformation, which was broadly contemporaneous with deposition of the formation. These structures may have significant influence on groundwater flow in the upper Santa Cruz basin because, although many of the sediments in the formation have characteristics indicating they may be productive aquifers based only on porous-media flow, fracturing in these sediments may further enhance permeability and groundwater flow in these basin-fill aquifers by orders of magnitude.

CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT TESTING WITH THE BIVLVE, MULINIA LATERLALIS: CULTURE REFINEMENT FOR ORGANISM AVAILABILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Availability of test species for estuarine benthic assessment is limited; therefore, a method was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for utilizing the dwarf surf clam, Mulinia lateralis, to identify adverse biological effects of bulk estuarine sediments. A mult...

CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT TESTING WITH THE BIVALVE, MULINA LATERALIS: CULTURE REFINEMENT FOR ORGANISM AVAILABILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Availability of test species for estuarine benthic assessment is limited; therefore, a method was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for using the dwarf surf clam (Mulinia lateralis) to identify adverse biological effects of bulk estuarine sediments. A multilab...

Sources of particulate organic matter discharged by the Lena River using lignin phenols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winterfeld, M.; Trojahn, S.; Hefter, J.; Pittauer, D.; Zubrzycki, S.; Han, P.; Rethemeyer, J.; Mollenhauer, G.

2016-12-01

Particulate organic matter (POM) discharged by rivers and deposited offshore their mouths is generally assumed to record an integrated signal from the watershed and therefore provides an archive of past environmental changes. Yet, in large river systems the riverine POM might be trapped in flood plains and the lower reaches resulting in an inefficient transport of POM particularly from the distal parts of the watershed. Further, the POM likely undergoes degradation during transport from source to sink. The Lena River is one of these large river systems stretching from 53°N to 71°N in central Siberia. The watershed can be broadly divided into two different biomes, taiga in the south and tundra in the northernmost part. The relative contribution of these biomes to the POM load of the river and its discharge to the ocean as well as the changes it is undergoing during transport are not well understood. Here we present the lignin phenol composition of different grain size fractions (bulk, 2mm-63µm, <63µm) of soil samples taken along a latitudinal transect (63°N to 72°N) as well as in marine surface sediments and two short sediment cores covering the last 120 years offshore the main Lena discharge channels. The lignin phenol composition of the soil samples (bulk, 2mm-63µm, <63µm) reflects the change in vegetation from south to north with increasing contribution of tundra vegetation. The degree of degradation between the soil sample locations as well as grain size fractions was very heterogeneous and did not show a clear trend. However, the POM seems to be slightly more degraded in the tundra, which is unexpected as the summer period when degradation in the upper thawed part of the soil can take place is shorter in the tundra compared to the southern taiga region. The marine surface sediments were dominated by gymnosperm-derived POM, particularly close to the river mouth and in the <63µm fraction. Because of the large heterogeneity of organic matter degradation in the soil samples and their grain size fractions, it is not quite clear to which degree the POM gets mineralized within the soils and during transport in the river compared to degradation occurring during cross shelf transport.

Tracing subducted sediment inputs to the Ryukyu arc-Okinawa Trough system: Evidence from thallium isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Yunchao; Nielsen, Sune G.; Zeng, Zhigang; Shinjo, Ryuichi; Blusztajn, Jerzy; Wang, Xiaoyuan; Chen, Shuai

2017-11-01

Sediments are actively subducted in virtually every arc worldwide. However, quantifying their contributions to arc lavas and thereby establishing budgets of how sediments participate in slab-mantle interaction is challenging. In this contribution we use thallium (Tl) abundances and isotopic compositions of lavas from the Ryukyu arc (including south Kyushu) and its back-arc basin, Okinawa Trough, to investigate the influence of sediments from arc to back-arc. We also present extensive geochemical data for sediments and altered oceanic crust (AOC) outboard of the northern (DSDP Sites 296, 442B, 443 and 444) and central (DSDP Sites 294 and 295) part of the Ryukyu arc. The Tl isotopic compositions of sediments change systematically from lighter outboard of northern Ryukyu arc to heavier outboard of central Ryukyu arc. The feature reflects the dominance of terrigenous material and pelagic sedimentation outboard of the northern and central Ryukyu arc, respectively. Central and northern sections of Ryukyu arc and Okinawa Trough display larger range of Tl isotopic variation than southern section, which is consistent with more pelagic provenance for sediments outboard of central and northern Ryukyu arcs than that of expected sediments outboard of southern Ryukyu arc. Identical Tl, Sr, Nd and Pb isotope variations are found when comparing arc and back arc lavas, which indicates that sediments fluxes also account for the Tl isotopic variations in the Okinawa Trough lavas. Two-end-member mixing models of Tl with Pb, Sr and Nd isotopes require sediment inputs of< 1%, 0.1-1% and 0.3-2% by weight to the depleted mantle source to account for all these isotopic compositions of lavas from northern, central and southern portion of the Ryukyu arc and Okinawa Trough. Bulk mixing between mantle and sediment end members predict very similar sediment fluxes when using Tl, Sr, Nd and Pb isotopes, which indicates that fractionation of these elements must have happened after mixing between mantle and sediments. This conclusion is corroborated by model calculations of mixing between sediment melts with fractionated Sr/Nd ratios and mantle wedge, which show that no arc lava plot on such mixing lines. Thus bulk sediment mixing, rather than sediment melt, is required for the generation of the lavas from the Ryukyu arc and Okinawa Trough. The requirement of bulk sediment mixing occurring before trace element fractionation in the sub-arc mantle is consistent with models where mélange layers form at the top of the slab and are the principle source material for arc lavas. In addition, the fact that sediment components observed in the Ryukyu arc and Okinawa Trough lavas are similar, suggests that transport of mélange material to the source regions of the arc and back arc is equally efficient. This feature is most readily explained if mélange material is transported from the slab as diapirs.

ChemCam investigation of the John Klein and Cumberland drill holes and tailings, Gale crater, Mars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jackson, R. S.; Wiens, R. C.; Vaniman, D. T.

The ChemCam instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory rover analyzed the rock surface, drill hole walls, tailings, and unprocessed and sieved dump piles to investigate chemical variations with depth in the first two martian drill holes and possible fractionation or segregation effects of the drilling and sample processing. Furthermore, the drill sites are both in Sheepbed Mudstone, the lowest exposed member of the Yellowknife Bay formation. Yellowknife Bay is composed of detrital basaltic materials in addition to clay minerals and an amorphous component. The drill tailings are a mixture of basaltic sediments and diagenetic material like calcium sulfate veins, whilemore » the shots on the drill site surface and walls of the drill holes are closer to those pure end members. The sediment dumped from the sample acquisition, processing, and handling subsystem is of similar composition to the tailings; however, due to the specifics of the drilling process the tailings and dump piles come from different depths within the hole. This then allows the ChemCam instrument to analyze samples representing the bulk composition from different depths. On the pre-drill surfaces, the Cumberland site has a greater amount of CaO and evidence for calcium sulfate veins, than the John Klein site. But, John Klein has a greater amount of calcium sulfate veins below the surface, as seen in mapping, drill hole wall analysis, and observations in the drill tailings and dump pile. In addition, the Cumberland site does not have any evidence of variations in bulk composition with depth down the drill hole, while the John Klein site has evidence for a greater amount of CaO (calcium sulfates) in the top portion of the hole compared to the middle section of the hole, where the drill sample was collected.« less

ChemCam investigation of the John Klein and Cumberland drill holes and tailings, Gale crater, Mars

DOE PAGES

Jackson, R. S.; Wiens, R. C.; Vaniman, D. T.; ...

2016-05-13

The ChemCam instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory rover analyzed the rock surface, drill hole walls, tailings, and unprocessed and sieved dump piles to investigate chemical variations with depth in the first two martian drill holes and possible fractionation or segregation effects of the drilling and sample processing. Furthermore, the drill sites are both in Sheepbed Mudstone, the lowest exposed member of the Yellowknife Bay formation. Yellowknife Bay is composed of detrital basaltic materials in addition to clay minerals and an amorphous component. The drill tailings are a mixture of basaltic sediments and diagenetic material like calcium sulfate veins, whilemore » the shots on the drill site surface and walls of the drill holes are closer to those pure end members. The sediment dumped from the sample acquisition, processing, and handling subsystem is of similar composition to the tailings; however, due to the specifics of the drilling process the tailings and dump piles come from different depths within the hole. This then allows the ChemCam instrument to analyze samples representing the bulk composition from different depths. On the pre-drill surfaces, the Cumberland site has a greater amount of CaO and evidence for calcium sulfate veins, than the John Klein site. But, John Klein has a greater amount of calcium sulfate veins below the surface, as seen in mapping, drill hole wall analysis, and observations in the drill tailings and dump pile. In addition, the Cumberland site does not have any evidence of variations in bulk composition with depth down the drill hole, while the John Klein site has evidence for a greater amount of CaO (calcium sulfates) in the top portion of the hole compared to the middle section of the hole, where the drill sample was collected.« less

Environmental geochemistry and sediment quality in Lake Pontchartrain: database development and review

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manheim, Frank T.; Flowers, George C.; McIntire, Andrew G.; Marot, Marcie; Holmes, Charles

1997-01-01

This paper reports on preliminary results of a project to develop a comprehensive data base of chemical and environmental information on sediments from Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, and surrounding water bodies. The goal is to evaluate all data for reliability and comparability, and to make it widely accessible and useful to all users. Methods for processing heterogeneous, historical data follow previous methods employed in the Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay area. Data from 11 different data sets, encompassing about 900 total samples, have been entered to date. Questionable or anomalous data were noted in a minority of cases. Problems tend to follow distinct patterns and are relatively easy to identify. Hence, comparability of data has not proven to be the major obstacle to synthesis efforts that was anticipated in earlier years (NRC, 1989). Quality-controlled data sets show that the bulk of sediment samples in the more central parts of Lake Pontchartrain have values within normal background for heavy metals like Cu, Pb, and Zn. The same or lower concentrations were found in the vicinity of the Bonnet Carre Spillway, representing influx from the Mississippi River. Mean concentrations for Cu, Pb, and Zn were 17, 21, and 74 µg/g (total dissolution analyses), respectively. However, values as high as 267 µg/g Pb and comparable increases for other metal and organic contaminants are found in sediments within 2 km of the coastal strip of New Orleans. Additional sampling in such areas and in other inland coastal waterways is needed, since such levels are above the threshold for potential toxic effects on benthic organisms, according to effects-based screening criteria. The most contaminated sites, Bayou Trepagnier and Bayou Bonfouca, involve industrial areas where waste discharge has now been controlled or remediated, but where sediments may retain large concentrations of contaminants, e.g. tenths of a percent of Pb, Cr, and Zn or more for Bayou Trepagnier.

X-Ray analysis of riverbank sediment of the Tisza (Hungary): identification of particles from a mine pollution event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osán, J.; Kurunczi, S.; Török, S.; Van Grieken, R.

2002-03-01

A serious heavy metal pollution of the Tisza River occurred on March 10, 2000, arising from a mine-dumping site in Romania. Sediment samples were taken from the main riverbed at six sites in Hungary, on March 16, 2000. The objective of this work was to distinguish the anthropogenic and crustal erosion particles in the river sediment. The samples were investigated using both bulk X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and thin-window electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). For EPMA, a reverse Monte Carlo method calculated the quantitative elemental composition of each single sediment particle. A high abundance of pyrite type particles was observed in some of the samples, indicating the influence of the mine dumps. Backscattered electron images proved that the size of particles with a high atomic number matrix was in the range of 2 μm. In other words the pyrites and the heavy elements form either small particles or are fragments of larger agglomerates. The latter are formed during the flotation process of the mines or get trapped to the natural crustal erosion particles. The XRF analysis of pyrite-rich samples always showed much higher Cu, Zn and Pb concentrations than the rest of the samples, supporting the conclusions of the single-particle EPMA results. In the polluted samples, the concentration of Cu, Zn and Pb reached 0.1, 0.3 and 0.2 wt.%, respectively. As a new approach, the abundance of particle classes obtained from single-particle EPMA and the elemental concentration obtained by XRF were merged into one data set. The dimension of the common data set was reduced by principal component analysis. The first component was determined by the abundance of pyrite and zinc sulfide particles and the concentration of Cu, Zn and Pb. The polluted samples formed a distinct group in the principal component space. The same result was supported by powder diffraction data. These analytical data combined with Earth Observation Techniques can be further used to estimate the quantity of particles originating from mine tailings on a defined river section.

Petrology of Impact-Melt Rocks at the Chicxulub Multiring Basin, Yucatan, Mexico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuraytz, Benjamin C.; Sharpton, Virgil L.; Marin, Luis E.

1994-01-01

Compositions and textures of melt rocks from the upper part of the Chicxulub structure are typical of melt rocks at other large terrestrial impact structures. Apart from variably elevated iridium concentrations (less than 1.5 to 13.5 +/- 0.9 ppb) indicating nonuniform dissemination of a meteoritic component, bulk rock and phenocryst compositions imply that these melt rocks were derived exclusively from continental crust and platform-sediment target lithologies. Modest differences in bulk chemistry among samples from wells located approximately 40 km apart suggest minor variations in relative contributions of these target lithologies to the melts. Subtle variations in the compositions of early-formed pyroxene and plagioclase also support minor primary differences in chemistry between the melts. Evidence for pervasive hydrothermal alteration of the porous mesostasis includes albite, K-feldspar, quartz, epidote, chlorite, and other phyllosilicates, as well as siderophile element-enriched sulfides, suggesting the possibility that Chicxulub, like Sudbury, may host important ore deposits.

Laboratory Study of Quaternary Sediment Resistivity Related to Groundwater Contamination at Mae-Hia Landfill, Mueang District, Chiang Mai Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sichan, N.

2007-12-01

This study was aimed to understand the nature of the resistivity value of the sediment when it is contaminated, in order to use the information solving the obscure interpretation in the field. The pilot laboratory experiments were designed to simulate various degree of contamination and degree of saturation then observe the resulting changes in resistivity. The study was expected to get a better understanding of how various physical parameters effect the resistivity values in term of mathematic function. And also expected to apply those obtained function to a practical quantitatively interpretation. The sediment underlying the Mae-Hia Landfill consists of clay-rich material, with interfingerings of colluvium and sandy alluvium. A systematic study identified four kinds of sediment, sand, clayey sand, sandy clay, and clay. Representative sediment and leachate samples were taken from the field and returned to the laboratory. Both the physical and chemical properties of the sediments and leachate were analyzed to delineate the necessary parameters that could be used in Archie's equation. Sediment samples were mixed with various concentration of leachate solutions. Then the resistivity values were measured at various controlled steps in the saturation degree in a well- calibrated six-electrode model resistivity box. The measured resistivity values for sand, clayey sand, sandy clay when fully and partly saturated were collected, then plotted and fitted to Archie's equation, to obtain a mathematical relationship between bulk resistivity, porosity, saturation degree and resistivity of pore fluid. The results fit well to Archie's equation, and it was possible to determine all the unknown parameters representative of the sediment samples. For sand, clayey sand, sandy clay, and clay, the formation resistivity factors (F) are 2.90, 5.77, 7.85, and 7.85 with the products of cementation factor (m) and the pore geometry factors (a) (in term of -am) are 1.49, -1.63, -1.92, -2.24 and the saturation exponents (n) are 2.06, 2.58, 3.52, and 2.46, respectively. These results were used to reinterpret the existing resistivity data of this area. The result of this reinterpretation is a map showing the quantitative distribution of the contaminant plume in the vicinity of the Mae-Hia Landfill.

Trace elements in lake sediments measured by the PIXE technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatti, Luciana V.; Mozeto, Antônio A.; Artaxo, Paulo

1999-04-01

Lakes are ecosystems where there is a great potential of metal accumulation in sediments due to their depositional characteristics. Total concentration of trace elements was measured on a 50 cm long sediment core from the Infernão Lake, that is an oxbow lake of the Moji-Guaçu River basin, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Dating of the core shows up to 180 yrs old sediment layers. The use of the PIXE technique for elemental analysis avoids the traditional acid digestion procedure common in other techniques. The multielemental characteristic of PIXE allows a simultaneous determination of about 20 elements in the sediment samples, such as, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Zr, Ba, and Pb. Average values for the elemental composition were found to be similar to the bulk crustal composition. The lake flooding pattern strongly influences the time series of the elemental profiles. Factor analysis of the elemental variability shows five factors. Two of the factors represent the mineralogical matrix, and others represent the organic component, a factor with lead, and another loaded with chromium. The mineralogical component consists of elements such as, Fe, Al, V, Ti, Mn, Ni, K, Zr, Sr, Cu and Zn. The variability of Si is explained by two distinct factors, because it is influenced by two different sources, aluminum-silicates and quartz, and the effect of inundation are different for each other. The organic matter is strongly associated with calcium, and also bounded with S, Zn, Cu and P. Lead and chromium appears as separated factors, although it is not clear the evidences for their anthropogenic origin. The techniques developed for sample preparation and PIXE analysis was proven as advantageous and provided very good reproducibility and accuracy.

Evolution of Mudstone Porosity, Permeability, and Microstructure in the Presence of Microorganisms During Vertical Compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mills, T.; Reece, J. S.

2016-12-01

Here we investigate the influence of microbial activity on the mechanical and transport properties of mudstones during early diagenesis. Despite the proven presence of microbial communities in marine sediments to depths of >500 meters below sea floor (mbsf), little is known about the interactions between microorganisms and sediments, especially during the early stages of burial and compression. To characterize and quantify the impact of microbial activity on mudstone properties, we compare natural mudstone samples treated with iron reducing bacteria Shewanella Oneidensis MR-1 and those without bacteria. Two bulk mudstones are experimentally prepared using sediments from Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Sites U1319 and U1324 in the Gulf of Mexico. The sediments originated from 4-13 mbsf in the Brazos-Trinity Basin and from three depth intervals (3-14 mbsf, 23-32 mbsf, and 493-502 mbsf) in the Ursa Basin. The sediments are dried and ground to clay- and silt-sized particles and homogenized into two natural mudstone powders. These powders are then used to make reproducible mudstone samples through a process called resedimentation, which replicates natural deposition and burial. Changes in microstructure, porosity, compressibility, and permeability are measured while the biotic (with bacteria) and abiotic (without bacteria) mudstones are being uniaxially compressed over several weeks to a maximum stress of 100 kPa. We anticipate that biofilm growth in pore spaces will decrease porosity, compressibility, and permeability, and the resultant microstructural changes created by microorganisms will be evident in high-resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Recognition of the micro-scale processes that take place during the early stages of mudstone diagenesis, especially those mediated by microbial activity, and their long-term effects on mudstone properties can lead to better identification and more effective production of unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs.

Stream-Sediment Geochemistry in Mining-Impacted Drainages of the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River, Custer County, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frost, Thomas P.; Box, Stephen E.

2009-01-01

This reconnaissance study was undertaken at the request of the USDA Forest Service, Region 4, to assess the geochemistry, in particular the mercury and selenium contents, of mining-impacted sediments in the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River in Custer County Idaho. The Yankee Fork has been the site of hard-rock and placer mining, primarily for gold and silver, starting in the 1880s. Major dredge placer mining from the 1930s to 1950s in the Yankee Fork disturbed about a 10-kilometer reach. Mercury was commonly used in early hard-rock mining and placer operations for amalgamation and recovery of gold. During the late 1970s, feasibility studies were done on cyanide-heap leach recovery of gold from low-grade ores of the Sunbeam and related deposits. In the mid-1990s a major open-pit bulk-vat leach operation was started at the Grouse Creek Mine. This operation shut down when gold values proved to be lower than expected. Mercury in stream sediments in the Yankee Fork ranges from below 0.02 ppm to 7 ppm, with the highest values associated with old mill locations and lode and placer mines. Selenium ranges from below the detection limit for this study of 0.2 ppm to 4 ppm in Yankee Fork sediment samples. The generally elevated selenium content in the sediment samples reflect the generally high selenium contents in the volcanic rocks that underlie the Yankee Fork and the presence of gold and silver selenides in some of the veins that were exploited in the early phases of mining.

ACOUSTIC TECHNIQUES FOR THE MAPPING OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

An overview of the last 30 years of analytical research into the acoustic properties of harbor marine sediments has allowed the extension of the original work of Hamilton (1970) into a production system for classifying the density and bulk physical properties of standard marine s...

On the application of contemporary bulk sediment organic carbon isotope and geochemical datasets for Holocene sea-level reconstruction in NW Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Graham P.

2017-10-01

Bulk organic stable carbon isotope (δ13C) and element geochemistry (total organic carbon (TOC) and organic carbon to total nitrogen (C/N)) analysis is a developing technique in Holocene relative sea-level (RSL) research. The uptake of this technique in Northern Europe is limited compared to North America, where the common existence of coastal marshes with isotopically distinctive C3 and C4 vegetation associated with well-defined inundation tolerance permits the reconstruction of RSL in the sediment record. In Northern Europe, the reduced range in δ13C values between organic matter sources in C3 estuaries can make the identification of elevation-dependent environments in the Holocene sediment record challenging and this is compounded by the potential for post-depositional alteration in bulk δ13C values. The use of contemporary regional δ13C, C/N and TOC datasets representing the range of physiographic conditions commonly encountered in coastal wetland sediment sequences opens up the potential of using absolute values of sediment geochemistry to infer depositional environments and associated reference water levels. In this paper, the application of contemporary bulk organic δ13C, C/N and TOC to reconstruct Holocene RSL is further explored. An extended contemporary regional geochemical dataset of published δ13C, C/N and TOC observations (n = 142) from tidal-dominated C3 wetland deposits (representing tidal flat, saltmarsh, reedswamp and fen carr environments) in temperate NW Europe is compiled, and procedures implemented to correct for the 13C Suess effect on contemporary δ13C are detailed. Partitioning around medoids analysis identifies two distinctive geochemical groups in the NW European dataset, with tidal flat/saltmarsh and reedswamp/fen carr environments exhibiting characteristically different sediment δ13C, C/N and TOC values. A logistic regression model is developed from the NW European dataset in order to objectively identify in the sediment record geochemical groups and, more importantly, group transitions, thus allowing the altitude of reference water levels to be determined. The application of this method in RSL research is demonstrated using the Holocene sediments of the Mersey Estuary (UK), in which δ13C, C/N and TOC variability is typical of that encountered in Holocene sediments from C3 coastal wetlands in NW Europe. Group membership was predicted with high probability in the depositional contexts studied and the accuracy of group prediction is verified by microfossil evidence. The method presented facilitates the application of δ13C, C/N and TOC analysis in RSL reconstruction studies in C3 vegetated wetlands throughout temperate NW Europe.

Late Quaternary lake-level changes constrained by radiocarbon and stable isotope studies on sediment cores from Lake Titicaca, South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rowe, Harold D.; Guilderson, Thomas P.; Dunbar, Robert B.; Southon, John R.; Seltzer, Geoffrey O.; Mucciarone, David A.; Fritz, Sherilyn C.; Baker, Paul A.

2003-09-01

We present and compare AMS- 14C geochronologies for sediment cores recovered from Lake Titicaca, South America. Radiocarbon dates from three core sites constrain the timing of late Quaternary paleoenvironmental changes in the Central Andes and highlight the site-specific factors that limit the radiocarbon geochronometer. With the exception of mid-Holocene sediments, all cores are generally devoid of macrophyte fragments, thus bulk organic fractions are used to build core chronologies. Comparisons of radiocarbon results for chemically defined fractions (bulk decalcified, humate, humin) suggest that ages derived from all fractions are generally coherent in the post-13,500 yr BP time interval. In the pre-13,500 yr BP time interval, ages derived from humate extracts are significantly younger (300-7000 years) than ages from paired humin residues. Gross age incoherencies between paired humate and humin sub-fractions in pre-13,500 yr BP sediments from all core sites probably reflect the net downward migration of humates. Ages derived from bulk decalcified fractions at our shallow water (90 m) and deep water (230 m) core sites consistently fall between ages derived from humate and humin sub-fractions in the pre-13,500 yr BP interval, reflecting that the bulk decalcified fraction is predominantly a mixture of humate and humin sub-fractions. Bulk decalcified ages from the pre-13,500 yr BP interval at our intermediate depth core site (150 m) are consistently older than humate (youngest) and humin sub-fractions. This uniform, reproducible pattern can be explained by the mobilization of a relatively older organic sub-fraction during and after the re-acidification step following the alkaline treatment of the bulk sediment. The inferred existence of this 'alkali-mobile, acid-soluble' sub-fraction implies a different depositional/post-depositional history that is potentially associated with a difference in source material. While internally consistent geochronologies can be developed for the Lake Titicaca sequence using different organic fractions, mobile organic sub-fractions and fractions containing mobile sub-fractions should generally be avoided in geochronology studies. Consequently, we believe humin and/or bulk decalcified ages provide the most consistent chronologies for the post-13,500 yr BP interval, and humin ages provide the most representative ages for sedimentation prior to 13,500 yr BP interval. Using the age model derived from the deep water core site and a previously published isotope-based lake-level reconstruction, we present a qualitative record of lake level in the context of several ice-core records from the western hemisphere. We find the latest Pleistocene lake-level response to changing insolation began during or just prior to the Bølling/Allerød period. Using the isotope-based lake-level reconstruction, we also find the 85-m drop in lake level that occurred during the mid-Holocene was synchronous with an increase in the variability of ice-core δ18O from a nearby icecap, but was not reflected in any of the polar ice-core records recovered from the interior of Antarctica and Greenland.

Stable Isotopes of Nitrogen in Fossil Cladoceran Exoskeletons: Implications for Nitrogen Sources in the Central Baltic Sea During the Past Century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Struck, Ulrich; Voss, Maren; von Bodungen, Bodo; Mumm, Nicolai

The ratios of stable nitrogen isotopes were analysed in zooplankton exoskeletons extracted from dated sediment cores from the Gotland Basin of the central Baltic Sea. Combined with results on δ15N of bulk sediment, organic carbon concentrations, and abundances of exoskeletons of Bosminalongispinamaritima in the sediment, the data are used to evaluate significant sources of nitrogen in the food web over the past century. Nitrogen isotopic composition of bulk sediments ranges from 2.5 to 4.5ö, that of exokeletons varies between 0.4 and 6.2ö. The two are positively correlated. A marked increase in the abundance of Bosmina since 1965 (from less than 500 specimen to more than 5000 specimencm3 of sediment) is correlated with a significant increase in sedimentary organic carbon concentrations (from 4% to more than 10%). The isotopic data do not identify increased land-derived nitrate as the dominant nitrogen source fuelling the increase. Instead, we postulate that nitrogen fixation by diazotrophic bacteria has been one of the larger sources of nitrogen in the Baltic Sea, as it is today.

Magnetic signature of overbank sediment in industry impacted floodplains identified by data mining methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chudaničová, Monika; Hutchinson, Simon M.

2016-11-01

Our study attempts to identify a characteristic magnetic signature of overbank sediments exhibiting anthropogenically induced magnetic enhancement and thereby to distinguish them from unenhanced sediments with weak magnetic background values, using a novel approach based on data mining methods, thus providing a mean of rapid pollution determination. Data were obtained from 539 bulk samples from vertical profiles through overbank sediment, collected on seven rivers in the eastern Czech Republic and three rivers in northwest England. k-Means clustering and hierarchical clustering methods, paired group (UPGMA) and Ward's method, were used to divide the samples to natural groups according to their attributes. Interparametric ratios: SIRM/χ; SIRM/ARM; and S-0.1T were chosen as attributes for analyses making the resultant model more widely applicable as magnetic concentration values can differ by two orders. Division into three clusters appeared to be optimal and corresponded to inherent clusters in the data scatter. Clustering managed to separate samples with relatively weak anthropogenically induced enhancement, relatively strong anthropogenically induced enhancement and samples lacking enhancement. To describe the clusters explicitly and thus obtain a discrete magnetic signature, classification rules (JRip method) and decision trees (J4.8 and Simple Cart methods) were used. Samples lacking anthropogenic enhancement typically exhibited an S-0.1T < c. 0.5, SIRM/ARM < c. 150 and SIRM/χ < c. 6000 A m-1. Samples with magnetic enhancement all exhibited an S-0.1T > 0.5. Samples with relatively stronger anthropogenic enhancement were unequivocally distinguished from the samples with weaker enhancement by an SIRM/ARM > c. 150. Samples with SIRM/ARM in a range c. 126-150 were classified as relatively strongly enhanced when their SIRM/χ > 18 000 A m-1 and relatively less enhanced when their SIRM/χ < 18 000 A m-1. An additional rule was arbitrary added to exclude samples with χfd% > 6 per cent from anthropogenically enhanced clusters as samples with natural magnetic enhancement. The characteristics of the clusters resulted mainly from the relationship between SIRM/ARM and the S-0.1T, and SIRM/χ and the S-0.1T. Both SIRM/ARM and SIRM/χ increase with increasing S-0.1T values reflecting a greater level of anthropogenic magnetic particles. Overall, data mining methods demonstrated good potential for utilization in environmental magnetism.

Evaluating Carbon Isotope Signature of Bulk Organic Matter and Plant Wax Derived n-alkanes from Lacustrine Sediments as Climate Proxies along the Western Side of the Andes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contreras, S.; Werne, J. P.; Araneda, A.; Conejero, C. A.

2015-12-01

Sedimentary carbon isotope values (δ13C) of bulk organic matter and long chain (C25 to C35) n-alkanes are among the most long-lived and widely utilized proxies of organic matter and vegetation source. The carbon distribution (e.g. average carbon chain length, ACL) and isotope signature from long chain n-alkanes had been intensively used on paleoclimate studies because they are less influenced by diagenesis, differential preservation of compound classes, and changes in the sources of organic matter than bulk δ13C values. Recently, studies of modern plant n-alkanes have challenged the use of carbon distribution and carbon isotope signature from sedimentary n-alkanes as reliable indicators of vegetation and climate change. The climate in central-south western South America (SA) is projected to become significantly warmer and drier over the next several decades to centuries in response to anthropogenically driven warming. Paleolimnological studies along western SA are critical to obtain more realistic and reliable regional reconstructions of past climate and environments, including vegetation and water budget variability. Here we discuss bulk δ13C, distribution and δ13C in long chain n-alkanes from a suite of ~40 lake surface sediment (core-top) samples spanning the transition from a Mediterranean climate with a patchwork of cultivated vegetation, pastureland, conifers in central Chile to a rainy temperate climate dominated by broadleaf deciduous and evergreen forest. Data are compared to the latitudinal and orographic climatic trends of the Andes based on the climatology (e.g. precipitation and temperature) of the locations of all lakes involved in this study, using monthly gridded reanalysis products of the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), based on the NCEP global forecast model and meteorological stations available in the region, from January 1979 to December 2010 with a 0.5° horizontal resolution.

Environmental monitoring and assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments at Coleroon River Estuary in Tamil Nadu, India.

PubMed

Venkatramanan, S; Chung, S Y; Ramkumar, T; Selvam, S

2015-08-01

The combined studies on grain size distribution, organic matter contents of sediments, sequential extraction and bulk concentration of heavy metals, statistical analysis, and ecological risk assessments were carried out to investigate the contamination sources and ecological risks of surface sediments at Coleroon River Estuary in Tamil Nadu, India. The sequential extraction of metals showed that a larger portion of the metals was associated with the residual phase and also in other fractions. The low concentrations of heavy metals were found in exchangeable and carbonate bounds (bioavailable phases). It revealed that sediments of Coleroon River Estuary were relatively unpolluted and were influenced mainly by natural sources. The observed order of bulk concentrations of heavy metals in the sediments was as follows: Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu > Pb > Cr > Ni > Co. Factor analyses represented that the enrichment of heavy metals was mostly resulted from lithogenic origins associated with anthropogenic sources. These sources were reconfirmed by cluster analysis. Risk assessment code (RAC) suggested that all metals were not harmful in monsoon season. However, Fe was in medium risk, and Mn and Cu were in low risk in summer. According to pollution load index (PLI) of sediments, all heavy metals were toxic. Cu might be related with adverse biological effects on the basis of sediment quality guidelines (SQG) in both seasons. These integrated approaches were very useful to identify the contamination sources and ecological risks of sediments in estuarine environment. It is expected that this research can give a useful information for the remediation of heavy metals in sediments.

Effects of bulk colloidal stability on adsorption layers of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)/sodium dodecyl sulfate at the air-water interface studied by neutron reflectometry.

PubMed

Campbell, Richard A; Yanez Arteta, Marianna; Angus-Smyth, Anna; Nylander, Tommy; Varga, Imre

2011-12-29

We show for the oppositely charged system poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)/sodium dodecyl sulfate that the cliff edge peak in its surface tension isotherm results from the comprehensive precipitation of bulk complexes into sediment, leaving a supernatant that is virtually transparent and a depleted adsorption layer at the air/water interface. The aggregation and settling processes take about 3 days to reach completion and occur at bulk compositions around charge neutrality of the complexes which lack long-term colloidal stability. We demonstrate excellent quantitative agreement between the measured surface tension values and a peak calculated from the surface excess of surfactant in the precipitation region measured by neutron reflectometry, using the approximation that there is no polymer left in the liquid phase. The nonequilibrium nature of the system is emphasized by the production of very different interfacial properties from equivalent aged samples that are handled differently. We go on to outline our perspective on the "true equilibrium" state of this intriguing system and conclude with a comment on its practical relevance given that the interfacial properties can be so readily influenced by the handling of kinetically trapped bulk aggregates. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Redox Trapping of Arsenic During Groundwater Discharge in Sediments from the Meghna Riverbank in Bangladesh

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Datta, S.; Mailloux, B; Jung, H

2009-01-01

Groundwater arsenic (As) is elevated in the shallow Holocene aquifers of Bangladesh. In the dry season, the shallow groundwater discharges to major rivers. This process may influence the chemistry of the river and the hyporheic zone sediment. To assess the fate of As during discharge, surface (0-5 cm) and subsurface (1-3 m) sediment samples were collected at 9 sites from the bank of the Meghna River along a transect from its northern source (25 degrees N) to the Bay of Bengal (22.5 degrees N). Bulk As concentrations of surface sediment averaged 16 {+-} 7 mg/kg (n = 9). Subsurface sedimentmore » contained higher mean concentrations of As of 4,000 mg/kg (n = 14), ranging from 1 to 23,000 mg/kg As, with >100 mg/kg As measured at 8 sites. X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy indicated that As was mainly arsenate and arsenite, not As-bearing sulfides. We hypothesize that the elevated sediment As concentrations form as As-rich groundwater discharges to the river, and enters a more oxidizing environment. A significant portion of dissolved As sorbs to iron-bearing minerals, which form a natural reactive barrier. Recycling of this sediment-bound As to the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta aquifer provides a potential source of As to further contaminate groundwater. Furthermore, chemical fluxes from groundwater discharge from the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta may be less than previous estimates because this barrier can immobilize many elements.« less

Bioavailability of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and their Potential Application in Eco-risk Assessment and Source Apportionment in Urban River Sediment

PubMed Central

Yang, Xunan; Yu, Liuqian; Chen, Zefang; Xu, Meiying

2016-01-01

Traditional risk assessment and source apportionment of sediments based on bulk polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can introduce biases due to unknown aging effects in various sediments. We used a mild solvent (hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin) to extract the bioavailable fraction of PAHs (a-PAHs) from sediment samples collected in Pearl River, southern China. We investigated the potential application of this technique for ecological risk assessments and source apportionment. We found that the distribution of PAHs was associated with human activities and that the a-PAHs accounted for a wide range (4.7%–21.2%) of total-PAHs (t-PAHs), and high risk sites were associated with lower t-PAHs but higher a-PAHs. The correlation between a-PAHs and the sediment toxicity assessed using tubificid worms (r = −0.654, P = 0.021) was greater than that from t-PAH-based risk assessment (r = −0.230, P = 0.472). Moreover, the insignificant correlation between a-PAH content and mPEC-Q of low molecular weight PAHs implied the potiential bias of t-PAH-based risk assessment. The source apportionment from mild extracted fractions was consistent across different indicators and was in accordance with typical pollution sources. Our results suggested that mild extraction-based approaches reduce the potential error from aging effects because the mild extracted PAHs provide a more direct indicator of bioavailability and fresher fractions in sediments. PMID:26976450

Mixed sand and gravel beaches: accurate measurement of active layer depth and sediment transport volumes using PIT tagged tracer pebbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holland, A.; Moses, C.; Sear, D. A.; Cope, S.

2016-12-01

As sediments containing significant gravel portions are increasingly used for beach replenishment projects globally, the total number of beaches classified as `mixed sand and gravel' (MSG) increases. Calculations for required replenishment sediment volumes usually assume a uniform layer of sediment transport across and along the beach, but research into active layer (AL) depth has shown variations both across shore and according to sediment size distribution. This study addresses the need for more accurate calculations of sediment transport volumes on MSG beaches by using more precise measurements of AL depth and width, and virtual velocity of tracer pebbles. Variations in AL depth were measured along three main profile lines (from MHWS to MLWN) at Eastoke, Hayling Island (Hampshire, UK). Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagged pebbles were deployed in columns, and their new locations repeatedly surveyed with RFID technology. These data were combined with daily dGPS beach profiles and sediment sampling for detailed analysis of the influence of beach morphodynamics on sediment transport volumes. Data were collected over two consecutive winter seasons: 2014-15 (relatively calm, average wave height <1 m) and 2015-16 (prolonged periods of moderate storminess, wave heights of 1-2 m). The active layer was, on average, 22% of wave height where beach slope (tanβ) is 0.1, with variations noted according to slope angle, sediment distribution, and beach groundwater level. High groundwater levels and a change in sediment proportions in the sandy lower foreshore reduced the AL to 10% of wave height in this area. The disparity in AL depth across the beach profile indicates that traditional models are not accurately representing bulk sediment transport on MSG beaches. It is anticipated that by improving model inputs, beach managers will be better able to predict necessary volumes and sediment grain size proportions of replenishment material for effective management of MSG beaches.

The use of Ampelisca abdita growth rate as an indicator of sediment quality

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weston, D.P.; Thompson, B.

1995-12-31

Acute lethal bioassays with amphipod crustaceans are routinely used to assess toxicity of bulk sediments. A study within the San Francisco Bay Regional Monitoring Program (RMP) is in progress to develop a chronic bioassay with the amphipod Ampelisca abdita, measuring both survivorship and growth rates. This approach is attractive because depression of growth rate is likely to be a more sensitive indicator of toxic effects than acute lethality, and natural populations of A. abdita exist throughout the Bay. Spiked sediment bioassays, using cadmium and crude oil, were used to demonstrate the relative sensitivity of the standard 10-day lethal test vs.more » the 30-day growth test. Sediments were also collected from 9 sites throughout the Bay, ranging from areas adjacent to municipal wastewater discharges to areas distant from known point source inputs. These samples were then split, and used for side-by-side comparison of acute (lethal) and chronic (growth) toxicity tests. Survivorship exceeded 90% in all tests, including those sediments collected nearest the wastewater outfalls. Growth rates were contrasted among the various treatments to examine the utility of this end point in discriminating the outfall sites. Data on the spatial distribution, abundance, and size-frequency distribution of native populations was examined within the context of using growth rate as an indicator of toxic effects in natural populations as well.« less

Environmental changes in two lakes of Northern Patagonia (Chile): A 1000 yr reconstruction based on pollen and charcoal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicole, Vargas; Laura, Torres; Alberto, Araneda; Fabiola, Cruces; Fernando, Torrejón; Denisse, Alvarez; G, Bizama; Nathalie, Fagel; Roberto, Urrutia

2010-05-01

We aim to reconstruct the environmental changes experimented in Patagonian ecosystems during the last 1000 years. We analyze sediment cores from two lakes (Thompson and Burgos), located in Aysen Region, Southern Chile. The samples were obtained using a gravity corer and sampled at intervals of 1 cm to 30 cm depth and every 5 cm until the end of the core. Thompson lake sediment core was sampled every 5 cm. Age model is based on radiocarbon datings on bulk sediments and macroremains. In Burgos lake we evidence two main climatic changes. A wet period between 876-1444 AD is marked by the presence of Pteridophytes. A colder and dryer period is then evidenced by an increase of Berberis sp between 1444 and 1656 AD. From 1834 AD to Present the sediment record is mainly affected by human activities. High concentrations of carbon particles and a sharp change in pollen assemblage (increase of Poaceae, decrease of Nothofagus dombeyi-Type) are indicators of two large fire events. The lacustrine sediment of Thompson is characterized by a wetter period, between 874 - 1168 AD, with abundance of Pteridophytes. Then from 1168 AD to Present the environmental conditions of the watershed were characterized by lower ferns and fire events. Two major fires were evidenced between 1850 AD and Present. Like in Burgos they are marked by major changes in plant associations (sharp increase in Poaceae, drastic loss of Nothofagus dombeyi-Type). Wet periods identified in both lakes at the base of the sediment record could correspond to manifestations of a warm climate anomaly like the Medieval Warm Period. The dry and cold period, especially obvious in the Burgos record, could be associated to a cold climate anomaly. Finally the great changes in vegetation that occurred from the year ~ 1830 in the basin of the two lakes were directly related to human activities (forest cutting) developed during the ninetheenth and twentieth centuries. This research is funded by both Chilean and Belgian projects (Fondecyt project N° 1070508; WBI Wallonie-Chile cooperation project, FNRS and ULg fundings).

Arsenic and antimony geochemistry of mine wastes, associated waters and sediments at the Giant Mine, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fawcett, Skya E.; Jamieson, Heather E.; Nordstrom, D. Kirk; McCleskey, R. Blaine

2015-01-01

Elevated levels of arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb) in water and sediments are legacy residues found downstream from gold-mining activities at the Giant Mine in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada. To track the transport and fate of As and Sb, samples of mine-waste from the mill, and surface water, sediment, pore-water, and vegetation downstream of the mine were collected. Mine waste, pore-water, and sediment samples were analyzed for bulk chemistry, and aqueous and solid-state speciation. Sediment and vegetation chemistry were evaluated using scanning electron microscope imaging, synchrotron-based element mapping and electron microprobe analysis. The distributions of As and Sb in sediments were similar, yet their distributions in the corresponding pore-waters were mostly dissimilar, and the mobility of As was greater than that of Sb. Competition for sorption sites is the most likely cause of elevated Sb concentrations in relatively oxidized pore-water and surface water. The aqueous and solid-state speciation of As and Sb also differed. In pore-water, As(V) dominated in oxidizing environments and As(III) in reducing environments. In contrast, the Sb(V) species dominated in all but one pore-water sample, even under reducing conditions. Antimony(III) appears to preferentially precipitate or adsorb onto sulfides as evidenced by the prevalence of an Sb(III)-S secondary solid-phase and the lack of Sb(III)(aq) in the deeper zones. The As(V)–O solid phase became depleted with depth below the sediment–water interface, and the Sb(V)–O phase persisted under relatively reducing conditions. In the surficial zone at a site populated by Equisetum fluviatile (common horsetail), As and Sb were associated with organic material and appeared mobile in the root zone. In the zone below active plant growth, As and Sb were associated primarily with inorganic phases suggesting a release and reprecipitation of these elements upon plant death. The co-existence of reduced and oxidized As and Sb species, instability of some phases under changing redox conditions, and plant uptake and release pose challenges for remediation efforts at the mine.

Low-frequency electrical properties of peat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comas, Xavier; Slater, Lee

2004-12-01

Electrical resistivity/induced polarization (0.1-1000 Hz) and vertical hydraulic conductivity (Kv) measurements of peat samples extracted from different depths (0-11 m) in a peatland in Maine were obtained as a function of pore fluid conductivity (σw) between 0.001 and 2 S/m. Hydraulic conductivity increased with σw (Kv ∝ σw0.3 between 0.001 and 2 S/m), indicating that pore dilation occurs due to the reaction of NaCl with organic functional groups as postulated by previous workers. Electrical measurements were modeled by assuming that "bulk" electrolytic conduction through the interconnected pore space and surface conduction in the electrical double layer (EDL) at the organic sediment-fluid interface act in parallel. This analysis suggests that pore space dilation causes a nonlinear relationship between the "bulk" electrolytic conductivity (σel) and σw (σel ∝ σw1.3). The Archie equation predicts a linear dependence of σel on σw and thus appears inappropriate for organic sediments. Induced polarization (IP) measurements of the imaginary part (σ″surf) of the surface conductivity (σ*surf) show that σ″surf is greater and more strongly σw-dependent (σ″surf ∝ σw0.5 between 0.001 and 2 S/m) than observed for inorganic sediments. By assuming a linear relationship between the real (σ'surf) and the imaginary part (σ″surf) of the surface conductivity, we develop an empirical model relating the resistivity and induced polarization measurements to σw in peat. We demonstrate the use of this model to predict (a) σw and (b) the change in Kv due to an incremental change in σw from resistivity and induced polarization measurements on organic sediments. Our study has implications for noninvasive geophysical characterization of σw and Kv with potential to benefit studies of carbon cycling and greenhouse gas fluxes as well as nutrient supply dynamics in peatlands.

Source to Sink Transport of Terrestrial Biomarkers in a Monsoon-driven Fluvial System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirkels, F.; Zwart, H. M.; Usman, M.; Basu, S.; Martes, C.; Eglinton, T. I.; Peterse, F.

2016-12-01

Rivers are an important link in global organic carbon (OC) cycling by connecting soils and marine sediments. Whereas deposition of terrestrial carbon in marine settings may form a large OC sink, the extent of OC loss during river transport by CO2 outgassing is highly uncertain. In this context, it is crucial to better constrain the composition and sources of OC in rivers. The Godavari River in Central India is very dynamic with intense rainfall and high soil erosion rates during the monsoon and low transport during the dry period, representative of low frequency, high-impact erosion events expected worldwide due to climate change. In this study, we did a high-resolution sampling of soils, river sediments (bulk and < 63 um) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) during the monsoon and dry season. Source-to-sink tracing of concentration and compositional variations in branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) as soil-specific biomarkers allowed us to follow soil OC transport through the river basin. Spatial trends in weight-normalized GDGT patterns reveal marked changes during the monsoon and dry season from upstream tributaries towards the delta. Evolution of GDGT signatures along the course of the river shows that SPM during the monsoon carries a primarily soil-derived signal contributed by the northern headwaters. Dominance of the recently discovered 6-methyl isomer indicates a year-round aquatic contribution from the western tributaries. River water isotopic composition and GDGT signatures show that northern tributaries dominate modern OC export from the Godavari basin, providing new information for the interpretation of paleorecords derived from cores taken in the Bay of Bengal. More detailed insights in OC sources in the Godavari basin will derive from (bulk) δ13C and ultimately 14C analyses of soils and river sediments. Further research into provenance of the mineral fraction will reveal if sediment and OC transport is (de)coupled.

Turbidite carbon distribution by Ramped PyrOx, Astoria Canyon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Childress, L. B.; Galy, V.; McNichol, A. P.

2017-12-01

The magnitude and nature of carbon preserved in marine sediments can be affected by long-term processes such as climate change and tectonic transport; preservation of carbon can also be affected by short-term, episodic disturbances such as storm events, landslides, and earthquakes. In margins with active canyons, these systems can be efficient burial networks for carbon. The downslope displacement and reorganization of sediment and associated organic carbon (OC) during turbidite formation alters oxygen diffusion and the potential for aerobic oxidation, thereby modifying the redox geochemistry of the sediment package. Generally termed as a `burn-down', reactions at the subsurface oxidation front are linked to a loss of OC preservation within turbidite sequences. Still debated is the source of the OC residual within `burn-down' events, primarily whether the preserved material is dominated by terrestrial or marine components. To better understand the significance of canyon systems and turbidite deposits in the transport, preservation, and `burn-down' of organic carbon, samples from these systems can be studied using the Ramped PyrOx (RPO) technique. Whereas bulk radiocarbon measurements are unsuitable within turbidite deposits, RPO is well suited for characterizing the distribution of carbon sources within a turbidite interval. To complement RPO analyses, OC and N content, stable carbon isotope composition, gamma ray attenuation bulk density, computerized tomography, and magnetic susceptibility were determined. The turbidite systems of the Cascadia Subduction Zone have been extensively studied in relation to the Holocene paleoseismic record. Gravity cores collected in 2011 aboard the R/V Wecoma capture turbidite deposits in Astoria Canyon and demonstrate characteristics of `burn down' intervals. RPO data from within a 15 cm turbidite interval indicate minimal variation in reactivity structure, stable carbon isotope values and radiocarbon age, suggesting a shared source of sediment input. Such similarities imply minimal source-selective OC alteration and are consistent with a singular event (e.g. - flood) associated with late Holocene warm interval influence on the Columbia River Basin.

The Physical, Geochemical and Microbial Conditions and Processes in the Hyporheic Zone of a Large Tidally Influenced River: The Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bianchin, M.; Roschinski, T.; Ross, K.; Leslie, S.; William, M.; Beckie, R.

2006-12-01

The objective of this research is to investigate the physical, chemical and biological conditions and processes that occur in the hyporheic zone of the lower Fraser River, British Columbia. The large flows of between 2000 and 10000 cubic meters per second, the 10 15 m deep, 250 m wide channel, the 1 m tidal fluctuations, the localized scour and redeposition of sediments during freshet and the strong geochemical contrast between groundwater and surface water distinguish this investigation from studies on smaller channels and streams and required the development of novel characterization tools and strategies. The geochemistry of water samples collected with a push-in profiler, bulk electrical conductivity (EC) measurements collected with a push-in tool and hydraulic head measurements indicate that groundwater principally discharges into the river approximately 100 m offshore in a 10 m wide band. River water and groundwater mix to a maximum depth of between 0.75 and 1.5 m. While hydraulic heads show strong tidal reversals, bulk EC profiles show only moderate changes during the tidal cycle. It was hypothesized that high iron (10's mg/L of Fe(II)) in reduced groundwater would precipitate from solution as secondary iron-oxide phases in the zone where groundwater mixes with aerobic river water. Sediments were collected with a freeze-shoe corer and depth profiles through the hyporheic zone and into the underlying aquifer were analyzed by selective extractions. The 15-30 mg/g of total extractable iron in both the aquifer and hyporheic zone is relatively high. The lack of noticeable iron accumulation in the hyporheic zone may indicate that iron precipitates on shallow sediments that are subsequently scoured from the river bed during freshet. Microbial DNA from sediments was analyzed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and showed a relatively diverse community structure but an overall low biomass.

Volume change associated with formation and dissociation of hydrate in sediment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruppel, Carolyn D.; Lee, J.Y.; Santamarina, J. Carlos

2017-01-01

Gas hydrate formation and dissociation in sediments are accompanied by changes in the bulk volume of the sediment and can lead to changes in sediment properties, loss of integrity for boreholes, and possibly regional subsidence of the ground surface over areas where methane might be produced from gas hydrate in the future. Experiments on sand, silts, and clay subject to different effective stress and containing different saturations of hydrate formed from dissolved phase tetrahydrofuran are used to systematically investigate the impact of gas hydrate formation and dissociation on bulk sediment volume. Volume changes in low specific surface sediments (i.e., having a rigid sediment skeleton like sand) are much lower than those measured in high specific surface sediments (e.g., clay). Early hydrate formation is accompanied by contraction for all soils and most stress states in part because growing gas hydrate crystals buckle skeletal force chains. Dilation can occur at high hydrate saturations. Hydrate dissociation under drained, zero lateral strain conditions is always associated with some contraction, regardless of soil type, effective stress level, or hydrate saturation. Changes in void ratio during formation-dissociation decrease at high effective stress levels. The volumetric strain during dissociation under zero lateral strain scales with hydrate saturation and sediment compressibility. The volumetric strain during dissociation under high shear is a function of the initial volume average void ratio and the stress-dependent critical state void ratio of the sediment. Other contributions to volume reduction upon hydrate dissociation are related to segregated hydrate in lenses and nodules. For natural gas hydrates, some conditions (e.g., gas production driven by depressurization) might contribute to additional volume reduction by increasing the effective stress.

Community Composition and Transcriptional Activity of Ammonia-Oxidizing Prokaryotes of Seagrass Thalassia hemprichii in Coral Reef Ecosystems.

PubMed

Ling, Juan; Lin, Xiancheng; Zhang, Yanying; Zhou, Weiguo; Yang, Qingsong; Lin, Liyun; Zeng, Siquan; Zhang, Ying; Wang, Cong; Ahmad, Manzoor; Long, Lijuan; Dong, Junde

2018-01-01

Seagrasses in coral reef ecosystems play important ecological roles by enhancing coral reef resilience under ocean acidification. However, seagrass primary productivity is typically constrained by limited nitrogen availability. Ammonia oxidation is an important process conducted by ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB), yet little information is available concerning the community structure and potential activity of seagrass AOA and AOB. Therefore, this study investigated the variations in the abundance, diversity and transcriptional activity of AOA and AOB at the DNA and transcript level from four sample types: the leaf, root, rhizosphere sediment and bulk sediment of seagrass Thalassia hemprichii in three coral reef ecosystems. DNA and complementary DNA (cDNA) were used to prepare clone libraries and DNA and cDNA quantitative PCR ( q PCR) assays, targeting the ammonia monooxygenase-subunit ( amo A) genes as biomarkers. Our results indicated that the closest relatives of the obtained archaeal and bacterial amo A gene sequences recovered from DNA and cDNA libraries mainly originated from the marine environment. Moreover, all the obtained AOB sequences belong to the Nitrosomonadales cluster. Nearly all the AOA communities exhibited higher diversity than the AOB communities at the DNA level, but the q PCR data demonstrated that the abundances of AOB communities were higher than that of AOA communities based on both DNA and RNA transcripts. Collectively, most of the samples shared greater community composition similarity with samples from the same location rather than sample type. Furthermore, the abundance of archaeal amo A gene in rhizosphere sediments showed significant relationships with the ammonium concentration of sediments and the nitrogen content of plant tissue (leaf and root) at the DNA level ( P < 0.05). Conversely, no such relationships were found for the AOB communities. This work provides new insight into the nitrogen cycle, particularly nitrification of seagrass meadows in coral reef ecosystems.

A giant sediment trap in the Florida keys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shinn, E.A.; Reich, C.D.; Locker, S.D.; Hine, A.C.

1996-01-01

Aerial photography, high-resolution seismic profiling, coring and jet probing have revealed a large sediment-filled sinkhole in the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary off Key Largo, Florida. The 600-m-diameter feature straddles coral reef and carbonate-sand facies and contains >55 m of marine lime sand and aragonite mud. Bulk 14C age determinations of mud from a 30- m sediment core indicate infilling rates exceeding 20 m/ka between 3 and 5.6 ka. The total thickness and nature of the sediment near the base of the sinkhole are not known.

Mechanism of Hg(II) Immobilization in Sediments by Sulfate-Cement Amendment.

PubMed

Serrano, Susana; Vlassopoulos, Dimitri; O'Day, Peggy A

2016-04-01

Reactive amendments such as Portland and super-sulfate cements offer a promising technology for immobilizing metalloid contaminants such as mercury (Hg) in soils and sediments through sequestration in less bioavailable solid forms. Tidal marsh sediments were reacted with dissolved Hg(II) in synthetic seawater and fresh water solutions, treated with Portland cement and FeSO 4 amendment, and aged for up to 90 days. Reacted solids were analyzed with bulk sequential extraction methods and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron microscopy, and synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Hg L III - and S K-edge. In amended sediments, XRD, SEM and sulfur K-edge XANES indicated formation of gypsum in seawater experiments or ettringite-type (Ca 6 Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 (OH) 12 . 26H 2 O) phases in fresh water experiments, depending on the final solution pH (seawater ∼8.5; freshwater ∼10.5). Analysis of Hg EXAFS spectra showed Cl and Hg ligands in the first- and second-coordination shells at distances characteristic of a polynuclear chloromercury(II) salt, perhaps as a nanoparticulate phase, in both seawater and fresh water experiments. In addition to the chloromercury species, a smaller fraction (∼20-25%) of Hg was bonded to O atoms in fresh water sample spectra, suggesting the presence of a minor sorbed Hg fraction. In the absence of amendment treatment, Hg sorption and resistance to extraction can be accounted for by relatively strong binding by reduced S species present in the marsh sediment detected by S XANES. Thermodynamic calculations predict stable aqueous Hg-Cl species at seawater final pH, but higher final pH in fresh water favors aqueous Hg-hydroxide species. The difference in Hg coordination between aqueous and solid phases suggests that the initial Hg-Cl coordination was stabilized in the cement hydration products and did not re-equilibrate with the bulk solution with aging. Collectively, results suggest physical encapsulation of Hg as a polynuclear chloromercury(II) salt as the primary immobilization mechanism.

Preliminary sediments quality assessment of the Midia Port aquatorium - Black Sea - Romania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catianis, I.; Ungureanu, C.; Stanica, A.

2012-04-01

This study shows the present environmental quality of superficial sediments within the aquatorium of an industrial harbor. These results help better understand the correlation between historical pollution and present environmental state of the harbor sediments and related environmental hazards in case of dredging. The study area is the Port of Midia, situated in Romania, western Black Sea coast. The port is located at the boundary between the Danube Delta coast (widest nature protected biosphere reserve in the EU) in the north - and the almost entirely human controlled coast - starting south of the port. Midia Harbor was first built in 1942, expanded during the late 1970`s, and currently operates as an oil and general merchandise terminal. This port receives a double impact of waters: brackish Black Sea waters, as well as Danube fresh waters arriving into the aquatorium through the inshore Danube - Black Sea Canal Lock. To understand the environmental status of the port aquatorium one sampling campaign was performed during August 2011. Samples were collected within the aquatorium and in in the surrounding area outside the harbor. For a better correlation with the particularities related to the transitions in water salinity, the aquatorium was divided into five sectors with specific characteristics: Cargo Terminal Area, Oil Terminal Enclosure Area, Ships Transit Area, Waste Oil Buffer Area and Marine Area. The following analyses were performed on water and sediment samples: physical and chemical characteristics of the waters (dissolved oxygen, temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved salts, pH, redox potential, nitrates, nitrites, phosphates, sulphates, heavy metals), bulk sediments (particle size, grain size distribution, mineralogy, organic matter and carbonates content, heavy minerals load, organic compounds) and microbiological and ecotoxicological assays. The grain size analysis reveals the prevalence of very fine-silt and silty-clay fractions, and in a smaller quota sandy fractions. Mineralogically, quartz dominates the sandy and silty fractions of sediments mass, being subsequently followed by a large spectrum of other minerals: feldspar, mica minerals, chlorite, heavy minerals, etc. Besides the mainly siliciclastic mass, sediments are rich in organic matter, with lower contents of carbonates. Some of the sediments are contaminated with petroleum products. All measured water samples were polluted with heavy metals (As, B, Se) and sulphates. Sediments show different contents of chemical compounds, in relation with the spatial distribution of the harbor sectors. Highest concentrations of total volatiles compounds were found in sediments from Waste Oil Buffer Area and Ships Transit Area. Microbiologically contaminated sediments were found in Cargo Terminal Area, Waste Oil Buffer Area and Ships Transit Area. Some samples from Cargo Terminal Area and Ships Transit Area present toxicity signs. Acknowledgments: "This work was supported by the strategic grant POSDRU/89/1.5/S/58852; Project "Postdoctoral program for training scientific researchers" co-financed by the European Social Found within the Sectorial Operational Program Human Resources Development 2007 - 2013", and was performed with scientific and technical assistance provided by NIRD GeoEcoMar - Romania, during the Sedi Port Sil -Project, Life 09ENV/IT/000158

Integrated assessment of contaminated sediments in the lower Fox River and Green Bay, Wisconsin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ankley, G.T.; Lodge, K.; Call, D.J.

Samples of sediment and biota were collected from sites in the lower Fox River and southern Green Bay to determine existing or potential impacts of sediment-associated contaminants on different ecosystem components of this Great Lakes area of concern. Evaluation of benthos revealed a relatively depauperate community, particularly at the lower Fox River sites. Sediment pore water and bulk sediments from several lower Fox River sites were toxic to a number of test species including Pimephales promelas, Ceriodaphnia dubia, Hexagenia limbata, Selenastrum capricornutum, and Photobacterium phosphorum. An important component of the observed toxicity appeared to be due to ammonia. Evaluation ofmore » three bullhead (Ictalurus) species from the lower Fox River revealed an absence of preneoplastic or neoplastic liver lesions, and the Salmonella typhimurium bioassay indicated relatively little mutagenicity in sediment extracts. Apparent adverse reproductive effects were noted in two species of birds nesting along the lower Fox River and on a confined disposal facility for sediments near the mouth of the river, and there were measurable concentrations of potentially toxic 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and planar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) both in the birds and in sediments from several of the study sites. Based on toxic equivalency factors and the results of an in vitro bioassay with H4IIE rat hepatoma cells, it appeared that the majority of potential toxicity of the PCB/PCDF/PCDD mixture in biota from the lower Fox River/Green Bay system was due to the planar PCBs. The results of these studies are discussed in terms of an integrated assessment focused on providing data for remedial action planning.« less

AN INTERACTIVE DEMONSTRATION OF 3D COMPUTER-AIDED TOMOGRAPHY IMAGERY FOR INTERPRETING AND QUANTIFYING ANTHROPOGENIC IMPACTS TO MARINE BENTHIC COMMUNITIES

EPA Science Inventory

Two dimensional CT analysis has allowed the quantification of biologically derived structures (tubes and tunnels) within benthic sediments. The percent tube and tunnel area (PTTA) and the sediment bulk density (SXA) resulting from these activities have been shown be to highly cor...

Exploring the effects of black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) expansions on nutrient cycling in smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) marsh sediments of southern Louisiana, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, K. M.; Twilley, R. R.

2011-12-01

Located at the northernmost extent of mangroves in the Gulf of Mexico, coastal Louisiana (LA) provides an excellent opportunity to study the effects of a climate-induced vegetation shift on nutrient cycling within an ecosystem. Climate throughout the Gulf Coast region is experiencing a general warming trend and scientists predict both hotter summers (+1.5 to 4 °C) and warmer winters (+1.5 to 5.5 °C) by 2100. Over the last two decades, mild winter temperatures have facilitated the expansion of black mangrove trees (Avicennia germinans) into the smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) along parts of the LA coast. Due to differences in morphology and physiology between these two species, the expansion of Avicennia has the potential to greatly alter sediment biogeochemistry, especially nutrient cycling. With such an extensive history of coastal nutrient enrichment and eutrophication in the Mississippi River delta, it is important to understand how nutrient cycling, retention, and removal in this region will be affected by this climate-induced vegetation expansion. We examined the effect of this species shift on porewater salinity, sulfide, and dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations (nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate) as well as sediment oxidation-reduction potential, bulk density, and nutrient content (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus). We also measured net dinitrogen (N2:Ar), oxygen, and dissolved inorganic nutrient fluxes on intact, non-vegetated sediment cores collected from both Spartina and Avicennia habitats. Spartina sediments were more reducing, with higher concentrations of sulfides and ammonium. We found no significant difference between Spartina and Avicennia sediment dinitrogen, oxygen, or dissolved inorganic nutrient fluxes. Net dinitrogen fluxes for both habitat types were predominately positive, indicating higher rates of denitrification than nitrogen fixation at these sites. Sediments were primarily a nitrate sink, but functioned as both a source and sink of nitrite, ammonium, and phosphate depending on the season and light conditions. Further sediment analysis showed no significant difference in bulk density, carbon, nitrogen, or phosphorus content between Spartina and Avicennia sediments. Marine sediments high in bulk density and phosphorus content and low carbon and nitrogen content dominated the top several centimeters in both Spartina and Avicennia habitats. These surprising but reassuring results suggest that in a region where allochthonous sediment input dominates organic accretion from the primary producers, the climate-induced shift from Spartina to Avicennia will have little to no affect on littoral nutrient cycling.

Production of fluorescent dissolved organic matter in Arctic Ocean sediments.

PubMed

Chen, Meilian; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Nam, Seung-Il; Niessen, Frank; Hong, Wei-Li; Kang, Moo-Hee; Hur, Jin

2016-12-16

Little is known about the production of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) in the anoxic oceanic sediments. In this study, sediment pore waters were sampled from four different sites in the Chukchi-East Siberian Seas area to examine the bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and their optical properties. The production of FDOM, coupled with the increase of nutrients, was observed above the sulfate-methane-transition-zone (SMTZ). The presence of FDOM was concurrent with sulfate reduction and increased alkalinity (R 2  > 0.96, p < 0.0001), suggesting a link to organic matter degradation. This inference was supported by the positive correlation (R 2  > 0.95, p < 0.0001) between the net production of FDOM and the modeled degradation rates of particulate organic carbon sulfate reduction. The production of FDOM was more pronounced in a shallow shelf site S1 with a total net production ranging from 17.9 to 62.3 RU for different FDOM components above the SMTZ depth of ca. 4.1 mbsf, which presumably underwent more accumulation of particulate organic matter than the other three deeper sites. The sediments were generally found to be the sources of CDOM and FDOM to the overlying water column, unearthing a channel of generally bio-refractory and pre-aged DOM to the oceans.

Production of fluorescent dissolved organic matter in Arctic Ocean sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Meilian; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Nam, Seung-Il; Niessen, Frank; Hong, Wei-Li; Kang, Moo-Hee; Hur, Jin

2016-12-01

Little is known about the production of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) in the anoxic oceanic sediments. In this study, sediment pore waters were sampled from four different sites in the Chukchi-East Siberian Seas area to examine the bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and their optical properties. The production of FDOM, coupled with the increase of nutrients, was observed above the sulfate-methane-transition-zone (SMTZ). The presence of FDOM was concurrent with sulfate reduction and increased alkalinity (R2 > 0.96, p < 0.0001), suggesting a link to organic matter degradation. This inference was supported by the positive correlation (R2 > 0.95, p < 0.0001) between the net production of FDOM and the modeled degradation rates of particulate organic carbon sulfate reduction. The production of FDOM was more pronounced in a shallow shelf site S1 with a total net production ranging from 17.9 to 62.3 RU for different FDOM components above the SMTZ depth of ca. 4.1 mbsf, which presumably underwent more accumulation of particulate organic matter than the other three deeper sites. The sediments were generally found to be the sources of CDOM and FDOM to the overlying water column, unearthing a channel of generally bio-refractory and pre-aged DOM to the oceans.

Production of fluorescent dissolved organic matter in Arctic Ocean sediments

PubMed Central

Chen, Meilian; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Nam, Seung-Il; Niessen, Frank; Hong, Wei-Li; Kang, Moo-Hee; Hur, Jin

2016-01-01

Little is known about the production of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) in the anoxic oceanic sediments. In this study, sediment pore waters were sampled from four different sites in the Chukchi-East Siberian Seas area to examine the bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and their optical properties. The production of FDOM, coupled with the increase of nutrients, was observed above the sulfate-methane-transition-zone (SMTZ). The presence of FDOM was concurrent with sulfate reduction and increased alkalinity (R2 > 0.96, p < 0.0001), suggesting a link to organic matter degradation. This inference was supported by the positive correlation (R2 > 0.95, p < 0.0001) between the net production of FDOM and the modeled degradation rates of particulate organic carbon sulfate reduction. The production of FDOM was more pronounced in a shallow shelf site S1 with a total net production ranging from 17.9 to 62.3 RU for different FDOM components above the SMTZ depth of ca. 4.1 mbsf, which presumably underwent more accumulation of particulate organic matter than the other three deeper sites. The sediments were generally found to be the sources of CDOM and FDOM to the overlying water column, unearthing a channel of generally bio-refractory and pre-aged DOM to the oceans. PMID:27982085

Amino acid cycling in the Mississippi River Plume and effects from the passage of Hurricanes Isadore and Lili

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bianchi, Thomas S.; Grace, Bryan L.; Carman, Kevin R.; Maulana, Ivan

2014-08-01

We present data on the effects of Hurricanes Isadore and Lili on the spatial and temporal variations in concentrations of amino acids, and other bulk dissolved and particulate constituents in surface waters of the Mississippi River Plume (MRP) collected during 3 survey cruises (March 2002, October 2002, and April 2004). Abiotic factors (e.g., particle sorption and sediment resuspension) had the largest contribution in describing DAA and PAA dynamics in the MRP. The range of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) (88.61 to 699.90 μM) and particulate organic carbon (POC) (0.08 to 32.72 μM) values was slightly higher than the range observed for a broader region of the Louisiana shelf, but in general agreed with peak values at the mid-salinity range of the plume. The positive and negative correlations between acidic (e.g., aspartic acid and glutamic acid) and basic (e.g., histidine and arginine) DAA and salinity, respectively, in the MRP, were largely controlled by differential partitioning of amino acids with suspended sediments. Concentrations of β-alanine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and δ-aminovaleric acid were significantly higher during October 2002 compared to spring sampling events, due to resuspension of shelf sediments caused by the recent passage of Hurricane Isadore and the approach of Hurricane Lili, as it entered the Gulf of Mexico during our sampling.

Reaction paths and host phases of uranium isotopes (235U; 238U), Saanich Inlet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amini, M.; Holmden, C. E.; Francois, R. H.

2009-12-01

In recent times, Uranium has become increasingly the focus of stable isotope fractionation studies. Variations in 238U/235U have been reported as a result of redox reactions [1,2] from the nuclear field shift effect [3], and a mass-dependent, microbially-mediated, kinetic isotope effect [4]. The 238U/235U variability caused by changes in environmental redox conditions leads to an increase in the 238U/235U ratios of the reduced U species sequestered into marine sediments. This points to U isotope variability as a new tool to study ancient ocean redox changes. However, the process by which reduced sediments become enriched in the heavy isotopes of U is not yet known, and hence the utility of 238U/235U as a redox tracer remains to be demonstrated. In order to further constrain sedimentary U enrichment and related isotope effect, we are investigating U isotopic compositions of water samples and fresh surface sediment grab samples over a range of redox conditions in the seasonally anoxic Saanich Inlet, on the east coast of Vancouver Island. U was sequentially extracted from sediments in order to characterize specific fractions for their isotopic composition. The measurements were carried out by MC-ICPMS using 233U/236U-double spike technique. The data are reported as δ238U relative to NBL 112a with a 238U/235U ratio of 137.88 (2sd). External precision is better than 0.10‰ (2sd). Fifteeen analyses of seawater yielded δ238U of -0.42±0.08‰ (2sd). The results for the water samples indicate a homogenous δ238U value throughout the Saanich Inlet water column that matches the global seawater signature. All of the water samples from above and below average -0.42±0.05‰ (2sd). In contrast, a plankton net sample yielded a distinctly different, (about 0.5‰ lighter) isotope value. Bacterial reduction experiments [4] have also shown isotope enrichment factors of about -0.3‰. In addition, metal isotope fractionation occurs during adsorption with the light isotope being preferentially adsorbed [5]. Whether plankton mediated chemical reduction or scavenging causes this fractionation will be further investigated by leaching experiments on sediment trap samples. By contrast, weak acidic leachates (at pH 6) of suboxic bottom sediments, tend towards higher δ238U values. For oxic sediments, U contents of this fraction were below detection limit. Stronger leaching at pH 3 removed most of the uranium from suboxic and oxic sediments. For oxic sediments, this fraction yields the seawater δ238U signature, while the U released from the suboxic sample is about 0.2‰ heavier. This matches the value for previously reported bulk analyses of suboxic sediments [1] implying that the reduced sedimentary U is released by this treatment,. Major and trace element analyses and XRD patterns will help relating this fraction to a specific mineral or reactive phase. [1] Weyer et al. (2007) GCA 72, 345-399. [2] Stirling et al. (2007) EPSL 264, 208-225. [3] Schauble (2007) GCA 71, 2170-2189. [4] Rademacher et al. (2006) Environ. Sci. Technol. 40,6943-6948. [5] Wasylenki (2009) GCA A1419.

Dynamics of particle export on the Northwest Atlantic margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Jeomshik; Manganini, Steven J.; Montluçon, Daniel B.; Eglinton, Timothy I.

2009-10-01

The Northwest Atlantic margin is characterized by high biological productivity in shelf and slope surface waters. In addition to carbon supply to underlying sediments, the persistent, intermediate depth nepheloid layers emanating from the continental shelves, and bottom nepheloid layers maintained by strong bottom currents associated with the southward flowing Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC), provide conduits for export of organic carbon over the margin and/or to the interior ocean. As a part of a project to understand dynamics of particulate organic carbon (POC) cycling in this region, we examined the bulk and molecular properties of time-series sediment trap samples obtained at 968 m, 1976 m, and 2938 m depths from a bottom-tethered mooring on the New England slope (water depth, 2988 m). Frequent occurrences of higher fluxes in deep relative to shallower sediment traps and low Δ 14C values of sinking POC together provide strong evidence for significant lateral transport of aged organic matter over the margin. Comparison of biogeochemical properties such as aluminum concentration and flux, and iron concentration between samples intercepted at different depths shows that particles collected by the deepest trap had more complex sources than the shallower ones. These data also suggest that at least two modes of lateral transport exist over the New England margin. Based on radiocarbon mass balance, about 30% (±10%) of sinking POC in all sediment traps is estimated to be derived from lateral transport of resuspended sediment. A strong correlation between Δ 14C values and aluminum concentrations suggests that the aged organic matter is associated with lithogenic particles. Our results suggest that lateral transport of organic matter, particularly that resulting from sediment resuspension, should be considered in addition to vertical supply of organic matter derived from primary production, in order to understand carbon cycling and export over continental margins.

Sediment quality assessment in a coastal lagoon (Ravenna, NE Italy) based on SEM-AVS and sequential extraction procedure.

PubMed

Pignotti, Emanuela; Guerra, Roberta; Covelli, Stefano; Fabbri, Elena; Dinelli, Enrico

2018-09-01

Sediments from the Pialassa Piomboni coastal lagoon (NE Italy) were studied to assess the degree of contamination and ecological risk related to trace metals by combining a geochemical characterization of bulk sediments with the assessment of the bioavailable forms of trace metals. With this purpose, sediment contamination (Cd, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) was assessed by Enrichment Factors (EFs), and potential bioavailability by the Simultaneously Extracted Metals and Acid Volatile Sulfides (SEM-AVS) approach (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn), and by Sequential Extraction Procedure (Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn). On average, Cr and Ni exhibited no contamination (EF ≤1.5), and a predominance in the residual fraction of the sediment, indicating natural origin for these metals. Cu, Pb and Zn displayed a local contamination, which resulted in a higher proportion of Cu bound to the reducible and oxidizable fractions (~30% and ~40% as median, respectively), and Pb mostly associated with the reducible phase (~60% as median). Hence, Cu and Pb could be mobilized when environmental conditions become reducing or oxidizing. Zn resulted mainly partitioned into the reducible and residual fractions (~50% as median, in both fractions). The Risk Assessment Code (RAC) indicated that approximately 30% of samples had >10% of total Zn weakly bound to the sediment, suggesting a medium risk of exposure for aquatic organisms. RAC results were consistent with the ∑SEM-AVS findings, pointing to possible adverse effects for aquatic biota in ~30% of samples, with Zn mostly accounting for the total metal bioavailability. Hg showed a moderate to very severe enrichment, indicating that a substantial amount of this metal derives from anthropogenic sources and may pose adverse effects on the aquatic biota of the Pialassa Piomboni lagoon. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The composition of secondary amorphous phases under different environmental conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, R.; Rampe, E. B.; Horgan, B. H. N.; Dehouck, E.; Morris, R. V.

2017-12-01

X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns measured by the CheMin instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover demonstrate that amorphous phases are major components ( 15-60 wt%) of all rock and soil samples in Gale Crater. The nature of these phases is not well understood and could be any combination of primary (e.g., glass) and secondary (e.g., silica, ferrihydrite) phases. Secondary amorphous phases are frequently found as weathering products in soils on Earth, but these materials remain poorly characterized. Here we study a diverse suite of terrestrial samples including: sediments from recently de-glaciated volcanoes (Oregon), modern volcanic soils (Hawaii), and volcanic paleosols (Oregon) in order to determine how formation environment, climate, and diagenesis affect the abundance and composition of amorphous phases. We combine bulk XRD mineralogy with bulk chemical compositions (XRF) to calculate the abundance and bulk composition of the amorphous materials in our samples. We then utilize scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to study the composition of individual amorphous phases at the micrometer scale. XRD analyses of 8 samples thus far indicate that the abundance of amorphous phases are: modern soils (20-80 %) > paleosols (15-40 %) > glacial samples (15-30 %). Initial calculations suggest that the amorphous components consist primarily of SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2, FeO and Fe2O3, with minor amounts of other oxides (e.g., MgO, CaO, Na2O). Compared to their respective crystalline counterparts, calculations indicate bulk amorphous components enriched in SiO2 for the glacial sample, and depleted in SiO2 for the modern soil and paleosol samples. STEM analyses reveal that the amorphous components consist of a number of different phases. Of the two samples analyzed using STEM thus far, the secondary amorphous phases have compositions with varying ratios of SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2, and Fe-oxides, consistent with mass balance calculation results, but inconsistent with well-known amorphous phase compositions (e.g., allophane, ferrihydrite). These results show that a number of secondary amorphous phases can form within a single soil environment. Continued analysis can help determine whether compositional trends can be linked to environmental factors.

Sedimentary Characterization of Nazca Ridge ODP Site 1237: Plio-Pleistocene Record of Continental Erosion and Bottom Water Influence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dileo, K. V.; Joseph, L. H.

2005-12-01

Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1237 (16°0.421'S, 76°22.685'W), drilled ~140 km off the east coast of Peru on the easternmost flank of Nazca Ridge, provides an opportunity to study climatic shifts in the southeastern Pacific Ocean over the last thirty million years. Sediment deposition at this location has been influenced by movement through various oceanic current systems, from a relatively low productivity open ocean setting to a high productivity upwelling zone along the coast of Peru, as the tectonic plate subducts under South America. Today, near the eastern edge of the Peru-Chile current at a water depth of 3212 m, this site is located in the transition zone between Antarctic Circumpolar Deep Water and Pacific Central Water and is close enough to the continent to collect terrigenous sediment from South America. Plio-Pleistocene sediment (~100 mcd) from Site 1237 is comprised of white to light greenish gray clayey nannofossil ooze (Lithologic Unit IB) and clay to ooze with similar percentages of clay minerals, nannofossils, and diatoms (Unit IA). Shipboard results indicated linear sedimentation rates of ~20-30 m/my and siliciclastic mass accumulation rates (MARs) of ~1 g/cm2/ky during this time period. Approximately 90 Plio-Pleistocene samples were analyzed for bulk magnetic susceptibility, anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS; P' and T), organic carbon content, and calcium carbonate content to aid in interpretation of climatic and oceanic conditions that existed at the time of sediment deposition. Bulk magnetic susceptibility values are very low (10-6 to 10-7 SI, or negative) at the base of the record through ~60 mcd(~3 Ma), gradually increase to a peak value of ~3.7 x 10-4 SI at ~22 mcd (~1 Ma), decreasing and subsequently increasing for the remainder of the record. In the upper part of the record (above 60 mcd) where bulk magnetic susceptibility values are >10-6, P' values (strength of magnetic susceptibility), which can be used to interpret the strength of the depositing current, range from ~1.005 to ~1.051 and indicate that most samples have experienced current influence from bottom water currents. Calcium carbonate percentages are high (~90%) at the base of the record, decline gradually from ~60 until ~30 mcd (~1.2 Ma), and maintain a low percentage (~10%) for the remainder of the record although calcareous nannofossils are still abundant. Although not described shipboard as a lithologic boundary, a number of gradual, but distinct, changes in the characteristics analyzed in this study occur at ~3 Ma. Increased ash input from 3 to 1 Ma is not likely the only reason for the changes noted, although the ash may be indicative of increased activity and mountain building in the Columbian Andes; detailed terrigenous MARs will aid in interpretation of continental conditions at this time. Tighter age control and grain size analyses (combined with the AMS results) may provide insight into the effects of Northern Hemisphere glaciation on oceanic currents off the coast of Peru.

Flux and accumulation of sedimentary particles off the continental slope of Pakistan: a comparison of water column and seafloor estimates from the oxygen minimum zone, NE Arabian Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, H.; von Rad, U.

2013-07-01

Due to the lack of bioturbation, the laminated muds from the oxygen-minimum zone (OMZ) off Pakistan provide a unique opportunity to precisely determine the vertical and lateral sediment fluxes in the near shore part of the northeastern Arabian Sea, and to explore the effects of the margin topography and the low oxygen conditions on the accumulation of organic matter and other particles. West of Karachi, in the Hab river area of EPT and WPT (Eastern and Western PAKOMIN Traps), 16 short sediment profiles from water depths between 250 m and 1970 m on a depth transect crossing the OMZ (~ 120 to ~ 1200 m water depth) were investigated, and correlated on the basis of a thick, light-gray- to reddish-colored turbidite layer. Varve counting yielded a date for this layer of AD 1905 to 1888. We adopted the young age which agrees with 210Pb- dating, and used this isochronous stratigraphic marker bed to calculate sediment accumulation rates, that we could directly compare with the flux rates from the sediment traps installed within the water column above. All traps in the area show exceptionally high, pulsed winter fluxes of up to 5000 mg m-2 d-1 in this margin environment. The lithic flux at the sea floor is as high as 4000 mg m-2 d-1 , and agrees remarkably well with the bulk winter flux of material. This holds as well for the individual bulk components (organic carbon, calcium carbonate, opal, lithic fraction). However, the high winter flux events (HFE) by their extreme mass of remobilized matter terminated the recording in the shallow traps by clogging the funnels. Based on our comparisons, we argue that HFE for the past 5000 yr most likely occurred as regular events within the upper OMZ off Pakistan. Coarse fraction and foraminiferal accumulation rates from sediment surface samples along the Hab transect show distribution patterns that seem to be a function of water depth and distance from the shelf. Some of these sediment fractions show sudden shifts at the lower boundary of the OMZ. However, the potential effect of the OMZ on carbon preservation in the area would by masked by high mass of fine-grained matter laterally advected, and by the pulsed nature of the resuspension events.

Sediment accretion and carbon storage in constructed wetlands receiving water treated with metal-based coagulants

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stumpner, Elizabeth; Kraus, Tamara; Liang, Yan; Bachand, Sandra M.; Horwath, William R.; Bachand, Philip A.M.

2018-01-01

In many regions of the world, subsidence of organic rich soils threatens levee stability and freshwater supply, and continued oxidative loss of organic matter contributes to greenhouse gas production. To counter subsidence in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of northern California, we examined the feasibility of using constructed wetlands receiving drainage water treated with metal-based coagulants to accrete mineral material along with wetland biomass, while also sequestering carbon in wetland sediment. Nine field-scale wetlands were constructed which received local drainage water that was either untreated (control), or treated with polyaluminum chloride (PAC) or iron sulfate (FeSO4) coagulants. After 23 months of flooding and coagulant treatment, sediment samples were collected near the inlet, middle, and outlet of each wetland to determine vertical accretion rates, bulk density, sediment composition, and carbon sequestration rates. Wetlands treated with PAC had the highest and most spatially consistent vertical accretion rates (~6 cm year-1), while the FeSO4 wetlands had similarly high accretion rates near the inlet but rates similar to the untreated wetland (~1.5 cm year-1) at the middle and outlet sites. The composition of the newly accreted sediment in the PAC and FeSO4 treatments was high in the added metal (aluminum and iron, respectively), but the percent metal by weight was similar to native soils of California. As has been observed in other constructed wetlands, the newly accreted sediment material had lower bulk densities than the native soil material (0.04-0.10 g cm-3 versus 0.2-0.3 g cm-3), suggesting these materials will consolidate over time. Finally, this technology accelerated carbon burial, with rates in PAC treated wetland (0.63 kg C m-2 yr-1) over 2-fold greater than the untreated control (0.28 kg C m-2 yr-1). This study demonstrates the feasibility of using constructed wetlands treated with coagulants to reverse subsidence by accreting the resulting organo-metal flocculent and storing carbon at rates exceeding untreated wetlands. Management and design questions remain for how to best integrate this technology into heavily subsided land to lower the risks and consequences associated with levee failure, improve water quality, and ultimately restore these lands to tidal wetlands.

Evidence for Isostatic Emergence and Holocene Environmental Change Recorded in Chironomid Assemblages and Sediment Composition of Coastal Lake T1 in SW Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berman, K.; Axford, Y.; Lasher, G. E.

2017-12-01

Multi-proxy analysis of a coastal lake in southwest Greenland near Nuuk provides evidence for regional environmental changes, including the timing of isostatic rebound and the temperature history of the area. T1 (informal name) is a small lake 50 km south of Nuuk, at 17.5 m elevation and currently isolated from glacial meltwater drainage. The lake's sediment record begins approximately 9500 cal years BP, when the site was submerged beneath sea level due to glacial isostatic depression following the Last Glacial Maximum. The record captures the transition of the environment from a submerged, glacially-influenced marine site to a non-glacially fed (and initially meromictic) freshwater lake 8600 cal years BP. Magnetic susceptibility, a proxy for sediment minerogenic content, decreased rapidly from 9500 to 8600 years BP, before abruptly stabilizing and remaining relatively low and steady for the rest of the record. The transition to a lacustrine environment was characterized by a rapid and relatively simultaneous increase in primary productivity (inferred from biogenic silica concentrations) and shift towards terrestrial versus marine sources of organic matter (inferred from carbon:nitrogen ratios and nitrogen isotopes) between 8700 and 8400 years BP. Together, these proxies and the presence of marine shells below the transition provide robust evidence for the transition from a marine environment to a freshwater lake in response to regional postglacial isostatic rebound. Within the Holocene, measures of bulk sediment composition (e.g., biogenic silica, loss-on-ignition and magnetic susceptibility) are relatively stable. Chironomid (Insecta: Diptera: Chironomidae) assemblages, which in some environments are quantitative proxies for summer temperature changes, show species-level shifts within the Holocene that will be interpreted in this presentation alongside indicators of landscape change including carbon:nitrogen ratios, bulk sediment spectral reflectance and bulk sediment elemental composition from scanning XRF.

Characterization of excess pore pressures at the toe of the Nankai accretionary complex, Ocean Drilling Program sites 1173, 1174, and 808: Results of one-dimensional modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamage, K.; Screaton, E.

2006-04-01

Elevated fluid pore pressures play a critical role in the development of accretionary complexes, including the development of the décollement zone. In this study, we used measured permeabilities of core samples from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 190 to develop a permeability-porosity relationship for hemipelagic sediments at the toe of the Nankai accretionary complex. This permeability-porosity relationship was used in a one-dimensional loading and fluid flow model to simulate excess pore pressures and porosities. Simulated excess pore pressure ratios (as a fraction of lithostatic pressure-hydrostatic pressure) using the best fit permeability-porosity relationship were lower than predicted from previous studies. We then tested sensitivity of excess pore pressure ratios in the underthrust sediments to bulk permeability, lateral stress in the prism, and a hypothetical low-permeability barrier at the décollement. Our results demonstrated significant increase in pore pressures below the décollement with lower bulk permeability, such as obtained by using the lower boundary of permeability-porosity data, or when a low-permeability barrier is added at the décollement. In contrast, pore pressures in the underthrust sediments demonstrated less sensitivity to added lateral stresses in the prism, although the profile of the excess pore pressure ratio is affected. Both simulations with lateral stress and a low-permeability barrier at the décollement resulted in sharp increases in porosity at the décollement, similar to that observed in measured porosities. Furthermore, in both scenarios, maximum excess pore pressure ratios were found at the décollement, suggesting that either of these factors would contribute to stable sliding along the décollement.

Spectroscopic evidence for uranium bearing precipitates in vadose zone sediments at the Hanford 300-area site

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arai, Y.; Marcus, M.A.; Tamura, N.; Davis, J.A.; Zachara, J.M.

2007-01-01

Uranium (U) solid-state speciation in vadose zone sediments collected beneath the former North Process Pond (NPP) in the 300 Area of the Hanford site (Washington) was investigated using multi-scale techniques. In 30 day batch experiments, only a small fraction of total U (???7.4%) was released to artificial groundwater solutions equilibrated with 1% pCO2. Synchrotron-based micro-X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy analyses showed that U was distributed among at least two types of species: (i) U discrete grains associated with Cu and (ii) areas with intermediate U concentrations on grains and grain coatings. Metatorbernite (Cu[UO2]2[PO 4]2??8H2O) and uranophane (Ca[UO 2]2[SiO3(OH)]2?? 5H 2O) at some U discrete grains, and muscovite at U intermediate concentration areas, were identified in synchrotron-based micro-X-ray diffraction. Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray analyses revealed 8-10 ??m size metatorbernite particles that were embedded in C-, Al-, and Si-rich coatings on quartz and albite grains. In ??- and bulk-X-ray absorption structure (??-XAS and XAS) spectroscopy analyses, the structure of metatorbernite with additional U-C and U-U coordination environments was consistently observed at U discrete grains with high U concentrations. The consistency of the ??- and bulk-XAS analyses suggests that metatorbernite may comprise a significant fraction of the total U in the sample. The entrapped, micrometer-sized metatorbernite particles in C-, Al-, and Si-rich coatings, along with the more soluble precipitated uranyl carbonates and uranophane, likely control the long-term release of U to water associated with the vadose zone sediments. ?? 2007 American Chemical Society.

Cosmic markers, 40Ar/ 39Ar dating and paleomagnetism of the KT sections in the Anjar Area of the Deccan large igneous province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Courtillot, V.; Gallet, Y.; Rocchia, R.; Féraud, G.; Robin, E.; Hofmann, C.; Bhandari, N.; Ghevariya, Z. G.

2000-10-01

Bhandari et al. [Bhandari et al., Geophys. Res. Lett. 22 (1995) 433-436; Bhandari et al., Geol. Soc. Am. Spec. Paper 307 (1996) 417-424] reported the discovery of iridium-bearing sediments sandwiched between basalt flows in the Anjar area (Kutch province, India). They concluded that the signature of the K/T impact had been recorded and that onset of volcanism in the Deccan traps preceded the K/T boundary, excluding the possibility of a causal connection. This paper reports complementary analyses of Anjar outcrops by a joint Indo-French team, where we focused on cosmic markers (iridium and spinels) in the intertrappean sediments and 40Ar/ 39Ar dating and paleomagnetism of the lava flows. Anomalous Ir concentrations (up to 0.4 ng/g) are confirmed, with up to three thin and patchy enriched layers which cannot be traced throughout the exposed sections. Despite careful search, no Ni-rich spinels were found. Eight basalt samples provided 40Ar/ 39Ar results, four on plagioclase bulk samples, four on whole rocks. Spectra for whole rocks all indicate some amount of disturbance, and ages based on plagioclase bulk samples seem to be consistently more reliable [Hofmann et al., Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 180 (2000) 13-28]. The three flows underlying the Ir-bearing sediments are dated at ˜66.5 Ma, and two overlying flows at ˜65 Ma. Magnetic analyses (both thermal and by alternating fields) uncovered clear reversed primary components in the upper flows, and more disturbed normal components in the lower flows, with evidence for an additional reversed component. There are reports [Bajpai, Geol. Soc. India Mem. 37 (1996) 313-319; Bajpai, J. Geol. Soc. London 157 (2000) 257-260] that the intertrappean sediments contain uppermost Maastrichtian dinosaur and ostracod remains above the uppermost Ir-bearing level, and may not be mechanically disturbed. We propose the following scenario to interpret these multiple field and analytical observations. Deccan trap volcanism started within uppermost Maastrichtian normal chron C30N at ˜66.5-67 Ma in the Anjar area. Volcanism then stopped at least locally, and lacustrine sediments were deposited over a period that could be in the order of 1-2 Ma. The K/T bolide impact was recorded as a deposit of Ir, and possibly (though not necessarily) spinels. Volcanism resumed shortly after the K/T boundary, within reversed chron C29R, as witnessed by the three reversely magnetised overlying basalt flows dated ˜65 Ma. This was responsible for erosion and destruction of part of the uppermost sediments (including spinels if there were any) and heterogeneous and non-uniform redeposition of Ir at a number of underlying sedimentary levels. This was also responsible for the partial remagnetisation of the underlying flows. These findings generally confirm and complement those of Bhandari et al. [Bhandari et al., Geophys. Res. Lett. 22 (1995) 433-436; Bhandari et al., Geol. Soc. Am. Spec. Paper 307 (1996) 417-424], and are compatible with the occurrence of the K/T impact at the paleontological K/T boundary, and of Deccan trap volcanism straddling the boundary and starting before the impact. Anjar provides evidence for minor volcanism somewhat earlier than suggested by some authors, though still within normal chron C30N. There is no indication contradicting the view that the bulk of Deccan trap volcanism occurred over only three chrons (C30N, C29R, C29N) [Courtillot, Evolutionary Catastrophes: the Science of Mass Extinctions, Cambridge University Press, 1999; Courtillot et al., Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 80 (1986) 361-374; Vandamme et al., Rev. Geophys. 29 (1991) 159-190].

A critical evaluation of carbon isotope stratigraphy and biostratigraphic implications for Late Cretaceous global correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wendler, Ines

2013-11-01

Climate variability is driven by a complex interplay of global-scale processes and our understanding of them depends on sufficient temporal resolution of the geologic records and their precise inter-regional correlation, which in most cases cannot be obtained with biostratigraphic methods alone. Chemostratigraphic correlation based on bulk sediment carbon isotopes is increasingly used to facilitate high-resolution correlation over large distances, but complications arise from a multitude of possible influences from local differences in biological, diagenetic and physico-chemical factors on individual δ13C records that can mask the global signal. To better assess the global versus local contribution in a δ13C record it is necessary to compare numerous isotopic records on a global scale. As a contribution to this objective, this paper reviews bulk sediment δ13Ccarb records from the Late Cretaceous in order to identify differences and similarities in secular δ13C trends that help establish a global reference δ13C record for this period. The study presents a global-scale comparison of twenty δ13C records from sections representing various palaeo-latitudes in both hemispheres and different oceanic settings from the Boreal, Tethys, Western Interior, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, and with various diagenetic overprinting. The isotopic patterns are correlated based on independent dating with biostratigraphic and paleomagnetic data and reveal good agreement of the major isotope events despite offsets in absolute δ13C values and variation in amplitude between the sites. These differences reflect the varying local influences e.g. from depositional settings, bottom water age and diagenetic history, whereas the concordant patterns in δ13C shifts might represent δ13C fluctuations in the global seawater dissolved inorganic carbon. The latter is modulated by variations in organic matter burial relative to re-mineralization, in the global-scale formation of authigenic carbonate, and in partitioning of carbon between organic carbon and carbonate sinks. These variations are mainly controlled by changes in climate and eustasy. Additionally, some globally synchronous shifts in the bulk δ13Ccarb records could result from parallel variation in the contribution of authigenic carbonate to the sediment. Formation of these cements through biologically mediated early diagenetic processes is related to availability of oxygen and organic material and, thus, can be globally synchronized by fluctuations in eustasy, atmospheric and oceanic oxygen levels or in large-scale oceanic circulation. Because the influence of early diagenetic cements on the bulk δ13Ccarb signal can, but need not be synchronized, chemostratigraphy should not be used as a stand-alone method for trans-continental correlation, and especially minor isotopic shifts have to be interpreted with utmost care. Nevertheless, the observed consistency of the δ13C correlations confirms global scale applicability of bulk sediment δ13C chemostratigraphy for the Late Cretaceous, including sediments that underwent lithification and burial diagenesis such as the sediments from the Himalayan and Alpine sections. Limitations arise from increased uncertainties (1) in sediments with very low carbonate content, (2) from larger δ13C variability in sediments from very shallow marine environments, (3) from unrecognized hiatuses or strong changes in sedimentation rates, and (4) in sections with short stratigraphic coverage or with few biostratigraphic marker horizons.

Comparability and accuracy of fluvial-sediment data - A view from the U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, J.R.; Glysson, G.D.; Mueller, D.S.; ,

2002-01-01

The quality of historical fluvial-sediment data cannot be taken for granted, based on a review of upper Colorado River basin suspended-sediment discharges, and on an evaluation of the reliability of Total Suspended Solids (TSS) data. Additionally, the quality of future fluvial-sediment data are not assured. Sediment-surrogate technologies, including those that operate on acoustic, laser, bulk optic, digital optic, or pressure differential principles, are being used with increasing frequency to measure in-stream and (or) laboratory fluvial-sediment characteristics. Data from sediment-surrogate technologies may yield results that differ significantly from those obtained by traditional methods for the same sedimentary conditions. Development of national sediment data-quality criteria and rigorous comparisons of data derived from sediment-surrogate technologies to those obtained by traditional techniques will minimize the potential for future fluvial-sediment data-quality concerns.

Elevated arsenic and manganese in groundwaters of Murshidabad, West Bengal, India.

PubMed

Sankar, M S; Vega, M A; Defoe, P P; Kibria, M G; Ford, S; Telfeyan, K; Neal, A; Mohajerin, T J; Hettiarachchi, G M; Barua, S; Hobson, C; Johannesson, K; Datta, S

2014-08-01

High levels of geogenic arsenic (As) and manganese (Mn) in drinking water has led to widespread health problems for the population of West Bengal, India. Here we delineate the extent of occurrences of As and Mn in Murshidabad, where the contaminated aquifers occur at shallow depths between 35 and 40 m and where access to safe drinking water is a critical issue for the local population. A total of 78 well-water samples were taken in 4 blocks on either side of the river Bhagirathi: Nabagram and Kandi (west, Pleistocene sediments), Hariharpara and Beldanga (east, Holocene sediments). High As, total iron (FeT) and low Mn concentrations were found in waters from the Holocene gray sediment aquifers east of the river Bhagirathi, while the opposite was found in the Pleistocene reddish-brown aquifer west of the river Bhagirathi in Murshidabad. Speciation of As in water samples from Holocene sediments revealed the dominant species to be As(III), with ratios of As(III):AsT ranging from 0.55 to 0.98 (average 0.74). There were indications from saturation index estimations that Mn solubility is limited by the precipitation of MnCO3. Tubewells from high As areas in proximity to anthropogenic waste influx sources showing high molar Cl/Br ratios, low SO4(2-) and low NO3(-) demonstrate relatively lower As concentrations, thereby reducing As pollution in those wells. Analyses of core samples (2 in each of the blocks) drilled to a depth of 45 m indicate that there is no significant variation in bulk As (5-20mg/kg) between the Holocene and Pleistocene sediments, indicating that favorable subsurface redox conditions conducive to mobilization are responsible for the release of As. The same applies to Mn, but concentrations vary more widely (20-2000 mg/kg). Sequential extraction of Holocene sediments showed As to be associated with 'specifically sorbed-phosphate-extractable' phases (10-15%) and with 'amorphous and well crystalline Fe-oxyhydroxide' phases (around 37%) at As-contaminated well depths, suggesting that the main As release mechanisms could be either competitive ion exchange with PO4(3-), or the dissolution of Fe oxyhydroxides. In the Pleistocene sediments Mn is predominantly found in the easily exchangeable fraction. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The influence of biodegradability of sewer solids for the management of CSOs.

PubMed

Sakrabani, R; Ashley, R M; Vollertsen, J

2005-01-01

The re-suspension of sediments in combined sewers and the associated pollutants into the bulk water during wet weather flows can cause pollutants to be carried further downstream to receiving waters or discharged via Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO). A typical pollutograph shows the trend of released bulk pollutants with time but does not consider information on the biodegradability of these pollutants. A new prediction methodology based on Oxygen Utilisation Rate (respirometric method) and Erosionmeter (laboratory device replicating in-sewer erosion) experiments is proposed which is able to predict the trends in biodegradability during in-sewer sediment erosion in wet weather conditions. The proposed new prediction methodology is also based on COD fractionation techniques.

The Wide Bay Canyon system: A case study of canyon morphology on the east Australian continental margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, P. W.; Hubble, T.; Airey, D.; Gallagher, S. J.; Clarke, S. L.

2014-12-01

A voyage was conducted aboard the RV Southern Surveyor in early 2013 to investigate the east Australian continental margin. From the continental slope of the Wide Bay region offshore Fraser Island, Queensland, Australia, remote sensing data and sediment samples were collected. Bathymetric data reveals that the continental slope of the region presents a mature canyon system. Eight dredge samples were recovered from the walls of Wide Bay Canyon and the adjacent, relatively intact continental slope along the entire length of the slope, from the start of the shelf break to the toe, in water depths ranging from 1100-2500 m. For these samples, sediment composition, biostratigraphic age, and bulk mineralogy data are reported. These slope-forming sediments are primarily comprised of calcareous sandy-silts. Occasional terrestrial plant fossils and minerals can be found in a mostly marine-fossiliferous composition, suggesting minor but significant riverine and aeolian input. Biostratigraphic dates extracted from the foraminiferal contents of these samples indicate that the intra-canyon and slope material was deposited between Middle Miocene to Pliocene, implying that the incision of this section of the margin and formation of the erosional features took place no earlier than the Pliocene. In conjunction with bathymetric data of the local continental slope, the depositional origins of this section of the east Australian continental margin, and the timing of major morphological events such as slope failure and canyon incision can be interpreted. The Wide Bay Canyon system can serve as a representative case study of local canyon formation, allowing a better understanding of the past or ongoing processes that are shaping the margin and giving way to similar morphologies.

Multi-Method Provenance Analysis of Namibian Desert Sand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vermeesch, P.; Garzanti, E.

2014-12-01

Mineralogical, geochemical and geochronological provenance proxies each have their own strengths and weaknesses: a. Bulk geochemistry, framework petrography and heavy mineral compositions can differentiate between source areas characterised by different lithologies, but are sensitive to hydraulic sorting and chemical alteration. b. Detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology is insensitive to winnowing effects, but is 'blind' to lithologies devoid of zircon and cannot differentiate between first cycle and recycled sediments. c. Cosmogenic neon isotopes can be used to identify different generations of surface exposure while simultaneously tracking different magmatic sources. The challenge is then to combine these different proxies into a self consistent story, and do so in as objective a manner as possible. We here present a case study of Namibia's Namib Sand Sea and Skeleton Coast ergs, in which all the aforementioned methods have been combined using a three-way multidimensional scaling (aka INDividual Differences SCALing or INDSCAL) analysis: 1. Each of the datasets was represented by a 'dissimilarity matrix' of pairwise distances between samples. 2. The set of these matrices was fed into the INDSCAL algorithm, which produces two pieces of graphical output: the 'group configuration', which is a scatter plot or 'map' in which similar samples plot close together and dissimilar samples plot far apart, and the 'proxy weights', in which not the samples but the proxies are plotted according to the weight they attached to the 'group configuration' axes. The INDSCAL map of the Namibia dataset indicates that (a) long-shore drift of Orange River sediments dominates the coastal sediment compositions all along the Namibian coast until Angola, and (b) that light and heavy minerals tell complementary parts of the provenance story.

The Grain-size Patchiness of Braided Gravel-Bed Streams - example of the Urumqi River (northeast Tian Shan, China)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guerit, L.; Barrier, L.; Narteau, C.; Métivier, F.; Liu, Y.; Lajeunesse, E.; Gayer, E.; Meunier, P.; Malverti, L.; Ye, B.

2014-02-01

In gravel-bed rivers, sediments are often sorted into patches of different grain-sizes, but in braided streams, the link between this sorting and the channel morpho-sedimentary elements is still unclear. In this study, the size of the bed sediment in the shallow braided gravel-bed Urumqi River is characterized by surface-count and volumetric sampling methods. Three morpho-sedimentary elements are identified in the active threads of the river: chutes at flow constrictions, which pass downstream to anabranches and bars at flow expansions. The surface and surface-layer grain-size distributions of these three elements show that they correspond to only two kinds of grain-size patches: (1) coarse-grained chutes, coarser than the bulk river bed, and (2) finer-grained anabranches and bars, consistent with the bulk river bed. In cross-section, the chute patches are composed of one coarse-grained top layer, which can be interpreted as a local armour layer overlying finer deposits. In contrast, the grain size of the bar-anabranch patches is finer and much more homogeneous in depth than the chute patches. Those patches, which are features of lateral and vertical sorting associated to the transport dynamics that build braided patterns, may be typical of active threads in shallow gravel-bed rivers and should be considered in future works on sorting processes and their geomorphologic and stratigraphic results.

Radiolarian Indices of Paleoproductivity Variation in the late Pleistocene Benguela Upwelling System, ODP Site 1084

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bittniok, B. B.; Lazarus, D. B.; Diester-Haass, L.; Billups, K.; Meyers, P.

2006-12-01

Changes in export productivity play a significant role in ocean carbon budgets and global climate change. Proxies for export productivity can be difficult to interpret: benthic foraminifera accumulation rates (BFAR) can be affected by carbonate dissolution in organic-carbon rich sediments; bulk opal can be affected by silica limitation of source waters. Recent work (Lazarus et al. 2006; Mar. Micropal.) has shown that a new index based on radiolarian faunal changes (WADE ratio) correlates well to total organic carbon (TOC) values from the same samples over the long term (latest Miocene-Recent) history of productivity in the Benguela Upwelling System (BUS). We present new data on variation in export productivity proxies (WADE, TOC, carbonate, radiolarian opal, BFAR) for the last glacial-interglacial cycle from ODP Site 1084, located just offshore from the main coastal upwelling cells of the BUS. Our age model, from mean Quaternary sedimentation rates (Leg 175 Scientific Results), is in accordance with cyclic variation in other climate sensitive parameters (carbonate and color reflectance). Although opal content and radiolarian preservation is only moderate in our samples, WADE values vary significantly and suggest higher productivity during the last glacial, in accordance with current interpretations of BUS history. Radiolarian opal accumulation is also higher during the last glacial, suggesting that silica limitation (opal paradox) conditions did not dominate over this time period. Similar results for bulk opal have been reported from late Quaternary piston cores from the more northerly Congo upwelling region (Schneider et al, 1997; Paleoc.). We conclude that WADE ratios are a useful proxy for late Pleistocene productivity in the BUS at glacial- interglacial time scales.

X-Ray Amorphous Phases in Terrestrial Analog Volcanic Sediments: Implications for Amorphous Phases in Gale Crater, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, R. J.; Horgan, B.; Rampe, E.; Dehouck, E.; Morris, R. V.

2017-01-01

X-ray diffraction (XRD) amorphous phases have been found as major components (approx.15-60 wt%) of all rock and soil samples measured by the CheMin XRD instrument in Gale Crater, Mars. The nature of these phases is not well understood and could be any combination of primary (e.g., glass) and secondary (e.g., allophane) phases. Amorphous phases form in abundance during surface weathering on Earth. Yet, these materials are poorly characterized, and it is not certain how properties like composition and structure change with formation environment. The presence of poorly crystalline phases can be inferred from XRD patterns by the appearance of a low angle rise (< or approx.10deg 2(theta)) or broad peaks in the background at low to moderate 2(theta) angles (amorphous humps). CheMin mineral abundances combined with bulk chemical composition measurements from the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) have been used to estimate the abundance and composition of the XRD amorphous materials in soil and rock samples on Mars. Here we apply a similar approach to a diverse suite of terrestrial samples - modern soils, glacial sediments, and paleosols - in order to determine how formation environment, climate, and diagenesis affect the abundance and composition of X-ray amorphous phases.

3D Chirp Sonar Images on Fluid Migration Pathways and Their Implications on Seafloor Stability East of the Fangliao Submarine Canyon Offshore SW Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Y. W.; Liu, C. S.; Su, C. C.; Hsu, H. H.; Chen, Y. H.

2015-12-01

This study utilizes both chirp sonar images and coring results to investigate the unstable seafloor strata east of the Fangliao Submarine Canyon offshore southwestern Taiwan. We have constructed 3D chirp sonar images from a densely surveyed block to trace the attitude of an acoustic transparent layer and features caused by fluid activities. Based on the distribution of this transparent layer and fluid-related features, we suggest that this transparent layer forms a pathway for fluid migration which induces fluid-related characters such as acoustic blanking and fluid chimneys in the 3D chirp sonar images. Cored seafloor samples are used in this study to investigate the sediment compositions. The 210Pb activity profiles of the cores show oscillating and unsteady values at about 20~25 cm from core top. The bulk densities of the core samples in the same section (about 20~25 cm from core top) give values lower than those at deeper parts of the cores. These results indicate that the water content is much higher in the shallow sediments than in the deeper strata. From core sample analyses, we deduce that the local sediments are disturbed by liquefaction. From the analyses of 3D chirp sonar images and core data, we suggest that the seafloor east of the Fangliao Submarine Canyon is in an unstable condition, if disturbed by earthquakes, submarine landslides and gravity flows could be easily triggered and cause some geohazards, like breaking submarine cables during the 2006 Pingtung earthquake event.

Sequestration of zinc from zinc oxide nanoparticles and life cycle effects in the sediment dweller amphipod Corophium volutator.

PubMed

Fabrega, Julia; Tantra, Ratna; Amer, Aisha; Stolpe, Bjorn; Tomkins, Jordan; Fry, Tony; Lead, Jamie R; Tyler, Charles R; Galloway, Tamara S

2012-01-17

We studied the effects of ZnO nanoparticles [ZnO NPs, primary particle size 35 ± 10 nm (circular diameter, TEM)], bulk [160 ± 81 nm (circular diameter, TEM)], and Zn ions (from ZnCl(2)) on mortality, growth, and reproductive endpoints in the sediment dwelling marine amphipod Corophium volutator over a complete lifecycle (100 days). ZnO NPs were characterized by size, aggregation, morphology, dissolution, and surface properties. ZnO NPs underwent aggregation and partial dissolution in the seawater exposure medium, resulting in a size distribution that ranged in size from discrete nanoparticles to the largest aggregate of several micrometers. Exposure via water to all forms of zinc in the range of 0.2-1.0 mg L(-1) delayed growth and affected the reproductive outcome of the exposed populations. STEM-EDX analysis was used to characterize insoluble zinc precipitates (sphaerites) of high sulfur content, which accumulated in the hepatopancreas following exposures. The elemental composition of the sphaerites did not differ for ZnO NP, Zn(2+), and bulk ZnO exposed organisms. These results provide an illustration of the comparable toxicity of Zn in bulk, soluble, and nanoscale forms on critical lifecycle parameters in a sediment dwelling organism.

[Physicochemical properties of Guanting Reservoir sediment and its land application].

PubMed

Su, De-Chun; Hu, Yu-Feng; Song, Chong-Wei; Wu, Fei-Long; Liu, Pei-Bin

2007-06-01

Surface sediment of Guanting Reservoir was dredged up and dewatered in field, and pollutant and physicochemical characterizations were mensurated. The stabilization and agricultural land use of the sediment was also studied in the field. Results showed that the sediments have a higher clay content, bulk density (1.89 g x cm(-3)) and lower porosity (23.8%), higher deoxidize material and available nitrogen, phosphorus concentration. Heavy metal and organochlorinated pesticides concentration was lower than the class II of national standard for soil. Stabilized the sediment with sand soil and straw could improve the physical property and decrease the concentration of deoxidize material and available nitrogen, phosphorus. Stabilized sediment could be a suitable medium for alfalfa, tree and corn growth and used for agricultural land.

Subdivision of Holocene Baltic sea sediments by their physical properties [Gliederung holozaner ostseesedimente nach physikalischen Eigenschaften

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harff, Jan; Bohling, Geoffrey C.; Endler, R.; Davis, J.C.; Olea, R.A.

1999-01-01

The Holocene sediment sequence of a core taken within the centre of the Eastern Gotland Basin was subdivided into 12 lithostratigraphic units based on MSCL-data (sound velocity, wet bulk density, magnetic susceptibility) using a multivariate classification method. The lower 6 units embrace the sediments until the Litorina transgression, and the upper 6 units subdivide the brackish-marine Litorina- and post-Litorina sediments. The upper lithostratigraphic units reflect a change of anoxic (laminated) and oxic (non-laminated) sediments. By application of a numerical stratigraphic correlation method the zonation was extended laterally onto contiguous sediment cores within the central basin. Consequently the change of anoxic and oxic sediments can be used for a general lithostratigraphic subdivision of sediments of the Gotland Basin. A quantitative criterion based on the sediment-physical lithofacies is added to existing subdivisions of the Holocene in the Baltic Sea.

44Ca/42Ca and 143Nd/144Nd isotope variations in Cretaceous Eocene Tethyan francolites and their bearing on phosphogenesis in the southern Tethys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soudry, David; Segal, Irena; Nathan, Yaacov; Glenn, Craig R.; Halicz, Ludwik; Lewy, Zeev; Vonderhaar, Denys L.

2004-05-01

Measurements of 44Ca/42Ca and 143Nd/144Nd isotope ratios in carbonate fluorapatite (CFA) through the Aptian Eocene section of the Negev (Israel), together with quantified rates of P and Ca accumulation and bulk sedimentation, permit an examination of the relationships of these five factors to Tethyan phosphogenesis. The data provide an Aptian Eocene (ca. 70 Ma) record of the Ca isotope composition of 35 CFA samples (24 of which were also analyzed for Nd isotopes), representing 11 time-stratigraphic phosphate horizons within the sequence. The δ44Ca values are significantly lower in the Aptian Albian samples (δ44Ca = -0.11‰ to -0.06‰) than in the Campanian Eocene samples (δ44Ca = +0.22‰ to +0.42‰), whereas the ɛNd(T) values increase from continental crust like in the Aptian Albian [ɛNd(T) = -10.9] to more radiogenic, Pacific-like [ɛNd(T) = -6.6 to -6.1] in the Campanian. Both peaks of δ44Ca and ɛNd(T) in the Campanian coincide with the peak of Tethyan phosphogenesis in the Negev, which is marked by a sharp increase of P accumulation rates (from <200 μmol·cm-2·k.y.-1 in pre-Campanian time to ˜1700 μmol·cm-2·k.y.-1 in the Campanian) and a decrease in rates of Ca accumulation and bulk sedimentation. The coincident increases of δ44Ca and ɛNd(T) values and P accumulation rates in the Negev area during the Campanian suggest that they are related in this time interval and were induced by the global Late Cretaceous sea- level rise and increasing circumequatorial Tethyan flow.

The Influence of Land-Use Change on Soil and Dissolved Organic Matter Age, Lability, and Chemical Characteristics in Brazilian Oxisols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, J. N.; Harrison, R. B.; Gross, C. D.; Dwivedi, P.; Myers, T.; Butman, D. E.

2017-12-01

Recent advances in freshwater research indicate that the age of carbon exported from major rivers globally increases with greater human disturbance in the watershed. This implies that human land-use can release old, previously mineral-associated C into solution with subsequent export to groundwater and ultimately freshwater systems where terrestrial organic matter is either mineralized to CO2, stored in aquatic sediments, or exported to the ocean. It is important to understand the mechanisms that cause the release of mineral-bound soil organic matter (SOM) into solution in response to human disturbance and land-use change. To better characterize the response of the total soil organic matter (SOM) pool to disturbance, this study examines the interactions between dissolved and bulk soil pools in response to conversion of Brazilian Cerrado (savannah forest) to Eucalyptus plantations. Water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) was obtained from soil samples down to 150 cm at 4 sites in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. These WEOM samples were characterized using fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy, incubated to assess biolability, and carbon-dated. Simultaneously, bulk mineral soil samples were analyzed for microbial biomass, carbon content and age, and characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. FTIR spectra of SOM were obtained by washing subsamples with sodium hypochlorite and subtracting the subsequent mineral matrix spectra from bulk soil spectra. Preliminary results show that microbial biomass decreases much more quickly with depth than WEOM, suggesting that C released into solution from deeper horizons may be less likely to be intercepted, and thus preferentially leached to groundwater. Native Cerrado forests had substantially more roots compared to Eucalyptus, and also released substantially larger quantities of WEOM from their O horizons. Furthermore, the age of WEOM released under Eucalyptus forest was more similar in age to bulk SOM, while Cerrado forest WEOM was substantially younger than the bulk SOM. Processes operating at the interface between solid and liquid, terrestrial and aquatic are a key unknown in the global carbon cycle. This research permits a unique snapshot into the relationship between DOM and SOM and the response of these pools to forest conversion and management in Brazil.

From dry to saturated thermal conductivity: mixing-model correction charts and new conversion equations for sedimentary rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, Sven; Schütz, Felina; Förster, Andrea; Förster, Hans-Jürgen

2013-04-01

The thermal conductivity (TC) of a rock is, in collaboration with the temperature gradient, the basic parameter to determine the heat flow from the Earth interior. Moreover, it forms the input into models targeted on temperature prognoses for geothermal reservoirs at those depths not yet reached by boreholes. Thus, rock TC is paramount in geothermal exploration and site selection. Most commonly, TC of a rock is determined in the laboratory on samples that are either dry or water-saturated. Because sample saturation is time-consuming, it is desirable, especially if large numbers of samples need to be assessed, to develop an approach that quickly and reliably converts dry-measured bulk TC into the respective saturated value without applying the saturation procedure. Different petrophysical models can be deployed to calculate the matrix TC of a rock from the bulk TC and vice versa, if the effective porosity is known (e.g., from well logging data) and the TC of the saturation fluid (e.g., gas, oil, water) is considered. We have studied for a large suite of different sedimentary rocks the performance of two-component (rock matrix, porosity) models that are widely used in geothermics (arithmetic mean, geometric mean, harmonic mean, Hashin and Shtrikman mean, and effective medium theory mean). The data set consisted of 1147 TC data from three different sedimentary basins (North German Basin, Molasse Basin, Mesozoic platform sediments of the northern Sinai Microplate in Israel). Four lithotypes (sandstone, mudstone, limestone, dolomite) were studied exhibiting bulk TC in the range between 1.0 and 6.5 W/(mK). The quality of fit between measured (laboratory) and calculated bulk TC values was studied separately for the influence of lithotype, saturation fluid (water and isooctane), and rock anisotropy (parallel and perpendicular to bedding). The geometric mean model displays the best correspondence between calculated and measured bulk TC, however, the relation is not satisfying. To improve the fit of the models, correction equations are calculated based on the statistical data. In addition, the application of correction equations allows a significant improvement of the accuracy of bulk TC data calculated. However, the "corrected" geometric mean constitutes the only model universally applicable to different types of sedimentary rocks and, thus, is recommended for the calculation of bulk TC. Finally, the statistical analysis also resulted in lithotype-specific conversion equations, which permit a calculation of the water-saturated bulk TC from dry-measured TC and porosity (e.g., well-log-derived porosity). This approach has the advantage that the saturated bulk TC could be calculated readily without application of any mixing model. The expected errors with this approach are in the range between 5 and 10 % (Fuchs et al., 2013).

Experimental study of subaqueous, clay-rich, gravity flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marr, J.; Pratson, L.

2003-04-01

Recent laboratory experiments suggest a broad spectrum of flow and depositional behavior for compositionally varied subaqueous gravity flows. Dilute turbidity currents and cohesive debris flows are the end members of the spectrum. In this study we used geometrically scaled laboratory experiments to examine the flow dynamics and deposits associated with slurries of varying sediment composition. Slurries were composed of a mixture of tap water, kaolinite clay, 45 micron silt and 120 micron sand and were introduced into a 0.2m wide submerged channel. Slurry sediment concentrations ranged from 1-30% by volume. In all slurries, sediment was added in a ratio of 8:1:1 by volume of clay, silt, sand. A total volume of one cubic meter of slurry was used for each experiment and was introduced through a constant head tank allowing examination of sustained and steady gravity flow events lasting up to 5 minutes in duration. The dynamics of the flows (turbulence, hydroplaning, laminar shearing, etc.) were examined through the use of digital video cameras, dye injection tracking, high frequency sonar and visual observation. Vertical suspended sediment concentration and vertical grain size distributions were measured for each run from samples collected from siphon rakes. Deposit thicknesses and grain size distributions were measured from sediment samples taken from flow deposits. Rheological measurements and Atterberg limits of the slurries were made in an effort to link flow and depositional characteristics to bulk properties of the slurry mixture. The experiments show a clear linkage between the initial compositions of the slurries, their rheological properties, flow dynamics and deposits. Slurries with clay concentrations below 10% by volume appeared to be very turbulent. The silt and sand deposited during these events were transported along the bed as ripples. Flows between 10-20% sediment by volume appeared to be hybrid flows having both turbulent and non-turbulent elements. The surfaces of these deposits were flat and featureless. Slurries with sediment concentrations between 25-30% were clearly debris flows. They had distinguishable laminar flow and the deposit surfaces had both compression features and tension cracks.

Attenuation of sound in sand sediments due to porosity fluctuations.

PubMed

Hefner, Brian T; Jackson, Darrell R

2014-08-01

At high frequencies, the attenuation measured in sand sediments is larger than that predicted by Biot theory. To account for this discrepancy, perturbation theory is used to incorporate losses due to scattering by porosity variations into both Biot's poroelastic equations and the effective density fluid model. While previous results showed that fluctuations in the bulk frame modulus were insufficient to produce significant attenuation in a sand sediment, modest levels of fluctuations in the porosity produce significant scattering loss. By using the sediment parameters and the heterogeneity power spectrum measured during the Sediment Acoustics Experiment in 2004, the perturbation theory result shows good agreement with the sound speed and attenuation data without any free parameters.

Inorganic and organic geochemical fingerprinting of sediment sources and ocean circulation on a complex continental margin (São Paulo Bight, Brazil)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michaelovitch de Mahiques, Michel; Jörg Hanebuth, Till Jens; Hanae Nagai, Renata; Caruso Bícego, Marcia; Lopes Figueira, Rubens Cesar; Mello Sousa, Silvia Helena; Burone, Leticia; Franco-Fraguas, Paula; Taniguchi, Satie; Barbosa Salaroli, Alexandre; Pereira Dias, Gilberto; Menezes Prates, Denise; Fernandes Freitas, Maria Eugenia

2017-03-01

In this study, we use inorganic (metal) and organic (bulk and molecular) markers in sediment samples of the south-eastern Brazilian margin to investigate the response of geochemical fingerprints to the complex hydrodynamic processes present in the area. Results indicate the potential of export of terrigenous siliciclastic and organic constituents to the upper slope, even in an area with limited fluvial supply.

Metal contents and especially the ln(Ti / Al) and ln(Fe / K) ratios make it possible to recognise the extension of shelf sediments toward the upper slope. Potassium, here expressed as ln(K / Sc) and ln(K / Al) ratios used as proxies of illite-kaolinite variations, proved to be an important parameter, especially because it allowed us to decipher the imprint of the northward flow of the Intermediate Western Boundary Current (IWBC) in comparison to the southward flows of the Brazil Current (BC) and Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC). Using organic matter analyses, we were able to evaluate the extent of terrestrial contributions to the outer shelf and slope, even without the presence of significant fluvial input. In addition, molecular markers signify a slight increase in the input of C4-derived plants to the slope sediments, transported from distant areas by the main alongshore boundary currents, indicating that the terrestrial fraction of the organic matter deposited on the slope has a distinct origin when compared to shelf sediments.

An estimate of post-depositional remanent magnetization lock-in depth in organic rich varved lake sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snowball, Ian; Mellström, Anette; Ahlstrand, Emelie; Haltia, Eeva; Nilsson, Andreas; Ning, Wenxin; Muscheler, Raimund; Brauer, Achim

2013-11-01

We studied the paleomagnetic properties of relatively organic rich, annually laminated (varved) sediments of Holocene age in Gyltigesjön, which is a lake in southern Sweden. An age-depth model was based on a regional lead pollution isochron and Bayesian modelling of radiocarbon ages of bulk sediments and terrestrial macrofossils, which included a radiocarbon wiggle-matched series of 873 varves that accumulated between 3000 and 2000 Cal a BP (Mellström et al., 2013). Mineral magnetic data and first order reversal curves suggest that the natural remanent magnetization is carried by stable single-domain grains of magnetite, probably of magnetosomal origin. Discrete samples taken from overlapping piston cores were used to produce smoothed paleomagnetic secular variation (inclination and declination) and relative paleointensity data sets. Alternative temporal trends in the paleomagnetic data were obtained by correcting for paleomagnetic lock-in depths between 0 and 70 cm and taking into account changes in sediment accumulation rate. These temporal trends were regressed against reference curves for the same region (FENNOSTACK and FENNORPIS; Snowball et al., 2007). The best statistical matches to the reference curves are obtained when we apply lock-in depths of 21-34 cm to the Gyltigesjön paleomagnetic data, although these are most likely minimum estimates. Our study suggests that a significant paleomagnetic lock-in depth can affect the acquisition of post-depositional remanent magnetization even where bioturbation is absent and no mixed sediment surface layer exists.

Full-scale evaluation of a multi-component additive for efficient control of activated sludge filamentous bulking.

PubMed

Seka, M A; Van DeWiele, T; Verstraete, W

2002-01-01

A multi-component additive formulated for a more efficient control of activated sludge filamentous bulking was evaluated at a full-scale treatment plant experiencing severe filamentous bulking. It was found that, besides offering an immediate improvement of sludge settling, the multi-component additive was able to eliminate the filamentous bacteria causing the bulking. Hence, contrary to ordinary additives, this novel additive yielded immediate as well as long-term improvements in sludge sedimentation upon a few additions. Preliminary lab-scale toxicity tests showed that the treatment of the sludge by the additive should not impart any toxicity to the resulting effluent.

Lake and Bog Sediment Records of Holocene Climate and Glacier Variability in the Cordillera Vilcabamba of Southern Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweinsberg, A.; Licciardi, J. M.; Rodbell, D. T.; Stansell, N.

2013-12-01

Records of past fluctuations in climatically sensitive tropical glaciers are among the best indicators of regional paleoclimatic trends and forcings. However, continuous sediment records in this region remain limited, particularly during the Holocene. Here we present the first continuous records of glacier activity in the Cordillera Vilcabamba (13°20'S) of southern Peru from lake and bog sediment cores in stratigraphic contact with 10Be-dated moraines. Completed analyses include sediment lithostratigraphy, magnetic susceptibility, and biogenic silica, in conjunction with AMS radiocarbon dates on charcoal. Carbon measurements, bulk density, and bulk sedimentation rates are used to derive a record of clastic sediment flux that serves as a proxy indicator of former glacier activity. Visually distinct sedimentological variations, magnetic susceptibility peaks, and radiocarbon dates were correlated among adjacent cores to construct one composite record representative of each coring site. Three composite cores are presented: two from the Rio Blanco valley and one from the Yanama valley. Sediment records from these two glaciated valleys suggest a series of environmental changes during the last ~12,000 calendar years BP. Clastic sediment flux trends are broadly consistent with published evidence that the early to middle Holocene was relatively warm and arid in the southern Peruvian Andes. An episode of high clastic flux in the late Holocene may reflect enhanced glacial activity in response to the onset of cooler and wetter conditions. A prominent peak in magnetic susceptibility at 1660 cal yr BP is present in all composite cores and serves as a chronostratigraphic marker. In addition, our new basal radiocarbon ages place limits on the cosmogenic 10Be production rate in the high Andes, suggesting the cosmogenic 10Be production rate is considerably lower than previously published estimates.

Impact of early diagenesis and bulk particle grain size distribution on estimates of relative geomagnetic palaeointensity variations in sediments from Lama Lake, northern Central Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowaczyk, Norbert R.; Harwart, Stefanie; Melles, Martin

2001-04-01

High-resolution analyses of rock magnetic and sedimentological parameters were conducted on an 11m long sediment core from Lama Lake, Northern Siberia, which encompasses the late Pleistocene and the Holocene epochs. The results reveal a strong link between the median grain size of the magnetic particles, identified as magnetite, and the oxidation state of the sediment. Reducing conditions associated with a relative high total organic carbon (TOC) content of the sediment characterize the upper 7m of the core (~Holocene), and these have led to a partial dissolution of detrital magnetite grains, and a homogenization of grain-size-related rock magnetic parameters. The anoxic sediments are characterized by significantly larger median magnetic grain sizes, as indicated, for example, by lower median destructive fields of the natural remanent magnetization (MDFNRM) and lower ratios of saturation remanence to saturation magnetization (MSR/MS). Consequently, estimates of relative geomagnetic palaeointensity variations yielded large amplitude shifts associated with anoxic/oxic boundaries. Despite the partial reductive dissolution of magnetic particles within the anoxic section, and consequent minimal variations in magnetic concentration and grain size, palaeointensity estimates for this part of the core were still lithologically distorted by the effects of particle size (and subsidiary TOC) variations. Anomalously high values coincide with an interval of significantly more fine-grained sediment, which is also associated with a decrease in TOC content, which may thus imply a decreased level of magnetite dissolution in this interval. Calculation of relative palaeointensity estimates therefore seems to be compromised by a combined effect of shifts in the particle size distribution of the bulk sediment and by partial magnetite dissolution varying in association with the TOC content of the sediment.

Hurricane Sandy washover deposits on Fire Island, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

La Selle, SeanPaul M.; Lunghino, Brent D.; Jaffe, Bruce E.; Gelfenbaum, Guy; Costa, Pedro J.M.

2017-02-16

Washover deposits on Fire Island, New York, from Hurricane Sandy in 2012 were investigated a year after the storm to document the sedimentary characteristics of hurricane washover features. Sediment data collected in the field includes stratigraphic descriptions and photos from trenches, bulk sediment samples, U-channels, and gouge and push cores. Samples and push cores were further analyzed in the laboratory for grain size, density variations using x-ray computed tomography (CT), and surface microtexture using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Elevation profiles of washover features were measured using Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) with Real Time Kinematic processing. The DGPS elevations were compared to lidar (light detection and ranging) data from pre- and post-Sandy surveys to assess the degree to which washover deposit thicknesses changed within the year following deposition. Hurricane Sandy washover deposits as much as 1 meter thick were observed in trenches. Initial results show that the upper parts of the deposits have been reworked significantly in some places by wind, but there are still areas where the deposits are almost entirely intact. Where mostly intact, the washover deposits consist of massive or weakly laminated sand near the base, overlain by more strongly laminated sands.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jung, Hun Bok; Yang, Jungseok; Um, Wooyong

Electrokinetic (EK) remediation has been applied to extract various contaminants such as radionuclides, heavy metals, and organic compounds from contaminated sediment and soil using electric currents. We conducted a laboratory experiment to investigate the efficiency of EK remediation method for Hanford sediment (76% sand and 24% silt-clay) after artificial contamination with nonradioactive 133Cs (0.01 M CsNO3) as a surrogate for radioactive 137Cs. The initial 133Cs concentration in the bulk sediment was 668 mg kg-1, with a higher 133Cs concentration for the silt-clay fraction (867 mg kg-1) than for the sand fraction (83 mg kg-1). A significant removal of cationic 133Csmore » from the sediment occurred from the cathode side (-), whereas the removal was negligible from the anode side (+) during the EK remediation process for 68 days. Based on microwave-assisted total digestion, 312 mg kg-1 of 133Cs was removed from the bulk sediment, which corresponds to the removal efficiency of 47%. The EK method was significantly more efficient for the silt-clay fraction than for the sand fraction. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy-electron dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analyses indicate that change in major crystalline mineral phases was insignificant during the EK remediation and the removal of 133Cs from the Hanford sediment by the EK method is attributed mainly to cation exchange with K in clay minerals. The experimental results suggest that the EK method can effectively remove radioactive Cs from the surface or subsurface sediment contaminated by radioactive materials in the Hanford Site, Washington, USA.« less

Mineralogy and grain size of surficial sediment from the Big Lost River drainage and vicinity, with chemical and physical characteristics of geologic materials from selected sites at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartholomay, R.C.; Knobel, L.L.; Davis, L.C.

1989-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey 's Idaho National Engineering Laboratory project office, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, collected 35 samples of surficial sediments from the Big Lost River drainage and vicinity from July 1987 through August 1988 for analysis of grain-size distribution, bulk mineralogy, and clay mineralogy. Samples were collected from 11 sites in the channel and 5 sites in overbank deposits of the Big Lost River, 6 sites in the spreading areas that receive excess flow from the Big Lost River during peak flow conditions, 7 sites in the natural sinks and playas of the Big Lost River, 1 site in the Little Lost River Sink, and 5 sites from other small, isolated closed basins. Eleven samples from the Big Lost River channel deposits had a mean of 1.9 and median of 0.8 weight percent in the less than 0.062 mm fraction. The other 24 samples had a mean of 63.3 and median of 63.7 weight percent for the same size fraction. Mineralogy data are consistent with grain-size data. The Big Lost River channel deposits had mean and median percent mineral abundances of total clays and detrital mica of 10 and 10%, respectively, whereas the remaining 24 samples had mean and median values of 24% and 22.5% , respectively. (USGS)

Problems associated with using filtration to define dissolved trace element concentrations in natural water samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, A.J.; Lum, K.R.; Garbarino, J.R.; Hall, G.E.M.; Lemieux, C.; Demas, C.R.

1996-01-01

Field and laboratory experiments indicate that a number of factors associated with filtration other than just pore size (e.g., diameter, manufacturer, volume of sample processed, amount of suspended sediment in the sample) can produce significant variations in the 'dissolved' concentrations of such elements as Fe, Al, Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, and Ni. The bulk of these variations result from the inclusion/exclusion of colloidally associated trace elements in the filtrate, although dilution and sorption/desorption from filters also may be factors. Thus, dissolved trace element concentrations quantitated by analyzing filtrates generated by processing whole water through similar pore-sized filters may not be equal or comparable. As such, simple filtration of unspecified volumes of natural water through unspecified 0.45-??m membrane filters may no longer represent an acceptable operational definition for a number of dissolved chemical constituents.

Formation of natural gas hydrates in marine sediments 1. Conceptual model of gas hydrate growth conditioned by host sediment properties

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clennell, M.B.; Hovland, M.; Booth, J.S.; Henry, P.; Winters, W.J.

1999-01-01

The stability of submarine gas hydrates is largely dictated by pressure and temperature, gas composition, and pore water salinity. However, the physical properties and surface chemistry of deep marine sediments may also affect the thermodynamic state, growth kinetics, spatial distributions, and growth forms of clathrates. Our conceptual model presumes that gas hydrate behaves in a way analogous to ice in a freezing soil. Hydrate growth is inhibited within fine-grained sediments by a combination of reduced pore water activity in the vicinity of hydrophilic mineral surfaces, and the excess internal energy of small crystals confined in pores. The excess energy can be thought of as a "capillary pressure" in the hydrate crystal, related to the pore size distribution and the state of stress in the sediment framework. The base of gas hydrate stability in a sequence of fine sediments is predicted by our model to occur at a lower temperature (nearer to the seabed) than would be calculated from bulk thermodynamic equilibrium. Capillary effects or a build up of salt in the system can expand the phase boundary between hydrate and free gas into a divariant field extending over a finite depth range dictated by total methane content and pore-size distribution. Hysteresis between the temperatures of crystallization and dissociation of the clathrate is also predicted. Growth forms commonly observed in hydrate samples recovered from marine sediments (nodules, and lenses in muds; cements in sands) can largely be explained by capillary effects, but kinetics of nucleation and growth are also important. The formation of concentrated gas hydrates in a partially closed system with respect to material transport, or where gas can flush through the system, may lead to water depletion in the host sediment. This "freeze-drying" may be detectable through physical changes to the sediment (low water content and overconsolidation) and/or chemical anomalies in the pore waters and metastable presence of free gas within the normal zone of hydrate stability. 

Hydrodynamic Controls on Archaeal Tetraether Lipid Compositions in Washington Margin Sediments: Insights From Compound-Specific Radiocarbon Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, M.; Eglinton, T. I.; Montlucon, D. B.; Pearson, A.; Hayes, J. M.

2008-12-01

Continental margin sediments represent a large sink of organic carbon derived from marine and terrestrial sources. Archaeal glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraether lipids (GDGTs) are derived from both marine and terrestrial sources and have been used both for reconstruction of paleo sea surface temperatures and as an index of terrestrial carbon input to the marine sediments. However, the sources and modes of supply as well as the preservation of GDGTs in marginal sediments are poorly understood. The distribution and deposition of GDGTs is further complicated by hydrodynamic processes. We have analyzed a suite of surface sediment samples collected along a transect from the mouth of the Columbia River, across the Washington Margin, to the Cascadia Basin in the northeast Pacific Ocean. Sediments were separated according to their grain size and hydrodynamic properties, and the organic matter characterized in terms of its bulk elemental, isotopic, and molecular properties. Here we present radiocarbon measurements on individual GDGTs, alkenones, and fatty acids from size-fractionated sediments from shelf and slope sediments, and discuss the results in the context of previous studies of the molecular abundances and isotopic compositions of sedimentary organic matter for in this region. Systematic variations in elemental, isotopic and molecular-level composition are observed across the different particle classes. Moreover, these variations are manifested in the isotopic composition of different molecular markers of both marine and terrestrial sources organic matter. Both marine-derived lipids, including alkenones and marine archaeal tetraethers, and soil microbe-derived tetraether lipids show strong distributional and isotopic variations among the size-fractionated sediments. These variations in terrestrial and marine biomarker properties inform on the sources, particle dynamics, and transport history of organic matter buried on river-influenced continental margins. The implications of these findings for the application of molecular markers as proxies of organic matter input, and on the interpretation of past marine and continental environmental conditions from sedimentary records will also be discussed.

Geochemical budget of erosion in the Himalayan system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

France-Lanord, C.; Lupker, M.; Lavé, J.

2011-12-01

Geochemistry of detrital sediment allow to constrain present and past processes of erosion and may be used to infer large scale budgets. The sediment flux exported by major rivers, corresponds to net physical erosion of a basin and, if combined with the river's dissolved flux, it allows in principle to quantify total erosion rates as well as the balance between chemical and physical erosion. This is nevertheless depending on our ability to quantify riverine fluxes, sediment composition and average source rock composition. Sediment composition results from weathering, attrition, mixing and sorting processes which determine their properties at a given location and time in the drainage basin. Particle sorting during transport exerts a first order control on bulk sediment composition as well as on trace and isotopic compositions. Repeated sampling of river sediments in the Ganga and Brahmaputra Rivers during the monsoon using depth sampling combined to river velocity profiling (ACDP) show the sensitivity of sediment composition to particle sorting effects that can be linked to hydrodynamic conditions. Applied to the Ganga in Bangladesh, and using a Rousean model, we estimate the average grain size and major element composition (Si, Al, Fe) of sediments exported by the Ganga (Lupker et al. 2011, JGR E.S. in press). This leads to a net sediment flux of ca. 380 million tons/yr which is comparable to fluxes reported from hydrological measurements. The average Al/Si ratio of the sediment is 0.23 which is well bellow values reported for the Upper Continental Crust (UCC≈0.27-0.29) and slightly above estimate of the Himalayan Silicate Crust (HSC) composition deduced from a Central Nepal geological sample collection. Deviations from UCC reflect the recycled nature of Himalayan formations having undergone several orogenic cycles and being enriched in quartz. The similarity with HSC suggest that either (1) there is no segregation due to floodplain sequestration, or (2) that the sequestration is limited, or (3) that we overestimate the Al/Si of the HSC. Hypothesis (1) is ruled out by average Siwalik composition or pebble compositions that are enriched in quartz. For hypothesis (3) there is no direct control on USC composition but the average composition of suspended sediments from Himalayan streams, where sediment sorting is limited by turbulence yields Al/Si ratio similar to that of HSC. Therefore, assuming reasonable values for both HSC and floodplain, we suggest that about 10% of the Himalayan erosion flux is presently sequestered in the floodplain. Chemical erosion is revealed by the evolution of sediment composition from the Himalaya to the delta showing a progressive depletion in mobile elements (Na, K, Ca) consistent with progressive weathering of alkaline silicate and carbonate. Quantifying the chemical erosion however requires a careful analysis of the data set, as source effects interfere with weathering proxies such as K/Si, Na/Si. These effects are related to mixing of Himalayan sediments with sediment from the Siwalik or southern tributaries. Quantification of the weathering requires to evaluate the difference between HSC and river sediment.Using detrital sediments to trace weathering and erosion however holds strong promises as, if well modelled, it will enable the use of widely available sedimentary records to address paleo-erosion and weathering studies.

Geomorphological assessment of sediment contamination in an urban stream system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rhoads, B.L.; Cahill, R.A.

1999-01-01

Little is known about the influence of fluvial-geomorphological features on the dispersal of sediment-related contaminants in urban drainage systems. This study investigates the relation between reach-scale geomorphological conditions and network-scale patterns of trace-element concentrations in a partially urbanized stream system in East-Central Illinois, USA Robust statistical analysis of bulk sediment samples reveals levels of Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn exceed contamination thresholds in the portion of the watershed in close proximity to potential sources of pollution-in this case storm-sewer outfalls. Although trace-element concentrations decrease rapidly downstream from these sources, substantial local variability in metal levels exists within contaminated reaches. This local variability is related to reach-scale variation in fluvial-geomorphic conditions, which in turn produces variation in the degree of sorting and organic-matter content of bed material. Metal concentrations at contaminated sites also exhibit considerable variability over time. Analytical tests on specific size fractions of material collected at a highly contaminated site indicate that Cr and Ni are concentrated in the 0.063 to 0.250 mm fraction of the sediment. This fraction also has elevated concentration of Zr. SEM analysis shows that the fine sand fraction contains shards of stainless steel within a matrix of zircon sand, an industrial material associated with a nearby alloy casting operation. Samples of suspended load and bedload at the contaminated site also have elevated amounts of trace metals, but concentrations of Ni and Cr in the bedload are less than concentrations in the bed material, suggesting that these trace elements are relatively immobile. Off the other hand, amounts of CU and Zn in the bedload exceed concentrations in the bed material, implying that these trace metals are preferentially mobilized during transport events.

The provenance of Taklamakan desert sand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rittner, Martin; Vermeesch, Pieter; Carter, Andrew; Bird, Anna; Stevens, Thomas; Garzanti, Eduardo; Andò, Sergio; Vezzoli, Giovanni; Dutt, Ripul; Xu, Zhiwei; Lu, Huayu

2016-03-01

Sand migration in the vast Taklamakan desert within the Tarim Basin (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region, PR China) is governed by two competing transport agents: wind and water, which work in diametrically opposed directions. Net aeolian transport is from northeast to south, while fluvial transport occurs from the south to the north and then west to east at the northern rim, due to a gradual northward slope of the underlying topography. We here present the first comprehensive provenance study of Taklamakan desert sand with the aim to characterise the interplay of these two transport mechanisms and their roles in the formation of the sand sea, and to consider the potential of the Tarim Basin as a contributing source to the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP). Our dataset comprises 39 aeolian and fluvial samples, which were characterised by detrital-zircon U-Pb geochronology, heavy-mineral, and bulk-petrography analyses. Although the inter-sample differences of all three datasets are subtle, a multivariate statistical analysis using multidimensional scaling (MDS) clearly shows that Tarim desert sand is most similar in composition to rivers draining the Kunlun Shan (south) and the Pamirs (west), and is distinctly different from sediment sources in the Tian Shan (north). A small set of samples from the Junggar Basin (north of the Tian Shan) yields different detrital compositions and age spectra than anywhere in the Tarim Basin, indicating that aeolian sediment exchange between the two basins is minimal. Although river transport dominates delivery of sand into the Tarim Basin, wind remobilises and reworks the sediment in the central sand sea. Characteristic signatures of main rivers can be traced from entrance into the basin to the terminus of the Tarim River, and those crossing the desert from the south to north can seasonally bypass sediment through the sand sea. Smaller ephemeral rivers from the Kunlun Shan end in the desert and discharge their sediment there. Both river run-off and wind intensity are strongly seasonal, their respective transport strength and opposing directions maintain the Taklamakan in its position and topography.

Late Holocene environmental changes recorded in the sediments of Lago Thompson, Northern Chilean Patagonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fagel, Nathalie; Nuttin, Laurence; Bertrand, Sébastien; Borgniet, Geoffrey; Schmidt, Sabine; Araneda, Alberto; Torrejon, Fernando; Urrutia, Roberto

2010-05-01

We investigate the sedimentary record of Lago Thompson, a small lake (area 1.1 km2, watershed ~8 km2) located at an elevation of 750 masl in Northern Chilean Patagonia (45.38 °S, 71.47°W). At Present, the climate conditions around the lake are relatively dry, with annual precipitation averaging 500 mm. The goal of this study is to evaluate the natural climate variability over the Last Millennium in Northern Chilean Patagonia and its impact on the environment. The coring site was selected after a bathymetric survey using an echo-sounder. Several short cores were retrieved in 2008 using an Uwitec gravity corer: the length of the cores ranges between 124 and 132 cm. The preliminary age model is based on 4 AMS radiocarbon ages measured on bulk sediment and organic macro-remains. The radiocarbon ages demonstrate that the sediment cores cover the last 850 to 950 years. This sediment record, which is characterized by accumulation rates ranging between 1 and 3 mm/yr, can therefore be studied at decennial to centennial resolution. To reconstruct past changes in climate and the environment, we conducted a multiproxy study combining sedimentological, mineralogical and geochemical analyses (LOI 105, 550 and 950°C, biogenic silica content, magnetic susceptibility, tephrostratigraphy, bulk organic geochemistry, bulk mineralogy by X-ray diffraction, and inorganic geochemistry by ITRAX core scanner and ICP-AES). Visual descriptions and X-ray radiographies demonstrate that the sediment record is relatively undisturbed. The sediment is composed of light brown organic-rich clayey material. The lower part of the core (below 75 cm) is finely laminated whereas the upper part is more homogeneous. Magnetic susceptibility values highlight two tephra layers that represent explosive eruptions of volcanoes from the southern volcanic zone of Chile (Hudson, Cay, or Macá volcanoes). The biogenic silica content of the sediment retrieved in Lago Thompson is high (40 to 80%), and probably related to the small catchment to lake surface ratio, which limits the supply of terrestrial particles to the lake. The inorganic content of the sediment is very low. Some clay minerals, quartz and feldspars were identified by X-ray diffraction. This observation is in agreement with the low C/N ratio (~ 8-9) of the bulk organic matter, providing evidence that most of the organic particles originate from aquatic productivity. The high organic matter content (mean 15%, concentrations reaching up to 20%) and its low C/N ratio provide evidence that the lake productivity remained high over the last 900 years. Higher concentrations in biogenic silica and organic matter between 1550 and 1800 AD could be interpreted as drier climate conditions in the Andes of Northern Patagonia during the Little Ice Age. Further research will focus on biological proxies (diatom, chironomid, pollen) to improve this interpretation. This research is funded by Chilean and Belgian projects (Fondecyt project number 1070508, and FNRS "crédits au chercheur" 1360 2007-2010, respectively).

Seasonal variability in particulate matter source and composition to the depositional zone of Baltimore Canyon, U.S. Mid-Atlantic Bight

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prouty, Nancy G.; Mienis, Furu; Campbell, P.; Roark, E. Brendan; Davies, Andrew; Robertson, Craig M.; Duineveld, Gerard; Ross, Steve W.; Rhodes, M.; Demopoulos, Amanda W.J.

2017-01-01

Submarine canyons are often hotspots of biomass and productivity in the deep sea. However, the majority of deep-sea canyons remain poorly sampled. Using a multi-tracer approach, results from a detailed geochemical investigation from a year-long sediment trap deployment reveals details concerning the source, transport, and fate of particulate matter to the depositional zone (1318 m) of Baltimore Canyon on the US Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB). Both organic biomarker composition (sterol and n-alkanes) and bulk characteristics (δ13C, Δ14C, Chl-a) suggest that on an annual basis particulate matter from marine and terrestrially-derived organic matter are equally important. However, elevated Chlorophyll-a and sterol concentrations during the spring sampling period highlight the seasonal influx of relatively fresh phytodetritus. In addition, the contemporaneous increase in the particle reactive elements cadmium (Cd) and molybdenum (Mo) in the spring suggest increased scavenging, aggregation, and sinking of biomass during seasonal blooms in response to enhanced surface production within the nutricline. While internal waves within the canyon resuspend sediment between 200 and 600 m, creating a nepheloid layer rich in lithogenic material, near-bed sediment remobilization in the canyon depositional zone is minimal. Instead, vertical transport and lateral transport across the continental margin are the dominant processes driving seasonal input of particulate matter. In turn, seasonal variability in deposited particulate organic matter may be linked to benthic faunal composition and ecosystem scale carbon cycling.

Physical properties of northern Gulf of Mexico sediment and laboratory samples containing natural and synthetic methane gas hydrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winters, W. J.; Waite, W. F.; Mason, D. H.; Lorenson, T. L.; Paull, C. K.; Novosel, I.; Boldina, O. M.; Dallimore, S. R.; Collett, T. S.; Page 127 Shipboard Sc. Party

2003-04-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been involved in oceanographic and Arctic field programs and laboratory studies to better understand the relationship between natural gas hydrate and physical properties of surrounding sediment. Recently, the Institut Polaire Francais, Paul-Emile Victor (IPEV) and the USGS jointly conducted a cruise aboard the Marion Dufresne to collect giant piston cores to determine the distribution of gas hydrate in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Hydrates recovered during the cruise did not appear to be lithologically controlled (unlike Canadian Arctic cores) and were either disseminated or were massive layers. Sediment water content typically decreases rapidly to a subbottom depth of about 8 to 9 m, but then decreases at a lower rate. At-sea help was provided by the IMAGES (International Marine Past Global Changes Study) and PAGE (Paleoceanography of the Atlantic and Geochemistry) programs, and funding was provided by the U.S. Dept. of Energy. We have used the Gas Hydrate And Sediment Test Laboratory Instrument (GHASTLI) to analyze sediment containing natural gas hydrate and to examine hydrate formed within (a) initially water-saturated and (b) partly-water saturated sieved Ottawa sand specimens at a pore pressure of 12 MPa and 250 kPa confining stress. Hydrate is formed when methane gas is slowly percolated into a 70-mm diameter by 140-mm long cylindrical specimen and subsequently the temperature is lowered to about 6 degrees C. We have found that acoustic velocity, shear strength, and permeability of samples containing different initial water contents are significantly affected by (a) the amount of hydrate present, (b) its distribution, (c) its position within pores, and (d) concentration at key locations. Acoustic P-wave velocities can increase from 1.7 km/s to 4.0 km/s using different hydrate and synthetic sample formation techniques. Although acoustic properties are significantly affected by hydrate at grain boundaries, the mere presence of hydrate in pores (but not necessarily at grain contacts) causes strength to significantly increase because dilation during undrained shear results in greater negative pore pressures. Recently determined strengths of three Ottawa sand samples are exponentially related to the degree of water saturation, bulk density, and hydrate content.

Investigating the distribution and sources of organic matter in surface sediment of Coombabah Lake (Australia) using elemental, isotopic and fatty acid biomarkers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunn, R. J. K.; Welsh, D. T.; Teasdale, P. R.; Lee, S. Y.; Lemckert, C. J.; Meziane, T.

2008-10-01

Extensive physical and biological measurements were made of the surface sediments within the shallow, semi-urbanised Coombabah Lake in southern Moreton Bay, Australia. Sediment bulk parameters (C/N ratios, δ13C and δ15N) and fatty acid biomarkers were used to determine distributions and sources of organic matter in the intertidal sediments. The determination of organic matter sources within coastal and estuarine settings is important in understanding the roles of organic matter as energy and nutrient sources. Spatial variability of biomarker values within the sediments were interpreted by thematic maps employing the Krigging algorithm. Grain size analysis indicated the lake was dominated by mud (<63 μm) in the southern (landward) and sand (>63 μm) in the northern (seaward) lake regions, respectively. Surface sediment organic C and N values ranged from 0.12% to 1.76% and 0.01% to 0.12% dry weight, respectively, and C/N ratios averaged 16.3±3.19%. Sedimentary δ13C values ranged from -26.1‰ to -20.9‰, with an average value of -23.9±1.0‰. Sedimentary δ15N values ranged from +1.7‰ to +4.8‰, with an average value of +2.8±0.8‰. Bulk sediment parameters suggested that sedimentary organic matter is provided predominantly by allochthonous sources in the form of fringing mangroves. Thirty-nine individual fatty acids were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The mean contributions of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), saturated fatty acids (SAFAs) and bacterial fatty acids (BAFAs) were, respectively, 13.9±11.4%, 7.6±4.1%, 53.6±8.6% and 18.2±4.6% of the identified fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), with BAFAs occurring in all sampled sediments. Fatty acid compositions varied throughout lake sediments, which indicated spatial differences in autochthonous and allochthonous organic matter sources, including terrestrial and planktonic (i.e. zooplankton, diatoms and other algal species) sources. The contribution of organic matter from shoreline mangroves was confirmed by the presence of LCFAs and 18:2 ω6 and 18:3 ω3, which are markers for mangroves in this ecosystem. BAFAs were identified in increased proportions in sediments adjacent to urban developments and dominated by mud. Grain size was identified as a dominant factor in the fatty acid compositions and contributing values to FAME pool. Spatial patterns of C/N ratios, δ13C and δ15N values, and fatty acid biomarker contributions illustrated that there is a greater contribution of autochthonous and labile organic matter to the sedimentary organic matter pool in the northern (marine entrance) sediments compared to the more allochthonous sourced organic matter of the southern region of the lake. This study details the distribution and sources of organic matter within Coombabah Lake and illustrates the usefulness of a multiple biomarker approach in discriminating organic matter sources within estuarine environments.

Does Aggregation Affect the Redistribution and Quality of Eroded SOC?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yaxian; Kuhn, Nikolaus

2015-04-01

A substantial amount of literature has discussed the impacts of soil erosion on global carbon cycling. However, numerous gaps in our knowledge remain unaddressed, for instance, the biogeochemical fate of displaced SOC during transport being one of them. The transport distance and the quality of eroded SOC are the two major factors that determine its fate. Previous laboratory-based research had demonstrated that the effects of aggregation can potentially shorten the transport distance of eroded SOC. The mineralization potential of SOC also differs in sediment fractions of different likely transport distances. It is therefore essential to examine the transport distance and quality of eroded SOC under field conditions with natural rainfall as the agent of erosion. Soil samples from a silty clay soil from Switzerland and a sandy soil from Denmark, were collected in the field this summer after natural rainfall events. The soil from Switzerland was sampled from a field of maize in St. Ursanne (47°20' N 7°09' E) on August 6th, 2014 after a natural rainfall event. A depositional fan consisting of aggregated sediment was formed outside the lower edge of the field. The sandy soil from Denmark was sampled from a farm in Foulum (56°30' N, 9°35' W) on September 4, 2014, after a series of natural rainfall events. Soil samples were collected at different topographic positions along the two slopes. All the soil samples from the two farms were fractionated by a settling tube. Bulk soil from Switzerland and Denmark was also dispersed by ultrasound. The SOC contents of all bulk soils and associated fractions were determined using a carbon analyzer Leco 612 at 1000°C. The quality of SOC in different settling fractions collected from various topographic positions were also determined by stable isotopes of C and N (13C and 15N). Our results show that 1) the aggregate specific SOC distribution evidently differs from the mineral particle specific SOC distribution, indicating that re-distribution of eroded SOC is determined by actual aggregate size distribution rather than mineral particle size distribution. 2) The aggregate specific distributions of SOC content from different positions along hillslopes demonstrate that preferential deposition of SOC-enrich sediment along hillslopes is much more pronounced than the mineral particle specific SOC would suggest. 3) The quality of SOC differs significantly in various settling fractions. The fast settling fractions consist of more of labile SOC, and thus is very likely to be mineralized during transport across landscapes, thereby likely contributing as a source of atmospheric CO2. Overall, effects of aggregation can potentially change the transport distance of eroded SOC and thus skew its redistribution towards the terrestrial deposition.

Radiocarbon constraints on the coupled growth of sediment and organic carbon reservoirs in fluvial systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, M. A.; Kemeny, P. C.; Fischer, W. W.; Lamb, M. P.

2017-12-01

Vast amounts of sediments are stored transiently in fluvial deposits as they move in rivers from source to sink. The timescale(s) of transient storage have the potential to set the cadence for biogeochemical reactions to occur in river sediments. However, the extent to which storage modulates the chemical composition of river sediments remains unclear. In case of the organic carbon (OC) cycle, transient sediment storage may leave an imprint in the radiocarbon (14C) content of riverine particulate OC (POC), offering a potential tool to trace the coupling of sediment storage and biogeochemical cycling in river systems. We investigated the modern and ancient budgets of sediments and POC in the Efi Haukadalsá River catchment in West Iceland to provide new empirical constraints on the role of sediment storage in the terrestrial OC cycle. This field site is attractive because the basaltic bedrock is free of rock-derived (i.e. "petrogenic") POC such that bulk 14C measurements can be interpreted more directly as constraints on catchment OC storage timescales. Additionally, Lake Haukadalsvatn at the outlet of the river catchment has captured sediment for nearly 13 ka, which offers a complementary record of the evolution of climate-sediment-OC linkages since deglaciation. New 14C measurements show that bulk POC in fine grained fluvial deposits within the Haukadalsá catchment is remarkably old (model ages between 1 and 10 ka). This evidence for "aged" POC in floodplain storage is consistent with previous measurements from Lake Haukadalsvatn, which show that POC is aged in the river system by thousands of years prior to deposition in the lake. Additionally, our estimate of the mean transit time of sediments through the river system matches the millennial-scale reservoir age of riverine POC derived from 14C, which implies a tight coupling between sediment storage and the OC cycle. We interpret the long-term increase in the 14C reservoir age of riverine POC over the last 10 ka preserved in the lake sediments to reflect the growth of a terrestrial sediment reservoir and concomitant POC storage in response to deglaciation. Our results illustrate how sediment storage by fluvial systems strongly influences the terrestrial OC cycle and its response to changes in environmental conditions.

Mineralogy, morphology, and textural relationships in coatings on quartz grains in sediments in a quartz-sand aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhang, Shouliang; Kent, Douglas B.; Elbert, David C.; Shi, Zhi; Davis, James A.; Veblen, David R.

2011-01-01

Mineralogical studies of coatings on quartz grains and bulk sediments from an aquifer on Western Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA were carried out using a variety of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. Previous studies demonstrated that coatings on quartz grains control the adsorption properties of these sediments. Samples for TEM characterization were made by a gentle mechanical grinding method and focused ion beam (FIB) milling. The former method can make abundant electron-transparent coating assemblages for comprehensive and quantitative X-ray analysis and the latter technique protects the coating texture from being destroyed. Characterization of the samples from both a pristine area and an area heavily impacted by wastewater discharge shows similar coating textures and chemical compositions. Major constituents of the coating include Al-substituted goethite and illite/chlorite clays. Goethite is aggregated into well-crystallized domains through oriented attachment resulting in increased porosity. Illite/chlorite clays with various chemical compositions were observed to be mixed with goethite aggregates and aligned sub-parallel to the associated quartz surface. The uniform spatial distribution of wastewater-derived phosphorus throughout the coating from the wastewater-contaminated site suggests that all of the coating constituents, including those adjacent to the quartz surface, are accessible to groundwater solutes. Both TEM characterization and chemical extraction results indicate there is a significantly greater amount of amorphous iron oxide in samples from wastewater discharge area compared to those from the pristine region, which might reflect the impact of redox cycling of iron under the wastewater-discharge area. Coating compositions are consistent with the moderate metal and oxy-metalloid adsorption capacities, low but significant cation exchange capacities, and control of iron(III) solubility by goethite observed in reactive transport experimental and modeling studies conducted at the site.

The distribution and composition of REE-bearing minerals in placers of the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bern, Carleton R.; Shah, Anjana K.; Benzel, William M.; Lowers, Heather A.

2016-01-01

Rare earth element (REE) resources are currently of great interest because of their importance as raw materials for high-technology manufacturing. The REE-phosphates monazite (light REE enriched) and xenotime (heavy REE enriched) resist weathering and can accumulate in placer deposits as part of the heavy mineral assemblage. The Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains of the southeastern United States are known to host heavy mineral deposits with economic concentrations of zircon, ilmenite and rutile. This study provides a perspective on the distribution and composition of REE phosphate minerals in the region. The elemental chemistry and mineralogy of sands and associated heavy-mineral assemblages from new and archived sediment samples across the coastal plains are examined, along with phase-specific compositions of monazite, xenotime and zircon. Both monazite and xenotime are present across the coastal plains. The phase-specific compositions allow monazite content to be estimated using La as a geochemical proxy. Similarly, both Y and Yb are geochemical proxies for xenotime, but their additional presence in zircon and monazite require a correction to prevent overestimation of xenotime content. Applying this correction, maps of monazite and xenotime content across the coastal plains were generated using sample coverage from the National Geochemical Database (NGS) and National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE). The NGS and NURE approach of sampling stream sediments in small watersheds links samples to nearby lithologies. The results show an approximately 40 km-wide band of primarily Cretaceous, marine sediments bordering the Piedmont province from North Carolina to Alabama in which monazite and xenotime content are relatively high (up to 4.4 wt. % in < 150 μm bulk sediment). Strong correlations between concentrations of the two phases were found, with estimated monazite:xenotime ratios ranging approximately 6:1 to 12:1 depending upon the dataset analyzed. From a resource perspective, xenotime correlation with monazite indicates a heavy REE potential in coastal plain placers, and exploration may be warranted within the identified coastal plain band along the boundary of the Piedmont region.

Spatially explicit feedbacks between seagrass meadow structure, sediment and light: Habitat suitability for seagrass growth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, Joel; D'Odorico, Paul; McGlathery, Karen; Wiberg, Patricia L.

2016-01-01

In shallow coastal bays where nutrient loading and riverine inputs are low, turbidity, and the consequent light environment are controlled by resuspension of bed sediments due to wind-waves and tidal currents. High sediment resuspension and low light environments can limit benthic primary productivity; however, both currents and waves are affected by the presence of benthic plants such as seagrass. This feedback between the presence of benthic primary producers such as seagrass and the consequent light environment has been predicted to induce bistable dynamics locally. However, these vegetated areas influence a larger area than they footprint, including a barren adjacent downstream area which exhibits reduced shear stresses. Here we explore through modeling how the patchy structure of seagrass meadows on a landscape may affect sediment resuspension and the consequent light environment due to the presence of this sheltered region. Heterogeneous vegetation covers comprising a mosaic of randomly distributed patches were generated to investigate the effect of patch modified hydrodynamics. Actual cover of vegetation on the landscape was used to facilitate comparisons across landscape realizations. Hourly wave and current shear stresses on the landscape along with suspended sediment concentration and light attenuation characteristics were then calculated and spatially averaged to examine how actual cover and mean water depth affect the bulk sediment and light environment. The results indicate that an effective cover, which incorporates the sheltering area, has important controls on the distributions of shear stress, suspended sediment, light environment, and consequent seagrass habitat suitability. Interestingly, an optimal habitat occurs within a depth range where, if actual cover is reduced past some threshold, the bulk light environment would no longer favor seagrass growth.

Contributions of organic and inorganic matter to sediment volume and accretion in tidal wetlands at steady state

PubMed Central

Barber, Donald C.; Callaway, John C.; Chambers, Randy; Hagen, Scott C.; Hopkinson, Charles S.; Johnson, Beverly J.; Megonigal, Patrick; Neubauer, Scott C.; Troxler, Tiffany; Wigand, Cathleen

2016-01-01

Abstract A mixing model derived from first principles describes the bulk density (BD) of intertidal wetland sediments as a function of loss on ignition (LOI). The model assumes that the bulk volume of sediment equates to the sum of self‐packing volumes of organic and mineral components or BD = 1/[LOI/k1 + (1‐LOI)/k2], where k1 and k2 are the self‐packing densities of the pure organic and inorganic components, respectively. The model explained 78% of the variability in total BD when fitted to 5075 measurements drawn from 33 wetlands distributed around the conterminous United States. The values of k1 and k2 were estimated to be 0.085 ± 0.0007 g cm−3 and 1.99 ± 0.028 g cm−3, respectively. Based on the fitted organic density (k1) and constrained by primary production, the model suggests that the maximum steady state accretion arising from the sequestration of refractory organic matter is ≤ 0.3 cm yr−1. Thus, tidal peatlands are unlikely to indefinitely survive a higher rate of sea‐level rise in the absence of a significant source of mineral sediment. Application of k2 to a mineral sediment load typical of East and eastern Gulf Coast estuaries gives a vertical accretion rate from inorganic sediment of 0.2 cm yr−1. Total steady state accretion is the sum of the parts and therefore should not be greater than 0.5 cm yr−1 under the assumptions of the model. Accretion rates could deviate from this value depending on variation in plant productivity, root:shoot ratio, suspended sediment concentration, sediment‐capture efficiency, and episodic events. PMID:27819012

Floating liquid phase in sedimenting colloid-polymer mixtures.

PubMed

Schmidt, Matthias; Dijkstra, Marjolein; Hansen, Jean-Pierre

2004-08-20

Density functional theory and computer simulation are used to investigate sedimentation equilibria of colloid-polymer mixtures within the Asakura-Oosawa-Vrij model of hard sphere colloids and ideal polymers. When the ratio of buoyant masses of the two species is comparable to the ratio of differences in density of the coexisting bulk (colloid) gas and liquid phases, a stable "floating liquid" phase is found, i.e., a thin layer of liquid sandwiched between upper and lower gas phases. The full phase diagram of the mixture under gravity shows coexistence of this floating liquid phase with a single gas phase or a phase involving liquid-gas equilibrium; the phase coexistence lines meet at a triple point. This scenario remains valid for general asymmetric binary mixtures undergoing bulk phase separation.

Regional distribution patterns of chemical parameters in surface sediments of the south-western Baltic Sea and their possible causes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leipe, T.; Naumann, M.; Tauber, F.; Radtke, H.; Friedland, R.; Hiller, A.; Arz, H. W.

2017-12-01

This study presents selected results of a sediment geochemical mapping program of German territorial waters in the south-western Baltic Sea. The field work was conducted mainly during the early 2000s. Due to the strong variability of sediment types in the study area, it was decided to separate and analyse the fine fraction (<63 μm, mud) from more than 600 surficial samples, combined with recalculations for the bulk sediment. For the contents of total organic carbon (TOC) and selected elements (P, Hg), the regional distribution maps show strong differences between the analysed fine fraction and the recalculated total sediment. Seeing that mud contents vary strongly between 0 and 100%, this can be explained by the well-known grain-size effect. To avoid (or at least minimise) this effect, further interpretations were based on the data for the fine fraction alone. Lateral transport from the large Oder River estuary combined with high abundances and activities of benthic fauna on the shallow-water Oder Bank (well sorted fine sand) could be some main causes for hotspots identified in the fine-fraction element distribution. The regional pattern of primary production as the main driver of nutrient element fixation (C, N, P, Si) was found to be only weakly correlated with, for example, the TOC distribution in the fine fraction. This implies that, besides surface sediment dynamics, local conditions (e.g. benthic secondary production) also have strong impacts. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no comparable study with geochemical analyses of the fine fraction of marine sediments to this extent (13,600 km2) and coverage (between 600 and 800 data points) in the Baltic Sea. This aspect proved pivotal in confidently pinpointing geochemical "anomalies" in surface sediments of the south-western Baltic Sea.

Fate and Transport of Organic Contaminants in Coastal Marsh Sediments Resulting from the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Natter, M.; Keevan, J.; Lee, M.; Keimowitz, A.; Savrda, C.; Son, A.; Okeke, B.; Wang, Y.

2011-12-01

The devastating explosion and subsequent sinking of the oil platform Deepwater Horizon at the British Petroleum Macondo-1 well in the Northern Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, released approximately 4.9 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf before the well was capped on July 15, 2010. Although most light compounds of oil may be easily degraded by natural microbes on the short term, saturated heavy oil (e.g., asphaltenes, resins, polycyclic aromatics, etc.) and those adsorbed by sediments could persist in the environment for decades. The long-term effects of high levels of persistent oil compounds on biogeochemical evolution and ecosystems of salt marshes remain unclear. This research investigates the spatial range and changes in levels of oil and their biogeochemical impacts. A total of ten marsh sampling sites that varied from pristine, non-effected marshes (e.g., Weeks Bay and Wolf Bay, Alabama) to heavily oiled wetlands (e.g., Bay Jimmy and Bayou Dulac, Louisiana) were utilized for this study. Sediment cores, bulk sediments, surface water samples, degraded oil, oiled dead marsh grass, and live marsh grass were collected from these sites in an attempt to study the source, distribution, and evolution of organic compounds and oil present in sediments and pore-waters. Geochemical analyses show alarmingly high organic carbon loads in pore-waters and sediments at heavily contaminated sites months after the influx of oil ceased. Very high levels (10-28%) of total organic carbon (TOC) within the heavily oiled sediments (down to 30 cm) are clearly distinguished from those found in pristine wetland sediments (generally < 5%). TOC levels are elevated in the deeper sediments while being depleated in the uppermost ones at certain locations. The TOC contents in uppermost sediments may be reduced by microbial degradation, water mixing, and the use of oil dispersants. Furthermore, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels of pore-waters extracted from oiled sediments, ranging up to hundreds of mg/kg, are on the order of one to two magnitudes higher than those at pristine and slightly contaminated sites. These DOC levels also interestingly increase with depth, possibly indicating saltwater-freshwater mixing near the sediment surface or freshwater recharge from rainfall. The spatial changes in DOC indicate that seawater and oil invaded along the deeper portion of the marsh sediments due to their higher density with respect to freshwater. TOC and DOC data clearly indicate that not all the spilled oil rose to the water surface and washed on-shore. Plumes of partially degraded oil could be spreading at various levels of the water column and feeding the underlying sediments. Geochemical biomarkers and stable isotopes (carbon and nitrogen) analyses of wetland plants, oiled sediments, and initial crude oils are underway to trace the sources of oil and the extent of oil degradation in impacted wetlands.

Tracing the recently increasing anthropogenic Pb inputs into the East China Sea shelf sediments using Pb isotopic analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Deli; Zhao, Zhiqi; Dai, Minhan

2014-02-15

This study examined the Pb content and Pb isotopic composition in a sediment core taken from the East China Sea (ECS) shelf, and it was observed that since 2003 the increasing anthropogenic Pb inputs have impacted as far as the ECS shelf sediments. The ECS shelf sediments were generally characterized with low bulk Pb contents (12.5-15.0 μg/g) and relatively lithogenic Pb isotopic signatures (both HCl-leached and residual fractions). However, elevated Pb records along with lighter Pb isotopic signals have occurred in the post-2003 sediments, as a result of a small but increasing anthropogenic Pb contribution from the heavily human perturbed coastal sediments due to the sharply increasing coal consumption in mainland China since 2003. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field flume reveals aquatic vegetation's role in sediment and particulate phosphorus transport in a shallow aquatic ecosystem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, J.W.; Noe, G.B.; Larsen, L.G.; Nowacki, D.J.; McPhillips, L.E.

2011-01-01

Flow interactions with aquatic vegetation and effects on sediment transport and nutrient redistribution are uncertain in shallow aquatic ecosystems. Here we quantified sediment transport in the Everglades by progressively increasing flow velocity in a field flume constructed around undisturbed bed sediment and emergent macrophytes. Suspended sediment 100 μm became dominant at higher velocity steps after a threshold shear stress for bed floc entrainment was exceeded. Shedding of vortices that had formed downstream of plant stems also occurred on that velocity step which promoted additional sediment detachment from epiphyton. Modeling determined that the potentially entrainable sediment reservoir, 46 g m−2, was similar to the reservoir of epiphyton (66 g m−2) but smaller than the reservoir of flocculent bed sediment (330 g m−2). All suspended sediment was enriched in phosphorus (by approximately twenty times) compared with bulk sediment on the bed surface and on plant stems, indicating that the most easily entrainable sediment is also the most nutrient rich (and likely the most biologically active).

Changes in Holocene to LGM water mass stratification near Southern Africa inferred from Nd isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, K. M.; Goldstein, S. L.; Hemming, S. R.; Hall, I. R.; Zahn, R.

2009-12-01

Global thermohaline circulation (THC) is an important component of the climate system that initiates or amplifies abrupt climate change. A major driver of THC is the formation of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW), which is sandwiched by northward flowing Southern Ocean water masses as it is advected southward. An important exit route of NADW out of the South Atlantic is through flow around the southern tip of Africa, which makes the South African Margin an excellent location to investigate changes in THC and water mass stratification through time. We measured the Nd isotopes of modern seawater from three depth profiles collected along the South African Margin, which were collected on RSS Charles Darwin Cruise 154. All seawater profiles show a similar pattern with higher ɛNd values at intermediate depths (ɛNd ~ -9.5 at 600-1200m), lower values for the core of NADW (ɛNd ~ -11.5 at 2000-3500m), and higher values in the deepest waters sampled (ɛNd -9.8 at 4150m). This pattern is consistent with conservative mixing of major North Atlantic and Southern Ocean end-member water masses and is not consistent with inputs from, or exchange with margin sediments, for most depths. We also measured the Nd isotopes of multiple sedimentary archives in proximal Holocene coretop sediments collected from depths spanning intermediate to deep/bottom waters. The Nd isotopes of a fish tooth, several foram coating leachates, and multiple bulk sediment Fe-Mn leachates display the same pattern as the local seawater. We had no seawater for comparison with our deepest core (VM19-224; depth ~ 4600m), but the eNd value from it (ɛNd = -8.4) is consistent with Antarctic Bottom Water (ɛNd ~ -8.5). These results suggest: (1) that Nd isotopes of seawater in the region behave conservatively; (2) that the local margin sediments faithfully record the Nd isotope composition of the waters they are bathed in and (3) this “ground-truthing” implies that it is valid to use Nd isotopes as a circulation proxy in this region to reconstruct THC and water mass stratification along this margin through time. Nd isotopes were also measured on bulk sediment and foram coating Fe-Mn leachates of radiocarbon dated LGM sediments. The leachate Nd isotope composition of the deepest sample (VM19-224; ɛNd = -7.0) is within error of LGM samples from RC11-83 in the Cape Basin (depth ~ 4700m; ɛNd = -6.6). Cores from shallower depths (2800 to 3600m) are also offset toward higher higher ɛNd consistent with weaker NADW. The shallowest core (VM14-77; depth ~ 1800m) displays an opposite shift from higher values in the Holocene (ɛNd = -9.9) to lower values during the LGM (ɛNd = -12.0). However, this core is in the region of the Tugela River Cone and may be impacted by that river. These data are consistent with a significant reduction of NADW export to the Southern Ocean during the LGM but the LGM value of the shallowest core is also consistent with the shoaling of NADW during this time interval as it continued to flow out of the Atlantic.

Contributions of organic and inorganic matter to sediment ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A mixing model derived from first principles describes the bulk density (BD) of intertidal wetland sediments as a function of loss on ignition (LOI). The model assumes the bulk volume of sediment equates to the sum of self-packing volumes of organic and mineral components or BD = 1/[LOI/k1 + (1-LOI)/k2], where k1 and k2 are the self-packing densities of the pure organic and inorganic components, respectively. The model explained 78% of the variability in total BD when fitted to 5075 measurements drawn from 33 wetlands distributed around the conterminous United States. The values of k1 and k2 were estimated to be 0.085 ± 0.0007 g cm-3 and 1.99 ± 0.028 g cm-3, respectively. Based on the fitted organic density (k1) and constrained by primary production, the model suggests that the maximum steady state accretion arising from the sequestration of refractory organic matter is ≤ 0.3 cm yr-1. Thus, tidal peatlands are unlikely to survive indefinitely a higher rate of sea-level rise in the absence of a significant source of mineral sediment. Application of k2 to a mineral sediment load typical of East and eastern Gulf Coast estuaries gives a vertical accretion rate from inorganic sediment of 0.2 cm yr-1. Total steady state accretion is the sum of the parts and therefore should not be greater than 0.5 cm yr-1 under the assumptions of the model. Accretion rates could deviate from this value depending on variation in plant productivity, root:shoot ratio, suspended sedim

Mercury species and other selected constituent concentrations in water, sediment, and biota of Sinclair Inlet, Kitsap County, Washington, 2007-10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huffman, R.L.; Wagner, R.J.; Toft, J.; Cordell, J.; DeWild, J.F.; Dinicola, R.S.; Aiken, G.R.; Krabbenhoft, D.P.; Marvin-DiPasquale, M.; Stewart, A.R.; Moran, P.W.; Paulson, A.J.

2012-01-01

The Methylation and Bioaccumulation Project included a comprehensive field study of mercury biogeochemistry in marine sediment, water, and zooplankton in Sinclair Inlet. Mercury, iron, and sulfur species in sediment porewater from six sites within and three sites outside of Sinclair Inlet were measured to provide insight into the processes that produce methylmercury in the sediments. Total mercury, methylmercury, dissolved organic carbon, and redox-sensitive species were measured in porewaters in the top 2 centimeters of sediment, and these data were paired with sedimentary flux measurements from core incubation experiments to connect sedimentary processes to the water column. A broad-scale study of mercury methylation potential and mercury species at 20-plus stations in Sinclair Inlet was conducted in February 2009 and 2010, June 2009, and August 2009. Sedimentary flux measurements and analysis of mercury and biogeochemicals in sediment porewater and bottom water were made at six of the broad-scale stations. Bioaccumulation processes in the water column in the context of the sedimentary flux of methylmercury were examined using monthly survey data collected between August 2008 and August 2009. The survey data included concentrations of methylmercury and isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen in bulk zooplankton measured at four stations in Sinclair Inlet in the context of the population of bulk zooplankton ascertained by taxonomical identification. The analysis of filtered total mercury, total particulate mercury, filtered methylmercury, particulate methylmercury, chlorophyll a, isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in suspended matter, and other biogeochemical data will facilitate the examination of the biogeochemistry of mercury in Sinclair Inlet.

The use of XRF core scanner technique to identify anthropogenic chronological markers for dating recent sediments and for mapping and estimating the quantity of contaminated sediments in different fjord settings in western Norway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haflidason, H.; Thorsen, L.; Soldal, O. L.

2016-12-01

Following the initiation of the industrial revolution in Norway at the early 1900´s many of the heavy industrial factories established at that time were located in inner fjord systems of western Norway. The advantage was an easy access to cheap electricity, but the main disadvantage has been that the pollution from this industrial activity has been transported into fjord systems where the circulation of the water masses has been fairly limited leading to a high concentration of heavy metals in the fjord basin sediments. The recently developed non-destructive X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) core scanning technique offers new possibilities to obtain near-continuous records of bulk element composition in marine records. This new analytical geochemical method can measure the bulk element content directly from the surface sediment archives within a period of seconds and with a resolution up to 200 microns. By applying this method on rapidly deposited sediments one can reconstruct a continuous record of carbonate content on a sub-decadal to annual scale. This kind of high-resolution records can also be compared directly with historical and instrumental records from the same area. This offers new possibilities to identify in an effective way the geochemical anomalies in the sediment column and estimate the variability of the industrially produced elements as e.g. Cu, Zn and Pb and their distribution and thickness/quantity in fjord basin sediments. Examples will be presented demonstrating the close linkage between the industrial production history and the entrance of these elements in the fjord sediments. Identification of these elements offers an excellent opportunity to date the recent marine sediments using these elements as an event spike and also to reconstruct the history of pollution in these fjord basin sediments. As the precision of the XRF element detection is high the time of full recovery to natural conditions of the basin sediments, after close down of these factories, can be calculated.

The Impacts of Episodic Storm and Flood Events on Carbon and Sediment Delivery to Gulf of Mexico Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreiner, K. M.; Carlin, J. A.; Sayers, L.; Swenson, J.

2017-12-01

Marine sediments are an important long-term reservoir for both recently fixed organic carbon (OC) and ancient rock derived OC, much of which is delivered by rivers. The ratio between these two sources of OC in turn regulates atmospheric levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide over geologic time, making this riverine delivery of OC, primarily carried by sediments, an important flux in the global carbon cycle. However, while the overall magnitude of these fluxes are relatively well known, it remains to be determined the importance of episodic events, like storms and floods, in the flux of OC from terrestrial to marine environments. Here, we present data from a 34 cm core collected from the Gulf of Mexico at a mid-shelf distal depocenter for the Brazos River in 2015, during a strong El Nino when that area of the country was experiencing 100-year flood events and anomalously high river flow. Based on analysis of the radioactive isotope 7Be, approximately the top 7-8 cm of the sediment in this core was deposited during this flood event. Both bulk elemental (C, N, and stable carbon isotopes) and chemical biomarker (lignin-phenol) data has been combined to provide information of the origin and chemistry of the OC in this core both before and during flooding. C:N and d13C indicate a mixture of marine-sourced and terrestrially-sourced OC throughout the length of the core with very little variation between the flood layer and deeper sediments. However, lignin-phenol concentrations are higher in flood-deposited sediment, indicating that this sediment is likely terrestrially-sourced. Lignin-phenol indicators of OC degradation state (Acid:Aldehyde ratios) indicate that flood sediment is fresher and less degraded than deeper sediments. Taken together, these results indicate that 1. Bulk analyses are not enough to determine OC source and the importance of flood events in OC cycling and 2. Episodic events like floods could have an oversized impact on OC storage in marine sediments.

Analysis of mesoscopic attenuation in gas-hydrate bearing sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubino, J. G.; Ravazzoli, C. L.; Santos, J. E.

2007-05-01

Several authors have shown that seismic wave attenuation combined with seismic velocities constitute a useful geophysical tool to infer the presence and amounts of gas hydrates lying in the pore space of the sediments. However, it is still not fully understood the loss mechanism associated to the presence of the hydrates, and most of the works dealing with this problem focuse on macroscopic fluid flow, friction between hydrates and sediment matrix and squirt flow. It is well known that an important cause of the attenuation levels observed in seismic data from some sedimentary regions is the mesoscopic loss mechanism, caused by heterogeneities in the rock and fluid properties greater than the pore size but much smaller than the wavelengths. In order to analyze this effect in heterogeneous gas-hydrate bearing sediments, we developed a finite-element procedure to obtain the effective complex modulus of an heterogeneous porous material containing gas hydrates in its pore space using compressibility tests at different oscillatory frequencies in the seismic range. The complex modulus were obtained by solving Biot's equations of motion in the space-frequency domain with appropriate boundary conditions representing a gedanken laboratory experiment measuring the complex volume change of a representative sample of heterogeneous bulk material. This complex modulus in turn allowed us to obtain the corresponding effective phase velocity and quality factor for each frequency and spatial gas hydrate distribution. Physical parameters taken from the Mallik 5L-38 Gas Hydrate Research well (Mackenzie Delta, Canada) were used to analyze the mesoscopic effects in realistic hydrated sediments.

Rotary bulk solids divider

DOEpatents

Maronde, Carl P.; Killmeyer, Jr., Richard P.

1992-01-01

An apparatus for the disbursement of a bulk solid sample comprising, a gravity hopper having a top open end and a bottom discharge end, a feeder positioned beneath the gravity hopper so as to receive a bulk solid sample flowing from the bottom discharge end, and a conveyor receiving the bulk solid sample from the feeder and rotating on an axis that allows the bulk solid sample to disperse the sample to a collection station.

ROTARY BULK SOLIDS DIVIDER

DOEpatents

Maronde, Carl P.; Killmeyer JR., Richard P.

1992-03-03

An apparatus for the disbursement of a bulk solid sample comprising, a gravity hopper having a top open end and a bottom discharge end, a feeder positioned beneath the gravity hopper so as to receive a bulk solid sample flowing from the bottom discharge end, and a conveyor receiving the bulk solid sample from the feeder and rotating on an axis that allows the bulk solid sample to disperse the sample to a collection station.

Micron Scale Mapping and Depth Profiling of Organic Compounds in Geologic Material: Femtosecond - Laser Desorption Laser Postionization - Mass Spectrometry (fs-LDPI-MS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasterski, M. J.; Barry, G. E.; Hanley, L.; Kenig, F. P. H.

2017-12-01

One of the major challenges within the field of organic geochemistry is to determine whether an observed biomarker signature is indigenous (emplaced during sedimentation), non-indigenous (emplaced after sedimentation) or contaminant (incorporated during sampling, storage or analysis). The challenge of determining the mode of emplacement of an observed biomarker signature is accentuated in analyses of Precambrian samples, and may be an issue upon Mars sample return. Current geochemical techniques (e.g. gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, GC-MS, GC×GC-MS) can determine the composition and structure of the organic constituents of a sample. However, the preparatory steps necessary prior to GC-MS analysis (sample crushing, solvent extraction) make it impossible to determine the precise spatial distribution of organic molecules within rocks and sediments. Here, we will present data from the first set of micron (2-5 μm width × 8 μm depth) resolution MS-images of organic compounds in geologic material. Fs-LDPI-MS was utilized to create MS-images of organic compounds in four samples: (1) an Antarctic igneous dike used as a sample blank; (2) a 93 million year-old (Ma) burrowed carbonate collected near Pueblo, CO; (3) a 164 Ma organic rich mudstone collected in central England; and (4) a 2680 Ma metasediment collected in Timmins, ON, Canada. Prior to this study, all samples had been analyzed via GC-MS to determine the bulk hydrocarbon composition. For this study, thick sections (70-100 μm thick) were prepared in-house using custom-designed clean preparation techniques. Petrographic maps of the thick sections were created to highlight geologic features such as burrows (sample 2), particulate organic matter (sample 3) and hydrothermal veins (sample 4). Fs-LDPI-MS analysis was performed on the mapped thick sections. MS-images of targeted organic compounds were created, and the MS-images were overlain with the petrographic maps to determine the spatial distribution of the organic compounds relative to host rock features. We were able to use the spatial distribution of the targeted organic compounds to unambiguously characterize them as either indigenous, non-indigenous or contaminants. This technique is applicable to the analysis of both Precambrian samples and extraterrestrial material.

Identification of type and causes of filamentous bulking under Mediterranean conditions.

PubMed

Noutsopoulos, C; Andreadakis, A; Mamais, D; Gavalakis, E

2007-01-01

A national survey to identify the most common filamentous microorganisms in Greek wastewater treatment plants, to assess the extent of filamentous bulking phenomenon and to correlate the occurrence of these bacteria to specific operating parameters, was carried out for five years. According to the conclusions of this survey filamentous bulking is a widespread phenomenon in Greek wastewater treatment plants. Almost 70% of the sludge samples examined exhibited filament indices greater than 4 during the winter period. The most common filamentous species found in a decreasing order were M. parvicella, Type 0092, GALOs, Type 0041 and N. limicola. A seasonal variation of the composition of the biomass was observed. M. parvicella is the dominant species during winter periods, while T0092 is the dominant species during summer conditions. This seasonal pattern of biomass composition was followed by a similar seasonal variation of the settling characteristics in terms of Filament Index (FI) and Sludge Volume Index (SVI) values. M. parvicella's proliferation is favored in Carrousel and oxidation ditches systems especially when primary settling stage was preceeded, whereas its growth is also highly stimulated in intermittent aeration systems, even in the absence of primary settling tanks. Finally there is evidence that Bio-P systems without primary sedimentation inhibit its growth.

Cyclic formation and dissociation of methane hydrate within partially water saturated sand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kneafsey, T. J.; Nakagawa, S.

2010-12-01

For partially water-saturated sediments, laboratory experiments have shown that methane hydrate forms heterogeneously within a sample at the core scale. The heterogeneous distribution of hydrate in combination with grain-scale hydrate location (eg. grain cementing, load bearing, and pore filling), determines the overall mechanical properties of hydrate-bearing sediments including shear strength and seismic properties. For this reason, understanding the heterogeneity of hydrate-bearing sample is essential when the bulk properties of the sample are examined in the laboratory. We present a series of laboratory methane hydrate formation and dissociation experiments with concurrent x-ray CT imaging and low-frequency (near 1 kHz) seismic measurements. The seismic measurements were conducted using a new acoustic resonant bar technique called the Split Hopkinson Resonant Bar method, which allows using a small sediment core (3.75 cm diameter, 7.5 cm length). The experiment was conducted using a jacketed, pre-compacted, fine-grain silica sand sample with a 40% distilled water saturation. Under isotropic confining stress of 6.9 MPa and a temperature 4 oC, the hydrate was formed in the sample by injecting pure methane gas at 5.6 MPa. Once the hydrate formed, it was dissociated by reducing the pore pressure to 2.8 MPa. This cycle was repeated by three times (dissociation test for the third cycle was not done) to examine the resulting changes in the hydrate distribution and seismic signatures. The repeated formation of hydrate resulted in significant changes in its distribution, which resulted in differences in the overall elastic properties of the sample, determined from the seismic measurements. Interestingly, the time intervals between the dissociation and subsequent formation of hydrate affected the rate of hydrate formation, shorter intervals resulting in faster formation. This memory effect, possibly caused by the presence of residual “seed crystals” in the pore water providing nucleation points for hydrate formation, did not result in rapid formation at all locations in the sample. In spite of heterogeneity, observed seismic properties were very similar for the two measurements during dissociation.

The Miocene Extraterrestrial Dust Deposition Event Tracked by Helium, Neon, Chromium and Extraterrestrial Insoluble Organic Matter at the Monte Dei Corvi Beach Section

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meier, M. M. M.; Steele, R. C. J.; Schmitz, B.; Piani, L.; Maden, C.; Plant, A. A.; Schönbächler, M.; Busemann, H.

2017-12-01

A temporarily increased flux of extraterrestrial dust to Earth can lead to tell-tale clues in sediments of the same age. A common example is peaks of 3He in sediments, which occur because extraterrestrial material is rich in implanted solar wind that has a high 3He/4He ratio compared to the atmosphere. One of two known 3He-peaks in Cenozoic sediments is found within the Miocene, at an age of about 8 Ma (Tortonian stage). This peak has been tied to the asteroid break-up event which formed the Veritas family (Farley et al., Nature, 2006). The Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point for the Tortonian is located near Monte Dei Corvi, in Ancona, Italy. It has previously been well characterized using both magneto- and cyclostratigraphy (Hüsing et al., EPSL, 2009), and can thus provide excellent time-constraints on the age of the event, now dated to have started at 8.47±0.05 Ma (Montanari et al., GSA Bulletin, 2017). In this project, we study these sediments with the primary goal of determining the meteoritic type of the extraterrestrial dust. We have been following three different avenues towards that goal: (1) light noble gas (He, Ne) analyses of bulk sediments (Meier et al., Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society, 2016), which are used as tracers of dust flux. The measured He vs. Ne allows us to characterize the preservation state of the extraterrestrial noble gases in the sediments (see Chavrit et al., EPSL, 2016); (2) Cr abundance and isotope analysis of bulk sediments and residues, which should allow us to determine the meteoritic type of the deposited dust (e.g., Rotaru et al., Nature, 1992); (3) an attempt to isolate and characterize potentially surviving meteoritic organic matter in the bulk sediments from Monte Dei Corvi. Insoluble organic matter, which contributes 1-2% of the mass in some carbonaceous chondrites (tied to C- and D-type asteroids, like the ones found abundantly in the Veritas family; Ziffer et al., Icarus, 2011) is strongly acid- and temperature-resistant, and shows D/H and 14N/15N isotopic anomalies (e.g., Piani et al., EPSL, 2015). It thus has potential as a new tracer for dust deposition events from carbonaceous chondrite parent asteroids. We will provide an update for all three projects at the conference.

Enhanced Saharan dust input to the Levant during Heinrich stadials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torfstein, Adi; Goldstein, Steven L.; Stein, Mordechai

2018-04-01

The history of dust transport to the Levant during the last glacial period is reconstructed using the isotope ratios of Pb, Sr, Nd, and Hf in sediments of Lake Lisan, the last glacial Dead Sea. Exposed marginal sections of the Lisan Formation were sampled near Masada, the Perazim Valley and from a core drilled at the deep floor of the modern lake. Bulk samples and size fractions display unique isotopic fingerprints: the finest detritus fraction (<5 μm) displays higher 87Sr/86Sr and lower εNd values (0.710-0.713 and -7.0 to -9.8, respectively) relative to the coarser fractions (5-20 μm and <20 μm; 0.708-0.710 and -3.4 to -8.3) and the bulk detritus samples (0.709-0.711 and -6 to -7.5). Similarly, the 206Pb/204Pb, 207Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb ratios (18.26-19.02, 15.634-15.68, and 38.25-38.82, respectively) are systematically higher in the finest detritus fraction relative to corresponding coarser fractions and bulk samples. The 87Sr/86Sr and εNd values of the finest fraction correspond with those of atmospheric dust originating from the Sahara Desert, while those of the coarse fractions are similar to loess deposits exposed in the Sinai and Negev Deserts. Pronounced excursions in the Sr-Nd-Pb isotope ratios toward more Sahara-like values coincide with the Heinrich (H) stadials 6, 5 and 1, reflecting significant increases in Saharan dust fluxes during regionally arid intervals, reflected by sharp lake level drops. Moreover, during H6 the dust came from different Saharan sources than during H1 and H5. While the relatively wet glacial climate in the Levant suppressed the transport of dust to the lake watershed, short-term hyper-arid spells during H-stadial intervals were accompanied by enhanced supply of fine Sahara dust to this region.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goni, M.A.; Hedges, J.I.

Whole green, litter, and sedimentary fir, hemlock, and cedar needles and bulk sediments collected from the Dabob Bay region in Washington state were analyzed for their cutin-derived CuO reaction products. Cutin acids accounted for {approximately}3% of tissue C in green needles, {approximately}4% in needle litter, 0.5-1.5% in sedimentary needles, and about 0.1% of the organic carbon (OC) in bulk sediments. Approximately 80% of the original cutin acids in fresh green needles were lost from the deepest ({approximately}100 years old) sedimentary tissues. Cutin was more reactive than lignin and polysaccharides, but more stable than the cyclitol components of the same needles.more » Comparative diagenetic losses of the individual cutin acids were not uniform and suggest that additional hydroxy groups and the presence of C double bonds both increase overall reactivity. Diagenetically induced changes in the various cutin parameters used to characterize nonwoody vascular plant tissues were not large enough to confuse degraded conifer tissues with other cutin sources. Based on these trends, the finely disseminated cutin-bearing tissues in Dabob Bay sediments appear to be comprised approximately of equal amounts of highly degraded fir/hemlock and cedar needle fragments. According to this estimate, nonwoody vascular plant debris accounted for roughly 15% of the total organic matter present in these sediments.« less

Effects of water, depth and temperature on partial melting of mantle-wedge fluxed by hydrous sediment-melt in subduction zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallik, Ananya; Dasgupta, Rajdeep; Tsuno, Kyusei; Nelson, Jared

2016-12-01

This study investigates the partial melting of variable bulk H2O-bearing parcels of mantle-wedge hybridized by partial melt derived from subducted metapelites, at pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions applicable to the hotter core of the mantle beneath volcanic arcs. Experiments are performed on mixtures of 25% sediment-melt and 75% fertile peridotite, from 1200 to 1300 °C, at 2 and 3 GPa, with bulk H2O concentrations of 4 and 6 wt.%. Combining the results from these experiments with previous experiments containing 2 wt.% bulk H2O (Mallik et al., 2015), it is observed that all melt compositions, except those produced in the lowest bulk H2O experiments at 3 GPa, are saturated with olivine and orthopyroxene. Also, higher bulk H2O concentration increases melt fraction at the same P-T condition, and causes exhaustion of garnet, phlogopite and clinopyroxene at lower temperatures, for a given pressure. The activity coefficient of silica (ϒSiO2) for olivine-orthopyroxene saturated melt compositions (where the activity of silica, aSiO2 , is buffered by the reaction olivine + SiO2 = orthopyroxene) from this study and from mantle melting studies in the literature are calculated. In melt compositions generated at 2 GPa or shallower, with increasing H2O concentration, ϒSiO2 increases from <1 to ∼1, indicating a transition from non-ideal mixing as OH- in the melt (ϒSiO2 <1) to ideal mixing as molecular H2O (ϒSiO2 ∼1). At pressures >2 GPa, ϒSiO2 >1 at higher H2O concentrations in the melt, indicate requirement of excess energy to incorporate molecular H2O in the silicate melt structure, along with a preference for bridging species and polyhedral edge decorations. With vapor saturation in the presence of melt, ϒSiO2 decreases indicating approach towards ideal mixing of H2O in silicate melt. For similar H2O concentrations in the melt, ϒSiO2 for olivine-orthopyroxene saturated melts at 3 GPa is higher than melts at 2 GPa or shallower. This results in melts generated at 3 GPa being more silica-poor than melts at 2 GPa. Thus, variable bulk H2O and pressure of melt generation results in the partial melts from this study varying in composition from phonotephrite to basaltic andesite at 2 GPa and foidite/phonotephrite to basalt at 3 GPa, forming a spectrum of arc magmas. Modeling suggests that the trace element patterns of sediment-melt are unaffected by the process of hybridization within the hotter core of the mantle-wedge. K2O/H2O and H2O/Ce ratios of the sediment-melts are unaffected, within error, by the process of hybridization of the mantle-wedge. This implies that thermometers based on K2O/H2O and H2O/Ce ratios of arc lavas may be used to estimate slab-top temperatures when (a) sediment-melt from the slab reaches the hotter core of the mantle-wedge by focused flow (b) sediment-melt freezes in the overlying mantle at the slab-mantle interface and the hybridized package rises as a mélange diapir and partially melts at the hotter core of the mantle-wedge. Based on the results from this study and previous studies, both channelized and porous flow of sediment-melt/fluid through the sub-arc mantle can explain geochemical signatures of arc lavas under specific geodynamic scenarios of fluid/melt fluxing, hybridization, and subsequent mantle melting.

The Neogene Ogallala Formation in Southwestern Kansas and Northeastern New Mexico: Preliminary Magnetostratigraphic Analyses for the High Plains-Ogallala Drilling Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeigler, K. E.; Petronis, M. S.; Smith, J. J.; Ludvigson, G. A.; Doveton, J.

2012-12-01

A better understanding of the Ogallala Formation is critical in terms of refining groundwater flow models and management policies for communities relying on aquifers in heterolithic sequences around the globe. The High Plains aquifer remains under increasing stress with the growth of both urban and agricultural areas and therefore, developing the best groundwater management policies will depend on the most accurate characterization of the aquifer, the aquifer materials and their stratigraphic and geochronologic framework. Although mammalian faunal assemblages and volcanic ash bed tephrochronology provide a basic geochronologic framework for the Ogallala Formation, better precision in terms of correlation is needed in order to understand formative processes and depositional histories for the primary water-bearing units in the High Plains aquifer and confining strata. The High Plains-Ogallala Drilling Program (HPODP) was developed to advance understanding of sedimentary facies, stratigraphic framework, and chronostratigraphy of the Ogallala Formation and overlying units that comprise the central High Plains aquifer. The drilling program began in the early summer of 2011 in Haskell Co., western Kansas. By early fall 2011; the drill crew was at 92 m with about 32 m to go until they expect to hit bedrock. The final 32 meters of core was extracted during the summer 2012. Here we report the preliminary magnetostratigraphic and rock magnetic data from the first section of core. We scanned the entire 92 meters of core using an ASC Core Analysis System with a Bartington Instruments MS2C magnetic susceptibility coil allowing for bulk susceptibility measurements to be obtained along the length of the core. In addition, we collected 40 sub samples for paleomagnetic and rock magnetic. Bulk susceptibility data reveal depth dependent changes in rock magnetic properties that we interpret to reflect either climatic driven variations impacting the depositional system or a change in provenance of the sediments. Bulk susceptibility of the sediments decreases by an order of magnitude from the surface to the base of the measured core suggesting a change in detrital magnetic influx. Curie point estimates indicate that the dominant magnetic mineral in all samples is cubic, titanomagnetite phase of variable composition; whether a systemic change with depth exist is as of yet to be revealed. Preliminary paleomagnetic data are encouraging with many sub samples yielding a single component magnetization that decays near univectorally to the origin during both alternating field and thermal demagnetization.

Unraveling signatures of biogeochemical processes and the depositional setting in the molecular composition of pore water DOM across different marine environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Frauke; Koch, Boris P.; Goldhammer, Tobias; Elvert, Marcus; Witt, Matthias; Lin, Yu-Shih; Wendt, Jenny; Zabel, Matthias; Heuer, Verena B.; Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe

2017-06-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in marine sediment pore waters derives largely from decomposition of particulate organic matter and its composition is influenced by various biogeochemical and oceanographic processes in yet undetermined ways. Here, we determine the molecular inventory of pore water DOM in marine sediments of contrasting depositional regimes with ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry and complementary bulk chemical analyses in order to elucidate the factors that shape DOM composition. Our sample sets from the Mediterranean, Marmara and Black Seas covered different sediment depths, ages and a range of marine environments with different (i) organic matter sources, (ii) balances of organic matter production and preservation, and (iii) geochemical conditions in sediment and water column including anoxic, sulfidic and hypersaline conditions. Pore water DOM had a higher molecular formula richness than overlying water with up to 11,295 vs. 2114 different molecular formulas in the mass range of 299-600 Da and covered a broader range of element ratios (H/C = 0.35-2.19, O/C = 0.03-1.19 vs. H/C = 0.56-2.13, O/C = 0.15-1.14). Formula richness was independent of concentrations of DOC and TOC. Near-surface pore water DOM was more similar to water column DOM than to deep pore water DOM from the same core with respect to formula richness and the molecular composition, suggesting exchange at the sediment-water interface. The DOM composition in the deeper sediments was controlled by organic matter source, selective decomposition of specific DOM fractions and early diagenetic molecule transformations. Compounds in pelagic sediment pore waters were predominantly highly unsaturated and N-bearing formulas, whereas oxygen-rich CHO-formulas and aromatic compounds were more abundant in pore water DOM from terrigenous sediments. The increase of S-bearing molecular formulas in the water column and pore waters of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Discovery Basin was consistent with elevated HS- concentrations reflecting the incorporation of sulfur into biomolecules during early diagenesis. Sulfurization resulted in an increased average molecular mass of DOM and higher formula richness (up to 5899 formulas per sample). In sediments from the methanogenic zone in the Black Sea, the DOM pool was distinctly more reduced than overlying sediments from the sulfate-reducing zone. Bottom and pore water DOM from the Discovery Basin contained the highest abundances of aliphatic compounds in the entire dataset; a large fraction of abundant N-bearing formulas possibly represented peptide and nucleotide formulas suggesting preservation of these molecules in the life inhibiting environment of the Discovery Basin. Our unique data set provides the basis for a comprehensive understanding of the molecular signatures in pore water DOM and the turnover of sedimentary organic matter in marine sediments.

Late cretaceous pelagic sediments, volcanic ASH and biotas from near the Louisville hotspot, Pacific Plate, paleolatitude ∼42°S

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ballance, Peter F.; Barron, John A.; Blome, Charles D.; Bukry, David; Cawood, Peter A.; Chaproniere, George C.H.; Frisch, Robyn; Herzer, Richard H.; Nelson, Campbell S.; Quinterno, Paula; Ryan, Holly F.; Scholl, David W.; Stevenson, Andrew J.; Tappin, David G.; Vallier, Tracy L.

1989-01-01

Dredging on the deep inner slope of the Tonga Trench, immediately north of the intersection between the Louisville Ridge hotspot chain and the trench, recovered some Late Cretaceous (Maestrichtian) slightly tuffaceous pelagic sediments. They are inferred to have been scraped off a recently subducted Late Cretaceous guyot of the Louisville chain. In the vicinity of the Louisville hotspot (present location 50°26′S, 139°09′W; Late Cretaceous location ∼42°S, longitude unknown) Late Cretaceous rich diatom, radiolarian, silicoflagellate, foraminiferal and coccolith biotas, accumulated on the flanks of the guyot and are described in this paper. Rich sponge faunas are not described. ?Inoceramus prisms are present. Volcanic ash is of within-plate alkalic character. Isotope ratios in bulk carbonate δ18O − 2.63 to + 0.85, δ13C + 2.98 to 3.83) are normal for Pacific Maestrichtian sediments. The local CCD may have been shallower than the regional CCD, because of high organic productivity. In some samples Late Cretaceous materials have been mixed with Neogene materials. Mixing may have taken place on the flanks of the guyot during transit across the western Pacific, or on the trench slope during or after subduction and offscraping about 0.5 Ma.

Methane hydrate formation in partially water-saturated Ottawa sand

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waite, W.F.; Winters, W.J.; Mason, D.H.

2004-01-01

Bulk properties of gas hydrate-bearing sediment strongly depend on whether hydrate forms primarily in the pore fluid, becomes a load-bearing member of the sediment matrix, or cements sediment grains. Our compressional wave speed measurements through partially water-saturated, methane hydrate-bearing Ottawa sands suggest hydrate surrounds and cements sediment grains. The three Ottawa sand packs tested in the Gas Hydrate And Sediment Test Laboratory Instrument (GHASTLI) contain 38(1)% porosity, initially with distilled water saturating 58, 31, and 16% of that pore space, respectively. From the volume of methane gas produced during hydrate dissociation, we calculated the hydrate concentration in the pore space to be 70, 37, and 20% respectively. Based on these hydrate concentrations and our measured compressional wave speeds, we used a rock physics model to differentiate between potential pore-space hydrate distributions. Model results suggest methane hydrate cements unconsolidated sediment when forming in systems containing an abundant gas phase.

Carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of core catcher samples from the ICDP deep drilling at Laguna Potrok Aike (Patagonia, Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luecke, Andreas; Wissel, Holger; Mayr*, Christoph; Oehlerich, Markus; Ohlendorf, Christian; Zolitschka, Bernd; Pasado Science Team

2010-05-01

The ICDP project PASADO aims to develop a detailed paleoclimatic record for the southern part of the South American continent from sediments of Laguna Potrok Aike (51°58'S, 70°23'W), situated in the Patagonian steppe east of the Andean cordillera and north of the Street of Magellan. The precursor project SALSA recovered the Holocene and Late Glacial sediment infill of Laguna Potrok Aike and developed the environmental history of the semi-arid Patagonian steppe by a consequent interdisciplinary multi-proxy approach (e.g. Haberzettl et al., 2007). From September to November 2008 the ICDP deep drilling took place and successfully recovered in total 510 m of sediments from two sites resulting in a composite depth of 106 m for the selected main study Site 2. A preliminary age model places the record within the last 50.000 years. During the drilling campaign, the core catcher content of each drilled core run (3 m) was taken as separate sample to be shared and distributed between involved laboratories long before the main sampling party. A total of 70 core catcher samples describe the sediments of Site 2 and will form the base for more detailed investigations on the palaeoclimatic history of Patagonia. We here report on the organic carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of bulk sediment and plant debris of the core catcher samples. Similar investigations were performed for Holocene and Late Glacial sediments of Laguna Potrok Aike revealing insights into the organic matter dynamics of the lake and its catchment as well as into climatically induced hydrological variations with related lake level fluctuations (Mayr et al., 2009). The carbon and nitrogen content of the core catcher fine sediment fraction (<200 µm) is low to very low (around 1 % and 0.1 %, respectively) and requires particular attention in isotope analysis. The carbon isotope composition shows comparably little variation around a value of -26.0 per mil. The positive values of the Holocene and the Late Glacial (up to 22.0 per mil) are only sporadically reached down core. Compared to this, separated moss debris is remarkably 13C depleted with a minimum at 31.5 per mil. The nitrogen isotope ratios of glacial Laguna Potrok Aike sediments are lower (2.5 per mil) than those of the younger part of the record. The core catcher samples indicate several oscillations between 0.5 and 3.5 per mil. Data suggest a correlation between nitrogen isotopes and C/N ratios, but no linear relation between carbon isotopes and carbon content and an only weak relationship between carbon and nitrogen isotopes. Increasing nitrogen isotope values from 8000 cm downwards could probably be related to changed environmental conditions of Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3) compared to Marine Isotope Stage 2 (MIS 2). This will be further evaluated with higher resolution from the composite profile including a detailed study of discrete plant debris layers. References Haberzettl, T. et al. (2007). Lateglacial and Holocene wet-dry cycles in southern Patagonia: chronology, sedimentology and geochemistry of a lacustrine record from Laguna Potrok Aike, Argentina. The Holocene, 17: 297-310. Mayr, C. et al. (2009). Isotopic and geochemical fingerprints of environmental changes during the last 16,000 years on lacustrine organic matter from Laguna Potrok Aike (southern Patagonia, Argentina). Journal of Paleolimnology, 42: 81-102.

Soil characteristics of sediment-amended baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) swamps of coastal Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jiang, Ming; Middleton, Beth A.

2011-01-01

Amendments of sediment from dredging activities have played an important role in raising the elevation of sinking coastal wetlands. This study compared the soil characteristics of sediment- amended coastal swamps in the Barataria Preserve unit of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve with natural swamps along Bayou des Familles. The sandy sediment amendments used in the coastal forests had different soil texture and characteristics than the more organic soils of the natural swamps. Three years after the application of these sediments on the sediment-amended swamps, dewatering and compaction of the sediment had occurred but the sediment still had high salinity and bulk density, and low organic matter content. The two sediment-amended swamps differed from each other in that Site 1 had a higher elevation (mean = 25 cm higher) and drier soil than Site 2. The effects of sediment in coastal forested wetlands require separate consideration from studies of salt marshes, e.g., the weight of the sediment might damage tree roots, or the amendments might influence soil stability during storms in a different way. Generally, this study suggests that shallower depths of sediment are more likely to yield environments beneficial to these sinking baldcypress swamps in coastal Louisiana.

Investigating the behaviour of Mg isotopes during the formation of clay minerals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wimpenny, Joshua; Colla, Christopher A.; Yin, Qing-Zhu; Rustad, James R.; Casey, William H.

2014-03-01

We present elemental and isotopic data detailing how the Mg isotope system behaves in natural and experimentally synthesized clay minerals. We show that the bulk Mg isotopic composition (δ26Mg) of a set of natural illite, montmorillonite and kaolinite spans a 2‰ range, and that their isotopic composition depends strongly on a balance between the relative proportions of structural and exchangeable Mg. After acid leaching, these natural clays become relatively enriched in isotopically heavy Mg by between 0.2‰ and 1.6‰. Results of exchange experiments indicate that the Mg that has adsorbed to interlayer spaces and surface charged sites is relatively enriched in isotopically light Mg compared to the residual clay. The isotopic composition of this exchangeable Mg (-1.49‰ to -2.03‰) is characteristic of the isotopic composition of Mg found in many natural waters. Further experiments with an isotopically characterized MgCl2 solution shows that the clay minerals adsorb this exchangeable Mg with little or no isotopic fractionation, although we cannot discount the possibility that the uptake of exchangeable Mg does so with a slight preference for 24Mg. To characterize the behaviour of Mg isotopes during clay mineral formation we synthesized brucite (Mg(OH)2), which we consider to be a good analogue for the incorporation of Mg into the octahedral sheet of Mg-rich clay minerals or into the brucitic layer of clays such as chlorite. In our experiment the brucite mineral becomes enriched in the heavy isotopes of Mg while the corresponding solution is always relatively enriched in isotopically light Mg. The system reaches a steady state after 10 days with a final fractionation factor (αsolid-solution) of 1.0005 at near-neutral pH. This result is consistent with the general consensus that secondary clay minerals preferentially take up isotopically heavy Mg during their formation. However our results also show that exchangeable Mg is an important component within bulk clay minerals and can have an important influence over the bulk clay δ26Mg value. Modeling shows that in certain soils or sediments where the percentage of exchangeable Mg is >30% and the isotopic composition of the exchangeable Mg is around -2‰, the generation of bulk δ26Mg values of <-0.5‰ is likely. On a broader scale, Mg-rich minerals such as smectite and illite are likely to impart a stronger control over the Mg budget in clay rich sediments, and their high structural Mg component is likely to result in bulk sediment δ26Mg values that are closer in composition to the UCC. Despite this, results of modeling, together with experimental observation suggests that the uptake of exchangeable Mg into these clay rich sediments could cause a decrease in the bulk δ26Mg value by up to ˜0.3-0.4‰. This should be accounted for when assessing the δ26Mg value of sediments on a crustal scale.

Fullerenes and interplanetary dust at the Permian-Triassic boundary.

PubMed

Poreda, Robert J; Becker, Luann

2003-01-01

We recently presented new evidence that an impact occurred approximately 250 million years ago at the Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB), triggering the most severe mass extinction in the history of life on Earth. We used a new extraterrestrial tracer, fullerene, a third carbon carrier of noble gases besides diamond and graphite. By exploiting the unique properties of this molecule to trap noble gases inside of its caged structure (helium, neon, argon), the origin of the fullerenes can be determined. Here, we present new evidence for fullerenes with extraterrestrial noble gases in the PTB at Graphite Peak, Antarctica, similar to PTB fullerenes from Meishan, China and Sasayama, Japan. In addition, we isolated a (3)He-rich magnetic carrier phase in three fractions from the Graphite Peak section. The noble gases in this magnetic fraction were similar to zero-age deep-sea interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and some magnetic grains isolated from the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. The helium and neon isotopic compositions for both the bulk Graphite Peak sediments and an isolated magnetic fraction from the bulk material are consistent with solar-type gases measured in zero-age deep-sea sediments and point to a common source, namely, the flux of IDPs to the Earth's surface. In this instance, the IDP noble gas signature for the bulk sediment can be uniquely decoupled from fullerene, demonstrating that two separate tracers are present (direct flux of IDPs for (3)He vs. giant impact for fullerene).

Characterizing the Organic Matter in Surface Sediments from ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE) is located on the north coast of Puerto Rico and includes the San Juan Bay, San José Lagoon, La Torrecilla Lagoon and Piñones Lagoon, as well as the Martín Peña and the Suárez Canals. The SJBE watershed has the highest density of inhabitants and major industrial activities in Puerto Rico. As a result, the SJBE is impacted by wastewater from combined-sewer overflows, faulty sewer lines, and storm water runoff; these factors combined with trash accumulation and infilling of the Martín Peña canal, contribute to decreased tidal exchange and reduced flushing in the estuary. To quantify the impact of the obstruction of the Martín Peña canal on anthropogenic nutrient distribution in the SJBE, over 200 sediment grab samples were collected throughout the estuary in 2015. The samples were analyzed for carbonate content, organic matter, grain size, bulk density, percent phosphorus, percent nitrogen (%N), and stable isotopes (δ15N and δ13C). The %N values were highest in the surface sediments from the western portion of the Martín Peña canal, where %N was >0.86%. In contrast, %N from the adjacent San José lagoon averaged <0.2%. Grain size distributions across the SJBE were consistent with low flushing in the inner portions of the SJBE. While the Martín Peña canal remains phosphorus limited, N:P ratios suggest the San Juna Bay and San José Lagoon have undergone major ecological shifts in the past two decades. Our

A multiproxy fjord sediment record of Holocene climate change from the subantarctic Auckland Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Browne, I. M.; Moy, C. M.; Wilson, G. S.; Neil, H.; Riesselman, C. R.

2014-12-01

The Southern Hemisphere Westerly Winds (SHWW) and the associated oceanic fronts have a major influence on atmospheric and oceanic circulation in the Southern Hemisphere. Sediment cores recovered from fjords along the eastern margin of the sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands (51°S, 166°E) are ideally located to sensitively record changes in the strength and position of the SHWW throughout the Holocene. A 5.75m core from Hanfield Inlet preserves both marine and terrestrial environmental components, which we use to develop a multiproxy record of past climatic conditions. This core, composed entirely of brown marine mud and silt, was recovered from a depth of 44m. Based on the entrance sill depth of the fjord (10mbsl) and our knowledge of regional sea level rise, we infer that the base of the core will be early Holocene in age, which will be confirmed using radiocarbon age dating. Benthic foraminiferal assemblages (125-500μm fraction) in surface and downcore samples are dominated by three taxa, Nonionellina flemingi, Cassidulina carinata and Quinqueloculina seminula. These species are either shallow infaunal or infaunal. We will use stable carbon (δ¹³C) and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) isotope geochemistry of the benthic foraminifera Nonionellina flemingi, Bolivina cf. earlandi, Trifarina angulosa, Bulimina marginata f. marginata and Cibicides species (all identified from Rose Bengal stained box-core samples) to reconstruct water column fluctuations associated with frontal migration. These results will compliment bulk sediment C and N concentration and isotope reconstructions of terrestrial organic matter delivery to fjord sub-basins over the past 12,000 years.

Distributions and Sources of Bulk Organic Matter in Sediments of Five Estuaries in Todos os Santos Bay, Brazil.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leonel, J.; Hatje, V.

2016-02-01

Total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and their δ13C and δ15N values were determined in cores and surficial sediments to evaluate organic matter contents and sources. Samples were collected along the salinity gradient of five estuaries (Paraguaçu, Subaé, Jaguaribe, São Paulo and Mataripe) of the Todos os Santos Bay (BTS), the second largest bay in Brazil. TOC values ranged from 0.7 to 2.7% and TOC/TN ranged between 1.8 and 8.3. Overall, a slight seaward decrease in %TOC as well as C/N is observed. Values of TOC/TN lower than the Redfield ratios were found in most samples from São Paulo and Mataripe estuaries. This is possibly the result of the anthropogenic impacts caused by oil related activities developed in the region. However, natural causes, such as preferential sorption of inorganic N or bacterially derived organic matters in the sediment, should not be dismissed. Indeed, the influence of inorganic N was also indicated by the low correlation found between TOC and TN values in some estuaries and the positive intercept observed in others, the suggesting that they come from different sources. In general, δ13C values ranged from -26.9 to -20.3‰ and enrichment was observed seaward. Consequently, δ13C has a negatively correlation with the TOC /TN values, except for Subaé River. In all estuaries the δ13Cvalues suggest a mixed marine/terrestrial source of the organic matter with an increase of marine influence towards the river mouth.

Polychlorinated biphenyls in two salt marsh sediments of the Venice Lagoon.

PubMed

Mugnai, Cristian; Giuliani, Silvia; Bellucci, Luca G; Carraro, Claudio; Favotto, Maurizio; Frignani, Mauro

2011-10-01

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in two dated salt marsh cores of the Venice Lagoon to assess their input chronology and to evaluate the importance of atmospheric deposition as a source. Sampling sites were chosen in order to evidence the differences between areas located leeward and windward with respect to inputs originating in both the city of Venice and the industrial area. Concentrations of PCB indicators (0.13-15.6 ng g⁻¹) increased gradually from the 1930s, reached maxima from the 1950s to the late 1970s, and then decreased. PCB loadings to marshes are driven by both the atmospheric deposition and the resuspension of subtidal sediments, this latter being more important for heavier congeners. The downwind marsh recorded higher fluxes (0.06-9.72 ng cm⁻² year⁻¹) than the upwind one (0.01-0.53 ng cm⁻² year⁻¹). Recent fluxes are rather consistent with bulk deposition measurements. A higher contribution of CB-101 and CB-118 was detected in the intermediate layers of the downwind site, suggesting a different PCB source for the corresponding time interval. In the other marsh, PCBs showed a rather constant composition at all levels (mostly CB-153, CB-138 and CB-180), accounting for a regional influence. Deep layers showed an enrichment of higher chlorinated congeners at both sites, whereas recent samples conserve the patterns typical of surficial and subsurficial subtidal sediments. The scientific approach adopted in this research can be considered as a sort of methodological procedure for the determination of fluxes and pathways of PCBs through the study of marsh cores.

Microplastic particles in sediments of Lagoon of Venice, Italy: First observations on occurrence, spatial patterns and identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vianello, A.; Boldrin, A.; Guerriero, P.; Moschino, V.; Rella, R.; Sturaro, A.; Da Ros, L.

2013-09-01

In order to improve knowledge of the identification, distribution and abundances of microplastic particles of 1 mm or less (S-MPPs) in the coastal area of the Mediterranean region, a preliminary monitoring survey was carried out in a transitional environment along the north-eastern Italian coasts, the Lagoon of Venice. S-MPPs were evaluated in sediments collected from 10 sites chosen in shallow areas variously affected by natural conditions and anthropogenic influences (i.e., landward stations influenced by freshwater inputs, seaward areas near sea inlets, and sites influenced by the presence of aquaculture farms, industry and city centers). S-MPPs, extracted from bulk sediments by density separation, were counted and identified by Fourier-Transform Infrared Micro-spectroscopy (μFT-IR). The μFT-IR process included automatic surface chemical mapping and references to an infrared library database to identify the compositional spectra of particles. S-MPPs were recovered from all samples - a fact which emphasizes their extensive distribution throughout the Lagoon. Total abundances varied from 2175 to 672 S-MPPs kg-1 d.w., higher concentrations generally being observed in landward sites. Of the ten polymer types identified, the most abundant, accounting for more than 82% of total S-MPPs, were polyethylene and polypropylene. The most frequent size (93% of observed microplastics) was in the range 30-500 μm. Total S-MPP values were significantly correlated with the finer sediment fraction and with the metal pollution index.

Characterization of the intragranular water regime within subsurface sediments: Pore volume, surface area, and mass transfer limitations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hay, M.B.; Stoliker, D.L.; Davis, J.A.; Zachara, J.M.

2011-01-01

Although "intragranular" pore space within grain aggregates, grain fractures, and mineral surface coatings may contain a relatively small fraction of the total porosity within a porous medium, it often contains a significant fraction of the reactive surface area, and can thus strongly affect the transport of sorbing solutes. In this work, we demonstrate a batch experiment procedure using tritiated water as a high-resolution diffusive tracer to characterize the intragranular pore space. The method was tested using uranium-contaminated sediments from the vadose and capillary fringe zones beneath the former 300A process ponds at the Hanford site (Washington). Sediments were contacted with tracers in artificial groundwater, followed by a replacement of bulk solution with tracer-free groundwater and the monitoring of tracer release. From these data, intragranular pore volumes were calculated and mass transfer rates were quantified using a multirate first-order mass transfer model. Tritium-hydrogen exchange on surface hydroxyls was accounted for by conducting additional tracer experiments on sediment that was vacuum dried after reaction. The complementary ("wet" and "dry") techniques allowed for the simultaneous determination of intragranular porosity and surface area using tritium. The Hanford 300A samples exhibited intragranular pore volumes of ???1% of the solid volume and intragranular surface areas of ???20%-35% of the total surface area. Analogous experiments using bromide ion as a tracer yielded very different results, suggesting very little penetration of bromide into the intragranular porosity. Copyright 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

Characterization of the intragranular water regime within subsurface sediments: pore volume, surface area, and mass transfer limitations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hay, Michael B.; Stoliker, Deborah L.; Davis, James A.; Zachara, John M.

2011-01-01

Although "intragranular" pore space within grain aggregates, grain fractures, and mineral surface coatings may contain a relatively small fraction of the total porosity within a porous medium, it often contains a significant fraction of the reactive surface area, and can thus strongly affect the transport of sorbing solutes. In this work, we demonstrate a batch experiment procedure using tritiated water as a high-resolution diffusive tracer to characterize the intragranular pore space. The method was tested using uranium-contaminated sediments from the vadose and capillary fringe zones beneath the former 300A process ponds at the Hanford site (Washington). Sediments were contacted with tracers in artificial groundwater, followed by a replacement of bulk solution with tracer-free groundwater and the monitoring of tracer release. From these data, intragranular pore volumes were calculated and mass transfer rates were quantified using a multirate first-order mass transfer model. Tritium-hydrogen exchange on surface hydroxyls was accounted for by conducting additional tracer experiments on sediment that was vacuum dried after reaction. The complementary ("wet" and "dry") techniques allowed for the simultaneous determination of intragranular porosity and surface area using tritium. The Hanford 300A samples exhibited intragranular pore volumes of ~1% of the solid volume and intragranular surface areas of ~20%–35% of the total surface area. Analogous experiments using bromide ion as a tracer yielded very different results, suggesting very little penetration of bromide into the intragranular porosity.

Year 5 Post-Remediation Biomonitoring of Pesticides and other Contaminants in Marine Waters near the United Heckathorn Superfund Site, Richmond, California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kohn, Nancy P.; Kropp, Roy K.

Marine sediment remediation at the United Heckathorn Superfund Site in Richmond, California, was completed in April 1997. The Record of Decision included a requirement for five years of post-remediation monitoring be conducted in the waterways near the site. The present monitoring year, 2001? 2002, is the fifth and possibly final year of post-remediation monitoring. In March 2002, water and mussel tissues were collected from the four stations in and near Lauritzen Channel that have been routinely monitored since 1997-98. A fifth station in Parr Canal was sampled in Year 5 to document post-remediation water and tissue concentrations there. Dieldrin andmore » dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) were analyzed in water samples and in tissue samples from resident (i.e., naturally occurring) mussels. As in Years 3 and 4, mussels were not transplanted to the study area in Year 5. Year 5 concentrations of dieldrin and total DDT in water and total DDT in tissue were compared with those from Years 1 through 4 of post-remediation monitoring, and with preremediation data from the California State Mussel Watch Program and the Ecological Risk Assessment for the United Heckathorn Superfund Site. Year 5 water samples and mussel tissues were also analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), which were detected in sediment samples during Year 2 monitoring and were added to the water and mussel tissue analyses in 1999. Contaminants of concern in Year 5 water samples were analyzed in both bulk (total) phase and dissolved phase, as were total suspended solids, to evaluate the contribution of particulates to the total contaminant concentration.« less

A new combined nanoSIMS and continuous-flow IRMS approach to measure hydrogen isotopes from water in hydrated rhyolitic glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatti, E.; Kitchen, N.; Newman, S.; Guan, Y.; Westgate, J.; Pearce, N. J. G.; Nikolic, D.; Eiler, J. M.

2016-12-01

The hydrogen-isotope value of water of hydration (or secondary water) preserved in rhyolitic glasses may provide significant insights regarding the climate at the time of their deposition and the impact of super-eruptions upon the environment. However, the ability of the glass to retain the environmental D/H isotopic signal after hydration needs to be tested, since modifications to the D/H systematics may result from the continuous exchange of D/H with the atmosphere or condensed water after initial glass hydration. Ideal geological archives to test whether the glass retains its original hydrogen signal are sediments in natural waters and ice cores, which preserve tephra in constrained horizons that can be independently isotopically characterised. However, tephra in marine and fresh water sediments and ice cores are often present in concentrations of the order of 1000 grains/cm3 (<5 mg of collectible material). Traditional IRMS methods require much more material ( 100-500 mg) and therefore cannot be applied. We present here a new integrated nanoSIMS and continuous flow IRMS approach to understand how water is distributed within single glass grains (diffusion profiles), quantify the time of hydration of young (Holocene) and old (Miocene) already well-characterised rhyolitic glasses, and measure the D/H ratio of the hydration water on single grains and bulk material consisting of only approximately 0.1-1 mg. The IRMS method measures the absolute abundance of hydrogen released from the sample by continuous-flow mass spectrometry. Current data indicates that the method can accurately measure a hydrogen signal from a rock sample containing at least 400 nanomoles of H2, corresponding to 70 µg of water, which translates to 1 mg of hydrous glass (>3 wt%) or 15 mg of dry ( 0.5 wt%) obsidian chips. The method can be improved by reducing the blank to <1 nmol/min and reducing capillary empty space. The bulk results obtained with the continuous-flow IRMS method will be compared to sub-micron mapping of single-grains using a high-resolution ion microprobe, the CAMECA NanoSIMS 50L, in the Microanalysis Center for Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry at California Institute of Technology, in order to define the reliability of the bulk method and assess natural variability within and among grains.

Geomorphic Response to Significant Sediment Loading Along Tahoma Creek on Mount Rainier, WA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, S.; Kennard, P.; Pitlick, J.

2012-12-01

Increased sediment loading in streams draining the flanks of Mt. Rainier has caused significant damage to National Park Service infrastructure and has prompted concern in downstream communities. The processes driving sedimentation and the controls on downstream response are explored in the 37 km2 Tahoma Creek basin, using repeat LiDAR surveys supplemented with additional topographic datasets. DEM differencing between 2003 and 2008 LiDAR datasets shows that over 2.2 million cubic meters of material was evacuated from the upper reaches of the basin, predominately in the form of debris flows. These debris flows were sourced in recently exposed lateral moraines, bulking through the broad collapse of unstable hillslopes. 40% of this material was deposited in the historic debris fan 4-6 km downstream of the terminus, while 55% completely exited the system at the downstream point of the surveys. Distinct zones of aggradation and incision of up to one meter are present along the lower channel and appear to be controlled by valley constrictions and inflections. However, the lower channel has shown remarkable long-term stability in the face of significant sediment loads. Alder ages suggest fluvial high stands in the late 70's and early 90's, immediately following periods of significant debris flow activity, yet the river quickly returned to pre-disturbance elevations. On longer time scales, the presence of old-growth forest on adjacent floodplain/terrace surfaces indicates broad stability on both vertical and horizontal planes. More than a passive indicator, these forested surfaces play a significant role in maintaining channel stability through increased overbank roughness and the formation of bank-armoring log jams. Sediment transport mechanics along this lower reach are explored using the TomSED sediment transport model, driven by data from an extensive sediment sampling and stream gaging effort. In its current state, the model is able to replicate the stability of the channel but significantly under predicts total loads when compared to the LiDAR differencing.

Deep subsurface life in Bengal Fan sediments (IODP Exp. 354)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhikari, R. R.; Heuer, V. B.; Elvert, M.; Kallmeyer, J.; Kitte, J. A.; Wörmer, L.; Hinrichs, K. U.

2017-12-01

We collected Bengal Fan sediment samples along a 8°N transect during International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 354 (February - March 2015, Singapore - Colombo, Sri Lanka) to study subseafloor life in this, as yet unstudied, area. Among other biogeochemical parameters, we quantified microbial biomass by analyzing prokaryotic cells using epifluorescence microscopy after detaching cells from the sediment, and bacterial endospores by analyzing the diagnostic biomarker dipicolinic acid (DPA) by detection of fluorescence of the terbium-DPA complex. To gain understanding of total microbial activity, we quantified hydrogen utilization potential of hydrogenase enzymes, which are ubiquitous in subsurface microorganisms, by using a tritium assay. We measured highest cell concentrations of ca. 108 cells g-1 in shallow sediments close to the seafloor. These concentrations are one to two orders of magnitude lower than in most marine continental margin settings [1]. Similar to the global trend [1], cell concentrations decreased with depth according to a power-law function. Endospore concentrations scattered between ca. 105 and 107 cells g-1 sediment at all sites and depths. We could not observe a clear relationship of endospore concentration and sediment depth; instead, it appears to be linked to lithology and total organic carbon content. Bulk Hydrogenase enzyme activity ranged from nmolar to μmolar range of H2 g-1d-1. Similar to previous observations [2], per-cell hydrogen utilization depends on vertical biogeochemical zones, which could be due to the differences in hydrogen utilization requirements/efficiency of the respective metabolic processes such as sulfate reduction, methanogenesis, fermentation etc. Bengal fan is highly dynamic due to channel and levee systems and the sediments are dominated by turbidites, thick sand layers and hemipelagic deposits, which may control biogeochemical zonation. Based on our microbial biomass and activity data, we suggest that the nature, quality and origin of sedimentary material influence the deep subsurface life. [1] Kallmeyer et al., (2012) PNAS 109(40), 16213-16216 [2] Adhikari et al., (2016) Frontiers in Microbiology 7:8

Deep sea microbial fuel cell output as a proxy for microbial activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, K.; George, R.; Hardy, K. R.

2016-02-01

Abstract: Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) work by providing bacteria in anaerobic sediments with an electron acceptor (anode) that stimulates metabolism of organic matter. The buried anode is connected via control circuitry to a cathode exposed to oxygen in the overlying water. During metabolism, bacteria release hydrogen ions into the sediment and transfer electrons extra-cellularly to the anode, which eventually reduce dissolved oxygen at the cathode, forming water. The current is chiefly limited by the rate of microbial metabolism at the anode and serves as a proxy for microbial activity. The Office of Naval Research has encouraged development of microbial fuel cells in the marine environment at a number of academic and naval institutions and studies of important environmental parameters that affect fuel cell performance. Earlier work in shallow sediments of San Diego Bay showed that the most important environmental parameters that control fuel cell power output in San Diego Bay were total organic carbon in the sediment and seasonal water temperature. Current MFC work at SPAWAR includes extension of microbial fuel cell tests to the deep sea environment (>4000 m) and, in parallel, testing microbial fuel cells in the laboratory under deep sea conditions. We are pursuing a field efforts to deploy a microbial fuel cell in progressively deeper water, record in situ power and temperature over several weeks, and retrieve the fuel cell along with sediment samples for analysis. We are also pursuing a laboratory effort to build a matching microbial fuel cell in a pressure vessel capable of matching the pressure and temperature of deep water, and stocking the pressure vessel with deep water sediment in order to take measurements analogous to those in the field. We also hope to determine whether bacteria growing on the anode are different from bacteria growing in the bulk sediment via DNA analysis. The current progress and results from this work at SPAWAR will be presented.

Legacy Mercury in Alviso Slough, South San Francisco Bay, California: Concentration, Speciation and Mobility

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marvin-DiPasquale, Mark; Cox, Marisa H.

2007-01-01

Mercury (Hg) is a significant contaminant in the waters, sediment and biota of San Francisco Bay, largely resulting from extensive historic regional mining activities. Alviso Slough represents one of the most mercury contaminated waterways entering south San Francisco Bay, as it is associated with the drainage of the New Almaden mercury mining district. Wetland habitat restoration of former salt manufacturing ponds adjacent to Alviso Slough is currently being planned. One management scenario being considered is a levee breach between Alviso Slough and Pond A8, which will allow reconnection of the salt pond with the tidal slough. This action is projected to increase the tidal prism within Alviso Slough and result in some degree of sediment remobilization as the main channel deepens and widens. The focus of the current study is to assess: a) the current mercury species composition and concentration in sediments within the Alviso Slough main channel and its associated fringing marsh plain, b) how much of each mercury species will be mobilized as a result of projected channel deepening and widening, and c) potential changes in inorganic reactive mercury bioavailability (for conversion to toxic methylmercury) associated with the mobilized sediment fraction. The current report details the field sampling approach and all laboratory analyses conducted, as well as provides the complete dataset associated with this project including a) a quantitative assessment of mercury speciation (total mercury, reactive mercury and methylmercury), b) estimates of the quantity of sediment and mercury mobilized based on 20-foot and 40-foot levee wall notch scenarios, and c) results from a sediment scour experiment examining the changes in the reactive mercury pool under four treatment conditions (high / low salinity and oxic / anoxic water). Ancillary sediment data also collected and reported herein include bulk density, organic content, magnetic susceptibility, percent dry weight, grain size, pH, oxidation-reduction potential, core photography, and detailed lithographic descriptions.

Sediment impact assessment of check-dam removal strategies on a mountain river in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, W.; Wang, H.; Stark, C. P.

2011-12-01

Dam removal is important for reconnecting river habitats and restoring the free flow of water and sediment, so managing accumulated sediments is crucial in dam removal planning as the cost and potential impacts of dam removal can vary substantially depending on local conditions. A key uncertainty in dam removal is the fate of reservoir sediment stored upstream of the dam. Release of impounded sediment could raise downstream bed elevations leading to flooding, increase lateral channel mobility leading to bank erosion, and potentially bury downstream ecologically sensitive habitats if the sediment is fine. The ability to predict the sediment impacts of dam removal in highly sediment-filled systems is thus increasingly important as the number of such dam-removal cases is growing. Due to the safety concerns and the need for habitat restoration for the Formosan landlocked salmon, the Shei-Pa National Park in Taiwan removed the 15m high Chijiawan "No. 1 Check Dam" in late May 2011. During the planning process prior to removal, we conducted field surveys, numerical simulations, and flume experiments to determine sediment impacts and to suggest appropriate dam removal strategies. We collected river-bed topography and sediment bulk samples in 2010 to establish the channel geometry and grain-size distribution for modeling input. The scaled flume experiment was designed to provide insights on how and if the position of a notch location and size would affect the rate and amount of reservoir erosion under particular discharges. Observations indicated that choices of notch location can force the river to migrate differently. For long-term prediction, we used the quasi-two-dimensional numerical model NETSTARS (Network of Stream Tube model for Alluvial River Simulation) to simulate the channel responses. These simulations indicated that high suspended sediment concentrations would be the most likely major concern in the first year, while concerns for downstream sediment deposition would be minor. We then compared the experimental and numerical predictions with the response of the river to the actual removal. Comparisons of river bed topography pre- and post-dam removal suggest that the predictions provided solid information but also highlight discrepancies between the model predictions and the field data that have implications for future dam-removal assessments.

Transport and deposition of asbestos-rich sediment in the Sumas River, Whatcom County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curran, Christopher A.; Anderson, Scott W.; Barbash, Jack E.; Magirl, Christopher S.; Cox, Stephen E.; Norton, Katherine K.; Gendaszek, Andrew S.; Spanjer, Andrew R.; Foreman, James R.

2016-02-08

Heavy sediment loads in the Sumas River of Whatcom County, Washington, increase seasonal turbidity and cause locally acute sedimentation. Most sediment in the Sumas River is derived from a deep-seated landslide of serpentinite that is located on Sumas Mountain and drained by Swift Creek, a tributary to the Sumas River. This mafic sediment contains high amounts of naturally occurring asbestiform chrysotile. A known human-health hazard, asbestiform chrysotile comprises 0.25–37 percent, by mass, of the total suspended sediment sampled from the Sumas River as part of this study, which included part of water year 2011 and all of water years 2012 and 2013. The suspended-sediment load in the Sumas River at South Pass Road, 0.6 kilometers (km) downstream of the confluence with Swift Creek, was 22,000 tonnes (t) in water year 2012 and 49,000 t in water year 2013. The suspended‑sediment load at Telegraph Road, 18.8 km downstream of the Swift Creek confluence, was 22,000 t in water year 2012 and 27,000 t in water year 2013. Although hydrologic conditions during the study were wetter than normal overall, the 2-year flood peak was only modestly exceeded in water years 2011 and 2013; runoff‑driven geomorphic disturbance to the watershed, which might have involved mass wasting from the landslide, seemed unexceptional. In water year 2012, flood peaks were modest, and the annual streamflow was normal. The fact that suspended-sediment loads in water year 2012 were equivalent at sites 0.6 and 18.8 km downstream of the sediment source indicates that the conservation of suspended‑sediment load can occur under normal hydrologic conditions. The substantial decrease in suspended-sediment load in the downstream direction in water year 2013 was attributed to either sedimentation in the intervening river reach, transfer to bedload as an alternate mode of sediment transport, or both.The sediment in the Sumas River is distinct from sediment in most other river systems because of the large percentage of asbestiform chrysotile in suspension. The suspended sediment carried by the Sumas River consists of three major components: (1) a relatively dense, largely non-flocculated material that settles rapidly out of suspension; (2) a lighter component containing relatively high proportions of flocculated material, much of it composed of asbestiform chrysotile; and (3) individual chrysotile fibers that are too small to flocculate or settle out, and remain in suspension as wash load (these fibers are on the order of microns in length and tenths of microns in diameter). Whereas the bulk density of the first (heaviest) component of suspended sediment was between 1.5 and 1.6 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3), the bulk density of the flocculated material was an order of magnitude lower (0.16 g/cm3), even after 24 hours of settling. Soon after immersion in water, the fresh chrysotile fibers derived from the Swift Creek landslide seem to flocculate readily into large bundles, or floccules, that exhibit settling velocities characteristic of coarse silts and fine sands (30 and 250 micrometers). In quiescent water within this river system, the floccules settle out quickly, but still leave between 2.4 and 19.5 million chrysotile fibers per liter in the clear overlying water. Consistent with the results from previous laboratory research, the amounts of asbestiform chrysotile in the water column in Swift Creek, as well as in the Sumas River close to and downstream of its confluence with Swift Creek, were determined to be directly correlated with pH. This observation offers a possible alternative to either turbidity or suspended‑sediment concentration as a surrogate for the concentration of fresh asbestiform chrysotile in suspension.Continued movement and associated erosion of the landslide through mass wasting and runoff will maintain large sediment loads in Swift Creek and in the Sumas River for the foreseeable future. Given the present channel morphology of the river system, aggradation (that is, sediment accumulation) in Swift Creek and the Sumas River are also likely to continue.

To improve the performance of sediment microbial fuel cell through amending colloidal iron oxyhydroxide into freshwater sediments.

PubMed

Zhou, Yan-Li; Yang, Ying; Chen, Mo; Zhao, Zhi-Wei; Jiang, He-Long

2014-05-01

Effects of iron oxide amendment into freshwater sediments on performance of sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) were investigated. It was found that amending amorphous bulk ferric oxyhydroxide, and crystalline goethite and magnetite did not affect SMFC operation. However, amendment of the mixed solution including soluble ferric citrate and colloidal iron oxyhydroxide, stably improved SMFC performance with voltage outputs up to threefolds higher than those without amendment. The enhanced voltage production corresponded to lower anode potential, but was not related to organic matter removal in sediments. Further experiments demonstrated that colloidal iron oxyhydroxide instead of soluble ferric iron played an important role in voltage production through maintaining high-concentration ferrous iron in pore water of sediments as electron shuttle and for chemical oxidation on the anode. Thus, colloidal iron oxyhydroxide amendment was a promising strategy to improve power production from SMFC employed in sediments especially with low content of organic matters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical Properties of Gas Hydrates: A Review

DOE PAGES

Gabitto, Jorge F.; Tsouris, Costas

2010-01-01

Memore » thane gas hydrates in sediments have been studied by several investigators as a possible future energy resource. Recent hydrate reserves have been estimated at approximately 10 16   m 3 of methane gas worldwide at standard temperature and pressure conditions. In situ dissociation of natural gas hydrate is necessary in order to commercially exploit the resource from the natural-gas-hydrate-bearing sediment. The presence of gas hydrates in sediments dramatically alters some of the normal physical properties of the sediment. These changes can be detected by field measurements and by down-hole logs. An understanding of the physical properties of hydrate-bearing sediments is necessary for interpretation of geophysical data collected in field settings, borehole, and slope stability analyses; reservoir simulation; and production models. This work reviews information available in literature related to the physical properties of sediments containing gas hydrates. A brief review of the physical properties of bulk gas hydrates is included. Detection methods, morphology, and relevant physical properties of gas-hydrate-bearing sediments are also discussed.« less

Low temperature hydrothermal maturation of organic matter in sediments from the Atlantis II Deep, Red Sea

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simoneit, Bernd R. T.; Grimalt, Joan O.; Hayes, J. M.; Hartman, Hyman

1987-01-01

Hydrocarbons and bulk organic matter of two sediment cores within the Atlantis II Deep are analyzed, and microbial inputs and minor terrestrial sources are found to represent the major sedimentary organic material. Results show that extensive acid-catalyzed reactions are occurring in the sediments, and the Atlantis II Deep is found to exhibit a lower degree of thermal maturation than other hydrothermal or intrusive systems. The lack of carbon number preference noted among the n-alkanes suggests that the organic matter of these sediments has undergone some degree of catagenesis, though yields of hydrocarbons are much lower than those found in other hydrothermal areas, probably due to the effect of lower temperature and poor source-rock characteristics.

Middle to Late Holocene Fluctuations of C3 and C4 Vegetation in a Northern New England Salt Marsh, Sprague Marsh, Phippsburg Maine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, B J; Moore, K A; Lehmann, C

2006-05-26

A 3.1 meter sediment core was analyzed for stable carbon isotope composition of organic matter and higher plant leaf wax (HPLW) lipid biomarkers to determine Holocene shifts in C{sub 3} (higher high marsh) and C{sub 4} (low and/or high marsh) plant deposition at the Sprague River Salt Marsh, Phippsburg, Maine. The carbon isotope composition of the bulk sediment and the HPLW parallel each other throughout most of the core, suggesting that terrestrial plants are an important source of organic matter to the sediments, and diagenetic alteration of the bulk sediments is minimal. The current salt marsh began to form 2500more » cal yr BP. Low and/or high C{sub 4} marsh plants dominated deposition at 2000 cal yr BP, 700 cal yr BP, and for the last 200 cal yr BP. Expansion of higher high marsh C{sub 3} plants occurred at 1300 and 600 cal yr BP. These major vegetation shifts result from a combination of changes in relative sea-level rise and sediment accumulation rates. Average annual carbon sequestration rates for the last 2500 years approximate 40 g C yr{sup -1} m{sup -2}, and are in strong agreement with other values published for the Gulf of Maine. Given that Maine salt marshes cover an area of {approx}79 km{sup 2}, they represent an important component of the terrestrial carbon sink. More detailed isotopic and age records from a network of sediment cores at Sprague Marsh are needed to truly evaluate the long term changes in salt marsh plant communities and the impact of more recent human activity, including global warming, on salt marsh vegetation.« less

Bulk and export production fluxes from sediment traps in the Gulf of Aqaba, north Red Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torfstein, A.; Kienast, S.; Shaked, Y.

2016-12-01

Real time observations of the dynamics between dust input, primary production, and export production in deep oligotrophic waters are extremely rare. This is especially true in the context of the direct response and lag time between nutrient supply (e.g., dust), the oceanic biogeochemical response and the signal transfer from the water to sedimentary record. Here, we present the first direct measurments of bulk and export production fluxes in the deep oligotrophic Gulf of Aqaba (GOA), northern Red Sea, located between the hyper-arid Sahara and Arabia Deserts. This study is based on a coupled sediment trap array that provides daily- and monthly- resolution since January 2014. This coupled configuration allows for a unique collection of marine particulates, whereby the annual and seasonal patterns can be evaluated in the context of discrete (daily-timescale) events such as abrupt dust storms, floods and biological blooms. The marine organic C and N fluxes range annually between 0.02-0.25 and 0.001-0.1 g d-1 m-2, respectively. Both show a sharp decay with depth, corresponding to the "Martin curve" (Martin et al., 1987, Deep-Sea Research, 34, 267-285). Importantly, the daily-resolution sampling provides insights to the seasonal increase in export production during the winter and early spring. Rather than a smooth seasonal cycle, this increase is driven by only very few short events, lasting no more than a few days, during which export production increases by an order of magnitude above the baseline. Yet, the nature of these export production "spikes" is non-unique because they reflect different "trigger" events such as dust storms or water column mixing. Accordingly, we present a quantitative evaluation of the observations in the context of coeval dust flux records and the physical and chemical configuration of the GOA over the time of sampling period, and present and quantitative mass balance of particle fluxes in this deep yet land-locked marine setting.

Geochemistry of mercury and other constituents in subsurface sediment—Analyses from 2011 and 2012 coring campaigns, Cache Creek Settling Basin, Yolo County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arias, Michelle R.; Alpers, Charles N.; Marvin-DiPasquale, Mark C.; Fuller, Christopher C.; Agee, Jennifer L.; Sneed, Michelle; Morita, Andrew Y.; Salas, Antonia

2017-10-31

Cache Creek Settling Basin was constructed in 1937 to trap sediment from Cache Creek before delivery to the Yolo Bypass, a flood conveyance for the Sacramento River system that is tributary to the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. Sediment management options being considered by stakeholders in the Cache Creek Settling Basin include sediment excavation; however, that could expose sediments containing elevated mercury concentrations from historical mercury mining in the watershed. In cooperation with the California Department of Water Resources, the U.S. Geological Survey undertook sediment coring campaigns in 2011–12 (1) to describe lateral and vertical distributions of mercury concentrations in deposits of sediment in the Cache Creek Settling Basin and (2) to improve constraint of estimates of the rate of sediment deposition in the basin.Sediment cores were collected in the Cache Creek Settling Basin, Yolo County, California, during October 2011 at 10 locations and during August 2012 at 5 other locations. Total core depths ranged from approximately 4.6 to 13.7 meters (15 to 45 feet), with penetration to about 9.1 meters (30 feet) at most locations. Unsplit cores were logged for two geophysical parameters (gamma bulk density and magnetic susceptibility); then, selected cores were split lengthwise. One half of each core was then photographed and archived, and the other half was subsampled. Initial subsamples from the cores (20-centimeter composite samples from five predetermined depths in each profile) were analyzed for total mercury, methylmercury, total reduced sulfur, iron speciation, organic content (as the percentage of weight loss on ignition), and grain-size distribution. Detailed follow-up subsampling (3-centimeter intervals) was done at six locations along an east-west transect in the southern part of the Cache Creek Settling Basin and at one location in the northern part of the basin for analyses of total mercury; organic content; and cesium-137, which was used for dating. This report documents site characteristics; field and laboratory methods; and results of the analyses of each core section and subsample of these sediment cores, including associated quality-assurance and quality-control data.

Compilation of gas geochemistry and isotopic analyses from The Geysers geothermal field: 1978-1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lowenstern, Jacob B.; Janik, Cathy; Fahlquist, Lynne; Johnson, Linda S.

1999-01-01

We present 45 chemical and isotopic analyses from well discharges at The Geysers geothermal field and summarize the most notable geochemical trends. H2 and H2S concentrations are highest in the Southeast Geysers, where steam samples have δD and δ18O values that reflect replenishment by meteoric water. In the Northwest Geysers, samples are enriched in gas/steam, CO2, CH4, and N2/Ar relative to the rest of the field, and contain steam that is elevated in δD and δ18O, most likely due to substantial contributions from Franciscan-derived fluids. The δ13C of CO2, trends in CH4 vs. N2, and abundance of NH3 indicate that the bulk of the non-condensable gases are derived from thermal breakdown of organic materials in Franciscan meta-sediments.

Decline of the Macquarie Marshes ecosystem, Australia, since European arrival recorded by organic geochemical proxies in sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, L.; Chivas, A. R.; Garcia, A.; Hu, J.

2011-12-01

The Macquarie Marshes are floodplain wetlands in semi-arid NSW, Australia, and a Ramsar site experiencing accelerated deterioration in the last 50 years due to anthropogenic activities. We investigated environmental changes occurring in the northern and southern marshes using organic geochemical proxies from short cores and surface samples as modern analogues. Some proxies of modern plants (ferns, charophyte, reeds, Eucalyptus) and biota (black swan guano) samples, which are abundant in the Macquarie Marshes, were also analysed for comparison. The proxies analysed include bulk organic carbon and nitrogen (TOC, TN, C/N ratio), carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) and some organic biomarkers (focusing on n-alkanes, sterols and polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs)). TOC values in surface samples range between 2 to 5% depending on the organic input. The TOC and TN curves exhibit similar trends along time, decreasing to only one tenth at the depth of 70 cm (~ 565-752 years old) than those at the surface. The bulk δ13C values of modern samples (less than 50 years old) vary from -23% to -26%, falling within the range of values found in black swan guano(-21.6%) and plants (-27.0 to -31.5%). The calculated C/N ratios range from 10 to 25, and together with δ13C values suggest that the organic matter is mainly derived from terrestrial C3 plants. The contribution of aquatic plants is shown by shifts to higher δ13C values and lower C/N values in the core sections below the 40 cm depth (older than 130 years). Changes in vegetation type are also reflected by n-alkane and sterol biomarkers. In one core from the northern marshes, the temporal variation of (n-C27+C29)/n-C31 ratio indicates that the dominance of grasses has gradually been replaced by higher plants about 130 years ago. Sediments from the floodplain and dry lagoons show a dominant peak in long-chain n-alkanes with strong odd-to-even preference, contributed by emergent aquatic macrophytes and more drought-tolerant plants; while the sediments from permanently inundated watercourses show an additional peak in short-chain n-alkanes contributed by aquatic algae and bacteria. It is also indicated by the sterols that the most abundant sterol is C29 sterol (sitosterol), and the composition of C27 and C28 sterols varies slightly depending on the relative contributions of higher terrestrial plants and microalgae. Particularly, in areas where water-bird colonies were established, a fecal biomarker - coprostanol, is detected. The OCPs (e.g. DDT, DDD, endosulfans) used in cotton farming around the Marshes, and PAHs (e.g. chrysene, benzo[e]pyrene) from fires during drought years, were not found above the detection limit of 0.01 μg/g. The results indicate that the presence of colonial birds and various terrestrial/aquatic plants are registered in the sediments and that the Macquarie Marshes are still pristine regarding pesticides. However, the deterioration of the wetlands since Europeans arrival (~130 years agao) is indicated by increasing terrestrial vegetation and diminishing aquatic biota.

Evaluation of methods to sample fecal indicator bacteria in foreshore sand and pore water at freshwater beaches.

PubMed

Vogel, Laura J; Edge, Thomas A; O'Carroll, Denis M; Solo-Gabriele, Helena M; Kushnir, Caitlin S E; Robinson, Clare E

2017-09-15

Fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) are known to accumulate in foreshore beach sand and pore water (referred to as foreshore reservoir) where they act as a non-point source for contaminating adjacent surface waters. While guidelines exist for sampling surface waters at recreational beaches, there is no widely-accepted method to collect sand/sediment or pore water samples for FIB enumeration. The effect of different sampling strategies in quantifying the abundance of FIB in the foreshore reservoir is unclear. Sampling was conducted at six freshwater beaches with different sand types to evaluate sampling methods for characterizing the abundance of E. coli in the foreshore reservoir as well as the partitioning of E. coli between different components in the foreshore reservoir (pore water, saturated sand, unsaturated sand). Methods were evaluated for collection of pore water (drive point, shovel, and careful excavation), unsaturated sand (top 1 cm, top 5 cm), and saturated sand (sediment core, shovel, and careful excavation). Ankle-depth surface water samples were also collected for comparison. Pore water sampled with a shovel resulted in the highest observed E. coli concentrations (only statistically significant at fine sand beaches) and lowest variability compared to other sampling methods. Collection of the top 1 cm of unsaturated sand resulted in higher and more variable concentrations than the top 5 cm of sand. There were no statistical differences in E. coli concentrations when using different methods to sample the saturated sand. Overall, the unsaturated sand had the highest amount of E. coli when compared to saturated sand and pore water (considered on a bulk volumetric basis). The findings presented will help determine the appropriate sampling strategy for characterizing FIB abundance in the foreshore reservoir as a means of predicting its potential impact on nearshore surface water quality and public health risk. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of Mantle Wedge Hybridization by Sediment Melt on Geochemistry of Arc Magma and Arc Mantle Source - Insights from Laboratory Experiments at High Pressures and Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallik, A.; Dasgupta, R.; Tsuno, K.; Nelson, J. M.

2015-12-01

Generation of arc magmas involves metasomatism of the mantle wedge by slab-derived H2O-rich fluids and/or melts and subsequent melting of the modified source. The chemistry of arc magmas and the residual mantle wedge are not only regulated by the chemistry of the slab input, but also by the phase relations of metasomatism or hybridization process in the wedge. The sediment-derived silica-rich fluids and hydrous partial melts create orthopyroxene-rich zones in the mantle wedge, due to reaction of mantle olivine with silica in the fluid/melt [1,2]. Geochemical evidence for such a reaction comes from pyroxenitic lithologies coexisting with peridotite in supra-subduction zones. In this study, we have simulated the partial melting of a parcel of mantle wedge modified by bulk addition of sediment-derived melt with variable H2O contents to investigate the major and trace element chemistry of the magmas and the residues formed by this process. Experiments at 2-3 GPa and 1150-1300 °C were conducted on mixtures of 25% sediment-derived melt and 75% lherzolite, with bulk H2O contents varying from 2 to 6 wt.%. Partial reactive crystallization of the rhyolitic slab-derived melt and partial melting of the mixed source produced a range of melt compositions from ultra-K basanites to basaltic andesites, in equilibrium with an orthopyroxene ± phlogopite ± clinopyroxene ± garnet bearing residue, depending on P and bulk H2O content. Model calculations using partition coefficients (from literature) of trace elements between experimental minerals and silicate melt suggest that the geochemical signatures of the slab-derived melt, such as low Ce/Pb and depletion in Nb and Ta (characteristic slab signatures) are not erased from the resulting melt owing to reactive crystallization. The residual mineral assemblage is also found to be similar to the supra-subduction zone lithologies, such as those found in Dabie Shan (China) and Sanbagawa Belt (Japan). In this presentation, we will also compare the major and trace element characteristics of bulk rock and minerals found in orthopyroxenites from supra-subduction zones with the residua formed in our experiments, to differentiate between melt versus fluid, and sediment- versus basalt-derived flux in the mantle wedge. [1] Mallik et al. (2015) CMP169(5) [2] Sekine & Wyllie (1982) CMP 81(3)

Endogenic carbonate sedimentation in Bear Lake, Utah and Idaho, over the last two glacial-interglacial cycles

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dean, W.E.

2009-01-01

Sediments deposited over the past 220,000 years in Bear Lake, Utah and Idaho, are predominantly calcareous silty clay, with calcite as the dominant carbonate mineral. The abundance of siliciclastic sediment indicates that the Bear River usually was connected to Bear Lake. However, three marl intervals containing more than 50% CaCO3 were deposited during the Holocene and the last two interglacial intervals, equivalent to marine oxygen isotope stages (MIS) 5 and 7, indicating times when the Bear River was not connected to the lake. Aragonite is the dominant mineral in two of these three high-carbonate intervals. The high-carbonate, aragonitic intervals coincide with warm interglacial continental climates and warm Pacific sea-surface temperatures. Aragonite also is the dominant mineral in a carbonate-cemented microbialite mound that formed in the southwestern part of the lake over the last several thousand years. The history of carbonate sedimentation in Bear Lake is documented through the study of isotopic ratios of oxygen, carbon, and strontium, organic carbon content, CaCO3 content, X-ray diffraction mineralogy, and HCl-leach chemistry on samples from sediment traps, gravity cores, piston cores, drill cores, and microbialites. Sediment-trap studies show that the carbonate mineral that precipitates in the surface waters of the lake today is high-Mg calcite. The lake began to precipitate high-Mg calcite sometime in the mid-twentieth century after the artificial diversion of Bear River into Bear Lake that began in 1911. This diversion drastically reduced the salinity and Mg2+:Ca2+ of the lake water and changed the primary carbonate precipitate from aragonite to high-Mg calcite. However, sediment-trap and core studies show that aragonite is the dominant mineral accumulating on the lake floor today, even though it is not precipitating in surface waters. The isotopic studies show that this aragonite is derived from reworking and redistribution of shallow-water sediment that is at least 50 yr old, and probably older. Apparently, the microbialite mound also stopped forming aragonite cement sometime after Bear River diversion. Because of reworking of old aragonite, the bulk mineralogy of carbonate in bottom sediments has not changed very much since the diversion. However, the diversion is marked by very distinct changes in the chemical and isotopic composition of the bulk carbonate. After the last glacial interval (LGI), a large amount of endogenic carbonate began to precipitate in Bear Lake when the Pacific moisture that filled the large pluvial lakes of the Great Basin during the LGI diminished, and Bear River apparently abandoned Bear Lake. At first, the carbonate that formed was low-Mg calcite, but ???11,000 years ago, salinity and Mg2+:Ca2+ thresholds must have been crossed because the amount of aragonite gradually increased. Aragonite is the dominant carbonate mineral that has accumulated in the lake for the past 7000 years, with the addition of high-Mg calcite after the diversion of Bear River into the lake at the beginning of the twentieth century. Copyright ?? 2009 The Geological Society of America.

Surveying Clay Mineral Diversity in the Murray Formation, Gale Crater, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bristow, T.F.; Blake, D. F..; Vaniman, D. T.; Chipera, S. J.; Rampe, E. B.; Grotzinger, J. P.; McAdam, A. C.; Ming, D. W..; Morrison, S. M.; Yen, A. S.;

Suitability of river delta sediment as proppant, Missouri and Niobrara Rivers, Nebraska and South Dakota, 2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zelt, Ronald B.; Hobza, Christopher M.; Burton, Bethany L.; Schaepe, Nathaniel J.; Piatak, Nadine

2017-11-16

Sediment management is a challenge faced by reservoir managers who have several potential options, including dredging, for mitigation of storage capacity lost to sedimentation. As sediment is removed from reservoir storage, potential use of the sediment for socioeconomic or ecological benefit could potentially defray some costs of its removal. Rivers that transport a sandy sediment load will deposit the sand load along a reservoir-headwaters reach where the current of the river slackens progressively as its bed approaches and then descends below the reservoir water level. Given a rare combination of factors, a reservoir deposit of alluvial sand has potential to be suitable for use as proppant for hydraulic fracturing in unconventional oil and gas development. In 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey began a program of researching potential sources of proppant sand from reservoirs, with an initial focus on the Missouri River subbasins that receive sand loads from the Nebraska Sand Hills. This report documents the methods and results of assessments of the suitability of river delta sediment as proppant for a pilot study area in the delta headwaters of Lewis and Clark Lake, Nebraska and South Dakota. Results from surface-geophysical surveys of electrical resistivity guided borings to collect 3.7-meter long cores at 25 sites on delta sandbars using the direct-push method to recover duplicate, 3.8-centimeter-diameter cores in April 2015. In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey collected samples of upstream sand sources in the lower Niobrara River valley.At the laboratory, samples were dried, weighed, washed, dried, and weighed again. Exploratory analysis of natural sand for determining its suitability as a proppant involved application of a modified subset of the standard protocols known as American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 19C. The RP19C methods were not intended for exploration-stage evaluation of raw materials. Results for the washed samples are not directly applicable to evaluations of suitability for use as fracture sand because, except for particle-size distribution, the API-recommended practices for assessing proppant properties (sphericity, roundness, bulk density, and crush resistance) require testing of specific proppant size classes. An optical imaging particle-size analyzer was used to make measurements of particle-size distribution and particle shape. Measured samples were sieved to separate the dominant-size fraction, and the separated subsample was further tested for roundness, sphericity, bulk density, and crush resistance.For the bulk washed samples collected from the Missouri River delta, the geometric mean size averaged 0.27 millimeters (mm), 80 percent of the samples were predominantly sand in the API 40/70 size class, and 17 percent were predominantly sand in the API 70/140 size class. Distributions of geometric mean size among the four sandbar complexes were similar, but samples collected from sandbar complex B were slightly coarser sand than those from the other three complexes. The average geometric mean sizes among the four sandbar complexes ranged only from 0.26 to 0.30 mm. For 22 main-stem sampling locations along the lower Niobrara River, geometric mean size averaged 0.26 mm, an average of 61 percent was sand in the API 40/70 size class, and 28 percent was sand in the API 70/140 size class. Average composition for lower Niobrara River samples was 48 percent medium sand, 37 percent fine sand, and about 7 percent each very fine sand and coarse sand fractions. On average, samples were moderately well sorted.Particle shape and strength were assessed for the dominant-size class of each sample. For proppant strength, crush resistance was tested at a predetermined level of stress (34.5 megapascals [MPa], or 5,000 pounds-force per square inch). To meet the API minimum requirement for proppant, after the crush test not more than 10 percent of the tested sample should be finer than the precrush dominant-size class. For particle shape, all samples surpassed the recommended minimum criteria for sphericity and roundness, with most samples being well-rounded. For proppant strength, of 57 crush-resistance tested Missouri River delta samples of 40/70-sized sand, 23 (40 percent) were interpreted as meeting the minimum criterion at 34.5 MPa, or 5,000 pounds-force per square inch. Of 12 tested samples of 70/140-sized sand, 9 (75 percent) of the Missouri River delta samples had less than 10 percent fines by volume following crush testing, achieving the minimum criterion at 34.5 MPa. Crush resistance for delta samples was strongest at sandbar complex A, where 67 percent of tested samples met the 10-percent fines criterion at the 34.5-MPa threshold. This frequency was higher than was indicated by samples from sandbar complexes B, C, and D that had rates of 50, 46, and 42 percent, respectively. The group of sandbar complex A samples also contained the largest percentages of samples dominated by the API 70/140 size class, which overall had a higher percentage of samples meeting the minimum criterion compared to samples dominated by coarser size classes; however, samples from sandbar complex A that had the API 40/70 size class tested also had a higher rate for meeting the minimum criterion (57 percent) than did samples from sandbar complexes B, C, and D (50, 43, and 40 percent, respectively). For samples collected along the lower Niobrara River, of the 25 tested samples of 40/70-sized sand, 9 samples passed the API minimum criterion at 34.5 MPa, but only 3 samples passed the more-stringent criterion of 8 percent postcrush fines. All four tested samples of 70/140 sand passed the minimum criterion at 34.5 MPa, with postcrush fines percentage of at most 4.1 percent.For two reaches of the lower Niobrara River, where hydraulic sorting was energized artificially by the hydraulic head drop at and immediately downstream from Spencer Dam, suitability of channel deposits for potential use as fracture sand was confirmed by test results. All reach A washed samples were well-rounded and had sphericity scores above 0.65, and samples for 80 percent of sampled locations met the crush-resistance criterion at the 34.5-MPa stress level. A conservative lower-bound estimate of sand volume in the reach A deposits was about 86,000 cubic meters. All reach B samples were well-rounded but sphericity averaged 0.63, a little less than the average for upstream reaches A and SP. All four samples tested passed the crush-resistance test at 34.5 MPa. Of three reach B sandbars, two had no more than 3 percent fines after the crush test, surpassing more stringent criteria for crush resistance that accept a maximum of 6 percent fines following the crush test for the API 70/140 size class.Relative to the crush-resistance test results for the API 40/70 size fraction of two samples of mine output from Loup River settling-basin dredge spoils near Genoa, Nebr., four of five reach A sample locations compared favorably. The four samples had increases in fines composition of 1.6–5.9 percentage points, whereas fines in the two mine-output samples increased by an average 6.8 percentage points.

Paleoclimate of Quaternary Costa Rica: Analysis of Sediment from ODP Site 1242 in the Eastern Tropical Pacific to Explore the Behavior of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and Oceanic Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buczek, C. R.; Joseph, L. H.

2017-12-01

Studies of grain size, magnetic fabric, and terrigenous mass accumulation rates (MAR) on oceanic sediment can provide insights into climatic conditions present at or near the time of deposition by helping to delineate changes in rainfall and oceanic circulation intensities. The fairly homogenous hemipelagic nannofossil clays and clayey nannofossil oozes collected in the upper portion of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1242 provide a 1.4 million year sediment record from the Cocos Ridge, in relatively shallow waters of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, off the coast of present day Central and South America. Information about shifts in rainfall and oceanic circulation provided by this study may be helpful in understanding changes in the location and behavior of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and/or other climatic factors, in this area during the Pleistocene and Holocene Epochs. Approximately 130 paired side-by-side samples were selected at approximately evenly spaced intervals throughout the uppermost 190 mcd of the core. To obtain terrigenous grain size and MARs, one set of sediment samples was subject to a five-step chemical extraction process to dissolve any oxy-hydroxy coatings, remove the biogenic carbonate and silicate components, and sieve out grains larger than 63 µm. The pre- and post-extraction weights were compared to calculate a terrigenous weight percent (%) from which the terrigenous MAR values were then calculated, with the use of linear sediment rates and dry bulk density measurements determined from shipboard ODP 1242 analyses. Magnetic fabric, or anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS), was analyzed on a KLY4S-Kappabridge using the second set of samples taken in pmag cubes. Terrigenous MAR values range between 3.1 and 10.9 g/cm2/kyr, while P' (AMS) values range between 1.004 and 1.04 SI. A distinctive trend is noted in both factors, with both exhibiting relatively high initial values that then decrease from the beginning of the record until 1.0-0.8 Ma, and then remain fairly constant (and relatively low) up-core. The initial decline potentially represents a drying of continental climates and a slowing of oceanic currents during the early Pleistocene, possibly due to shifts in the ITCZ or other factors affecting circulation.

Mineralogy and source rock evaluation of the marine Oligo-Miocene sediments in some wells in the Nile Delta and North Sinai, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El sheikh, Hassan; Faris, Mahmoud; Shaker, Fatma; Kumral, Mustafa

2016-06-01

This paper aims to study the mineralogical composition and determine the petroleum potential of source rocks of the Oligocene-Miocene sequence in the Nile Delta and North Sinai districts. The studied interval in the five wells can be divided into five rock units arranged from the top to base; Qawasim, Sidi Salem, Kareem, Rudeis, and Qantara formations. The bulk rock mineralogy of the samples was investigated using X-Ray Diffraction technique (XRD). The results showed that the sediments of the Nile Delta area are characterized by the abundance of quartz and kaolinite with subordinate amounts of feldspars, calcite, gypsum, dolomite, and muscovite. On the other hand, the data of the bulk rock analysis at the North Sinai wells showed that kaolinite, quartz, feldspar and calcite are the main constituents associated with minor amounts of dolomite, gypsum, mica, zeolite, and ankerite. Based on the organic geochemical investigations (TOC and Rock-Eval pyrolysis analyses), all studied formations in both areas are thermally immature but in the Nile delta area, Qawasim, Sidi Salem and Qantara formations (El-Temsah-2 Well) are organically-rich and have a good petroleum potential (kerogen Type II-oil-prone), while Rudeis Formation is a poor petroleum potential source rock (kerogen Type III-gas-prone). In the North Sinai area, Qantara Formation has a poor petroleum potential (kerogen Type III-gas-prone) and Sidi Salem Formation (Bardawil-1 Well) is a good petroleum potential source rock (kerogen Type II-oil-prone).

A quarter-million years of paleoenvironmental change at Bear Lake, Utah and Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kaufman, D.S.; Bright, Jordon; Dean, W.E.; Rosenbaum, J.G.; Moser, K.; Anderson, R. Scott; Colman, Steven M.; Heil, C.W.; Jiménez-Moreno, Gonzalo; Reheis, M.C.; Simmons, K.R.

2009-01-01

A continuous, 120-m-long core (BL00-1) from Bear Lake, Utah and Idaho, contains evidence of hydrologic and environmental change over the last two glacial-interglacial cycles. The core was taken at 41.95??N, 111.31??W, near the depocenter of the 60-m-deep, spring-fed, alkaline lake, where carbonate-bearing sediment has accumulated continuously. Chronological control is poor but indicates an average sedimentation rate of 0.54 mm yr-1. Analyses have been completed at multi-centennial to millennial scales, including (in order of decreasing temporal resolution) sediment magnetic properties, oxygen and carbon isotopes on bulk-sediment carbonate, organic- and inorganiccarbon contents, palynology; mineralogy (X-ray diffraction), strontium isotopes on bulk carbonate, ostracode taxonomy, oxygen and carbon isotopes on ostracodes, and diatom assemblages. Massive silty clay and marl constitute most of the core, with variable carbonate content (average = 31 ?? 19%) and oxygen-isotopic values (??18O ranging from -18??? to -5??? in bulk carbonate). These variations, as well as fluctuations of biological indicators, reflect changes in the water and sediment discharged from the glaciated headwaters of the dominant tributary, Bear River, and the processes that influenced sediment delivery to the core site, including lake-level changes. Although its influence has varied, Bear River has remained a tributary to Bear Lake during most of the last quarter-million years. The lake disconnected from the river and, except for a few brief excursions, retracted into a topographically closed basin during global interglaciations (during parts of marine isotope stages 7, 5, and 1). These intervals contain up to 80% endogenic aragonite with high ??18O values (average = -5.8 ?? 1.7???), indicative of strongly evaporitic conditions. Interglacial intervals also are dominated by small, benthic/tychoplanktic fragilarioid species indicative of reduced habitat availability associated with low lake levels, and they contain increased high-desert shrub and Juniperus pollen and decreased forest and forest-woodland pollen. The 87Sr 86Sr values (>0.7100) also increase, and the ratio of quartz to dolomite decreases, as expected in the absence of Bear River in flow. The changing paleoenvironments inferred from BL00-1 generally are consistent with other regional and global records of glacialinterglacial fluctuations; the diversity of paleoenvironmental conditions inferred from BL00-1 also reflects the influence of catchment-scale processes. Copyright ?? 2009 The Geological Society of America.

Sorting of Terrestrial and Marine Organic Matter along a Marginal Submarine Canyon: Radiocarbon and Biomarker Signatures of Surface Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Close, H. G.; Doherty, S.; Campbell, P.; McCarthy, M. D.; Prouty, N.

2016-02-01

Submarine canyons are incised features of many continental margins that can have significant influence on the hydrodynamic distribution of sediments and organic matter (OM) eroded and deposited from the continents. Baltimore Canyon, on the U.S. mid-Atlantic margin, contains a complex set of sedimentary processes that simultaneously create unique benthic habitats and control the deposition of OM. Along the canyon axis, loci of net erosion, net deposition, and intense winnowing each host diverse faunal assemblages and varying mixtures of sedimentary OM derived both from production in the overlying water column and from mobilized sediments. Bioavailable components of this deposited OM sustain benthic communities, while recalcitrant components can contribute to long-term carbon burial in the deep sea. Here we probe in detail the terrestrial versus marine origins of OM along a transect of Baltimore Canyon, as well as its bioavailability for benthic fauna, in order to explore how canyon-specific sediment dynamics might emplace a functional sorting of OM from shelf to open ocean. Determining the provenance of sedimentary OM is a continual challenge: commonly-measured bulk geochemical properties often provide insufficient information to distinguish end-member sources. We present a novel approach to separate functional classes of OM and investigate sources and degradative pathways of OM in Baltimore Canyon. In combination with bulk geochemical characteristics, surface sediments from water depths of 200-1200 meters were sequentially extracted (solvent-extracted, acid-hydrolyzed, and demineralized) to separate pools containing different prevalence of terrigenous, marine, and recalcitrant OM. Each class was analyzed for biomarker distributions; amino acid content, 13C signatures, and degradation indicators; bulk carbon and nitrogen isotopes; and radiocarbon content in order to characterize potential end-member sources within the mixture, as well as their age profiles. These geochemical properties were contextualized with accompanying sedimentological and ecological data. Results highlight the importance of coastal proximity, canyon morphology, and local hydrodynamics in determining the bioavailability of benthic organic matter and its potential for long-term carbon burial.

The impact of floods and storms on the acoustic reflectivity of the inner continental shelf: A modeling assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pratson, Lincoln F.; Hutton, E.W.H.; Kettner, A.J.; Syvitski, J.P.M.; Hill, P.S.; George, D.A.; Milligan, T.G.

2007-01-01

Flood deposition and storm reworking of sediments on the inner shelf can change the mixture of grain sizes on the seabed and thus its porosity, bulk density, bulk compressional velocity and reflectivity. Whether these changes are significant enough to be detectable by repeat sub-bottom sonar surveys, however, is uncertain. Here the question is addressed through numerical modeling. Episodic flooding of a large versus small river over the course of a century are modeled with HYDROTREND using the drainage basin characteristics of the Po and Pescara Rivers (respectively). A similarly long stochastic record of storms offshore of both rivers is simulated from the statistics of a long-term mooring recording of waves in the western Adriatic Sea. These time series are then input to the stratigraphic model SEDFLUX2D, which simulates flood deposition and storm reworking on the inner shelf beyond the river mouths. Finally, annual changes in seabed reflectivity across these shelf regions are computed from bulk densities output by SEDFLUX2D and compressional sound speeds computed from mean seafloor grain size using the analytical model of Buckingham [1997. Theory of acoustic attenuation, dispersion, and pulse propagation in unconsolidated granular materials including marine sediments. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 102, 2579-2596; 1998. Theory of compressional and shear waves in fluidlike marine sediments. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 103, 288-299; 2000. Wave propagation, stress relaxation, and grain-tograin shearing in saturated, unconsolidated marine sediments. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 108, 2796-2815]. The modeling predicts reflectivities that change from 9 dB for muds farther offshore, values that agree with reflectivity measurements for these sediment types. On local scales of ???100 m, however, maximum changes in reflectivity are <0.5 dB. So are most annual changes in reflectivity over all water depths modeled (i.e., 0-35 m). Given that signal differences need to be ???2-3 dB to be resolved, the results suggest that grain-size induced changes in reflectivity caused by floods and storms will rarely be detectable by most current sub-bottom sonars. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discriminating sediment archives and sedimentary processes in the arid endorheic Ejina Basin, NW China using a robust geochemical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Kaifeng; Hartmann, Kai; Nottebaum, Veit; Stauch, Georg; Lu, Huayu; Zeeden, Christian; Yi, Shuangwen; Wünnemann, Bernd; Lehmkuhl, Frank

2016-04-01

Geochemical characteristics have been intensively used to assign sediment properties to paleoclimate and provenance. Nonetheless, in particular concerning the arid context, bulk geochemistry of different sediment archives and corresponding process interpretations are hitherto elusive. The Ejina Basin, with its suite of different sediment archives, is known as one of the main sources for the loess accumulation on the Chinese Loess Plateau. In order to understand mechanisms along this supra-regional sediment cascade, it is crucial to decipher the archive characteristics and formation processes. To address these issues, five profiles in different geomorphological contexts were selected. Analyses of X-ray fluorescence and diffraction, grain size, optically stimulated luminescence and radiocarbon dating were performed. Robust factor analysis was applied to reduce the attribute space to the process space of sedimentation history. Five sediment archives from three lithologic units exhibit geochemical characteristics as follows: (i) aeolian sands have high contents of Zr and Hf, whereas only Hf can be regarded as a valuable indicator to discriminate the coarse sand proportion; (ii) sandy loess has high Ca and Sr contents which both exhibit broad correlations with the medium to coarse silt proportions; (iii) lacustrine clays have high contents of felsic, ferromagnesian and mica source elements e.g., K, Fe, Ti, V, and Ni; (iv) fluvial sands have high contents of Mg, Cl and Na which may be enriched in evaporite minerals; (v) alluvial gravels have high contents of Cr which may originate from nearby Cr-rich bedrock. Temporal variations can be illustrated by four robust factors: weathering intensity, silicate-bearing mineral abundance, saline/alkaline magnitude and quasi-constant aeolian input. In summary, the bulk-composition of the late Quaternary sediments in this arid context is governed by the nature of the source terrain, weak chemical weathering, authigenic minerals, aeolian sand input, whereas pedogenesis and diagenesis exert only limited influences. Hence, this study demonstrates a practical geochemical strategy supplemented by grain size and mineralogical data, to discriminate sediment archives and thereafter enhance our ability to offer more intriguing information about the sedimentary processes in the arid central Asia.

Monsoonal versus Anthropogenic Controls on Erosion Patterns and Sediment Flux in the Song Gianh, Vietnam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clift, Peter; Jonell, Tara; Carter, Andrew; Van Hoang, Long; Böning, Philipp

2016-04-01

The Song Gianh is a small drainage on the northern central coast of Vietnam that delivers sediment into the Gulf of Tonkin. The basin provides the opportunity to evaluate what surface processes control continental erosion rates and patterns because there is a strong monsoonal precipitation gradient from the SW to NE. We apply several complimentary provenance methods to modern siliciclastic sediments of the Song Gianh to pinpoint regions of focused sediment generation and evaluate how sediment is mixed downstream and delivered to the ocean. We find that detrital zircon populations of Song Gianh main channel change radically downstream of the confluence with the northern Rao Tro tributary, which is dominated by 100-300 Ma grains eroded from granite bedrock. This tributary provides almost as much zircon to the main channel as all the headwater tributaries combined, despite being a much smaller, drier, and flatter sub-basin. In contrast, bulk sediment Nd and Sr isotopes indicate that most sediment is derived from the wetter headwater tributaries. Contribution from the southern tributaries to the net siliciclastic river flux is negligible. Precipitation and topography do not appear to modulate zircon production in the modern river although regions controlling bulk Nd and Sr compositions are wetter and have higher local relief. This apparent contrast in regions of sediment production suggests disequilibrium and differential travel times for zircon and mineral phases rich in Nd and Sr. Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating of alluvial terraces on the main channel show that the valleys aggraded rapidly from ~7-9 ka during a period of strong summer monsoon, suggesting that heavy rainfall generated large sediment volumes. Younger terraces dated to 500-1000 yrs BP are interpreted to reflect erosion and aggradation driven by extensive human agriculture. We speculate that agriculture, together with bedrock compositions, are the most likely control on producing the erosion patterns and geochemical signatures we observe in the modern basin and that the Song Gianh cannot easily be used as an analog for ancient systems.

The distribution and utility of sea-level indicators in Eurasian sub-Arctic salt marshes (White Sea, Russia).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikitina, Daria; Kemp, Andrew; Horton, Benjamin; Van, Christopher; Potapova, Marina; Culver, Stephen; Repkina, Tatyana; Hill, David

2017-04-01

We investigated the utility of foraminifera, diatoms and bulk-sediment geochemistry (δ13C and parameters measured by RockEval pyrolysis) as sea-level indicators in Eurasian sub-Arctic salt marshes. At three salt marshes in Dvina Bay (White Sea, Russia), we collected surface sediment samples along transects sequentially crossing sub-tidal, tidal-flat, salt-marsh and Taiga forest environments. Foraminifera formed bipartite assemblages, where elevations below mean high higher water (MHHW) were dominated by Miliammina spp. and elevations between MHHW and the highest occurrence of foraminifera were dominated by Jadammina macrescens and Balticammina pseudomacrescens. Both assemblages existed on all three transects and we conclude that foraminifera are sea-level indicators in Eurasian sub-Arctic salt marshes. Five, high-diversity groups of diatoms were identified and they displayed geographic variability among the study sites (<15 km apart). RockEval pyrolysis and δ13C measurements recognized two groups (clastic-dominated environments below MHHW and organic-rich environments above MHHW). Since one group included sub-tidal elevations and the other supra-tidal elevations, we conclude that the measured geochemical parameters do not meet the criteria for being stand-alone sea-level indicators. Core JT2012 captured a regressive sediment sequence of clastic, tidal-flat sediment overlain by salt-marsh organic silt and freshwater peat. The salt-marsh sediment accumulated at 2804 ± 52 years BP years before present and preserved foraminifera (J. macrescens and B. pseudomacrescens) with a high degree of analogy to modern assemblages indicating that relative sea level was 2.60 ± 0.47 m above present at this time. Diatoms confirm that marine influence decreased through time, but the lack of analogy between modern and core assemblages limits their utility as sea-level indicators in this setting.

Paleoceanographic history of the Lower Bengal Fan during the last glacial cycle - IODP Expedition 354

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dekens, P. S.; Weber, M. E.; Lantzsch, H.; Das, S. K.; Williams, T.; Adhikari, R. R.; Jia, G.; Fox, L. R.; Ge, J.; Manoj, M. C.; Savian, J. F.; Reilly, B. T.; Selkin, P. A.; Meynadier, L.; Spiess, V.; France-Lanord, C.; Sharma, B.

2015-12-01

IODP Expedition 354 drilled a ~320 km long transect of seven sites on the Lower Bengal Fan at 8o N in the Northern Indian Ocean. The sediments cores recovered record a complex relationship between turbiditic and hemipelagic environments. This variability offers a unique opportunity to link our understanding of tectonic and terrestrial processes with climate and oceanography. With the exception the westernmost Site U1454, all sites show a several meter thick, hemipelagic top layer, usually representing Late Quaternary sediment. We present physical, geochemical and stable isotopic properties of this interval to establish a time frame and assess the paleoceanographic development of the region during the last glacial cycle. We sampled Site U1452C-1H continuously for the uppermost 480 cm of hemipelagic sediment in 2-cm increments. Preliminary results indicate the Toba Ash 1 (0.74 ka) is a distinct time marker in all physical properties. Furthermore, wet-bulk density as well as color reflectance b* (the red-green component) and L* (the lightness) show a dominant precession cyclicity. Hence, we are able to provide an insolation-tuned chronology for the last 200 ka (MIS1 - 7) as a preliminary age model. These records agree well with d18O records retrieved from Chinese caves. We will present a preliminary paleoceanographic proxy data to reconstruct sea-surface temperature (SST), sea-surface salinity (SSS), ice volume, marine biological productivity, nutrient supply, and deep-water circulation. These oceanographic and climate conditions are linked to changes in monsoonal strength and terrestrial input using sedimentary proxies to reconstruct chemical weathering and sediment sources and transport time. This work addresses one of the primary cruise objectives - linking monsoon variability, regional and global climate, and Bay of Bengal sediment deposition.

Late Quaternary carbonate accumulation along eastern South Atlantic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crabill, K.; Slowey, N. C.; Foreman, A. D.; Charles, C.

2016-12-01

Water masses originating from both the North Atlantic Ocean and the Southern Ocean intersect the Walvis Ridge and Namibian margin of southwest Africa. Changes in the distribution and properties of these water masses through time are reflected by variations in the nature of the sediments accumulating along this margin. A suite of piston and gravity cores that possess sediment records corresponding to the most recent glacial-interglacial cycles were collected from the water depth range of 550 to 3700 meters. Sediment dry bulk density, XRF analyses and the concentration of CaCO3 were precisely determined at regular depth intervals in these cores. Foraminiferal δ18O along with XRF Fe/Ca data provide an age-depth model for key cores. The age-depth model and dry bulk density will be used with the calcium carbonate contents to calculate the accumulation rates of CaCO3 during each MIS 1-5e. The spatial and temporal variability in both the CaCO3 content and the CaCO3 mass accumulation rates along the Namibian continental slope will be described. Based on comparisons of these two parameters, inferences will be made about how variations of CaCO3 production, dilution of by non-CaCO3 sediment components, and dissolution of CaCO3 due to changes in ocean circulation/climate have occurred during intervals of the last glacial-interglacial cycle.

Simulating the effect of vegetation cover on the sediment yield of mediterranean catchments using SHETRAN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukey, B. T.; Sheffield, J.; Bathurst, J. C.; Lavabre, J.; Mathys, N.; Martin, C.

1995-08-01

The sediment yield of two catchments in southern France was modelled using the newly developed sediment code of SHETRAN. A fire in August 1990 denuded the Rimbaud catchment, providing an opportunity to study the effect of vegetation cover on sediment yield by running the model for both pre-and post-fire cases. Model output is in the form of upper and lower bounds on sediment discharge, reflecting the uncertainty in the erodibility of the soil. The results are encouraging since measured sediment discharge falls largely between the predicted bounds, and simulated sediment yield is dramatically lower for the catchment before the fire which matches observation. SHETRAN is also applied to the Laval catchment, which is subject to Badlands gulley erosion. Again using the principle of generating upper and lower bounds on sediment discharge, the model is shown to be capable of predicting the bulk sediment discharge over periods of months. To simulate the effect of reforestation, the model is run with vegetation cover equivalent to a neighbouring fully forested basin. The results obtained indicate that SHETRAN provides a powerful tool for predicting the impact of environmental change and land management on sediment yield.

A northwest Atlantic environmental magnetic perspective on the Oligocene - Miocene Transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Peer, Tim; Xuan, Chuang; Lippert, Peter; Wilson, Paul; Liebrand, Diederik

2016-04-01

The Oligocene - Miocene Transition (OMT) is characterised by a long-term carbon isotope shift and a transient +1‰ oxygen-isotope excursion, the 'Mi1-event'. The Mi1-event has been attributed to transient global cooling and ice sheet expansion on Antarctica, but the boreal component of this major climatic event is poorly understood. The nannofossil oozes recovered at Site U1406 during IODP (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program) Expedition 342 (Paleogene Newfoundland Sediment Drifts) provide an unprecedented opportunity to study the Mi1-event, as these contourite drifts were deposited at 2-6 cm/kyr and are ideally located at the Newfoundland Ridge (northwest Atlantic) below the Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC). To better understand the combined effects of global cooling, ice sheet formation and global circulation, we generated an environmental magnetic record to study the origin, transportation, deposition and possible diagenesis of magnetic minerals. We carried out continuous high-resolution (1-cm intervals) palaeomagnetic and environmental magnetic analyses across the OMT and present the first continuous environmental magnetic record across Mi1 from a Northern Hemisphere perspective. The geomagnetic polarity stratigraphy interpreted from shore-based u-channel measurements clearly reveals the three C6Cn subchrons spanning the duration of the Mi1-event, and provide a first-order age model for the studied sediment sequence at Site U1406. Rock magnetic experiments conducted at low (down to 20K) and high (up to 700°C) temperatures for selected bulk sediment and magnetic extract samples show the Verwey transition at ~120K, and magnetic components with blocking temperatures at ~250°C and ~580°C. Analysis of isothermal remanent magnetisation (IRM) acquisition curves also indicates the existence of two magnetic components with mean coercivity of ~50 mT and ~400 mT. These observations are consistent with the presence of a fine-grained stoichiometric magnetite component (possibly of biogenic origin) and a coarse-grained non-stoichiometric haematite component as remanence carriers of the sediments. Variations in the magnetic particle concentration, inferred from bulk magnetic susceptibility (χ), qualitatively co-vary with a global stacked oxygen-isotope curve on at least an ~100 kyr scale. The ratios between χ and anhysteretic remanent magnetisation (ARM) and ARM/IRM are typically used to assess bulk magnetite grain size. These ratios, as well as the HIRM ('hard' IRM) component (haematite/goethite) and the L-ratio, decrease approximately by a factor of 2 at the onset of the Mi1 event in Subchron C6Cn.3n. All of these environmental magnetic changes are coincident with an abrupt increase in the Zr/Ti values - a proxy for detrital input, measured by continuous X-Ray Fluorescence core scanning. Collectively, these observations are consistent with shifts in supply or preservation of the non-stoichiometric haematite component throughout the measured section. We tentatively interpret these changes in deep sea magnetic mineralogy to reflect changes in sediment provenance, grain size, or both, which are likely related to changes in DWBC strength and source regions; this hypothesis can be tested by additional magnetic fabric, sediment particle, and geochemical studies. Our work demonstrates that continuous magnetic measurements can reveal important changes in contourite drifts, and hints at how major climatic events such as Mi1 may influence ocean current systems such as the DWBC.

Suspended Sediment in the Indiana Harbor Canal and the Grand Calumet River, Northwestern Indiana, May 1996-June 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Renn, Danny E.

2000-01-01

Suspended-sediment samples and streamflow data were collected from May 1996 through June 1998 at three sites in the Grand Calumet River Basin - Indiana Harbor Canal at East Chicago, the east branch of the Grand Calumet River at Gary, and the west branch of the Grand Calumet River at Hammond. Sample analysis allowed for retention of sediments of 0.0015 millimeters or larger. At Indiana Harbor Canal at East Chicago, an automated sampler collected 2,005 suspended-sediment samples from the canal and, of these, 1,856 had associated streamflow values. To evaluate any bias between instream concentrations of suspended sediment and samples collected by the automated sampler, 27 sets of suspended-sediment samples were collected manually in the canal at the same time samples were collected by the automated sampler. There was no consistent bias between the samples collected manually instream and the samples collected by the automated sampler; therefore, no correction factor was applied to the concentrations of suspended sedment for the samples collected by the automated sampler. For the 2,005 and 1,856 samples, the mean suspended-sediment concentrations were the same, 15 milligrams per liter (mg/L), and the range in suspended-sediment concentrations were the same, from less than 1 mg/L to 97 mg/L. No apparent relation between the concentration of suspended sediment measured in samples from the Indiana Harbor Canal and streamflow was indicated, probably because of complex hydraulic conditions in the study area; most of the streamflow is from industrial and municipal discharges, and streamflow is affected by changes in water levels in Lake Michigan. There did appear to be a seasonal trend in the concentrations of suspended sediment, however, in that the largest concentrations generally were measured during the spring. During the study, four substantial rainfall events were recorded. Only for a rainfall event of 4.20 inches was there a substantial increase in the concentrations of suspended sediment and streamflow in the Indiana Harbor Canal. Six sets of samples were collected from the canal for determination of the percentage of organic material in the suspended sediment. Organic material in these samples averaged 26 percent. Bedload-sediment samples were collected three times in the canal with a bedload-sediment sampler; the collection-bag mesh size was 0.25 millimeter. No bedload sediments were collected in the sampler for any of the sample collections. Seven suspended-sediment samples were collected from the Grand Calumet River at Gary and at Hammond. The mean suspended sediment concentration measured in samples collected at Gary was 13 mg/L, and the mean suspended-sediment concentration measured in samples collected at Hammond was 6 mg/L. For both sites, there was no apparent relation between the concentration of suspended sediment and streamflow. Four suspended sediment samples were collected from the Grand Calumet River at Gary and at Hammond for determination of the percentage of organic material. The amount of organic material at Gary averaged 35 percent, and the amount of organic material at Hammond averaged 34 percent. The concentrations of suspended sediment determined for samples collected from the Indiana Harbor Canal and from the Grand Calumet River are less than concentrations of suspended sediment in samples collected from other streams in northwestern Indiana and in other parts of the State. Loads of suspended sediment were computed as the product of the weekly mean suspended-sediment concentration and the daily average streamflow for the Indiana Harbor Canal at East Chicago. The average suspended-sediment load computed for the canal was 29 tons per day for the first year of the study (June 1996 through May 1997) and 23 tons per day for the second year of the study (June 1997 through May 1998). Loads of suspended sediment for the Grand Calumet River at Gary and at Hammond were estimated by use of the ratin

Optically stimulated luminescence dating of Holocene alluvial fans, East Anatolian Fault System, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogan, Tamer; Cetin, Hasan; Yegingil, Zehra; Topaksu, Mustafa; Yüksel, Mehmet; Duygun, Fırat; Nur, Necmettin; Yegingil, İlhami

2015-07-01

In this study, the optically stimulated luminescence dating technique was used to determine the time of deposition of alluvial sediment samples from the Türkoğlu-Antakya segment of the East Anatolian Fault System (EAFS) in Turkey. The double-single aliquot regenerative dose protocol on fine grain samples was used to estimate equivalent doses (De). Annual dose rate was computed using elemental concentration of uranium (U) and thorium (Th) determined by using thick-source alpha counting and potassium (K) concentrations using X-ray fluorescence and/or atomic absorption spectroscopy. The environmental dose was measured in situ using α-Al2O3:C chips inside plastic tubes for a year. The two different bulk sediment samples collected from the Islahiye trench yielded ages of 4.54 ± 0.28 and 2.91 ± 0.23 ka. We also obtained a 2.60 ± 0.18 ka age for the alluvial deposit in the Kıranyurdu trench and 2.31 ± 0.14 ka age for an excavation area called Malzeme Ocağı. These ages were consistent with the corresponding calibrated Carbon-14 (14C) ages of the region. The differences between the determined ages were insufficient to clearly distinguish the disturbance event from the effects of bioturbation, biological mixing, or other sources of De variation in the region. They provide a record of alluvial aggradation in the region and may determine undocumented historical earthquake events.

Microbial production of isotopically light iron(II) in a modern chemically precipitated sediment and implications for isotopic variations in ancient rocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tangalos, G.E.; Beard, B.L.; Johnson, C.M.; Alpers, Charles N.; Shelobolina, E.S.; Xu, H.; Konishi, H.; Roden, E.E.

2012-01-01

The inventories and Fe isotope composition of aqueous Fe(II) and solid-phase Fe compounds were quantified in neutral-pH, chemically precipitated sediments downstream of the Iron Mountain acid mine drainage site in northern California, USA. The sediments contain high concentrations of amorphous Fe(III) oxyhydroxides [Fe(III)am] that allow dissimilatory iron reduction (DIR) to predominate over Fe–S interactions in Fe redox transformation, as indicated by the very low abundance of Cr(II)-extractable reduced inorganic sulfur compared with dilute HCl-extractable Fe. δ56Fe values for bulk HCl- and HF-extractable Fe were ≈ 0. These near-zero bulk δ56Fe values, together with the very low abundance of dissolved Fe in the overlying water column, suggest that the pyrite Fe source had near-zero δ56Fe values, and that complete oxidation of Fe(II) took place prior to deposition of the Fe(III) oxide-rich sediment. Sediment core analyses and incubation experiments demonstrated the production of millimolar quantities of isotopically light (δ56Fe ≈ -1.5 to -0.5‰) aqueous Fe(II) coupled to partial reduction of Fe(III)am by DIR. Trends in the Fe isotope composition of solid-associated Fe(II) and residual Fe(III)am are consistent with experiments with synthetic Fe(III) oxides, and collectively suggest an equilibrium Fe isotope fractionation between aqueous Fe(II) and Fe(III)am of approximately -2‰. These Fe(III) oxide-rich sediments provide a model for early diagenetic processes that are likely to have taken place in Archean and Paleoproterozoic marine sediments that served as precursors for banded iron formations. Our results suggest pathways whereby DIR could have led to the formation of large quantities of low-δ56Fe minerals during BIF genesis.

Laboratory Evaluation of Remediation Alternatives for U.S. Coast Guard Small Arms Firing Ranges

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-11-01

S) is an immobilization process that involves the mixing of a contaminated soil with a binder material to enhance the physical and chemical...samples were shipped to WES for laboratory analysis. Phase III: Homogenization of the Bulk Samples. Each of the bulk samples was separately mixed to...produce uniform samples for testing. These mixed bulk soil samples were analyzed for metal content. Phase IV: Characterization of the Bulk Soils

Toward detection of supernova event near the earth based on high-resolution analysis of cosmogenic nuclide 10Be in marine sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takiguchi, S.; Suganuma, Y.; Kataoka, R.; Yamaguchi, K. E.

2017-12-01

Cosmic rays react with substances in the Earth's atmosphere and form cosmogenic nuclides. The flux would abruptly increase with nearby supernova or terrestrial magnetic events such as reversal or excursion of terrestrial magnetism. The Earth must have been exposed to cosmic ray radiation for as long as 10 Ma, if any, by nearby supernova activities (Kataoka et al., 2014). Increased and prolonged activity of cosmic rays would affect Earth's climate through forming greenhouse gases and biosphere through damaging DNA. Therefore, interests have been growing as to whether and how past supernova events have ever left any fingerprints on them. However, detection of nearby supernova is still under debate (e.g., Knie et al., 2004) To detect long-term record of past supernova activities, we utilize cosmogenic nuclide 10Be because of its short residence time (1-2yr) in the atmosphere, simple transport process, and adequate half-life (1.36 kyr) which is nearly equivalent to the duration of present-day deep water circulation. Sediment samples collected from the equatorial western Pacific (706-825 kyr in age) were finely powdered and decomposed by mixed acids (HNO3, HF, and HClO4). Authigenic phase was also separated from bulk powders by leaching with a weak acid. Because quantitative separation of Be from samples is essential toward high-quality 10Be analysis, both Be-bearing fractions were applied to optimized anion exchange chromatography for Be separation, and Be abundance was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. The 10Be abundance (10Be/9Be ratios) were measured by accelerator mass spectrometry. The authigenic phase showed temporal curve that is similar to that of bulk samples (Suganuma et al., 2012), reflecting the influence of relative paleo-intensity and utility of authigenic method. Increased data set in terms of sampling interval (density) and total age range would allow us to judge whether it could detect past supernova activities and how it appears when compared to the recent results of Wallner et al. (2016) using Fe isotopes. If past supernova activities are not detected, we then establish standard temporal curve, with higher resolution, of relative paleo-intensity of terrestrial magnetism and construct global ionization map as a function of terrestrial magnetism.

Enrichment of Arsenic in Surface Water, Stream Sediments and Soils in Tibet.

PubMed

Li, Shehong; Wang, Mingguo; Yang, Qiang; Wang, Hui; Zhu, Jianming; Zheng, Baoshan; Zheng, Yan

2013-12-01

Groundwater in sedimentary deposits in China, Southern, and Southeast Asia down gradient from the Tibetan plateau contain elevated As concentrations on a regional scale. To ascertain the possibility of source region As enrichment, samples of water (n=86), stream sediment (n=77) and soil (n=73) were collected from the Singe Tsangpo (upstream of the Indus River), Yarlung Tsangpo (upstream of the Brahmaputra River) and other drainage basins in Tibet in June of 2008. The average arsenic concentration in stream waters, sediments and soils was 58±70 μg/L (n=39, range 2-252 μg/L), 42±40 mg/kg (n=37, range 12-227 mg/kg), and 44±27mg/kg (n=28, range 12-84 mg/kg) respectively for the Singe Tsangpo and was 11±17 μg/L (n=30, range 2-83 μg/L), 28±11 mg/kg (n=28, range 2-61 mg/kg), and 30±34 mg/kg (n=21, range 6-173 mg/kg) respectively for the Yarlung Tsangpo. A dug well contained 195 μg/L of As. In addition to elevated As levels in surface and shallow groundwater of Tibet, hot spring and alkaline salt lake waters displayed very high As levels, reaching a maximum value of 5,985 μg/L and 10,626 μg/L As, respectively. The positive correlation between [As] and [Na]+[K] in stream waters indicates that these surface water arsenic enrichments are linked to the hot springs and/or salt lakes. Further, 24% of As in stream sediment is reductively leachable, with bulk As displaying a positive correlation with stream water As, suggesting sorption from stream water. In contrast, the fraction of reductively leachable As is negligible for soils and several rock samples, suggesting that As in them are associated with unweathered minerals. Whether the pronounced As anomaly found in Tibet affects the sedimentary As content in deltas downstream or not requires further study.

Enrichment of Arsenic in Surface Water, Stream Sediments and Soils in Tibet

PubMed Central

Li, Shehong; Wang, Mingguo; Yang, Qiang; Wang, Hui; Zhu, Jianming; Zheng, Baoshan; Zheng, Yan

2013-01-01

Groundwater in sedimentary deposits in China, Southern, and Southeast Asia down gradient from the Tibetan plateau contain elevated As concentrations on a regional scale. To ascertain the possibility of source region As enrichment, samples of water (n=86), stream sediment (n=77) and soil (n=73) were collected from the Singe Tsangpo (upstream of the Indus River), Yarlung Tsangpo (upstream of the Brahmaputra River) and other drainage basins in Tibet in June of 2008. The average arsenic concentration in stream waters, sediments and soils was 58±70 μg/L (n=39, range 2-252 μg/L), 42±40 mg/kg (n=37, range 12-227 mg/kg), and 44±27mg/kg (n=28, range 12-84 mg/kg) respectively for the Singe Tsangpo and was 11±17 μg/L (n=30, range 2-83 μg/L), 28±11 mg/kg (n=28, range 2-61 mg/kg), and 30±34 mg/kg (n=21, range 6-173 mg/kg) respectively for the Yarlung Tsangpo. A dug well contained 195 μg/L of As. In addition to elevated As levels in surface and shallow groundwater of Tibet, hot spring and alkaline salt lake waters displayed very high As levels, reaching a maximum value of 5,985 μg/L and 10,626 μg/L As, respectively. The positive correlation between [As] and [Na]+[K] in stream waters indicates that these surface water arsenic enrichments are linked to the hot springs and/or salt lakes. Further, 24% of As in stream sediment is reductively leachable, with bulk As displaying a positive correlation with stream water As, suggesting sorption from stream water. In contrast, the fraction of reductively leachable As is negligible for soils and several rock samples, suggesting that As in them are associated with unweathered minerals. Whether the pronounced As anomaly found in Tibet affects the sedimentary As content in deltas downstream or not requires further study. PMID:24367140

An initial examination of carbonate production in the western equatorial Pacific: XRF results from the Pliocene-Pleistocene of IODP Site U1490

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, J.; Kulhanek, D. K.; Rosenthal, Y.; Holbourn, A. E.

2017-12-01

International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 363 sought to determine the nature of and driving forces behind climate variability in the Western Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP) region throughout the Neogene on millennial, orbital, and geologic timescales. Our research focuses on the Pliocene to recent (4-0 Ma) sediment record from IODP Site U1490 to examine changes in carbonate production and burial in the WPWP as a record of variations in the regional/global carbon cycle. This interval is of particular interest because it spans the Middle Pliocene Warm Period, the initiation of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation, and the Mid-Pleistocene Transition. Site U1490 is located on the northern edge of Eauripik Rise at 05°58.95'N, 142°39.27'E in the northern part of the WPWP. At 2341 m water depth, today the site is bathed in Upper Circumpolar Deepwater. Pliocene to recent sediment primarily consists of foraminifer-rich nannofossil ooze, with the sedimentation rate varying between 1.5 and 3 cm/kyr. Initial shipboard measurement of calcium carbonate content shows little variation at low resolution (1 sample every few meters), varying between 90 and 95 wt%. We collected X-ray fluorescence (XRF) data at 2 cm resolution along the composite stratigraphic section to obtain a qualitative measure of the bulk chemistry of the sediment. We will use the weight percent calcium carbonate of discrete samples to calibrate the XRF data to generate a high-resolution carbonate record. We observe cyclical variations in the Ca/Ba, which may reflect variations in productivity and/or dissolution through this interval, although additional work is needed to fully interpret these data. Ultimately our research will allow for comparison between records obtained from these cores located in the western equatorial Pacific to those obtained in the eastern and central Pacific, which will better elucidate the nature of the carbon system during the Plio-Pleistocene.

Transportation and Bioavailability of Copper and Zinc in a Storm Water Retention Pond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camponelli, K.; Casey, R. E.; Wright, M. E.; Lev, S. M.; Landa, E. R.

2006-05-01

Highway runoff has been identified as a non-point source of metals to storm water retention ponds. Zinc and copper are major components of tires and brake pads, respectively. As these automobile parts degrade, they deposit particulates onto the roadway surface. During a storm event, these metal containing particulates are washed into a storm water retention pond where they can then accumulate over time. These metals may be available to organisms inhabiting the pond and surrounding areas. This study focuses on tracking the metals from their deposition on the roadway to their transport and accumulation into a retention pond. The retention pond is located in Owings Mills, MD and collects runoff from an adjacent four lane highway. Pond sediments, background soils, road dust samples, and storm events were collected and analyzed. Copper and zinc concentrations in the pond sediments are higher than local background soils indicating that the pond is storing anthropogenically derived metals. Storm event samples also reveal elevated levels of copper and zinc transported through runoff, along with a large concentration of total suspended solids. After looking at the particulate and dissolved fractions of both metals in the runoff, the majority of the Zn and Cu are in the particulate fraction. Changes in TSS are proportional with changes in particulate bound Zn, indicating that the solid particulates that are entering into the pond are a major contributor of the total metal loading. Sequential extractions carried out on the road dust show that the majority of zinc is extracted in the second and third fractions and could become available to organisms in the pond. There is a small amount of Cu that is being released in the more available stages of the procedure; however the bulk of the Cu is seen in the more recalcitrant steps. In the pond sediments however, both Cu and Zn are only being released from the sediments in the later steps and are most likely not highly available.

Testing the use of bulk organic δ13C, δ15N, and Corg:Ntot ratios to estimate subsidence during the 1964 great Alaska earthquake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bender, Adrian M.; Witter, Robert C.; Rogers, Matthew

2015-01-01

During the Mw 9.2 1964 great Alaska earthquake, Turnagain Arm near Girdwood, Alaska subsided 1.7 ± 0.1 m based on pre- and postearthquake leveling. The coseismic subsidence in 1964 caused equivalent sudden relative sea-level (RSL) rise that is stratigraphically preserved as mud-over-peat contacts where intertidal silt buried peaty marsh surfaces. Changes in intertidal microfossil assemblages across these contacts have been used to estimate subsidence in 1964 by applying quantitative microfossil transfer functions to reconstruct corresponding RSL rise. Here, we review the use of organic stable C and N isotope values and Corg:Ntot ratios as alternative proxies for reconstructing coseismic RSL changes, and report independent estimates of subsidence in 1964 by using δ13C values from intertidal sediment to assess RSL change caused by the earthquake. We observe that surface sediment δ13C values systematically decrease by ∼4‰ over the ∼2.5 m increase in elevation along three 60- to 100-m-long transects extending from intertidal mud flat to upland environments. We use a straightforward linear regression to quantify the relationship between modern sediment δ13C values and elevation (n = 84, R2 = 0.56). The linear regression provides a slope–intercept equation used to reconstruct the paleoelevation of the site before and after the earthquake based on δ13C values in sandy silt above and herbaceous peat below the 1964 contact. The regression standard error (average = ±0.59‰) reflects the modern isotopic variability at sites of similar surface elevation, and is equivalent to an uncertainty of ±0.4 m elevation with respect to Mean Higher High Water. To reduce potential errors in paleoelevation and subsidence estimates, we analyzed multiple sediment δ13C values in nine cores on a shore-perpendicular transect at Bird Point. Our method estimates 1.3 ± 0.4 m of coseismic RSL rise across the 1964 contact by taking the arithmetic mean of the differences (n = 9) between reconstructed elevations for sediment above and below the 1964 earthquake subsidence contact. This estimate compares well with independent subsidence estimates derived from post-earthquake leveling in Turnagain Arm, and from microfossil transfer functions at Girdwood (1.50 ± 0.32 m). While our results support the use of bulk organic δ13C for reconstructing RSL change in southern Alaska, the variability of stable isotope values in modern and buried intertidal sediment required the analysis of multiple samples to reduce error.

Catastrophic precipitation-triggered lahar at Casita volcano, Nicaragua: Occurrence, bulking and transformation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scott, K.M.; Vallance, J.W.; Kerle, N.; Macias, J.L.; Strauch, W.; Devoli, G.

2005-01-01

A catastrophic lahar began on 30 October 1998, as hurricane precipitation triggered a small flank collapse of Casita volcano, a complex and probably dormant stratovolcano. The initial rockslide-debris avalanche evolved on the flank to yield a watery debris flood with a sediment concentration less than 60 per cent by volume at the base of the volcano. Within 2-5 km, however, the watery flow entrained (bulked) enough sediment to transform entirely to a debris flow. The debris flow, 6 km downstream and 1??2 km wide and 3 to 6 m deep, killed 2500 people, nearly the entire populations of the communities of El Porvenir and Rolando Rodriguez. These 'new towns' were developed in a prehistoric lahar pathway: at least three flows of similar size since 8330 14C years BP are documented by stratigraphy in the same 30-degree sector. Travel time between perception of the flow and destruction of the towns was only 2??5-3??0 minutes. The evolution of the flow wave occurred with hydraulic continuity and without pause or any extraordinary addition of water. The precipitation trigger of the Casita lahar emphasizes the nee d, in volcano hazard assessments, for including the potential for non-eruption-related collapse lahars with the more predictable potential of their syneruption analogues. The flow behaviour emphasizes that volcano collapses can yield not only volcanic debris avalanches with restricted runouts, but also mobile lahars that enlarge by bulking as they flow. Volumes and hence inundation areas of collapse-runout lahars can increase greatly beyond their sources: the volume of the Casita lahar bulked to at least 2??6 times the contributing volume of the flank collapse and 4??2 times that of the debris flood. At least 78 per cent of the debris flow matrix (sediment < -1??0??; 2 mm) was entrained during flow. Copyright c 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Single-grain 40Ar-39Ar ages of glauconies: implications for the geologic time scale and global sea level variations

PubMed

Smith; Evensen; York; Odin

1998-03-06

The mineral series glaucony supplies 40% of the absolute-age database for the geologic time scale of the last 250 million years. However, glauconies have long been suspected of giving young potassium-argon ages on bulk samples. Laser-probe argon-argon dating shows that glaucony populations comprise grains with a wide range of ages, suggesting a period of genesis several times longer ( approximately 5 million years) than previously thought. An estimate of the age of their enclosing sediments (and therefore of time scale boundaries) is given by the oldest nonrelict grains in the glaucony populations, whereas the formation times of the younger grains appear to be modulated by global sea level.

Interstitial water studies on small core samples, Deep Sea Drilling Project, Leg 8

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manheim, F.T.; Sayles, F.L.

1971-01-01

Leg 8 sites are dominated by siliceous-calcareous biogenic oozes having depositional rates of 0.1 to 1.5 cm/1000 years. Conservative constituents of pore fluids showed, as have cores from other pelagic areas of the Pacific, insignificant or marginally significant changes with depth and location. However, in Sites 70 and 71, calcium, magnesium and strontium showed major shifts in concentration with depth. These changes appear to be related to recrystallization phenomena in skeletal debris of nannoplankton and to the relative accumulation rate of the sediments. The chemical anomalies increase relatively smoothly with depth, demonstrating the effectiveness of vertical diffusional communication, and apparent lack of bulk fluid movement, as noted in Leg 7 and other sites.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Tao; Kukkadapu, Ravi K.; Griffin, Aron M.

Fe(III)-oxides and Fe(III)-bearing phyllosilicates are the two major iron sources utilized as electron acceptors by dissimilatory iron-reducing bacteria (DIRB) in anoxic soils and sediments. Although there have been many studies of microbial Fe(III)-oxide and Fe(III)-phyllosilicate reduction with both natural and specimen materials, no controlled experimental information is available on the interaction between these two phases when both are available for microbial reduction. In this study, the model DIRB Geobacter sulfurreducens was used to examine the pathways of Fe(III) reduction in Fe(III)-oxide stripped subsurface sediment that was coated with different amounts of synthetic high surface area goethite. Cryogenic (12K) 57Fe Mössbauermore » spectroscopy was used to determine changes in the relative abundances of Fe(III)-oxide, Fe(III)-phyllosilicate, and phyllosilicate-associated Fe(II) (Fe(II)-phyllosilicate) in bioreduced samples. Analogous Mössbauer analyses were performed on samples from abiotic Fe(II) sorption experiments in which sediments were exposed to a quantity of exogenous soluble Fe(II) (FeCl22H2O) comparable to the amount of Fe(II) produced during microbial reduction. A Fe partitioning model was developed to analyze the fate of Fe(II) and assess the potential for abiotic Fe(II)-catalyzed reduction of Fe(III)-phyllosilicatesilicates. The microbial reduction experiments indicated that although reduction of Fe(III)-oxide accounted for virtually all of the observed bulk Fe(III) reduction activity, there was no significant abiotic electron transfer between oxide-derived Fe(II) and Fe(III)-phyllosilicatesilicates, with 26-87% of biogenic Fe(II) appearing as sorbed Fe(II) in the Fe(II)-phyllosilicate pool. In contrast, the abiotic Fe(II) sorption experiments showed that 41 and 24% of the added Fe(II) engaged in electron transfer to Fe(III)-phyllosilicate surfaces in synthetic goethite-coated and uncoated sediment. Differences in the rate of Fe(II) addition and system redox potential may account for the microbial and abiotic reaction systems. Our experiments provide new insight into pathways for Fe(III) reduction in mixed Fe(III)-oxide/Fe(III)-phyllosilicate assemblages, and provide key mechanistic insight for interpreting microbial reduction experiments and field data from complex natural soils and sediments.« less

Critical assessment of the performance of electronic moisture analyzers for small amounts of environmental samples and biological reference materials.

PubMed

Krachler, M

2001-12-01

Two electronic moisture analyzers were critically evaluated with regard to their suitability for determining moisture in small amounts (< or = 200 mg) of various environmental matrices such as leaves, needles, soil, peat, sediments, and sewage sludge, as well as various biological reference materials. To this end, several homogeneous bulk materials were prepared which were subsequently employed for the development and optimization of all analytical procedures. The key features of the moisture analyzers included a halogen or ceramic heater and an integrated balance with a resolution of 0.1 mg, which is an essential prerequisite for obtaining precise results. Oven drying of the bulk materials in a conventional oven at 105 degrees C until constant mass served as reference method. A heating temperature of 65degrees C was found to provide accurate and precise results for almost all matrices investigated. To further improve the accuracy and precision, other critical parameters such as handling of sample pans, standby temperature, and measurement delay were optimized. Because of its ponderous heating behavior, the performance of the ceramic radiator was inferior to that of the halogen heater, which produced moisture results comparable to those obtained by oven drying. The developed drying procedures were successfully applied to the fast moisture analysis (1.4-6.3 min) of certified biological reference materials of similar provenance to the investigated the bulk materials. Moisture results for 200 mg aliquots ranged from 1.4 to 7.8% and good agreement was obtained between the recommended drying procedure for the reference materials and the electronic moisture analyzers with absolute uncertainties amounting to 0.1% and 0.2-0.3%, respectively.

Imaging of Al/Fe ratios in synthetic Al-goethite revealed by nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Pohl, Lydia; Kölbl, Angelika; Werner, Florian; Mueller, Carsten W; Höschen, Carmen; Häusler, Werner; Kögel-Knabner, Ingrid

2018-04-30

Aluminium (Al)-substituted goethite is ubiquitous in soils and sediments. The extent of Al-substitution affects the physicochemical properties of the mineral and influences its macroscale properties. Bulk analysis only provides total Al/Fe ratios without providing information with respect to the Al-substitution of single minerals. Here, we demonstrate that nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) enables the precise determination of Al-content in single minerals, while simultaneously visualising the variation of the Al/Fe ratio. Al-substituted goethite samples were synthesized with increasing Al concentrations of 0.1, 3, and 7 % and analysed by NanoSIMS in combination with established bulk spectroscopic methods (XRD, FTIR, Mössbauer spectroscopy). The high spatial resolution (50-150 nm) of NanoSIMS is accompanied by a high number of single-point measurements. We statistically evaluated the Al/Fe ratios derived from NanoSIMS, while maintaining the spatial information and reassigning it to its original localization. XRD analyses confirmed increasing concentration of incorporated Al within the goethite structure. Mössbauer spectroscopy revealed 11 % of the goethite samples generated at high Al concentrations consisted of hematite. The NanoSIMS data show that the Al/Fe ratios are in agreement with bulk data derived from total digestion and demonstrated small spatial variability between single-point measurements. More advantageously, statistical analysis and reassignment of single-point measurements allowed us to identify distinct spots with significantly higher or lower Al/Fe ratios. NanoSIMS measurements confirmed the capacity to produce images, which indicated the uniform increase in Al-concentrations in goethite. Using a combination of statistical analysis with information from complementary spectroscopic techniques (XRD, FTIR and Mössbauer spectroscopy) we were further able to reveal spots with lower Al/Fe ratios as hematite. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Direct determination of halogens in powdered geological and environmental samples using isotope dilution laser ablation ICP-MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boulyga, Sergei F.; Heumann, Klaus G.

2005-04-01

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma isotope dilution mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-IDMS) with a special laser ablation system for bulk analyses (LINA-Spark(TM)-Atomiser) was applied for direct determinations of chlorine, bromine, and iodine in rock and sediment samples. Special attention was focused on possible inter-halogen fractionations and analyte/spike isotope fractionations by using LA-ICP-MS and LA-ICP-IDMS, respectively. A variation of Br/Cl and I/Cl element intensity ratios by a factor of 1.3-3 was observed when changing the nebulizer gas flow rate in the range of 0.84-1.0 L min-1 and the laser power density in the range of 2-10 GW cm-2, respectively. When using an internal standard for halogen quantification in LA-ICP-MS, this inter-element fractionation can cause systematic errors, which can be avoided by applying the isotope dilution technique. However, at high laser power densities (>5.7 GW cm-2 for iodine and >4.0 GW cm-2 for bromine and chlorine) the corresponding measured isotope ratio of the isotope-diluted sample deviates significantly from the target value. Under optimised conditions concentrations in the range of 30 [mu]g g-1-16 × 103 [mu]g g-1 for chlorine, <2-140 [mu]g g-1 for bromine, and <0.1-31 [mu]g g-1 for iodine were determined by LA-ICP-IDMS in two sediment reference materials (SRM 1646, SRM 2704) and three rock reference samples (GS-N, Granite; BX-N, Bauxite; DT-N, Disthene), which have not been certified for these halogens. The sediment results agree well within the given uncertainties with indicative values by different methods and the results of the rock samples with those obtained by negative thermal ionisation isotope dilution mass spectrometry. The detection limits of LA-ICP-IDMS are 8 [mu]g g-1 for chlorine, 1.7 [mu]g g-1 for bromine, and 0.1 [mu]g g-1 for iodine.

Composition of Impact Melt Debris from the Eltanin Impact Strewn Field, Bellingshausen Sea

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kyte, Frank T.

2002-01-01

The impact of the km-sized Eltanin asteroid into the Bellingshausen Sea produced mm- to cm-sized vesicular impact melt-rock particles found in sediment cores across a large area of the ocean floor. These particles are composed mainly of olivine and glass with minor chromite and traces of NiFe-sulfides. Some particles have inclusions of unmelted mineral and rock fragments from the precursor asteroid. Although all samples of melt rock examined have experienced significant alteration since their deposition in the late Pliocene, a significant portion of these particles have interiors that remain pristine and can be used to estimate the bulk composition of the impact melt. The bulk composition of the melt-rock particles is similar to the composition of basaltic meteorites such as howardites or mesosiderite silicates, with a contribution from seawater salts and a siderophile-rich component. There is no evidence that the Eltanin impact melt contains a significant terrestrial silicate component that might have been incorporated by mixing of the projectile with oceanic crust. If terrestrial silicates were incorporated into the melt, then their contribution must be much less than 10 wt%. Since excess K, Na, and CI are not present in seawater proportions, uptake of these elements into the melt must have been greatest for K and least for CI, producing a K/CI ratio about 4 times that in seawater. After correcting for the seawater component, the bulk composition of the Eltanin impact melt provides the best estimate of the bulk composition of the Eltanin asteroid. Excess Fe in the impact melt, relative to that in howardites, must be from a significant metal phase in the parent asteroid. Although the estimated Fe:Ni:Ir ratios (8:1:4 x 10(exp -5)) are similar to those in mesosiderite metal nodules (10:1:6 x 10(exp -5), excess Co and Au by factors of about 2 and 10 times, respectively, imply a metal component distinct from that in typical mesosiderites. An alternative interpretation, that siderophiles have been highly fractionated from a mesosiderite source, would require loss of about 90% of the original metal from the impact melt and the sediments, and is unsupported by any observational data. More likely, the excess Fe in the melt rocks is 'representative of the amount of metal in the impacting asteroid, which is estimated to be 4+/- 1 wt%.

Bulk metal concentrations versus total suspended solids in rivers: Time-invariant & catchment-specific relationships.

PubMed

Nasrabadi, Touraj; Ruegner, Hermann; Schwientek, Marc; Bennett, Jeremy; Fazel Valipour, Shahin; Grathwohl, Peter

2018-01-01

Suspended particles in rivers can act as carriers of potentially bioavailable metal species and are thus an emerging area of interest in river system monitoring. The delineation of bulk metals concentrations in river water into dissolved and particulate components is also important for risk assessment. Linear relationships between bulk metal concentrations in water (CW,tot) and total suspended solids (TSS) in water can be used to easily evaluate dissolved (CW, intercept) and particle-bound metal fluxes (CSUS, slope) in streams (CW,tot = CW + CSUS TSS). In this study, we apply this principle to catchments in Iran (Haraz) and Germany (Ammer, Goldersbach, and Steinlach) that show differences in geology, geochemistry, land use and hydrological characteristics. For each catchment, particle-bound and dissolved concentrations for a suite of metals in water were calculated based on linear regressions of total suspended solids and total metal concentrations. Results were replicable across sampling campaigns in different years and seasons (between 2013 and 2016) and could be reproduced in a laboratory sedimentation experiment. CSUS values generally showed little variability in different catchments and agree well with soil background values for some metals (e.g. lead and nickel) while other metals (e.g. copper) indicate anthropogenic influences. CW was elevated in the Haraz (Iran) catchment, indicating higher bioavailability and potential human and ecological health concerns (where higher values of CSUS/CW are considered as a risk indicator).

Bulk metal concentrations versus total suspended solids in rivers: Time-invariant & catchment-specific relationships

PubMed Central

Ruegner, Hermann; Schwientek, Marc; Bennett, Jeremy; Fazel Valipour, Shahin; Grathwohl, Peter

2018-01-01

Suspended particles in rivers can act as carriers of potentially bioavailable metal species and are thus an emerging area of interest in river system monitoring. The delineation of bulk metals concentrations in river water into dissolved and particulate components is also important for risk assessment. Linear relationships between bulk metal concentrations in water (CW,tot) and total suspended solids (TSS) in water can be used to easily evaluate dissolved (CW, intercept) and particle-bound metal fluxes (CSUS, slope) in streams (CW,tot = CW + CSUS TSS). In this study, we apply this principle to catchments in Iran (Haraz) and Germany (Ammer, Goldersbach, and Steinlach) that show differences in geology, geochemistry, land use and hydrological characteristics. For each catchment, particle-bound and dissolved concentrations for a suite of metals in water were calculated based on linear regressions of total suspended solids and total metal concentrations. Results were replicable across sampling campaigns in different years and seasons (between 2013 and 2016) and could be reproduced in a laboratory sedimentation experiment. CSUS values generally showed little variability in different catchments and agree well with soil background values for some metals (e.g. lead and nickel) while other metals (e.g. copper) indicate anthropogenic influences. CW was elevated in the Haraz (Iran) catchment, indicating higher bioavailability and potential human and ecological health concerns (where higher values of CSUS/CW are considered as a risk indicator). PMID:29342204

Water column and bed-sediment core samples collected from Brownlee Reservoir near Oxbow, Oregon, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fosness, Ryan L.; Naymik, Jesse; Hopkins, Candice B.; DeWild, John F.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Idaho Power Company, collected water-column and bed-sediment core samples from eight sites in Brownlee Reservoir near Oxbow, Oregon, during May 5–7, 2012. Water-column and bed-sediment core samples were collected at each of the eight sites and analyzed for total mercury and methylmercury. Additional bed-sediment core samples, collected from three of the eight sites, were analyzed for pesticides and other organic compounds, trace metals, and physical characteristics, such as particle size. Total mercury and methylmercury were detected in each of the water column and bed-sediment core samples. Only 17 of the 417 unique pesticide and organic compounds were detected in bed-sediment core samples. Concentrations of most organic wastewater compounds detected in bed sediment were less than the reporting level. Trace metals detected were greater than the reporting level in all the bed-sediment core samples submitted for analysis. The particle size distribution of bed-sediment core samples was predominantly clay mixed with silt.

Quality-assurance plan for the analysis of fluvial sediment by the U.S. Geological Survey Kentucky Water Science Center Sediment Laboratory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shreve, Elizabeth A.; Downs, Aimee C.

2005-01-01

This report describes laboratory procedures used by the U.S. Geological Survey Kentucky Water Science Center Sediment Laboratory for the processing and analysis of fluvial-sediment samples for concentration of sand and finer material. The report details the processing of a sediment sample through the laboratory from receiving the sediment sample, through the analytical process, to compiling results of the requested analysis. Procedures for preserving sample integrity, calibrating and maintaining of laboratory and field instruments and equipment, analyzing samples, internal quality assurance and quality control, and validity of the sediment-analysis results also are described. The report includes a list of references cited and a glossary of sediment and quality-assurance terms.

Rates, timing, and cyclicity of Holocene eolian activity in north-central United States: Evidence from varved lake sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dean, W.E.

1997-01-01

Most of the sediment components that accumulated in Elk Lake, northwestern Minnesota, during the Holocene are autochthonous or biogenic, delivered to the sediment-water interface on a seasonal schedule, preserved in distinct annual laminae (varves). The main allochthonous component is detrital clastic material, as measured by bulk-sediment concentrations of aluminum, sodium, potassium, titanium, and quartz, that enters the lake mostly as eolian dust. The eolian clastic influx to Elk Lake was considerably greater during the mid-Holocene (8-4 ka) than it has been for the past 4000 yr, when periods of increased eolian activity correspond to the time of the Little Ice Age and the dust bowl. Geochemical records of eolian activity exhibit distinct cyclicities with dominant periodicities of 400 and 84 yr.

Changes in Terrestrial Organic Carbon Delivery to the Colville River Delta and Adjacent Simpson's Lagoon Over the Late Holocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreiner, K. M.; Bianchi, T. S.; Allison, M. A.; Miller, A. J.; Marcantonio, F.

2012-04-01

The Colville River in Alaska is the largest river in North America that drains only continuously permafrosted tundra, and as such provides a unique signal of historical changes in one of the world's most vulnerable areas to climate changes. Additionally, the Colville flows into Simpson's Lagoon, a shallow area of the Alaskan Beaufort coast protected by a barrier island chain, lessening the impacts of Arctic storms and ice grounding on sediment mixing. Cores collected from the Colville river delta in August of 2010 were found to be composed of muddy, organic-rich, well-laminated sediments. The 2.5 to 3 meter length of each core spans about one to two thousand years of Holocene history, including the entire Anthropocene and much of the late Holocene. Three cores were sampled for this data set, arranged latitudinally from the mouth of the Colville River east into Simpson's Lagoon. Samples were taken every 2 cm for the entire length of all cores. Bulk analyses including percent organic carbon, percent nitrogen, and stable carbon isotopic analysis were performed, and compound specific analyses including lignin-phenol and algal pigment analyses were performed. These analyses showed significant changes in carbon storage over the past one to two thousand years. There were also significant spatial differences in organic carbon inputs across the ~20km distance between the Colville mouth and the easternmost core. Lignin-phenol concentrations in surface sediments nearest to the river mouth correlated positively with reconstructed Alaskan North Slope temperatures, suggesting more terrestrial organic matter was delivered during higher temperature regimes. Molar C:N ratios and plant pigments correlated negatively and positively, respectively, with reconstructed Alaskan North Slope moisture regime, indicating greater algal inputs during wetter time periods. These data may in part be consistent with observed woody shrub encroachment and increasing expanse of permafrost lakes on the North Slope. Bulk isotope data of the same core showed extremely depleted (up to -34‰) excursions in the top third (i.e. over the past 800 years), and corresponded with increased input of more highly degraded lignin-phenols (as indicated by higher (Ad:Al)v ratios). Alternatively, sediments from the most distal core from the river mouth indicate the majority of organic carbon input to this area of the lagoon was not connected with Colville River outflow, and likely originated from either coastal retreat or was potentially carried into the lagoon from farther east by the Beaufort Gyre. Over the past millennium, the organic carbon input has consistently become more enriched in 13C and less lignin-phenol rich, likely indicating increased input of algal carbon. This data provides the first fine-scale, late Holocene record for this region of the Arctic.

Water-quality assessment of the Rio Grande Valley, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas; organic compounds and trace elements in bed sediment and fish tissue, 1992-93

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carter, L.F.; Anderholm, S.K.

1997-01-01

The occurrence and distribution of contaminants in aquatic systems are major components of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Bed-sediment samples were collected at 18 sites in the Rio Grande Valley study unit between September 1992 and March 1993 to characterize the geographic distribution of organic compounds, including chlorinated insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's), and other chlorinated hydrocarbons, and also trace elements. Two-millimeter-size- fraction sediment was analyzed for organic compounds and less than 63-micron-size-fraction sediment was analyzed for trace elements. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE were detected in 33 percent of the bed-sediment samples. With the exception of DDT-related compounds, no other organochlorine insecticides or polychlorinated biphenyls were detected in samples of bed sediment. Whole-body fish samples were collected at 11 of the bed- sediment sites and analyzed for organic compounds. Organic compounds were reported more frequently in samples of fish, and more types of organic compounds were found in whole-body fish samples than in bed-sediment samples. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE were detected in 91 percent of whole-body fish samples. Polychlorinated biphenyls, cis-chlordane, trans-chlordane, trans- nonachlor, and hexachlorobenzene were other organic compounds detected in whole-body samples of fish from at least one site. Because of the extent of mineralized areas in the Rio Grande Basin arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc concentrations in bed-sediment samples could represent natural conditions at most sites. However, a combination of natural conditions and human activities appears to be associated with elevated trace-element concentrations in the bed-sediment sample from the site Rio Grande near Creede, Colorado, because this sample exceeded the background trace-element concentrations calculated for this study. Fish-liver samples were collected at 12 of the bed-sediment sites and analyzed for trace elements. Certain trace elements were detected at higher concentrations in fish-liver samples than in bed-sediment samples from the same site. Both bed-sediment and fish-tissue samples are necessary for a complete environmental assessment of the occurrence and distribution of trace elements.

The effects of sample scheduling and sample numbers on estimates of the annual fluxes of suspended sediment in fluvial systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, Arthur J.; Clarke, Robin T.; Merten, Gustavo Henrique

2015-01-01

Since the 1970s, there has been both continuing and growing interest in developing accurate estimates of the annual fluvial transport (fluxes and loads) of suspended sediment and sediment-associated chemical constituents. This study provides an evaluation of the effects of manual sample numbers (from 4 to 12 year−1) and sample scheduling (random-based, calendar-based and hydrology-based) on the precision, bias and accuracy of annual suspended sediment flux estimates. The evaluation is based on data from selected US Geological Survey daily suspended sediment stations in the USA and covers basins ranging in area from just over 900 km2 to nearly 2 million km2 and annual suspended sediment fluxes ranging from about 4 Kt year−1 to about 200 Mt year−1. The results appear to indicate that there is a scale effect for random-based and calendar-based sampling schemes, with larger sample numbers required as basin size decreases. All the sampling schemes evaluated display some level of positive (overestimates) or negative (underestimates) bias. The study further indicates that hydrology-based sampling schemes are likely to generate the most accurate annual suspended sediment flux estimates with the fewest number of samples, regardless of basin size. This type of scheme seems most appropriate when the determination of suspended sediment concentrations, sediment-associated chemical concentrations, annual suspended sediment and annual suspended sediment-associated chemical fluxes only represent a few of the parameters of interest in multidisciplinary, multiparameter monitoring programmes. The results are just as applicable to the calibration of autosamplers/suspended sediment surrogates currently used to measure/estimate suspended sediment concentrations and ultimately, annual suspended sediment fluxes, because manual samples are required to adjust the sample data/measurements generated by these techniques so that they provide depth-integrated and cross-sectionally representative data. 

Organic-Carbon Sequestration in Soil/Sediment of the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain - Data; Landscape Distribution, Storage, and Inventory; Accumulation Rates; and Recent Loss, Including a Post-Katrina Preliminary Analysis (Chapter B)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Markewich, Helaine W.; Buell, Gary R.; Britsch, Louis D.; McGeehin, John P.; Robbins, John A.; Wrenn, John H.; Dillon, Douglas L.; Fries, Terry L.; Morehead, Nancy R.

2007-01-01

Soil/sediment of the Mississippi River deltaic plain (MRDP) in southeastern Louisiana is rich in organic carbon (OC). The MRDP contains about 2 percent of all OC in the surface meter of soil/sediment in the Mississippi River Basin (MRB). Environments within the MRDP differ in soil/sediment organic carbon (SOC) accumulation rate, storage, and inventory. The focus of this study was twofold: (1) develop a database for OC and bulk density for MRDP soil/sediment; and (2) estimate SOC storage, inventory, and accumulation rates for the dominant environments (brackish, intermediate, and fresh marsh; natural levee; distributary; backswamp; and swamp) in the MRDP. Comparative studies were conducted to determine which field and laboratory methods result in the most accurate and reproducible bulk-density values for each marsh environment. Sampling methods included push-core, vibracore, peat borer, and Hargis1 sampler. Bulk-density data for cores taken by the 'short push-core method' proved to be more internally consistent than data for samples collected by other methods. Laboratory methods to estimate OC concentration and inorganic-constituent concentration included mass spectrometry, coulometry, and loss-on-ignition. For the sampled MRDP environments, these methods were comparable. SOC storage was calculated for each core with adequate OC and bulk-density data. SOC inventory was calculated using core-specific data from this study and available published and unpublished pedon data linked to SSURGO2 map units. Sample age was estimated using isotopic cesium (137Cs), lead (210Pb), and carbon (14C), elemental Pb, palynomorphs, other stratigraphic markers, and written history. SOC accumulation rates were estimated for each core with adequate age data. Cesium-137 profiles for marsh soil/sediment are the least ambiguous. Levee and distributary 137Cs profiles show the effects of intermittent allochthonous input and/or sediment resuspension. Cesium-137 and 210Pb data gave the most consistent and interpretable information for age estimations of soil/sediment deposited during the 1900s. For several cores, isotopic 14C and 137Cs data allowed the 1963-64 nuclear weapons testing (NWT) peak-activity datum to be placed within a few-centimeter depth interval. In some cores, a too old 14C age (when compared to 137Cs and microstratigraphic-marker data) is the probable result of old carbon bound to clay minerals incorporated into the organic soil/sediment. Elemental Pb coupled with Pb source-function data allowed age estimation for soil/sediment that accumulated during the late 1920s through the 1980s. Exotic pollen (for example, Vigna unguiculata and Alternanthera philoxeroides) and other microstratigraphic indicators (for example, carbon spherules) allowed age estimations for marsh soil/sediment deposited during the settlement of New Orleans (1717-20) through the early 1900s. For this study, MRDP distributary and swamp environments were each represented by only one core, backswamp environment by two cores, all other environments by three or more cores. MRDP core data for the surface meter soil/sediment indicate that (1) coastal marshes, abandoned distributaries, and swamps have regional SOC-storage values >16 kg m-2; (2) swamps and abandoned distributaries have the highest SOC storage values (swamp, 44.8 kg m-2; abandoned distributary, 50.9 kg m-2); (3) fresh-to-brackish marsh environments have the second highest site-specific SOC-storage values; and (4) site-specific marsh SOC storage values decrease as the salinity of the environment increases (fresh-marsh, 36.2 kg m-2; intermediate marsh, 26.2 kg m-2; brackish marsh, 21.5 kg m-2). This inverse relation between salinity and SOC storage is opposite the regional systematic increase in SOC storage with increasing salinity that is evident when SOC storage is mapped by linking pedon data to SSURGO map units (fresh marsh, 47 kg m-2; intermediate marsh, 67 kg m-2; brackish marsh, 75 kg m-2; and salt marsh, 80 kg m-2). MRDP core data for this study also indicate that levees and backswamp have regional SOC-storage values <16 kg m-2. Group-mean SOC storage for cores from these environments are natural levee (17.0 kg m-2) and backswamp (14.1 kg m-2). An estimate for the SOC inventory in the surface meter of soil/sediment in the MRDP can be made using the SSURGO mapped portion of the coastal-marsh vegetative-type map (13,236 km2, land-only area) published by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and U.S. Geological Survey (1997). This area has a SOC inventory (surface meter) of 677 Tg (slightly more than 2 percent of the 30,289 Tg SOC inventory for the MRB). The MRDP (6,180 km2, land-only area) has an estimated SOC inventory of 397 Tg. Most of the MRDP is located within the SSURGO mapped coastal marshlands. The entire MRDP, including water, has an area of about 10,800 km2. Using the ratio of total MRDP area to SSURGO mapped MRDP area as an adjustment, the MRDP SOC inventory is estimated at 694 Tg. This larger estimate of 694 Tg for the SOC inventory is probably more realistic, because it is reasonable to assume that the marsh sediments overlain by shallow water have comparable SOC storage to that of the adjacent land areas. MRDP core data for this study indicate that there is some variability in long-term SOC mass-accumulation rates for centuries and millennia and that this variability may indicate important geologic changes or changes in land use. However, the consistency of the range in rates of SOC accumulation through time suggests a remarkable degree of marsh sustainability throughout the Holocene, including the recent period of significant marsh modification/channelization for human use. One example of marsh sustainability is its present ability to function as a SOC sink even with Louisiana's large-scale coastal land loss during the last several decades. With coastal-marsh restoration efforts, this sink potential will increase. Looking to the future, a total of 1,101 g m-2 yr-1 SOC is projected to be lost from all of coastal Louisiana (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisiana Coastal Area (LCA) subprovinces 1-4; not just the MRDP) through coastal erosion from year 2000 to 2050. This translates to a projected SOC-loss rate of about 0.20 percent per year. The recent Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which devastated the Louisiana coast during late August and late September 2005, transformed about 259 km2 (100 mi2) of marsh to open water (U.S. Geological Survey, 2005). To the extent that some or all of this land loss is permanent, this result equates to a SOC loss of about 15 Tg. This estimate is based on the year-2000 15,153-km2 land area for the LCA study area that includes LCA subprovince 4. Using the year-2000 land area, the LCA study area had an estimated SOC inventory of 858 Tg. The estimated 15 Tg SOC loss attributable to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is 1.7 percent of the year-2000 LCA inventory and 2.3 percent of the year-2000 MRDP inventory. If this SOC loss is included in the projection for the year 2050, then the MRDP would either remain a source with a net SOC loss of 3 Tg or become a weak sink with a net SOC gain of 4 Tg. These estimates are lower bounds for potential SOC flux because they are only for the surface meter of landmass.

Commencement Bay Study. Volume VII. Sediments, Noise, Climate, and Air Quality, Aesthetics, Birds.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-31

Island (Carpenter et al. 1978). While the arsenic found in sediments near the smelter is almost entirely contained in slag (bulk and particles) and is...indicates slag in a freshwater, low pH environment does leach both arsenic and other selected heavy metals. See the EIS documents for the proposed ASARCO...flood protection to the industrial section of Tacoma through the channelization of the river, and the construction of levees and revetments (U.S. Army

RUNOFF, SEDIMENT TRANSPORT, AND SURFACE COLLAPSE AT A LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE-WASTE BURIAL SITE NEAR SHEFFIELD, ILLINOIS.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, John R.; Peters, Charles A.; ,

1985-01-01

Runoff, sediment transport, and precipitation were measured in three gaged basins composing two-thirds of the 20-acre site, and in a 3. 5-acre basin located 0. 3 mile south of the site. Locations and dimensions of surface collapses at the site were recorded by the site contractor. Volumes of collapsed material were calculated and converted to an equivalent weight of earth material by applying a mean value for the bulk density of soils at the site.

Cenozoic marine geochemistry of thallium deduced from isotopic studies of ferromanganese crusts and pelagic sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rehkamper, M.; Frank, M.; Hein, J.R.; Halliday, A.

2004-01-01

Cenozoic records of Tl isotope compositions recorded by ferromanganese (Fe-Mn) crusts have been obtained. Such records are of interest because recent growth surfaces of Fe-Mn crusts display a nearly constant Tl isotope fractionation relative to seawater. The time-series data are complemented by results for bulk samples and leachates of various marine sediments. Oxic pelagic sediments and anoxic marine deposits can be distinguished by their Tl isotope compositions. Both pelagic clays and biogenic oozes are typically characterized by ??205Tl greater than +2.5, whereas anoxic sediments have ??205Tl of less than -1.5 (??205Tl is the deviation of the 205Tl/203Tl isotope ratio of a sample from NIST SRM 997 Tl in parts per 104). Leaching experiments indicate that the high ??205Tl values of oxic sediments probably reflect authigenic Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides. Time-resolved Tl isotope compositions were obtained from six Fe-Mn crusts from the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans and a number of observations indicate that these records were not biased by diagenetic alteration. Over the last 25 Myr, the data do not show isotopic variations that significantly exceed the range of Tl isotope compositions observed for surface layers of Fe-Mn crusts distributed globally (??205 Tl=+12.8??1.2). This indicates that variations in deep-ocean temperature were not recorded by Tl isotopes. The results most likely reflect a constant Tl isotope composition for seawater. The growth layers of three Fe-Mn crusts that are older than 25 Ma show a systematic increase of ??205Tl with decreasing age, from about +6 at 60-50 Ma to about +12 at 25 Ma. These trends are thought to be due to variations in the Tl isotope composition of seawater, which requires that the oceans of the early Cenozoic either had smaller output fluxes or received larger input fluxes of Tl with low ??205Tl. Larger inputs of isotopically light Tl may have been supplied by benthic fluxes from reducing sediments, rivers, and/or volcanic emanations. Alternatively, the Tl isotope trends may reflect the increasing importance of Tl fluxes to altered ocean crust through time. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sources of terrestrially-derived organic carbon in lower Mississippi River and Louisiana shelf sediments: Implications for differential sedimentation and transport at the coastal margin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bianchi, T.S.; Mitra, Siddhartha; McKee, B.A.

2002-01-01

In this study, we examined the temporal and spatial variability of terrestrial organic carbon sources in lower Mississippi River and Louisiana shelf sediments (during 11 cruises over a 22-month period) to further understand the sorting dynamics and selective transport of vascular plant materials within the primary dispersal system of the river. Bulk ??13C values in lower river sediments ranged from -21.90??? to -24.64??? (mean=-23.20??1.09???), these values were generally more depleted than those found in shelf sediments (-22.5??? to -21.2???). The ??8 (??8 = sum of vanillyl, syringyl and cinnamyl phenols produced from the oxidation of 100 mg of organic carbon) values in the lower river ranged from 0.71 to 3.74 (mean = 1.78??0.23). While there was no significant relationship between ??8 and river discharge (p>0.05), the highest value occurred during peak discharge in April 1999-which corresponded to the highest observed C/N value of 17.41. The ??8 values on the shelf ranged from 0.68 to 1.36 (mean = 0.54??0.30) and were significantly lower (p <0.05) than the average value for lower river sediments. The range of S/V (syringyl/vanillyl) and C/V (cinnamyl/vanillyl) ratios on the shelf, 0.11 to 0.95 and 0.01 to 0.08, respectively, were similar to that found in the lower river. These low C/V ratios are indicative a mixture of woody and non-woody carbon sources. Recent work by Goni et al. [Nature 389 (1997) 275; Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 62 (1998) 3055], which did not include sampling transects within the primary dispersal system of the Mississippi River, showed a non-woody vascular plant signature on the Louisiana shelf. This suggests that riverine-derived woody tissues preferentially settle out of the water column, in the lower river and inner shelf, prior to the selective dispersal of C3 versus C4 non-woody materials in other regions the shelf and slope. This works further demonstrates the importance of differential settlement of particles, sampling location within the dispersal system, and river discharge, when examining biogeochemical cycles in river-dominated margins. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Separation of non-ortho polychlorinated biphenyl congeners on pre-packed carbon tubes. Application to analysis in sewage sludge and soil samples.

PubMed

Molina, L; Cabes, M; Díaz-Ferrero, J; Coll, M; Martí, R; Broto-Puig, F; Comellas, L; Rodríguez-Larena, M C

2000-01-01

The analysis of planar (non-ortho) polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) by HRGC-ECD or HRGC-HRMS requires a fractionation step to avoid the interferences of the bulk of PCB, usually in much higher concentration than the planar ones. In this paper, a new method, based on the fractionation of PCB on SPE commercial tubes pre-packed with Carbopack B, has been developed. After the extract has been applied on the stationary phase, the bulk of PCD are eluted with 15 ml of hexane (fraction I), mono-ortho PCB with 20 ml of hexane/toluene 99:1 (fraction II) and planar PCB with 20 ml of toluene (fraction III) in a station under vacuum. The method has been validated: accuracy (expressed as recovery in %) is >70% and precision (expressed as % RSD) is <20% considering changes of day, analyst and batch of tubes. The method is linear in the range studied. Other advantages are that the method is simple, rapid and it can be easily automated. The application of this separation to the determination of planar PCB in fly-ash extracts from an intercalibration exercise and to sewage sludge, sediment and soil samples has been successful. In addition, this method removes hydrocarbons from the planar PCB fraction and allows its concentration to very small volumes.

Process audits versus product quality monitoring of bulk milk.

PubMed

Velthuis, A G J; van Asseldonk, M A P M

2011-01-01

Assessment of milk quality is based on bulk milk testing and farm certification on process quality audits. It is unknown to what extent dairy farm audits improve milk quality. A statistical analysis was conducted to quantify possible associations between bulk milk testing and dairy farm audits. The analysis comprised 64.373 audit outcomes on 26,953 dairy farms, which were merged with all conducted laboratory tests of bulk milk samples 12 mo before the audit. Each farm audit record included 271 binary checklist items and 52 attention point variables (given to farmers if serious deviations were observed), both indicating possible deviations from the desired farm situation. Test results included somatic cell count (SCC), total bacterial count (TBC), antimicrobial drug residues (ADR), level of butyric acid spores (BAB), freezing point depression (FPD), level of free fatty acid (FFA), and milk sediment (SED). Results show that numerous audit variables were related to bulk milk test results, although the goodness of fit of the models was generally low. Cow hygiene, clean cubicles, hygiene of milking parlor, and utility room were positively correlated with superior product quality, mainly with respect to SCC, TBC, BAB, FPD, FFA, and SED. Animal health or veterinary drugs management (i.e., drug treatment recording, marking of treated animals, and storage of veterinary drugs) related to SCC, FPD, FFA, and SED. The availability of drinking water was related to TBC, BAB, FFA, and SED, whereas maintenance of the milking equipment was related mainly to SCC, FPD, and FFA. In summary, bulk milk quality and farm audit outcomes are, to some degree, associated: if dairy farms are assessed negatively on specific audit aspects, the bulk milk quality is more likely to be inferior. However, the proportion of the total variance in milk test results explained by audits ranged between 4 and 13% (depending on the specific bulk milk test), showing that auditing dairy farms provides additional information but has a limited association with the outcome of a product quality control program. This study suggests that farm audits could be streamlined to include only relevant checklist items and that bulk milk quality monitoring could be used as a basis of selecting farms for more or less frequent audits. Copyright © 2011 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of toxicity to the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, and to the midge, Chironomus dilutus; and bioaccumulation by the oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus, with exposure to PCB-contaminated sediments from Anniston, Alabama

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Steevens, Jeffery A.; MacDonald, Donald D.; Brumbaugh, William G.; Coady, Matthew R.; Farrar, J. Daniel; Lotufo, Guilherme R.; Kemble, Nile E.; Kunz, James L.; Stanley, Jacob K.; Sinclair, Jesse A.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Steevens, Jeffery A.; MacDonald, Donald D.

2014-01-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) requested that as part of the remedial investigation for the Anniston, Alabama Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Site (Anniston PCB Site), that Pharmacia Corporation and Solutia Inc. (P/S) perform long-term reproduction toxicity tests with the amphipod, Hyalella azteca, and the midge, Chironomus dilutus, and bioaccumulation tests with the oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus, using sediment samples collected from reference locations and from Operable Unit 4 of the Anniston PCB Site. The sediment toxicity testing and sediment bioaccumulation results will be used by ARCADIS U.S., Inc. (ARCADIS) as part of a weight-of-evidence assessment to evaluate risks and establish sediment remediation goals for contaminants to sediment-dwelling organisms inhabiting the Anniston PCB Site. The goal of this study was to characterize relations between sediment chemistry and sediment toxicity and relations between sediment chemistry and sediment bioaccumulation in samples of sediments collected from the Anniston PCB Site. A total of 32 samples were evaluated from six test sites and one reference site to provide a wide range in concentrations of chemicals of potential concern (COPCs) including PCBs in samples of whole sediment. The goal of this study was not to determine the extent of sediment contamination across the Anniston PCB Site. Hence, the test sites or samples collected from within a test site were not selected to represent the spatial extent of sediment contamination across the Anniston PCB Site. Sediment chemistry, pore-water chemistry, and sediment toxicity data were generated for 26 sediment samples from the Anniston PCB Site. All of the samples were evaluated to determine if they qualified as reference sediment samples. Those samples that met the chemical selection criteria and biological selection criteria were identified as reference samples and used to develop the reference envelope for each toxicity test endpoint. Physical characterization of samples of whole sediment included analyses of grain size, TOC, and nutrients. Organic chemical characterization of samples of whole sediment included PCB homologs and select (13) PCB congeners, parent and alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides, and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins; and dibenzofurans. The PCB aroclors analyzed included 1016, 1221, 1232, 1242, 1248, 1254, 1260, 1262 and 1268. Analyses of whole sediment also included total metals, simultaneously extracted metals, and acid volatile sulfide. Chemical characterization of samples of pore water isolated from samples of whole sediment at the start of the sediment toxicity exposures or at the start of the sediment bioaccumulation exposures included metals, major cations, major anions, dissolved organic carbon, and additional water-quality characteristics. Concentrations of metals or PCBs in pore water during the sediment toxicity exposures or during sediment bioaccumulation exposures also were determined using peeper samples (for metals) or solid-phase microextraction (SPME) samplers (for PCBs). The bioavailability and bioaccumulation of PCBs in 14 sediment samples were investigated using SPME passive samplers and the 28-d L. variegatus whole-sediment bioaccumulation exposures In general the accumulation of PCBs consistently was predicted through the use of organic carbon normalization and equilibrium partitioning. In these sediments, PCB homologs were accumulated differently based on bioavailability and potential to accumulate in oligochaetes. As part of this assessment homolog specific biota sediment accumulation factor values were developed that could be applied across the larger site to predict tissue levels of PCBs. The whole-sediment toxicity tests done with H. azteca and C. dilutus met the established ASTM and USEPA test acceptability criteria. The most responsive H. azteca endpoints were day 42 survival normalized young per female and day 28 biomass and that the most responsive C. dilutus endpoints were adult biomass and percent adult emergence. Overall, between the two species, the most responsive endpoint assessed for these two species was H. azteca survival-normalized young per female (67 percent of the samples classified as toxic). Concentration-response models (CRMs) and site-specific sediment toxicity thresholds (TTs) were generated with matching sediment chemistry and sediment toxicity data. Sediment chemistry, pore-water chemistry, and sediment toxicity data were evaluated for as many as 26 sediment samples from the Anniston PCB Site. The reference-envelope approach was used to identify the sediment samples that were toxic to benthic invertebrates. This procedure involved identification of reference sediment samples, normalizing the toxicity data to reflect control responses, developing a reference envelope for each toxicity test endpoint, and designating each sediment sample as toxic or not toxic for each toxicity test endpoint, for each species, and for all species combined. These results demonstrated percent emergence of adult C. dilutus, biomass of adult C. dilutus, and reproduction of H. azteca normalized to percent survival were among the most responsive endpoints that were evaluated. Therefore, these endpoints were selected for CRM development. The site-specific TTs for whole sediment provide a reliable basis for identifying toxic and not toxic sediment samples in the Anniston PCB Site (that is, for correctly classifying the sediment samples used to derive the TTs as toxic or not toxic, for the endpoint used to derive the TTs). Among the 69 TTs for sediment, the TTLRs for total PCB homologs [499 to 1,870 micrograms per kilogram dry weight (μg/kg DW)] and for lead [(9.48 to 10.3 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) DW] based on reproduction of H. azteca or based on emergence or biomass of adult C. dilutus, were the most reliable. Such TTs had low rates of false negative errors (that is, only 0 to 11 percent of the samples below the TT were toxic to benthic invertebrates), low rates of false positive errors (only 0 to 6 percent of the samples greater than the TT were not toxic to benthic invertebrates), and high rates of correct classification (that is, 92 to 96 percent). The site-specific TTs for PCBs and other COPCs derived in this study also were compared to empirically based sediment quality guidelines (SQGs), to equilibrium-partitioning based SQGs, and to the results of spiked-sediment toxicity tests. The results of this evaluation indicated that the site-specific sediment TTs for PCBs were comparable to the consensus-based SQGs that were derived for PCBs. In addition, the site-specific sediment TTs for PCBs are well within the range of SQGs derived using the equilibrium partitioning approach. The site-specific sediment TTs for PCBs also are consistent with the results of chronic TTs that have been estimated for benthic invertebrates using the results of spiked-sediment toxicity tests. As the site-specific sediment TTs for PCBs are consistent with empirically based SQGs, equilibrium-partitioning based SQGs, and results of sediment-spiking studies, these site- specific sediment TTs likely represent the concentrations of PCBs that are sufficient to cause toxicity to benthic invertebrates (as opposed to simply being correlated with adverse effects on the survival, weight, or reproduction of benthic invertebrates). Importantly, such site-specific sediment TTs have been demonstrated to accurately classify sediment samples as toxic or not toxic to benthic invertebrates at the Anniston PCB Site. In contrast, the TTs for metals, PAHs, and organochlorine pesticides were generally lower than consensus-based SQGs (that is, probable effect concentrations), and LC50s (median lethal effect concentrations) generated in spiked-sediment toxicity tests, indicating that these COPCs are likely not the main contributors to the observed toxicity of the site sediments evaluated in this study. The reproduction endpoint for H. azteca provided lower TTs compared to the day 28 biomass endpoint for H. azteca and the emergence or biomass endpoints for adult C. dilutus provided lower TTs compared to the day 13 biomass endpoint for C. dilutus.

Multi-stage mixing in subduction zone: Application to Merapi volcano, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debaille, V.; Doucelance, R.; Weis, D.; Schiano, P.

2003-04-01

Basalts sampling subduction zone volcanism (IAB) often show binary mixing relationship in classical Sr-Nd, Pb-Pb, Sr-Pb isotopic diagrams, generally interpreted as reflecting the involvement of two components in their source. However, several authors have highlighted the presence of minimum three components in such a geodynamical context: mantle wedge, subducted and altered oceanic crust and subducted sediments. The overlying continental crust can also contribute by contamination and assimilation in magma chambers and/or during magma ascent. Here we present a multi-stage model to obtain a two end-member mixing from three components (mantle wedge, altered oceanic crust and sediments). The first stage of the model considers the metasomatism of the mantle wedge by fluids and/or melts released by subducted materials (altered oceanic crust and associated sediments), considering mobility and partition coefficient of trace elements in hydrated fluids and silicate melts. This results in the generation of two distinct end-members, reducing the number of components (mantle wedge, oceanic crust, sediments) from three to two. The second stage of the model concerns the binary mixing of the two end-members thus defined: mantle wedge metasomatized by slab-derived fluids and mantle wedge metasomatized by sediment-derived fluids. This model has been applied on a new isotopic data set (Sr, Nd and Pb, analyzed by TIMS and MC-ICP-MS) of Merapi volcano (Java island, Indonesia). Previous studies have suggested three distinct components in the source of indonesian lavas: mantle wedge, subducted sediments and altered oceanic crust. Moreover, it has been shown that crustal contamination does not significantly affect isotopic ratios of lavas. The multi-stage model proposed here is able to reproduce the binary mixing observed in lavas of Merapi, and a set of numerical values of bulk partition coefficient is given that accounts for the genesis of lavas.

Geochemical characteristics of organic matter in the Andaman Sea sediments: Implications for source, paleovegetation and paleoclimate changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hossain, H. M. Z.; Sampei, Y.; Kawahata, H.

2016-12-01

The distribution, source, and redox variation of sedimentary organic matter in the Andaman Sea is significant for understanding its biogeochemical cycle, which we determined the total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and n-alkanes contents. TOC and TN concentrations varied from 0.61 to 1.18 wt.% (average 0.87 wt.%) and 0.07 to 0.17 wt.% (average 0.13 wt.%), respectively with high TOC in the clay-rich sediments indicate hydrodynamic sorting readily controlled TOC abundances. Bulk C/N ratio (5.51 to 11.92, average 7.89) is attributed to the high inputs of organic matter from planktonic sources and an appreciable amounts of terrestrial derived organic matter. n-Alkane distributions from the Andaman Sea sediment cores are characterized mainly by C17 to C35, with odd-over-even predominance suggest a diverse origin of organic matter. High relative abundances of mid-chain n-alkanes of C23 and C25 recorded in the samples that are characteristically derived from submerges/floating aquatic macrophytes. However, odd long-chain n-alkanes from C27 to C33 with high peaks at C29 and C31 were detected in the samples reflecting a terrigenous origin of organic matter. The average chain length (ACL), carbon preference index (CPI), Paq and Pwax ratio values further suggested that major influence of organic matter from non-emergent aquatic macrophytes together significant proportions of grasses and herbs. Low Pr/Ph and Tm/Ts ratios in most section implying a more reducing to suboxic conditions prevailed during organic matter preservation in the oceanic event. However, high ACL values and low Paq values in the down-core variation could suggest initially cold and dry climates and gradually shifted to warm and humid conditions.

Assessing contribution of DOC from sediments to a drinking-water reservoir using optical profiling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Downing, Bryan D.; Bergamaschi, Brian A.; Evans, David G.; Boss, Emmanuel

2008-01-01

Understanding the sources of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in drinking-water reservoirs is an important management issue because DOC may form disinfection by-products, interfere with disinfection, or increase treatment costs. DOC may be derived from a host of sources-algal production of DOC in the reservoir, marginal production of DOC from mucks and vascular plants at the margins, and sediments in the reservoir. The purpose of this study was to assess if release of DOC from reservoir sediments containing ferric chloride coagulant was a significant source of DOC to the reservoir. We examined the source-specific contributions of DOC using a profiling system to measure the in situ distribution of optical properties of absorption and fluorescence at various locations in the reservoir. Vertical optical profiles were coupled with discrete water samples measured in the laboratory for DOC concentration and optical properties: absorption spectra and excitation emission matrix spectra (EEMs). Modeling the in situ optical data permitted estimation of the bulk DOC profile in the reservoir as well as separation into source-specific contributions. Analysis of the source-specific profiles and their associated optical characteristics indicated that the sedimentary source of DOC to the reservoir is significant and that this DOC is labile in the reservoir. We conclude that optical profiling is a useful technique for understanding complex biogeochemical processes in a reservoir.

Trends in the suspended-sediment yields of coastal rivers of northern California, 1955–2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warrick, J.A.; Madej, Mary Ann; Goñi, M. A.; Wheatcroft, R.A.

2013-01-01

Time-dependencies of suspended-sediment discharge from six coastal watersheds of northern California – Smith River, Klamath River, Trinity River, Redwood Creek, Mad River, and Eel River – were evaluated using monitoring data from 1955 to 2010. Suspended-sediment concentrations revealed time-dependent hysteresis and multi-year trends. The multi-year trends had two primary patterns relative to river discharge: (i) increases in concentration resulting from both land clearing from logging and the flood of record during December 1964 (water year 1965), and (ii) continual decreases in concentration during the decades following this flood. Data from the Eel River revealed that changes in suspended-sediment concentrations occurred for all grain-size fractions, but were most pronounced for the sand fraction. Because of these changes, the use of bulk discharge-concentration relationships (i.e., “sediment rating curves”) without time-dependencies in these relationships resulted in substantial errors in sediment load estimates, including 2.5-fold over-prediction of Eel River sediment loads since 1979. We conclude that sediment discharge and sediment discharge relationships (such as sediment rating curves) from these coastal rivers have varied substantially with time in response to land use and climate. Thus, the use of historical river sediment data and sediment rating curves without considerations for time-dependent trends may result in significant errors in sediment yield estimates from the globally-important steep, small watersheds.

Occurrence of Selected Nutrients, Trace Elements, and Organic Compounds in Streambed Sediment in the Lower Chena River Watershed near Fairbanks, Alaska, 2002-03

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kennedy, Ben W.; Hall, Cassidee C.

2009-01-01

In 2002-03, the U.S. Geological Survey collected samples of streambed sediment at 18 sites in the lower Chena River watershed for analysis of selected nutrients, traces elements, and organic compounds. The purpose of the project was to provide Federal, State, and local agencies as well as neighborhood committees, with information for consideration in plans to improve environmental conditions in the watershed. The exploratory sampling program included analysis of streambed sediment from the Chena River and Chena Slough, a tributary to the Chena River. Results were compared to streambed-sediment guidelines for the protection of aquatic life and to 2001-02 sediment data from Noyes Slough, a side channel of the lower Chena River. The median total phosphorus concentration in Chena Slough sediment samples, 680 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg), was two orders of magnitude greater than median total phosphorus concentration in Chena River sediment samples of 5.2 mg/kg. Median concentrations of chloride and sulfate also were greater in Chena Slough samples. Low concentrations of nitrate were detected in most of the Chena Slough samples; nitrate concentrations were below method reporting limits or not detected in Chena River sediment samples. Streambed-sediment samples were analyzed for 24 trace elements. Arsenic, nickel, and zinc were the only trace elements detected in concentrations that exceeded probable-effect levels for the protection of aquatic life. Concentrations of arsenic in Chena Slough samples ranged from 11 to 70 mg/kg and concentrations in most of the samples exceeded the probable-effect guideline for arsenic of 17 mg/kg. Arsenic concentrations in samples from the Chena River ranged from 9 to 12 mg/kg. The background level for arsenic in the lower Chena River watershed is naturally elevated because of significant concentrations of arsenic in local bedrock and ground water. Sources of elevated concentrations of zinc in one sample, and of nickel in two samples, are unknown. With the exception of elevated arsenic levels in samples from Chena Slough, the occurrence and concentration of trace elements in the streambed sediments of Chena Slough and Chena River were similar to those in Noyes Slough sediment. Sediment samples were analyzed for 78 semivolatile organic compounds and 32 organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Low concentrations of dimethylnaphthalene and p-Cresol were detected in most Chena Slough and Chena River sediment samples. The number of semivolatile organic compounds detected ranged from 5 to 21 in most Chena Slough sediment samples. In contrast, three or fewer semivolatile organic compounds were detected in Chena River sediment samples, most likely because chemical-matrix interference resulted in elevated reporting limits for organochlorine compounds in the Chena River samples. Low concentrations of fluoranthene, pyrene, and phenanthrene were detected in Chena Slough sediment. Relatively low concentrations of DDT or its degradation products, DDD and DDE, were detected in all Chena Slough samples. Concentrations of total DDT (DDT+DDD+DDE) in two Chena Slough sediment samples exceeded the effectsrange median aquatic-life criteria of 46.1 micrograms per kilogram (ug/kg). DDT concentrations in Chena River streambed-sediment samples were less than 20 ug/kg. Low concentrations of PCB were detected in two Chena Slough streambed-sediment samples. None of the concentrations of the polychlorinated biphenyls or semivolatile organic compounds for which the samples were analyzed exceeded available guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. With the exception of elevated total DDT in two Chena Slough samples, the occurrence and concentration of organochlorine compounds in Chena Slough and Chena River sediment were similar to those in samples collected from Noyes Slough in 2001-02.

Sulphide-sulphate stability and melting in subducted sediment and its role in arc mantle redox and chalcophile cycling in space and time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canil, Dante; Fellows, Steven A.

2017-07-01

The redox budget during subduction is tied to the evolution of oxygen and biogeochemical cycles on Earth's surface over time. The sulphide-sulphate couple in subducted crust has significant potential for redox and control on extraction of chalcophile metals from the arc mantle. We derive oxygen buffers for sulphide-sulphate stability ('SSO buffers') using mineral assemblages in subducted crust within the eclogite facies, and examine their disposition relative to the fO2 in the arc mantle along various P-T trajectories for subduction. The fO2 required for sulphide stability in subducted crust passing beneath an arc is shifted by variations in the bulk Ca/(Ca + Mg + Fe) of the subducting crust alone. Hotter slabs and more Fe-rich sediments stabilize sulphide and favour chalcophile sequestration deep into the mantle, whereas colder slabs and calcic sediment will stabilize anhydrite, in some cases at depths of melt generation in the arc mantle (<130 km). The released sulphate on melting potentially increases the fO2 of the arc mantle. We performed melting experiments on three subducted sediment compositions varying in bulk Ca/(Ca + Mg + Fe) from 0.3 to 0.6 at 2.5 GPa and 900-1100 °C to confirm how anhydrite stability can change by orders of magnitude the S, Cu, As, Zn, Mo, Pb, and Sb contents of sediment melts, and their subsequent liberation to the arc mantle. Using Cu/Sc as a proxy for the behaviour of S, the effect of variable subducted sediment composition on sulphide-sulphate stability and release of chalcophiles to the arc mantle is recognizable in volcanic suites from several subduction zones in space and time. The fO2 of the SSO buffers in subducted sediment relative to the arc mantle may have changed with time by shifts in the nature of pelagic sedimentation in the oceans over earth history. Oxidation of arc mantle and the proliferation of porphyry Cu deposits may be latter-day advents in earth history partly due to the rise of planktic calcifiers in the oceans in only the past 250 million years.

Sediment contributions from floodplains and legacy sediments to Piedmont streams of Baltimore County, Maryland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donovan, Mitchell; Miller, Andrew; Baker, Matthew; Gellis, Allen

2015-04-01

Disparity between watershed erosion rates and downstream sediment delivery has remained an important theme in geomorphology for many decades, with the role of floodplains in sediment storage as a common focus. In the Piedmont Province of the eastern USA, upland deforestation and agricultural land use following European settlement led to accumulation of thick packages of overbank sediment in valley bottoms, commonly referred to as legacy deposits. Previous authors have argued that legacy deposits represent a potentially important source of modern sediment loads following remobilization by lateral migration and progressive channel widening. This paper seeks to quantify (1) rates of sediment remobilization from Baltimore County floodplains by channel migration and bank erosion, (2) proportions of streambank sediment derived from legacy deposits, and (3) potential contribution of net streambank erosion and legacy sediments to downstream sediment yield within the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont. We calculated measurable gross erosion and deposition rates within the fluvial corridor along 40 valley segments from 18 watersheds with drainage areas between 0.18 and 155 km2 in Baltimore County, Maryland. We compared stream channel and floodplain morphology from lidar-based digital elevation data collected in 2005 with channel positions recorded on 1:2400 scale topographic maps from 1959-1961 in order to quantify 44-46 years of channel change. Sediment bulk density and particle size distributions were characterized from streambank and channel deposit samples and used for volume to mass conversions and for comparison with other sediment sources. Average annual lateral migration rates ranged from 0.04 to 0.19 m/y, which represented an annual migration of 2.5% (0.9-4.4%) channel width across all study segments, suggesting that channel dimensions may be used as reasonable predictors of bank erosion rates. Gross bank erosion rates varied from 43 to 310 Mg/km/y (median = 114) and were positively correlated with drainage area. Measured deposition within channels accounted for an average of 46% (28-75%) of gross erosion, with deposition increasingly important in larger drainages. Legacy sediments accounted for 6-90% of bank erosion at individual study segments, represented about 60% of bank height at most exposures, and accounted for 57% (± 16%) of the measured gross erosion. Extrapolated results indicated that first- and second-order streams accounted for 62% (± 38%) of total streambank erosion from 1005 km2 of northern Baltimore County. After accounting for estimated redeposition, extrapolated net streambank sediment yields (72 Mg/km2/y) constituted 70% of estimated average Piedmont watershed yields (104 Mg/km2/y). The results suggest that streambank sediments are a relatively large source of sediment from Piedmont tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay.

Sediment contributions from floodplains and legacy sediments to Piedmont streams of Baltimore County, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donovan, Mitchell; Miller, Andrew; Baker, Matthew; Gellis, Allen C.

2015-01-01

Disparity between watershed erosion rates and downstream sediment delivery has remained an important theme in geomorphology for many decades, with the role of floodplains in sediment storage as a common focus. In the Piedmont Province of the eastern USA, upland deforestation and agricultural land use following European settlement led to accumulation of thick packages of overbank sediment in valley bottoms, commonly referred to as legacy deposits. Previous authors have argued that legacy deposits represent a potentially important source of modern sediment loads following remobilization by lateral migration and progressive channel widening. This paper seeks to quantify (1) rates of sediment remobilization from Baltimore County floodplains by channel migration and bank erosion, (2) proportions of streambank sediment derived from legacy deposits, and (3) potential contribution of net streambank erosion and legacy sediments to downstream sediment yield within the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont.We calculated measurable gross erosion and deposition rates within the fluvial corridor along 40 valley segments from 18 watersheds with drainage areas between 0.18 and 155 km2 in Baltimore County, Maryland. We compared stream channel and floodplain morphology from lidar-based digital elevation data collected in 2005 with channel positions recorded on 1:2400 scale topographic maps from 1959–1961 in order to quantify 44–46 years of channel change. Sediment bulk density and particle size distributions were characterized from streambank and channel deposit samples and used for volume to mass conversions and for comparison with other sediment sources.Average annual lateral migration rates ranged from 0.04 to 0.19 m/y, which represented an annual migration of 2.5% (0.9–4.4%) channel width across all study segments, suggesting that channel dimensions may be used as reasonable predictors of bank erosion rates. Gross bank erosion rates varied from 43 to 310 Mg/km/y (median = 114) and were positively correlated with drainage area. Measured deposition within channels accounted for an average of 46% (28–75%) of gross erosion, with deposition increasingly important in larger drainages. Legacy sediments accounted for 6–90% of bank erosion at individual study segments, represented about 60% of bank height at most exposures, and accounted for 57% (± 16%) of the measured gross erosion. Extrapolated results indicated that first- and second-order streams accounted for 62% (± 38%) of total streambank erosion from 1005 km2 of northern Baltimore County. After accounting for estimated redeposition, extrapolated net streambank sediment yields (72 Mg/km2/y) constituted 70% of estimated average Piedmont watershed yields (104 Mg/km2/y). The results suggest that streambank sediments are a relatively large source of sediment from Piedmont tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay.

Composition of Sediment Inputs to the Hikurangi Subduction Margin: A Prelude to IODP Expedition 375

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Underwood, M.

2017-12-01

Expedition 375 of the International Ocean Discovery Program is scheduled to begin drilling offshore New Zealand in March 2018. Two sites will be cored seaward of the Hikurangi subduction front (subduction inputs), plus one site at the toe of the accretionary prism, and one site in the forearc above a zone of well-documented slow-slip events. One of the challenges during planning for Expedition 375 has been the total absence of pre-existing compositional data from the region; that lack of basic information impacts such tasks as mixing and analysis of appropriate standards for X-ray diffraction, error analysis, computation of accurate normalization factors, and QA/QC. To help overcome those deficiencies, I analyzed a total of 152 samples from ODP Sites 1123 (Quaternary to Eocene), 1124 (Quaternary to Cretaceous), and 1125 (Quaternary to Miocene), plus piston/gravity-core samples from the repositories at Lamont-Doherty, Oregon State, and NIWA. The results reveal an unusually large range of compositions for the bulk sediments. The relative abundance of total clay minerals ranges from 3 to 64 wt%. Quartz ranges from 0 to 39 wt%. Feldspar ranges from 0 to 40 wt%, and calcite ranges from 0 to 93 wt%. Samples from the Hikurangi Plateau and Chatham Rise are carbonate-rich, with many bordering on almost-pure nannofossil chalk. Hemipelagic muds from the floor of Hikurangi Trough, Ruatoria slide, and the landward slope of the trench are fairly uniform, with averages of 36 wt% total clay minerals, 27 wt% quartz, 24 wt% feldspar, and 13 wt% calcite. Unlike many other subduction zones, this diversity of lithologies will save shipboard scientists from repetitive, mind-numbing descriptions and analyses, and shorebased experiments for frictional properties, permeability, and consolidation will need to pay close attention to the compositional attributes of the specimens. In addition, results from the four IODP boreholes can be interpreted within a broader, regional-scale framework of sediment provenance and dispersal.

Extreme isotopic variations in the upper mantle: evidence from Ronda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reisberg, Laurie; Zindler, Alan

1986-12-01

The Ronda Ultramafic Complex in southern Spain represents a piece of the Earth's mantle which has been tectonically emplaced into the crust. Nd and Sr isotopic analyses are presented for leached, hand-picked Cr-diopside separates prepared from 15 rock and 18 river sediment samples from Ronda. These results demonstrate that within this small, contiguous body there exists the entire range of Nd isotopic compositions, and much of the range of Sr compositions, found in rocks derived from the sub-oceanic mantle. The sediment cpx samples show that the average isotopic composition of the massif becomes progressively less "depleted" moving from SW to NE along the long axis of the massif. The rock cpx samples document 143Nd/ 144Nd variations from 0.5129 to 0.5126 and 87Sr/ 86Sr variations from 0.7031 to 0.7039 within a uniform outcrop less than 10 m in extent. Thus, extreme isotopic fluctuations exist over a wide range of wavelengths. Sr and Nd isotopes are generally inversely correlated, forming a trend on a Nd-Sr diagram that sharply crosscuts that of the "mantle array". Many of the 143Nd/ 144Nd values, and all of the Sm/Nd values, from one section of the massif are lower than that SCV015SCV0 of the bulk earth, implying that this region existed, or was influenced by a component which existed, in a LREE-enriched environment for a significant period of time. Among the sediment cpxs there is a positive correlation between 143Nd/ 144Nd and 147Sm/ 144Nd. The rock cpx separates display considerably more scatter. A simple, single-stage differentiation event starting with a uniform mantle source cannot explain these results. At least one episode of mixing with a LREE-enriched component is required. If these results from Ronda are typical of the upper mantle, basalts with different isotopic compositions need not derive from spatially separated mantle sources.

Soil sealing and vesicular layer formation as initial structure development and its effect on infiltration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badorreck, A.; Gerke, H. H.; Weller, U.; Vontobel, P.

2009-04-01

In the Lusatia mining district (NE-Germany) an artificial catchment was constructed to study initial ecosystem development and runoff generation. As a key process in this early stage, we investigate the surface structure dynamics as it strongly influences erosion, infiltration, matter dynamics, and vegetation establishment. The presented work focuses on observations of soil pore structure formation at the surface at five sites in the catchment and in an adjacent "younger" area composed of comparable sediments. Moreover we've conducted infiltration experiments in the lab and field to relate the soil pore structure to the hydraulic properties. The surface soil was sampled in cylindrical rings (10 cm³) down to 2 cm depth from which bulk density profiles were obtained using X-ray computed tomography (CT) (at UFZ- Halle, Germany) with a resolution of 0.084 mm. The influence of structure on infiltration was investigated using neutron radiography (at the NEUTRA facility of the Paul-Scherrer-Institut, Villigen, Switzerland) to visualise two-dimensional (2D) infiltration patterns. The slab-type samples were equilibrated to different initial water contents and then exposed to drip irrigation (to simulate rainfall) while a series of neutron radiographs were taken. In addition, field measurements with a miniature tension infiltrometer were conduced. The micro-tomographies exhibit formation of surface sealing whose thickness and intensity vary with silt and clay content. The CT images show several coarser- and finer-textured micro-layers at the sample surfaces that were formed as a consequence of repeated washing in of finer particles in underlying coarser sediment. In micro-depressions, the uppermost layers consist of sorted fine sand and silt due to wind erosion. Similar as for desert pavements, a vesicular pore structure developed in these sediments on top, but also scattered in fine sand- and silt-enriched micro-layers. The infiltration rates were severely affected by the surface crusts; however, the rates were independent of the vesicular pore layer.

Holocene environmental and climatic change in the Northern Great Plains as recorded in the geochemistry of sediments in Pickerel Lake, South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dean, W.E.; Schwalb, A.

2000-01-01

The sediments in Pickerel Lake, northeastern South Dakota, provide a continuous record of climatic and environmental change for the last 12000 yr. Sediments deposited between 12 and 6 ka (radiocarbon) show extreme variations in composition, oxygen and carbon isotopic composition of bulk carbonate, carbon isotopic composition of organic matter, and magnetic susceptibility. These variations reflect changes in sources of moisture, regional vegetation types, precipitation-evaporation balance, ground- and surface-water influx, water residence time, erosion, lake productivity, water level, and water temperature. The total carbonate content of late Pleistocene sediments steadily increased from <20% at the base of the core to as much as 80% in sediments deposited between 11 and 9 ka. By about 8 ka, the total carbonate content of the sediments had declined to about 40% where it remained with little variation for the past 8 kyr, suggesting relatively stable conditions. There are marked increases in values of ??13C and ??18O in bulk carbonate, and ??13C of organic matter, in sediments deposited between 10 and 6 ka as evaporation increased, and the vegetation in the watershed changed from forest to prairie. This shift toward more 18O-enriched carbonate may also reflect a change in source or seasonality of precipitation. During this early Holocene interval the organic carbon (OC) content of the sediments remained relatively low (2-3%), but then increased rapidly to 4.5% between 7 and 6 ka, reflecting the rapid transition to a prairie lake. The OC content fluctuates slightly between 4 and 6% in sediments deposited over the past 6 kyr. Like OC and total carbonate, most variables measured show little variation in the 13 m of sediment deposited over the past 6 kyr, particularly when compared with early Holocene variations. Although the magnetic susceptibility of this upper 13 m of sediment is generally low (<10 SI units), the upper six meters of the section is marked by striking 1 m cycles (ca. 400-500 yr periodicity) in susceptibility. These cycles are interpreted as being due to variations in the influx of eolian detrital-clastic material. Century-scale cyclic variations in different proxy variables for aridity and eolian activity from sediments deposited over the past 2000 yr in other lakes in the northern Great Plains, as well as in sand dune activity, suggest that aridity cycles were the dominant feature of late Holocene climate of the northern Great Plains. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.

PTM Modeling of Dredged Suspended Sediment at Proposed Polaris Point and Ship Repair Facility CVN Berthing Sites - Apra Harbor, Guam

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

ADCP locations used for model calibration. ......................................................................... 12 Figure 4-3. Sample water...Example of fine sediment sample [Set d, Sample B30]. (B) Example of coarse sediment sample [Set d, sample B05...Turning Basin average sediment size distribution curve. ................................................... 21 Figure 5-5. Turning Basin average size

7 CFR 201.40 - Bulk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Sampling in the Administration of the Act § 201.40 Bulk. Bulk seeds or screenings shall be sampled by inserting a long probe or thrusting the hand into the bulk as circumstances require in at least seven... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Bulk. 201.40 Section 201.40 Agriculture Regulations of...

7 CFR 201.40 - Bulk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Sampling in the Administration of the Act § 201.40 Bulk. Bulk seeds or screenings shall be sampled by inserting a long probe or thrusting the hand into the bulk as circumstances require in at least seven... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Bulk. 201.40 Section 201.40 Agriculture Regulations of...

Zinc Isotopic Signatures of the Upper Continental Crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Y.; Zhang, X.; Zhang, H.; Huang, F.

2016-12-01

To examine the Zn isotope systematics within the Upper Continental Crust (UCC), and isotope fractionation during chemical weathering in large spatial and temporal scales, we analyzed Zn isotopic compositions of loess, glacial diamictites, river sediments, and igneous rocks (samples in total 77). The Zn isotopic compositions (δ66Zn relative to JMC-Lyon) of loess display a limited variation (0.17‰ to 0.29‰), which is negatively correlated with Zn content and proxies for chemical weathering (e.g. CIA values), reflect the impact of chemical weathering. Glacial diamictites have more variable δ66Zn (0.09‰ to 0.48‰), but the average δ66Zn (0.29±0.03‰, 2SD) is similar to loess. δ66Zn of glacial diamictites correlate roughly negatively with CIA values, but have no correlation with Zn content, implying source heterogeneity and effect from chemical weathering. δ66Zn of A-type (0.39‰ to 0.45‰) and S-type (0.28‰ to 0.35‰) granites are both homogeneous, but the latter have systematically lighter δ66Zn. This may reflect no Zn isotopic fractionation during magmatic processes and involvement of isotopically light meta-sedimentary into the sources of S-type granites. Furthermore, δ66Zn in riverine sediments display a small variation from 0.23‰ to 0.37‰, while δ66Zn of the the shales vary from 0.14‰ to 0.53‰, which could result from a combination of processes, such as biological cycling and chemical weathering. Overall, our data suggest that incipient chemical weathering can fractionate Zn isotopes significantly, meanwhile, during this process, heavy Zn are released preferentially. The UCC is estimated to have an average δ66Zn of 0.30 ±0.03‰ (2SD) with data collected in this study, which is similar to the estimated value of Bulk Silicate Earth (0.28±0.05‰)[1] and mean dissolved riverine flux (0.33‰)[2], but distinctly lighter than the bulk composition of dissolved Zn in the ocean (0.51‰)[2]. [1] Chen et al., Zinc isotope fractionation during magmatic differentiation and the isotopic composition of the bulk Earth. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 369, 34-42 (2013). [2] Little et al., The oceanic mass balance of copper and zinc isotopes, investigated by analysis of their inputs, and outputs to ferromanganese oxide sediments. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 125, 673-693 (2014).

Bacterial Chitin Hydrolysis in Two Lakes with Contrasting Trophic Statuses

PubMed Central

Carstens, Dörte; Keller, Esther; Vazquez, Francisco; Schubert, Carsten J.; Zeyer, Josef; Bürgmann, Helmut

2012-01-01

Chitin, which is a biopolymer of the amino sugar glucosamine (GlcN), is highly abundant in aquatic ecosystems, and its degradation is assigned a key role in the recycling of carbon and nitrogen. In order to study the significance of chitin decomposition in two temperate freshwater lakes with contrasting trophic and redox conditions, we measured the turnover rate of the chitin analog methylumbelliferyl-N,N′-diacetylchitobioside (MUF-DC) and the presence of chitinase (chiA) genes in zooplankton, water, and sediment samples. In contrast to the eutrophic and partially anoxic lake, chiA gene fragments were detectable throughout the oligotrophic water column and chiA copy numbers per ml of water were up to 15 times higher than in the eutrophic waters. For both lakes, the highest chiA abundance was found in the euphotic zone—the main habitat of zooplankton, but also the site of production of easily degradable algal chitin. The bulk of chitinase activity was measured in zooplankton samples and the sediments, where recalcitrant chitin is deposited. Both, chiA abundance and chitinase activity correlated well with organic carbon, nitrogen, and concentrations of particulate GlcN. Our findings show that chitin, although its overall contribution to the total organic carbon is small (∼0.01 to 0.1%), constitutes an important microbial growth substrate in these temperate freshwater lakes, particularly where other easily degradable carbon sources are scarce. PMID:22101058

The erosion behaviour of biologically active sewer sediment deposits: observations from a laboratory study.

PubMed

Banasiak, Robert; Verhoeven, Ronny; De Sutter, Renaat; Tait, Simon

2005-12-01

The erosion behaviour of various fine-grained sediment deposits has been investigated in laboratory experiments. This work mainly focused on tests using sewer sediment in which strong biochemical reactions were observed during the deposit formation period. A small number of initial tests were conducted in which the deposits were made from mixtures of "clean" mineral and organic sediments. The erosion behaviour observed in these tests was compared with the erosion characteristics for sediments taken from deposits in a sewer. The impact of the biological processes on physical properties such as bulk density, water content, deposit structure and the erosive behaviour as a function of bed shear stress are quantified and discussed. Based on these observations it is believed that bio-processes weaken the strength of the in-pipe sediment deposits. A significantly weaker sediment surface layer was observed during deposition under quiescent oxygen-rich conditions. This resulted in a deposit with low shear strength which may be a cause of a first foul flush of suspended sediment when flow rates were increased. Comparison between tests with sewer sediments and the artificial representative surrogates suggested that the deposits of the later did not correctly simulate the depositional development and the resultant erosion patterns observed with the more bio-active sewer sediment.

A comparison of sediment toxicity test methods at three Great Lake Areas of Concern

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burton, G. Allen; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Burnett, LouAnn C.; Henry, Mary; Hinman, Mark L.; Klaine, Stephen J.; Landrum, Peter F.; Ross, Phillipe; Tuchman, Marc

1996-01-01

The significance of sediment contamination is often evaluated using sediment toxicity (bioassay) testing. There are relatively few “standardized” test methods for evaluating sediments. Popular sediment toxicity methods examine the extractable water (elutriate), interstitial water, or whole (bulk) sediment phases using test species spanning the aquatic food chain from bacteria to fish. The current study was designed to evaluate which toxicity tests were most useful in evaluations of sediment contamination at three Great Lake Areas of Concern. Responses of 24 different organisms including fish, mayflies, amphipods, midges, cladocerans, rotifers, macrophytes, algae, and bacteria were compared using whole sediment or elutriate toxicity assays. Sediments from several sites in the Buffalo River, Calumet River (Indiana Harbor), and Saginaw River were tested, as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments (ARCS) Project. Results indicated several assays to be sensitive to sediment toxicity and able to discriminate between differing levels of toxicity. Many of the assay responses were significantly correlated to other toxicity responses and were similar based on factor analysis. For most applications, a test design consisting of two to three assays should adequately detect sediment toxicity, consisting of various groupings of the following species: Hyalella azteca, Ceriodaphnia dubia, Chironomus riparius, Chironomus tentans, Daphnia magna, Pimephales promelas, Hexagenia bilineata, Diporeia sp., Hydrilla verticillata, or Lemna minor.

Mixing of biogenic siliceous and terrigenous clastic sediments: South Belridge field and Beta field, California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwartz, D.E.

1990-05-01

The intermixing and interbedding of biogenically derived siliceous sediment with terrigenous clastic sediment in reservoirs of upper Miocene age provides both reservoir rock and seal and influences productivity by affecting porosity and permeability. Miocene reservoirs commonly contain either biogenic-dominated cyclic diatomite, porcelanite, or chert (classic Monterey Formation) or clastic-dominated submarine fan sequences with interbedded or intermixed siliceous members of biogenic origin. Biogenic-clastic cycles, 30-180 ft thick, at South Belridge field were formed by episodic influx of clastic sediment from distant submarine fans mixing with slowly accumulating diatomaceous ooze. The cycles consist of basal silt and pelletized massive diatomaceous mudstone, overlainmore » by burrowed, faintly bedded clayey diatomite and topped by laminated diatomite. Cycle tops have higher porosity and permeability, lower grain density, and higher oil saturation than clay and silt-rich portions of the cycles. Submarine fan sediments forming reservoirs at the Beta field are comprised of interbedded sands and silts deposited in a channelized middle fan to outer fan setting. Individual turbidites display fining-upward sequences, with oil-bearing sands capped by wet micaceous silts. Average sands are moderately to poorly sorted, fine- to medium-grained arkosic arenites. Sands contain pore-filling carbonate and porcelaneous cements. Porcelaneous cement consists of a mixture of opal-A, opal-CT, and chert with montmorillonite and minor zeolite. This cement is an authigenic material precipitated in intergranular pore space. The origin of the opal is biogenic, with recrystallization of diatom frustules (opal-A) into opal-CT lepispheres and quartz crystals. Porcelaneous cement comprises 4-21% of the bulk volume of the rock. Seventy percent of the bulk volume of the cement is micropore space.« less

Time-integrated sampling of fluvial suspended sediment: a simple methodology for small catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, J. M.; Russell, M. A.; Walling, D. E.

2000-10-01

Fine-grained (<62·5 µm) suspended sediment transport is a key component of the geochemical flux in most fluvial systems. The highly episodic nature of suspended sediment transport imposes a significant constraint on the design of sampling strategies aimed at characterizing the biogeochemical properties of such sediment. A simple sediment sampler, utilizing ambient flow to induce sedimentation by settling, is described. The sampler can be deployed unattended in small streams to collect time-integrated suspended sediment samples. In laboratory tests involving chemically dispersed sediment, the sampler collected a maximum of 71% of the input sample mass. However, under natural conditions, the existence of composite particles or flocs can be expected to increase significantly the trapping efficiency. Field trials confirmed that the particle size composition and total carbon content of the sediment collected by the sampler were representative statistically of the ambient suspended sediment.

Mudstone sedimentation at high latitudes: Ice as a transport medium for mud and supplier of nutrients

USGS Publications Warehouse

Macquaker, J.H.S.; Keller, M.A.

2005-01-01

Controls on mudstone deposition at high latitudes are poorly known relative to low latitudes. In recent sediments deposited in these environments, ice significantly influences sediment transport and primary productivity. The products of ice transport are relatively well known in glacimarine settings, but are less well known from below melting sea ice. This latter setting is significant as today it is associated with high primary organic productivity. The aim of this study is to assess how sea ice might have controlled lithofacies variability and organic-matter distribution and preservation in an ancient marine, siliciclastic mudstone-dominated succession deposited at high latitudes. Combined sedimentary logging, optical and electron optical (back-scatte red electron imagery), geochemical, and isotopic methods were used to determine sample variability in forty-five samples collected from the Lower Cretaceous succession in the Mikkelsen Bay State #1 borehole (North Slope, Alaska). The succession overall fines upward and contains muddy sandstones and sand- and silt-bearing, clay-rich mudstones towards its base in contrast to clay-rich and clay-dominated mudstones towards its top. Some of the mudstone units exhibit thin (< 5 mm), relic-beds that fine upward weakly. In some units small (0.5 mm), bed-parallel silt-filled microburrows disrupt depositional laminae whereas in others pervasive burrowing completely obliterates original depositional textures. Many of the units are pelleted. These mudstones are unusual in that they contain minor but very striking outsize grains, composed of subrounded to rounded sand and granule-size material. In addition, they are good petroleum source rocks, with between 2.8 and 5.9 wt % total organic carbon, of predominantly Type II kerogen. The organic matter has an isotopic signature ranging from -25.4??? ??13C to -28.1??? ??13C. Thin tuffs (< 20 mm) and carbonate-cemented units are also present. Given the absence of significant polar ice in the Early Cretaceous the outsized grains are interpreted to have been deposited from a combination of melting, dirty anchor, and fast ice. The mud fraction, which forms the bulk of the sediment, is interpreted to have been deposited from melting, sediment-laden frazil ice, and fast ice. After deposition sediments were partially reworked by bottom currents generated by brine rejection during sea ice formation. Sympagic organisms, grazing on algae and bacteria both within and below the ice, pelleted the sediment. Bioturbation, which varies through the succession, indicates that sedimentation probably occurred beneath a predominantly oxic or dysoxic water column. In this setting productivity was fueled by nutrients released from melting sea ice in the marginal ice zone. The good petroleum source potential of these mudstones is attributed to high organic productivity coupled to episodic and rapid sedimentation rather than existence of bottom-water anoxia linked to upwelling. Because sea-ice rafting was probably the dominant sediment transport mechanism it is not appropriate to use sequence stratigraphic methodology to predict lithofacies variability in this environment. Copyright ?? 2005, SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology).

Applying machine learning to global surface ocean and seabed data to reveal the controls on the distribution of deep-sea sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutkiewicz, Adriana; Müller, Dietmar; O'Callaghan, Simon

2017-04-01

World's ocean basins contain a rich and nearly continuous record of environmental fluctuations preserved as different types of deep-sea sediments. The sediments represent the largest carbon sink on Earth and its largest geological deposit. Knowing the controls on the distribution of these sediments is essential for understanding the history of ocean-climate dynamics, including changes in sea-level and ocean circulation, as well as biological perturbations. Indeed, the bulk of deep-sea sediments comprises the remains of planktonic organisms that originate in the photic zone of the global ocean implying a strong connection between the seafloor and the sea surface. Machine-learning techniques are perfectly suited to unravelling these controls as they are able to handle large sets of spatial data and they often outperform traditional spatial analysis approaches. Using a support vector machine algorithm we recently created the first digital map of seafloor lithologies (Dutkiewicz et al., 2015) based on 14,400 surface samples. This map reveals significant deviations in distribution of deep-sea lithologies from hitherto hand-drawn maps based on far fewer data points. It also allows us to explore quantitatively, for the first time, the relationship between oceanographic parameters at the sea surface and lithologies on the seafloor. We subsequently coupled this global point sample dataset of 14,400 seafloor lithologies to bathymetry and oceanographic grids (sea-surface temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and dissolved inorganic nutrients) and applied a probabilistic Gaussian process classifier in an exhaustive combinatorial fashion (Dutkiewicz et al., 2016). We focused on five major lithologies (calcareous sediment, diatom ooze, radiolarian ooze, clay and lithogenous sediment) and used a computationally intensive five-fold cross-validation, withholding 20% of the data at each iteration, to assess the predictive performance of the machine learning method. We find that the occurrence of five major lithologies in the world's ocean can be predicted on the basis of just two or three parameters, notably sea-surface salinity and sea-surface temperature. These parameters control the growth and composition of plankton and specific salinities and temperatures are also associated with the influx of non-aerosol terrigenous material into the ocean. Bathymetry is an important parameter for discriminating the occurrence of calcareous sediment, clay and coarse lithogenous sediment from each other but it is not important for biosiliceous oozes. Consequently, radiolarian and diatom oozes are poor indicators of palaeo-depth. Contrary to widely held view, we find that calcareous and siliceous oozes are not linked to high surface productivity. Our analysis shows that small shifts in surface ocean conditions significantly affect the lithology of modern seafloor sediments on a global scale and that these relationships need to be incorporated into interpretations of the geological record of ocean basins. Dutkiewicz, A., Müller, R. D., O'Callaghan, S., and Jónasson, H., 2015, Census of seafloor sediments in the world's ocean: Geology, v. 43, no. 9, p. 795-798. Dutkiewicz, A., O'Callaghan, S., and Müller, R. D., 2016, Controls on the distribution of deep-sea sediments: Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., v. 17, p. 1-24.

Nd and Pb isotopic Mediterranean overflow water signature in the Gulf of Cadiz over the Mio-Pliocene boundary.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Schee, Marlies; Gutjahr, Marcus; Sierro, Francisco Javier; Flecker, Rachel; Jiménez Espejo, Francisco; Hodell, David; Abel Flores, Jose

2014-05-01

Marine gateways play a major role in ocean circulation and therefore climate. Currently, it is thought that there was no significant Mediterranean Overflow Water (MOW) in the Gulf of Cadiz during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) in the Late Miocene. However, a connection has supplied the Mediterranean with enough salt to precipitate the extensive evaporates preserved across the basin. After the MSC, the Mediterranean overflow was re-established through the Straits of Gibraltar. Today, MOW follows the continental slope of the Iberian Peninsula at a depth of 500-800 m in the Gulf of Cadiz northwards. In this study, lead and neodymium isotopes are used as water mass tracers for Mio-Pliocene MOW and NE Atlantic water in the Gulf of Cadiz. Complementary biostratigraphic data, carbon and oxygen isotopes and trace elements are presented alongside to corroborate our findings. Here we present a detailed authigenic Fe-Mn oxyhydroxide-derived Pb and Nd isotope records extracted from ~5.85 - 4.0 million year old bulk sediments recovered in IODP Core U1387C in the Gulf of Cadiz (current water depth 559 m). MOW and NE Atlantic waters have different Nd and Pb isotopic characteristics allowing for the identification of bottom water mass provenance changes and mixing proportions at the core site. The properties of the water bodies during the given time period are defined by Fe-Mn crust and marine sediment signatures. We also examine the natural variability within a single precession cycle. In order to confirm that the bulk sediment data indeed reliably reflects the primary composition of the bottom water masses, several bulk sediment samples are compared to foraminifera-derived Nd isotopic compositions. Results from the Messinian show a trend from isotope compositions that are more typical for MOW towards compositions more typical for the NE Atlantic. Subsequently, this trend reverses. After this, around 5.6 Ma an abrupt shift from MOW to more NE Atlantic characteristics is visible. The last abrupt switch is mainly visible in the lead isotopic record. The first trend may bear evidence for the presence of Mediterranean water in the Gulf of Cadiz at the same time of the deposition of the Lower Evaporites precipitation in the Mediterranean basin. The abrupt change to more Atlantic values around 5.6 Ma, during the deposition of the Upper Evaporites in the Mediterranean, could reflect a change from a two-layer flow gateway system with a MOW to a one layer inflow of Atlantic water in the Mediterranean. Mediterranean-Atlantic exchange through the Straits of Gibraltar, is thought to have been established after the MSC. No geochemical record of MOW is known immediately after the opening of the Straits. The radiogenic records may reveal the timing of Pliocene MOW and a strengthening at ~4.2-4.5 Ma at the same time of the onset of the contourite depositional system in the Gulf of Cadiz.

40 CFR 761.265 - Sampling bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sampling bulk PCB remediation waste..., DISTRIBUTION IN COMMERCE, AND USE PROHIBITIONS Cleanup Site Characterization Sampling for PCB Remediation Waste in Accordance with § 761.61(a)(2) § 761.265 Sampling bulk PCB remediation waste and porous surfaces...

Sources and ages of fine-grained sediment to streams using fallout radionuclides in the Midwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gellis, Allen; Fuller, Christopher C.; Van Metre, Peter C.

2017-01-01

Fallout radionuclides, 7Be and 210Pbex, sampled in bed sediment for 99 watersheds in the Midwestern region of the United States and in 15 samples of suspended sediment from 3 of these watersheds were used to partition upland from channel sources and to estimate the age or the time since the surface-derived portion of sediment was on the land surface (0–∼1 year). Channel sources dominate: 78 of the 99 bed material sites (79%) have >50% channel-derived sediment, and 9 of the 15 suspended-sediment samples (60%) have >50% channel-derived sediment. 7Be was detected in 82 bed sediment samples and all 15 suspended-sediment samples. The surface-derived portion of 54 of the 80 (68%) streams with detectable 7Be and 210Pbex were ≤ 100 days old and the surface-derived portion of all suspended-sediment samples were ≤ 100 days old, indicating that surface-derived fine-grained sediment moves rapidly though these systems. The concentrations of two hydrophobic pesticides–DDE and bifenthrin–are correlated with the proportion of surface-derived sediment, indicating a link between geomorphic processes and particle-associated contaminants in streams. Urban areas had the highest pesticide concentrations and the largest percentage of surface-derived sediment. Although the percentage of surface-derived sediment is less than channel sources at most of the study sites, the relatively young age of the surface-derived sediment might indicate that management actions to reduce sediment contamination where the land surface is an important source could have noticeable effects.

Rare but active taxa contribute to community dynamics of benthic biofilms in glacier-fed streams.

PubMed

Wilhelm, Linda; Besemer, Katharina; Fasching, Christina; Urich, Tim; Singer, Gabriel A; Quince, Christopher; Battin, Tom J

2014-08-01

Glaciers harbour diverse microorganisms, which upon ice melt can be released downstream. In glacier-fed streams microorganisms can attach to stones or sediments to form benthic biofilms. We used 454-pyrosequencing to explore the bulk (16S rDNA) and putatively active (16S rRNA) microbial communities of stone and sediment biofilms across 26 glacier-fed streams. We found differences in community composition between bulk and active communities among streams and a stronger congruence between biofilm types. Relative abundances of rRNA and rDNA were positively correlated across different taxa and taxonomic levels, but at lower taxonomic levels, the higher abundance in either the active or the bulk communities became more apparent. Here, environmental variables played a minor role in structuring active communities. However, we found a large number of rare taxa with higher relative abundances in rRNA compared with rDNA. This suggests that rare taxa contribute disproportionately to microbial community dynamics in glacier-fed streams. Our findings propose that high community turnover, where taxa repeatedly enter and leave the 'seed bank', contributes to the maintenance of microbial biodiversity in harsh ecosystems with continuous environmental perturbations, such as glacier-fed streams. © 2014 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Trends in suspended-sediment concentration at selected stream sites in Kansas, 1970-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Putnam, James E.; Pope, Larry M.

2003-01-01

Knowledge of erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment relative to streams and impoundments is important to those involved directly or indirectly in the development and management of water resources. Monitoring the quantity of sediment in streams and impoundments is important because: (1) sediment may degrade the water quality of streams for such uses as municipal water supply, (2) sediment is detrimental to the health of some species of aquatic animals and plants, and (3) accumulation of sediment in water-supply impoundments decreases the amount of storage and, therefore, water available for users. One of the objectives of the Kansas Water Plan is to reduce the amount of sediment in Kansas streams by 2010. During the last 30 years, millions of dollars have been spent in Kansas watersheds to reduce sediment transport to streams. Because the last evaluation of trends in suspended-sediment concentrations in Kansas was completed in 1985, 14 sediment sampling sites that represent 10 of the 12 major river basins in Kansas were reestablished in 2000. The purpose of this report is to present the results of time-trend analyses at the reestablished sediment data-collection sites for the period of about 1970?2002 and to evaluate changes in the watersheds that may explain the trends. Time-trend tests for 13 of 14 sediment sampling sites in Kansas for the period from about 1970 to 2002 indicated that 3 of the 13 sites tested had statistically significant decreasing suspended-sediment concentrations; however, only 2 sites, Walnut River at Winfield and Elk River at Elk Falls, had trends that were statistically significant at the 0.05 probability level. Increasing suspended-sediment concentrations were indicated at three sites although none were statistically significant at the 0.05 probability level. Samples from five of the six sampling sites located upstream from reservoirs indicated decreasing suspended-sediment concentrations. Watershed impoundments located in the respective river basins may contribute to the decreasing suspended-sediment trends exhibited at most of the sampling sites because the impoundments are designed to trap sediment. Both sites that exhibited statistically significant decreasing suspended-sediment concentrations have a large number of watershed impoundments located in their respective drainage basins. The relation between percentage of the watershed affected by impoundments and trend in suspended-sediment concentration for 11 sites indicated that, as the number of impoundments in the watershed increases, suspended-sediment concentration decreases. Other conser-vation practices, such as terracing of farm fields and contour farming, also may contribute to the reduced suspended-sediment concentrations if their use has increased during the period of analysis. Regression models were developed for 13 of 14 sediment sampling sites in Kansas and can be used to estimate suspended-sediment concentration if the range in stream discharge for which they were developed is not exceeded and if time trends in suspended-sediment concentrations are not significant. For those sites that had a statistically significant trend in suspended-sediment concentration, a second regression model was developed using samples collected during 2000?02. Past and current studies by the U.S. Geological Survey have shown that regression models can be developed between in-stream measurements of turbidity and laboratory-analyzed sediment samples. Regression models were developed for the relations between discharge and suspended-sediment concentration and turbidity and suspended-sediment concentration for 10 sediment sampling sites using samples collected during 2000?02.

Metal transport and remobilisation in a basin affected by acid mine drainage: the role of ochreous amorphous precipitates.

PubMed

Consani, Sirio; Carbone, Cristina; Dinelli, Enrico; Balić-Žunić, Tonci; Cutroneo, Laura; Capello, Marco; Salviulo, Gabriella; Lucchetti, Gabriella

2017-06-01

Metal-polluted mine waters represent a major threat to the quality of waters and sediments in a downstream basin. At the confluence between acidic mine waters and the unpolluted waters of the Gromolo Torrent (Liguria, North-West Italy), the massive formation of an ochreous amorphous precipitate takes place. This precipitate forms a soft blanket that covers the torrent bed and can be observed down to its mouth in the sea. The aim of this work is to evaluate the dispersion of metals in the Gromolo Torrent basin from the abandoned Cu-Fe sulphide mine of Libiola to the Ligurian Sea and to assess the metal remobilisation from the amorphous precipitates. The mineralogy of the superficial sediments collected in the torrent bed and the concentrations of different elements of environmental concern (Cu, Zn, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb, As, and Sb) were therefore analysed. The results showed that the precipitates contain high concentration of Fe, Al, Cu, and Zn, significantly modifying the bulk chemistry of the Gromolo Torrent sediments. In order to evaluate the possible remobilisation of ecotoxic elements from the amorphous precipitates, bulk leaching tests were performed with both deionised and seawater. Bulk leaching tests with deionised water mobilised primarily high Pb amounts, but also relatively high concentrations of Fe, Al, Cu, and Zn are released in the leachate. In seawater tests, Fe, Al, Cu, and Zn were released in smaller amounts, while other elements like Mn, Cd, Co, and Ni increased in the released fraction. Pb was still strongly released as in deionised water experiments. The results show that the interaction of precipitates and seawater can remobilise high concentrations of metals, thus affecting the surrounding environment.

Holocene glacier activity reconstructed from proglacial lake Gjøavatnet on Amsterdamøya, NW Svalbard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Wet, Gregory A.; Balascio, Nicholas L.; D'Andrea, William J.; Bakke, Jostein; Bradley, Raymond S.; Perren, Bianca

2018-03-01

Well-dated and highly resolved paleoclimate records from high latitudes allow for a better understanding of past climate change. Lake sediments are excellent archives of environmental change, and can record processes occurring within the catchment, such as the growth or demise of an upstream glacier. Here we present a Holocene-length, multi-proxy lake sediment record from proglacial lake Gjøavatnet on the island of Amsterdamøya, northwest Svalbard. Today, Gjøavatnet receives meltwater from the Annabreen glacier and contains a record of changes in glacier activity linked to regional climate conditions. We measured changes in organic matter content, dry bulk density, bulk carbon isotopes, elemental concentrations via Itrax core-scanning, and diatom community composition to reconstruct variability in glacier extent back through time. Our reconstruction indicates that glacially derived sedimentation in the lake decreased markedly at ∼11.1 cal kyr BP, although a glacier likely persisted in the catchment until ∼8.4 cal kyr BP. During the mid-Holocene (∼8.4-1.0 cal kyr BP) there was significantly limited glacial influence in the catchment and enhanced deposition of organic-rich sediment in the lake. The deposition of organic rich sediments during this time was interrupted by at least three multi-centennial intervals of reduced organic matter accumulation (∼5.9-5.0, 2.7-2.0, and 1.7-1.5 cal kyr BP). Considering our chronological information and a sedimentological comparison with intervals of enhanced glacier input, we interpret these intervals not as glacial advances, but rather as cold/dry episodes that inhibited organic matter production in the lake and surrounding catchment. At ∼1.0 cal kyr BP, input of glacially derived sediment to Gjøavatnet abruptly increased, representing the rapid expansion of the Annabreen glacier.

Occurrence, distribution, and concentrations of selected contaminants in streambed- and suspended-sediment samples collected in Bexar County, Texas, 2007-09

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, Jennifer T.

2011-01-01

High concentrations of sediment-associated contaminants are typically associated with urban areas such as San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County, the seventh most populous city in the United States. U.S. Geological Survey personnel periodically collected surficial streambed-sediment samples during 2007-09 and collected suspended-sediment samples from selected streams after storms during 2008 and 2009. All sediment samples were analyzed for major and trace elements, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

A large column analog experiment of stable isotope variations during reactive transport: II. Carbon mass balance, microbial community structure and predation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Druhan, Jennifer L.; Bill, Markus; Lim, HsiaoChien; Wu, Cindy; Conrad, Mark E.; Williams, Kenneth H.; DePaolo, Donald J.; Brodie, Eoin L.

2014-01-01

Here we report a combined analysis of carbon mass balance based on isotopic labeling and microbiological characterization during organic carbon stimulated bioreduction of a subsurface sediment in a large laboratory column experimental system. This combination of approaches allows quantification of both the cycling of carbon through multiple redox pathways and the associated spatial and temporal evolution of bacterial communities in response to this nutrient source. Carbon isotope mass balance facilitated by the use of 13C-labeled acetate as the electron donor showed evidence for a net loss of sediment organic carbon over the course of the amendment experiment. Furthermore, these data clearly demonstrated a source of isotopically labeled inorganic carbon that was not attributable to primary metabolism by acetate-oxidizing microorganisms. Fluid samples collected weekly over the duration of the 43-day amendment at <20 cm intervals along the flow path were analyzed for microbial composition by pyrosequencing of ribosomal RNA genes. The microbial community composition was transient, with distinct occurrences of Azoarcus, Geobacter and multiple sulfate reducing species over the course of the experiment. In combination with DNA sequencing data, the anomalous carbon cycling process is shown to occur exclusively during the period of predominant Geobacter species growth. Pyrosequencing indicated, and targeted cloning and sequencing confirmed the presence of several bacteriovorous protozoa, including species of the Breviata, Planococcus and Euplotes genera. Cloning and qPCR analysis demonstrated that Euplotes species were most abundant and displayed a growth trajectory that closely followed that of the Geobacter population. These results suggest a previously undocumented secondary turnover of biomass carbon related to protozoan grazing that was not sufficiently prevalent to be observed in bulk concentrations of carbon species in the system, but was clearly identified in the partitioning of carbon isotopes. This study demonstrates evidence for predator-prey relationships that impact subsurface microbial community dynamics and provides a novel indication of the impact of this relationship on the flux of carbon through a system via the microbial biomass pool. Overall, our approach provides high temporal and spatial sampling resolution at field relevant flow rates, while minimizing effects of mixing and transverse dispersion. The result is a quantitative carbon budget accounting for a diversity of processes that should be considered for inclusion in reactive transport models that aim to predict carbon turnover, nutrient flux, and redox reactions in natural and stimulated subsurface systems. the mobilization of previously stabilized, sediment-bound carbon; a carbon mass balance for a through-flowing sediment column over the course of a 43-day amendment using 13C-labeled acetate; a phylogenetic microbial community structure at <20 cm sampling resolution with distance away from the organic carbon source weekly over the 43-day amendment; protozoan grazing on the active Geobacteraceae population and the rapid turnover of microbial biomass carbon as a secondary cycling pathway. Such a high resolution, combined analysis of microbial populations and the associated carbon mass balance in a through-flowing system at field relevant flow rates provides novel, quantitative insights into the interface between biogeochemical cycling and bulk carbon fluxes in the near-surface environment.

Summary geochemical maps for samples of rock, stream sediment, and nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrate, Sweetwater Roadless Area, Mono County, California and Lyon and Douglas Counties, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chaffee, Maurice A.

1986-01-01

Map A shows the locations of all sites where rock samples were collected for this report and the distributions of anomalous concentrations for 12 elements in the 127 rock samples collected. In a similar manner, map B shows the collection sites for 59 samples of minus-60-mesh stream sediment, and 59 samples of nonmagnetic heavy-mineral concentrate derived from stream sediment and also shows the distributions of anomalous concentrations for 13 elements in the stream-sediment samples and 17 elements in the concentrate samples. Map C shows outlines of those drainage basins containing samples of stream sediment and concentrate with anomalous element concentrations and also shows weighted values for each outlined basin based on the number of elements with anomalous concentrations in each stream-sediment and concentrate sample and on the degree to which these concentrations are anomalous in each sample.

An evaluation of the toxicity of contaminated sediments from Waukegan Harbor, Illinois, following remediation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kemble, N.E.; Hardesty, D.G.; Ingersoll, C.G.; Johnson, B. Thomas; Dwyer, F.J.; MacDonald, D.D.

2000-01-01

Waukegan Harbor in Illinois was designated as a Great Lakes Area of Concern due to high concentrations of sediment-associated polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of 20 sediment samples collected after remediation (primarily dredging) of Waukegan Harbor for PCBs. A 42-day whole sediment toxicity test with the amphipod Hyalella azteca (28-day sediment exposure followed by a 14-day reproductive phase) and sediment toxicity tests with Microtox® were conducted to evaluate sediments from Waukegan Harbor. Endpoints measured were survival, growth, and reproduction (amphipods) and luminescent light emission (bacteria). Survival of amphipods was significantly reduced in 6 of the 20 sediment samples relative to the control. Growth of amphipods (either length or weight) was significantly reduced relative to the control in all samples. However, reproduction of amphipods identified only two samples as toxic relative to the control. The Microtox basic test, conducted with organic extracts of sediments identified only one site as toxic. In contrast, the Microtox solid-phase test identified about 50% of the samples as toxic. A significant negative correlation was observed between reproduction and the concentration of three polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) normalized to total organic carbon. Sediment chemistry and toxicity data were evaluated using sediment quality guidelines (consensus-based probable effect concentrations, PECs). Results of these analyses indicate that sediment samples from Waukegan Harbor were toxic to H. azteca contaminated at similar contaminant concentrations as sediment samples that were toxic to H. azteca from other areas of the United States. The relationship between PECs and the observed toxicity was not as strong for the Microtox test. The results of this study indicate that the first phase of sediment remediation in Waukegan Harbor successfully lowered concentrations of PCBs at the site. Though the sediments were generally not lethal, there were still sublethal effects of contaminants in sediments at this site observed on amphipods in long-term exposures (associated with elevated concentrations of metals, PCBs, and PAHs).

Physical properties of muddy sediments from French Guiana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caillaud, J.; Lesourd, L.; Philippe, S.; Gontharet, S.; Sarrazin, M.; Gardel, A.

2017-01-01

The North West migration of long and discontinuous mud banks along the French Guiana coast has been extensively studied during the past years, in particular with a large-scale vision, which consequently has integrated morpho and hydrodynamic data. The aims of the present paper were to use intrinsic sediment properties (grain-size, mineralogy, concentration, and cohesion) to (1) highlight the sedimentary conditions during the consolidation processes from fluid deposit to vegetation development, and (2) verify the apparent homogeneously derived sedimentary facies. Two intertidal transects, Macouria and Cayenne, were compared from the coast to offshore. Their altitude averages of 1 m and 2.8 m above mean sea level, respectively, were different enough to compare the influence of the hydrodynamic impact and emersion time on their sediment properties. The latter, i.e. grain size distribution, mineralogical content, mud concentration, and shear strength (cohesion), were determined from sampled surface sediments (first cm) and along sediment cores (20-30 cm depth) from each transect. A specific X-ray technique was applied to the whole core to differentiate clearly its thin layers. On both intertidal sites, the grain size dominated by the fine silt fraction (2-20 μm) and the bulk mineralogy characterized by five major minerals (quartz, feldspars, chlorite, illite, and kaolinite) appeared homogeneous along both transects and cores. In spite of this apparent uniformity of particle size and mineralogical parameters, as well as for visual observation along the core, high precision X-rays still showed a cyclic sedimentation at a micro-scale level. This cyclicity with intercalation of fine layers was related to distinct dynamic deposits marked by both tidal processes and hydrodynamic factors (swell propagation). The cohesion and concentration results were dependent on the topography, where high topography was characterized by sediments with high cohesion and concentration values, and vice versa. A comparison between these two parameters was done to define critical limits between soft and stiff muds, as well as unvegetated and colonized muds. The favorable intrinsic sedimentary properties for consolidation and colonization were also discussed according to the field observations and bibliographic data.

Preliminary use of compound-specific stable isotope (CSSI) technique to identify and apportion sediment origin in a small Austrian catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mabit, Lionel; Gibbs, Max; Chen, Xu; Meusburger, Katrin; Toloza, Arsenio; Resch, Christian; Klik, Andreas; Eder, Alexander; Strauss, Peter; Alewell, Christine

2015-04-01

The overall impacts of climate change on agriculture are expected to be negative, threatening global food security. In the agricultural areas of the European Union, water erosion risk is expected to increase by about 80% by the year 2050. Reducing soil erosion and sedimentation-related environmental problems represent a key requirement for mitigating the impact of climate change. A new forensic stable isotope technique, using the compound specific stable isotope (CSSI) signatures of inherent soil organic biomarkers, can discriminate and apportion the source soil contribution from different land uses. Plant communities label the soil where they grow by exuding organic biomarkers. Although all plants produce the same biomarkers, the stable isotopic signature of those biomarkers is different for each plant species. For agri-environmental investigation, the CSSI technique is based on the measurement of carbon-13 (13-C) natural abundance signatures of specific organic compounds such as natural fatty acids (FAs) in the soil. By linking fingerprints of land use to the sediment in deposition zones, this approach has been shown to be a useful technique for determining the source of eroded soil and thereby identifying areas prone to soil degradation. The authors have tested this innovative stable isotopic approach in a small Austrian agricultural catchment located 60 km north of Vienna. A previous fallout radionuclide (i.e. 137-Cs) based investigation established a sedimentation rate of 4 mm/yr in the lowest part of the study site. To gain knowledge about the origin of these sediments, the CSSI technique was then tested using representative samples from the different land-uses of the catchment as source material. Values of 13-C signatures of specific FAs (i.e. C22:0 = Behenic Acid ; C24:0 = Lignoceric Acid) and the bulk 13-C of the sediment mixture and potential landscape sources were analyzed with the mixing models IsoSource and CSSIAR v1.00. Using both mixing models, preliminary results highlighted that about 50-55% of the sediment located in the deposition area originated from the main grassed waterway of the catchment.

Formation of Mg-aluminosilicates During Early Diagenesis of Carbonate Sediments in the Volcanic Crater Lake of Dziani Dzaha (Mayotte - Indian Ocean)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milesi, V. P.; Jezequel, D.; Debure, M.; Marty, N.; Guyot, F. J.; Claret, F.; Virgone, A.; Gaucher, E.; Ader, M.

2017-12-01

Authigenic clays are increasingly reported in ancient carbonate rocks, but their origin remains poorly understood, strongly limiting paleoenvironmental interpretations. To tackle this issue, the carbonate sediments of the volcanic crater lake Dziani Dzaha are studied and reactive transport modeling is performed to assess the processes originating carbonate sediments associated with Mg-rich silicates during early diagenesis. The Dziani Dzaha is characterized by CO2-rich gases bubbling in three different locations, a high primary productivity leading to organic carbon contents of up to 30wt.% in the sediment, an alkalinity of 0.26 molal in the water column and pH values of 9 to 9.5. Characterization of bulk samples and clay fraction (<2µm) from the first meter of sediment with X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry indicates aragonite and hydromagnesite in surface sediment. The contents of hydromagnesite and organic matter decrease at depth while saponite, a Mg- and Al-rich trioctahedral smectite, accumulates to reach up to 25wt.% of mineral phases. Concurrently, chemical analyses of pore waters show a decrease of pH values from 9 to 8.3. Modeling of these diagenetic evolutions is performed with the reactive transport code Crunchflow, taking into account the sediment burial. High pH values combined with the alteration of alkaline feldspars and clinopyroxenes from the volcanic catchment allow supersaturation of lake waters relative to aragonite, hydromagnesite and saponite. Kinetic limitations in the formation of saponite explain its accumulation at depth. Production of CO2 associated with organic matter mineralization accounts for the pH decrease of pore waters, which induces hydromagnesite destabilisation leaving behind a saponite-aragonite mineral assemblage. The main driving force for the observed sequence is the intense primary productivity partly fueled by inputs of CO2-rich volcanic gases, which generates high pH, promoting the formation of saponite, aragonite and hydromagnesite, which precipitates at first before being destabilized at depth due to organic matter mineralization. The observed carbon cycle, influenced by volcanic gases, may thus play a key role in the development of carbonate rocks associated with Mg-silicates.

Authigenic oxide Neodymium Isotopic composition as a proxy of seawater: applying multivariate statistical analyses.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKinley, C. C.; Scudder, R.; Thomas, D. J.

2016-12-01

The Neodymium Isotopic composition (Nd IC) of oxide coatings has been applied as a tracer of water mass composition and used to address fundamental questions about past ocean conditions. The leached authigenic oxide coating from marine sediment is widely assumed to reflect the dissolved trace metal composition of the bottom water interacting with sediment at the seafloor. However, recent studies have shown that readily reducible sediment components, in addition to trace metal fluxes from the pore water, are incorporated into the bottom water, influencing the trace metal composition of leached oxide coatings. This challenges the prevailing application of the authigenic oxide Nd IC as a proxy of seawater composition. Therefore, it is important to identify the component end-members that create sediments of different lithology and determine if, or how they might contribute to the Nd IC of oxide coatings. To investigate lithologic influence on the results of sequential leaching, we selected two sites with complete bulk sediment statistical characterization. Site U1370 in the South Pacific Gyre, is predominantly composed of Rhyolite ( 60%) and has a distinguishable ( 10%) Fe-Mn Oxyhydroxide component (Dunlea et al., 2015). Site 1149 near the Izu-Bonin-Arc is predominantly composed of dispersed ash ( 20-50%) and eolian dust from Asia ( 50-80%) (Scudder et al., 2014). We perform a two-step leaching procedure: a 14 mL of 0.02 M hydroxylamine hydrochloride (HH) in 20% acetic acid buffered to a pH 4 for one hour, targeting metals bound to Fe- and Mn- oxides fractions, and a second HH leach for 12 hours, designed to remove any remaining oxides from the residual component. We analyze all three resulting fractions for a large suite of major, trace and rare earth elements, a sub-set of the samples are also analyzed for Nd IC. We use multivariate statistical analyses of the resulting geochemical data to identify how each component of the sediment partitions across the sequential extractions. Here we present results comparing the two sites, and examine how the composition of the sediment impacts the resulting Nd IC.

Sedimentary Nitrogen Stable Isotopes and Variations in Nutrient Cycling in the Holocene Black Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fulton, J. M.; Arthur, M. A.

2004-12-01

Interpreting the evolution of organic matter production and preservation in anoxic basins such as the Holocene Black Sea depends on developing an understanding of changes in nutrient cycling within the water column with time. The organic fraction of sediments may preserve evidence of such changes in nutrient utilization. One model proposes changes in phosphorus availability as a driver for changes in algal productivity in the Black Sea. Nitrogen, the other macronutrient commonly considered to limit algal growth, is the focus of this study as we examine the nitrogen content and stable isotope variations of Black Sea sediments to determine what role it may have played in temporal changes in productivity and organic matter accumulation. High-resolution samples from five gravity cores collected by the RV Knorr 1988 expedition were analyzed for δ 15N-total and δ 13C-organic as well as their percent composition of organic carbon and total nitrogen. One core, GC71, was subjected to sequential extractions with KCl and hydrogen peroxide to remove exchangeable ammonia and labile organic matter respectively. The KCl extraction did not remove a statistically significant amount of ammonia, having no measurable effect on the percent nitrogen or δ 15N of the solid samples. The hydrogen peroxide extraction removed ca. 95% of the organic carbon and 85% of the nitrogen, leaving a relatively nitrogen-enriched residual material, probably due to ammonium fixed within the clay lattice. The fixed nitrogen has a minimal effect on the bulk nitrogen isotope values, suggesting the bulk nitrogen values are similar to the organic nitrogen signal. All cores examined were from below the modern Black Sea chemocline and are thought to have remained under anoxic bottom water continuously since soon after the incursion of saline Mediterranean water ca. 7800 years ago. Water depths for these cores range from 411 meters along the south margin of the sea to 2088 meters in the eastern Black Sea basin, and the samples analyzed span the past 10,000 years. This study incorporates new nitrogen isotopic data, higher resolution carbon isotopic data, and C/N ratios with previously published bulk organic carbon, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, regional climate, and molecular organic geochemical data from other sources. The results of this study reveal three intervals in sedimentary units I, IIa, and IIb, preserved in multiple cores, with less enriched δ 15N values from +0.3 to +1.5 permil, separated by positive excursions with δ 15N values between +3 and +4.5 permil. These intervals are the result of basin-wide processes as they occurred synchronously across the Black Sea. δ 13C values suggest a primarily marine source for organic matter throughout units I and II, and fluctuations of δ 15N do not seem to correlate with regional vegetation or precipitation changes; thus, assuming a relatively constant δ 15N for inorganic and organic nitrogen riverine influx, changes in δ 15N are due primarily to marine activity. We believe the lower δ 15N values in units I and IIa were caused by decreases in water column denitrification due to a deeper chemocline and greater oxygen availability for respiration. The lower δ 15N values in unit IIb may be due to nitrogen fixation caused by the release of excess phosphorus from the sediments due to the bottom water anoxia.

Long-Term Changes in Chemical Weathering in the Himalayan Region from Indus Fan Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, S.; Griffith, E. M.; Scher, H.; Dellapenna, T. M.; Clift, P. D.

2017-12-01

The Asian Monsoon reflects large-scale interactions between the atmosphere, land, and ocean systems. Increasing our understanding of this system, how and why it has evolved through time, is critically important in order to understand how it may evolve in the future. The radiogenic strontium isotopic signature (87Sr/86Sr) of the clay fraction in deep sea sediment cores within submarine fans has been used as a record of riverine 87Sr/86Sr composition to gain information about Himalayan weathering intensity. Strontium exists in clay minerals primarily in interlayer sites or adsorbed onto mineral surfaces. Interlayer cation exchange is thought to be completed within rivers during recrystallization or neoformation of clays. A record of chemical weathering intensity in the Himalayas is presented by analyzing the 87Sr/86Sr signature of the clay fraction in sediments from International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 355 Sites U1456 and U1457, located on the Indus Fan, eastern Arabian Sea. This record will be coupled with additional records of bulk grain size and K/Al ratios of clay as potentially additional indicators of weathering intensity. The Sr isotopes in the interstitial waters at each site have also been measured (Carter et al., in press) to verify that the Sr in the treated clay fraction is not being reset by diagenesis in the sedimentary column. Initial results verify that the 87Sr/86Sr values of the clay are less than those in the bulk sediment, as expected, but are not similar to pore fluid Sr. 87Sr/86Sr values of the clays show trends suggesting fluctuations in chemical weathering intensity through time. However, bulk grain size and K/Al ratios results conflict with the 87Sr/86Sr values. If the additional proxy records continue to show conflicting results for "weathering intensity", together they may reveal more information regarding the sedimentary system. Ultimately, the various records will either agree, providing strong evidence for changes in chemical weathering and the evolution of the monsoon, or disagree, allowing for further investigation into the relationships between chemical weathering, evolution of the flood plain, and sediment deposition in the fan. These new records will aid in the correlation of Himalayan exhumation and monsoon intensity and help to constrain this dynamic system.

Dispersed Volcanic Ash in Sediment Entering NW Pacific Ocean Subduction Zones: Towards a Regional Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scudder, R. P.; Murray, R. W.; Underwood, M.; Kutterolf, S.; Plank, T.; Dyonisius, M.; Arshad, M. A.

2011-12-01

Volcanic ash has long been recognized to be an important component of the global sedimentary system. Ash figures prominently in a number of sedimentary and petrophysical investigations, including how the fluid budget of subducting sediment will be affected by hydration/dehydration reactions. Additionally, many studies focus on discrete ash layers, and how to link their presence with volcanism, climate, arc evolution, biological productivity, and other processes. Less widely recognized is the ash that is mixed into the bulk sediment, or "dispersed" ash. Dispersed ash is quantitatively significant and is an under-utilized source of critical geochemical and tectonic information. Based on geochemical studies of ODP Site 1149, a composite of DSDP Sites 579 & 581, as well as IODP Sites C0011 & C0012 drilled during Expedition 322, we will show the importance of dispersed ash to the Izu-Bonin-Marianas, Kurile-Kamchatka and Nankai subduction zones. Initial geochemical analyses of the bulk sediment, as related to dispersed ash entering these subduction systems are presented here. Geochemical analysis shows that the characteristics of the three sites exhibit some variability consistent with observed lithological variations. For example, the average SiO2/Al2O3 ratios at Site 1149, Site C0011 and Site C0012 average 3.7. The composite of Sites 579 & 581 exhibits a higher average of 4.6. There are contrasts between other key major elemental indicators as well (e.g., Fe2O3). Ternary diagrams such as K2O-Na2O-CaO show that there are at least two distinct geochemical fields with Sites 1149, C0011 and C0012 clustering in one and Sites 579 & 581 in the other. Q-mode Factor Analysis was performed on the bulk sediment chemical data in order to determine the composition of potential end members of these sites. The multivariate statistics indicate that Site 1149 has 3-4 end members, consistent with the results of Scudder et al. (2009, EPSL, v. 284, pp 639), while each of the other sites has 4-5 end members. These geochemical signatures (e.g., K2O) of the dispersed ash can be exploited to provide insight into the importance of clay mineralogy (i.e., smectite). Additional results from trace and REE analyses, combined with additional statistical treatments, will also be presented.

Estimating total suspended sediment yield with probability sampling

Treesearch

Robert B. Thomas

1985-01-01

The ""Selection At List Time"" (SALT) scheme controls sampling of concentration for estimating total suspended sediment yield. The probability of taking a sample is proportional to its estimated contribution to total suspended sediment discharge. This procedure gives unbiased estimates of total suspended sediment yield and the variance of the...

Toxicity of sediment cores collected from the Ashtabula River in northeastern Ohio, USA, to the amphipod Hyalella azteca

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ingersoll, C.G.; Kemble, N.E.; Kunz, J.L.; Brumbaugh, W.G.; MacDonald, D.D.; Smorong, D.

2009-01-01

This study was conducted to support a Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration project associated with the Ashtabula River in Ohio. The objective of the study was to evaluate the chemistry and toxicity of 50 sediment samples obtained from five cores collected from the Ashtabula River (10 samples/core, with each 10-cm-diameter core collected to a total depth of about 150 cm). Effects of chemicals of potential concern (COPCs) measured in the sediment samples were evaluated by measuring whole-sediment chemistry and whole-sediment toxicity in the sediment samples (including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs], polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], organochlorine pesticides, and metals). Effects on the amphipod Hyalella azteca at the end of a 28-day sediment toxicity test were determined by comparing survival or length of amphipods in individual sediment samples in the cores to the range of responses of amphipods exposed to selected reference sediments that were also collected from the cores. Mean survival or length of amphipods was below the lower limit of the reference envelope in 56% of the sediment samples. Concentrations of total PCBs alone in some samples or concentrations of total PAHs alone in other samples were likely high enough to have caused the reduced survival or length of amphipods (i.e., concentrations of PAHs or PCBs exceeded mechanistically based and empirically based sediment quality guidelines). While elevated concentrations of ammonia in pore water may have contributed to the reduced length of amphipods, it is unlikely that the reduced length was caused solely by elevated ammonia (i.e., concentrations of ammonia were not significantly correlated with the concentrations of PCBs or PAHs and concentrations of ammonia were elevated both in the reference sediments and in the test sediments). Results of this study show that PAHs, PCBs, and ammonia are the primary COPCs that are likely causing or substantially contributing to the toxicity to sediment-dwelling organisms. ?? 2009 US Government.

Uranium hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance of the Albuquerque NTMS Quadrangle, New Mexico, including concentrations of forty-three additional elements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maassen, L.W.; Bolivar, S.L.

1979-06-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory conducted a hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance for uranium. Totals of 408 water and 1538 sediment samples were collected from 1802 locations over a 20 100-km/sup 2/ area at an average density of one location per 11 km/sup 2/. Water samples were collected from springs, wells, and streams; sediments samples were collected predominantly from streams, but also from springs. All water samples were analyzed for uranium and 12 other elements. Sediment samples were analyzed for uranium and 42 additional elements. The uranium concentrations in water samples range from below the detection limit of 0.02 ppBmore » to 194.06 ppB. The mean uranium concentration for all water types containing < 40 ppB uranium is 1.98 ppB. Six samples contained uranium concentrations > 40.00 ppB. Well waters have the highest mean uranium concentration; spring waters have the lowest. Clusters of water samples that contain anomalous uranium concentrations are delineated in nine areas. Sediments collected from the quadrangle have uranium concentrations that range between 0.63 ppM and 28.52 ppM, with a mean for all sediments of 3.53 ppM. Eight areas containing clusters of sediments with anomalous uranium concentrations are delineated. One cluster contains sample locations within the Ambrosia Lake uranium district. Five clusters of sediment samples with anomalous uranium concentrations were collected from streams that drain the Jemez volcanic field. Another cluster defines an area just northeast of Albuquerque where streams drain Precambrian rocks, predominantly granites, of the Sandia Mountains. The last cluster, consisting of spring sediments from Mesa Portales, was collected near the contact of the Tertiary Ojo Alamo sandstone with underlying Cretaceous sediments. Sediments from these springs exhibit some of the highest uranium values reported and are associated with high uranium/thorium ratios.« less

Compositon of sediments transported by the wind at different heights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iturri, Antonela; Funk, Roger; Leue, Martin; Sommer, Michael; Buschiazzo, Daniel

2017-04-01

Wind erosion (WE) is one of the most important degradation process of soils in arid- and semiarid environments in the world, affecting soil properties and adjacent ecosystems, including human health. Estimations about the amount of eroded soil are available in Argentina and in the world, but the quality of the eroded sediments, particularly the sorting effects in agricultural soils, has been scarcely studied. The trend of the different mineral and organic soil compounds, which enrich in different size classes, can define height distribution profiles. Therefore, the uppermost 2.5 cm of four agricultural loess soils that differ in granulometric composition were used for WE simulations in a wind tunnel. Particles with a diameter smaller than 10 µm (PM10) were collected with a laboratory dust generator. The bulk soil and all the sediment samples were characterized by the granulometric composition, the soil organic carbon (SOC) content and the mineral and organic functional groups. Despite different texture, the soils were subjected to similar sorting processes in height, but differed depending on their granulometry. There was a separation between coarser and finer soil particles in coarser textured soils, while finer textured soils were more homogeneous in all heights. This correlated with the preferential transport of Si-O from quartz and C-H, C=O and C-C from soil organic matter (SOM), which were transported in larger and/or denser particles at lower heights. O-H from clay minerals and C-O-C and C-O from polysaccharides, carbohydrates and derivatives from SOM were transported in higher heights. Despite similar SOC content in the bulk soils, both the amount and composition in the PM10 fractions was different. The SOC transported at higher heights was mostly composed of polysaccharides, carbohydrates and derivatives associated with clay minerals. The SOC in PM10 fractions of coarser-textured soils was dominated by labile C-H groups. According to the determined height distribution profiles, it can be deduced that WE may affect both soil quality and the soil C balance due to the sorting effects during transport.

The effect of sedimentation and diffusion on cellular uptake of gold nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Cho, Eun Chul; Zhang, Qiang; Xia, Younan

2011-01-01

In vitro experiments typically measure the uptake of nanoparticles by exposing cells at the bottom of a culture plate to a suspension of nanoparticles, which is assumed to be well-dispersed. However, nanoparticles can sediment and this means the concentration of particles on the cell surface and those actually taken up by the cells may be higher than the initial bulk concentration. Here we use upright and inverted cell culture configurations to show that cellular uptake of gold nanoparticles depends on the sedimentation and diffusion velocities of the nanoparticles and is independent of size, shape, density, surface coating and initial concentration of the nanoparticles. Generally more nanoparticles are taken up in the upright configuration than the inverted one and nanoparticles that sediment faster showed greater differences in uptake between the two configurations. Our results suggest that cellular uptake of nanoparticles is sensitive to the way cells are positioned and sedimentation need to be considered when performing in vitro studies for large and heavy nanoparticles. PMID:21516092

The effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on seabed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon dynamics in the Gulf of Mexico.

PubMed

Mitra, Siddhartha; Lalicata, Joseph J; Allison, Mead A; Dellapenna, Timothy M

2009-06-01

To assess the extent to which Hurricanes Katrina and Rita affected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), sediment cores were analyzed in late 2005 from: a shallow shelf, a deeper shelf, and a marsh station. Sediment geochronology, fabric, and geochemistry show that the 2005 storms deposited approximately 10cm of sediment to the surface of a core at 5-12A. Bulk carbon geochemistry and PAH isomers in this top layer suggest that the source of sediment to the top portion of core 5-12A was from a relatively more marine area. Particulate PAHs in the marsh core (04M) appeared unaffected by the storms while sediments in the core from Station 5-1B (deeper shelf) were affected minimally (some possible storm-derived deposition). Substantial amounts of PAH-laden particles may have been displaced from the seabed in shallow areas of the water column in the GOM by these 2005 storms.

Accumulation of iron and arsenic in the Chandina alluvium of the lower delta plain, Southeastern Bangladesh

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zahid, A.; Hassan, M.Q.; Breit, G.N.; Balke, K.-D.; Flegr, M.

2009-01-01

Accumulations of iron, manganese, and arsenic occur in the Chandina alluvium of southeastern Bangladesh within 2.5 m of the ground surface. These distinctive orange-brown horizons are subhorizontal and consistently occur within 1 m of the contact of the aerated (yellow-brown) and water-saturated (gray) sediment. Ferric oxyhydroxide precipitates that define the horizons form by oxidation of reduced iron in pore waters near the top of the saturated zone when exposed to air in the unsaturated sediment. Hydrous Fe-oxide has a high specific surface area and thus a high adsorption capacity that absorbs the bulk of arsenic also present in the reduced pore water, resulting in accumulations containing as much as 280 ppm arsenic. The steep redox gradient that characterizes the transition of saturated and unsaturated sediment also favors accumulation of manganese oxides in the oxidized sediment. Anomalous concentrations of phosphate and molybdenum also detected in the ferric oxyhydroxide-enriched sediment are attributed to sorption processes. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008.

Explicit use of the Biot coefficient in predicting shear-wave velocity of water-saturated sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, M.W.

2006-01-01

Predicting the shear-wave (S-wave) velocity is important in seismic modelling, amplitude analysis with offset, and other exploration and engineering applications. Under the low-frequency approximation, the classical Biot-Gassmann theory relates the Biot coefficient to the bulk modulus of water-saturated sediments. If the Biot coefficient under in situ conditions can be estimated, the shear modulus or the S-wave velocity can be calculated. The Biot coefficient derived from the compressional-wave (P-wave) velocity of water-saturated sediments often differs from and is less than that estimated from the S-wave velocity, owing to the interactions between the pore fluid and the grain contacts. By correcting the Biot coefficients derived from P-wave velocities of water-saturated sediments measured at various differential pressures, an accurate method of predicting S-wave velocities is proposed. Numerical results indicate that the predicted S-wave velocities for consolidated and unconsolidated sediments agreewell with measured velocities. ?? 2006 European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers.

Interconnection of Key Microbial Functional Genes for Enhanced Benzo[a]pyrene Biodegradation in Sediments by Microbial Electrochemistry.

PubMed

Yan, Zaisheng; He, Yuhong; Cai, Haiyuan; Van Nostrand, Joy D; He, Zhili; Zhou, Jizhong; Krumholz, Lee R; Jiang, He-Long

2017-08-01

Sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) can stimulate the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments, but the mechanism of this process is poorly understood at the microbial functional gene level. Here, the use of SMFC resulted in 92% benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) removal over 970 days relative to 54% in the controls. Sediment functions, microbial community structure, and network interactions were dramatically altered by the SMFC employment. Functional gene analysis showed that c-type cytochrome genes for electron transfer, aromatic degradation genes, and extracellular ligninolytic enzymes involved in lignin degradation were significantly enriched in bulk sediments during SMFC operation. Correspondingly, chemical analysis of the system showed that these genetic changes resulted in increases in the levels of easily oxidizable organic carbon and humic acids which may have resulted in increased BaP bioavailability and increased degradation rates. Tracking microbial functional genes and corresponding organic matter responses should aid mechanistic understanding of BaP enhanced biodegradation by microbial electrochemistry and development of sustainable bioremediation strategies.

Chemical contamination of a coral reef by the grounding of a cruise ship in Bermuda.

PubMed

Jones, Ross J

2007-07-01

Bulk metal analyses of surficial sediments collected around the Norwegian Crown cruise ship grounding site in Bermuda indicated significant but localized contamination of reef sediments by copper and zinc, caused by the stripping of the tri-butyltin (TBT)-free antifouling (AF) paint (Intersmooth 460) from the underside of the hull. Highest copper and zinc values were found in heavily compacted and red-pigmented sediments inside the impact scar and were comparable to levels found close to slip ways of local boat yards where AF paints from hull stripping and cleaning processes are washed into the sea. The re-distribution of AF contaminated sediments by storms and deposition on nearby reefs constitutes a significant ecological risk that could delay recovery processes and reduce the effectiveness of remediation efforts. Whilst the ecotoxicological effects of AF paint particles interspersed with sediment is unknown, and in need of further study, it is argued that the significance of AF paint contamination of grounding sites has been overlooked.

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Russian Peat Borer designed and fabricated by Aquatic Research Instruments was demonstrated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program in April and May 1999 at sites in EPA Regions 1 and 5, respectively. In addition to assessing ease of sampler operation, key objectives of the demonstration included evaluating the sampler?s ability to (1) consistently collect a given volume of sediment, (2) consistently collect sediment in a given depth interval, (3) collect samples with consistent characteristics from a homogenous layer of sediment, and (4) collect samples under a variety of site conditions. This report describes the demonstration results for the Russian Peat Borer and two conventional samplers (the Hand Corer and Vibrocorer) used as reference samplers. During the demonstration, the Russian Peat Borer was the only sampler that collected samples in the deep depth interval (4 to 11 feet below sediment surface). It collected representative and relatively uncompressed core samples of consolidated sediment in discrete depth intervals. The reference samplers collected relatively compressed samples of both consolidated and unconsolidated sediments from the sediment surface downward; sample representativeness may be questionable because of core shortening and core compression. Sediment stratification was preserved only for consolidated sediment samples collected by the Russian Peat Borer but for bo

Sedimentation in mountain streams: A review of methods of measurement

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hedrick, Lara B.; Anderson, James T.; Welsh, Stuart A.; Lin, Lian-Shin

2013-01-01

The goal of this review paper is to provide a list of methods and devices used to measure sediment accumulation in wadeable streams dominated by cobble and gravel substrate. Quantitative measures of stream sedimentation are useful to monitor and study anthropogenic impacts on stream biota, and stream sedimentation is measurable with multiple sampling methods. Evaluation of sedimentation can be made by measuring the concentration of suspended sediment, or turbidity, and by determining the amount of deposited sediment, or sedimentation on the streambed. Measurements of deposited sediments are more time consuming and labor intensive than measurements of suspended sediments. Traditional techniques for characterizing sediment composition in streams include core sampling, the shovel method, visual estimation along transects, and sediment traps. This paper provides a comprehensive review of methodology, devices that can be used, and techniques for processing and analyzing samples collected to aid researchers in choosing study design and equipment.

Abundance and distribution of selected elements in soils, stream sediments, and selected forage plants from desert tortoise habitats in the Mojave and Colorado deserts, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chaffee, M.A.; Berry, K.H.

2006-01-01

A baseline and background chemical survey was conducted in southeastern California, USA, to identify potential sources of toxicants in natural and anthropogenically-altered habitats of the threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Soil, stream sediment, and plant samples were collected from six tortoise habitat study areas in the Mojave and Colorado deserts and analysed for up to 66 different elements. The chemical analyses provided new information on the abundances and distributions of selected elements in this region. Soil, stream-sediment, and plant analyses showed distinct variations in bulk chemistries from locality to locality. Variations were, in general, consistent with the many types of exposed rock units in the region, their highly variable bulk mineralogies, and chemical contents. Of elements in soils that might have been toxic to tortoises, only As seemed to be anomalous region-wide. Some soil and plant anomalies were clearly anthropogenic. In the Rand and Atolia mining districts, soil anomalies for As, Au, Cd, Hg, Sb, and(or) W and plant anomalies for As, Sb, and(or) W extend as far as ???15 km outward from the present area of mining; soils containing anomalous Hg were found at least 6 km away from old piles of tailings. The anomalous concentrations of As and Hg may have been the source of elevated levels of these elements found in ill tortoises from the region. In the Goldstone mining district, soil anomalies extended several km from the mining area. These areas probably represented anthropogenic surface contamination of dust redistributed by wind, vehicles, and rainfall. One of two study areas transected by a paved road (Chemehuevi Valley) showed weakly elevated levels of Pb, which extended as far as ???22 m from the pavement edge and were probably related to vehicle exhaust. No soil or plant samples from historically used military areas (Goldstone, Goffs, Chemehuevi Valley, Chuckwalla Bench) contained anomalous concentrations of the elements As, Cu, Cr, Fe, Pb, or Zn that could be ascribed to military maneuvers, vehicles, or ordnance. For future studies, the distribution and abundance of elements in the tortoise forage plants need to be evaluated for the respective roles of dust and systemic uptake. Additional chemical data from tortoise necropsies and nutritional studies are needed to determine the effects of potentially toxic elements in tortoise habitats on their health. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chlorinated and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in riverine and estuarine sediments from Pearl River Delta, China.

PubMed

Mai, Bi-Xian; Fu, Jia-Mo; Sheng, Guo-Ying; Kang, Yue-Hui; Lin, Zheng; Zhang, Gan; Min, Yu-Shuan; Zeng, Eddy Y

2002-01-01

Spatial distribution of chlorinated hydrocarbons [chlorinated pesticides (CPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)] and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was measured in riverine and estuarine sediment samples from Pearl River Delta, China, collected in 1997. Concentrations of CPs of the riverine sediment samples range from 12 to 158 ng/g, dry weight, while those of PCBs range from 11 to 486 ng/g. The CPs concentrations of the estuarine sediment samples are in the range 6-1658 ng/g, while concentrations of PCBs are in the range 10-339 ng/g. Total PAH concentration ranges from 1168 to 21,329 ng/g in the riverine sediment samples, whereas the PAH concentration ranges from 323 to 14,812 ng/g in the sediment samples of the Estuary. Sediment samples of the Zhujiang River and Macao harbor around the Estuary show the highest concentrations of CPs, PCBs, and PAHs. Possible factors affecting the distribution patterns are also discussed based on the usage history of the chemicals, hydrologic condition, and land erosion due to urbanization processes. The composition of PAHs is investigated and used to assess petrogenic, combustion and naturally derived PAHs of the sediment samples of the Pearl River Delta. In addition, the concentrations of a number of organic compounds of the Pearl River Delta samples indicate that sediments of the Zhujiang river and Macao harbor are most likely to pose biological impairment.

Efficient sample preparation method based on solvent-assisted dispersive solid-phase extraction for the trace detection of butachlor in urine and waste water samples.

PubMed

Aladaghlo, Zolfaghar; Fakhari, Alireza; Behbahani, Mohammad

2016-10-01

In this work, an efficient sample preparation method termed solvent-assisted dispersive solid-phase extraction was applied. The used sample preparation method was based on the dispersion of the sorbent (benzophenone) into the aqueous sample to maximize the interaction surface. In this approach, the dispersion of the sorbent at a very low milligram level was achieved by inserting a solution of the sorbent and disperser solvent into the aqueous sample. The cloudy solution created from the dispersion of the sorbent in the bulk aqueous sample. After pre-concentration of the butachlor, the cloudy solution was centrifuged and butachlor in the sediment phase dissolved in ethanol and determined by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. Under the optimized conditions (solution pH = 7.0, sorbent: benzophenone, 2%, disperser solvent: ethanol, 500 μL, centrifuged at 4000 rpm for 3 min), the method detection limit for butachlor was 2, 3 and 3 μg/L for distilled water, waste water, and urine sample, respectively. Furthermore, the preconcentration factor was 198.8, 175.0, and 174.2 in distilled water, waste water, and urine sample, respectively. Solvent-assisted dispersive solid-phase extraction was successfully used for the trace monitoring of butachlor in urine and waste water samples. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Sorption of chlorobenzenes to cape cod aquifer sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, L.B.

1994-01-01

Sorption of tetra- and pentachlorobenzene by sediment from a glacial outwash aquifer on Cape Cod, MA, was evaluated. Particle size and mineralogical fractions (separated based on paramagnetic susceptibility) were characterized with respect to sediment organic carbon (SOC), mineralogy, surface area, metal oxide coatings, and spatial variability. SOC increases by a factor of 10 as particle size decreases from 500-1000 to ?? 25 % in the <63-??m fraction, and SOC is preferentially associated with the magnetic minerals. Sorption increases with decreasing particle size (increasing SOC, magnetic minerals, surface area, and metal oxyhydroxides), and the magnetic mineral fraction has greater sorption than the bulk or nonmagnetic fractions. Removal of SOC decreases sorption proportional to the decrease in SOC and results in a nonlinear isotherm.

Uranium speciation as a function of depth in contaminated hanford sediments--a micro-XRF, micro-XRD, and micro- and bulk-XAFS study.

PubMed

Singer, David M; Zachara, John M; Brown, Gordon E

2009-02-01

The distribution and speciation of U and Cu in contaminated vadose zone and aquifer sediments from the U.S. DOE Hanford site (300 Area) were determined using a combination of synchrotron-based micro-X-ray fluorescence (microXRF) imaging, micro-X-ray absorption near edge structure (microXANES) spectroscopy, and micro-X-ray diffraction (microXRD) techniques combined with bulk U LIII-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. Samples were collected from within the inactive North Process Pond (NPP2) at 8 ft (2.4 m, NPP2-8) depth and 12 ft (3.7 m, NPP2-12) depth in the vadose zone, and fines were isolated from turbid groundwater just below the water Table (12-14 ft, approximately 4 m, NPP2-GW). microXRF imaging, microXRD, and microXANES spectroscopy revealed two major U occurrences within the vadose and groundwater zones: (1) low to moderate concentrations of U(VI) associated with fine-textured grain coatings that were consistently found to contain clinochlore (referred to here as chlorite) observed in all three samples, and (2) U(VI)-Cu(II) hotspots consisting of micrometer-sized particles associated with surface coatings on grains of muscovite and chlorite observed in samples NPP2-8' and NPP2-GW. In the aquifer fines (NPP2-GW), these particles were identified as cuprosklodowskite (cps: Cu[(UO2)(SiO2OH)]2 x 6H2O) and metatorbernite (mtb: Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 x 8H2O). In contrast, the U-Cu-containing particles in the vadose zone were X-ray amorphous. Analyses of U LIII-edge XAFS spectra by linear-combination fitting indicated that U speciation consisted of (1) approximately 75% uranyl sorbed to chlorite and approximately 25% mtb-like X-ray amorphous U-Cu-phosphates (8 ft depth), (2) nearly 100% sorbed uranyl (12 ft depth), and (3) approximately 70% uranyl sorbed to chlorite and approximately 30% cps/mtb (groundwater zone). These findings suggest that dissolution of U(VI)-Cu(II)-bearing solids as well as desorption of U(VI), mainly from phyllosilicates, are important persistent sources of U(VI) to the associated uranium groundwater plume in Hanford Area 300.

Numerical study of underwater dispersion of dilute and dense sediment-water mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Ziying; Dao, Ho-Minh; Tan, Danielle S.

2018-05-01

As part of the nodule-harvesting process, sediment tailings are released underwater. Due to the long period of clouding in the water during the settling process, this presents a significant environmental and ecological concern. One possible solution is to release a mixture of sediment tailings and seawater, with the aim of reducing the settling duration as well as the amount of spreading. In this paper, we present some results of numerical simulations using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method to model the release of a fixed volume of pre-mixed sediment-water mixture into a larger body of quiescent water. Both the sediment-water mixture and the “clean” water are modeled as two different fluids, with concentration-dependent bulk properties of the sediment-water mixture adjusted according to the initial solids concentration. This numerical model was validated in a previous study, which indicated significant differences in the dispersion and settling process between dilute and dense mixtures, and that a dense mixture may be preferable. For this study, we investigate a wider range of volumetric concentration with the aim of determining the optimum volumetric concentration, as well as its overall effectiveness compared to the original process (100% sediment).

Debris flow initiation by runoff in a recently burned basin: Is grain-by-grain sediment bulking or en masse failure to blame?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McGuire, Luke A.; Rengers, Francis K.; Kean, Jason W.; Staley, Dennis M.

2017-07-01

Postwildfire debris flows are frequently triggered by runoff following high-intensity rainfall, but the physical mechanisms by which water-dominated flows transition to debris flows are poorly understood relative to debris flow initiation from shallow landslides. In this study, we combined a numerical model with high-resolution hydrologic and geomorphic data sets to test two different hypotheses for debris flow initiation during a rainfall event that produced numerous debris flows within a recently burned drainage basin. Based on simulations, large volumes of sediment eroded from the hillslopes were redeposited within the channel network throughout the storm, leading to the initiation of numerous debris flows as a result of the mass failure of sediment dams that built up within the channel. More generally, results provide a quantitative framework for assessing the potential of runoff-generated debris flows based on sediment supply and hydrologic conditions.

Debris flow initiation by runoff in a recently burned basin: Is grain-by-grain sediment bulking or en masse failure to blame?

USGS Publications Warehouse

McGuire, Luke; Rengers, Francis K.; Kean, Jason W.; Staley, Dennis M.

2017-01-01

Postwildfire debris flows are frequently triggered by runoff following high-intensity rainfall, but the physical mechanisms by which water-dominated flows transition to debris flows are poorly understood relative to debris flow initiation from shallow landslides. In this study, we combined a numerical model with high-resolution hydrologic and geomorphic data sets to test two different hypotheses for debris flow initiation during a rainfall event that produced numerous debris flows within a recently burned drainage basin. Based on simulations, large volumes of sediment eroded from the hillslopes were redeposited within the channel network throughout the storm, leading to the initiation of numerous debris flows as a result of the mass failure of sediment dams that built up within the channel. More generally, results provide a quantitative framework for assessing the potential of runoff-generated debris flows based on sediment supply and hydrologic conditions.

Relation between gas hydrate and physical properties at the Mallik 2L-38 research well in the Mackenzie delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winters, W.J.; Dallimore, S.R.; Collett, T.S.; Jenner, K.A.; Katsube, J.T.; Cranston, R.E.; Wright, J.F.; Nixon, F.M.; Uchida, T.

2000-01-01

As part of an interdisciplinary field program, a 1150-m deep well was drilled in the Canadian Arctic to determine, among other goals, the location, characteristics, and properties of gas hydrate. Numerous physical properties of the host sediment were measured in the laboratory and are presented in relation to the lithology and quantity of in situ gas hydrate. Profiles of measured and derived properties presented from that investigation include: sediment wet bulk density, water content, porosity, grain density, salinity, gas hydrate content (percent occupancy of non-sediment grain void space), grain size, porosity, and post-recovery core temperature. The greatest concentration of gas hydrate is located within sand and gravel deposits between 897 and 922 m. Silty sediment between 926 and 952 m contained substantially less, or no, gas hydrate perhaps because of smaller pore size.

Field Monitoring Shows Smaller Sediment Deficit to the Louisiana Coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanks, K. M.; Shaw, J.

2017-12-01

Current reports suggest that the Louisiana Coast will undergo significant drowning due to high subsidence rates and low sediment supply. One report suggests that sediment supply is just 30% of the amount necessary to sustain the current land area (Blum & Roberts, 2009). A novel dataset (CRMS) put together by the USGS and Louisiana's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority provides direct measurements of sediment accumulation, subsidence rates, and sediment characteristics along the Louisiana Coast over the past 10 years (Jankowski et al., 2017). By interpolating bulk density, percent organic matter, and vertical accretion rates across the coast (274 sites), a more accurate estimate of sediment accumulation, both organic and inorganic, can be determined. Preliminary interpolation shows that an average of 53 MT organic and 132 MT inorganic sediment accumulates on coastal marshes each year. Assuming an average 9 mm/yr subsidence rate (Nienhuis et al., 2017) and 3 mm/yr sea-level rise (Blum & Roberts, 2009), this accumulation results in only a 12 MT/yr, or 6.5%, sediment deficit. Assuming a fluvial sediment discharge of 205 MT/yr, 64% of sediment is being trapped on the delta top. Although the sediment load estimates (MT/yr) may be slightly liberal due to interpolation over water, the fraction sediment deficit is unlikely to significantly change. These results suggest that even if current subsidence rates and sea level rise do not change, the gap between accommodation and accumulation may not be as dire as previously thought.

Physical and thermal properties of mud-dominant sediment from the Joetsu Basin in the eastern margin of the Japan Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goto, Shusaku; Yamano, Makoto; Morita, Sumito; Kanamatsu, Toshiya; Hachikubo, Akihiro; Kataoka, Satsuki; Tanahashi, Manabu; Matsumoto, Ryo

2017-12-01

Physical properties (bulk density and porosity) and thermal properties (thermal conductivity, heat capacity, specific heat, and thermal diffusivity) of sediment are crucial parameters for basin modeling. We measured these physical and thermal properties for mud-dominant sediment recovered from the Joetsu Basin, in the eastern margin of the Japan Sea. To determine thermal conductivity, heat capacity, and thermal diffusivity, the dual-needle probe method was applied. Grain density and grain thermal properties for the mud-dominant sediment were estimated from the measured physical and thermal properties by applying existing models of physical and thermal properties of sediment. We suggest that the grain density, grain thermal conductivity, and grain thermal diffusivity depend on the sediment mineral composition. Conversely, the grain heat capacity and grain specific heat showed hardly any dependency on the mineral composition. We propose empirical formulae for the relationships between: thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity, and heat capacity and thermal conductivity for the sediment in the Joetsu Basin. These relationships are different from those for mud-dominant sediment in the eastern flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge presented in previous work, suggesting a difference in mineral composition, probably mainly in the amount of quartz, between the sediments in that area and the Joetsu Basin. Similar studies in several areas of sediments with various mineral compositions would enhance knowledge of the influence of mineral composition.

ESR signals in a core from the lake Baikal: implications for climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toyoda, S.; Hidaka, K.; Takamatsu, N.

2002-12-01

Electron spin resonance dating method has been used for obtaining ages of Quaternary events using speleothem, corals, shells, hydroxyapatite in tooth enamel, gypsum, and quartz (Ikeya, 1993). Recently, it was also found that an ESR signal in quartz of loess is useful to discuss the variation of its origin (e. g. Ono et al., 1998). The method is based on the signal intensity of the heat treated (gamma ray irradiation and heating, Toyoda and Ikeya, 1991) E 1_f center (an unpaired electron at an oxygen vacancy) correlates the original (crystallization) age of quartz (e.g. Toyoda and Hattori, 2000). If there is variation in ages of basement rocks (origin of loess), ESR signal intensity may differentiate the origins. We applied the present method to sediments taken from the core of the lake Baikal with the length of 600m. The ESR intensity of the heat treated E1_f center was determined by an ESR measurement at room temperature for about 100 mg of the bulk samples, with a microwave power of 0.01 mW, field modulation amplitude of 0.1 mT, and with a scan range of 5 mT around g=2.001 after gamma ray irradiation to 1 kGy and subsequent heating at 300C. The ESR signal of the E1_f center was clearly observed although other minerals are also included in the bulk sample. The peak to peak height was taken as the signal intensity after normalizing the height with the gain (the instrumental setting at the time of measurement), mass, and the intensity of the standard simultaneously measured with the sample. The concentrations of the quartz in the bulk samples were obtained by the X ray diffraction study, normalizing the peak intensity with a standard CeO sample. The variation of the ESR signal intensity with depth of the core will be presented together with the possible climate change which may have caused the variation. References M. Ikeya (1993) New applications of electron spin resonance, dating, dosimetry and imaging, World Scientific. Y. Ono, T. Naruse, M. Ikeya, H. Kohno, and S. Toyoda (1998) Global Planet. Change, 18, 129-135. S. Toyoda and M. Ikeya (1991) Geochem. J. 25, 437-445. S. Toyoda and W. Hattori (2000) Appl. Radiat. Isot., 52, 1351-1356.

Thermal conductivity of bulk and thin film β-Ga2O3 measured by the 3ω technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blumenschein, N.; Slomski, M.; Paskov, P. P.; Kaess, F.; Breckenridge, M. H.; Muth, J. F.; Paskova, T.

2018-02-01

Thermal conductivity of undoped and Sn-doped β-Ga2O3 bulk and single-crystalline thin films have been measured by the 3ω technique. The bulk samples were grown by edge-defined film-field growth (EFG) method, while the thin films were grown on c-plane sapphire by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD). All samples were with (-201) surface orientation. Thermal conductivity of bulk samples was calculated along the in-plane and cross-plane crystallographic directions, yielding a maximum value of 29 W/m-K in the [010] direction at room temperature. A slight thermal conductivity decrease was observed in the Sn-doped bulk samples, which was attributed to enhanced phonon-impurity scattering. The differential 3ω method was used for β-Ga2O3 thin film samples due to the small film thickness. Results show that both undoped and Sndoped films have a much lower thermal conductivity than that of the bulk samples, which is consistent with previous reports in the literature showing a linear relationship between thermal conductivity and film thickness. Similarly to bulk samples, Sn-doped thin films have exhibited a thermal conductivity decrease. However, this decrease was found to be much greater in thin film samples, and increased with Sn doping concentration. A correlation between thermal conductivity and defect/dislocation density was made for the undoped thin films.

The Use of Isotope Dilution Alpha Spectrometry and Liquid Scintillation Counting to Determine Radionuclides in Environmental Samples (abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bylyku, Elida

2009-04-01

In Albania in recent years it has been of increasing interest to determine various pollutants in the environment and their possible effects on human health. The radiochemical procedure used to identify Pu, Am, U, Th, and Sr radioisotopes in soil, sediment, water, coal, and milk samples is described. The analysis is carried out in the presence of respective tracer solutions and combines the procedure for Pu analysis based on anion exchange, the selective method for Sr isolation based on extraction chromatography using Sr-Spec resin, and the application of the TRU-Spec column for separation of Am fraction. An acid digestion method has been applied for the decomposition of samples. The radiochemical procedure involves the separation of Pu from Th, Am, and Sr by anion exchange, followed by the preconcentration of Am and Sr by coprecipitation with calcium oxalate. Am is separated from Sr by extraction chromatography. Uranium is separated from the bulk elements by liquid-liquid extraction using UTEVA® resin. Thin sources for alpha spectrometric measurements are prepared by microprecipitation with NdF3. Two International Atomic Energy Agency reference materials were analyzed in parallel with the samples.

A catchment-integrated approach to determine the importance of secondary sources of contaminated sediment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andres Lopez-Tarazon, Jose; Byrne, Patrick; Mullan, Donal; Smith, Hugh

2015-04-01

Water pollution has been identified as one of the most important environmental challenges of the early 21st Century. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) (2008/105/EC) explicitly recognises the risk to water resources posed by sediment-associated contaminants in European river basins. The potential impacts on water supply and the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems from sediment and associated contaminants may be further exacerbated by climate change pressures on water resources, as highlighted in the 2009 EU White Paper "Adapting to climate change: Towards a European framework for action" (SEC(2009) 386, 387, 388). Despite these concerns, the role of floodplains and other storage areas as secondary sources of contaminated sediment (i.e. metals) in river basins affected by historic industrial or mining pollution has been largely overlooked. Thereby, besides the sediment which is transported by the river, secondary sources of contaminants represent a credible threat to achieving EU water quality targets set by the WFD. This project addresses this issue by developing a catchment-based approach looking at metal geochemistry from source to sink (i.e., from sediment generation at slopes, passing through sediment transported by the river system, to sediment deposition at the storage areas to the outlet) and develop a geochemical model to predict the chemical aspects of metals transport and transformation. This approach will allow us to quantify (i) the sediment fluxes and associated contaminants flowing through the river, (ii) the storage areas contributions to downstream contaminated sediment fluxes, (ii) the timescales for the storage and removal of contaminated sediment in the sinks, and (iv) the transformation and bioavailability of the pollutants (i.e. metals) along the basin. Both physical and chemical aspects of metal transport will be considered by looking at metal geochemistry, mobility and bioavailability, hence producing information on chemical metal transport and transformation from source to sink. Different metal species rather than bulk metals will be investigated providing information on potential metal mobility (and what environmental processes might force mobility) and bioavailability. Biological work (i.e. macroinvertebrates samplings, PCA and CCA techniques) will also carried out to apply contaminant-ecosystem models and determine the affectation of pollutants over the biology/ecology. Finally, catchment-based hydro-sedimentological models will be applied to study how different global-change scenarios could alter sediment (and hence) metals transport. This way, present work will generate better understanding of the environmental risk derived from sediment mobility in contaminated systems, a critical information which will provide river basin managers with the means to assess the potential impact of the secondary sources of water pollution in European rivers.

Microbial fuel cells for inexpensive continuous in-situ monitoring of groundwater quality.

PubMed

Velasquez-Orta, S B; Werner, D; Varia, J C; Mgana, S

2017-06-15

Online monitoring of groundwater quality in shallow wells to detect faecal or organic pollution could dramatically improve understanding of health risks in unplanned peri-urban settlements. Microbial fuel cells (MFC) are devices able to generate electricity from the organic matter content in faecal pollution making them suitable as biosensors. In this work, we evaluate the suitability of four microbial fuel cell systems placed in different regions of a groundwater well for the low-cost monitoring of a faecal pollution event. Concepts created include the use of a sediment/bulk liquid MFC (SED/BL), a sediment/sediment MFC (SED/SED), a bulk liquid/air MFC (BL/Air), and a bulk liquid/bulk liquid MFC (BL/BL). MFC electrodes assembly aimed to use inexpensive, durable, materials, which would produce a signal after a contamination event without external energy or chemical inputs. All MFC configurations were responsive to a contamination event, however SED/SED and BL/Air MFC concepts failed to deliver a reproducible output within the tested period of time. BL/BL MFC and SED/BL MFCs presented an increase in the average current after contamination from -0.75 ± 0.35 μA to -0.66 ± 0.41 μA, and 0.07 ± 0.2 mA to 0.11 ± 0.03 mA, respectively. Currents produced by the SED/BL MFC (SMFC) were considerably higher than for the BL/BL MFCs, making them more responsive, readable and graphically visible. A factorial design of experiments (DOE) was applied to evaluate which environmental and design factors had the greatest effect on current response in a contamination event. Within the ranges of variables tested, salinity, temperature and external resistance, only temperature presented a statistically significant effect (p = 0.045). This showed that the biosensor response would be sensitive to fluctuations in temperature but not to changes in salinity, or external resistances produced from placing electrodes at different distances within a groundwater well. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Food grade titanium dioxide disrupts intestinal brush border microvilli in vitro independent of sedimentation.

PubMed

Faust, James J; Doudrick, Kyle; Yang, Yu; Westerhoff, Paul; Capco, David G

2014-06-01

Bulk- and nano-scale titanium dioxide (TiO2) has found use in human food products for controlling color, texture, and moisture. Once ingested, and because of their small size, nano-scale TiO2 can interact with a number of epithelia that line the human gastrointestinal tract. One such epithelium responsible for nutrient absorption is the small intestine, whose constituent cells contain microvilli to increase the total surface area of the gut. Using a combination of scanning and transmission electron microscopy it was found that food grade TiO2 (E171 food additive coded) included ∼25% of the TiO2 as nanoparticles (NPs; <100 nm), and disrupted the normal organization of the microvilli as a consequence of TiO2 sedimentation. It was found that TiO2 isolated from the candy coating of chewing gum and a commercially available TiO2 food grade additive samples were of the anatase crystal structure. Exposure to food grade TiO2 additives, containing nanoparticles, at the lowest concentration tested within this experimental paradigm to date at 350 ng/mL (i.e., 100 ng/cm(2) cell surface area) resulted in disruption of the brush border. Through the use of two independent techniques to remove the effects of gravity, and subsequent TiO2 sedimentation, it was found that disruption of the microvilli was independent of sedimentation. These data indicate that food grade TiO2 exposure resulted in the loss of microvilli from the Caco-2BBe1 cell system due to a biological response, and not simply a physical artifact of in vitro exposure.

The partitioning of copper among selected phases of geologic media of two porphyry copper districts, Puerto Rico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Learned, R.E.; Chao, T.T.; Sanzolone, R.F.

1981-01-01

In experiments designed to determine the manner in which copper is partitioned among selected phases that constitute geologic media, we have applied the five-step sequential extraction procedure of Chao and Theobald to the analysis of drill core, soils, and stream sediments of the Rio Vivi and Rio Tanama porphyry copper districts of Puerto Rico. The extraction procedure affords a convenient means of determining the trace-metal content of the following fractions: (1) Mn oxides and "reactive" Fe oxides; (2) "amorphous" Fe oxides; (3) "crystalline" Fe oxides; (4) sulfides and magnetite; and (5) silicates. An additional extraction between steps (1) and (2) was performed to determine organic-related copper in stream sediments. The experimental results indicate that apportionment of copper among phases constituting geologic media is a function of geochemical environment. Distinctive partitioning patterns were derived from the analysis of drill core from each of three geochemical zones: (a) the supergene zone of oxidation; (b) the supergene zone of enrichment; and (c) the hypogene zone; and similarly, from the analysis of; (d) soils on a weakly leached capping; (e) soils on a strongly leached capping; and (f) active stream sediment. The experimental results also show that geochemical contrasts (anomaly-to-background ratios) vary widely among the five fractions of each sampling medium investigated, and that at least one fraction of each medium provides substantially stronger contrast than does the bulk medium. Fraction (1) provides optimal contrast for stream sediments of the district; fraction (2) provides optimal contrast for soils on a weakly leached capping; fraction (3) provides optimal contrast for soils on a strongly leached capping. Selective extraction procedures appear to have important applications to the orientation and interpretive stages of geochemical exploration. Further investigation and testing of a similar nature are recommended. ?? 1981.

Faunal Burrows Alter the Diversity, Abundance, and Structure of AOA, AOB, Anammox and n-Damo Communities in Coastal Mangrove Sediments.

PubMed

Chen, Jing; Gu, Ji-Dong

2017-07-01

In the present work, the diversity, community structures, and abundances of aerobic ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB), anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria, and denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidization (n-damo) bacteria were unraveled in the bioturbated areas of the coastal Mai Po mangrove sediments. Results indicated that the bioturbation by burrowing in mangrove sediments was associated with higher concentration of NH 4 + but lower concentrations of both NO 2 - and NO 3 - , and increase in diversity and richness of both AOA and AOB, but relatively lower diversity and richness of n-damo bacteria. The phylotypes of anammox bacterial community were significantly increased while their phylogenetic lineages observed in the less bioturbated areas were also maintained. Infauna also showed a great impact on the composition of n-damo bacterial phylotypes and burrowing activity altered the n-damo community structure profoundly in the sampled areas. The communities of n-damo bacteria in the surrounding bulk sediments showed similar structures to marine n-damo communities, but those on the burrow wall and in the ambient surface layer had a freshwater pattern, which was different from previous findings in Mai Po wetland. On the other hand, the abundances of AOA, AOB, and n-damo bacteria were greatly stimulated on burrow walls while the abundance of anammox bacteria remained unchanged. Infaunal burrows and mangrove roots affected the relative abundance of AOA and AOB. The benthic infauna stimulated the abundances of AOA, AOB, anammox, and n-damo bacteria. Furthermore, NH 4 + and NO 2 - were important environmental factors changing the structure of each group. The communities of anammox and n-damo bacteria in bioturbated areas showed a competitive relationship.

Lidar quantification of bank erosion in Blue Earth County, Minnesota.

PubMed

Kessler, A C; Gupta, S C; Dolliver, H A S; Thoma, D P

2012-01-01

Sediment and phosphorus (P) transport from the Minnesota River Basin to Lake Pepin on the upper Mississippi River has garnered much attention in recent years. However, there is lack of data on the extent of sediment and P contributions from riverbanks vis-à-vis uplands and ravines. Using two light detection and ranging (lidar) data sets taken in 2005 and 2009, a study was undertaken to quantify sediment and associated P losses from riverbanks in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. Volume change in river valleys as a result of bank erosion amounted to 1.71 million m over 4 yr. Volume change closely followed the trend: the Blue Earth River > the Minnesota River at the county's northern edge > the Le Sueur River > the Maple River > the Watonwan River > the Big Cobb River > Perch Creek > Little Cobb River. Using fine sediment content (silt + clay) and bulk density of 37 bank samples representing three parent materials, we estimate bank erosion contributions of 48 to 79% of the measured total suspended solids at the mouth of the Blue Earth and the Le Sueur rivers. Corresponding soluble P and total P contributions ranged from 0.13 to 0.20% and 40 to 49%, respectively. Although tall banks (>3 m high) accounted for 33% of the total length and 63% of the total area, they accounted for 75% of the volume change in river valleys. We conclude that multitemporal lidar data sets are useful in estimating bank erosion and associated P contributions over large scales, and for riverbanks that are not readily accessible for conventional surveying equipment. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Causes and consequences of the great strength variability among soft Nankai accretionary prism sediments from offshore SW-Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stipp, Michael; Schumann, Kai; Leiss, Bernd; Ullemeyer, Klaus

2014-05-01

The Nankai Trough Seismogenic Zone Experiment of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) is the very first attempt to drill into the seismogenic part of a subduction zone. Offshore SW-Japan the oceanic Philippine sea plate is subducted beneath the continental Eurasian plate causing earthquakes of magnitude 8.0 to 8.5 and related tsunamis with a recurrence rate of 80-100 years. For the tsunamigenic potential of the forearc slope and accreted sediments their mechanical strength, composition and fabrics have been investigated. 19 drill core samples of IODP Expeditions 315, 316 and 333 were experimentally deformed in a triaxial cell under consolidated and undrained conditions at confining pressures of 400-1000 kPa, room temperature, axial shortening rates of 0.01-9.0 mm/min, and up to an axial strain of ˜64% (Stipp et al., 2013). With respect to the mechanical behavior, two distinct sample groups could be distinguished. Weak samples from the upper and middle forearc slope of the accretionary prism show a deviatoric peak stress after only a few percent strain (< 10%) and a continuous stress decrease after a maximum combined with a continuous increase in pore pressure. Strong samples from the accretionary prism toe display a constant residual stress at maximum level or even a continuous stress increase together with a decrease in pore pressure towards high strain (Stipp et al., 2013). Synchrotron texture and composition analysis of the experimentally deformed and undeformed samples using the Rietveld refinement program MAUD indicates an increasing strength of the illite and kaolinite textures with increasing depth down to 523 m below sea floor corresponding to a preferred mineral alignment due to compaction. Experimentally deformed samples have generally stronger textures than related undeformed core samples and they show also increasing strength of the illite and kaolinite textures with increasing axial strain. Mechanically weak samples have a bulk clay plus calcite content of 31-65 vol.-% and most of their illite, kaolinite, smectite and calcite [001]-pole figures have maxima >1.5 mrd. Strong samples which were deformed to approximately the same amount of strain (up to 40%) have no calcite and a bulk clay content of 24-36 vol.-%. Illite, kaolinite and smectite [001]-pole figure maxima are mostly <1.5 mrd, except for one sample which was deformed to a considerably higher strain (64%). The higher clay and calcite content and the stronger textures of the mechanically weak samples can be related to a collapsing pore space of the originally flocculated clay aggregates. This process is insignificant in the strong samples from the prism toe, for which deformation would tend to involve large rock volumes and lead to strain dissipation. The weak samples from the forearc slope which become even weaker with increasing strain may provoke mechanical runaway situations allowing for earthquake rupture, surface breakage and tsunami generation. Stipp, M., Rolfs, M., Kitamura, Y., Behrmann, J.H., Schumann, K., Schulte-Kortnack, D. and Feeser, V. 2013. G-Cubed 14/11, doi: 10.1002/ggge.20290.

Ecotoxicological evaluation of industrial port of Venice (Italy) sediment samples after a decontamination treatment.

PubMed

Libralato, Giovanni; Losso, Chiara; Arizzi Novelli, Alessandra; Citron, Marta; Della Sala, Stefano; Zanotto, Emanuele; Cepak, Franka; Volpi Ghirardini, Annamaria

2008-12-01

This work assesses the ecotoxicological effects of polluted sediment after a decontamination treatment process using a new sediment washing technique. Sediment samples were collected from four sites in Marghera Port industrial channels (Venice, Italy). Ecotoxicological evaluations were performed with Vibrio fischeri and Crassostrea gigas bioassays. Whole sediment and elutriate were deemed as the most suitable environmental matrices for this study. Toxicity scores developed in the Lagoon of Venice for V. fischeri on whole sediment and for C. gigas on elutriate were considered for the final ranking of samples. Ecotoxicological results showed that the treated sediment samples presented both acute and sub-chronic toxicities, which were mainly attributed to the presence of some remaining chemicals such as metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The acute toxicity ranged from low to medium, while the sub-chronic one from absent to very high, suggesting that treated sediments could not be reused in direct contact with seawater.

Adjustable shear stress erosion and transport flume

DOEpatents

Roberts, Jesse D.; Jepsen, Richard A.

2002-01-01

A method and apparatus for measuring the total erosion rate and downstream transport of suspended and bedload sediments using an adjustable shear stress erosion and transport (ASSET) flume with a variable-depth sediment core sample. Water is forced past a variable-depth sediment core sample in a closed channel, eroding sediments, and introducing suspended and bedload sediments into the flow stream. The core sample is continuously pushed into the flow stream, while keeping the surface level with the bottom of the channel. Eroded bedload sediments are transported downstream and then gravitationally separated from the flow stream into one or more quiescent traps. The captured bedload sediments (particles and aggregates) are weighed and compared to the total mass of sediment eroded, and also to the concentration of sediments suspended in the flow stream.